RESUMO: Os efeitos da interação entre nitrogênio e a radiação UV-B foram estudados em plantas de girassol (Helianthus annuus L. variedade IAC-Iarama), cultivadas em casa de vegetação sob condições fotoperiódicas naturais. As plantas foram irradiadas com 0.8W m-2 (controle) ou 8.0W m-2 (+UV-B) durante 7h por dia. As plantas foram cultivadas em vasos contendo vermiculita e regadas com solução nutritiva de Long Ashton 70%, contendo baixa (42,3ppm) ou alta (282ppm) dose de nitrogênio na forma de nitrato de amônio. A alta dose de nitrogênio aumentou a matéria seca das folhas, caule e parte aérea, pigmentos fotossintéticos e a fotossíntese (A), sem alterar a condutância estomática (gs) ou transpiração (E), enquanto reduziu a concentração intercelular de CO2 (Ci) e o conteúdo de malondialdeído (MDA). A elevada radiação UV-B reduziu a produção de matéria seca, A, gs e E, sendo os efeitos mais acentuados sob alta dose de nitrogênio, enquanto aumentou Ci sob alta dose de nitrogênio. A atividade da PG-POD foi reduzida sob alta radiação UV-B e baixo nitrogênio, mas não foi alterada sob alta dose de nitrogênio. A radiação UV-B aumentou o conteúdo de MDA independente do nitrogênio. Os resultados indicam que os efeitos da radiação UV-B em plantas de girassol são dependentes da disponibilidade de nitrogênio sendo que a alta dose de nitrogênio torna seus processos fisiológicos mais sensíveis à radiação UV-B.

ABSTRACT: Interaction effects between nitrogen and UV-B radiation were studied in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. variety IAC-Iarama) plants grown in a greenhouse under natural photoperiod conditions. Plants were irradiated with 0.8W m-2 (control) or 8.0W m-2 (+UV-B) of UV-B radiation for 7h per day. The plants were grown in pots containing vermiculite and watered with 70% of full strength nitrogen-free Long Ashton solution, containing either low (42.3ppm) or high (282ppm) nitrogen as ammonium nitrate. High nitrogen increased dry matter of stem, leaves and shoot, photosynthetic pigments and photosynthesis (A) without any alteration in stomatal conductance (gs) nor transpiration (E) while it reduced the intercellular CO2 (Ci) concentration, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content. High UV-B radiation had negative effects on dry matter production, A, gs and E with the effects more marked under high nitrogen, whereas it increased Ci under high nitrogen. Activity of PG-POD was reduced by high UV-B radiation under low nitrogen but it was not changed under high nitrogen. The UV-B radiation increased the MDA content independently of nitrogen level. Results indicate that the effects of UV-B radiation on sunflower plants are dependent of nitrogen supply with high nitrogen making their physiological processes more sensitive to UV-B radiation.

Drought is one of the main environmental constraints that can reduce plant yield. Nitric oxide (NO) is a signal molecule involved in plant responses to several environmental stresses. The objective of this study was to investigate the cytoprotective effect of a single foliar application of 0, 1, 10 or 100 µM of the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) in sunflower plants under water stress. Water stressed plants treated with 1μM SNP showed an increase in the relative water content compared with 0 μM SNP. Drought reduced the shoot dry weight but SNP applications did not result in alleviation of drought effects. Neither drought nor water stress plus SNP applications altered the content of photosynthetic pigments. Stomatal conductance was reduced by drought and this reduction was accompanied by a significant reduction in intercellular CO2 concentration and photosynthesis. Treatment with SNP did not reverse the effect of drought on the gas exchange characteristics. Drought increased the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline and reduced pirogalol peroxidase (PG-POD) activity, but did not affect the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD). When the water stressed plants were treated with 10 μM SNP, the activity of PG-POD and the content of proline were increased and the level of MDA was decreased. The results show that the adverse effects of water stress on sunflower plants are dependent on the external NO concentration. The action of NO may be explained by its ability to increase the levels of antioxidant compounds and the activity of ROS-scavenging enzymes.

Este estudo teve como objetivo investigar a tolerância ou susceptibilidade das espécies de capim-colchão (Digitaria ciliaris, D. horizontalis e D. nuda) a herbicidas inibidores do fotossistema II (FSII), por meio da técnica da fluorescência, utilizando a taxa de transferência de elétrons do FSII como indicador. Para isso, foi conduzido um experimento em esquema fatorial 3x6, com três espécies de capim-colchão e seis tratamentos (ametryn, hexazinone, diuron+hexazinone, amicarbazone, diuron, tebuthiuron e testemunha) aplicados em pós-emergência. Foi monitorada a taxa de transporte de elétrons (ETR) do FSII em intervalos de tempo crescente e aferida a massa seca das plantas aos 21 dias após a aplicação. A partir dos dados da ETR, calculou-se um valor numérico representativo da taxa de inativação da ETR. Os resultados demonstraram que todas as espécies de capim-colchão estudadas são susceptíveis aos herbicidas ametryn e hexazinone (valores da taxa de inativação da ETR superiores a 10.000). Os herbicidas diuron e tebuthiuron apresentaram menores taxas de inativação da ETR para a D. nuda (3.585 e 3.497, respectivamente) e maiores para as espécies D. ciliaris e D. horizontalis (acima de 10.000), enquanto que o herbicida amicarbazone apresentou valor intermediário para D. nuda (7.967). O monitoramento da ETR foi eficiente para verificar a atuação dos herbicidas nas diferentes espécies estudadas

This study aimed to investigate the tolerance or susceptibility of crabgrass species (Digitaria ciliaris, D. horizontalis and D. nuda) to herbicides that target photosystem II (PSII), by fluorescence technique using the electron transport rate (ETR) through PSII as an indicator. An experiment was conducted under a factorial arrange (3x6), with three species of crabgrass and six treatments (ametryn, hexazinone, diuron+hexazinone, amicarbazone, diuron, tebuthiuron and control) applied in post-emergence. The ETR through PSII was monitored over time and the plants dry weight measured at 21 days after application. A numerical value of the ETR inactivation was calculated from the data collected. The results showed that the three crabgrass species studied are susceptible to ametryn and hexazinone (ETR inactivation value higher than 10,000). Moreover, diuron and tebuthiuron provided lower ETR inactivation for D. nuda (3,585 and 3,497, respectively) and higher rates for D. horizontalis and D. ciliaris (more than 10,000), whereas amicarbazone showed intermediate inactivation rate for D. nuda (7,967). Monitoring the ETR showed to be an efficient form to verify the herbicides performance in the different species studied here

Os efeitos do estresse hídrico e da reidratação nas trocas gasosas juntamente com alterações na lipoperoxidação e atividade da pirogalol peroxidase (PG-POD) foram estudados em folhas adultas e jovens de plantas de girassol (Helianthus annuus L.) cultivadas em casa de vegetação. O estresse hídrico reduziu a fotossíntese (P N), a condutância estomática (g s) e a transpiração (E) nas folhas adultas e jovens. No entanto, a amplitude da redução foi dependente da idade da folha. A concentração intercelular de CO2 (Ci) aumentou nas folhas adultas, mas não apresentou alteração nas folhas jovens sob condições de estresse hídrico. A eficiência instantânea do uso da água (WUE) nas folhas adultas e estressadas foi reduzida em comparação com o controle, enquanto que, nas folhas jovens e estressadas, não foi alterada. Após 24h de reidratação, as folhas apresentaram valores semelhantes aos dos controles em todos os parâmetros relacionados com as trocas gasosas, exceto gs e E nas folhas adultas. O estresse hídrico não ativou a PG-POD, independente da idade da folha, e após a reidratação a atividade da PG-POD foi aumentada apenas nas folhas adultas. O estresse hídrico aumentou o teor de malondialdeído (MDA) nas folhas adultas e jovens. Os resultados sugerem que as folhas jovens são mais susceptívies ao déficit hídrico em termos de trocas gasosas que as folhas adultas, embora ambas tenham sido expostas ao estresse oxidativo.

The effects of water stress and rehydration on leaf gas exchange characteristics along with changes in lipid peroxidation and pirogalol peroxidase (PG-POD) were studied in mature and in young leaves of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), which were grown in a greenhouse. Water stress reduced photosynthesis (Pn), stomatal conductance (g s), and transpiration (E) in both young and mature leaves. However, the amplitude of the reduction was dependent on leaf age. The intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) was increased in mature leaves but it was not altered in young leaves. Instantaneous water use efficiency (WUE) in mature stressed leaves was reduced when compared to control leaves while in young stressed leaves it was maintained to the same level as the control. After 24h of rehydration, most of the parameters related to gas exchange recovered to the same level as the unstressed plants except gs and E in mature leaves. Water stress did not activated PG-POD independently of leaf age. However, after rehydration the enzyme activity was increased in mature leaves and remained to the same as the control in young leaves. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content was increased by water stress in both mature and young leaves. The results suggest that young leaves are more susceptible to water stress in terms of gas exchange characteristics than mature leaves although both went through oxidative estresse.