To investigate the material basis and mechanisms underlying the antioxidant activity of Fragaria nilgerrensis Schlecht. fruits, water extract (FWE) and ethanol extracts (FAE) were prepared from the fruit material using reflux extraction. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extracts were determined by UV-Vis spectrophotometry, and their chemical compositions were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The antioxidant activities were evaluated through in vitro assays, and a hydrogen peroxide induced oxidative stress model in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was constructed to further investigate their antioxidant capacity. Finally, network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques were employed to clarify the antioxidant mechanism of Fragaria nilgerrensis Schlecht. fruits. The results showed that the total phenolic acid contents of FAE and FWE were 216.84±0.66 and 191.90±6.67 mg GAE/g, respectively, while the total flavonoid contents were 149.30±2.99 and 120.81±26.32 mg CE/g, respectively. A total of 35 compounds, including phenolics, flavonoids, amino acids, and polysaccharides, were identified in the extracts. The IC50 values of FAE and FWE for DPPH radical scavenging were 2.89±0.26 and 6.50±0.79 μg/mL, respectively, and for ABTS+ radical scavenging were 6.42±0.67 and 7.58±1.02 μg/mL, respectively. Additionally, both extracts prolonged the stationary growth phase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, enhanced its resistance to oxidative stress, increased intracellular superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, elevated reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, and decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents under oxidative stress. Network pharmacology analysis revealed that quercetin, kaempferol, naringenin, glycyrrhetinic acid and ellagic acid were the key antioxidant components, with potential antioxidant effects mediated through regulation of targets such as AKT1, IL6, ALB, ESR1 and EGFR and activation of signaling pathways including PI3K-AKT, MAPK and HIF-1. This study confirms the antioxidant potential of Fragaria nilgerrensis Schlecht. fruits extracts and provides a scientific basis for their development as functional foods.

The experiment aimed to screen sweet sorghum varieties suitable for popularization in Weining area, Guizhou Province. Taking Linggao, Dalishi and Chuannongliangcao No.1 as materials, a regional adaptability experiment was conducted at Tashan Experimental Base in Weining County. Agronomic traits, production performance and nutrient composition indices were systematically measured, and a comprehensive evaluation was carried out using principal component analysis. The results showed that the fresh grass yield, hay yield, dry to fresh ratio, plant height, leaf number and crude ash content of Chuannongliangcao No.1 were significantly higher than those of Linggao and Dalishi (P<0.05). The concentrations of crude protein and calcium in Chuannongliangcao No.1 and Linggao were significantly higher than those of Dalishi (P<0.05), while the phosphorus content was significantly lower than that of Dalishi (P<0.05). The concentrations of crude fiber, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber of Chuannongliangcao No.1 and Dalishi were significantly lower than those of Linggao (P<0.05), the relative feed value was significantly higher than that of Linggao (P<0.05). The relative forage quality of Chuannongliangcao No.1 was significantly higher than that of Linggao and Dalishi (P<0.05), while no significant difference was observed between Linggao and Dalishi (P>0.05). The comprehensive score showed that Chuannongliangcao No.1 had the highest score and exhibited excellent overall performance. The study shows that Chuannongliangcao No.1 can be used as a priority variety for sweet sorghum cultivation in Weining area, Guizhou Province.

Drought stress is a major constraint on plant productivity and is expected to intensify under climate change. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form symbioses with most land plants, enhancing water and nutrient acquisition and improving tolerance to abiotic stress. However, the global research trends, knowledge structure, and collaboration patterns of AMF-mediated plant drought tolerance have not yet been systematically assessed. We conducted a bibliometric analysis of 1334 publications on “AMF” and “drought” from the Web of Science Core Collection between 1999 and 2024. The field has grown rapidly, particularly since 2016. China produced the largest number of publications, likely supported by strong national funding and sustainable agriculture policies, whereas Spain, especially CSIC, achieved high citation impact, possibly reflecting its sustained focus on AMF-mediated mechanisms under recurrent Mediterranean drought. International collaboration remains limited, with prolific authors and institutions largely concentrated in relatively isolated clusters, likely due to geographic and socioeconomic constraints, regional research priorities, methodological differences, and insufficient funding for international collaborative programs. Keyword and cluster analyses indicate that early studies focused on AMF colonization and plant water relations, whereas recent work has increasingly emphasized molecular and metabolic pathways, mycorrhizal signaling, ecological restoration, and the integration of AMF with soil amendments and microbiome-based approaches. This synthesis shows that AMF-mediated drought tolerance is not a universal response, but a context-dependent plant-fungus-soil process shaped by host genotype, AMF taxon, soil properties, drought intensity, resident microbiomes, and experimental setting. Future research should prioritize cross-regional, multisite, and interdisciplinary studies, together with greater investment in international collaborative projects, especially in drought-prone but underrepresented regions, to improve the reliability, transferability, and practical applicability of AMF-based strategies in sustainable agriculture and ecological restoration.

Brassinosteroid (BR)-mediated salt tolerance is a crucial mechanism for maize (Zea mays L.) adaptation to saline-alkaline environments. This study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying BR-induced salt tolerance in maize, focusing on the regulatory roles of ZmWRKY104 and ZmCCaMK. Key results showed that ZmWRKY104 directly interacts with ZmCCaMK in the nucleus in a non-phosphorylation-dependent manner, forming a novel regulatory module. BR treatment upregulates ZmWRKY104 expression, and overexpression of ZmWRKY104 significantly enhances the activities of antioxidant enzymes (APX and SOD). Co-expression of ZmWRKY104 and ZmCCaMK synergistically promotes the antioxidant defense system in maize. Transgenic maize overexpressing ZmWRKY104 exhibits obvious salt tolerance advantages under 100 mM NaCl stress compared to wild-type plants, including reduced leaf yellowing, increased plant height and root length, as well as decreased electrolyte leakage (EL) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Collectively, this study identifies a novel non-phosphorylation-dependent WRKY-CCaMK regulatory module in the BR signaling pathway, which enhances BR-induced maize salt tolerance by synergistically activating antioxidant defense. The findings highlight ZmWRKY104 as a candidate gene and provide a potential molecular mechanism for salt-tolerant maize breeding in saline-alkaline regions of northern China.

Aluminium (Al) toxicity in acid soils severely limits forage productivity, and dissecting Al-tolerance mechanisms is crucial for securing forage supply in acid-soil regions. White clover (Trifolium repens L.), an excellent acid-soil-adapted forage with pronounced Al tolerance, serves as an ideal model for studying legume Al-tolerance mechanisms. We exposed white clover seedlings to gradient Al³⁺ concentrations (0, 2, 4, 6, 10 mmol·L⁻¹) to characterize the core physiological and molecular responses underlying its Al adaptation. Al³⁺ stress inhibited growth in a concentration-dependent manner, suppressing both root and shoot development. Roots adopted a prioritised defence strategy, with enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity and soluble sugar accumulation mitigating oxidative damage. Transcriptome analysis revealed coordinated regulation of key pathways: flavonoid biosynthesis showed a core inhibition–branch-specific activation pattern, photosystem-related genes were upregulated to reinforce photosynthetic function, and hormone signalling networks were extensively rewired with divergent responses among auxin, gibberellin, cytokinin, ABA and JA pathways. White clover copes with Al³⁺ stress via an integrated mechanism featuring root-prioritised defence, photosynthetic maintenance and hormone network remodelling. These findings provide new insights into legume Al tolerance and a framework for breeding Al-tolerant forages. Future studies will quantify Al content in shoots and roots, and perform functional validation of upregulated hormone-related genes to clarify their roles in the Al-tolerance regulatory network.

Phosphorus is an essential element for plant growth, and its deficiency severely limits crop productivity. To explore genetic resources for improving phosphorus use efficiency, this study investigated the differential low-phosphorus tolerance mechanisms of two kudzu (Pueraria lobata) germplasms from Australia (tolerant) and Jiangsu, China (sensitive) using hydroponics, RNA-seq, and WGCNA. The results showed that the Australian germplasm exhibited superior low-phosphorus tolerance through root morphological plasticity, which was characterized by increased root length and tip number under low phosphorus (0.05 mmol L-1 KH2PO4); enhanced reactive oxygen species scavenging, with higher peroxidase and catalase activities under extremely low phosphorus (0.005 mmol L-1 KH2PO4), and extensive transcriptome reprogramming, including 8896 upregulated genes in response to phosphorus deficiency. In contrast, the Jiangsu germplasm showed limited adaptive responses, with reduced root hairs and biomass under stress. WGCNA partitioned 21,734 expressed genes into 20 co-expression modules, among which the turquoise and light green modules showed significant correlations with phosphorus treatments and phenotypic traits. Genes in the turquoise module were primarily enriched in oxidative phosphorylation and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways, whereas the light green module was significantly enriched in ribosome-related pathways. Five hub genes, ABCG5, TALDO, VAMP7B, EEF1AS, and RPLP0, were identified as core components of these modules. Collectively, these findings establish the Australian kudzu as a valuable germplasm resource for improving phosphorus use efficiency in crops and provide key molecular targets for precision breeding.

BACKGROUND:Ecosystem conversion, primarily driven by agricultural expansion, has profoundly altered ecosystem structure and function. Grasslands, characterized by deep, nutrient-rich soils that support high soil carbon content, are particularly vulnerable to conversion for agricultural purposes. This transformation significantly impacts soil microbial communities, yet the effects of such changes on the stability and complexity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) networks remain poorly understood, particularly in subtropical alpine grasslands. RESULTS:In this study, we investigated how the conversion of natural grasslands into shrublands, artificial woodlands, and croplands affects AMF communities in a subtropical alpine region of China. Our results demonstrate that shrub encroachment increased AMF diversity by up to 25%, and enhanced network modularity and robustness by approximately 20% and 25%, respectively, compared with natural grasslands. This phenomenon may be partially attributed to deep root-mediated niche diversification and the alleviation of soil disturbance in shrubland. In contrast, conversion to cropland decreased AMF diversity by nearly 40%, destabilizing microbial networks due to increased nutrient enrichment and mechanical disturbance. Although the dominant genera Glomus and Paraglomus persisted across all systems, their relative abundance shifted (e.g., a 10-15% reduction of Glomus in croplands). Soil organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus collectively explained up to 89.7% of the variation in AMF network complexity. CONCLUSIONS:These findings address the critical knowledge gap identified in the background regarding AMF responses to land-use changes in subtropical alpine grasslands. By demonstrating that shrub encroachment enhances soil fertility and AMF network stability-contrasting sharply with cropland conversion-our results highlight the importance of preserving natural succession processes to maintain microbial-driven ecosystem functions. This aligns with global efforts to mitigate grassland degradation and supports sustainable management practices in vulnerable alpine regions.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a perennial forage legume of high agronomic and ecological value. Its potential to withstand both water deficit and high–calcium soils makes it a promising candidate for sustainable forage production in karst regions. However, the physiological mechanisms underlying varietal differences in tolerance to combined drought–calcium stress are not fully understood. We selected seven alfalfa varieties and employed a two–factor experimental design involving drought stress (PEG–6000) and exogenous calcium (CaCl2) treatments. Subsequently, growth and physiological parameters were measured and evaluated. Calcium effects were stage– and genotype–specific: exogenous calcium exacerbated drought inhibition during germination, especially under high calcium (50 mmol·L−1) in sensitive cultivars, while moderate calcium (5–25 mmol·L−1) improved dry matter accumulation and regulated antioxidant activity, lipid peroxidation, and osmolyte content at the seedling stage. The adaptability ranking was Magnum 801> WL525 > Victoria > Crown > Gladiator > Dieter > PANGO, with top cultivars showing enhanced germination and metabolic–osmotic coordination under stress. Calcium–drought interactions in alfalfa are strongly influenced by developmental stage and genetic background. These findings enhance our understanding of stress adaptation mechanisms in forage crops and provide a physiological basis for cultivar improvement and targeted deployment in calcium–rich, drought–prone karst agricultural systems.

To enhance the cultivation and utility of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) in calcium-rich environments, we assessed the germination, growth, and physiological responses of seven alfalfa varieties—Crown, Dieter, PANGO, Gladiator, Victoria, WL525, and Magnum 801—under varying calcium chloride (CaCl2) concentrations (0, 5, 25, and 50 mmol·L−1). Germination indices, root and shoot growth, enzyme activities, and osmotic regulation parameters were analyzed to evaluate adaptive responses to calcium stress. Our results showed that alfalfa adapts to calcium stress by increasing root length, enhancing enzyme activities, regulating osmotic substance content, and reducing malondialdehyde levels, thereby striving to maintain stable dry matter content. However, the extent of these adaptive responses varied among the different varieties. Based on a comprehensive evaluation, the calcium adaptability of the varieties ranked in the following order: Gladiator > Victoria > Dieter > Magnum 801 > WL525 > Crown > PANGO. Notably, calcium concentrations of 5–25 mmol·L−1 were found to be optimal for germination, physiological regulation, and growth, whereas higher concentrations (50 mmol·L−1) induced oxidative stress and impaired growth. This study highlights the role of exogenous calcium in enhancing physiological resilience and provides a robust framework for selecting calcium-tolerant alfalfa varieties suitable for cultivation in karst landscapes. These findings offer theoretical and practical insights for optimizing forage production in calcium-rich soils.

Seed germination and seedling growth are crucial for the successful establishment and reproduction of plants in heterogeneous environments, especially in the ecologically fragile karst regions. Despite the ecological importance of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) as a forage resource and its role in mitigating rocky desertification, studies addressing the effects of karst-specific environmental factors on its early growth stages are limited. This study is the first to simulate karst soil conditions to evaluate the impacts of drought (0-0.53 MPa), salinity (0-150 mM), and pH (pH 3-9) on seed germination and seedling growth of perennial ryegrass. The results showed that under different drought stresses, water potentials ranging from 0 to - 0.32 MPa had no significant effect on seed germination. However, water potentials of - 0.06 MPa and - 0.17 MPa significantly promoted root and shoot growth, as well as increased biomass. In the salt stress experiment, CaCl2 concentrations of 5-10 mM favored seed germination; specifically, 5 mM CaCl2 increased the germination rate to 96.5%, and root and shoot lengths exceeded those of the control. pH levels ranging from 3 to 9 had little effect on germination, but extremely acidic conditions (pH 3) significantly inhibited root and shoot elongation. Therefore, optimal growth conditions were determined to be drought stress from 0 to - 0.17 MPa, calcium salt stress from 0 to 25 mM, and a pH of 4 to 9. These findings identify optimal growth conditions for perennial ryegrass, providing a scientific basis for seed cultivation, pasture management, and ecological restoration in karst regions. Our study contributes to the understanding of plant responses to environmental stresses in karst systems and supports sustainable agricultural and conservation practices.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), an important leguminous forage crop, is valued for its high nutritional content, substantial yield, palatability, and broad adaptability. Drought is among the most significant environmental constraints on alfalfa growth, particularly in the karst regions of southwestern China. In this study, we conducted pot experiments to investigate the growth and physiological responses of seven alfalfa varieties introduced into the karst region of Guizhou under drought conditions. The results revealed that drought stress markedly reduced both plant height and aboveground biomass accumulation. Moreover, under drought stress, these alfalfa varieties exhibited increased root length, root surface area, and root tip number; elevated protective enzyme activities; and decreased levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA), thereby maintaining relatively higher water content. Each of the seven varieties displayed distinct growth and physiological adaptation mechanisms under drought stress. Integrating principal component analysis and membership function analysis, we ranked the drought resistance of these alfalfa varieties from highest to lowest as follows: Crown > WL525 > Colosseo > Victoria > PANGO > Giant 801 > Dimitra. These findings provide valuable insights for introducing drought-resistant alfalfa varieties into karst regions of southwestern China and offer guidance for breeding and cultivation strategies across various environmental conditions.

Lotus corniculatus L. is a perennial legume valued for its roles in forage production, soil and water conservation, and landscaping. However, the limited number of improved cultivars hampers its broader utilization. In this study, we characterized the genetic variation of 23 accessions from diverse geographic origins using 12 quantitative traits and 29 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Quantitative trait analysis revealed substantial variation across tested traits, and significant correlations were observed between nutritional quality and morphological traits, which suggests that phenotypic selection can indirectly enhance forage quality. Cluster analysis based on phenotypic and nutritional data grouped accessions into five categories, identifying key germplasm types with distinct breeding advantages, such as high crude protein and ether extract content (Q1), superior leaf morphology (Q2), and high total sugar content with thick stems (Q5). Genome-wide SSR mining identified a large number of loci, dominated by dinucleotide repeats. The 29 highly polymorphic SSR primers used exhibited strong polymorphism, and accession-level SSR-based clustering separated the accessions into three groups that broadly aligned with geographic origin. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated that most genetic variation resided within populations, underscoring the potential for intra-population selection. These findings establish a germplasm grouping basis that integrates phenotypic performance, nutritional quality, and genetic background. The results offer practical pointers for identifying complementary parental combinations, while emphasizing that multi-environment, multi-year validation and targeted crossing are required before generalization or breeding deployment.

Abstract: To improve the silage quality of Lotus corniculatus L. and expedite the promotion of cultivated varieties, this study investigates the impact of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum on the fermentation characteristics, bacterial community, and functional aspects of silage. The experiment included a control (CK) and a Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (LP) treatment, with sampling conducted at 3, 7, 15, and 45 days of fermentation to monitor nutritional value and fermentation quality, as well as changes in the bacterial community at 3 and 45 days. The results indicated that compared to the CK, the addition of LP significantly increased the lactic acid, dry matter, and crude protein content (p < 0.05) while substantially decreasing the water-soluble carbohydrates, pH, NH3-N, and acetic acid levels (p < 0.05). And the effect of adding LP was the most significant after 45 days of fermentation. LP promoted the growth of beneficial bacteria and inhibited harmful bacteria, with LP becoming the predominant genus and species after 45 days of fermentation. The metabolic pathway analysis revealed that the addition of LP enhanced carbohydrate metabolism and improved the replication and repair, translation, transcription, and membrane transport functions of the bacterial community. In summary, the addition of LP significantly enhances the silage quality of L. corniculatus and may serve as an effective method for promoting the application of L. corniculatus in karst regions.

Oat is an important crop widely distributed in temperate zones and is also commonly planted in the karst areas of southwest China. However, due to severe rocky desertification, the complex soil in this area is characterized by high calcium content, alkaline conditions, and drought, which significantly negatively impact the growth of oat seedlings. To study the adaptability of oats to rocky desertification stress at the seedling stage, we investigated the effects of CaCl2 (0–150 mM), the pH (3–9), and drought stress (PEG-6000 solution at 0 to −0.79 MPa) on seed germination and seedling growth. The results showed that (1) calcium stress had dual effects on seed germination within the range of 5–150 mM CaCl2. Low concentrations of CaCl2 (5 mM) promoted the germination potential, germination rate, germination index, and vigor index of oats, as well as the growth and biomass accumulation of radicles in oat seedlings; however, high concentrations of CaCl2 inhibited these germination parameters. (2) Under drought stress, moderate concentrations of a PEG-6000 solution significantly improved the germination potential and germination rate of oat seeds, but the germination index and vigor index decreased with an increasing PEG-6000 concentration. When the PEG-6000 concentration corresponded to −0.06 MPa, the root growth and fresh weight accumulation of oat seedlings were significantly promoted; however, as the concentration increased to −0.53 MPa and –0.79 MPa, seed germination and seedling growth were significantly inhibited. (3) pH treatments had no significant effect on oat seed germination, but all growth indexes of oats showed a downward trend under alkaline conditions. These results suggest that suitable conditions for oat planting in karst rocky desertification areas are 5 mM CaCl2, pH levels of 5–8, and drought stress between 0 and −0.32 MPa. This study provides a theoretical basis for oat introduction, cultivation, and stress-resistant breeding in this area.

This study investigates the role of abscisic acid (ABA) in bolstering drought resistance in plants, employing “Panjiang Sophora viciifolia” as the subject. A simulated drought scenario was created using polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000) to examine the impact of varying drought intensities (0%, 5%, 20% PEG) and ABA concentrations (0, 10, 50, 100, 200 mg·L−1) on the germination and physiological parameters of Sophora viciifolia. The results showed that in the absence of ABA, the germination rate (GR), germination potential (GP), and germination index (GI) of S. viciifolia seeds initially increased and then decreased with escalating PEG-induced drought stress. At PEG-induced drought stress levels of 5% and 20%, the activities of peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT), along with the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, were significantly higher than in the control (CK) (p < 0.05). In response to drought stress, S. viciifolia seeds adapted by modulating germination behavior, augmenting the content of osmoregulatory substances, and boosting the activity of protective enzymes. The addition of ABA markedly enhanced GR, GE, GI, activities of POD, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and CAT, as well as the levels of MDA and proline (Pro) under drought conditions (p < 0.05). Relative to CK, low ABA concentrations (10–100 mg·L−1) resulted in increased GR, GP, GI, POD, SOD, CAT, MDA, and Pro levels; whereas, at a higher concentration (200 mg·L−1), although GR, GP, and GI decreased, POD, SOD, CAT, MDA, and Pro levels increased. Through principal component analysis and membership function comprehensive evaluation, it was determined that administering 50 mg·L−1 ABA was most effective in enhancing drought resistance in S. viciifolia seedlings.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) plays an important role in the development of animal husbandry in the karst region of southwestern China, and karst environmental stress has a significant impact on the germination of alfalfa seeds. This study subjected alfalfa seeds to calcium salt stress (0–100 mM), drought stress (0–0.53 MPa), and pH stress (pH 3–9). Germination indicators (germination rate, germination potential, germination index, and vigor index), seedling morphological indicators (shoot length and root length), and biomass indicators were measured to assess seed stress resistance. The results showed that mild drought stress (5% PEG solution) and weak alkaline stress (pH 8) promoted seed germination, and a 20 mM CaCl2 solution significantly increased the germination rate. The root system of seedlings was more sensitive to the three types of stress. Under moderate calcium stress (40 mM), only a slight decrease in tissue water content was observed. Under moderate drought stress (10% PEG), fresh weight and tissue water content decreased, but dry weight significantly increased. Under alkaline stress (pH 9), both biomass indicators and tissue water content increased. This study provides a theoretical reference for selecting plants suitable for cultivation in karst environments.

Seed endophytes in maize, which facilitate the transmission of microorganisms from one plant generation to the next, may play a crucial role in plant protection and growth promotion. This study aimed to investigate the effects of various maize varieties on the communities of endophytic bacteria in seeds and germinating roots. This study utilized Illumina high-throughput sequencing technology to examine the structural and diversity differences of endophytic bacterial communities within seed maize (BY1507), silage maize (QQ446), and wild maize (Teosinte) in both seeds and germinating roots. The results showed that 416 bacterial genera were detected, with Pantoea, Lachnospiraceae, Pararhizobium, Enterobacteriaceae, Stenotrophomonas, and Pseudonocardia being the most prevalent (relative abundance > 10%) at the genus level. No significant difference was observed in diversity indices (Chao1, ACE, Shannon, and Simpson) of seed endophytes among BY1507, QQ446, and Teosinte. The Shannon and Simpson indices for the germinating root endophyte from the wild variety (Teosinte) were significantly higher than the domesticated varieties (BY1507 and QQ446). PCoA revealed a notable overlap in the endophytic bacterial communities from the seeds of BY1507, QQ446, and Teosinte. Yet, clustering patterns were found. Co-occurrence network analysis showed that BY1507, QQ446, and Teosinte share a notable proportion of shared endophytic bacteria (>30%) between the seeds and germinating roots. This investigation elucidates the characteristics of endophytic microbial communities of seeds and germinating roots with seed maize, silage maize, and wild maize, offering data for future research on the physiological ecological adaptation of these endophytic microbial communities.

Gibberellin 20-oxidases (GA20oxs) are multifunctional enzymes involved in regulating gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis and controlling plant growth. We identified and characterized the GA20ox1 gene in a plant height mutant of Sophora davidii, referred to as SdGA20ox1. This gene was expressed in root, stem, and leaf tissues of the adult S. davidii plant height mutant, with the highest expression observed in the stem. The expression of SdGA20ox1 was regulated by various exogenous hormones. Overexpression of SdGA20ox1 in Arabidopsis resulted in significant elongation of hypocotyl and root length in seedlings, earlier flowering, smaller leaves, reduced leaf chlorophyll content, lighter leaf color, a significant increase in adult plant height, and other phenotypes. Additionally, transgenic plants exhibited a substantial increase in biologically active endogenous GAs (GA1, GA3, and GA4) content, indicating that overexpression of SdGA20ox1 accelerates plant growth and development. Using a yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) screen, we identified two SdGA20ox1-interacting proteins: the ethylene receptor EIN4 (11430582) and the rbcS (11416005) protein. These interactions suggest a potential regulatory mechanism for S. davidii growth. Our findings provide new insights into the role of SdGA20ox1 and its interacting proteins in regulating the growth and development of S. davidii.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is one of the most important forage crops in the world. Drought is recognized as a major challenge limiting alfalfa production and threatening food security. Although some literature reviews have been conducted in this area, bibliometric reviews based on large amounts of published data are still lacking. In this paper, a bibliometric analysis of alfalfa drought stress from 1998–2023 was conducted using the Web of Science Core Collection database in order to assess global trends in alfalfa drought stress research and to provide new directions for future research. The results showed that the annual publication output maintained an increase in most years, with China and the United States contributing significantly to the field. Most of the journals published are specialized journals in botany, environmental science, soil science and crop science, as well as related agribusiness journals. “plant growth” and “yield” were the most frequently used keywords, reflecting the important purpose of research in this field. And two main research directions were identified: research on drought response mechanism of alfalfa and exploration of drought-resistant technology. In addition, physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses of drought tolerance and high yield in alfalfa, transgenics, and microbial fertilizer research have been hot research topics in recent years and may continue in the future. The ultimate goal of this paper is to provide a foundational reference for future research on alfalfa’s drought resistance and yield optimization mechanisms, thereby enhancing the crop’s application in agricultural production.