RESUMO -Objetivou-se nesse estudo avaliar o papel atenuador da espermidina exógena sobre a germinação, vigor de sementes e crescimento de plântulas de cultivares das forrageiras alfafa, guandu e labe-labe submetidas ao estresse salino. A semeadura foi realizada em caixas de plástico tipo "gerbox" forradas com papel de filtro umedecidos com soluções salinas nas concentrações de 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 e 120 mM de NaCl contendo 0 ou 0,5 mM de espermidina. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial 3 x 6 x 2 (forrageiras x salinidade x espermidina) com cinco repetições de 25 sementes. As avaliações da germinação foram realizadas no quarto e décimo dias, juntamente com o índice de velocidade de germinação (IVG), avaliado até o nono dia após a semeadura. Determinou-se a concentração salina que reduz em 50% a germinação e a massa seca da parte aérea e raiz no décimo dia após a semeadura. A aplicação de espermidina exógena proporcionou maior acúmulo de massa seca das raízes de labe-labe cv. Rongai, além de ter possibilitado a germinação de 50% das sementes de guandu cv. Caqui até a concentração salina de 72,09 mM de NaCl, assim como maior IVG nas sementes das leguminosas alfafa cv. Crioula e labe-labe cv. Rongai. Exogenous spermidine alleviates the effects of NaCl on the germination and initial growth of forage legumes ABSTRACT -The objective of this study was to evaluate the mitigating role of exogenous spermidine on the seed germination, seed vigor and seedling growth of alfalfa forage cultivars, pigeon pea and lablab subjected to salt stress. The seeds were sown in plastic gerboxes lined with filter paper moistened with saline solutions at concentrations of 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 120 mM NaCl containing 0 or 0.5 mM spermidine. The experimental design was a completely randomized factorial 3 x 6 x 2 (forage x salinity x spermidine) with five replicates of 25 seeds. Germination was evaluated on the fourth and tenth days, along with the germination speed index, measured until the ninth day after sowing. The salt concentration had reduced germination and the dry weight of shoot and root by 50% on the tenth day after sowing. The application of exogenous spermidine resulted in a greater dry root weight of lablab cv. Rongai, 50% germination of pigeon pea seeds cv. Caqui at the salt concentration of 72.09 mM NaCl, and a higher GSI for alfalfa cv. Crioula and lablab cv. Rongai seeds.

Available information of the effects of manganese nutrition on the forage genus Urochloa is scarce. In the context, this study aims to evaluate the tolerance of Urochloa brizantha cv. MG5 to Mn toxicity. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at the University of the State of Sao Paulo (UNESP) in the city of Jaboticabal, SP. Plants were cultivated in vases (3.5 L) filled with soil according to a completely randomized experimental design comprising of five levels of Mn (0, 15, 30, 60 and 120 mg·dm ) and four replications and cut in two periods: one is 42 days after sowing and the other is 30 days after the first one. Samples from both cuts were evaluated as to plant height, number of leaves and tillers, dry weight, Mn content and accumulation, and the green index was determined in the last cut. Manganese addition to soil caused an increase in chlorophyll content at the dosage of 68 mg·dm −3 observed in the second plant cut. Dosages of Mn above 15 mg·dm −3 did not induce increases in nutrient accumulation and in the number of leaves in the first and second cuts of the grass, and tillers in the first cut. The highest concentrations of manganese in the shoots did not produce visual symptoms of damage or a decrease in forage productivity demonstrating that Urochloa brizantha cv. MG5 has high tolerance to manganese toxicity.