Elham A. Badr¹, Gehan Sh. Bakhoum¹, Mervat Sh. Sadak², Ibrahim Al-Ashkar³, Mohammad Sohidul Islam⁴, Ayman El Sabagh^5,6,*, Magdi T. Abdelhamid^2,7,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.7, pp. 1623-1645, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.054453

Abstract While Egypt’s canola production per unit area has recently grown, productivity remains low, necessitating increased productivity. Hydrogels are water-absorbent polymer compounds that can optimize irrigation schedules by increasing the soil’s ability to retain water. Accordingly, two field experiments were conducted to examine hydrogel application to sandy soil on canola growth, biochemical aspects, yield, yield traits, and nutritional quality of yielded seeds grown under water deficit stress conditions. The experiments were conducted by arranging a split-plot layout in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three times replications of each treatment. While water stress at 75%… More >

Feiyu Yan^1,2, Xin Chen¹, Zhenzhen Wang¹, Yuxuan Xia¹, Dehui Zheng¹, Sirui Xue¹, Hongliang Zhao^1,2, Zhiwei Huang^1,2, Yuan Niu^1,2, Guoliang Zhang^1,2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.7, pp. 1421-1440, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.053914

Abstract Melatonin and abscisic acid, as major plant hormones, play important roles in the physiological and biochemical activities of crops, but the interaction between the two under salt stress is not yet clear. This study investigated the endogenous levels of melatonin and abscisic acid in rice by using exogenous melatonin, abscisic acid, and their synthetic inhibitors, and examined their interactions under salt stress. The research results indicate that melatonin and abscisic acid can improve rice salt tolerance. Melatonin alleviated the salt sensitivity caused by abscisic acid deficiency, increased antioxidant enzyme activity and antioxidant content in rice More >

Ain Raal¹, Valeriia Kokitko², Vira Odyntsova², Anne Orav³, Oleh Koshovyi^1,4,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.7, pp. 1365-1382, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.053754

Abstract Valeriana officinalis L. is a plant from the Caprifoliaceae family, which is widely distributed in various parts of the world, especially in Europe and Asia. All species of Valeriana are distinguished by their ability to synthesize essential oil, which has a powerful effect on the physiological and mental aspects of the human body. The aim was to study the qualitative and quantitative composition of essential oil from valerian roots, collected in different countries, using the gas chromatography method, and to establish marker compounds for valerian species. 13 samples of commercial roots with rhizomes of V. officinalis from nine… More >

Mengxu Su¹, Zhanjiang Han^1,*, Zhen Zhao², Xiaofeng Wu¹, Jiaju Wu¹

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.7, pp. 1689-1703, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.052814

Abstract Leaves are important ‘source’ organs that synthesize organic matter, providing carbon sources for plant growth. Here, we used Populus talassica × Populus euphratica, the dominant species in ecological and timber forests, to simulate carbon limitation through artificial 25%, 50%, and 75% defoliation treatments and explore the effects on root, stem, and leaf morphology, biomass accumulation, and carbon allocation strategies. At the 60th d after treatment, under 25% defoliation treatment, the plant height, specific leaf weight, root surface area and volume, and concentrations of non-structural carbohydrates in stem and root were significantly increased by 9.13%, 20.00%, 16.60%,… More >

Pengcheng Li^1,2,#, Tianze Zhu^1,#, Yunyun Wang^1,2, Shuangyi Yin¹, Xinjie Zhu¹, Minggang Ji¹, Wenye Rui¹, Houmiao Wang¹, Zefeng Yang^1,2,*, Chenwu Xu^1,2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.7, pp. 1441-1453, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.052219

Abstract The nutritional composition and overall quality of maize kernels are largely determined by the key chemical components: protein, oil, and starch. Nevertheless, the genetic basis underlying these nutritional quality traits during grain filling remains poorly understood. In this study, the concentrations of protein, oil, and starch were studied in 204 recombinant inbred lines resulting from a cross between DH1M and T877 at four different stages post-pollination. All the traits exhibited considerable phenotypic variation. During the grain-filling stage, the levels of protein and starch content generally increased, whereas oil content decreased, with significant changes observed between… More >

Yolotzin Apatzingán Palomino-Hermosillo¹, Ángel Elpidio Díaz-Jasso², Rosendo Balois-Morales¹, Verónica Alhelí Ochoa-Jiménez^1,3, Pedro Ulises Bautista-Rosales¹, Guillermo Berumen-Varela^1,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.7, pp. 1717-1732, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.052216

Abstract Soursop (Annona muricata L.) is a tropical fruit highly valued for its unique flavor, nutritional value, and health-promoting properties. The ripening process of soursop involves complex changes in gene expression and metabolite accumulation, which have been studied using various omics technologies. Transcriptome analysis has provided insights into the regulation of key genes involved in ripening, while metabolic compound analysis has revealed the presence of numerous bioactive compounds with potential health benefits. However, the integration of transcriptome and metabolite compound data has not been extensively explored in soursop. Therefore, in this paper, we present a comprehensive analysis… More >

Yi Xi, Li Zhang, Yanhong Xu, Wei Cheng, Chao Chen^*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.7, pp. 1749-1765, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.051793

Abstract In artificially controlled pot experiments, perennial ryegrass was mixed with other leguminous plants (white clover and alfalfa) and treated with lead, zinc and cadmium (337 mg·kg, 648 mg·kg, and 9 mg·kg, respectively) to simulate compound pollution conditions. The results showed that the concentrations of heavy metals, transport factors, and bioconcentration factors in mixed planting of ryegrass decreased compared with those in monoculture. Regardless of whether heavy metal pollution was introduced, mixed planting increased the aboveground and underground biomasses of ryegrass. The different mixed planting treatments had no significant impact on the chlorophyll concentration of ryegrass.… More >

Song Gao¹, Ruocheng Xu², Lin Li³, Jiao Wang², Nian Liu², Johannes M. H. Knops⁴, Junfeng Wang^2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.7, pp. 1667-1675, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.051548

Abstract Understanding how summer warming influences the parent and daughter shoot production in a perennial clonal grass is vital for comprehending the response of grassland productivity to global warming. Here, we conducted a simulated experiment using potted Leymus chinensis, to study the relationship between the photosynthetic activity of parent shoots and the production of daughter shoots under a whole (90 days) summer warming scenario (+3°C). The results showed that the biomass of parents and buds decreased by 25.52% and 33.45%, respectively, under warming conditions. The reduction in parent shoot biomass due to warming directly resulted from decreased… More >

Fangye Liu^1,#, Jiaping Qu^1,#, Yajun Li¹, Jiawei Fan¹, Yumeng Cui¹, Jingwen Wu¹, Xueqi Gu¹, Xia Li^2,*, He Huang^1,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.7, pp. 1599-1621, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.051386

Abstract Chrysanthemum × morifolium is a horticultural crop which plays a vital role in the flower industry with significant economic value and has a cultivation history of over three thousand years in China. The accumulation of anthocyanins is always affected by light. Here, we revealed that anthocyanin accumulation is highly dependent on light in ‘2021135’ genotype chrysanthemum, while it is light-independent in ‘2001402’ genotype chrysanthemum. However, no literature has been reported regarding the non-photosensitive chrysanthemum in anthocyanins light-independent synthesis pathways. Through the phenotype analysis of 44 F generations, we found that light-independence is a dominant trait which… More >

Shoukai Lin^1,3,4,*, Yifan Xiong², Shichang Xu^1,2, Manegdebwaoaga Arthur Fabrice Kabore², Fan Lin⁵, Fuxiang Qiu^1,2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.7, pp. 1485-1502, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.050990

Abstract The SWEET (sugar will eventually be exported transporter) family proteins are a recently identified class of sugar transporters that are essential for various physiological processes. Although the functions of the SWEET proteins have been identified in a number of species, to date, there have been no reports of the functions of the SWEET genes in woodland strawberries (Fragaria vesca). In this study, we identified 15 genes that were highly homologous to the A. thaliana AtSWEET genes and designated them as FvSWEET1–FvSWEET15. We then conducted a structural and evolutionary analysis of these 15 FvSWEET genes. The phylogenetic analysis enabled us… More >