PHYSIOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS IN Aleurites fordii Hemsl. SEEDLINGS

ABSTRACT The objective of this work was to evaluate the physiological behavior at different times of the day and the level of dependence between physiological variables and meteorological elements in Aleurites fordii seedlings. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, using a completely randomized experimental design, in a uniform scheme composed of 10 evaluation times (from 8 am to 5 pm, with an interval of 1h between evaluations) and three replications. Each replicate consisted of three evaluation plants, totaling nine seedlings, which were arranged on a double border. The following characteristics were evaluated: leaf temperature (ºC), photosynthetically active solar radiation ((mol S-1 m-2), stomatal resistance (S cm-1), and transpiration (mmol H2O s-1 m-2) over a typical day, using a LI-1600 LI-COR digital porometer. The temperature and relative humidity were measured inside the greenhouse, using a thermohygrograph. The evaluations were performed at 244 days after sowing, between 8:00 and 17:00, with an interval of 60 minutes, totaling 10 evaluations. The physiological changes of Aleurites fordii seedlings are affected by the time of day. In general, the physiological variables are highly dependent on meteorological elements. The temperature of the greenhouse and the relative humidity are the meteorological elements that most influence the physiological behavior of Aleurites fordii seedlings.