Light is a crucial factor affecting plant growth and development. Besides providing the energy for photosynthesis, light serves as a sensory cue to control the adaptation of plants to environmental changes. Exposure of the maize (Zea mays) seedlings to red light resulted in growth inhibition of growing mesocotyls and decreased the total ascorbate contents. Red light also affected the primary metabolite patterns in mesocotyl apoplastic fluid. Among metabolites, the contents of β-alanine, putrescine and trans-aconitate significantly increased. Our results get a new insight into the mechanisms of red light-induced growth inhibition in plants.

Shoot shrivelling is a severe threat that affects growth and development of deciduous trees in the northern hemisphere during normal overwintering. Previous studies have proved that the overwintering is a complex physiological process regulated by many factors. This study, combined with transcriptome analysis, further confirms that cuticle wax and plant hormone metabolism play an irreplaceable role in the overwintering process of fruit trees, and lays a foundation for subsequent research.

As an economically important horticultural nut crop, macadamia is widely grown in many countries. A high yield of good quality nut is dependent on an understanding of nutrient characteristics of the tree to guide fertilisation. The present study indicates an organ-specific element accumulation and ionomic characteristics of low P and high Mn concentrations in macadamia plants, providing a theoretical basis for rational fertilisation in macadamia production in the macadamia orchard.

The cultivation of plants in environments polluted by metals at toxic levels can affect the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. In this study, we found an increase in the concentration of phenolic compounds caused by the excess of copper (Cu) in the culture medium. Described here for the first time, we identified six secondary metabolites in Lantana fucata leaves when exposed to high Cu environments.

Plant resistance to drought is very important in the face of global warming that threatens agriculture. Integrating trees into Ilex paraguariensis cultivation provides additional ecosystem services and different growing conditions that the crop must acclimate. We found that plants in agroforestry systems are more resistant to water stress and have a greater safety margin than plants in monocultures, with similar yields. The incorporation of trees in this perennial crop can effectively be used to maintain productivity under water stress.