The effects of flooding and ethrel application on P. dubium for a 70-day period were studied in order to elucidate the aspects of plants tolerance to hypoxia. During the experiment the thickness of the stem base, and the allocation of dry matter for the roots, stems and leaves were evaluated. Flooding increased both the thickness of the stem base as well as a great hypertrophy of the lenticels. The ethrel application did not induce the formation of adventitious roots, but it stimulated the hypertrophy of lenticels. The flooding and/or ethrel application significantly affected the growth and development of the plants. This effect was greater in the flooded plants which had their lenticels sealed. The results show that P. dubium can tolerate periods of flooding, possibly because of the morpho-anatomic modifications induced by variations in the hormone levels, led by ethylene.
Peltophorum dubium; ethrel; flooding
