Neighborhood greenspace has been linked to various disability risk factors, including immunoregulation, mental health issues, and neurological and degenerative diseases. However, the precise nature of the relationship between greenspace and disability remains poorly defined, particularly concerning the spatial characteristics of greenspace beyond its mere quantity. This study aims to elucidate the

The extensive accumulation of genetic, genomic, expression, and breeding data on Prunus species often results in valuable information being lost or difficult to access for breeding purposes. We report a recent effort to increase curation on Prunus data in the Genome Database for Rosaceae (GDR, rosaceae.org) and a case study that explores 25 years of curated data (from 1998 to 2023) to uncover the genetic

Geraniol contributes significantly to the floral scent of herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactiflora) and is abundant in fragrant cultivars. However, the regulatory mechanism of geraniol biosynthesis in herbaceous peony remains unclear. In this study, we identified a transcriptional regulatory complex (PlMYB73-PlMYB70-PlMYB108) that cooperatively regulated geraniol biosynthesis in herbaceous peony. The three

The pear (Pyrus spp.), a perennial fruit tree, is subjected to genetic alterations over decades or even centuries to adapt to complex climatic and cultivation conditions. Genome-wide studies of deleterious mutations remain limited in perennial fruit trees, particularly regarding the effects of domestication on deleterious mutations. In this study, 232 pear accessions were resequenced, and 9,909,773

To produce mature seed, flowering plants must undergo successful male and female gametogenesis and pollination followed by fruit set, growth, and ripening. This sequential process involves complex genetic programming and less understood epigenetic re-programming. Here we report a previously unidentified CHROMOMETHYLASE3-directed epi-control in pollen mother cell (PMC)-to-microspore transition that

The Piedmont Forest in northwest Argentina, like most Neotropical seasonal dry forests, is one of the world́s most threatened ecosystems due to deforestation and climate change. To plan conservation strategies aimed at sustaining this forest type, the response to projected changes in habitat conditions must be anticipated. Our objectives were to determine the potential distribution and identify priority

The role of building characteristics and survival during wildfires are well studied. Less so is the role of urban vegetation type, condition, and location on building loss in fire events. We mapped and statistically modeled parcel-scale urban vegetation characteristics across different Defensible Space Buffers (DSBs) and their role in predicting building loss in shrub and forest dominated urban ecosystems

Jojoba is a woody oil crop of economic importance. However, it is sensitive to low temperatures, which hinders its cultivation in temperate arid regions. The apoplast is a cellular component outside the plasma membrane of plant cells and is widely involved in the response of plants to environmental stress. Here, we used the infiltration-centrifugation method to extract apoplast fluid from jojoba leaves

Pears (Pyrus spp.), which are distributed across temperate regions of Eurasia, include several economically important species. Pear species and cultivar classification is always controversial, because hybridization occurs easily, due to a low reproductive barrier. To reveal the genetic diversity and genetic relationships among pear genetic resources, we applied multiplexed inter-simple sequence repeat

The objective of this study was to investigate how fruit texture and cell wall composition change during the ripening stage of ‘Shine Muscat’. The physical properties of the berries, including adhesive strength between flesh and skin, were measured at different stages of maturity. The cell wall components were analyzed by dividing the berries into three parts: central berry flesh, flesh around skin

The continuous cultivation of chrysanthemums has decreased rooting success in cuttings, adversely affecting plant performance and reproductive efficiency. However, treatment with Stenotrophomonas pavanii KC 98 significantly improved rooting outcomes, resulting in increases of 28.89 % in rooting rate, 26.85 % in the number of roots, 18.65 % in root length, and 35.77 % in dry root weight. Additionally

Soft rot caused by Pectobacterium carotovorum poses a major threat to the cultivation of colored calla lily (Zantedeschia elliottiana). This study identified ZeERF113 through transcriptome analysis and weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA), revealing its close association with the accumulation of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) in colored calla lily after soft rot infection. The

Verticillium wilt (VW), caused by the soil-borne fungal pathogen (Verticillium dahliae), poses a major threat to tomato production in temperate climates, including Western North Carolina and the nearby states. There is a dire need to develop disease-resistant lines by understanding the in-depth genetic basis of unexplored VW resistance in tomato germplasms. In this study, we developed segregating genetic

Flavescence dorée (FD) is a severe phytoplasma disease affecting grapevine (Vitis vinifera) in Europe, significantly impacting plant gene expression. This study aimed to (i) identify in natura gene expression differences between a highly susceptible cultivar (Cabernet Sauvignon) and a less susceptible one (Merlot), (ii) understand plant responses to FD phytoplasma (FDp) infection, and (iii) possibly

Hyperspectral imaging is a powerful, non-destructive tool that has shown promise in estimating plant nutrition but remains underexplored for Hydrangea macrophylla, an important ornamental shrub. In this study, we developed regression and discrimination models for assessing nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) statuses in hydrangea at the seeding stage using spectral data combined with machine learning techniques

Anthocyanins and terpenoids are secondary metabolites with well-documented health benefits. Isopentenyl transferases (IPTs) are key enzymes in cytokinin (CK) biosynthesis. While ADP/ATP-type IPTs and their associated trans-zeatin (tZ)-CKs and iP-CKs are considered to play regulatory roles in growth and development, as well as stress acclimation in plants, tRNA-type IPTs and cis-zeatin CKs (cZ-CKs)

Plant tissue culture represents an advanced biotechnological technique for propagating and conserving threatened plant species efficiently. This method enables the rapid production of genetically identical plants under controlled sterile laboratory conditions (in vitro). Its applications span forestry, horticulture, and, crucially, plant breeding. Nanoparticles have emerged as innovative tools to address

Given the growing need to phase out chemical pesticides, plant-derived compounds are being investigated as eco-friendly alternatives. Sweet flag (Acorus calamus) essential oil (SEO), traditionally used in Chinese medicine, remains underexplored in terms of its phytotoxic properties and agricultural potential. This study evaluated the phytotoxic effects of 24-hour seedling incubation with emulsified

Children’s direct experiences with nature are crucial for their health, development, and the cultivation of pro-conservation attitudes and behavior. However, there is growing evidence that these experiences are declining across many regions worldwide, contributing to what is known as the extinction of experience. Urbanization and increased digital media use have been suggested as major drivers of this

Euphorbiaceae species are renowned not only for horticultural significance but for their production of numerous bicyclic diterpenes with antitumor and antiviral activities. However, the gene clusters responsible for the biosynthesis of these terpenes remain largely unidentified. We here initiated the construction of a comprehensive procedure for terpene gene clusters in Euphorbiaceae species. A total

Canopy management in viticulture involves key agronomic practices aimed at balancing the leaf-to-fruit ratio and optimizing microclimates for leaves and bunches. In temperate-to-cool regions, intensive green pruning is essential for effective crop protection and aroma development. However, rising temperatures and stress conditions are prompting a re-evaluation of these practices to mitigate negative

Soil biofumigation (SBF) and biosolarisation (SBS) are sustainable practices used for the control of soilborne pathogens, parasitic nematodes and weeds, based in the burial of fresh organic matter in the agricultural soil. The use of in-farm crop debris for SBF and SBS, allows farmers to conform to circular economy and bioeconomy guidelines, together with the management of the mentioned crop health

Emotions, being individuals’ transient affective experiences, are shaped by relational dynamics and environmental interactions over time and cross places. Contact with greenspace as a vital health determinant and well-being resource, similarly, is situationally dependent and culturally influenced. Mobile methods, which involve collecting and analysing data from participants as they move through various

The precise timing of flowering in response to environment plays a crucial role in the reproductive processes of plants. The FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT)-FD module is a well-established key node in the photoperiod-mediated pathway. However, the identity of novel partners involved in this network and its regulatory mechanisms remain elusive in most nonmodel species. Here, we found that TEOSINTE BRANCHED1

Increasing marker density results in better map coverage and efficiency of genetic analysis. Here, we resequenced a large (N = 235) F1 progeny from two distant peach cultivars, ‘Zhongyou Pan #9’ and ‘September Free’, and constructed two parental maps (1:1 segregations) and one combined map (1:2:1 segregations) with 134 277 SNPs. Markers with the same genotype for all individuals studied were grouped

Fruit maturity highly influences the quality and storability of apples. Hence, this study investigated the influence of fruit maturity on the fruit quality and skin structural deformation of ‘Picnic’ apples at harvest and during cold storage (0 °C) for 6 months. Apples were harvested based on the 1‒8 scales of Cornell’s starch pattern index (SPI) method at low (SPI-6), medium (SPI-7), and high (SPI-8)

Root-associated microbiota play a crucial role in the response of plants to environmental stress. Pyrus betulifolia is a wild pear species with strong saline-alkali resistance. However, it remains unclear whether the rhizosphere bacteria of P. betulifolia contribute to its saline-alkali response and which specific bacteria are key players in this process. In this study, we focused on the saline-alkali

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (danshen in Chinese) is a valuable medicinal crop. It is widely used clinically in the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Basic region-leucine zippers (bZIPs) are evolutionarily conserved transcription factors in plants. Here, SmbZIP38, an abscisic acid (ABA)-responsive Group A member of bZIPs, was isolated from S. miltiorrhiza and functionally studied

Tomato leaf mold, a disease that severely affects tomato yield and quality, is caused by Cladosporium fulvum. Previous studies have shown that JAZ1 and JAZ9 are involved in the anti-C. fulvum pathway in tomato, but their role in this pathway and the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, the expression of JAZ1 and JAZ9 was found to be induced by C. fulvum and hormones (methyl jasmonate

Grafting is an advantage strategy for cucumbers to cope with various adversities, but the influence of grafting on fruit quality and its underlying mechanism remain to be fully explored. Here, non-grafted cucumbers served as the control (YN-S), while black-seeded pumpkin (B-45-G) and yellow-seeded pumpkin (Y-65-G) were utilized as rootstocks to investigate the influence of grafting on cucumber fruit

Increasing productivity and quality in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a key challenge in sustainable horticulture, given its high input requirements and the need to optimize resource use efficiency. In consequence, there is a pressing need to identify cultivars adapted to in low-input environments. In the present study, a diversity panel of twenty-five genotypes was tested for agronomic performance

The stability of the flower stem, large bud size, and desirable postharvest life are key characteristics of high-quality roses, directly influenced by calcium content. This study introduces novel insights into the synergistic effects of calcium fertilizers—calcium amino acid chelates and calcium silicate—compared with calcium nitrate, a common fertilizer, on flower quality, antioxidant enzyme activity

The prostrate growth habit is an important ornamental trait in ground-cover chrysanthemum, offering high aesthetic value, strong lodging resistance, and excellent landscape greening capability. However, the genetic basis underlying this trait in chrysanthemum remains largely unclear. In this study, we utilized the prostrate-type Chrysanthemum yantaiense (tetraploid), the erect-type C. indicum (tetraploid)

Polyploidization has been recognized as a major force in plant evolution. With the continuous progress in sequencing technologies and genome assembly algorithms, high-quality chromosome-level assemblies of polyploid genomes have become increasingly attainable. However, accurately delineating these assemblies into subgenomes remains a challenging task, especially in case where known diploid ancestors

Downy mildew is a major disease that significantly impacts the yield and quality of Brassica rapa. While histone deacetylase family members are implicated in stress responses, their role in regulating downy mildew resistance in B. rapa remains unclear. Herein, we treated the susceptible B. rapa line R32 with Trichostatin A (TSA), a potent histone deacetylase inhibitor. Notably, TSA application significantly

Cell expansion in petals plays a crucial role in flower opening and final size in rose (Rosa hybrida), which largely determines its market value. While cell expansion is known to be closely associated with gibberellins (GAs), the underlying molecular mechanism remains elusive. Here, we measured the levels of GAs during flower opening and demonstrated that GA3 treatment significantly increases petal

Oleanane-type triterpenoid saponins are the primary medicinal components of Eleutherococcus senticosus. During saponin biosynthesis in E. senticosus, various members of the 2,3-oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC) gene family can direct 2,3-oxidosqualene into triterpene saponin and sterol synthesis pathways. However, the precise molecular mechanism underlying this phenomenon remains unclear. We initially screened

Interspecific interactions including plant-plant, plant-microbe, and plant-insect interactions are the important elements to drive the positive plant-soil feedback for maintaining ecosystem stability in biodiversity ecosystems. Yet, the role of diversified foliar pathogens in biodiversity system in influencing the plant-soil feedback (PSF) has often been underestimated. Here, we assessed the effects

Melon (Cucumis melo L.) is a fruit crop in the world, fruit size and fruit shape are major traits for melon quality. Fruit length is a crucial indicator affecting fruit size and shape, but few genes regulating this trait have been identified. Here, we identified the transcription factor CmFUL1 (FRUITFULL) as a candidate for regulating fruit length using genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) and phylogenetic

Cultivated strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) is a kind of Rosaceae fruit crops grown worldwide. It is popularly consumed for its attractive color, juicy flesh and nutrient content. The rich anthocyanin in strawberry fruits is responsible for its coloration. Anthocyanins are polyphenolic compounds, belonging to the four types of natural plant pigments. As important antioxidant secondary metabolites,

Precision irrigation scheduling in fruit crops requires good knowledge of water relations. Knowing plants’ behavior and the strategies to be adopted under water stress allows irrigation scheduling to maximize water productivity and minimize water losses. Therefore, the aim of this study is (i) to analyze the relationships between sap flux density, leaf stomatal conductance and fruit diameter daily

Soil health assessment effectively identifies key soil-limiting factors, enabling targeted decisions for agricultural management. Hence, the selection of representative soil indicators and appropriate assessment approaches is critical for effective evaluation. However, most studies focus solely on evaluating soil health without offering actionable strategies to improve soil health, especially in cash

Daily light integral (DLI) is a key factor in greenhouse production of geranium and petunia, significantly affecting their growth, flowering and water use. Optimizing greenhouse light intensity can enhance plant growth and flowering while reducing plant water needs. Therefore, the objective of this study was to quantify irrigation water savings achieved by lowering DLI and to determine the optimal

Proanthocyanidin (PA) is primary flavonoid compound in grape berries and red wines, helping plants resist various abiotic stresses. However, the specific role of PA in response to water constraints has not been extensively studied. In this study, six-year-old field grown 'Marselan' (Vitis vinifera L.) grapevines were subjected to different levels of water constraint in 2022, including well-irrigated

Global climate change has led to increasing phenomena of high temperature and water scarcity. Misting water-saving irrigation technology can effectively alleviate the damage caused by high temperatures to plants. As the mist irrigation provides only limited amount of water, therefore this irrigation system needs to be combined with other technologies like drip irrigation. However, the research on the

Plant factories with artificial lighting (PFALs) provide a controlled environment for seedling production, helping overcome challenges posed by fluctuating weather conditions. UV-B irradiation enhances plant physiology by increasing flavonoid accumulation, strengthening disease resistance, and improving seedling vigor. However, because of species specific and context dependent responses, researchers

Cold storage is the most popular method used to retain fruit quality during shipping. However, cold storage can affect the fruit quality of plum cultivars differently. This study aimed to identify the cultivars with similar responses to reduce quality loss. The physical, biochemical, and physiological responses of twelve plum cultivars stored under simulated commercial conditions were analyzed. Results

Pomelo is an important horticultural cash crop in China, and it is of great significance to conserve and characterize its rich germplasm resources. There are few studies using SCoT molecular markers for genetic diversity analysis in pomelo germplasm, therefore, this study aimed to combine leaf phenotypic traits and SCoT molecular markers to characterize the genetic diversity and relatedness of pomelo

The lingering effects of redlining are linked to contemporary heat inequities observed across US cities. Residential security maps created by the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) have been widely used to analyze neighborhood-level disparities in land surface temperatures. However, the use of aggregated spatial units often fails to capture internal landscape heterogeneity and the heat vulnerabilities

Plant hormones play an important role in flower opening and senescence. However, to date, the roles of plant hormones in the senescence of sweet osmanthus flowers and the hormone metabolism crosstalk and hormone response networks have not been fully characterized. By analyzing the hormone metabolome and transcriptome at different stages of sweet osmanthus flower opening and senescence, we found that

As a large family of RNA helicases, DEAD-box (DDX) RNA helicases play crucial roles in almost all cellular RNA processing activities. However, the role of the DDX gene family in cold tolerance of mei (Prunus mume) remains unclear. In this study, we identified 45 DDX genes through whole-genome analysis unevenly distributed across eight chromosomes and scaffolds of mei. Based on the phylogenetic tree

Land-use change, climate crisis, and subsequent biodiversity loss are critical challenges that need to be addressed in sustainable urban development. The concept of ecosystem services (ES) is a promising approach to guide this development. Trees are key elements of urban nature that provide a variety of ES, including carbon storage and food and habitat for diverse faunistic groups. It is often suggested

Drought and salinity are severe environmental conditions that restrict the growth and reduce the quality of perennial ryegrass. The annexin family, as Ca2+- permeable transporters, is essential for plant stress responses and tolerance. This study identified an annexin gene, LpANN5, in perennial ryegrass. Subcellular localization observation suggested that LpANN5 protein was localized in the plasma

Seed vigor is critical for uniform germination and emergence, directly influencing subsequent seedling development. This is especially important under both normal and stress conditions that may arise post-sowing. Chilling stress during emergence and early growth poses significant challenges for tomato seedlings, potentially leading to uneven emergence, abnormal growth, and higher seedling mortality

Hemerocallis spp. commonly known as daylily or night lily, are important food or ornamental crops widely used worldwide. Flower size, color, and bud-related traits play a pivotal role in improving the ornamental value and economic benefits of Hemerocallis. However, the genetic basis for these horticulturally important traits and recombination landscape in Hemerocallis remains largely unexplored. Here

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is sensitive to salt stress. For breeding applications, it is of great significance to explore the genetic mechanism underlying salt tolerance in watermelon by analyzing the dehydration responsive element–binding (DREB) factor family members. However, they are rarely studied in watermelon. In this study, we identified ClaDREB gene family members in watermelon based on

Analyzing the seedless grape ovule abortion mechanism is crucial in guiding the embryo rescue breeding of seedless grapes. The ovule abortion process in seedless grapes constitutes a degradation of materials, including amino acids and mineral elements. In this study, the concentrations of 21 free amino acids and 9 mineral elements in the ovules of 4 cultivars (“Flame Seedless,” “Ruby Seedless,” “Muscat