In Citrus, water, nutrient transport and thereby fruit production, are influenced among other factors, by the interaction between rootstock and boron (B) nutrition. This study aimed to investigate how B affects the anatomical structure of roots and leaves as well as leaf gas exchange in sweet orange trees grafted on two contrasting rootstocks in response to B supply. Plants grafted on Swingle citrumelo or Sunki mandarin were grown in a nutrient solution of varying B concentration (deficient, adequate, and excessive). Those grafted on Swingle were more tolerant to both B deficiency and toxicity than those on Sunki, as revealed by higher shoot and root growth. In addition, plants grafted on Sunki exhibited more severe anatomical and physiological damages under B deficiency, showing thickening of xylem cell walls and impairments in whole-plant leaf-specific hydraulic conductance and leaf CO2 assimilation. Our data revealed that trees grafted on Swingle sustain better growth under low B availablitlity in the root medium and still respond positively to increased B levels by combining higher B absorption and root growth as well as better organization of xylem vessels. Taken together, those traits improved water and B transport to the plant canopy. Under B toxicity, Swingle rootstock would also favor plant growth by reducing anatomical and ultrastructural damage to leaf tissue and improving water transport compared with plants grafted on Sunki. From a practical point of view, our results highlight that B management in citrus orchards shall take into account rootstock varieties, of which the Swingle rootstock was characterized by its performance on regulating anatomical and ultrastructural damages, improving water transport and limiting negative impacts of B stress conditions on plant growth.

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Fluoride (F) is an air pollutant that causes phytotoxicity. Besides the importance of this, losses of agricultural crops in the vicinity of F polluting industries in Brazil have been recently reported. Injuries caused to plant leaf cell structures by excess F are not well characterized. However, this may contribute to understanding the ways in which plant physiological and biochemical processes are altered. A study evaluated the effects of the atmospheric F on leaf characteristics and growth of young trees of sweet orange and coffee exposed to low (0.04 mol L −1 ) or high (0.16 mol L −1 ) doses of HF nebulized in closed chamber for 28 days plus a control treatment not exposed.Gladiolus and ryegrass were used as bioindicators in the experiment to monitor F exposure levels. Fluoride concentration and dry mass of leaves were evaluated. Leaf anatomy was observed under light and electron microscopy. High F concentrations (~180 mg kg −1 ) were found in leaves of plants exposed at the highest dose of HF. Visual symptoms of F toxicity in leaves of citrus and coffee were observed. Analyses of plant tissue provided evidence that F caused degeneration of cell wall and cytoplasm and disorganization of bundle sheath, which were more evident in Gladiolus and coffee. Minor changes were observed for sweet orange and ryegrass. Increase on individual stomatal area was also marked for the Gladiolus and coffee, and which were characterized by occurrence of opened ostioles. The increased F absorption by leaves and changes at the structural and ultrastructural level of leaf tissues correlated with reduced plant growth.

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A emissão de fluoretos à atmosfera oriunda da produção de superfosfatos e de cerâmica tem causado preocupação pelo efeito tóxico às plantas, contudo são poucos os estudos desenvolvidos acerca do problema com espécie de interesse econômico agrícola. Desenvolveu-se o estudo para avaliar o efeito do flúor (F) atmosférico em plantas de capim-colonião e de cultivares de milho, utilizando como referência espécies bioindicadoras do tipo sensível e tolerante. As plantas foram expostas à contaminação pelo F atmosférico por curtos períodos durante 32 dias em sistema de nebulização com 0,16 mol L -1 de ácido fluorídrico no ambiente interno de uma câmara (~0,20 mmol m -3 de F), havendo um controle não exposto, com quatro repetições. A exposição das plantas ao F causou aumento da concentração do elemento nas folhas até 60 mg kg -1 para o capim-colonião, e entre 100 mg kg -1 nas folhas novas e 170 mg kg -1 nas folhas velhas para quatro cultivares de milho, o que demonstrou o efeito cumulativo do elemento no ambiente. Sintomas visuais da toxicidade foram observados nas plantas e se caracterizaram pela ocorrência de cloroses e necroses na lâmina foliar. O capim-colonião é uma espécie bastante sensível ao poluente no ar. As cultivares de milho DKB 390 e Ômega 8315 também são mais sensíveis ao F quando comparadas às AG7088 e 2B707. Os teores de clorofila a nas plantas foram mais afetados pelo F em relação aos teores de clorofila b.Palavras-chave: Panicum maximum Jacq.; Zea mays L.; bioindicadoras; fitotoxicidade; clorofila. Susceptibility of guineagrass and corn varieties to fluoride AbstractThe emission of fluorides to the atmosphere arising from the production of superphosphate and ceramics has caused concern because of toxic effects on plants. However, few studies have been developed about fluoride (F) pollution with agricultural crops. A study evaluated the effect of atmospheric F in guinea grass and maize plants, using reference bioindicator plants of the type sensitive and tolerant. The plants were exposed to atmospheric contamination by F for short periods during 32 days in a misting system delivering 0.16 mol L -1 of hydrofluoric acid inside a chamber (~ 0.20 mmol m -3 of F). Unexposed plants (control) were also evaluated, with four replications. Exposure of plants to F caused an increase in leaf fluoride concentration up to 60 mg kg -1 for guinea grass and 100 mg kg -1 in the new leaves and 170 mg kg -1 in the old leaves for four varieties of maize, which demonstrated the cumulative effect of the element in the environment. Visual symptoms of toxicity were observed in plants and characterized by occurrence of chlorosis and necrosis on leaf blades. The guinea grass proved to be a species very sensitive to air pollution. The maize varieties DKB 390 and Omega 8315 were more sensitive to F when compared to the AG7088 and 2B707 ones. Chlorophyll a in plants was more affected by the F in relation to the contents of chlorophyll b.