Effects of different water regimes on the anatomical characteristics of roots of grasses promising for revegetation of areas surrounding hydroelectric reservoir

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different water regimes on some aspects of root anatomy of three grasses: Echinochloa pyramidalis (canarana), Setaria anceps (setária) and Paspalum paniculatum (paspalo). The plants were cultivated in a greenhouse and submitted to three water regimes: daily watering; suspension of watering and suspension of watering followed by submersion of the root system. Segments of the middle part of the roots were taken and submitted to classical techniques in botany for slide making and tissue analysis. Anatomical differences were observed among the three grasses submitted to water regimes regarding the number of cell layers in the external cortex and thickening of lignin and suberin. The submerged roots of the three species presented an increasing tendency in the proportion of the area of the cortex destined for the aerenchyma besides thickening of the endodermis and the cells of the medullar parenchyma. The aerenchyma presence in the three water regimes suggested it is a characteristic of these species. The adaptations developed by these species contributed to the understanding of their occurrence in areas that are subject to drought periods and successive floods.