Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Margita Kuklová Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Forest Ecology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Zvolen, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Ján Kukla Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Forest Ecology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Zvolen, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Jana Luptáková Author-Workplace-Name: National Forest Centre - Central Forestry Laboratory, Zvolen, Slovak Republic Author-Name: František Hnilička Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Tomáš Rýgl Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Assessment of mineral nutrients and risk elements in plants growing on soils polluted by magnesite emissions Abstract: Changes in the content of mineral nutrients (Ca, Mg, K, Na) and risk elements (Mn, Cd) in the assimilatory organs of selected plant species were studied along the altitudinal gradient of A‒D zones polluted by alkaline emissions from the magnesite factory Lubeník (Slovak Republic). Multivariate statistical analysis and comparison with background values in other studies demonstrate persistent intoxication of some plants by Mg (all study plants), K (Lactuca saligna, Dryopteris filix-mas), Mn (Quercus polycarpa, Carpinus betulus, Betula pendula, Lactuca saligna) and Cd (Quercus polycarpa, Carpinus betulus, Betula pendula, Lactuca saligna). Overall, Lactuca saligna accumulated the highest amounts of Mg, Cd, Na and K near the magnesite plant, suggesting its potential as an effective bioindicator of elemental pollution. Unbalanced Ca/Mg ratios, lower than 1, were recorded predominantly in all plant species sampled near the magnesite plant; unbalanced K/(Mg + Ca) ratios were predominantly in woody species. Keywords: ecotoxicology, trees, herbs, macronutrients, toxic elements Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 77-86 Volume: 72 Issue: 2 Year: 2026 DOI: 10.17221/443/2025-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/443/2025-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-202602-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:72:y:2026:i:2:id:443-2025-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jaromír Hamet Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Experimental Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Hana Konrádová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Experimental Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Helena Lipavská Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Experimental Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Drought-induced metabolic adjustments in woodland strawberry leaves: the role of soluble carbohydrates and starch Abstract: Water deficit is one of the most important abiotic factors limiting crop yields. To better understand the link between carbohydrate balance and drought stress response in strawberry plants (Fragaria vesca), we monitored by liquid chromatography the carbohydrate status in leaves during exposure to drought of different duration and intensity as well as subsequent recovery. In two greenhouse experiments that differed in the rate of reaching the target water deficit, strawberry leaves showed osmotic adjustment, with gradual increases in glucose and fructose content, likely provided by observed starch degradation. At the point of the most severe stress, proline content increased, while stress markers, such as malondialdehyde content and chlorophyll fluorescence, showed no significant changes. It indicates the defence mechanisms' ability to protect cellular structures effectively. Strawberry, a member of the Rosaceae family, motivated us to investigate the role of sorbitol in the stress response. However, we found no sorbitol in any stress or control situations. Finally, testing sorbitol's ability to support strawberry plant or non-green callus growth in vitro did not indicate that sorbitol could be used as a carbon and energy source. In conclusion, strawberries exhibit marked changes in soluble carbohydrate and starch content as an efficient defence against drought, without apparent involvement of sorbitol. Keywords: antioxidant, abiotic stress, malodialdehyde, prolin, saccharides, wild strawberry Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 87-101 Volume: 72 Issue: 2 Year: 2026 DOI: 10.17221/561/2025-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/561/2025-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-202602-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:72:y:2026:i:2:id:561-2025-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Heba A. ElSherbiny Author-Workplace-Name: Rice Research Department, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Kafr-Elsheikh, Egypt Author-Name: Mahrous E. Negm Author-Workplace-Name: Rice Research Department, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Kafr-Elsheikh, Egypt Author-Name: Hassan Sh. Hamad Author-Workplace-Name: Rice Research Department, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Kafr-Elsheikh, Egypt Author-Name: Elsayed A. Abo-Marzoka Author-Workplace-Name: Crop Physiology Department, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Kafr-Elsheikh, Egypt Author-Name: Dalia E. El-Sharnobi Author-Workplace-Name: Rice Research Department, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Kafr-Elsheikh, Egypt Author-Name: Nessreen N. Bassuony Author-Workplace-Name: Rice Research Department, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Kafr-Elsheikh, Egypt Author-Name: Neama K. ElKholy Author-Workplace-Name: Rice Research Department, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Kafr-Elsheikh, Egypt Author-Name: Fatmah A. Safhi Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Author-Name: Dalal S. Alshaya Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Author-Name: Nora M. Al Aboud Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia Author-Name: Elsayed Mansour Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt Title: Dissecting genetic variability and character associations of physiological, biochemical, agronomic, and yield traits in rice genotypes under salinity stress Abstract: Salinity stress poses an increasing threat to global rice production, particularly under climate change. Enhancing salinity tolerance is crucial to sustain rice production and food security. This study aimed to assess genetic variation among rice parental genotypes and their derived crosses under salinity stress by evaluating physiological, biochemical, agronomic, and yield-related traits. Seven diverse rice genotypes were used to develop 21 crosses using a half-diallel mating design in the summer of 2023. The parental genotypes and their derived crosses were evaluated in the summer of 2024 under controlled greenhouse lysimeter conditions. Salinity stress was induced by irrigation with water containing 10.60 dS/m, and soil salinity was maintained at 9.60 dS/m through controlled irrigation and drainage. Twenty key traits were studied, including phenological and agronomic attributes, yield traits, and physiological and biochemical markers such as relative water content, leaf CO2 assimilation, proline accumulation, malondialdehyde content, and antioxidant enzyme activities, to assess salinity tolerance in rice genotypes. The results demonstrated highly significant variation among the evaluated parental genotypes and their derived crosses across physiological, biochemical, agronomic, and yield-related traits, indicating considerable genetic variability in the studied plant materials. The genotypes C9, R8, and R6 were identified as superior combiners contributing favourable alleles for salinity tolerance. Eleven promising F1 crosses exhibited enhanced growth, improved antioxidant enzyme activities, osmotic adjustment, reduced oxidative damage, and higher grain yield under salinity stress. Exploiting these plant materials can improve the development of novel rice genotypes tolerant of salt-affected environments, addressing the current challenges posed by climate change. Strong associations were observed among physiological, biochemical, agronomic, and yield-related traits, indicating an integrated network of responses that collectively contribute to enhanced salinity tolerance in rice. Keywords: Oryza sativa L., rice breeding, nutrition, diallel analysis, lysimeter experiment, physiological parameters, agronomic performance, sustainable rice production Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 102-121 Volume: 72 Issue: 2 Year: 2026 DOI: 10.17221/531/2025-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/531/2025-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-202602-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:72:y:2026:i:2:id:531-2025-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Marko Flajšman Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agronomy, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia Author-Name: Anita Kušar Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Nutrition, Ljubljana, Slovenia Author-Name: Helena Abramovič Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Food Science, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia Author-Name: Jerneja Jakopič Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agronomy, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia Author-Name: Darja Kocjan Ačko Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agronomy, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia Author-Name: Barbara Čeh Author-Workplace-Name: Slovenian Institute of Hop Research and Brewing, Žalec, Slovenia Title: Impact of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) variety on the seed and stem yield, biochemical characteristics of the inflorescences and nutritional quality of seeds Abstract: Hemp is becoming increasingly popular, and many new varieties are coming onto the market to meet the requirements of different industries. In this study, the seed and stem yield, seed nutritional properties and the biochemical characteristics of the inflorescences of seven European varieties (Fedora 17, Futura 75, KC Dóra, Monoica, Santhica 27, Tiborszallasi, USO 31) were investigated in a 3-year field trial. Futura 75 and Tiborszallasi stand out as varieties with the highest potential in the conditions of the experiment (humid continental climate with oceanic influences, heavy soil). Futura 75 achieved the highest seed yield (505 kg/ha dry matter), stem yield (8 036 kg/ha fresh matter), protein yield (140 kg/ha) and oil yield (181 kg/ha). There were no differences in protein content (average 21.0%) among varieties. The total unsaturated fatty acid content was as high as 87.6% at Tiborszallasi. The best ratio between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids was 3:1 in Tiborszallasi, which had also the highest oil content (30.2%), the highest total phenolic content (2.8 mg caffeic acid (CA)/g) and the best antioxidant potential (6.69 EC50 DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) mg/L). Most varieties had higher cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol contents in the inflorescence at seed maturity (from 0.22 to 3.3 for cannabidiol (CBD) and from 0.00 to 0.32 for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)) compared to full flowering (from 0.17 to 4.33 for CBD and from 0.00 to 0.52 for THC, on average 2.64% for CBD and 0.19% for THC), presenting an opportunity for dual-purpose use. Keywords: agronomic performance, varietal comparison, phytochemical profiling, fatty acid composition, antioxidant capacity, cannabinoid profile Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 122-137 Volume: 72 Issue: 2 Year: 2026 DOI: 10.17221/556/2025-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/556/2025-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-202602-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:72:y:2026:i:2:id:556-2025-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Xiaorong Mo Author-Workplace-Name: Quzhou Agro-tech Extension Centre, Quzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: Changxin Xu Author-Workplace-Name: China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: Yaru Wang Author-Workplace-Name: Quzhou Agro-tech Extension Centre, Quzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: Fuping Fang Author-Workplace-Name: China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: Jinfei Feng Author-Workplace-Name: China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: Honghang Wang Author-Workplace-Name: Quzhou Agro-tech Extension Centre, Quzhou, P.R. China Author-Name: Fengbo Li Author-Workplace-Name: China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou, P.R. China Title: Japonica-type Indica-Japonica hybrid rice increases yield with reduced CH4 and N2O emissions Abstract: Rice paddy fields serve as an important source of stable food supply and a notable contributor to atmospheric methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). Rice cultivar selection acts as a pivotal factor in regulating greenhouse gas (GHGs) of CH4 and N2O emissions from rice paddy fields. However, little is known about how different types of rice cultivars affect CH4 and N2O emissions. In the study, three types of rice cultivars, including Japonica-type Indica-Japonica hybrid rice (JHR: ZJY1578 and JHY5), Indica-type hybrid rice (IHR: ZZY8 and JFY2), and inbred rice (IR: J67 and XS121), were selected to evaluate differences in mitigating GHGs. Results showed that the total CH4 and N2O emissions of two Japonica-type Indica-Japonica hybrid rice cultivars were 49.81-60.01 kg/ha and 0.67-0.83 g/ha, respectively, which were lower than those of the other two rice cultivar types. The total equivalent of carbon dioxide emissions of CH4 and N2O (TCO2-eq) of two Japonica hybrid rice significantly reduced by 16.7-46.9%, compared with the other two types of rice cultivars (IHR and IR). CH4 contributed 85.5-89.9% to the GWP, while 65.6-80.4% in the field of planting inbred rice. The reduction in GHGs emissions is mainly attributed to yield, available carbon and nitrogen contents, root morphological characteristics, and functional genes. Consequently, GHGs emissions in paddy fields could be mitigated by selecting or breeding cultivars with high yield, lower root exudates, and greater root porosity. Keywords: climate change, high-yielding rice, environmental impact, genotype selection, root morphological traits Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 138-145 Volume: 72 Issue: 2 Year: 2026 DOI: 10.17221/402/2025-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/402/2025-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-202602-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:72:y:2026:i:2:id:402-2025-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Hana Vašková Author-Workplace-Name: Functional Diversity in Agro-Ecosystems, Czech Agrifood Research Centre, Prague 6 - Ruzyně, Czech Republic Author-Name: Alois Bilavčík Author-Workplace-Name: Plant Physiology and Cryobiology Team, Czech Agrifood Research Centre, Prague 6 - Ruzyně, Czech Republic Author-Name: Milan Kroulík Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Machines, Faculty of Engineering, Czech University of Life Sciences, Suchdol, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Jan Lukáš Author-Workplace-Name: Functional Diversity in Agro-Ecosystems, Czech Agrifood Research Centre, Prague 6 - Ruzyně, Czech Republic Title: Sensing weeds and crops using thermal and hyperspectral imaginary Abstract: The availability of new sensor technologies, such as thermal and hyperspectral imaging, enables early-stage weed detection and species identification and density estimation, both of which are crucial for effective weed management. Thermal imaging successfully distinguished between dicotyledonous (oilseed rape, pea, Stellaria media, Triplerospermum inodorum, Veronica persica) and monocotyledonous species (barley, wheat, sorghum and Echinochloa crus-galli) except Amaranthus retroflexus, during early growth stages. The most pronounced differences in hyperspectral reflectance occurred at 550 nm, where five distinct plant groups were recognisable (sum of squares = 0.7604, F-value = 105.1). The highest hyperspectral reflectance was recorded for oilseed rape, followed by Stellaria media. The same trend was found for the normalised difference index (NDI), which also showed five distinct groups. These findings indicate that thermography and hyperspectral imaging have strong potential as effective tools for supporting weed detection in precision agriculture; however, further research and field validation are required before routine implementation in agricultural practice. Keywords: sensor, thermography, hyperspectral technology, plant detection Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 146-154 Volume: 72 Issue: 2 Year: 2026 DOI: 10.17221/534/2025-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/534/2025-PSE.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-202602-0006.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:72:y:2026:i:2:id:534-2025-PSE