Launaea sarmentosa is a valuable medicinal plant with adaptability in saline areas, but it is still unclear how it responds to salinity. For the first time, the present study examined the plant’s changes under different soil salinities generated by 50, 100, 200, and 400 mM NaCl in order to elucidate its responses in terms of growth, photosynthesis, water uptake, osmotic adjustment, ion homeostasis, and oxidative stress defense to salinity. The results showed that the plant’s growth was enhanced by 50 mM NaCl with an 18.07% increase in dry biomass compared to the control, whereas higher salinity levels reduced its growth with a 6.39–54.85% decrease in dry biomass. The plant’s growth response indicates that it had tolerance to salinity levels up to 400 mM NaCl. The accumulation of photosynthetic pigments, including chlorophylls (a + b) and carotenoids, was enhanced under salinity, except for a reduced accumulation under 400 mM NaCl. Relative water content decreased while proline content increased in the salt-stressed plants. Moreover, the salt-stressed plants reduced their K⁺ and NO₃⁻ content along with increases in Na⁺ and Cl⁻ content. The high salt stress level also caused oxidative stress in the plants, which was revealed through the accumulation of malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide content. In addition, the salt-stressed plants had increased total phenolic content and the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase. These physiological and biochemical changes suggest that L. sarmentosa evolved adaptive mechanisms in photosynthesis, osmotic adjustment, ion homeostasis, and antioxidant defense for growing under salt stress.

Grangea maderaspatana is a valuable medicinal plant growing in salt-affected areas, but its tolerance capability, physiological and biochemical responses to salinity is still unclear. To understand these traits, this study examined effects of salinity at different levels (50-400 mM NaCl) on plant growth and its responses. The results shown that the plant’s dry biomass decreased with increasing salinity levels of 100-400 mM NaCl, but its growth was maintained at 400 mM NaCl level with a dry biomass equal to 0.45 times that of the control, indicating that G. maderaspatana had a tolerance ability to high salinity. The plant also had adaptive responses to the salinity. The content of leaf chlorophylls and carotenoids were retained, even enhanced by 50-200 mM NaCl, suggesting a high adaptation of photosynthesis. Proline, Na⁺, and Cl^- was highly accumulated while the accumulation of K⁺ and NO₃ ^- was maintained with 200-400 mM NaCl, indicating that the plant had adaptive mechanisms for osmotic adjustment and ion homeostasis. Antioxidative activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and peroxidase were enhanced by the salinity. These findings are useful information for understanding salt tolerance mechanisms and for utilization of this medicinal plant in saline agriculture.

Common purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is a halophyte, consumed not only as an edible vegetable but also as a traditional medicine. This plant can adapt to extreme salinity and drought conditions and their effects on plant growth, yield and quality were elucidated, but the effects on seed germination was still unclear. Seed germination is an important stage for establishing P. oleracea seedlings that contribute to plant yield and productivity. Thus, the objective of the present study was to examine the individual effects of salinity and drought stress at different levels on the characteristics of seed germination, which the seeds suffered from −0.22, −0.45, −0.89, and −1.78 MPa osmotic stresses induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG), or from 50, 100, 200, and 400 mM NaCl stresses with equivalent osmotic pressures. The seeds sown in petri dishes containing filter paper layers that were flooded with NaCl or PEG-6000 solutions for the treatments and germination parameters were determined daily for 15 days. Data showed that germination percentage (GP), germination rate (GR), germination energy (GE), and mean germination time (MGT) were significantly decreased with increasing levels of salt and osmotic stresses, suggesting that the salinity and drought stress reduced the germination capability of seeds. Moreover, the seeds maintained germination with PEG osmotic pressure above −0.22 MPa, but not with NaCl concentration greater than 50 mM that induced a similar osmotic pressure, suggesting that the ion toxicity effect on the seed germination might be higher than the osmotic effects.

Phyla nodiflora is a valuable medicinal plant growing in coastal areas, hypothesizing its adaptability to salinity; however, it has not been investigated. This study, for the first time, elucidated responses in the growth of the shoots and its physiology to different soil salinity of 50–400 mM NaCl. The data showed that the shoot’s dry biomass was not affected by the salinity levels up to 100 mM, and it only decreased 33.50–56.33% compared to the control under 200–400 mM NaCl, indicating that P. nodiflora is a salt-tolerant plant that could survive under high salinity. In addition, the plant also had physiological responses which indicated its salt-induced injuries and adaptation to the salt stress. The chlorophyll a content was increased while the chlorophyll b remained unchanged under the salt stress. The proline and salt accumulation increased under the salinity, but the K⁺ and NO₃⁻ accumulation decreased. Moreover, increases in malondialdehyde and electrolyte leakage were observed, indicating salt-induced membrane damages. These responses suggested that the plant might evolve adaptive mechanisms to salinity. Our findings are useful information for further research in order to elucidate the salt-tolerant mechanisms and develop this plant for saline agriculture.

Halophytes not only tolerate to salinity, but also promote their growth under a suitable saline condition (referred to as halophilism). Tetagonia tetragonioides is a halophyte that its growth is promoted by NaCl salinity up to 100 mM, but the mechanism of halophilism has not been elucidated. The present study examined responses in the plant’s growth, photosynthesis, and water uptake under the halophilism condition. The results the fresh and dry biomass were increased by 35.86 and 37.04% compared to the plant grown without salt, respectively. The growth enhancement of plant was contributed by the growth of both shoots and roots. Leaf chlorophyll content was also increased 1.10 times under the halophilism condition. Relative water content was not significantly increased, but proline content was increased 15.93 – 52.31 times with increasing salinity levels. These results suggest mechanisms that regulated photosynthesis and water uptake for the halophilism.

Khôi nhung (Ardisia silvestris Pit.) là loài cây thuốc có giá trị cao. Do đó, nghiên cứu các phương thức nuôi cấy in vitro khác nhau nhằm bảo tồn và phát triển bền vững loài cây này là cần thiết. Mục tiêu nghiên cứu là thiết lập quy trình nhân giống in vitro thông qua phát sinh cơ quan từ mô sẹo dựa vào kết quả khảo sát ảnh hưởng của các điều kiện nuôi cấy. Kết quả cho thấy các chất điều hòa sinh trưởng TDZ, BAP, NAA, IBA có ảnh hưởng tích cực đến mẫu nuôi cấy. Một quy trình nuôi cấy đã được thiết lập với các điều kiện như sau: (1) Cảm ứng mô sẹo từ đoạn thân non trên môi trường MS cơ bản; (2) tái sinh chồi từ mô sẹo trên môi trường với 0,25 mg/L TDZ + 0,5 mg/L IBA; (3) nhân nhanh chồi với1,0 mg/L BAP; (4) tạo rễ trên môi trường với 0,75 mg/L IBA; (5) cây con in vitro có thể được huấn luyện ở điều kiện vườn ươm với giá thể là hỗn hợp đất sét: đất cát: bột xơ dừa: phân hoai mục (1:1:1:1).