Plants, Volume 14, Issue 24

Vegetation in residential areas plays a crucial role in biodiverse and sustainable cities as it enhances biological diversity, environmental quality, and the human well-being of city residents. However, the distribution of vegetation among these area...

Plants adapt to phosphate starvation by remodeling root architecture and reallocating carbohydrates. Glucose-6-phosphate 1-epimerase (G6PE), a key enzyme in carbon and energy metabolism, is hypothesized to contribute to phosphate starvation responses...

Quercus palustris possesses significant ecological and ornamental value, yet its clonal propagation remains challenging, hindering germplasm utilization. To address this, an efficient tissue culture propagation system was established. This study syst...

Caragana tibetica Kom. is a key constructive species in desert steppe and desert transition zones. Long-term enclosure has led to population decline and even mortality of C. tibetica, while populations outside enclosures grow well. However, the biolo...

Tropical germplasm has accumulated a large number of genes adapted to a variety of adversities. In this study, we assessed the genetic diversity and population structure of 109 inbred maize lines newly released from the International Maize and Wheat...

Grain weight, a highly heritable yield component, is a primary breeding target for enhancing wheat productivity. Unraveling the molecular dynamics underlying grain development is essential for identifying key regulators controlling this trait. In thi...

This study assessed the impact of biofertilisers on primary and secondary (specialised) metabolites in six lettuce cultivars (‘Kiribati’, ‘Murai’, ‘Aquino’, ‘Gaugin’, ‘Aleppo’, and ‘Ca...

Spearmint phytochemicals exhibit remarkable antidiabetic, antioxidant, and broad pharmacological activities. In vitro organ cultures offer an efficient and sustainable platform for enhancing the production of these bioactive metabolites, although opt...

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) cultivation in China covers an estimated area of 25,600 hectares, representing more than one-third of the global total. Viral diseases present a serious challenge to cherry production worldwide; however, the phytosanita...

Cold stress limits cucumber productivity, and grafting onto tolerant rootstocks offers a promising strategy for improving resilience. This study compared the responses of cucumber heterografts and self-grafts exposed to different cold temperatures, a...

The genus Tortula is one of the most diverse and morphologically complex groups within Pottiaceae. This study presents both morphological and phylogenetic evidence for the recognition of a new species, T. murciana, within the T. subulata complex. The...

Dryland, which mainly retains rain-fed agriculture, is the main type of farmland in China and widely distributed in the northern regions. Rainfall scarcity limits the development of maize at the seedling stage, which adversely affects the increase in...

Phospholipase D (PLD) genes play key roles in plant abiotic stress responses, but the systematic identification of the maize (Zea mays) PLD family and its cold tolerance mechanism remain unclear. Using 26 maize genomes (pangenome), we identified 21 Z...

Bradyrhizobium is a genetically diverse genus that forms symbioses with numerous legumes, including major crops such as cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and soybean (Glycine max). Understanding the genetic and symbiotic diversity of native strains is essen...

Giant pandas feed preferentially on bamboo but choose different species and organs depending on factors such as the altitude and season, suggesting preferential selection according to their nutritional requirements. However, the mechanism of selectio...

Valine-glutamine motif proteins (VQ), plant-specific transcriptional co-regulators harboring the conserved FxxhVQxhTG motif, play pivotal roles in coordinating plant stress adaptation through dynamic interactions with WRKY transcription factors (WRKY...

Modern agriculture relies heavily on chemical inputs to sustain productivity, yet their intensive use poses environmental and health risks. Sustainable strategies based on biostimulants have emerged as promising alternatives to reduce agrochemical de...

Cannabis sativa L. has been cultivated for millennia as a source of food and fibre. Increasing demand for functional foods has renewed interest in C. sativa seeds (hempseeds), which are rich in essential fatty acids and amino acids. However, a near-g...

Soil salinization–alkalization is a critical abiotic constraint on global agriculture, threatening agroecosystem sustainability. Leymus chinensis, a high–quality perennial forage with strong stress resilience, is an ideal model for studyi...

Populus euphratica Oliv. serves as a keystone species in desert riparian ecosystems. Owing to its pronounced tolerance to drought and salinity, as well as its robust reproductive capacity, it has become a pioneer species in desert oases. The xylogluc...

Maize–alfalfa intercropping is practiced in Northeast China to improve land productivity and forage production. However, competition between the two crops can reduce system performance, which calls for an emphasis on optimal row ratio. Hence, t...

Abiotic stresses such as drought and heat severely constrain the growth and productivity of Solanaceae crops, including potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), yet the conserved regulatory mechanisms underlying their stres...

Excessive nitrogen fertilization can degrade soil quality by inducing nutrient leaching, disrupting the microbial balance, and impairing plant reproductive growth, ultimately reducing crop yields. Optimizing nitrogen application rates and integrating...

The desiccation tolerant moss Hedwigia ciliata was investigated to assess its early reaction to water stress in controlled conditions. Thus, various photosynthetic parameters and water contents were studied during a selected time frame within 48 h of...

Chilling injury (CI) is a major postharvest disorder in citrus fruit, and fatty acid (FA) metabolism has been proposed as a key determinant of cold tolerance. We have investigated this relationship in the fruit of the Star Ruby grapefruit and found t...

Pollen tube growth entails complex molecular interactions between the cytoskeletal apparatus and membrane trafficking. Tip growth involves polarized distribution of proteins and lipids along the plasma membrane, including liquid-ordered microdomains,...

Background: The Songnen Plain in China contains soda saline–alkaline soil, wherein salinity and alkalinity severely constrain crop productivity. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a forage legume that has adapted to moderate saline–alkaline...

Plant interactions and their responses to stress environments are important ecological processes for ecosystem stability and biodiversity formation, but how plant intraspecific relationships respond to environmental stresses remains to be studied in...

Agriculture in semi-arid regions faces challenges, such as water scarcity and low soil fertility, making the forage cactus a highly important crop due to its crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) pathway. The productivity of the forage cactus, however,...

Ratoon rice cultivation is an efficient production system that achieves a second harvest from the stubble of the main crop, but its yield potential is largely constrained by variation in axillary bud regeneration capacity. Here, we identify OsPM19L,...

Drought is a major constraint on Cannabis sativa productivity and cannabinoid yield, yet the physiological mechanisms underlying genotypic variation in drought responses remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that (i) more vigorous genotypes would...

Despite the ethnobotanical significance of Chilean Colliguaja species, research on their biological activities and phytochemical composition remains limited. Among these species, Colliguaja odorifera Molina (Euphorbiaceae), traditionally used in folk...

Leaf surfaces are protected by a hydrophobic cuticle with variable chemical composition and roughness, which often limits spray droplet retention and absorption. Optimizing foliar spray performance is therefore critical to maximize the desired effect...

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), one of the most widely consumed horticultural crops worldwide, is also a notable source of food allergens, with a higher prevalence of allergic reactions in pollen-sensitized patients. Profilin, a small actin-binding...

Nitrogen (N) is an essential nutrient for the growth and development of rice. However, excessive N fertiliser application and low N Use Efficiency (NUE) have led to serious environmental problems and threatened agricultural sustainability. In this st...

Emerging pollutants such as pharmaceuticals and synthetic dyes increasingly enter agricultural soils through irrigation with treated or untreated wastewater and via biosolid amendments, raising concerns for plant health, soil functionality, and food...

Heavy metal (HM) contamination threatens environmental sustainability, food safety, and agricultural productivity worldwide. HM toxicity adversely affects plant growth, reducing germination rates by 20–50%, impairing seedling establishment, and...

Knowledge of Algeria’s orchid flora has increased considerably over the past two decades; however, certain regions, such as Guelma Province in northeastern Algeria, remain poorly studied. Between 2013 and 2024, survey work was conducted in this...

The previously published liverwort checklist of Laos, one of the least-studied countries in Asia, was titled “Listing the Unknown”, based on the fact that only 66 species are known for such a landscape-diverse country. Our collection reve...

Axillary buds are key organs that determine shoot branching and aerial architecture in plants and critically influence crop growth and productivity. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the transition from dormancy to bud activation is a...

Glossy appearance is a critical trait that affects the appearance quality and marketability of leafy vegetables, including Chinese cabbage. The glossy trait is primarily associated with cuticular wax. Although several genes involved in cuticular wax...

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is valued for its resilience to abiotic stress; however, germination and seedling establishment remain highly sensitive to salinity. While its salt tolerance at later growth stages has been well studied, strategies...

Helianthus annuus L. is one of the major oilseed crops worldwide, and its production is seriously affected by a highly destructive necrotrophic pathogen, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (S. sclerotiorum). The use of resistant cultivars is the best control m...

Protein phosphatase 2Cs (PP2Cs) are members of the serine/threonine phosphatase family that play pivotal roles in regulating plant development and responses to environmental stresses. However, comprehensive genome-wide studies of the PP2C gene family...

Desert plants develop unique functional traits and resource utilization strategies under environmental stress, among which, water and nitrogen utilization strategies are the key resource utilization strategies for desert plants. Research on plant wat...

To investigate the effects of varying degrees of shading on the photosynthetic characteristics of Spuriopinnella brachycarpa (Kom.) Kitag. experiments were conducted under five shading treatments: 0% (full sunlight), 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80%. The resul...

Plant essential oils (EOs) are attracting interest as ecofriendly alternatives to antibiotics and copper-based control of kiwifruit bacterial canker (KBC), caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa). This study chemically profiled six EOs (a...

Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven) is among the most abundant and widespread neophytic plants in Austria. The pollen season of Ailanthus usually ranges from the beginning of June until the mid of July, showing one peak period around the mid of June...

Understanding how climatic variability shapes the reproductive behavior of perennial crops is essential for improving their adaptation to tropical mountain environments. This study examined the influence of altitudinal and thermal gradients on flower...

The physiological, biochemical, and morphometric responses of two lettuce cultivars (Lactuca sativa L.), Gypsy and Pomegranate Lace, which differ in terms of leaf morphology and anthocyanin pigmentation, were examined under moderate light (290 µ...