Data_Sheet_1_Evaluation of the Biostimulant Activity of Zaxinone Mimics (MiZax) in Crop Plants.PDF

Global food security is a critical concern that needs practical solutions to feed the expanding human population. A promising approach is the employment of biostimulants to increase crop production. Biostimulants include compounds that boost plant growth. Recently, mimics of zaxinone (MiZax) were shown to have a promising growth-promoting effect in rice (Oryza sativa). In this study, we investigated the effect of MiZax on the growth and yield of three dicot horticultural plants, namely, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), capsicum (Capsicum annuum), and squash (Cucurbita pepo) in different growth environments, as well as on the growth and development of the monocot date palm (Phoenix dactylifera), an important crop in the Middle East. The application of MiZax significantly enhanced plant height, flower, and branch numbers, fruit size, and total fruit yield in independent field trials from 2020 to 2021. Importantly, the amount of applied MiZax was far less than that used with the commercial compound humic acid, a widely used biostimulant in horticulture. Our results indicate that MiZax have significant application potential to improve the performance and productivity of horticultural crops.

全球粮食安全是一项至关重要的关切，需要切实可行的解决方案以满足不断增长的人类人口。一种有前景的方法是采用生物刺激剂以提高作物产量。生物刺激剂包括促进植物生长的化合物。近期研究表明，类似zaxinone（MiZax）的物质在水稻（Oryza sativa）中显示出良好的促进生长效果。在本研究中，我们探讨了MiZax对三种双子叶园艺植物（番茄（Solanum lycopersicum）、辣椒（Capsicum annuum）和西葫芦（Cucurbita pepo））在不同生长环境中的生长和产量，以及单子叶植物枣椰（Phoenix dactylifera）——中东地区的重要作物——的生长发育的影响。MiZax的应用显著提高了植物高度、花朵和枝条数量、果实大小以及总产量，这些效果在2020年至2021年的独立田间试验中得以证实。值得注意的是，应用的MiZax量远低于在园艺中广泛使用的商业复合物腐植酸。我们的研究结果表明，MiZax在提升园艺作物性能和生产力方面具有显著的应用潜力。