Anthropogenic pollution of agricultural soils with cadmium (Cd) should receive adequate attention as Cd accumulation in crops endangers human health. When Cd is present in the soil, plants are exposed to it throughout their entire life cycle. As it is a non-essential element, no specific Cd uptake mechanisms are present. Therefore, Cd enters the plant through transporters for essential elements and consequently disturbs plant growth and development. In this review, we will focus on the effects of Cd on the most important events of a plant’s life cycle covering seed germination, the vegetative phase and the reproduction phase. Within the vegetative phase, the disturbance of the cell cycle by Cd is highlighted with special emphasis on endoreduplication, DNA damage and its relation to cell death. Furthermore, we will discuss the cell wall as an important structure in retaining Cd and the ability of plants to actively modify the cell wall to increase Cd tolerance. As Cd is known to affect concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and phytohormones, special emphasis is put on the involvement of these compounds in plant developmental processes. Lastly, possible future research areas are put forward and a general conclusion is drawn, revealing that Cd is agonizing for all stages of plant development.

The nuclear liver X receptors (LXRα/β) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARα/γ) are involved in the regulation of multiple biological processes, including lipid metabolism and inflammation. The activation of these receptors has been found to have neuroprotective effects, making them interesting therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). The Asian brown seaweed Sargassum fusiforme contains both LXR-activating (oxy)phytosterols and PPAR-activating fatty acids. We have previously shown that dietary supplementation with lipid extracts of Sargassum fusiforme prevents disease progression in a mouse model of AD, without inducing adverse effects associated with synthetic pan-LXR agonists. We now determined the LXRα/β- and PPARα/γ-activating capacity of lipid extracts of six European brown seaweed species (Alaria esculenta, Ascophyllum nodosum, Fucus vesiculosus, Himanthalia elongata, Saccharina latissima, and Sargassum muticum) and the Asian seaweed Sargassum fusiforme using a dual luciferase reporter assay. We analyzed the sterol and fatty acid profiles of the extracts by GC-MS and UPLC MS/MS, respectively, and determined their effects on the expression of LXR and PPAR target genes in several cell lines using quantitative PCR. All extracts were found to activate LXRs, with the Himanthalia elongata extract showing the most pronounced efficacy, comparable to Sargassum fusiforme, for LXR activation and transcriptional regulation of LXR-target genes. Extracts of Alaria esculenta, Fucus vesiculosus, and Saccharina latissima showed the highest capacity to activate PPARα, while extracts of Alaria esculenta, Ascophyllum nodosum, Fucus vesiculosus, and Sargassum muticum showed the highest capacity to activate PPARγ, comparable to Sargassum fusiforme extract. In CCF-STTG1 astrocytoma cells, all extracts induced expression of cholesterol efflux genes (ABCG1, ABCA1, and APOE) and suppressed expression of cholesterol and fatty acid synthesis genes (DHCR7, DHCR24, HMGCR and SREBF2, and SREBF1, ACACA, SCD1 and FASN, respectively). Our data show that lipophilic fractions of European brown seaweeds activate LXRs and PPARs and thereby modulate lipid metabolism. These results support the potential of brown seaweeds in the prevention and/or treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and possibly cardiometabolic and inflammatory diseases via concurrent activation of LXRs and PPARs.

The growing demand for sustainable agriculture necessitates innovative strategies to enhance crop productivity while minimizing environmental impact. This study explores the biopriming potential of Cucumis sativus L. seeds using extracts derived from a consortium of nitrofixing cyanobacteria Nostoc commune, Calothrix sp., and Aphanothece minutissima subjected to static magnetic field (SMF) treatments. The cyanobacterial consortia were exposed to SMF at varying magnetic inductions (40–50 mT and 100–200 mT), followed by extract preparation and application as biopriming agents. Results demonstrated significant improvements in key seedling growth parameters, including root and stem length, vigor index I, and fresh biomass. The consortium treated with 40–50 mT SMF showed the most pronounced growth-stimulating activity, suggesting enhanced bioactive compound production under this treatment that might be related to auxin biosynthesis. Biopriming with cyanobacterial extracts maintained a balanced nutritional uptake and plant health, as indicated by stable fresh weight dry weight ratios. These findings highlight the potential of SMF-enhanced cyanobacterial consortia as biopriming agents for horticultural crops. Future research should elucidate the underlying modes of action and optimize conditions for broader crop applications.

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal that impairs plant growth and induces oxidative stress. In this study, we compared the physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses of two durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum) cultivars, Razek and Chili, to Cd stress. Seedlings were exposed to 0, 5, and 50 µM Cd (Cd²⁺; supplied as CdCl₂) under controlled hydroponic and Petri assay conditions. Cd reduced radicle elongation, biomass accumulation, and water uptake in both cultivars, but the relative inhibition of growth was lower in Razek than in Chili, indicating a better capacity to maintain growth under Cd stress. This was accompanied by milder oxidative stress symptoms and more stable antioxidant enzyme activity, particularly for catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX). Gene expression analyses revealed that Razek maintained a higher expression of antioxidant and stress-related genes under acute Cd stress, while Chili exhibited pronounced downregulation. Histochemical analyses showed increased H₂O₂ accumulation and lignin deposition in Chili roots, suggesting a stronger stress response. Notably, Chili also showed a sharp depletion of reduced glutathione (GSH) under high Cd concentrations, with limited upregulation of GSH synthesis and phytochelatin-related genes. Together, these findings indicate that Razek activates more efficient detoxification, redox regulation, and hormonal signaling pathways under Cd stress, indicating its potential suitability for cultivation in slightly Cd-contaminated soils.