Search Results (606)

Perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) are persistent contaminants increasingly subjected to regulatory restrictions. To date, their effects on terrestrial plants remain poorly investigated. To address these knowledge gaps, a comparative assessment was conducted to identify the most sensitive plant species and the most responsive early-growth endpoints. Five PFCAs were selected according to their carbon-chain length (from 3 to 8 C-atoms). Seven plant species were exposed to a wide range of concentrations (from 0.01 up to 100 µg kg⁻¹). Germination and root elongation were evaluated as developmental endpoints to assess both acute and sublethal effects. Across species, germination exhibited weak responses, whereas root elongation appeared to be the most sensitive screening parameter, displaying divergent species-specific patterns. Notably, Sinapis alba and Cucumis sativus emerged as the most responsive species, although they exhibited opposite responses. While mustard exhibited low-dose root stimulation, cucumber showed root inhibition. Interestingly, species within the same family (Brassicaceae and Cucurbitaceae) showed contrasting sensitivity, suggesting that PFCA phytotoxicity is species-specific rather than driven by taxonomic relatedness. This divergent pattern may be linked to distinct morpho-physiological traits, supporting their use as suitable model organisms for phytotoxicity screening of PFCAs. Full article

Early-spring ephemeral plants act as pioneer species on stabilized dunes in cold arid deserts; they are capable of rapid growth under extreme drought and low-temperature conditions while sustaining dune ecosystem functions. These species are highly sensitive to climate change, yet their spatiotemporal dynamics and the mechanisms by which climatic factors regulate their growth remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the Gurbantunggut Desert, China, using long-term NDVI time series to extract phenological traits associated with their life cycle and developed a remote-sensing-based analytical framework to quantify the distribution patterns of early-spring ephemeral plants and their environmental drivers. We combined random forest (RF), structural equation modeling (SEM), and convolutional neural networks (CNN) to assess the relative importance and pathways of key climatic drivers and to predict future distribution changes. Our results indicate that: (1) the life cycle extraction method achieved a classification accuracy exceeding 80%, and from 2001 to 2022, the overall distribution of early-spring ephemeral plants exhibited an increasing trend; (2) snowend, snowday, and precipitation during the driest quarter were the primary drivers of ephemeral plant distribution, collectively explaining over 60% of the observed variation, and structural equation modeling further revealed that snow and precipitation had significant positive effects on their distribution; and (3) under future climate scenarios, Medium-NDVI areas are projected to expand northward and westward, with the potential emergence of new suitable habitats in northern localities by mid-century. Climate warming may facilitate the dispersal and latitudinal migration of early-spring ephemeral plants. Based on these findings, biodiversity conservation efforts should prioritize ecologically sensitive transitional zones and promote species migration and establishment under climate change through the construction of ecological corridors. Full article

As a dual-purpose (meat and fat) coarse-wool sheep breed in Xinjiang, the Pishan Red sheep exhibits year-round estrus and excellent reproductive performance. The aim of this study was to systematically estimate the genetic parameters of growth traits in Pishan Red sheep at each stage from 0 to 12 months of age, and to provide a scientific basis for optimizing early selection indices for this breed. Year of birth, type of birth, and sex were included as fixed effects, while maternal genetic effects and individual additive genetic effects were treated as random effects. A multi-trait animal model was constructed using DMU 6.0 software to analyze the genetic parameters. The results showed that for growth traits at 0 months of age, heritability ranged from 0.09 to 0.64, genetic correlations from –0.03 to 0.84, and phenotypic correlations from 8.2 × 10⁻³ to 0.32. Among these, the direct heritability of body weight was 0.18, and the maternal heritability was 0.21, while cannon circumference was identified as a high-heritability trait. At 2 months of age, heritability ranged from 0.04 to 0.69, genetic correlations from −0.78 to 0.96, and phenotypic correlations from 0.036 to 0.44. Body weight, body length, and cannon circumference were high-heritability traits. At 6 months of age, heritability ranged from 0.04 to 0.71, genetic correlations from −0.32 to 0.70, and phenotypic correlations from −0.13 to 0.54. Body weight was a medium-heritability trait, while chest width and cannon circumference were high-heritability traits. At 12 months of age, heritability ranged from 0.07 to 0.48, genetic correlations from −0.04 to 0.87, and phenotypic correlations from 0.28 to 0.72. Body weight was a medium-heritability trait, whereas body height, body length, cannon circumference, and heart girth were high-heritability traits. Both body weight and cannon circumference exhibited high heritability throughout the 0–12 month period and can therefore serve as key selection indices for early breeding in this breed. The findings of this study provide essential local baseline data for the genetic improvement, breeding program design, and genetic evaluation of Pishan Red sheep. Full article

The increasing demand for resilient and multifunctional crops in the Mediterranean region has renewed interest in Urtica dioica L. as a potential alternative crop. This study evaluated the combined effects of fertilization and row spacing on the growth, yield, and nitrogen use efficiency of nettle in Athens, Greece. A split-plot experimental design was employed in a three-year experiment, with three fertilization treatments (C = control, U = urea, and I = urea with urease inhibitor) and two different row spacings (D1 = 30 cm × 20 cm, and D2 = 50 cm × 20 cm). Agronomic traits, seed yield, nitrogen content, vegetation indices (NDVI), chlorophyll content (SPAD), and nitrogen efficiency indices were assessed. Fertilization significantly enhanced plant performance, with the application of I consistently producing the highest values for plant height (increased by 10–30%), biomass (increased by 10–20%), and seed yield (increased up to 30%) compared to C. Row spacing influenced crop performance, with D2 favoring plant height (up to 9% compared to D1), while D1 generally increased biomass production per unit area (up to 20% compared to D2). Nitrogen-related indices (NUE, NAE, and NUtE) were markedly improved under fertilized treatments, particularly when I was applied (up to 20%, 100%, and 19% compared to U). NDVI and SPAD values were also influenced by fertilization and row spacing at early growth stages. The findings demonstrate that both factors play critical roles in optimizing nettle cultivation under Mediterranean conditions, highlighting the importance of integrated agronomic management practices. Full article

Ophiopogon japonicus (O. japonicus) by-products contain abundant nutrients and bioactive substances. In this study, we evaluated their effects on production performance and intestinal health in meat rabbits. Firstly, we measured the nutrient levels of O. japonicus by-products along with its digestibility in meat rabbits. Then, we replaced dietary alfalfa meal with O. japonicus by-products to evaluate its effects on growth performance, carcass traits, apparent digestibility, and intestinal immunity in meat rabbits. The results showed that the effects of O. japonicus by-products on growing meat rabbits varied over time. In the early phase (days 1–21), it significantly depressed average daily gain (ADG, p < 0.001) and average daily feed intake (ADFI, p < 0.001), and increased feed to gain ratio (F:G) (p < 0.001). However, in the later phase (days 22–35), a compensatory response emerged, with significantly increased ADG (p < 0.001) and reduced ADFI (p < 0.01) and F:G (p < 0.001). Despite this compensatory growth, the growth performance and feed efficiency for the entire experimental period were not improved. O. japonicus by-products decreased carcass weight significantly (p < 0.001), but did not significantly affect dressing percentage and meat traits (p > 0.05), while it significantly reduced the digestibility of crude protein (CP, p < 0.05), increased that of crude fiber (CF, p < 0.001), and reduced the activities of amylase (p < 0.01) and increased trypsin in cecal contents (p < 0.05). Additionally, O. japonicus by-products elevated the levels of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in ileal mucosa (p < 0.05). They did not significantly affect the cecal microbial community or short chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels (p > 0.05). Our research indicated that O. japonicus by-products possess a balanced nutritional composition and improve intestinal immunity in rabbit production, making them a viable feed ingredient to partially replace alfalfa meal. Full article

Herbicides considered selective to rice are generally evaluated based on their direct crop safety and weed suppression effects, yet it remains unclear whether they may also trigger indirect or context-dependent effects on rice under rice–barnyardgrass co-cultivation. To address this question, we compared rice performance and associated microbial dynamics under six conditions: rice–barnyardgrass co-cultivation and rice monoculture, each treated with a water spray control or sublethal doses of propanil (Pro, 66.7 mg a.i. L⁻¹) or cyhalofop-butyl (Cyh, 5.86 mg a.i. L⁻¹). Barnyardgrass exhibited visible injury and stronger leaf-level oxidative stress responses, whereas rice displayed no discernible phytotoxic symptoms. Nevertheless, under co-cultivation, herbicide treatment significantly suppressed rice growth, with up to 17.8% lower root lengths and 24.8% lower shoot fresh weights, with reductions varying by herbicide and trait. By contrast, comparable suppression was not observed under herbicide exposure or co-cultivation alone, identifying this response as an emergent, context-dependent negative effect. Microbiota reassembly emerged as an early and stage-specific component of the herbicide-associated response under co-cultivation, with the most pronounced changes detected on day 5 and occurring primarily in bacterial communities. Moreover, bacterial community variation was negatively correlated with root length (ρ = −0.664), and urease activity declined under herbicide treatment. Together, these findings indicate that in paddy fields, herbicides act not only on individual plants but also as an external disturbance to the coupled rice–barnyardgrass system, for which microbiota reorganization represents a key component of the ecological response. Our results suggest that herbicide selectivity should be interpreted within a crop–weed–microbiome context, rather than being inferred solely from their direct crop safety and weed suppression effects. Full article

In plant factories with artificial lighting (PFALs), spectral regulation serves as the predominant factor governing plant growth and development. The implementation of red-enriched spectral regimens during cultivation promotes biomass accumulation, whereas blue-dominant spectra enhance the biosynthesis of phytochemicals and nutritional compounds in plants. Nevertheless, systematic investigations into the effects of staged spectral regimens on both plant development and secondary metabolite biosynthesis remain limited. This study evaluated four distinct stage-specific dynamic lighting regimens (T1–T4) under a constant total photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of 200 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹. The treatments utilized three distinct red-to-white photon flux ratios (R:W = 3:1, 1:1, and 1:3) administered sequentially during critical developmental phases of Pak choi: the seedling stage, the early growth stage (15 days after transplanting, DAT), and the late growth stage (16–30 DAT). The effects of these treatments on biomass production, morphological development, photosynthetic pigments, nutritional metabolites, antioxidant levels and radical quenching capacity were evaluated. The results demonstrated that the T4 treatment significantly enhanced biomass production, increasing shoot fresh weight by 51.3% compared to the T1 treatment at the late growth stage. The application of a higher red-light proportion (HR, R:W = 3:1) during the seedling stage significantly increased leaf area by 70% compared to the low red-light treatment (LR, R:W = 1:3). Regarding nutritional quality, while carotenoid content showed no significant differences among treatments, higher blue-light proportions selectively stimulated the biosynthesis of chlorophyll, vitamin C, and soluble proteins. Specifically, the T3 treatment enhanced certain traits during the early growth stage, whereas the T2 treatment best maintained specific antioxidant capacities (FRAP and flavonoids) at the late growth stage prior to harvest. Notably, nitrate levels were not significantly affected by the spectral shifts. This study establishes that the temporal modulation of red-to-white spectral ratios enables the targeted optimization of either crop yield (T4) or specific harvest-stage nutritional attributes (T2) in Pak choi. Full article

Understanding how plants respond to high-energy ionizing radiation is essential for developing resilient crops for controlled-environment agriculture and future space exploration. This study investigates whether carbon-ion (¹²C) irradiation of dry seeds can modulate early development in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and induce dose-dependent responses relevant to controlled-environment agriculture and space farming. Dry seeds of red- and green-leaf morphotypes were exposed to increasing radiation doses (0.3, 1, 10, 20, and 25 Gy) and evaluated for germination, early growth, anatomical traits, and polyphenol content. While germination remained unaffected, seedling growth showed a hormetic response: low doses (0.3–1 Gy) promoted elongation of roots and hypocotyls, whereas higher doses (10–25 Gy) progressively inhibited growth. Anatomical changes in vascular traits and increased polyphenol levels at low doses indicated structural and metabolic adaptations enhancing early stress resistance. Notably, the two morphotypes responded differently: red-leaf lettuce exhibited stronger early vigor, higher biomass accumulation, and relatively greater anatomical stability, particularly at low to moderate doses, while the green-leaf type showed earlier and more pronounced growth inhibition, likely associated with differences in phenolic metabolism and resource allocation. These findings suggest that carbon-ion irradiation induces a hormetic response capable of boosting early vigor and triggering acclimatory processes in lettuce, with morphotype-specific differences underscoring its potential for optimizing crop performance in controlled environments and future extraterrestrial agriculture. Full article

Zinnia (Zinnia elegans) is a widely cultivated ornamental plant whose growth and floral traits can be compromised by abiotic stresses, especially water deficit. Melatonin (MEL) has stood out as a plant growth regulator with antioxidant potential, capable of mitigating the adverse effects of water stress. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of foliar MEL application on the growth and floral characteristics of Z. elegans under different water regimes. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse using a randomized block design in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme with five replications. The first factor consisted of four water conditions: 80% of field capacity (FC) (no stress), 20% of field capacity (severe stress), early water restriction (20% of FC followed by 80% of FC), and late water restriction (80% of FC followed by 20% of FC). The second factor corresponded to the foliar application of MEL at two concentrations (0.0 and 1.0 mM). Growth variables (plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, leaf area, and dry mass of different organs) and floral characteristics (number of petals, area, perimeter, and diameter) were evaluated. Water deficit, especially under severe stress (20% FC), significantly reduced plant growth and floral traits, decreasing the total dry mass by 60.27% and total floral area by 47.57% compared to the control. However, the application of 1.0 mM MEL attenuated the deleterious effects of water deficit, increasing total dry mass by 50.26% and total floral area by 25.56% under severe stress (20% FC) compared to untreated plants, making it a promising strategy for zinnia production in environments with limited water availability. Full article

Although soybean is vital to the global economy, this crop faces productivity losses due to photoinhibition of photosystem II (PSII), which is worsened by heat and drought. Carbon dots (Cdots) offer a strategy to mitigate this stress by acting as light-harvesting and UV-protective agents. This study evaluated the foliar application of Cdots on soybean (Glycine max L. Merr. cv. BRS 1054 IPRO) exposed to high light intensity. In a greenhouse experiment with a completely randomized design, plants received deionized water (Control), synthesized Cdots at three concentrations (0.02, 0.05, and 0.20 mg mL⁻¹), or a commercial Cdot product. Plants were grown under 50% shade and, at 24 days after sowing, transferred to a high-light greenhouse (20% attenuation). Measurements included PSII fluorescence (maximum quantum yield, potential activity, basal fluorescence, and dynamic photoinhibition) and leaf gas exchange (stomatal conductance, net photosynthesis, transpiration, intercellular CO₂ concentration, intrinsic water use efficiency, and carboxylation efficiency), as well as chlorophyll index and growth traits. Cdots at 0.05 mg mL⁻¹ and the commercial product maintained higher morning PSII maximum activity (+16% vs. Control), indicating enhanced photoprotection. Conversely, 0.20 mg mL⁻¹ Cdots reduced PSII maximum activity by 62% at noon. At day 14, the 0.05 mg mL⁻¹ treatment improved stress acclimation, reducing stomatal conductance and transpiration, while sustaining photosynthesis. Growth was significantly enhanced at this concentration, increasing chlorophyll content by 14%, shoot length by 26%, and total dry mass by up to 41% compared to controls. In conclusion, Cdots at 0.05 mg mL⁻¹ alleviated chronic photoinhibition without increasing dynamic photoinhibition, thus acting as a promising nanobiostimulant that promotes soybean early growth under high-light stress. Full article

Seed pre-treatment is imperative for breaking the seed dormancy of some perennial species. The addition of soil amendments might be helpful in supporting seed germination and growth by available essential plant nutrients. This research investigated the effects of different pre-treatment and soil amendments on the germination, growth, and physiological performance of radhachura (Caesalpinia pulcherrima L.), an important ornamental and multipurpose woody shrub. Four pre-treatments and five soil amendments were applied in a CRD (Completely Randomized Design) arrangement to evaluate their individual and combined impacts under controlled nursery conditions. The ANOVA result revealed that seed germination indices of radhachura were mostly influenced by soil amendment rather than the seed pre-treatment. Among the soil amendments, vermicompost had a more profound impact on germination speed, Timson’s index and peak value, which had a similar effect to NPK application. Soil organic amendments positively affected growth, with vermicompost exerting the greatest influence on multiple germination traits that may support the early growth of radhachura, while biochar and compost maximized certain root and plant-length traits. Pearson correlations and PCA (first seven PCs explaining 76.2% variation) revealed the strong integration of late biomass, plant length, and root development, identifying vermicompost as key enhancers of multivariate vigor in radhachura seedlings. It might be concluded that C. pulcherrima L. species germination and growth was mostly influenced by soil amendment rather than seed pre-treatment. The study highlights that integrated nursery practices combining appropriate pre-treatment and soil amendments can enhance the germination success of radhachura. Full article

Consistent behavioural differences among individuals have been documented across many animal taxa, yet their developmental consequences in domestic production systems remain less clear. This gap is especially relevant in managed environments, where food availability and ecological constraints differ markedly from those in the wild. In this study, we assessed behavioural traits in 25 Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries) ewes and examined their associations with early growth in their lambs under semi-captive conditions on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. We quantified docility, exploration, vocal responses, and several physiological measures of responsiveness in the ewes and related these variables to lamb birth weight, early weight gain, and a composite growth index. We found that maternal docility had no significant effect on lamb birth weight, whereas maternal activity, defined as locomotor movement recorded during the open-field phase, was negatively associated with offspring birth weight. One possible interpretation is that ewes showing greater locomotor activity during the open-field phase allocate energy differently during gestation, which could limit foetal growth, although this mechanism was not directly tested in this study. These results suggest that the behavioural effects on offspring development depend strongly on the production context. In this semi-captive system, greater maternal responsiveness was not associated with improved offspring performance, unlike patterns that are often observed in wild populations. This context dependence may be relevant when behavioural traits are considered in Tibetan sheep management or breeding. Full article

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic Gram-negative pathogen frequently associated with chronic and biofilm-related infections, largely driven by quorum sensing (QS)-related genes/phenotypes. In this study, we investigated the antivirulence activity of an engineered M13-derived phage-display particle (P9b), selected for specific binding to P. aeruginosa, which acts as a non-lytic modulator of QS through specific binding to a bacterial surface target. P9b induced a transient delay in early planktonic growth, without affecting long-term proliferation. In contrast, P9b significantly reduced biofilm-associated metabolic activity and pyocyanin production, consistent with an effect on QS-regulated pathways. Transcriptional analysis revealed significant downregulation of key QS regulators (lasI, lasR, rhlI, and rhlR) and modulation of phenazine biosynthesis genes (phzM downregulation and phzS upregulation), suggesting interference with QS-dependent regulatory circuits. Notably, P9b retained binding capacity and antibiofilm activity across clinically relevant P. aeruginosa isolates. Overall, these findings indicate that P9b acts as a selective, non-lytic modulator of virulence-associated traits, attenuating QS-regulated phenotypes without bactericidal effects. This study supports the potential of engineered filamentous phages as targeted antivirulence platforms for the development of innovative strategies against persistent and biofilm-associated infections. Full article

Citrus bud mutants provide valuable genetic resources for breeding early-ripening cultivars with improved fruit quality. However, the physiological mechanisms underlying early ripening traits remain poorly understood. To elucidate the physiological basis for the early-ripening phenotype of the bud mutant ‘Longhuihong’ navel orange, fruit development was systematically monitored from 60 to 240 days after full bloom over two consecutive growing seasons, with the maternal cultivar ‘Newhall’ serving as a control. The results demonstrate that the precocity of ‘Longhuihong’ arises from the coordinated optimization of multiple fruit quality traits in this cultivar. The mutant exhibited enhanced fruit growth potential, with an average increase of 12.07–15.92% in single fruit weight. Peel coloration was significantly accelerated, as reflected by the faster coloring rate. Internal quality development followed a distinct pattern, characterized by high sugar accumulation, rapid acid degradation, and elevated vitamin C content. Notably, citric acid metabolism in ‘Longhuihong’ displayed a unique biphasic profile: substantial accumulation in the early stage, followed by rapid degradation in the later stage, which advanced the peak of the TSS/TA ratio by approximately 15 days. Principal component analysis further confirmed that the early ripening trait represents a systemic and integrated advancement in fruit size, sugar–acid balance, and peel pigmentation. Collectively, these findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the physiological mechanisms underlying precocity in ‘Longhuihong’ and offer key indices for breeding high-quality, early-ripening citrus cultivars. Full article

Rootstock strongly influences citrus tree performance, but information remains limited for some regionally important cultivars. ‘IAPAR 73’, an early-season sweet orange commonly grown in Paraná, Brazil, has not been previously evaluated for rootstock responses. This study assessed the long-term effects of nine rootstocks, including ‘Rangpur’ lime, ‘Swingle’ citrumelo, ‘Volkamer’ lemon, ‘Caipira DAC’ and ‘Trifoliate’ oranges, ‘Cleopatra’ and ‘Sunki’ mandarins, ‘Carrizo’ and ‘Fepagro C-13’ citranges, on vegetative growth, yield, production stability, and fruit quality under Brazilian subtropical conditions. Tree growth was monitored annually for 10 years (2003–2013) and analyzed at establishment (5 years) and full production (10 years) phases of the orchard. Yield and fruit quality were evaluated across multiple harvests, and total soluble solids (TSS) stability was quantified using the coefficient of variation. Rootstock effects were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models in a randomized complete block design, considering rootstock and year as fixed effects and blocks as random effects. Rootstock significantly influenced all evaluated traits. ‘Carrizo’, ‘Cleopatra’, ‘Sunki’, and ‘Caipira DAC’ induced vigorous canopy growth and higher cumulative yields to the scion, while ‘Volkamer’ showed high yield efficiency and production stability. ‘Swingle’ and ‘Trifoliate’ enhanced TSS, TSS/TA ratios, and juice quality stability but induced lower vigor and yield, similar to ‘Rangpur’. This study provides the first evidence-based guidance for ‘IAPAR 73’ production, demonstrating that rootstock diversification can maximize productivity, stability, and sustainability in citrus orchards. Full article