Seed Germination Rate Research Articles

Membrane-Bound Transcription Factor ZmNAC074 Positively Regulates Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Transgenic Arabidopsis.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most widely cultivated crops for humans, making a vital contribution to human nutrition and health. However, in recent years, due to the influence of external adverse environments, the yield and quality of maize have been seriously affected. NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2 and CUC2) transcription factors (TFs) are important plant-unique TFs, which are crucial for regulating the abiotic stress response of plants. Therefore, it is of great biological significance to explore the underlying regulatory function of plant NAC TFs under various abiotic stresses. In this study, wild-type and ZmNAC074-overexpressed transgenic Arabidopsis were used as experimental materials to dissect the stress-resistant function of ZmNAC074 in transgenic Arabidopsis at phenotypic, physiological and molecular levels. The analyses of seed germination rate, survival rate, phenotype, the content of chlorophyll, carotenoids, malondialdehyde (MDA), proline and other physiological indexes induced by distinct abiotic stress conditions showed that overexpression of ZmNAC074 could confer the enhanced resistance of salt, drought, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in transgenic Arabidopsis, indicating that ZmNAC074 plays an important regulatory role in plant response to abiotic stress, which provides an important theoretical foundation for further uncovering the molecular regulation mechanism of ZmNAC074 under abiotic stresses.

Urbanization drives divergence in functional diversity and composition of woody plant communities in remnant forest patches

Urbanization has a profound impact on the ecological processes and plant diversity of remnant forests. To understand the relationship between urbanization and woody plant communities in remnant forests, we conducted a study in Guiyang, China, where we sampled 120 plots in 15 remnant forest patches along an urbanization gradient. We evaluated the functional diversity of woody plants based on four functional diversity indices and nine functional traits. We compared the functional diversity among different types of woody plants and between interior and edge communities, and analyzed the changes in functional diversity and individual functional traits along the urbanization gradient. Our results indicate that urbanization significantly decreases the functional diversity of woody plant communities. Additionally, urbanization leads to shifts in functional composition, particularly in shrub species, with an increase in leaf N content and a decrease in leaf C content, leaf C/N ratio, seed germination rate and seed mass. These findings suggest that increasing urbanization reduces the values of high resource-conserving traits of woody plants in remnant forests. Therefore, it is crucial to limit additional urban expansion around remnant forest patches to protect the functional diversity and crucial plant species with strong resource-conserving traits.

Application of Methionine Increases the Germination Rate of Maize Seeds by Triggering Multiple Phenylpropanoid Biosynthetic Genes at Transcript Levels.

Methionine is an essential amino acid that initiates protein synthesis and serves as a substrate for various chemical reactions. Methionine metabolism plays an important role in Arabidopsis seed germination, but how methionine works in seed germination of maize has not been elucidated. We compared the changes in germination rate, the contents of methionine and folates, and transcriptional levels using transcriptome analysis under water or exogenous methionine treatment. The results indicate that the application of methionine increases seed germination rate (95% versus 70%), leading to significant differences in the content of methionine at 36 h, which brought the rapid increase forward by 12 h in the embryo and endosperm. Transcriptome analysis shows that methionine mainly affects the proliferation and differentiation of cells in the embryo, and the degradation of storage substances and signal transduction in the endosperm. In particular, multiple phenylpropanoid biosynthetic genes were triggered upon methionine treatment during germination. These results provide a theoretical foundation for promoting maize seed germination and serve as a valuable theoretical resource for seed priming strategies.

Stand density and productivity of sainfoin

Prolonged vegetation and changes in weather and climatic conditions according to seasons and vegetation periods result in the loss of sainfoin plants and a decrease in productivity of forage and seeds. The identification of new varieties with high adaptability to the agroclimatic conditions of a particular region of their cultivation, the study of patterns of changes in various economic traits according to a year of life will allow selecting more productive and adapted lines and forms of sainfoin plants. The purpose of current paper was to present the study of plant density of sainfoin varieties and new lines during 3 years of life according to their productivity. The study was carried out in the laboratory for breeding and seed production of perennial grasses of the FSBSI Agricultural Research Center «Donskoy». The objects of study in the nursery for preliminary variety testing were 3 varieties and 6 lines of sandy sainfoin that were promising for feed and seed productivity. Conditions in the south of the Rostov region made it possible to obtain seedlings with a plant density of 309–313 pcs/m2 with a field seed germination rate of 75.2–80.2 %. In the second year of sowing, the plant stand density varied from 198 pcs/m2 to 251 pcs/m2. With such plant density there has been formed a dry mass yield of 6.41–7.17 t/ha. In the third year, the plant density compared to the previous year decreased significantly and varied from 109 pcs/m2 to 127 pcs/m2, while the dry mass yield was formed at 6.25–7.13 t/ha. The number of gen erative shoots in the studied varieties and lines varied over the years from 981 pcs/m2 to 1244 pcs/m2 in the second year, while the seed productivity of the best lines was 0.90–0.95 t/ha, and from 415 pcs/m2 to 525 pcs/m2 in the third year of life, while the best lines had a seed yield of 0.85–1.09 t/ha.

PSVI-27 Evaluation of Coated and Non-Coated Seed Species Pertinent to the Great Basin in Response to in Vitro Ruminal Incubation

Abstract Target grazing has exhibited itself as an effective method of invasive weed mitigation across degraded rangelands in the Great Basin. Additionally, if the seeds of target species are supplemented into the diets of ruminants, they can serve as vectors for the dispersal of native seed species through fecal pats, which may prove to be a useful tactic for rangeland rehabilitation. However, a challenge associated with seed supplementation, is that the seeds of many target species are sufficiently degraded in the rumen. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of seed coating technologies on germination rates post ruminal in vitro incubation. In vitro incubations were performed on seven species of seeds pertinent to the Great Basin: Achnatherum hymenoides (ACHY), Achillea millefolium (ACMI), Agropyron cristatum (AGCR), Atriplex canascens (ATCA), Elymus elymoides (ELEL), Pseudoregneria spicata (PSSP), and Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia (SPRT) uncoated (control) or coated with either Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) or PVP+ ethocel, as well as uncoated Bromus tectorum (BRTE) seeds. A Daisy II incubator (Ankom Technology, Macedon, NY) was used for the in vitro analysis with rumen inoculum from two rumen-cannulated crossbred Angus steers (body weight = 910.5 ± 34.5 kg) and a buffer ratio of 1:4. Two F57 filter bags containing 1 g of seeds per treatment (control, PVP or PVP+ethocel) were then placed inside of the Daisy II incubator and kept at 39°C for 12 and 24 h for the control treatments, and for 12, 24, and 48 h for the PVP and PVP+ethocel coating treatments. For uncoated seeds, ACHY germination by 24 h was greater when compared with 0 h (P < 0.05), whereas ATCA germination rate decreased linearly by 12 h (P < 0.05). No differences were observed over time on germination rates of BRTE, as well as all of the other uncoated seeds (P > 0.05). When seeds were coated with PVP, ATCA germination rates started to linearly decrease by 12 h (P < 0.05), whereas PVP coated ACMI germination rates only started to decrease by 24 h (P < 0.05). The germination rates of PVP coated ELEL and PSSP seeds only started to significantly decrease by 48 h (P < 0.05). When coated with PVP+ethocel, the observed germination rates were similar to those observed for PVP coated seeds. However, when compared with uncoated seeds, coating with PVP+ethocel seem to decrease germination rates of ACMI and ATCA by 0 h (P < 0.05). No changes on germination rates were observed over time for coated and uncoated AGCR and SPRT (P > 0.05). In conclusion, seed germination rates after in vitro incubation were not increased by coating the seeds with PVP or PVP+ethocel.

Impact of Biologically and Chemically Synthesized Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles on Seed Germination and Seedlings’ Growth

Zinc oxide nanoparticles have gained attention in the last decades due to their versatile applications; in agriculture, they have been used for their multiple benefits. In this study, the effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles, obtained via chemical and biological synthesis and of 70–80 nm in size, on the germination and seedling growth of Capsicum annuum and Solanum lycopersicum seed were determined. The physiological parameters, photosynthetic pigments, the content of total phenols, total flavonoids, as well as the antioxidant capacity of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and the enzymatic activity of catalase, peroxidase, and polyphenol oxidase were evaluated. The results indicated that treatment with zinc oxide nanoparticles obtained via green synthesis improved seed germination rate, while chemically synthesized nanoparticles at higher concentrations decreased germination percentage. In general, the parameters of enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants in treated plants showed significant differences with respect to the control. However, the treatments with the bionanoparticles resulted in more beneficial parameters. Zinc oxide nanoparticles obtained via green synthesis are more effective in generating bioactive compounds and activating the enzyme defense system due to being more biocompatible.

Genome-wide identification of the LRR-RLK gene family in peanut and functional characterization of AhLRR-RLK265 in salt and drought stresses

Leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases (LRR-RLKs) play important roles in plant developmental regulations and various stress responses. Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a worldwide important oil crop; however, no systematic identification or analysis of the peanut LRR-RLK gene family has been reported. In present study, 495 LRR-RLK genes in peanut were identified and analyzed. The 495 AhLRR-RLK genes were classed into 14 groups and 10 subgroups together with their Arabidopsis homologs according to phylogenetic analyses, and 491 of 495 AhLRR-RLK genes unequally located on 20 chromosomes. Analyses of gene structure and protein motif organization revealed similarity in exon/intron and motif organization among members of the same subgroup, further supporting the phylogenetic results. Gene duplication events were found in peanut LRR-RLK gene family via syntenic analysis, which were important in LRR-RLK gene family expansion in peanut. We found that the expression of AhLRR-RLK genes was detected in different tissues using RNA-seq data, implying that AhLRR-RLK genes may differ in function. In addition, Arabidopsis plants overexpressing stress-induced AhLRR-RLK265 displayed lower seed germination rates and root lengths compared to wild-type under exogenous ABA treatment. Notably, overexpression of AhLRR-RLK265 enhanced tolerance to salt and drought stresses in transgenic Arabidopsis. Moreover, the AhLRR-RLK265-OE lines were found to have higher activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD) under salt and drought stress treatments. We believe these results may provide valuable information about the function of peanut LRR-RLK genes for further analysis.

Inactivation of Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes on buckwheat seeds through combination treatment with plasma, vacuum packaging, and hot water.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of combination treatment with cold plasma (CP), vacuum packaging (VP), and hot water (HW) on the inactivation of foodborne pathogens on buckwheat seeds, and determined the germination rates of seeds and the quality of sprouts following combination treatment. Buckwheat seeds inoculated with Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes were treated with CP, HW, CP+ HW, VP+ HW, or CP+ VP+ HW. The germination rates of the HW-, CP+ HW-, VP+ HW-, and CP+ VP+ HW-treated seeds and the antioxidant activities and rutin contents of the CP+ HW- and CP+ VP+ HW-treated sprouts were determined. HW, CP+ HW, and CP+ VP+ HW were found to reduce the levels of the two pathogens to below the detection limit (1.0 log CFU g-1) at 70°C. However, HW and CP+ HW significantly reduced the germination rate of buckwheat seeds. CP+ VP+ HW did not affect the germination rate of seeds nor the antioxidant activities and rutin content of buckwheat sprouts. These results indicate that CP+ VP+ HW can be used as a novel control method to reduce foodborne pathogens in seeds without causing quality deterioration.

Negative regulation of tobacco cold stress tolerance by NtPhyA

Cold stress is a non-biological stressor that adversely affects tobacco yield and leaf quality. Plant photoreceptor proteins, which function as dual light-temperature sensors, play a vital role in temperature changes, making them crucial for responses to non-biological stressors. However, the regulatory mechanisms of PhyA in tobacco remain poorly understood. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to clone the NtPhyA gene from tobacco and generate overexpression (OE-NtPhyA) and mutant (KO-NtPhyA) constructs of NtPhyA. By assessing the physiological and biochemical responses of the mutants under cold stress and performing transcriptome sequencing, we determined the signalling mechanism of NtPhyA under cold stress. Comparative analysis with wild-type (WT) NtPhyA revealed that KO-NtPhyA exhibited increased seed germination rates and reduced wilting under cold stress. In additional, the degree of damage to leaf cells, cell membranes, and stomatal structures was mitigated, and the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were significantly decreased. Antioxidant enzyme activity, net photosynthetic rate, and Fv/Fm were significantly enhanced in KO-NtPhyA, whereas the opposite effects were observed in OE-NtPhyA. These findings indicate that KO-NtPhyA augments tobacco tolerance to cold stress, implying a negative regulatory role of NtPhyA in tobacco during cold stress. Transcriptome analysis revealed that NtPhyA governs the expression of a cascade of genes involved in the response to oxygen-containing compounds, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), ROS, temperature stimuli, photosystem II oxygen-evolving complex assembly, water channel activity, calcium channel activity, and carbohydrate transport. Collectively, our findings indicate that NtPhyA activates downstream gene expression to enhance the resilience of tobacco to cold stress.

Application of improved Stacking ensemble learning in NIR spectral modeling of corn seed germination rate

Stacking ensemble learning is one of the most effective integration technologies and is increasingly applied to near-infrared spectroscopy combined with chemometrics methods. The prediction accuracy of Stacking is primarily affected by the selection of different models. However, many current studies are mainly artificial selection models' combinations. It affects the model's prediction accuracy and increases the algorithm's difficulty. It is difficult to efficiently and accurately find the optimal configuration scheme. This study applies a genetic algorithm to find the optimal base and meta learner combinations in Stacking ensemble learning. This method uses the near-infrared spectral data set of corn seed germination rate. First, select the best pretreatment methods for seven models, including Gaussian process regression (GPR), SVR, PLS, etc. The above seven single learners after pretreatment are taken as the candidate base learner, and then random forest (RF), SVR, PLS, and GPR are taken as the potential meta learner; use a genetic algorithm to select the optimal model combination configuration and generate GA-Stacking algorithm. The model prediction results of the improved model GA-Stacking are compared with several single models and Stacking ensemble learning via the artificial selection model combinations. The results show that the prediction performance using the GA-Stacking ensemble learning model is optimal, R2 is 0.9022, and RMSE is 0.1100. The experiment shows that the model combination selected by the genetic algorithm has significantly improved the prediction performance of the Stacking ensemble learning model and reduced the risk of the model's overfitting.

Effect of Allelopathy from Methanolic Extract of Broadleaf Weeds (Ageratum conyzoides and Borreria alata) on the Viability of Soybean Seeds (Glycine max L.)

The experiment aimed to investigate the allelopathic effects of active compounds present in broadleaf weeds Ageratum conyzoides and Borreria alata. The study also sought to assess the viability of various seed varieties grown using allelopathic extracts from these weeds, varying in concentrations of tannins and phenols. The research findings revealed that methanol extracts exhibited potent allelopathic properties, inhibiting germination, radicle and hypocotyl growth, as well as reducing the germination rate of soybean seeds. B. alata weed extracts demonstrated lower allelopathy than A. conyzoides, suggesting a possible alteration in the active compounds (allelochemicals) present due to a reforming process. Extracts from both A. conyzoides and B. alata weeds inhibited root length, hypocotyl growth, and germination across a range of concentrations, from low (10% v/v) to high (30% v/v).

Spermosphere bacterial community at different germination stages of Ormosia henryi and its relationship with seed germination

Based on the important role of spermosphere microbes in seed germination, the driving factors of seed germination were explored under the influence of spermosphere bacteria by studying the time series changes of spermosphere bacterial communities in different germination stages of Ormosia henryi seeds. In this study, the soils under the mother trees of O. henryi in three places (Guanling, Qinglong, Shiqian in Guizhou, China) were used as the seed germination substrates to determine the spermosphere bacterial samples in different germination stages of Ormosia henryi seeds, and bioinformatics strategies were used to analyze bacterial diversity and its relationship with soil nutrients and germination rate, bacterial function prediction and microbial network characteristics. The results showed that seed germination rate of O. henryi was affected by both soil nutrients and abundance and species of spermosphere bacteria, most of the spermosphere bacteria that contributed the most to seed germination time had the functions of degradation and bioremediation. The spermosphere bacterial functions of respiratory metabolism, nodulation, degradation and energy were enhanced during seed germination. The spermosphere bacterial community reached a more stable state under the influence of germinating seeds during the stage of imbibition. This study revealed the contribution of spermosphere bacteria function, abundance and species to the germination rate and germination stage of O.henryi, providing a theoretical basis for screening and application of spermosphere functional bacteria.

Effects of Different Temperature Treatments on Seed Germination and Seedling Growth of Rorippa sylvestris

Temperature is one of the important conditions for plant growth, and an important factor affecting the establishment and spread of invasive plants. In this study, the northern perennial invasive plant (Rorippa sylvestris) was taken as an example. By comparing the seed germination rate, germination potential, germination index and vigor index, the total number of leaves, root length, root length, vigor index, leaves of seedings, seedling biomass and root- shoot ratio under different temperature treatments (15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40℃), the subordinate function was used to compare the temperature tolerance of R. sylvestris in seed germination. sylvestris in seed germination and seedling growth. To study the response and tolerance of seed germination and seedling growth of invasive R. sylvestris to different temperatures, the subordinate function was used to compare the temperature tolerance of R. sylvestris in seed germination and seedling growth. The results showed that high temperature promoted seed germination of R. sylvestris and limited radicle growth, and it had the most tolerance at different temperatures. The results showed that high temperature promoted seed germination of R. sylvestris and limited radicle growth, and it had the strongest tolerance at 35℃. Lower temperature was more beneficial to material accumulation of seedlings, and the tolerance of R. sylvestris was more favorable. The results provide theoretical basis for revealing the diffusion and invasion mechanism of R. sylvestris.

Wheat WRKY transcription factor TaWRKY24 confers drought and salt tolerance in transgenic plants

Drought and salt stress are major environmental conditions that severely limit plant growth and productivity. WRKY transcription factors play a vital role in the responses against biotic or abiotic stress. In this study, TaWRKY24, a gene of the IIe WRKY family identified in wheat, was cloned and characterized. TaWRKY24 was mainly expressed in wheat leaf and stem and induced by treatment with PEG6000, salt, H2O2, ABA, MeJA, and ethrel. TaWRKY24 transient expression in onion epidermal cells suggested its nuclear localization and its transcriptional activation capability characteristics. Overexpression of TaWRKY24 in tobacco improved the seed germination rate and root growth of seedlings in transgenic lines when subjected to higher mannitol and NaCl concentrations. Further research showed that transgenic lines had higher proline and soluble sugars and lower levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Moreover, compared to normal and negative control plants, TaWRKY24 silenced wheat seedlings had reduced growth under salt and drought stress. This study shows that wheat TaWRKY24 is crucial to plant stress, providing an excellent candidate gene for wheat resistance breeding.

Plant mediated fabrication of silver nanoparticles, process optimization, and impact on tomato plant

Nanotechnology is one of the fastest-growing markets, but developing eco-friendly products, their maximum production, stability, and higher yield is a challenge. In this study, silver nanoparticles were synthesized using an easily available resource, leaves extract of the Neem (Azadirachta indica) plant, as a reducing and capping agent, determined their effect on germination and growth of tomato plants. The maximum production of silver nanoparticles was noted at 70 °C after 3 h of reaction time while treating the 10 ml leaf extract of Neem plant with 10 ml of 1 mM silver nitrate. The impact of the extract preparation method and solvent type on the plant mediated fabrication of silver nanoparticles was also investigated. The UV-spectrophotometric analysis confirmed the synthesis of silver nanoparticles and showed an absorption spectrum within Δ420–440 nm range. The size of the fabricated silver nanoparticles was 22–30 nm. The functional groups such as ethylene, amide, carbonyl, methoxy, alcohol, and phenol attached to stabilize the nanoparticles were observed using the FTIR technique. SEM, EDX, and XRD analyses were performed to study the physiochemical characteristics of synthesized nanoparticles. Silver nanoparticles increased the germination rate of tomato seeds up to 70% while decreasing the mean germination time compared to the control. Silver nanoparticles applied at varying concentrations significantly increased the shoot length (25 to 80%), root length (10 to 60%), and fresh biomass (10 to 80%) biomass of the tomato plant. The production of total chlorophyll, carotenoid, flavonoids, soluble sugar, and protein was significantly increased in tomato plants treated with 5 and 10 ppm silver nanoparticles compared to the control. Green synthesized silver nanoparticles are cost-effective and nontoxic and can be applied in agriculture, biomedical, and other fields.

Synthesis and application of super absorbent polymers synthesized with ammonia solution and diatomaceous earth with low toxic residues

Water-soluble harmful components that remained in SAPs pose potential risks to crop growth, resulting in decreased seed germination rate, reduced yield, and inhibited root system growth. These factors restrict its widespread use in agriculture and forestry. In this study, a new type of super absorbent polymers (AD-SAP) with low residual acrylic acid and sodium ions was synthesized by using ammonia solution instead of strong alkali sodium hydroxide for neutralization and adding modified diatomaceous earth to improve the grafting efficiency. The prepared samples were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and the influence of the dosage of acrylic acid and ammonia solution used for preparation on the residual content of water-soluble harmful components in AD-SAPs was investigated. When 28% of acrylic acid, 24% of ammonia solution, and 5% of diatomaceous earth were used for synthesis, the residual acrylic acid content in AD-SAP was 0.03%, and the sodium ion content was reduced to 0.12 g/kg, which is much lower than the three commercially available SAPs. However, its water-absorption capacity has not decreased and its salt resistance has improved. The water absorption ratio of AD-SAP is 578g/g, and the salt-absorption ratio is 87 g/g. Pot experiments showed that AD-SAP eliminated the adverse effects of commercial SAPs on crop growth. The research provided technical support for the production of SAPs, and offer scientific guidance for how to mitigate the adverse effects of SAPs on crop growth.

Full-Length Transcriptome Sequencing and Identification of Genes Related to Terpenoid Biosynthesis in Cinnamomum migao H. W. Li

Cinnamomum migao H. W. Li is an evergreen woody plant that is only distributed in southwest China. The volatile oils from the fruits of C. migao have long been used as a special authentic medicinal herb by local ethnic minorities. Due to its low seed germination rate, destructive lumbering and low rates of artificial planting, C. migao is facing the danger of extinction. Therefore, it is urgent to exploit and protect this species using molecular biological technology, especially to target the genes involved in the biosynthesis of terpenoids in the volatile oil. However, the genomic data for this plant are not available. In this study, the transcriptome sequencing of C. migao was performed to obtain the key genes involved in terpenoid biosynthesis via a combination of full-length transcriptome and next-generation sequencing (NGS). More than 39.9 Gb of raw data was obtained and 515,929 circular consensus sequences (CCSs) were extracted. After clustering similar 472,858 full-length non-chimeric (FLNC) reads and correction with NGS data, 139,871 consensus isoforms were obtained. Meanwhile, 73,575 non-redundant transcripts were generated by removing redundant transcripts. Then, 70,427 isoforms were successfully annotated using public databases. Moreover, differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) in four different developmental stages of the C. migao fruit were analyzed and 5764 transcripts showed period-specific expression. Finally, 15 transcripts, 6 transcripts, and only 1 transcript were identified as being involved in the biosynthesis of sesquiterpenoids, diterpenoids, and monoterpenoids, respectively. This study provides a basis for future research in the gene mining, genetic breeding, and metabolic engineering of C. migao.

Halotolerant Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria as Growth Promoter for Mung Bean, Pea and Wheat Crops

Sustainable agriculture necessitates innovative solutions that enhance crop yield while minimizing environmental impact. This study evaluates the efficacy of three halotolerant phosphate solubilizing bacterial (PSB) strains viz., Enterobacter bugandensis PH27, Psychrobacter faecalis PH28, and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens PH30 treatment across growth stages of pea GDF-1, wheat GW-451, and mung bean GM-4 varieties. Our analysis reveals that B. amyloliquefaciens PH30 threatment consistently outperformed other isolates, significantly enhancing seed germination rates and key growth metrics such as plant height, dry weight, and leaf area. Additionally, PH30 improved soil fertility by elevating levels of available phosphorus. The data suggest a multi-pronged mechanism of action for PH30 involving phytohormone production, nutrient chelation, and phosphate solubilization.

UDP-glycosyltransferase gene SlUGT73C1 from Solanum lycopersicum regulates salt and drought tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana L.

Among abiotic stresses, plants are the most vulnerable to salt and drought stresses. These stresses affect plant growth and development. Glycosyltransferases are involved in the responses of plants to abiotic stresses. In this study, a UDP-glycosyltransferase gene (SlUGT73C1) from Solanum lycopersicum was isolated and identified, which exhibited induction under salt or drought stress. The full length of SlUGT73C1 was 1485bp, encoding 494 amino acids. Stress-related cis-acting elements were present in the promoter sequence of SlUGT73C1, such as ARE, LTR, and GC motifs. Compared with the wild-type plants, Arabidopsis thaliana overexpressing SlUGT73C1 exhibited increased seed germination rate and SOD and POD activities, decreased MDA content, and increased expression levels of osmotic stress regulators genes, rate-limiting enzymes genes in the proline synthesis pathway, Na+/K+ reverse transporter genes, and rate-limiting genes in the ABA biosynthesis pathway under salt or drought stress. These results indicated that SlUGT73C1 plays an important role in regulating salt and drought tolerance in plants.

Evaluation of acute phytotoxicity of raw leachate and landfill leachate using Sorghum bicolor seeds

Background: Leachate, a highly contaminated liquid, is produced by separating wastes and introducing moisture into the waste layers. Biological toxicity evaluation is a method that may be used to analyze the toxicity of leachate to organisms and plants. Sorghum bicolor was employed in this study to evaluate the acute toxicity of raw leachate and landfill leachate. Methods: Leachate was collected from different locations within the refuse that was collected and mixed in a sampling container. The physiochemical characteristics of the leachate were analyzed in both raw leachate and landfill leachate. Germination rate, root weight, and root length were measured 24, 48, and 72 hours after planting for leachate dilutions of 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%, respectively. Results: Raw leachate had greater concentrations of metals (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Cr, Cd, and Pb), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), nitrate, ammonia, and phosphate, as well as a more acidic pH (<6), as compared to landfill leachate. The results showed that landfill leachate had a lower potential for toxicity than raw leachate, with seed-germination rates of 0.1 and 0 in the presence of 75% landfill leachate after 48 and 72 hours, respectively, as opposed to 0.3 and 0.1 in the presence of raw leachate. Conclusion: The findings show that raw leachate can include higher concentrations of metals and organic compounds, which can be one of the causes of Sorghum seed phytotoxicity. Waste leachate management is one of the most important pillars of environmental protection, and it should be taken into consideration by the right authorities.