The aim of this study was to evaluate the photosynthetic performance of Eucalyptus clones with the aim of identifying their tolerance to soil saline stress conditions. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design with a 3 × 4 factorial arrangement: in five replications, totaling 60 plots, three Eucalyptus clones were used, VC865, I224, and I144, which were exposed to four concentrations of NaCl (0, 1, 2 and 3 g NaCl kg-1 of soil). Clone I144 shows mechanisms of salinity tolerance as smaller reductions in the stomatal conductance, transpiration, photosynthesis, photochemical efficiency of PSII, photosynthetic pigment content and total dry mass. On the other hand, clone I224 presents greater physiological damage, indicating high susceptibility to salt stress, while VC865 shows moderate sensitivity to salinity. Variables related to photosynthetic performance, such as gas exchange, photochemical efficiency of PSII and photosynthetic pigments are potentially reliable physiological indicators for selecting of tolerant Eucalyptus clones to salt stress.

Association and mycorrhizal dependency in Jatropha curcas L.seedlings under salt stress 1 The cultivation of Jatropha curcas L. for biodiesel production is possible in salinized areas; however, biomass production is limited in these soils. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are a promising alternative for bioremediation in salinized soils. Yet, salinity also affects the AMF at the time of colonization and, in this case, the symbiosis is not always established. Therefore, the aim of this study was to test the hypotheses that three AMF species commonly found in saline soils are associated with J. curcas and if seedlings previously inoculated with these AMF are more tolerant to salt stress. Two trials were performed: the first one was carried out in a completely randomized design with five treatments (control, Rhizophagus intraradices, Gigaspora albida, Claroideoglomus etunicatum, and the three species together) and six repetitions to investigate the formation of symbiosis among species; and the second trial was carried out in randomized blocks in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme (2, 5, 8, and 10 dS m -1 , with and without mycorrhizae) with eight repetitions to verify the development and mycorrhizal dependency (MD) of the seedlings previously inoculated, in salinized environment. The three species of AMF are associated with J. curcas both alone and together. Mycorrhizal dependency increased with salinity, indicating that J. curcas is a facultative species. The pre-colonized seedlings with AMF are an alternative to the establishment of J. curcas in salinized soils.

O crescimento das plantas de cana-de-açúcar é bastante reduzido devido à ocorrência de déficit hídrico, o que acaba afetando a produção. Diante disso, vem sendo utilizadas diferentes estratégias para atenuar condições de estresse, como a aplicação exógena de glicina betaína. Com este trabalho, objetivou-se avaliar a taxa de crescimento e a massa seca de cana-de-açúcar aplicada glicina betaína, e submetida a déficit hídrico e reidratação. O experimento foi realizado em casa de vegetação com seis tratamentos: G0I - plantas sem glicina betaína com irrigação adequada, G0E - plantas sem glicina betaína e estresse hídrico, G1I - plantas com uma aplicação de glicina betaína e irrigação adequada, G1E - plantas com uma aplicação de glicina betaína e estresse hídrico, G2I - plantas com duas aplicações de glicina betaína e irrigação adequada, G2E - plantas com duas aplicações de glicina betaína e estresse hídrico. Aos seis dias após o estresse as plantas foram reidratadas. As taxas relativas de crescimento das plantas de cana-de-açúcar reduziram com o estresse hídrico. No entanto, estas reduções foram minimizadas com a aplicação foliar de glicina betaína, principalmente, com a reidratação em que a taxa relativa de crescimento reduziu apenas 19 e 18,4%, respectivamente, em G1 e G2, enquanto em G0 a redução foi de 37,2%. A glicina betaína também minimizou as reduções na produção de massa seca total sob estresse hídrico, com reduções de 5,8 e 5,9% em G1 e G2, respectivamente, enquanto em G0 foi de 15,1%. A aplicação foliar de glicina betaína melhora a taxa relativa de crescimento de plantas de cana-de-açúcar sob estresse hídrico, sobretudo após a reidratação o que diminui os efeitos negativos do estresse sobre a produção de massa seca.

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