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Background: Soil-borne plant diseases represent a severe problem that negatively impacts the production of food crops. Actinobacteria play a vital role in biocontrolling soil-borne fungi. Aim and objectives: The target of the present study is to test the antagonistic activity of chitinase-producing Streptomyces cellulosae Actino 48 (accession number, MT573878) against Rhizoctonia solani. Subsequently, maximization of Actino 48 production using different fermentation processes in a stirred tank bioreactor. Finally, preparation of bio-friendly formulations prepared from the culture broth of Actino 48 using talc powder (TP) and bentonite in a natural as well as nano forms as carriers. Meanwhile, investigating their activities in reducing the damping-off and root rot diseases of peanut plants, infected by R. solani under greenhouse conditions. Results: Actino 48 was found to be the most significant antagonistic isolate strain at p ≤ 0.05 and showed the highest inhibition percentage of fungal mycelium growth, which reached 97%. The results of scanning electron microscope (SEM) images analysis showed a large reduction in R. solani mycelia mass. Additionally, many aberrations changes and fungal hypha damages were found. Batch fermentation No. 2, which was performed using agitation speed of 200 rpm, achieved high chitinase activity of 0.1163 U mL− 1 min− 1 with a yield coefficient of 0.004 U mL− 1 min− 1 chitinase activity/g chitin. Nano-talc formulation of Actino 48 had more a significant effect compared to the other formulations in reducing percentages of damping-off and root rot diseases that equal to 19.05% and 4.76% with reduction percentages of 60% and 80%, respectively. The healthy survival percentage of peanut plants recorded 76.19%. Furthermore, the nano-talc formulation of Actino 48 was sufficient in increasing the dry weight of the peanut plants shoot, root systems, and the total number of peanut pods with increasing percentages of 47.62%, 55.62%, and 38.07%, respectively. Conclusion: The bio-friendly formulations of actinobacteria resulting from this investigation may play an active role in managing soil-borne diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Abiotic stresses, like drought, are the major cause of shrinking plant, growth crop yields and quality. Nanotechnology has provided a significant improvement in increasing plant growth and yield of crops under stress conditions. This work assessed the potential of silicon for mitigating the negative effects of drought against wheat. In completely randomized design with three replicates, wheat seedlings grown under three watering levels (100, 60 and 40% of water holding capacity) were treated by silicon dioxide (SiO2) as a normal or bulk form (Si) and SiO2 nanoparticles (SiNPs) with concentrations of 100 and 200 mg L−1. SiNPs was extracted from rice husk. Results: Si and SiNPs treatments are shown to improve the growth of plants and increase the shoots and root weight, relative water content, photosynthetic pigments, and proline in wheat. SiO2 either normal or nanoparticles at 100 mg L−1 decreased lipid peroxidation as malondialdehyde was reduced. Also, nano-silicon increased free amino acids, antioxidant enzymes while decreased soluble sugars. Cytotoxicity assay proved the safety of nano-silicon usage. Conclusions: In conclusion, the present study documented the significance of rice husk-extracted nano-silicon at rate of 100 mg L−1 for improving growth and increasing tolerance to drought in wheat grown under water deficit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the content of phenolcarboxylic acids using gas chromatography–mass spectrometer (GC–MS) in the obtained extract, conduct a study of the antimicrobial, antifungal, and antioxidant activities of Rubus idaeus shoot lipophilic extract. The quantification of phenolcarboxylic was accomplished through GC–MS, antioxidant activity was assessed by potentiometric method, antimicrobial and antifungal activities were determined by well method. The 8 compounds were identified by the GC–MS method. The vanillic acid (2.59 ± 0.08 mg/100 g), benzoic acid (1.51±0.08 mg/100 g), and ferulic acid (0.79±0.04 mg/100 g) dominated in the obtained lipophilic R. idaeus shoot extract. Bacillus subtilis (17.00 ± 0.50 mm) was the most sensitive to lipophilic extract, whereas Proteus vulgaris was the most resistant to the lipophilic extract. Moreover, Candida albicans was medium sensitive to lipophilic extract (13.50 ± 0.50 mm). The antioxidant activity was 1.00 mmol-equiv./mdry res; according to Maslov's antioxidant level classification it has low level. The lipophilic extract from R. idaeus shoots contains various phenolcarboxylic acids, including vanillic acid, benzoic acid, ferulic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, syringic acid, gentisic acid, salicylic acid, and phenylacetic acid, with the highest concentrations observed for vanillic, benzoic, and ferulic acids. This study highlights the antimicrobial and antifungal properties of the R. idaeus shoot lipophilic extract. However, the obtained lipophilic extract showed a relatively low level of antioxidant activity. Consequently, the derivatives of phenolcarboxylic acids play a substantial role in the antimicrobial and antifungal effects, whereas their contribution to antioxidant activity appears to be limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant architecture is shaped by the production of new organs, most of which emerge postembryonically. This process includes the formation of new lateral branches along existing shoots. Current evidence supports a detached-meristem model as the cellular basis of lateral shoot initiation. In this model, a small number of undifferentiated cells are sampled from the periphery of the shoot apical meristem (SAM) to act as precursors for axillary buds, which eventually develop into new shoots. Repeated branching thus creates cellular bottlenecks (i.e. somatic drift) that affect how de novo (epi)genetic mutations propagate through the plant body during development. Somatic drift could be particularly relevant for stochastic DNA methylation gains and losses (i.e. spontaneous epimutations), as they have been shown to arise rapidly with each cell division. Here, we formalize a special case of the detached-meristem model, where precursor cells are randomly sampled from the SAM periphery in a way that maximizes cell lineage independence. We show that somatic drift during repeated branching gives rise to a mixture of cellular phylogenies within the SAM over time. This process is dependent on the number of branch points, the strength of drift as well as the epimutation rate. Our model predicts that cell-to-cell DNA methylation heterogeneity in the SAM converges to nonzero states during development, suggesting that epigenetic variation is an inherent property of the SAM cell population. Our insights have direct implications for empirical studies of somatic (epi)genomic diversity in long-lived perennial and clonal species using bulk or single-cell sequencing approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Potatoes are regarded very prone to chloride toxicity, and the application of sulfate‐based potassium fertilizers is therefore recommended. However, in several studies, no significant differences between KCl and K2SO4 on tuber yield and starch concentration were found. In addition, plant shoots occasionally showed more pronounced stress symptoms after sulfate compared to chloride treatment. Aims: This study aimed to identify reasons for enhanced stress occurrence of potato plants after K2SO4 instead of KCl fertilization. Methods: We conducted a pot experiment with the potato cultivar Marabel, which showed to be chloride‐resistant in our previous study, and applied 1 g K or 2 g K either as K2SO4 or KCl. Plant shoots were analyzed for nutrients, sugars, and antioxidative capacity shortly before start of flowering (intermediate harvest), and tubers were harvested at physiological maturity and their starch concentration and yield were determined. Results: With sulfate‐based K fertilization, the start of flowering and ripening as well as the achievement of physiological maturity occurred earlier than with KCl supply. However, the accelerated development of K2SO4‐treated plants did not affect shoot fresh and dry mass shortly before flowering and at maturity, showing similar values as in the KCl treatment. With 2 g K as K2SO4, the potato plants produced much larger and less than half the number of tubers compared to 2 g K as KCl, resulting in a significantly reduced tuber fresh mass. Tuber starch concentration as well as starch yield per plant were not significantly affected by the kind of K fertilization. In plant shoots shortly before flowering, calcium and magnesium concentrations were significantly decreased, combined with a significant increase in antioxidative capacity after application of 2 g K as K2SO4 compared to KCl. Sugar concentrations and contents in potato shoots at flowering were mostly unaffected by the kind of K fertilizer. Conclusions: Stronger toxicity symptoms and growth inhibition after sulfate compared to chloride application, combined with a significant increase in antioxidative capacity, provide evidence for sulfate‐induced oxidative stress. A higher production of organic anions such as succinate may be involved in the stress reaction. This needs to be investigated in more detail in further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most important oil crops in the world, sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), is recognized to help in soil phytoremediation. Heavy metal (HM) contamination is one of the most abiotic challenges that may affect the growth and productivity of such an important crop plant. We studied the influence of HM-contaminated soils on metal homeostasis and the potential hypertolerance mechanisms in two sunflower Egyptian cultivars (V120 and S53). Both cultivars accumulated significantly higher cadmium concentrations in their roots compared to their shoots during Cd and Zn/Cd treatments. Higher root concentrations of 121 mg g−1 dry weight (DW) and 125 mg g−1 DW were measured in V120 plants compared to relatively lower values of 111 mg g−1 DW and 105 mg g−1 DW in the roots of S53 plants, respectively. Cadmium contamination significantly upregulated the expression of heavy metal ATPases (HaHMA4) in the shoots of V120 plants. On the other hand, their roots displayed a notable expression of HaHMA3. This study indicates that V120 plants accumulated and sequestered Cd in their roots. Therefore, it is advised to cultivate the V120 cultivar in areas contaminated with heavy metals as it is a promising Cd phytoremediator. The current study confirms and provides new insights into the low Cd and Zn concentration responses of two cultivars of Helianthus annuus as potential HM phytoremediators. HMA3 and HMA4 mediated both root sequestration and reduced root-to-shoot translocation rates. Moreover, high CAT and POX activities may reduce oxidative damage and enhance plant tolerance. The V120 showed higher levels of Cd accumulation in its roots and could be a promising cultivar for the phytoremediation of this heavy metal. This work recalls that Cd tolerance is a trait that may vary among cultivars of the same species and should be taken into consideration in the phytomanagement of heavy metals in contaminated soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Desiccation tolerance (DT) is crucial for survival in arid environments, where organisms develop strategies in reproduction, maintenance and defence to cope with water scarcity. Therefore, investigating the relationship between reproduction and DT is essential to understand the ecology and adaptive strategies of species. This study explores the connection between the development of male and female gametangia in the moss Bryum argenteum and the decrease in DT during the progression of phenological phases in gametangia and protonema. Methods Samples collected from a dry tropical forest in Brazil were cultivated, cloned and subjected to desiccation. Subsequently, the physiological parameters of shoots and protonemata were analysed. Shoot and protonema regeneration were monitored for 28 d after the physiological analyses. Both phases were subjected to control and desiccation treatments. Key Results Significant effects of desiccation and sex on the physiological parameters and regeneration capacity of shoots and protonemata were found. Male shoots generally exhibited lower values of Fv/Fm (quantum efficiency of photosystem II) and ϕPSII (effective quantum yield of photosystem II), while females demonstrated higher values and better recovery after desiccation. Protonemata also showed variation in Fv/Fm over time and with sex, with no significant differences in ϕPSII between them. Desiccated male shoots had higher mortality rates and produced fewer new shoots. For females, the regeneration patterns varied between the desiccation-exposed groups and the control, with decreased shoot production, and some protonemata growing into filaments without forming shoots. Conclusion These findings improve our understanding of the ecological responses of bryophytes to desiccation stress and provide insights into their adaptive strategies in challenging environments, such as the possible rarity of males in dioicous moss populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has demonstrated the ability of isolate Pseudomonas thivervalensis SC5 to express the enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase (ACC), which regulates ethylene levels, one of the most important phytohormones in the regulation of plant growth and development. Thus, the present study evaluated the agronomic efficiency of a biological conditioner based on P. thivervalensis SC5 in the growth and productivity increases of corn in Brazil. It was found that corn was highly responsive to the inoculation of P. thivervalensis SC5, with increments ranging from 10.1 to 40.6% in the production of dry shoot biomass (DSB) compared to the control, while for grain yield the increments ranged from 9.0 to 27.8%. The increments are related to the levels and accumulations of N and P in the shoots of the plants. This suggested the participation of P. thivervalensis SC5 in mechanisms of soil modulation and nutrient acquisition. The inoculation of P. thivervalensis SC5 provided average increments in FDA hydrolysis ranging from 16.7 to 47.4% compared to the control, confirming the ability of this strain to increase the supply of nutrients to plants. Therefore, it is concluded that Pseudomonas thivervalensis SC5 participates in key mechanisms in the soil-plant system, with a consequent improvement in soil quality and other plant-related parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance the establishment of container-grown trees, nursery and urban forest practitioners use root pruning to improve plant root structure. However, some methods of root pruning may cause stress to the plant and reduce shoot growth. One potential approach to mitigating tree stress is the application of biostimulants. This study aimed to determine the impact root shaving, a type of root pruning, has on the growth of urban plant species, and whether biostimulant application mitigates this impact. To address these aims, we applied root shaving (not shaved, shaved) and biostimulant (control, humic substance, protein hydrolysate, seaweed extract) treatments to six tree species that are commonly planted in the Sydney metropolitan area, Australia in a factorial design. The study consisted of a glasshouse and field experiment to simulate nursery production and urban field conditions, respectively. We found that the assimilation rate of the plants was not affected by root shaving but four of the species still experienced reductions in shoot growth in the short-term. This reduction was a result of the plants allocating resources to root growth to compensate for the root loss. However, in the long-term, the plants were able to compensate for this reduction in shoot growth. We found that biostimulant application did not mitigate the short-term impacts of root shaving on plant growth. We can conclude that root shaving and biostimulant application do not affect plant establishment in the long-term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

White Guinea yam is a tuber crop characterized by a long growth period over the entire rainy season, which is affected by changes in rainfall patterns owing to climate change. In this study, we investigated the effects of shifting the planting date of yam seed tubers on shoot growth and tuber development, which could be a plausible measure for adapting to changes in rainfall patterns. Our results revealed that tuber enlargement in plants with different planting dates started depending on the days after planting rather than the day of the year. This indicates that day length had little effect on tuberization. The final tuber yield was rarely affected by low rainfall during the early growth stage, whereas severe yield reduction occurred when the rainfall stopped during the tuberization period. We conclude that shifting the planting date backward to adjust for delayed rainy seasons increases the risk of severe yield reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mercury (Hg) is highly toxic and has the potential to cause severe health problems for humans and foraging animals when transported into edible plant parts. Soil rhizobia that form symbiosis with legumes may possess mechanisms to prevent heavy metal translocation from roots to shoots in plants by exporting metals from nodules or compartmentalizing metal ions inside nodules. Horizontal gene transfer has potential to confer immediate de novo adaptations to stress. We used comparative genomics of high quality de novo assemblies to identify structural differences in the genomes of nitrogen-fixing rhizobia that were isolated from a mercury (Hg) mine site that show high variation in their tolerance to Hg. Results: Our analyses identified multiple structurally conserved merA homologs in the genomes of Sinorhizobium medicae and Rhizobium leguminosarum but only the strains that possessed a Mer operon exhibited 10-fold increased tolerance to Hg. RNAseq analysis revealed nearly all genes in the Mer operon were significantly up-regulated in response to Hg stress in free-living conditions and in nodules. In both free-living and nodule environments, we found the Hg-tolerant strains with a Mer operon exhibited the fewest number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the genome, indicating a rapid and efficient detoxification of Hg from the cells that reduced general stress responses to the Hg-treatment. Expression changes in S. medicae while in bacteroids showed that both rhizobia strain and host-plant tolerance affected the number of DEGs. Aside from Mer operon genes, nif genes which are involved in nitrogenase activity in S. medicae showed significant up-regulation in the most Hg-tolerant strain while inside the most Hg-accumulating host-plant. Transfer of a plasmid containing the Mer operon from the most tolerant strain to low-tolerant strains resulted in an immediate increase in Hg tolerance, indicating that the Mer operon is able to confer hyper tolerance to Hg. Conclusions: Mer operons have not been previously reported in nitrogen-fixing rhizobia. This study demonstrates a pivotal role of the Mer operon in effective mercury detoxification and hypertolerance in nitrogen-fixing rhizobia. This finding has major implications not only for soil bioremediation, but also host plants growing in mercury contaminated soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the challenges of agromining is the adoption of more environmentally‐friendly solutions to improve plant biomass yields and Ni concentrations in plants. Here, we focused on four sustainable solutions for optimizing nickel phytoextraction by the hyperaccumulator Odontarrhena chalcidica: a biostimulant, another biostimulant/plant defense stimulator, artificial root exudates, and a biodegradable metal chelator. Their effects on the growth and physiology of O. chalcidica, on Ni phytoextraction capacity, on physicochemical soil characteristics, and on the diversity of rhizosphere and endophytic bacteria were compared to a conventional mineral fertilizer. A 5‐month pot experiment was carried out with O. chalcidica growing on an ultramafic soil. Element concentrations in both soil and plant were measured. Moreover, numerous compounds were analyzed (photosynthetic pigments, malondialdehyde, flavonoids, free amino acids, and starch). We also characterized rhizosphere and endophytic bacterial communities associated with this hyperaccumulator. Biostimulants appeared to be a promising way of improving Ni concentration in shoots and plant biomass production, and showed a positive effect on bacterial richness and diversity. In contrast, our experiments did not show that artificial exudates and mineral fertilizer had a positive effect on Ni phytoextraction. Finally, the biodegradable chelator had no significant effect. The use of sustainable amendments into a Ni agromining system improved both plant biomass and Ni yields, in comparison to mineral fertilization. Thus, improving agromining by replacing mineral fertilizers would be an eco‐efficient strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis), renowned for its rapid growth, is attributed to the dynamic changes in its apical meristem. The CLAVATA3/EMBRYO SURROUNDING REGION-RELATED (CLE) family genes are known to play crucial roles in regulating meristem and organ formation in model plants, but their functions in Moso bamboo remain unclear. Here, we conducted a genome-wide identification of the CLE gene family of Moso bamboo and investigated their gene structure, chromosomal localization, evolutionary relationships, and expression patterns. A total of 11 PheCLE genes were identified, all of which contained a conserved CLE peptide core functional motif (Motif 1) at their C-termini. Based on Arabidopsis classification criteria, these genes were predominantly distributed in Groups A–C. Collinearity analysis unveiled significant synteny among CLE genes in Moso bamboo, rice, and maize, implying potential functional conservation during monocot evolution. Transcriptomic analysis showed significant expression of these genes in the apical tissues of Moso bamboo, including root tips, shoot tips, rhizome buds, and flower buds. Particularly, single-cell transcriptomic data and in situ hybridization further corroborated the heightened expression of PheCLE1 and PheCLE10 in the apical tissue of basal roots. Additionally, the overexpression of PheCLE1 and PheCLE10 in rice markedly promoted root growth. PheCLE1 and PheCLE10 were both located on the cell membrane. Furthermore, the upstream transcription factors NAC9 and NAC6 exhibited binding affinity toward the promoters of PheCLE1 and PheCLE10, thereby facilitating their transcriptional activation. In summary, this study not only systematically identified the CLE gene family in Moso bamboo for the first time but also emphasized their central roles in apical tissue development. This provides a valuable theoretical foundation for the further exploration of functional peptides and their signaling regulatory networks in bamboo species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nanotechnology holds revolutionary potential in the field of agriculture, with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) demonstrating advantages in promoting crop growth. Enhanced photosynthetic efficiency is closely linked to improved vigor and superior quality in tea plants, complemented by the beneficial role of phyllosphere microorganisms in maintaining plant health. However, the effects of ZnO NPs on the photosynthesis of tea plants, the sprouting of new shoots, and the community of phyllosphere microorganisms have not been fully investigated. Results: This study investigated the photosynthetic physiological parameters of tea plants under the influence of ZnO NPs, the content of key photosynthetic enzymes such as RubisCO, chlorophyll content, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, transcriptomic and extensive targeted metabolomic profiles of leaves and new shoots, mineral element composition in these tissues, and the epiphytic and endophytic microbial communities within the phyllosphere. The results indicated that ZnO NPs could enhance the photosynthesis of tea plants, upregulate the expression of some genes related to photosynthesis, increase the accumulation of photosynthetic products, promote the development of new shoots, and alter the content of various mineral elements in the leaves and new shoots of tea plants. Furthermore, the application of ZnO NPs was observed to favorably influence the microbial community structure within the phyllosphere of tea plants. This shift in microbial community dynamics suggests a potential for ZnO NPs to contribute to plant health and productivity by modulating the phyllosphere microbiome. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that ZnO NPs have a positive impact on the photosynthesis of tea plants, the sprouting of new shoots, and the community of phyllosphere microorganisms, which can improve the growth condition of tea plants. These findings provide new scientific evidence for the application of ZnO NPs in sustainable agricultural development and contribute to advancing research in nanobiotechnology aimed at enhancing crop yield and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The minute 'dust seeds' of some terrestrial orchids preferentially germinate and develop as mycoheterotrophic protocorms near conspecific adult plants. Here we test the hypothesis that mycorrhizal mycelial connections provide a direct pathway for transfer of recent photosynthate from conspecific green orchids to achlorophyllous protocorms.Mycelial networks of Ceratobasidium cornigerum connecting green Dactylorhiza fuchsii plants with developing achlorophyllous protocorms of the same species were established on oatmeal or water agar before the shoots of green plants were exposed to 14CO2. After incubation for 48 h, the pattern of distribution of fixed carbon was visualised in intact entire autotrophic/protocorm systems using digital autoradiography and quantified in protocorms by liquid scintillation counting.Both methods of analysis revealed accumulation of 14C above background levels in protocorms, confirming that autotrophic plants supply carbon to juveniles via common mycorrhizal networks. Despite some accumulation of plant‐fixed carbon in the fungal mycelium grown on oatmeal agar, a greater amount of carbon was transferred to protocorms growing on water agar, indicating that the polarity of transfer may be influenced by sink strength.We suggest this transfer pathway may contribute significantly to the pattern and processes determining localised orchid establishment in nature, and that 'parental nurture' via common mycelial networks may be involved in these processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many anthropogenic activities have lately resulted in soil adulteration by heavy metals (HMs). The assessment of native plant species that grow in the polluted environments is of great importance for using these plants in phytoremediation techniques. This study was conducted in three industrial regions in Jeddah city, Wadi Marik, Bahra, and Khumrah, to assess the HM contamination level in them. This study also evaluated the phytoremediation ability of nine plant species collected from the studied regions. Soil physicochemical properties of the studied sites were investigated. Nine HMs, aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), and barium (Ba), have been evaluated in the collected soil, plant shoots, and root samples. Total thiol concentration in the plant shoots and roots was determined. The phytoremediation indexes, such as bioaccumulation factor (BCF) and translocation factor (TF), were estimated. The results show that the soil of all the explored sites was sandy and slightly alkaline. It was found that Ni, Pb, and Cr were above the international permissible limit in all soil samples. The Wadi Marik region recorded the highest HM concentration compared to the other sites. In the Bahra region, Fe, Zn, Co, and Mn in all collected soil samples were below internationally permissible levels. In Khumrah, the highest concentration of Zn was found in the soil sample collected around F. indica plants, while Fe, Co, and Mn in all collected soil samples were below the international permissible limit. Depending on the BCF calculations, most of the investigated species showed phytostabilization ability for most of the studied HMs. Of them, E. indica, T. nubica, and P. divisum recorded the highest BCF values that ranged from 16.1 to 3.4. The BCF values of the studied HMs reduced in the order of Cr > Zn > Mn > Co > Ba > Fe > Al > Pb. Phytoextration of Co and Cr could be achieved by P. oleracea and F. indica, which showed TF values that reached 6.7 and 6.1, respectively. These plants showed high potential for phytoremediation and can be suggested as protective belts close to the contaminated regions of Jeddah. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus is a diazotrophic endophytic bacterium that promotes the growth and development of several plant species. However, the molecular mechanisms activated during plant response to this bacterium remain unclear. Here, we used the RNA-seq approach to understand better the effect of G. diazotrophicus PAL5 on the transcriptome of shoot and root tissues of Arabidopsis thaliana. G. diazotrophicus colonized A. thaliana roots and promoted growth, increasing leaf area and biomass. The transcriptomic analysis revealed several differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between inoculated and non-inoculated plants in the shoot and root tissues. A higher number of DEGs were up-regulated in roots compared to shoots. Genes up-regulated in both shoot and root tissues were associated with nitrogen metabolism, production of glucosinolates and flavonoids, receptor kinases, and transcription factors. In contrast, the main groups of down-regulated genes were associated with pathogenesis-related proteins and heat-shock proteins in both shoot and root tissues. Genes encoding enzymes involved in cell wall biogenesis and modification were down-regulated in shoots and up-regulated in roots. In contrast, genes associated with ROS detoxification were up-regulated in shoots and down-regulated in roots. These results highlight the fine-tuning of the transcriptional regulation of A. thaliana in response to colonization by G. diazotrophicus PAL5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the effects of the variations in biodegradable and nonbiodegradable microplastic particles (MPs) on the absorption of lead (Pb) in maize. Materials and methods: Pot experiments were conducted using maize and two types of MPs, nonbiodegradable polyethylene (PE) and biodegradable polybutylene adipate/terephthalate (PBAT), at four different MP concentrations (0, 0.1, 1, and 10%). After one month of growth, the Pb content in aboveground and belowground parts of the maize seedlings, CaCl2-extracted Pb content, the proportion of different speciation of Pb within the soil, and soil properties were determined. We determined Pb uptake by maize seedlings, soil physicochemical properties, and Pb speciation in soil. Results: The addition of PE and PBAT particles led to the decrease in Pb content in maize root with the increase in concentration. The addition of 0.1% PBAT particles significantly increased the Pb content in the shoot of maize plants by 37.60% and Pb content in the root by 65.06% compared with 0.1% PE. The addition of PE and PBAT particles increased the proportion of residual Pb to 36.0% and 38.0%, respectively. The correlation analysis showed that the addition of MPs mainly affected the absorption of Pb by maize plants by affecting soil pH, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), free crystalline Mn (MnDCB), and amorphous Fe (FeTamm). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that biodegradable and nonbiodegradable MPs in soil inhibited Pb accumulation in maize seedling roots. FeDCB, MnDCB, and FeTamm may be the main control factors affecting the inhibition of lead uptake by PE in maize seedling roots. Additionally, FeTamm may be the main controlling factor influencing PBAT to reduce lead accumulation in maize seedling roots. The results of the present study could provide novel insights into the toxicity and bioavailability effects of MPs and Pb on maize, as well as a valuable reference for ongoing research on the ecological risk assessment of MPs and other pollutants in the soil environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sophora davidii is a multipurpose, nitrogen-fixing shrub species. Phosphorus deficiency in the acidic soil of Southwest China has seriously affected its survival and growth, especially in the seedling stage. Evidence suggests that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) may improve the stress tolerance of plants. However, there is limited information on the systematic effects of AMF on phosphorus deficiency in S. davidii seedlings. We investigated the effects of three phosphorus levels (0.5, 0.25, 0 mmol/L) and two mycorrhizal inoculation (with Funneliformis mosseae and without Funneliformis mosseae) treatments on the growth and physiological performance of S. davidii using factorial design. The results showed that low-phosphorus stress significantly limited the growth of S. davidii seedlings and negatively affected their physiological properties. However, inoculation with F. mosseae significantly improved the plant height and shoot dry weight, promoted root growth, increased chlorophyll contents and osmoregulation substance contents, increased protective enzyme activity, and significantly reducing the accumulation of malondialdehyde, alleviated oxidative stress induced by low-phosphorus stress, improved the IAA and GA3 contents, and alleviated the negative effects of low-phosphorus stress. AMF-induced enhancement of aboveground growth and plant physiological characteristics is dependent on the P level and its impact on roots is regardless of phosphorus status. AMF inoculation significantly promoted the absorption of nitrogen and phosphorus in the roots (0.25- and 0-mmol/L treatments), thereby maintaining a higher biomass and relieving stress in S. davidii seedlings under low-phosphorus conditions. Our results demonstrated that AMF inoculation is useful for the promotion and cultivation of S. davidii in the karst area of Southwest China under low-phosphorus stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryopreservation is a promising method for the long-term preservation of plant germplasm, especially for vegetatively propagated species like freesias. In this study, we investigate streamlining the cryopreservation process for 'Sunny Gold' Freesia, starting from effective in vitro initiation and proliferation using various plant growth regulator combinations. We also assess the impact of subculture on regrowth rates after cryopreservation. The shoot tips were successfully initiated in vitro after sterilization. The shoots were multiplied an average of three times in media containing N6-benzyladenine and kinetin. The regrowth rates of non-cryopreserved shoot tips excised from different subculture cycles did not differ significantly, with rates of 44% observed for plants from more than five subcultures and 47% for those from three subcultures. However, only the shoot tips excised from cultures subjected to three subculture cycles were able to recover after cryopreservation, with a regrowth rate of 31%. Our findings lay the groundwork for the development of an efficient cryopreservation protocol for freesias in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study to optimize in vitro propagation of the Indonesian native and critically endangered species, Nepenthes jamban, in order to support the ex situ conservation efforts has been done. Using Murashige and Skoog (MS) as a basal medium, disinfected seeds of N. jamban were germinated on five types of germination media, viz. ¼ MS, ½ MS, MS, ¼ MS+benzyl adenine (BA)+Biotin and MS+BA+Biotin. Afterwards, in vitro shoots with 6-7 leaves were inoculated on growing media, i.e., ¼ MS, ¼ MS 60 (3:1) (MS modification with a higher concentration of nitrogen), and ¼ MS+naphtalene acetic acid (NAA)+BA. The results showed that the germination of N. jamban seeds was slow, indicated by the percentage of germination being less than 20% after six months of being planted on germination media. The highest percentage of germination at the sixth month and the greatest pitcher development at the tenth month were obtained on ¼ MS medium. Furthermore, shoot growth and pitchers development consistently increased for twelve months in ¼ MS 60 (3:1) medium while other media resulted in a decrease in pitcher formation. It seemed that low concentrations of nutrients in the medium proved to be more effective to induce in vitro seed germination and enhance shoot growth which was also supported by a higher nitrogen (nitrate) concentration in the medium. This study provides information that supports ex situ conservation action of native and critically endangered Nepenthes species from Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to investigate the potential of using the germination test as a model for screening imazamox resistance in sunflower plants . A standard germination test was performed by applying different doses of imazamox (control, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, and 1.6 mM) to imidazoline-resistant (IMI-R) and susceptible (IMI-S) sunflower hybrids. Germination percentage, mean germination time, germination index, shoot length, root length, seedling fresh and dry weight, and phytotoxicity percentage for seedling growth parameters were investigated. The results showed that imazamox concentrations slightly affected the germination percentage of two sunflower hybrids at only 1.6 mM. Increasing doses of imazamox led to an increase in the mean germination time and a decrease in the germination index for both sunflower hybrids, following a similar trend. Seedling growth parameters such as shoot length, root length, and seedling fresh weight were significantly decreased by increasing imazamox doses. In addition, the differences between IMI-R and IMI-S sunflower hybrids were very evident for these parameters. The IMI-S sunflower hybrid showed sensitivity in the presence of imazamox, while no changes in the IMI-R hybrid were determined up to 0.4 mM. The inhibition percentage was higher in the IMI-S hybrid than in the IMI-R. It was concluded that the optimal dose of imazamox for the selection of resistant plants during the early growth stage was found to be 0.2 mM. The germination parameters were not good criteria for imazamox resistance, while root length, shoot length, and seedling fresh weight should be considered as selection criteria for resistance to imazamox in sunflower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study highlights the effect of silver nitrate (AgNO3) in the promotion of in vitro regeneration and morpho-structural growth and developments in Oxystelma esculentum (L.f.) Sm. The incorporation of AgNO3 into the Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium resulted in a favorable enhancement of shoot proliferation. Among the different concentrations of AgNO3 screened, 0.5 mg L−1 AgNO3 along with 0.5 mg L−1meta-Topolin (mT) and 0.25 mg L−1 indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) stimulated the highest count, and length of shoots (143 shoots and 14.0 cm length) after 3 mo of incubation and the 3rd subculture. The in vitro–induced deformities in the tissues of the control stem and foliages were improved when the shoots were grown in AgNO3-enriched medium. Silver nitrate increased the photosynthetic pigments and improved the formation of functional stomata. The AgNO3-supplemented medium-derived shoots exhibited accelerated adventitious root induction (100% rhizogenesis, 21.0 roots per shoot) when the cut ends of shoots were treated with 200.0 mg L−1 indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) for 5 min under greenhouse conditions. The incorporation of AgNO3 with optimal plant growth regulators in the medium promoted overall growth. It prevented in vitro–induced morphological and anatomical anomalies in the leaf and stem, which considerably improved the greenhouse and in vivo survival of micropropagated plantlets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild bananas and their relatives are potentially utilized for pre-breeding due to their genetic diversity, disease resistance, and tolerance to abiotic stress, and other desirable traits. The embryonic suspension culture of wild bananas provides a means to harness this genetic diversity for banana genetic improvement. This paper elucidates the response of different subspecies M. acuminata (ssp. malaccensis, microcarpa, sumatrana, and breviformis) to the induction, growth, and behavior of suspension cultures and their regeneration into plantlets. Different subspecies exhibit varied responses starting from the embryogenic culture induction stage, culture proliferation, to plantlet formation. The highest competence for plant regeneration through somatic embryogenesis was found in ssp. malaccensis, followed by microcarpa, sumatrana, and breviformis. The wild banana embryogenic culture consists of somatic embryos, somatic embryo masses, proembryos, and proembryonic masses, and it proliferates through somatic embryo budding and proembryo proliferation. Maintenance and proliferation of suspension cultures were achieved through subculturing medium-sized cell aggregates (300 to 1000 µm). With an inoculum density of 0.3 g per 30 mL medium, the culture's proliferation rate reached seven times within 25 d. Embryogenic cultures from the suspensions of ssp. malaccensis and microcarpa were capable of forming somatic embryos upon transfer to a semi-solid somatic embryo development medium and later developed shoots on a semi-solid plant regeneration medium, with conversion efficiencies of 35% and 17%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chickpea wilt complex caused by several soil-borne pathogens is a serious biotic constraint for chickpea production. Methods: To find out the effective management of the disease through seed biopriming and soil application of biocontrol agents under in vivo and in vitro conditions experiments were carried out during rabi 2018-19 and 2019-20 at Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat. Result: Seed biopriming showed a positive impact producing vigorous plant shoot and root system, besides disease control during in vitro conditions. While under in vivo conditions, the pooled results of two years revealed that seed biopriming for 10 h with the suspension of talc-based formulation (2 x 108 CFU/g) of Trichoderma viride or T. asperellum @ 50 g in 250 ml of water/kg of seed followed by soil application of T. viride or T. asperellum enriched FYM (10g/kg FYM) @ 100 g/m2 of soil found significant for the disease management as well as higher yield. The seed biopriming alone control the disease in the range of 23-34% and increased the yield of chickpea by 23-29%. However, combined applications of seed biopriming as well as soil application significantly control the disease in the range of 51-70% and increased the grain yield by 41-51% over untreated control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micropropagation facilitates the rapid production of roses. Nevertheless, in vitro rhizogenesis of essential oil roses has presented significant challenges, primarily attributed to low rates of rooting and poorer acclimatization compared to ornamental rose varieties. This study reports the optimization of in vitro rooting of Al-Taif rose (Rosa damascena f. trigintipetala (Diek) R. Keller) microshoots with the aim of increasing survival rate during acclimatization. We also investigated the effects of various parameters, including type and concentration of auxin (i.e., 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), indole acetic acid (IAA), indole butyric acid (IBA), and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) at concentrations of 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 mg/L), salt strength (i.e., full- and half-strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium), sucrose concentration (i.e., 20, 30, 40, 60, and 80 g/L), light spectra (a 2:1 or 1:2 blue/red spectral ratio, cool or warm white light at a 1:1 ratio, and fluorescent light), light intensity (photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) values of 25, 50, and 100 µmol·m−2·s−1), and activated charcoal (i.e., 0 and 0.5 g/L) on the rooting and growth of in vitro regenerated Al-Taif rose axillary shoots. We found that half-strength MS medium supplemented with 0.2 mg/L NAA, 80 g/L sucrose, 0.5 g/L activated charcoal, and 50 μmol·m−2·s−1 PPFD were the optimal conditions for 100% induction of adventitious roots. Next, micropropagated Al-Taif rose plantlets were successfully transferred to a potting medium containing perlite/peatmoss (in a 1:1 ratio). We found that 98% of plants survived ex vitro conditions. The genetic fidelity of micropropagated Al-Taif rose clones along with their mother plant was tested using the inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) molecular marker. The genetic similarity between the micropropagated plantlets and the mother plant of Al-Taif rose plants was 98.8%, revealing high uniformity and true-to-type regenerated plants. These findings may therefore contribute toward the commercial micropropagation of Al-Taif roses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: MsTFL1A is an important gene involved in flowering repression in alfalfa (Medicago sativa) which conditions not only above-ground plant shoot architecture but also root development and growth. Delayed flowering is an important trait for forage species, as it allows harvesting of high-quality forage for a longer time before nutritional values decline due to plant architecture changes related to flowering onset. Despite the relevance of delayed flowering, this trait has not yet been thoroughly exploited in alfalfa. This is mainly due to its complex genetics, sensitivity to inbreeding and to the fact that delayed flowering would be only advantageous if it allowed increased forage quality without compromising seed production. To develop new delayed-flowering varieties, we have characterized the three TERMINAL FLOWERING 1 (TFL1) family of genes in alfalfa: MsTFL1A, MsTFL1B and MsTFL1C. Constitutive expression of MsTFL1A in Arabidopsis caused late flowering and changes in inflorescence architecture, indicating that MsTFL1A is the ortholog of Arabidopsis TFL1. Overexpression of MsTFL1A in alfalfa consistently led to delayed flowering in both controlled and natural field conditions, coupled to an increase in leaf/stem ratio, a common indicator of forage quality. Additionally, overexpression of MsTFL1A reduced root development, reinforcing the role of MsTFL1A not only as a flowering repressor but also as a regulator of root development.We conclude that the precise manipulation of MsTFL1A gene expression may represent a powerful tool to improve alfalfa forage quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management of perennial weeds has become increasingly complex with the reduction of herbicide use and tillage. Their capacity to store nutrients into vegetative organs and to regenerate to establish new individuals makes them very persistent and hard to control. A key aspect for managing perennial weeds is to minimise storage reserves to reduce vegetative regeneration. For that prospect, better knowledge of the regrowth capacities from storage organs is needed. Our work focused on the mechanistic understanding of belowground regrowth dynamics from fragments of Elymus repens rhizomes by analysing the effect of source and sink factors. The effect of rhizome fragment weight (i.e., source) and the number of regrowing buds and belowground shoots (i.e., sinks) was assessed for four mechanisms: sprouting, belowground shoot elongation, belowground shoot biomass to length conversion and biomass allocation to belowground shoots versus roots. Heavier fragments contributed to faster sprouting, faster belowground shoot elongation and increased the proportion of remobilised biomass allocated to belowground shoots. Higher belowground shoot density increased the proportion of remobilised biomass allocated to belowground shoots but decreased individual elongation rate. In other words, larger reserves resulted in a better regeneration capacity and a higher number of growing belowground shoots increased the competition for reserves among them. The belowground shoot that sprouted first on a fragment grew faster and dominated the other shoots on the same fragment. Dominant belowground shoots were located toward the apical end of the fragment. These findings support the fact that tillage should aim at cutting storage organs into the smallest fragments possible to reduce regeneration capacity. This study also emphasised that belowground regrowth mechanisms are complex, and further studies should investigate other species with different types of storage organs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potato is the fourth most important food crop. Recently, negative effects of a temperature drop on field crops have been increasingly frequently recorded. The elucidation of the mechanisms of plant tolerance to cold contributes to the development of measures to reduce crop yield losses from prolonged low temperatures. Potato health can be improved with the help of microclonal propagation. We studied short-term treatments of roots with indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) or melatonin (Mel) as a stimulus to activate the protective responses of potato regenerants to the later effects of hypothermia. The effect of 4-h treatment of roots with 0.1 μM IAA or Mel solutions on the cold tolerance of Solanum tuberosum L. regenerant plants in aquaculture was investigated. Two lines of regenerants obtained in vitro from the apical (AR) and middle part (MR) of the shoot of sterile plants of different growth intensity were used as a study object. It was found that hypothermia (4 °C, 3 days) most affected the actively growing plant organs: leaves and roots in MR, and leaves, stems, and stolons in AR. The most damaged AR leaves retained severe dehydration and elevated oxidative status during natural recovery, despite increased superoxide dismutase intensity and free proline levels. Pretreatment of plants with individual hormones increased their resistance to damaging hypothermia, manifested by changes in metabolic and growth responses. IAA pretreatment exerted a greater positive effect than Mel pretreatment. IAA treatment stimulated the root and leaf growth recovery in MR by reducing oxidative stress and restoring constitutive water levels at increased free proline, ascorbic acid, and the sum of flavonoids and phenolic compounds. Possible reasons for the differences between AR and MR hormone restoration therapy are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing vegetable production in Van/Türkiye province and its districts, where the study was carried out. The most significant of these issues is the parasitic and highly invasive broomrapes. A survey was conducted in AugustOctober 2019 in order to determine the extent of the broomrape problem in the areas of vegetables. In this study, the type of broomrape found in vegetable areas was identified first, then the infestation rates and the average number of shoots in each plant were determined. The results concluded that the branched broomrape [Phelipanche ramosa (L.) Pomel] was found as a single species in all areas. It was also detected that branched broomrape was infested with tomato, eggplant, cucumber, and summer squash; with related densities of 4.2, 0.4, 0.26, and 0.78 %, on average, respectively. No infestation was encountered in pepper. As a result of the study, this infestation detected in summer squash is the first record in terms of the host series of branched broomrape. Although less infestation was seen in other areas, it is predicted that the branched broomrape could be spread rapidly to non-infested areas over time due to its character. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat is the main food source for key nutrients in humans, hence any new research into boosting wheat quality and yield is vital. Recent advances in nanotechnology have made nanoparticles appropriate for use in agriculture. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles have a considerable impact on plants, but further research is required to make them commercially feasible. Herein, we evaluate the impact of TiO2 nanoparticles not only on the germination of seeds but also on the growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) through soil application. The experimental findings reveal that TiO2 treatment at concentrations up to 2000 mg/L in seeds planted in Petri dishes has a favorable effect on wheat root and shoot length, whereas it has a suppressive effect at higher concentrations. As expected, a similar trend is observed for plant shoot length in the soil treatment with beneficial effects recorded up to a dosage of 60 mg/kg. In conclusion, the beneficial effects of TiO2 nanoparticles on seed germination and plant growth may have a big financial impact on horticulture, agriculture, and the energy industry--particularly on the manufacturing of biofuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pea shoots is a popular vegetable in certain regions of the world due to their unique taste and abundance of health-promoting phytochemicals. The perishable nature and susceptibility to root rot of pea shoots necessitate a new soilless production system located close to the market. This study compared the growth of pea shoots using various cultivation methods in an LED plant factory. The results showed that early topping (4 days after transplanting, ET) promoted early harvest compared to later topping (20 days after transplanting, LT) and increased the number of harvested shoots by extending the harvest time to 2.8 times, ultimately resulting in a substantial yield improvement. Moreover, the yield of ET with a lower planting density (72 plants m−2, ET-LD) was 8.7% higher than ET with a higher planting density (126 plants m−2, ET-HD). Particularly, the average shoot fresh weight (AFW) under ET-LD exceeded that of ET-HD by 48.9%. It is advisable to consider adopting ET-LD for the cultivation of pea shoots in LED plant factories. Based on ET-LD, the yield, nutritional quality, and light use efficiency of pea shoots were further explored at different stages under three levels of light intensity (50, 100, and 150 μmol m−2·s−1). Contrasted against a light intensity of 50 μmol m−2·s−1, AFW, number of harvested shoots, and total fresh yield under a light intensity of 150 μmol m−2·s−1, increased by 60.2%, 62.8%, and 165.1%, respectively. Meanwhile, AFW, photosynthetic capacity, soluble sugar and vitamin C levels in leaves, as well as light use efficiency and photon yield, initially increased and then decreased with the extension of the planting period. Among these, soluble sugar, light use efficiency, and photon yield started to decrease after reaching the maximum value at 60–70 days after transplanting. In conclusion, a light intensity of 150 μmol m−2·s−1 with a photoperiod of 16 h d−1 using LEDs, combined with early topping within a planting period of 60–70 days, proves to be suitable for the hydroponic production of pea shoots in LED plant factories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lythrum salicaria L., commonly referred to as Purple Loosestrife, is a medicinal plant that has been valued for its therapeutic properties for centuries. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of using activated charcoal on establishing the in vitro propagation of L. Salicaria L. In this study, shoot explants (1.5 cm) were excised from buds that were 30 days old with a sterile scalpel blade and then cultured on full-strength MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of activated charcoal to multiply and increase the length of shoots. Additionally, to investigate the in vitro rooting response, shoot tip explants were cut from elongated shoots and cultured on an MS medium containing different concentrations of NAA with or without activated charcoal with three replicates in each experiment. MS medium with 0.5 g/L activated charcoal had the highest mean shoot length (7.1 cm ± 0.15) and mean number of shoots per explant (2.4±0.11). The results show that 0.5 mg/L NAA and 0.2 g/L activated charcoal provide the best response for rooting. The improved protocol can be utilized to grow roots in micro shoots of L. salicaria, which is an important stage in the micro propagation of L. salicaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In plants, the robust maintenance of tissue structure is crucial to supporting its functionality. The multi-layered shoot apical meristem (SAM) of Arabidopsis, containing stem cells, is an approximately radially symmetric tissue whose shape and structure is maintained throughout the life of the plant. In this paper, a new biologically calibrated pseudo-three-dimensional (P3D) computational model of a longitudinal section of the SAM is developed. It includes anisotropic expansion and division of cells out of the cross-section plane, as well as representation of tension experienced by the SAM epidermis. Results from the experimentally calibrated P3D model provide new insights into maintenance of the structure of the SAM epidermal cell monolayer under tension and quantify dependence of epidermal and subepidermal cell anisotropy on the amount of tension. Moreover, the model simulations revealed that out-of-plane cell growth is important in offsetting cell crowding and regulating mechanical stresses experienced by tunica cells. Predictive model simulations show that tension-determined cell division plane orientation in the apical corpus may be regulating cell and tissue shape distributions needed for maintaining structure of the wild-type SAM. This suggests that cells' responses to local mechanical cues may serve as a mechanism to regulate cell- and tissue-scale patterning.

Understanding ionic interactions is essential to promote adequate crop nutrition. This study aimed to evaluate the interaction between nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) and their effects on strawberries' production and postharvest quality. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions adopting a completely randomized design in a 3 × 5 factorial scheme with four replicates. The treatments consisted of the combination of three rates of S (0, 30, and 60 mg dm−3) in the form of calcium sulfate (CaSO4·2 H2O) and five rates of N (0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 mg dm−3) in the form of urea (pro analysis grade) enriched to 10 atom% 15N. The fruits were harvested weekly when showing ¾ maturation. At the end of the harvest, evaluations of the mineral composition of the plants' shoots, determination of N utilization, and physicochemical analyses of the fruit pulp were performed. The results showed that the interaction between N and S affected the fertilizer use efficiency (FUE), strawberry production, and the physicochemical attributes of the fruit pulp. Applying 120 mg dm−3 N and 30 mg dm−3 S improved both strawberry production and postharvest quality. Therefore, balancing N and S levels can improve both the yield and quality of strawberries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The reduction in crop yield caused by pathogens and pests presents a significant challenge to global food security. Genetic engineering, which aims to bolster plant defence mechanisms, emerges as a cost‐effective solution for disease control. However, this approach often incurs a growth penalty, known as the growth‐defence trade‐off. The precise molecular mechanisms governing this phenomenon are still not completely understood, but they generally fall under two main hypotheses: a "passive" redistribution of metabolic resources, or an "active" regulatory choice to optimize plant fitness. Despite the knowledge gaps, considerable practical endeavours are in the process of disentangling growth from defence. The plant microbiome, encompassing both above‐ and below‐ground components, plays a pivotal role in fostering plant growth and resilience to stresses. There is increasing evidence which indicates that plants maintain intimate associations with diverse, specifically selected microbial communities. Meta‐analyses have unveiled well‐coordinated, two‐way communications between plant shoots and roots, showcasing the capacity of plants to actively manage their microbiota for balancing growth with immunity, especially in response to pathogen incursions. This review centers on successes in making use of specific root‐associated microbes to mitigate the growth‐defence trade‐off, emphasizing pivotal advancements in unravelling the mechanisms behind plant growth and defence. These findings illuminate promising avenues for future research and practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum (Al) is known to inhibit plant growth and limit crop yields in acid areas. This study aimed to investigate the effect of endophytic fungus Glomerella sp. JP4 infection on the growth, photosynthetic pigments, antioxidant enzyme activities, organic acids contents, and Al content of endophyte-infected rice seedlings (EI) and endophyte-uninfected rice seedlings (EF) exposed to Al stress for 9 days. Al stress decreased shoot height, root length, and dry weight of EF plants. Endophyte infection increased the growth parameters except for root length. Compared to EF plants, the chlorophyll a+b content and carotenoid content were significantly enhanced in the EI plants. Antioxidant enzyme activity was also increased in the EI plants compared to the EF plants subjected to Al stress, while malondialdehyde (MDA) content was remarkably reduced. Endophytic infection significantly increased the contents of citrate and succinate in leaves, as well as that of lactate, malate, fumarate, and succinate in roots under Al stress. Endophyte infection decreased the Al content in the shoots and the roots and restricted the Al transfer from the roots to the shoots in the EI plants compared to the EF plants. Our results indicated that infection with endophytic fungus JP4 in the roots had an active role in promoting plant growth, alleviating the phytotoxic effects caused by Al exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stem cells in plants and animals are the source of new tissues and organs. In plants, stem cells are maintained in the central zone (CZ) of multicellular meristems, and large shoot meristems with an increased stem cell population hold promise for enhancing yield. The mobile homeodomain transcription factor WUSCHEL (WUS) is a central regulator of stem cell function in plant shoot meristems. Despite its central importance, the factors that directly modulate WUS protein stability have been a long-standing question. Here, we show that the peptidase DA1 physically interacts with and cleaves the WUS protein, leading to its destabilization. Furthermore, our results reveal that cytokinin signaling represses the level of DA1 protein in the shoot apical meristem, thereby increasing the accumulation of WUS protein. Consistent with these observations, loss of DA1 function results in larger shoot apical meristems with an increased stem cell population and also influences cytokinin-induced enlargement of shoot apical meristem. Collectively, our findings uncover a previously unrecognized mechanism by which the repression of DA1 by cytokinin signaling stabilizes WUS, resulting in the enlarged shoot apical meristems with the increased stem cell number during plant growth and development. The transcription factor WUSCHEL is essential for stem cell function, but factors that directly modulate WUS stability are unclear. This work discovers that the peptidase DA1 cleaves and destabilizes WUS to control shoot apical meristem size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zikui (Camellia sinensis cv. Zikui) is a recently discovered cultivar of local purple tea in Guizhou, China. It is a purple leaf bud mutation material of Meitan Taicha (Camellia sinensis cv. 'Meitan-taicha') 'N61' strain, which is an important local germplasm resource in Guizhou. It is also a model plant for the study of anthocyanins, but the limited germplasm resources and the limitation of traditional reproduction hinder its application. Here, an efficient regeneration system is established by using hypocotyl as explants for the first time. Different plant growth regulators (PGRs) are evaluated during different regeneration processes including callus and root induction. According to our findings, using the optimal disinfection conditions, the seed embryo contamination rate is 17.58%. Additionally, the mortality rate is 9.69%, while the survival rate is measured as 72.73%. Moreover, the highest germination rate of 93.64% is observed under MS + 2.40 mg/L GA3 medium conditions. The optimal callus induction rate is 95.19%, while the optimal adventitious bud differentiation rate is 20.74%, Medium with 1.6 mg/L IBA achieved 68.6% rooting of the adventitious shoots. The survival rate is more than 65% after 6 days growth in the cultivated matrix. In summary, our research aims to establish a regeneration system for Zikui tea plants and design a transformation system for tea plant tissue seedlings. This will enable transfer of the target gene and ultimately facilitate the cultivation of new tea varieties with unique characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The damask rose (Rosa damascena Mill.) is an ornamental–medicinal plant from the Rosaceae family, and its aromatic compounds and essential oils are applied globally in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. Due to its economic value, this research aimed to establish a protocol for an efficient, rapid, and cost-effective method for in vitro shoot multiplication and rooting of the R. damascena 'Kashan' and 'Hervy Azerbaijan' genotypes. Nodal segments (as primary explants) were cultured on the Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with combinations of various plant growth regulators (PGRs) such as gibberellic acid (GA3), 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), as well as a PGR-like substance, phloroglucinol (PG), vitamins such as ascorbic acid (AA), and activated carbon in the form of active charcoal (AC). For the establishment stage, 0.1 mg·L−1 PG, 0.2 mg·L−1 GA3, and 1 mg·L−1 BAP were added to the media. Secondary explants (nodal segments containing axillary buds produced from primary explants) were obtained after 30 days of in vitro culture and transferred to the proliferation media supplemented with different concentrations of BAP (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5 mg·L−1) and GA3 (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, and 1 mg·L−1) together with 0.1 mg·L−1 PG and 20 mg·L−1 of AA. The rooting media were augmented with different concentrations of BAP and GA3 with 0.1 mg·L−1 of IBA, PG and 20 mg·L−1 of AA and AC. The results showed that the highest regeneration coefficient (4.29 and 4.28) and the largest number of leaves (23.33–24.33) were obtained in the explants grown on the medium supplemented with 2 mg·L−1 BAP and 0.4 mg·L−1 GA3 for the 'Kashan' and 'Hervy Azerbaijan' genotypes, respectively. Likewise, this PGR combination provided the shortest time until bud break (approximately 6.5 days) and root emergence (approximately 10 days) in both genotypes. The highest number of shoots (4.78 per explant) and roots (3.96) was achieved in this medium in the 'Kashan' rose. Stem and root lengths, as well as stem and root fresh and dry weights, were also analyzed. In most measured traits, the lowest values were found in the PGRs-free control medium. Rooted plantlets were transferred to pots filled with perlite and peat moss in a 2:1 proportion and were acclimatized to ambient greenhouse conditions with a mean 90.12% survival rate. This research contributes significantly to our understanding of Damask rose propagation and has practical implications for the cosmetic and ornamental plant industries. By offering insights into the manipulation of regeneration processes, our study opens up new possibilities for the effective production of high-quality plant material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The development of an effective in vitro regeneration system for axillary bud and shoot explants, as well as its application to micropropagation, have been the main objectives of the work. • H. macrocarpa was successfully micropropagated utilising nodal explants in MS media supplemented with BAP and NAA or BAP + IBA, respectively. • According to the current investigation, this approach is appropriate for H. macrocarpa in vitro propagation. • In a different protocol, the number of shoots in MS medium supplemented with coconut water and aloe vera extracts was slightly decreased rather than increased. • Two subcultures could yield about 1000 plants with this combination. Hydnocarpus macrocarpa (Flacourtiaceae) is one of the endemic and endangered medicinal tree, was selected to investigate the influence of plant growth regulators on callus formation. H. macrocarpa is majorly distributed at low and medium elevations of the Southern Western Ghats. The seeds of this plant are used for the treatment of ulcers, biliousness, leprosy and epilepsy. An experiment was carried out with two different methods. In the first method Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with cytokinin alone or combined with auxin (2–4-Dichlorophenoxy acetic acid; Naphthalene acetic acid; Indole acetic acid; Indole butyric acid and Gibberellic acid) at different concentrations (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 µM) were used; in the seond method, MS medium supplemented with coconut endosperm (Solid and liquid) extract (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 %) with Aloe vera jelly extract at different concentrations (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 %) in combination and separately were used. Among the different treatments, good callus proliferation was obtained using MS medium supplemented with Benzylaminopurine and in combination with Naphthalene acetic acid and 2–4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (3 µM and 4 µM). But the best callus proliferation, shoot tip proliferation; auxiliary root and shoot formation were observed in MS medium supplemented with Aloe vera jelly extract in combination with coconut endosperm extract. The natural growth regulators supplemented with the media gave a positive response for plant growth. The results showed that the natural growth regulators, such as coconut endosperm and Aloe vera jelly extracts were found to be more efficient than the synthetic growth regulators (auxin and cytokinin). The presence of Indole acetic acid and Indole butyric acid in both Aloe vera jelly extracts and coconut endosperm were confirmed by High performance liquid chromatography and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biological interactions between plants and their root microbiomes are essential for plant growth, and even though plant genotype (G), soil microbiome (M), and growth conditions (environment; E) are the core factors shaping root microbiome, their relationships remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of G, M, and E and their interactions on the Lotus root microbiome and plant growth using an in vitro cross-inoculation approach, which reconstructed the interactions between nine Lotus accessions and four soil microbiomes under two different environmental conditions. Results suggested that a large proportion of the root microbiome composition is determined by M and E, while G-related (G, G × M, and G × E) effects were significant but small. In contrast, the interaction between G and M had a more pronounced effect on plant shoot growth than M alone. Our findings also indicated that most microbiome variations controlled by M have little effect on plant phenotypes, whereas G × M interactions have more significant effects. Plant genotype-dependent interactions with soil microbes warrant more attention to optimize crop yield and resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Coffee silverskin (CS) is the most abundant waste from coffee roasting. In this research, the potential of CS as soil fertilizer for barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivation was evaluated. Methods: Barley plants were grown, for 10 days from the start of germination, in soils mixed with different CS percentages (0, 2, 6 or 10%). The effects of CS addition on soil capacity to retain water and on the mold/yeast community were evaluated. Physio-morphological and biochemical responses of leaves and roots of barley plants growing in CS-enriched soil were evaluated. Results: Root and shoot length decreased in plants grown with CS, but biomass was less affected and even increased at 2% CS. Photosynthesis was higher in barley seedlings grown on CS-enriched soil than in control plants. However, Chl b was reduced in leaves of plants grown with CS. The total leaf protein content did not change with moderate CS additions in soil. However, when grown in soil with 10% CS, a significant reduction of total protein and Rubisco was observed. Extracts of barley shoots from plants grown in soil with 10% CS showed a greater antioxidant capacity with respect to all other experimental conditions. Conclusions: We conclude that CS addition to soil may improve soil property to retain water and, at low concentrations (2% w/w) positively affects barley physiology and growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Halophytes are species able to grow and complete their life cycle under NaCl concentrations above 0.2 M. In a context of growing population and uncertain agricultural food sustainability, there is an interest on halophytes as potential source of food and fodder. However, scarce research has addressed in vitro propagation of halophytes as a tool for study, conservation, and propagation of elite germplasm. In this study, an efficient method for micropropagation of the succulent and salt accumulator halophyte Arthrocaulon macrostachyum has been established for the first time, using shoot tips from in vitro-germinated plant material. During shoot multiplication stage, superior genotypes were selected from explants grown in high strength and NaCl content medium and subsequently rooted and acclimatized to ex vitro conditions. A comprehensive characterization including determination of oxidative stress, photosynthesis performance, and mineral nutrient contents was done. This research gains insight into the physiological and biochemical characterization of halophytes during micropropagation and provides a solid platform for the production of elite A. macrostachyum germplasm for ulterior uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bamboo shoots are considered as a healthy food and are popular in Asian cooking. The distribution of nutrients and their dynamics during the growth of bamboo shoots play a crucial role in guiding the harvesting and processing of bamboo shoots. In this study, Dendrocalamus brandisii (Munro) Kurz, an important bamboo species for harvesting fine edible shoots in southern China and Southeast Asia, was used to measure several indicators related to the edibility and nutritional value of fresh shoots across five height grades (H1: 20~30 cm; H2: 31~40 cm; H3: 41~50 cm; H4: 51~60 cm; and H5: 61~70 cm). The results indicated that, although the nutrient and mineral elements showed an increasing (crude fiber content, CFC), decreasing (total soluble sugars content, TSSC; ash content, AC; Fe; Zn), or fluctuating (soluble protein content, SPC; P; K; Ca) pattern with the growth of bamboo shoots, both the CFC and TSSC showed the highest values in the lower part at five growth heights, indicating that carbohydrates were mainly enriched in the bases of bamboo shoots. The SPC, AC, and other mineral elements were higher in the upper part, especially in H1–H3. Combined with the relatively high activity of metabolic enzymes (sucrose-phosphate synthase, SPS; neutral invertase, NI) in the upper part of bamboo shoots (although not statistically significant), it can be inferred that the shoot tip may be the main tissue for early nutrient synthesis and metabolism. Compared with the shoot height, different parts of a D. brandisii bamboo shoot are more indicative of its nutrient properties. Although all heights of bamboo shoots showed an abundance of nutrients and mineral elements, bamboo shoots with a height of less than 40 cm had a higher TSSC, AC, Fe, and Zn, and a lower CFC, thus having a better balance between nutrients and edibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viral infections pose significant threats to strawberry production. This study explored the efficacy of cryopreservation of shoot tips and meristem isolated from stolons to eradicate strawberry viruses, namely strawberry mottle virus (SMoV), strawberry mild yellow edge virus (SMYEV), strawberry crinkle virus (SCV), and strawberry vein banding virus (SVBV). The occurrence of viruses was verified by RT-PCR with specific primers. Results documented the elimination of SMoV and SCV but not of SMYEV and SVBV by cryotherapy and meristem isolation, showing that both methods can lead to the elimination, in a virus specific manner, of viruses in strawberry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil contamination by heavy metals is an agro-environmental and socioeconomic problem caused by anthropic action on the soil-plant system. More studies on the sustainable use of phytoremediators to remove these metals from the soil environment are needed. Thus, we evaluated the phytoremediation potential of Canavalia ensiformis L. for copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) metals in the soil. The experiment was conducted in greenhouse, completely randomized design, and five Cu and Zn treatments at increasing doses of 0, 10, 20, 40 and 80 mg kg-1, with four replicates. Growth data (height and number of leaves), dry mass, Cu and Zn concentration in the shoots and roots were assessed. Based on these results, the translocation factor (TF) calculations were performed. C. ensiformis has the potential for phytoextraction because the TF data were >1 for both metals in the shoot tissues of the plant. The highest metals concentrations were observed in the shoots, with a value of 14.13 and 9.36 mg kg-1 for Cu and Zn, respectively. The species had a tolerance index >70% for both metals. In conclusion, the C. ensiformis was efficient in phytoremediation of the evaluated heavy metals, with a progressive translocation process in a concentration-dependent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research's scope encompassed biotechnological, phytochemical, and biological studies of Schisandra henryi, including investigations into its in vitro microshoot culture grown in PlantForm bioreactors (temporary immersion systems, TISs), as well as extracts from leaves of the parent plant, focusing on anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and antimicrobial activities. The phytochemical analysis included the isolation and quantification of 17 compounds from dibenzocyclooctadiene, aryltetralin lignans, and neolignans using centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC), HPLC-DAD, and UHPLC-MS/MS tandem mass spectrometry with triple quadrupole mass filter methods. Higher contents of compounds were found in microshoots extracts (max. 543.99 mg/100 g DW). The major compound was schisantherin B both in the extracts from microshoots and the leaves (390.16 and 361.24 mg/100 g DW, respectively). The results of the anti-inflammatory activity in terms of the inhibition of COX-1, COX-2, sPLA2, and LOX-15 enzymes indicated that PlantForm microshoot extracts showed strong activity against COX-1 and COX-2 (for 177 mg/mL the inhibition percentage was 76% and 66%, respectively). The antioxidant potential assessed using FRAP, CUPRAC, and DPPH assays showed that extracts from microshoot cultures had 5.6, 3.8, and 3.3 times higher power compared to extracts from the leaves of the parent plant, respectively. The total polyphenol content (TPC) was 4.1 times higher in extracts from the in vitro culture compared to the leaves. The antiproliferative activity against T-cell lymphoblast line Jurkat, breast adenocarcinoma cultures (MCF-7), colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29), and cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa), showed that both extracts have considerable effects on the tested cell lines. The antimicrobial activity tested against strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi showed the highest activity towards H. pylori (MIC and MBC 0.625 mg/mL). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite being sessile, plants nonetheless forage for resources by modulating their growth. Adaptative foraging in response to changes in resource availability and presence of neighbours has strong implications for performance and fitness. It is an even more pressing issue for parasitic plants, which draw resources directly from other plants. Indeed, parasitic plants were demonstrated over the years to direct their growth towards preferred hosts and invest resources in parasitism relative to host quality. In contrast to root parasites that rely mostly on chemical cues, some shoot parasites seem to profit from the ability to integrate different types of abiotic and biotic cues. While significant progress in this field has been made recently, there are still many open questions regarding the molecular perception and the integration of diverse signalling pathways under different ecological contexts. Addressing how different cues are integrated in parasitic plants will be important when unravelling variations in plant interaction pathways, and essential to predict the spread of parasites in natural and agricultural environments. In this review, we discuss this with a focus on Cuscuta species as an emerging parasitic model, and provide research perspectives based on the recent advances in the topic and plant–plant interactions in general. Summary statement: In this review, selective foraging is discussed with a focus on Cuscuta species as an emerging parasitic model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of pitchers is the key ornamental feature of carnivorous endemic Nepenthes khasiana Hook.f. As the modification of leaves leads to pitcher formation, the current study focused on in-vitro pitcher formation and comparing the application of natural cytokinin, 2-iP for the first time than other cytokinins in optimizing an effective regeneration protocol with genetic stability. The results showed optimum seed germination (90.67±1.02)%, highest shoot and leaf proliferation after 28 days at ½ MS media fortified with GA 3 (0.5 mg/L), chronological in-vitro laminar modification to basal pitchers correlating ontogenic obliteration and reappearance of carnivory. 2-iP (2.0 mg/L) showed highest regeneration frequency 83.33%, number of shoots (8.85±1.19), length (9.10±1.73) cm, leaf number (10.15±1.96), and length (9.15±1.96) cm per nodal explant whereas in-vitro raised axillary buds produced highest regeneration frequency 93.33%, leaf numbers (12.12±1.60), length (13.35±1.15) cm, root number (9.10±0.67) and length (8.60±0.45) cm at 2-iP (2) + IBA (0.5) mg/L. The optimum callusing 50.00±1.52%, number and length of shoots (6.35±0.46), (9.60±1.21) cm were produced at 2-iP (1.5) + 2,4-D (0.5) mg/L. The nodal shoots supplemented with NAA at 3 mg/L produced the highest number of roots (11.25±1.33) and length (8.45±1.12) cm while callus-mediated shoots achieved highest root no 7.05±1.41 and length 4.81±0.43 cm at 2.5 mg/L NAA and 3 mg/L IAA respectively. The regenerates showed 95% survival and polymorphism 9.09% with 5 SCoT and 5.88% with 5 ISSR primers. Application of 2-iP enhanced production of ornamental quality planting materials through modifications of leaves and basal pitchers highlighting ontogeny of carnivory and endemism. [Display omitted] • In-vitro regeneration protocol of endangered pitcher plant Nepenthes khasiana Hook.f. • Seed germination, and laminar modification to basal and apical pitchers. • Axillary bud showing highest regeneration frequency. • Using naturally occurring cytokinin 2-iP for the proliferation of leaf, root and callusing. • 95% survival at greenhouse with 9.09% polymorphism using SCoT and 5.88% with ISSR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]