BMC Plant Biology最新文献

{"title":"Genome-wide identification classification, and expression profiling of LAC gene family in alfalfa.","authors":"Li Zhao, Haiyue Lei, Zhengqin Xiao, Yuqi Zhang, Xinyue Ma, Fei He, Mingna Li, Xue Wang, Ruicai Long, Junmei Kang, Qingchuan Yang, Lin Chen","doi":"10.1186/s12870-026-09597-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12870-026-09597-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Laccases are ubiquitous in nature, and participate in lignin biosynthesis and abiotic/biotic stress responses in plants. However, as a vital leguminous forage grass, Medicago sativa has rarely been reported regarding systematic studies on its LAC gene family.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>To systematically investigate the structural characteristics and evolutionary patterns of the LAC gene family in Medicago sativa, we performed genome-wide identification and comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of the MsLAC family. A total of 156 MsLAC genes were identified and unevenly distributed on 28 chromosomes. These genes displayed highly conserved gene structures and motifs, indicating functional conservation. Cis-element analysis suggested that most MsLAC genes are involved in responses to various abiotic stresses. Collinearity analysis revealed that segmental duplication dominated the expansion of the MsLAC family, with strong conservation observed between alfalfa and other legumes. qRT-PCR analysis further verified the expression profiles of candidate MsLAC genes under drought and salt stress, and revealed the potential roles of several MsLAC members in alfalfa abiotic stress response. This study provides a solid basis for exploring the functions of MsLAC genes under abiotic stress.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>A systematic characterization of the MsLAC gene family in Medicago sativa was performed in this study. The results indicated that MsLAC genes might participate in regulating plant growth, development and stress adaptation in alfalfa, which could provide potential candidate genes for future stress-tolerant molecular breeding of alfalfa.</p>","PeriodicalId":9198,"journal":{"name":"BMC Plant Biology","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13700218/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149262890","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":"A hybrid feature selection-based machine learning framework for robust prediction of parthenocarpy in Hibiscus sabdariffa L.","authors":"Razieh Sheikhpour, Heidar Meftahizade, Mojtaba Heydari-Majd","doi":"10.1186/s12870-026-09613-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12870-026-09613-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Modeling the phenotypic expression of parthenocarpy in Hibiscus sabdariffa is important for improving fruit set, enhancing yield stability, and supporting breeding research. This study presents a hybrid feature selection and machine learning framework that integrates filter-based and regularization-based techniques to identify biologically informative phenotypic traits associated with parthenocarpy, improve model interpretability, and reduce feature dimensionality. Regression models, including Support Vector Machine with a radial basis function kernel (SVM-RBF), Decision Tree, Random Forest, Ensemble Learning and Linear Regression, were developed and evaluated using the complete set of 24 experimentally measured morphological, fruit-, capsule-, and seed-related traits, as well as the compact feature subsets identified by the proposed hybrid feature selection framework. Model performance was assessed using the coefficient of determination (R²), root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE) and concordance correlation coefficient (CCC). The results show that high phenotype-based modeling performance can be achieved using fewer, biophysically relevant traits; however, non-linear models consistently outperformed linear models across all evaluated models (test R² values up to 0.983, CCC > 0.99). Among the traits most strongly associated with the final expression of parthenocarpy were seed-related characteristics (i.e., the number of mature and immature seeds, seed weight and seed size), while fruit-related traits (e.g., fruit and capsule volume) provided secondary information. The proposed framework enables dimensionality reduction, improves model interpretability, and provides an interpretable framework for phenotype-based trait prioritization and modeling of complex reproductive traits in Hibiscus sabdariffa. Rather than serving as an early prediction tool prior to seed development, the framework is intended to facilitate phenotype-based analysis and prioritization of traits associated with the observed expression of parthenocarpy.</p>","PeriodicalId":9198,"journal":{"name":"BMC Plant Biology","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13711888/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149262783","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":"Foliar application of nanoboron fertilizer at different growth stages enhanced the nutrient use efficiency of cauliflower, leading to improve productivity, quality, and profitability.","authors":"Md Abdul Quddus, Razu Ahmed, Khokan Kumer Sarker, Shimul Mondal, Monjila Khatun, Most Sadia Arfin, Md Torikul Islam, Nazneen Ara Sultana, Shamima Aktar, Hela Znazen, Ahmed Gaber, Akbar Hossain","doi":"10.1186/s12870-026-09638-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12870-026-09638-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Boron (B) is an essential element for the production of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis); nevertheless, conventional soil or foliar applications frequently suffer from inadequate nutrient uptake and leaching. Nano-boron fertilizers offer a highly efficient alternative due to their small particle size and superior surface-to-volume ratio, which enhances cellular penetration. This study aimed to determine the optimal dose of a foliar application of boron nanoparticles (B-NPs) and to compare the effects of conventional boron (B) and boron nanoparticles on the growth, yield, quality, nutrient dynamics, and profitability of cauliflower.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A field experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with 5 treatments involving four concentrations of boron nanoparticles (0, 100, 200 and 300 ppm) and conventional boric acid@1 gL^- 1. Foliar sprays were applied at 30 and 45 days after transplanting.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Foliar application of 200 ppm boron nanoparticles resulted in the highest fresh curd yield (50.2 t ha^- 1), which was 69.6% greater than that of the control and 23.3% greater than that of the conventional boron treatments. This improvement was driven by the superior curd size and an individual curd weight of 1761 g. The same treatment significantly enhanced the quality parameters, yielding the highest vitamin C content (46.9 mg/100 g), protein content (25.1%), and curd firmness (1.23 kgf). This dose also resulted in the highest total B uptake (0.299 kg ha^- 1), maximum agronomic efficiency (45.9 kg g^- 1), and apparent recovery efficiency of B (356%). Economically, the 200 ppm nanoboron application proved most viable, achieving the highest benefit‒cost ratio of 4.14.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The results suggest that the foliar application of 200 ppm B nanoparticles can be used for sustainable cauliflower cultivation. However, this method is a highly effective and suitable approach for optimizing cauliflower productivity and quality in B-deficient environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":9198,"journal":{"name":"BMC Plant Biology","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13613850/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149058287","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":"Effects of seed priming using cold argon plasma on enhancement of guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) seed germination and growth under salt stress conditions.","authors":"Forough Firouzkoohi, Fatemeh Nasibi, Hadi Noori","doi":"10.1186/s12870-026-09624-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12870-026-09624-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Salinity stress is a significant abiotic factor that severely hinders seed germination and early seedling establishment in numerous crop species. This study investigated the effectiveness of cold atmospheric argon plasma as an eco-friendly seed priming strategy to enhance salinity tolerance in guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L.).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>An atmospheric-pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) system was used for the treatment. Seeds were exposed to argon plasma at four different discharge power levels: 1.2 W (0.40 A, 3 V), 2.04 W (0.51 A, 4 V), 3.05 W (0.61 A, 5 V), and 4.26 W (0.71 A, 6 V) for one minute, while untreated seeds served as the control. Both plasma-treated and control seeds were placed in Petri dishes under three different salinity levels (0, 50, and 100 mM NaCl), with each treatment replicated three times. The effects of plasma treatment were evaluated by assessing germination performance, seedling growth traits (including fresh and dry biomass, and shoot and root length), oxidative stress markers (such as malondialdehyde and other aldehydes), photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoids), and ion homeostasis (the contents of Na⁺ and K⁺). The results showed that argon plasma treatment significantly improved seed germination and seedling growth in a power-dependent manner under saline conditions. Moderate discharge power levels (2.04 W and 3.05 W) produced the highest germination percentages and the greatest root and shoot elongation. Additionally, plasma-treated seedlings exhibited reduced lipid peroxidation, a lower Na⁺/K⁺ ratio, and enhanced accumulation of photosynthetic pigments, indicating better regulation of oxidative stress and improved ionic balance under salinity stress.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Cold atmospheric argon plasma priming at optimal discharge power levels effectively enhances early-stage salinity tolerance in guar. This method represents a promising, sustainable, and non-chemical approach for improving crop establishment in saline environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":9198,"journal":{"name":"BMC Plant Biology","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13711759/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149262789","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 and transcriptomic analysis of the effects of different selenium and potassium application concentrations on the growth and development of banana seedlings.","authors":"Jieyun Liu, Jiayu Peng, Manrong Gao, Weihua Huang, Junniu Zhou, Qinglan Tian, Yingjun Zhang, Zuxiang Su, Yanyan Wu, Haifei Mou","doi":"10.1186/s12870-026-09472-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12870-026-09472-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aims to investigate the effects of selenium on potassium absorption and accumulation, as well as the influence of varying concentrations of selenium-potassium combined applications on the growth of banana seedlings. A combined selenium-potassium application experiment was conducted on Guijiao No. 9 banana seedlings, using potassium chloride (KCl) as the potassium source and sodium selenate (Na₂SeO₄) as the selenium source. At 20 and 40 days post-treatment, measurements were taken for the fresh and dry weights, as well as the selenium and potassium contents in the roots, stems, and leaves. Additionally, leaf antioxidant enzyme activities, soluble protein content, and soluble sugar content were assessed. Under a constant KCl concentration, an increase in Na₂SeO₄ concentration initially led to an increase in fresh and dry weights of the roots, stems, and leaves, along with enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities, soluble protein, and soluble sugar contents at 20 days post-treatment, which subsequently decreased. The potassium contents in the roots and stems showed no significant variation at 20 days but displayed an initial increase followed by a decline at 40 days, while leaf potassium content remained largely unchanged. The selenium contents in all plant tissues exhibited an increasing trend. Transcriptome analysis identified 2,455, 3,530, 3,134, 2,541, 3,422, 1,101, 471, and 3,221 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the groups YT1/YCK1, YT2/YCK2, YCK1/YCK2, YT1/YT2, GT1/GCK1, GT2/GCK2, GCK1/GCK2, and GT1/GT2, respectively. A significant number of these DEGs were enriched in the plant hormone signal transduction pathway. Notably, 472 DEGs from the GT1/GT2 comparison may play a key role in promoting selenium and potassium absorption in banana seedlings. The combination of KCl at 400 mg·L⁻¹ and Na₂SeO₄ at 1.0 mg·L⁻¹ increased the biomass of roots, stems, and leaves, as well as in selenium and potassium contents, and enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities, which facilitated the growth of banana seedlings. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis revealed that DEGs were significantly enriched in plant hormone signal transduction pathways. Significance: The findings provide theoretical support for further studies on the physiological and biochemical effects, as well as the yield and quality of field-cultivated banana.</p>","PeriodicalId":9198,"journal":{"name":"BMC Plant Biology","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13712011/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149262932","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":"Genome-wide characterization of the expansin gene family in Sorghum bicolor reveals their regulatory features and roles in drought response.","authors":"Hameed Gul, Shareef Gul, Muhammad Usama, Sumit Singh, Muhammad Ibrahim, Ali Shahzad","doi":"10.1186/s12870-026-09600-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12870-026-09600-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Expansins (EXPs) are non-enzymatic proteins that mediate cell wall loosening and play essential roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses. However, the expansin gene family in Sorghum bicolor remains insufficiently characterized.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In this study, we identified 68 expansin genes in S. bicolor (SbEXPs), predominantly belonging to the EXPA and EXPB subfamilies. Structural and evolutionary characterization revealed conserved domain organization, with gene family expansion likely driven by tandem and segmental duplications. Regulatory analysis revealed diverse cis-regulatory elements and predicted interactions with transcription factors, miRNAs, and protein-protein interaction partners, indicating multi-layered regulatory control. Network analysis further identified key genes, including SbEXPA17, SbEXPB1, and SbEXPB2, as potential central nodes. Expression profiling demonstrated distinct tissue-specific patterns, with many SbEXP genes highly expressed in roots and other actively growing tissues. Under drought conditions, RNA-seq data revealed differential expression of several SbEXP genes, with a subset consistently upregulated. These patterns were validated by qRT-PCR, confirming strong induction of genes such as SbEXPA17, SbEXPB6, and SbEXPB8 under PEG-simulated drought stress.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study provides a comprehensive characterization of the expansin gene family in S. bicolor and suggests their potential involvement in drought response through modulation of cell wall dynamics. These findings offer a foundation for future functional studies and the development of drought-resilient sorghum varieties.</p>","PeriodicalId":9198,"journal":{"name":"BMC Plant Biology","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13584507/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148987718","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":"Phosphorus influx characteristics of maize at various growth stages.","authors":"Kwame Ampong, Chad Penn, James Camberato, Daniel Quinn, Cankui Zhang, Kurt Reinhart, Mark Williams","doi":"10.1186/s12870-026-09577-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12870-026-09577-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>Phosphorus (P) influx kinetics of plants, characterized by I_max (maximum uptake rate) and K_m (P concentration where the uptake rate equals half of I_max), serve an important furnction in quantifying P use efficiency. In addition, knowledge of I_max and K_m at various developmental growth stages is used in modelling P uptake. The objective of this study was to evaluate if and how I_max and K_m vary across growth stages and between different maize (Zea mays) hybrids.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Four corn hybrids, released in 1952, 2008, 2018, and 2023, were grown in a sand-culture hydroponics system to various developmental stages (V4, V7, V12, R1, R3, R4, R5, and R6). After non-destructive harvesting, roots of intact plants were washed free of sand and placed in solution to measure P uptake using the solution nutrient depletion method to determine I_max and K_m.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Results showed that I_max and K_m (per-plant basis) were similar among corn hybrids but different between growth stages. I_max and K_m values increased until around V12 stage and then remained relatively stable throughout the reproductive stages (R1-R6). When expressed per unit root surface area (RSA), I_max peaked at V4 to V7, declined drastically until V12, and remained relatively stable between R1 and R6. I_max expressed per unit RSA was also similar across hybrids.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Previous work assumed constant I_max and K_m across growth stages; thus, these findings represent a substantial advancement in understanding P influx kinetics and results can be used to improve P uptake models. Results also demonstrated how P influx was partly dictated by root and shoot P concentration, rather than total biomass.</p>","PeriodicalId":9198,"journal":{"name":"BMC Plant Biology","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13711729/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149262955","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":"Integrated phenotypic and genome-wide characterization of Ralstonia solanacearum strain R1 of tobacco.","authors":"Yanmei He, Dongliang Yao, Shipei Zu, Yi Liu, Junzhong Zhang","doi":"10.1186/s12870-026-09505-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12870-026-09505-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Tobacco bacterial wilt, a devastating soil-borne disease caused by the Ralstonia solanacearum species complex (RSSC), poses a severe threat to tobacco production.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In this study, a predominant Ralstonia solanacearum strain, designated R1, was isolated from a typical diseased tobacco field in Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province, China. The strain was characterized through a combination of morphological observation, growth curve analysis, and phenotypic profiling using Biolog GEN III MicroPlates. These assays collectively revealed its key morphological features and physiological and biochemical properties. Whole-genome sequencing revealed that the R1 genome is 4.92 Mb in size, with a GC content of 66.80%, comprising a circular chromosome and a 1.03-Mb megaplasmid. Comparative genomic and phylogenomic analyses further assigned strain R1 to Phylotype I, which is characteristic of Asian-origin strains. Genome analysis identified 400 potential virulence factors, 233 antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and 7 predicted biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) for secondary metabolites. Notably, two non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS)-related clusters exhibited high homology to known gene clusters responsible for synthesizing the antimicrobial compounds micacocidin and rhizomide.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study presents the first integrated genomic and phenotypic analysis of an R. solanacearum strain from the Zhangjiajie ecological region in western Hunan. The findings provide key insights into the adaptive evolution and pathogenic mechanisms of the local pathogen, as well as crucial theoretical foundations and genetic targets for breeding region-specific, disease-resistant tobacco varieties, novel green control strategies based on quorum-sensing interference, and science-based guidelines for antibiotic use in agriculture.</p>","PeriodicalId":9198,"journal":{"name":"BMC Plant Biology","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13700292/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149262940","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":"Pseudarthrobacter sp. from Hordeum marinum enhances wheat salt tolerance by modulating antioxidant enzymatic activity and reducing oxidative damage.","authors":"Liyabona Mula, Ruvimbo Mhari, Sibusiso Mbewe, Andiswa Beauty Boya, Adelé Mariska Barker, Faheem Shahzad Baloch, Mounawer Badri, Ndiko Ludidi, Ali Elnaeim Elbasheir Ali","doi":"10.1186/s12870-026-09635-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12870-026-09635-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a globally important crop, but its production is limited by soil salinity, which accounts for up to 15 million metric tons of yield loss annually. The use of salt tolerant rhizobacteria from halophytic plants offers a promising strategy for improving crop resilience to salinity. This study is the first to investigate the potential of rhizobacteria from sea barley (Hordeum marinum), which thrives in saline environments, to enhance salt stress tolerance in wheat.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 13 rhizospheric bacterial isolates were recovered from H. marinum, and five isolates, namely Bacillus sp., Microbacterium sp., Paenarthrobacter sp., Arthrobacter sp., and Pseudarthrobacter sp., were selected based on their salt (NaCl) tolerance using 300 mM, 600 mM, and 900 mM NaCl. The selected isolates were applied to wheat plants grown in trays under controlled greenhouse conditions, individually and as a consortium, under 100 mM NaCl treatment. Shoot fresh weight, shoot length, and water status were measured to evaluate physiological responses at the time of harvesting, when visible salt stress symptoms such as leaf rolling and browning were observed. Reactive oxygen species (H₂O₂ and OH⁻), malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, proline content, and antioxidant enzymatic activities (superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase) were also determined to assess the effect of the most growth promoting bacteria on these selected biochemical components. Inoculation with Paenarthrobacter sp., Arthrobacter sp. and Pseudarthrobacter. sp. enhanced shoot fresh weight under salt treatment by 11%, 13% and 16%, respectively, and increased shoot length by 7%, 5% and 11%, respectively. Under salt stress, plants inoculated with Pseudarthrobacter sp. showed lower MDA levels in both leaves and roots, along with significantly higher catalase activity in leaves and increased superoxide activity in the roots compared to uninoculated plants.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings demonstrate that the halotolerant isolate S9 (Pseudarthrobacter sp.) enhances wheat tolerance to salinity by improving plant growth, maintaining plant water status, reducing oxidative damage, and modulating antioxidant enzyme activities. These results highlight the potential of halotolerant rhizobacteria from H. marinum as sustainable bioinoculants for improving wheat production in salt-affected soils.</p>","PeriodicalId":9198,"journal":{"name":"BMC Plant Biology","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13700426/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149262876","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":"A leaf disc assay under controlled photoperiod accurately predicts field susceptibility to Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae in sweet cherry cultivar.","authors":"F Figueroa-Grenett, V Osorio, J Otárola, P Millas, R Almada, J M Donoso, F Correa, J P Martínez, I Álvarez, B Sagredo","doi":"10.1186/s12870-026-09603-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12870-026-09603-6","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Bacterial canker, caused primarily by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (Pss), is a major constraint to sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) production worldwide. The development of resistant cultivars is hindered by the perennial nature of the crop, the genetic diversity of the pathogen, and the lack of reliable high-throughput screening methods that correlate with field performance. This study aimed to develop and validate a rapid, reproducible assay for assessing sweet cherry susceptibility to Pss that accurately reflects field observations and accounts for pathogen diversity. A three-year field survey (2017-2019) across 222 orchards in Chile's O'Higgins Region established the susceptibility spectrum of major cultivars, identifying 'Santina' (low susceptibility), 'Lapins' (moderate susceptibility), and 'Bing' (high susceptibility) as reference cultivars. A collection of 27 Chilean Pss strains was characterized for virulence. Leaf disc assays (LDA) were evaluated under different light regimes and compared with field twig inoculations and orchard data. Bacterial growth was quantified using a Pss-specific qPCR assay.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;Light conditions critically influenced assay outcomes. Under continuous darkness, the susceptibility pattern inverted completely, with 'Bing' appearing less susceptible than 'Santina'. Only under a 16-h photoperiod did the LDA reproduce the field-observed susceptibility gradient ('Santina' &lt; 'Lapins' &lt; 'Bing'). The LDA results were strongly and positively correlated with the mean field severity index. For strain A1M3, Pearson's correlation coefficient was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.32-0.95, p = 0.006); for strain A1M250, it was 0.81 (95% CI: 0.38-0.95, p = 0.004). The corresponding Spearman's rank correlations were even higher (ρ = 0.83 and 0.85, respectively), indicating that the rank order of cultivars based on either lab test reliably predicts their rank order in the field. In contrast, the twig assay showed no significant correlation with field severity (r = 0.11, p = 0.77; ρ = 0.12), suggesting that mature twig tissue or specific assay conditions did not adequately capture the genetic susceptibility expressed in whole trees under natural infection. The Chilean Pss population comprised four distinct virulence groups, including a hypervirulent strain (A1M200) capable of causing severe damage (&gt; 64%) even in the resistant cultivar 'Santina'. Strain-specificity analysis revealed significant cultivar-strain interactions, with several strains showing adaptation to 'Bing'. Quantitative qPCR demonstrated that reduced susceptibility in 'Santina' was associated with approximately five-fold lower bacterial loads compared to 'Bing', suggesting that resistance operates through growth restriction rather than pathogen elimination.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;The validated leaf disc assay conducted under a 16-h photoperiod provides a rapid, cost-effective tool for early-stage selection in s","PeriodicalId":9198,"journal":{"name":"BMC Plant Biology","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13700491/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149262825","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}