To investigate the cultivation adaptability and growth of 3 Lonicera caerulea such as ‘Beilei’ in Suzhou District of Jiuquan City, Gansu province, 3 Lonicera caerulea varieties, ‘Beilei’, ‘Lanjingling’ and ‘Wulan’ were introduced from Lonicera caerulea germplasm resource nursery of Northeast Agricultural University, and their phenological period, survival rate, overwinter retention rate and growth characteristics were measured. The results showed that the 3 Lonicera caerulea could complete the whole growth cycle under natural conditions in the study area, germination began in early April, fruit ripening in mid to late May, falling leaves and dormant in September, and ‘Beilei’ and‘Wulan’ sprouted and blossomed earlier than‘Lanjingling’. The survival rate and overwinter retention rate of‘Beilei’and ‘Lanjingling’ were higher (95.0% and 93.3%, 90.0% and 86.7%, respectively). The average tree height and average ground diameter of the 3 varieties were significantly different, among which ‘Beilei’ had stronger growth potential. The rapid growth period of ‘Beilei’ continued from bud to early June, and the net growth from May 3 to May 19 and from May 19 to June 6 was 10.96 cm and 19.86 cm, respectively. The leaf length, leaf shape index and the number of leaves on single branch showed better performance. To sum up, ‘Beilei’ and ‘Lanjingling’ have strong adaptability in introduction and cultivation, and can be popularized in the study area and ecologically similar areas.

To meet the demand for high quality talents in the development and technological progress of the edible mushroom industry, the teaching reform measures of Edible Mushroom Cultivation Technology course were researched and put it into practice. In terms of reform measures, updating teaching content, constructing a targeted differentiated curriculum system, systematically integrating professional knowledge in fields such as microbiology, environmental science, and agricultural engineering, and introducing interdisciplinary knowledge; innovating teaching methods, such as project-based learning, flipped classroom, case-based teaching, and competition based teaching, were used to stimulate students’ initiative in learning; building a diversified practical teaching platform, enhancing students’ professional skills through the construction of on campus and off campus practical teaching bases, and the application of virtual simulation training rooms; strengthening the construction of the teacher team and implement the reform plan for the construction of the “dual teacher” team in vocational education; establishing diversified evaluation criteria and dynamically assess the completion quality of each key skill point. Practice shows tha this teaching reform has been implemented since the 2022 Edible Mushroom Production and Processing Technology major and has achieved significant results. Students have won multiple first prizes and other achievements in the edible mushroom cultivation technology competition of the provincial vocational college skills competition; this course has been promoted to a school level premium online course. This article provides references for promoting teaching reform of similar courses and promoting high quality development of the edible mushroom industry.

Fangyou 777 is a semi winter type, chemical hybridization-induced Brassica napus hybrid cultivar developed by crossing the female parent Z11 with the male parent Y4. Its growth performance and cultivation techniques were evaluated based on field trials in Chaohu, Anhui Province. The cultivar demonstrated excellent agronomic traits with a growth period of 225 days, 1 000-seed weight of 4.72 g, and oil content of 46.22%. It showed strong lodging resistance and high yield potential, achieving 3 372.0 kg/hm² in core demonstration areas.Key cultivation techniques include: selecting well-drained, sunny fields with soil pH 6.5-7.5 and deep plowing (15-20 cm); using high quality seeds treated with soaking and coating; broadcasting (manual or mechanical) at 4.5-6.0 kg/hm² from late September to October 10; applying balanced fertilization based on soil testing and optimized irrigation (ensuring water supply during flowering while reducing irrigation during pod maturation); implementing thinning at seedling, 1-leaf, and 3-leaf stages, weed control with herbicides like metolachlor, and frost protection using paclobutrazol; integrated pest management against diseases (sclerotinia, downy mildew) and pests (flea beetles, cabbage worms); harvesting either by direct combining or two-stage method, followed by sun-drying to reduce seed moisture below 10% for storage. This paper provides references for promoting Fangyou 777 cultivation in middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

To explore the cultivation techniques of early maturing and high yielding garlic in greenhouses in Southern Shandong, based on the cultivation practices of greenhouse garlic in Lanling County, Shandong Province, the early maturing and high yield cultivation techniques were summarized from aspects such as cultivation conditions, variety selection, and seed treatment. The cultivation conditions involve selecting flat terrain with fertile soil, constructing greenhouse structures using economical and safe materials such as galvanized round pipes, employing 7-8 mil PO film or grouting membrane for the greenhouse cover, and installing water-fertilizer integrated sprinkler hoses inside the greenhouse. Early maturing, high yielding, stress resistant, and commercially superior varieties were chosen; moldy garlic cloves were removed, and seed coating with agents such as fludioxonil was applied. Organic fertilizer was uniformly spread before sowing, and ridge cultivation or flat bed furrow sowing was adopted, with a planting density of 600 000-750 000 plants/hm². After sowing, the soil was thoroughly watered, and herbicides such as 24% oxyfluorfen were sprayed. After germination, the soil was covered with mulch film. Maintain suitable temperature inside the greenhouse by opening vents, when temperatures were high and sealing the greenhouse film tightly when temperatures were low. Watering was applied appropriately, with irrigation ceasing 5-7 days before garlic flower stalk harvesting. After harvesting, a foliar fertilizer was sprayed along with irrigation. Prevention was prioritized, and integrated pest and disease control measures were adopted. Seed coating was used to control pests such as thrips, and fungicides such as 20% prochloraz were sprayed to prevent leaf blight and other diseases. Garlic sprouts were harvested around March 10, followed by garlic bulbs 15-20 days later. This article provides a reference for early maturing and high-yielding cultivation of garlic in greenhouses in Southern Shandong and other regions.

The rapid propagation and container cultivation technology of Acer palmatum ‘Hongfei’ were summarized, and the regional trial results of it at 3 test sites in Jurong, Liyang and Wujiang, Jiangsu Province were analyzed. At all 3 test sites, Acer palmatum ‘Deshojoi’ was used as the control variety. The rapid propagation techniques include the construction of the spike nursery, the cultivation of rootstock seedlings, the cultivation of grafted seedlings and the management after grafting. A nursery with deep soil and good drainage should be selected as the spike nursery for Acer palmatum ‘Hongfei’. Healthy and disease-free excellent clones of 2 to 3 years old should be selected as the mother plants of the spike nursery. The survival rate of grafting by bud entraption in autumn is relatively high. Manage the grafted area scientifically. Container cultivation techniques include container selection, substrate selection, water and fertilizer management, and shaping and pruning. The container should be such that the root system of the seedlings naturally spreads in it. The substrate should be a mixture of peat and vermiculite. Apply a 1∶200 concentration nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium mixed fertilizer solution or special fertilizer for seedling cultivation. Shaping and pruning should be carried out in a timely manner. The phenological period of this plant in the 3 experimental sites of Jurong, Liyang and Wujiang, Jiangsu Province, was earlier than that of the Acer palmatum ‘Deshojoi’. It had stable leaf color, good growth. This article provides a reference for the promotion and application of Acer palmatum ‘Hongfei’ in garden green spaces in East China.

Brassica rapa var. chinensis and Brassica rapa var. glabra were employed as experimental materials, with the sampling methods such as aggregation index, m^*-m regression analysis and Taylor’s power law, and the spatial distribution pattern and characteristic of clubroot disease under greenhouse cultivation were analyzed, and the sampling techniques were studied to further improve the investigation and prediction ability of the disease. The result showed that the disease developed severe when the test area was closer to the center of the greenhouse, and relatively light when it was near the edge in the two crops. Test of aggregation index showed that the main trends of clubroot disease were fitted to uniform distribution under the condition of heavy occurrence, but aggregation distribution would also occur in the lower occurrence area. Regression analysis of m^*-m and Taylor’s power law indicated that the individual colony was the basal component of the spatial distribution of clubroot disease and they attracted each other slightly. The distribution pattern of individual colony tended to be uniform distribution, and this trend was increased with the increasing disease grade of individual plant in the two crops. On the basis of the above analysis, the optimal theoretical sampling model and sequential sampling model of clubroot disease in the two crops were presented. This study results were helpful to improve efficiency in the investigation and sampling of clubroot disease, and it provided evidence for early-forecast and prevention decision.

The effects of machanical transplanting on rice growth and high yield cultivation techniques for machanical transplanting rice were summarized and analyzed. In terms of the impact on rice growth, adopting bowl tray mechanized seedling cultivation and transplantation can effectively improve the quality of rice seedlings and increase their transplanting survival rate; control the basic number of seedlings and determine the appropriate number of effective panicles for rice; coordinate factors such as grain number, seed setting rate, and thousand grain weight to improve yield. Its high yield cultivation techniques include selecting high yielding, disease resistant, and high quality varieties according to local conditions; determining the sowing time based on the planting area, variety type, etc., and adjust it in a timely manner according to temperature conditions (early rice from mid to late March to mid April, mid season rice from mid April to mid May, and late rice from mid May to mid June); soaking seeds to promote germination, applying fertilizers and pesticides in a timely manner to cultivate robust seedlings; when the seedlings with 3 leaves and 1 center, they should be transplanted in a timely manner and planted in a reasonable and dense manner, with 2-3 seedlings inserted into each hole; applying sufficient base fertilizer, appropriately increase organic fertilizer, timely apply greening fertilizer, tillering fertilizer, etc., and mainly manage water by alternating dry and wet; selecting disease and insect resistant varieties, scientific fertilizer and water management, soaking seeds with pesticides, and timely spraying of 430 g/L tebuconazole·prochloraz emulsion, 20% trichloropyrimidine water dispersible granules and other pesticides, to effectively prevent and control diseases and pests such as rice blast and planthoppers. This article provides a reference for high yield cultivation of machanical transplanting rice.

To cultivate high quality horticultural professionals, the current situation in experimental teaching of Vegetable Cultivation courses was analyzed from 4 aspects: teaching methods, teaching content, ideological and political elements, and assessment and evaluation, and the targeted teaching reform strategies were proposed. In terms of the current situation, the teaching model mainly based on teacher lectures and demonstrations neglects the cultivation of students’ subject status and comprehensive abilities. The experimental teaching content lacks design based experiments, and the integration of ideological and political elements is insufficient. The single evaluation method reduces students’ classroom participation, making it difficult to cultivate their learning interest and innovative thinking. In response to the above issues, it will implement blended learning, flipped classroom, field teaching, and establish a network resource library to innovate experimental teaching methods; adjust the teaching content to a multi-level, integrated, and progressive teaching system, set up basic experiments and production practices, comprehensive experiments, and add design based experiments; effectively integrating ideological and political elements, cultivating agricultural talents who understand and love agriculture, and promoting agriculture; reform the experimental teaching assessment system and adopt a combination of online (30%) and offline (70%) methods to comprehensively evaluate their comprehensive quality and innovative thinking. The practical results show that the reform has significantly improved the teaching effectiveness, and students have obtained 3 school level innovation and entrepreneurship projects and 5 college level projects; 2 provincial-level scientific research projects have been approved by the research group teachers. This article provides reference for promoting the teaching reform of horticulture courses.

The parental sources, breeding process, and characteristics of hybrid rice variety Xiliangyoujingsizhan were introduced, and its high yield cultivation and seed production techniques were summarized. This variety is a high quality hybrid rice variety developed from Xi06S as the female parent and Xijingsizhan as the male parent. It is suitable for planting as mid season rice in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and has excellent field growth, high quality, moderate resistance to rice blast disease, and high yield. The high yield cultivation techniques include timely sowing and soaking with pesticides before sowing; transplant seedlings at around 25 days of age to ensure a basic number of 900 000 to 110 000 plants/hm²; apply sufficient basal fertilizer, apply tillering fertilizer early, and supplement phosphorus and potassium fertilizers according to plant growth in the later stage; after 7 days of transplantation, use pesticides such as butachlor to control weeds in the field; apply 43% tebuconazole and other pesticides to prevent and control diseases and pests such as rice blast disease, sheath blight, and rice planthoppers. High yield seed production techniques include selecting plots with sufficient light, medium to high fertility, and convenient drainage and irrigation for seed production, and paying attention to seed isolation; reasonably arrange the parents’ broadcasting schedule; apply organic fertilizer and deeply plow before sowing, keep the field moist after sowing, and apply fertilizer at appropriate times; timely spray gibberellin “920”, and arrange manual powder milling when the heading rate of the parent plants reaches 50%; according to the actual situation in the field, remove impurities and timely prevent and control diseases and pests in the field; harvesting with a specialized harvester at around 85% maturity of the seeds. This article provides a reference for promoting and planting this variety in relevant regions.

To further improve the grain yield per unit area, Guichi District, Chizhou, Anhui Province had carried out demonstration planting of rice and wheat intensive cultivation. Its high yield cultivation techniques and the demonstration results were summarized. The high yield cultivation techniques of rice and wheat intensive cultivation include selecting high yield, stable, and early maturing rice and wheat seeds suitable for local planting according to local conditions to ensure the continuity of rice and wheat crop rotation; taking seed treatment measures such as sun drying, seed selection, seed soaking with pesticides, and seed mixing to improve seed germination rate and prevent diseases and pests during the seedling stage; rice seedlings were raised by stacking and darkening, transplanted with pesticides, while wheat was sown by drones and sprayed with paclobutrazol at appropriate times to improve seedling quality; reasonable dense planting to coordinate group growth; adopting soil testing formula fertilization method, rice field water was managed by alternating dry and wet cycles; timely carry out green prevention and control and unified control measures to prevent and control diseases and pests such as rice blast disease, rice false smut, rice stem borer, and wheat Fusarium head blight. From 2023 to 2024, Weiliangyou 8612 was selected as the rice variety and Yangmai 25 as the wheat variety. A demonstration planting of rice and wheat precision farming was carried out in the research area, achieving high yields of rice (12 631.5 kg/hm²) and wheat (8 685.45 kg/hm²), increased production by 11.65% and 26.25% respectively compared to the previous year,and significantly improving planting efficiency. This article provides a reference for promoting the rice and wheat precision farming model in relevant regions.

This experiment was conducted to study the effects of epimedium on the reproductive performance of Small Tailed Han sheep and the appropriate addition ratio in the feed. A total of 192 six-month-old Small Tailed Han sheep, half male and half female, were randomly divided into four male groups and four female groups. Each group of 24 sheep was divided into 3 replicates with 8 sheep in each, and housed in separate pens. The control male and female groups were fed a basal diet, while the three male test groups and three female test groups were fed a diet containing 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5% epimedium, respectively, for a 75-day feeding trial. The results showed that epimedium could increase the feed consumption of male sheep, promote growth and development and improve the sperm volume, sperm concentration, and reduce the abnormal rate of male sheep to varying degrees, and increase the blood testosterone concentration of male sheep. Among them, the 1.0% epimedium group was significantly different from the control group (P<0.05), and the 1.5% epimedium group was extremely significantly different from the control group (P<0.01). However, the feed consumption and the feed-to-weight ratio increased; epimedium could promote the growth and development of female sheep, reduce feed consumption, but there was no significant statistical difference (P>0.05); epimedium could improve the live lambing rate, lambing rate, FSH and LH concentrations of female sheep to varying degrees. Among them, the 1.5% epimedium group was significantly different from the control group (P<0.05). The experiment showed that adding a certain proportion of epimedium could improve the reproductive performance of both male and female Small Tailed Han sheep, increase the feed consumption of male sheep but not increase the feed consumption of female sheep, and help improve immunity.

Based on the production practices of summer soybean in Taihe County, Fuyang City, in Northern Anhui Province, its green and high yield cultivation techniques were summarized and analyzed. These techniques include selecting high quality, high yield, lodging resistant, and machine harvestable soybean varieties according to local conditions; fine tillage before planting to improve soil structure through intensive cultivation methods; sowing at the appropriate time and optimizing planting density to fully exploit the yield potential of summer soybean; balancing fertilization with sufficient base fertilizer and timely topdressing based on field growth performance to meet the nutrient and water requirements at different growth stages; scientific field management is adopted during the planting process, including soil sealing and post seedling stem and leaf control to prevent weeds in the field, timely spraying of fungicides such as carbendazim to control root rot, aphids and other pests and diseases, “multi-effect spraying”, spraying 5% uniconazole and other pesticides during the initial flowering period to control plant growth, and scientifically controlling high temperature and heat damage through irrigation and other methods to ensure the robust growth of summer soybeans; and choosing suitable machinery for timely harvesting at maturity to achieve yield increase. By integrating planting techniques such as carefully selected high-quality seeds, balanced fertilization and scientific field management, the yield and quality of summer soybean can be effectively improved. This study provides a reference for high yield summer soybean cultivation in related regions.

The parental sources, breeding process, variety characteristics, seed production techniques, and high yield cultivation techniques of maize variety Zhongxu No.1 were summarized and analyzed. This variety was cultivated with ZF428 as the female parent and ZX410 as the male parent. It was approved by the Anhui Provincial Crop Variety Approval Committee in 2024 (approval number: Wanshenyu 2024T004). This variety was planted in the north of the Huai River in Anhui Province, and had the characteristics of good field growth, excellent quality, strong resistance, and high yield. The key points of its seed production technology include selecting plots with good water conservancy conditions and flat terrain as seed production bases; strictly set up isolation zones through methods such as spatial and temporal isolation; staged impurity removal treatment to eliminate mixed seedlings in the field; adopting the method of touching the buds with leaves to remove the male spikes from the maternal plant; reasonably arrange the parent line ratio and sowing schedule; predicting the flowering period and adjust it using chemical and physical methods to ensure that the flowering periods meet; timely harvest and separate storage to prevent mixing. High yield cultivation techniques include selecting suitable plots for light, temperature, fertilizer, and water conditions for planting; sow at the appropriate time and sow content; adopting a single seed sowing machine to ensure reasonable seedling density; soil sealing and weed control before sowing, chemical weed control during the 3-5 leaf stage; apply sufficient basal fertilizer, apply timely topdressing during the bell mouth and pollination periods, and supplement zinc, boron, and other trace element fertilizers in moderation; timely irrigation and timely drainage of accumulated water in the fields; adopting appropriate pesticides to prevent and control pests and diseases such as ground tiger, maize borer, rust, etc.; harvest maize kernels promptly when the milk ripening line completely disappears. This article provides a reference for further promotion and planting of this variety.

Based on the soybean production practice in the Southern of Liaoning Province, its high yield and high quality cultivation techniques and the achievements of demonstration applications were summarized. High yield and high quality cultivation techniques include continuous cropping, reasonable crop rotation, deep ploughing, deep loosening and land preparation to increase soil permeability and drought and waterlogging tolerance. Select soybean varieties that are high yielding, high quality and highly resistant; seed coating is carried out using the suspension seed coating agent of fludioxonil·metalaxyl. The planting density is determined based on the characteristics of soybean varieties, soil fertility and climatic conditions, etc. Mechanical sowing is adopted to complete multiple processes such as sowing, fertilization, soil covering and compaction simultaneously. Based on the principles of controlling nitrogen, stabilizing phosphorus and increasing potassium, the proportion of fertilizers should be flexibly adjusted, and appropriate nutrients should be applied in a timely manner. Physical control techniques such as light attraction, sex attraction and food attraction, as well as chemical control techniques such as avermectin benzoate and chloranthobenzamide, are adopted to comprehensively control diseases and pests. According to the “combination of sealing and fixation” weeding strategy, pre-sowing sealing and post-emergence orientation are carried out, and scientific medication is used to ensure the weeding effect in the soybean field. Harvesting by hand or machine, harvesting at the right time, promptly spreading and sun-drying or mechanical drying, and then storing in the warehouse. The technology was demonstrated and applied in the study area. Practice showed that this technology had effectively increased the soybean yield. This article provides a reference for increasing the per-unit yield of soybeans and promoting the high quality development of the industry.

Due to their sessile nature, plants require strong adaptability to complex environments, with stress tolerance often associated with trade-offs in growth and development (Major et al. 2020).  This antagonistic relationship between defense and growth has been interpreted as a competition for limited resources that are allocated to defense at the expense of growth, or vice versa. Recent studies have demonstrated that hormone-based signaling networks trigger transcriptional changes in key genes, leading to trade-offs between growth rates and stress defense (Huot et al. 2014).  Several genes involved in biotic and abiotic stress response have been identified.  These genes contain nonsynonymous variants that show convergent changes in allele frequency across different breeding eras in both China and the United States (Wang et al. 2020), which may reflect the selection of biotic and abiotic stress response genes during modern maize breeding.

Transcription factors (TFs) play vital roles in regulation of gene expression in plant cells, with specific key TFs exhibiting multifunctionality by coordinating various regulatory pathways to promote plant growth (Hufford et al. 2021).  Jasmonates (JAs) are identified among phytohormones for their significant roles in regulating various plant processes, particularly in defense mechanisms against pests. MYC2 is a central transcription factor that orchestrates the JA signaling pathway and defense responses in plants by regulating the expression of numerous genes (Du et al. 2022).  Although MYC2 has been extensively characterized in Arabidopsis, studies in crops have revealed the complexity of MYC2’s function, with reports addressing different aspects, such as growth in wheat (Li et al. 2023) or stress defense in maize (Ma et al. 2023).  However, lack of systematic understanding of the complex regulatory network of MYC2 in crops, particularly in maize constrain the further utilization of MYC2 and its downstream genes in maize genetic modification for breeding elite varieties.  Here, we reported that ZmMYC2 had undergone selection during domestication and modern breeding; it acts as a key regulator of the trade-off between development and defense gene expression in maize, elucidating its regulatory network, which holds significant importance in balancing yield and resistance.

Given that some resistance genes have been selected during modern breeding, we analyzed the history of ZmMYC2 over the processes of maize evolution and artificial selection.  According to maize Haplotype Map v3 (HapMap3) database consisting of 1164 modern maize accessions, 25 landraces, and 21 teosintes (Zea mays. parviglumis) (Bukowski et al. 2018), nucleotide diversity strongly decreased sharply at the promoter region (2000 bp upstream of transcription start site) of ZmMYC2 during breeding, while the coding region and 3’-downstream region of ZmMYC2 showed less dramatic changes in nucleotide diversity changes (Fig. 1-A).  Thus, we hypothesize that the genetic diversity within the promoter region of ZmMYC2 has decreased during the breeding process, with favorable variations being selected.  Moreover, the frequency of three polymorphisms underwent convergent changes during modern breeding in both the United States and China (Fig. 1-B–D).  These three polymorphisms constituted three principal haplotypes: pZmMYC2^Hap1, pZmMYC2^Hap2, and pZmMYC2^Hap3, of which the frequency of pZmMYC2^Hap1 showed an increasing trend during modern maize breeding (Fig. 1-E).  The rare haplotype pZmMYC2^Hap3 (n=4) emerged only during the breeding era of China in 2000.  LUC signal activity for pZmMYC2^Hap3 was significantly lower than that of the other two haplotypes in the promoter region (pZmMYC2^Hap1, pZmMYC2^Hap2) (Fig. 1-F–H), suggesting a differential regulatory potential among the haplotypes.  These data indicate that ZmMYC2 was under-selected during maize evolution and breeding processes of maize.  Next, we investigated the expression level of genome-wide association studies of ZmMYC2 based on 368 maize inbred lines using RNA-seq and genome resequencing data (Fu et al. 2013; Li et al. 2013).  The results showed a strong peak signal containing the genomic region of ZmMYC2 on chromosome 1 (Fig. 1-I).

To mine the genes downstream of ZmMYC2, we performed protoplast transient expression-based RNA-sequencing (PER-seq) analysis to facilitate the discovery of new downstream genes utilizing a consistent protoplast system (Zhu et al. 2023).  In total， 281.6 million clean reads were generated, among which an average of approximately 87% of reads were mapped uniquely to the reference genome (Appendices A and B).  The results demonstrated a significant increase in the expression level of ZmMYC2 in each of three replicates of the pRTL2-ZmMYC2-GFP (MYC2-GFP) construct, exceeding a 500-fold increase compared to the pRTL2-GFP-empty (GFP-empty) construct (Fig. 1-J).  Furthermore, upon analyzing differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with a false discovery rate (FDR) <0.05 as the threshold, it was found that 4480 unique DEGs of MYC2-GFP, among which 2,677 were up-regulated compared to GFP-empty (Appendix C).  These up-regulated genes are enriched in circadian rhythm, cell cycles, plant growth, and in response to stress, indicating that these genes are regulated directly or indirectly by ZmMYC2 (Appendix D-A–B).

Several potential candidate genes were selected in an unbiased manner based on their log₂(fold-change) ≥2.5 (Fig. 1-J).  Gene expression profiling analysis of ZmMYC2 and its potential targets revealed essential coincidence (Appendix E).  The interaction between MYC2 and targets observed in the PER-seq system, were further confirmed through expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis, dual-luciferase reporter assay (DLR), and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA).  Among the target genes, the members of cytochrome P450 (CYP) gene family are widely distributed in plants involving in various biological processes, such as detoxification of xenobiotics, secondary metabolites production, and terpenoid synthesis (Chakraborty et al. 2023; Sun et al. 2024).  Our results identified an unreported gene of cytochrome P450 family ZmCYP709H1 as a target of ZmMYC2.  Additionally, eQTL analysis of ZmCYP709H1 revealed a strong trans-eQTL signal in the region of chromosome 1, which contains the genomic region of ZmMYC2 (Fig. 1-K).  Subsequent validation through DLR and EMSA confirmed that ZmMYC2 interacts with the promoter region of ZmCYP709H1 and stimulates its expression (Fig. 1-L; Appendices F-A and G-A).  Moreover, the transcriptional activation effect of ZmMYC2 on the promoter of ZmCYP709H1 was suppressed by ZmJAZ8 (Fig. 1-L).  A recent report showed reduced expression of ZmCYP709H1 in three maize dwarf mutants compared to the wild-type, reflecting its potential role in regulating growth, particularly plant height.  This result supports our proposed function of the ZmMYC2-ZmCYP709H1 model (Gao et al. 2024).  Additionally, two other CYP genes, ZmBX5 and ZmBX6, were identified as potential downstream genes of ZmMYC2 that participate in benzoxazinoid synthesis, which is consistent with the findings of a previous study (Ma et al. 2023).  We further confirmed that ZmMYC2 can physically bind to the promoter region of these two genes and activate their expression (Appendix H-A–F).  Besides, the result showed that ZmMYC2 can activate ZmBRD1 expression, which is a member of the CYP gene family and responsible for the final step of brassinosteroid synthesis (Tian et al. 2019) (Fig. 4-A and B; Appendix I-A–D).

The AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR (ARF) family consists of plant-specific TFs that are key regulators of gene expression in response to the plant hormone auxin (AUX), and participated in various developmental processes such as vascular tissue differentiation, root and shoot development, and environmental stimuli responses (Hagen and Guilfoyle 2002; Salmon et al. 2008).  However, little evidence has been found to support the regulation of ARF gene expression by the core factor ZmMYC2 in the JA signal transduction pathway in maize.  Our data showed that the expression of ZmARF3 was regulated by a trans-eQTL signal involving the gene region of ZmMYC2 (Appendix F-B).  In addition, ZmMYC2 can bind to the promoter region of the ZmARF3 gene and activate its transcription (Fig. 1-M; Appendix G-B).  Besides, MYC2 can activate expressions of senescence-associated genes in rice and wheat, which could be repressed by physical interactions with TaARF15-A1 (Li et al. 2023).  These data demonstrate the key role of MYC2 in regulating the stress resistance and growth of maize through the synergistic regulation of JA and AUX hormone signaling pathways.

Tonoplast intrinsic proteins (TIPs), a subgroup of the aquaporin family, are integral membrane proteins that are crucial for transporting water and small solutes across cellular membrane to maintain water balance (Chaumont et al. 2001).  We found that ZmTIP3c was activated by ZmMYC2 (Fig. 1-N; Appendices F-C and G-C), which supports the potential role of ZmMYC2 in jointly regulating drought stress and JA signal transduction.  The CER2 gene, which is a member of the ECERIFERUM family, is critical for the synthesis of epicuticular wax (Bourdenx et al. 2011; Zhao et al. 2024).  A recent study demonstrated that wounding-induced wax accumulation was primarily regulated by the JA signaling pathway in Arabidopsis, suggesting the potential of JA signaling in wax synthesis (Huang et al. 2024).  We identified ZmCER2 as a ZmMYC2 target (Fig. 1-O; Appendices F-D and G-D).  Additionally, we confirmed the upregulation of ZmCER2 in response to drought stress in five elite inbred lines representing distinct heterotic groups of maize (Fig. 1-P), as observed by previous studies (Zhang et al. 2018, 2020; Jiang et al. 2023).  The result indicates that the drought-induced trait of ZmCER2 can be observed across different genetic backgrounds, thus supporting the potential role of ZmMYC2 in modulating JA signaling and response to drought stress in maize mediated by ZmCER2.

In summary, our findings support the selection of ZmMYC2 during domestication and breeding, highlighting its critical role in regulating genes involving plant growth and development.  Collectively, our eQTL, DLR, and EMSA data successfully validated several targets (ZmCER2, ZmARF3, ZmBRD1 ZmTIP3c, ZmCYP709H1, ZmBX5, and ZmBX6) of ZmMYC2, that encode diverse proteins and participate in various metabolic pathways (Fig. 1-Q).  Of these, ZmCER2 was confirmed to be induced by drought stress and activated by ZmMYC2, suggesting that ZmMYC2 may play a role in the drought response by regulating synthesizing epicuticular wax.  These findings underscore the diverse functions of ZmMYC2 in maintaining the balance between plant development and defense-response, primarily via the JA signaling pathway.  Our data represent a foundation for the further function and mechanism elucidation of of ZmMYC2 and its “Yin-Yang” roles in regulating plant defense and growth (Fig. 1-Q).  Given the crucial role of ZmMYC2 in balancing development and resistance, further work is needed to confirm to unlock the full potentials of ZmMYC2 in mediating yield and resistance through JA signaling pathway by exploring the function of those downstream targets, which is a significant step toward crop precision breeding. 

In the process of fish reproduction, GnRH (Gonadotropin releasing hormone), as a key factor in the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad (HPG) axis of vertebrates, plays a crucial regulatory role in gonadal development and sex hormone secretion. Its physiological functions are essential for the success of fish reproductive activities. This paper reviews recent domestic and international research progress on GnRH in fish reproduction, including the structural classification, main functions, mechanisms of action, and applications of GnRH analogs in fish reproduction. By analyzing the roles of GnRH in regulating fish gonadal development, sex hormone secretion, and ovulation induction, the core position of GnRH in fish reproduction is revealed. This review aims to provide a theoretical basis for in-depth understanding of fish reproductive mechanisms, while offering references for improving fish reproductive efficiency and developing GnRH-related reproductive regulation technologies. It also lays the foundation for further research on the application potential of GnRH in fish reproduction.

The study aimed to explore the impact of the coupling of different cultivation and fertilization measures on the corn productivity of acidified soil in rocky desertification areas, providing a basis for the improvement of acidified soil and crop yield increase in rocky desertification areas. In 2023, a soil acidification improvement experiment was carried out in Muzhe Village, Xichou County, Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. The experiment included the following treatments: (1) fertilization measures: no fertilization (NK), chemical fertilizer (CK); (2) cultivation measures: intercropping of maize and soybean (INT); (3) coupling of cultivation and fertilization measures: technology integration (TI). There were 3 categories with 4 treatment measures in total to study the impact of the coupling of cultivation and fertilization measures on soil improvement, maize yield, maize nitrogen, dry matter accumulation and distribution, as well as the impact of environmental factors on maize yield. The results showed that at the harvest stage, the soil pH of TI, INT, NK and CK treatments were pH 6.12, 6.03, 6.02 and 5.97, respectively. The maize grain yields of TI, INT, CK and NK treatments were 10321.44, 9760.92, 8116.14 and 5732.18 kg/hm², respectively. The TI and INT significantly (P<0.05) increased the maize yield per unit area, while no fertilization significantly (P<0.05) decreased the maize yield. The proportion of grain nitrogen in above-ground nitrogen for INT, TI, and CK treatments was 50.25%, 50.91% and 57.39%, respectively. The proportion of grain dry matter in above-ground dry matter for INT, TI, and CK treatments was 49.19%, 51.40% and 54.13%, respectively. The trends of nitrogen distribution ratio and dry matter distribution ratio were the same for INT, TI, and CK treatments. The factors affecting crop yield were different at different growth stages of the crop. At the maize seedling stage, the factors affecting yield were nitrate nitrogen content, soil pH and ammonium nitrogen content, with explanatory degrees of 76.4%, 7.8% and 6.6%, respectively. At the vigorous vegetative growth stage of maize, the factors affecting yield were available phosphorus content and available potassium content, with explanatory degrees of 76.9% and 12.4%, respectively. At the reproductive growth stage of maize, the available potassium content, as a factor affecting yield, had an explanatory degree of 59.6%. The following conclusions could be drawn: (1) maize-soybean intercropping could increase the maize yield per unit area. The coupling of cultivation and fertilization measures could further increase the yield by increasing the proportion of dry matter distributed to grains, and could significantly increase the soil pH. (2) Intercropping would reduce the nitrogen transfer ratio of the above-ground vegetative organs of maize plants and weaken the contribution rate to grain nitrogen accumulation. Compared with intercropping, the coupling of cultivation and fertilization measures could increase the nitrogen transfer ratio of the above-ground vegetative organs of maize plants and the contribution rate to grain nitrogen accumulation. (3) Crops had different fertilizer requirements at different growth stages. Maize was sensitive to soil pH, ammonium nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen content at the seedling stage; it was sensitive to soil available phosphorus and available potassium content at the vigorous vegetative growth stage, and it was sensitive to soil available potassium content at the reproductive growth stage.

With the advancement of agricultural supply-side structural reforms and the growing demand for high-quality, safe, and eco-friendly agricultural products in China, cotton production now faces the challenge of coordinating multiple objectives, including yield enhancement, quality optimization, simplified and efficient management, and environmental sustainability. To address these challenges, this paper proposes the novel concept of multi-objective collaborative cultivation (hereafter termed “collaborative cultivation”). We systematically elaborate on the theoretical foundations underpinning this approach, including mechanisms of precision sowing for robust seedling establishment, synergistic water-fertilizer management under partial root-zone irrigation, population regulation through high-density planting with chemical regulation and pruning-free canopy shaping, physiological mechanisms of defoliation-ripening for synchronized boll maturation, and compensatory growth strategies ensuring yield stability under abiotic stress. Building on these theorical bases and international research insights, we identify four core technologies of collaborative cultivation: (i) precision sowing coupled with stress-resilient seedling establishment under adversity, (ii) high-density planting with chemical regulation for canopy shaping, (iii) variable-rate drip irrigation with water-fertilizer synergy management, and (iv) synchronized maturation control technology. Empirical evaluations demonstrate that the integrated application of these technologies optimizes resource utilization, enhances productivity, and ensures fiber quality consistency, while reducing labor inputs and chemical usage. Case studies from major cotton-producing regions validate that collaborative cultivation achieves synergistic outcomes in productivity, sustainability, and economic viability, aligning with green agricultural development goals. Future research priorities include optimizing multi-objective trade-offs, deciphering genotype-environment-management interactions, enhancing stress compensation mechanisms, and extending collaborative principles to multi-cropping systems. Through interdisciplinary innovation and technology integration, this framework offers a systemic solution for high-quality cotton industry development, demonstrating significant potential to drive the sector's green transformation and sustainable advancement.

To investigate the changing characteristics of soil nutrients in tomato protected cultivation, enhance the fertilization management for protected vegetables, and promote the sustainable development of protected agriculture, the plow layer in the cultivated areas of tomato protected cultivation was selected as the research object. Soil physical and chemical properties were measured by conventional detection methods to analyze nutrient changes. The results showed that in the study areas of tomato protected cultivation, the pH of the soil and the content of water-soluble salts increased. The content of organic matter was above the medium level, and the contents of available nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were abundant. The soil was in a state of secondary salinization and excessive nutrient enrichment. In addition, the contents of trace elements were uneven across the soil. In the subsequent planting process, it was recommended to increase the application of organic fertilizers to raise the content of soil organic matter, improve the soil structure, and promote microbial activities. Meanwhile, attention should be given to the combined application of fertilizers containing secondary and micronutrients along with those containing macronutrients to balance the nutrients supply of soil, and increase overall productivity.

To cultivate high quality fruit tree breeding talents with innovative spirit and practical ability, the current situation of Fruit Tree Breeding course teaching was analyzed from 3 aspects: curriculum system and teaching content, teaching implementation, and teaching quality assurance, and the teaching reform driven by innovation and put it into practice was carried out. In terms of the current situation, the curriculum system does not incompletely match the teaching content and innovation needs, and the teaching methods, practical teaching, and teaching conditions need to be improved. The structure of the teaching staff and the teaching evaluation system need to be optimized. In the practice of teaching reform, innovate the curriculum system and teaching content, establish a comprehensive and hierarchical curriculum system, and optimize teaching content that emphasizes both cutting-edge and experimental aspects; optimize the teaching implementation model, introduce teaching methods such as virtual simulation technology, strengthen practical teaching management, and carry out diversified practical activities; improve the teaching quality assurance system, strengthen the construction of the teaching staff, introduce high-precision scientific research equipment, improve teaching conditions, perfect the evaluation system framework, and innovate the teaching evaluation system. Practice showed that under the reformed teaching model, the achievement rate of course objectives had reached 0.78, and the quality and effectiveness of course teaching had been greatly improved. In the practice of innovation driven development, teaching vitality has been fully stimulated, and teaching quality has been improved. This paper provides a reference for improving the quality of teaching reform of related courses.

To cultivate applied talents with solid professional foundations and serve rural revitalization, the current situation of teaching content, teaching methods, ideological and political education, and assessment evaluation was analyzed in Crop Cultivation course, and the corresponding reform measures were proposed. In terms of teaching status, the teaching content is difficult to meet the needs of modern agricultural industry development, the teaching methods need to keep up with the times, the exploration of ideological and political education in the curriculum is insufficient, and the process assessment in the evaluation is relatively small. Specifically, it includes restructuring teaching content around the needs of industrial development, updating and optimizing agricultural technology, production methods, and other knowledge; adopting diversified teaching methods such as “pre class-in class-post class” integrating teaching and “case-based+heuristic+discussion based” to promote mutual communication and progress between teachers and students; adhering to the same direction of ideological and political education as professional teaching, integrating agricultural culture knowledge into the classroom, and introducing typical figures and advanced deeds; through process evaluation (40%) and assessment evaluation (60%), comprehensively evaluating the teaching effectiveness. The practical results showed that under this teaching reform model, students’ concentration and activity were high, the mastery of cultivation theory and practical skills was significantly improved, and the teaching effect was significantly improved. This article provides a reference for the teaching reform of similar courses in higher agricultural and forestry colleges under the background of new agricultural science.

Combined with the climatic characteristics and soil conditions of the Jianghuai Watershed region, the efficient cultivation techniques of blueberry suitable for this region were summarized. Specifically, it is advisable to choose plots with abundant sunlight, loose and fertile soil, convenient drainage and irrigation, and good ecological conditions. The blueberry varieties suitable for cultivation in the research area include south highbush blueberry and rabbit eye blueberry. Before planting, thoroughly clean the garden, select the best seedlings for planting, and strengthen the management after planting. Adjust the soil pH by using acidic organic matter and acidic fertilizers; during the growth process of blueberry, it is necessary to scientifically manage fertilizer and water, as well as shaping and pruning. Pest and disease control is carried out by means of manual operation, frequency-vibration insecticidal lamps, biological pesticides, chemical agents, etc. Weed control in time, cut grass for tree tray cover or for making waterlogged compost; harvest at the right time and store scientifically. This article provides a reference for the cultivation and management of blueberry in similar areas.

Based on the Asparagus officinalis planting and production practice in the Northern Anhui region, its high quality and high yield cultivation techniques from aspects such as morphological characteristics, growth environment and facility conditions, selection of superior varieties, cultivation of strong seedlings, transplanting and planting, field management, and pest and disease control were summarized. The root of this plant is composed of fleshy storage roots and fibrous absorbing roots. It is dioecious and has a long growth cycle. It is necessary to balance harvesting and plant care to achieve high quality and high yield. Select plots with loose, fertile soil and deep soil layers for Asparagus officinaliscultivation; select first-generation hybrid seeds with neat tender stems, tightly wrapped bamboo shoot tips and scale buds, and strong disease resistance, such as Lu Lusun No.1 and Lusun Prince F₁, etc. Asparagus officinalis seeds need to be soaked and germinated before planting, and seedling raising in trays can be adopted. Select the appropriate planting density for different growth stages of seedlings; manage fertilizer, water and temperature conditions scientifically; integrated pest and disease control measures such as agricultural control, physical control and biological control are adopted. Harvest in batches and keep the stems to nourish the plants to maintain their growth and achieve sustainable production. This article provides a reference for high yield cultivation of Asparagus officinalis.

based on the climatic conditions of Zhou Rui Town, Dabu County, Meizhou City, Guangdong Province, high yield cultivation and postharvest preservation techniques for loquats were analyzed. The study area features a mild four-season climate with concurrent rainfall and heat, long summers, and short winters, making it highly suitable for cultivation. The high yield cultivation involves selecting deep, loose, well-drained soil for planting, with optimal timing in February (before spring bud emergence), early summer, or autumn. Key practices include pit expansion and soil improvement for young trees, balanced application of compound and organic fertilizers, controlled irrigation, timely fertilization to promote growth, and winter-spring pruning and fruit thinning for mature trees. During flowering and fruiting stages, measures such as flower stimulation, thinning, and fruit bagging are implemented. Major diseases and pests including leaf spot, anthracnose, loquat psyllid, and oriental fruit moth， are managed through preventive, integrated green control strategies. Postharvest protocols emphasize harvesting during dew-free mornings, evenings, or cloudy days, followed by rigorous sorting to remove damaged or diseased fruit before grading, packaging, and cold-chain transport. Preservation employs low-temperature storage, 1-methylcyclopropene treatment, and controlled atmosphere storage to extend shelf life. The research and development of deep-processed loquat products should be further expanded to increase their added value. This article provides a reference for the high yield cultivation and storage of loquat in the relevant areas.

Peanut kernels rich in oil, particularly those with oleic acid as their primary fatty acid, are sought after by consumers, the food industry, and farmers due to their superior nutritional content, extended shelf life, and health benefits.  The oil content and fatty acid composition are governed by multiple genetic factors.  Identifying the quantitative trait loci (QTL) related to these attributes would facilitate marker-assisted selection or genomic selection, thus enhancing the quality-focused peanut breeding program.  For this purpose, we developed a population of 521 recombinant inbred lines (RIL) and tested their kernel quality traits across five different environments. We identified two major and stable QTLs for oil content (qOCAh12.1 and qOCAh16.1).  The markers linked to these QTLs were designed by competitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) and were subsequently validated.  Moreover, we found that the superior haplotype of oil content in the qOCAh16.1 region was conserved within the PI germplasm cluster, as evidenced by a diverse peanut accession panel.  In addition, we determined that qAh09 and qAh19.1, which harbor the key gene encoding fatty acid desaturase 2 (FAD2), influence all seven fatty acids, including palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, arachidic, gadoleic, and behenic acids.  As for protein content and the long-chain saturated fatty acid behenic acid, qAh07 emerged as the major and stable QTLs, accounting for over 10% of the phenotypic variation explained (PVE).  These findings would enhance marker-assisted selection in peanut breeding, aiming to improve oil content, and deepen our understanding of the genetic mechanisms that shape fatty acid composition. 

To improve the survival rate and the growth quality of Punica granatum cuttings, the rough branches of robust Punica granatum plants growing 3 to 5 years old on the sunny side were used as cuttings, at three different cutting periods [A₁ (February 19th), A₂ (March 15th), A₃ (April 4th)], two kinds of growth hormones [strong rooting agent (concentrations of 2.5, 4.0 and 10.0 g/L respectively, naphthalene acetic acid (NAA, concentrations of 50 and 200 mg/L respectively)] were applied to the hard branches of pomegranates. The number and length of new shoots of the cuttings, the number and length of roots of the cuttings, and the survival rate of the cuttings were measured. The results showed that growth hormone treatment had significant effects on the number and length of new shoots, the number and length of roots of cuttings and the survival rate of cuttings. In A₂ period, the number and length of new cuttings treated with 200 mg/L NAA for 5 min showed good performance. In A₂ period, the cuttings soaked with 50 mg/L NAA for 12 h could increase the number and length of roots. In A₃ period, 50 mg/L NAA soaked cuttings for 12 h had obvious advantages in promoting the survival rate of cuttings. In conclusion, the application of 50 mg/L NAA soaking for 12 h was beneficial to increase the number of roots, root length and survival rate of Punica granatum cuttings, and the cuttings on March 15th and April 4th had better results. This paper provides a theoretical basis for the popularization and application of hard branch cutting propagation of Punica granatum.

Castanopsis hystrix is one of the most important native broad-leaved tree species and wood species, which has high ecological and economic value. The research progress of the tree species forest afforestation, breeding of good varieties, management and protection, seedling cultivation, disease and pest control, resource utilization and so on were reviewed. The construction of mixed forest is beneficial to improve the stability of stand and the ability of disease and pest prevention, and the rational optimization of its density and structure is beneficial to improve the quality and yield of plantation. The main cultivation methods of the plant seedlings are strong seedling raising, cutting propagation and tissue culture, which is beneficial to the protection and utilization of germplasm resources, and reasonable fertilization is beneficial to promote the growth and development of Castanopsis hystrix seedlings. The mechanism of the adaptive evolution of the tree species are analyzed by modern biotechnology, which is of great importance to the selection of excellent germplasm resources. Rational application of chemical agents is benificial to control Castanopsis hystrix dieases and pests; Castanopsis hystrix is suitable for the production of high quality wood, and building mixed forest is of great significance for increasing the diversity of species and maintaining the balance of biomass. This paper provides references for further development and utilization of Castanopsis hystrix germplasm resources.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the population dynamics of Aphis rumicis and Menochilus sexmaculata on Rumex dapibus herba, and the effects of Aphis rumicis on the growth, development and fecundity of the dominant natural enemy, Menochilus sexmaculata. In this study, the Rumex dapibus herba was used as the host plant of A. rumicis, and the population dynamics of aphid and ladybeetle were investigated every 6 days by using the five-point sampling method. Ladybeetle was fed with aphid, and the developmental duration, survival rate and oviposition of adults were recorded. The results showed that: (1) the maximum population density of A. rumicis appeared in late July, which was 35.29 individuals/plant, and the maximum population density of M. sexmaculata in the field survey of leaf-eating grass planting base during the same period was 6 days later than that of A. rumicis, and the maximum population density was 1.60 individuals/plant. (2) During the whole development of the laboratory population, the survival rates of the egg stage, the 1-4 instar larval stage, and the pupal stage (pre-pupal stage) were 93.3%, 87.5%, 96.0%, 97.9%, 100%, and 100%, respectively, and the overall survival rate from eggs to the completion of one generation was 66.7%. The development period from egg to pupal was (2.49± 0.07) d, (2.75±0.07) d, (2.38±0.01) d, (2.40±0.07) d, (2.05±0.03) d, (5.62±0.10) d, and the pre-oviposition period was (2.52±0.10) d. (3) The net reproduction rate R₀=108.27>1, the intrinsic growth rate r=0.18>0, and the weekly growth rate λ=1.20>1, showing an increasing trend. Average generational duration = 25.95 d. The above indicators showed that the population of ladybeetle was increasing, which proved that Rumex dapibus herba was also a good food source for A. rumicis, and A. rumicis could be used to rear M. sexmaculata.

Pyrus pyrifolia, commonly known as sand pear, is a key economic fruit tree in temperate regions that possesses highly diverse germplasm resources for pear quality improvement.  However, research on the relationship between resistance and fruit quality traits in the breeding of fruit species like pear is limited.  Pan-transcriptomes effectively capture genetic information from coding regions and reflect variations in gene expression between individuals.  Here, we constructed a pan-transcriptome based on 506 samples from different tissues of sand pear, and explored the intrinsic relationships among phenotypes and the selection for disease resistance during improvement based on expression presence/absence variations (ePAVs).  The pan-transcriptome in this study contains 156,744 transcripts, among which the novel transcripts showed significant enrichment in the defense response.  Interestingly, disease resistance genes are highly expressed in landraces of pear but have been selected against during the improvement of this perennial tree species.  We found that the genetically diverse landraces can be divided into two subgroups and inferred that they have undergone different dispersal processes.  Through co-expression network analysis, we confirmed that the formation of stone cells in pears, the synthesis of fruit anthocyanins, and the ability to resist stress are interrelated.  They are jointly regulated by several modules, and the expression of regulatory genes has significant correlations with these three processes.  Moreover, we identified candidate genes such as HKL1 that may affect sugar content and are missing from the reference genome.  This study provides insights into the associations between complex fruit traits, while providing a database resource for pear disease resistance and fruit quality breeding.

The high yield cultivation techniques of Yuxiangliangyouxiangsi based on its demonstration planting performance in Jianghua Yao Autonomous County, Hunan Province were summarized. This variety has a moderate growth period, strong disease resistance, multiple effective panicles, high yield, and excellent rice quality, making it suitable for promotion and planting as double season late rice in study area. Its high yield cultivation techniques include selecting fertile and easily irrigated fields as seedling fields, soaking seeds in a timely manner to promote germination, and cultivating strong seedlings; transplanting at appropriate times and plant densely at 15-18 days of seedling age; heavy application of base fertilizer, early application of tillering fertilizer, and skillful application of ear grain fertilizer; shallow water seedling establishment, thin water tillering, alternating dry and wet irrigation after seedling establishment, and cutting off water supply 5-7 days before harvesting; appropriate timing and medication for weed control, combined with the occurrence of pests, diseases, and rodents in the field, selecting suitable pesticides for green prevention and control; when the rice is 95% ripe, harvest it mechanically on sunny days and promptly sun dry or dry it before returning it to the warehouse. This article provides a reference for promoting the cultivation of Yuxiangliangyouxiangsi in Jianghua and related areas.

To improve the quality of the construction of first-class undergraduate major, the necessity of the construction and reform of Vegetable Cultivation (including Facility Horticulture) course was analyzed, and the teaching system was put into practice from the aspects of course objectives, teaching content, course resources, teaching forms, experiments and practical training, ideological and political elements and teaching evaluation. Specifically, refine the course objectives, so that students can master vegetable sowing, seedling rearing and field management techniques. Optimize the teaching content, combine the two courses of Vegetable Cultivation and Facility Horticulture organically to make it more targeted. Integrate teachers, set up interdisciplinary teachers team, increase professional teaching materials, and enrich online resources; upgrade the experimental teaching resources, update the experimental vegetable seed specimens and so on. Optimize the teaching form, adopt flipped classroom and heuristic teaching, and let students lead the class. Experiments and practical training were strengthened, experiments were set up on identification of vegetable types and investigation of greenhouse types, and virtual simulation experiments were built on greenhouse structure design and soilless cultivation of horticultural crops. Condense ideological and political elements, cultivate students’ spirit of innovation, love for the people, and other pursuits and emotions. The scoring mode of final written test (70%) + experimental class score (15%) + classroom performance (9%) + homework (6%) was adopted to evaluate the teaching results in multiple dimensions. Practice showed that under this teaching reform model, students’ attendance rate and course participation rate were relatively high, the total score pass rate was 94.9%, and the average score of experimental courses is above 85, which comprehensively improves students’ theoretical foundation and practical ability. This paper provides references for the teaching reform of vegetable cultivation and facility horticulture courses.

The breeding process of Qiaoliangyoujingxiangsizhan was introduced, the main characteristics and cultivation techniques of this variety were summarized and analyzed. Qiaoliangyoujingxiangsizhan is an indica two-line hybrid rice variety developed through systematic breeding, with Xi 08S as the female parent and Jingxiangsizhan as the male parent. High yield, excellent quality, and moderate resistance to rice blast disease were demonstrated in regional and production trials. Its high yield cultivation techniques include timely sowing, pesticide soaking, and moderate sowing; suitable transplanting time; apply sufficient base fertilizer, apply early and heavy tillering fertilizer, and increase the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers; select suitable pesticides for chemical weed control 5-7 days after rice transplantation; appropriate timing and application of pesticides to prevent and control diseases and pests such as rice false smut and rice thrips. This article provides a reference for the cultivation of this variety as mid season rice in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and related areas.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the comprehensive benefits of simplified cultivated varieties and their supporting technologies of ‘Gonggu’ series millet, explore the efficient production technology of millet, and promote the high-quality development of millet industry. Based on the survey data of 102 farmers in Northeast China for three years, this study used the osculating value model to evaluate the comprehensive benefits of ‘Gonggu’ series simplified cultivars and supporting production technologies. The results showed that the osculating values of ‘Gonggu’ series varieties in 2021, 2022 and 2023 were 0.0167, 0.1146 and 0.1674, respectively, which were lower than those of common foxtail millet varieties and maize, indicating that the comprehensive benefits of this series of varieties were the highest. On the whole, the osculating value of ‘Gonggu’ series in 2022 was the lowest, which was 0.1350, indicating that the comprehensive benefit of ‘Gonggu’ series in 2022 was the best, while the osculating value of corn in 2021 was the highest, which was 0.6175, indicating that the comprehensive benefit of corn in 2021 was the lowest. The comprehensive benefit of the simplified cultivated variety ‘Gonggu’ series is the best; common millet varieties are in the middle level; corn plays an important role in ensuring grain yield, but the comprehensive benefit is relatively low. Therefore, we should increase the promotion of ‘Gonggu’ series varieties, improve the benefits of common millet varieties, and adjust the industrial structure and technological innovation of maize, so as to improve the comprehensive benefits of various varieties and promote the efficient, environmental protection and sustainable development of agriculture. The method innovation of this study lies in the application of osculating value model, which provides a scientific and objective evaluation tool for the comprehensive benefit evaluation of simplified cultivated varieties of millet, and the conclusion of the results provides a clear optimization direction and strategic suggestions for millet planting.

To clarify the effects of rubber varieties on the development and reproduction of Parasaissetia nigra, the developmental duration, survival rate, and fecundity of P. nigra were investigated on seven rubber tree varieties (‘IAN873’, ‘Reyan 7-33-97’, ‘PR107’, ‘Reyan 7-20-59’, ‘Yunyan 77-4’, ‘GT1’ and ‘RRIM600’) in a cage experiment under field condition. Additionally, population life tables of P. nigra on these rubber tree varieties were constructed, respectively. The results showed that developmental duration of P. nigra was the longest on ‘RRIM600’ (99.1 d) and the shortest on ‘PR107’ (74.3 d). Notable mortalities of first-instar nymphs were found in all seven rubber tree varieties, with the survival rates ranging from 27.9% to 59.0%. For a whole generation of P. nigra, the survival rates on seven rubber tree varieties in decreasing order were ‘PR107’> ‘Yunyan 77-4’> ‘Reyan 7-33-97’> ‘Reyan 7-20-59’> ‘IAN873’> ‘RRIM600’> ‘GT1’. The longest oviposition period (64.4 d) and adult longevity (94.4 d) of P. nigra were observed on rubber tree variety ‘Reyan 7-33-97’. The highest fecundity was recorded also on ‘Reyan 7-33-97’ (727.0 eggs), followed by ‘PR107’ (526.2 eggs), whereas the lowest fecundity was found on ‘RRIM600’ (303.5 eggs). The population trend index of P. nigra on seven rubber tree varieties in decreasing order were ‘PR107’> ‘Reyan 7-33-97’> ‘Yunyan 77-4’> ‘GT1’> ‘Reyan 7-20-59’> ‘IAN873’> ‘RRIM600’. Therefore, ‘PR107’ and ‘Reyan 7-33-97’ were identified as the suitable hosts for P. nigra, whereas ‘GT1’ and ‘RRIM600’ were considered as unsuitable hosts.

Shading cultivation is one of the main methods for the production of high-quality cigar wrapper leaves. Light intensity is one of the most obvious changeable factors under shading cultivation conditions. This review summarizes the research progress of changes and their mechanisms of tobacco leaves under different light intensity due to different shading conditions. In view of the problems and deficiencies in the current research on the shading production of cigar wrapper leaves, it is pointed out that on the basis of improving the quality evaluation system of cigar wrapper leaves, the effects of shading on the quality of the appearance, physics, chemistry, and sensory aspects of cigar wrapper leaves should be studied in depth. And the shading production system suitable for the varieties and the actual production area should be further explored, realizing the effective supply of domestic cigar wrapper leaves gradually.

This study aims to systematically summarize the application of maize live haploid technology in maize molecular breeding, with focus on exploring the selection methods, formation mechanisms, identification methods, doubling methods, and application in population improvement of maize live haploid high-frequency induction lines, providing reference and guidance for the large-scale application of live haploid breeding technology. This study used a literature review method to summarize the relevant research results and practical experience on maize haploid technology, and analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of various methods in practical applications. The research results indicated that maize live haploid technology played an important role in breeding excellent inbred lines and population improvement. Through high-frequency induction line breeding, a large number of excellent haploid plants had been successfully obtained; the identification and doubling methods effectively improved haploid formation and stability. The live haploid technology had shown significant doubling effects in population improvement, providing new ideas and methods for maize breeding. In summary, maize live haploid technology is an efficient and rapid breeding method with broad application prospects. In the process of corn breeding, combining live haploid technology can accelerate the pace of quality improvement and yield increase, providing strong support for the healthy development of the corn industry.