Acta Physiologiae Plantarum最新文献

{"title":"Differential expression of stress-responsive microRNAs and their target genes under PEG6000-induced osmotic stress in wild and mutation-bred tomato genotypes","authors":"Özge Çelik,&nbsp;Aybüke Ekşioğlu,&nbsp;Jan Yağız Buchholz","doi":"10.1007/s11738-026-03990-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11738-026-03990-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Water deficit, intensified by global warming and climate change, is a major constraint on crop productivity, making it essential to understand and enhance plant adaptation to limited water availability. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs of ~ 20–22 nucleotides, are key post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression and important mediators of plant responses to water-deficit and osmotic stress. Here we compared the expression of drought-associated miRNAs and their validated target genes in two mutation-bred tomato lines (M4.5 and M3.409, developed by gamma-irradiation) and the naturally stress-tolerant wild relative <i>Solanum pennellii</i>. Seedlings were exposed in vitro to 0%, 4% or 6% (w/v) PEG6000 to impose osmotic stress. After 14 days, plantlet height was unaffected by PEG6000 in <i>S. pennellii</i> (0%: 3.85 ± 0.13; 4%: 3.82 ± 0.10; 6%: 4.04 ± 0.07 cm) and M4.5 (0%: 4.44 ± 0.10; 4%: 4.66 ± 0.08; 6%: 4.70 ± 0.18 cm), whereas M3.409 showed a reduction at 6% PEG6000 (0%: 4.04 ± 0.15; 4%: 4.02 ± 0.11; 6%: 3.16 ± 0.10 cm). Using qRT-PCR, we profiled thirteen drought-responsive miRNAs: nine were downregulated (miR1446, miR830, miR479, miR170a, miR170b, miR170c, miR828, miR398 and miR157b) and four were upregulated (miR473, miR2111, miR2118a and miR2118b) under stress. The six analysed target genes displayed the expected inverse expression patterns. Overall, the mutation-bred lines reproduced the miRNA signatures of the wild tolerant genotype, identifying candidate miRNA-target modules that may support the breeding of drought-resilient tomato.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6973,"journal":{"name":"Acta Physiologiae Plantarum","volume":"48 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11738-026-03990-x.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149189368","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mechanosensitive ion channels in plant immunity: initiators of systemic Ca2⁺ and electrical signaling","authors":"Muhammad Tahir Naseem,&nbsp;Wajid Zaman","doi":"10.1007/s11738-026-03981-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11738-026-03981-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Plants constantly encounter mechanical forces such as wind, rain, touch, and soil resistance. These forces can function as biological signals that influence growth, immune responses, and adaptation. Mechanical stimuli are converted into electrical and Ca²⁺ signals through mechanosensitive ion channels, generating local Ca²⁺ signatures that may either remain local or propagate as waves through vascular tissues and neighboring cells. This review critically evaluates the evidence that mechanosensitive ion channels initiate or gate systemic Ca²⁺ and electrical signaling in plant immunity, while distinguishing established mechanisms from testable hypotheses. Recent molecular and electrophysiological studies support this framework. JUE1, an MscS-like mechanosensitive channel gene in Torenia, is required for rapid propagation of touch-induced Ca²⁺ waves within the stigma and for stigma movement, but the study does not establish JUE1 as the initial force sensor or a mediator of whole-plant systemic signaling. OSCA/TMEM63 channels provide a structural model for force-from-lipid gating; plant OSCAs were first linked to hyperosmolality-induced Ca²⁺ responses. Together, these findings support the view that mechanosensitive channels act as core molecular hardware for plant electromechanical signaling, but they do not imply that a single channel family explains all systemic responses. We propose a framework that separates (i) force encoding at the channel level, (ii) local Ca²⁺/electrical signatures, (iii) propagation through excitable tissues, and (iv) decoding into growth and defense outputs. Connecting channel biophysics with systemic signaling should advance predictive plant mechanobiology and support strategies for improving resilience and immunity.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6973,"journal":{"name":"Acta Physiologiae Plantarum","volume":"48 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149189052","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrated morphological, physiological and biochemical responses of parsley under drought stress","authors":"Şehriban Yıldırım,&nbsp;Muhemet Zeki Karipçin","doi":"10.1007/s11738-026-03982-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11738-026-03982-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Drought stress is a major abiotic factor affecting parsley (Petroselinum crispum) by disrupting its physiological and biochemical balance. This study aimed to investigate the integrated morphological, physiological, and biochemical responses of parsley cultivars differing in leaf morphology under contrasting irrigation regimes. Two irrigation levels—full irrigation (100% field capacity) and deficit irrigation (25% of full irrigation)—were applied to broad- and narrow-leaf cultivars under controlled growth conditions. Key parameters included relative leaf water content (RLWC), total phenolic and flavonoid contents, antioxidant activities (DPPH, ABTS), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), malondialdehyde (MDA), and the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, APX, CAT) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO).</p><p>Drought stress reduced growth-related traits, with mean root length decreasing from 9.7 cm under full irrigation to 7.6 cm under water stress. Relative leaf water content (RLWC) was highest in the fully irrigated narrow-leaf cultivar (93.1%). Drought stress was associated with increased oxidative stress, with the highest numerical H₂O₂ content (6.85 ng mL⁻¹) and the highest MDA content (1.80 µmol mL⁻¹) recorded in the water-stressed narrow-leaf cultivar. SOD and APX activities decreased under water-deficit conditions, whereas PPO activity showed a predominantly cultivar-dependent pattern and CAT activity did not exhibit a consistent drought-induced increase. In contrast, flavonoid accumulation increased under water-deficit conditions. Treatment differences were evaluated using ANOVA followed by Tukey’s HSD test (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05).</p><p>These findings indicate that drought-induced reductions in plant water status were accompanied by increased oxidative stress and differential changes in enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant responses, together with substantial growth inhibition in parsley. The broad- and narrow-leaf cultivars exhibited distinct response patterns, particularly in oxidative stress indicators and antioxidant-related traits, indicating cultivar-dependent responses to severe water deficit. Overall, the results highlight the importance of integrating morphological, physiological, and biochemical traits when evaluating parsley responses to drought stress. Nevertheless, further studies involving a wider range of genotypes and additional anatomical, physiological, yield-related, and field evaluations are needed to clarify and generalize the observed drought-response patterns.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6973,"journal":{"name":"Acta Physiologiae Plantarum","volume":"48 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149189053","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synergistic role of exogenous proline and hydrogen sulfide in improving zinc stress tolerance in safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) seedlings","authors":"Hossein Salati,&nbsp;Shahram Namdjoyan,&nbsp;Taher Mohammadian","doi":"10.1007/s11738-026-03985-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11738-026-03985-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Excess zinc (Zn), primarily resulting from anthropogenic sources, poses serious threats to plant health and food safety. This study explored the potential synergistic effects of exogenous proline (100 µM L-proline, Pro) and hydrogen sulfide (100 µM NaHS as an H₂S donor) in mitigating Zn toxicity in safflower (<i>Carthamus tinctorius</i> L.) seedlings exposed to 500 µM ZnSO₄·7 H₂O. Zn stress markedly reduced biomass accumulation and chlorophyll content, while elevating oxidative stress indicators, endogenous proline, methylglyoxal (MG), and H₂S levels. Interestingly, H₂S content increased not only under Zn stress alone but was further enhanced when Pro or NaHS were applied, suggesting a role for both compounds in modulating H₂S homeostasis. Co-application of Pro and NaHS significantly restored plant growth and chlorophyll content, accompanied by strengthened antioxidant defense and glyoxalase systems. The combined treatment also reduced Zn uptake and translocation, and more effectively scavenged MG through enhanced glyoxalase enzyme activity, likely due to a reinforced glutathione (GSH) pool. These results highlight the pronounced synergistic action of Pro and H₂S in alleviating Zn-induced oxidative damage, underscoring their potential as complementary agents in improving metal stress tolerance.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div><div><p>Graphic presentation of possible effects of proline (Pro) and NaHS (as H₂S donors) on reducing Zn toxicity by strengthening ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle, improving glyoxalase system performance and stimulating endogenous proline production based on the data of present study.</p></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":6973,"journal":{"name":"Acta Physiologiae Plantarum","volume":"48 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149132633","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Press mud–based bacterial consortium improves nutrient dynamics, soil function, and shallot yield under reduced fertilizer input","authors":"Siti Himawati,&nbsp;Sulastri Sulastri,&nbsp;Dwi Pangesti Handayani,&nbsp;Yuda Purwana Roswanjaya,&nbsp;Rikania Reninta,&nbsp;R. Bambang Sukmadi,&nbsp;Ana Feronika Cindra Irawati,&nbsp;Nia Asiani,&nbsp;Nur Alfi Saryanah,&nbsp;Rika Sri Rahmawati,&nbsp;Henti Rosdayanti","doi":"10.1007/s11738-026-03980-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11738-026-03980-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The excessive use of chemical fertilizers can contribute to environmental problems, declining soil quality, and risks to human health, highlighting the need for more sustainable nutrient management strategies. Press mud, a nutrient-containing-byproduct of the sugar industry, has potential as a carrier and organic amendment for plant growth–promoting bacteria. This study evaluated the effect of press mud-based bacterial consortia on shallot (<i>Allium cepa</i> L.) growth and productivity under reduced NPK fertilizer inputs. A greenhouse experiment was conducted using a factorial randomized complete block design with four fertilizer levels (0, 25, 50, and 100% of the recommended dose) and three bacterial treatments (no consortium, consortium B1, and consortium B2). The combined application of bacterial consortia and reduced NPK fertilizer affected shallot growth, nutrient status, biochemical characteristics, and bulb yield. Consortium B2 combined with 50% of the recommended NPK rate produced a bulb weight per clump of 10.57 g, compared with 4.74 g under the 100% NPK treatment without bacterial consortium application. The bacterial consortium treatments were also associated with differences in soil nitrate, available phosphorus and potassium, plant nutrient content, and biochemical attributes, with B2 generally showing better performance under low to moderate NPK levels. These results indicate that a press mud-based bacterial consortium has the potential to support shallot production under reduced NPK inputs under greenhouse conditions. However, these findings should not be directly extrapolated to field conditions. Further field trials and economic assessment are needed to evaluate the consistency, practicality, and economic feasibility of this approach for agricultural application.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6973,"journal":{"name":"Acta Physiologiae Plantarum","volume":"48 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149132769","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Management of clodinafop resistant Avena ludoviciana Durieu in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) by using microtubule assembly inhibitors in combination with very long chain fatty acid and PPO, ACCase and ALS inhibitor herbicides","authors":"Amandeep Kaur,&nbsp;Samunder Singh","doi":"10.1007/s11738-026-03976-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11738-026-03976-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><i>A. ludoviciana</i> Durieu. is the most troublesome weed of non-paddy-wheat rotation, which has evolved resistance against clodinafop (ACCase inhibiting herbicide). The identification of alone pre and post emergence herbicides, mixtures of herbicides and sequential application of herbicides will help to manage clodinafop resistant <i>A. ludoviciana</i> in resistance affected areas. Two year field study was conducted at farmer’s field in Siswal village of district Hisar, Haryana, India by using randomized block design during 2016-17 and 2017-18. Herbicides selected in this study have different mode of action, i.e. clodinafop and pinoxaden belongs to acetyl-COA carboxylase (ACCase) inhibitors, pendimehalin inhibits microtubule assembly, pyroxasulfone inhibits very long chain fatty acid synthesis, flumioxazin inhibits protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO), respectively, while metribuzin and isoproturon inhibits the pathway of Photosystem II (PS-II) and sulfosulfuron belongs to acetolactate synthase (ALS)/Acetohydroxy acid synthase (AHS) inhibitors group. The weed free (plot is free from all type of weeds), pinoxaden 50 g ha^− 1 applied as post emergence and sequential application of pendimethalin 1000 g ha^− 1 as pre emergence <i>fb</i> pinoxaden 50 g ha^− 1 as post emergence provided satisfactory control of <i>A. ludoviciana</i> (93–100%), and improvement in grain yield was 38.1–42.7% as compared to clodinafop. However, Post-emergence application of clodinafop 60 g ha^− 1 and isoproturon 1000 g ha^− 1 did not provided effective control (18–19%) of <i>A. ludoviciana</i> in wheat. The pre-emergence application of pyroxasulfone 127.5 g ha^− 1 and tank mixture of pyroxasulfone 106 g ha^− 1 with pendimethalin 1000 g ha^− 1 provided control (68–75%) to <i>A.ludoviciana</i> and improved grain yield (27.4–29.9%) of wheat in comparison to clodinafop. The pre-emergence application of flumioxazin 100 g ha^− 1 and tank mixture of flumioxazin 80 g ha^− 1 with pendimethalin 1500 g ha^− 1 provided control (65–68%) to <i>A. ludoviciana</i> and improved grain yield (0.4–5.2%) in contrast to clodinafop. The less improvement in grain yield of wheat was due to crop phyto-toxicity exhibited in plots immediately after first irrigation. The crop and herbicide rotation, herbicide mixtures and sequential application of different herbicides might be the best choice than single application to manage the most challenging clodinafop resistant <i>A. ludoviciana</i> in wheat.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6973,"journal":{"name":"Acta Physiologiae Plantarum","volume":"48 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149132013","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Relations between carbon balance and water status under water deficit cycles in a green stem tropical species","authors":"Joana Nicodemos,&nbsp;Juliana Barreto,&nbsp;Mariana Santos,&nbsp;Mauro G. Santos","doi":"10.1007/s11738-026-03978-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11738-026-03978-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Stored non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) and the ability to perform photosynthesis through green stems are efficient strategies under water limiting conditions. The objective of this study was to investigate the response of <i>Commiphora leptophloeos</i>, a species with green stems, to recurrent drought cycles. Young plants were subjected to four treatments: control (CO), control + stem light exclusion (CE), water deficit (D), and water deficit + stem light exclusion (DE), with two drought cycles interspersed with rehydration. During the first cycle, the CE treatment produced 3x more leaves than D and DE, and increased plant height by 79% compared to D and 58% compared to DE. Stem water content decreased in the DE plants. Plants under water deficit exhibited reduced 82% (stomatal conductance) <i>g</i>_s three days after water exclusion in the first cycle and 45% after nine days in the second cycle. The maximum PSII efficiency in leaves decreased by 29% in DE plants compared to CE. The NSC concentration decreased by 63% in the water-deficit treatments compared to the controls during the second cycle, but only the coarse roots showed a change in NSC concentration. During the first cycle, the soluble sugars/starch ratio was altered in the leaves and stems, particularly in plants under DE conditions, but remained stable in the roots. These results suggest that maintaining water status, controlling <i>g</i>_s, and reducing the number of leaves are crucial strategies for survival under water deficit conditions for this species, as the NSC concentration in the whole plant strongly decreased. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the stability of NSC in the stem may play a protective role.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6973,"journal":{"name":"Acta Physiologiae Plantarum","volume":"48 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11738-026-03978-7.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149132014","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of bacterial and fungal biofertilizers on fatty acid profile, glomalin and microbial respiration in nickel-stressed maize","authors":"Leila Cheraghvareh,&nbsp;Latifeh Pourakbar,&nbsp;Sina Siavash Moghaddam,&nbsp;Jianbo Xiao","doi":"10.1007/s11738-026-03973-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11738-026-03973-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study examined the effects of bacterial and fungal biofertilizers, individually or in combination, on maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) under nickel stress. The experiment was conducted as a factorial design with three replications under controlled hydroponic conditions. Maize seeds were disinfected, soaked, and primed with bacterial biofertilizers (T2: NPK (nitrogen+ phosphate+ potash) + FZ ( zinc and iron)), fungal biofertilizers (T3: (AM (<i>arbuscular mycorrhizal</i>) + T(<i>Trichoderma</i>)), or their combination (T4: NPK + FZ + AM + T). Results revealed that higher nickel concentrations reduced leaf surface area, root volume, glomalin content, and microbial respiration. However, biofertilizer application, particularly T4, mitigated these effects, achieving the highest glomalin (12.44 mg g⁻¹) and microbial respiration (0.36 CO₂ kg day⁻¹). Nickel stress impaired photosynthetic parameters, with the lowest net photosynthesis (14.06 µmol CO₂ m²s⁻¹), transpiration (1.05 mmol H₂O m²s⁻¹), and stomatal conductance (22.03 mmol m²s⁻¹) observed at the highest nickel level (Ni₁₅₀). Biofertilizers reduced nickel accumulation in seeds and altered the fatty acid profile. T3 treatment under Ni₁₅₀ yielded the highest linoleic acid methyl ester (63.95%), while T2 produced the highest oleic acid methyl ester (21.82%). Nickel stress increased saturated fatty acids, including caproic, caprylic, and palmitic acid methyl esters, but biofertilizers reduced their levels. The unsaturated-to-saturated fatty acid ratio peaked in T3 (6.38), further enhanced by nickel stress. These findings indicate that biofertilizers alleviate nickel stress by improving growth, photosynthesis, and fatty acid composition while reducing nickel uptake. The shift toward unsaturated fatty acids likely enhances membrane stability and fluidity, aiding maize adaptation to nickel stress. This study demonstrates that co—inoculation of Bacterial and AM fungi, highlights the critical and expanding role of Bacterial with Fungal Biofertilizers in enhanced crop yield and long—term soil health and environmental conservation. Overall, biofertilizers play a critical role in mitigating nickel toxicity in maize.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6973,"journal":{"name":"Acta Physiologiae Plantarum","volume":"48 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149132327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Metabolomic insights into tolerance mechanisms of the desert shrub Haloxylon salicornicum during drought and recovery","authors":"Hasna Ezzine,&nbsp;Heribert Hirt,&nbsp;Hassan Boukcim,&nbsp;Marc Ducousso,&nbsp;Younes Abbas","doi":"10.1007/s11738-026-03970-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11738-026-03970-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Desert plants exhibit remarkable adaptive mechanisms that enable them to survive extreme aridity through efficient water management and metabolic plasticity. This study investigated the metabolomic basis of drought tolerance in the xero-halophyte <i>Haloxylon salicornicum</i>, focusing on organ-specific metabolic responses and post-drought recovery processes. Using untargeted metabolomics approach, the metabolic profiles of seedlings subjected to 15 days of water withholding followed by 15 days of rewatering were analyzed. Drought exposure induced the accumulation of 25 metabolites in shoots and 24 in roots, among which three compounds, glutathione, leucine, and N-acetylputrescine were consistently and significantly upregulated in both organs. These shared metabolites represent potential markers of drought response in <i>H. salicornicum</i>. Shoots specifically accumulated metabolites such xylulose, xylitol, and galacturonate, which are implicated in cuticle biosynthesis and cell wall remodeling, as well as amino acids (aspartate and asparagine) and tricarboxylic acids supporting energy supply and C-N balance under drought. In contrast, roots specifically exhibited elevated levels of osmolytes (e.g., β-alanine and γ-aminobutyrate), the polyamine putrescine, glycerol and UDP-glucuronate, which is associated with cell wall reinforcement. Following rehydration, seedlings did not fully return to the pre-stress metabolic state and significantly maintained elevated levels of stress-related metabolites. These findings provide valuable insights into the metabolic networks underlying drought adaptation and recovery in <i>H. salicornicum</i>, underscoring its potential as a model system for elucidating the mechanisms that enable desert plants to withstand extreme drought conditions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6973,"journal":{"name":"Acta Physiologiae Plantarum","volume":"48 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149132015","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nitrogen uptake, fertilizer use efficiency, and physiological responses of Coix lacryma-jobi L. under different N application rates: a ¹⁵N tracer study","authors":"Ming Luo,&nbsp;Kaiyan Zhang,&nbsp;Mingkai Wu","doi":"10.1007/s11738-026-03971-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11738-026-03971-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><i>Coix lacryma-jobi</i> L. (commonly known as Job’s tears or adlay) is getting more attention as an emerging functional food crop, but species-specific nitrogen (N) management information remains limited. Most growers currently extrapolate recommendations from other cereals. We hypothesized that increasing N supply would enhance biomass and N accumulation but reduce nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) beyond an optimal rate, and that physiological parameters including net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and SPAD value would show saturation at higher N levels. To test this, we grew <i>C. lacryma-jobi</i> in pots with four N rates (0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 g N plant^− 1) under greenhouse conditions and used ¹⁵N-labeled KNO₃ to track fertilizer N fate. Total biomass increased with N supply, reaching 19.74 g plant^− 1 at the highest rate—35% above the unfertilized control. Most of this extra mass accumulated in stems rather than leaves or roots. Leaf and root N contents rose with N supply, while stem N concentration remained stable. Only 4.8–15.1% of plant N derived from fertilizer, indicating that soil supplied 85–95% of total plant N even at the highest application rate. Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) peaked at 13.0% at 1 g N and declined to 10.1% at 2 g N, confirming our hypothesis of diminishing returns at higher N inputs. Leaf photosynthetic rate (Pn) and SPAD values increased with N supply up to 1 g N, with only modest further gains at 2 g N. Leaf nitrate concentration at 2 g N reached 1685.7 mg kg⁻¹ fresh weight. We conclude that under the conditions of this study, N application rates above approximately 1 g plant⁻¹ provide limited additional physiological or N uptake benefit and reduce fertilizer efficiency. These findings provide a scientific basis for optimizing N fertilization in this emerging functional crop.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":6973,"journal":{"name":"Acta Physiologiae Plantarum","volume":"48 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149035315","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}