Onions are widely produced within the tropics, but little scientific research has been done specifically on the Eritrean cultivars, like Hagaz Red 1 and 2 (HR I, and HR 2). Many onion cultivars are limited in their range of adaptation due to the combined effects of photoperiod and temperature. A priority for research on the crop was to elucidate the local crop's growth response to environmental conditions, particularly temperature and daylength. The Eritrean cultivars HR I and 2 and an American (Louisiana) cultivar Red Creole (RC) grown in South Africa were grown in growth rooms under all combinations of three daylengths (11.5h, 12h, 12.5h) and three day/night temperatures (25/12°C, 30/15°C and 35/18°C). Growth responses were determined at 108 days and by using a growing degree day (GDD) base. A broken-stick regression model was used to determine the points of inflection, indicating the initiation of bulbing. Based on leaf area and plant height data, mathematical differentiation equations and coefficient of determination (R2) were applied to determine the base temperature (6.4°C) for these particular cultivars. All three cultivars needed at least 12 h daylength for bulb initiation when assessed by a bulbing ratio >=2.0. A bulbing ratio >=2.0 characterizes the onset of bulbing. Under a 11.5 h daylength, a temperature higher than 25/12°C decreased vegetative growth. Temperature in this region may be a supra-optimal condition for the growth of these cultivars at this daylength. However, the 25/12°C and 30/15°C temperatures were found to be ideal for onion bulb production under 12 hand 12.5 h daylengths. The three cultivars (HR I, HR 2 and RC) showed very similar growth response to the daylength and temperature interactions. The thermal presentation of plant growth indicated that there were relationships between bulb initiation and rate of leaf area growth under inductive conditions (12 hand 12.5 h). Under the 12 h daylength, cultivars needed 343, 482, and 597 GDD units before bulb initiation and 405, 432, and 431 GDD to increase the rate of leaf area development at 25/12°C, 30/15°C, and 35/18°C, respectively. Under a 12.5 h daylength, these cultivars needed 344, 423, and 432.2 GDDs to initiate bulbing and 140, 411, and 579 GDDs to increase leaf growth rates at 25/12°C, 30/15°C, and 35/18°C, respectively. In the 12 h daylength, bulbing was initiated and followed by an increased rate of growth of leaf area. However, the reverse happened for the 12.5 h daylength. Overall, where plant response to temperature can be expressed as the rate of progress towards a morphogenetic change, GDD values can be used to predict a plant developmental stage at a particular temperature. It must be concluded that temperatures induced significant variations in growth components (leaf number, plant height, leaf area), and affected bulbing response. The findings in this study confirmed that the cultivars require only a certain fixed amount of thermal time for their development at a particular temperature, and that, if anything, the slow growth rate at the higher temperature must be due to supra-optimal temperatures. They also require a minimum 12 h photoperiod for bulb formation. / Thesis (M.Sc.Agric.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

[Truncated abstract] Fire ephemerals are pioneer species that germinate in large numbers after fire and generally live for between six months and four years. Seeds produced during the short life span of these plants persist in the soil seedbank until a subsequent fire. This study examined the dormancy characteristics and germination requirements of ten Australian fire ephemeral species from five families. Seeds of four species germinated at one or more incubation temperatures in the laboratory, indicating that a proportion of their seedlots were non-dormant at the time of testing. Austrostipa compressa and Austrostipa macalpinei (Poaceae) produced >80% germination at 10?C and Alyogyne hakeifolia and Alyogyne huegelii (Malvaceae) produced 30-40% and 35-50% germination respectively at 10 to 25°C. In each of the Alyogyne species approximately 50% of seeds were impermeable to water, but scarification did not enable germination of all viable seeds suggesting that seeds which did not germinate, may have possessed physiological dormancy as well as physical dormancy. Remaining species had water permeable seeds. ... Germination of both Alyogyne species declined after six months of winter burial but was enhanced by heat treatments after a further six months of summer burial. Actinotus leucocephalus and Tersonia cyathiflora seeds exhibited annual dormancy cycling over two years of burial. Dormancy was alleviated over summer, allowing seeds of both species to germinate in smoke water when seeds were exhumed in autumn, and reimposed over winter, suppressing germination in spring. In Actinotus leucocephalus these dormancy changes were induced in the laboratory by warm (≥15°C) and cold (5°C) temperatures, alleviating and re-imposing dormancy, respectively. Wetting and drying seeds stored at 37°C further accelerated the rate of dormancy release. This dormancy cycling would increase the likelihood of seeds germinating when moisture availability in south-western Australia is greatest for seedling survival. It also explains the variation in germination response to smoke water observed in many species. Thus under natural conditions dormancy levels of fire ephemerals were altered during soil storage which enabled them to respond to fire-related cues such as heat and smoke water, and germinate in autumn. This information will assist in the use of these species in land rehabilitation and ornamental horticulture, and in the conservation of rare or endangered fire ephemerals.

CAPES / A vegetação pode produzir efeitos positivos mensuráveis no campo térmico dos recintos urbanos. Diante das inadequações térmicas verificadas nos espaços citadinos, existe a necessidade de projetos e planos urbanos que considerem a utilização da vegetação como elemento estratégico para a criação de condições de conforto térmico em espaços abertos. Nesse sentido, a pesquisa assume relevância ao propor um índice que identifique a quantidade de cobertura vegetal necessária para reduzir a temperatura do ar em ambientes urbanos. O índice foi desenvolvido para a cidade de Curitiba, especialmente para a Avenida Sete de Setembro e a Avenida Linha Verde. Adicionalmente, são apresentados estudos pilotos para as cidades de Genebra, Paris e São Paulo. De caráter experimental, a pesquisa utiliza medições em campo para coleta de dados microclimáticos e simulação computacional com o modelo ENVI-met, o qual viabilizou a comparação entre cenários atuais e cenários alternativos. Todas as simulações foram realizadas considerando situações de verão. Os índices Temperatura Fisiológica Equivalente (PET) e Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) foram utilizados para avaliar os níveis de estresse térmico na escala do pedestre. De forma geral, observou-se que a inserção de áreas arborizadas (especialmente sob copa densa) poderia reduzir o potencial de aquecimento das áreas urbanas no período diurno, com mudanças substanciais nas categorias de estresse térmico. A máxima redução na temperatura do ar conseguida foi de 2,5°C, verificada nos estudos piloto de São Paulo e Paris. Na Sete de Setembro a redução máxima de temperatura do ar foi de 1,2°C e na Linha Verde foi de 1,5°C. Verificou-se que os fatores que contribuem para reduções na temperatura ambiente são a forma de distribuição das árvores e a densidade da copa (fator relacionado à qualidade da sombra). O índice proposto (proporção entre cobertura vegetal e a área construída) pode explicar a redução média de Ta em 83,1%. A partir da aplicação do mesmo, pode-se concluir que a redução de 1°C na temperatura do ar deve ser esperada para um aumento de 49% de cobertura vegetal. Em cidades com ocorrência de ondas de calor, a vantagem de um plano de arborização é o custo relativamente baixo de implantação se considerar o benefício na redução das categorias de estresse térmico. A importância do índice (e da metodologia proposta para seu desenvolvimento) reside na possibilidade da sua aplicação no desenho urbano climaticamente orientado. / Vegetation can produce measurable positive effects on the thermal field of urban spaces. In view of thermal inadequacies in outdoor spaces, there is a need for projects and urban plans which consider the use of vegetation as strategic element for the creation of thermal comfort conditions in open spaces. In this sense, the relevance of this study is the proposition of an index which estimates the amount of vegetation fraction needed to reduce the air temperature in urban environments. The index was developed for the city of Curitiba, specifically for its central arteries such as Avenida Sete de Setembro and Avenida Linha Verde. Additionally, pilot studies for the cities of Geneva, Paris and São Paulo are presented. The experimental research uses field measurements for collecting microclimatic data and computer simulations with the ENVI-met model, which allowed the comparison of current and alternative scenarios. All simulations were carried out for summer conditions. The thermal comfort indices Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) and Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) were used to assess levels of thermal stress at the pedestrian level. In general, it was observed that the insertion of green areas (particularly under dense canopy) could reduce the daytime heating in urban areas, with substantial changes in heat stress categories. The maximum reduction of air temperature was 2.5°C, observed in the pilot studies in São Paulo and Paris. In the Sete de Setembro the maximum reduction of air temperature was 1.2°C and in the Linha Verde it was 1.5°C. It was found that contributing factors to ambient temperature reductions are the distribution of trees and the canopy density (related to the shadow quality). The proposed index (ratio between the increase of vegetated over built-up area) may explain the reduction of mean air temperature by 83.1%. From its application, it can be concluded that a 1°C reduction in air temperature should be expected for an increase of 49% in vegetated fraction. In cities impacted by heat waves, the advantage of greenery insertion is the relatively low investment with considerable benefits in changes of heat stress categories. In cities impacted by heat waves, the advantage of greenery insertion is the relatively low investment with considerable benefits in changes of heat stress categories. The importance of the index (and the proposed methodology behind it) lies in the possibility of its application in climate- responsive urban design.

Thesis (MSc (Botany and Zoology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Global circulation models predict that the Cape Floristic Region (CFR), a biodiversity hotspot, in the near future will be subjected to rising temperatures and widespread droughts as a result of rising atmospheric CO2 causing global climate change. It is predicted that climate change will lead to a southward shift of the Succulent Karoo, a neighbouring more drought tolerant biome, and a possible invasion of Fynbos, the main vegetation type of the CFR, by succulent species. In this research project, the effects of climate change on Fynbos, and the likelihood of Succulent Karoo invading Fynbos are assessed by means of various monitoring and experimental studies on an altitudinal gradient spanning a natural transition between fynbos and succulent karoo vegetation. An analysis of plant species diversity and turnover on the gradient revealed high species turnover between succulent karoo and the rest of the gradient, associated with a boundary between two soil types: shale (associated with succulent karoo) and sandstone (associated with fynbos). Phenological monitoring of fynbos species across the gradient showed how growth of fynbos species is affected negatively by high temperatures, and that low but regular rainfall is required to sustain growth during the dry Mediterranean summer. Retrospective growth analysis of Proteaceae species pairs with contrasting range sizes revealed that small geographic ranges do not signify low tolerance of climate variation, but rather that faster growing species are more sensitive to interannual climate variation than slow growing species. Exposing fynbos species to experimental drought confirmed that faster growing species will be more severely affected by climate change than slow growing species with conservative water use strategies. This experiment also confirmed the importance of rainfall reliability for growth in fynbos species when a naturally occurring prolonged dry period affected some species more severely than the drought treatment of an average reduction in rainfall. A reciprocal transplant experiment exposed fynbos seedlings to both warmer and drier conditions when they were planted outside of their natural ranges in the succulent karoo. Soil type as a barrier to invasion of fynbos by succulent karoo was also tested. Soil type was found to be not limiting to succulent karoo species and competition and disturbance was revealed to be more important in determining the fynbos-succulent karoo boundary than climate. It was concluded that productivity in fynbos will be adversely affected by rising temperatures and that differing responses to climate change between slow and fast growing species will lead to shifts in dominance among species, and consequently altered community structures and vegetation dynamics. Fires are likely to facilitate invasions of marginal habitats by succulent karoo because of sensitivity of fynbos regeneration stages to high temperatures and drought.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Dehydrins are type II LEA proteins induced in many plants during drought, low temperature, and high salinity to confer stress tolerance. AtERD14 is an Arabidopsis thaliana dehydrin that functions in part of the cold stress pathway. AtERD14 has chaperone-like capabilities that allow it to bind and protect various proteins from dehydration stresses. In order to determine the necessary components for cold induction of AtERD14, AtERD14prom::GFP/GUS and AtERD14prom::AtERD14 in AtERD14 KO constructs were created and stably transformed into A. thaliana. Analysis of the constructs showed the AtERD14 promoter alone was insufficient to respond to cold, and it was necessary to attach the AtERD14 coding region to the promoter to induce a cold response in ERD14. On the other hand, the RD29aprom::GFP/GUS promoter did respond to cold stress, indicating that RD29a does not require its coding region to support an increased amount of reporter activity after cold stress. The protoplast transformation system, while capable of transient expression of introduced constructs in protoplasts, was difficult for use for cold-inducible expression.