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Objective: This study aimed to investigate the regulatory effects of exogenous hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) on seed germination, seedling growth, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis in alfalfa under chromium (Cr) ion (III) stress., Methods: The effects of 0-4 mM Cr(III) on the germination and seedling growth of alfalfa were first assessed. Subsequently, following seed NaHS immersion, the influence of H 2 S on alfalfa seed germination and seedling growth under 2 mM Cr(III) stress was investigated, and the substance contents and enzyme activities associated with ROS metabolism were quantified., Results: Compared to the control group, alfalfa plant germination was delayed under 2 mM Cr(III) stress for up to 48 h ( p  < 0.05). At 120 h, the total seedling length was approximately halved, and the root length was roughly one-third of the control. Treatment with 0.02-0.1 mM NaHS alleviated the delay in germination and root growth inhibition caused by 2 mM Cr(III) stress, resulting in an increased ratio of root length to hypocotyl length from 0.57 to 1 above. Additionally, immersion in 0.05 mM NaHS reduced hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and oxygen-free radicals (O 2 · - ) levels ( p  < 0.05), boosted glutathione (GSH) levels ( p  < 0.05), and notably enhanced catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase (GR) activities ( p  < 0.05) compared to the 2 mM Cr(III) stress treatment group., Conclusion: Seed immersion in NaHS mitigated the delay in germination and inhibition of root elongation under 2 mM Cr(III) stress. This effect is likely attributed to the regulation of intracellular ROS homeostasis and redox balance through enzymatic and non-enzymatic systems; thus, providing a potential mechanism for combating oxidative stress.

Allelopathy is the main chemical means in the invasion process of exotic plants and one of the key factors in grassland degradation. In this experiment, we investigated the effects of ethyl acetate phase extract (EAE), n-butanol phase extract (BE) and aqueous phase extract (AE) from the aboveground (stems and leaves) and roots of Ligularia sagitta on seed germination and seedling growth of four Gramineae forages ( Poa pratensis L. Festuca ovina L. Elymus nutans Griseb. Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn.) in their sympatric domains and one Legosuminae forage ( Medicago sativa L.). The chemical components in each phase extract of L. sagitta were determined with UHPLC-MS/MS non-targeted metabolomics, and the differential compounds were screened using Orthogonal Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA). Within a set concentration range, EAE significantly inhibited seed germination and seedling growth of four Gramineae forages. BE and AE acted mainly in the seedling growth stage and did not significantly inhibit forage seed germination. P. pratensis was most sensitive to L. sagitta extracts; at 2.0 mg/mL of EAE from roots, germination energy and germination rate of P. pratensis seeds were 0. L. sagitta extracts inhibited the growth of M. sativa seedlings and did not inhibit its seed germination. A total of 904 compounds were identified with UHPLC-MS/MS, among which 31, 64, 81 and 66 metabolites displayed different accumulation patterns in the four comparison groups (R.EAE vs. R.BE, R.EAE vs. R.AE, SL.EAE vs. SL.BE, SL.EAE vs. SL.AE), respectively. In particular, 9 compounds were found to be common up-regulated differential metabolites in the four comparison groups and were enriched in EAE. Additionally, N,N-dimethylaniline, Caffeic acid, 4-Hydroxybenzoic acid, 4-Hydroxybenzaldehyde and cis-9-Octadecenoic acid as potential allelochemicals in L. sagitta . The results of this study support efforts at finding alternative control plants for the restoration of poisonous grass-type degraded grasslands.

To investigate the synergistic effect of IAA and melatonin (MT) on three plants to alleviate the effects of salt damage on plants, we aim to determine the optimal concentrations of exogenous hormone treatments that improve salinity resistance for each species. In this experiment, three desert plants, Sarcozygium xanthoxylon , Nitraria tangutorum , and Ammopiptanthus mongolicus , which are common in Wuhai City, were used as plant materials. Two time periods (12 h,24 h) of exogenous hormone IAA (100 μmol/L) and exogenous melatonin concentration (0, 100, 200, 300 μmol/L) were used to treat the three desert plants in saline soil under different conditions of exogenous IAA and exogenous melatonin. The results indicate that under different concentrations of exogenous IAA and melatonin, the germination rate and vigor of the three desert plant species in saline-alkaline soil improved. However, as the concentration of melatonin increased, the germination rate and vigor of these desert plants were inhibited. Whereas, plant height, root length, leaf length, fresh weight, dry weight, and root vigor of the three desert plants were alleviated under different conditions of exogenous IAA and exogenous melatonin. under the action of two exogenous hormones, the low concentration of melatonin decreased their malondialdehyde content and increased their proline content. As melatonin levels increased, the activity of antioxidant enzymes also rose initially, followed by a subsequent decline. This study highlights the synergistic effects of two exogenous hormones on the critical role of cell osmomodulators and antioxidant enzyme activity in combating salinity damage in three desert plants.

Aluminum (Al) may be beneficial to crops, but in excess becomes detrimental to the germination and initial development of seedlings. The main determining indicators are the type of crop and exposure duration. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of Al and of UV-C light on the germination and initial growth of white oats. Seeds were sown on germitest paper in a solution of 100, 200, 300, 400, or 500 mg/L of aluminum chloride and kept in a germination chamber at 20°C for a 12-hr photoperiod. Germination and seedling growth parameters were determined after 5 and 10 days. The seeds were also exposed to two doses of UV-C (0.85 and 3.42 kJ m -2 ) under aluminum chloride stress (200 mg/L). Data demonstrated that treatment with aluminum chloride significantly decrease in germination at 200 mg/L and total seedling length at 100 mg/L. Exposure of seeds to UV-C light under excess Al (200 mg/L) did not show a significant effect on germination and growth compared to control (non-irradiated). Results indicated that exposure to high concentration of Al in the medium adversely altered germination and initial growth of white oat seedlings. Although UV-C light alone was not detrimental to the germination process, treatment with UV-C light also failed to mitigate the toxic effects of Al.

The mode of action, bioaccumulation potential and toxicity of Rare Earth Elements (REE), with several applications in the technology, medical and agricultural fields, are still understudied. The nitrates acute effects on single exposures, binary and ternary mixtures of lanthanum (La), neodymium (Nd) and samarium (Sm) on Lactuca sativa lettuce seed germination and wet biomass in an artificial soil (AS) and an Ultisol were assessed. Germination (EC 50 ), wet biomass (IC 50 ) and germination inhibition (% GI) were evaluated. EC 50 values show La was the most toxic in Ultisol, Sm in AS, and Nd appears with intermediate values on both substrates. The IC 50 , both single and mixed, decreased from 3- to 181-fold with increasing test concentrations in relation to the control in AS, while increases in Ultisol were observed, followed by decreases at higher doses which may be associated with the low-dose stimulation effect (hormesis). Our findings may be used to subsidize REE risk assessment studies and reinforce the hormesis effect to prevent the use of high application of REE fertilizers, avoiding the accumulation of REE in agricultural soils., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

This study assessed the levels of soil heavy metal pollution in agricultural land in southeastern Chengdu and its effects on the germination stage of higher plants. Through extensive soil sampling and laboratory analyses, 15 soil environmental factors were measured, including soil density, porosity, pH, field moisture capacity (FMC), calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ), and heavy metals such as arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd). Acute toxicity tests were performed on sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and Brassica napus (Brassica napus var. napus). The results of the geo-accumulation index (I geo ) and enrichment factor (EF) analyses indicate a higher risk of pollution and enrichment of As and Cd in the study area, with relatively lower risks for other heavy metals. Additionally, the current soil heavy metal concentrations inhibited the growth of sorghum and Brassica napus shoots and roots during the germination stage. Redundancy analysis (RDA), factor detector, and XGBoost-SHAP models identified the As, Cd, FMC, and CaCO 3 contents, soil density, and porosity as the primary factors influencing plant growth. Among these factors, FMC, porosity, and Cd were found to promote plant growth, whereas soil density and As demonstrated inhibitory effects. CaCO 3 had a dual effect, initially promoting growth but later inhibiting it as its concentration increased. Further analysis revealed that Brassica napus is more sensitive to soil environmental factors than sorghum, particularly to Cd and As, while sorghum has greater tolerance. Moreover, roots were found to be more sensitive than shoots to soil environmental factors, with roots being influenced primarily by physical factors such as FMC and soil density, whereas shoots were affected primarily by chemical factors such as As and Cd. This study addresses the significant lack of data regarding the impact of soil heavy metal concentrations on plant growth in southeastern Chengdu, providing a scientific basis for regional environmental monitoring, soil remediation, and plant cultivation optimization., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Pyraclostrobin-based fungicides play an effective role in controlling fungal diseases and are extensively used in agriculture. However, there is concern regarding the potential adverse effects attributed to exposure to these fungicides on non-target organisms and consequent influence exerted on ecosystem functioning. Thus, it is essential to conduct studies with model organisms to determine the impacts of these fungicides on different groups of living organisms. The aim of this study was to examine the ecotoxicity associated with exposure to commercial fungicides containing pyraclostrobin. The focus of the analysis involved germination and initial development of seedlings of 4 plant models ( Lactuca sativa , Raphanus sativus, Pennisetum glaucum and Triticum aestivum ), in addition to determining the population growth rate and total carbohydrate content in microalga Raphidocelis subcapitata . The fungicide pyraclostrobin adversely influenced growth and development of the tested plants, indicating a toxic effect. The fungicide exerted a significant impact on the initial development of seedlings of all model species examined with T. aestivum plants displaying the greatest susceptibility to pyraclostrobin. Plants of this species exhibited inhibitory effects on both aerial parts and roots when treated with a concentration of 4.75 mg/L pyraclostrobin. In addition, the green microalga R. subcapitata was also significantly affected by the fungicide, especially at relatively high concentrations as evidenced by a reduction in total carbohydrate content. This commercial fungicide demonstrated potential phytotoxicity for the tested plant models and was also considered toxic to the selected microalgae, indicating an ecotoxic effect that might affect other organisms in aquatic environments.

Tobacco is one of the important cash crops in China. It is sensitive to low temperature, especially in the early stage of tobacco seed germination and seedling growth. Low temperature stress directly affects the germination of tobacco seeds, leading to irregular emergence and slow growth of seedlings. Therefore, it is important to improve the vigor and cold tolerance of tobacco. In this study, two cold-sensitive tobacco varieties were primed individually with ZnSO 4 , FeSO 4 and Na 2 SeO 3 to test the effects of different microelements priming on seed germination. The results showed that under low temperature (11 °C), all three elements could improve tobacco seed vigor and promote seed germination, with selenium priming exhibiting the best effect. Selenium priming significantly increased the seed vigor index of YY97 by 29.60 % and of YY85 by 47.57 %. Moreover, selenium priming could effectively enhance POD activity in seeds, promote the oxidation of phenolic substances and enhance the activities of G-6-PDH and 6-P-GDH in the process of scavenging ROS and converting H 2 O 2 to ·O 2 - . The results suggested that selenium played an important role in promoting tobacco seed germination under low temperature., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aspterric acid (AA) is a novel natural product herbicide that targets dihydroxyacid dehydratase in plants. In this study, we introduced two distinct AA biosynthesis-related gene clusters into Saccharomyces cerevisiae and screened the core biosynthetic enzyme, sesquiterpene cyclase, from various fungi. The combination of sesquiterpene cyclase from Aspergillus taichungensis IBT 19404 and two cytochrome P450s from Penicillium brasilianum resulted in the optimal AA synthesis efficiency in yeast, with the highest titer of 33.21 mg/L achieved by optimizing fermentation conditions in shake flasks. Moreover, the herbicidal effects of AA on weed germination and growth were evaluated. Notably, AA strongly inhibited the germination of Amaranthus tricolor , Portulaca oleracea , Bidens pilosa , Lolium perenne , and Leptochloa chinensis . Furthermore, AA could also inhibit the shoot and root growth of weeds with a superior inhibitory effect on roots relative to shoots. Our work not only provides a sustainable method for the biosynthesis of AA in yeast but also paves the way for the application of AA as a preemergence herbicide.

Rare earth elements (REEs), vital and limited resources, also play a significant role in agriculture. Previous findings indicated that the proper concentration of REEs could enhance the germination process, seed germination rate, and seedling growth and development. This paper introduces designing, synthesizing, and assembling a new type of tapered nanogates for separating and detecting lanthanide ions (La 3+ ). A phosphoric acid pillar[5]arene (PP5) was synthesized and incorporated as a receptor molecule for La 3+ in aqueous media. Incorporating these receptor molecules into the nanogates enhances the identification and controlled release of the lanthanide ions in water. The UV titration and COMSOL simulation results demonstrated an interaction between PP5 and La 3+ to strengthen the understanding of the release mechanism. Finally, the effect of released La 3+ on the germination of wheat seeds is discussed, demonstrating the ability to improve its application in the agricultural industry.

This study assessed sustainable solutions for organic waste management, focusing on biochar derived from kitchen waste. The characteristics and phytotoxicity effects of biochar produced from four different types of kitchen waste were investigated in view of potential agricultural applications. Analysis of the chemical and physical properties of the different biochar samples by X-ray fluorescence and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed a nutrient-rich composition with carbon, calcium, and potassium contents that ranged from 35 to 48%, from 1.6 to 24%, and from 1.5 to 28.5%, respectively. In phytotoxicity tests, the highest germination rate (45%) was observed with Coffee residue biochar obtained at 300 °C (application rate of 1%) and the longest shoot length (25 cm) with orange peel biochar obtained at 300 °C (application rate of 1%). Germination rate and shoot length were not significantly different between biochar-exposed soils and control soils (without biochar), indicating no toxic effect due to biochar addition. Washing biochar improved germination rates significantly (control: 98%; potato peel biochar: 92%; banana peel biochar: 83%). The longest shoot length (8.3 cm) was obtained with the washed potato peel biochar (pyrolysis temperature = 400 °C) extract. These findings suggest that biochar can be safely used as a soil amendment without harming the environment or hindering plant growth. The Tukey honestly significant difference (HSD) test results further emphasized the influence of different factors, such as pyrolysis temperature and feedstock type, in biochar applications., Competing Interests: Declarations Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In this study, the seed germination and dormancy characteristics of three Ranunculus species native to Korea (R. cantoniensis, R. chinensis, and R. sceleratus) were determined to establish an effective dormancy-breaking protocol. The results revealed that the R. cantoniensis, R. chinensis, and R. sceleratus seeds responded differently to treatment with gibberellins (GAs) and stratification. Warm stratification at 20℃ increased the germination percentage and partially broke the dormancy of the R. cantoniensis seeds; moreover, the germination temperature range of the seeds expanded upon treatment with high-concentration GA 4 + 7 . Meanwhile, neither cold nor warm stratification was effective at breaking the dormancy of R. chinensis seeds; however, high-concentration GA 4 + 7 treatment broke the dormancy of the seeds by expanding the germination temperature range. Lastly, the R. sceleratus seeds did not respond to the treatment with GAs; however, their germination percentage increased after undergoing warm stratification at 25℃. The seeds of these three species were characterized as exhibiting nondeep morphophysiological dormancy. The findings of this study enhance our understanding of the temperature-related germination responses of the three Ranunculus species, offering valuable insights into their conservation and utilization., Competing Interests: Declarations Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The growth of industrialization growth the risk of vanadium (V) contamination. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of 200 µg L - 1 VCI 3 -induced toxicity as well as the potential protective effect of 187.5 mg L - 1 and 375 mg L - 1 Hypericum perforatum (H. perforatum) extracts against this toxicity on the Allium cepa (A. cepa) model organism. For this purpose, a series of investigations were conducted on the growth physiology alterations (germination percentage, root elongation, weight gain), cytogenetic alterations (mitotic index, micronucleus, chromosomal aberrations), biochemical alterations (malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, catalase) and defects in meristematic tissue in A. cepa. In addition, the phenolic compound content of H. perforatum extract was determined by the LC/MS-MS method. V application negatively affected all the investigated parameters and caused a serious phytotoxic and genotoxic effect as well as oxidative stress in A. cepa. Conversely, no statistical difference was observed between the parameters of the groups treated with H. perforatum extract and those of the control group. The administration of H. perforatum extract combined with V resulted in a notable enhancement in germination percentage, root elongation, weight gain, mitotic index value, chlorophyll a level and chlorophyll b level. Additionally, it led to a reduction in micronucleus and chromosomal aberrations frequencies, as well as meristematic tissue defects. Furthermore, LC/MS-MS analysis demonstrated that H. perforatum extract contains phenolic compounds, including catechin, epicatechin, quercetin, oleuropein and rutin, which confer antioxidant properties to the extract. The study provided clear evidence that H. perforatum extract attenuates the toxic effects of V in A. cepa, which can be attributed to its high content of bioactive phenols. The findings of the study indicate that H. perforatum extract may serve as a protective natural agent for daily use against heavy metal toxicity., Competing Interests: Declarations Statement regarding experimental research on plants Experimental research and field studies on plants and plant parts, including the collection of plant material, comply with relevant institutional, national, and international guidelines and legislation. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Humans have been using plants in the treatment of various diseases for millennia. Currently, even with allopathic medicines available, numerous populations globally still use plants for therapeutic purposes. Although plants constitute a safer alternative compared to synthetic agents, it is well established that medicinal plants might also exert adverse effects. Thus, the present investigation aimed to assess the phytotoxic, cytotoxic, and genotoxic potential of two plants from the Brazilian Cerrado used in popular medicine, Davilla nitida (Vahl) Kubitzki, and Davilla elliptica (A. St.-Hil.). To this end, germination, growth, and cell cycle analyses were conducted using the plant model Lactuca sativa . Seeds and roots were treated with 0.0625 to 1 g/L for 48 hr under controlled conditions. The germination test demonstrated significant phytotoxic effects for both species at the highest concentrations tested, while none of the extracts produced significant effects in the lettuce growth test. In the microscopic analyses, the aneugenic and cytotoxic action of D. elliptica was evident. In the case of D. nitida greater clastogenic action and induction of micronuclei, (MN) were noted suggesting that the damage initiated by exposure to these extracts was not repaired or led to apoptosis. These findings indicated that the observed plant damage was transmitted to the next generation of cells by way of MN. These differences in the action of the two species may not be attributed to qualitative variations in the composition of the extracts as both are similar, but to quantitative differences associated with synergistic and antagonistic interactions between the compounds present in these extracts.

Nanomaterials composed of non-nutritive elements are gaining momentum in agriculture. In view of these advances, this study aimed to synthesize and assess the effects of silver (Ag) and cobalt (Co) nanoparticles as seed treatment in maize crops. Nanoparticles were synthesized by coprecipitation and characterized by X-ray diffractometry, transmission electron microscopy, surface area analysis, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. An experiment was carried out according to a completely randomized design with a 3 × 5 factorial arrangement. The factors were Ag and Co source (soluble, microparticle, and nanoparticle) and concentration (0, 20, 40, 80, and 160 mg L -1 ). A total of 50 maize seeds were used per treatment. Seeds were placed on germination paper moistened with distilled water. Germination, biometric parameters (root and shoot lengths), and biomass production were evaluated. Characterization analyses showed that particles ranged from 20 to 100 nm in size and were composed of oxides, such as Ag 2 O and Co 3 O 4 . Nanoparticle treatment improved germination and reduced the incidence of defects. The best results were achieved with 98-106 mg L -1 Ag 2 O and 75-80 mg L -1 Co 3 O 4 . There was no significant change in biometric parameters between treatments., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Joao Henrique Vieira de Almeida Junior reports was provided by National Council for Scientific and Technological Development. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Abiotic and biotic stresses during seed germination are typically managed with conventional agrochemicals, known to harm the environment and reduce crop yields. Seeking sustainable alternatives, nanotechnology-based agrochemicals leverage unique physical and chemical properties to boost seed health and alleviate stress during germination. Nanoprimers in seed priming treatment are advanced nanoscale materials designed to enhance seed germination, growth, and stress tolerance by delivering bioactive compounds and nutrients directly to seeds. Present review aims to explores the revolutionary potential of nanoprimers in sustainable seed treatment, focusing on their ability to enhance crop productivity by improving tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses. Key objectives include understanding the mechanisms by which nanoprimers confer resistance to stresses such as drought, salinity, pests, and diseases, and assessing their impact on plant physiological and biochemical pathways. Key findings reveal that nanoprimers significantly enhance seedling vigor and stress resilience, leading to improved crop yields. These advancements are attributed to the precise delivery of nanomaterials that optimize plant growth conditions and activate stress tolerance mechanisms. However, the study also highlights the importance of comprehensive toxicity and risk assessments. Current review presents a novel contribution, highlighting both the advantages and potential risks of nanoprimers by offering a comprehensive overview of advancements in seed priming with metal and metal oxide nanomaterials, addressing a significant gap in the existing literature. By delivering advanced molecular insights, the study underscores the transformative potential of nanoprimers in fostering sustainable agricultural practices and responsibly meeting global food demands., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest This article was not written, authored or published with any potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Digitaria insularis poses a significant challenge in weed control due to its perennial habit, dense clumping growth, and the widespread presence of herbicide-resistant biotypes. Our research investigates whether single or multiple herbicide resistance biotypes of D. insularis experience fitness costs, specifically affecting their germination. To determine the resistance factor, a dose-response curve was employed using glyphosate and haloxyfop-P-methyl herbicides separately in a completely randomized design (CRD) with four replicates per dose (nine doses total). Shoot dry mass was measured at 100 days after herbicide application (DAA), with control assessments performed at 14, 28, and 42 DAA. Subsequently, a separate CRD experiment examined the germination rate as a function of temperature and photoperiod for each biotype. This factorial scheme tested six temperatures across three biotypes (susceptible and two resistant types) under three light exposure periods (0, 8, and 12 hours). Germination percentage and the germination speed index (GSI) were calculated for 14 days, with counts of healthy seedlings recorded daily. Statistical analysis confirmed the resistance/susceptibility of the biotypes based on the dose-response curve. For the susceptible and simple resistance biotypes, the most favorable temperatures for germination were 20, 30 and 40 °C, at which the highest germination percentages and a higher germination speed index were observed. On the other hand, for the biotype with multiple resistance, the temperatures of 25, 30 and 35 °C were more favorable, promoting superior results in both parameters studied.

Melia azedarach L. is a Meliaceae that has shown important insecticidal activities. However, few researchers have extensively studied the toxicology of aqueous extracts of M. azedarach (MAE). Therefore, the main objective of this study was to characterize the phyto-eco-toxicological profile of MAE. First, a botanical and phytochemical characterization of MAE was performed using a histological, and metabolomic multi-analytical approach. Second, the toxicological effects on pollinating insects (Apis mellifera ligustica) and soil collembola (Folsomia candida) were evaluated. In addition, acute toxicity was evaluated in zebrafish (Danio rerio) to assess effects on aquatic fauna, and toxicity was determined in human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) and fibroblast (FB-21) cell models. Finally, phytotoxic effects on germination of Cucumis sativus L., Brassica rapa L. and Sorghum vulgare L. were considered. Metabolomic analyses revealed the presence of not only limonoids but also numerous alkaloids, flavonoids and terpenoids in MAE. Histological analyses allowed us to better localize the areas of leaf deposition of the identified secondary metabolites. Regarding the ecotoxicological data, no significant toxicity was observed in bees and collembola at all doses tested. In contrast, severe cardiac abnormalities were observed in zebrafish embryos at concentrations as low as 25 μg/mL. In addition, MAE showed toxicity at 1.6 μg/mL and 6.25 μg/mL in FB-21 and SH-SY5Y cells, respectively. Finally, MAE inhibited seed germination with inhibitory concentrations starting from 5.50 μg/mL in B. rapa, 20 μg/mL in S. vulgare, and 31 μg/mL in C. sativus. Although M. azedarach extracts are considered valuable natural insecticides, their ecological impact cannot be underestimated. Even the use of an environmentally friendly solvent (an aqueous solution), for the first time, is not without side effects. Therefore, the data collected in this study show the importance of evaluating the dosages, modes of administration and production methods of M. azedarach phytoextracts in agricultural settings., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Salinization is recognized as a global problem, restricting agricultural production and sustainability. Targeting the salinity-induced oxidative stress, antioxidant treatment represents a protective strategy to improve plant salt tolerance. Herein, we report a V 4 C 3 MXene nanozyme (MXenzyme), which exhibits good biocompatibility and excellent reactive oxygen species scavenging activity to ameliorate the salt stress-induced inhibition of seed germination. V 4 C 3 MXenzyme treatment can significantly relieve salinity-induced oxidative stress and restore the antioxidant system in pea seeds, thus improving the phenotypic traits during germination. The molecular mechanism by which antioxidant V 4 C 3 MXenzymes augment salt tolerances is revealed through transcriptomics and metabolomics. V 4 C 3 MXenzymes significantly regulate the gene expression of antioxidant enzymes and molecule biosynthesis that correlate closely with hormone signal transduction genes and energy metabolism genes. With correlation and the combined analysis, redox homeostasis targeted by antioxidant V 4 C 3 MXenzymes plays a critical role in promoting plant growth under salt stress.

Colletotrichum fungus complex affects several crops and tropical products, which suffer significant losses due to anthracnose. The use of chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs), alone or in combination with bioactive compounds, has been recommend for agronomic applications. However, there is very little information on their phytotoxicity, and there is no information about the effect on microorganisms with low susceptibility to chitosan. This work aims to compare their antifungal effect against isolates of C. fructicola with low susceptibility to chitosan and to study the toxicological effects of CNPs on the germination of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and radish (Raphanus sativus) seeds. Levels of phytotoxicity of high-to-very high and moderate-to-very high were observed for lettuce and radish seeds, respectively, with greater detrimental effects on the radicle elongation after exposure to CNPs concentrations of 4-5 g L -1 . For the three C. fructicola isolates, the CNPs did not inhibit the fungal growth; however, the cell viability decreased as the CNPs concentration increased, and a complete inhibition of the viability was found for H4-1 and 003 isolates at a CNPs concentration of 5 g L -1 . Morphometric alterations characterized by a reduction in the average length of the terminal hyphae, distortion, and a higher number of branches in the hyphae, were observed. To our knowledge, this is the first report where the effect of nanochitosan particles in Colletotrichum fructicola, with experimentally proven low sensitivity to chitosan, was studied., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Pesticides including insecticides are applied in agricultural practices to control insect pests. However, their excessive usage often poses a severe threat to the growth, physiology, and biochemistry of plants. Here, responses of chickpea and greengram seedlings exposed to three fipronil (FIP) concentrations i. e. 100 (1×), 200 (2×) and 300 (3×) μg mL -1 was evaluated under in vitro. Among doses, 3× had a greater negative impact on germination attributes, root-shoot elongation, vigor indices, length ratios, and survival of seedlings. Besides, the morphological distortion in root tips, oxidative stress generation, and cellular death in fipronil-supplemented root seedlings were observed under scanning electron (SEM) and confocal laser scanning (CLSM), respectively. A significant (p ≤ 0.05) and pronounced upsurge in plant stressor metabolites such as proline, malondialdehyde (MDA), electrolyte leakage (EL), hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) content, and antioxidants enzymes in plant seedlings further confirmed the fipronil toxicity. In addition, a concentration-dependent decrease in respiration efficiency (RE) and ATP content in FIP-treated seedlings was observed. Reduced mitotic index (MI) and numerous chromosomal anomalies (CAs) in root meristematic cells of seedlings are a clear indication of insecticide-induced cytotoxicity. Furthermore, a dose-dependent increase in DNA damage in root meristematic cells of greengram revealed the genotoxic potential of fipronil. Conclusively, fipronil suggested phyto and cyto-genotoxic effects that emphasize their careful monitoring in soils before application and their optimum addition in soil-plant systems. It is high time to prepare both target-specific and slow-released agrochemical formulations for crop protection with concurrent safeguarding of the soil., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors certify that the work mentioned in this publication has not been influenced by competing financial or personal links between them., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, a model plant for medicinal research, is extensively utilized for its dried roots and rhizomes for treatment of various diseases. Soil salinization hinders the large-scale cultivation and industrial production of S. miltiorrhiza by affecting its active compounds. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) is a crucial plant hormone that regulates plant responses under salt stress. Jasmonate zim domain (JAZ) proteins function as transcriptional repressors in jasmonic acid (JA) signaling pathways. This study explores the interaction between JA and salt stress by using transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana to elucidate the roles of SmJAZ3, SmJAZ4, and SmJAZ8. We found that 2.5 μM MeJA reduced the inhibitory effect of 150 mM NaCl on wild-type seed germination, and this effect was reversed by 15 μM dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DIECA). Similar results were observed in transgenic A. thaliana lines overexpressing SmJAZ3/4/8. Inclusion of SmJAZ3/4 enhanced salt resistance by increasing antioxidant enzyme activity, chlorophyll content, proline content, and Na + /K + content, while SmJAZ8 had the opposite effect. These findings suggest that appropriate concentrations of MeJA can alleviate the negative effect of salt stress on plant growth and development. Investigating the salt tolerance of SmJAZ3/4/8 is significant for cultivating high-quality salt-tolerant S. miltiorrhiza., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Mung beans were pretreated with a combination of ultrasonic and calcium ion to enhance the polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity during germination. Changes in polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity during germination, along with underlying mechanisms, were investigated. Both single ultrasound and combined ultrasound-Ca 2+ pretreatments significantly increased the polyphenol content and enhanced the antioxidant capacity (p < 0.05) of mung beans depending on germination period. Among 74 polyphenolic metabolites identified in germinated mung beans, 50 were differential. Notably, 23 of these metabolites showed a significant positive correlation with antioxidant activity. Ultrasound pretreatment promoted flavonoid biosynthesis, whereas ultrasound-Ca 2+ pretreatment favored the tyrosine synthesis pathway. Polyphenol composition and accumulation changes were mainly influenced by metabolic pathways like flavonoid, isoflavonoid, anthocyanin, and flavone/flavonol biosynthesis. The results suggest that ultrasound alone or combined with calcium ion pretreatments effectively enhance mung bean polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity during germination., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, diclofenac (DCF) and naproxen (NPX), represent a group of environmental contaminants often detected in various water and soil samples. This work aimed to assess possible phytotoxic effects of DCF and NPX in concentrations 0.1, 1 and 10 mg/L, both individually and in binary mixtures, on the seed germination and primary root elongation of crops, monocots Allium porrum and Zea mays, and dicots Lactuca sativa and Pisum sativum. Results proved that the seed germination was affected by neither individual drugs nor their mixture. The response of primary root length in monocot and dicot species to the same treatment was different. The Inhibition index (%) comparing the root length of drug-treated plants to controls proved to be approximately 10% inhibition in the case of dicots lettuce and pea, and nearly 20% inhibition in monocot leek, but almost 20% stimulation in monocot maize. Assessment of the binary mixture effect confirmed neither synergistic nor antagonistic interaction of DCF and NPX on early plant development in the applied concentration range., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The preparation of soilless medium for the growth of seeds based on macroporous scaffolds of chitosan-glutaric acid and urea (CHGAUR) is reported. The CHGAUR scaffold was prepared by the hydrothermal reaction of chitosan with GA in presence of urea. The product was purified using Soxhlet extraction with methanol. CHGAUR was composed of chitosan with a small weight fraction of glutaric acid and urea, which were present in the salt form as confirmed by TGA and FT IR spectroscopy. This suggested that CH is most likely to be physically crosslinked in the scaffold through GAUR links. SEM images confirmed the porous structure of material. Water absorption studies suggested that CHGAUR could absorb ∼4100-5700 % water and could be varied by varying the CH: UR ratio used in the preparation. The percentage porosity of CHGAUR did not vary much with urea content suggesting that significant variation in the micropore structure was not obtained by varying the urea content in the preparation. Mechanical tests revealed that material was soft and flexible and able to retain its original shape even after removing the load. CHGAUR, in purified state, was studied for the germination and seedling growth. Among the seeds investigated, pigeon pea showed the best result., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Small concentrations of herbicide, such as those found in drift, can affect nontarget plants at different life-history stages including seed germination and seedling emergence as well as seedling growth. Fragmented landscapes, such as those in the northern Great Plains, lead to increased proximity of ecological restoration sites to agricultural lands using herbicides. Germination, emergence, and growth are crucial life-history stages leading to ecological restoration success, but these stages are sensitive to impacts from external factors such as herbicide exposure. A lab germination experiment and a greenhouse emergence experiment were performed to examine the effect of herbicides (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid [2,4-D], atrazine, and trifluralin) on species used in ecological restorations in the northern Great Plains. Seed germination, seedling emergence, and seedling growth of many study species decreased with exposure to herbicides at different concentrations representative of herbicide drift. At concentrations as low as 0.1% recommended application rate 2,4-D elicited broad effects on final seed germination percentage and germination rate. Atrazine affected seedling emergence and growth for a number of study species at concentrations as low as 10% recommended application rate. Trifluralin affected germination, emergence, and growth of the fewest number of study species. The information gained from these experiments can be used to inform restoration practitioners of best practices and recommended species to use when implementing ecological restoration adjacent to agricultural lands. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:2387-2397. © 2024 The Author(s). Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC., (© 2024 The Author(s). Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.)

Subclass III sucrose nonfermenting1-related protein kinase 2s (SnRK2s) are positive regulators of abscisic acid (ABA) signaling and abiotic stress responses. However, the underlying activation mechanisms of osmotic stress/ABA-activated protein kinase 8/9/10 (SAPK8/9/10) of rice (Oryza sativa) subclass III SnRK2s in ABA signaling remain to be elucidated. In this study, we employed biochemical, molecular biology, cell biology, and genetic approaches to identify the molecular mechanism by which OsPP47, a type one protein phosphatase in rice, regulates SAPK8/9/10 activity in ABA signaling. We found that OsPP47 not only physically interacted with SAPK8/9/10 but also interacted with ABA receptors PYLs. OsPP47 negatively regulated ABA sensitivity in seed germination and root growth. In the absence of ABA, OsPP47 directly inactivated SAPK8/9/10 by dephosphorylation. In the presence of ABA, ABA-bound OsPYL2 formed complexes with OsPP47 and inhibited its phosphatase activity, partially releasing the inhibition of SAPK8/9/10. SAPK8/9/10-mediated H 2 O 2 production inhibited OsPP47 activity by oxidizing Cys-116 and Cys-256 to form OsPP47 oligomers, resulting in not only preventing the OsPP47-SAPK8/9/10 interaction but also blocking the inhibition of SAPK8/9/10 activity by OsPP47. Our results reveal novel pathways for the inhibition of SAPK8/9/10 in the basal state and for the activation of SAPK8/9/10 induced by ABA in rice., (© 2024 The Author(s). New Phytologist © 2024 New Phytologist Foundation.)

Soil salinization has been considered as a major environmental threat to plant growth. Different types of salt in saline soil have different effects on germination and seedling growth. Effect of NaCl on germination and seedling establishment in Suaeda liaotungensis have been reported, but its response to alkali stress remains unclear. Our results showed that brown seeds had higher germination rate, however, black seeds had higher germination recovery percentage under alkali stress. Na 2 CO 3 had stronger inhibitory effect on germination and seedling growth than NaHCO 3 . As the concentration of alkali stress increased, the ROS level of brown seeds gradually ascended, while that of black seeds decreased first and then ascended. MDA content of dimorphic seeds significantly increased under alkali stress. The trend of SOD, POD and CAT activity between dimorphic seeds was similar under the same type of alkali stress. Alkali stress enhanced proline content of dimorphic seeds, and dimorphic seeds in NaHCO 3 solution had higher proline content than Na 2 CO 3 solution. Moreover, radicle and shoot tolerance indexes of seedlings in NaHCO 3 solution were significantly higher than that of Na 2 CO 3 solution. Under strong alkali stress, seedlings in NaHCO 3 solution had significantly lower ROS level and MDA content as well as higher antioxidant enzyme activity than Na 2 CO 3 solution. This study comprehensively compared the morphological and physiological characteristics in germination and seedlings to better reveal the saline-alkali tolerance mechanisms in S. liaotungensis., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to The Botanical Society of Japan.)

Cadmium (Cd) poses a significant threat to plant growth and the environment. Nano-Fe 3 O 4 is effective in alleviating Cd stress in plants. Elymus nutans Griseb. is an important fodder crop on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). However, the potential mechanism by which nano-Fe 3 O 4 alleviates Cd stress in E. nutans is not well understood. E. nutans were subjected to single Cd, single nano-Fe 3 O 4 , and co-treatment with nano-Fe 3 O 4 and Cd, and the effects on morphology, Cd uptake, antioxidant enzyme activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and programmed cell death (PCD) were studied to clarify the regulatory mechanism of nano-Fe 3 O 4 . The results showed that Cd stress significantly decreased the germination percentage and biomass of E. nutans. The photosynthetic pigment content decreased significantly under Cd stress. Cd stress also caused oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, accumulation of excessive ROS, resulting in PCD, but the effect of nano-Fe 3 O 4 was different. Seed germination, seedling growth, and physiological processes were analyzed to elucidate the regulatory role of nano-Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles in promoting photosynthesis, reducing Cd accumulation, scavenging ROS, and regulating PCD, to promote seed germination and seedling growth in E. nutans. This report provides a scientific basis for improving the tolerance of Elymus to Cd stress by using nano-Fe 3 O 4 ., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Xuebing Yan reports financial support was provided by National Natural Science Foundation of China. Zhao Chen reports financial support was provided by National Natural Science Foundation of China. Zhao Chen reports financial support was provided by Major Basic Research Project of the Natural Science Foundation of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Salt-induced stress poses a significant barrier to agricultural productivity by impeding crop growth. Presently, environmentalists are dedicated to safeguarding food security by enhancing agricultural yields in challenging environments. Biostimulants play a crucial role in mitigating abiotic stresses in crop production, and among these, plant essential oils (EOs) stand out as organic substances with diverse biological effects on living organisms. Among the natural promoters of plant growth, Rosmarinus officinalis L. essential oil (RoEO) has gained considerable attention. Although the manifold effects of essential oils (EOs) on plant growth have been extensively demonstrated, their impact on salt stress tolerance in durum wheat seedlings remains unexplored. This investigation was undertaken to evaluate the biostimulatory capabilities of RoEO on the durum wheat cultivar "Mahmoudi." The effects of three RoEO concentrations (1, 2.5, and 5 ppm) on seed germination, growth establishment, and the induction of salt resistance under salinity conditions (150 mM NaCl) were tested. At 5 ppm, RoEO enhanced seedlings' tolerance to salinity by improving growth and reducing membrane deterioration and oxidative stress-induced damage. The expression profile analyses of seven stress-related genes (TdNHX1, TdSOS1, TdSOD, TdCAT, TdGA20-ox1, TdNRT2.1, and TdGS) using RT-qPCR showed enhancement of several important genes in durum wheat seedlings treated with 5 ppm RoEO, even under control conditions, which may be related to salt stress tolerance. The results indicate that the application of RoEO suggests a possible alternative strategy to increase salt tolerance in durum wheat seedlings towards better growth quality, thus increasing ROS scavenging and activation of antioxidant defense., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This work studied the auxin-like activity of liquid and solid hydrochar from aboveground corn biomass prepared using hydrothermal carbonization (HTC). Understanding the action of organic compounds in regulating plant metabolism is important to develop strategies to improve plant growth and production. Bioassays were performed by testing liquid hydrochar concentrations in the range of 0.0557-5570.0 mg carbon L -1 ; and solid hydrochar (via extracted dissolved organic matter, DOM) in the range of 0.026-2600.0 mg carbon L -1 , using seeds of Lactuca sativa . SEM, ATR-FTIR, and Py-GC/MS were applied to assess the effect of HTC on hydrochar production/composition. Liquid hydrochar presented an intense bioactivity, completely inhibiting the germination of testing seeds at higher concentrations. Liquid hydrochar also was considerably more bioactive. Py-GC/MS allowed the identification of the molecules involved in IAA-like effects: carboxylic acids (linear and aromatic) and amino acids. The concentration of more bioactive molecules, rather than their simple presence in the hydrochar fraction, determined the bio-stimulating effect, besides an excellent linear regression between the auxin-like effect and the concentration of active molecules.

One of the most important areas of nanotechnology is the use of nanoparticles (NPs) for a variety of environmental and biological applications, with silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) gaining a lot attention due to their distinct properties. The current study deals with the synthesis of Ag-NPs from Dicliptera bupleuroides Nees leaf extract and to determine their antioxidant, antimicrobial potential and effects on wheat seed germination and growth. UV-Visible spectrum revealed a prominent absorption peak at 442 nm, elucidating the conformation of the Ag-NPs synthesis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed distinctive triangular, pyramidal, and irregular shape. X-ray diffraction (XRD) demonstrated their crystalline nature, with average crystallite size of the Ag-NPs measured at 20.52 nm. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) further confirmed the presence of functional groups such as Phenols (O-H stretch), transition metal carbonyls N-H, ≡C-H, C ≡ N, C ≡ C, C-Cl, C-Br and O-H bonds on the surface Ag-NPs. The antibacterial activity of the Ag-NPs was most pronounced against Bacillus subtilis, with a zone of inhibition (ZOI) measuring 11 mm ± 0.57 at a concentration of 1000 μg/mL (45% inhibition). Likewise, Ag-NPs exhibited highest antioxidant potential (73.2%) at 100 μg/mL compared with standard (ascorbic acid) which showed (76%) at the same concentration. Furthermore, the effect of D. bupleuroides mediated Ag-NPs on wheat seeds growth and germination was recorded maximum at high concentrations (200-300 ppm). In conclusion, D. bupleuroides mediated Ag-NPs showed safe, cost effective and environmentally friendly synthesis which can be used as an antibacterial and antioxidant agent as well as for enhancing the growth and seed germination of crop seeds globally. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Nanotechnology is the study of nanoparticles for biological and environmental applications. Ag-NPs among other NPs have received broad attention because of their unique properties. D. bupleuroides Ag-NPs: 45% antibacterial, 73.2% antioxidant, enhance wheat germination. D. bupleuroides-mediated Ag-NPs are both cost-effective and environmentally beneficial., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The urgent need for sustainable agriculture has intensified the search for environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical herbicides. This study investigates the herbicidal potential of siderophores produced by Amycolatopsis lurida strain 407, focusing on its effects on the growth of ryegrass and redroot weeds. Strain 407 exhibited two distinct colony morphologies-red and white-when cultured under varying environmental conditions. The cell-free culture filtrate (CFCF) from both colony types significantly inhibited the growth of ryegrass and redroot. The concentration of siderophore produced in the iron-deficient medium was measured to be 613.4 ppm for 407 red and 388.5 ppm for 407 white, which indicates significant iron chelating activity. This study also showed a direct relationship between the presence of siderophore in plant culture medium and reduced growth. Also, analysis of fractions of the aqueous phase resulting from column chromatography revealed that all fractions from the 407 red reduced ryegrass shoot length by up to 45% and root length by 83-86%, while redroot seedling length decreased by up to 36%. Fractions from 407 white completely inhibited germination or reduced ryegrass root length by up to 94% and redroot seedling length by 52%. Fractions F4 W to F7 W and F2 R to F8 R, which showed iron chelating activity were most effective in reducing plant growth, suggesting that there are metabolites, alone or in company with siderophores, synergistically do herbicidal activity. The innovative application of siderophores as bioherbicide presents a promising environmentally friendly alternative to chemical herbicides., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) from plants has several bioactivities, such as neurotransmission, anti-cancer cell proliferation, and blood pressure control. Its bioactivities vary when exposed to pH, heat, and ultraviolet. This study analyzed the protective effect of the GABA encapsulation technique using gum arabic (GA) and maltodextrin (MD) and the freeze-drying method. The impact of different ratios of the wall material GA and MD on morphology, GABA content, antioxidant activity, encapsulation efficiency, process yield, and physical properties were analyzed. Results showed that the structure of encapsulated GABA powder was similar to broken glass pieces of various sizes and irregular shapes. The highest GABA content and encapsulation efficiency were, respectively, 90.77 mg/g and 84.36% when using the wall material GA:MD ratio of 2:2. The encapsulated powder's antioxidant activity was 1.09-1.80 g of encapsulation powder for each formula, which showed no significant difference. GA and MD as the wall material in a 2:2 ( w / w ) ratio showed the lowest bulk density. The high amount of MD showed the highest Hausner ratio (HR), and Carr's index (CI) showed high encapsulation efficiency and process yield. The stability of encapsulated GABA powder can be kept in clear glass with a screw cap at 35 °C for 42 days compared to the non-encapsulated one, which can be preserved for only 18 days under the same condition. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the freeze-drying process for GABA encapsulation preserved GABA component extracts from brown rice while increasing its potential beneficial properties. Using a wall material GA:MD ratio of 2:2 resulted in the maximum GABA content, solubility, and encapsulation efficiency while having the lowest bulk density.

Ubiquitin-specific proteases (UBPs), the largest subfamily of deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs), are critical for plant growth and development as well as abiotic-stress responses. In this study, we discovered that the expression of the ubiquitin-specific protease 15 ( UBP15 ) gene of the gene ubiquitin-specific protease 15 ( UBP15 ) was induced by salt, mannitol and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments. Further research revealed that UBP15 is involved in modulation of salt, drought tolerance and ABA signaling during seed germination, early seedling development, post-germination root growth or adult-plant stage. Enrichment analysis showed that many genes related to abiotic stresses and metabolic pathways were altered in the ubp15-1 mutant. Through the joint analysis of the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and differentially-expressed gene relationship network, we found that UBP15 may mainly regulate salt-stress tolerance by modulating the dwarf and delayed flowering 1 (DDF1) pathway through a cascade reaction. In the regulation of drought-stress responses, ring domain ligase1 (RGLG1) may be a direct substrate of UBP15. Moreover, we cannot exclude the possibility that UBP15 acts in a feed-forward loop mechanism in the regulation of drought-stress responses via ethylene response factor 53 (ERF53) and its ubiquitin (Ub) ligase RGLG1. In ABA signal transduction, UBP15 may play a role in at least three aspects of the ABA signaling pathway: ABA synthesis, stomatal closure regulated by ABA signaling, and transcription factors in the ABA pathway. Taken together, our results suggest that UBP15 is involved in salt, osmotic, and drought-stress tolerance and the ABA signaling pathway by directly regulating the stability of key substrates or indirectly affecting the expression of genes related to abiotic stresses in Arabidopsis thaliana . Our research provides new germplasm resources for stress-resistant crops cultivation. These results demonstrate that UBP15 is a key regulator of salt, drought and ABA tolerance in Arabidopsis .

Background: White lupin (Lupinus albus L.) is a multi-purpose, climate resilient, pulse crop with exceptionally high protein content that makes it a suitable alternative of soybean in livestock feed. Although white lupin grows well on marginal sandy soils, previous studies have reported its sensitivity towards salinity stress. This experiment aims to assess the influence of salinity stress and mitigating role of plant growth regulators (PGRs) on performance of white lupin., Methodology: The white lupin plants were sown in pots maintained at three salinity levels (1, 3 and 4.5 dS m - 1 ) throughout the growing season and foliar sprayed with different PGRs, including ascorbic acid, potassium chloride, boric acid, ammonium molybdate and methionine at sowing, four weeks after emergence and at the initiation of flowering. Foliar spray of distilled water and salinity level of 1 dS m - 1 were maintained as control treatments. Data were recorded for seed germination indices, plant growth, antioxidant enzymes and photosynthetic efficiency variables., Results: The severe salinity stress (4.5 dS m - 1 ) reduced the germination indices by 9-50%, plant growth traits by 26-54%, root nodulation by 12-26%, grain development by 44-53%, antioxidant enzymes activity by 13-153% and photosynthetic attributes by 1-8% compared to control (1 dS m - 1 ). Different PGRs improved several morpho-physiological attributes in a varied manner. The application of potassium chloride improved seed vigour index by 53%, while ascorbic acid improved root nodulation by 12% and number of pods per cluster by 75% at the severe salinity level. The foliar application of PGRs also displayed a recovery of 140% in the activity of superoxide dismutase and 70% in catalase. The application of multi zinc displayed an improvement of 37% in plant relative chlorophyll, while ascorbic acid brought an increase of 25% in non-photochemical quenching and 21% in photochemical quenching coefficient at the severe salinity level. On contrary, the application of PGRs brought a relatively modest improvement (8-13%) in quantum yield of photosystem II at slight to moderate (3 dS m - 1 ) salinity stress. The correlation analysis confirmed a partial contribution of leaf area and seed vigour index to overall photosynthetic efficiency of white lupin., Conclusions: Clearly, salinity exerted a negative impact on white lupin through a decline in chlorophyll content, activity of antioxidant enzymes and efficiency of photosynthetic apparatus. However,  PGRs, especially ascorbic acid and potassium chloride considerably improved white lupin growth and development by mitigating the negative effects of salinity stress., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Thiazole and phenoxyacetic acid are key moieties in many natural and synthetic biologically active agents. A series of N -(5-(3,5-methoxyphenyl)-(thiazole-2-yl))phenoxyacetamide derivatives 6an-6bd were designed and synthesized, and their structures were confirmed by NMR and HRMS. Most of derivatives exhibited superior inhibition of Echinochloa crusgalli (E.c.) and Lactuca sativa (L.s.) seed germination by the Petri dish bioassay. Indeed, herbicidal bioassays indicated that 6an (2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)- N -(5-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)acetamide) had the best inhibition against L.s. (IC 50 = 42.7 g/ha, 375 g/ha at field experiments). 6an also had no harmful effect on Zea mays at 2- to 4-fold field usage. Moreover, transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis showed that 6an significantly influenced cell metabolism, including galactose metabolism and ascorbate and aldarate metabolism. These discoveries highlight that 6an shows promise to be developed as a potential herbicide.

In this study, nineteen thioanhydrides were synthesized from the S-acylation reaction of sodium dithiocarbamates with various acyl chlorides in chloroform at room temperature. The synthesized thioanhydrides were evaluated for their growth-stimulating and phytotoxic activities. Benzoic (1a), 4-methoxy- (1b), 4-chloro- (1c), 2-bromo- (1e), 4-fluoro- (1f.) and 4-nitrobenzoic 1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-carbothioic thioanhydrides (1 g) showed moderate to excellent growth-stimulating activity, along with this (1c) exhibited excellent phytotoxic activity, 2,4-dichlorobenzoic 1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-carbothioic thioanhydride (1d) and 2,4-dichlorobenzoic pyrrolidine-1-carbothioic thioanhydride (2b) demonstrated inhibiting and moderate phytotoxic activities. Thioanhydrides (1a-c, 1f., 1 g) exhibited excellent germination energy and germination capacity of wheat seeds: 1a 82 and 90%, 1c 80 and 84%, 1 g 82 and 90% (0.01 mg/ml); 1b, 1 g 78 and 94%, 1c 78 and 90%, 1f. 80 and 94% (0.1 mg/ml). Thioanhydride (1e) showed moderate activity, germination energy and germination capacity were 72 and 76% (0.1 mg/ml), 78 and 84% (0.01 mg/ml). Thioanhydride (1d) demonstrated activity as a growth inhibitor with germination energy, and germination capacity 54 and 58% (0.1 mg/ml), 44 and 42% (0.01 mg/ml). Thioanhydride (1c) exhibited excellent phytotoxic activity analogically to herbicide 2,4-D only on lettuce seeds. Compounds (1d and 2b) were moderately active, inhibiting the growth of lettuce and bent grass seedlings., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Cotton seeds have poorer germination than other crops because of their high sensitivity towards insect pests and other biotic and abiotic stresses during the germination process. In the present study, inorganic bulk and nano nutrients of zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium oxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles were synthesized using the chemical reduction method and invigourated with cotton seeds. The characterization of nanoparticles was done by FESEM, HRTEM, UV/Vis analysis and FTIR. The delinted and fuzzy seeds of two American cotton varieties (H 1300 and H 1098-i) were nano-primed for 10 h with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) @ 400 ppm and titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 NPs) @ 100 ppm. After nanoparticle invigouration, the seeds were analyzed for various parameters at different intervals (0 months, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months) such as germination percentage, seedling length, seedling dry weight, electrical conductivity, dehydrogenase activity, antioxidant enzyme activity. The results indicated that that different storage periods and nanopriming treatments had significant effects on all seed quality parameters except the effect of nanopriming treatments on germination percentage (excluding delinted seeds of H 1098-i). It is also revealed that the interaction effect of nanopriming treatment and storage period was non-significant on all parameters except EC. Maximum reduction in seed quality parameters was observed in control treatment and minimum was found when seeds were nanoprimed with ZnONPs @ 400 ppm. The differences in the response for both NPs can be attributed to their surface charge, and concentration used. Overall, ZnONPs and TiO 2 NPs could hold seed quality and vigour during the storage of cotton seeds of American varieties (H 1300 and H 1098-i)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The problem of potentially toxic metal pollution is increasingly acute with the development of human society. In this study, we investigated the remediation of nickel (Ni) and cadmium (Cd) co-contamination through inoculating rice with three new-isolated Ni- and Cd-resistant plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) Y3, Y4, and Y5. These three strains possessed growth-promoting properties, including 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase activity, the ability of indoleacetic acid (IAA) production, phosphate solubilization, siderophores production, and exopolysaccharide (EPS) development. According to 16S rDNA sequence homology, strains Y3, Y4, and Y5 were identified as Pseudomonas sp., Chryseobacterium sp., and Enterobacter sp., respectively. Based on the results of rice germination experiments conducted under combined toxicity, we set the contamination concentrations for Ni 2+ at 20 μg mL -1 and Cd 2+ at 40 μg mL -1 . Then we conducted potting experiments at these concentration levels to study the effects of strains Y3, Y4, and Y5 on rice growth under synergistic Ni and Cd stress. The results indicated that the inoculated strains Y3, Y4, and Y5 were effective in promoting the growth of rice seedlings under the combined stress of Ni and Cd, and conferring tolerance to Ni and Cd by increasing the antioxidant enzyme activities of the seedlings. Among them, strain Y3 exhibited stronger ACC deaminase activity, IAA production capacity, and EPS production capacity, showing the most pronounced growth-promoting effect on rice. It was demonstrated that after inoculation with strain Y3, the germination rate of rice seeds increased by 43 %, the fresh weight of stems improved by 35 %, and the chlorophyll content enhanced by 70 % and other growth-promoting phenomena. Additionally, under Ni and Cd stress, strain Y5 performed better than strain Y4 in terms of IAA production capacity and its influence on rice root growth, suggesting that IAA production might play a specifically essential role in root growth under Ni and Cd stress., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper, (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Soil deterioration is a major cause of poor agricultural productivity, necessitating sufficient nutrient inputs like fertilizers and amendments for sustainable use. As one such strategy, the current study evaluates the potential of Sargassum wightii, a brown seaweed extract, as an osmopriming agent to improve seed germination, early establishment, and competent seedling performances in acidic soil. The elemental makeup of seaweed extract (BS) showed that it included major plant macro (Potassium, Nitrogen and Phosphorous), as well as micronutrients (Magnesium and Iron) and trace elements (Zinc, Copper, and Molybdenum). While seed germination was impacted by H + ion toxicity, seeds primed with BS emerged earlier and showed a higher germination percentage (98.2%) and energy (92.4%). BS treatments enhanced seedling growth by 63% and had a positive effect on root growth (68.2%) as well as increases in root surface area (10%) and volume (67.01%). Stressed seedlings had 76.39% and 63.2% less carotenoid and chlorophyll, respectively. In seedlings treated with BS, an increase in protein and Total Soluble Sugars content of 14.56 and 7.19%, respectively, was seen. Fourier Transform-Infra Red analysis of postharvest soil indicated improved soil health with absorbance corresponding to enhanced soil water holding capacity and organic matter. Increased abscisic acid synthesis rate and associated antioxidant enzyme system (Malondialdehyde, Glutathione peroxidases and ascorbate peroxidase) activation, along with enhanced H + adenosine triphosphate-ase and glutathione activities, help ameliorate and deport H + ions from cells, scavenge Reactive Oxygen Species, thus protecting cells from injury. Seaweed extract successfully reduced H + -induced ion toxicities in rice by promoting their germination, physiological, metabolically, and growth parameters that could ultimately increase their productivity and yield in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Cultivating productive paddy crops on salty soil to maximise production is a challenging approach to meeting the world's growing food demand. Thus, determining salinity tolerance rates in specific paddy cultivars is urgently needed. In this study, the salt tolerance traits of selected paddy cultivars, ADT45 and ADT39, were investigated by analysing germination, metabolites (pigments and biomolecules), and enzymatic (Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT), and Peroxidase (POD) adaptation strategies as salt-stress tolerance mechanisms. This study found that salinity-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) were efficiently detoxified by the antioxidant enzymes Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT), and Peroxidase (POD) in ADT45 paddy varieties, followed by ADT39. Salinity stress had a significant impact on pigments and essential biomolecules in ADT45 and ADT39 paddy cultivars, including total chlorophyll, anthocyanin, carotenoids, ascorbic acid, hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), malondialdehyde, and proline. ADT45 demonstrated a significant relationship between H 2 O 2 and antioxidant enzyme levels, followed by ADT39 paddy but not IR64. Morphological, physiological, and biochemical analyses revealed that ADT45, followed by ADT39, is a potential salt-tolerant rice cultivar., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The novel brominated flame retardant decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) has biological toxicity, persistence, long-range migration and bioaccumulation ability. However, there is currently little research on the phytotoxicity of DBDPE in plants. The perennial herbaceous plant tall fescue (Festuca elata Keng ex E. B. Alexeev) was selected as the model organism for use in seed germination experiments, and the phytotoxicity of DBDPE in the soil of tall fescue was studied. The results indicated that DBDPE had a significant effect on the germination and growth of tall fescue seedlings. Citric acid reduced the stress caused by DBDPE in plants, effectively alleviating the phytotoxicity of DBDPE in tall fescue. The root vitality and protein content significantly increased after the application of citric acid, increasing by 74.93-183.90%, 146.44-147.67%, respectively. The contents of proline and soluble sugars significantly decreased after the application of citric acid, decreasing by 45.18-59.69% and 23.03%, respectively (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in superoxide dismutase (SOD) or peroxidase (POD) activity in tall fescue seedlings, and the catalase (CAT) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were significantly lower after the application of citric acid, decreasing by 64.62-67.91% and 29.10-49.80%, respectively (P < 0.05). Tall fescue seedlings bioaccumulated DBDPE, with biological concentration factors (BCFs) ranging from 4.28 to 18.38 and transfer factors (TFs) ranging from 0.43 to 0.54. This study provides theoretical support for the study of the toxicity of DBDPE to plants and offers a research foundation for exploring the phytoremediation of DBDPE-contaminated soil by tall fescue., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Carbon Dots (CDs) were synthesized from peanut shells (PNS) through pyrolysis and characterized using FTIR, XRD, HRTEM and BET analysis revealing an average size of 2-5 nm with amorphous nature. Synthesized PNS-CDs was employed both as priming and foliar agent for enhancing seed quality and crop productivity in blackgram (Vigna mungo L. Hepper). Different concentrations ranging from 50, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 and 1000 ppm was used for seed priming and 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 50, 75 and 100 ppm were given as foliar spray on 30 th and 45 th days after sowing (DAS). On accounting the best seed priming and foliar spray concentrations, field trial was conducted to validate the optimistic effect of PNS-CDs on blackgram crop productivity. Results revealed that priming with 200 ppm for 3 h exhibited maximum seed imbibition (54%), germination (88%) and vigour index (3165). Whereas, foliar spray with 50 ppm expressed significant improvement in leaf area index (2.6), total chlorophyll (2.70 mg/g), total soluble protein (71 mg/g), Number of nodules/plant (138), seed yield/plant (8.7 g) and 100 seed weight (5 g). The impact of PNS-CDs treatments resulted in increased photosynthetic rate (12.45 µmol CO 2 m -2 s -1 ), transpiration rate (3.13 mmol H 2 O/m -2 s -1 ), stomatal conductance (0.55 mol H 2 O/m -2 s -1 ) and internal leaf CO 2 concentration (652 µmol CO 2 m -2 s -1 ) which ultimately enhanced the photosynthetic efficiency of plants. It has also exhibited a promising effect on the resultant seed in which the combination seed priming (200 ppm) followed by foliar spray (50 ppm) recorded maximum 100 seed weight (4.19 g), germination (97%) and vigour index (3019). Thus, this study highlights the promising role of PNS-CDs as a sustainable and effective agricultural nanomaterial, offering a novel approach to utilize the agricultural waste and also to enhance the crop productivity through advanced non-chemical approach., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Poor seedling germination and growth can result in large financial losses for farmers, thus, there is an urgent need for sustainable agricultural techniques to enhance seed germination and early growth. As an outcome, sustainable agriculture-which emphasizes the smart and effective utilization of resources-has gained popularity worldwide. At numerous levels, the field of nanotechnology is capable of significant benefit in achieving sustainable agricultural practices. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) have been shown to have biostimulatory properties and serve as effective solutions for addressing environmental and biotic stressors. The purpose of this study, investigating Salvadora persica halophytic leaf extract -synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (S-ZnONPs) as nano-priming agents to ensure okra seeds germinated under stress-free conditions. From an application perspective, we examined the effect of seed priming with varying concentrations of S-ZnO NPs (0, 20 and 40 ppm) for 18 and 24 h of soaking. Results indicated that the germination rate of hybrid variety improved with 20 ppm at 18 h, increasing by 58.22%, while mean germination time reduced by 24.62%. An enhancement trend was observed in the shoot, root length, shoot and root fresh weight, shoot and root dry weight of hybrid variety at 20ppm with 18 h priming by 34.2, 84.3, 80.2, 47.4, 50.3, and 36.2%, respectively. However, chlorophyll pigments chl a, chl b, and carotenoids was significantly raised in desi variety by 42.4, 79.31, and 142.29% with 20 ppm at 18 h priming. Hydrogen per oxide decreased up to 87.8% with 40 ppm at 24 h in hybrid variety, while, in desi variety H 2 O 2 was reduced 88.3% with 20 ppm at 24 h. Non enzymatic antioxidant activities such as ascorbic acid, was highly increased 130.6% in hybrid at 24 h priming with 20 ppm dose. Flavonoids raised in same variety by 166.1% with 20 ppm at 18 h. Proline content was increased by 144.5% with 40ppm at 18 h. Moreover, Antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase were significantly increased in both varieties with both levels of S-ZnO NPs and priming time. This cost-effective and environmentally safe technique to produce nanoparticles of different halophytic plants can maximize resource utilization, supporting sustainable agriculture by minimizing adverse environmental effects without compromising efficiency., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Self-incompatibility (SI) poses a significant reproductive barrier, severely impacting the yield, quality, and economic value of Camellia oleifera . In this study, methyl jasmonate (MeJA) was employed as an exogenous stimulus to alleviate SI in C. oleifera . The research findings revealed that an exogenous dose of 1000 μmol·L -1 MeJA enhanced the germination and tube growth of C. oleifera self-pollen and greatly improved ovule penetration (18.75%) and fertilization (15.81%), ultimately increasing fruit setting (18.67%). It was discovered by transcriptome analysis that the key genes ( CAD , C4H ) involved in the lignin production process exhibited elevated expression levels in self-pistils treated with MeJA. Further analysis showed that the lignin concentration in the MeJA-treated pistils was 31.70% higher compared with the control group. As verified by pollen germination assays in vitro, lignin in the appropriate concentration range could promote pollen tube growth. Gene expression network analysis indicated that transcription factor bHLH may be pivotal in regulating lignin biosynthesis in response to MeJA, which in turn affects pollen tubes. Further transient knockdown of bHLH ( Co&#95;33962 ) confirmed its important role in C. oleifera pollen tube growth. In summary, the application of MeJA resulted in the stimulation of self-pollen tube elongation and enhanced fruit setting in C. oleifera , which could be associated with the differential change in genes related to lignin synthesis and the increased lignin content.

Eggplant (Solanum melongena) is moderately sensitive to salinity. Seed priming and exogenous supplementation are technique that enhances germination, growth, and crop yield by overcoming salt stress. Therefore, this study was designed to understand the role of seed priming and copper (Cu) supplementation in modulating salt tolerance in eggplant. When exposed to salt stress, eggplant seedlings showed significantly higher Na +  content, an increased Na/K ratio, prolonged mean germination time, higher relative water loss, more days to flower bud initiation and first flowering, along with decreased germination rate, growth factors, water content, photosynthetic pigments, ionic contents (K + , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ ), and yield. The results demonstrated that the germination rate, final germination percentage, germination index, germination energy, and seed vigor index significantly improved, while the mean germination time decreased in Cu-primed seeds. The results also revealed that Cu supplementations increased seedling traits, leaf water content, photosynthetic pigment contents, ionic contents (K + , Ca 2+ , and Mg 2+ ), and yield while decreasing the contents of Na + , and Na/K ratio, mean germination time, relative water loss, days to flower bud initiation, and days to 1st flowering under salt stress. Germination of seeds, seedlings growth traits, plant water status, plant pigments, yield, and ionic contents with the NaCl and Cu treatments were found to substantially interact with each other according to both hierarchical clustering and PCA. Overall, Cu seed priming and exogenous supplementation emerged as a promising strategy to enhance salt tolerance and promote germination, growth, and yield by regulating water status, photosynthetic pigments, and ion homeostasis in eggplant seedlings under NaCl stress. These findings provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of Cu-mediated stress alleviation in eggplant, with implications for sustainable crop production in saline environments., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Here we investigated the effects of three types of microplastics (MPs), i.e., PS (P), ABS (B), PVC (V), and each with additive (MPAs) (PA, BA, and VA), on soil health, microbial community, and plant growth in two acidic and slightly alkaline soils. Incubation experiment revealed that although MPs and MPAs consistently stimulated soil nutrients and heavy metals (e.g., Mn, Cu) in weakly alkaline soils, only BA and VA led to increase in soil nutrients and heavy metals in acidic soils. This suggests distinct response patterns in the two soils depending on their initial pH. Concerning microorganisms, MPs and MPAs reduced the assembly degree of bacteria in acidic soils, with a reduction of Chloroflexi and Acidobacteriota but an increase of WPS-2 in VA. Culture experiment showed consistent positive or negative responses in radish seed germination, roots, and antioxidant activity across MPs and MPAs types in both soils, while the responses of seed heavy metals (e.g., Cr, Cd) were consistent in acidic soils but dependent on MPs and MPAs types in alkaline soils. Therefore, our study strongly suggests that the effects of MPs on soil-microbial-plant systems were highly dependent on initial soil characteristics and the types of MPs with plastic additives., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) has been used worldwide, but its possible negative effects on macrophytes have been scarcely studied. The main goal of the present work was to assess the potential phytotoxic effects of CPF on different stages (seed and seedling) of the wetland macrophyte Bidens laevis. During the germination of seeds, stimulation of radicle growth at low concentrations of CPF (10 µg/L) and inhibition of its elongation at 80 µg/L CPF were observed. In seedlings, concentrations ≤ 160 µg/L CPF did not exhibit adverse effects on growth after 7 days of exposure, despite the decrease of photosynthetic pigments and carotenoids observed at 40 µg/L CPF compared to the control. Environmentally relevant concentrations of CPF altered neither oxidative stress biomarkers nor pigment contents in seedlings exposed for 48 h, suggesting CPF would be non-toxic to B. laevis in natural scenarios., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Root parasitic plants in the Orobanchaceae, such as Striga and Orobanche, cause significant damage to crop production. The germination step of these root parasitic plants is induced by host-root-derived strigolactones. After germination, the radicles elongate toward the host and invade the host root. We have previously discovered that a simple amino acid, tryptophan (Trp), as well as its metabolite, the plant hormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), can inhibit radicle elongation of Orobanche minor. These results suggest that auxin plays a crucial role in the radicle elongation step in root parasitic plants. In this report, we used various auxin chemical probes to dissect the auxin function in the radicle growth of O. minor and Striga hermonthica. We found that synthetic auxins inhibited radicle elongation. In addition, auxin receptor antagonist, auxinole, rescued the inhibition of radicle growth by exogenous IAA. Moreover, a polar transport inhibitor of auxin, N-1-naphthylphthalamic acid, affected radicle bending. We also proved that exogenously applied Trp is converted into IAA in O. minor seeds, and auxinole partly rescued this radicle elongation. Taken together, our data demonstrate a pivotal role for auxin in radicle growth. Thus, manipulation of auxin function in root parasitic plants should offer a useful approach to combat these parasites., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site–for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)