Wiler Ribas Moreira

Leaf Gas Exchange and Oxidative Stress in Sorghum Plants Supplied with Silicon and Infected by Colletotrichum sublineolum

Considering the economic importance of anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum sublineolum, and silicon (Si) to enhance sorghum resistance against this disease, this study aimed to investigate the effect of this element on leaf gas exchange and also the antioxidative system when infected by C. sublineolum. Plants from sorghum line CMSXS142 (BR 009 [Tx623] - Texas), growing in hydroponic culture with (+Si, 2 mM) or without (-Si) Si, were inoculated with C. sublineolum. Disease severity was assessed at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 days after inoculation (dai) and data were used to calculate the area under anthracnose progress curve (AUAPC). Further, the net carbon assimilation rate (A), stomatal conductance to water vapor (g(s)), internal-to-ambient CO₂ concentration ratio (C(i)/C(a)), and transpiration rate (E); the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase (GR); the electrolyte leakage (EL), and the concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined. The AUAPC was reduced by 86% for the +Si plants compared with the -Si plants. The values of A, g(s), and E were lower upon inoculation of -Si plants in contrast to inoculated +Si plants with decreases of 31 and 60% for A, 34 and 61% for g(s), and 27 and 57% for E, respectively, at 4 and 8 dai. For the noninoculated plants, there was no significant difference between the -Si and +Si treatments for the values of A, g(s), and E. The C(i)/C(a) ratio was similar between the -Si and +Si treatments, regardless of the pathogen inoculation. The activities of SOD, CAT, APX, and GR tended to be higher in the +Si plants compared with the -Si plants upon inoculation with C. sublineolum. The EL significantly increased for -Si plants compared with +Si plants. The MDA concentration significantly increased by 31 and 38% at 4 and 8 dai, respectively, for the -Si plants compared with the +Si plants. Based on these results, Si may have a positive effect on sorghum physiology when infected by C. sublineolum through the maintenance of carbon fixation and also by enhancing the antioxidant system, which resulted in an increase in reactive oxygen species scavenging and, ultimately, reduced damage to the cell membranes.

Silicon reduces bacterial speck development on tomato leaves

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of silicon (Si) on the resistance of tomato plants (cv. Santa Clara) to bacterial speck, caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst). Tomatoes were grown in soil without calcium silicate (control), in soil without calcium silicate and sprayed with Supa Silica® (2 mL/L) (SS) and in soil with calcium silicate (0.16 g/kg of soil) (CS). The effect of SS on the growth of Pst was evaluated in vitro. There was no significant difference among the treatments for foliar Si concentration and incubation period. No significant differences were observed between the control and CS for the number of lesions per plant (NLP) and bacterial speck severity estimated by the software QUANT. The NLP was significantly reduced with SS spray. There was a negative linear response of in vitro Pst growth to the SS rates. Peroxidase, polyphenoloxidase and glucanase activities were significantly higher for plants sprayed with SS and grown in soil with CS compared to the control treatment. Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and lypoxygenase activities were significantly higher for plants grown in soil with CS compared to the control. The concentration of malondialdehyde was significantly higher for plants sprayed with SS compared to the control at 0 and 7 dai. The results of this study indicate that the symptoms of bacterial speck are reduced when plants are sprayed with SS, which can be linked to the direct effect of this product against Pst rather than the potentation of host defense responses.

Influência do magnésio na resistência do arroz à mancha parda

A mancha parda, causada pelo fungo Bipolaris oryzae, e uma das principais doencas da cultura do arroz. Sabe-se que o magnesio (Mg) tem o potencial de reduzir a intensidade de algumas doencas em culturas de importância economica e, portanto, o objetivo desse trabalho foi verificar o efeito de diferentes doses desse macronutriente na resistencia do arroz a mancha parda. Para isto, plantas de arroz (cv. Metica-1) foram cultivadas em solucao nutritiva contendo 0,25; 0,5; 1; 2 e 4 mmol.L-1 de Mg. Foram avaliados o periodo de incubacao (PI), o numero de lesoes (NL) por cm2 de folha, a severidade da mancha parda e a concentracao foliar de Mg. Os dados de severidade foram usados para calcular a area abaixo da curva do progresso da mancha parda (AACPMP). Outro experimento com as doses de 0,25; 2,5 e 4 mmol.L-1 de Mg foi conduzido para determinar a concentracao de aldeido malonico (MDA) e a atividade da quitinase (QUI), β-1,3-glucanase (GLU), peroxidase (POX), polifenoloxidase (PFO) e fenilalanina amonia-liase (FAL) em resposta a infeccao por B. oryzae. Houve efeito linear positivo e linear negativo das doses crescentes de Mg, respectivamente, na concentracao foliar de Mg e na AACPMP. Houve efeito quadratico das doses crescentes de Mg no PI e no NL por cm2 de area foliar. Alta concentracao de MDA e maior atividade da PFO ocorreram com a dose de 4 mmol.L-1 de Mg. As atividades da QUI e da GLU nao foram afetadas pelas doses de Mg. A maior atividade da POX ocorreu para as plantas supridas com as doses de 2,5 e 4 mmol.L-1 de Mg. A FAL apresentou aumento significativo em atividade as 48 e 72 horas apos inoculacao com a dose de 4 mmol.L-1 Mg. Os resultados desse estudo demonstram que a alta concentracao foliar de Mg aumentou a resistencia do arroz a infeccao por B. oryzae principalmente por meio do aumento das atividades das enzimas de defesa.

Magnesium-induced alterations in the photosynthetic performance and resistance of rice plants infected with Bipolaris oryzae

Brown spot (BS), caused by the fungus Bipolaris oryzae, is one of the most important diseases contracted by rice. We investigated the effect of magnesium (Mg) on the development of BS, caused by Bipolaris oryzae, and the effects of disease development on the photosynthetic performance of rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants (cv. Metica-1) grown in nutrient solutions containing 0.25 or 4.0 mM of Mg. Assessments of BS severity, leaf Mg and pigment concentrations (total chlorophylls and carotenoids), were carried out at 120 h after inoculation, in addition to gas exchange parameters,. Higher leaf concentration of Mg was observed in plants supplied with 4.0 mM Mg than in those supplied with 0.25 mM. The increase in leaf Mg was accompanied by a decrease in BS severity, higher concentration of total chlorophyll and better photosynthetic performance. Plants supplied with 4.0 mM Mg had higher average values for carbon assimilation, stomatal conductance and internal leaf CO2 concentration when compared with plants supplied with 0.25 mM Mg. Conversely, the concentration of carotenoids was lower in plants supplied with the higher Mg rate. These results suggest that Mg suppresses disease severity and preserves photosynthetic performance by allowing for better stomatal conductance and, consequently, greater availability of CO2 at the carboxylation sites.

Differential leaf gas exchange performance of mango cultivars infected by different isolates of Ceratocystis fimbriata

Caused by the vascular fungus Ceratocystis fimbriata, mango wilt is considered to be one of the most serious threats in mango-producing regions worldwide. However, changes in leaf gas exchange level and the mechanisms underlying host responses to this fungal infection remain poorly described. This study aimed to evaluate potential changes in the leaf gas exchange of different mango cultivars (Uba, Espada, Haden and Tommy Atkins) in response to two Brazilian isolates of C. fimbriata (CEBS15 and MSAK16) to non-invasively assess cultivar variability in relation to the basal level of resistance to mango wilt. Both isolates, regardless of the cultivar, caused reductions in stomatal conductance and, thus, a reduction in CO2 assimilation via diffusive limitations. Taking into account the full length of the internal lesion and the radial colonization of the stem tissues, both isolates showed equivalent aggressiveness when inoculated into the Haden and Tommy Atkins cultivars. Conversely, when compared to the CEBS15 isolate of C. fimbriata, the MSAK16 isolate was more aggressive in cv. Espada and less aggressive in cv. Uba.