Environmental and Experimental Botany最新文献

{"title":"miR395 regulates sulfur metabolism and root development in Chinese kale under sulfur deficiency","authors":"Zhanfeng Yang ,&nbsp;Longwei Zhang ,&nbsp;Jiahui Li ,&nbsp;Xiaoqian Dong ,&nbsp;Bowen Guan ,&nbsp;Xueqing Yu ,&nbsp;Kefei Lai ,&nbsp;Yulin Hu ,&nbsp;Weiling Tang ,&nbsp;Rongfang Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106204","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106204","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sulfur occupies a unique position in plant systems, simultaneously supporting basic cellular functions through its roles in protein structure and cofactor synthesis, while enabling sophisticated environmental responses through specialized metabolites and redox signaling networks. Sulfur deficiency is a major constraint on sulfur assimilation, yet the response of sulfur-containing metabolites to sulfur-deficient conditions remains poorly understood. In this study, we examined the growth of Chinese kale under sulfur-deficient conditions and analyzed the accumulation patterns of both primary and secondary sulfur-containing metabolites as well as gene responses. The results showed that sulfur deficiency upregulates the expression of miR395, which targeted <em>BoATPS</em> to modulate sulfur supply and alter sulfur assimilation pathways. Under sulfur-deficient conditions, the levels of primary sulfur metabolites, such as glutathione, isoleucine, and tryptophan decreased significantly, while valine content increased markedly. Furthermore, the levels of secondary sulfur metabolites, including glucosinolates, were consistently reduced. Notably, sulfur-deficient plants exhibited longer roots, a phenomenon potentially linked to the increased valine and decreased isoleucine levels, as valine promotes root growth while inhibits it. These findings provide valuable insights into the regulation of sulfur nutrient balance and metabolite accumulation in plants under sulfur-deficient conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"237 ","pages":"Article 106204"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144694328","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genome-wide identification of plant C2 domain-containing protein family and the role of OsNTMC2T2.2 under chilling stress in rice","authors":"Liyan Zhao ,&nbsp;Jingzhen Wang ,&nbsp;Yuntao Zhou ,&nbsp;Jiahua Shi ,&nbsp;Guoquan Liu ,&nbsp;Guosheng Xie ,&nbsp;Lingqiang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106202","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106202","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In plants, C2 domain-containing proteins (C2DPs) constitute a large Ca^2 + binding family involved in the growth, development, and stress response. However, evolution and functions of this family remain largely unclear. Here, for the first time, 3080 C2DPs from 32 plant species were identified into four subfamilies (I, II, III, IV) with eleven groups (Ia-f, IIa-b, IIIa-b, IV). This includes five primitive types (Ia-b, IIa-b, IIIb) and six extended types (Ic-f, IIIa, IV), based on the variations in evolution. Interestingly, AlphaFold3 predicted that each of subfamilies had only one C2 domain to bind 1–3 Ca²⁺, but other C2 domains had a weak binding capability of Ca²⁺ due to large variation in aspartic acid residues (Asp). To further explore the functional implications of these evolutionary and structural characteristics, we focused on the model crop species rice (<em>Oryza sativa</em>) for an in-depth analysis. A total of 84 OsC2DPs were identified in rice, including four subfamilies with nine groups (Ia-e, IIa-b, IIIa, IV). Interestingly, OsNTMC2T2.2, a novel synaptotagmin protein without a transmembrane helix, was localized to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and plasma membrane (PM). <em>OsNTMC2T2.2</em> negatively regulated chilling tolerance by inhibiting the ROS-scavenging system and regulating the expression of six chilling-responsive genes in rice seedlings. These findings present new and in-depth understanding of the evolution and functional annotation of C2DPs in plants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"237 ","pages":"Article 106202"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144662920","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hydrogen sulfide enhances salt tolerance in tomato by regulating cell wall degradation in a SlSR3-dependent manner","authors":"Huan Chen ,&nbsp;Xuetong Wu ,&nbsp;Hua Fang ,&nbsp;Li Feng ,&nbsp;Xingping Liu ,&nbsp;Jingtao Kang ,&nbsp;Weibiao Liao","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106201","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106201","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil salinization is an important abiotic stress that limits the productivity and quality of horticultural crops. As critical signaling molecules, hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) and calcium ions (Ca^2 +) are crucial in plant stress reponse. However, the molecular basis of their synergistic action in improving salt tolerance in plants is unclear. In this study, tomato (<em>Solanum lycopersicum</em> L.) seedlings were utilized as a material to explore the synergistic effect of H₂S and Ca²⁺ on salt stress tolerance. The results show that exogenous sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS, a H₂S donor) and CaCl₂ independently ameliorated the inhibitory effects of salt stress on tomato seedling growth, with their co-application demonstrating a synergistic alleviation of stress-induced growth impairment. Further studies reveal that H₂S promoted Ca²⁺ level and up-regulated <em>signal-responsive 3</em> (<em>SR3</em>) expression. <em>SlSR3</em> knockout mutants were more sensitive to salt stress, whereas overexpression of <em>SlSR3</em> displayed enhanced salt tolerance. Moreover, SlSR3 conferred protection against salt stress-induced cell wall degradation and sustained its stability by repressing the expression of genes implicated in cell wall degradation. Further results demonstrate that NaHS treatment did not enhance cell wall integrity or salt tolerance in <em>SlSR3</em> knockout mutants. Conversely, NaHS treatment effectively inhibited cell wall degradation and improved salt tolerance in <em>SlSR3</em>-overexpressing plants. Therefore, SlSR3 is likely implicated in the H₂S-mediated inhibition of cell wall degradation in tomato seedlings under salt stress, ultimately enhancing salt tolerance. This study delineates the mechanistic interplay between H₂S and Ca²⁺ in plant salt tolerance, thereby enhancing the potential for breeding horticultural crops with improved stress resilience.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"237 ","pages":"Article 106201"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144703994","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Decode the hidden long-term growth limitation in wheat caused by low temperature stress: Insights from leaf functional traits, anatomical bases, resource efficiency, and biochemical capacity","authors":"Shuxin Li ,&nbsp;Feng Zhang ,&nbsp;Tianhao Liu ,&nbsp;Yang Gao ,&nbsp;Xiangnan Li","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106200","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106200","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Low temperature events can induce lasting growth limitations in wheat, impacting the final grain yield, but trade-offs of leaf functional traits in this process remain unclear. To address this issue, we investigated the relative biomass accumulation rate and leaf functional traits throughout the ‘low temperature stress-short recovery-long recovery’ process in wheat. Key leaf functional traits, including leaf dry mass per area, leaf nitrogen, and photosynthetic rate per unit mass were increased under low temperature. Their network relationships contribute to enhanced growth responses during short-term recovery. However, decreased leaf nitrogen and phosphorus, photosynthetic rate per unit mass_, and increased dark respiration per unit mass at the 6-leaf stage, coupled with subsequent lower growth responses during long-term recovery, indicate that the irreversible detrimental impact of low temperature becomes apparent after a long recovery stage post the cession of low temperature stress. Changes in photosynthesis capacity during low temperature and the recovery period are influenced by leaf nutrients, CO₂ fractionation, and photosynthesis biochemistry. These factors are closely related to the coordination of leaf anatomy, thylakoid electron transport, and enzyme activities in wheat. Quantifying key leaf functional traits and understanding their network relationships provide important insights for evaluating crop responses to environmental temperature alterations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"237 ","pages":"Article 106200"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144654240","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transcriptomic insights into phosphorus-mediated wheat tillering: Auxin-cytokinin crosstalk coordinates phenylpropanoid and glycerophospholipid metabolism","authors":"Yan Zheng,&nbsp;Mengyu Lou,&nbsp;Nianyuan Jiao","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106199","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106199","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The growth and development of wheat tillers are closely associated with nutrition, particularly phosphorus (P). Increasing the availability of P in the soil enhances its absorption and accumulation in wheat. However, the mechanisms by which soil available P concentration influences wheat tillering remain largely unexplored. Field experiments were conducted based upon a 12-year long-term phosphate fertilizer dose-response during the periods of 2020–2021 and 2021–2022. The aim was to examine the effects of different levels of soil available P, specifically 4.01 mg P₂O₅·kg⁻¹ (T1), 5.69 mg P₂O₅·kg⁻¹ (T2), 7.39 mg P₂O₅·kg⁻¹ (T3), 9.59 mg P₂O₅·kg⁻¹ (T4), 18.55 mg P₂O₅·kg⁻¹ (T5), and 25.63 mg P₂O₅·kg⁻¹ (T6), on plant P nutrition, aboveground dry biomass accumulation, tiller development, and grain yield of winter wheat. Furthermore, the expression of key genes in tiller nodes of wheat was analyzed under high (T6) and low (T1) soil available P levels. Increasing the soil available P content enhanced P concentration and accumulation in plants, leading to an increase in aboveground dry biomass accumulation. Furthermore, improved P nutrition in plants can enhance tiller initiation and development, thereby increasing the number of fertile spikes, grains per spike, and overall grain yield. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that enhanced tillering was associated with the auxin and cytokinin-mediated stimulation of lignin biosynthesis, along with glycerophospholipid metabolism. These pathways play critical roles in cellular proliferation and expansion and the maintenance of cell membrane integrity in tiller node cells. In summary, the findings from this study demonstrated that suitable soil available P content enhanced P uptake capacity, stimulated lignin biosynthesis, and ultimately enhanced tillering ability and grain yield in winter wheat.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"237 ","pages":"Article 106199"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144634136","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Photosynthetic and biochemical responses to multiple abiotic stresses in Deschampsia antarctica, Poa pratensis, and Triticum aestivum","authors":"M.V. Ricco ,&nbsp;S. Khemakem ,&nbsp;J. Gago ,&nbsp;L.G. Quintanilla ,&nbsp;C. Íñiguez ,&nbsp;J. Flexas ,&nbsp;J. Gulías ,&nbsp;M.J. Clemente-Moreno","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106196","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106196","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Photosynthesis is inherently limited by abiotic stresses like extreme temperatures, water deficit, and nutrient deficiency. However, the combined impacts of these multiple stresses on photosynthetic capacity remain largely underexplored. This study investigates the effects of low temperature, drought, and nutrient scarcity on the photosynthetic responses of three distinct grass species: the polar <em>Deschampsia antarctica</em> (DA) from Antarctica, the cosmopolitan <em>Poa pratensis</em> (PP) from the Arctic, and the crop species <em>Triticum aestivum</em> (TA). Under optimal conditions, both DA and PP exhibited lower photosynthetic rates compared to TA. Crucially, when subjected to a combination of multiple abiotic stresses, DA demonstrated a significantly less pronounced photosynthetic decline than TA. This remarkable ability to maintain higher photosynthetic efficiency under suboptimal conditions not only boosts net carbon assimilation but also enhances overall plant performance in harsh environments. Our results reveal that DA's superior performance under multiple stress conditions is attributed to a unique combination of structural and biochemical traits. These include constitutively higher leaf mass per area (LMA) and cell wall hemicellulose content. Furthermore, DA showed a balanced strategy of reduced investment in photosynthetic machinery coupled with enhanced photoprotection and antioxidant status (indicated by an increased xanthophylls + carotene/chlorophylls ratio), a combination not observed in PP or TA. These findings underscore that DA possesses specific physiological adaptations, enabling it to successfully cope with simultaneous multiple abiotic stresses more effectively than PP and TA.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"237 ","pages":"Article 106196"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144604555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Proteomic analysis reveals UV-B acclimation pathways in high-altitude Malbec berries and leaves","authors":"Germán Murcia ,&nbsp;Leonardo A. Arias ,&nbsp;Federico Berli ,&nbsp;Flavio Muñoz ,&nbsp;Ariel Fontana ,&nbsp;Patricia Piccoli","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106198","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106198","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>High-altitude grapevine cultivation (<em>Vitis vinifera</em> L.) offers a sustainable strategy for producing premium wines under climate change. However, the molecular mechanisms of UV-B acclimation in field-grown grapes remain unclear. This study examined the effects of contrasting UV-B exposure (exclusion vs. full exposure) on Malbec grape leaves and berries at different developmental stages in a high-altitude vineyard in Mendoza, Argentina (1350 m a.s.l.). Quantitative proteomics revealed tissue- and stage-specific responses to UV-B, with leaves at veraison being the most responsive. Only two proteins—omega-hydroxypalmitate <em>O</em>-feruloyl transferase and chalcone isomerase—were consistently upregulated across all tissues and stages. <em>In silico</em> analysis of their promoters suggested regulation by light, hormones, and stress signals. UV-B altered both primary and secondary metabolism. Photosynthesis-related proteins were reduced in veraison leaves but increased in pre-veraison berry skins. Stress-related proteins showed opposite trends across development in berries. Polyphenol biosynthesis and antioxidant capacity were enhanced in +UV-B treatment, with transketolase, 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase (DHS), and chalcone isomerase emerging as key contributors to polyphenol accumulation. At veraison, UV-B induced lignin and flavonoid biosynthesis in leaves and promoted anthocyanin biosynthesis in berry skins, favoring the flavonoid 3′,5′-hydroxylase (F3′5′H) branch. UVR8 isoforms abundance correlated with anthocyanin-related responses, and a caffeoyl-CoA <em>O</em>-methyltransferase-2 isoform may mediate delphinidin methylation under UV-B stress. As berries matured, antioxidant defenses shifted from non-enzymatic to enzymatic mechanisms. This first proteomic study of high-altitude, field-grown grape berries provides new insights into UV-B acclimation and its potential to enhance grape and wine quality in a changing climate.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"237 ","pages":"Article 106198"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144604788","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physiological responses of reproductive Sargassum horneri to increased light and nitrogen levels","authors":"Baoqi Li ,&nbsp;Xiaoxi Guo ,&nbsp;Xiaoyu Jiang ,&nbsp;Ning Wang ,&nbsp;Menglin Bao ,&nbsp;Fang Yan ,&nbsp;Shasha Zang ,&nbsp;Hongyan Wu ,&nbsp;Zhiguang Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106195","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106195","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The <em>Sargassum</em> golden tide has resulted in severe ecological impacts, and the eutrophication of seawater is considered as a major trigger for it. To explore the physiological responses of reproductive <em>S. horneri</em>, a golden tide species, to increased light and nitrogen levels, two light intensities (LL and HL) and two nitrate concentrations (LN and HN) were set in this study. The results of two-factor interaction experiment showed that light and nitrate interactively influenced the photosynthesis of reproductive <em>S. horneri</em>. In LN treatment, a significant photoinhibition caused by high light was found, reflected by decreased maximum photochemical quantum yield (<em>F</em>_<em>v</em><em>/F</em>_<em>m</em>) and photosynthetic rate, enhanced non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), and reduced Chl<em>a</em> and Chl<em>c</em> contents. However, the HN culture remarkably alleviated such photoinhibition, even exhibited a higher photosynthetic rate in HL treatment, with the elevated Chl<em>a</em> and Chl<em>c</em> contents. The increments of Car and ultraviolet-absorbing compounds (UVACs) contents, electron transport efficiency (α), and dark respiration rate in HN treatment may contribute to protecting and repairing the photodamage. Additionally, HL and HN treatments significantly increased the C and N contents in the branches and receptacles of alga. The HLHN treatment significantly enhanced the relative growth rate (RGR) at initial culture, and increased the number of reproductive receptacle and reproductive effort. Based on these findings, we hypothesize that under eutrophic conditions, reproductive <em>S. horneri</em>, after detachment and floating to the sea surface, is more likely to maintain rapid growth and reproduction and form golden tide after adapting to high light conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"237 ","pages":"Article 106195"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144579548","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Induced post-invasive defenses in the nonhost plant Parthenium hysterophorus L. prevent root cortical colonization by Macrophomina phaseolina and impart resistance to dry root rot","authors":"Rishabh Mirchandani,&nbsp;Manu Kandpal,&nbsp;Aashish Ranjan,&nbsp;Senjuti Sinharoy,&nbsp;Muthappa Senthil-Kumar","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106197","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106197","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dry root rot (DRR) of chickpea is caused by the broad-range necrotrophic fungus <em>Macrophomina phaseolina.</em> Chickpea germplasm does not provide durable resistance to DRR, which is particularly devastating under drought. Even moderately resistant chickpea varieties become susceptible under combined stress. We hypothesized that nonhost resistance (NHR) is durable even under combined stress. Using the blotter paper assay and stereomicroscopic observations, we identified the asterid weed <em>Parthenium hysterophorus</em> as a potential nonhost of <em>M. phaseolina</em> among 82 potential nonhosts. Epidermal necrotic lesions were prevented in <em>P. hysterophorus</em>. <em>In planta</em> fungal load was 0.195 and 0.007 ng/ng total DNA in chickpea and <em>P. hysterophorus</em>, respectively. <em>M. phaseolina</em> could not colonize the <em>P. hysterophorus</em> root while up to 6 cortical cell layers were colonized in chickpea. Further, NHR was durable under combined stress. Dual RNA sequencing revealed that <em>M. phaseolina</em> actively attempted to infect the nonhost and activated specific genes in the xenobiotics degradation pathway. <em>P. hysterophorus</em> also showed an active defense response with1958 and 2294 differentially expressed genes at 2 and 4 DAI, respectively, with 363 upregulated at both time points. Differential expression of cell wall synthesis, phytohormone signaling, and other defense response pathways likely contributes to NHR. Few genes in the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways in <em>P. hysterophorus</em> were also upregulated, possibly because these metabolites are linked to the distinct changes in the fungus during nonhost infection. We therefore conclude that <em>P. hysterophorus</em> exhibits post-invasive NHR to <em>M. phaseolina</em> and that general defense, phytohormone signaling and secondary metabolic pathways contribute to NHR.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"237 ","pages":"Article 106197"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144596429","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular mechanisms of wheat acclimation to soil degradation: Insights into salt stress, heavy metal contamination, and nutrient deficiency","authors":"Jiahong Guo ,&nbsp;Yiping Chen ,&nbsp;Yan Zhao ,&nbsp;Hanwen Tian ,&nbsp;Yao Jiang ,&nbsp;Yuchen Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106193","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106193","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wheat is the world’s second-largest crop, feeding over 30 % of the global population. To meet increasing food demand, substantial amounts of fertilizers have been used to boost yields. However, excessive fertilization has led to severe soil degradation, including salinization, heavy metal contamination, and nutrient depletion, which negatively impact wheat yield and quality over time. This review highlights recent advances in understanding wheat acclimation thresholds and the molecular mechanisms involved in responding to adverse soil environments. Key molecular responses include: (1) enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity and the accumulation of protective compounds that mitigate reactive oxygen species and stabilize cellular structures; (2) activation of transporter and ion channel-related genes to promote Na⁺ efflux and reduce salt toxicity; (3) coordinated action of chelation and transport genes that bind, compartmentalize, and expel toxic metal ions, thereby reducing heavy metal toxicity; and (4) upregulation of root architecture and high-affinity nutrient transporter genes to improve nutrient acquisition under deficiency stress. Acclimation thresholds to salinity, heavy metals, and nutrient limitations vary among wheat varieties due to underlying genetic differences. Understanding plant responses to combined soil stresses and leveraging these traits through advanced breeding strategies will be key to developing resilient varieties for sustainable agriculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"237 ","pages":"Article 106193"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144595673","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}