The cambial activity and periodicity of secondary xylem and phloem formation have been less studied in tropical tree species than in temperate ones. This paper describes the relationship between seasonal cambial activity, xylem and phloem development, and phenology in Schizolobium parahyba, a fast growing semideciduous seasonal forest tree from southeastern Brazil. From 2002 to 2003, wood samples were collected periodically and phenology and climate were recorded monthly in the same period. S. parahyba forms annual growth increments in wood, delimited by narrow initial parenchyma bands. The reduction of the cambial activity to a minimum correlates to the dry season and leaf fall. The higher cambial activity correlates to the wet season and the presence of mature leaves. In phloem, a larger conductive region was observed in the wet season, when the trees were in full foliage. The secondary phloem did not exhibit any incremental zone marker; however, we found that the axial parenchyma tends to form irregular bands.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

-The objective of this work was to evaluate the physiological and anatomical traits of plants of a cacao (Theobroma cacao) clone in response to water deficit after leaf application of silicon. A randomized complete block design was used, with four replicates, in a 2x3 factorial arrangement of two water regimes (irrigated or nonirrigated) and three silicon concentrations (0.0, 1.5, and 3.0 mg mL -1 ) applied in wettable SiO 2 powder. The plants were evaluated 20 days after the irrigation regimes were applied. The use of SiO 2 increased the stability of cell membranes and the photochemical efficiency of the plants under water deficit. The 1.5 mg mL -1 concentration of SiO 2 increased photosynthetic rate, water use efficiency, and carboxylation efficiency, besides mitigating the effect of oxidative stress. Stomatal density was reduced in nonirrigated plants under the highest concentration of Si. The 1.5 mg mL -1 concentration of Si is considered optimal for the photosynthetic metabolism of young cacao plants under soil water limitation.Index terms: Theobroma cacao, anatomy, antioxidant enzymes, drought, photochemistry, SiO 2 . Aplicação foliar de silício em plantas jovens de cacau submetidas à deficiência hídricaResumo -O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar as características fisiológicas e anatômicas de plantas de um clone de cacau (Theobroma cacao) em resposta ao deficit hídrico após a aplicação foliar de silício. Utilizou-se o delineamento de blocos ao acaso, com quatro repetições, em arranjo fatorial 2x3, com dois regimes hídricos (irrigado e não irrigado) e três concentrações de silício (0, 1,5 e 3,0 mg mL -1 ) aplicadas como pó molhável de SiO 2 . As plantas foram avaliadas 20 dias após a aplicação dos regimes de irrigação. O uso de SiO 2 aumentou a estabilidade das membranas celulares e a eficiência fotoquímica das plantas sob deficit hídrico. A concentração de 1,5 mg mL -1 de SiO 2 aumentou a taxa fotossintética, a eficiência do uso da água e a taxa de carboxilação, além de ter mitigado o efeito do estresse oxidativo. A densidade estomática foi reduzida em plantas não irrigadas sob a maior concentração de Si. A concentração de 1,5 mg mL -1 de Si é considerada ótima para o metabolismo fotossintético de plantas jovens de cacau sob limitação de água no solo.Termos para indexação: Theobroma cacao, anatomia, enzimas antioxidantes, seca, fotoquímica, SiO 2 .