Cytogenetic characterization of Lythraceae species

• Grant number: 15/01688-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2015
• End date: May 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Applied Botany
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo Augusto Lombello
• Grantee: Juliana Toledo Faria
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Although Brazilian native plant species have waken more scientific interests mainly focused on phytochemical extracts characters, these species remain neglected in cytogenetic and reproductive biology studies. The knowledge of reproductive biology and cytogenetic characterization supplies the basis and leads the ways for valuation, preservation and breeding programs of genetic resources. Based on this lack of information and in the need of these data for plant species improvement the present project intend to characterize cytogenetically, using conventional and fluorochrome banding techniques, and analyze the reproductive biology, using meiotic studies and pollen viability observation, Lafoensia pacari and L. replicata (Lythraceae), species that present agronomic interests due to its ornamental features and pharmacological potential. These species are found at Alto da Serra de Paranapiacaba Biological Reserve, Santo André, an important remaining area of Brazilian Mata Atlântica biome.