Oxygen influx showed an asymmetry in the transition zone of the root apex when roots were placed horizontally on ground. The influx increased only in the upper side, while no changes were detected in the division and in the elongation zone. Nitric oxide (NO) was also monitored after gravistimulation, revealing a sudden burst only in the transition zone. In order to confirm these results in real microgravity conditions, experiments have been set up by using parabolic flights and drop tower. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was also monitored. Oxygen, NO, and ROS were continuously monitored during normal and hyper- and microgravity conditions in roots of maize seedlings. A distinct signal in oxygen and NO fluxes was clearly detected only in the apex zone during microgravity, with no significant changes in normal and in hypergravity conditions. The same results were obtained by ROS measurement. The detrimental effect of D’orenone, disrupting the polarised auxin transport, on the onset of the oxygen peaks during the microgravity period was also evaluated. Results indicates an active role of NO and ROS as messengers during the gravitropic response, with probable implications in the auxin redistribution.

Chili is a globally significant spice used fresh or dried for culinary, condiment, and medicinal purposes. Growing concerns about food safety have increased the demand for high-quality products and non-invasive tools for quality control like origin tracing and safety assurance. Volatile analysis offers a rapid, comprehensive, and safe method for characterizing various food products. Thus, this study aims to assess the impact of the drying process on the aromatic composition of various Capsicum species and to identify key compounds driving the aromatic complexity of each genetic makeup. To accomplish these objectives, the aroma was examined in fruits collected from 19 different pepper accessions (Capsicum sp.) belonging to four species: one ancestral (C. chacoense) and three domesticated pepper species (C. annuum, C. baccatum and C. chinense). Fresh and dried samples were analyzed using a headspace PTR-TOF-MS platform. Our findings reveal significant changes in the composition and concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from fresh to dried Capsicum. Notably, chili peppers of the species C. chinense consistently exhibited higher emission intensity and a more complex aroma compared to other species (both fresh and dried). Overall, the data clearly demonstrate that the drying process generally leads to a reduction in the intensity and complexity of the aromatic compounds emitted. Specifically, fresh peppers showed higher volatile organic compounds content compared to dried ones, except for the two sweet peppers studied, which exhibited the opposite behavior. Our analysis underscores the variability in the effect of drying on volatile compound composition among different pepper species and even among different cultivars, highlighting key compounds that could facilitate species classification in dried powder. This research serves as a preliminary guide for promoting the utilization of various pepper species and cultivars as powder, enhancing product valorization.

Rice is one of the most important cereal crops worldwide. To boost its production in a sustainable manner, co‐cultivation with Azolla species is often used to supplement its nitrogen (N) demands. However, beyond N nutrition, the physiological and developmental effects of azolla on rice remain unclear. This study investigates these mechanisms by analysing growth, inflorescence meristem transcriptomics, yield, and grain ionomics in rice plants grown alone (R) or with azolla (R + A) in non‐limiting N conditions. During the vegetative stage, the presence of azolla increased allocation of resources to rice shoots without affecting root growth, while in the reproductive stage, it improved panicle architecture, with a 6% increase in length and up to 26% increase in panicle branching. Nevertheless, while this increase in panicle branching in R + A translated into a greater number of grains per plant, grain weight declined. As a result, yields were similar between R and R + A. There was also an azolla‐induced increment in several mineral elements in R + A grains, with the notable exception of zinc, which declined by more than 30%. Finally, the presence of azolla altered the expression of several gene families, and in particular, it led to the upregulation of numerous transcription factors from the AP2/ERF, WRKY and NAM families. Interestingly, the presence of azolla also led to the upregulation of several genes (including WRKY transcription factors) involved in resistance to several pathogens and abiotic stresses. Overall, our results suggest that rice‐azolla co‐cultivation has implications that go beyond N‐nutrition for sustainable intensification of rice production.