Search Results (394)

Early flowering-related factors play pivotal roles in coordinating plant growth and reproductive development. In this study, we investigated the biological function of early flowering gene (ELF) in Arabidopsis thaliana using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing and construction of overexpression approaches. Two independent ELF overexpression (OE-ELF) and genome-edited (ge-elf) lines were generated and systemically analyzed. ELF overexpression significantly enhanced early seedling performance, increasing germination rate and seedling fresh weight by up to 8.7%, while genome-edited lines exhibited a marked reduction. Root growth was strongly promoted in OE-ELF plants, with root length increase of 85% and 75%, whereas ge-elf lines showed a reduction of up to 48%. At later developmental stages, OE-ELF plants displayed enhanced vegetative growth, including increased leaf length (32%), leaf area (91%), and accelerated flowering (21% earlier than wild type). In contrast, ge-elf delayed flowering by up to 25% and resulted in compact plant architecture. Reproductive development was severely compromised in ge-elf plants, which exhibited malformed inflorescences, reduced pollen germination, shortened silique (45%), and a drastic decrease in seed number per silique (70%). Conversely, OE-ELF plants showed increased silique number and seed per silique. Molecular analysis revealed that ELF positively regulates key flowering-related genes, including FLC, SOC1, AP1, and LFY, which correlated strongly with growth and reproductive traits. Our results demonstrate that ELF functions as a central regulator integrating vegetative growth, floral development, male fertility, and seed production in Arabidopsis thaliana. Full article

Tobacco is a plant with a wet stigma, which produces reactive oxygen species (ROS) and abscisic acid (ABA) which is important for in vivo pollen germination. Furthermore, ROS can be linked to growth processes, stimulating or inhibiting them. However, to what extent do differences in the redox environment and ABA level on the stigma and in pistil tissues correlate with flower growth, pollination success and resulting fruit parameters? We investigated redox homeostasis and ABA concentrations in stigma exudates of two tobacco lines (“Samsun” and “Fortune”) with different floral organ size and seed production. Fortune has longer flowers, larger fruits, and more seeds than Samsun. We report here that Samsun has a higher total oxidative capacity in stigma exudate, and possibly also higher NO level, than Fortune, as estimated by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Fortune has a higher ascorbate peroxidase (APX) content in stigma tissues, as determined by Western blot analysis, and a higher ABA concentration in stigma exudate. Analyzing ROS levels and enzyme activity during the elongation stage in buds, we found that shorter Samsun styles had higher ROS levels, but they also had higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) and APX activity. The results of this study may help in developing approaches to a targeted increase in flower size and seed productivity. Full article

Edible flowers are important components of traditional food systems and biocultural practices in southern China, yet their ethnobotanical significance remains poorly documented. This study investigated the diversity, traditional uses, and cultural importance of edible flowers in Baise City through semi-structured interviews, market surveys, and field observations with local informants. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices, including the Cultural Food Significance Index (CFSI), Fidelity Level (FL), and Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), were applied to evaluate cultural and medicinal importance. A total of 96 edible flower taxa belonging to 77 genera and 44 families were documented. Most species were native to China, herbaceous in growth form, and collected from wild habitats. Inflorescences were the most commonly utilized floral organs. Edible flowers were used as vegetables, herbal teas, medicinal edible plants, natural food colorants, condiments, desserts, and snack foods. Species such as Emilia sonchifolia (L.) DC., Plantago asiatica L., and Solanum americanum Mill. showed high cultural significance. A total of 64 taxa were recognized as medicinal edible plants, and high ICF values indicated strong agreement among informants regarding ethnomedicinal uses. These findings demonstrate the important roles of edible flowers in local food systems, traditional healthcare, and biocultural heritage, emphasizing their relevance for biodiversity conservation and sustainable food practices. Full article

Gibberellins (GAs) are key endogenous hormones regulating chrysanthemum flowering, and Gibberellin INSENSITIVE DWARF1 (GID1) is the core receptor of the gibberellin (GA) signaling pathway. However, the functional mechanism of CmGID1A remains unelucidated. Here, we constructed CmGID1A-RNAi silencing lines and characterized the biological function of CmGID1A by phenotypic identification, protein interaction assays, qRT-PCR and RNA-seq. The results of RT-qPCR showed that CmGID1A responds to short days and gibberellins. Inhibition of the expression of CmGID1A can significantly promote the transition of chrysanthemum from the vegetative growth stage to the reproductive growth stage and accelerate its flowering process. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) and yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) assays confirmed that CmGID1A interacts with the DELLA protein CmRGL1 in a gibberellin-dependent manner. RNA-seq results revealed that silencing of CmGID1A leads to a significant up-regulation of downstream Ethylene Response Factor 6 (ERF6) expression. Collectively, CmGID1A acts as a GA receptor to mediate GA signal transduction via interacting with CmRGL1, and regulates the expression of CmERF6 and other downstream genes, thereby participating in the regulation of floral transition in chrysanthemum. This study clarifies the core role of CmGID1A in the GA signaling pathway and provides novel experimental data for enriching the molecular regulatory mechanism of GA in floral transition in chrysanthemum. Full article

M. micrantha is a highly destructive invasive weed causing severe ecological and economic damage in invaded regions. Conventional control methods remain insufficient, highlighting the need for targeted management strategies. NAC transcription factors, a plant-specific family, play key regulatory roles in growth, secondary metabolism, and stress responses. Here, we performed a genome-wide identification and characterization of the NAC gene family in M. micrantha using bioinformatic approaches based on Arabidopsis thaliana NAC sequences and the M. micrantha whole-genome assembly. A total of 76 MmNAC genes were identified from M. micrantha, and these members were classified into 13 subfamilies and one unclassified clade, with subdomains C and D being the most conserved. Five conserved motifs were identified; motifs 1 and 2 were present in over 94% of members. Chromosomal mapping showed 68 genes distributed unevenly across 18 of 19 chromosomes. Tissue expression analysis revealed that NAP and AtNAC3 subfamilies are highly expressed in seeds, while NAM and NAC2 subfamilies predominate in floral tissues, suggesting potential subfamily–tissue expression patterns. These findings provide a basis for understanding NAC functions in M. micrantha and identifying targets for its control. Full article

Verticillium wilt, caused by Verticillium dahliae, is a devastating disease that severely threatens cotton production worldwide. The long-term survival of the pathogen in soil and the limited availability of resistant cultivars make effective control strategies challenging. Although the fungal cross-kingdom RNA VdsR-1 has been reported to delay floral transition and prolong vegetative growth, the underlying plant regulatory mechanisms remain largely unclear. Here, we show that the transcription factor AtTOE1, a target of ath-miR172b-3p, displays altered expression in response to changes in ath-miR172b-3p levels during V. dahliae inoculation, coinciding with coordinated changes in plant immune-related and developmental responses. Increased AtTOE1 expression is correlated with enhanced disease resistance, reduced pathogen colonization, and delayed floral transition. Furthermore, our results indicate that the VdsR-1/AtSPL13A module is associated with modulation of AtTOE1 expression via ath-miR172b-3p, suggesting the involvement of a cross-kingdom RNA-related regulatory framework linking plant immunity and development. Notably, this regulatory relationship is also observed in cotton, indicating evolutionary conservation across plant species. Together, our findings highlight TOE1 as a potential integrator of defense and growth-related processes during pathogen challenge and provide insights that may inform strategies to improve resistance to V. dahliae in cotton and other crops. Full article

Extending the fruiting season of Annona squamosa L. requires overcoming autumn and winter flowering declines. This study investigates the efficacy of light-quality regulation technologies and their temperature dependence for floral induction. Field surveys initially identified temperature as the primary climatic factor governing flowering. Under suboptimal autumn temperatures, red light (R-660) night-break (NB) treatments significantly enhanced shoot growth and flowering compared to other light spectra. Transcriptomic analysis revealed 2027 upregulated and 341 downregulated transcripts consistently regulated by R-660, with significant enrichment in the plant hormone signal transduction pathway. Furthermore, R-660 upregulated cold response genes (e.g., CBFs, WRKYs, ERD7), which are associated with the maintenance of vegetative vigor under suboptimal autumn temperatures. However, mid-winter R-660 NB failed to induce flowering without supplemental greenhouse heating. Ultimately, warm ambient temperature is the absolute prerequisite for A. squamosa floral induction, with R-660 serving as a highly effective seasonal supplement to extend autumn flowering. Full article

Zinnia (Zinnia elegans) is a widely cultivated ornamental plant whose growth and floral traits can be compromised by abiotic stresses, especially water deficit. Melatonin (MEL) has stood out as a plant growth regulator with antioxidant potential, capable of mitigating the adverse effects of water stress. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of foliar MEL application on the growth and floral characteristics of Z. elegans under different water regimes. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse using a randomized block design in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme with five replications. The first factor consisted of four water conditions: 80% of field capacity (FC) (no stress), 20% of field capacity (severe stress), early water restriction (20% of FC followed by 80% of FC), and late water restriction (80% of FC followed by 20% of FC). The second factor corresponded to the foliar application of MEL at two concentrations (0.0 and 1.0 mM). Growth variables (plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, leaf area, and dry mass of different organs) and floral characteristics (number of petals, area, perimeter, and diameter) were evaluated. Water deficit, especially under severe stress (20% FC), significantly reduced plant growth and floral traits, decreasing the total dry mass by 60.27% and total floral area by 47.57% compared to the control. However, the application of 1.0 mM MEL attenuated the deleterious effects of water deficit, increasing total dry mass by 50.26% and total floral area by 25.56% under severe stress (20% FC) compared to untreated plants, making it a promising strategy for zinnia production in environments with limited water availability. Full article

Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) faces challenges related to irregular flowering, which compromises crop productivity. Gibberellic acid (GA₃) is a plant growth regulator known for its role in inducing reproductive processes, although its effects on this species are not yet fully understood. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of different GA₃ doses on flowering and vegetative growth in black pepper plants. The experiment was conducted with black pepper seedlings of the Bragantina cultivar in a randomized block design, with four doses of GA₃ (0, 10, 20, and 30 mg L⁻¹) and six replications, using eight-month-old plants grown in pots under full sun. GA₃ applications were performed in two floral induction cycles. Variables related to flowering, chlorophyll a fluorescence, vegetative growth, biomass allocation, and carbohydrate distribution were evaluated. The data were subjected to analysis of variance, regression analysis, mean grouping tests, and principal component analysis. The results showed that intermediate doses (10 and 20 mg L⁻¹) significantly stimulated flowering at early developmental stages, whereas the 30 mg L⁻¹ dose enhanced vegetative growth while reducing floral induction. Additionally, GA₃ affected physiological parameters by increasing photosynthetic efficiency and altering carbohydrate balance, with higher accumulation of soluble sugars in leaves and reduced starch content in roots. It is concluded that GA₃ application is a promising strategy to modulate reproductive transition in black pepper, with 10 to 20 mg L⁻¹ doses recommended to promote flowering without compromising plant development. Full article

Cannabis sativa is a multipurpose dioecious species whose crop performance is governed by sex expression. Although sex is genetically determined by an X/Y chromosome system, plants can develop flowers of the opposite sex through sex reversion, commonly induced by manipulating endogenous hormone levels using plant growth regulators (PGRs). Here, we evaluated the effectiveness of PGRs that promote or inhibit major hormone pathways implicated in plant sex expression. Male and female clones from two accessions were treated with foliar applications of nine PGRs and four combinatory treatments to assess sex- and genotype-specific responses. Floral biomass and the proportion of each sex were recorded at harvest to assess treatment effectiveness. Ethylene emerged as the primary regulator of chemically modulated sex reversion in C. sativa, with its inhibition by silver thiosulfate inducing strong female-to-male reversion and its promotion by ethephon inducing equally strong male-to-female reversion in the inflorescences. Gibberellin promotion on its own resulted in female-to-male reversion at the axial nodes only, while its inhibition showed no reciprocal effects. The combination of silver thiosulfate and gibberellic acid resulted in the most complete female-to-male reversion, and all sex-reverted flowers were fertile. Together, the results indicated that flowers at axial nodes and at the terminal ends of inflorescences are under different hormonal control. Cytokinins, auxins, and jasmonates were found to exert minimal influence on sex reversion. All treatments exhibited pleiotropic effects, particularly gibberellic acid and paclobutrazol, which altered resource allocation, shifting biomass away from and towards floral tissue, respectively. These findings advance our understanding of the hormonal regulation of sex expression in C. sativa and identify optimized approaches for its manipulation. Full article

Light quality plays a decisive role in controlled-environment agriculture, shaping plant morphology, physiology, and productivity. This study investigated the impact of far-red (FR) light on Cannabis sativa L. by comparing two different application strategies: continuous FR supplementation throughout 12 h of the photoperiod and end-of-day (EOD) FR exposure applied only at the end of the light period. In both treatments, FR was added to a background spectrum of red and blue (RB) light, while a control group grown under RB light alone was included to assess the specific effects of FR on plant growth, physiological responses, and flowering. Continuous FR exposure induced pronounced shade-avoidance traits, increasing plant height by 9% and petiole length by 17% relative to the control, and raised leaf dry weight to 12.9 g, 9% higher than under EOD (11.7 g) and 16.3% higher than under RB alone (10.8 g). Besides plant height and petiole length, both FR and EOD treatment induced limited morphological adjustments but increased chlorophyll content by 9%, resulting in greater canopy expansion and photosynthetic potential. However, flowering time was unaffected by spectral treatment, confirming that Cannabis floral induction is tightly regulated by photoperiod rather than light quality. Energy-use analysis revealed that EOD supplementation achieved many of the benefits of continuous FR while reducing overall consumption, but energy-use efficiency analysis proved FR as the more efficient treatment. These findings highlight the potential of FR light, particularly when applied continuously, to optimize vegetative growth and canopy physiology in controlled-environment Cannabis cultivation, while EOD strategies offer a practical compromise between cost savings and physiological benefits. Full article

The SHAGGY-like kinase (SK) gene family regulates diverse developmental and abiotic stress response processes in plants. Although genome-wide analyses of SKs have been conducted in model plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana and rice, their characterization in the economically important crop Brassica rapa remains limited. In this study, we conducted a systematic genome-wide analysis of SK genes in three Brassica species. A total of 18, 16, and 18 SK members were identified in B. rapa, B. nigra, and B. oleracea, respectively, and phylogenetic analysis classified them into four distinct clades. Expression profiling revealed that BrSKβ-1 and BrSKβ-2 were specifically expressed in fertile floral buds, suggesting their critical roles in pollen development. Furthermore, co-expression analysis indicated that both genes were co-expressed with key regulators involved in pollen development, pollen sperm cell differentiation and pollen tube growth. Loss of BrSKβ-2 via CRISPR/Cas9 resulted in 25–65% pollen abnormality and reduced the germination rate of normal-appearing pollen to only 10%, confirming its essential role in male fertility. Together, these findings provide a comprehensive characterization of the SK gene family in Brassica and position BrSKβ-2 as a promising candidate for gene editing-based male sterility systems in B. rapa and related crops. Full article

Antimicrobial resistance is an emerging challenge in veterinary medicine, particularly in dogs, where bacterial skin infections are highly prevalent. Honey and its bioactive extracts have emerged as potential natural alternatives to conventional antimicrobials. This study evaluated the antimicrobial activity of methanolic extracts from four honey types collected in Central Chile against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial isolates from canine patients, including Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pasteurella multocida, and Enterobacter cloacae. Antimicrobial potency was assessed by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity were quantified. All extracts inhibited bacterial growth, with E. coli, E. faecium and S. aureus being the most susceptible (MIC 3.13% w/v), while Gram-negative bacteria such a P. aeruginosa, P. multocida, and E. cloacae required higher concentrations (MIC 12.5% w/v). Secondary metabolite analysis revealed seasonal and apiary-related variations, with apiary 2 honey showing significantly higher phenolic (195.58 ± 4.28 mg GAE/100 g) and flavonoid (65.46 ± 4.35 mg QE/100 g) contents in summer. In contrast, antioxidant capacity (FRAP) did not differ significantly. These findings indicate that honey’s antimicrobial properties are closely related to its bioactive composition and influenced by season and floral origin, reinforcing its potential as a sustainable alternative to antibiotics in veterinary medicine under the One Health approach. Full article

Perennial deciduous trees such as Prunus avium undergo seasonal transitions, culminating in bud dormancy establishment that involves coordinated physiological and metabolic adjustments. Dormancy monitoring in orchard systems still relies primarily on temperature-based models and forcing assays, which rarely incorporate physiological or biochemical indicators. Here, we tested whether seasonal metabolic dynamics associated with dormancy progression differ between sweet cherry genotypes and whether these physiological differences are reflected in canopy-scale vegetation indices derived from satellite observations. Field measurements were conducted in two genotypes with contrasting chilling behavior (‘Regina’ and ‘210’) during the transition from vegetative growth to dormancy. Leaf gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence were monitored across the season, polar metabolites in floral buds were profiled by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and satellite-derived vegetation indices were used to characterize canopy dynamics. Dormancy progression was associated with declines in CO₂ assimilation, transpiration, PSII photochemical efficiency, and electron transport rate, accompanied by increases in intercellular CO₂ concentration and non-regulated energy dissipation. Metabolomic analysis revealed that genotype explained a larger proportion of metabolite variation than dormancy stage (PERMANOVA R² = 0.483, p = 0.001), while principal component analysis accounted for 79.7% of total variance. Fructose showed the strongest genotype difference during paradormancy I, corresponding to an approximately 9.5-fold increase in ‘Regina’. Pathway enrichment analysis highlighted starch and sucrose metabolism and pyruvate metabolism as the most represented pathways during dormancy progression. Satellite-derived vegetation indices captured seasonal canopy decline and were significantly associated with several physiological variables. These results provide an integrated description of physiological and metabolic adjustments during dormancy establishment in sweet cherry and highlight the potential of combining metabolomics, plant physiology, and open-access satellite observations to monitor phenological transitions in orchard systems at scalable spatial and temporal resolutions. Full article

Background/Objectives: Fermented dairy products typically rely on the starter culture of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), resulting in relatively homogeneous flavor profiles and loss of flavor diversity. Methods: This study employed flavoromics and untargeted metabolomics to evaluate the flavor modulation effects of rose-aroma producing Kluyveromyces marxianus co-cultured with Lactococcus lactis on the fermented milk. Results: In the co-culture group, K. marxianus (KM) was able to promote the growth of L. lactis (LC). KMLC co-culture exhibited superior sensory evaluation and flavor characteristics and a more pronounced rose aroma compared with the monoculture groups and the commercial fermented milk groups. During the fermentation of the KMLC group, 15 key VOCs were identified through OAV analysis, while 37 key metabolites were identified based on variable importance in projection (VIP) > 1 and probability value (p) < 0.05. Spearman correlation analysis revealed a significant correlation between key metabolites and key VOCs. Furthermore, key metabolites played a crucial role in the formation of floral and fruity flavors by participating in metabolic pathways such as citrate metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, and phosphate metabolism. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that K. marxianus and L. lactis co-culture could significantly enhance the rose aroma of fermented milk, providing solid evidence for flavor innovation in fermented milk through the application of K. marxianus-composite starter cultures. Full article