Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants最新文献

Insect pests are responsible for significant yield losses across various crops. To mitigate the adverse effects of insect pressures on crop yields, it is essential to implement sustainable insect resistance strategies. Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.), a prominent leafy vegetable, produces 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), which offers protection against insect attacks and also have beneficial effects on human health. The detailed structure of 20E is known, however, the complete biosynthetic pathway is still elusive. This study showed a comprehensive genome-wide identification, phylogenetic analysis and functional characterization of cycloartenol synthase involved in the biosynthesis of 20E in spinach. Phylogenetic analysis of the four newly identified oxidosqualene cyclases (OSCs) from S. oleracea indicates that these OSCs have undergone lineage-specific duplication events and exhibit a clear orthologous relationship. Artificial microRNA (amiRNA)-mediated silencing showed down regulation of S. oleracea cycloartenol synthase (SoCAS) in the silenced plants. Liquid chromatography mass spectroscopy (LC-MS/MS) analysis revealed a corresponding decrease in related metabolites, including cycloartenol (7.93 fold), lathosterol (9.45-fold) and 20E (7.77-fold) as compared to non-infiltrated control plants. Furthermore, the overexpression of a codon-optimized full-length SoCAS gene resulted in a marked increase in the accumulation of cycloartenol (30.37-fold), cycloartenol acetate (6.49-fold), and campesterol (8.11-fold) in N. benthamiana, as well as cycloartenol (31.05-fold), lathosterol (20.08-fold) and 20E (21.09-fold) in S. oleracea as compared with non-infiltrated control plants. This study provides a new insight on the role of OSC in the production of cycloartenol and the 20E biosynthesis pathway intermediates in spinach, which could be utilized for the genetic improvement of plants that are resistant to herbivorous insects.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-025-01656-5.

Aluminum (Al) toxicity exhibits a challenge for growing strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa Duch), impacting their growth and nutritional value. Considerably in this study, we explored how melatonin, an endogenous plant hormone, can help alleviate Al stress in strawberry plants. The current research examined the effects of foliar spraying melatonin (0,50, and 100 ppm) on growth indicators, photosynthetic pigment levels, carbon and nitrogen assimilation, oxidative stress markers, and fruit quality attributes under Al stress (100 µM) in a controlled pot experiment conducted in a greenhouse. The results revealed that exposure to Al stress significantly reduced the adequate growth, as well as the yield and quality of fruits. Melatonin application improved plant growth parameters, especially at a concentration of 100 ppm, enhancing the levels of photosynthetic pigments and boosting carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism. Moreover, melatonin played a role in reducing stress markers while increasing enzymatic antioxidant activities (catalase, superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione peroxide, glutathione-S-transferase, and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase) and secondary metabolites (proline, ascorbic acid, flavonoids, reduced glutathione, and phytochelatins), while decreasing polyphenol oxidase activity as well as phenolics content, implying a role in ROS scavenging. The results underscore the promise of melatonin as a method to enhance the ability of strawberries to withstand Al toxicity and promote friendly agricultural practices in polluted soils.

Among abiotic stresses faced by plants, submergence or flooding is a significant factor that limits plant growth and yield. The partial or complete submergence leads to hypoxic conditions that severely restrict the growth of the plants. To survive under the stress, plants employ adaptive strategies like the escape mechanism, where they grow rapidly to rise above the water, or the quiescent strategy, conserving resources until stress conditions improve. The plant undergoes numerous biochemical, molecular, and morphological changes under submergence stress, including alterations in photosynthesis, nutrient uptake, ionic balance, and gene expression, particularly in the group of hypoxia-responsive genes. The plant responds to this stress by modulating a variety of biochemical pathways, including the N-degron pathway, trehalose synthesis pathways, and carbohydrate sensing. The state-of-the-art genetic engineering techniques (GE) can be the way out from this stress, but due to the multigenic reaction from the plant towards the stress, the direct pathway that makes plant submergence tolerant is still unknown and needs to be explored. Moreover, the review considers the known molecular changes that can enhance submergence tolerance in economically important crops, which could help improve agricultural resilience in flood-prone regions.

Drought stress impacts rice growth and development by altering the morphological, physiological and biochemical traits. The current study investigates the effect of melatonin (100 µM) mediated alteration on drought response in three varieties, viz., Pooja, Swarna and N22, in the seedling stage. The indicators of drought tolerance, such as leaf rolling score (LRS), leaf drying score (LDS), drought recovery score (DRS), root-shoot length, fresh and dry biomass, relative water content, photosynthesis-related parameter, osmolyte and antioxidant defence metabolites and enzymes, were studied. The results suggested that melatonin application reduced LRS, LDS and DRS and enhanced the drought recovery, with N22 having the highest tolerance. Melatonin also improved root and shoot growth, fresh and dry biomass, thereby ameliorating the detrimental effects of drought stress. Melatonin application also significantly improved root architecture, which ultimately leads to improvement of biomass accumulation in all three cultivars. Photosynthetic parameters, which include photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration rate (Tr), and chlorophyll content, were suggested to decline under drought stress, but were significantly increased due to melatonin treatment, promoting photosynthetic efficiency. Further, drought stress increased proline and sugar content, which was reported to be modulated by the application of melatonin, thereby helping it for osmotic adjustment. The current study highlights melatonin's beneficial role, thereby providing drought tolerance by improving root morphology, photosynthesis and antioxidant machinery. These findings revealed that melatonin application could be an effective strategy for improving drought tolerance in rice.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-025-01663-6.

Arsenic (As) contamination is a major global environmental concern that severely hampers crop productivity. Traditional chemical fertilizers, though widely used, can exacerbate toxicity when over applied, negatively impacting both plant health and the environment. Nanotechnology- A eco-friendly approach, offers promising alternatives. In this study, iron nanoparticles (FeNPs) were green-synthesized using tea waste and employed to mitigate As stress in three wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars: HD2824, HD3171, and HD2733, commonly grown in As-contaminated regions of India. The FeNPs were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), confirming the presence of key functional groups (C = O, -CH₃, C-O, OH), 2θ around 35.608 and an average particle size of ~ 50 nm. Wheat seedlings were treated with 100 mg Kg⁻¹ As, 100 mg Kg⁻¹ As + FeNPs, and a control (no treatment), and their responses were evaluated at 30, 60, 90, and 120 d. Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) results revealed maximum As accumulation (43.65 mg kg⁻¹) in HD2733 roots under As treatment at 90 d, which was reduced by 68.64% following FeNPs application. As exposure led to significant reductions in agronomic traits, biochemical parameters, and micronutrient content, while FeNPs treatment reversed these effects. Notably, FeNPs facilitated grain formation even under As stress and prevented As accumulation in grains. This is the first report of such findings, demonstrating the potential of FeNPs in restoring reproductive success and enhancing grain nutritional quality under As toxicity. The study highlights the viability of nano-enabled bioremediation as a sustainable strategy for improving crop performance in As-contaminated soils.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-025-01638-7.

Toxic heavy metal (THM) contamination largely driven by excessive use of synthetic chemicals, mining activities, pharmaceutical products, and industrial effluents, thretens water quality, soil fertility, crop productivity, that ultimately harms both plant and human health. Addressing this global environmental concern requires sustainable and eco-friendly remediation strategies. Present review highlights the pivotal role of microbial communities, whose enzymatic activity and secondary metabolites, such as metalloproteins, siderophores, and exopolysaccharides, and others, facilitate the adsorption, transformation, detoxification of THMs. Additionally, Biochar is highlighted as a promising amendment for mitigating THM pollution due to its ability to absorb and remove THMs, and improve the nutritional value of plants. The integration of biochar with beneficial microbes fosters a synergistic approach, amplifying THM removal efficiency, minimizing toxicity, and promoting plant health. The synergistic application of biochar and microorganism not only enhances the efficiency of heavy metal removal but also contributes to environmental protection and sustainable agriculture. This review article emphasizes the potential natural systems to combat heavy metal contamination, offering practical insights in their application for soil health improvement and global environmental safety.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-025-01649-4.

Heavy metal contamination of the environment is increasing alarmingly due to increased anthropogenic activities. Among the various heavy metals, cadmium is a highly toxic heavy metal requiring urgent removal from soil. Strobilanthes alternata, a herbaceous terrestrial plant, has been reported to be an excellent plant for Cd phytostabilization. The present study investigated the effect of 25 ppm of 6-Benzylaminopurine (6-BAP) foliar sprays on the modulation of the physiological responses and elemental constitution in S. alternata grown in 250 mg/kg CdCl₂ treated soil. The administration of 6-BAP effectively relieved the toxic effects of Cd by enhancing the total soluble sugar and alkaloid content of leaves by 56 and 250%, respectively, the total soluble protein content of roots by 27%, the phenolic content of roots and leaves by 9 and 10% respectively, and flavonoid content of roots and leaves by 53 and 6% respectively, in Cd-stressed S. alternata. Moreover, the 6-BAP-induced elevation of the thiol content of roots indicated amplified sequestration of Cd, thereby inflicting less damage to the aboveground portions of Cd + 6-BAP-treated plants. This inference was confirmed by SEM-EDX analysis, which revealed high Cd weight percentages in the roots of Cd + 6-BAP-treated plants. The ionomics and CHNS analysis confirmed that 6-BAP ascribable alterations in the elemental content and distribution helped the plant tolerate the adverse effects of Cd in S. alternata. Thus, the 6-BAP treatment could be used as a suitable and ecologically acceptable amendment to reduce Cd-induced damage and enhance the Cd phytostabilization potential in S. alternata.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-025-01574-6.

Rice is the main diet for more than half of the world's population; thus, it gains special interest to ensure it is safe for consumption. Growing rice, especially in flooded paddy fields where the soil or irrigation water is contaminated with Arsenic (As) favors rice to accumulate it in biomass and edible grains. Thus, rice is the primary source of dietary As contamination, which is a major health hazard. Understanding the mechanism of As uptake and developing approaches to restrict the movement of As from soil to different plant tissues are necessary to limit As accumulation in rice. This study investigates the role of rice plasma membrane intrinsic protein, OsPIP1;3, in As transport and translocation from root to shoot in rice. Suppression of OsPIP1;3 expression using RNAi (Ri) technology decreases As accumulation in the shoots of transgenic OsPIP1;3 Ri plants by (45.3-45.6%), with no noticeable effect on root arsenic levels. In contrast, constitutive overexpressing (OE) OsPIP1;3 increased As in shoots of rice seedlings by 8-29%, with no significant change in root As content compared with WT. At the maturity stage, OsPIP1;3 Ri plants accumulated (29-36%) and (5-21%) less As in shoot and flag leaves, respectively, while grains show a slight reduction. Similar to the seedling stages, OsPIP1;3 OE mature plants accumulated significantly high As levels in their shoots, flag leaves, and grains compared to WT. Together, these results suggest that OsPIP1;3 contribute to As transport from root to shoot in rice. This finding could add to the current knowledge of As transporters, which are collectively considered a major genetic source for manipulation to reduce As accumulation in rice and other food crops for improved human and environmental health.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-025-01657-4.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) have recently been used to alleviate arsenic (As) phytotoxicity in crops. However, no comparative research has assessed the potential of chemically and biologically synthesized ZnO-NPs in wheat varieties under As stress. Therefore, the present study conducted a comparative assessment of two ZnO-NPs to alleviate As stress in two wheat varieties (BARANI-70 and NARC-2009). In a hydroponic experiment (28-30 days), varieties were exposed to arsenate stress (200 uM/L), chemically synthesized ZnO-NPs, and biologically synthesized ZnO-NPs (100 mg/L and 200 mg/L). The present study performed histological analyses to assess the role of ZnO-NPs in alleviating As stress at the cellular level. Furthermore, the quantification of zinc (Zn) and As was carried out in wheat tissues. The present research examined the activities of antioxidant enzymes and secondary metabolites in alleviating As-induced oxidative stress by ZnO-NPs. Chemically synthesized NPs (100 mg/L) lowered oxidative stress markers (MDA, H₂O₂) while balancing pyruvate and GSH content in roots and shoots of NARC-2009. On the contrary, such particles at 200 mg/L increased oxidative stress in both varieties, prominently in Barani-70. Biogenic ZnO-NPs reduced oxidative stress in roots and shoots of both varieties, at both 100 mg/L and 200 mg/L exposures. Increased stele thickness and reduced cortex thickness were observed under chemically synthesized NPs, while biogenic NPs restored normal root anatomy in both varieties. Chemically synthesized NPs increased Zn accumulation and reduced As in shoots and roots, but biogenic NPs achieved similar As mitigation with balanced Zn levels. Lower antioxidant activities and metabolites (flavonoids, phenols, proline) indicated reduced stress with biogenic NPs. The findings revealed that biogenic ZnO-NPs at 100 mg/L were less toxic and more effective for As stress alleviation in both wheat varieties.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-025-01590-6.

The outcome of phytoremediation depends on complex interactions among root exudates, plant hormones, and root-associated microorganisms affecting metal bioavailability, absorption, translocation, and detoxification. The fluctuation in root exudation patterns across plant species and environmental conditions therefore limits the predictability and scalability of phytoremediation. Organic acids, flavonoids, sugars, and secondary metabolites are particularly important in rhizosphere modification and microbial recruitment even if their quick microbial degradation could reduce their long-term influence on metal bioavailability. The role of plant hormones is also yet unknown in metal stress responses. Auxins and cytokinins increase metal absorption and root growth; abscisic acid increases metal immobilization, so better suited for phytostabilization. Ethylene, a key stress signal, may have long-term deleterious effects on plant development, limiting its utilization in corrective treatment. Moreover very promising in enhancing metal solubility and plant tolerance is microbial-assisted phytoremediation using plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus. Still, soil heterogeneity, environmental fluctuations, and competition with native microbial populations restrict the long-term survival and efficiency of introduced microbial inoculants. This work investigates the molecular goals, advantages, and constraints of root exudates, plant hormones, and microbial interactions in phytoremediation with critical eye on maximizing phytoremediation as a scalable, site-specific approach for reducing heavy metal pollution depends on an awareness of this biological complexity.