1. Ecophysiological characterization of Coccoloba uvifera L.: the case of a salt and drought stress tolerant plant species for sand dune reclamation in Cuba Prof.Dr. Raúl Carlos López Sánchez Local promoter

2. Overall Academic Objective (OAO): strengthen research and training on abiotic, especially salt and drought, stress of economically interesting species at Granma University (GU). Overall Developmental Objective (ODO): improve capacity building for research in salt and drought stress at GU. Specific Academic Objective (SAO): strengthen research and training on ecophysiological, nutritional and phyto-chemical characterization and fruit production under salt and drought stress of C. uvifera in saline coastal soils of Cuba. Specific Developmental Objective (SDO): develop the capacities for ecophysiologically trained researchers to reduce climate change vulnerability of the coastal areas of Cuba. Prof.Dr. Raúl Carlos López Sánchez Local promoter

3. Intermediate Results (IR) IR1. The ecophysiological mechanisms for salt and drought stress tolerance of C. uvifera are known. IR2. Nutritional and phytochemical compounds of C. uvifera are characterized and known. IR3. The visibility of the Abiotic Stress Group of the Biotechnology Study Centre, as an excellence center for ecophysiological salt and drought stress research in Cuba has increased Prof.Dr. Raúl Carlos López Sánchez Local promoter

4. IR1. The ecophysiological mechanisms for salt and drought stress tolerance of C. uvifera are known. 1.1.Preparation of experiments 1.1.2Literature review about drought and salt stress in relation to the selected and similar species Prof.Dr. Raúl Carlos López Sánchez Local promoter

5. IR1. The ecophysiological mechanisms for salt and drought stress tolerance of C. uvifera are known. 1.1. Preparation of experiments 1.1.3Definition of experimental design and practical requirements Playa Las Coloradas, Granma province Latitude: 19° 56' 00" N Longitude: 77° 41' 00" W Playa Guardalavaca, Holguin province Latitude: 21°07′30″N Longitude: 75°49′44″O Cayo Coco, Ciego de Avila province Latitude: 22º 32' 10.06" N Longitude: 78º 21' 19.44" W Playa Ancon, Sancti Spiritus province Latitude: 21° 44' 00" N Longitude: 80° 01' 00" W Playa Rancho Luna, Cienfuegos province Latitude: 22°02′20″N Longitude: 80°25′38″W Playa Varadero, Matanzas province Latitude: 23°10'28"N Longitude: 81°12'43"W North South East Middle West

6. IR1. The ecophysiological mechanisms for salt and drought stress tolerance of C. uvifera are known. 1.1. Preparation of experiments 1.1.3Definition of experimental design and practical requirements Prof.Dr. Raúl Carlos López Sánchez Local promoter

7. IR1. The ecophysiological mechanisms for salt and drought stress tolerance of C. uvifera are known. 1.1.Preparation of experiments 1.1.5Training of the personnel responsible for the manipulation of the equipment and the measurements

8. IR1. The ecophysiological mechanisms for salt and drought stress tolerance of C. uvifera are known. 1.2.Experiments in controlled conditions 1.2.1 Evaluation of the response to salt and drought stress of C. uvifera during germination Prof.Dr. Raúl Carlos López Sánchez Local promoter

9. IR1. The ecophysiological mechanisms for salt and drought stress tolerance of C. uvifera are known. 1.2.Experiments in controlled conditions 1.2.1 Evaluation of the response to salt and drought stress of C. uvifera during germination Salt stress Control 5 dS.m -1 25 dS.m -1 15 dS.m -1 Prof.Dr. Raúl Carlos López Sánchez Local promoter

10. IR1. The ecophysiological mechanisms for salt and drought stress tolerance of C. uvifera are known. 1.2.Experiments in controlled conditions 1.2.1 Evaluation of the response to salt and drought stress of C. uvifera during germination Drought stress 100 % field capacity 50 % field capacity 0% field capacity

11. IR1. The ecophysiological mechanisms for salt and drought stress tolerance of C. uvifera are known. 1.2.Experiments in controlled conditions 1.2.2 Evaluation of ecophysiological responses (gas exchange, photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence, plant-water-relations, leaf area index) of C. uvifera to salt and drought stress at seedling and sapling stage. Control 15 dS.m -1 Salt stress

12. IR1. The ecophysiological mechanisms for salt and drought stress tolerance of C. uvifera are known. 1.2.Experiments in controlled conditions 1.2.2 Evaluation of ecophysiological responses (gas exchange, photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence, plant-water-relations, leaf area index) of C. uvifera to salt and drought stress at seedling and sapling stage. Control15 dS.m -1 Control 15 dS.m -1 Salt stress

13. IR1. The ecophysiological mechanisms for salt and drought stress tolerance of C. uvifera are known. 1.2.Experiments in controlled conditions 1.2.2 Evaluation of ecophysiological responses (gas exchange, photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence, plant-water-relations, leaf area index) of C. uvifera to salt and drought stress at seedling and sapling stage. Salt stress

14. 1.3. Experiments in field conditions. 1.3.2 Fruit collection of C. uvifera accessions in selected ecosystems. Playa Las Coloradas, Granma province Latitude: 19° 56' 00" N Longitude: 77° 41' 00" W Playa Guardalavaca, Holguin province Latitude: 21°07′30″N Longitude: 75°49′44″O North South East

15. IR2. Nutritional and phytochemical compounds of C. uvifera are characterized and known. 2.1 Intensive literature review on C. uvifera about the nutritional and medicinal compounds

16. IR2. Nutritional and phytochemical compounds of C. uvifera are characterized and known. 2.2 Evaluation of nutritional quality of C. uvifera 2.3 Phytochemical screening and antibacterial activity evaluation of C. uvifera Metabolites North of east region LeavesBark of the shaftFruits DCMEtOHEtOAcDCMEtOHEtOAcDCMEtOHEtOAc Alkaloids-+--+++- - Coumarins++++ -+ + Fatty Acid------+-- Resins--------- Triterpenes/Steroids------+-- Saponines* (ultrasonido)--*----- - Saponines* (maceración)-+*----- - Free amino acid-------+- Cardiotonic Glycosides--------- Reducers Carbohydrates-+++-++- Phenols/Tanines++++ + ++-+++++ Quinones--------- Antocianidines-++------ Flavonoids-+--+--+- Better compounds----+--+- Mucilages---------

17. Prof.Dr. Raúl Carlos López Sánchez Local promoter

18. Prof.Dr. Raúl Carlos López Sánchez Local promoter

19. Prof.Dr. Raúl Carlos López Sánchez Local promoter