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As a novel functional component, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) with many kinds of functions of regulating blood pressure, alleviating depression, treating epilepsy, delaying aging and treating diabetes, is widely distributed in a large variety of plants. It is reported that plant germination was recognized as an effective way to raise endogenous GABA levels, which in combination with several environmental stress modes could further promote GABA enrichment in germinating plants. This paper mainly discusses the metabolic pathways and influence factors of GABA enrichment in plants, as well as the synergistic effects of environmental stress and germination on endogenous GABA enrichment in plants, providing references for the development and application of GABA-rich plant-based foods.

Seed dispersal by ants is one of the methods of seed dispersal that leads to an increase in plant diversity and plant coexistence at the local scale. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the number of plant species, plant families transported by ants, and comparing the genus and species of ants transporting seeds, in Teng-e-Sayad area of Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari province. Study areas for collecting ant nest samples include three animal grazing management zones: 1- National Park 2- Protected Area 3- Free Grazing Area. Sampling was done in each study area from the soil related to 3 ant nests in each of the sites from 0 to 5 cm deep. Sampling was done in 2018 during the three months of July, August and Septamber in the study areas. In this experiment, 5 genera and 12 species of ants were identified. The results showed that a total of 62 plant species belonging to 15 plant families were transported by ants, of which 36 plant species were jointly transported by ants in all three regions. The results showed that there is only a significant difference between the ant genera Camponotus and Cataglyphis and also between the two genera Camponotus and Tetramorium (P<0.05). The results showed that the genus Messor, as a predatory ant, has transmitted 19 plant species that have nothing in common with other ant genera, and this ant genus has transmitted a large number of plant species compared to other ant genera. According to the results of this research, Messor can be considered as an ant that transmits a large number of plant species and species seeds and has an important effect on the diversity and presence of species in the vegetation composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review presents data from the past five years on the use of polymeric superabsorbent hydrogels in agriculture as water and nutrient storage and retention materials, as well as additives that improve soil properties. The use of synthetic and natural polymeric hydrogels for these purposes is considered. Although natural polymers, such as various polysaccharides, have undoubted advantages related to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and low cost, they are inferior to synthetic polymers in terms of water absorption and water retention properties. In this regard, the most promising are semi-synthetic polymeric superabsorbents based on natural polymers modified with additives or grafted chains of synthetic polymers, which can combine the advantages of natural and synthetic polymeric hydrogels without their disadvantages. Such semi-synthetic polymers are of great interest for agricultural applications, especially in dry regions, also because they can be used to create systems for the slow release of nutrients into the soil, which are necessary to increase crop yields using environmentally friendly technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The germination process of radish sprouts was investigated in detail using volumetric dynamic optical coherence tomography (OCT). Dynamic OCT involves the sequential acquisition of 16 OCT images and subsequent temporal variance analysis of each pixel, enabling non-invasive visualization of the cellular and tissue activities of plants. The radish sprouts were longitudinally investigated for up to 12 days, and changes in morphology and dynamic OCT image patterns were observed as the plants developed. The dynamic OCT signals in the vessels and growing roots were relatively high in the early stage of germination and decreased as the tissue matured. These results suggest that dynamic OCT is sensitive to water and nutrient transport as well as cellular activities associated with plant growth., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Biophotonics published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Plants store triacylglycerides in organelles called oil bodies, which are important fuel sources for germination. Oil bodies consist of a lipid core surrounded by an interfacial single layer membrane of phospholipids and proteins. Oleosins are highly conserved plant proteins that are important for oil body formation, solubilising the triacylglycerides, stabilising oil bodies, and playing a role in mobilising the fuel during the germination process. The domain structure of oleosins is well established, with N- and C-terminal domains that are hydrophilic flanking a long hydrophobic domain that is proposed to protrude into the triacylglyceride core of the oil body. However, beyond this general understanding, little molecular level detail on the structure is available and what is known is disputed. This lack of knowledge limits our understanding of oleosin function and concomitantly our ability to engineer them. Here, we review the state of play in the literature regarding oleosin structure and function, and provide some examples of how oleosins can be used in commercial settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitosan is a well-known subjectof researchbecause of its beneficial properties, including its antibacterial and fungicidal activity, as well as its effect on plant physiology. One of the maindifficulties in agricultural chitosan implementation is the poor solubility of high molecular chitosan in water. Reducing themolecular weight of chitosan by acid hydrolysis increases its solubility. This research studied the effect of chitosan hydrolysate on the germination and development of Solanum lycopersicum L. plants. Theeffects of chitosan hydrolysate on seed germination, shoot development in the first week of development and in the first month of development were evaluated. According to the results, high concentrations of chitosan hydrolysate completely inhibited seed germination. However, short-term treatment by high concentrations of chitosan hydrolysate stimulatedthe development of seedlings, leading to substantially longerroots. Regular root application of high concentrations of chitosan hydrolysate inhibited plant development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant‐associated microbes play essential roles in nutrient uptake and plant productivity, but their role in driving plant germination, a critical stage in the plant life cycle, is still poorly understood.We used data from a large‐scale, field‐based soil seed bank study to examine the relationship among plants germinating from the seed bank and soil microbial community composition. We combined this with an experiment using 34 laboratory‐based microcosms whereby sterile soil was inoculated with microbes from different field sites to examine how microbes affect the germination of nine plant species.The community composition of plants in the soil seed bank was highly and significantly associated with bacterial and fungal community composition, with stronger correlations for soil beneath plant canopies. Microbes predicted a unique portion of the variation in the community composition of germinants after accounting for differences in environmental variables. The strongest correlations among microbes and plant functional traits included those related to perenniality, growth form, plant size, root type and seed shape. Our microcosm study showed that different plant species had their own associated germination microbiome, and most plant–microbe interactions were positive during germination.Synthesis. Our study provides evidence for intimate relationships between plant and soil biodiversity during germination. Our work fills an important knowledge gap for plant–microbe interactions and reveals valuable insights into the shared natural history of plants and microbes in terrestrial ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research assessed soil contamination along the roadside in the central littoral region of Tunisia. Road Gremda (toward the northwest), road Manzel Chaker (toward the southwest) and road Tunis (toward the north) were chosen for this study. Fourteen stations located on different road sides were sampled. Soil samples were analyzed for Pb, Zn, Cu, Cr and Fe. The range of the metals was as follows: Pb 1.23–88 µg/g, Zn 1.23–295.2 µg/g, Cu 3.8–11.04 µg/g, Fe 1972.7–3647.9 µg/g and Cr 10.8–32.2 µg/g. Iron is an abundant element in the Earth's crust, and it was considered in this work as a reference for naturally occurring metals and was used in the determination of geoaccumulation index. Soil metallic contamination affected the percentage and kinetic of germination of tomato and chickpea, whereas these parameters did not affect cucumber. Contamination of soil by the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons reaching 1550 mg/kg affected only the rate of germination of tomato and chickpea. Cucumber showed a resistance to both of metals and polycyclic hydrocarbons which can attest the resistance of this species. The hydrocarbon content recorded in the soil affected shoot elongation of tomato, while the metal contamination affected the root elongation of this species. In contrast, cucumber showed resistance to both types of pollutants. This species has shown an accumulation of Pb, Zn and Cr, especially when germinated on Gremda soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the progression of nanotechnology, the use of nanoparticles (NPs) in consumer products has increased dramatically and green synthesis is one of the cheapest and eco‐friendly methods to obtain non‐hazardous NPs. In the current research zinc (Zn) NPs synthesis was carried out by using the fresh and healthy leaves of Mentha arvensis L. followed by characterisation through ultraviolet (UV)–visible spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). UV–visible spectroscopy confirmed the green synthesis of ZnNPs, while XRD confirmed the size of NPs, which was 30–70 nm. SEM shows that the shape of ZnNPs was irregular. The effects of green synthesised NPs on two different varieties of Brassica napus were evaluated. Exposure to ZnNPs (5, 15, and 25 mg/l−1) caused a significant increase in root and shoot length of B. napus. The application of NPs significantly improved plant germination and triggered the production of secondary metabolite and antioxidant enzymes. ZnNPs showed a significant increase in chlorophyll, superoxide dismutase, total flavonoid content (TFC) and antioxidant enzymes while total phenolic content was decreased when TFC increased. Thus, it has been concluded from the current study that ZnNPs may possibly trigger the production of antioxidant enzymes and various biochemical compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Soil can be used as binder to replace part of cement in printing vegetation concrete. • Increasing soil content benefited plant germination but reduced concrete strength • Plant germinated earlier in higher-cement-content specimens due to lower porosity • Plant withered in higher-cement-content specimens due to higher alkalinity. To facilitate the manufacturing efficiency of vegetation concrete and reduce relevant environmental footprint, a novel type of vegetation concrete was manufactured by using 3D printing with cement partially replaced by soil. Twelve mixes were prepared for the printing mortar where three types of cement, i.e., ordinary Portland cement (OPC), sulphoaluminate cement (SAC), low-alkalinity sulphoaluminate cement (LSAC), as well as soil were used as the binder. Cubic cells of the vegetation concrete were printed with two printing paths. After printing and curing, grass seeds together with soil were sowed in the gaps among the printing filaments of the specimens. The printability, plant-germination ability, mechanical strength, X-ray computed tomography reconstructed structures, stress distributions, pH, and crystal phases of the printed vegetation concrete were investigated. Results revealed that increasing soil content in the printing mortar benefited plant germination but reduced concrete strength. Furthermore, the plants germinated earlier in the higher-cement-content specimens due to lower porosity of the printed concrete which retained more water in the soil. However, such plants withered soon after germination due to high alkalinity. The compressive strengths of the printed vegetation concrete were between 0.03 and 21.19 MPa. The corners and the surface grooves between the layers of the printed vegetation concrete were weak points due to stress concentration. Moreover, the buildability of SAC and LSAC specimens was better than that of OPC specimens. This was attributed to the calcium sulfate in the SAC and LSAC specimens. On the other hand, portlandite and ettringite which were abundant in OPC specimens contributed more to the specimens' higher alkalinity that is harmful to plant germination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intensity and frequency of forest fires is increasing across the globe due to climate change. Additives are often added to make water more effective at extinguishing fire and preventing re-ignition. This study investigated the toxicity of nine different firefighting water additives to four species of soil invertebrates (Folsomia candida, Porcellio laevis, Porcellio scaber, and Trichorhina tomentosa) and two plant species (Agropyron cristatum and Raphanus sativus). Considerable variation in toxicity was observed among the firefighting products. The toxicity of individual products also varied considerably amongst the tested species. A hazard assessment was conducted by comparing the concentration of firefighting water additive that caused a 50% effect (LC50 or EC50) or a concentration that caused no effect (NOEC) to the concentration recommended by the manufacturer. At a rate of application representative of a forest firefighting scenario, most firefighting water additives tested in this study posed a hazard to F. candida and the three isopod species. The majority of products did not pose a risk to the two plant species included in this study. Consideration of the toxicity of firefighting water additives to terrestrial biota should be considered along with the efficacy of the product to fight fires when deciding which products to use. [Display omitted] • Forest fire frequency and severity is increasing with climate change. • Investigated toxicity of 9 firefighting water additives to 6 soil species. • Toxicity between species tested varied by one order of magnitude. • Majority of water additives posed a hazard to soil invertebrates. • Only a single water additive posed a hazard to plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to find sufficient greening measures for MSWI slag deposits, germination and juvenile plant growth on fresh as well as artificially aged municipal solid waste incineration slag were investigated for seeds of three widely used commercial test species ( Phleum pratense , Lepidium sativum , and Trifolium alexandrinum) and the widespread weed Amaranthus retroflexus . Adapted Austrian standard tests comprised 2 moisture levels, 2 slag types and 4 different slag concentrations. L. sativum grew well on aged slag, whereas its juvenile growth was clearly inhibited on fresh slag. The grass P. pratense performed better on fresh than on aged slag. Under moist conditions A. retroflexus grew well on aged and on fresh slag, but was the only species with a marked germination delay throughout all mixtures of aged slag. The species with the most continuous development under all conditions was T. alexandrinum . Even on pure aged slag it grew sufficiently under moist conditions. Moderate portions of even fresh MSWI slag do not necessarily inhibit plant germination and growth; only pure slag has a negative effect throughout all species. For successful greening of MSWI slag, various substrate properties like water holding capacity and soil texture seem to be as relevant as nutrient supply, toxicity, salinity and extreme pH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the biological effect of non-ionizing (NIR) and ionizing radiation (IR) on plant seed potential is well documented, the mechanism of this impact is not clear yet. Since cell hydration, a fundamental parameter for determining cell function, is magneto-sensitive, in present work, a comparative study of extremely low frequencies (ELF) electromagnetic field (EMF), ELF EMF-modulated millimeter waves, and radiation exposure effects on winter wheat seeds water absorption and dry mass changes was performed. The seeds were incubated in physiological solutions (PS) for 2 and 72 h. In case of 2-h incubation, the water absorption determined by osmotic gradients between seeds and bathing medium, PS treated by all these factors leads to changes of water absorption. While in case of 72-h incubation (when germination processes are in active state) these impact had reversed character. The obtained data strongly suggest seeds bathing medium as a target through which the biological effects of NIR and IR are realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Recent manufacturing advancements have led to the fabrication of nanomaterials of different sizes and shapes. These advancements are the base for further engineering to create unique properties targeted toward specific applications. Historically, various fields such as medicine, environmental science, and food processing have employed the successful and safe use of nanomaterials. However, use in agriculture, especially for plant protection and production, is an under-explored area in the research community. Preliminary studies show the potential of nanomaterials in improving seed germination and growth, plant protection, pathogen detection, and pesticide/herbicide residue detection. This review summarizes agricultural applications of nanomaterials and the role these can play in future agricultural production. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Here, five aromatic monomers, one bearing a long alkyl chain [3-pentadecylphenol (3-PP)], the second bearing a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon [dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN)], the third bearing an organic amine l -3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l -DOPA)], the fourth bearing a carboxylic acid [vanillic acid (VA)], and the fifth bearing a phenol [catechol (CA)] were oxidatively coupled to produce four humic-like substances (3-PP, DHN, l -DOPA, and CAVA products) to mimic the diverse organic architectures of natural humus. Analysis using several methods, including SEM, EPR, elemental analysis, FT-IR-ATR, 13C NMR and anti-oxidant capability, revealed that each of the monomeric structures was well incorporated into the corresponding humic-like substances. Seed germination acceleration and NaCl-involved abiotic stress resistance of Arabidopsis thaliana were then tested to determine whether the different structures resulted in different levels of plant stimulation. The l -DOPA, CAVA and DHN-based materials showed enhanced stimulatory activities compared with no treatment, whereas the effects of the 3-PP-based materials were meager. Interestingly, high-resolution (15 T) ESI FT-ICR mass spectrometry-based van Krevelen diagrams clearly showed that the presence of molecules with H/C and O/C ratios ranging from 0.5 to 1.0 and 0.2 to 0.4, respectively, could be connected with such biological actions. Here, the l -DOPA sample showed the highest content of such molecules, followed by the CAVA, DHN and 3-PP samples. Next, the ability of l -DOPA and CAVA products to induce resistance in A. thaliana to a pathogen-related biotic stress was tested to confirm whether the proposed molecular features are associated with multi-stimulatory actions on plants. The expression level of pathogenesis-related protein 1 and inspection of plant morphology clearly revealed that both the l -DOPA and CAVA products stimulate plants to respond to biotic stresses. Size-exclusion chromatography together with NMR and IR data of both the materials strongly suggests that lignin-like supramolecular assemblages play an important role in versatile biological activities of humus. Unlabelled Image • Structural variants of humic-like substances were artificially synthesized. • Organic functional group-dependent plant stimulatory actions were observed. • Specific H/C and O/C ratios were critical for plant stimulations. • Both phenol and amine groups were necessary for plant stimulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic residues have become a serious environmental problem in areas where agricultural plastic film are used intensively. Although numerous of studies have been done to assess its impacts on soil quality and crop yields, the understanding of meso-plastic particles effects on plant is still limited. In this study, low density polyethylene (PE) and biodegradable plastic (Bio) mulch film were selected to study the effects of meso-plastic debris on soybean germination and plant growth with the accumulation levels of 0%, 0.1%, 0.5% and 1% in soil (w: w, size ranging 0.5-2 cm) by a pot experiment under field condition. Results showed that the germination viability of soybean seeds was reduced to 82.39%, 39.44% and 26.06% in the treatments with 0.1%, 0.5% and 1% added plastic debris compared to the control (CK), respectively, suggesting that plastic residues in soil inhibit the viability of soybean seed germination. The plastic debris had a significant negative effect on plant height and culm diameter during the entire growth stage of soybean. Similarly, the leaf area at harvest was reduced by 1.97%, 6.86% and 11.53% compared to the CK in the treatments with 0.1%, 0.5% and 1% plastic debris addition, respectively. In addition, the total plant biomass under plastic addition was reduced in both the flowering and harvesting stages, compared to the CK. For the different type of plastic residues, plant height, leaf area and root/shoot ratio at group PE were significantly lower than those of groups treated by Bio. In conclusion, PE debris had a greater negative effects on plant height, culm diameter, leaf area and root/shoot ratio while Bio debris mainly showed the adverse effects on germination viability and root biomass especially at the flowering stage. Therefore, further research is required to elaborate plastic particles' effects on different stages of crops and soil quality., 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 © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Glucopyranosylidene-spiro-benzo[ b][1,4]oxazinones were obtained via the corresponding 2-nitrophenyl glycosides obtained by two methods: (a) AgOTf-promoted glycosylation of 2-nitrophenol derivatives by O-perbenzoylated methyl (α-d-gluculopyranosyl bromide)heptonate or (b) Mitsunobu-type reactions of O-perbenzoylated methyl (α-d-gluculopyranose)heptonate with bulky 2-nitrophenols in the presence of diethyl azodicarboxylate (DEAD) and PPh 3 . Catalytic hydrogenation (H 2 -Pd/C) or partial reduction (e.g., H 2 -Pd/C, pyridine) of the 2-nitro groups led to spiro-benzo[ b][1,4]oxazinones and spiro-benzo[ b][1,4]-4-hydroxyoxazinones by spontaneous ring closure of the intermediate 2-aminophenyl or 2-hydroxylamino glycosides, respectively. The analogous 2-aminophenyl thioglycosides, prepared by reactions of O-perbenzoylated methyl (α-d-gluculopyranosyl bromide)heptonate with 2-aminothiophenols, were cyclized in m-xylene at reflux temperature to the corresponding spiro-benzo[ b][1,4]thiazinones. O-Debenzoylation was effected by Zemplén transesterification in both series. Spiro-configurations were determined by NMR and electronic circular dichroism time-dependent density functional theory (ECD-TDDFT) methods. Inhibition assays with rabbit muscle glycogen phosphorylase b showed (1' R)-spiro{1',5'-anhydro-d-glucitol-1',2-benzo[ b][1,4]oxazin-3(4 H)-one} and (1' R)-spiro{1',5'-anhydro-d-glucitol-1',2-benzo[ b][1,4]thiazin-3(4 H)-one} to be the most efficient inhibitors (27 and 28% inhibition at 625 μM, respectively). Plant growth tests with white mustard and garden cress indicated no effect except for (1' R)-4-hydroxyspiro{1',5'-anhydro-d-glucitol-1',2-benzo[ b][1,4]oxazin-3(4 H)-one} with the latter plant to show modest inhibition of germination (95% relative to control).