The understanding of acclimation strategies to low temperature and water availability is decisive to ensure coffee crop sustainability, since these environmental conditions determine the suitability of cultivation areas. In this context, the impacts of single and combined exposure to drought and cold were evaluated in three genotypes of the two major cropped species, Coffea arabica cv. Icatu, Coffea canephora cv. Apoatã, and the hybrid Obatã. Crucial traits of plant resilience to environmental stresses have been examined: photosynthesis, lipoperoxidation and the antioxidant response. Drought and/or cold promoted leaf dehydration, which was accompanied by stomatal and mesophyll limitations that impaired leaf C-assimilation in all genotypes. However, Icatu showed a lower impact upon stress exposure and a faster and complete photosynthetic recovery. Although lipoperoxidation was increased by drought (Icatu) and cold (all genotypes), it was greatly reduced by stress interaction, especially in Icatu. In fact, although the antioxidative system was reinforced under single drought and cold exposure (e.g., activity of enzymes as Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, APX, glutathione reductase and catalase, CAT), the stronger increases were observed upon the simultaneous exposure to both stresses, which was accompanied with a transcriptional response of some genes, namely related to APX. Complementary, non-enzyme antioxidant molecules were promoted mostly by cold and the stress interaction, including α-tocopherol (in C. arabica plants), ascorbate (ASC), zeaxanthin, and phenolic compounds (all genotypes). In general, drought promoted antioxidant enzymes activity, whereas cold enhanced the synthesis of both enzyme and non-enzyme antioxidants, the latter likely related to a higher need of antioxidative capability when enzyme reactions were probably quite repressed by low temperature. Icatu showed the wider antioxidative capability, with the triggering of all studied antioxidative molecules by drought (except CAT), cold, and, particularly, stress interaction (except ASC), revealing a clear stress cross-tolerance. This justified the lower impacts on membrane lipoperoxidation and photosynthetic capacity under stress interaction conditions, related to a better ROS control. These findings are also relevant to coffee water management, showing that watering in the cold season should be largely avoided

Em Portugal, a tecnologia de produção de Rubus idaeus L. em lançamentos de segundo ano, armazenados em frio, permite aos produtores serem competitivos no mercado mundial. Contudo, nos campos de produção de framboesa, surgem colapsos das plantas, associados a erros na execução das técnicas de produção de framboesa em viveiro, levando a quebras de produtividade e à morte das plantas. Realizaram-se três ensaios experimentais, na The Summer Berry Company, em Odemira, com o objetivo de estudar a influência de vários fatores que poderão estar na origem do colapso de plantas de framboesa da cultivar Sapphire. No ensaio 1 estudou-se a influência da origem do viveiro de propagação (Holanda – AD, BS, TY e Reino Unido – KS) e da data de saída da câmara de frio para o campo (8/jul, 23/jul e 12/ago de 2020) na produtividade e no colapso das plantas. No ensaio 2 estudou-se a influência do volume de vaso utilizado durante o crescimento vegetativo dos lançamentos de framboesa no primeiro ano (1,8 e 4,7 L) e da data de saída da câmara de frio para o campo (mesmas datas do ensaio 1) na produtividade e no colapso das plantas. No ensaio 3 estudou-se o efeito da presença/ausência de Phytophthora spp. no sistema radicular, relacionando-se este com a quantidade de reservas radiculares de amido em diferentes plantas (Colapsada, A colapsar e Não colapsada). Os resultados indicaram que o viveiro que originou plantas mais produtivas foi o KS e que lançamentos que crescem e se desenvolvem em vasos de 4,7 L são mais produtivos e colapsam menos que lançamentos de vasos de 1,8 L. Das três datas em estudo, a melhor data para a instalação dos lançamentos destinados à produção de framboesa em Portugal, foi 22 de julho, visto que se verificaram altas produtividades e aborto floral e frutífero mais reduzido. A presença de Phytophthora spp. e o teor reduzido de amido nas raízes contribuíram para o colapso dos lançamentos. No entanto, devem ter-se em conta outros fatores que induzem stress aos lançamentos na sua fase produtiva, como as temperaturas elevadas no verão (35 a 40 ºC) durante o ciclo de produção, o excesso de horas de frio no período de conservação das long-canes em câmaras frigoríficas (mais de 1000 h) e as condições de crescimento e desenvolvimento dos lançamentos no viveiro (densidade de lançamentos por metro linear, volume de vaso, rega, adubação, etc).

We evaluated responses to water deficits and low temperatures in two Eucalyptus globulus Labill. clones with contrasting drought sensitivity. Our aim was to identify morphological, physiological and biochemical markers of stress resistance mechanisms. In response to water deficit and chilling, CN5 clone (drought-resistant) sustained a higher root growth and displayed greater carbon allocation to the root system than ST51 clone (drought-sensitive). In addition, under drought and low temperature conditions, CN5 ramets maintained higher leaf water potential (better water status) and decreased leaf osmotic potential significantly more than the drought-sensitive ST51 ramets. Differences in the response to drought in root biomass, coupled with changes in hydraulic properties, accounted for the clonal differences in drought tolerance, allowing CN5 ramets to balance transpiration and water absorption during drought and thereby prolong the period of active carbon assimilation. Moreover, in response to low temperatures, CN5 clone exhibited a higher capacity to acclimate in a shorter period than ST51. We conclude that Clone CN5 has greater plasticity in terms of adaptive traits than ST51, allowing its plantation range to increase to sites subject to seasonal droughts or sudden frosts.

In this study, we explored the biodiversity and abundance of culturable fungi in four samples associated with different biodeterioration outlines collected from the Lemos Pantheon, a limestone-built artwork in Portugal. We compared the results from prolonged standard freezing with those previously obtained from fresh samples to analyze differences in the obtained community and assess the effectiveness of the standard freezing incubation protocol in uncovering a different segment of culturable fungal diversity. Our results showed a slight decrease in culturable diversity, but over 70% of the obtained isolates were not present in the previously studied fresh samples. We also identified a high number of potential new species with this procedure. Moreover, the use of a wide variety of selective culture media positively influenced the diversity of the cultivable fungi obtained in this study. These findings highlight the importance of developing new protocols under varying conditions to accurately characterize the culturable fraction in a given sample. The identification and study of these communities and their possible contribution to the biodeterioration process is crucial knowledge for formulating effective conservation and restoration plans to prevent further damage to valuable cultural heritage assets.

Study design: Prospective observational cohort study.Background and aims: In kayak sprint competitions the athletes often do several races in a brief period of time with a small period to recover. High performance training also involves daily training sessions with high volume and intensity. Cold is used in sports as a quick and easy recovery method therefore the goal of the current study is to analyze the impact of a cooling vest in the recovery of elite sprint kayakers using blood lactate concentrations, Borg’s RPE scale, subjective measurements and thermography which is a non-radiating and contact-free technology used to monitor skin temperature. Methods: Ten elite sprint kayakers (21.63 ± 2.85 years old; height, 177.9 ± 7.33 cm; body mass, 75.18 ± 7.33 kg; 10.19 ± 4.65 % fat mass) completed, in kayak ergometer, on two days apart the same protocol except for the active rest, in which, randomly, in one of them used a cold vest (Inuteq Siku PAC® & H2O®). Each moment was performed in a room with controlled temperature (20.93°C to 21.22°C) and humidity (66.04% to 68.90%) and consisted in 15 min of acclimatization, warm-up, 5 times 5 min (at 75% maximal average power (MAP) in 4 min test), 15 min of active rest at 40% MAP, 15 min of passive rest and finally a 500 m maximal test. On both moments it was determined the blood lactate concentration, the core temperature assessed by urine temperature, skin temperature above latissimus dorsi muscle using thermography and it was asked the rating of perceived exertion (Borg’s RPE Scale) and recovery (0 to 10 scale with 10 representing completely recovered).Results: There was no significant difference between the performance in 500 m maximal test in the two moments. However, the athlete’s subjective perception of recovery was significantly higher with vest (p<0.01). The blood lactate concentration was significantly lower after the active recovery using the cold vest (p<0.05) as well as skin temperature (p<0.01) and core temperature 15 minutes after the active rest (p<0.05). Conclusions: The results suggest that the use of a cooling vest during active rest after training or competition can improve recovery. It can be interesting to test it in on-water situation.

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the effect of temperatures during the phase of microsporogenesis on spikelet sterility of paddy rice and identified genotypes tolerant to low temperatures at this growth stage. The inbreds SC681, SC491, and SC676 and the cultivars Epagri 109 and SCS116 Satoru were assessed. The genotypes were submitted for three days in a growth chamber to five temperatures at microsporogenesis: 9, 12, 15, 18, and 21 oC. For each tested temperature, a control was kept in the greenhouse under environmental conditions. After harvest, full and empty spikelets were counted and weighed and the percentage of spikelet sterility was determined. Data were evaluated by variance analysis using the F test. Averages were compared by Tukey’s test and regression analysis. The highest spikelet sterilities were observed when the genotypes were exposed to the temperatures of 9 and 12 oC. Genotype spikelet sterility was similar to that of the control at 21 ºC. The inbred SC 676 presented higher tolerance to lower temperatures is therefore potentially suited to generate a cultivar with adequate agronomic performance in rice growing areas prone to cold conditions at microsporogenesis.

Catharacta maccormicki blood samples were collected in the winter (October) and in the summer (February) in order to study the intraerythrocytic organic phosphates, hemoglobin (Hb) electrophoretic patterns, oxygen blood equilibrium and stripped Hbs, as well as the effect of 2,3-biphosphoglycerate (BPG) and inositol hexaphosphate (IHP) on oxygen affinity. All the samples (five from the winter and five from the summer) showed the same electrophoretic pattern: one minor fast component and one major slow one. No differences in oxygen affinity and Bohr effect in the samples collected in the winter and in the summer were found. Oxygen affinity was higher in the stripped Hb than in the blood. BPG seemed to have no effect on the functional properties of skua Hb while IHP does. No BPG was found in any sample. Both inositol pentaphosphate (IP5) and IHP were found in all the samples. The IP5/IHP ratio in the winter samples was 3.0 while in summer 3.5. Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) was found in samples from both the seasons. Adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) were present only in the summer samples while guanosine triphosphate (GTP) was found in the winter samples. Since IP5 and IHP are very powerful HB allosteric effectors, ATP and GTP might function as other protein modulators.

Abstract – Low temperatures reduce rice grain yield, especially when they occur at the crop microsporogenesis. This study was conducted aiming at identifying paddy rice genotypes tolerant to the cold stress at microsporogenesis. Seventeen genotypes from the Epagri’s breeding program were evaluated. The plants were grown in the greenhouse from sowing to microsporogenesis, when they were moved to the growth chamber for a 72-hour period of cold stress, with a night temperature of 12ºC and a day temperature of 15ºC. Each genotype had a control kept in the greenhouse with temperatures ranging from 25ºC to 30ºC during the whole crop cycle. Spikelet sterility and grain production were determined. Data were evaluated by Variance Analysis using the F test and averages were compared by the Skott Knott’s test at a 5% significance level. The inbreeds SC 854 and SC 850 showed potential to generate future cultivars tolerant to cold stress at microsporogenesis. Inbreeds SC 806 and SC 491ME, although presenting low spikelet sterility and good grain production, had instability when the two environments were compared. The inbreed SC 790 was considered very sensitive to cold at microsporogenesis.

Abstract This work evaluates how thermal regimes with constant or oscillating temperatures affect the onset and overcome of endodormancy in apple buds with low (‘Castel Gala’) and high (‘Royal Gala’) chilling requirements. Apple twigs were collected in Papanduva-SC orchards during the autumn/winter of 2010 and 2011, and submitted to constant (3°C) or cycling (3/15°C for 6/18h, 12/12h or 18/6h) temperatures for up to 1466 chilling hours (CH). Periodically, a portion of twigs in each treatment was transferred to 25°C, for budburst evaluation. An environmental stress in 2010 caused premature leaf fall on the field, reduced initial budburst in ‘Royal Gala’ samples and interfered with dormancy onset in both cultivars. Cycling temperature treatments with few CH/day decreased partially this effect, allowing buds to enter a dormancy state more efficiently. No significant stress was observed in the orchard in 2011, when dormancy evolution was similar in all thermal treatments, being induced with 54 and 123 CH and overcome with 363 and 662 CH for ‘Castel Gala’ and ‘Royal Gala’, respectively. Apparently, the manner in which apple bud dormancy is induced affects its depth and consequently the total number of chilling hours required to overcome it, making the onset phase fundamental in dormancy studies.