Abel Bala¹, Monica Hârţa^1,*, Doina Clapa¹, Floricuţa Ranga², Doina Angela Pui³, Mirela Irina Cordea^1,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.083046 - 30 July 2026

Abstract This study presents an interdisciplinary approach to the chromatic diversity of the genus Paeonia, combining quantitative colorimetric analysis (CIELab and RHS systems) with biochemical profiling of anthocyanins across 14 genotypes. The results indicate a correlation between the biochemical composition of the petals and their visual appearance, suggesting that the intensity and distribution of certain pigments—mainly cyanidin and peonidin derivatives—determine the hue and saturation of the flowers. HPLC analysis revealed quantitative variation in pigmentation: dark-red genotypes showed high levels of anthocyanins (e.g., P. tenuifolia ‘Flore-Plena’), whereas these compounds were not detected in yellow genotypes. In parallel, More >

Dilek Killi^1,2,#,*, Hüsna Dolu^1,2, Masud Omar Barre³, Gamze Kaya^4,5, Deniz Sezlev Bilecen⁴

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.082888 - 30 July 2026

Abstract Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is an important food, oil and bioenergy crop frequently affected by drought stress. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) can enhance plant growth and resilience to water deficit. However, their efficiency often diminishes over time under prolonged stress due to reduced bacterial survival. This study investigated whether encapsulated forms of Bacillus subtilis, with and without humic acid supplementation, improves bacterial viability and photosynthetic performance of a drought-sensitive sunflower variety under water deficiency. Seedlings were grown in a greenhouse, with water deficit imposed at 30% field capacity for 29 days. Treatments included solution (B) or encapsulated… More >

Jolyon Dodgson^*, Anna K. Marks, David J. Marks

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.082701 - 30 July 2026

Abstract Stress can result in up to 70% losses during crop production. Plants are exposed to abiotic stresses, such as drought or salt, or biotic stresses, such as fungal pathogens like powdery mildew or septoria. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) signalling is a part of a common response to plant stresses, but excessive ROS can be damaging. Plants produce antioxidants to reduce ROS. Wheat plants were exposed to drought stress, salt stress, and biotic stress from powdery mildew and septoria. In a glasshouse, wheat plants were treated with a functional fertiliser (Indra containing Oxygon chemistry, Levity Crop… More >

Cheng Qu^1,2, Fen Liu³, Dongping Yao¹, Zhijun Li¹, Yuanhuan Li¹, Tangxing Liu¹, Yue Wang², Lili Yang^1,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.082659 - 30 July 2026

Abstract To clarify the remediation effect of microbial inoculant fertilizer on cadmium (Cd) pollution following the application of pig manure organic fertilizer, a field experiment was conducted. No fertilization (CK1) and conventional fertilization (CK2) were used as controls. The treatments included conventional fertilization + pig manure organic fertilizer (PM, 2800 kg/hm²) and four levels of microbial inoculant fertilizer (7.5, 15, 22.5, 30 L/hm²) combined with the PM treatment. The study compared the effects of different treatments on rice economic traits, yield, Cd content in grains and plants, soil available Cd, total Cd, soil pH, and soil enzyme… More >

Xinyao Li¹, Dongyang Sun¹, Yunong Zhou², Yong Li³, Jie Ma⁴, Xuena Yu¹, Zhi Huang¹, Fen Zhang^1,*, Bo Sun^1,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.082599 - 30 July 2026

Abstract Baby mustard is rich in nutrients; however, it is prone to postharvest yellowing and wilting, which leads to the loss of nutritional components. Folic acid, an important water-soluble vitamin, exhibits substantial physiological antioxidant activity. This study explored the impact of folic acid immersion treatments on the visual quality and health-promoting compounds of baby mustard stored at 20°C. The results showed that, compared with other concentrations, 5 mg L⁻¹ folic acid treatment (F5) was the most effective in improving baby mustard storability. In terms of appearance and sensory acceptability, the F5 treatment was more effective than 0… More >

Jurica Duvnjak¹, Daniel Kujundzic², Katarina Sunic Budimir¹, John C. D’Auria², Valentina Spanic^1,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.082576 - 30 July 2026

Abstract In this study, metabolomic profiling using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed clear distinctions between Fusarium-infected and control wheat spikes, as shown by the separate clustering of infected samples. Out of 222 detected features, eight were found to be significantly altered in infected spikes compared to controls, highlighting specific metabolic changes associated with the plant’s response to Fusarium head blight (FHB) stress. In response to Fusarium infection, wheat exhibited significant metabolic reprogramming, with both reductions and accumulations of key metabolites. A decrease in 3-methoxytyramine (28.9–85.3%), octylamine, malic acid, and homonojirimycin suggests their early involvement in defence-related pathways… More >

Rayane Amaral de Andrade¹, Tayd Dayvison Custódio Peixoto², Miguel Ferreira Neto¹, Antônio Sávio dos Santos¹, Joyce Fernandes de Medeiros¹, Clara Araújo da Silva¹, Mirna Candace Oliveira de Almeida¹, Kariolania Fortunato de Paiva Araújo¹, Ricardo André Rodrigues Filho¹, Kleane Targino Oliveira Pereira¹, Antônio Gustavo de Luna Souto¹, Salvador Barros Torres¹, Francisco Vanies da Silva Sá^3,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.081266 - 30 July 2026

Abstract Managing salinity in irrigation water is essential to ensure water supply for plants, especially in semi-arid regions, where the most readily available water often has high salt content. In this context, the tolerance of traditional maize varieties to salt stress was evaluated using morphological and biochemical parameters at the initial developmental stage. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, using polyethylene trays with 200 cells filled with inert coconut fiber-based substrate. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 15 × 2 factorial scheme, with four replicates and 50 seeds per plot, for a total… More >

Kallol Das^1,*, Aniruddha Sarker², Deen Mohammad Deepo³, F. M. Aminuzzaman⁴, Abu Bakar Siddique⁵, Saifullah Omar Nasif⁶, Ramadan A. Arafa⁷

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.079822 - 30 July 2026

Abstract Plant growth-promoting fungi (PGPF) are a diverse group of non-pathogenic fungi that benefit host plants through multiple mechanisms. With the growing global emphasis on sustainable agriculture, research has increasingly focused on understanding fungal ecology and its role in enhancing plant growth and development. PGPF contributes significantly by facilitating nutrient acquisition, solubilizing minerals, producing growth hormones, and transferring essential elements from the soil to plants. PGPF have been proposed as biofertilizers, bio-stimulants, and/or biocontrol agents for a variety of plant species in earlier research findings. Modern biotechnological tools can help uncover plant-PGPF interactions, facilitating the development… More >

Milica Aćimović¹, Milena Popov², Nataša Mandić², Ana Tomić³, Biljana Lončar⁴, Lato Pezo⁵, Mirjana Cvetković⁶, Jovana Stanković Jeremić⁶, Olja Šovljanski^3,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.079695 - 30 July 2026

Abstract (1) Background: Plant hydrolates are widely generated as by-products of essential oil distillation, yet their potential biological properties remain insufficiently explored. This study evaluated whether that lemon catnip (Nepeta cataria var. citriodora) hydrolate exhibits allelopathic and antimicrobial effects in preliminary in vitro assays, contributing to the valorization of distillation residues within circular bioeconomy approaches. (2) Methods: Phytotoxic effects on germination and early seedling growth of crops (maize, soybean, and white clover) and weeds (common lambsquarters, amaranth, and wild carrot) were evaluated under in vitro conditions using hydrolate solutions (10%, 20%, 50%, and 100%). Germination kinetics were modelled using first-order,… More >

Diana Dragan¹, Vasile Florian^1,*, Horia Bunescu¹, Rodica Sima², Alexandru Apahidean², Ximena Rau¹, Arnilva Mara¹, Mihaela Chertes¹, Ionut-Bogdan Hulujan¹, Teodora Florian¹

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.075836 - 30 July 2026

Abstract The research examined the effects of predators and parasitoids on Trialeurodes vaporariorum (TV) and Frankliniella occidentalis (FO) through their introduction into the cucumber pest management. Parasitoids and predators from the genus Encarsia, Orius, and Amblyseius were used to manage TV and FO. The study was performed at the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Romania, from August to October 2023. The research investigates the influence of zoophagous species on TV and FO, utilizing data collected on six distinct dates throughout the cucumber growing season. The findings indicate that biocontrol agents positively influence flight and negatively affect the… More >