Les membranes cellulaires sont des cibles préférentielles de la dégradation induite par les espèces réactives de l’oxygène produites durant la sécheresse et par la stimulation d’activités hydrolytiques. La biosynthèse des lipides des chloroplastes peut être importante pour la tolérance à la sécheresse ainsi que pour la reprise après réhydratation. Dans ce travail nous avons étudié le métabolisme des lipides des membranes chloroplastiques, monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG), digalactosyl-diacylglycerol (DGDG), sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG), phosphatidyl-glycerol (PG), dans le cadre de la sécheresse et de la reprise après la fin de la contrainte hydrique. Dans ce but, nous avons mesuré la teneur des lipides des feuilles, suivi l’incorporation du précurseur 14C-acétate dans les lipides et analysé l’expression des gènes codant les enzymes de biosynthèse des lipides (MGD1, MGD2, DGD1, DGD2, SQD2 et PGP1) durant le stress hydrique et après réhydratation. Afin de mieux comprendre le rapport entre le métabolisme de ces lipides et la tolérance à la sécheresse, nous avons travaillé sur deux cultivars de Vigna unguiculata L. Walp, un tolérant (cv. EPACE) et l’autre sensible (cv. 1183) à la sécheresse. Les séquences complètes des ADNc des gènes VuMGD1, VuMGD2, VuDGD1, VuDGD2, VuSQD2 et VuPGP1 ont été obtenues par le criblage d’une banque d’ADNc de V.unguiculata. Les résultats montrent qu’en condition de stress hydrique le cultivar tolérant, en plus de préserver la teneur en lipides, est capable de stimuler la biosynthèse du DGDG augmentant significativement le rapport DGDG:MGDG de ces membranes. Nous suggérons que le DGDG accumulé en sécheresse est exporté vers les membranes extrachloroplastiques et que cela contribue à la tolérance à la contrainte hydrique. Les effets de la perte d’eau cellulaire sur les membranes ont des conséquences directes sur la capacité des plantes à reprendre après réhydratation. 48 heures après réarrosage, le cv. sensible 1183 n’est pas capable de récupérer en termes de teneurs en galactolipides et incorporation de précurseur. Chez le cv. tolérant, par contre, la teneur en DGDG demeure élevé, même après réhydratation. En conclusion, nos résultats suggèrent l’importance des lipides membranaires dans la tolérance/sensibilité des plantes au déficit hydrique, en particulier la balance entre des classes lipidiques de propriétés physico-chimiques différentes (SQDG versus PG et DGDG versus MGDG) qui pourraient affecter la structure et le fonctionnement des membranes / Membranes are main targets of degradation by reactive oxygen species and hydrolytic activities induced by drought. Chloroplasts lipid biosynthesis, especially galactolipids monogalactosyl-diacylglycerol (MGDG) and digalactosyl-diacylglycerol (DGDG) are important for plant tolerance to water deficit and for recovery after rehydration. In this thesis, we studied the metabolism of the chloroplast membrane lipids, MGDG, DGDG, sulphoquinovosyl-diacylglycerol (SQDG), phosphatidyl-glycerol (PG) under drought and during recovery from drought. Aiming this, we measured leaf lipids content, followed 14Cacétate incorporation and expression of genes coding for chloroplast membrane lipid synthases (MGD1, MGD2, DGD1, DGD2, SQD2 and PGP1) during drought and recovery. In order to better understand the relationship between drought tolerance and lipid metabolism, two cultivars of Vigna unguiculata L. Walp, one drought tolerant (cv. EPACE) the other drought susceptible (cv. 1183) were compared. The cDNA complete sequences for VuMGD1, VuMGD2, VuDGD1, VuDGD2, VuSQD2 and VuPGP1 were obtained from screening of a V.unguiculata cDNA library. The results showed that under water stress conditions, the tolerant cultivar, besides its ability to preserve its lipids pool despites drought, is able to strongly stimulate the DGDG biosynthesis, increasing the DGDG:MGDG ratio in its membranes. We suggest that DGDG accumulated under drought condition, when phosphate is deficient, is exported for extrachloroplastic membranes, and thus contributes to plant drought tolerance. Effects of loss of water on cell membranes have direct consequences on plant capacity to recover from stress. 48 hours after rewatering, the susceptible cv. 1183 was not able to fully recover from a moderate stress in terms of leaf galactolipid content and acetate incorporation into MGDG. In EPACE-1, MGDG leaf content remained unchanged after rehydration and DGDG remained higher than in the control plants. In conclusion, our results highlight the importance of membrane lipids in plant adaptation to water deficit and in their capacity to recover from stress. Of particular importance is the balance between lipid classes with various physico-chemical properties (SQDG versus PG, DGDG versus MGDG), since they most likely have a profound influence on membrane structure and function

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Agronomy / P.V. Vara Prasad / The pathway for the movement of water through plants, from the soil matrix to the atmosphere, constitutes the hydraulic architecture of a plant. The linkage between the hydraulic architecture of woody plants and drought tolerance has received considerable attention, but much less work has been done on grasses. I investigated the linkage between the hydraulic architecture of grasses to physiological patterns of water use across a range of species and conditions. The rate of stomatal conductance (g[subscript]s) and photosynthesis (A) increased acropetally along the leaves of 5 grass species, which is a unique feature of this growth form. The internal structure of leaves also changed acropetally in order to minimize the pressure gradient across the mesophyll that would otherwise occur as a result of increasing g[subscript]s. The resistance to water movement through the mesophyll represented 80-90% of leaf resistance in six genotypes of Sorghum bicolor L. (Moench). This resistance was most important in controlling g[subscript]s and A when water was readily available, but as soil-moisture decreased it was the efficient transport of water through the xylem that was most important in maintaining plant function. I also investigated the relationship between hydraulic architecture and stomatal responses of grasses to increasing Vapor Pressure Deficit (D). Grasses with a larger proportion of their hydraulic resistance within the xylem were less sensitive to increasing D and plants with high root conductance maintained higher rates of gas exchange D increased. Finally, I investigated the tolerance of grasses to extreme drought events to test if there was a trade-off between drought tolerance and growth in grasses. Plants with drought tolerant leaf traits typically sacrificed the ability to move water efficiently through their leaves. Having drought tolerant leaves did not limit the plants ability to have high rates of gas exchange, and, in fact, the most drought tolerant plants had the high rates of g[subscript]s when expressed on a mass basis. Leaf-level drought tolerance did contribute to species’ occurrence, as the drought intolerant species I studied are not commonly found in low precipitation systems. The results presented here highlight the importance of studying the hydraulic architecture of plants to provide a better understanding of what controls plant function across a range of environmental conditions.

M. Tech. (Biotechnology, Department of Health Sciences), Vaal University of Technology / Amaranthus tricolor (A. tricolor) is a nutritious vegetable crop that is used as a subsistence and cash crop in the rural areas in Africa. Its yield and production is severely limited by abiotic stresses such as drought. Mutation technology, using gamma irradiation, was previously employed as a tool to create genetic variation in order to select for lines with improved drought-tolerance. During irradiation, 160 Gy (Gray) was selected as the optimal dosimetry that allowed subsequent seed germination. The resulting mutant lines were screened over several generations under field and greenhouse conditions and seven promising drought-tolerant lines were selected. Here we report on physiological and morphological studies of two of these Amaranthus mutant lines (#2 and #5) to confirm the enganced drought-tolerance. Plants were grown in the greenhouse in plastic pots containing germination mix with fertiliser. They were exposed to 21 days of well-watered condition, 19 days of drought-stress conditions and 7 days of re-watering. shoot height, leaf area, protein content and relative water content (RWC) of the fresh and dry material were determined colorimetrically under well-watered and drought-stress conditions, while anthocyanin was only measured during well-watered conditions. Shoot height, leaf area, number of leaves per plant and the protein content were significantly reduced under water-stress conditions. Under well-watered condition mutant #5 grew faster with the shoot length significantly higher than mutant #2 and the wild type. Even though drought adversely affected shoot lenght, mutant#5 still performed better than mutant #2 and the wild type under drought-stress conditions. While under both well-watered and drought-stress conditions, the wild type plants had bigger leaf area compared to the two mutant lines. After 16 days of drought-stress conditions, all the leaves of the wild type plants were dried out, as a result no wild type plants recovered after 8 days re-watering. Meanwhile, both mutant #2 and #5 plants recovered significantly after 8 days of re-watering. The wild type was tolerant compared to the two mutant lines. Protein content for mutant #2 plants was higher under both well-watered and drought-stress conditions but was not significantly different from mutant #5 plants compared to the wild type plants after 19 days of drought-stress conditions. Furthermore, genetic diversity was examined in all the Amaranthus lines using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. Nineteen arbitrary RAPD markers were used of which two detected polymorphisms (OPA) 07 and OPA 16).

A partir da década de 1950, o limoeiro \'Cravo\' (Citrus limonia Osbeck) passou a ser o principal porta-enxerto para citros no Estado de São Paulo. Devido à sua suscetibilidade ao declínio dos citros, a sua utilização diminuiu na década de 1980. Em 2001, com a constatação da doença morte súbita dos citros (MSC) na região norte e noroeste do Estado de São Paulo e Triângulo Mineiro, o emprego do limoeiro \'Cravo\' como porta-enxerto se tornou praticamente inviável, já que o mesmo se mostrou suscetível à MSC. A utilização de porta-enxertos tolerantes no cultivo de laranjeiras doces (C. sinensis (L.) Osbeck), até o momento, é a medida de manejo mais indicada para a MSC, porém, esses porta-enxertos apresentam baixa tolerância à seca, inviabilizando o cultivo sem irrigação em regiões que apresentam baixa disponibilidade hídrica no solo e altas temperaturas em determinadas épocas do ano. Com base nessas premissas, o objetivo do presente estudo foi determinar o desempenho horticultural de laranjeira \'Valência\' (C. sinensis (L.) Osbeck) sobre onze porta-enxertos na região norte do Estado de São Paulo, baseando-se nas características de produção e qualidade de fruto, desenvolvimento das plantas, tolerância à MSC e à seca. O experimento foi instalado no município de Colômbia, região norte do Estado de São Paulo. As diferentes combinações (copa / porta-enxerto) foram plantadas em março de 2007. Em abril de 2012, foram pré-selecionados combinações sobre onze porta-enxertos dentre os 42 que foram plantados originalmente. Para as diferentes combinações copa/porta-enxerto selecionadas, foram avaliadas as variáveis produção e qualidade dos frutos, desenvolvimento da planta, eficiência produtiva, taxa média de crescimento, tolerância à MSC (avaliação visual, detecção de Citrus sudden death-associated virus (CSDaV) e detecção do Citrus tristeza vírus (CTV)) e tolerância à seca (avaliação visual, potencial de água em folha e estimativa do índice de área foliar). Os resultados encontrados no presente estudo relatam a superioridade na produção de frutos de laranjeira \'Valencia\' quando enxertada em pelos menos um porta-enxerto pré-selecionado em relação ao limoeiro \'Cravo\' \"CNPMF 03\". Em relação às demais variáveis, também foi atribuído a duas combinações de copa/porta-enxerto qualidade superior dos frutos de laranja \'Valência\' e a outras três combinações tolerância satisfatória à seca comparadas aos clones de limoeiro \'Cravo\'. Foi observado aptidão para cultivo adensado de laranjeira \'Valência\' em dois porta-enxertos. Também foram encontradas diferenças em relação à presença do CSDaV nos diferentes porta-enxertos. Tangerina \'Sunki\' x P. trifoliata \'English\' e citrange \'C-13\' \"S\" apresentaram potencial para utilização como porta-enxertos para laranjeira \'Valência\' na região norte do Estado de São Paulo como alternativa ao limoeiro \'Cravo\'. / Since the 1950s, the Rangpur lime (Citrus limonia Osbeck) became the main rootstock for brazilian citrus industry in São Paulo State. Because of its susceptibility to citrus blight, the use of this rootstock decreased in the 1980s. In 2001, with the first report of citrus sudden death disease (CSD) in the north and northwest of São Paulo State and Minas Gerais Triangle, the use of Rangpur lime as a rootstock became practically impossible, because of its susceptibility to CSD. The use of tolerant rootstocks in sweet orange groves (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck) yet is the most adequate management to CSD. However, these rootstocks have low tolerance to drought stress, limiting the citrus industry in areas with high temperatures at certain seasons of year, and with low water availability for irrigation. Based on these assumptions, the aim of this study was to determine the horticultural performance of \'Valencia\' sweet orange (C. sinensis (L.) Osbeck) onto eleven rootstocks in the northern region of São Paulo state, based on the characteristics of production and fruit quality, plant growth, tolerance to CSD and drought tolerance. The experiment was carried out in Colombia, north of the São Paulo State. The different combinations (canopy / rootstock) were planted in March 2007. In April 2012, eleven rootstocks were pre-selected from the 42 that were originally planted. For the different selected canopy / rootstock combinations, the following variables were evaluated: yield and fruit quality, plant development, yield efficiency, growth rate, tolerance to CSD (visual evaluation, detection of Citrus sudden death-associated virus (CSDaV) and detection of Citrus tristeza virus (CTV)) and drought tolerance (visual evaluation, leaf water potential and leaf area index). The results found in this study showed higher production quality of \'Valencia\' sweet orange fruits when grafted onto, at least, one pre-selected rootstock compared to \"CNPMF 03\" Rangpur lime. For the other variables, it was also attributed to two combinations scion / rootstock superior quality of \'Valencia\' sweet orange fruits and in the other three combinations satisfactory tolerance to water stress compared to Rangpur lime. It was observed aptitude for high density planting of \'Valencia\' sweet orange onto two rootstocks. There were also found differences regarding the presence of CSDaV on different rootstocks. The \'Sunki\' mandarin x English\' P. trifoliata and the \'C-13 \'\"S\" citrange showed potential to be used as rootstocks for \'Valencia\' sweet orange in the northern region of São Paulo state as an alternative to Rangpur lime.

A partir da década de 1950, o limoeiro \'Cravo\' (Citrus limonia Osbeck) passou a ser o principal porta-enxerto para citros no Estado de São Paulo. Devido à sua suscetibilidade ao declínio dos citros, a sua utilização diminuiu na década de 1980. Em 2001, com a constatação da doença morte súbita dos citros (MSC) na região norte e noroeste do Estado de São Paulo e Triângulo Mineiro, o emprego do limoeiro \'Cravo\' como porta-enxerto se tornou praticamente inviável, já que o mesmo se mostrou suscetível à MSC. A utilização de porta-enxertos tolerantes no cultivo de laranjeiras doces (C. sinensis (L.) Osbeck), até o momento, é a medida de manejo mais indicada para a MSC, porém, esses porta-enxertos apresentam baixa tolerância à seca, inviabilizando o cultivo sem irrigação em regiões que apresentam baixa disponibilidade hídrica no solo e altas temperaturas em determinadas épocas do ano. Com base nessas premissas, o objetivo do presente estudo foi determinar o desempenho horticultural de laranjeira \'Valência\' (C. sinensis (L.) Osbeck) sobre onze porta-enxertos na região norte do Estado de São Paulo, baseando-se nas características de produção e qualidade de fruto, desenvolvimento das plantas, tolerância à MSC e à seca. O experimento foi instalado no município de Colômbia, região norte do Estado de São Paulo. As diferentes combinações (copa / porta-enxerto) foram plantadas em março de 2007. Em abril de 2012, foram pré-selecionados combinações sobre onze porta-enxertos dentre os 42 que foram plantados originalmente. Para as diferentes combinações copa/porta-enxerto selecionadas, foram avaliadas as variáveis produção e qualidade dos frutos, desenvolvimento da planta, eficiência produtiva, taxa média de crescimento, tolerância à MSC (avaliação visual, detecção de Citrus sudden death-associated virus (CSDaV) e detecção do Citrus tristeza vírus (CTV)) e tolerância à seca (avaliação visual, potencial de água em folha e estimativa do índice de área foliar). Os resultados encontrados no presente estudo relatam a superioridade na produção de frutos de laranjeira \'Valencia\' quando enxertada em pelos menos um porta-enxerto pré-selecionado em relação ao limoeiro \'Cravo\' \"CNPMF 03\". Em relação às demais variáveis, também foi atribuído a duas combinações de copa/porta-enxerto qualidade superior dos frutos de laranja \'Valência\' e a outras três combinações tolerância satisfatória à seca comparadas aos clones de limoeiro \'Cravo\'. Foi observado aptidão para cultivo adensado de laranjeira \'Valência\' em dois porta-enxertos. Também foram encontradas diferenças em relação à presença do CSDaV nos diferentes porta-enxertos. Tangerina \'Sunki\' x P. trifoliata \'English\' e citrange \'C-13\' \"S\" apresentaram potencial para utilização como porta-enxertos para laranjeira \'Valência\' na região norte do Estado de São Paulo como alternativa ao limoeiro \'Cravo\'. / Since the 1950s, the Rangpur lime (Citrus limonia Osbeck) became the main rootstock for brazilian citrus industry in São Paulo State. Because of its susceptibility to citrus blight, the use of this rootstock decreased in the 1980s. In 2001, with the first report of citrus sudden death disease (CSD) in the north and northwest of São Paulo State and Minas Gerais Triangle, the use of Rangpur lime as a rootstock became practically impossible, because of its susceptibility to CSD. The use of tolerant rootstocks in sweet orange groves (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck) yet is the most adequate management to CSD. However, these rootstocks have low tolerance to drought stress, limiting the citrus industry in areas with high temperatures at certain seasons of year, and with low water availability for irrigation. Based on these assumptions, the aim of this study was to determine the horticultural performance of \'Valencia\' sweet orange (C. sinensis (L.) Osbeck) onto eleven rootstocks in the northern region of São Paulo state, based on the characteristics of production and fruit quality, plant growth, tolerance to CSD and drought tolerance. The experiment was carried out in Colombia, north of the São Paulo State. The different combinations (canopy / rootstock) were planted in March 2007. In April 2012, eleven rootstocks were pre-selected from the 42 that were originally planted. For the different selected canopy / rootstock combinations, the following variables were evaluated: yield and fruit quality, plant development, yield efficiency, growth rate, tolerance to CSD (visual evaluation, detection of Citrus sudden death-associated virus (CSDaV) and detection of Citrus tristeza virus (CTV)) and drought tolerance (visual evaluation, leaf water potential and leaf area index). The results found in this study showed higher production quality of \'Valencia\' sweet orange fruits when grafted onto, at least, one pre-selected rootstock compared to \"CNPMF 03\" Rangpur lime. For the other variables, it was also attributed to two combinations scion / rootstock superior quality of \'Valencia\' sweet orange fruits and in the other three combinations satisfactory tolerance to water stress compared to Rangpur lime. It was observed aptitude for high density planting of \'Valencia\' sweet orange onto two rootstocks. There were also found differences regarding the presence of CSDaV on different rootstocks. The \'Sunki\' mandarin x English\' P. trifoliata and the \'C-13 \'\"S\" citrange showed potential to be used as rootstocks for \'Valencia\' sweet orange in the northern region of São Paulo state as an alternative to Rangpur lime.

No description available.

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is one of the most important oil crops in South Africa and genetic improvement for grain yield and oil-content was initiated in the country in the early 1970s. Commercial production of sunflower in South Africa is done under natural rainfall conditions in areas where frequencies of drought are high hence the requirement for drought tolerant cultivars. An assessment of the genetic gains in seed and oil yield achieved since 1970, the effects of re-cycling inbred lines and strategies for developing drought tolerant sunflower cultivars has not been done for South African sunflower breeding programmes. Two data-sets were used for the genetic gain studies: side-by-side evaluation of historical and current sets of popular cultivars in the same environment under one set of trial management practices; and yield trends in commercial farmers’ fields based on annual production estimates. The estimated relative genetic gain for seed yield based on side-by-side trials was 1.5% year−1 and the relative gain in seed yield per year under commercial production was 1.9% year−1. The contribution of new cultivars to total seed yield progress in sunflower were 56.3% for the period 1970 to 1989; 23.9% from 1990 to 2009 and the mean over the four decades under consideration from 1970 to 2009 was 41.6%. Quantifying the usefulness of inbred lines in advanced cycle plant breeding was done using four base breeding populations based on: phenotypic or genetic variability; heterosis; and combining ability. Significant genetic variation was evident for seed yield and oil yield while genetic variability for oil content was low. Genetic advance (GA%), with a 10% selection intensity, was high for seed yield and oil yield for each of the four populations ranging from 36-42% and 38-43%, respectively. The GA% for oil content was low ranging from 1.3% to 5.1% indicating the need to introgress high oil content germplasm in the present breeding populations in advanced cycle pedigree breeding. Founder parent heterosis (FPH), mid-standard heterosis (MSH) and high standard heterosis (HSH) indicated that some new testcross hybrids from the advanced cycle pedigree breeding populations were performing better than their founder parents in hybrid combination as well as the standard commercial hybrid checks. From variance component analysis, general combining ability (GCA) was predominant over specific combining ability (SCA) for seed and oil yields indicating that superior hybrids can be identified based on positive and significant GCA effects of the female lines. For oil content, SCA was predominant over GCA indicating that it would be best to select for specific hybrids combinations with high oil content rather than selecting female lines with high GCA effects. Variable moisture conditions characterise the sunflower production environments in South Africa. Breeding for such environmental conditions requires a combination of strategies including use of secondary traits and developing appropriate test environments. Three secondary traits, head diameter, stem diameter and stay green canopy which are easy to measure in the field were evaluated for their appropriateness for selecting for drought tolerance under three moisture conditions: random stress environments (RSE), managed drought stress environments (MSE) and well watered nonstress environments (NSE). Type A genetic correlations indicated that stay green canopy (SG) had the potential to be used as secondary trait to indirectly improve oil yield under the three moisture conditions. The indirect selection efficiency (ISE) for SG using genetic correlations based on H2 were 0.79, 0.82 and 0.78 in the RSE, MSE and NSE, respectively, while that using genetic correlation based on h2 were 0.67, 0.98, and 0.93 in the RSE, MSE and NSE, respectively. In both cases selection in the MSE had the highest efficiency using genetic correlations based on either H2 or h2. Estimates of indirect selection based on type B genetic correlations indicated that indirect selection for oil yield (OY) in the MSE and NSE for the target RSE was as effective as direct selection of OY in the RSE based on additive genetic correlations of 0.96 obtained in both selection environments. Overall, the results from the exploratory drought tolerance study should inform the development of breeding strategies to improve drought tolerance and associated yield stability of sunflower cultivars grown in South Africa and associated environments. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Agronomy / S.V. Krishna Jagadish / Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is one of the hardiest crop to abiotic stresses compared with other grain crops. However early stage chilling, terminal heat and drought stress are three most damaging abiotic stresses that have limited sorghum productivity in the US Great plains and other locations having similar environmental conditions. Three studies were conducted with an overall goal aimed at increasing grain sorghum’s resilience to harsh climatic conditions. In the first study, four promising chilling stress tolerant sorghum advanced breeding lines, a known early stage chilling tolerant Chinese landrace (Shan Qui Red - SQR) and a susceptible US elite cultivar (RTx430) as checks were assessed for chilling tolerance during emergence and early growth under field and controlled environments. Aerial phenotyping using unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) fitted with multispectral camera was used to capture reflectance-based vegetation indices (NDVI and NDRE) in field experiments. Some advanced breeding lines with superior agronomic background also recorded significantly better emergence, seedling growth and vigor compared to SQR under chilling conditions. Aerial phenotyping indices from images taken between 30 and 60 days after emergence were consistently correlated with destructive measurements under early plantings, indicating their effectiveness in differentiating chilling responses. Second study was conducted to understand physiological mechanisms inducing heat stress resilience in sorghum during flowering. A diverse set of sorghum inbreds and selected hybrids were tested under greenhouse, growth chamber facilities and field conditions. A highly conserved early-morning-flowering mechanism was observed across all the inbreds and hybrids, with the peak anthesis wherein >90% of florets completed flowering within 30 min after dawn. The conserved response was consistent even under drought stress and heat stress exposure imposed at different times of the day. Our findings report a novel heat escaping early-morning-flowering mechanism effectively employed by sorghum to minimize heat stress impact at anthesis. Another experiment with sequential increase in daytime temperature treatments suggest heat stress induced loss in pollen viability to be a key factor resulting in reduced seed-set and grain yield. The findings suggest heat stress could have a greater impact on post-pollen germination processes such as fertilization, embryo formation and development. We identified a heat tolerant genotype “Macia” which appears to be a promising donor for developing improved heat tolerant sorghum hybrids. In the third study, a bi-parental recombinant inbred lines (RILs) mapping population developed from elite post flowering drought susceptible cultivar (RTx430) and a known drought tolerant cultivar (SC35) were evaluated under wide spectrum of environments and moisture conditions. Several novel and major QTL for grain yield, panicle neck diameter, effective quantum yield of photosystem II and chlorophyll content were identified. The genomic regions and the candidate genes within these regions can potentially help in improving source and sink dynamics in sorghum under diverse environments. The findings from these studies will complement ongoing efforts in developing future sorghum with enhanced resilience to different abiotic stresses that continue to limit sorghum productivity.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The objective of this study was to determine the response of transpiration and leaf growth to the fraction of transpirable soil water (FTSW), in three clones (SMINIA 02106-11, SMINIA 00017-6 and SMINIA 793101-3) of Potato Genetic and Breeding Program of the Federal University of Santa Maria, adapted to subtropical and temperate conditions of cultivation and the cultivar Asterix. Two experiments were conducted in a greenhouse in Santa Maria, in the Spring, with planting in 08/09/2010 and on the Fall, with planting on 01/04/2011. The available water, represented by FTSW, transpiration and leaf growth were measured on a daily basis, in each experiment, during the period of soil drying. The threshold FTSW that begins to affect transpiration, indicating the beginning of stomatal closure, was 0.36, 0.38, 0.41 and 0.29 for clones SMINIA 02106-11, SMINIA 00017-6, SMINIA 793101-3 and Asterix, respectively in the first period and 0.26, 0.27, 0.21 and 0.22 in the second period, indicating that the cultivar Asterix is less tolerant to soil water deficit cultivation in the spring than advanced clones. The threshold FTSW that begins to affect leaf growth was higher than for transpiration, 0.44, 0.40, 0.46 and 0.47 in the first experiment to SMINIA 02106-11, SMINIA 00017-6, SMINIA 793101-3 and Asterix, respectively, and 0.27, 0.38, 0.29 and 0.26 in the second experiment. These results confirm the genetic variability of the potato, and shows that each genotype is related in a way with the environment. Keywords: Solanum tuberosum. Drought tolerance. Water stress. / O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar a resposta da transpiração e do crescimento ao conteúdo de água disponível no solo, representado pela fração de água transpirável no solo (FATS), em três clones avançados (SMINIA 00017-6, SMINIA 02106-11 e SMINIA 793101- 3) do Programa de Genética e Melhoramento de Batata da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, adaptados as condições subtropicais e temperadas de cultivo e da cultivar Asterix. Foram realizados dois experimentos em casa de vegetação em Santa Maria, RS, na primavera (cultivo de safra), com plantio em 08/09/2010 e no outono (cultivo de safrinha), com plantio em 01/04/2011. A água disponível, representada pela FATS, a transpiração e o crescimento foliar foram medidos diariamente durante o período de imposição da deficiência hídrica. A FATS crítica que começa a afetar a transpiração, indicativo do início do fechamento estomático, foi de 0,36, 0,38, 0,41 e 0,29 para os clones SMINIA 02106-11, SMINIA 00017- 6, SMINIA 793101-3 e Asterix, respectivamente no primeiro experimento e 0,26, 0,27, 0,21 e 0,22 no segundo experimento, indicando que a cultivar Asterix é menos tolerante ao déficit hídrico no solo no cultivo de primavera que os clones avançados. Já a FATS crítica que começa a afetar o crescimento foliar foi maior que para a transpiração, 0,44, 0,4, 0,46 e 0,47 no primeiro experimento para SMINIA 02106-11, SMINIA 00017-6, SMINIA 793101-3 e Asterix, respectivamente, e 0,27, 0,38, 0,29 e 0,26 no segundo experimento. Estes resultados confirmam a variabilidade genética da batata, e mostram que cada genótipo se relaciona de uma forma com o ambiente.

Orientador: Rafael Silva Oliveira / Texto em português e inglês / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-25T08:28:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Teodoro_GrazielleSales_D.pdf: 9847099 bytes, checksum: dea93bd8d08793dfcbbfed314d895252 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: Eventos de secas extremas têm ocorrido com frequência nos últimos anos em regiões tropicais. Plantas em montanhas tropicais são particularmente sensíveis a mudanças no clima e pouco se sabe sobre a resistência e resiliência de comunidades vegetais ricas em espécies, como os campos rupestres, a condições climáticas extremas. Nosso objetivo foi avaliar as respostas fenológicas e ecofisiológicas e o crescimento de seis espécies abundantes de campo rupestre sob condições de seca extrema, sendo duas rosetas (Vellozia nivea e Vellozia aff. variabilis) e quatro arbustivas (Campomanesia pubecens, Eremanthus seidelii, Mimosa clausenii e Vernonia warmingiana). Para simular eventos de seca extrema, realizamos um experimento de exclusão de chuva, constituído por 12 parcelas (4x4 metros), sendo quatro controle e oito de exclusão, em uma area de campo rupestre no Parque Nacional da Serra da Canastra. Avaliamos o desempenho ecofisiológico das plantas submetidas a condições climáticas contrastantes mediante um conjunto de atributos morfofisiológicos, incluindo: trocas gasosas, composição isotópica do carbono (?13CCELL) e oxigênio (?18OCELL) da celulose foliar (medidas integradoras da assimilação de carbono e condutância estomática), curvas de vulnerabilidade à cavitação, curvas pressão-volume, carboidratos não-estruturais (CNE), crescimento e fenologia foliar. As espécies estudadas mostraram-se bastante resistente à seca, pois após 17 meses de exclusão de chuva não encontramos diferenças de crescimento e mortalidade entre populações nas parcelas controle e experimentais. As espécies apresentaram um contínuo de estratégias de uso de água, variando de espécies isohídricas (E. seidellii) à anisohídricas (C. pubecens). O uso da abordagem isotópica dupla (?13CCELL e ?18OCELL) foi válida para avaliar e predizer as respostas fotossintéticas e estomáticas à seca apenas para as espécies isohídricas. Além disso, a composição isotópica da celulose da folha pode ser influenciada pela mobilização de reservas de CNE nas raízes. As duas espécies congenéricas de Velloziaceae apresentaram estratégias constrastantes para lidar com a seca: uma espécie é tolerante à dessecação (TD) (V. nivea) e a Vellozia aff. variabilis é não-TD. A espécie TD apresentou maiores taxas de trocas gasosas durante a estação chuvosa e durante a seca prolongada entrou em estado de "dormência", exibindo um comportamento oportunista de uso de água. Já a espécie não-DT apresentou uma estratégia conservadora de uso de água. Durante a seca, observamos um aumento no estoque de CNE% nas raízes na espécie TD, o que pode representar um mecanismo chave para sobrevivência dessa espécie durante os ciclos de dessecação e rehidratação. As três espécies arbustivas (C. pubecens, E. seidellii, V. warmingiana) apresentaram sistemas hidráulicos contrastantes, com diferentes pontos de perda de turgor (?TLP) e vulnerabilidade à cavitação (estimada mediante o P50 - potencial hídrico que corresponde à 50% de perda de condutividade). As espécies mais resistentes à cavitação (maior P50) apresentam menores reservas de CNE nas raízes, sugerindo um trade-off entre atributos hidráulicos e de estoque de carbono. Nossos resultados trazem importantes contribuições para o entendimento de funcionamento de ecossistemas sazonais limitados por água e ilustram a diversidade de estratégias hidráulicas que conferem resiliência à seca / Abstract: In the past years, extreme droughts have been frequently recorded in several tropical regions. Plants in tropical mountains are particularly sensitive to changes in climate little is known about the plant physiological adjustments and responses to changes in rainfall patterns. Our objective was to evaluate the phenological and ecophysiological responses of six dominant species with contrasting life forms in campos rupestres under an extreme drought condition. We studied two rosettes species (Vellozia nivea and Vellozia aff. variabilis) and four shrubs (Campomanesia pubecens, Eremanthus seidelii, Mimosa clausenii e Vernonia warmingiana). We implemented a rainwater exclusion experiment with 12 plots (4x4 meters), in which eight was considered drought treatment and four control treatment. We monitored several aspects of the plant ecophysiology, such as gas exchange using instantaneous measurements and stable isotope as integrators of leaf functioning, pressure-volume curves, vulnerability curves, non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) in roots, growth, biomass and leaf phenology. Species showed a continuum of water use strategies, varying from anysohydric (C. pubecens) to completely isohydric (E. seidelii) species. The relationship between ?18OCELL and gsMAX was negative and significant only for isohydric species. The use of dual isotopic approach also was valid only for isohydric species. Across species, we found a strong positive relationship between ?18OCELL and NSC% for individuals under drought treatment, suggesting that the use of NSC% reserves in water stress conditions can affect leaf isotope composition. Our results suggest that in communities dominated to species with a great diversity of hydraulic strategies, such as the campos rupestres, ?18OCELL should be used with caution to infer physiological responses. We evaluated a congeneric pair of Velloziaceae species with contrasting strategies to cope with the erratic water availability in campos rupestres. One species is desiccation tolerant (DT) and the other is drought resistance (non-DT). The DT species showed high gsMAX and low WUEi during the rainny season, showing a profligate water use. By contrast, the non-DT showed a conservative water use throughout the year. The DT species also increased the %NSC storage in roots during the prolonged drought, presumably a key mechanism that allow survival to desiccation in this species. The three shrub species (C. pubecens, E. seidelii and M. clausenii) showed different P50 (water potential that corresponds 50% of conductivity loss) and ?TLP (water potential at turgor loss point). The biomass, in general, was little affected by our drought treatment. This three species showed a trade-off between the vulnerability to cavitation and NSC storage, in which, species more resistant to cavitation (more negative P50) showed lower NSC% storage in roots. Our results illustrate the diversity of strategies that plants might present to deal with drought and bring important contributions to understand the functioning of water-limited environments / Doutorado / Biologia Vegetal / Doutora em Biologia Vegetal