Ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B) and cold limit the growth and development of plants, which generates changes in gene expression. This allows plants to respond to stress through regulatory proteins, such as transcription factors, that activate or repress the expression of stress-response genes. RNA-Seq data and WGCNA analyses were utilized to identify the hub genes. Our study found a total of 25, 24, and 29 transcription factors at different time points T1, T2, and T3, respectively, under combined stress (ultraviolet-B radiation and cold). RVE1 (MYB-related), COL2 (CO-like), and DBB1b (DBB) were identified as candidate hub genes. Moreover, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment showed that RVE1, DBB1b, and COL2 were mostly involved in energy production, the antioxidant system (enzymatic and non-enzymatic), signaling through abscisic acid and CA²⁺, response to light stimulus, and cellular homeostasis. These findings provide the basis for further investigation related to UV-B radiation and cold stress response mechanisms in plants.

Bell pepper plants are sensitive to environmental changes and are significantly affected by abiotic factors such as UV-B radiation and cold, which reduce their yield and production. Various approaches, including omics data integration, have been employed to understand the mechanisms by which this crop copes with abiotic stress. This study aimed to find metabolic changes in bell pepper stems caused by UV-B radiation and cold by integrating omic data. Proteome and metabolome profiles were generated using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, and data integration was performed in the plant metabolic pathway database. The combined stress of UV-B and cold induced the accumulation of proteins related to photosynthesis, mitochondrial electron transport, and a response to a stimulus. Further, the production of flavonoids and their glycosides, as well as affecting carbon metabolism, tetrapyrrole, and scopolamine pathways, were identified. We have made the first metabolic regulatory network map showing how bell pepper stems respond to cold and UV-B stress. We did this by looking at changes in proteins and metabolites that help with respiration, photosynthesis, and the buildup of photoprotective and antioxidant compounds.

Background: Soil degradation and nutrient depletion critically impact pecan (Carya illinoinensis) production, reducing yield and soil fertility. Colloidal nutrition, a novel approach involving nano-scale nutrient formulations, could offer potential for soil restoration. Aim: This study aimed to assess the impact of colloidal nutrition on key physical, chemical, and biological soil health parameters in pecan tree cultivation. Methods: Soil from two orchards with 30-year-old pecan trees was used where different nutrition treatments were applied: conventional and colloidal. The variables considered included physical, chemical, and biological properties for the assessment of soil health indicators. Results: The colloidal treatment showed low salinity (2020: 2.04; 2021: 0.88 dS/m) and higher levels of humic acids (1.52 g C/100 g soil), available water depth (2020: 305.11, 2021: 350.00 m³/ha), and soil organic matter (2020: 2.10%; 2021: 2.11%). Furthermore, 6 of the 17 phytopathogens that were examined were not detected in the colloidal treatment. Conclusions: This study enhanced our understanding of the improvements that colloidal treatment could potentially provide to the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of soil health in pecan orchards.