Horticulture Environment and Biotechnology最新文献

Long-term drought stress has irreversible effects on potato growth and reduces yield. Uniconazole can alleviate the growth inhibition and plant damage resulting from drought stress. In the current study, the effects of drought stress on the leaf physiology and yield of two potato varieties (Kexin No. 1, drought-tolerant, and Atlantic, drought-sensitive) and the ability of uniconazole to promote growth and productivity under drought conditions were studied. The results showed that uniconazole could effectively alleviate the degradation of chlorophyll under drought stress, and drought significantly inhibited the photosynthetic rate (P_n), transpiration rate (T_r), stomatal conductance (G_s), and intercellular CO₂ concentration (C_i) of the leaves of the two potato varieties. Exogenous uniconazole effectively alleviated the inhibitory effect of drought on the photosynthetic parameters of potato leaves. Compared with drought treatment, uniconazole treatment reduced malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and superoxide anion (O₂⁻) production in the leaves of Kexin No. 1 and Atlantic plants and increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes, alleviating the loss of yield factors caused by drought stress. In addition, the antioxidant enzyme activity and nonenzymatic antioxidant activity of both varieties increased in response to drought stress. Drought + uniconazole treatment further increased the contents of the osmotic adjustment substances soluble protein and proline and ascorbate-glutathione (ASA-GSH) cycle products and substrates, including ascorbic acid (ASA), dehydroascorbate (DHA), glutathione (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG). Drought + uniconazole treatment also increased the ratio of ASA/DHA and GSH/GSSG in the two potato varieties under drought stress. This enhancement elevated the levels of reducing power and antioxidant capacity in the leaves, thus reducing the impacts of reactive oxygen species on the cell membrane. The drought-tolerant variety Kexin No. 1 exhibited a greater recovery than did the drought-sensitive variety Atlantic. These results provide a valuable reference for understanding the mechanism of drought resistance in potato plants and the effectiveness of uniconazole in alleviating drought-induced stress.

Grapevine leaf rust (GLR) caused by Phakopsora euvitis is a serious disease that results in severe leaf necrosis and early plant defoliation. This study sought to understand the plant host response against GLR at the molecular level and select useful genes for the breeding of resistant grapes. Hence, transcriptome analysis was conducted in two pathogen-inoculated Korean wild grape genotypes, namely, Vitis coignetiae Pulliant (Vc) and V. flexuosa Thunb (Vf), resistant and susceptible to GLR, respectively. RNAs were extracted from uninfected and infected leaves 24 h post-inoculation (hpi). In transcriptome analysis, a total of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were 3979 and 2436 in the resistant and susceptible genotypes, of which 1765 and 1162 were up-regulated, and 2214 and 1274 were down-regulated, respectively. The top five up-regulated genes in Vc compared to Vf were homolog of carrot EP3-3 chitinase, calcineurin B-like proteins (CBL)-interacting protein kinase 20 (CIPK20), chalcone and stilbene synthase family protein, osmotin 34, and major latex protein (MLP)-like protein 423 (MLP423). The five most down-regulated genes in Vc compared to Vf were RADIALIS (RAD)-like 1, flavonol synthase 1, glutamine synthetase 2, RAD-like 6, and GDSL-like lipase/acylhydrolase superfamily protein, which were validated for their expression by real-time PCR. According to the Gene Ontology (GO) analysis, most of the up-regulated genes in Vc were associated with metabolic processes, whereas, most of down-regulated genes in Vf were associated with catalytic activity. The down-regulated genes in Vc and up-regulated genes in Vf were mostly associated with metabolic processes and catalytic activity. Defense-related genes, including phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins, and salicylic acid (SA)-dependent responses were differentially expressed against the infection by the pathogen. This is the first report on the transcriptome analysis of grapevines in response to GLR and provides a basis for further studies on the discovery of resistant genes and the development of GLR-resistant grapevine varieties.

Aluminum (Al) is the most abundant element in the earth crust. Due to the abuse of phosphate fertilizer, acid rain has been frequently observed in recent years, resulting in the conversion of non-toxic aluminosilicates in the soil into Al ions, thereby causing stress to plants. As a DNA methylation inhibitor, curcumin can effectively counteract the Al stress on plants, while the epigenetic mechanism remains unclear. This study discusses the epigenetic mechanism of curcumin counteracting Al stress on grape. The results demonstrated that curcumin could significantly relieve the Al stress symptoms of grapes and reduce its whole genome methylation level. Al stress and curcumin treatment did not cause variations in the methylation level in each chromosome. While Al stress led to a slight increase in the average methylation level of each chromosome, and treatment by curcumin led to a significant decrease in the average methylation level of each chromosome. Specifically, the sites of CG and CHG were decreased significantly, and the site of CHH was increased or decreased significantly. Analysis of differentially-methylated regions (DMRs) revealed that treatment by curcumin led to an increase in hypo-DMRs in the whole genome of grape, and analysis of differentially-methylated genes (DMGs) also identified differentially related genes of hypo-DMRs in the whole genome of grapes, suggesting that curcumin triggers responses to Al stress by regulating hypo-methylation mode of the whole genome of grape. Additionally, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis demonstrated that DMGs of grapes generate responses to Al stress by participating in galactose metabolism, ascorbate, and aldarate metabolism, and amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism pathways of carbohydrate metabolism in the KEGG subclass.

This study evaluates and contrasts the concurrent application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer and diverse forms of iron (Fe) fertilizer on the physiological growth and components of wine grape berries. The objective is to provide both theoretical insights and practical support to enhance berry quality and optimize wine fermentation processes. Eight treatments were established encompassing two main treatments (without urea and with urea application) and four sub-treatments (ferrous sulfate, ferrous gluconate, EDTA-Fe, and ferric citrate). Results indicate that the synergistic application of N fertilizer and chelated Fe fertilizer significantly improves the photosynthetic characteristics of grape leaves, leading to a remarkable enhancement in leaf chlorophyll content (13.7–83.9%). Moreover, the combined application of N and Fe fertilizers significantly boosts berry tannin levels (11.2–21.5%), anthocyanins (2.8–117%), and total phenols (1.9–41.2%). Additionally, there is a notable increase in the relative abundance of amino acids and flavonoids, contributing to an augmented yield (3.9–36.1%). Correlation analysis suggests that the synergistic application of N and Fe improves berry quality by augmenting N and Fe content in the leaves, promoting photosynthesis, improving water-use efficiency, and increasing leaf chlorophyll content. Overall, the comprehensive score of the principal component analysis reveals that the synergistic application of N fertilizer and chelated Fe fertilizer has the most significant effect, leading to substantial improvements in the quality and yield of the berries. These findings provide critical theoretical support for future fertilizer strategies aimed at enhancing the quality and nutritional value of berries and wine.

Abstract

Seeds of winter strawberry (Rubus buergeri Miq.) germinate at a low rate over an extended period due to their hard coat and deep dormancy. This study compared the effects of different physicochemical treatments on the germination rate and duration of the germination period of winter strawberry seeds. Seeds were treated by sandpaper scarification, sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) scarification, and gibberellic acid (GA₃). Of these physicochemical treatments, sandpaper scarification produced the greatest improvement to the germination rate and shortening of the germination period. Treatment with GA₃ also produced positive effects, albeit to a lesser level. By contrast, sulfuric acid scarification decreased the germination rate relative to the control group. Although GA₃ treatment had positive effects on true leaf formation and subsequent growth of seedlings, sandpaper scarification was the most effective method of inducing true leaf formation within a short period and, subsequently, for ensuring normal growth. Sandpaper scarification of seed resulted in > 90% germination, representing an approximately 80% improvement compared with the control group by week 6. Moreover, true leaves emerged in ~ 70% of seedlings within 6 weeks. Sandpaper scarification was thus a very effective seed treatment, not only for improving the germination rate and shortening the germination period of winter strawberry seeds but also for producing healthy seedlings.

Abstract

This study determined the optimal ultraviolet (UV)-B dose of major vegetable seedlings in a plant factory with artificial light for labor saving. Four vegetable seedlings, cucumber, watermelon, tomato, and pepper, were used as test crops. UV-B irradiation was conducted at four different UV-B doses of 1.08, 2.16, 3.24, and 4.32 kJ·m⁻² d⁻¹ for 3 h a day for 3 days after graft-take and temporary planting of fruit vegetable seedlings. After UV-B irradiation, seedlings were moved to a greenhouse and exposed to ultraviolet rays of sunlight; growth was observed; and chlorophyll fluorescence was measured. When subjected to UV-B irradiation, minimal changes in external traits of fruit vegetable seedlings were observed at doses below 2.16 kJ·m⁻²·d⁻¹, while at higher intensities, issues such as chlorosis emerged. When UV-B was irradiated at 4.32 kJ·m⁻²·d⁻¹, cucumber exhibited a decrease in hypocotyl length by 6.4 cm, and watermelon by 1.7 cm compared with the control. Additionally, cucumber and watermelon both showed a decrease in leaf area by 75.6 cm² and 49.8 cm², respectively, indicating a tendency of growth inhibition. For tomatoes and peppers, when UV-B was irradiated at 1.08 kJ·m⁻²·d⁻¹, they exhibited an improvement in compactness by 5 and 2.5 mg·cm⁻¹, respectively, compared with the control. Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters indicated a positive correlation between ABS/RC and DI_O/RC with increasing UV-B doses, while F_V/F_M and PI_ABS showed a negative correlation. Using UV-B during the seedling acclimation period, seedlings can adapt to external UV radiation, thereby suppressing excessive growth and promoting the production of robust seedlings. Moreover, the utilization of UV-B within a plant factory allows for conducting the acclimation process within the facility, reducing the need for seedlings to be transported to conventional nurseries and offering potential benefits in terms of operational efficiency.

Abstract

REVEILLE (RVEs) transcription factors play an important role in regulating circadian clock, plant growth and development, and stress responses. While RVEs have been identified in various plant species, comprehensive genome exploration and analysis of RVEs in castor (Ricinus communis L.) have not been previously reported. In this study, we identified RcRVEs in the castor genome through sequence alignment and conducted an analysis encompassing gene structures, protein motifs, physicochemical properties, transcription patterns under cold stress, different tissues, and diurnal rhythm. A total of five RcRVEs were pinpointed in the castor genome. Evolutionary tree analysis categorized these RcRVEs into three distinct groups, implying that different RcRVEs may fulfill distinct biological functions. Furthermore, several abiotic stresses and hormone-responsive cis-acting elements were found in the promoters of the RcRVEs. RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis revealed that RcRVE1 and RcRVE7 were induced by cold stress and exhibited upregulation over time, indicating their involvement in regulating cold adaptation in castor plants. Five RcRVEs have notably higher expression levels in leaves compared to other tissues. The expression of all RcRVEs displayed diurnal rhythms under light/dark cycles. This study provides valuable insights into the potential functions of RcRVEs in regulating castor’s growth and development, and responses to cold stress.

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides), a hardy deciduous shrub of the family Elaeagnaceae, is known for its economic and ecological importance due to its wide use in medicine, food, windbreaks, and sand fixation. In this study, the first genetic linkage map of H. rhamnoides was constructed based on an F₁ population (H. rhamnoides subsp. mongolica ‘wulangemu’ × H. rhamnoides subsp. sinensis ‘wucixiong’) by using start codon targeted (SCoT), sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP), and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. The linkage map contained 1143 markers with a total length of 1889.46 centimorgans (cM), including 12 linkage groups (LG) and covering 97.17% of the estimated genome, with an average marker density of 1.67 cM. According to the phenotypic variation analysis, 61 QTLs were identified. Among these QTLs, there were 18 QTLs for seedling height, 27 QTLs for ground diameter, two QTLs for primary branching angle, 11 QTLs for leaf width, and 3 QTLs for leaf shape index. The range of phenotypic variation explained by these QTLs was 10.7 ~ 21.9%. The QTLs identified by high-density linkage mapping reported in this study will be useful for the molecular breeding of sea buckthorn.

Mulberry (Morus L.) is an important crop for the sericulture industry, serving as the primary food source for the silkworm Bombyx mori L. Thailand has a long history of practicing sericulture and has imported and improved upon many indigenous cultivars to create new hybrid offspring. It is crucial to understand the genetic divergence of these accessions for their conservation and utilization in selection and breeding. In this study, 85 representative mulberry accessions in Thailand were observed morphology and analyzed for their genetic relationships using SRAP and EST-SSR markers. The findings indicate that the morphological traits of Thai mulberry are distinctive enough to differentiate between M. macroura Miq. and wild hybrid mulberry, and a group consisting of M. alba L. and M. australis Poir., and their hybrids. 12 SRAP primer combinations produced 193 polymorphic amplicons with an average of 17.0 bands per primer set, and the mean of PIC was 0.259. Eleven novel EST-SSR primers generated 35 amplicons with an average of 3.2 alleles per primer set, and the average PIC was 0.139. The dendrogram obtained using the UPGMA algorithm in R studio showed that the wild and wild hybrid mulberry were genetically distant from the domesticated species studied here. These findings have important implications for the characterization, improvement, molecular systematics, and conservation of Thai mulberry germplasm.

Nutrient deficiencies are one of the main causes of significant reductions in commercial crop production by affecting associated growth factors. Proper plant nutrition is crucial for crop quality and yield therefore, early and objective detection of nutrient deficiency is required. Recent literature has explored the real-time monitoring of plant electrical signal, called electrophysiology, applied on tomato crop cultivated in greenhouse. This sensor allows to identify the stressed state of a plant in the presence of different biotic and abiotic stressors by employing machine learning techniques. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of electrophysiology signal recordings acquired from tomato plants growing in a production greenhouse environment, to detect the stress of a plant triggered by the deficiency of several main nutrients. Based on a previously proposed workflow consisting of continuous acquisition of electrical signal then application of machine learning techniques, the minimum signal features was evaluated. This study presents classification models that are able to distinguish the plant’s stressed state with good accuracy, namely 78.5% for manganese, 78.1% for iron, 89.6% for nitrogen, and 78.1% for calcium deficiency, and therefore suggests a novel path to detect nutrient deficiencies at an early stage. This could constitute a novel practical tool to help and assist farmers in nutrition management.