Abiótic stresses in seed germination and growth of Eucalyptus species and hybrids

Author(s)

Marcos Claudio da Silva Virtuoso

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Jaboticabal. 2018-04-09.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias. Jaboticabal
• Defense date: 2018-02-27
• Advisor: Rinaldo Cesar de Paula

Abstract

ABSTRACT- The genus Eucalyptus is one of the most important for Brazilian forestry, being source of raw material for several products. The climate change that has been occurring in recent years has negatively influenced forest productivity, mainly due to the increase in temperature and changes in the intensity and duration of droughts. The selection of more productive and tolerant genotypes for the different conditions is one of the objectives of the genetic improvement of eucalyptus species, however, because it is a perennial plant, it takes a long time to obtain satisfactory results. Finding faster means for material selection is important to streamline the process. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of temperature, water deficit and saline stress on seed germination and evaluate the performance of seedlings under water deficit of five species and two eucalyptus hybrids. The research was divided in four experiments, the first three were tests of germination, done in laboratory and in the fourth experiment were evaluated of seedlings, in pots under greenhouse conditions. The eucalyptus species and hybrids (genotypes) used were Eucalyptus camaldulensis, E. brassiana, E. grandis, E. saligna, E. urophylla, E. grandis x E. camaldulensis and E. urophylla x E. grandis. The first experiment consisted of a randomized block design in a 5x7 factorial scheme, with five temperatures (20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 ° C) and the seven genotypes. In the second experiment the seeds were submitted to germination at optimum temperature (25ºC) and supra-optimum (35ºC) and in water potentials of 0 (water); -0.05; -0.10; -0.15; -0.20; -0.25; -0.30; -0.40; -0.60; -0.80 and -1.00 MPa, obtained with polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000). The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design, in factorial arrangement 11x7x2 (11 osmotic potentials x 7 genotypes x 2 temperatures). The third experiment consisted of the same arrangement of the previous one, involving, however, saline stress, obtaining the same water potentials, with dilutions of NaCl in water. The last experiment was in pots under greenhouse conditions, using a randomized block design in a 3x7 factorial scheme, with three water regimes (60, 40 and 20% of field capacity) and seven eucalyptus genotypes. The variables analyzed in the laboratory experiments were germination, germination speed index, germination coefficient, mean germination time, and shoot and root length. In greenhouse conditions, were evaluated growth characteristics (shoot diameter, plant height, leaf number, leaf area, fresh shoot and root mass), physiological (net assimilation rate, transpiration, stomatal conductance, leaf water potential) and biochemical characteristics (soluble and total carbohydrate content, chlorophyll a and b and content of carotenoids) and morphological characteristics (morphology and number of leaf stomata). The data were submitted to analysis of variance and comparison of means by Tukey test, a 5% probability for comparison between genotypes and for the effects of water potentials a regression analysis was applied. The genotypes showed a different behavior compared to the temperatures studied. At 30 ºC there was no difference in germination of the genotypes, differing only at the highest temperatures, 35 and 40 º C. The E. camaldulensis and E. brassiana presented higher germination percentages than the others. In the second experiment there was a reduction in seed germination percentage and seed germination rate, with decrease in water potential and, in general, with temperature increase. E. camaldulensis and E. brassiana showed greater germination capacity in the water potential of -0.40 MPa, compared to the other genotypes. The same occurred also under saline stress, however, there was a greater capacity of germination in higher NaCl concentrations, obtaining germination in potentials of -0.80 MPa. In greenhouse the genotypes presented differences in the characteristics evaluated that resulted in a greater or lesser degree of tolerance to the water deficit. In general, E. camaldulensis and E. brassiana were also superior, mainly regarding the physiological performance, when compared to the other genotypes. Together, the results indicate a possible correlation between the germination stages and initial seedling performance, regarding the responses to the abiotic stresses tested. The selection of genotypes tolerant to abiotic stresses in germination is still precipitated, but through this, it was possible to indicate where the plants will perform better. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/15087-2 - Abiotic stress in seed germination and seedlings growth in hybrid and species of eucalyptus
• Grantee: Marcos Cláudio da Silva Virtuoso
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master