Plant Physiology and Biochemistry最新文献

{"title":"Early Cd response and sequestration strategies in Arabidopsis halleri ssp. gemmifera elucidated by transcriptomic analysis","authors":"Christine Dwi A.P. Wiyono ,&nbsp;Ryota Moriuchi ,&nbsp;Shujun Wei ,&nbsp;Syarifah Hikmah Julinda Sari ,&nbsp;Chihiro Inoue ,&nbsp;Mei-Fang Chien","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111132","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111132","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Arabidopsis halleri</em> ssp<em>. gemmifera</em> is a promising Cd phytoremediation agent, however, the metal uptake and accumulation mechanism remain poorly understood. This study focused on the 2-hours early responses associated with Cd uptake and temporary Cd retention in roots. To distinguish Cd-specific responses from shared divalent metal responses, transcriptomic analyses were performed on roots exposed to Cd compared to excess Zn. Cd exposure induced a clearly larger number of differentially expressed genes than higher concentration of Zn exposure, indicating a distinct early response to Cd. Genes encoding transporters such as <em>PCR2</em>, <em>DTX1</em>, <em>PDR8</em>, <em>PDR12</em>, <em>CAX4</em>, <em>MHX1</em>, and <em>ABCC2</em> were highly upregulated during the early exposure phase. Cd retention in roots may be mediated by these transporters, which could contribute to Cd efflux into the apoplast or vacuolar sequestration. Further, genes involved in intracellular Cd chelation, including those encoding glutathione, HIPPs, and HMPs protein, were upregulated rather than genes encoding phytochelatins. Additionally, upregulation of genes involved in cell wall biosynthesis and remodeling was observed, suggesting a structural modification occurs during early Cd exposure, contributing to reinforcement and temporary Cd storage before translocation. This hypothesis is supported by increased lignification in root tissues and the accumulation of Cd in the apoplastic region, indicating that cell wall serves as sequestration site in <em>A. halleri</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 111132"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146191937","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":"Physiological and ecological adaptation mechanisms of tobacco under combined stress of acid rain and cadmium","authors":"Kaiyuan Gu ,&nbsp;Xianglu Liu ,&nbsp;Xu Wei ,&nbsp;Binbin Hu ,&nbsp;Jiaen Su ,&nbsp;Zhimei Yang ,&nbsp;Yonglei Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111125","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111125","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated the physiological and metabolic responses of flue-cured tobacco (cv. K326) to combined acid rain and cadmium (Cd) stress. A pot experiment was conducted with three acidity levels (pH 6.5, 4.5, and 2.5) and three Cd concentrations (0, 5, and 10 mg kg⁻¹) to assess changes in photosynthetic pigments, chloroplast ultrastructure, antioxidant enzyme activities, and osmotic regulators. Targeted metabolomic analysis was performed to identify key metabolites and pathways involved in stress adaptation. As acidity increased and Cd concentration rose, activities of peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) decreased by 27.4% and 34.8%, respectively, while malondialdehyde (MDA) levels significantly increased, indicating heightened oxidative damage. Under strong acidity (pH 2.5) and high Cd stress, chlorophyll <em>a and b</em> contents declined by 21.3% and 18.9%, respectively, alongside severe chloroplast disorganization and disrupted thylakoid stacking. Metabolomic profiling identified differential metabolites predominantly enriched in the ABC transporter and starch–sucrose metabolism pathways, suggesting that tobacco plants adapt to stress through metabolic reprogramming. Overall, combined acid rain and Cd stress severely compromised the physiological and metabolic integrity of flue-cured tobacco, with the synergistic effects of high acidity and Cd exposure significantly impairing the plant's adaptive capacity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 111125"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146192719","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-specific glycosyltransferases from mango and their potential role in defense","authors":"Tejas Vare ,&nbsp;Rakesh Joshi ,&nbsp;Jieren Liao ,&nbsp;Thomas Hoffmann ,&nbsp;Wilfried Schwab ,&nbsp;Ashok Giri","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111137","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111137","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Alphonso mango (<em>Mangifera indica</em> cv. Alphonso) is a cornerstone of India's fruit industry due to its distinct aroma and shelf-life characteristics. The uridine diphosphate-dependent glycosyltransferases (UGTs) play a crucial role in stabilising aroma and defense-related specialised metabolites in fruits. The present study explores the potential role of UGTs during mango ripening and <em>Colletotrichum gloeosporioides</em> infection. Gene expression analysis indicated that UGTs showed dynamic expression in skin and pulp during ripening. Phylogenetic analysis revealed substrate-driven divergence of UGTs, with MiUGT92A14 and MiUGT95B15 forming distinct clades associated with flavonoid glycosylation. Recombinant UGTs showed a higher preference for UDP-glucose, which is corroborated by the high accumulation of UDP-glucose during ripening. Furthermore, it was observed that MiUGT92A14 prefers phenolic acids as substrates, while MiGT95B15 shows flavonoid specificity. Spore germination assays demonstrated that both aglycones and their glycosylated derivatives suppressed early fungal morphogenesis, supporting a role for UGT-mediated glycosylation in maintaining defense-related metabolites in a bioactive yet non-toxic form during fruit ripening. Additionally, <em>Colletotrichum gloeosporioides</em> inhibition assays demonstrated that glycosylated products of selected UGTs exhibited equal or enhanced antifungal activity compared with their aglycone forms, indicating that glycosylation promotes the safe accumulation of antifungal compounds by reducing aglycone toxicity to the plant. These findings suggest that glycosylation of specific metabolites is a key for ripening process and to potentiate defence against fungal pathogen.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 111137"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146192837","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":"Integrated stomatal-wax traits confer sustained tolerance of Pistacia weinmanniifolia to prolonged dry-heat environment","authors":"Boqin Zheng ,&nbsp;Ajoronor Samuel Ewhea ,&nbsp;Han Zhang ,&nbsp;Guowei Zheng ,&nbsp;Juan Guo ,&nbsp;Donghai Li ,&nbsp;Defeng Feng ,&nbsp;Mingda Zhang ,&nbsp;Chaolei Yang ,&nbsp;Yanqiang Jin ,&nbsp;Bo Tian","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111126","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111126","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Compound drought-heat events are becoming the dominant driver of tree mortality under rapid climate change. However, the functional-trait syndromes that allow woody species to survive prolonged dry-heat stress remain unresolved. We quantified leaf morphology, photosynthetic pigments, stomatal architecture, and wax micro-morphology and chemistry in <em>Pistacia weinmanniifolia</em> populations inhabiting three contrasting climates in south-western China: (i) dry-heat (the dry-hot valley in Jisha River, JSR), (ii) humid-heat (the tropical rainforest in Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, XSBN), and (iii) an intermediate transitional site (the evergreen broadleaf forest in Chengjiang, CJ). Compared with plants grown in XSBN, JSR plants displayed a 60% lower specific leaf area, 44–60% lower chlorophyll content, a 36% higher carotenoid-to-chlorophyll ratio, a 65% larger individual stomatal area without altered stomatal density, a 198% increase 1-Octacosanol coverage, which dominates in platelet-like wax crystals. The data reveal a coordinated stomatal-wax strategy: enlarged, but not more numerous, stomata facilitate heat dissipation, while a highly reflective, alcohol-rich wax layer reduces radiative load and cuticular transpiration. This functional integration explains the exceptional tolerance of <em>P. weinmanniifolia</em> to sustained dry-heat extremes and provides a mechanistic framework for predicting species persistence under future compound climate stresses.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 111126"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146192838","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":"Corrigendum to: Research article \"Exogenous silicon alters organic acid production and enzymatic activity of TCA cycle in two NaCl stressed indica rice cultivars\" [Plant Physiol. Biochem. 136 (2019) 76-91].","authors":"Prabal Das, Indrani Manna, Palin Sil, Maumita Bandyopadhyay, Asok K Biswas","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111115","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111115","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":" ","pages":"111115"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146158178","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":"Molecular regulation of winter bud dormancy in mulberry (Morus spp.) through the MaSVP-MaBGA signaling module","authors":"Bing Sun ,&nbsp;Zhaoxia Dong ,&nbsp;Feng Zhang ,&nbsp;Zhixian Zhu ,&nbsp;Cheng Zhang ,&nbsp;Guangming Han ,&nbsp;Cui Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111128","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111128","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Maintenance of winter bud dormancy is a critical agronomic trait determining the fruit ripening period in mulberry (<em>Morus</em> spp.); however, the underlying molecular regulatory mechanisms remain largely elusive. In this study, we utilized an F1 segregating population derived from a cross between the late-budding species <em>Morus wittiorum</em> and the early-budding cultivar ‘322'. By integrating bulked segregant analysis sequencing (BSA-Seq) with RNA-Seq, we identified a dormancy-associated quantitative trait locus (QTL) interval (LB, 9.99–11.99 Mb) on chromosome 13 and pinpointed <em>MaBGA</em> (a <em>β-glucosidase</em> gene) as a candidate gene. Functional characterization via virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) demonstrated that <em>MaSVP</em> acts as a repressor of winter bud sprouting, whereas <em>MaBGA</em> facilitates dormancy release. Yeast one-hybrid, dual-luciferase reporter, and electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) further confirmed that MaSVP directly binds to the <em>MaBGA</em> promoter to repress its transcription. Consistently, <em>MaBGA</em> expression was significantly upregulated during bud sprouting. Here, we unveil a novel MaSVP-MaBGA regulatory module. Distinct from the classical model where SVP/DAM proteins regulate dormancy indirectly via hormone homeostasis, this module maintains winter bud dormancy through the direct molecular interaction between a transcription factor and a <em>β-glucosidase</em> gene, thereby expanding the molecular regulatory network of bud dormancy in perennial plants. These findings not only provide fresh insights into the dormancy mechanisms of mulberry but also offer critical genetic resources and theoretical foundations for the molecular breeding of early- and late-ripening varieties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 111128"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146192720","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":"TO-GCN analysis reveals the salt response mechanism in Carya illinoinensis and a Preliminary Exploration of the ‘CiPLATZ23-PIP2;8’ module","authors":"Shunran Zhang,&nbsp;Zixian Yao,&nbsp;Jinhua He,&nbsp;Linna Wang,&nbsp;Xiaoyue Zhang,&nbsp;Yangang Lan,&nbsp;Yan Xiang","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111129","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111129","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Carya illinoinensis</em> was a crop with high value and was widely cultivated in China. Particularly under the increasingly severe soil salinization background, the promotion of salt-tolerant <em>C</em>. <em>illinoinensis</em> varieties provided substantial economic benefits to local regions. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying <em>C</em>. <em>illinoinensis</em>'s salt response remained unclear. Two-year-old <em>C</em>. <em>illinoinensis</em> saplings exhibited significant damage after treatment with 600 mM NaCl solution. Transcriptome data at nine salt treatment time points were obtained from two-year-old <em>C</em>. <em>illinoinensis</em> saplings using RNA-seq, and 7840 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified to construct a time-ordered gene co-expression network (TO-GCN). DEGs in the TO-GCN were classified into 10 levels corresponding to salt treatment time points. Genes in Level 1 (L1) and Level 2 (L2) were enriched in Gene Ontology (GO) terms associated with photosynthesis and transport channel proteins. Cluster analysis identified three aquaporin-coding genes among highly expressed genes. Based on promoter cis-acting elements, A/T-rich sequence features, and antagonistic gene expression patterns in transcriptomic data, it was speculated that <em>CiPIP2;</em>8 might be transcriptionally repressed by the upstream transcription factor CiPLATZ23. This hypothesis was validated through a Dual-luciferase reporter (DLR) assay. The presence of ABA-responsive elements (ABREs) in Pro<em>CiPLATZ23</em> suggested its involvement in the abscisic acid (ABA) pathway. Transient expression of <em>ProCiPLATZ23::GUS</em> in <em>Nicotiana benthamiana</em> exhibited enhanced histochemical staining following ABA treatment. Within 24 h after spraying walnuts with ABA, the transcription level of <em>CiPLATZ23</em> rapidly increased. Furthermore, <em>35S::CiPLATZ23</em> overexpression lines in <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em> displayed reduced ABA sensitivity compared to Wild-type (WT) <em>A</em>. <em>thaliana</em>. Reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), yeast one-hybrid, and DLR assays confirmed that CiPLATZ23 participated in regulating ABA sensitivity by binding to the promoter of <em>AtPIP2;8</em>, the homolog of <em>CiPIP2;8</em> in <em>A</em>. <em>thaliana</em>. Characterization of canonical ABA pathway families confirmed that <em>C</em>. <em>illinoinensis</em> ABA responses were implicated under salt stress. This study employed TO-GCN analysis of RNA-seq data to elucidate salt stress response mechanisms in <em>C. illinoinensis</em> and identified a key module 'CiPLATZ23-PIP2; 8′ that may be associated with ABA.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 111129"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146192841","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":"Distinct transcriptional programs control polyethylene glycol (PEG)-induced drought stress responses in oat (Avena sativa L.) shoot and roots","authors":"Mateus Simionato da Silva ,&nbsp;Luciano Carlos da Maia ,&nbsp;Bruna Miranda Rodrigues ,&nbsp;Vera Quecini ,&nbsp;Antonio Costa de Oliveira ,&nbsp;Camila Pegoraro","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111123","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111123","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Oats (<em>Avena sativa</em> L.) are generally considered tolerant to unfavorable environmental conditions, although drought is known to impose yield losses. Several breeding programs worldwide aim at producing new oat genotypes tolerant to water deficit, but the molecular mechanisms underlying drought responses remain scarcely characterized. We investigated the growth and biomass production of 12 oat genotypes submitted to dehydration induced by PEG. Shoot elongation and biomass production were severely impaired by osmotic stress, whereas in roots growth and dry weight were mostly increased. To gain further insight into the responses, seedlings from ‘URS Altiva’ were subjected to osmotic stress for seven days, their growth and biomass performance investigated, and the transcriptome was determined for the shoots and roots of control and water-stressed plants. Distinct transcriptional programs were demonstrated to control dehydration responses in shoots and roots, agreeing with the phenotypic responses. Photosynthesis and chloroplast assembly pathways were negatively affected in the shoots, whereas in the roots the transcription of defense genes was mostly impaired. The salvage pathways induced by osmotic stress in oat shoots and roots were shared, consisting of water deprivation and abscisic acid-mediated pathways. Candidate genes and transcription factors regulating these pathways in response to dehydration were identified. Three modules of co-regulated genes were demonstrated to be correlated with biomass production in the shoots and roots and shoot elongation. This work contributes to the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the differential response of shoots and roots to dehydration and may provide tools to develop new tolerant cultivars.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 111123"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146158135","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":"SlIAA9 mutation enhances tomato seed resilience to heat stress","authors":"Bayu Pradana Nur Rahmat ,&nbsp;Iqbal Fathurrahim Elfakhriano ,&nbsp;Nono Carsono ,&nbsp;Farida Damayanti ,&nbsp;Syariful Mubarok ,&nbsp;Hoshikawa Ken ,&nbsp;Hiroshi Ezura ,&nbsp;Seung Won Kang","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111103","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111103","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Heat stress during seed germination represents a critical constraint to crop establishment, yet the hormonal and genetic mechanisms governing seed resilience to heat stress remains poorly understood. In tomato (<em>Solanum lycopersicum</em>), the role of auxin signaling repressor <em>SlIAA9</em> in regulating seed germination and responses to heat stress has not been defined. Here, we investigated how loss of function mutation in <em>SlIAA9</em> affects seed resilience under high temperature and post stress recovery. Utilizing two <em>SlIAA9</em> mutant lines (<em>iaa9-5 and iaa9-3</em>) and Wild-Type Micro-Tom tomatoes, we assessed germination behaviors, seed quality parameters, reactive oxygen species (ROS) contents, and transcriptional responses during heat stress and recovery. Both mutants exhibited enhanced resilience to heat stress, with <em>iaa9-5</em> maintaining high germination rate, normal seed and seedling qualities, and rapid post-stress recovery. This phenotype was associated with reduced accumulation of H₂O₂ and O₂⁻ and elevated expression of antioxidant and heat-responsive genes. Heat stress triggered stronger induction of <em>HSFA9</em> and <em>HSP70</em> in the mutants, while dormancy associated abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis genes were suppressed and ethylene biosynthesis genes were upregulated during stress recovery. Together, these findings identify <em>SlIAA9</em> as a negative regulator of seed resilience to heat stress and loss of <em>SlIAA9</em> function enhances antioxidant capacity and heat-responsive transcriptional programs during germination and recovery. Highlighting <em>SlIAA9</em> as a potential genetic target for improving seed resilience to heat stress.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 111103"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146192724","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":"Trade-offs between biomass and bioactive compounds in Silybum marianum under elevated CO2 and water deficit across genotypes","authors":"Shiba Samieadel,&nbsp;Hamid Reza Eshghizadeh,&nbsp;Morteza Zahedi,&nbsp;Mohammd Mahdi Majidi","doi":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111047","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111047","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change, characterized by rising atmospheric CO₂ and increasing drought stress, significantly affects plant growth and metabolism. Milk thistle (<em>Silybum marianum</em>), valued for its silymarin-rich seeds, is an important medicinal plant sensitive to these environmental changes. This study evaluated four genotypes—Hungary, Isfahan, Omidiyeh, and Charam—with three soil moisture levels (well-watered, moderate, and severe water deficit stress) in a factorial design with four replications under two distinct CO₂ environments (ambient, 404 ± 24 μmol mol⁻¹ CO₂, and elevated, 702 ± 51 μmol mol⁻¹ CO₂) imposed using two fixed open-top chambers (OTCs). Elevated CO₂ potentially enhanced growth and yield traits but was associated with declines in photosynthetic pigments and antioxidant enzyme activities. Genotype-specific responses were evident: Hungary and Isfahan showed the greatest seed weight, oil, and silymarin production under elevated CO₂ and in well-watered and moderate drought conditions; Charam maintained higher <em>chlorophyll a</em> and shoot biomass particularly under severe drought stress; Omidiyeh accumulated the most root biomass and proline, aiding drought tolerance under combined elevated CO₂ and severe drought stress. Drought stress increased total phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity but reduced oil content, silymarin yield, and photosystem II efficiency (<em>Fv/Fm</em>). Multivariate analysis highlighted Charam's ability to sustain leaf water content and flavonoid production, while Omidiyeh demonstrated stronger antioxidant defenses under combined elevated CO₂ and drought. These genotype-specific adaptations reveal a growth-defense trade-off under elevated CO₂ and drought, offering promising targets for breeding milk thistle varieties that balance biomass, medicinal compounds, and stress tolerance in a changing climate.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20234,"journal":{"name":"Plant Physiology and Biochemistry","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 111047"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146192725","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}