Bengu Turkyilmaz Unal

Carrots are an important plant rich in natural antioxidants recognized for their nutraceutical effects and health benefits. In addition to being consumed as food, the carrot is a significant agricultural product in the health and cosmetics sectors, particularly for its high antioxidant content. This study investigated the effects of exogenously treated jasmonic acid and salicylic acid at different concentrations (0.5 and 1 mM) on carotenoid content and carrots' antioxidant capacity. The data obtained from biochemical analyses (chlorophyll, total protein and carotenoid contents, and superoxide dismutase and catalase enzyme activities) proved that the related growth regulators positively increased the carotenoid content and antioxidant capacity of carrot.

Climate change is causing alterations in the physiology, behaviour, reproductive rates, and overall functioning of organisms in aquatic ecosystems. Organisms living in aquatic environments are highly vulnerable to increasing temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and extreme weather events. Aquatic photosynthetic organisms—such as seagrasses, phytoplankton, and mangroves—are susceptible to environmental factors, including temperature, light, and acidification, which influence ecosystem productivity and habitat structure. These effects have cascading consequences, transforming not only individual species but also food cycles, interspecies interactions, and ecosystem functions. Organisms may exhibit limited resilience through adaptive mechanisms at the morphological, physiological, behavioural, and genetic levels. However, the speed and capacity of adaptation are constrained by human-induced habitat degradation and extreme weather events. In the future, holistic approaches at both species-specific and ecosystem levels will be critical for maintaining the health of aquatic ecosystems. Long-term monitoring studies, enhancing inter-population genetic diversity and ecosystem connectivity, protecting critical microhabitats, and developing early warning systems are essential for climate change-resilient and sustainable aquatic ecosystems. This article discusses how climate change affects aquatic ecosystems, how aquatic organisms respond to these changes, and how ecological adaptation processes operate.

Drought stress severely limits plant growth and development. Calcium, beyond being an essential nutrient, functions as an important signaling-molecule in plant stress responses. Given its economic importance, increasing drought tolerance in Capsicum annuum L. varieties has become a priority. In this study, two pepper varieties with different drought tolerances, Hilvan and Inan, were exposed to drought stress induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000; 3 mg L⁻ ¹ ) and/or calcium treatments (CT) (330 and 660 mg L⁻ ¹ CaCl₂). The seedlings were grown in a controlled growth chamber and evaluated for morphological, physiological, and biochemical responses after five weeks. PEG application promoted root growth in both varieties but significantly suppressed shoot growth, chlorophyll content, protein levels, and antioxidant capacity. These negative effects were more pronounced in Hilvan, indicating a higher sensitivity to drought. Inan exhibited relatively stable growth and metabolic response under PEG stress, indicating higher drought tolerance. CT significantly mitigated the damage caused by PEG in both varieties, with the level of mitigation differing between them. Inan exhibited marked increases in chlorophyll content, protein accumulation, root fresh weight, antioxidant enzyme activities, and phenolic compounds, accompanied by a decrease in MDA levels, indicating effective alleviation of oxidative stress. CT in Hilvan partially restored physiological balance, but the responses remained weaker compared to Inan. Overall, CT was more effective in mitigating drought-induced oxidative damage in the drought-sensitive Hilvan variety. These findings demonstrate that CT is beneficial in increasing tolerance in drought-sensitive pepper varieties, highlighting the importance of calcium-mediated signal transduction.

Due to climate change and anthropogenic effects, the amount of usable water is decreasing, and many agricultural lands are exposed to drought. To cope with drought and ensure food security, easy-to-apply, cheap, and effective strategies are needed. This study examined the changes caused by drought in pepper plants and the potential effects of UV-B priming on alleviating this stress. Seeds that were subjected to UV-B priming (15' and 30') and/or drought (0.5 M and 1 M Polyethylene glycol 6000) were planted in peat-filled pots and left to develop seedlings in the growth room at 24±2 °C temperature, 16-hour light/8-hour dark photoperiod, and 45% humidity. Seedlings were harvested according to a randomized trial design on the 120th day, and physiological-biochemical analyses (soluble total protein and total phenolic substance amounts, DPPH and CAT activities) were performed. The results of physiological-biochemical analyses indicate that UV-B priming mitigates the adverse effects of drought. UV-B priming techniques are considered an alternative method for growing plants under drought stress and increasing yield and quality.

The effects of exogenous jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) treatments on purple basil, which is used in the food industry and traditional medicine for its aromatic properties, were investigated. Purple basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) seeds were sown in pots containing peat moss and germinated in a plant growth chamber at 25 ± 2 °C, under a photoperiod of 16 hours light/8 hours dark, at a light intensity of 27 μmol m−2s−1, and at 45 ± 5% humidity. When the seedlings reached the two-leaf stage, different concentrations (0, 0.5, and 1 mM) of SA and/or JA were treated foliarly. Fifteen days after the second application, the seedlings were harvested. Morphological measurements (root-shoot length, fresh and dry weight) and physiological-biochemical analyses were performed. Root-shoot length, fresh and dry weights, photosynthetic pigment, anthocyanin, and total phenolic content, along with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), and catalase (CAT) enzyme activities, increased in all treatment groups compared to the control, while total protein content decreased. It was determined that exogenously treated SA and JA elicitors positively affected the increase in morphological and physiological parameters, as well as the antioxidant potential, in purple basil.

Food waste throughout the agri-food supply chain has significant environmental and economic consequences on a global scale. To address this issue, upcycling food waste through livestock is a promising approach that can help achieve sustainability goals. The upcycling of food waste via livestock involves feeding food waste to animals, such as pigs or chickens, instead of disposing of it as waste. This approach offers multiple benefits, including reducing the amount of food waste that ends up in landfills, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and producing a source of protein, offering a sustainable solution to the food waste problem. Through utilizing food waste as a resource for animal feed, this process adds value while simultaneously tackling environmental concerns linked to food waste. Furthermore, this process can generate income for farmers and lower the cost of animal feed. However, there are regulatory and safety concerns associated with the use of food waste as animal feed, necessitating strict guidelines and monitoring. Despite the challenges, upcycling food waste via livestock provides a promising solution to food waste management issues. It provides a win-win solution for both the environment and economy, presenting a promising way forward for the future of agriculture by minimizing food waste, promoting sustainability in the food industry, and offering a new source of animal feed. This study argues that upcycling food waste through livestock farming has significant potential for minimizing food waste, promoting sustainability in the food industry, and providing a new source of animal feed. It provides a win-win solution for both the environment and economy, representing a promising way forward for the future of agriculture.

Hypericum bilgehan bilgilii is a local endemic species distributed in Turkiye. Since the related species is endemic and there are grazing activities in its habitat, in vitro regeneration and in vitro cultures should be established. In addition, considering that the species may have medicinal properties similar to other Hypericum species, an effective in vitro regeneration method(s) should be found. For this reason, a more effective in vitro regeneration method has been established by using benzyl amino purine and 2,4 dichloro phenoxy acetic acid plant growth regulators (PGRs) for the first time in Hypericum bilgehan bilgilii. In this study, different concentrations and combinations of 2,4-D (0.3, 0.4, 0.5, and 1.0) and BAP (0.6, 0.8, 1.0, and 2.0) PGRs have been used for callus formation. It has been established that the best callus formation among the treatment groups occurs in MS supplemented with 0.8 mg L^–1 BAP + 0.4 mg L^–1 2,4-D. The best shoot growth has been found in MS medium containing 2.0 mg L^–1 BAP. The best treatment group in root formation was MS supplemented with 1.0 mg L^–1 IBA. It has been observed that the in vitro regenerated seedlings successfully adapted to the acclimatization stage. In the study, in vitro regeneration of Hypericum bilgehan-bilgilii using BAP and 2,4 D PGRs has been performed for the first time, and in vitro, cultures have been established for future plant biotechnology and in vitro conservation studies.

Genome editing aimed at manipulating and improving targeted genes is widely used for the study of basic biological processes and specific improvement of desirable and novel characters in commercially important tropical as well as subtropical fruit, nuts and forest trees. The technique involves precise and accurate changing and editing of the genome through DNA insertion, deletion, or replacement via multiple genome editing tools. Trees are considered an invaluable commodity that not only provides energy, fiber and materials but also safeguards global climate and such genome editing techniques are reliable and have great potential to further improve these imperative traits and allow us to boost productivity, enhance wood quality and improve resistance to several biotic and abiotic stresses. Tree breeding is considered a lengthy procedure that often requires a few to more than 10 years due to the tree’s long juvenile phases, large size and asexual propagation nature. Traditional tree breeding strategies via conventional cross-breeding and induced mutations have led to the development of new fruit tree cultivars. However, precise tree genome editing techniques might play a valuable supplementary tool for their improvement. Over the last decade, numerous methods have been exploited for DNA delivery, such as the application of biotechnology in breeding via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation has been proven successful and possesses a huge potential with increased availability of sequenced genomes of Fruits and nuts that can be efficiently used for the improvement of the trait. Various other potential genome editing tools such as ZFNs, TALENs and most recently CRISPR/Cas9 have been effectively utilized for several fruit trees. Various improvements and alterations have been introduced worldwide to enhance the efficiency and reproducibility of the existing delivery protocols. In this review, various DNA delivery methods for genome editing together with their fundamental principles, procedures, efficacy and future prospects will be discussed.

Abiotic stresses adversely affect plant growth and ultimately crop productivity. Of these, water-logging is the most widespread and most commonly experienced stress factor. While water is essential for all plant growth and development processes, waterlogging is an obstacle to sustainable agriculture. Recent FAO reports indicate that universal crop production must be enhanced by 70% by 2050 in order to meet the growing demand for food by an estimated 2.3 billion people. As demand for food increases, there is an urgent need to identify environment-friendly strategies capable of being accepted and adopted widely to enhance crop yields and mitigate the effects of climate change. Nanotechnology as a science of manipulating materials at the nano-scale has significant potential to enhance agricultural productivity by nonconventional means. This technology has been gaining momentum lately as a possible solution to reduce the adverse effects associated with various stresses, particularly with waterlogging, to enhance future food security. This paper discusses the potential applications of nanoparticles to achieve sustainable crop productivity, together with their impact on the mechanism of tolerance to waterlogging stress.