The Science of Nature最新文献

{"title":"Allele frequency distribution and forensic efficiency parameters of 24 autosomal STR markers in the santhal tribal community of Bihar, India","authors":"Brajesh Kumar,&nbsp;Amitabh Biswas,&nbsp;Shivani Dixit,&nbsp;Shivkant Sharma,&nbsp;Pankaj Shrivastava","doi":"10.1007/s00114-026-02176-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-026-02176-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This article reports the allele frequency distribution and statistically calculated the forensic efficiency parameters of 210 unrelated volunteers that belong to a specific tribal group named Santhal living in Bihar, India. 24 specific short tandem repeat (STR) markers are included in this study by using the Ingenomics™ AutoProfiler STR Kit. The Power of discrimination (PD), power of exclusion (PE), observed heterozygosity (Ho), expected heterozygosity (He) polymorphism information content (PIC), probability of match (PM), typical paternity index (TPI) and Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) p-value were calculated. The result shows that the probability of match (PM) values across the loci ranged from 0.012 to 0.186, while the power of discrimination (PD) varied from 0.814 to 0.988. The highest PD values were observed at SE33 (0.988), Penta E (0.983), and FGA (0.962), indicating their strong ability to differentiate individuals within the population. Conversely, loci such as CSF1PO (0.814) and D2S441 (0.844) showed comparatively lower discrimination power. The polymorphism information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.601 to 0.933, with most loci showing PIC values greater than 0.7, reflecting a high degree of polymorphism. Gene diversity values were also high across the studied loci, ranging from 0.666 to 0.939, further confirming the substantial genetic variability present in the population. The power of exclusion (PE), which is an important parameter for paternity testing, ranged from 0.428 to 0.913, with SE33 and Penta E showing the highest exclusion capacities. The typical paternity index (TPI) values varied from 1.667 to 11.667, again highlighting the strong contribution of highly polymorphic loci such as SE33, Penta E, and D12S391. The combined probability of match (CPM) was 2.41 × 10⁻²⁸, combined power of exclusion (CPE) was 0.999999999991, combined paternity index (CPI) was 3.51 × 10¹⁰ and combined power of discrimination was 1 providing very strong statistical support for the application of these markers in paternity testing. These results demonstrate that the 24 autosomal STR loci possess high forensic efficiency and are highly informative for forensic identification and kinship analysis in the santhal population.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"113 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149098743","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interactive effects of silica nanoparticles and putrescine on morphophysiological and biochemical performance in stock (Matthiola incana L. ‘Pilaster White’)","authors":"Keyvan Pourrashid,&nbsp;Zohreh Jabbarzadeh,&nbsp;Jafar Amiri","doi":"10.1007/s00114-026-02177-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-026-02177-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Stock (<i>Matthiola incana</i> L. ‘Pilaster White’) is an economically important ornamental species whose commercial value depends largely on vigorous vegetative growth, high floral quality, and extended vase life. Silica nanoparticles (SiO₂ NPs) and putrescine have individually been reported to improve plant growth and physiological performance through different mechanisms; however, information regarding their interactive effects in stock remains limited. Therefore, this study evaluated the individual and interactive effects of foliar-applied SiO₂ NPs and putrescine on the morphophysiological, biochemical, and vase life of stock plants. A factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design was conducted using four SiO₂ NP concentrations (0, 50, 100, and 200 mg L⁻¹) and three putrescine concentrations (0, 1.5, and 3 mM). Foliar application of SiO₂ NPs and putrescine, particularly at appropriate concentrations and combinations, improved vegetative growth, biomass accumulation, floral quality, and vase life compared with the untreated control. Among the tested combinations, 1.5 mM putrescine combined with 50 mg L⁻¹ SiO₂ NPs resulted in the greatest improvement across most evaluated traits. This treatment was associated with increased chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, carotenoid, soluble sugar, protein, and anthocyanin contents, suggesting improved photosynthetic capacity and metabolic status. Overall, the results demonstrate that the interactive effects between SiO₂ NPs and putrescine improve plant growth, floral quality, and vase life in stock under greenhouse conditions and may represent a promising biostimulant strategy for enhancing the commercial quality of ornamental plants. </p></div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"113 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149098292","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating the plausibility of oceanic rafting by giant palaeognathous birds to Lanzarote during the early Pliocene","authors":"Christophe Lécuyer,&nbsp;Eric Buffetaut,&nbsp;Antonio Sánchez Marco","doi":"10.1007/s00114-026-02172-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-026-02172-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The discovery of giant palaeognathous bird eggs and eggshells in Lower Pliocene deposits of Lanzarote (Canary Islands) raises a fundamental biogeographical question: how could large flightless birds have colonized an oceanic island that has never been connected to the adjacent African mainland? Although the fossil material provides unequivocal evidence for the former presence of these birds, no associated skeletal remains are currently known and the mechanism by which they reached the island remains unresolved. During the early Pliocene, northwestern Africa experienced warmer and wetter climatic conditions than today, with enhanced fluvial activity that could have favoured the mobilization of large volumes of plant debris and the formation of natural rafts entering the Atlantic Ocean. Here we combine geological and palaeontological evidence with simple hydrostatic calculations and probabilistic modelling to evaluate whether passive rafting across the Lanzarote Passage was physically and biologically plausible. Hydrostatic calculations indicate that natural vegetation rafts of realistic dimensions could support an adult bird of approximately 100 kg. Probabilistic simulations show that survival decreases with increasing transport duration, with adult individuals retaining higher survival probabilities than eggs under the modelled conditions. Bayesian analyses are used to explore parameter combinations compatible with successful transport while accounting for uncertainty. These results do not demonstrate that rafting occurred, but indicate that rare passive transport of adult giant palaeognathous birds is compatible with the geological, physiological and oceanographic constraints considered here.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"113 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149098291","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Natural multi-target inhibitors from Adhatoda vasica and Calotropis procera for dermal regeneration","authors":"Waseem Ahmed,&nbsp;Rafia Azmat,&nbsp;Abdul Qayyum,&nbsp;Hadi Abbas,&nbsp;Mohamed Fawzy Ramadan","doi":"10.1007/s00114-026-02170-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-026-02170-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Natural plant-derived compounds are increasingly explored as alternatives for managing skin disorders associated with oxidative stress, enzymatic degradation, and fibroblast dysfunction. In this study, bioactive constituents from <i>Adhatoda vasica</i> and <i>Calotropis procera</i> were isolated and characterized using UF-HPLC-DAD and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Identified compounds included viscic acid, pasakbumin C, 8′Z-enyl congeners, 5-(8′Z,11′Z-heptadecadienyl)-1,3-benzenediol, 9′-(o-methyl) protocetraric acid, and calophynic acid. The biological activities of leaf and seed extracts were evaluated through in vitro enzymatic assays targeting tyrosinase (monophenolase and diphenolase), collagenase, elastase, and hyaluronidase. <i>A. vasica</i> leaf extracts exhibited notable tyrosinase inhibition, with IC₅₀ values of 22.16 µg/mL for monophenolase and 15.5 µg/mL for diphenolase, while <i>C. procera</i> also demonstrated significant inhibitory activity. Both extracts showed appreciable anti-collagenase, anti-elastase, anti-hyaluronidase, and antioxidant activities, suggesting protective potential against extracellular matrix degradation and oxidative damage. Cytotoxicity assessment using LDH release assays confirmed concentration-dependent effects, and ultrastructural analyses using scanning and transmission electron microscopy revealed extract-induced morphological changes in dermal fibroblasts, including alterations in cell wall integrity, cytoplasmic organization, and intercellular structure. The results suggest that <i>A. vasica</i> and <i>C. procera</i> are promising sources of bioactive compounds with potential applications in dermatological formulations, including topical preparations to manage skin disorders and prevent enzymatic skin degradation.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"113 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149079357","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Climate change-driven range shifts in a cosmopolitan synanthropic insect: global habitat suitability modeling and projections for Clogmia albipunctata","authors":"Shimaa Mohamed Abduljalil,&nbsp;S Al-Quraishy,&nbsp;AS Abdel-Baki,&nbsp;Mohamed Labib Salem,&nbsp;Shawky M Aboelhadid,&nbsp;Ezzat M. Awad,&nbsp;Mohamed G. Nasser,&nbsp;Sara A. Alashaal","doi":"10.1007/s00114-026-02164-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-026-02164-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Climate change is fundamentally reshaping the geographic distributions of species worldwide, with particular implications for synanthropic organisms closely associated with human environments. <i>Clogmia albipunctata</i> (Diptera: Psychodidae), commonly known as the drain fly, is a cosmopolitan insect of increasing concern due to its ability to establish populations across diverse climatic regions and its documented role as a mechanical vector of human pathogens. We employed maximum entropy (MaxEnt) species distribution modeling to project the global habitat suitability of <i>C. albipunctata</i> under present-day conditions and two contrasting future climate scenarios (RCP 2.6 and RCP 8.5) for mid-century (2050) and end-of-century (2070) timeframes. Based on 7,244 spatially independent occurrence records and five optimized bioclimatic variables (BIO1, BIO7, BIO10, BIO11, BIO12), our current habitat suitability model achieved strong predictive performance (AUC = 0.82, TSS = 0.86). Results indicate that dominant limiting variables are annual mean temperature (BIO1) and annual precipitation (BIO12), with BIO7 (annual temperature range) acting as a key constraint in regions of high thermal seasonality, reflecting the species’ sensitivity to temperature fluctuation, while cold-season thermal conditions constrain poleward expansion. Projections reveal heterogeneous range dynamics: tropical and subtropical regions show net habitat loss under high-emission scenarios (RCP 8.5), with losses exceeding 8% in the Mediterranean basin and southwestern North America by 2070. Conversely, temperate and boreal regions exhibit substantial habitat gains, particularly across Central Asia and East Asia (8.9% and 9.2% respectively under RCP 8.5 by 2070). Under the mitigation scenario (RCP 2.6), distributional changes remain modest, underscoring the importance of emissions mitigation for constraining expansion of climatically suitable habitat. The potential expansion of <i>C. albipunctata</i> into previously unsuitable regions raises public health concerns, given the species’ documented involvement in myiasis cases and its role as a potential vector of pathogenic microorganisms. Our findings provide a quantitative foundation for anticipating geographic shifts in this medically important species and inform targeted surveillance strategies in regions projected to experience habitat suitability increases.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"113 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149035428","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Significance of secondary metabolites for synthesis of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles and their applications","authors":"Sumera Nazneen,&nbsp;Bibi Hafsa Azra,&nbsp;Murugesan Mohana Keerthi,&nbsp;A. Mohammed Ashraf,&nbsp;Govindhasamy Rajasekar,&nbsp;Akhtar Rasool,&nbsp;Abhishek Anand","doi":"10.1007/s00114-026-02168-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-026-02168-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Secondary metabolites, produced by plants, fungi, and microorganisms, are a diverse group of bioactive compounds that play crucial roles in ecological interactions and defense mechanisms. In recent years, these metabolites have garnered significant attention as natural reducing, stabilizing, and capping agents in the green synthesis of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs). Phytochemicals such as flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, saponins, tannins, and phenolic acids possess functional groups capable of mediating the reduction of metal ions to nanoscale forms while providing stability against aggregation. This eco-friendly synthesis approach offers several advantages over conventional physical and chemical methods, including reduced toxicity, lower energy requirements, and cost-effectiveness. The nature and concentration of secondary metabolites directly influence nanoparticle size, morphology, and functional properties, which in turn determine their potential applications. Metal and metal oxide nanoparticles synthesized using secondary metabolites have demonstrated broad-spectrum applications in antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory therapies, as well as in environmental remediation, biosensing, and catalysis, their biocompatibility and stability make them promising candidates for use in biomedical devices and agricultural formulations, the biochemical mechanisms by which secondary metabolites mediate nanoparticle synthesis, the factors influencing synthesis efficiency, and the diverse applications of such biologically derived nanomaterials. Emphasis is placed on the sustainable potential of leveraging plant- and microbe-derived metabolites for scalable nanoparticle production to meet global needs in medicine, agriculture, and environmental management.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"113 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149035153","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Using next-generation sequencing to unravel the diet composition of Burrowing Parrots over the annual cycle","authors":"Juan F. Masello,&nbsp;Mauricio Failla,&nbsp;Cintia V. Leder,&nbsp;Petra Quillfeldt","doi":"10.1007/s00114-026-02159-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-026-02159-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Understanding the diet of an organism is crucial for disentangling its role in ecosystem function, and to unravel foraging behavior, population dynamics, competitive interactions among species and evolutionary processes. Furthermore, diet studies can be useful to better interpret environmental change and its impact on wildlife. Nevertheless, studying the diet of organisms that forage over large areas can be challenging. In such cases, next-generation sequencing of DNA in fecal samples can be used to identify dietary items consumed. Using this methodology, we investigated the diet composition of the Burrowing Parrots <i>Cyanoliseus patagonus</i> from the El Cóndor colony, north-eastern Patagonia, Argentina. Over the annual cycle, we collected fecal samples at the roosting place used by these birds every night. We identified a large variety of plant molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) in the diet of Burrowing Parrots throughout the year. Remarkably, we found that only 13% of plant MOTUs consumed were native plants. This was unexpected, suggesting a shift from a predominantly native plant-based diet in the past to a diet that is now primarily composed of introduced plants. This shift could demonstrate the behavioral flexibility of this species in adapting to current severe environmental degradation in north-eastern Patagonia. Alternatively, it could be a sign of a suboptimal strategy that could negatively impact on the persistence of the El Cóndor colony, the world’s largest colony of Psittaciformes. Additionally, this methodology enabled the identification of parasites not previously recorded in the digestive tracts of Burrowing Parrots (Gongylonematidae, Hymenolepididae, Onchobothriidae, and Capillariidae).</p></div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"113 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00114-026-02159-3.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149035154","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bellidifolin alleviates doxorubicin-induced hepatotoxicity: a study integrating network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental validation","authors":"Ying Cao,&nbsp;Rongrong Chen,&nbsp;Wei Zhang,&nbsp;Yiping Qin,&nbsp;Wei Liu,&nbsp;Aiying Li,&nbsp;Yutao Jia,&nbsp;Jiangli Wu","doi":"10.1007/s00114-026-02166-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-026-02166-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study aimed to investigate the protective role of bellidifolin (BEL) in doxorubicin (DOX)-induced liver injury and explore its underlying mechanisms. Through network pharmacology, potential targets and pathways of BEL against DOX-induced liver injury were identified. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation were employed to further verify the binding activity of BEL to the core targets. Mice were randomly divided into three groups: control (CON), DOX (DOX) and BEL treated group (BEL). Liver pathological changes were evaluated through HE and Masson staining, serum ALT and AST were detected using a biochemical analyzer, and predicted pathway related proteins were assessed through immunohistochemistry staining and western blot analysis. Results: BEL alleviated DOX-induced liver injury in mice, as evidenced by attenuated hepatic pathological changes and fibrosis, decreased serum levels of ALT and AST, and inhibition of hepatocyte pyroptosis. The network pharmacology analysis revealed that the key targets of BEL in treating DOX-induced liver injury include Caspase-1, NLRP3, IL-18 and IL-1β, etc. The GO and KEGG analyses revealed that BEL’s mechanism of action involves the NLRP3 pathways. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation indicated that BEL exhibits strong binding affinity for both Galectin-3 (Gal-3) and NLRP3. Western blot and immunohistochemistry staining further confirmed that BEL inhibited the expression of proteins in the Gal-3/NLRP3 signaling pathway. Conclusion: BEL may alleviate DOX-induced liver injury by inhibiting Gal-3/NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis. </p><h3>Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"113 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149023641","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Field evidence of relative cooling under warm conditions in grouped caterpillars","authors":"Mónica F. Cisternas,&nbsp;Ernesto Gianoli","doi":"10.1007/s00114-026-02169-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-026-02169-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Gregarious behavior in insects provides several ecological benefits, including thermoregulation. There is evidence that aggregation in caterpillars may enhance heat gain under cool conditions, but whether it also facilitates cooling under warm conditions remains unknown. We tested under field conditions whether the relationship between body–air temperature differential and air temperature differed between solitary and grouped caterpillars of the gregarious butterfly <i>Battus polydamas archidamas</i>. Grouped caterpillars, but not solitary caterpillars, showed an overall association between body–air temperature differential and air temperature. Specifically, gregarious caterpillars showed significantly lower temperatures than the environment in the warmer regions of the temperature gradient. However, evidence for body temperatures of grouped caterpillars exceeding air temperature under cooler conditions was weak. An analysis using the number of larvae in each aggregation found that the group size × air-temperature interaction was significant after accounting for population and solar radiation. Specifically, thermal excess declined more strongly with increasing air temperature as group size increased. Solar radiation at the occupied microsite also explained significant variation in thermal excess. We also found that solitary caterpillars, but not grouped ones, behaved as thermoconformers, i.e., their body temperature closely tracked ambient temperature. Our results provide field evidence that aggregation is associated with relative cooling under warmer field conditions, suggesting that the thermoregulatory benefits of larval aggregation may extend beyond the known enhancement of heat gain under cool conditions. Future work should address the mechanistic basis of the reported field pattern and evaluate its consequences for caterpillar performance and fitness.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"113 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00114-026-02169-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149015211","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Siderophore-producing rhizobacteria improve iron and zinc accumulation in Vigna unguiculata: implications for sustainable nutrition","authors":"Shilpa Mishra,&nbsp;Dweipayan Goswami,&nbsp;Meenu Saraf","doi":"10.1007/s00114-026-02165-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00114-026-02165-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Siderophores, low-molecular-weight compounds secreted by soil microorganisms, offer a sustainable approach to enhance iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) content in crops, addressing global micronutrient malnutrition. This study examines the biofortification potential of siderophore-producing plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) consortia in cowpea (<i>Vigna unguiculata</i>), a vital legume for over 200 million people in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Four antibiotic tagged bacterial strains, <i>Bacillus cereus</i> (ISM10), <i>Pantoea agglomerans</i> (ISM11), <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> (ZSM3), and <i>Serratia marcescens</i> (ZSM4) were combined into four consortia to leverage synergistic interactions for Fe and Zn solubilization. While previous studies have explored individual strains or limited applications, this work comprehensively investigates the synergistic potential of specific PGPR consortia (notably CSM2: <i>P. aeruginosa</i> + <i>B. cereus</i>) in both pot and field trials, showcasing substantial increases in grain Fe (88.2%) and Zn (131.9%) content, along with noticeable improvements in plant growth parameters. This holistic approach, highlighting the superior efficacy of microbial consortia over individual strains and conventional methods, offers a scalable and eco-friendly solution to “hidden hunger” and contributes to sustainable food systems.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":794,"journal":{"name":"The Science of Nature","volume":"113 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148987011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}