Pub Date : 2025-10-01DOI: 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106250
Jiaqi Ma, Rui Liu, Ziling Zhou, Qiyue Zhang, Gangrong Shi
Iron (Fe) deficiency severely limits peanut productivity, particularly in calcareous soils. This study integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses to elucidate molecular mechanisms underlying Fe-deficiency responses in two peanut cultivars: Silihong (Fe-efficient) and Fenghua 1 (Fe-inefficient). Under Fe deficiency, both cultivars exhibited leaf chlorosis and reduced chlorophyll content, with Fenghua 1 showing greater sensitivity. Fe deficiency triggered extensive metabolic reprogramming, preferentially enhancing phenylpropanoid-derived coumarin biosynthesis while suppressing lignin and flavonoid pathways. Key genes, including PAL1, 4CL1, CCoAOMT, CSE, CYP98A2, HCT, F6′H1, S8H, and CYP82C4, were upregulated, promoting the accumulation of Fe-mobilizing coumarins (scopoletin, fraxetin, esculetin). The efficient cultivar Silihong displayed stronger induction of coumarin synthesis genes, higher coumarin exudation, and greater suppression of competing pathways than Fenghua 1. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified hub genes (FIT, MYB72, IRT1, and FRO2) co-expressed with coumarin biosynthesis genes (CCoAOMT, F6′H1, S8H, and CYP82C4), suggesting an evolutionarily conserved FIT–MYB72 regulatory module for Fe acquisition. Additionally, PDR3 homologs implicated in coumarin secretion were significantly induced. These findings highlight coumarin-mediated Fe mobilization as a critical adaptive strategy in peanuts and provide genetic targets for breeding Fe-efficient cultivars.
{"title":"Integrative transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses reveal crucial roles of phenylpropanoid-derived coumarin biosynthesis in the responses of peanut to iron deficiency","authors":"Jiaqi Ma, Rui Liu, Ziling Zhou, Qiyue Zhang, Gangrong Shi","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106250","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106250","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Iron (Fe) deficiency severely limits peanut productivity, particularly in calcareous soils. This study integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses to elucidate molecular mechanisms underlying Fe-deficiency responses in two peanut cultivars: Silihong (Fe-efficient) and Fenghua 1 (Fe-inefficient). Under Fe deficiency, both cultivars exhibited leaf chlorosis and reduced chlorophyll content, with Fenghua 1 showing greater sensitivity. Fe deficiency triggered extensive metabolic reprogramming, preferentially enhancing phenylpropanoid-derived coumarin biosynthesis while suppressing lignin and flavonoid pathways. Key genes, including <em>PAL1</em>, <em>4CL1</em>, <em>CCoAOMT</em>, <em>CSE</em>, <em>CYP98A2</em>, <em>HCT</em>, <em>F6′H1</em>, <em>S8H</em>, and <em>CYP82C4</em>, were upregulated, promoting the accumulation of Fe-mobilizing coumarins (scopoletin, fraxetin, esculetin). The efficient cultivar Silihong displayed stronger induction of coumarin synthesis genes, higher coumarin exudation, and greater suppression of competing pathways than Fenghua 1. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified hub genes (<em>FIT</em>, <em>MYB72</em>, <em>IRT1</em>, and <em>FRO2</em>) co-expressed with coumarin biosynthesis genes (<em>CCoAOMT</em>, <em>F6′H1</em>, <em>S8H</em>, and <em>CYP82C4</em>), suggesting an evolutionarily conserved FIT–MYB72 regulatory module for Fe acquisition. Additionally, <em>PDR3</em> homologs implicated in coumarin secretion were significantly induced. These findings highlight coumarin-mediated Fe mobilization as a critical adaptive strategy in peanuts and provide genetic targets for breeding Fe-efficient cultivars.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"238 ","pages":"Article 106250"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145217022","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01DOI: 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106248
Warren A. John , Robin Steudtner , Jenny Jessat , René Hübner , Frank Bok , Susanne Sachs
The migration of uranium (U) in soil and its uptake into plants is known to be affected by many factors, one of which is the presence of organic acids, e.g. as root exudates of plants, in soil. To date, the influence of the organic acids on mobilization and uptake is known but very little has been elucidated about the mechanisms involved. In this study, using hydroponic cultivations of Brassica napus and combining the analytical methods time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, we explored the influence of two organic acids on the U speciation in hydroponic culture medium and the bioassociation of U to B. napus plants. Both citric acid and malic acid significantly increased the solubility of U in the hydroponic solution by forming U(VI) citrate and U(VI) malate complexes compared to control samples without the addition of the organic acids, in which a significant amount of U precipitated. By using this multi-method approach, for the first time, we could demonstrate the correlation between certain spectroscopically observed U species in solution and varying degrees of bioassociation to the plant as well as differences in U translocation patterns in B. napus between citric and malic acids, providing more insights into the interaction of U with plants.
{"title":"Citric and malic acids influence uranium(VI) uptake into Brassica napus in hydroponic culture by affecting solubility and speciation","authors":"Warren A. John , Robin Steudtner , Jenny Jessat , René Hübner , Frank Bok , Susanne Sachs","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106248","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106248","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The migration of uranium (U) in soil and its uptake into plants is known to be affected by many factors, one of which is the presence of organic acids, e.g. as root exudates of plants, in soil. To date, the influence of the organic acids on mobilization and uptake is known but very little has been elucidated about the mechanisms involved. In this study, using hydroponic cultivations of <em>Brassica napus</em> and combining the analytical methods time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, we explored the influence of two organic acids on the U speciation in hydroponic culture medium and the bioassociation of U to <em>B. napus</em> plants. Both citric acid and malic acid significantly increased the solubility of U in the hydroponic solution by forming U(VI) citrate and U(VI) malate complexes compared to control samples without the addition of the organic acids, in which a significant amount of U precipitated. By using this multi-method approach, for the first time, we could demonstrate the correlation between certain spectroscopically observed U species in solution and varying degrees of bioassociation to the plant as well as differences in U translocation patterns in <em>B. napus</em> between citric and malic acids, providing more insights into the interaction of U with plants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"238 ","pages":"Article 106248"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145217023","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01DOI: 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106245
Xiujin Liu , Xiaoshuang Li , Yakupjan Haxim , Qilin Yang , Ruirui Yang , Shihao Zhang , Andrew J. Wood , Daoyuan Zhang
The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) modulates various responses to adverse environmental conditions, even in nonvascular plants. Syntrichia caninervis is a model plant for studying desiccation tolerance (DT) and investigating the role of the phytohormone ABA in DT. Here, physiology and transcriptome analyses revealed the responses of S. caninervis to ABA application during a dehydration-rehydration process across 16 time points. Overall, 20734 transcripts were identified in the transcriptome, with 9859 transcripts showing differential expression when comparing the ABA treatment with the control. Detailed analysis demonstrated that ABA activated six key pathways response to dehydration-rehydration process: ABA respectively increased the transcript abundance of photosynthesis and chlorophyll biosynthetic related genes during late dehydration and early rehydration, that was in line with the change in PSII photochemical efficiency, specifically the maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm) and the effective quantum yield (Y(II)). Therefore, ABA can enhance photosynthesis under desiccation stress, and accelerate recovery after rehydration. Moreover, ABA accelerated recovery the transcript abundance of cytoskeletal and cell wall after rehydration; ABA modulated transcription factors especially up- or down-regulated specific AP2/ERF response; ABA increased accumulation of starch and sucrose transcripts during the whole process; ABA enhanced antioxidant genes GST, POD, SOD, CAT, GPX and APX at different stages of the dehydration-rehydration process. Overall, exogenous ABA mimics the function of endogenously accumulated ABA during dehydration-rehydration, thereby activating a DT-associated transcriptomic profile in S. caninervis. This study provides a robust database for investigating ABA-responsive genes during the dehydration-rehydration process.
{"title":"The phytohormone ABA drives transcriptomic profile and coordinates selected physiological responses to the dehydration-rehydration process in Syntrichia caninervis","authors":"Xiujin Liu , Xiaoshuang Li , Yakupjan Haxim , Qilin Yang , Ruirui Yang , Shihao Zhang , Andrew J. Wood , Daoyuan Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106245","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106245","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) modulates various responses to adverse environmental conditions, even in nonvascular plants. <em>Syntrichia caninervis</em> is a model plant for studying desiccation tolerance (DT) and investigating the role of the phytohormone ABA in DT. Here, physiology and transcriptome analyses revealed the responses of <em>S. caninervis</em> to ABA application during a dehydration-rehydration process across 16 time points. Overall, 20734 transcripts were identified in the transcriptome, with 9859 transcripts showing differential expression when comparing the ABA treatment with the control. Detailed analysis demonstrated that ABA activated six key pathways response to dehydration-rehydration process: ABA respectively increased the transcript abundance of photosynthesis and chlorophyll biosynthetic related genes during late dehydration and early rehydration, that was in line with the change in PSII photochemical efficiency, specifically the maximum quantum yield (<em>F</em><sub><em>v</em></sub><em>/F</em><sub><em>m</em></sub>) and the effective quantum yield (Y(II)). Therefore, ABA can enhance photosynthesis under desiccation stress, and accelerate recovery after rehydration. Moreover, ABA accelerated recovery the transcript abundance of cytoskeletal and cell wall after rehydration; ABA modulated transcription factors especially up- or down-regulated specific AP2/ERF response; ABA increased accumulation of starch and sucrose transcripts during the whole process; ABA enhanced antioxidant genes GST, POD, SOD, CAT, GPX and APX at different stages of the dehydration-rehydration process. Overall, exogenous ABA mimics the function of endogenously accumulated ABA during dehydration-rehydration, thereby activating a DT-associated transcriptomic profile in <em>S. caninervis</em>. This study provides a robust database for investigating ABA-responsive genes during the dehydration-rehydration process.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"238 ","pages":"Article 106245"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145266588","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-19DOI: 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106246
Rodica Pena , Gemma Milner , Mark Tibbett
Mycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi are key players in plant nutrition in forest ecosystems, affecting nutrient availability and plant nutrient acquisition, but the impact of their interaction on plant performance remains largely understudied. Their interaction is particularly important under nutrient-limited conditions (e.g., nitrogen limitation) as they may compete for resources or engage in facilitative interactions that ultimately affect plant nutrient uptake and growth. Here, we used a simplified, plant-centric experimental design to investigate the effects of fungal interactions on plant performance. Poplar (Populus × canescens) plantlets were grown under nutrient-poor conditions for 23 weeks with a single nutrient source: a mixture of 15N-labelled poplar (labile) and beech (recalcitrant) leaf litter. Plants were inoculated with Pholiota squarrosa (saprotrophic), Laccaria bicolor (ectomycorrhizal), both, or neither. We analysed growth, nitrogen uptake, and photosynthetic performance.
Ectomycorrhizal-inoculated plants showed greater growth, root development, and nitrogen accumulation than non-inoculated controls or those inoculated with saprotrophic fungi alone. Photosynthetic performance, particularly at 16 weeks, was also enhanced. In contrast, saprotrophic fungi increased nitrogen concentration in roots but did not improve plant biomass. Plant biomass and root architecture did not differ between EMF-only and dual-inoculated plants, suggesting that the addition of saprotrophic fungi did not further enhance or impair these traits. However, for nitrogen-related traits, dual-inoculated plants showed intermediate values between EMF-only and STF-only treatments. Despite these trends, statistical analysis did not detect a significant interaction between fungal guilds. These findings indicate that ectomycorrhizal fungi play a stronger role in promoting plant performance under nitrogen-limited conditions, likely through enhanced nutrient uptake and photosynthetic efficiency. Saprotrophic fungi alone did not promote plant growth under the experimental conditions, nor did their presence alter the benefits conferred by ectomycorrhizal fungi.
{"title":"Saprotrophic-ectomycorrhizal fungal interactions affect poplar performance","authors":"Rodica Pena , Gemma Milner , Mark Tibbett","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106246","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106246","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi are key players in plant nutrition in forest ecosystems, affecting nutrient availability and plant nutrient acquisition, but the impact of their interaction on plant performance remains largely understudied. Their interaction is particularly important under nutrient-limited conditions (e.g., nitrogen limitation) as they may compete for resources or engage in facilitative interactions that ultimately affect plant nutrient uptake and growth. Here, we used a simplified, plant-centric experimental design to investigate the effects of fungal interactions on plant performance. Poplar (<em>Populus × canescens</em>) plantlets were grown under nutrient-poor conditions for 23 weeks with a single nutrient source: a mixture of <sup>15</sup>N-labelled poplar (labile) and beech (recalcitrant) leaf litter. Plants were inoculated with <em>Pholiota squarrosa</em> (saprotrophic), <em>Laccaria bicolor</em> (ectomycorrhizal), both, or neither. We analysed growth, nitrogen uptake, and photosynthetic performance.</div><div>Ectomycorrhizal-inoculated plants showed greater growth, root development, and nitrogen accumulation than non-inoculated controls or those inoculated with saprotrophic fungi alone. Photosynthetic performance, particularly at 16 weeks, was also enhanced. In contrast, saprotrophic fungi increased nitrogen concentration in roots but did not improve plant biomass. Plant biomass and root architecture did not differ between EMF-only and dual-inoculated plants, suggesting that the addition of saprotrophic fungi did not further enhance or impair these traits. However, for nitrogen-related traits, dual-inoculated plants showed intermediate values between EMF-only and STF-only treatments. Despite these trends, statistical analysis did not detect a significant interaction between fungal guilds. These findings indicate that ectomycorrhizal fungi play a stronger role in promoting plant performance under nitrogen-limited conditions, likely through enhanced nutrient uptake and photosynthetic efficiency. Saprotrophic fungi alone did not promote plant growth under the experimental conditions, nor did their presence alter the benefits conferred by ectomycorrhizal fungi.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"238 ","pages":"Article 106246"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145118188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-19DOI: 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106244
Shangzhi Zhong , Xiang Zhang , Pengxin Hou , Jianghan Ouyang , Tovohery Rakotoson , Congcong Zheng , Qibo Tao , Juan Sun
Deficit irrigation can potentially increase plant water use efficiency by regulating stomatal morphology and photosynthetic physiology, whereas the combined effects of biochar amendment and deficit irrigation on alfalfa growth and leaf physiology remain largely unknown in salt-affected soil. A split-root pot experiment was implemented to investigate the effect of biochar amendments (WSB: wheat straw biochar; CSB: corn straw biochar) and irrigation regimes (FI: full irrigation; DI: deficit irrigation, 70 % of FI on the entire root zone; PRDI: partial root-zone drying irrigation, only irrigating half of the root zone with soil water content maintained at the same level as that under DI) on the leaf morpho-physiological traits and water use efficiency of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). DI and PRDI exhibited a similar trend, with both leading to a significant reduction in stomatal conductance (gs), carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13Cleaf), and net CO2 assimilation rate (A) by altering stomatal traits and elevating leaf abscisic acid concentration ([ABA]leaf), resulting in lower biomass accumulation. In contrast, biochar amendment of WSB and CSB significantly improved soil water-holding capacity, root water uptake and leaf water status, resulting in lower [ABA]leaf and enhanced stomatal density (SD), stomatal size (SS) and Δ13Cleaf. Notably, PRDI combined with biochar amendment substantially enhanced leaf intrinsic WUE (A/gs) and long-term WUE indicated by lower Δ13Cleaf, thereby increasing plant-scale WUE (WUEplant) by 39–56 % compared to non-biochar-amended under PRDI treatment. Overall, co-application of biochar amendment and deficit irrigation facilitates more efficient and ecologically sustainable alfalfa management in salt-affected soil. Future studies should investigate long-term effects, underlying mechanisms, and large-scale applicability across diverse environmental contexts.
{"title":"Biochar amendment enhances water use efficiency in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) under partial root-zone drying irrigation by modulating abscisic acid signaling and photosynthetic performance","authors":"Shangzhi Zhong , Xiang Zhang , Pengxin Hou , Jianghan Ouyang , Tovohery Rakotoson , Congcong Zheng , Qibo Tao , Juan Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106244","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106244","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Deficit irrigation can potentially increase plant water use efficiency by regulating stomatal morphology and photosynthetic physiology, whereas the combined effects of biochar amendment and deficit irrigation on alfalfa growth and leaf physiology remain largely unknown in salt-affected soil. A split-root pot experiment was implemented to investigate the effect of biochar amendments (WSB: wheat straw biochar; CSB: corn straw biochar) and irrigation regimes (FI: full irrigation; DI: deficit irrigation, 70 % of FI on the entire root zone; PRDI: partial root-zone drying irrigation, only irrigating half of the root zone with soil water content maintained at the same level as that under DI) on the leaf morpho-physiological traits and water use efficiency of alfalfa (<em>Medicago sativa</em> L.). DI and PRDI exhibited a similar trend, with both leading to a significant reduction in stomatal conductance (<em>g</em><sub>s</sub>), carbon isotope discrimination (Δ<sup>13</sup>C<sub>leaf</sub>), and net CO<sub>2</sub> assimilation rate (<em>A</em>) by altering stomatal traits and elevating leaf abscisic acid concentration ([ABA]<sub>leaf</sub>), resulting in lower biomass accumulation. In contrast, biochar amendment of WSB and CSB significantly improved soil water-holding capacity, root water uptake and leaf water status, resulting in lower [ABA]<sub>leaf</sub> and enhanced stomatal density (SD), stomatal size (SS) and Δ<sup>13</sup>C<sub>leaf</sub>. Notably, PRDI combined with biochar amendment substantially enhanced leaf intrinsic WUE (<em>A</em>/<em>g</em><sub>s</sub>) and long-term WUE indicated by lower Δ<sup>13</sup>C<sub>leaf</sub>, thereby increasing plant-scale WUE (WUE<sub>plant</sub>) by 39–56 % compared to non-biochar-amended under PRDI treatment. Overall, co-application of biochar amendment and deficit irrigation facilitates more efficient and ecologically sustainable alfalfa management in salt-affected soil. Future studies should investigate long-term effects, underlying mechanisms, and large-scale applicability across diverse environmental contexts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"238 ","pages":"Article 106244"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145155219","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-17DOI: 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106242
Yunke Chen , Elias Kaiser , Ep Heuvelink , Kai Cao , Zhonghua Bian , Qichang Yang , Leo F.M. Marcelis
It is increasingly evident that green light (500–600 nm) affects plant growth, but the varying effects of different regions within this waveband remain unclear. We investigated how different regions of green light affect lettuce (Lactuca sativa) growth, morphology and physiology. Lettuce was grown in a climate chamber with red/blue light as a reference treatment. In three green light treatments, 28 % of the red/blue light was replaced by green light. A higher fraction of green light logically meant a lower fraction of red and blue light. The green light was provided either by narrowband green LEDs peaking at 515 nm or 550 nm, or by a broadband green LED. In all treatments, light intensity was 212 μmol m−2 s−1. After 21 days of growth, shoot biomass (+14–29 %) and height (+16–18 %) increased in all green light treatments compared to the reference, while leaf photosynthetic gas exchange and pigmentation remained unchanged. The largest biomass (+29 %) and leaf area (+18 %) were obtained in the narrowband green light treatment peaking at 550 nm. We conclude that the increase in lettuce biomass was not caused by a higher carbon assimilation per leaf area but may instead be explained by improved light distribution within the canopy. Our results suggest that specific regions in the green light waveband are more beneficial to lettuce growth than others.
{"title":"Palette of green: Exploring the effects of different wavelengths of green light on biomass and morphology in lettuce (Lactuca sativa)","authors":"Yunke Chen , Elias Kaiser , Ep Heuvelink , Kai Cao , Zhonghua Bian , Qichang Yang , Leo F.M. Marcelis","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106242","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106242","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>It is increasingly evident that green light (500–600 nm) affects plant growth, but the varying effects of different regions within this waveband remain unclear. We investigated how different regions of green light affect lettuce (<em>Lactuca sativa</em>) growth, morphology and physiology. Lettuce was grown in a climate chamber with red/blue light as a reference treatment. In three green light treatments, 28 % of the red/blue light was replaced by green light. A higher fraction of green light logically meant a lower fraction of red and blue light. The green light was provided either by narrowband green LEDs peaking at 515 nm or 550 nm, or by a broadband green LED. In all treatments, light intensity was 212 μmol m<sup>−2</sup> s<sup>−1</sup>. After 21 days of growth, shoot biomass (+14–29 %) and height (+16–18 %) increased in all green light treatments compared to the reference, while leaf photosynthetic gas exchange and pigmentation remained unchanged. The largest biomass (+29 %) and leaf area (+18 %) were obtained in the narrowband green light treatment peaking at 550 nm. We conclude that the increase in lettuce biomass was not caused by a higher carbon assimilation per leaf area but may instead be explained by improved light distribution within the canopy. Our results suggest that specific regions in the green light waveband are more beneficial to lettuce growth than others.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"238 ","pages":"Article 106242"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145118090","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-13DOI: 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106240
Natalia Krówczyńska, Małgorzata Pietrowska-Borek
Heavy metals (HMs), pollutants produced by humans, significantly impact crop yields. The contamination of soil and water by HMs poses a serious environmental challenge. Although HMs naturally occur in the soil as rare elements, agricultural practices, refuse dumping, metallurgy, and manufacturing contribute to their environmental spread in higher concentrations that lead to negative effects on crop plants and human health. Even at low concentrations, HMs, such as cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and aluminum (Al), adversely impact root uptake and transport to vegetative and reproductive organs, disrupting mineral nutrition and homeostasis, which in turn influence the growth and development of both plant shoots and roots. Plants absorb HMs from contaminated soil or water, which inhibits root growth, causes leaf chlorosis, hinders stomatal opening, and can lead to wilting or death. Additionally, it suppresses photosynthesis and transpiration, induces oxidative stress, alters enzyme activity, and modifies gene expression. Resource allocation between growth and defense is a key trade-off for plant survival and fitness. Under heavy metal exposure, stronger defense responses often coincide with reduced growth, even without visible damage. Plants have evolved complex signaling networks that respond to environmental stimuli through signaling proteins, such as plasma membrane receptors and ion transporters, as well as cascades of kinases and other enzymes, ultimately leading to the activation of effectors. In the plant response to HMs stress, the pivotal signaling role is played by hormones and many additional compounds, including second messengers such as cytosolic Ca2 + , reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), and cyclic nucleotides such as cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). Moreover, it has recently been demonstrated that nucleotides such as exogenous ATP (eATP) can also play signaling roles in plant cells. These are part of the regulatory network, involving MAP kinase, SnRK, and transcription factors, that leads to the synthesis of metabolites capable of mitigating plant stress caused by HMs. Their uptake triggers diverse epigenetic mechanisms that may either promote or hinder plant stress tolerance. In response to HMs exposure, plants adjust gene expression through DNA methylation, histone acetylation, and microRNA-mediated gene silencing. Recent findings also highlight the involvement of epigenetic mechanisms as important post-transcriptional regulators within this signaling network, further fine-tuning plant responses to HMs. However, more research is still needed to identify the signaling networks involved in this process. This review summarizes the current understanding of perception, signal transduction, and plant responses to Cd, Pb, and Al stress.
{"title":"From signal perception to adaptive responses: A comprehensive review of plant mechanisms under cadmium, lead, and aluminum stress","authors":"Natalia Krówczyńska, Małgorzata Pietrowska-Borek","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106240","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106240","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Heavy metals (HMs), pollutants produced by humans, significantly impact crop yields. The contamination of soil and water by HMs poses a serious environmental challenge. Although HMs naturally occur in the soil as rare elements, agricultural practices, refuse dumping, metallurgy, and manufacturing contribute to their environmental spread in higher concentrations that lead to negative effects on crop plants and human health. Even at low concentrations, HMs, such as cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and aluminum (Al), adversely impact root uptake and transport to vegetative and reproductive organs, disrupting mineral nutrition and homeostasis, which in turn influence the growth and development of both plant shoots and roots. Plants absorb HMs from contaminated soil or water, which inhibits root growth, causes leaf chlorosis, hinders stomatal opening, and can lead to wilting or death. Additionally, it suppresses photosynthesis and transpiration, induces oxidative stress, alters enzyme activity, and modifies gene expression. Resource allocation between growth and defense is a key trade-off for plant survival and fitness. Under heavy metal exposure, stronger defense responses often coincide with reduced growth, even without visible damage. Plants have evolved complex signaling networks that respond to environmental stimuli through signaling proteins, such as plasma membrane receptors and ion transporters, as well as cascades of kinases and other enzymes, ultimately leading to the activation of effectors. In the plant response to HMs stress, the pivotal signaling role is played by hormones and many additional compounds, including second messengers such as cytosolic Ca<sup>2 +</sup> , reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), and cyclic nucleotides such as cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). Moreover, it has recently been demonstrated that nucleotides such as exogenous ATP (eATP) can also play signaling roles in plant cells. These are part of the regulatory network, involving MAP kinase, SnRK, and transcription factors, that leads to the synthesis of metabolites capable of mitigating plant stress caused by HMs. Their uptake triggers diverse epigenetic mechanisms that may either promote or hinder plant stress tolerance. In response to HMs exposure, plants adjust gene expression through DNA methylation, histone acetylation, and microRNA-mediated gene silencing. Recent findings also highlight the involvement of epigenetic mechanisms as important post-transcriptional regulators within this signaling network, further fine-tuning plant responses to HMs. However, more research is still needed to identify the signaling networks involved in this process. This review summarizes the current understanding of perception, signal transduction, and plant responses to Cd, Pb, and Al stress.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"238 ","pages":"Article 106240"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145118187","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-13DOI: 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106241
Mingming Wang , Zihan Kan , Tingting Hui , Boyi Song , Huiliang Liu , Benfeng Yin , Ye Tao , Xiaoying Rong , Wei Hang , Yuanming Zhang , Xiaobing Zhou
Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) are critical indicators of the carbon acquisition and consumption balance in vascular plants, and are equally important for biological soil crusts (BSCs), which serve as significant carbon sinks in arid regions. Nitrogen (N) deposition significantly alters NSC storage by affecting plant growth, photosynthesis, and the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. However, the response of NSC to N deposition may vary across different developmental stages of BSCs due to differences in physiological structures and soil properties. We conducted a long-term field N addition experiment (2010–2021) in the Gurbantunggut Desert, with N rates from 0 to 3 g m⁻² yr⁻¹ and a 2:1 NH₄⁺-N to NO₃⁻-N ratio, to examine the effects of N on NSC and their components (fructose, sucrose, soluble sugars, and starch) in three BSC types: cyanobacterial, lichen, and moss crusts. Our results revealed that the development of BSCs from cyanobacterial to lichen and moss crusts significantly alters NSC allocation, with an increasing ratio of soluble sugars to starch (0.24–1–1.68). As N added levels rise, NSC content in all three BSC types exhibits a nonlinear trend, characterized by low promotion and high inhibition, with distinct threshold points (N1.5-N0.5-N0.5). This phenomenon arises from shifts in the NSC driving factors under N addition: transitioning from soil nutrient dependence (cyanobacteria) to regulation by plant antioxidant enzyme activity (lichen), and ultimately to a more complex physiological regulation involving photosynthetic pigments and antioxidant enzyme activities (Moss). This study reveals the transition of BSCs from “environmental adapters” to “ecological regulators” throughout their successional stages. These findings provide new insights into the C metabolism of BSCs and have important implications for ecological restoration in N-impacted arid regions.
{"title":"The development of biological soil crusts reshapes the strategies of non-structural carbohydrates in response to nitrogen deposition","authors":"Mingming Wang , Zihan Kan , Tingting Hui , Boyi Song , Huiliang Liu , Benfeng Yin , Ye Tao , Xiaoying Rong , Wei Hang , Yuanming Zhang , Xiaobing Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106241","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106241","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) are critical indicators of the carbon acquisition and consumption balance in vascular plants, and are equally important for biological soil crusts (BSCs), which serve as significant carbon sinks in arid regions. Nitrogen (N) deposition significantly alters NSC storage by affecting plant growth, photosynthesis, and the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. However, the response of NSC to N deposition may vary across different developmental stages of BSCs due to differences in physiological structures and soil properties. We conducted a long-term field N addition experiment (2010–2021) in the Gurbantunggut Desert, with N rates from 0 to 3 g m⁻² yr⁻¹ and a 2:1 NH₄⁺-N to NO₃⁻-N ratio, to examine the effects of N on NSC and their components (fructose, sucrose, soluble sugars, and starch) in three BSC types: cyanobacterial, lichen, and moss crusts. Our results revealed that the development of BSCs from cyanobacterial to lichen and moss crusts significantly alters NSC allocation, with an increasing ratio of soluble sugars to starch (0.24–1–1.68). As N added levels rise, NSC content in all three BSC types exhibits a nonlinear trend, characterized by low promotion and high inhibition, with distinct threshold points (N1.5-N0.5-N0.5). This phenomenon arises from shifts in the NSC driving factors under N addition: transitioning from soil nutrient dependence (cyanobacteria) to regulation by plant antioxidant enzyme activity (lichen), and ultimately to a more complex physiological regulation involving photosynthetic pigments and antioxidant enzyme activities (Moss). This study reveals the transition of BSCs from “environmental adapters” to “ecological regulators” throughout their successional stages. These findings provide new insights into the C metabolism of BSCs and have important implications for ecological restoration in N-impacted arid regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"238 ","pages":"Article 106241"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145096344","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-12DOI: 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106238
L. Erik Daber , Philipp Nolte , Jürgen Kreuzwieser , Mirjam Meischner , Jonathan Williams , Christiane Werner
Chiral forms of monoterpenes and their enantiomeric composition are of ecological significance, e.g. for plant-insect interactions. However, biosynthetic pathways and drought-induced changes of enantiomeric monoterpene emissions are barely understood. We analyzed, for the first time, drought effects on the enantiomeric composition of de novo vs. storage emitted monoterpenes from Norway spruce saplings by position-specific 13C-pyruvate (13C2- and 13C1-labelled) feeding and 13CO2 fumigation. Drought reduced total monoterpene emissions already during its early stages, strongly linked to net photosynthesis, and lead to a decline in de novo synthesis of monoterpenes. However, it unevenly affected chiral monoterpenes, leading to compositional changes of emissions with increasing drought. At the onset of drought, the (-)-enantiomers of limonene, β-phellandrene, α- and β-pinene were emitted at higher rates than the (+)-enantiomers. Our results suggest that (-)-enantiomers were emitted mainly from storage pools while emissions of (+)-enantiomers rather depended on de novo biosynthesis. Even though biosynthesis of different monoterpenes derives from the same precursor pool, isotopic label incorporation revealed three groups among monoterpenes: storage derived, dominantly labelled via 13C2-pyruvate, and dominantly labelled via 13CO2-fumigation. Our results contribute to a growing amount of evidence of high flexibility in metabolic pathways of monoterpene biosynthesis in plant cells.
{"title":"Position-specific isotope labelling gives new insights into chiral monoterpene synthesis of Norway spruce (Picea abies L.)","authors":"L. Erik Daber , Philipp Nolte , Jürgen Kreuzwieser , Mirjam Meischner , Jonathan Williams , Christiane Werner","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106238","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106238","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chiral forms of monoterpenes and their enantiomeric composition are of ecological significance, e.g. for plant-insect interactions. However, biosynthetic pathways and drought-induced changes of enantiomeric monoterpene emissions are barely understood. We analyzed, for the first time, drought effects on the enantiomeric composition of <em>de novo</em> vs. storage emitted monoterpenes from Norway spruce saplings by position-specific <sup>13</sup>C-pyruvate (<sup>13</sup>C2- and <sup>13</sup>C1-labelled) feeding and <sup>13</sup>CO<sub>2</sub> fumigation. Drought reduced total monoterpene emissions already during its early stages, strongly linked to net photosynthesis, and lead to a decline in <em>de novo</em> synthesis of monoterpenes. However, it unevenly affected chiral monoterpenes, leading to compositional changes of emissions with increasing drought. At the onset of drought, the (-)-enantiomers of limonene, β-phellandrene, α- and β-pinene were emitted at higher rates than the (+)-enantiomers. Our results suggest that (-)-enantiomers were emitted mainly from storage pools while emissions of (+)-enantiomers rather depended on <em>de novo</em> biosynthesis. Even though biosynthesis of different monoterpenes derives from the same precursor pool, isotopic label incorporation revealed three groups among monoterpenes: storage derived, dominantly labelled via <sup>13</sup>C2-pyruvate, and dominantly labelled via <sup>13</sup>CO<sub>2</sub>-fumigation. Our results contribute to a growing amount of evidence of high flexibility in metabolic pathways of monoterpene biosynthesis in plant cells.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"238 ","pages":"Article 106238"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145096345","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-11DOI: 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106239
Wuttisak Sarikhit , Yang Bi , Zhi-Yong Wang , Juthamas Chaiwanon
Silver nanoparticles (AgNP) are incorporated into numerous consumer products for their antimicrobial and conductive properties. Despite the widespread use, the environmental implications of AgNP leakage, particularly on plant growth, remain underexplored. This study examined the effects of AgNP on root growth. Arabidopsis seedlings grown on vertical agar plates supplemented with AgNP showed a wavy root phenotype, which is caused by asymmetric growth at the root tips. The results showed that AgNP inhibited primary root growth and induced root waving in a dose-dependent manner; such effects were absent in seedlings treated with equivalent concentrations of silver ions (Ag+), indicating the unique impact of AgNP. Using auxin signaling mutants, we demonstrated that AgNP-induced root waving depends on functional auxin signaling. Analysis of auxin reporter lines revealed that AgNP disrupted normal auxin distribution and induce asymmetric auxin accumulation by interfering with polar auxin transport, specifically through downregulation of auxin efflux and influx carrier expression in the root tip —except for PIN2, which was upregulated in the epidermis and cortex. Furthermore, inhibition of TAA1-mediated local auxin biosynthesis using kynurenine, as well as mutation of the TAA1 gene, exacerbated the root waving phenotype under AgNP treatment. Together, these findings reveal that AgNP modulates root growth and waving by interfering with auxin homeostasis and transport, highlighting a potential ecological risk posed by nanoparticle contamination in the environment.
{"title":"Silver nanoparticles inhibit root growth and promote root waving by inhibiting polar auxin transport and local auxin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis root tips","authors":"Wuttisak Sarikhit , Yang Bi , Zhi-Yong Wang , Juthamas Chaiwanon","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106239","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106239","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Silver nanoparticles (AgNP) are incorporated into numerous consumer products for their antimicrobial and conductive properties. Despite the widespread use, the environmental implications of AgNP leakage, particularly on plant growth, remain underexplored. This study examined the effects of AgNP on root growth. Arabidopsis seedlings grown on vertical agar plates supplemented with AgNP showed a wavy root phenotype, which is caused by asymmetric growth at the root tips. The results showed that AgNP inhibited primary root growth and induced root waving in a dose-dependent manner; such effects were absent in seedlings treated with equivalent concentrations of silver ions (Ag<sup>+</sup>), indicating the unique impact of AgNP. Using auxin signaling mutants, we demonstrated that AgNP-induced root waving depends on functional auxin signaling. Analysis of auxin reporter lines revealed that AgNP disrupted normal auxin distribution and induce asymmetric auxin accumulation by interfering with polar auxin transport, specifically through downregulation of auxin efflux and influx carrier expression in the root tip —except for <em>PIN2</em>, which was upregulated in the epidermis and cortex. Furthermore, inhibition of TAA1-mediated local auxin biosynthesis using kynurenine, as well as mutation of the <em>TAA1</em> gene, exacerbated the root waving phenotype under AgNP treatment. Together, these findings reveal that AgNP modulates root growth and waving by interfering with auxin homeostasis and transport, highlighting a potential ecological risk posed by nanoparticle contamination in the environment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"238 ","pages":"Article 106239"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145045675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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