Lead (Pb) toxicity imposes several morphological and biochemical changes in plants grown in Pb-contaminated soils. Application of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) in mitigating heavy metal stress has already been studied. However, the role of EDTA in mitigating heavy metal stress, especially in oilseed crops, is less known. Therefore, the study aimed to explore the potential effect of foliar application of 2.5 mM EDTA on two different varieties of Brassica juncea L., i.e., Faisal (V1) and Rohi (V2), with and without 0.5 mM Lead acetate [Pb(C₂H₃O₂)₂] treatment. Statistical analysis revealed that Pb stress was harmful to the plant. It caused a considerable decrease in the overall biomass (56.2%), shoot and root length (21%), yield attributes (20.16%), chlorophyll content (35.3%), total soluble proteins (12.9%), and calcium (61.7%) and potassium (40.9%) content of the plants as compared to the control plants. However, the foliar application of EDTA alleviated the adverse effects of Pb in both varieties. EDTA application improved the morphological attributes (67%), yield (29%), and photosynthetic pigments (80%). Positive variations in the antioxidant activity, ROS, and contents of total free amino acid, anthocyanin, flavonoids, and ascorbic acid, even under Pb stress, were prominent. EDTA application further improved their presence in the brown mustard verifying it as a more stress-resistant plant. It was deduced that the application of EDTA had significantly redeemed the adverse effects of Pb, leaving room for further experimentation to avoid Pb toxification in the mustard oil and the food chain.

Soil microbial communities play an important role in driving diverse ecosystem functions and ecological processes and are the main driving force for maintaining biogeochemical cycles. To investigate the effects of nitrogen fertilizer addition on soil microbial community characteristics and ecosystem multifunctionality in alfalfa fields, a field experiment was conducted in the semi-arid region of the Loess Plateau. Ecological network analysis revealed a strong cooperative relationship among bacterial community species under the N100 treatment, while a strong competitive relationship was observed among fungal community species under the N50 treatment. Furthermore, compared with the control check, the soil carbon nutrient function, ecosystem multifunctionality and grassland productivity of N150 treatment increased by 45.17%, 34.01%, and 7.92%, while the soil phosphorus function decreased by 13.44%. Additionally, soil pH significantly influences ecosystem multifunctionality, soil carbon nutrient function, and grassland productivity. Soil water content notably affects the soil phosphorus nutrient function, while soil microbial diversity has a significant impact on grassland productivity and soil potassium nutrient function. The above results suggest that alterations in soil nutrient levels influence ecosystem multifunctionality by regulating microbial community diversity, offering new insights into the mechanisms by which nutrients impact soil microbial communities and ecosystem properties.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination threatens human health and plant growth due to its accumulation in edible parts. The sole application of phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria (PSB), biochar (BC), and phosphorus (P) effectively mitigates Cd’s adverse effects in contaminated agricultural systems. However, further investigation into their combined impacts on Cd toxicity and maize (Zea mays) production is essential. This study evaluates the synergistic effects of PSB (10 g kg⁻¹ of Bacillus megaterium), BC (5% w/w), and P (0.8 g kg⁻¹) on soil properties and the morphological and physiological traits of maize cultivated in agricultural soil contaminated with Cd (20 mg kg⁻¹). The study revealed that Cd toxicity negatively impacts soil properties, reducing shoot and root biomass, lowering chlorophyll content, and heightening oxidative stress levels. Conversely, the combined use of P, PSB, and BC markedly improved soil properties, increasing the organic matter by 175.94%, available K by 87.24%, and available P by 306.93% compared to the control. This combination also improved maize growth metrics, with increases in aboveground dry biomass (92.98%), root dry biomass (110.33%), chlorophyll a (28.20%), chlorophyll b (108.34%), and total chlorophyll (37.17%). Notably, the treatment reduced Cd concentrations in maize leaves by 61.08% while increasing soil Cd levels by 31.12% compared to the control group. Overall, the synergistic effect of P-BC-PSB is an eco-friendly strategy for mitigating Cd toxicity in contaminated soil. However, further studies are required to explore its effects and molecular mechanisms on other crops.

Silage maize is vital to livestock development in northern China, but intensive chemical fertilization has led to soil degradation and reduced productivity. Bio-organic fertilizers offer a sustainable alternative, though their effects on soil multifunctionality remain underexplored. This study evaluated the impact of combining decomposed cow manure, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, and mineral potassium fulvic acid with chemical fertilizers (NPK) on silage maize yield, soil microbial diversity, and ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF). Field experiments showed that bio-organic fertilization increased silage maize yield by 10.23% compared to chemical fertilizers alone, primarily by boosting labile organic carbon and soil enzyme activity. It also enhanced bacterial richness and diversity, with little effect on fungal communities. Microbial network analysis revealed more complex and stable bacterial networks under bio-organic treatments, indicating strengthened microbial interactions. Random forest and structural equation modeling (SEM) identified soil carbon storage and bacterial diversity as key drivers of EMF, which integrates soil functions such as nutrient cycling, decomposition, enzyme activity, and microbial diversity. These findings suggest that soil bacterial diversity and its interactions with soil properties are critical to both crop productivity and soil health. The optimal fertilization strategy for silage maize in this region involves the combined use of cattle manure, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, mineral potassium fulvic acid, and NPK fertilizers. This approach improves yield, microbial diversity, and soil multifunctionality. Future studies should consider environmental variables and crop varieties across diverse regions to support broader application.

The plant-specific SHI-related sequence (SRS) family of transcription factors plays a vital role in growth regulation, plant development, phytohormone biosynthesis, and stress response. However, the genome-wide identification and role in the abiotic stress-related functions of the SRS gene family were not reported in white sweet clover (Melilotus albus). In this study, nine M. albus SRS genes (named MaSRS01-MaSRS09) were identified via a genome-wide search method. All nine genes were located on six out of eight chromosomes in the genome of M. albus and duplication analysis indicated eight segmentally duplicated genes in the MaSRS family. These MaSRS genes were classified into six groups based on their phylogenetic relationships. The gene structure and motif composition results indicated that MaSRS members in the same group contained analogous intron/exon and motif organizations. Further, promoter region analysis of MaSRS genes uncovered various growth, development, and stress-responsive cis-acting elements. Protein interaction networks showed that each gene has both functions of interacting with other genes and members within the family. Moreover, real-time quantitative PCR was also performed to verify the expression patterns of nine MaSRS genes in the leaves of M. albus. The results showed that nine MaSRSs were up- and down-regulated at different time points after various stress treatments, such as salinity, low-temperature, salicylic acid (SA), and methyl jasmonate (MeJA). This is the first systematic study of the M. albus SRS gene family, and it can serve as a strong foundation for further elucidation of the stress response and physiological improvement of the growth functions in M. albus.

In recent years, ecological concerns such as vegetation destruction, permafrost deterioration, and river drying have been paid much more attention to on the Yellow River Basin in China. Soil pH is regarded to be the fundamental variable among soil properties for vegetation growth, while net primary productivity (NPP) is also an essential indicator to reflect the healthy growth of vegetation. Due to the limitation of on-site samples, the spatial–temporal variations in soil pH and NPP, as well as their intrinsic mechanisms, remain unknown, especially in the Yellow River source area, China. Therefore, it is imperative to investigate the coupling relationship between soil pH and NPP of the area. The study coupled MODIS reflectance data (MOD09A1) with on-site soil pH to estimate spatial–temporal variations in soil pH, explore the response of NPP to soil pH, and assess the extent to which they contribute to grassland ecosystems, thus helping to fill knowledge gaps. Results indicated that the surface spectral reflectance for seven bands could express the geographic pattern of soil pH by applying a multiple linear regression equation; NPP exhibited an increasing trend while soil pH was the contrary in summer from 2000 to 2021. In summer, NPP was negatively correlated with soil pH and there was a lag effect in the response of NPP to soil pH, revealing a correlation between temperate steppes > montane meadows > alpine meadows > swamps in different grassland ecosystems. In addition, contribution indices for temperate steppes and montane meadows were positive whereas they were negative for swamps and alpine meadows, which are apparent findings. The contribution index of montane and alpine meadows was greater than that of temperate steppes and swamps. The approach of the study can enable managers to easily identify and rehabilitate alkaline soil and provides an important reference and practical value for ecological restoration and sustainable development of grassland ecosystems in alpine regions.