Epigenetic regulation refers to the heritable control of gene expression without alterations in the DNA sequence, achieved through mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modification, RNA modification, chromatin remodeling and non-coding RNAs. Epigenetics provides an additional and flexible source of trait variation for horticultural crop improvement, opening innovative avenues for breeding new varieties capable of addressing challenges like climate change adaptation, disease and pest resistance, and quality enhancement. This review systematically synthesizes current research progress on the epigenetic regulation of key agronomic traits in horticultural crops and summarizes relevant breeding tools and methods developed for their use in horticultural crop breeding. It aims to provide a theoretical reference for further understanding the epigenetic basis of the formation of horticultural crop traits, and provide a theoretical basis and technical support for the promotion and application of epigenetic breeding in horticultural crops.

To establish an efficient and sustainable RNAi breeding control system, this paper summarizes the application potential of RNAi technology in crop disease and pest resistance, reviews the current research and development status of transgenic RNAi crops, and analyzes the design strategies and synergistic resistance mechanisms of multi-target tandem RNAi. The key points of elaboration include the "dsRNA/microRNA stable expression system", the "combined control model of complex pests and diseases (wheat scab - aphids, cotton wilt - cotton aphids)", and the "precise gene intervention approach for delaying resistance evolution", etc. It is pointed out that low delivery efficiency, poor environmental stability of dsRNA and high production cost remain the bottlenecks for large-scale application. This paper proposes that through the precise release technology of nano-carrier-plant symbiotic delivery, tandem expression of multi-gene silencers, and combined with ecological balance monitoring, the coordinated management of multiple pests and diseases can be achieved within 5 to 10 years. It is believed that this system will promote the transformation of agriculture towards a sustainable model of "precise genetic intervention + ecological balance maintenance", providing key support for global food security.

To explore the effects of different amendments on the soil bacterial community structure and oat growth in soda saline-alkali land, and provide a basis for efficient improvement of saline-alkali land and the high-yield cultivation of oats, a field experiment was carried out in Dongfeng Farm, Daqing City. Five treatments were set up, namely, without amendment (CK), aluminum sulfate (AS), desulfurized gypsum (DG), vinegar residue (VR) and biochar (BC). High-throughput sequencing technology was used to analyze the structure and diversity of soil bacterial communities, and the agronomic traits of oats were measured. The results showed that the four improvers significantly increased the soil bacterial community diversity (P<0.05). Among them, the number of OTUs, Chao1 index, and Ace index were the highest in the DG treatment, the Shannon index was the highest in the VR treatment, and the Simpson index was the lowest in the BC treatment. At the phylum level, Pseudomonadota, Acidobacteriota and Actinomycetota were the main phyla. The relative abundance of Pseudomonadota was the highest (29.47%) in the BC treatment, the relative abundance of Acidobacteriota was the lowest (17.12%) in the AS treatment, and the relative abundance of Actinomycetota was the lowest (11.00%) in the DG treatment. At the genus level, norank_Pyrinomonadaceae, norank_Gemmatimonadaceae and norank_Vicinamibacterales were the main genera. After the application of amendments, the plant height, spike length, 1000-grain weight, fresh weight and dry weight of oats all increased. The BC treatment effect was the most prominent. The plant height of oats was 130.37 cm, the spike length was 21.80 cm, the 1000-grain weight was 27.00 g, and the fresh weight and dry weight reached 8337.35 kg/hm² and 7141.30 kg/hm², respectively. The DG and AS treatments also promoted the growth of oats. In terms of fresh weight and dry weight, they were not as good as the BC treatment. The promoting effect of the VR treatment was relatively weak. The traits of oat plants were closely related to the α-diversity index of the soil bacterial community. In conclusion, the four amendments, aluminum sulfate, desulfurized gypsum, vinegar residue and biochar, could all improve the soil bacterial community structure and promote the growth of oats. Biochar had the best effect, followed by desulfurized gypsum and aluminum sulfate, and vinegar residue had a relatively weak effect.

This study investigates the effects of brackish water irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer types on the growth and yield of rice, providing a theoretical basis and practical guidance for integrated management of water and fertilizer as well as the improvement of crop yield in coastal saline farmlands. Taking moderately coastal saline soil (salt content=2.2 g/kg) as the test soil, a four-month field column experiment was conducted using ‘Y-Liangyou-911’ rice variety as material. The experiment was designed with two factors: the salinity of irrigation water [freshwater (W₁), mixed irrigation of freshwater and brackish water (W₂), and brackish water (W₃) alone] and nitrogen fertilizer types [urea (N₁), polyurethane-coated urea (N₂), and urea formaldehyde (N₃)]. The tillering number, plant height, leaf area as well as yield and its components of rice were analyzed. The results showed that, under the same nitrogen fertilizer type treatment, compared with fresh water irrigation (W₁), brackish water irrigation (W₂ and W₃) significantly promoted the tillering of rice, but reduced the plant height and leaf area. The nitrogen fertilizer type only significantly affected tillering number under fresh water irrigation. Specifically, the tillering number under W₁N₃ treatment was significantly higher than that under W₁N₂ and W₁N₁ treatments. However, nitrogen fertilizer type had no significant effect on plant height and leaf area. Regarding rice yield and its components, brackish water irrigation had no significant effect on the panicle number and grains per panicle, but significantly reduced the thousand-grain weight, consequently resulting in a decrease in yield. Compared with W₁ treatment, the yield under W₂ and W₃ treatments decreased by 17%-28% and 22%-35%, respectively. The nitrogen fertilizer type had no significant effect on panicle number and thousand-grain weight, but significantly increased grains per panicle and yield. Notably, compared with three treatments under fresh water irrigation, the rice yield under W₂N₂ treatment showed no significant decrease. In coastal saline areas, appropriate brackish water irrigation can promote rice tillering but inhibits plant height and leaf growth, thereby significantly reducing thousand-grain weight and causing yield reduction. Polyurethane-coated urea can effectively mitigate the negative impact of brackish water irrigation on rice yield. Overall, the practice combining the mixed irrigation with freshwater and brackish water (<1.50 g/L) and the application of polyurethane-coated urea as a basal fertilizer is an effective management strategy of water and fertilizer. This approach efficiently facilitates the utilization of brackish water resources and the stabilization of crop yield in coastal saline areas.

Saline and acid combined stress represents a major constraint for agricultural production and coastal saline soil utilization in South China. This study investigated the synergistic effects of combined organic and inorganic amendments on the physicochemical properties of coastal saline soils and the growth of Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L., aiming to provide theoretical insights for the efficient remediation of coastal saline soils and cultivation of salt-tolerant crops. Using coastal saline soil and M. crystallinum, a pot experiment was conducted to compare three treatments: control, 0.1% soil conditioner, and combined 0.05% calcium-magnesium-phosphate fertilizer + 0.05% organic fertilizer. Amendments were evaluated for impacts on soil salinization, acidification, plant growth and stress resistance. The results showed that the 0.1% soil conditioner treatment increased soil pH by 2.68 units but showed no significant effects on soil electrical conductivity, total salt content, Na⁺ concentration, M. crystallinum biomass or stress resistance. In contrast, the combined application of calcium-magnesium-phosphate fertilizer and organic fertilizer increased soil pH by 2.15 units, reduced exchangeable Al³⁺, exchangeable H⁺, total exchangeable acidity and hydrolytic acidity by 85.3%, 87.9%, 86.0% and 59.5%, respectively, decreased soil electrical conductivity, salt content, and Na⁺ by 21.0%, 20.9%, and 31.0%, and increased soil available P concentration by 116%. Additionally, it enhanced the shoot fresh weight of M. crystallinum by 174%, reduced leaf malondialdehyde content by 37.0%, and increased root tip number by 42.8% compared to CK. Redundancy analysis identified soil available P, available K, and Na⁺ as key drivers of M. crystallinum growth in coastal saline soils. While soil conditioner alone alleviated acidification, its efficacy against saline-acid stress was limited. The combination of calcium-magnesium-phosphate fertilizer and organic fertilizer synergistically improved soil physicochemical properties (elevating pH, reducing salinity, mitigating Na⁺ toxicity, elevating available P) and optimized root morphology, significantly enhancing M. crystallinum stress resistance and yield. This integrated approach outperforms single amendments in suppressing soil acidification and salinization, offering an effective strategy for the sustainable coastal saline soil utilization.

This study employed a single-factor randomized block design with six treatments: control (CK), microalgal nutrient solution (WZ), desulfurization gypsum (SG), fulvic acid (HFS), organic fertilizer (YJF) and biochar (SWT). Combining field plot experiments with laboratory analysis, the research aimed to investigate the effects of different amendments on soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions and aggregate stability in saline-alkali soil of the Qaidam Basin. The improvement efficacy of the amendments was evaluated based on SOC fractions and aggregate stability. The results showed that biochar application significantly enhanced SOC fraction contents. The SOC, particulate organic carbon (POC), mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) and easily oxidizable organic carbon (EOC) contents under the SWT treatment were significantly higher than those under other treatments, reaching to 8.25, 2.00, 3.11 and 2.85 g/kg. Compared with the CK treatment, these values were increased by 112.53%, 282.19%, 70.13% and 203.19%, respectively. Fulvic acid application effectively increased the proportion of water-stable aggregates in the 0.053-0.25 mm and >0.25 mm size classes, showing increases of 17.89% and 7.14 % compared to CK. Furthermore, the HFS treatment yielded the highest mean weight diameter (MWD) and geometric mean diameter (GMD) values among all treatments, at 7.131 mm and 0.089 mm. These values were 5.69% and 18.67% higher than those of the CK treatment. Correlation analysis indicated no significant relationship between SOC fractions and either the composition or stability of water-stable aggregates. SOC and EOC showed a positive correlation with the content of aggregates <0.053 mm, but a negative correlation with the contents of 0.053-0.25 mm aggregates, >0.25 mm aggregates, MWD and GMD. In conclusion, biochar application facilitated SOC accumulation, while fulvic acid application promoted soil structural improvement.

This study systematically reviews the scientific and technological advancements in wheat breeding for saline-alkali farmland in China, analyzes current technical bottlenecks, and provides theoretical support for enhancing wheat productivity in saline-alkali soils. Through literature review and empirical analysis, we integrated research achievements in salt-alkali-tolerant germplasm development, gene discovery, variety breeding, and demonstration promotion, while considering regional saline-alkali soil characteristics and policy orientations. The results demonstrate significant progress in salt-alkali-tolerant wheat breeding innovations in China. A series of novel salt-alkali-tolerant germplasms have been developed, with key functional genes such as TaSRO1 and TaHKT1;5-D being identified. Ten nationally certified salt-alkali-tolerant wheat varieties, including 'Jingmai 189', have been bred, achieving an average yield of 7410 kg/hm² in regional trials with a 7.3% yield increase. Two major saline-alkali tolerance testing systems have been established in the Bohai Rim and Southern Xinjiang, with demonstration and promotion areas exceeding 18700 hm². However, the study also reveals existing challenges, including suboptimal breeding efficiency, incomplete technical systems, and inadequate promotion efforts. Therefore, future efforts should focus on enhancing gene discovery and molecular design breeding, establishing an efficient technical system, and promoting large-scale application of salt-alkali-tolerant varieties to provide scientific and technological support for China's food security strategy in saline-alkali regions.

This study investigated the synergistic ameliorative effects of Trichoderma harzianum in combination with different soil amendments on saline-alkali soils, and their impact on cotton growth. A pot experiment was conducted with six treatments: control (CK), T. harzianum alone (T), T. harzianum combined with biochar (BT), humic acid (HT), organic fertilizer (AT), and microbial inoculant (MT). The effects on soil physicochemical properties and the physiological performance of cotton were comprehensively assessed. Results showed that the AT treatment (combination with organic fertilizer) reduced soil pH by 2.58%, significantly outperforming other treatments. It also markedly increased the contents of soil organic matter, available phosphorus, available potassium, and alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, indicating that the amendments significantly improved soil physicochemical conditions. Regarding plant growth parameters, the AT treatment significantly enhanced plant height (+36.40%), stem diameter (+49.50%), aboveground biomass (+68.67%), and belowground biomass (+89.29%), representing the highest increases among all treatments. Physiological and biochemical analyses revealed that T, AT, and MT treatments significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) in cotton leaves, while reducing the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), soluble protein, and proline, indicating enhanced stress resistance. Correlation analysis further demonstrated significant relationships between soil properties and cotton growth indicators, providing a scientific basis for optimizing soil amendment strategies. In conclusion, the combination of T. harzianum and organic fertilizer (AT treatment) was most effective in improving soil quality and promoting cotton growth. These findings offer scientific support and practical guidance for the efficient utilization of saline-alkali soils and the sustainable production of high-quality cotton in Xinjiang.

This paper delineated the integrated technological work process (encompassing cultivar selection, soil amelioration and cultivation management) developed for drought-alkali wheat expansion on saline soils in Cangzhou. It reviewed the consecutive growth trajectory in which the cropped area rose from 5.9×10⁴ hm² in 2020 to 1.2×10⁵ hm² in 2024, and the grain yield increased from 3.1×10³ to 4.3×10³ kg/hm². The inhibitory effects exerted by drought, high salinity-alkalinity and low temperature-low light stresses during the growing season on seed germination, tiller formation and grain filling were summarized. The latest mechanisms of exogenous abscisic acid (ABA), silicon formulations and cerium oxide nanoparticles in enhancing root Na⁺ exclusion, maintaining foliar K⁺ homeostasis and scavenging reactive oxygen species were analyzed. A full-cycle, targeted green-regulation technical system centered on a framework of ‘seed treatment for stress-resilient germination and tillering stem-strengthening chemical regulation at jointing; culm-strengthening chemical regulation at jointing to improve lodging resistance and stress resilience; flag-leaf-sustaining and grain-filling-promoting regulation during the grain-filling stage’ was proposed, offering a replicable technological route for yield enhancement and green, efficient production of drought-alkali wheat.

Facility agriculture is an effective way to efficiently utilize saline-alkali land. This paper conducts an in-depth analysis of the conditions and current situation of developing facility agriculture in the coastal heavy saline-alkali land around Bohai Sea, which clarifies three favorable factors ("not competing with grain for land and water", "safe production environment and good light and heat conditions", and "collaborative development assistance and mature technical models") and three disadvantageous factors ("small research and development platform", "weak demonstration and promotion effect", and "limited policy and financial support"). The main modes of developing facility agriculture in heavy saline-alkali land around Bohai Sea are summarized as follows: the production mode of fruits and vegetables in heavy saline-alkali area, the matrix cultivation mode of saline soil, the safe utilization mode of salt water in facility vegetables in fresh water-deficient saline-alkali area, and the high-quality production and cultivation mode of water and salt regulation of fruits and vegetables in saline soil. It proposes suggestions such as strengthening scientific and technological support, strengthening dry-alkali agriculture, and enhancing policy support, with the aim of providing references for the high-quality development of facility agriculture in the saline-alkali areas around Bohai Sea.

Soil salinization poses a severe threat to global food security and ecological environments. Cultivating salt-tolerant crop varieties and enhancing crop salt tolerance can effectively address salinization stress and utilize saline-alkali lands. We elucidate the molecular mechanisms of plant salt tolerance and focus on the cutting-edge technologies in crop salt tolerance breeding, systematically elaborating on the principles and application achievements of technologies such as multi-omics integrated analysis, gene editing, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and epigenetic modifications in crop salt tolerance breeding. These advanced technologies provide guidance for crop salt tolerance breeding. Through technological integration and innovation, it may be hold the potential to rapidly and precisely develop new salt-tolerant crop varieties, thereby promoting efficient and sustainable agricultural development in saline-alkali lands.

This study analyzed the relevant information information breeding and trait big data (http://202.127.42.145/bigdataNew) of 489 pea varieties registered through non major crop varieties from 2017 to 2024. The purpose is to provide reference for pea breeding and production. The results indicate that the sources include 25 provinces, with Yunnan, Sichuan, and Gansu ranking in the top three, accounting for a total of 63.19%. Independent registration of enterprises accounts for 60.12%, while scientific and technological cooperation accounts for only 0.82%. Breeding techniques are dominated by hybrid breeding (57.46%) and systematic selection (38.04%). The average plant height of peas is 108.3 cm, the growth period is 106.1 days, the pod length is 8.59 cm, the pod width is 1.57 cm, the number of seeds per pod is 7.12, the weight of 100 seeds is 25.60 g, and the proportion of large grain varieties is 56.27%. The quality traits showed significant differentiation, with a dry crude protein content of 20.27% and a dry crude starch content of 35.29%, but the proportion of high protein and high starch varieties was only 34.91% and 19.68%, respectively. The disease resistance is mainly moderate resistance to rust disease (55.51%) and moderate resistance to powdery mildew (52.31%). The cold tolerance is moderate, accounting for 74.60%. In the future, policy guidance is needed to optimize the allocation of breeding resources, accelerate the integration of modern biotechnology and traditional breeding, build a collaborative innovation system between industry, academia, and research, strengthen the exploration and utilization of local germplasm resources, cultivate high-yield, high-quality, and multi resistant specialized varieties, and promote the transformation and upgrading of the pea industry towards green, efficient, and diversified directions.

In this study, we focus on the genetic mechanisms underlying culm strength in rice, aiming to provide a robust theoretical foundation for molecular breeding of lodging-resistant varieties. By systematically reviewing and conducting in-depth analyses of academic literature and research reports, we explore the regulatory mechanisms of genes associated with culm strength, culm chemical composition, hormonal regulation, and plant architecture, as well as their molecular mechanisms in conferring lodging resistance. Consequently, rice culm strength is influenced by both morphological traits (e.g., basal internode diameter and culm wall thickness) and chemical components (including cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin contents). Notably, the mechanical properties of lower internodes are key determinants of rice lodging resistance. In terms of genetics, SCM3 (an allele of OsTB1) enhances culm strength via the strigolactone signaling pathway. WAK10 regulates cellulose synthesis in secondary cell walls. OsTCP19 facilitates the balance between lignin and cellulose. IPA1 achieves synergistic improvements in lodging resistance and yield by optimizing plant architecture—specifically, by reducing ineffective tillers, increasing culm diameter, and balancing lodging resistance with an increased number of grains per panicle. In terms of breeding applications, molecular marker-assisted selection has been employed to screen for quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with culm strength, such as prl5 and lrt5. Additionally, gene-editing technologies (e.g., CRISPR/Cas9) have been utilized to modify key genes governing culm strength in rice lodging resistance breeding. Through backcrossing to develop near-isogenic lines (NILs), multiple strong culm genes (including SCM1-4) have been pyramided—resulting in NIL-SCM1, NIL-SCM2, NIL-SCM3, NIL-SCM4, as well as double and triple NIL combinations. This approach has enabled the successful development of lodging-resistant varieties, namely 'Sakura Prince' and 'Monster Rice 1'. This study proposes that future work should be carried out in the following aspects: mining novel lodging resistance genes (e.g., the STRONG2 module) and analyzing multi-gene synergistic effects, establishing a genetic balance model involving stem strength, panicle weight, and panicle number, optimizing gene pyramiding strategies in combination with genome-wide association analysis, and exploring the impacts of environmental factors (such as typhoons and dense planting) on culm strength. These efforts aim to achieve enhancement of rice lodging resistance and yield simultaneously.

Ethylene Responsive Factor (ERF) transcription factors belong to the plant AP2/ERF transcription factor superfamily and are key regulatory factors in plants responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. They bind to the cis-acting element GCC-box through the conserved AP2/ERF domain, thereby regulating the spatiotemporal expression of target genes. This article reviews the structural characteristics, classification system, distribution patterns, and biological functions of plant ERF transcription factors. Structurally, they contain functional regions such as the DNA-binding domain and transcriptional regulatory domain, among which the amino acids at positions 14 and 19 of the AP2/ERF domain are key markers for classification. In terms of classification, both the ERF and DREB subfamilies can be further divided into 6 subgroups. In terms of distribution, the number of members of this family varies significantly among different plants, and the number of ERF subfamily members in dicotyledonous plants is usually more than that in monocotyledonous plants. The functional mechanism of ERF in biotic stress response is emphatically elaborated as follows. On the one hand, it enhances plant resistance to pathogens by activating disease-resistant genes such as PR and PDF1.2; on the other hand, ERFs containing the EAR motif can act as negative regulators to inhibit the expression of target genes. At the same time, this article summarizes the research status of peanut ERF, including family identification (our research group identified 76 ERF family members in cultivated peanuts in 2022), verification of stress resistance functions (such as AhERF008 and AhERF019 can enhance abiotic stress tolerance), and current limitations (such as insufficient systematic analysis and unclear regulatory mechanisms). Finally, the future research directions are prospected, proposing that multi-omics and gene editing technologies should be combined to analyze the ERF-mediated stress resistance network, so as to provide a theoretical basis and technical targets for peanut stress resistance molecular breeding and facilitate research on peanut stress resistance engineering.

This study reviews the application of molecular breeding technologies for genetically improving Brassica crops. It focuses on three hybrid seed production systems: Genic Male Sterility (GMS), Cytoplasmic Male Sterility (CMS), and Self-Incompatibility (SI). The work details how CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing enables targeted development of GMS systems—such as creating double mutants of genes like DAD1, BnaMS1, BnaMS2, and OPR3 or thermosensitive two-line systems. For CMS systems, fertility restoration is achieved by knocking out genes like orf138. Novel SI parental lines are created by editing genes such as BnS6-Smi2, BoSP11, and Exo84c. Molecular markers based on sterility genes (orf224/atp6, orf222, orf138) allow precise identification of three cytoplasmic types (Pol, Nap, Ogu, etc.) in Brassica napus. These technologies significantly enhance heterosis utilization efficiency by enabling precise creation of sterile lines and efficient selection of elite germplasm. This facilitates breeding of new cultivars with high yield, superior quality, and stress resistance. Future research directions include: (1) In-depth exploration of the functions of mitochondrial genes associated with CMS; (2) Optimization of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated strategies for coordinated multi-gene editing; (3) Integration of multi-omics data with artificial intelligence algorithms for hybrid combination prediction; (4) Development of novel techniques for creating transgene-free self-compatible lines. This study provides a theoretical foundation and technical support for overcoming bottlenecks in traditional breeding and advancing precision breeding in Brassica crops.

Wheat powdery mildew, caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt), is a destructive fungal disease that significantly reduces wheat yield and grain quality worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate powdery mildew resistance in Sichuan wheat varieties (lines) and characterize their resistance genes, which will provide an important theoretical basis and practical guidance for disease-resistant wheat breeding. A total of 168 Sichuan wheat varieties (lines) were screened for seedling powdery mildew resistance under artificial climate chamber, which were inoculated with Bgt isolate E09, and the resistance gene was analyzed by molecular marker detection and genomic in situ hybridization (GISH). The result showed that 35 wheat materials (20.8%) were resistant. Molecular marker analysis showed that 34 materials carries the Pm21 gene, and ‘Shumai 2352’ carries Pm56. GISH analysis further confirmed that wheat cultivar ‘Mianmai 367’ carries a whole-arm chromosomal translocation of V chromosome (6VS·6AL) harboring Pm21, and ‘Shumai 2352’ possesses a whole-arm translocation of R chromosome (6RS·6AL) containing Pm56. The study highlights the limited genetic diversity of powdery mildew resistance in Sichuan wheat germplasm which are mainly relying on the Pm21 resistance gene, and emphasizes the urgent need to diversify resistance sources by introducing more Pm genes to broaden the genetic basis of disease resistance sources.

The study aims to explore differentially expressed genes related to reproductive traits in Xinjiang goats and screen out key genes associated with goat reproduction. In this study, transcriptome sequencing analysis was used to compare the transcriptomes of hypothalamic tissues between Xinjiang goats with different fecundity during the follicular phase and luteal phase, aiming to screen key reproduction-related genes in the hypothalamus of Xinjiang goats with high and low fecundity during these two phases. In the differential expression analysis of the hypothalamus during the follicular phase, a total of 680 differentially expressed genes were identified in the XJLSX vs XJLDX group (high-fecundity ewes vs low-fecundity ewes in the follicular phase), among which 210 were up-regulated and 470 were down-regulated. GO and KEGG functional analyses of these differentially expressed genes revealed 9 GO Terms containing 16 differentially expressed genes and 8 KEGG pathways containing 23 differentially expressed genes that were related to goat reproductive traits. Combined with protein-protein interaction network analysis of differentially expressed genes and relevant literature, 6 differentially expressed genes, namely NPR1, KITLG, GABRAI, CRHR2, ADCYAP1, IGF2BP3, were screened out as potential key genes affecting the reproductive traits of Xinjiang goats. In the differential expression analysis of the hypothalamus during the luteal phase, a total of 656 differentially expressed genes were found in the XJHSX vs XJHDX group (high-fecundity ewes vs low-fecundity ewes in the luteal phase), with 178 up-regulated and 478 down-regulated. GO and KEGG functional analyses showed that 7 GO Terms, involving 9 differentially expressed genes, were associated with oocyte growth and differentiation, follicular development, and reproductive hormones; 6 KEGG signaling pathways, containing 10 differentially expressed genes, were related to goat reproductive traits. Through integration with protein-protein interaction network analysis and literature review, 5 differentially expressed genes (WT1, IGF1, ESR1, NR5A1, MET) were identified as potential key genes influencing the reproductive traits of Xinjiang goats. This study screened out key genes related to goat reproduction, which provided a theoretical basis and molecular markers for breeding new high-fecundity and multi-fetal strains of Xinjiang goats.

The purpose of this study is to screen candidate genes associated with muscle growth in Dexin mutton type fine-wool sheep at different developmental stages using RNA-Seq technology, preliminarily elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying differential development of the longissimus dorsi muscle, and provide a theoretical foundation for muscle growth research in this breed. Male Dexin mutton type fine-wool sheep at 3, 6, and 12 months of age, raised under identical conditions, were utilized as research subjects. Carcass traits of the longissimus dorsi muscle were analyzed and compared. Transcriptomic sequencing was performed on the longissimus dorsi muscle using the Illumina NovaSeq platform for mRNA sequencing and analysis to identify candidate genes influencing muscle growth. RNA-Seq analysis identified 2468 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) across the three age groups. Among these, 30 DEGs were commonly expressed in all three groups, while 468, 458, and 544 DEGs were specifically expressed in the 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month groups, respectively. Gene Ontology (GO) functional annotation revealed significant enrichment of DEGs in 2997 GO terms (P<0.05). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis demonstrated DEG involvement in 93 pathways, including growth-related pathways such as: JAK-STAT signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and FoxO signaling pathway. Subsequent screening prioritized two key candidate genes (IGF2 and MYL4). The candidate genes IGF2 and MYL4 provide critical molecular insights into muscle growth and development, establishing a theoretical basis for subsequent research on muscle regulation in Dexin mutton type fine-wool sheep.

Aiming at the problems of soil structure degradation and crop growth limitation in saline-alkali farmland in Tumochuan irrigation area of Inner Mongolia, this study explored the mechanism of new compound modifier to improve the yield of silage maize, and provided theoretical basis for ecological improvement of saline-alkali land in semi-arid area. A field experiment was conducted with three treatments: control (CK), single granular amendment (T1), and compound amendment (granular + drip-irrigation amendment, T2). We measured the soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and other physical and chemical properties in 0-20, 20-40 and 40-60 cm soil layers. Combined with X-ray CT scanning technology, the key pore structure parameters such as soil porosity were quantified, and the yield dynamics of silage maize were monitored simultaneously. The results showed that the compound amendment (T2) treatment significantly improved the cultivated layer structure. Compared with CK, the average weight diameter of 0-20 cm aggregates increased by 75.6%, Ks increased by 99.7%, porosity, pore equivalent volume and Euler number increased by 16.7%, 17.4% and 28.6%, respectively. T2 treatment effectively alleviated saline-alkali stress while enhancing soil nutrient content. During the maize growth period, the average pH across the 0-60 cm soil profile decreased by 6.5%, EC decreased by 67.19%, and soil organic carbon content increased by 4.97%. Ultimately, maize yield under T2 increased significantly, with the fresh weight of silage maize at maturity reaching 57585.82 kg/hm², representing a 120.99% increase over CK and a significant improvement compared to T1. The new compound amendment effectively improves saline-alkali farmland and significantly enhances silage maize yield by synergistically optimizing soil pore structure, reducing soil alkalinity and salinity, which verified its good applicability in the ecological restoration of saline-alkali land in Tumochuan irrigation area.

In order to address soil quality degradation and fruit quality decline in continuous cropping vineyards, this research investigated the effects of a soil conditioner (BGA), conventional fertilizer (NPK), and their reduced-rate combined application (H-BGA+NPK) on soil physicochemical properties, active organic carbon fractions, aggregate structure, and grape quality, while exploring the underlying mechanisms. Results showed that fertilization treatments exhibited significant temporal specificity in influencing soil parameters. During the fruit expansion stage, the H-BGA+NPK treatment synergistically enhanced soil organic matter (21.67% higher than NPK), total nitrogen (3.61% higher than NPK), and microbial biomass carbon (20.53% higher than NPK), optimizing early-stage nutrient supply through the combined effect of rapid nitrogen release from fertilizer and slow carbon input from the conditioner. In the maturity stage, sole BGA application promoted sustained mineralization of organic components, leading to substantial increases in soil organic matter (59.89% higher than NPK) and nitrate nitrogen (169.27% higher than NPK), significantly improving the soil carbon-nitrogen pool. Soil aggregate analysis revealed that H-BGA+NPK significantly promoted the formation of macro-aggregates (>0.25 mm), increasing their proportion by 45.90% compared to NPK, while sole NPK application increased the proportion of micro-aggregates (<0.053 mm), highlighting the structural optimization effect of conditioner-fertilizer combination. Regarding fruit quality, the H-BGA+NPK treatment achieved the highest soluble sugar content (12.46%), which was 5.68% and 1.71% higher than NPK and BGA alone, respectively, demonstrating optimal balance of the sugar-acid ratio. Sole BGA application significantly increased titratable acid (9.49% higher than NPK) and soluble solids (1.03%-4.08% higher than NPK), making it suitable for high-acid grape cultivation. Correlation analysis indicated that soluble sugar was negatively correlated with soil bulk density and dissolved organic carbon (P<0.05), while titratable acid showed strong negative correlations with soil pH, total nitrogen, and other nutrient indices (P<0.001), and positive correlations with bulk density and dissolved organic carbon (P<0.05), confirming that soil structure and carbon fractions are key regulators of fruit quality. This research confirms that precise integration of soil conditioner and fertilizer based on crop growth stages can balance short-term nutrient supply and long-term soil health, providing a theoretical and practical framework in sustainable high-yield and high-quality vineyard management.

Cold stress directly affects plant growth and development, and under extreme conditions, it may result in infertility or even lead to plant mortality. To investigate the molecular mechanisms by which plants respond to cold stress, this review synthesizes the diverse effects of cold stress on plants. It discusses the impact of cold stress on plant plasma membranes, the ICE-CBF-COR signaling pathway, plant hormones, and cellular metabolism. Additionally, recent advancements in understanding the mechanisms underlying plant cold tolerance are examined and discussed. This review aims to provide a foundation for the practical application of these findings in the genetic improvement of crops. Based on the above, the paper suggests that a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating genetic engineering, genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology, and bioinformatics should be employed to further explore the molecular mechanisms behind plant cold tolerance. Furthermore, potential future research directions in this field are proposed.

Spartina alterniflora, as an alien invasive plant, has spread rapidly in the Yellow River Delta region, threatened native species, and damaged ecosystem health. This paper analyzes the invasion footprint of Spartina alterniflora in the Yellow River Delta by using remote sensing satellite image analysis techniques. It was found that after Spartina alterniflora completed colonization (before 2004), it quickly occupied the invaded habitat and rapidly spread (2004—2014). Although human intervention had suppressed the invasion speed of Spartina alterniflora and reduced the invasion area in the past decade (2014—2024), it still had the potential to make a comeback and reinvade. Therefore, we further classify and summarize the hypotheses of different stages of Spartina alterniflora invasion, compare various control measures, the prospect of scientific exploration of microbiological control of Spartina alterniflora in the future is proposed. The aim of this study is to provide a new way to prevent and control Spartina alterniflora invasion in the future.

Further understanding the genetic regularity of rice harvest index in different segregating generations is beneficial to provide theoretical references for rice breeding based on the rice harvest index. In this research, isolated descendants from four distinct rice hybrid combinations were selected based on their harvest index. And then the coefficient of variation for main agronomic traits and the selection efficiency regarding the harvest index were subsequently compared and analyzed across different generations. The characteristics such as SPAD value at booting stage, plant height, and panicle length exhibited stability among different rice materials. In contrast, there was considerable variability in sword leaf length, thousand-grain weight, seed setting rate, and harvest index among hybrid rice progeny; however, these four traits remained stable in their parental lines. Notably, aboveground biological yield and panicle number per plant displayed significant variation both in hybrid parents and their offspring. The generalized heritability of the harvest index for F₃, F₃ lines and F₄ lines across all tested hybrid combinations exceeded 97%. Furthermore, selection efficiency for the harvest index in F₄ lines derived from ‘Hongxin-1S/Yuxiangyouzhan’, ‘Hongxin-1S/FL478’, and ‘Hongxin-1S/HD-YX’ surpassed that observed in their respective F₃ and F₃ lines; thus indicating a pronounced effect of single-plant selection based on harvest index within these three hybrids. Conversely, single-plant selection among offspring of ‘Hongxin-1S/Guanghong 3’ with high harvest indices did not enhance selection efficiency. It was effective to select individual plant with elevated harvest index for most of the tested rice materials from F₂ generation, which could significantly improve the selection efficiency of harvest index.

To explore the growth differences among different green manure varieties and their effects on rice yield, nutrient accumulation and soil properties after turning over, the winter fallow field (CK) was used as the control, three common green manures (Astragalus sinicus L., Vicia villosa var. and Vicia sativa L.) were selected to conduct field experiments to analyze the differences in the characteristics of green manures during the growth period and their effects on rice yield, nutrient accumulation and soil properties after turning over. The results showed that the performance of plant height and biomass in the three types of green manure was as followed: Vicia villosa var. > Vicia sativa L. > Astragalus sinicus L., with Vicia villosa var. being the best and suitable for planting in the region. After turning over green manures, the rice yield significantly increased compared to CK, with the yield under Vicia villosa var. reached 10.47 t/hm², which was 58.88% higher than that of CK. Green manure turning over could improve the taste value and nutrient accumulation of rice. Compared with CK, the taste value of rice treated with Astragalus sinicus L., Vicia villosa var. and Vicia sativa L. increased by 5.58%, 9.46% and 11.16%, respectively, and total potassium accumulation in rice straw increased by 50.88%, 42.87% and 67.70%, respectively, the total nitrogen accumulation in rice grains increased by 17.25%, 45.62% and 47.74%, respectively and the total potassium accumulation in rice seeds increased by 17.96%, 54.28%, and 48.88%, respectively, the total phosphorus accumulation in rice shoots increased by 11.32%, 62.16% and 27.41%, respectively, the total accumulation of total potassium increased by 45.53%, 44.73% and 64.64%, respectively, with the best comprehensive effect being the Vicia villosa var. and Vicia sativa L.. Green manure could improve soil properties and had the potential to improve soil fertility. Among them, the treatment of Vicia sativa L. had a pH increase of 2.96%, organic matter increased by 10.05%, and total nitrogen content increased by 4.41% compared to CK. The treatment of Astragalus sinicus L. had an organic matter increase of 1.43%, total nitrogen content increase of 24.25%, total phosphorus content increase of 9.20%, and available phosphorus content increase of 10.95% compared to CK. In summary, the biomass and nutrient accumulation of Vicia villosa var. and Vicia sativa L. were both high, and their flipping could improve the yield, taste value and nutrient accumulation of rice. Therefore, they were recommended as green manure varieties for planting in this region; Astragalus sinicus L. and Vicia sativa L. had the potential to increase soil fertility through tillage, while Vicia sativa L. had a better effect. This study could provide a theoretical basis for the utilization of green manure and sustainable agricultural production in the northern Jiangsu region.

In order to mitigate the adverse effects of drought on the development of summer maize seedlings caused by climate change, using ‘Zhengdan 958’ as experimental material, the effects of different treatment combinations on soil moisture and growth of maize seedling were studied. The results showed that the soil moisture content increased with the depth of the soil layer, and the pattern was moist soil, wheat straw returning to the field>normal moisture content, wheat straw returning to the field>moist soil, wheat straw not returning to the field>dry soil, wheat straw returning to the field>normal moisture content, wheat straw not returning to the field>dry soil, wheat straw not returning to the field. SPAD value, photosynthetic rate and yield showed the same trend, normal moisture content, wheat straw returning to the field>moist soil, wheat straw returning to the field>moist soil, wheat straw not returning to the field>normal moisture content, wheat straw not returning to the field>dry soil, wheat straw returning to the field>dry soil, wheat straw not returning to the field. Therefore, compared with the removal of stubble, plain stubble can better improve the soil water environment, increase the emergence rate and photosynthetic rate of maize, and increase the yield, which can be widely applied in production.

To solve the problems of excessive application of chemical fertilizer, low crop nutrient utilization efficiency and high risks of non-point source pollution in rice production, the impacts of chemical fertilizer reduction combined with organic fertilizer on nutrient absorption, partial productivity of fertilizer, nutrient balance and rice yield were studied. The optimum management practices were identified in this study, which provided a theoretical basis for reducing fertilizer use, increasing use efficiency and improving soil fertility. A field experiment was carried out in the early rice growing season of western Guangdong in 2021. Four local recommended fertilization methods were tested, including optimized fertilization treatment (OPT), and reducing the rate of farmers’ conventional fertilizer application by 10%, 20% and 30% while applying organic fertilizer denote as OM1, OM2, and OM3 treatment, respectively. The results showed that the grain yield and grain-to-straw ratio varied from 5667-5967 kg/hm² and 1.09-1.31, respectively. The partial factor productivity of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilizer were 30.4-47.2, 96.0-122.1 and 47.2-105.9 kg/kg, respectively. The apparent balance of N, P and K were 54.2-115.3, 17.1-29.8 and 1.2-67.0 kg/hm², respectively. All of them were in a surplus state. In the treatments of organic fertilizer application, the rice grain yields, ratios of grain to stem, N, P, K fertilizer partial productivity, P absorption rate and K absorption rate increased along with the decrease of synthetic fertilizer application rate, while the apparent balance of N, P and K decreased. The straw K content and K partial factor productivity of each organic fertilizer substitution treatment were significantly higher than those of OPT treatment (P<0.05). Compared with farmers’ conventional fertilizer application, OPT, OM1, OM2 and OM3 treatments could maintain the paddy yield, and improve the ratio of grain to stem, the P content and K contents of grain and straw. Considering the ratio of grain to stem, P and K partial productivity, OM3 treatment was identified as optimum management practice. While considering the partial productivity of N fertilizer, N absorption rate, N surplus rate in soil and output-input ratio, OPT treatment was identified as optimum management practice.

Microbial exopolysaccharides have important characteristics such as renewability, biodegradability, strong adsorption, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiviral properties. They have multiple applications in fields of food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and environmental protection. Previous studies mainly focused on the isolation, purification and structure of microbial exopolysaccharides, but there were few reports on the relationship between the structure and function of microbial exopolysaccharides and the role of exopolysaccharides in environmental protection. In order to elucidate the structure-function relationship of microbial exopolysaccharides and expand their applications, this article reviews the impacts of monosaccharide composition, molecular mass, functional groups, glycosidic linkages, and surface morphology on their functions. Furthermore, potential applications of microbial exopolysaccharides in wastewater treatment, soil remediation, and antibiotic elimination for environmental protection are summarized. Due to the low yield and biological activity of microbial exopolysaccharides, their extensive industrial application is limited. It is expected that the yield of microbial exopolysaccharides can be enhanced through genetic engineering techniques, structural modification, and optimization of fermentation conditions and promote their development and application in environmental protection.

To screen new introduced table grape varieties with saline-alkali tolerance, 10 grape varieties were used as materials to study the variation characteristics of physiological and biochemical indexes of grapes after 30 days of compound saline-alkali stress of different concentrations (0.29%, 0.58%, and 0.87% of the dry weight of pot soil). The correlation analysis of all indexes was carried out, and the principal component analysis was used to comprehensively evaluate the saline-alkali tolerance of the grape varieties. The results showed that with the increase of saline-alkali concentration, the root activity and leaf relative water content decreased gradually, the relative conductivity and the content of malondialdehyde and proline increased gradually, and the superoxide dismutase activity showed two trends of first increase then decrease or continuous increase. Correlation analysis showed that malondialdehyde content in leaves, malondialdehyde content in roots and proline content in leaves had extremely significantly and positively pairwise correlation. Superoxide dismutase activity in roots was significantly and negatively correlated with malondialdehyde content and superoxide dismutase activity in leaves. Three principal components with eigenvalues greater than 1 were extracted by principal component analysis, and the cumulative contribution rate was 77.99%. Finally, the order of saline-alkali tolerance of the 10 grape varieties from strong to weak was determined as ‘Zitianwuhe’, ‘Blackcrunchy Seedless’, ‘Hutai 8’, ‘Zaoxiawuhe’, ‘Silk Road Red Rose’, ‘Shine Muscat’, ‘Crimson Rose’, ‘Summer Black’, ‘Sweet Sapphire’, and ‘Wagamichi’.

By exploring the changes in the research field of fresh-eating corn in China, grasping the research status and hot topics, and discussing the research frontiers and development trends, the study aims to provide theoretical reference for the research of fresh-eating corn. The research team used 1588 fresh-eating corn research literature in the CNKI database from 2010 to 2021 as the research objects, and carried out visual quantitative analysis based on CiteSpace software. In the past 10 years, the research development in the field of fresh-eating corn was stable, and the number of core papers published per year remained above 100. The high-yield authors were represented by LU Weiping, LIU Chunquan, LI Dajing, LU Dalei, etc., presenting single-line or radial team cooperation. The institutions to which the authors belong were mainly agricultural colleges and universities and scientific research institutes. Agricultural colleges and universities achieved more significant results in terms of the number of publications, and scientific research institutes had more advantages in the research and development of new varieties, and scientific research institutions and universities had close team cooperation. The analysis of emerging words indicates that haploid, super sweet corn, seed germination, genetic diversity, nutritional quality, flavor, folic acid, soluble sugar, etc. are the research trends. The core task of future fresh-eating corn research will be expanding the research coverage, breaking through the traditional limitations, exploring gene editing technology, transgenic technology, gene sequencing, single-celled sequencing, genome, proteins, transcription and other cutting-edge biotechnologies which are auxiliary means for traditional fresh-eating corn breeding research, and the focus will be on sweet and waxy corn and super sweet corn research. The future research should also highlight the quality and nutrition of fresh-eating corn varieties, and improve their resistance to diseases and insects, lodging, drought and other stresses. In the fields of food processing and feed research, more attention should be paid to the technology development of new processing equipment for extending the harvesting period and storage period of fresh-eating corn and maintaining the nutrition of corn during storage.

Phosphorus in soil directly determines plant growth and crop yields, but phosphorus existing forms in soil are very complex, and those phosphorus forms that can be absorbed and utilized by plants account for only a small part of total phosphorus. Therefore, it is important to study the existing forms and classification methods of phosphorus in soil to improve the phosphorus use efficiency of crops, explore ways to enhance phosphorus availability, and reduce phosphorus loss. In this paper, the existing forms of phosphorus in soil, influencing factors of soil phosphorus availability and phosphorus classification methods were reviewed. The results show that the forms of phosphorus in soil consist of two major categories: inorganic phosphorus and organophosphorus, phosphorus absorbed by plants is mainly water soluble inorganic phosphorus, and other forms of phosphorus are difficult to be absorbed by plants, causing low utilization efficiency of phosphorus in soil. There are many factors that lead to low phosphorus use efficiency, mainly ions like calcium, iron and aluminum, and organic matter, pH, temperature, moisture etc. To study and improve the mechanism of the influencing factors could effectively enhance phosphorus utilization efficiency. At the same time, with the continuous improvement of phosphorus classification methods by domestic and foreign scholars, the effective forms of phosphorus have been studied more in-depth and accurately. Bowman-Cole organophosphorus classification method and Hedley’s phosphorus classification method are the two most widely used methods at present.