Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101494

Authors: Grațiana Ruse Ștefana Avram Andreea-Maria Munteanu Oana-Andrada Iftode Laurian Vlase Ana-Maria Vlase Delia Muntean Alexandra Mioc Raluca Pop Alina-Arabela Jojic Codruța-Marinela Șoica Diana-Simona Tchiakpe-Antal

Green seeds of Coffea arabica represent a rich source of bioactive compounds. This study aimed to compare the butanol-soluble (CA-BU) and the ethyl acetate-soluble (CA-EtAc) fractions in terms of their phytochemical composition and biological activity. As a first step, the fractions were analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS) in order to investigate the major constituents. Subsequently, CA-BU and CA-EtAc were evaluated for antioxidant effect, antimicrobial activity, antiproliferative properties, effects on the mitochondrial function, and on the chorioallantoic membrane. The CA-EtAc fraction was enriched in chlorogenic acids and catechins and showed superior antioxidant activity, whereas CA-BU displayed a broader profile of semi-polar polyphenols, conferring moderate antimicrobial effects and stronger antiproliferative activity in MCF-7 human breast adenocarcinoma cells, although with limited selectivity compared with HaCaT non-tumorigenic cells. Respirometric analysis demonstrated that CA-BU selectively inhibited mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation Complex I (OXPHOS CI), without affecting Complex II (CII) or basal respiration, indicating a specific mitochondria-targeted mechanism. Both fractions were non-irritant and well tolerated in the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay; CA-BU reduced vascular density. These findings demonstrate a clear mechanistic differentiation between the fractions, highlighting the decisive role of solvent polarity in obtaining extracts with distinct and targeted biological effects.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101493

Authors: Adnan Kanbar Yaman Jabbour Peter Nick

Amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) is a multifaceted genus of C4 plants with significant nutritional and agronomic potential, yet it remains underutilized in mainstream agriculture. Despite growing interest in Amaranth, most germplasm studies have used either phenotypic or molecular approaches alone, lacking integration. Multivariate methods have not been systematically applied to identify promising genotypes, and species-specific selection indices for grain Amaranth remain unexplored. To address these gaps, this study comprehensively characterized 84 Amaranth genotypes representing multiple species (A. caudatus, A. cruentus, A. hypochondriacus, A. hybridus, A. spinosus, A. powellii, A. tricolor, and 38 accessions of unknown taxonomic status) using field experiments in a randomized complete block design with three replications and DNA barcoding with chloroplast (psbA-trnH) and nuclear (ITS) markers. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences (p < 0.01) among genotypes for all six agronomic traits evaluated, confirming substantial genetic variability with grain yield exhibiting the widest variation (CV = 28.55%), ranging from 0.25 to 125.56 g/plant. High broad-sense heritability estimates (0.79–0.99) coupled with high genetic advance, particularly for grain yield (117.54%), indicated that these traits would respond favorably to selection. Path analysis and stepwise regression identified early flowering, long inflorescences, and heavy seeds as the primary determinants of grain yield, collectively explaining 27% of yield variation. Mahalanobis D2 analysis identified nine multivariate outliers with distinct phenotypic profiles, among which G39 emerged as the most promising breeding candidate, combining exceptional yield (90.50 g/plant) with desirable architecture, long inflorescence, and large seeds. Principal component analysis further resolved trait complexes, identifying 11 PC1-selected promising genotypes as donors for plant architecture and three PC2-selected promising genotypes as donors for seed size characteristics. Molecular analysis revealed distinct genetic relationships. A. caudatus (kiwicha) exhibited limited haplotype diversity indicating a narrow genetic base, while A. cruentus and A. hypochondriacus showed broader diversity, with the nuclear ITS network providing clearer resolution than chloroplast markers due to biparental inheritance. Outlier genotypes, including G82, G83, G13, G10, and G39, occupied unique haplotype positions, confirming that their phenotypic distinctiveness corresponds to genuine genetic differentiation. The novelty of this study lies in integrating multivariate biostatistical techniques (heritability, path analysis, Mahalanobis D2, PCA, and stepwise regression) with two complementary DNA barcode systems (chloroplast and nuclear) within a single germplasm collection. This integrated approach provides breeders with well-characterized germplasm, validated selection criteria, and prioritized parental materials for Amaranth improvement. Further multi-location and multi-season evaluations are recommended to ensure the stability and adaptability of these promising germplasm accessions.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101488

Authors: Renata Bažok Darija Lemić Dragan Bubalo Ante Kasap Milorad Vojvodić

The ban on neonicotinoid seed treatments in the EU has created major challenges for maize and sugar beet production, as these chemicals have been highly effective in controlling early-season pests, including wireworms (Agriotes spp.), sugar beet weevil (Asproparthenis punctiventris Germar) (SBW) and sugar beet flea beetles (Chaetocnema tibialis Illiger) (SBFB). However, adequate alternatives have not yet been introduced. The aim of this research was to get insights on the biological activity of insecticides with distinct modes of action and comparatively more favorable ecotoxicological profiles than neonicotinoids, chlorantraniliprole, spinosad, and azadirachtin, applied as seed treatments in maize and sugar beet against wireworms in maize and against SBW and SBFB in sugar beet. In laboratory trials, each insecticide was tested as a seed treatment at three different doses. Thiamethoxam was included as the standard treatment (positive control). Among the tested insecticides, spinosad seed treatment showed the highest efficacy against wireworms and was superior to both the standard insecticide and chlorantraniliprole, while azadirachtin showed no effect. None of the tested insecticides provide satisfactory control of SBW. In contrast, SBFB responded to all three insecticide treatments, with efficacy comparable to, or even better than, the standard insecticide. These results suggest that chlorantraniliprole, azadirachtin, and spinosad may all represent promising candidates for sugar beet seed treatment to protect young plants against SBFB. Future research should focus on developing seed treatment formulations and field and semi-field trials as well as evaluating combinations of active ingredients and their suitability for integration into IPM programs. These findings provide a basis for further development of seed treatment strategies aimed at reducing dependence on neonicotinoids in maize and sugar beet production.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101492

Authors: Xiaorong Xiao Xiaowei Yan Mengting Huang Linan Zhai Mingchao Zhao Siyuan Huang Bangji Zhou Qingyu Wang Huijian Wang Yapeng Li Yong Yun Funeng Xing Qingjie Tang

Bacterial blight (BB), caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae (Xoo), is one of the most devastating diseases in rice worldwide. Common wild rice (Oryza rufipogon Griff.) inhabiting the high-temperature and high-humidity environments of Hainan Island has evolved strong disease resistance through natural selection, representing a valuable genetic reservoir for resistance breeding. However, large-scale characterization of resistance phenotypes, resistance genes, and their combinations remains limited. In this study, we evaluated BB resistance in 1511 Hainan common wild rice accessions against three Xoo strains (HNX004, PXO99A, and Z173) and analyzed the distribution of ten major known resistance genes (Xa1, Xa3, Xa4, xa5, Xa7, Xa10, xa13, Xa21, Xa23, and Xa27). Phenotypic evaluation revealed distinct strain-specific resistance patterns. Broad-spectrum resistance analysis (defined as moderate resistance or higher) revealed that 35 accessions (2.32%) were resistant to all strains, and 378 accessions (25.02%) showed resistance to two strains. Genotyping of known resistance genes revealed that, except for one accession, which lacked all tested genes but showed resistance to strain PXO99A, all other accessions carried every tested gene except Xa21 and xa13. Interestingly, different Xoo strains exhibited distinct requirements for resistance genes, revealing a clear strain-specific resistance pattern. Notably, the number of resistance genes did not correlate with resistance level. Instead, specific complementary combinations, particularly Xa1 + Xa10 + Xa23 + Xa4 + Xa7, conferred the strongest broad-spectrum resistance. Our results demonstrate that gene quality and specific complementary combinations are more important than the absolute number of resistance genes. The identified resistant accessions and favorable gene combinations provide valuable resources for rice breeding programs.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101491

Authors: Martin A. Stefanov Georgi D. Rashkov Preslava B. Borisova Anelia G. Dobrikova Emilia L. Apostolova

Drought is a major environmental constraint that disrupts photosynthetic processes. This study investigated the effects of foliar-applied commercial humic acid (HA) at different concentrations (1, 3 and 5 mg/mL) on the photosynthetic apparatus of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L. Italiano classico) under PEG-induced stress. The responses of the photosynthetic machinery were evaluated using chlorophyll a fluorescence analyses (JIP-test and PAM), leaf pigment composition, and assessments of membrane integrity. Drought stress caused pronounced alterations on both the donor and acceptor sides of photosystem II (PSII), including impaired QA− reoxidation, reduced open PSII reaction centers (qP), diminished electron transport (ETo/RC, REo/RC), and substantial declines in performance indices (PIABS, PItotal). Energy dissipation increased (DI0/RC), with regulated energy losses (FNPQ) rising more strongly than non-regulated losses (FNO). Drought also elevated oxidative stress markers (MDA and H2O2), leading to enhanced membrane injury. Among the tested concentrations, 5 mg/mL HA provided the most effective protection against drought stress. This treatment mitigated PEG-induced damage on both PSII donor and acceptor sides and increased the proportion of open reaction centers (qP). Improved PSII photochemistry corresponded with more efficient QA− reoxidation, facilitated its interaction with plastoquinone, and caused the overall stabilization of photosynthetic functions under drought. The protective effects of HA were also evident for both PSI subpopulations. The enhanced tolerance was associated with the activation of antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD, APX) and the increased levels of anthocyanins and total phenolic content (TPC). In contrast, lower HA concentrations (1 and 3 mg/mL) provided insufficient protection. This study clearly demonstrates that HA enhances drought tolerance in basil in a concentration-dependent manner by protecting the structural and functional integrity of the photosynthetic apparatus, supporting its potential use as a foliar treatment to improve crop resilience under water-limited conditions.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101489

Authors: Zhongmengyi Qin Xiaoxia Yang Shuaihao Chen Hongkang Zhou Yetao Wang Yutong Zheng Liping Niu Dawa Dondup Xin Hou

Hulless barley (Hordeum vulgare L. var. nudum) on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau is consistently exposed to intense solar irradiance, yet whether and how reproductive spikes and flag leaves partition photoprotection remains unclear. Here, we compared a pigmented black landrace (Cai Peng Zi, CPZ) with a white cultivar (Zang Qing 3000, ZQ3000) across early, middle, and late spike coloration stages under field conditions. By integrating measurements of anthocyanin and chlorophyll contents, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, and rapid light-response curves, we dissected organ-specific strategies in photochemistry and energy dissipation in spikes and flag leaves. The results showed that anthocyanin accumulation in CPZ spikes increased significantly during spike coloration, while chlorophyll a and the chlorophyll a/b ratio declined, indicating a shift from light harvesting to photoprotection in reproductive tissues. This pigment transition coincided with reduced PSII performance (declines in QYmax, qP, and qL) but stable non-photochemical quenching (NPQ and qN), pointing to reduced photochemical capacity with relatively stable energy dissipation in the spike. In contrast, CPZ leaves maintained higher QYmax than ZQ3000 but exhibited a pronounced decline in NPQ and qN at late stages, reflecting CPZ’s attenuated regulated energy dissipation capacity. Rapid light-response analysis further supported differences between organs and cultivars. Under high PAR, ZQ3000 spikes exhibited steeper declines in Y(II) and stronger downregulation of ETR(II), whereas CPZ spikes showed more moderate decreases; in leaves, ZQ3000 maintained consistently lower Y(NO) and higher Y(NPQ), indicating greater reliance on regulated energy dissipation. Collectively, our results reveal how pigment-mediated screening in reproductive structures and dynamic regulation of energy dissipation in leaves are coordinated to optimize light-use efficiency in high-altitude environments, providing physiological insights for breeding resilient hulless barley varieties.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101490

Authors: Leslie Castillo Nicole Seliga Nidhi Patel Grant Steiner Gustavo Chavez Alexis Diaz Colin Gates

Efficient charge separation and electron transfer in Photosystem II (PSII) depend on small inorganic cofactors that maintain redox balance and catalytic stability. Chloride facilitates water-oxidizing-complex turnover and minimizes charge recombination. Bicarbonate, coordinated to the non-heme iron, facilitates electron transfer between the plastoquinones QA and QB. This work investigates cooperativity between these cofactors across PSII in the hypercarbonate-requiring cyanobacterium Limnospira maxima. Bromide-for-chloride substitution induces a distinct kinetic limitation at the water oxidizing complex. While bicarbonate depletion inhibits electron transfer at the acceptor side, bromide-substituted cells maintain a measurable level of electron flow through the intersystem chain. The presence of bromide induces structural changes that allow partial electron transfer to continue even in the absence of the bicarbonate cofactor, which is not observed in the chloride system. However, this dual anion stress results in irreversible functional impairment in some centers, whereas full recovery of activity is observed with native chloride. When the donor side is restricted by bromide, the loss of bicarbonate, which is thought to function as a proton buffer for the donor side, compromises the overall stability of the reaction center. This leads to a permanent decrease in activity of the electron transfer chain, suggesting an interdependence between the roles of chloride and bicarbonate that is essential for protecting PSII during ionic stress.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101485

Authors: Miguel Valverde-Urrea Carolina Kaylly Otero Marc Terradas-Fernández Federico Lopez-Moya

The Mediterranean Sea harbors a rich diversity of macroalgae with pharmacological potential. In this study, antioxidant and antifungal activities of methanol and ethyl acetate extracts from Rugulopteryx okamurae, Dictyota fasciola, Batophora sp., Codium fragile, and Palisada tenerrima from the southeastern coast of Spain were evaluated. R. okamurae, Batophora sp. and C. fragile are non-native. All extracts exhibited antioxidant activity, particularly those obtained with methanol. R. okamurae and Batophora sp. showed the highest activity, inhibiting the DPPH· radical by more than 40% at 1 mg/mL. Methanolic extracts of R. okamurae and P. tenerrima showed in vitro fungistatic activity against the banana plant pathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4. R. okamurae exhibited the highest antifungal activity, with inhibition values of 23.3% and 30.5% at 10 and 20 mg/well, respectively, while P. tenerrima showed moderate activity, and the remaining extracts had lower effects. LC–MS/MS analysis of R. okamurae revealed a diverse metabolite profile, including oxylipin-type metabolites and terpenoid-related compounds. These results indicate that macroalgae from the southeastern Spanish coast may represent a source of antioxidant and antifungal compounds and support the valorization of invasive biomass.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101487

Authors: Jiatong Wu Yiwei Tang Chengzhen Jia Zhiyong Li Huamin Liu Lixin Wang Yang Wang Lei Dong Cunzhu Liang Jinghui Zhang

Grazing is a pervasive disturbance in arid ecosystems, but its effects on community-level coordination of plant hydraulic and economic traits remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated how long-term grazing alters community-weighted mean hydraulic and leaf economic traits in a desert steppe of Inner Mongolia, and how these shifts affect aboveground biomass (AGB) and water-use efficiency (WUE). Grazing drove a coordinated conservative shift in community hydraulic traits, including more negative osmotic potential at turgor loss point (ψtlp), increased cell wall rigidity (ε), and reduced leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf). Grazing also restructured trait–function relationships: under grazing, AGB was positively correlated with dehydration tolerance rather than transport efficiency, and WUE was tightly coupled with osmotic adjustment. Variance partitioning showed that hydraulic traits explained 57.4% of AGB variation under grazing, whereas economic traits dominated in the control site (74.5%). Our findings demonstrate that long-term grazing imposes a fundamental reorganization of community-level trait coordination, driving a transition from an efficiency-oriented to a safety-oriented strategy, and highlight the central role of hydraulic traits in mediating ecosystem function under combined stress.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101486

Authors: Jiayun Zhang Xiangyu Zhang Qiang Chen

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a globally important high-value cash crop. However, long-term continuous cropping causes frequent soil-borne diseases and soil microecological imbalance, while overreliance on chemical pesticides leads to pesticide residues and water eutrophication. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are key resources for addressing tomato cultivation challenges, with their functions partly depending on the rhizosphere microenvironment inherently shaped by seedling tray materials. Using rhizosphere soil and substrates of tomato at different growth stages under biomass (BM) and plastic (PM) seedling tray treatments, this study combined culture-independent and culture-dependent techniques to analyze microbial community characteristics and screen high-efficiency PGPR. Results showed that pH and available nitrogen drove microbial community assembly. BM significantly enriched beneficial taxa (e.g., Trichoderma and Bacillus) and enhanced culturable microbial abundance and genetic diversity, while PM enriched potential pathogens (e.g., Fusarium and Pyrenochaeta). The multifunctional strain S25095 from BM, with phosphate-solubilizing, potassium-solubilizing, and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)-producing abilities, significantly promoted tomato shoot and root growth, outperforming single-functional strains and synthetic consortia. This study reveals the effects of growth stages and seedling tray treatments on tomato rhizosphere microorganisms, providing valuable PGPR resources for tomato cultivation.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101484

Authors: Hazem S. Elshafie Ippolito Camele

In recent years, the search for sustainable, bio-based alternatives to synthetic chemicals has intensified, positioning plant essential oils (EOs) at the forefront of applied phytochemical research. The following collection of ten articles from different geographical regions, published in Plants as part of the Special Issue “Plant Essential Oil with Biological Activity: 3rd Edition,” covers various aspects of recent scientific research on plant EOs, ranging from chemotaxonomy to green biocides, with particular emphasis on chemical composition and functional properties. Further attention is given to specific predominant single constituents and their bio-selectivity, modes of action, and innovative applications in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors, particularly against major diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101483

Authors: Mingzhu Zhao Dianxiu Song Xiaohong Liu Bing Yi Yuxuan Cao Jingang Liu Dexing Wang Liangshan Feng

Plant height is a key component of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) plant architecture. It strongly influences lodging resistance, mechanized harvestability, and yield stability. However, the genetic basis of plant height in sunflowers remains underexplored. This study aimed to develop an F2 population consisting of 715 individuals from a cross between the dwarf inbred line 150A and the tall inbred line PT326. Bulked segregant analysis coupled with whole-genome resequencing was employed to identify loci associated with plant height. Using three complementary analytical methods, a major quantitative trait locus, qPH15, was identified on chromosome 15. This locus was subsequently fine-mapped, using Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) markers and recombinant screening in F2 and F3 populations, narrowing it to a 64.66-kb region containing three annotated genes. Among these, HanXRQr2_Chr15g0707451, which encodes an NAC transcription factor designated HaNAC7, was identified as the most promising candidate gene. Haplotype analysis of HaNAC7 across 148 sunflower accessions revealed 4 polymorphic sites defining 6 haplotypes with substantial differences in plant height. The shortest haplotypes, Hap2 and Hap3, were associated with reduced plant height and were predominantly found in Asian germplasm. These findings suggest that HaNAC7 is a strong candidate gene underlying qPH15 and provide useful molecular markers and favorable allelic resources for improving sunflower plant architecture.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101482

Authors: Wenyue Wang Wei Yang Wenqing Song Shengyi Huang Jianming Lai Zhichun Zhou Pengcheng Wang Bin Wang

This study aimed to reveal the rhizosphere microbial community structure, carbon–nitrogen–phosphorus (C-N-P) nutrient cycling processes, and functional gene characteristics of Pinus massoniana and Schima superba in mixed forests. Furthermore, we sought to elucidate the microbial mechanisms by which mixed-species afforestation enhances soil quality improvement, providing a theoretical basis in soil microbiology for the cultivation of these mixed forests. The research subjects included pure P. massoniana plantations (CLPs), pure S. superba plantations (CLSs), and individual P. massoniana (HJP) and S. superba (HJS) trees within mixed plantations (HJLs). We collected rhizosphere and bulk soil samples to analyze their physicochemical properties and enzyme activities. Metagenomic sequencing was employed to profile the rhizosphere microbial communities and functional genes involved in C-N-P cycling. Furthermore, by integrating a functional gene co-occurrence network analysis with structural equation modeling (SEM), we systematically elucidated the coupling relationships among the stand types, soil properties, microbial communities, and nutrient cycling. Mixed planting significantly improved soil quality; compared to the CLP and CLS forests, the nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N) content in the mixed forest soils increased by 121.01% and 120.10% (p < 0.05), and the activity of urease (URE) also significantly increased by 123.99% and 49.56%, respectively. Mixing significantly altered the microbial community structure. In the bacterial community of the mixed forests, the abundance of nitrogen-fixing and potentially phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria from the genera Paraburkholderia and Burkholderia increased. In the fungal community, the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus, which possesses a nutrient absorption advantage, exhibited absolute dominance, with its relative abundance ranging from 14.84% to 88.81%. The abundances of genes associated with denitrification and phosphorus starvation regulation were significantly upregulated in the mixed forests; notably, the abundance of phosphorus starvation regulation genes in the HJSs was 18.84% higher than that in the CLSs. A co-occurrence network analysis demonstrated that the proportion of positive correlation edges in the HJP nitrogen cycling network reached as high as 75.0%, and the average degree of the HJS phosphorus cycling network (2.691) surpassed that of the CLSs. The structural equation modeling further revealed that the association strength between the fungi and phosphorus cycling genes in the mixed forests increased to R2 = 0.915 (p < 0.01) from R2 = 0.213 in the pure forests. This mixed planting practice transforms nutrient cycling from a resource-competitive mode to a microbially synergized mode, thereby forming an efficient endogenous nutrient cycling system. This synergistic rhizosphere microbial effect is a key internal mechanism for overcoming nutrient bottlenecks and should serve as a diagnostic indicator of soil recovery in the ecological restoration of degraded pine forests.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101481

Authors: Marius Paraschiv

Woody plants in managed and natural ecosystems are increasingly exposed to arthropod pest pressure, posing challenges for sustainable plant protection. This study evaluates trunk injection as a pest management strategy in woody species, with emphasis on plant-mediated processes shaping interactions between host plants and herbivorous arthropods. Two experimental systems were investigated: a greenhouse experiment with Gleditsia triacanthos and a field experiment with Quercus petraea. Systemic active ingredients (acetamiprid and abamectin) were applied using both experimental and professional injection devices, and their effectiveness was assessed against Tetranychus urticae and a complex of foliar-feeding insects. In the greenhouse experiment, trunk injection reduced T. urticae populations compared with untreated controls and soil drench treatments, with reductions of 55.6–58.4% for larvae, 65.7–67.5% for eggs, and 28.7% for adults, although foliar application achieved higher suppression (up to 81.2% for eggs). In the field experiment, treatments reduced leaf discoloration (from 16.3% in control to 1.45–3.80%) and skeletonization (from 15.1% to 9.95–12.7%), with more moderate effects on defoliation. Differences among feeding guilds suggest that responses to systemically distributed compounds depend on feeding behavior and canopy position. Both pressurized and non-pressurized methods enabled uptake and translocation of active compounds within plant tissues. Localized injuries were observed at injection points, including internal necrosis. Overall, trunk injection represents a viable approach for pest management in woody plants, highlighting the role of plant-mediated processes in shaping treatment outcomes under contrasting conditions.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101480

Authors: Xiaoguang Xing Huailiang Wang Bin Liu Fengchan Liu Jingyi Xu Huitao Shen

Grassland management strategies profoundly influence ecosystem nutrient dynamics, yet how long-term practices affect carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) stoichiometry and stocks in plant–soil systems remains poorly understood, particularly in semi-arid regions. This study evaluated the effects of different management strategies—enclosing (EG), grazing (GG), and mowing with enclosure (MG)—on C, N, and P concentrations, stoichiometric ratios, and stocks in both plant and soil across a semi-arid grassland of northern China. Our results showed that GG led to higher N and P concentrations in plant tissues, while EG enhanced C concentrations and resulted in the highest ecosystem C and N stocks. The N:P ratios under EG and GG (15.3 and 15.6) suggested co-limitation by N and P, while the lower ratio under MG (11.8) indicated stronger N limitation. The concentrations of soil C, N, and P were greatest under EG and declined with depth. Soil C:N ratios remained stable across treatments and below 12. The N:P ratios ranged from 1.78 to 3.81 across all treatments and soil depths, and were significantly elevated under EG. Strong positive correlations were observed among soil C, N, and P, and between soil and plant nutrient pools. Total P stocks were unaffected by management, reflecting the geogenic origin of P. These findings highlight that enclosing is the most effective strategy for enhancing C and N stocks in semi-arid grasslands, while also revealing tight plant–soil nutrient coupling and the relative stability of P dynamics under different management regimes.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101479

Authors: Rong-Bin Tang Li-Juan Li Yin-Hua Guo Rui Yuan Yu-Tong Feng Jun-Chen Wang Yun-Chao Yu Hao-Yong Song Jun Zhang Di Wu Gan-Ju Xiang

Cover crop in orchards is recognized as a sustainable practice that enhances multiple ecosystem services, yet systematic evaluations of different cover crop management models in citrus orchards remain limited. This study investigated the effects of cover crop management models (natural cover crop: T1, Lolium perenne L.: T2, Trifolium repens L.: T3, Vicia villosa Roth: T4, and mixed cover crops: T5) on soil properties, soil CO2 flux, leaf physiological traits, fruit quality, and yield in a citrus orchard, using clean tillage as a control. Results showed that cover crop management models significantly influenced soil water content, available nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), and available potassium (AK). The V. villosa model (T4) reduced AN and AP but enhanced leaf chlorophyll (Cl) and nitrogen (N) content. Soil CO2 flux was significantly higher under T4, and it showed the lowest soil moisture. The results of mantel tests revealed that AP and soil moisture were key drivers of leaf traits, though no significant treatment effects on fruit quality or yield were detected within the two-year experimental period. These findings indicate that cover crop management models rapidly alter soil properties and CO2 emissions, but longer-term observations are needed to evaluate cascading effects on fruit. This study offers evidence-based soil management solutions and a framework for enhancing multiple ecosystem services in orchards worldwide.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101478

Authors: Lebogang J. Msiza Titus Y. Ngmenzuma Mustapha Mohammed Felix D. Dakora

The benefits of legume-nitrogen-fixing bacteria symbioses are vital in agricultural systems globally. Cross-infectivity studies are important for identifying rhizobial strains with potential for use as inoculants. The native rhizobial isolates inoculated on different legume species are the first step to determining host range and ecological adaptive traits. This study reports on the water-use efficiency and mineral nutrition of diverse legume species cross-inoculated by native rhizobial isolates from Eswatini, Ghana and South Africa under glasshouse conditions. A portable infrared red gas analyzer was used for water use efficiency. Data from a gas exchange study shows that rhizobial strains can significantly influence the photosynthetic functioning of their host plants. As a result, photosynthetic rates differed depending on bacterial compatibility with the host plant, as well as its symbiotic efficacy. Isolate TUTGmGH2 induced greater accumulation of P, K, Mg, Zn, Cu and Mn in soybean and Winged bean, clearly suggesting that rhizobia do have an influence on the mineral nutrition of their host plants. Therefore, these findings further show that native rhizobial isolates can be manipulated to enhance mineral nutrient uptake, promote growth and development and also produce nutrient-dense food with a low environmental impact globally since rhizobia do have an influence on the mineral nutrition of their host plants.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101477

Authors: Aušra Brazaitytė Vitalis Laužikas Justinas Raginskis Rūta Sutulienė

Nanoparticles (NPs) are becoming more commonly used in agricultural practices for cultivating plants under Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). The foliar application of copper oxide (CuO) NPs can enhance the production of bioactive compounds in lettuce without adversely affecting yield. However, there is a lack of data regarding the effects of NPs on plants under various lighting conditions, which is a crucial aspect of CEA. The study aims to find out how different lighting conditions can lead to Cu accumulation, to determine the effects of CuO NPs on lettuce growth, antioxidant potential and mineral elements, and to investigate the potential risk of these NPs’ uptake to human health. Plants were grown in Ebb-type hydroponic systems with red-blue and white-red-blue LED lighting at daily light integral 8.64 and 14.4, sprayed with aqueous suspensions of CuO NPs (40 nm, 30 ppm). The influence was determined on lettuce growth, the enzymatic (GR, APX, CAT, SOD, MDHAR, DHAR) and non-enzymatic (TPC, DPPH, ABTS, FRAP) antioxidants, mineral elements and hazard quotients. Our study showed the synergistic effect of foliar application of CuO NPs and lighting on lettuce. We found that CuO NPs positively influenced lettuce growth and stimulated the antioxidant system, particularly the non-enzymatic components such as phenols, carotenoids, and total antioxidant capacity. This effect was enhanced under a broader wavelength range of white-red-blue light and with a higher daily light integral value of 14.4. The application of CuO NPs significantly increased the Cu content in lettuce. Importantly, the concentration of the used CuO NPs did not reach the limit of Cu ions dangerous to humans, as the calculated intake level remained below safe limits, but it is not determined how much of them remained in the form of NPs.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101475

Authors: Jiajie Yu Xiang Zhang Shuang Wang Dian Wang Yingzhu Gao Xiaohong Li

Nuclear Factor Y (NF-Y) transcription factor family plays essential roles in plant growth, development, and abiotic stress responses. However, the NF-YA subfamily in cultivated strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) has not been systematically characterized from a genome-wide range. In this study, 27 FaNF-YA genes were identified from the octoploid strawberry genome and classified into four phylogenetic groups. With bioinformatic methods, it was found that all FaNF-YA proteins contain a highly conserved CCAAT-binding domain, while their exon–intron structures and motif compositions vary among groups. Promoter cis-acting element analysis revealed various stress- and hormone-responsive motifs, including ABRE, MYB, MYC, and MeJA-responsive elements. With molecular biology methods, organ-specific expression profiling was generated and showed that FaNF-YA genes exhibit distinct spatial expression patterns, with extremely low transcript abundance in fruit. Under salt stress, several FaNF-YA groups (e.g., FaNF-YA14/16/18/22) were dramatically induced, which indicated their potential involvement in salt tolerance. Heterologous expression of FaNF-YA7 and FaNF-YA9 in yeast enhanced salt tolerance, and these two proteins did not exhibit transcription-activating activity in the yeast GAL4 system. This study provides a reference for understanding the roles of NF-YA genes in responses to abiotic stresses and potential targets for molecular breeding of stress-tolerant strawberry cultivars.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101476

Authors: Minghui Sun Fozia Ghouri Muhammad Waqas Amjad Ali Muhammad Azhar Nadeem Guanqing Wu Faheem Shehzad Baloch Muhammad Qasim Shahid

Gene-editing technology provides innovative strategies for coping with crop stress, enhancing resistance to biotic stresses (fungal, bacterial, viral infections) and abiotic stresses (salinity, drought, heavy metals, temperature extremes). The CRISPR/Cas9 system is widely used to knock out susceptibility genes, activate resistance genes, or modulate stress-response genes, yielding many stress-resistant crop varieties. However, off-target effects, chimeric effects, and the complexity of multi-gene synergistic editing limit its application. By optimizing and integrating with other cutting-edge technologies, gene editing is expected to yield highly stress-resistant and high-yielding crop varieties, contributing significantly to sustainable agricultural development and ensuring global food security. Rice, a key staple and model plant, has been extensively studied in gene-editing-based research on stress resistance. The practical potential of gene editing for agricultural improvement has been demonstrated by the effective modification of many genes linked to drought, salinity, temperature extremes, and disease resistance using CRISPR/Cas9 and related technologies. This review discusses gene-editing applications in crop stress research, examining the effects of various stresses on crops and the use of gene editing to develop stress-tolerant varieties. It offers substantial guidance for improving crop stress tolerance through gene editing, creating highly resilient cultivars with greater adaptation to complex, variable environments.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101474

Authors: Hong-Jin Wang Xiangwei Hu Yun Zhao Baoyi Yang Hui Wang Jianan Huang Qadir Bakhsh Zaituniguli· Kuerban Guojun Feng

Abiotic stresses caused by climate change pose a significant challenge to global food security, making it necessary to develop stress-resistant crops. Foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.) is a drought-tolerant C4 cereal and serves as a model crop for elucidating stress adaptation mechanisms and promoting climate-resilient agricultural solutions. This paper reviews the tolerance mechanisms of foxtail millet to abiotic stresses. Physiologically, the species exhibits excellent water-use efficiency, requiring 75% less irrigation than traditional cereals, achieved through enhanced osmotic adjustment via soluble substance accumulation and the maintenance of ion homeostasis. Morphological adaptations include reduced leaf area, adjusted stomatal density, well-developed root systems, and specialized anatomical features that optimize water conservation. At the molecular level, stress tolerance involves complex transcriptional networks mediated by multiple transcription factor family members, including those (NF-Y, DREB, NAC, WRKY, MYB) that coordinate stress-responsive gene expression, antioxidant defense systems, and osmotic adjustment pathways. Furthermore, this review summarizes multi-omics characteristics, including genomics (such as QTL mapping and GWAS), proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and regulatory networks, for foxtail millet under abiotic stress tolerance. Additionally, reproductive resilience is maintained through efficient mobilization of stem reserves to panicles, phenological plasticity in flowering timing, and preserved gametic viability under thermal stress. Combining advanced molecular breeding with the inherent tolerance of foxtail millet positions this crop as both a solution to climate change and a genetic resource for enhancing the stress resistance of other cereals. These findings establish foxtail millet as a valuable model for developing sustainable agricultural technologies essential for food security under projected climate scenarios.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101470

Authors: Huiming You Wanlong Ni Jiangrong Lv Fanglin Tan Xiaoxue Yu Jianliang Han Weibin You

Mangrove ecosystems in coastal wetland restoration areas are experiencing escalating nitrogen stress, yet the microbial metabolic mechanisms underlying soil carbon sequestration in Kandelia obovata systems under exogenous nitrogen input remain unclear. In this laboratory tidal simulation experiment, five nitrogen addition levels (N0–N4) were applied to two treatments, namely the planted group and the unplanted group. Results showed that total carbon (TC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) were all higher under nitrogen addition than in the N0 control. TC showed a unimodal response to nitrogen addition, with the highest values observed at N2, while the planted group exhibited the greatest relative increase in TC over the unplanted group at N3 (53.49%). MBC and MBN contents initially increased and then decreased with elevated nitrogen addition, peaking at the N3 treatment. Compared with the N0 control, MBC and MBN contents under N3 increased by 31.83% and 206.24% in the planted group, and by 23.46% and 279.03% in the unplanted group, respectively. Microbial carbon source utilization was stronger in the planted group, where microorganisms preferred amino acid and lipid carbon sources. Microbial communities in the unplanted group fluctuated markedly under nitrogen input, whereas those in the planted group were more stable with higher evenness. In the planted group, nitrogen addition promoted carbon sequestration by enhancing microbial activity and biomass accumulation, while in the unplanted group, nitrogen input exerted complex effects and directly suppressed soil carbon sequestration. These findings suggest that the introduction of Kandelia obovata may enhance microbial biomass, stabilize microbial carbon-use strategies, and promote short-term soil carbon accumulation under moderate nitrogen addition in a laboratory tidal simulation system. Overall, the N3 treatment (20 g N m−2 a−1) serves as a key nitrogen threshold, and exceeding this addition level may weaken the beneficial effects on microbial biomass, metabolic activity, and the relative carbon accumulation advantage of the planting system.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101473

Authors: Yumei Liang Lu Liu Min Han Qi Tian Limin Yuan Yong Gao

Fine roots serve as the primary organs for nutrient and water uptake in plants while also representing a critical pathway for the return of soil nutrients. Caragana tibetica is widely recognized as an indicator species marking the transition from grassland to desert. Therefore, investigating the stoichiometric characteristics of its fine roots is of great significance for elucidating plant–soil nutrient cycling in the desert steppe ecosystem. In this study, taking C. tibetica shrubs at different developmental stages as the research objects, the methods of in situ sampling in the field and determination of indoor indicators are adopted to study the stoichiometric characteristics of C, N, and P in fine roots and soils at different developmental stages, as well as the relationship between them. The results indicate significant differences in the stoichiometric characteristics of fine roots across different developmental stages (p < 0.05). The fine root C:N and N:P ratios are significantly higher in the decline stage, and the C:P ratio is significantly higher in the stable stage. Along with shrub development, soil nutrient accumulation capacity is significantly greater in the growth and stable stages, whereas no significant difference is observed in the soil total phosphorus content. The soil organic carbon is the greatest in the growth stage, and the total nitrogen is greatest in the decline stage. In addition, in the incipient stage, the correlation between total phosphorus in the soil and the stoichiometric characteristics of fine roots is relatively strong. In the stable stage, the correlation between soil organic carbon and total nitrogen and the stoichiometric characteristics of fine roots is relatively weak. In the decline stage, the correlation between total nitrogen in fine roots and soil nutrients in the growth stage is the strongest. The results of this study reveal the differences in stoichiometric characteristics between fine roots and soil across different developmental stages of the C. tibetica shrub, highlighting the distinct adaptation strategies of fine roots and soil to environmental changes in each stage.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101472

Authors: Yu-Hang Jiang Yong-Hong Jia Ze-Hang Wu Gao-Yuan Hu Bin-Ying Sun Chen-Xin Xie Qing-Hao Wang Chao Yu Hai-Chao Hu Xiao-Hong Xie Yue-Yan Wu

The flower color of Rhododendron is primarily determined by anthocyanin biosynthesis, with cytochrome P450 CYP75 family members, particularly flavonoid 3′,5′-hydroxylase (F3′5′H), playing a central role. However, the composition and functional characterization of CYP75 genes in Rhododendron remain insufficiently explored. This study performed genome-wide identification of the CYP75 gene family using the Rhododendron simsii reference genome and functionally characterized the corresponding F3′5′H homolog cloned from Rhododendron × hybridum petals (red cultivar and pink cultivar). Seven RsCYP75 genes were identified, categorized into two subfamilies: RsCYP75A (A1–A5) and RsCYP75B (B1–B2), with a prominent cluster on chromosome 13. All encoded proteins contained a conserved cytochrome P450 domain and typical heme-binding motifs. Among these, RhCYP75A2 showed the highest expression level in red petals at full blooming period and was designated as RhF3′5′H. RhF3′5′H encodes a basic membrane protein with the characteristic F3′5′H motif, with its transcript most abundant in flowers. Transient overexpression of RhF3′5′H in red R. × hybridum petals resulted in a 9.74-fold increase in its transcript levels and a 1.25-fold increase in anthocyanin content compared to that in the control accompanied by the up-regulation of CHS, F3H, DFR and ANS. Conversely, RhF3′5′H silencing reduced anthocyanin accumulation but increased CHS and F3H transcript levels, suggesting a compensatory transcriptional response in the upstream anthocyanin pathway. Moreover, RhF3′5′H was heterologously expressed in E. coli Rosetta as an MBP fusion protein, purified, and identified by LC-MS/MS and ELISA. The protein showed the ability to promote anthocyanin accumulation. Molecular docking analysis demonstrated that RhF3′5′H can bind to naringenin and dihydrokaempferol. These results confirm that RhF3′5′H is a functional F3′5′H-type CYP75A enzyme and a positive regulator of anthocyanin accumulation in Rhododendron petals. This work enriches the CYP75 gene catalog in Rhododendron and provides candidate genes for future studies on flower color regulation and molecular breeding.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101471

Authors: Seong-Hoon Kim Inchan Choi

Plant genetic resources constitute the biological foundation of crop improvement and are essential for sustaining global food security [...]

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101468

Authors: Helena Chaves Tasca Douglas Antônio Posso Eugenia Jacira Bolacel Braga Elise Réthoré Sylvain Pluchon Giancarlo Ribas Valduga João Paulo Smith Luiz Fernando Melgaço Bloisi Gustavo Maia Souza

The increasing frequency of high-temperature episodes associated with climate change poses challenges to crop productivity. Stress priming could help to mitigate these effects, with the capacity to enhance plant resilience through metabolic adjustments and memory mechanisms. We evaluated the efficacy of the Stress Memory Encoder biofertilizer (SME, TIMAC Agro) as a seed treatment to induce heat stress (HS) memory in soybean plants [Glycine max (L.) Merrill]. In Experiment 1, plants with SME (0, 2, and 4 mL kg−1) were exposed to HS (35 °C for 48 h) at V3 and V6 vegetative stages. The 4 mL kg−1 dose at V6 under HS consistently improved photosynthetic traits and reductions in reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation. Non-enzymatic antioxidants were detected to this dose at V3. Multivariate analysis revealed patterns consistent with dose-dependent physiological adjustments and potential memory acquisition. In Experiment 2, plants treated with SME were exposed to HS (34 °C for 48 h) consecutively (V3 + V6). The SME-primed plants had a higher expression of transcript factors and genes related to HS. Overall, the findings indicate that SME may act as a priming agent capable of inducing somatic memory and enhancing adaptive responses to HS in soybean.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101469

Authors: Jingjie Dang Maoqi Pan Mengru Sang Dishuai Li Mingqiu Shan Chanchan Liu Qinan Wu

Salt stress affects the growth, quality, and secondary metabolism of medicinal plants, but its effects on essential oil biosynthesis in Schizonepeta tenuifolia remain unclear. In this study, a salt stress model was established for Schizonepeta tenuifolia (Benth.) Briq. to investigate changes in growth, monoterpenoid accumulation, non-targeted metabolism, and transcriptional profiles. To further clarify the regulatory mechanism of monoterpenoids biosynthesis, the MYB family members were identified at the genome-wide level, and candidate regulators were screened based on the expression patterns and promoter features of StL3OH (limonene -3-hydroxylase). Among them, StMYB71 and StMYB8774 were identified as candidate regulators of monoterpene biosynthesis. Functional analysis indicated that both transcription factors negatively regulated StL3OH expression by binding to the MYBHv1 cis-element in its promoter. These findings improve our understanding of the salt stress response and transcriptional regulation of monoterpene biosynthesis in S. tenuifolia and provide a basis for the future improvement of Schizonepetae Herba quality and salt tolerance.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101467

Authors: Kamran Shah Wenjun Dai Qinyuan Shen Yanjun Zhang Junhan Guo Jiashuang Qiao Jiaxin Hu Liangye Huang Daoliang Yan Yongjun Wang Jianfang Zuo Yuanyuan Li Huwei Yuan Bingsong Zheng

Camphora officinarum (syn. Cinnamomum camphora) is an ecologically, medicinally, and economically important tree species widely known for its essential oils (EOs), timber, and long history of use in traditional medicine. In recent years, renewed interest in this species has been driven by taxonomic revision, the discovery of chemically distinct chemotypes, and advances in genomics, metabolomics, and biotechnological processing. This review summarizes current knowledge on the botany, distribution, phytochemistry, biological properties, agro-industrial value, and biotechnological potential of C. officinarum. Particular attention is given to the genetic and metabolic basis of terpene diversity, especially the role of terpene synthase (TPS) gene expansion in the formation of camphor-, linalool-, borneol-, cineole-, and citral-type profiles. We also discuss developments in essential oil extraction, the utilization of non-volatile constituents such as flavonoids and lignans, and the nutritional value of seed kernel oil rich in medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). In addition, recent progress in tissue culture, multi-omics analysis, metabolic engineering, and nano-enabled delivery systems is reviewed. The paper also considers important safety and ecological issues, including the dose-dependent toxicity of camphor and the contrasting status of the species as a protected native resource in East Asia and an invasive plant in some introduced regions. Overall, this review provides an updated and balanced overview of C. officinarum, identifies key knowledge gaps, and highlights future prospects for sustainable utilization, conservation of native genetic resources, and exploitative control of invasive populations.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101466

Authors: Anbazhakan Kandasamy Kanakaraj Aruchamy Praveena Rangasamy Deepha Varadhaiyan Chandrasekar Gowri Tae Hwan Oh Subramaniyan Ramasundaram Balasankar Athinarayanan

In the original publication [...]

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101465

Authors: Muhammad Usman Qing Li Xinqi Peng Yongxiu Xing Muhammad Farooq Dengfeng Dong

Soil acidity is a major constraint in many agricultural regions, where increased aluminum (Al3+) solubility at low pH severely affects plant health by inhibiting root elongation, disrupting nutrient uptake, and inducing oxidative stress. Recent studies have highlighted melatonin, a widely occurring indoleamine with strong antioxidant and stress-modulating properties, which alleviates Al-induced damage in crops. This review synthesizes current physiological, biochemical, and agronomic evidence demonstrating that exogenous melatonin enhances plant tolerance to aluminum toxicity. Across multiple model and crop species, melatonin application has been shown to improve root elongation by 20–45%, reduce lipid peroxidation by 30–60%, and enhance key antioxidant enzymes such as SOD, POD, and CAT by 25–70% under Al stress. Case studies in soybean, wheat, maize, and rice further indicate that melatonin protects root meristems from oxidative damage, stabilizes photosynthetic machinery, and improves nutrient acquisition. In acidic soils (pH 4.5), melatonin-treated soybean exhibited 28% greater biomass and 15–22% higher N and P uptake, while wheat plants demonstrated 10–18% higher grain filling under field-simulated Al stress. Emerging long-term studies show that melatonin also benefits soil health. Multi season experiments reveal that melatonin enhances root exudates that support beneficial rhizosphere microbes, increases soil enzymatic activities (urease, phosphatase) by 20–35%, and lowers exchangeable Al by 12–18%. These improvements contribute to cumulative yield gains of 10–18% over successive cropping cycles. Additionally, genetic approaches aimed at increasing endogenous melatonin levels in plants have demonstrated 12–30% yield improvement in acid soil conditions. This review highlights the need for multi-year, multi-location studies to further clarify how melatonin can support sustainable agricultural practices, enhance soil fertility, and mitigate aluminum toxicity in acid-affected regions.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101464

Authors: Igor Gavrilenko Ekaterina Vodiasova Victoria Uppe Galina Maletich Artem Pronozin Yuri Plugatar Sergey Dolgov Pavel Khvatkov

Drought is one of the main stress factors significantly affecting the growth, development and yield of agricultural crops. This study investigated the impact of drought stress on the grapevine. The 30 cultivars were classified as drought-tolerant, intermediately tolerant or sensitive. The phenotypic characteristics the number of new leaves, the number of second-order roots and the length of second-order roots (NL, NR2 and LR2 respectively) were identified as the most sensitive biometric characteristics. These parameters can be used to determine the optimal level of stress exposure for plants. Using transcriptomic data from five cultivars with different levels of tolerance, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in control plants and in plants under stress, as well as DEGs between different varieties when exposed to 2% mannitol. General patterns of gene expression under drought stress were subsequently identified, including the activation of antioxidant defense systems and changes in the metabolism and biosynthesis of glucan, cellulose, polysaccharides, monocarboxylic acids, fatty acids and metal transport and splicing processes. It is hypothesized that drought tolerance is determined by the increased expression of genes associated with glutathione metabolism and methylation processes.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101463

Authors: Yiping Sui Shuying Li Xiaoli Tian Fangjun Li Zhaohu Li

(1) Background: Nitric oxide (NO) serves as a crucial signaling molecule in plant abiotic stress responses. Although its role in enhancing drought resistance in cotton has been recognized, the specific mechanisms underlying this physiological and molecular regulation remain largely unexplored. This study aims to elucidate the multi-layered mechanisms by which NO modulates drought resistance in cotton; (2) Methods: Cotton seedlings were subjected to drought stress with the application of the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP). A combination of confocal laser scanning microscopy, transcriptional expression analysis, biochemical assay of enzyme activity, virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), and in vitro protein modification assays was applied to characterize the effects of NO on the drought stress response in cotton; (3) Results: Exogenous NO significantly reinforced drought resistance in cotton seedlings by improving leaf water retention capacity and photosynthetic efficiency, eliminating excessive drought-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS), upregulating the transcription and enzymatic activity of antioxidant enzymes, and promoting stomatal closure. Mechanistically, NO triggered S-nitrosylation of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase isoform GhHA2, thereby enhancing its protein stability; (4) Conclusions: These findings reveal that exogenous NO orchestrates cotton drought tolerance via multiple interconnected physiological and molecular pathways, in which the activation of the antioxidant defense system and the modulation of stomatal closure serve as central regulatory mechanisms.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101462

Authors: Yuan Li Qian Zhao Shuihong Chen Gensheng Bao

Although bud banks are key components of vegetation regeneration in degraded alpine meadows, their relationships with soil conditions on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau remain insufficiently understood. In this study, we investigated bud bank composition and density, plant functional group biomass, soil physicochemical properties, and soil microbial biomass across five degradation stages of alpine meadows in a long-term controlled grazing experiment. Field sampling was conducted in mid-August 2021, and the relationships between bud bank densities, plant biomass, and soil variables were evaluated using comparative statistical analyses, redundancy analysis, and structural equation modeling. Bud bank density increased from non-degraded to moderately degraded meadows, reaching 3075 buds m−2, but declined sharply in severely degraded meadows to 183 buds m−2. Regarding distinct bud types, rhizome and tiller bud densities peaked in moderately degraded alpine meadows (1217 and 1750 buds m−2, respectively), whereas dicot bud density peaked in lightly degraded meadows. Bud bank density was positively associated with higher soil moisture content and negatively associated with increased soil bulk density. Moreover, bud bank density was positively correlated with soil organic carbon, total phosphorus, ammonium nitrogen, and soil microbial biomass carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Our findings indicate that soil conditions may favor the maintenance of high bud bank density in moderately degraded meadows with high soil moisture, low bulk density, and more nutrient-rich soil conditions in moderately degraded meadows. Overall, our results indicate that alpine meadow degradation influences belowground regenerative capacity through changes in soil conditions and associated shifts in bud bank dynamics. Therefore, assessments and restoration of degraded alpine meadows should consider bud bank persistence in addition to aboveground vegetation characteristics.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101461

Authors: Junkui Xie Siyu Ji Tianyu Zhu Yanli Cheng Yaqi Wang Guangyou Duan Shan Gao

Dark-induced senescence (DIS) is a coordinated physiological process associated with chlorophyll degradation, macromolecular turnover, and nutrient remobilization under prolonged darkness. EXO70B1, a subunit of the exocyst complex, has been implicated in intracellular membrane trafficking, autophagy-associated vacuolar transport, and salicylic acid-dependent immunity. However, whether EXO70B1 contributes to DIS remains unknown. Here, we show that EXO70B1 expression increases with leaf age and is transiently induced during the early phase of dark treatment. Accordingly, as a consequence of loss of EXO70B1, an acceleration of dark-induced leaf yellowing, chlorophyll degradation, and decline in photosynthetic performance was observed. Notably, this hypersensitivity was strongly age-dependent, being evident in mature (4-week-old) plants but not in younger plants. Genetic analyses indicated that the accelerated chlorophyll degradation in the EXO70B1 mutant background depends on NYE1 function. To investigate the molecular basis underlying this age-specific transition, we performed stage-resolved transcriptomic profiling, which identified the 4-week stage as a major point of divergence between Col-0 and exo70b1-1. Before visible necrosis, mature exo70b1-1 leaves displayed substantial transcriptional reprogramming, including enrichment of salicylic acid (SA) signaling, systemic acquired resistance (SAR), and other defense-related pathways. Collectively, our findings support a role for EXO70B1 as an age-dependent modulator of DIS and indicate that the enhanced dark sensitivity of mature exo70b1-1 leaves is associated with defense-related transcriptional reprogramming and NYE1-dependent chlorophyll degradation.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101460

Authors: Kazuhiko Tamai Kenji Matsui

Chemical pesticides are indispensable for protecting crops from pests and supporting a stable food supply; however, their environmental impacts have raised growing concerns. This has driven efforts to develop alternative, lower-impact pesticides and technologies for sustainable agriculture. Vinegar, a natural and eco-friendly option, has been used to protect plants from pests and diseases. Here, we investigated the effects of acetic acid, the main component of vinegar, on host selection by spider mites using a common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)-two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) system. The results indicated that spider mites avoided acetic acid-treated plants, with plant volatiles influencing their preference. Volatile organic compound (VOC) analysis revealed that acetic acid treatment altered VOC composition. Although changes in the levels of compounds such as (E)-2-hexenal and 1-octen-3-one contributed to this shift, individual testing showed that unrealistically high concentrations were required to repel spider mites. This suggests that the effect of acetic acid treatment is not primarily due to the induction of specific VOCs, but rather to an overall alteration of VOC composition. These findings highlight the potential of vinegar as an eco-friendly pest management strategy, although further studies are needed to evaluate its long-term efficacy and impact on crop protection under field conditions.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101459

Authors: Wanlai Zhou Wei Lin Hong Wang

From high-tech greenhouses to urban vertical farms, the rapid global expansion of soilless cultivation has brought about unprecedented growing efficiency [...]

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101458

Authors: Songze Wu Minghao Zhang Ruicheng Hu Di Niu Boyu Meng Haikun Yang Yuling Chen Yonghai Fan Kun Lu

Histone methyltransferases of the Trithorax-related (ATXR) family act as critical epigenetic regulators in plants. However, systematic characterization of this gene family remains limited in the economically important oilseed crop Brassica napus. In this study, we performed a pan-genomic analysis of the BnaATXR family genes using 11 genetically diverse rapeseed accessions and identified a total of 185 BnaATXR family members, among which BnaATXR5 was categorized as a dispensable gene. Pan-genomic and phylogenetic analyses grouped these genes into five distinct subfamilies and uncovered strong sequence conservation and pervasive purifying selection across the family. Whole-genome duplication (WGD) was identified as the major evolutionary force driving BnaATXR genes expansion. Cis-acting regulatory element analysis further revealed significant enrichment of stress- and phytohormone-responsive motifs in the promoter regions of BnaATXR genes. BnaATXR members exhibited divergent tissue expression profiles: subfamilies B and C displayed constitutive and broad expression across multiple tissues, whereas subfamilies A and E exhibited pronounced tissue-specific expression, with preferential enrichment in reproductive organs. Notably, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of BnaATXR6 led to delayed flowering time, shortened siliques, and decreased seed size, thereby demonstrating a key functional role of this gene in the modulation of yield-associated agronomic traits. Collectively, our findings present a genome-wide systematic characterization of the ATXR gene family and highlight their critical functional relevance to agronomically important traits in rapeseed.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101456

Authors: Quanshi Feng Gang Wu Jiabao Wang Qi Miao Manman Yuan Chuang Liu Pingping Wu Linsheng Yang Zhili Sun Chenshun Wang Hong Wang Yixiang Sun

(1) Background: We investigated the effects of nutrient levels on rice yield and nitrogen uptake, with the aim of improving rice yield and nitrogen use efficiency. (2) Methods: A 3-year field experiment was conducted using the rice variety Changliangyou Fuxiangzhan, with six treatments: no nitrogen application (CK), conventional fertilization (FP), single basal application of 60-day slow-release urea (CRU1), single basal application of urea combined with 40-day and 90-day slow-release urea (CRU2), partial substitution of chemical fertilizer with bio-organic manure (FPM), and conventional fertilization combined with straw return (FPS). (3) Results: Different nutrient management regimes significantly affected rice yield and nitrogen uptake and use, as well as soil nitrogen content. CRU2 achieved the highest performance across most indicators, with grain yield averaging 9.6% higher than that of FP and 36.4% higher than that of CK, alongside consistently greater effective panicle numbers. It also significantly enhanced nitrogen uptake, with higher grain and straw N accumulation, and showed the best nitrogen use efficiencies. Soil responses varied by treatment: FPS and FPM increased total nitrogen, while CRU2 and CRU1 had the highest inorganic nitrogen, and microbial biomass nitrogen peaked under FPM, CRU2, and FPS. Despite these benefits, CRU2 showed the largest negative nitrogen balance, averaging −33.0 kg ha−1 over 3 years. (4) Conclusions: The CRU2 treatment achieved efficient synchronization between nitrogen supply and demand, with the highest yield, nitrogen uptake, and soil nitrogen levels.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101457

Authors: Shaorong Dong Banghan Liu Jiongli Chen Chong Ma Shuangshuang Cao Haoyue Wang Senbao Shi Xiaohui Song Longqing Chen Zhenglin Qiao

Geranyl diphosphate synthase (GPPS) is a key enzyme in the plant isoprenoid metabolic pathway and regulates the biosynthesis of volatile monoterpenes. It plays an important role in the biosynthesis of floral volatile terpenoids (FVTs) and inter-cultivar variation in snapdragon. Despite its importance in floral scent formation, the GPPS/GGPPS gene family in snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus L.) has not been systematically characterized. In this study, nine GPPS/GGPPS family members were identified at genome-wide level. These include six AmGPPS and three AmGGPPS genes. Phylogenetic analysis grouped them into distinct subfamilies. We further analyzed their chromosomal locations, gene structures, conserved protein motifs, and promoter cis-acting elements. These results revealed both conservation and functional divergence within the gene family. To explore their functional roles, we compared gene expression profiles at the full flowering stage. This comparison was performed between strongly scented cultivar (Am3) and the weakly scented cultivar (Am5). Among all candidates, AmGPPS6 showed the most significant differential expression. Further, functional validation was conducted using transient overexpression and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS). Overexpression of AmGPPS6 significantly increased terpenoid production. Total floral volatile terpenoids (FVTs) increased by 1.4 fold. Both monoterpene and sesquiterpene emissions were enhanced. In contrast, silencing of AmGPPS6 markedly reduced the emission of key monoterpenes such as ocimene and its isomers. Sequence analysis showed that AmGPPS6 shares 67.04% identity with canonical GPPS small subunit (GPPS.SSU). However, it lacks the conserved catalytic DDx2-D motif. This suggests that AmGGPPS2 is not catalytically active. Instead, it likely functions through heterodimer with AmGGPPS2. This interaction is supported by coordinated transcriptional expression patterns. Additionally, natural sequence polymorphisms were identified in GPPS.SSU. These variations, rather than those in GPPS.LSU, appear to drive differences in monoterpense emission between cultivars. In conclusion, AmGPPS6 in a key regulator of floral scent biosynthesis in snapdragon. This study provides new insights into functional roles of GPPS/GGPPS genes. It also offers valuable gene targets for the molecular breeding of aromatic traits in ornamental plants.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101455

Authors: Dezső Kovács Katalin Horotán László Orlóci Katalin Juhos István Dániel Mosonyi Zsanett Istvánfi Magdolna Sütöri-Diószegi Szilvia Kisvarga

In containerized finished plant production, the effects of biostimulants in nursery practice are often judged primarily on the basis of visual condition, while a more precise interpretation of treatment response requires leaf-level physiological and rhizosphere-level indicators. The aim of our study was to determine how the humic- and fulvic acid-based BiStep biostimulant influences the physiological functioning and, in part, the rhizosphere enzyme activity of three deciduous ornamental shrub taxa widely used both in nursery finished plant production and in urban green space plantings, namely, Forsythia × intermedia ‘Beatrix Farrand’, Weigela florida ‘Eva Rathke’, and Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’, under commercial container conditions. In the experiment, control and biostimulant treatments were compared. Treatment effects were evaluated on the basis of net photosynthesis (Pn); transpiration (E); chlorophyll content; stomatal density; stomatal length; and acid phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and β-glucosidase (GLUC) activities. For Pn, a significant taxon × treatment interaction was observed (p = 0.002). Pn showed taxon-dependent numerical changes under BiStep: values were 22.212 µmol CO2 m−2 s−1 in F. intermedia, 4.182 µmol CO2 m−2 s−1 in W. florida, and 3.370 µmol CO2 m−2 s−1 in V. opulus, but pairwise differences from the control were not statistically significant. Transpiration also showed a significant taxon × treatment interaction (p < 0.001), although BiStep–control differences were not significant within taxa. Stomatal density increased significantly in F. intermedia and W. florida, while the BiStep–control difference was not significant in V. opulus. Chlorophyll content increased only in W. florida (from 699.6 to 924.4 µg g−1 fresh weight), but this change was not statistically significant. ACP activity showed significant treatment and interaction effects (p = 0.0107; p = 0.00546), whereas ALP and GLUC did not show a consistent treatment response. Based on the results, the effect of BiStep was clearly taxon-dependent and functionally selective. Therefore, in nursery finished plant production and subsequent urban plant use, it should not be considered a universally effective input, but rather a biostimulant whose relevance depends on the specific physiological and rhizosphere-level response of the taxon.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101454

Authors: Yu Luo Wei-Cai Yang

Myo-inositol-1-phosphate synthase (MIPS) catalyzes the first committed step of de novo inositol biosynthesis, yet genetic evidence suggests that Arabidopsis MIPS proteins also have catalysis-independent functions. Although moonlighting proteins are increasingly recognized, their identification and functional dissection in plants remain limited. We asked whether the catalytic outputs of MIPS can be uncoupled from its inositol-independent functions. Here, using an inositol-rescue transcriptomic strategy, we separated catalytic inositol-biosynthetic outputs from inositol-independent functions of MIPS in Arabidopsis seedlings. Exogenous inositol had little effect on the wild type but extensively reprogrammed the mips1 mips3 transcriptome without fully restoring it to the wild type state. The inositol-independent branch was associated mainly with nuclear gene-regulatory processes, with broader implications for development and immunity. By contrast, the catalytic branch was linked primarily to cellular metabolism and structural organization, with broader roles in stress responses and polar growth. These findings support a dual-function model in which Arabidopsis MIPS proteins couple cytosolic inositol biosynthesis with candidate moonlighting functions associated with nuclear gene-regulatory modules. More broadly, this work provides a framework for understanding how metabolic enzymes coordinate development and stress responses, and opens new avenues for exploring how plant gene duplication may foster functional innovation and adaptation to environmental change.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101453

Authors: Jung Eun Hwang Seongjun Kim Hyeong Bin Park Sung Min Han Yubin Lee Chang Woo Lee Young-Joong Kim

Calanthe aristulifera is a critically endangered orchid species of profound horticultural and ecological significance. However, establishing its species integrity is complicated by frequent natural introgression with sympatric relatives, such as C. sieboldii and C. discolor. Because phenotypic plasticity and complex hybrid swarms often confound traditional floral phenotyping, establishing an accurate molecular diagnostic system is imperative for conservation. In this study, we developed and validated high-throughput Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR (KASP) and rapid Sequence-Characterized Amplified Region (SCAR) markers utilizing Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS) data from 64 Calanthe individuals—the same dataset reported in a companion population genomic study—re-analyzed using a more stringent marker-development pipeline. From 853,301 SNPs and 55,857 InDels initially identified, we filtered 62,231 high-quality SNPs and 1271 InDels to mine fixed homozygous alleles specific to C. aristulifera. This process isolated 179 SNP and 107 InDel loci to design three KASP markers (Ca-KASP1–3) and two SCAR markers (Ca-SCAR1–2). The KASP assays demonstrated a concordance of 98.4% (63/64 individuals; 95% CI: 91.6–99.7%) with morphological pre-classification. The single discordant case (Sample 52) was independently confirmed as a heterozygous hybrid by GBS-based population genomic analysis of the same individuals, providing molecular ground truth entirely independent of morphological assessment. The combined SCAR marker system yielded 96.9% concordance (62/64; 95% CI: 89.3–99.1%). Our findings provide an essential molecular framework for assessing species integrity and guiding the restoration of endangered C. aristulifera populations.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101452

Authors: Ertürk İnce Nuray Akbudak Oktay İnce

Cut roses (Rosa hybrida L.) are highly sensitive to postharvest conditions, often experiencing quality losses associated with declines in SPAD values (relative chlorophyll index), color instability, Botrytis cinerea incidence, and impaired bud opening. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different storage atmospheres, including controlled atmosphere (CA; 10% CO2 + 3% O2 and 6% CO2 + 3% O2), normal atmosphere (NA), and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP; LDPE1 (low-permeability MAP): 25 µm, 8000 cc m−2 day−1 O2 permeability; LDPE2 (high-permeability MAP): 25 µm, 12,000 cc m−2 day−1 O2 permeability), on SPAD values, color parameters, disease incidence, and bud development in cut rose cultivars (Rosa hybrida L.) cvs. ‘Rhodos’ and ‘Athena’ harvested in May, June, August, and November. The experiment was conducted as a factorial completely randomized design with seven biological replicates per treatment, each consisting of a single flower. Treatments were applied in combination with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP, 625 ppb) and a commercial postharvest hydrating solution (Chrysal RVB, 1 mL L−1) under storage conditions of 0.5 ± 0.5 °C and 80–85% relative humidity. The results indicated that CA conditions in combination with 1-MCP maintained higher SPAD values, improved color stability, and were associated with lower Botrytis incidence (p < 0.01). In addition, the low-permeability LDPE1-based MAP treatment minimized variations in hue angle (h°) and improved bud development scores, while the hydrating solution treatment promoted bud opening, particularly in cv. ‘Athena’, although its effect on disease suppression was limited. Overall, the combined application of controlled atmosphere storage and 1-MCP generally showed superior performance in maintaining postharvest quality, reducing disease incidence, and preserving the visual and physiological attributes of cut roses, with effects varying depending on cultivar and evaluated parameter.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101451

Authors: Beibei Chen Quanhu Zhao Yujian Mo Qingzhi Liang Lishan Zhen Jian Yang Xiao Xiao

Chromium (Cr) is one of the most toxic heavy metals in the environment. The tolerance to metal stress involves sophisticated regulation of gene expression networks, which involve microRNAs (miRNAs). However, the role of miRNAs in Cr stress response in Avicennia marina has not been resolved, and was addressed here. The analysis of response characteristics revealed that morpho-physiological traits such as root length, Cr accumulation level and antioxidant enzyme activity all exhibit significant changes under Cr stress. Via sRNA sequencing, a total of 27 known and 149 novel miRNAs were identified, 63 of which showed differential expression after Cr stress (q-value < 0.001). Further, 571 miRNA-target interaction pairs were identified for differentially expressed miRNAs, corresponding to 355 target genes. GO and KEGG analyses indicated that these target genes could participate in stress-related biological processes such as signal transduction, transcription regulation, protein synthesis and the MAPK signaling pathway. 54 miRNA target genes, corresponding to 37 miRNAs such as Ama-miR160, Ama-nmiR25-5p and Ama-nmiR118-5p, were enriched for “plant signal hormone transduction” (ko04075), “phenylpropanoid biosynthesis” (ko00940) and “MAPK signaling pathway” (ko04016), which indicated an important role of these miRNAs in regulating Cr stress response in A. marina. Based on the findings, a Cr stress-responsive regulatory model was developed, offering new insights into the molecular regulatory mechanisms of Cr response. In conclusion, this study shows the identity and potential role of miRNAs in the heavy metal stress response of A. marina, and provides the foundation for future research.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101450

Authors: Mingya Zhang Qi Wang Yudong Liu Huiying Liu Wei Xu Xinting Yang Shengqun Pang

Currently, the escalating global problem of soil salinization severely limits the yield and quality of processing tomatoes. However, the differential responses and salt-tolerance strategies among processing tomato genotypes with different salt tolerances under salt stress remain largely elusive. Therefore, this study used salt-tolerant genotype ‘S39’ and salt-sensitive genotype ‘S37’ as materials. Seeds were sown in plug trays, and seedlings at the two-leaf-one-heart stage were transplanted into hydroponic containers filled with Hoagland nutrient solution. When seedlings reached the four-leaf-one-heart stage, they were exposed to NaCl treatments of 0 mM (control), 120 mM (Na120), and 180 mM (Na180). Plant samples were collected at 3, 6, and 9 days after treatment to determine growth parameters, physiological indices, and gene expression levels, aiming to reveal the dynamic differential responses to salt stress between the two processing tomato genotypes. The results demonstrated that the inhibitory effect of NaCl on the growth of processing tomatoes was aggravated with increasing NaCl concentration and treatment duration. The most significant difference in salt tolerance between the two genotypes was observed at 9 days under 180 mM NaCl treatment. At this sampling point, the relative salt-stress indices of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, peroxidase (POD) activity, soluble sugar content, proline content, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll (a + b) in ‘S39’ were significantly higher than those in ‘S37’ by 31.55%, 53.40%, 66.70%, 65.07%, 20.80%, 15.74%, and 19.44%, respectively. In addition, Na contents in roots and stems, as well as K contents in stems and leaves, were significantly higher in ‘S39’ than in ‘S37’ by 43.40%, 8.67%, 22.08%, and 21.99%, respectively. In contrast, relative electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in ‘S37’ were 15.54% and 12.44% higher than those in ‘S39’. In addition, photosynthetic parameters, including net photosynthetic rate (Anet), stomatal conductance (gs), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), transpiration rate (E), and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, were more stable in ‘S39’ than in ‘S37’. In conclusion, ‘S39’ possesses stronger salt tolerance via a multi-level regulatory strategy involving an enhanced antioxidant enzyme system, elevated accumulation of osmoregulatory substances, improved mineral ion balance, and increased stability of the photosynthetic apparatus. This study provides a comprehensive multi-level analysis of the differential salt tolerance mechanisms in processing tomato genotypes with contrasting salt tolerances and lays a theoretical basis for the screening and identification of salt-tolerant germplasm in processing tomatoes.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101449

Authors: Arkadiusz Artyszak Dariusz Gozdowski Magda Litwińczuk-Bis

In 2017–2019, in a field experiment in Sahryń, Poland (50°40′42″ N, 23°47′35″ E), the effect of foliar application of various forms of silicon (calcium silicate—CS, sodium metasilicate—SM, and micronized silica—MS) and the timing of their application (at the 6-leaf stage of sugar beet, 7 and 14 days later) at single and double doses on physiological parameters, yield, and technological quality of sugar beet roots was studied. The silicon form significantly modified all assessed physiological parameters (NDVI, LAI, and PAR absorption) at all measurement dates. The application date had a significant effect on the assessed parameters at later measurement dates, while the product dose had essentially no effect. The silicon form significantly affected root yield and technological quality, with the exception of α-amino nitrogen content, biological sugar yield, and pure sugar yield. Foliar application of CS and SM resulted in the highest root yield, biological sugar yield, and pure sugar yield, as well as the highest sugar content and the lowest Na content in CS roots. The timing of foliar application significantly affected root yield, biological sugar yield, and α-amino N content. The highest root yield (88.53 t ha−1) and biological sugar yield (15.47 t ha−1) were achieved when the application was performed 14 days after the 6-leaf stage. Simultaneously, the technological quality of the roots deteriorated due to a significant increase in α-amino N content. Application of a double dose of the product significantly increased sugar content and decreased Na content in the roots.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101448

Authors: Nahuel Agustín Ponce Guillermo Donald McLean Florencia Marcón Elsa Andrea Brugnoli Alex Leonel Zilli Yael Namtz Nicolás Neiff Melina Rut Tamborelli Pablo Barbera Carlos Alberto Acuña Eric Javier Martínez

Autumn–winter forage scarcity limits subtropical livestock systems. This study aimed to: (1) develop a segregating F1 population from parents contrasting in autumn–winter biomass yield (WBY) in tetraploid Paspalum notatum; (2) estimate phenotypic and genetic variability for WBY across environments; and (3) evaluate the relationship between WBY and spring–summer biomass yield (SBY), and the feasibility of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-derived vegetation indices as non-destructive estimators of WBY. A population of 182 tetraploid F1 hybrids was evaluated at two sites in Corrientes Province, Argentina (2022–2024). WBY exhibited wide genotypic variability across locations and years (p < 0.001), with significant genotype, location, and genotype × location effects. Broad-sense heritability (H2) ranged from 0.41 to 0.64, reflecting sensitivity to the thermal and moisture conditions of each environment. WBY showed a positive, moderate association with SBY (R2 = 0.20–0.26), indicating that selection for cool-season yield does not compromise summer productivity. The Normalized Difference Red Edge Index (NDRE) was the most robust WBY predictor (R2 up to 0.67 at MES-2022 vs. 0.58–0.59 for ARVI, GNDVI and NDVI at the same site–year), though predictive accuracy varied with environmental conditions. The results demonstrate substantial and exploitable genetic variation for cool-season forage yield in P. notatum.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101447

Authors: James Calva Jorge Ramírez

Ambrosia arborescens Mill., a native medicinal plant traditionally used in the Andean region, has a poorly characterized essential oil (EO), with no prior reports on its anticholinesterase or antioxidant potential. As a first report and preliminary screening study, this work characterizes the chemical composition of the EO and evaluates its acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory and antioxidant activities. The EO was isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and flame ionization detection (GC-FID). The biological activities were evaluated using the Ellman method to determine AChE inhibition and using ABTS and DPPH assays to determine antioxidant activity. Analysis of the chemical composition revealed 31 compounds, and the major components were γ-curcumene (28.63%), trans-muurola-4(14),5-diene (27.85%), and eucavone (18.46%). The EO showed moderate AChE inhibitory activity, with an IC50 value of 28.04 ± 1.02 µg/mL, and limited antioxidant activity, with ABTS SC50 = 373.75 ± 1.30 µg/mL and DPPH SC50 = 1101.84 ± 1.63 µg/mL. These findings demonstrate that the EO possesses selective anticholinesterase activity and limited antioxidant capacity. Given the structural diversity of its constituents, the observed bioactivity is likely the result of the combined contributions of multiple components; however, the specific active constituents and potential synergistic interactions require further investigation through bioassay-guided fractionation. These findings represent the first preliminary screening of the biological activities of A. arborescens EO and provide a foundation for future bioactivity-guided investigations.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101446

Authors: Marina M. Kawazoe Adriana de Paula Cardoso Marilza Castilho Ailton J. Terezo Adriano B. Siqueira Halley C. Oliveira Diego G. Gomes

Although soybean is vital to the global economy, this crop faces productivity losses due to photoinhibition of photosystem II (PSII), which is worsened by heat and drought. Carbon dots (Cdots) offer a strategy to mitigate this stress by acting as light-harvesting and UV-protective agents. This study evaluated the foliar application of Cdots on soybean (Glycine max L. Merr. cv. BRS 1054 IPRO) exposed to high light intensity. In a greenhouse experiment with a completely randomized design, plants received deionized water (Control), synthesized Cdots at three concentrations (0.02, 0.05, and 0.20 mg mL−1), or a commercial Cdot product. Plants were grown under 50% shade and, at 24 days after sowing, transferred to a high-light greenhouse (20% attenuation). Measurements included PSII fluorescence (maximum quantum yield, potential activity, basal fluorescence, and dynamic photoinhibition) and leaf gas exchange (stomatal conductance, net photosynthesis, transpiration, intercellular CO2 concentration, intrinsic water use efficiency, and carboxylation efficiency), as well as chlorophyll index and growth traits. Cdots at 0.05 mg mL−1 and the commercial product maintained higher morning PSII maximum activity (+16% vs. Control), indicating enhanced photoprotection. Conversely, 0.20 mg mL−1 Cdots reduced PSII maximum activity by 62% at noon. At day 14, the 0.05 mg mL−1 treatment improved stress acclimation, reducing stomatal conductance and transpiration, while sustaining photosynthesis. Growth was significantly enhanced at this concentration, increasing chlorophyll content by 14%, shoot length by 26%, and total dry mass by up to 41% compared to controls. In conclusion, Cdots at 0.05 mg mL−1 alleviated chronic photoinhibition without increasing dynamic photoinhibition, thus acting as a promising nanobiostimulant that promotes soybean early growth under high-light stress.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101445

Authors: Fei Li Lingyue Shi Ji Zhang Yuli Xiao Yamei Li Jianshuang Zhou Shaoxiong Liu Shanben Liu Ruirui Li Shanshan Wei Zhi Wang Guiying Li Baoqing Dun

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is an essential food, forage, and bioenergy crop that plays an irreplaceable role in modern agricultural supply systems and daily life. However, the traditional cultivation varieties, characterized by tall stems, low planting density and large panicles, are incompatible with the requirements of modern intensive agriculture for high-density planting, mechanized harvesting, and efficient resource utilization. Therefore, cultivating an ideotype suitable for mechanized harvesting is the most urgent and practical need for sorghum breeding. This paper systematically reviews the key components of the sorghum ideotype and their physiological basis, focusing on traits such as canopy structure, stalk characteristics, panicle traits, and root systems. Then, the major genes and molecular mechanisms that regulate plant height, stem strength, leaf morphology, and panicle type are described in detail. Additionally, current breeding challenges, including gene pleiotropy, trade-offs among traits, narrow genetic diversity, and limitations in phenotypic identification techniques, are summarized. Finally, we propose modern breeding strategies involving multi-omics approaches, high-throughput phenotyping, gene editing, and computational modeling to advance sorghum breeding into the design era. This will enable the simultaneous improvement in light use efficiency, lodging resistance, and adaptation to mechanized production.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101444

Authors: Ting-Ting Zhang Xin Jiang Hao-Ran Yang Yun Jia

D. zingiberensis C. H. Wright is a medicinally significant herbaceous vine endemic to China. Investigating the geographical distribution and migration routes of D. zingiberensis is crucial for the rational utilization and conservation of its genetic resources. However, the potential shifts in the distribution patterns of wild populations under different climate scenarios remain poorly understood. Based on the MaxEnt model and ArcGIS, this study reveals significant range shifts in D. zingiberensis under future climate scenarios. Under SSP1-2.6, highly suitable habitats are projected to occur in Shaanxi, Hubei, Sichuan, and Gansu by the 2050s, with total suitable areas peaking at 211.41 × 104 km2. In contrast, the high-emission SSP5-8.5 scenario drives marked habitat contraction, with a core loss of 82.47 × 104 km2 by the 2070s, particularly in the central and southwestern provinces (e.g., Chongqing, Sichuan, Hubei, and Hunan). Centroid migration analysis indicates a pronounced northward shift; under SSP5-8.5, the centroid moves linearly northwestward by 205.43 km from Hubei to Sichuan, reflecting a sustained migration towards higher latitudes. These results underscore D. zingiberensis’s vulnerability to high-emission climates and its adaptive migration towards more suitable northwestern habitats. These findings provide critical information and a scientific basis for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wild medicinal resources of D. zingiberensis.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101443

Authors: Jinhui Zhang Hongwei Wen Yuzhi Wang Zeyu Wang Xingwei Zheng Hao Shan Bin Yang

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) provide critical ecological value in sustainable agriculture by enhancing plant growth and stress tolerance through improved nutrient acquisition and increased environmental adaptability. As a versatile genus of PGPR, Streptomyces shows great potential for promoting plant growth. However, the molecular mechanisms by which Streptomyces regulates plant root development remain largely unclear. In this study, we explored the molecular basis associated with wheat root developmental responses to Streptomyces pactum Act12 using pot experiments combined with multi-omics approaches. The pot experiment demonstrated that Act12 treatment significantly increased wheat biomass and enhanced total root length (44.6%), root surface area (73.3%), root diameter (34.0%), and root tip number (66.6%). Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses suggested that Act12 treatment was associated with altered auxin signaling and coordinated changes in carbohydrate metabolism, the TCA cycle, and sterol biosynthesis. These multi-omics signatures provide hypotheses for how Act12 may contribute to root developmental regulation in wheat.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101439

Authors: Justus Wambua Mukavi Jandirk Sendker Njogu M. Kimani Leonidah Kerubo Omosa Thomas J. Schmidt

Buxus obtusifolia (Mildbr.) Hutch is an evergreen shrub endemic to East Africa and is traditionally used to treat chest ailments. Our recent investigation on the dichloromethane leaf extract of this species yielded several aminosteroid alkaloids, some of which demonstrated promising in vitro antiprotozoal activity warranting more detailed studies on this interesting plant and its bioactive constituents. Given that abiotic factors are known to influence the biosynthesis and accumulation of plant secondary metabolites, this study aimed to investigate seasonal and organ-specific variability in the alkaloid profile of B. obtusifolia to gain insights into the dynamics of their formation and, potentially, obtain hints at the best times to harvest individual alkaloids. Consequently, leaf and twig samples were collected each month from the same population over a period of one year and analyzed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with positive-mode electrospray ionization double quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC–ESI+–QqTOF–MS/MS). The resulting data, after conversion to <retention time: mass/charge ratio> (<tR:m/z>) variables, were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) to characterize variations in the metabolite profile. Evaluation of the first three principal components revealed clear differences between leaves and twigs, as well as subtle overall seasonal changes with some distinct dry-season clustering. A volcano plot was used to further analyze the differences between the minor constituents of the two organs. In total, 15 aminosteroid alkaloids were identified as key contributors to these differences. This represents the first seasonal and organ-specific phytochemical variability investigation in B. obtusifolia. Thus, this study offered the first valuable insights into the possible association of some abiotic factors and the phytochemical profile of this plant. Studies including further populations of this species from different locations will have to show whether the present findings allow general conclusions with respect to the investigated compounds’ accumulation in response to external factors. Furthermore, the present results represent a basis to delineate the optimal harvest period for targeted isolation of larger quantities of bioactive aminosteroids for further development.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101441

Authors: Biyi Liu Shudong Zhou Sha Yang Jie Li Wei Peng Zhixuan Wang Jingxuan Kuang Junwei Wang

To address the current mismatch between processing pepper cultivars and the requirements of mechanized production, this study aims to construct a comprehensive evaluation model for the suitability of mechanized transplanting and harvesting, thereby screening highly adaptable varieties. An evaluation system comprising eight indicators for the transplanting stage and thirteen indicators for the harvesting stage was established using 105 processing pepper varieties (including 56 erect-fruit and 49 pendent-fruit peppers). Variation analysis, hierarchical clustering, principal component analysis (PCA), and Pearson correlation analysis were integrated to reveal the clustering effects of the cultivars and the synergistic and antagonistic relationships among the indicators. Furthermore, a combined CRITIC–VIKOR model was applied to conduct a multi-criteria comprehensive ranking of mechanization suitability. The results indicated that the biomechanical properties of processing peppers exhibited a significantly higher degree of variation than conventional morphological indicators (e.g., the coefficient of variation for lodging resistance reached 93.60%). Significant differences were observed in the mechanization adaptation mechanisms between the two pepper types: erect-fruit peppers were primarily limited by fruiting branch toughness (weight: 5.907%), whereas pendent-fruit peppers were mainly constrained by fruit morphological uniformity. Compared with the traditional PCA model, the CRITIC–VIKOR model effectively identified varieties with critical biomechanical defects by constraining the “individual regret value”, which highly aligns with Liebig’s Law of the Minimum in mechanized operations. Based on this model, varieties with superior comprehensive mechanization adaptability were successfully identified, notably C21, C55, and C23 (erect-fruit peppers), and D20, D11, and D19 (pendent-fruit peppers). This study provides a theoretical foundation and mathematical modeling support for the directional breeding of mechanization-suitable cultivars, the integration of agronomy and agricultural machinery, and the quantitative evaluation of multi-trait pyramiding in processing peppers.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101442

Authors: Xiangmei Tan Aoao Wang Hongmei Li Minzhen Yin Huasheng Peng

Honglanqi (HLQ), a distinctive commercial specification of Astragali Radix (AR) characterized by rhytidome and interxylary cork, remains undervalued despite originating from premium long-cultivated material. The ethyl acetate fraction (HLQE) showed the greatest anti-inflammatory activity among the polarity-based fractions of an HLQ ethanol extract. We applied an integrated ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–QTOF-MS/MS) and feature-based molecular networking (FBMN) strategy to systematically profile the chemical composition of HLQE. A total of 102 metabolites were annotated across seven compound classes, of which 18 were predicted as potential new compounds, and 37 were reported in AR for the first time. Three undescribed compounds, astragalinin A, astragalinin B, and astragquinone, were isolated and characterized, together with 19 known compounds. In LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages, astragalinin A exhibited potent inhibition of TNF-α and IL-6 (IC50 < 10 μM). Astragquinone showed significant TNF-α inhibition with a favourable safety profile. Stereochemical configuration critically influenced anti-inflammatory potency, as demonstrated by the enantiomeric pair. Molecular docking predicted favourable binding orientations toward TNF-α and IL-6 in silico. These findings provide a comprehensive phytochemical and bioactivity profile of HLQ, supporting its value-added utilization as an underutilized AR resource.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101440

Authors: Victoria Diniz Shimizu-Marin Danilo Henrique Bruno Yara Paula Nishiyama-Hortense Carolina Olivati Ellen Silva Lago-Vanzela

Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is a well-established marker of heat-induced reactions in sugar-rich foods. However, its accumulation in raisins in response to clean-label pretreatments and its association with consumer sensory perception remain unclear. This study investigated the influence of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) pretreatment, cultivar (BRS Clara and BRS Vitoria), and storage conditions (4, 25, and 35 °C) on HMF formation in raisins and on their sensory implications. Cultivar influenced physicochemical properties, but neither cultivar nor pretreatment significantly affected HMF levels after drying. During storage, HMF formation followed predominantly zero-order reaction kinetics, with Q10 values (7.33–8.39) confirming strong temperature dependence, and pronounced accumulation at 35 °C. Sensory analysis showed that flavor was the main driver of consumer perception, with burnt sugar notes more frequently cited as a disliked attribute in samples stored at higher temperatures, whereas samples stored at lower temperatures retained attributes closer to time zero. Pearson correlation analysis confirmed a strong positive association between HMF and the burnt sugar descriptor (r = 0.86, p < 0.001). These findings demonstrate that EVOO pretreatment can improve drying efficiency without promoting HMF formation, and highlight the value of the combined chemical–sensory approach to assess quality changes in raisins from tropical-adapted grape cultivars.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101438

Authors: Yongxing Duo Zhigang Wu Junfeng Dai Yong Yang Lisha Zhang

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) functions as a pivotal gaseous signaling molecule in plants, yet its role in promoting crop yield remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate that sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) application, a donor of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), significantly accelerates growth, promotes flowering, and enhances grain yield in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Optimal NaHS treatment increased plant height, root length, and biomass accumulation, concomitant with elevated sucrose, starch, chlorophyll contents, and nitrate reductase activity. Integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analyses revealed that NaHS reprograms key biological pathways, including photosynthesis, carbon metabolism, lipid metabolism, the hormone signal transduction pathway, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis. NaHS also remodels fatty acid metabolism, significantly increasing unsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid (C18:2n6c), and α-linolenic acid (C18:3n3)—the latter serving as the direct precursor for JA biosynthesis—thereby fueling jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis. NaHS treatment also induced ROS accumulation while simultaneously activating antioxidant enzymes, maintaining redox homeostasis, and promoting cell proliferation in root meristems. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that NaHS enlarges peroxisomes and increases chloroplast oil body number, linking organellar dynamics to enhanced JA synthesis and ROS signaling. Collectively, our findings establish NaHS as a novel chemical regulator that coordinates JA and ROS signaling to boost rice growth, flowering, and grain yield, offering a promising strategy to improve crop productivity.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101437

Authors: Milosav Grčak Dragan Grčak Miroljub Aksić Vera Rajičić Slaviša Gudžić Katerina Nikolić

Pea–cereal intercropping may combine ecological disease regulation with improved land-use efficiency, but field evidence for pea powdery mildew responses on the pea component under temperate continental conditions remains limited. A two-year field experiment (2017/2018 and 2018/2019) was conducted in Novi Sad, Serbia, to evaluate the effects of intercropping on pea powdery mildew disease index (DI%), pea grain yield, seed physical quality traits, and land-use efficiency. Winter pea cv. Kosmaj was grown as a sole crop or in mixed intercropping (70% pea + 30% cereal seeding rates) with wheat, triticale, rye, or oat in a randomized complete block design with four replicates. Powdery mildew DI% was assessed at BBCH 71–75, while pea grain yield, thousand-seed weight (TSW), hectoliter weight (HLW), and yield-based land equivalent ratio (LER) were determined at harvest. Under the low natural disease pressure recorded in the study, intercropping was associated with lower DI% than sole cropping (approximately 2.8-fold lower on seasonal means; p < 0.001), but DI% did not show a significant independent effect on pea grain yield, TSW, or HLW after accounting for year and cultivation system. Pea grain yield was generally lower under intercropping, although the magnitude of reduction depended on the cereal companion; pea–triticale maintained pea yield closest to the sole crop, whereas pea–oat showed the lowest pea yield. TSW and HLW were generally higher under intercropping, but additional analyses indicated that these traits reflected different response patterns. All intercrops achieved LER > 1, with the highest values recorded for pea–triticale.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101436

Authors: Yuanji Cai Chunling Chen Wanning Li Hao Han Zhichao Ren Zihao Wang Ziyi Feng

Net primary productivity (NPP) is an important indicator of ecosystem carbon accumulation capacity and vegetation productivity potential, and its accurate estimation is of great significance for agricultural management and regional carbon cycle research. To address the problem that the temporal continuity of single-source optical remote sensing data is easily affected by cloud cover, this study used Sentinel-2 imagery and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) product as data sources and constructed an NDVI time series with high spatial and temporal resolution for the study area based on the Enhanced Spatial and Temporal Adaptive Reflectance Fusion Model (ESTARFM) method. On this basis, the Simple Ratio (SR) index was incorporated to supplement canopy information, and the key parameters of the Carnegie–Ames–Stanford Approach (CASA) model were differentially optimized for different crop types, thereby enabling remote sensing-based estimation of crop NPP. The results showed that the fused NDVI effectively compensated for observation gaps caused by cloud interference, and its temporal variation was generally consistent with the crop growth process. In addition, the Fraction of Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FPAR) improved with the fused NDVI, which effectively characterized phenological differences among crops. Compared with the unoptimized model, the improved model significantly improved NPP estimation accuracy for both maize and rice. Specifically, for maize, the coefficient of determination (R2) increased from 0.75 to 0.88, and the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) decreased from 67.00% to 34.68%. For rice, the MAPE decreased from 78.51% to 23.43%, while the mean absolute error (MAE) decreased from 345.1 gC·m−2·a−1 to 95.6 gC·m−2·a−1. These results indicate that constructing a highly continuous vegetation index time series through spatiotemporal fusion, together with optimizing the CASA model by incorporating the SR index and crop-specific parameterization, can effectively improve the stability and accuracy of NPP estimation for agricultural crops.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101434

Authors: Juanjuan Ma Ke Feng Guo Wang Xinru Wang Leyong Feng Jianhong Ren

Chromium (Cr) contamination leads to the accumulation of Cr in crops, thereby posing a significant threat to food security and human health. It is essential to comprehend the mechanisms underlying Cr toxicity and to develop effective mitigation strategies to ensure healthy crop growth. Melatonin (MT), a multifunctional regulatory molecule, plays a pivotal role in the response of plants to heavy metal stress. This study is designed to investigate the underlying mechanisms through which exogenous application of MT mitigates the toxicity of Cr stress in maize seedlings. The findings of the study indicate that under Cr stress conditions, treatment with MT significantly decreased the Cr concentrations in the roots and leaves of maize, with reductions of 22% and 28.5%, respectively. Concurrently, MT demonstrated effectiveness in alleviating the toxic effects induced by Cr exposure, as evidenced by substantial improvements in the leaf area, chlorophyll content, and photosynthetic rate, which increased by 40.3%, 47.7%, and 64.8%, respectively. This led to a 42.2% increase in the total dry weight of maize. Further analysis indicates that MT modulates the antioxidant system, thereby reducing the production of reactive oxygen species and reducing membrane lipid damage associated with Cr toxicity. Moreover, MT upregulates the expression and activity of enzymes involved in polyamine synthesis while simultaneously inhibiting the activity of polyamine-degrading enzymes, leading to a 38% increase in total polyamine content. This study has enhanced our understanding of the mechanisms through which melatonin alleviates chromium toxicity in crops and has provided a theoretical foundation for its sustainable application in agricultural production.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101435

Authors: Linfeng Su Fang Liu Yinghong Tang Song Gao Hangfan Niu Yanzhou Wang Jianrong Chen Touming Liu

Ramie (Boehmeria nivea) is renowned for its superior fiber strength, length, and unique properties, yet its genetic improvement has lagged behind other fiber crops. This review synthesizes recent advances in ramie fiber development at the genetic, genomic, and molecular levels. Population genomic analyses have uncovered distinct domestication, improvement, and feralization signatures, identifying numerous fiber-related genes under selection. Parallel genetic and molecular studies have mapped scores of loci and genes governing fiber formation, laying the foundation for molecular breeding. However, despite the availability of genetic transformation systems, the need for methodological improvements remains a major challenge for engineering fiber traits via transgenic approaches. Overall, a solid research foundation has been established. Future progress in establishing marker-assisted and genomic selection breeding systems, optimizing transformation protocols, and developing efficient gene-editing methods holds promise for realizing molecular breeding to enhance fiber quality and yield in ramie.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101433

Authors: Xiaohu Jiang Han Su Mengnan Chai Fan Yang Hanyang Cai Yuan Qin Maokai Yan

The ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS) is a highly conserved protein degradation pathway in eukaryotic cells. Through precisely controlled proteolysis of key regulatory proteins, the UPS plays a particularly critical role in plant sexual reproduction, where precise spatiotemporal regulation is essential. The UPS governs multiple aspects of plant sexual reproduction, including male and female gametophyte development, pollen–pistil interactions, double fertilization, and post-fertilization embryogenesis and endosperm development. Among UPS components, E3 ubiquitin ligases play a central role by mediating the spatiotemporal degradation of key proteins, while E2 conjugating enzymes and deubiquitinating enzymes also make essential contributions. Through cross-species and cross-stage comparisons, we find that the UPS exhibits conserved regulatory logic—including cell-cycle gating, spatial control of protein accumulation, and signal integration—while also having evolved lineage-specific functional diversification. In this review, we systematically synthesize UPS functions across the reproductive cycle and highlight persistent knowledge gaps, aiming to provide an integrated framework and a reference for future studies investigating the regulatory roles of the UPS in plant sexual reproduction.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101432

Authors: Huayong Zhang Zhou Bian Xiande Ji Zhongyu Wang Zhao Liu

Global warming has increasingly threatened the suitable habitats of many species. However, ignoring dispersal limitations can substantially increase the uncertainty of species distribution predictions. This study employed optimised MaxEnt and MigClim models to explore the effects of global warming and dispersal limitations on the suitable habitat distribution of Castanopsis indica, Castanopsis hystrix, Schima wallichii (C. indica, C. hystrix, S. wallichii) forest in China. The results reveal that under current climatic conditions, this forest is mainly distributed in southwestern China. The key environmental factors influencing its distribution include isothermality, temperature seasonality, minimum temperature of the coldest month, and precipitation seasonality, among which temperature-related factors play a dominant role. Under future climate scenarios, the suitable habitat distribution of this forest is projected to expand overall and exhibit a northwestward migration trend. Notably, dispersal limitations significantly constrain the actual expansion of this forest, preventing it from keeping pace with climate change. The inclusion of dispersal limitations results in a contraction of the suitable habitat distribution of this forest under future climate scenarios, with the overall centroid migrating towards the southwest. In the future, C. indica, C. hystrix, S. wallichii forest will have some unoccupied suitable areas in China, which are primarily located north of its current suitable habitats. This study provides new insights for reducing uncertainties in species distribution predictions under climate change.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101431

Authors: Yizhe Zhao Xiaosa Huang Lei Jiang Peng Zhou Zhiyi Xie Qiang Fan Kewang Xu

Ilex lanceifolia K.W.Xu & Lei Jiang, a new species from the western Pearl River Delta of Guangdong, China, is described based on morphological and molecular evidence. To test whether this newly discovered population represents a distinct lineage and to assess the congruence between leaf morphology and phylogeny, we integrated multivariate morphometrics, scanning electron microscopy, and phylogenetic analyses of nuclear ITS, ETS, and nepGS sequences. The new species resembles I. xiaojinensis and I. peiradena in shrubby habit and lanceolate leaves but differs by its prominently raised abaxial leaf veins forming distinct reticulate areoles, and green to purplish-black petioles and young branchlets. However, phylogenetic analyses unexpectedly place it within Ilex sect. Ilex forming a clade with I. graciliflora and six other species, rather than with its morphological look-alikes. This discordance strongly suggests that the lanceolate leaf shape has evolved convergently in multiple lineages of Ilex, likely as an adaptive strategy to the high-humidity, low-light understory conditions of subtropical lowland forests. The new species is currently known only from a single population in Jiangmen City, with several thousand individuals but an extremely restricted range (<20 km2), warranting conservation attention. This discovery highlights the underestimated biodiversity of lowland forests in the Pearl River Delta and underscores the need to prioritize remnant habitat fragments in rapidly urbanizing regions.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101430

Authors: Beatriz Silvério dos Santos Tassia Caroline Ferreira Maiara Luzia Grigoli Olívio Lucas Anjos de Souza Liliane Santos de Camargos

In the original publication [...]

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101429

Authors: Huixin Gao Xin Zhou Fei Wang Shandang Shi Manhong Wang Liping Zhu Hongbin Li

Polyamines, a class of low-molecular-weight nitrogen-containing bases with high biological activity, are ubiquitous in organisms and play protective roles in plants under stress. Polyamine oxidase (PAO), a typical flavoprotein characterized as a glycoprotein, is a key enzyme in polyamine catabolism that directly mediates polyamine breakdown and maintains intracellular polyamine homeostasis. However, the specific functions of PAOs in cotton fiber development remain largely unclear. In this study, we identified 23 GhPAO genes from the upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) genome via comprehensive bioinformatics approaches. We systematically analyzed their physicochemical properties, phylogenetic relationships, gene structures, chromosomal locations, conserved motifs, cis-acting elements, and expression patterns. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) analysis confirmed that GhPAO10 and GhPAO21 exhibited the most pronounced transcript accumulation during both fiber development and stress response processes. Further yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) and dual-luciferase reporter assays indicated that the GhPAO21 promoter was directly regulated by the transcription factor GhTGA1. Our findings provide a foundation for elucidating the functional roles of the PAO gene family in upland cotton and underscore potential candidate genes associated with fiber development and stress responses.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101428

Authors: Ana Rico Alicia Ávila Mariana Emiliozzi Irene López-Vidriero José M. Franco-Zorrilla Gloria Nombela

The Mi-1 gene of tomato is responsible for the resistance of certain genotypes to root-knot nematodes or RKN (Meloidogyne spp.) and other harmful organisms such as aphids or whiteflies, in a complex cascade of transcriptional changes in which other tomato genes are also involved. The objective of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the Mi-1-mediated resistance of tomato to Meloidogyne javanica using oligonucleotide microarrays to identify additional plant genes involved in the compatible or incompatible tomato/nematode interactions. Microarray analysis was selected as it has been widely used to identify genes involved in plant resistance to pests and pathogens. In a first phase of the present work, the roots of uninfested tomato plants were analyzed, comparing the transcriptional profiles of susceptible (Moneymaker) and resistant (Motelle) cultivars. In Motelle, 180 transcripts were more expressed than in Moneymaker and only 44 transcripts showed lower expression. Motelle showed higher activity in salicylic, jasmonic and ethylene pathways, while the GAI protein was strongly repressed compared to Moneymaker. These and other basal differences provided valuable information on candidate genes associated with the presence of the Mi-1 gene in Motelle. Subsequent infection by M. javanica triggered an intense transcriptional reprograming that increased over time throughout both compatible (Moneymaker) and incompatible (Motelle) interactions, with scarce genes common to both interactions. At the early phase of infection (2 dpi), genes for the cell wall, hormones, RNA, stress, and transport were up-regulated in the compatible interaction, and signaling, protein, and redox genes were down-regulated; in the incompatible interaction, protease inhibitors were up-regulated, and hormone and RNA genes were down-regulated. Later (12 dpi), genes for hormones, the cell wall, RNA, stress, defense, and development were up-regulated in the compatible interaction, while transport and some stress/defense genes were down-regulated; the incompatible interaction showed mixed regulation within hormone, stress, and defense genes.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101427

Authors: Ying Ma

Our understanding of plant stress biology has shifted with debate toward a more integrative, microbiome-centered perspective [...]

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101426

Authors: Yuri G. Kalugin Mayya P. Razgonova Muhammad Amjad Nawaz Kirill S. Golokhvast

Species of the genus Prunus, including Prunus nipponica var. kurilensis, Prunus sargentii, and Prunus maximowiczii, are widely distributed in the Far Eastern region, covering the territories of Northern China, Korea, Japan, the Kuril Islands, Sakhalin Island, and Primorsky Region in Russia. As part of this study, the flowers of nine specimens of the aforementioned species were collected from the Peter the Great Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), which was founded in 1714 and is one of the oldest botanical gardens in Russia. This study is the first comprehensive metabolomic analysis of cherry blossoms from East Asia, with a particular focus on the varieties P. nipponica var. kurilensis, P. sargentii and P. maximowiczii. The main objective of the work was to identify and characterize biologically active polyphenolic substances and other chemotypes in the studied plant samples. Metabolomic analysis of flower extracts from three species of Prunus: P. nipponica var. kurilensis, P. sargentii, and P. maximowiczii revealed the presence of one hundred and eight polyphenol compounds and fourteen compounds belonging to other chemical groups. Principal component analysis showed that PC1 (26.6%) and PC2 (19.0%) explain 45.6% of the total variance. A clear separation of P. maximowiczii was observed, while P. nipponica from all regions was represented by a single species, and P. sargentii showed variability. Samples from Sakhalin were grouped separately. These results suggest that species identity and origin may influence the metabolic differentiation of the plant material studied. The observed separation of P. maximowiczii from other species may be due to both species-specific metabolism and adaptation to the environmental conditions in Sakhalin. A heatmap with hierarchical clustering revealed a clear clustering of samples based on their origin and species. Samples of P. sargentii from different sources were grouped together, indicating a similar metabolic profile. Samples of P. nipponica var. kurilensis formed a separate cluster with characteristic features of compound distribution. Samples of P. maximowiczii from Sakhalin also formed a separate cluster that was not related to the other two species. This supports the hypothesis that the subspecies that grow in the northern regions have a greater metabolic diversity. It is suggested that this richness of polyphenols is due to the harsh climatic conditions and the accompanying stress factors. The flowers of P. nipponica var. kurilensis, P. sargentii, and P. maximowiczii are characterized by a high content of biologically active compounds, which makes them promising objects for the creation of biologically active supplements and the development of new therapeutic agents in the pharmaceutical industry.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101424

Authors: Adnan Amin

Specialized metabolic reprogramming is a central component of plant immunity. However, its integration across biosynthetic networks and defense phenotypes remains incompletely understood. This mini review examines how specialized metabolites are produced, regulated, spatially deployed, and linked to defense outcomes. We highlight how metabolites such as camalexin, indolic glucosinolates, benzoxazinoids, flavonoids, lignin precursors, pipecolic acid, and N-hydroxypipecolic acid are produced through pathway branching, metabolic flux redistribution, and coordination with primary metabolism. We further discuss how immune signaling modules and transcriptional regulators, including salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, and ethylene pathways, together with transcription factors, regulate defense mechanisms through genes such as PAD3, CYP71A12, CYP71A13, ALD1, SARD4, FMO1, JAZ, and ORA59. Emphasis is placed on spatiotemporal compartmentation, including cell- and tissue-specific responses, plastidial and endoplasmic reticulum-associated metabolism, vacuolar sequestration, apoplastic deployment, and transport-dependent localization, as metabolite function depends greatly on when and where compounds accumulate. This review also evaluates how these metabolic programs are translated into quantitative defense phenotypes, such as resistance outcomes, growth–defense tradeoffs, and fitness costs. Finally, we evaluate emerging tools, including metabolomics, spatial metabolomics, multiomics integration, network inference, and predictive modeling, to elucidate causal relationships between metabolic reprogramming and immune performance. Collectively, the evidence supports a multiscale framework in which specialized metabolism links immune perception to quantitative defense output.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101425

Authors: Nan Xu Canfeng Long Meixin Zhou Weijia Wang Qiang Zeng Yingying Shen Pan Wu Liqun Rao Guoping Peng Qiming Wang

Lonicera macranthoides Hand.−Mazz. is a valuable medicinal plant in China and is used worldwide. This study aimed to predict its suitable habitats in China using the MaxEnt model, and to assess the effects of environmental variables on indicator ingredients (chlorogenic acid, macranthoidin B, and dipsacoside B) via HPLC and chemometrics. Furthermore, to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying environment−quality relationships, preliminary indoor versus outdoor stress experiments were conducted, analyzing the expression of chlorogenic acid biosynthetic genes using qRT−PCR. The results showed that precipitation of the driest month was the most influential variable affecting distribution. Currently, suitable areas are mainly located between 21° N and 33° N. During the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), habitats were more expansive, whereas they contracted during the Mid−Holocene (MH). Future projections indicated habitat loss under the SSP585 scenario, which was partially mitigated under the SSP126 scenario by 2090 S. Higher contents of chlorogenic acid and saponins were found in suitable habitats and were associated with soil, altitude, and precipitation. Notably, outdoor combined stress (low temperature and low sunshine) significantly regulated the expression of LmPAL, LmCHS, LmCHI, LmC4H, LmCCoAOMT, and LmANS. This study serves as a scientific basis for the conservation, sustainable cultivation, and stress−oriented breeding of L. macranthoides in China.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101423

Authors: Alessio Vovlas Alberto Troccoli Elena Fanelli Ebunoluwa Ijeoma Ajobiewe Francesca De Luca

Plant-parasitic reniform nematodes of the genus Rotylenchulus are semi-endoparasites of herbaceous and woody plants occurring in regions with Mediterranean, tropical, and subtropical climates. In the present study, the occurrence of reniform nematodes in the rhizosphere of three olive orchards in Central Italy and six in Sicily (Italy) was investigated. Two Rotylenchulus species were recovered in olive groves in Central Italy, and no Rotylenchulus species were found in Sicily. Using the integrative taxonomy approach, combining morphological, molecular and multivariate morphological analyses, the two species were identified as R. borealis and R. macrodoratus. The D2-D3 sequencing of four individual specimens of Italian R. macrodoratus revealed the occurrence of unique haplotypes differing in nucleotide composition each other. Interestingly, the sequencing of different ITS clones from an individual specimen of the Italian R. borealis showed two ITS paralogs differing in length and nucleotide sequence compared with those of other specimens from the same population and showing higher similarity with those from other populations. Phylogenetic analyses, based on D2-D3 expansion domains of the 28S rRNA gene, ITS, and mitochondrial COI, confirmed the high level of ribosomal variability in both species and the occurrence of new mitochondrial haplotypes for the COI. The present study confirms the occurrence of high variability in Rotylenchulus genus and the existence of variant gene copies in the same specimen that could contribute to the survival of these species in different environments.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101422

Authors: Felipe Moura A. da Silva Rita de Cássia S. Nunomura

Natural products research has undergone a profound transformation over the past decades, driven not only by technological advances but also by a shift in the conceptual frameworks that guide the field [...]

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101421

Authors: Giuseppe Natale Basile Claudio Calia Sajid Safeer Claudia Ruta Giuseppe De Mastro

The family Asphodelaceae, particularly the genera Asphodelus L. and Asphodeline Rchb., includes Mediterranean wild plants of ecological, agronomic, and phytochemical importance. Yet, their applied scientific studies remain fragmented and lack synthesis. This study provides the first bibliometric analysis of applied agronomic, ecological, and phytochemical research on these genera, integrating a transparent and reproducible framework. Publications indexed in the Scopus database from 1987 to 2026 were systematically screened. A sensitivity analysis of the search string progressively reduced the corpus from 1797 taxonomy-only records to 149 after applying intervention, outcomes, and exclusion criteria, of which 64 studies met the final inclusion criteria (43% inclusion rate). Bibliometric analysis was performed using Bibliometrix and VOSviewer. The final dataset spans 57 sources, with 265 contributing authors, an average of 4.95 authors per paper, and an international collaboration rate of 22.15%, highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of the field. Scientific production shows a gradual increase over time, with peaks after 2019, although citation impact remains uneven (mean 15.23 citations per document) and concentrated in a few highly cited studies. Research is geographically clustered along a Mediterranean–South Asian axis, with Italy emerging as the main hub of citation impact and collaboration. Keyword analysis identifies four main thematic clusters, revealing a progressive shift from early ecological and weed–crop interaction studies toward phytochemistry, plant extracts, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity. Despite this growth, substantial gaps persist in agronomy, domestication, and large-scale cultivation, limiting the translation of these species into viable crops. The present analysis is therefore motivated by the need to clarify the current level of scientific knowledge on these species and to assess their potential for future domestication. In this context, identifying research gaps is essential not only for guiding interdisciplinary studies but also for supporting the development of value chains and processing pathways aimed at the sustainable valorisation of these underexplored Mediterranean species.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101420

Authors: Linzhi Zuo Kaixiong Xing Kai Wu Ying Wang Xiaoming Wang Hang Zhang Lei Li

While many environmental variables (e.g., temperature) exhibit only moderate variation, precipitation is a primary driver of soil carbon–nitrogen–phosphorus cycling in forest ecosystems, with soil microorganisms mediating these processes. Within the unique micro-ecosystems of Casuarina equisetifolia coastal shelterbelts, it remains unclear how microbial communities regulate carbon–nitrogen–phosphorus cycling under precipitation gradients. This study aimed to investigate the responses of microbial communities and key functional genes related to carbon–nitrogen–phosphorus cycling in C. equisetifolia forests on Hainan Island under varying precipitation regimes. Microbial diversity across soil layers exhibited a unimodal relationship with mean annual precipitation, with upper-layer communities more compositionally diverse than lower-layer communities. Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Acidobacteria dominated the soil bacterial community and were the primary contributors to key functional genes related to soil carbon–nitrogen–phosphorus cycling, indicating that these phyla are the main functional taxa driving these elemental cycles. Microbial communities responded to precipitation changes through assemblages of precipitation-sensitive functional genes that modulated specific metabolic pathways underlying carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling. Furthermore, available phosphorus primarily drove microbial metabolic responses to precipitation changes. In conclusion, precipitation is the predominant driver of soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling in C. equisetifolia forests by directly regulating soil water content and nutrient availability. Precipitation also indirectly drives the spatial differentiation of microbial communities and selective enrichment of precipitation-sensitive functional genes across soil layers. The spatial heterogeneity of soil microorganisms, their key functional genes along the precipitation gradient and between soil layers, including Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Acidobacteria, and their precipitation-sensitive key functional genes are critical regulatory machinery that orchestrate carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling across precipitation regimes and soil depths.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101419

Authors: Siying Pan Xiaodie Huo Ling Wu Lichi Zhong Qiang Cheng

Rapid alkalinization factor (RALF) peptides are recognized as multifunctional regulators of plant stress responses, yet their roles in woody species remain poorly defined. Here, we identified a RALF22-like peptide from poplar ‘Shanxin’ (Populus davidiana × P. bolleana; PdbRALF22-like) and investigated its roles in salt tolerance and disease resistance. Synthetic PdbRALF22-like peptide elicited a rapid ROS burst in poplar leaf discs. In Nicotiana benthamiana, which was otherwise unresponsive to the peptide, transient expression of either of two poplar FERONIA-like receptor kinases (PdbFER-like-1 and PdbFER-like-2) enabled peptide-triggered ROS production, consistent with receptor-matched responsiveness in a heterologous context. Using CRISPR/Cas9, we generated a PdbRALF22-like knockout line and assessed salt tolerance in vitro and soil-grown assays. Under salinity, the mutant showed sustained rooting at high NaCl concentrations and improved growth relative to wild type. After 0.2 M NaCl treatment, soil-grown mutant plants exhibited reduced wilting and leaf injury. Evans Blue, DAB, and NBT staining indicated reduced membrane damage and lower accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and superoxide in the mutant. Significantly, the same knockout line displayed increased susceptibility to infection by the poplar leaf spot fungus, with larger lesions and higher pathogen biomass, accompanied by reduced ROS output and lower induction of the defense marker gene PdbPR1. Collectively, PdbRALF22-like negatively regulates salt tolerance while contributing positively to disease resistance, and represents a regulatory node linking salinity tolerance and disease susceptibility in poplar ‘Shanxin’, with poplar FER-like receptors providing a plausible route for peptide-triggered ROS signaling. This work expands our understanding of RALF peptide signaling in woody plants.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15101418

Authors: Jinbo Zhang Yongbin Wang Weiwei Tan Bixian Zhang Chunxu Leng Yang Peng Licheng Wu Yuanhang Zhou Aoran Song Zhaojun Liu

Soybean (Glycine max L.) yield is critically influenced by the number of nodes on the main stem (MSN), which serves as the primary site for pods and seeds. To elucidate the genetic mechanisms underlying MSN, we conducted a multi-omics analysis integrating bulk segregant analysis sequencing (BSA-seq), phytohormone, and transcriptome profilings in a soybean mutant, LSD914, which exhibits a significantly increased MSN number compared to its wild-type parent, HN48. BSA-seq of an F2 population identified 27 candidate genomic regions spanning 2.92 Mb, primarily on chromosome 18. Within these regions, 149 genes harbored non-synonymous SNPs and 26 genes contained frameshift InDels, with functional enrichment pointing to pathways in plant hormone signal transduction and developmental regulation. Phytohormone profiling revealed a distinct shift in LSD914, characterized by down-regulation of jasmonates, salicylates, and auxins, alongside specific accumulation of cis-zeatin. Integrative transcriptome analysis identified Glyma.18G259400, a gene encoding a gibberellin-regulated protein (GmGASA32), which was consistently and significantly down-regulated in LSD914 across all developmental stages and tissues. This finding contrasts with previous reports of its overexpression promoting plant height, suggesting a nuanced, context-dependent regulatory role. Our integrated approach identifies a key set of candidate genes and highlights GmGASA32 as a pivotal node in a hormone signaling network that orchestrates soybean node number, providing valuable targets for breeding high-yield soybean varieties with optimized plant architecture.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091417

Authors: Qin Lin Ziji Wu Ruixin Xu Jing Zhang Min Deng Tao Wang Qi Zhang Peiwu Li Zhe Yan

The symbiotic relationship between soybean and rhizobia facilitates nodulation and nitrogen fixation, providing a sustainable nutrient supply for increasing crop yields and reducing chemical fertilizer use. However, comparative studies on the conservation and strain-specificity of host gene expression regulated by different rhizobial strains remain limited. Here, we performed a comparative analysis between the previously isolated strain, Bradyrhizobium ottawaense Bott 59, and the model strain, Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens USDA 110. Symbiotic phenotypes were evaluated after inoculation, and a root transcriptomic analysis was conducted at 3 dpi to assess early molecular responses. At 21 dpi, Bott 59-inoculated plants outperformed plants inoculated with USDA 110 in nodule number, nitrogenase activity, and biomass. Transcriptomic analysis revealed conserved host responses to both rhizobial strains, including NIN-mediated signaling, AON signaling, and the biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids and brassinosteroids. Further analysis revealed that Bott 59 specifically induced the expression of genes involved in isoflavonoid and flavonoid biosynthesis, including those encoding I2H, and HI4OMT. Moreover, Bott 59 triggered more pronounced transcriptional reprogramming in auxin, cytokinin, and jasmonic acid signaling pathways, along with differential expression of a broader set of transcription factor genes. Collectively, this study systematically unravels the conserved and strain-specific transcriptional regulatory events underlying host–rhizobium interactions. Our findings provide valuable theoretical insights and transcriptomic resources for further dissecting the molecular mechanisms of symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF), as well as for the targeted genetic improvement of crop nodulation and nitrogen fixation efficiency.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091416

Authors: Gunay Jafarova Kübra Erkan Türkmen Javanshir Isayev Ilkay Erdogan Orhan Hikmet Katircioglu Temel Ozek Ebru Erdal

Dracocephalum botryoides Stev. (Lamiaceae) is an endemic species of the Caucasus region with a history of traditional medicinal use, although the biological properties of its essential oil remain insufficiently characterized. In this study, the essential oil obtained from the aerial parts of D. botryoides collected in northern Azerbaijan was evaluated for its chemical composition, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and cytotoxic activities. GC–MS analysis revealed a terpene-rich profile, with p-cymene (15.2%), T-cadinol (6.2%), caryophyllene oxide (6.0%), β-caryophyllene (5.8%), and sabinene (5.1%) as the major constituents. The essential oil showed notable antioxidant activity in DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays, with IC50 values of approximately 60 and 63 µg/mL, respectively. The essential oil exhibited antimicrobial activity, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 0.2% (v/v) against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, and Candida albicans ATCC 10231. Higher MIC values were recorded for Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Candida glabrata ATCC 2001 (1.0% v/v), while the highest MIC value was observed for Trichophyton rubrum ATCC 28188 (2.5% v/v). The essential oil also inhibited biofilm formation, and scanning electron microscopy supported these findings by demonstrating reduced biofilm coverage and disrupted biofilm architecture. In vitro assays using HaCaT human keratinocytes indicated low cytotoxicity of the essential oil at concentrations below 100 µg/mL. These results suggest that the terpene-rich essential oil of D. botryoides possesses noteworthy antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antibiofilm potential.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091415

Authors: Yuvraj Khamare Stephen Christopher Marble

Parboiled rice hull mulch is becoming a widely used non-chemical weed control method in container nurseries, but research is lacking on the performance of rice hulls in outdoor production nursery environments. Two separate experiments were conducted to assess the effect of rice hull mulch on the emergence and growth of several common nursery weed species in an outdoor container nursery environment and to determine how well rice hulls performed over time. In a 12-week container experiment, rice hulls provided significantly better control of common container nursery weed species when seeds were placed on top of rice hull mulch applied at depths of 1.3 or 2.5 cm. In contrast, there was little difference in control when seeds were placed below the mulch layer regardless of mulch depth. In a long-term evaluation over 12 months, rice hulls applied at depths of 1.3, 2.5 or 5.0 cm provided control similar to pre-emergence herbicides through 6 months, but herbicides provided better control thereafter. Overall, rice hulls proved to be a suitable alternative to commercial herbicides and would be recommended in cases where pre-emergence herbicides cannot be used due to crop safety or grower preferences.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091414

Authors: Yao Chen Zhiqun Li Mengyang Huang Ninghan Shi Yonghui Li Kongyang Wu Yanwei Cheng Xuhao Liu Sihong Sang

Trichomes are specialized epidermal structures that play pivotal roles in plant defense against biotic and abiotic stresses. Inositol polyphosphate kinase 2 (IPK2) is a key enzyme in inositol phosphate metabolism with diverse functions in eukaryotic cellular processes. However, its involvement in trichome development remains uncharacterized. Here, we systematically analyzed the function of a rice inositol polyphosphate kinase gene (OsIPK2) in trichome development using transgenic rice lines and heterologously expressing Arabidopsis lines. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed that OsIPK2 acts as an organ-specific modulator of trichome development in rice. Its overexpression repressed macrohair initiation and microhair elongation in leaves, while promoting trichome development on the glumes. Metabolomic profiling revealed that OsIPK2 overexpression reprogrammed cuticular wax metabolism in transgenic rice leaves, shifting fatty acid flux toward long-chain wax precursors and increasing soluble carbohydrate levels. Transcriptomic and qPCR analysis confirmed that OsIPK2 modulated the expression of genes involved in cuticular wax biosynthesis, auxin homeostasis, and the core trichome regulatory cascade in rice. Conversely, heterologous overexpression of OsIPK2 in Arabidopsis strongly suppressed trichome initiation and branching, resulting in drastically reduced trichome density and fewer trichome branches. These phenotypes were associated with the downregulation of the MYB-bHLH-WD40 (MBW) transcriptional complex and its downstream target genes. Collectively, our findings suggest that OsIPK2 modulated trichome development through organ- and species-specific mechanisms. In rice, it coordinated wax metabolism and the OsSPL10-OsSCR1/2-OsWOX3B-OsHL6 cascade to affect organ-specific trichome formation. In Arabidopsis, it inhibited trichome development by repressing the MBW complex. These results uncover a novel role of OsIPK2 in plant epidermal cell fate specification and advance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying organ- and species-specific regulation of trichome development.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091413

Authors: João Paulo Arantes Rodrigues da Cunha Rone Batista de Oliveira Gabriel de Souza Lemes Erdal Ozkan Hongyoung Jeon Heping Zhu

Text Correction [...]

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091412

Authors: Yubo Sun Qu Chen Hao Li Yuzhe Wu Da Song Lining Dou Meng Hou Shoukun Song Jingru Zheng Yuxian Zhang Mingcong Zhang Tangzhe Nie Xingchao Liu Mengxue Wang

Meadow albic soils in the Sanjiang Plain of Northeast China are characterized by a compact plow layer, weak structural stability, low organic matter content, and limited nutrient availability, which restrict crop productivity in maize–soybean rotation systems. A two-year field experiment (2023–2024) was conducted to compare the effects of mineral fertilizer alone (CF) and CF combined with carbon-based organic fertilizer (CF+COF), humic acid organic fertilizer (CF+HA), or biochar-based fertilizer (CF+BC) on soil properties and crop yield. Soil aggregate composition, pH, organic carbon, total nitrogen, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, and enzyme activities were measured together with yield and 100-grain weight. Compared with CF alone, the combined application of organic amendments generally improved soil properties and increased crop yield, although the magnitude and pattern of response differed among materials. CF+COF was more effective in increasing the proportion of medium-sized aggregates, enhancing alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen and some enzyme activities, and achieving relatively high yields in both maize and soybean seasons. CF+HA showed comparatively balanced effects on aggregate composition and nutrient availability, whereas CF+BC was more effective in maintaining relatively high soil pH, increasing available phosphorus, and promoting larger aggregates at later growth stages. Overall, all three organic amendments combined with mineral fertilizer were beneficial for improving meadow albic soil and increasing crop yield, with CF+COF showing the best overall performance under the conditions of this study.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091411

Authors: Chao Wu Fang-Fang Wang Fang-Fang Ma Ling-Peng Ye Shi-Yan Mu Ya-Ting Yang Xiao-Yu Qu Ya-Ling Zhang Shu-Bin Li Shan-Shan Xu Xiang-Qing Ma Guang-Qiu Cao Si-Zu Lin Yu Chen

Knot-free timber production in Cunninghamia lanceolata depends critically on internodal characteristics, yet the mechanisms governing internode elongation remain poorly understood, hindering breeding efforts for longer-internode varieties. In this study, we selected two clones with distinct internodal traits (the C1 clone exhibited a 25.03% longer internodal length than the C11 clone) as materials. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and RNA sequencing were used to investigate dynamics in endogenous hormones and transcriptional regulation in internodal growth. Results showed that the difference in indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) rhythms in apical buds is a key factor of C1’s longer internodal growth; higher levels of IAA and cytokinins in the apical buds of C1 may support sustained internodal growth; upregulated IAA-related genes in upper phloem (PIN1 and SAURs), which are involved in polar transport and signal response, indicates a stronger capacity to establish apical dominance. Hormone transport may be regulated by very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs). Consistent with reduced brassinosteroid activity, genes involved in VLCFA biosynthesis and transport were generally lower in C1, implying excessive VLCFA accumulation in C11 may be negative to IAA transporting and internode growth. This study offers a preliminary insight into internodal growth mechanisms influenced by hormone biosynthesis and transport in C. lanceolata., providing a basis for genetic improvement, germplasm selection, and exogenous hormone applications in knot-free timber cultivation.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091410

Authors: Prakash Babu Adhikari Ryushiro Dora Kasahara

Seed initiation in Arabidopsis depends on regulatory transitions that begin before fertilization, yet these events are often treated as separate developmental episodes rather than as a connected sequence. Here, we synthesize evidence from megaspore mother cell (MMC) specification to endosperm cellularization and ask whether particular stage boundaries meet a narrow definition of developmental handover: a shift between dominant control logics, with detectable first-order consequences in the ensuing interval and acknowledged overlap across the boundary. This framework goes beyond canonical staging by distinguishing chronological succession from shifts in regulatory control, thereby clarifying where earlier states are expected to constrain later outcomes, which developmental boundaries are mechanistically well supported, and where further mechanistic resolution is most needed. We first examine how MMC singleness (restriction to a single reproductive founder cell per ovule primordium) emerges through coupled sporophytic restriction and local competence. We then consider how meiosis and female gametophyte maturation establish regulatory poise (an actively restrained and asymmetric mature female-gametophytic state), including cell-cycle restraint, companion-cell-restricted demethylation, and unequal gametic chromatin states that condition subsequent embryo and endosperm behavior. After fertilization, release of central-cell restraint, activation of an endosperm auxin program, and recruitment of maternal tissues together mark the onset of seed initiation. In this view, syncytial endosperm is an actively maintained developmental state shaped by parental dosage, epigenetic control, hormone signaling, and maternal interaction, whereas endosperm cellularization represents a regulated switch with seed-wide consequences. In Arabidopsis, the clearest handover is the mature female gametophyte-to-fertilization boundary, whereas the boundaries linking MMC specification to female gametophyte maturation and syncytial endosperm to cellularization remain provisional.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091409

Authors: Vlad-Ionuț Nechita Alexia-Paula Tărău Angie-Ioana Şuster Mihaela-Ancuța Nechita Anca Toiu Daniela Benedec Daniela Hanganu Costel Siserman Cristina Drugan Ilioara Oniga

Ononis spinosa L. (Fabaceae), commonly known as spiny restharrow, is a widely distributed medicinal plant traditionally used in European and Middle Eastern phytotherapy, particularly for the management of urological and inflammatory conditions. Despite its long-standing ethnomedicinal relevance, comprehensive syntheses of its phytochemical profile and biological activities remain limited. This review aimed to summarize current evidence regarding the chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of O. spinosa. Four electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and SpringerLink) were searched for studies published between 1997 and 2024. The search yielded 308 records; after duplicate removal and eligibility screening, 34 studies met the inclusion criteria. The phytochemical profile of O. spinosa is characterized predominantly by isoflavonoids (e.g., ononin and other formononetin derivatives), triterpenes, phenolic acids, and additional polyphenolic compounds. Although the phytochemical profile of O. spinosa includes multiple classes of secondary metabolites, this review places particular emphasis on phenolic compounds, given their prevalence and well-documented biological activities. Experimental evidence indicates a broad spectrum of biological activities, including anti-inflammatory effects (associated with cPLA2α inhibition and cytokine modulation), antibacterial and antifungal activity, antioxidant capacity, wound-healing and dermatological benefits, as well as diuretic and anti-adhesive effects in urinary models. Additional reported properties include antiproliferative, anti-adipogenic, analgesic, and neurotrophic activities. Proposed mechanisms of action involve enzyme inhibition (e.g., Hyal-1 and COX-2), modulation of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, redox regulation, and interference with microbial adhesion and inflammatory signaling pathways. Overall, O. spinosa contains bioactive compounds exhibiting a wide range of pharmacological activities supported by in vitro and in vivo studies. Among the investigated effects, anti-inflammatory, urological, and wound-healing activities appear to be the most promising targets for future research. These findings highlight its therapeutic potential while emphasizing the need for well-designed clinical studies to further validate its medicinal applications.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091408

Authors: Yangmin Zhu Zengrong Huang Junyi Wen Jiangming Wei Ke Liu Yuan Su Yunfeng Liu Shengchao Ge

Papain-like cysteine proteases (PLCPs) are central immune hubs frequently targeted by pathogen effectors. Sugarcane smut, caused by Sporisorium scitamineum, threatens global sugarcane yield, yet effector manipulation of host PLCPs remains unclear. Genome-wide analysis of Saccharum spontaneum AP85-441 identified 61 PLCP-encoding genes, which were classified into nine conserved subfamilies. Among these, ScRD21A, a member of the RD21 subfamily, was prioritized for functional characterization. Two Pit2 homologs, SsPit2A and SsPit2B, were identified from S. scitamineum. Yeast two-hybrid, BiFC and pull-down assays demonstrated that both effectors interact with ScRD21A, and that this interaction depends on a conserved LXRR motif within their PID14-like region. In total protein extracts from Nicotiana benthamiana, co-expression of SsPit2A or SsPit2B reduced ScRD21A-associated cysteine protease activity. Transient expression of ScRD21A enhanced flg22-induced ROS production, attenuated Pst DC3000-induced hypersensitive response-associated necrosis, and increased resistance to Botrytis cinerea. Together, these results support a conserved PLCP-targeting strategy in smut fungi and identify the ScRD21A–SsPit2A/B module as a tractable framework for studying effector–protease interactions relevant to sugarcane smut.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091407

Authors: Jéssica Almeida Jorge Cleidson Alves da Silva Deurimar Herênio Gonçalves Júnior Ivoney Gontijo Rodrigo Barros Rocha Eveline Teixeira Caixeta Weverton Pereira Rodrigues Fábio Luiz Partelli

The expanding use of Conilon and Conilon × Robusta hybrids in Brazilian coffee cultivation contrasts with the scarcity of information on the genetic variability underlying their physical yield attributes. This study quantified genetic variability and estimated genetic parameters for fresh fruit mass and volume, fruit-to-bean ratio, and bean and husk proportions in 48 Coffea canephora genotypes, compared the discriminatory power of gravimetric and volumetric metrics in classifying processing efficiency, and identified genotypes combining high bean proportion and genetic divergence for use in breeding programs. A randomized complete block design with three replications was used. The fruit mass required to produce a 60 kg bag of processed coffee (FMM/bag) ranged from 205.29 to 251.46 kg bag−1, representing an 18% difference between the most and least efficient groups identified by the Scott-Knott test. High heritability was found for bean proportion (90.74%) and FMM/bag (84.58%), confirming strong genetic control over fruit-to-bean yield. Mass-based metrics showed greater discriminatory power than volumetric ones, forming four distinct groups versus two. Conilon genotypes tended toward greater yield efficiency. The observed variation indicates exploitable genetic variability for selective gains, with direct implications for crossing strategies and post-harvest processing optimization in C. canephora.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091406

Authors: Lorene Armstrong Nayana Figueiredo Pereira Diefrey Ribeiro Campos Yara Peluso Cid Irailson Thierry Monchak Neide Mara Menezes Epifânio Douglas Siqueira Almeida Chaves Jane Manfron

The genus Eugenia (Myrtaceae) is widely distributed in Brazil and is known for producing diverse secondary metabolites with various biological activities, although several species remain poorly explored. This study aimed to characterize the chemical composition of essential oils (EOs) from the leaves of seven Eugenia species (E. brasiliensis, E. involucrata, E. longipedunculata, E. myrcianthes, E. neoverrucosa, E. pyriformis, and E. uniflora), compare their chemical profiles using multivariate analysis, and evaluate their insecticidal activity against the flea Ctenocephalides felis felis. EOs were obtained from dried leaves by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger apparatus and analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to compare chemical compositions, and contact bioassays were conducted to assess insecticidal activity against adult fleas. The EOs showed distinct chemical compositions, with major constituents varying by species, including α-pinene, (E)-caryophyllene, viridiflorene, β-selinene, limonene, and germacrone. PCA revealed clear differences among species, particularly highlighting oils dominated by α-pinene and sesquiterpene-derived compounds. In the bioassays, E. uniflora showed the highest insecticidal activity, reaching 95.1% mortality at 800 µg·cm−2 and presenting an LC50 of 9.12 µg·cm−2, whereas E. brasiliensis showed moderate activity (LC50 = 157.82 µg·cm−2). These findings expand the chemical knowledge of the genus and indicate the potential of E. uniflora EO as a natural source of insecticidal compounds against C. felis felis.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091405

Authors: Chiao-Yun Tseng Hui-Hsuan Lin Yu-Hsuan Liang Chia-Wen Tsai Yueching Wong Jing-Hsien Chen

Artemisia indica Willd. is widely used in traditional medicine and dietary practices. Phytochemical analysis of Artemisia indica Willd. aqueous extract (AAE) by HPLC–ESI–MS/MS identified isochlorogenic acid C (ICAC) as a major constituent. Angiotensin II (Ang II) disrupts renal tubular epithelial cell homeostasis and contributes to renal injury. In this study, we evaluated the protective effects of AAE and ICAC in Ang II-stimulated NRK52E cells. Both AAE and ICAC significantly reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, mitochondrial dysfunction, and proinflammatory cytokine release. Mechanistic analyses showed that AAE inhibited Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R)-mediated NF-κB activation and suppressed NLRP3 inflammasome signaling, thereby alleviating inflammatory responses and pyroptosis. In addition, AAE and ICAC restored sodium homeostasis by reactivating neural precursor cell expressed developmentally downregulated gene 4-like (Nedd4-2), promoting epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) ubiquitination and reducing its apical membrane accumulation. Molecular docking suggested that ICAC interacts with the extracellular domain of α-ENaC, supporting its regulatory role. Overall, AAE and ICAC protect renal tubular epithelial cells against Ang II-induced injury by reducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and dysregulated sodium transport, highlighting their potential as plant-derived therapeutic agents for hypertension-associated renal dysfunction.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091404

Authors: Pengjie Chang Ming Ju Hengchun Cao Yinghui Duan Qiuzhen Tian Cong Mu Guiting Li Xiaoxu Feng Weixiu Hou Haiyang Zhang Hongmei Miao

Phospholipids function as dynamic regulators of plant growth and environmental adaptation, extending well beyond their structural roles in biological membranes. This review synthesizes the phospholipid metabolic network and its regulatory functions in plant physiology. We first describe enzymatic reactions and acyl-chain remodeling in phospholipid biosynthesis, and then examine the interaction between phospholipid metabolism and auxin signaling, focusing on phosphatidic acid (PA) and phosphoinositide phosphate (PIP). These lipid molecules regulate the polarization and vesicular trafficking of PIN-FORMED proteins via endocytosis and phosphorylation-dependent mechanisms, thereby controlling auxin distribution during development and stress adaptation. Particular emphasis is placed on PA, a multifunctional signaling lipid that serves as a central molecular hub. PA coordinates hormonal, stress, and circadian signals by engaging and modulating a broad spectrum of protein targets, including kinases, phosphatases, and transcription factors. We also discuss the emerging and evolutionarily conserved functions of phospholipid signaling in cell fate determination, drawing parallels from mammalian cell reprogramming to the regulation of plant cell totipotency and root patterning. Collectively, these findings underscore the critical role of phospholipid-mediated signaling in converting metabolic and environmental cues into developmental reprogramming, providing novel theoretical and functional frameworks for future research in plant lipid biology.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091403

Authors: Mingyu Ji Eltayib. H. M. A. Abidallha Xiang Zhang Yuan Chen Dehua Chen

Low Bt toxin concentration in seeds results in low insecticidal efficacy in transgenic Bt cotton. In order to improve the insecticidal efficacy of seeds, two treatments with different amino acid combinations (5 amino acids comprising aspartic acid, glutamic acid, proline, methionine, and arginine; and 21 amino acids) were applied to two Bt cotton cultivars at peak boll stages in 2021 and 2022. The results showed that the amino acid treatments enhanced the seeds’ Bt toxin concentration by 13.5–34.2% compared with the untreated control in a two-year study. However, the difference for the Bt toxin was not significant between the two amino acid treatments. In the seeds, Bt toxin levels correlated positively with amino acid and soluble protein contents, as well as Glutamic-Pyruvic Transaminase (GPT) and Glutamate Oxaloacetate Transaminase (GOT) activities. Conversely, negative correlations were observed between the Bt toxin and the activities of protease and peptidase. Compared with the control, hazard boll rates were also reduced following application of the two amino acid combinations, while no difference was observed between the two amino acid treatments. Because the two treatments performed similarly, these results suggest that applying a simpler combination of five amino acids is an effective and efficient strategy for enhancing the insecticidal efficacy of cotton seeds.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091402

Authors: Suchismita Prusty Swetaleena Mishra Sowmya Poosapati Durga Madhab Swain Ranjan Kumar Sahoo

Salinity stress is one of the major obstacles to glycophytic crop production worldwide, including rice. It alters cellular metabolism, causing significant crop destruction that results in substantial reductions in yield. The overexpression of C4 enzymes, such as phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), at high levels in C3 transgenic plants through genetic engineering can decrease oxidative stress while increasing photosynthetic capabilities. In this research, we evaluate the efficiency of transgenic rice plants (Oryza sativa L. cv. IR64) overexpressing PEPCK genes in mitigating salinity stress and increasing photosynthetic efficiency. The T1 transgenics showed increased levels of several biochemical factors, including ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), proline, glutathione reductase (GR), and guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) activities. This was accompanied by reduced levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and electrolytic leakage, suggesting an effective antioxidant defense mechanism against the oxidative damage driven by salt stress. Photosynthetic parameters—such as chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate, intercellular CO2 content, and stomatal conductance—were elevated in transgenic plants compared to control plants. The transgenics also exhibited superior agronomic characteristics. Our findings provide conclusive evidence of the PEPCK gene’s potential role in regulating salt stress response and tolerance in rice plants.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091401

Authors: Haiyan Zhang Weili Cai Wenyi Li Luyao Duan Zhenyu Zhang Chengjia Zou Ling Li Lin Li Runtian Xiao Lina Cui Xiao Li

Maize ear rot, primarily caused by Fusarium verticillioides (Fusarium ear rot, FER) and Fusarium graminearum (Gibberella ear rot, GER), is a devastating disease that causes significant yield losses and mycotoxin contamination. Breeding resistant varieties is the most effective control strategy, but this requires the identification of stable genetic loci for resistance. In this study, we employed bulked segregant analysis (BSA) on two F2 mapping populations to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) conferring resistance to FER and GER. We identified five and eleven QTLs for FER and GER, respectively. Notably, chromosome 4 was identified as a major hotspot for resistance to both diseases, and there was a co-localization of the FER QTL (qFER4.05) and GER QTL (qGER4.05-1) within a 58.58–71.34 Mb interval on bin 4.05, suggesting a potential locus for broad-spectrum resistance. Within this overlapping region, we identified 18 high-confidence candidate genes, including genes encoding leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases (LRR-RLKs), remorin, cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, and wall-associated receptor kinase-like (WAKL) protein, all with established roles in plant defense. These findings advance the understanding of the genetic architecture of ear rot resistance and provide critical resources for marker-assisted breeding to develop maize hybrids with durable resistance to both FER and GER.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091400

Authors: Xue Zhang Lanfang Bai Na Zhao Yongqiang Wang Yu Yao Fugui Wang Zhen Wang Hongwei Liang Xiaohong Li Jufeng Cao Zhigang Wang

This study investigated how different organic fertilization practices affect productivity, stability, and nitrogen use efficiency in the rotation systems of the Hetao Irrigation District. The research was based on a long-term field experiment (2015–2025), with a chemical fertilizer-only treatment as the control (CK). Four organic fertilization treatments were evaluated: farmyard manure application (CM), straw incorporation (CS), green manure cultivation and incorporation (CG), and a combined green manure plus straw treatment (CGS). Based on three consecutive years of observations (2023–2025), the impacts of these treatments on crop yield, yield composition and stability, plant nitrogen accumulation and allocation, and nitrogen use efficiency were systematically analyzed. Both CM and CS significantly increased maize equivalent yield (MEY) compared with the other treatments, by 33.68–66.04% and 16.05–24.21%, respectively. CM’s productivity advantage was primarily driven by higher biomass accumulation, whereas CS’s advantage was largely due to improvements in the harvest index. In terms of stability, CM exhibited the lowest coefficient of variation (CV), indicating the highest static stability, while CS showed a regression coefficient (bi) close to 1, indicating stronger dynamic stability. CM also significantly enhanced total plant nitrogen accumulation, nitrogen recovery efficiency (NRE), and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), while optimizing nitrogen allocation to grain. CS significantly improved nitrogen internal efficiency (NIE), promoting more efficient conversion of absorbed nitrogen into grain yield. CG and CGS did not show clear advantages across productivity, stability, or most nitrogen use efficiency-related indices. Overall, in the Hetao Irrigation District, farmyard manure application is an effective strategy for achieving both high and stable yields, whereas straw incorporation offers stronger environmental adaptability. Both practices represent practical and effective approaches for improving the sustainability of rotation systems.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091399

Authors: Yanfang Wang Xiaoqiu Yuan Zhichao Li Zhengyang Yan Yage Li Ling Liu

Quercus variabilis is one of the primary species for plantation regeneration across China’s warm-temperate and subtropical zones. However, its long-term monoculture leads to ecosystem instability. Soil fungi are essential for nutrient cycling and ecosystem functioning, yet their responses to oak-dominated mixed plantations remain insufficiently understood. This study investigated the soil fungal communities among Q. variabilis monoculture (QV), mixed plantations of Q. variabilis and Platycladus orientalis (PO), Q. variabilis and Pinus tabuliformis (PT), and Q. variabilis, P. orientalis and P. tabuliformis (PPQ). The results showed that PO and PPQ plantations contained significantly higher concentrations of SOC, TN, and TP compared to QV monoculture. Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were identified as the dominant fungal phyla across four plantation types, with PO exhibiting the highest relative abundance of Ascomycota (60.85%) and fungal alpha diversity. The soil fungal communities across all plantations were predominantly saprotrophic, followed by mixotrophic modes. The relative abundance of saprotrophic fungi was significantly greater in the mixed plantations, peaking in PO at 44.69%. The soil fungal communities in both PO and PPQ plantations exhibited higher network interaction density. The SOC, TN, TP, water content, zinc, and β-glucosidase activity served as key environmental drivers of fungal community composition. Overall, the mixed plantation of Q. variabilis and P. orientalis most effectively improved soil fertility, enhanced fungal diversity, and increased network complexity, suggesting its potential as a sustainable afforestation strategy for oak-dominated ecosystems in the low hilly regions of western Henan. However, these findings are based on a single sampling period, and long-term monitoring is required to confirm its sustained ecological benefits.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091398

Authors: Shuang Liu Xin Sun Lei Wang Fengqingyang Chen

Intensifying drought stress under global climate change poses a significant threat to woody plants, highlighting the critical need to identify key genes conferring drought tolerance. Here, we characterized PsnSAUR6, a Small Auxin Upregulated RNA (SAUR) family gene from poplar (Populus simonii × P. nigra) that is responsive to drought and abscisic acid (ABA). Overexpression of PsnSAUR6 in transgenic tobacco conferred superior drought tolerance, evidenced by increased biomass, enhanced root elongation, improved stomatal regulation, and favorable physiological responses, including higher proline content and peroxidase (POD) activity but lower malondialdehyde (MDA). Transcriptome analysis revealed that under water deficit, PsnSAUR6 suppressed the ABA negative regulator PP2C37 while upregulating key antioxidant defense-related transcription factors (ERF020, NAC83, MYB2) and the potassium transporter HAK5. Collectively, these findings establish PsnSAUR6 as a positive regulator in ABA-mediated drought adaptation, presenting it as a promising genetic target for enhancing the climate resilience of woody plants.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091397

Authors: Ibtissem Ben Hammouda Katarzyna Pokajewicz Beata Messyasz Bogusława Łęska Radosław Pankiewicz Piotr P. Wieczorek

Phytohormones, or plant hormones, are intrinsic organic compounds within plants. These compounds have a significant impact as essential plant growth and development regulators, influencing processes from seed germination to fruit ripening. The exogenous application of these phytohormones, such as gibberellic acid (GA3), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and brassinosteroids, has been shown to significantly enhance horticultural productivity, with reported increases in germination, growth, and yield ranging from 10–40%. These signaling molecules are also vital for micro and macroalgae development and functioning. Recognizing their presence within algae presents a fresh perspective for horticultural researchers and cultivators, offering opportunities to enhance the quality and application of horticultural crops. Nevertheless, the challenge arises from the presence of phytohormones in trace amounts, complicating their extraction and identification. This paper will offer a comprehensive overview of phytohormone classification and detection methods and highlight their presence in algae, which may serve as an alternative for promoting plant growth in agriculture.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091396

Authors: Xiaoyun Zhang Baochen Zhang Ye Wang Lijuan Zeng Zhixuan Wen Ming Lei Li Li

Manganese (Mn) is essential for plants, but its fluctuating soil availability—deficiency in alkaline soils and toxicity in acidic soils—challenges crop productivity. Breakthroughs in Arabidopsis have uncovered Ca2+ signaling as a key integrator of Mn status. This review synthesizes these discoveries into an emerging Arabidopsis-centered framework. Under Mn deficiency, sustained Ca2+ oscillations activate CPK21/23, which phosphorylate the importer NRAMP1 at Thr498 to enhance Mn uptake. Under Mn excess, a rapid Ca2+ transient triggers a multi-layered cascade: CPK4/5/6/11 activates MTP8 (Ser31/32) for vacuolar sequestration, while CBL2/3–CIPK3/9/26 sequentially suppresses MTP8 (Ser35, peak 24 h) and MTP11 (Ser194/201, peak 36 h)—a multi-tiered “brake” system. Concurrently, CBL1/9–CIPK23 induces NRAMP1 endocytosis (Ser20/22) to limit Mn uptake. The IRT1 transporter directly binds cytoplasmic Mn2+ and triggers its own degradation via CIPK23, thereby converging with Ca2+ signaling. The BRI1–CNGC12 module generates Mn-induced Ca2+ signals. By organizing current knowledge into a hierarchical framework, this review provides a working model for future research and outlines translational opportunities for engineering Mn-resilient crops.

Plants doi: 10.3390/plants15091395

Authors: Mareike Kristin Keßler Viktoria Fulek Karsten Niehaus Petra Lutter

When in contact with microbes or other pathogens plants develop an induced defense response. This reaction is triggered by pathogen-derived molecules that provoke the so-called microbe-associated molecular pattern (MAMP)-triggered immunity (MTI) or pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP)-triggered immunity (PTI). Recognition of a MAMP or PAMP by a pattern recognition receptor (PRR) activates rapid downstream signaling, manifested in, e.g., a rise in the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration. As a consequence, defense-related genes are expressed and antimicrobial substances are produced. There is also evidence that Ca2+-induced responses show a refractory behavior in plant cells, as the reaction to an identical stimulus applied shortly after the first one is strongly suppressed, if it can be observed at all. Subsequent elicitations over a longer period of time, on the other hand, can trigger stronger Ca2+ responses, which lead to so-called “defense priming”. Although refractory behavior has been documented in various plant cell types, its underlying function and causative mechanisms remain unclear. In this review article we give an overview of the refractory machinery, including elicitors, receptors, typical Ca2+ responses, and signal transduction pathways. We shed light on possible explanatory scenarios and address open questions.