Cold tolerance and de-acclimation in Nidularium minutum Mez (Bromeliaceae) plants

• Grant number: 13/25047-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2014
• End date: January 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Pant Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Catarina Carvalho Nievola
• Grantee: Catarina Carvalho Nievola
• Host Institution: Instituto de Botânica. Secretaria de Meio Ambiente, Infraestrutura e Logística (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Helenice Mercier ; Marcia Regina Braga

Abstract

Tropical biomes can have low temperatures at certain times of year, such as the Serra de Paranapiacaba, São Paulo State. Previous studies with Nidularium minutumMez, an endemic bromeliad to this reserve, revealed a cold toleranceforthis species. The changes found during acclimation to 10 °C were increased soluble carbohydrate content and leaf thickness, and chlorophyll content decreased, with leavesbleaching when compared to plants maintained at 25ºC. This response is reversed when the same plants are transferred to higher temperatures (25 °C), a phenomenon called de-acclimation. Thus, in the early plantsdevelopment, cold survival strategies are triggered ensuring plant survival and enable the resumption of growth, during acclimation. Literature data show correlation between bleaching and cold-induced changes in carbohydrate metabolism and antioxidant enzymes in plant species. There are no reports about this change in other Bromeliaceaespecies, being described only the adaptation of individuals from this group in environments where temperatures may decrease temporarily to 5 ºC. The aim of this project is to investigate the physiological and biochemical changes related to leafbleaching when N. minutum is grown at 10 °C and the physiological mechanisms involved in reversing the discoloration during the de-acclimation of 25 °C. The analyzed parameters will be the photosynthetic apparatus functioning and antioxidant, nitrogen and carbohydrate metabolism. Expected to understand the physiological causes of N. minutum plants bleaching during exposure to low temperature (10 °C) and analyze which the biochemical processes involved in green color restoring during the acclimation. The results may help to identify the physiological mechanisms related to bromeliad plasticity front to thermal changes. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

CARVALHO, CAMILA PEREIRA; CARDOSO-GUSTAYSON, POLIANA; RODRIGUES, EDSON; BRAGA, MARCIA REGINA; MERCIER, HELENICE; NIEVOLA, CATARINA CARVALHO. Low temperature acclimation and de-acclimation of the subtropical bromeliad Nidularium minutum: Implications of changes in the NO, sugar content and NR activity. ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY, v. 159, p. 34-43, MAR 2019. (13/25047-0, 12/16332-0)