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The content of selenium (Se) in most horticultural crops is low. To improve Se uptake in fruit trees, we investigated the impact of water extract derived from Nasturtium officinale R. Br. straw on the growth and Se uptake of peach seedlings under Se‐enriched soil by a pot experiment. The water extract of N. officinale straw exhibited notable effects on various growth parameters and Se accumulation in peach seedlings, with the most significant outcomes observed at a 200‐fold dilution. Specifically, the extract led to substantial enhancements in biomass, photosynthetic pigment content, antioxidant enzyme activity, and soluble protein content in peach seedlings. Remarkably, the 200‐fold dilution of N. officinale straw extract resulted in a 60.78% increase in root biomass and a 31.26% increase in shoot biomass when compared to the control. Moreover, the water extract augmented the levels of total Se, inorganic Se, and organic Se, along with the activities of Se metabolism‐related enzymes in peach seedlings. Among various tested dilutions, the 300‐fold and 400‐fold dilutions of N. officinale straw extract exhibited the highest total Se contents in roots and shoots, respectively, indicating increments of 97.26% and 44.08% over their respective controls. Additionally, correlation and gray relational analyses unveiled significant associations between peroxidase activity, soluble protein content, chlorophyll a content, chlorophyll a/b ratio, and the total shoot Se content. In conclusion, the water extract of N. officinale straw holds substantial potential for promoting the growth and Se uptake in peach seedlings, with the best concentration of 300‐fold dilution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) has shown promise in enhancing crop tolerance to heavy metal stress. To improve the cadmium (Cd) phytoremediation capacity of hyperaccumulator Solanum nigrum var. humile, the effects of exogenous GABA on the growth and Cd accumulation of S. nigrum var. humile were studied. When exposed to Cd stress (0.1 mg/L) through irrigation, S. nigrum var. humile exhibited inhibited growth, characterized by decreased biomass and contents of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoid). However, the application of exogenous GABA at 1 and 2 g/L increased various organs biomass and photosynthetic pigment content of S. nigrum var. humile to certain degree under Cd stress. Compared with the Cd treatment, the concentrations of 1 and 2 g/L GABA increased the shoot biomass by 8.24% and 16.62%, respectively. GABA also increased the Cd contents, bioconcentration factors, and Cd extractions in various organs of S. nigrum var. humile. Compared with the Cd treatment, the concentrations of 1 and 2 g/L GABA increased the shoot Cd extraction by 17.66% and 24.47%, respectively. Moreover, correlation and gray relational analyses showed that the shoot biomass, chlorophyll b content, and total chlorophyll content were the top three parameters closely related to shoot Cd extraction. These findings suggest that GABA can alleviate Cd‐induced stress in S. nigrum var. humile, thus enhancing its phytoremediation capacity for Cd‐contaminated soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To decrease the cadmium (Cd) uptake in rice and study the relationships of phosphorus (P), iron (Fe), and Cd uptakes in rice, the effects of four different tea types (green, black, dark, and white teas) on the P, Fe, and Cd accumulation in rice seedlings were studied. The results showed that only the black and dark teas increased the biomass of rice seedlings. The application of green, black, dark, and white teas increased the photosynthetic pigment content to some extent. Only the black tea increased the shoot P content, and the black, dark, and white teas increased the shoot Fe content. Compared with the control, only the black and dark teas decreased the shoot Cd content by 9.51% and 25.02%. Correlation and gray relational analyses showed that the root Cd content, soil pH value and soil exchangeable Cd concentration were the most closely associated with the shoot Cd content. The principal component and cluster analyses also showed the top three close cluster categories with shoot Cd content were root Cd content, soil exchangeable Cd concentration, and soil pH value. These findings indicate that the application of black and dark teas can promote the growth and decrease the Cd uptake of rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nucleic acid aptamers are short single‐stranded DNA/RNA (ssDNA/RNA) oligonucleotides that can selectively bind to the targets. They are widely used in medicine, biosensing, and diagnostic assay. They have also been identified and extensively used for various targets in agriculture. In this review we summarize the progress of nucleic acid aptamers on pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides), toxins, specific biomarkers of crops, and plant growth regulators in agricultural field in recent years. The basic process of aptamer selection, the already identified DNA/RNA aptamers and the aptasensors are discussed. We also discuss the future perspectives and the challenges for aptamer development in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]