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Riparian forests are those that accompany waterways, forming natural corridors with great biological importance in the environments in which they are inserted. Thus, due to the relevance of these areas, this study aimed to increase information about riparian forest remnants located in the São João River basin, Paraná, to subsidize the ecological diagnosis of vegetation and to determine conservation and restoration actions for the area, as well as for its use in future management plans. In this study, woody species in the upper (CBH ≥ 15cm) and lower (CBH ˂ 15cm and height ≥ 2m) strata were sampled using the quadrants method from eight collection stations along the São João River. Based on the floristic survey and phytosociological parameters observed, it was possible to verify that the riparian forest remnants are quite degraded, presenting a majority of plants that are common in early stages of succession, due to surrounding anthropic actions. On the other hand, the analysis of reproductive attributes revealed the existence of flowering and fruiting species throughout the year, as well as a high number of zoophilic and zoochoric plants, attributes essential for maintaining ecological processes and ensuring ecosystem services. Conservation and restoration actions are needed in this area to reduce the effects of landscape fragmentation, in order to provide adequate support for community development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to describe the reproductive and vegetative phenological patterns of individuals of Copernicia alba, popularly known as "carandá", present in a flooded and non-flooded environment and to test the relations between vegetative and reproductive phenophasesand climatic seasonality. The phenological aspects of the carandá were obtained through a biweekly observation of 22 individuals from two areas of the Pantanal of Mato Grosso between August 2015 and August 2017. The carandá population presented a perennial behavior, flowering during the dry season and a greater leaf intensity in the transition period to the rainy season. Budding, although continuous, was intense in the rainy season, and the leaf deciduous pattern had a direct interference from the absence of rainfalls in the dry period. The incidence of floral buds occurred in the dry period, and the flowering occurred between the dry and rainy periods. The fruiting period occurred in the rainy season, indicating a high synchronism of phenophases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Physalis genus is composed of species with economic and medicinal importance, its cultivation is expanding in Brazil, and is needed research on the performance of species in different regions of the country. Thus, the objective was to characterize the growth, development and yield of Physalis angulata and Physalis ixocarpa species cultivated in three sowing seasons in Bahia's semiarid region. The days after sowing were determined for the occurrence of vegetative and reproductive stages, and the length and diameter of the main branch were evaluated weekly. At the end of cultivation, the number and total weight of fruits per plant were determined. The plants sown in April showed the best results, as flowering precocity, higher productivity and growth close to other producing regions, which is the best period for the cultivation of species. P. angulata is a more tolerant species and can be sown at different periods without compromising yield. High temperatures combined with scarcity of rainfall compromise the development of plants of both species of Physalis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on plant phenological patterns aids in understanding the structure and functioning of ecosystems and support restoration projects in degraded areas. The aim of this study was to characterize the reproductive phenology of Avicennia germinans and Laguncularia racemosa in a mangrove forest in the Mamanguape River estuary in northeastern Brazil. The characterization was performed monthly from July 2016 to June 2017. We applied circular statistics to detect seasonal trends, calculated intra-specific synchrony, and performed regressions between the reproductive phenophases and the abiotic variables. Avicennia germinans exhibits seasonal responses to floral buds, flowers at anthesis, and fruit, with one reproductive episode per year (annual pattern). Laguncularia racemosa has no seasonal response, with one reproductive episode per year for floral buds (annual pattern) and two episodes for flowers at anthesis and fruits (subannual pattern). Reproductive phenophases of A. germinans exhibited higher intra-specific synchrony than L. racemosa. We provide evidence that temperature, solar radiation and rainfall are important drivers of the flowering rhythm in both species. In conclusion, the results of this study showed that the species exhibited different phenological responses, even though they were subjected to the same abiotic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental characteristics are among the most important triggers and regulators of plant phenophases, so that the abiotic and biotic changes driven by habitat loss and fragmentation can result in alterations of plant phenological patterns. We investigated whether forest edge and interior have differences in phenological pattern of tree communities. We followed the reproductive phenologies of tree communities in seven forest fragments on a monthly basis for two years (in 200 m² edge and interior plots per fragment). We sampled a total of 0.28 ha of anthropic forest fragments, comprising 313 trees (180 in edge, 133 in interior) belonging to 103 species and 34 families. Our results evidenced reproductive phenological changes between edge and interior tree communities, with: (i) phenological activities differing temporally between the two habitats (edge and forest interior) in all tree communities; (ii) greater phenological intensity at the forest edge than in the forest interior among tree species common to both habitats; (iii) more tree species showed phenological activity at the forest edge in 2010 and interior in 2011, when considering only those exclusive to each habitat. Habitat fragmentation can therefore alter microenvironmental characteristics and influence biologic processes, including the reproductive phenologies of trees, through edge formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyzed the reproductive phenology of Ditassa burchellii and the influence of abiotic factors on the species phenophases. The study was conducted on individuals of a natural population from a semi-deciduous forest (Viçosa municipality, Minas Gerais state, southeastern Brazil). We quantified the activity and intensity indices of the following phenophases: flower bud, flower, immature fruit, and dehiscent fruit. To test for seasonality of phenophases, we analyzed each of them using Rayleigh test. We evaluated whether there was any association between abiotic variables (mean temperature, rainfall, and day length) and phenophases, in the month of occurrence and in the three months prior to the occurrence of each phenophase. The analyzed phenophases occurred mainly at the end of the rainy season and during the dry season, with overlapping periods, but with sequential peaks. The periods of occurrence of reproductive phenophases were similar to the ones in other climbing species and were mainly related to the dispersal mode. All phenophases were seasonal and were associated with at least one abiotic variable, either in the month of their occurrence or in the previous months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil diseases reduce the lifetime of the yellow passion fruit crops, forcing the practice of shifting cultivation. The use of tolerant rootstocks could help control premature demise of plants, providing healthier crops, uniform and long-lived. This paper has aimed quantify the influence of two species of wild passionfruit Passiflora mucronata Lam and P. gibertii NE Brown as rootstocks on the agronomic characteristics of yellow passion fruit. The morphological and anatomical analysis of graft region highlighted the cellular redifferentiation resulting in the connection of the graft and the rootstock hypo and epibioto tissues. The changes in characteristics such as plant height, number of nodes, occurrence rate of nodes, accumulation of thermal units to flowering also discussed. It was observed that P. mucronata as rootstock positively influenced the number of nodes, plant height, the number of flowers and the rate of occurrence of nodes. The wild species used as rootstock developed flower buds prematurely. The specie P. mucronata showed the best performance as rootstock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat fragmentation causes loss of biodiversity and may alter the reproductive patterns of the species. Phenological studies help understanding the cyclical events of vegetables and ecosystem dynamic. The objectives were to correlate reproductive events with climate variables, classify the species and the ecological succession and dispersal syndromes and compare the reproductive patterns between edge and interior. Were followed 155 individuals (96 edge and 59 interior), between August/2008 and August/2010 on monthly observations of reproductive phenophases using the activity index and intensity of Fournier. The production of flowers and fruits was observed over the years, with the fruiting longer duration than flowering. Reproductive events were more intense on the edge. Intensity Fournier was similar to that of phenophases activity index. The pattern community was "steady state" and continued, with the majority of annual species. Edge and interior had the same time of occurrence of phenophases, but the activity and the intensity of reproductive individuals were higher on edge. Pioneer species were more common in edge and secondary in interior. Zoochory was more frequent in both areas. Not significant correlations between the phenology and the climate were found, suggesting the action of other factors for induction of reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floral visitation does not necessarily mean pollination, as several animals utilize floral resources without transferring pollen. Since pollinators and thieves can affect the reproduction, morphology and diversification of flowering plants, we here investigated if attributes of flowers and flowering of plant species collected in the central Brazilian vereda would predict the pollination (pollen seeking) or theft (pollen/nectar theft) during the visits. It was hypothesized that non specialized flowers would have a higher incidence of thievery, where as specialization, for example, the presence of large and medium flowers with long corolla, making it difficult to access nectar, would lead to increased pollination. As a result, four attributes were mainly associated with illegitimate visits, and in order of importance, they are size (small), quantity of flowers per plant (large), flowering time (< 10 months) and floral type (inconspicuous). The richest and most abundant visitor groups, including bees, flies and wasps, acted mainly as potential pollinators, while cockroaches, butterflies, beetles, ants and hemipterans acted as thieves. However, further studies are required to confirm that this pattern is repeated in other larger and more diverse communities, thus confirming the possible preference for floral thieves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The araticum (Annona crassiflora Mart.) is a native fruit from the Cerrado biome, with a great economic and social potential. Studies on Cerrado native plants phenology are scarce and can be promising for a better rational and sustainable exploitation of its potentialities. Thus, the objective of this study was to characterize araticum reproductive phenology in the Cerrado. The phenophases evaluations were carried out from August 2008 to August 2010, in Goiania, Goias, Brazil, through counting of flower buds, flowers in anthesis and fruits formed. The production capacity was estimated through the effective fruiting rate. For flower emission, a biannual pattern was observed for araticum.. The effective fruiting rate observed was 3.29% and the araticum's reproductive phenophases were concentrated during the rainy season. The effective fruiting rate is considered very low and depends on biotic and abiotic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to monitor aspects of phenology of Nectandra megapotamica and Nectandra lanceolata. The observation took place in three areas in Joaçaba, SC in the period from May, 2013 to February, 2014, monthly in vegetative stage and fortnightly in breeding. The flowering of N. megapotamica occurred from August through October, the fruit ripening until February. The index Fournier demonstrated low productivity (24% of anthesis and 19% fruit). The flowering of N. lanceolata occurred from September to December, with fruit until February, also with low productivity (14% anthesis and 9% fruit). Monitoring for a longer period of time is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of knowledge about basic aspects related to autoecology of native forest species prevents the development of strategies for appropriate forest management, restoration and production of seedlings. This research aimed to characterize the time of flowering and fruitification, the morphology of flowers, fruits, seeds, seedling and changes of Holocalyx balansae Micheli (rosemary), and analyzing physical and physiological characteristics of a seed lot. We conducted monthly phenological observations. The seed lot had six individuals that exhibited ripe fruits in the same period. The presence of flowers occurred in two periods (February and June to September), just as the ripe fruit (November and March to April). We observed phenological changes during the year between trees in the same period, suggesting that it is necessary to mark a largest number of arboreal specimens than the ones you want to collect. Germination is hypogeal. The size of the fruits and seeds was variable, resulting in 793 seeds per kilogram, with 83% of germination, however, under environment conditions, observing seedling emergence, this value decreased significantly (51%), it should be a factor to be considered in seedling production planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenological studies can support actions of seed collection and recovery of degraded areas, contributing to the conservation of forest species. This study aimed to understand the timing of flowering and fruiting of 21 native tree species in fragmented area of Atlantic Forest in Itaboraí, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Ninety one trees were monitored monthly, from January to December of 2011. Most species flowered in the late dry season and early rainy season, and presented a moderate negative correlation between flowering and photoperiod. There were two peaks of fruiting: March-April to zoochoric species and September-October for not zoochoric species, with positive correlation between rainfall and fruiting of zoochoric species. There was a high incidence of pathogens in fruits, affecting the seed production by Machaerium hirtum, Melanoxylon brauna, Machaerium brasiliense and Psidium guineense. Other species showed low fruit production, as Andira sp., Swartzia oblata, Guarea guidonea, and Enterolobium glaziovii. The timing of flowering and fruiting among individuals was low for most species. The lack of phenology research of most species studied (52%) reinforced the need of such studies in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to characterize morphologically the seed germination and floral biology of Jatropha curcas grown in Viçosa, Minas Gerais state. The floral biology study was made on fresh inflorescences of 20 plants. For the post-seminal development study, the seeds were submitted to laboratory and greenhouse germination test. J. curcas has flowers of both sexes within the same inflorescence, with each inflorescence having an average of 131 flowers, being 120 male and 10.5 female flowers. Low numbers of hermaphrodite flowers were also found, ranging from 0 to 6 flowers per inflorescence. The germination of J. curcas begins on the third day with radicle protrusion in the hilum region. The primary root is cylindrical, thick, glabrous and branches rapidly, with about 4-5 branches three days after protrusion, when the emergence of the secondary roots begins. Seed coat removal occurs around the 8th day, when the endosperm is almost totally degraded and offers no resistance to the cotyledons that expand between the 10th and 12th day. A normal seedling has a long greenish hypocotyl, two cotyledons, a robust primary root and several lateral roots. On the 12th day after sowing, the normal seedling is characterized as phanerocotylar and germination is epigeal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several factors can cause an erratic production of peaches under subtropical conditions. The occurrence of high temperatures on the beginning of blooming is one of them. Such temperatures can damage the stigma and the pollen germination, causing a decrease on fecundation and fruit set. The present work had the objective of looking for differences in tolerance to 29±2°C among peach genotypes, as well as checking if a simple method using detached twigs would be suitable to detect differences. Two experiments were conducted using whole plants in vase, on one and detached twigs on the other. Estimates of pollen tube growth on the pistil and stigma receptivity suggested that selections Conserva 1566 and Conserva 693 and cv. 'Maciel' were tolerant to temperatures around 29°C at begining of blooming. Stigma receptivity, even in detached twigs, showed differences among genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research was realized to quantify the need for accumulation hours under low temperatures to the acid lime 'Tahiti' flowering, without water application and beyond evaluating gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence under low temperature and light. The experiment was conducted in Viçosa-MG, Brazil, with plants from acid lime 'Tahiti' grafted on Rangpur lime grown in pots of 12 liters. The design was completely randomized with seven treatments and four replicates with one plant per plot. From 02/01/2008 until 04/30/2008, four plants were taken from each growth chamber (CC) (temperatures: 16/12°C (day/night); air humidity: 70%; photoperiod: 10 hours; photosynthetic photon flux density: 100μmol m-2s-1) to 15 days and taken to a greenhouse (CV) without environmental control, totaling seven dates of transfer. Exposure of plants to low temperatures, under controlled conditions, does not cause significant changes in the characteristics of chlorophyll a fluorescence, but caused 80% of reduction in gas exchange. This reduction does not hurt the flowering plants. Plants exposed to no-induced conditions only issued vegetative shoots, while those submitted to lower temperatures, the greater was the exposure time, the greater was the number of flowers sent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) is an oleaginous plant with annual cycle and occasionally biennial cycle in tropical areas, with mean cycle of 150 days for the majority of annual cultivars and 120 to 130 days for annual early cultivars. The objective of this study was to evaluate the agronomic characteristics of castor cultivars according to environmental crop and sowing season. The experiment was conduced at Embrapa Clima Temperado - Pelotas/RS, in two places. The castor cultivars used in this research were 'Al Guarany 2002', 'IAC 80', 'IAC 226' and 'BRS 188 Paraguaçu', which were sown in two sowing times: the first was in early November (between 1st and 5st) and the second was in early December (between 1st and 5st). Each sowing season was constituted of 12 experimental units, distributed in three random blocks. It was evaluated the emergency, plant height and first spike insertion , flowering and harvest time, pest and disease attacks. The WinStat program Version 2.0 was used for data statistical analysis. There was a significant difference among cultivar behaviors between the environmental crops and sowing seasons. The second sowing season provided a larger plant and first spike insertion was higher. It also promoted retardation in the flowering and harvesting time. The differences among cultivars, between the two environmental crops, were clearer in the pest and disease attacks, but also in morphologic characteristics of castor plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Casearia sylvestris Swartz (Salicaceae) is a tree species widely distributed throughout Brazilian vegetation and it is used for medicinal purposes by the human population who exploit natural environment. The purpose of the present study was to provide information about the reproductive phenofases, the morphology and germination of C.sylvestris seeds, and verify the existence of variability in the germination behavior according the source of the seed sample. Seeds from two different sources, Itirapina-SP and Ibiporã-PR, with 14,5% and 22,86% water content, respectively, were germinated in the absence of light at constant temperatures of 27°, 300 and 33 °C and a 12h photoperiod in alternating temperatures from 20-30 °C, in BOD chambers. The effect of growth regulators was verified by solutions of gibberellin (GA3)(10 or 20 mgL-1) or kinetin (5 or 10 mgL-1) or water, under 27 °C temperature. The tetrazolium test demonstrated that 32% of the seeds from the SP sample and 66% of the PR sample were viable. The lots from both sources presented standard three-phase water imbibition, but differed in the emission time of the primary root. The optimal temperature for germination was between 27° and 30 °C for both lots. The use of growth regulators was not effective in improving the seed performance. The seedlings from the SP source were more vigorous (larger mass), but they were smaller in relation to the set from the PR source. After storage, the sample from the SP source presented a decrease in their viability and vigor and the ones from the PR source presented decrease only in vigor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atualmente, vem crescendo a necessidade de conservar os recursos naturais em todo o mundo. No Brasil, tem sido dada uma maior ênfase à degradação que ocorre no Bioma Caatinga, devido à sua fragilidade e a sua elevada antropização. Tendo em vista suas peculiaridades em termos de biodiversidade, tornam-se necessárias atitudes que visem sua preservação. O vale do São José, localizado no município de Caetés em uma área de transição de Agreste e Sertão, possui diferentes estratos foliais que variam de acordo com a altitude, umidade, temperatura, profundidade e fertilidade de solos, apresentando ampla variedade de espécies e condições para o desenvolvimento das mesmas. Esse trabalho objetiva entender os ciclos de floração e frutificação das arvores da região, para sistematizar a coleta de sementes visando a produção de mudas das espécies nativas do bioma Caatinga para fins de reflorestamento de áreas degradas no vale e entorno. Foram mapeados os ciclos de floração e frutificação das espécies dessa localidade, visando estabelecer as melhores épocas e locais para a coleta de sementes na área de estudo, bem como relacionar o que se sabe sobre a Caatinga contextualizando com a realidade do vale do São José. Considerando as diferentes fisionomias da flora local, pode-se caracterizar os estratos vegetacionais variando de um local para outro. Também é possível encontrar condições adequadas para o cultivo das mais variadas espécies aproveitando as condições edáficas da própria região. Algumas árvores têm sua floração durante o período chuvoso (de Março a Agosto) e sua frutificação no início da estação seca (Setembro a Fevereiro), a exemplo: braúna (Schinopsis brasiliensis Engl.), pau-ferro (Libidibia férrea (Mart.ex Tul.) L.P. Queiroz), catingueira (Poincianella pyramidalis Tul.), Jurema-preta (Mimosa tenuiflora (Willd.) Poir). Outras apresentam fenologia diferenciada, com floração na época seca e frutificação no início da estação chuvosa, a exemplo do pau-d'arco (Handroanthus impetiginosus Mattos), craibeira (Tabebuia caraiba Mart.), juazeiro (Ziziphus joazeiro Mart.) e angico (Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) Brenam), favela (Cidoscolus quercifolius Pohl.). No local ocorre irregularidade de chuvas, o que pode interferir no tempo de duração desses períodos. A partir dessas informações a respeito da flora local, nota-se que é possível recuperar as áreas degradadas do vale e seu entorno, graças a mancha remanescente de Caatinga existente, a qual fornece vasta quantidade de sementes de plantas endêmicas do Bioma. Graças à presença dessa variedade vegetacional, cerca de dois terços das espécies de plantas da Caatinga são encontrados no vale. No local têm-se condições edafoclimáticas adequadas para coleta regular de sementes e implantação de uma sementeira para produção de mudas endêmicas da Caatinga, possibilitando a recuperação das áreas degradas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]