ECOPHISIOLOGY OF THE JEQUITIBÁ-ROSA AND OF JACARANDA-DABAHIA: MORPHOGENESE, GERMINATION AND INITIAL GROWTH

This work studied the influence of some morphologic and environmental factors about two native forest species of natural occurrence in the Atlantic Forest: Cariniana legalis (Martius) Kuntze, jequitibá-rosa and of Dalbergia nigra (Vellozo), jacaranda-dabahia, with the purpose of characterizing the ecophysiological behavior of these species inside of the forest system, describing for each species: the morphologic characterses of the seeds, the germination characteristic, the external morphology of the seedlings and cuttings, the effect of substrate and temperatures in the germination and vigor of the seeds, the effect of levels of photossintheticaly activates radiation (PAR), about the growth and concentration of the leaf chlorophylls in cuttings of these species. For evaluation, in laboratory, of the germination capacity, it was studied the temperatures of 20, 25, 30, 20-30 and 35ºC and the substrate: soil forest, commercial substrate, vermiculita and paper roll. In the nursery, with environment temperature, it was studied the substrate: soil of forest, vermiculita, commercial substrate. The levels of PAR studied were: 34, 44, 64, 70 and 100%. The description of the seeds was done in according to the shape, size, hilum, the micropyle and the form and location of the embryo. The stage of the germination and the external characteristics of the plantlets and cuttings were described. Based in the percentage of germination and emergency speed index, the temperatures of 30 and 20-30ºC, in the substrate vermiculita, favored the germination and vigour for the two species. In the nursery, the best percent of germination was when the soil forest was used. The best percent of germination and vigour, was obtained with the white light for the jequitibá-rosa and red light for the jacaranda-da-bahia. For the two species, the growth in diameter and total dry matter are related with the largest light intensity, while the height, leaf area and chlorophylls a and b, increased when decreased the light intensity. It was observed that the jacaranda-da-bahia presents plasticity and more tolerance to the light than the jequitibá-rosa.Estudou-se a influência de alguns fatores morfológicos e ambientais sobre duas espécies florestais nativas, de ocorrência natural na Floresta Atlântica: Cariniana legalis (Martius) O. Kuntze (Lecythidaceae), jequitibá-rosa e de Dalbergia nigra (Vellozo) (Leguminoseae-Papilionoidae), jacarandá-da-bahia, com a finalidade de caracterizar o comportamento ecofisiológico destas espécies dentro do sistema florestal, descrevendo para cada espécie: os caracteres morfológicos das sementes, as características germinativas, a morfologia externa das plântulas e mudas, o efeito de substratos e temperaturas na germinação e vigor das sementes, o efeito de níveis de radiação fotossinteticamente ativa (RFA), sobre o crescimento e concentração de clorofilas foliares em mudas destas espécies. Para avaliação, em laboratório, da capacidade germinativa, estudou-se as temperaturas de 20, 25, 30, 20-30 e 35ºC e os substratos: solo floresta, substrato comercial, vermiculita e rolo de papel. No viveiro, com temperatura ambiente, estudou-se os substratos: solo floresta, vermiculita, substrato comercial. Os níveis de (RFA) estudados foram: 34, 44, 64, 70 e 100%. A descrição das sementes foram efetuadas em relação, a forma, o tamanho, a superfície o hilo, a micrópila e a forma e localização do embrião. Foram descritos os estádios da germinação e os caracteres externos das plântulas e mudas. Com base na porcentagem germinativa e índice de velocidade de emergência, as temperaturas de 30 e 20-30ºC, no substrato vermiculita, favoreceram a germinação e vigor para as duas espécies. No viveiro, o melhor percentual de germinação foi quando se utilizou o solo floresta. O melhor percentual de germinação e vigor foi obtido com a luz branca para o jequitibá-rosa e luz vermelha para o jacarandá-da-bahia. Para as duas espécies o crescimento em diâmetro e matéria seca total, estão relacionados com a maior intensidade de luz, enquanto que a altura, área foliar e clorofilas a e b, aumentaram quando diminuiu a intensidade de luz. Observou-se que o jacarandá-da-bahia apresenta plasticidade e mais tolerância à luz, do que o jequitibá-rosa

Evaluation of Physiologic Quality of Imbuya Seeds by Tetrazolium Test Avaliação da Qualidade Fisiológica de Sementes de Imbuia pelo Teste do Tetrazólio

Vegetative propagation of imbuya (Ocotea porosa) and the germination process of its seeds is slow, justifying tetrazolium test, that is faster for verifying viability of seeds. Seeds of Colombo (PR)  native trees were collected and treated with 0.1 %, 0.3 % and 0.5 % tetrazolium solutions for one and two hours, presenting percentual  variation associated with the different treatments. No statistical significant differences were observed among different treatments. Viable seeds varied among 50 % and 85 %. Tetrazolium 0.5 % for one hour was suggested as the minimum for verifying viability of imbuya seeds.A propagação vegetativa da imbuia (Ocotea porosa) é desconhecida e a germinação de suas sementes<br />é lenta, justificando o teste do tetrazólio, método mais rápido para verificação da viabilidade de sementes.<br />Sementes oriundas de árvores nativas da região de Colombo, PR, foram tratadas com solução de tetrazólio a 0,1 %,<br />0,3 % e 0,5 % por 1 e 2 horas, apresentando variação percentual em viabilidade associada aos diferentes<br />tratamentos. Não constatou-se diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre tratamentos. O percentual de<br />sementes viáveis variou de 50 % a 85 %. Diante dos resultados obtidos, sugere-se a concentração de 0,5 % por<br />uma hora como o tratamento mínimo para verificação da viabilidade das sementes de imbuia

Effects of the a flavonoid-rich fraction on the acquisition and extinction of fear memory: Pharmacological and molecular approaches

The effects of flavonoids have been correlated with their ability to modulate the glutamatergic, serotoninergic and GABAergic neurotransmission; the major targets of these substances are N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor (NMDARs), serotonin type1A receptor (5-HT1ARs) and the gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABAARs). Several studies showed that these receptors are involved in the acquisition and extinction of fear memory. This study assessed the effects of treatment prior to conditioning with a flavonoid-rich fraction from the stem bark of Erythrina falcata (FfB) on the acquisition and extinction of the conditioned suppression following pharmacological manipulations and on gene expression in the dorsal hippocampus (DH). Adult male Wistar rats were treated before conditioned fear with FfB, vehicle, an agonist or antagonist of the 5-HT1AR, GABAARs or the GluN2B-NMDAR or one of these antagonists before FfB treatment. The effects of these treatments on fear memory retrieval, extinction training and extinction retrieval were evaluated at 48, 72 and 98 h after conditioning, respectively. We found that activation of GABAARs and inactivation of GluN2B-NMDARs play important roles in the acquisition of lick response suppression. FfB reversed the effect of blocking GluN2B-NMDARs on the conditioned fear and induced the spontaneous recovery. Blocking the 5-HT1AR and the GluN2B-NMDAR before FfB treatment seemed to be associated with weakening of the spontaneous recovery. Expression of analysis of DH samples via qPCR showed that FfB treatment resulted in the overexpression of Htr1a, Grin2a, Gabra5 and Erk2 after the retention test and of Htr1a and Erk2 after the extinction retention test. Moreover, blocking the 5-HT1ARs and the GluN2B-NMDARs before FfB treatment resulted in reduced Htr1a and Grin2b expression after the retention test, but played a distinct role in Grin2a and Erk2 expression, according session evaluated. We show for the first time that the serotoninergic and glutamatergic receptors are important targets for the effect of FfB on the conditioned fear and spontaneous recovery, in which the ERK signaling pathway appears to be modulated. Further, these results provide important information regarding the role of the DH in conditioned suppression. Taken together, our data suggest that FfB represents a potential therapy for preventing or treating memor