State University of Southwestern Bahia (Portuguese: Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, UESB) was founded in 1980 in the city of Vitória da Conquista, in the Brazilian state of Bahia. Today it has three campuses, located in the cities of Vitória da Conquista, Jequié and Itapetinga. It currently offers 43 undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs..
Plants are continuously challenged by diverse abiotic stresses, which compromise growth, photosynthesis, and nutrient homeostasis. This review aims to elucidate the roles of antioxidant systems and mineral nutrients in stress adaptation, and to highlight the potential of multi-omics approaches to enhance crop resilience. A comprehensive synthesis of current research on enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant mechanisms, nutrient interactions, and stress physiology was performed. Multi-omics datasets—including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, ionomics, and miRNomics were analyzed to assess nutrient acquisition, redistribution, and signaling under stress. Genotype-specific responses, stress memory, and ROS–Ca2⁺–hormone cross-talk were emphasized. High-throughput phenotyping and genome-editing strategies were also considered. Evidence shows that plants employ integrated antioxidant systems to maintain redox balance and mitigate reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced damage. Mineral nutrients act as enzymatic cofactors, regulate antioxidant activity, and modulate osmotic adjustment and signaling pathways. In addition, interactions between essential and toxic metals involve both competitive and protective mechanisms that influence metal uptake, transport, and detoxification. Multi-omics studies highlight genotype- and stress-history-dependent responses and reveal complex ROS–Ca2⁺–hormone signaling networks. The integration of antioxidant defenses, nutrient homeostasis, and signaling networks is critical for plant resilience under abiotic stress. Multi-omics and advanced phenotyping provide actionable insights for developing nutrient-efficient, stress-tolerant crops. Coordinating redox and nutrient signaling pathways represents a promising strategy to translate molecular basis into agronomic solutions for sustaining productivity under climate change. • Integrated networks mediate plant responses to abiotic stress. • ROS act as adaptive signals but, in excess, damage lipids, proteins, and DNA. • Enzymatic and non-enzymatic networks protect plants from stress-induced damage. • Nutrients sustain key functions during adverse conditions. • Metal toxicity disrupts ion balance, photosynthesis, and increases oxidative stress. • Multi-omics reveal how mineral nutrition is regulated under stress.
Water deficit and salinity pose significant challenges to the cultivation and distribution of citrus plants (Citrus sinensis) worldwide. Although these two types of abiotic stress are harmful throughout the biological cycle, they can become critical for plant survival and establishment in the early development stages. This study aimed to investigate the effects of salicylic acid (SA) foliar application on the physiological and biochemical traits of young citrus plants subjected to water deficit and salinity conditions, either alone or simultaneously. A greenhouse experiment was conducted with seven-month-old citrus plants subjected to four growing conditions - no stress, water deficit (WD), salinity (S), and WD + S - and pre-treated with SA application at 0, 1, 2, and 4 mM. Results showed that water deficit and salinity reduced gas exchange and damaged the photosynthetic apparatus by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Simultaneous stresses caused more photosynthetic pigment degradation and reduced gas exchange than water deficit and salinity stresses alone. The application of 2 mM SA mitigated the adverse effects of stress by improving osmoregulation and enhancing antioxidant enzyme activity and phenolic content. Furthermore, it prevented electrolyte leakage and ROS accumulation, with the intensity of these effects varying depending on the type of stress. SA also improved gas exchange under individual stresses, while increasing water-use efficiency under combined water deficit and salinity. These findings suggest the foliar application of SA as an effective strategy to improve tolerance to water deficit and salinity, whether occurring individually or in combination, in young post-transplanted citrus plants.
The objective of this study was to isolate and select bacteria from soils with previous cassava wastewater deposition, aiming to identify strains capable of promoting vegetative growth of Vigna unguiculata L. Walp. Eight soil samples were collected near cassava flour processing facilities in Vitória da Conquista – Bahia and cultured on Burks and FAM media. Fifty-five bacterial isolates were obtained and evaluated for morphological characteristics, population density, calcium phosphate solubilization, sodium chloride tolerance, and ability to promote cowpea growth. Bacterial densities ranged from 2.31 × 10¹ to 2.15 × 10⁶ cells g⁻¹ soil in Burks medium and from 2.31 × 10¹ to 1.49 × 10⁵ cells g⁻¹ soil in FAM medium. Among the 55 isolates obtained, four were able to nodulate cowpea, and 27 tolerated NaCl concentrations up to 30 g L⁻¹. High bacterial densities were observed in both media, with most isolates showing rapid growth and low to moderate phosphate solubilization. Isolates tolerant to up to 30 g L⁻¹ NaCl were detected. Strains from the genera Bacillus and Paraburkholderia both widely reported as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) were identified. Some non-nodulating isolates enhanced root length and dry weight, while nodulating strains UFRB BA72C2-1, UFRB FA34C2-2, UFRB FA51B1, and UFLA 03-164T were effective in nodulation and vegetative growth promotion.
Objectives: To investigate the association between sedentary behavior and functional disability in instrumental activities of daily living among older adults, and to determine the accuracy and optimal cutoff point of sedentary behavior for the discrimination of functional disability. Methods: This is a population-based, cross-sectional epidemiological survey of 318 older adults (mean age: 74.6 +/- 9.7 years old) from Northeastern Brazil. Functional disability in instrumental activities of daily living was assessed using the Lawton scale (presence or absence). Sedentary behavior time was quantified using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Results: The prevalence of functional disability was 59.7% (women: 68.5%; men: 48.5%; P = 0.001). The median sedentary behavior time was 4.7 h/day. Each 1 h/day increase in sedentary behavior was associated with a 4% increase in the likelihood of functional disability in women (PR: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.01-1.07). Furthermore, in women, sedentary behavior demonstrated an accuracy of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.530.68), a sensitivity of 23%, and a specificity of 100% (optimal cutoff point: 7.5 h/day). Conclusion: Sedentary behavior was positively associated with functional disability in instrumental activities of daily living in women but not in men. Additionally, sedentary behavior showed accuracy in discriminating functional disability in women, with the optimal cutoff point identified at 7.5 h/day.
Cover crops can enhance soil biological quality and increase soil organic carbon stocks. This study aimed to assess changes in microbial biomass, activity, and soil organic carbon stocks in cocoa farming systems in Ilh & eacute;us, Bahia, Brazil. Four cocoa farming systems were evaluated: full sun with Brachiaria cover crops, full sun with Fabaceae cover crops, full sun with spontaneous vegetation (natural), and full sun without any cover crops, arranged in a randomized completely block design. And an Agroforestry System (AFS) with cocoa trees intercropped with Eritrina velutina served as a reference. Soil samples (0-10 cm layer) were collected from the cocoa tree lines. Analyses included microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) via the fumigation-extraction method, soil microbial activity (SMA) based on CO2 evolution, soil organic carbon, and labile carbon through wet oxidation (SOC and LC, respectively), and total nitrogen (TN) using the Kjeldahl method. The study calculated soil organic carbon stocks (SOCstock), carbon loss rates, metabolic quotient (qCO2), and microbial quotient (qMIC). Results indicated an increase in MBN in treatments with cover crops compared to the control, suggesting that cover plants can improve microbial attributes in full-sun cocoa systems. However, MBC levels did not significantly change with cover crops, highlighting the need for longer cultivation periods to reach AFS levels. Notably, cocoa in full-sun with cover crops increased SOC in the 0-10 cm layer, with the Fabaceae consortium showing a similar SOCstock to the 40-year-old AFS. Thus, Fabaceae cover crops increase soil SOCstock in the short term after the change of land use.
