Análise biométrica de frutos e sementes de Croton blanchetianus Baill.

Abstract

The objective of this work was to carry out the biometric characterization of fruits and seeds of Croton blanchetianus Baill. from two municipalities in the Cariri region of Paraíba. The evaluated samples of C. blanchetianus were collected in the municipalities of Sumé and Livramento. The wet weight of the fruits was determined. Related to the seeds, the moisture content, weight of a thousand seeds and number of seeds per kilogram were registered.Length and width were the evaluated dimensions for fruits and length, width and thickness for seeds. Histograms were constructed to analyze the frequency distribution pattern of biometric characteristics. The fruits of C. blanchetianus from the municipalities of Sumé and Livramento had an average wet weight of 0.089 g and 0.127 g respectively. The seeds presented in their composition a moisture content for the municipalities of Sumé and Livramento of 8.08% and 8.24% respectively. For Sumé, the weight of a thousand seeds was 2.185 g, corresponding to approximately 45,767 seeds per kilogram. Data from Livramento indicate that the weight of a thousand seeds was 2.299 g, corresponding to approximately 43,492 seeds per kilogram. Thus, for the municipality of Sumé, the fruits had an average length of 5.928 mm, a width of 7.034 mm and the values for the seeds were 4.695 mm for an average length, a width of 3.404 mm and a thickness of 2.773 mm. Particularly related to the municipality of Livramento, the fruits had an average length of 6.553 mm, a width of 6.982 mm and for seeds the values were 5.050 mm for an average length, a width of 3.393 mm and a thickness of 2.850 mm. In the evaluation of the frequency distribution by classes of the fruits of C. blanchetianus for the municipality of Sumé, it was observed that their length was concentrated between 5.62 and 6.18 mm, and the width was concentrated in the interval of 6 .74 and 7.33 mm. Related to data from the municipality of Livramento, considering the distribution of frequency by class of fruit, for length it was concentrated between 6.43 and 7.08 mm and for width it was concentrated in the range of 6.66 and 7.25 mm. Particularly related to the evaluation of the frequency distribution by classes of C. blanchetianus seeds for the municipality of Sumé, it was observed for the length that the highest concentration occurred for the class 4.56 - 4.69 mm, the width was concentrated in the range of 3.23 and 3.61 mm and the thickness was concentrated in the range of 2.61 and 2.84 mm. Considering this parameter for Livramento, it was observed for the seeds that the length obtained the highest concentration in the class of 4.65 - 4.85 mm, the width was concentrated in the interval of 3.33 and 3.62 mm and the thickness, concentrated in the range of 2.72 and 2.98 mm. Therefore, the data generated in this work are relevant for defining the biology of the species, in addition to strengthening strategies aimed at its conservation.