Snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production by large scale commercial producers in Ethiopia is under intensive production and relies on high rates of nitrogen (N) fertilizer and irrigation during the dry season. Despite increasing interest to produce this crop, small scale farmers cannot afford the high cost of N fertilizer. Field and greenhouse experiments were conducted to test snap bean production under a low input production system better suited to small scale resource limited farmers. Field experiments were conducted in 2011 and 2012 under rain fed conditions, and in 2012 under irrigation, at three locations (Debre Zeit, Hawassa, Ziway) representing different climate zones in Ethiopia. This experiment used three N treatments: 0 and 100 kg N ha-1, and inoculation with Rhizobium etli [HB 429], and eight cultivars: Andante, Boston Contender Blue, Lomami, Melkassa 1, Melkassa 3, Paulista and Volta. The general objective of the field experiment was to determine the potential of snap bean production under a low input production system using rhizobium inoculation as the nitrogen source, and use rain fed conditions. Results obtained indicated that rhizobial inoculation and applied inorganic N increased on average the marketable pod yield of snap bean under rain fed conditions by 18 % and 43%, respectively. Nodulation and subsequent N2 fixation was not effective in improving yield or other traits of snap bean pod under irrigation, although applied N increased marketable yield by 33%. Melkassa 1 was the most suitable cultivar for a reduced input production system due to its successful nodulation characteristics, greatest N2 fixation levels and consistently good performance across locations under rain fed conditions. Commercial cultivars possessed the best pod quality characteristics and they yielded better under irrigation. Cultivars interacted with locations to affect pod traits including total soluble solids and concentrations of protein, calcium, and potassium under rain fed conditions. Snap bean cultivrs produced at Debre Zeit and Hawassa were similar in marketable yield and several other traits particularly under rain fed conditions. Zinc (Zn) concentration in pods was greatest at Hawassa both under rain fed and irrigated conditions. Conditions at Debre Zeit were the most conducive for supporting biological N2 fixation for snap bean production. The eight cultivars were also used for a greenhouse study that was evaluated treatments of drought stress of 50% field capacity (50% FC) during the vegetative (V4.4), flowering (R6) and pod formation (R7) developmental stages. Our result showed that drought stresses during reproductive stages (R6 and R7) were the most sensitive stages in deteriorating the quality of snap bean pods. Drought stress increased protein, phosphorus and Zn concentrations but it reduced iron concentration in snap bean pods. All cultivars had a similar response to drought stress. A second greenhouse experiment was conducted to test foliar application of growth regulators: the control, 10-5 M and 10-4 M concentrations of each of abscisic acid (ABA), kinetin and salicylic acid (SA); and two concentrations of yeast extract (4 g l-1 and 8 g l-1), under drought (50% FC) stressed and unstressed conditions. Foliar application of SA on snap bean under greenhouse conditions reduced the impact of drought stress, particularly the pod quality parameters: marketable yield, pod curving, texture and appearance of snap bean pods. However, application of ABA, kinetin and SA reduced pod quality of snap bean under unstressed conditions. In conclusion, pod yield improvement could be achieved by a N2 fixation system under rain fed conditions, which is more sustainable than N fertilizer inputs. Pod quality was also adequate for commercial export production. Rhizobium inoculant can therefore be used as an alternative N source, particularly under low input production system for resource-limited small-scale snap bean producers.

No description available.

To evaluate the strip tillage in organic bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) production as an integrated system for sustainable vegetable cropping two-years of field trials were conducted in 2011 and 2012. The field trials were conducted to determine the viability of strip tillage in conventional and organic bell pepper production systems by comparing plant growth, water status, and fruit yield to plastic mulch grown plants application under different irrigation regimes. The two-year field data demonstrated that organic pepper with strip tillage application was a viable combination that produced comparable yield to conventional plastic mulch system and utilized water more economically. In 2011 and 2013, strip-tilled rows and plastic mulched rows were used to evaluate the impact of tillage on soil hydraulic conductivity and water internal drainage characteristics. Results indicated that strip-tilled plots had significantly higher in-row penetration resistance compared to the plastic mulch system at depths up to 20 cm, but no differences between the systems were found for layers below 25 cm. In addition, there were no differences in hydraulic conductivity between strip tillage and plastic mulch in both study years over a 30-day period. Also, significant main effects were found for soil layer and time scale on hydraulic conductivity in the first 24 hour of the study in 2013. During field trials in 2011 and 2012, plant tissues were sampled for endophytic bacteria isolation and identification. Differences in endophytic bacteria were obtained among different production combinations. In 2013, endophytic bacteria isolates from 2011 and 2012 trials were re-inoculated to bell pepper grown in greenhouse to assess plant growth. Two Pseudomonas sp. and one Bacillus thioparans strain were screened to evaluate their affects on plant growth under both drought and non-drought conditions. After growth comparisons, the three endophytic strains were used to subsequently study the impacts of endophyte inoculation on regulating plant drought-linked gene expressions in 2014 by conducting real-time PCR. Results demonstrated that plant drought-linked genes, which especially involved plant ethylene biosynthesis, were significantly down-regulated after inoculating the endophytic bacterial strains.

Unprecedented rates of climate change have increased forest stress and mortality worldwide. Previous research in the boreal forest has largely documented negative growth responses to climate in forest species and habitats characteristic of drier conditions, emphasizing the sensitivity of drier or warmer landscape positions to climate warming. Tree growth responses to recent climate warming may signal changes in the susceptibility of forest communities to compositional change and consequently impact a wide range of ecosystem processes and services. In this study, I explored relationships between climate and radial growth of black spruce, a dominant tree species typical of cool and moist habitats in the boreal forests of North America. I assessed how growth-climate responses varied with stand characteristics and landscape position across four different regions in Alaska and Yukon Territory and found widespread negative correlations between growth and temperature. Decreased tree growth in association with increasing temperatures is generally accepted as a signal of temperature induced drought stress. However, variations in tree growth alone do not reveal the physiological mechanisms behind recent changes in tree growth. Thus, I used stable carbon isotopes to test if the changes in growth were due to physiological drought stress. My results highlight the prominence of drought stress in the boreal forest, even for trees located in cool and moist landscape positions. As mature trees might be able to survive in stressful environmental conditions that do not permit successful post-fire recruitment and survival of seedling, drought stress could affect the resilience of the boreal forest ecosystem to disturbance from fire. I assessed drought stress in pre-fire trees and used post-fire forest compositional changes as a proxy for ecosystem resilience. My results suggest that forest stands with the lowest resilience to disturbance are those that experienced the compounding effects of climate induced drought stress and high fire severity. These sites were generally located at warmer and drier landscape positions, suggesting they are less resilient to disturbance than sites in cool and moist locations. I conclude that as temperatures continue to warm, the loss of boreal forest resilience to disturbance from fire will vary in association with environmental heterogeneity across the landscape.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Botany))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Botany))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the rainfed areas of the South African sugar industry the unpredictability of rainfall is of major concern for producers. Currently, research into the drought tolerance of South African sugarcane varieties is very limited. Knowledge of varietal drought tolerance potential would allow for more informed decision making when it comes to planting a crop that stays in the ground for between five and fifteen years. The aim of this study was to ascertain the drought tolerance potential of commercial sugarcane varieties using historical field trial data by employing statistical modelling. The first step was to establish a reliable methodology of quantifying the level of drought stress, defined through a drought stress index (DSI), employing the sugarcane growth modelling software Canesim. The second step was to use the selected DSI to evaluate and rate the drought tolerance potential of commercial varieties. Of the six DSI’s calculated, the index comprising a ratio of Canesim simulated rainfed yield (representative of a water stressed environment) to Canesim simulated irrigated yield (representative of a water unstressed environment) was the best at quantifyingthe level of trial drought stress. Using three varieties with previously identified drought potential, two intermediate susceptible (IS) and one intermediate (I) variety, this was the only DSI that was able to quantify all the differences between the varieties. Using the selected DSI, two different methodologies were used to evaluate varietal drought tolerance potential: General linear regression and Residual maximum likelihood meta-analysis. The regression method proved to be a better method of varietal rating when using historical field data. The two rainfed regions, coastal and midlands were analyzed separately due to the difference in climatic conditions. Using the regression analysis, with N12 as the observed intermediate reference variety, coastal varieties were rated as being susceptible (N16, N19, N39 and NCO376) or intermediate (N27, N29, N33, N36, N41, N45, N47). Rating of the midlands varieties, with both statistical methods, were unsuccessful. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Binne die droëland produksiegebied van die Suid-Afrikaanse suikerindustrie is die wisselvalligheid van reënval ʼn groot bron van kommer vir produsente. Navorsingsresultate aangaande die droogtetoleransie van Suid-Afrikaanse suikerrietvariëteite is baie beperk. Aangesien suikerriet aanplantings vir vyf tot vyftien jaar in produksie mag bly, is kennis aangaande droogtetoleransie noodsaaklik vir ingeligte besluite rondom variëteit keuse. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die droogtetoleransie van kommersiële variëteite met behulp van historiese veldproef resultate en statistiese modellering te bepaal. Die eerste stap was die ontwikkeling van betroubare metodiek wat die graad van droogtestremming kwantifiseer deur middel van droogtestremmingsindekse (DSI’s) wat met die suikerriet produksiemodel, Canesim, bereken is. Die tweede stap was om die DSI’s te gebruik om geselekteerde kommersiële variëteite vir droogtetoleransie te evalueer en volgens toleransie te rangskik. Van die ses DSI’s wat geëvalueer is, was die indeks wat die verhouding tussen Canesim gesimuleerde droëland opbrengs (verteenwoordigend van ʼn omgewing met droogte) en Canesim gesimuleerde besproeide opbrengs (verteenwoordigend van ʼn omgewing sonder droogte) omskryf het, die mees effektiefste om die graad van droogtestremming te kwantifiseer. Hierdie DSI was vervolgens die enigste wat verskille in droogtetoleransie tussen drie variëteite van bekende droogte toleransie kon kwantifiseer. Deur gebruik van hierdie DSI is twee verskillende metodes aangewend om die droogtetoleransie van variëteite te evalueer naamlik: Algemene Lineêre Regressie en Residuele Maksimum Aanneemlikheid. Die regressiemetode was die mees effektiefste om variëteite volgens droogtetoleransie, op grond van historiese veldproef resultate, te rangskik. Die twee droëland produksiegebiede, naamlik die kusstrook en Natalse Middellande is afsonderlik geanaliseer as gevolg van klimaatsverskille. Met behulp van die regressiemetode is die kus-variëteite as droogtesensitief of -intermediêr geklassifiseer, met N27, N29, N33, N36, N41, N45 en N47 as droogte-intermediêr en N16, N19, N39 en NCO376 as droogtesensitief. Soortgelyke klassifisering van die variëteite wat in die Natalse Middellande verbou word was nie met enige van die statistiese metodes suksesvol gewees nie.

Magister Scientiae - MSc (Biotechnology) / Glycine max (soybean) is an important crop species globally as it is used as a protein-rich food and feed crop and as a source of oils used in the food and biofuel industry. However, the growth and yield of soybean is adversely affected by drought. Exposure of soybean to drought leads to accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cell membrane instability. Sterols are membrane components that regulates membrane fluidity and permeability. Besides being major components of the cell membranes, sterols such as lanosterol appear to play a role in the regulation of ROS scavenging and some are precursors to brassinosteroids that act as signaling molecules with hormonal function that regulate growth, development and responses to abiotic stresses such as drought and salinity. In this study, the involvement of plant sterols, also known as phytosterols, in the regulation of soybean responses to drought stress was investigated in Glycine max by determining the effects of drought on the expression of a candidate lanosterol synthase gene (Glyma08g24160) and the content of a subset of phytosterols in soybean. The effects of inhibition of sterol synthesis on ROS production and on superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT) and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) were investigated. The concentration of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as well as superoxide (O2-) increased in response to drought and sterol synthesis inhibition, however, O2- concentration and sterol contents declined under drought stress and sterol synthesis inhibition.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2006-04-19Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:54:10Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 dedemo_gc_me_jabo.pdf: 1096079 bytes, checksum: 9710fc882b784efd70e97e20b286cf3e (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / A cultura da cana-de-açúcar é de grande importância econômica nas regiões tropicais e subtropicais, especialmente para alguns países da América, como o Brasil, que é atualmente o maior produtor mundial. Estresses abióticos, como a seca, podem reduzir os rendimentos das lavouras. Sendo assim, a identificação e a compreensão dos mecanismos de tolerância à seca são fundamentais no desenvolvimento de novas cultivares comerciais mais tolerantes ao déficit hídrico. O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar, através da técnica de macroarranjos de cDNA, o perfil de expressão de genes pertencentes a diferentes vias metabólicas em folhas de duas cultivares de cana-de-açúcar (Saccharum spp), uma tolerante ao estresse por déficit hídrico (SP83-2847) e outra sensível (SP90-1638) submetidas a dois períodos de restrição no fornecimento de água, ocasionando um estresse por déficit hídrico leve (T1) e severo (T2). Por meio das análises dos resultados foi possível identificar, na cultivar tolerante, a indução de ESTs (etiquetas de seqüências expressas) com similaridade a genes de enzimas de síntese de osmoprotetores, tais como prolina, hidroxiprolina e GABA (ácido g-aminobutírico); de hormônios vegetais como o ácido abscísico (ABA) e o ácido jasmônico (JA) e repressão de ESTs similares aos genes das enzimas de biossíntese de amido, de glicina betaína e de algumas enzimas do sistema de defesa antioxidante. Ao passo que, na cultivar sensível foram induzidas ESTs similares aos genes de enzimas de síntese dos osmoprotetores trealose e glicina betaína; do sistema de defesa antioxidante e reprimidas ESTs com similaridade a genes das enzimas de síntese de prolina, hidroxiprolina e GABA e envolvidas na biossíntese de ABA e de jasmonatos. Em ambas as cultivares, ESTs similares a genes de diferentes enzimas fotossintéticas foram reprimidas. / Sugarcane crop is of large economic importance in the tropical and subtropical regions, especially in some countries of Central and South America as Brazil, which is actually the major worldwide producer. Abiotic stress, such as drought, can reduce yield of the farmings. Thus, identification and understanding of the drought tolerance mechanisms is crucial to the development of new commercials cultivars more tolerant to water deficit. The aim of this study was to identify, using cDNA macroarrays technique, expression profile of genes involved in distinct metabolic pathways in leaves of two sugarcane (Saccharum spp) cultivars, one water stress tolerant (SP83-2847) and another water stress sensitive (SP90-1638) which were submitted to periods of withhold watering occasioning a mild (T1) and severe (T2) water deficit stress. Through the analysis of the results, it was identified in the tolerant cultivar up-regulated ESTs similar to genes of enzymes involved in the synthesis of osmoprotectants, such as proline, hydroxyproline, GABA (g-amino butyric acid), of synthesis of plant hormones as abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA); and down-regulated ESTs similar to genes of enzymes of the biosynthesis of starch, glycine betaine and of some enzymes involved antioxidant defense system. In the other hand, ESTs similar to genes of enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of the osmoprotectants as trehalose and glycine betaine and enzymes from the antioxidant defense system were induced as well as were down-regulated ESTs similar to genes of enzymes of synthesis of proline, hydroxyproline and GABA and involved in biosynthesis of ABA and jasmonates, for the sensitive cultivar. In both cultivars, ESTs with similarity to genes of different photosynthetic enzymes were repressed.

Entre os vegetais existem duas estratégias distintas para superar as condições de estresse hídrico que condicionam a sensibilidade a dessecação (SD) que está associada a mecanismos de evitação e a tolerância a dessecação (TD) que envolve suportar o estresse hídrico diretamente no nível dos tecidos e no nível subcelular. Sabe-se que os custos acoplados aos mecanismos de dessecação e reidratação em espécies TD são elevados, e provavelmente superiores aos de espécies SD. Desta forma, a coexistência de espécies com estas estratégias, como ocorre no ambiente epifítico da Cidade Universitária Armando Sales de Oliveira (CUASO), induzem questões quanto a as vantagens relativas de espécies TD sobre SD. Devido aos altos custos da estratégia TD é possível propor que estas deveriam apresentar um ganho médio de carbono superior a de espécies SD durante o período favorável (com disponibilidade hídrica). Além disso, também é razoável esperar que as distintas formas de uso da água, vinculadas às estratégias, poderiam facilitar o convívio de espécies TD e SD através da segregação de nichos. Com intuito de verificar essas hipóteses, foram realizadas análises relacionadas a estrutura de comunidade de epífitas da CUASO e, a partir destas, a detecção da associação espacial mais freqüente, que resultou composta por Pleopeltis hirsutissima (TD) e Microgramma squamulosa (SD). Estas espécies foram então selecionadas para avaliar parâmetros associados à dinâmica do uso da água, assimilação líquida de carbono, dinâmica da capacidade de uso da luz, estado de hidratação foliar e pigmentos fotossintéticos. Os resultados apontaram que espécies de ambas as estratégias não apresentam sinais de estresse crônico no ambiente estudado. Os dados reforçaram as respostas contrastantes de TD e SD, refletindo as formas distintas de lidar com os recursos e condições do ambiente. Ao contrário do esperado, P. hirsutissima não apresentou uma assimilação de carbono superior a M. squamulosa, indicando que o ganho de carbono não é um dos fatores possíveis na compensação dos custos acoplados a sua estratégia (TD). Porém, os resultados apresentados quanto a dinâmica da capacidade de uso da luz sugerem que a coexistência é facilitada pela segregação de nichos de luz, sendo a espécie TD mais heliófila do que a espécie SD / In land plants the resistance to drought can be accomplished by two main strategies. One involves mainly dehydration avoidance mechanisms and the other is based on the ability to withstand drought at the tissues and down to subcellular levels. The former is found on the desiccation sensitive plants (DS) and the last describes the desiccation tolerant plants (DT). The metabolic costs of the desiccation tolerance mechanisms are probably high, at least when considering the cessation of photosynthesis during anabiosis - a condition that is absent in drought avoidance strategies. The coexistence of drought avoiders and desiccation tolerant plants in the same substrate and condition can rise some questions about the relative advantages of each strategy when submitted to similar water regime. We ask whether desiccation tolerant plants have a compensatory carbon gain under a watering regime that induces frequent anabiosis or cumulative damage in drought avoidance have a detrimental effect comparable to the costs of the desiccation tolerance. An analysis of the epiphytic plant community associated to the trees of the CUASO urban landscape showed a very frequent co-occurring species pair including the desiccation sensitive Microgramma squamulosa and a desiccation tolerant Pleopeltis hirsutissima, both cryptogams of the same plant family. These species were thoroughly examined regarding the patterns of light, water and carbon dynamics together with pigments concentration during cycles of natural drought and wet climate field conditions. These observations were complemented with experimental induction of different water and light regimes. The results showed no sign of chronic stress in both plants living at the same condition but allowed us to identify large distinctions in resource use patterns. A compensatory carbon assimilation was not found in P.hirsutissima. Both species have similar CO2 assimilation values. Experimental induction of drought in different light regimes allowed to verify a relative advantage in desiccation tolerant P.hirsutissima in comparison to the desiccation sensitive M.squamulosa under high irradiance values. Furthermore, light curve analysis suggest that they share the same tree but their niches differ in light intensity regime allowing the high frequency of co-occurrence observed in the field