Morphological and metabolic changes in Leguminosae and Poaceae forage plants due to sulphur supply

• Grant number: 10/01646-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2010
• End date: July 31, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal Investigator: Francisco Antonio Monteiro
• Grantee: Mariana Kolonko Ferrara Freitas
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Nutrient metabolism in plants can be changed due to the nutrient availability in environment and different plant species. This project aimed to study the nutritional effect of sulphur on the morphogenesis and metabolism of plants from the Leguminosae and Poaceae families, and the implications on the yield and nutritive value attributes of the forage produced. The research will be conducted using Panicum maximum cv. Tanzânia and Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Mineirão as representative plants of the Poaceae and Leguminosae families, respectively. Two experiment will be performed: 1st) experiment in greenhouse with nutritive solution; 2nd) assay in climate chamber with nutritive solution and sulphur stable isotopes. Sulphur rates will be tested in nutritive solution. The followings plant productive parameters will be assessed in Panicum maximum cv. Tanzânia and Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Mineirão: leaf area, tillering (Poaceae), leaf appearance, dry matter production, root growth and development, and nutrient concentration in plant tissue. Other plant variables like amino acids, sulphate and glutathione (glutathione reduced - GSH and glutathione oxidized - GSSG) concentrations in root and shoot tissue, and activity of the enzymes glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) will be evaluated too. In addition, sulphur uptake and translocation by Panicum maximum cv. Tanzânia and Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Mineirão supplied with different rates of sulphur will be assessed through the assay involving sulphur stable isotopes. Statistical analysis will be performed using SAS software and a significance level of 5%.