ABSTRACT. Technical and secure information on the production of quality atemoya seedlings (Annona squamosa L. x Annona cherimola Mill.) are of paramount importance due to the growing interest in this crop. This study aimed to assess the formation of atemoya seedlings propagated by grafting methods and cultivars using araticum (Annona sylvatica) rootstocks. The experiment was carried out in a screened environment at the Western Paraná State University (Unioeste), Campus of Marechal Cândido Rondon, Paraná State, Brazil. Atemoya grafts (Thompson, African Pride, and Gefner) were collected from plants from the CATI seedling nursery, located in São Bento do Sapucaí, São Paulo State, Brazil. Grafting was performed using 1-year-old araticum rootstocks with 8-10 mm in diameter at a height of 15 cm from the ground and grafts measuring, on average, 8.5 cm in length, 10 mm in diameter, and three buds. The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks in a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement (three grafting methods: cleft graft, whip and tongue graft, and chip budding × three cultivars: African Pride, Thompson, and Gefner), with four replications and 10 seedlings per replication, totaling 40 seedlings per treatment. The percentage of graft success (%), percentage of sprouting (%), number of sprouts, number of leaves, and longest sprout length (cm) were assessed at 60 days after grafting. The cleft graft method is efficient for producing atemoya seedlings. The cultivar African Pride can be grafted onto rootstocks by the cleft graft and whip and tongue graft methods, as they promote a higher percentage of graft success. The Annona sylvatica rootstock has potential for the production of atemoya seedlings, but chip budding is not viable.

RESUMO Apesar de ser considerada uma espécie tanto de valor econômico quanto ecológico, várias são as lacunas a serem preenchidas a respeito de Aspidosperma parvifolium (guatambu). Deste modo o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a germinação de sementes de guatambu, provenientes de frutos coletados no chão e na árvore-matriz. Os resultados mostraram que as sementes provindas dos frutos abertos coletados do chão, obtiveram maior percentual germinativo (76%), porém, não houve diferença significativa com as sementes provindas dos frutos abertos (63%) e também dos frutos fechados com fissura (65%), ambos coletados na árvore. Observa-se também que o menor valor de germinação (48%) foi para as sementes obtidas dos frutos fechados sem fissura, contudo, não se diferenciou estatisticamente daqueles das sementes provindas dos frutos abertos coletados na árvore e também dos frutos fechados com fissura. Desta forma pode-se concluir que sementes provenientes de frutos abertos coletados no chão ou na árvore e provenientes de frutos com fissura, coletados diretamente da árvore-matriz, apresentam melhores percentuais germinativos.

ABSTRACT Although considered a species both economically and ecological valuable, there are several gaps to be filled about Aspidosperma parvifolium (guatambu). Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the germination of guatambu, derived from fruit collected from the ground and from the tree matrix. The results showed that the seeds of open stemmed fruit collected from the ground, had higher germination percentage (76%), but no significant difference with the seeds of open stemmed fruit harvested from trees (63%) and also the closed cleft fruits collected from the tree (65%). It is also observed that the lowest germination (48%) was obtained for the seeds of the fruits without cleft closed, however, was not statistically differentiated from those seeds stemmed from opened fruits harvested from trees and also fruits closed with cleft. Thus, it can be concluded that seeds from opened fruits collected from the ground or from the tree and fruits with cleft, collected directly from the tree matrix show better germination percentage.

The cytotoxicity of the dichloromethane crude extract (DCE), obtained from the aerial parts of Pothomorphe umbellata (L.) Miq (Piperaceae), was evaluated against nine human cancer cell lines (MCF-7, NCI-ADR/RES, OVCAR-3, PC-3, HT-29, NCI-H460, 786-O, UACC-62, K-562). The DCE presented antiproliferative activity with good potency against all cell lines at low concentrations (between 4.0 and 9.5 µg/mL) and with selectivity (1.55 µg/mL) for the leukemia cell line (K-652). DCE (100, 200, 300 and 400 mg/kg, ip) was also evaluated in the Ehrlich ascites tumor model. Both the survival number and the life span of the animals that died increased by at least 45 and 50%, respectively (8 animals per group), demonstrating P. umbellata extract potential anticancer activity. The results of the in vivo antitumor activity prompted the fractionation of the crude extract. The crude extract was submitted to dry column chromatography with dichloromethane-methanol (99:1). The column effluent fractions were extracted with methanol, dried under vacuum yielding fractions FR1 (less polar), FR2 (medium polarity), and FR3 (polar), which were analyzed for their growth inhibition or cytotoxic properties by a 48-h sulforhodamine B cell viability assay by measuring the total protein content. FR1 demonstrated high potency and cytotoxicity, a result compatible with the high toxicity of oxalic acid; FR2, containing 4-nerolidylcathecol, presented the lowest cytotoxic activity compared to the other two fractions but with selectivity for prostate cancer cell line; FR3, containing a mixture of steroids described in the literature as possessing various biological activities, also presented potent anticancer in vitro activity. These results suggest that P. umbellata DCE in vivo antitumor activity may be a consequence of the activity of different active principles.