The Targeted Metabolomic Signatures of Phytohormones in Leaves of Mulberry (<i>Morus alba</i> L.) Are Crucial for Regrowth and Specifically Modulated by the Differential Stubble Lengths

Vegetative propagation of mulberry (<i>Morus alba</i> L.) via sapling methods, due to the ability to exponentially multiply lateral buds on stem cuttings to enhance rapid shoot formation, is crucial for sericulture industries. The sprouting of mulberry using stubbles is an emerging metho...

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Main Authors: Haonan Li, Michael Ackah, Frank Kwarteng Amoako, Aaron Tettey Asare, Jianbin Li, Zhenjiang Wang, Qiang Lin, Changyu Qiu, Mengdi Zhao, Weiguo Zhao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Plants
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/7/1126
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author Haonan Li
Michael Ackah
Frank Kwarteng Amoako
Aaron Tettey Asare
Jianbin Li
Zhenjiang Wang
Qiang Lin
Changyu Qiu
Mengdi Zhao
Weiguo Zhao
author_facet Haonan Li
Michael Ackah
Frank Kwarteng Amoako
Aaron Tettey Asare
Jianbin Li
Zhenjiang Wang
Qiang Lin
Changyu Qiu
Mengdi Zhao
Weiguo Zhao
author_sort Haonan Li
collection DOAJ
description Vegetative propagation of mulberry (<i>Morus alba</i> L.) via sapling methods, due to the ability to exponentially multiply lateral buds on stem cuttings to enhance rapid shoot formation, is crucial for sericulture industries. The sprouting of mulberry using stubbles is an emerging method for rapid and mass production of mulberry leaves, but the growth mechanisms associated with its use remain obscure. This study is the first to report how the differential stubble lengths from mulberry plants alter and modulate phytohormones and the associated mechanisms. This study seeks to evaluate the growth mechanisms by elucidating the phytohormone signature modulation in response to differential stubble lengths of 0 cm, 5 cm, 10 cm, 20 cm, and a control via targeted metabolomics analysis in mulberry leaves. The results consistently show that the use of differential stubble lengths of mulberry promoted growth, the number of buds, aboveground biomass, and branch and leaf weights by improving the net photosynthesis, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and intercellular CO<sub>2</sub> relative to the control. The differential stubble lengths not only caused contrasting responses in the contents of plant hormones, including salicylic acid (SA), abscisic acid (ABA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), jasmonic acid (JA), and gibberellin (GA), but also modulated higher elemental contents relative to the control. The results further reveal significant and positive correlations between the phytohormones and all growth, biomass, and photosynthetic parameters, highlighting the role of phytohormones in the sprouting and rejuvenation of mulberry stubbles. Meanwhile, the targeted metabolomics analysis identified a total of 11 differentially accumulated phytohormones in response to the differential stubble lengths, which were significantly implicated and enriched in three major pathways, including the biosynthesis of plant hormones (ko01070), metabolic pathways (ko01100), and the plant hormone signal transduction pathway (ko04575). The use of stubbles for rapid leaf production in mulberry plants is of great importance to improve early sprouting and cutting survival, as well as shortening growth and rooting time, and is highly recommended for the sericulture industries.
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spelling doaj-art-e27315b937e048b5bef8770969d8e1dd2025-08-20T02:15:54ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-04-01147112610.3390/plants14071126The Targeted Metabolomic Signatures of Phytohormones in Leaves of Mulberry (<i>Morus alba</i> L.) Are Crucial for Regrowth and Specifically Modulated by the Differential Stubble LengthsHaonan Li0Michael Ackah1Frank Kwarteng Amoako2Aaron Tettey Asare3Jianbin Li4Zhenjiang Wang5Qiang Lin6Changyu Qiu7Mengdi Zhao8Weiguo Zhao9Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericulture Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericulture Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, ChinaDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast 00233, GhanaDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast 00233, GhanaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericulture Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, ChinaSericulture & Agri-Food Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510610, ChinaSericulture Technology Promotion Station, Nanning 530007, ChinaSericulture Technology Promotion Station, Nanning 530007, ChinaDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215011, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericulture Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, ChinaVegetative propagation of mulberry (<i>Morus alba</i> L.) via sapling methods, due to the ability to exponentially multiply lateral buds on stem cuttings to enhance rapid shoot formation, is crucial for sericulture industries. The sprouting of mulberry using stubbles is an emerging method for rapid and mass production of mulberry leaves, but the growth mechanisms associated with its use remain obscure. This study is the first to report how the differential stubble lengths from mulberry plants alter and modulate phytohormones and the associated mechanisms. This study seeks to evaluate the growth mechanisms by elucidating the phytohormone signature modulation in response to differential stubble lengths of 0 cm, 5 cm, 10 cm, 20 cm, and a control via targeted metabolomics analysis in mulberry leaves. The results consistently show that the use of differential stubble lengths of mulberry promoted growth, the number of buds, aboveground biomass, and branch and leaf weights by improving the net photosynthesis, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and intercellular CO<sub>2</sub> relative to the control. The differential stubble lengths not only caused contrasting responses in the contents of plant hormones, including salicylic acid (SA), abscisic acid (ABA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), jasmonic acid (JA), and gibberellin (GA), but also modulated higher elemental contents relative to the control. The results further reveal significant and positive correlations between the phytohormones and all growth, biomass, and photosynthetic parameters, highlighting the role of phytohormones in the sprouting and rejuvenation of mulberry stubbles. Meanwhile, the targeted metabolomics analysis identified a total of 11 differentially accumulated phytohormones in response to the differential stubble lengths, which were significantly implicated and enriched in three major pathways, including the biosynthesis of plant hormones (ko01070), metabolic pathways (ko01100), and the plant hormone signal transduction pathway (ko04575). The use of stubbles for rapid leaf production in mulberry plants is of great importance to improve early sprouting and cutting survival, as well as shortening growth and rooting time, and is highly recommended for the sericulture industries.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/7/1126mulberry<i>Morus alba</i> L.stubbletargeted metabolomicsphytohormonesabscisic acid
spellingShingle Haonan Li
Michael Ackah
Frank Kwarteng Amoako
Aaron Tettey Asare
Jianbin Li
Zhenjiang Wang
Qiang Lin
Changyu Qiu
Mengdi Zhao
Weiguo Zhao
The Targeted Metabolomic Signatures of Phytohormones in Leaves of Mulberry (<i>Morus alba</i> L.) Are Crucial for Regrowth and Specifically Modulated by the Differential Stubble Lengths
Plants
mulberry
<i>Morus alba</i> L.
stubble
targeted metabolomics
phytohormones
abscisic acid
title The Targeted Metabolomic Signatures of Phytohormones in Leaves of Mulberry (<i>Morus alba</i> L.) Are Crucial for Regrowth and Specifically Modulated by the Differential Stubble Lengths
title_full The Targeted Metabolomic Signatures of Phytohormones in Leaves of Mulberry (<i>Morus alba</i> L.) Are Crucial for Regrowth and Specifically Modulated by the Differential Stubble Lengths
title_fullStr The Targeted Metabolomic Signatures of Phytohormones in Leaves of Mulberry (<i>Morus alba</i> L.) Are Crucial for Regrowth and Specifically Modulated by the Differential Stubble Lengths
title_full_unstemmed The Targeted Metabolomic Signatures of Phytohormones in Leaves of Mulberry (<i>Morus alba</i> L.) Are Crucial for Regrowth and Specifically Modulated by the Differential Stubble Lengths
title_short The Targeted Metabolomic Signatures of Phytohormones in Leaves of Mulberry (<i>Morus alba</i> L.) Are Crucial for Regrowth and Specifically Modulated by the Differential Stubble Lengths
title_sort targeted metabolomic signatures of phytohormones in leaves of mulberry i morus alba i l are crucial for regrowth and specifically modulated by the differential stubble lengths
topic mulberry
<i>Morus alba</i> L.
stubble
targeted metabolomics
phytohormones
abscisic acid
url https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/7/1126
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