Thesis (M.S.)--Miami University, Dept. of Botany, 2008. / Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 62-64).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2006. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-11, Section: B, page: 6119. Adviser: Stephen P. Long. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 89-99). Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

Historically, the tallgrass prairie (TGP) was the largest ecosystem in North America, but today only about 10-15% of the original extent exists today. Some areas have experienced more extreme loss, for example in the state of Illinois less than 0.01% of high-quality native tallgrass prairie remains. Non-native invasive species are a recent phenomenon that threatens the integrity of surviving TGP communities. Ecotypes of dominant C4 grasses are the basis of numerous cultivars, many of which are utilized in prairie restorations. In this study, the effects of three invasive species (Bromus inermis, Schedonorus phoenix, and Poa pratensis) on two lowland (`Alamo' and `Kanlow') and three upland (`Blackwell', `Cave in Rock', and `Trailblazer') cultivars of the dominant C4 grass Panicum virgatum were tested. Two simple pair-wise greenhouse experiments were established in which cultivars were sown as a monoculture or as a mixture of the cultivars with one of three invasive species. Pots were subjected to one of two water treatments with three replicates of each treatment combination. Response variables (height, number of leaves, tiller density, and biomass) and resources (soil moisture, soil pH, soil electrical conductivity, and light intensity) were measured. The greenhouse studies showed that response variables were affected by the presence of invasive species and that the time of growth affected resource levels. Resources are allocated to different areas (i.e growth and reproduction) when competition and stress are implemented on the dominant species. This study was the first to experimentally test for the presence of the physiological stress marker, trigonelline, in a prairie grass. Trigonelline was highest in upland cultivars under low moisture and highest in lowland cultivars under low moisture treatments. The results of these greenhouse studies suggest that invasive species may differentially affect cultivars of Panicum virgatum that may be sown in a prairie restoration. Performance of the P. virgatum cultivars was dependent on the timing of growth, the pot size, the invasive species, as well as soil moisture level. Therefore, when choosing a cultivar source for restoration, resources (i.e. soil moisture) should be looked into to maximize the output of the cultivar.

Submitted by Nathália Faria da Silva (nathaliafsilva.ufv@gmail.com) on 2017-06-29T18:18:41Z No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 24731874 bytes, checksum: f44f9bdc37fae4e9f6cff30e49f5f1c8 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-29T18:18:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 24731874 bytes, checksum: f44f9bdc37fae4e9f6cff30e49f5f1c8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2000-06-29 / Plantas de Panicum maximum (colonião) foram submetidas a chuvas simuladas com soluções de flúor (15 μg.ml^-1), com o objetivo de identificar as alterações causadas pelo flúor na ultra-estrutura das superfícies epidérmicas e dos cloroplastos. Os sintomas visíveis, ao final do tratamento, foram clorose nas folhas em expansão e clorose e necrose nas folhas totalmente expandidas. Na microscopia eletrônica de varredura, a superfície adaxial não apresentou alterações na cera epicuticular entre os tratamentos e estádios foliares. Na superfície abaxial houve leve redução da cera epicuticular com o desenvolvimento foliar e com o tratamento com flúor. Em alguns casos, a face abaxial das folhas totalmente expandidas (com necrose) apresentava depressão da superfície com perda do contorno das células. Foi observado na varredura enrugamento em ambas as superfícies epidérmicas, nos diferentes estádios foliares e tratamentos, o que, provavelmente, não foi uma resposta ao flúor. Nos cortes transversais da região com clorose (folha em expansão) e abaixo da necrose (folhas totalmente expandidas), observaram-se as seguintes alterações nos cloroplastos das células da bainha: redução do tamanho; formato tendendo a lenticular, diferindo da forma irregular encontrada no controle; redução da quantidade e tamanho de grãos de amido; aumento do número e tamanho dos plastoglóbulos; e estroma mais denso e estrutura de grana e tilacóides mais evidentes. Nos cloroplastos das células do mesófilo houve leve aumento do retículo periférico, e o aumento do número e tamanho dos plastoglóbulos foi mais evidente na região abaixo da necrose. Na região da necrose, todas as células apresentavam-se plasmolisadas. Adjacentes à necrose, os sintomas foram semelhantes aos que ocorreram na região da clorose e abaixo da necrose, no entanto mais intensos e com início de desorganização da estrutura de grana e tilacóides. O conjunto de alterações causadas pelo flúor em P. maximum indicou que este poluente não tem uma ação específica sobre todas as espécies. Recomendam-se estudos mais detalhados para caracterizar melhor a injúria por flúor em P. maximum. / In order to identify ultrastructural changes in leaf surfaces and in the chloroplasts, species of Panicum maximum were treated under artificial rain with fluoride solution (15 μg.ml^-1). Visible symptons of chlorosis in expanding leaf blade and chlorosis and necrosis in totaly expanded leaf blade were observed. When observed in SEM, epicuticular wax on the adaxial surface did not change among treatments and leaf developmental stage. On the abaxial surface a slight reduction on epicuticular wax with development of leaf and with treatment with fluoride was observed. In some cases the adaxial surface of totaly expanded leaf with necrosis, presented surface depression with loss of regular cells borders. SEM observations showed wrinkled on both surfaces, leaves stages and treatments, which probably was not a fluoride response. Transversal section through chlorosis region (expanding leaf) and below of necrosis (totaly expanded leaf) showed the following changes in bundle sheath cells chloroplasts: size reduction; reduction in size and number of starch grain; increase in number and size of plastoglobulis; darkened stroma and more evident grana and thylakoids structure. A slight increase of peripheral reticulum and the increase of number and size of plastoglobulis were more evident in the region below necrosis in the mesophyll cells. The necrosis region showed plasmolisis of all cells. The symptoms aside the necrosis were similar to the chlorosis and below necrosis region, however, these necrosis symptoms were more severe and showed a begining of grana and thylakoids disorganization. The set of changes caused by fluoride in P. maximum suggested that these pollutant do not have specific action over all species. To better characterize the ultrastructural injuries caused by fluoride on P. maximum, it is suggested further studies.

Submitted by Nathália Faria da Silva (nathaliafsilva.ufv@gmail.com) on 2017-07-07T19:28:52Z No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 588358 bytes, checksum: e808449a0cbc10a71be1460198d5e456 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-07T19:28:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 588358 bytes, checksum: e808449a0cbc10a71be1460198d5e456 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2003-07-16 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / O experimento objetivou avaliar a distribuição dos fotoassimilados produzidos pelas folhas do topo e da base do perfilho principal, do cultivar Mombaça, em dois estádios de desenvolvimento, três oito e 24 horas após a exposição. O experimento foi conduzido em vasos, em casa de vegetação da Unidade de Crescimento de Plantas (UCP) do departamento de Biologia Vegetal, no campus da UFV. Os tratamentos experimentais resultaram de arranjo fatorial (2x2x3), dois níveis de inserção de folha no perfilho principal (topo e base), dois estádios de desenvolvimento e três momento de colheita (três, oito e 24 horas), após a exposição das folhas ao 14 CO 2 , totalizando 12 tratamentos, com três repetições cada. Os estádios de desenvolvimento corresponderam, respectivamente, ao momento em que o perfilho principal atingiu nove folhas completamente expandida e quadro a cinco perfilhos (primeiro estádio) e dez folha e oito a nove perfilhos (segundo estádio). As plantas, uma por vaso, tiveram a folha do topo ou da base do perfilho principal exposta ao 14 CO 2 , por 20 minutos. Após a exposição ao 14 CO 2 , os vasos foram levados de volta à casa de vegetação onde permaneceram ate a colheita três, oito e 24 horas após. Cada planta teve o perfilho principal separado dos perfilhos surgidos no primeiro e segundo estádios de desenvolvimento. O perfillho principal foi desmembrado em raiz, folha completamente expandida exposta (bainha mais lâmina), demais folhas adultas (bainha mais lâmina), meristema terminal (folha emergente mais folha em expansão mais meristema apical) e base. Esses órgãos foram levados à estufa a 100oC por 20 min e, posteriormente, secados a 75oC durante três dias. Para a análise quantitativa uma amostra de aproximadamente 10 mg foi retirada para a determinação da atividade, em espectrômetro de cintilação líquida. A atividade encontrada para a mostra foi extrapolada para todo o órgão. A quantidade de fotoassimilado- 14 C retido na folha exposta não variou com o tempo de colheita, após a exposição. Menor percentagem de fotoassimilados- 14 C permaneceu no perfilho principal e maior percentagem foi exportada para os perfilhos primários e secundários, quando a folha da base foi exposta. Grande quantidade de fotoassimilados- 14 C foi encontrada nas folhas adultas não expostas ao 14 CO 2 . A folha exposta reteve mais fotoassimilado- 14 C e as demais folhas adultas receberam menor percentagem de fotoassimilados- 14 C , quando a folha do topo foi exposta ao 14 CO 2 . Maior percentagem de fotoassimilados- 14 C foi exportada para os perfilhos sugeridos no primeiro estádio, quando a folha exposta ao 14 CO 2 foi a da base. Com relação aos estádios de desenvolvimento estudados, maior percentagem de fotoassimilados- 14 C permaneceu no perfilho principal, menor percentagem sendo exportada para os perfilhos do primeiro estádio, no segundo estádio menor percentagem de fotoassimilados- 14 C foi encontrada no perfilho principal e maior quantidade foi percebida pelos perfilhos, devido ao desenvolvimento de novos perfilhos principalmente. O aumento na quantidade de fotoassimilados- 14 C recebida pelos perfilhos ocorreu principalmente às expensas de todas as folhas adultas do perfilho principal, inclusive as não expostas. / An experiment was carried out to assess the distribution of recently assimilated carbon in plants of Mombaçagrass ( Panicum maximum). The plants were grown in plastic pots, in greenhouse. A factorial 2x2x3 experimental treatment combination of the main factors: two levels of insertion of the fed leaf on the main tiller, top and bottom; two stages of plant development and three times of plant harvest after feeding the leaf with 14 CO 2 . The experimental design was completely randomised design, with three replications, making up 36 experimental units (pots), each with one plant. The top leaf was the last expanded one and the bottom leaf was the alive first expanded one. The stages of development referred to the number of developed tillers: 4-5 and 9-10 tillers for the first and second stages, respectively. The times of plant harvesting after leaf feeding were: 3, 8 and 24 hours. After harvest each plant was dissected into the shoot (main tiller), tillers appeared in the first stage and tillers of the second stages. The shoot was separated into the following fractions: plant root system, adult leaves (sheath + blade), fed leaf (sheath + blade), terminal meristem (expanding leaves + emerging leaves + apical tissue) and base. All these plant fractions were oven dried at 100 o C for 20 minutes and then at 75 o C viiifor 72 hours. After drying, each plant fraction was weighed out and mown. A 10 mg sample of each fraction was analysed for activity in a liquid scintillation spectrometer. Time after leaf feeding did not affect the percentage of assimilate retained in fed leaves. Percentage 14 14 C- C-assimilate exported to tillers was higher whem bottom leaf was the fed one.Non fed adult leaves imported substantial amount of 14 C-assimilate. The percentage of activity in fed and non- fed leaves was higher when the fed leaf was the top one. First stage tillers imported more from base leaf than from the top one. 14 C-assimilate export to tillers was higher in the second developmental stage relative to the frist one. The increment in import of 14 C by the tillers was accomplished at the expense of the adult fed and non-fed leaves.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:32:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-01-14Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:48:03Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 bertolote_lem_me_botfmvz.pdf: 359265 bytes, checksum: 3b37fd0d739b8724b336a7e443f13ee2 (MD5) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da densidade de semeadura de aveia e altura de corte do capim-Tanzânia sobre a produção, emergência de plantas, proteína bruta (PB) e digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca (DIVMS) das espécies em sobressemeadura. Foram avaliados três taxas de semeadura de aveia (60, 90 e 120 kg.ha-1 de sementes puras viáveis) e duas alturas de corte do capim-Tanzânia (10 e 30 cm). A taxa de semeadura não teve efeito sobre a produção ou valor nutritivo tanto da espécie tropical como de clima temperado. A produção de aveia foi de 313,04 e 232,94 kg MS.ha-1 e de capim-Tanzânia de 366,06 e 214,51 kg MS.ha-1, para as alturas de 10 e 30 cm, respectivamente. Foram observados teores de PB na aveia de 22,40% e 21,28% e no capim-Tanzânia de 17,23% e 15,85%, para alturas de 10 e 30 cm, respectivamente. Os teores de DIVMS obtidos para aveia foram de 81,66% e 78,09% e para capim-Tanzânia foram de 64,95% e 68,65% pra as alturas de 10 e 30 cm, respectivamente. A densidade de semeadura mais adequada foi a de 60 kg.ha-1, por ser a menos onerosa e a altura de corte de 10 cm do capim-Tanzânia no momento da sobressemeadura proporcionou melhor produção de forragem e valor nutritivo das pastagens de aveia e de capim-Tanzânia. Termos para indexação: Avena... / The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of oats seeding density and Tanzania grass height cutting on yield, number of winter pasture plants, crude protein (CP) and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of grasses overseeded. Three oats seding density (60, 90 and 120 kg.ha-1 seed) and two Tanzania grass height cutting (10 and 30 cm) was evaluated. Oats seeding density there was no significant difference in yield and nutritive value of tropical or winter pasture. Oats yield was 313.04 and 232.94 kg MS.ha-1 and Tanzania grass yield was 366.06 e 214.51 kg MS.ha-1 in height cutting 10 and 30 cm, respectively. Oats CP 22.40% and 21.28% and Tanzania grass CP 17.23% e 15.85% was observed in height cutting 10 and 30 cm, respectively. Oats IVDMD 81.66% and 78.09% and Tanzania grass IVDMD 64.95% e 68.65% was observed in height cutting 10 and 30 cm, respectively. Seeding density more proper is 60 g.ha-1 because is less expensive that another and Tanzania grass height cutting 10 cm had better forage yield and nutritive value... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:27:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-01-12Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:17:00Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 campana_m_me_botfmvz.pdf: 694345 bytes, checksum: 5b95a0f43e56990d64086b8a724378b9 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / Com objetivo de validar o uso no campo do coletor de espuma com ácido e politetrafluoroetileno que capta amônia volatilizada e quantificar essa perda oriunda de fontes e formas de aplicação de nitrogênio (N) em pastagens, realizou-se 2 experimentos. No experimento 1, para avaliação do coletor, utilizou-se fatorial 2 x 2 - doses de N (50 e 100 kg/ha) e coletores de amônia (coletor semi-aberto e absorvedor de espuma com ácido e politretafluoroetileno). O período experimental foi de 22 dias. No experimento 2 utilizou-se delineamento de blocos ao acaso e os tratamentos foram: uréia; Super N®; uréia + 12,5% de zeólita; uréia + 25% de zeólita; uréia + 50% de zeólita; uréia em pulverização foliar; 75% de uréia + 25% de sulfato de amônio; nitrato de amônio e sem N (testemunha). A avaliação das perdas por volatilização de amônia ocorreu em 3 épocas. No verão/07 e inverno/07 utilizou-se dose de 50 kg/ha de N para adubos sólidos e 15 kg/ha de N para pulverização foliar e para o verão/08 as doses foram duplicadas. As perdas diárias de amônia foram avaliadas em onze amostragens a cada dois dias para ambos os experimentos. Para o experimento 1, não houve diferença entre os coletores na perda acumulada e diária de amônia com a dose de 50 kg/ha de N. Entretanto, na dose de 100 kg/ha de N o coletor semi-aberto captou o maior pico de volatilização diária e maior acúmulo de amônia. No experimento 2 as menores perdas por volatilização foram detectadas para nitrato de amônio aplicado a lanço e uréia via pulverização foliar. Dessa forma poderia ocorrer melhor uso do fertilizante pela planta refletindo em aumento na produção e qualidade da forragem. / With the objective of validating the field use of the foam collector with acid and polytetrafluorethylene, which captures volatilized ammonia and quantify this loss when using sources and application forms of nitrogen (N) in pastures, 2 experiments were realized. In the experiment 1, to evaluate the collector a 2 x 2 factorial – N doses (50 and 100 kg/ha) and ammonia collectors (semi-open collector and foam absorber with acid and polytetrafluorethylene). The experimental period was 22 days. In the experiment 2, the experimental design was a randomized block design and the treatments were: urea; Super N®; urea + 12,5% of zeolite; urea + 25% of zeolite; urea + 50% of zeolite; urea leaf spraying, 75% of urea + 25% of ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, and without nitrogen (control). The evaluation of the volatilization losses occurred in 3 periods. On summer/07 and winter/2007 a 50 kg/ha of N dose for solid fertilizers was used and a 15 kg/ha N dose for leaf spraying and on summer/2008 the doses were doubled. The daily losses of ammonia were evaluated in eleven samplings every two days for both experiments. In the experiment 1, there was no difference between the collectors in the accumulated and daily loss in the dose of 50kg/ha of N. However, with the dose of 100 kg/ha of N the semi-open collector showed the highest peak of daily volatilization and accumulated the highest volatilization loss. In the experiment 2, the lowest volatilization losses were detected for ammonium nitrate in soil application and urea in leaf spraying application. So, in this cases might happen the better use of the fertilizer by the plant, reflecting in the increase of the forage production and quality.

Grass species within South Africa show a photosynthetic subtype and phylogenetic response to rainfall gradients, with Panicoideae species (NADP-Me and NAD-Me) inhabiting mesic environments, while Aristidoideae species (NADP-Me) inhabit more arid environments. It is predicted that climate change will alter rainfall patterns within southern Africa, which could have implications for grassland distributions and functional composition. Globally, and in South Africa, species distributions indicates that NAD-Me species have a preference for more arid environments, but this may be complicated by phylogeny as most NAD-Me species belong to the Chloridoideae subfamily. Additionally, differences in the metabolism and energetic requirements of different carboxylation types are expected to confer different ecological advantages, such as drought tolerance, but the role of these different pathways is not well understood. Based on natural distribution and photosynthetic subtype differences, it was hypothesised that Panicoideae NADP-Me species would be less drought tolerant than Panicoideae NAD-Me and Aristidoideae NADP-Me species and that subtypes and lineages would show different drought recovery rates. Furthermore, drought sensitivity would be of a metabolic and not a stomatal origin and plants that maintained favourable leaf water status would be more drought tolerant and recover faster. This was tested experimentally by comparing Panicoideae species (NADP-Me and NAD-Me) and NADP-Me species (Panicoideae and Aristidoideae). Plants were subjected to a progressive 58 day drought period and a recovery phase where gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence and leaf water relations were measured at select intervals. In conjunction with this, a rapid drought experiment was performed on Zea mays (NADP-Me: Panicoideae) plants where similar parameters were measured. Photosynthetic drought and recovery responses showed both a subtype and phylogenetic response. Panicoideae species were less drought tolerant than Aristidoideae species, although Panicoideae NAD-Me showed better recovery rates than Panicoideae NADP-Me species, while Aristidoideae species recovered the quickest. Panicoideae NAD-Me and Aristidoideae species maintained higher leaf water status during drought which contributed to the maintenance of PSII integrity and thus facilitated rapid photosynthetic recovery. During drought Panicoideae species showed greater metabolic limitations over Aristidoideae species and for the first time, lower metabolic limitations were associated with osmotic adjustment. This is a novel finding whereby osmotic adjustment and the subsequent maintenance of leaf water are key to preventing metabolic limitations of photosynthesis in C₄ grasses. Results from the Z. mays rapid drought study showed the limitations to photosynthesis were exclusively metabolic and unlikely to be a direct consequence of turgor loss. It was apparent that the response to drought was stronger amongst lineages, as NADP-Me species from different subfamilies showed a significant difference in drought tolerances. Aristidoideae species’ exceptional drought tolerance and predicted increased aridification could favour these species over Panicoideae species under future climates.

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a candidate bioenergy crop. Somatic embryogenic (SE) calli are used for genetic transformation in switchgrass. A superior switchgrass line, HR8, was developed using recurrent tissue culture selection from cv. Alamo. HR8 SE calli were genetically transformable using Agrobacterium at an efficiency of ~12%. We used HR8 somatic embryogenic calli for genetic improvement of switchgrass. The lignin content of feedstock has been proposed as one key trait impacting biofuel production. 4-Coumarate: Coenzyme A ligase (4CL) is one of the key enzymes involved in the monolignol biosynthetic pathway. Two homologous 4CL genes, Pv4CL1 and Pv4CL2, were identified in switchgrass. Gene expression patterns and enzymatic activity assays suggested that Pv4CL1 is involved in monolignol biosynthesis. Stable transgenic plants were obtained with Pv4CL1 down-regulated. RNA interference of Pv4CL1 reduced extractable 4CL activity by 80%, leading to a reduction in lignin content with decreased guaiacyl unit composition. The transgenic plants had uncompromised biomass yield. After dilute acid pretreatment, the low lignin transgenic biomass had significantly increased cellulose hydrolysis (saccharification) efficiency for biofuel production. Erect leaf is a desirable trait to adjust the overall plant architecture to perceive more solar energy and thereby to increase the plant biomass production in a field population. We overexpressed an Arabidopsis NAC transcriptional factor gene, LONG VEGETATIVE PHASE ONE (AtLOV1), in switchgrass. Surprisingly, AtLOV1 induced smaller leaf angle by changing morphologies of epidermal cells in the leaf collar region, affecting lignin content and monolignol composition, and also causing delayed flowering time in switchgrass. Global gene-expression analysis of AtLOV1 transgenic plants demonstrated an array of genes has altered expressions. Potential downstream genes involved in the pleiotropic phenotypic traits of the transgenic plants are discussed. / Ph. D.

O cádmio (Cd) é importante poluente ambiental, que prejudica a produtividade das plantas e traz consequências graves à saúde humana. Uma das possíveis estratégias para mitigar os danos provocados pelo Cd na planta é o suprimento adequado de potássio (K), uma vez que esse nutriente atua na modulação de processos fisiológicos e mecanismos antioxidantes dos vegetais. Objetivou-se avaliar a importância do K nos mecanismos envolvidos na tolerância do capim tanzânia (Panicum maximum cv. Tanzânia) ao estresse oxidativo induzido pelo Cd. As plantas foram cultivadas em casa de vegetação com delineamento de blocos completos ao acaso, em esquema fatorial 3x4, com três doses de K (0,4; 6,0 e 11,6 mmol L-1) combinadas com quatro doses de Cd (0,0; 0,5; 1,0 e 1,5 mmol L-1) fornecidas em solução nutritiva, com seis repetições, sendo três destinadas à avaliação dos parâmetros produtivos e nutricionais e outras três aos parâmetros fisiológicos e metabólicos. Foram avaliados dois períodos de crescimento das plantas, sendo o primeiro corte aos 35 dias após o transplantio das mudas e o segundo aos 27 dias após o primeiro. No segundo crescimento não foi adicionado Cd na solução nutritiva. O aumento do fornecimento de K resultou em incremento na produção de massa seca da parte aérea do capim tanzânia exposto às doses de Cd até 1,0 mmol L-1, no segundo corte. O acúmulo de Cd na parte aérea do capim foi mais elevado em condições de alta disponibilidade de Cd (1,5 mmol L-1) e de K (11,6 mmol L-1). O aumento das doses de Cd resultou em mais baixas concentrações de cálcio, magnésio, enxofre e manganês e mais elevadas concentrações de K, cobre, ferro e zinco na parte aérea do capim, no segundo corte. O maior fornecimento de K proporcionou mais elevadas taxas de assimilação de CO2 e de transpiração, condutância estomática, eficiência quântica do fotossistema II e taxa de transporte de elétrons em plantas expostas a doses intermediárias de Cd (0,5 a 1,0 mmol L-1). As concentrações de malondialdeído (MDA), peróxido de hidrogênio (H2O2) e prolina na parte aérea das plantas foram mais altas em condições de altas disponibilidades de Cd. As mais altas doses de K para plantas submetidas ao estresse por Cd resultaram em mais baixas concentrações de MDA devido ao incremento proporcionado por esse nutriente na atividade das enzimas antioxidantes superóxido dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), ascorbato peroxidase (APX) e glutationa redutase (GR), avaliadas no segundo corte. O K promoveu aumento das concentrações de espermidina e espermina em plantas sob toxidez por Cd. Portanto, o K ameniza os efeitos tóxicos induzidos pelo Cd no capim tanzânia, reduzindo o estresse oxidativo por meio do aumento da atividade das enzimas antioxidantes e da concentração de poliaminas, o que resulta em maior produção de massa seca da parte aérea e maior acúmulo de Cd, aumentando a capacidade de fitoextração de Cd pelo capim tanzânia. / Cadmium (Cd) is an important environmental pollutant, which damages plant productivity and has serious consequences for human health. One of the possible strategies to mitigate the damage caused by Cd in the plant is the supply of potassium (K), since this nutrient acts in the modulation of the physiological processes and antioxidant mechanisms of the plants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the importance of K in the mechanisms involved in the tolerance of tanzania guinea grass (Panicum maximum cv. Tanzania) to the oxidative stress induced by Cd. Plants were grown in a greenhouse, in randomized complete block design, using a 3x4 factorial, with three rates of K (0.4, 6.0 and 11.6 mmol L-1) combined with four rates of Cd (0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mmol L-1) provided in nutrient solution, with six replications, three for the evaluation of productive and nutritional parameters and three for physiological and metabolic parameters. Two plant growth periods were evaluated, with the first harvest done at 35 days after seedlings transplanting and the second at 27 days after the first. In the second growth, Cd was not added to the nutrient solution. High K supply increased dry matter yield of tanzania guinea grass receiving Cd rates up to 1.0 mmol L-1, at the second harvest. The accumulation of Cd in the shoots of the grass was high in the conditions of high availability of Cd (1.5 mmol L-1) and K (11.6 mmol L-1). The increase in Cd rates resulted in low concentrations of calcium, magnesium, sulfur and manganese and high concentrations of K, copper, iron and zinc in the shoots of the grass at the second harvest. High K supply provided high rates of CO2 assimilation, transpiration, stomatal conductance, quantum efficiency of photosystem II and rate of electron transport in plants grown in intermediate rates of Cd (0.5 to 1.0 mmol L-1). The concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and proline in the shoots were high in conditions of high availability of Cd. High rates of K in plants submitted to Cd stress resulted in low concentrations of MDA due to the activities superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reductase (GR) determined in the second harvest. K resulted in high concentrations of spermidine and spermine in plants under the toxic effect of Cd. Therefore, K alleviates the toxic effects induced by Cd in tanzania guinea grass, reducing oxidative stress by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the concentration of polyamines, which results in high shoot dry mass production and high Cd accumulation, increasing the capacity of Cd phytoextraction by tanzania guinea grass.