Infecção pelo Sugarcane yellow leaf virus causa alterações na eficiência fotossintética e acúmulo de carboidratos nas folhas de cana-de-açúcar

Infection by Sugarcane yellow leaf virus (ScYLV) causes severe leaf symptoms in sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) hybrids, which indicate alterations in its photosynthetic apparatus. To gain an overview of the physiological status of infected plants, we evaluated chlorophyll a fluorescence and gas exchange assays, correlating the results with leaf metabolic surveys, i.e., photosynthetic pigments and carbohydrate contents. When compared to healthy plants, infected plants showed a reduction in potential quantum efficiency for photochemistry of photosystem (PSII) and alterations in the filling up of the plastoquinone (PQ) pool. They also showed reduction in the CO2 net exchange rates, probably as a consequence of impaired quantum yield. In addition, reductions were found in the contents of photosynthetic leaf pigments and in the ratio chlorophyll a/chlorophyll b (chla/chlb). Carbohydrate content in the leaves was increased as a secondary effect of the ScYLV infection. This article discusses the relation of virus replication and host defense responses with general alterations in the photosynthetic apparatus and in the metabolism of infected plants.O vírus do amarelecimento foliar da cana-de-açúcar (Sugarcane yellow leaf virus, ScYLV) causa sintomas foliares severos e típicos de infecção por luteovirus, em cana-de-açúcar (Saccharum spp.). Uma vez que alterações no sistema fotossintético da planta seriam esperadas, avaliaram-se a análise da emissão da fluorescência da clorofila a e as trocas gasosas durante a fotossíntese, relacionando esses dados com análises metabólicas, ou seja, conteúdos de pigmentos fotossintéticos e carboidratos presentes nas folhas. As plantas infetadas apresentaram redução na eficiência quântica fotoquímica potencial do fotossistema II (PSII) e alterações no preenchimento do pool de plastoquinona (PQ). Essas plantas apresentaram, também, redução nas taxas de troca líquida de CO2, provavelmente em conseqüência da redução na eficiência quântica. Paralelamente, reduções nos conteúdos de pigmentos fotossintéticos foliares e na razão clorofila a/clorofila b (chla/chlb) foram verificadas. Adicionalmente, o conteúdo de açúcares nas folhas foi aumentado, provavelmente como um efeito secundário da infecção viral. A relação entre a replicação viral e as respostas de defesa da hospedeira com as alterações encontradas no aparelho fotossintético e no metabolismo das plantas infetadas é discutida.101

The complete genome sequence of Chromobacterium violaceum reveals remarkable and exploitable bacterial adaptability

Chromobacterium violaceum is one of millions of species of free-living microorganisms that populate the soil and water in the extant areas of tropical biodiversity around the world. Its complete genome sequence reveals (i) extensive alternative pathways for energy generation, (ii) ≈500 ORFs for transport-related proteins, (iii) complex and extensive systems for stress adaptation and motility, and (iv) wide-spread utilization of quorum sensing for control of inducible systems, all of which underpin the versatility and adaptability of the organism. The genome also contains extensive but incomplete arrays of ORFs coding for proteins associated with mammalian pathogenicity, possibly involved in the occasional but often fatal cases of human C. violaceum infection. There is, in addition, a series of previously unknown but important enzymes and secondary metabolites including paraquat-inducible proteins, drug and heavy-metal-resistance proteins, multiple chitinases, and proteins for the detoxification of xenobiotics that may have biotechnological applications

Non-parametric indexes in selecting hybrids of chili pepper

<div><p>ABSTRACT On Solanaceae, the use of hybrids in seed market has been consolidated in recent decades, especially for sweet pepper and tomato crops. However, other crops such as chili peppers (Capsicum spp.) are still neglected by breeding programs which aim to obtain hybrids. The objectives of this work were to evaluate experimental chili pepper hybrids dedo-de-moça (C. baccatum var. pendulum) in relation to production and quality of fruits in two growing seasons and to compare non-parametric selection indexes based on these aspects. Eight chili pepper genotypes were evaluated, being three experimental hybrids (HP03, HP04 and HP08), three lineages (PIM01, PIM02 and PIM03) and two commercial cultivars as controls (‘BRS Mari’ and ‘Ibirajá’), under field conditions in two growing seasons (autumn/winter and spring/summer) in the municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. The number of days to flowering, number of fruits per plant, average fruit mass, fruit length, fruit diameter, yield, fruit dry mass, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid and soluble solids content were evaluated. A highly significant difference among genotypes for all evaluated parameters was obtained. Significant interaction was observed for genotypes x growing seasons only for fruit length, fruit dry mass and ascorbic acid content, considering the last two ones of a complex nature. Chili pepper hybrids tested had a constant performance in the two growing seasons based on agronomic and physicochemical characteristics. By the selection indexes used, the superiority of the hybrid HP03 in relation to the other evaluated genotypes was verified. In addition to the evaluated agronomic and physicochemical parameters, this hybrid stands out for having a differentiated and innovative shape of chili pepper, since no such hybrid has been found in the Brazilian market until then. Mulamba & Mock and Genotype-Ideotype selection indexes were concordant in the selection of the three best genotypes.</p></div

Chlorophyll a fluorescence and ultrastructural changes in chloroplast of water hyacinth as indicators of environmental stress

Chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to assess the stress conditions in water hyacinth along the Paraiba do Sul River (PSR), an important River in southeastern Brazil. The data were obtained at the end of the dry season of 2005 and at the end of the wet season of 2006. Changes in F-o and F-m parameters were observed as differentiated responses, depending on the season. Non-photochemical dissipation (qN and NPQ) from plants was greater in the most industrialized region of the PSR in both seasons. However, F-v/F-m for all samples ranged between 0.77 and 0.81, showing that high maximum quantum yield was maintained. Although the F-v/F-m suggests that the plants were exhibiting normal photochemical activities, ultrastructural changes in chloroplasts showed thylakoids disorganization. Plants from the most industrialized region showed non-stacking grana thylakoids disposition. In spite of these alterations, the membrane integrity was maintained, suggesting an adaptation to adjustment to adverse environmental conditions. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)[2004/15012-5]Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq)[471091/2004-9]Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminens

Avaliação da taxa de crescimento de frutos de mamão (Carica papaya L.) em função das épocas do ano e graus-dias acumulados Evaluation of the growth tax of papaya fruitS (Carica papaya L.) infunction of different times of the year and accumulated degree-days

O monitoramento do desenvolvimento dos órgãos vegetais, como o fruto, pode ser de grande interesse científico. O acompanhamento da fase de crescimento dos frutos pode indicar os pontos críticos de exigências nutricionais e de água, e sua relação com fatores climáticos, como a temperatura. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a taxa de crescimento do fruto de mamão híbrido UENF/CALIMAN 01 em diferentes épocas do ano, em função do número de graus-dia (GD) acumulados. O ponto máximo de crescimento dos frutos variou de acordo com as diferentes épocas de desenvolvimento dos mesmos. Frutos desenvolvidos em períodos com temperaturas mais elevadas atingiram, num menor tempo, seu ponto de colheita, ocorrendo o inverso em frutos desenvolvidos em períodos de temperaturas mais amenas. Os resultados mostraram, no entanto, que o crescimento dos frutos, invariavelmente, estabilizou-se após os mesmos atingirem o nível de aproximadamente 800 GD. Cessada a fase de crescimento do fruto, o processo de maturação dos mesmos foi tão rápido quanto maior a temperatura mensal do período.<br>The monitoring of the vegetable organ development, as the fruit, is a great scientific interest. The knowledge of the different phases of growth of these fruits can indicate the critical points of nutritional requirements and water, and its relation with climatic factors effect, as the temperature. The aim of this work was to evaluate the growth rate of the hybrid papaya fruit UENF/CALIMAN 01 at different times of the year, in function of the number of degree-day (DD) accumulated. The fruits had reached the harvest point varying in accordance to the different times of development throughout the year. Fruits developed in periods with high temperatures had in smaller time its point of harvest, and it was inverse in fruits developed in colder periods. However, when reaching around 800 DD after anthesis, the fruits had tended to stabilize its growth invariably. After this growth period, the maturation process was as fast as the monthly temperature of the period is bigger