https://plant.ijbio.ir/ Journal of Plant Research (Iranian Journal of Biology) en daily 1 Sat, 21 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0330 Sat, 21 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0330 https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2511.html The use of vegetative rootstocks is essential for standardizing production and addressing challenges arising from seedling rootstocks in modern horticulture. This study aimed to establish an optimized protocol for disinfection, proliferation, and rooting of Myrobalan 29C, GF677, and Garnem rootstocks. Additionally, we investigated the potential impact of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNs) on the establishment and growth of these plants. DKW, WPM, and MS culture media were prepared, and single nodule explants were utilized to explore the influence of culture medium type and plant growth regulators. Among the three rootstocks, Myrobalan, Garnem, and GF677 explants exhibited the most favorable establishment in DKW, MS, and MS culture media, respectively. Notably, GF677 rootstock showed the highest number of branches, nodes, and branch length during the proliferation stage with a concentration of 1 mg/L of BA and 0.1 mg/L of NAA. Similarly, Garnem displayed the highest number of branches with a treatment of 2 mg/L of BA along with 0.25 mg/L of NAA. Regarding rooting, the highest rooting rate was achieved with Myrobalan, Garnem, and GF677 at concentrations of 1, 1, and 2 mg/L of IBA, respectively. Furthermore, the application of 50 mg/L of MWCNs resulted in increased explant growth; however, higher concentrations exhibited adverse effects on explant growth and development. The use of MWCNs holds potential to enhance tissue culture efficiency, particularly for explants of woody plants. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2388.html The genus Salvia L. is the largest genus of Lamiaceae family. Species of this genus are determined by two anterior fertile stamens, each consisting of a lever-like structure with two unequal arms held by a filament. Based on these characteristics, this genus has traditionally been classified as a monophyletic group. The recent new classification using molecular data, however, has rejected this opinion. According to one of these findings, S. santolinifolia has been re-established as Pleudia santolinifolia. To determine its taxonomic status, the floral ontogeny of S. santolinifolia is studied using SEM (scanning electron microscopy). The results showed that the floral organs initiate as centripetal sequence. First, sepals appear, followed by petals, stamens, and then carpels. Sepals initiate in a unidirectional pattern, starting with adaxial sepals and then followed by abaxial ones. Petals appear in a bidirectional pattern, starting with the middle abaxial petal, followed by two adaxial ones, and ending with two lateral ones. The sterile stamens initiate initiating later. Finally, carpels are formed. The results show that the order and sequence of the floral organs in S. santolinifolia differ from those in Salvia, which follow a strict pattern with no overlaps among the organs. The floral ontogeny of this species is similar to that of S. majdae. Based on these findings, transferring this species into the genus Pleudia is reasonable decision. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2389.html AbstractPlants, as vital and fundamental components of natural ecosystems, play a crucial role in determining the current vegetation and environmental conditions. Research on plant species in a country, in addition to the importance of habitats, is considered an essential infrastructure for ecological studies, rangeland management, plant gene banks, agriculture, and medical studies. The Sajzi Desert Plain, covering an area of 4,300 hectares, is situated in the east of Isfahan city and is recognized as one of the active centers of wind erosion crisis in the Central Plateau. This research was conducted with the aim of identifying plant species, their edibility classes, growth forms, and growth period length in this region. The results of the study showed that there are 104 plant species from 25 families in this area. Among the families with high diversity in this region, mention can be made of Chenopodiaceae, Asteraceae, and Brassicaceae. Native plants in this region have diverse capabilities in adapting to drought and challenging environmental conditions. Regarding growth forms, shrubby plants from the Chenopodiaceae family have the highest number, along with the families Fabaceae and Polygonaceae. On the other hand, for herbaceous species, the highest abundance was observed for plants in the Asteraceae family. Additionally, the growth period length for most species indicated perennial plants with low edibility class (Class III). Overall, the results of this research can contribute to improving environmental management and biodiversity conservation in dry and desert areas. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2403.html Persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb) is one of the semi-tropical perishable fruits with a short shelf life, because the softening of the texture, change in chemical compositions and browning in it is faster, which leads to more waste of the product in the postharvest period. Enhancing its shelf life and maintaining quality through the use of edible coatings and natural preservatives is essential. In this study, we evaluated the effects of various treatments on the postharvest quality of persimmon fruit (Karaj variety) during cold storage. The treatments included 0.2% chitosan, 100 μM melatonin, 0.2% chitosan-coated melatonin nanocomposites, and a control (distilled water). The study was conducted in a factorial experiment basd on completely random design with three replications for each treatment and storage duration (15, 30, 45 days). Parameters such as weight loss percentage, soluble solids content, titratable acidity, flavor index, malondialdehyde accumulation, hydrogen peroxide content, total antioxidant capacity, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase, and ascorbate) were evaluated. The results indicated that fruits treated with chitosan-coated melatonin nanocomposites exhibited significantly less weight loss compared to the control at the end of storage time. The accumulation of malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide in this treatment decreased due to the improvement of the antioxidant capacity compared to the control and the activity of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide desmutase and ascorbate peroxidase) increased compared to the control. Peroxidase activity in treated fruits with melatonin nanocomposite coated with 0.2% chitosan was lower than the control, which . https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2404.html The aims of this research is to evaluate the effect of drought stress on the characteristics of three species of Thymus thyme. T. daenensis,, T. transcaucasicus and T. lancifolius was carried out at Pardisan Agricultural Research Station of Qom under greenhouse conditions. The experiment was conducted in the completely randomized design (CRD) and as a factorial with five replications (pots). The first factor included the seeds of three types of thyme and the second factor included irrigation treatments at 80 (normal irrigation), 60 and 40 percent of soil moisture capacity. The results of variance analysis of the data showed that the application of drought stress had a significant effect on all morphological traits, yield and essential oil composition. The highest amount of essential oil with the amount of 1.1% and the highest yield of essential oil with the amount of 0.9 grams per plant was in the irrigation treatment at 60% of the crop capacity. The species T. lancifolius with the value of 0.73 g had the highest and the species T. transcaucasicus with the value of 0.54 g per plant had the lowest yield of essential oil. The highest composition in T. daenensis species was thymol (normal irrigation) and geraniol (irrigation at 60% of crop capacity). The most compound in T. transcaucasicus species included thymol (in normal irrigation and 60% of crop capacity). The most compound in T. lancifolius species also included thymol (in normal irrigation and at 40% of crop capacity). https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2405.html Medicinal plants have been used since ancient times to treat various diseases. Citrus fruits are rich sources of antioxidant compounds in addition to being eaten. One of the important goals in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease is to inhibit the acetylcholinesterase. The aim of this study was to investigate the constituents of the essential oils of the citron, grapefruit and sweet lemon skin and their effect on kinetic properties of the acetylcholinesterase. The extraction of the essential oil was done by the Clevenger apparatus and their constituents were identified by GC/Mass. The activity of the enzyme was measured under incubation conditions with different amounts of essential oils, and according to the changes in the kinetic parameters of the enzyme, the effect and type of inhibition were concluded. The monoterpenes constitute the highest percentage of the essential oils. Lemon essential oil showed the highest acetylcholinesterase inhibitory effect of 60.09% at a concentration of 1.45 mg/mL. The amounts of IC50 for the citron, grapefruit and sweet lemon were obtained 1.42, 1.21 and 1.23 mg/mL respectively. The results showed that the essential oil of citron, grapefruit and sweet lemon reduced the activity of acetylcholinesterase in a concentration-dependent manner and respectively by mixed, competitive and non-competitive inhibition. It is also expected that the difference in the type of inhibition was due to the different constituents of the essential oils. According to our results, the citrus essential oil could have a good potential for further research and formulation with the aim of replacing synthetic drugs. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2406.html Biochar is a substance that is rich in carbon and is commonly used to remove or reduce the activity of heavy metals. The ideal temperature, physicochemical characteristics, and impacts of soil amendments were examined in this study. The macroalgae Padina australis Hauck was used to make biochar at three different temperatures: 300, 400, and 500 degrees Celsius. The yield of biochar produced was 70.16%, 66.36%, and 42%, respectively, according to the data. The percentages of organic carbon were 19.33%, 21.12%, and 23.05%, respectively, and the acidity was 8.75, 9.19, and 10.1%. 3.18, 3.83, and 5.5 millisiemens per meter, respectively, were the electrical conductivities. Using 500 degrees Celsius, biochar was created and then applied to contaminated soil. Biochar 500 has an 8-gram level per kilogram and 4.0 milligrams of cadmium per kilogram. Were incorporated into the soil, followed by 0–15 and 30 days of incubation. The findings demonstrated that total carbon rose by 12%, organic matter by 20%, acidity by 1.8%, and electrical conductivity by 2.5 millisiemens per meter as the number of incubation days increased. With the addition of biochar 500, the soil's catalase enzyme activity peaked on day zero at 30 micromoles of hydrogen peroxide per gram-hour, and it peaked on day thirty at 15 micromoles of hydrogen peroxide per gram-hour. On day zero, the soil had 44.0 milligrams of cadmium per kilogram, and on day thirty, it had 21.0 milligrams. Thus, biochar produced at 500 degrees Celsius can deactivate cadmium metal, improve, and stabilize the physicochemical properties https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2407.html Root endophytic fungi are beneficial soil microorganisms that affect the growth and production of secondary metabolites by causing physiological changes in their host plants. In this study, the effects of Serendipita indica (four levels of fungus including without fungus treatment, and 1, 2 and 3 pieces of fungus solid medium with dimensions of 0.2×1×1 cm) on root colonization, growth parameters, photosynthetic pigments as well as the quantity and quality of peppermint essential oil were evaluated under without stress condition and lead stress (800 mg/kg soil). The results showed that lead reduced the percentage of colonization, growth parameters, the amount of pigmentation and the essential oil quantity. The use of endophyte fungus had positive effects on the parameters studied. By increasing the amount of fungus in the soil, the percentage of colonization, fresh and dry weight of root and shoot, the concentration of photosynthetic pigments were significantly increased. The results of the GC-MS showed 27 phytochemical compounds, which the most essential oil compounds in the different treatments were menthol (38.01-48.90%), (10.68-17.54%), menthone (4.8-8.84%) and neomenthol (4.17-7.87%). Maximum menthol and p-menth-1-9-ol contents was obtained using S. indica (3 pieces of fungus solid medium) without lead treatment. Using these results, it can be said that S. indica has increased growth indicators and photosynthetic pigments, as well as changes in peppermint essential oil, and significantly reduced the harmful effects of lead in medicinal plant peppermint. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2408.html This research aimed to compare the impact of two cyanobacteria on reducing the harmful effects of salinity stress on wheat under greenhouse conditions. A factorial experiment was conducted in four replications, based on a completely randomized design. The factors were the type of cyanobacteria (without cyanobacteria (control), Phormidium spp, and Anabaena spp) and different levels of irrigation water salinity (0, 3, 6, and 9 dS m-1). The results indicated that salinity negatively affected the plant's morphological characteristics, with the highest values observed in control and the lowest in the 9 dS m-1 salinity level. Also, salinity stress led to a decrease in chlorophyll amount and an increase in the proline and soluble sugars in the wheat. The results showed that both cyanobacterial strains were effective in reducing the negative effects of salinity on various characteristics of the wheat plant. Furthermore, soil inoculation with cyanobacteria increased chlorophyll, proline, and soluble sugars in the plants. The two types of cyanobacteria had different effects on reducing the adverse effects of salinity on wheat. In severe salinities, Phormidium spp. increased the root length and shoot dry weight more than Anabaena spp. On the other hand, Anabaena spp. had better performance in increasing root dry weight and root volume as well as proline content compared to other cyanobacteria. Overall, the research showed that cyanobacteria can play a positive role in reducing the negative effects of salinity on wheat. However, further investigation is needed to assess the use of cyanobacteria as a biofertilizer in field conditions. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2409.html Pollen grains of 30 specimens from different tulip populations of 15 species were studied by light microscope (LM) and for more detailed observations, 13 specimens were studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Pollens were collected from living specimens of the Russian Botanical Garden and also from different herbaria of Iran, Central Asia and Russia. In this study, the Acetolysis method was used for LM observations, while for SEM studies, unacetolysis pollen grains were used. The research revealed that the examined species exhibited distinct characteristics, including heterogeneity, bilateral symmetry, monosulcate and trisulcate features, as well as spherical to elliptical shapes. The outline of polar view is spheroidal and equatorial, oblate-spheroidal. They differed from each other in terms of muri and Lumina. The smallest size of pollen grain belonged to T. hoogiana B. Fedtschenko from the subgenus Leiostemones (4.5±2.33 µm), while the largest belonged to T. sylvestris var. biebersteiniana (Schult.f.) Regel) from the subgenus Eriostemone (8.6±4.62 µm). In general, in the subgenus Eriostemones, the pollen grains are monosulcate type, exine ornamentation with perforate-verrucate and reticulate patterns, whereas in the subgenus Leiostemones, there are trisulcate with granulate and psilate ornamentations. Although some of the studied species are considered synonyms using molecular data, their presence in different habitats has caused differences in palynological characteristics. Therefore, palynological characterization of pollen grains can serve as a key trait alongside other characteristics for distinguishing between subgenera, sections, and species in taxonomic studies of the Tulipa. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2410.html In the present study, the detailed karyomorphology of four populations belonging to two species of Tanacetum sect. Xylopyrethrum (T. joharchii, T. kotschyi (Zanjan), T. kotschyi (Urmia), T. kotschyi (Marand)) were studied by using aceto orcein staining of meristamtic root tips. The karyomorphology of four populations are reported here for the first time. Ideograms of each population were made and karyotypic characteristics including the chromosome number, total karyotype length (TKL), Intra chromosomal (A1), Interchromosomal (A2) asymmetry indices, Karyotype form percentage (TF %), Relative lenghth (RL), Mean centromeric index (CI), and Arm ratio (AR), Karyotype classification followe, using Stebbins classification. Different populations of T. Kotschyi and T. joharchii were triploid, 2n=3x=27. At mitotic metaphase, all chromosomes had median region (m), submedian (sm) and subtelocentric (st) centromeres. The karyotypes are classified in types 2A, showing the presence of a primitive symmetrical karyotype in the genus Tanacetum. Based on karyotype formula, total form percentage (TF%) and Intra chromosomal index (A1), T. kotschyi, Marand population showed asymmetrical karyotype and advanced while T. kotschyi, Zanjan population had an symmetric karyotype and primitive comared with other populations. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2413.html The marigold plant (Calendula officinalis L.) is a valuable medicinal plant with numerous medicinal, health, and industrial applications, as well as being used as an ornamental plant. In the present study, the efficiency of foliar nutrition with artificial chelated zinc source and various complexes of amino acid-zinc on the growth and physiological characteristics of the marigold plant were evaluated. This experiment was conducted using completely randomized block design with 7 treatments and 3 replications. The foliar application treatments were: Zn-EDTA, glycine-zinc (Zn-Gly) and phenylalanine-zinc (Zn-Phe) at concentrations of 0, 20 and 40 mg/L. The treatments were done at two stages, the first at the stage of 4-6 leaves and the second before the beginning of flowering. The results indicated that the highest plant height, number of lateral branches, number of flowers, fresh and dry weight of flowers, thousand seed weight, photosynthetic pigments, total carotenoids in the petals, total phenols and flavonoids amount, PAL activity, leaf zinc content, and seed oil percentage were observed at the concentration of 40 mg/L of Zn-Gly treatment which showed a significant difference compared to Zn-EDTA treatment and the control. On the other hand, the present data showed that different treatments did not have any significant difference on the flower diameter. Additionally, the Zn-Gly treatment at both concentrations of 20 and 40 mg/L led a reduction in the number of days to flowering compared to other treatments. The current data indicated that there is a positive and significant correlation (P<0.01) between physiological parameters in different treatments. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2414.html Root and crown rot is one of the most damaging diseases of greenhouse cucumber. In spring 2023, greenhouse cucumber with root and crown rot and decline symptoms were collected from different greenhouses in Kohgiluyeh & Boyer-Ahmad province. Infected tissues of the root were cut into approximately 5-6 mm pieces, and cultured on a semi-selective medium, CMA-PARPH without extra treatments. Purification of isolates was performed using the single-zoospore technique on WA. Fungal isolates were identified based on morphological characteristics and molecular data of cox1 gene and ITS- rDNA region. According to the morphological and phylogenetic analysis, all isolates were recognized as Phytopythium babaiaharii. Pathogenicity test were conducted using five isolates P. babaiaharii on Saman cultivar of cucumber under greenhouse conditions. Koch's postulates were completed and confirmed that P. babaiahari isolates were responsible for cucumber root and crown rots. To our knowledge, this is the first report that P. babaiahari associated with root rot of cucumber in Iran and probably in the world. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2418.html Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers, due to the side effects of chemical treatment methods, plants, which are important sources of anti-cancer compounds, can be a suitable treatment option. Also, with the increasing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics and their side effects, the use of medicinal plants in the treatment of bacterial infections is increasing. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate antioxidant compounds and antibacterial properties of Phytolacca americana leaf extract and its inhibitory effect on lung cancer cells. Leaves were collected from Abbas Abad and extracted. Total phenol, flavonoid, and anthocyanin contents were measured. Also, to determine the cytotoxicity of the extracts, the MTT method was used and the antimicrobial activity of the extracts was determined by disk diffusion methods. The results showed that the extract was rich in phenolic compounds and amount was 16.26±0.227 mg/g dw. The effect of the extract on cell growth inhibition in comparison with the control group was significant and concentration and time depended, as the highest percentage of cell growth inhibition at the concentration of 4 mg/ml in extract was 92.12% during 72 hours. The maximum inhibitory effect of leaf extract on gram positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus was 14±0.127 mm at of 1 g/ml. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that the leaf extract of P. americana can be an accessible source of antioxidant compounds and can be used as a medicinal plant against lung cancer subject to extensive research due to its high anti-cancer properties. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2423.html Ecological conditions such as environmental gradients influence the structural characteristics and diversity in forests located in altitude gradients. This study aimed to investigate the effect of altitude on some structural characteristics and diversity in Zagros forests in the Ghalajeh region of Kermanshah province. To analyze the effects of diversity on structural and vegetation characteristics and their changes in different altitude gradients, a total of eight sites were selected in four altitude ranges from sea level: 1200-1475 meters (lower land), 1750-2025 meters (middle land), 1475-1750 meters (middle belt), and 2025-2300 meters (highland), identified in both northern and southern slopes. Then, in each site, three sample plots were selected as replicates, and within each sample plot, all necessary characteristics of the trees were measured and noted. The results showed that with increasing altitude, the number of species and the frequency of shrub species increased, but the density of Iranian oak trees decreased. Species such as Almond, Plakhor, and Maple were mostly present at higher altitudes. However, with increasing altitude from sea level, standing tree trunks initially increased (in the middle land) and then decreased (in the highlands). However, this characteristic was almost equal in the lower belt in both northern and southern slopes. The results of comparing the mean variables of breast diameter, total tree height, and tree dieback degrees at different altitudes from sea level were statistically different (p < 0.05). https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2424.html Since the most of Iran's territory falls under arid and semi-arid regions, utilizing plants resistant to salinity and drought stress can provide new opportunities for exploiting the country's challenging climates. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of drought and salinity on certain enzymatic traits in the leaves of one-year-old oleaster seedlings. A factorial pot experiment was conducted with two factors: drought at three levels (control, 66%, and 33% of field capacity) and salinity at four levels (control, 4, 8, and 12 dS/m) in the greenhouse of the Forestry and Forest Economics Department at the University of Tehran. The statistical design used was a completely randomized block design with three replications.In this research, the impact of drought and salinity treatments on the activity changes of catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes, along with some physiological traits, was examined. The results indicated that drought and salinity stress's main and interactive effects on the measured traits were significant. The activities of catalase, SOD, and proline increased due to drought and salinity stress; the highest levels of these traits—catalase (16.8U/mgpr), SOD (26.16 U/mgpr), and proline (235M/m)—were observed under the treatment of 33% field capacity combined with 12 ds/m salinity. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that the oleaster plant possesses an efficient antioxidant system that mitigates the effects of salinity and drought stresses. The increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the accumulation of proline under stress conditions indicate that this plant can partially cope. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2425.html Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia L.) is a drought-tolerant, nitrogen-fixing and forest pioneer plant species that is widely cultivated in regions with water scarcity. Comprehensive knowledge at the DNA level is essential for facilitating breeding and genetic conservation efforts for this species. However, the genome and simple sequence repeat (SSR) information of this species are currently unavailable, limiting the application of molecular markers for breeding and germplasm evaluation. This study was conducted to discover the microsatellites (SSRs) of the Russian olive genome. Leaf samples were collected from trees in the urban area of Tabriz city, East Azerbaijan province, northwest Iran, and performed whole genome sequencing using the Illumina platform in pair-end mode. After quality trimming and data assembly, the MISA tool was used to identify all the SSRs in the genome. We also compared the SSR profiles of the Russian olive with those of five other deciduous broadleaf trees and discussed their implications. The results indicated that the estimated genome size of the Russian olive was about 553.696 Mb, with an N50 value of 5300 for the assembled contigs. We detected a total of 359929 SSRs in the Russian olive genome, among which A/T (223495, 62.09%) and AT/AT (48294, 13.42%) were the most abundant repeat units. Single and double nucleotide SSRs are abundant in the Russian olive genome. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2426.html Silybum marianum from Asteraceae family is one of the important medicinal plants that have many uses in various medicinal and food industrial. This study was performed to evaluate the effects of different hormonal treatments on breaking dormancy in (Silybum marianum L.) under different chilling times and drought stress. This research was conducted in a factorial split layout experiment in a completely randomized design (CRD) with 3 replications and 2 separate repetition in 2024. Experimental treatments included wet chilling and drought stress treatments in main plots and hormones in sub-plots. According to the obtained results, utilization of wet chilling treatment, significantly increased the rate and speed of germination, length of root/shoot, dry/wet weight of root/shoot and seed vigour, on the other hand, the mean time of germination decreased. Drought stress had the decreasing effectiveness on measured characters. The lowest and the most important measured characters such as seed vigour (453.29-1849.39), seedling dry weight (20.99-45.22 mg), germination percentage (44.4-95.5), germination ratio (2.36-10.2 seed/day) and germination index (5.88-23.99) obtained in A1B7C8 treatment (without wet chilling priming + drought stress in -6 bar +without hormonal treatments) and A3B1C7, A4B1C7 treatments (wet chilling in 20 and 30 day+0 bar drought stress+ gibberellic acid (120ppm)+benzyl adenine(10-4M)+ kinetin (10-4M), respectively, Seeds of S.marinum were tolerant to drought stress but in higher levels of drought stress, the measured characters significantly decreased. Generally wet chilling (20 day) with no drought stress and use of gibberellic acid, benzyl adenine and kinetin suggest to best seed germination of Silybum marianum L. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2431.html Cannabis indica is recognized for its medicinal properties, particularly due to its secondary metabolites like cannabinoids. This study explored the use of cell suspension culture technology to identify, produce, and extract these compounds. It specifically examined the impact of sodium hydrogen sulfide (NaHS), a hydrogen sulfide donor, on cell suspension cultures of hemp. The research involved treating callus cultures with varying NaHS concentrations (50, 100, and 150 mg/L) and assessing their effects on phytochemical traits and cannabinoid production, particularly Cannabidiol and Tetrahydrocannabinol. Results showed that NaHS treatment elevated the levels of enzymes such as catalase, peroxidase, and proline, while decreasing phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and phenolic compounds compared to control groups. Protein and soluble sugar levels increased, except in the 50 mg/L treatment. Cell growth rates improved from the second week onward, with 100 mg/L and 150 mg/L treatments enhancing cell survival rates. However, the alkaloid levels did not increase relative to controls. Overall, the study concluded that sodium hydrogen sulfide mitigates growth-inhibiting factors like reactive oxygen species (ROS), reducing oxidative damage. This leads to an increase in defensive compounds, such as proline and antioxidant enzymes, helping hemp cells better withstand stress conditions in cell suspension culture. Thus, NaHS shows potential in optimizing the production of valuable cannabinoids from Cannabis indica through enhanced cellular resilience and metabolic activity. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2437.html The current taxonomic classification recognizes only one accepted species within the genus Ixiolirion in Iran (Ixiolirion tataricum). During our fieldwork in western Iran, six populations of this taxon were investigated based on pollen micromorphology. In this way, all populations were examined by Light Microscopy (LM), and two populations were determined with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The results showed that quantitative characters such as polar and equatorial axis (minimum, maximum, average, and standard deviation), P/E ratio, lumina diameter measurement (the minimum and maximum diameter), muri size measurement (the minimum and maximum thickness), and the number of lumina on 5 μm2 area of exine) were different in the studied populations. Analysis of the quantitative pollen data obtained by light microscopy revealed diversity in the most studied populations in the pollen dendrogram. Pollen qualitative characters (pollen type, exine ornamentation in the equatorial surface from pollen grain, and sulcus margin exine ornamentation), were similar except for pollen shape and sulcus membrane ornamentation. The findings of the present research showed intraspecific diversity in I. tataricum based on pollen micromorphology. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2438.html Choosing the appropriate statistical methods is one of the most important steps in designing a quantitative research method. Although ANOVA is one of the most widely used statistical analyses in plant ecology, violations of its assumptions can cause various issues, like statistical errors and biased estimates. The present research was carried out in two experiments in the Artemisia habitat in Sarbisheh. In the first experiment, to investigate grazing intensity effect on vegetation cover , production, species density and richness, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, Welch, Brunner-Dette-Munk, and one-way permutation tests were used, respectively. In the second experiment, in order to investigate the effect of the range management plan and grazing intensity on the vegetation cover, the two-way ANOVA test in the factorial and split plot were used, and for species density, the two-way BDM test and non-parametric tests for general factorial designs were used. The results showed that the effect of grazing intensity on all vegetation characteristics was significant. The greatest effect of grazing intensity was on production . The highest vegetation cover was observed in light grazing . The results showed that the effect of the interaction on the vegetation cover and species density were not significant. In the present study, instead of , Welch and non-parametric tests were used. The results of most of the tests were similar to the results of ANOVA. In situations where it is not possible to use parametric statistical tests, it is recommended to remove outlier data, transform data, use robust tests and use non-parametric methods. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2441.html The post-harvest treatment of flowers plays a crucial role in improving their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Moringa leaf extract is one of the plant stimulants that contains bioactive compounds such as amino acids, proline, flavonoids, cytokinins (like zeatin), ascorbic acid, phenolics, carotenoids, vitamin A, along with other essential nutrients. It also has strong antimicrobial properties and can reduce oxidative damage by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Herbal plant extracts possess natural antimicrobial compounds, which have been used in recent years to enhance the post-harvest longevity of cut flowers. Dianthus caryophyllus L., due to its colorful and fragrant flowers, is one of the ornamental flowering plants sold as cut flowers worldwide throughout the year. It plays a significant role in the flower and plant trade and is one of the most popular cut flowers among producers and consumers. Therefore, the aim of this study is to improve the post-harvest characteristics of Dianthus caryophyllus L. using the medicinal plant extract of Moringa. For this research, after preparing Dianthus caryophyllus L. flower stems and extracting Moringa plant extract, the treatments with concentrations of 0, 500, and 750 mg/L were applied, and the desired traits (morphophysiological and biochemical) were measured. The results showed that Moringa extract at a concentration of 500 mg/L increased morphological traits (longevity percentage, stem diameter, flower diameter, relative fresh weight). Overall, the 500 mg/L concentration of extract was more effective in extending the post-harvest life of this flower compared to other concentrations. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2442.html Capparis spinosa L. is a small shrub belonging to the Capparidaceae family. The leaves, young shoots, buds, flowers, and fruits of this plant are rich in phenolic acids, alkaloids, flavonoids, and glucosinolates, making them valuable for various culinary and medicinal applications. This study aimed to analyze the quantity and quality (HPLC) of phenolic acids of various parts of C. spinosa. Samples of caper (immature fruits, mature fruits, fully ripe fruits, immature buds, swollen buds, half-open buds, fully open flowers, and mature leaves) were collected from its natural habitats, and the total phenol content and phenolic acids were measured. Our results revealed that immature buds of C. spinosa contained high levels of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, cinnamic acid, salicylic acid, and ferulic acid. Swollen buds had relatively high levels of p-hydroxybenzoic acid and cinnamic acid. Half -open buds contained relatively high levels of gallic acid and protocatechuic acid. Immature fruits were rich in total phenols. Fully ripe fruits also had high levels of total phenols and m-coumaric acid. The flowers were rich in phenolic acids such as protocatechuic acid, rosmarinic acid, salicylic acid, gallic acid, and p-coumaric acid. The mature leaves of the plant contained high levels of salicylic acid, p-coumaric acid, m-coumaric acid, cinnamic acid, and gallic acid. Overall, immature buds, flowers, immature fruits, and leaves had high amounts of phenolic acids, respectively. Additionally, as the buds and fruits matured further, the levels of most phenolic acids in these organs decreased. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2446.html Periwinkle is a highly valuable medicinal herb as it is the only source for the production of the anticancer drugs vinblastine and vincristine. The low synthesis and high cost of the drugs derived from the Periwinkle, along with water scarcity as one of the biggest limiting factors in agriculture, led to this research focusing on the effects of the amino acid tryptophan and drought stress on the changes in secondary metabolites of Periwinkle and the genes associated with the synthesis pathways of vinblastine and vincristine. This study was conducted in a completely randomized design with three factors: tryptophan spraying (0 and 250 ppm), drought stress (40 and 100% field capacity), and time (24, 48, 72, and 168 hours) for evaluating relative expression. The assessment of changes in expression pattern showed the highest relative expression for the Dat and Prx genes in all three conditions at 24 hours and 168 hours compared to the control. The Tdc gene, the 24 and 72-hour treatments after applying tryptophan and the 168-hour tryptophan-drought treatment showed down-regulated in relative expression, while other treatment levels showed an increase in relative expression compared to the control. From a physiological perspective, the highest dry weight of the plant was obtained in the tryptophan spraying treatment. Additionally, drought stress and tryptophan led to an increase in the activity of catalase and peroxidase, as well as the content of phenols and flavonoids, with the highest levels of each observed at concentration of 250 ppm under 40% drought stress of FC. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2449.html Damask rose (Rosa damascena Mill.) is one of the most important rose species, valued for its volatile compounds and medicinal properties in different industries. In modern agricultural sciences, elicitors are used to target signal molecules associated with plant defense responses and to increase the production of secondary metabolites, including aromatic essential oil compounds, in plants. An experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with three replications on damask rose bushes. Treatments with magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO-NPs) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) were applied at the budding stage by foliar spraying. Results showed that, fourteen days after the second foliar treatment, MgO-NPs at 1000 mg L-1 concentration increased total chlorophyll content and carotenoids (by 1.61-fold and 1.39-fold, respectively) and polysaccharides (by 2.8-fold) in the treated leaves compared to the control plants. In contrast, MgO-NPs at 100 mg L-1 concentration increased H₂O₂ content (2-fold) in the leaves. Fourteen days after the second foliar treatment of methyl jasmonate, an increase in reducing sugar content (4-fold ) was observed in the leaves compared to the control plants. The highest content of phenylethyl alcohol (1.62-fold) was observed in the petals of fully open flowers treated with 0.1 mM methyl jasmonate. Our findings indicated that exogenous application of MeJA at low concentrations has a stronger effect than MgO-NPs in enhancing the content of secondary metabolites and phenylethyl alcohol in damask rose. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2450.html Centaurium erytheraea is a valuable medicinal plant with a long history in traditional medicine and the treatment of many diseases. The present study reviewed the various aspects of this medicinal plant. Using SID, Iranmedex, Web of Science, and Science Direct databases, the articles that were presented on various aspects of the use of C. erytheraea were analyzed using the keywords of Centaurium erytheraea, therapeutic effect and medicinal plant. C. erytheraea is a plant species of the Gentianaceae family that grows in Europe and parts of West Asia and North Africa. Phytochemical investigations of the presence of several groups of bioactive substances including secoiridoid glycoside (gentioside, gentiopicroside, sweroside, swertiamarin), xanthonoids (6 methoxylated xanthones, eustomin and 8-demethyl-eustomin), terpenoids, flavonoids, (flavones and anthocyanins), organic phenolic acids, fatty acids, phytosterols (sitosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol), coumarins (5-formyl-2,3-dihydroisocoumarin). Due to the variety of effective compounds, this plant is used in the treatment of diseases (from digestive problems and parasites to diabetes, pain, inflammation, blood pressure, etc.) in the traditional medicine of many countries from the distant past until now. Also, due to the proven antioxidant effects of this plant and the increasing demand for the introduction of natural antioxidants, centaury has become one of the most popular plants. The traditional uses of C. erytheraea in the treatment of diseases and the existence of valuable medicinal compounds in it can create a basis for the discovery of new drugs of plant origin in the production of antibiotics, drugs for the treatment of blood pressure, inflammation and pain. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2454.html In present research, the influence of harvesting intensity on forest wood growth and carbon sequestration services was evaluated following 20 years from logging in tree and soil sections in western part of Guilan province, Iran. For this, three compartments with similar site conditions but different harvest intensities and 20 years harvestion history in west part of Gilan forest were selected and wood growth also carbon sequestratin were estimated. For determining wood growth, was used systematic sampling method with establishment 1000m2 fixed plots. Carbon sequestration amounts in tree and soil sections were estimated using photosynthesis and respiration equation and wood products amounts were estimated with measuring annual growth. The average carbon emission cost calculated 31.8MillionRials (53$) and the average weithed wood price calculated 250 MillionRials (416.7$). The results of ANOVA test showed that forest capital value was significantly different at one percent level regarding wood production (sig.=0.000, F=117.993) and carbon sequestration (sig.=0.001, t=8.99). There was significant differences between two ecosystem services regarding wood production and carbon sequestration (sig.=0.001, F=14.740). According to the results, it is concluded that probably in medium harvest intensity level, wood growth and carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems can be increase that this important note maybe help forest managers to make better decision for managing forest in general level so that provide movement to sustainable forest management. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2456.html In this research, a comprehensive comparison of the micromorphological characteristics of Ochradenus species was performed using Stereomicroscopy , Light Microscopy (LM), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to determine the taxonomic delimitation of the mentioned species. Seed micromorphology results showed three kinds of seed ornamentation (smooth, tuberculate, and colliculate), seed surface (smooth, warty, slightly warty), and two types of seed colors and surface (light brown and brown to reddish black; smooth and warty). Moreover, seed shape was reniform among the studied species. Pollen micromorphology results determined three kinds of shapes (prolate, subprolate, and prolate-spheroidal), two kinds of pollen size (small and medium), and exine sculpturing (reticulate and microreticulate.) At the stem and leaf surfaces, the situation of epidermal cells in Ochradenus ochradeni and Ochradenus baccatus was the highest diversity and the lowest, respectively. All micromorphological characteristics were analyzed to examine the similarities and dissimilarities among the studied species. Based on the micromorphological characteristics analysis results, three studied taxa strongly separated. An identification key using important micromorphological characteristics was provided. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2458.html This study examines the relationship between the soil seed bank and vegetation cover during secondary succession stages in the northern Zagros forests, Kamyaran, Kordestan Province, Iran. Sampling was conducted in four sites: a less disturbed forest, a forest reserve, a long-term abandoned site (30 years post-rainfed agriculture), and a short-term abandoned site (three-year fallow). Sampling plots were placed along three parallel transects (200 m apart). Results identified 64 plant species from 26 families in both the aboveground vegetation and the soil seed bank. The less disturbed forest, forest reserve, long-term abandoned, and short-term abandoned sites contained 44, 40, 37, and 18 species, respectively. Some species were exclusive to each site, while six species were common across all sites. Jaccard’s similarity index indicated the highest similarity between the aboveground vegetation and soil seed bank in the less disturbed forest (93%) and forest reserve (90%), while the long-term (58%) and short-term abandoned sites (68%) exhibited the lowest similarity. Findings suggest that the soil seed bank plays a crucial role in regenerating vegetation in the Zagros forests. However, deforestation, land-use changes, and ecosystem degradation reduce its restoration potential. Therefore, long-term conservation management and the establishment of forest reserves are essential for maintaining ecosystem resilience. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2459.html Potato is one of the crop plants can be used as a model in biological studies. Salicylic acid as a stimulator induces growth by producing reactive oxygen species. This hormone can increase the antioxidant capacity and secondary metabolites accumulation such as phenol, flavonoid, anthocyanin and enzymes involved in the biosynthetic pathway of these compounds. In this study, potato seedlings were grown in MS medium under concentrations of 0, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 μM salicylic acid. The results of this research showed that salicylic acid in low concentrations (0.1, 1 and 10 μM) increased the fresh and dry weight of the plant compared to the control samples. Also, the content of phenolic, flavonoid and anthocyanin compounds increased with increasing concentration of salicylic acid. In addition, salicylic acid improved the activity of phenylammonialyase, tyrosine ammonialyase, peroxidase and antioxidant capacity, the highest results were observed at the concentration of 100 μM. Based on these results, it can be suggested that due to the inductive roles of salicylic acid, the growth indicators and some secondary metabolites in potato plants increased under in vitro conditions. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2460.html Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), a pivotal forage crop, plays a crucial role in sustainable agriculture. However, its productivity is often hampered by biotic and abiotic stresses. This research investigated the effect of melatonin, as a growth regulator and a potential substitute for auxin, on callus production and biochemical characteristics in this plant. Experiments were performed in three different culture media: M1 (basal), M2 (MS supplemented with melatonin, kinetin, and 2,4-D), and M5 (MS supplemented with melatonin, kinetin, and NAA). Results showed that melatonin at 35 and 65 days led to a significant increase in fresh and dry weights of calluses derived from both leaf and stem explants, with a more pronounced effect on stem-derived calluses. Melatonin significantly increased the total phenolic content, while no significant changes in total protein content were observed. The auxin content in melatonin-treated calluses was higher than in the basal medium, with stem-derived calluses exhibiting higher auxin levels than leaf-derived calluses. Analysis of protein patterns by SDS-PAGE revealed a decrease in the expression of protein bands with molecular weights of 14.4 and 18.4 kDa in melatonin-treated samples compared to the basal medium. Our findings suggest that melatonin can be used as an effective growth regulator and a potential alternative to auxin in alfalfa callus induction. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2481.html Teucrium polium is a medicinal and aromatic plant, belonging to the Lamiaceae family, has many therapeutic effects. The present research was conducted, to investigate the antibacterial and antioxidant activity and phytochemical characteristics of this species in different phenological stages in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. This plant was collected from three heights in Lordegan city, Sate village in three stages before flowering, 50% flowering and 100% flowering. The most important conditions of the region (such as altitude, longitude and latitude) were recorded. From the plant samples collected in three repetitions, essential oil was extracted by water distillation method. Essential oils were chemically analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The antibacterial activity of essential oil was performed using dilution method, and the antioxidant activity performed using the DPPH method. The results of phytochemical analysis showed the most important compounds identified in essential oil of T. polium, as beta-caryophyllene, alpha-humulene, spachunel, caryophyllene oxide. The results obtained from research showed habitat conditions and height difference caused a significant difference in the yield of essential oil as well as the amount of compounds. Also, the results showed that the plant has a better inhibitory activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae at the 100% flowering stage. The highest antioxidant capacity is related to the 100% flowering stage. In general, in addition to genetic factors, phenological stages, play a main factor in the amount of secondary compounds of plants and properties essential oil of T. polium. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2482.html In this study, the medicinal species Stachys laxa from the Lamiaceae family, which is native to Iran and grows in the northern part of the country, was studied to investigate the percentage of yield and chemical compositions of its essential oil. For this purpose, the aerial parts of the plant were randomly collected in three plant populations with three replications from two habitats, Gaduk and Baladeh, in Mazandaran Province. Soil samples were also collected from a depth of 0-30 cm. After transferring the samples to the laboratory, the plant essential oil was extracted by Clevenger apparatus and its compositions were determined using a GC-MS device. There were a total of 17 common compounds in all essential oil samples, among which α-Pinene, β-Pinene, Myrtenyl acetote, and Hexadecanoic acid had the highest amounts. The percentage of essential oil yield in the Gaduk habitat was significantly (P≤0.01) higher than in the Baladeh habitat. The soil texture in the Baladeh region was loamy silty and in the Gaduk region it was loamy, and the percentage of soil moisture, pH, EC, K, Ca, Mg and Cao in the Baladeh region was significantly (p≤0.01) higher than in the Gaduk region. In general, the results showed that soil factors significantly affect the synthesis of plant active ingredients and have a significant correlation with the percentage of essential oil yield and the compounds Sabinene, β- Pinene, α -terpinenyl acetate, Myrtenyl acetote, Spathulenol, Hexadecanoic acid, Limonene, Linalool, Bicycle [3.1.1] heptan-3, Germacrene D and Hexahydrofarnesyl acetone. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2483.html Medicinal plants are supplied from the most important natural sources of medicine and sometimes the lack of knowledge and skill in recognizing similar species lead to the presence of accidental or intentional frauds in the supply of plants that offer medicinal compounds different from the original species. Since medicinal plants are used abundantly in our country, this issue is important, lemon balm is one of the types of drugs that are used for medicinal purposes, it is being replaced by other species of the genus Dracocephalum. In this research, the essential oil of the main lemongrass species is compared with the replaced species of the genus Dracocephalum. After preparing the identified samples and extracting them from Folin Ciocaltio reagent, the GC method with helium carrier gas is used to determine the amount of phenol and determine the type and amount of essential oil. SPSS version 22 and PAST version 3.2 software were used for statistical analysis of data. Based on the results of this test, Melissa officinalis in the percentage of compounds Citronellol, Germacrene D, Mirtenol, a pinene, b pinene, Comphor Caryophyllene Oxide, a humulene, a elemol, B elemene, Thymol, Myrcene, Caryophellen, Spathunelol and 1,8 Cineole and It has a different function with all the species of the Dracocephalum genus. the wide range of medicinal uses of Lemon Balm and number of non-original species offered under the name of lemon balm, it is important to inform about counterfeits and possible similarities and replaced species under the name of Lemon Balm. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2484.html In this study, the feasibility of bioethanol production from the cyanobacterial species Anabaena and a native species extracted from soil was investigated. The main objective was to investigate ethanol production from these biological sources in laboratory conditions. The research process included cyanobacterial cultivation, physical pretreatment, acid hydrolysis with different concentrations of sulfuric acid, and anaerobic fermentation with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Based on the results obtained, ethanol was produced in both samples, with the highest ethanol concentration being 5.2% for the Anabaena species and 3.4% for the soil species. This maximum production was observed under optimal conditions including 5% sulfuric acid concentration, 105 min hydrolysis time, and 5 g yeast. The findings indicate that the use of cyanobacteria can be considered as a suitable biomass source for third-generation ethanol production. Given the limited number of similar studies in Iran, this research is a preliminary step towards identifying domestic potential and developing cyanobacteria-based processes for biofuel production. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2485.html Environmental constraints such as heat stress, drought, salinity, heavy metals and nutritional deficiencies limit the production of plants. In a research, it has been observed that salicylic acid treatment controls polysaccharide hydrolyzing enzymes and accelerates the formation of polysaccharides from soluble sugars. With this assumption, salicylic acid increases the amount of insoluble sugars compared to soluble sugars. Plants obtained from seeds pretreated with salicylic acid can improve the rate of photosynthesis in normal and stress conditions by transpiration intensity, increasing the relative water content, stomatal conductance and leaf chlorophyll index. This research aims to study the effect of drought stress on the quantitative and qualitative yield of sugar beet cultivars and to investigate the physiological changes of soluble sugars, proline amino acid, electrolyte leakage and also the reduction of harmful nitrogen, sodium and potassium from different treatments of salicylic acid in irrigation periods was conducted. In total, in the conditions of drought stress, the consumption of 3 mM and 6 mM per liter of salicylic acid had a positive effect on the harmful nitrogen, sodium and potassium amounts, and salicylic acid also caused sugar content, sugar yield and root yield per unit area (with increasing The relative content of leaf water, reducing the leakage of electrolyte in the membrane and increasing the amino acid proline in the leaf) will increase. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2486.html In order to investigate the relative expression of genes in the lemongrass essential oil production pathway under nitrogen nutrition and salicylic acid foliar application conditions, a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with two levels of nitrogen (no application and application of 100 kg/ha) from urea source and three levels of salicylic acid (control, 10 μM, and 100 μM) with three replications was conducted at the research farm of the Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan in 2012-2013. The results showed that salicylic acid had a significant effect on all traits except essential oil yield, and the highest essential oil yield (48.9 g/m2) was obtained with the application of 100 kg of nitrogen fertilizer per hectare. The interaction of salicylic acid and nitrogen fertilizer was significant in phenolic, total flavonoid and essential oil yield traits. Also, salicylic acid foliar spraying, regardless of the difference in time treatment, resulted in an increase in relative expression of the Aldh gene, as the final gene of the essential oil synthesis pathway, compared to the control treatment, which was consistent with the results obtained from chromatography. The percentage of citral (sum of neral and geranial) obtained by foliar spraying of both concentrations of 10 micromolar salicylic acid (27.1 and 45.2 percent, respectively) and 100 micromolar salicylic acid (14.89 and 21.34 percent, respectively) was much higher than the percentage of these two substances in the control treatment (4.96 and 7.83 percent, respectively). https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2487.html In order to investigate the effect of biochar application on the Thymus daenensis plant under salt stress, a factorial experiment was conducted based on randomized complete block design with three replications. The factors were salinity stress (0 and 100 mM NaCl) and biochar application (0, 1 and 2 %). The results showed that the average fresh weight of thyme in control conditions was equal to 25 g.plant-1, which decreased by 36% under salt stress. On the other hand, application of 1% and 2% of biochar increased the fresh weight of thyme by 7% and 14%, respectively, compared to the treatment without biochar application. Salinity stress caused a significant increase in the sodium content of shoot and a decrease in potassium content of shoot. On the other hand, the use of biochar, especially the level of 2%, caused a decrease in sodium content and an increase in potassium in shoot. Under salinity stress, the treatment without the application of biochar had the highest content of malondialdehyde (15.7 μmol.g fw-1), which was reduced by 23 and 45% in the treatments of 1% and 2% application of biochar, respectively. The highest activity of superoxide dismutase was related to the treatment without the use of biochar under salt stress conditions, and under the levels of 1 and 2% by weight of biochar, the activity of this enzyme decreased by 20% and 50%, respectively. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2488.html In recent decades, urban walls have been considered as alternative habitats for plants in areas with limited green space. This study aimed to identify wall species and analyze the impact of wall materials on biodiversity in Hamedan city. In total, 60 walls from 10 southern districts of the city (with a combination of old and new textures) were investigated, including stone-mud, brick, and concrete walls. Sampling was performed in three parts: base, wall, and top of the walls, and species were identified using standard keys. The results showed that 69 plant species belonging to 27 families (with a predominance of Asteraceae, Fabaceae, and Chenopodiaceae) grow on the walls. The results confirmed a significant relationship between the type of materials and species diversity, such that stone-mud walls had the highest diversity with 85%. This study suggests that in urban planning in Hamedan, preserving old walls and using permeable materials in the construction of new walls can be used as a low-cost solution to increase green cover. In addition to the ecological value, the findings provide practical data for the design of green walls in semi-arid regions. This study not only provides the first data bank of wall plants in Hamedan, but also shows that traditional walls with permeable materials can support up to 40% more plant species than concrete walls. The achievements of this research can be used as the basis for the design of low-cost green walls in semi-arid regions. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2489.html Fungal endophytes are symbiotic microorganisms that enhance plant growth and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses without causing disease. These fungi play an important role as biocontrol by producing secondary metabolites, antimicrobial compounds, and hydrolase enzymes in improving plant health and controlling plant pathogens. In the present study, wild strawberry plant from Ramsar forests, Iran were transferred to a greenhouse and fungi were isolated from different tissues and they were identified based on morphological characteristics. Their ability to grow under harsh conditions, including high salinity (different concentrations of NaCl), and different temperature and pH, was investigated. Biochemical characteristics such as the presence of some secondary metabolites and enzymes in these fungi were tested. Some fungal isolates with endophytic properties increased plant growth, while others had a negative effect on plant growth. Some of these isolates were able to inhibit the pathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia solani in strawberry and reduced the disease symptoms in this plant. This biocontrol feature could be due to the presence of secondary metabolites (flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids, etc.) and enzymes (cellulase, pectinase, catalase, protease, etc.) in these fungi. Most of these fungi were able to grow at low temperatures (up to 0 degrees Celsius), acidic (4) to alkaline (11) pH and 2 M NaCl salinity. These findings indicate the high potential of fungal endophytes in sustainable agriculture and biotic stress management https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2503.html In this study, catecholase activity in tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) was investigated under unripe and ripe conditions. The main objective of the study was to investigate the effect of pH, amino acids, and temperature on catecholase activity and the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme under different ripening conditions. Catecholase activity was observed in tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) under both unripe and ripe conditions. The optimal pH for catecholase activity varied depending on the type of substrate. Glycine and cysteine amino acids acted as inhibitors, reducing catecholase activity and catalytic efficiency. The catalytic efficiency was higher under ripe conditions. The decrease in Km under ripe conditions indicated a higher affinity of catecholase for catechol, which was confirmed by an increase in maximum velocity (Vmax) of catecholase activity in all three conditions (in the presence and absence of amino acids). At low substrate concentrations, the enzyme had a high affinity and consumed the substrate quickly, while increasing the substrate concentration increased the enzyme's affinity, likely due to conformational changes. The type of inhibition of catecholase by glycine and cysteine was independent of the substrate type and dependent on the inhibitor type, and the ripeness or unripeness of the tomato had no effect on it. C https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2504.html Paclitaxel is one of the most important secondary metabolites with broad-spectrum anticancer activity, traditionally extracted from the bark of Taxus sp. Due to environmental and economic limitations of plant-based extraction, endophytic fungi have been considered as potential alternative sources. In the present study, the endophytic strain Cryptosporiopsis tarraconensis, isolated from hazelnut (Corylus avellana) leaves, was investigated for optimizing taxane production conditions. Four environmental variables pH, benzoic acid (BA), glucose, and hazelnut cell wall were selected as influential factors and evaluated using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with a Box-Behnken design. The results showed that only the concentration of BA had a significant effect on taxane production (p < 0.001). According to the proposed model, the optimal conditions were determined as pH 6, 1.8 mM BA, 3.5% glucose, and 0.3 g of cell wall. Under these conditions, taxane production reached 3.21 mg/L, which was approximately 70% (1.7-fold) higher than the control (1.89 mg/L). These findings demonstrate that RSM enables the identification of key factors, allows simultaneous analysis of multiple variables, and reduces unnecessary experiments, saving both time and cost. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2513.html Protein phosphatase type 2C (PP2C) is a large multigene family responsible for transmitting cold, salinity, and drought signals in plant cells. Given the limited functional information on PP2C in sweet orange, this study aimed to identify and investigate the genome-wide distribution of the Citrus sinensis protein phosphatase 2C (CsPP2C) gene family in response to abiotic stresses. The results showed that the 62 identified PP2C proteins had molecular weights ranging from 25.9 to 119.9 kDa, isoelectric pH (pI) values spanning from acidic to alkaline, instability indices ranging from 30.80 to 66.37, aliphatic index from 43.68 to 100.11, and GRAVY values ranging from -0.543 to 0.067. According to the chromosomal distribution map, the highest number of genes was located on chromosome Ch1. Gene structure analysis revealed that approximately 34% of CsPP2C genes contained four exons, 24% had five exons, and 13% had six exons. The highest domain diversity was observed in the CsPP2C13 protein, while the highest number of motifs was found in CsPP2C14 and CsPP2C15. Phylogenetic analysis grouped the CsPP2C proteins and drought-related PP2C genes from Arabidopsis and rice into three distinct clades, with sweet orange drought stress proteins classified into clade III. The expression patterns of CsPP2Cs genes in response to drought stress varied significantly across different sweet orange organs, with the highest expression levels observed in seeds and flowers. The expression profile of CsPP2C37 is unique, making it a promising target for exploring the cellular mechanisms underlying drought stress tolerance. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2514.html Duckweed (Lemna minor L.) has emerged as an efficient platform for recombinant protein production due to its advantageous characteristics, including rapid growth, a biomass doubling time of approximately 1–2 days, and high protein content. However, the presence of non-human sugars such as α-(1,3)-fucose and β-(1,2)-xylose in the structure of N-glycans presents a major challenge for the therapeutic application of these proteins. In this study, with the aim of humanizing the glycosylation pattern in L. minor, the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system was used to introduce targeted mutations in the β-(1,2)-xylosyltransferase (XylT) gene. The regeneration of transgenic plants under hygromycin selection resulted in 30 independent transgenic lines. Sequence analysis of 10 randomly selected lines confirmed mutations in the XylT gene. The results showed that only 2 lines (20%) carried heterozygous mutations (mutation in a single allele), while 8 out of 10 lines (80%) displayed a chimeric pattern. These findings demonstrate the potential of CRISPR/Cas9 for targeted editing of the XylT gene in L. minor. As the first report of applying this technology in native Iranian duckweed, this study highlights the feasibility of manipulating genes involved in the N-glycosylation pathway in this plant system. However, the high frequency of chimerism observed in transgenic lines underscores a key limitation and emphasizes the need for further optimization of genome editing conditions in duckweed. https://plant.ijbio.ir/article_2515.html Quinoa is a plant from the Chenopodiaceae family with a high capability for growth in dry and semi-dry conditions. The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of salicylic acid priming on the germination and growth indices of quinoa varieties. The experiment was conducted in a factorial design within a completely randomized layout with 4 replications in the Plant Science Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Gonbad Kavous University in 2023. The experimental factors included four quinoa varieties (Giz1, Q14, Q29, Titicaca) and seed priming treatments of 0, 2, 4, and 6 mM. The analysis of variance results indicated that the effects of cultivar, salicylic acid, and the interaction between cultivar and salicylic acid on germination and seedling growth indices were significant at the one percent probability level. Comparing the mean levels of salicylic acid at each cultivar level revealed that each cultivar responded differently to the application of salicylic acid. Seed priming with salicylic acid was not effective in improving germination indices in quinoa cultivars; however, significant differences were observed among different cultivars regarding seedling growth indices under seed priming conditions with salicylic acid. Specifically, seed priming with salicylic acid did not play a significant role in improving seedling growth indices and related traits in the Giz1 and Titicaca cultivars, while the growth response of the Q29 and Q14 cultivars to seed priming with salicylic acid was positive. Ultimately, seed priming with 4 mM salicylic acid is recommended for the Q29 and Q14 cultivars.