Hippophae rhamnoides L. possesses recognized biological activities, yet the specific antibacterial efficacy, active constituents, and molecular mechanisms of its discarded leaves against aquatic pathogens remain largely unexplored. This study investigated H. rhamnoides leaf water extract (HLLWE) against five aquatic pathogens, focusing on characterizing the bactericidal properties and underlying mode of action on Vibrio parahaemolyticus. HLLWE exhibited potent bactericidal (MIC: 0.78 mg/mL; MBC: 1.56 mg/mL) and anti-biofilm activities against V. parahaemolyticus. Time-kill assays further confirmed its sustained bactericidal efficacy. Biochemical analyses and transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that HLLWE profoundly disrupted cell envelope integrity, inducing severe morphological damage and cytoplasmic leakage. Transcriptomic profiling further elucidated a multi-target antibacterial mechanism, driven by the transcriptional repression of essential genes governing cell envelope homeostasis, multidrug efflux systems, and energy metabolism. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS analysis identified 13 major phenolic compounds, predominantly isorhamnetin and kaempferol derivatives. Bioactivity-guided assays revealed that a flavonoid-enriched fraction exhibiting greater inhibitory potency than HLLWE, with the aglycones quercetin and kaempferol identified as the key molecular drivers of this antibacterial performance. Collectively, these findings provide a comprehensive mechanistic foundation for utilizing H. rhamnoides leaves as an eco-friendly antimicrobial resource to manage vibriosis in aquaculture.

The reclamation of heavy saline soil and the improvement of ecological landscapes have become major technical problems on heavily saline muddy coastal land. Thus, the objective of this study is to introduce an effective technical mode for reclaiming heavily saline coastal soils and establishing vegetation in coastal regions. The technical mode is a comprehensive technology that mainly entails the following: salt reduction in the cultivated layer through the application of amendments, drainage of salt by means of a subsurface pipe with freezing saline water irrigation, and inhibition of salt with straw mulching. The results showed that adding corn straw amendments effectively decreased the soil salinity in the topsoil to less than 5.0 g/kg. Embedding subsurface pipes at an 80-cm depth is the best choice to effectively decrease soil salinity under local soil and water environmental conditions. Freezing saltwater irrigation can be applied to effectively drain the salinity of the whole soil profile. The survival rate of salt-tolerant plants was more than 94%. This study can provide technical support for soil reclamation, vegetation establishment, and environmentally friendly greening on heavily saline muddy coastal land.

Partial desalination offering a promising approach in the saline soil reducing the costs of vegetation construction. However, the quantitative salinity thresholds for tree species in such zones remain unclear, and understanding plant responses to nonuniform salinity is critical for designing effective afforestation strategies via partial zone desalination. In this study, a split-root system was used to examine the growth, physiological responses, and salinity tolerance thresholds of velvet ash (Fraxinus velutina) seedlings exposed to uniform and nonuniform salinity. In the nonuniform treatments, one root half was kept salt free and the other was subjected to progressively NaCl concentrations (100-500 mM), the average salinity across the entire root zone was set to matched that of the uniform treatments (50-250 mM). At equivalent mean salinities, seedlings under nonuniform salinity showed significantly greater total biomass, shoot height, leaf water potential, and water consumption than those under uniform salinity. In the salt free zone, fine root biomass was higher than in control, and total root biomass remained above that of the uniform 50 mM treatment even when the saline side reached 400 mM NaCl. Leaf Na+ accumulation was lower under nonuniform than uniform salinity at the same mean salinity, while the K+/Na+ ratio remained higher. Leaf water potential of the nonuniform salinity was governed by the salt free zone, indicating that roots in the salt free zone supplied enough water to maintain shoot hydration. Osmotic adjustment shifted from proline dominated regulation under uniform salinity to soluble sugar dominated regulation under nonuniform salinity, and the lower leaf malondialdehyde (MDA) content indicated reduced oxidative stress. The salinity required for a 50% reduction in biomass was 163 mM under uniform conditions, compared with an estimated threshold of 436 mM under nonuniform salinity. Nevertheless, achieving the same shoot growth under nonuniform salinity demanded a larger allocation to fine roots than under uniform salinity, implying lower operational efficiency of roots in the saline zone. Collectively, these results demonstrate that compensatory fine root proliferation in the salt free zone, together with preferential water uptake and restricted Na+ translocation, enables velvet ash to tolerate far higher partial salinity than uniform salinity. This work provides a theoretical foundation for partial root zone desalinization as a cost effective approach to afforestation in coastal saline areas.

The underlying food and nutrient crises caused by climate change are driving an increasing demand for forage crops and livestock products worldwide. However, the production of high-quality forages is challenged by potential soil drought and salinity risks. Research gaps exist in understanding the quality performance of forage crops under drought and salinity stresses and estimating the integrated quality traits. In this respect, the study provided a systematic overview of research regarding the plant responses, model simulation, and field management of forage crops under drought and salinity stresses. Here, the study reviewed the responses of growthand quality-related processes for forage crops to drought and salinity stresses as well as the quality evaluation methods. Following that, the study elucidated the approaches for quantification of water-salinity-yield-quality relationships. Finally, the field practices for improving the quality of forage crops are highlighted. The review underlined the interrelated processes between quality formation and biomass accumulation, moderate water and salt stress generally can enhance most quality traits, though come at the expense of yield reduction. The empirical functions, process-based models, and machine learning as different estimation methods have limitations in terms of theoretical foundations, the ability to capture complex quality traits, and the exploitation of data fusion. With improved data availability by multi-source data, enhanced predictability and efficiency by machine learning, and solid theoretical processes, it is expected that the combination of the three methods can optimize crop quality prediction to a certain extent. Based on the above, the coping strategies from the view of water, soil, and plants sides are illustrated. Scientific irrigation water management, including proper timing, moderate amount, and water-saving technologies, can ensure high-efficiency forage production, while suitable tillage practice will enhance resources use efficiency. Furthermore, proper arrangements of forage crops from sowing to harvest in a cropping system are suggested to boost system benefits. This review offers a comprehensive insight into the responses of forage crops quality under drought and salinity stresses, along with simulation approaches and practical mitigation measures to cope with, thus enhanced the evidence base for quality research and for charting appropriate strategies for field managements.

Anthropogenic activities are accelerating shifts in global climatic patterns, leading to a sharp rise in the frequency, intensity, and overlap of abiotic stresses. These stresses severely impair plant growth and productivity, threatening food, forage, and resource security. As climatic conditions fluctuate, individual stresses increasingly co-occur, forming multifactorial stress combinations (MFSC) that affect plants in complex, non-linear, and often unpredictable ways, ultimately causing substantial agricultural losses. Despite growing efforts to develop climate-resilient crops, many MFSC interactions remain poorly understood, and numerous combinations of environmental constraints have not yet been examined. This persistent knowledge gap limits our ability to accurately predict plant performance under field conditions. This review synthesizes recent advances in understanding combined abiotic stresses across diverse plant species, highlighting the synergistic, antagonistic, and additive outcomes of MFSC at physiological, biochemical, and molecular levels. It also discusses emerging mitigation strategies and highlights the critical need to understand the un-explored stress combinations. A central focus is placed on halophytes, whose exceptional tolerance to multiple abiotic stress positions them as a valuable genetic resource for improving crop resilience. Halophytes possess key adaptive traits, including leaf succulence, ion compartmentalization, accumulation of compatible osmolytes, highly active antioxidant systems, and stress-responsive gene networks, which collectively enable survival under complex, combinatorial stresses. By comparing halophytes and non-halophytes, this review underscores the potential of halophytes-derived traits, mechanisms, and genes to support sustainable, climate-smart agriculture. Looking ahead, integrating molecular, genomic, and breeding approaches with rigorous laboratory and field trials is essential for assessing plant acclimation and adaptation under natural MFSC conditions. Expanding research into untested stress combinations and harnessing halophyte-based strategies will be crucial for building safe, resilient, and sustainable food systems in an era of escalating environmental challenges.

Salt stress poses a major environmental challenge that leads to ecological imbalance and reduced agricultural productivity globally. Sapium sebiferum, a highly valued ornamental and perennial woody oil species, shows promise for saline land utilization due to its natural salt stress adaptability. However, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. This study investigated the responses of S. sebiferum to salt stress by integrating RNA sequencing and Non-invasive Micro-test Technology (NMT). Comparative transcriptome analysis identified 693, 1061, and 1851 differentially expressed genes at 1 h, 3 h and 6 h after salt treatment, respectively. Functional analysis of DEGs revealed that genes related to ion binding, transmembrane transport, and signal transduction were significantly enriched. Notably, genes involved in calcium (Ca2+) and phytohormone signaling were altered, activating stress-response pathways. Furthermore, the dynamic effects of salt stress on nitrate (NO3−) and ammonium (NH4+) uptake were assessed. After salinity stress (150 mM NaCl), an increase in the net influx of NO3− was observed under the conditions of the assay, while the net flux of NH4+ did not show a significant change. The differential expression of NRT genes suggests that NO3− may play a multifaceted role in salinity tolerance, potentially contributing to nutrition, ion homeostasis, and signaling pathways. The coordinated signaling network likely allows S. sebiferum to effectively cope with salinity stress and sustain physiological functions under challenging conditions. These findings provide valuable insights into the molecular basis of salt tolerance in S. sebiferum, thereby supporting sustainable practices in saline environments.

Soil salinity is often heterogeneous in natural environments, yet most studies on plant salt tolerance have focused on uniform salinity conditions. Understanding how trees respond to nonuniform salinity is critical for developing effective afforestation strategies in saline lands. In this study, we investigated the growth, physiological responses, and salinity threshold of velvet ash (Fraxinus velutina) seedlings under uniform salinity and nonuniform salinity using a split-root experiment. The nonuniform treatments consisted of one salt-free side and one side subjected to increasing NaCl concentrations (100–500 mM), with mean salinities equivalent to the uniform salinity treatments (50–250 mM). The results showed that at equal mean salinities, plants under nonuniform exhibited significantly higher biomass, shoot height, leaf water potential, and whole-plant water consumption compared to those under uniform salinity. Compensatory fine root proliferation in the salt-free zone was significantly higher than control roots, maintaining total root biomass higher than uniform 50mM, even when partial salinity reached 400 mM. Leaf Na+ accumulation was substantially lower under nonuniform salinity than under uniform salinity at equivalent mean salinities, while K+/Na+ ratios remained higher. Leaf water potential in nonuniform salinity plants was primarily determined by the salt-free root zone, indicating that roots in the non-saline compartment supplied sufficient water to sustain shoot hydration. Osmotic adjustment shifted from proline-dominated regulation under uniform salinity to soluble sugar-dominated regulation under nonuniform salinity, with lower MDA content suggesting reduced oxidative stress. Under uniform salinity, the threshold (mean salinity) for 50% biomass reduction was 163 mM. Under nonuniform salinity, when one side was saltfree and the other side received increasing NaCl, the threshold on the saline side for 50% biomass reduction was estimated as 436 mM . However, more fine root biomass was required to support the same shoot growth under nonuniform compared to uniform salinity, indicating reduced efficiency of roots in the saline zone. These findings demonstrate that compensatory fine root proliferation in the non-saline zone, coupled with preferential water uptake and restricted Na+ transport, enables velvet ash to tolerate much higher partial salinity than uniform salinity. This study provides a theoretical basis for partial root-zone desalinization as a cost-effective approach for afforestation in coastal saline lands.

Rice cultivation is widely used for the reclamation of saline-sodic soils. However, the mechanisms by which prolonged flooding alters soil chemical conditions and regulates carbon redistribution and stabilization across the soil profile remain unclear. This study compared soils reclaimed for 6 years (R6) and 17 years (R17) with unreclaimed saline-sodic soil (CK) in the Songnen Plain, Northeast China, and evaluated changes across three depths (0-20, 20-40, and 40-60 cm). Reclamation significantly improved aggregate stability, with corresponding increases in mean weight diameter and water-stable aggregates. R17 and R6 promoted greater soil organic carbon (SOC) retention within macroaggregates and increased humic substance concentrations, indicating improved structural protection of carbon. The fulvic/humic acid (FA/HA) ratio increased with depth under flooded conditions, suggesting greater fulvic acid mobility. Although HA and humin (HM) decreased with depth, their concentrations, particularly the HM/SOC ratio, remained higher and more stable in R17. Reductions in salinity acted as a key mediating pathway, regulating carbon redistribution across the soil profile, with mobile carbon fractions destabilizing surface aggregates but promoting organo-mineral bonding and aggregate formation at subsurface depths (20-40 cm). Overall, these findings indicate that rice-based reclamation stabilizes carbon via interconnected processes of salinity reduction, vertical carbon redistribution, and aggregation driven by carbon quality, highlighting subsurface layers as essential for long-term carbon stabilization in saline-sodic soils.

Soil salinization increasingly threatens global agriculture, yet critical knowledge gaps remain in understanding how halophytes shape soil legacies and regulate stress resilience in succeeding plants through microbially mediated pathways. We conducted a controlled soil-inoculation experiment using farmland "background" that was either autoclaved (sterilized) or left intact (non-sterilized), amended with soils collected from beneath six halophytes (grasses: Imperata cylindrica, Aeluropus littoralis, Phragmites australis; forbs: Suaeda glauca, Suaeda salsa, Limonium bicolor) as inocula at 10% (w/w; inoculum:background = 1:9). Seedlings of two succeeding plants (the halophyte S. salsa and the glycophyte Medicago sativa) were then grown under two salinity levels (0 vs 5 g/kg NaCl) to test how these soil legacies influence plant performance under salt stress. Soils collected under grass halophytes harbored significantly higher fungal richness than those collected under forb halophytes, with greater differentiation in fungal composition and more complex microbial network structures. Inoculation with halophyte-conditioned soils enhanced S. salsa biomass while showing no significant effects on M. sativa. Plants produced higher biomass in non-sterilized background soil than in sterilized soil under both non- and lowsalinity conditions. Within inoculated treatments, low salinity (5 g/kg NaCl) did not reduce S. salsa biomass but decreased M. sativa biomass, indicating greater salt sensitivity of the glycophyte in these soil contexts. In sterilized and low-salinity environments, fungal community composition in soils collected under grass halophytes showed significant correlations with M. sativa feedback indices. At the taxon level, several fungal OTUs detected in rhizosphere soils collected under grass halophytes (e.g., Pleosporales and Capnodiales) were also significantly associated with M. sativa feedback indices under specific soil contexts. Overall, our results suggest that halophyte soil legacies can improve succeeding plant growth and salt tolerance. These effects are contextdependent and statistically associated with host-specific microbiota across salinity levels. These findings highlight the potential for halophytes to help steer soil microbiomes to improve crop resilience in saline agroecosystems, while warranting further field-based validation.

Saline-alkali soil is an important potential land resource to compensate for the decreasing cultivated land. Improving grain yield and soil quality of saline-alkali soil is of great significance for ensuring the sustainable development of agriculture. Crop straw has already been demonstrated as a sustainable amendment to promote grain yield and soil quality. However, the effects of straw amendment in saline-alkali soil still lacks comprehensive assessment. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis using 105 publications to assess the effects of straw amendment and the potential driving factors in saline-alkali soil based on global literature with a strong China-dominant dataset. Overall, straw amendment significantly increased grain yield, soil organic matter (SOM) by 21.5%, 17.2%. While the soil bulk density (SBD), soil salt content (SSC), pH were decreased by 5.7%, 27.4%, 1.2%, respectively. Sub-group analysis showed that the effect sizes were more pronounced under lower mean annual temperature (MAT≤ 8). And in soil with higher degree of salinization (SSC>6 or pH>10) and lower SOM (≤ 8), the effects would be more significant for all the indicators. Optimizing agronomic practices enhanced the effects of straw, which higher nitrogen fertilizer (>180), appropriate straw using rates (≤ 7.5) and deep tillage would be more beneficial to grain yield and soil quality. Variation partitioning analysis (VPA) showed that the initial soil properties explained most of the variance on SSC (38%) and grain yield (58%). And agronomic practices explained most of the variance of SOM (22%). And then, the driving factors on the effects of straw amendment were quantified, which initial soil pH was one of the most important factors affecting the SSC, SOM and grain yield. Besides initial soil pH, the initial salt content, mean annual precipitation (MAP) affected more for SSC, MAT. And initial SOM affected more for SOM, straw using rates and initial soil salt content affected more for grain yield. Correlation analysis indicated that the effect sizes of each indicator showed different correlations with the climatic conditions, initial soil properties and agronomic practices. Those results would provide reference for the sustainable utilization of crop straw in saline-alkali soil.

Biochar amendment holds promise for improving saline soils, yet its efficacy is often constrained by the uncertainty of application rates. In this study, a large field trial and associated statistical modeling were conducted to explore the mechanisms by which biochar affects wheat yield in coastal saline soils of northern China. Results showed that biochar application significantly increased soil organic carbon (SOC) content (R-2 = 0.615, p < 0.001) but induced marked spatial heterogeneity across the field, with the coefficient of variation (CV) reaching 30.2%. Given the difficulty of uniformly applying biochar in the field, subplot-level SOC was used as a proxy for effective biochar distribution. Stepwise regression identified soil electrical conductivity (EC) as the dominant yield constraint (standardized coefficient = -0.69), rather than water and nutrients, and a quadratic relationship was observed between SOC and EC. Structural equation modeling (SEM) further suggested a trade-off: SOC was associated with higher yield through reduced bulk density (BD) (path coefficient = -0.603), whereas high SOC levels were also associated with increased EC under this coastal saline field setting (path coefficient = 0.243), thereby indirectly constraining growth. Consequently, the agronomic response showed a threshold-like transition: the peak wheat yield occurred at an SOC threshold of 13.87 g kg(-1) (equivalent to 44.41 t ha(-1)), which exceeded the point of minimum salinity (11.71 g kg(-1), equivalent to similar to 29.90 t ha(-1) biochar). These results suggest that the agronomic benefit of biochar in saline soils depends on maintaining application within an estimated beneficial buffering zone.

Plastic mulching (PM), straw interlayer (SI), and organic amendment (OA) have been reported to effectively increase cotton yield in coastal saline lands with dry climates. However, the adaptation of cotton roots to changes in soil physical and chemical properties remains unclear. In this study, a field experiment on rain-fed cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) under different reclamation practices was conducted in Bohai coastal land, China. Soil structure [mean weight diameter (MWD) and bulk density (BD)], nutrients, soil water, and salt profiles were examined in relation to cotton root distribution, morphological traits [root length density (RLD), root surface area (RSA), root volume (RV), and root average diameter (RAD)], and root diameter proportions. The results showed that PM increased 7.42% soil water content and reduced 52.06% salt content in the 0–10 cm soil. These soil environment changes led to 21.21% increase in RLD, but 16.56% decrease in RAD, mainly due to an increase in the percentage of fine root (diameter < 1.0 mm) from 72.5% [control (CK)] to 83.7%; SI decreased 45.36% topsoil salt content and improved 31.28% cotton yield, but it had no significant impact on root morphological traits; OA significantly improved soil structure (64.37% increase in MWD and 9.56% decrease in BD) and nutrient properties, as well as reduced 25.73% soil salt content. Compared with PM and SI, OA showed greater promotion on RLD (60.61%), RSA (69.57%), and RV (25.37%), but had little influence on RAD. A structural equation model indicated that fine roots contributed to the increase in cotton yield and were promoted by soil water, structure, and nutrients, while being negatively correlated with soil salinity. In contrast, coarse roots (diameter > 1.0 mm) were positively correlated with soil salt content. These findings suggest that cotton plants can mitigate salt stress by optimizing root foraging in the most favorable soil zones, allocating more fine root growth to areas with higher moisture, greater nutrients, better soil structure, and lower salt content. The composition of root diameter was primarily determined by soil water and salt content rather than soil structure or nutrients. This root morphological response to the soil environment is significant for cotton production in coastal saline lands.

Wetlands play a critical role in modulating the global carbon cycle and significantly contribute to climate change mitigation. China’s wetlands are characterized by high diversity, a large total area, wide distribution, and strong regional variability. However, the carbon exchange dynamics across different wetland types and their controlling mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we quantified and compared CO2 fluxes (gross primary productivity (GPP), ecosystem respiration (ER), and net ecosystem productivity (NEP)) among China’s wetland types using eddy covariance measurements, analyzing spatial patterns and controlling mechanisms. Coastal wetlands exhibited higher annual GPP, ER, and NEP compared with inland wetlands. Among all wetland types, mangrove ecosystems had the highest carbon uptake capacity. The carbon conversion efficiency (CCE) of inland wetlands (0.89 ± 0.24) was higher than that of coastal wetlands (0.66 ± 0.12), suggesting that inland wetlands are less efficient at carbon fixation than coastal wetlands. However, due to their larger total area than that of coastal wetlands, inland wetlands in China likely constitute a greater overall CO2 sink. Spatially, GPP and NEP showed significant differences between the tropical/subtropical zones and the temperate/plateau zones (p < 0.05), indicating the influence of climatic conditions. Climate factors influenced carbon fluxes primarily through their regulation of vegetation and soil features. The cascading relationships among climate, vegetation, and soil, as revealed by structural equation modeling (SEM), explained 61–71% of the spatial variation in GPP and ER, and 68% in NEP. Our findings provide valuable theoretical insights into the role of China’s wetland ecosystem in the global carbon cycle.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a major food crop with notable antioxidant potential. Among its various types, coloured-flesh potatoes have attracted widespread attention because of their strong antioxidant capacity and potential pharmacological effects, including blood pressure reduction and lipid-lowering properties. However, the differences in bioactivity and potential antioxidant mechanisms of different coloured potato flesh remain unclear. We employed a multi-omics approach, network pharmacology, and molecular docking, to investigate the genetic basis, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant mechanisms of four types of potato flesh. Metabolomic analysis revealed that anthocyanins were absent in bright-fleshed (white- and yellow-fleshed) potatoes, whereas lutein, pelargonidin-3-O-rutinoside, and delphinidin-3-O-rutinoside accumulated in association with yellow, red, and purple pigmentation, respectively. Random forest modelling revealed that flavonoids are the major contributors to antioxidant activity in coloured-flesh (red- and purple-fleshed) potatoes, followed by phenolic acids. Transcriptomic profiling indicated that the high expression of F3H, F3 ' 5 ' H, and DFR promoted anthocyanin biosynthesis in coloured-flesh potatoes, while BCH1 and BCH2 enhanced carotenoid accumulation in yellowfleshed potatoes. Further analysis of gene co-expression networks and promoter cis-elements revealed that TFs AN1, TT8, ASIL2, and WRKY6 played regulatory roles in the biosynthesis of anthocyanins and carotenoids. Network pharmacology and molecular docking identified pinobanksin and rhamnocitrin as key antioxidant compounds that potentially target proteins, including AKT1, PTGS2, ESR1, PPARG, and SRC. These findings provide comprehensive insights into the molecular and metabolic regulation of pigmentation and antioxidant activity in potatoes and provide promising targets for improving the nutritional quality and functional traits of potato germplasm.

The Pamir Plateau is a critical yet extreme environment where microorganisms are essential for ecosystem functioning. This study compared soil microbial communities between its northern and southern slopes. High-throughput sequencing revealed significantly greater microbial diversity and distinct community composition on the southern slope, with Actinobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria identified as key biomarkers. Functional profiling suggested these communities are enriched in pathways related to environmental stress response and repair. Furthermore, we isolated 70 bacterial strains, including two potential new species, with preliminary screening confirming their enzyme-producing capabilities. This work provides fundamental insights into microbial adaptation and biogeography in high-altitude ecosystems and establishes a valuable resource for future bioprospecting and ecological studies.

Saline water irrigation offers a potential solution for sustaining crop yields under freshwater scarcity. However, it carries risks such as soil structure deterioration and soil organic matter decomposition, which could accelerate nutrient release. Elevated soil salinity further hampers crop growth and reduces nutrient uptake, particularly affecting phosphorus absorption. This study investigated the dynamics of soil pH, electrical conductivity, water content and available phosphorus throughout the entire growth period of oat treated with 1, 3, and 5 g L-1 saline water. It also examined the post-harvest responses of soil aggregates and their associated phosphorus, as well as the above-ground biomass and phosphorus content in various oat organs. The results showed that 1) Compared to the 1 g L-1, 3 and 5 g L-1 treatments significantly increased soil electrical conductivity and water content throughout most of the growth period, with the 5 g L-1 treatment also significantly increasing soil available phosphorus content; 2) The 3 and 5 g L-1 treatments significantly reduced the soil macro-aggregate (>1 mm) proportion by 24.76 % and 36.36 % (p < 0.05), while increasing soil micro-aggregate (<0.053 mm) by 39.41 % and 71.59 % (p < 0.05), along with higher available phosphorus content in the < 0.053 mm fraction; 3) The above-ground phosphorus content in oats decreased by 30.27 % and 35.39 % under the 3 and 5 g L-1 treatments, respectively, compared to the 1 g L-1 treatment. Partial least squares structural equation modeling revealed the different reduction pathways: 3 g L-1 saline water inhibited crop phosphorus absorption by reducing phosphorus concentrations in stem and shell (Path coefficient [PC] = 0.796, p < 0.001), whereas 5 g L-1 reduced it by decreasing the stem and seed biomass (Path coefficient [PC] = 0.816, p < 0.001). This study reveals the effects of saline water irrigation on soil and crop phosphorus availability, providing valuable insights for optimizing saline water use and enhancing phosphorus availability in agricultural systems.

Salt stress is a key environmental limitation to plant growth and productivity, mainly because of detrimental osmotic and ionic effects. We examined salt stress effects on spinach (Spinacia oleracea) root growth, cell wall extensibility and chemical composition and localization of pectin at varying NaCl concentration gradients (0, 100, 200 and 300 mM NaCl). Root elongation and cell wall extensibility exhibited concentration-dependent inhibition, inversely correlated with pectin, hemicellulose I, and cellulose accumulation. Histological data indicated root epidermal deformation and hyperplastic root hair development under salinity. Crucially, compartment-specific pectin deposition in the endodermis was identified as a key response to salt stress, potentially modulating apoplastic water and solute flux. This study established that salinity induces cell wall compositional remodeling and morphological reorganization in spinach roots, with structural rigidity prioritized over growth under extreme salinity stress.

Lotus leaves combine both edible and medicinal properties and are rich in nutrients and bioactive compounds. In this study, the lotus leaf tea was prepared using a black tea fermentation process, and the functional components and microbial changes during fermentation were investigated. The results indicated that the activity of polyphenol oxidase showed an initial rise followed by a decline as fermentation progressed, peaked at 3 h with 1.07 enzyme activity units during fermentation. The lotus leaf fermented tea has high levels of soluble sugars (20.92 ± 0.53 mg/g), total flavonoids (1.59 ± 0.05 mg GAE/g), and total polyphenols (41.34 ± 0.87 mg RE/g). Its antioxidant activity was evaluated using ABTS, DPPH, and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays, with results of 18.90 ± 1.02 mg Vc/g, 47.62 ± 0.51 mg Vc/g, and 17.58 ± 1.06 mg Vc/g, respectively. The microbial community also shifted during fermentation. Fusarium played a significant role during the fermentation process. This study demonstrated that the black tea fermentation process improved the functional components and biological activity of lotus leaf tea by optimizing the synergistic effect of enzymatic oxidation and microbial fermentation. The findings not only realized the comprehensive utilization of lotus leaf resources but also provided a foundation for developing innovative functional beverages with enhanced bioactive properties.

Saline-alkali land significantly threatens global food security and ecological safety, and root-associated microorganisms help plants survive salt-alkali stress. However, the ecological functions and factors that influence the rhizosphere microbiomes of salt-tolerant plants remain poorly understood. In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing and metagenomics to reveal the microbial communities and functional traits of bulk and rhizosphere soil from salt-tolerant species (Suaeda glauca, Phragmites australis, and Spartina alterniflora) growing in saline soil. Bacterial and fungal taxa were significantly enriched in the rhizosphere soil compared to the non-rhizosphere soil. Metagenomic analyses revealed that metabolic pathways, including glycolysis and ABC transporters, were highly enriched in the rhizosphere. Functional profiling indicated that salt stress-related pathways were more abundant in the core genera Pseudomonas and Woeseia. The abundance of functional genes related to plant growth-promoting traits, including phosphate solubilization and salt adaptation pathways, was higher in the rhizosphere soil than in the non-rhizosphere soil, which was mainly driven by soil salinity, total nitrogen content, and total carbon content. Additionally, P. aeruginosa obtained from the rhizosphere of S. alterniflora exhibited high phosphorus solubilization efficiency (908.38 μg/mL), nitrogen fixation activity (2.84 μg/mL) and salt tolerance (≦ 5 % NaCl). These findings demonstrate that salt-tolerant plants shape microbial activities by controlling the rhizosphere microenvironment, mitigating salt stress, providing a scientific and practical foundation for the development of targeted microbial inoculants for saline-alkali land reclamation.