Efficient recovery of phenolic compounds is critical for valorizing Crataegus songarica K. Koch for food and nutraceutical applications. Conventional maceration (CM) is often limited by low extraction efficiency and prolonged processing time, whereas energy-assisted techniques may enhance extraction performance but still lack comprehensive data-driven assessment. In this study, conventional maceration, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), and infrared-assisted extraction (IRAE) were comparatively evaluated using total identified phenolics and individual flavonoids as response variables. Under the investigated extraction conditions, MAE achieved the highest phenolic recovery (158.82 ± 4.37mg 100 g- 1) following 0.5min of microwave irradiation combined with a subsequent reflux-assisted extraction stage, compared with 70.15 ± 2.14mg 100 g- 1 obtained by CM after 60min, while IRAE and UAE yielded 129.77 ± 3.18 and 83.32 ± 2.11mg 100 g- 1, respectively. Chemometric analyses, including principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis, clearly differentiated extraction modes, primarily according to temperature, solvent concentration, and dry-matter content. Predictive modeling was performed using Ridge regression, random forest, support vector machine, XGBoost, and multilayer-perceptron artificial neural network models under nested cross-validation conditions. Among the tested approaches, XGBoost provided the strongest predictive performance (cross-validated R2 ≈ 0.76, RMSE ≈ 27mg 100 g- 1, MeanAE ≈ 21mg 100 g- 1) and identified temperature and dry matter as the dominant variables controlling phenolic recovery. The results demonstrate that integrating controlled extraction experiments with interpretable machine learning approaches provides a scalable and potentially resource-efficient framework for optimizing phenolic extraction from hawthorn and related bioactive plant materials.

The primary trait of invasive plant species is their enhanced competitive ability compared to native flora. Consequently, in ecosystems they invade, native species diversity often declines. However, some native plants may allocate resources to developing traits that support their coexistence with invasive species. We conducted an observational experiment to assess how the functional traits of native plants are influenced by the invasion of Lupinus polyphyllus, how the Competition-Stress-Ruderal (CSR) strategies of native species shift during this process, as well as whether environmental factors modify these relations. We selected eight species (four herbs and four grasses) commonly found in the grasslands of the Sudety Mountains (Poland). Plants and soil were sampled from grasslands dominated by L. polyphyllus (> 50% cover) and from adjacent patches free of invasive plants. We measured plant height, leaf area (LA), specific leaf area (SLA), and leaf dry matter content (LDMC). Subsequently, we evaluated each species' allocation to a particular life strategy using the CSR framework. Our findings show that native grassland species growing alongside L. polyphyllus tend to be taller, have larger leaves, exhibit higher SLA, and have lower LDMC compared to those in noninvaded areas. Simultaneously, L. polyphyllus presence is associated with reduced impacts of K and moisture on herbs' functional traits; C, N, C/N, and heat exposure on grasses' functional traits; as well as low pH and clay content on both groups' functional traits. These shifts in leaf traits among plants interacting with the invader suggest a reduced investment in stress-tolerance strategies, accompanied by increased investment in competitive or ruderal strategies.

Understanding how soil types influence functional traits and growth performance is essential for effective plant cultivation and management. Ardisia gigantifolia (A. gigantifolia) is a rare traditional medicinal plant in China; however, the mechanisms underlying its growth responses remain poorly understood. This study utilized a pot experiment to investigate the effects of different soil types (humus, loam, and sand) on the functional traits and growth performance of one-year-old A. gigantifolia cuttings and to characterize the interrelationships among these factors. Compared to sand, humus soil significantly increased the height, as well as root and stem biomass of A. gigantifolia cuttings. In humus, the specific leaf area, leaf water content, root average diameter, root volume, stem length, and stem average diameter were significantly higher, whereas leaf dry matter content and the tissue density of leaves, roots, and stems were lower. Additionally, loam significantly improved the photosynthetic and pigment traits of the cuttings. Results from RDA and PLS-SEM demonstrated that the growth performance of A. gigantifolia cuttings is primarily and directly governed by root, stem, and leaf morphological traits, which also mediate soil-driven regulation. Root morphological traits, in particular, showed the greatest direct and indirect impacts, highlighting them as key potential indicators for predicting the performance of A. gigantifolia cuttings. This study demonstrates that the growth performance and functional traits of A. gigantifolia cuttings are modulated by soil properties, while organ morphological traits serve as reliable predictors of plant growth performance. Our findings provide a scientific foundation for the conservation of wild A. gigantifolia resources and the advancement of its sustainable industrial development.

This study proposed a novel multimodal hierarchical fusion framework integrating a convolutional neural network (CNN) and a transformer. The approach enhanced model performance by fusing spectral features with some auxiliary factors of the samples, such as the locality of growth (region), type of produce (cultivar), and sample temperature (temp). Spectral data were extracted using one-dimensional CNN to capture local spectral features, while auxiliary factors underwent sine-cosine or label encoding before being embedded into the same feature space as spectral data via a fully connected network. Ultimately, a transformer was employed to achieve global interaction and fusion between spectral features and auxiliary factors rather than merely concatenating different feature types. The fusion strategy was validated using the ultraviolet (UV)-visible (vis)-near-infrared (NIR) spectra of mango and tobacco data sets. Compared to single-modal models using spectra only, the multimodal model using spectra coupled with the auxiliary factors achieved improved prediction performance on both validation and test sets for the mango dry matter content (DMC). The RMSE decreased from 0.984 and 1.03 to 0.577 and 0.613, respectively. These results outperformed those of the other 11 machine learning models. SHAP analysis revealed that the CNN-transformer framework successfully captured the underlying relationships between auxiliary factors (region, temp, and cultivar) and spectral features near 960 nm (due to the O-H absorption signal) with DMC, with the former contributing more significantly to the model than the latter. Similar observations were obtained in the tobacco data set. The results demonstrated the advantages of the CNN-transformer multimodal model in overcoming the limitations of single-modal information, providing novel technical support for quantitative analysis.

Forage quality is one of the most important factors that determines the distribution and grazing patterns of livestock. During senescence, herbaceous plants redistribute nutrients from leaves to roots. This study quantified the decline in nGongoni (Aristida junciformis) grass quality and quantity due to senescence using in situ and Sentinel-2 data. Forage availability status was assessed based on dry matter (DM) content. Chlorophyll content and biomass were used as surrogates for pre-senescent and senescent grass quality and quantity, while average biomass was used to determine the DM. The Random Forest regression yielded coefficients of determination (R2) of 91.3% and 96.6% plus root mean square errors (RMSEs) of 2.12 and 0.55 µg Chl cm−2 for pre-senescent and senescent grass qualities, respectively. The model further yielded R2 values of 70.9% and 94.2%, and RMSEs of 0.34 and 0.02 kg m−2, for pre-senescent and senescent grass quantities, respectively. Optimal predictions of pre-senescent and senescent grass qualities and quantities were achieved using the red-edge and its associated indices, as well as the near-infrared and red band derivatives. The results also showed a decrease in grass quality (17.2 µg Chl cm−2) and quantity (0.89 kg m−2) following senescence. This study helps to understand variability in forage quality and quantity through space and time.

This study examines how varying levels of fermented Cordyceps militaris mushroom substrate (CMMS) in laying hen diets affect production performance, digestive health, immunity, cecal microbiota, metabolites, and quorum-sensing functions. Fermentation reduced CMMS dry matter, NDF, and phosphorus content ( p < 0.05). Replacing 30% of the diet with fermented CMMS significantly improved laying rate, egg weight, feed intake, and feed efficiency ( p < 0.05), while enhancing yolk color, Haugh units, and lipase activity. A 20% substitution increased nutrient digestibility and immunoglobulin levels ( p < 0.05). Metagenomic analysis revealed increased abundance of Phocaeicola, Alistipes, and Parabacteroides ( p < 0.05) with enhanced energy metabolism and specific gene families. Metabolomic analysis identified 1,529 differentially expressed metabolites, with carboxylic acids being most prevalent (21.20%), and enhanced taurine/hypotaurine metabolism and GPI-anchor biosynthesis. Parabacteroides showed negative correlations with certain metabolites, while Alistipes correlated positively with PemK/MazF family genes ( p < 0.001). CMMS fermented feed proportions influence cecal microbiota, their metabolites, and quorum sensing in laying hens, affecting production, digestibility, immunity, metabolism, and health, demonstrating CMMS potential as alternative poultry nutrition.

Recurrent drought events are becoming increasingly frequent under climate change, yet how perennial clonal grasses adjust their functional traits and recovery trajectories across repeated drought-recovery cycles remain poorly understood. Here, we examined whether exogenous application of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) modifies physiological performance, biomass allocation, and recovery dynamics of the clonal grass Festuca rubra under recurrent drought. Plants were exposed to three consecutive drought-recovery cycles in a controlled growth-chamber experiment with factorial drought and MeJA treatments. We quantified physiological traits (chlorophyll concentration, maximum quantum efficiency of PSII), structural traits (specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content), and performance-related traits (ramet number and biomass allocation). Recurrent drought progressively reduced photosynthetic performance and ramet production, with recovery becoming increasingly incomplete across cycles. In contrast, MeJA treatment mitigated drought-induced declines in chlorophyll concentration and PSII efficiency and stabilized recovery responses. MeJA also altered biomass allocation patterns, increasing aboveground biomass and reducing root-to-shoot ratios under drought, in contrast to drought-only plants, which showed enhanced belowground investment. Post-hoc analyses revealed that MeJA + drought plants differed significantly from drought-only plants for aboveground biomass and several functional traits. Overall, our results demonstrate that MeJA modulates drought responses and recovery trajectories in F. rubra, promoting conservative trait expression and improved performance under recurrent drought. These findings highlight the potential role.

Helianthus tuberosus L. is an important crop for agricultural, medicinal, and industrial uses. Its tubers are rich in inulin, and it is cultivated for food and animal feed. This study was conducted in the Potato and Vegetatively Propagated Vegetables Research Department, Dokii, in collaboration with the Sakha Horticulture Research Station, Kafr El-Shaikh, Horticulture Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Giza, Egypt, during the period from 2022 and 2023. The current study aimed to establish seed production protocol for H. tuberosus using tissue culture; Fusaeu cv. sprouted tubers were used to establish in vitro plantlets cultures. Micropropagation by stem cuttings was conducted on MS media without growth regulators. Microtuberization was investigated using MS media containing 80 g sucrose and four concentrations of paclobutrazol (0, 45, 60, 90 mg/l). The media containing only 80 g sucrose gave the highest tuberization ratio, microtuber number, microtuber weight per container, and average microtuber weight. In an open-field experiment, different propagation material sources (in vitro plantlets, minitubers and traditional seed tubers) were evaluated. Traditional seed tubers recorded the highest values of vegetative growth and yield, followed by acclimatized plantlets derived from tissue culture, with no significant differences between them. Minitubers showed the lowest values for growth, tuber yields, tuber dry matter and inulin content.

Islands host a disproportionately high richness of threatened native and invasive alien species. Despite intense research efforts, mechanisms underpinning extinction risk or invasion success are still not fully understood, which hinders the development of effective conservation strategies. The two-sides-of-the-same-coin (2sotsc) hypothesis, which states that traits involved in extinction risk and invasion success are identical, but with opposite values, remains largely untested at local scales where management occurs. Using five functional traits (specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, maximum height, seed mass and dispersal syndrome) for 187 plant species from Reunion Island (Indian Ocean), we compared (i) threatened and non-threatened native woody species and (ii) invasive and non-invasive alien species. Seed mass was greater in threatened than in non-threatened woody natives. We found no trait difference among woody aliens, while specific leaf area was lower in invasive than in non-invasive aliens (woody and non-woody). Since different traits capture species differences in terms of extinction risk and invasion success, the underlying mechanisms are likely to differ. The species-centred perspective of the 2sotsc hypothesis appears too simplistic, which calls for better integrating community- and ecosystem-level impacts to resolve the complexity of extinction and invasion dynamics on islands and support informed conservation decision-making.

ABSTRACT Shifts in leaf functional traits and their interrelationships are expected to mirror plant ecological strategies throughout successional gradients. However, little is known about how these traits and their correlations vary across ecological scales during succession, particularly in Mediterranean ecosystems. This study examines the variability of leaf functional traits and CSR (Competitor, Stress-tolerant, Ruderal) strategies across and within Phillyrea angustifolia, Pistacia lentiscus, and Quercus coccifera growing in a matorral and a nearby sacred grove, representing contrasting successional stages and environmental conditions. For each species, 10 individuals per site were assessed for two ecophysiological traits (relative chlorophyll content and leaf thickness) and three structural allocation traits (leaf tissue density, specific leaf area, and leaf dry matter content), along with CSR strategies. Trait responses to changes in soil nutrients, light, and water availability during succession were both species- and trait-specific. When considering all species together, trait correlations aligned with those described by the global leaf economic spectrum. Thus, Q. coccifera and P. angustifolia shifted from conservative or stress-tolerant strategies in the matorral, viewed as a regressive successional stage, toward more acquisitive or competitive strategies in the sacred grove, regarded as a climax stage. Structural allocation traits showed high intraspecific variation and inconsistent within-species correlations, making them reliable indicators of local-scale adaptive strategies. In contrast, ecophysiological traits exhibited more stable relationships across scales and were largely driven by interspecific variation, limiting their usefulness for predicting intraspecific responses along local successional gradients.

Resource acquisition, transport, storage, and utilization are key determinants of plant performance. Functional coordination and trade-offs are well explored in a conceptual framework of the plant economics spectrum, but how different organs coordinate across these resource dimensions to optimize whole-plant strategies remains largely unclear. We measured 47 functional traits of leaves, stems, coarse roots, and fine roots in 33 co-occurring broadleaf tree species from temperate forests in Northeast China, to examine aboveground-belowground coordination across four above-mentioned resource dimensions. We found decoupling between leaves and fine roots in resource acquisition. No significant relationships were observed between leaf and fine root traits associated with acquisition efficiency (leaf photosynthetic rate-specific fine-root length; specific leaf area-specific fine-root area) or spatial occupation (leaf thickness-fine-root diameter; leafing intensity-fine-root branching intensity), supporting functional independence between the two resource-acquiring organs. In contrast, aboveground and belowground organs exhibited coordinated patterns in resource transport. Stem and coarse-root hydraulic efficiency showed positive correlations, and leaf venation density was positively correlated with coarse-root vessel diameters, which also increased with stem vessel diameters. Similar inter-organ relationships were found in resource storage. Nonstructural carbohydrate storage, especially starch, showed synchronized variation between stems and coarse roots, alongside their structural alignments in axial and total parenchyma fractions. As for resource utilization, leaf lamina mechanical resistance (punching force) was positively correlated with coarse-root mechanical strength (modulus of elasticity and rupture), which also positively covaried with corresponding modulus of elasticity and rupture in stems. Additionally, leaf and fine-root tissue density, stem and coarse-root wood density, and stem and coarse-root dry matter content all showed significant positive correlations. These coordinations collectively support the integrated whole-plant strategies in resource transport, storage, and utilization. Our work reveals aboveground-belowground specialization and integration patterns, advancing the understanding of whole-plant functioning and its underpinning mechanisms across deciduous broad-leaved species in temperate forests.

Environmental and economic performance of food surplus upcycling via freeze-drying under current and future energy systems

This study aimed to investigate the fermentation of reduced-calorie sour cherry-based beverages using three individual probiotic strains (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum SH5, Limosilactobacillus fermentum SH10, and Lactiplantibacillus pentosus SH14) and one mixed-strain formulation, and to evaluate these beverages together with unfermented control beverages in terms of their physicochemical, microbiological, bioactive, and cytotoxic properties during 28 days of cold storage. The fermented beverages exhibited pH values of 3.54-3.63, turbidity of 0.614-0.779, total soluble solids of 24.93-29.87 °Brix, and dry matter content of 27.62%-30.75%, with color parameters recorded as L* (15.08-16.66), a* (12.80-18.21), and b* (-5.78 to -3.05). Phenolic profiling identified catechin (31.05-32.90 ppm), chlorogenic acid (10.82-11.05 ppm), and myricetin (5.05-6.90 ppm) as the predominant compounds, although most phenolics gradually declined during storage. Despite higher initial total phenolic content (TPC) in control samples, lacto-fermented beverages exhibited superior recovery values (%), indicating enhanced bioaccessibility during invitro digestion. Calorie reductions reached up to 46.46% in SCN9-SH10, while viable LAB populations remained above 106 CFU/mL throughout 21 days of storage (7.01-7.65 log CFU/mL). TPC ranged from 214.75 to 353.67 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 mL, DPPH scavenging activity from 213.54 to 274.02 mg Trolox equivalent (TE)/100 mL, and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) values from 924.46 to 1576.71 mg TE/100 mL, with fermented samples consistently demonstrating higher antioxidant capacity than controls. Antibacterial activity was observed only in SCN9-Mix and control samples against Bacillus cereus ATCC 11778, while cytotoxicity assays indicated modest inhibitory effects toward MCF-7 breast cancer cells, with cell viability ranging from 87.64% to 94.45% in freshly prepared samples and decreasing over 28 days. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that lactic acid fermentation effectively enhances the functional, microbiological, and bioactive properties of reduced-calorie sour cherry-based beverages.

Extraction and characterization of chitin, chitosan, and nanochitosan from black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) pupal exoskeletons: insights into structural, thermal, microstructural, color, and antimicrobial properties.

Background/Objectives: Sleep deprivation (SD) induces the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the intestine, causing inflammation in the intestine, thereby damaging the intestinal epithelial barrier function. As a traditional Chinese medicine, Dendrobium huoshanense (DHS) modulates intestinal flora, maintains the intestinal mucosal barrier, and promotes gastrointestinal motility and digestive secretion. However, the role and mechanism of DHS in improving SD-induced intestinal injury have not been fully studied. Methods: The SD model was established by subjecting rats to complete SD using a specialised SD instrument. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was performed to evaluate pathological injury in ileal tissues. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and biochemical methods were used to quantify the main inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress markers, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity. The expression levels of E-cadherin and Occludin proteins in the ileum tissue were analyzed by Western blotting. Additionally, the pH value of ileal mucus, unit secretion, water content, and dry matter weight were measured. Differential metabolites in rat ileum mucus were profiled using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS). Results: DHS alleviated the pathological injury of the ileum induced by SD. DHS reduced the levels of serotonin (5-HT), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), while increasing interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels, thereby attenuating systemic inflammatory responses. Furthermore, DHS decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content and elevated glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in ileal tissues. DHS also upregulated the protein expression of E-cadherin and Occludin in intestinal tissues. In addition, DHS decreased the pH of ileal mucus, promoted intestinal mucus secretion, and increased dry matter content, facilitating the restoration of the mucus barrier. DHS may alleviate SD-induced ileal injury by modulating steroid hormone biosynthesis. DHS decreased the levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol (CORT), and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), indicating that DHS suppresses the abnormal activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Conclusions: In this study, a comprehensive multi-index evaluation showed that DHS could significantly improve the ileal injury caused by SD in rats. The mechanism involved regulating the balance of serum neurotransmitters and inflammatory factors, reducing oxidative stress in tissues, and improving the physicochemical properties of intestinal mucus. Metabolomic analysis further revealed that these protective effects may be mediated via the regulation of steroid hormone biosynthesis pathways and are associated with the inhibition of abnormal HPA axis activation.

The study utilized a total of 100 cassava genotypes sourced from IITA, Nigeria (biofortified genotypes) and locally collected landraces of Ethiopia, conserved at Jimma Agricultural Research Center. So, understanding variability in nutritional composition can guide future genetic improvement and support the development of nutritionally enhanced cassava varieties. The objective of the study was to assess variability of cassava genotypes-based their nutritional compositions analysis. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed highly significant differences among the studied genotypes for all traits. The mean separation analysis revealed largest values of Beta carotene was recorded with genotypes G79 (18.91) and G106 (17.82%) whereas maximum starch content of 77.79 and 77.22% were recorded with genotype G33 and G29respectively. The maximum dry mater content was recorded with G100 (75.93%) and G128 (71.63%). Correlation analyses revealed highly significant and positive associations between organic matter and dry matter contents (0.98***). Ash content positively correlated with beta-carotene (0.28**) but negatively correlated with OM (-0.33***). However, starch positively correlated with OM (0.135) and DMC (0.124) and poor but negative correlated with protein. These association indicated that traits influence one another which might be due to physiological trade-off or the increment of one trait cause to the increment of another trait. PCA further revealed substantial variation among genotypes, where the first three PC with Eigen values > 1 explained 68.00% of the total variation. Dry matter, moisture content and organic matter were major contributors to Dim-1, while protein and nitrogen contributed to Dim-2, whereas tannin showed a slight negative association with dimension 2. Cluster analysis grouped the studied genotypes into six distinct clusters, each characterized by specific trait combinations. Generally, the results of the study provided concrete information for future cassava breeding program in Ethiopia.

Identifying evidence of peri-mortem diarrhoea during necropsy is important for both clinical herd management and research. In live pigs, diarrhoea is typically assessed by inspection of faecal pools on the pen floor scoring of faecal rectal samples, including cotton-swabs, but these methods depend on the availability of faecal material and are therefore often not applicable at necropsy. This study aimed to evaluate intestinal content characteristics and perianal faecal staining as post-mortem indicators of peri-mortem diarrhoea. These indicators were compared with cotton-swab faecal scoring using faecal dry-matter content as a reference. Furthermore, associations with enteric pathogens detected by PCR were investigated. A total of 145 pigs from a Danish commercial herd were monitored from birth until 10 weeks of age and euthanised in age-stratified batches for post-mortem examinations. Intestinal content from duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum, and colon was evaluated for consistency and colour using categorical scales and compared with perianal faecal staining, faecal scores obtained by the cotton-swab method, faecal dry-matter percentage, and pathogen detections in faecal samples by high-throughput real-time PCR. Colonic content consistency and perianal faecal staining were strongly associated, and in all pigs with watery colonic content a perianal faecal staining was observed. Colonic content consistency corresponded well with faecal dry-matter percentage categories, with mucoid, runny and watery consistencies indicating diarrheic cases (sensitivity: 87%, specificity: 55%). Jejunal content consistency showed little to no association with cotton-swab faecal scores, indicating limited value as an indicator of peri-mortem diarrhoea. Pre-weaning piglets predominantly showed lighter (yellow-green), firmer intestinal contents, whereas post-weaning animals displayed darker and looser contents, particularly in the large intestine. Interobserver reliability was high for consistency scoring (Krippendorff's α > 0.80 across most segments) but low for colour scoring (α < 0.64). Dark colonic content was associated with PCR detection of Lawsonia intracellularis and Brachyspira pilosicoli, while yellow coloration showed an indirect association with detection of Clostridium perfringens α and β2 toxin genes. Post-mortem assessment of colonic content consistency represent a promising, practical and reproducible indicator of peri-mortem diarrhoea, but tending to identify a higher prevalence of diarrheic cases compared to diarrhoea defined by dry-matter percentage. Colonic content consistency also showed a strong association with perianal faecal staining. In contrast, jejunal content consistency showed no diagnostic value as an indicator of peri-mortem diarrhoea. Visual assessment of intestinal content colour demonstrated poor interobserver reproducibility, and any observed associations with enteric pathogens should therefore be interpreted with caution. Overall, these findings support the use of colonic content consistency and perianal faecal staining as necropsy-based indicators for detection of peri-mortem diarrhoea.

Non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) reserves can support fruit development and buffer source-sink imbalances in fruit trees, yet their organ-specific contributions remain poorly understood in mango (Mangifera indica). This study investigated the impacts of severe carbon source limitation on fruit productivity and NSC reserve dynamics over two consecutive growing seasons. A near-complete defoliation, retaining only 40 leaves (<0.5% of estimated leaves per tree), was imposed during rapid fruit growth in the first season. Starch and soluble sugar concentrations were monitored in roots, trunks, branches, shoots, pedicels, and leaves, alongside fruit growth and yield. Fruit growth, number, and dry matter content declined, with whole-tree fruit NSC content reduced to one-third of controls by end of the first season. In the following season, fruit NSC concentrations recovered to control levels, but reproductive output remained impaired, with fewer fruiting trees and lower yields, highlighting lasting impacts of prior source limitation on reproductive processes. NSC reserve dynamics varied across organs. Trunks behaved as long-term starch storage tissues, exhibiting marked depletion under defoliation in the first season, followed by strong recovery in the second. Coarse roots, assessed only in the second season, also showed similar storage behaviour, with previously defoliated trees ending the season with higher reserve concentrations than controls. Branches and medium roots operated as more transient buffering tissues, with dynamics in medium roots driven more by phenology than tree carbon status. Shoots, leaves, and pedicels, dominated by soluble sugars, served as short-term buffers, rapidly depleted under canopy loss but recovering once fruit load was reduced. Mango trees responded to source limitation through widespread NSC reserve remobilisation, followed by synchronised reserve rebuilding across structural organs at the expense of reproduction. These findings emphasise the central role of foliar source capacity in sustaining productivity and clarify the hierarchical functions of NSC pools in buffering carbon limitation.

Preharvest selenium (Se) biofortification is a promising strategy to enhance both the nutritional value and postharvest performance of vegetables. However, its effects on cherry tomato quality during storage, particularly in relation to ripening stage at harvest, remain poorly understood. This study evaluated the impact of foliar Se application (0.5 mM, as Na2SeO4) on carpometric, compositional, and functional traits of cherry tomatoes harvested at two ripening stages (orange-red and deep red) and stored for 0, 10, and 20 days at 11.0 ± 0.5 °C. The Se application increased fruit Se concentration (∼30-fold) and improved dry matter (+8.1%) and firmness (+8.3%) throughout storage. At the end of storage, all fruits showed reduced firmness (up to −44%) and increased fresh weight loss (up to 8.5%), although Se-biofortified fruits consistently maintained a higher dry matter content. The effects of Se on compositional traits were ripening stage-dependent, as it enhanced glucose (+8.2%), fructose (+10.0%), and total sugars (+9.4%) in fully ripe fruits, while increasing titratable acidity in less mature ones (+8.2%). Moreover, Se reduced total carotenoids in fully ripe fruits (−13.2%) but increased ascorbic acid during storage (+19.4%), irrespective of ripening stage. Overall, Se biofortification effectively enriched cherry tomatoes and modulated their postharvest behavior. However, the contrasting, stage-dependent effects of Se biofortification on the functional compounds of cherry tomatoes emphasize the need to refine the biofortification strategy in order to achieve a more consistent and comprehensive improvement in fruit quality.

Estimating crop trait data is critical for predicting crop responses to environmental change, enabling more informed diagnoses of crop performance and the development of on-farm management strategies. Yet, many traditional methods for quantifying plant traits are time-consuming and resource-intensive, limiting sample sizes and study durations. In response, high-throughput phenotyping—specifically reflectance spectroscopy—has emerged as a key element of plant trait research, enabling rapid estimation of plant traits. However, little is known about whether reflectance spectroscopy can detect within-species variation in resource acquisition and plant-water traits, especially variation that exists among different cultivars or genotypes of the same crop. Using wine grapes (V. vinifera subsp. vinifera) as a focal crop, this study aimed to assess the ability of reflectance spectroscopy to quantify intraspecific variation in 12 leaf traits across 12 different cultivars from seven different varieties. We find significant variability in traits across and within cultivars, especially in gas-exchange and hydraulic traits, with cultivars varying along a resource-conservative-to-resource-acquisitive trait axis. Models based on spectral reflectance data were able to differentiate and predict this fine-scale trait variation among cultivars for seven plant traits, with a predictive power range of R2 = 0.12–0.57. Models predicting leaf chemical (i.e., carbon and nitrogen concentrations), physiological (i.e., maximum rate of light-saturated photosynthesis), and morphological traits (i.e., leaf dry matter content) were more accurate in their predictions, while models predicting leaf water status were less accurate. Our results indicate that reflectance spectroscopy can capture certain dimensions of the fine-scale trait variation that exists within genetically diverse agroecosystems, though spectroscopic estimates of intraspecific variation in leaf water status are less accurate.