Frontiers in Plant Science最新文献

{"title":"<i>Smallanthus sonchifolius</i> as a trap plant for <i>Bemisia tabaci</i>: host preference, host suitability, and semi-field control effects under protected tomato cultivation.","authors":"Huangkai Tang, Yuze An, Yun Gao, Lingling Liu, Songtao Tan, Yana Li, Wei Wang, Binyan Cai, Li Ding, Jiani Liu, Shaowu Yang","doi":"10.3389/fpls.2026.1973439","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpls.2026.1973439","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>This study aimed to identify promising trap plants for <i>Bemisia tabaci</i> among five host plants by integrating laboratory host preference and host suitability with semi-field population suppression under protected tomato cultivation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Laboratory assays assessed adult settling and oviposition preference and the survival and development of <i>B. tabaci</i> on the five plants. A greenhouse trial then evaluated whether planting these plants around protected tomato reduced <i>B. tabaci</i> densities on the main crop.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>55.33% of female and 54.17% of male <i>B. tabaci</i> adults chose <i>Smallanthus sonchifolius</i>, whereas less than 10% of adults chose <i>Phaseolus vulgaris</i> and <i>Nicotiana tabacum</i>. The number of eggs laid by <i>B. tabaci</i> adults on <i>S. sonchifolius</i> reached 260.30 per plant, which was significantly higher than those on other plants. Considering the entire stage from egg to adult, the survival rate of <i>B. tabaci</i> on <i>S. sonchifolius</i> was highest (53.33%); and lowest on <i>N. tabacum</i> (23.83%). The development time of <i>B. tabaci</i> egg to nymph was longest on <i>N. tabacum</i> (33.45 days), and shortest on <i>S. sonchifolius</i> (21.78 days). The lifespan of adults was longest on <i>S. sonchifolius</i> (24.03 days), and shorter on <i>N. tabacum</i> (15.33 days). In a semi-field greenhouse trial, planting <i>S. sonchifolius</i> as a trap plant significantly reduced <i>B. tabaci</i> population on tomato plants under protected cultivation, with adult densities below 400 individuals per 100 cm² leaf and nymph densities below 550 individuals per 100 cm² leaf.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>In summary, <i>B. tabaci</i> showed a strong settling and oviposition preference for <i>S. sonchifolius</i>, and this plant may have potential as an attractive trap plant for ecological management of <i>B. tabaci</i>, provided that <i>B. tabaci</i> on the trap plants is controlled promptly to prevent the plants from becoming a population source.</p>","PeriodicalId":12632,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Plant Science","volume":"17 ","pages":"1973439"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13683709/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149238101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of different potassium fertilization rates on root-soil interaction in Korla fragrant pear orchards.","authors":"Kailong Wang, Yuan Hu, Xiaolei Sun, Pengxue Jia, Enduo Liu, Xintong Gao, Zhongping Chai","doi":"10.3389/fpls.2026.1899783","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpls.2026.1899783","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>To clarify the responses of the soil-root system in Korla fragrant pear orchards to different potassium application rates and their relationships with yield formation, this study evaluated the effects of potassium fertilization across the vertical soil profile, with the aim of providing a basis for rational potassium management in drip-irrigated Korla fragrant pear orchards.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A field experiment was conducted in a 7-8-year-old Korla fragrant pear orchard under drip irrigation. Four potassium treatments were established: K0 (0 kg hm^-2), K1 (75 kg hm^-2), K2 (150 kg hm^-2), and K3 (225 kg hm^-2). Soil physicochemical properties, soil enzyme activities, root vitality, and fruit yield were measured at depths of 0-20, 20-40, and 40-60 cm. Mantel tests, principal component analysis (PCA), and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) were used to analyze relationships among the measured variables.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Potassium application generally improved soil nutrient availability and the activities of several soil enzymes while reducing soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC), although the magnitude of these responses varied with potassium application rate and soil depth. Potassium application significantly increased root vitality and was accompanied by adjustments in root anatomical traits, including cortical thickness, vascular tissue cell composition, vessel area, and root cross-sectional area. Most soil, enzyme activity, and root-related indicators showed favorable responses under the K2 treatment, and fruit yield under K2 was 47.36% higher than that under K0. PCA and PLS-SEM indicated strong associations among soil physicochemical properties, enzyme activities, root traits, and fruit yield.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Under the soil conditions, tree age, and drip-irrigation management regime of this study, the 150 kg hm^-2 potassium treatment showed favorable integrated soil-root responses and yield performance. However, its broader suitability requires further validation through multi-year and multi-site experiments.</p>","PeriodicalId":12632,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Plant Science","volume":"17 ","pages":"1899783"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13683626/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149238209","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimization of protoplast cell division and microcallus formation toward somatic embryogenesis in oil palm.","authors":"Mohamed A A Ahmed, Hanlu Su, Elboghdady A E A, Seerat Fatima, Zhiying Li, Yong Wang","doi":"10.3389/fpls.2026.1952622","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2026.1952622","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Efficient protoplast regeneration remains a major obstacle to the application of somatic hybridization, genome editing and precision breeding in oil palm (<i>Elaeis guineensis</i>); while early developmental stages, from cell wall regeneration and cell division to microcolony and microcallus formation, could be more important, which could be connected easily with the traditional tissue culture system for succeeding plant regeneration. This study aimed to optimize the protopalst culture conditions for cell division and microcallus formation by identifying the most effective combinations of culture systems, basal media and plant growth regulators.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Protoplasts isolated from different oil palm tissues (embryogenic callus, suspension cultures, and somatic embryos) were investigated by protoplast yield and viability; protoplasts from the embryogenic callus showed the most satisfactory response and was therefore used for subsequent optimization of culture conditions. The protoplasts were cultured using six culture systems (liquid, droplet, agarose pool, well-plate culture, feeder layer, and nurse culture) in combination with eight basal media (BH3, MS, WPM, Y3, KM, B5, N6, and KPR), and the culture effects were evaluated based on protoplast viability, plating efficiency, cell division, microcolony and microcallus formation. Microcallus emerged from the KPR solid medium were transferred to previously established traditional tissue culture system for further somatic embryogenesis and regeneration.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>BH3 liquid medium was particularly effective for early protoplast recovery and rapid cell wall regeneration, whereas KPR solid medium combined with the nurse culture system, provided the most favorable conditions for sustained cell division, plating efficiency, microcolony and microcallus formation. Cell division occurred within 3-7 days, followed by microcolony formation after approximately 7 days and visible microcallus formation after 60 days. Microcallus were transferred for further development, somatic embryos and bud regeneration was observed after 90 days and 120 days, respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The present study focused on the early developmental stages of oil palm protoplast culture, and optimized a stage-specific culture strategy for quick microcallus formation; combined with previous oil palm tissue culture system, further somatic embryogenesis and bud regeneration were established successfully. This work not only promoted the protoplast regeneration of oil palm, but also provides a promising strategy for other tropical palm trees such as coconut and betel nut.</p>","PeriodicalId":12632,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Plant Science","volume":"17 ","pages":"1952622"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13684913/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149244116","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrative characterization of the heat shock transcription factors in <i>Acorus</i>: evolution and heat-responsive regulatory patterns.","authors":"Liang Ma, Cheng-Yuan Zhou, Yao He, Houhua Fu, Chenyu Gong, Yu Chen, Zhong-Jian Liu, Shipin Chen","doi":"10.3389/fpls.2026.1974158","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpls.2026.1974158","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>With global climate change driving rising temperatures, the persistence and physiological performance of <i>Acorus</i> are increasingly threatened, highlighting the importance of understanding its molecular responses to heat stress. Heat shock transcription factors (HSFs) constitute a major family of transcriptional regulators involved in plant heat-stress responses and thermotolerance. Here, we identified 39 and 20 HSF genes in <i>Acorus calamus</i> and <i>A. gramineus</i>. Conserved motif and domain analyses revealed subfamily-specific structural features, while comparative synteny suggested that polyploidy and differential gene retention contributed to HSF family expansion in <i>A. calamus</i>. Subgenome-level analysis revealed no obvious difference in HSF gene number between subgenomes, whereas retained homeolog pairs exhibited tissue-dependent expression divergence. Promoter, predicted protein-protein interaction, and GO enrichment analyses linked AgHSFs to stress regulation and heat-response networks. Integrated analysis of time-series expression profiles, differential expression, weighted gene co-expression networks, and qRT-PCR revealed diverse temporal responses among AgHSFs and supported AgHSF07, AgHSF12, and AgHSF20 as strongly heat-responsive candidates for further characterization. AgHSF07 and AgHSF12 showed mainly nuclear YFP signals and strong autoactivation in the yeast system, supporting their potential roles as transcriptional activators. Together, this integrated genomic-transcriptomic framework provides insights into HSF evolution and heat-response regulation in <i>Acorus</i> and highlights AgHSF07 and AgHSF12 as promising candidate regulators for further functional studies of thermotolerance.</p>","PeriodicalId":12632,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Plant Science","volume":"17 ","pages":"1974158"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13682968/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149238129","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Engineering a thermostable recombinant <i>Bacillus thuringiensis</i> serovar <i>tenebrionis</i> expressing a date palm dehydrin gene for improved red palm weevil biocontrol.","authors":"Mughair Abdul Aziz, Shafeeq Rahman, Uday Kishore, Khaled Masmoudi","doi":"10.3389/fpls.2026.1938538","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpls.2026.1938538","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The efficacy of <i>Bacillus thuringiensis</i> based biopesticides under field conditions is frequently compromised due to the thermal degradation of δ-endotoxins at elevated temperatures. Dehydrins (DHNs) are highly hydrophilic and intrinsically disordered proteins characterized by flexible structures and the ability to interact with a wide range of cellular molecules, including proteins, enzymes, membranes, and ions. These properties enable DHNs to protect and stabilize cellular macromolecules and help maintain cellular functions under adverse environmental conditions. In this study, <i>B. thuringiensis</i> serovar <i>tenebrionis</i> was engineered to express the date palm <i>DHN</i> gene <i>PdDHN1</i>, and its performance was compared with wild-type and empty vector strains after defined thermal preconditioning at 28 °C and 45 °C for 7 days before application. After heat-stress preconditioning, the <i>PdDHN1</i>-expressing strain retained the highest sporulation capacity (16.5 × 10⁷ spores/ml), exceeding both the wild-type strain (11.8 × 10⁷ spores/ml) and the empty vector strain (9.2 × 10⁷ spores/ml). Bioassays against red palm weevil (RPW), <i>Rhynchophorus ferrugineus</i> showed that the recombinant strain had stronger insecticidal activity than the control strains under both thermal regimes, causing faster survival decline and greater mortality. <i>PdDHN1</i>-transformed formulations reduced RPW larval and adult survival to below 10% after 21 days, whereas the wild-type and empty-vector strains showed a lower reduction in RPW survival. Feeding efficiency assays showed physiological disruption in insects exposed to the <i>PdDHN1</i>-transformed <i>B. thuringiensis</i> strain; in larvae, feed conversion efficiency (FCE), efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI), and efficiency of conversion of digested food (ECD) decreased by 73.72%, 70.65%, and 66.86%, respectively, compared with wild-type and empty vector strains. In adults, ECI and ECD were reduced by 70.65% and 63.40%, respectively, under the same conditions. The expression of <i>PdDHN1</i> enhances <i>B. thuringiensis</i> thermal stability and insecticidal efficacy under heat stress, providing an approach to improve biopesticide performance in high-temperature environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":12632,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Plant Science","volume":"17 ","pages":"1938538"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13683069/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149238151","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"MYC2b-regulated tyramine-derived phenolamides in maize defense against <i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i>.","authors":"Yingying Zheng, Na Sun, Zicha Wu, Jinyi Tian, Jing Chen, Xueyang Ju, Rensen Zeng, Yuanyuan Song, Dongmei Chen, Jie Wang","doi":"10.3389/fpls.2026.1945110","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpls.2026.1945110","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The fall armyworm <i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i> is a devastating pest of maize, capable of detoxifying the well-studied benzoxazinoid (BX) defenses. Whether maize deploys additional inducible defenses that complement BXs remains unclear.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We performed targeted alkaloid metabolomics, absolute quantification, artificial-diet bioassays, transcript profiling, hormone quantification, and genetic analysis using a <i>myc2a myc2b</i> double mutant to investigate phenolamide-mediated defense against FAW in maize.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Upon <i>S. frugiperda</i> herbivory, maize leaves accumulated tyramine-derived phenolamides to levels that far exceeded those of BXs at 48 h after infestation. The two most abundant phenolamides, N-p- coumaroyltyramine and N-feruloyltyramine, reached over 50 mg/g fresh weight. N-feruloyltyramine significantly suppressed larval growth and survival, whereas N-p-coumaroyltyramine showed no significant effect; the methoxy group of the feruloyl side chain enhanced anti-insect activity. Phenolamide synthesis genes maintained high expression at 48 h, while BX biosynthetic genes were significantly downregulated at 24 h, accounting for the late-stage quantitative advantage of phenolamides. Herbivory activated jasmonate signaling. with MYC2b showing much stronger induction than MYC2a. The <i>myc2a myc2b</i> double mutant showed that both paralogs are required for phenolamide accumulation and tyramine hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (<i>THT</i>) expression. Given its stronger herbivory-responsive induction, MYC2b was selected for mechanistic verification.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Our findings establish that MYC2a/MYC2b-dependent tyramine-derived phenolamides, with MYC2b directly activating <i>THT3</i> transcription, constitute an important anti-herbivore specialized chemical defense.</p>","PeriodicalId":12632,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Plant Science","volume":"17 ","pages":"1945110"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13683808/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149238162","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction: A revision of the genus <i>Beesia</i> (Ranunculaceae) as informed through integrative taxonomy, with description of a new species from Sichuan (China).","authors":"Andrey S Erst, Elizaveta Yu Mitrenina, Denis A Krivenko, Tatyana V Erst, Yulia V Cheldysheva, Igor V Gorbenko, Renata Borosova, Yuan-Yuan Ling, Huan-Wen Peng, Jun Zhang, Shukherdorj Baasanmunkh, Hyeok Jae Choi, Ivan V Tatanov, Alexander A Kuznetsov, Mathew T Sharples, Kun-Li Xiang","doi":"10.3389/fpls.2026.1991081","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2026.1991081","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1699952.].</p>","PeriodicalId":12632,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Plant Science","volume":"17 ","pages":"1991081"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13685534/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149244034","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Growth-defense trade-offs in <i>Quercus variabilis</i> and <i>Quercus mongolica</i> seedlings under drought stress.","authors":"Zhigang Xue, Shangyong Yin, Yuedong Guo, Kejia Cui, Lei Wu, Xingpeng He, Hao Wu, Runmei Gao, Jinhua Bai","doi":"10.3389/fpls.2026.1941405","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2026.1941405","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Intensified drought induced by climate change is threatening the natural regeneration of forests, yet coexisting tree species can maintain their survival and regeneration by adopting divergent carbon allocation strategies. This study compared leaf-scale drought responses of <i>Quercus variabilis</i> and <i>Q. mongolica</i> seedlings originating from the ecotone of the Zhongtiao Mountains.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Multiple indicators were measured under four water regimes: control (CK), light drought (LD), moderate drought (MD), and severe drought (SD), including leaf morphology, photosynthetic and gas exchange parameters, hydraulic traits, carbon storage traits, stress defense traits, and nutrient stoichiometry. Principal component analysis (PCA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to evaluate interspecific differences in drought adaptation strategies.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Drought suppressed leaf growth and gas exchange, lowered leaf water potential and relative water content, aggravated damage to hydraulic function, and boosted biochemical responses associated with stress defense in both species. For <i>Q. variabilis</i>, leaf non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) concentrations were tightly correlated with growth-related traits, indicating that NSCs play a vital role in sustaining growth and accumulating carbon after growth limitation, reflecting a growth-prioritized resource allocation strategy. In contrast, leaf NSCs of <i>Q. mongolica</i> seedlings exhibited stronger coordinated covariation with stomatal behavior and antioxidant defenses, suggesting that this species prioritizes defense maintenance and physiological stability under drought stress, representing a defense-prioritized resource allocation strategy.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Seedlings of <i>Q. variabilis</i> and <i>Q. mongolica</i> adopt growth-prioritized and defense-prioritized adaptation strategies under drought, respectively. Such physiological divergence serves as a physiological foundation for niche differentiation, divergent regeneration patterns, and coexistence of seedlings of the two Quercus species within the ecotone.</p>","PeriodicalId":12632,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Plant Science","volume":"17 ","pages":"1941405"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13684359/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149244129","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genome-wide identification of the UGT gene family in foxtail millet and preliminary functional analysis of <i>SiUGT26</i> during leaf senescence.","authors":"Feng Liu, Chao Liu, Xiaoxi Zhen","doi":"10.3389/fpls.2026.1914896","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpls.2026.1914896","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Plant uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferases (UGTs) catalyze glycosylation, a pivotal biochemical modification essential for diverse metabolic and physiological processes. Foxtail millet (<i>Setaria italica</i>), a drought-tolerant C4 cereal crop, serves as an emerging model for studying abiotic stress adaptation. Here, we identified 173 <i>UGT</i> genes (<i>SiUGT</i>s) in the foxtail millet genome, unevenly distributed across nine chromosomes and classified into 17 phylogenetically distinct subfamilies. Collinearity analysis revealed nine segmental duplicated duplication pairs under purifying selection, highlighting evolutionary conservation. Promoter analysis identified cis-acting elements associated with growth and development, biotic/abiotic stress responses, and hormonal regulation, suggesting functional versatility of <i>SiUGT</i>s. Transcriptome profiling under dark-induced leaf senescence (DIS) revealed 5 up-regulated and 27 down-regulated <i>SiUGT</i>s, implicating their roles in senescence regulation. Subsequently, RT-qPCR validated <i>SiUGT26</i> as a senescence-responsive gene. Heterologous overexpression of <i>SiUGT26</i> in Arabidopsis was associated with delayed leaf senescence and enlarged rosettes compared with wild-type plants. Co-expression analysis suggested that SiWRKY71 may be associated with the regulation of <i>SiUGT26</i>. Collectively, this study provides a genomic resource for the UGT gene family in foxtail millet and identifies SiUGT26 as a senescence-responsive candidate gene. These findings provide a basis for further investigation of UGT-mediated regulation of leaf senescence in foxtail millet.</p>","PeriodicalId":12632,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Plant Science","volume":"17 ","pages":"1914896"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13683073/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149238215","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Alkaline salt impairs germination recovery more severely than neutral salt in the euhalophyte <i>Suaeda salsa</i>.","authors":"Xiao Liu","doi":"10.3389/fpls.2026.1937990","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpls.2026.1937990","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Soil salinization and alkalization increasingly threaten global ecosystem stability, necessitating a clearer understanding of how dominant halophytes respond to complex salt stresses.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study examined the differential effects of neutral and alkaline salt stresses on seed germination and early seedling growth of <i>Suaeda salsa</i>, a dominant halophyte in the Yellow River Delta. A two-factor factorial experiment was conducted using three salt types (NaCl, KCl, NaHCO₃) across six concentration gradients (0-500 mmol L^-1). A two-stage germination trial, comprising an initial stress phase and a post-stress recovery phase, assessed root and shoot growth, fresh mass accumulation, water potential, and germination ratios.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Salt concentration primarily determined germination traits. At comparable molar concentrations, alkaline salt (NaHCO₃) exerted significantly stronger inhibition on growth than the neutral salts (NaCl, KCl). Low-concentration NaCl promoted fresh mass accumulation and sustained shoot elongation through efficient osmotic adjustment, whereas alkaline stress severely impaired this capacity, inducing acute physiological drought. The secondary germination trial revealed an \"enforced dormancy\" strategy: the effects of neutral salt stress were largely reversible, with markedly enhanced germination upon stress relief, whereas alkaline salt stress reduced recovery potential, fundamentally compromising recovery potential.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Neutral and alkaline components must be distinguished when evaluating soil degradation. Future ecological restoration in the Yellow River Delta should prioritize amelioration of high-pH alkaline conditions to ensure natural regeneration of halophyte communities.</p>","PeriodicalId":12632,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Plant Science","volume":"17 ","pages":"1937990"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13683187/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149238089","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}