Biology and Life Sciences

Abstract: Thyme essential oil (TEO), rich in bioactive compounds such as thymol and carvacrol, has been proposed for seed treatments to control biotic and abiotic stress. Essential oils are highly unstable due to their volatile nature, and they were shown to have a hormetic response, with higher antimicrobial doses being considered phytotoxic. To overcome this, one solution could be to encapsulate them in nanostructured delivery systems, thereby ensuring a slower, controlled release of the bioactive compound. In this study, we investigated the effects of encapsulated and non-encapsulated TEO on mung bean seed germination and seedling growth parameters, as well as on seed tolerance to saline stress, under various conditions. The encapsulated formulation was a nanoemulsion that contained coconut oil, lignosulfonate, and Tween 85. We applied the treatment as indirect contact by fumigation with released volatiles, either to dry seeds or to germinating seeds. The pre-treatment of dry seeds did not have any significant effect. The TEO volatiles released during seed germination had significant inhibitory effects on seedlings, whereas encapsulated TEO (eTEO) significantly stimulated seedling development in the absence of salt stress. Under salt stress, eTEO did not significantly affect salt tolerance, whereas TEO almost completely inhibited seedling development at the highest dose tested or at higher salt concentrations. The better eTEO dose had antifungal activity against Fusarium graminearum and Rhizoctonia solani, but 20-30% lower than TEO. In conclusion, the nanoemulsion eTEO has the potential to be a better biostimulant than TEO under certain conditions, due to the controlled release of active ingredients, but further optimization is needed in order to maximize the antifungal effects.

Abstract: Oleanolic acid (OA) is a pentacyclic triterpenoid present in numerous plant tissues and agro-industrial residues, including olive leaves and pomace, grape pomace, and apple peel-rich fractions. This review evaluates these materials as renewable feedstocks for OA recovery and for the production of OA-rich bioproducts. It compares feedstock characteristics, stabilization requirements, and green extraction and purification routes, with emphasis on supercritical CO₂, dimethyl carbonate, intensified solvent extraction, deep eutectic solvents, chromatography, and crystallization. OA recovery is examined within cascading biorefinery schemes that preserve co-product streams such as phenolics, lipids, waxes, fibers, and pectin. Because poor water solubility and limited oral bioavailability restrict direct application, the review also assesses formulation strategies suitable for purified OA and standardized OA-rich fractions. Evidence for metabolic, hepatic, vascular, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, skin-related, and anticancer applications is evaluated according to study type and product format. Across the value chain, the main constraints are feedstock variability, incomplete process standardization, purification burden, residual solvents, limited exposure data, and insufficient integration of techno-economic and environmental assessment. A source-to-product readiness framework is proposed to link biomass selection, processing, formulation, safety, evidence level, and sustainability assessment. OA is therefore positioned not as an isolated natural product, but as a candidate bio-based chemical whose practical value depends on coordinated residue valorization, process design, and product-specific validation.

Abstract: Plant specialized metabolites sit at the boundary between plant genetics, environmental response, and useful natural products. Their accumulation is rarely constitutive; instead, it changes with tissue type, developmental stage, stress exposure, hormone signaling, and cellular storage capacity. In this review, we revisit basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors as regulatory switch points in plant specialized metabolism, with particular attention to the jasmonate-JAZ-MYC module. In resting tissues, JAZ repressors dampen MYC/bHLH activity. After wounding, herbivory, pathogen challenge, or elicitation, jasmonoyl-isoleucine promotes COI1-dependent JAZ turnover, freeing MYC factors to bind E-box/G-box motifs, recruit co-regulators such as MED25, and activate biosynthetic genes or downstream transcription-factor cascades. This logic has been repeatedly adapted in different plant lineages to regulate terpenoids, alkaloids, phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, glucosinolates, phytoalexins, and related metabolites. Examples discussed include Arabidopsis sesquiterpenes and glucosinolates, Taxus taxanes, Artemisia artemisinin, Catharanthus terpenoid indole alkaloids, Salvia phenolic acids and tanshinones, Ginkgo terpene trilactones, rice diterpenoid phytoalexins, and cotton gossypol. Rather than treating bHLHs as stand-alone master regulators, we frame them as context-dependent nodes whose outputs depend on dimer choice, promoter grammar, chromatin accessibility, hormone crosstalk, partner transcription factors, and cell-type competence. We also outline evidence standards and engineering principles for using bHLH switches in crop defense, food-quality improvement, medicinal-plant production, and synthetic biology.

Abstract: Drought during reproductive development and grain filling is a major constraint to bread wheat productivity in rainfed environments. In the present study, we employed genome-wide association analysis in an untapped diversity panel of wheat genotypes relevant to natural dryland conditions. A total of 186 genotypes were evaluated for drought-related physiological, biomass, and architectural traits under terminal rainfed stress in Azerbaijan. Relative water content, plant height, fresh weight, dry weight, flag leaf length, and flag leaf width were assessed at the milk ripening stage. These data were subjected to genome-wide association analysis using 19,737 SNP markers to identify loci and epistatic interactions involved in the determination of these traits. The panel showed broad phenotypic variation and significant genotypic effects for all traits, with broad-sense heritability ranging from 0.991 for plant height to 0.385 for flag leaf width. GWAS identified a major locus for relative water content on chromosome 2D at SNP marker AX-86184518, which explained 11.94% of the genotypic variation. Candidate-gene analysis highlighted the proximal WEB-family-like gene TraesCS2D03G1001000 as the main candidate gene. Plant height showed strong additive loci, mainly on chromosomes 2A and 4A, whereas biomass and flag leaf traits showed suggestive additive loci and epistatic interactions. These findings provide candidate loci and interaction patterns in the genetic make-up of essential traits, which may facilitate indirect selection in breeding new varieties.

Abstract: The interaction between sound and plants (phytoacoustics) has been studied for nearly a century. During that period, hundreds of peer-reviewed publications have reported acoustically-induced physiological changes across a wide range of botanical taxa. Although existing review papers summarize recent developments, they stop short of a structured cross-study analysis of the documented experimental parameters. This work presents the first systematic parameter-level analysis of the phytoacoustics record, mapping 2,991 experimental conditions drawn from 404 publications spanning 1928--2025. Among other results, the study found that the field's choice of stimulus parameters may be heavily influenced by parameter inheritance from a small number of prolific research groups. It also found that physically incomparable delivery media (e.g., liquid sonication versus airborne and substrate delivery) are routinely treated as interchangeable evidence. Dose-determining parameters were also found to be chronically under-reported, gating meaningful meta-analysis. To aid future researchers, the publications analyzed in this review are enumerated in the references section, alongside the supporting methodological and contextual sources cited throughout.

Abstract: Leaf color variation is an important ornamental trait in bamboo and is closely associated with chlorophyll biosynthesis. However, the molecular mechanism underlying color differentiation in Sinobambusa tootsik f. albostriata remains largely unknown. In this study, fully green (WG) and fully white (WW) leaf buds at three developmental stages (S1–S3) were used to investigate the regulatory mechanism of chlorophyll synthesis and identify key functional genes. Chlorophyll content, coproporphyrinogen III oxidase (CPOX) activity, and comparative transcriptome analyses were integrated to identify candidate genes involved in leaf color formation. Six StaHemF family members were identified, among which StaHemF5 was selected as the core candidate gene based on phylogenetic and expression analyses. WW leaf buds exhibited significantly lower chlorophyll contents and CPOX activities than WG leaf buds throughout development, indicating impaired chlorophyll biosynthesis. StaHemF5 encodes a chloroplast-localized protein and showed distinct expression patterns between transcriptome and qRT-PCR analyses. Functional analysis demonstrated that transient overexpression of StaHemF5 in Nicotiana benthamiana significantly increased CPOX activity and chlorophyll accumulation, supporting its positive role in chlorophyll biosynthesis. These results indicate that StaHemF5 is a conserved regulator associated with chlorophyll synthesis and contributes to leaf color differentiation in S. tootsik f. albostriata. This study provides new insights into the molecular basis of leaf color variation and offers a valuable candidate gene for the genetic improvement of ornamental bamboo.

Abstract: Soil salinity is a major abiotic stress that severely limits crop productivity worldwide. This study evaluated the potential of halotolerant plant growth–promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) isolated from mangrove plants to enhance salinity tolerance in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L. cv. JL24). Among the isolates, EAL318 (Bacillus subtilis), EAR195 (Proteus mirabilis), and ACR52 (Klebsiella quasipneumoniae subsp. similipneumoniae) exhibited strong PGPR traits and were selected for further evaluation. Seed inoculation significantly improved germination (up to 93%) and seedling vigor compared with the control (~72%). In greenhouse experiments under 300 and 500 mMNaCl, inoculated plants showed significantly higher plant height (32–40% increase), shoot dry weight (28–35% increase), and chlorophyll content (20–30% increase) compared with uninoculated controls. Among the strains, ACR52 exhibited the strongest protective effect, enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities including superoxide dismutase (~1.5-fold), catalase (~1.4-fold), and peroxidase (~1.6-fold) under salt stress. Inoculated plants also accumulated higher levels of osmolytes such as proline (up to 42% increase) and soluble sugars (~36% increase), while oxidative stress markers MDA and H₂O₂ decreased by 30–38%. Furthermore, bacterial treatments improved nodulation, flowering, and pod yield under saline conditions. These findings highlight mangrove-derived PGPR, particularly ACR52, as promising bioinoculants for improving peanut tolerance to salinity stress.

Abstract: Soil salinity and bacterial spot of tomato (BST), caused by Xanthomonas perforans, are major abiotic and biotic stresses limiting tomato production, particularly in Florida. While their individual effects are well documented, their combined impacts remain poorly understood. This greenhouse study evaluated how increasing irrigation water salinity (electrical conductivity [EC] = 0.5, 3, 5, or 7 dS m⁻¹) affected tomato growth, physiology, BST severity, fruit quality, and transcriptomic responses. Salinity reduced plant growth and BST severity but did not directly affect X. perforans populations, indicating that salt stress altered the plant response to infection rather than bacterial growth. Increased salinity enhanced fruit sugar accumulation and improved flavor taste and overall fruit quality, supported by taste panel, osmolarity, and transcriptomic analyses. Transcriptomic analysis showed that responses to salinity (EC = 7 dS m⁻¹) and X. perforans infection were strongly time dependent. Salt-treated plants exhibited fewer differentially expressed genes following inoculation, whereas comparisons between EC 7-treated and control plants revealed extensive salinity-induced transcriptional reprogramming. KEGG analysis indicated enrichment of photosynthesis, carbon metabolism, amino acid biosynthesis, and ribosome pathways, while defense-related pathways, including MAPK signaling and plant–pathogen interaction, were downregulated, suggesting that tomato prioritized adaptation to salinity over pathogen defense.

Abstract: (1) Background: Horsenettle (Solanum carolinense) is a noxious weed widely distributed across North America and increasingly invasive in other regions. Its strong environmental adaptability, complex defense strategies, and distinctive reproductive traits make it an important model for studying plant-herbivore coevolution. However, the absence of high-quality genomic resources has limited deeper investigation into its adaptive evolutionary mechanisms. (2) Methods: In this study we generated a chromosome-level reference genome assembly for S. carolinense using an integrated approach combining PacBio HiFi long-read sequencing, Illumina second-generation sequencing, and Hi-C chromosome-mapping; (3) The final genome assembly has a total length of 915.40 Mb, with a contig N50 of 51.06 Mb and a scaffold N50 of 73.17 Mb; 96.05% of the sequences were successfully mapped to 12 pseudo-chromosomes. The genome is characterized by a high proportion of repetitive sequences (73.64%) and substantial heterozygosity (1.13%), consistent with a highly repetitive and highly heterozygous genome. BUSCO analysis indicates a completeness of 94.7%. A total of 32,206 protein-coding genes were annotated, of which 97.95% received functional annotations; (4) Conclusions: This reference genome provides a valuable resource for advancing research on the adaptive evolution of Solanaceae weeds, supports the development of more effective management strategies for this troublesome species, and offers a technical reference for assembling other highly heterozygous weed genomes.

Abstract: Biological invasions threaten tropical biodiversity, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying successful invaders remain poorly understood. Thunbergia alata (Black-eyed Susan) is an aggressive “genomic orphan” invader in Andean forests, causing significant ecological disruption. This study establishes the first high-quality de novo transcriptome assembly for T. alata, providing a foundational molecular resource. We performed differential expression analysis under varying light conditions, revealing a massive transcriptomic shift involving over 4,000 differentially expressed genes. Our findings demonstrate a robust “physiological priming” mechanism, characterized by the up-regulation of SnRK1 subunits for energy sensing and strategic management of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) within the thylakoid membrane. Furthermore, the fine-tuning of PIF/Auxin modules and the condition-specific induction of NAC and WRKY transcription factors facilitate shade avoidance and rapid vertical growth. The identification of a substantial reservoir of species-specific “not classified” genes suggests that novel genetic elements contribute to T. alata’s adaptive success. By elucidating these key regulatory networks, this research provides a vital genomic baseline for future studies on adaptive evolution and the development of molecularly informed strategies for managing and controlling this invasive species in new environments.

Abstract: Cancer remains a major global health challenge, and despite advances in chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy, treatment outcomes are still limited by systemic toxicity, poor tumor selectivity, multidrug resistance, and inadequate efficacy against advanced disease. Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising strategy to address these limitations by improving drug delivery, imaging, radiosensitization, and immunomodulation. Among nanomaterials, phytochemical-mediated metal nanoparticles have attracted increasing interest as sustainable and potentially biocompatible alternatives to conventionally synthesized systems. However, their development remains constrained by poor reproducibility, lack of mechanistic understanding, and limited clinical translational progression, mainly because of the chemical complexity of plant extracts. In this review, we critically examine the role of metal nanoparticles in oncology, with emphasis on gold, silver, and zinc oxide, and we compare their anticancer mechanisms. We further evaluate phytochemical-mediated nanoparticle synthesis by discussing how plant-derived metabolites influence reduction, nucleation, capping, and the resulting physicochemical properties that influence biological activity. We argue that metabolomics offers a critical framework for overcoming one of the major limitations of green nanotechnology by enabling the comprehensive chemical characterization of plant extracts, identification of metabolites associated with nanoparticle formation, and correlation of metabolite profiles with nanoparticle physicochemical properties and anticancer activity. The integration of metabolomics with nanoparticle characterization could contribute to the advancement of green synthesis from empirical extract-based fabrication, toward a more predictive, standardized, and mechanistically informed nanoparticle design. Finally, we discuss the major barriers to clinical translation, including batch-to-batch variability, bio-corona effects, biodistribution, long-term toxicity, and regulatory compliance. Overall, metabolomics-guided phytochemical holds considerable promise for advancing reproducible and clinically relevant metal nanoparticles.

Abstract: Tea quality is primarily determined by the accumulation of specialized metabolites in fresh leaves; however, the mechanisms by which propagation methods influence tea quality through plant–soil–microbiome interactions remain poorly understood. Here, sexually propagated (SR) and asexually propagated (AR) tea plants were comparatively investigated by integrating soil physicochemical analyses, leaf physiological assessments, widely targeted metabolomics, and rhizosphere metagenomic profiling. Compared with AR, SR significantly improved soil nutrient availability, characterized by higher soil organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus contents, and promoted the accumulation of key quality-related components, including tea polyphenols and soluble sugars. In particular, tea polyphenol content increased by 58.8%, while available phosphorus increased by 161.5% under SR conditions. SR also exhibited enhanced antioxidant capacity, as evidenced by elevated superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and indole-3-acetic acid oxidase activities while maintaining hydrogen peroxide homeostasis. Metabolomic analysis revealed distinct metabolic reprogramming between propagation types, with differential metabolites significantly enriched in flavonoid biosynthesis, phenolic acid metabolism, caffeine metabolism, and α-linolenic acid metabolism pathways. Concurrently, metagenomic analyses demonstrated that SR reshaped rhizosphere microbial communities by enriching Actinomycetota, Pseudomonadota, and Planctomycetota and altering microbial functional profiles associated with central carbon metabolism, including glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Integrated microbiome–metabolome analyses further revealed strong positive associations between SR-enriched microbial taxa and quality-related metabolites, particularly flavonoids and phenolic acids, suggesting a close coupling between rhizosphere microbial functions and leaf metabolic reprogramming. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that propagation method acts as an important driver of tea quality formation by coordinating soil nutrient availability, rhizosphere microbial carbon-cycling functions, plant physiological regulation, and metabolite accumulation. This study provides multi-omics evidence for a soil–microbiota–metabolome coupling mechanism underlying propagation method-dependent tea quality formation and highlights the potential of sexual propagation as a strategy for producing high-quality tea.

Abstract: Sugar starvation during seed germination requires coordinated regulation of reserve mobilization, redox homeostasis, and intracellular recycling. In lupin seeds, asparagine is a major nitrogen-rich metabolite, but its role in starvation-induced autophagy and redox regulation remains unclear. Here, isolated embryonic axes of white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) and Andean lupin (Lupinus mutabilis Sweet) were cultured in vitro under sucrose-fed or sugar-starved conditions, with or without asparagine supplementation. Transcriptomic, proteomic, immunoblot, enzymatic, antioxidant activity, and confocal microscopy analyses were used to investigate ROS metabolism, antioxidant responses, autophagy, and vacuolar hydrolysis. Sugar starvation induced a catabolic response in both species, involving altered transcript abundance of genes encoding ROS-related proteins, increased catalase content, enhanced expression of many autophagy-related genes, and elevated proteolytic activity. Peroxisome-associated components, including glycolate oxidase, acyl-CoA oxidase, and catalase, were strongly affected, indicating dynamic remodeling of peroxisome-related metabolism during starvation. Asparagine markedly modified this response. In sugar-starved axes, it increased total antioxidant activity and catalase accumulation, while reducing the number of detectable autophagosomes, decreasing the transcript levels of many ATG genes, vacuolar proteases, and other vacuolar hydrolases, and lowering proteolytic activity. Together with previous evidence for asparagine-induced accumulation of autophagic bodies in vacuoles, these results suggest that asparagine may reorganize autophagy-related dynamics at multiple levels rather than acting at a single autophagic step. White and Andean lupin shared the same general regulatory framework but differed in response intensity. Andean lupin showed greater starvation-induced changes in the transcripts of genes encoding ROS-generating proteins, whereas white lupin displayed a clearer asparagine-dependent response of vacuolar hydrolases. Thus, asparagine links nitrogen status with redox stabilization, vacuolar catabolism, and autophagic flux in sugar-starved lupin embryonic axes.

Abstract:

Ageratina adenophora, a highly aggressive weed originating from central Mexico and Costa Rica, has invaded and become naturalized across tropical and subtropical regions, posing substantial challenges to biodiversity conservation and ecological restoration. Although extensive research has elucidated its impacts on various ecosystems and advanced understanding of its phytotoxicity, studies in grassland landscapes remain limited. This study therefore focused on Chengjiang County in southwestern China, a region heavily invaded by A. adenophora. Based on a preliminary survey, five grassland species commonly co-occurring and competing with it were assessed by using seedling growth bioassays and physiological measurements under its aqueous tissue extract. Results showed concentration-dependent dynamic changes in recipient plants. Specifically, malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline (Pro) content were negatively correlated with seedling height and root length (p < 0.05; p < 0.01), indicating the extract caused severe membrane damage and subsequent growth inhibition. Notably, Saccharum arundinaceum exhibited the greatest increase in peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activity and the highest allelopathic response index (-0.58), followed by Rumex hastatus (-1.05) and Calamagrostis epigeios (-1.08), highlighting it as the least sensitive to A. adenophora stress. Our findings clarify indigenous grassland plant responses to A. adenophora, providing insights into bioherbicide development and replacement strategies.

Abstract: Rubus ulmifolius Schott is a widespread bramble that behaves as an invasive shrub in many temperate and Mediterranean-type ecosystems, where dense thickets suppress native vegetation, restrict animal movement and impose recurrent management costs. At the same time, its leaves and young shoots are consumed by ruminants and contain nutrients and phytochemicals that may be relevant for low-input sheep systems. This review reframes R. ulmifolius not simply as an underutilized plant, but as a candidate for an invasive-shrub-to-functional-feed strategy. We integrate evidence on invasion ecology, biomass management, nutritional composition, seasonal variation, tannins, phenolic bioactivity, rumen fermentation, microbiome modulation, methane-related mechanisms, antiparasitic potential and practical feed-chain design. Available data indicate that R. ulmifolius can provide moderate dry matter, comparatively useful crude protein and fibre fractions compatible with browse use; however, its value changes markedly with season, plant fraction and lignification. Its condensed tannins and ellagitannin-rich phytochemical profile support plausible functional effects, including altered ruminal protein degradation, nitrogen partitioning, microbial ecology, oxidative status, biohydrogenation and parasite pressure. Nevertheless, direct controlled evidence in sheep remains scarce, and claims regarding performance, methane mitigation or microbiome benefits should be treated as hypotheses rather than established outcomes. We propose a staged validation pipeline including biomass mapping, no-spread harvest protocols, chemical standardization, in vitro rumen screening, dose-response sheep trials, microbiome and metabolomic endpoints, and farm-level economic assessment. Properly validated, R. ulmifolius could become a circular feed supplement that links invasive-plant management with climate-resilient sheep nutrition.

Abstract: Gibberellin (GA) signaling is central to plant growth and development, with DELLA proteins serving as key negative regulators of GA responses. In Arabidopsis thaliana, five DELLA proteins (GAI, RGA, RGL1, RGL2, RGL3) mediate growth restraint, stress adaptation, and developmental transitions through conserved DELLA and GRAS domains. Despite the agronomic importance of Persea americana (Hass avocado)—particularly its challenges of alternate bearing and slow development, both of which implicate GA signaling—DELLA genes in this species have not been characterized. Here, we report the identification of three DELLA genes in the Hass avocado genome (PaHa03g32170.1, PaHa02g42270.1, PaHa03g28350.1) through homology-based searches against the AvoBase reference genome. All three proteins contain the canonical DELLA_2 (SM01129) and GRAS (PS50985) conserved domains. Phylogenetic analysis places the avocado DELLA proteins as a monophyletic clade sister to Arabidopsis DELLA sequences, consistent with their orthologous origin. Reanalysis of published RNA-seq data from mesocarp tissue reveals that all three genes are highly expressed early in fruit development (150 days after set) and decline to less than half their initial expression by late maturation (390 days after set), suggesting a role for DELLA-mediated GA repression in early fruit growth. These findings provide a foundation for functional characterization of GA signaling in avocado and identify candidate genes for future transgenic and field studies.

Abstract: Background/Objectives:Whole-genome duplication (WGD) and transposed duplication (TRD) are two principal evolutionary drivers of plant genome expansion, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying their divergent co-expression patterns remain poorly characterized. Methods:Integrating transcriptomic profiling, ATAC-seq, H3K27ac ChIP-seq, whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS), and SNP data, we performed a multi-layered analysis of co-expression divergence across 4,071 WGD and 10,174 TRD gene pairs in tea plant (Camellia sinensis). Results:WGD gene pairs exhibited significantly higher co-expression rates (44.3%) than TRD pairs (33.0%), with gene length and sequence similarity exerting synergistic threshold effects on co-expression maintenance. Chromatin accessibility and H3K27ac modification cooperatively promoted co-expression in both duplicate classes; however, TRD gene expression remained systematically attenuated under equivalent chromatin accessibility conditions, attributable to coordinated CG, CHG, and CHH methylation collectively establishing a persistent epigenetic repression barrier. Promoter-proximal SNPs exerted disproportionately disruptive effects on TRD co-expression, demonstrating that genetic variation and epigenetic repression synergistically amplify transcriptional divergence. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed that WGD genes promote non-esterified catechin accumulation (EC, GC, EGC) via conserved MYB–bHLH–ERF networks, whereas TRD genes regulate esterified catechin biosynthesis (EGCG, ECG) through M-type MADS-box, WOX, and bZIP transcription factors. Conclusions:This study systematically elucidates the hierarchical regulatory mechanisms governing duplicate gene co-expression divergence in tea plant, providing mechanistic insights into catechin metabolic regulation and candidate targets for metabolite-directed breeding.

Abstract: Urea remains the dominant source of bulk nitrogen in agriculture, but its excessive application drives environmental degradation through runoff and groundwater contamination, underscoring the need to improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Gibberellic acid (GA₃), a key plant growth regulator, holds potential to enhance fertilizer effectiveness and impart stress tolerance. This study compared conventional urea (bulk-N) and nano-urea (nano-N), alone and combined with GA₃, in alleviating cadmium (Cd) toxicity in mustard (Brassica juncea L.) Plants were grown under 200 mg Cd kg⁻¹ soil with two nitrogen sources — soil-applied conventional urea (bulk-N; 100 mg kg⁻¹ soil) and foliar nano-urea (nano-N; 100 µL L-1) with or without 10 µM GA₃ foliar application. Compared with conventional urea (bulk-N), nano-urea (nano-N) more efficiently reduced Cd toxicity, promoted plant growth, and lowered environmental impacts through improved nutrient utilization. GA₃ combined with nano-N maximally enhanced photosynthetic-nitrogen and sulfur use efficiency (PNUE and PSUE), elevated nitrogen and sulfur assimilation, and promoted proline and antioxidant enzymes system, GSH accumulation, collectively driving improved photosynthesis and growth under Cd stress. Overall, GA₃ in combination with nano-N showed the greatest efficacy in reducing Cd uptake, improving physiological performance, and strengthening antioxidant defense relative to bulk-N or untreated controls. These findings highlight that the GA₃–nano-urea co-application is an effective strategy for enhancing NUE and alleviating Cd-induced phytotoxicity in mustard.

Abstract: Chile is a global leader in the fruit industry; however, the sector faces significant yield losses due to phytopathogens and an urgent need to reduce reliance on chemical fungicides. Induction of plant defenses and priming offer sustainable alternatives by activating the plant’s innate immune system. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of native Pseudomonas protegens strains and their formulations to trigger plant defenses responses in five agronomically important fruit crops: kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa), walnut (Juglans regia), cherry (Prunus avium), blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), and grapevine (Vitis vinifera). Under controlled conditions, a randomized block design was implemented with four treatments, including P. protegens strains and their formulations, as well as a chemical elicitor (acibenzolar-S-methyl) as a positive control. Foliar treatments were applied, and leaf tissues were sampled at 1 day, 7 days, and 14 days post-inoculation. Transcriptional responses were quantified via qPCR using the ΔΔC_t method, targeting key defense-related genes, including pathogenesis-related proteins (pr1, pr2, pr3, pr4, pr5, pr10), and enzymes of the phenylpropanoid and signaling pathways (pal, chs, ppo, lox9, glc). This study provides a molecular framework for understanding how biological inducers modulate stress memory in perennial crops. The results obtained highlight the potential of native bacteria to be integrated into sustainable integrated pest management programs, offering an alternative strategy to enhance fruit crop resilience through the activation of natural plant defense responses.

Abstract: Amomum villosum Lour., a medicinal plant within the Zingiberaceae family, has not yet had its molecular mechanisms governing flowering time investigated. The florigen activation complex (FAC), which include PEBP, FD/bZIP, and GRF proteins, is crucial for controlling flowering time control in model plants. In this study, we identified 13 PEBP, 5 FD, and 19 GRF genes within the A. villosum genome. Our analyses included phylogenetic assessment, conserved motif characterization, gene structure examination, and promoter cis-regulatory element prediction. Protein-protein interactions among these three families were predicted through cross-species analysis and validated using yeast two-hybrid assays. Significantly, an AREB3-like FD protein (AvFD5) and a GRF protein (AvGRF13) were found to directly interact with specific PEBP members, whereas canonical FD-like proteins (AvFD1 and AvFD4) did not exhibit detectable interactions, differing from the classical rice FAC model (Hd3a-14-3-3-OsFD1). This study represents the first systematic characterization of FAC core gene families in A. villosum and, more broadly, within the Zingiberaceae family, thereby laying the groundwork for understanding flowering time regulation in this economically important plant family.