Anther dehiscence is an important process taking place at the end of the plant life cycle. This process consists of various follow-up steps which result in anther opening and pollen grains exposure. Good timing of the anther dehiscence must be synchronized with pollen grains maturation and flower opening. Atmospheric precipitation is a high-risk factor for the anther dehiscence. Male fitness of plants can be reduced when anthers open during poor weather conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of atmospheric precipitation, rain and dew, on Arabidopsis arenosa anther dehiscence. We observed that rain and dew led to a postponed final stage of the anther dehiscence. This caused delayed pollen release. The effect of aqueous and nonaqueous environment on the anther dehiscence was also tested. Experiments with transformation of A. arenosa using Agrobacterium tumefaciens were performed. Key words: anther dehiscence, flower opening, rain, dew, Arabidopsis arenosa, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, transformation

Thermal resistance per unit thickness for Vacuum Insulation Panel (VIP) is 5 to 10 times higher than conventional insulation materials. This makes VIP an attractive option for retrofitting exterior building envelopes. Insulation can be added in an exterior wall either on the interior side, exterior side or in the available stud cavity. VIP has high vapor diffusion resistance factor and could lead to moisture management risk in the wall layers because of the steep temperature gradient in the wall generated due to very high thermal resistance of VIP. VIP is a relatively new insulation material for building envelope construction, thus the hygrothermal or moisture management performance of VIP-insulated exterior building envelopes need to be critically analyzed before its application. This study aims to evaluate the moisture management risk associated with wood-frame stucco-cladded exterior walls retrofitted with VIP using a 2-D hygrothermal simulation tool WUFI-2D. Eight North American locations were considered, based on Moisture Index (MI) which varied between 0.13 and 1.17, and two different indoor hygrothermal loading conditions as prescribed by the ASHRAE 160P and EN 13788, respectively. The outputs from hygrothermal simulations (water content, relative humidity and temperature) were critically analysed and expressed further using freeze-thaw cycles and RHT indices. The results show that the appropriately designed VIP retrofitted walls can have superior moisture management performance as compared to conventional stucco-cladded wall. / Graduate

Estimativas sobre alterações climáticas globais têm aumentando a demanda por estudos sobre propriedades dos solos relativamente secos e limitações impostas à absorção de água pelas plantas em condições de escassez hídrica. Neste estudo, fatores que influenciam a retenção da água no solo e o murchamento de plantas foram avaliados com base no conceito de equilíbrio da água no solo. Objetivou-se com este estudo: (i) avaliar a confiabilidade de medições do conteúdo de água no solo sob altas sucções matriciais em câmaras de pressão, usando como referência a técnica de ponto de orvalho (ii) avaliar as interações entre espécies de plantas e solos com diferentes classes texturais no ponto de murcha permanente (iii) investigar as relações entre equilíbrio hidráulico da água no solo e murchamento de plantas a partir do conceito de corte hidráulico. Para tanto, um experimento para avaliar a influência dos tipos de solos e espécies de plantas, no ponto de murcha permanente foi conduzido em casa de vegetação da Escola Superior de Agricultura \"Luiz de Queiroz\" da Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, São Paulo. Avaliou-se o murchamento de plantas de girassol (Helianthus annuus L.), milho (Zea mays L.) e soja (Glycine max L.). Os solos utilizados no estudo foram coletados na camada superficial (0-10 cm) em quatro áreas, selecionadas com o objetivo de obter classes texturais contrastantes, localizadas no município de Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brasil. Sub-amostras foram utilizadas para determinação da distribuição do tamanho de partículas e atributos químicos. Amostras indeformadas foram coletadas para a determinação da curva de retenção da água no solo pela técnica de câmaras de pressão. Adicionalmente, amostras deformadas foram utilizadas para determinação das características de retenção da água no solo pela técnica do ponto de orvalho em altos valores de sucções matriciais. Os dados de retenção de água no solo foram ajustados a modelos empíricos para estimativas da sucção matricial e conteúdo de água relacionada à água em equilíbrio hidráulico (água residual). Foram observadas similaridades nas determinações das características de retenção da água no solo entre as técnicas de câmaras de pressão e ponto de orvalho, sugerindo a boa drenagem das amostras de solo em câmaras de pressão. Interações significativas foram observadas entre os tipos de solos e espécies de plantas no ponto de murcha permanente, indicando que o movimento de água no contínuo solo-planta-atmosfera foi dependente de resistências relacionadas tanto ao solo quanto às plantas. Ou seja, tanto à capacidade do solo em transportar água até raízes, quanto à habilidade das plantas em absorver a água transportada, assim como, aos processos de regulação de água que ocorrem nas plantas. A abordagem baseada no conteúdo de água residual para o intervalo de sucções matriciais de 0 a 15.000 hPa não foi adequada para ilustrar a condição de equilíbrio hidráulico da água no solo, definidos pelo corte hidráulico, e relações com as sucções matriciais em ocorre o murchamento de plantas. / Estimates about climate changes have increased the demand for studies of the properties of relatively dry soil and limitations on the plants water uptake in conditions of water scarcity. In this study, factors influencing the soil water retention and wilting plants were evaluated based on the concept of soil water equilibrium. The objectives of this study were: (i) to evaluate the reliability measurements of the soil water retention on pressure plate apparatus at high matric suctions using as reference the dew point meter (ii) to evaluate the interactions between soil types and plant species at permanent wilting point (iii) investigate the relationship between the hydraulic equilibrium of soil water and the plant wilting based on the hydraulic cut-off concept. A pot experiment to evaluate the effect of plant and soil types at permanent wilting point was carried out in a greenhouse at the Agricultural\'s College \"Luiz de Queiroz\" from University of São Paulo in Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. Soil samples were collected at the topsoil (0-10 cm) from four different locations around the city of Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. Subsamples were taken to determine the particle size distribution and chemical analysis. To determine soil water retention curve 30 soil samples were collected with undisturbed soil cores. The soils were selected to have a range of texture and organic carbon content. The wilting was evaluated using plants of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.). The soil water retention data were fitted to the empirical models for estimating the matric suction and water content related soil water at hydraulic equilibrium (residual water content). Similar soil water content were observed for measurements at pressure plate apparatus and dew point meter, suggesting good drainage of the soil samples in pressure plate apparatus for the dry range of soil water retention curve. Significant interactions were observed between soil types and plant species at permanent wilting point, indicating that the water movement in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum was dependent of resistances related to soil and the plants properties. The approach based on the residual water content for the matric suctions from 0 to 15,000 hPa was not adequate to illustrate the hydraulic equilibrium of the soil water defined by the cut-hydraulic and relations with the matric suction at wilting plants.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:33:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-07-11Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:25:33Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 fiorillo_cmt_dr_jabo.pdf: 399101 bytes, checksum: 0abac3d781532f7b3d6e83aad7d31df7 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Funep/Light / Sagittaria montevidensis é uma planta aquática emergente, de difícil controle desde que se tornou problemática em arroz irrigado. Infestante em corpos hídricos de usinas hidrelétricas, o biocontrole com o fungo Cylindrocarpon sp. empregado na estratégia inundativa, tem sido sugerido para manejo dessa macrófita onde o uso do controle químico tem se mostrado ineficiente devido ao desenvolvimento de resistência aos herbicidas inibidores da enzima ALS (acetolactato sintase). O presente trabalho foi conduzido em casa de vegetação e no laboratório de Controle Biológico de Plantas Daninhas Prof. Giorgio de Marinis, da FCAV – UNESP, Jaboticabal, visando avaliar a especificidade do agente de biocontrole em plantas não alvo de diferentes famílias botânicas e determinar a severidade da doença em função do número e intervalos de aplicações do bioherbicida, do período de orvalho e idade da planta além de estimar os efeitos de adjuvantes sobre o desenvolvimento de Cylindrocarpon sp. no controle de S. montevidensis. O fungo mostrou-se específico a S. montevidensis, não sendo constatado sintomas da infecção fúngica em plantas de interesse econômico e nas plantas aquáticas Pistia stratiotes, Eichhornia crassipes, E. azurea, Salvinia sp., Azolla caroliniana, Lemna minor, Heteranthera reniformis, Hydrocotyle verticillata, Pontederia rotundifolia, P. parviflora, P. cordata, Polygonum lapathifolium, Ludwigia sedoides, L. elegans, L. repens, L. helminthorrhiza, Potamogeton pectinatus, Cerathophylum demersum, Myriophyllum aquaticum, Egeria densa, E. najas, Najas guadalupensis, Hydrilla verticillata, Alternanthera phyloxeroides, Nimphoides indica. A doença foi mais severa quando o bioherbicida foi aplicado em plantas com 3 a 4 folhas e na fase de inflorescência, submetidas as condições de período de orvalho superior a 6 horas... / Sagittaria montevidensis is a very important aquatic in shallow water bodies in wetland rice, mainly recentely because tolerant biotipes is raising in areas with repetitive spraying with ALS inhibitor herbicide. The fungus Cylindrocarpon sp. has a good potential as biocontrol agent for this control action of this fungus against S. montevidensis under different conditions of spore concentration, dew period, number and intervals of spraying and surfactants adittion in the spraying solution. The fungus specificity also was evaluated in aquatic and crop plants. The fungus showed high specificity to S. montevidensis. The disease severity was more strong when the plants were inoculated a 3-4 leaf stage and during blooming. A dew period longer than 6 hours was enough for to reach the maximum disease severity. Two a three spraying with the fungus enhanced the disease severity comparing with a single application and the intervals of 21 days between spraying produced better control than intervals of 7 and 14 days. Among the surfactants, Silwet L-77AG and Iharaguen-S improved the disease severity while Energic and Herbitensil reduced the Cylindrocarpon sp. disease severity.

Orientador: Robinson Antonio Pitelli / Banca: Rita de Cassia Panizzi / Banca: Margarete Camargo / Banca: Glaucia de Figueiredo Nachtigal / Banca: Marta Cecília Malassen Nemoto / Resumo: Sagittaria montevidensis é uma planta aquática emergente, de difícil controle desde que se tornou problemática em arroz irrigado. Infestante em corpos hídricos de usinas hidrelétricas, o biocontrole com o fungo Cylindrocarpon sp. empregado na estratégia inundativa, tem sido sugerido para manejo dessa macrófita onde o uso do controle químico tem se mostrado ineficiente devido ao desenvolvimento de resistência aos herbicidas inibidores da enzima ALS (acetolactato sintase). O presente trabalho foi conduzido em casa de vegetação e no laboratório de Controle Biológico de Plantas Daninhas Prof. Giorgio de Marinis, da FCAV - UNESP, Jaboticabal, visando avaliar a especificidade do agente de biocontrole em plantas não alvo de diferentes famílias botânicas e determinar a severidade da doença em função do número e intervalos de aplicações do bioherbicida, do período de orvalho e idade da planta além de estimar os efeitos de adjuvantes sobre o desenvolvimento de Cylindrocarpon sp. no controle de S. montevidensis. O fungo mostrou-se específico a S. montevidensis, não sendo constatado sintomas da infecção fúngica em plantas de interesse econômico e nas plantas aquáticas Pistia stratiotes, Eichhornia crassipes, E. azurea, Salvinia sp., Azolla caroliniana, Lemna minor, Heteranthera reniformis, Hydrocotyle verticillata, Pontederia rotundifolia, P. parviflora, P. cordata, Polygonum lapathifolium, Ludwigia sedoides, L. elegans, L. repens, L. helminthorrhiza, Potamogeton pectinatus, Cerathophylum demersum, Myriophyllum aquaticum, Egeria densa, E. najas, Najas guadalupensis, Hydrilla verticillata, Alternanthera phyloxeroides, Nimphoides indica. A doença foi mais severa quando o bioherbicida foi aplicado em plantas com 3 a 4 folhas e na fase de inflorescência, submetidas as condições de período de orvalho superior a 6 horas ...(Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Sagittaria montevidensis is a very important aquatic in shallow water bodies in wetland rice, mainly recentely because tolerant biotipes is raising in areas with repetitive spraying with ALS inhibitor herbicide. The fungus Cylindrocarpon sp. has a good potential as biocontrol agent for this control action of this fungus against S. montevidensis under different conditions of spore concentration, dew period, number and intervals of spraying and surfactants adittion in the spraying solution. The fungus specificity also was evaluated in aquatic and crop plants. The fungus showed high specificity to S. montevidensis. The disease severity was more strong when the plants were inoculated a 3-4 leaf stage and during blooming. A dew period longer than 6 hours was enough for to reach the maximum disease severity. Two a three spraying with the fungus enhanced the disease severity comparing with a single application and the intervals of 21 days between spraying produced better control than intervals of 7 and 14 days. Among the surfactants, Silwet L-77AG and Iharaguen-S improved the disease severity while Energic and Herbitensil reduced the Cylindrocarpon sp. disease severity. / Doutor

Estimativas sobre alterações climáticas globais têm aumentando a demanda por estudos sobre propriedades dos solos relativamente secos e limitações impostas à absorção de água pelas plantas em condições de escassez hídrica. Neste estudo, fatores que influenciam a retenção da água no solo e o murchamento de plantas foram avaliados com base no conceito de equilíbrio da água no solo. Objetivou-se com este estudo: (i) avaliar a confiabilidade de medições do conteúdo de água no solo sob altas sucções matriciais em câmaras de pressão, usando como referência a técnica de ponto de orvalho (ii) avaliar as interações entre espécies de plantas e solos com diferentes classes texturais no ponto de murcha permanente (iii) investigar as relações entre equilíbrio hidráulico da água no solo e murchamento de plantas a partir do conceito de corte hidráulico. Para tanto, um experimento para avaliar a influência dos tipos de solos e espécies de plantas, no ponto de murcha permanente foi conduzido em casa de vegetação da Escola Superior de Agricultura \"Luiz de Queiroz\" da Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, São Paulo. Avaliou-se o murchamento de plantas de girassol (Helianthus annuus L.), milho (Zea mays L.) e soja (Glycine max L.). Os solos utilizados no estudo foram coletados na camada superficial (0-10 cm) em quatro áreas, selecionadas com o objetivo de obter classes texturais contrastantes, localizadas no município de Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brasil. Sub-amostras foram utilizadas para determinação da distribuição do tamanho de partículas e atributos químicos. Amostras indeformadas foram coletadas para a determinação da curva de retenção da água no solo pela técnica de câmaras de pressão. Adicionalmente, amostras deformadas foram utilizadas para determinação das características de retenção da água no solo pela técnica do ponto de orvalho em altos valores de sucções matriciais. Os dados de retenção de água no solo foram ajustados a modelos empíricos para estimativas da sucção matricial e conteúdo de água relacionada à água em equilíbrio hidráulico (água residual). Foram observadas similaridades nas determinações das características de retenção da água no solo entre as técnicas de câmaras de pressão e ponto de orvalho, sugerindo a boa drenagem das amostras de solo em câmaras de pressão. Interações significativas foram observadas entre os tipos de solos e espécies de plantas no ponto de murcha permanente, indicando que o movimento de água no contínuo solo-planta-atmosfera foi dependente de resistências relacionadas tanto ao solo quanto às plantas. Ou seja, tanto à capacidade do solo em transportar água até raízes, quanto à habilidade das plantas em absorver a água transportada, assim como, aos processos de regulação de água que ocorrem nas plantas. A abordagem baseada no conteúdo de água residual para o intervalo de sucções matriciais de 0 a 15.000 hPa não foi adequada para ilustrar a condição de equilíbrio hidráulico da água no solo, definidos pelo corte hidráulico, e relações com as sucções matriciais em ocorre o murchamento de plantas. / Estimates about climate changes have increased the demand for studies of the properties of relatively dry soil and limitations on the plants water uptake in conditions of water scarcity. In this study, factors influencing the soil water retention and wilting plants were evaluated based on the concept of soil water equilibrium. The objectives of this study were: (i) to evaluate the reliability measurements of the soil water retention on pressure plate apparatus at high matric suctions using as reference the dew point meter (ii) to evaluate the interactions between soil types and plant species at permanent wilting point (iii) investigate the relationship between the hydraulic equilibrium of soil water and the plant wilting based on the hydraulic cut-off concept. A pot experiment to evaluate the effect of plant and soil types at permanent wilting point was carried out in a greenhouse at the Agricultural\'s College \"Luiz de Queiroz\" from University of São Paulo in Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. Soil samples were collected at the topsoil (0-10 cm) from four different locations around the city of Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. Subsamples were taken to determine the particle size distribution and chemical analysis. To determine soil water retention curve 30 soil samples were collected with undisturbed soil cores. The soils were selected to have a range of texture and organic carbon content. The wilting was evaluated using plants of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.). The soil water retention data were fitted to the empirical models for estimating the matric suction and water content related soil water at hydraulic equilibrium (residual water content). Similar soil water content were observed for measurements at pressure plate apparatus and dew point meter, suggesting good drainage of the soil samples in pressure plate apparatus for the dry range of soil water retention curve. Significant interactions were observed between soil types and plant species at permanent wilting point, indicating that the water movement in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum was dependent of resistances related to soil and the plants properties. The approach based on the residual water content for the matric suctions from 0 to 15,000 hPa was not adequate to illustrate the hydraulic equilibrium of the soil water defined by the cut-hydraulic and relations with the matric suction at wilting plants.

Magister Scientiae (Biodiversity and Conservation Biology) / Fog and dew interception and utilization by plant canopies remains one of the least considered aspects of vegetation studies at any scale yet the few studies that have been conducted point to their considerable influence on ecological processes and a critical role in modulating climate in southern African arid ecosystems. Their relevance to succulent plant hydrology was investigated in this study.The first study measured stable 18O and 2H isotope ratios in samples of rain, fog and dew water and compared these with those assayed monthly in stem xylem water of six succulent shrub species over a one year period. Negative 18O and 2H ratios were observed in the stem xylem water of all six species signifying a predominance of water derived from fog and dew precipitation which was most conspicuous during the wet winter. This implied that fog and dew are even more important sources of water than rain and corroborated by significant correspondence found between fog and dew frequencies, succulent foliar water contents and quantum yields of photochemistry.The second study monitored variations in stem diameter at 2-hourly intervals in 8 succulent shrub species of diverse growth form over a 9-month period. Two groups of species were distinguished based on whether their daily amplitudes in stem diameter were consistently positively correlated with daily fluxes in vapour pressure deficit, which were indicative of a persistent CAM photosynthetic mode, or intermittently correlated with daily fluxes in vapour pressure deficit, which were indicative of mixed CAM and C3 photosynthetic modes. Among species displaying a persistent CAM photosynthetic mode, high nocturnal fog and dew precipitation amounts corresponded with low daily amplitudes in stem diameter, and vice versa, which pointed to reduced nocturnal stomatal water loss. These patterns, which were indistinct among species displaying mixed CAM and C3 photosynthetic modes, were corroborated by small daily amplitudes in stem diameter also consistently observed in one species displaying a CAM photosynthetic mode in ambient than artificially fog and dew excluded environments.The third study monitored changes in water mass at hourly intervals of quartz gravel substrates with different dwarf succulent species assemblages over an 8-month period.Consistently greater net amounts of water were intercepted daily by quartz gravel substrates containing Agyroderma pearsonii than Cephalophylum spissum plants as well as those without plants. These attributed to a high water repellence of A. pearsonii leaves and less radiation absorbed by the paler silvery to grey-green leaves of A. pearsonii leaves than the dark green leaves of C. spissum resulting in lower leaf temperatures and less water loss by transpiration. Quartz gravel soils devoid of plants intercepted nearly 5-times greater amounts of precipitation contributed by fog and dew than that contributed by rain. These precipitation amounts exceeding the high percentages of total hydrological input contributed by fog and dew reported in other ecosystems.The study concludes that fog and dew are a vital source of water for succulent shrubs in arid South African ecosystems and imply that diminished fog and dew frequencies associated with elevated night time temperatures accompanying global warming could exacerbate plant drought stress.

This master's thesis deals with the design of stoker-fired boiler for combustion of biomass. The main points of work are stoichiometry calculation of combustion, determining the dew point of flue gas, calculation of losses, which ones serves for determination of boiler efficiency, dimension design and detail calculation of thermosetting surfaces. In the last chapter is numbered total balance and real thermal efficiency of boiler.

Der Kaltstart von Polymerelektrolytmembran Brennstoffzellen (PEM-BZ) stellt nach wie vor eine wesentliche Herausforderung dar. Passende Betriebsstrategien sind für Start und Shutdown von entscheidender Bedeutung um den BZ-Stack nicht irreversibel zu schädigen. Vor allem das geeignete Wassermanagement muss in den Fokus gerückt werden, da gefrierendes Reaktionswasser sowohl beim Start als auch bei der Lagerung unter Frostbedingungen die Funktionstüchtigkeit der PEMBZ beeinträchtigen können. Im Rahmen des Forschungsprojektes HZwo: InTherm wurde von der Professur Alternative Fahrzeugantriebe ein Teststand für die Untersuchung von Shutdownprozeduren und Froststarts entwickelt. Für die Feuchtemessung wurde ein Taupunkthygrometer verwendet und um die Vorgänge im Stack nachzuvollziehen drei Stromdichte- Temperaturverteilungsmessungen integriert.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / For women in patriarchal societies, life is stitched with silence and violence. This is especially true for women of color. In a world that has cast women as invisible and voiceless, to create from the margins is to demand to be seen and heard. Thus, women’s art has never had the privilege of being art for art’s sake and instead is necessarily involved in the work of articulating and (re)writing female experience. When women seek, through their work and art, to feel deeply and connect with other women, they tap into what Audre Lorde has famously termed “the power of the erotic.” Lorde suggests that to acknowledge and trust those deepest feelings within our bodies is a subversive power that spurs social change. In the following work, novels by Kate Chopin, Gayl Jones, and Edwidge Danticat are linked by their female characters who seek the erotic via their art of choice and, in doing so, resist disempowerment and explore the life-giving nature of female connection. Furthermore, because the authors themselves are engaged in rendering the female experience visible, the novels discussed actively converse with their respective waves of feminism and propel social activism and feminist discourse. Hence, this project provides both a close reading of The Awakening, Corregidora, and The Dew Breaker, and a broader contention on the role of women’s literature in social justice.