Search Results (915)

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

Saline–alkali stress is a major abiotic constraint limiting crop production worldwide. To address the lack of a systematic evaluation system for oat seedling saline–alkali tolerance adapted to soda saline–alkali soil in the Hetao Plain, 80 oat accessions with diverse genetic backgrounds were used as materials in this study. Seedlings were subjected to stress induced by a 75 mM composite saline–alkali solution (NaCl:Na₂SO₄:NaHCO₃:Na₂CO₃ = 1:9:9:1), which simulates the typical salt composition of local soda saline–alkali soils. Six seedling-stage traits, including seedling emergence rate, chlorophyll content, relative electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde content, free proline content, and soluble sugar content, were determined, and the saline–alkali tolerance coefficient of each trait was calculated. Principal component analysis, the subordinate function method, and hierarchical cluster analysis were integrated to construct a comprehensive evaluation system for saline–alkali tolerance. The results showed that the coefficients of variation of all tested traits ranged from 21.15% to 113.66%, indicating abundant genotypic variation among different germplasms. Three principal components with eigenvalues greater than 1 were extracted, with a cumulative contribution rate of 65.79%; these components mainly reflected cell membrane status, osmotic substance accumulation, and growth performance, respectively. The comprehensive evaluation value (D-value) ranged from 0.290 to 0.884, and stepwise regression analysis identified soluble sugar, relative electrolyte leakage, and proline as core screening indicators. Combined with hierarchical cluster analysis, the 80 oat germplasms were classified into five saline–alkali tolerance grades, and significant differences in key traits were observed among grades. Germplasms with high saline–alkali tolerance performed outstandingly in maintaining membrane integrity and accumulating osmotic substances. This study established a practical multi-index comprehensive evaluation system for seedling-stage saline–alkali tolerance in oats adapted to soda saline–alkali environments and identified three candidate tolerant germplasm resources. These results provide technical methods and preliminary candidate materials for oat saline–alkali tolerance breeding and saline–alkali land utilization in the Hetao Plain, while the tolerance performance of the selected germplasms still needs to be verified under multi-concentration stress and field conditions. Full article

Speed breeding accelerates wheat line development, yet most reports address protocol optimisation rather than how genetic variation is expressed within the segregating populations grown in the chamber. Because a controlled long-day chamber imposes a uniform, low-stress environment, it minimises the environmental component of variance and lets genetic differences among crosses be observed with little environmental confounding. We characterised an F₂ population of 851 single plants derived from a partial (“smart”) diallel with reciprocals among three bread wheat cultivars, namely Adana-99 (heat-tolerant), Alada and Lucilla (both heat-sensitive), all four crosses sharing Adana-99 as a common parent. Plants were grown under a protocol-conformant 22 h light/2 h dark photoperiod (light 24.1 °C, dark 17.9 °C) and scored for twelve agro-morphological, phenological and physiological traits. All crosses showed wide phenotypic variation and abundant favourable transgressive segregation; the Adana-99 × Lucilla crosses produced the highest frequencies of transgressive segregants for grain weight per spike, biomass and harvest index, and of early-flowering individuals. Reciprocal differences were significant for biomass, grains per spike and grain weight per spike, in each case favouring Adana-99 as the female parent, indicating a maternal (or cytoplasmic) contribution. After excluding harvest index, which is algebraically derived from grain yield, path analysis identified grain weight per spike and biomass as the direct determinants of single-plant grain yield. Canonical discriminant analysis and a multi-trait genotype–ideotype distance index (MGIDI) were used to describe the multivariate divergence among crosses and to identify segregants combining favourable values across traits. The selected segregants and the Adana-99 × Lucilla combinations are proposed as candidates for multi-environment field validation. Full article

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a globally vital oil and cash crop. However, frequent cold stress severely compromises its yield stability. To address this challenge, we conducted quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping for two cold tolerance-associated traits, namely relative emergence rate (RER) and relative emergence index (REI), across four distinct environments using a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from the cold-tolerant landrace Silihong and cold-sensitive cultivar Jinonghei 3. Two core QTLs associated with cold tolerance were detected, including qRER6 stable across all environments with PVE of 4.91–5.15% and a co-localized QTL qRER18.1/qREI18.2 on chromosome 18 that governs both target traits with PVE of 14.56–14.71% and 10.34%. Through integrated analysis of QTL mapping and Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), Arahy.657RUG was identified as a candidate cold tolerance gene and designated Ahcold18. Differential expression analysis and heterologous overexpression in Arabidopsis thaliana under freezing stress (−9 °C) showed that Ahcold18 enhances plant survival under low-temperature stress, suggesting a general role in cold tolerance that warrants further investigation in the context of peanut chilling tolerance. A gene-based KASP marker (KASP-2374669), developed from variant sites within Ahcold18, showed preliminary association with RER and REI in the RIL population; however, further validation in diverse germplasm is required to confirm its utility for marker-assisted selection. This study provides a critical genetic resource and a precise technical tool for marker-assisted breeding of cultivated peanut with cold tolerance. Full article

Though many food systems on Earth offer benefits to space travelers, their ability to meet the demands of spaceflight remains unestablished. This study examines the application of magnesium oxide-coated halloysite nanotubes (MgO-HNTs), synthesized via electrodeposition, to enhance seed germination and early plant development under Earth, lunar, and Martian soil conditions. Successful surface modification was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. Growth experiments with Heirloom Cherry Tomato and Golden Tomato seeds were conducted under hydroponic and soil-based conditions and subsequently extended to lunar and Martian regolith simulants. A Response Surface Methodology approach, based on a Box-Behnken Design, evaluated the effects of temperature, MgO-HNT concentration, and light duration on multiple growth responses, identifying seedling length and the root length stress tolerance index (RLSI) as the most responsive indicators of treatment. Optimal conditions (25 °C, 12 h photoperiod, 100 mg/mL MgO-HNTs) produced the greatest increases in root and shoot length in Earth soil. In lunar regolith, optimal root development occurred at 100 mg/mL (root length: 17.7 mm, shoot length: 5.08 mm, RLSI: 141.1%, germination: 80%), whereas Martian regolith peaked at 10 mg/mL (root length: 12.3 mm, shoot length: 4.28 mm, RLSI: 167.9%, germination: 100%), which may be associated with differences in the physicochemical properties of the two substrates. These findings offer preliminary evidence that MgO-HNTs can enhance early plant development across terrestrial and extraterrestrial substrates. As this study was limited to a single crop species under short-term, controlled laboratory conditions without direct physiological or biochemical biomarker measurements, further validation will be required to support broader agricultural or in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) applications. Full article

Traffic stress is a major factor limiting the performance, safety and longevity of sports turf systems. The integration of nitrogen (N) fixing bacteria, such as Azospirillum brasilense (AZB), may accelerate post-traffic recovery. A two-year field study (2024–2025) was conducted in Citra, FL, to evaluate the effects of AZB-based commercial products formulations and N fertilization rates on the traffic tolerance and recovery of ‘TifTuf’ Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon × C. transvaalensis). Treatments were applied monthly and consisted of three N rates (48.8, 24.4, and 0 kg N ha⁻¹) combined with four AZB treatments (Tazo-B^® Liquid, Azopro^® Turf, and AzoRoot^®, and a non-treated control) arranged in a factorial randomized complete block design. Simulated athletic traffic was applied for five weeks, followed by a four-week recovery period. Turf quality, normalized difference vegetation index, percent green cover, soil moisture and surface hardness were evaluated. AZB products significantly influenced turf performance, particularly when combined with N fertilization. Azopro^® Turf and Tazo-B^® Liquid improved turf quality and green cover at fertilized N rates. AZB treatments also increased soil moisture, in some cases, reduced surface hardness. Overall, AZB inoculation enhanced Bermudagrass performance under traffic stress and supported acceptable turf quality and recovery at reduced N inputs, suggesting a potential role in reduced-N fertility programs for sports turf management. Full article

The Min pig, a Chinese indigenous breed, is valued for its excellent meat quality and stress tolerance. Nevertheless, its growth rate falls considerably short of commercial pig breeds, a pattern typical of most unselected indigenous populations, and marked individual variation further undermines its economic viability. To explore the genetic basis of this variation, we evaluated a series of nonlinear fixed-effects and mixed-effects models based on the Gompertz, Logistic, and von Bertalanffy functions using body weight records from 92 Min pigs. Model selection was based on AIC, BIC, and leave-one-out cross-validation. The best-fitting model was a Logistic nonlinear mixed-effects model with individual-level random effects on all three growth parameters (Asymptotic weight, timing parameter, and be parameter), which clearly outperformed models with simpler random-effect structures and fixed-effects models. From this model, we identified three characteristic growth transition points: the early transition point (Growth Rate Index, GRI) at 94.83 days (22.32 kg), the single inflection point (Maximum Growth Rate, MGR) at 166.06 days (52.80 kg), and the late transition point (Late Growth Rate Index, LGRI) at 237.29 days (83.29 kg), with a maximum absolute growth rate of 488.2 g/day. These points partitioned growth into initial acceleration, rapid growth, deceleration, and Asymptotic growth phases. Using individual fitted growth curves, we selected five fast-growing and five slow-growing pigs that reached approximately 90 kg during the plateau phase, defined as a predicted body weight of at least 95% of the individual Asymptotic weight. The fast-growing group reached 90 kg at 240.5 ± 20.42 days, whereas the slow-growing group reached the same weight at 286.67 ± 19.20 days. At the 90 kg slaughter weight, we collected longissimus dorsi muscle samples from these pigs during the plateau phase and performed RNA-seq. Transcriptome analysis revealed 864 differentially expressed genes between the two groups, with 540 upregulated and 324 downregulated in the fast-growing group. Pathway enrichment implicated the PI3K-Akt and TGF-β signaling pathways in muscle development, and differential expression of IGFN1, DCN, COL3A1, MYOC, COL1A2, COL1A1, and IGF2 may explain the growth variation between the groups. In summary, the Logistic mixed-effects model with individual-level random effects on all growth parameters effectively captures the growth pattern of Min pigs, and the PI3K-Akt and TGF-β pathways likely mediate growth differences in this breed. Full article

Ageratina adenophora is a highly aggressive weed that originates from central Mexico and Costa Rica. It has invaded and become naturalized across tropical and subtropical regions, posing significant challenges for biodiversity conservation and ecological restoration. While substantial research has revealed its impacts on diverse ecosystems and enhanced understanding of its phytotoxicity, investigations in grassland landscapes remain limited. Consequently, this study focused on Chengjiang County in southwestern China, a region heavily invaded by A. adenophora. Based on a preliminary survey, five grassland plant species that commonly co-occur and compete with it were assessed through seedling growth bioassays and physiological measurements conducted under the treatments of its aqueous tissue extract. The findings revealed that the recipient plants exhibited dynamic changes dependent on concentration. Specifically, there was a negative correlation between the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline (Pro) and seedling height as well as root length (p < 0.05; p < 0.01). This suggests that higher extract concentrations triggered more pronounced stress-related cellular responses, which were concurrently associated with diminished seedling growth. Notably, Saccharum arundinaceum demonstrated the most significant elevation in peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activities, along with the highest synthetical allelopathic effect (SE) index of −0.36, whereas Rumex hastatus followed with an SE index of −0.38, indicating that S. arundinaceum was the least sensitive to A. adenophora stress. Our research findings elucidate the responses of indigenous grassland plants to A. adenophora, offering valuable insights into the screening of tolerant native grassland species and developing vegetation replacement strategies aimed at restoring invaded grasslands. Full article

Spacing design for group cable bolt systems remains largely empirical and rarely considers stress interaction and displacement overlap together. This study develops a dual-index interaction framework for two representative cable bolt configurations in deep stope roofs. Mindlin’s semi-infinite body solution and Kelvin’s infinite body solution were combined with a non-uniform interfacial shear stress distribution to model shallow fully grouted and deep end-anchored systems, respectively. The analytical trends were examined using FLAC3D, and the field applicability of the selected spacing scheme was assessed through an industrial test at the Fankou Lead–Zinc Mine. The results show that the fully grouted configuration is strongly affected by the free surface and full-length load transfer, whereas interaction in the end-anchored configuration is concentrated around the deep bonded section. The stress interaction coefficient $\eta$ provides the primary screening measure for a reference lower spacing bound, while the displacement interaction coefficient $\alpha$ identifies residual displacement overlap. Both are local field interaction indices rather than measures of individual cable capacity or global system stiffness. Using ${\eta }_{\mathrm{ref}}$ = 0.9 as an engineering tolerance, stress interaction becomes limited at approximately $s/D$ = 30 for the end-anchored configuration, whereas the fully grouted configuration enters a relatively stable interaction–attenuation stage at approximately $s/D$ = 40. Considering both configurations, $s/D$ ≈ 40 is adopted as a reference lower bound, corresponding to 1.6 m for a 40 mm borehole. The field scheme used a spacing of 1.8 m ($s/D$ ≈ 45) and produced a maximum measured roof displacement of 27.6 mm, with no evident roof fall, cable breakage, or anchorage pull-out. Because characteristic rock mass heterogeneity is not explicitly represented and only one field spacing was tested, the proposed spacing ratio should be regarded as condition-specific rather than universal. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of Myrtus communis L. extract on growth performance, growth hormone (GH), humoral immune response, oxidative stress indicators, and serum biochemical parameters in weaned Ramlıç lambs. Forty-five clinically healthy male lambs were allocated to three groups: control (n = 9), 0.5 mL/kg extract (n = 18), and 1 mL/kg extract (n = 18). The extract was administered orally once daily for 45 days. Body weight measurements and blood sampling were performed on days 0, 15, 30, and 45. Serum samples were analyzed for GH, IgG, total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), and selected biochemical parameters, whereas oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated from TAS and TOS values. Longitudinal effects of dose, sampling day, and their interaction were evaluated using a linear mixed-effects model. Although body weight increased in all groups, no significant differences were detected among the groups (p > 0.05). A significant day × dose interaction was observed for GH (p = 0.004). IgG concentrations were significantly higher in the 1 mL/kg group on day 30 and in both extract-treated groups on day 45 than in controls. Extract administration did not cause significant changes in TAS, TOS, OSI, liver enzymes, renal function parameters, glucose, or lipid profile. In conclusion, M. communis extract was biochemically well tolerated and was associated with increased serum IgG concentrations but did not exert a marked effect on growth performance or systemic oxidant–antioxidant balance. Further studies under different physiological conditions and with longer administration periods are needed to clarify its mechanisms of action and potential use in ruminant husbandry. Full article

Background/Objectives: Pregnant women are vulnerable to endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as bisphenol A (BPA). However, associations of maternal BPA exposure with oxidative stress, inflammation, the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), dietary total antioxidant capacity (DTAC), and fetal/neonatal outcomes remain unclear. This study evaluated urinary and estimated dietary BPA exposure in conjunction with DII and DTAC during late pregnancy and examined their associations with maternal oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers and fetal/neonatal outcomes. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 86 third-trimester pregnant women at a Turkish tertiary hospital. BPA exposure was assessed using creatinine-adjusted urinary BPA concentrations and dietary intake estimated from 3-day dietary records and a food frequency questionnaire. Urinary and serum biomarkers were measured, and DII and DTAC scores calculated. Analyses included correlation, multivariable regression, and mediation. Results: Creatinine-adjusted urinary BPA correlated strongly with urinary 8-isoprostane (r = 0.694, p < 0.001) and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG; r = 0.880, p < 0.001), but not after multivariable adjustment. Neither urinary nor dietary BPA exposure showed consistent adjusted associations with serum oxidative stress or inflammatory biomarkers or significant associations with fetal/neonatal outcomes. DII and DTAC correlated with selected inflammatory biomarkers, particularly TNF-α. Dietary BPA hazard quotients exceeded 1 using EFSA’s updated 2023 tolerable daily intake, suggesting a potential health concern. Conclusions: Urinary BPA correlated strongly with urinary oxidative damage biomarkers, but not after multivariable adjustment. Neither urinary nor dietary BPA showed consistent adjusted associations with maternal oxidative stress or inflammatory biomarkers or significant associations with fetal/neonatal outcomes. DII and DTAC may be related to inflammatory biomarker variability in late pregnancy. Full article

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) seedlings are highly sensitive to freezing temperatures, which severely impairs growth and causes substantial losses in tuber yield and quality. This study aimed to screen freezing-tolerant potato germplasm accessions, identify candidate genes involved in the freezing response, and provide elite parental materials and a theoretical reference for molecular breeding of freezing-tolerant cultivars. We evaluated seedling freezing tolerance of 73 potato accessions using the freezing damage index (FDI), and performed transcriptome sequencing on leaf samples from highly freezing-tolerant (HT) accession 15-1881 and highly freezing-susceptible (HS) accession B8 following freezing treatment. Substantial variation in freezing tolerance was observed across the germplasm panel, with 5 HT accessions and 12 HS accessions identified, showing marked phenotypic and physiological differences under freezing stress. Transcriptomic analysis detected 6560 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in 15-1881 and 5161 DEGs in B8, with 3558 DEGs specific to 15-1881. The phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway exhibited noticeable expression divergence between 15-1881 and B8, harboring 17 15-1881-specific DEGs including three tandem phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) genes. The HT germplasm accessions obtained in this study provide breeding resources for freezing-tolerant potato improvement, and the PAL genes characterized here represent promising candidate genes associated with freezing response in potato. Full article

Xishuangbanna (XIS) cucumber (Cucumis sativus) originated from low-altitude southwest China and shows extreme cold sensitivity. Nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAP), known for its high bioavailability and surface reactivity relative to bulk HAP, was applied to enhance the cold tolerance of XIS seedlings. We optimized fertilization timing and fertilizer concentration. By determining physiological parameters alongside gene expression profiling and transcriptomic analysis, we preliminarily dissected the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying nHAP-enhanced chilling tolerance. nHAP application preserved free and bound water even at 24 h into the cold-stress treatment, as detected by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Exposure to cold stress caused a chilling injury index (CII) of 73.33%, while foliar spraying of nHAP at gradient concentration reduced CII values by 9.09–54.55%. At the same time, electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde content were decreased by 6.68–61.41% and 12.92–67.16% respectively; chlorophyll content increased by 0.01–73.42%; SOD, POD, and soluble protein content increased by 10.54–161.53%, 16.50–154.33%, and 2.03–63.26%, respectively. Soil application of nHAP showed a similar but weaker effect than foliar spraying on alleviating chilling injury, and the optimal concentration was 1000 mg/L. Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed that foliar spraying of nHAP upregulated the gene expression of Superoxide dismutase genes (CsCu/ZnSOD and CsMnSOD) and major facility superfamily genes (CsSPX-MFS1 and CsSPX-MFS2) in the cold treatment. We then profiled the transcriptome changes in seedling leaves during the cold treatment after foliar spraying of nHAP. Without nHAP application, cold stress resulted in a total of 6795 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which were functionally enriched in plant–pathogen interaction and plant hormone signal transduction pathways. Under nHAP application, cold stress only caused 776 DEGs, which were functionally enriched in plant hormone signal transduction and galactose metabolism. These findings suggest that nHAP could improve the cold tolerance of cucumber seedlings through boosting antioxidant activity and plant hormone signaling pathways. Full article

A systematic evaluation of salt tolerance at the seedling stage was conducted using 143 maize inbred lines under a 150 mM mixed-salt solution (NaCl:Na₂SO₄ = 9:1, EC = 16.78 dS/m) that mirrors the ionic composition of saline groundwater in the Yellow River Delta. The comprehensive salt tolerance index (D value) ranged from 0.15 to 0.85 across the population, with the elite line B114 exhibiting the highest D value (0.835) and the sensitive line PHT55 ranking near the bottom. Under salt stress, B114 displayed remarkable growth stability, with plant height decreasing by only 25.9%, fresh weight by 13.3%, and dry weight remaining unchanged, whereas PHT55 suffered severe growth inhibition (plant height: 61.5% decrease; fresh weight: 63.2% decrease; dry weight: 33.3% decrease). Time-series RNA-seq of root tissues across four time points (5, 8, 11, and 14 days) revealed markedly distinct transcriptional dynamics: B114 exhibited relatively stable temporal regulation (2261–9124 DEGs), whereas PHT55 showed a pronounced early transcriptional burst that progressively intensified (3728–10,108 DEGs). Using random forest-based machine learning, 50 core salt tolerance-related genes were unbiasedly identified from 16,194 significantly differentially expressed genes. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that these genes were primarily involved in redox regulation, ion homeostasis maintenance, and stress signal transduction pathways. qRT-PCR validation confirmed biphasic expression patterns, with Zm00001d024160 showing the strongest early induction (48-fold at 5 h). This study established a maize salt tolerance evaluation system closely aligned with field conditions and demonstrated that coordinated temporal transcriptional regulation represents a core molecular mechanism underlying high salt tolerance in maize. The elite salt-tolerant germplasm and key candidate genes identified here provide valuable genetic resources and a theoretical foundation for molecular breeding of salt-tolerant maize adapted to saline-alkaline soils. Full article

Lipid phosphate phosphatases (LPPs) are critical regulatory factors in plant membrane lipid metabolism and lipid signal transduction, exerting key roles in membrane lipid remodeling, signal attenuation, and adaptation to abiotic stresses. However, the systematic identification of the soybean GmLPP gene family and its expression profiles in response to abiotic stresses remains largely unclear. In this study, a total of nine GmLPP family members were identified in the soybean genome, which were further classified into three subgroups based on their phylogenetic relationships. qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated that the majority of GmLPP genes responded to NaCl, PEG6000, NaHCO₃, JA, and SA treatments to varying extents, among which GmLPP7 exhibited the most pronounced response to salt stress. Subcellular localization assays demonstrated that the GmLPP7 protein is primarily localized to the cell membrane. Further haplotype analysis was performed on 160 soybean germplasm accessions, leading to the identification of five SNP loci within the GmLPP7 gene region. Among these, two SNPs were significantly associated with the relative germination index (STGI) and formed two distinct haplotypes. Notably, Hap2 exhibited a significantly higher STGI value, thus representing a superior salt-tolerant haplotype. In summary, this study systematically elucidates the evolutionary and expression profiles of the GmLPP gene family, identifies GmLPP7 as a candidate gene significantly associated with salt tolerance during soybean germination, and its superior haplotype Hap2, thereby providing novel genetic resources for the molecular improvement of salt tolerance in soybean. Full article