~ 193 ~ Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies 2017; 5(1): 193-199 ISSN 2320-3862 JMPS 2017; 5(1): 193-199 © 2017 JMPS Received: 26-11-2016 Accepted: 27-12-2016 Patrícia Chaves de Oliveira Institute of Biodiversity and Forest, Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará, Campus Tapajós, CEP 68040-070, Santarém, Pará, Brazil Helton Luís Nina Lameira Postgraduate Program in Natural Resources of Amazonia (PPGRNA), Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará, Campus Tapajós, CEP 68040- 070, Santarém, Pará, Brazil Correspondence Patrícia Chaves de Oliveira Institute of Biodiversity and Forest, Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará, Campus Tapajós, CEP 68040-070, Santarém, Pará, Brazil Physiological behavior of Annona muricata, Dipteryx odorata and Copaifera langsdorffii in response to water and light stress Patrícia Chaves de Oliveira and Helton Luís Nina Lameira Abstract The Amazon is a biome where in recent decades climate change has caused the increase in physiological plasticity of certain plant species. This plasticity characterized as resilience strategy of these species to environmental stress conditions such as drought stress. In this context, understanding the physiological adaptation mechanisms of plants that has ethnobotanical interest to Amazonian traditional communities is new and of great importance for the socio-economic sustainability. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze experimentally the physiological behavior of Annona muricata, Dipteryx odorata and Copaifera langsdorffii in response to water and light stress. The variables analyzed were photosynthesis (μmol m -2 s - 1 ), stomatal conductance (mol m -2 s -1 ), transpiration rates (mmol m -2 s -1 ) and leaf temperature (°C) in leaf tissues subjected to four treatments. The equipment used for the measurement was an Infrared gas analyzer (IRGA). The water and light stress affected more Dipteryx odorata, while Copaifera langsdorffii and Annona muricata were more tolerant to water stress because they have drastically reduced the stomatal conductance and transpiration rates. In function of the ethnobotany´s importance that such species have to Amazonian populations, physiological responses found here, suggest different ways of cultivation and water´s supply. Keywords: Amazon, Annona, Copaifera, water stress 1. Introduction Global and local climate change in the Brazilian Amazon been accentuated in recent decades as IPCC data (IPCC 2014) [15] . Thus, the physiological behavior of woody plants in the different ecosystems in the Amazon also been modified in an attempt to increase their resilience to adverse weather conditions characterized by severe droughts interspersed with periods of heavy rain. Thus, plant species have evolved and adapted physiology at constant environmental stress (Lourenço et al 2014) [23] . Water stress, typical of dry periods in the Amazon characterized by reduced rainfall between the months of July to November, have worsened in recent years, where in 2015 for example in the municipality of Santarém, state of Pará, were observed 150 days without rain. This scenario results in the adoption of physiological strategies by plants to tolerate very negative potential water in Amazonian soils. These strategies range from the reduction in stomatal conductance (Santos Filho 1984) [36] , reducing transpiration rates and photosynthetic rates, osmotic adjustments and changes to the genetic level, as reported Noorka1. In this context, species of high ethnobotanical value to traditional communities in the Amazon as Soursop (Annona muricata L.), Cumaru (Dipteryx odorata (Aubl.) Willd) and Copaíba (Copaifera langsdorffii Desf.) are of great importance for research on the physiology of drought stress. The genus Copaifera (Leguminosae – Caesalpinioideae) occurs in Africa (4 spp.), Central America (4 spp.), South America (about 37 spp.) and probably in Asia (1 sp.). The follow species recognized within the Brazilian Amazon: Copaifera duckei, C. glycycarpa, C. guyanensis, C. martii, C. multijuga, C. paupera, C. piresii, and C. pubiflora e C. reticulate and C. langsdorffii. Their habit varies between shrubby and tree-like, with some species forming 40 m tall trees. As sour soup (Annona muricata) belongs to Angiospermae, Magnoliidae, order. When the tree is mature, it can reach up to 8 meters high, with single trunk and asymmetric branch. As Dipteryx, odorata has the follow taxonomy: Angiospermae, Eurosídeas I, Fabaceae, and Faboideae. This specie is part of a successional group considered climax or climax in demanding light. It is a tree with ever- green behavior.