XX Congreso Latinoamericano y XVI Congreso Peruano de la Ciencia del Suelo “EDUCAR para PRESERVAR el suelo y conservar la vida en La Tierra” Cusco – Perú, del 9 al 15 de Noviembre del 2014 Centro de Convenciones de la Municipalidad del Cusco

SOILS OF NATURAL FIELDS OF Syngonanthus elegans (BONG.) RUHLAND: KNOW TO PRESERVE Pego, R.G.1* 1Universidade Federal de Viçosa

* Corresponding author: [email protected] ; Avenida PH Rolfs, s/n, Campus Universitário, Departamento de Fitotecnia – UFV, Viçosa, MG – Brasil. CEP 36570-000; Telefone: +553138992280

ABSTRACT Syngonanthus elegans (Bong.) Ruhland is an ornamental species that is endangered whose floral stems and flowers are used for ornamentation purpose and to production of handcrafts. These plants are endemic from high-altitude fields whose physical and chemical soil properties are still few known. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the physical and chemical properties of soils from two fields naturally occurring of S. elegans. For this were collected randomly 15 single samples at a 0.20 m depth using a pitcher-type auger, in two area of naturally occurring of S. elegans. Late was performed the physical and chemical analysis. The field 1 has Hydromorphic Quartzarenic Neosol Typical soil, sandy texture, acid, with low contents of organic matter, levels of nutrients and cation exchange capacity. The soil of Field 2 was classified as Orthic Quartzarenic Neosol of sandy texture, extremely drained, acid, with low levels of organic matter and nutrients, low CEC. The soil of both studied fields have similar physicals and chemicals properties. The soil is sandy, low fertility and acids, however, these properties are not limiting for the growth of S. elegans plants and flower production. Is necessary to establish techniques for soil conservation specific to S. elegans fields to reduce the erosive process of soil and reduce the risk of extinction.

KEY WORDS: Eriocaulaceae; soil attributes; endangered

INTRODUCTION Syngonanthus elegans (Bong.) Ruhland, Family Eriocaulaceae, is an ornamental species whose floral stems and flowers are used for ornamentation purpose and to production of handcrafts, which ensures the survival of many rural communities (Nunes et al., 2008). S. elegans present high degree of endemism on high-altitude fields, but the harvest of natural populations, mainly by predatory extraction, that has reduced the natural population plants causing your inclusion on the Official list of species of the Brazilian flora endangered (Costa et al., 2008; Brasil, 2008). The soils of natural occurrence of S. elegans are in high-altitude fields, along of Serra do Espinhaço in Minas Gerais State - Brazil, whose physicals and chemicals properties and the climate affect the physiognomy of native population of Syngonanthus sp. (Scatena et al., 2005, Nunes et al., 2008). Is known that there is strong relationship of chemical and physical soil properties and morphology of the roots of plants, which could contribute to high endemism of these plants in these areas (Lazzari, 2002). S. elegans , as well as other species of Eriocaulaceae family, can be grow in sandy soils, dry or hydromorphic soil and low fertility soil that, usually, make possible no economic viability of agricultural (Schmidt, 2005; Cerqueira et al, 2008; Nunes et al, 2008), however, there are few quantitative knowledge on physical and chemical properties of these soils. The characterization of soil attributes allows better management of intervention, exploitation and conservation of soil. The knowledge the soil attribute make possible keep the stability of the native wild plants, especially endangered species. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the physical and chemical properties of soils from two fields naturally occurring S. elegans.

MATERIAL AND METHODS The soil samples were taken in two distinct fields of naturally occurring of S. elegans in Campus Juscelino Kubitschek at Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri - UFVJM in Diamantina, MG (18°9'S and 43°22'W, altitude of 1.296 m, mean annual temperature of 18.1 ºC). Was considered each distinct fields as area of 800m2 extension. The soil of field 1 are constantly humidity and presented rocks outcrops typical of rocky fields. This area is located near the BR 367. The Field 2 is located near the Soberbo stream that flows through at Campus Juscelino Kubitschek, this soil was well drained and had no rock outcropping, as showed on field 1.

To characterize of natural fields soil of S. elegans were collected randomly 15 single samples at a 0.20 m depth using a pitcher-type auger. The samples were taken to the laboratory and mixed to form a composite sample and then air-dried and sieved (2.0 mm-sieve). Late was performed the physical analysis according EMBRAPA (1997) and chemical analysis according Silva (2009).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The soil of field 1 is in a Hydromorphic Quartzarenic Neosol Typical, sandy texture, acid, with low contents of organic matter, levels of nutrients and cation exchange capacity (CEC) (EMBRAPA, 2006). In this field were observed the accumulation of moisture in the soil during all year. The soil of field 2 was classified as Orthic Quartzarenic Neosol of sandy texture, extremely drained with low levels of organic matter and nutrients (Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and P) and low CEC. The visual characteristics of studied fields and the characteristics of S. elegans plants and flowers are shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Characteristic of natural fields and S. elegans plants. Field 1 (A), field 2 (B), S. elegans plant growth in rosette type with floral scapes (C) and floral capitula used to ornamentation and handicrafts used by rural communities by predatory extractive (D).

At period of soils sampling the field 1 presented high moisture and the leaves of S. elegans plants remained with a green coloring while in field 2, with characteristically drained and dry soil, the leaves of plants were showed as dry.

In the results obtained in the soil analysis is possible to observe that the chemical and physical properties of both studied areas studied were similar (Table 1). Table 1. The chemical analysis and physical properties of soil of two distinct fields of natural occurrence of S. elegans in Diamantina, Minas Gerais State - Brazil.

Properties

Field 1

Field 2

pH (água)

4.0

4.3

P (mg dm-3)

7.1

5.6

17.0

12.0

Ca (mg dm-3)

0.2

0.5

Mg (mg dm-3)

0.1

0.3

Al (cmol dm-3)

1.6

0.2

T (cmol dm-3) m (%)

6.7 83,0

2.1 19,0

V (%)

5.0

38.0

OC (dag kg-1)

2.0

4.0

Sand (dag kg-1)

83.0

90.0

Silt (dag kg-1)

10.0

7.0

7.0

3.0

-3

K (mg dm )

-1

Clay (dag kg )

pH water: Soil-water ratio 1:2.5. P and K: Mehlich-1 extractor. Ca, Mg, and Al: 1 mol L-1 KCl extractor. T: Cation exchange capacity, pH 7.0. m: Aluminum saturation. V: Base saturation. OC: organic carbon by the Walkey-Black method according to the method described in Silva (2009). Soil texture with determination of the fractions (sand, silt, and clay) by the pipette method (EMBRAPA, 1997).

Both areas had acid soils. Usually the soil acidity affect the growing of plants, but Schmidt et al. (2008) reported that this condition is no inhibitor factor for the establishment and perpetuation of the species Syngonanthus nitens (Bong.) Ruhland once your seeds have high germination even in acid substrates, with pH 4.0. The observed results in chemical analysis its possible indicate that the soil these plants has low in phosphorus, potassium and cation exchange capacity. The low fertility observed in both naturally occurring fields allows to infer that these plants have also low nutritional requirements. Pêgo et al. (2013) found that the addition of fertilizers inhibited the in vitro growth of S. elegantulus. These authors observed that some plants showed phytotoxicity in high fertilizer concentration, possibly by adaptation to low soil fertility.

The soils were sandy, with low percentage of silt, clay and organic carbon, for this were susceptible to erosion. The areas of natural occurrence of these plants are high highaltitude fields with steep slopes facilitating the carrying of soil particles by erosion. The

laminar erosion of particles can be aggravated by the action of extractive collection where part of the natural population of plants are uprooted, along with their scapes and flowers, leaving the soil surface most exposed to the action of winds and rain (Nunes et al. 2008). For this is important to adopt management techniques and harvesting of plants that enable the sustainable exploitation of these flowers. This work contains information that will enable to develop new methods of exploitation of S. elegans decreasing predatory exploitation pressure and the risk of extinction and the conservation of local soil.

CONCLUSIONS The soil of both studied fields have similar physical and chemical properties. The soil is sandy, low fertility and acids, however, these properties are not limiting for the growth of S. elegans plants and flower production. Is necessary to establish techniques for soil conservation specific to S. elegans fields to reduce the erosive process of soil and reduce the risk of extinction.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS To CNPq (National Research and Development Council) for the financial support and scholarship.

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