Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.) Steud is a drought-resistant, low-maintenance and fast-growing energy crop that can withstand a wide range of climatic conditions, provides a high biomass yield (approximately 50 t DM ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹), and develops successfully in contaminated sites. In Kazakhstan, there are many historically contaminated sites polluted by a mixture of xenobiotics of organic and inorganic origin that need to be revitalised. Pilot-scale research evaluated the potential of P. tomentosa for the phytoremediation of soils historically contaminated with organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and toxic trace elements (TTEs) to minimise their impact on the environment. Targeted soils from the obsolete pesticide stockpiles located in three villages of Talgar district, Almaty region, Kazakhstan, i.e., Amangeldy (soil A), Beskainar (soil B), and Kyzylkairat (soil K), were subjected to research. Twenty OCPs and eight TTEs (As, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb) were detected in the soils. The phytoremediation potential of P. tomentosa was investigated for OCPs whose concentrations in the soils were significantly different (aldrin, endosulfans, endrin aldehyde, HCB, heptachlor, hexabromobenzene, keltan, methoxychlor, and γ-HCH) and for TTEs (Cu, Zn, and Cd) whose concentrations exceeded maximum permissible concentrations. Bioconcentration (BCF) and translocation (TLF) factors were used as indicators of the phytoremediation process. It was ensured that the uptake and translocation of contaminants by P. tomentosa was highly variable and depended on their properties and concentrations in soil. Besides the ability to bioconcentrate Cr, Ni, and Cu, P. tomentosa demonstrated very encouraging results in the accumulation of endosulfans, keltan, and methoxychlor and the phytoextraction of γ-HCH (TLFs of 1.9–9.9) and HCB (BCFs of 197–571). The results of the pilot trials support the need to further investigate the potential of P. tomentosa for phytoremediation on a field scale.

The current study investigated the impact of cold stress on the morphological, physiological, and phytochemical properties of Juglans regia L. (J. regia) using in vitro microclone cultures. The study revealed significant stress-induced changes in the production of secondary antioxidant metabolites. According to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analyses, the stress conditions profoundly altered the metabolism of J. regia microclones. Although the overall spectrum of metabolites was reduced, the production of key secondary antioxidant metabolites significantly increased. Notably, there was a sevenfold (7×) increase in juglone concentration. These findings are crucial for advancing walnut metabolomics and enhancing our understanding of plant responses to abiotic stress factors. Additionally, study results aid in identifying the role of individual metabolites in these processes, which is essential for developing strategies to improve plant resilience and tolerance to adverse conditions.

Paulownia sp. are tall and fast-growing perennial plants that grow faster than all woody plants in the world. In many countries, Paulownia sp. are used as a raw material in bioenergy, furniture industry, landscape gardening and technologies for phytoremediation. In this study for the first time in Kazakhstan, conditions of Paulownia tomentosa (P. tomentosa) in vitro cultivation and propagation have been optimized, also the factors influencing the morphogenetic activity of primary explants have been studied. Along with the adaptation potential of Paulownia tomentosa microclones to the ex situ conditions, laboratory standing order for microclonal reproduction have been evaluated. For sterilization of P. tomentosa explants are recommended to use 50% domestos and 0.1% merthiolate. Hormone-free WPM medium was considered as the most optimal for the in vitro propagation. Infrared light is highly recommended for P. tomentosa microclones adaptation, due to its ability to stimulate the formation plants aboveground biomass and root system. For Kazakhstan, the research of this type of tree crops is a relevant, new and promising direction. The development of microclonal propagation of Paulownia tomentosa will accelerate the process of introduction of Paulownia in our Republic.

Temperature is a major determinant of plant metabolic plasticity, yet its role in directing volatile and semi-volatile specialized metabolism in Ginkgo biloba remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated how contrasting low- and high-temperature treatments reshape secondary metabolite contents in G. biloba microclones cultivated in vitro. Plants were exposed to cold (+3 °C) and heat (+30 °C) conditions, and their responses were analyzed using GC–MS profiling, anatomical measurements, chlorophyll fluorescence, and multivariate statistics. Cold treatment selectively increased the abundances of monoterpenes (13.22%) and sesquiterpenes (13.83%), with the strongest accumulation of caryophyllene, eucalyptol, and (1S)-camphor. In contrast, heat treatment reduced ester content to 3.73% and strongly enriched oxy-sesquiterpenes (46.50%) and lactone/ketone/spiroketone (29.54%) contents. The enhanced accumulation of isocalamendiol, isoshyobunone, cyclohexanone derivative, dehydroxy-isocalamendiol, and (+)-2-bornanone was observed under heat. According to the multivariate analysis, control plants were associated with traits reflecting optimal physiological performance, including greater parenchyma, phloem, and xylem thickness, larger vascular bundles, longer stomata, and higher NPQ, qN, Y(NPQ), and F_v/F_m. Cold-treated plants showed thicker epidermis and sclerenchyma, higher stomatal density and width, elevated Y(NO), and an enrichment of esters and terpenoids, whereas heat-treated plants were characterized by thicker adaxial and abaxial epidermis, increased mesophyll thickness, and higher levels of oxygenated metabolites. These findings expand current knowledge beyond terpene trilactones and flavonoids and identify Ginkgo microclones as a useful in vitro model for temperature-guided metabolic reprogramming and targeted metabolite enrichment.

The article discusses the influence of phytostimulants in various concentrations on the growth and development of microclones of representatives of the Nitrariaceae family - Schober's nitraria (Nitraria Schoberi L.) and Siberian nitraria (Nitraria sibirika Pall.) during their cultivation. It has been shown that the effect of phytohormones NAA or IAA at concentrations of 0.2, 0.3 and 0.5 mg/l causes increased rhizogenesis and the intensity of shoot growth of various Nitraria species in in vitro culture. The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of various phytostimulants under conditions of using different light illumination for effective performance in the process of microclonal propagation of an unusual and useful plant whose fruits and leaves contain a rich complex of biologically active substances. The results of the effect of different light illumination on the growth and development of selitryanka microclones in tissue culture are presented, where it was found that the combined action of growth regulators and phytolamps illumination led to the stimulation of morphogenetic processes in selitryanka explants, which can be used to regulate the growth of microclonal cultures at low concentrations of phytohormones, also for the stimulation of root system development before the transfer of plants to ex situ conditions it is advisable to use phytolamps. Мақалада Nitrariaceae тұқымдасының өкілдері – Шобер ақтікені (Nitraria Schoberi L.) және Сібір ақтікені (Nitraria sibirika Pall.) микроклондарының өсіру кезінде олардың өсуі мен дамуына әртүрлі концентрациядағы фитостимуляторлардың әсері қарастырылады. НСҚ немесе ИСҚ фитогормондарының 0,2, 0,3 және 0,5 мг/л концентрациядағы әсері in vitro дақылында әртүрлі Nitraria түрлерінің өркен өсу қарқындылығын және ризогенезді жоғарылататыны көрсетілген. Зерттеудің мақсаты жемістері мен жапырақтарында биологиялық белсенді заттардың бай кешені бар ерекше және пайдалы өсімдіктің микроклондық көбею процесінде тиімді жұмыс істеу үшін әртүрлі жарықтандыруды қолдану жағдайында әртүрлі фитостимуляторлардың әсерін зерттеу. Зерттеудің мақсаты жемістері мен жапырақтарында биологиялық белсенді заттардың бай кешені бар ерекше және пайдалы өсімдіктің микроклондық көбею процесінде тиімді жұмыс істеу үшін әр түрлі жарықтандыруды қолдану жағдайында әр түрлі фитостимуляторлардың әсерін зерттеу болып табылады. Зерттеу жұмысында ұлпа дақылындағы ақтікен микроклондарының өсуі мен дамуына қатысты әр түрлі жарықтандырудың әсер ету нәтижелері келтірілген, онда өсу реттегіштері мен фитолампалардың бірлескен әсері барысындағы жарықтандырудың ақтікен экспланттарында морфогенетикалық процестерді ынталандыруға әкелетіні анықталды, сонымен қатар фитогормондардың төмен концентрациясында микроклоналды дақылдардың өсуін реттеу үшін пайдалануға болады, сондай-ақ өсімдіктерді ex situ жағдайларға көшірмес бұрын тамыр жүйесінің дамуын ынталандыру үшін де фитолампаларды қолданған жөн. В статье рассматриваются вопросы влияния фитостимуляторов в различных концентрациях на рост и развитие микроклонов представителей семейства Nitrariaceae - селитрянка Шобера (Nitraria SchoberiL.) и селитрянка сибирская (Nitraria sibirikaPall.) в процессе их культивирования. Показано, что эффект фитогормонов НУК или ИУК в концентрации 0,2, 0,3 и 0,5 мг/л вызывает усиление ризогенеза и интенсивности роста побегов различных видов Nitraria в культуре in vitro. Целью исследования является изучение действия различных фитостимуляторов в условиях использования различного светового освещения для эффективной результативности в процессе микроклонального размножения необычного и полезного растения, плоды и листья которого содержат богатый комплекс биологически активных веществ. Представлены результаты воздействия различного светового освещения на рост и развитие микроклонов селитрянки в культуре тканей, где выявлено, что совместное действие регуляторов роста и освещения...