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Telenomus pachycoris (Johnson) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) is a parasitoid of eggs of Pachycoris torridus (Scopoli) (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae), a main pest of physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.; Euphorbiaceae). The objective of this work was to know the biology of T. pachycoris in P. torridus eggs under various conditions in order to develop a rearing technique for this parasitoid in the laboratory. We offered eggs of P. torridus to T. pachycoris during 4 exposition periods (6, 12, 18, and 24 h), as well as eggs of different ages (1 to 11 d), to evaluate, in both experiments, the number of parasitized eggs, duration of the egg-to-adult period, percentage of emergence, and sex ratio. We also evaluated the effect of constant temperatures (18, 20, 22, 25, 28, and 30 °C) and determined the duration of the egg-to-adult period, percentage of emergence, and sex ratio and estimated the thermal requirements and the number of generations per yr of T. pachycoris at each temperature. Parasitism of eggs was the highest at 12 h of exposure. Eggs up to 3 d old were the most parasitized, and the parasitism was zero on day 11. The duration of the egg-to-adult period was inversely proportional to temperature, ranging from 33.6 d at 18 °C to 9.8 d at 30 °C. The threshold temperature estimated for T. pachycoris was 12.9 °C, and the estimated thermal constant was 163.9 degree-days. The number of generations of T. pachycoris ranged from 11.3 to 38.1 per yr at 18 and 30 °C, respectively. The results may contribute to developing techniques for rearing T. pachycoris in the laboratory., Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo

Jatropha curcas L. is a multipurpose bioenergy crop. Physical properties of J. curcas fruits and seeds are a fundamental knowledge required for the design of processing machinery. Therefore, this research investigates the physical properties at different maturity stages as indicated by pericarp color of the fruits (green, yellow, and black). Rupture force, hardness, deformation at rupture point, deformation ratio at rupture, and energy used for rupture were measured in the length and width direction of the fruits and in the length, width, and thickness of the seeds. During the course of maturing, a decrease in the unit mass and the surface area of the fruits was observed with a simultaneous increase for the seeds. Moisture content decreased during maturing. Bulk density and solid density were considerably different among maturity stages. The lowest porosity was observed in black fruits as well as &ldquo, black&rdquo, seeds. The highest dynamic and static angle of repose was detected for black fruits, while no substantial difference was observed between &ldquo, yellow&rdquo, and &ldquo, seeds. The highest and lowest coefficient of static friction for all fruits and seeds was found on rubber and plastic surfaces.

Trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P) phosphatase (TPP), a dephosphorylating enzyme, catalyzes the dephosphorylation of T6P, generating trehalose. In Jatropha, we found six members of the TPP family. Five of them JcTPPA, JcTPPC, JcTPPD, JcTPPG, and JcTPPJ are highly expressed in female flowers or male flowers, or both, suggesting that members of the JcTPP family may participate in flower development in Jatropha. The wide expression of JcTPPJ gene in various organs implied its versatile roles and thus was chosen for unraveling its biological functions during developmental process. We constructed an overexpression vector of JcTPPJ cDNA driven by the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter for genetic transformation. Compared with control Arabidopsis plants, 35S:JcTPPJ transgenic Arabidopsis plants presented greater sucrose contents in their inflorescences and displayed late-flowering and heterostylous phenotypes. Exogenous application of sucrose to the inflorescence buds of wild-type Arabidopsis repressed the development of the perianth and filaments, with a phenocopy of the 35S:JcTPPJ transgenic Arabidopsis. These results suggested that the significantly increased sucrose level in the inflorescence caused (or induced) by JcTTPJ overexpression, was responsible for the formation of heterostylous flower phenotype. However, 35S:JcTPPJ transgenic Jatropha displayed no obvious phenotypic changes, implying that JcTPPJ alone may not be sufficient for regulating flower development in Jatropha. Our results are helpful for understanding the function of TPPs, which may regulate flower organ development by manipulating the sucrose status in plants.

Nowadays, oil crops are very attractive both for human consumption and biodiesel production, however, little is known about their commensal rhizosphere microbes. In this study, rhizosphere samples were collected from physic nut and sacha inchi plants grown in several areas of Thailand. Rhizobacteria, cultivable in nitrogen-free media, and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi were isolated and examined for abundance, diversity, and plant growth-promoting activities (indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and siderophore production, nitrogen fixation, and phosphate solubilization). Results showed that only the AM spore amount was affected by plant species and soil features. Considering rhizobacterial diversity, two classes&mdash, Alphaproteobacteria (Ensifer sp. and Agrobacterium sp.) and Gammaproteobacteria (Raoultella sp. and Pseudomonas spp.)&mdash, were identified in physic nut rhizosphere, and three classes, Actinobacteria (Microbacterium sp.), Betaproteobacteria (Burkholderia sp.) and Gammaproteobacteria (Pantoea sp.) were identified in the sacha inchi rhizosphere. Considering AM fungal diversity, four genera were identified (Acaulospora, Claroideoglomus, Glomus, and Funneliformis) in sacha inchi rhizospheres and two genera (Acaulospora and Glomus) in physic nut rhizospheres. The rhizobacteria with the highest IAA production and AM spores with the highest root-colonizing ability were identified, and the best ones (Ensifer sp. CM1-RB003 and Acaulospora sp. CM2-AMA3 for physic nut, and Pantoea sp. CR1-RB056 and Funneliformis sp. CR2-AMF1 for sacha inchi) were evaluated in pot experiments alone and in a consortium in comparison with a non-inoculated control. The microbial treatments increased the length and the diameter of stems and the chlorophyll content in both the crops. CM1-RB003 and CR1-RB056 also increased the number of leaves in sacha inchi. Interestingly, in physic nut, the consortium increased AM fungal root colonization and the numbers of offspring AM spores in comparison with those observed in sacha inchi. Our findings proved that AM fungal abundance and diversity likely rely on plant species and soil features. In addition, pot experiments showed that rhizosphere microorganisms were the key players in the development and growth of physic nut and sacha inchi.

Jatropha curcas is considered a potential biodiesel feedstock crop. Currently, the value of J. curcas is limited because its seed yield is generally low. Transgenic modification is a promising approach to improve the seed yield of J. curcas. Although Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation of J. curcas has been pursued for several years, the transformation efficiency remains unsatisfying. Therefore, a highly efficient and simple Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation method for J. curcas should be developed. We examined and optimized several key factors that affect genetic transformation of J. curcas in this study. The results showed that the EHA105 strain was superior to the other three Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains for infecting J. curcas cotyledons, and the supplementation of 100 mM acetosyringone slightly increased the transient transformation frequency. Use of the appropriate inoculation method, optimal kanamycin concentration and appropriate duration of delayed selection also improved the efficiency of stable genetic transformation of J. curcas. The percentage of β-glucuronidase positive J. curcas shoots reached as high as 56.0 %, and 1.70 transformants per explant were obtained with this protocol. Furthermore, we optimized the root-inducing medium to achieve a rooting rate of 84.9 %. Stable integration of the T-DNA into the genomes of putative transgenic lines was confirmed by PCR and Southern blot analysis. Using this improved protocol, a large number of transgenic J. curcas plantlets can be routinely obtained within approximately 4 months. The detailed information provided here for each step of J. curcas transformation should enable successful implementation of this transgenic technology in other laboratories. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11816-015-0377-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

BackgroundJatropha curcasL., a perennial oilseed plant, is considered as a promising feedstock for biodiesel production. Genetic modification of flowering characteristics is critical forJatrophabreeding. However, analysis of floral-specific promoters inJatrophais limited.MethodsIn this study, we isolated theJatrophaortholog ofTM6(JcTM6) gene fromJatrophaflower cDNA library and detected the expression pattern ofJcTM6gene by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). We isolated a 1.8-kb fragment from the 5’ region of theJcTM6gene and evaluated its spatiotemporal expression pattern inArabidopsisusing theβ-glucuronidase(GUS) reporter gene andArabidopsis ATP/ADP isopentenyltransferase 4(AtIPT4) gene, respectively.ResultsJcTM6was identified as a flower-specific gene inJatropha. As expected,JcTM6promoter was only active in transgenicArabidopsisflowers with the strongest activity in stamens. Moreover,JcTM6:AtIPT4transgenicArabidopsisshowed a phenotype of large flowers without any alterations in other organs. Furthermore, deletion of the region from –1,717 to –876 bp resulted in the disappearance of promoter activity in stamens but an increase in promoter activity in young leaves, sepals, and petals. Deletion analysis suggests that the –1,717- to –876-bp promoter fragment contains regulatory elements that confer promoter activity in stamens and inhibit activity in young leaves, sepals, and petals.

Jatropha is an important genus of Euphorbiaceae, with species largely used for various purposes, including the manufacturing of soaps and pharmaceutical products and applications in the bioenergetic industry. Although there have been several studies focusing J. curcas in various aspects, the karyotype features of Jatropha species are poorly known. Therefore, we analyzed six Jatropha species through fluorochrome staining (CMA/DAPI), fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with 5S and 45S rDNA probes and genome size estimation by flow cytometry. Our results revealed several chromosome markers by both CMA/DAPI and FISH for the analyzed species. Five Jatropha species (J. curcas, J. gossypiifolia, J. integerrima, J. multifida and J. podagrica) showed four CMA-positive (CMA+) bands associated with the 5S and 45S rDNA sites (one and two pairs, respectively). However, J. mollissima displayed six CMA+/DAPI- bands co-localized with both 5S and 45S rDNA, which showed a FISH superposition. A gradual variation in the genome sizes was observed (2C = 0.64 to 0.86 pg), although an association between evidenced heterochromatin and genome sizes was not found among species. Except for the unique banding pattern of J. mollissima and the pericentromeric heterochromatin of J. curcas and J. podagrica, our data evidenced relatively conserved karyotypes.

J. curcas (physic nut) is one of the most promising oilseeds for biofuel production and the knowledge about genetic parameter estimates is important for its breeding. Here, we evaluated 121 families, from 48 to 60 months of age, aiming genetic evaluation and selection. The trial was set up in an 11 x 11 lattice design, with three replications and 4-plant plot. The traits evaluated were fruit yield (FY), grain (GY) and oil yield (OY), fruit husk percentage (FH) and seed oil content (OC). Individual heritabilities were low (0.19 to 0.23), requiring accurate selection and improvement methods. Moderate repeatabilities were observed for FY (0.54), GY (0.52), OC (0.30) and OY (0.51), indicating that the families evaluated maintained relative superiority over the years. With selection of the 20 best individuals, the predicted genotypic gains (66%) were greater than the additive gains (56%), indicating greater possibilities of success from cultivation of clones. Made available in DSpace on 2018-11-28T23:40:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2018M.DeonCBABGeneticevaluationJatropha.pdf: 352573 bytes, checksum: a51777476149cc29ccd504404885fe60 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-11-28

The cultivation of Jatropha curcas L. for biodiesel production is possible in salinized areas; however, biomass production is limited in these soils. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are a promising alternative for bioremediation in salinized soils. Yet, salinity also affects the AMF at the time of colonization and, in this case, the symbiosis is not always established. Therefore, the aim of this study was to test the hypotheses that three AMF species commonly found in saline soils are associated with J. curcas and if seedlings previously inoculated with these AMF are more tolerant to salt stress. Two trials were performed: the first one was carried out in a completely randomized design with five treatments (control, Rhizophagus intraradices, Gigaspora albida, Claroideoglomus etunicatum, and the three species together) and six repetitions to investigate the formation of symbiosis among species; and the second trial was carried out in randomized blocks in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme (2, 5, 8, and 10 dS m-1, with and without mycorrhizae) with eight repetitions to verify the development and mycorrhizal dependency (MD) of the seedlings previously inoculated, in salinized environment. The three species of AMF are associated with J. curcas both alone and together. Mycorrhizal dependency increased with salinity, indicating that J. curcas is a facultative species. The pre-colonized seedlings with AMF are an alternative to the establishment of J. curcas in salinized soils. RESUMO O cultivo de Jatropha curcas visando a produção de biodiesel é uma possibilidade para o uso de áreas salinizadas, no entanto a produção de biomassa nesses solos é limitada. Os fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (FMAs) são uma alternativa promissora para a biorremediação em solos salinizados. Porém, a salinidade também afeta os FMAs, no momento da colonização e, neste caso, nem sempre a simbiose se estabelece. Portanto, este estudo teve como objetivo testar as hipóteses de que três espécies de FMAs comummente encontradas em solos salinos se associam à J. curcas e, se mudas previamente inoculadas com esses FMAs são mais tolerantes ao estresse salino. Foram realizados dois experimentos, o primeiro, em delineamento inteiramente casualizado com cinco tratamentos (controle, Rhizophagus intraradices, Gigaspora albida, Claroideoglomus etunicatum e as três espécies em conjunto) com seis repetições, com o objetivo de investigar a formação da simbiose entre as espécies, e um segundo, realizado em blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial 4 x 2 (2, 5, 8 e 10 dS m-1, com e sem micorrizas), com oito repetições, para a verificação do desenvolvimento e dependência micorrízica (DM) das mudas previamente inoculadas, em ambiente salinizado. As três espécies de FMAs se associam a J. curcas, isoladamente e em conjunto. A DM aumentou com a salinidade, indicando que J. curcas é uma espécie facultativa. As mudas pré-colonizadas com FMA são uma alternativa para o estabelecimento de J. curcas em solos salinizados.

Jatropha curcas L., the most promising oilseed plant for biodiesel and biokerosene, is in the process of domestication, and the economic, social and environmental viability of the crop depends on increasing its yield performance. Low seed yield is due, above all, to planting of non-improved cultivars. We evaluated 16 half-sib families in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th years after planting. The components evaluated were seed yield, number of trusses per plant, number of fruits per truss, fruit maturation rate, plant height and canopy diameter. We also estimated the genetic parameters of these components with a view toward quantifying genetic gain from plant selection. The main seed yield components exhibited predominant genetic control. Nevertheless, the environmental effect was the main determinant of uniformity in fruit maturation. Thus, management strategies have greater potential for having an impact on concentration of fruit production of this oilseed plant. Genetic gains related to seed yield in the cropping of genotypes selected in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years were 33.3%, 41.6% and 56.7%, respectively. The development of new genotypes should furthermore consider strategies for generation of variability using crosses between divergent plants with better agronomic characteristics.

Jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.) is an oil-bearing plant that has potential to be cultivated as a biodiesel crop. The seed cake after oil extraction has 40–50% protein that can be used in animal feeds. A major limitation in utilizing the cake is the presence of phorbol esters (PE), a heat-tolerant toxic chemical. To identify the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for PE, we constructed a genetic linkage map from an F2 population of 95 individuals from a cross “Chai Nat” × “M10” using 143 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. M10 is low in seed PE while Chai Nat is high. Seeds from each F2 individual were quantified for PE content by high performance liquid chromatography. A single marker analysis revealed five markers from linkage group 3 (LG3) and nine markers from LG8 associated with seed PE. Inclusive composite interval mapping identified two QTLs, each on LG3 (qPE3.1) and LG8 (qPE8.1) responsible for the PE. qPE3.1 and qPE8.1 accounted for 14.10%, and 15.49% of total variation in seed PE, respectively. Alelle(s) from M10 at qPE3.1 increased seed PE, while at qPE8.1 decreased seed PE. qPE3.1 is a new loci for PE, while qPE8.1 is the same locus with that reported recently for PE.

The objective of the present work was to investigate the antioxidant enzyme activities and the occurrence of lipid peroxidation during storage of J. curcas seeds obtained from fruits at different maturity stages. Seeds extracted from fruits collected at three stages of maturity were used, i.e., yellow, brownish-yellow, and brown (dry fruits). The seeds were subsequently stored for 18 months in Kraft paper bags in a laboratory environment. Initially as well as every three months, the seeds were evaluated for germination and electrical conductivity, and the seed embryos were evaluated for lipid peroxidation; protein content; and superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase enzyme activity at the same time points. In general, the seeds from the three stages of fruit maturity did not differ regarding germination throughout the entire period of storage, although a reduction in viability was observed after nine months of storage. The electrical conductivity increased during storage and was greater for the seeds obtained from brown fruits. There was a reduction in protein content and in enzyme activities in the seed embryo, except for superoxide dismutase. No relationship was observed between reduction in seed viability and lipid peroxidation. Thus, J. curcas seeds with high initial quality can be stored under environmental conditions for up to 9, 15 and 15 months for brown (dry), yellow and brownish-yellow fruits, respectively, without a significant reduction in germination but with a reduction in seed vigour. RESUMO. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a atividade de enzimas antioxidativas e a peroxidação de lipídios durante o armazenamento de sementes de J. curcas em diferentes estádios de maturação. Foram utilizadas sementes extraídas de frutos colhidos com coloração externa da casca amarela, amarela-marrom e marrom (frutos secos). As sementes foram armazenadas por 18 meses, em embalagem de papel Kraft em ambiente de laboratório. Inicialmente e a cada três meses, as sementes foram avaliadas quanto à germinação e condutividade elétrica, e os embriões das sementes foram avaliados quanto a peroxidação de lipídios, conteúdo de proteínas e atividade das enzimas superóxido dismutase, peroxidases e peroxidase do ascorbato. Em geral, as sementes dos três estádios de maturação dos frutos não diferiram quanto à germinação durante todo o período de armazenamento, embora tenha sido observada uma redução da germinação a partir de nove meses de armazenamento. Houve redução no conteúdo de proteína e na atividade das enzimas antioxidantes no embrião das sementes dos três estádios de maturação, com exceção da superóxido dismutase. Não foi observada relação entre a redução da viabilidade das sementes e a peroxidação de lipídios. Sementes de J. curcas com elevada qualidade inicial podem ser armazenadas sob condições ambientais por até 9, 15 e 15 meses, para os estádios de coloração dos frutos marrom (frutos secos), amarelo-marrom e amarelo, respectivamente, sem redução significativa da germinação, mas com redução no vigor das sementes.

Aims: The aim of the study was to investigate the physiological mechanisms of Jatropha curcas seedlings exposed to drought and the possible influence of seedling age. Study Design: A pot experiment was carried out using a completely randomized design with two seedling ages (2- and 3-month-old seedlings), two treatments per age (Watered: fully irrigated, and Unwatered: Not irrigated), six replicates (24 pots). Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was performed in a greenhouse facility located at the Experimental Station “Mauro Deidda” (Department of Agriculture of University of Sassari) at Ottava (Sassari, Italy) between June and September 2011. Methodology: To investigate the responses of 2- and 3-month-old J. curcas seedlings exposed to drought stress on 4th, 8th, 12th, 19th, and 26th day from treatment’s beginning, leaf and soil water content, biometric, gas exchange, and chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements were performed; on 26th day from treatment’s beginning, biometric destructive measurements were carried out. Results: Results support the hypothesis that J. curcas is appropriate to be cultivated in areas with limited water availability or prolonged periods of drought and highlight that mechanisms of drought response are highly influenced by seedling age. J. curcas seedlings maintained a good leaf water status by means of an effective stomatal closure, associated with a reduced aboveground growth and an increased root:shoot ratio. Under drought stress, 2-month seedlings showed a higher allocation of resources to roots compared to 3-month seedlings. Drought resulted in more detrimental effects on the photosynthetic response of 3-month seedlings, inducing the reduction of stomata conductance and the loss of photosystem II integrity. 2-month seedlings were instead able to activate mechanisms of drought tolerance through the activation of excess energy dissipation mechanisms. Conclusion: In the early stage of crop establishment, the transplanting of J. curcas 2-month seedlings proved to be more effective in order to avoid water stress related consequences.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-10-07T10:28:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DoriPaperFloridaEntomologist.pdf: 219472 bytes, checksum: 9814666d8e2039e5f1c7bd30493944ce (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-10-06

Most germplasms of the biofuel plant Jatropha curcas are monoecious. A gynoecious genotype of J. curcas was found, whose male flowers are aborted at early stage of inflorescence development. To investigate the regulatory mechanism of transition from monoecious to gynoecious plants, a comparative transcriptome analysis between gynoecious and monoecious inflorescences were performed. A total of 3,749 genes differentially expressed in two developmental stages of inflorescences were identified. Among them, 32 genes were involved in floral development, and 70 in phytohormone biosynthesis and signaling pathways. Six genes homologous to KNOTTED1-LIKE HOMEOBOX GENE 6 (KNAT6), MYC2, SHI-RELATED SEQUENCE 5 (SRS5), SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE (SVP), TERMINAL FLOWER 1 (TFL1), and TASSELSEED2 (TS2), which control floral development, were considered as candidate regulators that may be involved in sex differentiation in J. curcas. Abscisic acid, auxin, gibberellin, and jasmonate biosynthesis were lower, whereas cytokinin biosynthesis was higher in gynoecious than that in monoecious inflorescences. Moreover, the exogenous application of gibberellic acid (GA3) promoted perianth development in male flowers and partly prevented pistil development in female flowers to generate neutral flowers in gynoecious inflorescences. The arrest of stamen primordium at early development stage probably causes the abortion of male flowers to generate gynoecious individuals. These results suggest that some floral development genes and phytohormone signaling pathways orchestrate the process of sex determination in J. curcas. Our study provides a basic framework for the regulation networks of sex determination in J. curcas and will be helpful for elucidating the evolution of the plant reproductive system.

Jatropha curcas as potential biodiesel feedstock is difficult to propagate through tissue culture. The research development for Jatropha is massive nowadays and propagation can be conducted through conventional or non- conventional techniques in biotechnology. Biotechnology approach through organogenesis and embryogenesis pathways is needed. The objectives of the research were to obtain in vitro culture media optimization through embryogenesis pathway. Plant materials used in this experiment were embryo axis and cotyledon to obtain somatic embryo. The result of the experiment showed that somatic embryos were obtained only from MS medium supplemented with picloram 1.0 mg/l for both embryo axis and cotyledon explant.

This study aimed to investigate the association of three species of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi (Rhizophagus intraradices; Gigaspora albida and Claroideoglomus etunicatum) with J. curcas, and the effect this symbiosis in developing pre-mycorrhizal seedlings submitted to salt stress at home vegetation. Two experiments were conducted, the first to investigate the association of the fungus to the plant, in a completely randomized design with five treatments (control, isolated species and three inoculated together-MIX) and six repetitions. The second trial was completely randomized blocks in a factorial 4 x 2, with four levels of NaCl (2, 5, 8 and 10 dS / m), and presence or absence of mycorrhizae (MIX), which were evaluated mycorrhizal dependency (MD) and the development of seedlings in salinity soil. The three species of mycorrhizal fungi are associated with J. curcas both in isolation, as when inoculated together. The interaction between these factors showed that the control plants did not differ presence of mycorrhizae, whereas in the saline treatments, pre-mycorrhizal seedlings grew better than non-inoculated. The MD was higher in saline treatments and moderate stress (5 dS / m) provided the best results for this index. Salinity reduced the size of plants, photosynthetic performance, the photosynthetic pigment content, the amount of calcium, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium in the leaves and increased absorption of sodium and chlorine, lipid peroxidation, the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the concentration of proline. Pre-mycorrhizal plants had higher mass, height, stem diameter, number of leaves, leaf area, area ratio pillar, specific leaf area, reduced biomass allocation in leaves and larger, at root, increased root / shoot , higher photosynthetic rate and pigment content, lower activity of antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation reduction, and increased proline content compared to plants not inoculated in the same saline conditions. In seedlings with AMF, high photosynthetic rate, coupled with the large amount of salts in the leaves, the significant increase in proline content and the absence of lipid peroxidation indicates a mechanism mitigating the effect of salinity associated with the presence of mycorrhizae. Therefore, J. curcas seedlings previously mycorrhizal are an alternative to the cultivation of the species under salt stress. O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar a associação de três espécies de fungos micorrízicos arbusculates (FMAs) (Rhizophagus intraradices; Gigaspora albida e Claroideoglomus etunicatum) com Jatropha curcas L., e o efeito desta simbiose no desenvolvimento de mudas pré-micorrizadas, submetidas a estresse salino, em casa de vegetação. Foram realizados dois experimentos, sendo o primeiro para verificar a associação dos fungos à planta, em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com cinco tratamentos (controle, espécies isoladas e as três inoculadas em conjunto-MIX) e seis repetições. O segundo experimento foi em blocos inteiramente casualizados, num esquema fatorial 4 x 2, com quatro níveis de NaCl (2, 5, 8 e 10 dS / m), e presença ou não de micorrizas (MIX), onde foram avaliados a dependência micorrízica (DM) e o desenvolvimento das mudas em solo salinizado. As três espécies de FMAs se associam a J. curcas tanto de forma isolada, como quando inoculadas em conjunto. A interação entre os fatores mostrou que plantas do tratamento controle não diferem quanto presença de micorrizas, enquanto que, nos tratamentos salinos, as mudas pré-micorrizadas se desenvolveram melhor que as não micorrizadas. A DM foi maior nos tratamentos salinos e o estresse moderado (5 dS / m) proporcionou o melhor resultado para este índice. A salinidade reduziu o tamanho das plantas, o desempenho fotossintético, o teor de pigmentos fotossintéticos, a quantidade de cálcio, potássio, fósforo e magnésio nas folhas, e aumentou a absorção de sódio e cloro, a peroxidação de lipídios, a atividade das enzimas antioxidantes e a concentração de prolina. As plantas pré-micorrizadas apresentaram maior massa, altura, diâmetro do coleto, número de folhas, área foliar, razão de área filar, área foliar específica, menor alocação de biomassa nas folhas e maior, na raiz, aumento da relação raiz/parte aérea, maior taxa fotossintética e teor de pigmentos, menor atividade de enzimas antioxidantes, redução da peroxidação lipídica e aumento no teor de prolina em relação às plantas não micorrizadas, nas mesmas condições salinas. Nas mudas com FMAs, a alta taxa fotossintética, associada a grande quantidade de sais nas folhas, ao aumento expressivo do teor de prolina e a ausência da peroxidação de lipídios indica que há um mecanismo mitigador do efeito da salinidade associado à presença de micorrizas. Portanto, mudas de J. curcas previamente micorrizadas são uma alternativa para o cultivo da espécie sob estresse salino.

Trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P) phosphatase (TPP), a dephosphorylating enzyme, catalyzes the dephosphorylation of T6P, generating trehalose. In Jatropha, we found six members of the TPP family. Five of them JcTPPA, JcTPPC, JcTPPD, JcTPPG, and JcTPPJ are highly expressed in female flowers or male flowers, or both, suggesting that members of the JcTPP family may participate in flower development in Jatropha. The wide expression of JcTPPJ gene in various organs implied its versatile roles and thus was chosen for unraveling its biological functions during developmental process. We constructed an overexpression vector of JcTPPJ cDNA driven by the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter for genetic transformation. Compared with control Arabidopsis plants, 35S:JcTPPJ transgenic Arabidopsis plants presented greater sucrose contents in their inflorescences and displayed late-flowering and heterostylous phenotypes. Exogenous application of sucrose to the inflorescence buds of wild-type Arabidopsis repressed the development of the perianth and filaments, with a phenocopy of the 35S:JcTPPJ transgenic Arabidopsis. These results suggested that the significantly increased sucrose level in the inflorescence caused (or induced) by JcTTPJ overexpression, was responsible for the formation of heterostylous flower phenotype. However, 35S:JcTPPJ transgenic Jatropha displayed no obvious phenotypic changes, implying that JcTPPJ alone may not be sufficient for regulating flower development in Jatropha. Our results are helpful for understanding the function of TPPs, which may regulate flower organ development by manipulating the sucrose status in plants.

The cultivation of physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) is a sustainable option for biodiesel production due to its adaptation to different agro-ecological conditions and its high content of non-edible oil grains. The possibility of its cultivation in degraded low fertility soils makes the physic nut attractive to the Paraíba do Sul Valley region. This study evaluated physical attributes and water processes of an Oxisol which had been previously used for livestock and later converted to experimental farming. The soil was intercropped with perennial herbaceous legumes (Arachis pintoi and Calopogonio muconoides) in place of the original cover of Brachiaria brizantha, largely cultivated in the region. We determined the soil texture, the levels of saturation and water retention, soil resistance to root penetration and the basic infiltration rate of water into the soil (VIB). The soil resistance to root penetration in B. brizantha ranged from high to moderate at 30 cm depth, while the addition of perennial herbaceous legumes as cover crops intercropped with Jatropha reduced this resistance and increased the average soil VIB from 4 mm h-1 (B. brizantha) to 33 mm h-1. We conclude that the association of herbaceous legumes with Jatropha contributed to the improvement of the soil’s physical properties.

Jatropha curcas is a promising renewable feedstock for biodiesel and bio-jet fuel production. To study gene expression in Jatropha in different tissues throughout development and under stress conditions, we examined a total of 11 typical candidate reference genes using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis, which is widely used for validating transcript levels in gene expression studies. The expression stability of these candidate reference genes was assessed across a total of 20 samples, including various tissues at vegetative and reproductive stages and under desiccation and cold stress treatments. The results obtained using software qBasePLUS showed that the top-ranked reference genes differed across the sample subsets. The combination of actin, GAPDH, and EF1α would be appropriate as a reference panel for normalizing gene expression data across samples at different developmental stages; the combination of actin, GAPDH, and TUB5 should be used as a reference panel for normalizing gene expression data across samples under various abiotic stress treatments. With regard to different developmental stages, we recommend the use of actin and TUB8 for normalization at the vegetative stage and GAPDH and EF1α for normalization at the reproductive stage. For abiotic stress treatments, we recommend the use of TUB5 and TUB8 for normalization under desiccation stress and GAPDH and actin for normalization under cold stress. These results are valuable for future research on gene expression during development or under abiotic stress in Jatropha. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the stability of reference genes in Jatropha.

This study aimed to analyze the influence of different doses of phosphorus (P2O5) applied at the base on the initial growth of Jatropha curcas L. The experimental randomized blocks design was used with four replications. The treatments consisted of the following doses of phosphorus fertilization: 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 g plant-1 of P2O5 at 36, 60, 71, 85, 106, 140, 177, 199, 235 and 263 days after seedlings transplanting. Growth parameters evaluated were as follows: plant height, stem diameter, number of primary and secondary branches, number of inflorescences, fruits number, leaf area and seed yield. The P2O5 levels influenced the early growth of the plants. For most of the evaluated characteristics (plant height, number of primary branches, inflorescences, number of fruits), a dose of 150 g plant-1 was the one that promoted greater increase to 140 DAT. Due to the high genetic variability among plants, and the fact that scientists in the field of genetic improvement are working for the development of cultivars with desirable agronomic characteristics, it is necessary to conduct further studies with phosphate fertilizer for the cultivation of Jatropha., Objetivou-se com este trabalho analisar a influência de diferentes doses de fósforo (P2O5) aplicados na base, no crescimento inicial de Jatropha curcas L. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental em blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram constituídos pelas seguintes doses de adubação fosfatada: 0, 50, 100, 150 e 200g planta-1de P2O5 aos 36, 60, 71, 85, 106, 140, 177, 199, 235, 263 dias após o transplantio das mudas. Os parâmetros de crescimento avaliados foram: altura da planta, diâmetro do caule, número de ramos primários e secundários, número de inflorescências, número de frutos, área foliar e produtividade de sementes. As doses de P2O5 influenciaram o crescimento inicial das plantas. Para a maioria das características avaliadas (altura de plantas, número de ramos primários, inflorescências, número de frutos), a dose de 150 g planta-1 foi a que promoveu maior incremento aos 140 DAT. Devido a grande variabilidade genética existente entre plantas, e ao fato de que cientistas da área de melhoramento genético estão trabalhando para o desenvolvimento de cultivares com características agronômicas desejáveis, torna-se necessário a realização de novos estudos com adubação fosfatada para a cultura do pinhão manso.