Estresse salino e mobilização de reservas cotiledonares durante a germinação e estabelecimento da plântula de cajueiro anão-precoce.

Abstract

This study aimed to obtain basic information on seed germination and seedling establishment of dwarf-precocious cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) under saline conditions and the relationship between salinity and reserve mobilization during these processes. BRS 189 seeds (cashew nuts) were sown in plastic trays containing vermiculite moistened with distilled water (control) or NaCl solutions with electrical conductivities of 6.0, 12.0 and 18.0 dS m-1 (saline treatments), which were kept in a greenhouse. During the experiment, were harvested five seedlings (cotyledons and embryonic axis) per tray, when they reached the followed developmental stages (DS): quiescent seed (0 DS), radicle protrusion (2 DS), seedling emergence (4 DS) and seedling established (8 DS). Salinity effects on the dwarf-precocious cashew seedlings were evaluated by cotyledons and embryonic axis dry mass, determination of lipids, protein and starch contents in cotyledons and determination of soluble carbohydrates (reducing and non-reducing), free amino acids, Na+, K+ and Cl- contents in cotyledons and embryonic axis. We also evaluated the enzymes involved in the lipid (lipase, isocitrate lyase and malate synthase) and starch (starch synthase, α+β-amylase and starch phosphorylase) mobilization in cotyledons of seedlings grown under control and 18.0 dS m-1 conditions. In cotyledons, the highest depletion rate occurred between 4 and 8 DS, which corresponded the most intense growth phase of the embryonic axis. However, these processes were inhibited by salinity, especially in the seedlings grown at 18.0 dS m-1. In cotyledons, lipid and protein mobilization became evident after the radicle protrusion (2 DS), being more pronounced between 4 and 8 DS. On the other hand, for these seedlings, this process was strongly inhibited, with the salt concentration increase. In control seedlings, there was an increase in free amino acids contents of cotyledons between 0 and 2 DS, followed by a decrease between 2 and 8 DS. It has not been observed in seedlings subjected to 12.0 and 18.0 dS m-1, in which there was an inhibition of amino acids transport to the embryonic axis. In addition, a starch transient accumulation occurred in the cotyledons, during the dwarf-precocious cashew seedling establishment, which was strongly inhibited by salinity, especially in the seedlings grown at 18.0 dS m-1. The soluble carbohydrates contents in cotyledons were influenced by their use (fraction of non-reductive) in the germination (between DS 0 and DS 2), their production from lipid (non-reducing fraction) and starch (reducing fraction) mobilization and their transport to the embryonic axis (non-reducing fraction). However, these processes were affected by salinity, causing a reduction in reducing carbohydrates contents in 8 DS seedlings and inhibiting the non-reducing carbohydrates transport to embryonic axis. Additionally, the free amino acids and soluble carbohydrates contents also increased in embryonic axis during the seedling establishment, but this increase was strongly inhibited by salinity, especially in the seedlings subjected to 18.0 dS m-1. The toxic ions (Na+ and Cl-) concentration in cotyledons and embryonic axis increased significantly with salinity, whereas K+ content was reduced. The highest lipase, isocitrate lyase, malate synthase and (α+β)-amylase activities were observed in cotyledons 8 DS seedlings, which corresponded to the DS with more intense lipid and starch mobilization, among these enzymes, only the lipase and amylase were inhibited by salinity. The starch synthase activity was most intense at 4 DS, simultaneously to the starch accumulation in the cotyledons, being strongly inhibited by salinity in this period. The starch phosphorylase activity decreased progressively between 0 DS and 4 DS, but increased between 4 DS and 8 DS. These results show that seedling establishment (between 2 DS and 4 DS) is more sensitive to salinity than seed germination (between DS 0 and DS 2). Moreover, the salinity ionic effect seems to mediate the cotyledonary reserve mobilization inhibition and it reduced embryonic axis sink on the cotyledons, which negatively affect dwarf-precocious cashew seedlings growth.