Recurrent drought limits the productivity of perennial crops such as citrus, whose tolerance to water deficit largely depends on scion-rootstock interactions. Although physiological responses to recurrent drought are well documented, the epigenetic states associated with these responses remain poorly understood, limiting the use of epigenetic variation to improve drought resilience. Here, we investigated whole-genome DNA methylation profiles and transcriptional responses in "Pera-D6" sweet orange (LP) grafted onto two rootstocks with contrasting physiological strategies for coping with water deficit: "Rangpur" lime (RL), associated with dehydration avoidance through enhanced water acquisition, and "Sunki Maravilha" mandarin (SM), associated with tighter regulation of transpiration and physiological adjustments under stress. Grafted plants were exposed to three cycles of water deficit followed by rehydration. In the scion, we detected rootstock-dependent methylation dynamics, with LP/RL exhibiting broader patterns of methylation change and LP/SM showing a more targeted response. In the LP/SM combination, drought-associated differentially methylated regions were linked to genes involved in photosynthesis, stomatal regulation, and transcriptional processes. For several stress-responsive genes, promoter methylation changes coincided with qualitative trends in gene expression; however, no significant methylation-expression correlations were detected after multiple-testing correction. These findings indicate that recurrent drought is associated with rootstock-dependent persistent DNA methylation patterns with potential functional relevance. Overall, the results highlight the importance of considering epigenetic variation in studies of drought response and suggest that rootstock selection may play a role in shaping regulatory responses to water deficit in citrus.

Root volatiles mediate diverse belowground interactions among plants, microbes, and invertebrates, but biological and environmental conditions strongly influence their production, movement, perception, and ecological effects. This review synthesizes current knowledge through an integrative conceptual framework linking five dimensions: (1) chemical diversity and biosynthesis; (2) regulation by biotic and abiotic factors; (3) plant internal signaling and resource allocation; (4) ecological adaptation and reciprocal evolutionary interactions with soil organisms; and (5) implications for agricultural management. Key roles include defense against herbivores and pathogens, recruitment of beneficial microbes and natural enemies, plant recognition, allelopathy, systemic signaling between roots and shoots, and coordination across multitrophic networks. The synthesis examines how volatile identity and concentration, soil properties, microbial transformation, and plant genotype influence signal transmission and ecological outcomes. Comparisons across taxa, compounds, and experimental systems clarify which mechanisms are broadly supported and which remain context-dependent. Priorities include resolving molecular pathways, tracing volatile transport and persistence in soil, distinguishing volatile effects from those of nonvolatile exudates, and validating functions under field conditions. A deeper mechanistic and ecological understanding of root volatiles is therefore essential for developing resilient crop protection strategies, reducing dependence on agrochemical inputs, advancing sustainable agroecology, and sustaining long-term soil health.

This in vitro study evaluated the effects of root canal retreatment protocols (with or without solvents) on the fracture resistance, failure patterns and colour behaviour of stained and internally bleached mandibular anterior teeth. Ninety specimens were allocated to six groups: control, access cavity, primary treatment, mechanical retreatment, chloroform-assisted retreatment and orange oil-assisted retreatment. Following coffee staining and sodium perborate bleaching, fracture force and colour differences were analysed. The results showed significant group × time interactions for colour (p < 0.001); retreatment groups exhibited greater staining than control groups. Mechanical retreatment specimens yielded the lowest fracture resistance, whereas access cavity specimens yielded the highest. Lower failure loads significantly correlated with restorable fracture patterns (p < 0.001). Retreatment reduced fracture force in bleached teeth, particularly via mechanical methods. Solvent-assisted protocols showed numerically higher fracture resistance than mechanical retreatment alone. Retreatment-related structural changes increase susceptibility to discolouration more than they impact bleaching efficacy.

Boron (B) toxicity severely restricts Citrus growth and productivity in high-B soil and irrigation water environments. Although exogenous Zinc (Zn) has been reported to mitigate B toxicity in plants, the underlying physiological regulation mechanisms-particularly in Citrus-remain incompletely understood. In this study, seedlings of two Citrus species differing markedly in B tolerance-Citrus sinensis (sweet orange, B-tolerant) and C. grandis (sour pomelo, B-sensitive)-were subjected to three boric acid treatments (10, 200, and 400 μM) and five ZnSO4 treatments (0.002, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.25 mM) in a fully factorial design over 15 weeks. Comprehensive physiological assessments-including growth parameters, photosynthetic performance, mineral-nutrient profiling (in leaves and roots), and antioxidant enzyme activity-were conducted to decipher the mechanistic basis of Zn-mediated B detoxification. Results showed that 400 μM BA alone triggered severe B toxicity symptoms in the older leaves of C. grandis, whereas 0.25 mM Zn independently led to chlorosis symptoms similar to Fe deficiency in the apical leaves of both Citrus species. Either B or Zn toxicity affected photosynthesis in matured leaves. Exogenous Zn at 0.05-0.20 mM alleviated B toxicity symptoms in B-sensitive C. grandis, yet consistent alleviation of Zn toxicity by excess B was not observed across all measured variables. Severe B toxicity caused a significant reduction in Fe, N, P and Ca contents and a significant increase in Cu and Mn contents in C. grandis roots, yet it only led to a significant reduction in Mn, N, P and Ca contents in C. grandis leaves. Unlike this, B toxic treatments in C. sinensis resulted in a significant reduction in merely Fe content and a significant increase in Cu, Mn, N and K contents in roots, and a significant reduction in Mn and Ca contents in the leaves. Under basal B supply, 0.05-0.20 mM Zn supplementation dose-dependently increased root Zn, Cu and Mn contents as well as leaf Zn and Cu contents in both Citrus species, but concurrently decreased root Fe content and leaf Fe and Ca contents-additionally, in C. grandis, leaf N, P, K and Mg contents were further reduced. Regarding antioxidant responses in C. grandis, B toxicity significantly suppressed leaf CAT activity while enhancing APX and GPX activities. Under B toxicity conditions, 0.2 mM Zn supplement significantly restored CAT activity and suppressed APX and GPX activities. These antioxidant modulations were highly dependent on species identity and treatment combination, and were markedly more pronounced in B-sensitive C. grandis. Collectively, this work clarifies the physiological interplay between Zn and B in Citrus, uncovers divergent adaptive strategies employed by contrasting citrus species under combined B-Zn stress, and provides a mechanistic foundation for optimizing exogenous Zn application to mitigate B toxicity in citrus production.

Yield losses due to water-deficit (WD) conditions, especially during the reproductive stages of plant development, pose a significant threat to global canola (Brassica napus L.) production. Therefore, it is critical to investigate traits contributing to improved productivity under increased WD conditions. Here we present phenotypic, physiological and transcriptomic changes in response to WD across contrasting canola accessions exhibiting variation in drought resistance-related traits. WD significantly reduced shoot biomass, plant height, harvest index, leaf water content, photosynthetic CO2 assimilation rate, intrinsic water-use efficiency and carbon isotope discrimination. WD caused 49 to 100% of the seed yield reduction: the minimum seed yield reduction (49.66%) was observed in a doubled-haploid (DH) line, 06-5101.137, while the maximum yield reduction (94.1 to 100%) occurred in the late-flowering DH lines (06.5101.088 and 06-5101.306). Seed yield showed a positive correlation (r = 0.29 to 0.95) with shoot biomass and harvest index, leaf water content, photosynthetic CO2 assimilation rate, intrinsic water use efficiency and carbon isotope discrimination. However, it showed negative correlations with days to flower, leaf specific weight, root length, root biomass (r = -0.04 to -0.79) across water treatments. The specific leaf transcriptome analysis of the two parental lines of DH population that exhibit variation for effective water use under well-watered and water-deficient conditions revealed different categories of differentially expressed genes (DEGs): WD-responsive DEGs in BC1329 parental line (1116) and BC9102 (1205) with 754 and 853 DEGs unique to BC1329 and BC9102, respectively, WD-responsive DEGs (906), genotype-dependent DEGs (8465) and genotype × treatment interaction DEGs (353). DEG annotations revealed that the WD-treatment-affected genes were involved in stress responses and growth and development. We further located 235 DEGs within the QTL regions underlying agronomic and physiological performance. Our study provides a conceptual framework for the morphological, physiological and molecular determinants involved in water-use efficiency. Seedlings' traits with high heritability values, such as shoot biomass, leaf weight, leaf water content and Δ[13]C, serve as proxies for trait-based selection for improved seed yield under both water-limited and non-water-limited conditions.

Several studies have supported Dr Gideon Koren’s 1993 landmark article, “Medications Which Can Kill a Toddler with One Tablet or Teaspoonful.” Although each study has its own merits, most focus solely on pediatric overdoses, and few provide an exhaustive reference list for real-time evaluation of ingestions in children and adults. The following xenobiotics warrant special attention because of their potential to cause serious outcomes, even after exposure to small volumes. This list does not imply that all pediatric exposures to these agents result in fatality, and the absence of a xenobiotic from this list does not indicate that it is necessarily safe. α1-Adrenergic agonists and imidazoline receptor agonists: Clonidine, guanfacine, naphazoline, oxymetazoline, tetrahydrozoline, xylazine (veterinary). Sulfonylureas: Chlorpropamide, glyburide, glipizide, glimepiride. Calcium channel blockers: Verapamil, diltiazem, nifedipine, amlodipine, nicardipine, nimodipine; β-Blockers: Metoprolol, labetalol, propranolol, sotalol. Tricyclic antidepressants: Imipramine, desipramine, amitriptyline, nortriptyline. Opioids: Codeine, hydrocodone, methadone, morphine, heroin. Antidiarrheals: Diphenoxylate plus atropine, loperamide. Salicylates and methyl salicylate: Oil of wintergreen, bismuth subsalicylate, mentholated balms, paramao or lawang root oil . Antipsychotics: Loxapine, thioridazine, chlorpromazine. Antimalarials: Chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, quinine, primaquine. Antiarrhythmics: Quinidine, disopyramide, procainamide, flecainide, amiodarone. Camphor: A terpenoid used as an analgesic, antipruritic agent, and component of cooling gels, ointments, balms, mothballs, household fragrances, and essential oils. Oral camphor use occurs in some regions for religious ceremonies, traditional remedies, aphrodisiacs, or lactation suppression. Nonalkaloid toxic lignan: Podophyllin, podofilox. Unique plant toxins: Colchicine. Oral acetylcholinesterase inhibitors: Rivastigmine, donepezil, galantamine, carbamate pesticides. Methylxanthines: Theophylline, 1,3-dimethylxanthine, caffeine. Other opioids: Buprenorphine, fentanyl. Toxic alcohols: Methanol, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol. Caustics and other household products: Acidic or alkaline household products, hydrofluoric acid, selenious acid, acetonitrile, methylene chloride. Accidental overdoses continue to occur regularly despite the implementation of various safety measures, including widespread public education, the use of childproof containers, and easy access to poison control centers. In the US, poison control centers receive more than 2.4 million calls annually, with more than 50% involving children younger than 6 years. Most pediatric accidental ingestions involve household cleaning products and analgesics, followed by cosmetics, foreign objects, and dietary supplements. Adult overdoses may be unintentional but often involve larger total doses or high-risk medications, including opioids and sedative-hypnotics. America's Poison Centers identify the 5 most common substance classes as analgesics, household cleaners, antidepressants, cosmetic or personal care items, and cardiovascular drugs. The number of ingestions involving cleaning products increased sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic but has since declined.

The 14-3-3 family proteins are involved in plant metabolism and stress signal transduction, while whether and how they contribute to the enhancement of host drought tolerance by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi remains unclear. This study aimed to identify the 14-3-3 gene family (GRF) in trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata) and analyze their responses in roots to drought and inoculation with the AM fungus Funneliformis mosseae, integrating molecular data with physiological assessments. Despite drought-inhibited AM fungal colonization and soil mycelium length, AM inoculation markedly increased plant biomass, root growth, soluble sugars, antioxidant enzyme activities, and phytohormone levels under drought. Fifteen PtGRF members were identified with variable gene structures and abscisic acid/stress-related promoter elements. Drought stress predominantly suppressed the expression of most PtGRF genes in non-AM plants, while it triggered the upregulation of a specific subset (PtGRF3, 6, 9, 13, 14) in AM plants. Inoculation with AM fungi under drought conditions dramatically modulated the host's transcriptional response, significantly upregulating 10 of the 13 detected PtGRFs, most notably PtGRF13. Principal component and correlation analyses delineated distinct functional associations among PtGRF members: PtGRF1, PtGRF2, PtGRF5, and PtGRF15 were closely linked to soluble sugar accumulation and antioxidant defense, while PtGRF3, PtGRF6, PtGRF8, PtGRF9, and PtGRF13 showed stronger integration with abscisic acid and isopentenyl adenine. In summary, inoculation with AM fungi enhanced drought tolerance in trifoliate orange by modulating the expression of drought-responsive specific PtGRF genes, which functioned as integrated signaling modules to coordinate sugars, antioxidant defense, and abscisic acid levels.

This study focuses on the determination of cytotoxicity and mutagenicity of Reactive Orange 122 dye (RO122). The ultraviolet (UV) and gamma (γ) radiations along with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were employed as an advanced oxidation process (AOPs). The 50 mg/L of dye solution were treated with UV radiation for 30-150 min and γ-ray absorbed doses (1-5 kGy) alone and in conjunction with H2O2. The untreated dye solutions have shown cytotoxicity and mutagenicity, which were decreased after treatment. The Allium cepa test showed 39.35, 46.16 and 52.44 (%) increase in root length (RL), root count (RC) and mitotic index (MI) for UV/H2O2-treated RO122 samples, whereas RL, RC and MI were increased up to 63.52, 70.32 and 89.98 (%), respectively for γ/H2O2 treatment. The brine shrimp assay has shown a reduction in mortality up to 82.95 and 91.30 (%) after UV/H2O2 and γ/H2O2 treatment, respectively. The hemolytic assay revealed a 32.5 and 62.4 (%) hemolysis for UV/H2O2 and γ/H2O2, respectively. The Ames test was performed using S. typhimurium strains to determine the mutagenicity of treated and untreated dye. The results indicated that cytotoxicity and mutagenicity of dye solutions were reduced following treatment with the selected AOPs. Further investigation into the scalability, energy efficiency and real wastewater applicability of these AOPs is recommended to facilitate their practical implementation in sustainable water treatment systems.

Hemidesmus indicus (L) R. Br. root extract-mediated silver nanoparticles (HiAgNPs) were synthesized and evaluated for anticancer activity against ovarian cancer cells. GC-MS analysis identified forty bioactive compounds in the root extract, which facilitated the green synthesis of nanoparticles. Characterization using UV-visible spectroscopic analysis showed a surface plasmon resonance peak at 428 nm, while SEM revealed predominantly spherical nanoparticles. On the other hand, DLS revealed a size distribution peak at 222.2 d.nm, whereas zeta potential was found to be -20.9 mV. Further, EDX analysis confirmed the presence of silver (Ag) and oxygen (O), and FTIR revealed distinct patterns in the stretching vibrations of their functional groups, indicating the presence of capping agents in the nanoparticles. Antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH and FRAP assays. MTT assay demonstrated significant dose- and time-dependent cytotoxicity of HiAgNPs against SKOV3 cells. Apoptotic induction was confirmed through nuclear morphology, acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining, migration assays, and RT-PCR analysis of Bax, Bcl2 and Caspase 3 genes. Overall, this study highlights HiAgNPs as a promising eco-friendly therapeutic candidate for treating ovarian cancer .

A new species of Thismia from Thailand, T. daemona is described based on morphological characters and molecular phylogenetic analyses. Morphological characters were examined from fresh and spirit materials using a stereo microscope. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted based on three nuclear (SSU, ITS, LSU) and two mitochondrial (atpA, matR) markers. The new species is characterized by coralliform roots, blackish flowers, reddish orange and fleshy outer tepals, inner tepals forming a mitre with three slender claviform appendages, inner surface of floral tube possessing irregular transverse bars in lower half and finely reticulations in upper half, epidermis of transverse bars and reticulations covered with white translucent trichomes, and translucent blue stamens with recurved apex. Phylogenetic analyses support its placement within Thismia sect. Geomitra, with a sister relationship to T. betung-kerihunensis. In addition, the new species is assessed as Critically Endangered according to the IUCN Red List categories and criteria.

Citrus huanglongbing, caused by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), is associated with severe metabolic disruption, chronic immune activation, and progressive decline of citrus trees, but the posttranslational mechanisms underlying these responses remain poorly understood. Here, we combined ubiquitinated peptide immunoaffinity enrichment with 4D label-free quantitative proteomics to profile protein abundance and protein ubiquitination in infected sweet orange leaves. Infection caused extensive proteome remodeling and a strong global increase in protein ubiquitination. Integrated analysis revealed a predominant group of proteins with reduced abundance and increased ubiquitination, pointing to ubiquitination-associated depletion of proteins involved in chloroplast function, redox homeostasis, and primary metabolism. The degradation machinery itself was also remodeled, including widespread ubiquitination of proteasome subunits and increased proteasome-dependent bulk protein turnover. Physiological and biochemical analyses showed that infection suppressed the hydrogen peroxide-scavenging system, with reduced abundance and increased ubiquitination of catalase, accompanied by elevated hydrogen peroxide accumulation. We also identified actin as a major downstream target of CLas-induced proteostasis remodeling. Actin proteins underwent enhanced ubiquitination and degradation in infected tissues, accompanied by actin filament disruption, and CsACT7 showed 26S proteasome-dependent degradation. Seven CLas-upregulated ubiquitination sites acted cooperatively to promote CsACT7 degradation, as simultaneous substitution of all 7 lysines with alanine strongly stabilized CsACT7 and reduced CLas accumulation in citrus hairy roots. Together, these findings establish ubiquitination-dependent proteome remodeling as a central feature of the citrus response to CLas infection and link ubiquitination-mediated posttranslational regulation to redox imbalance, cytoskeletal disruption, and disease susceptibility.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can enhance drought tolerance of host plants; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, PtPIP1;2, a plasma membrane intrinsic protein gene strongly induced by AMF (Funneliformis mosseae) colonization under drought stress, was identified. Subcellular localization confirmed that PtPIP1;2 targets the plasma membrane. To investigate its function, PtPIP1;2-overexpressing (OE) hairy root lines were generated in trifoliate orange. Under drought stress, OE plants exhibited better growth performance, greater root biomass and surface area, showed alleviated inhibition of photosynthesis and photosystem II activity, and reduced oxidative damage. Notably, OE plants showed lower root hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content but significantly enhanced H2O2 efflux. Heterologous expression assays revealed that when expressed alone in Xenopus oocytes, PtPIP1;2 did not confer detectable water permeability; however, it markedly enhanced yeast sensitivity to exogenous H2O2, indicating that PtPIP1;2 contributes to H2O2 transport-associated drought tolerance. Consistently, OE plants maintained a favorable hormonal balance (higher abscisic acid content together with partially restored trans-zeatin, indole-3-acetic acid, and zeatin levels) and showed upregulated expression of stress-responsive genes involved in calcium signaling (PtCDPK10), MAPK cascades (PtMAPK), dehydration protection (PtLEA7), polyamine synthesis (PtADC), and antioxidant enzymes (PtSOD and PtPOD). Collectively, these findings suggest that PtPIP1;2 enhances drought tolerance by facilitating transmembrane H2O2 transport, which is associated with improved reactive oxygen species turnover, a more favorable hormonal balance, and the activation of downstream defense networks. These findings reveal a potential mechanism by which an AMF-inducible aquaporin may act as a redox-regulatory hub to protect plants against drought, and identify PtPIP1;2 as a promising target for breeding drought-tolerant citrus rootstocks.