Aquatic hypoxia, or low dissolved oxygen, is a growing environmental concern and has detrimental effects on many fishes. Research on fish responses to hypoxia includes whole animal studies as well as organ culture systems. In this thesis, the gulf killifish, Fundulus grandis, was used to determine the interaction between hypoxic exposure and four common euthanasia techniques on selected blood and gill variables and to develop an in vitro gill incubation system. Euthanasia techniques had differential effects on blood and gill, with the common fish anesthetic MS-222 having the greatest effects, but none altered the response to hypoxia. During the development of gill culture, the highest gill viability was measured in isosmotic seawater medium and shorter incubation times. This study provides insight into the applicability of different euthanasia techniques in hypoxia research, as well as preliminary observations on an incubation system for isolated gills.

Master of Science - Science / The replacement of indigenous grasslands by commercial forestry plantations on the mountainous eastern escarpment of South Africa, has inevitably led to alteration of nutrient cycling. The overall objective of this study was to determine the nutrient status (soil, litter and foliar nutrient concentrations) of Pinus patula and Eucalyptus grandis plantations and adjacent grasslands. The 2, 13 and 30 year old P. patula plantations and adjacent Driekop grassland were located relatively high up on the escarpment (altitudes ranging between 950–1610 m) and were underlain by dolomite while the 2, 8 and 13 year old E. grandis plantations and adjacent Brooklands grassland were located lower down (altitudes ranging between 900–1100 m) and were underlain by granite. It was assumed that the nutrient status of the soil under the plantations and the adjacent grasslands were similar prior to afforestation. Samples were collected once in winter (August 2002) and once in summer (January 2003). Soil samples were collected to a depth of 20 cm and litter material, to a maximum depth of 20cm. Lower canopy foliar samples were collected within the lowermost metre of the canopies and upper canopy foliar samples were collected within the uppermost metre of the canopies. The data were analysed in the laboratory for various elements and soil physical parameters. The soil pH was lower under the P. patula (pH 4.8-5.2) and E. grandis plantations (pH 4.6-5.3) when compared with the soil under the adjacent grasslands (pH 5.3-5.6). The soil under the P. patula plantations had lower exchangeable base cation concentrations (204-300 mg kg-1) compared with the adjacent Driekop grassland (452-645 mg kg-1), while there were no clear trends when comparing the exchangeable basic cation concentrations in the E. grandis plantations and the adjacent Brooklands grassland. The soil aluminium saturation was similar between the plantations, ranging between 39.7 and 63.3% in the P. patula plantations and 27.4 and 75.6% in the E. grandis plantations. The grasslands had lower soil aluminium saturations, ranging between 17.7 and 35.7% in the Driekop grassland and 17.5 and 39.1% in the Brooklands grassland. Exudates from mycorrhizal associations chelate iv acidic cations, rendering plantations more tolerant of acidic soils. Soil total nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon in the plantations were similar to the adjacent grasslands. Higher nitrogen mineralisation rates in the P. patula plantations corresponded with higher litter and foliar total N concentrations relative to the adjacent Driekop grassland, while there were no clear trends when comparing rates of N mineralisation in the E. grandis plantations and the Brooklands grassland. The concentrations of foliar amino acids and protein were significantly higher (p<0.01) in the plantation foliage, when compared the grassland foliage. The amino acid arginine, occurred in higher proportions relative to other amino acids in plantation foliage, when compared with the relative proportions found in the grasslands. Relative to nitrogen, foliar ratios indicated that phosphorus and potassium were the most limiting nutrients for the plantations, which possibly resulted in N storage in the form of protein and amino acids. The soil and foliage were the more sensitive indicators of the nutrients status than litter. Differences in nutrients concentrations between the lower and upper canopies in both plantations were minor and no major trends were found. Therefore the sub division of lower and upper canopies is not recommended for further foliar nutrient analyses. Age related trends were unclear as a result of higher soil clay contents found in the 13 year old P. patula plantation and the 8 year old E. grandis plantation as well as the various silvicultural practices implemented. In terms of the relative impacts of P. patula and E. grandis plantations, the results of this study imply that the upper 20cm of soil was more impacted under the P. patula plantations than under the E. grandis plantations, in terms of reduced base cation and increased acid cation concentrations. The P. patula plantations are shallow rooters and thus the base cation status of the upper soil horizons may affect the sustainability of the P. patula plantations.

Student Number : 0002920M - MSc dissertation - School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences - Faculty of Science / Sustainability of commercial plantations is dependent on the conservation of soil nutrients, especially on the ancient, leached soils of the tropics. This is particularly important when limited fertilization is practiced. To assess the sustainability of commercial plantations, various sustainability indicators have been suggested. One such indicator is that of biodiversity. The measurement of soil faunal diversity is important as soil fauna play an active role in the cycling of nutrients through the decomposition of plant residues and organic matter. The diversity and different feeding activities of soil fauna influence the rate at which nutrient cycling occurs either through microbial grazing, faecal deposition, the mixing of litter with the mineral soil as well as through the spreading of microbial inoculum. Management practices may, however, negatively influence nutrient availability through losses associated with the burning and removal of slash residues, thus changing the soil faunal community composition. In Eucalyptus grandis plantations in South Africa, the site is usually burned following the harvest and prior to replanting, which may markedly disrupt soil faunal function and nutrient availability. Soil biological processes, nutrient loss and soil faunal composition were the focus of this study. Nutrient losses associated with fire and slash management practices were determined by comparing the quantity of nutrients lost from the slash that was either spread or piled following burning. The in situ nitrogen and phosphorus mineralization rates and soil faunal composition were measured in six randomly located plots, three burned and three unburned, prior to and after a low intensity fire. Results indicate that 78 – 99% of phosphorus, nitrogen and carbon were lost from the slash as a result of burning, with a greater percentage loss occurring from the slash that was spread. It was further shown that within the burned plots the nitrogen availability was enhanced four fold within the first month following the fire. Phosphorus availability was also enhanced ten fold as a result of the burning, however, these effects on nitrogen and phosphorus availability were short lived. Soil faunal diversity was low both prior to and after burning. Ants are the dominant soil fauna. Soil faunal composition was more markedly influenced by season than by fire, with millipedes occurring in all plots in spring, prior to the fire and ants dominating in summer, post fire.

Orientador: Ivan de Godoy Maia / Banca: Luis Eduardo Aranha Camargo / Banca: Adriane Pinto Wasko / Banca: Edson Seizo Mori / Banca: Esteban Roberto González / Resumo: Os cassetes de expressão empregados atualmente para a produção de plantas geneticamente modificadas são baseados, na sua maioria, em promotores constitutivos que determinam a expressão generalizada do transgene na planta, o que muitas vezes não é necessário nem desejado. A alternativa mais viável para substituição de tais promotores é investir na identificação e caracterização de promotores órgão/tecidoespecíficos ou estímulo-dependentes nas espécies de interesse. O presente projeto teve como objetivos identificar e caracterizar genes com padrão de expressão órgãoespecífico em eucalipto e, a partir dessas informações, isolar e caracterizar as seqüências promotoras adjacentes. Predições in silico no banco de dados do projeto de seqüências expressas do eucalipto (FORESTs), e informações disponíveis na literatura a respeito de genes com padrão de expressão órgão-específico, foram utilizadas na seleção. Assim, 59 genes preditos como possuindo expressão exclusiva em dado órgão foram selecionados para a validação via RT-PCR. Dos candidatos validados, 2 eram de raiz, 1 de folha, 1 de botão floral e 1 de botão floral e fruto, concomitantemente. Três candidatos ubíquos também foram selecionados. Dois desses candidatos tiveram seus perfis de expressão em diferentes órgãos de eucalipto avaliados por PCR quantitativa, indicando que o primeiro é preferencialmente expresso em folhas, e o segundo expresso especificamente em raiz. A partir de estratégias de "genome walking" foram isolados diferentes promotores putativos, sendo que o promotor do candidato com expressão preferencial em folha (1.2 kb) foi selecionado para a caracterização funcional em plantas usando o gene uidA, que codifica a -glucuronidase (GUS), como repórter. Em plântulas transgênicas de tabaco da geração T1, a expressão de GUS foi detectada majoritariamente... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Many plant genetic engineering applications require spatial expression of transgenes, which in turn depends upon the availability of tissue- and organ-specific promoters. In the present work, the identification of genes with organ-specific expression in Eucalyptus grandis was performed aiming the subsequent isolation and characterization of contiguous promoter sequences. Candidates genes were selected by in silico predictions in the Eucalyptus EST project (FORESTs) database or by searching the available literature for genes with specific expression patterns. Fifty-nine genes with predicted organ-specific expression were selected for further RT-PCR validation. Among the validated candidate genes, 2 were root-specific, 1 was leaf-specific, 1 was flower-bud-specific and 1 was flower-bud and fruit specific. Three genes ubiquitously expressed were also selected. The relative expression levels of two of them (one leafspecific and one root-specific) over a broad range of eucalyptus organ/tissues were determined using real time PCR. The 5' putative regulatory sequences of the validated genes were isolated using genome walking strategies, and the activity of the leafspecific promoter (1.2 kb) was further investigated in transgenic tobacco plants using a GUS reporter system. In transgenic seedlings from the T1 generation, GUS expression driven by this promoter was detected preferentially in cotyledons. In adult plants, however, GUS expression was detected in both stem and root, but in lower intensity if compared to the expression observed in leaves. This promoter was also able to modulate the transient expression of GUS in seedlings of Eucalyptus grandis. / Doutor

Orientador: Ivan de Godoy Maia / Banca: Celso Luis Marino / Banca: Marcio José da Silva / Resumo: A identificação de promotores com expressão tecido-específica é uma alternativa viável para substituição dos promotores com expressão ubíqua geralmente utilizados em transgenia. Nesse contexto, o presente trabalho teve como objetivos caracterizar funcionalmente o promotor de um gene de eucalipto que codifica um transportador de potássio com expressão específica em raiz bem como isolar e caracterizar a região promotora de um gene de eucalipto selecionado como apresentando expressão específica em folha. Plantas transgênicas de tabaco (Nicotiana tabacum SR1) contendo um cassete de expressão composto pelo promotor de raiz fusionado ao gene repórter GUS (que codifica a β-glucoronidase) foram usadas em ensaios histoquímicos e histológicos para investigar a especificidade da expressão determinada pelo promotor em estudo. Os resultados evidenciaram que o promotor investigado dirige a expressão do gene repórter em tecido vascular de folhas e raízes. A expressão em feixes vasculares de folhas e raízes foi confirmada em cortes histológicos. Visando avaliar a resposta deste promotor a baixas concentrações de potássio, duas linhagens da geração T2 foram submetidas à deficiência de potássio, e a expressão relativa do gene repórter GUS foi determinada por PCR em tempo real. Nas linhagens submetidas a estresse de potássio observou-se um aumento da expressão relativa do gene repórter GUS em função da privação do elemento. Em paralelo, um gene selecionado in silico como apresentando expressão em folha de eucalipto teve seu perfil de expressão validado por RT-PCR. A construção de um cassete de expressão contendo o referido promotor fusionado ao gene repórter GUS foi empreendida visando futuras validações funcionais / Abstract: The identification of tissue-specific promoters is of great value to substitute the ubiquitous promoters generally used in transgenic production. In this context, the present study aimed to functionally characterize the promoter of a Eucalyptus grandis gene encoding a potassium transporter showing root specific expression, and to isolate and functionally characterize the promoter region of an E. grandis gene selected as showing specific expression in leaf. Transgenic tobacco plants (Nicotiniana tabacum SR1) harboring a promoter:GUS fusion were used to investigate the expression specificity of the selected root promoter. The results showed that the investigated promoter drives a reporter gene expression in vascular tissues of leaves and roots. The expression in vascular bundles of leaves and roots was confirmed in histological crosssections. To evaluate the promoter responsiveness to low potassium concentrations, two transgenic lines (T2) were submitted to potassium starvation and the relative expression of the GUS reporter gene was determined by real time PCR. An increase in the relative expression of GUS in response to potassium starvation was observed. In parallel, the expression pattern of a gene showing leaf specific expression in Eucalyptus grandis was validated by RT-PCR. The construction of an expression cassette containing this promoter fused to the GUS reporter gene was performed aiming future functional characterization / Mestre

No estado de Mato Grosso, a área reflorestada com Tectona grandis é de aproximadamente 43 mil hectares. A crescente demanda por madeira de reflorestamento vem impulsionando a expansão de novas áreas. Neste contexto, é imprescindível estudos e informações sobre esta cultura no Brasil. Este trabalho teve como objetivo principal identificar as espécies de coleobrocas que atacam a madeira de T. grandis com casca e sem casca, em reflorestamento localizado no Município de Rosário Oeste, estado de Mato Grosso. O delineamento experimental adotado foi fatorial 2x4 com dois tratamentos (toretes com casca e toretes sem casca) e quatro tempos de armazenamento (30, 60, 90 e 120 dias). Neoclytus pusillus (Cerambycidae) e Xyleborus ferrugineus (Scolytidae) foram as espécies mais importantes nas madeiras com casca e Xyleborus ferrugineus (Scolytidae), Neoclytus pusillus (Cerambycidae), Micrapate sp., Xyloperthella picea e Bostrychopsis uncinata (Bostrichidae) nas madeiras sem casca. / This paper evaluates the species of wood borers occurring on cut wood with bark and debarked wood of Tectona grandis. The statistical model was carried out in a completely randomized design. The treatments were defined in a 2x4 factorial array with two treatment (logs with bark and logs debarked) and four storage times (30, 60, 90 and 120 days), and the data were analyzed through the statistical program SAS. The most common species in logs with bark were Neoclytus pusillus (Cerambycidae) and Xyleborus ferrugineus (Scolytidae) and the most important ones in debarked logs were Xyleborus ferrugineus (Scolytidae), Neoclytus pusillus (Cerambycidae), Micrapate sp., Xyloperthella picea and Bostrychopsis uncinata (Bostrichidae).

Submitted by Jean Medeiros (jeanletras@uepb.edu.br) on 2016-03-11T13:02:55Z No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Ana Lígia Aureliano de Lima e Silva.pdf: 1102869 bytes, checksum: 1e494655ecbebce52aab0ec7be4947d8 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Secta BC (secta.csu.bc@uepb.edu.br) on 2016-03-14T18:25:17Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Ana Lígia Aureliano de Lima e Silva.pdf: 1102869 bytes, checksum: 1e494655ecbebce52aab0ec7be4947d8 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-14T18:25:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Ana Lígia Aureliano de Lima e Silva.pdf: 1102869 bytes, checksum: 1e494655ecbebce52aab0ec7be4947d8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-04-02 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The cotton boll weevil is considered a major pest of fruit cotton structures in Brazil, due to severe economic losses occasioned if control measures are not adopted. This pest is widespread in all producing regions of the country, causing severe increases in the cost of production due to the applicant and abusive use of chemical insecticides. Therefore, the development of alternative technologies to the exclusive use of pesticides to control pests and diseases is one of the great challenges of sustainable agriculture and, to be adopted, such technologies should provide economic, environmental and social benefits. The objective of this research was determine the efficient dose of kaolin against the boll weevil, with more coating capacity of cotton canopy and its impact on the photosynthetic capacity of the plant. Two experiments were conducted under field conditions. The first aimed to determine the dose effective of kaolin against the cotton boll weevil and its coating capacity in different parts of the cotton plant. The experimental design was a randomized block with five treatments and four replications. Treatments consisted of spraying with kaolin suspension at doses of (1) 20 g.L -1 ; (2) 40 g.L -1 ; (3) 60 g.L e (5) 100 g.L -1 on cotton plants whenever the number of plants damaged by the weevil had 5% of punctured cotton square with oviposition. A second experiment was conducted to evaluate the physiological behavior of the cotton in response to kaolin applications under field conditions. The experimental design was a randomized block factorial 2 x 3 x 3, represented by the leaves treated with kaolin (T1 = distilled water with kaolin at a dose of 60 g/L and T2 = control, distilled water) three times of the day (H1 = 8h34min to 9h38min); H2 = 10h27min to 11h42min; H3 = 15:50 to 16:49) and three phenological stages of cotton [FF1 = flowering (01.10.14), FF2 = fruiting (10.22.14) and FF3 = production (14/11/14)]. The results obtained in this study allowed the following conclusions: (1) the most efficient kaolin doses in cotton to protect against the damage caused by the cotton boll weevil are the 60 g.L -1 -1 , 80 g.L ; (2) the best value for money is obtained in the cotton spraying with kaolin at a dose of 60 g.L and (3) the kaolin reduces leaf cotton photosynthesis, but this photosynthetic loss is offset by the reduction of canopy temperature. / O bicudo, Anthonomus grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) é considerado a principal praga de estruturas frutíferas do algodoeiro no Brasil, devido aos severos prejuízos econômicos ocasionados se medidas de controle não forem adotadas. Essa praga encontra-se disseminada em todas as regiões produtoras do país, acarretando aumentos severos no custo de produção devido ao uso recorrente e abusivo de inseticidas químicos. Por isto, o desenvolvimento de tecnologias alternativas ao uso exclusivo de agrotóxicos para o controle de pragas e doenças é um dos grandes desafios da agricultura sustentável e, para que sejam adotadas, tais tecnologias devem apresentar vantagens econômicas, ambientais e sociais. Objetivou-se com esta pesquisa determinar a dose de caulim eficiente contra o bicudo, com maior capacidade de revestimento do dossel do algodoeiro e seu impacto sobre a capacidade fotossintética da planta. Foram conduzidos dois experimentos em condições de campo. O primeiro visou determinar a dose de caulim eficiente contra o bicudo e sua capacidade de revestimento em diferentes partes da planta de algodão. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos ao acaso com cinco tratamentos e quatro repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram de pulverizações com suspensão de caulim nas doses de (1) 20 g.L -1 ; (2) 40 g.L -1 ; (3) 60 g.L -1 ; (4) 80 g.L -1 e (5) 100 g.L -1 algodoeiro sempre que o número de plantas danificadas pelo bicudo apresentava 5% de botões florais com orifício de oviposição. Um segundo experimento foi conduzido para se avaliar o comportamento fisiológico do algodoeiro em resposta às aplicações de caulim em condições de campo. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos ao acaso em esquema fatorial 2 x 3 x 3, representado pelas folhas tratadas ou não com caulim (T 60 g/L e T 2 1 , sobre plantas de = água destilada com caulim na dose de = testemunha, água destilada), três horários de avaliação ao dia (H 1 = 8h34 min até 9h38min); H 2 = 10h27min até 11h42min; H do algodoeiro [FF 1 3 = 15h50min até 16h49min) e três fases fenológicas = florescimento(01/10/14), FF 2 = frutificação (22/10/14) e FF3= produção (14/11/14)]. Os resultados obtidos nesta pesquisa permitiram inferir as seguintes conclusões: (1) as doses de caulim mais eficientes na proteção de algodoeiros contra os prejuízos provocados pelo bicudo são as de bicudo são as de 60 g.L -1 , 80 g.L -1 e 100 g.L benefício é obtido nas pulverizações de algodoeiros com caulim na dose de 60 g.L -1 ; (2) o melhor custo- caulim reduz a fotossíntese foliar do algodoeiro, mas essa perda fotossintética é compensada pela redução da temperatura do dossel.

Submitted by Jean Medeiros (jeanletras@uepb.edu.br) on 2016-05-04T13:42:40Z No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Thiele da Silva Carvalho.pdf: 511949 bytes, checksum: 0f4ebd9e36dd151268ce66e48942d5d7 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Secta BC (secta.csu.bc@uepb.edu.br) on 2016-07-25T19:30:54Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Thiele da Silva Carvalho.pdf: 511949 bytes, checksum: 0f4ebd9e36dd151268ce66e48942d5d7 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Secta BC (secta.csu.bc@uepb.edu.br) on 2016-07-25T19:33:29Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Thiele da Silva Carvalho.pdf: 511949 bytes, checksum: 0f4ebd9e36dd151268ce66e48942d5d7 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-25T19:33:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Thiele da Silva Carvalho.pdf: 511949 bytes, checksum: 0f4ebd9e36dd151268ce66e48942d5d7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-29 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The cotton boll weevil, Anthonomusgrandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is a very important pest for the Brazilian cotton due to the injuries caused on the squares, flowers and bolls. These injuries reduce the production and are responsible for causing great economic losses to the farmer. Among the alternatives for the management of this pest can highlight the control tactics based on plant resistance to insects. This research aimed to determine the morphophysiological mechanism involved in resistance of some primitive races of cotton against boll weevil. The work were conducted in the field, in an area infested by the bolls weevils, in the greenhouse and in the laboratory of Pathology and Molecular Biology of Insects at EmbrapaCotton, municipality of Campina Grande, state of Paraíba. Two experiments were conducted. The first experiment aimed to select the most promising lines for resistance to boll weevil among the lines TB 15, TB 41, TB 75, TB 80, TB 85, TB 87, TB 90, TB 91 originating fromprimitive races of cotton and BRS 187 8H (control).The experimental design was randomized blocks with nine treatments and 4 repetitions. The treatments were represented by lines and cultivar cited cotton. Data were submitted to analysis of variance a nd the means compared by Tukey test at 5% probability. Pearson correlation coefficients were estimated between the number of punctured squares to feed and oviposition by the boll weevil and the 2 average number of trichomes and gossypol glands per cm leaf, height and diameter of the cotton rods with 120 days old. The second experiment aimed at determining the preference for feeding and oviposition of boll weevil on the squares of the six most promising lines selected in the first experiment in test with and without chance of choice.In the choice test was used completely randomized design in a factorial scheme with six cotton lines (G1=TB 90, G2= TB87, G3= TB 80; G4= TB 75; G5= TB 41 and G6= Grandless) nine hours evaluation (15 min, 30 min, 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours and 24 hours) and ten replicates. In the test no choice, the experimental design was completely randomized, with five treatments, represented by boll weevil adults fed with cotton squares of the same lines of cotton used in the test of choice except to cultivate Grandless and five replications.The average number of trichomes and 2 2 gossypol glands per cm and teeth on bracts and the gossypol glands per cm on the sepals and of the nectaries in squares of cotton lines was determined to establish a correlation with the damage caused by feeding and oviposition of boll weevil on the squares. Data from tests with and without choice were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) at 5% probability and the averages compared by Tukey test at 5% probability.In the field,the less preferred cotton line for ovipositionwasTB80. In the test-choice, the cottonlinewith smaller number of the boll weevil and punctured squares by feedingwasTB41. Under no chance of choice, the cultivarsTB80andTB41 wereless preferredfor food and line TB90showedsmaller number of punctured squares by oviposition.TheMorphophysiologicalmechanismsofresistanceprimitive racetested againstthe boll weevilare related tominor amounts of glands of the gossypol andnectariespresent, respectively, in the leaves and at the base of square. / O bicudo, AnthonomusgrandisBoheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), é uma praga de grande importância para a cotonicultura brasileira em função das injúrias provocadas sobre os botões florais, flores e maçãs do algodoeiro. Entre as alternativas para o manejo dessa praga pode-se destacar a tática de controle baseada na resistência de plantas aos insetos. Objetivou -se determinar o mecanismo morfofisiológico envolvido na resistência de algumas raças primitiva s de algodão ao bicudo. Foram realizados dois experimentos. O primeiro experimento visou selecionar as linhagens mais promissoras quanto à resistência ao bicudo entre as linhagens TB15, TB41, TB75, TB80, TB85, TB87, TB90, TB91 oriundas de raças primitivas de algodoeiros e a cultivar BRS 187 8H (testemunha). O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso, com nove tratamentos e 4 repetições. Os tratamentos foram representados pelas linhagens e a cultivar de algodoeiros citadas. O segundo experimento visou determinar a preferência para alimentação e oviposição do bicudo sobre os botões florais das seis linhagens mais promissoras selecionadas no primeiro experimento em teste com e sem chance de escolha. No teste com escolha, utilizou - se delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial com seis linhagens de algodoeiro (G1= TB90; G2= TB87; G3= TB80; G4= TB75; G5 = TB41 e G6= Grandless), nove horários de avaliação (15 min, 30 min, 1 hora, 2horas, 4 horas, 6 horas, 8 horas, 12 horas e 24 horas) e dez repetições. No teste sem chance de escolha, o delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado, com cinco tratamentos, representados por adultos do bicudo alimentados com botões florais das mesmas linhagens de algodoeiros utilizadas no te ste de escolha, exceto a cultivar Grandless e cinco repetições.Os dados de ambos os experimentos foram submetidos à análise de variância e as médias comparadas pelo teste de Tukey(P=0,05), utilizando-se o Sistema de Análises Estatíssticas e Genéticas (SAEG) da Universidade Federal de Viçosa. Foram estimados no experimento de seleção de linhagens de algodoeiros resistentes ao bicudo, os coeficientes de correlação de Pearson entre o número de botões florais com orifício de alimentação e oviposição pelo bicudo e os números médios de tricomas e de glândulas de 2 gossipol por cm das folhas e altura e diâmetro das hastes das plantas de algodoeiro com 120 dias de idade. No ensaio de preferência de alimentação e oviposição do bicudo foram estimados os coeficientes de correlação de Pearson entre o número de botões florais com orifício de alimentação e oviposição pelo bicudo e os números médios de tricomas e de glândulas de 2 2 gossipolpor cm e dos dentes nas brácteas, de glândulas de gossipol por cm nas sépalas e o de nectários nos botões florais das linhagens de algodoeiros.No campo, a linhagem de algodoeiro menos preferida para oviposição foi TB80. No teste de chance de escolha, a linhagem de algodoeiro com menor número de bicudos e de orifícios de alimentação foi TB41. Sob condições de confinamento, as cultivares TB80 e TB41 foram menos preferidas para alimentação enquanto que a linhagem TB90 apresentou menor número de orifícios de oviposição. Os mecanismos morfofisiológicos de resistência de raças primitivas testadas contra o bicudo estão relacionados às menoresquantidades de glândulas de gossipole de nectários presentes, respectivamente, nas folhas e na base dos botões florais.

This study examined the diet composition of ninety-nine Sacramento pikeminnow (150-410 mm [5.9-16 in] fork length [FL]) collected from the upper and lower main stem of Chorro Creek, Morro Bay Watershed, California in 2006. The goal of this study was to characterize the spatial and seasonal variability in the diet of Sacramento pikeminnow within Chorro Creek and to determine what proportion of the diet is represented by rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and their anadromous form (steelhead). Prey was identified in 88% of the samples collected in the early season and 84% of the samples collected in the late season. Fish and/or scales were identified in 12% of the samples collected. Sacramento pikeminnow consumed a wide variety of prey; the diversity of individual diets was higher in the lower main stem than the upper. Overall, diet diversity increased with Sacramento pikeminnow length. In both the early and late season, crayfish formed the largest part of the diet of large Sacramento pikeminnow (>250 mm [9.8 in]). There was a slight increase in the proportion of fish in the diet during the late season, and tendency for cannibalism which was primarily observed in the upper main stem of Chorro Creek. In summary, the overall results of this study support the conclusion that Sacramento pikeminnow are not significant predators of O. mykiss in natural stream conditions. However, conclusions about the ability of Sacramento pikeminnow in Chorro Creek to reduce O. mykiss populations will require further information on the prey selection of Sacramento pikeminnow when juvenile O. mykiss and adult pikeminnow are abundant.

Graduation date: 1989