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Note: The papers published below will continue to be available from this page until they are assigned to an issue. To see an article, click its [PDF] link. To review many abstracts, check the boxes to the left of the titles you want, and click the 'Selected articles' button. To see one abstract at a time, click its [Abstract] link. Please wait a minute... For Selected: Download Citations EndNote Ris BibTeX Toggle Thumbnails Select Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses reveal the mechanism of anthocyanin metabolism in H18 pepper leaves and the function of CaDFR1 Han Wang, Dongchen Li, Congsheng Yan, Muhammad Aamir Manzoor, Qiangqiang Ding, Yan Wang, Xiujing Hong, Tingting Song, Li Jia, Haikun Jiang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.10.011 Online: 23 October 2025 Abstract （5）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Anthocyanins play a crucial role in plant growth, development, reproduction, and stress response. Additionally, anthocyanins enhance the quality of fruits and vegetables due to their antioxidant properties. While numerous previous research has been conducted on anthocyanins, limited information exists regarding their composition and the role of the anthocyanin pathway gene DFR (dihydroflavonol 4-reductase) in chili pepper leaves. In this study, we used a purple leaf pepper cultivar H18 with anthocyanins on the leaves decreasing as they grow and develop. Targeted anthocyanin metabolite assays revealed that the contents of delphinidin, malvidin, and petunidin derivatives followed the same trend as the overall anthocyanin content, with delphinidin derivatives being the predominant component of H18 pepper leaves. Transcriptome sequencing was performed on H18 leaves at four different stages. The results showed that DEGs at various stages were primarily associated with biological processes and flavonoid metabolic pathways. Through evolutionary tree and expression analysis, three candidate genes involved in DFR function were identified. Substrate catalysis assays of CaDFRs demonstrated that only CaDFR1 was active, catalyzing DHQ, DHM, and DHK. VIGS-mediated silencing of CaDFR1 resullted in a significant decrease reduction in anthocyanin levels in H18 pepper leaves and stems and along with a decreased reduction in the expression levels of other candidate functional genes in the anthocyanin metabolic pathway. This study identifies the key anthocyanin components in the leaves of H18 peppers and validates the function of CaDFR1, providing a theoretical foundation for modifying anthocyanin content in pepper plants through molecular breeding. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Sea barley: evolutionary insights and potential for crop improvement Zhengyuan Xu, Zheng Wang, Yuling Zheng, Hao Gao, Qiufang Shen, Guoping Zhang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.10.010 Online: 22 October 2025 Abstract （6）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Triticeae represents one of the most significant sources of cereal crops in Poaceae, including wheat, barley, and rye. Global annual production reaches 900 million tons, constituting 30% of total grain production. The utilization of wild relatives is crucial for enhancing crop resilience. Sea barley (Hordeum marinum Huds), a wild relative species of wheat and barley, demonstrates exceptional salt/waterlogging tolerance and other valuable traits. Moreover, it exhibits partial cross-compatibility with common wheat. Sea barley has emerged as an essential donor of elite genes for crop breeding, with potential applications both as a de novo domesticated crop and as forage cultivated in saline-alkali soils and waterlogged areas. This review synthesizes current knowledge regarding sea barley, emphasizing its origin, evolution, genome characteristics, genetic transformation, mechanisms of stress tolerance, fungal resistance, and cross-compatibility with wheat. Additionally, we identify key knowledge gaps and future research directions to enhance its utilization for crop breeding and novel crop development, aiming to transform sea barley from an underutilized wild grass into a genetic resource for climate-smart agriculture. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Novel role of VrPG1 in salt-tolerant germination of mungbean revealed by genome-wide association study Xi Zhang, Jinyang Liu , Shicong Li, Jingbin Chen, Yun Lin, Yixiang Pu, Qiang Yan, Ranran Wu, Na Yuan, Prakit Somta, Lixia Wang, Xin Chen, Xingxing Yuan DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.10.009 Online: 22 October 2025 Abstract （2）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Soil salinization severely impairs mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) seedling uniformity and productivity. In this study, genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted using a natural population of 374 mungbean accessions and 4,875,143 SNPs. By evaluating the population under two independent environments and applying two statistical models, we identified a significant SNP (Chr01_26769549) associated with relative germination traits under salt stress. Based on this locus, a Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR (KASP) marker was successfully developed for marker assisted selection. Integrated haplotype and expression analyses confirmed polygalacturonase gene VrPG1 as a key candidate gene regulating salt tolerance during seed germination. Two haplotypes of VrPG1 (Hap1/Hap2) were identified, with a mutation in the Hap1 promoter region enhancing its transcriptional activity. Overexpression of VrPG1 in Arabidopsis thaliana significantly increased germination rates under salt stress by promoting endosperm cell wall softening. Salt-tolerant mungbean varieties exhibit higher polygalacturonase activity and earlier loosening of thin-walled cell walls during the germination period, which promotes seed imbibition and radicle emergence. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that VrPG1 enhances salt tolerance during germination through cell wall remodeling. This study provides novel genetic targets and efficient marker-assisted selection tools for breeding salt-tolerant mungbean. This study provides novel genetic targets and efficient marker-assisted selection tools for breeding salt-tolerant mungbean varieties.   Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select An approach integrating molecular markers and differential strains of Pyricularia oryzae for identifying functional major blast-resistant genes in rice Fengrui Zhang, Xue Dong, Zhiqin Lun, Jingfeng Zhang, Yuxin Zhang, Houxiang Kang, Juntao Ma, Guomin Zhang, Han Yan, Wensheng Zhao, You-Liang Peng, Jun Yang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.10.008 Online: 22 October 2025 Abstract （5）      PDF in ScienceDirect       The rapid and accurate identification of functional major blast-resistance genes represents a crucial and essential step in rice blast-resistance breeding. This study focused on five major blast-resistance genes at the Piz/Pi9 locus: Piz, Pi2, Pi9, Pizt, and Pigm. Molecular markers were developed for each gene, and one Pyricularia oryzae differential strain containing only the avirulence gene Avr-Pizt was identified through screening. This screening utilized a set of rice monogenic lines containing 24 major blast-resistance genes and a landrace Gumei 4 containing the major blast-resistance gene Pigm. Analysis of 193 rice varieties from Heilongjiang province using the molecular markers identified 42 varieties containing Pizt and 54 ones containing Piz. Subsequently, using the differential strain of Avr-Pizt, 29 varieties, including Longgeng 31, Longgeng 3013, and Longgeng 1614, were confirmed to contain functional Pizt. This research establishes an approach that combines molecular markers and P. oryzae differential strains for efficient and precise identification of functional major blast-resistance genes in rice. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Spatiotemporal sucrose accumulation drives tissue-specific anthocyanin biosynthesis under low phosphorus in maize Zu-Dong Xiao, Wang Tang, Zhen-Yuan Chen, Yi-Hsuan Lin, Xiao-Gui Liang, Xin Wang, Shou-Bing Huang, Sebastian Munz, Simone Graeff-Hönninger, Si Shen, Shun-Li Zhou DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.10.007 Online: 22 October 2025 Abstract （5）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Low phosphorus (LP) stress induces tissue-specific anthocyanin biosynthesis and sugar accumulation in plants. However, the relationship between sugar levels and phosphate (Pi) availability in regulating anthocyanin remains unclear. This study investigated the spatiotemporal patterns of sugar accumulation and anthocyanin biosynthesis in maize seedlings, and conducted experiments modifying sugar status to examine the significance of sugar accumulation for LP-induced anthocyanin biosynthesis. The results demonstrated that, under LP conditions, anthocyanin biosynthesis and sucrose accumulation were spatially and temporally coupled, with leaf sheaths exhibiting the lowest Pi content and highest sucrose and anthocyanin levels. Artificially increasing endogenous sucrose through cold-girdling promoted anthocyanin biosynthesis, whereas reducing sucrose via leaf-shading inhibited it. Analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between sucrose and anthocyanin levels. In vitro incubation of leaves and sheaths with different sugars further confirmed that sucrose accumulation was indispensable for LP-induced anthocyanin biosynthesis. Therefore, the temporal and spatial patterns of anthocyanin biosynthesis under LP are determined by both tissue Pi levels and sucrose accumulation, and anthocyanin distribution can be modulated by altering Pi and sucrose patterns. Transcriptome analysis of LP-treated leaf sheaths, with or without sucrose accumulation, suggested that PHR1 may mediate the interaction between sugar and LP signaling pathways in regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis. These insights elucidate the mechanisms governing tissue-specific anthocyanin biosynthesis under LP conditions, while providing potential targets for improving phosphorus use efficiency via anthocyanin regulation. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Cotton plant point cloud completion by collaborative segmentation and improved completion network Chunjing Si, Zhiben Yin, Liping Chen, Xiangyang Li, Mingdeng Shi, Xuping Feng, Tiecheng Bai, Yong He DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.10.006 Online: 22 October 2025 Abstract （3）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Cotton leaves are fundamental components for cotton growth and serve vital roles in photosynthesis and transpiration. The completion of point cloud data on cotton leaf morphology is critically important for examining the interaction between morphological parameters and the environment. Previous methods have shown effective performance in capturing objects with regular shapes and continuous surfaces, particularly for industrially produced 3D-modeled objects. However, these techniques demonstrate limitations in processing plants with diverse morphological structures. This study proposes PCompNet (a segmentation and improved completion network) for cotton leaf point cloud completion, reconstructing complete geometries from whole plants with diverse shapes and discontinuous surfaces through morphological part segmentation technique with deep hierarchical point-set feature learning. Additionally, a unified loss function was implemented to effectively penalize the average distance discrepancy between patch centers and their nearest neighbors in PF-Net, preventing the generated missing point clouds of cotton leaves from excessive concentration. The experimental results demonstrated that PCompNet achieved substantial reductions in Chamfer distance (CD) on the Cotton3D dataset compared to PMP-Net, GRNet, SnowfakeNet, FoldingNet, and PF-Net, with reductions of 95.46, 98.45, 97.46, 100.00, and 84.93%, respectively. Moreover, PCompNet accurately completed missing regions at different scales while maintaining the geometry of the input point cloud. Even with 75% of data missing, the CD value remained at 0.115. These results demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of PCompNet in completing point cloud data for cotton leaves, indicating its potential for applications in cotton growth and environmental studies. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Chemical fertilizer and liming-induced changes in aluminum, iron oxides and soil organic carbon fractions: implications for carbon sequestration in an upland red soil Mahmoud Abdelaziz, Zhe Shen, Dongchu Li, Lu Zhang, Dong Ai, Jun Yan, Kiya Adare Tadesse, Imtiaz Ahmed, Chu Zhang, Chunhong Wu, Jiwen Li, Huimin Zhang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.10.005 Online: 17 October 2025 Abstract （10）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Lime application represents an established approach for ameliorating soil acidity, and understanding its effects on the interactions between aluminum (Al) and iron (Fe) oxides and soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions is essential for promoting sustainable agricultural practices that enhance carbon sequestration. This investigation examined the interactions among Al and Fe oxides and SOC fractions under long-term fertilization and liming. A long-term field experiment was implemented with five treatments: CK (no fertilizer), N (nitrogen fertilizer), NCa (N plus lime), NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizer), and NPKCa (NPK plus lime). Soil samples were obtained from three depths: 0–10, 10–20, and 20–30 cm. The findings revealed that lime application increased SOC by 20.84% under the N treatment but decreased SOC by 9.97% under NPK, compared with CK. At the 0–10 cm depth, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was substantially higher under NCa (410.51 mg kg-1) and NPKCa (372.83 mg kg-1) compared with CK. Particulate organic carbon (POC) and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) demonstrated consistent enhancement under NPK and NPKCa across all soil depths compared with CK. DOC exhibited significant positive correlations with both aluminum (Ald), reactive aluminum (Alo) and aluminum (Alp), indicating a key role of organically bound and reactive Al in carbon dynamics. Compared to the CK treatment, SOC stock increased significantly by 43.49% under NPK and by 36.82% under NPKCa. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that lime application mitigated the negative effects of free Al (Ald) on carbon sequestration, while Fe oxides (Fed) contributed positively to SOC stabilization. DOC showed no significant impact on carbon sequestration rate (CSR), while easily oxidizable carbon (EOC) negatively affected CSR directly. These results highlight the crucial role of lime in improving acidic soil conditions and enhancing the stability and sequestration of soil organic carbon. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Decrease in abscisic acid (ABA) to jasmonates (JAs) (ABA/JAs) ratio in lodicules induces glume unclosing of two-line hybrid rice grains under high temperature stress during anthesis Jing Chen, Suyao Yang, Zhaoao Xu, Shenglei Jiang, Feifei Li, Huaxun Ye, Yongxin Zhang, Xiangqian Zhao, Jianchang Yang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.10.004 Online: 15 October 2025 Abstract （12）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Glume unclosing induced by high-temperature (HT) stress during anthesis negatively affects the seed production and quality of two-line hybrid rice. ABA and JAs, including jasmonic acid (JA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA), are essential hormones that mediate abiotic stress. However, the independent or synergistic mechanisms by which these hormones mediate glume unclosing remain poorly understood. Four photo-thermo-sensitive genic male sterile (PTSGMS) rice lines and their hybrids were pot-grown and subjected to HT stress during anthesis. The concentrations of ABA, JA, and MeJA in lodicules and their correlations with the rates of glume-opened (palea and lemma opened during anthesis), glume-closed (palea and lemma closed after opening), and glume-unclosed (palea and lemma failed to close after opening) spikelets were analyzed. The findings revealed that HT significantly reduced the ABA/JAs ratio in the lodicules and markedly increased the glume-unclosing rate after spikelet opening. Two-line hybrid rice with higher ABA/JAs ratios and appropriate levels of ABA and JAs in the lodicules under HT stress demonstrated lower rates of glume-unclosed spikelets. External application of 50 μmol L-1 ABA+10 μmol L-1 MeJA effectively decreased the glume-unclosing of spikelets and enhanced grain yield of two-line hybrid rice under HT stress. The results indicate that both ABA and JAs mediate glume closing of PTSGMS rice lines, and that an elevated ratio of ABA to JAs and appropriate contents of ABA and JAs contribute to reducing the glume-unclosing rate of two-line hybrid rice under HT stress. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Genomic surveillance highlights key VP4/VP7 regions, dominant genotypes, and reassortment in bovine rotaviruses among diarrheic calves in China Min Sun, Xinru Sun, Li Mao, Jinzhu Zhou, Xuehan Zhang, Xuejiao Zhu, Ran Tao, Baochao Fan, Zihao Pan, Sizhu Suolang, Bin Li DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.10.003 Online: 03 October 2025 Abstract （23）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Bovine rotaviruses (RVs) have been confirmed as the important pathogen responsible for calf diarrhea, and in some instances posing a significant threat to public health. The genetic diversity of bovine RVs with at least thirteen P and fifteen G genotypes poses challenges to establish accurate detection methods and collect convincing clinical data, emphasizing the importance of understanding the epidemiological and genomic characteristics for combatting outbreaks. In the present study, the prevalence of bovine RVs in diarrheic calves across 15 provinces in China during 2022-2023 was monitored at a rate of 21.46%, and exhibits certain levels of seasonality and geographic specificity. By a comprehensive analysis based on 62 entire VP4 (determining P genotype) and 84 entire VP7 (determining G genotype) genes, two specific regions within the VP4 and VP7 genes, ranging from 310 to 595 bp and 260 to 631 bp, respectively, were identified as more accurate targets for assessing the evolutionary mechanisms of bovine RVs. Genotyping and phylogenetic analysis based on these genomic segments revealed the complexity of bovine RVs epidemics in China, with the dominant genotypes being G6 and P[1], and other genotypes such as G10, P[5], and P[11] being widely distributed. Further analysis in strain CHN/HLJ/N3/2023/G10P[11] provided evidence of multiple-genera reassortant and ongoing evolution of rotaviruses at the whole genome level. This comprehensive research brings valuable insights into the genetic patterns of bovine RVs, and such understanding is essential for addressing the challenges posed by the diverse genotypes of bovine RVs, which can significantly contribute to effective control measures against outbreaks in bovine populations. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Identification and functional characterization of GmMACPF1 as a negative regulator of salt tolerance during germination Zhiri Xu, Yajun Zhao, Xiaoting Zhang, Jie Huang, Jie Hu, Yuanpeng Liu, Deyue Yu, Guizhen Kan DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.10.002 Online: 03 October 2025 Abstract （22）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Soybeans, a crucial grain and oil crop, are valued for their high protein and oil content.  Soil salinization presents a significant abiotic stress that negatively impacts soybean growth and development, leading to reduced yield and quality.  The germination period represents a critical phase in soybean development.  This study evaluated salt tolerance in 165 soybean mutant lines during germination, resulting in the identification of five elite salt-tolerant germplasm resources.  Multi-environment Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) identified 11 significantly associated and 44 suggestive SNPs, alongside five novel QTLs linked to salt tolerance.  Analysis of candidate regions qtl5-1 and qtl5-2 identified Glyma.05G097200 and Glyma.05G240200 as promising candidate genes, exhibiting distinct expression patterns between salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive genotypes. Functional characterization in Arabidopsis demonstrated that overexpression of the soybean gene GmMACPF1 induced salt sensitivity, while the macpf1 mutant of Arabidopsis displayed enhanced salt tolerance.  Additionally, GmMACPF1 underwent selection during soybean domestication, with haplotypes Hap1 and Hap3 conferring improved salt tolerance.  These results indicate that GmMACPF1 functions as a negative regulator of salt tolerance during germination, offering novel insights into the molecular mechanisms governing soybean response to salt stress during this crucial developmental stage. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Biochar amendment reduced microbial necromass carbon accumulation in a paddy soil profile Ruiling Ma, Suping Ji, Shuo Jiang, Dingyao Lei, Ying Cai, Xiulan Wu, Zhiwei Liu, Qi Yi, Shaopan Xia, Rongjun Bian, Xuhui Zhang, Jufeng Zheng DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.10.001 Online: 03 October 2025 Abstract （13）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Microbial necromass carbon (MNC) serves a crucial function in the formation and stabilization of soil organic carbon (SOC). Although biochar amendment is recognized as a promising approach for enhancing SOC sequestration, its impact on MNC accumulation across the paddy soil profile remains uncertain. Through a 4-year field experiment, this study examined the effect of biochar amendment on MNC accumulation across three soil layers (0–15, 15–30, and 30–45 cm) in a paddy soil profile by combining vertical soil profiling, microbial community dynamics, and biomarker analysis. The results showed that biochar amendment reduced MNC by 10.5% (0–15 cm), 7.5% (15–30 cm), and 9.6% (30–45 cm), respectively, compared to the unamended control. In the topsoil (0–15 cm), the reduction in MNC under biochar amendment was attributed to decreases in both fungal and bacterial necromass carbon (C), whereas in the subsoil (15–45 cm), it primarily resulted from the decrease in bacterial necromass C. Biochar amendment reduced MNC content by decreasing microbial biomass and increasing nitrogen (N) acquisition enzyme activities, mainly due to a shift in the microbial community toward K-strategists and intensified microbial N limitation. This study provides novel insights into the microbially-mediated SOC dynamics in response to biochar amendment. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Asymbiotic biological nitrogen fixation makes a great contribution to nitrogen balance in unfertilized alpine grasslands across the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Ke Zhang, Feng Zhang, Yaoming Li, Anna Du, Qingpu Wang, Zilong Liu, Fengcai He, Shengnan Wu, Shengmei Li, Chunhui Ma, Xianqi Zhou, Juejie Yang, Huaiying Yao, Richard D Bardgett, Shikui Dong DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.031 Online: 29 September 2025 Abstract （11）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Nitrogen limitation has been well documented in grasslands on the Qinghai- Tibet Plateau (QTP), significantly affecting predictions of plant growth and carbon sequestration potential here under future climate change scenario. Beside atmospheric deposition, asymbiotic biological nitrogen fixation (ANF) may be crucial for nitrogen input in QTP grasslands, due to the lack of artificial fertilization and legume plants. However, little is known about the ANF’s contribution to nitrogen input on the QTP. To fill this knowledge gap, we studied the composition, diversity and activity of ANF diazotrophs across the QTP grasslands by using multiple methods of transect sampling, 15N-labeling and DNA stable isotope probing (SIP), amplicon sequencing, Random Forest algorithm modelling and digital mapping. We found that Skermanella and Mesorhizobium were the most abundant diazotrophic genera. Soil pH and total phosphorus concentration were the dominant driving factors for their composition and diversity. DNA stable isotope probing with 15N2 revealed that Mesorhizobium were the most active nitrogen-fixing microorganisms. The potential N-fixation rates of these diazotrophs ranged from 0 to 18.1 kg N ha-1 yr-1, resulting in an estimated annual input of approximately 0.50 Tg N across the entire QTP’s alpine grasslands (i.e. ~25% of annual nitrogen input). The most important factor affecting the ANF rate was soil micronutrient molybdenum, a cofactor in the nitrogen-fixing nitrogenase, accounting for 24.64% of the variance. These findings suggested that ANF diazotrophs play important roles in maintaining nitrogen balance in the QTP grasslands and expand our understanding of Mesorhizobium’s ecological roles beyond traditional symbiotic interactions. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Effects of land use type on soil organic carbon in different soil types Shunjie Zhu, Liangliang Xu, Chengzhong He, Yongxing Guo, Changqun Duan, Xin Jiang, Shiyu Li, Hailong Yu DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.030 Online: 29 September 2025 Abstract （14）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics significantly influence ecosystem carbon source-sink balance, particularly in agroecosystems. However, uncertainty remains regarding optimal land use types for maximizing farmland carbon storage across different soil types, and identifying effective land management practices for enhanced carbon accumulation is essential for reducing agricultural emissions and strengthening carbon sinks. This study examined SOC variations in eastern Yunnan's subtropical highlands (2,132 sites), analyzing topsoil (0-20 cm) across five land uses (dryland, irrigated land, forestland, grassland, plantation) of five soil types (red, yellow, yellow-brown, brown, purple). The investigation explored relationships between SOC and edaphic factors (26 elements) to determine SOC influencing factors. The study area demonstrated a mean SOC content of 27.78 g kg-1, with distinct spatial heterogeneity characterized by lower values in the southwestern sector and higher concentrations in the northeastern region. Brown soils displayed the highest SOC content (P<0.05), followed by yellow-brown then red, yellow, and purple soils. Irrigation significantly enhanced SOC storage, particularly in brown soils where irrigated land contained 2.2-, 2.4-, and 1.6-times higher SOC than forestland, grassland, and dryland, respectively. Similar irrigation benefits occurred in purple, yellow, and yellow-brown soils, indicating moisture limitation as the primary SOC constraint. Notably, SOC exhibited strong positive correlations with nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), and selenium (Se). Nitrogen fertilization demonstrated dual benefits: enhancing SOC sequestration and promoting Se enrichment in crops, potentially supporting specialty agriculture. Although land use impacts on SOC varied across soil types (P>0.05), irrigation consistently emerged as the optimal management for carbon sink enhancement. These findings suggest that targeted water management could effectively reduce farmland carbon emissions in moisture-limited subtropical highlands. Strategic nitrogen application offers co-benefits for soil fertility and selenium biofortification, providing practical pathways for climate-smart agriculture in similar ecoregions. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Residual nitrogen exhibits lower stability and greater influence on wheat yield formation compared to phosphorus and potassium in drylands of the Loess Plateau1 Yufeng Wang, Zixuan Chang, Jiayu Wang, Tingliang Li, Zhiping Yang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.029 Online: 29 September 2025 Abstract （12）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Following the implementation of China's "Zero-Growth Action Plan on Fertilizers" in 2015, research has predominantly focused on replacing synthetic fertilizers with organic amendments to address over-fertilization concerns. However, insufficient attention has been given to the sustainable supply capacity of soil residual nutrients accumulated from previous over-fertilization. To investigate the transformation dynamics and supply capacity of residual nutrients during crop production, a 6-year field experiment was conducted in the dryland wheat growing region of China's Loess Plateau. Five treatments were established: farmer's fertilization (FF), regulated fertilization (RF), regulated fertilization without N (RF-N), regulated fertilization without P (RF-P), and regulated fertilization without K (RF-K). The study examined wheat yield formation, variations and stability of soil N, P, and K fractions, and their correlations with yield. Results indicated that wheat yield sensitivity to nutrient deficiency followed the sequence N>P>K. During the six-year period, the average yield under RF-N decreased by 22.0% compared to RF, showing statistical significance (P<0.05). Mineral N, light fraction organic N (LFON), and heavy fraction organic N (HFON) in RF-N showed progressive decline relative to RF and initial 2018 levels. Dissolved organic N (DON) and easily oxidizable organic N (EON) in RF-N initially decreased but subsequently increased due to N fraction transformations. Under RF-P, H2O-P, NaHCO3-P, and NaOH-P levels decreased by 40.0, 51.5, and 10.3% respectively (P<0.05) compared to the RF treatment, while HCl-P, residual P, and total P (TP) remained stable. The absence of K application (RF-K) reduced water-soluble K (WSK) by 10.9% (P<0.05), whereas exchangeable K (EK), non-exchangeable K (NEK), mineral K (MK), and total K (TK) showed no significant changes compared to the RF treatment. These findings demonstrated that the soil nitrogen pool exhibits lower stability compared to phosphorus and potassium pools during continuous residual nutrient supply. Notably, NO3-N and LFON significantly influenced spike number and kernels per spike, driving yield formation. This research advances our understanding of sustained residual nutrient supply capacity in soil and provides theoretical foundations for optimizing fertilization strategies in dryland agroecosystems. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Improved selected soil properties predictions using MIR and pXRF sensor fusion Junwei Wang, Qi Zou, Huimin Yuan DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.028 Online: 29 September 2025 Abstract （12）      PDF in ScienceDirect       The timely and accurate assessment of soil nutrient information is essential for ensuring global food security and sustainable agricultural development. This study evaluated the individual and fusion performance of mid-infrared (MIR) and portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectroscopy for predicting selected soil properties. Four sensor fusion strategies were implemented: direct concatenation (DC), feature-level fusion using stability competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (sCARS) and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithms (sCARS-C and LASSO-C), multi-block fusion via sequential orthogonal partial least squares (SO-PLS), and Granger-Ramanathan model averaging (GRA) method to enhance prediction accuracy for 13 soil properties. The findings revealed that single sensor models using either MIR or pXRF provided accurate estimations for soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (AP), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and pH, but showed limitations for total potassium (TK), magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), available potassium (AK), and total phosphorus (TP). The DC model significantly improved predictions for Mg (Rp2=0.76, RMSEp=358.76 mg kg-1, RPDp=2.03) and TK (Rp2=0.75, RMSEp=775.96 mg kg-1, RPDp=2.00). The LASSO-C model demonstrated superior prediction accuracy compared to the DC model for AP, AK, TP, Zn, Mn, and Cu, achieving optimal results for AP (Rp2=0.89, RMSEp=21.37 mg kg-1, RPDp=3.01) and Zn (Rp2=0.80, RMSEp=9.88 mg kg-1, RPDp=2.32). This enhancement is attributed to LASSO's effective selection of feature information from the complete MIR and pXRF spectra. The GRA models achieved the highest prediction accuracy for TP, pH, AK, and Cu, with Rp2 values of 0.80, 0.82, 0.82, and 0.65, RMSEp values of 129.21 mg kg-1, 0.13, 48.38 mg kg-1, and 3.87 mg kg-1, and RPDp values of 2.23, 2.34, 2.37, and 1.67, respectively. For single-sensor applications, MIR spectra are recommended for predicting SOM, TN, and Ca (Rp2≥0.88, RPDp≥2.87), while pXRF is more cost-effective for measuring Ca, Fe, and Mn (Rp2≥0.80, RPDp≥2.22). This research demonstrates the effectiveness of MIR and pXRF sensor fusion in enhancing soil nutrient assessment accuracy, particularly for available nutrients and micronutrients. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Stem-breaking strength affects stem lodging and BnaC04.NST1–BnaA10.COMT enhances its resistance in Brassica napus Bo Song, Yuan Guo, Wanlong Zhang, Yunyun Ma, Wenhui Liao, Yuxin Liao, Dengmao Yang, Jungang Dong, Saiqi Yang, Zijin Liu, Mingxun Chen DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.027 Online: 24 September 2025 Abstract （26）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Brassica napus represents a major oilseed crop essential for global vegetable oil production.  Stem lodging, which constitutes the primary form of lodging, significantly reduces yield and seed quality.  Nevertheless, the agronomic characteristics and molecular mechanisms underlying stem lodging remain inadequately understood.  Through a two-year field assessment of 158 B. napus accessions, this study identified stem-breaking strength as the trait most highly correlated with stem-lodging angle, establishing it as the principal predictor of stem lodging in this species.  Comparative analysis between accessions with contrasting stem-breaking strength (‘Sy28’ high, ‘Gl210’ low) demonstrated that enhanced stem-breaking strength correlates with increased xylem and interfascicular fiber areas, along with higher concentrations of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose in stems.  Transcriptome analysis of these accessions revealed stem-breaking strength associated genes involved in cambium activity; lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose biosynthesis; and transcriptional regulation of secondary cell wall formation.  This research identified the BnaC04.NST1–BnaA10.COMT pathway as a fundamental regulator of stem-breaking strength, controlling xylem and interfascicular fiber development and lignin accumulation.  These insights advance understanding of stem-breaking strength's role in lodging resistance and establish a molecular pathway for its enhancement in B. napus. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Global Evolutionary and Transmission Dynamics of Transmissible Gastroenteritis Virus, 1952–2023 Wenqiang Wang, Qilin Zhao, Zhenbang Zhu, Wei Wen, Xiangdong Li DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.026 Online: 24 September 2025 Abstract （11）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) is an enteric coronavirus that poses a significant threat to the swine industry. However, the ecology, evolutionary history, and transmission dynamics of TGEV remain poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed 67 complete TGEV genomes collected globally between 1952 and 2023, employing comparative genomics to uncover the evolutionary dynamics and spatial dissemination of TGEV. Our findings reveal that TGEV can be classified into three major genotypes: the admixed GIa lineage with intercontinental distribution, the Europe-specific GIb lineage, and the U.S.-restricted GII lineage. Recombination events were identified in the ORF1a and S gene regions of GIa strains, suggesting that these genetic changes may have contributed to the evolutionary diversification of TGEV. Notably, the S gene is under strong positive selection, with five key codons under selection pressure, suggesting that the potential host–virus evolutionary arms race accelerates TGEV adaptation and diversification. Haplotype network analysis revealed that U.S. strains exhibit the highest genetic diversity, while Chinese strains are characterized by two dominant haplotypes surrounded by multiple closely related minor haplotypes. Bayesian phylogeographic analysis further confirmed that China has played an important role in the global dissemination of TGEV and clarified its transmission routes to regions such as the United States and Vietnam. Overall, this study advances our understanding of the evolution and spread of TGEV, and may contribute to the development of more effective strategies for its prevention and control. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Systematic characterization of the N-terminal acetyltransferase gene family reveals that OsNAA30 regulates plant height and tillering in rice Yibin Wang, Haoran Wang, Lu Sun, Xiangchao Kong, Chunjing Nie, Xingjun Li, Yihan Wang, Pingli Lu DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.025 Online: 24 September 2025 Abstract （9）      PDF in ScienceDirect       N-terminal acetyltransferases (NATs) fundamentally regulate plant growth and development through protein N-terminal acetylation (NTA), a crucial post-translational modification.  Although their functional importance is recognized, systematic characterization of NATs remains unexplored in Oryza sativa.  This study identified 14 OsNAA genes distributed non-uniformly across 12 chromosomes in japonica rice.  Phylogenetic analysis combined with conserved domain studies revealed distinct evolutionary clades of OsNAT catalytic subunits with preserved structural architectures.  Analysis of promoter regions identified a prevalence of stress-responsive and growth-related cis-elements, corresponding to developmental stage-specific expression patterns throughout vegetative and reproductive phases.  Several OsNAA genes exhibited substantial transcriptional responses to cold, drought, NaCl, and heat stresses.  Furthermore, gibberellin (GA) promotes the upregulation of specific OsNAA genes during seedling development.  Collinear analysis demonstrated that segmental and singleton duplication events drive the expansion of the OsNAT family.  Functional characterization revealed that OsNAA30 localizes to the nucleus and cytoplasm, displaying canonical NatC activity in vitro.  Deletion of OsNAA30 led to reduced plant height and fewer tillers, accompanied by decreased cell elongation in the stem internodes.  OsNAA30 appears to regulate rice growth by suppressing the expression of GA catabolism genes and cell cycle regulators of plant height and tillering.  Additionally, analysis of the OsNAA30 haplotype links this gene to variations in plant height, culm length, and tiller number, indicating that the OsNAA30 locus may have influenced the local adaptation of plant architecture.  This research provides essential insights into the OsNAT gene family and establishes OsNAA30 as a valuable genetic target for molecular breeding in rice. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Integrated transcriptome and hormone reveals transgenerational effects of drought priming in enhancing low-temperature tolerance in wheat offspring Junhong Guo, Fasih Ullah Haider, Bing Dai, Peng Mu, Xiangnan Li DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.024 Online: 24 September 2025 Abstract （11）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Drought priming enhances plant tolerance to various abiotic stresses, including low temperature; however, its multigenerational effects in wheat remain incompletely characterized.  To address this gap, we conducted a comprehensive multi-omics investigation combining transcriptomic profiling and hormone analysis to examine how drought priming across six consecutive generations influences offspring responses.  Wheat plants primed during grain-filling produced offspring with substantial alterations in gene expression and metabolism when exposed to low-temperature stress.  Analysis identified 424 and 1,679 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between primed and non-primed offspring under normal and low-temperature conditions, respectively.  Under low-temperature stress, primed progeny exhibited a significant reduction in N-(3-Indolylacetyl)-L-valine and marked increases in tryptamine, dihydrozeatin, and gibberellin A20 levels.  Pathway enrichment analysis revealed predominant effects on plant hormone signal transduction, brassinosteroid biosynthesis, and zeatin biosynthesis pathways, highlighting the central role of hormonal regulation in enhancing stress tolerance.  Analysis of carbohydrate metabolism revealed distinct generational patterns: grandparental drought priming primarily enhanced glucose-related enzyme activities, suggesting a sustained impact on glucose metabolism, while parental drought priming influenced sucrose metabolism more directly, indicating stage-specific regulatory roles.  These metabolic alterations corresponded with improved physiological performance under low-temperature stress, evidenced by higher chlorophyll fluorescence and increased antioxidant enzyme activities in primed offspring.  These findings demonstrate that ancestral drought priming induces heritable molecular and metabolic modifications that enhance low-temperature tolerance in wheat offspring.  This transgenerational stress memory presents a promising approach for breeding wheat varieties with improved resilience to cold stress and variable climates. Integration of both parental and grandparental environmental histories into breeding programs may optimize crop stability under abiotic stress. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Rapid and Visual On-Site Detection System for Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Based on a Combination of CRISPR-Cas12a and RT-ERA Dong Zhou, Junyong Guan, Haibo Yu, Yuntong Shao, Changyou Xia, Caixia Gao, Yinglin Qi DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.023 Online: 24 September 2025 Abstract （6）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Reference | Related Articles | Metrics page Page 1 of 17 Total 333 records First page Prev page Next page Last page