Transcriptomic analysis of rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viciae in symbiosis with host plants pisum sativum and Vicia cracca

Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae forms nitrogen-fixing nodules on several legumes, including pea (Pisum sativum) and vetch (Vicia cracca), and has been widely used as a model to study nodule biochemistry. To understand the complex biochemical and developmental changes undergone by R. leguminosarum bv. viciae during bacteroid development, microarray experiments were first performed with cultured bacteria grown on a variety of carbon substrates (glucose, pyruvate, succinate, inositol, acetate, and acetoacetate) and then compared to bacteroids. Bacteroid metabolism is essentially that of dicarboxylate-grown cells (i.e., induction of dicarboxylate transport, gluconeogenesis and alanine synthesis, and repression of sugar utilization). The decarboxylating arm of the tricarboxylic acid cycle is highly induced, as is gamma-aminobutyrate metabolism, particularly in bacteroids from early (7-day) nodules. To investigate bacteroid development, gene expression in bacteroids was analyzed at 7, 15, and 21 days postinoculation of peas. This revealed that bacterial rRNA isolated from pea, but not vetch, is extensively processed in mature bacteroids. In early development (7 days), there were large changes in the expression of regulators, exported and cell surface molecules, multidrug exporters, and heat and cold shock proteins. fix genes were induced early but continued to increase in mature bacteroids, while nif genes were induced strongly in older bacteroids. Mutation of 37 genes that were strongly upregulated in mature bacteroids revealed that none were essential for nitrogen fixation. However, screening of 3,072 mini-Tn5 mutants on peas revealed previously uncharacterized genes essential for nitrogen fixation. These encoded a potential magnesium transporter, an AAA domain protein, and proteins involved in cytochrome synthesis.

Aphidius ervi preferentially attacks the green morph of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum

The pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is found in red and green color morphs. Previous work has suggested that the aphidiine parasitoid Aphidius ervi Haliday preferentially attacks green pea aphids in the field. It is not clear whether these results reflect a real preference, or some unknown clonal difference, such as in immunity, between the aphids used in the previous studies. We used three susceptibility-matched pairs of red and green morph pea aphid clones to test for preferences. In a no-choice situation, the parasitoids attacked equal proportions of each color morph. When provided with a choice, A. ervi was significantly more likely to oviposit into colonies formed from green morphs when the neighboring colony was formed from red morph aphids. In contrast, red morphs were less likely to be attacked when their neighboring colony was of the green morph. By preferentially attacking green colonies, A. ervi may reduce the likelihood of intraguild predation, as it is suggested that visually foraging predators preferentially attack red aphid colonies. Furthermore, if this host choice behavior is replicated in the field, we speculate that color morphs of the pea aphid may interact indirectly through their shared natural enemies, leading to intraspecific apparent competition.

Influence of temperature on pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum (Hemiptera: Aphididae) resistance to natural enemy attack

The ability to resist or avoid natural enemy attack is a critically important insect life history trait, yet little is understood of how these traits may be affected by temperature. This study investigated how different genotypes of the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris, a pest of leguminous crops, varied in resistance to three different natural enemies (a fungal pathogen, two species of parasitoid wasp and a coccinellid beetle), and whether expression of resistance was influenced by temperature. Substantial clonal variation in resistance to the three natural enemies was found. Temperature influenced the number of aphids succumbing to the fungal pathogen Erynia neoaphidis Remaudiere & Hermebert, with resistance increasing at higher temperatures (18 vs. 28degreesC). A temperature difference of 5degreesC (18 vs. 23degreesC) did not affect the ability of A. pisum to resist attack by the parasitoids Aphidius ervi Haliday and A. eadyi Stary Gonzalez & Hall. Escape behaviour from foraging coccinellid beetles (Hippodamia convergens Guerin-Meneville) was not directly influenced by aphid clone or temperature (16 vs. 21degreesC). However, there were significant interactions between clone and temperature (while most clones did not respond to temperature, one was less likely to escape at 16degreesC), and between aphid clone and ladybird presence (some clones showed greater changes in escape behaviour in response to the presence of foraging coccinellids than others). Therefore, while larger temperature differences may alter interactions between Acyrthosiphon pisum and an entomopathogen, there is little evidence to suggest that smaller changes in temperature will alter pea aphid-natural enemy interactions.

Efeito da época de adubacão nitrogenada em cobertura na producão e qualidade fisiológica de sementes de ervilha (Pisum sativum L)

An important factor in crop production is the nutrient liberation matching the growth rates, so these combined effects together with plant development can reach the best results. In this work, the times of nitrogen application (topdressing) were tested in the rate of 120 kg ha(-1) of N, applied at 20 (T20), 25 (T25), 30 (T30), 35 (T35) and 40 (T40) days after emergency in eight cultivars of pea (Pisum sativum L) (Maria, Kodama, Mikado, Flavia, Luiza, Amelia, Dileta and Marina). Here, the aim was to evaluate the effect of these treatments on yield and seed quality in Cerrado Region. After harvest, the seeds were submitted to the quality tests (germination tests, electric conductivity and emergency under field conditions). The results showed that the peas crops are not influenced by the N timing application. Amongst the eight cultivars studied, the best productivity were for Mariana, Mikado, Amelia, Maria and Flavia and the lowest yield was for Kodama cultivar. The cultivar Mikado showed the best results for the quality tests.

Quantitative distribution of gibberellins and indole-acetic acid in pea (Pisum sativum L.) seedlings

The objective was to determine the distribution in pea seedling of GA (by thin layer chromatography) and IAA (by HPLC). Three samples of 30 7/day-old seedlings were sectioned into: apical meristem + plumular hook; stem elongation zone; stem non-elongation zone; cotyledons; root non-elongation zone; root tip. The material was frozen in liquid N and stored at -80 degrees C. The stem elongation zone, the apical meristem+plumular hook and the root tip had low IAA, whereas the stem non-elongation zone and root non-elongation zone had high IAA content. The stem elongation zone and apical meristem plumular hook had high GA, while root non-elongation zone had the lowest GA content.

Desenvolvimento de plantas de ervilha (Pisum sativum L.), submetidas à diferentes potenciais da água no solo: índices fisiológicos

A ervilha é cultivada no Brasil Central, durante o inverno seco, exigindo para o pleno êxito da cultura o uso da irrigação. Assim, o presente trabalho se propõe a avaliar os efeitos do potencial da água no solo nos índices fisiológicos da análise quantitativa de crescimento de plantas de ervilha (Pisum sativum L.). O experimento foi montado em casa de vegetação, em solos de textura argilosa, com delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, com quatro tratamentos decorrentes de potenciais mínimos da água no solo (-33, -100, -200 e -1500 kPa) em três repetições, cada qual contendo duas plantas de ervilha, cultivar Caprice. Os resultados obtidos evidenciaram que a redução do potencial água no solo, induziu o decréscimo na área foliar, sem interferir no comportamento da razão de massa foliar, razão de área foliar, taxa assimilatória líquida e taxa de crescimento relativo.

Adequação do teste de condutividade elétrica para sementes de Pisum sativum subsp. Arvense

A qualidade da semente na produção agrícola é um dos principais fatores a ser considerado na implantação da cultura, de forma que se torna importante a obtenção de informações sobre a germinação e o vigor das sementes, além da necessidade de avaliá-los. Dentro desse contexto, este trabalho teve como objetivo adequar a metodologia do teste de condutividade elétrica para a avaliação da qualidade fisiológica de sementes de Pisum sativum subsp. arvense. Para tanto, foram utilizados dez lotes de sementes da cultivar IAPAR 83, empregando-se períodos de condicionamento de 8, 16, 20, 24 e 28 horas, combinados às temperaturas de 20 e 25°C e volumes de 75 e 250mL de água. Além destes, foram conduzidos os testes de germinação, primeira contagem de germinação e emergência de plântulas. Para ambas as avaliações, foram utilizadas quatro repetições de 50 sementes. Os testes de vigor, assim como o teste de germinação foram sensíveis para avaliar a qualidade das sementes dos diferentes lotes estudados, porém houve variações na ordenação deles quanto ao vigor. O volume de água, o tempo e a temperatura de embebição influenciaram os valores de condutividade elétrica. Concluiu-se que o teste de condutividade elétrica utilizando 250mL de água, na temperatura de 25°C por 24 horas é promissor para a diferenciação de lotes de sementes de P. sativum subsp. arvense.

Reação de linhagens de ervilha de vagens comestíveis (Pisum sativum L.) ao oídio (Erysiphe pisi DC.)

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Proteção de Plantas) - FCA

Efeito do B, Mo e Zn no conteúdo de proteínas, carboidratos e aminoácidos livres em grãos e sementes de ervilha (Pisum sativum L.)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Efeito do Zn e N no conteúdo de aminoácidos, proteína e carboidratos dos grãos de ervilha (Pisum sativum L.), cultivar Utrillo

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Métodos para a avaliação da qualidade fisiológica de sementes de ervilha forrageira (Pisum sativum subsp. arvense)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Produtividade de linhagens unifloras e bifloras de ervilha (Pisum sativum L.) de vagens comestíveis em função da densidade de plantio

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Horticultura) - FCA