Browsing by Author "Silva, Jorge Marques da"
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- Dynamic regulation of Grapevine’s microRNAs in response to Mycorrhizal Symbiosis and high temperaturePublication . Campos, Catarina; Coito, João Lucas; Cardoso, Hélia; Silva, Jorge Marques da; Pereira, Helena Sofia; Viegas, Wanda; Nogales, AmaiaMicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding small RNAs that play crucial roles in plant development and stress responses and can regulate plant interactions with beneficial soil microorganisms such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). To determine if root inoculation with distinct AMF species affected miRNA expression in grapevines subjected to high temperatures, RNA-seq was conducted in leaves of grapevines inoculated with either Rhizoglomus irregulare or Funneliformis mosseae and exposed to a high-temperature treatment (HTT) of 40 C for 4 h per day for one week. Our results showed that mycorrhizal inoculation resulted in a better plant physiological response to HTT. Amongst the 195 identified miRNAs, 83 were considered isomiRs, suggesting that isomiRs can be biologically functional in plants. The number of differentially expressed miRNAs between temperatures was higher in mycorrhizal (28) than in non-inoculated plants (17). Several miR396 family members, which target homeobox-leucine zipper proteins, were only upregulated by HTT in mycorrhizal plants. Predicted targets of HTT-induced miRNAs in mycorrhizal plants queried to STRING DB formed networks for Cox complex, and growth and stress-related transcription factors such as SQUAMOSA promoter-binding-like-proteins, homeobox-leucine zipper proteins and auxin receptors. A further cluster related to DNA polymerase was found in R. irregulare inoculated plants. The results presented herein provide new insights into miRNA regulation in mycorrhizal grapevines under heat stress and can be the basis for functional studies of plant-AMF-stress interactions.
- Opportunities and limitations of crop phenotyping in southern european countriesPublication . Costa, Joaquim Miguel; Silva, Jorge Marques da; Pinheiro, Carla; Barón, Matilde; Mylona, Photini; Centritto, Mauro; Haworth, Matthew; Loreto, Francesco; Uzilday, Baris; Turkan, Ismail; Oliveira, Maria MargaridaThe Mediterranean climate is characterized by hot dry summers and frequent droughts. Mediterranean crops are frequently subjected to high evapotranspiration demands, soil water deficits, high temperatures, and photo-oxidative stress. These conditions will become more severe due to global warming which poses major challenges to the sustainability of the agricultural sector in Mediterranean countries. Selection of crop varieties adapted to future climatic conditions and more tolerant to extreme climatic events is urgently required. Plant phenotyping is a crucial approach to address these challenges. High-throughput plant phenotyping (HTPP) helps to monitor the performance of improved genotypes and is one of the most effective strategies to improve the sustainability of agricultural production. In spite of the remarkable progress in basic knowledge and technology of plant phenotyping, there are still several practical, financial, and political constraints to implement HTPP approaches in field and controlled conditions across the Mediterranean. The European panorama of phenotyping is heterogeneous and integration of phenotyping data across different scales and translation of “phytotron research” to the field, and from model species to crops, remain major challenges. Moreover, solutions specifically tailored to Mediterranean agriculture (e.g., crops and environmental stresses) are in high demand, as the region is vulnerable to climate change and to desertification processes. The specific phenotyping requirements of Mediterranean crops have not yet been fully identified. The high cost of HTPP infrastructures is a major limiting factor, though the limited availability of skilled personnel may also impair its implementation in Mediterranean countries. We propose that the lack of suitable phenotyping infrastructures is hindering the development of new Mediterranean agricultural varieties and will negatively affect future competitiveness of the agricultural sector. We provide an overview of the heterogeneous panorama of phenotyping within Mediterranean countries, describing the state of the art of agricultural production, breeding initiatives, and phenotyping capabilities in five countries: Italy, Greece, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey. We characterize some of the main impediments for development of plant phenotyping in those countries and identify strategies to overcome barriers and maximize the benefits of phenotyping and modeling approaches to Mediterranean agriculture and related sustainability
- Perspetivas antropocêntricas e ecocêntricas da estética ambiental: contributos para a sustentabilidadePublication . Silva, Jorge Marques daEstabelecem-se, aqui, possíveis relações entre os conceitos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável, Ética Ambiental e Estética Ambiental. Assim, começa-se por analisar o conceito de Desenvolvimento Sustentável, na forma inicialmente proposta nos anos 80 do século passado, e nas formas que resultaram da sua evolução. Depois, enquadra-se a ética de suporte ao Desenvolvimento Sustentável no quadro das teorias de Ética Ambiental. Finalmente, abordam-se sumariamente algumas perspetivas de Estética Ambiental, com o objetivo principal de testar a capacidade da estética da natureza para suportar, primeiro uma ética, e finalmente uma política ambiental.