The herbaceous vine Tropaeolum pentaphyllum Lam. (Tropaeolaceae), popularly known as crem, has great potential for use, especially its tubers. However, there is still a lack of studies regarding this species. The objective of this study was to test the viability of propagation by stem cuttings for the production of T. pentaphyllum seed tubers. Two experiments were carried out in a greenhouse under controlled conditions. In both experiments, experimental design was completely randomized. In the first one, five treatments were evaluated (stem cuttings with 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 cm) with three replicates, each one with 10 stem cuttings. In the second experiment, three treatments were evaluated (stem cuttings positions: apical, middle and basal), with four replications, each one with 10 stem cuttings. Data were submitted to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the means were compared by Tukey’s test (p < 0.05). Stem cuttings with 15 cm length had the highest rate of tuber formation (20.0%) and produced tubers with highest mass (3.2 g). Cuttings from the middle portion of the stem had the highest rooting (52.5%) and tuber formation (45.0%) rates. Thus, cuttings with 15 cm length from the middle portion of the stem are indicated for propagation by cuttings of T. pentaphyllum. Considering the potential for the use of this species in the future, the results found in this study are very important, since the propagation by cuttings would enable the production of a large amount of seed tubers in a short period of time.

O arbusto Rubus erythrocladus Mart. ex Hook.f. (amora-verde) é uma espécie endêmica do Brasil e uma das plantas alimentícias não convencionais que apresenta grande potencial de uso, devido ao sabor agradável de seus frutos e às altas concentrações de flavonoides. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito de diferentes concentrações de AIB no enraizamento de estacas caulinares de R. erythrocladus. O experimento foi realizado em casa de vegetação no IFRS – Campus Sertão, durante o período de novembro de 2018 a janeiro de 2019. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi inteiramente casualizado, com seis concentrações (0, 500, 1.000, 2.000, 3.000, 4.000 mg L-1) de AIB, cinco estacas por unidade experimental e quatro repetições, totalizando 120 estacas. A percentagem de sobrevivência e de enraizamento das estacas, o número de raízes e o comprimento da maior raiz foram avaliados após 60 dias da implantação do experimento. Os dados foram analisados através de análise de variância e as médias comparadas pelo teste de Tukey (α = 0,05). O número de raízes e o comprimento da maior raiz foram avaliados através de estatísticas descritivas (média e desvio padrão).  As estacas tratadas com AIB na concentração 1.000 mg L-1 apresentaram maior sobrevivência e enraizamento (60%), maior número de raízes (2,8 ± 2,6) e maior comprimento de raiz (6,5 ± 2,5 cm), diferindo estatisticamente dos demais tratamentos. A propagação por estaquia em R. erythrocladus é possível. A aplicação de AIB na concentração de 1.000 mg L-1 foi o melhor tratamento para a rizogênese das estacas.

Aim: The climbing shrub Rubus erythroclados Mart. ex Hook. f. (amora-verde) has great food (fruits) and medicinal (leaves) potential. However, this species remains understudied. The objective of this study was to evaluate the interaction between cutting size and IBA concentration in the vegetative propagation of R. erythroclados by stem cuttings. Study Design: The experimental design used was completely randomized in a 3x5 factorial combination. The cutting size factor was represented by three levels (10, 15 and 20 cm) and IBA concentration factor by five levels (0, 1,000, 2,000, 3,000 and 4,000 mg L-1). Results: There was an interaction between the factors in 13 of the 19 variables analyzed, being: live cuttings at 30 and 60 days, live cuttings with callus formation, sprouted cuttings at 30, 60 and 90 days, rooted cuttings, shoot number, shoot diameter, root number, root length, length of the largest root and root diameter. Size increase of the R. erythroclados cuttings caused a decrease in the phytotoxic effect of IBA in the development of the aerial part. The effect of IBA in response to rooting induction, in the larger size of R. erythroclados cuttings, required an increase in IBA concentration compared to the cuttings of shorter size. Conclusion: Cuttings of 10 and 15 cm treated with 1,000 mg L-1 of IBA showed greater rooting (20.0%) compared to the other treatments, being, therefore, indicated for the vegetative propagation of R. erythroclados by stem cuttings.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the seed germination of Tropaeolum pentaphyllum Lam., an endangered geophyte native of southern Brazil with agriculture potential due its edible tubers. Two experiments were carried out in 2017: germination of T. pentaphyllum under natural conditions and under controlled conditions. In the experiments under natural and controlled conditions, the germination of 1,100 and 100 seeds was evaluated, respectively. In the experiment under controlled conditions, two treatments (natural light and dark) were evaluated and each treatment contained 50 seeds. In the natural conditions experiment, in 2018 (first year), of the 1,100 seeds, 5.6% germinated and 76.5% persisted in the soil; and in 2019 (second year), 5.3% of the seeds germinated and no seeds remained in the soil. In natural conditions experiment, 10.9% of seeds germinated over two years. In controlled conditions experiment, in 2018 the germination in dark was higher (48%) compared to natural light (18%); and in 2019, despite the absence of statistical differences, the dark showed a higher value of germination (12%) in relation to natural light (6%). Over two years, dark treatment showed higher germination (60%) compared to natural light (24%) and no seeds remained in the substrate. The production of tubers in plants obtained by seed germination was 98.4% and 100%, in natural and controlled conditions, respectively. The highest germination rates occurred under dark conditions indicating that the species is preferential negative photoblastic. In addition, this species forms a seed bank in the soil, in which the seeds remained for a maximum of two years. The seed germination can contribute to the genetic diversity of crops and the production of seed-tubers, decreasing the collection of tubers in situ, contributing to the conservation and agricultural use of T. pentaphyllum.

RESUMO O conhecimento sobre plantas medicinais representa, muitas vezes, o único recurso terapêutico de muitas comunidades. O presente estudo objetivou identificar as espécies de plantas medicinais utilizadas em uma comunidade rural do município de Sertão, região Norte do Rio Grande do Sul. Foi aplicado um questionário às famílias dos discentes do oitavo ano da Escola Municipal de Ensino Fundamental Linha Secco, localizada nesta comunidade, com questões referentes ao uso medicinal de plantas. Nove famílias participaram da pesquisa. Foram citadas ao todo 66 plantas medicinais. A espécie mais citada foi marcela (Achyrocline satureioides (Lam.) DC.) com 10,6%, seguida por: camomila (Matricaria spp.) e hortelã (Mentha spp.) com 9,1% cada; dente-de-leão (Taraxacum officinale L.) com 7,6%; tansagem (Plantago spp.) mentruz (Coronopus didymus (L.) Sm.); amoreira (Morus nigra L. e Rubus spp.) com 6,1% cada; carqueja (Baccharis trimera (Less.) DC.); espinheirasanta (Maytenus ilicifolia Mart. ex Reissek) e capim-cidereira (Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf) com 4,5% cada. Dezesseis espécies foram citadas duas vezes (24,2%) e 36 espécies somente uma vez (54,5%). Dentre as espécies citadas 28 (42,4%) são nativas da região estudada, destas 13 arbóreas, 11 herbáceas, três lianas e um arbusto. A folha foi o órgão vegetal mais utilizado e o chá a principal forma de uso. Desta forma, percebe-se a importância das plantas medicinais para a comunidade estudada, visto a variabilidade de espécies citadas no questionário, e ainda, a relevância da conservação do conhecimento tradicional subsistente nessa comunidade rural, o qual se mostra útil e necessário no cotidiano das famílias que ali residem.