These findings provide novel insights into the mode(s) of action) of action of olive biostimulants and highlight the importance of metabolomics for identifying biochemical markers associated with enhanced plant resilience and sustainable olive production.
Abstract
Olive tree (Olea europaea L.) cultivation is increasingly challenged by climate change and the necessity for more sustainable crop management strategies. In this context, plant biostimulants have emerged as inputs of high potential for improving crop performance and resilience. Nonetheless, knowledge of their underlying biochemical mechanisms remains largely fragmented. Here, an untargeted GC/EI/MS-based metabolomics approach was employed to investigate the early metabolic responses of young olive trees to foliar application of two commercial biostimulants: a seaweed (SE)- and a harpin (HRP)-based formulation. Leaf samples were collected seven days post-treatment and were subjected to photosynthetic-content and metabolomics analyses. The former revealed no statistically significant differences in chlorophyll and carotenoid contents among treatments, indicating that photosynthetic pigment homeostasis was maintained. In contrast, metabolomics analysis demonstrated extensive and coordinated metabolic reprogramming induced by both products. SE treatments resulted in a primarily promoted growth-oriented metabolic profile, characterized by enhanced carbon utilization, modulation of antioxidant metabolism, activation of plastidial isoprenoid biosynthesis, and remodeling of the shikimate–phenylpropanoid pathway. Conversely, HRP treatments elicited a distinct stress-priming signature involving the accumulation of α,α-trehalose, phytol, and α-ketoglutaric acid, together with membrane lipid remodeling associated with improved osmoprotection and stress acclimation. These findings provide novel insights into the mode(s) of action of olive biostimulants and highlight the importance of metabolomics for identifying biochemical markers associated with enhanced plant resilience and sustainable olive production.
Ehretia macrophylla fruit is a traditionally used but underutilized functional resource that is noted for its diverse phytochemical composition, which includes flavonoids and polyphenols. However, the systematic metabolic transformations that occur in the fruit during post-harvest storage—particularly those associated with its traditional processing into dark fruit tea—remain largely unknown, limiting efforts to optimize quality and processing strategies. In the study, to address this gap, we employed a widely targeted metabolomics approach based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) to dynamically profile the fruit metabolome across four storage stages (T0, T4, T8, T12). A total of 1101 metabolites were putatively annotated, and day 8 (T8) emerged as a potential pronounced metabolic inflection point. From T8 onward, 30–40% of metabolites showed differential accumulation, characterized by a gradual rise in nutrition-relevant lipids, amino acids, and vitamins. In contrast, key antioxidant-related metabolites, including phenolics and flavonoids, increased transiently before T8 but declined sharply thereafter. These coordinated shifts correlated with an increased representation of lipid- and alkaloid-related metabolic pathways, whereas flavonoid-associated features showed a relative decline. Collectively, these findings provide insights into the biochemical processes potentially associated with fruit blackening and the marked decline in antioxidant capacity during traditional processing. Our study provides the first metabolic blueprint connecting traditional processing practices with phased metabolic remodeling, offering a scientific foundation for quality assessment and the development of informed post-harvest strategies for processing E. macrophylla fruit.
The physiological and metabolic mechanisms by which plants manage severe chemical stress during critical reproductive stages remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the system-level phytotoxic responses and metabolic reprogramming of a tolerant species (Oryza sativa L.) and a susceptible species (Echinochloa crus-galli) exposed to the chemical stressor propanil using GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS. Under severe chemical stress, O. sativa maintained relatively stable antioxidant-related metabolism in grains, with α-tocopherol and phylloquinone showing only modest decreases of 0.86- and 0.90-fold, respectively. β-Sitosterol oryzanol was also preserved or increased in rice tissues, showing 1.05-fold in grain and 1.48-fold in husk, whereas it was not detected in E. crus-galli. In contrast, E. crus-galli exhibited stronger antioxidant perturbation, with α-tocopherol decreasing to 0.57-fold in grain and 0.72-fold in husk and (all-E)-zeaxanthin accumulating markedly in grain by 5.30-fold. Furthermore, the non-detection of oryzanol esters in E. crus-galli highlights a fundamental biochemical limitation in its oxidative stress defense. Ultimately, these findings suggest that resilience to chemical stressors may not rely solely on enzymatic detoxification, but may also involve coordinated, organ-specific metabolic buffering and targeted antioxidant reallocation.
Ji-Woo Yu, Min-Ho Song, Jung-Hoon Lee et al.· Ecotoxicology and Environmen...· 0 citations
Insights gained from integrated morphological, physiological, metabolomic, and computational analyses indicate that AHO applications can effectively improve plant growth and biomass, increase the concentration of bioactive compounds, and enhance the accumulation of bioactive secondary metabolites within the plant.
Amr S. Mohamed, Yong-Dui Chen, Samah M. EL-SAYED· International Journal of Mol...· 0 citations
A mechanistic framework for understanding how pulse crops reprogram their primary metabolism to survive high-phenolic organic waste exposure is provided, highlighting the dual nature of OMW as both a phytotoxin and a potential metabolic stimulus.
Mohammed Bouhadi, Qaiser Javed, N. Major et al.· Acta Physiologiae Plantarum· 0 citations
Camellia oleifera is a significant woody oil tree species native solely to China. The bud–seedling grafting technique has been widely applied to this tree due to its significant advantages in improving propagation efficiency and shortening the growth cycle. However, the healing process and its underlying molecular regulatory mechanisms during interspecific heterografting in Camellia remain poorly understood. In this study, we established both homografting and heterografting systems using C. oleifera bud seedlings as rootstocks, grafted with scions from C. oleifera, C. meiocarpa, and C. weiningensis. We systematically investigated the response patterns and differences in metabolites and gene expression before and after grafting healing through endogenous hormone detection, LC-MS untargeted metabolomics, and transcriptomic sequencing. The results showed that the grafting survival rates between C. oleifera and the other species were high (>88%), indicating strong compatibility. Metabolomic analysis revealed that differential metabolites, such as Gibberellin A53, Sophoramine, and Morellin, accumulated significantly with prolonged grafting time, and interspecific grafting combinations exhibited specific highly expressed metabolite profiles. We integrated multi-dimensional data comprising hormone levels, differential metabolites, and DEGs. A “hormone-gene” interaction network was constructed using WGCNA. The analysis revealed that key hub genes, including CYP73A, F3H, CHS, LHCA1, and LHCB5, were significantly correlated with flavonoid biosynthesis and elevated iPR content. We hypothesize that these genes enhance graft healing capacity by regulating secondary metabolism and hormone signaling pathways. The identified candidate genes, phytohormones, and metabolites provide potential molecular markers and regulatory targets for evaluating graft compatibility, selecting suitable rootstock–scion combinations, and optimizing grafting and propagation practices in C. oleifera, providing a crucial theoretical basis for superior cultivar breeding and the investigation of graft compatibility mechanisms.
Gentiana lawrencei var. farreri (G. farreri) is an important endangered Tibetan medicinal plant. This study aimed to uncover temperature-mediated physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying growth and flowering of this endangered Tibetan medicinal herb, providing theoretical guidance for its standardized artificial cultivation. This study established three diurnal temperature treatments: 15/5 °C (S15), 20/10 °C (S20), and 25/15 °C (S25), and conducted integrated analyses of phenotypic, physiological, non-targeted metabolomic, and transcriptomic data. The results showed that S15 significantly promoted plant biomass accumulation and flowering, with a flowering rate of 45.83%, significantly higher than that of other treatments. S15 significantly reduced the levels of soluble sugar, soluble protein, fructose, and starch, while increasing CAT activity to enhance antioxidant capacity; endogenous hormones showed elevated gibberellin (GA) and decreased indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), establishing a hormonal balance favorable for flowering. Integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis revealed that the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway (ko00941) is the core pathway responsive to temperature; S15 induces an increase in the contents of flavonoid metabolites including naringenin, delphinidin, petunidin, and peonidin, and simultaneously upregulates the expression of key genes including the PAL-encoding gene Cluster-62424.2, the 4CL-encoding gene Cluster-45063.0, and the CHS-encoding gene Cluster-44799.3 involved in flavonoid biosynthesis under this condition. S15 reduces the content of osmotic adjustment substances, increases GA content in plant branches, and enhances antioxidant capacity, which synergistically promotes the growth and flowering of G. farreri. Additionally, S15 mediates the accumulation of flavonoid compounds by regulating key genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis, thereby elevating the accumulation of bioactive constituents isoorientin and isoscoparin-2″-O-β-D-glucopyranoside. This study can provide crucial theoretical support for the optimal temperature regulation and control in the artificial cultivation of G. farreri.
Lame Zeren, Zhuoma Deqing, Yue Xu et al.· Frontiers in Plant Science· 0 citations
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