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Background and Aims Leaf elongation is vital for productivity of Poaceae species, influenced by atmospheric CO2 concentration ([CO2]) and climate-induced water availability changes. Although [CO2] mitigates the effects of drought on reducing transpiration per unit leaf area, it also increases total leaf area and water use. These complex interactions associated with leaf growth pose challenges in anticipating climate change effects. This study aims to assess [CO2] effects on leaf growth response to drought in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) and wheat (Triticum aestivum). Methods Plants were cultivated in growth chambers with [CO2] at 200 or 800 ppm. At leaf six to seven unfolding, half of the plants were subjected to severe drought treatment. Leaf elongation rate (LER) was measured daily, whereas plant transpiration was continuously recorded gravimetrically. Additionally, water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) content along with water and osmotic potentials in the leaf growing zone were measured at drought onset, mid-drought and leaf growth cessation. Key Results Elevated [CO2] mitigated drought impacts on LER and delayed growth cessation across species. A positive correlation between LER and soil relative water content (SRWC) was observed. At the same SRWC, perennial grasses exhibited a higher LER with elevated [CO2], probably due to enhanced stomatal regulation. Despite stomatal closure and WSC accumulation, CO2 did not influence nighttime water potential or osmotic potential. The marked increase in leaf area across species resulted in similar (wheat and tall fescue) or higher (ryegrass) total water use by the end of the experiment, under both watered and unwatered conditions. Conclusions Elevated [CO2] mitigates the adverse effects of drought on leaf elongation in three Poaceae species, due to its impact on plant transpiration. Overall, these findings provide valuable insights into CO2 and drought interactions that may help anticipate plant responses to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of biostimulant treatments on Passiflora species was assessed by observing changes in the growth and leaf functional compounds of plants exposed to humic acids (HAs) and seaweed extracts (SEs) to determine their optimal application doses. Four different concentrations of HA irrigation (0, 144, 192, and 285 mg·L-1 per pot assigned as HI-1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively), HA spraying (0, 96, 128, and 192 mg·L-1 as HS-1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively), SE irrigation (SI-1~4 at 0, 1, 1.33, and 2 g·L21 per pot, respectively), and SE spraying (SS-1~4 at 0, 0.5, 0.67, and 1 g·L21, respectively) treatments were applied to 'Tainung No. 1' and Passiflora suberosa cultivars every week to study their responses in plant growth traits and metabolites. Results show that leaf dry weight (DW) and root DW of 'Tainung No. 1' plants under SS-3 and HI-4 treatments, respectively, were significantly increased compared with controls. Both HI-3 and HS-3 treatments remarkably increased vine length, fresh weight (FW), and DW of leaves and shoots in P. suberosa plants compared with controls. Furthermore, 'Tainung No. 1' and P. suberosa plants respectively subjected to HI-2 and SS-4 treatments contributed to developing biostimulant applications for obtaining higher total phenol and flavonoid content per plant. Both Passiflora species are recommended for treatment with SS-4 and SE to maximize orientin and isovitexin content, and for all their beneficial applications and sustainable use in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major challenge in biodiversity research is the incorporation of species interactions into frameworks describing population and community response to global edfnmental change (GEC). Mutualisms are a type of species interaction especially sensitive to changing environmental conditions, and the breakdown of facilitative species interactions could amplify the negative impacts of novel climate regimes on focal species.Here, we investigate how reciprocal interactions between two coastal foundation species, the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) and eelgrass (Zostera marina) shift in sign and magnitude in response to ocean warming (+1.5°C) and acidification (−0.4 pH) via a manipulative co‐culture experiment in mesocosms.Under ambient environmental conditions, oysters facilitated eelgrass leaf growth and clonal reproduction by 35% and 38%, respectively. Simultaneously, eelgrass decreased the oyster condition index (the ratio of tissue to shell biomass) by 35%, indicating greater allocation of energy to shell growth instead of soft tissues at ambient conditions. Varying sensitivities of each species to ocean warming and/or acidification treatments led to complex shifts in species interactions that were trait dependent. As such, community outcomes under future conditions were influenced by species interactions that amplified and mitigated species response to environmental change.Synthesis: Given that species interaction effect sizes were similar in magnitude to effect sizes of warming or pH treatments, our results underscore the need to identify key species and interaction types that strongly influence community response to GEC. Specifically, for macrophyte‐bivalve interactions, understanding how physiological limitations on growth are impacted by environmental heterogeneity and co‐culture will support the successful restoration of natural populations and the rapid expansion of aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) is an essential element for plant growth, development, and metabolism. In apple production, the excessive use of N fertilizer may cause high N stress. Whether high N stress can be alleviated by regulating melatonin supply is unclear. The effects of melatonin on root morphology, antioxidant enzyme activity and 13C and 15N accumulation in apple rootstock M9T337 treated with high N were studied by soil culture. The results showed that correctly raising the melatonin supply level is helpful to root development of M9T337 rootstock under severe N stress. Compared with HN treatment, HN+MT treatment increased root and leaf growth by 11.38%, and 28.01%, respectively. Under high N conditions, appropriately increasing melatonin level can activate antioxidant enzyme activity, reduce lipid peroxidation in roots, protect root structural integrity, promote the transport of sorbitol and sucrose to roots, and promote further degradation and utilization of sorbitol and sucrose in roots, which is conducive to the accumulation of photosynthetic products, thereby reducing the inhibitory effect of high N treatment on root growth. Based on the above research results, we found that under high N stress, melatonin significantly promotes nitrate absorption, enhances N metabolism enzyme activity, and upregulates related gene expression, and regulate N uptake and utilization in the M9T337 rootstock. These results presented a fresh notion for improving N application and preserving carbon-nitrogen balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study determined production performance, nutrient intake, digestibility, and carcass traits from ostrich chicks fed with barberry (Berberis Vulgaris) leaves (BVL) as a replacement for alfalfa hay (AH). For 150 days, 30 male ostrich (Struthio camelus) (9.10 ± 0.89 kg live weight, mean ± SD) were randomly grouped into five dietary BVL inclusion levels to replace AH: a control diet based on 100% AH (CTRL), and four groups with BVL as a substitute for AH at varying levels including 25% (BVL25), 50% (BVL50), 75% (BVL75), and 100% (BVL100). The average daily feed intakes (ADFI) were recorded and birds were weighed monthly. The nutrient intake and digestibility were measured for the following final 5 days of the trial. The ADFI was higher (p = 0.025) for BVL100 and BVL75 than for CTRL. Ostriches fed on BVL50 had the highest average daily gain (ADG, p = 0.025) and the lowest feed conversation ratio (FCR, p = 0.0001). Return per kg BW gain was also enhanced (p = 0.018) with BVL50 feeding. Dietary BVL levels did not affect the digestibility of OM (p = 0.257), CP (p = 0.260), EE (p = 0.610), CF (p = 0.427), and Ash (p = 0.461). Also, there were no changes in AME (p = 0.180) or AMEn (p = 0.670). The hot carcass weight (HCW, p = 0.331) and dressing BW (p = 0.237) were not affected. Overall, the results suggest that BVL can replace AH in ostrich diets without deleterious impact on performance, however, its partial substitution (for 50% AH of diet) has been associated with improved ADG, FCR, and reduced feeding costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of supplemental or night interruptional blue light (S-BL or NI-BL) positioning on morphological growth, photoperiodic flowering, and expression of floral genes in Chrysanthemum morifolium were investigated. Blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) at an intensity of 30 μmol·m−2·s−1 photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) were used for 4 h either (1) to supplement the white LEDs at the end of the 10 h short-day (SD10 + S-BL4) and 13 h long-day conditions (LD13 + S-BL4), or (2) to provide night interruption in the SD10 (SD10 + NI-BL4) and LD13 (LD13 + NI-BL4). The S-BL4 or NI-BL4 was positioned to illuminate either the shoot tip, the youngest leaf (vigorously growing the third leaf from the shoot tip), or the old leaf (the third leaf from the stem base). In the text, they will be denoted as follows: SD10 + S-BL4-S, -Y, or -O; SD10 + NI-BL4-S, -Y, or -O; LD13 + S-BL4-S, -Y, or -O; LD13 + NI-BL4-S, -Y, or -O. Normally, the LD13 conditions enhanced more vegetative growth than the SD10 periods. The growth of leaves, stems, and branches strongly responded to the S-BL4 or NI-BL4 when it was targeted onto the shoot tip, followed by the youngest leaf. The SD10 + S-BL4 or +NI-BL4 on the old leaf obviously suppressed plant extension growth, resulting in the smallest plant height. Under LD13 conditions, the flowering-related traits were significantly affected when the S-BL4 or NI-BL4 was shed onto the youngest leaf. However, these differences do not exist in the SD10 environments. At the harvest stage, other than the non-flowered LD13 treatment, the LD13 + S-BL4 irradiating the youngest leaf induced the most flowers, followed by the shoot tip and old leaf. Moreover, LD13 + NI-BL4 resulted in the latest flowering, especially when applied to the shoot tip and old leaf. However, the SD10 + S-BL4 or + NI-BL4 irradiated the shoot tip, youngest leaf, or old leaf all significantly earlier and increased flowering compared to the SD10 treatment. Overall: (1) Generally, vegetative growth was more sensitive to photoperiod rather than lighting position, while, during the same photoperiod, the promotion of growth was stronger when the light position of S-BL4 or NI-BL4 was applied to the shoot tip or the youngest leaf. (2) The photoperiodic flowering of these short-day plants (SDPs) comprehensively responded to the photoperiod combined with blue light positioning. Peculiarly, when they were exposed to the LD13 flowering-inhibited environments, the S-BL4 or NI-BL4 shed onto the leaves, especially the youngest leaves, significantly affecting flowering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters is very important for understanding plant photosynthesis. Monitoring cotton chlorophyll fluorescence parameters via spectral technology can aid in understanding the photosynthesis, growth, and stress of cotton fields in real time and provide support for cotton growth regulation and planting management. In this study, cotton plot experiments with different water treatments were set up to obtain the spectral reflectance of the cotton canopy, the maximum photochemical quantum yield (Fv/Fm), and the photochemical quenching coefficient (qP) of leaves at different growth stages. Support vector machine regression (SVR), random forest regression (RFR), and artificial neural network regression (ANNR) were used to establish a fluorescence parameter inversion model of the cotton canopy leaves. The results show that the original spectrum was transformed by multivariate scattering correction (MSC), the standard normal variable (SNV), and continuous wavelet transform (CWT), and the model constructed with Fv/Fm passed accuracy verification. The SNV-SVR model at the budding stage, the MSC-SVR model at the early flowering stage, the SNV-SVR model at the full flowering stage, the MSC-SVR model at the flowering stage, and the CWT-SVR model at the full boll stage had the highest estimation accuracy. The accuracies of the three spectral preprocessing and qP models were verified, and the MSC-SVR model at the budding stage, SNV-SVR model at the early flowering stage, MSC-SVR model at the full flowering stage, SNV-SVR model at the flowering stage, and CWT-SVR model at the full boll stage presented the highest estimation accuracies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaves are the primary harvest portion in forage crops such as alfalfa (Medicago sativa). Delaying leaf senescence is an effective strategy to improve forage biomass production and quality. In this study, we employed transcriptome sequencing to analyze the transcriptional changes and identify key senescence-associated genes under age-dependent leaf senescence in Medicago truncatula, a legume forage model plant. Through comparing the obtained expression data at different time points, we obtained 1057 differentially expressed genes, with 108 consistently up-regulated genes across leaf growth and senescence. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses showed that the 108 SAGs mainly related to protein processing, nitrogen metabolism, amino acid metabolism, RNA degradation and plant hormone signal transduction. Among the 108 SAGs, seven transcription factors were identified in which a novel bZIP transcription factor MtbZIP60 was proved to inhibit leaf senescence. MtbZIP60 encodes a nuclear-localized protein and possesses transactivation activity. Further study demonstrated MtbZIP60 could associate with MtWRKY40, both of which exhibited an up-regulated expression pattern during leaf senescence, indicating their crucial roles in the regulation of leaf senescence. Our findings help elucidate the molecular mechanisms of leaf senescence in M. truncatula and provide candidates for the genetic improvement of forage crops, with a focus on regulating leaf senescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethephon (2-chloroethylphosphonic acid) is frequently used for flush management in order to maximize flowering in litchi. However, the optimal dosage of ethephon, which balances between flush control effect and the detrimental effect on leaves, is unknown. This study aimed to identify the optimal ethephon dosage and test more efficient ethephon application methods, using a drone for flush control and flowering promotion in litchi. The effects of a single manual full-tree spray of 250, 500 or 1000 mg/L of ethephon in early November on the bud break rate, leaf drop rate, net photosynthetic rate, LcFT1 expression and floral induction (panicle emergence rate and panicle number) in 'Jingganghongnuo' litchi were examined in the season of 2021–2022. In the season of 2022–2023, the effects of drone application of 1000 mg/L of ethephon in early November on bud growth and floral induction were observed. The results showed that the manual ethephon treatments were effective at enforcing bud dormancy and elongating the dormancy period and that the effects were positively dependent on dosage. One manual spray of 1000 mg/L of ethephon in late autumn enabled a dormancy period of 6 weeks. The treatments advanced seasonal abscission of old leaves in winter and caused short-term suppression on photosynthesis within 2 weeks after treatment. Ethephon treatments, especially at 1000 mg/L, enhanced the expression of LcFT1 in the mature leaves and promoted floral induction reflected by earlier panicle emergence and increased panicle emergence rate and number in the terminal shoot. The floral promotion effect was also positively dosage dependent. The cumulative chilling hours below 15 °C from the date of treatment to the occurrence of a 20% panicle emergence rate were lowered in ethephon treatments. A drone spray of 1000 mg/L of ethephon solution consumed a sixth of the manual spray solution volume and was two thirds less effective in suppressing bud break compared with manual spraying. However, it achieved a significant flowering promotion effect comparable to traditional manual spraying. The results suggest that ethephon application enhanced flowering responsiveness to chilling as well as enforced bud dormancy. The application of ethephon with a drone proved to be an efficient method for flush control and flower promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nursery material intended for establishing intensive apple orchards should be characterised by a dominant and straight leader with an appropriate number of shoots that develop at the right height and are regularly spaced along the leader. The use of well-branched trees can lead to fruiting in the first year after planting. However, many apple varieties have difficulty forming lateral shoots due to strong apical dominance. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of treatments stimulating the branching of maiden apple trees of the 'Gloster' variety. The research was carried out in 2017–2019 at a private nursery farm located in eastern Poland. The studied trees were subjected to a mechanical branching stimulation treatment, which consisted of pinching off 4–5 of the youngest leaves located below the growth cone, and chemical branching stimulation treatments, which consisted of applying growth regulator mixtures in the form of an aqueous solution, i.e., BA+GA3 and BA+GA4+7. The conducted studies showed that the type of branching-stimulating treatment had a significant effect on the height and trunk diameter of the maiden trees, the number of lateral shoots, the average length of one shoot and the sum of the lengths of all sylleptic shoots. The maiden trees treated with BA+GA3 were characterised by the best quality among the analysed combinations. Maiden apple trees treated with BA+GA3 were the tallest (2017—167.7 cm; 2018—175.3 cm; 2019—164.4 cm), produced the largest number of shoots (2017—6.5 pcs; 2018—6.8 pcs; 2019—6.3 pcs) and had the largest sum of lateral shoot lengths (2017—148.0 cm; 2018—155.4 cm; 2019—140.6 cm) among the evaluated combinations. The number of treatments and the concentration of applied growth regulators had a significant effect on the structure of the crown of the maiden apple trees of the 'Gloster' cultivar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paphiopedilum primulinum and Paphiopedilum glaucophyllum have unique labellum colour and shaped like lady's slippers. These orchids are from the Cochlopetalum section, which is exclusively found in Sumatra and Java. There are so many people that desire to collect these plants illegally. Due to extensive commercial exploitation, Paphiopedilum is in danger of going extinct. Tissue culture techniques are utilised to conserve threatened orchid germplasm in a short time. The success of the in vitro culture depends on the accuracy of the basic media composition used. The Ambon Lumut banana (ALB) can accelerate plant growth and cell division. Banana added to the culture medium was prepared by mashing the ripe flesh (3.5 months old) using a mortar. This research aims to investigate the effect of banana homogenate supplemented media for the orchids P. primulinum and P. glaucophyllum based on the parameters of difference of plant height (calculated from the base of the stem to the tip of the plant stem), number of leaves, and number of roots. The measurement method was carried out using a ruler with a centimetre scale. Observations and documentation were carried out once a week for 7 weeks after planting (WAP) for P. primulinum and P. glaucophyllum. The results showed that V Murashige and Skoog (MS) + ALB homogenate is a better medium for P. primulinum and P. glaucophyllum growth than media without banana homogenate. The highest values of plant height, leaf growth and root growth of P. primulinum with banana homogenate were 0.44 cm, 0.63 leaves, and 0.50 roots, respectively. The highest values of plant height and leaf growth of P. glaucophyllum were 0.75 cm and 1.90 leaves, respectively. Culture medium added banana homogenate was able to support the propagation of plants, some of which are returned to nature and others used for industrial purposes (conventionally cultivated by the community). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catharanthus roseus (C. roseus) can produce over 150 types of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs), including vinblastine and vincristine, which are currently the primary sources of these alkaloids. Exploring the complex regulatory mechanisms of C. roseus is significant for resolving MIA biosynthesis. The Lateral Organ Boundaries Domain (LBD) is a plant-specific transcription factor family that plays crucial roles in the physiological processes of plant growth, stress tolerance, and specialized metabolism. However, the LBD gene family has not been extensively characterized in C. roseus, and whether its members are involved in MIA biosynthesis is still being determined. A total of 34 C. roseus LBD (CrLBD) genes were identified. RNA-Seq data were investigated to examine the expression patterns of CrLBD genes in various tissues and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatments. The results revealed that the Class Ia member CrLBD4 is positively correlated with iridoid biosynthetic genes (p < 0.05, r ≥ 0.8); the Class IIb member CrLBD11 is negatively correlated with iridoid biosynthetic genes (p < 0.05, r ≤ −0.8). Further validation in leaves at different growth stages of C. roseus showed that CrLBD4 and CrLBD11 exhibited different potential expression trends with iridoid biosynthetic genes and the accumulation of vindoline and catharanthine. Yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) and subcellular localization assays demonstrated that CrLBD4 and CrLBD11 could bind to the "aattatTCCGGccgc" cis-element and localize to the nucleus. These findings suggest that CrLBD4 and CrLBD11 may be potential candidates for regulating MIA biosynthesis in C. roseus. In this study, we systematically analyzed the CrLBD gene family and provided insights into the roles of certain CrLBDs in the MIA biosynthesis of C. roseus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Penicillium citrinum is one of the most prevalent tobacco spoilage fungi. However, the mechanisms underlying fungal growth on tobacco leaves remain largely unknown. In this study, transcriptomic analyses were performed to reveal the genome-wide expression profiles of P. citrinum growing on tobacco leaves. First, a comparative analysis was conducted between two sets of transcriptomic data from P. citrinum growing on chemically defined media and tobacco leaves. Enrichment analyses showed that differentially regulated genes were mainly associated with carbohydrate degradation (e.g., cellulose, pectin, and xylan) and the catabolism of fatty acids and aromatic compounds. Comparative transcriptomic analyses between different time points indicated that the fungal transcriptome varied dynamically during the spoilage process, and the enriched terms were associated with small-molecule degradation and fungal development. Enrichment analyses indicated that more up-regulated genes appeared in all enriched Gene Ontology terms. Notably, more organelles significantly contributed to further fungal growth on tobacco leaves. In conclusion, P. citrinum activates a comprehensive transcriptome that changes dynamically when causing tobacco mildew. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pinus yunnanensis (Franch), a species endemic to southwestern China, provides significant ecological and economic benefits. The quality of afforestation can be enhanced by promoting high-quality sprout growth. This study analyzed the effects of six fertilization treatments following top pruning: T1 (N: 0 g/plant−1; P: 0 g/plant−1), T2 (N: 0 g/plant−1; P: 2 g/plant−1), T3 (N: 0 g/plant−1; P: 4 g/plant−1), T4 (N: 0.6 g/plant−1; P: 0 g/plant−1), T5 (N: 0.6 g/plant−1; P: 2 g/plant−1), and T6 (N: 0.6 g/plant−1; P: 4 g/plant−1). The accumulation and allocation of aboveground biomass in roots, stems, and leaves of P. yunnanensis were measured, as well as changes in biomass per plant at 90 days (early stage), 180 days (middle stage), and 270 days (late stage) post-fertilization. At 90 days, root biomass accumulation in T3 was significantly higher, by 13.31%, compared to that in T1 (p < 0.05). The growth rates of stem and plant biomass followed the order T6 > T1 > T3 > T5 > T4 > T2. The biomass of sprouts and individual plants exhibited allometric growth under T1, T5, and T6 treatments. At 180 days, needle biomass allocation in T1 and T4 increased by 7.47% and 8.6%, respectively, compared to 90 days. Combined nitrogen–phosphorus fertilization significantly influenced aboveground biomass allocation, promoting growth more effectively than other treatments. By 270 days, the stem and individual biomass in T2 and T3 treatments showed significant differences (p < 0.01) compared to other treatments. Overall, root, stem, and sprouts were primarily influenced by phosphorus fertilization, while nitrogen fertilization notably promoted needle and leaf growth in later stages. The aboveground components were more affected by phosphorus fertilization. The combination of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers enhanced early-stage stem and sprouts, as well as late-stage root development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant wearable sensors have shown exceptional promise in continuously monitoring plant health. However, the potential adverse effects of these sensors on plant growth remain unclear. This study systematically quantifies wearable sensors' interference with plant growth using two ornamental species, Peperomia tetraphylla and Epipremnum aureum. We evaluated the impacts of four common disturbances—mechanical pressure, hindrance of gas exchange, hindrance of light acquisition, and mechanical constraint—on leaf growth. Our results indicated that the combination of light hindrance and mechanical constraint demonstrated the most significant interference. When the sensor weight was no greater than 0.6 g and the coverage was no greater than 5% of the leaf area, these four disturbances resulted in slight impacts on leaf growth. Additionally, we fabricated a minimally interfering wearable sensor capable of measuring the air temperature of the microclimate of the plant while maintaining plant growth. This research provides valuable insights into optimizing plant wearable sensors, balancing functionality with minimal plant interference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Al3+-toxicity in acidic soils is among the main abiotic stress factors that generate adverse effects in plant growth; in leaves, it affects several physiological parameters such as photosynthesis and ROS balance, leading to limited crop production. On the other hand, sulfur is a macronutrient that has a key role against oxidative stress and improves plant growth in acidic soils; however, the implication of sulfate nutritional status in the modulation of short-term Al3+-toxicity tolerance mechanisms in plant leaves are barely reported. This study is focused on the role of sulfate on the leaf response of an Al3-sensitive perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne cv. Jumbo) after 48 h of exposure. Lolium perenne cv. Jumbo seeds were cultivated in hydroponic conditions with modified Taylor Foy solutions supplemented with 120, 240, and 360 μM sulfate in the presence or absence of Al3+-toxicity. The L. perenne cv. Jumbo leaves were collected after 48 h of Al3+-toxicity exposure and processed to evaluate the effects of sulfate on Al3+ toxicity, measuring total proteins, mineral uptake, photosynthesis modulation, and ROS defense mechanism activation. The plants exposed to Al3+-toxicity and cultivated with a 240 µM sulfate amendment showed a recovery of total proteins and Ca2+ and Mg2+ concentration levels and a reduction in TBARS, along with no changes in the chlorophyll A/B ratio, gene expression of proteins related to photosynthesis (Rubisco, ChlAbp, and Fered), or ROS defense mechanism (SOD, APX, GR, and CAT) as compared with their respective controls and the other sulfate conditions (120 and 360 µM). The present study demonstrates that adequate sulfate amendments have a key role in regulating the physiological response against the stress caused by Al3+ toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 'RD6' glutinous rice (Oryza sativa L.), developed from the popular aromatic rice 'KDML105' through gamma irradiation, is a key economic cultivar widely consumed in Thailand and exported throughout Asia. However, cultivation of the 'RD6' faces challenges due to its low grain yield and growth performance. The objective of this study was to use biostimulant chitosan and brassinosteroids to promote growth performance, nutrition, and yield of the 'RD6' rice. Chitosan (2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 mg L-1) and brassinosteroids (0.00005, 0.0005, 0.001, and 0.002 mg L-1) were sprayed twice at 40- and 75-d-old rice plants in paddy fields. The results demonstrated that foliar spraying with 7.5 mg L-1 chitosan can promote leaf growth of 'RD6' and improve grain yield by 24% as compared with the control. More pronounced effects were observed with 0.002 mg L-1 brassinosteroid, improving not only growth but also 'RD6' yield by 41.8% compared to the control. Moreover, 0.002 mg L-1 brassinosteroids can enhance antioxidant capacities (total phenolic contents), elemental K and Ca contents, and the aroma compound 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2AP) contents in the rice grains. Furthermore, the use of 0.002 mg L-1 brassinosteroids proved to be a financially sound investment, yielding superior net returns and an advantageous benefit-cost ratio compared with 7.5 mg L-1 chitosan. Therefore, the use of exogenous brassinosteroids on glutinous rice in this study offers promising advantages for promoting the growth and physiological performance of rice plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inner Mongolia, a major region in China for growing sugar beet, faces challenges caused by unscientific water and fertilizer management. This mismanagement restricts the improvement of sugar beet yield and quality and exacerbates water waste and environmental pollution. This study aims to evaluate the effects of reduced water and fertilizer on the growth and physiological metabolism of sugar beet taproot. Field experiments were conducted in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, in 2022 and 2023, using a split-plot design with three levels each of fertilization and irrigation. The study analyzed the effects of reduced water and fertilizer treatments on fresh taproot weight, respiration rate, energy metabolism, respiratory enzyme activity, and gene expression in sugar beet taproot. It was found that a 10% reduction in fertilizer significantly increased the beet taproot fresh weight. Further research revealed that during the rapid leaf growth phase and the taproot and sugar growth period, a 10% reduction in fertilizer upregulated HK and IDH gene expression and downregulated G6PDH gene expression in the beet taproot. This increased HK and IDH activities, decreased G6PDH activity, enhanced the activity of the EMP-TCA pathway, and inhibited the PPP. Taproot weight was positively correlated with the respiration rate, ATP content, EC, and ATPase, HK, and IDH activities, thereby increasing the taproot growth rate and taproot fresh weight, with an average increase of 4.0% over two years. These findings introduce a novel method for optimizing fertilizer use, particularly beneficial in water-scarce regions. Implementing this strategy could help farmers in western Inner Mongolia and similar areas improve crop yield and sustainability. This study offers new insights into resource-efficient agricultural practices, highlighting the importance of customized fertilization strategies tailored to local environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the dynamics of stomata, transpiration, and photosynthesis under varying light intensities and CO2 conditions during leaf development, the light response and CO2 response of stomatal conductance (gsw), transpiration rate (Tr), and net photosynthetic rate (Pn) were observed for rice leaves at different days after leaf emergence (DAE). The results showed that (1) as photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) increased, leaf gsw, Tr, and Pn initially increased rapidly and linearly, followed by a more gradual rise to maximum values, and then either stabilized or showed a declining trend. The maximum gsw, Tr, and Pn were smaller and occurred earlier for old leaves than for young leaves. The gsw, Tr, and Pn all exhibited a linear decreasing trend with increasing DAE, and the rate of decrease slowed down with the reduction in PAR; (2) as the CO2 concentration (Ca) increased, gsw and Tr decreased gradually to a stable minimum value, while Pn increased linearly and slowly up to the maximum and then kept stable or decreased. The gsw, Tr, and Pn values initially kept high and then decreased with the increase of DAE. These results contribute to understanding the dynamics in gsw, Tr, and Pn during rice leaf growth and their response to varied light and CO2 concentration conditions and provide mechanistic support to estimate dynamic evapotranspiration and net ecosystem productivity at field-scale and a larger scale in paddy field ecosystems through the upscaling of leaf-level stomatal conductance, transpiration, and photosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to investigate both fruit and different levels of leaf supplementation on the growth performance, organ indices and intestinal microflora of rats. Twenty-five healthy male Sprague--Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups. The rats in the control (NC) and positive control (PC) groups were fed by gavage a basal diet and a basal diet with 4 g/ kg of L. barbarum fruit homogenate, respectively. The test (LD, MD, and HD) groups were fed basal diets with additional 2, 4, and 8 g/kg of L. barbarum leaf homogenate, respectively. The feeding period was 35 d. The result revealed that the rats in the LD group had the highest average weight gain (p < 0.05). The cardiac and renal indexes in the LD and MD groups were significantly higher than in NC group, respectively (p < 0.05). Diversity analysis revealed that adding low concentrations of L. barbarum leaf homogenates markedly reduced the Shannon index of the rats cecum (p < 0.05). The relative abundance of Verrucomicrobiota was higher in the LD group than those in other groups (p < 0.05). The relative abundance of Actinobacteriota was found significantly higher in PC group than others (p < 0.05). The relative abundance of Akkermansia in LD group was the highest (p < 0.05). The relative abundance of Romboutsia in the PC group was considerably higher than that in other groups. The relative abundance of Candidatus_Saccharimonas in the supplementation groups was appreciably lower than those found in other groups. The relative abundance of Alloprevotella was significantly lower in PC, LD, and MD groups than in NC and HD groups (p < 0.05). The relative abundance of Oscillibacter was significantly higher in HD group than in other groups (p < 0.05). Thus, L. barbarum leaf homogenate fed to rats could increase their growth performance, internal organ weights and additionally enhance the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria. Therefore, based on the obtained data in the current study, a dose of L. barbarum leaf homogenate supplemented with 2 g/kg in diet is recommended, however, further studies are required to confirm, especially in animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants, especially on the leaves, have various bioactive compounds capable of becoming natural growth promoters. Plant leaf extracts have been widely studied for their ability as an antibiotic substitute for broiler chickens. This meta-analysis study was aimed to assess the effectiveness of supplementations with leaf extract on the growth performance of broiler chickens, using average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG), final body weight (FBW), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) as responses observed criteria. The meta-analysis study was based on the articles published from 2006 to recent years as several countries started to ban in-feed antibiotics. Databases (PubMed, Scopus, Directory of Open Access Journals [DOAJ], and ScienceDirect) were searched for peer-reviewed randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published in English. The meta-analysis included 19 research papers that met the criteria. Overall results showed a significant increase (P < 0.001) in ADFI by 0.56 g/day (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.02 to 1.11), in ADG by 1.57 g/day (95% CI = 0.77 to 2.36), and in FBW by 2.28 (95% CI = 1.40 to 3.16). At the same time, the FCR was reduced (P < 0.001) by -1.25 (95% CI = -1.76 to -0.73) relative to controls taking cognisance of publication bias and heterogeneity. Results in the current meta-analysis study indicated that herbal feed additives were proven to be effective as growth promoters in broiler chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two-year field experiment was conducted in two consecutive seasons to evaluate the response of wheat to pre-emergence (PRE) and early post-emergence (EPOST) herbicides. The herbicides prosulfocarb (3200 g ai ha−1) and chlorotoluron plus diflufenican (1380 + 92 g ai ha−1) were applied PRE, whereas the herbicides flufenacet plus diflufenican (240 + 120 g ai ha−1) and flufenacet plus diflufenican plus metribuzin (119.7 + 119.7 + 44.8 g ai ha−1) were applied EPOST at the second leaf growth stage of wheat. Heavy rainfalls that followed the PRE treatments and cold temperatures that occurred during the EPOST applications resulted in crop injuries and reduced yields in prosulfocarb, chlorotoluron plus diflufenican and flufenacet plus diflufenican the first and the second year, respectively. Weather conditions such as heavy rainfalls and low temperatures that may occur during and after herbicide treatments should be considered to avoid crop injuries and increase crop safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auxin Response Factors (ARFs) make up a plant-specific transcription factor family that mainly couples perception of the phytohormone, auxin, and gene expression programs and plays an important and multi-faceted role during plant growth and development. Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) is a representative Cymbopogon species widely used in gardening, beverages, fragrances, traditional medicine, and heavy metal phytoremediation. Biomass yield is an important trait for several agro-economic purposes of lemongrass, such as landscaping, essential oil production, and phytoremediation. Therefore, we performed gene mining of CfARFs and identified 26 and 27 CfARF-encoding genes in each of the haplotype genomes of lemongrass, respectively. Phylogenetic and domain architecture analyses showed that CfARFs can be divided into four groups, among which groups 1, 2, and 3 correspond to activator, repressor, and ETTN-like ARFs, respectively. To identify the CfARFs that may play major roles during the growth of lemongrass plants, RNA-seq was performed on three tissues (leaf, stem, and root) and four developmental stages (3-leaf, 4-leaf, 5-leaf. and mature stages). The expression profiling of CfARFs identified several highly expressed activator and repressor CfARFs and three CfARFs (CfARF3, 18, and 35) with gradually increased levels during leaf growth. Haplotype-resolved transcriptome analysis revealed that biallelic expression dominance is frequent among CfARFs and contributes to their gene expression patterns. In addition, co-expression network analysis identified the modules enriched with CfARFs. By establishing orthologous relationships among CfARFs, sorghum ARFs, and maize ARFs, we showed that CfARFs were mainly expanded by whole-genome duplications, and that the duplicated CfARFs might have been divergent due to differential expression and variations in domains and motifs. Our work provides a detailed catalog of CfARFs in lemongrass, representing a first step toward characterizing CfARF functions, and may be useful in molecular breeding to enhance lemongrass plant growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus (P) deficiency is one of the main reasons limiting plant production of Brassica napus L. Exploring the dynamics of leaf intracellular substances and the correlations with photosynthesis and growth helps to understand the response mechanisms of B. napus L. to P deficiency. This study conducted experiments on B. napus L. plants by measuring the leaf electrophysiological parameters, leaf structure, elastic modulus (Em), photosynthesis, and growth indices under different P treatment conditions. The dynamics of leaf intracellular water and nutrients of B. napus L. were calculated and analyzed by using the electrophysiological parameters, and the plant tolerance threshold to low-P stress was discovered. The results indicated that the status of the leaf intracellular water and nutrients remained stable when the P concentration was not lower than 0.250 mmol·L−1, but maximized the photosynthesis and growth at a P level of 0.250 mmol·L−1. The 0.125 mmol·L−1 P concentration significantly decreased the mesophyll cell volume, and the palisade–sponge ratio and tightness degree of leaf tissue structure were remarkably increased. This led to an increase in cell elastic modulus, and significantly improved the water retention capacity of leaf cells. At the same time, the intracellular water use efficiency and total nutrient transport capacity of leaves remained stable. As a result, the photosynthesis and growth of plants were maintained at the same level as that of the control group. However, photosynthesis and growth were clearly inhibited with a further decrease in P concentration. Therefore, 0.125 mmol·L−1 was the tolerance threshold of B. napus L. to low P. With the help of electrophysiological information, the effects of the dynamics of intracellular substances on photosynthesis and growth of B. napus L. under low-P stress can be investigated, and the plant's adaptive response can be revealed. However, the findings of the current hydroponic study are not directly applicable to field conditions with naturally P-deficient soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the growth patterns, leaf morpho-anatomical traits and physiological characteristics of three ornamental taxa of Alocasia: A. melo, A reginae and Alocasia × morfontanensis 'Bambino'. Using optical and scanning electron microscopy, the research obtained anatomical details of the leaves. Alocasia × morfontanensis 'Bambino' exhibited the highest leaf growth rate among the taxa studied, showing significant leaf number increases from the 8th to the 12th week after planting. Alocasia melo produced 2–3 new basal shoots after 20 weeks, whereas the other two taxa did not produce any. Alocasia melo displayed the greatest relative water content and leaf thickness, while A. reginae showed the highest chlorophyll stability. This study also revealed variations in the adaxial and abaxial leaf color, stomatal width, epidermal thickness, and elemental composition among the taxa involved, with A. melo containing rhodium and high levels of calcium on their leaf surface. These findings contribute to the understanding of the Alocasia leaf morpho-anatomy and growth, which is useful for optimizing Alocasia cultivation and production across diverse ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Non‐structural carbohydrates (NSCs), as the labile fraction and dominant carbon currency, are essential mediators of plant adaptation to environments. However, whether and how NSC coordinates with plant economic strategy frameworks, particularly the well‐recognized leaf economics spectrums (LES) and root economics space (RES), remains unclear.We examined the relationships between NSC and key plant economics traits in leaves and fine roots across 90 alpine coniferous populations on the Tibetan Plateau, China.We observed contrasting coordination of NSC with economics traits in leaves and roots. Leaf total NSC and soluble sugar aligned with the leaf economic spectrum, conveying a trade‐off between growth and storage in leaves. However, NSC in roots was independent of the root economic spectrum, but highly coordinated with root foraging, with more starch and less sugar in forage‐efficient, thinner roots. Further, NSC‐trait coordination in leaves and roots was, respectively, driven by local temperature and precipitation.These findings highlight distinct roles of NSC in shaping the above‐ and belowground multidimensional economics trait space, and NSC‐based carbon economics provides a mechanistic understanding of how plants adapt to heterogeneous habitats and respond to environmental changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Intra- and transgenerational plasticity may provide substantial phenotypic variation to cope with environmental change. Since assessing the unique contribution of the maternal environment to the offspring phenotype is challenging in perennial, outcrossing plants, little is known about the evolutionary and ecological implications of transgenerational plasticity and its persistence over the life cycle in these species. We evaluated how intra- and transgenerational plasticity interplay to shape the adaptive responses to drought in two perennial Mediterranean shrubs. Methods We used a novel common garden approach that reduced within-family genetic variation in both the maternal and offspring generations by growing the same maternal individual in two contrasting watering environments, well-watered and drought, in consecutive years. We then assessed phenotypic differences at the reproductive stage between offspring reciprocally grown in the same environments. Key Results Maternal drought had an effect on offspring performance only in Helianthemum squamatum. Offspring of drought-stressed plants showed more inflorescences, less sclerophyllous leaves and higher growth rates in both watering conditions, and heavier seeds under drought, than offspring of well-watered maternal plants. Maternal drought also induced similar plasticity patterns across maternal families, showing a general increase in seed mass in response to offspring drought, a pattern not observed in the offspring of well-watered plants. In contrast, both species expressed immediate adaptive plasticity, and the magnitude of intragenerational plasticity was larger than the transgenerational plastic responses. Conclusions Our results highlight that adaptive effects associated with maternal drought can persist beyond the seedling stage and provide evidence of species-level variation in the expression of transgenerational plasticity. Such differences between co-occurring Mediterranean species in the prevalence of this form of non-genetic inheritance may result in differential vulnerability to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of synthesized magnesium oxide nanoparticles of Jatropha tajonensis leaf extract on the growth and yield of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.). Materials and Methods. The preparation and planting of the cowpea seeds; The extraction of extract of Jatropha tajonensis leaves in aqueous solution. The synthesis of MgO nanoparticles from the extract, followed by characterization to confirm the formation - UV-VIS, FTIR, SEM-EDX and PXRD. The effects of MgONPs on cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) plants were surveyed under field conditions to assess its uses in improving growth and yield of cowpea. Results. The results showed that different doses of MgONPs applied to cowpea plant significantly affected all measured parameters of cowpea plantlets under the field condition in a positive way. The best results in growth, yield and the phonological parameters were cowpea plants treated with high MgONP applications (100 mg/L). It has been observed that different MgONPs applications have significant effects on vegetative growth and yield parameters of cowpea. A significant increase in the number of vegetative parameters was observed in the pots with different doses of nano-20, 40, 60, 80 and 100/MgONPs applications compared to the control. Different MgO (with or without NPs) treatments led to significant differences in shoot formation (P < 0.01). According to the effect of different doses of magnesium NPs applied to the cowpea, plant height varied between 18.88 ± 2.51 and 21.35 ± 3.25. The highest value in the height was obtained from nano-100 mg/L MgONPs application with 21.35 ± 3.25 and the lowest value was obtained from the salt 17.48 ± 3.83 mg/L MgONPs application. Conclusion. This study found that MgONPs greatly influenced the plantlets' growth parameters and other measured traits; in addition. There was an indication that the efficiency of growth and yield of cowpea could be improved by increased application of MgO in the form of nanoparticles. Also, highlighted was the possibility of using MgONPs in increasing another crop yield to cater for the evergrowing world population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the growth and physiological response mechanisms of rice under continuous drought stress circumstances can provide a significant scientific foundation and technological assistance for meeting drought difficulties, improving drought resistance and rice (Oryza sativa L.) output, and ensuring food security. In this study, a rice field experiment was conducted under a rain shelter with five different treatments set up: P1 (drought stress from tillering stage), P2 (drought stress from jointing–booting stage), P3 (drought stress from heading–flowering stage), P4 (drought stress from grain filling stage), and CK (adequate water management throughout the growth stage). Continuous drought stress from different growth stages with four levels (mild, medium, moderate, and severe). The results showed that the effects of different drought stress treatments on rice growth varied significantly. Compared with the CK treatment, plant height was reduced by 12.10%, 8.14%, 3.83%, and 1.06% in the P1, P2, P3, and P4 treatments, respectively, and the number of tillers was reduced by 23.83%, 18.91%, 13.47%, and 8.68%, respectively. With the increase in drought stress levels, SPAD values and Rubisco activity of rice leaf continued to decrease; SOD activity showed a decreasing trend, but the decreasing trend of POD and CAT activities was not significant, while MDA content showed an increasing trend. For yield components, continuous drought stress significantly reduced spike length of rice by an average of 3.5%, effective number of spikes by 18.9%, thousand grain weight by 3.7%, grain number per spike by 11.6%, and fruiting rate by 1.8%, respectively, compared to CK treatments during the growth period. In general, continuous drought stress during the early growth period affected the effective spike number and the grain number per spike. Continuous drought stress after the grain filling stage had the least effect on yield (17.62% of yield reduction), and water use efficiency (1.76 kg m−3) was much higher than other treatments. These researchers' findings provide insight into how rice physiology and growth react to continuous drought stress, which is significant for agricultural operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water limitations will pose significant challenges to forest ecosystems across Europe. To gain a deeper understanding of the potential impacts, we investigated the response of the common shrub Crataegus monogyna to two summer droughts, each followed by rewatering. The experimental design consisted of a common garden with potted saplings from a local Belgian (n = 48), a Swedish (n = 47), and a Spanish-Pyrenean provenance (n = 48). We quantified the effects on growth and leaf phenology, focusing on the legacies in the year following the droughts. Responses were influenced by the severity of the drought and by its timing. Most strikingly, height increment was enhanced by 24% (p = 0.046) in comparison to the controls in the year following the droughts in the group of plants that endured the two drought treatments, each time without developing visible stress symptoms. Only one such mild drought, whether early or late summer, did not lead to this response, suggesting stress memory acting as a growth promoter. A late summer drought that resulted in visible drought symptoms led to a reduced diameter increment in the year following the droughts, independent of the preceding treatment (severe, mild, or no drought), whereas this was not the case for a similar drought in early summer. Minor leaf phenological responses were detected in the year following the droughts. Finally, the non-local provenances did not respond in a deviating way to the droughts compared to the local provenance. Our findings contribute to the prediction of carbon sequestration in forests and other woody vegetations in the temperate regions of Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crops often face light intensity fluctuations in natural settings. Intercropping is widely used to improve crop yield and resource utilization worldwide, but crops suffer from high-frequency and high-intensity light fluctuations due to mutual crop influence. Soybean is an important legume crop and is often intercropped with other crops, but little is known about soybean's response to light fluctuation environments. Herein, three fluctuation frequencies (1, 10, and 20 min/cycle) were used to analyze soybean photosynthesis responses by measuring leaf growth, chlorophyll content, gas exchange, and electron transfer. Our data revealed that faster fluctuation frequencies led to the stronger suppression of soybean morphology and photosynthesis, with significant reductions of 31.31% and 21.58%, respectively. Damage to photosystems II (PSII) and I (PSI) also intensified, with significant decreases of 18.52% and 18.38% in their effective quantum yields Y(II) and Y(I). Additionally, increased fluctuation frequency exacerbated the consumption of the plastoquinone pool and linear electron flow but enhanced the cyclic electron flow across the thylakoid membrane and, thus, increased heat dissipation in PSII. Our findings indicate that an increased fluctuation frequency inflicted more severe damage on the soybean photosynthesis system. However, PSI-enhanced CEF improved NPQ and coordinated photoprotection to some extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How tissue-level information encoded by fields of regulatory gene activity is translated into the patterns of cell polarity and growth that generate the diverse shapes of different species remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate this problem in the case of leaf shape differences between Arabidopsis thaliana, which has simple leaves, and its relative Cardamine hirsuta that has complex leaves divided into leaflets. We show that patterned expression of the transcription factor CUP-SHAPED COTYLEDON1 in C. hirsuta (ChCUC1) is a key determinant of leaf shape differences between the two species. Through inducible genetic perturbations, time-lapse imaging of growth, and computational modeling, we find that ChCUC1 provides instructive input into auxin-based leaf margin patterning. This input arises via transcriptional regulation of multiple auxin homeostasis components, including direct activation of WAG kinases that are known to regulate the polarity of PIN-FORMED auxin transporters. Thus, we have uncovered a mechanism that bridges biological scales by linking spatially distributed and species-specific transcription factor expression to cell-level polarity and growth, to shape diverse leaf forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum (Al) toxicity in acidic soils can significantly reduce peanut yield. The physiological response of peanut leaves to Al poisoning stress still has not been fully explored. This research examined the influences of Al toxicity on peanut leaves by observing the leaf phenotype, scanning the leaf area and perimeter, and by measuring photosynthetic pigment content, physiological response indices, leaf hormone levels, and mineral element accumulation. Fluorescence quantitative RT–PCR (qPCR) was utilized to determine the relative transcript level of specific genes. The results indicated that Al toxicity hindered peanut leaf development, reducing their biomass, surface area, and perimeter, although the decrease in photosynthetic pigment content was minimal. Al toxicity notably affected the activity of antioxidative enzymes, proline content, and MDA (malondialdehyde) levels in the leaves. Additionally, Al poisoning resulted in the increased accumulation of iron (Fe), potassium (K), and Al in peanut leaves but reduced the levels of calcium (Ca), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and magnesium (Mg). There were significant changes in the content of hormones and the expression level of genes connected with hormones in peanut leaves. High Al concentrations may activate cellular defense mechanisms, enhancing antioxidative activity to mitigate excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) and affecting hormone-related gene expression, which may impede leaf biomass and development. This research aimed to elucidate the physiological response mechanisms of peanut leaves to Al poisoning stress, providing insights for breeding new varieties resistant to Al poisoning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) has the most crucial influence on raising agricultural productivity of all other plant nutrients given to crops. However, 50% of the N given to crops is dissipated to the environment globally, resulting in environmental concerns due to leaching. Current research shows that intensive agricultural production systems, which are still used in a large proportion around the world, are prone to N loss. This study aimed to investigate the effect of uptake enhancer applications on N movement in the soil profile based on 10 cm depth intervals, as well as its effects on N uptake and vegetative growth of oats at 4-week intervals over a 16-week period, using sandy soil as a growing medium. Oats were cultivated in a glasshouse setting in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) columns of 60 cm in height. Six treatments were employed at the 3rd leaf growth stage, and each was replicated four times. The experiment had a constructive and a destructive part, which was employed to monitor crop N uptake at four growth stages. Analyses of soil and plant samples were carried out in all the growth stages. The treatments containing the uptake enhancer prevented N from leaching, particularly at the top 20 cm soil depth, with impressive reductions of 194% at 0–10 cm depth and 186% at 10–20 cm depth, during the first 4 weeks after planting. The uptake enhancer also promoted early vegetative growth and crop performance with 15%. In conclusion, the study revealed that employing the uptake enhancer can improve the efficacy of N fertilizer, thereby reducing the application rate of the fertilizer in agroecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resistance of Arabidopsis thaliana to clubroot, a major disease of Brassicaceae caused by the obligate protist Plasmodiophora brassicae, is controlled in part by epigenetic factors. The detection of some of these epigenetic quantitative trait loci (QTLepi) has been shown to depend on experimental conditions. The aim of the present study was to assess whether and how temperature and/or soil water availability influenced both the detection and the extent of the effect of response QTLepi. The epigenetic recombinant inbred line (epiRIL) population, derived from the cross between ddm1-2 and Col-0 (partially resistant and susceptible to clubroot, respectively), was phenotyped for response to P. brassicae under four abiotic conditions including standard conditions, a 5°C temperature increase, drought, and flooding. The abiotic constraints tested had a significant impact on both the leaf growth of the epiRIL population and the outcome of the epiRIL-pathogen interaction. Linkage analysis led to the detection of a total of 31 QTLepi, 18 of which were specific to one abiotic condition and 13 common to at least two environments. EpiRIL showed significant plasticity under epigenetic control, which appeared to be specific to the traits evaluated and to the abiotic conditions. These results highlight that the environment can affect the epigenetic architecture of plant growth and immune responses and advance our understanding of the epigenetic factors underlying plasticity in response to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to assess the effects of dietary mulberry leaves on the growth, production performance, gut microbiota, and immunological parameters of poultry and livestock. Methods: The PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases were systematically analyzed to identify pertinent studies up to December 2022. The effects of mulberry leaf diet was assessed using the weighted mean difference, and the 95% confidence interval was calculated using a random-effects model. Results: In total, 18 studies that sampled 2,335 poultry and livestock were selected for analysis. Mulberry leaves improved the average daily gain and reduced the feed/meat ratio in finishing pigs, and the average daily gain and average daily feed intake in chicken. In production performance, mulberry leaves lowered the half carcass weight, slaughter rate, and loin eye area in pigs, and the slaughter rate in chickens. Regarding meat quality in pigs, mulberry leaves reduced the cooked meat percentage, shear force, crude protein, and crude ash, and increased the 24 h pH and water content. In chickens, it increased the drip loss, shear force, 45 min and 24 h pH, crude protein, and crude ash. Mulberry leaves also affect the abundances of gut microbiota, including Bacteroides, Prevotella, Megamonas, Escherichia-Shigella, Butyricicoccus, unclassified Ruminococcaceae, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Escherichia coli in poultry and livestock. Mulberry leaves at different doses were associated with changes in antioxidant capacity in chickens, and immune organ indexes in pigs. With respect to egg quality, mulberry leaves at different doses improved the shell strength, yolk color, eggshell thickness, and eggshell weight. However, moderate doses diminished the egg yolk ratio and the egg yolk moisture content. Conclusion: In general, dietary mulberry leaves improved the growth, production performance, and immunological parameters in poultry and livestock, although the effects varied at different doses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experiment aimed to investigate the effect of sea buckthorn meal alone and in combination with bilberry leaves on growth performance, health status and intestinal microflora in broiler chickens. A total of 90 healthy 1-day-old Cobb 500 broilers were randomly divided into 3 treatment groups and housed in digestibility cages under controlled environmental conditions. The dietary treatments included a basal diet (T0), a basal diet +1% sea buckthorn meal (T1) and a basal diet + 1% sea buckthorn meal and bilberry leaves (T2). The results showed that experimental diets did not influenced the growth performance. At 42 d, T2 had the highest serum iron level among the three groups. Compared to T0, T1 and T2 significantly reduced Enterobacteriaceae, E.coli and staphylococci in the cecal and intestinal contents and improved the lactobacilli populations number. The most effective way to reduce the number of harmful bacteria in the cecal content was through the diet that contained sea buckthorn meal alone. In conclusion, adding sea buckthorn meal in the diet of broiler chickens can be an effective solution to promote a healthy gut microflora. This aligns with the current strategy of reducing agro-industrial food waste by repurposing it in other industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tea plant is an acidophilic plant, and soil pH has an important effect on the absorption and enrichment of elements, tea plant growth and quality. In this study, rhizosphere soils and leaves of tea plants from 30 tea plantations were collected to determine soil pH and multi-element content of soil and leaves of tea plants, to obtain and validate key elements that are enriched by pH affecting tea plants, and to analyze the effects of pH on the growth and quality of tea plants. The results showed that soil pH significantly affected the enrichment of 15 elements by tea plants, and the enrichment coefficients of 11 elements (C, Mg, Si, N, P, Mn, Sr, Cd, S, Ca and Sb) tended to increase significantly with the increase of soil pH, while the opposite was true for the other four elements (Cu, Rb, Ba and Al). TOPSIS analysis showed that soil pH had the greatest effect on tea plant enrichment of seven elements, namely N (100%), Mn (43.32%), C (39.22%), P (27.66%), Sr (15.30%), Mg (13.41%) and Ba (10.47%). Pot experiments with tea seedlings also verified that soil pH significantly affected the enrichment of tea leaves for seven key elements. Moreover, with the increase of soil pH, the growth indexes, photosynthesis indexes and quality indexes of tea seedlings showed a significant upward trend. Interaction analysis showed that the enhanced enrichment of N, Mn, C, P, Sr and Mg by tea plants was beneficial to increase the photosynthetic capacity of tea plants, promote the growth of tea plants and improve the quality of tea leaves. This study provides an important theoretical basis for the cultivation and management of tea plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft matter mechanics generally involve finite deformations and instabilities of structures in response to a wide range of mechanical and non-mechanical stimuli. Modeling plates and shells is generally a challenge due to their geometrically nonlinear response to loads; however, non-mechanical loads further complicate matters as it is often not clear how they modify the shell's energy functional. In this work, we demonstrate how to form a mechanical interpretation of these non-mechanical stimuli, in which the standard shell strain energy can be augmented with potentials corresponding to how a non-mechanical stimulus acts to change the shell's area and curvature via the natural stretch and curvature. As a result, the effect of non-mechanical stimuli to deform shells is transformed into effective external loadings, and this framework allows for the application of analytical and computational tools that are standard within the mechanics community. Furthermore, we generalize the effect of mass change during biological growth to account for its effect on the stress constitution. The theory is formulated based on a standard, stress-free reference configuration which is known a priori, meaning it can be physically observed, and only requires the solution of a single-field equation, the standard mechanical momentum or equilibrium equation, despite capturing the effects of non-mechanical stimuli. We validate the performance of this model by several benchmark problems, and finally, we apply it to complex examples, including the snapping of the Venus flytrap, leaf growth, and the buckling of electrically active polymer plates. Overall, we expect that mechanicians and non-mechanicians alike can use the approach presented here to quickly modify existing computational tools with effective external loadings calculated in this novel theory to study how various types of non-mechanical stimuli impact the mechanics and physics of thin shell structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Simple Summary: Lycium barbarum (Wolfberry) extract is predominantly utilized in livestock and poultry applications. However, the impact of unprocessed branches and leaves of Lycium barbarum as a roughage source on ruminant growth performance, slaughter metrics, and rumen micro-organisms remains not well understood. This investigation examines the effects of incorporating Lycium barbarum branches and leaves into the diet of Hu sheep, specifically assessing growth performance, slaughter results, and meat quality through feeding trials and slaughter tests. Additionally, this study explored the impact on rumen microflora by utilizing 16S rDNA sequencing technology. Findings indicated that diet inclusion of Lycium barbarum branches and leaves could enhance nutrient absorption, which in turn improves growth performance and certain aspects of meat quality. The Lycium barbarum branches and leaves (LBL) are known to contain a range of active substances that have positive effects on animal immunity and antioxidation. This study aimed to examine how LBL impacts the growth and slaughter performance as well as rumen fermentation and microbiota in Hu sheep. A total of 50 male Hu sheep of indigenous origin, aged 3 months, were randomly divided into 5 groups of 10 sheep each. The groups were given different levels of LBL supplementation (0%, 3%, 6%, 9%, and 12%) to evaluate growth performance and nutrient apparent digestibility. Rumen fluid samples were collected for analysis of the fermentation parameters and rumen chyme was examined to study the rumen microbiota. The slaughter performance, meat quality, and organ index were evaluated at the conclusion of the experiment. The results showed that the final body weight and average daily gain of the LBL1 group were significantly higher than those of the CON group, LBL3 group, and LBL4 group (p < 0.05). The average dry matter intake of the LBL4 group was significantly lower than that of other experimental groups (p < 0.05). The apparent digestibility of CP in the LBL1 and LBL2 groups was higher than that in other experimental groups (p < 0.05). At the same time, the eye muscle area and grade-rule (GR) value of Hu sheep in the LBL1 group significantly increased and the quality of Hu sheep meat improved (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in organ weight and organ index between the experimental groups (p > 0.05). The pH of the rumen fluid in the LBL1 group was significantly lower than that in the CON group (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the NH3-N content between the experimental groups (p > 0.05). The propionate and valerate in the rumen fluid of Hu sheep in the LBL2 group were significantly higher than those in other experimental groups (p < 0.05). In addition, this had no significant effect on the structure and abundance of the rumen microbiota (p > 0.05). LBL is a promising functional feed. Adding an appropriate amount of LBL to the diet can improve the feed efficiency, growth performance, and meat quality of Hu sheep but has no adverse effects on the rumen. In this experiment, the appropriate supplemental level of LBL in the diet was 3%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stress experienced during development in organisms with bilateral structures could result in developmental instability, which is expressed as subtle non‐directional deviations from perfect symmetry, known as fluctuating asymmetry (FA). As such, FA has been proposed, and extensively used, as a trait indicating stress for many organisms with bilateral structures and many types of stress. However, while this concept may apply to animals, the evidence for plants' main vegetative structures, that is, leaves, remains equivocal, and a comprehensive synthesis on this topic is still missing.We designed observational field and controlled greenhouse studies, combining different growth and leaf forms across multiple stress gradients, comprising 21 species and 80 populations. We measured FA as the difference between the left and right area of the leaf, an approach that accommodates diverse leaf forms. We used high‐precision, blind, single‐person measurements and tested for other forms of symmetry and the effect of leaf size. We further complemented our study with a systematic literature review of FA in plant leaves, compiling 51 studies comprising 72 species, 23 stress types and 131 unique entries (species × stress type).We consistently found no effect of stress on leaf FA in any of the studied species in both our field and experimental gradients. In the systematic literature review, only 39% of the unique entries showed the expected increase in FA with stress, 53% showed no effect, 9% showed an opposite trend of a decrease in FA with stress and 1% showed a unimodal relationship. Importantly, only 40% of all entries fulfilled the crucial step of controlling for a high‐precision measurement, and of these 49% reported the expected increase in FA with stress.Both the results of our observational and experimental approaches and the systematic literature review failed to support a clear relationship between stress and FA in plant leaves. These results clearly show that FA in plant leaves cannot be used as a reliable trait indicating stress during development. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed the leaf spectral properties and photosynthesis rates of greenhouse-grown bell pepper leaves according to the growth period and leaf position to investigate the changes in carbon assimilation function according to leaf aging. Photosynthesis, growth, transpiration, stomatal conductance, light transmittance, and light reflectance were measured. As the plants' growth progressed, the number of leaves, fresh weight, and dry weight increased, but the specific leaf area decreased, likely due to the increased distribution of assimilates to reproductive organs. The average photosynthesis rate, according to the measured dates, exhibited a high value despite a large standard error, which was likely influenced by measurement errors caused by external environmental factors. The reflectance and transmittance increased from the upper to the middle and bottom leaves, and the absorption ratio decreased in the same order. The green light spectrum (500–580 nm) had a lower absorption ratio than other spectra because the green coloration of the leaves increased the light reflectance of this spectrum. As the PPFD increased where the leaf was positioned higher, the photosynthesis rate, transpiration amount, and stomatal conductance also increased. The higher the leaf position, the higher the photosynthesis rate, the amount of transpiration, and the stomatal conductance. As the CO2 concentration increased, the photosynthesis rate increased, but the transpiration and stomatal conductance changed little, indicating that the gas exchange within leaves was hardly affected by CO2, but the light levels promoted photosynthesis. From the results of this study, the optical properties of the leaves indicate that they are consistent with Lambert–Beer's law, which implies that the length of the optical path is linearly proportional to the number of molecules in the absorption layer. We obtained the light saturation point and CO2 saturation point of bell peppers grown in a greenhouse and were able to determine the physiological changes in the leaves with increasing leaf age. Therefore, based on this information, it appears that a leaf removal model based on the productivity of bell pepper leaves could be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oligosaccharides, as a wide type of polysaccharide, have a broad antimicrobial spectrum and promote development as plant growth stimulants. To investigate the regulation effects of different oligosaccharides on the dynamic changes of chlorophyll content, leaf fluorescence, root activity and morphology, and chloroplast ultrastructure, as well as the yields and yield components of strawberry and cucumber, typical greenhouse experiments were conducted over two years (2021–2022). The experimental plants were foliar sprayed with tap water (CK), chitosan oligosaccharide (CSOS), and mixed oligosaccharides (MixOS) five times before flowering. The conventional management (CM) was conducted as a conventional control. The findings of the present study suggest that the application of MixOS has the greatest regulation effects on delayed leaf senescence, well-developed roots, and higher fruit productions of strawberry and cucumber. Exogenous MixOS resulted in significant increases in SPAD values, maximum photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm), and photochemical quenching coefficiency (qP); they were increased by 1.94–28.96%, 5.41–33.89%, and 9.93–62.07%, compared to the CSOS, CM, and CK treatments, respectively. The orderly and steady structure of thylakoids in the chloroplast, and the randomly distributed starch grains, could be clearly observed in the MixOS treatment, while the non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) was correspondingly reduced by 19.04–45.92%. Meanwhile, the remarkable promotion of root activity and root surface morphology indicators (i.e., root length, surface area, average diameter, and volume) could be observed when exposed to the MixOS treatments, and the total yields of strawberry and cucumber were all increased by 12.40–25.57%. These findings suggest that the mixed oligosaccharides mainly promote the coordinated growth of root and shoot, which leads to the improved yields of strawberry and cucumber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photosynthetic pigments are fundamental for plant photosynthesis and play an important role in plant growth. Currently, the frequently used method for measuring photosynthetic pigments is spectrophotometry. Additionally, the SPAD-502 chlorophyll meter, with its advantages of easy operation and non-destructive testing, has been widely applied in land agriculture. However, the application prospects of its test results in horticultural plants have not yet been proven. This study examines the reliability of SPAD values for predicting chlorophyll concentrations. Using fresh and senescent leaves from four common horticultural plants, we measured SPAD values, photosynthetic pigment concentrations, and leaf color parameters. A generalized linear mixed model demonstrated that SPAD values are a reliable indicator for predicting chlorophyll concentrations, yet interspecific variations exist. Based on the predictive power of SPAD values for chlorophyll, we first propose an Enrichment Index (CEI) and a Normal Chlorophyll Concentration Threshold (NCCT). The CEI can be used to compare SPAD values among different species, and the NCCT value can serve as a more accurate indicator for assessing the growth potential of old trees. However, due to a limited sample size, further research with larger samples is needed to refine the diagnosis of plant growth potential and enhance the management of ornamental plant cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orchid flowers have evolved in concert with pollinators to form highly specialized structures resulting in zygomorphy. In dicotyledons, it is widely accepted that CYC-like genes are involved in the dorsoventral polarity establishment of flowers, which determines the development of zygomorphic flowers. However, the function of TCP transcription factors involved in orchid floral development is rarely known. Here, we found 15 unigenes with TCP domain (EpTCPs) from the previously reported Erycina pusilla unigene database. The expression patterns of EpTCPs in various tissues and different floral organs were successively detected by quantitative real-time PCR. The results revealed that the CYC-like gene (EpTCP25) and CIN-like genes (EpTCP11 and EpTCP26) were highly expressed in inflorescences but lowly expressed in leaves and roots. What is more, these three genes were expressed relatively high in the dorsal labellum, and EpTCP26 showed differential expression along the dorsoventral polarity of tepals, which was high in the dorsal and low in the ventral. Ectopic expression of EpTCP25 in Arabidopsis repressed primary root growth and delayed flowering. EpTCP26 overexpression in Arabidopsis promoted primary root growth and leaf growth. In contrast, EpTCP11 overexpression repressed primary root growth and changed the radially symmetric flower to a bilaterally symmetric flower by inhibiting the elongation of one or two adjacent petals. In addition, the homeotic transition of floral organs is generated when these genes are ectopically expressed in Arabidopsis, suggesting their roles in floral morphogenesis. Altogether, our results indicate that CIN-like genes would be associated with the unique flower pattern development of Erycina pusilla. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Leaf thickness, the leaf growth in the third dimension as quantified by the distance between the adaxial and abaxial surface, is an indispensable aspect of leaf development. The fitness of a plant is strongly influenced by leaf thickness via modulation of major physiological processes, including photosynthesis and water use efficiency. The cellular basis of leaf thickness by alterations in either cell size or the number of cell layers is envisaged using Arabidopsis leaf thickness mutants, such as angustifolia (an) and rotundifolia (rot). Environmental factors coordinate with endogenous signaling mechanisms to exhibit leaf thickness plasticity. Plants growing in different ecological and environmental regimes show different leaf thickness attributes. However, genetic and molecular understandings of leaf thickness regulation remain largely limited. In this review, we highlight how cellular growth is transposed to fine‐tune the leaf thickness via the integration of potential cues and molecular players. We further discuss the physiological significance of leaf thickness plasticity to the environmental cues that might serve as ecological adaptation enabling the plants to withstand future climatic conditions. Taken together, we seek to bridge the genetics and molecular biology of leaf thickness to its physiological significance so that leaf thickness can be systemically targeted in crop improvement programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effect of seed weight and seed treatment on yield and growth parameters in a three-year field trial. Seed weight treatments were tested in three levels of thousand seed weight (TSW): low 4.28 g, medium 5.00 g and high 5.69 g, with and without a biostimulant seed treatment of Lumibio Kelta. Although statistically significant differences were not found in all experimental years, the three-year results showed that sowing seeds with higher seed weight increased the initial and final stand counts, root length, seed yield and oil content. The final stand at harvest time averaged over the three years ranged from 23.0 (low TSW) to 29.5 plants per 1 m2 (high TSW). Plants from high TSW seed had an average of 1.1 cm longer roots than plants from low TSW seed. The average yield increased with TSW: 5.49 t/ha (low TSW), 5.86 t/ha (medium TSW), and 5.94 t/ha (high TSW). High TSW also yielded higher oil content (45.77%) compared to the medium (45.25%) and low TSW (45.27%). No statistical difference could be detected in the initial emergence counts or final seed quality according to seed treatment. Seed treatment with the biostimulant increased root length and seed yield. Plants from seeds treated with the biostimulant had roots with an average of 0.6 cm longer, yielding 0.2 t/ha higher than the non-treated ones.

The premixtures flufenacet plus diflufenican and flufenacet plus diflufenican plus metribuzin are two herbicides recently registered in Greece for weed control in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) with application early post-emergence to the crop (1st–3rd leaf growth stage). To evaluate the selectivity of these new herbicides, pot experiments were conducted by applying flufenacet plus diflufenican at 240 + 120 g ai ha−1 and flufenacet plus diflufenican plus metribuzin at 119.7 + 119.7 + 44.8 g ai ha−1 to bread wheat and barley, at 1st (BBCH-11), 2nd (BBCH-12) and 3rd (BBCH-13) leaf growth stage. The efficacy of the herbicides at the above-mentioned rates in pre-emergence application was also tested on three ALS/ACCase herbicide-resistant populations of Lolium rigidum Gaudin in comparison with the pre-emergence herbicides prosulfocarb and chlorotoluron plus diflufenican at 3200 g ai ha−1 and 1380 + 92 g ai ha−1, respectively. The results revealed decreased selectivity of both premixtures when applied at BBCH-11 for both winter cereals, with flufenacet plus diflufenican being less selective compared to flufenacet plus diflufenican plus metribuzin. Both herbicides highly controlled the three herbicide-resistant L. rigidum populations. The results indicated that both premixtures are effective chemical options for the management of herbicide resistant L. rigidum. To ensure crop safety and optimize efficacy, application at BBCH-12 is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To cope with phosphate (Pi) starvation, plants trigger an array of adaptive responses to sustain their growth and development. These responses are largely controlled at transcriptional levels. In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), PHOSPHATE RESPONSE 1 (PHR1) is a key regulator of plant physiological and transcriptional responses to Pi starvation. PHR1 belongs to a MYB-CC-type transcription factor family which contains 15 members. In this PHR1 family, PHR1/PHR1-like 1(PHL1) and PHL2/PHL3 form two distinct modules in regulating plant development and transcriptional responses to Pi starvation. PHL4 is the most closely related member to PHR1. Previously, using the phr1phl4 mutant, we showed that PHL4 is also involved in regulating plant Pi responses. However, the precise roles of PHL1 and PHL4 in regulating plant Pi responses and their functional relationshipswith PHR1 have not been clearly defined. In this work, we further used the phl1phl4 and phr1phl1phl4 mutants to perform comparative phenotypic and transcriptomic analyses with phr1, phr1phl1, and phr1phl4. The results showed that both PHL1 and PHL4 act redundantly and equally with PHR1 to regulate leaf senescence, Pi starvation induced-inhibition of primary root growth, and accumulation of anthocyanins in shoots. Unlike PHR1 and PHL1, however, the role of PHL4 in maintaining Pi homeostasis is negligible. In regulating transcriptional responses to Pi starvation at genomic levels, both PHL1 and PHL4 play minor roles when acts alone, however, they act synergistically with PHR1. In regulating Pi starvation-responsive genes, PHL4 also function less than PHL1 in terms of the number of the genes it regulates and the magnitude of gene transcription it affects. Furthermore, no synergistic interaction was found between PHL1 and PHL4 in regulating plant response to Pi starvation. Therefore, our results clarified the roles of PHL1 and PHL4 in regulating plant responses to Pi starvation. In addition, this work revealed a new function of these three transcription factors in regulating flowering time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring tree growth processes is relevant for ecological research and understanding the intricate relationship between vegetation and the environment. Time series analyses have revealed a correlation between leaf emergence timing and climate change, with earlier leaf emergence attributed to global warming. While traditional forest inventory methods struggle to quantify growth processes on small scales, terrestrial laser scanning provides a powerful alternative for providing high-resolution 3D information. This study explores the use of high-frequency hyper-temporal terrestrial laser scanning data to quantitatively describe deciduous tree growth, tested on a pedunculate oak (Quercus robur). The research aims to address key questions about detecting leaf growth in hypertemporal terrestrial laser scanning data. Additionally, it explores how 3D tree parameters and point cloud comparisons capture leaf and tree growth throughout the year. Results from M3C2 point cloud analyses indicate that the temporary branch movements correlate with precipitation. Over the year, branch movements were detected to increase with growing distance from the trunk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]