Abstract waterlogging constrains terrestrial plants by limiting oxygen diffusion in the rhizosphere and altering root-zone physical and chemical properties. However, the extent to which whole-plant responses to waterlogging can be reproduced by oxygen deficiency alone remains unresolved. In tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ), waterlogging is commonly associated with adventitious-root formation, yet the functional contribution of these roots to whole-plant water relations has rarely been quantified. Here, we experimentally separated root-zone hypoxia from waterlogging and quantified the contribution of surface-associated adventitious roots to whole-plant transpiration. Using high-resolution gravimetric lysimeters, we monitored transpiration dynamics under two conditions: (i) N 2 -driven displacement of root-zone O 2 under near-field-capacity conditions and (ii) root-zone waterlogging. These measurements were complemented by analyses of soil redox potential and pH, mineral composition, stem anatomy, and genotypic variation among M82, IL11-4, and IL8-1. N 2 -driven oxygen depletion rapidly reduced rhizosphere O 2 concentration and induced a moderate decline in redox potential, accompanied by changes in rhizosphere chemistry and mineral relations. Whole-plant transpiration, however, declined only progressively over several days. Under waterlogging, transpiration declined rapidly in all genotypes, with strong genotype dependence. A transient partial recovery coincided with the appearance of adventitious roots at the soil surface and was followed by renewed decline after drainage. Quantitative analysis indicated that adventitious roots contributed only a limited fraction of daily water uptake, approximately 15% to 20%, which was insufficient to restore pre-waterlogging transpiration or growth. Together, these results show that waterlogging responses were not reproduced by rapid oxygen deprivation alone and that adventitious roots provide limited hydraulic compensation.

Flexible developmental programs enable plants to customize their organ size and cellular composition. In leaves of eudicots, the stomatal lineage produces two essential cell types, stomata and pavement cells, and plants can adjust the total numbers and ratios of these cell types in response to external cues. Central to this flexibility is the stomatal lineage-initiating transcription factor, SPEECHLESS (SPCH). Here we explore the mechanisms underlying SPCH's involvement in environmental response. Using multiplexed CRISPR/Cas9 editing of SlSPCH cis-regulatory sequences in tomato, we identified variants with altered stomatal development responses to drought, light and temperature cues. By creating and live-cell tracking translational reporters of SlSPCH and its paralogues SlMUTE and SlFAMA, we revealed the corresponding cellular events that lead to the environmental change-driven responses in stomatal production and leaf form. Plants bearing the novel reporters and SlSPCH variants are powerful resources for fundamental and applied studies of tomato resilience in response to climate change.

Plants respond to environmental cues, such as light and temperature, which regulate their growth and development. In the model plant Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTORS (PIFs) are central regulators of both shade avoidance and thermomorphogenesis. However, their functional roles in crop species are less well known. Here, we generated a tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) mutant lacking all 8 known PIF genes (slpifo), to investigate their roles under controlled and field conditions. We showed that SlPIFs are essential for shade responses, while thermomorphogenesis-induced elongation is largely independent of SlPIFs, revealing species-specific differences in regulatory mechanisms. Under low-red to far-red light (low R/FR), slpifo plants failed to exhibit characteristic wild-type responses, including shoot elongation, expansion and thinning of leaf blades, and depletion of leaf chlorophyll. We further identified redundant roles for SlPIF1a, SlPIF4, and SlPIF8a in regulating stem elongation and chlorophyll depletion in response to low R/FR. In addition, slpifo plants exhibited reduced overall growth, fruit size, fruit number, and seed dormancy under field conditions, highlighting broader roles for SlPIFs beyond neighbor detection. These findings provide insights into how PIFs orchestrate organ-specific developmental plasticity in tomato, offering avenues to optimize light responsiveness for crop improvement.

Waterlogging constrains terrestrial plants by limiting gas diffusion and altering the hydraulic and chemical environment of roots. Yet it remains unclear which whole-plant responses arise from oxygen limitation alone and which require the broader physical context of excess water. Using high-resolution gravimetric lysimetry in tomato, we compared N₂-induced hypoxia under near-field-capacity conditions with root-zone waterlogging. N₂ injection reduced root-zone O₂ from approximately 18%-19% to below 1% and altered pH, redox potential, and mineral relations, but whole-plant transpiration declined only after sustained exposure. Waterlogging caused a faster, genotype-dependent transpiration decline in M82, IL11-4, and IL8-1. Adventitious-root emergence at the soil-air interface coincided with transient partial recovery of transpiration, whereas stronger adventitious-root development occurred in plants with larger transpiration losses. The renewed decline in transpiration after drainage was consistent with a partial contribution of surface-associated adventitious roots, although restoration of drainage also altered root-zone aeration, water availability, and primary-root conditions and therefore did not isolate their specific contribution. Together, the distinct response kinetics and root phenotypes show that rapid N₂-induced hypoxia did not reproduce the full waterlogging response. Adventitious roots were induced most strongly under severe stress and were temporally associated with partial, but not complete, recovery of whole-plant transpiration.

Activated carbon filters are used for the removal of hazardous gases from the air. This research applied vibrational spectroscopy methods, including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy to characterize hydrogen sulfide adsorption on impregnated carbon materials with metals having reactivity toward hydrogen sulfide. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy results demonstrated the formation of a new chemical bond between the impregnating metals and the sulfur, indicated by the appearance of a new band at 618 cm-1. The Raman spectra results showed that for the copper-impregnated activated carbon with the highest hydrogen sulfide adsorption capacity, a new vibrational band at 475 cm(-1) evolved, indicating a copper-sulfur bond. In addition, upshifts in the carbon D sub-bands were observed after efficient hydrogen sulfide adsorption, along with a larger area of the approximately 1500 cm(-1) band. Therefore, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy combination can potentially indicate H2S adsorption on impregnated activated carbon filters.

Impregnated activated carbons (IACs) used in air filtration gradually lose their efficacy for the chemisorption of noxious gases when exposed to humidity due to impregnated metal deactivation. In order to stabilize IACs against aging, and to prolong the filters' shelf life, inorganic phosphate compounds (phosphoric acid and its three salts, NaHPO4, Na2HPO4, and Na3PO4) were used as anti-aging additives for two different chromium-free IACs impregnated with copper, zinc, molybdenum, and triethylenediamine (TEDA). Phosphoric acid, monosodium, and disodium phosphate were found to be very efficient in inhibiting the aging of IACs over long periods against cyanogen chloride (the test agent) chemisorption, with the latter being the most efficient. However, the efficiency of phosphate as an anti-aging additive was not well correlated with its ability to inhibit the migration of metal impregnants, especially copper, from the interior to the external surface of carbon granules. Unlike organic additives, the inorganic phosphate additives did not decrease the surface area of the IAC or its physical adsorption capacity for toluene. Using a phosphate additive in IAC used in collective protection and personal filters can improve the safety of the user and the environment and dramatically reduce the need to replace these filters after exposure to humid environments. This has safety, economic, logistical, and environmental advantages.

Summary The promoting effect of gibberellin (GA) on primary-root elongation is well-documented in several plant species, yet its influence in others, including tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ), remains unclear. The role of GA in primary-root elongation has been studied in tomato using the GA-deficient mutants gib-1 and ga20-oxidase ( ga20ox1 ) and various growth systems, including Dark (D)-root and D-shoot plates. GA application to these mutants following germination on vermiculite, promoted primary-root elongation. However, when the roots grew deeper into the dark environment the hormone had no effect. RNA-seq analysis of dark-grown roots, treated with GA, revealed typical transcriptional responses, but the output for cell expansion remained unaffected. When dark-grown roots were illuminated deep in the ground, the hormone promoted their elongation. The results suggest that activation of Phytochrome B (PhyB) in the root, by red light, is essential for GA-induced elongation. We propose that GA promotes tomato root elongation after germination, when roots are exposed to low light underground and this contributes to rapid seedling establishment. As roots penetrate deeper into the soil, insensitivity to GA due to the lack of light may be important for sustained root growth under fluctuating water availability, given that water deficiency suppresses GA accumulation.

Impregnated activated carbon (IAC) is an efficient adsorbent for the filtration of hazardous gases from the air. However, it tends to lose its efficiency after exposure to high humidity, where it adsorbs water molecules. Water adsorption causes changes in metal impregnation, resulting in a loss of adsorption efficiency for certain toxic gases, particularly gases that are adsorbed via chemisorption. Here, an innovative method was developed for the regeneration and reactivation of aged IAC. The method is based on dripping a regeneration solution composed of ammonium hydroxide and ammonium carbonate onto the aged IAC. The developed regeneration method was applied to ASZMT, a common commercially used IAC, that had undergone accelerated aging for six months. After the regeneration process, the protection capacity of the IAC against cyanogen chloride (CK) and toluene was almost fully restored to its initial value. Elemental analysis by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed that after the regeneration procedure, the concentrations of zinc and copper on the external surface of the IAC were decreased. This provides evidence that they were partially incorporated back into the pores. It is reasonable to believe that the developed method can be applied to IACs other than ASZMT impregnated with different kinds of materials. The implementation of this method has economic and environmental consequences. In the future, it may allow the reuse of aged IAC and even the restoration of filters.

A novel self-decontaminating protective barrier was developed for in situ catalytic and photocatalytic degradation of the chemical warfare agent sarin. A polymeric matrix comprising a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) sheet embedded with TiO2 nanoparticles (4-10 nm) supported on mesoporous silica (SBA-15) was used to create the novel reactive barrier. The catalysts/photocatalysts were synthesized in two ways: on the silica surface and within the silica matrix. These two catalysts differed in their structural, textural, and spectroscopic properties and formed different active sites that affected their catalytic and photocatalytic activities. Combining the two synthesis methods yielded a highly effective self-decontamination PDMS composite barrier. After 6 h, 87% of the adsorbed sarin in the hybrid matrix was decomposed: 72% by the photocatalysis mechanism and 15% by the catalyzed hydrolysis (dark) mechanism. This study demonstrates the potential of TiO2/SBA-15 to impart reactive properties to an inert polymeric barrier, enhancing its protective capabilities and minimizing the potential environmental risk from hazardous materials.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have created a global climate crisis which requires immediate interventions to mitigate the negative effects on all aspects of life on this planet. As current agriculture and land use contributes up to 25% of total GHG emissions, plant scientists take center stage in finding possible solutions for a transition to sustainable agriculture and land use. In this article, the PlantACT! (Plants for climate ACTion!) initiative of plant scientists lays out a road map of how and in which areas plant scientists can contribute to finding immediate, mid-term, and long-term solutions, and what changes are necessary to implement these solutions at the personal, institutional, and funding levels.

In this study, a reactive adsorbent filler was integrated into a polymeric matrix as a novel reactive protective barrier without undermining its mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties. For this purpose, newly synthesized TiO2/MCM/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composites were prepared, and their various properties were thoroughly studied. The filler, TiO2/MCM, is based on a (45 wt%) TiO2 nanoparticle catalyst inside the pores of ordered mesoporous silica, MCM-41, which combines a high adsorption capacity and catalytic capability. This study shows that the incorporation of TiO2/MCM significantly enhances the composite's Young's modulus in terms of tensile strength, as an optimal measurement of 1.6 MPa was obtained, compared with that of 0.8 MPa of pristine PDMS. The composites also showed a higher thermal stability, a reduction in the coefficient of thermal expansion (from 290 to 110 ppm/°C), a 25% reduction in the change in the normalized specific heat capacity, and an increase in the thermal degradation temperatures. The chemical stability in organic environments was improved, as toluene swelling decreased by 40% and the contact angle increased by ~15°. The enhanced properties of the novel synthesized TiO2/MCM/PDMS composite can be used in various applications where a high adsorption capacity and catalytic/photocatalytic activity are required, such as in protective equipment, microfluidic applications, and chemical sensor devices.

Flexible developmental programs enable plants to customize their organ size and cellular composition. In leaves of eudicots, the stomatal lineage produces two essential cell types, stomata and pavement cells, but the total numbers and ratio of these cell types can vary. Central to this flexibility is the stomatal lineage initiating transcription factor, SPEECHLESS (SPCH). Here we show, by multiplex CRISPR/Cas9 editing of SlSPCH cis- regulatory sequences in tomato, that we can identify variants with altered stomatal development responses to light and temperature cues. Analysis of tomato leaf development across different conditions, aided by newly-created tools for live-cell imaging and translational reporters of SlSPCH and its paralogues SlMUTE and SlFAMA, revealed the series of cellular events that lead to the environmental change-driven responses in leaf form. Plants bearing the novel SlSPCH variants generated in this study are powerful resources for fundamental and applied studies of tomato resilience in response to climate change. Significance statement Plants can change their shape, size and cellular composition in response to environmental cues. Here, by precise gene editing of a core stomatal development regulator gene in tomato, we generate new alleles with enhanced or dampened responses to light and temperature cues. Combined with live imaging of development, we show the genetic and cellular pathways that contribute to customization of the leaf epidermis, and how this could lead to better climate-adapted varieties.

Low permeability and self-decontamination are extremely desired features for protective equipment against chemical warfare agents (CWAs). similar to 4nm TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized in the porous matrix of MCM-41 (45 wt%) as a novel reactive adsorbent for the degradation of sarin and VX. TiO2 /MCM-41 (similar to 520 m(2)/g) was embedded in a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) sheet. PDMS was chosen as a model for an air-impermeable barrier with high permeability to CWAs. The incorporation of the reactive adsorbent decreased the diffusion coefficients, increased the breakthrough time, and dramatically decreased the desorption of sarin and VX vapors. The adsorbed CWAs in the hybrid matrix decompose (>= 99%) to the nontoxic corresponding acids after 1 and 3 days for VX and sarin, respectively. This study demonstrates, for the first time, the potential of TiO2/MCM-41 as a reactive adsorbent embedded in polymeric matrices to improve the protection level and safety of protective equipment via combined adsorption and self-decontamination.

Asymmetric and oriented stem cell divisions enable the continued production of patterned tissues. The molecules that guide these divisions include several "polarity proteins"that are localized to discrete plasma membrane domains, are differentially inherited during asymmetric divisions, and whose scaffolding activities can guide division plane orientation and subsequent cell fates. In the stomatal lineages on the surfaces of plant leaves, asymmetric and oriented divisions create distinct cell types in physiologically optimized patterns. The polarity protein BREAKING OF ASYMMETRY IN THE STOMATAL LINEAGE (BASL) is a major regulator of stomatal lineage division and cell fate asymmetries in Arabidopsis, but its role in the stomatal lineages of other plants is unclear. Here, using phylogenetic and functional assays, we demonstrate that BASL is a eudicot-specific polarity protein. Dicot BASL orthologs can polarize in heterologous systems and rescue the Arabidopsis BASL mutant. The more widely distributed BASL-like proteins, although they share BASL's conserved C-terminal domain, are neither polarized nor do they function in asymmetric divisions of the stomatal lineage. Comparison of BASL protein localization and loss of function BASL phenotypes in Arabidopsis and tomato revealed previously unappreciated differences in how asymmetric cell divisions are employed for pattern formation in different species. This multi-species analysis therefore provides insight into the evolution of a unique polarity regulator and into the developmental choices available to cells as they build and pattern tissues.

We developed and optimized surface-enhanced Raman spectrometry (SERS) methods for trace analysis of explosive vapour and particles using a hand-held Raman spectrometer in the field. At first, limits of detection (LODs) using SERS methods based on a colloidal suspension of gold nanoparticles were measured under alkaline conditions and are as follows: pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) (1.5 × 10-6 M, 6.9 ng), 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazoctane (HMX), 8.1 × 10-6 M, 35 ng; urea nitrate (UN), 9.2 × 10-4 M, 165 ng; 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), 1.1 × 10-7 M, 0.35 ng. We developed SERS substrates that demonstrate the wide applicability of this technique for use in the field for explosive vapour and particles adsorbed on a surface based on Au nanoparticles that were optimal for the detection of the target materials in solution. Au nanoparticles were modified onto quartz fibres or a polyurethane sponge for vapour/particles detection. SERS detection of vapours of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT) and 1,3-dinitrobenzene (1,3-DNB) was shown by sampling vapours onto Au-modified quartz fibres followed by hand-held Raman analysis with estimated minimum detection levels of 3.6 ng and 54 ng, respectively. The detection of 2,4-DNT using sponge-based SERS decorated with Au nanoparticles was also demonstrated; however, the sensitivity was lower than that observed using quartz fibres. The detection of TNT on a surface was performed by utilizing quartz-fibres precoated with alumina and modified with Au nanoparticles, and the detection of 10 μg (0.53 μg cm-2) of TNT was demonstrated.

Functional amyloid proteins are self-secreted by microbial cells that aggregate into extracellular networks and provide microbial colonies with mechanical stability and resistance to antibiotic treatment. In order to understand the formation mechanism of functional amyloid networks, their aggregation has been studied in vitro under different physical conditions, such as temperature, salt concentration, and pH. Typical aggregates' morphologies include fibers or plaques, the latter resembling amyloid aggregates in neurodegenerated brains. Here, we studied the pH-reduction-induced aggregation of TasA, an extracellular functional amyloid appearing as fibers in biofilms of the soil bacterium, Bacillus subtilis. We used turbidity and zeta potential measurements, electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and static light scattering measurements, to characterize the aggregates of TasA and to compare them with colloidal aggregates. We further studied the aggregation of TasA in the presence of negatively charged nanoparticles and showed that nanoparticles co-aggregated with TasA, and that the co-aggregation was hindered sterically. Based on these studies, we concluded that, similarly to colloidal aggregation, TasA aggregation occurs due to surface potential modulations and that the aggregation is followed by a rearrangement process. Shedding light on the aggregation mechanism of TasA, our results can be used for the design of TasA aggregation inhibitors and promoters.

Low gibberellin (GA) activity in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) inhibits leaf expansion and reduces stomatal conductance. This leads to lower transpiration and improved water status under transient drought conditions. Tomato has three GIBBERELLIN-INSENSITIVE DWARF1 (GID1) GA receptors with overlapping activities and high redundancy. We tested whether mutation in a single GID1 reduces transpiration without affecting growth and productivity. CRISPR-Cas9 gid1 mutants were able to maintain higher leaf water content under water-deficit conditions. Moreover, while gid1a exhibited normal growth, it showed reduced whole-plant transpiration and better recovery from dehydration. Mutation in GID1a inhibited xylem vessel proliferation, which led to lower hydraulic conductance. In stronger GA mutants, we also found reduced xylem vessel expansion. These results suggest that low GA activity affects transpiration by multiple mechanisms: it reduces leaf area, promotes stomatal closure, and reduces xylem proliferation and expansion, and as a result, xylem hydraulic conductance. We further examined if gid1a performs better than the control M82 in the field. Under these conditions, the high redundancy of GID1s was lost and gid1a plants were semi-dwarf, but their productivity was not affected. Although gid1a did not perform better under drought conditions in the field, it exhibited a higher harvest index.

Biofilms are aggregates of cells that form on surfaces or at the air-water interface. Cells in a biofilm are encased in a self-secreted extracellular matrix (ECM) that provides them with mechanical stability and protects them from antibiotic treatment. From a soft matter perspective, biofilms are regarded as colloidal hydrogels, with the cells playing the role of colloids and the ECM compared with a cross-linked hydrogel. Here, we examined whole biofilms of the soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis utilizing methods that are commonly used to characterize hydrogels in order to evaluate the uptake of water and the water properties in the biofilms. Specifically, we studied wild-type as well ECM mutants, lacking the protein TasA and the exopolysaccharide (EPS). We characterized the morphology and mesh size of biofilms using electron microscopy, studied the state of water in the biofilms using differential scanning calorimetry, and finally, we tested the biofilms' swelling properties. Our study revealed that Bacillus subtilis biofilms resemble cross-linked hydrogels in their morphology and swelling properties. Strikingly, we discovered that all the water in biofilms was bound water and there was no free water in the biofilms. Water binding was mostly related with the presence of solutes and much less so with the major ECM components, the protein TasA and the polysaccharide EPS. This study sheds light on water uptake and water binding in biofilms and it is therefore important for the understanding of solute transport and enzymatic function inside biofilms.

Plants employ stomatal closure and reduced growth to avoid water deficiency damage. Reduced levels of the growth-promoting hormone gibberellin (GA) lead to increased tolerance to water deficit, but the underlying mechanism is unknown. Here, we show that the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) DELLA protein PROCERA (PRO), a negative regulator of GA signaling, acts in guard cells to promote stomatal closure and reduce water loss in response to water deficiency by increasing abscisic acid (ABA) sensitivity. The loss-of-function pro mutant exhibited increased stomatal conductance and rapid wilting under water deficit stress. Transgenic tomato overexpressing constitutively active stable DELLA proteins (S-della) displayed the opposite phenotype. The effects of S-della on stomatal aperture and water loss were strongly suppressed in the ABA-deficient mutant sitiens, indicating that these effects of S-della are ABA dependent. While DELLA had no effect on ABA levels, guard cell ABA responsiveness was increased in S-della and reduced in pro plants compared with the wild type. Expressing S-della under the control of a guard-cell-specific promoter was sufficient to increase stomatal sensitivity to ABA and to reduce water loss under water deficit stress but had no effect on leaf size. This result indicates that DELLA promotes stomatal closure independently of its effect on growth.

The effects of an eight-year natural aging of ASC impregnated activated carbon on the adsorption capacity and breakthrough times of model organic vapors and of the nerve agent sarin were investigated. Aging delayed methanol breakthrough from dry air on pre-dried carbon, but shortened the breakthrough time of both methanol and hexane under relative humidity (RH) of 30-85% on pre-humidified carbon. Aging also shortened the breakthrough time of the less volatile model compound 2-methoxyethanol, especially under RH of 60-85%. Aging significantly reduced the protection capacity against sarin at RH of 85%. The effects of aging on physisorption are attributed to enhanced hydrogen-bonding capability and strength of the interaction between water and adsorption sites on the carbon surface.