Agronomy-Basel最新文献

{"title":"Toxicity of Tris(2-chloroethyl) Phosphate (TCEP) to Alfalfa’s Root System: An Insight into TCEP’s Damage to Morphology, Respiration, and Antioxidant Systems","authors":"Meijun Liu, Lu Gong, An Yan, Wenjing Liu, Haojie Li, Peipei Guo","doi":"10.3390/agronomy15112483","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15112483","url":null,"abstract":"Tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), as an organophosphate contaminant, poses a significant threat to the growth and development of plants, especially roots. This study aimed to clarify the mechanisms of TCEP’s toxicity and damage to root systems, as well as the mechanisms of its damage to the respiration and energy metabolism of alfalfa root cells. The results showed that TCEP obviously affected the root length, root surface area, root volume, and root diameter of alfalfa. With increasing stress intensity, the total mitochondrial respiration rate and Cytochrome C Oxidase (COX) pathway respiration rate progressively declined, while the Alternative Oxidase (AOX) pathway respiration rate and its proportion of total respiration gradually rose. In addition, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content and root vigor were significantly reduced. Moreover, with an increase in TCEP concentration, root superoxide anion radical content in alfalfa root cells was significantly elevated, while superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities were significantly lowered, and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and peroxidase (POD) activities were significantly enhanced. The present study indicated that respiration was disrupted, causing a lack of ATP in root cells under TCEP. Both the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) from the mitochondrial respiratory electron transport chain (mECT) and the deficiency of ROS-scavenging enzymes caused ROS accumulation, which led to the destruction of the cell membrane structure and exacerbated the disruption of the respiratory metabolism. The disruption of the conversion and reuse of energy by TCEP affected root growth and development.","PeriodicalId":56066,"journal":{"name":"Agronomy-Basel","volume":"15 11","pages":"2483-2483"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/11/2483/pdf?version=1761386075","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147920325","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biosynthesis of Selenium Nanoparticles from Rosa rugosa Extract: Mechanisms and Applications for Sustainable Crop Protection","authors":"Le Song, Man Liang, Yingxiu Wang, Yanli Bian","doi":"10.3390/agronomy15102385","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15102385","url":null,"abstract":"Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) show great potential for sustainable agriculture, but their green synthesis and practical application still need further optimization. This study established a green synthesis method for SeNPs using lyophilized rose (Rosa rugosa Thunb.) powder as both a reducing and stabilizing agent to reduce sodium selenite (Na2SeO3), key parameters, including template concentration, Na2SeO3/VC ratio, and reaction temperature were systematically optimized. This process yielded stable, spherical SeNPs with optimal properties, exhibiting a diameter of 90 nm and a zeta potential of −35 mV. Structural characterization confirmed that selenium forms chelation complexes through carboxyl and hydroxyl oxygen-binding sites. The SeNPs exhibited exceptional stability (retained 426 days at 25 °C) and pH tolerance (pH 4–10), though divalent cations (Ca2+) triggered aggregation. In agricultural application tests, 5 mg/L SeNPs increased tomato plant biomass by 84% and antioxidant capacity by 152% compared to controls, and the biosynthesis pathways of salicylic acid and jasmonic acid were upregulated. Moreover, the SeNPs exhibited strong concentration-dependent antifungal activity against several major pathogens. Among these pathogens, tomato gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) was the most sensitive, as evidenced by its low EC50 (4.86 mg/L) and sustained high inhibition rates, which remained substantial even at 1 mg/L and reached 94% at 10 mg/L. These findings highlight SeNPs as a friendly alternative for minimizing agrochemical use in sustainable agriculture.","PeriodicalId":56066,"journal":{"name":"Agronomy-Basel","volume":"15 10","pages":"2385-2385"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147877944","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of Phosphorus Input on Rhizosphere Soil Respiration Rate and Microbial Community in Corn and Soybean","authors":"Demin Rao, Yunlong Wang, Fangang Meng, Tong Cheng, Debin Yu, Jing Zhao, Qiang Qiu, Xiaoyan Yan, Wei Zhang, Hongyan Zhao","doi":"10.3390/agronomy15102277","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15102277","url":null,"abstract":"Phosphorus inputs play a critical role in modulating microbial dynamics in crop rhizosphere soils, yet their specific effects remain underexplored. This study investigated the impacts of P addition on soil respiration rates, enzyme activities, and microbial communities in maize and soybean rhizosphere soils under a 20-year corn-soybean rotation system. Results demonstrated that P inputs significantly elevated rhizosphere soil respiration rates. In maize, LP treatment yielded the highest initial rate (3.2 times CK on day 0) and maximum rate (1.45 times CK), peaking early (days 0–4). In soybean, HP treatment produced the peak rate, occurring on day 4. Glucosidase activity increased under P treatments, with HP in maize showing values up to 1.5–2 times CK before day 8, and HP in soybean peaking at 1.2 times CK on day 8. Acid and neutral phosphatase activities generally declined initially, reflecting feedback inhibition, while alkaline phosphatase rose early. Microbial community structure shifted markedly. Key taxa like Reyranella and Luteimonas increased with P concentration, while Gp1 decreased. Correlation analysis indicated strong associations; e.g., Proteobacteria positively correlated with acid phosphatase and negatively with neutral phosphatase. These findings underscore the crop-specific responses of rhizosphere microbiomes to P inputs, informing targeted fertilization strategies for enhanced nutrient efficiency and sustainable agriculture.","PeriodicalId":56066,"journal":{"name":"Agronomy-Basel","volume":"15 10","pages":"2277-2277"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/10/2277/pdf?version=1758814269","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147332575","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genome-Wide Identification and Functional Characterization Under Abiotic Stress of Melatonin Biosynthesis Enzyme Family Genes in Poncirus trifoliata","authors":"Jian Zhu, Ligang He, Fang Song, Zhijing Wang, Xiaofang Ma, Xiao Cui, Xin Song, Yanjie Fan, Ce Wang, Yunyan Xie, Yingchun Jiang, Liming Wu, Yu Zhang","doi":"10.3390/agronomy15102246","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15102246","url":null,"abstract":"Plant melatonin is widely recognized as a pleiotropic regulator. As a growth-regulating hormone, it extensively participates in various growth and developmental processes and has significant functions in stress responses and disease resistance. Plant melatonin is synthesized primarily through the catalytic actions of five enzymes: TDC (tryptophan decarboxylase), T5H (tryptamine-5-hydroxylase), SNAT (serotonin N-acetyltransferase), ASMT (N-acetylserotonin methyltransferase), and COMT (caffeic acid-O-methyltransferase). There are multiple genes for each of these five enzymes in citrus genomes, however, with the exception of COMT5—whose function has recently been elucidated—and SNAT, which has only been preliminarily identified, the remaining genes have not been unequivocally characterized or functionally annotated. Hence, we carried out a genome-wide analysis of melatonin biosynthesis enzyme-related gene families in trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata), one of the most common citrus rootstock varieties. Through bioinformatics approaches, we identified 96 gene family members encoding melatonin biosynthetic enzymes and characterized their protein sequence properties, phylogenetic relationships, gene structures, chromosomal distributions, and promoter cis-acting elements. Furthermore, by analyzing expression patterns in different tissues and under various stresses, we identified multiple stress-responsive melatonin synthase genes. These genes likely participate in melatonin synthesis under adverse conditions, thereby enhancing stress adaptation. Specifically, PtCOMT5, PtASMT11, and PtTDC9 were significantly induced by low temperature; PtSNAT1, PtSNAT14, PtSNAT18, and PtTDC10 were markedly responsive to drought; and PtASMT15, PtSNAT15, PtASMT16, and PtSNAT3 were strongly induced by ABA. Among them, PtASMT23 expression was induced up to 120-fold under low temperature, while PtSNAT18 showed over 100-fold upregulation under dehydration treatment. These findings strongly suggest that PtASMT23 and PtSNAT18 play critical roles in regulating melatonin biosynthesis in response to cold and drought stress, respectively. Collectively, these findings pinpoint novel genetic targets for enhancing stress resilience in citrus breeding programs and lay the foundation for the functional characterization of specific melatonin biosynthesis pathway gene family members in citrus and other horticultural crop species.","PeriodicalId":56066,"journal":{"name":"Agronomy-Basel","volume":"15 10","pages":"2246-2246"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/10/2246/pdf?version=1758617840","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147879122","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exogenous Regulators Enhance Physiological Recovery and Yield Compensation in Maize Following Mechanical Leaf Damage","authors":"Aonan Jiang, Dahong Bian, Xushuang Chen, Qifan Yang, Zhongbo Wei, Xiong Du, Zhen Gao, Guangzhou Liu, Yanhong Cui","doi":"10.3390/agronomy15092234","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15092234","url":null,"abstract":"To elucidate how exogenous regulators mitigate the impact of mechanical leaf damage on maize, field experiments were conducted on two sowing dates (S1, S2) using two cultivars (XY335, ZD958). Severe leaf damage at the six-leaf stage significantly reduced kernel number, ear number, and 100-kernel weight, causing yield losses of 21.9–48.9%. Foliar application of melatonin (MT), brassinolide (BR), and urea (UR) substantially alleviated these losses, increasing yield by 14.1–52.2% compared to damaged controls, with UR and BR being most effective, especially in ZD958. These regulators restored leaf area index (LAI) by promoting leaf width and delaying senescence, improved photosynthetic performance (Pn, Gs, Ci, and Tr), enhanced post-silking dry matter accumulation by up to 31%, and accelerated grain filling through increased maximum and mean filling rates. Structural equation modeling confirmed that kernel number and 100-kernel weight were the primary yield determinants. These findings reveal the physiological mechanisms underlying damage recovery and demonstrate the potential of targeted regulator applications—urea as a cost-effective option, brassinolide for improving kernel number under sustained stress, and melatonin for broad resilience. This study provides not only theoretical evidence but also a feasible strategy for mitigating yield loss in maize production under field conditions where leaf damage commonly occurs.","PeriodicalId":56066,"journal":{"name":"Agronomy-Basel","volume":"15 9","pages":"2234-2234"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/9/2234/pdf?version=1758536092","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147884576","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Induction and Enlargement of Bulblets in Lilium brownii var. viridulum In Vitro","authors":"Zheng Zhang, Jingfang Wei, Leifeng Xu, Jun Ming, Panpan Yang","doi":"10.3390/agronomy15092211","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15092211","url":null,"abstract":"Lilium brownii var. viridulum is a popular natural health product that combines medicine and food. However, the lack of high-quality and efficient propagation technology has been a significant impediment to the development of the L. brownii var. viridulum industry. In this study, bulb scales of L. brownii var. viridulum were used as materials to investigate the induction of bulblets from scales, as well as the proliferation and enlargement of the induced bulblets. An in vitro regeneration system for L. brownii var. viridulum was successfully established. The most effective methods for scale disinfection were found to be 75% alcohol disinfection for 30 s and 10% Sodium Hypochlorite (NaClO) disinfection for 15 min. The recommended medium for scale differentiation was Murashige and Skoog (MS) + 0.05 mg·L−1 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) + 0.25 mg·L−1 Thidiazuron (TDZ) + 0.05 mg·L−1 kinetin (KIN) + 30 g·L−1 sucrose + 6 g·L−1 Activated Charcoal (AC). The recommended medium for bulblet proliferation was MS + 1.5 mg·L−1 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA) + 0.5 mg·L−1 NAA + 30 g·L−1 sucrose. The recommended medium for bulblet enlargement was Modified MS Medium (potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4, KDP) doubled) + 90 g·L−1 sucrose. Bulblets with diameters of 1.5 cm were transplanted, and the germination rate was 100%. This study established a systematic in vitro regeneration system for L. brownii var. viridulum, which will provide the foundation for industrial production of L. brownii var. viridulum bulbs and improvement through genetic transformation.","PeriodicalId":56066,"journal":{"name":"Agronomy-Basel","volume":"15 9","pages":"2211-2211"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/9/2211/pdf?version=1758191724","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147910373","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of SiO2 Nanoparticles on the Yield and Quality of Sophora tonkinensis Under Drought Stress","authors":"Ying Liang, Shuangshuang Qin, Guili Wei, Ximei Liang, Fan Wei","doi":"10.3390/agronomy15092171","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15092171","url":null,"abstract":"This study investigates the novel application of silicon nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) to enhance drought tolerance and medicinal quality in the threatened medicinal plant Sophora tonkinensis, providing technical support for its conservation and cultivation. Six treatments were applied: control (CK), CK + 100 mg/L SiO2 NPs, CK + 200 mg/L SiO2 NPs, drought stress (SD), SD + 100 mg/L SiO2 NPs, SD + 200 mg/L SiO2 NPs. After 21 days of foliar application, we assessed biomass, physio–biochemical parameters (including soluble protein, soluble sugar, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide anion (O2−), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)), as well as concentrations of matrine, oxymatrine, genistin, genistein, total alkaloids, and total flavonoids. Under drought stress, the application of 100 mg/L SiO2 NPs was the most effective treatment for enhancing biomass accumulation and eliciting a coordinated physio–biochemical response. This was demonstrated by a significant increase in leaf soluble protein content and root SOD activity, along with a decrease in oxidative stress markers (H2O2 and O2−). Furthermore, SiO2 NPs application under both normal and drought conditions selectively enhanced the accumulation of bioactive compounds in the roots, with the optimal concentration being compound-specific. Notably, under drought conditions, the application of 200 mg/L SiO2 NPs proved optimal for enhancing the biosynthesis of several key medicinal compounds in the roots. Specifically, this treatment significantly maximized the content of matrine (214.15 μg/g), genistin (4.06 μg/g), genistein (48.56 μg/g), total alkaloids (9.96 mg/g), and total flavonoids (11.44 mg/g) compared to the drought-stressed control (SD). These results demonstrate that SiO2 NPs significantly improve yield and key medicinal components of S. tonkinensis under drought stress, with a differential efficiency depending on the concentration, plant organ, and target compound.","PeriodicalId":56066,"journal":{"name":"Agronomy-Basel","volume":"15 9","pages":"2171-2171"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/9/2171/pdf?version=1757602676","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147880299","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Protein Interaction Network Analysis of Soluble Starch Synthase 3 Reveals Its Composition of the Starch Synthase Complex in Barley","authors":"Yan Gao, Qiyan Zhou, Zhenbin Cheng, Xudong He, Jianhao Gao, H. Tang, Lei Chen, Yajie Liu, Hui Zhao, Zongyun Feng, Guowu Yu","doi":"10.3390/agronomy15092091","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15092091","url":null,"abstract":"Starch synthase collaboratively accomplishes the synthesis of starch by forming a protein complex. In barley (Hordeum vulgare), the interaction mechanisms within the soluble starch synthase 3 (SSIII) protein complex and their specific roles in starch biosynthesis remain poorly understood. To investigate proteins interacting with SSIII isoforms (SSIIIa/SSIIIb), the polyclonal antibodies against HvSSIIIa and HvSSIIIb were generated in rabbits. Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) was employed to enrich HvSSIIIa- and HvSSIIIb-associated protein complexes from developing barley seeds. The potential interacting proteins were identified using mass spectrometry coupled with database searches. The results demonstrated the successful production of highly specific polyclonal antibodies against HvSSIIIa and HvSSIIIb. These antibodies were used to analyze the expression levels of HvSSIIIa and HvSSIIIb across different barley tissue and seed developmental stages. Both isoforms exhibited peak expression during early seed development. Further Co-IP-based screening revealed several candidate interacting proteins, and the interacting proteins had some overlaps. Among them, adenosine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase, as a key rate-limiting enzyme in starch synthesis, interacts with SSIII to jointly regulate the supply of ADP-glucose precursors. Differential proteins show functional differentiation. In SSIIIa, the interacting protein DELLA protein SLR1-like is involved in processes such as hormone regulation, and in SSIIIb, the interacting protein 14-3-3 is related to metabolism. These findings provide new insights into the composition and function of the SSIII protein complex in barley, facilitating future studies on its regulatory role in starch biosynthesis.","PeriodicalId":56066,"journal":{"name":"Agronomy-Basel","volume":"15 9","pages":"2091-2091"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/9/2091/pdf?version=1756535478","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147885431","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interactive Effects of Exogenous Hormones, Sucrose, and Environmental Factors on the Growth of Phyllostachys edulis Shoots","authors":"Chongyang Wu, Junlei Xu, Changhong Mu, Yali Xie, Wenlong Cheng, Jian Gao","doi":"10.3390/agronomy15092095","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15092095","url":null,"abstract":"The growth of bamboo shoots during the rapid growth phase critically determines overall bamboo height development. While exogenous hormones and sugars promote plant growth, their interactions with environmental factors and regional variations remain unclear. This study examined moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) from Anhui and Hubei provinces using random forest and Bayesian hierarchical models to analyze direct and interactive effects of auxin, gibberellin, sucrose, auxin transport inhibitors, mTOR signaling pathway inhibitors, and environmental factors on shoot height. Results identified mean temperature, minimum temperature, precipitation, and subsurface runoff as key environmental drivers. Regional adaptations were evident: Anhui bamboo showed positive correlations with temperature factors, while Hubei bamboo exhibited negative correlations. Subsurface runoff consistently promoted growth, whereas precipitation negatively impacted development. Gibberellin and auxin treatments significantly enhanced bamboo responsiveness to favorable environmental conditions, while inhibitor treatments reduced these responses. This research elucidates complex interactions among exogenous hormones, sugars, and environmental factors affecting bamboo shoot growth. The findings reveal distinct regional adaptation patterns and demonstrate how hormone treatments can modulate environmental responsiveness. These insights provide theoretical foundations and practical guidance for optimizing regional bamboo forest management strategies and improving yield outcomes.","PeriodicalId":56066,"journal":{"name":"Agronomy-Basel","volume":"15 9","pages":"2095-2095"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/9/2095/pdf?version=1756542470","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147878322","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sink Strength Governs Yield Ceiling in High-Yield Cotton: Compensation Effects of Source–Sink Damage and Reproductive Stage Regulation","authors":"Zhenwang Zhang, Kexin Li, Qinghua Liao, Zhijie Shi, Keke Yu, Junqi Zhu, Xiyu Jia, Guodong Chen, Sumei Wan, Shanwei Lou, Mingfeng Yang, Fangjun Li, Xiaoli Tian, Zhaohu Li, Mingwei Du","doi":"10.3390/agronomy15092099","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15092099","url":null,"abstract":"Under refined management, high-yield cotton fields are approaching their maximum output. However, how to break this yield upper limit, specifically the source–sink relationship is still inadequately researched. This experiment was conducted to explore the interaction mechanism between yield formation and source–sink parameters (photosynthesis, nitrogen content, canopy structure and dry matter accumulation and distribution). The treatments consisted of a no cutting source and sink treatment (CK), cutting 1/2 leaves per plant (1/2L) and cutting 1/2 bolls per plant (1/2B) at the initial flowering stage (IFS), the flower and boll stage (FABS), and the full boll stage (FBS). The results showed that 1/2L treatment minimized yield losses to 2.3–5.9% by enhancing photosynthetic compensation, with FBS-1/2L showing the smallest reduction (2.3–2.9%) due to higher leaf N content and SPAD values, whereas, the 1/2B treatments resulted in significant yield losses attributable to fewer bolls, especially the FBS-1/2B treatments, which reduced yields by 35.7–41.9%, with a compensatory rate of only 8.1–14.3%. It is noteworthy that the compensation rates of IFS-1/2B and FABS-1/2B could reach 26.7–32.3% and 18.7–23.8% of their yields due to the higher leaf N content. In a word, the source damage can be buffered by physiological compensation, while the sink loss leads to yield collapse due to the irreversibility of reproductive development. Thus, the core regulator of high-yield cotton fields was sink strength. Accordingly, optimizing the sink quality was performed through moderate boll thinning at the IFS, enhancing water and fertilizer supply at the FABS and strengthening sink organ protection at the FBS in order to realize a breakthrough in yield limit.","PeriodicalId":56066,"journal":{"name":"Agronomy-Basel","volume":"15 9","pages":"2099-2099"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/9/2099/pdf?version=1756721655","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147878720","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}