Soil salinity is a very important abiotic stress condition that affects plant growth and crop yield. Photosynthetic activity, fresh weight, total protein amount decrease due to salinity condition. Brassinosteroids (BR) are a new group of hormones in the steroidal structure which is involved in the plant hormone group. BRs play an important role in various physiological processes. BR shave a curative effect on the plants exposed to environmental stress. In this study, the effect on seedling development was examined by spraying 24-epibrassinolide (eBL), the active form of brassinosteroids, on the seedlings exposed to salt stress. For this purpose, seedlings are divided into three groups such as Hoagland, Hoagland+NaCl, Hoagland+NaCl+eBL. As a result of preliminary experiments, 150 mM NaCl as the salt concentration reducing seedling growth and 10-9 M eBL which promotes growth by reducing this inhibition were determined as the appropriate concentration. This study; biochemical analysis of spinach seedlings exposed to salt stress and applied to eBL showed the curative effect of eBL on salt toxicity.

Arthrospira platensis is a cyanobacterial species known for its rich nutritional content and biologically active phycocyanin components. Solutions at concentrations of 0.05% and 0.1% were prepared from Arthrospira platensis extracts containing 35 % phycocyanin and applied to wheat leaf segments (Triticum aestivum L.) to investigate their metabolic and biochemical effects. Within the scope of the study, the effects of phycocyanin concentrations on growth parameters, pigment profile (chlorophyll, carotenoid, and anthocyanin), protein content, peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) activity in wheat leaf segments were determined after four days. According to the results, 0.05 g/L phycocyanin solution significantly increased the amount of carotenoids (27%) and anthocyanins (~31%) of the segments compared to control, while 0.1 g/L solution application significantly increased the fresh weight of the segments (49%), total chlorophyll content (28%), protein amount (21%), and decreased POD significantly (22%). There were no significant changes in CAT activities compared to control samples. These findings indicate that phycocyanin supports delayed senescence, promotes plant growth, and contributes to physiological defense systems, suggesting its potential as a biostimulant for sustainable agricultural practices.

Objective: Global food security and ecosystem stability are under constant threat due to agricultural soil contamination driven by cadmium (Cd) and other heavy metals. Therefore, identification of tolerant and high-biomass-producing plant species is critical for sustainable phytoremediation.Materials and Methods: Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman (wild banana) plants were grown in soil culture pots under controlled phytotron conditions and treated with different Cd concentrations (0, 10, 20 and 40 µM) for 270 days. The accumulation of Cd, long-term morphological changes, physiological stress responses, and phytoremediation potential of E. ventricosum were evaluated.Results: Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) revealed that Cd accumulation in plant organs was found in the order of root > corm > stem > leaf. Decreased Cd accumulation in corms with increased soil Cd shows a physiological barrier limiting metal translocation into storage organs. Plants exhibited a hormetic growth response when exposed to low Cd concentrations (10-20 µM). E. ventricosum employed a tissue-specific and dose-dependent antioxidant defence strategy through the upregulation of catalase, guaiacol peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase activities to scavenge reactive oxygen species. In addition, the increased level of total soluble proteins in roots also reflects the synthesis of stress response proteins.Conclusion: E. ventricosum tolerates extended Cd exposure through coordinated enzymatic detoxification and morphological plasticity. E. ventricosum is a promising candidate for phytostabilization given its high plant biomass and high root Cd accumulation in Cd-contaminated soils.

Throughout their life cycle, plants are capable of forming organs by differentiating from special tissues called meristems. The shoot apical meristem (SAM) produces all above ground organs, such as leaves, axillary shoots, and flowers, through the continuous regeneration of stem cells. A delicate balance exists between stem cell regeneration and differentiation. Stem cell homeostasis in the SAM is maintained by a precise and dynamic negative feedback loop established through WUSCHEL and CLAVATA signalling. There is an important correlation between WUS, which preserves stem cell identity, and CLV, which inhibits meristem overgrowth, in plant development. While the WUS protein moves upward, activating CLV3 expression, the CLV3 signalling protein moves downward, suppressing WUS, creating a dynamic equilibrium. The WUS-CLV feedback cycle contributes to the morphologic integrity and preservation of the plant’s vegetative and generative developmental stages. This review aims to clarify the genetic regulatory mechanisms that play a role in maintaining stem cell identity and limiting meristem size during plant development and to evaluate the functional significance of the WUS-CLV interaction in SAM. In addition to its primary role in developmental morphogenesis, this pathway holds agronomic importance in terms of organ number and related yield parameter.