Background/Introduction: Rising soil salinity poses a significant challenge to Mediterranean viticulture, particularly affecting grapevine productivity and sustainability. While established rootstocks have demonstrated capacity to mitigate salt accumulation in grafted scions, the mechanisms and performance characteristics of novel rootstock varieties remain insufficiently characterized, creating a critical knowledge gap in viticultural adaptation strategies.

Goals: This investigation aimed to evaluate and compare the salt tolerance mechanisms of two novel M-series rootstocks (M2 and M4) against established commercial standards (1103 Paulsen and R110), with specific focus on their physiological responses, growth patterns, and ion management strategies under varying salinity conditions.

Methodology: This study implemented a controlled irrigation protocol with four salinity levels (0, 25, 50, and 75 mM NaCl) over a five-month period. Comprehensive assessment included growth parameters, photosynthetic efficiency measurements, chlorophyll content (SPAD) analysis, ion homeostasis evaluation, and systematic monitoring of visual stress symptoms.

Results: Analysis revealed distinct genotype-specific tolerance strategies among rootstocks. 1103 Paulsen demonstrated superior salt tolerance through maintained photosynthetic efficiency (maintaining 85-90% of control Fv/Fm values) and effective ion exclusion, showing moderate biomass reduction (58.8% decrease in dry weight) under severe stress. M2 exhibited exceptional biomass retention (47.3% reduction in fresh weight) and moderate ion compartmentalization capability, despite showing 30-35% reduction in photosynthetic performance under elevated salinity. R110 displayed effective ion management under moderate stress conditions (maintaining K+/Na+ ratios above 2.71 at 50 mM NaCl) but suffered substantial growth decline (59.7% reduction in fresh weight) at higher salinity levels. M4 emerged as the most salt-sensitive genotype, exhibiting the highest reductions in both biomass (69.0% decrease in fresh weight) and ionic balance (91% decrease in K⁺/Na⁺ ratio). Organ-specific analyses revealed specialized roles in salt stress management: roots accumulated the highest Ca²⁺ concentrations (4.82-6.44%); leaves showed dramatic increases in Cl⁻ content (from 0.08% to 3.25%); and stems maintained the highest Na⁺ levels (up to 2.37%), serving as crucial buffering zones protecting photosynthetic machinery.

Conclusions: These findings provide crucial insights into rootstock-specific salt tolerance mechanisms and establish a foundation for informed rootstock selection in salt-affected regions. The demonstrated variability in stress responses among genotypes offers valuable direction for breeding programs aimed at developing salt-tolerant rootstocks for sustainable viticulture in increasingly challenging environments.

Introduction: The intensification of olive cultivation in Mediterranean regions faces significant challenges from increasing soil salinity, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of salt tolerance mechanisms across both emerging and established cultivars. Rising global temperatures and reduced water quality are exacerbating soil salinization, particularly affecting intensive olive orchards.

Goals: This study aimed to evaluate and compare salt tolerance mechanisms among three novel olive cultivars (Lecciana, Coriana, Siquitita) and two commercial standards (Arbequina, Arbosana). The investigation focused on characterizing their physiological responses, growth performance, and ion management strategies under saline conditions, with particular emphasis on identifying cultivar-specific adaptation mechanisms and their potential implications for breeding programs.

Methodology: Five olive cultivars were evaluated under controlled greenhouse conditions over a five-month period, using a salt stress treatment (0, 25, 50, and 75 mM NaCl). The comprehensive investigation encompassed multiple parameters: growth measurements (shoot length, trunk diameter, fresh and dry weights), physiological responses (stomatal conductance, transpiration rate), ion relationships (Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Cl⁻ concentrations in different tissues), and photosynthetic efficiency through chlorophyll fluorescence measurements.

Results: Genotype-specific variations in stress tolerance mechanisms were identified across cultivars, revealing distinct adaptation strategies. Siquitita emerged as promising for moderate-salinity conditions, demonstrating effective biomass maintenance and enhanced stomatal conductance regulation under stress, though showing sensitivity in photosynthetic parameters (reduced PI(abs) and φ(Po)) at higher salinity levels. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements revealed cultivar-specific responses: Lecciana maintained stable fluorimetry parameters and SPAD values under moderate salinity, while demonstrating superior potassium retention with the highest K⁺/Na⁺ ratios across treatments. Arbosana exhibited moderate tolerance across multiple parameters, maintaining consistent biomass production (with only 5.4% reduction at 75 mM NaCl) and showing intermediate photosynthetic responses. Coriana displayed variable responses, with stable fluorimetry values (F_v/F_m and ETo/RC) at moderate salinity but significant limitations in growth and ion discrimination under higher salinity levels. Ion compartmentalization analysis revealed shared patterns across cultivars, with roots accumulating the highest Na⁺ concentrations (1.51% at 75 mM NaCl) and wood tissue maintaining the lowest levels (0.54%).

Conclusions: Cultivar performance under saline conditions depends on the complex interaction between growth maintenance, photosynthetic efficiency, and ionic regulation capacity. Siquitita shows promise for areas with moderate salinity where biomass maintenance is crucial, while Lecciana may be more suitable where ion regulation capacity is the primary concern. These findings emphasize the complexity of salt tolerance mechanisms in olive trees and the need for site-specific cultivar selection based on both environmental conditions and desired performance characteristics.

Background/Introduction: Botrytis cinerea Pers. is a devastating fungal pathogen affecting numerous crops, with particular significance in viticulture as the causative agent of grey rot. Under favorable climatic conditions, B. cinerea can cause 30-40% fruit losses, representing a major challenge for the wine industry. While chemical fungicides remain the primary control method, increasing pathogen resistance, concerns about human health and environmental impacts, and market demands for residue-free products necessitate alternative control strategies. Biorational products, particularly plant-derived antifungal compounds, show promise as fungal inhibitors, but their field application faces challenges including compound lability, poor solubility, and lack of specificity. Nanoencapsulation technology offers a solution to maximize biorational efficacy through improved delivery and stability.

Goals: This study aimed to develop and validate chitosan oligomer-based nanocarriers for the delivery of biorational antifungal compounds from Dyer's madder (Rubia tinctorum L.) and cat's claw (Uncaria tomentosa (Willd. ex Schult.) DC.) extracts for B. cinerea control in vineyards.

Methodology: This research combined laboratory and field approaches. System stability, the protection of bioactive compounds, and controlled release mechanisms were evaluated under laboratory conditions. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined against B. cinerea. Field trials were conducted at D.O.P. Ribera de Duero (Bodega Dominio Fournier, González-Byass group), using commercial chitosan as a control, to assess effectiveness, phytotoxicity, and compatibility with vineyard management practices.

Results: The laboratory assays revealed significant pathogen inhibition with MICs ranging from 250 to 375 μg/mL, while maintaining the bioactive properties of the encapsulated compounds. The field trials demonstrated the high effectiveness of the nano-delivery systems, showing disease incidence rates of 18–35% depending on the encapsulated bioactive compound, compared to 85% in untreated controls and 37% with commercial chitosan. No phytotoxicity symptoms were observed. The treatment integrated well with current vineyard management practices and did not affect wine organoleptic properties.

Conclusions: The developed nano-delivery systems offer a viable, eco-friendly tool for sustainable viticulture, effectively controlling B. cinerea while maintaining wine quality. This approach presents new perspectives for sustainable disease management in high-value wine production.

Funding: This research was funded by the Junta de Castilla y León under project VA148P23, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY

The agricultural sector is facing enormous challenges to produce 70% more food to cater to the growing population regardless of the detrimental effects of climate change, mainly drought. In plants, water deprivation (WD) induces osmotic stress, leading to the over-accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which disrupt cellular homeostasis and impede plant growth and productivity. However, plants have evolved complex physiological and biochemical mechanisms to adapt to drought stress. Thus, sustainable agriculture is possible by cultivating climate-smart crops such as Amaranthus as an alternative food source. Amaranthus belongs to the Amaranthaceae family, which comprises over 70 species renowned for their high nutrient and antioxidant content, fast growth, and stress tolerance traits; however, its drought tolerance mechanism is not yet fully understood. Therefore, this study aims at understanding the effect of short-term water deprivation on A. caudatus genotypes including Red Garnet (RG), Love-Lies-Bleeding (LLB), and Ponytail (PT) grown in potting soil under greenhouse conditions.

METHODS

Three A. caudatus genotypes were established for 2 weeks and then subjected to 7 days of water deprivation under controlled greenhouse conditions. The morpho-physiological parameters measured included fresh and dry weight, relative water content (RWC), and shoot length. ROS accumulation was detected using histochemical staining. Biochemical responses, including proline, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), malondialdehyde (MDA), and total soluble sugars (TSS), were quantified.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Under water deprivation (WD), the genotypes exhibited distinct morpho-physiological and biochemical responses compared to well-watered (WW) controls. Red Garnet (RG) showed an increase in shoot length from 8.24 cm to 10.67 cm, while Ponytail (PT) displayed a slight increase from 4.55 cm to 4.60 cm, and Love-Lies-Bleeding (LLB) experienced a decrease from 4.69 cm to 4.01 cm. Fresh weight increased across all genotypes under WD, rising from 1575 mg to 1744.45 mg in RG, from 622.22 mg to 1143.33 mg in LLB, and from 510 mg to 933.22 mg in PT. Relative water content (RWC) remained relatively stable in RG and PT but increased in LLB from 47.83 mg to 58.11 mg. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation was evident under WD, with H₂O₂ quantification showing increases from 0.18 to 0.19 nmol/g FW in RG and from 0.17 to 0.21 nmol/g FW in LLB, while in PT it showed a decrease from 0.17 µmol/g to 0.14 µmol/g. Proline content increased in RG (51.5 to 56.28 µmol/g FW) and PT (30.77 to 43.09 µmol/g FW) but remained largely unchanged in LLB (39.86 to 40.55 µmol/g FW). Malondialdehyde (MDA) increased in PT from 14.01 to 15.83 mmol/g FW, with smaller changes observed in RG and LLB.

The cherry fly (Rhagoletis cerasi (L.) (Diptera: Tephritidae) poses a significant challenge in Ukraine, necessitating continuous monitoring and the implementation of protective measures to mitigate its impact on crop yield. This pest is also common in numerous countries across Europe, Asia, and North America. Colored glue traps have emerged as a key component in the arsenal of control measures against the cherry fly. Specifically, yellow glue traps have demonstrated remarkable efficacy in detecting adult cherry flies and in monitoring the population dynamics of the pest, facilitating the timely application of insecticides and other protective measures. Glue traps have been identified as a viable, environmentally safe measure within organic protection systems. In particular, our studies demonstrated their efficacy against the black plum sawfly.

This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of yellow glue traps for controlling Rhagoletis cerasi in sweet cherry plantations (cv. Amazonka) under the conditions of the northern Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. The traps were installed immediately following the onset of flight, which coincided with the change in the color of the early ripening fruits from green to yellow. The experiment involved the deployment of two to seven traps per tree, with no insecticides being applied to the experimental plots.

Depending on weather conditions, the flight period began in the middle to the end of May and lasted until the beginning to the middle of July. With 2-3 traps per tree, the reduction in fruit damage by cherry fly was low. As the number of traps increased, their effectiveness became higher. For variants with four and five traps, the effectiveness of the protective measure ranged from 69.5 to 70.3%. The average number of captured adults was 1,145 and 1,220 imago/trap per season. Further increasing of the number of traps per tree did not lead to a significant increase in efficiency.

In conclusion, the findings of the study indicated that the optimal number of traps for providing effective protection of cherries from the cherry fly ranged from 4 to 5 per tree.

Hydroponic farming is a sustainable method for growing crops without soil, but maintaining optimal nutrient levels is essential for plant health and yield. Although the hydroponic system is a more controlled environment than soil, plant protection remains crucial. Currently, several natural treatments are adopted in hydroponic farming to boost the plants' immune systems and mitigate stress and nutrient imbalances without relying on harmful chemicals. Wood vinegar, a natural byproduct of biomass pyrolysis, has gained attention for its potential to enhance plant growth and stimulate plant defenses. With an estimated 200 billion tons of lignocellulosic biomass produced annually by agriculture and forestry worldwide, the utilization of such byproducts could play a key role in sustainable agricultural practices.
This study investigates the impact of wood vinegar on hydroponic lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and basil (Ocimum basilicum) under nutrient stress, aiming to explore the possibility of applying lower quantities of chemically synthesized nutrients and achieving more sustainable production. Several separate and independent experiments were conducted for lettuce and basil, with each species undergoing four treatments. The control groups included one with 100% nutrient solution and another with a nutrient-deficient solution (i.e. 20%). Two additional treatments combined the 20% nutrient solution with wood vinegar at 0.3% and 0.1% dilutions of an extract that had a total phenolic content of 2,3 mg/mL. Wood vinegar was applied weekly. Growth parameters were measured to assess its potential benefits.
The results showed species-dependent and concentration-sensitive effects. In basil, the 0,1% treatment slightly increased the plant height and leaf number compared to the 20% control, suggesting a mild growth-promoting effect. However, the 0.3% concentration was shown to be phytotoxic and reduced plant growth. In lettuce, the 0.3% treatment led to severe phytotoxicity, significantly stunting growth. The 0.1% treatment initially performed similarly to the 20% control but, by the sixth week, caused root blackening and decay, leading to a marked decline in plant health.
These findings suggest that the effects of wood vinegar depend on both the concentration and the plant species. While a lower concentration showed slight benefits for basil, it ultimately harmed lettuce by damaging its root health. Higher concentrations were phytotoxic to both crops. These results indicate that while wood vinegar may have potential as a plant growth enhancer, concentration management is crucial. Further research should explore its long-term impact on root health and its interactions with hydroponic nutrient solutions to determine its viability in nutrient-limited hydroponic systems.

Background:

Microbial contamination of food can lead to faster spoilage, but also to infection of the consumer. This is why disinfection processes that are efficient but have as little detrimental effect as possible on the nutritional content are required. In terms of disinfection, two spectral ranges have become increasingly important in recent years. The first is the so-called Far-UVC spectral range, with a wavelength below 230 nm, which only damages bacteria but barely any eukaryotic cells due to favorable DNA and protein absorption properties. The second range is visible violet light around 405 nm, which can also inactivate microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi in high irradiation doses but does not pose a great danger, at least to humans and human cells. In this study, leaf spinach was used to investigate the extent to which these radiations have an inactivating effect on E. coli as a typical microbial contaminant, but also to determine if the vitamin C content of the spinate leaves was reduced following these treatments.

Methods:

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) leaves were contaminated with E. coli x pGLO, which is easy to detect by means of GFP fluorescence, and irradiated with both a 222 nm krypton chloride lamp and 405 nm LEDs. The achieved bacterial reduction was determined at different time points by plating the material on agar plates and through subsequent counting. The vitamin C concentration was determined by means of redox titration, and the concentrations of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b were determined using spectrometry.

Results:

Both irradiations exhibited a strong antimicrobial impact on E. colis x pGLO, and a reduction of approximately 99% was achieved under the selected irradiation conditions. The average doses were 19 mJ/cm² (222 nm) and 87 J/cm² (405 nm). The vitamin C concentration decreased by 30% (222 nm) or 20% (405 nm), and the chlorophyll concentrations decreased by 22 and 33%.

Conclusion:

Both irradiation approaches are able to substantially reduce the number of microorganisms on spinach leaves, but this is associated with a reduction in nutrient content.

One of the biggest challenges today is to reduce the application of chemical fertilizers by promoting waste recycling and obtaining organic raw materials for agriculture according to the principles of circular economy. This is due to the rapid growth of the population and food demand, which have led to higher reliance on chemical fertilizers in agriculture, leading to intensive strain on natural resources. Hence, we explored the impact of human urine derivatives (UDs) compared to commercial fertilizers on lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Grand Rapids) metabolic profile and antioxidant activity in a soilless cultivation (Nicastro et al., 2024). Furthermore, to gain a better understanding of the effects of UDs on plant metabolism by gene regulation, this research investigated their impact on gene expression, particularly on genes encoding enzymes involved in essential biochemical pathways, thus looking into possible stress responses or various regulation effects. Treatment with K-Struvite resulted in the highest expression levels of genes encoding key enzymes involved in nitrogen metabolism, nitrate reductase (NR), glutamate synthase (GOGAT X1), and glutamine synthetase (GS), with the lowest expression levels in plants treated with hydrolyzed urine. The latter, however, showed an increased expression of genes encoding stress-related enzymes like GOGAT X2, catalase (CAT), and glutamate decarboxylase (GAD). Additionally, the expression of P5CS (Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase), a key gene in proline synthesis, decreased across all treatments compared to the control, with the most significant reduction detected in ED concentrate and K-Struvite. Genes encoding CHS2 (chalcone synthase), AGPase (ADP glucose pyrophosphorylase), and cytGR (glutathione reductase cytosolic) enzymes showed higher expressions in plants treated with K-Struvite. Meanwhile, genes for PAL (phenylalanine ammonium lyase) and chlGR (Glutathione reductase, chloroplastic) enzymes were significantly overexpressed after treatment with ED concentrate compared to the NPK control. Fertigation with UDs in soilless cultivation of lettuce affects gene expression levels by supplying various forms of nitrogen, while also inducing various morphological and metabolic responses as a result of their distinct composition.

Introduction and aim: The study of the genetic systems that are involved in regulating plant stress responses is a promising approach to uncovering the fundamental molecular mechanisms underlying their organization. The availability and intensity of sunlight are among the primary factors influencing plant growth, development, and metabolism. Long-term exposure to excessive light levels is one of the major stress factors that inhibit photosynthesis, restrict growth and developmental processes, and reduce plant productivity. Transcriptomic data can help assess the involvement of genes under different stress conditions and identify key genes and transcription factors involved. Furthermore, meta-analysis of transcriptomic data is a powerful approach for identifying key molecular genetic systems that are involved in plant stress responses.

Materials and methods: To date, a substantial amount of transcriptomic data on plants' responses to high light are only available for the model species Arabidopsis thaliana, which requires further generalization. This study builds upon our previous meta-analysis, significantly expanding it by incorporating a larger number of datasets. We collected and performed a de novo analysis of data from more than twenty individual transcriptomic experiments on the photosynthetic tissues of A. thaliana plants when exposed to various high-light conditions (moderate and severe excess illumination, ranging from several minutes to several days) for the Columbia genotype.

Results and discussion: We identified a core subset of 1019 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were represented in at least half of the experimental points of high-light treatments. This subset is significantly enriched with various stress-responsive genes, including light stress and oxidative stress ones, and 117 transcription factors from bHLH, ERF, MYB, bZIP, C2H2, and other families. Most antioxidant DEGs were found to be preferentially upregulated under high-light conditions (42 out of 62), and almost half of the DEGs involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites were upregulated (386 out of 754); however, most DEGs of hormone signal transduction pathways were characterized by preferential downregulation (70 out of 151). We additionally revealed more than 2000 DEGs to be highly specific to the main experimental conditions (duration of treatment, intensity of high light, age of plants). Taken together, our results align with existing findings, while significantly expanding and refining them.

Future perspectives: The applied bioinformatics approach has proven effective and can be used to generalize various large sets of stress-induced plant transcriptomes.

Galanthus nivalis (snowdrop) is a popular ornamental, bulbous plant, widely admired for its early spring bloom and delicate white flowers. It also has medicinal significance, with reported health benefits including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The in vitro propagation of this plant remains challenging, and reports on its micropropagation in the literature are limited.

This study investigated the impact of explant type on biometric parameters during adventitious organogenesis. Two types of explants collected from in vitro cultures of G. nivalis were used: leaf blade fragments (leaf-derived explants) and bulb fragments (bulb-derived explants). Culture was carried out on solidified Murashige and Skoog medium enriched with 30g/L sucrose and the following growth regulators: 5 μM 6-benzyladenine cytokinin (BA) and 0,5 μM auxin 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). The conditions in the growth chamber, with a 16/8 h photoperiod (day/night), were as follows: temperature 25/23 ± 1°C, 80% relative humidity, PPFD ~ 35 µmol m^-2s^-1. After 6 weeks of culture, biometric observations were carried out. All explants used regenerated (100%), but only leaf-derived explants formed calluses (80%). A higher regeneration of shoots (developing leaves without bulbs at the base) was observed form leaf-derived explants (regeneration rate of 1.00) compared to bulb-derived explants (0.21). Explant type did not significantly affect the regeneration rate of bulbs (closed bulbs without developing leaves). However, the number of bulbs was higher from leaf-derived explants (mean of 7.04 per one explant) compared to bulb-derived explants (2.33). Bulb-derived explants did not regenerate roots, while leaf-derived explants regenerated roots with a rate of 0.94, producing an average of 2.33 new roots with a mean length of 5.8 mm per explant. Explant type did not affect the average number of new shoots (mean of 6.4), nor the average diameter of newly formed bulbs (2.6 mm).

Leaf-derived explants of G. nivalis showed more effective regeneration during in vitro adventitious organogenesis compared to bulb-derived explants, with higher shoot and root formation, as well as a greater number of new bulbs. This potential can be used for improving the propagation efficiency of these plants.