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  1. ABSTRACT Pistachio thrives in semi‐arid and arid environments and is highly adaptable to various abiotic stresses. However, soil salinization significantly threatens productivity, leading to considerable osmotic and ionic stress for these plants. Roots are the primary sites for stress perception and response; however, they remain understudied in woody crops, such asPistachio. This study examines the alterations in root protein expression and metabolic pathways in response to sodium chloride‐induced salt stress through biochemical and proteomic analyses. One‐year‐old pistachio rootstocks were treated with four different saline water regimes over a 100‐day period, and the total proteins were isolated from these samples. Over 1600 protein identifiers were detected, with comparative analysis revealing 245 proteins that were more abundant and 190 that were less abundant across three stress levels. Key pathways associated with stress tolerance, such as protein modification, folding, and heat shock protein (HSP) protection, were upregulated. An increase in secondary metabolites played a crucial role in detoxification. As salt stress intensified, the abundance of trafficking proteins increased, enhancing transporter activities. Active signaling pathways were observed at lower stress levels, while structural proteins became more critical at higher stress levels for maintaining cell membrane integrity. This cultivar exhibited enhanced kinase activities that regulate lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, thereby aiding in ion homeostasis and maintaining redox balance. The protein interaction network, mapped to orthologous proteins inArabidopsis thaliana, revealed clusters associated with cytosolic, carbohydrate, and amino acid metabolism contributing to salinity stress tolerance. The validation of proteomic data was performed by assessing corresponding changes in transcript levels. The study expands upon previous work by providing a comprehensive proteomic map of UCB‐1 pistachio rootstock across multiple salinity levels. The findings have practical implications for developing more resilient cultivars, supporting sustainable pistachio production in regions prone to salinity. 
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    Free, publicly-accessible full text available November 1, 2026
  2. Phytoextraction presents a promising alternative for desalinating saline environments. Our study investigated the phytoremediation efficiency and ion uptake mechanisms of Chenopodium quinoa (Quinoa) and Triticum aestivum (wheat) in response to salt stress. The plants were subjected to NaCl-induced salinity levels of 5, 10, and 15 dS m⁻1 in a hydroponic system, and we measured the remediation efficiency for sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chloride ions. The solutions incubated with wheat plants exhibited higher ion concentrations than those with quinoa. Chenopodium showed significantly higher bioaccumulation of ions (Mg2⁺, Ca2⁺, Na⁺, Cl⁻, K⁺) in its roots and leaves compared to Triticum. Chenopodium demonstrated greater ion uptake efficiency than Triticum. Under control conditions, both plants effectively contributed to desalination, as indicated by their translocation factor values. In contrast, Chenopodium showed higher TF under salt stress than Triticum for the measured ions. Salinity did not significantly affect potassium accumulation in quinoa shoots, which helped maintain membrane integrity compared to wheat. The analysis of the oxidative status revealed that wheat accumulated higher levels of hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation, especially in the roots. The activities of antioxidative enzymes superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, ascorbic peroxidase, and glutathione reductase showed a significant increase in the roots and leaves of Chenopodium under salt stress, providing essential protection against reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation. Additionally, the increase in leaf area and dry weight in quinoa indicates a more significant accumulation of ions at higher concentrations, demonstrating its superior phytoremediation efficiency compared to wheat 
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    Free, publicly-accessible full text available December 1, 2026
  3. Curcumin, a polyphenol derived from Curcuma longa, used as a dietary spice, has garnered attention for its therapeutic potential, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. Despite its known benefits, the precise mechanisms underlying curcumin’s effects on consumers remain unclear. To address this gap, we employed the genetic model Drosophila melanogaster and leveraged two omics tools—transcriptomics and metabolomics. Our investigation revealed alterations in 1043 genes and 73 metabolites upon supplementing curcumin into the diet. Notably, we observed genetic modulation in pathways related to antioxidants, carbohydrates, and lipids, as well as genes associated with gustatory perception and reproductive processes. Metabolites implicated in carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid biosynthesis, and biomarkers linked to the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, and aging were also identified. The study highlighted a strong correlation between the curcumin diet, antioxidant mechanisms, and amino acid metabolism. Conversely, a lower correlation was observed between carbohydrate metabolism and cholesterol biosynthesis. This research highlights the impact of curcumin on the diet, influencing perception, fertility, and molecular wellness. Furthermore, it directs future studies toward a more focused exploration of the specific effects of curcumin consumption. 
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  4. Sareen, Sindhu (Ed.)
    Potassium (K+) is the most abundant cation that plays a crucial role in various cellular processes in plants. Plants have developed an efficient mechanism for the acquisition of K+ when grown in K+ deficient or saline soils. A total of 47 K+ transport gene homologs (27 HAKs, 4 HKTs, 2 KEAs, 9 AKTs, 2 KATs, 2 TPCs, and 1 VDPC) have been identified in Sorghum bicolor. Of 47 homologs, 33 were identified as K+ transporters and the remaining 14 as K+ channels. Chromosome 2 has been found as the hotspot of K+ transporters with 9 genes. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the conservation of sorghum K+ transport genes akin to Oryza sativa. Analysis of regulatory elements indicates the key roles that K+ transport genes play under different biotic and abiotic stress conditions. Digital expression data of different developmental stages disclosed that expressions were higher in milk, flowering, and tillering stages. Expression levels of the genes SbHAK27 and SbKEA2 were higher during milk, SbHAK17, SbHAK11, SbHAK18, and SbHAK7 during flowering, SbHAK18, SbHAK10, and 23 other gene expressions were elevated during tillering inferring the important role that K+ transport genes play during plant growth and development. Differential transcript expression was observed in different tissues like root, stem, and leaf under abiotic stresses such as salt, drought, heat, and cold stresses. Collectively, the in-depth genome-wide analysis and differential transcript profiling of K+ transport genes elucidate their role in ion homeostasis and stress tolerance mechanisms. 
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