Abstract NAC transcription factors are plant-specific proteins involved in many processes during the plant life cycle and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Previous studies have shown that stress-induced OsNAC5 from rice (Oryza sativa L.) is up-regulated by senescence and might be involved in control of iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) concentrations in rice seeds. Aiming a better understanding of the role of OsNAC5 in rice plants, we investigated a mutant line carrying a T-DNA insertion in the promoter of OsNAC5, which resulted in enhanced expression of the transcription factor. Plants with OsNAC5 enhanced expression were shorter at the seedling stage and had reduced yield at maturity. In addition, we evaluated the expression level of OsNAC6, which is co-expressed with OsNAC5, and found that enhanced expression of OsNAC5 leads to increased expression of OsNAC6, suggesting that OsNAC5 might regulate OsNAC6 expression. Ionomic analysis of leaves and seeds from the OsNAC5 enhanced expression line revealed lower Fe and Zn concentrations in leaves and higher Fe concentrations in seeds than in WT plants, further suggesting that OsNAC5 may be involved in regulating the ionome in rice plants. Our work shows that fine-tuning of transcription factors is key when aiming at crop improvement. plantspecific specific stresses stressinduced stress induced OsNAC Oryza L. L upregulated up regulated (Fe (Zn plants TDNA T DNA factor maturity addition coexpressed co expressed finetuning fine tuning improvement

RESUMO: A temperatura afeta o desenvolvimento das plantas, portanto o filocrono tem sido usado para prever eventos de desenvolvimento e estabelecer o momento adequado para práticas agrícolas. Esse estudo buscou avaliar mudanças em filocrono e soma térmica até o florescimento de genótipos de aveia desenvolvidos em diferentes décadas em três regimes térmicos; o efeito de altas temperaturas no desenvolvimento de fitômeros; e identificar o estágio de desenvolvimento em que ocorre a transição do meristema para a fase reprodutiva. Três ambientes foram estabelecidos pela semeadura no outono, na primavera e em temperatura constante (17oC), em fotoperíodo indutor. Apesar da alteração dos valores numéricos, houve pouca diferença entre os filocronos dos genótipos. A adição das temperaturas ótima e máxima específicas no cálculo de graus dias demonstrou a estabilidade de filocrono entre ambientes. O ciclo e a soma térmica correlacionaram-se com o número de fitômeros. UFRGS 078030-2 floresceu mais cedo, teve menos fitômeros e maior tolerância a altas temperaturas do que os demais genótipos. Os genótipos mais recentes transitam para a fase reprodutiva em estágios mais precoces da escala Haun, em comparação com os genótipos mais antigos.

ABSTRACT: Temperature affects plant development therefore phyllochron has been used as a predictor for developmental events to define the time for agricultural managing practices. This study aims to evaluate changes in phyllochron and thermal sum required for flowering by oat genotypes developed at different decades at three temperature regimes; the effect of high temperature on phytomere development; and identify the development stage at the moment of meristem transition to reproductive stage. Three environments were obtained by sowing in the fall, in the spring, and under constant temperature (17oC), always at inductive photoperiod. Despite changes in nominal values small differences were found among genotypes’ phyllochron. Adding specific optimal and maximum temperatures into the growing degree days’ calculation demonstrated phyllochron stability among environments. Plant cycle length and thermal sum correlated with the number of developed phytomeres. UFRGS 078030-2 plants flowered earlier, had a small number of phytomeres, and greater tolerance to elevated temperatures than the other genotypes. More recent genotypes transit to reproductive stage at an earlier Haun stage than older ones.