Nicotiana tabacum is a classic model for studying pollination on wet stigma. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) production are closely related to stigma fertility and depend on the activity of redox enzymes. This study is devoted to the comparison of two tobacco lines differing in physiological parameters and reproductive success. Samsun is a tobacco variety that is widely used in research due to its low demands; however, the reproductive potential of the variety is quite low. Based on this variety, a new line was obtained, called "Fortune"; the plants are externally similar to the Samsun plants, but are more successful in reproduction. The total production of ROS + NO on the stigmas of the Fortune plants is lower than the Samsun plants, but their ROS production is higher, and the main decrease occurs due to NO. Superoxide dismutase activity differs between the two lines at all stages of stigma development except the fertile stage, while ascorbate peroxidase activity is higher in "Fortune" at all stages. Additional isoforms of ascorbate peroxidase are detected in developing stigmas of the Fortune variety. Presumably due to differences in redox metabolism, Fortune plants produce more seeds, their fruit are larger, and their leaves and flowers are also larger compared to the Samsun plants. In this study, we investigated both redox homeostasis parameters and plant productivity using tobacco as the model plant and suggested that there is a correlation between these groups of parameters, which may be important for breeding highly productive plants.

Salt-tolerance improvement of tomatoes is largely a task of modern selection and plant molecular genetics because of cultivation on dry and irrigated lands under salt stress. To reveal the salt resistance gene, we need quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) normalization through reference genes analysis. Sometimes, housekeeping gene expression changes in response to various stress factors, especially salinity. In this manuscript, we evaluated expression changes of elongation factor 1α X53043.1 (EF1α), actin BT013707.1 (ACT), ubiquitin NM_001346406.1 (UBI), nuclear transcript factor XM_026030313.2 (NFT-Y), β-tubulin NM_001247878.2 (TUB), glyceraldehyde-3 phosphate dehydrogenase NM_001247874.2 (GAPDH), phosphatase 2A catalytic subunit NM_001247587.2 (PP2a), and phosphoglycerate kinase XM_004243920.4 (PGK) in salt-sensitive Solanum lycopersicum L. YaLF line and salt tolerance Rekordsmen cv. under 100 mM NaCl. We also suggested potential correlations between relative water content (RWC), ion accumulation, and reference gene expression in tomato genotypes with contrasting salinity tolerance. We used geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, ∆Ct, and RefFinder algorithms to establish a set of the most reliable tomato candidate genes. The most stable genes for YaLF tomatoes were ACT, UBI, TUB, and PP2a. Despite differences in ranks, the NFT-Y was present in Rekordsmen’s stable set.

The prospects for long-distance space flights are becoming increasingly realistic, and one of the key factors for their implementation is the creation of sustainable systems for producing food on site. Therefore, the aim of our work is to assess the prospects for using millet in biological life support systems and to create predictive models of yield components for automating plant cultivation control. The study found that stress from hypergravity (800 g, 1200 g, 2000 g, and 3000 g) in the early stages of millet germination does not affect seedlings or yield. In a closed system, millet yield reached 0.31 kg/m2, the weight of 1000 seeds was 8.61 g, and the yield index was 0.06. The paper describes 40 quantitative traits, including six leaf and trichome traits and nine grain traits from the lower, middle and upper parts of the inflorescence. The compiled predictive regression equations allow predicting the accumulation of biomass in seedlings on the 10th and 20th days of cultivation, as well as the weight of 1000 seeds, the number of productive inflorescences, the total above-ground mass, and the number and weight of grains per plant. These equations open up opportunities for the development of computer vision and high-speed plant phenotyping programs that will allow automatic correction of the plant cultivation process and modeling of the required yield. Predicting biomass yield will also be useful in assessing the load on the waste-free processing system for plant waste at planetary stations.

In this study, we investigated the possible effects of cobalt and boron nanoparticles as an inducer of the first stages of development (germination) of hard and soft wheat when simulating flooding as one of the limiting environmental factors. We also investigated the remote effect of treating wheat grains with nanoparticles when flooding was applied already at the tillering stage. To identify the effects of nanoparticles, we used morphometric, biochemical and phenotypic parameters of seedlings and plants of two wheat species differing in origin and the response of these parameters to flooding. Positive effects were found at the germination stage, increasing quantitative indicators under stress. The sensitivity of wheat species to flooding was different, which corresponds to historical and climatic aspects of cultivation. Sensitivity to stress effects associated with loss of germination, decreased growth and photosynthesis was shown for both species. Treatment with cobalt and boron nanoparticles enhanced adaptation to stress and improved photosynthetic parameters, but the encouraging results under stressful conditions were ambiguous and in the case of soft wheat could lead to deterioration of some parameters. Thus, the use of boron and cobalt nanoparticles has potential for reducing productivity under stress, but requires a detailed assessment of the cultivation protocol depending on the genotype.

The influence of crown illumination on leaf damage of horse chestnut species (Aesculus hippocastanum L., Aesculus glabra Willd, Aesculus flava Aiton, Aesculus pavia L., Aesculus × carnea Hayne, Aesculus parviflora Walter, Aesculus chinensis Bunge) affected by ohrid leaf miner (Cameraria ohridella Deschka & Dymić) was studied using some accessions from the arboretum botanical tree collection. A. hippocastanum, A. glabra, A. flava had the lowest chl a content in the foliage on the sunlit side of the crown, while in A. pavia, A. parviflora and A. chinensis this indicator was the highest. The chl a content in the leaves of A. hippocastanum and A. flava under shaded conditions was 1.3 and 2.4 times higher than in the sunlit part, while in A. pavia, A. parviflora and A. chinensis the chl a content on the shaded side was 1.2, 1.6 and 1.3 times lower. The quantitative content of chl b in the sunlit part of the crown in A. hippocastanum and A. flava was significantly higher than in the other species. Moreover, while A. flava and A. parviflora had the highest chl b content in the foliage of the shaded part of the crown, A. glabra and A. × carnea had the lowest. Similarly, differences in proline levels were found in the leaves of different horse chestnut species on the sunny side of the crown. Higher proline levels in less infested species were identified. Water content imbalances due to feeding by leaf miners were most characteristic of the severely affected species. Chlorophyll fluorescence determination revealed high photochemical activity with an effective defense system in resistant species, while non-resistant species exhibited weak defense mechanisms in both sunlight and shade. To assess horse chestnut species the hyperspectral analysis indices (DSWI and SIPI) were also successfully applied. Changes in chl a and chl b content, proline levels, and leaf water-holding properties can be used to assess the resistance of horse chestnut species using classical physiological and biochemical methods. Hyperspectral analysis indices (DSWI and SIPI) can also be successfully applied.

A comprehensive study was conducted to develop an effective protocol for the clonal micropropagation and subsequent acclimatization of three mint (Mentha) cultivars: ‘Pamyati Kirichenko’, ‘Botanicheskaya’, and ‘Serebryanoe Chudo’. This research investigated the influence of nutrient Murashige–Skoog medium composition with the addition of growth regulators (BAP/NAA) on in vitro morphogenesis, as well as the impact of two acclimatization methods to in vivo conditions (direct field planting and a two-stage acclimatization approach) on field performance, yield, and essential oil composition in three mint cultivars. The results revealed a distinct cultivar-specific response. The ‘Pamyati Kirichenko’ and ‘Botanicheskaya’ cultivars showed high efficiency on the BAP/NAA medium and good survival rates with both acclimatization methods. In contrast, the ‘Serebryanoe Chudo’ cultivar exhibited pronounced sensitivity to the medium with growth regulators and a low survival rate upon direct planting (40.5%). The two-stage acclimatization method proved critically important for this cultivar, enabling an increase in survival to 68%, as well as improvements in yield, essential oil output, and the restoration of its cultivar-specific linalool profile (59.5% linalool). It was established that, for cost-effective production, an individual selection of technological parameters for each genotype is necessary at all stages of microclonal propagation.

Transgenic tobacco plants with additional enzymes producing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)—superoxide dismutase from Arabisopsis thaliana and choline oxidase from Arthrobacter globiformis—have increased resistance to stress factors, which was demonstrated previously, but their reproductive potential has not been studied to date. Superoxide dismutase converts superoxide radical into H2O2, and choline oxidase catalyzes the oxidation reaction of choline to form betaine aldehyde, which is subsequently converted into glycine betaine and H2O2. We found that the addition of both exogenous genes stimulated growth of the floral organs: petals, styles, and stamens. However, the reproductive potential of the transgenic plants was different. Thus, the introduction of the superoxide dismutase gene FeSOD significantly increased pollen germination in vitro, in vivo, the size of fruits, and the number of seeds. At the same time, the insertion of the CodA gene resulted in the production of abnormal pollen with low germination in vitro. The female reproductive potential system in these plants was not affected. Thus, shifting the ROS balance towards hydrogen peroxide not only increases tobacco stress resistance but also stimulates reproductive success. Glycine betaine production disrupts pollen formation, although such plants show increased resistance to osmotic stress.

The susceptibility of seven species of chestnuts to the horse chestnut leaf miner was studied in the arboretum of the Main Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences (MBG RAS), taking into account their interspecific characteristics. Using pheromone delta traps, the highest number of Cameraria ohridella moths was shown for Aesculus hippocastanum and the lowest for Aesculus chinensis. A number of anatomical parameters of leaves were investigated, such as the thickness of the epidermal cell wall and the thickness of the palisade and spongy parenchyma layers. As a result, it was shown that the most infected chestnut species had a greater thickness of the nutritious parenchyma tissue. No dependence was found between the degree of susceptibility to the horse chestnut leaf miner and such indicators as the content of chlorophyll a + b and carotenoids in the leaves of seven species of chestnuts. Nevertheless, resistance of different species of the genus Aesculus to Cameraria ohridella under increased tannin content in leaves has been shown. Evaluation of phenolic compounds and flavonoids has not established their reliable role as repellents. The high levels of carbohydrates found during the study contributed to increased susceptibility to the horse chestnut leaf miner.

ROS-dependent induction of oxidative damage can be used as a trigger initiating genetically determined non-specific protection in plant cells and tissues. Plants are potentially able to withstand various specific (toxic, osmotic) factors of abiotic effects, but do not have sufficient or specific sensitivity to form an adequate effective response. In this work, we demonstrate one of the possible approaches for successful cold acclimation through the formation of effective protection of photosynthetic structures due to the insertion of the heterologous FeSOD gene into the tobacco genome under the control of the constitutive promoter and equipped with a signal sequence targeting the protein to plastid. The increased enzymatic activity of superoxide dismutase in the plastid compartment of transgenic tobacco plants enables them to tolerate the oxidative factor of environmental stresses scavenging ROS. On the other hand, the cost of such resistance is quite high and, when grown under normal conditions, disturbs the arrangement of the intrachloroplastic subdomains leading to the modification of stromal thylakoids, probably significantly affecting the photosynthesis processes that regulate the efficiency of photosystem II. This is partially compensated for by the fact that, at the same time, under normal conditions, the production of peroxide induces the activation of ROS detoxification enzymes. However, a violation of a number of processes, such as the metabolism of accumulation, and utilization and transportation of sugars and starch, is significantly altered, which leads to a shift in metabolic chains. The expected step for further improvement of the applied technology could be both the use of inducible promoters in the expression cassette, and the addition of other genes encoding for hydrogen peroxide-scavenging enzymes in the genetic construct that are downstream in the metabolic chain.

В статье исследована возможность применения гиперспектральной и RGB-съемки в качестве быстрого и надежного метода определения содержания хлорофиллов для оценки показателей состояния фотосинтетического аппарата. Приведены результаты исследования связей между спектральными характеристиками отражательной способности флаговых листьев пшеницы, характеристиками их цвета и содержанием хлорофилла в условиях наличия и отсутствия затопления. Установлено, что наиболее точная оценка состояния растений может быть построена на основе вегетационного индекса NDVI705, полученного путем обработки гиперспектральных данных.

Wheat is one of the main food crops, the value of which lies in the high content of protein and carbohydrates in the kernel. To improve the quality of kernel processing, it is desirable that all kernels are uniform in shape and quantitative parameters. However, the kernel technological properties are affected by agricultural technology, environmental conditions and genetic characteristics, for example, even within one ear; kernels vary in size and the degree of ripening. Therefore, the aim of this work is to test the relationship between the coefficients (indices) of kernel shape variability in winter wheat lines that were pre-selected in long-term competitive variety trials and to select the best variety accession for further targeted selection to improve the uniformity of kernels. This work examined seven lines and a control variety of winter wheat grown during 2022–2023. Sampling in the field experiment was carried out randomly. The variability of quantitative traits was assessed by the analysis of variance method. It is noted that symmetrical kernels are mainly characteristic of 188h, the intermediate position is occupied by Moskovskaya 56, 150h, 152h, 171h, 184h, 187h and variety sample 151h has clearly expressed asymmetry. Index 5 of the kernel cut has a strong correlation with gluten content (r = 0.74, p = 0.05), index 4 with kernel test weight (r = 0.84, p = 0.01), index 3 with a tillering coefficient (r = 0.83, p = 0.05) and index 1 with plant height (r = 0.81, p = 0.05). An inverse relationship was found for index 2 with kernel vitreousness (r = −0.74, p = 0.05). The kernel test weight has an inverse relationship with the grain area (r = −0.71, p = 0.05). Predictive regression equations on the relationship of plant height, tillering ratio, gluten content and indices are given. While limited by its one-year duration, this study reveals intriguing correlations between grain shape parameters and economically valuable traits in wheat, offering valuable insights for high-throughput phenotyping applications in rapidly advancing agricultural technologies. This article will be useful for breeding for kernel uniformity and, consequently, for increasing the kernels in the ear and the weight of 1000 seeds.

В статье исследована возможность регуляции биомассы и продуктивности Mentha piperita L. при выращивании в условиях закрытой системы Синерготрон. Приведены результаты модуляции световых параметров культивирования и использование обработок низкими концентрациями пептида за счет изменения интенсивности роста и формирования вегетативной массы. Установлено, что закрытая система позволяет выявлять тонкие механизмы изменения растений и их морфологии и метаболизма при применении вегетационных индексов GLI, EXG, VARI и традиционных критериев продуктивности, открывая новые возможности в разработке современных подходов в биотехнологии эфиромасличных растений.

В статье обсуждаются вопросы оценки перспективности выявления скрытой вирусной инфекции для мониторинга вирусных патогенов с использованием цифровой обработки изображений, полученных при использовании оптической цифровой камеры и гиперспектральных изображений. Приведены сведения о 13 видах вирусов на культуре Syringa L. Представлены данные о видовом составе вирусов Syringa в экосистемах ГБС и Московского региона и симптоматика их проявления. На основании вирусологической экспертизы на сирени были диагностированы специализированные патогены Lilac ring mottle ilarvirus (LRMV), Lilac leaf chlorosis ilarvirus (LLCV), а также впервые несвойственные для сирени Carnation mottle carmovirus, Cucumber mosaic cucumovirus, Alfalfa mosaic alfamovirus и Potato Y potyvirus. В результате системного мониторинга определена частота встречаемости для 7 вирусов.

The use of instrumental methods of analysis in the assessment of indices that record changes in symmetry in the structure of grains to evaluate the quality of durum and soft wheat grain is currently considered a search tool that will allow us to obtain previously unavailable data by finding correlations associated with differences in the shape and ratio of starch granules in conditionally symmetrical and asymmetrical wheat fruits (kernels) formed in different field conditions and with different genotypes. Indicators that had previously shown their effectiveness were used to analyze the obviously complex unique material obtained as a result of growing under critically unique sowing conditions in 2022, which affected the stability of grain development and filling. For the evaluation, a typical agronomic comparative experiment was chosen, which was used to evaluate the soil tillage practices (fallow, non-moldboard loosening, and plowing) and sowing dates (early and after excessive rainfalls), which made it possible to analyze a wider range of factors influencing the studied indices. The soil tillage methods were found to affect the uniformity of kernel fullness and their symmetry, and the sowing dates did not lead to significant differences. This study presents detailed changes in the shape of the middle cut of a wheat kernel, associated with assessing the efficiency of kernel filling and the symmetrical distribution of storage substances under the influence of external and internal physical factors that affect the formation of the wheat kernel. The data obtained may be of interest to breeders and developers of predictive phenotyping programs for cereal grain and seeds of other crops, as well as plant physiologists.

As photosynthetic systems, plants are fundamental elements of the Earth’s biosphere, playing key roles in providing energy and resources [...]

The identification of reliable physiological and biochemical indicators for assessing tomato salt tolerance can increase the efficiency of plant breeding to create new varieties and lines. The purpose of our study was to identify available physiological and biochemical relevant characteristics for assessing the sensitivity to sodium chloride salinity of different tomato genotypes at the seedling stage. A complex analysis was carried out based on indicators such as biomass growth, water content of plant tissues, content of readily soluble salts, sodium and chlorine ions, photosynthetic pigments, carotenoids, phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Additionally, the stomata area of the upper and lower epidermis was taken into account. The comprehensive assessment carried out made it possible to reliably divide the eight studied tomato varieties into two groups: sensitive (Belyij Naliv, Geya, YaLF, Paradigma) and tolerant (Recordsmen, Yuryevskij, Bych’e Serdce, Astrakhanskij). Tomato genotypes that can be classified as sensitive (in order of increasing sensitivity to high concentrations of NaCl (150 mM)) were Belyij Naliv > Geya > YaLF ≥ Paradigma. Tomato genotypes that can be classified as resistant to salt stress (in order of increasing tolerance to high concentrations of NaCl (150 mM)) were Recordsmen < Yuryevskij < Bych’e Serdce < Astrakhanskij. The advisability of only using complex physiological and biochemical indicators to obtain relevant assessments for salinity tolerance at the early stages of tomato plant development has been demonstrated.

Transgenic tobacco plants overexpressing the choline oxidase gene from A. globiformis showed an increase in resistance at the level of primary and secondary biosynthesis of metabolites, removing the damage characteristic of salinity and stabilizing the condition of plants. We used 200 mM NaCl, which inhibits the growth of tobacco plants at all stages of development. Leaves of transgenic and wild-type (WT) plants Nicotiána tabácum were used for biochemical, cytological and molecular biological analysis. However, for transgenic lines cultivated under normal conditions (without salinity), we noted juvenile characteristics, delay in flowering, and slowing down of development, including the photosynthetic apparatus. This caused changes in the amount of chlorophyll, a delay in the plastid grana development with the preservation of prolamellar bodies. It also caused changes in the amount of sugars and indirectly downstream processes. A significant change in the activity of antioxidant enzymes and a change in metabolism is probably compensated by the regulation of a number of genes, the expression level of which was also changed. Thus, the tolerance of transgenic tobacco plants to salinity, which manifested itself as a result of the constitutive expression of codA, demonstrates an advantage over WT plants, but in the absence of salinity, transgenic plants did not have such advantages due to juvenilization.

Phenolic compounds or polyphenols are among the most common compounds of secondary metabolism in plants. Their biosynthesis is characteristic of all plant cells and is carried out with the participation of the shikimate and acetate-malonate pathways. In this case, polyphenols of various structures are formed, such as phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, and various oligomeric and polymeric compounds of phenolic nature. Their number already exceeds 10,000. The diversity of phenolics affects their biological activity and functional role. Most of their representatives are characterized by interaction with reactive oxygen species, which manifests itself not only in plants but also in the human body, where they enter through food chains. Having a high biological activity, phenolic compounds are successfully used as medicines and nutritional supplements for the health of the population. The accumulation and biosynthesis of polyphenols in plants depend on many factors, including physiological-biochemical, molecular-genetic, and environmental factors. In the review, we present the latest literature data on the structure of various classes of phenolic compounds, their antioxidant activity, and their biosynthesis, including their molecular genetic aspects (genes and transfactors). Since plants grow with significant environmental changes on the planet, their response to the action of abiotic factors (light, UV radiation, temperature, and heavy metals) at the level of accumulation and composition of these secondary metabolites, as well as their metabolic regulation, is considered. Information is given about plant polyphenols as important and necessary components of functional nutrition and pharmaceutically valuable substances for the health of the population. Proposals on promising areas of research and development in the field of plant polyphenols are presented.

Understanding the mechanisms of plant salt tolerance as a complex trait is an integral part of many studies, the results of which have been used in the breeding process. The aim of this study was to compare the root response of two tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) genotypes (breeding line YaLF and cultivar Recordsmen) differing in salt tolerance. Rhizogenesis was induced in tomato shoots in vitro with different concentrations of NaCl in the culture medium. A number of morphobiological and cytological parameters were evaluated at the organ, tissue, and cellular levels for possible use in a comprehensive assessment of genotypes for salt tolerance. The influence of NaCl caused disruption of the cell cycle and redistribution of cells in the phases of the cell cycle. An increase in the degree of vacuolization was shown in cv Recordsmen at 75 and 150 mM NaCl and in the YaLF line at 150 mM NaCl. Under salt action, an increase/decrease in the length of cells such as columella cells (both genotypes) and epidermal cells (in cv Recordsmen at 75 and 150 mM NaCl) was shown. Differences between genotypes were demonstrated by changes in the area of the central cylinder and primary root cortex cells, as well as by changes of the Snucleolus/Snucleus ratio in these cells. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed the modification of the chromatin structure in the root cells of these genotypes. Various cytoskeletal disorders were revealed in interphase cells of the tomato root of cv Recordsmen and the YaLF line by immunofluorescent staining under saline conditions. These morphometric and cytological parameters can be used for a comparative evaluation of genotypes differing in salt tolerance in a comprehensive assessment of varieties.

The aim of the study was to study the state and reaction of cytoskeletal elements, microtubules and actin filaments, in root cells of Samsun tobacco plants and its transgenic line expressing the FeSOD1 gene from Arabidopsis thaliana with the pea rbcS leader sequence for the localization of the gene product in chloroplasts encoding Fe-dependent superoxide dismutase, constitutively inducing intracellular oxidative stress, by increasing the H2O2 pool for a long-term effect of moderate concentrations of NaCl and Na2SO4. The main hypothesis was to identify the positive protective effect of controlled constant oxidative stress on the stability of the most sensitive system that provides growth by division and growth by extension (the tubulin cytoskeleton) and effective intracellular transport and structural stability (the actin filament system). Localization of the microtubule cytoskeleton and actin filaments using antibodies to tubulin clone DM1α and actin clone 10-B3 by transmission electron microscopy and immunocytologically, detected by treatment with the second antibodies conjugated with Alexa‑488, made it possible to establish signs of reorganization and disassembly of the actin filament network under the action of NaCl and Na2SO4 as in control and in transgenic plants. At the same time, in transgenic plants, differences can be noted even without exposure, which indicates the effectiveness of this method for stimulating a protective response. These data suggest that the state of the system of the tubulin cytoskeleton and actin filaments may be an indicator of the resistance of FeSOD1 transgenic plants to salinity. A relationship has also been established between the reorganization of the cytoskeleton and vacuolization, especially with Na2SO4.