Plants

Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Andrews) cultivation is globally relevant due to the extraction of vanillin from its cured fruits. However, the high demand for propagules for commercial plantations requires new propagation methodologies, including in vitro propagation. Currently, the use of biostimulants in plant micropropagation protocols is being explored to increase the number of plants obtained and their vigor. Nanomaterials such as silicon dioxide nanoparticles (SiNPs) have shown a positive effect on plant growth and development. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of SiNPs on the micropropagation of V. planifolia in RITA^® bioreactors. In vitro plants were transferred to Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with different concentrations of SiNPs < 50 nm (0, 50, 100, and 150 mg L⁻¹) in RITA^® bioreactors. The obtained plants were then acclimatized in a greenhouse. The results indicated that 150 mg L⁻¹ of SiNPs produced the highest average shoot number, with 5.12 shoots per explant (5.48 cm in length), 9.50 leaves, and 5.00 roots per explant. The formation of an optimal root system in plants with SiNPs allowed for 98% survival. Results will enable more efficient in vitro propagation protocols through the obtainment of plants with greater length and a developed root system that facilitates ex vitro adaptation.

Light constitutes a fundamental environmental factor that profoundly influences plant growth, development, and metabolism [...]

Branch characteristics (quantity, morphology, and distribution) are critical determinants of tree growth and wood quality. However, the influence of species mixing, particularly mixing ratios, on branch development remains poorly understood. This study examined the branch attributes of Betula alnoides and Castanopsis hystrix in a six-year-old mixed-species trial plantation including monoculture of each species, and three mixtures at ratios of 1:1, 1:3, and 1:5 (B. alnoides–C. hystrix) in Pingxiang, Guangxi, China. Branch quantity (number, proportion, and density), morphology (diameter, length, and angle), and distribution (vertical and horizontal) were measured or recorded from 40 sampled dominant or codominant trees (20 B. alnoides and 20 C. hystrix). The results showed that mixing significantly increased the number and density of branches over 124.2% and 53.2%, respectively, in the lower crown (below 10 m) of B. alnoides, with these metrics positively correlated to the proportion of C. hystrix, while mixing exerted limited effects on branch quantity and size of C. hystrix. The 1:3 and 1:5 mixtures yielded more small branches (diameter < 10 mm) as well as more large branches (>25 mm) for B. alnoides. Branch distribution was almost uniform in different horizontal directions for both species, while variations in branch quantity and morphology along the stem were primarily species-specific; and both aspects remained consistent across the different mixing ratios. In conclusion, mixing B. alnoides with a low proportion of C. hystrix is proposed to produce high-quality solid wood for both species. Future studies should investigate alternative mixing patterns and higher proportions of B. alnoides in mixture with C. hystrix to optimize large-size and high-quality timber production.