Evaluation of proline levels in sugarcane genotypes subjected to drought

• Grant number: 17/06091-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2017
• End date: April 30, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Crop Science
• Principal Investigator: Gabriel Rodrigues Alves Margarido
• Grantee: Aline Poletti
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 15/22993-7 - Transcriptomics for the identification of commercially important genes in sugarcane, AP.BIOEN.JP

Abstract

Among the objectives of the genetic improvement of plants, we stress the importance of increasing our knowledge on the use of water by plants and the selection of water stress-resistant genotypes. In fact, drought is a major problem in several sugarcane producing regions in Brazil. The present research proposal aims to evaluate six sugarcane genotypes of the Brazilian Panel of Sugarcane Genotypes, three of which are resistant to drought and three are susceptible. These genotypes will be grown under greenhouse conditions in 2017, in a completely randomized experiment with three replicates. Two treatments will be applied: with and without water stress, by suppressing irrigation after 90 days of growth, in the case of stress treatment. In order to complement the characterization of gene expression profiles of the various genotypes subjected to drought, we will also assess the response to water stress by additional physiological traits. Among them, we will measure the concentration of free cell proline, because this solute acts as an indicator of the level of stress. (AU)