Plant Signaling & Behavior

Bupleurum chinense DC. a medicinal plant valued for saikosaponins (SSs) with antipyretic and hepatoprotective properties, faces constrained SS biosynthesis mediated by abscisic acid (ABA) during growth. Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) are hypothesized to participate in ABA signaling cascades, but their mechanistic role in SS regulation remains undefined. In this study, 20 differentially expressed BcbHLH genes were identified by transcriptomic profiling of ABA-induced hairy roots, with four MYC-family candidates (BcbHLH1-BcbHLH4) demonstrating ABA-responsive regulatory potential. ABA exposure (100 or 200 μmol/L, 24–72 h) induced dose-dependent SS reduction, while correlation analyses revealed coordinated expression between BcbHLH1-BcHMGR (r = 0.62) and BcbHLH4-BcBAS (r = 0.78), pinpointing these TFs as critical nodes in SS pathway modulation. Tissue-specific profiling showed predominant BcbHLH expression in stems and young leaves, with nuclear localization confirming their transcriptional regulatory organelles. BcbHLH3/4 exhibited transcriptional activation activity in the MYC_N domain, while molecular docking predicted 11th Arginine in the HLH domain as essential for G-box DNA binding. Collectively, our findings suggest that BcbHLH1-BcbHLH4 may serve as potential switches for fine-tuning ABA responsiveness in SS biosynthesis. Strategic manipulation of BcbHLH activity through genetic engineering approaches such as CRISPR-based editing or overexpression could alleviate ABA-mediated biosynthetic repression. Furthermore, precision engineering of the critical functional domain in BcbHLH could enhance promoter-binding activity to target genes and improve SS biosynthesis efficiency. These findings provide a reference framework for harnessing transcriptional regulators to optimize SS production in Bupleurum chinense DC.

WRKY transcription factors are important regulators of plant responses to environmental stresses and hormone signaling. This study analyzes the WRKY gene family in Solanum tuberosum by examining the phylogenetic relationships, expression profiles, and their roles in abiotic stress and hormone responses. Phylogenetic tree was constructed using 322 WRKY genes from four Solanum species: S. tuberosum, S. pennellii, S. pimpinellifolium, and S. lycopersicum. The results revealed conserved and expanded WRKY genes across these species. We then studied the expression of 75 SotuWRKY genes in response to salt, drought, heat stresses, and hormone treatments (IAA, ABA, BABA, GA3, and BAP). Results showed that 19, 25, and 29 genes were regulated under salt, drought, and heat stresses, respectively. Several WRKY genes (e.g. SotuWRKY03 and SotuWRKY24) were also regulated by biotic stresses like Phytophthora infestans infection and hormone treatments, indicating their involvement in plant defense mechanisms. A gene co-expression network was constructed based on gene-to-gene correlations, where SotuWRKY52 was identified as a hub gene, positively regulating six WRKY genes and negatively regulating four. These findings suggest that potato WRKY genes play key roles in regulating stress responses and hormone signaling, potentially enhancing potato resistance to stresses and diseases. This study provides new insights into WRKY transcription factors in S. tuberosum and other Solanum species.

The exploration of plant signaling pathways is transforming the way diabetes is managed, providing new, multi-target strategies for controlling this complex metabolic disorder. Medicinal plants are rich in bioactive compounds like phytohormones, flavonoids and polyphenols, which regulate key pathways including oxidative stress, inflammation, insulin resistance, and gut microbiota modulation. Research is emerging on the therapeutic potential of Momordica charantia, Cinnamomum verum and Trigonella foenum-graecum, which enhance insulin secretion, sensitivity and glucose homeostasis. These plant derived compounds, resveratrol and plant based insulin mimetics, not only address metabolic dysfunction but also offer holistic treatment for long term complications such as neuropathy and retinopathy. The development of precision medicine advances the tailoring of plant based therapies to individual metabolic responses, increasing efficacy and decreasing reliance on synthetic drugs with adverse side effects. Despite challenges of standardization, regulatory barriers, and limited clinical trials, incorporating medicinal plants into national diabetes management guidelines represents a cost effective and accessible option, particularly in resource limited settings. In this review, we highlight the importance of collaborative work across disciplines and the use of technologies such as artificial intelligence to speed research and optimize patient specific applications. The therapeutic power of plant signaling pathways is harnessed to develop sustainable, inclusive, and effective diabetes management strategies.

The growth state of pepper plants under different soil conditions under drought stress was studied, using RGB decomposition, thermal infrared imaging, plant electrical signal and electrochemical fingerprinting. Since porous biochar can trap more water, plants in a soil-biochar environment grow better than those in the original soil. With the increase of biochar concentration, there are more pixels in the visible image of plants, and the surface temperature of plants is lower. Biochar can also provide a stable electrochemical environment. With the increase of biochar concentration in soil, the electrical signal amplitude of pepper plants decreased and the concentration of electrochemical substances increased.

Chenopodium ficifolium is a close diploid relative of the tetraploid crop Chenopodium quinoa. Owing to its reproducible germination and seedling development, it becomes a promising model for studying floral induction, providing a basis for the comparison with C. quinoa. Two C. ficifolium genotypes differ in photoperiodic requirement: C. ficifolium 283 accelerates flowering under long days, whereas C. ficifolium 459 flowers earlier under short days. This study conducted a comprehensive transcriptomic and hormonomic analysis of floral induction in the long-day C. ficifolium 283 and compared the findings to previous experiments with the short-day C. ficifolium. Phytohormone concentrations and gene expression profiles during floral induction were largely similar between the two genotypes. However, a subset of genes exhibited contrasting expression patterns, aligning with the genotypes’ differing photoperiodic requirements. These genes, predominantly homologs of flowering-related genes in Arabidopsis thaliana, were activated under long days in C. ficifolium 283 and under short days in C. ficifolium 459. Notably, the contrasting expression of the FLOWERING LOCUS T-LIKE 2–1 gene, which was previously shown to induce precocious flowering in A. thaliana, confirmed its role as a floral activator, despite its low expression levels.

Plants are continuously challenged by a myriad of pathogenic microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and oomycetes, against which they must defend themselves. The protein Cell Division Cycle 48 (CDC48), a key player of ubiquitin-proteasome system which segregates and remodels ubiquitinated proteins for degradation, is known to be mobilized during plant immunity. Moreover, the characterization of the nuclear role of CDC48 is of interest, in particular its regulation in nuclear processes such as chromatin remodeling, DNA repair and gene expression. In this regard, its nuclear functions during plant immunity remain underexplored. This study investigates the dynamics of CDC48 during plant immune responses. The biophysical analysis using the Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS) on tobacco leaves stably overexpressing GFP-CDC48 revealed that the nuclear dynamics of CDC48 changed after treatment with cryptogein, an elicitor of immune responses. FCS analysis revealed an increase of the nuclear mobility of CDC48 and a faster interaction of CDC48 with a wide range of nuclear partners shortly after cryptogein treatment. Overall, our study shows a nuclear regulation of the interaction of CDC48 with its potential partners and sheds new light on potential nuclear involvements of CDC48 following the triggering of defense mechanisms.

Cardamine violifolia (C. violifolia), a hyperaccumulator selenium plant species, is a common medicinal and edible species as the primary source of Se supplementation in karst areas. Bicarbonate (HCO3⁻), a byproduct of carbonate rock weathering, may interact with Se, but the synergistic effects of HCO3⁻ and Se on Cd transport in selenium hyperaccumulators remain unclear. In this study, C. violifolia was used to examine the impact of different bicarbonate levels on its growth, photosynthesis, intracellular water dynamics, and nutrient transport. As one result, Se⁶⁺ improved the intracellular water-holding capacity (IWHC), the intracellular water/nutrient transfer rate (WTR/NTR), the nutrient translocation capacity (NTC), the nutrient active translocation capacity (NAC), while simultaneously reducing Cd²⁺ translocation. Bicarbonate and Se⁶⁺ together affected Cd²⁺ transport in C. violifolia. The BSC1 treatment (1 mm HCO3⁻ addition, 0.46 mm Se⁶⁺ and 0.27 mm Cd²⁺) maximized biomass and photosynthesis, likely due to low HCO3⁻ aiding Se⁶⁺ translocation and reducing Cd²⁺ movement. Conversely, BSC3 (15 mm HCO3⁻ addition, 0.46 mm Se⁶⁺ and 0.27 mm Cd²⁺) resulted in the smallest biomass and photosynthesis in C. violifolia, as the high HCO3⁻ level inhibited the translocation of Se⁶⁺, which decreased the IWHC, WTR(NTR), NTC and NAC. No significant correlation was found between Se-Cd translocation factors, suggesting that HCO3⁻ may not directly affect Cd²⁺ transport but could increase root pH, hindering Cd²⁺ movement from roots to shoots. The 1 mm bicarbonate interacting with selenium can decrease translocation of cadmium and enhance the photosynthesis and growth, thereby enhancing the selenium enrichment capacity and biomass of C. violifolia in karst areas.

Taurine (TAR) intricately mediates a plethora of physiological processes. This investigation aimed to elucidate the impact of TAR (50, 100, 150, and 200 mg L⁻¹) seed priming on redox homeostasis, glutathione metabolism, photosynthetic efficiency, osmotic adjustment and nutrient acquisition in pea plants subjected to 100 mm salinity of neutral (NaCl and Na2SO4) and alkaline (Na2CO3) salts. Salinity diminished growth, chlorophyll, and photosynthetic efficiency alongside a concurrent rise in reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation, and relative membrane permeability. Seed priming with 150 mg L⁻¹ TAR efficiently enhanced growth by reducing oxidative damage to plants under salinity. Taurine enhanced leaf relative water content through osmotic adjustment facilitated by the induced accumulation of proline, glycine betaine, soluble sugars, and total free amino acids. Taurine increased the levels of antioxidant compounds and the activities of enzymes, which assisted in the detoxification of ROS and methylglyoxal. Taurine maintained chlorophyll integrity and enhanced photosynthetic efficiency by alleviating oxidative stress. Taurine diminished Na content, which improved the acquisition of essential nutrients under the salinity of neutral and alkaline salts. The results suggest that TAR has a potential role in maintaining ion homeostasis, crucial for enhancing pea tolerance to salt stress.

Soybean (Glycine max) is one of the most important industrial and oilseed crops; however, the yield is threatened by the invasion of various pathogens. Soybean stem and root rot, caused by Phytophthora sojae, is a destructive disease that significantly damages soybean production worldwide. C2H2 zinc finger protein (C2H2-ZFP) is a large transcription factor family in plants that plays crucial roles in stress response and hormone signal transduction. Given its importance, we analyzed the expression patterns of C2H2-ZFP family genes in response to P. sojae infection and selected four candidate genes to explore their molecular characteristics and functions related to P. sojae resistance. Subcellular localization analysis indicated that three ZFPs (GmZFP2, GmZFP3, and GmZFP4) were localized in the nucleus, while GmZFP1 was found in both the nucleus and plasma membrane. Dual-luciferase transient expression analysis revealed that all four ZFPs possessed transcriptional repression activation. Further transient expression in N. benthamiana leaves demonstrated that GmZFP2 induced significant cell death and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. GmZFP2 significantly enhanced the resistance to Phytophthora pathogens in N. benthamiana leaves and soybean hairy roots. This study provides insights in to the functional characterization of soybean ZFPs in Phytophthora resistance and demonstrates that GmZFP2 plays a positive role in P. sojae resistance in soybeans.

Aims: Analyzing the rhizosphere microbial community structure of Atractylodes chinensis from different regions and its correlation with the accumulation of main medicinal active ingredients, this study aims to explore the impact of rhizosphere soil microorganisms on the effective components of A. chinensis, providing a scientific basis for the high-quality and high-yield cultivation of A. chinensis. Methods and results: The rhizosphere soil of three-year-old A. chinensis was used as the research object. High-throughput sequencing technology was employed to analyze the rhizosphere bacterial and fungal community structures. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was used to detect the contents of atractylodin, atractylon, β-eudesmol, and atractylenolide III in the medicinal materials. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to explore the relationship between soil microbial communities and the active ingredients. α-diversity results showed that the Yaowangmiao village (YWM) microbial community had the highest richness and diversity, while Xingzhoucun (XZC) had the lowest, and Beiwushijiazi village (BWSJZ) had the lowest fungal community diversity and richness. PCoA analysis at the phylum level indicated that soil bacterial communities were more dispersed than fungal communities among different regions. The bacterial community in XZC significantly differed from other regions, while fungal communities in BWSJZ and Ximiaogong village (XMG) showed considerable differences from other regions. The content of active ingredients in different regions showed that Yuzhangzi village (YZZ) and BWSJZ had higher content and better quality of medicinal materials according to the content of atractylodesin specified in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission. The dominant bacterial phylum in the rhizosphere soil of YZZ was Acidobacteriota, and the dominant genus was RB41. In BWSJZ, Acidobacteriota was the dominant bacterial phylum, with Arthrobacter and unclassified_f_Vicinamibacteraceae as dominant genera; the dominant fungal phylum was Basidiomycota, with Tausonia as the dominant genus. Different bacterial and fungal communities synergistically promoted or inhibited the synthesis of four active ingredients. Conclusion: In short, this provides a theoretical basis for the distribution of soil rhizosphere microbial communities in the cultivation of A. chinensis and offers a reference for the cultivation of A. chinensis medicinal materials.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a vital crop worldwide, serving as a cornerstone for food security, livestock feed, and biofuel production. However, its cultivation is increasingly jeopardized by environmental challenges, notably soil salinization, which severely constrains growth, yield, and quality. To combat salinity stress, maize employs an array of adaptive mechanisms, including enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity and modulated plant hormone levels, which work synergistically to maintain reactive oxygen species (ROS) balance and ion homeostasis. This review explores the intricate interactions among ROS, antioxidant systems, plant hormones, and ion regulation in maize under salt stress, providing a comprehensive understanding of the physiological and molecular basis of its tolerance. By elucidating these mechanisms, this study contributes to the development of salt-tolerant maize varieties and informs innovative strategies to sustain agricultural productivity under adverse environmental conditions, offering significant theoretical insights into plant stress biology and practical solutions for achieving sustainable agriculture amidst global climate challenges.

Auxin-induced xylem formation in angiosperms is negatively regulated by thermospermine, whose biosynthesis is also induced by auxin. In Arabidopsis thaliana, loss-of-function mutants of ACL5, which encodes thermospermine synthase, exhibit a dwarf phenotype accompanied by excessive xylem formation. Studies of suppressor mutants that recover from the acl5 dwarf phenotype suggest that thermospermine alleviates the inhibitory effect of an upstream open-reading frame (uORF) on the main ORF translation of SAC51 mRNA. Many suppressor mutations for acl5 have been mapped to the uORF conserved in the SAC51 family or to ribosomal protein genes, such as RPL10A, RPL4A, and RACK1A. In this study, we identified newly isolated acl5 suppressors, sac501, sac504, and sac506, which are additional alleles of RPL10A and the uORFs of SAC51 family members, SACL1 and SACL3, respectively. To investigate whether acl5-suppressor alleles of ribosomal genes broadly affect translation of uORF-containing mRNAs, we examined GUS activity in several 5’-GUS fusion constructs. Our results showed that these alleles enhanced GUS activity in SAC51 and SACL3 5’-fusion constructs but had no effect on other 5’-fusion constructs unrelated to thermospermine response. This suggests that these ribosomal proteins are specifically involved in the thermospermine-mediated regulation of mRNA translation.

Pea plants depend on external structures to reach the strongest light source. To do this, they need to perceive a potential support and to flexibly adapt the movement of their motile organs (e.g. tendrils). In natural environments, there are several above- and belowground elements that could impede the complete perception of potential supports. In such instances, plants may be required to perform a sort of perceptual “completion” to establish a unified percept. We tested whether pea plants are capable of performing perceptual completion by investigating their ascent and attachment behavior using three-dimensional (3D) kinematic analysis. Pea plants were tested in the presence of a support divided into two parts positioned at opposite locations. One part was grounded and perceived only by the root system. The remaining portion was elevated from the ground so that it was only accessible by the aerial part. Control conditions were also included. We hypothesized that if pea plants are able to perceptually integrate the two parts of the support, then they would perform a successful clasping movement. Alternatively, if such integration does not occur, plants may exhibit disoriented exploratory behavior that does not lead to clasping the support. The results demonstrated that pea plants are capable of perceptual completion, allowing for the integration of information coming from the root system and the aerial part. We contend that perceptual completion may be achieved through a continuous crosstalk between a plant’s modules determined by a complex signaling network. By integrating these findings with ecological observations, it may be possible to identify specific factors related to support detection and coding in climbing plants.

This discussion paper carefully analyzes the cognition-related theories proposed for behavioral economics, to expand the concepts from human behaviors to those of plants. Behavioral economists analyze the roles of the intuitive sense and the rational thoughts affecting the human behavior, by employing the psychology-based models such as Two Minds theory (TMT) highlighting intuitive rapid thoughts (System 1) and rational slower thoughts (System 2) and Prospect theory (PT) with probability (p)-weighting functions explaining the human tendencies to overrate the low p events and to underrate the high p events. There are similarities between non-consciously processed System 1 (of TMT) and overweighing of low-p events (as in PT) and also, between the consciously processed System 2 (of TMT) and underrating of high-p events (as in PT). While most known p-weighting mathematical models employed single functions, we propose a pair of Hill-type functions reflecting the collective behaviors of two types of automata corresponding to intuition (System 1) and rationality (System 2), as a metaphor to the natural light processing in layered plant leaves. Then, the model was applied to two different TMT/PT-related behaviors, namely, preference reversal and habituation. Furthermore, we highlight the behaviors of plants through the above conceptual frameworks implying that plants behave as if they have Two Minds. Lastly, the possible evolutionary origins of the nature of Two Minds are discussed.

Licorice, the dried roots and rhizomes of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., is one of the most popular herbal medicines used globally. Glycyrrhizin is the primary bioactive component of licorice, exhibiting various pharmacological activities. Herein, we grew G. uralensis seedlings aseptically on a medium in the presence of 0–1% ethanol for 10 weeks, elucidating the effect of exogenous ethanol treatment on plant morphological features and glycyrrhizin accumulation. Treatment with 0.1% exogenous ethanol significantly increased the root fresh weight of G. uralensis seedlings, whereas treatments exceeding 0.5% exogenous ethanol exhibited phytotoxicity. In addition, the application of 0.1% exogenous ethanol significantly promoted glycyrrhizin accumulation in plant roots relative to the control. Overall, these results indicate that dilute exogenous ethanol treatment positively affects root yield and glycyrrhizin accumulation in the roots of aseptically cultured G. uralensis seedlings. The findings of this study may contribute to improving the quality of cultivated G. uralensis.

Starch metabolism in plants involves a complex network of interacting proteins that work together to ensure the efficient synthesis and degradation of starch. These interactions are crucial for regulating the balance between energy storage and release, adapting to the plant’s developmental stage and environmental conditions. Several studies have been performed to investigate protein–protein interactions (PPIs) in starch metabolism complexes, yet it remains impossible to unveil all of the PPIs in this highly regulated process. This study uses yeast-two-hybrid (Y2H) screening against the Arabidopsis leaf cDNA library to explore PPIs, focusing on the starch-granule-initiating protein named Protein Targeting to Starch 2 (PTST2, At1g27070) and the protein involved in starch and maltodextrin metabolism, namely, plastidial phosphorylase 1 (PHS1, EC 2.4.1.1). More than 100 positive interactions were sequenced, and we found chloroplastidial proteins to be putative interacting partners of PTST2 and PHS1. Among them, photosynthetic proteins were discovered. These novel interactions could reveal new roles of PTST2 and PHS1 in the connection between starch metabolism and photosynthesis. This dynamic interplay between starch metabolism and other chloroplast functions highlights the importance of starch as both an energy reservoir and a regulatory component in the broader context of plant physiology and adaptation.

Phosphatidic acid (PA) functions as a cell membrane component and signaling molecule in plants. PA metabolism has multiple routes, in one of which PA is converted into cytidine diphosphate diacylglycerol (CDP-DAG) by CDP-DAG synthases (CDSs). CDS genes are highly conserved in plants. Here, we found that knock-down of the CDS gene enhanced the resistance of Arabidopsis thaliana to multiple pathogens, with a growth penalty. When Arabidopsis leaves were treated with chitin or flg22, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in cds mutants was significantly higher than that in the wild-type (WT). Similarly, phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in the cds1cds2 double mutant was significantly increased compared to the WT. By integrating lipidomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics data, PA accumulation was observed in mutants cds1cds2, activating the jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) signaling pathway, and increasing transcript levels of plant defense-related genes. Significant accumulation of the downstream metabolites including serotonin and 5-methoxyindole was also found, which plays important roles in plant immunity. In conclusion, our study indicated the role of CDSs in broad-spectrum disease resistance in Arabidopsis and that CDSs are involved in plant metabolic regulation.

Drought-induced osmotic stress is a significant constraint to soybean growth and yield, necessitating the development of effective mitigation strategies. Silicon acts as an important strategy to mitigate the negative stress effects of drought stress. The study was aimed to evaluate the potential of soil-applied silicon in alleviating drought stress in soybean. Two field capacities were tested: control (85% FC) and drought (50% FC), with four silicon application rates (0, 100, 200, and 300 kg ha⁻¹) applied at sowing. Drought stress significantly affected the morphological parameters in soybean as plant height, leaf area, and water potential were reduced by 25%, 20%, and 36%, respectively, while root length increased as compared to control-85% FC. However, drought stress reduced root density, surface area, and biomass as compared to control-85% FC. Additionally, drought reduced photosynthetic rates, chlorophyll a and b levels, and stomatal conductance, while increasing malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide. The natural plant defense system was upregulated, with increased activity of phenolics, soluble proteins, and antioxidant enzymes like catalase, superoxide dismutase, and peroxidase. However, silicon applications, especially at 200 kg ha⁻¹, significantly alleviated the negative effects of drought stress by improving morphophysiological and biochemical traits in soybeans. Compared to the control, Si200 increased plant height, root length, photosynthetic rate, and water potential by 22%, 39%, 23%, and 17%, respectively, as compared to control. Furthermore, silicon reduced malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide levels by 21% and 10%, enhancing plant resilience. Silicon supplementation also boosted biochemical attributes, with total soluble proteins, phenolics, and antioxidant enzyme activities increasing by 30%, 55%, 19%, 24%, and 31%, respectively, under drought conditions. In crux, silicon at 200 kg ha⁻¹ effectively mitigated the effects of drought stress in soybean, becoming a more sustainable approach to sustain crop yield and food security.

Tobacco is a significant economic crop cultivated in various regions of China. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can establish a symbiotic relationship with tobacco and regulate its growth. However, the influences of indigenous AMF on the growth and development of tobacco and their symbiotic mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, a pot inoculation experiment was conducted, revealing that six inoculants - Acaulospora bireticulata(Ab), Septoglomus viscosum(Sv), Funneliformis mosseae(Fm), Claroideoglomus etunicatum(Ce), Rhizophagus intraradices(Ri), and the mixed inoculant (H) – all formed stable symbiotic relationships with tobacco. These inoculants were found to enhance the activities of SOD, POD, PPO, and PAL in tobacco leaves, increase chlorophyll content, IAA content， CTK content， soluble sugars, and proline levels while reducing malondialdehyde content. Notably, among these inoculants, Fm exhibited significantly higher mycorrhizal infection density, arbuscular abundance, and soil spore density in the root systems of tobacco plants compared to other treatments. Membership function analysis confirmed that Fm had the most pronounced growth-promoting effect on tobacco. The transcriptome analysis results of different treatments of CK and inoculation with Fm revealed that 3,903 genes were upregulated and 4,196 genes were downregulated in the roots and stems of tobacco. Enrichment analysis indicated that the majority of these genes were annotated in related pathways such as biological processes, molecular functions, and metabolism. Furthermore, differentially expressed genes associated with auxin, cytokinin, antioxidant enzymes, and carotenoids were significantly enriched in their respective pathways, potentially indirectly influencing the regulation of tobacco plant growth. This study provides a theoretical foundation for the development and application of AMF inoculants to enhance tobacco growth.

The longevity of the rose stem is often affected by the rate of respiration and the evolution in ethylene production, which also favors the development of Botrytis. Silicon is involved in plant defense, and its application could be a strategy to improve disease control. This research evaluated the effect of foliar and edaphic applications of silicon on the life of the Brighton rose using three sources of liquid silicon applied every 2 weeks in three foliar and edaphic conditions and one control. After harvest, the fresh mass loss, ethylene concentration, O2 consumption and CO2 evolution were measured. The number of fallen petals was counted, and the severity of the Botrytis infection was evaluated. The biomass loss of the floral stem was analyzed with profile analysis. For the evaluation of the change in values of O2, CO2 and ethylene, a multivariate semiparametric analysis of variance analysis was used and the generalized estimating equation methodology for the longitudinal binary response of severity. It was found that the soil treatment with lower potassium and soluble silicon was associated with a decrease in ethylene concentration as well as also turned out to be the one that best controlled Botrytis in post-harvest.

Drought stress inhibits the development of maize ears. Abscisic acid (ABA) is a plant hormone that can regulate the physicology metabolism under abiotic stress. In this study, maize varieties Zhengdan 958 (ZD958) and Xianyu 335 (XY335) with different filling stages were used as materials. Three treatments were set in the filling period: normal irrigation (CK), drought stress (stress); exogenous ABA + drought stress (ABA+stress). They were used to study the physiological regulation of exogenous ABA on maize ears development during drought stress. Exogenous ABA inhibited bald tip and the decline of maize plant biomass, and increased the number and weight of grains per ear at harvest under drought stress by regulating photosynthetic pigment content (Chla, Chlb, Car), gas exchange parameters (Pn, Tr, gs, Ci, Ls), Chla fluorescence parameters (Fv/Fm, ФPSII, ETR, qP, NPQ), chloroplast structure and function, photosynthetic enzyme activity, and the transcription level of genes coding SUTs (ZmSUT1, ZmSUT2, ZmSUT4, ZmSUT6). There was a significant correlation between physiological indexes of sucrose loading in maize and yield factors. This study discussed the mechanism of exogenous ABA alleviating maize ear dysplasia at grain filling stage under drought stress from the perspective of photosynthesis and sucrose transport.

To investigate the biological functions of Tiller Angle Control 2 (TAC2) in Salix psammophila. In this study, TAC2 was cloned from Salix psammophila, and an overexpression and subcellular localization expression vector for the SpsTAC2 gene was constructed. The SpsTAC2 gene was overexpressed in Arabidopsis and analyzed for phenotypic changes. The subcellular localization of SpsTAC2 was analyzed via Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression in onion (Allium cepa L.) epidermal cells. Phenotypic characterization of SpsTAC2 overexpressing Arabidopsis strains revealed that the branching angle of the transgenic strains was significantly greater than that of the wild type, and the anatomical structures of the stems and hypocotyls of the transgenic strains indicated that the vascular system of the transgenic strains developed more slowly than did that of the wild type. The subcellular localization of the SpsTAC2 gene revealed that the localization signals of the SpsTAC2 gene were mainly in the nucleus, and weak signals also appeared in the cell membrane, suggesting that the SpsTAC2 gene was mainly expressed mainly in the nucleus, with a small amount of expression in the cell membrane. This findings suggest that the SpsTAC2 gene influences the development of the branching angle of plants and xylem, and exerts its effects mainly in the nucleus and membrane. This study can help to characterize the regulatory effect of the TAC gene on the branching angle and explore its effect on the branching angle and vascular system development, and also help to explore the possible molecular regulatory mechanism, which can provide a theoretical basis for further elucidation of the mechanism of action of the IGT gene family.

Various metabolic and cell signaling processes impact the functions of sugarcane plant cells. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play critical regulatory roles in enhancing yield and providing protection against various stressors. This study seeks to identify and partially characterize several novel miRNAs in sugarcane using in silico tools, while also offering a preliminary assessment of their functions. This was accomplished by predicting novel conserved miRNAs in sugarcane plants using a variety of genomics-based techniques like BLASTn, MFOLD, psRNA Target, sequence logo, Weblogo, primer-3, etc. and annotated using miRBase and NCBI. For validation, RT-PCR method was used along with agarose gel. After the preparation of fourteen randomly chosen primers, they were validated by RT-PCR. Accordingly, they contain fifty specific targeted proteins with substantial targets in the structural, transcriptional protein, etc. Furthermore, the sof-miR5025a directs the heat repeat protein while the voltage-dependent anion is governed by sof-miR8005a. Similarly, the sof-miR7768b and sof-miR6249b monitor the pathogenesis-related protein and zinc finger, C2H2 type protein, which assist as transcription factors. Thus, the novel sugarcane miRNAs target a wide range of important genes help regulate the environment for sugarcane to generate a higher-quality crop.

Nuclear Factor Y (NF-Y) represents a group of transcription factors commonly present in higher eukaryotes, typically consisting of three subunits: NF-YA, NF-YB, and NF-YC. They play crucial roles in the embryonic development, photosynthesis, flowering, abiotic stress responses, and other essential processes in plants. To better understand the genome-wide NF-Y domain-containing proteins, the protein physicochemical properties, chromosomal localization, synteny, phylogenetic relationships, genomic structure, promoter cis-elements, and protein interaction network of NtNF-Ys in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) were systematically analyzed. In this study, we identified 58 NtNF-Ys in tobacco, respectively, and divided into three subfamilies corresponding to their phylogenetic relationships. Their tissue specificity and expression pattern analyses for leaf development, drought and saline-alkali stress, and ABA response were carried out using RNA-seq or qRT-PCR. These findings illuminate the role of NtNF-Ys in regulating plant leaf development, drought and saline-alkali stress tolerance, and ABA response. This study offers new insights to enhance our understanding of the roles of NtNF-Ys and identify potential genes involved in leaf development, as well as drought and saline-alkali stress tolerance of plants.

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) black shank disease, caused by Phytophthora nicotianae, is a significant threat to tobacco crops, leading to severe economic losses. Prolonged use of agrochemicals to control this disease has prompted the exploration of eco-friendly biological control strategies. This study investigated the effects of Trichoderma harzianum, a biocontrol agent, on N. tabacum in comparison to P. nicotianae, focusing on growth, biomass, root morphology and anatomy, hormonal changes, and osmotic regulation. T. harzianum significantly enhanced plant growth, biomass accumulation, root system development, and physiological attributes such as photosynthetic pigment levels and antioxidant enzyme activity. In contrast, P. nicotianae negatively impacted these parameters, inhibiting growth and physiological function. Notably, T. harzianum increased proline content and enhanced induced resistance mechanisms, mitigating stress and promoting overall plant health. These findings highlight the potential of T. harzianum as a sustainable solution for managing black shank disease while improving tobacco crop productivity.