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A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to study the impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi− Glomus versiforme (Gv) and Rhizophagus intraradices (Ri) on the growth, Cd uptake, antioxidant indices [glutathione reductase (GR), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate (ASA), glutathione (GSH) and malonaldehyde (MDA)] and phytochelatins (PCs) production of Lonicera japonica in Cd-amended soils. Gv and Ri significantly increased P acquisition, biomass of shoots and roots at all Cd treatments. Gv significantly decreased Cd concentrations in shoots and roots, and Ri also obviously reduced Cd concentrations in shoots but increased Cd concentrations in roots. Meanwhile, activities of CAT, APX and GR, and contents of ASA and PCs were remarkably higher in Gv/Ri-inoculated plants than those of uninoculated plants, but lower MDA and GSH contents in Gv/Ri-inoculated plants were found. In conclusion, Gv and Ri symbiosis alleviated Cd toxicity of L. japonica through the decline of shoot Cd concentrations and the improvement of P nutrition, PCs content and activities of GR, CAT, APX in inoculated plants, and then improved plant growth. The decrease of shoot Cd concentrations in L. japonica inoculated with Gv/Ri would provide a clue for safe production of this plant from Cd-contaminated soils.

Background Genetic diversity is a prerequisite for breeding programs, and one of the main goals here is to obtain quality products. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the genetic diversity in some hybrid individuals of honeyberry ( Lonicera caerulea L.) based on fruit characteristics, leaf morphology, vitamin C, antioxidant activity, biochemical, and nutritional content. In this context, superior quality individuals have been identified based on the 42 variables examined in our study. These hybrid individuals can be economically incorporated into production after the registration stages, and their sustainability for use in breeding programs can also be ensured. Results The fruit weight ranged from 0.71 (‘H11’) to 1.66 g (‘H6’). The ascorbic acid varied between 17.13 (‘H7’) and 20.64 mg AAE/100 g (‘H15’). The antioxidant activity changed between 12.59 (‘Store’) and 15.03 µmol Trolox g –1 (‘Aurea’). The total anthocyanins were found to be highest in ‘Borrel Beast’ (163.79 mg cyn-3-gluc 100 g –1 ), followed by ‘H8’ (163.20 mg cyn-3-gluc 100 g –1 ). The highest nutrient levels in the fruits were found in the ‘H10’ individual, with calcium (2445.77 mg kg –1 ), potassium (2274.36 mg kg –1 ), phosphorus (2123.27 mg kg –1 ), magnesium (1263.95 mg kg –1 ), and sulfur (859.62 mg kg –1 ), respectively. The highest nutrient levels in the leaves were found in the ‘H14’ individual for calcium (19,493.21 mg kg –1 ), ‘H5’ for magnesium (5643.52 mg kg –1 ), ‘H8’ for sulfur (2312.11 mg kg –1 ), ‘H6’ for phosphorus (2007.51 mg kg –1 ), and ‘H6’ for potassium (1099.32 mg kg –1 ). In general, the nutrients in the fruit exhibited significant correlations among themselves at different levels (*, **, ***). Within the scope of principal component analysis, the first 8 principal components explained 80.69% of the total variance. According to the cluster and population analyses, it was determined that there was a high variation in subgroup B2. Additionally, although honeyberry is a relatively new fruit in Türkiye, efforts have begun to develop new cultivars through hybrid breeding. Conclusions When 42 variables were evaluated together to determine genetic diversity, hybrid individuals ‘H14’, ‘H5’, ‘H8’, and ‘H1’ were identified as superior individuals, respectively.

Background In Lonicera macranthoides ( L. macranthoides ), the role of carotenoids in the flower color transition remains unclear. In this study, at the four flower developmental stages of green flower bud (GB), white flower bud (WB), white flower (WF) and golden flower (GF) in L.macranthoides , combined transcriptomic and carotenoid metabolomic analyses was performed to clarify the changes of carotenoid content and the expressions of genes related to carotenoid biosynthesis. Results A total of sixteen carotenoids, including 5 carotenes and 11 xanthophylls, were detected and quantified from the all samples. The content of 16 carotenoids was found to decrease first and reach the lowest level at WF, then dramatically increase at GF. At GB, the carotenoid content was the highest and the top three carotenoids in content were lutein, zeaxanthin and violaxanthin. At WB and WF, the carotenoid contents were relatively low, and the buds or flowers appeared white. At GF, β-carotene and violaxanthin were obviously dominant, accounting for 64.95% of the content of 14 detectable carotenoids, and they might be the major contributors to yellow color at GF. The expressions of differentially expressed genes indicated that with the development of flowers, the biosynthesis of carotenoids shifted from α-carotene branch to β-carotene branch. Conclusion The findings are beneficial to genetic improvement of varieties in L.macranthoides by increasing the carotenoids content in flowers.

Melatonin (Mt) functions as a growth regulator and multifunctional signaling molecule in plants, thereby playing a crucial role in promoting growth and orchestrating protective responses to various abiotic stresses. However, the mechanism whereby exogenous Mt protects Lonicera japonica Thunb. ( L. japonica ) against salt stress has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate how exogenous Mt alleviates sodium chloride (NaCl) stress in L. japonica seedlings. Salt-sensitive L. japonica seedlings were treated with an aqueous solution containing 150 mM of NaCl and aqueous solutions containing various concentrations of Mt. The results revealed that treatment of NaCl-stressed L. japonica seedlings with a 60 µM aqueous solution of Mt significantly enhanced vegetative plant growth by scavenging reactive oxygen species and thus reducing oxidative stress. The latter was evidenced by decreases in electrical conductivity and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations. Moreover, Mt treatment led to increases in the NaCl-stressed L. japonica seedlings’ total chlorophyll content, soluble sugar content, and flavonoid content, demonstrating that Mt treatment improved the seedlings’ tolerance of NaCl stress. This was also indicated by the NaCl-stressed L. japonica seedlings exhibiting marked increases in the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase) and in photosynthetic functions. Furthermore, Mt treatment of NaCl-stressed L. japonica seedlings increased their expression of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase 1 (PAL1) , phenylalanine ammonia-lyase 2 (PAL2) , calcium-dependent protein kinase (CPK) , cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) , flavanol synthase (FLS) , and chalcone synthase (CHS) . In conclusion, our results demonstrate that treatment of L. japonica seedlings with a 60 µM aqueous solution of Mt significantly ameliorated the detrimental effects of NaCl stress in the seedlings. Therefore, such treatment has substantial potential for use in safeguarding medicinal plant crops against severe salinity.

Mineral nutrition is of vital importance in plant growth and secondary metabolites accumulation, and thereby in the nutritional value of plants. In Lonicera japonica, a preference to nitrate (NO3−−N) in comparison to ammonium (NH4+−N) was found in our previous study, which can be revealed from the rapid growth rate of L. japonica under NO3−−N. This study assessed whether a preference for nitrogen sources could invoke metabolic reprogramming and interrelationships between factors. NO3−−fed plants exhibited substantial enhancement of carbon stimulation, which was strongly and positively correlated with mesophyll conductance. As a result, the elevated carbon flux by NO3− supplement was shuttled to phenolic metabolites synthesis, including flavones and caffeoylquinic acids compounds. Notably, the stimulation was triggered by changes in the NO3− and C/N ratio and was mediated by the induction of several enzymes in the phenylpropanoid pathway. On the contrary, NH4+ plants showed an increment in the content of nitrogen, carbohydrates, and amino acids (mainly a strong increase in citrulline and theanine). Within secondary metabolism, NH4+ may involve active lignin metabolism, showing a dramatic increment in hydroxy−ferulic acid and lignin content. This work provides significant insights regarding the mechanisms of L. japonica in response to diverse nitrogen regimes and effective strategies of nitrogen fertilizer input for L. japonica.

Formula fertilization has been shown to effectively increase both yield and economic profit in medicinal plants. Lonicera japonica Thunb (L. japonica) is a significant medicinal plant; however, no studies have yet investigated the impact of formula fertilization on its performance. Therefore, the objective of this study is to establish models for enhancing the yield of L. japonica through formula fertilization using various ratios of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) in the primary production areas of the hilly and gully Loess Plateau in China. A ‘3414’ formula fertilization trial was conducted, examining different doses and ratios of N, P, and K applied to L. japonica .Fertilizer was applied to a small pit, 30 cm deep, surrounding the root of each tree. The spacing between plants and rows was maintained at 1.0 m x 1.0 m. A fertilizer model was developed by calculating and comparing the yield and economic profit of the plants. The results indicated that the application of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) in the soil significantly improved yield. Phosphorus (P) was identified as the primary limiting factor affecting yield. The output-to-investment ratio of the N 2 P 2 K 3 fertilizer was significantly reduced. The fertilizer effect function can be expressed as: Y = 296.66 - 0.81X 1  + 11.53X 2  + 4.05X 3 - 0.051X 1 ² - 0.60X 2 ² - 0.28X 3 ² + 0.13X 1 ×X 2  + 0.20X 1 ×X 3 - 0.029X 2 ×X 3 . The recommended doses of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilizers are 18.25–26.75 g, 6.27–8.73 g, and 10.04–13.96 g per plant, respectively.The application of formula fertilizer in this study resulted in a notable increase in yield and economic benefit, with improvements of 38.18% and an additional 0.3729 USD per plant, respectively. These findings significantly contribute to the production of L. japonica, enhancing both yield and profitability in specific geographical conditions suited for cultivating economic plants.

Lonicera caerulea L., also known as haskap or honeysuckle berry, is a fruit commonly planted in eastern Europe, Canada and Asia. The fruit was registered as a traditional food from a third country under European Union regulations only on December 2018. It is resistant to cold, pests, various soil acidities and diseases. However, its attractiveness is associated mostly with its health properties. The fruit shows anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activity—important factors in improving health. These features result from the diverse content of phytochemicals in honeysuckle berries with high concentrations of phytocompounds, mainly hydroxycinnamic acids, hydroxybenzoic acids, flavanols, flavones, isoflavones, flavonols, flavanones and anthocyanins but also iridoids, present in the fruit in exceptional amounts. The content and health properties of the fruit were identified to be dependent on cultivar, genotype and the place of harvesting. Great potential benefits of this nutritious food are its ability to minimize the negative effects of UV radiation, diabetes mellitus and neurodegenerative diseases, and to exert hepato- and cardioprotective activity.

The MYB family plays a vital role in regulating plant stress resistance. However, the MYB protein in blue honeysuckle remains largely unexplored. In this study, the LcMYB90 gene from blue honeysuckle ‘Lanjingling’ was stably transformed into tobacco and transiently transformed into blue honeysuckle to characterize its function. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that the LcMYB90 protein is localized in the nucleus. Transgenic plants overexpressing LcMYB90 exhibited enhanced growth performance and higher survival rates under drought and salt stress conditions. These plants also showed increased levels of proline and chlorophyll, along with elevated activities of catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase. Conversely, malondialdehyde content and relative conductivity were lower, indicating that LcMYB90 enhances tolerance to drought and salt stress. Under salt treatment, genes induced by osmotic stress, such as NHX1 (Na+/H+ antiporters 1) and SOS1 (salt overly sensitive 1), as well as antioxidant defense system genes like SOD (superoxide dismutase) and CAT1 (catalase 1), were more highly induced in overexpression lines compared to the wild type, supporting the hypothesis that LcMYB90 promotes salt tolerance by enhancing osmotic stress resistance and antioxidant capacity. Simultaneously, the transcription levels of genes involved in the abscisic acid pathway, including NCED1/2 (9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase 1/2, PYL4/8 (pyrabactin resistance-Like 4/8), and CBL1 (Calcineurin B-like protein 1), were increased under drought stress conditions in the overexpression lines. These results suggest that LcMYB90 maintains cellular homeostasis by promoting the expression of stress-related genes and regulating osmotic and oxidative substances, thereby improving tolerance to drought and salt stress.

Blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea) is widespread across the Eurasian continent, mainly in northern latitudes. Its berries are a rich source of biologically active compounds. In this study, plant samples collected in four regions of Russia separated by more than 10,000 km were examined in detail: St. Petersburg, Kamchatka, Magadan and the Far East (Vladivostok). The study was unique in that it covered almost the entire Eurasian continent in northern latitude, which had not been previously presented in other scientific studies. The study revealed the presence of 110 polyphenols and 34 compounds belonging to other chemical groups. In particular, honeysuckle berries were rich in polyphenols, including flavonoids, flavanones, flavanols, flavan-3-ols, anthocyanins, stilbenes, and lignans. The method of tandem mass spectrometry was used to identify biologically active substances from the extracts, which allows obtaining fairly accurate results. The metabolomic composition of L. caerulea berries originating from Kamchatka and Magadan showed the greatest diversity of polyphenols, which is associated with special northern climatic conditions and associated stress factors for plants. The results we obtained provide new data on the composition of the honeysuckle berry metabolome. The wealth of biologically active substances in blue honeysuckle berries can be very interestingly used in the development of both biologically active additives for pharmaceutical use and for the development of functional and specialized nutrition products for various population groups.

Cultivation of honeysuckle, Lonicera japonica , irrigated with brackish-water, represents a new way to exploit saline–alkali land in the Yellow River Delta. However, how L. japonica responds to brackish-water irrigation is not clear. Biomass allocation, carbon–nitrogen stoichiometry, and carbon and nitrogen storage in L. japonica under four brackish-water irrigation treatments (T0: 0 mm, T40: 40 mm, T80: 80 mm, T120: 120 mm) were examined. Brackish-water irrigation significantly affects tissue biomass and the proportions of roots and stems in L. japonica . Root, stem, and leaf biomass increase with increased amount of brackish-water irrigation. The proportion of root biomass decreases significantly with increased brackish-water irrigation, root and leaf C contents increase, and stem and leaf N contents decrease. The proportion of root C storage trends downward with increased brackish-water irrigation, but the curve is concave for the proportion of root N storage. Root, stem, and leaf biomass correlate significantly with C and N contents, and C:N ratios for the three organs, excepting leaf C contents. Our results suggested that T120 is more conducive to the biomass accumulation of L. japonica , and promotes the C content of most organs, but reduces their N content. These findings improve our understanding of the response of L. japonica to brackish-water irrigation, demonstrate that brackish-water irrigation is a viable technique to save water in irrigation, and identify a new use for saline–alkali land in the Yellow River Delta.