Signaling Molecules for Increasing Urochloa ruziziensis Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses

• Published in: Journal of soil science and plant nutrition Vol. 24; no. 1; pp. 870 - 883
• Main Authors: do Carmo, Márcio Antônio Pereira, dos Santos, Heloisa Oliveira, e Oliveira, Jessica Batista Ribeiro, da Silva, Isadora Gonçalves, dos Santos Guaraldo, Marília Mendes, Souza Pereira, Wilson Vicente
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01-03-2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Abiotic stress; Agriculture; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Brachiaria; Cadmium; Conditioning; Contamination; Degranulation; Dormancy; Ecology; Environment; Flowering; Germination; Heavy metals; High temperature; High temperature effects; Indoleacetic acid; Life Sciences; Original Paper; Physiology; Plant growth; Plant Sciences; Salinity; Seeds; Soil Science & Conservation; Temperature; Thermal stress; Urochloa ruziziensis; Cadmium; Temperature; Melatonin; Chitosan; Antioxidant enzymes
• ISSN: 0718-9508; 0718-9516
• DOI: 10.1007/s42729-023-01592-x

Brachiaria seeds still face problems of low quality, irregular flowering, a low number of fertile seeds, high natural degranulation, and dormancy, in addition to abiotic stress, such as thermal stress and contamination by heavy metals. Physiological conditioning, together with the use of signaling molecules, can minimize these negative effects, promoting greater speed and uniformity in germination. In this study, the efficiency of signaling molecules in inducing tolerance to high temperatures and cadmium contamination in seeds of
Urochloa ruziziensis
cv. ruziziensis. The experiment was set up and conducted at the Central Laboratory for Research in Seeds at the Federal University of Lavras, with treatments arranged in a 5 × 3 + 1 factorial scheme. Physiological conditioning combined with signaling molecules was efficient in minimizing the negative effects of high temperatures and cadmium contamination, favoring the germination and development of seeds and Brachiaria plants. The signaling molecules indoleacetic acid and melatonin were the most effective in the physiological conditioning process. The results indicate the possibility of using these molecules to improve the production of Brachiaria seeds under conditions of abiotic stress.