Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNPq / Mancozeb has been the protective fungicide with a multi-site mechanism widely used associated with fungicide programs in soybean cultivation. This compound has provided significant increases in the systemic fungicides performance in the soybean rust control. Besides the obvious fungicide effect, mancozeb has provided also effects on physiological parameters in plants promoting benefits such as fungicide phytotoxicity reduction and increases in plant vigor. The studies aimed to understand the interaction of mancozeb associated to systemic fungicides against the soybean rust control, in addition to determine the physiological plants responses from the product versus plant relation. The experiments were conducted in greenhouse and field, divided in four chapters in manuscript format. The first study investigates the effect of the mancozeb interaction with commercial mixtures of QoI + DMI based on two methodologies. From this, it was possible to verify that mancozeb increases significantly the control efficiency when associated with less efficient mixtures. In such interactions was obtained a control synergistic response. However it is expected at least an additive response, when associated to mixtures with high efficiency, the increase in control is lower. The second study consisted of the enzymes activity linked to the antioxidant response, the photosynthetic pigments concentration and lipid peroxidation investigation in plants exposed to the fungicide trifloxystrobin + prothioconazole, with potential to cause phytotoxicity, associated or not with mancozeb. Antioxidant enzymes activity increase, reduction in pigment concentration and cell damage due to increased lipid peroxidation were observed in plants exposed to systemic fungicide. These damages were attenuated when the systemic fungicide was associated with mancozeb. Moreover, photosynthesis and chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters were analyzed in plants exposed to mancozeb and trifloxystrobin + prothioconazole, constituting the third study. Decreased in the photosynthetic efficiency was verified in plants treated with systemic fungicide characterizing a significant phytotoxic effect. The parameters evaluated elucidate a beneficial effect of mancozeb reducing the damages caused by the systemic fungicide. The fourth study aimed to evaluate changes in the leaves soybean nutritional status exposed to mancozeb. Macro and micronutrients concentration were determined on 4th and 8th days exposure. Significant changes in concentration of S, Mn and Zn were observed. Such changes were related to “green effect” on plants after mancozeb exposure. All data provide new information regarding the recent use of the mancozeb molecule in soybean. The contribution is original and presents data that can contribute to the definition of strategies in anti-resistance management and increase site-specific systemic fungicides effective life commonly used in soybean. In addition, the results present important physiological responses on plants induced Figure 1by mancozeb that can aggregate on development, vigor and productivity. / Mancozebe tem sido o fungicida protetor com mecanismo multi-sítio amplamente utilizado associado aos programas fungicidas na cultura da soja. Este composto tem proporcionado incrementos significativos no desempenho de fungicidas sistêmicos no controle da ferrugem da soja. Além do efeito evidente como fungicida, tem sido relatado efeitos sobre parâmetros fisiológicos nas plantas conferindo benefícios como redução de fitotoxicidade de outros fungicidas e incrementos no vigor de plantas. Nossos estudos objetivaram compreender a interação de mancozebe associado a fungicidas sistêmicos frente ao controle da ferrugem da soja, além de determinar respostas fisiológicas das plantas oriundas da relação produto versus planta. Foram conduzidos ensaios em casa de vegetação e a campo, aqui divididos em quatro capítulos no formato de manuscritos. Em um primeiro estudo o efeito da interação de mancozebe com misturas comerciais de IQo + IDM foi investigado com base em duas metodologias. A partir disso foi possível verificar que mancozebe agrega mais significativamente a eficácia de controle quando associado a misturas menos eficientes. Em tais interações obteve-se uma resposta sinérgica de controle. Quando associado a misturas com alta eficácia o incremento no controle foi menor, entretanto no mínimo uma resposta aditiva é esperada. Em um segundo estudo a atividade de enzimas ligadas à resposta antioxidante, a concentração de pigmentos fotossintetizantes e a peroxidação lipídica foi investigada em plantas expostas ao fungicida trifloxistrobina + protioconazol, com potencial de causar fitotoxidade, estando este associado ou não ao mancozebe. Aumento na atividade de enzimas antioxidantes, redução no conteúdo de pigmentos e danos celulares evidenciadas pela maior peroxidação de lipídios foram verificadas em plantas expostas ao fungicida sistêmico. Tais danos foram atenuados quando o fungicida sistêmico foi associado ao mancozebe. Nesse mesmo sentido, parâmetros de fotossíntese e fluorescência da clorofila a foram analisados em plantas expostas a mancozebe e trifloxistrobina + protioconazol, sendo este o terceiro estudo aqui apresentado. Decréscimo na eficiência fotossintética foi verificado em plantas tratadas com o fungicida sistêmico caracterizando um efeito fitotóxico significativo. Os parâmetros avaliados elucidam um efeito benéfico de mancozebe reduzindo os danos causados pelo fungicida sistêmico. Um quarto e último estudo visou avaliar alterações no estado nutricional de folhas de soja expostas a mancozebe. Concentração de macro e micronutrientes foram determinadas aos 4 e 8 dias após exposição. Alterações significativas na concentração de S, Mn e Zn foram observadas. Tais alterações foram relacionadas a incrementos na coloração verde da cultura após exposição à mancozebe. Os dados trazem informações novas em relação ao recente uso da molécula mancozebe em soja. A contribuição é original e apresenta dados que podem contribuir na definição de estratégias no manejo anti-resistência e aumento da vida efetiva dos fungicidas sistêmicos sítio-específico comumente utilizados em soja. Além disso, os resultados apresentam uma série de respostas fisiológicas importantes de mancozebe sobre as plantas que podem agregar em termos de desenvolvimento, vigor e produtividade.

High temperature limit successful potato cultivation in the lowlands of tropical regions. One effect of high temperature may be an increase in gibberellin activity that is inhibitory to tuberization. Paclobutrazol blocks gibberellin biosynthesis and reduces its level in the plant. The effect of paclobutrazol on potato was examined under non-inductive conditions in a greenhouse and under field conditions in the hot tropical lowlands of eastern Ethiopia. Paclobutrazol was applied as a foliar spray or soil drench at rates equivalent to 0, 2, 3, and 4 kg a. i. per ha. Paclobutrazol increased chlorophyll a and b content, and photosynthetic efficiency, enhanced early tuber initiation, delayed physiological maturity, and increased tuber fresh mass, dry matter content, specific gravity and crude protein content. It reduced the number of tubers per plant and extended the tuber dormancy period. Paclobutrazol reduced shoot growth, and plant height, and increased the partitioning of assimilates to the tubers while reducing assimilate supply to the leaves, stems, roots and stolons. Stomatal conductance and the rate of transpiration were reduced. In addition, paclobutrazol treatment increased tuber N, Ca and Fe content while reducing P, K and Mg content. Growth analyses indicated that paclobutrazol decreased leaf area index, crop growth rate, and total biomass production. It increased specific leaf weight, tuber growth rate, net assimilation rate, and partitioning coefficient (harvest index). Microscopic observations showed that leaves of treated plants developed thicker epicuticular wax layers. The epidermal, palisade and spongy mesophyll cells were larger. It increased the thickness of the cortex and the size of vascular bundles and pith cells of the stem. It also increased the width of the cortex and favoured the formation of more secondary xylem vessels, resulting in thicker roots. Deposition of starch grains in the stem pith cells, and cortical cells of the stem and root, were stimulated in response to paclobutrazol treatment. In most instances the method of application did not affect the efficiency of paclobutrazol. The effect of cultivar and reproductive growth on growth, photosynthetic efficiency, water relations, dry matter production, tuber yield and quality of potato was also the subject of investigation. Non-flowering, flowering and fruiting plants of cultivars Al-624, Al-436, CIP-388453-3(A) and CIP-388453-3(B) were evaluated under field conditions of a sub-humid tropical highland of eastern Ethiopia. Cultivars exhibited differences with respect to leaf stomatal conductance, rate of transpiration, net photosynthesis, biomass production and allocation, tuber yield, tuber size distribution, specific gravity, dry matter content and nutrient composition. Fruiting plants had higher leaf stomatal conductance, and higher rates of transpiration and photosynthesis rates. The leaf area index, tuber growth rate, and partitioning coefficient (harvest index) of the fruiting plants were reduced, but crop growth rates and net assimilation rates were higher. Without affecting total dry matter production, fruit development reduced the amount partitioned to the leaves, stems, roots, and tubers. Fruit development reduced total and marketable tuber mass and tuber numbers. The effect of MCPA and paclobutrazol were studied under greenhouse and field conditions. Single foliar sprays were applied during the early and full bud development stages at rates of 0, 250, 500, and 750 g a.i. ha-1. Both MCPA and paclobutrazol greatly reduced the number of flowers and completely inhibited berry set. MCPA did not affect the number, yield, dry matter content and specific gravity of tubers. Without affecting the number of tubers, paclobutrazol increased tuber yield, dry matter content and specific gravity. / Thesis (DPhil (Horticultural Science))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Plant Production and Soil Science / unrestricted