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For Selected: Download Citations EndNote Ris BibTeX Toggle Thumbnails Select Underlying mechanisms of high carbon budget surplus in low-stubble rice ratooning in Southeast China Qiaohong Fan, Jingnan Zou, Zhimin Lin, Gui Chen, Wu You, Kai Su, Wenxiong Lin DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.07.012 Online: 08 July 2025 Abstract （3）      PDF in ScienceDirect       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. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Gene mapping of a mutant mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) reveals that a gene encoding a MYB transcription factor regulates the male sterility trait Qian Wang, Jingbin Chen, Shanshan Zhu, Yaming He, Xingxing Yuan, Yun Lin, Ranran Wu, Jinyang Liu, Qiang Yan, Na Yuan, Xin Chen DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.07.011 Online: 08 July 2025 Abstract （2）      PDF in ScienceDirect       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. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Decade-long fertilization and Bradyrhizobium inoculation reconfigure soybean rhizosphere microecology through fungal community assembly and metabolic niche partitioning Wanling Wei, Mingchao Ma, Xin Jiang, Fangang Meng, Ping He, Jun Li DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.07.010 Online: 08 July 2025 Abstract （2）      PDF in ScienceDirect       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. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Novel AP-SNPs mitigate cadmium stress by regulating carbon-nitrogen metabolism and antioxidant defense system in rice Zaid Khan, Songpo Duan, Fan Xianting, Sajjad Ahmad, Chuan Jin, Chunmei Yang, Mohammad Nauman Khan, Kangkang Zhang, Hong Shen DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.07.009 Online: 08 July 2025 Abstract （3）      PDF in ScienceDirect       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. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Biochar's superior surface properties over straw contribute to soil N losses reduction and crop yield improvement Debo He, Dongni Hu, Jinbo Zhang, Zhixin Dong, Bo Zhu DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.07.008 Online: 08 July 2025 Abstract （3）      PDF in ScienceDirect       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. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Reconstructed organic rice fields: Effects on soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, their mineralization, and rice yield in Japanese Andosols Valensi Kautsar, Takamori Kanno, Kaho Sakai, Riza Kurnia Sabri, Keitaro Tawaraya, Kazunobu Toriyama, Kazuhiko Kobayashi, Weiguo Cheng DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.07.007 Online: 08 July 2025 Abstract （2）      PDF in ScienceDirect       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. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Rational nitrogen application improves photosynthetic capacity and yield by prolonging the leaf source function of drip-irrigated rice Zhiwen Song, Guodong Wang, Lei Zhao, Qingyun Tang, Xinjiang Zhang, Qifeng Wu, Yuxiang Li DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.07.006 Online: 08 July 2025 Abstract （3）      PDF in ScienceDirect       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 (Pnmax) 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 (Isat), 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 Pnmax.  (3) Structural equation modelling (SEM) further revealed that indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) directly increased Pnmax 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 Pnmax (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. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Productivity and economic benefits of winter wheat in Northwest China by optimizing irrigation and planting density Muhammad Fraz Ali, Liijuan Ma, Irsa Ejaz, Wanrui Han, Shengnan Wang, Xiang Lin, Dong Wang#Muhammad Fraz Ali, Liijuan Ma, Irsa Ejaz, Wanrui Han, Shengnan Wang, Xiang Lin, Dong Wang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.07.005 Online: 08 July 2025 Abstract （4）      PDF in ScienceDirect       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. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select qMrdd3, a major QTL conferring durable resistance to maize rough dwarf disease Qingkang Wang, Weixiao Zhang, Suining Deng, Fei Ni, Wei Xu, Qingzhi Liu, Yuqiang Diao, Yongzhong Zhang, Mingliang Xu, Baoshen Liu DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.07.004 Online: 08 July 2025 Abstract （5）      PDF in ScienceDirect       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. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Effects of sulfur fertilizer on the bread-making quality of wheat depend on the nitrogen input level Xiu Zhang, Bin Zeng, Donghai Ding, Wei Zhou, Xinglong Dai, Mingrong He DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.07.003 Online: 08 July 2025 Abstract （4）      PDF in ScienceDirect       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. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select PxGalectin-4 with single carbohydrate recognition domain involved in the immunity of Plutella xylostella against entomopathogenic fungus Isaria cicadae Yongli Zhou, Ying Lu, Yue Xing, Jian Liang, Xiangli Dang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.07.002 Online: 08 July 2025 Abstract （5）      PDF in ScienceDirect       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. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select The homeodomain transcription factor VvOCP3 negatively regulates white rot resistance in grape Zhen Zhang, Cui Chen, Changyue Jiang, Hong Lin, Yuhui Zhao, Yinshan Guo DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.07.001 Online: 08 July 2025 Abstract （4）      PDF in ScienceDirect       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. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Multi-trait genome-wide association studies reveal forage yield-related candidate genes and favorable haplotypes in hulled oats (Avena sativa) Jin Li, Xu Zhao, Jingbo Yu, Qingping Zhou, Shiyong Chen DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.06.025 Online: 25 June 2025 Abstract （12）      PDF in ScienceDirect       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. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Comparative transcriptomic analysis of Chinese cabbage's defense responses to Alternaria brassicae Qi Zeng, Qingguo Sun, Xinru Hou, Lin Chen, Ruixing Zhang, Xue Bai, Xifan Liu, Xiaowu Wang, Lugang Zhang, Baohua Li DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.06.024 Online: 25 June 2025 Abstract （6）      PDF in ScienceDirect       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. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select AcMYB12 and AcMYB29 promote onion (Allium cepa L.) flavonols biosynthesis through transcriptional regulation Qingwei Jia, Shuting Gai, Yiren Wang, Zhihui Zhang, Xiong Wu, Wenhui Wu, Yumeng Pang, Xiaonan Zhang, Lei Qin, Yong Wang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.06.023 Online: 25 June 2025 Abstract （33）      PDF in ScienceDirect       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. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Synergistic incorporation of nano-pesticides into biological control: excellent biocompatibility with parasitic wasps (Aphidius colemani) can achieve efficient aphid control Shangyuan Wu, Qinhong Jiang, Leiyang Li, Jia He, Ying Wei, Meizhen Yin, Jie Shen, Hu Li, Shuo Yan DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.06.021 Online: 20 June 2025 Abstract （10）      PDF in ScienceDirect       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. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select GmSWEET20, a sugar transporter, facilitates the simultaneous enhancement of yield and protein content in soybean Miao Wang, Lixin Zhang, Hui Jiang, Mahmoud Naser, Yanhui Sun, Peiguo Wang, Chenchen Zhou, Shan Yuan, Bingjun Jiang, Tingting Wu, Shi Sun, Tianfu Han DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.06.020 Online: 20 June 2025 Abstract （9）      PDF in ScienceDirect       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. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select An ancient super allele of the Vrs1 gene driving the recent success in modern barley improvement through optimising spike architecture Jingye Cheng, Rui Pan, Wenying Zhang, Tianhua He, Chengdao Li DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.06.017 Online: 12 June 2025 Abstract （3）      PDF in ScienceDirect       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. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Development of biodegradable triple-stimuli-responsive mesoporous organosilica nanocarriers for targeted pesticide delivery and enhanced plant immunity in rice disease management Yuchen Song, Sijin Wang, Yuehong Du, Zhenyu Li, Yumeng Yuan, Yihan Chen, Wanwan Wang, Hongqiang Dong, Zhongyang Huo, You Liang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.06.019 Online: 12 June 2025 Abstract （10）      PDF in ScienceDirect       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. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Effects of host niche and genotype on the diversity and community assembly of the fungal community in peas (Pisum sativum L.) Yu Wang, Linying Xu, Liquan Zhang, Rui Zhang, Qiong Liu, Hongquan Liu, Tao Yang, Haoqing Zhang, Tida Ge, Li Wang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.06.018 Online: 12 June 2025 Abstract （5）      PDF in ScienceDirect       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. 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