Biochar is regarded as a soil improvement material possessing superior physical and chemical properties that can effectively enhance plant growth. However, there exists a paucity of research examining the efficacy of biochar in supplanting traditional materials and its subsequent impact on the growth of Ardisia crenata, which is currently domesticated as fruit ornamentals. In this study, the mechanism of biochar’s effect on Ardisia crenata was analyzed by controlled experiments. For 180 days, their growth and development were meticulously assessed under different treatments through the measurement of various indices. Compared with the references, the addition of biochar led to an average increase in soil nutrient content, including a 14.1% rise in total nitrogen, a 564.1% increase in total phosphorus, and a 63.2% boost in total potassium. Furthermore, it improved the physical and chemical properties of the soil by reducing soil bulk density by 6.2%, increasing total porosity by 6.33%, and enhancing pore water by 7.35%, while decreasing aeration porosity by 1.11%. The growth and development of Ardisia crenata were better when the appending ratio of biochar was in the range of 30% to 50%, with the root parameters, such as root length, root surface area, and root volume, 48.90%, 62.00%, and 24.04% higher to reference. At the same time, the biomass accumulation of roots in the best group with adding biochar also increased significantly (55.80%). The addition of biochar resulted in a significant improvement in the content of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b (1.947 mg g⁻¹) and the net photosynthetic rate (5.6003 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹). This study’s findings underpinned the addition of biochar in soil improvement and plant response. Therefore, biochar can favor the cultivation and industrial application of Ardisia crenata in the future, leading to an efficient and environmentally friendly industrial development.

Melastoma dodecandrum is primarily propagated through stem cuttings, which limits genetic variation and constrains breeding efforts. To overcome this limitation and facilitate molecular breeding, the establishment of a reliable and efficient regeneration system is essential. This study investigated the effects of plant growth regulators (PGRs) and culture media on the in vitro regeneration system of M. dodecandrum. The highest rate of callus induction (96.67%) was achieved when sterile leaf explants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with 2.00 mg·L⁻¹ 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 0.50 mg·L⁻¹ 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA). For callus differentiation, the optimal formulation of MS + 2.0 mg·L⁻¹ 6-BA + 0.5 mg·L⁻¹ naphthylacetic acid (NAA) resulted in a differentiation frequency of 83.33%. The optimal PGR combinations for shoot proliferation were 1.5 mg·L⁻¹ 6-BA + 0.1 mg·L⁻¹ NAA and 0.5 mg·L⁻¹ 6-BA + 0.2 mg·L⁻¹ NAA. The optimal rooting media were MS medium supplemented with 0.1, 0.2, or 0.5 mg·L⁻¹ indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) or 1/2MS medium supplemented with 0.1 mg·L⁻¹ IBA. Additionally, this study investigated the dynamic changes in endogenous hormones during the regeneration process. The levels and ratios of hormones, including gibberellin (GA₃), abscisic acid (ABA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and zeatin (ZT), collectively regulated the regeneration process. Elevated levels of ABA and GA₃ may promote callus initiation as well as the growth and development of adventitious roots during the early induction stage. Reduced levels of ABA and IAA favored callus differentiation into shoots, whereas elevated GA₃ levels facilitated proliferation of adventitious shoots. Throughout the regeneration process, fluctuations in ZT levels remained relatively stable. This study successfully established an in vitro regeneration system for M. dodecandrum using leaf explants, providing theoretical guidance and technical support for further molecular breeding efforts, genetic transformation, and industrial development.

As a highly valued orchid species, Cymbidium ensifolium (C. ensifolium) exhibits a natural flowering period mainly from July to September, which does not align with the market demand and shows low flowering quality, thereby significantly constraining the development of the C. ensifolium floriculture industry. To address this key issue, the study used C. ensifolium ‘Longyan Su’ as the experimental material, with white light as the control and composite light with varying ratios of red and blue light as the treatments, and investigated the influence of light quality on flowering. The results showed that blue light could significantly advance the flowering time, while red light could markedly improve the flower quality. Blue light promoted the accumulation of soluble protein and soluble sugar during flower bud differentiation, while red light enhanced their accumulation during floral organ development. During the flower bud differentiation and development stage, blue light increased the synthesis of abscisic acid (ABA) in leaves, and red light promoted the production of gibberellic acid (GA₃) and zeatin riboside (ZR). The study provides an important foundation and reference for further analysis of the flowering mechanism of C. ensifolium under different light quality treatments, and also provides technical support for flowering regulation of orchids in practical production.

Fusarium wilt of Phalaenopsis spp., caused by Fusarium species, is a major soil-borne disease that severely threatens the yield and ornamental quality of Phalaenopsis. Endophytic fungi can serve as natural biocontrol agents against soil-borne pathogens and have potential applications in biological control. In this study, a pathogenic isolate, HT-1, was obtained from Fusarium-wilted Phalaenopsis plants, and its pathogenicity was confirmed through inoculation assays on detached leaves and intact plants. Morphological observations, together with internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF-1α) sequence analyses, identified HT-1 as Fusarium proliferatum. Seven endophytic fungi with strong antagonism against F. proliferatum were screened using a dual-culture assay. All seven isolates consistently inhibited five representative plant pathogens in vitro, showing broad-spectrum and promising biocontrol potential. Detached leaf inoculation assays showed that both Trichoderma virens and Trichoderma asperellum significantly reduced lesion area and disease severity caused by F. proliferatum, indicating potential application in disease management. In summary, this study identified seven endophytic fungi from Phalaenopsis with broad-spectrum antagonistic potential against multiple plant pathogenic fungi. Meanwhile, the protective effects of T. virens and T. asperellum against F. proliferatum were preliminarily evaluated using detached leaves. These findings provide theoretical reference and fungal resources for screening candidate biocontrol strains against Phalaenopsis Fusarium wilt and related plant diseases, and lay a foundation for future studies on biocontrol mechanisms, whole-plant efficacy verification, and practical application.

There was an error in the original publication

Cymbidium goeringii, an important orchid species, holds significant aesthetic and commercial potential in horticulture. However, stem rot caused by Fusarium oxysporum has emerged as a major biological constraint hindering industry development. In this study, we isolated five endophytic fungal strains from C. goeringii roots—namely, DG3 (Bjerkandera), DG4 (Cylindrocarpon), CLG3 (Talaromyces), CLG6 (Clonostachys), and Z3 (Trichoderma)—and assessed their inhibitory efficacy against stem rot and their potential to promote growth in C. goeringii. In vitro assays indicated that all five fungal strains had the ability to fix nitrogen and produce indole-3-acetic acid, as well as the capability to produce protease and exert broad-spectrum antimicrobial effects. The five endophytic fungal strains exhibited stem rot-resistant effects, among which strain Z3 showed the best inhibitory effect against stem rot, with a control efficacy reaching 68.89%. Treatment of C. goeringii seedlings with these endophytic fungal fermentation broths for 100 d significantly promoted growth compared to the control. The fresh weight increased by 10.53% to 88.16%, and root activity was enhanced by 50% to 162.5%. Additionally, the plant height and the longest leaf length increased by up to 23.68% and 47.50%, respectively, compared to the control. Additionally, the total chlorophyll content was up to 25.34% higher than that of the control group, and the soluble protein content was up to 39.54% higher. The MDA content was reduced by up to 40.23% compared to the control group. These endophytes also regulated the activity of defense-related enzymes in C. goeringii, including delaying the decline in the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase. These results highlight the potential of these five endophytic fungi as effective agents for managing stem rot in C. goeringii.