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GENERAL INFORMATION |
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| The UV-B radiation (290 - 315 nm) may increase as a result of ozone depletion in the Earth’s stratosphere, which is caused by man-made pollution (McKenzie et al., 2003; McKenzie et al., 2007). The increased of solar UV-B radiation will have immense consequences on agriculture. While plants are more tolerant to UV-B radiation than other organisms, it is known that UV-B radiation causes physiological changes (e.g. reduced net photosynthesis, changes in chemical composition, changes in pigment levels, premature ripening, and senescence) as well as morphological changes (e.g. increased branching, leaf thickness, and leaf size, as well as stunted growth) (Caldwell et al., 2007; Flint et al., 2004). UV radiation often decreases the intensity of insect herbivory and reduces numbers of nematodes, which likely involves chemical changes in the plant tissue, such as altered phenolic compounds (Andrady et al., 2007; Paul et al., 1997). In addition, the increased solar UV-B radiation will greatly affect the microorganisms that are important for agriculture such the plant pathogen antagonist Trichoderma harzianum and Trichoderma viridae (Braga et al., 2002; Moody et al., 1999; Paul et al., 2005), fungi and bacteria used to control insect pests (Braga et al., 2001; Myasnik et al., 2001; Rangel et al., 2005; Rangel & Roberts, 2010), and decomposer microorganisms (Giordano et al., 2003; Moody et al., 1999; Pancotto et al., 2003). UV-B radiation can change the composition of species and biodiversity of bacteria and fungi growth on plants. The biodiversity may be either increased or decreased. For pathogens, elevated UV-B can either increase or decrease the severity of disease development in plants (Caldwell et al., 2003; Paul et al., 1997). Therefore, due to the notable importance that UV-B radiation has on agriculture, researchers from Universidade do Vale do Paraíba and EMBRAPA Meio Ambiente are organizing the First Brazilian Symposium about the Effects of Increased UV Radiation on Agriculture. This event will bring together approximately 12 internationally recognized scientists, who will focus on understanding the consequences of increased UV-B radiation on agriculture. Based on up to date research, the scientists will present research strategies focused on methods to study the effect of solar UV radiation on plants and microorganisms. This symposium will serve as a milestone for Brazilians scientists to expand studies in this field. In addition to exchanging knowledge between scientists and students, the expected outcome is a review paper to be published in an important scientific journal in this area and will result in a new research direction that will benefit sustainable agricultural systems. The First Brazilian Symposium about the Effects of Increased UV Radiation on Agriculture is part of the project “Impacts of climate change on plant diseases, pests, and weeds” (CLIMAPEST) which is connected to the Macroprogram 1 - Great National Challenges, as part of Embrapa Meio Ambiente in which the Universidade do Vale do Paraíba is partner. These projects are characterized by high technical and scientific quality in basic and applied research. To study the simulation of the main enviromental factors of climate change and ozone depletion, the CLIMAPEST Project is comprised by the five Component Projects (PC): 1) Management; 2) Effect of CO2; 3) Effect of temperature; 4) Effect of UV-B; and 5) Spatial distribution. In addition, the CLIMAPEST project has action plans that include the significant crops that are very important for Brazil’s economy. The project started in January 2009 and will end in four years. More information about the Climapest project can be found in the website http://www.macroprograma1.cnptia.embrapa.br/climapest/english-version This meeting will open a new important research frontier in Brazil for the study of UV radiation in agriculture. A search on the Lattes website revealed very few Brazilian scientists working on this crucial topic. In addition, new possibilities for collaboration between the speakers and Brazilian scientists on UV radiation will be opened. |