- Email: [email protected]
Exploring sorghum’s adaptive responses towards drought and salinity stresses
360
Abstracts
Long-term impact of livestock grazing in the Succulent Karoo: A 20 year overview E. Nenzhelelea, S. Toddb, T. Hoffmana a Plant Conservation Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa b South African Environmental Observation Network, Kimberley 8301, South Africa E-mail address: [email protected] (E. Nenzhelele) Land-use change and biodiversity correlate in ecosystems throughout the world. Overgrazing changes the vegetation structure of arid and semi-arid regions, with the probability of causing extinctions of species. It also causes changes in soil nutrient dynamics (e.g. a reduction in soil fertility), plant species composition as well as in the recruitment of unpalatable species. In Namaqualand, South Africa, the long-term impacts of overgrazing have not been fully investigated. The main objective of this study was to investigate changes in the vegetation structure of overgrazed communal land and lightly grazed private land over the past 20 years. I will compare and contrast vegetation cover and species composition data for the year 2016, with data from two similar studies carried out in 1996 and 2006 by Todd and Hoffman. This long term-study will highlight the conservation status of the rare succulents in this biodiversity hotspot and the potential threat posed by heavy grazing. People from Namaqualand are in the process of on-going land re-distribution and this study will therefore form an important baseline for land reform policy and will highlight the potential consequences of heavy grazing on the vegetation of the region. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2017.01.145
Exploring sorghum’s adaptive responses towards drought and salinity stresses R. Ngara, E. Ramulifho, M. Lekekela, S. Moloi, T. Goche Plant Biotechnology Research Group, Department of Plant Sciences, University of the Free State-Qwaqwa Campus, Private Bag X13, Phuthaditjhaba 9866, South Africa E-mail address: [email protected] (R. Ngara)
and salinity stresses. Lessons learnt from sorghum would provide fundamental knowledge on plant stress responses for future applications in the development of crops, which are better suited to thriving under hot and dry climates. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2017.01.146
A preliminary survey of commonly-consumed indigenous fruits and vegetables in four informal/rural settlements in KwaZulu-Natal N. Ngoroyemoto, A.O. Aremu, M.G. Kulkarni, J.F. Finnie, J. Van Staden Research Centre for Plant Growth and Development, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg, Private Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa E-mail address: [email protected] (N. Ngoroyemoto) Micronutrient deficiency is one of the major challenges in South Africa. There is an urgent need to promote the consumption of indigenous fruits and vegetables which are rich sources of micronutrients. A preliminary survey was conducted to identify commonlyconsumed fruits and vegetables around four informal/rural settlements (Imbali Phase 4, Ngapezulu, Elandskop and France) around Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. Interviews, questionnaires and face to face interactions with households and small-scale farmers were conducted to gather information. From the data collected, fruits and vegetables such as Amaranthus hybridus L., Vigna ungulata (L.) Walp. Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott., Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam., Bidens pilosa L., Cucurbita pepo L., Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai. and Solanum nigrum L. were the commonly consumed species in the study area. Amaranthus hybridus, and Bidens pilosa were not cultivated but are seasonal weeds which grow during the rainy season and are harvested from the wild. Of the 150 respondents, only 20% are involved in the cultivation of these plants. Respondents cited lack of planting material, limited markets to sell the produce and improper storage facilities as major drawbacks. The aim of the survey was to identify potential plants and to improve their productivity and nutritive quality using different organic biostimulants. This will assist in alleviating malnutrition and improving food security in local communities. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2017.01.147
Drought and high soil salinity continue to affect agricultural productivity worldwide. During the 2015/2016 growing season, subSaharan African countries (including South Africa), were gripped by a severe drought, which saw farm animals dying of excessive heat stroke and thirst, while crops withered and died before maturity and/or grain development. As a result, the livelihood of many families who depend on rain-fed agriculture was affected, and some countries had to import grain to avert food shortages. With the global climatic change, the occurrence of frequent drought episodes is predicted to increase in many parts of the world. Therefore, my research aims to explore sorghum’s adaptive responses towards drought and salinity stresses, which could be harnessed in initiatives aimed at developing crops that are better suited to hotter and drier environmental conditions. Sorghum’s natural drought tolerance and wide genetic diversity makes it a potentially good model plant for exploring genetic elements responsible for abiotic stress resistance in cereals. Events underlying plant adaptive responses to these stress factors are very complex and include the integration of physiological, molecular and biochemical response networks. I am using different sorghum cell lines and germplasm with contrasting phenotypic traits in comparative physiological, biochemical and proteomics studies, with the ultimate goal of dissecting sorghum’s responses to drought
Phytochemical profiling of some red rooted species of Pelargonium (Geraniaceae) with a documented history of ethnomedicinal use H.J. Niemann, B.-E. Van Wyk, N.J. Sadgrove Department of Botany and Plant Biotechnology, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa E-mail address: [email protected] (H.J. Niemann) Pelargonium has a strong tradition of ethnomedicinal use in South Africa; however the benzopyranone rich Pelargonium sidoides DC. and the closely related Pelargonium reniforme Curtis are the most comprehensively studied and have achieved the most noteworthy commercial success for the treatment of respiratory tract infections, contrary to their better known ethnomedicinal uses. A number of other species of Pelargonium feature prominently in traditional use but have been overlooked or overshadowed by the above mentioned species. In the current study we have focused on the phytochemistry of Pelargonium luridum (Andr.) Sweet and Pelargonium triste (L.)
Abstracts
Long-term impact of livestock grazing in the Succulent Karoo: A 20 year overview E. Nenzhelelea, S. Toddb, T. Hoffmana a Plant Conservation Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa b South African Environmental Observation Network, Kimberley 8301, South Africa E-mail address: [email protected] (E. Nenzhelele) Land-use change and biodiversity correlate in ecosystems throughout the world. Overgrazing changes the vegetation structure of arid and semi-arid regions, with the probability of causing extinctions of species. It also causes changes in soil nutrient dynamics (e.g. a reduction in soil fertility), plant species composition as well as in the recruitment of unpalatable species. In Namaqualand, South Africa, the long-term impacts of overgrazing have not been fully investigated. The main objective of this study was to investigate changes in the vegetation structure of overgrazed communal land and lightly grazed private land over the past 20 years. I will compare and contrast vegetation cover and species composition data for the year 2016, with data from two similar studies carried out in 1996 and 2006 by Todd and Hoffman. This long term-study will highlight the conservation status of the rare succulents in this biodiversity hotspot and the potential threat posed by heavy grazing. People from Namaqualand are in the process of on-going land re-distribution and this study will therefore form an important baseline for land reform policy and will highlight the potential consequences of heavy grazing on the vegetation of the region. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2017.01.145
Exploring sorghum’s adaptive responses towards drought and salinity stresses R. Ngara, E. Ramulifho, M. Lekekela, S. Moloi, T. Goche Plant Biotechnology Research Group, Department of Plant Sciences, University of the Free State-Qwaqwa Campus, Private Bag X13, Phuthaditjhaba 9866, South Africa E-mail address: [email protected] (R. Ngara)
and salinity stresses. Lessons learnt from sorghum would provide fundamental knowledge on plant stress responses for future applications in the development of crops, which are better suited to thriving under hot and dry climates. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2017.01.146
A preliminary survey of commonly-consumed indigenous fruits and vegetables in four informal/rural settlements in KwaZulu-Natal N. Ngoroyemoto, A.O. Aremu, M.G. Kulkarni, J.F. Finnie, J. Van Staden Research Centre for Plant Growth and Development, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg, Private Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa E-mail address: [email protected] (N. Ngoroyemoto) Micronutrient deficiency is one of the major challenges in South Africa. There is an urgent need to promote the consumption of indigenous fruits and vegetables which are rich sources of micronutrients. A preliminary survey was conducted to identify commonlyconsumed fruits and vegetables around four informal/rural settlements (Imbali Phase 4, Ngapezulu, Elandskop and France) around Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. Interviews, questionnaires and face to face interactions with households and small-scale farmers were conducted to gather information. From the data collected, fruits and vegetables such as Amaranthus hybridus L., Vigna ungulata (L.) Walp. Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott., Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam., Bidens pilosa L., Cucurbita pepo L., Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai. and Solanum nigrum L. were the commonly consumed species in the study area. Amaranthus hybridus, and Bidens pilosa were not cultivated but are seasonal weeds which grow during the rainy season and are harvested from the wild. Of the 150 respondents, only 20% are involved in the cultivation of these plants. Respondents cited lack of planting material, limited markets to sell the produce and improper storage facilities as major drawbacks. The aim of the survey was to identify potential plants and to improve their productivity and nutritive quality using different organic biostimulants. This will assist in alleviating malnutrition and improving food security in local communities. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2017.01.147
Drought and high soil salinity continue to affect agricultural productivity worldwide. During the 2015/2016 growing season, subSaharan African countries (including South Africa), were gripped by a severe drought, which saw farm animals dying of excessive heat stroke and thirst, while crops withered and died before maturity and/or grain development. As a result, the livelihood of many families who depend on rain-fed agriculture was affected, and some countries had to import grain to avert food shortages. With the global climatic change, the occurrence of frequent drought episodes is predicted to increase in many parts of the world. Therefore, my research aims to explore sorghum’s adaptive responses towards drought and salinity stresses, which could be harnessed in initiatives aimed at developing crops that are better suited to hotter and drier environmental conditions. Sorghum’s natural drought tolerance and wide genetic diversity makes it a potentially good model plant for exploring genetic elements responsible for abiotic stress resistance in cereals. Events underlying plant adaptive responses to these stress factors are very complex and include the integration of physiological, molecular and biochemical response networks. I am using different sorghum cell lines and germplasm with contrasting phenotypic traits in comparative physiological, biochemical and proteomics studies, with the ultimate goal of dissecting sorghum’s responses to drought
Phytochemical profiling of some red rooted species of Pelargonium (Geraniaceae) with a documented history of ethnomedicinal use H.J. Niemann, B.-E. Van Wyk, N.J. Sadgrove Department of Botany and Plant Biotechnology, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa E-mail address: [email protected] (H.J. Niemann) Pelargonium has a strong tradition of ethnomedicinal use in South Africa; however the benzopyranone rich Pelargonium sidoides DC. and the closely related Pelargonium reniforme Curtis are the most comprehensively studied and have achieved the most noteworthy commercial success for the treatment of respiratory tract infections, contrary to their better known ethnomedicinal uses. A number of other species of Pelargonium feature prominently in traditional use but have been overlooked or overshadowed by the above mentioned species. In the current study we have focused on the phytochemistry of Pelargonium luridum (Andr.) Sweet and Pelargonium triste (L.)