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In this study, we identified and characterized 23 genes encoding serine/arginine-rich (SR) protein in hot pepper (Capsicum annuum), named CaSR here. These CaSR proteins are grouped into seven subfamilies. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a high degree of similarity between CaSRs and their homologous proteins in other plants. Promoter regions of SR proteins are enriched with elements relating to light response, stress, hormone signaling, and plant growth. Notably, transcription levels of several proteins, including CaSR33, CaSR34, and CaSR34a, were upregulated by salt, drought, and cold stresses, suggesting potential roles of these proteins in stress tolerance. We also observed an increase of CaSR transcript population resulting from alternative splicing (AS) regulation, mainly intron retention. AS patterns of CaSR genes varied among tissues. Higher AS intensity was found in the RS subfamily, while some genes in the RSZ subfamily showed no AS regulation under the conditions used here. Interestingly, a cross-species comparative study with Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) showed that many AS events impact the region which codes the RNA recognition motif (RRM) domain of the protein, indicating a conserved regulatory mechanism of SR proteins in plants. Our findings reveal the functional diversity and evolutionary conservation of SR proteins in hot pepper and highlight AS as a mechanism enhancing plant adaptability, providing insights for future stress-resistant crop development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: High annual tomato yields are achieved using high-tech greenhouse production systems. Large greenhouses typically rely only on one central weather station per compartment to steer their internal climate, ignoring possible microclimate conditions within the greenhouse itself. Methods: In this study, we analysed spatial variation in temperature and vapour pressure deficit in a commercial tomato greenhouse setting for three consecutive years. Multiple sensors were placed within the crop canopy, which revealed microclimate gradients. Results and discussion: Different microclimates were present throughout the year, with seasonal (spring – summer – autumn) and diurnal (day – night) variations in temperature (up to 3 °C, daily average) and vapour pressure deficit (up to 0.6 kPa, daily average). The microclimate effects influenced in part the variation in plant and fruit growth rate and fruit yield – maximum recorded difference between two locations with different microclimates was 0.4 cm d-1 for stem growth rate, 0.6 g d-1 for fruit growth rate, 80 g for truss mass at harvest. The local microclimate effect on plant growth was always larger than the bulk climate variation measured by a central sensor, as commonly done in commercial greenhouses. Quality attributes of harvested tomato fruit did not show a significant difference between different microclimate conditions. In conclusion, we showed that even small, naturally occurring, differences in local environment conditions within a greenhouse may influence the rate of plant and fruit growth. These findings could encourage the sector to deploy larger sensor networks for optimal greenhouse climate control. A sensor grid covering the whole area of the greenhouse is a necessity for climate control strategies to mitigate suboptimal conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Timely and accurate recognition of tomato diseases is crucial for improving tomato yield. While large deep learning models can achieve high-precision disease recognition, these models often have a large number of parameters, making them difficult to deploy on edge devices. To address this issue, this study proposes an ensemble self-distillation method and applies it to the lightweight model ShuffleNetV2. Methods: Specifically, based on the architecture of ShuffleNetV2, multiple shallow models at different depths are constructed to establish a distillation framework. Based on the fused feature map that integrates the intermediate feature maps of ShuffleNetV2 and shallow models, a depthwise separable convolution layer is introduced to further extract more effective feature information. This method ensures that the intermediate features from each model are fully preserved to the ensemble model, thereby improving the overall performance of the ensemble model. The ensemble model, acting as the teacher, dynamically transfers knowledge to ShuffleNetV2 and the shallow models during training, significantly enhancing the performance of ShuffleNetV2 without changing the original structure. Results: Experimental results show that the optimized ShuffleNetV2 achieves an accuracy of 95.08%, precision of 94.58%, recall of 94.55%, and an F1 score of 94.54% on the test set, surpassing large models such as VGG16 and ResNet18. Among lightweight models, it has the smallest parameter count and the highest recognition accuracy. Discussion: The results demonstrate that the optimized ShuffleNetV2 is more suitable for deployment on edge devices for real-time tomato disease detection. Additionally, multiple shallow models achieve varying degrees of compression for ShuffleNetV2, providing flexibility for model deployment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document "Efficient genome editing in dicot plants using calreticulin promoter-driven CRISPR/Cas system" published in the journal "Molecular Horticulture" discusses the development of a novel promoter, PCE8pro, for driving Cas9 nuclease to achieve efficient genome editing in dicot plants. The study demonstrates that the pDC45 system, utilizing the PCE8pro, is effective for multiplex gene editing and chromosomal segment deletions in dicot plants. The findings suggest that these editing systems could enhance targeted gene mutagenesis in dicots and facilitate future research in plant functional genomics and large-scale genome editing. [Extracted from the article]

This study investigates how smallholder tomato farmers in Mvomero District, Tanzania, utilize postharvest handling technologies (PHTs) and analyzes the factors influencing their adoption. We also assess the impact of PHTs on farmer income. Using a cross-sectional survey of 201 farmers, the study finds that a variety of PHTs are used, including lower-energy cool storage, Coolbot™ units, zero-energy cool chambers, and improved containers. Probit and ordinary least squares models reveal that factors such as farmer age, male gender, access to specific PHTs (Coolbot™, zero-energy chambers, improved containers), extension services, credit access, and shade use all significantly influence the adoption of PHTs. The study suggests that policymakers should design interventions considering different income levels. Strengthening extension services by increasing the number of workers and providing them with adequate resources is crucial to promote PHT adoption among tomato farmers, ultimately leading to increased income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iodine (I) is a beneficial micronutrient for crop plants and essential for human health, yet approximately two billion people worldwide suffer from I deficiency, resulting in significant health issues. Agricultural soils often lack sufficient I, resulting in crops with low I content. However, tomatoes have shown potential to accumulate I when supplemented externally, making them an ideal candidate for I biofortification, particularly as an alternative to iodized salt for individuals on low-sodium diets. This two-year greenhouse pot experiment evaluated the effectiveness of foliar application of potassium iodide (KI) in biofortifying two commercial tomato hybrids. Different concentrations of I (0, 1, 3, 6, and 9 mM/plant) were applied as foliar treatments to assess their effects on physiological parameters, yield attributes, and quality traits, especially I enrichment in tomato fruit. The results demonstrated that foliar application of KI significantly increased fruit I contents at concentrations that also promoted overall plant growth and development. These findings underscored the efficient translocation of I through the phloem in tomatoes. I enrichment in tomato fruits ranged up to 5.27 mg/kg, exceeding the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of 150 μg/day. Even lower doses of 1–3 mM KI were effective in achieving significant I enrichment suitable for biofortification programs. In conclusion, tomato emerged as an excellent candidate for agronomic biofortification with I due to the practicality, and affordability of foliar application. The study highlights the potential of foliar I application as a feasible strategy for addressing global I deficiency, emphasizing its suitability for widespread adoption by farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most terrestrial plants can establish a reciprocal symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi to cope with adverse environmental stresses. The development of AM symbiosis is energetically costly and needs to be dynamically controlled by plants to maintain the association at mutual beneficial levels. Multiple components involved in the autoregulation of mycorrhiza (AOM) have been recently identified from several plant species; however, the mechanisms underlying the feedback regulation of AM symbiosis remain largely unknown. Here, we report that AM colonization promotes the flavonol biosynthesis pathway in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), and an AM‐specific UDP‐glucosyltransferase SlUGT132, which probably has the flavonol glycosylation activity, negatively regulates AM development. SlUGT132 was predominantly expressed in the arbuscule‐containing cells, and its knockout or knockdown mutants showed increased soluble sugar content, root colonization level and arbuscule formation. Conversely, overexpression of SlUGT132 resulted in declined soluble sugar content and mycorrhization degree. Metabolomic assay revealed decreased contents of astragalin, tiliroside and cynaroside in slugt132 mycorrhizal roots, but increased accumulation of these flavonoid glycosides in SlUGT132‐overexpressing plant roots. Our results highlight the presence of a novel, SlUGT132‐mediated AOM mechanism, which enable plants to flexibly control the accumulation of soluble sugars and flavonoid glycosides in mycorrhizal roots and modulate colonization levels. Summary statement: The mechanism underlying the autoregulation of mycorrhiza by plants remains elusive.This work uncovers a negative role of an UDP‐glucosyltransferase SlUGT132 in regulating mycorrhizal symbiosis in tomato, via modulating the accumulation of soluble sugars and certain flavonols in colonized roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant organs harbour diverse components that connect their physiology to the whole organism. The turnover of metabolites may be higher in some organs than in others, triggering differential growth patterns throughout the organism. We revealed that Solanum lycopersicum exhibits more coordinated growth and physiology across the entire plant compared to wild tomato species. Specifically, young leaves of S. lycopersicum develop more slowly than mature leaves, whereas wild species do not exhibit this pattern. Wild tomato Solanum pennellii displays young leaves with higher photosynthetic rates than mature leaves. Consequently, sucrose metabolism in S. pennellii is quite similar between young and mature leaves, while expression patterns of circadian clock genes differ significantly between leaves of different ages. Additionally, we demonstrated that introducing alleles related to tomato domestication into the wild tomato Solanum pimpinellifolium promotes coordinated growth between young and mature leaves, resulting in similar patterns to those observed in S. lycopersicum. Collectively, S. lycopersicum appears to exhibit more coordinated regulation of growth and metabolism, and understanding this process is likely fundamental to explaining its elevated harvest index. Summary statement: The growth and metabolism may be contrasting among the organs of an organism. Here, we show that Solanum lycopersicum displays more coordinated growth and metabolism between leaves compared to wild tomato species. Understanding this coordination may provide valuable insights into the high harvest index of S. lycopersicum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato is one of the most commonly consumed agricultural products, and the stability of its production plays an influential role in the food security of human societies. Therefore, finding solutions to reduce the risk of factors impacting tomato production could greatly help any country's economic development. During recent decades, climate change has caused the spread of salt marshes worldwide, which has affected the production efficiency and the area under tomato cultivation. Consequently, it has made scientists think about finding cheap, suitable, and minimal-risk methods for the environment to reduce the impact of salinity on tomato seedlings. Researchers have conducted several studies on the exogenous use of plant hormones in reducing salinity impact in tomato seedlings, and this study also tried to evaluate the effects of salinity stress on tomato structures (biochemical, physiological, and morphological), as well as the role of abscisic acid, salicylic acid, and melatonin hormones in tomatoes and their exogenous application in reducing salinity stress. According to the present study, the exogenous use of each of the hormones mentioned above under salinity stress conditions increases the resistance of tomato seedlings through the improvement of enzymatic and non-enzymatic animation activities, plant growth indexes, proline content, potassium ion content, K+/Na+ ratio, seed germination, relative water content, photosynthetic performance, phenolic compounds, total soluble sugars, accumulation of mineral osmolytes, protein content, expression of genes related to salt tolerance, ascorbic acid-glutathione cycle, and root architecture, as well as the reduction in ethylene content, reactive oxygen species, electrolyte leakage, sodium ion content, and content of malondialdehyde. The present study also showed that salicylic acid, abscisic acid, and melatonin interact with other internal plant hormones; therefore, their use to reduce the adverse effects of salinity stress should be carefully considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Verticillium dahliae is an economically important soilborne pathogen of tomato of which the microsclerotial inoculum can survive in the soil for extended periods of time. Previous studies, including two studies on tomato, reported that pre-plant microsclerotia soil densities can sometimes, but not always, predict the incidence or severity of Verticillium wilt. The overall objective of the study was to determine if V. dahliae pre-plant microsclerotia densities can be used as a predictive tool for the development of Verticillium wilt of tomatoes. A published qPCR assay was optimised and could detect 4.20 fg V. dahliae DNA (0.16 microsclerotia/g soil) from tomato field soils. There were no noticeable variations in the average number of microsclerotia per hectare across five commercial tomato fields, regardless of whether a high density (four composite samples from 20 soil cores/ha), medium density (four composite samples from 12 soil cores/ha), or low density (one composite sample from five soil cores/ha) sampling method was employed. A highly intensive sampling strategy (20 independently analysed soil cores/ha) was investigated for its predictive value in disease development since it allowed for correlation analyses to be conducted. A significant correlation (r = 0.578, P = 0.008) was evident between the number of microsclerotia pre-plant and disease severity during the season in only one of the three investigated fields; no correlation existed with yield. A glasshouse plant bioassay, using specific quantities of inoculated microsclerotia, established that the microsclerotia threshold required for significant disease development was five microsclerotia/g soil (283.8 fg DNA/g soil). However, one and two microsclerotia/g soil, although not causing significant symptoms, were able to sometimes infect the plants. This study showed that pre-plant V. dahliae soil densities do not have a disease predictive value in tomato, and that plant infection can develop at very low soil inoculum densities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV; Orthotospovirus tomatomaculae) is one of the major horticultural threats due to its worldwide distribution and broad host range. In Italy, TSWV is widely spread in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) crops and causes severe yield losses. In the last decades, several tomato varieties carrying the Sw-5b gene for resistance to TSWV have been released. We investigated the interaction between Sw-5b-carrying tomatoes and Sw5-Resistance-Breaking (SRB) TSWV to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying resistance breakage. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) was used to analyze 18 tomato leaf samples collected from a field crop naturally infected by SRB TSWV in Italy. An increase in virus accumulation level in leaf tissues (titer) resulted in a higher number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), ranging from 33 to 44% of the whole transcriptome, when the samples with the lowest and the highest virus titer were compared to the asymptomatic sample, respectively. Photosynthesis and protein biosynthesis were the main down-regulated biological processes, while enzyme families such as oxidoreductases and transferases, genes related to the response to biotic stimuli, solute transport, and vesicle trafficking were overall up-regulated. Remarkably, the expression of around 45% of genes (ca. 14000) of the whole transcriptome was significantly (P < 0.05) correlated (positively or negatively) to the virus titer, and in 6% of cases (about 2000 genes) the correlation was high (i.e., absolute value of R2 > 0.85). This phenomenon was also verified on 15 genes by a quantitative reverse transcription PCR assay on a greenhouse experiment with a different Sw-5b-tomato variety artificially inoculated with another SRB TSWV strain. In conclusion, the tomato transcriptome was considerably rearranged upon TSWV infection, with deregulation of photosynthesis, protein biosynthesis, and induction of defense pathways. Finally, this research demonstrated that the magnitude of transcriptional changes was proportional to the virus accumulation level in the leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) functions as an inhibitory neurotransmitter which blocks the impulses between nerve cells in the brain. Due to the increasing awareness about the health promoting benefits associated with GABA, it is also artificially synthesized and consumed as a nutritional supplement by people in some regions of the world. Though among the fresh vegetables, tomato fruits do contain a comparatively higher amount of GABA (0.07 to 2.01 mg g−1 FW), it needs to be further enhanced to fully impart its potential health benefits. Achieving this feat through classical breeding approaches is time and resource consuming, and is also associated with linkage drag. On the other hand, precise targeting of specific sites in the genome with less off- target effects is mediated by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing tool and is widely used to overcome the barriers associated with traditional breeding approaches. Combining genome editing with speed breeding techniques can enable the rapid development of GABA-rich tomato cultivars, paving a way to unlock a new era of functional foods, where every bite contributes to cognitive well-being and holistic health. This review highlights the significance of GABA boosted functional foods and explores the potential of CRISPR/Cas9 technology for developing GABA enriched tomatoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bradyrhizobium sp. strain SUTN9-2 demonstrates cell enlargement, increased DNA content, and efficient nitrogen fixation in response to rice (Oryza sativa) extract. This response is attributed to the interaction between the plant's cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs) and the Bradyrhizobium BacA-like transporter (BclA), similar to bacteroid in legume nodules. The present study reveals that SUTN9-2 can also establish functional endophytic interactions with chili (Capsicum annuum) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants. When exposed to extracts from chili and tomato, SUTN9-2 exhibits cell elongation, polyploidy, and reduced cell viability, with the effects being less pronounced for tomato extract. Transcriptomic and cytological analyses revealed that genes associated with CAMP resistance, nitrogen metabolism, nitrogen fixation, defense responses, and secretion systems were upregulated, while genes related to the cell cycle and certain CAMP-resistance mechanisms were downregulated, particularly in response to chili extract. This study suggests that SUTN9-2 likely evolves resistance mechanisms against CAMPs found in rice, chili, and tomato plants through mechanisms involving the protease-chaperone DegP, AcrAB-TolC multidrug efflux pumps, and polysaccharides. These mechanisms facilitate efflux, degradation, and the formation of protective barriers to resist CAMPs. Such adaptations enable SUTN9-2 to persist and colonize host plants despite antimicrobial pressures, influencing its viability, cell differentiation, and nitrogen fixation during endophytic interactions with various plant hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 2°C climate-warming scenario is expected to further exacerbate average crop losses by 3%–13%, yet few heat-tolerant staple-crop varieties are available toward meeting future food demands. Here, we develop high-efficiency prime-editing tools to precisely knockin a 10-bp heat-shock element (HSE) into promoters of cell-wall-invertase genes (CWINs) in elite rice and tomato cultivars. HSE insertion endows CWINs with heat-responsive upregulation in both controlled and field environments to enhance carbon partitioning to grain and fruits, resulting in per-plot yield increases of 25% in rice cultivar Zhonghua11 and 33% in tomato cultivar Ailsa Craig over heat-stressed controls, without fruit quality penalties. Up to 41% of heat-induced grain losses were rescued in rice. Beyond a prime-editing system for tweaking gene expression by efficiently delivering bespoke changes into crop genomes, we demonstrate broad and robust utility for targeted knockin of cis -regulatory elements to optimize source-sink relations and boost crop climate resilience. [Display omitted] • Develop a Csy4-based prime-editing system for efficient, targeted insertion in dicots • Knockin of heat-shock element confers reactive expression to cell-wall-invertase genes • Engineer source-sink relations and carbon partitioning to create climate-smart crops • Lift yield in normal conditions and rescue losses under heat stress in rice and tomato Lou et al. engineered source-sink relations to improve carbon partitioning by targeted insertion of heat-shock cis -elements into cell-wall-invertase genes using prime editing. This delivers climate-smart crops with higher yields under normal conditions and stable yields under heat stress in tomato and rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Microbial biofertilizers and algae‐based biostimulants have been recognized for supporting sustainable agriculture. Field experiments were conducted in 2022 and 2023 growing seasons in an organic farm located in Ferrara (Italy) with the aim of evaluating plant growth‐promoting microorganisms (PGPMs) and algae‐based biostimulants (Biost) in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). The experimental treatments were: (i) two microbial biofertilizers (PGPM_1, PGPM_2) and no inoculated plants (No_PGPM); and (ii) two algae‐based biostimulant rates (0.5% (Biost_0.5%), 1.0% (Biost_1.0%)) and no application (No_Biost). PGPMs were applied at transplanting, while biostimulants at 15 and 30 days after transplanting. Treatments were replicated three times according to a split‐plot experimental design. Plant characteristics were evaluated at 30 days after transplanting in No_Biost treatments. During tomato cultivation, soil plant analysis development (SPAD), nitrogen difference vegetation index (NDVI), leaf area index (LAI) and photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) were monitored. Tomato yield was determined. RESULTS: PGPM_2 showed the highest shoot biomass (132.9 g plant−1), plant height (44.7 cm), leaf number (34.0 plant−1) and root biomass (9.22 g plant−1). Intermediate values were observed in PGPM_1, while all parameters were lower in No_PGPM. Both PGPMs achieved higher values of SPAD, NDVI, PPFD and LAI than No_PGPM. Biost_1.0% increased all measured growth parameters followed by Biost_0.5% and No_Biost, respectively. Tomato yield was the highest for PGPM_2–Biost_1.0% (67.2 t ha−1). PGPMs affected fruit size and sugar content, while biostimulants were associated with color and lycopene. CONCLUSION: The application of microbial biofertilizers and algae‐based biostimulants could be part of environment‐friendly practice in organic farming. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron (Fe) deficiency is among the most important agronomical concerns under alkaline conditions. Bicarbonate is considered an important factor causing Fe deficiency in dicot plants, mainly on calcareous soils. Current production systems are based on the use of high-yielding varieties and the application of large quantities of agrochemicals, which can cause major environmental problems. The use of beneficial rhizosphere microorganisms is considered a relevant sustainable alternative to synthetic fertilizers. The main purpose of this work has been to analyze the impact of the inoculation of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) seedlings with the WCS417 strain of Pseudomonas simiae, in the presence or absence of bicarbonate, on plant growth and other physiological parameters. To conduct this research, three different inoculation methods were implemented: root immersion, foliar application, and substrate inoculation by irrigation. The results obtained show the ability of the P. simiae WCS417 strain to induce medium acidification in the presence of bicarbonate to increase the SPAD index and to improve the growth and development of the tomato plants in calcareous conditions provoked by the presence of bicarbonate, which indicates that this bacteria strain could have a great potential as an Fe biofertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pervasive presence of microplastics (MPs) in agroecosystems poses a significant threat to soil health and plant growth. This study investigates the effects of varying concentrations and sizes of polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) on the Solanum lycopersicum L.'s height, dry weight, antioxidant enzyme activities, soil physicochemical properties, and rhizosphere microbial communities. The results showed that the PS0510 treatment significantly increased plant height (93.70 cm, +40.83%) and dry weight (2.98 g, +100%). Additionally, antioxidant enzyme activities improved across treatments for S. lycopersicum L. roots. Physicochemical analyses revealed enhanced soil organic matter and nutrient levels, including ammonium nitrogen, phosphorus, and effective potassium. Using 16S rRNA sequencing and molecular ecological network techniques, we found that PS-MPs altered the structure and function of the rhizosphere microbial community associated with S. lycopersicum L. The PS1005 treatment notably increased microbial diversity and displayed the most complex ecological network, while PS1010 led to reduced network complexity and more negative interactions. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis identified biomarkers at various taxonomic levels, reflecting the impact of PS-MPs on microbial community structure. Mantel tests indicated positive correlations between microbial diversity and soil antioxidant enzyme activity, as well as relationships between soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activity. Predictions of gene function revealed that PS-MP treatments modified carbon and nitrogen cycling pathways, with PS1005 enhancing methanogenesis genes (mcrABG) and PS1010 negatively affecting denitrification genes (nirK, nirS). This study provides evidence of the complex effects of PS-MPs on soil health and agroecosystem functioning, highlighting their potential to alter soil properties and microbial communities, thereby affecting plant growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Santolina chamaecyparissus L. (cotton-lavender) is receiving increasing attention due to its potential for modern medicine and is considered both a functional food and nutraceutical. In this work, the phytochemical profile of its flower hydromethanolic extract was investigated by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and its applications as a biorational for crop protection were explored against Neocosmospora spp., both in vitro and in planta. The phytochemical profiling analysis identified several terpene groups. Among sesquiterpenoids, which constituted the major fraction (50.4%), compounds featuring cedrane skeleton (8-cedren-13-ol), aromadendrene skeleton (such as (−)-spathulenol, ledol, alloaromadendrene oxide, epiglobulol, and alloaromadendrene), hydroazulene skeleton (ledene oxide, isoledene, and 1,2,3,3a,8,8a-hexahydro-2,2,8-trimethyl-,(3aα,8β,8aα)-5,6-azulenedimethanol), or copaane skeleton (cis-α-copaene-8-ol) were predominant. Additional sesquiterpenoids included longiborneol and longifolene. The monoterpenoid fraction (1.51%) was represented by eucalyptol, (+)-4-carene, endoborneol, and 7-norbornenol. In vitro tests against N. falciformis and N. keratoplastica, two emerging soil phytopathogens, resulted in effective concentration EC90 values of 984.4 and 728.6 μg·mL−1, respectively. A higher dose (3000 μg·mL−1) was nonetheless required to achieve full protection in the in planta tests conducted on zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) cv. 'Diamant F1' and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cv. 'Optima F1' plants inoculated with N. falciformis by root dipping. The reported data indicate an antimicrobial activity comparable to that of fosetyl-Al and higher than that of azoxystrobin conventional fungicides, thus making the flower extract a promising bioactive product for organic farming and expanding S. chamaecyparissus potential applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bHLH (basic helix–loop–helix) transcription factors function as crucial regulators in numerous biological processes including abiotic stress responses and plant development. According to our RNA-seq analysis of tomato seedlings under salt stress, we found that, although the bHLH gene family in tomato has been studied, there are still so many tomato bHLH genes that have not been identified and named, which will hinder the later study of SlbHLHs. In total, 195 SlbHLHs that were unevenly distributed onto 12 chromosomes were identified from the tomato genome and were classified into 27 subfamilies based on their molecular features. The collinearity between SlbHLHs and interrelated orthologs from 10 plants further revealed evolutionary insights into SlbHLHs. Cis-element investigations of SlbHLHs promotors further suggested the potential roles of SlbHLHs in tomato development and stress responses. A total of 30 SlbHLHs were defined as the differentially expressed genes in response to salt stress by RNA-seq. The expression profiles of selected SlbHLHs were varyingly and markedly induced by multiple abiotic stresses and hormone treatments. These results provide valuable information to further understand the significance and intricacy of the bHLH transcription factor family, and lay a foundation for further exploring functions and possible regulatory mechanisms of SlbHLH members in abiotic stress tolerance, which will be significant for the study of tomato stress resistance and agricultural productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants have large amounts of the late embryogenesis abundant protein (LEA) family of proteins, which is involved in osmotic regulation. The Korla Pear (Pyrus sinkiangensis Yu) is an uncommon pear species that thrives in Xinjiang and can survive below-freezing conditions. We found that the PsLEA4 gene was more expressed after cold treatment by looking at the transcriptome data of the Korla Pear. In order to evaluate the biological function of the PsLEA4 protein under low-temperature stress and its potential for use in agricultural breeding, we cloned the PsLEA4 gene from the Korla Pear, made a plant overexpression vector, and transformed it into a tomato via Agrobacterium transformation. When exposed to low temperatures, we found that PsLEA4 overexpression can regulate proline metabolism and antioxidant enzyme activity in tomatoes compared to wild tomatoes. Because of this, transgenic tomatoes are more resilient to cold temperatures and produce more than their wild counterparts. Thus, expressing PsLEA4 has multiple advantages: (1) Improving frost resistance and reducing plant damage. (2) Increasing crop yield. Therefore, this study provides a theoretical basis for the role of the PsLEA4 protein in plants' resilience to low temperatures, as well as for its potential application in crop breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This research investigates potential mechanisms of novel magnetic field (MF) treatments in inhibiting cell-wall-degrading enzymes, aiming to reduce weight loss and preserve the post-harvest quality of tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) as a climacteric fruit. The optimization of the processing parameters, including MF intensity (1, 2, 3 mT), frequency (0, 50, 100 Hz), and duration (10, 20, 30 min), was accomplished by applying an orthogonal array design. In particular, the investigation delved into the underlying mechanisms by which MF impedes the activity of tissue-degrading enzymes, such as pectin esterase (PE), polygalacturonase (PG), and cellulase (Cx), during the storage period. The results showed that MF treatment delayed the increase in soluble solids by 1.5 times and reduced titratable acidity by 1.2 times. The optimal treatment conditions—2 mT, 50 Hz, and 10 min—achieved the most significant inhibition of weight loss (4.22%) and maintained tissue integrity for up to 21 days. Optimized MF significantly suppressed enzyme activity, with PE activity reduced by 1.5 times, PG by 2.8 times, and Cx by 2.5 times. Also, cross-sectional images and external appearance demonstrated that MF-treated tomatoes retained their internal tissue structure throughout the extended storage period. These findings suggest that MF treatments can effectively suppress the key enzymes responsible for tissue degradation, ultimately delaying weight loss and softening, preserving post-harvest quality, and contributing to sustainable food production and zero waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study focused on the impact of weather parameters over the foraging efficiency and pollination potential of stingless bees, Tetragonula iridipennis in tomato ecosystem which was located in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, India. The maximum foraging activity (outgoing bees – 24.56/5 min, Pollen foragers – 8.64 bees/5 min, nectar foragers – 13.54 bees/5 min and resin foragers – 2.89 bees/5 min) was observed between 10.00 – 12.00 h during the study period. The activity of stingless bees was minimal between 06.00 – 08.00 h when the foraging commences. The maximum temperature was significantly positively associated with the foraging potential and average relative humidity was negatively correlated. Heavy rainfall also affects their capacity of flight thereby the foraging activity could be restricted to the favourable time of the day. The monthly pooled averages recorded throughout the summer season, revealed that the peak foraging activity of outgoing and incoming foragers was observed in March, followed by April, while the lowest activity was recorded in May. Peak foraging activity occurred in early summer, likely due to greater resource availability and favourable weather conditions. These weather-related factors reveal how stingless bees adapt to environmental conditions, showing their sensitivity and strategic adjustments in response to climate variability and change. Moreover, the potential pollination services offered by stingless bees yielded significant results. With the aid of stingless bee pollination, the yield of tomato fruit per plant reached 3.53 kg, and the fruit's length and diameter measured up to 3.92 cm and 4.21 cm, respectively. Additionally, the weight of 100 seeds per tomato fruit was recorded at 0.31 g. The overall quality of the tomato fruit was notably enhanced by the pollination assistance from T. iridipennis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document provides detailed information on a PCR test for Meloidogyne graminicola, a plant-parasitic nematode affecting rice production in Asia. The test's performance characteristics, including sensitivity and specificity, were evaluated in studies involving multiple laboratories, showing reliable results in detecting the nematode. The document emphasizes the importance of accurate identification for effective management strategies and provides valuable data for researchers and practitioners in the field of plant pathology. [Extracted from the article]

Introduction: Visualization of the intact microvascular network in skeletal muscle requires labeling the entire network in whole mount preparations where muscle fibre length can be set to near optimal but the tools to do this are not clear. Methods: We intravascularly injected CD-1 mice with different fluorescently labelled lectins (fluorescent isolectin GS-IB4 [ISO], wheat germ agglutinin [WGA], lycopersicon esculentum [LYCO]) or FITC-labelled gel. Soleus, extensor digitorum longus, diaphragm, gluteus maximus and cremaster muscles were excised, pinned at optimal sarcomere length and viewed using fluorescence microscopy. Results: WGA and LYCO were effective at labeling the entire vascular network with WGA labeling capillaries more brightly. ISO labelled the arteriolar vasculature and early segments of the capillaries but not the full length of the capillaries or the venular network. FITC-labelled gel was effective at labelling the microvascular network but not all small vessels were consistently labelled. The pattern of staining for each labelling method was similar across all muscle fibre-types tested. Conclusions: WGA was optimal for perfusion labeling and visualization of the intact microvascular network in whole mount skeletal muscle preparations and can be used in combination with ISO to distinguish the arteriolar and venous sides of the network. Introduction: Visualization of the intact microvascular network in skeletal muscle requires labeling the entire network in whole mount preparations where muscle fibre length can be set to near optimal but the tools to do this are not clear. Methods: We intravascularly injected CD-1 mice with different fluorescently labelled lectins (fluorescent isolectin GS-IB4 [ISO], wheat germ agglutinin [WGA], lycopersicon esculentum [LYCO]) or FITC-labelled gel. Soleus, extensor digitorum longus, diaphragm, gluteus maximus and cremaster muscles were excised, pinned at optimal sarcomere length and viewed using fluorescence microscopy. Results: WGA and LYCO were effective at labeling the entire vascular network with WGA labeling capillaries more brightly. ISO labelled the arteriolar vasculature and early segments of the capillaries but not the full length of the capillaries or the venular network. FITC-labelled gel was effective at labelling the microvascular network but not all small vessels were consistently labelled. The pattern of staining for each labelling method was similar across all muscle fibre-types tested. Conclusions: WGA was optimal for perfusion labeling and visualization of the intact microvascular network in whole mount skeletal muscle preparations and can be used in combination with ISO to distinguish the arteriolar and venous sides of the network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

【Objective】Tomato bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum (Rs) is main disease of tomato. In this study, the antagonistic strain against R. solanacearum and with growth promoting was screened from tomato rhizosphere, and its physiological and biochemical characteristic and biocontrol effect were investigated, which may provide a theoretical basis for the further development of biological control agents.【Method】Filter paper slice method was employed to screen the antagonistic strain against Rs. Physiological and biochemical characteristic and 16S rRNA sequences were analyzed to identify the antagonistic strain. Pot experiments were conducted to evaluate the biocontrol and growth promoting effects of the antagonistic strain on bacterial wilt and tomato, respectively. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and fluorescence quantitative PCR were used to investigate the effect of antagonistic strain on the bacterial community in tomato rhizosphere.【Result】An antagonistic strain A72 was screened out from the tomato rhizosphere. Strain A72 was identified as Bacillus siamensis by 16S rRNA gene sequence, and it had the ability to resolve phosphorus, release potassium, produce IAA, secrete extracellular hydrolases and siderophore, and form biofilms. The pot experiments showed that its control effect against tomato bacterial wilt was 63.80%, and it significantly increased the root length, plant height, dry weight, fresh weight and chlorophyll content of tomato plants. Application of strain A72 significantly decreased the density of R. solanacearum and altered the structure and composition of bacterial community in tomato rhizosphere.【Conclusion】Strain A72 has a good growth promotion effect on tomato seedlings and may effectively control tomato bacterial wilt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification process that can alter the functionality of a genome. It has been reported to be a key regulator of fruit ripening. In this study, the DNA methylation changes of CpG islands of ethylene signaling genes regulated by 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) during ripening and senescence of tomato fruit were detected. The results showed that the 1-MCP treatment decreased the accumulation of lycopene, maintained the content of vitamin C, and delayed the ripening and senescence of tomato fruit. The quantitative real-time PCR and bisulfite sequencing analysis showed that 1-MCP treatment changed the expression and the DNA methylation level of CpG islands related to the ethylene signaling pathway genes, among which the DNA methylation change of LeEIN3 was the most significant. Compared with the control, 1-MCP treatment increased the DNA methylation level of the CpG island of the LeEIN3 gene, reduced the expression of LeEIN3 in tomato fruit, and was involved in 1-MCP delaying the postharvest senescence of tomato fruit. The results indicated that DNA methylation changes of ethylene signaling genes were involved in ethylene synthesis and signal transduction and played an important role in the regulation of 1-methylcyclopropene, delaying postharvest ripening and senescence of tomato fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millions of tons of cherry tomatoes are produced annually, with the harvesting process being crucial. This paper presents a deep learning-based approach to distinguish the ripeness of cherry tomatoes in real time. It specifically evaluates the performance of YOLO (You Only Look Once) v5 and YOLOv8 (with a ResNet50 backbone) models. A new dataset was created by augmenting the original 300 images to 742 images using techniques such as rotation, flipping, and brightness adjustments. Experimental results show that YOLOv8 achieved a mean average precision (mAP) of 0.757, outperforming YOLOv5, which achieved an mAP of 0.701, by 5.6%. The proposed system is expected to address labor shortages caused by population decline in rural areas and enhance productivity in cherry tomato harvesting environments. Future research will focus on integrating segmentation techniques to precisely locate cherry tomatoes and develop a robotic manipulator capable of automating the harvesting process based on ripeness. This study provides a foundation for intelligent harvesting robots applicable in real-world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil contamination linked to anthropogenic activities has become a serious environmental problem on a global scale. It is caused by heavy metals, such as lead (Pb). Dopamine (DOP) is a biogenic amine that acts as a neurotransmitter. It is found in plant organs and induces tolerance against abiotic stresses, including contamination. 24-epibrassinolide (EBR) stimulates metabolism, positively impacting flowering and production. This research aimed to evaluate whether EBR and DOP, applied alone or combined, can mitigate the impacts caused by Pb on roots and leaves by measuring root and leaf structures and stomatal behavior. For roots, both plant growth regulators maximized the epidermis, with increases in treatments Pb2+ − DOP + EBR (45%), Pb2+ + DOP − EBR (24%), and Pb2+ + DOP + EBR (36%), when compared with equal treatment without Pb2+. To leaves, the tested molecules improved the leaf structures, significantly increasing palisade parenchyma and spongy parenchyma. Parallelly, stomatal performance was boosted after treatments with EBR and DOP, confirmed by increments in stomatal density. Our study proved that EBR and DOP, alone or combined, mitigated the damages to leaves and roots exposed to Pb stress, but better results were found when EBR was applied alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowing the energy balance in agricultural systems is essential for a holistic understanding of sustainability, productivity and economic return. The aim of this study was to estimate the cumulative energy demand (CED), greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and carbon footprint in industrial potato and tomato production systems in the Southeast region of Brazil, identifying mitigation strategies in different scenarios. The Life Cycle Analysis methodology was used, and two functional units were defined: one hectare of cultivation and one kilogram of vegetable produced. The CEDs for tomato and potato production were 59,553.56 MJ ha–1 (or 0.54 MJ kg–1) and 57,992.02 MJ ha–1 (or 1.45 MJ kg–1), respectively. The GHG emissions were 5425.13 kg CO2 eq ha–1 for potato production and 5270.9 kg CO2 eq ha–1 for tomato production, resulting in carbon footprints of 0.135 and 0.042 kg CO2 eq kg–1, respectively. Fertilizers, diesel and pesticides were the main contributors to CED and GHG emissions. Thus, in order to achieve greater sustainability in the production of these vegetables and mitigate the impacts on the environment generated by the high demand for energy and GHG emissions, it is necessary to replace synthetic fertilizers with organic sources, chemical pesticides with biological pesticides, diesel with biodiesel or the use of electric vehicles and tractors, resulting in reductions of up to 39 and 52% in the GHG emissions for potatoes and tomatoes, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses the challenges of tomato maturity recognition in natural environments, such as occlusion caused by branches and leaves, and the difficulty in detecting stacked fruits. To overcome these issues, we propose a novel YOLOv8n-CA method for tomato maturity recognition, which defines four maturity stages: unripe, turning color, turning ripe, and fully ripe. The model is based on the YOLOv8n architecture, incorporating the coordinate attention (CA) mechanism into the backbone network to enhance the model's ability to capture and express features of the tomato fruits. Additionally, the C2f-FN structure was utilized in both the backbone and neck networks to strengthen the model's capacity to extract maturity-related features. The CARAFE up-sampling operator was integrated to expand the receptive field for improved feature fusion. Finally, the SIoU loss function was used to solve the problem of insufficient CIoU of the original loss function. Experimental results showed that the YOLOv8n-CA model had a parameter count of only 2.45 × 106, computational complexity of 6.9 GFLOPs, and a weight file size of just 4.90 MB. The model achieved a mean average precision (mAP) of 97.3%. Compared to the YOLOv8n model, it reduced the model size slightly while improving accuracy by 1.3 percentage points. When compared to seven other models—Faster R-CNN, YOLOv3s, YOLOv5s, YOLOv5m, YOLOv7, YOLOv8n, YOLOv10s, and YOLOv11n—the YOLOv8n-CA model was the smallest in size and demonstrated superior detection performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raspberry is a berry whose fruit is not tolerant to storage; breeding varieties with extended storage time and high comprehensive quality are significant for raspberries in cold regions. 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase (ACS) is a limiting enzyme in the ethylene synthesis process, which plays essential roles in fruit ripening and softening in plants. In this study, the RiACS1 gene in raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) variety 'Polka' was cloned. The RiACS1 gene overexpression vector was constructed and transformed into tomato plants using the Agrobacterium tumefaciens infection method to verify its function in their reproductive development. The RiACS1 gene, with a total length of 1476 bp, encoded a protein with 491 amino acids. The subcellular localization analysis of the RiACS1 protein in the tobacco transient expression system revealed that the RiACS1-GFP fusion protein was mainly located in the nucleus. Compared with the control, the flowering time and fruit color turning time of transgenic strains were advanced, and the fruit hardness was reduced. Overexpression of RiACS1 increased the activity of ACC synthase, ethylene release rate, and respiration rate during the transchromic phase. It changed the substance content, increased the content of vitamin C and anthocyanin in the fruit ripening process, and decreased the content of chlorophyll and titrable acid at the maturity stage. In addition, RiACS1 increased the relative expression levels of ethylene synthesis-related genes such as SlACS4, SlACO3, and SlACO1 in the fruit ripening process, while it decreased the expression levels of SlACS2 at the maturity stage. These results suggested that the RiACS1 gene could promote early flowering and fruit ripening in tomato plants. This study provided a basis for further modifying raspberry varieties using molecular biology techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic diversity and population structure of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) were investigated to support breeding strategies and germplasm conservation. A total of 276 accessions from the USDA-GRIN collection were analyzed using single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) generated through genotyping by sequencing (GBS). After stringent filtering, 5162 high-quality polymorphic SNPs were retained for analysis. Population structure analysis revealed three distinct genetic groups (Q1, Q2, and Q3) among the accessions. Accessions from the USA, Asia, and Central and South America were assigned to all three groups, while accessions from Europe and Oceania were predominantly clustered within Q2. Genetic diversity indices, including major allele frequency, heterozygosity, and polymorphism information content (PIC), indicated moderate-to-high levels of genetic variation. These findings provide essential insights into the genetic diversity and population structure of tomato, offering valuable information for breeding programs aimed at improving traits such as yield, stress tolerance, and disease resistance. The results further underscore the role of global germplasm exchange in shaping the genetic landscape of tomato accessions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato is a model system for studying fleshy fruit development. After fertilization, cell division and expansion in the pericarp are crucial for fruit development and determine the final fruit size. TKN3 was found to be expressed in the tomato ovary wall/pericarp of zero to two days post-anthesis fruits as a KNOX I class member, but its function in fruit development was elusive. Here, we found that mutations of TKN3 by CRISPR/Cas9 caused fruit developmental defects, and fruit weight was dramatically reduced in the tkn3cr mutant. Histological observation of fruit pericarps revealed that mutation of TKN3 repressed cell expansion after fertilization, leading to flattened cells in the mesocarp and thereby thinner pericarps in red fruits. Moreover, tkn3cr mutants also displayed pleiotropic phenotypes including enlarged leaves and floral organs, indicating conserved functions in meristem maintenance and leaf development. Yeast two-hybrid and BiFC assays further showed that TKN3 could interact with Solyc10g086640 (a homolog of Arabidopsis PNY), which has a similar expression pattern as TKN3. Genome-wide identification of genes regulated by TKN3 indicated that the auxin and gibberellin (GA) pathways might mediate the function of TKN3. Our works revealed that TKN3 controls cell expansion in pericarps, and provides new insights into the roles of KNOX proteins in fruit development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike other major crops, little research has been performed on tomato to reduce the generation time for speed breeding. We evaluated several agronomic treatments to reduce the generation time of tomato in the 'M82' (determinate) and 'Moneymaker' (indeterminate) varieties and evaluated the best combination in conjunctionwith embryo rescue. Five container sizes with volumes of 0.2 L (XS), 0.45 L (S), 0.8 L (M), 1.3 L (L), and 6 L (XL), were evaluated in the first experiment under the autumn cycle. We found that plants grown in XL containers exhibited better development and required less time from sowing to anthesis (DSA) and from anthesis to fruit ripening (DAR). In the second experiment, using XL containers in the autumnewinter cycle, we evaluated the effects of cold priming at the cotyledonary stage, water stress, P supplementation, and K supplementation on generation time. Compared to the control, we found that cold priming significantly reduced the number of leaves, plant height to first the inflorescence, and DSA (2.7 d), whereas K supplementation reduced the DAR (8.8 d). In contrast, water stress and P supplementation did not significantly affect any of the measured traits like DAR, DSA or fruit set. To validate these data, in a third experiment with XL containers in the spring-summer cycle, the combination of cold priming and K supplementation was tested, confirming the significant effect of this combination on the reduction of generation time (2.9 d for DSA and 3.9 d for DAR) compared to the control. Embryo rescue during the cell expansion cycle (average of 22.0 d and 23.3 d after anthesis for 'M82' and 'Moneymaker', respectively) allowed the shortening of the generation time by 8.7 d in 'M82' and 11.6 d in 'Moneymaker' compared to the in planta fruit ripening. The combination of agronomic treatments with embryo rescue can effectively increase the number of generations per year from three to four for speed breeding of tomato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grafting is an effective technique for increasing the resistance of vegetables to biotic and abiotic stresses. It has been widely applied to produce solanaceous and melon vegetables. Temperature is an important external factor affecting graft formation. However, the molecular mechanism by which external ambient temperature affects tomato graft formation remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that elevating ambient temperature during grafting to 35 °C for more than 24 h after grafting accelerated vascular reconnection. We generated self- or heterografted combinations between phyB1B2 and pif4 loss-of-function mutant and wild-type plants, and were mutants unresponsive to graft formation at elevated ambient temperature. In addition, elevated ambient temperature induced SlPIF4 expression during grafting. SlPIF4 directly binds the promoters of auxin biosynthesis genes SlYUCCAs and activates their expression. Further investigation revealed auxin accumulation in the graft junction under elevated ambient temperature. The results illuminate the mechanism by which the PHYB-PIF4-auxin module promotes tomato graft formation in response to elevated ambient temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essential photoprotective role of proton gradient regulation 5 (PGR5)-dependent cyclic electron flow (CEF) has been reported in Arabidopsis, rice, and algae. However, its functional assessment has not been performed in tomato yet. In this study, we focused on elucidate the function of SlPGR5 and SlPGR5-like photosynthetic phenotype 1 (PGRL1) in tomato. We performed RNA interference and found that SlPGR5/SlPGRL1- suppressed transformants exhibited extremely low CO2 assimilation capacity, their photosystem I (PSI) and PSII were severely photoinhibited and chloroplasts were obviously damaged. The SlPGR5/SlPGRL1-suppressed plants almost completely inhibited CEF and Y(ND), and PSII photoinhibition may be directly related to the inability to produce sufficient proton motive force to induce NPQ. The transgenic plants overexpressing SlPGR5 and SlPGRL1 driven by 35S promoter capable alleviate photoinhibition of plants under low night temperature. The transcriptomic and proteomic analyses suggested that the nuclear gene transcription and turnover of chloroplast proteins, including the plastoglobule-related proteins, were closely related to SlPGR5/SlPGRL1 pathway dependent CEF. The bridge relationship between CEF and chloroplast quality maintenance was a novel report to our knowledge. In conclusion, these results revealed the regulatory mechanism of the SlPGR5/SlPGRL1 pathway in photoprotection and maintenance of chloroplast function in tomato, which is crucial for reduce yield loss, especially under adverse environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is an important fruit and vegetable crop in worldwide. The fertility of tomato reproductive organs can be dramatically decreased when ambient temperatures rise above 35 °C, reducing tomato fruit yield. It is necessary to identify transcription factors (TFs) and target genes involved in heat stress response (HSR) signaling cascades in tomato flower buds to improve tomato plant thermotolerance. In this study, we profiled genes expressed in three developmental stages of tomato flower buds. Red and turquoise modules for heat stress (HS) were identified through gene co-expression network analysis, and the genes within these modules were enriched in HS-related pathways. By focusing on the TFs in the two modules, we identified several novel HSR-related TFs, including SlWRKY75, SlMYB117, and SlNAM. Furthermore, homology analysis illustrated a conserved signaling cascade in tomato. Lastly, we identified and experimentally validated four HSF-regulated genes, namely SlGrpE, SlERDJ3A, SlTIL, and SlPOM1, that likely modulate thermotolerance in plants. These results provide a high-resolution atlas of gene expression during tomato flower bud development under HS conditions, which is a valuable resource for uncovering potential regulatory networks associated with the HSR in tomato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photosynthesis is one the most important chemical reaction in plants, and it is the ultimate energy source of any living organisms. The light and dark reactions are two essential phases of photosynthesis. Light reaction harvests light energy to synthesize ATP and NADPH through an electron transport chain, and as well as giving out O2; dark reaction fixes CO2 into six carbon sugars by utilizing NADPH and energy from ATP. Subsequently, plants convert optical energy into chemical energy for maintaining growth and development through absorbing light energy. Here, firstly, we highlighted the biological importance of photosynthesis, and hormones and metabolites, photosynthetic and regulating enzymes, and signaling components that collectively regulate photosynthesis in tomato. Next, we reviewed the advances in tomato photosynthesis, including two aspects of genetic basis and genetic improvement. Numerous genes regulating tomato photosynthesis are gradually uncovered, and the interaction network among those genes remains to be constructed. Finally, the photosynthesis occurring in fruit of tomato and the relationship between photosynthesis in leaf and fruit were discussed. Leaves and fruits are photosynthate sources and sinks of tomato respectively, and interaction between photosynthesis in leaf and fruit exists. Additionally, future perspectives that needs to be addressed on tomato photosynthesis were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike most plants, members of the genus Solanum produce cholesterol and use this as a precursor for steroidal glycoalkaloids. The production of the compounds begins as a branch from brassinosteroid biosynthesis, which produces cholesterol that is further modified to produce steroidal glycoalkaloids. During the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway, genetic engineering could alter the formation of cholesterol from provitamin D3 (7-dehydrocholesterol) and produce vitamin D3. Cholesterol is a precursor for many steroidal glycoalkaloids, including a-tomatine and esculeoside A. Alpha-tomatine is consumed by mammals and it can reduce cholesterol content and improve LDL:HDL ratio. When there is a high a-tomatine content, the fruit will have a bitter flavor, which together with other steroidal glycoalkaloids serving as protective and defensive compounds for tomato against insect, fungal, and bacterial pests. These compounds also affect the rhizosphere bacteria by recruiting beneficial bacteria. One of the steroidal glycoalkaloids, esculeoside A increases while fruit ripening. This review focuses on recent studies that uncovered key reactions of the production of cholesterol and steroidal glycoalkaloids in tomato connecting to human health, fruit flavor, and plant defense and the potential application for tomato crop improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Meloidogyne floridensis is one of the emerging species of root-knot nematodes in vegetable production in the Southern USA. It can reproduce on commercial vegetable cultivars that have resistance to the common tropical root-knot nematode species (i.e. , M. incognita , M. arenaria and M. javanica). The objective of this study was to evaluate the Solanum sisymbriifolium line Sis Syn II as rootstock, in combination with drench application of a non-fumigant nematicide, fluazaindolizine, for managing M. floridensis on tomato. This study was conducted in artificially infested microplots under field conditions at two different locations in Georgia, USA in 2021. Treatments were arranged in a randomised complete block design with eight replications at one location and four replications at the other. The tomato cultivar 'Roadster' was used as the scion. Control treatments included non-grafted, and 'Roadster' grafted onto 'Roadster' rootstock (self-grafted). Our results showed that, in both experiments, Sis Syn II (reproduction factor: 0.07) significantly reduced the population of M. floridensis compared to the non-grafted (4.37) and self-grafted (6.86) controls. Similarly, the galling index was lower for Sis Syn II (0.61) compared to the non-grafted (4.13) and self-grafted (3.90) controls. Moreover, grafting onto Sis Syn II increased the average biomass and yield of the tomato in both experiments. However, fluazaindolizine drenching did not exhibit any effect on M. floridensis populations or the yield increment of tomato. Our study demonstrates that Sis Syn II is effective in management of M. floridensis. Grafting the desirable tomato cultivar onto this rootstock can significantly suppress M. floridensis population and increase crop yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Notions of data increasingly revolve around digital representations prioritizing the efficiency and productivity of global economic-systems, often side-lining tangible and local information that is crucial for 'more-than-human' worlds. To challenge this, we propose the concept of, "Pheno-data," which aims to embody the livingness of the lifeworld through the evolving characteristics and responses of organisms. We also introduce, "Pheno-fication", as a means to access Pheno-data, and use tomatoes to exemplify the process. Through a fabulation workshop, we integrate these concepts into design practice in order to tangibly explore their potential for shifting perspectives from an anthropocentric to an ecological viewpoint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]