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The facts presented in a number of investigations suggest that some well-known redox systems are present in the central vacuole. For example, ascorbic acid (AsA), as also ascorbate-dependent enzymes has been identified in the vacuoles of some plants. These facts allow the authors assume the fact of functioning of the ascorbate system in the vacuolar compartment. Furthermore, in the vacuoles of some plants, glutathione and glutathione-dependent enzymes have also been identified. Therefore, the glutathione system can function within the vacuole. The vacuoles accumulate phenolic compounds (PhO), which are substrates for vacuolar phenolic peroxidases (POXs). These enzymes are known to reduce hydrogen peroxide. Together with AsA and POXs, PhO form the redox system of POX/PhO/AsA (PPA) reducing H2O2. PPA system is considered as typical for the plant cell vacuolar compartment. Obviously, in the plant cell vacuole, there is the system of antioxidant defense including the ascorbate system, the glutathione system and the PPA system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammonium () toxicity adversely affects the basil growth ability and productivity. Biochar amendment is an alternative that used to minimize or reverse the disturbances caused by abiotic stresses. Nevertheless, little is known regarding the mitigating effect of biochar on the -stressed basil. Thus, the present study was conducted to investigate whether biochar amendment could alleviate the toxicity and determine how biochar helps reduce this degree. To this end, the basil plants were cultivated in a controlled environment (24°C/18°C, 14 h/10 h) and subjected to one of three : ratios (0 : 100, 50 : 50, and 100 : 0) at a constant N of 13 meq/L, corresponding with biochar treatments (3%, w/w) or without biochar. Chlorosis, stunted growth, and even foliage necrosis, were observed when the basil plants treated with 100% nutrition. Concomitantly, interrupted photosynthesis and oxidative damage were also imposed by high supply. By contrast, the presence of biochar significantly attenuated the toxicity and, accordingly the growth was considerably improved for all three treatments. Additionally, biochar-amended basil plants showed significant increased photosynthesis-related parameters (net photosynthesis, the stomatal conductance, transpiration rates, and water use efficiency) and the antioxidative machinery (improved antioxidant enzymes and declined ROS accumulation and lipid peroxidation). Overall, our data enlightened the fertilization importance of biochar amendment, particularly pertaining to the basil plants at risk of stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zygophyllum propinquum (Decne.) is a leaf succulent C4 perennial found in arid saline areas of southern Pakistan and neighboring countries, where it is utilized as herbal medicine. This study investigated how growth, water relations, ion content, chlorophyll fluorescence, and antioxidant system of Z. propinquum change as salinity levels increase (0, 150, 300, 600, and 900 mM NaCl). Salinity increments inhibited total plant fresh weight, whereas dry weight remained constant at moderate salinity and decreased at high salinity. Leaf area, succulence, and relative water content decreased as salinity increased. Similarly, the sap osmotic potential of both roots and shoots declined as NaCl concentrations increased. Except for a transitory increase in roots at 300 mM NaCl, sodium concentrations in roots and shoots increased constitutively to more than five times higher under saline conditions than in non-saline controls. Root potassium increased briefly at 300 mM NaCl but did not respond to NaCl treatments in the leaf. Photosynthetic pigments increased with 300 and 600 mM NaCl compared to non-saline treatments, although carotenoids appeared unaffected by NaCl treatments. Except for very high NaCl concentration (900 mM), salinity showed no significant effect on the maximum efficiency of photosystem II photochemistry (Fv/Fm). Light response curves demonstrated reduced absolute (ETR*) and maximum electron transport rates (ETRmax) for the 600 and 900 mM NaCl treatments. The alpha (α), which indicates the maximum yield of photosynthesis, decreased with increasing NaCl concentrations, reaching its lowest at 900 mM NaCl. Non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) values were significantly higher under 150 and 300 mM NaCl treatments than under non-saline and higher NaCl treatments. Electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) peaked only at 900 mM NaCl. Superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase activities and glutathione content in both roots and shoots increased progressively with increasing salinity. Hence, growth reduction under low to moderate (150–600 mM NaCl) salinity appeared to be an induced response, while high (900 mM NaCl) salinity was injurious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Nitric oxide (NO) induce tolerance to cadmium stress. • Nitric oxide induces antioxidant defense system and osmolytes accumulation. • Nitric oxide alleviate cadmium stress by regulating genes related to signal transduction, carbohydrate transport and metabolism, amino acid biosynthesis and phenylpropane biosynthesis. Cadmium (Cd) is harmful to the environment, as it is a non-essential biological element. It leads to the normal dysfunction and degradation of soil quality, and is toxic to plants. Many studies reported that the application of nitric oxide (NO) can effectively reduce the toxicity of Cd in plants. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of the positive effects of exogenous NO on plant Cd tolerance has not been well documented. In the present study, comparative transcriptome analysis was performed on Kentucky bluegrass seedlings treated with Cd (Cd alone) and Cd + NO (Cd and NO simultaneously).Comparative transcriptional regulation analysis showed that Differential expressed genes (DEGs) was mainly involved in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal transduction, plant hormone signal transduction, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, amino acid transport and metabolism, fatty acid metabolism and biosynthesis related pathways. These results suggest that exogenous NO may alleviate cadmium stress by regulating genes related to signal transduction, carbohydrate transport and metabolism, amino acid biosynthesis and phenylpropane biosynthesis. Additionally, the DEGs and metabolic pathways between Cd and Cd + NO treatment groups were analyzed in this study, and a series of key genes mediated by NO signal in response to cadmium stress were screened out, and they were listed as candidate genes related to NO alleviating cadmium stress in Kentucky bluegrass. This study helps to understand the transcriptional regulation and complex internal network of exogenous NO alleviating Cd -tolerance in Kentucky bluegrass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitosan (CTS) is recognized for enhancing a plant’s resilience to various environmental stresses, such as salinity and drought. Moreover, salicylic acid (SA) is acknowledged as a growth regulator involved in addressing metal toxicity. However, the effectiveness of both compounds in mitigating Cr-induced stress has remained relatively unexplored, especially in the case of Aconitum napellus, a medicinally and floricultural important plant. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to investigate the potential of CTS and SA in alleviating chromium (Cr)-induced stress in A. napellus. To address these research questions, we conducted a controlled experiment using potted plants to evaluate the individual and combined impacts of CTS and SA on plants exposed to Cr stress. Foliar application of CTS (0.4 g/L) or SA (0.25 mmol/L) led to significant improvements in the growth, chlorophyll content, fluorescence, and photosynthetic traits of A. napellus plants under Cr stress. The most notable effects were observed with the combined application of CTS and SA, resulting in increases in various morphological parameters, such as shoot length (2.89% and 7.02%) and root length (27.75% and 3.36%) under the Cr 1 and Cr 2 treatments, respectively. Additionally, several physiological parameters, such as chlorophyll a (762.5% and 145.56%), chlorophyll b (762.5% and 145.56%), carotenoid (17.03% and 28.57%), and anthocyanin (112.01% and 47.96%) contents, were notably improved under the Cr 1 and Cr 2 treatments, respectively. Moreover, the combined treatment of CTS and SA improved the fluorescence parameters while decreasing the levels of enzymatic antioxidants such as catalase (27.59% and 43.79%, respectively). The application also notably increased osmoprotectant parameters, such as the total protein content (54.11% and 20.07%) and the total soluble sugar content (78.17% and 49.82%) in the leaves of A. napellus in the Cr 1 and 2 treatments, respectively. In summary, these results strongly suggest that the simultaneous use of exogenous CTS and SA is an effective strategy for alleviating the detrimental effects of Cr stress on A. napellus. This integrated approach opens promising avenues for further exploration and potential implementation within agricultural production systems.Key message: This explains the interactive role of chitosan and salicylic acid in alleviating chromium stress in Aconitum napellus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Chitosan (CTS) is recognized for enhancing a plant’s resilience to various environmental stresses, such as salinity and drought. Moreover, salicylic acid (SA) is acknowledged as a growth regulator involved in addressing metal toxicity. However, the effectiveness of both compounds in mitigating Cr-induced stress has remained relatively unexplored, especially in the case of Aconitum napellus, a medicinally and floricultural important plant. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to investigate the potential of CTS and SA in alleviating chromium (Cr)-induced stress in A. napellus. To address these research questions, we conducted a controlled experiment using potted plants to evaluate the individual and combined impacts of CTS and SA on plants exposed to Cr stress. Foliar application of CTS (0.4 g/L) or SA (0.25 mmol/L) led to significant improvements in the growth, chlorophyll content, fluorescence, and photosynthetic traits of A. napellus plants under Cr stress. The most notable effects were observed with the combined application of CTS and SA, resulting in increases in various morphological parameters, such as shoot length (2.89% and 7.02%) and root length (27.75% and 3.36%) under the Cr 1 and Cr 2 treatments, respectively. Additionally, several physiological parameters, such as chlorophyll a (762.5% and 145.56%), chlorophyll b (762.5% and 145.56%), carotenoid (17.03% and 28.57%), and anthocyanin (112.01% and 47.96%) contents, were notably improved under the Cr 1 and Cr 2 treatments, respectively. Moreover, the combined treatment of CTS and SA improved the fluorescence parameters while decreasing the levels of enzymatic antioxidants such as catalase (27.59% and 43.79%, respectively). The application also notably increased osmoprotectant parameters, such as the total protein content (54.11% and 20.07%) and the total soluble sugar content (78.17% and 49.82%) in the leaves of A. napellus in the Cr 1 and 2 treatments, respectively. In summary, these results strongly suggest that the simultaneous use of exogenous CTS and SA is an effective strategy for alleviating the detrimental effects of Cr stress on A. napellus. This integrated approach opens promising avenues for further exploration and potential implementation within agricultural production systems.

The main objective of the current study was to elucidate photochemical and antioxidant strategies in two maize genotypes, namely DK626 and 3223 at the early seedling stage under zinc (Zn2+) toxicity. The seedlings were grown in a controlled growth room at a temperature regime of 25±1 °C, with 40±5 % humidity, 16 h photoperiod and at 300 μmol m–2 s–1 light intensity for 8 days. Then, the seedlings were exposed to toxic zinc concentrations (2, 5 and 8 mM ZnSO4.7H2O) for 12 days. Both genotypes accumulated approximately the same amounts of Zn in leaves; however, the shoot and root lengths, and biomass decreased further in DK626 compared to 3223. The malondialdehyde content in the leaves increased gradually depending on the Zn concentrations, and the deterioration of the membrane structure was greater in DK626 compared to 3223 at highly toxic Zn levels. A reduction in photochemical activity was accompanied by non-photochemical quenching and excess energy was removed from the reaction centers by fluorescence and non-radiative inactivation in genotypes under Zn toxicity. The chlorophyll and carotenoid contents were significantly decreased, and the anthocyanin accumulation was increased with increasing Zn levels, especially in DK626. In addition, the activities of antioxidant enzymes and isoenzymes were induced at different levels in genotypes depending on the Zn toxicity level. The seedlings exposed to toxic Zn concentrations had achieved to sustain their growth by regulating their photosynthetic efficiency and their antioxidant defence system. Consequently, these genotypes could potentially be successfully used for the phytoremediation of Zn-contaminated areas. However, further studies are required to screen all growth stages for Zn tolerance capacity before making a more informed decision regarding the phytoremediation potentials of these two genotypes.

Abstract Cadmium (Cd) pollution is a serious threat to food safety and human health. Minimizing Cd uptake and enhancing Cd tolerance in plants are vital to improve crop yield and reduce hazardous effects to humans. In this study, we designed three Cd concentration stress treatments (Cd1: 0.20 mg·kg−1, Cd2: 0.60 mg·kg−1, and Cd3: 1.60 mg·kg−1) and two foliar silicon (Si) treatments (CK: no spraying of any material, and Si: foliar Si spraying) to conduct pot experiments on soil Cd stress. The results showed that spraying Si on the leaves reduced the Cd content in brown rice by 4.79–42.14%. Si application increased net photosynthetic rate (Pn) by 1.77–4.08%, stomatal conductance (Gs) by 5.27–23.43%, transpiration rate (Tr) by 2.99–20.50% and intercellular carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration (Ci) by 6.55–8.84%. Foliar spraying of Si significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) in rice leaves by 9.84–14.09% and 4.69–53.09%, respectively, and reduced the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) by 7.83–48.72%. In summary, foliar Si spraying protects the photosynthesis and antioxidant system of rice canopy leaves, and is an effective method to reduce the Cd content in brown rice.

This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant activity of bioactive compounds extracted from Gracilaria gracilis cultivated in an integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) system by different extraction solvents and to investigate the potential capacity of the extracts in cellular systems against environmental pollutants. The global yields, total polyphenol contents, and antioxidant activity were assessed on G. gracilis by DPPH radical scavenging activity, comparing the antioxidant extraction efficiency of the different solvents (ethanol 80%, acetone 70%, N-hexane, and water). Ethanol extract, granted by the highest extractive yield and antioxidant capacity, was tested in vitro in the Sparus aurata fibroblast (SAF-1) cell line to evaluate its protective role against oxidative stress induced by the chemical flame retardant 2,2′,4,4′-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47). The results demonstrate that the cells pretreated with G. gracilis extract were protected against oxidative stress and had improved cell viability, cellular antioxidant defense system, and cell cycle control, as demonstrated by the gene expression on some biomarkers related to the cell cycle (p53) and oxidative stress (nrf2, sod, and cat). These results confirm that bioactive compounds obtained from seaweeds cultivated in IMTAs could contribute to producing high-value ingredients that are able to counteract environmental stressors, for the growth of the marine biobased industrial sector and the expansion of new value chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined the interactive role of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and nitric oxide (NO) in alleviation of nickel (Ni) induced toxicity on growth, photosynthetic pigments, PS II photochemistry, and impact on oxidative stress biomarkers and antioxidant defense systems of cyanobacteria, i.e., Nostoc muscorum and Anabaena sp., respectively. To substantiate the potential function of H2S [as sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS); 8 µM)] and NO [as sodium nitroprusside (SNP); 10 µM] test organisms was exposed under 1 µM Ni stress and distinct physio-biochemical parameters was evaluated. The Ni stress declined the growth (by 19% and 23% in N. muscorum and Anabaena sp. respectively), photosynthetic pigments, photosynthetic oxygen evolution, and imbalanced the values of chlorophyll a fluorescence kinetics parameters (Phi_Po, Psi_o, Phi_Eo, PIABS decreased together with Fv/Fo) whereas, energy flux parameters were increased (ABS/RC, TRo/RC, ETo/RC and DIo/RC). The exogenous supplementation of NaHS and SNP significantly reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) in both the cyanobacteria and induced substantial improvement in growth and photosynthesis under Ni stress. Besides this, under NaHS and SNP treatment the activity of antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase and glutathione-s-transferase downregulated the level of oxidative biomarkers (superoxide radicals, hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde equivalents). Further, the interplay role of H2S and NO was evaluated using H2S scavenger [hypotaurine (HT; 20 µM)] and inhibitor [propargylglycine (PAG; 50 µM)] of H2S and scavenger of NO [2-phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (PTIO; 20 µM)] and NO inhibitor [NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 100 µM)]. The present study points towards the combined mechanism with downstream signaling of H2S on NO mediated response in alleviation of Ni induced toxicity in rice field cyanobacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) pollution is a serious threat to food safety and human health. Minimizing Cd uptake and enhancing Cd tolerance in plants are vital to improve crop yield and reduce hazardous effects to humans. In this study, we designed three Cd concentration stress treatments (Cd1: 0.20 mg·kg−1, Cd2: 0.60 mg·kg−1, and Cd3: 1.60 mg·kg−1) and two foliar silicon (Si) treatments (CK: no spraying of any material, and Si: foliar Si spraying) to conduct pot experiments on soil Cd stress. The results showed that spraying Si on the leaves reduced the Cd content in brown rice by 4.79–42.14%. Si application increased net photosynthetic rate (Pn) by 1.77–4.08%, stomatal conductance (Gs) by 5.27–23.43%, transpiration rate (Tr) by 2.99–20.50% and intercellular carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration (Ci) by 6.55–8.84%. Foliar spraying of Si significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) in rice leaves by 9.84–14.09% and 4.69–53.09%, respectively, and reduced the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) by 7.83–48.72%. In summary, foliar Si spraying protects the photosynthesis and antioxidant system of rice canopy leaves, and is an effective method to reduce the Cd content in brown rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Nanorana parkeri, an amphibian endemic to the Tibetan Plateau, was treated with thermal acclimation at 26 ℃ (16℃ as the control) for two weeks in the laboratory to investigate the effects of long-term thermal acclimation on oxidative stress level and antioxidant defense system of N. parkeri. The results show that the content of oxidized glutathione in muscle tissues ( t = 1. 4, df = 10, p < 0. 001) and the ratio of oxidized to reduced glutathione in liver and muscle tissues were significantly increased due to the thermal acclimation, suggesting an enhanced oxidative stress. The activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione S-transferase showed a tissue-specific increase. Moreover, malondialdehyde content decreased significantly in the liver but did not change in muscle tissues, suggesting that thermal acclimation did not lead to an increase in the indicator of oxidative damage, which was attributed to a well-established antioxidant defense system. This study will help to elucidate the effects of global warming on the amphibians living on the Tibetan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation was carried out to evaluate the net effect of limited irrigation on the antioxidant status of pollens, flag leaves, and developing grains of wild and inbred maize lines. Teosinte pollens showed the highest activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione-s-transferase (GST), and peroxidase (POX) under stressful conditions while LM 11 showed a significant decrease in APX, CAT, GR, and GST activities. Limited irrigations increased the contents of superoxide and malondialdehyde (MDA) to maximum levels in LM 11 leaves. The pollens, leaves, and developing grains of teosinte had the highest content of total phenols. Proline was maximum in the developing grains of teosinte and CML 32 while lowest in those of LM 11. Principal component analysis showed that LM 11 genotype and the respective antioxidant enzymes were in completely opposite quadrants. Chord analysis showed that CAT activity and total phenol content in pollens, leaves, and developing grains contributed towards most of the variations observed in teosinte and might be responsible for managing the yield attributes of genotype during stress conditions. The pollens and leaves of teosinte, with significant SOD activity, further helped in optimizing plant yield, under stressful conditions. CML 32 occupied intermediate position owing to the unaffected activities of most of the antioxidant enzymes and high content of antioxidants in its tissues. It may be concluded that the overall antioxidant status of tissues decides the tolerance behavior of plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants, as sessile organisms, are subjected to diverse abiotic stresses, including salinity, desiccation, metal toxicity, thermal fluctuations, and hypoxia at different phases of plant growth. Plants can activate messenger molecules to initiate a signaling cascade of response toward environmental stresses that results in either cell death or plant acclimation. Nitric oxide (NO) is a small gaseous redox-active molecule that exhibits a plethora of physiological functions in growth, development, flowering, senescence, stomata closure and responses to environmental stresses. It can also facilitate alteration in protein function and reprogram the gene profiling by direct or indirect interaction with different target molecules. The bioactivity of NO can be manifested through different redox-based protein modifications including S-nitrosylation, protein nitration, and metal nitrosylation in plants. Although there has been considerable progress in the role of NO in regulating stress signaling, still the physiological mechanisms regarding the abiotic stress tolerance in plants remain unclear. This review summarizes recent advances in understanding the emerging knowledge regarding NO function in plant tolerance against abiotic stresses. The manuscript also highlighted the importance of NO as an abiotic stress modulator and developed a rational design for crop cultivation under a stress environment.

Abstract Background Carrot is an important vegetable crop grown worldwide. The major economic problem in carrot cultivation is yellow disease caused by Bactericera trigonica, which induces biotic stress and has the greatest impact on crop productivity. Comprehensive studies on the mechanism of carrot defense response to biotic stress caused by B. trigonica infestation have yet to be conducted. Methods The changes in photosynthetic pigments, proline, TPC, H2O2 and MDA content, DPPH radical scavenging ability, and antioxidant enzyme activity of SOD, CAT, and POX in carrot leaves in response to insect sex (female and male), rapid response (during the first six hours), and long-term response to B. trigonica infestation were evaluated. Results The results of our study strongly suggest that B. trigonica infestation causes significant changes in primary and secondary metabolism and oxidative status of carrot leaves. Photosynthetic pigment content, TPC, and DPPH and CAT activities were significantly reduced in carrot leaves in response to insect infestation. On the other hand, proline, H2O2 content, and the activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and peroxidase were increased in carrot leaves after B. trigonica infestation. The results indicate that B. trigonica attenuates and delays the oxidative stress responses of carrot, allowing long-term feeding without visible changes in the plant. Carrot responded to long-term B. trigonica infestation with an increase in SOD and POX activity, suggesting that these enzymes may play a key role in plant defense mechanisms. Conclusions This is the first comprehensive study strongly suggesting that B. trigonica infestation causes significant changes in primary and secondary metabolism and an attenuated ROS defense response in carrot leaves that enables long-term insect feeding. The information provides new insights into the mechanisms of carrot protection against B. trigonica infestation.

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Background: Carrot is an important vegetable crop grown worldwide. The major economic problem in carrot cultivation is yellow disease caused by Bactericera trigonica, which induces biotic stress and has the greatest impact on crop productivity. Comprehensive studies on the mechanism of carrot defense response to biotic stress caused by B. trigonica infestation have yet to be conducted. Methods: The changes in photosynthetic pigments, proline, TPC, H2O2 and MDA content, DPPH radical scavenging ability, and antioxidant enzyme activity of SOD, CAT, and POX in carrot leaves in response to insect sex (female and male), rapid response (during the first six hours), and long-term response to B. trigonica infestation were evaluated. Results: The results of our study strongly suggest that B. trigonica infestation causes significant changes in primary and secondary metabolism and oxidative status of carrot leaves. Photosynthetic pigment content, TPC, and DPPH and CAT activities were significantly reduced in carrot leaves in response to insect infestation. On the other hand, proline, H2O2 content, and the activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and peroxidase were increased in carrot leaves after B. trigonica infestation. The results indicate that B. trigonica attenuates and delays the oxidative stress responses of carrot, allowing long-term feeding without visible changes in the plant. Carrot responded to long-term B. trigonica infestation with an increase in SOD and POX activity, suggesting that these enzymes may play a key role in plant defense mechanisms. Conclusions: This is the first comprehensive study strongly suggesting that B. trigonica infestation causes significant changes in primary and secondary metabolism and an attenuated ROS defense response in carrot leaves that enables long-term insect feeding. The information provides new insights into the mechanisms of carrot protection against B. trigonica infestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chilling injury (CI) in peach fruit (Prunus persica cv. Yuhualu) is generally caused by long-time low temperature (5 °C or 0 °C) storage. However, peach fruit stored at near-freezing temperature (NFT in this research is −1 °C), defined as within 0.5 °C above the biological freezing point of biological tissue, does not exhibit CI symptoms. The effect of NFT on the CI, proline metabolism, and antioxidant capability of peach fruit during storage was studied and compared with 5 °C and 0 °C storage as controls. The results exhibit that NFT completely inhibited the occurrence of CI in peach fruit. NFT significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl scavenging capacity. Moreover, the increase of malondialdehyde, ion leakage, and H2O2 accumulation were inhibited remarkably by NFT, and decreases in the contents of phenolics and ascorbic acid were slowed significantly in peach fruit stored at NFT (p < 0.05). Additionally, NFT storage enhanced proline accumulation by modulating the activity of proline metabolizing enzymes. In conclusion, the above results suggest that NFT storage can improve the chilling tolerance of peach fruit by regulating the antioxidant defense and proline metabolism, which might represent a potential novel method to store fruits and vegetables for longer storage times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, dose-dependent effects of lunularic acid (LA) on some physiological, cytogenetic, biochemical and anatomical parameters were investigated in Allium cepa L. bulbs. For this purpose, physiological parameters to be analyzed experimentally: germination percentage, root length, root number and fresh weight; cytogenetic parameters: micronucleus (MN) frequency, chromosomal aberrations (CAs) and mitotic index (MI); biochemical parameters were determined as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, malondialdehyde (MDA) level and free proline (Pr) content. In addition, cross-sections were taken from the roots and structural changes in meristem cells were examined. Onion bulbs were divided into four groups as one control and three treatments. The bulbs of the control group were kept in cuvettes containing tap water and the bulbs of the treatment group were kept in cuvettes containing 1, 5 and 10 mM LA for 7 days. LA administrations caused a decrease in all investigated physiological parameter values, an increase in the frequency of MN and CAs, and reduce in MI compared to control group. In addition, LA application caused dose-related increases in CAT and SOD activities and MDA and Pr levels compared to control group. LA application promoted CAs such as sticky chromosome, spindle fiber damage, vagrant chromosome, reverse polarization in root meristem cells. After all LA applications, root anatomical structure changes such as epidermis cell deformations, flattened cell nucleus and unclear transmission tissue were observed and it was determined that these changes reached a maximum at 10 mM LA dose. As a result, it has been understood that high doses of LA promote multi-directional toxicity and the Allium test is a very reliable test in determining this toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytoremediation is one of the effective technologies for removing pollutants from the aquatic environment. Toxic compounds such as chlorpyrifos can affect the physiological processes of aquatic plants, causing secondary oxidative stress in plant tissues. Macrophytes, like other organisms inhabiting the contaminated ecosystem, have developed a system of defense mechanisms, thanks to which plants can still exist in their natural ecosystem. Our research is a summary of the previously presented results of the effectiveness of purifying contaminated water with chlorpyrifos in the phytoremediation process and the second type of phytoremediation supported by microorganisms, which intensify the process of removing contaminants from the environment. This research concerned changes in nonenzymatic and enzymatic antioxidants in Canadian seaweed, needle spikerush and water mint caused by chlorpyrifos. The research determines changes in the total concentration of polyphenols, flavonoids and dyes (chlorophyll A, chlorophyll B, anthocyanins and carotenoids) as well as differences in the activity of guaiacol peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase. The analysis of the results showed an increase in the content of polyphenols and flavonoids. The reverse trend was observed in the case of the pigment content. The appearance of chlorpyrifos in the environment caused an increase in the activity of the examined enzymes. The process involving microorganisms that were obtained from places contaminated with pesticide proved to be more effective. This shows the cooperation of species living in an investigated ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resilience of plants to concurrent abiotic stresses—such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, heavy metals, and elevated CO2 levels—is paramount in the era of climate change. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), traditionally perceived as mere byproducts of metabolic processes, serve a dual role: as crucial signaling molecules that facilitate plant adaptation and as deleterious agents causing cellular damage when excessively accumulated. In this review, we highlighted the intricate equilibrium that plants maintain through both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant defenses to mitigate ROS-mediated oxidative stress, emphasizing the sophisticated strategies plants deploy to counteract a spectrum of combined abiotic stresses. Some plant species, however, exhibit insufficient enhancement of their intrinsic antioxidant defenses to counterbalance stress-induced ROS accumulation and consequent oxidative damage. Consequently, we explored the pivotal role of diverse signaling molecules in further strengthening antioxidant defenses, offering profound insights into bolstering plant resilience. Furthermore, the advent of genetic engineering technologies unveils novel avenues for crop improvement, with the strategic overexpression of antioxidant genes such as SOD, APX, CAT, GPX, DHAR, GR, and GST showing immense potential in fortifying plants against oxidative challenges imposed by multiple abiotic stresses. Future perspectives entail deepening our understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing ROS generation and scavenging, investigating the synergistic effects of co-expressing antioxidant genes, and elucidating the interactions between endogenous plant hormones and exogenously applied signaling molecules. We advocate for integrative research methodologies, combining field experiments, controlled environmental studies, and computational modeling, to bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and practical agricultural applications.

Abstract Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) trigger beneficial effects on their hosts, but it is unknown how plants modulate their defense responses during root colonization of AMF and the symbiotic benefits are initiated. The purpose of this study was to analyze the root mycorrhizal colonization process of trifoliate orange and the responsive patterns of plant growth, root peroxide hydrogen (H2O2), antioxidant enzymes and their encoding gene expression, and sugar, lipid and phosphate transporter protein gene expression at 7‒56 days of inoculation (doi) with Funneliformis mosseae (Fm). Fm developed appressoriums on the root surface at 7 doi, followed by abundant arbuscules in root cortical cells at 28 doi, intracellular vesicles at 42 doi, and root mycorrhizal colonization rate of 41.54% at 56 doi. Plant growth improvement by Fm started at 28 doi. The immune defense response of roots was initiated at 7 doi, as evidenced by the increase of H2O2 levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) activity, as well as the up-regulation of PtMn-SOD, PtCu/Zn-SOD, PtPOD, and PtCAT expression, which lasted until 14 doi. Starting at 28 doi, a sugar transporter gene (PtSWEET), a lipid transporter gene (PtSTR), and a phosphate transporter gene (PtPT6) were initiated to be up-regulated, followed by the up-regulation of PtSTR2, PtPT3, and PtPT5 at 42 doi and PtFe-SOD at 56 doi. Arbuscule formation and plant growth improvement together at 28 doi suggested that arbuscules trigger improved growth responses of host plants. This study also reveals the initiation of host immune defense response and function in early root AMF colonization. Graphical Abstract

Simultaneous stresses of salinity and drought often coincide during rice-growing seasons in saline lands, primarily due to insufficient water resources and inadequate irrigation facilities. Consequently, combined salinity-drought stress poses a major threat to rice production. In this study, two salinity levels (NS, non-salinity; HS, high salinity) along with three drought treatments (CC, control condition; DJ, drought stress imposed at jointing; DH, drought stress imposed at heading) were performed to investigate their combined influences on leaf photosynthetic characteristics, biomass accumulation, and rice yield formation. Salinity, drought, and their combination led to a shortened growth period from heading to maturity, resulting in a reduced overall growth duration. Grain yield was reduced under both salinity and drought stress, with a more substantial reduction under the combined salinity-drought stress. The combined stress imposed at heading caused greater yield losses in rice compared with the stress imposed at jointing. Additionally, the combined salinity-drought stress induced greater decreases in shoot biomass accumulation from heading to maturity, as well as in shoot biomass and nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) content in the stem at heading and maturity. However, it increased the harvest index and NSC remobilization reserve. Salinity and drought reduced the leaf area index and SPAD value of flag leaves and weakened the leaf photosynthetic characteristics as indicated by lower photosynthetic rates, transpiration rates, and stomatal conductance. These reductions were more pronounced under the combined stress. Salinity, drought, and especially their combination, decreased the activities of ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase, while increasing the contents of malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, and superoxide radical. Our results indicated a more significant yield loss in rice when subjected to combined salinity-drought stress. The individual and combined stresses of salinity and drought diminished antioxidant enzyme activities, inhibited leaf photosynthetic functions, accelerated leaf senescence, and subsequently lowered assimilate accumulation and grain yield.

Zygophyllum propinquum (Decne.) is a leaf succulent C4 perennial found in arid saline areas of southern Pakistan and neighboring countries, where it is utilized as herbal medicine. This study investigated how growth, water relations, ion content, chlorophyll fluorescence, and antioxidant system of Z. propinquum change as salinity levels increase (0, 150, 300, 600, and 900 mM NaCl). Salinity increments inhibited total plant fresh weight, whereas dry weight remained constant at moderate salinity and decreased at high salinity. Leaf area, succulence, and relative water content decreased as salinity increased. Similarly, the sap osmotic potential of both roots and shoots declined as NaCl concentrations increased. Except for a transitory increase in roots at 300 mM NaCl, sodium concentrations in roots and shoots increased constitutively to more than five times higher under saline conditions than in non-saline controls. Root potassium increased briefly at 300 mM NaCl but did not respond to NaCl treatments in the leaf. Photosynthetic pigments increased with 300 and 600 mM NaCl compared to non-saline treatments, although carotenoids appeared unaffected by NaCl treatments. Except for very high NaCl concentration (900 mM), salinity showed no significant effect on the maximum efficiency of photosystem II photochemistry (Fv/Fm). Light response curves demonstrated reduced absolute (ETR*) and maximum electron transport rates (ETRmax) for the 600 and 900 mM NaCl treatments. The alpha (α), which indicates the maximum yield of photosynthesis, decreased with increasing NaCl concentrations, reaching its lowest at 900 mM NaCl. Non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) values were significantly higher under 150 and 300 mM NaCl treatments than under non-saline and higher NaCl treatments. Electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) peaked only at 900 mM NaCl. Superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase activities and glutathione content in both roots and shoots increased progressively with increasing salinity. Hence, growth reduction under low to moderate (150–600 mM NaCl) salinity appeared to be an induced response, while high (900 mM NaCl) salinity was injurious.

In this study, zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) were exposed to advanced biological wastewater treatment plant effluent (ABWTPE) for 96 h. At the end of the 96th hour, antioxidant parameters such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione S-transferase (GST), malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) were examined. The objective of the study was to identify biomarkers that are useful for assessing the potential toxic effects of ABWTPE in freshwater environments. We observed an increase in GPX, SOD activity and MDA levels, and a decrease in CAT, GST activity and GSH levels. The results obtained in our study showed that the measured biochemical parameters (GSH, MDA, SOD, CAT, GPX and GST) are useful biomarkers in determining the possible toxicity of ABWTPE in aquatic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder that gives rise to motor incoordination and progressive functional disabilities. Although pharmacological interventions have revealed promising prospects in the management of SCA3, adverse effects may become unbearable. The use of herbal remedies in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) may serve as potential alternative medicines to delay the progression of the disease. This systematic review is intended to identify, appraise, and summarize the findings of studies pertaining to the therapeutic roles of herbal remedies in TCM targeting oxidative stress in the management of SCA3. A literature search for relevant articles published from 1 January 2013 to 30 June 2023 in three databases, namely PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, was carried out according to the procedures of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). A total of ten preclinical studies met the inclusion criteria of the systematic review. We recognized the therapeutic potential of Brassica napus, Codonopsis pilosula, Curcuma sp., Gardenia jasminoides, Gastrodia elata, Ginkgo biloba, Glycyrrhiza inflata, Hericium erinaceus, Hyptis sp., Paeonia lactiflora, Panax ginseng, Poria cocos, Pueraria lobata, Rehmannia glutinosa, and Scrophularia ningpoensis. We identified the types of preclinical models expressing polyglutamine (polyQ) expanded mutant protein (mATXN3), inducers of oxidative stress that mimic the SCA3 pathogenesis, and effective doses of the herbal remedies. The modes of action contributing to the attenuation of oxidative stress are activation of antioxidant pathways, ubiquitin–proteasome system and autophagy, regulation of apoptosis, proinflammatory signaling pathway and chaperones, regulation of mitochondrial function and biogenesis, and restoration of neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity. In conclusion, herbal remedies in TCM may possibly delay the progression of SCA3, therefore providing justification for clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite decades of research, the pathogenesis of metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is still not completely understood. Based on the evidence from preclinical models, one of the factors proposed as a main driver of disease development is oxidative stress. This study aimed to search for the resemblance between the profiles of oxidative stress and antioxidant defense in the animal model of MASLD and the group of MASLD patients. C57BL/6J mice were fed with the Western diet for up to 24 weeks and served as the animal model of MASLD. The antioxidant profile of mice hepatic tissue was determined by liquid chromatography‐MS3 spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). The human cohort consisted of 20 patients, who underwent bariatric surgery, and 6 controls. Based on histological analysis, 4 bariatric patients did not have liver steatosis and as such were also classified as controls. Total antioxidant activity was measured in sera and liver biopsy samples. The hepatic levels of antioxidant enzymes and oxidative damage were determined by Western Blot. The levels of antioxidant enzymes were significantly altered in the hepatic tissue of mice with MASLD. In contrast, there were no significant changes in the antioxidant profile of hepatic tissue of MASLD patients, except for the decreased level of carbonylated proteins. Decreased protein carbonylation together with significant correlations between the thioredoxin system and parameters describing metabolic health suggest alterations in the thiol‐redox signaling. Altogether, these data show that even though the phenotype of mice closely resembles human MASLD, the animal‐to‐human translation of cellular and molecular processes such as oxidative stress may be more challenging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO NPs) have great potential to enhance the crop productivity and sustainability of agriculture. Still, a thorough understanding is lacking about its essentiality or toxicity and precise dose for the safe cultivation of oilseed crops. Thus, we assessed the dual effects of MgO NPs (control, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, and 200 mg/L) on the seed germination, growth performance, photosynthesis, total soluble protein, total carbohydrates, oxidative stress markers (hydrogen peroxide as H2O2 and superoxide anion as O2•‒), lipid peroxidation as MDA, and antioxidant defence machinery (SOD, CAT, APX, and GR activities, and GSH levels) of seven different oilseeds (Brassica napus L.) cultivars (ZY 758, ZD 649, ZD 635, ZD 619, GY 605, ZD 622, and ZD 630). Our findings revealed that low doses of MgO NPs (mainly at 10 mg/L) markedly boosted the seed germination, plant growth (shoot and root lengths) (15‒22%), and biomass (fresh and dry) (11‒19%) by improving the levels of photosynthetic pigments (14‒27%), net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm), total soluble protein and total carbohydrates (16‒36%), antioxidant defence, and reducing the oxidative stress in B. napus tissues. Among all B. napus cultivars, these beneficial effects of MgO NPs were pronounced in ZD 635. ile, elevated levels of MgO NPs (particularly at 200 mg/L) induced oxidative stress, impaired antioxidant scavenging potential, photosynthetic inhibition, protein oxidation, and carbohydrate degradation and lead to inhibit the plant growth attributes. These inhibitory effects were more pronounced in ZD 622. Collectively, low-dose MgO NPs reinforced the Mg contents, protected the plant growth, photosynthesis, total soluble carbohydrates, enzyme activities, and minimized the oxidative stress. While, the excessive MgO NP levels impaired the above-reported traits. Overall, ZD 622 was highly susceptible to MgO NP toxicity and ZD 635 was found most tolerant to MgO NP toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Termite queens and kings live longer than nonreproductive workers. Several molecular mechanisms contributing to their long lifespan have been investigated; however, the underlying biochemical explanation remains unclear. Coenzyme Q (CoQ), a component of the mitochondrial electron transport chain, plays an essential role in the lipophilic antioxidant defense system. Its beneficial effects on health and longevity have been well studied in several organisms. Herein, we demonstrated that long‐lived termite queens have significantly higher levels of the lipophilic antioxidant CoQ10 than workers. Liquid chromatography analysis revealed that the levels of the reduced form of CoQ10 were 4 fold higher in the queen's body than in the worker's body. In addition, queens showed 7 fold higher levels of vitamin E, which plays a role in antilipid peroxidation along with CoQ, than workers. Furthermore, the oral administration of CoQ10 to termites increased the CoQ10 redox state in the body and their survival rate under oxidative stress. These findings suggest that CoQ10 acts as an efficient lipophilic antioxidant along with vitamin E in long‐lived termite queens. This study provides essential biochemical and evolutionary insights into the relationship between CoQ10 concentrations and termite lifespan extension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato production is significantly harmed by the interruption of fungal pathogens, i.e., Alternaria solani, the causal agent of early blight, which is responsible for substantial yield losses in tomato crops. In recent years, the application of silver-based green synthesized nanomaterials (AgNMs) has been documented as the best performer against various plant diseases. However, the knowledge about applying green-synthesized AgNMs for the management of early blight and its impact on the components of the antioxidant defense system, especially in tomatoes, still needs to be discovered. Therefore, in the current study, two green synthesized viz. wild gourd (Citrullus colocynthis) and rough cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium) AgNMs were applied at three different concentrations to check their efficacy against the early blight of tomatoes and the components of the antioxidant defense system of tomato plants. Results revealed that C. colocynthis-based AgNMs were found to be most effective and exhibited disease incidence of A. solani (22%) with a significant increase in tomato production (13%) along with the number of fruits/plants. Moreover, application of C. colocynthis-based AgNMs improved the concentration of ascorbic acid (1240, 997 µg/mL), total phenolic contents (950, 800 µg/mL), flavonoids (111, 88 mg/g), hydrogen peroxide (0.0013, 0.001 U/mg), amylase (110, 89 U/mL), chlorophyll a (0.31, 0.25 mg/g), chlorophyll b (0.22, 0.16 mg/g), and total chlorophyll (0.61, 0.50 mg/g) in treated plants of resistant and susceptible varieties of tomato respectively, than that of control. It is concluded that applying green synthesized AgNMs may be a viable alternative to synthetic chemicals for managing the early blight of tomatoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main conclusion: ZmCBL8-1 enhances salt stress tolerance in maize by improving the antioxidant system to neutralize ROS homeostasis and inducing Na+/H+ antiporter gene expressions of leaves. Calcineurin B-like proteins (CBLs) as plant-specific calcium sensors have been explored for their roles in the regulation of abiotic stress tolerance. Further, the functional variations in ZmCBL8, encoding a component of the salt overly sensitive pathway, conferred the salt stress tolerance in maize. ZmCBL8-1 is a transcript of ZmCBL8 found in maize, but its function in the salt stress response is still unclear. The present study aimed to characterize the protein ZmCBL8-1 that was determined to be composed of 194 amino acids (aa) with three conserved EF hands responsible for binding Ca2+. However, a 20-aa fragment was found to be missing from its C-terminus relative to another transcript of ZmCBL8. Results indicated that it harbored a dual-lipid modification motif MGCXXS at its N-terminus and was located on the cell membrane. The accumulation of ZmCBL8-1 transcripts was high in the roots but relatively lower in the leaves of maize under normal condition. In contrast, its expression was significantly decreased in the roots, while increased in the leaves under NaCl treatment. The overexpression of ZmCBL8-1 resulted in higher salt stress resistance of transgenic Arabidopsis in a Ca2+-dependent manner relative to that of the wild type (WT). In ZmCBL8-1-overexpressing plants exposed to NaCl, the contents of malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide were decreased in comparison with those in the WT, and the expression of key genes involved in the antioxidant defense system and Na+/H+ antiporter were upregulated. These results suggested that ZmCBL8-1 played a positive role in the response of leaves to salt stress by inducing the expression of Na+/H+ antiporter genes and enhancing the antioxidant system to neutralize the accumulation of reactive oxygen species. These observations further indicate that ZmCBL8-1 confers salt stress tolerance, suggesting that transcriptional regulation of the ZmCBL8 gene is important for salt tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Ecology & Rural Environment is the property of Journal of Ecology & Rural Environment Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Simultaneous stresses of salinity and drought often coincide during rice-growing seasons in saline lands, primarily due to insufficient water resources and inadequate irrigation facilities. Consequently, combined salinity-drought stress poses a major threat to rice production. In this study, two salinity levels (NS, non-salinity; HS, high salinity) along with three drought treatments (CC, control condition; DJ, drought stress imposed at jointing; DH, drought stress imposed at heading) were performed to investigate their combined influences on leaf photosynthetic characteristics, biomass accumulation, and rice yield formation. Salinity, drought, and their combination led to a shortened growth period from heading to maturity, resulting in a reduced overall growth duration. Grain yield was reduced under both salinity and drought stress, with a more substantial reduction under the combined salinity-drought stress. The combined stress imposed at heading caused greater yield losses in rice compared with the stress imposed at jointing. Additionally, the combined salinity-drought stress induced greater decreases in shoot biomass accumulation from heading to maturity, as well as in shoot biomass and nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) content in the stem at heading and maturity. However, it increased the harvest index and NSC remobilization reserve. Salinity and drought reduced the leaf area index and SPAD value of flag leaves and weakened the leaf photosynthetic characteristics as indicated by lower photosynthetic rates, transpiration rates, and stomatal conductance. These reductions were more pronounced under the combined stress. Salinity, drought, and especially their combination, decreased the activities of ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase, while increasing the contents of malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, and superoxide radical. Our results indicated a more significant yield loss in rice when subjected to combined salinity-drought stress. The individual and combined stresses of salinity and drought diminished antioxidant enzyme activities, inhibited leaf photosynthetic functions, accelerated leaf senescence, and subsequently lowered assimilate accumulation and grain yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bulletin of Botanical Research is the property of Bulletin of Botanical Research Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Sport Sciences & Health Research is the property of University of Tehran and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Cadmium (Cd) pollution has attracted global attention because it not only jeopardizes soil microbial ecology and crop production, but also threatens human health. As of now, microbe-assisted phytoremediation has proven to be a promising approach for the revegetation of Cd-contaminated soil. Therefore, it is important to find such tolerant microorganisms. In the present study, we inoculated a bacteria strain tolerant to Cd, Cdb8-1, to Cd-contaminated soils and then explored the effects of Cdb8-1 inoculation on the performance of the Chinese milk vetch. The results showed plant height, root length, and fresh and dry weight of Chinese milk vetch grown in Cdb8-1-inoculated soils increased compared to the non-inoculated control group. The inoculation of Cd-contaminated soils with Cdb8-1 also enhanced their antioxidant defense system and decreased the H2O2 and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, which alleviated the phytotoxicity of Cd. The inoculation of Cdb8-1 in Cd-contaminated soils attenuated the contents of total and available Cd in the soil and augmented the BCF and TF of Chinese milk vetch, indicating that the combined application of Cd-tolerant bacteria Cdb8-1 and Chinese milk vetch is a potential solution to Cd-contaminated soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Clarifying the enrichment and response processes of triclosan (TCS) in hydrophytes is crucial for assessing the ecological risk of TCS in aquatic environments. This study delves into the chronic toxic effects of TCS in floating plant Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms and submerged plant Hydrilla verticillata (L. f.) Royle exposed to TCS sediments through hydroponic experiments. Results The absorption abilities of hydrophytes to TCS were species-dependent. The concentration of TCS in the roots of E. crassipes was significantly higher than that in its leaves, while the absorption capacities of the leaves of H. verticillata to TCS were stronger than that in its roots. Furthermore, the physiological indexes, including chlorophyll concentration, soluble protein concentration, and antioxidant enzyme activities, showed a significant decrease with the exposure concentration and time of TCS. Although the chlorophyll and soluble protein concentrations and the antioxidant enzyme activities in the leaves were initially increased at a low concentration of TCS (at 7 days of exposure), they decreased significantly over time. Compared to the leaves, the physiological indexes of the roots were more sensitive to the ecotoxicological effects of TCS. The inhibition effects of TCS on H. verticillata were significantly higher than those on E. crassipes, which may be associated with the absorbing abilities of TCS and the growth characteristics of the plants. Pearson’s correlation analysis found a significant negative correlation between the TCS concentrations and the antioxidant enzyme activities in the plants. Conclusions This study highlighted the differences in the uptake and enrichment process and toxic effects of TCS by different aquatic plants. Compared with E. crassipes, H. verticillata is more sensitive to TCS toxicity.

Heat stress is one of the main reactions of the body’s response to environmental factors, negatively affecting the welfare of various animal species. An increase in environmental temperature can cause stress, which, in turn, potentially has various negative consequences for animals including disruption of the antioxidant system functioning. Violating the antioxidant-prooxidant balance can lead to an increased free radicals formation in the body, which can damage cells and promote the development of various diseases. The article presents the study results of the artificially simulated heat stress effect on individual indicators of the antioxidant system and lipid peroxidation products in the chickens’ liver. The choice of these animals for this study is due to the fact that the poultry is particularly sensitive to the elevated environmental temperatures and, accordingly, to heat stress. This is caused by the biological peculiarities of birds, in particular, they lack sweat glands, and their body surface is mostly covered with feathers, which, together with the high density of keeping in the industrial poultry farming, often leads to the heat stress. The purpose of this work was to find out the presence or absence of changes in individual indicators of the antioxidant system glutathione link and the lipid peroxidation products content in chickens’ liver. The analysis of indicators such as lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH), TBA-active products, reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and glutathione reductase (GR) will allow us to obtain information about the body’s antioxidant defense system state and the oxidative stress level under heat stress conditions. In this study we used 18 hens of the white Leghorn breed. The research was conducted in the vivarium of the Institute of Animal Biology of the National Academy of Sciences in two stages. During the first stage, chickens were kept at an air temperature of 20°С for 7 days. During the second stage, we created heat stress conditions by increasing the temperature to 35°С 6 hours a day, also for 7 days. It has been found that as the ambient temperature increased, the content of LOOH, GSH, and activity of GSH-Px in the liver of chickens increased (P

Abstract Non-hydraulic root signals (nHRS) are affirmed as a unique positive response to soil drying, and play a crucial role in regulating water use efficiency and yield formation in dryland wheat production. Strigolactones (SLs) can enhance plant drought adaptability. However, the question of whether strigolactones enhance grain yield and water use efficiency by regulating nHRS and antioxidant defense systems in dryland wheat remains unanswered. In this study, pot experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of strigolactones on nHRS, antioxidant defense system, and grain yield and water use efficiency in dryland wheat. The results showed that external application of SLs increased drought-induced abscisic acid (ABA) accumulation and activated an earlier trigger of nHRS at 73.4% field capacity (FC), compared to 68.5% FC in the control group (CK). This phenomenon was mechanically associated with the physiological mediation of SLs. The application of SLs significantly enhanced the activities of leaf antioxidant enzymes, reduced ROS production, and mitigated oxidative damage to lipid membrane. Additionally, root biomass, root length density, and root to shoot ratio were increased under strigolactone treatment. Furthermore, exogenous application of SLs significantly increased grain yield by 34.9% under moderate drought stress. Water use efficiency was also increased by 21.5% and 33.3% under moderate and severe drought conditions respectively, compared to the control group (CK). The results suggested that the application of strigolactones triggered earlier drought-sensing mechanism and improved the antioxidant defense ability, thus enhancing grain yield and water use efficiency in dryland wheat production.

Abstract Root-associated symbiotic fungi can enhance the host plant’s ability to tolerate adverse environmental conditions, but it’s unclear whether and how they enhance waterlogged peach plants. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Funneliformis mosseae (Fm), an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus, and Serendipita indica (Si), an endophytic fungus, on plant growth, root development, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, total flavonoids, ROS scavenging activity of flavonoids, and activities and gene expression of antioxidant enzymes in roots of waterlogged peach seedlings. Although waterlogging treatment had little effect on root development, Fm and Si, particularly Fm, improved root development variables to varying degrees. Waterlogging significantly promoted superoxide anion radicals (O2 •−) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels, whereas Fm and Si distinctly reduced O2 •− and H2O2 levels under waterlogging. Waterlogging triggered an increase in total flavonoids in fungi-inoculated seedlings, and the two fungi also significantly increased total flavonoid concentrations and the scavenging activity of total flavonoids to hydroxyl radical, O2 •−, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical. In addition, root fungal colonization rate was negatively and significantly correlated with O2 •− and H2O2, but positively with total flavonoids. Under waterlogging conditions, Fm significantly raised root superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities, and Si likewise elevated root SOD, CAT, GPX, and peroxidase (POD) activities, compared with uninoculated treatment. Although the expression of various antioxidant enzyme genes in roots remained mostly unchanged or were inhibited by the waterlogging, Fm up-regulated the expression of PpSOD3 and PpSOD7, whereas Si up-regulated the expression of PpSOD3, PpCAT1, PpGPX6, PpGPX8, and PpPOD1. In conclusion, low oxidative bursts in Fm- and Si-inoculated peach plants exposed to waterlogging were associated with an increase in total flavonoids as well as activities and gene expression of antioxidant enzymes. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Metalloid pollution, including arsenic poisoning, is a serious environmental issue, plaguing plant productivity and quality of life worldwide. Biochar, a carbon-rich material, has been known to alleviate the negative effects of environmental pollutants on plants. However, the specific role of biochar in mitigating arsenic stress in maize remains relatively unexplored. Here, we elucidated the functions of biochar in improving maize growth under the elevated level of sodium arsenate (Na2AsO4, AsV). Maize plants were grown in pot-soils amended with two doses of biochar (2.5% (B1) and 5.0% (B2) biochar Kg−1 of soil) for 5 days, followed by exposure to Na2AsO4 ('B1 + AsV'and 'B2 + AsV') for 9 days. Maize plants exposed to AsV only accumulated substantial amount of arsenic in both roots and leaves, triggering severe phytotoxic effects, including stunted growth, leaf-yellowing, chlorosis, reduced photosynthesis, and nutritional imbalance, when compared with control plants. Contrariwise, biochar addition improved the phenotype and growth of AsV-stressed maize plants by reducing root-to-leaf AsV translocation (by 46.56 and 57.46% in ‘B1 + AsV’ and ‘B2 + AsV’ plants), improving gas-exchange attributes, and elevating chlorophylls and mineral levels beyond AsV-stressed plants. Biochar pretreatment also substantially counteracted AsV-induced oxidative stress by lowering reactive oxygen species accumulation, lipoxygenase activity, malondialdehyde level, and electrolyte leakage. Less oxidative stress in ‘B1 + AsV’ and ‘B2 + AsV’ plants likely supported by a strong antioxidant system powered by biochar-mediated increased activities of superoxide dismutase (by 25.12 and 46.55%), catalase (51.78 and 82.82%), and glutathione S-transferase (61.48 and 153.83%), and improved flavonoid levels (41.48 and 75.37%, respectively). Furthermore, increased levels of soluble sugars and free amino acids also correlated with improved leaf relative water content, suggesting a better osmotic acclimatization mechanism in biochar-pretreated AsV-exposed plants. Overall, our findings provided mechanistic insight into how biochar facilitates maize’s active recovery from AsV-stress, implying that biochar application may be a viable technique for mitigating negative effects of arsenic in maize, and perhaps, in other important cereal crops. Graphical Abstract

Marine fungal metabolites often exhibit antioxidant activity, but their effects on the Keap1/Nrf2 cellular system are rarely studied, possibly due to insufficient isolated amounts. In this work, we used a bioinformatics approach to evaluate the ability of some promising cytoprotective compounds to bind Kelch domain of Keap1 protein, and thus inhibit its interaction with Nrf2. The molecular docking data suggested that gliorosein, niveoglaucin A, 6-hydroxy-N-acetyl-β-oxotryptamine, 4-hydroxyscytalone and 4-hydroxy-6-dehydroxyscytalone can form the hydrogen building with Arg415 or Arg483 amino acid residues of P1-P2 sub-pockets in the Nrf2 binding site of Keap1′s Kelch domain. These positions of the small molecules in the Kelch domain of Keap1 can inhibit the interaction of Keap1 with Nrf2 and enhance the nuclear translocation of Nrf2 from cytosol that can result in overexpression of relative genes. This assumption, based on virtual screening of a number of low molecular weight metabolites of marine fungi, makes them promising for further studies.

Background: Clarifying the enrichment and response processes of triclosan (TCS) in hydrophytes is crucial for assessing the ecological risk of TCS in aquatic environments. This study delves into the chronic toxic effects of TCS in floating plant Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms and submerged plant Hydrilla verticillata (L. f.) Royle exposed to TCS sediments through hydroponic experiments. Results: The absorption abilities of hydrophytes to TCS were species-dependent. The concentration of TCS in the roots of E. crassipes was significantly higher than that in its leaves, while the absorption capacities of the leaves of H. verticillata to TCS were stronger than that in its roots. Furthermore, the physiological indexes, including chlorophyll concentration, soluble protein concentration, and antioxidant enzyme activities, showed a significant decrease with the exposure concentration and time of TCS. Although the chlorophyll and soluble protein concentrations and the antioxidant enzyme activities in the leaves were initially increased at a low concentration of TCS (at 7 days of exposure), they decreased significantly over time. Compared to the leaves, the physiological indexes of the roots were more sensitive to the ecotoxicological effects of TCS. The inhibition effects of TCS on H. verticillata were significantly higher than those on E. crassipes, which may be associated with the absorbing abilities of TCS and the growth characteristics of the plants. Pearson's correlation analysis found a significant negative correlation between the TCS concentrations and the antioxidant enzyme activities in the plants. Conclusions: This study highlighted the differences in the uptake and enrichment process and toxic effects of TCS by different aquatic plants. Compared with E. crassipes, H. verticillata is more sensitive to TCS toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ascorbic acid (AsA) and selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) were versatile plant growth regulators, playing multiple roles in promoting plant growth under heavy metal stresses. This study aimed to evaluate the beneficial role of individual and combined effects of AsA and SeNPs on morpho-physio-biochemical traits of rice with or without chromium (Cr) amendment. The results indicated that Cr negatively affected plant biomass, gas exchange parameters, total soluble sugar, proline, relative water contents, and antioxidant-related gene expression via increasing reactive oxygen species (MDA, H2O2, O2•−) formation, resulting in plant growth reduction. The application of AsA and SeNPs, individually or in combination, decreased the uptake and translocation of Cr in rice seedlings, increased seedlings with tolerance to Cr toxicity, and significantly improved the rice seedling growth. Most notably, AsA + SeNP treatment strengthened the antioxidative defense system through ROS quenching and Cr detoxification. The results collectively suggested that the application of AsA and SeNPs alone or in combination had the potential to alleviate Cr toxicity in rice and possibly other crop species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-hydraulic root signals (nHRS) are affirmed as a unique positive response to soil drying, and play a crucial role in regulating water use efficiency and yield formation in dryland wheat production. Strigolactones (SLs) can enhance plant drought adaptability. However, the question of whether strigolactones enhance grain yield and water use efficiency by regulating nHRS and antioxidant defense systems in dryland wheat remains unanswered. In this study, pot experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of strigolactones on nHRS, antioxidant defense system, and grain yield and water use efficiency in dryland wheat. The results showed that external application of SLs increased drought-induced abscisic acid (ABA) accumulation and activated an earlier trigger of nHRS at 73.4% field capacity (FC), compared to 68.5% FC in the control group (CK). This phenomenon was mechanically associated with the physiological mediation of SLs. The application of SLs significantly enhanced the activities of leaf antioxidant enzymes, reduced ROS production, and mitigated oxidative damage to lipid membrane. Additionally, root biomass, root length density, and root to shoot ratio were increased under strigolactone treatment. Furthermore, exogenous application of SLs significantly increased grain yield by 34.9% under moderate drought stress. Water use efficiency was also increased by 21.5% and 33.3% under moderate and severe drought conditions respectively, compared to the control group (CK). The results suggested that the application of strigolactones triggered earlier drought-sensing mechanism and improved the antioxidant defense ability, thus enhancing grain yield and water use efficiency in dryland wheat production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]