Weather factors and drought could impact the yield of foxtail millet, and varieties with traits that could alleviate the negative effects of deteriorating weather factors in the future should be developed. A total of 25 foxtail millet varieties were evaluated in experiments from 2016 to 2020 under well-watered (WW) and water-stressed (WS) treatments. Future climate change might favor an increased temperature that impedes grain yield, so varieties with characters that are less sensitive to temperature change are preferred. Varieties with a high panicle dry-weight per plant, thousand grain weight, leaf area and water productivity in deep soil layer usually gave better grain production under both water treatments. Under the WW treatment, low grain abortion rate, optimal chlorophyll and canopy temperature and more roots in the upper soil layer could favor a high yield and drought resistance. Under the WS treatment, varieties with a high harvest index, low rate of water loss and more roots in the upper soil layer usually produced a high yield.

Mangrove plants play an important role in the remediation of heavy-metal-contaminated estuarine and coastal areas; Barringtonia racemosa is a typical semi-mangrove plant. However, the effect of heavy metal stress on this plant has not been explored. In this study, tolerance characteristics and the accumulation profile of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in B. racemosa were evaluated. The results indicated that B. racemosa exhibited a high tolerance in single Cd/Pb and Cd + Pb stress, with a significant increase in biomass yield in all treatment groups, a significant increase in plant height, leaf area, chlorophyll and carotenoid content in most treatment groups and without significant reduction of SOD, POD, MDA, proline content, Chl a, Chl b, Chl a + b, Car, ratio of Chl a:b and ratio of Car:Chl (a + b). Cd and Pb mainly accumulated in the root (≥93.43%) and the content of Cd and Pb in B. racemosa was root > stem > leaf. Pb showed antagonistic effects on the Cd accumulation in the roots and Cd showed antagonistic or synergistic effects on the Pb accumulation in the roots, which depended on the concentration of Cd and Pb. There was a significant synergistic effect of Cd and Pb enrichment under a low Cd and Pb concentration treatment. Thus, phytoremediation could potentially use B. racemosa for Cd and Pb.

Aluminum (Al) toxicity inhibits root growth, while nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plant growth and development. To explore the effects of nitrate (N) on Al toxicity and accumulation in root of wheat, two wheat genotypes, Shengxuan 6 hao (SX6, Al-tolerant genotype) and Zhenmai 168 (ZM168, Al-sensitive genotype), were used in a hydroponic experiment with four treatments (control without N or Al, N, Al, and Al+N, respectively). The results showed that N increased the inhibition of root elongation and aluminum accumulation in root. The Al-sensitive genotype suffered more serious Al toxicity than the Al-tolerant genotype. Histochemical observation clearly showed that Al prefers binding on the root apex 7–10 mm zones, and the Al-sensitive genotype accumulated more Al in these zones. Compared with other treatments, the Al+N treatment had significantly higher O₂⁻, superoxides dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) activities, H₂O₂, Evans blue uptake, malondialdehyde (MDA), ascorbic acid (AsA), pectin, and hemicellulose 1 (HC1) contents in both genotypes. Under Al+N treatment, O₂⁻ activity, Evans blue uptake, MDA, and HC1 contents of SX6 were significantly lower than those of ZM168, but SOD, CAT, and POD activities and AsA content exhibited an opposite trend. Therefore, aluminum toxicity and accumulation in root of wheat seedlings were aggravated by nitrate.

Star anise (Illicium verum) is an important economic and medical plant widely cultivated in Guangxi province, China. Its fruit can be used as spice and medicine (Wang et al. 2011). In recent years,...

Waxy maize (Zea mays L. Ceratina Group Kuleshov) genotypes with enhanced root development demonstrate an improved capacity for nutrient and water acquisition, potentially leading to higher grain yields. To investigate the relationships between grain yield, plant height, and root traits, 65 waxy maize lines were evaluated under field conditions in 2020 and 2021. The 65 genotypes exhibited significant variation in yield, plant height, and root traits across both years. Furthermore, all yield, height, and root traits were significantly affected by the Genotype × Year interaction, with the exception of dry grain yield. Root dry weight in the 40-100 cm soil layer exhibited a stronger positive effect on dry grain yield compared to that in the 0-40 cm soil layer in both years. This positive effect was more pronounced in 2020, a relatively dry year, than in 2021, which experienced higher rainfall. Deep root traits (40-100 cm), including root dry weight, root length density, and the deep root ratio, played a crucial role in achieving high grain yields, particularly under dry conditions. Significant correlations between root traits (root dry weight, root length density, and deep root ratio) and plant height were observed only in deeper soil layers in 2021, but not in 2020, suggesting that the relationship between root traits and plant height may be environment-dependent. These findings provide valuable insights for the breeding and cultivation of waxy maize, particularly with respect to improving root development to enhance grain yield under varying environmental conditions.