Hira Akhtar¹, Akhtar Hameed^1,*, Rana Binyamin¹, Kashif Riaz², Hafiz Muhammad Usman Aslam^1,3, Faizan Ali⁴, Subhan Ali¹, Zuniara Akash⁵, Muhammad Saqlain Zaheer^6,*, Kamran Ikram⁶, Yasir Niaz⁶, Hafiz Haider Ali^7,8

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.3, pp. 561-581, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.061262 - 31 March 2025

Abstract Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) is well known among consumers because of its attractive color, delicious taste, and nutritional benefits. It is widely grown worldwide, but its production has become a significant challenge due to changing climatic conditions that lead to abiotic stresses in plants, which results in poor root development, nutrient deficiency, and poor plant health. In this context, the major abiotic stresses are temperature fluctuations, water shortages, and high levels of soil salinity. The accumulation of salts in excessive amounts disrupts the osmotic balance and impairs physiological processes. However, drought reduces fruit size, yield, and quality.… More >

Pamela Lippi, Giovan Battista Mattii, Eleonora Cataldo^*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.1, pp. 33-64, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.059997 - 24 January 2025

Abstract Biochar has emerged as a promising tool for enhancing vineyard sustainability by improving soil properties and mitigating climate change impacts. This review highlights key findings on biochar’s role in viticulture, focusing on its effects on soil fertility, water retention, and plant physiology. Field and pot studies demonstrate that biochar amendments enhance soil structure, increase cation exchange capacity (CEC), and promote water availability, leading to improved drought resistance in grapevines. However, the impacts on grape yield, physiology, and quality remain inconclusive, with some studies reporting benefits while others show neutral effects. Future research should focus on More >

Fei Li^1,2, Meili Ding¹, Hui Yuan¹, Siping Wang¹, Bin Liang^2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.1, pp. 243-250, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.059499 - 24 January 2025

Abstract This study investigated the effects of chlorine-based fertilizers under varying nitrogen solution concentrations in a soilless culture system. The experiment included four nitrogen solution concentration levels, with nitrogen concentrations of 6 mmol/L (C1), 12 mmol/L (C2), 18 mmol/L (C3), and 24 mmol/L (C4). Each nutrient concentration level was further divided into four chloride ion treatments (R1, R2, R3, and R4), where 100%, 60%, 33%, and 0% of the NH₄⁺ and K⁺ ions were derived from NH₄Cl and KCl, respectively. The length, surface area and volume of root were significantly higher by 25.3%~136.9%, 40.1%~173.1%, 27.9%~178.0%, respectively, in the… More >

Bouazza Chami^1,2, Nabil Touzout², Souad Guemouri-Athmani¹, Djamel Baali-Cherif³, Adil Mihoub⁴, Jakub Černý^5,*, Muhammad Farhan Saeed⁶, Aftab Jamal^7,*, Hayi Mohamed Yassine⁸, Yaser Hassan Dewir⁹, Aurelio Scavo¹⁰

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.12, pp. 3313-3329, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.059865 - 31 December 2024

Abstract Intensive agricultural practices have undeniably reduced soil fertility and crop productivity. Furthermore, alkaline calcareous soils represent a significant challenge for agricultural production, particularly durum wheat, which is vital for ensuring food security. It is therefore essential to explore new cereal management strategies to maintain food production and promote crop sustainability. The application of soil microorganisms, particularly plant growth–promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), as inoculants to enhance crop production is a growing area of interest. This study investigates the effects of the rhizobacteria Paenibacillus polymyxa SGH1 and SGK2, applied both individually and in combination, on the growth and… More >

Zhaomiao Lin, Guoliang Li, Hong Zhang, Rongchang Ji, Yongqing Xu, Guochun Xu, Huawei Li, Zhonghua Liu, Wenbin Luo, Yongxiang Qiu, Sixin Qiu^*, Hao Tang

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.12, pp. 3401-3410, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.058692 - 31 December 2024

Abstract Sweet potato leaves are consumed globally for their nutritional and functional properties, with their taste characteristics significantly influencing their market value and consumer acceptance. However, the metabolic factors determining the taste of sweet potato leaves remain unclear. This study evaluated the taste and metabolic profile of sweet potato leaves cultivated in soil and hydroponic systems, revealing that hydroponic culture improved the taste of the leafy sweet potatoes. Using gas chromatography system (GC)-ToF-MS, 200 metabolites were identified, encompassing most plant metabolic pathways. A comparison of good-tasting vs. poor-tasting sweet potato leaves identified 71 metabolites associated with taste More >

Qurat-Ul-Ain Raza^1,2, Abdur Rehim^1,*, Muhammad Amjad Bashir^1,3,*, Mingzheng Duan⁴, Yucong Geng³, Abdulwahed Fahad Alrefaei⁵

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.12, pp. 3531-3548, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.057356 - 31 December 2024

Abstract Chemical fertilizers have contributed to improving crop production and coping with food safety challenges, but their excessive application in agriculture has resulted in soil and environmental problems. The present study was performed to assess the potential of biostimulants as an alternative to chemical fertilizers. A pot experiment was conducted to examine the response of okra against different biostimulants, including glycine (G.L.), lysine (L.Y.), aspartic acid (A.A.), vitamin B complex (V.B.), and chemical fertilizers (control; C.K.). The results revealed that G.L. and V.B. significantly improved chlorophyll a (12.51%) and chlorophyll b (7.14%) contents in okra… More >

Haijian Yang¹, Mingzhi Zhang^1,*, Na Xiao¹, Yuan Li²

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.11, pp. 2813-2836, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.057795 - 30 November 2024

Abstract Moistube irrigation was driven by the gradient of water potential inside and outside the pipe wall, which has the advantages of continuous irrigation during the crop growth period. However, the response mechanism of soil nutrients and enzyme activities of greenhouse tomatoes under the integration of water and fertilizer by moistube irrigation is still unclear. In order to explore the changes in soil nutrients and enzyme activities of greenhouse tomatoes regulated by irrigation and fertilization in moistube irrigation greenhouse, a completely randomized experimental design was conducted to explore the effects of different irrigation amounts (I, controlling… More >

Zirui Chen^1,2, Jiale Liu^1,2, Haijun Sun^1,2,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.10, pp. 2557-2569, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.056868 - 30 October 2024

Abstract Clarifying the soil nutrient dynamics caused by forest type variations in the coastal region helps scientifically to apply fertilizer to forest plantations and enhance the carbon (C) sink capacity. Pure forests of Ligustrum and Metasequoia, as well as their mixed forests, in a coastal region of China were investigated by collecting 0–20 and 20–40 cm soil samples and analyzing their differences in bulk density, water content, pH, soil organic matter (SOM), ammonium (NH₄⁺–N), nitrate (NO₃^––N) and total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (AP) and potassium (AK), microbial biomass C (MBC) and N (MBN), and enzyme activity. The results… More >

Wissal Benaffari^1,2,3, Fatima-Ezzahra Soussani^1,2,4, Abderrahim Boutasknit^1,2,5, Salma Toubali^1,2,3, Abir Ben Hassine³, Hala Ben Ahmed³, Rachid Lahlali^7,*, Abdelilah Meddich^1,2,6,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.9, pp. 2285-2302, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.055052 - 30 September 2024

Abstract Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) has recently gained popularity as a pseudo-cereal cultivated in various countries due to the nutritional and antioxidant benefits of its seeds, and its capacity to persist in water-stressed environments. Our study aimed to assess the effects of native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and local organic amendments on the metabolic responses and antioxidant activity of quinoa seeds under water-stressed conditions. To this end, quinoa plants were grown in soils inoculated with an indigenous mycorrhizal consortium AMF and amended with two types of compost from horse manure (HM) and green waste (GW) under two water… More >

Lianhua Ma¹, Min Huang¹, Linfeng Han^2,*

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.18, No.6, pp. 853-869, 2024, DOI:10.32604/sdhm.2024.051374 - 20 September 2024

Abstract Given the complexities of reinforced soil materials’ constitutive relationships, this paper compares reinforced soil composite materials to a sliding structure between steel bars and soil and proposes a reinforced soil constitutive model that takes this sliding into account. A finite element dynamic time history calculation software for composite response analysis was created using the Fortran programming language, and time history analysis was performed on reinforced soil retaining walls and gravity retaining walls. The vibration time histories of reinforced soil retaining walls and gravity retaining walls were computed, and the dynamic reactions of the two types More >