Au cours des dernières décennies, la popularité des plantes médicinales s’est accrue auprès des civilisations occidentales de sorte que la quantité de plantes récoltées, la plupart provenant de populations sauvages, a grandement augmenté. Dans ce contexte, l’objectif principal de mon mémoire est d’évaluer l’impact de la récolte de deux plantes médicinales (Sarracenia purpurea et Rhododendron groenlandicum) utilisées par la Nation Crie du Nord du Québec. Pour y parvenir, des parcelles expérimentales, simulant différentes intensités de récolte (S. purpurea) et différentes méthodes de récolte (R. groenlandicum), ont été mises en place, puis des suivis annuels de la reprise ont été réalisés. Les résultats obtenus suggèrent que les techniques de récolte chez R. groenlandicum devraient exclure les nouvelles pousses, leur exploitation causant une forte mortalité. Par ailleurs, chez S. purpurea, la récolte de 20 % des individus semble peu dommageable, mais critique lorsque plus de 50 % des plants sont récoltés. Un modèle démographique pour S. purpurea a aussi été construit à partir des observations de terrain. Ce modèle a permis de réaliser des projections temporelles en variant les taux de récoltes ainsi que les intervalles entre les récoltes. Les résultats indiquent qu’une récolte de 20 % des individus est acceptable une fois tous les 20 ans. Pour une récolte plus régulière, 5 % tous les trois ans serait soutenable. Mon projet permettra d’assurer une exploitation soutenable de deux plantes médicinales ayant un grand potentiel pour le traitement du diabète de type II. / Over the past few decades, the popularity and use of medicinal plants have increased in Western civilisation. Consequently, harvesting plants from wild populations has increased. Using this perspective, the principal goal of my thesis is to assess the impact of harvest on two medicinal plants (Sarracenia purpurea and Rhododendron groenlandicum) used by the Cree Nation of Northern Québec. To achieve my goal, the simulation of four harvesting intensities (S. purpurea) and of two harvesting methods (R. groenlandicum) were setup in experimental plots and an annual follow up were conducted on establishment and growth. Results show that harvesting methods used on R. groenlandicum should exclude new shoots, since their exploitation results in high mortality rates. For S. purpurea, harvesting of individuals does not seem harmful under 20% of harvest, but is critical when 50% or more are collected. Furthermore, a matrix population model of S. purpurea demography was built from field observations. This model was used to simulate population projection in time under different levels of harvest when varying the number of years between harvests. These results demonstrate that collecting 20% of individuals should be done only once every 20 years to remain sustainable. A more efficient and regular harvest of 5% every three years would be sustainable. My project allowed defining acceptable levels of harvest in order to insure sustainable exploitation of two Cree medicinal plants bearing interesting potential for treating type II diabetes related symptoms.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

L'objectif de ce travail de thèse est de développer un modèle mathématique pour l'étude et la compréhension de la dynamique des populations d'un insecte ravageur, l'Eudémis de la vigne (Lobesia botrana Den. & Schiff.), dans son écosystème. Le modèle proposé est un système d'équations aux dérivées partielles de type hyperbolique qui décrit les variations numériques au cours du temps de la population en fonction des stades de développement, du sexe des individus et des conditions environnementales. La ressource alimentaire, la température, l'humidité et la prédation sont les principaux facteurs environnementaux du modèle expliquant les fluctuations du nombre d'individus au cours du temps. Les différences de développement qui existent dans une cohorte d'Eudémis sont aussi modélisées pour affiner les prédictions du modèle. A partir de données expérimentales obtenues par les entomologistes de l'INRA, situé à Bordeaux, les paramètres du modèle sont estimés. Ce modèle ainsi ajusté nous permet alors d’étudier quelques aspects biologiques et écologiques de l’insecte comme par exemple l'impact de scénarios climatiques sur la ponte des femelles ou sur la dynamique d’attaque de la vigne par les jeunes larves. Les analyses mathématique et numérique du modèle mathématique et des problèmes d'estimation des paramètres sont développées dans cette thèse. / The objective of the thesis is to develop a mathematical model for studying the population dynamics of the European grapevine moth (Lobesia botrana Den. & Schiff.) in its ecosystem. The model proposed is a system of hyperbolic equations that describe the numerical variations in time of the population with respect to developmental stage, the gender and the environmental conditions. The food, the temperature, the humidity and the predation are the main environmental factors of the model that explain the fluctuations of the population in time. The differences in growth inside a cohort are modeled in order to precise the model simulations. We use experimental data obtained by entomologists of the National Research Institut of Agronomy to estimate the parameters of the model. This ajusted model allows us to study some biological and ecological aspects of this pest like for example the impact of climate change on the female laying or on the young larvae dynamic, main actors in the depredation of the Vine. The mathematical analysis and the numerical analysis of the mathematical model and of the parameters estimation problems are presented in this thesis.

Chez les espèces longévives, une relation inverse entre la variabilité des paramètres démographiques et leur élasticité (i.e. la contribution relative du paramètre au taux de croissance de la population) semble exister. La théorie de la canalisation environnementale permet d'expliquer une telle relation. Les paramètres ayant la plus haute élasticité auraient évolué de façon à être moins variable face aux variations environnementales afin d'optimiser la fitness individuelle et ainsi maximiser la croissance de la population. Afin de tester l'existence d'une telle hypothèse chez une espèce, il est nécessaire d'estimer les paramètres démographiques ainsi que leur contribution relative au taux de croissance. À l'aide des modèles les plus récents de capture-marquage-recapture, nous avons donc estimé les paramètres de survie juvénile et de reproduction chez la grande oie des neiges pour les comparer au taux de survie adulte, paramètre le plus élastique.Notre étude a montré que les paramètres de survie juvéniles et de probabilité de nicher étaient très variables, tel qu'attendu. Le taux de survie juvénile dépend des conditions environnementales, avec notamment un fort effet du parasitisme. En vermifugeant des individus, nous avons trouvé un effet négatif des parasites intestinaux sur la survie des oies juvéniles femelles mais pas sur celle des mâles, ce qui s'explique probablement par une différence d'investissement dans le système immunitaire en fonction du sexe chez les individus en croissance. La probabilité de nicher est également dépendante des conditions environnementales mais notre étude a également révélé l'existence de coûts associés à la reproduction. En effet, la probabilité de nicher l'année suivante était fortement réduite suite à une reproduction avec succès comparé aux individus qui avaient eu un échec. Par contre, parmi les individus qui nichent, ceux qui avaient du succès l'année précédente avaient plus de chance d'avoir à nouveau du succès l'année suivante que ceux qui avaient eu un échec, ce qui suggère une hétérogénéité dans la qualité des individus. En parallèle de ces estimations, nous avons montré que le taux de survie adulte était constant au cours du temps et indépendante du statut reproducteur l'année précédente. Finalement, nous avons également trouvé que la survie adulte ne différait pas entre 2 colonies situés à 800 km de distance dans l'Arctique canadien, ce qui suggère une absence de variabilité spatiale pour ce paramètre démographique. Notre étude a donc démontré la faible variabilité temporelle et spatiale du paramètre démographique le plus important pour le taux de croissance de la population, contrairement aux autres paramètres qui montrent une forte variabilité chez la grande oie des neiges. Notre étude permet donc d'appuyer la théorie de la canalisation environnementale des paramètres démographiques chez les espèces longévives. / In long-lived species, an inverse relationship apparently occurs between variability of demographic parameters and their elasticity (i.e. the relative contribution of a given parameter to the population growth rate). The environmental canalization theory has been proposed to explain such a relationship. Demographic parameters with the highest elasticity should have evolved in a way reducing their variability in presence of environmental variations in order to optimize individual fitness and hence to maximize the population growth rate.To test this hypothesis in a given species, demographic parameters and their elasticity need to be accurately estimated. Using advanced capture-mark-recapture models, we estimated juvenile survival and breeding probabilities in the greater snow goose and we compared their variability to adult survival, the parameter with the highest elasticity.Our study showed that both juvenile survival rate and breeding propensity were highly variable, as expected. The juvenile survival probability varied upon environmental conditions, with a strong impact of parasitism. An anthelmintic drug treatment applied to juveniles revealed a negative effect of intestinal parasites on survival of juvenile females but not males, which could be explained by a sex-differential investment in the immune system in growing individuals. We found that the breeding propensity also varied with environmental conditions but we also found some evidence for costs of reproduction. Breeding propensity in the following year was greatly reduced after a successful reproduction compared to birds that had a failed attempt. However, among birds that bred, those that had a success the year before were more likely to be successful again the following year than those that had failed, which suggests heterogeneity in individual quality. In those studies, we showed that adult survival was constant over time and independent of the breeding status the year before. Finally, we also found that adult survival did not differ between 2 breeding colonies distant of 800 km in the Canadian Arctic, which suggests an absence of spatial variability for this demographic parameter.We thus demonstrated a low temporal and spatial variability in the most important demographic parameter for population growth, which contrasts with the high variability of other parameters in the greater snow goose. Our study supports the environmental canalization theory as applied to demographic parameters in long-lived species.

Cette thèse a pour objet la modélisation de systèmes multi-proies–prédateurs. Elle s’intéresse particulièrement à l’influence du comportement d’un prédateur sur les interactions indirectes entre ses proies, i.e. l’effet de l’ajout d’une proie sur la densité des autres. La théorie classique prédit l’occurrence d’effets indirects négatifs entre les proies, ou compétition apparente, résultant de l’interaction avec un prédateur commun ; des résultats plus récents identifient certains mécanismes à même d’atténuer ces effets négatifs. Nos travaux revisitent les hypothèses autour de ces mécanismes dans des systèmes composés de deux proies et de leur prédateur commun. Après avoir fixé le cadre écologique en rappelant les principaux types d’interactions directes et indirectes, nous introduisons les modèles proies-prédateurs classiques. Les travaux se concentrent ensuite sur une famille de modèles présentant de la densité-dépendance négative chez les prédateurs couplés à différentes modélisations du comportement des prédateurs lorsqu’ils sont confrontés à plusieurs types de proies. Nous montrons notamment que les interactions entre ces mécanismes peuvent inverser la compétition apparente et, contre intuitivement, accroître la densité des proies par l’intermédiaire d’un prédateur commun. Nos résultats trouvent pour partie application en lutte biologique, où il est courant de chercher à favoriser les auxiliaires en aménageant leur environnement (apport de nourriture alternative, refuge, ...). Ils suggèrent que de telles pratiques peuvent se révéler contre-productives, le contrôle des ravageurs pouvant être affaibli du fait d’une distraction de leurs prédateurs. / This thesis deals with multi-prey–predators modeling. It is particularly focused on the influence of the behavior of a predator on indirect interactions between its prey, i.e, the effect of the addition of a prey on the other prey. Classical theory predicts the occurrence of negative indirect effects between prey, or apparent competition, resulting from the interaction with a common predator. More recent results identify mechanisms that mitigate these negative effects. Our work revisits the assumptions about these mechanisms in systems composed of two prey and their common predator. After setting the ecological framework by recalling the main types of direct and indirect interactions, we introduce classical predator-prey models. The work then focuses on a family of models with predator negative density-dependence coupled with different models of predator behavior when faced with different types of prey. We show that the interactions between these mechanisms can reverse apparent competition and counter-intuitively, increase prey density through their common predator. Our results are relevant to biological control programs, where a common practice aims at fostering biological control agents by providing them with alternative food or shelters. Our theory suggests that such practices may be counter-productive, pest control being disrupted by a predator distraction effect.

Les écosystèmes forestiers méditerranéens présentent des espèces d'arbres vivant en limite sud de leur aire de répartition sensibles aux stress climatiques et des espèces vivant au coeur de leur aire de répartition et a priori adaptées à ces mêmes stress. Ces contrastes interrogent sur la diversité potentielle des mécanismes régulant la dynamique des populations de leurs parasites, et en retour l'impact des parasites sur la dynamique de leurs hôtes. Les scolytes constituent un bon modèle pour l'étude de ces interactions hôte-parasite car ils alternent des phases endémiques et épidémiques. Nous avons développé une approche pluridisciplinaire couplant la caractérisation de traits écophysiologiques et dendrométriques impliqués dans la résistance des populations d'arbres aux attaques de scolytes avec la caractérisation de facteurs écologiques clés pour la démographie des scolytes. Chez le pin d'Alep, T. destruens est présent à un niveau endémique mais des attaques subsistent dans des patchs d'arbres formés par des arbres attaqués et morts suite aux attaques, des arbres attaqués qui ont résisté et des arbres non attaqués. Des stratégies de dispersion locale différentes selon les deux grandes phases du cycle de T . destruens semblent favoriser l'exploitation d'une ressource peu abondante. Chez le sapin pectiné, nous avons montré qu'une communauté abondante de scolytes s'attaque à des arbres déjà affaiblis par des sécheresses répétées et présentant un mauvais état sanitaire et une croissance en baisse. Ces deux écosystèmes forestiers permettent de mieux appréhender les mécanismes impliqués dans les interactions plantes-insectes dans un contexte de changement global. / Mediterranean forest ecosystems have both trees living in their southern range and being sensitive to climatic stress and tree species living in the core of their range and being non sensitive to the same stress. These contrasts in tree populations questioned about potential contrasts in their interrelationships with their parasites and on the impact of that parasites have on their host in turn. Bark beetles are a relevant model to study such host-parasite interactions because they alternate endemic and epidemic phases. We developed a multidisciplinary approach combining the characterization of ecophysiological and dendrometrical traits involved in resistance of tree populations to bark beetle attacks with this assessment of key ecological factors involved in bark beetles demography. We focused on the two following contrasted Mediterranean ecosystems in South-Eastern France: a healthy Aleppo pine interacting with a bark beetle population at an endemic state and a declining population of the Silver fir interacting with a bark beetle community at an epidemic state. Our results suggested that this Aleppo pine population, the pine shoot beetle T. destruens showed low abundance levels. All attacks remained in patches formed by dead trees following the attacks. T. destruens dispersal strategies seem to favor the exploitation of a scarce resource. On silver fir, we showed a bark beetle community attacking trees already weakened by repeated droughts and with poor health status and low growth. The study of these two contrasted forest ecosystems allowed us to shed some critical light on the mechanisms involved in plant-insect interactions in the context of global change.

L'objectif de cette thèse est de développer la théorie du contrôle stochastique et ses applications en dynamique des populations. D'un point de vue théorique, nous présentons l'étude de problèmes de contrôle stochastique à horizon fini sur des processus de diffusion, de branchement non linéaire et de branchement-diffusion. Dans chacun des cas, nous raisonnons par la méthode de la programmation dynamique en veillant à démontrer soigneusement un argument de conditionnement analogue à la propriété de Markov forte pour les processus contrôlés. Le principe de la programmation dynamique nous permet alors de prouver que la fonction valeur est solution (régulière ou de viscosité) de l'équation de Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman correspondante. Dans le cas régulier, nous identifions également un contrôle optimal markovien par un théorème de vérification. Du point de vue des applications, nous nous intéressons à la modélisation mathématique du cancer et de ses stratégies thérapeutiques. Plus précisément, nous construisons un modèle hybride de croissance de tumeur qui rend compte du rôle fondamental de l'acidité dans l'évolution de la maladie. Les cibles de la thérapie apparaissent explicitement comme paramètres du modèle afin de pouvoir l'utiliser comme support d'évaluation de stratégies thérapeutiques. / The main objective of this thesis is to develop stochastic control theory and applications to population dynamics. From a theoritical point of view, we study finite horizon stochastic control problems on diffusion processes, nonlinear branching processes and branching diffusion processes. In each case we establish a dynamic programmic principle by carefully proving a conditioning argument similar to the strong Markov property for controlled processes. Then we deduce that the value function is a (viscosity or regular) solution of the associated Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation. In the regular case, we further identify an optimal control in the class of markovian strategies thanks to a verification theorem. From a pratical point of view, we are interested in mathematical modelling of cancer growth and treatment. More precisely, we build a hybrid model of tumor growth taking into account the essential role of acidity. Therapeutic targets appear explicitly as model parameters in order to be able to evaluate treatment strategies.

O camarão rosa (Farfantepenaeus subtilis) explotado pela pesca industrial na plataforma continental amazônica brasileira possui um ciclo de vida curto, mas complexo, habitando áreas oceânicas, mais ao norte da área de ocorrência, na fase adulta e larval, e áreas estuarinas e lagunares na fase de pós-larva e juvenil. O período de maior intensidade de reprodução se estende de maio a setembro e logo após a reprodução as larvas eclodem e iniciam sua migração para áreas costeiras, passando por diversas fases, onde se assentam e residem principalmente entre junho e outubro. A partir de setembro até janeiro do ano seguinte é maior a intensidade de recrutamento de juvenis às áreas oceânicas, onde passam a amadurecer e, a partir de dezembro, começam a ser capturados pela pesca industrial. A maior abundância da população adulta em termos de biomassa vai de março a agosto quando também se verificam as maiores capturas. As fêmeas crescem mais que os machos e estão presentes sempre em maior proporção nas capturas (61%). Os comprimentos assintóticos foram estimados em 231 mm ( k = 1,6 \'ano POT.-1\') e 205 mm (k = 0,94 \'ano POT.-1\'), para fêmeas e machos respectivamente. A população apresenta taxa de mortalidade natural relativamente elevada, 2,53 \'ano POT.-1\' para fêmeas e 1,83 \'ano POT.-1\' para machos, sendo observadas acentuadas flutuações de recrutamento e abundância, com evidências de que são fortemente governadas pelas condições ambientais. O estoque vem sendo explotado em níveis moderados nos anos recentes (E = 0,45), embora tenha sofrido elevadas taxas de explotação na década de 80, o que levou a uma redução do tamanho da população. O rendimento máximo sustentável, considerado uma média de longo prazo, foi estimado em 4.032 toneladas de cauda por ano, para um esforço de pesca de 19.370 dias de mar. Nos últimos anos, se observa uma tendência de recuperação da biomassa populacional, mas com as oscilações anuais características da espécie. A vazão do rio Amazonas é o fator ambiental que governa com mais intensidade as condições do ambiente costeiro na região e verificou-se que suas flutuações estão correlacionadas a alterações na abundância da população da espécie. Postula-se que o aporte e sobrevivência das larvas e pós-larvas no ambiente costeiro seja influenciada pela intensidade da vazão do rio. O período em que se assentam nos berçários na zona costeira coincide com a estação de vazante do rio, sendo a sobrevivência favorecida por vazões abaixo da média e vice-versa. Portanto, medidas de ordenamento voltadas para o uso sustentável do recurso devem estar associadas ao conhecimento das condições ambientais nesta fase, bem como a estudos sobre a abundância de pós-larvas e juvenis na faixa costeira. / The brown shrimp (Farfantepenaeus subtilis) exploited by the industrial fishery on the continental shelf of the Brazilian Amazon has a short but complex life cyele, inhabiting oceanic areas, at the north of the area of occurrence, during the adult and larval stages, and estuarine areas and lagoons in post-larval and juvenile. The period of highest intensity of reproduction extends from May to September and soon after the hatch, the larvae start their migration to coastal areas, passing through several stages, where they settle and remain resident between June and October. From September to January of the following year the intensity of recruitment to ocean areas is higher, and once there they start to mature and are caught by the industrial fishery from December on. The highest abundance of the adult population in terms of biomass is observed from March to August when the largest catches also occur. Females grow larger than males and are always present in greater proportion in catches (61%). The asymptotic lengths were estimated at 231 mm (k = 1.6 \'year POT.-1\') and 205 mm (k = 0.94 \'year POT.-1\') for females and males respectively. The population has a natural mortality rate relatively high, 2.53 \'year POT.-1\' for females and 1.83 \'years POT.-1\' for males, and pronounced fluctuations in recruitment and abundance are observed, with evidence of being strongly governed by environmental conditions. The stock has been exploited at moderate levels in recent years (E = 0.45), although it has suffered high rates of exploitation in the 80\'s, which led to a reduction in population size. The maximum sustainable yield, considered a long-term average, was estimated at 4,032 ton of tail per year for a fishing effort of 19,370 days at sea. In recent years, it is observed a tendency of recovering of the population biomass, but annual fluctuations are characteristics of the species. The flow of the Amazon River is the main environmental facto r that governs the conditions of the coastal environment in the region and it was found that it is correlated with the fluctuatícn of the brown shrimp population abundance. It is postulated that the uptake and survival of larvae and post larvae in the coastal environment is lnfluenced by the intensity of river flow, The period during which they settle at the nurseries in the coastal zone coincides with the dry season and their survival is favored when the flow of the river is below the average, and vice versa. Therefore, management measures aimed at sustainable use of the resource must be associated with the knowledge of environmental conditions during this phase, as well as studies on the abundance of post-larvae and juveniles in the coastal zone.

Eucalyptus benthamii tem se mostrado especialmente vantajoso como alternativa ao cultivo em regiões frias, justificando esforços para o estabelecimento de protocolos para sua micropropagação. Porém, as matrizes são preferencialmente selecionadas quando adultas (material apresenta menor competência morfogênica), tornando a micropropagação dependente de maior número de subcultivos e maior tempo para se reverter o material ao rejuvenescimento. Assim, a redução das perdas in vitro tem merecido atenção, como por exemplo, as manifestações endofíticas, que exigem maximização da eficiência da cultura e adequações no protocolo, visando minimizá-las, possibilitando melhorar o entendimento das relações estabelecidas e mantidas entre os endófitos e seu hospedeiro durante a micropropagação. Dessa maneira, foram utilizadas minicepas provenientes de duas fontes de miniestacas coletadas a partir do brotamento de gemas epicórmicas de megaestacas da base da copa e de brotamentos do anelamento da base do tronco, de uma matriz de E. benthamii com 13 anos de idade, estabelecidas em minijardim clonal sob condição de casa de vegetação, com o objetivo de avaliar como se dá a multiplicação, sob diferentes condições de cultivo, das duas fontes de explantes (minicepas); analisar se a frequência e intensidade das manifestações endofíticas são afetadas pelas diferentes condições de cultivo; investigar a ocorrência de alterações na comunidade bacteriana endofítica devido à alteração das condições de cultivo e fase da micropropagação (in vivo = minicepas, e in vitro = microcepas, material alongado e enraizado). Visando atender estes objetivos, a pesquisa se dividiu em duas partes. Na primeira (capitulo 3) o desenvolvimento, os aspectos morfofisiológicos, histoquímicos e a manifestação endofítica foram avaliados na multiplicação das duas fontes de explante sob diferentes meios e condições de cultivo. Na segunda (capítulo 4) as comunidades bacterianas endofíticas foram analisadas por meio de PCR-DGGE, baseada na região V6 do gene 16S DNAr. Os resultados mostraram que as microcepas provenientes de megaestaca tiveram melhor desenvolvimento independentemente do tratamento e maior frequência de manifestações endofíticas, comparando-se com as de anelamento. As comunidades bacterinas endofíticas foram distintas entre as amostras in vivo e in vitro, e se alteraram ao longo dos subcultivos e nas amostras alongadas e enraizadas. As diferenças existentes no desenvolvimento das microcepas podem ser inerentes à totipotencialidade do material, mas também podem ser afetadas, tanto pela ocorrência de manifestação, quanto pela comunidade bacteriana endofítica mais ou menos sensível ao processo de micropropagação, auxiliando ou prejudicando o desenvolvimento in vitro de seus hospedeiros. Cabe destacar, ainda, que mesmo em um sistema asséptico e ambientalmente controlado, os microrganismos endofíticos que resistiram a todo processo de desinfestação e cultivo, não estão \"adormecidos\", muito pelo contrário podem se alterar em quantidade à medida que seu hospedeiro é submetido a um novo sistema de cultivo (introdução) ou uma nova fase dentro da micropropagação (multiplicação → alongamento e enraizamnento) ou, ainda, ao longo dos subcultivos. Sendo assim, a complexa rede de relações das plantas com seus endófitos não cessa durante o cultivo in vitro, ao contrário mantém-se dinâmica. / Eucalyptus benthamii has proven to be especially advantageous as an alternative culture in cold regions, justifying efforts to establish protocols for micropropagation. However, the matrices are preferably selected when adults (material with lower morphogenic efficiency), making micropropagation more dependent of subcultures and too longer to reverse the material to rejuvenation. Thus, reduction of losses in vitro has deserved attention, such for example the endophytic manifestations that require the maximization of efficiency culture and adjustments to the Protocol, in order to minimize them, enabling better understanding of the relations established and maintained between endophytes and its host along micropropagation. For this, mini-stumps were used from two sources of mini-cuttings collected from the epicormic shoots of mega-cuttings from the treetop base and shoots from girdling from the trunk base, both of one E. benthamii matrix with 13 years of age established in clonal mini garden under greenhouse condition, aimed to evaluate how is the multiplication of two sources of explants (mini-stumps) under different growing conditions; analyze how the endophytic manifestations frequency and intensity are affected by different conditions; investigate the changes to occurrence in the endophytic bacterial community due to the variation of culture conditions and micropropagation phase (in vivo = mini-stumps, and in vitro = micro-stumps, elongated and rooted materials). In order to meet these objectives, the research was divided in two parts. In the first (chapter 3) the development, morphophysiological aspects, histochemical and endophytic manifestation were evaluated in the multiplication of the two explants sources from different media and culture conditions. In the second (chapter 4) endophytic bacterial communities were analyzed by PCR-DGGE based on the V6 region of 16S rDNA gene. The results showed that micro-stumps from mega-cuttings had better development regardless of treatment and increased frequency of endophytic events, comparing with the girdling. Endophytic bacterial communities were different between samples in vivo and in vitro, and have changed over the subcultures and the elongated and rooted samples. The differences in the development of micro-stumps can be explained by the totipotentiality inherent to the material, but may also be affected by both the manifestation occurrence and the endophytic bacterial community more or less sensitive to the micropropagation, helping or harming the in vitro development of their hosts. We also highlight that even in an aseptic and environmentally controlled system, the endophytic microorganisms that resisted the whole process of disinfection and cultivation, are not \"asleep\", quite the opposite may change in quantity when your host is subjected to a new cultivation system (in vitro establishment) and a new phase within the micropropagation (multiplication → stretching and enraizamnento), or even along the subcultures. This way, the complex network of relationships of the plant with their endophyte does not cease during the in vitro culture, unlike remains dynamic.

Die Besiedlung der Pflanzenwurzel und das Vorhandensein aktiver Zellen sind grundlegende Voraussetzungen für das Zustandekommen phytoeffektiver und Pathogen unterdrückender Effekte durch Applikation des Nutzbakteriums Bacillus subtilis. Der Einfluss ökologischer und edaphischer Faktoren auf das Besiedlungsverhalten der introduzierten Bakterien wurde im Rahmen umfangreicher populations- und aktivitätsdynamischer Untersuchungen ergründet. Die Versuche wurden in drei verschiedenen Substrattypen an der Modellpflanze Erbse (Pisum sativum L. cv. ''Bördi'') unter kontrollierten Bedingungen in der Klimakammer durchgeführt. Die Populationsdichte von Bacillus subtilis war in starkem Maße abhängig von der angewendeten Dosis. Die Verwendung von Kaliumnitrat, Sand oder Maisstärke als Trägerstoff für die Bacillus subtilis-Formulierung war für das Besiedlungsverhalten des Nutzbakteriums unerheblich. Die Entwicklung von Bacillus subtilis-Populationen an Pflanzenwurzel und im Substrat war temperaturabhängig. Höhere Versuchstemperaturen hatten größere Populationsdichten zur Folge. Der Temperatureinfluss war in Quarzsand wesentlich stärker als in Feldboden. Die peripheren Wurzelteile wiesen in Quarzsand zumeist größere Populationsdichten auf als die in Samennähe befindlichen Wurzelteile. Der Zusatz des Neem-Präparates Rhakshak Gold führte in vivo weder zu einer signifikanten Erhöhung der Populationsdichte von Bacillus subtilis noch zu einer Aktivitätserhöhung. Die Gesamtkeimzahlen in Rhizosphäre und Substrat wurden durch die Anwendung von Bacillus subtilis nicht beeinflusst. Die Aktivität von Bacillus subtilis in Rhizosphäre, Rhizoplane und Substrat war gering, der größte Teil der Keime lag versport vor. Die geringsten Versporungsgrade wurden in Quarzsand in der Rhizoplane sowie in Feldboden im Substrat festgestellt. Die Applikation des Nutzbakteriums führte zu einem reduzierten Krankheitsbefall der Erbsenpflanzen mit Phoma pinodella und Rhizoctonia solani. Die antifungale Wirkung kam in Feldboden und Aussaaterde wesentlich stärker zum Tragen als in Quarzsand. Es war kein direkter Zusammenhang zwischen Populationsdichte der introduzierten Bakterien in Rhizosphäre und Substrat und deren phytoeffektiver sowie antifungaler Leistung erkennbar. Als Ursache dafür wird der hohe Anteil versporter Zellen in der Bacillus subtilis-Population angesehen. Die Ergebnisse werden hinsichtlich der Bedeutung des Besiedlungsverhaltens und der Aktivität von Bacillus subtilis für dessen phytoeffektive und antifungale Wirkung diskutiert. / The colonization of the plant root and the presence of physiologically active bacterial cells are basic conditions to obtain plant growth promotion and disease suppression by application of Bacillus subtilis. Studies of the population- and activity dynamics of the introduced bacteria were carried out to determine the influence of different soil types and ecological factors on colonization of plant roots by Bacillus subtilis. Pea plants (Pisum sativum L. cv. ''Boerdi'') which were treated with these bacteria have been grown in three different types of substrate under controlled conditions in the climate chamber. The population density of Bacillus subtilis was strongly dependend on the applied number of cfu (colony forming units). The use of potassium nitrate, sand or maize starche as carrier for the bacterial formulation did not affect the colonization behaviour. The development of Bacillus subtilis-populations at the plant roots and in the substrate was significantly influenced by temperature. Higher temperatures during the trials resulted in larger population sizes of the introduced bacteria. The influence of temperature was much stronger in quartz sand compared with field soil. In most cases the colonization of the outer parts of the root near the root tip was better than the colonization of the root parts near the seed. The addition of the neem-extract Rakshak Gold did not have a significant influence on population density and activity of Bacillus subtilis in vivo. Nearly no effects of the bacterial treatments on the indigenous microflora could be found. The physiological activity of Bacillus subtilis in the rhizosphere, on the root surface and in the substrate was low. The bacterial population consisted largely of spores. The lowest percentage of spores was determined directly on the root surface (in quartz sand) and in the substrate (in field soil) respectively. The bacterial treatments led to a reduced disease severity on pea plants caused by Phoma pinodella and Rhizoctonia solani. The antifungal activity was higher in field soil and horticultural substrate compared with quartz sand. There was no correlation between the population density of the introduced bacteria in rhizosphere and substrate and their plant growth promoting or antifungal effects. A possible reason for that is the high percentage of non-active cells within the population of Bacillus subtilis. The results would be discussed towards the importance of population dynamics and activity of the rhizobacterium Bacillus subtilis for its plant growth and health promoting effects.