Abstract

Erythrina velutina (mulungu) is an endemic species of caatinga found in Northeast Brazil. As a result of its rapid plant growth, the species may be an alternative for the recovery of degraded areas. Thus, the present study aimed to analyze the effects of irrigation with different field capacilities (FC): 20, 50 and 80% on plant growth, antioxidative enzyme activities, membrane lipid peroxidation and organic solute contents in mulungu seedlings under greenhouse conditions. The experiment was carried out at Instituto Federal Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Ceará (IFCE)-Campus Maracanaú, Ceará, Brazil. Under the presented experimental conditions, E. velutina plants showed higher growth variables (dry matter yield and leaf area) when submitted to daily irrigation of 50% of FC. Irrigation at 20% of FC caused a small water deficit. However, 80% of FC watering may have resulted in an excess of water. In general, despite the reduction in plant growth in plants irrigated at 20% of FC, the activities of the antioxidant enzymes did not differ substantially between treatments. In general, the lowest organic solute contents were detected in irrigations at 20 or 80% of FC.

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