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Soil salinity pose a significant challenge to global agriculture, threatening crop yields and food security. Understanding the salt tolerance mechanisms of plants is crucial for improving their survival under salt stress. AFP2, a negative regulator of ABA signaling, has been shown to play a crucial role in salt stress tolerance during seed germination. Mutations in AFP2 gene lead to increased sensitivity to salt stress. However, the underline mechanisms by which AFP2 regulates seed germination under salt stress remain elusive. In this study, we identified a protein interaction between AFP2 and SOS2, a Ser/Thr protein kinase known to play a critical role in salt stress response. Using a combination of genetic, biochemical, and physiological approaches, we investigated the role of the SOS2-AFP2 module in regulating seed germination under salt stress. Our findings reveal that SOS2 physically interacts with AFP2 and stabilizes it, leading to the degradation of the ABI5 protein, a negative transcription factor in seed germination under salt stress. This study sheds light on previously unknown connections within salt stress and ABA signaling, paving the way for novel strategies to enhance plant resilience against environmental challenges., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Large quantities of marine ballast water discharged by ocean-going vessels can cause salinity increases in freshwater ports, which in turn negatively affects indigenous plankton in the ports. In this study, we investigated the impacts of marine ballast water discharge on the plankton community in a freshwater wharf through field surveys. It was found that salinity stress caused reductions in community indicators such as plankton community composition, abundance and diversity, thus threatening the structure and function of the plankton community in the wharf. In terms of the impact range, the salinity stress had a significant effect on all plankton in the waters near the discharge point and the phytoplankton in the waters 50 m from the discharge point, but had no significant effect on the plankton in the waters further away. Ballast water discharge also caused a significant decrease in the alpha diversity and richness of the plankton community but had no significant effect on the evenness of the plankton community. Moreover, phytoplankton were more tolerant of salinity changes than zooplankton in our study. This study provides an ecological reference for the scientific management of marine ballast water discharge and the risk of exogenous nutrient inputs to freshwater ecosystems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Proanthocyanidins (PAs) are flavonoid compounds with important defensive roles in plants. The application of PAs in industries such as the pharmaceutical industry has led to increased interest in enhancing their biosynthesis. In Arabidopsis thaliana, PAs are biosynthesized under the regulation of an R2R3-MYB transcription factor TRANSPARENT TESTA 2 (TT2), which can interact with other proteins, including TRANSPARENT TESTA GLABRA 1 (TTG1), while also regulating a plant's response to abiotic stressors. However, the regulation of PA biosynthesis in the high-value medicinal plant Panax ginseng (ginseng) has not yet been studied. Understanding the mechanism of PAs biosynthesis regulation in ginseng may be helpful in increasing the plant's range of pharmacological applications. This study found that the overexpression of PgTT2 increased PA biosynthesis by an average of 67.3% in ginseng adventitious roots and 50.5% in arabidopsis seeds. Furthermore, transgenic arabidopsis plants overexpressing PgTT2 produced increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging ability by influencing abscisic acid synthesis and signaling. However, under high salinity stress, seed germination and growth rate of seedlings were decreased. An expression analysis of plants facing salt stress revealed increased transcripts of an ABA biosynthetic gene, NCED3, and ABA signaling genes ABI5 and ABI3. Moreover, the PgTT2 protein showed a direct interaction with PgTTG1 in yeast two-hybrid assays. This study therefore reveals novel information on the transcriptional regulation of PA production in ginseng and shows how PgTT2 influences the ABA response pathway to regulate responses to ROS and salt stress., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Ok Ran Lee reports financial support was provided by National Research Foundation of Korea, Rural Development Administration, and Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in Food, Agriculture and Forestry. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Below-ground herbivory impacts plant development and often induces systemic responses in plants that affect the performance and feeding behavior of above-ground herbivores. Meanwhile, pest-damaged root tissue can enhance a plant's susceptibility to abiotic stress such as salinity. Yet, the extent to which herbivore-induced plant defenses are modulated by such abiotic stress has rarely been studied. In this study, we examine whether root feeding by larvae of the turnip moth, Agrotis segetum (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) affects the performance of the above-ground, sap-feeding aphid Aphis gossypii (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on cotton, and assess whether those interactions are modulated by salinity stress. In the absence of salinity stress, A. segetum root feeding does not affect A. gossypii development. On the other hand, under intense salinity stress (i.e., 600 mM NaCl), A. segetum root feeding decreases aphid development time by 16.1 % and enhances fecundity by 72.0 %. Transcriptome, metabolome and bioassay trials showed that root feeding and salinity stress jointly trigger the biosynthesis of amino acids in cotton leaves. Specifically, increased titers of valine in leaf tissue relate to an enhanced performance of A. gossypii. Taken together, salinity stress alters the interaction between above- and below-ground feeders by changing amino acid accumulation. Our findings advance our understanding of how plants cope with concurrent biotic and abiotic stressors, and may help tailor plant protection strategies to varying production contexts., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The crosstalk of phytohormones in the regulation of growth and development and the response of plants to environmental stresses is a cutting-edge research topic, especially in crop species. In this paper, we study the role and crosstalk between abscisic acid (ABA), ethylene (ET), and jasmonate (JA) in the control of germination and seedling growth in water or in standard nutrient solution and under salt stress (supplemented with 100-200 mM NaCl). The roles of ET and JA were studied using squash ET- and JA-deficient mutants aco1a and lox3a , respectively, while the crosstalk between ET, JA, and ABA was determined by comparing the expression of the key ABA, JA, and ET genes in wild-type (WT) and mutant genotypes under standard conditions and salt stress. Data showed that ET and JA are positive regulators of squash germination, a function that was found to be mediated by downregulating the ABA biosynthesis and signaling pathways. Under salt stress, aco1a germinated earlier than WT, while lox3a showed the same germination rate as WT, indicating that ET, but not JA, restricts squash germination under unfavorable salinity conditions, a function that was also mediated by upregulation of ABA. ET and JA were found to be negative regulators of plant growth during seedling establishment, although ET inhibits both the aerial part and the root, while JA inhibits only the root. Both aco1a and lox3a mutant roots showed increased tolerance to salt stress, a phenotype that was found to be mainly mediated by JA, although we cannot exclude that it is also mediated by ABA.

The Bacillus genus is widely distributed in nature, has bacteriostatic and growth-promoting activities, and has broad application potential in agriculture. An exopolysaccharide (EPS) was extracted and purified from Bacillus velezensis HY23. Structural characterisation of the EPS was performed by chemical and spectroscopic analyses. Methylation analysis showed that the EPS of HY23 was composed of mannose and glucose at a ratio of 82:18 and was identified as glucomannan. Combined with the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis, EPS from HY23 had a backbone of →2)-α-D-Manp-(1 → and →2,6)-α-D-Manp-(1 → branched at C-6 with terminal α-(3-O-Me)-D-Manp-(1 → and →6)-α-D-Manp-(1 → residues as the side chain. A certain amount of β-D-Glcp residues were also present in backbone. Moreover, EPS significantly improved the nitrogen-fixing activity and salt resistance of soybean seedlings by regulating the antioxidant pool and expression of ion transporters. These findings indicate that EPS from B. velezensis HY23 is a potential biostimulant for enhancing plant resistance to salt stress., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

To explore the intrinsic influence of different salinity content on aniline biodegradation system in high temperature condition of 35 ± 1 °C, six groups at various salinity concentration (0.0%-5.0%) were applied. The results showed that the salinity exerted insignificant impact on aniline removal performance. The low-level salinity (0.5%-1.5%) stimulated the nitrogen metabolism performance. The G5-2.5% had excellent adaptability to salinity while the nitrogen removal capacity of G6-5.0% was almost lost. Moreover, high throughput sequencing analysis revealed that the g__norank_f__NS9_marine_group, g__Thauera and g__unclassified_f__Rhodobacteraceae proliferated wildly and established positive correlation each other in low salinity systems. The g__SM1A02 occupying the dominant position in G5 ensured the nitrification performance. In contrast, the Rhodococcus possessing great survival advantage in tremendous osmotic pressure competed with most functional genus, triggering the collapse of nitrogen metabolism capacity in G6. This work provided valuable guidance for the aniline wastewater treatment under salinity stress in high temperature condition., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) is a commercially important marine bivalve, which inhabits the estuarine and mudflat areas. The osmoregulation is of great significance for molluscs adaptation to salinity fluctuations. In this study, we investigated the effects of low salinity (10 psu) and high salinity (40 psu) stress on survival and osmoregulation of the R. philippinarum. The results of physiological parameters showed that the ion (Na + , K + , Cl - ) concentrations and Na + /K + -ATPase (NKA) activity of R. philippinarum decreased significantly under low salinity stress, but increased significantly under high salinity stress, indicating that there are differences in physiological adaptation of osmoregulation of R. philippinarum. In addition, we conducted the transcriptome analysis in the gills of R. philippinarum exposed to low (10 psu) and high (40 psu) salinity challenge for 48 h using RNA-seq technology. A total of 153 and 640 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the low salinity (LS) group and high salinity (HS) group, respectively. The immune (IAP, TLR6, C1QL4, Ank3), ion transport (Slc34a2, SLC39A14), energy metabolism (PCK1, LDLRA, ACOX1) and DNA damage repair-related genes (Gadd45g, HSP70B2, GATA4) as well as FoxO, protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum and endocytosis pathways were involved in osmoregulation under low salinity stress of R. philippinarum. Conversely, the ion transport (SLC6A7, SLC6A9, SLC6A14, TRPM2), amino acid metabolism (GS, TauD, ABAT, ALDH4A1) and immune-related genes (MAP2K6, BIRC7A, CTSK, GVIN1), and amino acid metabolism pathways (beta-Alanine, Alanine, aspartate and glutamate, Glutathione) were involved in the process of osmoregulation under high salinity stress. The results obtained here revealed the difference of osmoregulation mechanism of R. philippinarum under low and high salinity stress through physiological and molecular levels. This study contributes to the assessment of salinity adaptation of bivalves in the context of climate change and provides useful information for marine resource conservation and aquaculture., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Expansin is a cell wall relaxant protein that is common in plants and directly or indirectly participates in the whole process of plant root growth, development and morphogenesis. A well-developed root system helps plants to better absorb water and nutrients from the soil while effectively assisting them in resisting osmotic stress, such as salt stress. In this study, we observed and quantified the morphology of the roots of Arabidopsis overexpressing the TaEXPAs gene obtained by the research group in the early stage of development. We combined the bioinformatics analysis results relating to EXPA genes in five plants and identified TaEXPA7-B , a member of the EXPA family closely related to root development in winter wheat. Subcellular localization analysis of the TaEXPA7-B protein showed that it is located in the plant cell wall. In this study, the TaEXPA7-B gene was overexpressed in rice. The results showed that plant height, root length and the number of lateral roots of rice overexpressing the TaEXPA7-B gene were significantly higher than those of the wild type, and the expression of the TaEXPA7-B gene significantly promoted the growth of lateral root primordium and cortical cells. The plants were treated with 250 mM NaCl solution to simulate salt stress. The results showed that the accumulation of osmotic regulators, cell wall-related substances and the antioxidant enzyme activities of the overexpressed plants were higher than those of the wild type, and they had better salt tolerance. This paper discusses the effects of winter wheat expansins in plant root development and salt stress tolerance and provides a theoretical basis and relevant reference for screening high-quality expansin regulating root development and salt stress resistance in winter wheat and its application in crop molecular breeding.

Soil salinity poses a substantial threat to agricultural productivity, resulting in far-reaching consequences. Green-synthesized lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) have emerged as significant biopolymers which effectively promote sustainable crop production and enhance abiotic stress tolerance. However, the defensive role and underlying mechanisms of LNPs against salt stress in Zea mays remain unexplored. The present study aims to elucidate two aspects: firstly, the synthesis of lignin nanoparticles from alkali lignin, which were characterized using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Fourier Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX). The results confirmed the purity and morphology of LNPs. Secondly, the utilization of LNPs (200 mg/L) in nano priming to alleviate the adverse effects of NaCl (150 mM) on Zea mays seedlings. LNPs significantly reduced the accumulation of Na + (17/21%) and MDA levels (21/28%) in shoots/roots while increased lignin absorption (30/31%), resulting in improved photosynthetic performance and plant growth. Moreover, LNPs substantially improved plant biomass, antioxidant enzymatic activities and upregulated the expression of salt-tolerant genes (ZmNHX3 (1.52 & 2.81 FC), CBL (2.83 & 3.28 FC), ZmHKT1 (2.09 & 4.87 FC) and MAPK1 (3.50 & 2.39 FC) in both shoot and root tissues. Additionally, SEM and TEM observations of plant tissues confirmed the pivotal role of LNPs in mitigating NaCl-induced stress by reducing damages to guard cells, stomata and ultra-cellular structures. Overall, our findings highlight the efficacy of LNPs as a practical and cost-effective approach to alleviate NaCl-induced stress in Zea mays plants. These results offer a sustainable agri-environmental strategy for mitigating salt toxicity and enhancing crop production in saline environments., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Soil salinization and sodication harm soil fertility and crop production, especially in dry regions. To combat this, using biochar combined with gypsum, lime, and farm manure is a promising solution for improving salt-affected soils. In a pot experiment, cotton stick biochar (BC) was applied at a rate of 20 t/ha in combination with gypsum (G), lime (L), and farm manure (F) at rates of 5 and 10 t/ha. These were denoted as BCG-5, BCL-5, BCF-5, BCG-10, BCL-10, and BCF-10. Three different types of soils with electrical conductivity (EC) to sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) ratios of 2.45:13.7, 9.45:22, and 11.56:40 were used for experimentation. The application of BCG-10 led to significant improvements in rice biomass, chlorophyll content, and overall growth. It was observed that applying BCG-10 to soils increased the membrane stability index by 75% in EC:SAR (2.45:13.7), 97% in EC:SAR (9.45:22), and 40% in EC:SAR (11.56:40) compared to respective control treatments. After BCG-10 was applied, the hydrogen peroxide in leaves dropped by 29%, 23%, and 21% in EC:SAR (2.45:13.7), EC:SAR (9.45:22), and EC:SAR (11.56:40) soils, relative to their controls, respectively. The application of BCG-10 resulted in glycine betaine increases of 60, 119, and 165% in EC: SAR (2.45:13.7), EC: SAR (9.45:22), and EC: SAR (11.56:40) soils. EC: SAR (2.45:13.7), EC: SAR (9.45:22), and EC: SAR (11.56:40) soils all had 70, 109, and 130% more ascorbic acid in BCG-10 applied treatment, respectively. The results of this experiment show that BCG-10 increased the growth and physiological traits of rice plants were exposed to different levels of salt stress. This was achieved by lowering hydrogen peroxide levels, making plant cells more stable, and increasing non-enzymatic activity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Neurotransmitters are naturally found in many plants, but the molecular processes that govern their actions still need to be better understood. Acetylcholine, γ-Aminobutyric acid, histamine, melatonin, serotonin, and glutamate are the most common neurotransmitters in animals, and they all play a part in the development and information processing. It is worth noting that all these chemicals have been found in plants. Although much emphasis has been placed on understanding how neurotransmitters regulate mood and behaviour in humans, little is known about how they regulate plant growth and development. In this article, the information was reviewed and updated considering current thinking on neurotransmitter signaling in plants' metabolism, growth, development, salt tolerance, and the associated avenues for underlying research. The goal of this study is to advance neurotransmitter signaling research in plant biology, especially in the area of salt stress physiology., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

The challenge of desert farming with a high salt level has become an ecological task due to salt stress negatively affecting plant growth and reproduction. The current study deals with the cultivation of sorghum under salt stress conditions to counteract the effect of chitosan and gibberellic acid (GA 3 ). Here, the effects of chitosan, GA 3 and nano-composite (GA 3 @chitosan) on biochemical contents, growth and seed yield of sorghum under salinity stress conditions were studied. The results showed that spraying with GA 3 @chitosan increased sorghum grain yield by 2.07, 1.81 and 1.64 fold higher than salinity stressed plants, chitosan treatment and GA 3 treatment, respectively. Additionally, compared to the control of the same variety, the GA 3 @chitosan spraying treatment improved the concentration of microelements in the grains of the Shandweel-1 and Dorado by 24.51% and 18.39%, respectively for each variety. Furthermore, spraying GA 3 @chitosan on sorghum varieties increased the accumulation of the macroelements N, P, and K by 34.03%, 47.61%, and 8.67% higher than salt-stressed plants, respectively. On the other hand, the proline and glycinebetaine content in sorghum leaves sprayed with nano-composite were drop by 51.04% and 11.98% less than stressed plants, respectively. The results showed that, in Ras Sudr, the Shandweel-1 variety produced more grain per feddan than the Dorado variety. These findings suggest that GA 3 @chitosan improves the chemical and biochemical components leading to a decrease in the negative effect of salt stress on the plant which reflects in the high-yield production of cultivated sorghum plants in salt conditions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Populus euphratica phospholipase Dδ (PePLDδ) is transcriptionally regulated and mediates reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ion homeostasis under saline conditions. The purpose of this study is to explore the post-transcriptional regulation of PePLDδ in response to salt environment. P. euphratica PePLDδ was shown to interact with the NADP-dependent malic enzyme (NADP-ME) by screening the yeast two-hybrid libraries. The transcription level of PeNADP-ME increased upon salt exposure to NaCl (200 mM) in leaves and roots of P. euphratica. PeNADP-ME had a similar subcellular location with PePLDδ in the cytoplasm, and the interaction between PeNADP-ME and PePLDδ was further verified by GST pull-down and yeast two-hybrid. To clarify whether PeNADP-ME interacts with PePLDδ to enhance salt tolerance, PePLDδ and PeNADP-ME were overexpressed singly or doubly in Arabidopsis thaliana. Dual overexpression of PeNADP-ME and PePLDδ resulted in an even more pronounced improvement in salt tolerance compared with single transformants overexpressing PeNADP-ME or PePLDδ alone. Greater Na +  limitation and Na +  efflux in roots were observed in doubly overexpressed plants compared with singly overexpressed plants with PeNADP-ME or PePLDδ. Furthermore, NaCl stimulation of SOD, APX, and POD activity and transcription were more remarkable in the doubly overexpressed plants. It is noteworthy that the enzymic activity of NADP-ME and PLD, and total phosphatidic acid (PA) concentrations were significantly higher in the double-overexpressed plants than in the single transformants. We conclude that PeNADP-ME interacts with PePLDδ in Arabidopsis to promote PLD-derived PA signaling, conferring Na +  extrusion and ROS scavenging under salt stress., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

The olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is an evergreen tree that occupies 19% of the woody crop area and is cultivated in 67 countries on five continents. The largest olive production region is concentrated in the Mediterranean basin, where the olive tree has had an enormous economic, cultural, and environmental impact since the 7th century BC. In the Mediterranean region, salinity stands out as one of the main abiotic stress factors significantly affecting agricultural production. Moreover, climate change is expected to lead to increased salinization in this region, threatening olive productivity. Salt stress causes combined damage by osmotic stress and ionic toxicity, restricting olive growth and interfering with multiple metabolic processes. A large variability in salinity tolerance among olive cultivars has been described. This paper aims to synthesize information from the published literature on olive adaptations to salt stress and its importance in salinity tolerance. The morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms of olive tolerance to salt stress are reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

【Objective】The present paper aimed to investigate the important role of NAC gene in the growth and development of Cinnamomum camphora and its role in salt stress, and to clarify the response mechanism of C. camphora under salt stress. 【Method】The genome-wide NAC genes of C. camphora were identified and analyzed by bioinformatics to investigate the mode of response to abiotic stress in C. camphora. By identifying the members of NAC family of C. camphora,the paper aonducteda systematic analysis in terms of physicochemical properties, phylogenetic analysis, conserved motifs and gene structures, chromosomal localization and inter-species covariance, cis-acting element prediction and expression patterns.【Result】A total of 103 CcNAC genes were identified, the amino acid counts ranged from 137 to 1136, the isoelectric points from 4.54 to 10.00, the relative molecular masses from 15 644.40 to 129 859.29 u, and the mean hydrophobicity of all proteins was negative, indicating hydrophilicity. Subcellular localization was predicted to be in the nucleus and cytoplasm. A phylogenetic evolutionary tree was constructed with Arabidopsis thaliana NAC gene sequences, which classified CcNAC genes into 16 subfamilies. The NAM subfamily had the most members, with 17 CcNAC genes, while 25 CcNAC genes were not included. Conservative motif and gene structure analysis revealed that CcNAC genes were found to contain 2-8 introns and 10 motifs. Among these, motif3 appeared to be particularly stable in the genetic evolution of C. camphora genes, while motif9 and motif10 were distributed across the NAM subfamily. Chromosome localization and replication event analysis revealed that 103 genes were distributed across 12 chromosomes, with the highest number of genes（13） found in CcNAC genes distributed across chromosomes Chr02, with the lowest number of genes found on Chr10 and Chr11, which contained two genes each; Fragment duplication was the main mode of amplification for the CcNAC family. Multi-species co-linkage analysis revealed that CcNAC genes formed 162 pairs of co-linkage genes with CcNAC genes, indicating a closer relationship than with other species. The CcNAC genes were more closely related to the CcNAC genes and to those of other species than to any other. The CcNAC gene promoters contained several abiotic stress, growth and development, and hormone response elements. The results of the qRT-PCR showed that in leaves, the expression levels of the CcNAC058 and CcNAC092 genes were maximised under low salt stress. In roots, the expression of CcNAC007, CcNAC033, CcNAC058 and CcNAC092 genes increased with increasing salt concentration.【Conclusion】The NAC gene family may be involved in the process of salt stress response during the growth and development of C. camphora. The CcNAC092 and CcNAC058 genes exhibite significant responses in both leaves and roots under salt stress. It is hypothesised that CcNAC058 and CcNAC092 are the key genes contributing to the ability of the CcNAC to produce self-defensive behaviours under salt stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The motility behaviors at the individual-cell level and the collective physiological responsive behaviors of aerobic denitrifier, Enterobacter cloacae strain HNR under high salt stress were investigated. The results revealed that as salinity increased, electron transport activity and adenosine triphosphate content decreased from 15.75 μg O 2 /g/min and 593.51 mM/L to 3.27 μg O 2 /g/min and 5.34 mM/L, respectively, at 40 g/L, leading to a reduction in the rotation velocity and vibration amplitude of strain HNR. High salinity stress (40 g/L) down-regulated genes involved in ABC transporters (amino acids, sugars, metal ions, and inorganic ions) and activated the biofilm-related motility regulation mechanism in strain HNR, resulting in a further decrease in flagellar motility capacity and an increase in extracellular polymeric substances secretion (4.08 mg/g cell of PS and 40.03 mg/g cell of PN at 40 g/L). These responses facilitated biofilm formation and proved effective in countering elevated salt stress in strain HNR. Moreover, the genetic diversity associated with biofilm-related motility regulation in strain HNR enhanced the adaptability and stability of the strain HNR populations to salinity stress. This study enables a deeper understanding of the response mechanism of aerobic denitrifiers to high salt stress., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Rice straw breakdown is sluggish, which makes agricultural waste management difficult, however pretreatment procedures and cellulolytic fungi can address this issue. Through ITS sequencing, Chaetomium globosum C1, Aspergillus sp. F2, and Ascomycota sp. SM2 were identified from diverse sources. Ascomycota sp. SM2 exhibited the highest carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) activity (0.86 IU/mL) and filter-paper cellulase (FPase) activity (1.054 FPU/mL), while Aspergillus sp. F2 showed the highest CMCase activity (0.185 IU/mL) after various pretreatments of rice straw. These fungi thrived across a wide pH range, with Ascomycota sp. SM2 from pH 4 to 9, Aspergillus sp. F2, and Chaetomium globosum C1 thriving in alkaline conditions (pH 9). FTIR spectroscopy revealed significant structural changes in rice straw after enzymatic hydrolysis and solid-state fermentation, indicating lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose degradation. Soil amendments with pretreated rice straw, cow manure, biochar, and these fungi increased root growth and soil nutrient availability, even under severe salt stress (up to 9.3 dS/m). The study emphasizes the need for a better understanding of Ascomycota sp. degradation capabilities and proposes that using cellulolytic fungus and pretreatment rice straw into soil amendments could mitigate salt-related difficulties and improve nutrient availability in salty soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SnRK (sucrose non-fermentation-related protein kinase) plays an important role in regulating various signals in plants. However, as an important bamboo shoot and wood species, the response mechanism of PheSnRK in Phyllostachys edulis to hormones, low energy and stress remains unclear. In this paper, we focused on the structure, expression, and response of SnRK to hormones and sugars. In this study, we identified 75 PheSnRK genes from the Moso bamboo genome, which can be divided into three groups according to the evolutionary relationship. Cis-element analysis has shown that the PheSnRK gene can respond to various hormones, light, and stress. The PheSnRK2.9 proteins were localized in the nucleus and cytoplasm. Transgenic experiments showed that overexpression of PheSnRK2.9 inhibited root development, the plants were salt-tolerant and exhibited slowed starch consumption in Arabidopsis in the dark. The results of yeast one-hybrid and dual luciferase assay showed that PheIAAs and PheNACs can regulate PheSnRK2.9 gene expression by binding to the promoter of PheSnRK2.9. This study provided a comprehensive understanding of PheSnRK genes of Moso bamboo, which provides valuable information for further research on energy regulation mechanism and stress response during the growth and development of Moso bamboo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the effect of isosteviol on the physiological metabolism of Brassica napus seedlings under salt stress is explored. Brassica napus seeds (Qinyou 2) were used as materials, and the seeds were soaked in different concentrations of isosteviol under salt stress. The fresh weight, dry weight, osmotic substance, absorption and distribution of Na+, K+, Cl−, and the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured, and these results were combined with the changes shown by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results showed that isosteviol at an appropriate concentration could effectively increase the biomass and soluble protein content of Brassica napus seedlings and reduce the contents of proline, glycine betaine, and ROS in the seedlings. Isosteviol reduces the oxidative damage to Brassica napus seedlings caused by salt stress by regulating the production of osmotic substances and ROS. In addition, after seed soaking in isosteviol, the Na+ content in the shoots of the Brassica napus seedlings was always lower than that in the roots, while the opposite was true for the K+ content. This indicated that under salt stress the Na+ absorbed by the Brassica napus seedlings was mainly accumulated in the roots and that less Na+ was transported to the shoots, while more of the K+ absorbed by the Brassica napus seedlings was retained in the leaves. It is speculated that this may be an important mechanism for Brassica napus seedlings to relieve Na+ toxicity. The spectroscopy analysis showed that, compared with the control group (T1), salt stress increased the absorbance values of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, etc., indicating structural damage to the plasma membrane and cell wall. The spectra of the isosteviol seed soaking treatment group were nearly the same as those of the control group (T1). The correlation analysis shows that under salt stress the Brassica napus seedling tissues could absorb large amounts of Na+ and Cl− to induce oxidative stress and inhibit the growth of the plants. After the seed soaking treatment, isosteviol could significantly reduce the absorption of Na+ by the seedling tissues, increase the K+ content, and reduce the salt stress damage to the plant seedlings. Therefore, under salt stress, seed soaking with isosteviol at an appropriate concentration (10−9~10−8 M) can increase the salt resistance of Brassica napus seedlings by regulating their physiological and metabolic functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhizobacteria play a crucial role in plant growth and yield, stimulating primary production and improving stress resistance. Climate change has several consequences worldwide that affect arable land and agriculture. Studies on plant–soil–microorganism interactions to enhance plant productivity and/or resistance to abiotic stress may open new perspectives. This strategy aims to make agricultural‐relevant plant species able to complete their biological cycle in extreme soils with the help of inoculated or primed plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR).We provide an overview of the evolution of interest in PGPR research in the last 30 years through: (i) a quantitative search on the Scopus database; (ii) keyword frequencies and clustering analysis, and (iii) a keyword network and time‐gradient analysis.The review of scientific literature on PGPR highlighted an increase in publications in the last 15 years, and a specific time gradient on subtopics, such as abiotic stresses. The rise in PGPR as a keyword co‐occurring with salinity and drought stresses aligns with the growing number of papers from countries directly or partly affected by climate change.The study of PGPR, its features, and related applications will be a key challenge in the next decades, considering climate change effects on agriculture. The increased interest in PGPR leads to deeper knowledge focused specifically on researching agriculturally sustainable solutions for soils affected by salinity and drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continuous growth of the world's population has led to an increased demand for food. Biochar (BC) contains valuable functional groups and nutrients, which have been demonstrated to enhance soil properties and boost crop yield. Nonetheless, unmodified BC exhibits significant alkalinity and a large salt concentration; thus, its efficacy in improving saline-alkali soil remains a matter of contention. Therefore, scholars aim to address the aforementioned limitations by adapting BC. In this paper, a summary is given of the methods used to modify BC and the effects of modified BC on salt-affected soil and saline-alkali soil properties, including pH, nutrients and microbial activity. The effects and principles of different modifiers and modification methods on BC's physicochemical properties (porosity and functional group content and type, etc.) were revealed. Furthermore, the principle of soil improvement by modified BC varies depending on the modification method. Although modified BC can effectively enhance salt-affected soil, its excessive application and improper selection of modifiers can aggravate Na+ toxicity or introduce other pollutants into salt-affected soil. Therefore, using modified BC with care is imperative according to the actual situation. In this review, we provide a detailed introduction to the methods and principles of BC modification for saline-alkali soil. Furthermore, we identify the shortcomings and future research directions in this field. These insights are valuable when choosing proper BC modification methods for salt-affected soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinization severely hinders crop growth and decreases crop yield, and is increasingly an obstacle for the sustainability of agriculture. In this paper, different concentrations of NaCl (0, 50, 100, 150 mmol/L) and 6-benzyladenine (6-BA) (0, 1, 3, 5, 7 mg/L) were mixed together for investigating the mitigative effects of 6-BA on soybean (variety of Zhonghuang 13) germination stage under salt stress. Moreover, in order to quickly monitor the degree of salt stress on soybean, the low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) technology was applied to assay the bonding water content and the dormancy of soybean seedling, and to establish the stress level prediction models of back propagation neural network (BPNN), resilient back propagation with backtracking neural network (RPROP-WBNN), resilient back propagation without backtracking neural network (RPROP-OBNN), and global learning resilient back propagation neural network (GRPROPNN), and thus obtaining the optimal model. The results showed that (1) soybean exhibited strong bound water relaxation peaks under salt stress, thus enhancing their water storage capacity and overall survival; (2) the 6-BA could break the physiological dormancy of soybean seeds and promote germ elongation; (3) the RPROP-WBNN index values, including Precision (87.36 %), Recall (87.34 %), Accuracy (93.80 %), and F1-score (0.88) were outperformed the values of all other models. Overall, it could be concluded that the 3 mg/L 6-BA had the best effect on alleviating salt stress in soybean, and the RPROP-WBNN was more conducive to predicting accurately the salt stress level of soybean seeds with LF-NMR technology and neural network. Therefore, this paper could provide the theoretical support and data reference for the study of the response effects of 6-BA to salt stress during soybean seed germination stage with rapid non-destructive monitoring.

To address salinity stress in plants in an eco-friendly manner, this study investigated the potential effects of salinity-resistant bacteria isolated from saline agricultural soils on the growth of cucumber (Cucumis sativus, cv. Royal) seedlings. A greenhouse factorial experiment was conducted based on a completely randomized design (CRD) with two factors, salinity at four levels and five bacterial treatments, with three replications (n = 3). Initially, fifty bacterial isolates were screened for their salinity and drought tolerance, phosphate solubilization activity, along with production of auxin, siderophore and hydrogen cyanide. Isolates K4, K14, K15, and C8 exhibited the highest resistance to salinity and drought stresses in vitro. Isolates C8 and K15 demonstrated the highest auxin production capacity, generating 2.95 and 2.87 µg mL− 1, respectively, and also exhibited significant siderophore production capacities (by 14% and 11%). Additionally, isolates C8 and K14 displayed greater phosphate solubilization activities, by 184.64 and 122.11 µg mL− 1, respectively. The statistical analysis revealed that the selected four potent isolates significantly enhanced all growth parameters of cucumber plants grown under salinity stress conditions for six weeks. Plant height increased by 41%, fresh and dry weights by 35% and 7%, respectively, and the leaf area index by 85%. The most effective isolate, C8, was identified as Bacillus subtilis based on the 16 S rDNA amplicon sequencing. This study demonstrated that inoculating cucumber seedlings with halotolerant bacterial isolates, such as C8 (Bacillus subtilis), possessing substantial plant growth-promoting properties significantly alleviated salinity stress by enhancing plant growth parameters. These findings suggest a promising eco-friendly strategy for improving crop productivity in saline agricultural environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cold shock proteins (CSPs) are ubiquitous nucleic acid-binding proteins involved in growth, development, and stress response across various organisms. While extensively studied in many species, their regulatory roles in sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) remain unclear. Objective: To identify and analyze CSP genes (PavCSPs) in sweet cherry genome, and explore the differential responses of PavCSP1 and PavCSP3 to low temperature and salt stress. Methods: Three methods were employed to identify and characterize CSP in sweet cherry genomes. To explore the potential functions and evolutionary relationships of sweet cherry CSP proteins, sequence alignment and phylogenetic tree incorporating genes from five species were conducted and constructed, respectively. To investigate the responses to abiotic stresses, cis-acting elements analysis and gene expression patterns to low-temperature and salt stress were examined. Moreover, transgenic yeasts overexpressing PavCSP1 or PavCSP3 were generated and their growth under stress conditions were observed. Results: In this study, three CSP genes (PavCSPs) were identified and comprehensively analyzed. The quantitative real-time PCR revealed diverse expression patterns, with PavCSP1-3 demonstrating a particular activity in the upper stem and all members were responsive to low-temperature and salt stress. Further investigation demonstrated that transgenic yeasts overexpressing PavCSP1 or PavCSP3 exhibited improved growth states following high-salt and low-temperature stress. Conclusion: These findings elucidated the responses of PavCSP1 and PavCSP3 to salt and low-temperature stresses, laying the groundwork for further functional studies of PavCSPs in response to abiotic stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Salt Overly Sensitive 1 (SOS1), a plasma membrane Na+/H+ exchanger, is essential for plant salt tolerance. Salt damage is a significant abiotic stress that impacts plant species globally. All living organisms require copper (Cu), a necessary micronutrient and a protein cofactor for many biological and physiological processes. High Cu concentrations, however, may result in pollution that inhibits the growth and development of plants. The function and production of mangrove ecosystems are significantly impacted by rising salinity and copper contamination. Results: A genome-wide analysis and bioinformatics techniques were used in this study to identify 20 SOS1 genes in the genome of Kandelia obovata. Most of the SOS1 genes were found on the plasma membrane and dispersed over 11 of the 18 chromosomes. Based on phylogenetic analysis, KoSOS1s can be categorized into four groups, similar to Solanum tuberosum. Kandelia obovata's SOS1 gene family expanded due to tandem and segmental duplication. These SOS1 homologs shared similar protein structures, according to the results of the conserved motif analysis. The coding regions of 20 KoSOS1 genes consist of amino acids ranging from 466 to 1221, while the exons include amino acids ranging from 3 to 23. In addition, we found that the 2.0 kb upstream promoter region of the KoSOS1s gene contains several cis-elements associated with phytohormones and stress responses. According to the expression experiments, seven randomly chosen genes experienced up- and down-regulation of their expression levels in response to copper (CuCl2) and salt stressors. Conclusions: For the first time, this work systematically identified SOS1 genes in Kandelia obovata. Our investigations also encompassed physicochemical properties, evolution, and expression patterns, thereby furnishing a theoretical framework for subsequent research endeavours aimed at functionally characterizing the Kandelia obovata SOS1 genes throughout the life cycle of plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matricaria chamomilla (Asteraceae), commonly known as chamomile can tolerate freezing temperatures and grows in many soil types. This plant is found on all continents and has significant medicinal value. There are more than 120 chemicals detected in chamomile flowers, with the majority found in the essential oil. In this study, M. chamomilla was given the NaCl stress of 0 mM, 1 mM, 100 mM, and 150 mM concentrations This study was the first to assess the efficacy of German chamomile upon exposure to salt stress hence plant particles that had been dried and powdered were analyzed using, phytochemical tests, Fourier Transform Infrared and UV–Vis spectroscopy, thin layer chromatography, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching assay, antibacterial and antioxidant activity. The characterization and results of these activities show amazing results which enhance their antibacterial property with an increased zone of inhibition when the samples of salt stress of the above-given concentrations were compared to the control samples. More graph analysis indicates an effective impact of salt stress on the phytoconstituents of M. chamomilla. Other than that, there was a clear flower induction upon salt stress, as a variety of compounds are regarded as essential to the biological functions of chamomile flowers according to the phytoconstituent screening which can be further used in the cosmetic industry, pharmaceutical industry, and all other fields as well for various application as a nano-drug or bio-drug. Due to this, this plant became essential for plant biotechnology research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: R2R3-MYB transcription factors belong to one of the largest gene subfamilies in plants, and they are involved in diverse biological processes. However, the role of R2R3-MYB transcription factor subfamily genes in the response of rice (Oryza sativa L.) to salt stress has been rarely reported. Results: In this study, we performed a genome-wide characterization and expression identification of rice R2R3-MYB transcription factor subfamily genes. We identified a total of 117 R2R3-MYB genes in rice and characterized their gene structure, chromosomal location, and cis-regulatory elements. According to the phylogenetic relationships and amino acid sequence homologies, the R2R3-MYB genes were divided into four groups. qRT-PCR of the R2R3-MYB genes showed that the expression levels of 10 genes significantly increased after 3 days of 0.8% NaCl treatment. We selected a high expression gene OsMYB2-115 for further analysis. OsMYB2-115 was highly expressed in the roots, stem, leaf, and leaf sheath. OsMYB2-115 was found to be localized in the nucleus, and the yeast hybrid assay showed that OsMYB2-115 has transcriptional activation activity. Conclusion: This result provides important information for the functional analyses of rice R2R3-MYB transcription factor subfamily genes related to the salt stress response and reveals that OsMYB2-115 may be an important gene associated with salt tolerance in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinity represents a significant factor affecting agricultural productivity and crop quality. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of soil conditioner (SC) comprising halotolerant microorganisms on the soil fertility, yield, rice quality, and the physicochemical and structural properties of starch in hybrid rice under saline conditions. The experimental treatments were composed of two high-quality hybrid rice varieties, i.e., 'Y Liangyou 957' (YLY957) and Jing Liangyou 534 (JLY534), and two soil amendment treatments, i.e., the application of SC at control levels and 2250 kg hm−2, or 'CK and SC', respectively. The crop was subjected to a mixture of fresh and sea water (EC 11 dS/m). The results demonstrated that the application of SC significantly enhanced the rice yield under salt stress conditions owing to an increase in the number of grains per panicle. Furthermore, SC was found to be effective in improving the organic matter and soil nutrient content. Furthermore, the application of SC resulted in an improvement in antioxidant defense, higher leaf SPAD values, and greater crop biomass, as well as the translocation of photo-assimilates at the heading stage. The application of SC not only improved the milling and appearance quality but also enhanced the taste value of rice by increasing the amylose and reducing the protein content. Furthermore, the application of SC also decreased the indentations on the surfaces of starch granules and cracks on the edges of the granules. The rice varieties subjected to SC exhibited excellent pasting properties, characterized by reduced proportions of amylopectin short chains and a lower gelatinization temperature and enthalpy of gelatinization. Overall, these findings serve to reinforce the efficacy of soil conditioner as a valuable tool to improve rice productivity and sustainability with improved rice grain quality under saline conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paulownia fortunei (Seem.) Hemsl is a Paulownia Sieb.et tree of the family Scrophulariaceae. It has become an important short-to-medium-term fast-growing multi-purpose tree species in China due to its rapid growth, strong adaptability, and excellent material properties. MYB transcription factors in plants have numerous and diverse functions, playing important roles in various aspects such as plant stress response. To investigate the function of MYB transcription factors in Paulownia fortunei, this study used PCR technology to clone the PfMYB44 gene from Paulownia fortunei. The homology of PfMYB44 and SiMYB44 (Sesamum indicum) was the highest. Expression analysis results showed that PfMYB44 was expressed in the root, stem, young leaf, and mature leaf of Paulownia fortunei, with the highest content in the root. Cold, drought, hot, salt, and ABA treatments could increase the expression level of PfMYB44. Overexpression-PfMYB44 plants were constructed, and physiological and molecular analysis showed that PfMYB44 could positively regulate salt and drought stresses. Under drought stress, the expression levels of AtP5CS, AtCAT1, AtNCED3 and AtSnRK2.4 in transgenic lines were significantly induced. Salt stress induced the expression of AtNHX1, AtSOS1, AtSOS2 and AtSOS3 genes, and the relative expression levels of these genes in transgenic Arabidopsis were higher. In conclusion, the functional study of PfMYB44 laid a certain foundation for the study of Paulownia stress resistance, and was helpful to the study of its stress resistance mechanism and the cultivation of new stress resistance varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt stress represses the growth and development of plants that mainly depend on the continual propagation and differentiation of stem cells. WUSCHEL (WUS)/WUSCHEL-RELATED HOMEOBOX (WOX) family proteins determine stem cell fate in plants under ever-changing environments. It is not yet known how plant stem cell homeostasis is regulated under salt stress. Methionine synthase catalyzes the formation of methionine by methylating homocysteine in the one-carbon metabolism pathway. In this work, we investigated the role of Arabidopsis METHIONINE SYNTHASE 2 (AtMS2) in stem cell homeostasis under salt stress. The results showed that AtMS2 represses the stem cell maintenance of Arabidopsis in response to salt stress. Under normal growth conditions, AtMS2 is mainly localized in the cytoplasm. However, under salt stress, it exhibits significant accumulation in the nucleus. AtMS2 interacts with the WUS/WOX protein, and, together, they repress WUS/WOX expression by binding to its promoter. The mutation in AtMS2 resulted in enhanced salt tolerance. Therefore, AtMS2 might act as a key negative regulator to repress the stem cell maintenance and growth of Arabidopsis under salt stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaves are a key forage part for livestock, and the aging of leaves affects forage biomass and quality. Preventing or delaying premature leaf senescence leads to an increase in pasture biomass accumulation and an improvement in alfalfa quality. NAC transcription factors have been reported to affect plant growth and abiotic stress responses. In this study, 48 NAC genes potentially associated with leaf senescence were identified in alfalfa under dark or salt stress conditions. A phylogenetic analysis divided MsNACs into six subgroups based on similar gene structure and conserved motif. These MsNACs were unevenly distributed in 26 alfalfa chromosomes. The results of the collinearity analysis show that all of the MsNACs were involved in gene duplication. Some cis-acting elements related to hormones and stress were screened in the 2-kb promoter regions of MsNACs. Nine of the MsNAC genes were subjected to qRT-PCR to quantify their expression and Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression to verify their functions. The results indicate that Ms.gene031485, Ms.gene032313, Ms.gene08494, and Ms.gene77666 might be key NAC genes involved in alfalfa leaf senescence. Our findings extend the understanding of the regulatory function of MsNACs in leaf senescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E.Br. ex Britton and P. Wilson is used in folk medicine of Central and South America for its biological activities: i.e., antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory. Based on ethnopharmacological information and the increasing interest in this species, this work aimed to test a possible wide use of its essential oil (EO) in pharmaceutical and horticultural applications. Therefore, we focused the attention on the antioxidant activity of the oil as a possible tool to overcome the oxidative stress in both applications. For this purpose, we have chosen three aggressive breast cancer cell lines and two horticultural species (Solanum lycopersicum L. and Phaseolus acutifolius L.) that are very sensitive to salt stress. We determined the antioxidant activity of L. alba EO through the quantification of phenols and flavonoids. Regarding tomato and bean plants under salt stress, L. alba EO was used for the first time as a seed priming agent to enhance plant salt tolerance. In this case, the seed treatment enhanced the content of phenolic compounds, reduced power and scavenger activity, and decreased membrane lipid peroxidation, thus mitigating the oxidative stress induced by salt. While in breast cancer cells the EO treatment showed different responses according to the cell lines, i.e., in SUM149 and MDA-MB-231 the EO decreased proliferation and increased antioxidant activity and lipid peroxidation, showing high cytotoxic effects associated with the release of lactate dehydrogenase, vice versa no effect was observed in MDA-MB-468. Such antioxidant activity opens a new perspective about this essential oil as a possible tool to counteract proliferation in some cancer cell lines and in horticulture as a seed priming agent to protect from oxidative damage in crops sensitive to salinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt stress is a serious problem, because it reduces the plant growth and seed yield of wheat. To investigate the salt-tolerant mechanism of wheat caused by plant-derived smoke (PDS) solution, metabolomic and proteomic techniques were used. PDS solution, which repairs the growth inhibition of wheat under salt stress, contains metabolites related to flavonoid biosynthesis. Wheat was treated with PDS solution under salt stress and proteins were analyzed using a gel-free/label-free proteomic technique. Oppositely changed proteins were associated with protein metabolism and signal transduction in biological processes, as well as mitochondrion, endoplasmic reticulum/Golgi, and plasma membrane in cellular components with PDS solution under salt stress compared to control. Using immuno-blot analysis, proteomic results confirmed that ascorbate peroxidase increased with salt stress and decreased with additional PDS solution; however, H+-ATPase displayed opposite effects. Ubiquitin increased with salt stress and decreased with additional PDS solution; nevertheless, genomic DNA did not change. As part of mitochondrion-related events, the contents of ATP increased with salt stress and recovered with additional PDS solution. These results suggest that PDS solution enhances wheat growth suppressed by salt stress through the regulation of energy metabolism and the ubiquitin-proteasome system related to flavonoid metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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MYB transcription factors containing an R2R3 DNA-binding domain are involved in the regulation of various physiological processes, such as responses to abiotic stresses, including salt stress. In poplar, various MYB transcription factors regulate stress responses. In this study, we aimed to identify the correlation between the transcription factor MYB148 and salt stress responses in the hybrid poplar (Populus alba × P. glandulosa). We induced a mutation in the MYB-binding domain of PagMYB148 using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated editing of the PagMYB148 gene, which induced a more suppressed expression of PagMYB148 than that in the wild-type. Although salt and drought treatments enhance the expression of PagMYB148, the pagmyb148-transgenic plants exhibited more sensitive phenotypes than the wild-type plants under salt stress. After exposure to salinity stress, the chlorophyll content was lower in pagmyb148-transgenic plants than in wild-type plants, whereas the mutation increased ion leakage from cells. Additionally, the expression of genes involved in the salt stress response was higher in pagmyb148-transgenic plants than in the wild-type. After salt treatment, pagmyb148-transgenic plants exhibited an increased level of H2O2 and reduced activity of antioxidant enzymes. In summary, the MYB148 transcription factor is involved in the regulation of salt stress resistance in hybrid poplar trees. This report contributes to providing a basis for further investigating the molecular mechanisms of the poplar PagMYB148 transcription factor under abiotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycine betaine (GB) serves as a compatible solute crucial for stress tolerance across numerous plant species. Populus trichocarpa grows along coastal regions and often suffers from salt stress. In this study, we explored the effects of foliar spraying of GB on the growth, physicochemical indexes, gene expression, and stress tolerance of poplar under salt stress. To achieve this, poplar plants (Populus deltoides × Populus euramericana "Nanlin 895") were grown under four NaCl concentrations: 0, 50, 100, and 150 mM. Additionally, they were treated with 0, 5, 15, and 25 mM GB. The degree of effect on potted poplars was observed after 8 weeks. A GB treatment of about 15 mM significantly reduced the impact of salt stress and photosynthetic pigments and caused an improvement in the activity of the antioxidant enzymes peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Moreover, GB-treated poplars had significantly more malonaldehyde (MDA) than the control lines. This study indicated that GB treatment reduces salt stress symptoms in poplars. This research helps to develop safe levels of endogenous GB, which will make poplars more resistant to environmental stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legumes are important grains and forages, providing high-quality proteins, vitamins, and micronutrients to humans and animals. Medicago truncatula is a close relative of alfalfa (Medicago sativa). Caffeic acid O-methyltransferase (COMT), a key gene that is identified to be essential for melatonin synthesis, plays a significant role in plant growth, development, and abiotic stress responses. However, a systematic study on the COMT gene family in M. truncatula has still not been reported. In this study, 63 MtCOMT genes were identified and categorized into three groups. Gene structure and conserved motif analyses revealed the relative conservation of closely clustered MtCOMTs within each group. Duplicated events in MtCOMT members were identified, and segmental duplication was the main mean. Cis-acting element prediction revealed the involvement of MtCOMTs in growth and development and response to light, stress, and plant hormones. RNA-seq data analysis showed that 57 MtCOMTs varied under salt and drought stresses. The RT-qPCR expression patterns showed that MtCOMT9, MtCOMT13, MtCOMT22, MtCOMT24, MtCOMT43, and MtCOMT46 were related to salt and drought responses in M. truncatula. Additionally, Arabidopsis thaliana overexpressing MtCOMT13 displayed superior plant growth phenotypes and enhanced tolerance to salt and drought stresses through higher photosynthetic parameters and activities of antioxidant enzymes, which indicated that MtCOMT13 played an important role in positively regulating plant salt and drought tolerance. These findings contribute to an improved understanding of MtCOMTs' roles in abiotic stress responses in M. truncatula, providing an important theoretical basis and genetic resource for legume species resistance breeding in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt stress is a critical abiotic factor that adversely affects plant growth and productivity by impairing photosynthesis. This study explores the impact of exogenous ascorbic acid (AsA) on the photosynthetic performance of tomato seedlings (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. Ligeer 87-5) under salt stress. Hydroponic experiments were conducted in a solar greenhouse, where tomato seedlings were subjected to the following five treatments: Control, NaCl, NaCl + AsA, NaCl + lycorine (LYC), and NaCl + LYC + AsA. Our findings demonstrate that salt stress significantly reduced chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, levels of chlorophyll synthesis precursors (5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), porphobilinogen (PBG), uroporphyrinogen III (Urogen III), protoporphyrin IX (Proto IX), magnesium protoporphyrin IX (Mg-Proto IX), protochlorophyllide (Pchl)), and essential elements (Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Mo, and P) in both roots and leaves. These reductions led to a substantial decline in net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and compromised photosystem II (PSII). In contrast, exogenous AsA application significantly enhanced the content of photosynthetic pigment precursors and essential elements, improved stomatal aperture and gas exchange efficiency, and boosted the photosynthetic performance of tomato seedlings under salt stress. Furthermore, AsA treatment mitigated the negative effects of salt stress by protecting PSII, increased light energy utilization efficiency, and alleviated both stomatal and non-stomatal limitations. The application of the AsA synthesis inhibitor LYC exacerbated the detrimental effects of salt stress, further reducing chlorophyll content and photosynthetic efficiency. In conclusion, exogenous AsA plays a vital role in enhancing the photosynthetic performance and stress tolerance of tomato seedlings under salt stress by stabilizing chlorophyll biosynthesis, facilitating essential element absorption, and optimizing stomatal function. This study provides a new approach and feasible measures for improving tomato resistance and yield, which is significant for enhancing crop productivity, managing saline soils, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the genetic basis of salt resistance in crops is crucial for agricultural productivity. This study investigates the phenotypic and genetic basis of salt stress response in rice (Oryza sativa L.), focusing on germination and seedling traits. Under salt stress conditions, significant differences were observed in seed germination and seedling traits between parental LH99 (Indica rice LuHui 99) and SN265 (japonica rice ShenNong 265). Transgressive segregation was evident within the RIL population, indicating complex genetic interactions. Nine QTLs were detected at germination and seedling stages under salt stress, namely qSGE5 and qSGE7 for seed germination energy (SGE); qSGP7 for seed germination percentage (SGP); qSSH7, qSSH9-1, and qSSH9-2 for seeding height (SSH); qSRN6 for root number (SRN); and qSDW6 and qSDW9 for dry weight (SDW). Among them, qSSH9-1 and qSDW9 were localized in the same interval, derived from the salt-resistant parent SN265. PCA revealed distinct trait patterns under salt stress, captured by six PCs explaining 81.12% of the total variance. PC composite scores were used to localize a QTL associated with early salt resistance in rice qESC9, which was located in the same interval as qSSH9-1 and qSDW9, and was subsequently unified under the name qESC9, an important QTL for early-growth salt tolerance in rice. Correlation analysis also confirmed a relationship between alleles of qESC9 and the resistance to salt, underscoring the critical role this locus plays in the determination of overall salt tolerance in rice. Physiological analyses of extreme phenotype lines highlighted the importance of ion exclusion mechanisms in salt-resistant lines, while salt-susceptible lines exhibited elevated oxidative stress and impaired antioxidant defense, contributing to cellular damage. This comprehensive analysis sheds light on the genetic and physiological mechanisms underlying salt stress response in rice, providing valuable insights for breeding programs aimed at enhancing salt resistance in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As crucial stages in the plant ontogeny, germination and seedling establishment under adverse conditions greatly determine staple crop growth and productivity. In the context of green technologies aiming to improve crop yield, seed priming is emerging as an effective approach to enhance seed vigor and germination performance under salt stress. In this study, we assess the efficiency of seed priming with indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in mitigating the adverse effects of salt stress on maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings during germination and early seedling stages. In unprimed seeds, salt stress reduced germination indices, and seedling (both radicle and coleoptile) growth, together with decreased tissue hydration. However, seed priming using IAA significantly improved maize salt response, as reflected by the increased seed germination dynamics, early seedling establishment, and water status. Besides, seedlings from IAA-primed seeds showed a higher activity of α-amylase, resulting in increased sugar contents in roots and coleoptiles of salt-stressed plants. Further, IAA-seed priming stimulated the accumulation of endogenous IAA in salt-stressed seedlings, in concomitance with a significant effect on reactive oxygen species detoxification and lipid peroxidation prevention. Indeed, our data revealed increased antioxidant enzyme activities, differentially regulated in roots and coleoptiles, leading to increased activities of the antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT and GPX). In summary, data gained from this study further highlight the potential of IAA in modulating early interactions between multiple signaling pathways in the seed, endowing maize seedlings with enhanced potential and sustained tolerance to subsequent salt stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since traditional germination test methods have drawbacks such as slow efficiency, proneness to error, and damage to seeds, a non-destructive testing method is proposed for full-process germination of radish seeds, which improves the monitoring efficiency of seed quality. Results: Based on YOLOv8n, a lightweight test model YOLOv8-R is proposed, where the number of parameters, the amount of calculation, and size of weights are significantly reduced by replacing the backbone network with PP-LCNet, the neck part with CCFM, the C2f of the neck part with OREPA, the SPPF with FocalModulation, and the Detect of the head part with LADH. The ablation test and comparative test prove the performance of the model. With adoption of germination rate, germination index, and germination potential as the three vitality indicators, the seed germination phenotype collection system and YOLOv8-R model are used to analyze the full time-series sequence effects of different ZnO NPs concentrations on germination of radish seeds under varying degrees of salt stress. Conclusions: The results show that salt stress inhibits the germination of radish seeds and that the inhibition effect is more obvious with the increased concentration of NaCl solution; in cultivation with deionized water, the germination rate of radish seeds does not change significantly with increased concentration of ZnO NPs, but the germination index and germination potential increase initially and then decline; in cultivation with NaCl solution, the germination rate, germination potential and germination index of radish seeds first increase and then decline with increased concentration of ZnO NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impacts of climate change are reaching unprecedented levels, heightening the risk of species loss and ecosystem service degradation. Wetlands, highly threatened ecosystems, serve vital ecological functions by capturing carbon, filtering water, and harbouring diverse wildlife. Coastal wetlands encounter many challenges, such as increased drought periods and escalating salinity levels, severely impacting plant biodiversity. Assessing how plants respond to various environmental stress factors is imperative for devising successful conservation strategies. In the present study, we examined three representative grass species found in various habitats within the Albufera Natural Park, close to the city of Valencia on the Spanish Mediterranean coast: Imperata cylindrica, Phragmites australis, and Saccharum ravennae. High salinity and water stress conditions were induced by subjecting the plants to irrigation with solutions containing 200, 400, 600, and 800 mM NaCl or withholding irrigation altogether to mimic coastal flooding and drought scenarios. The treatments were maintained until noticeable wilting of the plants occurred, at which point a range of stress biomarkers were determined, including photosynthetic pigments, ions, osmolytes, oxidative stress markers, and antioxidant metabolites, as well as antioxidant enzyme activities. Saccharum ravennae displayed the highest sensitivity to salt stress, whereas I. cylindrica appeared to be the most tolerant. The primary salinity tolerance mechanism observed in I. cylindrica and P. australis was a blockage of ion transport from the root zone to the aerial part, together with the salt-induced accumulation of proline and soluble sugars to high concentrations in the former. No significant effects of the water deficit treatment on the growth or biochemical parameters were observed for any of the analysed species. These findings offer valuable information for the effective management and conservation of coastal wetlands facing the challenges posed by climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Salt stress is a major environmental factor that constrains soybean growth, development, and productivity. Flavonoids are key secondary metabolites that play a crucial role in enhancing plant resistance to both biotic and abiotic stress. However, a comprehensive understanding of the regulatory mechanisms underlying flavonoid biosynthesis under salt stress in soybean is lacking. Methods: In this study, an integrative analysis of soybean metabolome and transcriptome was conducted using two soybean lines, FQ03 (salt-sensitive, SS) and FQ07 (salt-tolerant, ST). Results: A total of 650 significantly changed metabolites were identified in SS and ST after salt stress treatment. Among them, 151 flavonoids were categorized into nine classes, with flavones and flavonols being the predominant flavonoid types in soybean. Heatmap analysis showed higher contents of most flavonoid metabolites in ST than in SS under salt stress, and the total flavonoid content in ST was significantly higher than that in SS. In addition, transcriptome analysis revealed a higher number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in ST than in SS under salt stress. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that DEGs were mainly enriched in pathways related to phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, isoflavonoid biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, as well as flavone and flavonol biosynthesis. Notably, 55 DEGs that were mapped to the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway were identified, with most showing higher expression levels in ST than in SS. Weighted gene correlation network analysis identified eight structural genes and six transcription factor genes as key regulators of flavonoid biosynthesis within the blue module. Furthermore, qRT-PCR results confirmed the accuracy of the transcriptomic data and reliability of the identified candidate genes. Discussion: This study provides insights into the regulatory mechanisms underlying salt stress responses in soybean and highlights hub genes as potential targets for developing salt-tolerant soybean varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The utilization of plant material for synthesizing nanoparticles effectively triggers physiological and biochemical responses in plants to combat abiotic stresses. Salt stress, particularly caused by NaCl, significantly affects plant morphology and physiology, leading to reduced crop yields. Understanding the mechanisms of salt tolerance is crucial for maintaining crop productivity. Methods: In this study, we examined the effects of 150 μM spinach-assisted gold nanoparticles (S-AuNPs) on various parameters related to seed germination, growth attributes, photosynthetic pigments, stomatal traits, ion concentrations, stress markers, antioxidants, metabolites, and nutritional contents of spinach plants irrigated with 50 mM NaCl. Results: Results showed that S-AuNPs enhanced chlorophyll levels, leading to improved light absorption, increased photosynthates production, higher sugar content, and stimulated plant growth under NaCl stress. Stomatal traits were improved, and partially closed stomata were reopened with S-AuNPs treatment, possibly due to K+/Na+ modulation, resulting in enhanced relative water content and stomatal conductance. ABA content decreased under S-AuNPs application, possibly due to K+ ion accumulation. S-AuNPs supplementation increased proline and flavonoid contents while reducing ROS accumulation and lipid peroxidation via activation of both non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidants. S-AuNPs also regulated the ionic ratio of K+/Na+, leading to decreased Na+ accumulation and increased levels of essential ions in spinach plants under NaCl irrigation. Discussion: Overall, these findings suggest that S-AuNPs significantly contribute to salt stress endurance in spinach plants by modulating various physiological attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agriculture & Nature / Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi Tarım & Doğa Dergisi is the property of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam Universitesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Agriculture & Nature / Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi Tarım & Doğa Dergisi is the property of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam Universitesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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 treated with abscisic acid synthesis inhibitors, and reduced total reactive oxygen species content and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance accumulation. Melatonin also increased the activity of key photosynthetic enzymes and the content of photosynthetic pigments, maintaining the parameters of photosynthetic gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence. In summary, melatonin alleviated the effects of abscisic acid deficiency on photosynthesis and antioxidant systems in rice and improved salt tolerance. This study is beneficial for expanding the understanding of melatonin regulation of crop salt tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]