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Water stress is an environmental factor that can regulate growth, limit production and lead to physiological and biochemical changes. Plants present a series of adaptive responses to drought, such as osmotic adjustment, in which carbohydrates play an important role. To evaluate the influence of water deficit on carbohydrates accumulation in V. discolor, the plants were divided into two groups: daily watering and water suppression for 14 days being re-watering after this period. Leaves and roots were collected at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 days, for ecophysiological and biochemical analyzes. Variations in carbohydrate contents in V. discolor showed a close relationship with changes in the plant water status, with higher concentrations of soluble sugars, total fructans, oligosaccharides, reducing sugars coinciding with the lower values of soil moisture and leaf water potentials and relative water content. In the tuberous roots, there is an increase in carbohydrate concentrations after re-watering. The increase of these low molecular weight carbohydrates is involved in osmotic adjustment and therefore acts to protect against dehydration. RESUMO O estresse hídrico é um fator ambiental que pode regular o crescimento, limitando a produção e levando a alterações fisiológicas e bioquímicas. Plantas apresentam uma série de respostas adaptativas a seca, tal como ajustamento osmótico, nos quais os carboidratos desempenham um importante papel. Avaliamos a influência do déficit hídrico no acúmulo de carboidratos em V. discolor, nas quais foram divididas em dois grupos: rega diária e restrição de água por 14 dias sendo reidratadas após esse período. Folhas e raízes foram coletados nos tempos: 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 e 18 dias após o início da restrição hídrica, para análises ecofisiológicas e bioquímicas. As variações nos teores de carboidratos em V. discolor mostrou uma estreita relação com alterações no estado da água da planta, com concentrações mais elevadas de açúcares solúveis totais, frutanos totais, oligossacáridos, açúcares redutores que coincidem com os menores índices de potenciais hídricos do solo e folhas, assim como menor teor relativo de água foliar. Nas raízes tuberosas, observa-se aumento nas concentrações de carboidratos após retorno das regas. O aumento desses carboidratos de baixo peso molecular está envolvido no ajuste osmótico e, consequentemente, atua na proteção contra a desidratação.

Gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence are widely used in physiological and ecological studies; however, few studies have used these techniques with ornamental plants. This study tested the potential contribution of gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence to evaluate the water and nutrients uptake by the tank and root system of epiphyte bromeliad Guzmania lingulata. For this purpose, we conducted an experiment with different water regime and another with different concentrations of nitrogen. The experiments were: 1 - Watering: Control (application of water into Tank and Root), Tank (watering into Tank), Root (watering Root) and Drought (water suspension during the 90 days of experimentation) and 2 - Nitrogen: Plants fertilized with Hoagland and Arnon nutrient solution exclusively into Tank or Root with nitrogen concentrations of control and 2.62 or 5.34 mM N applied as urea. The Fv /Fm ratio allowed comparing the treatments between experiments, demonstrating that Root and Tank both have the capacity to maintain G. lingulata photosynthetic activity and growth, while Drought treatment (water suspension) was the limiting factor for energy conversion efficiency of PSII. However, gas exchange was more permissive as a parameter for comparing treatments in the nitrogen experiment, providing important information about the general aspects of the photosynthetic process in the watering experiment. Both gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence can support the evaluation of G. lingulata physiological status and can be useful tools in ornamental horticultural studies.

portuguesOs principais objetivos deste estudo foram determinar, utilizando espectroscopia UV-VIS, os compostos secundarios (carotenoides, flavonoides, compostos fenolicos e taninos) das especies Argenome mexicana L., Ipomoea carnea Jacq. subsp. Fistulosa (Martius ex Choisy), Amorimia rigida (A.Juss.) W. R. Anderson, Ricinus communis L. e Syzygium aromaticum L. (L.) Merr. & L. M. Perry, bem como avaliar a bioatividade de extratos etanolicos sobre ovos da mosca-negra-dos-citros (Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby, 1915). Folhas de laranja Pera infestadas com mosca-negra-dos-citros foram imersas nos tratamentos, a 0,5%, 1,0%, 5,0% e 10% de concentracao; cada replicata foi constituida por 30 ovos. O delineamento foi inteiramente casualizado, sete tratamentos e quatro repeticoes. Foram realizadas tres imersoes das folhas com ovos, tendo sido avaliada a mortalidade sete dias apos as imersoes. As folhas foram alocadas em placa de Petri e mantidas em câmaras climaticas (25±1°C; U.R 60±5% e 12 horas). O pedunculo do craveiro-da-india apresentou alto teor de taninos e compostos fenolicos, e folhas de mamona apresentavam alto teor de compostos fenolicos. O produto comercial Bioneem©, em todas as concentracoes, causou inviabilidade de ovos superior a 85%. Os tratamentos (10%) que causaram a maior inviabilidade de ovos foram o Bioneem© (94,74%), o extrato de mamona (81,58%) e o extrato do pedunculo do craveiro-da-india (80,57%). Palavra-chave: Aleyrodidae; Aleurocanthus woglumi; Bioprospeccao; Ricinus communis; Syzygium aromaticum EnglishThe main objectives of this study were to determine the content of secondary metabolites (carotenoids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and tannins) of Argemone mexicana L., Ipomoea carnea Jacq. subsp. Fistulosa (Martius ex Choisy), Amorimia rigida (A.Juss.) W. R. Anderson, Ricinus communis L. and Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L. M. Perry using UV-VIS spectroscopy, and evaluating the bioactivity of the ethanolic extracts on citrus blackfly eggs (Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby, 1915). Pera sweet orange leaves infested with citrus blackfly eggs were treated by immersion in 0.5, 1.0, 5.0, and 10%; each replicate consisted of 30 eggs. The experimental design was completely randomized, with seven treatments and four replications. Three immersions of leaves with eggs were performed, and the mortality was evaluated seven days after the procedure. Leaves were placed in Petri dishes and kept in incubators [25±1°C; relative humidity (RH) 60±5% and 12 hours]. S. aromaticum peduncle presented high content of tannins and phenolic compounds, while R. communis leaves showed high content of phenolic compounds. The commercial product Bioneem© caused egg infeasibility greater than 85% at all concentrations. Treatments (10%) that caused the greatest egg mortality were Bioneem© (94.74%), R. communis extract (81.58%), and the extract of S. aromaticum peduncle (80.57%). Key words: Aleyrodidae; Citrus blackfly; Phytochemical bioprospecting; Ricinus communis; Syzygium aromaticum

Pitcairnia burchellii is a bromeliad found in Brazilian rocky outcrops. Given its capacity to cope with soil scarcity and extreme water deficit, this species is thought to behave as a resurrection plant. Herein, we evaluated water relations, gas exchange, the content of pigments, sugar and abscisic acid (ABA), and the metabolic profile of P. burchellii plants during desiccation and recovery after rehydration. During water withholding, the net photosynthesis rate, transpiration, and chlorophyll content decreased rapidly whereas leaf and root soluble carbohydrates increased presumably due to the starch breakdown. These drought-induced physiological changes were associated with a significant increase in leaf ABA content. Marked changes in amino acids, sugar alcohols such as galactinol and erythritol and dehydroascorbic acid levels were observed after desiccation. Our findings indicate that P. burchellii tolerates leaf protoplasmic dehydration and recovers its normal cellular metabolism within a short period after rehydration, as described for other resurrection species. However, plants of P. burchellii subjected to long-term desiccation presented a long delay in foliar tissue dehydration when compared with soil moisture loss, suggesting a cooperative role of the rhizome to cope with extreme water deficit.

Elevated [CO2 ] is suggested to mitigate the negative effects of water stress in plants; however responses vary among species. Fructans are recognised as protective compounds against drought and other stresses, as well as having a role as reserve carbohydrates. We analysed the combined effects of elevated [CO2 ] and water deficit on fructan metabolism in the Cerrado species Viguiera discolor Baker. Plants were cultivated for 18 days in open-top chambers (OTC) under ambient (∼380 ppm), and high (∼760 ppm) [CO2 ]. In each OTC, plants were submitted to three treatments: (i) daily watering (control), (ii) withholding water (WS) for 18 days and (iii) re-watering (RW) on day 11. Analyses were performed at time 0 and days 5, 8, 11, 15 and 18. High [CO2 ] increased photosynthesis in control plants and increased water use efficiency in WS plants. The decline in soil water content was more distinct in WS 760 (WS under 760 ppm), although the leaf and tuberous root water status was similar to WS 380 plants (WS under 380 ppm). Regarding fructan active enzymes, 1-SST activity decreased in WS plants in both CO2 concentrations, a result consistent with the decline in photosynthesis and, consequently, in substrate availability. Under WS and both [CO2 ] treatments, 1-FFT and 1-FEH seemed to act in combination to generate osmotically active compounds and thus overcome water deficit. The proportion of hexoses to sucrose, 1-kestose and nystose (SKN) was higher in WS plants. In WS 760, this increase was higher than in WS 380, and was not accompanied by decreases in SKN at the beginning of the treatment, as observed in WS 380 plants. These results suggest that the higher [CO2 ] in the atmosphere contributed to maintain, for a longer period, the pool of hexoses and of low DP fructans, favouring the maintenance of the water status and plant survival under drought.

Fruits were collected from trees of Coffea arabica cv. Obatã grown at Mococa and Adamantina in São Paulo State, Brazil, which are regions with marked differences in air temperature that produce coffee with distinct qualities. Mococa is a cooler location that produces high-quality coffee, whereas coffee from Adamantina is of lower quality. The amino acid and protein contents, amino acid profile, and proteinase activity and type in endosperm protein extracts were analysed. Proteinase genes were identified, and their expression was assayed. All results indicate that temperature plays a role in controlling proteinase activity in coffee endosperm. Proteinase activity was higher in the endosperm of immature fruits from Adamantina, which was correlated with higher amino acid content, changes in the amino acid profile, and increased gene expression. Cysteine proteinases were the main class of proteinases in the protein extracts. These data suggest that temperature plays an important role in coffee quality by altering nitrogen compound composition.

Chrysolaena obovata stores inulin in the rhizophores, associated with drought tolerance. While crop plants are widely studied concerning the interactive effects of high [CO2] and drought, few studies reported these effects in native species. Here, we evaluated the combined effects of these factors on water status and fructan metabolism in C. obovata, a native Cerrado species. Two lots of plants were kept at 380 and 760 ppm CO2 in open-top chambers. In each, [CO2] plants were divided into four groups and cultivated under different water availability: irrigation with 100 (control), 75 (low), 50 (medium), and 25% (severe drought) of the water evapotranspirated in the last 48 h. In each, water treatment plants were collected at 0, 9, 18, and 27 days. On day 27, all plants were re-watered to field capacity and, after 5 days, a new sampling was made. Water restriction caused a decrease in plant moisture, photosynthesis, and in enzymes of fructan metabolism. These changes were generally more pronounced in 25% plants under ambient [CO2]. In the later, increases in the proportion of hexoses and consequent modification of the fructan chain sizes were more marked than under high [CO2]. The results indicate that under elevated [CO2], the negative effects of water restriction on physiological processes were minimized, including the maintenance of rhizophore water potential, increase in water use efficiency, maintenance of photosynthesis and fructan reserves for a longer period, conditions that shall favor the conservation of this species in the predicted climate change scenarios.

Seasonal changes in vegetative growth, leaf gas exchanges, carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) and carbohydrate status were monitored in de-fruited coffee trees (Coffea arabica L.) grown in the field, from October 1998 through September 1999, in Vicosa (20°45′S, 42°15′W, 650 m a.s.l.), southeastern Brazil. Of the total growth over the 12-month study period, 78% occurred in the warm, rainy season (October–March), and 22% during the cool, dry season (April–September). Throughout the active growth period, the rate of net carbon assimilation (A) averaged 8.6 μmol m−2 s−1, against 3.4 μmol m−2 s−1 during the period of reduced growth. In the active period, growth, unlike A or Δ, was strongly negatively correlated with air temperature. In contrast, growth and A were both correlated positively, and Δ correlated negatively, with air temperature during the reduced growth period. However, the depressions of A and growth might have simply run in parallel, without any causal relationship. Changes in A appeared to be largely due to stomatal limitations in the active growing season, with non-stomatal ones prevailing in the slow growth period. Foliar carbohydrates seemed not to have contributed appreciably to changes in growth rates and photosynthesis.

Barbacenia purpurea is a resurrection species endemic to rock outcrops, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It tolerates great temperature variations, which are associated to periods of up to 30 days without precipitation. Using a metabolomic approach, we analyzed, under winter and summer conditions, changes in the leaf metabolite profile (MP) of potted plants of B. purpurea submitted to daily watered and water deficit for at least 20 days and subsequent slow rehydration for 5 days. Leaves were collected at different time points and had their MP analyzed by GC/MS, HPAEC, and UHPLC techniques, allowing the identification of more than 60 different compounds, including organic and amino acids, sugars, and polyols, among others. In the winter experiment, results suggest the presence of two time-dependent responses in B. purpurea under water stress. The first one starts with the increase in the content of caffeoyl-quinic acids, substances with strong antioxidant activity, until the 16th day of water suppression. When RWC reached less than 80% and 70%, in winter and summer respectively, it was observed an increase in polyols and monosaccharides, followed by an increment in the content of RFO, suggesting osmotic adjustment. Amino acids, such as GABA and asparagine, also increased due to 16 days of water suppression. During rehydration, the levels of the mentioned compounds became similar to those found at the beginning of the experiment and when compared to daily watered plants. We conclude that the tolerance of B. purpurea to dehydration involves the perception of water deficit intensity, which seems to result in different strategies to overcome the gradient of water availability imposed along a certain period of stress mainly during winter. Data from summer experiment indicate that the metabolism of B. pupurea was already primed for drought stress. The accumulation of phenolics in summer seemed to be more temperature and irradiance-dependent than on the RWC.

Rock field plant species present several adaptations to the climatic characteristics and seasonality of this habitat. In this study, we evaluate under field conditions the seasonal changes in non-structural carbohydrate accumulation in tuberous organs of Gomphrena marginata. Tuber fragments of plants of G. marginata were sampled monthly for a year (August 2010 to July 2011) in a rock-field area in southeastern Brazil. Quantitative analyses of total fructose, fructo-oligosaccharides, fructo-polysaccharides, reducing sugars and free proline were carried out. Qualitative analyses of carbohydrates were also performed by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance anion exchange chromatography (HPAEC/PAD). Soil moisture was evaluated by gravimetry and plant water status was evaluated by measuring the relative water content (RWC) and water potential (Ψw) of underground organs. Throughout the analyzed period, a well-marked seasonality of fructan accumulation was observed in tuberous roots of G. marginata correlating significantly with seasonal changes in soil water availability. In the rainy period (October to February), the content of fructo-polysaccharides decrease while during the dry and quiescent growth period (April to September) a high accumulation of fructo-polysaccharides was observed without changes in the RWC of tuberous roots, suggesting that cell osmoregulation contributed to water status maintenance in G. marginata. Our study presents a second species of Amaranthaceae that accumulates fructans as its main reserve carbohydrate, which can be an important strategy for survival in an environment characterized by a long dry period.

Costus arabicus L. é uma espécie herbácea, nativa de mata, que acumula em seu rizoma amido como principal carboidrato de reserva. A seca é um dos fatores ambientais que pode regular o crescimento e o desenvolvimento das plantas, levando a alterações nas características fisiológicas, bioquímicas e anatômicas. Este trabalho objetivou avaliar a influência do déficit hídrico na anatomia, no conteúdo de carboidratos e na ultra-estrutura dos grãos de amido do rizoma de Costus arabicus L. submetidos aos ciclos de rega diário (Controle) e a cada sete (7d) e 15 dias (15d). Foram avaliados aspectos anatômicos e ultra-estruturais do rizoma, conteúdo relativo de água nas folhas (CRA), potencial hídrico foliar (Ψw), potencial osmótico do rizoma (Ψs), açúcares solúveis totais (AST) e redutores (AR) e amido do rizoma. Observaram-se reduções significativas do Ψw e do Ψs nas plantas 15d, porém com pequenas variações no CRA. Análises anatômicas mostraram que o rizoma é revestido pela epiderme ou súber estratificado e apresenta delimitação entre as regiões cortical e vascular que possuem numerosos grãos de amido e idioblastos com conteúdo fenólico. Alterações na anatomia dos rizomas foram observadas somente nas plantas irrigadas a cada 15 dias, em que as células do tecido de revestimento e das camadas corticais mais externas tornaram-se mais achatadas e com paredes sinuosas, porém, sem diferenças ultra-estruturais dos grãos de amido. O déficit hídrico imposto foi suficiente para gerar mudanças fisiológicas, bioquímicas e anatômicas nas plantas de Costus arabicus L. Essas alterações sugerem a ocorrência de um mecanismo de evitação à seca e demonstram que as alterações anatômicas foram dependentes da intensidade e duração do déficit hídrico. Costus arabicus L. is an herbaceous species, native to the forest that accumulates starch in the rhizome as the main reserve carbohydrate. Water stress is one the most important environmental factor that regulates plant growth and development, leading to changes in physiological, biochemical and anatomical traits. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of water deficit on the anatomy, carbohydrate concentration and ultrastructure of starch grains of the rhizome of Costus arabicus L. through the following water regimes: plants irrigated daily and every seven (7d) and 15 days (15d). Anatomical and ultrastructural traits of the rhizome, relative water content in leaves (RWC), leaf water potential (Ψw), osmotic potential of the rhizome (Ψo), total soluble sugars (TSS), reducing sugars (RS) and starch of the rhizome were evaluated. We observed significant reductions in Ψw and Ψs in 15d plants, but with small variations in the RWC. The anatomical analysis showed that the rhizome is covered by epidermis or stratified cork and there is a delimitation between the cortical and vascular regions. We detected the presence of numerous starch grains and idioblasts with phenolic contents in the parenchyma of the two regions. Changes in the anatomy of the rhizomes were only observed in plants irrigated every 15 days, in which cells of covering tissue and the outer cortical layers became more flattened and sinuous walls; however, no ultrastructural differences were observed on the starch grains. The water deficit imposed was sufficient to generate physiological, biochemical and anatomical changes in plants of C. arabicus L. Such alterations suggest the occurence of an avoidance mechanism and that anatomical changes were dependent of the intensity and duration of water deficit.

Because of the economical relevance of sugarcane and its high potential as a source of biofuel, it is important to understand how this crop will respond to the foreseen increase in atmospheric [CO(2)]. The effects of increased [CO(2)] on photosynthesis, development and carbohydrate metabolism were studied in sugarcane (Saccharum ssp.). Plants were grown at ambient (approximately 370 ppm) and elevated (approximately 720 ppm) [CO(2)] during 50 weeks in open-top chambers. The plants grown under elevated CO(2) showed, at the end of such period, an increase of about 30% in photosynthesis and 17% in height, and accumulated 40% more biomass in comparison with the plants grown at ambient [CO(2)]. These plants also had lower stomatal conductance and transpiration rates (-37 and -32%, respectively), and higher water-use efficiency (c.a. 62%). cDNA microarray analyses revealed a differential expression of 35 genes on the leaves (14 repressed and 22 induced) by elevated CO(2). The latter are mainly related to photosynthesis and development. Industrial productivity analysis showed an increase of about 29% in sucrose content. These data suggest that sugarcane crops increase productivity in higher [CO(2)], and that this might be related, as previously observed for maize and sorghum, to transient drought stress.

Para avaliar o potencial da água nas plantas de Coffea arabica L., foi desenvolvido um experimento em Mococa (SP), de agosto de 2005 a julho de 2006, com as cultivares Mundo Novo (MN), Obatã (OB) e Ouro-Verde (OV). As cultivares OB e OV tinham oito anos de idade, e as plantas do MN haviam sido recepadas há cinco anos. Os espaçamentos entre as plantas de MN, OB e OV foram de 3,6 x 1,0 m; 2,5 x 1,0 m e 3,5 x 0,74 m respectivamente. As avaliações dos potenciais da água das plantas na antemanhã (ψam) foram realizadas a cada duas semanas. O potencial da água na folha durante o período diurno (ψa) foi medido no final de abril. Os dados de ψam na folha variaram em função da quantidade de água no solo, com as oscilações decorrentes da precipitação pluvial sazonal. Os valores de ψam foram de -1,29; -1,60 e -1,68 MPa nos meses de estiagem e -0,06; -0,07 e -0,07 MPa nos meses de maiores precipitações para MN, OB e OV respectivamente. Esses valores são importantes para caracterizar o estado hídrico das folhas do cafeeiro ao longo do ano agrícola, visto que o período de estresse hídrico coincidiu com a fase de indução (fevereiro a junho) e maturação das gemas florais, bem como o período de maiores volumes de precipitação pluvial com a granação e maturação dos frutos. In order to assess the xylem water potential in Coffea arabica L. plants, a field experiment was carried out in Mococa, São Paulo State, Brazil, from August 2005 to July 2006 with the following cultivars: Mundo Novo (MN), Obatã (OB) and Ouro-Verde (OV). The OB and OV cultivars were eight years old, and MN plants had been topped five years ago. Spacing among the plants were 3.6 x 1.0 m, 2.5 x 1.0 m and 3.5 x 0.75 m, respectively. Predawn leaf water potential (ψam) was measured each 15 days. Xylem water potential along the day (ψa) was measured at the end of April. Data concerning leaf ψam varied according to the soil water profile as affect by seasonal rainfall. ψam values were -1.29, -1.60 and -1.68 MPa during dry months and -0.06, -0.07 and -0.07 MPa during months of greater precipitations for MN, OB and OV, respectively. These values were important and relevant to Arabic coffee cultivars in order to characterize plant water status along the year, because the period of water stress was coincident with the phase of induction (February at June) and maturation of flowering buds; and the period of greater rainfall with the phase of grain filling and fruit maturation.

Summary Plants of C. canephora grown in pots under low nitrogen (LN) or high nitrogen (HN) applications were submitted to either cyclic water stress or daily irrigation. Water deficit led to marked decreases in net carbon assimilation rate (A) and, to a lesser extent, in stomatal conductance (gs), regardless of the N treatments. In well-watered plants, A appreciably increased in HN plants relative to LN plants without significant changes in gs. As a whole, changes in internal CO2 concentration predominantly reflected changes in A rather than in gs. Under irrigated conditions, A, but not gs, correlated with leaf N concentration in a curvilinear way. Photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency was considerably low, and decreased with increasing leaf N concentration. Limited N, but not water, slightly decreased the maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (PSII). Under continuous irrigation, LN plants had a smaller quantum yield of electron transport (ϕPSII) through slight decreases of photochemical quenching (qp) and capture efficiency of excitation energy by open PSII reaction centres, and increases in Stern-Volmer non-photochemical quenching. Under water-stressed conditions, changes in PSII photochemistry were apparent only in HN plants, with a 25 % decrease in ϕPSII, due mainly to variations in qp. Biochemical constraints, rather than stomatal or photochemical limitations, provoked the decreases in A under limited supply of either N or water.

Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) and the C4 pathway are photosynthetic adaptations that significantly improve plant water use efficiency (WUE). These two CO2-concentrating mechanisms (CCMs) share many similarities, including the pre-fixation of CO2 as organic acids via phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) and the subsequent decarboxylation of these acids near the active site of Rubisco. The simultaneous occurrence of both CCMs in the same tissues has long been regarded as biochemically conflicting; however, the existence of Portulaca species that can switch between C4 and CAM pathways within a single leaf challenges this assumption. By monitoring anatomical traits, photosynthetic parameters, nocturnal acid accumulation and transcript abundance of C4- and CAM-related genes, this study aimed to characterize the drought induced changes in CAM expression in both leaf and stem tissues of Portulaca oleracea. CAM was shown to be expressed in an entirely facultative fashion in leaves whereas both ontogenetic and environmental cues seem to control CAM induction in the stem tissues. Data revealed that depending on the environmental conditions and plant age, P. oleracea stems can perform either C3 or CAM, but not C4 photosynthesis. Gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence analysis suggested that the daytime decarboxylation of the organic acids accumulated overnight in CAM- performing leaves supplied CO2 to Rubisco behind closed stomata at sufficient levels to maintain the photosynthetic apparatus integrity and functioning even after prolonged drought exposure. Overall, no marked anatomical changes were observed in P. oleracea leaves or stems during the CAM induction, suggesting that gene expression and metabolism reprogramming may account for most of the C4-to-CAM and C3-to-CAM transition in leaves and stems, respectively. Gene expression data also indicated that the switch between C3 and CAM pathways in the stems requires the transcriptional regulation of a more extensive set of CCM-related genes than the C4-to-CAM transition in the leaves. Altogether, our findings reveal a remarkable photosynthetic plasticity in P. oleracea and provide important clues about the mechanisms behind the compatibility between the C4 and CAM pathways in this plant species O metabolismo ácido das crassuláceas (CAM) e a via C4 são adaptações fotossintéticas que melhoram significativamente a eficiência no uso da água (WUE). Esses dois mecanismos concentradores de CO2 (CCMs) compartilham semelhanças, incluindo a pré-fixação de CO2 na forma de ácidos orgânicos através da atividade da enzima fosfoenolpiruvato carboxilase (PEPC) e a subsequente descarboxilação desses ácidos próximos ao sítio ativo da Rubisco. A ocorrência simultânea de ambos os CCMs no mesmo tecido é vista como bioquimicamente conflitante; no entanto, a existência de espécies de Portulaca capazes de alternar entre as vias C4 e CAM numa mesma folha desafia essa potencial incompatibilidade. Ao monitorar as características anatômicas, os parâmetros fotossintéticos, o acúmulo noturno de ácidos e a abundância de transcritos de genes relacionados aos comportamentos C4 e CAM, o presente estudo buscou caracterizar as mudanças induzidas pela seca na expressão do CAM em tecidos foliares e caulinares de Portulaca oleracea. Enquanto a ocorrência do CAM nas folhas parece ocorrer de modo totalmente facultativo, tanto fatores ontogenéticos quanto ambientais parecem controlar a expressão desse comportamento fotossintético nos caules. Os dados revelaram que, dependendo das condições ambientais e da idade das plantas, os caules de P. oleracea podem realizar C3 ou CAM, mas não a fotossíntese C4. As análises de trocas gasosas e de fluorescência da clorofila a nas folhas das plantas submetidas à seca sugerem que a descarboxilação diurna dos ácidos orgânicos acumulados durante a noite forneceria CO2 à Rubisco em níveis suficientes para manter a integridade e funcionamento do aparato fotossintetizante mesmo após exposição prolongada à seca. Em geral, nenhuma alteração anatômica marcante foi observada nas folhas ou caules durante a indução do CAM, sugerindo que as reprogramações da expressão gênica e do metabolismo respondem pela maior parte das mudanças associadas à transição de C4 para CAM e de C3 para CAM nas folhas e caules, respectivamente. Dados de expressão gênica também indicaram que a transição entre as vias C3 e CAM nos caules requer alterações no perfil transcricional de um conjunto mais numeroso de genes relacionados aos CCMs do que a transição de C4 para CAM nos tecidos foliares. Em conjunto, as dados obtidos revelam uma notável plasticidade fotossintética em P. oleracea e fornecem pistas importantes sobre os mecanismos responsáveis pela compatibilidade entre as vias C4 e CAM nesta espécie vegetal