The formulation of root exudates is determined by the host plant's genetic profile, its response to the environment, and its interactions with other living organisms. The rhizosphere, a zone of competition, is influenced by interactions between plants and biotic agents like herbivores, microbes, and neighboring plants, which can alter root exudate composition, potentially leading to either beneficial or detrimental outcomes. The organic nutrients provided by plant carbon sources are utilized by compatible microbes, demonstrating robust co-evolutionary transformations under varying environmental circumstances. Our review centers on the diverse biotic factors shaping alternative root exudate profiles, ultimately impacting the rhizosphere microbiome. The interplay between stress-induced root exudates and alterations in the microbial community provides a foundation for crafting strategies to engineer plant microbiomes and improve plant adaptability to stressful environments.
Throughout the world, numerous fields and horticultural crops are vulnerable to geminivirus infestations. Grapevine geminivirus A (GGVA) first appeared in the United States during 2017 and has subsequently been reported in a growing number of countries. High-throughput sequencing (HTS) virome analysis of Indian grapevine cultivars revealed a complete genome containing all six open reading frames (ORFs) and a conserved nonanucleotide sequence, 5'-TAATATTAC-3', similar to other geminiviruses. RPA (recombinase polymerase amplification), an isothermal technique, was developed to identify GGVA in grapevine samples, employing crude sap lysed in 0.5M NaOH as the template, which was then comparatively tested against purified DNA/cDNA Critically, this assay does not demand viral DNA purification or isolation, which enables its application over a wide range of temperatures (18°C–46°C) and timeframes (10–40 minutes), making it an economically sound and speedy tool for the detection of GGVA in grapevine samples. The assay, utilizing crude plant sap as a template material, achieved a sensitivity of 0.01 fg/L, enabling the detection of GGVA in diverse grapevine cultivars of a large grape-growing region. Because of its uncomplicated procedure and rapid completion, this method is adaptable for other DNA viruses infecting grapevines, proving a very useful technique for certification and monitoring in different grape cultivation areas of the nation.
Plant physiological and biochemical properties are negatively affected by dust, thereby constraining their use in green belt creation. To evaluate plant species, the Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI) is an essential tool, differentiating them according to their tolerance or sensitivity to various types of air pollutants. The research sought to determine the effect of Zhihengliuella halotolerans SB and Bacillus pumilus HR bacterial strains, both individually and in combination, as biological agents, on the APTI of desert plant species—Seidlitzia rosmarinus, Haloxylon aphyllum, and Nitraria schoberi—experiencing dust stress levels of either 0 or 15 g m⁻² over 30 days. Dust particles led to a substantial decrease in the total chlorophyll content of N. schoberi by 21% and S. rosmarinus by 19%. Additionally, leaf relative water content dropped by 8%, APTI in N. schoberi by 7%, protein content in H. aphyllum by 26%, and in N. schoberi by 17%. In contrast, the addition of Z. halotolerans SB resulted in a 236% rise in total chlorophyll in H. aphyllum, a 21% increase in S. rosmarinus, and a significant 75% increase in ascorbic acid in H. aphyllum and a 67% rise in N. schoberi, respectively. By 10% and 15%, respectively, B. pumilus HR enhanced the relative water content of H. aphyllum and N. schoberi leaves. Treating N. schoberi with B. pumilus HR, Z. halotolerans SB, and their combined inoculation led to a reduction in peroxidase activity by 70%, 51%, and 36%, respectively; similar treatments in S. rosmarinus showed respective reductions of 62%, 89%, and 25%. The protein concentration in all three desert plant species underwent an increase, thanks to these bacterial strains. The dust stress environment prompted a higher APTI level in H. aphyllum compared to the other two species. read more From S. rosmarinus, the isolated Z. halotolerans SB strain demonstrated greater effectiveness in reducing the impact of dust stress on this plant species than the B. pumilus HR strain. The results unequivocally indicated that plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria can favorably influence plant adaptation to air pollutants in the green belt environment.
Contemporary agricultural practices are hampered by the constrained phosphorus levels often encountered in agricultural soils. Plant growth and nutrition have been facilitated by the extensive exploration of phosphate solubilizing microorganisms (PSM) as biofertilizers, and the utilization of phosphate-rich zones may provide such beneficial microbes. Two bacterial isolates, Bg22c and Bg32c, were identified through the process of isolating phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms from Moroccan rock phosphate, demonstrating high solubilization potential. In vitro assessments of other PGPR traits for the two isolates were performed, and their results were compared to those of the non-phosphate solubilizing bacterium, Bg15d. The solubilization of insoluble potassium and zinc forms (P, K, and Zn solubilizers) by Bg22c and Bg32c, coupled with their phosphate solubilizing abilities, also resulted in the production of indole-acetic acid (IAA). Solubilization mechanisms were linked to organic acid production, as validated by HPLC analysis. Cultured in the laboratory, the bacterial isolates Bg22c and Bg15d demonstrated antagonism towards the phytopathogenic bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. Michiganensis, a microscopic culprit, is the causal agent of tomato bacterial canker disease. Molecular and phenotypic identification using 16S rDNA sequencing established Bg32c and Bg15d as constituents of the Pseudomonas genus, and Bg22c as a Serratia genus member. To evaluate their effectiveness in enhancing tomato growth and yield, Pseudomonas isolates Bg22c and Bg32c were examined, either in isolation or as a consortium. This comparative analysis included the non-P, K, and Zn solubilizing strain Bg15d. They were additionally compared to treatments employing a conventional NPK fertilizer. Pseudomonas strain Bg32c, cultured under controlled greenhouse environments, remarkably boosted plant growth, including height, root length, shoot and root weight, leaf count, fruit formation, and fruit fresh weight. read more Stomatal conductance was amplified by this strain. Relative to the negative control, the strain promoted a rise in total soluble phenolic compounds, total sugars, protein, phosphorus, and phenolic compounds. Compared to the control and strain Bg15d, the plants inoculated with strain Bg32c experienced significantly more pronounced increases in all aspects. In view of improving tomato plant growth, strain Bg32c might be a viable option for developing a biofertilizer.
Potassium (K), an essential component of plant nutrition, supports the overall development and growth of plants. A detailed account of the impact of diverse potassium stress types on the molecular regulatory processes and metabolic constituents of apples remains to be established. Different potassium conditions were used to compare the physiological, transcriptome, and metabolome responses of apple seedlings in this research. Variations in potassium levels, including deficiency and excess, were observed to affect apple phenotypic characteristics, soil plant analytical development (SPAD) values, and the efficiency of photosynthesis. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentration, peroxidase (POD) activity, catalase (CAT) activity, abscisic acid (ABA) content, and indoleacetic acid (IAA) content were all altered by the presence of different potassium stresses. Transcriptome analysis identified differing gene expression patterns in apple leaves and roots with 2409 and 778 DEGs in potassium deficient conditions and 1393 and 1205 DEGs in potassium excess conditions, respectively. KEGG pathway analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) underscored their roles in flavonoid biosynthesis, photosynthesis, and plant hormone signal transduction metabolite biosynthesis in response to different potassium (K) concentrations. Under low-K stress conditions, leaf and root tissues exhibited 527 and 166 differential metabolites (DMAs), respectively, whereas high-K stress in apple leaves and roots revealed 228 and 150 DMAs, respectively. Potassium fluctuations, such as low-K and high-K stress, trigger regulatory mechanisms in apple plants involving carbon metabolism and the flavonoid pathway. This investigation into the metabolic underpinnings of diverse K responses offers a framework to improve the efficiency of potassium uptake in apples.
China is the sole home to the highly regarded woody oil tree, Camellia oleifera Abel, a valuable edible source. C. oleifera seed oil's economic importance is a result of the high percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids present in the oil. read more The detrimental effects of *Colletotrichum fructicola*-caused anthracnose on *C. oleifera* profoundly affect the growth and yield of *C. oleifera* trees, leading to significant losses in the profitability of the *C. oleifera* industry. Members of the WRKY transcription factor family have been extensively characterized as essential regulators in a plant's defense mechanisms against pathogen infection. The number, type, and biological function of C. oleifera WRKY genes have, until now, remained unknown. Our analysis revealed 90 WRKY members of C. oleifera, distributed across fifteen chromosomes. Segmental duplication was the principal mechanism behind the expansion of the C. oleifera WRKY gene set. We investigated the expression patterns of CoWRKYs in anthracnose-resistant and -susceptible C. oleifera cultivars through transcriptomic analyses. The anthracnose-mediated stimulation of multiple candidate CoWRKYs underscores their potential role, prompting further investigation into their function. C. oleifera yielded the isolated WRKY gene CoWRKY78, which is linked to anthracnose.