Growth Response Research Articles

Research Progress for the Toxic Effects of Microplastics on Soil Animals and Plants

Terrestrial ecosystems represent the most direct and principal reservoirs of plastic contamination on Earth. The toxic effects of microplastic exposure on terrestrial plants have been analyzed from the perspectives of direct toxicity, indirect toxicity, and combined toxicity with other pollutants. By investigating the impacts on the growth, behavior, and oxidative stress responses of soil animals, the toxicological patterns of microplastics have been elucidated. Moreover, the primary factors influencing the toxicity of microplastics on both fauna and flora have been discussed based on current research. The results indicated that for the majority of terrestrial plants, microplastics could inhibit seed germination, adhere to root surfaces, enter the plant body and induce oxidative stress, inhibit photosynthesis, and cause cellular and genetic toxicity. Soil animals could ingest and accumulate microplastics to varying extents, resulting in toxic effects such as aberrant gene expression, oxidative stress, intestinal toxicity, and alterations of growth and behavior on the genetic, cellular, tissue, and individual levels. Furthermore, these effects were also linked to microplastic additives and the adsorbed pollutants. The impact of microplastics on terrestrial plants and animals at environmentally relevant concentrations cannot be overlooked, with particle size emerging as a critical factor influencing toxic effects. The findings provide a basis for assessing the ecological risks of microplastics in soil environments and offer insights into future research directions.

The impact of BTK knockdown on lung adenocarcinoma growth and immune response.

This study explores the molecular role of the BTK gene in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) progression and patient prognosis. Using a radiomics model based on BTK expression and PET-CT data analyzed through DeeplabV3, alongside transcriptomic and clinical data from TCGA, we established a strong predictive relationship between BTK levels and LUAD outcomes. Our findings demonstrate that low BTK expression is linked to poorer prognoses. Experimental models, including cell lines and invivo mouse studies, revealed that BTK deficiency leads to increased LUAD cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. Furthermore, invivo models indicated that BTK knockdown results in enhanced tumor growth and diminished CD8+ T cell activity. These results suggest that BTK plays a crucial role in modulating LUAD progression and the tumor immune environment, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target.

Growth and biomass-allocation responses of arabica coffee young plants subjected to the interactive effects of root deformation and light availability

Growth and biomass-allocation responses of arabica coffee young plants subjected to the interactive effects of root deformation and light availability

Morphological and physiological responses of Momordica charantia to heavy metals and nutrient toxicity in contaminated water

This study investigates the impact of industrial wastewater from leather, household, and marble sources on the growth, physiological traits, and biochemical responses of Momordica charantia (bitter melon). Industrial activities often lead to the release of contaminated effluents, which can significantly affect plant health and agricultural productivity. Water analysis revealed that leather effluent contained high concentrations of heavy metals, including cadmium (2.67 mg/L), lead (1.95 mg/L), and nickel (1.02 mg/L), all of which exceeded the recommended safety limits for irrigation. Seed germination was significantly reduced, with only 45% germination in seeds irrigated with leather effluent, compared to 90% in the control group. Similarly, in plants treated with leather wastewater, shoot length, and root length were reduced by 38% and 42%. Chlorophyll content showed a marked decline, with chlorophyll “a” reduced by 25% and chlorophyll “b” by 30% in wastewater-treated plants, indicating impaired photosynthetic activity. Antioxidant enzyme activity, including catalase and superoxide dismutase, increased by up to 40%, reflecting a stress response to heavy metal toxicity. These findings highlight that industrial wastewater severely disrupts plant metabolic processes, leading to stunted growth and physiological stress. To safeguard crop productivity and food security, stringent wastewater treatment protocols must be implemented to mitigate environmental contamination. Future research should focus on developing advanced remediation techniques and sustainable wastewater management practices to reduce heavy metal toxicity and enhance soil health.

The Physiological Response of Germination and Growth in Solanaceae Plants (Capsicum frutescens, Solanum melongena, Solanum lycopersicum) at Different Salinity Levels

High salinity causes osmotic stress and ion imbalance that can reduce plant productivity. Solanaceae can be developed for cultivation in saline land, but its growth is influenced by the type of species. This study aims to examine the tolerance level of three Solanaceae plants to salinity stress through observation of physiological responses of germination and growth. This study used a 3 x 4 factorial Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The first factor is salinity: 0 ppm, 2,500 ppm, 5,000 ppm and 7,500 ppm. The second factor is the Solanaceae species, namely Capsicum frutescens, Solanum melongena, and Solanum lycopersicum. Germination parameters include germination power, wet weight and dry weight. The growth parameters observed include plant height, root length, stem diameter, leaf area, number of leaves, wet weight of leaves, roots and stems and dry weight of leaves, roots and stems. The results of the study showed that C. frutescens is a plant that is more tolerant to salinity up to a concentration of 5,000 ppm when compared to S. melongena and S. lycopersicum whose tolerance is up to 2,500 ppm. Keywords: Germination, Salinity, Solanaceae, Vegetative Growth.

Salt stress-induced polyamine biosynthesis contributes to blast resistance in rice

Rice blast, caused by the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae, is a destructive disease that affects rice (Oryzae sativa L.) on a global scale. Polyamines (PAs) play diverse roles in plant growth and development and responses to biotic and abiotic stimuli. Putrescine (PUT), spermidine (SPD), and spermine (SPM) are the primary forms of polyamines (PAs). In this study, we observed that the accumulation of apoplastic PAs significantly increased in rice plants after treatment with salt or M. oryzae. The salt-treated plants exhibited enhanced resistance to rice blast disease. RNA sequencing data indicate that S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC), a key enzyme involved in the synthesis of polyamines, plays a significant role in enhancing plant resistance. Overexpression of rice SAMDC (OsSAMDC) led to a significant decrease of pathogen infection in the transgenic rice plants. Additionally, OsSAMDC overexpression plants accumulated polyamines in the cytosol and apoplast, particularly SPD and SPM. Conversely, the disease resistance and accumulation of PAs were reduced in OsSAMDC-silenced plants. Exogenous application of PAs inhibited the mycelium growth, spore germination, germ tube elongation, and appressorium formation in M. oryzae. These results demonstrated that OsSAMDC-mediated polyamine biosynthesis, especially SPD and SPM, plays an essential role in rice plants to resist biotic and abiotic stresses.

Yield and Growth Response of Selected Potato Cultivars to Different Mulch and Fungicide Applications, and Various Localities Under Rainfed Conditions

AbstractThere is a stark yield gap between sub-Saharan African (SSA) potato productivity compared to other regions, leading to food security challenges. Hence, there is an immediate need to improve SSA potato yield. Research trials were under smallholder settings to determine effective management practices on the integration of selected potato cultivars, fungicides, mulch application, and different localities. Tested factors mulch application (mulch, not mulch), fungicide (sprayed and unsprayed) and different potato cultivars (Electra, Mondial, Panamera, and Sababa) were laid in a randomized complete block design in under five localities (Gobizembe, Hlathikhulu, Mbalenhle, Mbhava, and Stezi), and replicated three times over two consecutive seasons. Data collection included climatic data, emergence, days to flowering, plant height, physiological maturity, stem number yield, and yield components. Integration of Electra, fungicide (sprayed or unsprayed), and mulch application (mulch or not mulch) under humid, low atmospheric water demand, dominated by sandy soils and high-altitude locality had higher yields with the highest of 64.2 t ha−1 and a harvest index of 90.2%. In the locality that is on a south-facing slope, with the lowest altitude, clayed soils had the lowest yield of 13.4 t ha−1 from Mondial cultivar under unsprayed and no mulch. Electra cultivar showed consistent performance under different practices and yielded more across localities. Hence, it is recommended that effective management practices such as Electra together with fungicide (spraying or unsprayed) and mulch (mulch or not mulch) can be adopted to increase potato yield under rainfed conditions.

Western corn rootworm resistance in maize persists in the absence of jasmonic acid.

Larva growth, survival, and development speed were not affected by the absence of jasmonic acid (JA) indicating that JA does not have a direct role in maize resistance to western corn rootworm. Jasmonic acid (JA) is a plant hormone that regulates multiple physiological processes including defense against herbivory by chewing insects. Previous research showed its importance for resistance to aboveground herbivory. While few studies have investigated the role of JA in resistance to belowground root-feeding herbivores, none has directly tested the role of JA in such resistance. In this study, we used an opr7opr8 double mutant to directly test the role of JA in resistance to western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, WCR), a devastating and specialist pest of maize. The opr7opr8 double mutant is deficient in JA accumulation as we found that it does not accumulate JA nor JA-Ile independently of exposure to WCR. We found no significant difference in growth (body mass), survival, and development of WCR larvae in response to JA deficiency, suggesting that disruption of JA biosynthesis does not impact resistance in maize roots to WCR. Additionally, we observed no significant effect on loss of root tissue caused by WCR associated with JA deficiency, while we found a reduction in shoot growth (mass) associated with WCR herbivory in the opr7opr8 mutant that was not observed in the wildtype. This suggested a role for JA in aboveground growth response to WCR herbivory rather than resistance to WCR.

Different dry-wet pulses favor different functional strategies: A test using tropical dry forest tree species

In many terrestrial habitats, plants experience temporal heterogeneity in water availability both at the intra and inter annual scales, creating dry-wet pulse scenarios. This variability imposes two concomitant challenges for plants: surviving droughts and efficiently utilizing water when it becomes available, whose responses are closely interconnected. To date, most studies have focused on the response to drought following static designs that do not consider consequences of repeated transitions from one state to the other. In principle, different dry-wet pulse scenarios among years may differentially affect species performance, plant strategies, and promote coexistence through temporal niche separation. We predicted that short frequent droughts would disfavor drought-avoidant species, as rapid leaf loss and production could disrupt their carbon balance, whereas tolerant species, which maintain carbon gain during droughts, should thrive in such conditions. Prolonged droughts might harm tolerant species by causing severe cavitation. We assessed the survival and growth responses of seedlings from 19 tropical dry forest tree species to simulated natural dry-wet pulse scenarios, examining their relationships with the continuum of species’ functional strategies under field conditions, and used greenhouse experiments to accompany the field experiment. As expected, different dry-wet pulse scenarios favored different plant functional strategies. Contrary to predictions, the most tolerant outperformed the most avoiders under all drought scenarios, while rapid water-exploiters thrived under non-drought conditions. The superiority of tolerant over avoider species was reverted in the greenhouse, suggesting that in addition to physiology, the fate of species may depend on extrinsic factors as natural enemies. The interplay between the marked variability of dry-wet pulse scenarios across the years and the diversity of water use strategies may contribute to species coexistence in the tropical dry forests. This research is relevant in predicting changes in dominant tree species under future climate scenarios characterized by increased temporal variation in water availability.

Single/joint effects of pyrene and heavy metals in contaminated soils on the growth and physiological response of maize (Zea mays L.)

The widespread presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and toxic heavy metals in soils is having harmful effects on food crops and the environment. However, the defense mechanisms and capacity of plants to counteract these substances have not been comprehensively explored, necessitating a systematic categorization of their inhibitory effects. Accordingly, an experimental investigation was conducted to examine the growth and physiological response of maize (Zea mays L.) to different concentrations and combinations of pyrene, copper (Cu), and cadmium (Cd), with an indicator developed to assess the joint stress. The results showed that 57-day culture with contaminations significantly inhibited the plant biomass via causing root cell necrosis, inducing lipid peroxidation, and damaging photosynthesis. Cd (50-100 mg/kg) induced stronger inhibition than Cu (800-1000 mg/kg) under both single and joint stress, and their co-existence further aggravated the adverse effects and generated synergetic inhibition. Although the presence of pyrene at a low concentration (5-50 mg/kg) can somewhat diminish the metal stress, the elevated pollutant concentrations (400-750 mg/kg pyrene, 50-100 mg/kg Cd, and 800-1000 mg/kg Cu) switched the antagonistic effect to additive inhibition on maize growth. A satisfactory tolerance of a low-level pyrene and/or metal stress was determined, associated with a relative stability of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) content and antioxidant enzymes activity. Nevertheless, the photosynthesis and antioxidant system were significantly damaged with increasing contaminant concentrations, resulting in chlorosis and biomass reduction. These findings could provide valuable knowledge for ensuring crop yield and food quality as well as implementing soil phytoremediation.

Hybrid model of tumor growth, angiogenesis and immune response yields strategies to improve antiangiogenic therapy

Solid tumors harbor a complex and dynamic microenvironment that hinders the delivery and efficacy of therapeutic interventions. In this study, we developed and utilized a hybrid, discrete-continuous mathematical model to explore the interplay between solid tumor growth, immune response, tumor-induced angiogenesis, and antiangiogenic drugs. By integrating published data with anti-angiogenic drugs, we elucidate three primary mechanisms by which anti-angiogenesis influences tumor progression and treatment outcomes: reduction in tumor growth rate by mitigating and temporally delaying angiogenesis, normalization of blood vessel structure and function, and improving immune cell extravasation and activation. Our results indicate a significant increase in functional blood vessels and perfusion following anti-angiogenic treatment, which in turn improves the intratumoral distribution of immune cells. The normalization window, or optimal time frame for anti-angiogenic drug administration, and the dose of the drug arise naturally in the model and are highlighted as crucial factors in maximizing treatment benefits. Prolonged anti-angiogenic treatment triggers cancer cell migration into healthy tissue and induces immunosuppression due to hypoxia, potentially leading to negative effects because these cancer cells will rapidly proliferate upon treatment termination. In conclusion, the positive contribution of anti-angiogenic treatment must balance the possible negative effects by choosing a proper treatment protocol as well as combining it with proper anti-cancer treatment. Our findings provide valuable insights and a framework for the design of protocols with anti-angiogenic treatment, targeted immunotherapy, and non-targeted anti-cancer therapies.

Genome-Wide Identification and In Silico Analysis of Annexins in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.).

Annexins are a ubiquitous, evolutionarily conserved group of Ca2+-dependent phospholipid-binding proteins. They are a family of less numerous and more varied proteins that form a unique monophyletic group. They play an important role in various abiotic and biotic stress responses through Ca2+-mediated signaling. Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the most widely grown legume crops in the world. In recent years, intensive research has been carried out to identify and elucidate genes and molecular pathways that control stress responses in plants. The availability of the chickpea genome has hastened the functional genomics of chickpea. In the current study, we attempted Genome-wide identification and in silico analysis of Annexins in chickpea. Thirteen annexin sequences have been identified in the chickpea genome. Four conserved annexin domains were found in ten annexin members, while three annexins CaAnn5, CaAnn12, and CaAnn13, showed three, two, and one conserved domain, respectively. The gene structure analysis showed the presence of multiple exons in all thirteen annexins. Most Annexin genes are composed of 3-5 introns. Their chromosomal locations showed that out of thirteen genes, ten could be mapped on four chromosomes. Three genes were placed on the scaffold regions. The promoter sequence analysis of all thirteen annexins showed the presence of various elements related to growth and development and response to different phytohormones and abiotic stress. The gene expression data of different annexins in various tissues like leaf, shoot, root, flower bud, and young pod showed their differential expression. Analysis of expression data of roots in drought stress showed their differential expression with the different stages of plant growth. Overall, the current findings show the possible role of CaAnns in different stages of plant growth and development in normal and stressful conditions. Moreover, these findings will be helpful in the further characterization of CaAnn genes and their promoters.

Comparative Assessment of the Effect of Three Plant Spacing on the Performance of Maize (Zea mays L.) Varieties in the Humid Tropics of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Experiments were conducted in the late (dry) season and early (wet) season to determine the comparative growth response of maize varieties using various plant densities (spacings) at the Rivers State University Teaching and Research Farm Port Harcourt. The treatments consisted of four maize varieties (Bendel white, Oba super 6, Oba super 98 and Provit A) and three plant densities/spacings (60cm x 15cm, 60cm x 30cm, 60cm x 45cm). Treatments were combined in a split plot arrangement with maize varieties fitted in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) replicated three times. Parameters evaluated were plant height, leaf area, and number of leaves at 4, 6, and 8 weeks after planting (WAP). Insect infestation and stem girth were determined 8 weeks after planting. Results show that Provit A produced highest performance (P<0.05) in early (wet) season cropping in terms of plant height (70.2cm), number of leaves (9.3), leaf area (304.9cm). Bendel white was high in stem girth (7.8cm). Comparing growth in late (dry) season and early (wet) season showed that growth was better in the early (wet) season cropping. However, there was more insect infestation in the late (dry) season cropping than in the early (wet) season cropping. Oba super 6 had the highest incidence of insect pest infestation in late (dry) season cropping with a mean of 7.3%. Also spacing of 60cm x 30cm produced highest growth performance. Thus, Provit A variety is recommended for cultivation by farmers in Port Harcourt agroecological zone. Spacing of 60cm x 30cm is recommended for maize production in Port Harcourt agroecological zone.

Investigate the response of vegetative growth and chemical constituents of Agave Sp. plants grown under saline condition

Investigate the response of vegetative growth and chemical constituents of Agave Sp. plants grown under saline condition

Growth and Yield Responses of Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) to Tree Lopping and Organic Manure under Morus-Based Agri-Silvicultural System

Sustainable land management targets climate change by mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, bolstering resilience against climate-related disasters and advocating sustainable practices. India has significantly contributed to shaping the UN Sustainable Development Agenda 2030, in which agroforestry has emerged as a critical component. The tree-based intercropping practices implemented in agroforestry reduce competitive associations between woody and non-woody components, at the same time obtaining advantage of interactions that are beneficial. The present investigation was accomplished during the year 2019-20. The research trial was structured using a split-plot design to explore the possibilities of successfully cultivating Phaseolus vulgaris as an intercrop under Morus alba. The study incorporated 4 different levels of tree lopping (T0: 0 %; T1: 25 %; T2: 50 %; T3: 75 %) and 5 dosages of manure (S0: No manure; S1; FYM, S2: Jeevamrutha 5 %; S3: Jeevamrutha 10 %; S4: RDF+FYM). The results revealed that maximum values for above and below-ground growth parameters were recorded in treatment T3 (75 % lopping intensity) and treatment S4 (RDF + FYM). The treatments S1 (FYM) and S4 also significantly influenced soil parameters. Based on this investigation, it was inference that the integration of Phaseolus vulgaris with Morus alba provides the best possibility for diversity and enhanced profitability compared to a single species, if lopping is performed scientifically and a combination of manures are applied appropriately, besides offering numerous additional environmental gains.

Proline and Glycine Betaine: A Dynamic Duo for Enhancing Salt Stress Resilience in Maize by Regulating Growth, Stomatal size, and Oxidative Stress Responses

Osmolytes proline (Pro) and glycine betaine (GB) have been reported to impart tolerance against salinity stress in many plants. However, there is no report available on the combined application of Pro and GB to mitigate salinity-induced growth inhibition in maize. Consequently, the goal of the current study is to assess Pro's and GB's potential as priming and exogenous agents in maize under salt stress. Therefore, the present study was conducted using a petri dish and hydroponic pot experiment to evaluate the morpho-physiological and biochemical characteristics of maize plants subjected to salt stress, with the addition of Pro and GB. The seeds of maize were germinated under 20 mM of each Pro or GB, with or without 120 mM salinity stress. The findings demonstrated that salt stress lessened the final germination percentage (FGP) (52.9%), photosynthetic pigments (40.0%), relative water content (RWC) (20.2%), stomatal size (59.3%), and leaf and root K+/Na+ ratios of maize seedlings compared to control. In addition, compared to the control, higher levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) (24.2%) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) (25.7%) were observed, whereas lower levels of catalase (CAT) (43.8%) and peroxidase (POX) (30.4%) were noted. The priming with Pro, GB, Pro+GB significantly increased FGP, germination index (GI), shoot-root biomass, seed vigor index (SVI), and reduced mean germination time (MGT) under salt stress. Foliar application of Pro, GB, or Pro+GB resulted in a significant increment in chlorophyll contents, RWC, K+ absorption, and stomatal size under salt stress. Furthermore, supplementing with Pro, GB, or Pro+GB reduced the accumulation of H2O2 (24.0, 23.3, and 31.1%, respectively) and MDA (22.8, 17.2, and 32.1%, respectively) caused by salt and augmented the levels of CAT (33.3, 22.8, and 45.2%, respectively) and POX (36.4, 23.5, and 47.2%, respectively) in the leaves. Taken together, the current study's findings indicate that combining Pro and GB is one of the most effective techniques for improving the salinity-tolerant seed germination and seedling traits of maize plants. Consequently, this study recommends that Pro and GB can be used as seed priming and exogenous agents to help maize grow faster in salt-stress situations.

Identification of the FBN gene family in tomato and functional analysis of SlFBN11 in the electron transport under low night temperature

FBNs are lipid-associated proteins that play a critical role in plant growth and stress response. However, the mechanisms of how FBNs proteins participate in the low night temperature response in tomato still unclear. Here we conducted a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of the FBN gene family in Solanum lycopersicum. In total, 14 SlFBN genes were identified, and information on their gene structures, protein motifs, phylogenetic relationships, and stress-related cis-regulatory elements (CREs) was provided. Among these, SlFBN11 was selected as a promising candidate for further functional characterization. The silencing of SlFBN11 destroys the redox balance of the PSI reaction center under low night temperature (LNT) stress, which led to increased ROS accumulation. Surprisingly, we found that the silencing of SlFNR2 also displayed an imbalance in electron transport of the PSI under LNT stress. Further experiments showed SlFBN11 can interact with SlFNR2 to positively response electron transport low night temperature. Collectively, the study provides a comprehensive analysis of the FBN genes family in Solanum lycopersicum and provides a theoretical basis for our understanding of the function of FBN genes in adaptation to LNT stresses.

Growth, Yield, and Photosynthetic Dry Matter Remobilization Response of Barley to Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) and Nitrogen

A two-year factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replicates was carried out on barley cultivar LB-IRAN at the research farm of the Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran, during the cropping years of 2019–2021, in order to survey the impact of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and nitrogen fertilizer on growth, yield, and remobilization of photosynthetic dry matter in barley. The first factor included five nitrogen levels: 0 (control), 25, 50, 75, 100 kg/ha net nitrogen; the second factor contained grain inoculations with four bacteria: no inoculation (control), Azotobacter chroococcum race 5, Azospirillum lipoferum race of, and a combination of the two mentioned bacteria. Fertilization was performed at the planting, tillering, and grain filling stages. Results revealed that the number of plant/m2, tiller per plant, 1000 grain weight, grain per spike, grain yield per unit area, biological yield, rate of dry matter remobilization from stem to the grain, contribution of dry matter remobilization from stem to the grain, rate of remobilization from whole of the plant to the grain, contribution of remobilization from whole of the plant to the grain, single grain weight, and harvest index significantly increased. Nitrogen rate increment resulted in the higher rates of the above-mentioned traits as 100 kg/ha nitrogen significantly showed the highest amounts while control showed the least. Combined treatment of the bacteria resulted in a higher rates as compared to the single bacteria, and the control showed the lowest amounts. It was also observed that application of 100 kg/ha nitrogen on Azotobacter chroococcum race 5 and Azospirillum lipoferum race of resulted in the lowest rate of dry matter remobilization from the stem and whole plant to the grain as well as the contribution of dry matter remobilization from the stem and whole plant to the grain, while control treatments of nitrogen and of PGPRs caused the highest rates. Difference between the highest and lowest rates of grain yield was observed by applying nitrogen (24%) and PGPRs (40%).

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the GT8 gene family in tomato(Solanum lycopersicum) and the functional of SlGolS1 under cold stress

Glycosyltransferases (GTs) are a diverse superfamily of enzymes involved in glycosylation reactions, with the GT8 (glycosyltransferase 8) playing a crucial role in plant growth, development, and abiotic stress responses. Tomato, widely cultivated and is a thermophilic plant. So it is significant to study how GT8 regulates cold resistance in tomato for plant growth. In this study, we screened the whole genome of tomato by using bioinformatics methods and identified 40 members of the GT8 gene family. Analysis of cold stress transcriptome data and qRT-PCR experiments revealed the potential significance of SlGolS1 in responding to cold stress. SlGolS1 was highly expressed in the stems and flowers of tomato, with its mature protein localized in the chloroplast. Used the VIGS method to transiently silence the SlGolS1 gene, the SlGolS1-silenced plants (pTRV2-SlGolS1) rendered tomato more sensitive to cold stress compared with the control (pTRV2) tomato plant phenotype after cold treatment; enzyme activity assays showed that oxidative damage was more severe in the pTRV2-SlGolS1. In summary, SlGolS1 positively regulates cold resistance in tomato.

Influence of Plant Growth Regulators and Magnetic Field on Development of Nutritionally Important Tomato Plant

Plant hormones are signaling molecules and growth substances that occur naturally in plants. Growth regulators such as auxin and cytokinins play significant roles by controlling plant growth, development, flowering, fruiting, aging, leaf fall, etc. Alongside, the geomagnetic field is a natural element of earth’s environment which influences the response of plants to gravity, different wavelengths of light, electrical signals, etc. Based on the type of plant used, growth and proliferation of plant organs heavily depends on the presence of nutrients and growth regulators in the growth medium, and by magnetic influence in the environment. In our present study, we have found a definite positive correlation between the two external factors i.e., magnetic field and phytohormones (NAA and BAP) upon plant growth. It was clearly observed that the growth of the experimental crop - tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) was positively influenced by phytohormones and magnetic field when the seedlings were grown in presence of 0.5 mg NAA and 1.0 mg BAP and kept under magnetic field of 100 and 150 Gauss. Vegetative growth of tomato seedlings was significantly increased upon treatment with magnetic field in presence of plant hormones, as compared to the control plants. The current research is a pioneer endeavour in studying the role of plant growth regulators together with magnetic fields by evaluating the seedling growth responses to MF values higher than those of earth’s magnetic field.