Tai Liu^1,#, Huichun Xu^1,#, Sikandar Amanullah^2,*, Ye Che¹, Ling Zhang¹, Zeyu Jiang¹, Weiyi Bi¹, Lei Zhu¹, Di Wang^1,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.12, pp. 4117-4137, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.074131 - 29 December 2025

Abstract Heavy metal accumulation in agricultural soil is primarily driven by pesticides, polluted water, and industrial gas emissions, which pose threats to sustainable crop production. Chromium (Cr) stress has an adverse impact on plant development and metabolism, but approaches to reduce its toxicity and enhance plant resistance remain limited. Melatonin is a potent antioxidant involved in regulating various morpho-physiological functions of plants under different abiotic stresses. In this study, we investigated the impact of exogenous melatonin to mitigate the negative effects of potassium dichromate (PD) stress in melon plants and analyzed genetic modulation of morphological, physiological,… More >

Tetiana O. Yastreb^1,2, Mykola V. Shevchenko², Liubov N. Kobyzeva^1,3, Alexander I. Oboznyi¹, Yuriy E. Kolupaev^1,2,4,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.10, pp. 3125-3143, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.071822 - 29 October 2025

Abstract β-Aminobutyric acid (BABA) is a physiologically active plant compound that has not been extensively studied. It has been shown to increase resistance to biotic and abiotic stress factors and enhance seed germination in certain plant species. However, its effects on cereal grains with low germination rates have not yet been studied. This study investigated the effects of BABA on the germination of aged triticale seeds, the metabolite content of seedlings, and the state of their antioxidant systems. The study found that a three-hour treatment of seeds in BABA solutions at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to… More > Graphic Abstract

Muhammad Zaid Jawaid, Muhammad Fasih Khalid, Ahmed Abou Elezz, Talaat Ahmed^*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.8, pp. 2423-2439, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.068303 - 29 August 2025

Abstract Salt stress is a major threat to crop agricultural productivity. Salinity affects plants’ physiological and biochemical functions by hampering metabolic functions and decreasing photosynthetic rates. Salinity causes hyperosmotic and hyperionic stress, directly impairing plant growth. In this study, eggplant seeds primed with moringa leaf extract (5%, 10%, and 15%), nano-titanium dioxide (0.02%, 0.04%, and 0.06%), and ascorbic acid (0.5, 1, and 2 mM) at different NaCl salt (0, 75, and 150 mM) concentration were grown. The germination attributes (final germination percentage, germination index, mean germination time, and mean germination rate) and growth (root length, shoot… More >

Oscar Sariñana-Aldaco¹, Carmen Alicia Ayala-Contreras¹, Susana González-Morales², Gregorio Cadenas-Pliego³, Marissa Pérez-Alvarez³, América Berenice Morales-Díaz⁴, Dámaris Leopoldina Ojeda-Barrios⁵, José Gerardo Uresti-Porras⁶, Adalberto Benavides-Mendoza^7,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.7, pp. 2131-2153, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.067577 - 31 July 2025

Abstract Selenium (Se) is a nutrient that is considered beneficial for plants, because its improvement in growth, yield and quality helps plants to mitigate stress. The objective of this research was to evaluate the application of sodium selenite (Na₂SeO₃), nanoparticles (SeNPs) and microparticles (SeMPs) of Se in cucumber seedlings, via two experiments: one with seed priming and the other with foliar application of Se materials. The doses used were: 0, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 3.0 mg · L⁻¹, for each form of Se and for each form of application. Treatment 0 consisted of the application of… More >

LUCIANA SABOYA^1,2, KEINI BUOSI¹, TIAGO SILVA², ELAINE CANDIDO¹, JOSIANE MORARI³, LICIO A. VELLOSO³, SHAHROKH F. SHARIAT^4,5,6,7, MARCUS V. SADI², LEONARDO O. REIS^1,8,9,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.6, pp. 1495-1503, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2025.061812 - 29 May 2025

Abstract Objective: To determine the safety and the role of modulating cytokines and proteases in the immune response to intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) when primed with systemic intradermal BCG. Methods: Phase 1 and mechanistic longitudinal, prospective, single-blind randomized study (NCT04806178). Twenty-one non-muscle invasive urothelial bladder cancer patients undergoing intravesical adjuvant BCG after transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) in a teaching hospital between September 2021 and April 2023 were randomized to 0.1 mL of intradermal BCG vaccine or placebo (0.9% saline) administered 15 days before the start of intravesical BCG therapy. Blood samples were evaluated mechanistically… More >

Wenqi Shi^1,#, Binyameen Bin Shafqat^2,#, Muhammad Arif¹, Ayesha Fazal Nawaz³, Muhammad Amir Zia⁴, Xu Ling¹, Dingli Hong¹, Ruhong Xu^1,*, Luhua Li^1,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.1, pp. 229-241, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.059315 - 24 January 2025

Abstract Seed priming is an effective seed pretreatment technology that enhances germination and overall crop performance by optimizing seed hydration and metabolic processes before planting. Seed quality is a critical determinant of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) crop performance, influencing germination, plant vigor, and yield. This study evaluates the effects of seed priming with potassium salts (1% and 2% KCl and K₂SO₄) on germination, morphological traits, and Cry1Ac gene expression in three Bt cotton cultivars (IUB-2013, NIAB-878B, FH-142) as Cry1Ac enhance the pest resistance in Bt cotton and reduce the plant’s dependence on chemical insecticides. Seeds were primed for six hours, air-dried,… More >

Md. Tahjib-Ul-Arif^1,2,*, Md Asaduzzaman³, Bir Jahangir Shirazy^2,4, Md. Shihab Uddine Khan⁵, A. M. Sajedur Rahman^2,6, Yoshiyuki Murata², Sozan Abdel Hamed⁷, Arafat Abdel Hamed Abdel Latef^8,9,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.11, pp. 3013-3027, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.058710 - 30 November 2024

Abstract Chilling is one of the major abiotic stresses for plants, especially for rice cultivation. Many essential metabolic processes for growth and development are temperature-dependent. In that case, reducing the negative effects of cold stress using exogenous chemicals is a possible option. Therefore, the current study examined the effects of pre-sowing seed treatment with different chemicals, viz. hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), salicylic acid (SA), calcium chloride (CaCl₂), thiourea (TU), and citric acid (CA) on the germination of rice seeds (cv. BRRI dhan28) under chilling environments. Rice seeds were soaked in distilled water (control), 10 mM CA, 2 mM SA,… More >

Hossam S. El-Beltagi^1,2,*, Mohamed Fathi El-Nady³, Adel A. Rezk^1,4, Abdelaziz M. Tahoon⁵, Mohammed I. Al-Daej¹, Dina Abdulmajid⁶, Mohamed M. El-Mogy⁷, Elsayed Abd Elmaksoud Abomarzoka⁸, Sherif Mohamed El-Ganainy^7,9, Metwaly Mahfouz Salem Metwaly³

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.10, pp. 2535-2556, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.056734 - 30 October 2024

Abstract Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important cereal crops in the world. Bakanae disease is a significant rice disease widely distributed in rice-growing regions worldwide. Therefore, the present investigation aimed to assess the optimal concentrations of paclobutrazol (PBZ) as a treatment for rice grains (cv. Sakha 108) to control bakanae disease, also evaluating its impact on grain germination, seedling growth parameters as well as disease index. Paclobutrazol concentrations had no significant impact on seed germination, regardless of whether the seeds were incubated with Fusarium fujikuroi or not. Application of PBZ, either alone or in… More >

Bushra Rehman¹, Asma Zulfiqar¹, Houneida Attia², Rehana Sardar³, Muneera A. Saleh², Khalid H. Alamer⁴, Ibtisam M. Alsudays⁵, Faisal Mehmood⁶, Qamar uz Zaman^7,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.8, pp. 1819-1838, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.048780 - 30 August 2024

Abstract Salinity is a major abiotic stress that hinders plant development and productivity and influences agricultural yield. Seed priming is a technique used to boost germination and seedling growth under abiotic stress. A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the impact of seed priming with potassium nitrate (KNO₃) at various levels (0%, 0.50%, 1.00% and 1.50%) under salt stress (0, 75, 100 mM NaCl) on two maize verities (MNH360 and 30T60) for the growth, development and metabolic attributes results revealed that in maize variety MNH360, KNO₃ priming’s significantly enhanced growth parameters than in maize variety 30T60 under… More >

Md. Parvez Anwar^*, Masuma Akhter, Sharmin Aktar, Sinthia Afsana Kheya, A. K. M. Mominul Islam^*, Sabina Yeasmin, Ahmed Khairul Hasan, Md. Harun Or Rashid

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.6, pp. 1159-1177, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.049073 - 27 June 2024

Abstract Seed priming is a pre-germinated technique that can enhance seed germination percentage, faster and synchronized germination, better seedling growth, and yield under stress conditions. To ascertain the most effective seed priming method that would ensure the potential yield of wheat in Bangladesh, two experiments were carried out from December 2021 to March 2022 at the Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University. Two wheat varieties namely BARI Gom-28 and BWMRI Gom-1 were subjected to a range of priming chemicals in both lab and pot tests. These compounds included the following: control (no priming), hydropriming (distilled water),… More >