Ecophysiological traits of the macaw palm: A contribution towards the domestication of a crop
terça-feira, setembro 24, 2013
Thiago Pereira Pires, Elma dos Santos Souza, Kacilda Naomi Kuki, Sérgio Yoshimitsu Motoike.
Abstract
Acrocomia aculeata, or macaw palm, is a highly productive
oleaginous palm tree with the potential to be a new oil crop. Plant
productivity is influenced by the exchange of gases between the leaf and the atmosphere.
The assimilation of CO2 is dependent on both environmental factors and the
intrinsic characteristics of the leaf, such as age, position in the canopy, and
nutrient and pigment content. This study was conducted to characterize some
ecophysiological aspects of macaw palm cultivated under field conditions.
Foliar content and gas exchange parameters were analyzed in relation to diel
variation, light intensity, and the position within the canopy and rachis. The
evolution of photosynthesis and related variables during the daytime followed
the standard patterns for most species with C3 metabolism, reaching peak levels
during the morning hours. The light curve response also displayed a C3 pattern;
however, this species demonstrated a high photosynthetic capacity with a
maximum net photosynthesis and apparent quantum efficiency of approximately 23 _mol
m−2 s−1 and 0.07 mol/mol, respectively. Gas
exchange parameters of the fronds along the canopy varied according to the leaf
position and the leaflet’s insertion location within the rachis. Overall values
indicate that the second and third leaves and the leaflets in the middle of the
rachis have the best physiological capacity. Foliar pigment and mineral content
were relatively stable among the leaves, which is a pre-requirement for long
lasting leaves.
Keywords
Acrocomia aculeata, Apparent
quantum efficiency, Biofuel, Ecophysiology, Oil, Palm, Photosynthesis.
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