BETWEEN TRADITION AND TECHNOLOGY: RESPONSES OF KAWAIWETE AND TRANSGENIC MAIZE TO CONTRASTING WATER REGIMES

• Grant number: 25/13546-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2025
• End date: September 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal Investigator: Janaina Braga do Carmo
• Grantee: Gabriela Fonseca Muakad
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias para a Sustentabilidade (CCTS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). Sorocaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important crops worldwide, whose productivity is increasingly threatened by extreme climatic events, especially changes in water availability. In this context, it is essential to explore alternatives that promote agricultural resilience. This project aims to evaluate the development of two maize varieties, one being a traditional landrace cultivated by the Kawaiwete Indigenous people, and the other a commercial transgenic hybrid, under different water regimes. The experiment will be conducted in pots filled with pre-analyzed soil, and the morphological variables to be measured include plant height, stem diameter, shoot and root dry mass, and total aboveground and belowground biomass. In parallel, microbial activity in the rhizosphere soil will be assessed, including genomic DNA extraction, total bacterial quantification by qPCR, microbial activity assays through FDA hydrolysis, and metabarcoding analysis of microbial communities. These analyses will allow us to investigate whether the diversity and functionality of the rhizosphere microbiota are influenced by the maize genotype and water availability, contributing to the understanding of plant-microbe interactions in resilient agricultural systems. The results may support more sustainable management strategies and promote traditional agricultural practices associated with agrobiodiversity conservation.