2025 Volume 24 Issue 10 Published: 20 October 2025
  

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  • Yang Sun, Xuhuan Zhang, Zhenqin Chai, Yuying Li, Zheng Ren, Miaomiao Wang, Zhiqing Ma, Yong Wang, Juntao Feng
    The velvet protein family plays a key factor in coordinating development and secondary metabolism in many pathogenic fungi. However, no previous research has investigated the function of the velvet protein family in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Niveum (FON), which causes a highly destructive disease on watermelon. In this study, ∆fovel1 and ∆folae1 deletion mutants and ∆fovel1-C and ∆folae1-C corresponding complementation mutants of FON were confirmed. Meanwhile, effects of phenotype, biochemistry and virulence of the deletion mutants were protected. Compared with the wild-type strains, the ∆fovel1 and ∆folae1 mutants showed different mycelia phenotype, depressed of conidiation and reduced production of bikaverin and fusaric acid. Moreover, their virulence on watermelon plant roots was significant decreased. In addition, all of these alterations in mutants were restored in corresponding complementation strains. Importantly, yeast two hybrid results indicated an interaction relationship between FoVel1 and FoLae1. The results of this study indicated that FoVEL1 and FoLAE1 play critical roles in secondary metabolisms, conidiation, and virulence in FON. These information will deepen our understanding on the genetic and functional roles of the VEL1 and LAE1 in pathogenic fungi.
  • WANG Heng-xu, HU Hao, ZHAO Tian-you ZENG Zhao-qing, ZHUANG Wen-ying
    A few Trichoderma species have been utilized as biocontrol agents in agriculture due to their ability to inhibit growth of phytopathogens. However, the antagonistic mechanism of some strains is mainly performed by direct action. The objective of our study is to explore an effective strain that has comprehensive abilities, and preliminarily clarify its practical viability and action mechanism. Trichoderma gamsii strain TC959 possessing abilities of strong antagonism and plant growth promotion was singled out. It released secondary metabolites, siderophores and chitinase/xylanase to directly inhibit the growth of plant pathogens, or released indole-3-acetic acid/gibberellin to promote plant growth. The strain also activated induced systemic resistance by increasing chlorophyll a/b ratio and jasmonic acid content of pepper seedlings through root colonization, which resulted in the improvements of defense-related gene expression levels, antioxidant enzyme activity, and indole-3-acetic acid/gibberellin production. Thereby disease resistance and plant growth were enhanced and promoted, respectively. Furthermore, TC959 had a resistance advantage to oxidation and chemical fungicides, which helped viability of the strain to be maintained, and healthy pepper seedlings were effectively ensured. In conclusion, strain TC959 has biocontrol potential and comprehensive functions against pepper damping-off disease, which is valuable for further practical applications.
  • Qiaoyan Shen, Xiaojie Wu, Ziyu Chen, Jianxiong Guo, Wei Yue, Shuai Yu, Rui Zhang, Xiaolong Wu, Heng Zhao, Qin Pan, Juqing Zhang, Zhenshuo Zhu, Xinchun Yang, Wenjing Xu, Yunxiang Li, Anmin Lei, Sha Peng, Fan Yang, Shiqiang Zhang, Gang Ren, Jun Wu, Na Li, Hongjiang Wei, Mingzhi Liao, Jinlian Hua
    Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are useful for developmental and translational research because they have the potential to differentiate into all cell types of an adult individual. Pigs are one of the most important domestic ungulates, commonly used for food and as bioreactors. Generating stable pluripotent porcine PSC lines remains challenging. So far, the pluripotency gene network of porcine PSCs is poorly understood. Here we found that TBX3-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) closely resemble porcine 4-cell embryos with the capacity of totipotent-like stem cells (TLSCs). Interestingly, our data suggest that TBX3 facilitates the activation of H3K4me3 methyltransferase, specifically MLL1. Subsequent investigations revealed that the porcine 4-cell specific gene, MCL1, is a key downstream effector of the TBX3-MLL1 axis. Together, our study of the TBX3 regulatory network is helpful in the understanding of the totipotency characteristics of pigs.
  • Crop Science
  • Crop Science
    Kun Han, Xinzhu Li, Liang Jia, Dazhao Yu, Wenhua Xu, Hongkun Chen, Tao Song, Peng Liu
    To make agricultural systems sustainable in terms of their greenness and efficiency, optimizing the tillage and fertilization practices is essential.  To assess the effects of tilling and fertilization practices in wheat–maize cropping systems, a three-year field experiment was designed to quantify the carbon footprint (CF) and energy efficiency of the cropping systems in the North China Plain.  The study parameters included four tillage practices (no tillage (NT), conventional tillage (CT), rotary tillage (RT), and subsoiling rotary tillage (SRT)) and two fertilizer regimes (inorganic fertilizer (IF) and hybrid fertilizer with organic and inorganic components (HF)).  The results indicated that the most prominent energy inputs and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions could be ascribed to the use of fertilizers and fuel consumption.  Under the same fertilization regime, ranking the tillage patterns with respect to the value of the crop yield, profit, CF, energy use efficiency (EUE) or energy productivity (EP) for either wheat or maize always gave the same sequence of SRT>RT>CT>NT.  For the same tillage, the energy consumption associated with HF was higher than IF, but its GHG emissions and CF were lower while the yield and profit were higher.  In terms of overall performance, tilling is more beneficial than NT, and reduced tillage practices (RT and SRT) are more beneficial than CT.  The fertilization regime with the best overall performance was HF.  Combining SRT with HF has significant potential for reducing CF and increasing EUE, thereby improving sustainability.  Adopting measures that promote these optimizations can help to overcome the challenges posed by a lack of food security, energy crises and ecological stress.  
  • Plant Protection
  • Plant Protection
    Yingyue Xu, Xuanchen Zhou, Bin Yan, Yang Yue, Min Zhang, Haibin Yuan, Shuai Liu

    Maize is a cornerstone of global food security, but it faces increasing challenges from corn aphids, particularly with the widespread adoption of genetically modified Bt maize.  This trend suggests a growing need for sustainable pest control strategies. Methyl salicylate has been proposed as a volatile compound with the potential for managing aphids.  In this study, Y-tube olfactometer and Petri dish dispersal assays showed that methyl salicylate can repel wingless and winged aphids at 0.1 to 1,000 ng μL–1.  Moreover, at concentrations of 100 and 1,000 ng μL–1, it was found to attract beneficial insects such as adults and larvae of Harmonia axyridis.  Exposing maize plants to methyl salicylate resulted in a prominent reduction in the number of aphids compared to the control.  In addition, clip cage experiment assays showed that the nymphal development duration was increased, while the adult duration and generation time were reduced, and the reproductive duration and total number of aphid offspring in plants treated with methyl salicylate were dramatically lower than in the control.  Over two years of field trials, methyl salicylate-impregnated alginate beads provided significant reductions in the populations of key aphid species, including Rhopalosiphum padi, Rhopalosiphum maidis, and Aphis gossypii.  Concurrently, there were marked increases in the presence of natural predators such as Haxyridis, Propylaea japonica, Syrphus corollae, and Chrysoperla sinica.  These compelling results underscore the potential of methyl salicylate as a key component in integrated pest management strategies for maize, offering a green alternative to traditional chemical control.