Full Flowering Research Articles

Simulated herbicide drift alters native plant flowering phenology.

Data for herbicide effects on plant flowering are needed to determine potential impacts on plant reproduction. Thus, flowering phenology was determined for up to 12 weeks after herbicide treatment for native Willamette Valley plants growing in small plots on two Oregon State University experimental farms. Six perennial species were evaluated: Camassia leichtlinii (CALE), Elymus glaucus (ELGL), Eriophyllum lanatum (ERLA), Festuca idahoensis subsp. roemeri (FEID), Iris tenax (IRTE), and Prunella vulgaris var. lanceolata (PRVU). Effects of glyphosate and dicamba, alone and in combination, were determined using simulated drift rates of 0.1 or 0.2 x field application rates (FAR) of 1119 g ha-1 active ingredient (a.i.) (830 g ha-1 acid glyphosate) for glyphosate and 560 g ha-1 a.i. for dicamba. Flowering phenology was evaluated as stage of development on a scale from no buds (converted to 0), buds (1), pre-flowering (2), flowering (3), post-flowering (4), to mature seeds (5) before herbicide treatment and for 12 weeks after treatment. Flowering response to herbicides varied by species and farm; but, in general, dicamba and glyphosate resulted in earlier flowering stages (delayed or not full flowering) for the dicot ERLA, and to a lesser extent, PRVU; and glyphosate resulted in earlier flowering stages for the monocot IRTE. Based on these data, the concentration of herbicide affecting flowering stage was 0.1 x FAR. Once flowering stage was inhibited by dicamba and glyphosate, plants generally did not recover to full flowering. This study provided evidence that common herbicides can affect flowering phenology of native plants with implications for seed production.

Genome-wide analysis of the R2R3-MYB gene family and identification of candidate genes that regulate isoflavone biosynthesis in red clover (Trifolium pratense)

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is a perennial legume with high feeding and medicinal value attributed to its abundant isoflavone content. Previous studies reported that R2R3-MYB transcription factors are involved in the biosynthesis of isoflavones; however, their specific role in red clover remains poorly understood. Through comprehensive genome-wide and transcriptome analyses, a total of 138 TpR2R3-MYB genes were identified and classified into 30 distinct subgroups within a phylogenetic tree. Importantly, six of these subgroups showed associations with isoflavone biosynthesis in red clover. The majority of segmental duplication events (Ka/Ks < 1) indicated that the TpR2R3-MYB gene underwent strong purifying selection during evolution. The qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated high expression levels of TpMYB79 and TpMYB53 in Minshan red clover at full flowering stage, consistent with the trend for isoflavone content determination, suggesting that TpMYB79 and TpMYB53 might be important regulators of isoflavone biosynthesis in red clover. Additionally, we observed nucleus and vacuole membrane localization of TpMYB53 and TpMYB79, with TpMYB53 primarily exerting transcriptional activation through its C-terminal activation motifs while TpMYB79 exhibited no transcriptional activity. These findings provided a foundation for the study of the biological function of R2R3-MYB transcription factors in red clover.

Diplomasi Publik Cina terhadap Indonesia dalam Festival Kue Bulan Tahun 2023

The Mooncake Festival is one of China's public diplomacies through cultural activities towards Indonesia. On September 27, 2023, the Chinese Government, through its Ambassador in Indonesia, held a Mooncake Festival with the theme "Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival with Full Flower and Full Moon". This festival is momentum for the Chinese Government to introduce the Mooncake Festival as one of the biggest celebrations in Chinese culture to the Indonesian people. This study aims to examine China's public diplomacy efforts towards Indonesia through the 2023 Mooncake Festival. This study uses a qualitative method, with primary and secondary data sources and qualitative descriptive analysis techniques. By utilizing the concept of public diplomacy from Ingrid D'Hooge, the conclusion of this study is the implementation of China's public diplomacy towards Indonesia through the 2023 Mooncake Festival involves many non-state actors and developing and launching strategies that focus on its culture by introducing Chinese culture to Indonesia. Not only that, China also uses publication media to implement China's public diplomacy toward Indonesia's success through the 2023 Mooncake Festival.

Nutrient Mass in Winter Wheat in the Cereal Critical Window Under Different Nitrogen Levels—Effect on Grain Yield and Grain Protein Content

The mass of nutrients accumulated in the vegetative parts of winter wheat (WW) in the period from the beginning of booting to the full flowering stage (Critical Cereal Window, CCW) allows for the reliable prediction of the grain yield (GY) and its components, and the grain protein content (GPC) and its yield. This hypothesis was verified in a one-factor field experiment carried out in the 2013/2014, 2014/2015, and 2015/2016 growing seasons. The field experiment included seven nitrogen-fertilized variants: 0, 40, 80, 120, 160, 200, and 240 kg N ha−1. The N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu content in wheat vegetative parts (leaves, stems) was determined in two growth stages: (i) beginning of booting (BBCH 40) and (ii) full flowering (BBCH 65). We examined the response of eight WW traits (ear biomass at BBCH 65, EAB; grain yield, GY; grain protein content, GPC; grain protein yield, GPY; canopy ear density, CED; number of grains per ear, GE; number of grains per m−2—canopy grain density, CGD; and thousand grain weight, TGW) to the amount of a given nutrient accumulated in the given vegetative part of WW before flowering. The average GY was very high and ranged from 7.2 t ha−1 in 2016 to 11.3 t ha−1 in 2015. The mass of ears in the full flowering stage was highest in 2016, a year with the lowest GY. The highest N mass in leaves was also recorded in 2016. Only the biomass of the stems at the BBCH 65 stage was the highest in 2015, the year with the highest yield. Despite this variability, 99% of GY variability was explained by the interaction of CGD and TGW. Based on the analyses performed, it can be concluded that in the case of large yields of winter wheat, GE is a critical yield component that determines the CGD, and in consequence the GY. The leaf nutrient mass at the BBCH 40 stage was a reliable predictor of the GPC (R2 = 0.93), GPY (0.92), GE (0.84), and CED (0.76). The prediction of the GY (0.89), CGD (0.90), and TGW (0.89) was most reliable based on the leaf nutrient mass at the BBCH 65 stage. The best EAB prediction was obtained based on the mass of nutrients in WW stems at the BBCH 65 stage. The magnesium accumulated in WW parts turned out to be, with the exception of TGW, a key predictor of the examined traits. In the case of the TGW, the main predictor was Ca. The effect of Mg on the tested WW traits most often occurred in cooperation with other nutrients. Its presence in the developed stepwise regression models varied depending on the plant part and the WW trait. The most common nutrients accompanying Mg were micronutrients, while Zn, Fe, Mn, and Ca were the most common macronutrients accompanying Mg. Despite the apparently small impact of N, its yield-forming role was indirect. Excessive N accumulation in leaves in relation to its mass in stems, which appeared in the full flowering phase, positively impacted the EAB and GPC, but negatively affected the GE. Increasing the LE/ST ratio for both Mg and Ca resulted in a better formation of the yield components, which, consequently, led to a higher yield. This study clearly showed that nutritional control of WW during the CCW should focus on nutrients controlling N action.

Methods for the accelerated creation of updated high-quality flax seeds in primary seed production

Relevance. The creation of high-quality oilseed flax seeds using new plant breeding methods is an imperative principle with the advent of better crop seed production. Current methods for creating such seeds continue to be complicated and laborious. In this regard, the development of more advanced methods for obtaining renewed seeds with a high level of manifestation of sowing, various types and morphophysiological properties is relevant and has practical importance.Methods. The experiments were carried out in accordance with the methods of planting, conducting field experiments with flax, and methodological recommendations for seed production of oil flax. The assessment of sowing quality and seed material was carried out in accordance with the current certification system , varietal quality — by the soil control method.Results. The high efficiency of creating updated oilseed flax seeds using the method of plant selection during the growing season — from the beginning to the end of full flowering, which allowed for a significant increase in their yield to 61.5%, compared with the control. Selection of plants in the interval from the beginning to the end of full flowering ensured the preservation of the sowing qualities of the created seeds at the control level — selection according to the current method, as well as increasing the uniformity of indicators of the morphophysiological properties of seeds, including the uniformity of seed sprouts along the length by 4.6%. The selection method with the removal of plants atypical in morphological charakteristics compared with the control allowed to increase the yield of updated oilseed flax seeds by 29.7%, improve their morphophysiological properties. The varietal quality of the updated seed material for all methods of its creation was characterized by the absence of atypical seeds in color and minor differences between the options in the uniformity of varietal characteristics.

Effects of Seaweed Applications on Phenological Development Stages and Total Effective Temperature in Yuvarlak Çekirdeksiz Grape Variety Grown in Siirt Conditions

This study was carried out on the Yuvarlak Çekirdeksiz grape variety grown in the Siirt University application vineyard. Three different times and four different doses [control (0 ppm), 1st application (1000 ppm before flowering), 2nd application (1000 ppm before flowering + 1000 ppm after flowering), 3rd application (1000 ppm before flowering + after flowering) 1000 ppm + veraison 1000 ppm)] applied liquid seaweed on phenological stages and its effects on Total Effective temperature (TET) were compared. When the phenological periods were compared with the control; It was determined that the first application took the full flowering phase three days earlier and the veraison phase six days earlier. The Total Effective Temperature value between full bloom and veraison was determined to be between 659.78-819.98 gd, and it was determined that the first application shortened the vegetation period compared to the control, while the other two applications extended the vegetation period.

Estimation of Cotton SPAD Based on Multi-Source Feature Fusion and Voting Regression Ensemble Learning in Intercropping Pattern of Cotton and Soybean

The accurate estimation of soil plant analytical development (SPAD) values in cotton under various intercropping patterns with soybean is crucial for monitoring cotton growth and determining a suitable intercropping pattern. In this study, we utilized an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to capture visible (RGB) and multispectral (MS) data of cotton at the bud stage, early flowering stage, and full flowering stage in a cotton–soybean intercropping pattern in the Yellow River Delta region of China, and we used SPAD502 Plus and tapeline to collect SPAD and cotton plant height (CH) data of the cotton canopy, respectively. We analyzed the differences in cotton SPAD and CH under different intercropping ratio patterns. It was conducted using Pearson correlation analysis between the RGB features, MS features, and cotton SPAD, then the recursive feature elimination (RFE) method was employed to select image features. Seven feature sets including MS features (five vegetation indices + five texture features), RGB features (five vegetation indices + cotton cover), and CH, as well as combinations of these three types of features with each other, were established. Voting regression (VR) ensemble learning was proposed for estimating cotton SPAD and compared with the performances of three models: random forest regression (RFR), gradient boosting regression (GBR), and support vector regression (SVR). The optimal model was then used to estimate and visualize cotton SPAD under different intercropping patterns. The results were as follows: (1) There was little difference in the mean value of SPAD or CH under different intercropping patterns; a significant positive correlation existed between CH and SPAD throughout the entire growth period. (2) All VR models were optimal when each of the seven feature sets were used as input. When the features set was MS + RGB, the determination coefficient (R2) of the validation set of the VR model was 0.902, the root mean square error (RMSE) was 1.599, and the relative prediction deviation (RPD) was 3.24. (3) When the features set was CH + MS + RGB, the accuracy of the VR model was further improved, compared with the feature set MS + RGB, the R2 and RPD were increased by 1.55% and 8.95%, respectively, and the RMSE was decreased by 7.38%. (4) In the intercropping of cotton and soybean, cotton growing under 4:6 planting patterns was better. The results can provide a reference for the selection of intercropping patterns and the estimation of cotton SPAD.

Influence of Plant Phenology on Chemical Composition of Monarda fistulosa L. Organs and their Bioactive Properties.

Monarda fistulosa L. above-ground organs, collected at three phases of plant phenology, were investigated as potential raw materials for application in the food industry. They were evaluated regarding essential oil (EO) content, composition, and antimicrobial activity, as well as characteristics of phenolic fractions and antioxidant properties, which may determine health benefits and potential use in food preservation. The dominant constituent of leaf EO was carvacrol. In the inflorescence EO carvacrol content was especially high at the full flowering phase (45.12%), while during the fruit setting phase its content was lower than that of p-cymene (39.75%) and thymoquinone (25.04%). In the agar dilution test, leaf and inflorescence EOs inhibited the growth of the six tested microorganisms at the concentration range of 0.156-0.625 µL/mL. Leaves collected at the vegetative phase of plant growth were characterised by the highest content of rosmarinic acid and didymin. Inflorescences harvested during the flowering of plants were rich in linarin. Flavonoid content was highly correlated with antioxidant activity of extracts. Due to these properties, M. fistulosa extracts and essential oils could be used in the food industry as natural preservatives or antioxidants, thereby contributing to the development of safer and more sustainable food products.

ХОЗЯЙСТВЕННО-БИОЛОГИЧЕСКИЕ ПОКАЗАТЕЛИ ПРОДУКТИВНОСТИ РАЗНЫХ ОБРАЗЦОВ АМАРАНТА AMARANTHUS HYPOCHONDRIACUS L. В УСЛОВИЯХ ПРЕДГОРИЙ РСО-АЛАНИЯ

The introduction into cultivation of new plant species that combine not only high yields and nutritional benefits, but also resistance to diseases and pests is an important task for the agricultural industry. The main feature of amaranth is its high performance and active growth, which allows it to be used as a crop with a short growing season, and amaranth also has high seed performance, unlike other traditional crops. The studies were carried out at the experimental site of the Research Institute of Biotechnology of the Federal State Budgetary Institution of Higher Education Gorsky State Agrarian University. The material for the study was collection samples of amaranth, selected in the full flowering phase. Economic and biological indicators of productivity of different samples of amaranth VR-99, K-51, K-61, K-63 of the genus ( Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.) were established. These amaranth samples are mid-season, the growing season of which is on average 125 days. According to biometric indicators, the studied amaranth samples are of medium height, from 157 to 173 cm. On average, the biomass yield of samples K-61 and K-63 was 440-593.4 c/ha, respectively. The yield of amaranth samples ( Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.) K-51, BP-99 was 406-438.9 c/ha, respectively. The dynamics of the assimilating surface area and leaf blade area in the flowering phase for sample VR-99 was 63.75 (thousand m2/g). In the seed ripening phase, the leaf area was 142.8 (thousand m2/g). The total photosynthetic potential of the leaf surface was 2272.05 million m2 day/ha. Amaranth samples of the genus Amaranthus hypochondriacus L. (BP-99, K-51, K-61, K-63), due to their unique properties, are promising for use as a fodder crop, and its inclusion in the agrophytocenosis of the foothill zone of North Ossetia will provide high-quality forage.

Inversion Modeling of Chlorophyll Fluorescence Parameters in Cotton Canopy via Moisture Data and Spectral Analysis

The study of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters is very important for understanding plant photosynthesis. Monitoring cotton chlorophyll fluorescence parameters via spectral technology can aid in understanding the photosynthesis, growth, and stress of cotton fields in real time and provide support for cotton growth regulation and planting management. In this study, cotton plot experiments with different water treatments were set up to obtain the spectral reflectance of the cotton canopy, the maximum photochemical quantum yield (Fv/Fm), and the photochemical quenching coefficient (qP) of leaves at different growth stages. Support vector machine regression (SVR), random forest regression (RFR), and artificial neural network regression (ANNR) were used to establish a fluorescence parameter inversion model of the cotton canopy leaves. The results show that the original spectrum was transformed by multivariate scattering correction (MSC), the standard normal variable (SNV), and continuous wavelet transform (CWT), and the model constructed with Fv/Fm passed accuracy verification. The SNV-SVR model at the budding stage, the MSC-SVR model at the early flowering stage, the SNV-SVR model at the full flowering stage, the MSC-SVR model at the flowering stage, and the CWT-SVR model at the full boll stage had the highest estimation accuracy. The accuracies of the three spectral preprocessing and qP models were verified, and the MSC-SVR model at the budding stage, SNV-SVR model at the early flowering stage, MSC-SVR model at the full flowering stage, SNV-SVR model at the flowering stage, and CWT-SVR model at the full boll stage presented the highest estimation accuracies.

A Flowering Morphological Investigation, Fruit Fatty Acids, and Mineral Elements Dynamic Changes of Idesia polycarpa Maxim.

Idesia polycarpa Maxim is a high-value species of fruit oil with edible, abundant linoleic acid and polyphenols. Idesia polycarpa is described as a dioecious species, and the flowers are male; female and bisexual flowers are produced on separate plants. In order to explore the flower types of Idesia polycarpa, the morphology of its flowers and inflorescence were investigated in this study. The flower and inflorescence types, the diameter, and the flowering sequencing in male and female inflorescence were determined. We also detected the length, width, and fresh weight of leaves, shoots, and female inflorescence, as well as the length and fresh weight of the petiole during the development. Additionally, we compared the length, width, the length/width ratio, and the flowering density between 5- and 7-year-old female trees. The phenological period observation of Idesia polycarpa showed that the development process can be roughly divided into 12 stages, including bud burst, leaf expansion, inflorescence growth, initial flowering, full flowering, flower decline, initial fruiting, fruit enlargement, fruit color change, fruit ripening, post-ripening of fruit, and leaf fall periods. Furthermore, four elites' fruit determined the oil content and the composition of fatty acid content during the development. The dynamic of fatty acids contents, the palrnitic acid, palmitoleic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, and linolenic acid contents were detected during the fruit development of four elites. Moreover, the mineral elements content of fruit of four elites during development were determined. The patterns of vegetative and reproductive growth in young dioecious trees of Idesia polycarpa provided the theoretical basis for artificial pruning and training.

Thrips (Thysanoptera: Terebrantia) in Nectarine Orchards in North-East Spain: Species Diversity and Fruit Damage.

Thrips constitute one of the main nectarine pests, with damage either in flowering or before harvesting (silvering). Several species are associated with damage to flowers, but Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is the main species associated with summer damage in Europe. Tree canopies of nectarine orchards under organic and integrated management were sampled in Lleida and Girona at four key moments of the season (bud burst, full flowering, fruit setting stage, and colorization of the fruit) during 2021 and 2022 to determine the species composition in the area and the damage caused during fruit maturation. Adult individuals in flowers, leaves, and fruit surfaces were collected and identified, and silvering damage to the fruit surface was assessed in the Lleida area. Fifteen species in Lleida and 10 species in Girona were collected from the tree canopy. Organic orchards in Lleida showed lower populations and silvering damage levels when compared with integrated orchards. Thrips fuscipennis Haliday (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) 1836 was the main species in Lleida during harvest, and Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) 1895 was the main species in Girona. Due to their predominance, both species were associated with silvering damage during fruit maturation.

Effects of classical and organomineral fertilizer applications on pollen quality and quantity in gemlik olive cultivar

Olive is one of the important plants worldwide in terms of economic and cultural conditions. It is used in fresh consumption, olive oil, cosmetic and pharmaceutic fields and unique numinous plants. Olive can maintain its life for many years even in barren conditions but for an economic cultivation, fertile and preferred cultivars should be used in orchards and optimum maintenance conditions should be provided. At the same time the climate change is also convert the usual behavior of the plants. This study aims to determine the effects of classic and organomineral fertilizers on pollen quality and quantity parameters. In this study, classical fertilizers like Urea+MgSO4 and KNO3+H3BO3+ZnSO4 with Raykat Start, Raykat Growth and Fitomare organomineral fertilizers were sprayed foliarly before flowering on Gemlik olive cultivar and pollen studies were conducted on the flowers formed at full flowering. Within the study, effects of the treatments were evaluated on pollen viability and germination levels, the amount of pollen produced in one flower and the normally developed pollen ratio. As a result of this study, fertilization treatments positively affected pollen quality and quantity with regard to control treatment. In this context, the pollen viability level differed between 74.15% and 89.92%, the pollen germination level between 45.48% and 70.35% and pollen per flower was between 307.238 and 446.761. The lowest data were obtained from control treatments, while the highest were from Raykat group fertilizers. Especially, the 54% increase in pollen germination level with Raykat growth fertilization was one of the most important results of this study. In conclusion, it was determined that the foliar spray of organomineral fertilizers enhanced the pollen properties. Raykat Start, Raykat Growth and Fitomare organomineral fertilizers used in this study significantly increased pollen quality and quantity.

Vegetative performance of soybean genotypes grown under different plant distributions in the field

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of plant distribution in the field on the physiological performance of soybean genotypes in the southern region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The experiment consisted of twelve treatments involving two factors: factor A – 3 soybean genotypes (NA 5909 RR, NS 6006 IPRO, and NS 5959 IPRO) and factor B – 4 row spacings (0.17; 0.30; 0.45 and 0.60 meters). The experimental design was in randomized blocks in a factorial scheme (3x4), with four blocks. Each plot was 2.4 meters wide and 4 meters long, with 0.6 meters being discarded on each side of the plot for evaluations and 0.5 at each end of the line to serve as a border. Number of plants used was 330,000 plants ha-1. The experimental determinations carried out to evaluate vegetative performance were: plant height, stem diameter, area leaf matter, dry mass of stems, leaves and total in the full flowering phase of the crop. The performance, in general, of soybean genotypes is influenced by the distribution of the plants, with this response depending on the genotype and the production environment

Выявление патогенов картофеля с использованием различных методов диагностики

Abstract. Potato diseases have far reaching implications for the agricultural industry as they not only reduce productivity and quality of potato crop but also negatively affect the livelihood of farmers. The purpose of the studies detection and identification of potato phytopathogens by visual assessment, real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and molecular genetic screening for phytopathogen resistance genes. Methods. Visual evaluation of each potato variety for major fungal, viral and bacterial diseases was carried out during the period of full sprouting, at plant height of 15–20 cm and in the phase of full flowering. The percentage of plants affected by diseases in relation to the total number of inspected plants was calculated. Diagnosis of resistance of potato samples to diseases was carried out on the basis of PCR. DNA markers of phytopathogen resistance genes YES3-3A, RYSC3, Ry186, TG 689, Gro1-4-1, Gpa2-2, PVX were used for molecular screening of potato. Infection of samples by PCR-RV (real-time) was determined using reagent kits of Syntol LLC Potato Virus X and Potato Virus Y, Potato spindle tuber viroid-PB, Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus-PB, Dickeya spp-PB. Results. According to the results of visual evaluation, the absence of symptoms of wrinkle mosaic in 20% of hybrids, mottle mosaic in 40%, mosaic leaf curl in 96 %, leaf curl in 72 hybrids, black leg in 100%, phytophthorosis in 88% of hybrids, alternaria in 84 %, rhizoctoniosis in 96 % of hybrids were observed. According to the results of PCR-RV analysis in 21 samples detected virus Y. The scientific novelty consists in the diagnosis of potato viruses using traditional visual assessment with the use of molecular markers that allow to identify correlation relationship between trhis methods.

Highly selective localized surface plasmon resonance sensor for selenium diagnosis in selenium-rich soybeans

It is a challenge to determine selenium in acid aqueous for environmental monitoring and selenium-rich agricultural diagnosis. Herein, we developed a novel localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensor to detect Se(IV) ions based on the extraordinary laterals etching of gold nanorods (AuNRs). The etching started from the laterals in the low amount of Se(IV) ions, and accompanied by an apparent red shift of the longitudinal plasmon band (LPB), and then transformed to the tips etching with the upward of Se(IV) ions, the LPB band immediately shifted to the shorter wavelength. The red shift change (Δλ) of LPB band was utilized to quantitative analysis instead of blue shift or absorbance intensity, which gave a high selectivity for the proposed sensor. More importantly, this sensor could be performed in 0.1 mol/L of HCl solution, which achieved the seamlessly jointing with the pretreatment of complex samples, without time-consuming pH adjustment.Successful selenium detection was demonstrated in complex soybean samples that collected from the maturity after spraying organic chelated selenium at full flower period. The sensor provided a promising way to monitor and diagnose selenium in complex environmental samples and selenium-rich crops.

Effects of organic amendments on nutrient and quality characteristics of Salvia fruticosa Mill at different plant growth stages

ABSTRACT Salvia (Salvia fruticosa Mill) is used in traditional medicine and in food and pharmacological industries, and as organically grown plants are preferred it is important to understand how organic soil fertilisation regimes affect the nutritional status and quality of the plant. To address this, an experiment was conducted testing the direct (in the first year) and residual (in the second year) effects of different organic nutrient inputs; control (C: untreated plants), farmyard manure (FYM), chicken manure (CM), vermicompost (VC), and spent mushroom compost (SMC). In the first year, N concentrations in the salvia were increased by 15%–46% and 8%–16%, at beginning of flowering and at full flowering, respectively, indicating a direct effect of the organic amendments. In the second year, the residual effects of the organic amendments increased N concentrations by 8%–37% at beginning of flowering. The organic amendments also affected concentrations of P at full flowering and caused increases of 6%–23% in the first year and by 6%–18% in the second year. Soil organic matter increased by 13%–16% as direct effects of the organic amendments and by 14%–24% as residual effects. Antioxidant activity, total flavonoid and phenolic concentrations of the salvia increased with applications of organic amendments. Total phenolic concentration and antioxidant activity were positively correlated with N, Mn and Mg and negatively correlated with K, Ca and P in the plant leaves. VC and SMC were the most effective amendments for enhancing total flavonoid content, antioxidant activity and plant nutrient concentrations.

Metabolomic and Transcriptomic Analysis of Unique Floral Coloration in Osmanthus fragrans Cultivars

The floral color phenotypes of Osmanthus fragrans cultivars range from light yellow to orange yellow, with ‘Yanzhi Hong’ being the only reported cultivar with a red color. However, the underlying reason for this unique floral coloration remains unclear. The study conducted targeted metabolomics and transcriptomics analyses on the petals of ‘Yanzhi Hong’ at both initial and peak flowering stages. Candidate gene expression was validated, and expression levels of the petals of three cultivars were compared using RT-qPCR. The results revealed the presence of 27 components in the petals of ‘Yanzhi Hong’, including 5 carotenoids, 8 xanthophylls, and 14 xanthophyll esters. Notably, lycopene was detected in abundance for the first time in O. fragrans cultivars. Carotenes accounted for 78.82 ± 3.17% and 91.19 ± 1.69% of the total carotenoid content in petals during the initial and peak flowering stages, respectively, with all carotene contents increasing during the peak flowering period. β-carotene, lycopene, and γ-carotene were identified as the top three carotene components in petals during both initial and full flowering stages. The unique blush red color of ‘Yanzhi Hong’ petals could be attributed to the low content of α-carotene and the rich accumulation of lycopene. Furthermore, a total of 1550 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in petals at the peak flowering stage relative to the initial flowering stage, with 1003 genes being downregulated and 547 genes being upregulated during the full flowering stage. There are 926 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) annotated in the Gene Ontology (GO) database. Among these DEGs, those that were downregulated and upregulated during the peak flowering period showed significant enrichment in carbohydrate metabolism and oxidation–reduction processes, respectively. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis identified 14 structural genes associated with phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and 7 structural genes linked to carotenoid biosynthesis. Expression levels of candidate genes involved in carotenoid biosynthesis were examined in the petals of three cultivars (‘Yanzhi Hong’, ‘Liuye Jingui’, and ‘Gecheng Dangui’) at both the initial and peak flowering stages. The results indicated that the decreased expression of LYG009054 (LYCE) and LYG018651 (LYCB) in ‘Yanzhi Hong’ resulted in higher lycopene accumulation and lower α-carotene content in the petals. This study offers valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying the unique flower color phenotype of O. fragrans, proving a basis for further research on carotenoid metabolism pathways and the breeding of new cultivars with a variety of flower colors in O. fragrans.

Analysis of the Aging-Related AP2/ERF Transcription Factor Gene Family in Osmanthus fragrans.

Ethylene-Responsive Factor (ERF) is a key element found in the middle and lower reaches of the ethylene signal transduction pathway. It is widely distributed in plants and plays important roles in plant growth and development, hormone signal transduction, and various stress processes. Although there is research on AP/ERF family members, research on AP2/ERF in Osmanthus fragrans is lacking. Thus, in this work, AP2/ERF in O. fragrans was extensively and comprehensively analyzed. A total of 298 genes encoding OfAP2/ERF proteins with complete AP2/ERF domains were identified. Based on the number of AP2/ERF domains and the similarity among amino acid sequences between AP2/ERF proteins from A. thaliana and O. fragrans, the 298 putative OfAP2/ERF proteins were divided into four different families, including AP2 (45), ERF (247), RAV (5), and SOLOIST (1). In addition, the exon-intron structure characteristics of these putative OfAP2/ERF genes and the conserved protein motifs of their encoded OfAP2/ERF proteins were analyzed, and the results were found to be consistent with those of the population classification. A tissue-specific analysis showed the spatiotemporal expression of OfAP2/ERF in the stems and leaves of O. fragrans at different developmental stages. Specifically, 21 genes were not expressed in any tissue, while high levels of expression were found for 25 OfAP2/ERF genes in several tissues, 60 genes in the roots, 34 genes in the stems, 37 genes in young leaves, 34 genes in old leaves, 32 genes in the early flowering stage, 18 genes in the full flowering stage, and 37 genes in the late flowering stage. Quantitative RT-PCR experiments showed that OfERF110a and OfERF110b had the highest expression levels at the full-bloom stage (S4), and this gradually decreased with the senescence of petals. The expression of OfERF119c decreased first and then increased, while the expression levels of OfERF4c and OfERF5a increased constantly. This indicated that these genes may play roles in flower senescence and the ethylene response. In the subsequent subcellular localization experiments, we found that ERF1-4 was localized in the nucleus, indicating that it was expressed in the nucleus. In yeast self-activation experiments, we found that OfERF112, OfERF228, and OfERF23 had self-activation activity. Overall, these results suggest that OfERFs may have the function of regulating petal senescence in O. fragrans.

Stress response in tomato as influenced by repeated waterlogging.

Plants respond to water stress with a variety of physiological and biochemical changes, but their response varies among species, varieties and cultivars. Waterlogging in tomato reduces plant growth, degrade chlorophyll and increase concentration of oxidative parameters. Priming can alleviate stress in plants caused by waterlogging enabling plants to be more tolerant to an additional stress in the current or even subsequent generation. The aim of this study was to evaluate tomato genotypes for their sensitivity to waterlogging stress applied during early vegetative growth and at full flowering stage. The study included two local genotypes, Trebinjski sitni (GB1126) and Žuti (GB1129), and the reference variety Novosadski jabučar (NJ), which is the variety most commonly used in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The activity of class III peroxidase (POX), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were measured spectrophotometrically, and for quantification of individual phenolic compounds, targeted approach was adopted, using UHPLC/DAD/(-)HESI-MS2 instrument (Dionex UltiMate 3000 UHPLC system with a DAD detector, configured with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer TSQ Quantum Access Max (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Germany)). Oxidative parameters (H2O2 and MDA) exhibited an increase in content in leaves of tomato plants that underwent waterlogging stress compared to control plants. Moreover, oxidative parameters showed positive correlation with proteins and phenolics content. The obtained correlations can indicate that one of the response strategies of tomato plants to waterlogging is the increased synthesis of proteins and phenolic compounds. The POX activity was not correlated with other parameters except with the polyphenols. A positive correlation was shown between POX activity and the content of phenolic compounds, indicating their independent roles in the removal of ROS. Changes in the phenolic profiles after the exposure of plants to waterlogging stress are recorded, and these changes were more severe in leaves and fruits of GB1129 and NJ genotypes than in GB1126. Thus, genotype GB1126 is the most efficient in maintaining the phenolic profiles of leaves and fruits, and therefore of the nutritive and organoleptic qualities of fruits following the exposure to waterlogging. Also, genotype GB1126 exhibited the ability to maintain the content of oxidative parameters during waterlogging at certain growth stages, implying certain waterlogging tolerance. Waterlogging triggered stress memory but not at all growth stages. The most pronounced stress memory was obtained in fruit samples in the phase of full fruit maturity on the 1st truss. This study shed light on the defense mechanisms of tomato plants to repeated waterlogging stress from the perspectives of the changes in the composition of major phenolics, and pointed to the 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid and rutin as the chemical markers of the waterlogging stress tolerance in tomato. However, it remains to be determined whether this modulation has a positive or negative effect on the overall plant metabolism. Further investigations are needed to fully elucidate the benefits of waterlogging pretreatment in this context.