The rice ratooning (RR) pattern is increasingly gaining attention in southern China due to its low carbon emissions and high yield characteristics.  However, the net carbon budget balance and the underlying mechanisms remain unknown.  Three rice planting patterns were established in this trial experiment conducted from 2021 to 2022 in Fuzhou (25°17′N, 119°18′E), Southeast China: the ratooning rice pattern (MC+RSR) for rice ratooning, single-cropping rice (LR₁), and double-cropping rice (ER+LR₂).  The closed static dark box gas collection, dry matter determination, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) etc. approaches were utilized to investigate the mechanism of "high carbon fixation - low emissions" in the rice ratooning system.  This was achieved through a comprehensive evaluation across multiple dimensions, including crop yield, GHG emissions, carbon and nitrogen footprints, resource utilization efficiency, carbon fixation capacity, and carbon budget balance.  The results showed that the average daily yield of the ratooning season rice (RSR) across different RR patterns from 2021 to 2022 was 28.21 to 47.40% higher than that of the main crop (MC) and single-cropping rice (LR₁), and 13.50 to 27.76% higher than that of the double cropping system. This discrepancy was attributed to a 3.32-6.85% increase in the allocation of ¹³C photosynthetic products (including NSC) to panicle organs and a 21.77-43.51% reduction in allocation to underground roots and soil of RSR.  Moreover, the average daily GWP values are 16.44 kg CO₂-eq ha⁻¹ for ratoon rice (MC+RSR), 24.99 kg CO₂-eq ha⁻¹ for single-cropping rice (LR₁), and 21.32 kg CO₂-eq ha⁻¹ for double-cropping rice (ER+LR₂).  Specifically, the average daily GWP of ratoon rice is 34.21% lower than that of single-cropping rice and 22.90% lower than that of double-cropping rice.  Similarly, the average daily GHGI of ratoon rice is 62.28% lower than that of single-cropping rice and 28.96% lower than that of double-cropping rice.  In terms of carbon and nitrogen footprints, the ratoon rice model exhibited average daily values of 34.54 kg CO₂-eq ha^-1 and 22.72 kg N-eq ha^-1, respectively.  In comparison, the single-cropping rice model had average daily values of 45.63 kg CO₂-eq ha^-1 and 24.49 kg N-eq ha^-1, while the double-cropping rice model showed averages of 43.38 kg CO₂-eq ha^-1 and 24.77 kg N-eq ha^-1, indicating the reductions of 24.30 and 7.23% in carbon and nitrogen footprints compared to the single-cropping rice model, as well as reductions of 20.38 and 8.30% relative to the double-cropping rice system.  Furthermore, the average carbon budget surplus across the three cropping systems is as follows: 22,380.01 kg CO₂-eq ha^-1 for ratoon rice (MC+RSR), 11,228.54 kg CO₂-eq ha^-1 for single-cropping rice (LR₁), and 23,772.15 kg CO₂-eq ha^-1 for double-cropping rice (ER+LR₂).  Therefore, the resource utilization efficiency of the ratoon rice model (MC+RSR) was 23.92 and 47.50% higher than that of the single-cropping rice model (LR₁) and the double-cropping rice model (ER+LR₂), respectively.  Furthermore, the average daily economic benefits increased by 32.71 and 80.75%, respectively.  These findings provide a robust theoretical foundation and practical guidance for advancing agricultural carbon neutrality technologies and ensuring food security.

Mungbean (Vigna radiata L. (Wilczek)) is an important food legume crop.  The utilization of heterosis based on male sterile lines can help increase mungbean yields, yet genetic studies on mungbean male sterility are rare.  Therefore, it is of great significance to explore the male sterility genes in mungbean.  In this study, a no-pollen male sterile mutant vrnpms (Vigna radiata no pollen male sterility) was identified in mungbean.  Gene mapping was conducted using F₂ populations derived from the cross between vrnpms and V2709.  The gene controlling the male sterility was mapped to a 426.65 kb region on chromosome 6.  A candidate gene VrMYB80 (EVM0016947), encoding a protein homologous to MYB80 transcription factors, exhibits a 52-kb deletion in vrnpms, resulting in a truncated protein lacking the C’-terminus.  A molecular marker linked to the male sterility phenotype was developed based on the deletion in vrnpms.  Functional complementation in Arabidopsis demonstrated that VrMYB80 could restore fertility in the myb80 mutant.  Subcellular localization showed that VrMYB80 was located in the nucleus. Transcriptional activation assays revealed that the C’-terminus of VrMYB80 was the transcriptional activation domain.  The result of in-situ hybridization indicated that VrMYB80 is expressed in the anther tapetum.  The expression level of downstream VrMS1 was down regulated in vrnpms, indicating that Vrmyb80 with the truncated C’-terminal transcriptional activation domain failed to activate downstream genes, which was the reason of sterility of vrnpms.  The findings of this study contribute to unraveling the molecular genetic mechanism underlying pollen development in legume crops and pave the way for utilizing heterosis in mungbean.

Soil microbial-metabolite interactions influence crop productivity, yet their responses to long-term nutrient management in legume systems warrant further investigation. This study examined how fertilization and Rhizobium inoculation reshape soybean rhizosphere fungal-metabolite networks to improve soil health. Through a decade-long field trial utilizing Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) sequencing and Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) metabolomics, four treatments were evaluated: control (CK), phosphorus-potassium fertilization (PK), PK with nitrogen fertilization (PK+N), and PK with Bradyrhizobiumjaponicum 5821 inoculation (PK+R). Results indicated that nitrogen fertilization increased fungal diversity at maturity and enhanced co-occurrence network complexity (displaying the highest node and edge counts), while Bradyrhizobium inoculation promoted stochastic assembly. Soil fungi exhibited notable correlations with 3-Hydroxymethylantipyrine, Chrysophanol, 3,7-Dihydroxyflavone and Triethylamine. Metabolite profiling revealed nitrogen suppression of stress-resistance flavonoids (3-Hydroxymethylantipyrine, Chrysophanol, 3,7-Dihydroxyflavone), whereas Bradyrhizobium enhanced these key metabolites. KEGG enrichment identified tryptophan and caffeine metabolism as central during flowering-podding, coordinating nitrogen assimilation and defense responses. Additionally, the key metabolites correlated significantly with soil total nitrogen, organic matter, and available nitrogen. These findings reveal that Bradyrhizobium acts synergistically with fertilization to activate fungal-driven metabolic pathways, offering a microbiome-based approach to enhance nitrogen efficiency and reduce agrochemical dependency in soybean systems.

Selenium (Se) is known for alleviating cadmium (Cd) toxicity in rice (Oryza sativa L.), but algal polysaccharides-selenium nanoparticles (AP-SNPs) mitigating Cd stress by regulating carbon-nitrogen metabolism is unknown.  Herein, we found that AP-SNPs improved root and leaf cell ultrastructure, leaf stomatal and photosynthetic traits and reduced the Cd translocation from roots to shoots via Se absorption, translocation as well as upregulating the transcription factors of Se encoding genes OsPT2, OsNIP 2;1, and OsSULTR1;2 at 7 and 14 days after treatment (DAT).  The findings showed that AP-SNPs promoted the concentrations of metabolites and enzymes of carbon-nitrogen metabolism by upregulating the transcript levels of OsRbcS2, OsCS1, OsAGPL1, OsAMT1, OsNRT2.1, OsNR2, OsGS1, and OsGOGAT1 genes.  Additionally, AP-SNPs addition increased the levels of SOD by 11-13%, POD by 10-8%, and CAT by 8-12%, respectively, at 7 and 14 DAT to counteract the damage of reactive oxygen species (ROS) under Cd stress.  The results revealed that AP-SNPs promoted the carbon and nitrogen metabolism, physiological status, and antioxidant defense system of rice and decreased the Cd content in rice root by 12-23%, rice shoot 30-39%, total Cd content 28-46%, and Cd translocation factor 14-27%, respectively at 7 and 14 DAT.  The significant correlation matrixes of the partial least square model (PLSM) and Mantel test further quantify the above findings and imply that AP-SNPs can be a green and sustainable biological compound that regulates carbon-nitrogen metabolism and the antioxidant defense system of rice to minimize Cd transfer from roots to shoots and the food web.

Excessive nitrogen (N) losses from cropland are serious threats to sustainable agricultural and ecological development.  Recently, straw and biochar (BC) have been widely applied in cropland to reduce soil N losses, but the mechanisms by which their physicochemical properties affect soil N cycling and soil N losses remain unclear.  This study investigated the responses of soil N transformation and crop yield on BC and straw applications through incubation and field experiments.  Density function theory (DFT) calculations were performed to determine the different impacts of straw and BC on soil N losses at the molecular scale.  Our results indicated that BC application at a weight percent of 3 (3.0wt %) exhibited superior performance in promoting soil N transformation.  The superior physicochemical properties of BC over straw contributed to enhanced interaction and adsorption energies with NO₃^--N and NH₄⁺-N, which reduced soil N losses by 20.2% from interflow of field experiment compared to straw.  BC application reduced soil N₂O by 45.0% compared to the field with conventional fertilization by modulating the functional genes of microorganisms and weakening the soil denitrification.  Although BC increased soil NH₃ volatilization by improving urease functional genes (ureC, UreB) compared to straw, it also significantly improved N use efficiency in 25.3% of the crops compared to straw.  Thus, in calcareous purple soils, 3.0 wt% BC content provided superior performance in terms of enhanced N cycling, reduced N losses and improved crop yields compared to straw.  In conclusion, these findings provide insights into optimizing cropland BC application and enhancing soil fertility for sustainable agricultural and ecological developments.

To examine the impact of anthropogenic land reconstruction, particularly the consolidation of small terraces into larger fields, on soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN) dynamics, rice yield, and its components, soil and plant samples were collected from seven newly reconstructed fields in Japanese Andosols in Tochigi, Japan. Samples were obtained from both the former low- and high-elevation sides within each field plot. During harvest season, nine rice plants were randomly selected from each plot (0.675 m², comprising 3 rows and 3 hills per row), collected from a 3-meter stretch along both the east (former low side) and west (former high side) ridges. Soil cores were collected from identical plots at two depths (0–15 and 15–30 cm) and combined into one composite sample per layer. Rice plant samples were air-dried for two weeks until reaching constant moisture content, after which stems and ears were separated and weighed to determine biomass, yield, yield components, and nitrogen uptake. The indicated that land reconstruction significantly affected rice yield and its components between the two sides of all field plots. SOC, TN, and their decomposition following land reconstruction showed notable changes, especially in the 15–30 cm subsurface soil layer. Additionally, grain weight demonstrated significant correlation with SOC, TN, and carbon decomposition in both the 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm layers, indicating that soil fertility to a depth of 30 cm was crucial for rice productivity after land reconstruction.

Nitrogen (N) not only provides nutritional support for grain development but also lays the foundation for efficient photosynthesis and yield formation by regulating leaf function and delaying senescence.  However, the regulation of leaf function during the reproductive growth stage and its relationship with yield under drip irrigation remain unclear.  Therefore, from 2020–2021, a cultivar with high nitrogen use efficiency (high-NUE) (T-43) and a low-NUE cultivar (LX-3) were used as the study materials and were grown under drip irrigation with four N fertilization levels (0, 150, 300, and 450 kg ha⁻¹); the differences in leaf morphology, photosynthetic characteristics, hormone contents, antioxidant enzyme activities, biomass (mass), and yield were analysed.  The results revealed the following: (1) N application significantly increased the yield of drip-irrigated rice (17.38-74.03%), and with increasing N application rate, the leaf area index (LAI), chlorophyll a+b (Chl a+b) content, maximum net photosynthetic rate (P_nmax) and mass initially increased but then decreased, reaching optimum values under N₃₀₀, whereas the flag leaf area (LA) continued to increase.  (2) Between the cultivars, T-43 presented relatively high LA and N-metabolizing enzyme activities, thereby increasing the Chl a+b content, light saturation point (I_sat), and mass accumulation; LX-3 presented relatively high abscisic acid (ABA) content, and the accelerated degradation of Chl b resulted in an increased Chl a/b ratio, which inhibited P_nmax.  (3) Structural equation modelling (SEM) further revealed that indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) directly increased P_nmax to increase photosynthetic efficiency, whereas the positive promoting effect of IAA and N-metabolizing enzymes on Chl a+b indirectly increased the LAI and N agronomic efficiency (NAE), thus promoting the positive effects of LAI (0.477^***) and P_nmax (0.715^***) on yield.  In summary, under the appropriate N application rate (300 kg ha⁻¹), in the high-NUE cultivar (T-43), the leaf functional period was maintained, and the photosynthetic capacity was increased via increased hormone contents and antioxidant enzyme activities.  The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for the efficient production of drip-irrigated rice in arid areas.

Winter wheat is a key staple crop in Northwest China, yet optimizing its productivity and economic returns remains a challenge due to water constraints and suboptimal planting densities.  This study evaluates the combined effects of irrigation strategies and planting density (PD) on winter wheat yield, resource-use efficiency, and net economic benefits (NEB).  A two-year field experiments were conducted under four irrigation treatments (I1, no irrigation; I2, before winter and jointing; I3, jointing; I4, jointing and anthesis) and three PD treatments (PD1, 562.5×10⁴ plants ha^-1; PD2, 375 ×10⁴ plants ha^-1; PD3, 187.5×10⁴ plants ha^-1).  Through field trials, we identified optimal water-saving irrigation regimes and planting densities that maximize grain yield while enhancing water productivity. Our results demonstrated that lower PD (187.5×10⁴ plants ha⁻⊃1;) under reduced irrigation significantly improved dry matter accumulation (DMA), SPAD, and leaf area index (LAI), leading to higher grain yield.  Moderate irrigation at the jointing stage (I3) enhanced grain yield in higher planting densities by up to 18.42% compared to other irrigation regimes, while the highest overall yield (6,310 kg ha⁻⊃1;) was achieved in medium PD under I3 irrigation.  Water-use efficiency (WUE) was significantly improved by reducing irrigation at specific growth stages, mitigating excessive evapotranspiration.  The PD3-I3 achieved the highest NEB, exceeding I1, I2, and I4 by 11.9, 18.4, and 16.4% in 2022-23, and by 15.1, 14.0, and 8.4% in 2023-24, respectively.  The findings provide practical insights for sustainable wheat production, ensuring higher profitability while conserving water resources.  Implementing optimized irrigation and PD strategies offers a strategic pathway to improving food security and farm income in the semi-arid regions of Northwest China.

Maize rough dwarf disease (MRDD), caused by Fijivirus, poses a significant threat to global maize production.  Using a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from the resistant parent CML199 and the susceptible parent Zheng58, we identified three MRDD resistance QTLs on chromosomes 2, 6, and 9, accounting for 12.71, 5.89, and 11.04% of the total phenotypic variation, respectively.  Among them, the major locus qMrdd3 on chromosome 2 demonstrated incomplete dominance, conferring a resistance enhancement of 26.36–34.47% across diverse environments.  Fine-mapping refined qMrdd3 to a 227.7-kb interval containing five candidate genes, among which Zm00001d002441 was specifically upregulated in the resistant near-isogenic line (NIL-R) following RBSDV infection.  Additionally, two co-segregating markers were developed to facilitate efficient marker-assisted selection.  Introgression of qMrdd3 into Zheng58 and Chang7-2 enhanced field resistance by 38.84 and 26.47%, respectively.  This study provides a valuable genetic resource for MRDD resistance breeding through QTL dissection, elite germplasm development, and marker-assisted breeding.

The bread-making quality of wheat is significantly influenced by both sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) fertilizers when soil S deficiency occurs.  However, it is not clear whether the end-use quality of bread wheat can be improved by the application of S fertilizer in the absence of soil S deficiency.  In this study, two bread wheat cultivars, Gaoyou 5766 and Zhouyuan 9369, were subjected to three N rates (100, 200, and 300 kg N ha^-1) and two S rates (0 and 67.5 kg S ha^-1).  The effects of the N and S fertilizers on the grain N and S concentrations, grain N/S ratio, grain protein concentration (GPC), grain protein composition, glutenin polymerization degree, and quality traits were investigated.  The results showed that the responses of the two cultivars to the application of S fertilizer in the GPC, the grain N/S ratio, and the ratio of high molecular weight glutenin subunit to low molecular weight glutenin subunit were similar under each N input level.  However, the effects of S fertilizer on the ratio of glutenin to gliadin (Glu/Gli ratio), the glutenin polymerization degree, the dough rheological properties, and the bread-making quality varied with the N input level in the absence of soil S deficiency.  At the N rate of 100 kg N ha^-1 without S input, the grain N/S ratios were below 12.2:1; application of S fertilizer resulted in a decreased Glu/Gli ratio and glutenin polymerization degree, lower dough strength, and decreased end-use quality.  At the N rate of 200 kg N ha^-1 without S input, the grain N/S ratios were in the range 13.7:1–15.9:1, and application of S led to an increased Glu/Gli ratio and glutenin polymerization degree.  As a result, the dough strength increased but the dough extensibility decreased, the end-use quality was maintained.  At the N rate of 300 kg N ha^-1 without S input, the grain N/S ratios were higher than 15.9:1, and application of S resulted in an increased Glu/Gli ratio and glutenin polymerization degree, thereby increasing the dough strength and end-use quality.  As shown by correlation analysis, the bread-making quality of wheat was closely associated with the Glu/Gli ratio and the polymerization degree of glutenin as modified by N and S fertilizers.  In conclusion, the combination of N and S exerted effects on wheat bread-making quality by changing the relative abundance of specific S-rich and S-poor proteins.  When there is no S deficiency in the soil, application of S fertilizer favors improvement in the bread-making quality of wheat only when the N/S ratio in grains is close to, or higher than, 16:1.

The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella represents a worldwide threat to Brassicaceae crops and has developed substantial resistance to conventional insecticides. Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) have emerged as environmentally sustainable alternatives to chemical insecticides. Since insect immunity constitutes the primary defense against fungal pathogens, understanding these mechanisms could advance biocontrol strategies. Nevertheless, research on the immune functions of galectins in insects remains limited. This study identifies a Galectin-4 homolog in P. xylostella (PxGalectin-4) and systematically examines its immunological functions against an EPF Isaria cicadae infection. The open reading frame of PxGalectin-4 encoded 338 amino acids with a carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD). PxGalectin-4 expression exhibited peak levels in late-instar larval stages and fat body, and increased significantly following I. cicadae challenge. Functional characterization demonstrated that recombinant PxGalectin-4 (rPxGalectin-4) directly bound cells and cell wall components of microbes, and displayed Ca²⁺-dependent microbial agglutination. Additionally, rPxGalectin-4 enhanced hemocyte-mediated immune responses by promoting nodulation and encapsulation, and increased phenoloxidase activity of hemolymph. Knockdown of PxGalectin-4 significantly increased the susceptibility of P. xylostella larvae to I. cicadae infection. In conclusion, PxGalectin-4 serves a vital immune function in P. xylostella defense against I.cicadae, and presents a potential target for novel pest control strategies.

Grape white rot is a fungal disease caused by Coniella diplodiella (Speg.) Sacc. (C. diplodiella) that seriously affects fruit quality and yield; however, the underlying mechanism governing the plant response to C. diplodiella pathogens is still poorly understood. Here, we characterized a homeodomain (HD) transcription factor from grape (Vitis vinifera), VvOCP3, and demonstrated its significance in C. diplodiella resistance. Expression analysis showed that VvOCP3 expression was significantly down-regulated upon inoculation with C. diplodiella. Functional analysis with transient injection in grape berries and stable overexpression in grape calli demonstrated that VvOCP3 negatively regulates grape resistance to C. diplodiella. Further studies showed that VvOCP3 directly binds to the promoter of VvPR1 (pathogenesis-related protein 1) and inhibits its expression, resulting in reduced resistance to C. diplodiella. In addition, VvOCP3 can interact with the type 2C protein phosphatase VvABI1, which is a negative modulator of the ABA signaling pathway. In summary, our findings suggest that VvOCP3 plays a crucial role in regulating white rot resistance in grape, and offer theoretical guidance for developing grape cultivars with enhanced C. diplodiella resistance by regulating the expression of VvOCP3.

Hulled oat is an important cereal crop for both animal feed and human consumption, as climate change accelerates and the world's population grows, improving oat breeding is crucial to ensure a stable food supply. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are instrumental in pinpointing single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with phenotypic variations within germplasm collections. This study assessed six crucial agronomic traits (plant height, stem length, spike length, flag leaf length, flag leaf width, and stem diameter) across five environments in 266 globally sourced hulled oat varieties, employing 34,896 SNPs for a comprehensive genetic analysis via restricted two-stage multi-locus multi-allele (RTM)- and Bayesian-information and linkage-disequilibrium iteratively nested keyway (Blink)-GWAS methodologies. Our analysis identified 54 SNP linkage disequilibrium blocks (SNPLDBs), and 52 SNPs associated with the six agronomic traits. A total of 105 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified within a ±2 Mb physical region surrounding these loci. Of these, 14 stable QTLs were consistently detected across multiple environments and by both GWAS methods. Haplotype analysis within these QTL regions identified three to five haplotype alleles, each significantly influencing the phenotypic variation of traits across different environments. Combining gene annotation, literature review, and transcriptome data, we identified 35 candidate genes involved in signal transduction, transcriptional regulation, metabolism, and cell development. These findings provide valuable genetic resources for enhancing agronomic traits and yield in oat breeding programs under diverse environmental conditions.

Black spot is a fungus disease elicited by Alternaria brassicae infection and causes devastating damage to Chinese cabbage. We explored the molecular mechanisms of Chinese cabbage’s defense responses to A. brassicae infection by comparative transcriptomic analysis. Notably, we found that the expression of BrERF109 was induced by A. brassicae infection. Silencing of BrERF109 by an optimized VIGS assay in Chinese cabbage reduced disease resistance, whereas BrERF109-overexpression in Arabidopsis enhanced disease resistance. Furthermore, silencing of BrERF109 in Chinese cabbage repressed the expression of indolic glucosinolates genes thus significantly lowered the indolic glucosinolates levels, while BrERF109-overexpression in Arabidopsis induced indolic glucosinolates accumulation. BrERF109 could directly bind the promoter of BrIGMT4, thereby promoting the indolic glucosinolates accumulation and actively defending against A. brassicae. Our study uncovered the BrERF109-BrIGMT4 regulatory module in Chinese cabbage’s defense responses to A. brassicae infection, as well as providing valuable dataset to further explore plants-A. brassicae interactions.

Flavonols have high medical value and are crucial for plant stress resistance. They are also key components of the nutritional value in onions, particularly in the edible parts. Although the flavonol biosynthetic pathway is well studied, its regulation in onions is not fully understood. This study screened flavonol biosynthesis and regulatory genes by analyzing transcriptome and metabolomics data from different developmental stages of “SA1.” Two R2R3-MYB transcription factors, AcMYB12 and AcMYB29, were identified as positive regulators of onion flavonol biosynthesis. Transcriptional activation assays showed that both could activate AcCHS, AcF3’H, and AcFLS. Yeast one-hybrid assays confirmed they directly bind to the promoters of these genes. Flavonol pathway genes expression and flavonol content in overexpressed onion callus and Arabidopsis were significantly higher than in controls, supporting the role of AcMYB29 and AcMYB12 in flavonol regulation. Instantaneous silencing tests revealed partial functional redundancy between the two. Interestingly, There were also significant differences in their ability to regulate. AcMYB12 mainly regulates flavonol accumulation, whereas AcMYB29 focuses on quercetin. We further investigated the molecular mechanisms of differential regulation, likely due to variations in cis-elements in flavonol pathway gene promoters and differences in binding activity between transcription factors and cis-elements.

The synergistic use of chemical pesticides and biological agents poses the fundamental challenge of balancing control efficacy with ecological safety. In recent years, nanotechnology has emerged as a promising strategy for improving pesticide performance while reducing pesticide residues and alleviating environmental contamination. Herein, we developed an efficient nano-pesticide based on star polycation (SPc) loaded with clothianidin, which was co-applied with a widely used parasitic wasp (Aphidius colemani) to achieve synergistic pest management. SPc at the working concentration displayed no significant impact on the eclosion or survival of parasitic wasps, whereas the oral feeding of SPc at an extremely high concentration significantly up-regulated several genes related to ribosomal protein and energy metabolism, leading to metabolic imbalance and subsequent mortality of the parasitic wasps. The SPc could load clothianidin via hydrogen bonding and Van der Waals forces, and this spontaneous complexation achieved a reduction in particle size from 6554.87 to 467.84 nm. Importantly, the clothianidin/SPc complex exhibited a 16–28% increase in insecticidal activity against green peach aphids (Myzus persicae), while showing minimal adverse impacts on the eclosion and parasitism of parasitic wasps. Finally, co-application of the clothianidin/SPc complex with parasitic wasps achieved up to 80% mortality in green peach aphids, with the promising advantages of rapid pest suppression and sustainable control. This study proposes a synergetic pest management strategy based on nano-pesticides and natural enemies, which is beneficial for maintaining long-term agricultural ecological balance.

Soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) is a crucial source of high-quality protein and oil, indispensable for human consumption and animal feed.  The increasing global demand for soybeans has rendered the enhancement of its productivity and quality a paramount goal.  Sugar Will Eventually Be Exported Transporter (SWEET) proteins are crucial for seed size and quality.  This study examined the role of GmSWEET20 to elucidate its expression pattern, function, regulatory mechanisms, and haplotypes.  Our results demonstrated that GmSWEET20 is situated in the plasma membrane and is predominantly expressed in leaves and developing seeds.  Overexpression of GmSWEET20 increased the seed number per plant, total yield, and crude protein content.  This contrasts with GmSWEET10a/10b, which simultaneously increased seed size and oil content.  These findings highlight the functional diversity of the GmSWEETs family in regulating yield and quality.  This research offers novel concepts and theoretical support for high-yield soybean breeding methodologies.

The development of novel stimuli-responsive pesticide delivery systems is a highly effective strategy for improving pesticide utilization efficiency while minimizing environmental risks. A pH-, glutathione-, and chitinase-responsive pesticide delivery system was designed by conjugating chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) with biodegradable disulfide bond-bridged mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MONs) loaded with pyraclostrobin (PYR@MONs-COS). The loading capacity of PYR in the nanoparticles was approximately 13.6%. The covalent attachment of COS to the modified MONs could effectively protect the active ingredient from photodegradation and prevent premature release of PYR. During the infection process, physiological and biochemical changes at the infection site, including reduced pH values, increased glutathione levels, and enhanced chitinase activity, facilitated the rapid degradation of disulfide bonds and COS in PYR@MONs-COS, resulting in the rapid release of PYR. Furthermore, PYR@MONs-COS significantly enhanced the foliar penetration of PYR, improved the adhesion of pesticide droplets, and stimulated callose deposition in rice leaves, thus strengthening the immunity of rice plants. In antifungal activity assays, PYR@MONs-COS exhibited superior efficacy and longer effective duration against Magnaporthe oryzae compared to PYR microcapsules in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. The phytotoxicity assessment indicated that PYR@MONs-COS was safe for rice plants. More importantly, PYR@MONs-COS demonstrated a 7.3-fold reduction in acute toxicity to zebrafish compared to PYR technical. Therefore, the triple-stimuli pesticide delivery system has great potential for rice disease management and provides a promising pathway for the development of sustainable agriculture.

Fungi play crucial roles in nutrient acquisition, plant growth promotion, and the enhancement of resistance to both abiotic and biotic stresses. However, studies on the fungal communities associated with peas (Pisum sativum L.) remain limited. In this study, we systematically investigated the ecological effects of host niches (soil, root, stem, leaf, and pod) and genotypes on the diversity and composition of fungal communities in peas using a multi-level approach that encompassed pattern recognition (β-diversity decomposition), mechanism validation (neutral community model testing), and dynamic tracking methods (migration pathway source-tracking). The results revealed that the dominant fungal phyla across niches and genotypes were Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mortierellomycota, and the community structures of the soil-plant continuum were primarily determined by the pea niches rather than genotypes. β-diversity decomposition was largely attributed to species replacement rather than richness differences, indicating strong niche specificity and microbial replacement across microhabitats. Neutral model analysis revealed that stochastic processes influenced genotype-associated communities, while deterministic processes played a dominant role in niche-based community assembly. Source-tracking analysis identified niche-to-niche fungal migration, with Erysiphe, Fusarium, Cephaliophora, Ascobolus, Alternaria, and Aspergillus as the key genera. Migration rates from exogenous to endogenous niches were low (1.3–61.5%), whereas those within exogenous (64.4–83.7%) or endogenous (73.9–96.4%) compartments were much higher, suggesting that the pea epidermis acts as a selective barrier that filters and enriches microbial communities prior to internal colonization. This study provides comprehensive insights into the mechanisms of host filtering, enrichment and microbial sourcing, which increases our understanding of the assembly rules of the pea-associated fungal microbiome.

Improved yield potential is the goal of barley domestication and cultivation.  During this process, two-rowed and six-rowed barley types emerged and have been utilised in breeding and production.  The six-rowed type could produce three times as many grains as its ancestral two-rowed forms, thus dominating barley cultivation for thousands of years. The deficiens form of the two-rowed type, characterised by extremely suppressed lateral spikelets, has gained dominance over the past few decades in barley-growing regions worldwide.  We hypothesised that the absence of lateral spikelets in deficiens barley affects spike architecture and spike-related traits, contributing to its superior yield potential of deficiens barley cultivation.  Currently, a deficiens barley variety, RGT Planet, is the most popular barley variety in the world.  In this study, we used two F₂ populations derived from crossing RGT Planet with two canonical two-rowed barley and identified the functional allele Vrs1.t1 associated with deficiens morphology. We observed that the Vrs1.t1 allele may contribute to high yield potential by optimising spike architecture through increased spikelet length, grain number, and grain size.  Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the deficiens mutation was likely present from the early stages of barley cultivation in the Fertile Crescent and spread to Ethiopia and beyond with agricultural expansion. We conclude that the ancient deficiens allele Vrs1.t1 has been a critical driver for the recent success of modern barley improvement by optimising spike architecture.

Protein content (PC) in maize kernels is a key determinant of their nutritional quality, however, its genetic basis remains largely unexplored.  In this study, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using 264 maize inbred lines and 1.25 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), applying six GWAS models: BLINK, FarmCPU, MLM, MLMM, SUPER, and 3VmrMLM. Kernel PC exhibited substantial variation, ranging from 9.26 to 20.94%, with a broad-sense heritability of 0.56.  A total of 473 significant quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) were detected, each explaining 0.08 to 7.10% of the phenotypic variance.  Among them, 115 QTNs were consistently detected across different models, environments and analytical methods.  Notably, 3VmrMLM model identified 59 most significant QTNs, with 38 were QEIs, and the MLM model identified the fewest significant QTNs (8).  We further identified 35 candidate genes located within or adjacent to the significant QTNs.  Among these, four genes - Zm00001d033805, Zm00001d037565, Zm00001d052164 and Zm00001d031535 - were strongly associated with PC.  These genes are implicated in critical biological pathways, including nitrogen metabolism, photosynthesis, and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle.  Notably, Zm00001d037565, encoding a gibberellin 2-oxidase, plays a role in seed development and is likely involved in regulating protein accumulation in kernels.  Haplotype analysis revealed that the HapA of Zm00001d037565 is significantly associated with higher PC.  Selective sweep analysis indicated that this gene underwent selection during maize domestication from teosinte (Zea mays ssp. mexicana and Zea mays ssp. parviglumis), its adaptation from tropical/subtropical to temperate regions, and throughout modern breeding programs.  Overall, this study advances our understanding of the genetic architecture of maize kernel PC and provides valuable candidate genes and haplotypes for marker-assisted selection, offering new targets for developing high-protein maize varieties.

Despite the essential role of micronutrients in plant metabolic processes and the carbon cycle, the mechanisms by which micronutrients regulate plant community traits remain poorly understood. Here, we used a long-term experiment to explore the potential mechanisms of plant community micronutrients and traits along a precipitation gradient. Our results showed that plants shifted toward lateral growth and asexual reproduction over time. From 1985 to 2022, the plant community Fe content increased by 18.8% in the north but declined by 25.2% in the south. Furthermore, plant community growth and reproduction were sensitive to both micronutrient contents and uptake efficiencies in the north. While plant community Mn and Zn contents enhanced growth longitudinally, Zn and Fe uptake efficiencies hindered sexual reproduction. Furthermore, soil moisture and GDP per capita were the key drivers of micronutrient variation in the north and south, respectively. Precipitation fluctuations primarily regulated community traits across all sites. In the arid site, micronutrient-driven shifts in reproduction stabilized the soil carbon stock by balancing biomass allocation. These findings can help us to better understand the coupling of plant micronutrients, traits, and soil carbon stocks, thereby providing the basis for a scientific grassland conservation strategy under global change scenarios.

Microplastic accumulation after film mulching affects nutrients cycling in the soil-crop system.  Bulk soil (BS) and rhizosphere soil (RS) have two different community compositions which lead to their different microbial nutrient acquisition abilities. Microplastics influence the rhizosphere effect. However, the mechanism by which microplastic accumulation affects the net photosynthetic rate (NPR) through rhizospheric microbial communities remains unknown. This study aimed to identify the mechanisms underlying the effects of polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics at 0, 1, and 5% (w/w) on the NPR in the wheat-soil ecosystem using a pot experiment. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was reduced by 15.35–36.7%, and that of peroxidase (POD) was increased by 32.47–61.93%, causing reductions in NPR (17.94–23.81%) in the PE5% and PVC (1 and 5%) (w/w) treatments compared with the control. The Chao1, Shannon, and Simpson indices of the bacterial and fungal diversities were lower in BS than in RS at PE1% and PVC5% (w/w), respectively. The bacterial and fungal network complexities were reduced and increased, respectively, owing to alterations in the bacterial and fungal community compositions and structures for wheat growth. The Mantel test showed that the bacterial and fungal diversity indices in BS had positive correlations with Olsen-P and phosphatase; however, those in RS were positively correlated with NO₃^- and β-1,4-glucosidase. The structural equation model indicated that wheat enzymatic and soil hydrolytic activities negatively affected NPR. Wheat has a profound antioxidant defense strategy for PE and PVC microplastic stress, which produces a synergistic effect of POD by protecting organelles and reducing tissue damage to preserve the NPR.

Estimating wheat yield is crucial for the quality of life and food security of a nation, particularly when crops face lodging stress, which severely hinders photosynthesis and maturation, resulting in yield loss.  Rapid and accurate yield estimation is essential for disaster assessment and subsequent agricultural management.  This study utilizes spectral, structural, and temperature data to comprehensively analyze the differential performance of multi-source data under two scenarios, selecting parameters that effectively represent yield differences under stress conditions.  It also explores how the introduction of a specific parameter (the lodging index) affects the prediction accuracy of six wheat yield estimation models: eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), Ridge Regression (RR), Random Forest Regression (RFR), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Support Vector Regression (SVR), and Stacking Ensemble Learning (SEL).  Compared with traditional models, the SEL model had the highest average prediction accuracy at 3 days after lodging (R⊃2;=0.64), 12 days after lodging (R⊃2;=0.70), and with combined multi-temporal features (R⊃2;=0.73).  With the introduction of the lodging index, the prediction accuracy of all models improved to different degrees, and the SEL model showing an average R⊃2; increase of 8.19, 5.09, and 6.17%, respectively.  Combined with the transfer learning methods such as transfer component analysis (TCA), joint distribution adaptation (JDA), and balanced distribution adaptation (BDA), the model maintained stable accuracy even with only 4% of the target dataset supplemented, achieving a high transfer prediction performance (R⊃2;=0.81).  By optimizing the dataset under lodging stress scenarios and integrating ensemble learning and transfer learning techniques, the accuracy, stability, and transferability of wheat yield estimation models under lodging stress were effectively improved, providing a reference for wheat disaster assessment and the formulation of remedial measures.

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

Although bagging-produced flat peaches are increasingly favored by consumers, this process suppresses anthocyanin production and fruit coloring in most peach cultivars. Several peach cultivars, including 'Zhongyoupan 9,' which has experienced rapid cultivation expansion, exhibit a light-independent anthocyanin biosynthesis pattern and can accumulate anthocyanins under artificial darkness. However, the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. We studied two types of flat peaches, namely, 'Zhongpan 17', with light-dependent anthocyanin biosynthesis pattern, and 'Zhongyoupan 9', with light-independent anthocyanin biosynthesis pattern. The anthocyanin content in the pericarp of 'Zhongyoupan 9' was significantly higher than that of 'Zhongpan 17.' Metabolomics revealed that the significant increase in anthocyanins (specifically cyanidin-3-O-glucoside) was the direct cause of the coloration of ‘Zhongyoupan 9’ under artificial darkness. Transcriptomic analyses revealed that PpHY5 (long hypocotyl 5) was upregulated in 'Zhongyoupan 9' and downregulated in 'Zhongpan17' and its expression profile was positively associated with color changes in both varieties. The function of PpHY5 in positively modulating anthocyanin biosynthesis was demonstrated by the decrease in anthocyanin concentration in peach fruit transfected with a PpHY5 virus-induced gene-silencing construct. These results indicate that the PpHY5 gene may modulate red color change in ‘Zhongyoupan 9’ under artificial darkness.

新兴的基因编辑技术CRISPR/Cas9推动了功能基因组学研究和作物遗传改良进程。然而，在转化及后续突变体鉴定过程中，转基因植株的筛选工作通常效率较低且费时费力。本研究开发了一种高效的可视化标记系统——可视化大豆编辑系统（VSES：Visual Soybean Editing System）。该系统通过将Cas9表达载体与一个由组成型启动子驱动的DsRed2标记表达盒相整合，从而能够直观地筛选转基因大豆植株。VSES系统具有三个显著优势：1）增强DsRed2表达使携带Cas9的种子在自然光下即可通过种皮颜色实现裸眼可视；2）在苗期即可通过茎叶颜色快速区分转基因植株；3）将荧光标记表达盒与基因编辑载体整合，经测序验证不影响CRISPR/Cas9系统的基因编辑效率。该系统解决了传统筛选方法效率低和耗时长的技术瓶颈，为大豆基因编辑研究提供了便捷的技术支撑。

Optimal flowering time is crucial for maximizing maize (Zea mays ssp. mays) yield.  Here, we performed a genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) on days to anthesis (DTA) and days to silk (DTS) in a maize natural variation population across three environments over two years.  A major quantitative trait locus, S9_120534257, was consistently identified in two phenotypic datasets for DTA and DTS, with the candidate gene ZmFRKH1 encoding a K-homologous (KH) domain RNA-binding protein.  Knockout of ZmFRKH1 gene significantly delayed maize flowering. Further analysis revealed that ZmFRKH1 protein binds to the mRNAs of multiple flowering regulators, influencing their stability.  Allelic variation analysis identified a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the ZmFRKH1 promoter, which significantly impacts the promoter activity and has significant effect on flowering time.  Analysis of domestication signatures showed this SNP was selectively fixed during the teosinte-to-maize domestication process, with the early-flowering haplotype contributing to the adaptation of maize from tropical to temperate regions.  These findings provide a novel gene resource for optimizing maize flowering time through molecular breeding.

Phenotypic plasticity is a crucial adaptive strategy that allows organisms to respond to environmental changes. Many aphids have evolved mutualistic relationships with ants, whereby aphids provide honeydew in exchange for protection from natural enemies. Such ant-aphid mutualisms are often facultative and aphid colonies must often cope without ants. We show here that attendance by red imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta, alters the within-plant distribution of cotton aphids (Aphis gossypii), resulting in fewer aphids on leaves and more on the stem, petioles, and sprouts (SPS) of cotton seedlings compared to colonies without ant attendance. The nitrogen contents in stems and sprouts were higher than in leaves, which may be a reason for the significantly higher population growth in ant-tended colonies. In contrast, exposure to the signals of a predatory ladybug, Coccinella septempunctata, resulted in a remarkably smaller aphid colony size, with lower proportions of aphids distributed on SPS, but a higher proportion on the leaves, compared to those in the predator-free colonies. In addition, ladybug predation risk is considerably higher on SPS than on leaves, and aphids showed rapid positional shifts from stems to leaves upon direct exposure to a ladybug, highlighting their ability to respond swiftly to predator presence. Our findings reveal adaptive plasticity in aphid distribution patterns which enable aphid colonies to optimize their fitness by responding to the presence of mutualistic ants or predatory threats with flexibility.

Hybrid rice generally showed higher grain yield than inbred rice, but its overall performance is largely affected by lodging and lower grain quality.  Limited attention has been given to exploring genotypic variation and varietal traits for achieving high yield, superior quality, and strong lodging resistance simultaneously in both inbred and hybrid rice.  To address this gap, field experiments with five representative rice varieties from each rice type were conducted in central China in 2020 and 2021.  The results showed that the average yield of hybrid rice in 2020 and 2021 was 8.01 and 8.63 t ha^-1, representing a significant increase of 10.3 and 13.4% compared to inbred rice, respectively.  Importantly, hybrid rice showed comparable grain quality and lodging resistance to inbred rice.  Substantial genotypic variation was observed among the varieties for yield, grain quality, and lodging-related traits.  Efengsimiao (inbred) and Jinliangyou 534 (hybrid) showed the most balanced and superior agronomic performance within each variety type.  Key traits associated with the integration of high yield, superior quality, and strong lodging resistance included high spikelets per unit area, low grain length-width ratio, and short basal internode.  These findings highlighted the potential for selecting and breeding rice varieties that optimized multiple desirable traits, offering a promising strategy to meet growing food demands in both quantity and quality.

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) predominantly regulate gene expression at both the transcription and post-transcriptional levels through multiple mechanisms such as alternative RNA splicing and alternative polyadenylation. Increasing evidence indicates that RBPs are crucial regulators of myogenesis, providing a foundation for understanding the development and growth of skeletal muscle. However, the role of RBPs in regulating meat production traits in livestock remains underexplored, despite its potential benefits to the meat industry. In this review, we summarize the fundamental characteristics of RBPs, along with their functions and regulatory mechanisms in skeletal myogenesis. We also highlight the potential of RBPs on meat production traits, focusing on lean meat yield and myofiber composition in livestock. Our aim is to deepen the understanding of how RBPs govern skeletal muscle development, contributing to the improvement of meat production traits in livestock.

Piperazine is a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound that is commonly used as an intermediate linking group in the structural derivation of compounds. Heterocyclic drugs containing piperazine have many commercial uses in medicine and are also used in pesticides. For example, the piperazine ring is a key structural element of the systemic fungicide Triforine. Piperazine is an attractive option because of its low acute toxicity to mammals, and it has become one of the hotspots of heterocyclic pesticide research in recent years. The pesticidal activity and mechanism of piperazine derivatives have been studied extensively. Herein, a comprehensive review of the research on the pesticidal bioactivity and mechanism of action of piperazine derivatives from 1971 to 2025 is presented. The agriculturally relevant antifungal, insecticidal, anti-plant virus, herbicidal, acaricidal, and antibacterial activities are discussed and the molecular mechanism of action of related piperazine derivatives is summarized. In addition, we also propose the future derivation direction of piperazine structures and look forward to the development of the anti-plant virus and anti-bacterial action mechanisms.

Plant pathogenic fungi release cell wall degrading enzymes (CWDEs), which are significant weapons for breaking down plant cell walls, although only a few reports focus on their pathogenesis. The current study demonstrates that MoFco1, a conserved α-L-fucosidase in several pathogenic fungi, degrades the hemicellulose component XXFG and contributes to the pathogenicity of Magnaporthe oryzae. In addition, MoFco1 enzyme activity is essential for its pathogenic function, as the enzyme activity mutation induced pathogenesis defects identical to the ΔMofco1 mutant. We further performed a structure-based virtual screening targeting MoFco1 and discovered 0989, which binds to MoFco1 and effectively inhibits M. oryzae pathogenesis. In brief, our study revealed the pathogenic mechanism of α-L-fucosidase and explored the application of structure-based virtual screening in plant protection.

Soil organic matter (SOM) monitoring using remote sensing is critical for effective land resource management and environmental protection. Mapping SOM in areas where saline and black soils are intertwined, with complex soil types and significant environmental variability, remains a challenging task. This study integrated prior knowledge and classified Jilin Province, China, into saline-alkali and black soil areas. All available Sentinel-2 images from 2019 to 2023 during the bare soil period (April to July) were collected, and the images were categorized into three time windows: Day of Year (DOY) 90-120, DOY 120-150, and DOY 150-180. The potentials of these time windows, spectral indices (salinity index and vegetation moisture index), environmental variables (topography and climate), and local regression models for SOM mapping in the saline-black soil transition areas were then systematically evaluated. The results revealed four key findings: (1) the optimal time window for SOM mapping in both the saline-alkali area and black soil area was DOY 90-120; (2) including the salinity index improved SOM mapping accuracy in the saline-alkali area but reduced it in the black soil area, whereas the vegetation moisture index enhanced accuracy in both areas; (3) incorporating environmental variables improved the SOM mapping accuracy in all areas, with topographic variables being more influential in the black soil area and climatic variables being more significant in the saline-alkali area; and (4) local regression models based on the saline-alkali area and black soil area outperformed the global regression model in terms of SOM mapping accuracy, although they exhibited higher uncertainty. This study demonstrates that the integration of prior knowledge and multi-temporal remote sensing images significantly enhance SOM mapping accuracy in areas where saline and black soils intersect, thus providing a scientific foundation for the precise management and protection of areas with different soil types.

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) causes paratuberculosis (pTB) in ruminants and may be linked to Crohn's disease in humans. Despite extensive MAP genomic data from various animals worldwide, there is a significant lack of such data and understanding of MAP pathogenicity in China. This study used whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and pathogenicity analysis in mice to examine virulence differences among six MAP field strains (designated NM10, LN219, HLJ37, HLJ160, XJ41, and XJ121) isolated from cattle and sheep in various regions of China affected by pTB. The WGS and pan-genome analysis revealed close genomic relatedness among the six MAP strains. However, strains LN219 and NM10 exhibited two and three hypervirulence factors, respectively, while the other four isolated strains each contained only one hypervirulence factor within their specific genomes. Moreover, AlphaFold predictions indicated that the nine amino acid deletions identified in the anti-anti-σ factor of strains LN219 and NM10 led to the lowest binding affinity in the anti-anti-σ factor_anti-σ factor complexes, relative to the other four Chinese strains and the K-10 strain. In addition, bacterial phenotype analyses and in vivo animal experiments have shown that the pathogenicity and virulence of the LN219 and NM10 strains were significantly elevated compared to the other four isolated strains. These factors may partially account for the differences in virulence observed among MAP strains circulating in China. Furthermore, identifying the genes in this bacterium that are associated with critical disease phenotypes can enable targeted functional experiments on these genes, thereby improving control strategies for pTB.

Dendrobium officinale is an orchid herb known for its ability to withstand long periods of drought. The high drought tolerance exhibited by D. officinale can be attributed to its structural and compositional characteristics, including thick leaves and stems rich in polysaccharides and other colloidal substances. However, in spite of these adaptations, the molecular mechanisms contributing to increased drought tolerance remain largely unknown. In this study, we restricted water from D. officinale for one to six months, and performed physiological and RNA sequencing analyses to determine how it responds to long-term dehydration and which genes may protect it against drought. After six months of dehydration D. officinale was still viable as evidenced by its rapid growth after just two days of rehydration. Transcriptome analysis on D. officinale plants subjected to one-month dehydration revealed changes in the expression of genes involved in various processes with the most prominent being stress responses, photosynthesis, phytohormone signaling, carbon metabolism, and fructose/mannose pathways. Among those genes, PEROXIDASE 4 (POD4) and NAC37 were highly upregulated and were selected to examine further their roles in protecting plants against drought. Transgenic tomato plants overexpressing D. officinale’s POD4 and NAC37 genes proved to be more tolerant to drought than control plants, as they were more vigorous, bore more fruits, maintained higher respiration rates and chlorophyll levels, and experienced less oxidative damage. Overall, our work highlights the potential of exploiting underutilized species for selecting genes that confer drought tolerance to crops and identifies POD4 and NAC37 as promising genes for improving drought tolerance via breeding.

Ensuring an adequate and nutritious food supply for the global population is a significant challenge in agricultural production practice.  Water and fertilizer are the main limiting factors in improving crop yield and quality.  However, organic fertilizer substitution with partial chemical nitrogen combined with irrigation reduction can increase maize yield and quality, through improvements in photo-physiological traits and nitrogen transportation, remains unclear.  A split plot field experiment of maize was established in an arid area of northwestern China from 2021 to 2023.  Two irrigation levels formed the main plot, local conventional irrigation (I2, 4,050 m³ ha⁻¹) and reduced by 20% (I1, 3,240 m³ ha⁻¹).  Five equivalent nitrogen substitution ratios of chemical nitrogen with organic fertilizers formed split plot, including sole chemical nitrogen fertilizer (F1), organic fertilizer substituting at 25% (F2), 50% (F3), 75% (F4), and 100% (F5) of chemical nitrogen fertilizer.  Discussing the effect of maize yield, quality, photo-physiological traits, and nitrogen transportation with combining organic and chemical nitrogen fertilizers under reduced irrigation.  The results showed that reduced irrigation decreased maize yield and quality.  However, organic fertilizer substitution at 25% of chemical nitrogen increased maize yield and quality, with this effect greater than other equivalent nitrogen substitution ratios of chemical fertilizer with organic fertilizer.  Reduced by 20% irrigation combined with organic fertilizer substitution at 25% of chemical nitrogen (I1F2) increased maize grain yield and biomass by 13.0 and 8.9% compared to local conventional irrigation and sole chemical nitrogen fertilizer (I2F1).  Meanwhile, I1F2 improved grain protein by 10.0%, enhanced amino acid and vitamin B contents by 60.4 and 30.6%, and raised straw crude fat and crude protein contents by 23.1 and 5.6% compared to I2F1 in maize, respectively.  The reason for improving maize yield and quality with I1F2 was attributed to (1) improving leaf area index and leaf area duration at the R2−R4 stage by 6.2 and 4.1%, increasing net photosynthetic rate by 43.8%, and enhancing the activities of pyruvate phosphate dikinase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, and Rubisco activities by 9.8, 9.7, and 10.5%, respectively; (2) promoting nitrogen uptake and nitrogen accumulation after the R1 stage by 5.6 and 5.4% while maintaining nitrogen transportation quantity before the R1 stage.  Therefore, reduced irrigation by 20% combined with organic fertilizer substitution at 25% of chemical nitrogen can improve maize yield and quality via improving photo-physiological traits and nitrogen transportation in arid irrigation areas.

The decrease in global solar radiation and population light competition due to continuously increasing planting density pose a considerable risk to maize yields.  It is imperative to understand why certain hybrids, which are well-adapted to low-light conditions, can still realize high yields despite these conditions. In this study, we investigated the effects of different light levels (CK, nature light; S, 30% of nature light) and planting densities (D1, 7.5×10⁴ plants ha^-1; D2, 12×10⁴ plants ha^-1) on the yield and radiation utilization of 14 maize hybrids, on field experiments conducted at Qitai Farm, Xinjiang in 2020 and 2021.  The results showed that when classifying all hybrids based on their average yields under both CK and S treatments, the hybrids were mainly distributed in type I (high yields under both CK and S treatments) and type III (low yields under both CK and S treatments).  The yield of type I hybrids was 20.8% higher than that of type III hybrids.  As solar radiation decreased, the yields of type I and type III hybrids decreased by 23.0 and 29.4%, respectively.  The low light tolerance index of type I hybrids was 37.4% higher than that of type III hybrids.  The higher yield of type I hybrids can be attributed to their higher pre-silking dry weight, post-silking dry weight, leaf area duration, photosynthetic rate, and radiation use efficiency, which exceeded those of type III hybrids by 8.3, 9.1, 15.3, 12.7, and 18.2%, respectively.  Therefore, our findings emphasized that maintaining high photosynthetic performance under low light conditions, improving radiation use efficiency, and increasing post-silking biomass accumulation can effectively mitigate the yield penalties caused by decreased solar radiation.

Porcine Contagious Pleuropneumonia (PCP) is an important bacterial infectious disease caused by Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (A. pleuropneumoniae), which has caused serious economic losses to the pig industry. Early rapid diagnosis and pathogen surveillance are essential for the prevention of this disease. In this study, recombinase-aided amplification (RAA) assays with real-time fluorescence and lateral flow dipsticks (LFD) for the rapid detection of A. pleuropneumoniae were established, optimized, and evaluated based on the conserved region of the apxIVA gene. The results of the exo-probe-based RAA assay were not only determined by real-time fluorescence readout (real-time RAA) but also by a portable blue light instrument for visualization (visual RAA). The results of the nfo-probe-based RAA assay were determined by LFDs (RAA-LFD). These assays could detect all serotypes of A. pleuropneumoniae and had no cross-reaction with other common clinical pathogenic bacteria. The analytical sensitivity of the real-time RAA and RAA-LFD assays was 17.9 copies µL^-1 with a 95% confidence interval, and the analytical sensitivity of the visual RAA assay was 203.5 copies µL^-1 with a 95% confidence interval. The coincidence rate of real-time RAA assay with the qPCR assay was 97.6%, and the coincidence rate of visual RAA and RAA-LFD assays with the qPCR assay was 100% in detecting clinical samples. The RAA assays have high specificity, high sensitivity, and good diagnostic performance, which can be used as reliable diagnostic tools for the rapid detection of A. pleuropneumoniae, especially in on-site diagnostics.

Abscisic acid (ABA) plays a crucial role in regulating seed dormancy and germination, and its disruption is the primary cause of preharvest sprouting (PHS) in crops.  In this study, we generated a maize viviparous mutant, vpm, via EMS mutagenesis.  Bulked segregant analysis identified ZmCNX2 with a stop-gained mutation (c.816T>A|p.Y272*), which was confirmed as the causative gene.  Allelic validation for ZmCNX2 was performed in maize using two mutants, vpm and cnx2-1, which demonstrated that they were alleles of the ZmCNX2 locus, and its ectopic expression in Arabidopsis and wheat resulted in delayed seed germination. ZmCNX2 encodes a GTP 3’,8-cyclase catalyzing the first step in the biosynthesis of molybdenum cofactor (MoCo), which accompanies the aldehyde oxidase (AO3) to catalyze the last step in ABA biosynthesis.  In the vpm mutant, AO3 was downregulated, and there was a significant reduction in ABA-related metabolites.  Further experiments revealed that ZmCNX2 interacts with ZmRPT3 and ZmO18. The interaction between ZmCNX2 and ZmRPT3 may be involved in the regulation of ABA signaling, while the interaction between ZmCNX2 and ZmO18 may affect energy metabolism.  Therefore, ZmCNX2 coordinates ABA synthesis, signal transduction, and energy metabolism, collectively contributing to the regulation of pre-harvest sprouting.