In the Chirchik oasis and Almalyk region of Uzbekistan, industrial activities and intensive agriculture have led to considerable contamination of irrigated soils with toxic elements. The presented study aimed to evaluate the agrochemical state of irrigated serozem and irrigated meadow soils under the influence of the JSC Maksam-Chirchik and the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex, respectively. For restoring soil fertility, a biological remediation technology including plowed-in tree leaf litter, inoculation with actinomycete strains, and introduction of earthworms took place through lysimetric experiment. Laboratory analyses over spring and autumn showed remediation treatment increased soil nutrient availability. The nitrate nitrogen rose from 16.0 mg/kg (spring) to 22.0 mg/kg (autumn), and phosphorus also increased in treated soils. The mobile potassium level decreased by autumn, likely due to crop uptake and leaching. The contaminated soils contained aluminum (up to 72.4 mg/kg) and water-soluble fluorine (up to 64.3 mg/kg) in spring, exceeding permissible limits; however, these toxic elements declined by autumn after remediation. Heavy metals (chromium and nickel) with trace amounts manifested in spring and declined to safe thresholds in autumn in polluted sites. The biological remediation technology significantly improved the soil’s health by enhancing macronutrient content, promoting humus formation, and reducing the concentrations of toxic elements in the soil. The results demonstrate the technology’s effectiveness in rehabilitating polluted irrigated soils and improving their ecological state.

Keywords: Irrigated serozem soils, irrigated meadow soils, toxic elements, trophic chain, humus, nutrient elements

Key findings: The contaminated irrigated soils showed significant seasonal dynamics in nutrient content, with biological remediation increasing available nitrogen and phosphorus. The remediation technology effectively reduced the exchangeable aluminum and fluorine levels and accumulation of chromium, nickel, and persistent pesticides and improved soil fertility, demonstrating its potential for ecological restoration of irrigated soils.

With enhanced sustainability in food and feed production systems, agronomic biofortification is a key strategy to alleviate micronutrient deficiencies in animal diets, with indirect benefits for human nutrition through improved quality of animal-derived foods. A field experiment, carried out using a randomized complete block design with a split-plot arrangement, included two levels each of zinc (Zn, 0 and 2 kg ha⁻¹) and iron (Fe, 0 and 2 kg ha⁻¹) and their integrated application (2 kg Zn ha⁻¹ + 2 kg Fe ha⁻¹) in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). The Zn and Fe foliar application enhanced the concentration of both micronutrients in alfalfa without compromising its yield and quality. Alfalfa cultivars responded differently to biofortification treatments, and the cultivar California 55 showed the highest recovery efficiency (RE) of Zn (119.4%) and Fe (68.0%) at the fifth harvest. An RE value above 100% indicates the applied nutrient both contributed directly to uptake and enhanced the mobilization or utilization of native soil reserves, leading to greater total accumulation than the amount applied. The results highlighted that foliar biofortification is an effective and sustainable approach to improve the nutritional quality of forage crops, thereby contributing to livestock health, food security, and agricultural resilience.

Keywords: Alfalfa (M. sativa L.), cultivars, agronomic biofortification, foliar fertilization, zinc, iron, micronutrients efficiency, yield and quality

Key findings: Foliar applications of Zn and Fe significantly increased their concentration in alfalfa (M. sativa L.) without affecting its yield and quality. Zn and Fe foliar application enhanced the concentration of both micronutrients in alfalfa.

The Usnea Dill. ex Adans is the second largest genus within the family Parmeliaceae, with enormous diversity in Indonesia comprising approximately 30 species. Despite this substantial diversity, relatively few taxonomic studies have progressed on Usnea in Indonesia. This study aimed to document the diversity of Usnea species in West Java and to report newly recorded taxa from the region. During the field expedition conducted from September 2023 to March 2024 in West Java, Indonesia, the identification of 18 species of Usnea was successful, representing three subgenera: Usnea Dill. ex Adans, Eumitria Stirt, and Dolichousnea (Y. Ohmura) Articus. Among these species, five species were newly documented specimens in West Java. Species identification depended on morphological, anatomical, and microchemical analyses, including spot tests and microcrystal observations. These findings significantly enhanced the taxonomic understanding of Usnea in the region and suggested the unexplored diversity in montane forest ecosystems. The newly recorded species also exhibited ecological specificity to high-altitude habitats, underlining their conservation importance.

Keywords: Beard lichen, ecosystem, genetic diversity, Kayu Angin, morphology, species, taxonomy, Usnea Dill. ex Adans

Key findings: In the identified 18 Usnea species, five species were the newly recorded specimens in West Java, which considerably contributed to the taxonomic and ecological status of lichens in Indonesia. The results offer valuable prospects for breeders and plant scientists in utilizing lichen-derived bioresources for plant health and environmental management.

The presented investigations aimed to elucidate the genetic diversity and phylogeny of nine species of the family Asteraceae. The research applied two types of DNA markers—the directed amplification of minisatellite DNA (DAMD) and the sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP)—and the ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase (rbcL) barcode. The genetic distance and phylogenetic relationship estimations used the UPGMA (unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean) algorithm and the Neighbor-Joining (NJ) tree clustering approaches. The total determined bands were 135 and 75, with an average of 13.5 and 9.37 for DAMD and SRAP markers, respectively. By analyzing the DAMD marker, the highest genetic distance (0.4666) was noticeable between species Cousin sp. and Urospermum picroides, while the lowest (0.785) was notable between the species Tragopogon sp. and Carduus pycnocephalus. In SRAP marker values, the lowest genetic distance (0.351) was evident in Carthamus oxyacantha and Sonchus oleraceus, while the highest (0.891) appeared between Notobasis syriaca and Carduus pycnocephalus. Based on combined data, the species Carthamus oxyacantha and Onopordum carduchorum emerged as highly diverse (0.483) compared with the species Tragopogon sp. and Carduus pycnocephalus (0.808). Four evolutionary clades were distinct, i.e., Urospermum picroides, Lactuca serriola, Notobasis syriaca, and Carthamus oxyacantha. Clade four underwent further subdivision into two subclades—Sonchus oleraceus and Tragopogon sp. with Cousin sp. and Carduus pycnocephalus and Onopordum carduchorum. The DAMD and SRAP markers with rbcL proved effective in analyzing genetic diversity in the family Asteraceae.

Keywords: Asteraceae species, DNA markers, DNA sequencing, genetic distance, genetic diversity, phylogenetic tree

Key findings: The DAMD and SRAP markers with rbcL chloroplast sequencing occurred as considerable tools to estimate the genetic distance, as well as the evolutionary relationship among the Asteraceae species. The tribe of Cardueae members appeared most clustered together.

Genetic transformation is essential for studying gene function and improving agronomic traits in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). In this study, we developed a stable Agrobacterium-mediated transformation protocol using the pKSE401 vector carrying the Cas9 gene. Seven-day-old hypocotyls of cotton cultivar Coker-312 sustained Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain inoculations, with transgenic plants regenerated via somatic embryogenesis. Out of 4,000 hypocotyl explants, seven embryos reached the embryogenesis stage, and five transgenic plants successfully matured. Cas9 integration reached confirmation in T₀ transgenic plants through PCR analysis. Callus induction succeeded using a modified Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with kinetin (0.1 mg/L), 2,4-D (0.1 mg/L), Kanamycin (50 mg/L) and cefotaxime (400 mg/L). Somatic embryogenesis enhancement using a hormone-free MS medium had supplements with MgCl₂, glutamine, asparagine, CuSO₄, ascorbic acid, and activated charcoal (2 g/L). Shoot and root induction emerged with MS medium containing 1 g/L activated charcoal, BAP (1 mg/L), and kinetin (0.1 mg/L) for shooting, and NAA (1 mg/L) for rooting. Among the Agrobacterium strains tested, EHA101 and LBA4404 exhibited the highest transformation efficiencies (40%). This study establishes a reliable and time-efficient transformation system for cotton with an overall nine months, less regeneration time of 80–90 days, and an optimized range of OD (0.5–0.8) for infection of explant. This protocol offers a valuable tool for molecular breeding and functional genomics research.

Keywords: Cotton, Cas9 gene, gene transformation, cotton transformation

Key findings: An optimized Agrobacterium-mediated transformation in cotton was successful by identifying LBA4404 as the most efficient strain and enhancing transformation rates through hormone-free media and an optimized acetosyringone concentration (20 mg/L). Our improved somatic embryogenesis protocol reduced the regeneration timeline to 80–90 days, with activated charcoal (1–2 g/L) playing a key role in embryo development.

Maize (Zea mays L.), a major cereal crop, contains a diverse range of minerals, nutrients, and vitamins. Maize genotypes have great diversity in tocopherol (vitamin E) content, which works as an antioxidant and stress tolerant and greatly improves kernel nutritional value. The objective of this study is the screening of maize genotypes for high grain tocopherol content and their association study with other biochemical traits. This study evaluated 27 maize genotypes for grain tocopherol content and other yield- and yield-contributing agrochemical traits. The data underwent the analysis of variance (ANOVA), descriptive statistics, PCA-biplot, and Pearson correlation assessment. The ANOVA showed significant variances for all traits. Mean data indicated G27 and G8 are elite genotypes for both grain yield and tocopherol content. Correlation analysis revealed a significant positive interaction of tocopherol content with oil content and kernel rows and a negative association with days to anthesis. Grain yield per plant has a strong positive interaction with a hundred-seed weight and oil content. In the future, these genotypes can be beneficial to developing biofortified maize hybrids, and these traits’ interaction study could help in the indirect selection by improving the selection criteria. Additionally, the screening of indigenous maize germplasm provides elite genetic resources crucial for initiating biofortification breeding programs aimed at enhancing the vitamin E content of maize hybrids.

Keywords: Maize (Z. mays L.), genotypes, tocopherol, principal component analysis, correlation, biofortification

Key findings: The maize (Z. mays L.) germplasm has a great diversity in yield and tocopherol content. Screening of maize genotypes for superior tocopherol genotypes will open new horizons in tocopherol biofortification in maize. This study investigated three high-tocopherol-containing genotypes (G25, G8, and G23) that can be effective in hybrid breeding programs. Additionally, the association study will help in understanding the interaction of tocopherol with other traits, and it can be beneficial to developing an indirect selection method for high-tocopherolic genotypes.

The presented study sought to evaluate the growth and productivity of various rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars under different water management systems. The experiment ran from May to September 2024, using a split-plot design with two factors and three replications on irrigated paddy fields in Maradekaya Village, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The main plots were the water management system (intermittent + discontinuous irrigation and intermittent + AWD [alternate wetting and drying]), and the subplots were six rice cultivars (M70D, Padjajaran, Inpari 13, Inpari 19, Inpari 32, and Cakrabuana). The results showed significant effects on the number of tillers and productive tillers by the interaction of water management and cultivars. Other traits, such as harvest age, grains per panicle, filled grains per panicle, and dry milled grain yield, also showed notable variations across the treatments. In contrast, plant height, flowering age, stomatal density, chlorophyll content, and leaf area did not receive significant changes. The highest productivity came from cultivars M70D and Padjajaran, especially under the intermittent + discontinuous irrigation treatment.

Keywords: Rice (O. sativa L.), cultivars, irrigation water management systems, growth and morphological traits, yield-related traits, productivity

Key findings: The highest productivity resulted in the rice (O. sativa L.) cultivar M70D, followed by Padjajaran with the intermittent irrigation + discontinuous irrigation water management system.

The presented research aimed to assess the contribution of various components, such as biomass and mortmass of the stand, young growth, undergrowth, living ground cover, and forest litter, to the total mass of organic matter used by the plant community. The study commenced in a coniferous-deciduous forest massif located in the Kish River valley, Markhal, Kish Village, Sheki Region, Azerbaijan, with five permanent sample plots allocated measuring 50 m × 50 m. The greatest contribution to the total mass of organic matter of the studied plant communities mostly consisted of perennial parts of the stand (87%) and mortmass of the stand (14%). However, the share of phytomass of deciduous species in the stand ranged from 32% to 98%, which indicates the incompleteness in the process of forest restoration succession. The forest litter contribution was no more than 3%, and the litter reserves were not high (0.18 to 1.21 kg m^-2), and the same was not typical for spruce forests, as in fact the litters belong to the destructive type. A higher catalase activity was evident in the mineral horizons of deciduous forest soils compared with the coniferous ones.

Keywords: Forestry, conıferous-decıduous forest ecosystems, biomass, enzyme activity, litters, organic matter, catalase activity, plant communities

Key findings: The study explored the ability of forest ecosystems to deposit carbon by biomass and mortmass and the contribution of phytomass of the aboveground and underground vegetation layers, as well as terrestrial detritus. In different plant communities, the study based on invertase and catalase enzymes has proven the importance of assessing biomass in conıferous-decıduous forest ecosystems.

Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass), a perennial herb from the Poaceae family, is a widely valued plant for its essential oil and medicinal properties. Plants frequently encounter abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, and heavy metals, which severely limit agricultural productivity. Transcription factors, including MYB (myeloblastosis), WRKY (pronounced worky), and bHLH (basic Helix-Loop-Helix), play pivotal roles in regulating plant responses to such stressors by mediating hormonal and developmental pathways. In this study, three salt concentrations (0, 75, and 150 mM) applied to C. citratus had their morphological parameters assessed after 30 days. The results revealed significant reductions in shoot length (73.8%–63.2%), root length (80%–65%), leaf number (72%–66%), tillers (88.4%–76.9%), and both fresh weight (85.5%–73.9%) and dry biomass (80.6%–68.6%) under increasing salt stress. Molecular analysis via PCR confirmed the expression of CcMYB, CcWRKY, and CcbHLH—homologs of Zea mays transcription factors—in C. citratus. These findings demonstrate a salt-responsive genetic mechanism in C. citratus that suggests the identified genes are promising candidates for developing salt-tolerant genotypes. This could potentially pave the way for cultivating C. citratus in saline soils and contribute to enhancing stress resilience in related herbaceous crop species.

Keywords: Lemongrass (C. citratus), salt stress, transcriptional factors, MYB, WRKY, bHLH

Key findings: Identification of salt stress responsive genes in lemongrass (C. citratus) species and their characterization under control and salt stress conditions was successful. This molecular study can benefit the genetic improvement of the C. citratus species.

A vineyard with diverse climatic conditions along the seaside affects the growth and development of the vines and grapes (Vitis vinifera L.). Therefore, knowledge about these factors is crucial for determining how viticultural practices need to be adapted to improve the grape yield and quality. The submitted study aimed to evaluate the effect of the terroir between the mountains and sea on the berry composition, grape ripening, and produced wines’ characteristics. In the vineyard located in Aghbash Village, within the Samur-Devechi lowland at the foothills of the Greater Caucasus Mountains and on the coast of Caspian Sea, several grape cultivars incurred assessment during 2023. The Saperavi, Merlot, Madrasa, Muscat, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Khindogni grape cultivars bore scrutiny for titratable acidity, pH, and sugar concentration. Correspondingly, wines produced from these grape cultivars also underwent analysis for ethyl alcohol content, residual sugar, titratable acidity, volatile acidity, extract content, and total and free sulfur dioxide concentrations as per standard procedures. The grape cultivars Muscat and Cabernet Sauvignon had lower sugar concentrations (21.2 g/100 cm³), and cultivars Muscat and Cabernet Sauvignon emerged with lower titratable acidity (5.0 g/L) and higher titratable acidity (6.4 g/L), respectively. However, cultivar Madrasa exhibited a higher sugar concentration.

Keywords: Grape (V. vinifera L.), Caspian Sea, Greater Caucasus Mountains, terroir, climate, technical grape cultivars, grape ripening, wine, physicochemical properties

Key findings: A vineyard comprising different grape (V. vinifera L.) cultivars with diverse climatic conditions along the seaside affects the growth and development and shows varied values for grape composition and maturity and the produced wines.