Search Results (8,514)

Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is a widely valued plant species with multiple applications, including use as a culinary herb and condiment, essential oil extraction, and traditional medicine. The present study aimed to evaluate the growth, photosynthetic pigments, and gas exchange of sweet basil plants under blue light supplementation and microalgae-based bioinput application. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design in a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement, comprising three blue light treatments (blue light was provided by LED lighting, dark blue glossy reflective laminate, and light blue glossy reflective laminate) plus a control, and bioinput application (presence and absence). The bioinput was prepared from Chlorella vulgaris microalgae biomass. Indirect blue light delivered by the dark blue reflective laminate, combined with C. vulgaris bioinput application, promoted the greatest increases in plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, shoot dry matter, root dry matter, and total dry matter. Both direct blue light (LED) and indirect blue light (dark blue and light blue reflective laminates), in combination with microalgae bioinput application, significantly enhanced photosynthetic pigment contents—including chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll, and carotenoids—as well as transpiration, instantaneous carboxylation efficiency, stomatal conductance, and net photosynthetic assimilation rate. The multivariate analyses confirmed that blue light supplementation and C. vulgaris bioinput application act synergistically, promoting a distinct and superior physiological profile in sweet basil plants. These findings establish the combined use of blue light—direct or indirect—with Chlorella vulgaris microalgae bioinput as a promising and sustainable strategy for enhancing growth and photosynthetic performance of O. basilicum L. in protected cultivation systems. Full article

Soil salinity is a major abiotic stress limiting rice growth and grain productivity worldwide. Basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors serve as central regulators of plant environmental stress responses, yet the biological function and molecular regulatory mechanism of rice OsbZIP60 (LOC_Os07g44950) underlying salinity tolerance remain largely uncharacterized. In this study, we systematically characterized the salt-stress regulatory function of OsbZIP60 in rice. Tissue expression profiling revealed that OsbZIP60 was ubiquitously transcribed across all examined rice tissues, and its encoded protein predominantly localizes to the cell nucleus. Transcript abundance of OsbZIP60 was significantly induced by salt, the osmotic phase, abscisic acid (ABA), and oxidative stress signals. Phenotypic assays demonstrated that overexpression of OsbZIP60 substantially enhanced rice salt tolerance, whereas the bzip60 knockout mutant exhibited aggravated salt hypersensitivity. Physiological quantification revealed that OsbZIP60 promoted the accumulation of osmoprotectants, alleviated salt-triggered oxidative damage, and elevated the activities of core antioxidant enzymes under saline conditions. Moreover, OsbZIP60 maintained intracellular Na⁺/K⁺ homeostasis and positively modulated the transcript levels of a series of salt-responsive downstream genes. Collectively, our results demonstrate that OsbZIP60 acts as a positive regulatory hub that coordinates osmotic adjustment, antioxidant defense, and ion balance to confer salt tolerance in rice, providing a promising genetic target for molecular breeding of salt-tolerant rice varieties. Full article

Straw and biochar incorporation are sustainable soil improvement practices to enhance crop productivity. However, the responses of japonica rice to these organic amendments under different planting modes remain unclear in cold regions. A pot experiment was conducted, including two planting methods (transplanting and wet direct-seeding) and three return treatments (straw removal, straw incorporation and biochar incorporation). Rice growth traits, physiology and yield components were investigated. The results showed that wet direct-seeded rice exhibited depressed growth at the reproductive stage, along with smaller root systems and lower root activity, leading to a significant 19.55% yield reduction. Straw incorporation inhibited the early growth for transplanted rice. Biochar incorporation promoted early vegetative growth under both planting modes and significantly increased the activities of nitrogen-metabolism-related enzymes for transplanted rice. Straw and biochar incorporation increased the root bleeding rate and photosynthetic characteristics at the late stage, leading to yield increases of 9.89% and 13.09% for transplanted rice, respectively. No significant yield gains were observed for wet direct-seeded rice. These results indicate that biochar incorporation is an efficient organic returning strategy for transplanted rice, and the responses of japonica rice to straw and biochar incorporation are highly dependent on planting patterns in cold regions. Full article

Background/Objectives: Vesicular trafficking mediates the transport of proteins and other cellular components between intracellular organelles. The MAG2 complex serves as a key tethering factor mediating ER–Golgi retrograde vesicle transport, and has been implicated in plant growth, development, and stress responses. Methods: In this study, seven MAG2 family genes were identified in Medicago sativa from the Zhongmu No. 4 reference genome using hidden Markov model searches (HMM) and BLASTP analysis. Results: Phylogenetic analysis assigned four genes to the MAG2 subfamily and three genes to the MAG2L subfamily. Chromosomal distribution and collinearity analyses indicated that segmental duplication potentially contributed to the expansion of the MAG2 family in alfalfa. Gene structure and conserved motif analyses revealed a high degree of conservation among the identified members, with Motif 10 occurring specifically in the MAG2 subfamily. Subcellular localization prediction analysis predicted that four MsMAG2 proteins were localized in chloroplasts, two in the nucleus, and one in the peroxisome. Analysis of promoter sequences identified numerous cis-regulatory elements associated with responses to hormones, light, and environmental stress, suggesting that MsMAG2 genes may participate in plant development and environmental adaptation. Furthermore, genome-wide association analysis identified MsMAG2L2 that can be associated with tillering. Conclusions: These results provide a comprehensive genome-wide characterization of the MAG2 gene family in alfalfa and establish a basis for further investigating the functional associations of MsMAG2L2 in branch development. Full article

Agricultural practices based on sustainable principles (e.g., conservation tillage, crop rotation, cover cropping, and the application of organic inputs) have been tested for their potential to improve soil structure, enhance soil organic matter, and support agrobiodiversity. These practices are directly linked to soil microbial diversity. Diverse soil microbial communities play multiple roles in promoting beneficial interactions between plants and their environment and in maintaining functional agroecosystems. Key functions enabled by soil microorganisms are carbon dynamics, nutrient cycling, soil structure improvement, pathogen suppression, plant growth promotion, and stress tolerance. Soil microorganisms are increasingly recognized as a promising but still underexploited source in tackling sustainability challenges in agricultural production. However, their potential varies depending on the interactions among abiotic and biotic factors, as well as the applied cultivation practices. In recent decades, advances in DNA extraction from soil and next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have enabled comprehensive characterization of microbial diversity, community composition, and functional potential for assessing soil health and agroecosystem functioning. Understanding, predicting, and exploring relevant plant–soil–microbiome interactions are essential for enhancing agroecosystem capacity for sustainable production. This review paper highlights how different factors and agricultural practices affect microbiome biodiversity. The focus is on microbiome approaches that integrate information on community composition with assessments of functional potential and measured microbial activity and ecosystem processes, combining state-of-the-art molecular monitoring, ecological indicators, and predictive modeling to support evidence-based management recommendations, distinguishing approaches that are currently applicable in agricultural practice from those that require further experimental validation. Full article

Soil saline–alkali stress has become a great risk, leading to significant decline in crop yields, especially in protected agriculture that is frequently threatened by excessive chemical fertilization. There is an urgent need to develop friendly strategies for improving the quality of saline–alkali soil. Microbial inoculants are promising agents in attenuating soil stress, but their colonization ability in the crop rhizosphere is often limited. To improve the efficiency of microbial inoculants, this study constructed the assembly of a salt-tolerant bacterium Halomonas (Homs) and a hydrogel composed of sodium alginate, chitosan and xanthine with the assistance of artificial Homs-binding protein (Schx). The effect of this Homs + Schx assembly on the growth of crops and the rhizosphere microecology under saline–alkali stress was systematically evaluated by pot experiments. The results indicate that the application of Homs + Schx enhanced the Shannon index of the rhizosphere bacterial community and increased the relative abundance of key bacterial genera related to biofilm formation and nitrogen cycling (e.g., Curvibacter and Nitrospira). Furthermore, Homs + Schx enhanced the activity of soil urease, peroxidase, and sucrase, reducing the sodium ion content, increasing the potassium ion content, and effectively lowering the soil pH and salt contents. Physiologically, this treatment induced a root osmotic regulatory response, resulting in an increase in the proline contents and a decrease in malondialdehyde contents. Consequently, Homs-Schx promoted the growth of tomatoes and wheat in saline–alkali soil. This study provides new ideas for enhancing the rhizosphere colonization of plant growth-promoting bacteria, regulating the structure of microbial communities, and enhancing crop stress tolerance with the aid of green material strategies. Full article

Peach (Prunus persica) production and the northward expansion of its cultivation boundaries are severely constrained by recurrent extreme climatic events. Based on time-series transcriptomic analysis of two independent parallel treatments (cold stress and ABA application) and qRT-PCR validation, multiple candidate transcription factor genes co-responsive to both cold stress and ABA were identified (PpERF48, PpERF017, PpMYB6, PpWRKY46, PpWRKY40, and PpbHLH35). Among these, PpMYB6 was further characterized through bioinformatic analysis, and transgenic peach callus and Arabidopsis thaliana lines overexpressing PpMYB6 were generated, revealing its dual role in modulating plant growth and conferring low-temperature stress tolerance. Yeast one-hybrid and dual-luciferase reporter assays confirmed that PpMYB6 directly binds to and activates the PpCBF2 promoter. Yeast two-hybrid library screening identified DWARF8 as a candidate interacting protein, pointing to a working hypothesis by which PpMYB6 may negatively regulate vegetative growth via the gibberellin pathway. Together, this study characterizes a novel molecular module associated with cold tolerance and growth balance in peach, providing a promising candidate gene for molecular breeding of cold-resistant cultivars and rootstocks. Full article

Citrus processing by-products represent a sustainable source of bioactive plant complexes with potential applications in intestinal health. This study investigated the effects of standardized food-grade orange (OE) and lemon (LE) pomace extracts and their simulated gastrointestinal digestates (DIGs) on intestinal epithelial responses and selected probiotic strains. Caco-2 cells were used to assess cytotoxicity, epithelial wound closure, and, in differentiated monolayers challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), extracellular levels of SOD2, catalase, Nrf2, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, and IL-1β. In parallel, the effects of OE, LE, and their corresponding DIGs on the growth and cell-surface hydrophobicity of four probiotic lactic acid bacteria were evaluated. OE and LE DIGs were non-cytotoxic and promoted epithelial wound closure in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. In LPS-challenged monolayers, both DIGs counteracted alterations in extracellular oxidative stress-related proteins and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine levels without affecting cell viability. OE and LE also produced strain-dependent effects on probiotic growth and cell-surface hydrophobicity, which were modified by gastrointestinal digestion. Overall, these findings extend previous evidence on the intestinal bioactivity of Citrus pomace-derived plant complexes and support their further investigation as sustainable food-grade ingredients for gut health applications. Full article

Plant–soil interactions are increasingly recognized as a key driver of plant invasion, yet whether soil legacy effects associated with invaded habitats differentially influence invasive and native plants across broad geographic ranges remains poorly understood. We hypothesized that soil legacy effects would differ among soil sources from different latitudes and would affect the two species asymmetrically. Here, we address this gap by examining how latitudinal variations in soil legacy effects alter the growth and photosynthetic performance of both invasive Alternanthera philoxeroides and the co-occurring native Digitaria sanguinalis. We collected soil samples from 40 A. philoxeroides-invaded plots spanning 21° N to 37° N in China and pooled soils from five geographically adjacent sites at similar latitudes, generating eight composite soil sources (clusters 1–8, from low to high latitudes). We then conducted pot experiments with the soils originating from different latitudinal clusters to examine the effects of soil legacies on the morphology, biomass, nutrient content, and photosynthetic fluorescence of A. philoxeroides and D. sanguinalis. We found that soil legacy effects increased the maximum stem length and leaf area of D. sanguinalis, while they decreased the overall root–shoot ratio of plants at low and middle latitudes. Soil legacy effects altered the nitrogen–phosphorus ratio (N:P) of A. philoxeroides in most latitudinal clusters, with a pronounced shift toward greater phosphorus investment. In latitudinal cluster 8, soil legacy effects resulted in higher F₀ and F_m values in D. sanguinalis than in A. philoxeroides under monoculture, indicating stronger PSII reaction center activity in the native species. In mixed culture, soil legacy effects eliminated the photosynthetic superiority of A. philoxeroides over D. sanguinalis. With increasing latitude, soil legacy effects shifted the photosynthetic fluorescence characteristics of the two studied species from being associated with plant growth to being associated with ecological stoichiometry. Our study indicates that soil legacy effects in A. philoxeroides-invaded habitats may not consistently promote A. philoxeroides invasion. Instead, their regulation of A. philoxeroides and D. sanguinalis performance is latitude-dependent. These findings provide a new perspective for understanding the geographic variation in mechanisms underlying plant invasion. Full article

Phosphorus is an essential macronutrient for crop growth, but soil-available phosphorus is commonly lacking. Conventional chemical P fertilizers suffer from low utilization efficiency and dependence on finite phosphate rock reserves, necessitating the urgent development of green and efficient alternative strategies for phosphorus management. Phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms (PSMs) are capable of converting insoluble inorganic and organic phosphorus in soils into plant-available forms, thereby serving as key biological resources for enhancing phosphorus use efficiency, reducing dependence on chemical fertilizers, and promoting sustainable agricultural development. This review systematically covers the taxonomic diversity and multifaceted applications of PSMs, elucidates the mechanisms of inorganic P solubilization and organic P mineralization, and separately summarizes recent advances in functional genes involved in inorganic and organic P degradation. It further identifies key bottlenecks restricting PSM development and envisions the use of emerging technologies to transition PSM inoculants from empirical screening toward rationally designed precision deployment, thereby strengthening the scientific and technological foundation for enhancing phosphorus use efficiency and promoting green agricultural sustainability. Full article

Water scarcity is a major constraint to wheat production in arid regions, highlighting the need for sustainable approaches to improve crop productivity and irrigation water-use efficiency (IWUE). Although Bacillus-based bioinoculants have been widely investigated, the potential of indigenous strains adapted to arid environments remains underutilized for the developing of site-specific bioinoculants. This study developed an integrated screening strategy combining plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits characterization, greenhouse evaluation, correlation analysis, and multivariate analyses to identify elite indigenous Bacillus strains capable of improving wheat performance under contrasting irrigation regimes. Fifty-one indigenous Bacillus strains representing 19 species, identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, were characterized for indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), ammonia (NH₃), siderophore production, and potassium-solubilizing activity and subsequently evaluated in greenhouse conditions under full (FI) and deficit (DI) irrigation. Plant growth was assessed at 85 days after sowing, while yield and yield-related traits were evaluated at physiological maturity (130 DAS). Significant variation was observed among the strains in both PGP traits and their effects on wheat performance. Selected strains increased vegetative growth traits by 22.2–53.7% under FI and 16.4–49.2% under DI, while improving yield-related traits and IWUE by 24.7–52.3% and 14.7–67.2%, respectively, compared with the uninoculated control. Correlation analysis identified IAA production as the PGP trait most strongly associated with wheat growth, grain yield, and IWUE, followed by NH₃ production, whereas siderophore production showed weak associations with most agronomic traits. Hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis consistently identified Bacillus cereus A2, B. pumilus D2 and E3, and B. safensis D5 as the elite strains, while several additional indigenous strains also exhibited considerable potential under both irrigation regimes. This study demonstrates that the integrated screening approach enabled the identification of strain-level differences that could not be adequately captured by individual PGP traits alone, highlighting indigenous Bacillus strains as valuable resources for developing locally adapted bioinoculants to improve wheat productivity, IWUE, and drought resilience in arid and semi-arid agroecosystems. Full article

Extreme temperatures, drought, and salinity are among the most detrimental abiotic stressors limiting global plant productivity, and their frequency has intensified under climate change. These escalating pressures underscore the need for sustainable biological strategies that enhance plant resilience to climate-induced abiotic stresses. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have emerged as a promising, eco-friendly solution due to their ability to optimize rhizospheric processes that strengthen plant adaptive capacity. PGPR improve nutrient acquisition, maintain ionic homeostasis, modulate phytohormone signaling, and regulate ethylene levels through ACC deaminase activity. They also stimulate antioxidant defenses, promote osmolyte and exopolysaccharide synthesis, and enhance root system development—key traits that collectively alleviate drought, salinity, and heat stress. Recent research demonstrates that co-inoculation, multi-strain microbial consortia, and synthetic communities designed using multi-omics approaches significantly enhance PGPR stability, colonization, and functional effectiveness under field conditions. Additionally, nanotechnology-enabled formulations and smart delivery systems are emerging as innovative tools to improve PGPR survival and targeted release in harsh environments. This review synthesizes current insights into PGPR-mediated stress mitigation, highlights technological innovations that support their application, and outlines pathways for integrating PGPR into climate-resilient, sustainable agricultural systems to safeguard crop productivity amid escalating environmental stress. Full article

Trichoderma species are recognized biocontrol agents and plant growth promoters with applications in sustainable agriculture. Despite the economic importance of cacao and orange crops in the San Martín region of the Peruvian Amazon, the diversity of native Trichoderma associated with these crops remains undocumented. This study provides the first report of Trichoderma diversity in rhizospheric soil and plant tissues of Theobroma cacao and Citrus sinensis in this region. Sampling was conducted in 18 sectors across five districts (195–785 m a.s.l.). Molecular identification was performed using the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1) gene marker, with NCBI BLAST analysis against GenBank and phylogenetic analysis using the Neighbor-Joining method. From 59 initial isolates, 18 strains were successfully identified. Seven putative species (T. koningiopsis, T. reesei, T. lentiforme, T. longibrachiatum, T. harzianum, T. spirale, and T. azevedoi) were found associated with cacao, while four putative species (T. erinaceum, T. parareesei, T. longibrachiatum, and T. virens) were identified from orange crops. Sequence identity ranged from 94.38% to 100%. BLAST comparison initially returned equal identity scores between T. harzianum and T. lentiforme for five strains (T-3, T-11, T-14, T-15, and T-16); subsequent phylogenetic placement using a broader GenBank reference panel resolved all five within the T. lentiforme clade. Phylogenetic placement also refined two further identifications beyond their initial BLAST match: strain T6-SR-B grouped with T. azevedoi rather than T. harzianum, and strain T12-R-A grouped with the sister species T. parareesei rather than T. reesei. These findings establish a baseline for Trichoderma biodiversity in the region and identify potential candidates for biocontrol applications. Full article

Temperature stress is a major constraint on the productivity of microalgae used in aquaculture. γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is well-established as a key player in the stress tolerance of higher plants, yet its role in microalgae remains largely unexplored. Here, we examined the effects of low (15 °C), optimal (25 °C), and high (35 °C) temperatures on the GABA shunt in Isochrysis zhanjiangensis during the initial and mid-exponential growth phases. The results demonstrated that temperature stress significantly inhibited cell growth and photosynthetic efficiency (assessed by Fv/Fm and Fv’/Fm’), with soluble protein decreasing and soluble sugar accumulating. During the initial exponential phase, both low and high temperature stress triggered marked GABA accumulation, accompanied by coordinated increases in glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) and diamine oxidase (DAO) activities. Interestingly, the transcript levels of IzGAD and IzDAO decreased under these conditions, suggesting that GABA accumulation at this stage is predominantly governed by post-translational activation rather than transcriptional upregulation. Upon entry into the mid-exponential phase, a distinct phase-dependent shift in GABA biosynthetic regulation emerged. Under low temperature stress, GAD activity and IzGAD expression were both suppressed, whereas DAO activity and IzDAO transcripts increased significantly, indicating the transition to DAO-mediated GABA production as the dominant route. Under high temperature stress, both GAD and DAO activities increased, yet their corresponding gene transcription remained repressed, revealing a persistent asynchrony between enzyme activities and gene expression across both phases. Meanwhile, the expression of catabolic genes (IzGABA-T, IzSSADH1, and IzSSADH2) was consistently downregulated, further facilitating the net accumulation of GABA. Promoter analysis revealed multiple stress- and hormone-responsive cis-elements in these genes, implying a complex regulatory network. Collectively, our findings uncover a growth-phase-dependent reconfiguration of GABA biosynthetic pathways in I. zhanjiangensis under temperature stress. These insights provide a mechanistic basis for strain-specific temperature management in aquaculture applications. Full article

Aims: Understanding how arrival order, nitrogen (N) availability and population density interact to shape plant invasion is critical for predicting and ameliorating biological invasions under global change. Chromolaena odorata is one of the most destructive invasive plants in tropical and subtropical regions, but the multifactorial drivers of its establishment and competitive dominance are not fully resolved. Methods: We constructed artificial communities in a common garden experiment and manipulated the arrival order of C. odorata (early, simultaneous and late arrival relative to native species), species density (high, medium and low), and N addition (0 vs. 10 g N m⁻² yr⁻¹), and then examined their effects on growth performance and competitive dominance. Results: Early arrival did not increase growth performance of C. odorata, but it substantially enhanced the competitive dominance of the invasive species in most communities. However, late arrival caused substantial reductions in height, biomass, and RDI of C. odorata across all communities, with the most severe declines observed in treatment groups that did not receive N addition. N addition disproportionately promoted the growth of C. odorata regardless of arrival order and enhanced its competitive advantage when it arrived later than native species. In low-density C. odorata communities, N addition exhibited the strongest compensatory effect against growth suppression of the invasive species resulting from late arrival. Importantly, when C. odorata arrived later than native species in plots receiving N addition, its height and biomass were comparable to plants that arrived at the same time as native species in groups without N addition across most communities. Conclusions: Arrival order is a critical determinant of C. odorata invasion success, with early arrival conferring competitive advantages and late arrival imposing severe competitive penalties due to competition with established native species. However, N addition can compensate for late-arrival disadvantages, particularly for low-density C. odorata, suggesting that N-enriched ecosystems may remain vulnerable to invasion, even when native communities are established. These results underscore the context-dependent nature of priority effects and highlight that managing colonization timing and nutrient inputs may be effective in similar localized settings, though future field-based, multi-season validation is clearly needed. Full article