Search Results (372)

Sunflower is predominantly cultivated and extensively studied as an oil-type crop, which has contributed to the development of broad genetic variability within oil-type germplasm. In contrast, ornamental sunflower has received considerably less research attention. Therefore, the existing genetic variability of oil-type sunflower represents a valuable resource that can be explored and tested for ornamental traits, including postharvest performance and suitability for cut-flower production. This is particularly relevant given the increasing market demand for decorative sunflower types and the growing interest in diversified cut-flower assortments. The objective of this study was to assess the ornamental potential of oil-type sunflower genotypes, with particular emphasis on postharvest performance of cut-flowers. Genotypes from the breeding collection of the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Novi Sad, were evaluated for key ornamental morphological traits and postharvest longevity. The experiment comprised treatments combining two storage regimes (room conditions and chamber storage) and two holding solutions (distilled water and 10% sucrose), applied across two sowing dates. To identify possible structural determinants of postharvest behavior, three morphologically contrasting genotypes (ĆMD U 12, AS 87, and LIP P 98) were further subjected to anatomical analysis of the peduncle. Postharvest longevity was significantly affected by genotype, sowing date, storage regime, sucrose treatment, and their interactions, demonstrating the strong influence of both genetic background and postharvest handling conditions. Chamber storage consistently affected postharvest longevity in most genotypes, while sucrose supplementation further improved it in several genotypes. Substantial genotypic variation in postharvest performance was detected. Substantial genotypic variation in postharvest performance was detected. Genotype ĆMD U 12 exhibited outstanding postharvest longevity under several storage environments, particularly in the second sowing date, whereas AS 87 showed markedly reduced postharvest longevity, particularly under ambient storage conditions. Morphological traits alone were not reliable predictors of postharvest longevity. In contrast, anatomical analyses revealed clear differences in peduncle tissue organization and vascular architecture among the selected genotypes, indicating that variation in supportive tissues and xylem vessel characteristics may play an important role in postharvest water relations and flower postharvest longevity. The results demonstrate the potential of IFVCNS oil-type sunflower germplasm for developing ornamental cut-flower genotypes adapted to dense sowing conditions, while also identifying postharvest treatments that significantly improve postharvest longevity and commercial usability. Full article

Biological thin-sheet systems, including leaves, insect wings, and flowering organs, achieve adaptive deformation through distributed compliance, segmentation, curvature, and controlled opening. Kirigami offers a bio-inspired route for translating such deformation logics into programmable thin-sheet surfaces; however, the geometric parameters that most strongly influence elastic displacement remain insufficiently quantified, especially across different loading regimes. This study investigates Bio-Inspired Regime-Dependent Parameter Selection in Parametric Kirigami through twenty-five laser-cut specimens spanning five boundary shapes and three thermoplastic substrates. Specimens were tested under two contrasting regimes: quasi-static tensile loading and gravity-drape loading. Elastic displacement was measured under eight-point boundary fixation and analyzed using regime-separated Pearson correlations, Bonferroni-corrected significance testing (α/18 = 0.0028), and shape-controlled partial correlations. Under tensile loading, the Number of Offsets (r = 0.807), Segments per Offset (r = −0.603), and outer-boundary void perimeter (r = 0.621) showed the strongest Bonferroni-robust associations with displacement. Under gravity-drape loading, effects were weaker and more curvature-sensitive, indicating that parameter relevance is not universal but regime-dependent. Within the tested parametric design space, the study provides an experimentally grounded basis for selecting Kirigami geometric parameters in thin-sheet structures whose adaptive deformation logic is analogous to compliant systems found in nature. Full article

High summer temperatures can reduce growth and flower quality in standard chrysanthemum, while whole-greenhouse cooling requires substantial energy input. This study evaluated whether localized root-zone cooling could improve growth and suppress open-center malformed capitula in standard chrysanthemum ‘Baekgang’ while considering energy use. Rooted cuttings were grown in a commercial hydroponic greenhouse during summer and subjected to a non-cooled control (NC) or root-zone cooling activation thresholds of 28 °C (HT), 25 °C (MT), or 22 °C (LT). Root-zone temperature, vegetative growth, gas exchange, flower quality, open-center incidence, and electricity consumption were measured. Mean root-zone temperatures were 27.8 °C in NC, 26.6 °C in HT, 24.4 °C in MT, and 23.3 °C in LT. Root-zone cooling improved vegetative growth, particularly stem diameter and shoot and root biomass, whereas leaf-level gas-exchange parameters were not consistently affected. Open-center incidence was highest in NC (67%) and was reduced to 33%, 11%, and 33% in HT, MT, and LT, respectively. Electricity consumption was 321, 783, and 1088 kWh bed⁻¹ in HT, MT, and LT, respectively. These results indicate that moderate root-zone cooling, particularly MT, provides a practical balance between flower quality and energy use for summer chrysanthemum production. Full article

Chrysanthemum is one of the world’s four main cut flowers. However, postharvest drought stress severely disrupts water homeostasis, triggering reactive oxygen species burst and membrane lipid peroxidation, thereby reducing its ornamental quality and vase life. Melatonin serves as a multifunctional antioxidant and stress regulator. This study demonstrated that 200 μmol L⁻¹ melatonin effectively alleviated drought-induced leaf wilting, maintained relative water content, decreased the accumulation of MDA, H₂O₂, and O₂^•−, and enhanced the activities of SOD, CAT, POD, and APX. Concurrently, non-enzymatic antioxidants (proline, GSH, ASA) accumulated to high levels. RNA-seq analysis revealed that drought affects pathways closely related to the production of antioxidant and osmoprotectant metabolites, while melatonin initiated extensive transcriptional reprogramming and responded to drought stress through distinct pathways at the early (12 h) and late (24 h) treatment stages. Melatonin also modulated key transcription factor families, including bHLH, NAC, ERF, MYB, and bZIP. Collectively, exogenous MT mitigates drought damage in chrysanthemum cut flowers by coordinating antioxidant systems and complex transcriptional regulatory networks. This study provides a theoretical foundation for improving postharvest drought tolerance and prolonging the vase life of cut flowers. Full article

Iris sanguinea features upright, stiff leaves, making it an excellent cut-foliage material, with its tall leaf architecture greatly enhancing ornamental value in landscaping. However, during the leaf expansion phase, plants frequently exhibit loose foliage arrangement, excessive spreading, and compromised mechanical strength, culminating in lodging and a concomitant decline in ornamental quality. Plant height in I. sanguinea is strongly regulated by phytohormones. This study showed that exogenous GA at concentrations of 50 mg·L⁻¹, 100 mg·L⁻¹, and 200 mg·L⁻¹ increased seedling height by 5.7%, 8.8%, and 12.7%, respectively, through foliar spraying on I. sanguinea seedlings grown ex vitro in a greenhouse; conversely, PAC treatment at equivalent concentrations suppressed growth by 19.3%, 21.0%, and 22.2%, respectively. Two pivotal GA signaling components, GAI and GID1a, were isolated from I. sanguinea. Subcellular localization confirmed that both IsGAI and IsGID1a proteins localize to the nucleus. Overexpression vectors pCAMBIA1300-IsGAI-GFP and pCAMBIA1300-IsGID1a-GFP were constructed and expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana. Transgenic lines overexpressing IsGAI showed significantly reduced plant height, hypocotyl elongation, and bolting, whereas IsGID1a overexpression promoted these traits. Exogenous GA application partially reversed the dwarf phenotype induced by IsGAI overexpression and further potentiated the height enhancement observed in IsGID1a-overexpressing lines. This study identifies two key genes controlling plant height and provides a theoretical basis and genetic resources for precisely engineering plant architecture in I. sanguinea. This is especially important for developing dwarf varieties with enhanced ornamental and agronomic traits, offering significant potential in the landscaping and cut flower industries. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the interactive effects of daytime temperature and nutrient solution concentration on the growth and yield of cut rose ‘White Beauty’ under winter greenhouse conditions. The experiment was conducted using a two-factor factorial design with three daytime temperatures (25, 28, and 30 °C) and four nutrient concentrations (70–100% of the standard solution). Yield was significantly affected by the interaction between temperature and nutrient concentration, with the highest yield observed at 28 °C under 90% nutrient concentration. In contrast, yield decreased significantly at 30 °C across all treatments. Nutrient concentrations of 80–90% maintained comparable yield and growth characteristics to the standard concentration. In addition, drainage EC increased with both temperature and nutrient concentration, indicating increased nutrient accumulation in the root zone. These results indicate that maintaining nutrient concentrations at 80–90% of the standard solution at 28 °C is sufficient to sustain stable production and flower quality under winter conditions. This approach suggests potential for reducing fertilizer input while maintaining productivity in greenhouse rose cultivation. Full article

As representatives of early-flowering herbaceous peony types, certain cultivars known as the ‘Coral’ series are highly prized in the global cut flowers market for their unique dynamic color transitions from orange-red (amber) to creamy yellow during the florescence and senescence periods. Despite their strong growth vigor and high commercial value, these cultivars face critical postharvest preservation challenges, most notably rapid petal abscission and short vase life. Previous studies have confirmed that postharvest quality deterioration of these peony cut flowers, including undesired color fading and accelerated senescence of petals, is closely associated with ethylene and ROS accumulation. To address these development impediments, systematic optimization of the entire industrial chain is essential. Proposed countermeasures include preharvest regulation of environmental conditions and cultivation practices to establish a foundation for quality formation, as well as postharvest strategies such as precise harvest timing, anti-ethylene treatments, and full cold-chain logistics. Meanwhile, simplifying the distribution system and optimizing terminal vase preservation techniques are also crucial to maintain postharvest quality. In the long term, promoting sustainable development of the global cut-flower industry will require breeding new germplasm with low ethylene sensitivity from a global perspective, continuously optimizing agronomic practices to overcome year-round supply constraints, and accelerating the application of intelligent technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) in full chain quality management. Full article

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. Full article

Champereia manillana (Bl.) Merr. var. longistaminea is an evergreen small tree. It belongs to the genus Champereia Griff. (Opiliaceae), and its tender leaves or flower buds can be eaten. It also has important medicinal and nutritional values. Wild populations of C. manillana are small and has a phenomenon of deforestation. Market development is hindered by propagation constraints, including low seed germination rates and poor rooting of cuttings. Standardized cultivation protocols are currently lacking. This paper systematically reviews the current status of propagation and cultivation research on C. manillana and analyzed the primary challenges. Recent research indicated that seed germination obstacles had been preliminarily overcome, and 50% shading was identified as the optimal cultivation condition. However, challenges remain, including slow growth, lack of standardized water and fertilizer management, and unclear molecular mechanisms regulating development. Future research should focus on improving vegetative propagation efficiency, elucidating growth mechanisms via multi-omics, and establishing standardized cultivation protocols from breeding to harvest. These strategies are essential for the sustainable utilization of C. manillana resources. Full article

Echeveria spp. (Mexican hens and chicks) are among the most popular genera of succulents sold because they are compact and form attractive, symmetrical rosettes with brightly colored, fleshy, broad, iridescent leaves, as well as large, showy inflorescences. However, they are slow-growing, and flower induction protocols are not widely available. Therefore, the objectives of this study were (1) to determine if photoperiod and the photosynthetic daily light integral (DLI) can be manipulated to promote rapid growth and leaf expansion without excessive extension growth of several cultivars of Echeveria and (2) to establish the critical photoperiod for flower induction. Cuttings of E. spp. and hybrids ‘Apus’, ‘Canadian’, ‘Elegans Blue’, ‘Jade Point’, and ‘Topsy Turvy’ were received from a commercial breeder and grown in a greenhouse at 20 °C for 5 weeks. Photoperiods were created using a truncated 9 h short day (SD) or a SD extended to 10, 11, 13, 15, 16 h or a 4 h night-interruption (NI), using light-emitting diode (LED) lamps providing a total photon flux density of ≈2 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ of red (R) + white (W) + far-red (FR) radiation. DLIs of 4.8 and 12.8 mol·m⁻²·d⁻¹ were maintained with and without shade cloth and supplemental lighting. Photoperiod and DLI interacted to influence the final height of E. ‘Canadian’, ‘Elegans Blue’, and ‘Jade Point’; plants were tallest under photoperiods > 13 h and low DLI. Similar trends were observed for growth index and average plant diameter. No clear trend was observed for leaf unfolding or leaf length across DLI or photoperiod treatments. Flower initiation of E. ‘Apus’ and ‘Jade Point’ was highest under a DLI of 12.8 mol·m⁻²·d⁻¹. Additionally, E. ‘Jade Point’ only developed inflorescences under day lengths ≤ 11 h, indicating an obligate SD response. Our results suggest that growers should maintain DLIs > 10 mol·m⁻²·d⁻¹ and SD conditions to promote flower initiation of the Echeveria cultivars tested. Such conditions would prevent excessive stem elongation and encourage flowering, increasing crop quality and marketability. Full article

Camellia japonica is a widely cultivated woody ornamental plant. However, current studies mostly focus on the onset of flowering, neglecting the overall flowering time distribution patterns of the blooming process. In this study, we used uniform 5-year-old potted cuttings of C. japonica ‘Jinjiang Mudan’ to evaluate six candidate distribution models, including normal, log-normal, skew-normal, gamma, Weibull, and exponential, to model flowering time distribution. These candidates were compared to obtain an optimal distribution model using three-fold cross-validation, six evaluation indicators, and three goodness-of-fit tests in the control. The optimal distribution model was used to compare and analyze the different effects of the control, shading, and exogenous hormone treatments. The results showed that the skew-normal distribution model emerged as the most suitable distribution model among the six candidates and captured the flowering time distribution characteristics effectively in all treatments. Shading treatments were found to delay and extend the flowering period, with moderate treatments (50% and 70% shading) demonstrating better performance, extending the flowering period by approximately 40%. In terms of exogenous hormone treatments, BG (a mixture of the 6-BA and GA₃) concentrations could prolong and delay the flowering period. Lower concentrations (100 and 250 mg L⁻¹) of 6-BA and GA₃ were effective in extending the flowering period, with BA250 exhibiting the most pronounced effect, delaying flowering onset by approximately 12% and extending the flowering period by approximately 17%. Considering that this study is based on single-location and single-season trials, these findings provide a valuable methodological resource for quantifying and predicting flowering time distribution in C. japonica, other ornamentals, and crops. Full article

People spend most of their time indoors, highlighting the importance of indoor environmental quality for health and wellbeing. While previous studies have shown that exposure to nature can benefit wellbeing, much of this research has focused on outdoor environments, and less is known about how indoor plants and their spatial characteristics influence human perceptions and experiences. This paper reports on a survey study exploring how perceived health and wellbeing are influenced by indoor plants and human preferences for their characteristics, spatial arrangement, and other features within indoor environments. Indoor plants serve as visual and multisensory environmental stimuli. By examining the relationship between indoor plants, preferences, perceptions, visual comfort, multisensory experiences, and wellbeing, the study aims to understand these influences. The questionnaires include multiple-choice questions, yes-no questions, and open-ended questions, allowing the collection of both quantitative and qualitative data. The survey findings highlight the unique benefits of indoor plants, emphasising their potential to enhance wellbeing in ways that outdoor nature may not fully replicate in indoor settings. One significant finding of this study is that scattering indoor plants throughout a space can enhance the connection to nature through three-dimensional spatial interaction, potentially improving wellbeing. This arrangement may serve as a bridge to the outdoors, providing a psychological link to the natural environment. Crucial preference factors also include the complexity and coherence of indoor plants’ appearance, such as colour, shape, and size. The results further indicate that students prefer indoor plants over other elements such as cut flowers, fake plants, or artificial plant representations. The findings indicate that caring for indoor plants may foster emotional engagement, a sense of fulfilment, and place attachment through everyday interaction. In public spaces, plants may also enhance feelings of refuge and perceived security. These findings provide practical recommendations for designing indoor environments that enhance student wellbeing and human–environment interaction. Full article

Flower senescence is a key physiological constraint on the ornamental and commercial longevity of cut roses. Although abscisic acid (ABA) is recognized as a promoter of this process, the molecular circuitry through which ABA operates, particularly the specific contributions of MYB transcription factors, remains largely unexplored. In this study, we identify RcMYB002 as a negative regulator of rose flower senescence. Transient overexpression of RcMYB002 significantly delays senescence, preserves anthocyanin accumulation, and modulates antioxidant enzyme activities in a time-dependent manner, consequently attenuating ABA-triggered oxidative stress. In contrast, silencing RcMYB002 accelerates senescence-associated phenotypes. At the molecular level, ABA suppresses RcMYB002 transcript accumulation, while yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) assays indicate that RcMYB002 interacts with the promoter regions of senescence-associated genes SAG12 and SAG21, consistent with a role in their transcriptional regulation. Taken together, our results support a model in which ABA promotes flower senescence by downregulating RcMYB002, thereby derepressing downstream senescence-executing genes. This work provides a molecular basis for understanding flower senescence and offers a potential target for extending rose vase life. Full article

Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) is a crop used as a forage that possesses an exceptional nutritional profile and digestibility. Unfortunately, this crop has low seed yield. Within the framework of the “Legume Generation” EC-funded project, our team aimed to investigate the role of foliar boron application on pollen viability and pollen tube development, and to assess its overall effect on red clover cultivation. Plants of six commercial diploid red clover cultivars, Nika 11, Sofia 52, AberClaret, Milvus, Global, and S123, were field-grown and boron-treated by spraying with the commercial product “Lebasol”, 11% active water-soluble boron. To reach our purpose, the transcript levels of genes related to flower, pollen, and pollen tube development and boron transport were measured by qRT-PCR; pollen grain viability and count were assessed microscopically. For this research, eight genes were selected: Auxin Response factor (TprARF17); TprAPETALA3; Walls are thin (TprWAT1 and TprWAT2); NIPs genes (Nodulin Intrinsic Protein) TprNIP4;2, TprNIP7;1, TprNIP5;1, and TprNIP6;1. Additionally, total nitrogen content in leaves detached from field-grown boron-treated and untreated plants was assessed and compared with the expression levels of two TprNIP5;1 and TprNIP6;1 transporters. The fresh and dry biomass weight from the first and second cuts was evaluated, as well as the seed collected from the red clover plants. Seed germination percentage and vigor of seedlings were examined in vitro for both boron-treated and untreated groups of two specific cultivars. Collected data confirm that foliar application of boron affects pollen viability and plant development of red clover in the cultivation conditions of South East Europe. Full article

Cys2/His2-type zinc finger transcription factors (C2H2 TFs) constitute one of the largest and most functionally diverse transcription factor families in plants, playing core regulatory roles in multiple aspects of plant growth, development, and stress adaptation. Based on literature data from databases including PubMed (1995–April 2026) and integrated with bioinformatics analyses, this review provides a comprehensive overview of this family. We first summarize the structural characteristics and classification systems of C2H2 TFs, and elucidate their evolutionary dynamics from lower plants to angiosperms. Regarding their impact on plant organ development, beyond key biological processes, this review details the molecular mechanisms of C2H2 TFs in floral organ morphogenesis (e.g., petal, sepal, stamen, and ovule development), pollen fertility maintenance, and flowering time regulation. Concurrently, we systematically analyze their functional pathways in responses to abiotic stresses (drought, high salinity, low temperature, aluminum toxicity, etc.) and biotic stresses (pathogens, pests), clarifying the molecular networks through which they coordinate reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis, stomatal movement, and osmotic regulation by modulating hormone signaling pathways such as ABA, SA, and JA. Furthermore, this review discusses major limitations of current research, including knowledge gaps concerning functional redundancy, pseudogenization phenomena, and cell type-specific regulation. We also provide perspectives on future research directions leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as CRISPR gene editing, single-cell sequencing, and multi-omics integration, as well as their application prospects in crop stress resistance breeding and quality improvement. This review provides ideas for in-depth research on the regulatory network and related functions of C2H2 TFs, and offers reference value for improving plant traits, enhancing plant resistance, and increasing the production of plant secondary metabolites. Full article