Environmental and Experimental Botany最新文献

{"title":"Short-term elevated rhizosphere CO₂ enhances antioxidant capacity in facility melon seedlings by promoting flavonoids accumulation","authors":"XingLin Wang ,&nbsp;MingHui Li ,&nbsp;Xiaoxue He ,&nbsp;Yanan Li ,&nbsp;Shuai Pei ,&nbsp;Ziqi Wang ,&nbsp;Hongyan Qi ,&nbsp;Yiling Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106291","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106291","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Melon (<em>Cucumis melo</em>) is one of major commercial crop in facility cultivation. However, continuous cropping, excessive organic fertilizer application, heightened microbial activity, and plastic film mulching often lead to rhizosphere CO₂ accumulation during production. Previous studies have demonstrated that short-term elevated rhizosphere CO₂ significantly promote melon growth. While the carbon secondary assimilation products and key secondary metabolic mechanisms that promote the growth of melon seedlings under ER-CO₂ unclear. Therefore, we investigated carbon assimilation, allocation, and secondary metabolism of melon seedlings under elevated rhizosphere CO₂ through physiological, ¹³C-isotope labeling and metabolic flux analyses. Results indicated that δ¹³C values and ¹³C assimilation rates in roots and leaves initially increased (peaking at 48 h) and then declined. Non-targeted ¹³C metabolic flux and metabolite content analyses demonstrated that differential metabolites of melon seedlings were significantly enriched in tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and phenylpropanoid metabolism. qRT-PCR confirmed short-term Elevated Rhizosphere CO₂ (ER-CO₂) up-regulated <em>CmPEPC, CmMDH, CmPEPCK</em> and <em>CmCS</em> while down-regulated <em>CmIDH</em> and <em>CmACO</em> in the TCA cycle. Concurrently, negative feedback mechanism was activated to up-regulate <em>CmPEPCK</em> expression, thereby facilitating carbon partitioning, which ultimately up-regulated the genes of flavonoid pathway in phenylpropanoid metabolism (<em>CmSDH, CmPAL and CmCHS</em>) and promoted the accumulation of flavonoids. Flavonoid metabolites contributed to the favorable cellular environment for the growth of melon seedlings by enhancing the endogenous antioxidant defense system through both direct and indirect pathways while maintaining ROS accumulation of signaling levels. This study provides a theoretical foundation for optimizing the regulation of adverse rhizosphere conditions in facility-grown oriental melons.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"241 ","pages":"Article 106291"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145734451","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":"Grapevine responses to water deficit and N x K fertilization: Seasonal variation of ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ and ‘Grenache’ physiology","authors":"Gabriella Vinci ,&nbsp;Alberto Calderan ,&nbsp;Arianna Lodovici ,&nbsp;Marianna Fasoli ,&nbsp;Paolo Sivilotti ,&nbsp;Laura Zanin","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106294","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106294","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Water and nutrient availability strongly influence grapevine yield and wine quality. While the single effects of water deficit and nutrient deficiency have been extensively studied, their interaction remains poorly understood. Two-year-old <em>Vitis vinifera</em> L. cv ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ (near-anisohydric) and ‘Grenache’ (near-isohydric) plants grafted on SO4 were grown in pots under semi-environmental conditions. Plants were either maintained well-watered (100 % lysimeter evapotranspiration, ET_lys) or subjected to water deficit (33 % ET_lys) and treated with different nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) fertilization rates. Morpho-physiological analyses revealed that water deficit significantly reduced plant growth, with ‘Grenache’ exhibiting a slower growth rate than ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’. At flowering, water treatment was the dominant factor modulating plant response. Water deficit reduced stomatal conductance (g_s), while enhancing accumulation of several nutrients. N and K fertilization became dominant factors during the following developmental stages: leaf ionomic composition of ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ was responsive to N and K from veraison, and this behavior aligns with g_s reduction caused by high N rather than water deficit. Conversely, the ionomic composition of ‘Grenache’ was affected by N and K only at maturity, while g_s was consistently modulated by water availability throughout the season. K effects on leaf ionomic composition were more pronounced under high N. We highlighted the importance of both water and chemical inputs, whose effects vary with cultivar and developmental stage. Results will contribute to the improvement of viticultural sustainability by developing optimized fertilization strategies tailored to plant requirements under specific environmental conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"241 ","pages":"Article 106294"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145787631","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":"Priming and memory in ancient olive cultivars: Enhancing drought resilience through rhizosphere microbial consortia under repeated stress cycles","authors":"Emanuele Fosso,&nbsp;Maria Tartaglia,&nbsp;Gina Gizzi,&nbsp;Maria Maisto,&nbsp;Maria Antonietta Ranauda,&nbsp;Monica Labella-Ortega,&nbsp;Antonello Prigioniero,&nbsp;Daniela Zuzolo,&nbsp;Carmine Guarino","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106295","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106295","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding how olive cultivars respond to recurrent drought is critical to develop climate-resilient cropping systems. This study investigated the physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses of three autochthonous cultivars (Ortice, Ortolana, Racioppella) exposed to repeated water deficit, with and without inoculation of a PGPR consortium (<em>Bacillus subtilis</em>, <em>Pseudomonas fluorescens</em>). Under stress, Ortolana maintained stable water status, <em>Ortice</em> exhibited progressive adaptive plasticity, while Racioppella showed heightened stress sensitivity with limited recovery capacity. Microbial inoculation enhanced the accumulation of osmolytes (proline, soluble sugars) and antioxidants (phenols, flavonoids), and mitigated pigment degradation. At the molecular level, drought induced strong upregulation of <em>NCED1</em> and repression of <em>PP2C</em>, while inoculated plants displayed a tempered transcriptional response, suggesting effective priming. Upon the second stress exposure, <em>LEA46</em> and <em>DHN1</em> expression increased markedly, particularly in Ortice, indicating activation of stress memory. Expression of <em>OePIP2.1</em> aquaporin declined under drought, consistent with reduced membrane water permeability; however, cultivar-specific patterns emerged, implying differential regulatory strategies. The microbial consortium appeared to reinforce both primed and memory-based responses. These findings demonstrate that integrating tolerant genotypes with functional microbial inoculants enhances drought resilience through coordinated physiological regulation and timely modulation of stress-responsive genes, supporting sustainable olive production in water-limited environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"241 ","pages":"Article 106295"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145787632","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":"Silicon alleviates aluminum stress via distinct mechanisms in two Eucalyptus species differing in Al tolerance","authors":"Linjuan Huang ,&nbsp;Lei Wang ,&nbsp;Luocan Zhou ,&nbsp;Yandi Qin ,&nbsp;Yishan Luo ,&nbsp;Hongying Li ,&nbsp;Jingzhong Shi ,&nbsp;Le Kong ,&nbsp;Wenmei Tan ,&nbsp;Weichao Teng","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106299","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106299","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Silicon (Si) is an environmentally friendly and non-toxic additive that can mitigate aluminum (Al) toxicity in plants. <em>Eucalyptus</em>, a widely cultivated tree species in southern China, faces growth limitation and Si deficiency under Al stress. However, the role of Si in reshaping plant functional-elemental networks under Al stress remains unclear. Hence, we conducted a pot experiment on Al-sensitive <em>Eucalyptus</em> (<em>E. tereticornis</em>) and Al-tolerant <em>Eucalyptus</em> (<em>E. urophylla</em>), with two Al levels (0 and 4.5 mM) and four Si levels (0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mM). Results showed that Al stress significantly reduced plant biomass, functional traits, photosynthesis, and multi-element accumulation in both species (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), with <em>E. tereticornis</em> more adversely affected. Silicon addition, particularly at 0.5 mM, markedly alleviated Al-induced growth inhibition by promoting biomass accumulation, improving functional traits, enhancing photosynthesis and water use efficiency, and increasing the uptake of essential nutrients (e.g., C, N, P, K, Si, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, and Fe). Notably, Si addition had different effects on Al accumulation: it reduced Al accumulation in <em>E. tereticornis</em> but increased it in <em>E. urophylla</em>. Network analysis further suggested that <em>E. tereticornis</em> primarily relied on Si-induced external Al exclusion by enhancing the uptake of competing cations (e.g., K⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺), whereas <em>E. urophylla</em> adopted internal Si-mediated detoxification by promoting Al and Si co-accumulation and the formation of low-toxicity Al-Si complexes, thereby enhancing Al immobilization. Consequently, these findings highlight the distinct Si-mediated strategies for Al stress in two <em>Eucalyptus</em> species, providing novel insights into the Si alleviation mechanism under Al stress.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"241 ","pages":"Article 106299"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145787633","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":"Drought stress modulates the molecular response of Arabidopsis plants to root-knot nematode infection","authors":"Ahmed Refaiy,&nbsp;Catherine J. Lilley,&nbsp;Nicky J. Atkinson,&nbsp;Peter E. Urwin","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106308","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106308","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plants are exposed to multiple concurrent stresses under field conditions that can include a combination of biotic and abiotic factors. Drought stress and plant parasitic nematodes are among the most damaging stress factors limiting plant growth and production. Plants have developed complex and specific responses to combined biotic and abiotic stresses, which differ from their responses to individual stresses. Therefore, there is an imperative need to understand plant responses to multiple stresses as a central avenue for development of robust plants with the ability to sustain growth and crop production in times of global climate change. RNA-Seq analysis was performed on Arabidopsis plants to investigate the transcriptomic responses to infection with the root-knot nematode <em>Meloidogyne incognita</em> and drought stress either individually or concurrently. Arabidopsis plants activated a unique suite of genes in response to the joint stress, which significantly differed from the response to either individual stress. Among these differentially expressed genes, <em>AZELAIC ACID INDUCED1 (AZI1), SMALL AUXIN UPREGULATED RNA 71 (SAUR71), and DISEASE RELATED NONSPECIFIC LIPID TRANSFER PROTEIN 1 (DRN1)</em> may play important roles in plant responses to concurrent drought stress and root-knot nematode infection. The expression of <em>AZI1</em>, which is involved in priming defences via systemic acquired resistance, was uniquely upregulated in Arabidopsis leaves in response to the combined stress. <em>SAUR71,</em> which is a member of the largest family of primary auxin response genes, was induced solely in response to combined stress. In contrast, the expression of <em>DRN1,</em> a member of the non-specific lipid-transfer protein family, was strongly suppressed in Arabidopsis roots by combined drought stress and nematode infection. When Arabidopsis plants are exposed to multiple stresses simultaneously, their defence and adaptation mechanisms become more complex, leading to the induction of a wide range of morphological and molecular changes that enable them to cope with combined stress conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"241 ","pages":"Article 106308"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145920900","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":"High air humidity enhances catechin accumulation in tea plants (Camellia sinensis L.) through a specific molecular pathway","authors":"Ping Xiang ,&nbsp;Marat Tukhvatshin ,&nbsp;Qiufang Zhu ,&nbsp;Jiaxin Huang ,&nbsp;Bosi Cheng ,&nbsp;Meng Tan ,&nbsp;Jianghong Liu ,&nbsp;Yutao Shi ,&nbsp;Liangyu Wu ,&nbsp;Jinke Lin ,&nbsp;Yue Zhang ,&nbsp;Yunfei Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106280","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106280","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Catechins are key components influencing the flavor and health benefits of tea. While environmental effects on catechin biosynthesis are widely studied, how air humidity regulates this process remains unclear. In this study, tea cuttings were cultivated in growth chambers under controlled humidity conditions, and their responses in catechin biosynthesis were investigated using HPLC, qPCR, and bioinformatics analyses. The results showed that 90 % air humidity treatment significantly increased esterified catechin contents, including epigallocatechin gallate, epicatechin gallate, gallocatechin gallate. Moreover, high air humidity upregulated the expression of structural genes and transcription factors including <em>CsCHS, CsC4H, CsANS, CsLAR1, CsDFR, CsANR2</em> and <em>CsTCP</em>, in contrast to the downregulation of microRNAs (miR529, miR3444b, miR2868, miR169a). Bioinformatics analysis combined with antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (asODN) confirmed the regulatory role of <em>CsTCP22</em> on <em>CsC4H/CsLAR1</em> in tea plants. Collectively, the study reveals that high air humidity promotes catechin biosynthesis through specific regulatory pathway, providing a reference for optimizing air humidity management in tea plantations to enhance tea quality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"241 ","pages":"Article 106280"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145645919","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":"Blue and red light-enrichments induce dwarfism in Hydrangea macrophylla through molecular regulation of gibberellin pathway and of cell wall extensibility, without deleterious effects on photosynthetic parameters","authors":"Béra Ley-Ngardigal ,&nbsp;Hanaé Roman ,&nbsp;Lydie Huché-Thélier ,&nbsp;Isabel Guerrero Zepeda ,&nbsp;Nathalie Brouard ,&nbsp;Vincent Guérin ,&nbsp;Nathalie Leduc","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106289","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106289","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Hydrangea macrophylla</em> is a popular ornamental plant, and controlling its growth is essential for producing compact branched pot plants with abundant inflorescences. Plant growth regulators (PGR) enable growth control, but environmental concerns and their phasing out require eco-friendly alternatives for dwarfing plants. Light spectrum manipulation has shown potential for growth control in numerous species, but photomorphogenic responses vary greatly with genotypes and cultural conditions. Two light spectra were applied on two <em>H. macrophylla</em> cultivars, Nanping and Wudu, to reduce stem elongation: one enriched in blue light (B-enr) and one enriched in red and blue lights (RB-enr). Both spectra significantly reduced stem elongation in both cultivars, with an efficiency comparable to daminozide, a commonly used PGR. Transcriptional analysis revealed that B-enr, RB-enr and daminozide treatments up-regulated genes related to cell wall modification (<em>HmPGX3</em>, <em>HmPE1</em>, <em>HmEXPB2, HmCESA5 and HmKNAT7</em>) and gibberellin metabolism and signaling pathways, while down-regulating genes associated with secondary growth (<em>HmXYP1</em>, <em>HmSAMS1</em> and <em>HmCAD1</em>). These results suggest that light spectra impacted the same regulatory pathway of stem elongation as daminozide. However, unlike daminozide, both light spectra enhanced photosynthetic processes, increasing chlorophyll index, stomatal conductance and maximum photosystem II efficiency. This study describes two effective light spectra as alternatives to chemical dwarfing in <em>H. macrophylla</em> and provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms influencing growth responses to light quality. It also brings with first evidence in a plant species of a light control over <em>KNAT7</em>, a key regulator of cell expansion and secondary cell wall thickening.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"241 ","pages":"Article 106289"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145683283","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":"Integrative analysis of salt stress responses in peanut, sunflower, and soybean seedlings reveals tissue-specific tolerance mechanisms","authors":"Syeda Wajeeha Gillani ,&nbsp;Angyan Ren ,&nbsp;Meng Wang ,&nbsp;Lu Wang ,&nbsp;Yingyu Qu ,&nbsp;Yiru Song ,&nbsp;Yu Bai ,&nbsp;Chen Meng ,&nbsp;Liangqiang Cheng ,&nbsp;Yiqiang Li ,&nbsp;Xueli Lu ,&nbsp;Zongchang Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106304","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106304","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Salt stress severely restricts oilseed crop productivity, underscoring the need for species-specific insights into tolerance mechanisms. In this study, 21 sunflower (<em>Helianthus annuus</em>), 20 peanut (<em>Arachis hypogaea</em>), and 43 soybean (<em>Glycine max</em>) tolerant and sensitive cultivars were evaluated under eight graded NaCl treatments to determine species-specific salt tolerance thresholds. Representative cultivars were further analyzed for physiological, biochemical, and transcriptomic responses under medium (0.4–0.6 %) and severe (0.8–1.2 %) salinity to elucidate adaptive strategies. Sunflower exhibited strong growth resilience and a biphasic sodium (Na⁺) allocation pattern, initially directing Na⁺ to shoots for osmotic adjustment under medium stress, followed by enhanced root sequestration under severe stress. This was accompanied by high antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, POD), minimal oxidative damage, and root-specific upregulation of stress-responsive genes including <em>UBP15</em>, <em>SPNS</em>, and <em>KEG</em>. In peanut, salt tolerance was associated with moderate germination tolerance, root-based Na⁺ compartmentalization, transient antioxidant and ROS-scavenging activity, and localized expression of calcium signaling (<em>CML19</em>, <em>ACA13</em>) and ion transport genes (<em>PAT8</em>, <em>PLT4</em>). Soybean displayed superior germination and flexible Na⁺ distribution pattern, retaining Na⁺ in roots under low salinity and facilitating shoot translocation under high salinity. This was coupled with elevated antioxidant activities and shoot-preferential expression of transcriptional regulators (<em>CRK7</em>, <em>RAP2.2</em>, <em>MYB84</em>, <em>PYR1)</em>. Additionally, soybean shoots exhibited dynamic transcriptomic reprogramming under varying salinity, with key regulatory genes (<em>CTR1</em>, <em>KNAT7</em>, <em>WRKY23</em>, <em>MKP1</em>) mediating Na⁺ exclusion under medium stress and redistribution under severe stress. Together, these results highlight integrated ion homeostasis, ROS detoxification, and transcriptional adjustments as core mechanisms underlying salt tolerance across diverse oilseed crops.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"241 ","pages":"Article 106304"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145920864","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":"Ozone-induced ‘sluggish’ stomatal CO2 response depends on oxidative damage and pigment degradation in the Mediterranean shrub Viburnum lantana L.","authors":"Cesare Garosi ,&nbsp;Elena Paoletti ,&nbsp;Claudia Pisuttu ,&nbsp;Lorenzo Cotrozzi ,&nbsp;Elisa Pellegrini ,&nbsp;Yasutomo Hoshika","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106273","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106273","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tropospheric ozone (O₃) is a pervasive air pollutant known to impair stomatal regulation in plants, i.e. stomatal sluggishness, in association with a reduction of photosynthesis. However, its impact on the dynamic responsiveness of stomata to carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of chronic O₃ exposure on both steady-state and dynamic leaf gas exchange response to low or high CO₂ concentration (50 or 1000 µmol mol⁻¹) in <em>Viburnum lantana</em> L., a Mediterranean shrub species highly sensitive to oxidative stress. Ozone-exposed plants exhibited pronounced stomatal sluggishness in response to rapid CO₂ transitions, characterized by delayed closure, reduced opening amplitude, and prolonged response times. These impairments were associated with significant decreases in photosynthetic capacity, pigment degradation (chlorophylls and xanthophylls), and increased lipid peroxidation. Correlation analyses revealed strong links among pigment loss, oxidative membrane damage, and impaired stomatal kinetics, suggesting that both energetic and structural limitations contribute to O₃-induced stomatal dysfunction. These findings indicate that the CO₂ responsiveness of stomata under O₃ stress is not simply passive damage, but reflects a complex, multilevel breakdown of guard cell regulation. As atmospheric O₃ and CO₂ concentrations continue to rise, such impairment may critically constrain plant carbon–water balance, especially in sensitive woody species inhabiting Mediterranean montane environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"240 ","pages":"Article 106273"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145577329","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":"PFOS effects on root stem cell maintenance and regeneration by suppressing the stem cell factor PLT2","authors":"Chenglin Wang ,&nbsp;Che Sun ,&nbsp;Ke Ning ,&nbsp;Shan He ,&nbsp;Xin Hua ,&nbsp;Jiayu Guo ,&nbsp;Yuting Lin ,&nbsp;Lanlan Zheng ,&nbsp;Yonghong Zhang ,&nbsp;Lei You ,&nbsp;Zheyong Xue ,&nbsp;Chen Li ,&nbsp;Juan Liu ,&nbsp;Xihua Li","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106279","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106279","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), a persistent organic pollutant, poses significant environmental risks due to its widespread contamination of agricultural systems. However, its phytotoxic mechanisms on Arabidopsis root growth and regeneration remain incompletely understood. In this study, we systematically investigated PFOS phytotoxicity and revealed its multimodal inhibitory effects on root growth, stem cell maintenance and regeneration. Our results demonstrated that PFOS exposure induced concentration-dependent reductions in primary root length, meristem size, and meristematic cortex cell number. Crucially, we observed downregulation of PLT2 expression in the root stem cell niche, whereas the auxin transporters PIN1/PIN2 and other key stem cell regulators (SHR, SCR, PLT1) remained largely unaltered under PFOS stress. This suppression of PLT2 correlated with both meristem dysfunction and impaired regeneration capacity. Furthermore, PFOS triggered oxidative stress and promoted root cell death. Taken together, these findings provide crucial insights into the mechanisms of PFOS phytotoxicity. The discovery of PLT2-mediated effects offers new perspectives for understanding how pollutants affect plant development and regeneration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"240 ","pages":"Article 106279"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145620847","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}