Environmental and Experimental Botany最新文献

{"title":"Transcriptomic and metabonomic analysis of quorum sensing signal (N-octanoyl-DL-homoserine lactone) on regulating poplar fine roots growth","authors":"Qi Liang Zhu ,&nbsp;Nian Zhao Wang ,&nbsp;Wen Hao Han ,&nbsp;Shu Qi Ma ,&nbsp;You Lv ,&nbsp;Yan Ping Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106229","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106229","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Root-microbe transboundary communication is important to dominate the interaction between plant and microorganism. However, the influence of quorum sensing signals among bacteria community on the root growth and development is still obscure. The study focused on one quorum sensing signal isolated from poplar rhizosphere, <em>N</em>-octanoyl-DL-homoserine lactone (C8-HSL), and examined its influence on the morphological structure, ultrastructure, and subcellular structure of poplar roots. Transcriptome and metabolome sequencing were further performed to reveal the potential mechanisms of C8-HSL regulating the root morphological development. The results showed C8-HSL demonstrated dual regulatory effects on the growth of poplar fine roots. At high concentrations (more than 100 μM), root growth of poplar seedlings was suppressed by C8-HSL, and the primary and lateral roots appeared short and thick. Conversely, at low concentrations (10 nM), root growth was promoted by C8-HSL, and the primary and lateral roots were elongated. Fluorescent probes indicated that Ca^2 + , reactive oxygen species (ROS), and nitric oxide (NO) in root tip cells were significantly up-regulated at concentrations more than 1 μM of C8-HSL, while only Ca²⁺ and NO concentration were significantly up-regulated at concentrations less than 1 μM of C8-HSL. Transcriptome and metabolome analysis further revealed that high concentration C8-HSL significantly upregulated the expression of poplar genes related to secondary wall biogenesis (e.g., <em>MYB46</em>, <em>MYB83</em>, <em>CESA</em>) and auxin transport (e.g., <em>PIN6</em>, <em>AUX22B</em>, <em>GH3.6</em>). In contrast, low concentration C8-HSL upregulated calmodulin expression and increased indoleacrylic acid and 3-indolebutyric acid content. Taken together, these findings provide a deeper insight to the interaction between root and microbes, and imply the potential utilization of quorum sensing signals in regulating root growth.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"238 ","pages":"Article 106229"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144926418","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}

{"title":"Phenylpropanoid derived flavonoid biosynthesis pathway compensates for abiotic and biotic stress tolerance in dhurrin-free forage sorghum","authors":"Anita Kumari ,&nbsp;Alondra Cruz ,&nbsp;Pallavi Dhiman ,&nbsp;S.M. Impa ,&nbsp;Mitchell R. Tuinstra ,&nbsp;Gunvant B. Patil ,&nbsp;S.V. Krishna Jagadish","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106230","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106230","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sorghum (<em>Sorghum bicolor</em> L. Moench) is a multipurpose cereal valued for its drought tolerance and biomass productivity. Despite its agronomic advantages, the widespread adoption of sorghum as a forage crop is significantly limited by the presence of dhurrin, a cyanogenic glucoside that, upon stress or herbivory, releases hydrogen cyanide (HCN), posing considerable risks to grazing animals. This study systematically investigated the metabolic ramifications of dhurrin elimination in a prussic acid-free (PF) sorghum genotype cultivated under contrasting irrigation regimes. The major aim was to elucidate the consequences of the loss of cyanogenesis on both agronomic performance and the modulation of stress-associated metabolic pathways. Untargeted metabolomics using UHPLC-QTOF-MS revealed significant metabolic reprogramming in PF sorghum, with comparable biomass and no yield penalty. Over 470 metabolites were differentially accumulated, including reduced alkaloids and phenolic acids and increased flavonoids, terpenoids, and jasmonates. Metabolic flux was redirected from dhurrin synthesis toward 4-coumarate-derived phenylpropanoid and flavonoid pathways, boosting antioxidant production. Upregulated jasmonic acid biosynthesis suggests activation of alternative defence signalling. The loss of dhurrin leads to a comprehensive specialization of metabolism favoring antioxidant and hormone pathways without compromising growth, providing key insights for developing safer, resilient prussic acid-free forage sorghum.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"238 ","pages":"Article 106230"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144933595","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}

{"title":"Metabolic and antioxidant responses drive Haloxylon ammodendron’s adaptation to drip irrigation with saline and freshwater in saline-alkali soils","authors":"Haitao Dou ,&nbsp;Qiao Xu ,&nbsp;Tao Lin ,&nbsp;Zewen Tong ,&nbsp;Aishajiang Aili ,&nbsp;Hailiang Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106225","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106225","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Saline water irrigation represents a promising strategy for addressing freshwater scarcity and rehabilitating saline-alkali lands, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying plant adaptation to varying salt conditions remain poorly understood. This study investigated the molecular responses of <em>Haloxylon ammodendron（H. ammodendron）</em> to freshwater versus saline water drip irrigation in saline-alkali soils using integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses coupled with dynamic soil ion monitoring. Freshwater irrigation temporarily reduced soil Na⁺ and Cl⁻ levels through leaching but caused Ca²⁺ and SO₄²⁻ accumulation, while saline water irrigation initially increased Na⁺ and Cl⁻ concentrations before achieving ion rebalancing and pH stabilization. Transcriptomic analysis revealed distinct molecular responses: freshwater irrigation induced 1305 differentially expressed genes primarily associated with secondary metabolite biosynthesis and antioxidant pathways, whereas saline water irrigation activated 825 genes enriched in carbohydrate metabolism and flavonoid biosynthesis. Metabolomic profiling showed higher numbers of differentially expressed metabolites under freshwater irrigation, particularly organic acids and amino acids. Correlation analysis demonstrated that saline water irrigation enhances salt tolerance through suppressed gene expression and metabolic pathway reconstruction, notably involving key flavonoid biosynthesis genes (SS2296411, SS3033913) that enable precise adaptation to salt fluctuations. These findings reveal that <em>H. ammodendron</em> maintains physiological homeostasis under salt stress by dynamically regulating secondary metabolism, energy balance, and antioxidant systems, providing theoretical foundations for optimizing saline water utilization and developing salt-tolerant crops through targeted genetic engineering.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"238 ","pages":"Article 106225"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144912571","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}

{"title":"High boron in irrigation water mitigates drought stress effects on 'Carrizo' citrange seedlings","authors":"M. Tasa ,&nbsp;M. González-Guzmán ,&nbsp;V. Arbona ,&nbsp;J.G. Pérez-Pérez","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106228","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106228","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cultivating citrus in semi-arid areas exposes them to drought periods and sometimes irrigation with non-conventional water sources (e.g. reclaimed water and desalinated seawater) containing high boron (B) concentration. This study aims to determine how high B influences plant water relations and water transport in well-watered (WW) and drought-stressed (DS) ‘Carrizo’ citrange [<em>Citrus sinensis</em> (L.) Osb. × <em>Poncirus trifoliata</em> L.] seedlings during a stress period and after rewatering. Seedlings were well-watered with control B (0.11 mg·L⁻¹) or high B concentration (5 mg·L⁻¹) for 29 days. Then irrigation was withheld from half the plants for 7 days (drought-stressed, DS), followed by a 10-day re-irrigation period using control B. High B irrigation increased endogenous B accumulation, without reaching toxic levels as chlorophyll fluorescence parameters remained unaltered and plant water status was unaffected. However, partial stomatal closure mediated by a 1.8-fold increase in foliar ABA accumulation decreased transpiration and photosynthesis. Under drought stress, plants irrigated with high B concentration better maintained their leaf water status, with leaf water potential decreasing by only 0.9 MPa compared to 1.8 MPa decrease in Control B-DS plants relative to their respective well-watered plants. Thus, high B enhanced drought tolerance through ABA-mediated stomatal regulation, allowing more conservative water use during drought. Plant water status of high B plants recovered faster and more completely than control B plants, which experienced greater drought-induced damage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"238 ","pages":"Article 106228"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144912570","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}

{"title":"Seasonal changes rather than competition drive inorganic and organic nitrogen acquisition and internal allocation in temperate trees","authors":"Robert Reuter,&nbsp;Judy Simon","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106227","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106227","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>For trees, soil nitrogen (N) acquisition and its internal allocation to different tissues are driven by species’ properties (e.g. growth rate, nutrient demand), the interactions among tree species, and their abiotic environment. Over the growing season, abiotic changes in, e.g. temperature and rainfall affect biogeochemical N cycling as well as N allocation and remobilisation processes in trees. We studied the influence of seasonality and developmental variation in woody seedlings, focussing on tree-tree interactions. We investigated the interaction effects among seven temperate European tree species on their inorganic and organic net N uptake capacity, internal allocation of N to metabolically active and storage tissues, and morphological traits at four leaf developmental stages over the growing season (i.e. before bud break, after leaf development, before / after leaf senescence). Seedlings of seven temperate European tree species were grown in mesocosms under natural forest conditions in intra- or interspecific competition. At the beginning of the growing season, organic N was favoured over inorganic N, whereas in autumn all N sources were taken up equally. Within species, N uptake and internal allocation generally varied over the growing season, except for N acquisition in <em>Carpinus</em>. Among tree species, the differences in N uptake and allocation were more related to species-specific morphological and physiological root traits, rather than functional properties. The outcome of the interactions was not generally affected within a tree community over the growing season but depended on the individual species. Thus, seasonal variation and species-specific properties should be considered for mixed species forests.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"238 ","pages":"Article 106227"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144912569","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}

{"title":"Tissue expression pattern and regulatory function of ERD15 in response to UV-B signaling in Arabidopsis thaliana","authors":"Yuxin Xie ,&nbsp;Man Shu ,&nbsp;Can Yuan ,&nbsp;Yang Fang ,&nbsp;Wenjing Xu ,&nbsp;Lei Feng ,&nbsp;Hong Cai ,&nbsp;Tiantian Xiong","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106226","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106226","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ultraviolet B band (UV-B) radiation, as an important component of the solar radiation spectrum and a key environmental factor, can regulate the expression of numerous genes and thus affects plant growth and development. Previous studies have shown that EARLY RESPONSIVE TO DEHYDRATION 15 (ERD15), acting downstream of BBX24, is known to mediate UV-B-induced hypocotyl growth inhibition, its precise regulatory function and molecular mechanisms within UV-B signaling remain unclear. In this study, we explored the tissue-specific expression patterns and regulatory roles of ERD15 in UV-B responses at the phenotypic, physiological, and transcriptional levels, revealing the regulatory network of ERD15 involvement in UV-B signaling. GUS staining revealed that UV-B radiation significantly suppressed ERD15 expression in hypocotyls and leaves, without causing obvious changes in roots. Phenotypic and physiological assessment further demonstrated that ERD15 inhibited the enhancement of leaf photosynthetic capacity under UV-B radiation. Transcriptome analysis indicated that ERD15 modulates UV-B responses through MAPK kinase, phytohormone, and antioxidant pathways, and interacts with multiple transcription factor families. Collectively, these findings elucidated the roles of ERD15 within the UV-B signaling regulatory network, and improved the current understanding of its molecular mechanisms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"237 ","pages":"Article 106226"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144895541","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}

{"title":"Sulfonamides impede duckweed growth by inducing an excessive accumulation of salicylic acid","authors":"Aolin Ma,&nbsp;Siqi Liu,&nbsp;Zhixuan Du,&nbsp;Longfei Zhu,&nbsp;Guanping Feng","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106224","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106224","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sulfonamides, owing to their therapeutic properties and cost-effectiveness, are widely employed in clinical settings and the animal husbandry industry. However, the misuse of these compounds has resulted in severe water pollution, thereby posing significant threats to the growth and development of aquatic plants such as duckweed. Our controlled experiments revealed that sulfonamide exposure disrupts the plasma membrane integrity in duckweed root tip cortex cells and inhibits the root growth. Utilizing ESI-HPLC-MS/MS, we identified that sulfonamide exposure elicits an immune response in duckweed, characterized by the generation of substantial amounts of salicylic acid (SA). The exogenous application of SA exacerbated the sulfonamide-induced growth inhibition, whereas the addition of the SA synthesis inhibitor 1-aminobenzotriazole (ABT) mitigated the stress induced by sulfonamides. A loss-of-function mutant of ICS1, a key enzyme in the SA biosynthesis pathway, exhibited complete insensitivity to sulfonamide exposure. Furthermore, transcription factors SARD1 and CBP60g, which regulate <em>ICS1</em> gene expression, were induced by sulfonamides, and their double mutant showed insensitivity to sulfonamide exposure. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection indicated abnormal accumulation of ROS in duckweed roots under sulfonamide exposure, which is likely to induce SA synthesis. These findings suggest that sulfonamide-mediated growth inhibition in plants is dependent on the ICS1-catalyzed SA biosynthesis pathway, thereby enhancing our understanding of the effects and mechanisms of sulfonamide exposure on aquatic plants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"237 ","pages":"Article 106224"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144893194","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}

{"title":"Nitrogen fertilization modulates the endophytic bacteria of Aconitum carmichaelii Debx. and the quality of medicinal materials","authors":"Yichuan Liang ,&nbsp;Hongji Hou ,&nbsp;Guangfei Wei ,&nbsp;Yujia Fu ,&nbsp;Qian Wang ,&nbsp;Tianwei Su ,&nbsp;Lan Zou ,&nbsp;Jing Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106223","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106223","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Aconitum carmichaelii</em> Debx. is a traditional medicinal plant with substantial economic value. Prolonged use of chemical fertilizers or high nitrogen (N) input may reduce the accumulation of pharmacodynamic compounds and adversely influence ecosystems. Although the impact of N fertilization on soil microorganisms has been extensively investigated, how N fertilization modulates the endophytic bacterial community and thus affects secondary metabolite accumulation in the host plant remains unclear. This study hypothesizes that moderate nitrogen fertilization enhances alkaloid accumulation by modulating endophytic bacterial communities, thereby altering plant metabolic pathways. The field experiment demonstrated that moderate N fertilization (N2: 350 kg N ha⁻¹) significantly increased the total alkaloid content in <em>A. carmichaelii</em> by 14.45 % (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) compared with that in the zero N control. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing indicated that moderate N fertilization significantly increased the diversity (Chao 1 and Shannon index, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) and altered the community composition (R² = 0.5081, <em>P</em> = 0.001) of endophytic bacteria. 64 endophytic bacterial taxa were identified differentially abundant taxa varying N treatments. Among them, 20 belonged to the N2 group, 16 of which demonstrated a strong positive correlation with alkaloid contents. Subsequent experiments confirmed that <em>Bacillus subtilis</em> JY-7–2L significantly enhanced alkaloid accumulation in <em>A. carmichaelii</em> (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) by producing alkaloids and inducing host metabolic pathways. Further analysis revealed that the metabolites from <em>B. subtilis</em> JY-7–2L remarkably up-regulated the genes related to signal transduction and alkaloid biosynthesis, thereby enhancing alkaloid accumulation in <em>A. carmichaelii</em>. This study demonstrated that rational fertilization significantly enhances plant–microbe interactions, particularly through the role of <em>B</em>. <em>subtilis</em> JY-7–2L in promoting alkaloid accumulation. These findings laid the foundation for optimizing the N fertilization strategy for <em>A. carmichaelii</em> cultivation and developing <em>B</em>. <em>subtilis</em> JY-7–2L strain into environmentally friendly biofertilizers to advance agricultural sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"238 ","pages":"Article 106223"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145118189","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}

{"title":"In situ chemical imaging shows differential element mobilization in the rhizosphere of the Ni hyperaccumulator Odontarrhena chalcidica","authors":"Alice Tognacchini ,&nbsp;Markus Puschenreiter ,&nbsp;Thomas Prohaska ,&nbsp;Stefan Wagner","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106221","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106221","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nickel (Ni) hyperaccumulating plants can accumulate Ni in their aboveground biomass at mass fractions exceeding 1000 μg g⁻¹ (dry weight). However, the processes controlling the acquisition of soil-borne Ni by hyperaccumulators remain poorly understood, particularly in relation to root-induced changes of rhizosphere chemistry. Using <em>in situ</em>, high-resolution chemical imaging via planar optodes and diffusive gradients in thin-films (DGT) combined with laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), this study investigated localized changes in the spatial distribution of pH along with Ni, iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and phosphorus (P) availability in the rhizosphere of the Ni hyperaccumulator <em>Odontarrhena chalcidica</em> grown on two ultramafic soils differing in pH (5.9 vs. 6.5) as well as total (552 vs. 1465 mg kg⁻¹) and extractable (42 vs. 158 mg kg⁻¹) Ni. Significant rhizosphere alkalinization of up to 1.5 pH units was observed at the immediate root surface in both soils, indicating root exudation of alkaline compounds. While Ni, Fe, and P fluxes were generally depleted around roots, increased Ni fluxes were observed only at root tips in the lower-Ni soil, highlighting a distinct biogeochemical niche for Ni mobilization. In contrast, increased Zn fluxes were observed consistently, irrespective of the soil or root type, revealing a previously unrecognized process for enhanced Zn availability in the rhizosphere. These findings suggest that <em>O. chalcidica</em> employs a highly selective rhizosphere modification strategy, combining pH shifts with element-specific mobilization mechanisms to control trace element availability and plant uptake.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"237 ","pages":"Article 106221"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144892037","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}

{"title":"From the shoot to the rhizosphere: The short-term cascade impact of aerial microplastic","authors":"Oussama Bouaicha ,&nbsp;Fabio Trevisan ,&nbsp;Raphael Tiziani ,&nbsp;Martin Brenner ,&nbsp;Wolfram Weckwerth ,&nbsp;Elisabetta Onelli ,&nbsp;Alessandra Moscatelli ,&nbsp;Tanja Mimmo ,&nbsp;Luigimaria Borruso","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106222","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106222","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We hypothesized that foliar exposure to polyethylene microspheres (PEMS) in tomato plants (<em>Solanum lycopersicum</em> L.) triggers a cascade of physiological responses in leaves that ultimately reshape the root metabolome and exudate composition, thereby modulating the root-associated microbiome. Tomato plants were grown in soil and hydroponics. Leaves were sprayed with PEMS (10–100–1000 mg L⁻¹) or water (Control), avoiding direct contact with the growing media. After 31 days, biomass, SPAD, root metabolome, and rhizosphere microbial communities in soil-grown plants and exudome in hydroponic were assessed; root metabolome and exudates were analyzed via GC-MS, and rhizosphere communities via DNA metabarcoding. Additionally, shoots and roots were examined using transmission electron microscopy. Foliar PEMS exposure increased shoot and root biomass and SPAD index in the early days post-treatments, while reducing shoot water content, likely due to PEMS-induced ultrastructural cellular damage. In roots, PEMS significantly reduced the concentrations of several key metabolites, including serine, tryptophan, 5,6-dihydrouracil, lactic acid, tartaric acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid. Root exudates also showed declines in isoleucine, malic, succinic, citric, aspartic, gluconic, and threonic acids. These changes significantly altered rhizobacterial alpha and beta diversity, notably enriching taxa linked to plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) functions. In contrast, fungal communities were unaffected, indicating lower responsiveness to short-term root exudate shifts. This underscores the short-term substantial impact of airborne microplastics on plant–rhizosphere system functioning. Overall, the aerial microplastics rapidly propagate effects from foliage to roots, altering belowground chemistry and selectively reshaping microbial communities, with potential consequences for nutrient cycling, plant health, and ecosystem resilience.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"237 ","pages":"Article 106222"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144889137","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}