The accuracy of genomic annotation is crucial for subsequent functional investigations; however, computational protocols used in high-throughput annotation of open reading frames (ORFs) can introduce inconsistencies.  These inconsistencies, which lead to non-uniform extension or truncation of sequence ends, pose challenges for downstream analyses.  Existing strategies to rectify these inconsistencies are time-consuming and labor-intensive, lacking specific approaches.  To address this gap, we developed toGC, a tool that integrates genomic annotation with RNA-seq datasets to rectify annotation inconsistencies.  Using toGC, we achieved an accuracy of nearly 100% accuracy in correcting inconsistencies in published Phytophthora sojae ORFs.  We applied this innovative pipeline to the GPCR-bigrams gene family, which was predicted to have 42 members in the P. sojae genome but lacked experimental validation.  By employing toGC, we identified 32 GPCR-bigram ORFs with inconsistencies between previous annotations and toGC-corrected sequences.  Notably, among these were 5 genes (GPCR-TKL9, GPCR-TKL15, GPCR-PDE3, GPCR-AC3, and GPCR-AC4) showed substantial inconsistencies.  Experimental gene annotation confirmed the effectiveness of toGC, as sequences obtained through cloning matched those annotated by toGC.  Importantly, we discovered two novel GPCRs (GPCR-AC3 and GPCR-AC4), which were previously mispredicted as a single gene.  CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout experiments revealed the involvement of GPCR-AC4 but not GPCR-AC3 in oospore production, further confirming their status as two separate genes.  In addition to P. sojae, the reliability of the toGC pipeline in Phytophthora capsici and Pythium ultimum further emphasizes the robustness of this pipeline.  Our findings highlight the utility of toGC for reliable gene model correction, facilitating investigations into biological functions and offering potential applications in diverse species analyses.

Osmanthus fragrans is most famous for its strong aroma, and different varieties have different degrees of fragrance and color.  Fragrance and color are important factors affecting the ornamental quality of O. fragrans.  Terpenoids are important secondary metabolites in plants, with β-carotene (C40) being the major pigment substance and linalool (C10) being the key aromatic component in O. fragrans.  The geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase genes (GGPPSs) play important roles in secondary metabolism in plants.  However, the functions of the GGPPS family in floral color and fragrance formation has rarely been reported in O. fragrans.  In this study, 24 OfGGPPS genes were identified and classified into two subfamilies.  The OfGGPPSs showed tissue-specific expression and OfGGPPS13 had highest expression in flowers.  The OfGGPPS13 protein was localized to chloroplasts.  The transcriptome data of OfGGPPS13 was verified by qRT-PCR and the expression level in ‘Wanyingui’ with strong aroma was higher than that in ‘Zhuangyuanhong’ with deep color at different flower development stages.  Transient overexpression of OfGGPPS13 in O. fragrans petals showed that OfGGPPS13 increased the β-carotene content, the main color substance of O. fragrans, but decreased the linalool content, the main volatile organic compound (VOC) in the floral aroma of O. fragrans.  OfGGPPS13 was indicated as the critical gene related to terpenoid synthesis in the floral aroma and color formation in O. fragrans.  Our findings provide gene resources on the GGPPS gene family for further revealing the molecular regulation mechanism of the floral color and aroma formation in O. fragrans.

Xyloglucan represents the primary hemicellulose component in higher plant cell walls, providing mechanical support.  The XTH gene family encodes xyloglucan endotransferase/hydrolase, a crucial enzyme in cell wall remodeling.  Studies examining XTH family-related genes in apples remain limited.  This study investigated the MdXTH30 gene, isolated from apple (Malus×domestica), which demonstrated responsiveness to abscisic acid, NaCl, and polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000, with cytoplasmic localization confirmed through subcellular mapping.  To elucidate the role of MdXTH30 in stress response, transgenic MdXTH30 apple calli were generated and the gene was heterologously expressed in Arabidopsis via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.  The findings revealed that MdXTH30 enhanced resistance to drought, salt stress, and pathogens through regulation of relevant genes in both apple calli and Arabidopsis.  These results identify potentially significant candidate genes for improving biotic and abiotic stress resistance at the cell wall level.

Flower and fruit abscission reduce crop yield, so decreasing abscission is a significant agricultural issue.  HAESA (HAE) and HAESA-like2 (HSL2) kinases and their ligand, INFLORESCENCE DEFICIENT IN ABSCISSION (IDA) peptide, have been confirmed to be the core elements regulating floral organ abscission in Arabidopsis thaliana.  Our earlier research revealed that SlIDL6, a homolog of IDA in tomato, functions similarly to AtIDA, regulating the abscission of tomato flower organs.  Here, we further isolated three HAESA-like homologs, SlHSL1/2/3, which are involved in tomato flower abscission.  SlHSL1/2/3 are highly expressed in the abscission zone (AZ).  The knockout mutant lines of Slhsl1, Slhsl2, and Slhsl3 showed lower flower pedicel abscission than wild type (WT).  The double mutant of Slhsl1Slhsl2, Slhsl1Slhsl3, and Slhsl2Slhsl3 further depressed abscission than each of the single mutant lines, while triple mutants Slhsl1Slhsl2Slhsl3 exhibited the lowest abscission, indicating that SlHSL1/2/3 mediated abscission is non-redundancy, at least partially.  Treating tomato pedicel explants with SlIDL6 peptide significantly accelerated pedicel abscission in WT.  However, it had little effect on the abscission rate of SlHSL1/2/3 knockout lines, indicating that SlHSL1/2/3 are the receptors of SlIDL6 in pedicel abscission.  Ethylene action inhibitor 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) can significantly depress the expression of SlHSL1/2/3.  Ethylene can significantly accelerate the abscission of WT, while less abscission was found in SlHSL1/2/3 knockout lines.  Our findings indicate that SlHSL1/2/3 can act as receptors for SlIDL6 to positively regulate tomato pedicel abscission, and the abscission regulated by SlHSL1/2/3 was partially dependent on ethylene

Elevated CO₂ (eCO₂) may mitigate stress-induced damage to cotton (Gossypium spp.) growth and development.  However, understanding the early-stage responses of cotton to multiple abiotic stressors at eCO₂ levels has been limited.  This study quantified the impacts of chilling (CS, 22/14°C, day/night temperature), heat (HS, 38/30°C), drought (DS, 50% irrigation of the control), and salt (SS, 8 dS m^–1) stresses on pigments, physiology, growth, and development of 14 upland cotton cultivars under ambient CO₂ (aCO₂, 420 ppm; current) and eCO₂ (700 ppm; future) levels during the vegetative stage.  The eCO₂ partially negated the effects of all stresses by improving one or more of the pigments, physiological, growth, and development traits, except CS.  For instance, HS at aCO₂ significantly increased stomatal conductance by 36% compared with non-stressed plants at aCO₂.  However, HS at eCO₂ significantly decreased stomatal conductance by 18% compared with HS at aCO₂.  The first squaring was delayed by one day under SS at aCO₂ but two days earlier under SS at eCO₂ than non-stressed plants at aCO₂.  Root and shoot dry mass and the total leaf area were significantly higher under all stresses, except for CS, at the eCO₂ compared with similar stresses at the aCO₂.  Most growth and development traits, including plant height, leaf area, and shoot dry mass, displayed a mirroring response pattern between aCO₂ and eCO₂ under all environments except CS.  Cultivars exhibited significant interaction with stressed environments.  Further, results revealed differential sensitivity and adaptation potential of cultivars to stress environments at varying CO₂ levels.  This study highlights the need to consider eCO₂ in designing breeding programs to develop stress-tolerant varieties for future cotton-growing environments.

Persistent overcast rain was an essential limiting factor for summer maize production, of which immediate impact was the dual pressure of waterlogging and shading.  However, the mechanisms underlying independent and combined effects of waterlogging and shading on maize yield losses remain understudied, particularly across different growth stages.  Denghai 605 (DH605) was selected to be subjected shading, waterlogging, and their combined stress at the 3rd leaf stage (V3), the 6th leaf stage (V6), and tasseling stage (VT).  Results showed that shading, waterlogging and their combination significantly restricted leaf area expansion, reduced leaf net photosynthetic rate (P_n) and net assimilation rate (NAR), thereby decreasing the crop growth rate (CGR) and biomass accumulation.  Additionally, compared to control, the process of lignin synthesis was inhibited under stressed treatment, resulting in diminished stem mechanical strength and impaired vascular system development, which substantially reduced assimilate remobilization efficiency to the ear and ultimate grain yield.  Waterlogging and combined stresses exhibited maximum impact at the V3 stage, followed by V6 and VT stages, while shading effects were most pronounced at the VT stage, followed by V6 and V3 stages.  Moreover, the compound stress exacerbated the damage brought about by a single stress.  As climate change is projected to increase the frequency of multiple abiotic stress occurrences, these findings provide valuable insights for future summer maize breeding research under persistent rainfall conditions.

Coordinating light and nitrogen (N) distribution within a canopy is essential for improving rice yield and resource use efficiency.  However, limited research has examined light and N distribution in response to planting density and N rate, and their relationships with grain yield, radiation use efficiency (RUE), and N use efficiency for grain production (NUEg) in rice.  A two-year field experiment was conducted with two hybrid varieties under three N levels, 0 kg ha^–1 (N1), 90 kg ha^–1 (N2) and 180 kg ha^–1 (N3), and two planting densities, 22.2 hills m^–2 (D1) and 33.3 hills m^–2 (D2).  Results showed 3.4% higher yield and 4.4% higher NUEg under N2D2 compared with N3D1.  The extinction coefficient for N (K_N) and light (K_L) and their ratio (K_N/K_L) at heading stage were significantly influenced by N rate, planting density, and their interaction.  K_N decreased with the increase of N input or planting density.  Compared to N1, K_N decreased by 43.5 and 58.8% under N2 and N3, respectively, while K_N under D2 decreased by 16.0% compared to D1.  Higher K_L and K_N/K_L values occurred under low N rates, with opposite trends under high N rates.  Increased planting density led to decreased K_L and K_N/K_L values.  N2D2 demonstrated higher K_L and K_N, and thus comparable K_N/K_L, compared to N3D1.  Correlation analysis revealed K_L negatively correlated with RUE, while K_N and K_N/K_L positively correlated with NUEg.  These findings indicate that increasing planting density under reduced N input could maintain rice yield while enhancing resource use efficiency through regulation of canopy light and N distribution.

The pathogenesis-related protein PR10 plays a vital role in plant growth, development, and stress responses.  This study systematically identified and analyzed PR10 genes in cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), examining their phylogenetic relationships, conserved motifs, gene structures, and syntenic relationships.  The analysis identified 54 AhPR10 genes, which were classified into eight groups based on phylogenetic relationships, supported by gene structure and conserved motif characterization.  Analysis of chromosomal distribution and synteny demonstrated that segmental duplications played a crucial role in the expansion of the AhPR10 gene family.  The identified AhPR10 genes exhibited both constitutive and inducible expression patterns.  Significantly, AhPR10-7, AhPR10-33, and AhPR10-41 demonstrated potential importance in peanut resistance to Aspergillus flavus.  In vitro fungistatic experiments demonstrated that recombinant AhPR10-33 effectively inhibited A. flavus mycelial growth.  These findings provide valuable insights for future investigations into AhPR10 functions in protecting peanut from A. flavus infection.

Carbohydrate partitioning from source to sink tissues is essential for plant growth and development.  However, in maize (Zea mays L.), the molecular mechanisms by which callose synthase genes regulate this process remain largely unexplored.  This study demonstrates that mutation of maize callose synthase12 (ZmCals12) results in increased carbohydrate accumulation in photosynthetic leaves but decreased carbohydrate content in sink tissues, leading to plant dwarfing and male sterility.  Histochemical β-glucuronidase (GUS) activity assay and mRNA in situ hybridization (ISH) revealed that ZmCals12 expression mainly occurs in the vascular transport system.  ZmCals12 loss-of-function decreased callose synthase activity and callose deposition in plasmodesmatas (PDs) and surrounding phloem cells (PCs) of the vascular bundle.  The drop-and-see (DANS) assay indicated reduced PD permeability in photosynthetic cells and diminished transport competence of leaf veins in Zmcals12 mutants, resulting in decreased symplastic transport.  Paraffin section analysis revealed that less-developed vascular cells (VCs) in Zmcals12 mutants likely disrupted sugar transport, contributing to the pleiotropic phenotype.  Furthermore, impaired sugar transport inhibited internode development by suppressing auxin (IAA) biosynthesis and signaling in Zmcals12 mutant.  These findings elucidate the mechanism by which ZmCals12-mediated callose deposition and symplastic transport regulate maize growth and development

Thinopyrum ponticum (2n=10×=70), a wild relative of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), is considered an invaluable genetic resource for wheat improvement due to its abundance of genes conferring resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses.  This study focused on the CH97 line, derived from the BC₁F₇ progeny of a cross between wheat cv. 7182 and Th. ponticum.  Cytological evidence showed that CH97 has 42 chromosomes, forming 21 bivalents at meiotic metaphase I, with the bivalents subsequently separating and moving to opposite poles during meiotic anaphase I.  Through a combination of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), genomic in situ hybridization (GISH), multicolor GISH (mc-GISH), and liquid array analysis, it was determined that CH97 comprises 40 wheat chromosomes and two alien chromosomes from the E^e genome of Th. ponticum, featuring the absence of a pair of 5D chromosomes and variations in 1B, 6B, and 7B chromosomes.  These findings confirm that CH97 is a stable wheat-Th. ponticum 5E (5D) alien disomic substitution line.  Inoculation experiments revealed that CH97 exhibits high resistance to wheat powdery mildew and stripe rust throughout the growth period, in contrast to the highly susceptible common wheat parent 7182.  Compared to 7182, CH97 displayed improvements in thousand-kernel weight and kernel length.  Additionally, utilizing specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) technology, chromosome 5E-specific molecular markers were developed and validated, achieving a 33.3% success rate, facilitating marker-assisted selection for disease resistance in wheat.  Overall, the CH97 substitution line, with its resistance to diseases and improved agronomic traits, represents valuable new germplasm for wheat chromosome engineering and breeding.

As the global leader in rice production, China’s paddy fields contribute substantially to greenhouse gas emissions through methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) releases. Aromatic rice cultivation practices have been optimized to enhance the aroma, so the relationship between its cultivation and greenhouse gas emissions from paddy fields is unclear. To investigate how aroma-enhancing cultivation practices drive microbial community dynamics in aromatic rice paddies and their implications for greenhouse gas emissions, a two-year experiment in five ecological locations (Xingning, Nanxiong, Conghua, Luoding, and Zengcheng) compared two farming practices: partial organic substitution for inorganic fertilizers combined with water-saving irrigation (IOF+W) and traditional cultivation (CK). The CH₄ and N₂O emissions, soil microbial composition and function, global warming potential (GWP), nitrogen use efficiency, yield, and the content of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2-AP) were measured and analyzed. The main purpose was to investigate the impact of IOF+W on CH₄ and N₂O emissions and their relationship with soil microorganisms. The results showed that IOF+W significantly reduced CH₄ emission fluxes and totals (36.95%) and GWP (31.29%), while significantly increasing N₂O emission fluxes and totals (14.82%). The soil microbial community structure was reshaped by the IOF+W treatment, which suppressed methanogens but enhanced the abundances of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria. Key enzymatic activities involved in CH₄ production, such as methyl-coenzyme M reductase, formylmethanofuran dehydrogenase, and methyltransferase, decreased. In contrast, the activity of the key CH₄-oxidizing enzyme methanol dehydrogenase increased. This shift led to an overall attenuation of the CH₄ production metabolism while enhancing the CH₄ oxidation metabolism. In addition, the activities of pivotal enzymes involved in denitrification and nitrification were improved, thus enhancing nitrogen nitrification and denitrification metabolism. Moreover, the IOF+W treatment significantly increased nitrogen use efficiency (47.83%), yield (14.77%), and 2-AP content (13.78%). Therefore, the IOF+W treatment demonstrated good efficacy as a sustainable strategy for achieving productive, green, resource-efficient, and premium-quality aromatic rice cultivation in South China.

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the stem-cell population of adult animal gametes, which develop into sperm or eggs. It can be propagated in vitro and injected into the host chicken for genome editing to obtain germline chimeric chicken. However, it has the limitation that the host embryo contains endogenous PGCs, which raises complications, resultantly donor PGCs fail to compete, and transmission efficiency reduced. Therefore, to increase the transmission efficiency, we generated a novel sterile chicken with the inducible elimination of endogenous PGCs in the host. This is the first study that applied the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-TK) cell ablation system in avian. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated homology-directed repair was performed to localize the HSV-TK suicide gene to the last exon of the deleted in azoospermia-like (DAZL) gene, and ganciclovir (GCV) was added to induce the apoptosis in the germ cells of the host embryo. The sterilized host embryo introduced genome-edited PGCs to produce chimeric chicken carrying exogenous germ cells only. It was observed that the germline transmission efficiency was 100% achieved, and the obtained chicks were purely from donor breeds. The technologies established in the current study have important applications in germplasm conservation and gene editing in chicken.

Global population pressures have necessitated increased focus on protecting and developing resilient plant species that can maintain productivity despite environmental challenges.  Environmental degradation, driven by climate change and anthropogenic activities, poses significant threats to global food security through various forms of physical stress.  Major environmental constraints affecting agricultural yields worldwide include salinity, water scarcity, nutritional imbalances (encompassing mineral toxicity and deficiencies), and extreme temperatures.  Crop yield is influenced by multiple abiotic factors, including agronomic conditions, climatic variables, and soil nutrient availability.  Plants develop various survival mechanisms at molecular, cellular, and physiological levels in response to stress.  Abiotic stress, whether occurring individually or in combination, significantly impacts crop growth and productivity.  For instance, drought stress reduces leaf area, plant height, and overall crop development.  Cold stress inhibits plant development and crop efficiency, leading to diminished productivity.  Salinity stress not only induces water stress in plants but also negatively affects cytosolic metabolism, cell development, membrane function, and increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) production.  Elevated CO₂ concentrations may enhance global precipitation patterns, potentially resulting in increased rainfall that can adversely affect crop development.  Plants under excessive water stress exhibit reduced amylose content but increased crude protein levels.  This affects both quality and quantity of crop production by inhibiting seed germination and causing growth impairment through combined effects of elevated osmotic potential and ion toxicity.  Plants have evolved various escape-avoidance and tolerance mechanisms in response to abiotic stress, including physiological adaptations and integrated cellular or molecular responses.  This review paper examines the impact of abiotic stress on morpho-physiological, biochemical, and molecular activities across various crops.  Additionally, it analyzes crop interactions with abiotic stress regarding response and adaptation mechanisms, providing a fundamental framework for species selection and development of stress-tolerant varieties in the future.

The continuous supply of phosphorus (P) is indispensable in crop production. However, P resources are non-renewable, and environmental concerns like eutrophication associated with its loss from agroecosystems make the sustainable management of P resources essential for ensuring global food security. This study was designed to reduce mineral P inputs through management practices. A field experiment comprising a wheat-maize rotation system was conducted in the Guanzhong Plain of Shaanxi Province from 2018-2023. The eight treatments included CK (without P), FP (conventional P application); RP (recommended P); RP₈₀ (20% reduction in RP); SRP₈₀ (20% reduction in RP with straw wrapping); ARP₈₀ (20% reduction in RP with ammonium sulfate instead of urea); SARP₈₀ (20% reduction in RP with straw wrapping and ammonium sulfate instead of urea); and SARP₆₀ (40% reduction in RP with straw wrapping and ammonium sulfate instead of urea). Crop yield, P uptake, and P fertilizer use efficiency were measured during harvest and throughout the entire period of the study. At the end of the experiment, P fractions were estimated using the Tiessen-Moir P classification method. The results revealed that the grain yields of all the treatments except for RP₈₀ were significantly increased compared to CK, with increases of 14.9-28.8%. Furthermore, agronomic efficiency, apparent P use efficiency, P recovery rate, and partial factor productivity were significantly improved for the treatments that received 20% less P with straw wrapping. Moreover, the enhancement measures significantly increased labile and moderately labile P in the soil. Therefore, straw wrapping with ammonium sulfate instead of urea is one of the most effective ways to reduce mineral P inputs while increasing the efficiency of P in wheat-maize rotation systems.

Enhancing soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks is a key aspect of modern agriculture, but whether this can be achieved by incorporating legume green manure crops in cereal production to substitute synthetic N fertilizers is unknown. This study used a six-year (2017-2022) field study to explore the impacts of intercropping green manure with maize and reducing nitrogen fertilization on SOC stocks, while specifically focusing on the relationship between aggregate composition and carbon sequestration. Maize intercropped with common vetch (M/V), maize intercropped with rapeseed (M/R), and sole maize (M), were each tested at conventional (N2, 360 kg ha^-1) and reduced (N1, 270 kg ha^-1, 25% reduced) N application rates. Soil was sampled in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Compared with sole maize, intercropping with green manure (M/V and M/R) significantly increased SOC stocks which compensated for any negative effect due to the 25% reduction in N application. Based on 3-year averages, intercropping with M/V and M/R increased the SOC content compared to sole maize (M) by 12.1 and 9.1%, respectively, with intercropping further mitigating the negative impact of reduced nitrogen application. There was no significant difference between M/V and M/R. The SOC content at N1 was reduced by 9.3-10.5% compared to that at N2 in sole maize, but the differences in SOC stocks between N1 and N2 were not significant in the intercropping patterns (M/V and M/R). The intercropped M/V and M/R showed 20.9 and 16.3% higher SOC contents compared to sole maize at N1, with no differences at N2. Intercropping green manure led to a 5.3% greater SOC in the 0-20 cm depth soil in 2022 compared to that in 2020, due to the cumulative effect of two years of green manure intercropping. Intercropping green manure (M/V and M/R) increased the proportion of macroaggregates (>0.25 mm) and aggregate stability while reducing the proportion of microaggregates compared to sole maize under the N1 application. Structural equation modeling indicated that cropping patterns and nitrogen application levels mainly affect SOC indirectly by regulating the composition of macroaggregates and aggregate organic carbon (AOC). Correlation analysis further revealed that the composition of macroaggregates is significantly and positively correlated with the SOC content (R⊃2;=0.64). In addition, intercropping green manure can maintain high crop yields by increasing SOC under reduced chemical nitrogen application. The results of this study show that intercropping green manure with grain crops can be a viable measure for increasing SOC sinks and maize productivity by optimizing the aggregate composition with reduced N application in the Oasis Irrigation Area. 

猪德尔塔冠状病毒（PDCoV）感染可引起仔猪严重腹泻、脱水甚至死亡，威胁养猪业发展，且PDCoV具备跨种传播的潜能，存在不容忽视的人兽共患病风险。因此，开发PDCoV现场快速检测工具对其防控至关重要。本研究针对 PDCoV 高度保守的核衣壳（N）蛋白，建立了胶体金和荧光微球两种免疫层析试纸条。首先，原核表达系统表达并纯化获得N蛋白，免疫小鼠后采用杂交瘤技术筛选出 4 株高亲和力单克隆抗体。经配对优化，选择最优组合制备胶体金与荧光微球标记试纸，均可在 5 分钟内完成检测。胶体金试纸条对病毒感染细胞培养物的检测下限为 10^2.3 TCID₅₀/0.1 mL，荧光试纸条灵敏度更高，达10^1.7 TCID₅₀/0.1 mL。两种试纸条均高度特异，与猪血凝性脑脊髓炎病毒（PHEV）、伪狂犬病病毒（PRV）、猪圆环病毒 2 型（PCV2）、猪圆环病毒 3 型（PCV3）、塞内卡病毒（SVA）及牛疱疹病毒4型（BoHV-4）等均无交叉反应。两种试纸条在室温下可稳定保存 6 个月，有较好的稳定性。临床测试腹泻仔猪样本显示：胶体金试纸条与 qRT-PCR 的符合率为 90.32%（28/31），荧光试纸条与 qRT-PCR 的符合率为 96.77%（30/31）。结果表明，本研究建立的两种试纸条操作简便、快速，无需专业设备，肉眼或便携紫外灯即可判读结果，具有良好的临床应用潜力，为 PDCoV 现场筛查、疫情溯源及跨物种传播监测提供了重要技术支持。

Green manuring is essential for improving soil quality and nutrient uptake. With the gradual depletion of phosphorus (P) resources, more attention is being paid to the role of green manures in cultivation systems, such as maize-green manure intercropping, to find possible pathways for enhancing soil P utilization. A maize-green manure intercropping experiment was started in 2009 to investigate the effects and mechanisms for enhancing P uptake and yield in maize. Three species of green manures (HV: hairy vetch; NP: needle leaf pea; SP: sweet pea) and a sole maize treatment (CK) were used, resulting in four treatments (CK, HVT, NPT, and SPT) in the experiment. During 2020-2023, the intercropping treatments enhanced maize yields in 2020 and 2021, particularly in the HVT treatment with increases of 13.7% (1.96 t ha^-1) and 13.0% (2.13 t ha^-1) compared with CK, respectively. Grain P accumulation of maize was significantly higher in the intercropping treatments than CK in 2020, 2021, and 2023, and with an average increase of 10.6% over the four years (5.2% for NPT, 10.8% for SPT and 15.9% for HVT) compared with CK. Intercropping promoted maize growth with a greater root length density and a higher organic acid release rate. HVT changed the soil properties more dramatically than the other treatments, with increases in the acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase activities of 29.8 and 38.5%, respectively, in the topsoil (0-15 cm), while the soil pH was reduced by 0.37 units compared to CK (pH=8.44). Intercropping treatments facilitated the conversion of non-labile P to mod-labile P and stimulated the growth of soil bacteria in the topsoil. Compared with CK, the relative abundance of Gemmatimonadota, known for accumulating polyphosphate, and Actinobacteriota, a prominent source of bioactive compounds, increased significantly in the intercropping treatments, especially in HVT and SPT. A PLS-PM analysis showed that intercropping promoted soil P mobilization and the enrichment of beneficial bacteria by regulating maize root morphology and physiology. Our results highlight that maize-green manure intercropping optimizes root traits, soil properties and bacterial composition, which contribute to greater maize P uptake and yield, providing an effective strategy for sustainable crop production.  

镉（Cd）作为Ⅰ类致癌物，大米是亚洲人群Cd摄入的主要途径，尤其在中国南方稻田Cd污染高风险区。本研究发现，水稻钙/氢离子交换蛋白基因OsCAX2在根中的表达受Cd胁迫诱导上调。亚细胞定位证实OsCAX2蛋白定位于液泡膜。水培实验表明，OsCAX2过表达株系根系Cd积累显著增加，而地上部Cd积累显著减少，根向地上部的Cd转运率降低43.7%，且植株生长未受影响；在Cd污染土壤（1 mg kg⁻⊃1; Cd）下种植发现，过表达株系糙米和剑叶中Cd含量分别较野生型显著降低49.1%和39.7%，且关键农艺性状及产量无显著变化。这些结果表明，过表达OsCAX2可能通过增强根细胞液泡对Cd的区隔化存储，有效阻遏Cd向地上部及籽粒转运，为培育适用于中国南方Cd污染区的低Cd积累高产籼稻品种提供了重要的理论基础和基因资源。

Understanding the molecular responses of tea leaves to mechanical stress is crucial for elucidating the mechanisms of post-harvest quality formation during oolong tea processing. This study emplemented an integrated multi-omics strategy to characterize the changes and interactions among metabolomic (MB), transcriptomic (TX), and proteomic (PT) profiles in mechanically stressed tea leaves. Mechanical stress initially activated damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), including Ca²⁺ signaling, jasmonic acid signaling, and glutathione metabolism pathways. These processes subsequently induced quality-related metabolic pathways (QRMPs), particularly α-linolenic acid and phenylalanine metabolism. Up-regulated expression of LOX, ADH1, and PAR genes, together with the increased abundance of their encoded proteins, respectively promoted the accumulation of jasmine lactone, benzyl alcohol, and 2-phenylethanol. These findings indicate that mechanical stress influence the metabolite biosynthesis in tea leaves through coordinated molecular responses. This study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying tea leaf responses to mechanical stress and a foundation for future investigations into how early molecular events may contribute to post-harvest metabolic changes during oolong tea processing.

The effect of adding hydroxycinnamic acids (caffeic acid, sinapic acid, p-coumaric acid and chlorogenic acid) in Cabernet Sauvignon dry red wine before and after fermentation was investigated, taking into account the color, anthocyanins and other polyphenols in the wine samples. The copigmentation effect of malvidin-3-O-glucoside and sinapic acid was further explored in model solution and through theoretical calculations. The results indicated that the addition of hydroxycinnamic acids significantly enhanced the wine's color with sinapic acid (before the fermentation) showing the most pronounced color protection effect. Furthermore, the content of total phenols and total anthocyanins increased by 36% and 28%, respectively. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that the interaction between sinapic acid and malvidin-3-O-glucoside was spontaneous and exothermic. Theoretical studies identified hydrogen bonding and dispersion forces as the main contributors to binding, with the carboxyl group of sinapic acid playing a critical role, while the anthocyanin backbone also influenced the interaction.

Malnutrition remains a significant global challenge, particularly in developing countries. Policymakers have increasingly focused on improving household food security and nutrition through farm production diversity (FPD). While research indicates that farm production diversity correlates positively with reduced malnutrition, other studies emphasize the importance of market access for improved nutritional outcomes. However, this evidence varies by region and remains inconsistent. To address this knowledge gap, this study analyzed survey data from 450 smallholder farmers in Punjab, Pakistan, using regression models to examine the relationship between farm production diversity and dietary diversity, as well as the underlying impact pathways. The findings demonstrate that FPD significantly correlates with increased Household dietary diversity score (HDDS). Farm production diversity influences dietary diversification through both own-farm production and market food consumption pathways, with the own-farm production pathway showing greater impact. The increase in food expenditure through own-farm production yielded a marginal return of 8% in household dietary diversity compared to 5.3% through marketing. Gender differences emerged as significant, with male-headed households showing relatively lower dietary diversity. These findings have substantial implications for countries with smallholder farming systems, providing valuable insights for the formation of agricultural policies, resource optimization, and rural development initiatives.

Nitrogen use efficiency in rice is lower than in upland crops, likely due to differences in soil nitrogen dynamics and crop nitrogen preferences. However, the specific nitrogen dynamics in paddy and upland systems and their impact on crop nitrogen uptake remain poorly understood. The N dynamics and impact on crop N uptake determine the downstream environmental pollution from nitrogen fertilizer. To address this poor understanding, we analyzed 2,044 observations of gross nitrogen transformation rates in soils from 136 studies to examine nitrogen dynamics in both systems and their effects on nitrogen uptake in rice and upland crops. Our findings revealed that nitrogen mineralization and autotrophic nitrification rates are lower in paddies than in upland soil, while dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium is higher in paddies, these differences being driven by flooding and lower total nitrogen content in paddies. Rice exhibited higher ammonium uptake, while upland crops had over twice the nitrate uptake. Autotrophic nitrification stimulated by pH reduced rice nitrogen uptake, while heterotrophic nitrification enhanced nitrogen uptake of upland crops. Autotrophic nitrification played a key role in regulating the ammonium-to-nitrate ratio in soils, which further affected the balance of plant nitrogen uptake. These results highlight the need to align soil nitrogen dynamics with crop nitrogen preferences to maximize plant maximize productivity and reduce reactive nitrogen pollution.

The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, is a highly invasive eusocial insect pest that threatens native biodiversity, agriculture, and human health. The innate immune system and intricate social immune responses of S. invicta pose challenges to the development of effective control strategies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression, which influences various biological processes, including immunity and host-pathogen interactions. While the miRNA-mediated response of insects to pathogens has been extensively studied in solitary insects, little is known about the innate immune responses of individual members within a colony. To address this gap, we constructed small RNA libraries from Metarhizium anisopliae-infected S. invicta workers and investigated the temporal dynamics of miRNA-mediated immune responses to the entomopathogen. Several differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, and they were found to regulate genes involved in the Toll, IMD, and melanization immune pathways. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was employed to analyze the spatiotemporal dynamics of key miRNAs/target genes, specifically miR-71/ModSP1-Relish and miR-7/Lysozyme2-Serine protease7. A dual luciferase assay (in vitro) was performed to validate the interactions between miRNAs and their target genes. Overexpression of miR-71 and miR-7 (via miRNA mimics) efficiently suppressed their target genes, impaired the antifungal immune response of S. invicta and increased the susceptibility to M. anisopliae infection compared to controls. Furthermore, RNA interference-based gene silencing elucidated the roles of these immune genes in regulating fungal susceptibility, thus providing vital clues for developing virulent and effective mycoinsecticides using modern genetic engineering tools.

The native thelytokous (TH) and arrhenotokous (AR) strains of Neochrysocharis formosa (Westwood) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) are promising biocontrol agents against the invasive tomato pest Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). This study assessed the performance and preferences of these strains in choice experiments involving five host instar ratios and evaluated their functional responses to seven densities of 1st instar larvae (5 to 40 hosts). In host-attacking behavior assays, an increasing proportion of 1st instar larvae led to a significant rise in host mortality rates for both strains. Both strains exhibited strong preferences for parasitizing and attacking 1st instar larvae over later instars, with the TH strain demonstrating significantly greater host-killing efficacy than the AR strain. Functional response experiments revealed that the attack rates of both strains were positively correlated with host density. Parasitism by both strains and host-stinging behavior by the TH strain showed type III functional responses, while host-feeding by both strains and host-stinging by the AR strain followed type II functional responses. Early establishment of the TH strain in tomato agroecosystems could enhance the management of T. absoluta. These findings provide critical insights into the functional dynamics of the TH and AR strains of N. formosa that can inform the development of effective biocontrol programs for this globally significant pest.