Abstract: To screen high-quality porcine-derived lactic acid bacteria for swine production, this study compared growth performance, acid production, acid and bile salt tolerance, and genome characteristics of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (MRS002), Lactobacillus amylovorus (MRS003), and Ligilactobacillus salivarius (MRS004). All three strains showed typical anaerobic growth. L. amylovorus had a longer growth cycle and higher biomass, while L. plantarum and L. salivarius grew faster and produced more acid, with pH values reaching 4.2 and 4.3 at 24 h. L. plantarum and L. salivarius also exhibited higher survival rates under 0.3% bile salt and pH 2.0 stress. Genome annotation revealed that more than 50% of genes were related to metabolism in all strains. L. plantarum possessed the most comprehensive metabolic and stress-resistance gene networks; L. amylovorus was enriched in starch-degradation pathways; and L. salivarius showed unique advantages in aromatic amino acid metabolism. In summary, L. salivarius MRS004 displays superior probiotic traits, L. plantarum MRS002 has broad adaptability, and L. amylovorus MRS003 is suitable for high-starch feed fermentation. This study provides theoretical support and strain resources for probiotic development and antibiotic-free breeding.

Abstract: Autocatalytic sets are chemical reaction networks in which the molecules mutually catalyze each other's formation supported by an ambient food set. They are believed to have played an important role in the origin of metabolism and life, and have been studied extensively both theoretically and experimentally. Autocatalytic sets often consist of a hierarchical structure of smaller and smaller autocatalytic subsets. Of particular interest are irreducible autocatalytic sets and closed autocatalytic sets. Previously, it has been shown that finding {\it all} such autocatalytic subsets is, in principle, intractable. Here, several algorithms are presented to enumerate irreducible and closed autocatalytic sets, either exhaustively (but only practical in limited cases) or in the form of a random sample. Their implementation in a C++ program, made available as a GitHub repository, is then tested on instances of a computational model of chemical reaction networks known as the binary polymer model.

Abstract: Containerized ornamental plant production requires efficient irrigation strategies to balance plant quality with water and nutrient conservation. This study evaluated the effects of different leaching fraction (LF) levels (0%, 20%, 40%, and 60%) on plant growth, ornamental quality, water use, and macronutrient leaching in off-season potted Curcuma cv. ‘Jasmine Pink’. Irrigation volumes were determined using crop coefficient (Kc)-based estimates derived from evaporation pan measurements. The results showed that the highest LF level (60%) significantly improved several ornamental quality traits, including flower number per cluster, leaf greenness, specific leaf area, and compactness index, while also increasing aerial dry weight and photosynthetic performance during the flowering stage. These improvements were associated with reduced substrate electrical conductivity, indicating that higher LF might effectively mitigated root-zone salt accumulation and promoted favorable physiological conditions for plant growth. However, increasing LF also resulted in greater irrigation water consumption and higher macronutrient losses through leachate, particularly for potassium. In contrast, lower LF treatments (0–20%) improved water use efficiency and reduced nutrient losses but showed moderate salt accumulation in the root zone, which slightly limited photosynthetic performance and ornamental development. Overall, the results indicate that a higher LF (60%) provides optimal plant growth and ornamental quality for off-season potted Curcuma production, although integrated strategies may be required to reduce water and nutrient losses. These findings provide practical insights for optimizing irrigation management in container-grown ornamental crops.

Abstract: Salinity represents a critical agricultural threat that reduces the productivity of several crops. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), recognized as the world´s second most significant horticultural commodity globally, is salt-sensitive. This research evaluated seed priming treatments (hydro, halo, bacterio, and halo-bacterio) at different phenological stages under two salinity conditions (0 and 16 mM NaCl) as a biotechnological alternative to mitigate salt stress and increase production. Using physiological variables and multivariate statistical analyses, this research demonstrated that priming treatments modified the physiological, nutritional, and productive metabolism of tomato plants. Bacteriopriming, using an endophytic and halophytic bacterial consortium isolated from halophytes, enhanced germination variables and N, P, Ca and Zn absorption in seedlings. In the vegetative and reproductive stage and under stress, halo-bacteriopriming consistently enhanced concentrations of K, Mg, and Zn in leaves and fruits, but decreased Na absorption. This nutritional balance allowed not only a higher concentration of chlorophyll but also a significant increase in yield and beta-carotene concentration in tomato fruits. For the first time, this research demonstrated that the halo-bacteriopriming with this kind of bacteria is a biotechnological strategy to mitigate saline stress, optimizing not only tomato growth, but also its nutraceutical quality. It significantly outperformed the plant response in all stages of development compared to those from control, hydro, and halo-primed treatments.

Abstract: Background/Objectives: Glioblastoma (GBM) remains a lethal primary CNS malignancy with limited response to immunotherapy. Adoptive cellular therapy (ACT) improves survival in preclinical models, yet tumors ultimately recur. While T cell exhaustion is a common mechanism of resistance, the contribution of dendritic cell (DC) dysfunction remains unclear. We aimed to define mechanisms of immune escape following ACT, focusing on DC function and the role of hypoxia. Methods: Using a murine glioma model (KR158B), mice were treated with ACT consisting of tumor RNA–pulsed DC vaccines and adoptively transferred T cells. Tumor-infiltrating immune populations were analyzed by flow cytometry. DC function was assessed using T cell activation assays. Bulk RNA sequencing and gene set enrichment analysis were performed on sorted DCs. Hypoxia was modeled in vitro, and HIF1α was perturbed using CRISPR-mediated knockout. Results: ACT significantly increased survival but did not prevent tumor recurrence. Escaped tumors contained abundant cytotoxic, non-exhausted T cells, indicating that T cell dysfunction was not the primary driver of resistance. Instead, tumor-associated DCs exhibited impaired T cell activation despite preserved antigen uptake. Transcriptomic analyses revealed reduced antigen presentation and co-stimulatory signaling, alongside increased expression of tolerogenic factors. ACT-treated tumors demonstrated heightened hypoxia pathway activation, with elevated HIF1α expression in DCs. Hypoxia induced DC tolerogenic programs and reduced their ability to activate T cells, an effect partially reversed by HIF1α disruption. Increased immune infiltration and inflammation following ACT further amplified hypoxia signaling. Conclusions: DC dysfunction is a key mechanism of immune escape following ACT in glioma. Hypoxia-driven tolerization of DCs impairs sustained anti-tumor immunity, highlighting the hypoxia–DC axis as a promising therapeutic target to enhance immunotherapy efficacy.

Abstract:

Extracting high-molecular-weight (HMW) DNA from cactus tissues remains technically challenging due to the abundance of mucilage, pectins, polyphenols, and other metabolites that compromise DNA purity, increase viscosity, and reduce integrity, thereby limiting its suitability for long-read sequencing. This constraint is particularly relevant in Selenicereus megalanthus, a crop of increasing agronomic and genomic importance for which optimized protocols for third-generation sequencing remain limited. Here, we compared four CTAB-based DNA extraction protocols using dehydrated cladode tissue and evaluated DNA quality using NanoDrop spectrophotometry, Qubit fluorometry, agarose gel electrophoresis, and functional validation via sequencing on the Oxford Nanopore PromethION 2 Solo platform. Among the tested methods, our proposed optimized mucilage-adapted CTAB (MuCTAB) protocol, comprising 4% CTAB, 4% PVP-40, 0.5% β-mercaptoethanol, and proteinase K, showed the best overall performance. MuCTAB yielded the highest dsDNA concentration (239.63 ± 34.37 ng/µL), optimal purity ratios (A260/A280 = 1.96 ± 0.05; A260/A230 = 2.01 ± 0.01), and superior DNA integrity. Nanopore validation confirmed its effectiveness, producing the highest sequencing yield (84.2 Gbp), read count, N50 (40.3 kbp), and maximum read length (1.9 Mbp). Overall, MuCTAB represents a low-cost, reproducible, and efficient method for HMW DNA extraction from mucilage-rich pitahaya tissues and other recalcitrant plant species.

Abstract: Interleukin-17A (IL-17A) is a proinflammatory cytokine that plays a crucial role in immune responses and tissue homeostasis. The expression of IL-17A is strictly regulated by transcription factors including RORγt and is mainly produced by Th17 cells, γδT cells, and innate lymphoid cells. IL-17A signals through a heterodimeric receptor complex consisting of IL-17RA and IL-17RC, leading to the activation of NF-κB and MAPK pathways. Recent studies have highlighted its functions in the central nervous system, with reported associations with multiple sclerosis and autism spectrum disorder. Furthermore, the development of IL-17A inhibitors has progressed significantly, showing high therapeutic efficacy particularly in autoimmune diseases. This review provides an overview of current knowledge regarding IL-17A, from its molecular characteristics to clinical applications.

Abstract: ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters constitute one of the largest membrane pro-tein superfamilies, yet the structural and evolutionary properties of their non-domain re-gions remain poorly characterized. To elucidate the diversity of these non-canonical re-gions across evolutionary lineages, we analyzed intrinsic disorder, site-specific selection, and predicted post-translational modification (PTM) sites across five architectural classes comprising 1,581 prokaryotic and eukaryotic sequences. Linker and flanking regions were consistently more disordered than transmembrane and nucleotide-binding domains across all architectures. Disorder fraction differed significantly among region types after phyloge-netic correction (Pagel's λ ≈ 0.97). Predicted PTM sites are enriched in disordered non-domain segments, with N-linked glycosylation and phosphoserine showing the strongest positive enrichment; 140 sites satisfied a tiered conservation criterion (Mu-siteDeep score ≥ 0.5; cross-species conservancy ≥ 30%), including 40 high-confidence or moderate-confidence sites (conservancy ≥ 50%) as well as novel phosphotyrosine candi-dates in half transporters and NBD-only proteins. Site-specific selection analyses indicated that episodic positive selection was concentrated at inter-domain boundaries, whereas NBD cores were subject to pervasive purifying selection. Together, these findings establish that non-canonical regions of ABC transporters are evolutionarily dynamic and harbor conserved predicted modification sites, supporting their roles as potential regulatory inter-faces rather than passive structural linkers.

Abstract: This article reviews current knowledge in comparative immunology and presents updated hypotheses on the evolution of the immune system in jawed vertebrates. It focuses on the co-option of the RAG transposon in the origin of the V(D)J recombination system, proposed to have occurred in two stages. Initially, the RAG transposon, along with other eukaryote-specific transposon such as HAT, interacted with host genes in early eukaryotes, leading to a new transposition mechanism. Subsequently, RAG and host genes were integrated into the V(D)J recombination system, representing a major evolutionary innovation. The broader implications of this events are also considered. Earlier hypothesis suggest that the establishment of the V(D)J recombination system contributed to MHC polymorphism. Phylogenomic evidence indicates that key immune components, including MHC, T-cell receptors (α,β and γ,δ), and immunoglobulins, existed in ancestors and later expanded through gene duplication, forming multigene families with diverse functions. Their proteins products interact with other immune molecules to regulate immune responses. While some retained original functions, others evolved new roles through neo-functionalization. Overall, the co-option of the RAG transposon played a critical role in shaping the immune system of jawed vertebrates by driving innovation in both adaptive and innate immunity.

Abstract: As the global average temperature increases, heat stress (HS) caused by high temperatures has become a key constraint to the development of the poultry industry. As the primary metabolic organ, HS can induce liver injury in chickens, thereby compromising food safety. However, the precise mechanisms underlying HS -induced liver injury remain to be elucidated. The objective of this study is to explore the impact of HS on liver damage, oxidative stress, the Keap1-Nrf2 pathway, ferroptosis and cuproptosis in chickens. A total of 70 chickens were selected for this experiment and divided into a CON group and HS group: the CON group was reared in a normal-temperature environment (24 ± 1 ℃), whilst the HS group was reared in a high-temperature environment (33 ± 1 ℃). The findings of the study suggested that HS has the potential to induce liver dysfunction, oxidative stress, and disruption of the Keap1-Nrf2 pathway. HS has been demonstrated to induce Fe2+ accumulation in chicken livers, inhibit the expression of FTH1, FSP1, SLC7A11 and Gpx4, and simultaneously upregulate the expression of CD71, PTGS2 and ACSL4, thereby promoting ferroptosis. Furthermore, Cu2+ accumulation in the liver upregulates HSP70, DLAT and Lip-DLAT levels and downregulates the expression of ATP7B, PDH1A, PDHB, PDK4, DLST and FDX1, thereby inducing cuproptosis. Subsequent correlation analysis revealed that HS can induce ferroptosis and cuproptosis via the HO-1/FDX1/Gpx4 pathway. This finding provides new insights into the mechanisms underlying HS-induced liver injury.

Abstract: Circadian rhythms are fundamental regulators of bone remodeling, orchestrating the co-ordinated actions of osteoblasts, osteocytes, and osteoclasts. Recent studies have high-lighted how core clock genes, such as Bmal1, Clock, Per1/2, and Cry1/2, exhibit rhythmic expression in bone tissue and modulate key markers of bone formation and resorption. Disruptions in circadian regulations, whether caused by environmental factors or genetic alterations, have been linked to osteoporosis, impaired fracture healing, and increased risk of bone fragility. This review provides a comprehensive evaluation of current experi-mental models used to study circadian regulation in skeletal biology, including in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro approaches. We summarize their respective advantages and limitations and outline the molecular and cellular markers employed to assess circadian function in bone cells. We also discuss the emerging co-culture models and human-relevant plat-forms, for their potential to bridge the gaps between mechanistic research and transla-tional applications. By comparing model characteristics and highlighting integrated re-search strategies, this review aims to advance circadian bone research and inform future investigations into potential temporal aspects of skeletal health.

Abstract: The bioactive plant peptides represent a significant and yet largely underexploited resource with huge potential not only for basic plant science but also for various biotechnological applications, including pharmaceutical and agrochemical development. bioactive plant peptides represent a significant and yet largely underexploited resource with huge potential not only for basic plant science but also for various biotechnological applications, including pharmaceutical and agrochemical development. This fastexpanding research area of plant peptidomics demands the creation and continuous updating of dedicated databases that facilitate data integration of heterogeneous nature and enable efficient knowledge discovery. The most representative databases, like PlantPepDB and PhytAMP, but also recent multi-purpose databases like MFPPDB, are reviewed here in terms of data sources used-literature and public repositories-manual curation extent, functional classification-such as therapeutic, defense, and inhibitory-and the availability of relevant metadata on physicochemical properties and structure. While databases focused on specific bioactivities of plant peptides offer high-quality, focused data, broader repositories are crucial for discovering multifunctional peptides and structure-activity relationships. The refinement and integration of these databases, alongside advanced bioinformatics tools, remain essential for overcoming these hurdles. These resources stand to facilitate innovation in ways that will continue to illuminate insights into the molecular function of plants and allow the successful harnessing of plant peptides toward human health improvements and sustainable agriculture. This review briefly introduces the progress of plant peptide research, presents an overview of plant peptide studies, and provides a comprehensive analysis of existing plant peptide databases, evaluating their scope, content, and utility. We anticipate that this work will bridge the gap between peptide discovery and the development of nextgeneration plant peptide databases.

Abstract: Chili pepper (Capsicum spp.) plays a crucial cultural, nutritional, and economic role in Senegal, supporting smallholder livelihoods, domestic food systems, and regional export markets. However, post-harvest losses associated with traditional open-air drying and storage remain high, particularly under coastal conditions characterized by high relative humidity and variable weather. Improving drying assessment and storage practices is therefore essential to enhance chili quality, safety, and marketability. This study evaluated smallholder chili drying and storage practices in Senegal, with a particular focus on processor dryness judgment, drying surfaces, and storage materials, and assessed the potential role of a simple equilibrium relative humidity (ERH)-based decision-support tool. A participatory, on-farm study was conducted with six chili processors in the Niayes agroecological zone of western Senegal. Freshly harvested chilies were dried concurrently using black plastic sheeting and processors’ customary drying materials under farmer-managed conditions. Processor assessments of storage readiness were compared with ERH-based classifications using the DryCard tool. Drying duration and dry matter content were recorded for each treatment. Dried chilies were subsequently stored in either airtight glass jars or traditional gunny bags, and weight changes were monitored at 25, 45, and 70 days after storage. Data were analysed descriptively using within-processor comparisons to identify consistent patterns across sites. After 15 days of drying, all chili samples were classified as not dried for storage, with DryCard readings of approximately 75% ERH across sites. Final processor-determined drying durations ranged from 29 to 42 days. DryCard ERH values at this stage ranged from 30% to 70%, with three instances where processor judgement indicated storage readiness despite ERH values exceeding the 65% threshold. Dry matter content varied widely across treatments and sites, ranging from 7.4% to 18.3%. Chilies dried on black plastic sheeting showed higher and more consistent dry matter content (median ≈ 11.5%) compared with chillies dried on processor-preferred materials (median ≈ 9.1%). During storage, chilies kept in airtight glass jars maintained stable weights close to the initial 200 g over 70 days (199–201 g). In contrast, those stored in gunny bags showed progressive weight increases, reaching median values of approximately 208.5 g after 70 days. The study demonstrates that while experiential knowledge remains central to smallholder chili processing, it can be strengthened with simple, objective tools that support more reliable drying and storage decisions. Incremental improvements in drying surface selection, combined with ERH-based assessment and moisture-limiting storage, offer practical pathways for reducing post-harvest losses and quality risks. These context-appropriate interventions can enhance the safety, stability, and economic value of dried chilies without requiring costly infrastructure, making them well-suited to smallholder systems in humid environments.

Abstract: Cell-derived microparticles with an equivalent diameter below ~1 μm have been observed in a wide spectrum of chronic inflammatory diseases, many of which also present with overlapping comorbidities. These same disorders consistently show microcirculatory disturbances—detectable by nailfold capillaroscopy, laser Doppler techniques, laser speckle imaging or thermal perfusion mapping, and, where measured, the presence of amyloid-containing fibrinaloid microclots ranging from 1–200 μm. Although both microparticles and fibrinaloid microclots have been independently described in numerous conditions, their systematic correspondence has not previously been synthesised. In this commentary, we highlight how the co-occurrence of microparticles and fibrinaloid microclots reflects a shared pathophysiological axis involving endothelial injury, thrombo-inflammation and persistent protein misfolding. We outline the conceptual links underlying this pattern and argue that combined measurement of microparticles and fibrinaloid microclots could offer new diagnostic and mechanistic insights across chronic inflammatory diseases.

Abstract: A neural model for the formation of visual engrams is proposed, operating according to a non-Hebbian principle — specifically, through the enhancement of inhibitory synapses, up to and including the formation of veto synapses. The model relies on two hypothetical mechanisms: (1) rapid, repetitive reactivation ("ripple-reverberation") and (2) high-frequency synchronization enabling the activation of inhibitory synapses, which consequently become veto synapses. Through such learning, "neural locks" for familiar patterns are formed in memory. This model constitutes a component of a more general top-down model of visual recognition described previously (Levashov & Safiulina, 2025). The problem of processing activity patterns in living neural networks is discussed, as these patterns are not holistic but rather manifest as a mosaic of activated and non-activated neurons.

Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether edible coatings and plant derived ex-tracts can help maintain the quality and microbiological safety of fresh-cut sweet peppers during short-term refrigerated storage. Two bell pepper cultivars, Sunny F1 (yellow) and Yecla F1 (red), were sliced and subjected to five treatments: water wash-ing (control), washing with BioActiW 2000 Food sanitizer (BAW), BAW followed by carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) coating (BAW+CMC), CMC coating enriched with 3.5% alcoholic chokeberry pomace extract (CMC+AE), and soaking in 3.5% aqueous chokeberry pomace extract (AAE). Samples were stored at 5 °C for 7 days and evalu-ated for physicochemical analysis, microbiological contamination, postharvest quality, and sensory properties. The treatments influenced quality attributes in a cultivar de-pendent manner. All coating based treatments reduced polyphenol and L-ascorbic acid content relative to the control, although formulations containing chokeberry extract tended to limit these losses compared with BAW+CMC. Total sugar and carotenoid contents were not significantly affected. In both cultivars, BAW and BAW+CMC were the most effective treatments for reducing mesophilic bacteria and yeast counts, limit-ing softening, reducing weight loss, and maintaining marketable quality. By contrast, AAE applied without prior sanitization increased microbial counts in Sunny F1, indi-cating that the extract alone was not sufficient to control native microflora. Sensory analysis showed clear cultivar specific responses: Sunny F1 generally tolerated CMC+AE and BAW+CMC better, whereas Yecla F1 was more sensitive to off-flavors associated with the chokeberry extract. PCA analysis indicated that smell and taste at-tributes were the main drivers of perceived quality. These results suggest that CMC based coatings can support fresh-cut pepper quality, but their practical value depends strongly on prior sanitization. The addition of chokeberry pomace extract may be beneficial for some quality traits, yet its overall ef-fect depends on cultivar and treatment conditions, including extract concentration and pH.

Abstract: Background: Hair loss is a multifactorial condition influenced by aging, oxidative stress, hormonal regulation, and nutritional status. Nutraceutical supplementation has emerged as a potential strategy to support hair follicle function. This study evaluated the clinical efficacy of a nutraceutical ingredient (Kyoh®) at two concentrations versus placebo in individuals with hair loss. Methods: A randomized, parallel-group study was conducted in 150 volunteers aged 30–60 years. Participants received a high-dose (Kyoh BB-01), low-dose (Kyoh BB-02), or placebo (Kyoh BB-03) for 84 days. Hair parameters were assessed by digital trichoscopy at baseline, day 56, and day 84. Endpoints included hair density, follicular unit density, hair diameter, and hairs per follicular unit. Hair shedding was evaluated by comb test, and subjective perception by questionnaires. Results: The high-dose group showed significant increases in hair density and follicular unit density at days 56 and 84, as well as higher hairs per follicular unit at day 84. The low-dose group also improved these parameters to a lesser extent. No significant changes were observed in the placebo group. Hair diameter and shedding remained unchanged. Subjective results supported instrumental findings. Conclusion: The nutraceutical improved key hair growth parameters, with greater efficacy at higher dose.

Abstract: Maternal undernutrition during gestation can impair fetal muscle development, inducing lasting consequences for offspring growth and carcass quality. This study evaluated the effects of early- to mid-gestation nutrient restriction on postnatal skeletal muscle development in Boer goat offspring. Pregnant does (n = 12 per treatment) were assigned to either a control diet (CON; 100% of NRC recommendations) or a nutrient-restricted diet (NR; 60% of CON) from days 45 to 100 of gestation, then all does were realimented to the CON diet until parturition; male offspring (n = 6 per treatment) were maintained on a CON diet until 5 months of age. Longissimus dorsi muscle samples were collected for histological evaluation of fiber number, diameter, and collagen content, and for gene expression analysis of insulin receptor (IR), insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS1), glucose transporter-4 (GLUT4), myogenic regulatory factors (MYF5, MYF6, MYOD, MYOG), and collagen genes (COL1A1 and COL3A1) using RT-PCR. Plasma glucose and cortisol were also measured. Muscle fiber number tended to be reduced (p = 0.06) in NR offspring, accompanied by decreased MYOG expression (p < 0.05) and trends for reduced MYF5 and MYF6 expression (p < 0.10), as well as reduced IR expression (p < 0.05). Collagen content did not differ, although COL3A1 expression was increased in NR offspring. Plasma glucose was lower (p < 0.05) at 3 months, and cortisol tended to be higher (p < 0.10) at 5 months. These results indicate that maternal undernutrition during early- to mid-gestation alters postnatal skeletal muscle development in Boer goats by reducing muscle fiber number and affecting myogenic and metabolic signaling pathways. Such changes may negatively affect the efficiency of muscle growth and meat quality.

Abstract: Caspases orchestrate metazoan apoptosis, regulating processes such as embryogenesis, the death of old and infected cells and immune tolerance. Structural orthologs of caspases have been identified in bacteria, plants, protists and fungi and regulated cell death has been demonstrated in these organisms. This led some researchers to conclude that fungal metacaspases might perform a similar function to caspases. This review discusses regulated cell death, beginning with an account of RCD and the central role of caspases in mammalian RCD. It goes on to give examples of RCD in fungi, compares the structure and activity of caspase orthologs and outlines examples of metacaspase-dependent and metacaspase-independent cell death in fungi, focusing on S. cerevisiae. Finally, it addresses the question “are metacaspases caspases?”, identifies alternative cell death proteases and recommends future research objectives.

Abstract: Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the world’s major staple foods. However, its production is severely constrained by rice blast disease, caused by Magnaporthe oryzae, which leads to substantial yield losses. Conventional management relies on fungicides and chemical treatments; however, these methods raise concerns regarding the development of pathogen resistance and potential environmental impacts. This study evaluated carrageenan from Hypnea musciformis, collected from the coast of Saint Martin (92°19′21.28″E and 20°37′38.12″N), located in the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh, as a natural plant growth promoter as well asbiocontrol agent. Carrageenan was characterized by high sulfate (19–35%) and galactose (12–18%) contents, with FT-IR confirming characteristic κ-carrageenan functional groups. Application of 15% carrageenan significantly increased germination of seed (27%), seedling vigor (93%), shoot and root lengths (54% and 47%), and biomass compared with untreated controls. Carrageenan markedly suppressed M. oryzae, inhibiting mycelial growth (83%), reducing conidiogenesis and conidial germination, and decreasing lesion length in detached leaves and potted plants. Treated rice seedlings exhibited improved soluble sugars, photosynthetic pigments, proline, phenolic and flavonoid contents, and enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities such as CAT (catalase) and POD (peroxidase), while lowering oxidative stress markers such as H₂O₂ and MDA (malondialdehyde). These results demonstrate that carrageenan from H. musciformis enhances rice growth and elicits defense responses against rice blast, offering a sustainable and environment friendly alternative to chemical-based fungicides for integrated M. oryzae management.