Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) is the most widespread weed and the most dangerous pollen allergenic plant in large areas of the temperate zone. Since herbicides like PSI and PSII inhibitors have their target genes in the chloroplast genome, understanding the chloroplast genome may indirectly support the exploration of herbicide resistance and development of novel control methods. The aim of the present study was to sequence and reconstruct for the chloroplast genome of A. artemisiifolia and establish a molecular dataset. We used an Illumina MiSeq protocol to sequence the chloroplast genome of isolated intact organelles of ragweed plants grown in our experimental garden. The assembled chloroplast genome was found to be 152,215 bp (GC: 37.6%) in a quadripartite structure, where 80 protein coding genes, 30 tRNA and 4 rRNA genes were annotated in total. We also report the complete sequence of 114 genes encoded in A. artemisiifolia chloroplast genome supported by both MIRA and Velvet de novo assemblers and ordered to Helianthus annuus L. using the Geneious software.

The endogenous stress metabolite β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) primes plants for enhanced resistance against abiotic and biotic stress by activating a complex phytohormone signaling network that includes abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonic acid (JA), salicylic acid (SA), and ethylene (ET). In this study, through stringent filtering, we identify 14 master regulatory transcription factors (TFs) from the DOF, AHL, and ERF families that potentially regulate the biosynthesis and signaling of these phytohormones. Transcriptional analysis of BABA-treated Arabidopsis thaliana and Hordeum vulgare suggests that DOF family TFs play a crucial role in stress response regulation in both species. BABA treatment in A. thaliana upregulates the TFs MNB1A and PBF and enhances the expression of the genes ICS1, EDS5, and WIN3 in the SA biosynthesis pathway, potentially boosting NPR1 and PR1 in the SA signaling pathway. Conversely, in H. vulgare, the BABA-induced upregulation of TF DOF5.8 may negatively regulate SA biosynthesis by downregulating ICS1, EDS5, and PR1. Additionally, in A. thaliana, BABA triggers the expression of TF PBF, which may result in the decreased expression of MYC2, a key gene in JA signaling. In contrast, H. vulgare exhibits increased expression of ERF2 TF, which could positively regulate the JA biosynthesis genes LOX and Tify9, along with the COI1 and JAZ genes involved in the JA signaling pathway. These findings offer new perspectives on the transcriptional regulation of phytohormones during plant priming.

This work aimed to study the plant conditioning effect and mode of action of a plant-based biostimulant used in organic farming. This new generation plant biostimulant, named ELICE16INDURES^®, is rich in plant bio-active ingredients containing eleven supercritical botanical extracts encapsulated in nano-scale liposomes. The dose–response (10 to 240 g ha⁻¹) relationship was tested in a field population of autumn barley (Hordeum vulgare) test crop, and underlying molecular mechanisms were studied. Applying nanotechnology, cell-identical nanoparticles may help the better uptake and delivery of active ingredients increasing resilience, vitality, and crop yield. The amount of harvested crops showed a significant increase of 27.5% and 39.9% interconnected to higher normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) of 20% and 25% after the treatment of low and high dosages (20 and 240 g ha⁻¹), respectively. Illumina NextSeq 550 sequencing, gene expression profiling, and KEGG-pathway analysis of outstanding dosages indicated the upregulation of pathogenesis-related (PR) and other genes—associated with induced resistance—which showed dose dependency as well.

Floral ontogeny in soybean (Glycine max) is governed by multilayered regulatory hierarchies that integrate phytohormonal cues with precisely choreographed gene-expression programs. Yet, the transcriptomic architecture underpinning this continuum remains only partially resolved. Here, we generated a strand-specific, high-depth temporal transcriptome atlas of soybean inflorescences spanning four morphologically defined stadiums (Stadium 0–Stadium 3). We detected transcriptional activity for 60,889 loci; pairwise stadium contrasts revealed 4000–7000 differentially expressed genes, with the most extensive reprogramming coinciding with the onset of anthesis (Stadium 2). Unsupervised clustering delineated ~600 genes peaking at the pre-anthesis phase (Stadium 1), a cohort enriched for transcriptional regulators and floral organ-identity determinants. Stadium-resolved gene-set enrichment and KEGG mapping uncovered dynamic modulation of canonical hormone-signaling pathways—including auxin, cytokinin, gibberellin, abscisic acid, ethylene, jasmonate, and salicylate circuits—reflecting shifting developmental priorities. Forty-five MADS-box transcription factor genes were expressed; notably, JOINTLESS was strongly induced at anthesis, while the root-predominant factor GmNMH7 exhibited unexpected floral expression, implicating a hitherto unappreciated role in reproductive development. Quantitative RT-PCR of representative loci corroborated RNA-seq measurements. This high-resolution atlas refines our understanding of the hormonal and genetic circuitry of soybean floral morphogenesis, furnishing molecular targets for engineering flowering time and inflorescence architecture under fluctuating environmental conditions.

Plant-derived biostimulants represent an innovative approach to enhancing crop productivity, resilience, and quality within sustainable agricultural systems by improving nutrient uptake, stress tolerance, and plant defense mechanisms while reducing reliance on synthetic inputs. However, their effectiveness is often limited by poor stability and low bioavailability. Recent advances in nanotechnology, particularly liposomal formulations, address these limitations by enhancing the stability, solubility, and delivery efficiency of bioactive plant compounds. Liposomes facilitate the penetration and systemic transport of active ingredients within plant tissues and enable controlled release at the target site, thereby increasing biostimulant efficacy. This review summarizes current knowledge on plant-derived biostimulants, their classification, nano-formulation, molecular mechanisms, and roles in mitigating abiotic and biotic stress. Special emphasis is placed on liposome-based formulations, including supercritical CO₂ extracts and nano-liposomal delivery systems, with examples such as garlic extract and the EliceVakcina^® complex. Finally, the potential of liposomal technologies in integrated crop protection and sustainable agriculture is discussed.

Fusarium infections in Pisum sativum L. crops present a major constraint to cultivation, leading to substantial yield losses. However, effective disease management strategies, particularly the implementation of biological control methods, offer promising approaches for mitigating infection severity and limiting pathogen spread. In P. sativum cultivation, pathogen control is particularly challenging due to the limited penetration of pesticides into the leaves. This is attributed to the dense crystalline plate structure within the leaf cuticle, which acts as a barrier, reducing the efficacy of conventional chemical treatments. Therefore, optimizing the formulation of biopesticides and plant conditioning agents is essential to improve the absorption and bioavailability of active ingredients, ensuring more effective disease management in P. sativum cultivation. This study examined the exogenous effects of garlic extracts in different formulations, including EliceVakcina (liposomal formulation), Garlic-lipo (liposomal formulation), and Garlic-oil (oil-based formulation), which contained high concentrations of abscisic acid (ABA) at 6.3, 81, and 80.4 µg g⁻¹, respectively. Transcriptomic profiling, including the identification of Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and KEGG pathway analysis of EliceVakcina-treated field samples, revealed a significant upregulation of stress- and defence-related genes, as well as pathways associated with thiamine metabolism and ABA signalling. Notably, key defence genes, including pathogenesis-related (PR1, PR2, PR4, PR5) and SnRK2, were overexpressed, indicating an enhanced stress response. HPLC-DAD analytical investigations confirmed the activation of the thiamine biosynthesis pathway, demonstrating a 14.3% increase in vitamin B1 content. Furthermore, the absence of Fusarium infection in the treated small-plot field cultures suggests that the tested garlic extracts formulation functions as a promising preventive biostimulant against plant fungal diseases.