Browsing by Author "Slaski, Jan"
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- Stable isotope natural abundances (δ13C and δ15N) and carbon-water relations as drought stress mechanism response of taro (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott)Publication . Gouveia, Carla S.S.; Ganança, José F.T.; Slaski, Jan; Lebot, Vincent; Carvalho, Miguel Â.A. Pinheiro deTaro (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott) is an important staple food crop in tropical and developing countries, having high water requirements. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition (δ13C and δ15N) as a physiological indicator of taro response to drought, and elucidation of the relationship between the water use efficiency (WUE) under drought conditions and carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13C). As an alternative to WUE determination, obtained by measuring plant growth and water loss during an entire vegetative cycle, we have used Δ13C to determine the tolerance of C3 taro plants to drought. Seven taro accessions from Madeira, Canary Islands and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (Fiji) collections were grown under greenhouse conditions and subjected to different watering regimes during a one-year cycle. Total plant biomass (TPB), WUE and δ15N were determined at the whole-plant level (WP). Corms and shoots were evaluated separately for nitrogen content (N), δ13C, Δ13C and δ15N. WUE showed positive correlation with TPB (r = 0.4) and negative with Δ13C (r = -0.3); Corm δ15N showed positive correlations with WP δ15N (r = 0.6) and corm N (r = 0.3). Accordingly, the taro plants with enhanced WUE exhibited low Δ13C and δ15N values as a physiological response to drought stress. The approach used in the present study has developed new tools that could be used in further research on taro response to environmental stresses.
- Variation of carbon and isotope natural abundances (δ15N and δ13C) of whole-plant sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) subjected to prolonged water stressPublication . Gouveia, Carla S.S.; Ganança, José F.T.; Slaski, Jan; Lebot, Vincent; Carvalho, Miguel Â. A.Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is an important crop in the world, cultivated in temperate climates under low inputs. Drought changes the plant biomass allocation, together with the carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition (δ13C and δ15N), whose changes are faintly known in sweet potato crops. Here, we show the biomass allocation of eight sweet potato accessions submitted to drought during 3 months, using the δ13C, δ15N, carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13C), total carbon (TC) and water use efficiency (WUE) traits. The tolerant accessions had improved WUE, with higher TPB and TC. Storage roots and shoots had a heavier δ13C content under drought stress, with greater 13C fixation in roots. The Δ13C did not show a significant association with WUE. The δ15N values indicated a generalised N reallocation between whole-plant organs under drought, as a physiological integrator of response to environmental stress. This information can aid the selection of traits to be used in sweet potato breeding programs, to adapt this crop to climate change.