Plants-Basel最新文献

{"title":"Machine Learning-Driven Identification of Key Environmental Factors Influencing Fiber Yield and Quality Traits in Upland Cotton.","authors":"Mohamadou Souaibou, Haoliang Yan, Panhong Dai, Jingtao Pan, Yang Li, Yuzhen Shi, Wankui Gong, Haihong Shang, Juwu Gong, Youlu Yuan","doi":"10.3390/plants14132053","DOIUrl":"10.3390/plants14132053","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Understanding the influence of environmental factors on cotton performance is crucial for enhancing yield and fiber quality in the context of climate change. This study investigates genotype-by-environment (G×E) interactions in cotton, using data from 250 recombinant inbred lines (CCRI70 RILs) cultivated across 14 diverse environments in China's major cotton cultivation areas. Our findings reveal that environmental effects predominantly influenced yield-related traits (boll weight, lint percentage, and the seed index), contributing to 34.7% to 55.7% of their variance. In contrast fiber quality traits showed lower environmental sensitivity (12.3-27.0%), with notable phenotypic plasticity observed in the boll weight, lint percentage, and fiber micronaire. Employing six machine learning models, Random Forest demonstrated superior predictive ability (R² = 0.40-0.72; predictive Pearson correlation = 0.63-0.86). Through SHAP-based interpretation and sliding-window regression, we identified key environmental drivers primarily active during mid-to-late growth stages. This approach effectively reduced the number of influential input variables to just 0.1-2.4% of the original dataset, spanning 2-9 critical time windows per trait. Incorporating these identified drivers significantly improved cross-environment predictions, enhancing Random Forest accuracy by 0.02-0.15. These results underscore the strong potential of machine learning to uncover critical temporal environmental factors underlying G×E interactions and to substantially improve predictive modeling in cotton breeding programs, ultimately contributing to more resilient and productive cotton cultivation.</p>","PeriodicalId":56267,"journal":{"name":"Plants-Basel","volume":"14 13","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12252131/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144621370","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 Irrigation Amount and Nitrogen Rate of Drip-Fertigated Sugar Beet Based on Sugar Yield, Nitrogen Use Efficiency, and Critical Nitrogen Dilution Curve in the Arid Southern Xinjiang of China.","authors":"Ying Wang, Fulai Yan, Junliang Fan, Fucang Zhang","doi":"10.3390/plants14132055","DOIUrl":"10.3390/plants14132055","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The critical nitrogen (N) dilution curve is widely used to diagnose crop N status, but no such model has been developed for sugar beet. This study evaluated the effects of irrigation amount and N rate on sugar yield, N use efficiency, and soil nitrate-N (NO₃-N) residue of drip-fertigated sugar beet in the arid southern Xinjiang of China. A reliable N nutrition index (NNI) for sugar yield was also established based on a critical N dilution curve derived from the dry matter of sugar beet. A three-year field experiment was established with six N rates (25-480 kg N ha^-1) and three irrigation levels based on crop evapotranspiration (<i>ET_c</i>) (0.6, 0.8, and 1.0 <i>ET_c</i> in 2019 and 2020, and 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 <i>ET_c</i> in 2021). Results showed that sugar yield and N uptake increased and then generally stabilized with increasing N rate, while N use efficiency decreased. Most soil NO₃-N was mainly distributed in the 0-60 cm soil layer, but increasing irrigation amount reduced residual NO₃-N in the 0-80 cm soil layer. Additionally, the established critical N dilution curve of sugar beet was considered stable (Normalized RMSE = 16.6%), and can be used to calculate plant N requirements and further N rates during sugar beet growth. The results indicated that the optimal NNI was 0.97 under 0.6 <i>ET_c</i> for sugar yield production of sugar beet in this study. This study provides a basis for efficient water and N management in sugar beet production in arid and semi-arid regions globally.</p>","PeriodicalId":56267,"journal":{"name":"Plants-Basel","volume":"14 13","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12252462/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144621385","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":"Urban Phytoremediation: A Nature-Based Solution for Environmental Reclamation and Sustainability.","authors":"Luca Di Stasio, Annamaria Gentile, Dario Nicola Tangredi, Paolo Piccolo, Gianmaria Oliva, Giovanni Vigliotta, Angela Cicatelli, Francesco Guarino, Werther Guidi Nissim, Massimo Labra, Stefano Castiglione","doi":"10.3390/plants14132057","DOIUrl":"10.3390/plants14132057","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Starting from the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century to date, urban areas have faced increasing environmental challenges due to the diffusion of harmful substances, resulting from vehicular traffic, the activities of different industries, waste, and building construction, etc. These pollutants are dangerous, since they pose a threat to both the environment and human health. Phytoremediation is an environmentally friendly and low-cost technique that uses plants and their associated microorganisms to clean-up contaminated sites. In this review, we explore its main applications in urban settings. Specifically, we investigate how phytoremediation works, highlighting the most effective plants for its success in a city context. Moreover, we also describe the main factors influencing its effectiveness, such as soil, climate, and pollutants. In this regard, several case studies, conducted worldwide, have reported on how phytoremediation can successfully reclaim contaminated areas, transforming them into reusable city green spaces, with reduced costs compared to traditional remediation techniques (e.g., soil replacement, soil washing, etc.). Moreover, by integrating it into urban planning, cities can address environmental pollution, while promoting biodiversity, enhancing the landscape, and increasing its social acceptance. This nature-based solution offers a practical path toward more sustainable and resilient urban environments, especially in regard to the climate change framework.</p>","PeriodicalId":56267,"journal":{"name":"Plants-Basel","volume":"14 13","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12252246/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144621472","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":"Secondary Metabolites of <i>Bacillus zhangzhouensis</i> from <i>Zygophyllum oxianum</i> and Their Antifungal and Plant Growth-Regulating Properties.","authors":"Zokir O Toshmatov, Fazliddin A Melikuziev, Ilkham S Aytenov, Ma'ruf Z Isokulov, Gulnaz Kahar, Tohir A Bozorov, Daoyuan Zhang","doi":"10.3390/plants14132058","DOIUrl":"10.3390/plants14132058","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Plant species harbor diverse rhizospheric bacteria within their resilient root zones, serving as a valuable reservoir of bioactive microorganisms with strong potential for natural antifungal and plant growth-promoting applications. This study aimed to investigate the antagonistic potential of <i>Bacillus zhangzhouensis</i>, isolated from <i>Zygophyllum oxianum</i> in the Aral Sea region, Uzbekistan, against the fungal pathogen <i>Cytospora mali</i>. Due to its strong antifungal activity, <i>B. zhangzhouensis</i> was selected for bioactive compound profiling. Methanolic extracts were fractionated via silica and Sephadex gel chromatography, followed by antifungal screening using the agar diffusion method. A highly active fraction (dichloromethane/methanol, 9:1) underwent further purification, yielding twelve antifungal sub-fractions. Mass spectrometry analysis across positive and negative ion modes identified 2475 metabolites, with polar solvents-particularly methanol-enhancing compound recovery. Refinement using <i>Bacillus</i>-specific references identified six known antibiotics. Four pure compounds were isolated and structurally characterized using NMR: oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, cyclo-(Pro-Ser), and uracil. Their growth regulatory activity was assessed on <i>Amaranthus retroflexus</i>, <i>Nicotiana benthamiana</i>, triticale, and <i>Triticum aestivum</i> at concentrations of 5, 20, 100, and 500 mg L-1. All compounds negatively affected root growth in a concentration-dependent manner, especially in monocots. Interestingly, some treatments enhanced stem growth, particularly in <i>N. benthamiana</i>. These findings indicate that <i>B. zhangzhouensis</i> produces diverse bioactive compounds with dual antifungal and plant growth-modulatory effects, highlighting its potential as a biocontrol agent and a source of natural bioactive compounds.</p>","PeriodicalId":56267,"journal":{"name":"Plants-Basel","volume":"14 13","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12252115/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144621397","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":"Rational Water and Nitrogen Regulation Can Improve Yield and Water-Nitrogen Productivity of the Maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.)-Soybean (<i>Glycine max</i> L. Merr.) Strip Intercropping System in the China Hexi Oasis Irrigation Area.","authors":"Haoliang Deng, Xiaofan Pan, Guang Li, Qinli Wang, Rang Xiao","doi":"10.3390/plants14132050","DOIUrl":"10.3390/plants14132050","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The planting area of the maize-soybean strip intercropping system has been increasing annually in the Hexi Corridor oasis irrigation area of China. However, long-term irrational water resource utilization and the excessive mono-application of fertilizers have led to significantly low water and nitrogen use efficiency in this cropping system. To explore the sustainable production model of high yield and high water-nitrogen productivity in maize-soybean strip intercropping, we established three irrigation levels (low: 60%, medium: 80%, and sufficient: 100% of reference crop evapotranspiration) and three nitrogen application levels (low: maize 230 kg ha^-1, soybean 29 kg ha^-1; medium: maize 340 kg ha^-1, soybean 57 kg ha^-1; and high: maize 450 kg ha^-1, soybean 85 kg ha^-1) for maize and soybean, respectively. Three irrigation levels without nitrogen application served as controls. The effects of different water-nitrogen combinations on multiple indicators of the maize-soybean strip intercropping system, including yield, water-nitrogen productivity, and quality, were analyzed. The results showed that the irrigation amount and nitrogen application rate significantly affected the kernel quality of maize. Specifically, the medium nitrogen and sufficient water (N2W3) combination achieved optimal performance in crude fat, starch, and bulk density. However, excessive irrigation and nitrogen application led to a reduction in the content of lysine and crude protein in maize, as well as crude fat and crude starch in soybean. Appropriate irrigation and nitrogen application significantly increased the yield in the maize-soybean strip intercropping system, in which the N2W3 treatment had the highest yield, with maize and soybean yields reaching 14007.02 and 2025.39 kg ha^-1, respectively, which increased by 2.52% to 138.85% and 5.37% to 191.44% compared with the other treatments. Taking into account the growing environment of the oasis agricultural area in the Hexi Corridor and the effects of different water and nitrogen supplies on the yield, water-nitrogen productivity, and kernel quality of maize and soybeans in the strip intercropping system, the highest target yield can be achieved when the irrigation quotas for maize and soybeans are set at 100% ET0 (reference crop evapotranspiration), with nitrogen application rates of 354.78~422.51 kg ha^-1 and 60.27~71.81 kg ha^-1, respectively. This provides guidance for enhancing yield and quality in maize-soybean strip intercropping in the oasis agricultural area of the Hexi Corridor, achieving the dual objectives of high yield and superior quality.</p>","PeriodicalId":56267,"journal":{"name":"Plants-Basel","volume":"14 13","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12251900/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144621426","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":"The Transcription Factor <i>ZmMYBR24</i> Gene Is Involved in a Variety of Abiotic Stresses in Maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.).","authors":"Liangliang Bao, Wen Sun, Jiaxin Wang, Yuyang Zhou, Jiahao Wang, Qi Wang, Dequan Sun, Hong Lin, Jinsheng Fan, Yu Zhou, Lin Zhang, Zhenhua Wang, Chunxiang Li, Hong Di","doi":"10.3390/plants14132054","DOIUrl":"10.3390/plants14132054","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>MYB transcription factors constitute a diverse and functionally versatile family, playing central roles in regulating plant responses to a range of abiotic stressors. Based on previous research, we identified and characterized a maize MYB transcription factor gene, <i>ZmMYBR24</i>, which is involved in responses to salt, alkali, and low-temperature stress. This study aimed to investigate the function and mechanism of <i>ZmMYBR24</i> in response to salt, alkali, and low-temperature stresses. We hypothesized that <i>ZmMYBR24</i> regulates biosynthetic pathways to influence maize resistance to multiple abiotic stresses. The results indicate that <i>ZmMYBR24</i> expression was markedly upregulated (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and the fold-change in gene expression ranged from 1.54 to 25.69 when plants were exposed to these combined stresses. Phenotypically, the <i>zmmybr24</i> mutant line exhibited more pronounced inhibition of seedling and root growth under stress compared to the wild-type B73 line. Based on a correlation expression pattern analysis and mutant line evaluation, <i>ZmMYBR24</i> was confirmed to be a positive regulatory transcription factor for multiple types of abiotic stress resistance. An RNA-seq analysis of both lines revealed differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with gene ontology (GO) and KEGG enrichment analyses indicating that <i>ZmMYBR24</i> may mediate stress responses by modulating the expression of genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis. Notable differences were observed in the expression of pathway-associated genes between the mutant and wild-type plants. A haplotype analysis across 80 inbred maize lines revealed 16 <i>ZmMYBR24</i> coding region haplotypes-comprising 25 SNPs and 17 InDels-with HAP12 emerging as a superior haplotype. These results demonstrate that <i>ZmMYBR24</i> enhances maize yields by regulating the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway in response to adverse climatic conditions including salt, alkaline conditions, and low temperatures. Collectively, these findings offer novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying maize adaptation to combined abiotic stresses and lay the groundwork for breeding programs targeting multi-stress resistance.</p>","PeriodicalId":56267,"journal":{"name":"Plants-Basel","volume":"14 13","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12251797/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144621436","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":"Mosaic Evolution of Membrane Transporters in Galdieriales.","authors":"Claudia Ciniglia, Antonino Pollio, Elio Pozzuoli, Marzia Licata, Nunzia Nappi, Seth J Davis, Manuela Iovinella","doi":"10.3390/plants14132043","DOIUrl":"10.3390/plants14132043","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Membrane transporters are vital for solute movement and localisation across cellular compartments, particularly in extremophilic organisms such as Galdieriales. These red algae thrive in geothermal and metal-rich environments, where adaptive transporter systems contribute to their metabolic flexibility. While inventories of transporter genes in the species <i>Galdieria sulphuraria</i> have previously been compiled, their phylogenetic origins remain incompletely resolved. Here, we conduct a comparative phylogenetic analysis of three transporter families-Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS). Amino acid-Polyamine-Organocation (<i>APC</i>) and the natural resistance-associated macrophage protein (Nramp)-selected from overexpressed transcripts in <i>G. sulphuraria</i> strain SAG 107.79. Using sequences from six Galdieriales species and orthologs from diverse taxa, we reconstructed maximum likelihood trees to assess conservation and potential horizontal gene transfer (HGT). The MFS subfamilies revealed contrasting patterns: sugar porters (SPs) exhibited polyphyly and fungal affinity, suggesting multiple HGT events, while phosphate:H⁺ symporters (<i>PHS</i>s) formed a coherent monophyletic group. <i>APC</i> sequences were exclusive in <i>G. sulphuraria</i> and extremophilic prokaryotes, indicating a likely prokaryotic origin. In contrast, Nramp transporters were broadly conserved across eukaryotes and prokaryotes, showing no signs of recent HGT. Together, these findings highlight the mosaic evolutionary history of membrane transporters in Galdieriales, shaped by a combination of vertical inheritance and taxon-specific gene acquisition events, and provide new insight into the genomic strategies underpinning environmental resilience in red algae.</p>","PeriodicalId":56267,"journal":{"name":"Plants-Basel","volume":"14 13","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12252169/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144621380","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":"High Ratio of Manure Substitution Enhanced Soil Organic Carbon Storage via Increasing Particulate Organic Carbon and Nutrient Availability.","authors":"Xiaoyu Hao, Xingzhu Ma, Lei Sun, Shuangquan Liu, Jinghong Ji, Baoku Zhou, Yue Zhao, Yu Zheng, Enjun Kuang, Yitian Liu, Shicheng Zhao","doi":"10.3390/plants14132045","DOIUrl":"10.3390/plants14132045","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Replacing partial chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizer can increase organic carbon input, change soil nutrient stoichiometry and microbial metabolism, and then affect soil organic carbon (SOC) storage. A 6-year field experiment was used to explore the mechanism of SOC storage under different ratios of manure substitution in northeast China, with treatments including chemical fertilizer application alone (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, NPK) and replacing 1/4 (1/4M), 2/4 (2/4M), 3/4 (3/4M), and 4/4 (4/4M) of chemical fertilizer N with manure N. Soil nutrients, enzymatic activity, and SOC fractions were analyzed to evaluate the effect of different manure substitution ratios on SOC storage. A high ratio of manure substitution (>1/4) significantly increased soil total N, total P, total K, and available nutrients (NO₃^--N, available P, and available K), and the 4/4M greatly decreased the C/N ratio compared to the NPK. Manure incorporation increased microbial biomass carbon (MBC) by 18.3-53.0%. Treatments with 50%, 75%, and 100% manure substitution (2/4M, 3/4M, and 4/4M) enhanced bacterial necromass carbon (BNC), fungal necromass carbon (FNC), and total microbial necromass carbon (MNC) by 31.9-63.5%, 25.5-107.1%, and 27.4-94.2%, respectively, compared to the NPK treatment. Notably, the increase in FNC was greater than that of BNC as the manure substitution ratio increased. The increasing manure substitution significantly enhanced particulate organic C (POC) and total SOC but did not affect mineral-associated organic C (MAOC). High soil N and P supplies decreased leucine aminopeptidases (LAPs) and alkaline phosphatase activities but increased the activity ratio of β-glucosidase (BG)/(N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (NAG) + LAP). Treatments with 25% manure substitution (1/4M) maintained maize and soybean yield, but with increasing manure rate, the maize yield decreased gradually. Overall, the high ratio of manure substitution enhanced SOC storage via increasing POC and MNC, and decreasing the decomposition potential of manure C and soil C resulting from low N- and P-requiring enzyme activities under high nutrient supplies. This study provides empirical evidence that the rational substitution of chemical fertilizers with manure is an effective measure to improve the availability of nutrients, and its effect on increasing crop yields still needs to be continuously observed, which is still a beneficial choice for enhancing black soil fertility.</p>","PeriodicalId":56267,"journal":{"name":"Plants-Basel","volume":"14 13","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12252305/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144621267","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":"Evolutionary and Structural Analysis of the Aquaporin Gene Family in Rice.","authors":"Tao Tong, Fanrong Zeng, Shuzhen Ye, Zhijuan Ji, Yanli Wang, Zhong-Hua Chen, Younan Ouyang","doi":"10.3390/plants14132035","DOIUrl":"10.3390/plants14132035","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Aquaporins in rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) represent a pivotal class of transmembrane channel proteins that mediate the bidirectional transport of water and small solutes, which have critical functions in cellular osmoregulation and ion homeostasis maintenance. Their evolutionary diversity and functional plasticity constitute fundamental mechanisms underlying the adaptive responses to diversified environmental challenges. This review systematically summarizes rice AQPs' evolutionary origins, structural characteristics, and spatiotemporal expression patterns under both physiological and stress conditions, highlighting the high conservation of their key functional domains across evolution and their environment-driven functional diversification. The molecular mechanisms governing AQPs in water utilization, nutrient uptake, and stress responses are unraveled. Furthermore, the potential of precision gene editing and multi-omics integration is discussed to decipher the intricate relationships between AQP evolutionary history, environmental adaptability, and functional specialization, thereby providing a theoretical basis for advancing crop stress resistance and high-quality breeding.</p>","PeriodicalId":56267,"journal":{"name":"Plants-Basel","volume":"14 13","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12251758/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144621336","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":"Physiological Performance and Grain Yield Components of Common Buckwheat (<i>Fagopyrum esculentum</i> Moench) Cultivated Under Different N Rates.","authors":"Jorge González-Villagra, Jaime Solano, Kevin Ávila, Jaime Tranamil-Manquein, Ricardo Tighe-Neira, Alejandra Ribera-Fonseca, Claudio Inostroza-Blancheteau","doi":"10.3390/plants14132037","DOIUrl":"10.3390/plants14132037","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Buckwheat (<i>Fagopyrum esculentum</i> Moech) is a \"gluten-free\" pseudocereal with high-quality proteins and human health properties, increasing its cultivation worldwide. However, the role of nitrogen (N) in plant growth and yield components has received little attention in buckwheat. This study evaluated N's effect on plant traits, photosynthetic performance, and grain yield components in buckwheat under field conditions. For this, Buckwheat cv. \"Mancan\" seeds were sown using five N rates: 0, 30, 45, 60, and 90 kg N ha^-1. Then, physiological performance and grain yield components were evaluated at harvest. Our study revealed that buckwheat plants subjected to 0 and 30 kg N ha^-1 showed the greatest chlorophyll fluorescence <i>a</i> parameters including maximum quantum yield of PSII (Fv'/Fm'), effective quantum yield of PSII (ФPSII), and electron transport rate (ETR) among N treatments; meanwhile, at higher N rates (60 and 90 kg N ha^-1), these parameters decayed. Similarly, plants treated with 90 kg N ha^-1 showed the lowest CO₂ assimilation among N treatments. In general, stomatal conductance (<i>g_s</i>), transpiration (<i>E</i>), and intrinsic water use efficiency (WUE<i>_i</i>) showed no significant changes among N treatments, with the exception of 30 kg N ha^-1, which exhibited the highest WUE<i>_i</i>. Concerning plant traits, plants grown under 60 and 90 kg N ha^-1 exhibited the greatest plant height, number of branches, shoot biomass, and internode per plant among N treatments. By contrast, 30 kg N ha^-1 showed the highest grain number, yield per plant, and grain yield among N treatments in <i>F. esculentum</i> plants. Based on the physiological and productive parameters, <i>F. esculentum</i> seems to have a low N requirement, exhibiting better results under the lowest N rates (30 kg N ha^-1). Therefore, <i>F. esculentum</i> could be considered as an alternative for gluten-free food production with low N requirements in agricultural systems of southern Chile. Nonetheless, more studies are required to understand the effect of N biochemical and molecular regulation on plant traits and grain yield components in buckwheat.</p>","PeriodicalId":56267,"journal":{"name":"Plants-Basel","volume":"14 13","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12252211/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144621404","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}