Le but du projet était d'acquérir des connaissances plus approfondies sur les mécanismes impliqués dans l'absorption et l'accumulation des éléments traces métalliques (ETM) par les plantes et dans la résistance à leurs effets toxiques. Arabidopsis halleri, peut vivre sur des sols fortement pollués par des ETM et a la capacité d'accumuler des concentrations extraordinairement élevées de ces métaux dans les tissus aériens. A. halleri est utilisée comme espèce modèle pour étudier les mécanismes biologiques et moléculaires impliqués dans la tolérance et l'accumulation de fortes concentrations de métaux dans le sol. Cette espèce est caractérisée par une tolérance élevée à de fortes concentrations de Cd et Zn. Elle est également capable d'accumuler de très grandes quantités de Zn dans les pousses, appelées hyperaccumulateurs de Zn, et également de Cd dans certaines populations, appelées hyperaccumulateurs de Cd. Arabidopsis arenosa, une espèce étroitement liée à A. halleri, montre également une tolérance élevée aux deux métaux mais est signalée comme non-hyperaccumulatrice. Dans le sud de la Pologne, les deux espèces peuvent être observées sur les mêmes sites pollués. Les expériences ont été conçues pour étudier la variabilité inter et intra spécifique entre les populations métallisées (M) et non métallisées (NM) d'A. halleri et A. arenosa afin d'identifier les paramètres physiologiques et les gènes responsables du comportement contrasté de leur adaptation à la contamination métallique. L'accumulation des ETM, l'activité de l'appareil photosynthétique et le contenu pigmentaire ont été analysés dans les populations M et NM d'A. halleri et A. arenosa, poussant dans leur habitat naturel. Des expériences hydroponiques ont également été réalisées afin de déterminer les différences physiologiques entre les populations étudiées dans des conditions contrôlées. De plus, le niveau d'expression des gènes impliqués dans l'absorption des métaux, le transport radial, la translocation et la détoxification a également été étudié. Mes résultats montrent que la population M de A. arenosa est aussi tolérante aux métaux lourds que la population M de A. halleri. Il a été démontré que la population M de A. arenosa hyperaccumule le Cd et le Zn. De plus, les deux espèces diffèrent dans la réponse de l'appareil photosynthétique lorsqu'elles sont exposées à des concentrations élevées de Cd et de Zn, ce qui suggère des mécanismes différents impliqués dans l'homéostasie des métaux. Le niveau d'expression des gènes a montré des différences non seulement entre les espèces mais aussi entre les populations. Le type de traitement (Cd ou Zn) a également eu un effet différent sur toutes les populations en ce qui concerne certains gènes. Les résultats acquis dans ce projet comblent les lacunes dans les caractéristiques physiologiques des espèces d'A. halleri à la fois sur le terrain et dans des conditions hydroponiques contrôlées. La caractérisation physiologique approfondie de la population M de A. arenosa a identifié cette population comme un nouvel hyperaccumulateur de Cd et Zn. Ces résultats peuvent servir de base à de futures études sur le phénomène d'hyperaccumulation. De plus, l'observation de l'expression contrastée des gènes impliqués dans l'absorption, la translocation et la détoxification des métaux entre A. halleri et A. arenosa suggère que A. arenosa pourrait être un bon nouveau modèle pour étudier l'homéostasie et la tolérance aux métaux chez les plantes. / Doctorat en Sciences agronomiques et ingénierie biologique / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Global environmental change fundamentally affects plants and their interactions with other species, and this has profound impacts on communities and ultimately ecosystems. In order to understand the mechanisms involved, we need to elaborate on the combined effects of different global change drivers on multiple levels of plant organization, including the biochemical level (production of defence compounds), the whole organism, the population, and the plant-herbivore interaction level. This thesis investigates (1) the combined effects of factors related to climate change and habitat fragmentation on Brassica nigra and (2) the effects of Zn soil pollution on the heavy metal hyperaccumulator Noccaea caerulescens at these different levels. Common garden and greenhouse experiments with B. nigra applied drought stress and elevated CO₂ to examine climate change impacts, while crossing treatments (inbreeding and between-population outbreeding) were used to investigate habitat fragmentation effects. Heterosis was lost under drought stress, and there were several interactive effects of the experimental treatments that varied within and among populations. In a greenhouse experiment with N. caerulescens, plants were grown on soil with different amounts of zinc. Plants had greater herbivore resistance when grown on Zn-amended soil, and invested more in herbivore tolerance when grown on soil without added Zn. In general, the results indicate that factors related to global environmental change have complex and interactive effects on different levels of plant organization. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for ecology, evolution and conservation.

<p dir="ltr">Urban agriculture has grown in popularity in recent decades, due to its ability to provide access to healthy fruits and vegetables in urban zones, as well as its importance in fostering knowledge of agriculture within communities. However, urban agriculture may struggle with unique challenges due to its proximity to urban and industrial activities, such as food safety risks due to toxic heavy metals and metalloids which may be present in urban soils in high concentrations. Heavy metals and metalloids (HM) like arsenic, cadmium, and lead are absorbed by plants from the soil, and may accumulate in the plants’ edible tissues, which are consumed by humans. Carrot (<i>Daucus carota</i> L.), in particular, hyperaccumulates these toxic heavy metals in its edible taproots, leading to food safety risks on urban farms.</p><p dir="ltr">One potential way to help address this challenge is to breed carrot varieties with low uptake of HM. In recent years, researchers have identified lines with high and low uptake in greenhouse trials and single location breeding nurseries. However, to be viable, these lines must consistently vary in HM across sites despite differences in environmental and management factors that can also greatly influence HM bioavailability and uptake. Moreover, screening for differences in HM uptake is time-consuming and expensive, and breeders need new tools to select among segregating breeding populations. By using on-farm participatory research as well as advanced phenotyping technologies, we investigate the viability of breeding carrots for HM uptake and the potential of new tools to advance these efforts in order to mitigate the risks on urban farms.</p><p dir="ltr">In the summers of 2021 and 2022, participatory on-farm trials were conducted to determine the HM risks on Indiana urban farms and to investigate the consistency of differences in HM uptake between carrot breeding lines taken from breeding trials (Chapter 2). Results of these trials indicated that while carrot genotype had an effect, there was still significant variability in carrot uptake of arsenic, cadmium and lead between farm sites and years. Results indicated significant differences between site-years, and carrot HM concentrations that correlated strongly with soil concentrations for that particular element. However, there were some site-years with low soil HM content and other soil factors expected to reduce uptake such as pH and phytoavailable zinc concentrations (such as site-year H), that had high carrot HM content. There were significant differences in carrot cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) content between carrot breeding lines. For instance, breeding line 3271 had a high As average concentration but low Cd average concentration, while breeding lines 6220 and 2327 had low As and high Cd concentrations. We identify the possibility of other mediating factors, such as uptake of antagonistic micronutrients, or microbe-assisted HM uptake and amelioration that need further attention.</p><p dir="ltr">In the fall of 2022, a study was conducted to investigate the possibility of using phenotyping technologies such as RGB and hyperspectral imaging to detect Cd stress in carrot and attempt to predict uptake (Chapter 3). RGB (red green blue) is a digital color model in which cameras can capture important visual cues compiled from information about each pixel. Hyperspectral imaging uses cameras to capture wavelengths beyond the visible spectrum, which can detect plant stress indicators like increased anthocyanin content for specific environmental stresses. Results of this trial were useful, with some time points and indices noting differences between carrot lines. For instance, RGB factors hue and fluorescence as well as hyperspectral reflectance plots and vegetative indices swirNDVI and ANTH were the most diagnostic. Breeding lines 6636 and 8503 showed the greatest separation between Cd treated and control carrots in imaging indices. However, further studies will be needed to optimize this approach for breeding programs.</p><p dir="ltr">This research demonstrates that growing carrots on most urban farms in Indiana is safe. The studies also provide further evidence that it will be possible to help lower food safety risks by selecting carrot varieties with low HM uptake, and phenotyping can help to advance these efforts. At the same time, new research to understand how soil factors such as microbiomes influence HM bioavailability and uptake on urban farms are also needed to further reduce potential risks. In the meantime, farmers should continue to test their soil for HM and take appropriate actions to reduce risks such as using raised beds and soil amendments that can bind metals like biochar. Consumers should also continue to wash and peel their carrots before consumption, as well as consume a balanced diet with a diverse set of vegetables and other crops.</p>