Aiman Ammari^*, Ramzi Amran, Ahmad Alhimaidi

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.8, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.087258 - 28 August 2026

Abstract Medicinal plants are valuable sources of bioactive compounds with diverse pharmacological properties. However, the phytochemical composition and biological activities of Horwoodia dicksoniae remain insufficiently investigated. Therefore, this study evaluated the phytochemical composition, antioxidant activity, physicochemical characteristics, and in vitro cytotoxic potential of the ethanolic extract of H. dicksoniae collected from the Thumamah area, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The extract was subjected to phytochemical characterization, chemical profiling, physicochemical analysis, antioxidant activity assessment, and cytotoxicity evaluation. Qualitative screening confirmed the presence of phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, and glycosides, while quantitative analysis revealed high levels of phenolic and tannin constituents. The extract… More > Graphic Abstract

Tianhui Zhao¹, Jingbo Zhao¹, Peishuai Li^2,*, Hongjin Pan¹, Zhe Chen¹, Bingcheng Cen¹

Energy Engineering, Vol.123, No.9, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ee.2026.076964 - 06 August 2026

Abstract Virtual power plants (VPPs) serve as an effective means to aggregate and manage large-scale distributed energy resources (DERs). They can supply multiple electricity commodities—including electric energy, reserve capacity, and carbon allowances—to power systems. This paper proposes a coordinated market clearing and operation (CMCO) method for VPPs involved in trading multiple electricity commodities. First, we establish a bi-level CMCO framework that integrates the energy, reserve, and carbon markets. At the upper level, we build a distribution system decision model designed to minimize the total system costs, which cover wholesale market transactions and trades between VPPs involving… 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 >

Saqib Ali¹, Hoe-Han Goh^2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.6, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.084657 - 29 June 2026

Abstract Abiotic stresses particularly drought, salinity, and temperature extremes increasingly threaten crop stability in tropical environments where combinatorial stress events are intensifying under climate change. Despite growing omics capacity, current multi-omics syntheses of plant stress acclimation remain dominated by model species and major crops, leaving tropical and underutilized plants underrepresented in comparative stress biology. This review examines how transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, epigenomics, and integrative multi-omics frameworks have been applied to abiotic stress acclimation in selected tropical and underutilized plants, including banana, cassava, cacao, oil palm, papaya, Garcinia, coconut, mango, Avicennia marina, and tropical millets. We show that transcriptomics… More > Graphic Abstract

Mohammad Reza Boorboori^1,2, Haiyang Zhang^1,2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.6, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.082409 - 29 June 2026

Abstract Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal pollutant released from various human activities including industrial production and agricultural practices. This pollutant adversely affects plant physiology by damaging root systems, inhibiting photosynthesis, and inducing oxidative stress through the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This review highlights the critical role of nitric oxide (NO) as a key signaling molecule that enhances plant tolerance to cadmium stress. The application of exogenous NO effectively alleviates Cd toxicity by stimulating the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), scavenging harmful ROS, and preventing membrane More >

Zejin Zhang^1,2,#, Zhengnan Yan^3,#, Xiangyu Ding³, Weiming Ren³, Yarong Zhang³, Haoxu Shen³, Jinxiu Song⁴, Na Lu⁵, Ying Liang^1,2, Li Tang^1,2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.5, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.083745 - 27 May 2026

Abstract Graphene oxide (GO) has shown great potential in agricultural applications, however, its concentration-dependent effects on cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) growth, nutrient absorption, and root architecture remain unclear. In the present study, a hydroponic experiment was conducted with different GO concentrations (0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg L⁻¹) and setting the non-GO treatment (0.0 mg L⁻¹) as the control for cucumber plants (cv. Qingbaizao). The results showed that low to moderate concentrations (0.5–1.0 mg L⁻¹) significantly promoted cucumber growth, increased shoot and root biomass, enhanced the accumulation of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and optimized root architecture by increasing cellulose and… More >

Hajiba Benteima^1,2, Mohamed Ezzaitouni^2,*, Tarik Chileh-Chelh², Carlos Galindo³, José Luis Guil-Guerrero²

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.079255 - 31 March 2026

Abstract Wild edible plants have evolved in response to persistent and often severe environmental pressures, including salinity, drought, extreme temperatures, high light intensity and nutrient-poor soils. Despite the considerable physiological flexibility and adaptive capacity exhibited by these species, they remain underrepresented in contemporary plant stress research, which has traditionally focused on a limited number of model species and major crops. The present review proposes a conceptual framework that positions wild edible plants as physiological and ecological reference systems for studying naturally evolved plant stress tolerance, rather than as alternative genetic model species. The synthesis of current… More > Graphic Abstract

Ana Luisa Arantes Chaves^1,*, Marco Tulio Mendes Ferreira²

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.077185 - 31 March 2026

Abstract Holocentric chromosomes, characterized by kinetochore activity distributed along almost their entire length, have attracted growing interest in cytogenetics and evolutionary biology, particularly because of their adaptive significance. This review provides a historical overview of research on holocentricity, from the earliest microscopic observations to recent advances made possible by modern molecular and cytogenetic techniques. We discuss the main hypotheses concerning the origin and evolution of holocentric chromosomes, emphasizing their multiple independent origins across diverse lineages, as well as the potential selective pressures underlying their maintenance and diversification. In addition, we examine the principal methods used for More >

Cheng Song^*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.076582 - 31 March 2026

Abstract Coumarin, a significant secondary metabolite derived from the phenylpropanoid pathway, exhibits a broad spectrum of biological activities and medicinal properties. Structurally, coumarins are categorized into simple and angular types based on variations in the core structure of the parent skeleton, with further classifications as furanocoumarins and pyranocoumarins depending on their carbon atom count. In nature, coumarins are predominantly found in plants within families such as Apiaceae, Asteraceae, and Thymelaeaceae. The structural diversity observed among coumarins in higher plants is largely driven by coevolutionary interactions between herbivorous insects and their host plants. With recent advancements in More >

Ruikang Ma¹, Guangfei Wei², Songzi Li², Tongle Li¹, Fugang Wei³, Yong Wang⁴, Guozhuang Zhang^2,*, Linlin Dong^1,2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.075657 - 28 February 2026

Abstract Keystone taxa are critical for microbial community homeostasis and ecological niche interactions. However, the functions and genomic traits of endophytic keystone fungi in plant tissues remain unclear. Via network analysis, this study identified keystone fungi Plectosphaerella (Plec) and Cladosporium (Clad) in roots/leaves of medicinal Panax plants (P. ginseng, P. quinquefolius, P. notoginseng). Both correlated strongly positively with ginsenoside Rd content in respective tissues (ρ > 0.6, p < 0.001). Co-cultivation confirmed their ability to convert ginsenoside Rb1 to Rd, linked to β-glucosidase activity. Whole-genome sequencing/assembly/evolutionary analysis of the two strains elucidated genomic features for their keystone roles and saponin biotransformation. More > Graphic Abstract