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Plant growth monitoring techniques are of great interest to agricultural engineering. The interaction between root and soil water is one important plant response to environmental variations. This paper aims to develop a new method to estimate plant biological response using root-soil water interaction. It provides a case study on moisture transfer at the boundary area of a soil water retention zone (SWRZ). We produced a SWRZ around growing roots of a cultivated tomato plant in homogenous dried soil using water-saving drip irrigation. The irrigation was designed to supply moisture only in the root zone to meet the minimum need of plant growth. High-resolution soil moisture sensors were used to detect moisture transfer at the boundary area of the SWRZ. We applied frequency analysis to the acquired vibration spectrum using filtering and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) in order to investigate the frequency content at each sensor location. Distinct frequencies of moisture vibration were identified at the boundary area of the SWRZ which indicated water transfer to the roots caused by plant water absorption. A mechanical vibration model was proposed to describe this phenomenon. The pinpoint irrigation to the root zone in the water-saving cultivation method enabled a well-structured spherical root system to form via hydrotropism. This enabled a simple method to analyze moisture transfer based on a mechanical vibration model. The results suggest a new method to estimate plant biological response by studying root-soil water interaction.

Simple Summary: The current review article focused on the complex interaction between plant hormones and transcription factors in the response to salt stress, a pressing global issue that has a considerable effect on agricultural productivity. The study unveils the effect of salt stress on the ion equilibrium and triggers a cascade of molecular reactions that have a response to plant growth and development. Transcription factors are essential in regulating gene expression under salt stress. The transcription factors function in collaboration with hormones to regulate environmental stress responses. The study sheds light on the underlying regulatory networks, thus providing crucial knowledge for cultivating salt-tolerant crops through selective breeding and genetic engineering. This review significantly contributes to the establishment of sustainable agricultural techniques, which are essential in addressing the increasing problem of soil salinization and securing global food security. The negative impacts of soil salinization on ion homeostasis provide a significant global barrier to agricultural production and development. Plant physiology and biochemistry are severely affected by primary and secondary NaCl stress impacts, which damage cellular integrity, impair water uptake, and trigger physiological drought. Determining how transcriptional factors (TFs) and hormone networks are regulated in plants in response to salt stress is necessary for developing crops that tolerate salt. This study investigates the complex mechanisms of several significant TF families that influence plant responses to salt stress, involving AP2/ERF, bZIP, NAC, MYB, and WRKY. It demonstrates how these transcription factors (TFs) help plants respond to the detrimental effects of salinity by modulating gene expression through mechanisms including hormone signaling, osmotic stress pathway activation, and ion homeostasis. Additionally, it explores the hormonal imbalances triggered by salt stress, which entail complex interactions among phytohormones like jasmonic acid (JA), salicylic acid (SA), and abscisic acid (ABA) within the hormonal regulatory networks. This review highlights the regulatory role of key transcription factors in salt-stress response, and their interaction with plant hormones is crucial for developing genome-edited crops that can enhance agricultural sustainability and address global food security challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the emphasis is on assessing how satellite-derived vegetation indices respond to drought stress characterized by meteorological observations. This study aimed to understand the dynamics of grassland vegetation and assess the impact of drought in the Wielkopolskie (PL41) and Podlaskie (PL84) regions of Poland. Spatial and temporal characteristics of grassland dynamics regarding drought occurrences from 2020 to 2023 were examined. Pearson correlation coefficients with standard errors were used to analyze vegetation indices, including NDVI, NDII, NDWI, and NDDI, in response to drought, characterized by the meteorological parameter the Hydrothermal Coefficient of Selyaninov (HTC), along with ground-based soil moisture measurements (SM). Among the vegetation indices studied, NDDI showed the strongest correlations with HTC at r = −0.75, R2 = 0.56, RMSE = 1.58, and SM at r = −0.82, R2 = 0.67, and RMSE = 16.33. The results indicated drought severity in 2023 within grassland fields in Wielkopolskie. Spatial–temporal analysis of NDDI revealed that approximately 50% of fields were at risk of drought during the initial decades of the growing season in 2023. Drought conditions intensified, notably in western Poland, while grasslands in northeastern Poland showed resilience to drought. These findings provide valuable insights for individual farmers through web and mobile applications, assisting in the development of strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of drought on grasslands and thereby reduce associated losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: New defense elicitor peptides have been identified which control Xylella fastidiosa infections in almond. Xylella fastidiosa is a plant pathogenic bacterium that has been introduced in the European Union (EU), threatening the agricultural economy of relevant Mediterranean crops such as almond (Prunus dulcis). Plant defense elicitor peptides would be promising to manage diseases such as almond leaf scorch, but their effect on the host has not been fully studied. In this work, the response of almond plants to the defense elicitor peptide flg22-NH2 was studied in depth using RNA-seq, confirming the activation of the salicylic acid and abscisic acid pathways. Marker genes related to the response triggered by flg22-NH2 were used to study the effect of the application strategy of the peptide on almond plants and to depict its time course. The application of flg22-NH2 by endotherapy triggered the highest number of upregulated genes, especially at 6 h after the treatment. A library of peptides that includes BP100-flg15, HpaG23, FV7, RIJK2, PIP-1, Pep13, BP16-Pep13, flg15-BP100 and BP16 triggered a stronger defense response in almond plants than flg22-NH2. The best candidate, FV7, when applied by endotherapy on almond plants inoculated with X. fastidiosa, significantly reduced levels of the pathogen and decreased disease symptoms. Therefore, these novel plant defense elicitors are suitable candidates to manage diseases caused by X. fastidiosa, in particular almond leaf scorch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Swiss chard is a rich dietary source of bioactive betalain pigments responsible of the red colour of the plant's organs and of phenolic compounds having recognized antioxidant properties. Vegetable colour and appearance, as the first characteristics perceived, are important quality attributes that influence the consumer's acceptance. Currently, elicitation based on growth plant regulator supply is considered in most cases a useful strategy to enhance the sensorial and nutritional value of dietary plants. Thus, this study aimed to assess the impact of salicylic acid application on Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L. ssp. cicla) grown, isolated and under water shortage, in relation to physiological and qualitative parameters throughout cultivation and at harvest. Different effects were observed depending on the type and interaction of stress-inducing treatments. Positive effects consisted in highest chlorophyll (r.u.) (+19–40 %) carotenoids (+34–48 %), and phenolic contents (+2–42 %) in leaves when treatments were applied isolated or in combination, which also led to high sugar levels in plants (up to 380 %). Negative effects included the reduction of biomass production (−40 %), leaf size (−38 %), and betalain content (-7-27 %), especially with combined treatments. Nitrate accumulation was not affected but salicylic acid induced a reduction in proline levels probably due to increased carbohydrate and nitrate metabolisms in regulating water deficit.

Environmental toxins pose significant threats to ecosystems and human health. Monitoring and assessing these toxins are crucial for effective environmental management and public health protection. Recently, plant species have garnered increasing attention as potential bioindicators for identifying and evaluating ecological toxins. Since plants often come into touch with harmful compounds in soil, water, and the atmosphere, they are particularly valuable for analyzing how human activities influence the terrestrial ecosystem, the aquatic system, and the atmosphere. This review paper emphasizes using plant species as a resource for tracking environmental pollution and analyzing contaminants. We focused on plants because they are significant indicators of soil, water, and air quality changes. Many plants have been used as bio-indicators to assess and predict pollution, toxicity, and environmental changes. These include Allium cepa, Vicia faba, Pisum sativum, Zea mays, Nicotiana tabacum, lichens, and mosses. The idea of bioindicators is discussed in the current paper, with a focus on plants as possible candidates for bioindicators for toxin assessment and related outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants regularly encounter various environmental stresses such as salt, drought, cold, heat, heavy metals and pathogens, leading to changes in their proteome. Of these, a post-translational modification, SUMOylation is particularly significant for its extensive involvement in regulating various plant molecular processes to counteract these external stressors. Small ubiquitin-like modifiers (SUMO) protein modification significantly contributes to various plant functions, encompassing growth, development and response to environmental stresses. The SUMO system has a limited number of ligases even in fully sequenced plant genomes but SUMO E3 ligases are pivotal in recognising substrates during the process of SUMOylation. E3 ligases play pivotal roles in numerous biological and developmental processes in plants, including DNA repair, photomorphogenesis, phytohormone signalling and responses to abiotic and biotic stress. A considerable number of targets for E3 ligases are proteins implicated in reactions to abiotic and biotic stressors. This review sheds light on how plants respond to environmental stresses by focusing on recent findings on the role of SUMO E3 ligases, contributing to a better understanding of how plants react at a molecular level to such stressors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accumulation of polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) in soil has raised considerable concerns; however, the effects of their persistence and mitigation on agroecosystems have not been explored. This study aimed to assess the detrimental effects of PE-MPs on a soil-plant system and evaluate their mitigation using a novel microbial consortium (MC). We incorporated low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) at two different concentrations, along with a control (0 %, 1 %, and 2 % w/w) into the sandy loam soil for a duration of 135 days. The samples were also treated with a novel MC and incubated for 135 days. The MC comprised three bacterial strains (Ralstonia pickettii (MW290933) strain SHAn2, Pseudomonas putida strain ShA, and Lysinibacillus xylanilyticus XDB9 (T) strain S7–10F), and a fungal strain (Aspergillus niger strain F1–16S). Sunflowers were subsequently cultivated, and physiological growth parameters were measured. The results showed that adding 2 % LDPE significantly decreased soil pH by 1.06 units compared to the control. Moreover, adding 2 % HDPE resulted in a more significant decrease in soil electrical conductivity (EC) relative to LDPE and the control. A dose-dependent increase in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was observed, with the highest DOC found in 2 % LDPE. The addition of higher dosages of LDPE reduced soil bulk density (BD) more than HDPE. The addition of 2 % HDPE increased the water drop penetration time (WDPT) but decreased the mean weight diameter of soil aggregates (MWD) and water-stable aggregates (WSA) compared to LDPE. The results also revealed that higher levels of LDPE enhanced soil basal respiration (BR) and microbial carbon biomass (MBC). The interaction of MC and higher MP percentages considerably reduced soil pH, EC, BD, and WDPT but significantly increased soil DOC, MWD, WSA, BR, and MBC. Regarding plant growth, incorporating 2 % PE-MPs significantly reduced physiological responses of sunflower: chlorophyll content (Chl; −15.2 %), Fv/Fm ratio (-25.3 %), shoot dry weight (ShD; −31.3 %), root dry weight (RD; −40 %), leaf area (LA; −38.4 %), and stem diameter (StemD; −25 %) compared to the control; however, the addition of novel MC considerably reduced and ameliorated the harmful effects of 2 % PE-MPs on the investigated plant growth responses.

Environmental toxins pose significant threats to ecosystems and human health. Monitoring and assessing these toxins are crucial for effective environmental management and public health protection. Recently, plant species have garnered increasing attention as potential bioindicators for identifying and evaluating ecological toxins. Since plants often come into touch with harmful compounds in soil, water, and the atmosphere, they are particularly valuable for analyzing how human activities influence the terrestrial ecosystem, the aquatic system, and the atmosphere. This review paper emphasizes using plant species as a resource for tracking environmental pollution and analyzing contaminants. We focused on plants because they are significant indicators of soil, water, and air quality changes. Many plants have been used as bio-indicators to assess and predict pollution, toxicity, and environmental changes. These include Allium cepa, Vicia faba, Pisum sativum, Zea mays, Nicotiana tabacum, lichens, and mosses. The idea of bioindicators is discussed in the current paper, with a focus on plants as possible candidates for bioindicators for toxin assessment and related outcomes.

Sulfur (S), one of the crucial macronutrients, plays a pivotal role in fundamental plant processes and the regulation of diverse metabolic pathways. Additionally, it has a major function in plant protection against adverse conditions by enhancing tolerance, often interacting with other molecules to counteract stresses. Despite its significance, a thorough comprehension of how plants regulate S nutrition and particularly the involvement of phytohormones in this process remains elusive. Phytohormone signaling pathways crosstalk to modulate growth and developmental programs in a multifactorial manner. Additionally, S availability regulates the growth and development of plants through molecular mechanisms intertwined with phytohormone signaling pathways. Conversely, many phytohormones influence or alter S metabolism within interconnected pathways. S metabolism is closely associated with phytohormones such as abscisic acid (ABA), auxin (AUX), brassinosteroids (BR), cytokinins (CK), ethylene (ET), gibberellic acid (GA), jasmonic acid (JA), salicylic acid (SA), and strigolactones (SL). This review provides a summary of the research concerning the impact of phytohormones on S metabolism and, conversely, how S availability affects hormonal signaling. Although numerous molecular details are yet to be fully understood, several core signaling components have been identified at the crossroads of S and major phytohormonal pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change significantly increases salt and heat stress in rice plants. This condition causes plants to activate antioxidant enzymes and produce secondary metabolites. This study aimed to determine the morpho-physiological changes and gene expression profiles of antioxidant enzymes and secondary metabolites. This study used a completely randomized design factorial. The first factor was local rice varieties (IR64, Silaun, and Cigeulis), and the second factor was stress treatments (control, NaCl 150 mM, 40°C, and NaCl 150 mM + 40°C). The results showed that multiple stress significantly affected the plant height, stem length, stem diameter, leaf area, root length, total main root, plant biomass, necrotic length, chlorophyll content, relative water content, and plant ROS production. Multiple stress could up-regulate the gene expression of antioxidant enzymes (Mn-SOD, Cu/Zn SOD, Cytosolic APX, OsAPX1, CAT, OsCATA, and GPOD) in rice after stress combination treatments and increase the secondary metabolites gene expression (P5CS and GABA-T) in all rice varieties. Still, the OsNOMT gene was only active in the Cigeulis variety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among legumes, lentil serves as an imperative source of dietary proteins and are considered an important pillar of global food and nutritional security. The crop is majorly cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions and exposed to different abiotic stresses. Drought stress is a polygenic stress that poses a major threat to the crop productivity of lentils. It negatively influenced the seed emergence, water relations traits, photosynthetic machinery, metabolites, seed development, quality, and yield in lentil. Plants develop several complex physiological and molecular protective mechanisms for tolerance against drought stress. These complicated networks are enabled to enhance the cellular potential to survive under extreme water-scarce conditions. As a result, proper drought stress-mitigating novel and modern approaches are required to improve lentil productivity. The currently existing biotechnological techniques such as transcriptomics, genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/cas9), and detection of QTLs (quantitative trait loci), proteins, and genes responsible for drought tolerance have gained appreciation among plant breeders for developing climate-resilient lentil varieties. In this review, we critically elaborate the impact of drought on lentil, mechanisms employed by plants to tolerate drought, and the contribution of omics approaches in lentils for dealing with drought, providing deep insights to enhance lentil productivity and improve resistance against abiotic stresses. We hope this updated review will directly help the lentil breeders to develop resistance against drought stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the emphasis is on assessing how satellite-derived vegetation indices respond to drought stress characterized by meteorological observations. This study aimed to understand the dynamics of grassland vegetation and assess the impact of drought in the Wielkopolskie (PL41) and Podlaskie (PL84) regions of Poland. Spatial and temporal characteristics of grassland dynamics regarding drought occurrences from 2020 to 2023 were examined. Pearson correlation coefficients with standard errors were used to analyze vegetation indices, including NDVI, NDII, NDWI, and NDDI, in response to drought, characterized by the meteorological parameter the Hydrothermal Coefficient of Selyaninov (HTC), along with ground-based soil moisture measurements (SM). Among the vegetation indices studied, NDDI showed the strongest correlations with HTC at r = −0.75, R2 = 0.56, RMSE = 1.58, and SM at r = −0.82, R2 = 0.67, and RMSE = 16.33. The results indicated drought severity in 2023 within grassland fields in Wielkopolskie. Spatial–temporal analysis of NDDI revealed that approximately 50% of fields were at risk of drought during the initial decades of the growing season in 2023. Drought conditions intensified, notably in western Poland, while grasslands in northeastern Poland showed resilience to drought. These findings provide valuable insights for individual farmers through web and mobile applications, assisting in the development of strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of drought on grasslands and thereby reduce associated losses.

The negative impacts of soil salinization on ion homeostasis provide a significant global barrier to agricultural production and development. Plant physiology and biochemistry are severely affected by primary and secondary NaCl stress impacts, which damage cellular integrity, impair water uptake, and trigger physiological drought. Determining how transcriptional factors (TFs) and hormone networks are regulated in plants in response to salt stress is necessary for developing crops that tolerate salt. This study investigates the complex mechanisms of several significant TF families that influence plant responses to salt stress, involving AP2/ERF, bZIP, NAC, MYB, and WRKY. It demonstrates how these transcription factors (TFs) help plants respond to the detrimental effects of salinity by modulating gene expression through mechanisms including hormone signaling, osmotic stress pathway activation, and ion homeostasis. Additionally, it explores the hormonal imbalances triggered by salt stress, which entail complex interactions among phytohormones like jasmonic acid (JA), salicylic acid (SA), and abscisic acid (ABA) within the hormonal regulatory networks. This review highlights the regulatory role of key transcription factors in salt-stress response, and their interaction with plant hormones is crucial for developing genome-edited crops that can enhance agricultural sustainability and address global food security challenges.

Abstract To meet the global food demand while maintaining the minimum possible negative impacts on the soil, air, and water, sustainable and precise agricultural practices are essential. The efficient use of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) can replace conventional fertilizers and pesticides, subsequently minimizing the environmental impact of agricultural approaches. Slow-release or controlled-release nitrogenous fertilizers may enhance crop productivity while alleviating agro-environmental constraints. Nitrogen is the essential element which limits worldwide agricultural production. Despite numerous efforts, the N-use efficiency (NUE) in agriculture remains around 50%. The ongoing investigation of novel approaches has resulted in the synthesis of innovative nanomaterials (NMs), providing a potent mechanism for the development of unique element characteristics. The most promising engineered materials being explored, whether for soil or foliar applications, is nanofertilizers. Although not much is known about the usage of NFs, significant results have been observed in various plant species. Granular fertilizers are commonly applied to the soil for the nitrogen requirement of plants. These fertilizers may cause more losses due to the surface runoff or leaching with ammonia volatilization and N oxides (N2O, NO, NOx) emissions. n-NFs are expected to improve NUE by increasing the efficiency of N delivery to plants and minimizing N losses to the environment. A chance to use n-NFs in plants may arise in unique conditions with increasing economic and environmental limitations. This article highlights the possible application of n-NFs as a novel strategy to ensure NUE with the reduction in N losses to the environment, including addressing its potential for sustainable agriculture. Graphical Abstract

To investigate the physiological status of plant following the application of a mixture of organic residues, nitrogen-rich meat powder and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) powder mixed in different proportions as fertilizers were applied to the soil of a hilly area to cultivate young walnut trees under drought and wet soil conditions, respectively. The results showed that the nitrogen-rich fertilizer treatments could significantly increase the soil water content (SWC), soil organic matter (SOM), soil organic carbon (SOC), and soil organic nitrogen (SON), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total potassium (TK), available nitrogen (AN), available P (AP), available K (AK), a high soil organic carbon/nitrogen ratio under soil drought conditions. Moreover, they also significantly improved the soil nutrients contents of Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn, especially Ca and Mg in dry soil. Consequently, this nutrient-rich soil greatly promoted the plant branching and thickening with a high net leaf photosynthesis rate (Pn), water use efficiency (WUE), a low transpiration (Tr) under soil drought conditions. We proposed that high soil carbon/nitrogen ratio improved by applying nitrogen-rich fertilizers might weaken top shoot growth and regulate the plant branching and thickening of young walnut trees under deficit irrigation conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pesticides have been an integral part of modern agriculture as their use ensures good harvests. However, excessive use of pesticides in the last few decades has caused significant environmental degradation. Moreover, excessive use of pesticides causes stress on crops and non-target plants and exhibits toxicity to other organisms including mammals, microbes, and insects. Plants employ various morphological, physiological, and biochemical mechanisms to reduce pesticides toxicity. One such mechanism is production of secondary metabolites that improves stress tolerance of plants. In addition, recent studies have also highlighted a potential role of plasma technology in mitigating various abiotic and biotic environmental stresses. Besides, plasma treatment improves seed germination, physiological processes, and seedling establishment during the early growth stages of a plant under adverse and non-adverse conditions and thus can be used an alternate to the pesticide treatment. This review article summarizes recent advancements in understanding the synthesis, accumulation, and transportation of secondary metabolites which have significant relevance to crop improvement programs. We also present an overview of the effects of plasma treatment on phytopathogenic bacterial cell suspensions and plant responses to metabolic activity. In the future, researchers need to develop innovative ideas to reduce the use of chemical pesticides in farming practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The natural environment of plants comprises a complex set of various abiotic stresses and their capability to react and survive under this anticipated changing climate is highly flexible and involves a series of balanced interactions between signaling molecules where nitric oxide becomes a crucial component. In this article, we focussed on the role of nitric oxide (NO) in various signal transduction pathways of plants and its positive impact on maintaining cellular homeostasis under various abiotic stresses. Besides this, the recent data on interactions of NO with various phytohormones to control physiological and biochemical processes to attain abiotic stress tolerance have also been considered. These crosstalks modulate the plant's defense mechanism and help in alleviating the negative impact of stress. While focusing on the diverse functions of NO, an effort has been made to explore the functions of NO-mediated post-translational modifications, such as the N-end rule pathway, tyrosine nitration, and S-nitrosylation which revealed the exact mechanism and characterization of proteins that modify various metabolic processes in stressed conditions. Considering all of these factors, the present review emphasizes the role of NO and its interlinking with various phytohormones in maintaining developmental processes in plants, specifically under unfavorable environments. [Display omitted] • Generative mechanism and physiological functioning of NO in plants. • Participation of NO in response mechanisms of plants under different abiotic stress. • Deciphering communicative responses between different phytohormones and NO during abiotic stress. • S-nitrosylation, tyrosine nitration, and N-end rule mechanism are the reliable footprints of NO-mediated molecular modifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In savannas, fire and herbivores are important drivers of natural ecosystem processes. Fire is also used intensively for management purposes. However, reported fire effects differ between studies. Reasons for these differences are still poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effects of fire on leaf chemistry of grasses and woody plants in the savanna of the Busanga Flood Plain, Zambia, in relation to the time elapsed between plant sampling and the last fire (fire age) and the frequency of fires during the last 16 years (fire recurrence). We analyzed leaves for their nitrogen, carbon, and fiber concentrations, and estimated their metabolizable energy content, reflecting feed quality for browsers and grazers. Grasses and woody plants differed in all chemical components and showed different responses to fire. Grass quality was higher at sites burnt in the year of sample collection than at sites burnt only in previous years, but did not change under different fire recurrences. Leaves of woody plants did not differ in relation to fire age but their quality increased with increasing fire recurrence. In woody plants, the carbon content responded to the interaction between fire age and fire recurrence, indicating changes in carbon allocation in response to fire. Thus, burning increased feed quality for grazers and browsers but on different temporal scales. The scale effects may contribute to the differences in resource allocation described by different studies. They merit more attention in management decisions as well as in future studies on fire effects in savanna systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractManagement of disease by using agrochemicals has possessed serious issues and threats to food safety and environment due to excess use. The management of diseases by enhancing resistance or tolerance through plant nutrition contributes to food safety as well as sustainable and integrated disease management. Further, these nutrients optimize yield. Utilization of nutrients in disease management requires the knowledge of their association with plant defence mechanisms. This review describes the association of Zinc (Zn) in developing a plant’s defence mechanism and reducing the severity of diseases. It was found that Zn plays an important role in the functioning of enzymes/proteins like alcohol dehydrogenase, superoxide dismutases, metallothionein and zinc-finger proteins involved in plants’ response to pathogens. Zn supply increases the expression of various antioxidant systems detoxifying the harmful level of free radicals upon infection. Zn enhances the signalling of various defence pathways like salicylic acid-dependent pathways and jasmonic acid/ethylene-dependent pathways as well as improves membrane integrity assisting in defence against pathogens’ attack. A deficiency of Zn makes a plant susceptible to infection due to a deprived condition while an excess level negatively impacts growth and defence due to toxicity. Thus, high and non-toxic levels of Zn supply can be beneficial in enhancing a plant’s defence responses which depend on the nature of the plant and its interaction with pathogens. This study provides a basis for the exploration of the negative relationship between nutrient management and plant diseases.

The last decade has seen a proliferation of studies that use plant functional traits to assess how plants respond to climate change. However, it remains unclear whether there is a global set of traits that can predict plants’ ability to cope or even thrive when exposed to varying manifestations of climate change. We conducted a systematic global review which identified 148 studies to assess whether there is a set of common traits across biomes that best predict positive plant responses to multiple climate changes and associated environmental changes.  Eight key traits appear to best predict positive plant responses to multiple climate/environmental changes across biomes: lower or higher specific leaf area (SLA), lower or higher plant height, greater water-use efficiency (WUE), greater resprouting ability, lower relative growth rate, greater clonality/bud banks/below-ground storage, higher wood density, and greater rooting depth. Trait attributes associated with positive responses appear relatively consistent within biomes and climate/environmental changes, except for SLA and plant height, where both lower and higher trait attributes are associated with a positive response depending on the biome and climate/environmental change considered.  Overall, our findings illustrate important and general trait-climate responses within and between biomes that help us understand which plant phenotypes may cope with or thrive under current and future climate change.

To meet the global food demand while maintaining the minimum possible negative impacts on the soil, air, and water, sustainable and precise agricultural practices are essential. The efficient use of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) can replace conventional fertilizers and pesticides, subsequently minimizing the environmental impact of agricultural approaches. Slow-release or controlled-release nitrogenous fertilizers may enhance crop productivity while alleviating agro-environmental constraints. Nitrogen is the essential element which limits worldwide agricultural production. Despite numerous efforts, the N-use efficiency (NUE) in agriculture remains around 50%. The ongoing investigation of novel approaches has resulted in the synthesis of innovative nanomaterials (NMs), providing a potent mechanism for the development of unique element characteristics. The most promising engineered materials being explored, whether for soil or foliar applications, is nanofertilizers. Although not much is known about the usage of NFs, significant results have been observed in various plant species. Granular fertilizers are commonly applied to the soil for the nitrogen requirement of plants. These fertilizers may cause more losses due to the surface runoff or leaching with ammonia volatilization and N oxides (N2O, NO, NOx) emissions. n-NFs are expected to improve NUE by increasing the efficiency of N delivery to plants and minimizing N losses to the environment. A chance to use n-NFs in plants may arise in unique conditions with increasing economic and environmental limitations. This article highlights the possible application of n-NFs as a novel strategy to ensure NUE with the reduction in N losses to the environment, including addressing its potential for sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this study is to find relevant analytic fingerprints for plants' structural characterization using spectroscopic techniques and thermogravimetric analyses (TGAs) as alternative methods, particularized on cabbage treated with selenium–baker's yeast vinasse formulation (Se-VF) included in a foliar fertilizer formula. The hypothesis investigated is that Se-VF will induce significant structural changes compared with the control, analytically confirming the biofortification of selenium-enriched cabbage as a nutritive vegetable, and particularly the plant biostimulant effects of the applied Se-VF formulation on cabbage grown in the field. The TGA evidenced a structural transformation of the molecular building blocks in the treated cabbage leaves. The ash residues increased after treatment, suggesting increased mineral accumulation in leaves. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) evidenced a pectin–Iα-cellulose structure of cabbage that correlated with each other in terms of leaf crystallinity. FTIR analysis suggested the accumulation of unesterified pectin and possibly (seleno) glucosinolates and an increased network of hydrogen bonds. The treatment with Se-VF formulation induced a significant increase in the soluble fibers of the inner leaves, accompanied by a decrease in the insoluble fibers. The ratio of soluble/insoluble fibers correlated with the crystallinity determined by XRD and with the FTIR data. The employed analytic techniques can find practical applications as fast methods in studies of the effects of new agrotechnical practices, while in our particular case study, they revealed effects specific to plant biostimulants of the Se-VF formulation treatment: enhanced mineral utilization and improved quality traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant response to drought is an important yield-related trait under abiotic stress, but the method for measuring and modeling plant responses in a time series has not been fully established. The objective of this study was to develop a method to measure and model plant response to irrigation changes using time-series multispectral (MS) data. We evaluated 178 soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) accessions under three irrigation treatments at the Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, Japan in 2019, 2020 and 2021. The irrigation treatments included W5: watering for 5 d followed by no watering 5 d, W10:watering for 10 d followed by no watering 10 d, D10: no watering for 10 d followed by watering 10 d, and D: no watering. To capture the plant responses to irrigation changes, time-series MS data were collected by unmanned aerial vehicle during the irrigation/non-irrigation switch of each irrigation treatment. We built a random regression model (RRM) for each of combination of treatment by year using the time-series MS data. To test the accuracy of the information captured by RRM, we evaluated the coefficient of variation (CV) of fresh shoot weight of all accessions under a total of nine different drought conditions as an indicator of plant's stability under drought stresses. We built a genomic prediction model (MTRRM model) using the genetic random regression coefficients of RRM as secondary traits and evaluated the accuracy of each model for predicting CV. In 2020 and 2021, the mean prediction accuracies of MTRRM models built in the changing irrigation treatments (r = 0.44 and 0.49, respectively) were higher than that in the continuous drought treatment (r = 0.34 and 0.44, respectively) in the same year. When the CV was predicted using the MTRRM model across 2020 and 2021 in the changing irrigation treatment, the mean prediction accuracy (r = 0.46) was 42% higher than that of the simple genomic prediction model (r =0.32). The results suggest that this RRM method using the time-series MS data can effectively capture the genetic variation of plant response to drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropospheric ozone, a phytotoxic air pollutant, has inadvertently increased since industrial era and its effect on agricultural crops has gained urgent scientific attention. The present study aims to evaluate the response of blackgram varieties (Vigna mungo L.) exposed to elevated ozone stress (100 ppb) with antiozonant (Ethylene diurea at 300 ppm). The study was conducted during two seasons and the effectiveness of ethylene diurea (EDU) was explored in terms of plant physiology, biochemistry, antioxidant enzymes, growth, yield and spectral reflectance of blackgram varieties. Ethylene diurea ameliorates the ozone stress by increasing photosynthetic rate by 40.78 and 37.21% in season I and 43.03 and 35.77% in season II for VBN3 and VBN8, respectively, and antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase by 24.31 and 19.42% in season I and 22.59 and 18.59% in season II for VBN3 and VBN8, respectively. The growth indices and yield traits were significantly increased with the application of EDU and the effect was more pronounced in sensitive cultivar (VBN3) compared to the tolerant (VBN8) one. Spectral reflectance, a non-destructive study, further validates the effect of tropospheric ozone on blackgram varieties. Newly identified spectral indices [R566, R573], and [R564, R586] demonstrated the greatest potential in detecting ozone sensitivity of blackgram varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus (P) is one of the essential minerals for many biochemical and physiological responses in all biota, especially in plants. P deficiency negatively affects plant performance such as root growth and metabolism and plant yield. Mutualistic interactions with the rhizosphere microbiome can assist plants in accessing the available P in soil and its uptake. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of plant--microbe interactions that facilitate P uptake by the plant. We focus on the role of soil biodiversity in improved P uptake by the plant, especially under drought conditions. P-dependent responses are regulated by phosphate starvation response (PSR). PSR not only modulates the plant responses to P deficiency in abiotic stresses but also activates valuable soil microbes which provide accessible P. The drought-tolerant P-solubilizing bacteria are appropriate for P mobilization, which would be an eco-friendly manner to promote plant growth and tolerance, especially in extreme environments. This review summarizes plant--microbe interactions that improve P uptake by the plant and brings important insights into the ways to improve P cycling in arid and semi-arid ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to climate change, natural hazards have increased around the world. One of these hazards is dust storms, which cause problems for people in arid and semi-arid regions. The inherent properties of dust particles can affect the atmospheric, oceanic, and continental climate systems. The leaf surface of plants constantly absorbs particulate matter, which helps to improve air quality. However, plants can also be affected by the accumulation of particulate matter. This article reviews research on how dust affects the morphological, physiological, and biochemical properties of tree leaves. The ability of vegetation to capture and retain atmospheric particulate matter depends directly on the interactions between particulate matter and plant surfaces. Atmospheric dust places additional stress on plants because they often respond to atmospheric pollution in a manner similar to drought and other environmental stresses. However, the extent to which leaf properties are affected by particulate matter is still controversial. Dust impacts on morpho-anatomical characteristics of the leaf. Young leaves with soft tissues are more vulnerable than rigid leaves. High-trichome leaf can keep more dust causing necrosis and chlorosis on the leaf. Fine particles with sizes of about 2.5 μm can penetrate inside the leaves' tissues through the stomata leading to the degradation of chloroplast and pigments. With reduction in plant photosynthesis, a change will happen in wood cellular features by affecting the cambium. The lack of basic information on changes in plant structure, as well as the role dust plays in life cycles, is a challenge for developing management protocols and research plans on this problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed at exploring the plant functional traits whose responses to drought or salinity are altered by the presence of arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM). We performed a meta-analysis across 114 articles spanning 110 plant species or cultivars. We quantified the size effect of AM symbiosis on the stress response of several functional traits, using linear mixed model analysis (LMM). Correlation analysis between functional traits and total biomass responses to stresses were also performed through LMM. The literature search and further selection yielded seven functional traits, extracted from 114 laboratory studies, including 888 observations and 110 plant species/cultivars. Evidence for significant effects of predictor variables (type of stress, AM symbiosis and/or their interaction) on functional trait response were found for leaf area ratio (LAR), root mass fraction (RMF) and root–shoot (R:S) ratio. Our results provided evidence to accept the hypothesis that AM fungal inoculation may reduce the stress response of these plant functional traits by decreasing its magnitude. We also found a weak correlation between stress responses of these traits and total biomass variation. Although our literature search and data collection were intensive and our results robust, the scope of our conclusions is limited by the agronomical bias of plant species targeted by the meta-analysis. Further knowledge on non-cultivable plant species and better understanding of the mechanisms ruling resources allocation in plants would allow more generalised conclusions. As response to environmental stresses, plants usually change the relationships between morphology and biomass of their organs. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi generally improves plant water and nutrient acquisition, therefore, plants would have lower stress responses. Our results from a meta-analysis (mostly including crop species) showed that AM fungi may reduce the response to salinity and drought of functional traits related to the biomass partition between above and below soil organs, which would have agricultural implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus (P) is one of the essential minerals for many biochemical and physiological responses in all biota, especially in plants. P deficiency negatively affects plant performance such as root growth and metabolism and plant yield. Mutualistic interactions with the rhizosphere microbiome can assist plants in accessing the available P in soil and its uptake. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of plant–microbe interactions that facilitate P uptake by the plant. We focus on the role of soil biodiversity in improved P uptake by the plant, especially under drought conditions. P-dependent responses are regulated by phosphate starvation response (PSR). PSR not only modulates the plant responses to P deficiency in abiotic stresses but also activates valuable soil microbes which provide accessible P. The drought-tolerant P-solubilizing bacteria are appropriate for P mobilization, which would be an eco-friendly manner to promote plant growth and tolerance, especially in extreme environments. This review summarizes plant–microbe interactions that improve P uptake by the plant and brings important insights into the ways to improve P cycling in arid and semi-arid ecosystems.

The current work is an extensive review addressing the effects of heavy metals in major pulse crops such as Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), Pea (Pisum sativum L.), Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.), Mung bean (Vigna radiata L.), Black gram (Vigna mungo L.) and Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.). Pulses are important contributors to the global food supply in the world, due to their vast beneficial properties in providing protein, nutritional value and health benefits to the human population. Several studies have reported that heavy metals are injurious to plants causing inhibition in plant germination, a decrease in the root and shoot length, reduction in respiration rate and photosynthesis. Properly disposing of heavy metal wastes has become an increasingly difficult task to solve in developed countries. Heavy metals pose one of the substantial constraints to pulse crops growth and productivity even at low concentrations. This article attempts to present the morphological, biochemical and various physiological changes induced on the pulse crops grown under various heavy metal stress such as As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Ni. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive green roofs (EGRs) play a crucial role in urban environments, offering numerous environmental, economic, and social benefits. However, their performance largely depends on plant selection and adaptation to local climatic conditions. This study investigates the suitability of six perennial Euro-Mediterranean species for EGRs in Mediterranean and semi-arid regions, under different water regimes. A two-year experimental analysis was conducted in Rome (Italy) assessing flowering and mortality rates. Results revealed species-specific responses to irrigation levels, with notable performances observed in Thymus serpyllum , Saponaria ocymoides , and Teucrium chamaedrys , showcasing resilience to water stress. Conversely, Lavandula stoechas and Cerastium tomentosum exhibited sensitivity to water availability, emphasizing the importance of species selection for EGRs. No species completely adhered to the expected flowering period, but showed a general tendency of anticipation, and sometimes an extended flowering period, with some differences between the species. The study underscores the complexity of plant-environment interactions and highlights the need for diversified species composition to enhance EGR functionality and resilience. • Performance of species potentially suitable for Mediterranean EGRs, are evaluated through their resilience against water stress conditions. • In the water retention capacity of green roofs in Mediterranean climates, an important role should also be given to the vitality of plants. • Synergies between of different species optimizes green roof functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising atmospheric CO2 concentration is a key driver of enhanced global greening, thought to account for up to 70% of increased global vegetation in recent decades. CO2 fertilization effects have further profound implications for ecosystems, food security and biosphere-atmosphere feedbacks. However, it is also possible that current trends will not continue, due to ecosystem level constraints and as plants acclimate to future CO2 concentrations. Future predictions of plant response to rising [CO2 ] are often validated using single-generation short-term FACE (Free Air CO2 Enrichment) experiments but whether this accurately represents vegetation response over decades is unclear. The role of transgenerational plasticity and adaptation in the multigenerational response has yet to be elucidated. Here, we propose that naturally occurring high CO2 springs provide a proxy to quantify the multigenerational and long-term impacts of rising [CO2 ] in herbaceous and woody species respectively, such that plasticity, transgenerational effects and genetic adaptation can be quantified together in these systems. In this first meta-analysis of responses to elevated [CO2 ] at natural CO2 springs, we show that the magnitude and direction of change in eight of nine functional plant traits are consistent between spring and FACE experiments. We found increased photosynthesis (49.8% in spring experiments, comparable to 32.1% in FACE experiments) and leaf starch (58.6% spring, 84.3% FACE), decreased stomatal conductance (gs , 27.2% spring, 21.1% FACE), leaf nitrogen content (6.3% spring, 13.3% FACE) and Specific Leaf Area (SLA, 9.7% spring, 6.0% FACE). These findings not only validate the use of these sites for studying multigenerational plant response to elevated [CO2 ], but additionally suggest that long-term positive photosynthetic response to rising [CO2 ] are likely to continue as predicted by single-generation exposure FACE experiments.

Electrical signals in plants were first documented in the mid-19th century. In response to insect attacks, plants generate electrical signals that spread throughout the plant body and trigger physiological, biochemical and molecular responses. Arabidopsis has been used as a model plant in the past several decades. In this mini review, we will address the current understanding of electrical signaling in Arabidopsis and its physiological and biochemical impacts during herbivore attacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought poses serious threats to global crop production and its intensity is continuously soaring due to global warming. Brassica napus L. is an essential oilseed crop with an important place in global edible oil production. Drought-induced yield reduction is a big problem that needs to be addressed by knowing the targeted pathways and processes. Drought stress adversely affects germination, seedling establishment, photosynthetic efficiency, mineral uptake, shoot elongation, seed development, yield and quality in rapeseed. Plants attain various physiological and molecular protective approaches for tolerance under drought stress. The currently existing agronomic, breeding and biotechnological approaches can increase the adaptability provision of a conducive environment to Brassica plants facing drought stress. In the present review, we addressed the possible cross-talk among various responses of rapeseed under drought stress and discussed the potential management strategies for regulating the drought tolerance-related mechanisms. To date, various novel approaches have been tested to minimize the adverse effects of environmental stresses in B. napus. Despite the main improvements, there is still a big room for improvement in the drought tolerance of rapeseed cultivars. Thus, future research mainly using biotechnological and molecular approaches should be carried out to develop genetically engineered rapeseed plants with enhanced drought tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is an important abiotic stress factor limiting crop productivity worldwide and its impact is increasing with climate change. Regardless of the plant growth period, drought has a deadly and yield-reducing effect on the plant at every stage of development. As with many environmental stressors, drought-exposed plants trigger a series of molecular, biochemical, and physiological responses to overcome the effect of drought stress. Currently, researchers are trying to determine the complex functioning of drought stress response in plants with different approaches. Plants are more sensitive to drought stress during certain critical stages like germination, seedling formation, flowering, fertilization, and grain formation periods. Plants have high success in reducing the effects of drought stress in vegetative development periods with the activity of tolerance mechanisms. On the other hand, drought stress during the generative period can cause irreversible losses in yield. This review focuses on the progression of molecular, biochemical, and physiological mechanisms involved in the drought stress tolerance in plants and the responses of field crops to drought stress at different development stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]