2017, Vol. 5, Issue 5, Part B

author(s)
Jacqueline Braga and Dr Patricia Chaves de Oliveira

abstract
Stomatal control is an important mechanism by which plants limit water loss by closing them. Because of this capacity, the stomatal conductance is the variable that first responds to critical climate changes, so it is usually associated with the stress scenarios. However, the ecophysiological study of stomatal responses even in environments with good water supply is necessary, especially in species of high cultural value, which represent a source of subsistence for several indigenous families. The objective of this study was to characterize the stomatal behavior of nine species: Andiroba (Carapa guianensis Aubl.), Purple cotton (Gossypium arboreum L.), banana (Musa sp.), Buriti (Mauritia flexuosa L.), cupuaçu (Theobroma (Ingr heterophylla Willd.), murici (Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) Kunth) and Urubucaá (Aristolachia trilobata L.), species of high cultural value to Borari indigenous people, community of Novo Lugar, Santarém-Pará, Brazil. In order to do so, eight completely expanded leaves from each of the nine species were randomly selected to read the stomatal conductance at three different times (08: 00-9: 00a.m., 11: 00-12: 00 a.m. and 05: 00- 06:00 p.m.) by use of a Porometer AP4 (ΔT Devices, Cambridge, England). The results suggest that there are significant differences (p <0.0001) in the stomatal conductance between species, which can be explained by the physiological plasticity inherent to each specie.