Physalis peruvianais one of the most promising tropical fruit plants because of its rapid growth, high yield, and nutritional quality. This study was designed to investigate plant development under heavy metal contamination (Cd, Pb) and responsiveness to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization byRhizophagus clarumandClaroideoglomus claroideum. The antioxidant capacity, total lipid content and fatty acid profile in fruits, accumulation of Cd and Pb in different plant parts, plant dry biomass, and mycorrhizal colonization were determined. As a result of inoculation, a considerable reduction in Cd and Pb in the fruits was observed, compared with non-inoculated plants. The fruit number and dry weight increased in plants associated withC. claroideum.These plants also showed higher acid phosphatase activity, root protein accumulation and glomalin production. The type of antioxidant defense was AMF strain-dependent. Antioxidant activity and H₂O₂neutralization were enzymatic rather than non-enzymatic processes in the fruits ofC. claroideumplants compared with those forming an association withR. clarum. Mycorrhizal establishment changed the composition and concentration of fruits’ fatty acids. The ratio of unsaturated fatty acids was increased. With respect to the accumulation of bioactive compounds in golden berry the present findings are important for obtaining the optimum benefits of mycorrhizal association under unfavorable conditions.

The phytohormones cytokinins are essential mediators of developmental and environmental signaling, primarily during cell division and endophytic interactions, among other processes. Considering the limited understanding of the regulatory mechanisms that affect the growth and bioactivity of the medicinal plant Nepeta nuda (Lamiaceae), our study aimed to explore how cytokinins influence the plant's metabolic status. Exogenous administration of active cytokinin forms on in vitro N. nuda internodes stimulated intensive callus formation and de novo shoot regeneration, leading to a marked increase in biomass. This process involved an accumulation of oxidants, which were scavenged by peroxidases using phenolics as substrates. The callus tissue formed upon the addition of the cytokinin 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) acted as a sink for sugars and phenolics during the allocation of nutrients between the culture medium and regenerated plants. In accordance, the cytokinin significantly enhanced the content of polar metabolites and their respective in vitro biological activities compared to untreated in vitro and wild-grown plants. The BAP-mediated accumulation of major phenolic metabolites, rosmarinic acid (RA) and caffeic acid (CA), corresponded with variations in the expression levels of genes involved in their biosynthesis. In contrast, the accumulation of iridoids and the expression of corresponding biosynthetic genes were not significantly affected. In conclusion, our study elucidated the mechanism of cytokinin action in N. nuda in vitro culture and demonstrated its potential in stimulating the production of bioactive compounds. This knowledge could serve as a basis for further investigations of the environmental impact on plant productivity.

Physalis peruviana L. is one of the most favorable tropical fruit due to its fast growth and nutritional properties. The current research outlined the response to drought stress of golden berry plants inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi Claroideoglomus claroideum and propagated in vitro as well as from seeds. The implementation of mycorrhizal symbiosis was determined by root colonization, glomalin content, and alkaline and acid phosphatases in roots and soil. The plant protection was assured by enzyme and non-enzyme antioxidants. The adapted in vitro propagated plants demonstrated higher resistance to drought than plants developed from seeds indicated by increased growth parameters (shoot, root biomass, fruit number), plastid pigment content, antioxidant activity, and less enhance mentofoxidative markers levels in water-deficient conditions. The findings in the present research are relevant to obtain the optimal mycorrhizal association and type of propagation in an adverse environment for golden berry development and will lead to the establishment of a database and model of varied plant responses to stressful conditions such as drought.

Mycorrhizal fungi, algae and cyanobacteria are some of the most important soil microorganisms and major components of a sustainable soil-plant system. This study presents for the first time evidence of the impact of green alga and cyanobacterium solely and in combination with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on plant-antioxidant capacity. In order to provide a better understanding of the impact of AMF and soil microalgae on Ocimum basilicum L. performance, changes in the pattern and activity of the main antioxidant enzymes (AOEs), esterases and non-enzymatic antioxidants including phenols, flavonoids, ascorbate, and α-tocopherols were evaluated. The targeted inoculation of O. basilicum with AMF or algae (alone and in combination) enhanced the antioxidant capacity of the plants and the degree of stimulation varied depending on the treatment. Plants in symbiosis with AMF exhibited the highest antioxidant potential as was indicated by the enhanced functions of all studied leaf AOEs: 1.5-, 2- and more than 10-fold rises of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and glutathione reductase (GR), respectively. The greatest increase in the total esterase activity and concentration of phenols, flavonoids and ascorbate was marked in the plants with simultaneous inoculation of mycorrhizal fungi and the green algae. 2,2-diphenyl-1-pycril-hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging method and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay proved the increased plant antioxidant capacity after co-colonization of green algae and mycorrhizae.