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Search Results (2,130)

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Keywords = drought stress level

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16 pages, 2866 KB  
Article
Endophytic Leptobacillium sp. Sl27 Modulates Early Tomato Plant Responses to Water Stress in a Genotype-Dependent Manner
by Luisa Liu-Xu, Loredana Scalschi, Begonya Vicedo, Gemma Camañes and Eugenio Llorens
Horticulturae 2026, 12(7), 829; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12070829 - 7 Jul 2026
Abstract
Drought-induced water stress is a major constraint on crop productivity, especially under climate change conditions. In previous work, we isolated a fungal endophyte, Leptobacillium sp. Sl27, from Solanum lycopersicum and found that its growth-promoting effects were dependent on the tomato genotype. In this [...] Read more.
Drought-induced water stress is a major constraint on crop productivity, especially under climate change conditions. In previous work, we isolated a fungal endophyte, Leptobacillium sp. Sl27, from Solanum lycopersicum and found that its growth-promoting effects were dependent on the tomato genotype. In this study, we investigated whether Sl27 modulates early plant responses to water stress in the following two tomato genotypes with differing sensitivities to drought: ADX2 and MO-10. Seeds were inoculated with the endophyte, and 4-week-old seedlings were subjected to water stress by withholding watering for 12 days under controlled growth chamber conditions. We assessed plant performance by measuring physiological parameters (including photosynthetic rate, transpiration, and stomatal aperture) and overall stress response by leaf phenotypic traits. Under severe stress conditions, Sl27-inoculated plants, particularly in the more sensitive genotype MO-10, showed reduced early damage and partially maintained physiological activity during initial stages of stress. However, under prolonged stress, all plants reached similarly high levels of damage, indicating that the effect was transient and did not confer sustained drought tolerance. To explore plant performance under more moderate and agronomically relevant conditions, a second independent experiment was conducted in MO-10 using a controlled water deficit (40% field capacity) and plantlet-stage inoculation. In this experimental context, Sl27 primarily promoted plant growth, increasing shoot and root biomass, with a non-significant trend toward improved performance under stress. Overall, these results indicate that Sl27 does not confer classical drought tolerance but instead improves plant performance and modulates early responses to water deficit in a genotype-dependent manner, with stronger effects observed in the more sensitive genotype MO-10. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Vegetable Production Systems)
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14 pages, 10524 KB  
Article
Genome-Wide Identification of the ZjWPR Gene Family in Chinese Jujube Provides Functional Insights into Its Response to Jujube Witches’ Broom
by Pan Li, Caihua Xing, Jiaqi Sun, Yunjie Wang, Kunyi Lv, Enshun Jiang, Shoule Wang, Zhongtang Wang, Changfeng Ai, Xueqing Yan, Xuan Zhao and Qiong Zhang
Plants 2026, 15(13), 2094; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15132094 - 6 Jul 2026
Abstract
WPR (WEB1/PMI2-related) genes play a crucial role in regulating chloroplast movement and leaf coloration in plants. Previous studies have shown that these genes are implicated in leaf yellowing, both in Arabidopsis thaliana and in Paulownia fortunei following infection with Paulownia witches’ [...] Read more.
WPR (WEB1/PMI2-related) genes play a crucial role in regulating chloroplast movement and leaf coloration in plants. Previous studies have shown that these genes are implicated in leaf yellowing, both in Arabidopsis thaliana and in Paulownia fortunei following infection with Paulownia witches’ broom. To investigate the functions of the ZjWPR genes in jujube, bioinformatics methods were employed to identify the ZjWPR gene family in jujube, analyze their protein physicochemical properties, gene structure, evolutionary relationships, and cis-acting elements in this study. The results revealed that the ZjWPR gene family in jujube comprised 10 members. Phylogenetic analysis showed that WPR genes were divided into two classes, with ZjWPR genes distributed across three subgroups within Class II. Conserved motif analysis indicated that motif 2, motif 3, motif 7, and motif 8 were the most highly conserved and most genes exhibited similar structures. Cis-element analysis in their promoter suggested that ZjWPR genes were regulated by multiple hormones and were associated with stress responses such as low temperature and drought. Moreover, all ZjWPR genes contained light-responsive elements. Expression analysis of the ZjWPR gene family under Jujube Witches’ Broom (JWB) stress showed that ZjWPR4 and ZjWPR5 were significantly up-regulated in JWB-susceptible jujube cultivars following phytoplasma infection, whereas no significant changes were detected in JWB-resistant cultivars. Additionally, the expression levels of ZjWPR2, ZjWPR3, and ZjWPR6 were also altered in response to infection, suggesting their potential involvement in the response to JWB stress and the associated leaf chlorosis process. Moreover, transient overexpression of ZjWPR4 and ZjWPR5 in sour jujube leaves led to significant reductions, in critical photosynthetic parameters, including Fv/Fm, Fq′/Fm′, and ETR compared with WT, thereby reinforcing their functional contribution to JWB-associated leaf yellowing. This study provides valuable insights for further functional characterization of the ZjWPR gene family in mediating JWB-induced leaf yellowing and related metabolic pathways. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Plant Genetics, Genomics and Biotechnology)
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27 pages, 21046 KB  
Article
UAV Remote Sensing for Drought-Adaptive Sesame Breeding: Flight-Altitude Benchmarking, Predictive Modelling, and Composite Stress Tolerance Indexing
by Christos Petsoulas, Alexandros Tsitouras, Eleftherios Evangelou, Anastasia Kargiotidou, Chrysanthi I. Pankou and Dimitrios N. Vlachostergios
Remote Sens. 2026, 18(13), 2181; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs18132181 - 4 Jul 2026
Viewed by 204
Abstract
Early-generation sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) breeding requires high-throughput phenotyping of large unreplicated populations across contrasting environments. A DJI Phantom 4 Multispectral UAV was flown at 40, 80, and 120 m above ground level (AGL) over 588 M2 genotypes under full irrigation [...] Read more.
Early-generation sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) breeding requires high-throughput phenotyping of large unreplicated populations across contrasting environments. A DJI Phantom 4 Multispectral UAV was flown at 40, 80, and 120 m above ground level (AGL) over 588 M2 genotypes under full irrigation (ENV1) and terminal drought (ENV2; irrigation withheld from reproductive onset) on four dates (July–September 2025). Structure-from-motion canopy height models were compared with ground measurements, and four spectral reflectance indices—Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalised Difference Red Edge (NDRE), Green Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (GNDVI), and Leaf Chlorophyll Index (LCI)—were derived from 40 m imagery. Ordinary least squares (OLS), Random Forest, and Gradient Boosting were evaluated under leave-one-genotype-out (LOGO), leave-one-environment-out (LOEO), and leave-one-date-out (LODO) cross-validation; genotypic repeatability was quantified by intraclass correlation (ICC), and drought performance was ranked by a composite Stress Tolerance Index (STI) validated against an independent breeder assessment. The 40 m altitude gave the highest height accuracy (R2 = 0.812 in ENV1; 0.663 in ENV2). LOGO accuracy (R2 ≈ 0.83) fell to R2 ≈ 0.55 under LODO—the operationally relevant figure for a new phenological stage—and the full structural–spectral OLS model collapsed (R2 = −0.203) where tree ensembles remained stable. Spectral-index repeatability was up to ~2-fold higher under stress (ICC(3,4) > 0.84). The composite STI flagged 38 elite genotypes (7.6% of 498); 10 of its top 30 were confirmed in the breeder’s 48-best selection from all 588 rows—a 4.1-fold enrichment over chance (hypergeometric p = 4.5 × 10−5). Full article
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26 pages, 27641 KB  
Article
Pan-Genome Analysis Reveals Evolutionary Dynamics and Functional Divergence of the NAC Gene Family in Soybean
by Nan Wu, Yongqi Feng, Xilin Ning and Dan Yao
Plants 2026, 15(13), 2010; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15132010 - 29 Jun 2026
Viewed by 220
Abstract
Soybean (Glycine max) is an important model crop for studying plant functional genes, such as the NAC transcription factor (TF) gene family. The NAC transcription factor (TF) family is one of the largest plant-specific TF families and plays critical roles in plant growth, [...] Read more.
Soybean (Glycine max) is an important model crop for studying plant functional genes, such as the NAC transcription factor (TF) gene family. The NAC transcription factor (TF) family is one of the largest plant-specific TF families and plays critical roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses. In this study, we performed a pan-genome-wide analysis of NAC genes using 29 soybean genomes. A total of 5051 NAC genes were identified and clustered into 245 orthologous gene groups (OGGs), including 58 core, 88 soft-core, 32 shell, and 67 cloud groups. Based on phylogenetic relationships, the representative NAC OGGs were assigned to 18 subfamilies, 17 of which contained soybean NAC genes. Gene duplication analysis indicated that whole-genome duplication (WGD)/segmental duplication was the predominant driver of NAC family expansion, accounting for 90.88% of duplication events. Approximately 39.30% of NAC genes carried at least one intact transposable element (TE) within 2 kb upstream or downstream regions. NAC genes with copy number variation (CNV) harbored more nearby TEs than non-CNV genes (1.54 vs. 1.31 TEs per gene), and dispensable NAC genes contained more nearby TEs than core NAC genes (1.59 vs. 1.33 TEs per gene). These results indicate a significant association between local TE abundance and NAC gene CNV or dispensability. Selection pressure analysis showed that dispensable NAC genes had higher Ka, Ks, and Ka/Ks values than core genes, suggesting relatively relaxed evolutionary constraints. Expression profiling across six tissues revealed distinct transcriptional patterns among NAC subfamilies. Structurally conserved subfamilies generally showed broader expression, whereas structurally divergent subfamilies displayed greater expression variability. Regulatory network and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analyses suggested that conserved subfamilies were mainly associated with stress responses, while divergent subfamilies were related to cell wall regulation, signal transduction, and ion homeostasis. Further analysis of Wm82 drought RNA-seq data prioritized several putative drought-responsive NAC candidates, including Glyma.16G043200, Glyma.06G248900, Glyma.07G050600, Glyma.12G206900, and Glyma.18G261300. Overall, these findings elucidate the mechanisms of expansion and the functional divergence of the NAC gene family at the soybean pan-genome level, providing a theoretical basis for understanding NAC gene evolution and facilitating future crop improvement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Crop Functional Genomics and Biological Breeding—3rd Edition)
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22 pages, 3136 KB  
Review
Responses of a Dominant Wetland Grass, Cynodon dactylon, to Flooding and Drought Stress in the Drawdown Zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China: A Trait-Based Meta-Analysis
by Yanxia Hu, Jinhui Zhao and Changqing Wang
Diversity 2026, 18(7), 395; https://doi.org/10.3390/d18070395 - 29 Jun 2026
Viewed by 196
Abstract
Plant communities in reservoir drawdown zones experience highly altered hydrological regimes, and responses of locally dominant species shape the biodiversity and restoration trajectories of these artificial wetlands. The water-level fluctuation zone (WLFZ) of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) is exposed to alternating flooding [...] Read more.
Plant communities in reservoir drawdown zones experience highly altered hydrological regimes, and responses of locally dominant species shape the biodiversity and restoration trajectories of these artificial wetlands. The water-level fluctuation zone (WLFZ) of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) is exposed to alternating flooding and drought, which strongly constrains both its vegetation and the biodiversity that depends on it. Cynodon dactylon dominates the herbaceous cover of the TGR WLFZ, but evidence on its stress responses remains fragmented across single-site studies. Following a PRISMA 2020 literature search and screening procedure, we synthesized 169 effect sizes from 12 qualifying experimental studies, covering biomass and morphological traits, photosynthetic gas-exchange parameters, chlorophyll content, and oxidative-stress indicators. Effect sizes were calculated as natural log response ratios (lnRR) and pooled with random-effects models; shallow and deep flooding were compared using subgroup analyses with bootstrap 95% confidence intervals. Flooding effects varied with water depth. Shallow flooding increased total biomass (+47.2%), whereas deep flooding reduced plant height (−46.5%) and root length (−22.3%). Plant height showed significant between-group heterogeneity (Qbetween = 5.60, p = 0.045), indicating sensitivity to submergence depth. Flooding also increased malondialdehyde content (MDA) by 31.7%, whereas peroxidase activity (POD), superoxide dismutase activity (SOD), and photosynthetic gas-exchange parameters showed no consistent responses. Drought effects on total biomass, plant height, and total chlorophyll were non-significant, although inference was limited by a few drought-related entries. Deep flooding, therefore, appears to be a stronger constraint than drought for Cynodon dactylon in the TGR WLFZ, mainly through morphological suppression and increased oxidative damage. Given the dominant role of this species in the herbaceous layer, its depth-dependent decline is relevant both for biodiversity conservation in this artificial wetland and for elevation-based restoration planning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wetland Biodiversity and Ecosystem Conservation—Second Edition)
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25 pages, 23018 KB  
Article
Salicylic Acid Mitigates Drought-Stress-Induced Oxidative Damage in Ilex rotunda Through Tissue-Specific Reprogramming of Antioxidant Phenolics and ROS Scavenging
by Huwei Yuan, Qinyuan Shen, Ye Zheng, Mingzheng Duan, Junhan Guo, Yihui Li, Jiashuang Qiao, Liangye Huang, Maryam Tahira, Yanyan Yin, Jiaxin Hu, Jianfang Zuo, Daoliang Yan, Bingsong Zheng and Muhammad Junaid Rao
Antioxidants 2026, 15(7), 808; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15070808 - 27 Jun 2026
Viewed by 269
Abstract
Drought stress imposes oxidative damage on plants, yet the tissue-specific roles of salicylic acid (SA) in modulating phenolic metabolism remain poorly understood in woody species. Using Ilex rotunda seedlings, we investigated whether exogenous SA (100 µM) mitigates drought-induced oxidative damage and reshapes phenolic [...] Read more.
Drought stress imposes oxidative damage on plants, yet the tissue-specific roles of salicylic acid (SA) in modulating phenolic metabolism remain poorly understood in woody species. Using Ilex rotunda seedlings, we investigated whether exogenous SA (100 µM) mitigates drought-induced oxidative damage and reshapes phenolic profiles in different tissues. Drought alone increased leaf total phenolics by 32% but depleted root phenolics by 29%, whereas combined drought + SA (DSA) treatment partially restored root phenolic levels, coinciding with elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) (2.2-fold in leaves, 2.6-fold in roots) and H2O2. Leaf antioxidant capacity increased under drought (DPPH by 73%, •OH by 33%), whereas root DPPH declined by 27% despite a 26% rise in •OH scavenging. SA alone induced mild oxidative responses and selectively upregulated caffeoylquinic and galloyl derivatives, notably 1-Caffeoylquinic acid (log2FC = 6.38) in leaves. DSA treatment mitigated oxidative damage—reducing leaf MDA by 44% and root H2O2 by 38%. Metabolomics revealed tissue-specific reprogramming leaves accumulated dicaffeoylshikimic acid (log2FC = 10.66) and trilobatin D (log2FC = 11.18) under DSA, whereas roots showed contrasting patterns with up-accumulation of vanillate (log2FC = 5.77) and suppression of 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (log2FC = −7.21) under drought, with stronger metabolic reprogramming in leaves than roots. Our findings indicate that SA-mediated drought tolerance is associated with tissue-specific phenolic reprogramming, identifying candidate indicators that advance the mechanistic understanding of woody plant resilience to drought. These results provide a framework for translating metabolomic signatures into practical strategies for stress mitigation in medicinal perennials facing climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant and Algal Antioxidants in Stress Defence)
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30 pages, 4894 KB  
Article
Co-Expression Modules and Core Regulatory Factors Linked to Maize Abiotic Stress Resistance Under the Compound Agroecological Stress Index in Southwest China
by Yuejuan Yang, Hao Zhang, Long Wang, Jinsheng Li, Jiahui Liu, Yang Liu, Hanqi Shen and Zhengqi Yin
Plants 2026, 15(13), 1977; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15131977 - 26 Jun 2026
Viewed by 188
Abstract
Regionally, compound agroecological stress arising from both natural and anthropogenic emergy inputs may influence maize transcriptomic responses; however, evidence across multiple scales remains limited. We developed a reproducible five-step framework integrating a macro-level compound stress index, molecular response modules, cross-scale coupling, spatial continuity, [...] Read more.
Regionally, compound agroecological stress arising from both natural and anthropogenic emergy inputs may influence maize transcriptomic responses; however, evidence across multiple scales remains limited. We developed a reproducible five-step framework integrating a macro-level compound stress index, molecular response modules, cross-scale coupling, spatial continuity, and independent field validation. Nine variables (emergy indicators ELR, Fn, and NEYR; climate; soil; and terrain) were PCA-weighted into a Composite Abiotic Stress Intensity Index (CASI; first three PCs = 83.7%; and prefecture-level Moran’s I = 0.463). Across 15 public RNA-seq datasets (286 samples), WGCNA identified five separable modules (drought–heat, reproductive stage heat, low nitrogen/phosphorus, osmotic salt, and chronic compound), 270 core genes, and four cross-module hubs (ZmDREB2A, ZmHSFA2, ZmWRKY33, and ZmNRT2.1). With n = 21, the sCCA (r1 = 0.81, permutation p = 0.003; LOO-CV r = 0.71), random forest, and spatial error model all confirmed coupling between ELR and the drought–heat module (β = 0.51, p = 0.008). PLS-DA four-zone partitioning (Q2 = 0.548) and a county-level second-order trend surface (R2 = 0.67) verified spatial continuity. GSVA on five independent field RNA-seq datasets yielded 74.4 to 82.8% core gene directional consistency and Cliff’s δ of 0.59 to 0.68 (large effect), avoiding circular reasoning. The framework enables molecular analysis for precision agriculture and climate-resilient breeding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Regulation of Maize Abiotic Stress Resilience)
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37 pages, 1416 KB  
Systematic Review
A Systematic Review of Soil Properties to Support Mycotoxin Model Development with In-Field Soil Sensing
by Eleonora Granata, Marco Camardo Leggieri, Daniele Trinchero and Paola Battilani
Sensors 2026, 26(13), 4044; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26134044 - 25 Jun 2026
Viewed by 402
Abstract
Recently, mycotoxin prediction has mainly relied on meteorological data and crop physiology. The contribution of soil characteristics as additional environmental variables remains largely unexplored. A systematic literature search was carried out to analyze the latest research (from 2020 to 2025) on the relationship [...] Read more.
Recently, mycotoxin prediction has mainly relied on meteorological data and crop physiology. The contribution of soil characteristics as additional environmental variables remains largely unexplored. A systematic literature search was carried out to analyze the latest research (from 2020 to 2025) on the relationship between soil properties (temperature, water content, pH, and electrical conductivity), fungal communities (particularly Aspergillus and Fusarium), and different crops (mainly peanut, wheat, and maize). Measurement methodologies were analyzed, with a focus on the use of in-field soil sensors in correlation studies and predictive models. Disease incidence and mycotoxin occurrence were related to stressful soil conditions, such as different pH levels, wetness or drought, and temperatures above 25 °C. Other external variables (crop and field management) must also be considered. Laboratory equipment was primarily used in correlation studies, with limited in-field sensor implementation. Although recent predictive models included soil properties as effective inputs, they mostly relied on satellite data. However, real-time conditions and fluctuations, which can be captured by in-field soil sensors, are essential for training new functional models. To monitor soil properties, IoT technologies must be considered, but their implementation is still not sufficient to collect widespread data. Therefore, groundwork is needed to fill this gap with high-quality soil data for future in-field experimentation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Smart Agriculture)
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24 pages, 7075 KB  
Article
Genome-Wide Characterization of the F-Box Gene Family in Cardamine hupingshanensis and Functional Analysis of ChFBX171
by Yifan Wang, Yan Yu, Xiaorong Xiao, Qiaoyu Tang, Zhixin Xiang, Shengcai Chen, Zhi Hou, Yifeng Zhou and Yanke Lu
Biology 2026, 15(13), 1003; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology15131003 - 25 Jun 2026
Viewed by 229
Abstract
Cardamine hupingshanensis (C. hupingshanensis) is an important dietary source of selenium for humans due to its remarkable capacity for selenium hyperaccumulation. As core components of the SCF (SKP1–Cullin–F-box) ubiquitin ligase complex, F-box proteins play vital roles in plant responses to environmental [...] Read more.
Cardamine hupingshanensis (C. hupingshanensis) is an important dietary source of selenium for humans due to its remarkable capacity for selenium hyperaccumulation. As core components of the SCF (SKP1–Cullin–F-box) ubiquitin ligase complex, F-box proteins play vital roles in plant responses to environmental stress, such as salt and drought. However, information regarding the F-box gene family in C. hupingshanensis and its potential functions in regulating responses to abiotic stress remains limited. In this study, members of the F-box gene family in C. hupingshanensis were identified through sequence alignment. Comprehensive bioinformatic analyses, including analyses of physicochemical properties, phylogenetic relationships, subcellular localization, conserved motifs and domains, gene structure, chromosomal distribution, promoter cis-elements, and gene duplication events, were performed using TBtools and associated online resources. In particular, a total of 548 F-box genes were identified and classified into nine distinct groups based on phylogenetic analysis. Protein sequence analysis predicted 15 conserved motifs and 18 distinct domains across the identified F-box proteins. Promoter analysis suggested the presence of 32 different cis-elements that may be potentially associated with growth, development, hormone signaling, and abiotic stress responses. Furthermore, 283 collinear gene pairs were detected within the C. hupingshanensis genome, providing insights into the possible expansion of this gene family. Quantitative real-time PCR was employed to examine the tissue-specific expression levels of F-box genes in various organs, as well as their expression profiles in response to exogenous selenium, salt, osmotic stress, and abscisic acid treatment. The results indicated that 11 ChFBX genes responded to exogenous selenium, salt, osmotic stress, or abscisic acid. Notably, transgenic plants overexpressing ChFBX171 displayed heightened sensitivity to salt stress during seed germination. In conclusion, this study provides a comprehensive identification and characterization of 548 F-box genes in C. hupingshanensis and offers valuable insights into the potential role of ChFBX genes, particularly ChFBX171, in mediating responses to abiotic stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Plant Science)
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17 pages, 1123 KB  
Article
Leaf Functional Trait Responses of Urban Street Trees to Point-Source Heat Stress: A Shift Toward Resource-Conservative Strategies Driven by Air-Conditioner Exhausts
by Jiyou Zhu and Hongyuan Li
Plants 2026, 15(13), 1952; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15131952 - 25 Jun 2026
Viewed by 220
Abstract
Urban green infrastructure is increasingly exposed to fine-scale thermal heterogeneity generated by anthropogenic point-source heat emissions, yet the leaf-level responses of adjacent vegetation to such localized stress remain poorly understood. Here, we examined whether air-conditioner (AC) exhaust, a widespread point-source heat emitter, is [...] Read more.
Urban green infrastructure is increasingly exposed to fine-scale thermal heterogeneity generated by anthropogenic point-source heat emissions, yet the leaf-level responses of adjacent vegetation to such localized stress remain poorly understood. Here, we examined whether air-conditioner (AC) exhaust, a widespread point-source heat emitter, is associated with functional trait shifts in Fraxinus chinensis street trees, and whether easily measurable leaf traits can serve as candidate indicators for ecological monitoring. Using a matched treatment–control field comparison, we compared trees located 2 m from operating AC units with unaffected controls and quantified nine leaf functional traits together with concurrent microclimate variables. AC exhaust created a distinct compound heat–drought–wind micro-environment at the 2 m patch scale, with higher air temperature (+6.3 °C), lower relative humidity (−12.3 percentage points), and higher wind speed (5.2-fold). Exposed trees showed a coordinated shift toward more resource-conservative leaf traits: leaf dry matter content (+14.8%), tissue density (+13.6%), leaf thickness (+6.3%), and stomatal density (+11.7%) increased significantly, whereas specific leaf area (−10.6%), leaf area (−12.5%), chlorophyll content index (−4.6%), and stomatal area (−10.4%) decreased significantly. The observed “small-and-numerous” stomatal configuration suggests altered stomatal regulation, although its implications for transpiration-driven cooling require direct physiological validation. Exploratory structural equation modeling suggested associations among AC-exhaust exposure, leaf economic strategy, and stomatal traits; stomatal regulation showed the highest proportion of model-explained variance (R2 = 0.598), but this value should not be interpreted as direct evidence of impairment severity or restoration potential. Leaf dry matter content, specific leaf area, and stomatal density emerged as sensitive and practical candidate indicators of AC-exhaust-associated leaf functional shifts. These findings support precautionary management near AC exhaust outlets, while specific planting-distance thresholds and zoning frameworks require future validation through distance-gradient or manipulative experiments. Full article
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24 pages, 1939 KB  
Article
The Wheat Nitro-Proteome: Protein Nitration Profiles During Drought and Rehydration
by Marta Gietler, Justyna Fidler-Jarkowska and Małgorzata Nykiel
Plants 2026, 15(13), 1951; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15131951 - 24 Jun 2026
Viewed by 216
Abstract
Protein nitration within the nitro-proteome is a dynamic component of drought and recovery responses in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), yet its role in stress adaptation remains unclear. Young wheat seedlings demonstrate a degree of drought resistance, characterized by physiological and morphological adaptations, [...] Read more.
Protein nitration within the nitro-proteome is a dynamic component of drought and recovery responses in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), yet its role in stress adaptation remains unclear. Young wheat seedlings demonstrate a degree of drought resistance, characterized by physiological and morphological adaptations, during the initial growth phases. However, this tolerance begins to diminish significantly in 5-day-old seedlings. The mechanisms behind this phenomenon are unclear. Our results indicate that it may be related to protein nitration. This study compared the physiological and nitrosative responses of 4-day-old drought-tolerant and 6-day-old sensitive wheat seedlings subjected to drought followed by rehydration. In tolerant seedlings, in contrast to sensitive ones, the water saturation deficit after rehydration returned to the control levels, confirming their drought tolerance. Moreover, NO2 accumulation in the recovery group was significantly higher in sensitive seedlings than in the control group. Results indicate that drought resistance correlates with protein nitration during the recovery phase. Nitro-proteomic analysis revealed that in tolerant seedlings, protein nitration is limited. The most significant differences are observed in the recovery group, with predominant downregulation of protein nitration in tolerant seedlings and significant upregulation of numerous proteins in sensitive seedlings. Upregulated nitration of vital proteins involved in energy production, photosynthesis (such as the Rubisco large subunit), ATP synthases, and cytosolic malate dehydrogenase may lead to disturbances in energy metabolism and thus prevent an effective response to changing environmental conditions. These findings suggest that regulation of protein nitration during recovery may contribute to drought resilience in wheat and could represent a potential target for improving stress tolerance. Full article
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19 pages, 17055 KB  
Article
Identification and Validation of Reference Genes for Reliable RT-qPCR Normalization in Schisandra chinensis Across Different Tissues and Abiotic Stress Conditions
by Longjun Liang, Xin Song, Xuanhe Zhang, Yingchun Liu, Guangli Shi, Zhenxing Wang, Cong Zhang, Chengzhan Li, Xiyu Zhang, Dan Sun and Jun Ai
Plants 2026, 15(13), 1946; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15131946 - 24 Jun 2026
Viewed by 201
Abstract
Reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) is a highly efficient and sensitive technique for quantifying gene transcript levels. The accuracy of gene expression analysis depends critically on the selection of appropriate reference genes for normalization, which is essential to minimize technical variation arising [...] Read more.
Reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) is a highly efficient and sensitive technique for quantifying gene transcript levels. The accuracy of gene expression analysis depends critically on the selection of appropriate reference genes for normalization, which is essential to minimize technical variation arising from differences in RNA quality, reverse transcription efficiency, and sample handling. Schisandra chinensis is a medicinally important plant with a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine and has gained increasing global recognition. In recent years, a growing number of studies have employed molecular biology approaches to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying secondary metabolite biosynthesis in S. chinensis. However, systematically validated reference genes for RT-qPCR analysis in this species have not yet been established. In the present study, the expression stability of eleven candidate reference genes was evaluated across different tissues and under various abiotic stress conditions in S. chinensis using four statistical algorithms: geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder. Comprehensive analysis revealed that PP2A15 and UBC2 were the optimal reference gene combination for leaves; UBC2 and UBC11 for stems; RPL6 and PP2A15 for roots; RPL21 and RPL6 for fruits; and RPL6 and UBC11 as the best-performing pair across all tissue types. Under abiotic stress conditions, UBC11 and UBC2 exhibited the highest stability in both leaves and roots under salt stress; UBC2 and GPN1 proved most stable under alkaline stress; UBC2 and RPL6 were identified as the most suitable combination under drought stress; and UBC2 and UBQ12 demonstrated consistently stable expression across all three abiotic stress treatments. The reliability of these reference gene combinations was further validated by examining the expression profiles of three target genes. Collectively, these findings establish a validated reference gene toolkit for future gene expression studies in S. chinensis, particularly for the functional characterization of genes involved in lignan biosynthesis and abiotic stress responses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Plant Molecular Biology)
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18 pages, 12632 KB  
Article
Regulatory Mechanisms of Microbial Consortium Inoculant SynCom-SASW01 in Modulating Rhizosphere–Endophytic Interactions and Enhancing Drought Resistance in Wheat
by Chaofeng Yu, Mengjie Zhang, Wenya Xing, Xin Dong, Rui Li, Yi Qu, Shuye Chen, Fangfang Xu, Fuying Feng and Jianyu Meng
Microorganisms 2026, 14(7), 1396; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14071396 - 24 Jun 2026
Viewed by 297
Abstract
Driven by increasingly severe drought stress associated with global warming, this study investigated a synthetic microbial community, SynCom-SASW01, with strong stress tolerance and plant growth-promoting potential, and systematically elucidated its mechanisms for enhancing drought resistance in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Dual-site field [...] Read more.
Driven by increasingly severe drought stress associated with global warming, this study investigated a synthetic microbial community, SynCom-SASW01, with strong stress tolerance and plant growth-promoting potential, and systematically elucidated its mechanisms for enhancing drought resistance in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Dual-site field trials demonstrated that SynCom-SASW01 significantly alleviated drought-induced growth suppression, increasing grain yields by 10.42% and 8.52% at the Hohhot and Hulunbuir sites, respectively. This improvement was primarily associated with increased effective tiller number and enhanced root vigor. Physiologically, inoculation promoted root proline and glutathione accumulation and enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities, including superoxide dismutase, thereby reducing malondialdehyde levels. Environmental analyses showed that the consortium established rhizosphere “micro-reservoirs” through exopolysaccharide secretion, improving soil relative water content and the availability of alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen and phosphorus. High-throughput sequencing revealed that SynCom-SASW01 reshaped the endosphere microbiome through early colonization priority effects, selectively enriching beneficial taxa such as Pseudomonas. Functional prediction indicated upregulated branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis, promoting osmotic adjustment and redox homeostasis. These findings provide a microbiome-based strategy for stabilizing wheat productivity in arid regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant–Soil–Microbe Interactions)
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13 pages, 4170 KB  
Article
Drought Severity and Nitrogen Addition Interactively Modulate Seedling Growth and Resource-Use Strategies of Quercus wutaishanica
by Qinghua Yang, Huling Zhang, Jiazhi Wang, Jiming Cheng, Hong Ma, Haili Wang and Yonghong Luo
Biology 2026, 15(13), 991; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology15130991 - 24 Jun 2026
Viewed by 176
Abstract
Global climate change has intensified drought and increased nitrogen deposition, threatening forest tree seedling regeneration. To clarify how drought severity and nitrogen enrichment jointly affect seedling performance in Quercus wutaishanica, a dominant montane tree in northern China, we conducted a full two-factor [...] Read more.
Global climate change has intensified drought and increased nitrogen deposition, threatening forest tree seedling regeneration. To clarify how drought severity and nitrogen enrichment jointly affect seedling performance in Quercus wutaishanica, a dominant montane tree in northern China, we conducted a full two-factor pot experiment. We established three drought treatments (ambient precipitation [CK], chronic drought [CD], and intense drought [ID]), fully crossed with two nitrogen addition levels (0 and 10 g N m−2 yr−1), and measured functional traits related to growth, photosynthesis, and stress resistance. Our main results were threefold: (1) Both drought treatments significantly inhibited growth and biomass accumulation: total biomass decreased by 28% under CD and 38% under ID relative to CK, with suppression intensifying as drought severity increased. (2) Nitrogen addition increased total biomass by 12% under chronic drought, but this ameliorative effect fell to just 2% under intense drought. (3) As drought stress increased, the seedlings underwent a shift from stomatal to non-stomatal photosynthetic limitation, and from active physiological acclimation to irreversible metabolic damage. (4) Random forest modeling confirmed that biomass variation was primarily driven by traits related to water-use efficiency and resource acquisition. Overall, intensifying drought consistently constrains Q. wutaishanica seedling growth, and the beneficial effect of nitrogen addition declines sharply with increasing drought severity. These findings provide new empirical insights for predicting seedling regeneration and guiding sustainable forest nutrient management under ongoing climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Stress Adaptation)
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29 pages, 2668 KB  
Article
A Two-Stage Functional Framework for Decoding Climate Stress Trajectories in Corn Yields
by Xingzuo He and Yubo Luo
Sustainability 2026, 18(13), 6428; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18136428 - 24 Jun 2026
Viewed by 170
Abstract
As extreme weather events increasingly threaten global food systems, accurately assessing climate risks and predicting regional crop yields remains a critical challenge. Conventional prediction models often rely on direct weather-to-yield relationships, bypassing continuous crop physiological responses and limiting their capacity to capture fine-grained [...] Read more.
As extreme weather events increasingly threaten global food systems, accurately assessing climate risks and predicting regional crop yields remains a critical challenge. Conventional prediction models often rely on direct weather-to-yield relationships, bypassing continuous crop physiological responses and limiting their capacity to capture fine-grained temporal impacts of meteorological anomalies. To address this, we propose a novel two-stage spatiotemporal functional framework that integrates high-resolution daily weather trajectories with satellite-derived indicators, utilizing the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) and Land Surface Water Index (LSWI) to represent canopy structural vigor and hydraulic status, respectively. In the first stage, a Historical Functional Linear Model (HFLM) dynamically maps daily meteorological trajectories (temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation) onto continuous physiological curves under strict temporal causality constraints. This generates bivariate coefficient surfaces that reveal dynamic windows of vulnerability and capture divergent, lagged physiological responses to climate stress. In the second stage, a spatially heterogeneous functional additive model integrates these weather-shaped physiological trajectories alongside raw meteorological dynamics as joint predictors for county-level yields. By extracting functional principal components and modeling flexible non-linear biological responses while accounting for continuous spatial heterogeneity, this dual-channel frameworkcaptures key aspects of both chronic physiological stress and acute meteorological shocks. Validated across a 25-year (2000–2024) U.S. Corn Belt panel, the proposed DC-FAM achieves a mean weighted mean squared prediction error (WMSPE) of 242.33 (bu/acre)2 and a median out-of-sample Rcv2 of 0.422, outperforming all benchmarks including a random forest. Attribution of the 2012 flash drought further demonstrates the framework’s capacity to mechanistically trace the complete disaster propagation chain from anomalous spring warming to mid-summer hydraulic failure. The proposed framework provides a transparent, biophysically grounded tool for decoding dynamic climate stress trajectories and disaster propagation chains, offering potential implications for adaptive farm management and precision agricultural insurance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Agriculture)
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