The place where cotton-plant is cultivated to produce seeds and its sowing time are extremely important, especially due to local climatic conditions. Based on this premise, this work aimed at verifying the influence distinct epochs of sowing in two different places had on the germination of cottonseed genotypes in the season 2007/2008. This study was carried out in two municipalities: Itumbiara, Goiás state, and Uberlândia, Minas Gerais state. Sowing of DeltaOpal, NuOpal, DP90B, DP604B, and Delta Penta genotypes seeds took place in the first half of November and in this first and second half of December. The experimental design was completely randomized in split plot with six replications. Evaluation included genotypes in the plots and sowing epochs in the subplots. After being manually harvested, cottonseeds were processed, delinted with sulfuric acid and then subjected to germination test to verify normal and abnormal (deformed, damaged and deteriorated) seedlings as well as dead seeds. Results statistical analysis allow concluding that in Itumbiara the first and second half of December are the best sowing time to produce cottonseeds from genotypes NuOpal, DP604G, and DP90B; while in Uberlândia the best sowing time were the second half of November and first half of December, no matter the genotype used. / O local de produção de sementes do algodoeiro e a época de semeadura da cultura são extremamente importantes, sobretudo por causa das condições climáticas regionais. Tendo em vista essa premissa, este trabalho objetivou avaliar a influência que épocas distintas de semeadura em dois locais de produção teve na germinação de sementes de genótipos de algodoeiro no ano agrícola 2007/2008. O trabalho foi realizado em Itumbiara, GO, e Uberlândia, MG. As semeaduras ocorreram na segunda quinzena de novembro e na primeira e segunda quinzenas de dezembro. Foram usadas sementes de algodão dos genótipos: DeltaOpal, NuOpal, DP90B, DP604B e DeltaPenta. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casual, em parcelas subdivididas com seis repetições. A avaliação nas parcelas incluiu os genótipos; nas subparcelas, as épocas de semeadura. Após a colheita manual, o algodão em caroço foi beneficiado e as sementes foram deslintadas com ácido sulfúrico, para depois ser submetidas ao teste de germinação a fim de avaliar plântulas normais, plântulas anormais (deformadas, danificadas e deterioradas) e sementes mortas. A análise estatística dos resultados obtidos permitiu concluir que, em Itumbiara, as duas quinzenas de dezembro são épocas mais adequadas para semear o algodoeiro a fim de produzir semente (para os genótipos NuOPAL, DP90B e DP604G); e que, em Uberlândia, as melhores épocas são a segunda quinzena de novembro e a primeira de dezembro (independentemente do genótipo usado). / Mestre em Agronomia

Submitted by (edna.saturno@ufrpe.br) on 2016-12-02T11:48:47Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Martin Duarte de Oliveira.pdf: 542421 bytes, checksum: b1d0b27882021d48796843f9dc6a3760 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-02T11:48:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Martin Duarte de Oliveira.pdf: 542421 bytes, checksum: b1d0b27882021d48796843f9dc6a3760 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-04 / The striped mealybug, Ferrisia virgata Cockerell (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), was recently recorded naturally occurring in differnt cotton fields in Brazil. Aiming a proper control of this insect is essential to obtain information about the life history of the pest on cotton plants and the interactions with this host plant under variable conditions of its environment. This work evaluated the population growth and verified the within-plant distribution of different stages of the pest using four cotton cultivars. Further, development and reproduction of the mealybug was determined under varied conditions of temperature (25, 27, and 28°C), mating status, and host plant condition regarding nitrogen fertilization and water stress. The cotton plants were artificially infested with neonate nymphs and the number of females and the total of individuals were recorded after 25 and 50 days, respectively. Also, the offspring production was evaluated using the factitious host and cotton plants with or without subjecting the plants to water stress with mated and unmated females. The rate of mealybug establishment on cotton plants from artificial infestation, development, type of reproduction, number of offspring produced and their sex ratio was determined on cotton plant submitted to nitrogen fertilization and water stress. The withinplant distribution of F. virgata is characterized with mealybugs being found in all plant strucutres for second generation of offspring with a numerical growth superior to 412 folds and similar across all four cotton cultivars studied. The temperatures of 27 and 28°C were favorable to the development and reproduction of F.virgata, while the nymphal viability was superior at 25oC. Under our studied conditions, F. virgata female exhibited only sexual reproduction, hence, with offspring production only by mated females, while unmated females die without offspring production. The offspring production was twice greater on plants subjected to water stress and with successive N fertilizations. Thus, we can conclude that the information generated with this work brings contribution to the knowledge of the potential of this species to reach the status of cotton pest. / A cochonilha-de-listra, Ferrisia virgata Cockerell (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), foi recentemente constatada no Brasil infestando lavouras de algodão. Em busca do manejo adequado desta cochonilha é fundamental conhecer a sua habilidade em se desenvolver no algodoeiro, bem como a influência das condições ambientais e do habitat na susceptibilidade da planta. Assim, foi avaliado o crescimento populacional e verificada a distribuição de F. virgata em quatro cultivares de algodão. Além disso, avaliou-se o desenvolvimento desta cochonilha em regime variável de temperatura, o tipo de reprodução, bem como o seu desempenho em plantas de algodão submetidas à adubação nitrogenada e ao déficit hídrico. Plantas de algodoeiro foram infestadas com ninfas neonatas, sendo verificado, aos 25 e 50 dias após a infestação, o número de fêmeas e total de indivíduos, respectivamente. O desenvolvimento de F. virgata foi monitorado quando criada em folhas de algodão a 25, 27 e 28 °C, e o tipo de reprodução averiguado quando criada sobre o hospedeiro alternativo (abóbora) e plantas de algodão submetidas ou não ao déficit hídrico. Além disso, foram determinados o estabelecimento, desenvolvimento, produção de descendentes e razão sexual em plantas submetidas ou não a adubações nitrogenadas e ao déficit hídrico. F. virgata apresenta crescimento numérico superior a 412 vezes em uma geração, sendo semelhante entre as cultivares de algodão BRS Rubi, BRS Safira, BRS Verde e CNPH 7H, e se distribui por toda planta de algodão. As temperaturas de 27 e 28°C foram as mais favoráveis ao desenvolvimento e reprodução de F. virgata, enquanto que a 25oC foi observada maior viabilidade para a fase ninfal. A reprodução de F. virgata, nas condições do estudo, foi apenas sexuada. O número de descendentes foi duas vezes maior em plantas submetidas a sucessivas adubações nitrogenadas e ao déficit hídrico. Com isto, conclui-se que as informações oriundas deste trabalho contribuem para o conhecimento do potencial que esta espécie tem para atingir o status de praga do algodoeiro.

Field studies were conducted during 2006 and 2007 to evaluate control of saw greenbriar and southern dewberry by various pasture herbicides and to assess forage tolerance of Tifton 85 bermudagrass to these herbicides. Herbicides evaluated in each study included triclopyr, picloram, 2,4-D, fluroxypyr, dicamba, aminopyralid, metsulfuron methyl and various combinations of the above. Visual ratings were taken on each herbicide efficacy experiment. Visual evaluations of phytotoxicity, measurements of dry matter yield, and forage quality were quantified for each of the bermudagrass tolerance trials. Saw greenbriar was best controlled at approximately one year after treatment by triclopyr at 10.9% ae v/v with diesel as the carrier (88-98%), although the lower rate of triclopyr + diesel at 0.87% ae v/v + 5% v/v and triclopyr alone at 0.87% ae v/v provided 49 to 86% control. Triclopyr + fluroxypyr at 0.25% ai v/v + 0.086% ai v/v gave best control of southern dewberry in both years when applied as an individual plant treatment (IPT) six weeks after shredding. In general, shredding 45 days prior to herbicide application gave an advantage to southern dewberry control versus not shredding. In 2006, triclopyr + fluroxypyr (IPT) was the only treatment to decrease Tifton 85 dry matter yield at the first harvest, with no effect observed at the second harvest. In 2007, both broadcast treatments containing triclopyr + fluroxypyr and the IPT treatment of triclopyr decreased dry matter yield at the first harvest, with triclopyr (IPT) being the only treatment to lower dry matter yield at the second harvest. Field studies were also conducted in 2006 and 2007 to assess sharppod morningglory control in Roundup Ready Flex® and LibertyLink® cotton systems. Herbicides evaluated included glyphosate, glufosinate, prometryn, fluometuron, and diuron. Visual ratings of percent weed control and sharppod morningglory plant counts were taken to assess control. Prometryn at 1.8 kg ai ha⁻¹ and fluometuron at 1.8 kg ai ha⁻¹ provided significant preemergence control (33-81%) of seedling sharppod morningglory. All rates of glyphosate (1.06 and 1.54 kg ai ha⁻¹) and glufosinate (0.45 and 0.6 kg ai ha⁻¹) controlled sharppod morningglory from 55 to 100% at both application timings. The addition of diuron at 1.12 kg ai ha⁻¹ to glyphosate and glufosinate at the late season application enhanced sharppod morningglory control by 3 to 16%. Additionally, in both years, no reduction in cotton yield was observed in the morningglory infested treatment when compared to the weed free treatment.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / The Australian cotton industry has developed high yielding and high quality fibre production systems and attributes a significant contribution of this achievement to highly innovative breeding programs, specifically focused on the production of premium quality lint for the export market. Breeding programs have recently shifted attention to the development of new germplasm with superior stress tolerance to minimise yield losses attributed to adverse environmental conditions and inputs such as irrigation, fertilisers and pesticides. Various contributors to yield, such as physiology, biochemistry and gene expression have been implemented as screening tools for tolerance to high temperatures under growth cabinet and laboratory conditions but there has been little extension of these mechanisms to field based systems. This study evaluates tools for the identification of specific genotypic thermotolerance under field conditions using a multi-level ‘top down’ approach from crop to gene level. Field experiments were conducted in seasons 1 (2006) and 3 (2007) at Narrabri (Australia) and season 2 (2006) in Texas (The United States of America) and were supplemented by growth cabinet experiments to quantify cultivar differences in yield, physiology, biochemical function and gene expression under high temperatures. Whole plants were subjected to high temperatures in the field through the construction of Solarweave® tents and in the growth cabinet at a temperature of 42 oC. The effectiveness of these methods was then evaluated to establish a rapid and reliable screening tool for genotype specific thermotolerance that could potentially improve the efficiency of breeding programs and aid the development to high yielding cultivars for hot growing regions. Cotton cultivars Sicot 53 and Sicala 45 were evaluated for thermotolerance using crop level measurements (yield and fibre quality) and whole plant measurements (fruit retention) to determine the efficacy of these measurements as screening tools for thermotolerance under field conditions. Sicot 53 was selected as a relatively thermotolerant cultivar whereas Sicala 45 was selected as a cultivar with a lower relative thermotolerance and this assumption was made on the basis of yield in hot and cool environments under the CSIRO Australian cotton breeding program. Yield and fruit retention were lower under tents compared with ambient conditions in all 3 seasons. Yield and fruit retention were highly correlated in season 1 and were higher for Sicot 53 compared to Sicala 45 suggesting that fruit retention is a primary limitation to yield in a hot season. Thus yield and fruit retention are good indicators of thermotolerance in a hot season. Temperature treatment and cultivar differences were determined for fibre quality in seasons 1 and 3; however, quality exceeded the industry minimum thereby indicating that fibre quality is not a good determinant of thermotolerance. Physiological determinants of plant functionality such as photosynthesis, electron transport rate, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate were determined for cultivars Sicot 53 and Sicala 45 under the tents and an index of these parameters was also analysed to determine overall plant physiological capacity in the field. Physiological capacity was also determined under high temperatures in the growth cabinet using a light response curve at various levels of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). Photosynthesis and electron transport rate decreased, whilst stomatal conductance and transpiration rate increased under the tents as well as under high temperatures in the growth cabinet. Photosynthesis and electron transport rate were higher for Sicot 53 but stomatal conductance and transpiration rate were higher for Sicala 45 under the tents. No cultivar differentiation was evident for plants grown under high temperatures in the growth cabinet. Temperature treatment and cultivar differences in physiological function were greater in a hot year (season 1), thereby indicating the importance of cultivar selection for thermotolerance in the presence of stress. Electron transport rate was correlated with yield in season 1, thus suggesting the suitability of this method for broad genotypic screening for thermotolerance under field conditions. Biochemical processes such as membrane integrity and enzyme viability were used to determine cultivar specific thermotolerance under high temperature stress in the laboratory, field and growth cabinet. Electrolyte leakage is an indicator of decreased membrane integrity and may be estimated by the relative electrical conductivity or relative cellular injury assays. The heat sensitivity of dehydrogenase activity, a proxy for cytochrome functionality and capacity for mitochondrial electron transport, may be quantified spectrophotometrically. Cellular membrane integrity and enzyme viability decreased sigmoidally with exposure to increasing temperatures in a water bath. Membrane integrity was higher for Sicot 53 compared with Sicala 45 under the tents and under high temperatures in the growth cabinet. No temperature treatment or cultivar differences were found for enzyme viability under the tents; however, enzyme viability for Sicala 45 was higher in the growth cabinet compared with Sicot 53. Relative electrical conductivity was strongly correlated with yield under ambient field conditions and under the tents, suggesting impairment of electron flow through photosynthetic and/or respiratory pathways, thus contributing to lower potential for ATP production and energy generation for yield contribution. Thus, the membrane integrity assay was considered to be a rapid and reliable tool for thermotolerance screening in cotton cultivars. Gene expression was examined for cultivars Sicot 53 and Sicala 45 grown under high (42 oC) temperatures in the growth cabinet. Rubisco activase expression was quantified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis and was decreased under high temperatures and was lower for Sicala 45 than Sicot 53. Maximum cultivar differentiation was found after 1.0 h exposure to high temperatures and hence, leaf tissue sampled from this time point was further analysed for global gene profiling using cDNA microarrays. Genes involved in metabolism, heat shock protein generation, electron flow and ATP generation were down-regulated under high temperatures in the growth cabinet and a greater number of genes were differentially expressed for Sicala 45, thereby indicating a higher level of heat stress and a greater requirement for mobilisation of protective and compensatory mechanisms compared with Sicot 53. Cultivar specific thermotolerance determination using gene profiling may be a useful tool for understanding the underlying basis of physiological and biochemical responses to high temperature stress in the growth cabinet. There is future opportunity for profiling genes associated with heat stress and heat tolerance for identification of key genes associated with superior cultivar performance under high temperature stress and characterisation of these genes under field conditions. This research has identified cultivar differences in yield under field conditions and has identified multiple physiological and biochemical pathways that may contribute to these differences. Future characterisation of genes associated with heat stress and heat tolerance under growth cabinet conditions may be extended to field conditions, thus providing the underlying basis of the response of cotton to high temperature stress. Electron transport rate and relative electrical conductivity were found to be rapid and reliable determinants of cultivar specific thermotolerance and hence may be extended to broad-spectrum screening of a range of cotton cultivars and species and under a range of abiotic stress. This will enable the identification of superior cotton cultivars for incorporation into local breeding programs for Australian and American cotton production systems.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / The Australian cotton industry has developed high yielding and high quality fibre production systems and attributes a significant contribution of this achievement to highly innovative breeding programs, specifically focused on the production of premium quality lint for the export market. Breeding programs have recently shifted attention to the development of new germplasm with superior stress tolerance to minimise yield losses attributed to adverse environmental conditions and inputs such as irrigation, fertilisers and pesticides. Various contributors to yield, such as physiology, biochemistry and gene expression have been implemented as screening tools for tolerance to high temperatures under growth cabinet and laboratory conditions but there has been little extension of these mechanisms to field based systems. This study evaluates tools for the identification of specific genotypic thermotolerance under field conditions using a multi-level ‘top down’ approach from crop to gene level. Field experiments were conducted in seasons 1 (2006) and 3 (2007) at Narrabri (Australia) and season 2 (2006) in Texas (The United States of America) and were supplemented by growth cabinet experiments to quantify cultivar differences in yield, physiology, biochemical function and gene expression under high temperatures. Whole plants were subjected to high temperatures in the field through the construction of Solarweave® tents and in the growth cabinet at a temperature of 42 oC. The effectiveness of these methods was then evaluated to establish a rapid and reliable screening tool for genotype specific thermotolerance that could potentially improve the efficiency of breeding programs and aid the development to high yielding cultivars for hot growing regions. Cotton cultivars Sicot 53 and Sicala 45 were evaluated for thermotolerance using crop level measurements (yield and fibre quality) and whole plant measurements (fruit retention) to determine the efficacy of these measurements as screening tools for thermotolerance under field conditions. Sicot 53 was selected as a relatively thermotolerant cultivar whereas Sicala 45 was selected as a cultivar with a lower relative thermotolerance and this assumption was made on the basis of yield in hot and cool environments under the CSIRO Australian cotton breeding program. Yield and fruit retention were lower under tents compared with ambient conditions in all 3 seasons. Yield and fruit retention were highly correlated in season 1 and were higher for Sicot 53 compared to Sicala 45 suggesting that fruit retention is a primary limitation to yield in a hot season. Thus yield and fruit retention are good indicators of thermotolerance in a hot season. Temperature treatment and cultivar differences were determined for fibre quality in seasons 1 and 3; however, quality exceeded the industry minimum thereby indicating that fibre quality is not a good determinant of thermotolerance. Physiological determinants of plant functionality such as photosynthesis, electron transport rate, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate were determined for cultivars Sicot 53 and Sicala 45 under the tents and an index of these parameters was also analysed to determine overall plant physiological capacity in the field. Physiological capacity was also determined under high temperatures in the growth cabinet using a light response curve at various levels of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). Photosynthesis and electron transport rate decreased, whilst stomatal conductance and transpiration rate increased under the tents as well as under high temperatures in the growth cabinet. Photosynthesis and electron transport rate were higher for Sicot 53 but stomatal conductance and transpiration rate were higher for Sicala 45 under the tents. No cultivar differentiation was evident for plants grown under high temperatures in the growth cabinet. Temperature treatment and cultivar differences in physiological function were greater in a hot year (season 1), thereby indicating the importance of cultivar selection for thermotolerance in the presence of stress. Electron transport rate was correlated with yield in season 1, thus suggesting the suitability of this method for broad genotypic screening for thermotolerance under field conditions. Biochemical processes such as membrane integrity and enzyme viability were used to determine cultivar specific thermotolerance under high temperature stress in the laboratory, field and growth cabinet. Electrolyte leakage is an indicator of decreased membrane integrity and may be estimated by the relative electrical conductivity or relative cellular injury assays. The heat sensitivity of dehydrogenase activity, a proxy for cytochrome functionality and capacity for mitochondrial electron transport, may be quantified spectrophotometrically. Cellular membrane integrity and enzyme viability decreased sigmoidally with exposure to increasing temperatures in a water bath. Membrane integrity was higher for Sicot 53 compared with Sicala 45 under the tents and under high temperatures in the growth cabinet. No temperature treatment or cultivar differences were found for enzyme viability under the tents; however, enzyme viability for Sicala 45 was higher in the growth cabinet compared with Sicot 53. Relative electrical conductivity was strongly correlated with yield under ambient field conditions and under the tents, suggesting impairment of electron flow through photosynthetic and/or respiratory pathways, thus contributing to lower potential for ATP production and energy generation for yield contribution. Thus, the membrane integrity assay was considered to be a rapid and reliable tool for thermotolerance screening in cotton cultivars. Gene expression was examined for cultivars Sicot 53 and Sicala 45 grown under high (42 oC) temperatures in the growth cabinet. Rubisco activase expression was quantified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis and was decreased under high temperatures and was lower for Sicala 45 than Sicot 53. Maximum cultivar differentiation was found after 1.0 h exposure to high temperatures and hence, leaf tissue sampled from this time point was further analysed for global gene profiling using cDNA microarrays. Genes involved in metabolism, heat shock protein generation, electron flow and ATP generation were down-regulated under high temperatures in the growth cabinet and a greater number of genes were differentially expressed for Sicala 45, thereby indicating a higher level of heat stress and a greater requirement for mobilisation of protective and compensatory mechanisms compared with Sicot 53. Cultivar specific thermotolerance determination using gene profiling may be a useful tool for understanding the underlying basis of physiological and biochemical responses to high temperature stress in the growth cabinet. There is future opportunity for profiling genes associated with heat stress and heat tolerance for identification of key genes associated with superior cultivar performance under high temperature stress and characterisation of these genes under field conditions. This research has identified cultivar differences in yield under field conditions and has identified multiple physiological and biochemical pathways that may contribute to these differences. Future characterisation of genes associated with heat stress and heat tolerance under growth cabinet conditions may be extended to field conditions, thus providing the underlying basis of the response of cotton to high temperature stress. Electron transport rate and relative electrical conductivity were found to be rapid and reliable determinants of cultivar specific thermotolerance and hence may be extended to broad-spectrum screening of a range of cotton cultivars and species and under a range of abiotic stress. This will enable the identification of superior cotton cultivars for incorporation into local breeding programs for Australian and American cotton production systems.