Reduction of ethylene biosynthesis in sugarcane induces growth and investment in the non-enzymatic antioxidant apparatus.

Lower ethylene production in sugarcane results in plants with higher stature, expression of growth-promoting genes, higher photosynthetic rate, and increased antioxidant compounds. The hormone ethylene is involved in critical processes in sugarcane, such as the growth and accumulation of sucrose. The lack of mutants for ethylene biosynthesis or signaling genes makes it difficult to understand the role of this phytohormone throughout sugarcane development.

Decarboxylation mechanisms of C4 photosynthesis in Saccharum spp.: increased PEPCK activity under water-limiting conditions.

Background: C4 plants have been classified into three subtypes based on the enzymes used to decarboxylate C4 acids in the bundle sheath cells (NADP-ME, NAD-ME and PEPCK pathways). Evidences indicate that, depending on environmental factors, C4 plants may exhibit a certain degree of flexibility in the use of the decarboxylation mechanisms. In this context, the objective was to extend the knowledge on the degree of flexibility between the pathways of decarboxylation in sugarcane, a NADP-ME species, at different levels of water deficit.