Search

Canola (Brassica napus L.) is a profitable grain crop for Australian growers. However, weeds remain a major constraint for its production. Chemical herbicides are used for weed control, but this tactic also leads to the evolution of herbicide resistance in different weed species. The suppression of weeds by crop interference (competition and allelopathic) mechanisms has been receiving significant attention. Here, the weed suppressive ability and associated functional traits and stability of four selected canola genotypes (PAK85388-502, AV-OPAL, AV-GARNET, and BAROSSA) were examined at different locations in NSW, Australia. The results showed that there were significant effects of canola genotypes and of genotypes by crop density interaction on weed growth. Among the tested genotypes, PAK85388-502 and AV-OPAL were the most weed suppressive and, at a plant density of 10 plants/m2, they reduced the weed biomass of wild radish, shepherd’s purse, and annual ryegrass by more than 80%. No significant differences were found in the primary root lengths among canola varieties; however, plants of the most weed-suppressive genotype PAK8538-502 exhibited a 35% increase in lateral root number relative to plants of the less weed-suppressive genotype BAROSSA. The analysis of variance revealed a significant influence of genotypes with PAK85388-502 and AV-OPAL performing the best across all the research sites. Results showed that canola genotypes PAK85388-502 and AV-OPAL were more weed suppressive than AV-GARNET and BAROSSA and may release specific bioactive compounds in their surroundings to suppress neighboring weeds. This study provides valuable information that could be utilised in breeding programs to select weed-suppressive varieties of canola in Australia. Thus, lateral root number could be a potential target trait for weed-suppressive varieties. Additionally, other root architecture traits may contribute to the underground allelopathic interaction to provide a competitive advantage to the crop.

Understanding the mechanisms that regulate plant root growth under soil drying is an important challenge in root biology. We observed that moderate soil drying promotes wheat root growth. To understand whether metabolic and hormonic changes are involved in this regulation, we performed transcriptome sequencing on wheat roots under well-watered and moderate soil drying conditions. The genes upregulated in wheat roots under soil drying were mainly involved in starch and sucrose metabolism and benzoxazinoid biosynthesis. Various plant hormone-related genes were differentially expressed during soil drying. Quantification of the plant hormones under these conditions showed that the concentrations of abscisic acid (ABA), cis-zeatin (CZ), and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) significantly increased during soil drying, whereas the concentrations of salicylic (SA), jasmonic (JA), and glycosylated salicylic (SAG) acids significantly decreased. Correlation analysis of total root length and phytohormones indicated that CZ, ABA, and IAA are positively associated with wheat root length. These results suggest that changes in metabolic pathways and plant hormones caused by moderate soil drying help wheat roots grow into deeper soil layers.

Plant leaves are a source of essential phenolic compounds, which have numerous health benefits and can be used in multiple applications. While various techniques are available for recovering bioactive compounds from by-products, more data are needed on enzyme-assisted extraction (EAE). The aim of this study was to compare EAE and solid–liquid extraction (SLE), to evaluate the impact on bioactive compounds’ extraction yield, phytochemical composition, and the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antidiabetic properties of Aralia cordata leaves and roots, sea buckthorn Hippophae rhamnoides, and hemp Cannabis sativa leaves. The results indicate that EAE with Viscozyme L enzyme (EAE_Visc) extracts of the tested plant leaves possess the highest yield, antioxidant activity, and total phenolic content. Moreover, the EAE_Visc extract increased by 40% the total sugar content compared to the control extract of A. cordata root. Interestingly, the sea buckthorn leaf extracts exhibited α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, which reached an almost 99% inhibition in all extracts. Furthermore, the sea buckthorn leaves SLE and EAE_Visc extracts possess antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy was used to examine changes in cell wall morphology after EAE. Overall, this study shows that EAE can be a promising method for increasing the yield and improving the functional properties of the resulting extracts in a fast and sustainable way compared to SLE.

Nitrogen (N) is essential for sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.), a highly N-demanding sugar crop. This study investigated the morphological, subcellular, and microRNA-regulated responses of sugar beet roots to low N (LN) stress (0.5 mmol/L N) to better understand the N perception, uptake, and utilization in this species. The results showed that LN led to decreased dry weight of roots, N accumulation, and N dry matter production efficiency, along with damage to cell walls and membranes and a reduction in organelle numbers (particularly mitochondria). Meanwhile, there was an increase in root length (7.2%) and branch numbers (29.2%) and a decrease in root surface area (6.14%) and root volume (6.23%) in sugar beet after 7 d of LN exposure compared to the control (5 mmol/L N). Transcriptomics analysis was confirmed by qRT-PCR for 6 randomly selected microRNAs, and we identified 22 differentially expressed microRNAs (DEMs) in beet root under LN treatment. They were primarily enriched in functions related to binding (1125), ion binding (641), intracellular (437) and intracellular parts (428), and organelles (350) and associated with starch and sucrose metabolism, tyrosine metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, and isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis, as indicated by the GO and KEGG analyses. Among them, the upregulated miR156a, with conserved sequences, was identified as a key DEM that potentially targets and regulates squamosa promoter-binding-like proteins (SPLs, 104889216 and 104897537) through the microRNA-mRNA network. Overexpression of miR156a (MIR) promoted root growth in transgenic Arabidopsis, increasing the length, surface area, and volume. In contrast, silencing miR156a (STTM) had the opposite effect. Notably, the fresh root weight decreased by 45.6% in STTM lines, while it increased by 27.4% in MIR lines, compared to the wild type (WT). It can be inferred that microRNAs, especially miR156, play crucial roles in sugar beet root’s development and acclimation to LN conditions. They likely facilitate active responses to N deficiency through network regulation, enabling beet roots to take up nutrients from the environment and sustain their vital life processes.

Litter and root decomposition is an important source of soil organic matter and nutrients. To ascertain the contribution of litter and root to natural grassland nutrients in rocky desertification areas, from March 2017 to January 2018, the continuous soil column method, collector method, and litter decomposition method were used to study the soil nutrients, litter and root biomass, decomposition, and nutrient release of potential, moderate, and severe rocky desertification grasslands, as well as their responses to rocky desertification. The results showed that the litter and root decomposition rate showed a trend of being first fast and then slow, and the decomposition rate of litter and root was greater than 50% after 300 days. The annual litter decomposition rates of potential, moderate, and severe rocky desertification grasslands were 69.98%, 62.14%, and 49.79%, respectively, and the annual decomposition rates of root were 73.64%, 67.61%, and 64.09%, respectively. With a deepening degree of rocky desertification, the litter and root decomposition rate decreased. The decomposition coefficients, k, of litter in potential, moderate, and severe rocky desertification grasslands were 1.128, 0.896, and 0.668, respectively, and the decomposition coefficients, k, of root were 1.152, 1.018, and 0.987, respectively. The nutrient release processes of litter and root were different, and the release mode ultimately manifests as “release”. In rocky desertification grasslands, the organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and total potassium (TK) released by litter and root decomposition were 18.93–263.03 g·m−2·yr−1, 1.79–5.59 g·m−2·yr−1, 0.18–0.47 g·m−2·yr−1, and 0.66–3.70 g·m−2·yr−1, respectively. The contribution of root to soil nutrients was greater than that of litter. The degree of rocky desertification was negatively correlated with the biomass, decomposition rate, and nutrient return amount of litter and root. The results of this study provide direct field evidence and illustrate the contribution of litter and root decomposition in rocky desertification grasslands to soil nutrients.

The bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.] is often utilized as a rootstock for watermelon grafting. This practice effectively mitigates the challenges associated with continuous cropping obstacles in watermelon cultivation. The lower ground temperature has a direct impact on the rootstocks’ root development and nutrient absorption, ultimately leading to slower growth and even the onset of yellowing. However, the mechanisms underlying the bottle gourd’s regulation of root growth in response to low root zone temperature (LRT) remain elusive. Understanding the dynamic response of bottle gourd roots to LRT stress is crucial for advancing research regarding its tolerance to low temperatures. In this study, we compared the physiological traits of bottle gourd roots under control and LRT treatments; root sample transcriptomic profiles were monitored after 0 h, 48 h and 72 h of LRT treatment. LRT stress increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, relative electrolyte permeability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, especially H2O2 and O2−. Concurrently, LRT treatment enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD). RNA-Seq analysis revealed the presence of 2507 and 1326 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) after 48 h and 72 h of LRT treatment, respectively. Notably, 174 and 271 transcription factors (TFs) were identified as DEGs compared to the 0 h control. We utilized quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) to confirm the expression patterns of DEGs belonging to the WRKY, NAC, bHLH, AP2/ERF and MYB families. Collectively, our study provides a robust foundation for the functional characterization of LRT-responsive TFs in bottle gourd roots. Furthermore, these insights may contribute to the enhancement in cold tolerance in bottle gourd-type rootstocks, thereby advancing molecular breeding efforts.

Aims: Fokienia hodginsii is a threatened conifer tree species, known as the dominant nursery-grown species capable of colonizing the challenging woodland environments in southern China due to its strong root penetrating ability. The ecological phenotype of Fokienia hodginsii is not well documented during its breeding process, which limits the potential planting area and its ecological function. This study aims to understand how Fokienia hodginsii associates with microbes to conduct its key ecological function and provide a theoretical basis for further improving the forest nursery management of Fokienia hodginsii. Methods: This study explored the ecological traits of 11 main Fokienia hodginsii provenances in a homogeneous garden experiment by analyzing their nutrient utilization strategies and associated microbial features in the rhizosphere soil and roots. Results: The study found that the paramount difference in the rhizosphere soil among provenances is in Ca and Fe content. Some microbial communities, namely Crenarchaeota, Verrucomicrobiota, and Desulfobacterota, were positively correlated with the amounts of the soil nutrient elements, whereas Abditibacteriota and Dependentiae were negatively correlated. The abundance of N- and Fe-related bacteria in the Fu Jian Chang Ting (FJCT) provenance was significantly higher than that in other provenances, while the C-, P-, K-, and Mg-related fungal communities, respectively, had higher abundances in the FJCT, Fu Jian Long Yan (FJLY), Fu Jian Gu Tian (FJGT), and Fu Jian Xian You (FJXY) provenances than the others. The impacts of the Gui Zhou Li Ping (GZLP), Hu Nan Dao Xian (HNDX), Jiang Xi Shang Yao (JXSY), and Guang Dong Shi Xing (GDSX) provenances on the rhizosphere soil are similar, but the differences in nutrient utilization arise from the plant itself. Conversely, the root nutrient contents of the FJCT, Fu Jian You Xi (FJYX), Fu Jian An Xi (FJAX), FJLY, Fu Jian De Hua (FJDH), FJGT, and FJXY provenances are highly correlated with soil nutrient features. Conclusions: For the native provenances, their economic traits are better than the exotic provenances. The native provenances are more sensitive to local soil conditions, so they should benefit more from human interventions, rendering them more suitable for artificial cultivation. The growth of the exotic provenances is less affected by the soil environment, making them better suited for the ecological transformation of forest stands and soil improvement.

Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is resilient to abiotic stress, especially to drought. However, the mechanisms by which its roots adapt and tolerate salt stress are obscure. In this study, to clarify the molecular mechanism of proso millet in response to drought stress, the physiological indexes and transcriptome in the root of seedlings of the proso millet cultivar ‘Yumi 2’ were analyzed at 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 3.0 h of stimulated drought stress by using 20% PEG-6000 and after 24 h of rehydration. The results showed that the SOD activity, POD activity, soluble protein content, MDA, and O2−· content of ‘Yumi 2’ increased with the time of drought stress, but rapidly decreased after rehydration. Here, 130.46 Gb of clean data from 18 samples were obtained, and the Q30 value of each sample exceeded 92%. Compared with 0 h, the number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) reached the maximum of 16,105 after 3 h of drought, including 9153 upregulated DEGs and 6952 downregulated DEGs. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses revealed that upregulated DEGs were mainly involved in ATP binding, nucleus, protein serine/threonine phosphatase activity, MAPK signaling pathway–plant, plant–pathogen interactions, and plant hormone signal transduction under drought stress, while downregulated DEGs were mainly involved in metal ion binding, transmembrane transporter activity, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. Additionally, 1441 TFs screened from DEGs were clustered into 64 TF families, such as AP2/ERF-ERF, bHLH, WRKY, NAC, MYB, and bZIP TF families. Genes related to physiological traits were closely related to starch and sucrose metabolism, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, glutathione metabolism, and plant hormone signal transduction. In conclusion, the active oxygen metabolism system and the soluble protein of proso millet root could be regulated by the activity of protein serine/threonine phosphatase. AP2/ERF-ERF, bHLH, WRKY, NAC, MYB, and bZIP TF families were found to be closely associated with drought tolerance in proso millet root. This study will provide data to support a subsequent study on the function of the drought tolerance gene in proso millet.

Salinity tolerance is an important physiological index for crop breeding. Roots are typically the first plant tissue to withstand salt stress. In this study, we found that the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase (SlTPP4) gene is induced by abscisic acid (ABA) and salt, and is mainly expressed in roots. Overexpression of SlTPP4 in tomato enhanced tolerance to salt stress, resulting in better growth performance. Under saline conditions, SlTPP4 overexpression plants demonstrated enhanced sucrose metabolism, as well as increased expression of genes related to salt tolerance. At the same time, expression of genes related to ABA biosynthesis and signal transduction was enhanced or altered, respectively. In-depth exploration demonstrated that SlTPP4 enhances Casparian band development in roots to restrict the intake of Na+. Our study thus clarifies the mechanism of SlTPP4-mediated salt tolerance, which will be of great importance for the breeding of salt-tolerant tomato crops.

Abstract Haloacid dehalogenase-like hydrolase (HAD) superfamily have been shown to get involved in plant growth and abiotic stress response. Although the various functions and regulatory mechanism of HAD superfamily have been well demonstrated, we know little about the function of this family in conferring abiotic stress tolerance to rice. Here, we report OsHAD3, a HAD superfamily member, could affect drought tolerance of rice. Under drought stress, overexpression of OsHAD3 increases the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde than wild type. OsHAD3-overexpression lines decreased but antisense-expression lines increased the roots length under drought stress and the transcription levels of many well-known stress-related genes were also changed in plants with different genotypes. Furthermore, overexpression of OsHAD3 also decreases the oxidative tolerance. Our results suggest that overexpression of OsHAD3 could decrease the drought tolerance of rice and provide a new strategy for improving drought tolerance in rice.

Plastic film mulch systems are used widely in arid areas, and the associated tillage measures affect soil properties, root and crop growth, and nutrient uptake. However, much debate surrounds the most suitable tillage method for plastic film mulch systems. We conducted a two-year field experiment to explore the impact of three tillage treatments - rotary tillage before ridge–furrow plastic film mulch (MR), no-tillage before ridge–furrow plastic film mulch (MZ), and plow tillage before ridge–furrow plastic film mulch (MP) - on soil total nitrogen, available nitrogen, root stratification structure, nitrogen transfer and utilization, and maize yield. The results showed that MP had better soil quality than either MR or MZ over 2019 and 2020, with higher nitrate-nitrogen and total nitrogen in the 0–40 cm soil layer. MP improved the soil physicochemical properties more than the other treatments, producing significantly higher root numbers and root biomass for the aerial and underground nodal roots than MR and MZ. At harvest, MP had the highest root biomass density, root length density, and root surface area density in the different soil layers (0–20, 20–40, and 0–40 cm). Significant correlations occurred between root biomass and aboveground nitrogen accumulation during maize growth. During grain filling, MP had the greatest nitrogen transfer amount, significantly increasing root and aboveground nitrogen transfer by 19.63–45.82% and 11.15–24.56%, respectively, relative to the other treatments. MP significantly produced 1.36–26.73% higher grain yields and a higher grain crude protein content at harvest than MR and MZ. MP also had higher values for the nitrogen harvest index, nitrogen uptake efficiency, and partial factor productivity of nitrogen fertilizer than MR and MZ. In conclusion, plow tillage combined with a ridge–furrow plastic film mulch system facilitated maize root development and improved nitrogen utilization, thereby increasing maize yield more than the other treatments.

The biotic release of nitric oxide (NO), a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere contributes to climate change. In plants, NO plays a significant role in metabolic and signaling processes. However, little attention has been paid to the plant-borne portion of global NO emissions. Owing to the growing significance of global flooding events caused by climate change, the extent of plant NO emissions has been assessed under low-oxygen conditions for the roots of intact plants. Each examined plant species (tomato, tobacco, and barley) exhibited NO emissions in a highly oxygen-dependent manner. The transfer of data obtained under laboratory conditions to the global area of farmland was used to estimate possible plant NO contribution to greenhouse gas budgets. Plant-derived and stress-induced NO emissions were estimated to account for the equivalent of 1 to 9% of global annual NO emissions from agricultural land. Because several stressors induce NO formation in plants, the actual impact may be even higher.

A comparative study was conducted on the anatomical structure of the roots and leaves of Ferula tadshikorum, a rare plant species. The study included two groups: virginile plants introduced at the age of 4 years (located in the Tashkent Botanical Garden) and natural individuals aged 12-14 years (found in the Surkhandarya region, Babatag ridge). The main objective was to understand how the plant's anatomy changes with age and its adaptation to different environments. Common characteristics were identified in the leaves of both groups of plants. These included the isolateral palisade type of mesophyll, a rounded triangular shape around the central vein, and the presence of 2-layer elongated palisade tissue on the flattened lateral parts from the adaxial side. Regarding the root structure, significant differences were observed between the natural and introduced plants. In the natural samples, the woody part of the root exhibited groups of libriform cells, which seemed to be influenced by the edaphotype (soil conditions) and age of the plant. These findings suggest that the conductive system of the roots develops differently depending on the age and environment. The introduction of Ferula tadshikorum in the Tashkent Botanical Garden proved to be successful, as evident from the results. The leaves of the introduced plants showed adaptive characteristics, such as a thickened outer wall of the epidermis, collenchyma strands, bast fibers, and the isolateral palisade type of mesophyll. These adaptations are likely to help the plant cope with its new environment. In the roots of both natural and introduced plants, an important adaptive function was observed. The parenchymal cells were filled with starch grains, and there was an abundance of secretory ducts. This suggests that the root acts as an accumulating organ for organic substances, aiding the plant's survival and growth. In conclusion, the study provided valuable insights into the anatomical changes of Ferula tadshikorum at different stages of its life and in different environments. The observed adaptations in the leaves and roots contribute to the plant's ability to thrive in varying conditions.

With the increasingly severe problem of soil salinization worldwide, exploring the molecular mechanism of salt tolerance of super hybrid rice has become an important scientific issue. In this study, the super hybrid rice Chaoyou1000 was used as the focus of attention, and the conventional rice Huanghuazhan was used as the control to explore the molecular mechanism of salt tolerance in super hybrid rice. The joint analysis of transcriptome and metabolome found 4661 DEGs, of which 2130 were up-regulated and 2531 were down-regulated; 70 named differential metabolites were found in the positive ion mode, and 32 were found in the negative ion mode. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the carbohydrate metabolism-related pathways enriched by DEGs and differential metabolites were “starch and sucrose metabolism”, “galactose metabolism”, “glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism”, and “citrate cycle (TCA cycle)”. Specifically, we found that some critical genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism, such as LOC4330753, LOC4325448, and LOC4341069, were up-regulated; some key metabolites, such as cis-aconitate, sucrose, and raffinose, were up-regulated. The difference in the expressions of these critical genes and metabolites between the two varieties is one of the most important reasons for the high resistance of Chaoyou1000. In addition, this study found that a large number of DEGs had a strong correlation with D-pipecolic acid, niveusin C, Gly-Val Ala-Ile, 2-(3-hydroxyphenyl)ethanol 1′-glucoside, 2,6-dimethyl-7-octene-1,6-diol 8-O-glucoside, (+)-syringaresinol, 2-indanone, 2-keto-6-acetamidocaproate, 3-dehydroquinate, IRETOL, and estrone glucuronide, suggesting that these genes and corresponding metabolites may exist with functional associations and regulatory relationships. The results of this study will provide a reference for the breeding of salt-tolerant rice.

Ribosome biogenesis is a fundamental process in eukaryotic cells. NOTCHLESS (NLE) is involved in 60S ribosome biogenesis in yeast, but its role in Arabidopsis (A. thaliana) remains exclusive. Here, we found that Arabidopsis NLE (AtNLE) is highly conservative in phylogeny, which encoding a WD40-repeat protein. AtNLE is expressed in actively dividing tissues. AtNLE-GFP is localized in the nucleus. AtNLE physically interacts with the MIDAS domain of AtMDN1, a protein involved in the biogenesis of the 60S ribosomal subunit in Arabidopsis. The underexpressing mutant nle-2 shows short roots and reduced cell number in the root meristem. In addition, the null mutant nle-1 is embryo lethal, and defective embryos are arrested at the early globular stage. This work suggests that AtNLE interacts with AtMDN1, and AtNLE functions in root and embryo development.

The study examined the effects of a one-time foliar spray of methyl jasmonate (50 µM) on three rice varieties (MR219, MR219–4, and MR219–9) after 40 days planted on topsoil and saline soil (electrical conductivity EC at 10 ds/m). After 20 days of treatment, plant height and fatty acid profile in the top leaves and fabulous roots of each group were analysed. The results showed that MeJA and saline soil treatments had a significant effect on the height of the rice plants. The total oil content in the leaves varied amongst the rice varieties but did not significantly differ between MeJA-treated plants and those planted in saline soil. The total oil content in the roots of MR219–9 increased when treated with MeJA or saline soil individually. The fatty acid composition varied amongst the rice varieties and was influenced by soil conditions and MeJA treatment. The leaves contained a higher number of fatty acid species compared to the roots. Palmitic acid is the major saturated fatty acid in the leaves and roots of the three rice varieties. Other fatty acid species varied amongst the varieties, plant parts, and treatments. The results provide insights into the response of different rice varieties to MeJA and saline soil conditions. Exogenous MeJA might have influenced physiological and biochemical processes in the plants, helping them cope with salt stress to some extent. Further research would be needed to understand the mechanisms behind this interaction between MeJA and salinity in rice plant height.

Copyright of Journal of Tikrit University for Humanities 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.)

Background Aims Methods Results Conclusions Boron (B) is an essential micronutrient for plants. Dicot plants respond to insufficient B supply by altering root architecture and root hair growth. How root systems of rather low‐B demanding monocot species such as maize (Zea mays L.) respond to B deficiency in terra has not been experimentally resolved, yet.The study aims to investigate root responses and their physiological consequences under B deficiency during the vegetative growth of maize.B73 wild‐type (WT) maize and its root hairless rth3 mutant were grown under varying B supply conditions in soil columns and in an automated root phenotyping facility. Biomass data, root system architecture traits, the mineral elemental composition and molecular B‐deficiency responses were quantified.Though having very low leaf B concentrations, no major growth deficit, apart from chlorotic stripes on leaves, was recorded on maize root and shoot development, with or without root hairs, on B‐deficient conditions. Although leaf B concentration of the rth3 mutant is significantly lower under B‐deficient and under B‐surplus conditions compared to the WT, the rth3 mutant neither developed a larger total root length, more fine roots nor displayed a higher expression of B uptake transporters as compensatory adaptations.Strikingly, maize plants did neither react with an inhibited root growth nor by a compensatory root foraging behaviour to severe B‐deficient in terra growth conditions. This is rather atypical for plants. The performance and altered leaf B concentrations of rth3 mutants may be biased by secondary effects, such as an overall reduced root growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glomalin, a glycoprotein secreted by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMFs), exhibits multiple beneficial functions in regard to plant growth. However, the roles and regulatory mechanisms of exogenous easily extractable glomalin-related soil protein (EE-GRSP) in water and their effects on the quality of tea plants (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Ktze.) remain unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of a quarter-strength exogenous EE-GRSP solution (1/4 EE-GRSP), half-strength exogenous EE-GRSP solution (1/2 EE-GRSP), three-quarter-strength exogenous EE-GRSP solution (3/4 EE-GRSP), and full-strength exogenous EE-GRSP solution (full EE-GRSP) on plant growth, the root system architecture, leaf water status, and the tea quality of tea seedlings, along with examining the changes in the relative expression of water channel proteins (AQPs) in tea plants. The results indicated that exogenous EE-GRSP of different strengths had different effects on both the growth performance (height, leaf numbers, and biomass) and root architecture parameters of tea seedlings, and the best positive effects on plant growth and the root architecture appeared under the three-quarter-strength exogenous EE-GRSP treatment. Similarly, the exogenous EE-GRSP application also differently affected tea quality indicators, in which only the quarter- and half-strength exogenous EE-GRSP solutions significantly increased most of the indicators, including carbohydrates, tea polyphenols, total amino acids, catechins, and flavonoids. Moreover, the half- and three-quarter-strength exogenous EE-GRSP treatments significantly increased the leaf relative water content (LRWC), but all of the exogenous EE-GRSP treatments significantly decreased the leaf water potential (LWP). Furthermore, the expression of AQP genes in the root system of tea plants was related to the strength of the exogenous EE-GRSP treatments, and different genes were significantly up-regulated or down-regulated under the treatment of exogenous EE-GRSP at different strengths. Moreover, the correlation analysis showed that most of the relative expression of AQPs was significantly and positively correlated with tea plant growth, the root architecture, and the leaf relative water content, but negatively correlated with tea quality indicators; however, the expression of CsNIPs and CsSIPs was markedly and negatively correlated with plant growth performance. Therefore, we speculated that the application of exogenous EE-GRSP could facilitate plant growth and improve the quality indirectly by regulating the expression of root AQPs, thus ameliorating the water uptake and nutrient accumulation in tea plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study's goal is to propose a straightforward classification system based on the MEI (Meniscal Extrusion Index), a measure of meniscal extrusion, that relates to various meniscal lesion patterns and has clinical and biomechanical significance. The study's secondary goal is to determine whether the standard 3 mm meniscal extrusion parameter still has value by correlating the MEI with it. Methods: 1350 knee MRIs that were performed over the course of 2 years made up the study cohort. Following the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 200 of those patients were qualified to participate in the study. All the measurements examined for this study underwent an interobserver reliability test. Results: In the 1350 MRIs that were examined for this study, meniscal extrusion of any grade was present 18.9% of the time. The use of the MEI revealed three groups of patients: those with a MEI < 20%, who are likely para-physiological; those with a MEY between 20% and 40%, who are in a grey area; and those with a MEY > 40%, who have lesions that are impairing the proper meniscal function. According to the authors' findings, the percentage of meniscal extrusion did not correlate with the finite number (3 mm), making the 3 mm parameter an unreliable evaluation method. Conclusions: This study is clinically relevant, because it proposes a simple and reproducible classification of meniscal extrusion that may aid in evaluating the severity of an extrusion and help in the diagnosis of lesions that might be difficult to identify on MRI. Level of evidence: Level IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The uneven rainfall distribution, limited soil nutrients, and continuous cropping effect in the Loess Plateau restrict the sustainable development of fruit tree/crop (soybean and maize) intercropping systems. A two-year field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different water and fertilizer regimes on the soil nutrients and growth of intercropping systems during the crop replacement period. The experiment involved three irrigation levels (0% (I0), 50% (I1), and 80% (I2) of field capacity), two irrigation methods (drip irrigation (DI) and flood irrigation (FI)), and three fertilizer application rates (0 (F0), 375 (F1), and 750 (F2) kg/hm2). The results showed that in 2020 and 2021, the soil water contents increased with increasing irrigation and fertilization. The soil ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, and soil organic matter contents in 2021 were 21.0%–68.4% higher than those in 2020. Increasing the fertilizer application rate improved the photosynthesis rate and transpiration rate of apples and maize in 2020 but had a reverse U-shape effect on soybeans in 2021. Irrigation and fertilization increased soybean and maize yields by 2.9%–30.5% compared with the I0F0 treatment. The maize root indicators generally showed an increasing trend followed by a decreasing trend with increasing fertilizer application in 2020, while soybean exhibited an opposite pattern in 2021. The FI1F1 and DI2F2 treatments yielded the optimal economic benefit in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Therefore, from an economic standpoint, FI and DI would have been recommended in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Factor analysis suggested that the DI2F2 treatments had the highest comprehensive benefits over the two years studied. Therefore, we recommend using DI combined with 80% field capacity irrigation and 750 kg/hm2 fertilization to maximize the comprehensive benefits of intercropping systems during the crop replacement period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the Tongkat Ali plants were evaluated for effect on testosterone concentrations and their order in boosting the steroidal hormone from the highest to lowest ranked. Eurycoma longifolia (EL), Stema tuberosa (ST), and Polyathia bullata (PB) are collectively referred to as "Tongkat Ali". The roots were dried and powdered, then extracted with water under reflux. Sizeexclusion chromatography was utilized to isolate the protein fraction, which was subsequently characterized using the Bradford Assay and SDS-PAGE. LC-MS was used to test for the presence of natural testosterone within the Tongkat Ali plants. For in vitro and in vivo evaluations, each plant extract was treated with TM-3 Leydig cells (50 µg/mL) for 72 hours and administered in mice (6 mg/mL) twice/day for 20 days. The extraction of EL, ST, and PB yielded 0.74%, 0.46%, and 0.34% w/w of total protein, respectively. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed a single band between 10 and 15 kDa. In vitro evaluations showed that extracts of EL, ST, and PB increased testosterone secretion by 56.02 nmol/L (41.1% compared to the untreated controls), 40.49 nmol/L (18.65%) and 36.99 nmol/L (10.93%), respectively. In the in vivo studies, EL extract showed the highest testosterone concentration at 3.85 nmol/L (51.18% compared to the untreated controls), followed by ST with 3.35 nmol/L (43.95%) and lastly, PB at only 1.88 nmol/L (9.1%). Tongkat Ali plants boosted the male hormones in both in vitro and in vivo studies, with the order being EL>ST>PB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arrow bamboo (Fargesia nitida) is a pioneer plant in secondary forest succession in the Sichuan Province mountains. To comprehensively investigate the microbial communities and their functional variations in different rhizocompartments (root endosphere, rhizosphere, and root zone) of arrow bamboo (Fargesia nitida), a highthroughput metagenomic study was conducted in the present study. The results showed that the abundances of the dominant bacterial phyla Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria in the bamboo root endosphere were significantly lower than those in the rhizosphere and root zones. In contrast, the dominant fungal phyla, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, showed the opposite tendency. Lower microbial diversity, different taxonomic composition and functional profiles, and a greater abundance of genes involved in nitrogen fixation (nifB), cellulose degradation (beta-glucosidase), and cellobiose transport (cellulose 1, 4-beta-cellobiosidase) were found in the bamboo root endosphere than in the other rhizocompartments. Greater soil total carbon, total nitrogen, NH4+-N, microbial biomass carbon, and greater activities of invertase and urease were found in the bamboo root zone than in the adjacent soil (spruce root zone). In contrast, the soil microbial community and functional profiles were similar. At the phylum level, invertase was significantly related to 31 microbial taxa, and the effect of NH4+-N on the microbial community composition was greater than that of NO3--N. The soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activities were significantly correlated with microbial function. These results indicate that the root endosphere microbiomes of arrow bamboo were strongly selected by the host plant, which caused changes in the soil nutrient properties in the subalpine coniferous forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is concerned with determining a general expression for roots of upper and lower triangular matrices with a constant diagonal. Numerical examples of the results are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) may enhance crop growth in upland fields, depending on the water regime. To quantify changes in AMF infection rate and subsequent effects on nutrient uptake and growth, we grew rice (wetland crop) and pearl millet (dryland crop) genotypes with or without the commercial inoculant Dr. Kinkon (Glomus sp. R10) in Andosol upland fields in 2020 and 2021. Root infection rates were measured in shallow (0–10 cm) and deep (20–30 cm) layers under three water regimes: well-irrigated, halfirrigated, and non-irrigated. Inoculation enhanced shoot dry weight (SDW), plant height, tiller number, phosphorus (P) uptake, leaf water potential, photosynthetic rate (measured only in 2021) and root transversal area. The increase in SDW with inoculation was higher under wellirrigated than under water-limited conditions. The increment in pearl millet SDW was related to higher P uptake associated with higher infection rates, whereas that in rice SDW was related to maintenance of leaf water potential, greater root transversal area and root length density, and higher P uptake but not to infection rate parameters. Inoculation increased mycorrhizal and vesicular infection rates with the similar tendency for arbuscular infection rate and qPCR. Infection rates were similar across water regimes in both years despite significant differences in plant growth parameters with higher rates in deep than shallow layers. AMF inoculation enhanced infection rates, mostly independent of water regime, but plant growth enhancement was greater under the well-irrigated treatment and was more directly linked with infection rates in pearl millet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene is now widely used in agricultural production because of its unique structure and excellent properties. To investigate the effects of graphene on soil nutrients, enzyme activities and maize root development, the pot experiment using 'Zhengdan 958' as the test material was carried out to examine the effects of single-layer graphene (TS) and few-layer graphene (TF) at 0 (CK), 25, 50, 100 and 150 g⋅kg-1 on the transformation of soil nutrients and the root development of maize seedlings, respectively. The results showed that, compared with the control (CK), the soil available nutrient content increased significantly with the increase of graphene concentration and reached the maximum at the concentration of 150 g⋅kg-1, in which, the available nitrogen, available phosphorus and available potassium of single-layer graphene treatment significantly increased by 21.85%, 76.56% and 30.69%, and those of few-layer graphene treatment significantly increased by 23.05%, 82.16% and 47.20%, respectively. Meanwhile, the addition of graphene also contributed to the increase of soil enzyme activity, but the soil enzyme activity showed a trend of increasing firstly and then decreasing with increasing concentration, and the sucrase and urease activities of few-layer of graphene at a concentration of 50 g⋅kg-1 significantly increased by 6.67% and 21.26% compared to CK. Low levels (25, 50, and 100 g⋅kg-1) promoted inhibition at high level (150 g⋅kg-1). Low levels of graphene inhibited the rate of superoxide anion (O2⋅-) production and the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA), and increased the contents of soluble protein and proline, which helped to timely scavenge reactive oxygen species, inhibit membrane lipid synthesis, lessen the harm done to the root system. In conclusion, the applied properly graphene could enhance soil nutrients, boost soil enzyme activity, and encourage the development of maize plants. And the effect of few-layer graphene was better than that of the single-layer graphene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The MIZ1 play an important role in root hydrotropism. However, the relationship between MIZ1-regulated hydrotropism and amyloplast-mediated gravitropism remain largely unclear. Here, we generated the miz1/pgm1 double mutants by crossing the non-hydrotropic miz1 mutant with the amyloplast-defective pgm1 mutant, which lacks gravitropic response. Our results showed that the miz1/pgm1 mutants exhibited a significant reduction in amyloplast and gravitropic bending, while maintaining a similar ahydrotropic phenotype as the miz1 single mutant. These findings suggest that MIZ1 plays a role in hydrotropism downstream of PGM1. Understanding the mechanisms of interaction between hydrotropism and gravitropism is crucial for comprehending the rooting patterns of plants in natural conditions. The counteracting relationship between root hydrotropism and gravitropism in the miz1 mutant should receive attention in this field, particularly considering the interference from gravitropism on Earth. • he miz1/pgm1 showed a substantial reduction in amyloplast and gravitropic responses, while it exhibited similar ahydrotropic phenotype to miz1 single mutant. • The miz1/pgm1 exhibited similar ahydrotropic phenotype to miz1 single mutant. • MIZ1 plays a role in root hydrotropism downstream of PGM1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to drought stress, durum wheat production in the Mediterranean basin will be severely affected in the coming years. Durum wheat cultivation relies on a few genetically uniform "modern" varieties, more productive but less tolerant to stresses, and "traditional" varieties, still representing a source of genetic biodiversity for drought tolerance. Root architecture plasticity is crucial for plant adaptation to drought stress and the relationship linking root structures to drought is complex and still largely under-explored. In this study, we examined the effect of drought stress on the roots’ characteristics of the “traditional” Saragolla cultivar and the “modern” Svevo. By means of “SmartRoot” software, we demonstrated that drought stress affected primary and lateral roots as well as root hair at different extents in Saragolla and Svevo cultivars. Indeed, we observed that under drought stress Saragolla possibly revamped its root architecture, by significantly increasing the length of lateral roots, and the length/density of root hairs compared to the Svevo cultivar. Scanning Electron Microscopy analysis of root anatomical traits demonstrated that under drought stress a greater stele area and an increase of the xylem lumen size vessel occurred in Saragolla, indicating that the Saragolla variety had a more efficient adaptive response to osmotic stress than the Svevo. Furthermore, for the analysis of root structural data, Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms have been used: Their application allowed to predict from root structural traits modified by the osmotic stress the type of cultivar observed and to infer the relationship stress-cultivar type, thus demonstrating that root structural traits are clear and incontrovertible indicators of the higher tolerance to osmotic stress of the Saragolla cultivar. Finally, to obtain an integrated view of root morphogenesis, phytohormone levels were investigated. According to the phenotypic effects, under drought stress,a larger increase in IAA and ABA levels, as well as a more pronounced reduction in GA levels occurred in Saragolla as compared to Svevo. In conclusion, these results show that the root growth and hormonal profile of Saragolla are less affected by osmotic stress than those of Svevo, demonstrating the great potential of ancient varieties as reservoirs of genetic variability for improving crop responses to environmental stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is a major environmental factor that limits agricultural crop productivity and threatens food security. Foxtail millet is a model crop with excellent abiotic stress tolerance and is consequently an important subject for obtaining a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying plant responses to drought and recovery. Here the physiological and proteomic responses of foxtail millet (cultivar Yugu1) leaves and roots to drought treatments and recovery were evaluated. Drought-treated foxtail millet exhibited increased relative electrolyte leakage and decreased relative water content and chlorophyll content compared to control and rewatering plants. A global analysis of protein profiles was evaluated for drought-treated and recovery treatment leaves and roots. We also identified differentially abundant proteins in drought and recovery groups, enabling comparisons between leaf and root tissue responses to the conditions. The principal component analysis suggested a clear distinction between leaf and root proteomes for the drought-treated and recovery treatment plants. Gene Ontology enrichment and co-expression analyses indicated that the biological responses of leaves differed from those in roots after drought and drought recovery. These results provide new insights and data resources to investigate the molecular basis of tissue-specific functional responses of foxtail millet during drought and recovery, thereby significantly informing crop breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study modules of certain string algebras, which are referred to as of affine type C ˜. We introduce minimal string modules and apply them to explicitly describe components of the Auslander-Reiten quivers of the string algebras and τ -locally free modules defined by Geiss-Lerclerc-Schröer. In particular, we show that an indecomposable module is τ -locally free if and only if it is preprojective, or preinjective or regular in a tube. As an application, we prove Geiss-Leclerc-Schröer's conjecture on the correspondence between positive roots of type C ˜ and τ -locally free modules of the corresponding string algebras. Furthermore, given a positive root α , we show that if α is real, then there is a unique τ -locally free module M (up to isomorphism) with rank _ M = α ; otherwise there are families of τ -locally free modules with rank _ M = α. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China stands as one of the world's largest agricultural powerhouses, boasting abundant crop resources. Nonetheless, there remains a lack of clarity regarding the extensive scale of crop residue return in the fields. Drawing from direct field measurements and comprehensive survey data, this paper pioneers the reporting of residues from the five primary crops, shedding light on the associated nutrient components, including carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) replenishment via crop roots, stubble, and straw in the Southwest China region for the year 2012. The results showed that the total amount of the main crop residue resources was 97.4 Mt, which was composed of 17.8 Mt, 12.6 Mt, and 67 Mt for crop root, stubble, and straw, respectively. After crops harvested, there were 7165.8 kilotonne nutrient C, 132.2 kilotonne nutrient N, and 9.8 kilotonne nutrient P of crop residues returned to the fields through crop root, respectively, accounting for 44.6%, 48.2%, and 43.4% of the total nutrient returned, which was the main part of crop nutrients return to fields. The amount of nutrient C, N, and P returned through stubbles were 5017.3 kilotonne, 75.9 kilotonne, and 6.8 kilotonne, respectively, accounting for 31.3%, 27.6%, and 30.6% of the total return of crops. From the composition proportion of residues nutrients return to field, the orders were all expressed as follows: root > stubble > straw. According to the optimum fertilization amount of the main crops in Southwest China, the returned of crop residues nutrient N in maize, rice, rapeseed, and wheat can replace approximately 5.6%, 18.4%, 11.2%, and 14.8% of nitrogen fertilizer, and 2.4%, 8.3%, 3%, and 9.2% of phosphate fertilizer, respectively. This conclusion is beneficial for regulating the practice of returning crop residues to the fields and the use of agricultural fertilizers, aiming to achieve sustainable development in agricultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endophytic bacteria provide nutrients and stimulate systemic resistance during seed germination and plant growth and development, and their functional properties in combating various stresses make them a powerful tool in green agricultural production. In this paper we explored the function of the endophyte community in buckwheat seeds in order to provide a theoretical basis for the application and scientific research of endophytes in buckwheat cultivation. We used pulsed electric field (PEF) technology to treat buckwheat seeds, monitored the effect of high-voltage pulse treatment on buckwheat seed germination, and analyzed the diversity of endophytic bacteria in buckwheat seeds using the amplicon sequencing method. Results: PEF treatment promoted root development during buckwheat seed germination. A total of 350 Operational taxonomic units (OTUs) that were assigned into 103 genera were obtained from control and treatment groups using 16SrRNA amplicon sequencing technology. Additionally, PEF treatment also caused a significant decrease in the abundance of Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. The abundance of 28 genera changed significantly as well: 11 genera were more abundant, and 17 were less abundant. The number of associated network edges was reduced from 980 to 117, the number of positive correlations decreased by 89.1%, and the number of negative correlations decreased by 86.6%. Conclusion: PEF treatment promoted early root development in buckwheat and was able to alter the seed endophytic bacterial community. This study thus makes a significant contribution to the field of endophyte research and to the application of PEF technology in plant cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cotton plant is important since it provides raw materials for various industry branches. Even though cotton is generally drought-tolerant, it is affected negatively by long-term drought stress. The trial was conducted according to the applied experimental design as a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications to determine a panel of 93 cotton genotypes' genotypic responses against drought under controlled conditions in 2022. All genotypes were watered with 80 mL−1 of water (100% irrigation, field capacity) until three true leaves appeared, and then water stress was applied at a limited irrigation of 75% (60 mL−1), 50% (40 mL−1), and 25% (20 mL−1) of the field capacity. After the trial terminated at 52 days, the cv. G56, G44, G5, and G86 in RL; G1, G56, G44, G86, G51, and G88 in RFW; advanced line G5, followed by the cv. G56, advanced line G44, G75, and the cv. G90 in RDW; G44, followed by G86, the cv. G56, and elite lines G13 and G5 in NLRs were observed as drought-tolerant genotypes, respectively, while G35, G15, G26, G67, and G56 in SL; G15, G52, G60, G31, and G68 in SFW; G35, G52, G57, G41, and G60 in SDW show the highest drought tolerance means, respectively. In conclusion, the commercial varieties with high means in roots, namely G86, G56, G88, and G90, and the genotypes G67, G20, G60, and G57 showing tolerance in shoots, are suggested to be potential parent plants for developing cotton varieties resistant to drought. Using the cultivars found tolerant in the current study as parents in a drought-tolerant variety development marker-assisted selection (MAS) plant breeding program will increase the chance of success in reaching the target after genetic diversity analyses are performed. On the other hand, it is highly recommended to continue the plant breeding program with the G44, G30, G19, G1, G5, G75, G35, G15, G52, G29, and G76 genotypes, which show high tolerance in both root and shoot systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data analysis workflows in High Energy Physics (HEP) read data written in the ROOT columnar format. Such data has traditionally been stored in files that are often read via the network from remote storage facilities, which represents a performance penalty especially for data processing workflows that are I/O bound. To address that issue, this paper presents a new caching mechanism, implemented in the I/O subsystem of ROOT, which is independent of the storage backend used to write the dataset. Notably, it can be used to leverage the speed of high-bandwidth, low-latency object stores. The performance of this caching approach is evaluated by running a real physics analysis on an Intel DAOS cluster, both on a single node and distributed on multiple nodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Masson pine (Pinus massoniana Lamb.) is a major fast-growing woody tree species and pioneer species for afforestation in barren sites in southern China. However, the regulatory mechanism of gene expression in P. massoniana under drought remains unclear. To uncover candidate microRNAs, their expression profiles, and microRNA-mRNA interactions, small RNA-seq was used to investigate the transcriptome from seedling roots under drought and rewatering in P. massoniana. A total of 421 plant microRNAs were identified. Pairwise differential expression analysis between treatment and control groups unveiled 134, 156, and 96 differential expressed microRNAs at three stages. These constitute 248 unique microRNAs, which were subsequently categorized into six clusters based on their expression profiles. Degradome sequencing revealed that these 248 differentially expressed microRNAs targeted 2069 genes. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis suggested that these target genes were related to translational and posttranslational regulation, cell wall modification, and reactive oxygen species scavenging. miRNAs such as miR482, miR398, miR11571, miR396, miR166, miRN88, and miRN74, along with their target genes annotated as F-box/kelch-repeat protein, 60S ribosomal protein, copper-zinc superoxide dismutase, luminal-binding protein, S-adenosylmethionine synthase, and Early Responsive to Dehydration Stress may play critical roles in drought response. This study provides insights into microRNA responsive to drought and rewatering in Masson pine and advances the understanding of drought tolerance mechanisms in Pinus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant roots show distinct gene-expression profiles from those of shoots under abiotic stress conditions. In this study, we performed mRNA sequencing (mRNA-Seq) to analyze the transcriptional profiling of Arabidopsis roots under osmotic stress conditions—high salinity (NaCl) and drought (mannitol). The roots demonstrated significantly distinct gene-expression changes from those of the aerial parts under both the NaCl and the mannitol treatment. We identified 68 closely connected transcription-factor genes involved in osmotic stress-signal transduction in roots. Well-known abscisic acid (ABA)-dependent and/or ABA-independent osmotic stress-responsive genes were not considerably upregulated in the roots compared to those in the aerial parts, indicating that the osmotic stress response in the roots may be regulated by other uncharacterized stress pathways. Moreover, we identified 26 osmotic-stress-responsive genes with distinct expressions of alternative splice variants in the roots. The quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction further confirmed that alternative splice variants, such as those for ANNAT4, MAGL6, TRM19, and CAD9, were differentially expressed in the roots, suggesting that alternative splicing is an important regulatory mechanism in the osmotic stress response in roots. Altogether, our results suggest that tightly connected transcription-factor families, as well as alternative splicing and the resulting splice variants, are involved in the osmotic stress response in roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Plant-based medicines have been in use over the years for the management and treatment of various ailments including diabetes. The current study was undertaken to explore and compile the research evidence on Helicteres isora L. (Sterculiaceae) in the management of diabetes. Materials and Methods: Peer-reviewed literature was retrieved during January 2023 from databases comprising of PubMed, Science Direct, Springer and LILACS. The obtained literature was initially subjected to title and abstract screening, followed by full-text screening. Results: The study includes 12 articles that were chosen among a total of 111 articles retrieved through various sources. The selected articles reported either in vitro assay or in vivo evaluation of various extracts of H. isora bark, fruit, or root for its anti-diabetic property. The duration of the in vivo evaluation studies were up to 30 days in Wistar rat/Swiss albino mice/C57BL mice. The diabetogenic agents used were either Streptozotocin (STZ) or alloxan, while the reference drugs used comprised of tolbutamide, pioglitazone, glibenclamide, insulin, or metformin. A significant anti-diabetic property of various parts of H. isora were reported in the reviewed studies. Conclusion: The available evidence demonstrates the potential of H. isora against diabetes as it holds significant glucose-lowering effects in the reported screened models. Bioactivity-guided fractionation followed by elucidation of the mechanism of action will be useful in establishing the application of the plant species in diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let ℋ (n , r) be the set of the connected r -uniform linear hypergraphs with n vertices, where n , r ≥ 2. The matching polynomial of a hypergraph ℋ is denoted by φ (ℋ , x) , where ℋ ∈ ℋ (n , r). Several properties on the roots of φ (ℋ , x) are derived. We establish different expressions for φ (ℋ , x) , such as a higher-order differential formula and an integral formula. A new concept is also introduced for the weighted matching polynomials of weighted hypergraphs, for which several basic calculating formulas are obtained. Based on the results we obtained, some formulas for counting the number of perfect matchings of ℋ are directly derived. Finally, for the weighted matching polynomials of the weighted loose paths and the weighted loose cycles, we not only obtain their recursive formulas, but also deduce their specific expression formulas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

: [Objective] The purpose of the study was to analyze the spatial distribution and variation characteristics of Paulownia fortunei ( SeeTTL ) Hems!. roots in the red soil hilly region in southern China, and to provide references for Paulownia cultivation and vegetation restoration in red soil hilly region. [Method] Taking P. fortunei ( Seem. ) Hems!. seedlings with strong enrichment of heavy metal elements and prevention of soil erosion in a typical red soil hilly region as the research object, field investigation was used to investigate the spatial distribution pattern of P. fortunei( Seem. ) Hems!. roots in different diameters( d <0. 5 mm,0. 5 mm,,,;d <2. 0 mm,2. 0 mm,,,;d <3. 0 mm,3. 0 mm,s;d <5. 0 mm and d;;s,5. 0 mm), and to analyze the adaptive ability of Paulownia to the soil. [ Result] In the vertical direction, root length, root surface area and specific root surface area of Paulownia seedlings showed a trend of increasing and then decreasing with the increase of soil depth. Root volume, root dry weight and root tissue density decreased gradually, while specific root length increased gradually with soil depth. Root volume and root surface area for roots of < 3. 0 mm diameter levels and root length for roots of < 5. 0 mm diameter levels showed an increasing and then decreasing trend with soil depth, while root volume, root surface area and root length for other diameter roots decreased gradually. The variability of root surface area and root volume in 0,,,; soil depth ( h) < 10. 0 cm soil layer was significantly stronger than that in other soil layers ( P < 0. 05, the same as below), and the variability of root dry weight was significantly stronger than that in 20. 0 cm.;; h < 50. 0 cm different soil layers. The variability of root length, root volume aud root surface area of roots of 2. 0 mm.;; d < 5. 0 mm diameter levels in 40. 0 cm.;; h < 50. 0 cm soil layer were significantly stronger thau those in other soil layers. In different horizontal positions, root length, root volume aud root surface area for roots of < 2. 0 mm diameter levels were the largest in the profile farthest from the trunk. Root length, root volume aud root surface area for roots of ;;s,2. 0 mm diameter levels were the largest in the profile where the trunk was located. The variability of root length, root volume, root surface area, root dry weight, specific root length, root tissue density and specific root surface area had no significant differences among different profiles ( P > 0. 05). The variability of root length, root volume and root surface area of roots in different diameter levels were the strongest in the profile farthest from the trunk. [ Conclusion] The roots of P. fortunei ( Seem. ) Hems!. seedlings are mainly distributed in the 0 - 20. 0 cm soil layer with obvious surface aggregation. When Paulownia cultivation is carried out, the focus should be on the physicochemical properties of the soil in the 0 - 20. 0 cm soil layer to ensure the efficient absorption and utilization of soil water and fertilizer by the roots of Paulownia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated root and soil nutrient characteristics in the monoculture and continuous alfalfa/oat intercropping in the high-yield years by using soil filling and frame planting method in the field, and analyzed the relationship between root systems and soil nutrients. The results showed that intercropping reduced root weight and total root length proportion of oat in the 0-10 cm soil layer compared with the monoculture. However, intercropping significantly increased root weight and root surface area of oat in the 20-30 cm soil layer, root length and root density of alfalfa in the 10-20 cm soil layer, and the contents of available phosphorus and organic matter of the alfalfa/oat intercropping system in the 0-40 cm soil layer. As the planting years increased, total root length, root weight, root surface area, and proportion of root weight and root length of alfalfa in the 0-20 cm soil layer gradually increased in the intercropping system, and the root weight, total root length, root surface area, and root average diameter of oat increased, especially the root weight and root surface area of oat in the 20-30 cm soil layer. Moreover, the content of available nutrients in all soil layers decreased subsequently. In the alfalfa/oat intercropping system, continuous intercropping could significantly increase total root length of alfalfa in the 10-20 cm soil layer, improve root weight and root surface area of oat in the 20-40 cm soil layer (especially in the 20-30 cm soil layer). With the increases of planting years, intercropping intensified the absorption and competition of available nutrients by the roots of alfalfa and oat in the 0-40 cm soil layer, thereby reduced the accumulation of available nutrients in the soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis is the property of Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis is the property of Acta Agriculturae Zhejiangensis Editorial Office 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.)