Change in the Physiological and Biochemical Aspects of Tomato Caused by Infestation by Cryptic Species of Bemisia tabaci MED and MEAM1

Infestation by Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) causes damage to tomatoes with production losses of up to 100%, affecting the physiological and biochemical aspects of host plants. The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of infestation of cryptic species of B. tabaci MED and MEAM1 on the physiological and biochemical aspects of tomato. Tomato plants ‘Santa Adélia Super’ infested with B. tabaci (MED and MEAM1), and non-infested plants were evaluated for differences in gas exchange, chlorophyll - a fluorescence of photosystem II (PSII), and biochemical factors (total phenols, total flavonoids, superoxide dismutase—SOD, peroxidase—POD, and polyphenol oxidase—PPO). Plants infested with B. tabaci MED showed low rates of CO2 assimilation and stomatal conductance of 55% and 52%, respectively. The instantaneous carboxylation efficiency was reduced by 40% in MED and by 60% in MEAM1 compared to the control. Regarding biochemical aspects, plants infested by MED cryptic species showed high activity of POD and PPO enzymes and total phenol content during the second and third instars when compared to control plants. Our results indicate that B. tabaci MED infestation in tomato plants had a greater influence than B. tabaci MEAM1 infestation on physiological parameters (CO2 assimilation rate (A), stomatal conductance (gs), and apparent carboxylation efficiency (A/Ci)) and caused increased activity of POD and PPO enzymes, indicating plant resistance to attack. In contrast, B. tabaci MEAM1 caused a reduction in POD enzyme activity, favoring offspring performance.

Productive and physiological responses of basil to nitrogen fertilization

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate productive and physiological traits of basil cv. Italiano Genovese grown in nitrogen-fertilized soil. We studied five doses of nitrogen (25, 50, 75, 100 and 125 kg ha-1), in urea form. The experimental design was completely randomized, with four replicates. The maximum plant height was 79 cm, applying 65.7 kg ha-1 N. Shoot fresh and dry masses (814.1 g plant-1 and 111.4 g plant-1, respectively) and productivity (4.4 t ha-1) reached maximum values at 86.2; 80.2 and 82.5 kg ha-1 N, respectively. The highest N content in plant shoot was 26.1 g kg-1 at 125 kg ha-1 N. Photosynthesis and instantaneous carboxylation efficiency obtained maximum responses at doses of 85.3 and 83.3 kg ha-1 N, respectively. Stomatal conductance and transpiration increased with N additional rates.

Discovery of a readily heterologously expressed Rubisco from the deep sea with potential for CO2 capture

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco), the key CO2-fixing enzyme in photosynthesis, is notorious for its low carboxylation. We report a highly active and assembly-competent Form II Rubisco from the endosymbiont of a deep-sea tubeworm Riftia pachyptila (RPE Rubisco), which shows a 50.5% higher carboxylation efficiency than that of a high functioning Rubisco from Synechococcus sp. PCC7002 (7002 Rubisco). It is a simpler hexamer with three pairs of large subunit homodimers around a central threefold symmetry axis. Compared with 7002 Rubisco, it showed a 3.6-fold higher carbon capture efficiency in vivo using a designed CO2 capture model. The simple structure, high carboxylation efficiency, easy heterologous soluble expression/assembly make RPE Rubisco a ready-to-deploy enzyme for CO2 capture that does not require complex co-expression of chaperones. The chemosynthetic CO2 fixation machinery of chemolithoautotrophs, CO2-fixing endosymbionts, may be more efficient than previously realized with great potential for next-generation microbial CO2 sequestration platforms.

Photosynthesis Traits of Pioneer Broadleaves Species from Tailing Dumps in Călimani Mountains (Eastern Carpathians)

The reforestation and stable ecological restoration of tailings dumps resulting from surface mining activities in the Călimani Mountains represent an ongoing environmental challenge. To assess the suitability of different tree species for restoration efforts, photosynthetic traits were monitored in four broadleaf pioneer species—green alder (Alnus alnobetula (Ehrh.) K. Koch), aspen (Populus tremula L.), silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.), and goat willow (Salix caprea L.)—that naturally colonized the tailings dumps. Green alder and birch had the highest photosynthetic rate, followed by aspen and goat willow. Water use efficiency parameters (WUE and iWUE) were the highest for green alder and the lowest for birch, with intermediary values for aspen and goat willow. Green alder also exhibited the highest carboxylation efficiency, followed by birch. During the growing season, net assimilation and carboxylation efficiency exhibited a maximum in late July and a minimum in late June. The key limitation parameters of the photosynthetic process derived from the FvCB model (Vcmax and Jmax) were the highest for green alder and exhibited a maximum in late July, regardless of the species. Based on photosynthetic traits, the green alder—a woody N2-fixing shrub—is the most well-adapted and photosynthetically efficient species that naturally colonized the tailings dumps in the Călimani Mountains.

Trichoderma asperellumand rhizobacteria improving biomass accumulation and gas exchange of lowland rice

Rice the main source of energy to maintain the metabolism for almost four billion people worldwide. Riceplants treated with multifunctional microorganisms may be a good wayfor sustainable improvement of crop grain yield. Aimedstudy the effect of types and ways of microorganisms application in tropical lowland rice production, evaluated by biomass production and gas exchange. The greenhouse trial was in a completely randomized design, in factorial scheme 7 x 3 + 1, with four replication. Treatments were the combination of seven microorganisms: Bacillussp. (BRM32109 e BRM32110); Pseudomonas fluorescens(BRM32111); Pseudomonassp. (BRM32112); Burkholderia pyrrocinia(BRM32113); Serratiasp. (BRM32114) and Trichoderma asperellumpool (UFRA.T06 + UFRA.T09 + UFRA.T12 + UFRA.T52), with three forms of application (1. microbiolized seed; 2. microbiolized seed + soil drenched with microorganism at eight and 15 days after sowing (DAS)and 3. microbiolized seed + microorganism spray plant at eight and 15 DAS). Microbiolized seed was the best form of application,which allowed highest instantaneous carboxylation efficiency and yield of biomassproduction in lowland rice. Rhizobcteria BRM32114, followed by BRM32111, BRM32112 and fungi T. asperellumimproved, an average, 17% in instantaneous carboxylation efficiency and 20% in dry shoot biomass production of lowland rice compared to the control plants.

Gas exchange and photosynthetic pigments in zucchini plants under cattle bio-fertilization and sources of nitrogen

Zucchini is traditionally used in human consumption, however, the scarcity of information, especially about fertilization and the physiological aspects of this crop, constitutes a major obstacle its cultivation and commercialization. The objective was evaluate the chlorophyll content and gas exchange under cattle bio-fertilization and different sources of nitrogen. The work was carried a randomized block experimental design was used in a factorial scheme 5 x 3 + 1 composed of five cattle bio-fertilizer concentrations, three sources of nitrogen and an additional treatment without nitrogen. The levels of chlorophyll a, b and total, liquid photosynthesis, transpiration, internal CO2 concentration, stomatal conductance, instantaneous water use efficiency, and instantaneous carboxylation efficiency were evaluated. The studied variables were influenced by the interaction between the concentrations of the cattle bio-fertilizer and the nitrogen sources, except for the chlorophyll b content and the instantaneous water use efficiency, which responded only to the nitrogen sources. Ammonium sulfate and urea increased increase the physiological variables evaluated. The combination of ammonium sulfate with bio-fertilizer promoted an increase in chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll, liquid photosynthesis, transpiration, internal carbon concentration, stomatal conductance, and instantaneous carboxylation efficiency. The cattle bio-fertilizer in the soil without nitrogen did not increase the physiological variables evaluated.

Ecophysiology of the Southern Highbush blueberry cv. Biloxi in response to nitrogen fertigation

In Brazil, the nutritional requirements of the blueberry are not sufficiently known, thus requiring further research on the management of mineral fertilization. In this perspective, this work aimed to evaluate physiological attributes of Southern Highbush blueberry plants cv. Biloxi as a function of nitrogen fertigation in Brasília-DF. The experiment was conducted from August 2018 to July 2019, in the Fruit Sector of the Experimental Biology Station of the University of Brasilia (UnB), Federal District. This experiment adopted a randomized block design, with four treatments: 10; 20; 30, and 40 g of N plant-1, 8 replications, and 5 plants per experimental plot. The following variables were measured: net photosynthesis rate (A), transpiration (E), stomatal conductance (gs), internal CO2 concentration (Ci), instantaneous water-use efficiency (WUE), carboxylation efficiency (CE), SPAD index (SPAD) and leaf nitrogen (N). There was an effect of the different nitrogen doses applied on the physiological attributes. The plants of the blueberry cultivar Biloxi increased their photosynthetic rates at doses up to 30 g of N plant-1. Nitrogen rates did not influence stomatal conductance nor did they provide improvements in the carboxylation efficiency of the blueberry plants. Under the conditions of the present work, the highest N leaf contents were obtained with the application of 30 g N plant-1, and values above this concentration did not correspond to higher net photosynthesis rates, transpiration, and CO2 concentration in the leaf mesophyll.

Quality Green Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) Clones Marked through Novel Traits

Tea clones and seed varieties released from Tocklai Tea Research Institutes are suitable primarily for manufacturing black tea (CTC/orthodox) while green tea manufactured from these clones are poor in quality. This led to identifying germplasm suitable for manufacturing green tea of high quality. Physiological parameters on net photosynthesis, transpiration, stomatal conductance, water-use efficiency, leaf temperature, and carboxylation efficiency of six selected germplasm (DH 1 and 2, DH 3 and 4, DH 5 and 6, DL 13, DL 25, and DL 39) were measured in first flush, second flush, rain flush, and autumn flush. Seasonal Yield, biochemical (L-theanine to total polyphenol ratio), and taster’s score were compared among seasons. Two protocols were used for green tea manufacturing, i.e., roasting and steaming. Significant differences in net photosynthesis (pn), stomatal conductance (gs), carboxylation efficiency (ci/ca), and yield were observed between flushes. Among the six test clones, the L-theanine to total polyphenol ratio found was highest in DH 5 and 6 in the roasting method. Structural and cluster analysis revealed that the DH clones genotypically occupied the same position as that of the popular green tea clone Longjing 43 of China and Yabukita of Japan, indicating suitability of these germplasm to develop new green tea clones. Clones DH 5 and 6 are suitable for green tea manufacturing and they can be released to the industry as new green tea clones. As far as manufacturing protocol is concerned, the roasting method of tea manufacturing was found superior over steaming.

Salt stress and exogenous application of hydrogen peroxide on photosynthetic parameters of soursop

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the gas exchanges and photosynthetic pigments of soursop seedlings cv. ‘Morada Nova’ irrigated with saline waters and subjected to exogenous application of hydrogen peroxide by seed soaking and foliar spraying. The study was carried out using plastic bags under greenhouse conditions at the Center of Technology and Natural Resources of the Federal University of Campina Grande, PB, Brazil, using a eutrophic Regolithic Neosol of sandy loam texture. Treatments were arranged in a randomized block design, in 5 x 5 factorial scheme, which consisted of five levels of electrical conductivity – ECw (0.7; 1.4; 2.1; 2.8 and 3.5 dS m-1) of irrigation water and five concentrations of hydrogen peroxide - H2O2 (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 µM), with four replicates and three plants per plot. As the salt stress increased, there were reductions in internal CO2 concentration, instantaneous carboxylation efficiency and water use efficiency, and instantaneous carboxylation efficiency was the most sensitive variable. Hydrogen peroxide at concentrations of 25 and 50 µM attenuated the deleterious effects of water salinity on stomatal conductance, CO2 assimilation rate and chlorophyll a content, and the concentration of 25 µM was the most efficient. The content of chlorophyll b and carotenoids of soursop cv. ‘Morada Nova’ had the deleterious effects caused by the salinity of irrigation water mitigated by the exogenous application of hydrogen peroxide in the concentration of 25 μM.