Horticulturae最新文献

{"title":"Mapping of Cadmium Tolerance-Related QTLs at the Seedling Stage in Diploid Potato Using a High-Density Genetic Map","authors":"Ling Su, Xinqi Li, Lixin Ning, Peng Shu, Qingyi Zhang, Zugen Liu, Xiong Peng, Huili Liu, Yuan Yuan, Dingbo Yuan, Guicheng Liu, Guangyong You, Junfang Chen, Xiaoman Liu, Yi Tao, Yanhong Feng, Jing Yang","doi":"10.3390/horticulturae11121478","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11121478","url":null,"abstract":"Potato is globally recognized as the fourth most crucial staple food crop, trailing behind wheat, rice, and maize. Cadmium (Cd), a predominant heavy-metal pollutant in agricultural soils, demonstrates high biological toxicity and mobility. Therefore, exploring the genetic and molecular mechanisms underpinning cadmium tolerance in potato is of substantial theoretical and practical significance. In this research, an F2 population composed of 170 families was established through the cross-breeding of homozygous diploid potato lines HD-5 (highly cadmium-tolerant) and M9 (cadmium-sensitive). Employing hydroponic cultivation, six traits, namely plant height (PH), root length (RL), shoot fresh weight (SFW), root fresh weight (RFW), chlorophyll content (SPAD), and nitrogen content (LNC), were measured in potato seedlings following a 9-day treatment with 40 mg·L−1 CdCl2. By utilizing the high-density genetic map of this population for QTL mapping, a total of 35 genetic loci associated with cadmium tolerance in potato seedlings were identified. Notably, loci21 and loci22 on chromosome 9, loci29 on chromosome 10, and loci31 and loci33 on chromosome 12 were consistently detected across multiple environmental conditions. This reproducibility across environments suggests the phenotypic stability of these five loci, which are thus considered reliable and robust genetic determinants. In addition, transcriptome sequencing analysis of roots from parental lines HD-5 and M9 after cadmium treatment revealed that significantly differentially expressed genes between the two parents were associated with glutathione metabolism and photosynthesis. By integrating QTL mapping, transcriptome analysis, and gene annotation, we screened four candidate genes involved in cadmium tolerance regulation: DM8C09G01000 (GST), DM8C09G01060 (GST), DM8C09G02130 (OXP1), and DM8C06G22960 (PsaH). These findings provide molecular targets and a genetic basis for molecular breeding of cadmium-tolerant potato varieties.","PeriodicalId":507445,"journal":{"name":"Horticulturae","volume":"11 12","pages":"1478-1478"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/12/1478/pdf?version=1765189671","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147889105","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":"Contrasting Responses of N2O Mitigation to Different Nitrification Inhibitors in Tea Plantation Soils","authors":"Hua Wei, Siyun Niu, Chenguang Zhao, Jie Wang, Xiangde Yang, Yuanzhi Shi, Kang Ni","doi":"10.3390/horticulturae11121470","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11121470","url":null,"abstract":"Tea plantations are a hot-spot source of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in the agricultural system. Using nitrification inhibitors (NIs) is a promising way to mitigate agricultural N2O emissions and has been widely tested in many croplands. However, the efficiency of different NIs and whether there are soil-specific effects are still unclear in tea plantations with typical acidic soil conditions. This study evaluated the effects of three widely used NIs, i.e., dicyandiamide (DCD), 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP), and 2-chloro-6-(trichloromethyl) pyridine (Nitrapyrin), through a lab incubation trial, on the nitrification suppression, N2O emissions, and ammonia-oxidizing microbial communities in two tea plantation soils with contrasting physicochemical properties (pH and texture). During the 50-day incubation, the soil with a higher pH and coarse texture (TA) exhibited a four-times-higher apparent nitrification ratio (ANR) than the more acidic and clay soil (HZ). Nitrification inhibitor addition resulted in about a 60% and 80% reduction in the ANR in HZ and TA soils, respectively. During the entire incubation, ammonium sulfate (N) addition without NIs emitted N2O at 64.1 ± 1.2 and 61.5 ± 0.4 μg N kg−1 (mean ± standard deviation, and the same in the following text) in the HZ and TA soils, respectively. Compared with the N alone, the N2O mitigation efficiency of DCD, DMPP, and Nitrapyrin was 38.3% ± 0.4% (standard deviation), 33.8% ± 0.99%, and 36.5% ± 0.59% in the HZ soil and 94.1% ± 0.39%, 52.8% ± 1.05%, and 95.6% ± 0.65% in the TA soil, respectively. Nitrapyrin more effectively suppressed both ammonia-oxidizing archaeal (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacterial (AOB) abundance, particularly in the acidic soil (HZ), where ammonia-oxidizing archaea dominate nitrification. These results revealed the pivotal role of soil properties in controlling NI efficiency and highlighted Nitrapyrin as a potential superior nitrification inhibitor for N2O mitigation under the tested conditions in this study.","PeriodicalId":507445,"journal":{"name":"Horticulturae","volume":"11 12","pages":"1470-1470"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/12/1470/pdf?version=1764929332","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147914010","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":"Comparative LC-MS/MS Metabolomics of Wild and Cultivated Strawberries Reveals Enhanced Triterpenoid Accumulation and Superior Free Radical Scavenging Activity in Fragaria nilgerrensis","authors":"Mingzheng Duan, Liuyuan Bao, Ting Jiang, Kangjian Song, Yubo Chen, Shuang‐Hui He, Xiande Duan, Muhammad Ikram, Shunqiang Yang, Muhammad Junaid Rao","doi":"10.3390/horticulturae11121417","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11121417","url":null,"abstract":"Strawberry fruit quality is linked to its phytochemical composition, yet the diversity of non-volatile terpenoids remains largely unexplored. Therefore, a comparative LC-MS/MS-based metabolomic analysis of terpenoid profiles was conducted using three commercial cultivars (Fragaria × ananassa) and a wild accession of Fragaria nilgerrensis (HM). Results from this study showed that the HM cultivar had a total terpenoid abundance 5–6 times higher than the commercial cultivars. The HM cultivar was uniquely enriched in specific triterpenoids, such as 3β,6β,19α,24-Tetrahydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid and 13,27-Cyclo-2,3-Dihydroxy-11,19(29)-Ursadien-28-Oic Acid, which was over 450 times higher than the ‘Danxue’ and ‘Fenyu’ commercial strawberry cultivars. Conversely, sesquiterpenoids like Alismol and Pterocarpol were 100 times lower in HM than in the commercial cultivars. This enhanced triterpenoid accumulation strongly correlated with a superior capacity to scavenge free radicals in vitro, with HM showing maximum capacity, as measured by the DPPH assay. These findings highlight the value of wild strawberry germplasm as a reservoir of biochemical diversity for breeding strawberries with enhanced functional quality.","PeriodicalId":507445,"journal":{"name":"Horticulturae","volume":"11 12","pages":"1417-1417"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/12/1417/pdf?version=1763981322","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147884043","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":"Silicon-Nanomaterials Enhance Stress Resilience and Early-Maturity of Onions (Allium cepa L.) in Acidic Soils","authors":"Md. Kamrul Hasan, Tonima Islam Suravi, Tushar Kanti Das, Jannat Shopan, Israt Jahan, Md. Shahadat Hossain, Shah Ashadul Islam, Abdur Rakib, Md. Nazmul Hasan Arfin, Sabrina Mehenaz Tanu, Mukesh Kumar Kanwar, Golam Jalal Ahammed","doi":"10.3390/horticulturae11111407","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11111407","url":null,"abstract":"Silicon-nanomaterials (Si-NMs) have emerged as a revolutionary tool in modern agriculture; however, the collaborative role of Si-NMs in onion crop productivity and expansion in acidic soils remains elusive. We conducted a series of sequential experiments, from seed germination to field trials, over two consecutive cultivation years. Intriguingly, the results revealed that among the differential doses, 1.0 mM L−1 of Si-NMs significantly ameliorated the acid-stress-induced suppression of onion seed germination and seedling growth. Additionally, a selected dose of Si-NMs reduces seedling mortality and improves plant establishment rate with increased photosynthetic performance, bulb properties, and nutritional quality. These stimulatory effects of Si-NMs on onion crop adaptation to acidic soil were associated with reduced ROS accumulation driven by enhanced antioxidant potential, which further increased upon dolomite supplementation. Furthermore, exogenous Si-NMs spray accelerated the early stages of harvestable onion size, accompanied by increased synthesis of IAA and GA3 hormones, suggesting the potential of Si-NMs to enhance farm resilience in acidic soils.","PeriodicalId":507445,"journal":{"name":"Horticulturae","volume":"11 11","pages":"1407-1407"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147908640","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":"Coordinated Growth and Physiological Adaptations to Cadmium Stress in Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Seedlings","authors":"Hongfang Ren, Fan Cheng, Yuying Wang, Jingyi Huang, Xueqing Zhao, Zhaohe Yuan","doi":"10.3390/horticulturae11111400","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11111400","url":null,"abstract":"Phytoremediation utilizing woody plants represents a promising approach for mitigating cadmium (Cd) contamination; however, the potential of ornamental species such as Punica granatum L. (pomegranate) remains insufficiently characterized. This study evaluated the growth performance, physiological responses, and Cd accumulation patterns of pomegranate seedlings exposed to increasing Cd concentrations (T1–T6) in a hydroponic system. High Cd levels (≥T4) markedly suppressed plant growth, as evidenced by reductions in biomass, root necrosis, leaf wilting, and chlorosis. Photosynthetic efficiency was severely compromised, indicated by significant declines in chlorophyll content and key chlorophyll fluorescence parameters (Fv/Fm, ΦPSII, and qP). Simultaneously, increases in the chlorophyll a/b ratio, carotenoid content, and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) reflected the activation of photoprotective mechanisms. A reduction in stomatal conductance (Gs) and net photosynthetic rate (Pn), coupled with elevated intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), suggested that non-stomatal limitations were primarily responsible for photosynthetic inhibition. Cd exposure also triggered oxidative stress, as shown by increased levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). In response, seedlings activated antioxidative and osmotic adjustment pathways, including elevated peroxidase (POD) activity and the accumulation of glutathione (GSH), proline, soluble proteins, and sugars. Notably, pomegranate displayed a root-based Cd sequestration strategy, with high root accumulation (bioconcentration factor, BCF > 271) and minimal translocation to aerial tissues (translocation factor, TF < 0.17). These findings demonstrate that pomegranate seedlings exhibit pronounced tolerance to Cd stress and substantial bioaccumulation capacity, supporting their potential application as ornamental woody species for phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated environments.","PeriodicalId":507445,"journal":{"name":"Horticulturae","volume":"11 11","pages":"1400-1400"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/11/1400/pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147332856","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":"Silicon Application Methods Differentially Modulate Nutrient Uptake and Morphophysiology in Passiflora edulis Seedlings Under Salt Stress","authors":"Raquel da Silva Ferreira, Rennan Fernandes Pereira, Alicia Camila Zeferino da Silva, José Félix de Brito Neto, Lays Lins, Caio da Silva Sousa, José Paulo Costa Diniz, Fernanda Suassuna Fernandes, Orquídea Suassuna Maia, E. A. Gomes, Raquel Alice Silveira Alves, Alberto Soares de Melo, Evandro Franklin de Mesquita","doi":"10.3390/horticulturae11111396","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11111396","url":null,"abstract":"Silicon (Si) is a beneficial element that alleviates the adverse effects of salinity in plants. Despite extensive evidence of Si-mediated stress alleviation in other crops, information for tropical fruit species such as Passiflora edulis remains limited, especially regarding the efficiency of different application methods. This study evaluated two yellow passion fruit cultivars (BRS Sol do Cerrado and BRS Gigante Amarelo) at the seedling stage under five management conditions: irrigation with 1.2 dS m−1 water (control), 4.0 dS m−1 water (salt stress), and salt stress combined with Si applied via soil, foliar spray, or both (soil + foliar), using silicic acid as the Si source. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design in a 2 × 5 factorial arrangement with five replicates. High salinity decreased foliar nutrient concentrations, gas exchange, and seedling quality, whereas Si mitigated these effects depending on the application method and cultivar. Combined soil and foliar application increased nutrient contents, biomass, and the Dickson Quality Index, especially in BRS Gigante Amarelo. These findings provide new insights into Si management for P. edulis and offer practical implications for improving nutrient balance, growth, and seedling performance under saline conditions.","PeriodicalId":507445,"journal":{"name":"Horticulturae","volume":"11 11","pages":"1396-1396"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147967012","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":"Methyl Jasmonate Mediates ALA-Induced Salt Tolerance in Tomato Seedlings","authors":"Junfang Feng, Yongmei He, Peng Bai, Junwen Wang, Jiaqi Chen, Xingpan Shang, Yue Wu, Jihua Yu, Zhongqi Tang, Zeci Liu, Jianming Xie","doi":"10.3390/horticulturae11111363","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11111363","url":null,"abstract":"5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is a natural and environmentally friendly plant growth regulator that plays an important role in enhancing plant tolerance to a wide range of environmental stresses. Exogenous application of ALA enables rapid and efficient physiological regulation. Additionally, methyl jasmonate (MeJA) enhances salt tolerance in tomato seedlings by regulating ALA to promote jasmonic acid (JA) accumulation and strengthening the antioxidant defense system. To investigate how exogenous ALA alleviates salt stress physiologically, this study used ‘Condine Red’ tomato as the experimental material and examined the effects of MeJA-mediated ALA on the growth characteristics and stress tolerance mechanisms of tomato seedlings under salt stress. The results indicated that salt stress significantly inhibited tomato seedling growth, leading to marked reductions in biomass, chlorophyll content, and the enzymatic activities of POD, CAT, and APX. In contrast, SOD activity, MDA content, NPQ, soluble protein content, proline content, endogenous JA levels, and the expression of related genes were significantly increased. Under salt stress, exogenous application of ALA and MeJA alleviated the inhibitory effects on tomato seedlings. However, SHAM (salicylhydroxamic acid) aggravated salt stress damage to plants. The addition of ALA significantly mitigated these salt stress-induced injuries. These findings suggest that ALA may enhance salt tolerance in tomato seedlings by promoting JA accumulation and bolstering the antioxidant defense system.","PeriodicalId":507445,"journal":{"name":"Horticulturae","volume":"11 11","pages":"1363-1363"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147880036","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":"Genome-Wide Identification of the ACE Gene Family in Melon (Cucumis melo L.) and Its Response to Autotoxicity and Saline-Alkali Stress","authors":"Hao Yang, Xiao Song, Sujie Liu, Wanqing Cheng, Yuting Zhang, Xin Cai, Zhizhong Zhang, Jinghua Wu","doi":"10.3390/horticulturae11111344","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11111344","url":null,"abstract":"Soil salinization and autotoxicity are major abiotic stresses constraining melon production. The ACE gene family (also known as HOTHEAD, HTH) encodes flavin-containing oxidoreductases involved in stress responses and RNA cache-mediated non-Mendelian inheritance. This study presents a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of the ACE/HTH gene family in melon through integrated bioinformatic and experimental approaches. We identified 14 CmACE genes encoding proteins of 457–595 amino acids. This gene family underwent significant expansion through tandem duplication events, particularly on chromosome 5. Phylogenetic analysis grouped these genes into three distinct clades with conserved gene structures and motif compositions. Promoter analysis identified abundant stress- and hormone-responsive cis-elements, with ABRE elements being predominant. Expression analyses revealed that multiple CmACE genes, including CmACE3, CmACE5, CmACE6 and CmACE14, were significantly upregulated under salt-alkali and autotoxicity stresses, showing distinct tissue-specific and time-dependent expression patterns. Notably, CmACE3 and CmACE6 were strongly induced under both stresses, while the tandemly duplicated pair CmACE6 and CmACE7 exhibited divergent expression patterns, suggesting functional specialization. Our findings provide the first comprehensive characterization of the CmACE gene family in melon, revealing its evolutionary history and stress-responsive regulation. These results not only offer valuable genetic resources for breeding stress-resistant melons but also lay a foundation for future research into the potential role of this conserved gene family in integrating stress adaptation with epigenetic regulatory pathways in crops.","PeriodicalId":507445,"journal":{"name":"Horticulturae","volume":"11 11","pages":"1344-1344"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147330684","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":"Comparative Analysis of Chloroplast Genomes Reveals Phylogenetic Relationships and Variation in Chlorophyll Fluorescence In Vitis","authors":"Yuanxu Teng, Lipeng Zhang, Yue Song, Yuanyuan Xu, Zhen Zhang, Dongying Fan, Junpeng Li, X.H. Liu, Junjie Lu, Lujia Wang, Chanjuan Du, Yuhuan Miao, Juan He, Huaifeng Liu, Chao Ma","doi":"10.3390/horticulturae11111330","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11111330","url":null,"abstract":"Grapes (Vitis spp.) are a globally significant fruit crop with a long history of cultivation and substantial cultivar diversity. Their high genetic differentiation and complex evolutionary history make them a valuable system for studying plant evolution. The chloroplast genome, known for its structural conservation and uniparental inheritance, offers a reliable molecular marker for phylogenetic reconstruction. In this study, we sequenced and assembled the complete chloroplast genomes of nine representative grape cultivars, analyzed their phylogenetic relationships, and compared structural variations. All chloroplast genomes displayed a typical quadripartite structure, with high conservation in genomic architecture, gene order and content, codon usage, and simple sequence repeats (SSRs). However, additional sequence comparisons revealed seven regions with high variation, including the genes rbcL and ndhF, and the intergenic regions rps16-trnQ, ndhC-trnV, accD-psaI, ndhF-rpl32, and trnL-ccsA. At the same time, seven natural variation sites were identified in the amino acid sequences of rbcL and ndhF. Additionally, the study’s maximum likelihood (ML) phylogenetic trees and photosynthetic index measurements suggest that developmental characteristics of grape photosynthesis may be related to the evolutionary origins of different populations. This phylogenetic classification not only elucidates the evolutionary origins of these germplasm resources but also provides a foundation for molecular-assisted breeding by identifying distinct genetic groups.","PeriodicalId":507445,"journal":{"name":"Horticulturae","volume":"11 11","pages":"1330-1330"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/11/1330/pdf?version=1762267569","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147922662","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":"Efficient Room-Temperature Storage of Toona sinensis with Salicylic Acid Treatment: Enhancing Postharvest Quality Through Antioxidant and Nitrogen Metabolism Modulation","authors":"Hu Zhao, Xiaopu Shi, Zilu Zhao, Juan Wang, Baul Ko, Jong Hyang Bae, Yang Gyu Ku, Ho Cheol Kim, Chul Min Kim","doi":"10.3390/horticulturae11111292","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11111292","url":null,"abstract":"Young leaves and sprouts of Toona sinensis are widely consumed throughout Asia. However, they are highly perishable, resulting in a short shelf life and limited marketability. Low-temperature storage can extend shelf life but is energy-intensive, restricting large-scale use. Salicylic acid (SA) exhibits preservative properties, representing a promising alternative. In this study, we investigated the effects of 250 μmol SA treatment on postharvest T. sinensis buds and leaves stored at 20 °C for 7 days and compared it to low-temperature storage (4 °C). SA treatment delayed wilting, reduced water loss, suppressed total soluble solid accumulation, and inhibited active oxygen free radical and malondialdehyde production compared to the untreated controls at room temperature while outperforming low-temperature storage. The treated buds also maintained higher antioxidant enzyme activity and preserved non-enzymatic antioxidant compounds, including ascorbic acid, polyphenols, and flavonoids. Although total amino acid content steadily increased under SA treatment, individual amino acids greatly fluctuated. SA treatment reduced nitrate reductase and glutamate dehydrogenase activities, as well as NO2•− levels, indicating its effects on nitrogen metabolism. Our findings indicate that SA improves the postharvest quality of T. sinensis buds during room-temperature storage, providing a theoretical basis for applying SA as a storage agent for T. sinensis buds.","PeriodicalId":507445,"journal":{"name":"Horticulturae","volume":"11 11","pages":"1292-1292"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/11/1292/pdf?version=1761641116","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147900920","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}