Plant Stress最新文献

{"title":"Integrative analysis of plant responses to a combination of water deficit, heat stress and eCO2","authors":"María Ángeles Peláez-Vico,&nbsp;Ranjita Sinha,&nbsp;Abdul Ghani,&nbsp;María F López-Climent,&nbsp;Zhen Lyu,&nbsp;Trupti Joshi,&nbsp;Felix B. Fritschi,&nbsp;Sara I. Zandalinas,&nbsp;Ron Mittler","doi":"10.1016/j.stress.2026.101467","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stress.2026.101467","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The frequency, intensity, and duration of environmental stressors, such as droughts, heat waves, floods, and pollution, are increasing due to anthropogenic activities, subjecting plants to compound conditions of ‘multifactorial stress combination (MFSC)’. These can have contrasting or additive effects on plant physiological performance and impact different ecosystems and agro-ecosystems worldwide. Using an integrative physiological, genetic, hormonal, and transcriptomic analysis, we studied the response of <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em> (L.) Heynh to a combination of water deficit (WD), heat stress (HS) and/or elevated levels of CO₂ (eCO₂). Our findings identified unique, as well as common, responses to MFSC. We further reveal that stomatal aperture regulation under conditions of MFSC is controlled by a combination of different pathways that is different than that activated in plants under less complex stress conditions. Under a combination of WD+HS+eCO₂, for example, stomatal closure requires the function of the S-type anion channel SLAH3, but not the S-type anion channel SLAC1, or many other regulators typically found to control stomatal aperture under simpler conditions of abiotic stress/stress combinations. Our findings highlight the complexity of plant physiological and molecular responses to conditions of MFSC and open the way for future studies focused on how climate change and increased pollution impact different ecosystems and agro-ecosystems worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34736,"journal":{"name":"Plant Stress","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 101467"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148570552","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Disruption of LHT1 function alters ACC homeostasis and ethylene production leading to early senescence in Arabidopsis","authors":"R. Sanchez-Munoz ,&nbsp;L. Vanderstraeten ,&nbsp;T. Depaepe ,&nbsp;D. Cao ,&nbsp;B. Van de Poel ,&nbsp;B. André ,&nbsp;R. Bouchikh ,&nbsp;E. Prinsen ,&nbsp;D. Van Der Straeten","doi":"10.1016/j.stress.2026.101452","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stress.2026.101452","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>LHT1, a member of the lysine-histidine amino acid transporter family, has been implicated in a variety of plant physiological processes, yet its function in 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) transport and overall plant development remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated the role of LHT1 in ACC uptake, homeostasis, and its physiological impacts in Arabidopsis. Using a heterologous system to study ACC transport and its selectivity, and a series of <em>in planta</em> assays across developmental stages, we characterized the ACC dose-dependent resistance in <em>lht1–5</em> mutants, revealing that LHT1 plays a crucial role in ACC transport in both immature and adult plants. Additionally, we explored the involvement of LHT1 in senescence through grafting experiments and manipulation of ACC levels, confirming that disrupted ACC and ethylene dynamics govern the early senescence phenotype of <em>lht1–5</em> mutants. Our findings suggest that LHT1 is essential not only for maintaining ACC homeostasis but also for modulating ethylene production and timing of senescence, paving the way for a deeper understanding of ACC transport in plant physiology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34736,"journal":{"name":"Plant Stress","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 101452"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148357615","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of drought stress on the productivity and quality of sunflower achenes and applied resilience approaches: A comprehensive review","authors":"Jawaher Ayadi,&nbsp;Nicolas B. Langlade,&nbsp;Marion Alignan,&nbsp;Othmane Merah,&nbsp;Philippe Evon","doi":"10.1016/j.stress.2026.101460","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stress.2026.101460","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Drought stress is a cascade of dysfunctions involving multiple interconnected biological levels from early perception and signaling to agronomic outcomes. Prolonged periods and severity of drought stress exceed the sunflower’s natural moderate tolerance, and hinders the physiological function balance (stomatal closure, photosynthetic efficiency, and nutrient uptake) and the developmental progression in sensitive key growth stages like germination, flowering, and grain filling. Collectively, these cumulative modifications contribute to a significant decrease in various agronomic traits, particularly the overall seed productivity, seed oil accumulation, and the oil quality parameters, such as the fatty acid composition. This results in reducing the economic and nutritional value of sunflower. The severity of these effects is highly dependent on genetic factors (cultivars), stress severity (drought and deficit in irrigation), and stress timing (flowering and grain filling). In response to severe drought-induced damage, sunflower plants develop several adaptive strategies involving structural modifications (root system development), physiological regulation (osmotic adjustment, activation of an antioxidant defense system), along with molecular signaling pathways (expression of stress-responsive genes). Complementary to these natural defenses, external agronomic approaches such as irrigation, nutrient and soil optimization (zinc, biochar or biostimulant), exogenous application of growth regulators (abscisic acid, salicylic acid), and microbial inoculation with beneficial microorganisms (plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)) have been employed to limit drought damage, and to enhance growth parameters and productivity. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of sunflower responses to drought in recent years from molecular, physiological, morpho-anatomical, and agronomic perspectives.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34736,"journal":{"name":"Plant Stress","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 101460"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148570278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microbial allies for salinity resilience: Mechanisms, innovations, and holobiont strategies for sustainable crop production","authors":"Delai Chen,&nbsp;Guy Smagghe,&nbsp;Jingjing Su,&nbsp;Shirong Ma,&nbsp;Ruirui Liu,&nbsp;Weiwei Zhang,&nbsp;Zhike Wang,&nbsp;Ruini Zhang,&nbsp;Fengqin Wang,&nbsp;Fuhan Zhong,&nbsp;Ghulam Muhae-Ud-Din","doi":"10.1016/j.stress.2026.101446","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stress.2026.101446","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil salinity poses a major constraint to global agricultural productivity, affecting millions of hectares and causing substantial economic losses annually. Conventional reclamation strategies are often unsustainable, highlighting the urgent need for innovative biotechnological solutions to safeguard food security. The present review focuses on the critical role of beneficial microorganisms, including plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), endophytic fungi, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, in enhancing plant tolerance to saline stress. These microbial associates employ multifaceted mechanisms to mitigate salinity-induced damage, including modulating phytohormone signaling, improving nutrient acquisition through mineral solubilization, and maintaining ionic homeostasis through selective sodium exclusion and enhanced potassium uptake. Additionally, beneficial microbes stimulate the accumulation of compatible osmolytes and activate antioxidant defense systems, collectively preserving cellular turgor and reducing oxidative stress. Here we highlight the genetic diversity and metabolic versatility of halotolerant strains from genera such as Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Azospirillum, underscoring their potential as effective bio-inoculants. Finally, emerging research directions are discussed, emphasizing the synergistic application of microbial consortia and the integration of multi-omics approaches to elucidate complex plant-microbe-salinity interactions, providing a roadmap for sustainable saline agriculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34736,"journal":{"name":"Plant Stress","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 101446"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148570548","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Heterologous overexpression of Sorghum genes SbSK41 and SbSK42 enhances drought and salinity tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana","authors":"Yaofei Zhao,&nbsp;Shangjie Niu,&nbsp;Gengdeng Cuo,&nbsp;Yuhuan Yang,&nbsp;Qidi Chen,&nbsp;Gesang Lamao,&nbsp;Yaqiong Li","doi":"10.1016/j.stress.2026.101473","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stress.2026.101473","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sorghum is a multi-purpose crop used for food, brewing, and animal feed. Meanwhile, its exceptional stress tolerance establishes sorghum as an ideal model crop for dissecting plant stress response mechanisms. Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3)-like kinases (GSKs) are widely present in eukaryotes and play a crucial role in regulating plant stress responses; however, the specific functions of GSKs in sorghum remain unclear. In this study, a total of seven <em>GSK</em> genes were identified in sorghum. Expression pattern analysis revealed that two members of subfamily IV, <em>SbSK41</em> and <em>SbSK42</em>, were significantly upregulated under osmotic and salt stress conditions. Further functional verification demonstrated that heterologous overexpression of these two genes in Arabidopsis markedly enhanced its tolerance to drought and high-salinity stresses by stabilizing root system development and promoting the expression of stress-responsive genes. This study preliminarily reveals the positive regulatory roles of sorghum <em>SbSK41</em> and <em>SbSK42</em> genes in plant drought and salt stress responses, providing new insights for further elucidating the stress tolerance mechanisms in sorghum.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34736,"journal":{"name":"Plant Stress","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 101473"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148570555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Managing pollen beetle (Brassicogethes aeneus) in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.): From biological interactions to integrated control and resistance breeding","authors":"Aqeel Shahzad,&nbsp;Elke Diederichsen,&nbsp;Nadine Austel,&nbsp;Torsten Meiners,&nbsp;Annaliese S. Mason","doi":"10.1016/j.stress.2026.101481","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stress.2026.101481","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rapeseed is a major oilseed crop in temperate regions worldwide. However, it is vulnerable to attack by multiple insect pests, of which pollen beetle (<em>Brassicogethes aeneus</em>) is one of the most devastating. In this review, we present the lifecycle of the pollen beetle, the known impacts of pollen beetle on rapeseed and <em>Brassica</em> crops, current control strategies (including known insecticide resistance) and techniques to assess pollen beetle resistance in rapeseed (phenotyping and biochemical analysis). Subsequently, we cover existing and possible future strategies to control pollen beetle, including breeding targets. Breeding strategies include identifying resistance in wild relatives and introgressing this resistance into <em>B. napus</em> via classical introgression breeding or biotechnological approaches (transgenics), and can be accompanied by agronomic strategies such as using <em>B. rapa</em> as a trap crop, or by novel physiological and molecular approaches such as volatile-mediated host resistance and priming to induce resistance. To ensure food security and sustainability and to reduce the use of pesticides, it will be mandatory to employ all possible strategies to control pollen beetle.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34736,"journal":{"name":"Plant Stress","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 101481"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148642534","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rice sheath blight management: Integrated strategies and the emerging potential of chitosan-based nanoparticle technologies","authors":"Syed Atif Hasan Naqvi,&nbsp;Mingzheng Duan,&nbsp;Amjad Ali,&nbsp;Md. Arshad Ali,&nbsp;Shehzad Iqbal,&nbsp;Fahad Hakim,&nbsp;Muhammad Ahmad,&nbsp;Ernesto A. Moya-Elizondo","doi":"10.1016/j.stress.2026.101487","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stress.2026.101487","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rice sheath blight (RSB) caused by <em>Rhizoctonia solani</em> AG1-IA is among the most destructive diseases threatening global rice production, causing yield losses of 20–50% under epidemic conditions. The pathogen's broad host range, prolonged sclerotial survival (8–10 years), and high genetic variability pose significant management challenges. Although the recent discovery of the SBRR1-R resistance allele represents a landmark breakthrough for breeding programmemes, the quantitative nature of resistance and pathogen adaptability necessitate integrated management approaches. Chemical fungicides raise environmental and resistance concerns, while biological control agents show inconsistent field performance in aquatic rice ecosystems. Chitosan and chitosan-based nanoparticles have emerged as promising sustainable alternatives, offering unique dual functionality: direct antifungal activity through membrane disruption and sclerotial inhibition, combined with potent elicitation of plant defence responses including activation of pathogenesis-related proteins, defence enzymes, and systemic acquired resistance. Notably, chitosan nanoparticles achieve superior efficacy at significantly lower concentrations than bulk chitosan, with studies demonstrating up to 90% disease suppression attributed to enhanced surface charge density, improved cellular uptake, and controlled release properties. This review examines RSB epidemiology, pathogen biology, and current management strategies, while providing critical analysis of chitosan sources, physicochemical properties, nanoparticle synthesis methodologies, antifungal mechanisms, and recent advances in chitosan-based nanocomposites and functionalized derivatives. We present an integrated disease management framework positioning chitosan nanotechnology alongside host resistance deployment, biological control, and cultural practices for sustainable RSB management. Future research priorities including field validation, mechanistic studies, and regulatory considerations are discussed to contribute to resilient and sustainable rice production systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34736,"journal":{"name":"Plant Stress","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 101487"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148642594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Response of seedling rhizosphere microbial community to low-temperature and high-moisture stress and enhancement of stress resistance by the synthetic microbial community","authors":"Guangda Zhang,&nbsp;Yangyang Li,&nbsp;Yujun Cao,&nbsp;Shuaimin Chen,&nbsp;Yongjun Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.stress.2026.101465","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stress.2026.101465","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Combined low-temperature and high-moisture stress is a common abiotic stress during the maize sowing period in Northeast China, severely restricting the normal development of maize seeds and seedlings. Rhizosphere microorganisms play a crucial role in assisting plants to resist adversity. To investigate the response of the rhizosphere microbial community to the stress and its function, a simulation experiment was conducted with two treatments: low-temperature and high-moisture stress (ST) and normal conditions (CT). Under each treatment, maize seeds were sown in three different substrates: quartz sand (SA), sterilized soil (SS), and natural soil (NS). The results showed that compared to SA and SS treatments, the NS treatment was most effective in mitigating the inhibitory effects of stress on seed germination rate, and seedling biomass. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing revealed that the relative abundance of taxa with plant growth-promoting potential, such as <em>Pseudomonas, Paenibacillus</em>, and <em>Bacillus</em>, increased significantly in suffering stress treatments. Representative strains from these taxa were further isolated, and their plant growth-promoting traits, including indole-3-acetic acid production, siderophore production, and nitrogen-fixing were verified. Based on common ASVs analysis and strain isolation results, a synthetic microbial community (SynCom) composed of six strains was constructed. Under stress conditions, this SynCom significantly promoted seedling growth. This study elucidated the response patterns of the maize seedling rhizosphere microbial community to stress, clarified the functions of key beneficial microbial taxa, and provided a theoretical basis and microbial resources for developing microbiome-based cultivation technologies to enhance maize stress resistance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34736,"journal":{"name":"Plant Stress","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 101465"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148570255","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Metabolic network homeostasis and antagonistic stress response drive rootstock-mediated tolerance to combined salinity and water-deficit in grapevine cv. Syrah","authors":"Kidanemaryam Reta,&nbsp;Yaniv Lupo,&nbsp;Noga Sikron-Persi,&nbsp;Tania Acuña,&nbsp;Naftali Lazarovitch,&nbsp;Aaron Fait","doi":"10.1016/j.stress.2026.101456","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stress.2026.101456","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Water deficit and salinity are major stresses that rarely occur in isolation, yet their combined effects on grapevine remain poorly understood. In a 3-year study, we dissected the response of <em>Vitis vinifera cv.</em> Syrah, a cultivar known for its sensitivity to water-deficit and salinity stress, grafted onto 1103 Paulsen (PL1103) and Sélection Oppenheim 4 (SO4) rootstocks to salinity (2.5 dS m⁻¹) combined with irrigation regimes (66%, 100%, and 133% of control). Water availability primarily defined physiological responses, with subtle rootstock-specific differences. Under water deficit, both rootstocks exhibited substantial physiological impairment (stem water potential &lt; −2.0 MPa, leaf relative water content &lt; 75%, and reduced stomatal conductance). In contrast, salinity induced ion imbalance, with superior Cl⁻ exclusion in SO4-grafts conferring improved physiological performance. Using a comparative framework classifying interactions as additive, synergistic, or antagonistic, we found that SO4-grafts employ an antagonistic mitigation strategy, whereas PL1103-grafts engage in synergistic amplification of stress impacts. This was reflected in a 28% yield advantage of SO4-grafts under combined stress. Central metabolite profiling revealed rootstock-specific divergence. PL1103-grafts displayed condition-driven alterations (up to ±10-fold) in the accumulation of osmoprotective amino acids (proline and GABA) and sugars (glucose and fructose), whereas SO4-grafts showed phenologically regulated, homeostatic stability. Network analysis suggests that tolerance is driven by reduced network connectivity of metabolic architecture rather than increased levels of a few metabolites. Less perturbed network in SO4 (edges reduced from 194 to 168) reflected SO4-grafts’ resilience. Conversely, PL1103-grafts exhibited network expansion under salinity, with increased connectivity from 196 to 267 edges and centrality, indicative of heightened stress perception. Overall, rootstocks appear to actively modulate scion resource allocation rather than passively buffering stress, likely through long-distance signals across the graft union.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34736,"journal":{"name":"Plant Stress","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 101456"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148570257","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"GhPDC2, a TPP-required cofactor gene contributes to flooding tolerance in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)","authors":"Man Liu,&nbsp;Anane Gideon Owusu,&nbsp;Jing-Qiao Li,&nbsp;Guo-Fu Xia,&nbsp;Cheng-Cheng Miao,&nbsp;Ning Guo,&nbsp;Da-Hui Li,&nbsp;Jun-Shan Gao","doi":"10.1016/j.stress.2026.101457","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.stress.2026.101457","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cotton is susceptible to waterlogging stress. Under hypoxic conditions, cellular energy production declined, shifting pyruvate metabolism from aerobic respiration to anaerobic fermentation. In this pathway, Pyruvate decarboxylase 2 (<em>PDC2</em>) catalyzes the conversion of pyruvate to acetaldehyde and subsequently ethanol, activating glycolysis to sustain ATP production, which is crucial for basal respiration and stress tolerance. However, the functional role of <em>PDC2</em> in mediating cotton’s tolerance response to waterlogging stress remains largely unexplored. In this study, we present preliminary evidence that <em>GhPDC2</em> functions as a positive regulator of waterlogging tolerance in cotton. Transcriptomic profiling revealed significant upregulation of <em>GhPDC2</em> in roots subjected to waterlogging, implying its involvement in stress adaptation. Further functional validation demonstrated that overexpression of <em>GhPDC2</em> enhanced waterlogging tolerance compared to the WT and mutant lines, as evidenced by improved growth metrics including chlorophyll content, fresh/dry weight, and root length, alongside elevated ethanol accumulation, and increased ADH and PDC2 enzymatic activity. Additionally, <em>GhPDC2</em> overexpression enhanced ROS scavenging capacity. Conversely, silencing <em>GhPDC2</em> in cotton significantly compromised the development of adaptive morphological traits under waterlogging. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that <em>GhPDC2</em> modulates anaerobic metabolism during waterlogging by alleviating energy crises through ethanol accumulation, mitigating ROS production, and ultimately confers oxidative protection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34736,"journal":{"name":"Plant Stress","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 101457"},"PeriodicalIF":8.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148570258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}