Shi Xu¹, Jingjing Sun¹, Jiayi Ji¹, Junhao Huang¹, Yiyong Zhu², Haidong Ding¹, Ming Ding^1,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.086430 - 30 July 2026

Abstract Heavy metal-associated isoprenylated plant proteins (HIPPs) are a class of vascular plant specific metallochaperones, characterized by the presence of one or two N-terminal heavy metal-associated (HMA) domains and a C-terminal isoprenylation motif (CaaX). The HMA domain contains a conserved CysXXCys motif that is responsible for binding transition metals such as Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺ and Pb²⁺. The CaaX motif modulates post-translational prenylation that anchors HIPPs to membranes and facilitates protein-protein interactions. This review systematically summarizes the structural features and multifaceted functions of HIPPs in plants. Beyond their well known function in heavy metal detoxification, HIPPs are more recently More >

Jinxiu Song¹, Zhixin Li², Wenwen Di², Qiaoshuo Hou², Xiaoming Song¹, Long Wang³, Qi Liu², Zejin Zhang⁴, Zhengnan Yan^2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.086028 - 30 July 2026

Abstract Blue light and ultraviolet-A (UV-A) radiation are critical light-quality regulators that coordinately modulate plant growth and quality in protected horticulture. However, their interactive effects on celery (Apium graveolens L.) remain inadequately characterized. In the present study, we quantified the individual and combined impacts of supplemental UV-A and blue light on the growth, biomass accumulation, photosynthetic performance, and nutritional quality of celery (cv. Dayehuang) in a plant factory with artificial lighting. Our results demonstrated that sole UV-A or blue light application significantly increased biomass, nutritional quality, and light use efficiency (LUE) of celery. Notably, combined supplementation with… More >

Chayanee Chairattanawat¹, Junghwa Kang², Jaewook Kim^1,*, Bae Young Choi^3,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.084482 - 30 July 2026

Abstract Pyrola japonica, a member of the Ericaceae family, is a significant medicinal herb and a key model organism in mycorrhizal research, yet its chloroplast (cp) genome has not been fully characterized. Therefore, this study aims to sequence and analyze the complete plastid genome of P. japonica. The complete cp genome of P. japonica was determined to be 168,146 bp in length, exhibiting a characteristic quadripartite structure with a total GC content of 35.1%. A total of 136 genes were annotated, comprising 65 protein-coding genes, 45 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, 8 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and 18 pseudogenes. Amino… More >

Panpan Wang¹, Yanjing Liu¹, Haiyan Kong¹, Ye Li^2,*, Shuang Chen^3,*, Nong Zhou^1,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.084444 - 30 July 2026

Abstract Mulberry leaf is a widely used medicinal and edible homologous plant, and its quality is closely related to the contents of secondary metabolites. In this study, 17 batches of mulberry leaves from 3 cultivars and 7 geographical origins in Chongqing were used as materials. An HPLC method was established for the simultaneous determination of mulberroside A, chlorogenic acid, rutin, isoquercitrin, and astragalin, and the effects of cultivar and origin on the accumulation of these components were systematically compared. The established method exhibited satisfactory linearity (R² ≥ 0.9998), together with good precision, stability, repeatability, and accuracy, which… More >

Hossam S. El-Beltagi^1,*, Tarek A. Shalaby², Nagwa Khedr³, Emad H. Khedr^3,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.084404 - 30 July 2026

Abstract Drought stress stands out as a main abiotic factor that adversely influences the development, yield, and quality of plants. With the increasing prevalence of water scarcity driven by climate change, urban expansion, and industrial activities, understanding plant responses to limited water availability has become critically important. Among stress-related molecules, melatonin has gained recognition as a multipurpose regulator with a central role in strengthening plant tolerance to drought. The synthesis and accumulation of melatonin are influenced by environmental stressors and vary across plant species and tissue types. Whether synthesized internally or applied externally, melatonin contributes to… More >

Fujian Shan^1,2,#, Yi Yang^2,3,#, Liangliang Li^3,4, Tao Li^2,5, Wenwen Su⁴, Zhencheng Han^2,*, Yuanxun Tao^2,*, Xiaopeng Wen^1,*, Weijie Li^2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.084154 - 30 July 2026

Abstract Rootstock plays an important role in commercial horticultural production by influencing scion growth, physiology, and fruit quality. However, information on the effects of different rootstocks on kiwifruit growth and fruit quality remains limited. In this study, Actinidia valvata was evaluated as an experimental rootstock and compared with the commonly used A. deliciosa rootstock to investigate their effects on photosynthetic characteristics, carbohydrate metabolism, and fruit quality of A. deliciosa cv. ‘Guichang’. Leaf photosynthetic parameters, fruit quality attributes, carbohydrate contents, and the activities of enzymes related to sucrose and starch metabolism were investigated during fruit development and postharvest ripening. The… More >

Nan Zhao^1,2,*, Qianru Zhao¹, Xiangyu Wu¹, Jiawei Hong¹, Luanmei Lu¹

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.083994 - 30 July 2026

Abstract The growth and landscape application of Bougainvillea, a widely cultivated ornamental plant, are often influenced by light conditions. The effects of shade on two Bougainvillea cultivars, ‘Imperial Delight (ID)’ and ‘San Diego Red (SDR)’, cultivated under full sunlight (CK) and 50% shade (S) were investigated. Under shading, both cultivars presented decreased leaf thickness; increased chlorophyll a, b and total contents; and reduced light compensation points (LCPs) and dark respiration rates (R_ds), reflecting morphological and photosynthetic acclimatization. Decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents indicated attenuated membrane lipid peroxidation. In ‘ID’, shading significantly reduced the leaf,… More >

Xuebing Zhu^1,2, Yongqiang Jiang^1,2, Wei Li^1,2, Lihui Wang^1,2, Xuemei Sun^1,2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.083772 - 30 July 2026

Abstract Although transcriptional regulators of anthocyanin biosynthesis have been studied in many crops, the regulatory network controlling the purple leaf trait in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) remains incompletely understood. Our previous transcriptome analysis identified LsMYB1. This study further carried out the cloning and structural feature analysis of the LsMYB1 gene, and systematically verified its function using the tobacco heterologous overexpression system and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology. Sequence analysis revealed a structural difference between the two alleles: the LsMYB1 allele in the purplecultivar contains two introns and three exons, whereas the allele in the greencultivar comprises only a single exon. More >

Sonia Mansouri^1,*, Yassmine Abidi^1,2, Leila Riahi³, Ali Ltifi²

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.083697 - 30 July 2026

Abstract Doubled haploid technology is an important tool for accelerating barley breeding by enabling the rapid development of fully homozygous lines. However, the efficiency of androgenesis in barley remains highly genotype-dependent and is strongly influenced by pretreatment conditions, particularly cold exposure. Despite advances in barley anther culture protocols, the optimal duration of cold pretreatment to enhance androgenic response and green plant regeneration remains poorly understood for many breeding materials. This study therefore aimed to examine the effects of genotype and cold pretreatment duration on androgen induction and regeneration efficiency in spring barley lines. Fifteen barley lines,… More >

Siyi Fang¹, Bin Zheng¹, Jiao Ma², Shengwen Tang², Lanying Chen^3,4,#,*, Qiumei Quan^1,#,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.7, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.083644 - 30 July 2026

Abstract Pollen viability plays a pivotal role in determining fertilization success, directly influencing fruit and seed production, as well as the genetic improvement and conservation of flowering plants. This study sought to establish the optimal culture medium and environmental conditions for in vitro pollen germination and pollen tube growth in Hibiscus mutabilis Linn., a species of notable ornamental and ecological significance. We employed Brewbaker and Kwack medium(BK) supplemented with varying concentrations of sucrose, H₃BO₃, CaCl₂, MgSO₄·7H₂O, and KNO₂ to systematically evaluate the effects of these components on pollen viability. Additionally, we investigated the impact of environmental factors including temperature, light… More >