Modulation of Drought-Induced Stress in Cowpea Genotypes Using Exogenous Salicylic Acid.

Plant endogenous mechanisms are not always sufficient enough to mitigate drought stress, therefore, the exogenous application of elicitors, such as salicylic acid, is necessary. In this study, we assessed the mitigating action of salicylic acid (SA) in cowpea genotypes under drought conditions. An experiment was conducted with two cowpea genotypes and six treatments of drought stress and salicylic acid (T1 = Control, T2 = drought stress (stress), T3 = stress + 0.1 mM of SA, T4 = stress + 0.5 mM of SA, T5 = stress + 1.0 mM of SA, and T6 = stress + 2.0 mM of SA). Plants were evaluated in areas of leaf area, stomatal conductance, photosynthesis, proline content, the activity of antioxidant enzymes, and dry grain production. Drought stress reduces the leaf area, stomatal conductance, photosynthesis, and, consequently, the production of both cowpea genotypes. The growth and production of the BRS Paraguaçu genotype outcompetes the Pingo de Ouro-1-2 genotype, regardless of the stress conditions. The exogenous application of 0.5 mM salicylic acid to cowpea leaves increases SOD activity, decreases CAT activity, and improves the production of both genotypes. The application of 0.5 mM of salicylic acid mitigates drought stress in the cowpea genotype, and the BRS Paraguaçu genotype is more tolerant to drought stress.

Healing of Gladioulus grandiflora corms and Fusarium oxysporum infection.

Gladiolus grandiflorus L. is highly susceptible to Fusarium and losses caused by this disease varies from 60% to 100%. Injuries caused during harvest, transport and inadequate storage, facilitate infection. The dynamics of wound healing can reduce infection by Fusarium. The objective was to characterize the wound healing in corms of G. grandiflora stored under refrigeration and how it affects the entry and establishment of F. oxysporum f. sp. gladioli infection. Corms were wounded and stored at 12 ± 4°C and relative humidity of 90 ± 5%. Cell damage, fresh weight loss, respiration, phenolic compounds, tissue darkening, suberization, lignification and resistance to infection were evaluated. Wounds on corms caused transepidermal damage with collapse and cell death. Physiological (increased loss of mass and respiration) and biochemical changes (deposition of lignin and suberin, enzymatic activity) occurred in the cells neighboring those death by the injury. The injury caused gradual darkening of the tissue, injured and neighbor. Fusarium oxysporum infection decreased with wound healing. The healing of injured G. grandiflora corms stored at 12ºC occurs from the 3rd day after injury by the accumulation of suberin, lignin, and melanin, inhibiting F. oxysporum f. sp. gladioli infection.

Physiological changes in Solanum lycopersicum L. in the presence of root-knot nematodes and salicylic acid / Alterações fisiológicas em Solanum lycopersicum L. na presença de nematóides das galhas e ácido salicílico

Nematodes of the genus Meloidogyne spp. are one of the tomato culture's main pathogens. According to their soil infestation level, physiological changes may occur. Consequently, it is extremely important to employ given products to minimize their effect. A feasible option is the salicylic acid, a phytohormone that can induce into resistance due to its ability to increase the production level of some pathogenicity proteins. Therefore, the purpose hereof was to assess the effect of salicylic acid on the physiology of tomato plants subject to different populational densities of Meloidogyne javanica. The design employed was one of randomized blocks, in an incomplete factorial scheme, using the Box Central Compound (BCC) matrix with five nematode populational densities (PD) (0; 5815; 20000; 34184; and 40000 eggs per plant) and five salicylic acid doses (0.0; 0.29; 1.0; 1.71; and 2.0 mM), with four repetitions and two plants per experimental patch. The gas exchanges, fluorescence, and chlorophyll levels were evaluated 45 days after the transplant and soil infestation. The data were submitted for analysis of variance through the F test and, in the significance cases, the polynomial regression analysis was performed. For stomatal conductance, a greater reduction was seen at the PD of 21755 eggs per plant, a fact that might have decreased the liquid assimilation of CO2 and the efficiency of carboxylation. The salicylic acid (SA) affected the CO2 liquid assimilation and the efficiency of carboxylation. The infestation of M. javanica in tomato plants negatively affected the gas exchange and the chlorophyll levels because the SA application did not mitigate the negative effect thereof.

Os nematoides do gênero Meloidogyne spp. são um dos principais patógenos na cultura do tomate, podendo causar alterações fisiológicas em função do nível de infestação do solo. O uso de produtos que minimize seus efeitos é de suma importância, nesse sentido, o ácido salicílico pode ser uma alternativa viável, visto que, esse fitormônio pode induzir a resistência devido à capacidade de proporcionar um aumento na produção de algumas proteínas de patogenicidade. Com isso, objetivou-se avaliar o efeito do ácido salicílico na fisiologia do tomateiro submetido a diferentes densidades populacionais de Meloidogyne javanica. O delineamento utilizado foi o de blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial incompleto, utilizando-se a matriz Composto Central de Box (CCB) com cinco densidades populacionais (DP) de nematoides (0; 5815; 20000; 34184 e 40000 ovos por planta) e cinco doses de ácido salicílico (0,0; 0,29; 1,0; 1,71 e 2,0 mM), com quatro repetições e duas plantas por parcela experimental. Foram avaliadas as trocas gasosas, fluorescências e índices de clorofilas aos 45 dias após o transplantio e infestação do solo. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância pelo teste F e nos casos de significância foi realizada análise de regressão polinomial. Para a condutância estomática, observou-se uma maior redução na DP de 21755 ovos por planta, fato que pode ter ocasionado reduções na assimilação líquida de CO2 e na eficiência de carboxilação. O ácido salicílico (AS) influenciou na assimilação líquida de CO2 e eficiência de carboxilação. A infestação por M. javanica em plantas de tomateiro influenciou negativamente nas trocas gasosas e nos teores de clorofila, sendo que a aplicação do AS não atenuou os efeitos negativos desses patógenos.