Kurita 2015 (Conference Paper) Alcantarea

Endogenous ammonium and nitrate in Alcantarea imperialis cultivated in vitro at different concentrations of nitrate

Author(s):—F.M.K. Kurita & V. Tamaki in Benko-Iseppon, A.M.; Alves, M. & Louzada, R. (2015) An overview and abstracts of the First World Congress on Bromeliaceae Evolution. Rodriguésia 66(2): A1-A66.

Publication:— (2015).

Abstract:—Alcantarea imperialis (Carrière) Harms is an endangered bromeliad used in landscaping and is endemic of the Serra dos Orgãos/ RJ, so conservation measures are necessary. In vitro culture may be a tool in nutrition studies and thus for the preservation of the species. An important aspect of this technique is the mineral supplyof the culture medium. Nitrogen (N) is the main component of amino acids, nucleic acids, chlorophyll and coenzymes. A major source of nitrogen found in the environment is the nitrate (NO3-), , which is assimilatedinto amino acids and proteins. This study aimed to evaluate the endogenous ammonium and nitrate content in A. imperialis cultured in vitro with different concentrations of nitrate. Seedlings (80 seedlings) germinated in vitro for 30 days were transferred to culture media with different concentrations of nitrate ranging from 5, 15, 30 and 60 mM (5 seedlings per vessels of 4 vessels per treatment) and after six months evaluated the
endogenous content of ammonium and nitrate and photosynthetic pigments, as well biometric parameters.
The results showed that endogenous ammonium content in plants grown in different treatments did not show
statistical differences, however the endogenous nitrate content of plants grown in 60 mM showed a significant increase of this compound, about twice as much compared to plants grown at the other concentrations.
In this treatment, however, the plants showed the lowest average biometric parameters and photosynthetic
pigments, suggesting some nitrate toxicity at this concentration. In vitro cultivation plants is recommended
for A. imperialis lasting six months with no more than 30 mM nitrate.

Keywords:—Bromeliad; Conservation; Nutrition.