Botany

This thesis explores interactions between the native Florida plant Coccoloba uvifera (sea grape) and the gall-inducing midge Ctenodactylomyia watsoni. Galls are tumor-like structure that form on the surface of the leaf. Galled leaves are common on sea grape foliage, with the oviposition of C. watsoni potentially contributing to or being associated with early leaf senescence. Despite its significance, the life cycle of this galling midge remains a largely unexplored topic in the literature. This research also investigates the potential oviposition and gall formation on another Florida coastal plant, Coccoloba diversifolia, commonly known as pigeon plum. Given the taxonomic proximity and potential for hybridization of the two plant congeners, it was suspected that pigeon plum may serve as a potential host for C. watsoni. This thesis aimed to expand understanding of the life cycle and population dynamics of C. watsoni. The study was successful in providing insight into the population composition, periodicity, and trait differentiation between both its host plants of the galling midge C. watsoni.

Freshwater salinization and expanding desertification threaten global agriculture. Promise lies in salt resistance genes found in Salicornia europaea, a halophyte that thrives in high-salt conditions partly due to protein action. We focused one of its genes, SeNN24. It enhanced salt resistance in yeast and shows promise in improving crop resilience. Our research introduced SeNN24 into tobacco via agrobacterial transformation, testing the plants under salt and drought conditions. The transformed tobacco showed superior tolerance of up to 400mM NaCl and drought, maintaining health and even flowering under stress. This suggests that SeNN24 could potentially confer significant salt and drought resistance to vital crops, protecting them from environmental challenges and enhancing agricultural sustainability.