Authors: N C C Oliveira P S N Lopes L M Ribeiro M O MercandanteSimões L A A Oliveira F O Silvério
Publish Date: 2013/07/26
Volume: 27, Issue: 6, Pages: 1633-1645
Abstract
Butia capitata is a palm tree endemic to the Cerrado biome of Brazil and has significant potential for ornamental and food uses In this work we characterized the structures of the seeds and seedlings of this species to identify anatomical aspects related to its pronounced dormancy and determine the processes involved in reserve mobilization Intact seeds and seeds from which the operculum had been removed were allowed to germinate and their morphology physiology anatomy and histochemistry together with those of the seedlings were followed for 30 days The seed coat was found to be rich in phenolic compounds and not lignified The endosperm contains abundant protein and lipidic reserves and the embryo has additional starch reserves Germination occurred only in seeds with their opercula removed and involved the elongation of the cotyledon cells and meristematic activity in the “M zone” located between the embryonic axis and the proximal extremity of the embryo The mobilization of embryonic reserves initiates during the first phase of imbibition while the mobilization of endosperm reserves represents a postgermination event associated with the formation of a secretory epidermis and aerenchyma and the vascularization of the haustorium Seeds with intact opercula did not germinate but demonstrated embryonic reserve mobilization and cell elongation indicating that dormancy in B capitata is related to the incapacity of the embryo to dislocate the operculumThe Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—CAPES the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico—CNPq the Fundacão de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais—FAPEMIG through a Masters grant awarded to N C C Oliveira Reuni the Produtividade em Desenvolvimento Tecnológico e Extensão Inovadora grant awarded to P S N Lopes 313116/20091 an Incentivo à Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Tecnológico grant to M O MercadanteSimões and L M Ribeiro BIP0013711 an Iniciação Científica grant to L A A Oliveira the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais—FAPEMIG Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—CAPES Procad 213/2007 and the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico—CNPq 557349/20095 through financial support to research projects
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