Search Results (2,623)

Global agricultural productivity is increasingly threatened by climate change, soil salinization, and freshwater scarcity. In response, edible halophytes such as Crambe maritima L. (sea kale) are emerging as resilient, promising alternative crops for biosaline agriculture. This review comprehensively evaluates the agronomic, phytochemical, and commercial potential of C. maritima and related Crambe species. We examine current propagation protocols and highlight the application of controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) to leverage “saline eustress,” strategically enhancing secondary metabolite biosynthesis without penalizing harvestable biomass. Nutritionally, Crambe species exhibit a highly favorable profile, selectively accumulating essential macro- and micro-minerals alongside potent bioactive compounds, particularly characteristic glucosinolates, including sinigrin, together with diverse phenolic acids. These specific secondary metabolites confer antioxidant defense system and antimicrobial properties, positioning the genus as an unexploited resource for functional foods, nutraceuticals, and cosmeceuticals. However, successfully transitioning C. maritima from a wild coastal halophyte into a reliable horticultural crop necessitates overcoming critical domestication bottlenecks, including mechanical seed dormancy, polygenic salinity tolerance, and a scarcity of long-term field data. By addressing these multidisciplinary challenges through targeted breeding and advanced agronomy, C. maritima represents a highly promising candidate for dietary diversification and the advancement of climate-resilient agricultural systems. Full article

Climate change and increasing instability in coastal marine environments have intensified stressors such as elevated temperature, hypoxia, salinity variation, and pollutant exposure, posing major challenges to the survival, health, and culture performance of bivalves. As economically important aquaculture species and key components of coastal ecosystems, bivalves are highly sensitive to environmental fluctuations, making their metabolic responses highly relevant to both physiological adaptation and aquaculture sustainability. Increasing evidence indicates that metabolic remodeling is an important adaptive strategy supporting bivalve tolerance to environmental stress, with amino acid metabolic remodeling emerging as one of its most sensitive and functionally important components. This review summarizes the major response patterns, key pathways, and potential regulatory mechanisms of amino acid metabolism in bivalves under different stress conditions. Different environmental stressors induce distinct yet integrated shifts in amino acid metabolism, including enhanced catabolism, carbon–nitrogen redistribution, osmotic regulation, and antioxidant defense, thereby supporting energy homeostasis and physiological stress tolerance in bivalves. By highlighting amino acid metabolic remodeling as a central mechanism of bivalve adaptation to environmental stress, this review provides insights into adaptive responses, metabolite-based indicators for monitoring aquaculture environments and bivalve health, and management strategies for improving resilience in bivalve aquaculture. Full article

Battery autonomy is one of the main factors limiting the endurance of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Conventional charging through electrical connectors is inconvenient in marine environments since connectors are exposed to corrosion and usually require manual intervention or docking procedures. Inductive wireless power transfer (WPT) avoids these drawbacks, although the conductive nature of seawater introduces additional effects, such as eddy current losses and parasitic capacitance between the coils. These effects modify the resonance conditions of the compensation network and, in turn, reduce the transfer efficiency. This paper presents the design and experimental assessment of an inductive charger for a commercial and specific underwater drone operating under seawater conditions. A square coil geometry, selected to match the available installation area on the vehicle, was analysed together with two compensation networks (LCC-S and LCC-LCC) and two coil designs with 20 and 25 turns. Based on an analytical characterisation, their performance was evaluated for different coil separations and operating temperatures. Among the analysed configurations, the LCC-S topology with 25 turns provided the best compromise between efficiency and tolerance to gap variations. A laboratory prototype was subsequently built and tested in saline water with NaCl concentrations of 2%, 3%, and 4%, reaching an efficiency close to 87% at 266 W. These results confirm that the proposed design is suitable for underwater wireless charging under representative marine salinity conditions. Full article

Amplex Red is a widely used fluorogenic probe for hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) detection. In the presence of horseradish peroxidase (HRP), it reacts with H₂O₂ to form fluorescent resorufin. However, during high-voltage electric pulse treatment, fluorescence readouts may be influenced not only by H₂O₂ generation but also by the medium composition, pulse conditions, pH-dependent effects, and metal ions released as a result of electrode corrosion. In this study, we examined how medium composition and selected metal ions relevant to electroporation conditions, such as Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Al³⁺, and Cr⁶⁺, affect the Amplex Red/HRP/H₂O₂ fluorescence signal. Fluorescence intensity differed markedly among media, with the highest signal in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, ~34,000 a.u.), followed by HB1 buffer (~19,000 a.u.), cell culture medium (~9000 a.u.), and distilled water (~4100 a.u.). To model ion-mediated interference, metal ions were added directly to the assay mixture. All tested ions reduced fluorescence in a concentration-dependent manner. At 0.4 µM H₂O₂, Fe²⁺ reduced fluorescence by up to 92%, Fe³⁺ by 60%, Al³⁺ by 35%, and Cr⁶⁺ by 40%. At 10 µM H₂O₂, the quenching effect was reduced but remained evident. In addition, the fluorescence readout showed strong dependence on medium composition and its pH, further demonstrating its vulnerability to the chemical environment. These findings show that the Amplex Red assay is highly sensitive to the assay environment and metal-ion interference. Therefore, it should not be used as a standalone, interference-free measure of H₂O₂ in electroporation-related experiments without appropriate validation controls. Full article

Soil salinization and alkalization severely limit agricultural sustainability in alpine regions. The integrated responses of oats to complex saline–alkali stress, covering phenotypic, physiological, and metabolomic alterations, remain poorly elucidated. This study aimed to clarify the synergistic adaptive mechanisms of oats with differential saline–alkali tolerance. Three oat varieties with distinct tolerance levels, including the tolerant cultivar Meida, the moderately tolerant cultivar Qingtian No. 2, and the sensitive cultivar Qinghai Sweet Oat, were treated with a 150 mmol·L⁻¹ mixed saline–alkali solution (Na₂SO₄:NaCl:NaHCO₃ = 2:1:1, pH 8.65) to simulate the natural alpine soil environment of Qinghai Province. Compound saline–alkali stress markedly inhibited oat growth and aggravated cellular oxidative damage. The tolerant cultivar effectively alleviated stress injury by improving antioxidant enzyme activities and accumulating osmoprotectants. A total of 396 core differential metabolites were screened in this study, and flavonoid biosynthesis was identified as a conserved core pathway for oat stress resistance. Tolerant oat varieties simultaneously activated defense responses and energy metabolism to adapt to stress conditions. In contrast, sensitive varieties only depended on basal metabolic adjustments to cope with stress. These findings clarify the differential adaptive strategies of oats under saline–alkali stress. They provide key metabolic marker resources and a solid theoretical basis for the breeding and cultivation of salt–alkali-tolerant oats in alpine saline–alkali land. Full article

Chloris gayana Kunth is a cultivated forage with worldwide distribution, based on its wide environmental adaptability. This review addresses some of the recent findings on C. gayana abiotic stress tolerance resulting from field or controlled conditions trials, focusing on salinity and alkalinity, drought, heat, and water excess. Management of the species under restraining environments is considered—a topic that most published information has concentrated on since a comprehensive review that was published in 2004. The main novel findings since then refer to the growing relevance role C. gayana is adopting in saline and alkaline soil amelioration, either through its association with mycorrhizal fungi or with trees in silvopastoral systems. This key trend is highlighted as a promising area for the development of sustainable production practices. Research gaps are identified. Among them, the development of standardized methodology guidelines for cultivar evaluation to guide adoption decisions and breeding efforts to improve its nutritive value under stress conditions. Tools for molecular intervention of the species that have become available since the previous reviews are also mentioned. Full article

Saline habitats, which include both coastal and inland, host specialised halophytic communities that can withstand high salinity. Coastal communities are shaped by tidal inundation and marine connectivity, whereas inland saline habitats are driven by evaporation, groundwater salinisation, and greater landscape isolation. These contrasting hydrological and environmental variables likely drive divergent patterns of genetic diversity, influencing local adaptation, connectivity, and evolutionary divergence, which is important for understanding species persistence and guiding conservation of saline ecosystems under environmental change. This systematic review brings together phylogeographic studies on halophytic species from both environments to uncover global drivers of genetic difference. A systematic search of Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed was done, and 20 studies were identified focusing on key genera including Salicornia, Sarcocornia, Suaeda, and Triglochin. Distinct genetic clades were often associated with habitat type or geographic region, indicating repeated divergence linked to coastal–inland environmental gradients. Genetic differentiation between coastal and inland halophyte populations is primarily driven by habitat fragmentation, restricted gene flow, historical refugia and recolonisation, salinity-mediated adaptation, and differences in dispersal capacity. As a result, coastal populations are generally more genetically connected, whereas inland populations tend to be more isolated, structured, and evolutionarily divergent. The data also showed a strong regional bias; while research is well established in Europe, Asia, and North America, African inland saline ecosystems are critically understudied. We conclude that habitat connectivity and dispersal pathways are the primary determinants of halophyte genetic structure. Future research must integrate ecological niche modelling and landscape genetics to resolve the evolutionary dynamics of these taxa, particularly in under-sampled regions such as southern Africa, to support effective conservation of saline biodiversity. However, the synthesis is constrained by the small number of eligible studies (n = 23) and their uneven geographic distribution, with limited representation from Africa, South America, and Australia, which restricts the ability to draw fully global conclusions. Recognising and protecting these systems is essential for safeguarding global saline biodiversity. Full article

Soil salinity is a major environmental constraint that threatens global food security by significantly inhibiting seed germination and early seedling establishment. Salinity disrupts all three phases of seed germination: Phase I (imbibition), where reduced water absorption capacity reduces seed hydration and delays metabolic reactivation; Phase II (lag phase), where ionic toxicity and oxidative stress impair enzyme activity, reserve mobilization, and cellular metabolism; and Phase III (radicle protrusion), where limited cell division and length prevent radicle emergence and seedling establishment. These disturbances reduce germination percentage, germination rate, germination index, germination energy, and plant vigor, while increasing average germination time. At the morpho-physiological level, salinity impairs water absorption, membrane stability, photosynthetic pigment accumulation, and root–shoot development. Biochemically, excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and malondialdehyde (MDA) causes cellular damage and metabolic dysfunction. At the molecular level, salinity alters the expression of the aquaporin gene family (PIPs, TIPs, NIPs, and SIPs), suppresses starch mobilization by reducing α-amylase, enhances abscisic acid (ABA) signaling, and inhibits gibberellic acid (GA) biosynthesis, all of which cause inhibition of germination and early growth. As a result, an effective strategy is needed to improve seed germination under saline conditions. Therefore, the second focus of this review is to critically evaluate the potential of nanoparticles (NPs) and nanobiochar (NBC) as emerging tools to mitigate salinity stress during seed germination. Current evidence suggests that NPs and NBC enhance water absorption, maintain membrane strength, improve nutrient availability, promote antioxidant defense systems, and regulate osmotic adjustment in saline environments. Furthermore, these nanomaterials alter key molecular pathways involved in aquaporin expression, hormonal homeostasis, and reserve mobilization, thereby promoting successful germination and seedling establishment. By combining recent advances in physiological, biochemical, and molecular research, this review provides a comprehensive understanding of salinity-induced germination disruption and highlights the potential of NP- and NBC-based approaches to improve crop establishment under saline conditions. Full article

Soil contamination in underexplored environments remains poorly characterized, particularly in regions where systematic monitoring is limited. El-Bur (Somalia) represents one such environment, where prolonged drought, humanitarian instability, limited accessibility, and inadequate waste management are expected to influence soil quality while hindering systematic environmental investigations. In this study, an exploratory multi-technique approach was applied to soil samples collected from selected sites in El-Bur (Somalia) to obtain chemical, structural, and morphological information. A combination of SEM–EDX, ICP-OES, XRD, and GC–MS was used to characterize both inorganic and organic fractions. The results show a predominant presence of sodium chloride, indicating severe soil salinity likely associated with prolonged drought and evaporative processes. In addition, trace organic compounds, including plastic-related species such as diethyl phthalate and styrene, together with short- to medium-chain hydrocarbons, were detected, suggesting localized anthropogenic contamination likely related to plastic waste and inadequate wastewater and waste management practices. This work provides a proof-of-concept analytical framework for identifying contamination features in soils affected by severe drought. The findings highlight the coexistence of natural and anthropogenic drivers of soil degradation and provide exploratory evidence for future targeted investigations in underexplored regions. Full article

Soil salinity is a major constraint on global crop productivity, highlighting the importance of strategies to enhance plant stress tolerance. This study investigated whether root-associated fungal endophytes derived from a salt-tolerant quinoa ecotype could establish associations with a salt-sensitive ecotype and confer systemic physiological and molecular stress-mitigation responses. Fungal endophytes—two Alternaria spp. and one Setophoma sp.—were isolated from roots of Pandela (salt-tolerant genotype) and inoculated BO75 (salt-sensitive ecotype) under severe salt stress (400 mM NaCl). Physiological (potential photochemical efficiency, survival), biochemical (malondialdehyde, proline), molecular (expression of ion transporter genes CqSOS1 and CqNHX1), and elemental (Na⁺, K⁺, Cl⁻ distribution by μ-XRF) responses were evaluated. In the salt-sensitive BO75 genotype, endophyte inoculation was associated with improved stress performance, evidenced by reduced oxidative damage (lower MDA), higher proline accumulation, and enhanced photochemical efficiency. Furthermore, the reduced expression of CqSOS1 and CqNHX1 suggests an improved ionic balance in inoculated plants. Conversely, re-inoculating Pandela yielded negligible effects, suggesting that these endophytes primarily benefit genotypes lacking inherent salt tolerance. These findings indicate that transferring fungal endophytes from halophytic ecotypes can significantly mitigate stress in sensitive genotypes, highlighting their potential for enhancing crop resilience in saline environments. Full article

Background: Rice breeding requires faster development of high-yielding, climate-resilient, resource-efficient, and high-quality cultivars for production systems exposed to environmental variability and increasing input constraints. Genomic selection offers an opportunity to predict breeding value before extensive field evaluation, although its effectiveness depends on the integration of genomic, phenotypic, and environmental information. Methods: This narrative review critically examines recent advances in genomic selection for rice and its integration with high-throughput genotyping, high-throughput phenotyping, machine learning, multi-environment prediction, and speed breeding. Results: Genome-wide marker data can support early ranking of breeding materials for grain yield, grain quality, disease resistance, drought tolerance, salinity tolerance, and nutrient-use efficiency. Prediction performance is influenced by trait architecture, marker density, training-population size, genetic relatedness between training and candidate populations, phenotypic data quality, and genotype-by-environment interaction. Red-green-blue, multispectral, hyperspectral, thermal, and light detection and ranging platforms can generate temporal traits associated with plant architecture, biomass, water status, nutrient status, and stress responses, which may improve prediction under suitable population and validation designs. Speed-breeding systems shorten generation intervals and facilitate rapid advancement, recurrent selection, and recycling of superior parental lines. Conclusions: Integrated breeding pipelines that combine genomic prediction, high-throughput phenotyping, environmental data, and speed breeding can improve selection efficiency and shorten rice improvement cycles. Wider adoption will require affordable technology platforms, standardized data systems, multi-environment validation, breeder capacity development, and collaborative data-sharing frameworks for smart and greener agriculture. Full article

In arid and semi-arid regions, salinity and drought limit cotton productivity. As the northernmost cotton-growing country, Kazakhstan often deals with these issues. The objective of this study was to classify salt- and drought-tolerant groups within the Kazakhstan cotton collection based on key phenotypic traits. Fifty-six Gossypium hirsutum genotypes were evaluated under controlled conditions using NaCl and PEG-6000. Six morphophysiological traits, including germination rate, plant height, fresh weight, root dry weight, and relative water content, were analyzed. Increasing NaCl and PEG levels reduced vegetative growth, while germination remained relatively stable under moderate stress. Regression analysis identified 200 mM NaCl as the optimal salinity level for salt tolerance and 20–30% PEG as the optimal level for drought tolerance. Cluster analysis using membership function values grouped the genotypes into five tolerance categories. Eight lines including M-4016-6, M-4031-8, M-4014-6, M-4029-9, M-4016-7, M-4016-8, M-4020-2, and M-4016-4 exhibited high tolerance to both stresses. Additional lines exhibited combined tolerance, indicating strong breeding potential. Principal component analysis revealed an inverse relationship between salt and drought tolerance, suggesting stress-specific adaptation. This study is the first to report on the development of a classification system for salt and drought tolerance in the Kazakhstan Cotton Collection. The results demonstrate substantial genetic variability and highlight the potential for developing cotton cultivars adapted environments prone to stress. Full article

The deterioration of SBS-modified asphalt under coupled temperature–ultraviolet (UV)–coastal humidity conditions is significantly accelerated in coastal regions because of seawater evaporation, leading to severe durability degradation of pavement materials. However, the performance evaluation laws and underlying regeneration mechanisms under such coupled environmental aging conditions remain insufficiently understood. Therefore, taking Shanghai as a representative coastal city, a temperature–UV–coastal humidity coupled aging system was established to simulate the saline and humid environment of coastal regions. Industrial animal oil and waste engine oil were selected as regeneration materials, and a multi-scale experimental approach was adopted to evaluate the performance recovery of aged asphalt. The results indicate that both regeneration materials effectively restore ductility and improve rheological behavior, while reducing viscosity but cause a measurable decrease in softening point, indicating a reduction in high-temperature stability. Industrial animal oil shows superior improvement in ductility, whereas waste engine oil exhibits stronger effects on viscosity reduction and microstructural regulation. A content of approximately 6% was recommended as a practical content to balance performance recovery and high-temperature stability under the tested coupled-aging condition. Microstructural analysis confirms that the regeneration mechanism is dominated by light component replenishment and colloidal structure reconstruction rather than chemical modification of SBS chains. Full article

The Philippine Sea Basin is one of the world’s largest marginal sea basins, and the spatiotemporal variation characteristics of its sound speed field hold significant importance for deep-sea navigation and positioning as well as underwater acoustic detection. This study investigates the sound speed field in the central Philippine Basin (130.0–134.0° E, 17.5–20.5° N) using the Global Ocean Physics Analysis and Forecast product from the European Union’s Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS), cross-validated with the U.S. HYCOM (Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model), and independent verified against 69 Argo profiles. We systematically investigate the spatiotemporal variation characteristics of the sound speed field in this region. Temperature and salinity consistency between the two products is established (deviations of <0.5 °C and <0.05 ppt below 400 m), with CMEMS selected as the primary data source for its higher accuracy and greater temporal stability. Three sound speed formulae—Del Grosso, Chen–Millero, and TEOS-10—are intercompared, with TEOS-10 yielding the highest accuracy in cross-validation; it is therefore recommended for its rigorous thermodynamic consistency. Vertical sound speed profiles are evaluated using bi-exponential, Munk canonical, and fourth-order polynomial models. Among them, the bi-exponential model achieves the optimal balance between physical interpretability and fitting accuracy (RMSE = 2.77 m/s, inter-monthly correlation coefficient = 0.857). Its two exponential decay scales characterize the upper-ocean thermocline and the deep stratification, respectively, avoiding the physically unrealistic deep-water fluctuations exhibited by the polynomial model (RMSE = 2.68 m/s) and the poorer generalization of the Munk model (RMSE = 2.97 m/s). Horizontal gradient analysis reveals a cross-directional correlation of approximately 0.5 between sound speed gradients and ocean currents, reflecting the combined modulation of sound speed gradients by Kuroshio advection and thermodynamic stratification. The general gradient control scale is estimated at approximately 100 km × 100 km, confirmed by cross-method consistency between K-means and Gaussian mixture model clustering. Temporal analysis demonstrates that sound speed peak-to-peak variation attenuates rapidly with depth (from ~8.9 m/s at 50 m to <0.1 m/s at 4000 m), and EOF (empirical orthogonal function) analysis reveals that the first four modes explain over 99% of the total variance, with harmonic fitting identifying annual and semi-annual cycles as the dominant periodic components. Sound channel axis depth varies seasonally between 900 and 1125 m (deeper in winter, shallower in spring), with axis sound speed stable at 1480–1484 m/s (slightly higher in winter, slightly lower in spring) and axis thickness ranging from 225 to 450 m (wider in winter, narrower in spring). These results provide prior critical constraints for underwater acoustic positioning, AUV navigation, and long-range sound channel communication and navigation in the central Philippine Sea region. Full article

Background/Objectives: bHLH transcription factors regulate key plant processes including development, stress adaptation, and metabolism. In Kandelia obovata, a mangrove species well known for its high tolerance to harsh environments, the bHLH gene family has not been systematically investigated. Here, this study aims to perform genome-wide identification and expression profiling of KobHLH genes under normal and saline conditions. Methods: bHLH members were identified by homology searches (HMMER and BLASTp) against the K. obovata protein dataset and verified with SMART-based domain analysis. Subsequent analyses covered physicochemical features, conserved motif composition, and phylogenetic relationships. Transcript abundance was quantified via RNA-seq in various organs (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits) as well as under saline conditions. Differentially expressed transcripts were selected for co-expression network construction. Results: Phylogenetic analysis of the 118 identified KobHLH loci assigned them into 18 distinct clades. Organ-preferential expression patterns were observed, leading to their classification into three putative functional categories. Upon salinity exposure (10–30‰), 61 of the 118 KobHLH genes exhibited differential expression, grouped into ten significant clusters. A co-expression network comprising 20 hub genes and 198 edges was constructed. Conclusions: This study provides the first genome-wide characterization of the bHLH family in K. obovata, revealing its evolutionary divergence and identifying 61 salt-responsive candidates, notably KobHLH108 and KobHLH5 associated with secondary metabolism, for further functional validation. The findings provide a foundation for future functional studies on stress adaptation mechanisms in this ecologically valuable mangrove species. Full article