Production and development of Vanillosmopsis arbórea Baker seedlings

Abstract In the Araripe Plateau (Ceará, Brasil), there is an intense anthropic activity that results in the degradation and risk of extinction of native medicinal species such as Vanillosmopsis arborea Baker (commonly named as Candeeiro). The aim of this research was to assess the main propagation methods of this species and to evaluate the survival of the seedlings in different environments. Two experiments were installed in the headquarters house of IBAMA situated in the Araripe National Forest (FLONA), Crato, State of Ceará, Brazil. The potential of seedling production and stem and root cuttings were evaluated, as well as seedlings adaptation to both environments (experimental area and natural habitat). For seedlings production, the experimental design was completely randomized in a 4 x 2 factorial scheme (four sowing seasons and two distinct environments), with three replications and twenty-five seeds per replicate, with a total of 600 seeds. For evaluation of substrate effect, cutting type and environment, treatments were distributed in a completely randomized design, in a 2 x 4 factorial scheme, which corresponded to two types of cuttings and four substrates in two replications with 72 cuttings per replicate. The number of live cuttings with callus of rooted cuttings, root fresh mass and root dry mass, leaf persistence, height and survival of the seedlings were also evaluated. Seedlings development was significantly greater in the experimental area indicating that V. arborea is a plant that can be rationally exploited. It is recommended that for the propagation of the species, other types of propagules should be tested since there was no success with the use of root cuttings.