Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Hui Xu Author-Workplace-Name: College of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture, Wuhu Vocational Technical University, Wuhu, P.R. China Author-Name: Lei Wang Author-Workplace-Name: College of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture, Wuhu Vocational Technical University, Wuhu, P.R. China Author-Name: Dongyue Sun Author-Workplace-Name: Liaocheng Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Liaocheng, P.R. China Author-Name: Wei Liu Author-Workplace-Name: College of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture, Wuhu Vocational Technical University, Wuhu, P.R. China Author-Name: Shuhua Jiang Author-Workplace-Name: College of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture, Wuhu Vocational Technical University, Wuhu, P.R. China Author-Name: Lijun Zhou Author-Workplace-Name: Anhui Zhongke Intelligent Sense Technology Ltd. Co., Wuhu, P.R. China Author-Name: Lu Tang Author-Workplace-Name: College of Humanities and Tourism, Wuhu Vocational Technical University, Wuhu, P.R. China Author-Name: Xin Gu Author-Workplace-Name: College of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture, Wuhu Vocational Technical University, Wuhu, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Anhui Provincial Collaborative Technology Service Centre for Rural Revitalisation, Wuhu Vocational Technical University, Wuhu, P.R. China Author-Name: Muhammad Ahmad Hassan Author-Workplace-Name: College of Resource and Environment, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, P.R. China Title: Effects of foliar application of potassium dihydrogen phosphate on the physiological responses of rice seedlings under high temperature stress Abstract: This study investigated the alleviating effects and physiological responses to foliar-applied potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) on rice seedlings under high-temperature (HT) stress. An early indica hybrid rice, YLY17 (high-temperature-sensitive), was used as the planting material. Four treatment groups were set up: (a) NT - normal temperature; (b) NT + KDP - normal temperature with foliar application of different KDP concentrations (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4%); (c) HT - high temperature treatment without foliar application of KDP, and (d) HT + KDP - high temperature with foliar application of different KDP concentrations. At the three-leaf stage, rice seedlings were subjected to simulated HT stress (32~38 °C during the day and 26~32 °C at night) for 10 days. Growth indicators, photosynthetic parameters, antioxidant characteristics, osmotic adjustment substances, and related metabolic enzymatic activities of young rice seedlings were quantified, and the alleviating effect of KDP was comprehensively evaluated by principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed that HT stress significantly reduced plant height, fresh weight, and dry weight, decreased chlorophyll content and SPAD value, and decreased the net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), and transpiration rate (Tr), while increasing intercellular carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration (ci). At the same time, it led to the accumulation of superoxide anion (O2-), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and malondialdehyde (MDA), and induced increases in antioxidant enzyme and osmotic adjustment-related enzyme activities. Foliar spraying of KDP could effectively alleviate the above damage caused by HT stress, with 0.3% KDP being the most effective treatment. Compared with HT treatment, 0.3% KDP treatment significantly increased plant height, fresh weight and dry weight by 7.6, 10.6 and 10.2%, respectively, improved chlorophyll content and photosynthetic parameters, enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and MDA, and promoted the accumulation of osmotic adjustment substances such as soluble protein (SP), proline (Pro), soluble sugar (SS) and sucrose (SUC), as well as increased the activities of nitrate reductase (NR), glutamine synthetase (GS), sucrose synthase (SUS) and sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS). The PCA results showed that the order of comprehensive physiological activity index was NT + KDP > NT > KDP + HT > HT, indicating that KDP enhances heat tolerance by coordinately regulating photosynthesis, antioxidant defence, and osmotic adjustments. This study provides a theoretical basis and technical reference for using KDP to alleviate HT stress in rice seedlings. Keywords: Oryza sativa L., climate change, abiotic stress, seedling stage, essential macronutrient Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 347-361 Volume: 72 Issue: 6 Year: 2026 DOI: 10.17221/168/2026-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/168/2026-PSE.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/168/2026-PSE.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-202606-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:72:y:2026:i:6:id:168-2026-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: Alaa El-Dein Omara Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Soil Microbiology Research Department, Soils, Water, and Environment Research Institute (SWERI), Agriculture Research Centre (ARC), Giza, Egypt Author-Name: Elsayed E. Gewaily Author-Workplace-Name: Rice Research Department, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Kafr-Elsheikh, Egypt Author-Name: Walid F. Ghidan Author-Workplace-Name: Rice Research Department, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Kafr-Elsheikh, Egypt Author-Name: Mahmoud E. Selim Author-Workplace-Name: Rice Research Department, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Kafr-Elsheikh, Egypt Author-Name: Amany M. Badr Author-Workplace-Name: Rice Research Department, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Kafr-Elsheikh, Egypt Author-Name: Dalal S. Alshaya Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Author-Name: Khadiga Alharbi Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Author-Name: Maha Aljabri Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia Author-Name: Ahmed A.A. Leilah Author-Workplace-Name: Agronomy Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt Title: Enhancing salinity tolerance in rice using Saccharomyces cerevisiae inoculation: physiological and yield responses across diverse genotypes Abstract: Salinity stress is a major environmental constraint limiting crop productivity worldwide. The application of beneficial microorganisms is an effective strategy to improve plant tolerance to abiotic stresses. This study evaluated the role of Saccharomyces cerevisiae inoculation in enhancing physiological performance, oxidative stress tolerance, and yield of rice genotypes under saline-water irrigation. A lysimeter experiment was conducted during the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Five rice genotypes were exposed to saline water (6 000 ppm) with and without inoculation. Gas exchange, water status, oxidative stress markers, antioxidant enzyme activities, and yield-related traits were assessed. The results showed that inoculation significantly enhanced CO2 assimilation (12.27%), stomatal conductance (15.71%), transpiration rate (8.78%), and relative water content (16.36%) across both seasons. Furthermore, inoculation significantly reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) by 19.75% and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) by 23.72%. While superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) increased by 35.32% and catalase activity (CAT) by 20.63%. Grain yield per plant improved by 18.91% and biological yield by 12.84%, accompanied by a reduction in grain sterility (14.47%). The assessed genotypes exhibited significant variation across all parameters studied. IRRI-165 and Giza-179 exhibited superior performance and responsiveness. Giza-182 and Sakha-104 displayed intermediate levels, while Giza-177 was the most sensitive genotype. Multivariate analyses confirmed strong positive associations between inoculation and genotypic performance. Whereas genotypic performance was negatively associated with oxidative stress markers. These results suggest that S. cerevisiae inoculation improves rice performance under salinity stress. The enhancement may contribute to the integration of physiological and biochemical mechanisms. Therefore, combining microbial inoculation with tolerant genotypes provides a sustainable strategy to improve rice productivity in salt-affected environments. Keywords: antioxidant defence, osmotic stress, heatmap and hierarchical clustering, microbial biostimulant, multivariate analysis, oxidative damage, principal component analysis biplot Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 362-379 Volume: 72 Issue: 6 Year: 2026 DOI: 10.17221/178/2026-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/178/2026-PSE.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/178/2026-PSE.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-202606-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:72:y:2026:i:6:id:178-2026-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Antonín Procházka Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agroecology and Crop Production, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Pavel Procházka Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agroecology and Crop Production, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Kateřina Hamouzová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agroecology and Crop Production, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Milan Kroulík Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Machines, Faculty of Engineering, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Václav Brant Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Machines, Faculty of Engineering, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Response of Precision-Planted Soybean Morphology, Seed Quality and Yield to Varying Seeding Rates under Central European Conditions Abstract: In Central Europe, soybean is typically sown in narrow rows, whereas wide‑row precision planters offer more accurate within‑row spacing and greater flexibility for inter‑row cultivation and targeted applications. We evaluated whether soybean established with a 500‑mm precision planter responds to changes in seeding rate. A two‑year on‑farm strip trial (2023-2024) was conducted in Czechia with two determinate cultivars Satelia and Tertia in four target seeding rates (20, 40, 60, 80 germinating seeds/m2). Plant morphology, seed yield, and seed composition were assessed. Branch number (3.1-1 pcs/plant for Satelia; 2.4 - 1.1 pcs/plant for Tertia), pod number (54.2 - 22.6 pcs/plant for Satelia; 53.4 - 28.8 pcs/plant for Tertia), and fertile nodes (11.6 - 9.3 pcs/plant for Satelia; 12.2 - 9.7 pcs/plant for Tertia) all decreased linearly with increasing seeding rate in both tested cultivars, indicating strong morphological compensation at low plant densities. Seed yield dry mass and seed composition were not significantly affected by seeding rate within the tested range, while year and cultivar effects were more pronounced for several seed quality components. These results suggest that soybean yield and quality are largely buffered against variation in plant population. Keywords: Glycine max (L.) Merr., yield structure, wide rows, field emergence, plant density Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 380-388 Volume: 72 Issue: 6 Year: 2026 DOI: 10.17221/179/2026-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/179/2026-PSE.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/179/2026-PSE.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-202606-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:72:y:2026:i:6:id:179-2026-PSE Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Zexin Teng Author-Workplace-Name: College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, P.R. China Author-Name: Yuying Liu Author-Workplace-Name: College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, P.R. China Author-Name: Ümüt Halik Author-Workplace-Name: College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, P.R. China Author-Name: Jianing He Author-Workplace-Name: College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi, P.R. China Title: Differential contributions of plant- and microbial-derived carbon to soil organic carbon under perennial and annual herbaceous species in a temperate desert grassland, Northwest China Abstract: Desert grasslands are critical carbon sinks in arid regions, where herbaceous species selection plays a vital role in ecosystem restoration. While plant life cycle (annual vs. perennial) is known to affect soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks, its influence on SOC molecular composition remains poorly understood. This study examined the accumulation and environmental drivers of plant- and microbial-derived carbon biomarkers (lignin phenols and amino sugars) across the 0-40 cm soil profile under four desert herbaceous species: perennial Karelinia caspica (Pall.) Less. and Glycyrrhiza inflata Batalin., annual Chenopodium glaucum L. and Salsola lanata (Pall.) Botsch. Plant-derived C contributed more to SOC (9-15%) than microbial-derived C (3-8%), with contributions differing significantly between plant life cycles. These differences were shaped primarily by edaphic factors: plant-derived C accumulation was mainly regulated by pH, whereas microbial-derived C was affected by labile organic carbon (LOC), elemental stoichiometry (C/N, C/P), electrical conductivity, and pH. Our results indicate that herbaceous species influence SOC sequestration through divergent plant and microbial pathways. Perennial species, especially K. caspica and G. inflata, enhance SOC storage more effectively and should be prioritised in desert grassland restoration. Keywords: arid ecosystem, vegetation management, microbial necromass, lignin degradation Journal: Plant, Soil and Environment Pages: 389-402 Volume: 72 Issue: 6 Year: 2026 DOI: 10.17221/127/2026-PSE File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/127/2026-PSE.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/127/2026-PSE.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pse-202606-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:72:y:2026:i:6:id:127-2026-PSE