Resumo -O objetivo deste trabalho foi indicar caracteres anatômicos em folhas de plantas micropropagadas de abacaxizeiro, visando ao aperfeiçoamento do protocolo de aclimatação. Utilizaram-se plântulas micropropagadas in vitro e aclimatadas por seis e dez meses, apresentando, em média, 3,1, 50,2 e 65 g, respectivamente. A densidade estomática foi determinada na face abaxial da epiderme, nas regiões basal, mediana e apical da folha, usando o delineamento inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial de 2x3 (dois ambientes de cultivo e três regiões da folha), em seis repetições. A espessura da hipoderme, parênquimas aqüífero e clorofilado foi determinada na região mediana da folha, usando-se o delineamento inteiramente casualizado com três tratamentos em quatro repetições. A estrutura básica da folha do abacaxizeiro não se modificou, entretanto, ocorreram diferenças na freqüência estomática, no espessamento da cutícula e paredes da epiderme, formato e sinuosidade das paredes das células do tecido aqüífero e presença de células papilosas nos diferentes ambientes de cultivo, indicando plasticidade fenotípica.Termos para indexação: Ananas comosus, ambiente de cultivo, micropropagação, aclimatação. Leaf anatomy of micropropagated pineapple plantsAbstract -The objective of this work was to study leaf anatomy of pineapple plants in order to improve acclimatization protocols. In vitro plantlets weighting an average of 3.1 g and greenhouse plantlets derived from in vitro stock material, after six and ten months of culture, weighting an average of 50.2 and 65 g, respectively, were used. Stomatal density was determined on the abaxial epidermis, at the basal, median, and apical portions of the leaf, using a completely randomized design under 2x3 factorial (two culture environments and three leaf regions) with six replicates. Thickness of the hypodermis, aquiferous and photosynthetic parenchyma were determined at the median portion of the leaf using a totally randomized design with three treatments and four replicates. The basic structure of the pineapple leaf under in vitro conditions did not change. However, stomatal frequency, cuticular and epidermal wall thickening, shape and sinuosity of the cell walls of aquiferous parenchyma and the presence of papillary cells were verified as a result of environmental conditions during culture, indicating phenotypic plasticity.

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2 Dry bean along with rice is a staple food for the population of South America. In this tropical region beans are grown on Oxisols and phosphorus (P) is one of the most yield limiting factors for dry bean production on these soils. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate P use efficiency in 20 elite dry bean genotypes grown at deficient (25 mg P kg −1 soil) and sufficient (200 mg P kg −1 ) levels of soil P. Grain yields and yield components were significantly increased with P fertilization and, interspecific genotype differences were observed for yield and yield components. The grain yield efficiency index (GYEI) was having highly significant quadratic association with grain yield. Based on GYEI most P use efficient genotypes were CNFP 8000, CNFP 10035, CNFP10104, CNFC 10410, CNFC 9461, CNFC 10467, CNFP 10109 and CNFP 10076 and most inefficient genotypes were CNFC 10438, CNFP 10120, CNFP 10103, and CNFC 10444. Shoot dry weight, number of pods per plant, 100-grain weights and number of seeds per pod was having significant positive association with grain yield. Hence, grain yield of dry bean can be improved with the improvement of these plant traits by adopting appropriate management practices. Soil pH, extractable P and calcium (Ca) saturation were significantly influenced by P treatments. Based on regression equation, optimum pH value in water was 6.6, optimum P in Mehlich 1 extraction solution was 36 mg kg −1 and optimum Ca saturation value was 37% for dry maximum bean yield.

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Light has direct influence on growth and development by altering the morphophysiology of the plant and the content and composition of secondary metabolites. The present study aimed to evaluate the yield and composition of the essential oil of Tetradenia riparia cultivated under different shading levels. Plants were propagated by cuttings and cultivated either under full sunlight and in environment completely covered by black polyethylene sheeting to obtain shading levels of 30%, 50%, and 80%. Plants were grown under experimental conditions for 150 days. The essential oil was extracted from fresh leaves in triplicate for each treatment through steam distillation with a modified Clevenger apparatus. The components of the essential oil were identified using a gas chromatograph coupled with a mass spectrometer (GC/MS), and compared to retention indices and authentic mass. The largest yields of essential oil came from plants cultivated under 30% and 50% shading, followed by plants cultiveted under full sunlight and under 80% shading. The main component found was the sesquiterpene hydrocarbon 14-hydroxy-9-epi-(E)-caryophyllene. Some components, such as verbenone, were only found in the treatment under full sunlight, while numerous others were exclusive to the different shading treatments. The yield and chemical composition of the essential oil of T. riparia is influenced by the level of shading.