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Slow decomposition rates of cereal crop residues can lead to agronomic challenges, such as nutrient immobilization, delayed soil warming, and increased pest pressures. In this regard, microbial inoculation with efficient strains offers a viable and eco-friendly solution to accelerating the decomposition process of crop residues. However, this solution often focuses mostly on selecting microorganisms based on the appropriate enzymic capabilities and neglects the metabolic versatility required to utilize both structural and non-structural components of residues. Therefore, this study aimed to address these limitations by assessing the metabolic profiles of five previously identified cellulolytic bacterial strains, including Bacillus pumilus 1G17, Micromonospora chalcea 1G49, Bacillus mobilis 5G17, Streptomyces canus 1TG5, and Streptomyces achromogenes 3TG21 using Biolog Phenotype Microarray analysis. Moreover, this study evaluated the impact of wheat straw inoculation with single strains and a bacterial consortium on soil organic carbon and nitrogen content in a pot experiment. Results revealed that, beyond the core subset of 12 carbon sources, the strains exhibited diverse metabolic capacities in utilizing 106 carbon sources. All strains demonstrated effective straw biomass degradation compared to the negative control, with significant differences detected only in oil seed rape straw biodegradation estimations. Furthermore, wheat straw inoculated with a bacterial consortium showed a significant increase in soil organic carbon content after 180 days in the pot experiment. Overall, these findings underscore the critical role of metabolic profiling in gaining a deeper understanding of microbial capabilities and addressing the complexities of residue composition and environmental variability.

Common ash (Fraxinus excelsior) is under intensive attack from the invasive alien pathogenic fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, causing ash dieback at epidemic levels throughout Europe. Previous studies have found significant genetic variation among genotypes in ash dieback susceptibility and that host phenology, such as autumn yellowing, is correlated with susceptibility of ash trees to H. fraxineus; however, the genomic basis of ash dieback tolerance in F. excelsior requires further investigation. Here, we integrate quantitative genetics based on multiple replicates and genome-wide association analyses with machine learning to reveal the genetic architecture of ash dieback tolerance and of phenological traits in F. excelsior populations in six European countries (Austria, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, Sweden). Based on phenotypic data of 486 F. excelsior replicated genotypes we observed negative genotypic correlations between crown damage caused by ash dieback and intensity of autumn leaf yellowing within multiple sampling sites. Our results suggest that the examined traits are polygenic and using genomic prediction models, with ranked single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) based on GWAS associations as input, a large proportion of the variation was predicted by unlinked SNPs. Based on 100 unlinked SNPs, we can predict 55% of the variation in disease tolerance among genotypes (as phenotyped in genetic trials), increasing to a maximum of 63% when predicted from 9155 SNPs. In autumn leaf yellowing, 52% of variation is predicted by 100 unlinked SNPs, reaching a peak of 72% using 3740 SNPs. Based on feature permutations within genomic prediction models, a total of eight nonsynonymous SNPs linked to ash dieback crown damage and autumn leaf yellowing (three and five SNPs, respectively) were identified, these were located within genes related to plant defence (pattern triggered immunity, pathogen detection) and phenology (regulation of flowering and seed maturation, auxin transport). We did not find an overlap between genes associated with crown damage level and autumn leaf yellowing. Hence, our results shed light on the difference in the genomic basis of ADB tolerance and autumn leaf yellowing despite these two traits being correlated in quantitative genetic analysis. Overall, our methods show the applicability of genomic prediction models when combined with GWAS to reveal the genomic architecture of polygenic disease tolerance enabling the identification of ash dieback tolerant trees for breeding or conservation purposes., (© 2025 The Author(s). Plant, Cell & Environment published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Grasses can sustain soil functions despite nutrient depletion, which can have serious consequences for soil processes and ecosystem services. This paper summarizes the results of the long-term experiment (1995-2024) carried out in Arenosol within a temperate climate zone, focusing on the productivity of natural and managed grasslands; their succession changes over time, and so do the effects on soil chemical properties, and soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. The results indicated that two land uses-abandoned land (AL) and grassland fertilized with mineral fertilizers (MGf)-can be effectively applied to prevent Arenosol soil degradation. SOC accumulation occurs more rapidly in AL soils, and their chemical properties show less change over time. The ability of grasses to sequester SOC is better reflected by SOC stocks across the Ah horizon, where thickness varies over long-term grassland use. Significant changes in soil properties were observed more than 20 years after converting arable to herbaceous land use. While MGf has the highest biomass productivity, the use of fertilizers leads to soil acidification. The biomass productivity of AL and MGf increased with longer grassland use; however, in MG, productivity decreased without fertilizers, reaching AL's productivity levels after 20 years. As the age of AL increased, plant biodiversity decreased, and drought-resistant plants began to spread.

A comparative pot study was performed to assess the toxic effects of copper (Cu) and/or zinc (Zn) contaminated wastewater (WW) irrigation on the growth, physiology, and element concentration of wheat grown for two months. The treatments included irrigation with uncontaminated wastewater (WW) as control, Cu-contaminated WW (CuWW), Zn-contaminated WW (ZnWW), and Cu + Zn contaminated WW (CuZnWW) in a completely randomized design. Compared to ZnWW, irrigation with CuWW or CuZnWW had severe effects on growth, physiology, and mineral absorption by wheat. Irrigation with CuWW or CuZnWW reduced shoot length, root length, root and shoot dry weights by 44-45%, 54-56%, 5-6%, and 33-34%, respectively, against WW control. Similarly, these treatments diminished chlorophyll a, b, carotenoids, and SPAD by 33-34%, 59-60%, 49-51%, and 26-27%, respectively. Conversely, contaminated irrigation improved the total polyphenols, polyphenolic acids, total flavonoids, and antiradical activity, however, a maximum increase in these parameters up to 65% was observed when irrigated with ZnWW. Pearson correlation showed that the decline in growth and physiology of wheat was negatively correlated with shoot metal concentration and uptake. Dehydrogenase activity is severely hampered by CuWW or CuZnWW and to a lesser extent by ZnWW as well. These results suggest that irrigation with contaminated WW adversely affects wheat growth and physiology, however, ZnWW is found to be less toxic to wheat crops than Cu. Thereby, this data highlights the need for a tailored approach to prioritize the metal (Zn) with lower toxicity during the use of WW in irrigation practice. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Cu-contaminated wastewater (20 ppm Cu) substantially reduced the growth and physiology of wheat. Zn (80 ppm) contaminated wastewater was found lesser toxic compared to Cu. Wheat irrigation with contaminated wastewater increased biologically active compounds in wheat shoot. Contaminated wastewater affected minerals concentration in the root and shoot part of wheat. Dehydrogenase activity in soil is less affected by Zn-contaminated wastewater. Irrigation with wastewater and leftover crop residues resulted in the accumulation of organic matter in soil., (© 2025 Water Environment Federation.)

Plants inhabiting environments with suboptimal growth conditions often have a more pronounced capacity to attract and sustain microbial communities that improve nutrient absorption and expand abiotic stress tolerance. Rhodiola rosea L. is a succulent plant of the Crassulaceae family adapted to survive in sandy or rocky soils or dry tundra. The aim of the present study was to investigate the diversity and plant growth-stimulating potential of R. rosea endophytic microbiota. Metataxonomic analysis of the bacterial diversity in the rhizome of R. rosea revealed 108 families. Among these, three families were found exclusively in the core microbiome of 1-year-old plants, while nine families were unique to the core microbiome of mature plants grown in the field for more than 4 years. Seventy-three endophytic bacteria isolates were obtained from the rhizome of R. rosea plants and were assigned into 14 distinct bacterial genera of Firmicutes (26%) or Proteobacteria (74%) phyla. Screening for functional genes related to the nitrogen cycle, phosphorus mineralisation or dissolution, and traits associated with nitrogen fixation (56% of isolates), siderophore production (40%), inorganic phosphorus solubilisation (30%), and production of indole-related compounds (51%) led to the classification of the isolates into 16 distinct clusters. Co-cultivation of 45 selected isolates with germinating Arabidopsis seedlings revealed 18 and 5 isolates that resulted in more than a 20% increase in root or shoot growth, respectively. The study results established the complexity of the succulent R. rosea endophytic microbiome and identified isolates for potential plant growth-stimulating applications.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is an economically important vegetable susceptible to various fungal diseases, including leaf spot caused by Alternaria spp. from the section Alternaria. In our study, a total of 72 tomato-associated Alternaria spp. strains from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Algeria were analysed by integrating morphological data, pathogenicity assay, multi-locus phylogeny, and haplotype assignment. Recovered Alternaria spp. strains were characterized by considerable variation in phenotypic diversity, non-pathogenicity to their host of origin and absence of the AAL-toxin biosynthesis gene (ALT1). Multi-locus phylogeny of the RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2), putative F-box-domain-containing protein (ASA-10), and putative histone-like transcription factor (ASA-19) confirmed the occurrence of both A. alternata and A. arborescens species complexes along with A. longipes and A. postmessia on symptomatic tomatoes. The discordant tree topology among single-gene phylogenies suggested the occurrence of potential recombination between phylogenetic lineages in the section Alternaria, resulting in putative alternata-arborescens and alternata-longipes hybrids. DNA polymorphism analysis of the rpb2, ASA-10, and ASA-19 loci revealed a high level of genetic diversity in the section Alternaria, and the number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and haplotypes varied among loci and lineages studied. A total of 16 and 6 multi-locus haplotypes were assigned in alternata and arborescens lineages, respectively. Global genetic diversity analysis of A. alternata and A. arborescens strains at the rpb2 locus confirmed that major haplotypes described from tomatoes were shared among other hosts of origin., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pose a global environmental risk, impacting human health. Enhancing phytoremediation with microbial-plant interactions could help mitigate these pollutants. However, tree responses to PAHs are unclear, necessitating controlled studies before field experiments. This study examined how PAH-degrading microbes affect black alder (Alnus glutinosa L.) seedlings grown hydroponically, hypothesizing that specific microbes improve growth and stress tolerance. Two half-sib families (41-65-7 K, 13-99-1 K) were inoculated with Rhodotorula sphaerocarpa (R.s.), Pseudomonas putida (P.p.), and Sphingobium yanoikuyae (S.y.). Results showed family-dependent and microbe-specific effects, with family 41-65-7 K showing enhanced shoot growth (threefold increase by R.s.) and higher carotenoid levels. Antioxidant enzyme activities varied: R.s. elevated superoxide dismutase activity by 4.8-fold in 13-99-1 K, while catalase activity increased but decreased in 41-65-7 K. Principal component analysis revealed distinct phytochemical clustering based on microbial treatment, highlighting genotype-specific modulations. Each microorganism had unique plant growth-promoting traits, with P.p. producing the most phytohormone and S.y. fixing nitrogen. These findings support targeted microbial inoculation for effective remediation of PAH-contaminated environments., (© 2024 The Author(s). Environmental Microbiology Reports published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: In vitro cultivation and cryopreservation techniques are essential tools for genetic diversity conservation and pathogen-free plant propagation of horticultural crops. The optimisation of cryopreservation protocols typically focuses on minimising the negative effects of pretreatment with cryoprotectors (CPs), cryogenic freezing (CF) treatment, and recovery procedures on explants. However, the impact of in vitro and CF techniques on plant-associated microbiota remains poorly understood, and their potential to improve plant adaptation after cryopreservation is underexplored. The aim of the present study was to investigate in vitro shoot culture and cryopreservation-induced changes in the endophytic bacterial diversity of two sweet cherry cultivars and to assess the potential of an inoculum of bacterial isolates to improve the growth of shoot culture after CF., Results: Cultivars 'Sunburst' and 'Mindaugė' showed different responses to cold hardening preconditioning as well as different survival and regrowth rates after cryopreservation. Metataxonomic analysis revealed variation in the abundance and taxonomic composition of bacteria assigned to 35 families in samples of field-grown tree leaves, dormant buds, and in vitro shoot culture before and after CF treatment. Bacillaceae and Enterobacteriaceae bacteria were predominant in the leaf samples of both cultivars. For 'Sunburst', Pseudomonadaceae and Sphingomonadaceae bacteria were dominant in dormant buds and in vitro shoots, respectively, while Burkholderiaceae was largely predominant in the shoots following CF treatment. Conversely, 'Mindaugė' tissues exhibited more consistent colonisation by Bacillaceae and Enterobacteriaceae across the experimental groups, except for in vitro shoots where Mycobacteriaceae prevailed. A pure bacterial isolate inoculum was applied to the 'Mindaugė' shoot culture to counter the CF treatment-induced suppression of shoot growth (~ 40%). Cocultivation with Brevibacterium sp. S1-2, Bacillus cereus S1-3, or B. toyonensis Nt18 increased the shoot leaf area from 48 to 75%., Conclusions: This study revealed that endophytic bacterial diversity is significantly reduced under in vitro conditions, often leading to a genotype-specific increase in the abundance and dominance of bacteria attributed to a single bacterial family. Moreover, shoot cocultivation with endophytic bacterial isolates has potential for improving the recovery of in vitro shoots after cryopreservation., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Soil pollution with petroleum products is an urgent public health and environmental problem. Therefore, innovative solutions for cleaning soils contaminated with petroleum products are needed. One such solution is rhizodegradation, which is recognized as a sustainable and effective method of in situ soil remediation. Much of the previous research was done with monocultures, therefore the effects of different combinations of plants on the removal of petroleum products remain ambiguous. These studies evaluated three different herbaceous plant mixtures for the removal of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) from contaminated soil. Promising results were obtained. Selected herbaceous plant species and their mixtures can be successfully grown in contaminated soil at a contamination level of 6,817 mg/kg TPH DW according to the selected cultivation strategy. After applying a complex of biotechnology and agronomic solutions, the morphological and morphometric indicators revealed the good adaptability and tolerance of the selected herbaceous plants to growing in contaminated soil. After two years of pot testing application of different mixtures of herbaceous plants, the TPH (C 6 -C 40 ) removal potential reached 85-90%.

Introduction: Emerging new races of leaf rust ( Puccinia triticina Eriks) are threatening global wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) production. Identifying additional resistance genes from all available gene pools is crucial to expanding wheat resistance to these virulent leaf rust races. Siberian wild rye ( Elymus sibiricus L.) possesses numerous beneficial traits that can be valuable in wheat improvement. Three new wheat- E. sibiricus addition lines, O27-2 (BC 8 ), O27-3 (BC 12 ) and O193-3 (BC 12 ), were developed through a backcrossing scheme in this study, using leaf rust field evaluations, molecular marker assays and cytogenetic analysis., Methods: These three lines were derived from progeny of the bread wheat cultivar 'Obriy' (2 n = 6 x = 42, AABBDD) and partial octoploid amphiploid wheat- E. sibiricus (2 n = 8 x = 56, AABBDDS t S t )., Results and Discussion: The lines (O27-2, O27-3 and O193-3) demonstrated strong specific leaf pubescence (hairiness) and resistance at the adult stage to a local population of leaf rust races. The response to leaf rust in these three lines significantly differed from that of the Lr24 gene, providing evidence for a distinct resistance mechanism associated with the 3S t chromosome. This study is the first to report the transfer of an E. sibiricus chromosome into wheat that confers leaf rust resistance. Molecular marker analysis and genomic in situ hybridization confirmed that lines O27-2, O27-3 and O193-3 each possess one pair of E. sibiricus 3S t chromosomes. The resistance gene was determined to be on the additional alien chromosome in these lines. Molecular markers ( Xwmc221, Lr29F18, Sr24/Lr24 ) confirmed that the lines O27-2, O27-3, and O193-3 each contain a pair of E. sibiricus 3S t chromosomes carrying leaf rust resistance genes. These findings demonstrate that the E. sibiricus 3S t chromosome carries the leaf rust resistance gene and that the O27-2, O27-3, and O193-3 lines can serve as novel germplasm sources for introducing this resistance into wheat breeding programs. This study contributes to broadening the genetic diversity of resistance genes available for combating leaf rust in wheat., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Motsnyi, Halaiev, Alіeksіeіeva, Chebotar, Chebotar, Betekhtin, Hasterok, Armonienė and Rahmatov.)

We conducted a four-year cutting experiment on herbage yield, with three years focused on testing the effect of perennial ryegrass (PR) cultivars 'Elena DS', 'Raminta', and 'Verseka', along with a cultivar mixture and compositions with white clover (WC) and red clover (RC) diversity, on crude protein (CP), modified acid detergent fibre (MADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), and dry matter digestibility (DMD) content. PR cultivars and cultivar mixtures were sown alone (N 150 ), and the PR 'Elena DS' and PR cultivar mixtures were also sown with each WC, or WC and RC (N 0 ). The average four-year herbage productivity was the lowest in PR 'Elena DS' the and cultivar mixture/WC, followed by all of the pure PR swards, and the highest in PR 'Elena DS' and the cultivar mixture/WC+RC; however, the PR 'Elena DS'/WC+RC mixture had the highest legume proportion and CP content. There was less NDF but also WSC in swards with legumes, but higher CP content than in pure PR swards; however, the highest CP content was in mixtures with RC. Among the grasses, PR 'Verseka' had lower NDF contents and a higher WSC than PR 'Elena DS', 'Raminta', and the cultivar mixture. Overall, this study revealed significant differences in the productivity of PR cultivars with a potential yield difference of up to 1.7 t ha -1 .

Priming of Norway spruce (Picea abies) inducible defenses is a promising way to protect young trees from herbivores and pathogens. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) application is known to induce and potentially prime Norway spruce defenses but may also reduce plant growth. Therefore, we tested β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) as an alternative priming chemical to enhance spruce resistance, using 2-year-old Norway spruce plants. We compared inducible defense responses, i.e. traumatic resin duct formation and accumulation of defensive metabolites, in bark and xylem tissues of BABA- or MeJA-treated plants before and after wounding. We also evaluated the effect of these chemical treatments on Norway spruce resistance to the pathogenic bluestain fungus Grosmania penicilliata. BABA did not induce defense responses or pathogen resistance, it even reduced concentrations of total terpenes in the treated plants. In contrast, MeJA induced traumatic resin duct formation, accumulation of flavonoids, pathogen resistance, and did not affect plant growth. For the first time, flavan-3-ols (catechins) were shown to have a primed response to MeJA treatment in Norway spruce. Our results indicated that BABA is not a suitable alternative priming chemical to MeJA in Norway spruce., (© 2024 The Author(s). Physiologia Plantarum published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.)

This study investigated the effects of delayed harvesting, varying meteorological conditions, and barley variety on Fusarium spp. infection rates, nutritional composition, and mycotoxin contamination in barley grains. Field experiments were conducted from 2020 to 2022 and involved two barley varieties: 'Laureate' for malting and 'Luokė' for feed. The results indicated that the dominant Fusarium species isolated were F. avenaceum , F. culmorum , F. poae , F. sporotrichioides , F. tricinctum , and F. equiseti . These tended to increase in number with delayed harvest times and were more prevalent during harvest periods of higher precipitation ( p < 0.05). Malting barley had higher starch and lower protein content compared to feed barley ( p < 0.05). Delayed harvesting generally increased dry matter, crude fat, and crude ash contents while decreasing crude protein, zinc, and iron contents ( p < 0.05). Mycotoxin analysis revealed significant differences under specific weather conditions. HT-2 toxin levels were higher under slightly warmer and wetter conditions during flowering, with harvest conditions similar to the long-term average. Zearalenone levels increased with dry, warm growing seasons followed by rainy harvests. Nivalenol and enniatin levels increased with rainy growing seasons and dry, warm harvests. Deoxynivalenol concentrations did not reach the limit of quantification throughout the study. No consistent trend was observed for higher contamination in any specific barley variety ( p > 0.05). The strongest correlations between mycotoxins and nutritional value indicators were observed with less-studied mycotoxins, such as nivalenol and enniatins, which exhibited negative correlations with crude protein ( p < 0.01), crude fat ( p < 0.05), and zinc ( p < 0.01), and positive correlations with crude ash ( p < 0.05) and phosphorus ( p < 0.01).

The Vibrio bacteria known to cause infections to humans and wildlife have been largely overlooked in coastal environments affected by beach wrack accumulations from seaweed or seagrasses. This study presents findings on the presence and distribution of potentially pathogenic Vibrio species on coastal beaches that are used for recreation and are affected by red-algae-dominated wrack. Using species-specific primers and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we identified V. vulnificus , V . cholerae (non-toxigenic), and V . alginolyticus , along with 14 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to the Vibrio genus in such an environment. V . vulnificus and V . cholerae were most frequently found in water at wrack accumulation sites and within the wrack itself compared to sites without wrack. Several OTUs were exclusive to wrack accumulation sites. For the abundance and presence of V . vulnificus and the presence of V. cholerae , the most important factors in the water were the proportion of V. fucoides in the wrack, chl-a, and CDOM. Specific Vibrio OTUs correlated with salinity, water temperature, cryptophyte, and blue-green algae concentrations. To better understand the role of wrack accumulations in Vibrio abundance and community composition, future research should include different degradation stages of wrack, evaluate the link with nutrient release, and investigate microbial food-web interactions within such ecosystems, focusing on potentially pathogenic Vibrio species that could be harmful both for humans and wildlife.

The main objective of this work was to extract bioactive compounds from different cultivars of blackberry pomace using conventional Soxhlet and supercritical CO 2 (SC-CO 2 ) extraction methods. For Soxhlet extraction, two different solvents, ethanol and n -hexane, were used. Qualitative and quantitative composition of fatty acids was determined by GC, carotenoids and chlorophylls by HPLC, and volatile organic compounds were identified with an e-nose based on GC. The yield of the extract was influenced by the extraction, while the qualitative content of the extracts was also dependent on the cultivar. While there were no differences in the types of fatty acids extracted, their content varied significantly depending on the cultivar, extraction method, and their interaction. The results showed that linoleic acid (C18:2), oleic acid (C18:1), and α-linolenic acid (C18:3) were the most prevalent in all cultivars of blackberry pomace extracts. The linoleic acid content varied from 33.33 to 64.77% depending on the variety, and the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 varied from 3.17% to 5.71%. Significantly higher quantities of carotenoids and chlorophylls were obtained in Soxhlet extraction with n -hexane in all extracts. The major carotenoid in the 'Orkan' and 'Polar' extracts was lutein, while in the 'Brzezina' extract, it was β-carotene. The extraction method has a significant impact on the flavor profile of the extracts.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are one of the most common groups of pollutants that have toxic and carcinogenic effects. Black alder trees (Alnus glutinosa L.) have been used to remediate contaminated soils from industrial pollutants and heavy metals; however, their usefulness for PAH remediation is unclear. In this study, we examined the response of seedlings from four alder half-sib families (genetic groups sharing the same mother but different fathers) to exposure to four PAHs-phenanthrene, pyrene, naphthalene, and fluoranthene-each at three concentrations. Plant growth parameters were evaluated, and concentration of secondary metabolites and antioxidant activity were measured. The results of the morphological parameters showed that in general, higher PAH concentrations had a more negative effect on tree vitality than lower concentrations (shoot growth reduction by up to 76%). Each half-sib family also exhibited distinct responses in total phenol content (TPC) when exposed to varying concentrations of pollutants, with reductions in TPC ranging from 4 to 52% across different genetic lineages. Enzyme activity also varied between families, pollutants, and their concentrations; for example, while phenanthrene generally increased glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity in the 13-99-1K and 38-61-7K half-sib families, it unexpectedly decreased GST levels by 23% and 29% in the seedlings of the 26-133-6K and 41-65-7K families, respectively, emphasizing the nuanced and divergent enzymatic responses observed in this study. Further secondary metabolite and antioxidant activity analysis revealed distinct variations in the way PAHs impact the defense mechanism of alder seedlings from different genetic groups-prioritizing either enzymatic or non-enzymatic systems. To sum up, analyzing the varying effects of PAHs on distinct half-sib families of alders can prove advantageous in identifying the most efficient black alder genetic families for phytoremediation purposes., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

According to data in the literature, natural products and essential oils are often used in dental practice. To develop a new oromucosal spray for the treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity, clove CO 2 extract and essential oils of lavender and grapefruit were used as active pharmaceutical ingredients. Clove extract was obtained by the method of subcritical extraction from various raw materials, the choice of which was based on the yield of the CO 2 extract and the study of its phytochemical and microbiological properties. Based on the results of microscopic and diffraction analyses, the rational time of ultrasonic exposure for the emulsion of active pharmaceutical ingredients was established. Mucoadhesive polymers were used as stabilizers of the two-phase system and prolongators. This article discusses the impact of the type and concentration of mucoadhesive polymers on the stability of the emulsion system; the viscous, textural, adhesive, and film characteristics of oromucosal spray; and the parameters determining sprayability.

Microgreens are vegetable greens that are harvested early while they are still immature and have just developed cotyledons. One of the disadvantages and a challenge in production is that they exhibit a short shelf life and may be damaged easily. In seeking to prolong the shelf life, some pre- and postharvest interventions have been investigated. Here, kale and mustard microgreens were grown in a controlled-environment walk-in chamber at +21/17 °C, with ~65% relative air humidity, while maintaining the spectral composition of deep red 61%, blue 20%, white 15%, and far red 4% (150, 200, and 250 µmol m -2 s -1 photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD)). Both microgreens seemed to exhibit specific and species-dependent responses. Higher PPFD during growth and storage in light conditions resulted in increased contents of TPC in both microgreens on D 5 . Additionally, 150 and 250 PPFD irradiation affected the α-tocopherol content by increasing it during postharvest storage in kale. On D 0 150 for kale and 200 PPFD for mustard microgreens, β-carotene content increased. D 5 for kale showed insignificant differences, while mustard responded with the highest β-carotene content, under 150 PPFD. Our findings suggest that both microgreens show beneficial outcomes when stored in light compared to dark and that mild photostress is a promising tool for nutritional value improvement and shelf-life prolongation.

Wheat is an important staple crop not only in Pakistan but all over the globe. Although the area dedicated to wheat cultivation expands annually, the quantity of wheat harvested is declining due to various biotic and abiotic factors. Global wheat production and output have suffered as a result of the drought, which is largely driven by a lack of water and environmental factors. Organic fertilizers have been shown to reduce the severity of drought. The current research was conducted in semi-arid climates to mitigate the negative effects of drought on wheat during its critical tillering (DTS), flowering (DFS), and grain filling (DGFS) stages through the application of three different abscisic acid treatments: ABA 0 (0 mgL -1 ) control, ABA 1 (100 mgL -1 ) and ABA 2 (200 mgL -1 ). Wheat growth and yield characteristics were severely harmed by drought stress across all critical development stages, with the DGFS stage being particularly vulnerable and leading to a considerable loss in yield. Plant height was increased by 24.25%, the number of fertile tillers by 25.66%, spike length by 17.24%, the number of spikelets per spike by 16.68%, grain count per spike by 11.98%, thousand-grain weight by 14.34%, grain yield by 26.93% and biological yield by 14.55% when abscisic acid (ABA) was applied instead of the control treatment. Moreover, ABA 2 increased the more physiological indices (water use efficiency (36.12%), stomatal conductance (44.23%), chlorophyll a (24.5%), chlorophyll b (29.8%), transpiration rate (23.03%), photosynthetic rate (24.84%), electrolyte leakage (- 38.76%) hydrogen peroxide (- 18.09%) superoxide dismutase (15.3%), catalase (20.8%), peroxidase (- 18.09%), and malondialdehyde (- 13.7%)) of drought-stressed wheat as compared to other treatments. In the case of N, P, and K contents in grain were maximally improved with the application of ABA 2 . Through the use of principal component analysis, we were able to correlate our results across scales and provide an explanation for the observed effects of ABA on wheat growth and production under arid conditions. Overall, ABA application at a rate of 200 mgL -1 is an effective technique to boost wheat grain output by mitigating the negative effects of drought stress., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Solid-liquid extraction was investigated to obtain selected major plant nutrients (P, K, Ca, Mg) from biofuel ash using weak organic acids like salicylic acid, citric acid, and oxalic acid as sacrificial leaching agents. In this study, three organic acids were compared to determine the most effective leaching agent for maximizing the P, K, Ca, and Mg extraction from biofuel ash. The findings indicated that 0.1 M citric acid was the most efficient for plant nutrient recovery, with 81.9% of P recovered after 30 min, 82.4% of Ca, 76.8% of Mg, and 47.3% of K. after 120 min. The highest amount of K, with 59.3% was recovered after 180 min of extraction with 0.1 M oxalic acid. However, recovery of P-80.7% was lower, and much lower recovery of Ca-2.3%, and Mg-68.6% after 180 min of extraction with 0.1 M oxalic acid. The leachates were not contaminated with heavy metals, just 0.47 mg/L of Zn, 7.67 mg/L of Al, and 1.99 mg/L of Fe were detected after 180 min of extraction with 0.1 M oxalic acid. The formation of calcium oxalates after extraction with 0.1 M oxalic acid was seen by SEM-EDS. The findings indicated that to achieve the highest recovery of all beneficial nutrients (P, K, Ca, Mg) different extraction times and different extraction agents are required., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Tree ontogeny is the genetic trajectories of regenerative processes in trees, repeating in time and space, including both development and reproduction. Understanding the principles of tree ontogeny is a key priority in emulating natural ecological patterns and processes that fall within the calls for closer-to-nature forest management. By recognizing and respecting the growth and development of individual trees and forest stands, forest managers can implement strategies that align with the inherent dynamics of forest ecosystem. Therefore, this study aims to determine the ontogenetic characteristics of tree regeneration and growth in northern European hemiboreal forests., Methodology: We applied a three-step process to review i) the ontogenetic characteristics of forest trees, ii) ontogenetic strategies of trees for stand-forming species, and iii) summarise the review findings of points i and ii to propose a conceptual framework for transitioning towards closer-to-nature management of hemiboreal forest trees. To achieve this, we applied the super-organism approach to forest development as a holistic progression towards the establishment of natural stand forming ecosystems., Results: The review showed multiple aspects; first, there are unique growth and development characteristics of individual trees at the pre-generative and generative stages of ontogenesis under full and minimal light conditions. Second, there are four main modes of tree establishment, growth and development related to the light requirements of trees; they were described as ontogenetic strategies of stand-forming tree species: gap colonisers, gap successors, gap fillers and gap competitors. Third, the summary of our analysis of the ontogenetic characteristics of tree regeneration and growth in northern European hemiboreal forests shows that stand-forming species occupy multiple niche positions relative to forest dynamics modes., Conclusions: This study demonstrates the importance of understanding tree ontogeny under the pretext of closer-to-nature forest management, and its potential towards formulating sustainable forest management that emulates the natural dynamics of forest structure. We suggest that scientists and foresters can adapt closer-to-nature management strategies, such as assisted natural regeneration of trees, to improve the vitality of tree communities and overall forest health. The presented approach prioritizes ecological integrity and forest resilience, promoting assisted natural regeneration, and fostering adaptability and connectivity among plant populations in hemiboreal tree communities., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2024 Petrokas et al.)

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&#95;Visc) extracts of the tested plant leaves possess the highest yield, antioxidant activity, and total phenolic content. Moreover, the EAE&#95;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&#95;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.

The aim of this study was to evaluate phenotypic traits and genetic diversity of the 13 tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.) varieties and 6 hybrids developed at the Institute of Horticulture Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry (LRCAF IH). For the molecular characterisation, seven previously published microsatellite markers (SSR) were used. A24 and 26 alleles were detected in tomato varieties and hybrids, respectively. Based on the polymorphism information content ( PIC ) value, the most informative SSR primers for varieties were TMS52, TGS0007, LEMDDNa and Tom236-237, and the most informative SSR primers for hybrids were SSR248 and TMS52. In UPGMA cluster analysis, tomato varieties are grouped in some cases due to genetic relationships, as the same cluster cultivars 'Viltis' (the parent of cv. 'Laukiai') and 'Aušriai' (the progeny of cv. 'Jurgiai') are present. The grouping of all hybrids in the dendrogram is related to the parental forms, and it shows the usefulness of molecular markers for tomato breeding, as they can be used to trace the origin of hybrids and, eventually, varieties accurately. The knowledge about the genetic background of Lithuanian tomato cultivars will help plan targeted crosses in tomato breeding programs.

Drought stress is one of the most critical abiotic factors which negatively impacts on growth, productivity, and survival of plants. Grass species have an important role in the sustainable intensification of cropping systems. This review focus on the specific drought tolerance characteristics in grass species and application of prevalent classical and molecular methods for genetic improvement of them to drought stress. Generally, grass species adapt to drought stress by utilizing more than one strategy including of changes in the root growth, photosynthetic pigments, activation of antioxidant enzymes, and accumulation of compatible osmolytes. They also have other specific characteristics consisted of summer dormancy, drought recovery, and persistence, which lead to drought adaptation after prolonged drought. Studies on different grasses, indicated that most of above mentioned traits usually have positive correlation with drought tolerance. Also, high heritability has been reported for most of them in different grasses. Therefore, an effective index might be considering in identification of drought tolerance genotypes. Recently, high-throughput imaging phenotyping and advanced molecular techniques such as genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS), RNA sequencing, genome-wide association study, and genome editing help conventional breeding methods to increase the accuracy, selection efficiency, genetic gains, and speed of breeding programs for developing drought tolerant cultivars., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Alfalfa is one of the most important and the most cultivated crop due to its high nutritive quality and yield, but adaptation of alfalfa genotypes differ in terms of mobile aluminium stress in the soil. The aim of this study was to evaluate the tolerance to mobile Al concentrations in the laboratory and in the naturally acidic soil and select the promising genotypes based on agro-biological traits. In 2019, a laboratory experiment was conducted at the Institute of Agriculture of LAMMC. The experiment in the acidic soil with different mobile Al concentrations was conducted at the Vėžaičiai Branch of LAMMC. In 2020, the crops of alfalfa genotypes (11 cultivars and 3 populations) were established on Balthygleyic Dystric Retisol . The agro-biological traits were assessed during the 2021-2022 season. The tolerance index of hypocotyls and roots was evaluated using the filter-based screening method at different AlCl 3 (0.0-64 mM) concentrations. The study results of the filter-based screening method showed that the genotype Žydrūnė, Malvina, Jõgeva 118, Skriveru, and 3130 were the most tolerant ones and the hypocotyl tolerance index of these genotypes was higher compared to medium tolerant genotypes Birutė, PGR12489, Europe and AJ2024 at 8, 16, 32 and 64 mM AlCl 3 concentrations. The hypocotyl and root tolerance index of medium tolerant genotypes was higher compared to a sensitive genotype PGR10249 at 8 and 16 mM AlCl 3 . The study of cluster analysis with mobile Al 0.0-65.0 mg kg -1 showed that the genotypes Žydrūnė, Europe, AJ2024 and 3130 were the best in terms of wintering and spring regrowth, the cultivar Malvina had the best value of wintering, height before flowering and stem number, the cultivar Birutė had the best value of spring regrowth, height before flowering and seed yield, and the cultivar Skriveru had the best value of spring regrowth, height before flowering, stem number and seed yield., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Liatukienė, Skuodienė, Norkevičienė, Tamm, Pechter and Petrauskas.)

In the context of climate change, methods to improve the resistance of coniferous trees to biotic and abiotic stress are in great demand. The common plant response to exposure to vastly different stressors is the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) followed by activation of the defensive antioxidant system. We aimed to evaluate whether seed treatment with physical stressors can activate the activity of antioxidant enzymes and radical scavenging activity in young Picea abies (L.) H. Karst seedlings. For this, we applied seed treatment with cold plasma (CP) and electromagnetic field (EMF) and compared the response in ten different half-sib families of Norway spruce. The impact of the treatments with CP (1 min-CP1; 2 min-CP2) and EMF (2 min) on one-year-old and two-year-old P. abies seedlings was determined by the emergence rate, parameters of growth, and spectrophotometric assessment of antioxidant capacity (enzyme activity; DPPH and ABTS scavenging) in needles. The results indicated that the impact of seed treatment is strongly dependent on the genetic family. In the 577 half-sib family, the activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), peroxidase (POX), and glutathione reductase (GR) increased after EMF-treatment in one-year-old seedlings, while similar effects in 477 half-sib family were induced by CP2 treatment. In two-year-old seedlings, CP1-treatment increased CAT, APX, POX, GR, SOD, DPPH, and ABTS activity in the 457 half-sib family. However, no significant impact of the treatment with CP1 was determined in one-year-old seedlings in this family. The application of novel technologies and the consideration of the combinatory impact of genetic and physical factors could have the potential to improve the accumulation of compounds that play an essential role in the defense mechanisms of P. abies . Nevertheless, for different resistance and responses to stressors of plants, their genetic properties play an essential role. A comprehensive analysis of interactions among the stress factors (CP and EMF), genetic properties, and changes induced in the antioxidant system can be of importance both for the practical application of seed treatment in forestry and for understanding fundamental adaptation mechanisms in conifers.

The application of organic fertilizers and biological inputs to soil inevitably affects its quality, agrochemical indicators, and microbiota. Sustainable agriculture is based on continuously learning about how to properly manage available soil, water, and biological resources. The aim of the study was to determine changes in microorganism communities and carbon stocks in infertile soils for fertilization using different organic fertilizers and their combinations with bio-inputs. Genetic analysis of microorganism populations was performed using the NGS approach. Our study showed that the application of organic fertilizers affects the soil microbiota and the taxonomic structure of its communities. Specific groups of bacteria, such as Bacillota , were promoted by organic fertilization, meanwhile the abundance of Pseudomonadota and Ascomycota decreased in most treatments after the application of poultry manure. Metagenomic analysis confirmed that the use of bio-inputs increased the relative abundance of Trichoderma spp. fungi; meanwhile, a significant change was not found in the representatives of Azotobacter compared to the treatments where the bio-inputs were not used. The positive influence of fertilization appeared on all the studied agrochemical indicators. Higher concentrations of C org and N min accumulated in the soil when we used granulated poultry manure, and pH KCl when we used cattle manure.

The nutritional composition of honey is determined by environmental conditions, and botanical and geographical origin. In addition to carbohydrates, honey also contain pollen grains, proteins, free amino acids, and minerals. Although the content of proteins in honey is low, they are an important component that confirms the authenticity and quality of honey; therefore, they became a popular study object. The aim of the study was to evaluate protein content and composition of monofloral red clover and rapeseed honey collected from five different districts of Lithuania. Forty-eight proteins were identified in five different origin honey samples by liquid chromatography. The number of red clover proteins identified in individual honey samples in monofloral red clover honey C3 was 39 in polyfloral honey S22-36, while in monofloral rapeseed honey S5, S15, and S23 there was 33, 32, and 40 respectively. Aphids' proteins and lactic acid bacteria were identified in all honey samples tested. The linear relationship and the strongest correlation coefficient (r = 0.97) were determined between the content of Apilactobacillus kunkeei and Apilactobacillus apinorum , as well as between the number of faba bean ( Vicia faba ) pollen and lactic acid bacteria (r = 0.943). The data show a strong correlation coefficient between the amount of lactic acid and aphid protein number (r = 0.693). More studies are needed to evaluate the relationship between the pollination efficiency of red clover by bees and the multiplicity of red clover proteins in honey protein, as well as microbiota diversity and the influence of nature or plant diversity on the occurrence of microbiota in honey.

Biological nitrogen fixation in legume plants depends on the diversity of rhizobia present in the soil. Rhizobial strains exhibit specificity towards host plants and vary in their capacity to fix nitrogen. The increasing interest in rhizobia diversity has prompted studies of their phylogenetic relations. Molecular identification of Rhizobium is quite complex, requiring multiple gene markers to be analysed to distinguish strains at the species level or to predict their host plant. In this research, 50 rhizobia isolates were obtained from the root nodules of five different Pisum sativum L. genotypes ("Bagoo", "Respect", "Astronaute", "Lina DS", and "Egle DS"). All genotypes were growing in the same field, where ecological farming practices were applied, and no commercial rhizobia inoculants were used. The influence of rhizobial isolates on pea root nodulation and dry biomass accumulation was determined. 16S rRNA gene, two housekeeping genes recA and atpD, and symbiotic gene nodC were analysed to characterize rhizobia population. The phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that 46 isolates were linked to Rhizobium leguminosarum ; species complex 1 isolate was identified as Rhizobium nepotum , and the remaining 3 isolates belonged to Rahnella spp., Paenarthrobacter spp., and Peribacillus spp. genera. RecA and atpD gene analysis showed that the 46 isolates identified as R. leguminosarum clustered into three genospecies groups (B), (E) and (K). Isolates that had the highest influence on plant dry biomass accumulation clustered into the (B) group. NodC gene phylogenetic analysis clustered 46 R. leguminosarum isolates into 10 groups, and all isolates were assigned to the R. leguminosarum sv. viciae .

The growing demand for higher-quality food production in smaller soil areas points to optimized land use. Intercropping has the potential to increase yield, reduce pests and diseases, and boost biodiversity. This study, conducted at the Institute of Horticulture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, from 2017 to 2019, aimed to determine the effect of white cabbage intercropping with aromatic plants, calendula, French marigold, thyme, and sage on yield, mineral and biochemical composition. Aromatic plants are known to reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases, so this study aimed to determine whether aromatic plants affect the yield, mineral, and biochemical composition of white cabbage. The two-year observations demonstrated that aromatic plants did not affect or slightly affect the mineral composition of cabbage's primary macronutrients (N, P, K, Mg, and Ca). Cabbage's dry matter, sugars, and ascorbic acid content vary when grown intercropped with aromatic plants compared to monoculture. Although the results were comparable, sugar concentration was lower in all cabbage combinations than in monoculture. Lower nitrate levels were detected in cabbage monoculture, probably due to agro-meteorological circumstances. The highest cabbage yield was achieved by intercropping with thyme (7.25 t/ha) compared to monoculture (6.81 t/ha) in 2018. It was found that intercropping with aromatic plants had little effect on the biochemical composition of white cabbage. The study results suggest that French marigold and thyme can be grown together with white cabbage to improve the phytosanitary of vegetables without compromising the biochemical quality of the cabbages. However, the influence on biochemical composition, especially on the nitrate and glucosinolate levels, should be examined further, providing valuable insights for future research in this field.

Spring wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) remains an important alternative to winter wheat cultivation at Northern latitudes due to high risk of overwintering or delayed sowing of winter wheat. We studied nine major agronomic traits in a set of 299 spring wheat genotypes in trials across 12-year-site combinations in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Norway for three consecutive years. The dataset analyzed here consisted of previously published phenotypic data collected in 2021 and 2022, supplemented with additional phenotypic data from the 2023 field season collected in this study. We combined these phenotypic datasets with previously published genotypic data generated using a 25K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array that yielded 18,467 markers with a minor allele frequency above 0.05. Analysis of these datasets via genome-wide association study revealed 18 consistent quantitative trait loci (QTL) replicated in two or more trials that explained more than 5% of phenotypic variance for plant height, grain protein content, thousand kernel weight, or heading date. The most consistent markers across the tested environments were detected for plant height, thousand kernel weight, and days to heading in eight, five, and six trials, respectively. No beneficial effect of the semi-dwarfing alleles Rht-B1b and Rht-D1b on grain yield performance was observed across the 12 tested trials. Moreover, the cultivars carrying these alleles were low yielding in general. Based on principal component analysis, wheat genotypes developed in the Northern European region clustered separately from those developed at the southern latitudes, and markers associated with the clustering were identified. Important phenotypic traits, such as grain yield, days to heading, grain protein content, and thousand kernel weight were associated with this clustering of the genotype sets. Interestingly, despite being adapted to the Nordic environment, genotypes in the Northern set demonstrated lower grain yield performance across all tested environments. The results indicate that spring wheat germplasm harbors valuable QTL/alleles, and the identified trait-marker associations might be useful in improving Nordic-Baltic spring wheat germplasm under global warming conditions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Aleliūnas, Gorash, Armonienė, Tamm, Ingver, Bleidere, Fetere, Kollist, Mroz, Lillemo and Brazauskas.)

Drought stress (DS) is a significant abiotic stress that limits agricultural productivity worldwide. In semi-arid climates, one potential solution to alleviate the deleterious effects of drought is the use of soil amendments such as nanoparticles. The current research was conducted out to probe the sway of drought at critical growth stages (CGS) of wheat crop (D 0 : Control, D 1 : Drought at tillering stage, and D 2 : Drought at anthesis stage) and the application of Cu-nanoparticles (T 0 : 0 mg L -1 , T 1 : 300 mg L -1 , T 2 : 700 mg L -1 , and T 3 : 950 mg L -1 ) in order to improve drought resilience. Results of the study revealed that DS considerably decreased the wheat growth and yield during CGS. However, Cu-nanoparticles application alleviated the detrimental backlash of DS and led to improvements in various aspects of wheat growth and yield, including plant height, spike length, 1000 grain weight, stomatal conductance, leaf chlorophyll content, water use efficiency, leaf turgor potential, relative water content, and ultimately the grain yield. The use of principal component analysis allowed us to integrate and interpret the diverse findings of our study, elucidating the impact of Cu-nanoparticle treatment on wheat growth and yield under drought. Overall, the study concluded that DS during the anthesis stage had the most significant negative impact on crop yield. However, applying Cu-nanoparticles at the rate of 300 mg L -1 proved to be an effective strategy for improving crop productivity by reducing the harmful effects of drought., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The use of rhizospheric SynComs can be a new and sustainable strategy in the agrobiotechnology sector. The objective of this study was to create the most appropriate SynCom composition; examine the ability to dissolve natural rock phosphate (RP) from Morocco in liquid-modified NBRIP medium; determine organic acids, and phytohormones; and verify plant growth promoting and nutrition uptake effect in the pot experiments of winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum ). A total of nine different microorganisms were isolated, which belonged to three different genera: Bacillus , Pseudomonas , and Streptomyces . Out of the 21 treatments tested, four SynComs had the best phosphate-dissolving properties: IJAK-27+44+91 (129.17 mg L -1 ), IIBEI-32+40 (90.95 µg mL -1 ), IIIDEG-45+41 (122.78 mg L -1 ), and IIIDEG-45+41+72 (120.78 mg L -1 ). We demonstrate that these SynComs are capable of producing lactic, acetic, gluconic, malic, oxalic, citric acids, and phytohormones such as indole-3-acetic acid, zeatin, gibberellic acid, and abscisic acid. In pot experiments with winter wheat, we also demonstrated that the designed SynComs were able to effectively colonize the plant root rhizosphere and contributed to more abundant plant growth characteristics and nutrient uptake as uninoculated treatment or uninoculated treatment with superphosphate (NPK 0-19-0). The obtained results show that the SynCom compositions of IJAK-27+44+91, IIBEI-32+40, IIIDEG-45+41, and IIIDEG-45+41+72 can be considered as promising candidates for developing biofertilizers to facilitate P absorption and increase plant nutrition., Competing Interests: The company Roquette Amilina&rsquo;s role was technical support, Jurgita Kailiuvien&#279; and Edita Ma&#382;onien&#279; participated in part of experimental design investigations. Roquette Amilina has no conflicts of interest with this research. The authors declare no conflict of interest.