Phenology and reproduction of Campomanesia adamantium (Cambess.) O. Berg (Myrtaceae)

Abstract

The Campomanesia genus has several species with high diversity of uses. C. adamantium is one such species with high economic potential due to the varied potential uses of fruits and other plant parts. Like most native Cerrado species, there is a lack of agronomic information that will enable the start of commercial crops, in this regard the information on growth and development of plants and propagation of this species should be prioritized. Now, the information we have of the Campomanesia genus allows us to relate the reproductive period with high temperatures and the begining of rains, but could not find data in the literature about C. adamantium. For most species in this genus, the usual way propagation is via seeds is, therefore important to determine the period during which the embryos are more apt to produce a good seedling, period known how physiological maturity. The correlation of physiological maturity of seeds with fruits aspects are more practical and simple ways to guide the collection of seeds. For this species are correlated with the total soluble solids. For other species of the genus, as C. xanthocarpa is possible to correlate the maturity of seeds with the color of the epicarp. Existing assessments on the use of seeds in the spread of C. adamantium reporting low germination rates, unsatisfactory development of plants in the field beyond the sensitivity of drying and storage, characteristics of recalcitrant seeds. In literature data showed maintaining the viability of C. adamantium when seed water content is levels approaching 15% but with high sensitivity to storage. Biometrical characteristics of fruits and seeds are also important in the search for high-quality propagation material, in addition to providing important information about the genetic variability of populations and identification of species of the same genus. Just the high physiological quality of seeds is not guarantee for the success on seedling emergence, the environmental conditions during the germination process are essential to the seed and seedling behavior. Among these external conditions, temperature and substrate are worth mentioning, there are optimal temperatures and substrates for the performance of the germination process of plant species. Temperature affects speed, rate and uniformity of germination while the substrate is the physical medium in which the seed is inserted and has the important function of maintaining the proper conditions for germination. For C. adamantium has been reported the highest percentage of germination at relatively high temperatures, 25 ° C, with a lack of data on promising substrates. This material gathered important information about phenology and sexual propagation of Myrtaceae family species, specially to gabiroba.