Salinity stress severely limits global crop production by disrupting essential physiological and biochemical processes, highlighting the need for innovative approaches to increase plant resilience. Salicylic acid (SA) and humic acid (HA), both established plant growth regulators, are known to improve plant tolerance to salinity. However, their potential synergistic interaction in enhancing the salt tolerance of lettuce remains largely unexplored. This study evaluated the single and together effects of soil-applied HA (500 mL L− 1) and foliar-applied SA (1.0 mM) on water productivity, yield, photosynthetic efficiency, nutrient balance, and antioxidant responses in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) grown under control (0.18 dS m⁻¹) and saline (5 dS m⁻¹) irrigation. Salinity markedly reduced yield, evapotranspiration (ET), and water use efficiency (WUE), while increasing oxidative stress and Na+ accumulation. Both HA and SA alone mitigated these effects, but their combination produced the most pronounced improvements. Co-supplementation of HA + SA enhanced yield by 50.3
This study was conducted to determine the effects of seven different rootstocks (Seedling, Quince A, Quince BA 29, Fox 11, Farold 40, OHxF 87, and OHxF 333) on the postharvest quality characteristics of ‘Williams’ pear fruits during cold storage at 0 ± 0.5 °C and 90 ± 5
Polymorphism is the exciting feature of compounds existing in different crystalline forms. The present research is focused on the two polymorphic forms, 3A and 3B, of (E)-1-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-3-(naphthalen-1-yl)prop-2-en-1-one obtained by the Claisen-Schmidt condensation reaction of 1-(3-hydroxyphenyl)ethan-1-one and 1-naphthaldehyde. Both polymorphic forms were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD) analysis. The supramolecular assemblies of these polymorphic forms were found to be stabilized by various intermolecular interactions as revealed by the Hirshfeld surface analysis. The interaction energy calculations were carried out at the B3LYP/6-31G(d, p) level to further investigate the supramolecular assembly of these polymorphs. Moreover, antifungal, antibacterial, and antioxidant activities of these polymorphs were investigated, showing reasonable and slightly different potential of both polymorphs in these areas. Also, density functional theory (DFT) study of both polymorphs was performed, using the B3LYP-GD3/6-311 + + G(d, p) approach, with the analysis of Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) charges and donor-acceptor interactions, frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs), molecular electrostatic potentials (MEP), non-covalent interactions (NCI), Laplacian bond orders, localized orbital locator (LOL), and global reactivity parameters (GRPs). The obtained results provided support for the SC-XRD and Hirshfeld surface analysis results. Next, the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) and NCI analyses of the 3A and 3B crystal structures fragments provided strong support for the existence of off-set π ⋯ π stacking interactions and C-H⋯π interactions and hydrogen bonds in the 3A and 3B crystal structures.
Spexin (SPX) is an endogenous peptide expressed throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Although its impact on postprandial intestinal motility has been examined, its effect during fasting remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the direct effects of SPX on jejunal and ileal segments in vitro, its effects on fasting small intestinal motility in vivo, and to determine the roles of galanin-2, muscarinic, and 5-hydroxytryptamine-3 (5-HT₃) receptors in these actions. The contractile responses of rat jejunal and ileal segments to SPX (10⁻⁹–10⁻⁶ M), with or without pretreatment with galanin-2, muscarinic, or 5-HT₃ receptor antagonists (M871, atropine, and ondansetron, respectively) were evaluated in organ baths. For in vivo experiments, bipolar electrodes were implanted at two jejunal sites to record migrating myoelectric complexes (MMC), and a catheter was inserted into the left jugular vein for drug administration. SPX (40–640 µg/kg/h) was infused for 1 hour following basal MMC recording. Antagonists were administered 5 minutes prior to SPX (320 µg/kg/h) infusion. SPX induced concentration-dependent contractions in both intestinal segments, significantly inhibited by M871 but unaffected by atropine or ondansetron. At 160 μg/kg/h, SPX altered the MMC pattern; at 320 μg/kg/h, it disrupted MMC and induced irregular spiking activity, which was blocked by M871 and atropine, but not by ondansetron. These data indicate that SPX modulates fasted motility pattern, involving GALR2-dependent mechanisms and an indirect contribution of muscarinic pathways. These findings may support the development of therapies for gastrointestinal motility disorders. In vitro, SPX induced concentration-dependent contractions, which were inhibited by M871 but not affected by atropine or ondansetron. In vivo, SPX disrupted the fasting intestinal myoelectric pattern, an effect that was blocked by M871 and atropine but not by ondansetron.
Although considerable progress has been made in understanding cold hardiness mechanisms in grapevine, the extent to which post-sampling handling conditions influence the reliability of freezing tolerance measurements has received comparatively little attention. In this study, we compared bud and phloem tissue survival, water content, electrical conductivity, and carbohydrate status in three grapevine cultivars (‘Narince’, ‘Alphonse Lavallée’, and ‘Trakya İlkeren’) subjected to controlled freezing tests (-16 to -24°C) following two handling protocols: immediate controlled cold storage at + 4°C for one week, and direct field handling without controlled storage. Viability was assessed in primary, secondary, and tertiary buds as well as phloem tissue by cross-sectioning and electrolyte leakage. Both handling protocol and freezing temperature significantly affected all viability parameters. Controlled-storage samples consistently outperformed field-handled samples, with approximately 60
