Plant, Soil and Environment, 2025 (vol. 71), issue 6
Content of polyphenols and carotenoids in edible potato tubers with colored fleshOriginal Paper
Krystyna Zarzecka, Katarzyna Rymuza
Plant Soil Environ., 2025, 71(6):381-386 | DOI: 10.17221/109/2025-PSE 
Polyphenols and carotenoids are important bioactive compounds in potato tuber. Knowledge of these features makes it possible to select cultivars for cultivation, consumption, and processing with desirable properties. For this purpose, the content of polyphenols and carotenoids in edible potato tubers from different countries was analysed. The research material consisted of eight cultivars, including one light yellow – Eurostar, two with red flesh – Rote Emmalie and Herbie 26 and five cultivars with purple flesh – Provita, Salad Blue, Blue Annelise, Vitelotte Noire and Bora Valley. They were cultivated in a three-year, single-factor...
Effects of soaking seeds with selenite on the physiological characteristics and quality of peanut sproutsOriginal Paper
Sanchun Lei, Qiong Wu, Yuehong Liu, Minghao Hao, Rui Liu, Feiyan Yu, Lianhe Zhang
Plant Soil Environ., 2025, 71(6):387-397 | DOI: 10.17221/160/2025-PSE
The aim of this study was to investigate the physiological characteristics and quality of hypocotyls in the production of selenium-enriched sprouts from peanut seeds soaked in selenium (Se) solution. Peanut seeds were soaked with 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10 μmol/L Na2SeO3 for 12 h and then germinated. The results showed that the selenium concentration in peanut shoots increased with increasing levels of selenite soaking, and there existed a crossroads of selenite soaking concentration (5.0 μmol/L) when selenium concentrations in cotyledons and hypocotyls were equal. Below and above this concentration, Se concentrations...
Salt stress mitigation in chickpea seedlings: a comparative study of zinc oxide nano and bulk particlesOriginal Paper
Nadiyah M. Alabdallah
Plant Soil Environ., 2025, 71(6):398-408 | DOI: 10.17221/115/2025-PSE
Nanotechnology plays a vital role in enhancing plant tolerance to salt stress; however, comparative studies on zinc oxide bulk particles (ZnO bulk) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) in this context remain unexplored. Since zinc (Zn) is an essential micronutrient involved in enzyme activation, photosynthesis, and antioxidant responses, it is important to understand how ZnO bulk and ZnO NPs influence chickpea growth under salt stress. This study investigated the morphological and physiological responses of chickpea seedlings treated with ZnO bulk (50 mg/L) and ZnO NPs (50 mg/L) under varying salt concentrations (20, 40, 80, and 120 mmol/L). Salt...
Increased uptake and accumulation of phosphorus and other nutrients by legumes enhance their bioavailability for non-legume speciesOriginal Paper
Peltier Aguiar, Margarida Arrobas, Manuel Ângelo Rodrigues
Plant Soil Environ., 2025, 71(6):409-425 | DOI: 10.17221/85/2025-PSE
Legumes are promoted in agroecosystems for their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen (N), thereby reducing or eliminating the need for N fertilisation while also contributing N-rich organic residues, which non-legume species can subsequently utilise. In phosphorus (P)-poor soils, certain legumes appear to access less available forms of P, converting them into organic P and facilitating its use by non-legume species. This study evaluated seven legume species/cultivars and one grass species (as a control) in a trial conducted in low-fertility soils under four different growing conditions (location × year). The objective was to investigate the role of...
Improving yield by breaking the seed furrow and covering the soil after sowing in strip-tillage modeOriginal Paper
Xinliang Zhao, Wei Zhang
Plant Soil Environ., 2025, 71(6):426-440 | DOI: 10.17221/114/2025-PSE
Based on strip-tillage technology, this study explores the optimal seedbed environment for maize growth through a three-year field agronomic experiment. A comparative analysis of two planting modes, flat planting and ridge planting, was conducted, and a two-factor, three-level experimental design was implemented (furrow-breaking width: 8, 10 and 12 cm; furrow-breaking depth: 2, 3 and 4 cm), with manual soil covering without furrow breaking as the control group. Analysis of the averaged data over three years indicates that furrow-breaking treatment significantly increased maize yield under both flat and ridge planting modes, highlighting the importance...
Gamma-aminobutyric acid improves cold tolerance of wheat seedlingsShort Communication
Changjuan Shan, Zhimin Yuan
Plant Soil Environ., 2025, 71(6):441-452 | DOI: 10.17221/663/2024-PSE
To provide a new agent to enhance wheat cold tolerance, we investigated the impacts of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) on wheat antioxidant and photosynthetic capacity and growth parameters under cold stress (CS). CS significantly improved superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase and gluathione reductase in wheat leaves. Meanwhile, CS also increased the contents of reduced ascorbate (AsA) and reduced glutathione (GSH). However, CS significantly increased electrolyte leakage (EL) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Compared with CS, GABA + CS improved the activities of the above antioxidant enzymes and the contents of antioxidants....