The great economic importance of sugar beet determines the ongoing biotechnological studies conducted worldwide to improve the technology of obtaining doubled haploids (DHs) using the method of unpollinated ovule culture in vitro. To improve the induction of gynogenesis, we tested the effect of thidiazuron (TDZ), temperature bud pretreatment, different concentrations of sucrose, and culturing on liquid or solid medium. Three genotypes were tested in this study. The use of TDZ at a concentration of 0.4 mg/L in solid IMB (induction medium for Beta vulgaris) induction nutrient medium with 3 g/L phytagel, 50 g/L sucrose, 200 mg/L ampicillin and cultivation at 28◦C in the dark produced up to 16.7% induced ovules. The liquid nutrient medium of the same composition induced up to 8% ovules. Increasing TDZ concentration to 0.8 mg/L resulted in reduction or total inhibition of gynogenesis, depending on the genotype. Reducing the sucrose concentration to 20 g/L or increasing it to 80 g/L was not effective. In all three genotypes, the absence of temperature pretreatment of buds (5–6 °C) showed the best results. The plant regeneration with MS nutrient medium of 20 g/L sucrose, 3 g/L phytagel, 1 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and 0.1 mg/L gibberellic acid (GA₃) resulted in up to seven shoots from one induced ovule in the most responsive genotype. We showed by flow cytometry, chromosome counting and chloroplast number assessment that all regenerant plants were haploid (2n = x = 9). Full article

Elaborating on the methods and means of enriching nutrition, including that of plants, with a number of microelements that are vital for humans is now very important due to the unresolved acute problems of micronutrient deficiency and imbalance, which affect the majority of the population of various countries in the world. Promising solutions for the implementation of biofortification in terms of safety, efficiency, size, biocompatibility, and transportability are the water-soluble derivatives of C₆₀ or C₇₀ fullerene. By now, the use of water-soluble fullerenes (C₆₀(OH)_22–24 or C₇₀(OH)_12–14 fullerenols, C₆₀ fullerene with glycine or with arginine: C₆₀-L-Gly or C₆₀-L-Arg) with various functional groups for plant enrichment is pioneering. Experimental research work was carried out at the agrobiopolygon of the Agrophysical Research Institute under controlled microclimate conditions. This work constituted an assessment of the influence of C₆₀(OH)_22–24 fullerenol introduction into the soil on the content of macro- and microelements in the soil and in plants, for example, cucumber, as well as on the plants’ physiological state (photosynthetic pigments, the intensity of lipid peroxidation, the activity of peroxidase and catalase enzymes), growth, and element content. Its aim was to study the possibility of enriching the plants’ production (Chinese cabbage, tomato, and cucumber) with compositions of the fullerene derivatives (C₆₀-L-Gly or C₆₀-L-Arg, C₆₀(OH)_22–24 or C₇₀(OH)_12–14 fullerenols) and selenium or zinc compounds by introducing them into a nutrient solution or by foliar treatment of plants. It was revealed that the introduction of solutions of C₆₀ fullerenol in various concentrations (1 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, and 100 mg/kg) into soddy-podzolic sandy loamy soil contributed to the activation of the processes of nitrogen transformation in the soil, in particular, the enhancement of the process of nitrification, and to the increase in the content of mobile forms of some macro- and microelements in the soil as well as of the latter in plant organs, for example, in cucumber plants, especially in their leaves. Along with this, the plants showed an increase in the content of photosynthetic pigments, a predominant decrease in the activity of the oxidative enzyme peroxidase and in the intensity of lipid peroxidation, and an increase in the content of the reducing enzyme catalase. The improvement in the physiological state of plants had a positive effect on the growth rates of cucumber plants. The compositions of solutions of amino acid fullerenes (C₆₀-L-Gly or C₆₀-L-Arg) and sodium selenate as well as C₆₀ or C₇₀ fullerenols and zinc sulfate, selected on the basis of different charges of molecules or functional groups of fullerene derivatives, showed higher efficiency at low concentrations in enriching the plant products of Chinese cabbage, tomato, and cucumber with selenium and zinc, respectively, compared with mineral salts of the indicated elements and control (edible part of Chinese cabbage: by 31.0−89.0% relative to that in the control and by 26.0–81.0% relative to the treatment of plants with a sodium selenate; tomato fruits: by 33.7–42.2% relative to that in the control and by 10.2–17.2% relative to the treatment of plants with a sodium selenate; cucumber fruits: by 42.0–59.0% relative to that in the control and by 10.0–23.0% relative to the treatment of plants with a zinc sulfate). At the same time, the quantitative characteristics of growth, productivity, and/or quality of the obtained products increase and improve accordingly. The prospects for further research include an in-depth study into the mechanisms of the compositions of fullerene derivatives and various compounds of trace elements’ influence on the plants, as well as the synthesis and study of the various exo- and endo derivatives of fullerenes’ properties, including C₆₀ complex compounds with transition metals and fullerenes, which, inside their carbon networks, contain atoms of various chemical elements, such as lanthanum and others. Full article

Studying the biostimulation effect of amino acids indicated their possible role in salt stress mitigation. In this investigation, six exogenous amino acids (alanine (Ala), arginine (Arg), glutamine (Glu), glycine (Gly), methionine (Met), and proline (Pro)) at 0.5 g/L were sprayed to evaluate their impact on lettuce plants cultivated under simulated salt stress conditions. Photosynthetic pigments, ion absorption, endogenous amino acids contents, catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD) enzyme activities were determined. A significant alleviation of salt stress was noticed when EAAs were used in the stress-induced plants, and applying Gly, Met, and Pro improved the plant status under salt stress conditions. The highest electric conductivity (568 μS/g) was testified from the control treatment (50 mM NaCl), while applying exogenous amino acids reduced electrical conductivity (EC), and the result was located between 469 and 558 μS/g. AAs alleviated Cl^- anions in the lettuce leaves by 25% in comparison to control plants. Na⁺ cations were alleviated when the stress-induced plants were sprayed with amino acids. In contrast, applying amino acids promoted K⁺ uptake, and Arg presented the highest contents (3226 μg/g). AAs promoted chlorophyll (chl a and chl b) concentrations compared to the control treatment, and Met produced the maximum chl a content, while the carotene (car) contents significantly augmented when Gly, Met, and Pro were applied. AAs were highly generated in non-stressed treatment (Std) compared to the control. Under simulated salinity stress, Met and Pro application enhanced proteinogenic amino acids expression. Compared to Ctl treatment, peroxidase enzyme activities significantly diminished in the other treatments, which fell by over 40% when Gly, Met, and Pro were sprayed. Full article

Two rapid asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) screening methods, in sand culture and in vitro, were tested to evaluate the response of young seedlings against F. oxysporum f. sp. asparagi (isolate Foa1). Root morphological parameters were evaluated and correlated with the symptomatology and expression of the defense-related genes at 5 and 7 dpi. In sand cultivation, the Foa1-inoculated cultivars showed no visible disease symptoms on their roots until 7 dpi. Two-factorial ANOVA statistics found no significant interaction between the cultivars and treatments for most root parameters but some differences between the cultivars. The in vitro Foa1-inoculated cultivars showed high susceptibility according to their symptomatology and differed greatly in the length of the primary root at 5 dpi. In some cultivars, the primary root length and root surface area were higher upon Foa1 inoculation. The expression changes were very different among the cultivars, with significant induction of PR1, POX, and PAL at 5 dpi in all cultivars in vitro but only in two cultivars in sand cultivation. The in vitro screening method, although more artificial, seemed to be more reliable than sand cultivation since the fungus was able to develop well in the culture medium. In sand-filled pots, the fungus may have been hindered in its development, even though a considerable higher amount of Foa1 was inoculated. In addition, the fungal growth was easily trackable in tubes, while in sand cultivation, the results were only visible after pulling the seedlings out of the pots 12 dpi. Full article

Lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa L.) were grown under salinity stress conditions. Amino acids (histidine (His), lysine (Lys), phenylalanine (Phe), and threonine (Thr)) were individually applied to the seedlings to study their impact on the status of the photosynthetic pigments, ion absorption, proteinogenic metabolism, and peroxidase activity. Investigating the effect of exogenous amino acids on the metabolism processes showed their potential role in inducing salt stress tolerance in lettuce plants. Generally, a destructive impact on lettuce plant morphology was observed when the plants were exposed to salt stress. In contrast, the significant (p < 0.05) mitigation of salt stress was registered when EAAs were applied to the stressed seedlings while using Threonine and lysine enhanced the status of the plants under salinity stress. For the salt treatment, the maximum electric conductivity (580.2 μS/g) was reported while applying EAAs to stressed plants’ decreased EC, and the data ranged from 522 to 554 μS/g. EAAs decreased the chloride ions in the leaves by 23–30% compared to in the stressed plants. Additionally, the sodium contents were mitigated when the stressed plants were sprayed with EAAs. In contrast, applying EAAs enhanced the potassium uptake, and Thr gave the highest K⁺ contents (3022 μg/g). EAAs increased the chlorophyll content compared to the control except when histidine was applied, while the carotene contents significantly increased when histidine and phenylalanine were used. Endogenous amino acids are highly expressed in non-stressed lettuce plants compared to the stressed ones. Under salt stress conditions, the threonine usage increased the expression of proteinogenic amino acids except methionine and tyrosine. Compared to the salt-stressed plants, the peroxidase activity significantly decreased in the other treatments, which fell by over 32% when His, Lys, and Phe were applied. Full article

The ginger family member purple amomum (Amomum longiligulare T.L. Wu) is an important medicinal plant in Vietnam. Although there have been studies on the chemical composition of essential oils and extracts of purple amomum, as well as their antibacterial, antifungal, activating macrophages, and immune enhancement effects, there is still a lack of evaluation of the phytotoxicity of this plant. In this study, the total content of phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) in extracts of leaf, seed, pseudo-stem, rhizome, and root from purple amomum and the phytotoxic effect of these extracts against five test plant species, including four dicotyledonous: camelina (Camelina sativa Crantz), quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. Dubrava), and one monocotyledonous: onion (Allium cepa L. cv. Stuttgarter risen), were investigated. Results showed that the seed and leaf extracts had higher total phenolic and flavonoid contents than the other two extracts (highest TPC value: 4.30 ± 0.03 mg GAE/mg dry weight of seed powder; highest TFC value: 1.32 ± 0.07 mg QE/mg dry weight of leaf powder). Furthermore, it was observed that the extracts of purple amomum inhibited seed germination and the growth of seedlings of all test plant species with different inhibition values. The general trend in all treatments showed that, when increasing the concentration of extracts from 0.10–0.20 mg/mL, the ability to inhibit seed germination, hypocotyl length, radicle length, fresh weight, and dry weight increased. Seed extract at a concentration of 0.20 mg/mL in most treatments showed the highest percentage inhibition of seed germination and growth of seedlings of the tested species. Onion was the most sensitive to purple amomum extracts among the five species tested. Based on these results, we conclude that extracts of different parts of the purple amomum exhibited phytotoxicity for the tested species. Further evaluation of the phytotoxic potential of the extracts on weed species and under field conditions is also recommended for the purpose of developing bio-herbicides for future weed management that are less toxic to the environment and human health. Full article

The relationships of selenium (Se) with other elements in plants is important for producing functional food with high Se contents and a predicted quality. To unveil the peculiarities of the element interactions, eight botanical varieties of Brassica oleracea L. were grown in similar conditions with or without foliar application of sodium selenate. High varietal differences, elicited by the Se supply, were recorded with regard to the accumulation of the elements examined, except for Mg, P and Si. Cabbage florets (broccoli and cauliflower) were characterized by both the lowest total mineral content and number of elements showing content changes under the Se supply (7–8 out of 25), whereas in Savoy cabbage, the highest number of minerals displayed content changes (13–14 from 25). The Se treatment did not significantly interfere with the high correlation coefficients recorded between Sr–Ca, Co–Ni and Zn–Mg (0.824–0.952). The selenium biofortification value varied from 12 to 138 depending on the species and was inversely correlated with the Si accumulation in the control plants (r = −0.872, p < 0.001). A significant decrease in the correlation coefficients occurred due to the Se supply regarding Zn with P and Co, Ca with Co and Li, Li and V, and Na and Sn, while the V–Pb relationship was significantly enhanced. Among the 25 elements studied, Cr demonstrated the highest number of significant correlation coefficient changes (with K, Na, P, Si, Zn, Cu, Co, I, As, Pb, and V). The results of this research prove the variability of the element interactions under foliar Se treatments in Brassica oleracea plants and reveal, for the first time, an inverse correlation between the Se biofortification level and Si content in untreated plants. Full article

Common hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis L.) is widely used as an aromatic and medicinal plant. In the component composition of the essential oil from the above-ground mass of H. officinalis f. cyaneus, from the collection of the Nikita Botanical Garden, the bicyclic monoterpene ketones isopinocamphone (50.99–64.41%) and pinocamphone (3.95–18.88%) predominate, which allows us to attribute this form to the isopinocamphone chemotype for use in pharmacology. An essential oil sample with a high content of isopinocamphone (70.74%) in complete absence of pinocamphone was determined, which made it possible to use the plant as a starting material for breeding. The objective of our work was to study the component composition of the essential oil of this form, and the morphology, anatomy and ploidy level of microshoots in vitro on a nutrient medium with BAP. This was compared with ex situ samples to develop a cultivation technique with the preservation of a valuable trait for use in task-oriented selection. Biotechnological methods are used for future mass propagation, study and the preservation of breeding forms. Morphological and anatomical features and ploidy of H. officinalis microshoots were studied in vitro. Using in vitro culturing of microshoots on MS medium containing BAP, a decrease in the cuticular layer and the degree of development of collenchyma near vascular bundles in leaves were shown compared to microshoots ex situ. Significant structural changes were found with a high increase in BAP concentration, while no changes in the ploidy level were detected. Full article