https://ijpb.ui.ac.ir/ Journal of Plant Biological Sciences en daily 1 Fri, 20 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0330 Fri, 20 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0330 https://ijpb.ui.ac.ir/article_29887.html Suaeda maritima L. Dumort is one of the most resistant halophyte plants. The purpose of this study was to investigate structural changes in S. maritima and alterations in morphology under wastewater contamination. Very young seedlings of S. maritima were sampled from their natural habitat and treated with tap water and industrial wastewater as the control and treatment, for three months. Then, the plant organs were fixed in FAA fixative and submitted to microtome sectioning, staining, and observation by light microscopy. The Stereolite software quantified the observation. Results showed that the polluted plants were paler in color, had sparse leaves during the vegetative phase, and had a delayed reproductive phase. Root compared to control. These included cell disorders and abnormalities, as well as the changes in cell sizes, tissue layer thicknesses in the stem and root, and cell density. In reproductive organs of the treated plants, changes were observed in the number, size, and shape of pollen grains and the thickness of the anther endocardium layer. The study concluded that industrial wastewater can affect plant morphology and reproductive traits, potentially impairing the spread of the next generation. https://ijpb.ui.ac.ir/article_30391.html Introduction and Problem Statement: Cold stress is a major limiting factor for wheat production in cold and temperate regions, causing significant yield loss by disrupting physiological and nutritional processes. Seed priming with biological and chemical stimulants is a promising approach to mitigate these adverse effects. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of sowing date and different priming treatments on leaf nutrient concentration, physiological indices, and grain yield of Simin wheat. Materials and Methods: A factorial experiment was conducted based on a randomized complete block design with three replications during the 2024-2025 growing season at the Urmia Agricultural Research Center. Factors included two sowing dates (November 1 and December 1) and seven seed priming treatments (control, salicylic acid, gibberellic acid, GABA, potassium nitrate, zinc sulfate, and melatonin). Measured traits included leaf nutrient concentration, membrane stability index, calcium nutrition index, stress index, nutrient use efficiency, grain filling rate, and grain yield. Results and Discussion: Results indicated that the interaction between sowing date and priming was significant for leaf nutrient concentration, nutrient use efficiency, and grain filling rate. Final Conclusion: In general, early sowing combined with seed priming using melatonin, GABA, or potassium nitrate is recommended as the best management strategy to improve nutritional status, enhance cold tolerance, and achieve optimal yield in Simin wheat under similar regional conditions. The choice of priming treatment should be aligned with the sowing date and management objectives (nutrition improvement vs. stress tolerance enhancement). https://ijpb.ui.ac.ir/article_30396.html Drought stress is one of the most important limiting factors for plant growth and performance, affecting a wide range of plant responses from metabolic alterations to changes in growth and productivity. The severity of this stress varies depending on water deficit level, growth stage, and plant species. Considering Iran’s location in arid and semi-arid climates and the continuous decline in water resources, identifying drought-tolerant plants and ecotypes is essential. In recent years, research has increasingly focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms of drought tolerance and the key genes involved in this process. In this study, morphological and physiological traits of three ecotypes of the medicinal plant Kalpooreh Teucrium polium from Kerman province were evaluated under different drought stress levels (40%, 70%, and 100% field capacity), along with the activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, POD) and lipid peroxidation (MDA). Additionally, expression of the MYB and LEA genes was assessed in the tolerant ecotype using Real-time PCR. The results showed that increasing drought stress intensity reduced stem height and total chlorophyll content, while root length, proline content, and protein content content increased. Antioxidant enzyme activity and MDA levels also rose significantly, indicating intensified oxidative stress. Moreover, expression of the MYB and LEA genes showed a marked increase in the tolerant ecotype under drought stress. These findings confirm the combined roles of physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses in drought tolerance and suggest that these genes could serve as useful indicators for genetic improvement and selection of drought-resistant germplasms in Teucrium polium https://ijpb.ui.ac.ir/article_30442.html this study, for the first time, the micromorphology of the dorsal and ventral surfaces of petals in the species of the two genera of Cleome and Rorida (family Cleomaceae) was investigated in Iran using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Epidermal cell traits of petals, including cell shape (conical papillose or tabular-rugose), anticlinal wall shape (straight or curved), cuticular ornamentation (striate or rugose), presence or absence of trichomes and their type, and the presence or absence of stomata, were examined. After character state determination and scoring, the data were analyzed using cluster analysis, Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA), and Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) in PAST software. Ancestral state construction of petal characters was also performed based on molecular data. The results showed that the dorsal and ventral surfaces of petals in Rorida and some Cleome species (C. heratensis, C. foliolosa, and C. turkmena) exhibited tabular-rugose epidermal cells, while other species demonstrated conical papillose cells. Anticlinal wall shapes were straight or curved, or exclusively curved, and trichomes were observed in simple or glandular forms (short or long); stomata were reported only in some species. The inferred ancestral states included tabular-rugose cells, striate cuticular ornamentation, and the absence of trichomes and stomata. The obtained results provided valuable information on petal traits at the microscopic scale and successfully facilitated the differentiation of the two genera under study.