Mohammed Majid Abed^1,2,*, Murat Aydin¹, Esma Yiğider¹, Melek Ekinci³, Ertan Yildirim³

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.12, pp. 3845-3860, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.073163 - 29 December 2025

Abstract Plants are continuously exposed to abiotic and biotic stresses that threaten their growth, reproduction, and survival. Adaptation to these stresses requires complex regulatory networks that coordinate physiological, molecular, and ecological responses. However, such adaptation often incurs significant costs, including reduced growth, yield penalties, and altered ecological interactions. This review systematically synthesizes recent advances published between 2018 and 2025, following PRISMA criteria, on plant responses to abiotic and biotic stressors, with an emphasis on the trade-offs between adaptation and productivity. It also highlights major discrepancies in the literature and discusses strategies for enhancing plant stress tolerance More >

Di Wu¹, Chunguang Ren¹, Liangliang Li¹, Chongpei Zheng², Wenwen Su^1,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.12, pp. 4079-4090, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.072856 - 29 December 2025

Abstract To identify the pathogen responsible for fruit rot disease in Rosa roxburghii Tratt. from Guiding County, Guizhou Province, China, diseased fruit samples were collected. The pathogen was isolated, purified, and identified through morphological, molecular, and pathogenic analyses. Subsequently, its biological characteristics were evaluated. Furthermore, to determine the agent with the strongest toxicity against the identified pathogen, the antifungal activity of six chemical and biological agents was evaluated through indoor toxicity assays. Finally, Neopestalotiopsis clavispora was identified as the pathogen responsible for fruit rot disease in R. roxburghii Tratt. The diameter of the pathogen grown under different carbon and… More >

Jazmín Montserrat Gaucin-Delgado¹, Cristian Oswaldo Solis-López², Pablo Preciado-Rangel³, Bernardo Espinosa-Palomeque⁴, Francisco Gerardo Veliz-Deras², Viridiana Contreras-Villarreal², Ricardo Israel Ramírez-Gottfried^5,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.12, pp. 3961-3973, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.072536 - 29 December 2025

Abstract Selenium (Se) deficiency is a global health problem affecting more than 500 million people; crop biofortification is a sustainable strategy for its mitigation. This study investigated the effect of the application of selenate nanoparticles (SeO₄²⁻) and the combination of selenate (SeO₄²⁻) and chitosan (CS) (forming a SeO₄²⁻-CS complex) on the antioxidant profile, growth, biomass, bioactive compounds, enzymes, and Se accumulation of wheat (Triticum spp.) sprouts. Fourteen treatments were applied using a factorial design combining seven concentrations and two formulations: SeO₄²⁻ and SeO₄²⁻-CS. It was identified that chitosan increased Se uptake efficiency by 30% versus conventional selenate. The optimal… More >

Abd Al Karim Jaafar¹, Suleiman Salim¹, Dema Altheb¹, Mukhtar Iderawumi Abdulraheem^2,3, Andrés Rodríguez-Seijo^4,5,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.12, pp. 3945-3960, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.072520 - 29 December 2025

Abstract The use of organic fertilizers can be an opportunity to increase crop yield and improve soil fertility in semi-arid regions, since soils from these regions usually have unfavourable conditions for plant growth. This research investigates the effects of organic and mineral fertilization on the impact of soil properties (pH, electrical conductivity and organic matter), availability of macro- (N, P and K), micro-nutrients (Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn) and the accumulation of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cr) in soil and potato tubers grown under semiarid conditions. A field experiment was conducted in Raqqa Governorate (Syria) using… More >

Nadezhda Golubkina^1,*, Viktor Kharchenko¹, Ekaterina Krainyuk², Lubov Riff², Vladimir Lapchenko³, Helene Lapchenko³, Anastasia Moldovan¹, Uliana Plotnoikova⁴, Otilia Cristina Murariu⁵, Gianluca Caruso⁶

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.12, pp. 4139-4153, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.072328 - 29 December 2025

Abstract Despite their remarkable content of biologically active compounds, highly valuable for human health, wild relatives of Umbelliferous plants show limited utilization. The aim of the present work was the evaluation of the antioxidant status of Anthriscus, Chaerophyllum, and Myrrhoides species gathered in different climatic zones (from Mediterranean to Arctic) and of their suitability to produce valuable functional food for optimizing the human Se status. Among the Crimean plants, A. sylvestris, C. bulbosis, and M. nososa showed the highest antioxidant status, while the lowest was recorded in A. cerefolium and A. caucalis, displaying a significant correlation between the antioxidant activity (AOA) and polyphenols… More >

Shaoyan Wu^1,2, Jie Tian^1,2, Yiyan Wang^1,2, Muhammad Arif^1,2, Shuyao Wang^1,2, Jing Wang^1,2, Zhuoyao Yang^1,2, Ruhong Xu^1,2,*, Luhua Li^1,2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.12, pp. 3913-3924, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.072229 - 29 December 2025

Abstract Wheat grain morphology, particularly grain length (GL) and width (GW), is a key determinant of yield. To improve the suboptimal grain dimensions of the local anthocyanin-rich variety Guizi 1 (GZ1), we crossed it with Zhongyan 96-3 (ZY96-3), an elite germplasm known for faster grain filling and superior grain size. A genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) approach was applied to an F₂ population of 110 individuals derived from GZ1 × ZY96-3, resulting in the identification of 23,134 high-quality SNPs. Most of the SNPs associated with GL and GW were clustered on chromosomes 2B, 3A, and 3B. QTL mapping for GL… More >

Sandra Pérez-Álvarez^1,*, Eduardo Fidel Héctor-Ardisana², Eduardo Sandoval Castro³, Erick H. Ochoa-Chaparro⁴, Luisa Patricia Uranga-Valencia¹

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.12, pp. 3749-3803, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.072135 - 29 December 2025

Abstract Grape (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivation has progressed from early domestication and clonal propagation to modern, data-driven breeding that is reshaping viticulture and wine quality. Yet climatic and biotic constraints still impose heavy losses—downy mildew can reduce yields by ≈75% in humid regions and gray mold by 20–50%—sustaining the need for resistant cultivars. Producer selection, interspecific crossing, and formal improvement programs have generated ~10,000 varieties, although only a few dozen dominate global acreage. Conventional breeding has delivered fungus-resistant “PIWI” cultivars that retain ≥85% of the V. vinifera genome; in Austria, national PIWI varieties are gaining acceptance for combined… More >

Mustansar Mubeen¹, Yasir Iftikhar^1,*, Ganesan Vadamalai^2,3, Muhammad Aasim⁴, Muhammad Faiq⁵, Uthman Balgith Algopishi⁶, Ahmed Ezzat Ahmed^6,7

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.12, pp. 3827-3843, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.071555 - 29 December 2025

Abstract Citrus viroids are small non-coding RNA pathogens that pose a significant threat to global citrus production by reducing fruit yield, quality, and tree longevity. Several viroids, including Citrus exocortis viroid (CEVd), Hop stunt viroid (HSVd), Citrus bent leaf viroid (CBLVd), and newly identified members such as Citrus Viroid VI (CVd-VI) and Citrus Viroid VII (CVd-VII) have been reported from diverse citrus-growing regions. These pathogens are transmitted mainly through vegetative propagation, contaminated tools, and occasionally via seed or pollen, making their management complex. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the biology, structural diversity, transmission, symptomatology, detection,… More >

Nadezhda Golubkina^1,*, Pavel Poluboyarinov², Lyubov Skrypnik³, Agnieszka Sękara⁴, Otilia Cristina Murariu⁵, Gianluca Caruso⁶

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.12, pp. 3861-3877, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.070988 - 29 December 2025

Abstract Circadian biorhythms are fundamental in plant adaptability and development. To reveal the effect of organic and inorganic forms of Se, foliar treatments of dandelion with 0.26 mM Se solutions were practiced in two contrasting day times: in the morning with the highest levels of leaf Se and polyphenol (TP) and the lowest dry matter, and in the evening with the opposite characteristics. Compared to the control, the morning Se supply demonstrated a higher increase of root biomass (1.27–1.37 times), Se (1.82–2.85 times), TP content (1.42–1.44 times), and antioxidant activity (AOA) (1.47–1.48 times) than the evening… More > Graphic Abstract

Md. Injamum-Ul-Hoque^1,2, Md. Mahfuzur Rahman², Nayan Chandra Howlader³, Soosan Tavakoli⁴, Md. Mezanur Rahman⁵, Shahin Imran⁶, Mallesham Bulle⁷, S. M. Ahsan^2,4,*, Hyong Woo Choi^4,8,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.12, pp. 3805-3826, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.069827 - 29 December 2025

Abstract Cannabis sativa is highly valued for its use in fiber production, medicine, and recreational products. Its secondary metabolites (SM) are renowned for their wide range of health benefits and psychoactive properties. While much of the existing research has focused on cannabinoid production in the plant’s aerial parts, particularly the leaves and flowers, the root system remains understudied in terms of its SM profile. One promising in vitro approach for metabolite production involves the use of ‘hairy roots (HRs)’. These roots mimic the phytochemical profile of native roots but grow more efficiently and yield higher quantities of metabolites.… More >