Search

Durum wheat (DW) is one of the major crops grown in the Mediterranean area, a climate-vulnerable region where the increase in day/night (d/n) temperature is severely threatening DW yield stability. In order to improve DW heat tolerance, the introgression of chromosomal segments derived from the wild gene pool is a promising strategy. Here, four DW-Thinopyrum spp. near-isogenic recombinant lines (NIRLs) were assessed for their physiological response and productive performance after intense heat stress (IH, 37/27 °C d/n) had been applied for 3 days at anthesis. The NIRLs included two primary types (R5, R112), carriers (+) of a differently sized Th. ponticum 7el1L segment on the DW 7AL arm, and two corresponding secondary types (R69-9/R5, R69-9/R112), possessing a Th. elongatum 7EL segment distally inserted into the 7el1L ones. Their response to the IH stress was compared to that of corresponding non-carrier sib lines (−) and the heat-tolerant cv. Margherita. Overall, the R112+, R69-9/R5+ and R69-9/R112+ NIRLs exhibited a tolerant behaviour towards the applied stress, standing out for the maintenance of leaf relative water content but also for the accumulation of proline and soluble sugars in the flag leaf and the preservation of photosynthetic efficiency. As a result, all the above three NIRLs (R112+ > R69-9/R5+ > R69-9/R112+) displayed good yield stability under the IH, also in comparison with cv. Margherita. R112+ particularly relied on the strength of spike fertility/grain number traits, while R69-9/R5+ benefited from efficient compensation by the grain weight increase. This work largely confirmed and further substantiated the value of exploiting the wild germplasm of Thinopyrum species as a useful source for the improvement of DW tolerance to even extreme abiotic stress conditions, such as the severe heat treatment throughout day- and night-time applied here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some organic modifiers can be used to reduce the effects of alkalinity on plants. In this research, the effects of simultaneous application of biochar in the soil and foliar spraying with humic acid on the reduction of alkalinity stress in basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) were investigated. A factorial experiment was conducted based on a completely randomized design with three replications. The factors included alkalinity stress at three levels (0, 50, and 100 mM as NaHCO3 with irrigation water), biochar (at three levels of 0, 1.5, and 3% by weight mixed with soil) and humic acid at three levels (0, 150, and 300 mg/L as foliar spray). The results showed that the interaction effect of alkalinity, biochar and humic acid on most of the growth characteristics as well as the amounts of proline, soluble sugars and plant pigments were significant (P≤0.01). The highest shoot and root dry weight (0.88 and 0.39 g, respectively), shoot height (23.5 cm), root length (19.5 cm) and relative water content (86.4 %) were obtained with application of 3% of biochar and 300 mg/L of humic acid, without alkalinity. Also, the highest amount of proline (3.13 μmol/g) and soluble sugars (6.08 mg/g) were found under severe alkalinity stress (100 mM of NaHCO3), without the use of biochar and humic acid. In general, the simultaneous use of biochar and humic acid is a simple, suitable and cheap method to reduce the adverse effects of alkaline stress in basil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of horse and donkey meat in the production of kaddid—a traditional dish typically not made with these meats—from a physical and chemical perspective. The results showed that both meats exhibit similar water retention during cooking, contributing to comparable tenderness and juiciness, with no significant differences in pH values, indicating similar quality (p > 0.05). However, their amino acid profiles differ: horse meat contains lower levels of glutamate (p < 0.05), methionine (p < 0.01), isoleucine (p < 0.05), and leucine (p < 0.05), but higher levels of proline (p < 0.05), histidine (p < 0.01), and lysine (p < 0.001) compared to donkey meat. Both meats provide essential amino acids. Horse meat is richer in saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids (32.44% and 39.58%, respectively), while donkey meat has a higher content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (31.51%), with a more favorable PUFA/SFA ratio, suggesting better cardiovascular health benefits. In terms of dried meat, donkey kaddid has a higher protein (17.45 g/100 g) and lower fat content (2.1 g/100 g) compared to horse kaddid (16.7 g/100 g, and 3.5 g/100 g, respectively) (p < 0.05). These findings inform consumer choices and production practices, promoting the use of horse and donkey meat for kaddid production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractWater deficit stress (WDS) is one of the most significant abiotic limiting factors in cultivated crops, including cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.). With global climate change and the destruction of ecological balance, the frequency and severity of drought events are increasing in many regions around the world. Therefore, the aim of the present work was to investigate the potential of using nano zinc particles (ZnO-NPs), plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (Azospirillum sp.), and their combination to mitigate the negative impacts of WDS on cotton var. Giza 96. Extended irrigation intervals of 30 and 45 days led to considerable decreases in plant height, chlorophyll content, relative water content (RWC), yield, and cotton fiber quality compared to the optimal irrigation interval (every 15 days). When applied individually or in combination, ZnO-NPs and Azospirillum sp. can ameliorate the negative effects of WDS on cotton growth and productivity. Overall, the use of Azospirillum sp. and ZnO-NPs, either individually or in combination, has demonstrated their potential to enhance cotton growth and yield parameters (plant height, dry weight, leaf area, chlorophyll pigment, seed index, seed yield, and lint%) under prolonged irrigation intervals during 2021 and 2022 seasons. Antioxidant enzymes activity comprising catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and proline content were increased under drought stress. Cotton fiber quality parameters including length, strength, and micronaire were insignificantly affected under low irrigation rate. The combination of ZnO-NPs and Azospirillum sp. provided the most effective mitigation of WDS during both experimental seasons, outperforming the effects of individual applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amino acids have a crucial role in the field of asymmetric organocatalysis for the production of chiral compounds with high added value and specific biological activity. In particular, proline offers high activity and stereoselectivity for catalyzing aldol reactions in organic solvents. However, proline‐based catalysts often lack water‐solubility, accessibility, catalytic performance, or recovery in aqueous media. This work reports the design of proline‐functionalized poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanoparticles with a magnetic core that offer high availability of chiral units in water and high recyclability. A proline‐based copolymerizable surfactant is designed and integrated onto the surface of PMMA nanoparticles through a miniemulsion polymerization process without using additional surfactants. The miniemulsion technique allows the incorporation of magnetite to the system to create a magnetically separable catalyst. The chiral nanocatalyst presents a high diastereoselective catalytic activity for the intermolecular aldol reaction between p‐nitrobenzaldehyde and cyclohexanone in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discontinuous hydration and dehydration (HD) cycles refer to controlled imbibition followed by dehydration before seed germination. Here, we investigated whether the level of imbibition before HD cycles affects the physiology of Tabebuia heterophylla seeds and seedlings. Seeds were imbibed for 10 h (T1; phase I of imbibition) or 35 h (T2; phase II), dehydrated, and progressively rehydrated one to four times (HD cycles). Germination and biochemical parameters (membrane integrity; total soluble, reducing, and nonreducing (NRS) sugars; proteins, amino acids, proline, H2O2, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione reductase activity) were quantified at the last rehydration step of each cycle. Biometric and biochemical parameters (including pigments) were analysed in seedlings 60 days after germination. HD cycles at T1 led to reduced seed germination and greater plasma membrane damage, higher enzyme activity (catalase and glutathione reductase) and accumulation of NRS, total amino acids, and proline compared to the controls and T2 treatment. Cellular damage became more severe with more HD cycles. HD cycles at T2 synchronized germination regardless of the number of cycles and also had a priming effect. T2 seeds had less NRS, total amino acids, and proline content than T1. HD cycles at T1 produced seedlings with higher carotenoid and total chlorophyll content than controls and T2, while seedlings from HD cycles at T2 had higher amounts of osmoprotectants. HD cycles at T2 benefited seeds and seedlings more than at T1. This suggests that the physiological and biochemical effects of HD cycles in seeds modulate seedling plasticity, depending on water availability, potentially promoting increased tolerance to recurrent droughts that will be intensified with ongoing climate changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glyphosate (GLY), the most widely used herbicide, has been regarded as an emergent environmental contaminant due to its constant and cumulative use, with potential harm to non‐target organisms, such as crops, disrupting cells' redox balance. Therefore, plants need to fine‐tune their antioxidant (AOX) mechanisms to thrive under GLY‐contaminated environments. Proline overaccumulation is a common response in plants exposed to GLY, yet its role in GLY‐induced toxicity remains unclear. Thus, this study explores whether Pro overaccumulation in response to GLY is perceived as a downstream tolerance mechanism or an early‐warning stress signal. To investigate this, Arabidopsis thaliana T‐DNA mutant lines for Pro biosynthetic (P5CS1) and catabolic genes (ProDH) were used and screened for their GLY susceptibility. Upon seedlings' exposure to GLY (0.75 mg L−1) for 14 days, the herbicide led to reduced biomass in all genotypes, accompanied by Pro overaccumulation. Mutants with heightened Pro levels (prodh) exhibited the greatest biomass reduction, increased lipid peroxidation (LP), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels, accompanied by a compromised performance of the AOX system. Conversely, p5cs1–4, mutants with lower Pro levels, demonstrated an enhanced AOX system activation, not only with increased levels of glutathione (GSH) and ascorbate (AsA), but also with increased activity of both ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and catalase (CAT). These findings suggest that Pro overaccumulation under GLY exposure is associated with stress sensitivity rather than tolerance, highlighting its potential as an early‐warning signal for GLY toxicity in non‐target plants and for detecting weed resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed vigour is a desirable trait especially for direct seeded rice (DSR) cultivation. Seeds with high vigour could improve seed germination, support seedlings in competing with weeds for water and nutrients, and improving seedling establishment throughout the early stages of crop growth. The success of DSR system which account for more 25% of world cultivation areas is highly dependent on the seed vigour and seedling establishment. Seed priming is a promising technique to improve seed vigour. Proline is an amino acid that has been well studied for its roles in plants under different environmental stress conditions. Nevertheless, the effect of proline as a seed priming agent in improving seed vigour in rice remain elusive. In this research, the effect of 24 h of proline priming at various concentrations (0 mM, 1 mM, 2 mM, 10 mM and 20 mM) on rice seed vigour, amylase activity, and total soluble sugar (TSS) content of a Malaysia indica rice variety, MR269 was investigated. Results showed that seeds primed with lower concentration of proline (0 mM, 1 mM and 2 mM) had better germination responses while priming at high concentrations (10 mM and 20 mM) reduced seed germination. Among the concentration tested, priming with 1 mM proline enhanced seed vigour with significantly higher germination percentage (GP), germination rate index (GRI) and seedling vigour index (SVI). In addition, proline primed seeds also exhibited increased amylase activity and TSS content as compared to unprimed seeds. However, priming seed with 20 mM proline was detrimental to the seed vigour and seedling growth whereby lower GP, GRI and SVI and higher mean germination time (MGT) were observed. In short, this study shows that proline could be a potential seed priming agent to improve seed vigour in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pharmacology of amino acid transporters in the SLC6 family is poorly developed compared to that of the neurotransmitter transporters. To identify new inhibitors of the proline transporter SIT1 (SLC6A20), its expression in Xenopus laevis oocytes was optimized. Trafficking of SIT1 was augmented by co-expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in oocytes but there was no strict requirement for coexpression of ACE2. A pharmacophore-guided screen identified tiagabine as a potent non-competitive inhibitor of SIT1. To understand its binding mode, we determined the cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of ACE2-SIT1 bound with tiagabine. The inhibitor binds close to the orthosteric proline binding site, but due to its size extends into the cytosolic vestibule. This causes the transporter to adopt an inward-open conformation, in which the intracellular gate is blocked. This study provides the first structural insight into inhibition of SIT1 and generates tools for a better understanding of the ACE2-SIT1 complex. These findings may have significance for SARS-CoV-2 binding to its receptor ACE2 in human lung alveolar cells where SIT1 and ACE2 are functionally expressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants encounter numerous adversities during growth, necessitating the identification of common stress activators to bolster their resistance. However, the current understanding of these activators' mechanisms remains limited. This study identified three anti-stress activators applicable to apple trees, all of which elevate plant proline content to enhance resistance against various adversities. The results showed that the application of these sugar substitutes increased apple proline content by two to three times compared to the untreated group. Even at a lower concentration, these activators triggered plant stress resistance without compromising apple fruit quality. Therefore, these three sugar substitutes can be exogenously sprayed on apple trees to augment proline content and fortify stress resistance. Given their effectiveness and low production cost, these activators possess significant application value. Since they have been widely used in the food industry, they hold potential for broader application in plants, fostering apple industry development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creeping savory is a wild plant that is used for comestible consumption, preparation of beverages, and production of sanitary ware and herbal drugs. To investigate the effects of salinity stress and salicylic acid on antioxidant enzymes, photosynthetic pigments, relative water content, proline, and soluble protein content in S. spicigera a factorial experiment was conducted based on a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and three replications. The experiment was implemented at the greenhouse of Agriculture and Natural Resources Research and Education Center of Kermanshah, Iran (2019). Experimental treatments were four levels of salinity (0-50-100-150 mM NaCl) and two levels of salicylic acid (0 and 2 mM). Results showed that increasing salinity levels caused a significant reduction in relative water content, leaf fresh weight, leaf dry weight, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoid content. Salinity drastically enhanced the antioxidant activities (SOD, POD, and CAT), and cell proline content. Salicylic acid considerably decreased proline content under salt stress conditions, but improved antioxidant activities of SOD, POD, and CAT, and enhanced chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, carotenoid content, protein content, relative water content, and leaf fresh weight under salt stress. Salicylic acid reduced the destructive effect of salinity on some morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics in creeping savory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the detailed mechanistic insights of L-proline catalyzed, solvent-controlled, regioselective Mannich reaction. Different solvation models were employed to understand the formation of critical intermediates. The seminal difference in the nature of H-acceptor solvents and H-donor solvents leads to variation in the attachment site on the reactant molecule. Our calculations suggest that the H-acceptor solvent exhibits selective non-covalent interaction with α-hydrogen atoms of the iminium group, facilitating the reactivity at the more hindered site, which results in the formation of a branched isomer. On the other hand, the H-donor solvent preferentially binds to the carboxylate group, thus enabling the reactivity to proceed from the less hindered carbon chain, leading to a linear isomer. The above distinct interactions force a regioselective generation of enamines. Thus, the iminium ion's site-specific solvent interaction has been observed to cause a switch in the regioselectivity. These enamines subsequently react with cyclic ketone to produce Mannich base with excellent enantioselectivity (>99%ee). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Studying the effects of Azospirillum and nanoparticles (silicon and zinc) on grain yield and some traits of Triticale under salinity stress was conducted as a factorial experiment with randomized complete block design and three replications at the research greenhouse of the University of Mohaghegh Ardabili in 2022. Methods: The experimental factors included salinity levels (no salinity as control, salinity of 60 and 120 mM by NaCl), application of Azospirillum (no inoculation as control and seed inoculation with Azospirillum), nanoparticles foliar application (foliar application with water as control, foliar spraying 0.8 g.L-1 nano zinc oxide, 50 mg.L-1 nano silicon, combined foliar application of nano zinc oxide as 0.4 g.L-1 and nano silicon as 25 g.L-1). Results: The application of Azospirillum and nanoparticles in 120mM salinity increased proline content (37.46 percent), hydrogen peroxide (41.66 percent), malondialdehyde (37.57 percent) and the activity of peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase enzymes (53.86 and 47 percent, respectively) compared with non-saline conditions and lack of Azospirillum and nanoparticles application. Application of Azospirillum and nanoparticles increased the content of soluble sugar (18.68 percent) and catalase enzyme activity (28 percent) as compared with treatments that did not receive Azospirillum application and foliar spraying. Not applying Azospirillum and nanoparticles under 120 mM salinity increased dry matter remobilization from aerial organs (54.25 percent) and the contribution of dry matter remobilization from aerial organs (126.14 percent) compared with the application of Azospirillum and nanoparticles under non-saline conditions. Conclusion: It seems that applying Azospirillum and nanoparticle foliar application can increase grain yield of triticale under salinity stress due to improved biochemical traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress, at different growth stages, causes substantial yield loss in major crops, thus, threatening global food security. Enhancement of drought stress tolerance in plants has been reported with the sole application of silicon (Si) and Zinc (Zn). However, the synergistic effects of their combined application and the exact mechanisms through which they enhance drought tolerance are still not fully understood. Therefore, the present study investigated the potential of Si and Zn to ameliorate drought stress in Eruca sativa (L.) and associated morphological and physio-biochemical mechanisms. The seeds were soaked in individual or combined Si (3 mM, from calcium silicate) and Zn (10 mM, from zinc sulfate) solutions for 8 h and 12 h. Water-primed and unprimed seeds were kept as control. Later, primed seeds were grown under various levels of drought viz. control (100% field capacity, FC) and 50% FC. Results revealed that drought stress significantly reduced growth traits, photosynthetic pigments, and reactive oxygen species and decreased antioxidative enzymes activities. Seed priming with Si and Zn increased seedling lengths, and their fresh and dry weights under drought stress with significantly higher values for the combined application of both. Moreover, Si and Zn-treated plants also showed a significant increase in chlorophyll pigments, i.e., chlorophyll and carotenoid contents in drought-exposed seedlings. Seed priming treatments improved drought-induced oxidative stress tolerance associated with higher activities of enzymatic and non-enzyme antioxidant activities and soluble sugar and proline contents. The results suggested that the combined application of Si and Zn serves as an appropriate treatment to increase the seedling growth, and physiological and biochemical attributes of E. sativa under drought stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purslane has been suggested as an alternative crop suitable for human consumption due to its high content of minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, and several health-beneficial compounds. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of salinity stress (tap water (control), 2000, 4000, 6000, 8000, and 10,000 mg L−1), biostimulant application (putrescine and salicylic acid at 200 mg L−1), and the combination of the tested factors (i.e., salinity × biostimulant application) on the growth and chemical composition of purslane plants (Portulaca oleracea L.) over two growing seasons (2022 and 2023). Irrigation with tap water and putrescine application resulted in the highest plant height, weight of aboveground and underground parts, and number of shoots per plant. In contrast, the lowest values of growing parameters were recorded under severe saline stress (10,000 mg L−1), especially for the plants that were not treated with biostimulants. The same trends were observed for macronutrients (N, P, K), total carbohydrates, total chlorophylls, and vitamin C content in leaves. Moreover, nitrate and proline content was higher in plants grown under salinity stress, especially under severe stress (8000–10,000 mg L−1) without biostimulant application. In general, the application of biostimulants mitigated the negative impact of salinity on plant growth and leaf chemical composition, while the effect of putrescine on the tested parameters was more beneficial than that of salicylic acid. In conclusion, this study provides useful information regarding the use of putrescine and salicylic acid as biostimulatory agents with the aim of increasing purslane growth under salinity conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of trace metal elements (TMEs) on plants is one current pollution problem, the severity of which is increasing with industrial development, population growth and inappropriate agricultural practices. The latter can have irreversible effects on ecosystems, including species extinction, trophic chain contamination and altered human health, particularly in the case of consumed plants such as zucchini squash (Cucurbita pepo L.). This study aims to investigate the effects of nickel on various physiological and biochemical parameters of zucchini growth, with a particular focus on how this toxic metal impacts the quality of fruit that is consumed by humans. To achieve this, plants aged 45 days were grown for one month on solid media loaded with different concentrations of Ni (0, 100, 300 and 500 µM). The results showed that exposure of plants to Ni resulted in significantly altered growth and higher accumulation of Ni in the shoots (1314 µg·g−1 DW) than in roots and fruits. Concerning non-enzymatic antioxidants, the results showed that Ni toxicity significantly increased total polyphenols, especially in shoots at 300 µM Ni, while flavonoid content decreased in the roots and shoots in response to Ni treatment. Our results also show that nickel tolerance in C. pepo is ensured by a combination of several mechanisms such as an increase in the content of proline. This species can survive and tolerate, to different degrees, toxic cations at concentrations up to 500 µM but with visible symptoms of toxicity such as chlorosis of the leaves. Indeed, based on thresholds of hyperaccumulation, we can qualify Cucurbita pepo as a hyperaccumulator species of nickel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We attempted to study the response of six rice cultivars, viz., BPT 5204, CR 1009, TRY 1, CO 50, Jodimattai, and CO 46, to salt stress under in vitro conditions. In this study, we report the highest relative growth rate (RGR) in BPT 5204 and TRY1, suggesting that these could maintain a higher relative fresh mass of the callus to survive salt stress. For regeneration frequency (RF), genotype TRY 1 registered the highest RF (35%) in the control (0 mM NaCl), but a significant reduction in RF (66%) was observed at 90, 120, and 150 mM NaCl. The genotypes CO 50, CR 1009, and BPT 5204 registered the lowest regeneration frequency (6.7%) and produced a moderate number of shoots. The biochemical nature of stress implies that proline content decreases in the control and progressively increases from 30 to 90 mM but gradually decreases with higher salt concentrations. The proline content was high for both tolerant (BPT 5204) and sensitive (CO-46) cultivars, implying that proline gives adaptiveness rather than growth. Our results provide unique insight into the antioxidant (catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD)) properties of callus culture. Antioxidants act as potential reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers and provide adaptive mechanisms to plants. The antioxidant enzyme activities increased progressively with increasing NaCl concentration in the medium, showing that antioxidants augment the stress and provide an adaptive mechanism. The genotypes BPT 5204 and TRY1 had a significant level of enzyme activities at 90, 120, and 150 mM NaCl treatment, whereas the other genotypes seemed to have reduced enzymatic activities. Hence, the genotypes BPT 5204 and TRY1 were better in their performance for the above parameters, which showed growth and biochemical homeostasis in response to salt stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinity is one of the most devastating environmental impediments that poses a significant threat to agricultural practices hamper crop productivity worldwide. In the present study, a total of thirty finger millet genotypes were examined through in vitro screening at varying sodium chloride concentrations (0, 75, 175, 275, and 375 mM). Based on the morphological characteristics, visual salt injury (VSI) and salinity susceptibility index (SSI), two tolerant (TRY–1 and ML–365), two moderately tolerant (GPU—48 and GPU—28) and two susceptible (VL–146 and Indaf–9) genotypes were shortlisted. Further, the greenhouse illustrated the experiment to assess physiological and biochemical response at the seedling stage by imposing sodium chloride concentrations (0 and 375 mM). The results revealed that TRY–1 was on par among all the studied genotypes that exhibited a significant increase (P < 0.05) in phenotypic (germination percentage, shoot length, root length, and seedling vigour index) biochemical characteristics (contents of total chlorophyll, proline, phenolic, and flavonoids) and antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD and CAT) under varying salinity regimes indicating a strong defense mechanism against salinity-induced oxidative and osmotic stress. In contrast, Indaf—9 exhibited a significant decrease in all the growth and physiological traits and an increment in MDA and H2O2 content compared to other genotypes. In Indaf—9, MDA increased by 184% whereas in TRY—1, it increased by 105%. In contrast, proline content was enhanced as maximum in TRY –1 (239%) compared to Indaf—9 (191%) from 0 to 375 mM sodium chloride concentration. Our findings were supported by extensive statistical analyses such as cluster analysis, correlation, and PCA, indicating key contributing traits involved in salinity stress tolerance. Therefore, this study may help select the salt-tolerant genotypes and contribute to sustainable agriculture by increasing food production in saline-prone agroecological zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low temperature is a major environmental factor that negatively affects the growth and productivity of plants, such as the tropical fruit Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.), which is susceptible to cold stress. Therefore, to investigate the effect of the amino acid L-phenylalanine (Phe), L-cysteine (Cys), or sodium selenite (Se) on enhancing antioxidant activities, experiments were conducted on the phenolic compounds, proline content, and membrane stability of Cape gooseberry seedlings under low-temperature stress. The seedlings were exposed for 48 h to a low temperature (4 °C) followed by 24 h of optimal growth conditions. In seedlings treated with Se, we found a high relative water content, good membrane integrity, low ion leakage, and hydrogen peroxide. Additionally, this treatment led to the improvement of photosynthetic pigments and antioxidant activity. The analysis of seedlings under cold stress showed that the Phe enhanced the stomatal conductance and phenol content. Furthermore, low concentrations of Cys resulted in the production of proline and flavonoids, which reduced the negative effects of environmental stress on seedlings and maintained cell membrane integrity. Overall, in this experiment, the use of Se and low concentrations of Cys had a positive effect on the amount of antioxidant compounds, which improved seedling growth under stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding gene expression kinetics and the underlying physiological mechanisms in stress combinations is a challenge for the purpose of stress resistance breeding. The novelty of this study is correlating the physiological mechanisms with the expression of key target genes in tall fescue under a combination of various salinity and osmotic stress treatments. Four drought- and salt-responsive genes belonging to different crucial pathways evaluated included one transcription factor FabZIP69, one for the cytosolic polyamine synthetase FaADC1, one for ABA signaling FaCYP707A1, and another one for the specific Na+/H+ plasma membrane antiporter FaSOS1 involve in osmotic homeostasis. FaSOS1, FaCYP707A1, and FabZIP69 were induced early at 6 h after NaCl treatment, while FaSOS1 and FaCYP707A1 were transcribed gradually after exposure to PEG. However, stress interactions showed a significantly increased expression in all genes. Expression of these genes was positively correlated to Pro, SSs, IL, DPPH, and antioxidant enzyme activity and negatively correlated with RWC, total Chl, and MSI. Chemical analyses showed that tall fescue plants exposed to the combination of stresses exhibited increased quantity of reactive oxygen species (H2O2), EL and DPPH, and higher levels of antioxidant enzyme activities (CAT, and SOD), Pro, and SSs content, compared with control seedlings. Under dual-stress conditions, the expression of FabZIP69 was effective in controlling the expression of FaSOS1 and FaADC1 genes differently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Baghdad Science Journal is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The effect of exogenous administration of two concentrations of proline (10 and 20 mM) on postharvest values and chilling injury (CI) of 'Malaseh Saveh' pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) fruits was investigated during 90 days at 4 °C. Proline treatment attenuated CI symptoms and prevented membrane lipids peroxidation, and reduction of cell membrane integrity in treated fruits, which were represented by malondialdehyde and electrolyte leakage, respectively. Therewith, a higher amount of endogenous proline (352.48 µg g−1 FW) was perceived in 20 mM proline-treated fruits at the end of the cold storage time. Furthermore, proline treatment increased antioxidant capacity and antioxidant enzyme activity, namely ascorbate peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase, and also retained ascorbic acid amount at higher levels. This treatment decreased the activity of polyphenol oxidase and enhanced the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity which led to high accumulation of total phenol, flavonoids, and anthocyanin. All in all, exogenous application of proline, especially 20 mM concentration, as a safe, natural, and environment-friendly osmolyte substance, could alleviate harmful effects of CI and retain eating values of pomegranate fruits all over long-term postharvest and shelf life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyrabactin resistance 1-like (PYL) proteins are abscisic acid (ABA) receptors that play a crucial role in the plant's response to adverse environmental conditions. However, as of yet, there is limited research on the role of PYL proteins in potato. In this study, a potato PYL gene, StPYL8-like, was identified through transcriptome analysis under drought stress. Molecular characterization revealed that the StPYL8-like protein possesses a highly conserved PYL family domain. Evolutionary analysis demonstrated that StPYL8-like protein clusters with various PYL proteins are involved in stress responses across different species. Functional assays showed that StPYL8-like robustly responds to different abiotic stresses, including drought and ABA treatment. Furthermore, the transient and stable expressions of StPYL8-like in tobacco enhanced their drought resistance, leading to increased plant height, leaf number, and fresh weight, as well as an improved root system. Transgenic tobacco carrying the StPYL8-like gene exhibited lower malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and higher proline accumulation and antioxidant enzyme activity compared to wild-type plants under drought conditions. Moreover, StPYL8-like upregulated the expression of stress-responsive genes (NtRD29A, NtLEA5, NtP5CS, NtPOD, NtSOD, and NtCAT) in transgenic plants subjected to drought stress. Collectively, these findings highlight the positive regulatory role of the StPYL8-like gene in enhancing potato plants' response to drought stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The impact of climate change on agricultural production is apparent due to declining irrigation water availability vis-à-vis rising drought stress, particularly affecting summer crops. Growing evidence suggests that zinc (Zn) supplementation may serve as a potential drought stress management strategy in agriculture. Field studies were conducted using soybean (Glycine max var. Saba) as a model crop to test whether foliar application of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) or conventional Zn fertilizer (ZnSO4) would mitigate drought-related water stress and improve soybean yield. Each fertilizer was foliar applied twice at a two-week interval during the flowering stage. Experiments were concurrently conducted under non-drought conditions (70% field capacity) for comparison. Results showed drought significantly reduced relative water content, chlorophyll-a, and chlorophyll-b in untreated control plants by 35.7%, 47.7%, and 41.4%, respectively, compared to non-drought conditions (p

The pancreas gland (PG) is a secondary product of livestock processing; it contains a wide range of biologically active compounds. The purpose of this article is to analyze the efficiency of technological approaches for pancreas gland extraction with the help of trehalose and a glycine-proline mixture aimed for recovery and separation of the gland’s protein-peptide compounds. The extraction was conducted with 0.9% NaCl, 0.9% NaCl, with addition of 0.5 M trehalose (0.9% NaCl-0.5 M trehalose) and 0.9% NaCl with addition of 1% glycine and 0.1 M L-proline (0.9% NaCl-1% Gly-0.1M Pro), the ratio of pancreas gland to extractant was equal to 1:5. The concentration of the protein in the supernatants after their extraction was measured by the biuret reaction in a semi-automatic biochemical analyzer Biochem SA. The proteomic composition of the extracts and the native pancreas gland was assessed by one-dimensional Laemmli electrophoresis in a 12.5% polyacrylamide gel and by two-dimensional O’Farrell electrophoresis. When determining the intensity of the protein fractions, it was noted that the methodology of separation of protein-peptide mixtures extracted from the pigs pancreas gland with the extractant 0.9% NaCl-1% Gly-0.1M Pro, ensured the higher extraction of the proteins in comparison with the method of 0.9% NaCl-0.5 M trehalose. Notwithstanding the fact that application of amino acids (glycine and proline) mixture provided for a greater yield of proteins from the extract into the diafiltrate, the experiments in vitro showed that the diafiltrate obtained though trehalose featured higher activity. This may be explained by the fact that after dialysis removal of trehalose from the protein fraction with a molecular weight of less than 50 kDa, its residual quantities were still sufficient to prevent proteins aggregation and, as a consequence, the biological activity of the extracted proteins was preserved, while in the diafiltrate obtained through amino acids mixture where numerous protein aggregates were detected by 2-DE. This study allowed testing the biotechnological methodics on pig pancreatic tissues aimed to intensifying the extraction and separation of protein compounds. The results of the study are important for development of methodological approaches to obtaining the targeted substances for their further utilizing for various purposes.

Drought is one of the most important environmental problems we are currently facing, so we must work on using some techniques to mitigate the harmful effects of drought on plants. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of foliar spraying with ascorbic acid on some characteristics of safflower plants under drought stress in Burj Islam village - Latakia, Syria 2024 according to the randomized complete design (R.C.D) with three replications. The treatments consisted of three levels of polyethylene glycol PEG (15, 30 and 45%) and three concentrations of ascorbic acid (50, 150 and 200 mg.l-1). Traits such as plant height, number of branches, (chlorophyll, proline and MDA) content in safflower leaves and seeds number were measured. The results of the study showed that the studied traits decreased significantly under the influence of drought stress except proline and MDA content in leaves. The lowest value for plant height (5 cm), number of branches (51 branch/plant) and seeds number (246 seed/plant) was at P3 45%. Meanwhile, ascorbic acid spraying increased the plant height of safflower plants, especially at 150 mg.l-1 concentrations AS2. The ascorbic acid and PEG treatment significantly increased the plant height (14 cm), number of branches (95 branch/plant) and seeds number (642 seed/plant) at AS2P1 treatment. Hence, a 150 mg.l-1 concentration of foliar ascorbic acid could be used in drought stress for better growth of safflower plants.

Abstract This research was conducted to investigate the efficacy of putrescine (PUT) treatment (0, 1, 2, and 4 mM) on improving morphophysiological and biochemical characteristics of Zinnia elegans “State Fair” flowers under salt stress (0, 50, and 100 mM NaCl). The experiment was designed in a factorial setting under completely randomized design with 4 replications. The results showed that by increasing the salt stress intensity, the stress index (SSI) increased while morphological traits such as plant height decreased. PUT treatments effectively recovered the decrease in plant height and flower quality compared to the not-treated plants. Treatment by PUT 2 mM under 50 and 100 mM salt stress levels reduced the SSI by 28 and 35%, respectively, and increased plant height by 20 and 27% compared to untreated plants (PUT 0 mM). 2 mM PUT treatment also had the greatest effect on increasing fresh and dry biomass, number and surface area of leaves, flower diameter, internodal length, leaf relative water content, protein contents, total chlorophyll contents, carotenoids, leaf potassium (K+) content, and K+/Na+ ratio in treated plants compared to untreated control plants. The treatment of 2 mM PUT decreased the electrolyte leakage, leaf sodium (Na+) content, H2O2, malondialdehyde, and proline content. Furthermore, PUT treatments increased the activity of defense-related enzymes including catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and phenylalanine ammonium lyase (PAL), and reduced the abscisic acid (ABA) content while increased the level of gibberellin (GA) content compared to untreated samples under all different levels of salinity stress. In this research, enhancing the plant’s antioxidant system, increasing K+ absorption, K+/Na+ ratio, and reducing the ABA/GA ratio are likely the most important mechanisms of PUT treatment, which improved growth, and maintained the visual quality of zinnia flowers under salt stress conditions.

Abstract Background High GABA levels and its conversion to succinate via the GABA shunt are known to be associated with abiotic and biotic stress tolerance in plants. The exact mode of action is still under debate and it is not yet clear whether GABA is a common component of the plant stress defense process or not. We hypothesized that if it is a common route for stress tolerance, activation of GABA-shunt by a biotic stressor might also function in increased abiotic stress tolerance. To test this, Brassica napus plants treated with Flagellin-22 (Flg-22) were exposed to drought stress and the differences in GABA levels along with GABA-shunt components (biosynthetic and catabolic enzyme activities) in the leaf and root samples were compared. In order to provide a better outlook, MYC2, MPK6 and ZAT12, expression profiles were also analyzed since these genes were recently proposed to function in abiotic and biotic stress tolerance. Results Briefly, we found that Flg treatment increased drought stress tolerance in B. napus via GABA-shunt and the MAPK cascade was involved while the onset was different between leaves and roots. Flg treatment promoted GABA biosynthesis with increased GABA content and GAD activity in the leaves. Better performance of the Flg treated plants under drought stress might be dependent on the activation of GABA-shunt which provides succinate to TCA since GABA-T and SSADH activities were highly induced in the leaves and roots. In the transcript analysis, Flg + drought stressed groups had higher MYC2 transcript abundances correlated well with the GABA content and GABA-shunt while, MPK6 expression was induced only in the roots of the Flg + drought stressed groups. ZAT12 was also induced both in leaves and roots as a result of Flg-22 treatment. However, correlation with GABA and GABA-shunt could be proposed only in Flg + drought stressed group. Conclusion We provided solid data on how GABA-shunt and Fgl-22 are interacting against abiotic stress in leaf and root tissues. Fgl-22 induced ETI activated GABA-shunt with a plausible cross talk between MYC2 and ZAT12 transcription factors for drought stress tolerance in B. napus.

Abstract Background Salt stress is a prominent abiotic stressor that imposes constraints on grain yield and quality across various crops, including wheat (Triticum aestivum). This study focused on assessing the genetic diversity of 20 wheat genotypes categorized as tolerant, moderately tolerant, and sensitive with three genotypes of unknown tolerance. To address salinity stress-related problems, different morpho-physiological, osmoprotectant, biochemical, yield, and grain quality-related parameters were analyzed under control (pH 8.0, EC 3.9) and saline-sodic (pH 9.4, EC 4.02) conditions in field. Results Findings revealed noteworthy variations among the genotypes in response to salinity stress. Greater accumulation of Na+ and lower K+ content were observed in response to salt stress in the sensitive varieties HD1941 and K9162. Proline, a stress indicator, exhibited significantly (p ≤ 0.05) greater accumulation in response to salinity stress, particularly in the tolerant cultivars KRL210 and KH65. Salt stress induced the most significant decrease (p ≤ 0.05) in spike length, thousand-grain weight, and hectolitre weight coupled with increased protein content in sensitive varieties, resulting in diminished yield. Conclusion Correlation analysis of parameters under salinity stress showed that SOD, proline, and K+ contents can be used as the most efficient screening criteria for salinity stress during early developmental stages. Principal component analysis revealed that DBW187, DBW303, and DBW222 varieties were tolerant to salinity stress and exhibited an effective antioxidant system against salinity. This study will facilitate salt-tolerant wheat breeding in terms of the identification of tolerant lines by screening for limited traits in a wide range of germplasms.

IntroductionDrought stress is one of the most common limiting factors for crop production. Due to its detrimental effects on numerous physiological and biochemical processes, this stress restricts the growth and development of plants. In this regard, the application of stress modulators (methanol, silicon and humic acid) has been found to enhance plant growth and grain yield while also increasing its resistance to abiotic stresses. On the other hand, stress modulators can lessen the effects of stress toxic by reducing malondialdehyde and hydrogen ‎peroxide accumulation and keeping the effectiveness of the photosynthetic apparatus‎. Therefore, measurement of traits of such as antioxidant enzymes activity, chlorophyll content, proline and soluble sugars content, malondialdehyde content, electrical conductivity are as indicators of plant response to environmental stress. Although, several strategies have been developed to decrease the effects caused by drought stress on plant growth. But, among them, the application of stress modulators (methanol, nano silicon, and humic acid) plays a very important role in yield improvement. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of foliar application of stress modulators (methanol, nano silicon and humic acid) on the activity of antioxidant enzymes, compatible osmolytes, photosynthetic pigments content and grain yield of wheat in different irrigation regimes.Materials and Methodsan experiment as factorial was conducted based on randomized complete block design with three replications in Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Station of Ardabil, Ardabil, Iran, in 2022-2023 growth season. The treatments were different irrigation regimes (normal irrigation as control; irrigation withholding at 50% of booting and heading stages) and foliar spraying of stress modulators (foliar spraying with water, foliar spraying of methanol (25% volume), nano silicon (50 mg.L-1), humic acid (300 mg.L-1), foliar spraying of methanol and silicon, methanol and humic acid, nano silicon and humic, methanol with nano silicon and humic acid). In each plot, there were six rows with two m long. In this experiment, the wheat cultivar ‘Hiran’ was employed. For this cultivar, 400 seeds.m-2 is the optimum density. The used nano silicon had an average particle size of less than 30 nm and the special surface of particles was more than 30 m2.g-1. They were product of Nanomaterial US Research which was provided by Pishgaman Nanomaterials Company of Iran. For a better solution, deionized water was mixed with nano Si powder and placed on a shaker with ultrasonic equipment (100 W and 40 kHz). Two phases of period growth, BBCH 21 and 30 were used for the foliar application of nano silicon. In this study, the activity of antioxidant enzymes (Catalase, peroxidase, and Polyphenol oxidase), compatible osmolytes (Proline and soluble sugars), photosynthetic pigments content (Chlorophyll a, Chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoid), H2O2, MDA, protein content and grain yield of wheat were investigated.Results and DiscussionThe result indicated that both application stress modulators (methanol, silicon and humic acid) at irrigation withholding in booting stage decreased malondialdehyde content (39.79%) and electrical conductivity (31.25%), but increased activity of peroxidase (4.89%), polyphenol oxidase (7.73%) enzymes, soluble sugars (22.15%), chlorophyll a (33.48%), chlorophyll b (24.96%), leaf protein content (25.09%) and grain yield (36.21%) in compared to the no application of stress modulators under irrigation withholding in booting stage.ConclusionAccording to our findings, applying stress modulators (methanol, silicon and humic acid) under water limitation often reduced this damage by strengthening the defensive mechanisms, particularly antioxidant enzymes and compatible osmolytes (Proline and soluble sugars). In summary, our results indicated that application of stress modulators upgrade plant physiology and trigger the cellular defense of wheat plants against severe water limitation. Therefore, in can be suggested that applying stress modulators as individual and integrated could enhance grain yield of wheat under water limitation conditions due to improving of physiological and biochemical characteristics.

A change in mechanism was observed in the hypervalent iodine-mediated cyclization of N-alkenylamides when the carbon chain between the alkene and the amide increased from two to three atoms. In the latter case, cyclization at the amide nitrogen to form the pyrrolidine ring was favored over cyclization at the amide oxygen. A DFT study was undertaken to rationalize the change in mechanism of this cyclization process. In addition, reaction conditions were developed, and the scope of this cyclization studied.

IntroductionWater shortage has become a global problem and has caused many problems in agriculture and food supply for the growing world. Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) as the fourth mostly-cultivated cereal, is one of the most strategic crop plants which is produced almost all over the world as a source of and important staple food and animal feed (Thabet et al., 2020). Food uncertainty is a comprehensive obstacle becomes more serious hazard all over the world in particular in developing countries for the sake of overpopulation and dwindling accessibility of croplands, water and other resources related to agricultural scopes. Water scarcity, results in plenty of disturbances in plant functions like cell division and elongation, water and nutrients relations, photosynthesis, enzymes activity, stomata movement, assimilate partitioning, respiration, oxidative damage, growth, and productivity, as several types of researches show that water shortage in the soil cause many disorders in plant tissues, which in turn leads to a punctual diminish in the photosynthesis rate (Todorova et al., 2022). In such a trouble circumstances, most of the plants are not capable to absorb abundant water, which is required for optimized growth (Danish et al., 2020).Materials and methodsTo investigate the impact of different irrigation regimes as well as foliar application of methyl jasmonate on growh, physiological and biochemical characteristics of barley varieties, an experimental research using factorial split plot design in 3 replications was carried out in experimental farm of the faculty of agriculture at the University of Zanjan in 2021-2022 cultivation season. In this experiment, irrigation regimes as the main factor, including complete irrigation as the control, withholding water in flowering stage, withholding water in grain filling period and complete dry farming, varieties as the secondary factor including Bahman, Sahand, Jolgeh, Abidar as well as Ansar, and foliar application of methyl jasmonate including without spraying (control) and spraying 50 μmol of methyl jasmonate were investigated. Results showed that the effect of irrigation regime had significant impact on almost all of the characteristics except chlorophyll a/b.Results and discussionVarieties showed considerable difference from the aspect of height, concentration of soluble sugar and grain yield. Effect of Methyl jasmonate on the relative water content (RWC), photosynthetic pigments, soluble sugar content, proline content, Malondialdehyde (MDA) and grain yield was significant. The highest grain yield (4762 kg ha-1) was detected when variety of Jolgeh was irrigated normally and was sprayed by 50 μmol of Methyl jasmonate and the lowest grain yield (432 kg ha-1) was seen when variety of Bahman was dry-farmed without foliar application of methyl jasmonate.ConclusionThe current study illustrated that barley can be grown in drought stress conditions if the right management is set on its cultivation. Methyl jasmonate showed a significant impact on the growth characteristics, biochemical and physiological attributes of the barley, despite the fact that drought had substantial adverse effects on the studied parameters of barley. However, drought resulted in different properties in barley varieties.

Creeping savory is a wild plant that is used for comestible consumption, preparation of beverages, and production of sanitary ware and herbal drugs. To investigate the effects of salinity stress and salicylic acid on antioxidant enzymes, photosynthetic pigments, relative water content, proline, and soluble protein content in S. spicigera a factorial experiment was conducted based on a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and three replications. The experiment was implemented at the greenhouse of Agriculture and Natural Resources Research and Education Center of Kermanshah, Iran (2019). Experimental treatments were four levels of salinity (0-50-100-150 mM NaCl) and two levels of salicylic acid (0 and 2 mM). Results showed that increasing salinity levels caused a significant reduction in relative water content, leaf fresh weight, leaf dry weight, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoid content. Salinity drastically enhanced the antioxidant activities (SOD, POD, and CAT), and cell proline content. Salicylic acid considerably decreased proline content under salt stress conditions, but improved antioxidant activities of SOD, POD, and CAT, and enhanced chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, carotenoid content, protein content, relative water content, and leaf fresh weight under salt stress. Salicylic acid reduced the destructive effect of salinity on some morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics in creeping savory.

L-Proline (l-Pro) is a non-essential amino acid which, in high concentrations, can cause neurological problems including seizures, although the causative mechanism for this is unclear. Here, we studied the impact of physiological levels of proline on brain energy metabolism and investigated the metabolism of l-Pro itself, using the cortical brain tissue slice and stable isotope labelling from [1-13 C]glucose and [1,2-13 C]acetate detected by NMR spectroscopy and LCMS. l-Pro was actively taken up by the slices and significantly reduced the total metabolic pools of all measured metabolites with glutamine the least affected, while reducing net flux of 13C into glycolytic byproducts (lactate and alanine). Conversely, net flux into Krebs cycle intermediates was increased, suggesting that L-Pro at lower concentrations was driving increased mitochondrial activity in both neurons and glia at the expense of glycolysis and metabolic pool sizes. As there was no evidence of metabolism of [1-13 C] l-Pro in slices under normo-glycemic conditions, the effect of proline on metabolism was not due to displacement of metabolites by added l-Pro. Comparison of the metabolic fingerprint generated by l-Pro in slices metabolizing [3-13 C]pyruvate with that generated by ligands active in the GABAergic system suggested that l-Pro may engender effects similar to that of the inhibitory neurotransmitter and metabolite γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), in line with previous suggestions that l-Pro may be a GABA mimetic in addition to its role as a modulator of mitochondrial metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

White savory (Satureja mutica Fisch.) is an oil-bearing plant with applications in traditional medicine, pharmaceutical industries, and food additives in homemade dishes. The current research comprised a greenhouse experiment in a factorial arrangement based on a completely randomized design (CRD). It included four salinity levels (0, 50, 100, and 150 mM NaCl), two salicylic acid (SA) levels (0 and 2 mM), and three replicates. By increasing the NaCl concentration, the content of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoid significantly declined. Increasing NaCl up to 100 mM caused a significant increase in proline and soluble protein content. The amount of proline at 150 mM NaCl showed no significant change compared to 100 mM NaCl, but the soluble protein sharply decreased at 150 mM NaCl. The enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase significantly increased in response to higher NaCl concentrations. Saturated water deficiency increased significantly, and leaf fresh and dry weights decreased substantially at 100 and 150 mM NaCl. SA enhanced chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, carotenoid content, and leaf fresh and dry weight, depending on the NaCl treatments. SA applications considerably boosted peroxidase and catalase activities despite the presence of NaCl at any concentration. Also, SA significantly improved superoxide dismutase activity at 50 and 100 mM NaCl but could not counter its decrease when the NaCl level was 150 mM. SA significantly reduced saturated water deficiency and proline content despite any of the NaCl treatments. SA mitigated the adverse effects of NaCl on S. mutica by improving antioxidant activity, photosynthetic pigments, and physiological characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of halibut oil cream, containing omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A and D, and hydroxyproline, on burn wound healing in rats. Acute dermal toxicity tests confirmed its nontoxicity. Wistar rats were divided into five groups: a control, a positive control treated with silver sulfadiazine 1% (SSD), and three groups treated with 3%, 9%, and 27% halibut oil cream Formulation (HBOF). The SSD and HBOF groups showed significant healing improvements compared to the control. Histopathological analysis indicated increased collagen production in the HBOF groups, suggesting halibut oil cream's potential as a topical treatment for burn wounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chilling stress is a major environmental factor that significantly reduces crop production. To adapt to chilling stress, plants activate a series of cellular responses and accumulate an array of metabolites, particularly proline. Here, we report that the transcription factor SlWRKY51 increases proline contents in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) under chilling stress. SlWRKY51 expression is induced under chilling stress. Knockdown or knockout of SlWRKY51 led to chilling‐sensitive phenotypes, with lower photosynthetic capacity and more reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation than the wild type (WT). The proline contents were significantly reduced in SlWRKY51 knockdown and knockout lines under chilling stress, perhaps explaining the phenotypes of these lines. D‐1‐pyrroline‐5‐carboxylate synthetase (P5CS), which catalyses the rate‐limiting step of proline biosynthesis, is encoded by two closely related P5CS genes (P5CS1 and P5CS2). We demonstrate that SlWRKY51 directly activates the expression of P5CS1 under chilling stress. In addition, the VQ (a class of plant‐specific proteins containing the conserved motif FxxhVQxhTG) family member SlVQ10 physically interacts with SlWRKY51 to enhance its activation of P5CS1. Our study reveals that the chilling‐induced transcription factor SlWRKY51 enhances chilling tolerance in tomato by promoting proline accumulation. Summary statement: The transcription factor WRKY51 enhances proline production in tomato by regulating the expression of the D‐1‐pyrroline‐5‐carboxylate synthetase gene SlP5CS1 under chilling stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the freezing tolerance and cold-induced changes in amino acid metabolism in three Triticeae species (rye, wheat, and barley) with varying levels of freezing tolerance. Freezing tests confirmed that rye exhibited the highest tolerance, while barley showed the highest sensitivity. Cold acclimation significantly increased total free amino acid levels, with wheat and barley showing nearly twice the accumulation compared to rye. The glutamate family of amino acids, particularly proline (Pro), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and glutamine (Gln), displayed substantial increase during cold treatment. Pro levels were notably higher in freezing-tolerant wheat and barley genotypes, suggesting its role in osmotic stress mitigation. However, this correlation was absent in rye. Gene expression analysis revealed that cold-induced proline accumulation is likely regulated at the post-transcriptional level, particularly involving the P5CS gene. These findings highlight the species-specific metabolic adjustments and regulatory mechanisms underlying freezing tolerance in Triticeae species, emphasizing the central role of proline and glutamate family amino acids in cold acclimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately 900 million hectares of farmland are destroyed by soil salinization, reducing global grain crop yield and quality. Although some current rice cultivars exhibit salt tolerance and high production yields, the exact mechanisms of their salt stress responses remain unclear. Hence, this study aims to elucidate the biochemical and biomolecular responses in different rice varieties, namely OM 9577 (salt-tolerant), OC 10 (moderately salt-tolerant), and Dai Thom 8 (salt-sensitive). The research findings indicate that increasing NaCl concentration leads to a decline in the fresh, dry mass of shoots and roots of all examined varieties (from 7.5 to 27% in OM 9577, OC 10; and from 16 to 54% in Dai Thom 8), as well as an increase in Na+ accumulation. OM 9577 and OC 10 accumulated higher levels of Ca2+, protein, proline, glycine betaine, sugars, and some monosaccharides (d-lyxofuranose, D-arabinose, ß-D-glucopyranose, ß-D-mannopyranose, D-galactofuranose) compared to Dai Thom 8. Transcript levels of some genes related to salt-tolerant mechanisms also have determined, including OsSOS1, OsNHX1, OsHKT1;4, OsHKT1;5, OsCaM, OsMAPKKK, OsCDPK, OsWAK, OsCML31, OsSOD, OsAOX1b, Os79, OsDUF26, OsWRKY26, OsWRKY62, OsAP2/ERF–58. The data demonstrated that transcript levels of some target genes were higher in OM 9577 and OC 10 than those in Dai Thom 8. Specifically, transcript levels of OsWRKY62, OsCML31, Os79, OsSOS1, OsHKT1:5, and OsCDPK were highest in OM 9577, while OsDUF26 and OsNHX1 transcript levels were highest in OC 10. These results offer potential biochemical and biomolecular markers for screening salt-tolerant rice cultivars and improving existing cultivars by transgenic or conventional breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt-sensitive crop varieties suffer from oxidative stress as a consequence of osmotic and ionic stresses in plants under salinity stress. This study is aimed at identifying the effects of riboflavin (RIB) application on uplifting rice growth under salinized soil condition. Two-week-old seedlings of IR29 (a salt-sensitive variety) were supplemented with 0.5 μM of RIB, and 50 mM of NaCl was supplied for 2 weeks, inducing salinized soil conditions. The results indicated that RIB pretreatment (RP) seedlings possessed higher plant biomass, and lower electrolyte leakage ration (ELR), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations, higher chlorophyll, magnesium (Mg), and iron (Fe) concentrations in the leaf blades, a higher proline concentration, and a lower Na+ concentration in the leaf blades. To further understand the mechanisms behind the difference in plant growth between the RP and non-RP seedlings, molecular analysis revealed that RP seedlings upregulated OsNHX1 and OsHKT1;5 expressions were observed in the roots of RP seedlings, regulating Na+ uptake through the transpiration stream and reducing Na+ concentration in the leaf blades. Collectively, these results suggest that RP is a potent method for improving plant growth under salinized soil conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc (Zn) deficiency is a serious problem for agriculture and human health. Under Zn deficient conditions, many physiological functions in plants are disturbed, and cellular homeostasis is badly affected. Under these circumstances, wheat crops produce fewer yields having low concentration of micronutrients in grains. In this modern era of nanotechnology, a possible way to achieve maximum plant growth in a sustainable manner is using nanoparticles (NPs). The present study was developed to observe the ameliorating effect of Zn nanoparticles (ZnNPs) as priming agents in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants grown under saline circumstances. Five levels of ZnNPs: 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 ppm, and two levels of salinity: 2 and 12 dS m−1, were studied. The mitigation of stress was seen in ZnNPs-applied wheat plants under salt stress, with a marked rise in total soluble sugars and total free amino acids. A significant decrease in pigment contents, total soluble proteins, and gas exchange characteristics was observed in the stress condition. Application of ZnNPs significantly improved the working of antioxidant enzymes, increased biochemical attributes, and helped regulate water relations and lipid peroxidation in wheat plants in a dose-dependent manner. It is worth mentioning that the application of ZnNPs at a rate of 100 ppm as a seed priming agent was observed to be the most distinct treatment in the accumulation of osmolytes and regulation of growth in wheat plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study investigates the differential responses of two maize genotypes, SC180 and SC168, to salt stress, aiming to elucidate the mechanisms underlying salinity tolerance and identify traits associated with improved stress resilience. Salinity stress, imposed by 150 mM NaCl, adversely affected various growth parameters in both genotypes. SC180 exhibited a more pronounced reduction in shoot length (13.6%) and root length (13.6%) compared to SC168, which showed minimal reductions (3.0% and 2.3%, respectively). Additionally, dry weight losses in SC180's leaves, stems, and roots were significantly greater than those in SC168. Under salinity stress, both genotypes accumulated Na+ in all organs, with SC168 showing higher Na + concentrations. However, K+ levels decreased more significantly in SC180's leaves than in SC168's. The study also assessed physiological responses, noting that SC180 experienced a substantial reduction in relative water content (RWC) in leaves (22.7%), while SC168's RWC remained relatively stable (5.15%). Proline accumulation, a marker for osmotic adjustment, increased 2.3-fold in SC168 compared onefold in SC180. Oxidative stress indicators, such as electrolyte leakage and hydrogen peroxide levels, were elevated in both genotypes under salt stress, with SC180 showing higher increases (48.5% and 48.7%, respectively) than SC168 (35.25% and 22.0%). Moreover, antioxidant enzymes (APX, CAT, POD, SOD, GR) activities were significantly enhanced in SC168 under salinity stress, whereas SC180 showed no significant changes in these activities. Stress indices, used to quantify and compare salinity tolerance, consistently ranked SC168 as more tolerant (average rank = 1.08) compared to SC180 (average rank = 1.92). Correlation analyses further confirmed that SC168's superior tolerance was associated with better Na + regulation, maintenance of K+ levels, and a robust antioxidant defense system. In conclusion, SC168 demonstrated greater resilience to salinity stress, attributed to its efficient ion regulation, stable water status, enhanced osmotic adjustment, and strong antioxidant response. These findings provide valuable insights for breeding and developing salinity-tolerant maize varieties.

Abstract Background In the past two decades, the impacts of Helium-Neon (He–Ne) laser on stress resistance and secondary metabolism in plants have been studied, but the signaling pathway which by laser regulates this process remains unclear. Therefore, the current study sought to explore the role of RBOH-dependent signaling in He–Ne laser-induced salt tolerance and elicitation of secondary metabolism in Salvia officinalis. Seeds were primed with He–Ne laser (6 J cm− 2) and peroxide hydrogen (H2O2, 5 mM) and 15-old-day plants were exposed to two salinity levels (0, 75 mM NaCl). Results Salt stress reduced growth parameters, chlorophyll content and relative water content (RWC) and increased malodialdehyde (MDA) and H2O2 contents in leaves of 45-old-day plants. After 48 h of salt exposure, higher transcription levels of RBOH (encoding NADPH oxidase), PAL (phenylalanine ammonia-lyase), and RAS (rosmarinic acid synthase) were recorded in leaves of plants grown from seeds primed with He–Ne laser and/or H2O2. Despite laser up-regulated RBOH gene in the early hours of exposing to salinity, H2O2 and MDA contents were lower in leaves of these plants after 30 days. Seed pretreatment with He–Ne laser and/or H2O2 augmented the accumulation of anthocyanins, total phenol, carnasol, and rosmarinic acid and increased total antioxidant capacity under non-saline and more extensively at saline conditions. Indeed, these treatments improved RWC, and K+/Na+ ratio, enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase and proline accumulation, and significantly decreased membrane injury and H2O2 content in leaves of 45-old-day plants under salt stress. However, applying diphenylene iodonium (DPI as an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase) and N, N-dimethyl thiourea (DMTU as a H2O2 scavenger) after laser priming reversed the aforementioned effects which in turn resulted in the loss of laser-induced salt tolerance and secondary metabolism. Conclusions These findings for the first time deciphered that laser can induce a transient RBOH-dependent H2O2 burst, which might act as a downstream signal to promote secondary metabolism and salt stress alleviation in S. officinalis plants.

The current study aimed to investigate the effect of planting date and irrigation on some characteristics of cumin cultivated in Iran. The experimental characteristics included three planting dates and five irrigation regimes. Irrigation at flowering + seed filling stage and full irrigation had the highest essential oil content (3.6%) and plant height (16.71 cm), respectively. On all planting dates, irrigation enhanced the total chlorophyll and carotenoids content, relative water content, umbel number plant−1, seed number umbel−1, 1,000-seed weight, and seed yield but reduced the proline content and water-use efficiency (WUE). The highest chlorophyll content (1.54 mg g−1 fresh weight (FW)), carotenoids content (0.35 mg g−1 FW), umbel number plant−1 (18.03), seed number umbel−1 (21.16), 1,000-seed weight (4.12 g), seed yield (1002.7 kg ha−1), and essential oil yield (22.13 kg ha−1) were obtained on 19 January and irrigation at the flowering + seed filling stages. The greatest amount of WUE (0.53 kg m−3) was measured on 9 January under no irrigation condition. Therefore, to produce cumin under similar climatic conditions, early planting of cumin in early January, along with two irrigations at the flowering and seed filling stages, is recommended. HIGHLIGHTS Changing the plant growth conditions changes the morphological and physiological characteristics.; Delay in cumin planting reduced the carotenoids content.; By balancing redox reactions, proline induces cellular homeostasis and reduces lipid peroxidation.; The water deficit caused the remarkable accumulation of secondary metabolites.;

Abstract Exploring host plant resistance and elevating plant defense mechanisms through the application of exogenous elicitors stands as a promising strategy for integrated pest management. The fall armyworm, a pernicious menace to grain crops in tropical and subtropical regions, stands as a formidable threat due to its capacity for devastation and a wide-ranging spectrum of host plants. There is no literature regarding artificially induced resistance in maize against fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) by exogenous application of phytohormones. The present investigation was performed to evaluate the role of jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) on two maize hybrids namely FH-1046 and YH-1898 against fall armyworm. Results showed that plant height, biomass and lengths, fresh and dry weight of root shoot which decreased with armyworm infestation improved with phytohormonal application. JA treatment resulted in a higher increase in all attributes as compared to SA treatment. Improvement in relative water contents, photosynthetic pigments and pronounced levels of phenol and proline accumulation were observed in infested plants after JA treatment. Infested plants recovered from oxidative stress as JA application activated and increased the antioxidant enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase activity in both FH-1046 and YH-1898 . The oxidative stress reduction in infested plants after JA treatment was also evident from a fair decrease in MDA and H2O2 in both varieties. The SA and JA mediated genes expression was studied and it was found that in FH1046 maize cultivar, JA dependent genes, particularly marker genes PR1 and Lox5 were highly expressed along with TPS10 and BBT12. Whereas SPI, WRKY28, ICS and PAL were shown to be activated upon SA application. Evidently, both JA and SA elicited a robust defensive response within the maize plants against the voracious S. frugiperda, which in consequence exerted a discernible influence over the pest's developmental trajectory and physiological dynamics. A decrease in detoxification enzyme activity of the insects was observed after feeding on treated plants. Moreover, it was recorded that the survival and weight gain of FAW feeding on phytohormone treated maize plants also decelerated. In conclusion, FH-1046 was found to be more tolerant than YH-1898 against fall armyworm infestation and 1 mM JA was more effective than 1 mM SA for alleviation of fall armyworm stress. Therefore, it was inferred that phytohormones regulated redox homeostasis to circumvent oxidative damage and mediate essential metabolic events in maize under stress. To our current understanding, this study is the very first presentation of induced resistance in maize against S. frugiperda with the phytohormonal application (JA and SA).

The study aimed to harden two grape cultivars, Superior and Red globe shoots grown in vitro by adding different PEG concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20, and 40 g L-1) to the growth medium (MS + 2 mg L-1 BA) for inducing in vitro drought stress. Biochemical compounds directly impacted by drought were assessed 30 days after planting to determine the modifications of their metabolic pathways to adapt to the drought and shoots survived. Compared to the control treatment, the addition of PEG resulted in a significant increase in the antioxidants produced in the explant (anthocyanin, proline, total sugars, and catalase enzyme) as well as a significant decrease in the explant content of malondialdehyde and chlorophyll. The results also demonstrated that the cultivars differed significantly in all the studied traits. Likewise, the interaction coefficients between the cultivars and the added PEG concentrations achieved significant differences from the control for each cultivar separately. The largest anthocyanin concentration for the Red globe and Superior cultivars (24.46 and 13.30 mg 100 g-1) proline (25.08 and 20.75 mmol g-1), respectively, obtained from shoots growing in media supplied with 20 g l-1 PEG While the most significant percentage of total sugars (11.17 and 10.58%), respectively, were obtained from shoots grown in media content 40 gm L-1 PEG, While the highest catalase enzyme concentration for the two cultivars Red globe and Superior (9.01 and 8.21 units mg-1) and was obtained from shoots grown in the presence of 40 and 20 g l-1 PEG, respectively.

A field experiment was carried out during the spring season of 2022 at Research Station No.2, College of Agriculture, University of Anbar. The experiment followed a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in a split-plot arrangement with three replications to study the effect of four concentrations of Glycine Betaine acid (0, 50, 100, 150 mg L-1), denoted as GB2, GB3, and GB4 respectively, on some biochemical traits of mung bean under water stress conditions. The water stress levels were S1 (irrigated with 100% of available water, serving as the control treatment), and S2, S3, and S4, representing depletion rates of 25%, 50%, and 75% of available water, respectively. The results showed that the GB4 concentration was superior in total chlorophyll content in leaves (1.677 mg g-1), relative water content (55.7%), proline content (124.74 µg g-1), catalase enzyme activity (22.84 units ml-1), and peroxidase enzyme activity (28.42 units ml-1). The water stress treatment S1 excelled in giving the highest values for total chlorophyll content in leaves (1.842 mg g-1), relative water content (60.9%), proline content (144.38 µg g-1), catalase enzyme activity (29.69 units ml-1), and peroxidase enzyme activity (34.07 units ml-1). The interaction between water stress level S1 and GB4 concentration resulted in the highest rates for total chlorophyll content in leaves (1.930 mg g-1), relative water content (67.2%), proline content (186.30 µg g-1), catalase enzyme activity (35.13 units ml-1), and peroxidase enzyme activity (35.19 units ml-1).

Abstract Stevia rebaudiana (stevia) is a plant in the Asteraceae that contains several biologically active compounds including the antidiabetic diterpene glycosides (e.g. stevioside, rebaudioside and dulcoside) that can serve as zero-calorie sugar alternatives. In this study, an elicitation strategy was applied using 5% polyethylene glycol (PEG), sodium chloride (NaCl; 50 and 100 mM) and gibberellic acid (2.0 and 4.0 mg/L GA3) to investigate their effect on shoot morphogenesis, and the production of phenolics, flavonoids, total soluble sugars, proline and stevioside, as well as antioxidant activity, in shoot cultures of S. rebaudiana. Herewith, the media supplemented with 2 mg/L and 4 mg/L GA3 exhibited the highest shooting response (87% and 80%). The augmentation of lower concentrations of GA3 (2 mg/L) in combination with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) resulted in the maximum mean shoot length (11.1 cm). The addition of 100 mM NaCl salts to the media led to the highest observed total phenolics content (TPC; 4.11 mg/g-DW compared to the control 0.52 mg/g-DW), total flavonoids content (TFC; 1.26 mg/g-DW) and polyphenolics concentration (5.39 mg/g-DW) in shoots cultured. However, the maximum antioxidant activity (81.8%) was observed in shoots raised in media treated with 50 mM NaCl. The application of 2 mg/L of GA3 resulted in the highest accumulation of proline (0.99 μg/mL) as compared to controls (0.37 μg/mL). Maximum stevioside content (71 µL/mL) was observed in cultures supplemented with 100 mM NaCl and 5% PEG, followed by the 4 mg/L GA3 treatment (70 µL/mL) as compared to control (60 µL/mL). Positive correlation was observed between GA3 and stevioside content. Notably, these two compounds are derived from a shared biochemical pathway. These results suggest that elicitation is an effective option to enhance the accumulation of steviosides and other metabolites and provides the groundwork for future industrial scale production using bioreactors.