The binding protein (BiP) has been demonstrated to participate in innate immunity and attenuate endoplasmic reticulum-and osmotic stress-induced cell death. Here, we employed transgenic plants with manipulated levels of BiP to assess whether BiP also controlled developmental and hypersensitive programmed cell death (PCD). Under normal conditions, the BiP-induced transcriptome revealed a robust down-regulation of developmental PCD genes and an up-regulation of the genes involved in hypersensitive PCD triggered by nonhost-pathogen interactions. Accordingly, the BiP-overexpressing line displayed delayed leaf senescence under normal conditions and accelerated hypersensitive response triggered by Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato in soybean (Glycine max) and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), as monitored by measuring hallmarks of PCD in plants. The BiPmediated delay of leaf senescence correlated with the attenuation of N-rich protein (NRP)-mediated cell death signaling and the inhibition of the senescence-associated activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR). By contrast, under biological activation of salicylic acid (SA) signaling and hypersensitive PCD, BiP overexpression further induced NRP-mediated cell death signaling and antagonistically inhibited the UPR. Thus, the SA-mediated induction of NRP cell death signaling occurs via a pathway distinct from UPR. Our data indicate that during the hypersensitive PCD, BiP positively regulates the NRP cell death signaling through a yet undefined mechanism that is activated by SA signaling and related to ER functioning. By contrast, BiP's negative regulation of leaf senescence may be linked to its capacity to attenuate the UPR activation and NRP cell death signaling. Therefore, BiP can function either as a negative or positive modulator of PCD events.

BiP overexpression improves leaf water relations during droughts and delays drought-induced leaf senescence. However, whether BiP controls cellular homeostasis under drought conditions or simply delays dehydration-induced leaf senescence as the primary cause for water stress tolerance remains to be determined. To address this issue, we examined the drought-induced transcriptomes of BiP-overexpressing lines and wild-type (WT) lines under similar leaf water potential (ψw) values. In the WT leaves, a ψw reduction of −1.0 resulted in 1339 up-regulated and 2710 down-regulated genes; in the BiP-overexpressing line 35S::BiP-4, only 334 and 420 genes were induced and repressed, respectively, at a similar leaf ψw = −1.0 MPa. This level of leaf dehydration was low enough to induce a repertory of typical drought-responsive genes in WT leaves but not in 35S::BiP-4 dehydrated leaves. The responders included hormone-related genes, functional and regulatory genes involved in drought protection and senescence-associated genes. The number of differentially expressed genes in the 35S::BiP-4 line approached the wild type number at a leaf ψw = −1.6 MPa. However, N-rich protein (NRP)- mediated cell death signaling genes and unfolded protein response (UPR) genes were induced to a much lower extent in the 35S::BiP-4 line than in the WT even at ψw = −1.6 MPa. The heatmaps for UPR, ERAD (ER-associated degradation protein system), drought-responsive and cell death-associated genes revealed that the leaf transcriptome of 35S::BiP-4 at ψw = −1.0 MPa clustered together with the transcriptome of well-watered leaves and they diverged considerably from the drought-induced transcriptome of the WT (ψw = −1.0, −1.7 and −2.0 MPa) and 35S::BiP-4 leaves at ψw = −1.6 MPa. Taken together, our data revealed that BiP-overexpressing lines requires a much higher level of stress (ψw = −1.6 MPa) to respond to drought than that of WT (ψw = −1.0). Therefore, BiP overexpression maintains cellular homeostasis under water stress conditions and thus ameliorates endogenous osmotic stress.

RESUMO -A secagem de sementes de pepino é etapa obrigatória no seu beneficiamento, bem como o armazenamento para conquistar mercados competitivos e melhores oportunidades de preços. Portanto, o objetivo com este trabalho foi o de avaliar o desempenho fisiológico e bioquímico durante a secagem e armazenamento de sementes de pepino. A cultivar utilizada foi o híbrido de pepino Ômega comercializado pela Agristar Ltda. As sementes foram lavadas e secadas em temperatura ambiente de 25 ºC, 35 ºC e 45 ºC até atingir grau de umidade de 7%. As sementes foram embaladas em sacos de papel multifoliado e armazenadas em condições de ambiente não controlado. As avaliações da qualidade foram realizadas aos 0, 3, 6, 9 e 12 meses pelos testes de germinação, primeira contagem, condutividade elétrica e emergência de plântulas em bandeja. Avaliaram também as atividades enzimáticas de superóxido dismutase, catalase, esterase, lipoxigenase, isocitrato liase e proteína LEA, e por fim o teste de sanidade. A secagem de sementes de pepino, em temperatura ambiente, e a 35 ºC resulta em sementes de melhor qualidade. Ocorre redução da qualidade fisiológica das sementes e da atividade da proteína LEA a partir de seis meses de armazenamento, independente da temperatura de secagem.Termos para indexação: Cucumis sativus, qualidade fisiológica, eletroforese. PERFORMANCE DURING STORAGE OF CUCUMBER SEEDS UNDER DIFFERENT METHODS OF DRYINGABSTRACT -The drying of seeds of cucumber is a compulsory stage in his improvement, as well as the storage to conquer competitive markets and better opportunities of prices. So the objective with this work valued the physiologic and biochemical performance during the drying and storage of seeds of cucumber. Cultivating used was the hybrid of cucumber Ômega marketed by the Agristar Ltda. The seeds were washed and dried at room temperature 25 °C, 35 ºC and 45 ºC, following the storage in conditions ambient. The physiologic quality was valued through the germination test, first counting, conductivity electric and seedlings emergence. Also there was done sanitary analysis, evaluation of the activity of enzymes from the superoxide dismutase, catalase, esterase, lipoxigenase, isocitrato liase and LEA protein, and finally the analysis of images through ray X. The drying of seeds 42

The adsorption and desorption isotherms of tapioca flour was performed in the range of water activity (a w ) from 0.22 to 0.92 at 25°C, and the applicability of six mathematical models in data prediction was evaluated. The tapioca flour presented Type II isotherm (sigmoid), and the hysteresis effect was not observed. For the microbiological stability, the moisture of tapioca flour should not exceed 10.1%. The monolayer moisture content value indicates that the drying process of tapioca flour should not be conducted to obtain moisture levels lower than 4.92% to avoid unnecessary power consumption. The data fit showed that all mathematical models are able to predict the adsorption isotherm of tapioca flour, and the models of Handerson, Smith, GAB and BET are able to predict the desorption isotherm.

A utilização de descritores morfológicos e marcadores bioquímicos de proteínas e enzimas têm sido recomendados para fins de caracterização de cultivares de soja. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi empregar tais descritores e marcadores na identificação de dez cultivares de soja. Os marcadores morfológicos avaliados nos estádios de plântula, planta e semente foram os recomendados pela Lei de Proteção de Cultivares e UPOV, mostrando-se eficientes na separação das dez cultivares. Marcadores específicos para sete das dez cultivares foram obtidos. A utilização de proteínas de armazenamento possibilitou a separação das cultivares em três grupos: 1) Conquista, BR/IAC 21 e Garantia; 2) Liderança, Confiança e Monarca; 3) Splendor, UFV 16, FT 2000 e Vencedora. Os sistemas enzimáticos superóxido dismutase, diaforase, fosfoglucomutase, esterase, álcool desidrogenase, isocitrado desidrogenase e peroxidase separaram as cultivares em seis grupos: 1) Conquista e Confiança; 2) Splendor e FT 2000; 3) UFV 16 e Garantia; 4) BRIAC 21; 5) Liderança e Monarca; 6) Vencedora. O emprego de marcadores bioquímicos de proteínas e caracterização de cultivares de soja.

-Determination of seed physiological maturity and ideal moment for harvesting fruits to extract their seeds are important aspects to produce seeds with high quality. To identify the best period for harvesting eggplant fruits, associated with ideal resting period of the fruit for extracting seeds, an eggplant production field was installed in municipality of Ijaci, in the State of Minas Gerais, Southwestern Brazil. The fruits were harvested at periods of 49, 56, 63, 70, and 77 days after pollination (DAP). The seeds of fruits harvested in each period were manually extracted immediately after harvest or after a post-harvest resting period of seven days, under a shed. The physiological quality of seeds was assessed by tests of: germination percentage; germination and emergence speed indexes; and electrical conductivity; which were carried out in the Central Seed Laboratory, Federal University of Lavras. Electrophoretic analyses of isoenzymes: catalase (CAT); esterase (EST); superoxide dismutase (SOD); and peroxidase (PO), were also therein performed. Results of germination and vigor of seeds have showed that the best period for harvesting the fruit is around 70 DAP; and that seeds should be extracted immediately after harvest. Electrophoretic analysis of enzymes has showed immaturity for eggplant seeds, harvested after 49 DAP.Index terms: Solanum melongena, harvest, germination, resting period. Maturidade fisiológica de sementes de berinjelaRESUMO -A determinação da maturidade fisiológica das sementes e do momento ideal de colheita dos frutos para extraí-las são aspectos importantes para a produção de sementes com alta qualidade. Para identificar a melhor época de colheita dos frutos de berinjela e o tempo ideal de descanso do fruto para extração das sementes, foi instalado um campo de produção, no município de Ijaci, MG. Os frutos foram colhidos aos 49, 56, 63, 70 e 77 dias após a polinização (DAP). As sementes dos frutos colhidos, em cada época, foram extraídas manualmente, imediatamente após a colheita, ou então após repouso pós-colheita, por sete dias, em galpão. A qualidade das sementes foi avaliada por meio dos testes de: germinação; emergência; índices de velocidade de germinação e emergência; e condutividade elétrica; e também a análise eletroforética das isoenzimas catalase (CAT), esterase (EST), superóxido dismutase (SOD) e peroxidase (PO) foram conduzidas no Laboratório Central de Sementes, Universidade Federal de Lavras. Os resultados de germinação e vigor das sementes revelaram que a melhor época para a colheita dos frutos é de, aproximadamente, 70 DAP; e que as sementes devem ser extraídas imediatamente após a colheita. A análise eletroforética das enzimas evidenciou imaturidade das sementes aos 49 DAP.Termos para indexação: Solanum melongena, colheita, germinação, período de repouso.

O estabelecimento ideal de plantas no campo é determinado, dentre outros fatores, pela qualidade fisiológica e sanitária das sementes utilizadas. Neste sentido, o tratamento químico de sementes torna-se essencial, pois proporciona melhor desempenho das mesmas no campo. Atualmente, em associação com o tratamento químico, a fim de aumentar a aderência dos produtos químicos nas sementes, dentre outros objetivos, tem sido estudada a utilização de películas de revestimento. Com este trabalho, objetivou-se avaliar a qualidade fisiológica e sanitária de sementes de algodoeiro de quatro lotes, tratadas quimicamente e peliculizadas com 2 tipos de películas comerciais. Utilizou-se dois lotes da cultivar Delta Opal, dois da cultivar Sure Grow, e dois tipos de películas, denominadas AG201 e TGBP1080. As sementes foram submetidas ao tratamento com a mistura dos fungicidas carboxin+thiram com o inseticida imidacloprid, na dosagem 5 mL/Kg + 5 mL/Kg de sementes e na dosagem 2,5 mL/Kg + 2,5 mL/Kg de sementes. Os tratamentos foram avaliados por teste de germinação, teste de emergência de plântulas, índice de velocidade de emergência, teste de frio e de sanidade. O tratamento químico com a mistura de carboxin+thiram com imidacloprid, na dosagem 5 mL/Kg + 5 mL/Kg de sementes promove melhor desempenho das sementes, sendo eficaz no controle de fungos. O uso da peliculização não possibilita redução da dosagem do tratamento químico. A peliculização não afeta a germinação, emergência e índice de velocidade de emergência de lotes de alta qualidade.

‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ is the most common huanglongbing-associated bacteria, being present in Asia, South, Central, and North America. Genomic approaches enabled sequencing of ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ genomes, allowing for a broader assessment of its genetic variability with the application of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based tools such as microsatellite or short tandem repeat (STR) analysis. Although these tools contributed to a detailed analysis of strains from Japan, China, and the United States, Brazilian strains were analyzed in either too few samples with several STRs or in several strains with only a single microsatellite and a single PCR marker. We used 573 ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ strains, mainly collected from São Paulo State (SPS), in our genetic analyses, employing three STRs and several prophage PCR markers. STR revealed a homogeneous population regardless of sampling year or geographic regions of SPS. Thirty-eight haplotypes were recognized with a predominance of VNTR_005 higher than 10 repeats, with VNTR_002 and VNTR_077 containing 11 and 8 repeats, respectively. This haplotype is indicated as class HE, which comprised 80.28% of strains. Classes HA and HB, predominant in Florida, were not found. A new genomic organization in the junction of prophages SC2 and SC1 is prevalent in Brazilian strains, indicating gene rearrangement and a widespread occurrence of a type 1 prophage as well as the presence of a type 2-like prophage. Our results indicate that ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ populations are homogeneous and harbor a new genomic organization in prophages type 1 and 2.