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Female ear development during the pre- and post-silking period is critical for maize yield. Although plant growth regulators can enhance yield, their specific effects on ear morphogenesis and underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, two maize hybrids were foliar-treated with uniconazole (UCZ, 25 mg L⁻¹) or 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA, 40 mg L⁻¹) at the 12-leaf stage. UCZ and ALA increased grain yield by 6.8% to 12.0% and 8.3% to 13.9%, respectively. This yield improvement resulted not only from increased 100-grain weight but, more importantly, from a greater kernel number per ear achieved through enhanced row number (by UCZ) and grains per row (by ALA). Morphological analysis revealed that UCZ significantly increased ear diameter, whereas ALA markedly promoted ear elongation. Physiologically, UCZ lowered IAA and GA levels but raised ABA, while ALA exerted opposite effects on these hormones. Both regulators enhanced ZR and carbohydrate contents. In conclusion, UCZ and ALA enhance maize yield through distinct pathways: UCZ favors radial growth and yield components related to ear thickness, whereas ALA promotes longitudinal growth and components related to ear length.

Background The maize female ear is a key reproductive organ whose morphology directly determines yield. Uniconazole, a gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis inhibitor, is used to regulate ear development and improve yield. However, its mode of action on ear morphogenesis remains incompletely defined. Results We foliar-applied uniconazole (25 mg L –1 ) at the 12-leaf stage and evaluated ear development using morphology, physiology, and transcriptomics. Uniconazole shortened ear length while significantly increasing ear diameter, cob cross-sectional area, and cob cell-wall thickness. The changes of female ear morphology were accompanied by alterations in hormone (IAA, GA, ABA, ZR) levels and carbohydrate (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin) profiles. Transcriptome analysis revealed a widespread transcriptional reprogramming. This reprogramming was characterized by the down-regulation of putative growth-restricting receptor kinases (e.g., LRR, PERK) and the concerted up-regulation of master transcriptional regulators (NAC, MYB) of secondary cell-wall biosynthesis. In hormone signaling, the down-regulation of auxin-responsive genes and the up-regulation of DELLA repressors indicated the suppression of both IAA and GA signaling pathways. Concurrently, the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway was strongly activated, aligning with enhanced lignin deposition. Conclusions Uniconazole reshapes maize female ears into a shorter length and thicker diameter morphology. This is achieved through a coordinated molecular mechanism involving hormone rebalancing, repression of the GA-DELLA signaling pathway, and activation of the NAC/MYB-mediated secondary cell wall biosynthesis pathway. Our findings provide a mechanistic basis for the targeted use of uniconazole in maize cultivation.

Plants have been used for multiple purposes over thousands of years in various applications such as traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda. More recently, the special properties of phytochemicals within plant extracts have spurred researchers to pursue interdisciplinary studies uniting nanotechnology and biotechnology. Plant-mediated green synthesis of nanomaterials utilises the phytochemicals in plant extracts to produce nanomaterials. Previous publications have demonstrated that diverse types of nanomaterials can be produced from extracts of numerous plant components. This review aims to cover in detail the use of plant extracts to produce copper (Cu)-based nanomaterials, along with their robust applications. The working principles of plant-mediated Cu-based nanomaterials in biomedical and environmental applications are also addressed. In addition, it discusses potential biotechnological solutions and new applications and research directions concerning plant-mediated Cu-based nanomaterials that are yet to be discovered so as to realise the full potential of the plant-mediated green synthesis of nanomaterials in industrial-scale production and wider applications. This review provides readers with comprehensive information, guidance, and future research directions concerning: (1) plant extraction, (2) plant-mediated synthesis of Cu-based nanomaterials, (3) the applications of plant-mediated Cu-based nanomaterials in biomedical and environmental remediation, and (4) future research directions in this area.

Background The Nitrate transporter1/peptide transporter family (NPF) affects nitrate use efficiency (NUE) by regulating plant nitrate absorption and distribution. Many NPF-related genes identified across various crops have been shown to improve NUE. However, the characteristics of NPF in cannabis sativa L. and their functions remain unclear. Results In this study, 66 NPF genes of hemp ( Cannabis sativa L.) were identified from the pink pepper genome. The phylogenetic analysis showed that these genes could be divided into eight subfamilies. The NPF genes of Cannabis sativa were renamed according to their chromosomal locations and characterised through bioinformatic analysis. Transcriptome analysis of roots from two hemp varieties with distinct NUE under two nitrogen concentrations (2-hour treatment) showed varied expression patterns across all NPF genes. Among those with higher expression levels, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis successfully screened out two candidate genes, CsNPF4.3 and CsNPF5.14 , as potentially involved in NUE regulation. Conclusions This work deepens our understanding of the gene structure and expression of NPF genes in hemp, and their roles in nitrate response, paving the way for improving hemp nitrogen efficiency through molecular breeding. Altogether, these findings suggest that the expansion of these gene families in hemp could provide valuable genetic variability for identifying NUE-related candidate genes in future breeding programs in the context of low-impact, sustainable agriculture.