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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 Amur grape VaMYB4a mediates grapevine cold tolerance via dual regulation of CBF-COR and ABA pathways Qinhan Yu, Yue Sun, Yaping Xie, Jiaxin Li, Rong Wang, Qiaoling Zheng, Chang Liu, Ningbo Zhang, Weirong Xu DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.005 Online: 15 September 2025 Abstract （4）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Cold stress represents a critical constraint on crop productivity, particularly in temperate climates. Despite the established role of abscisic acid (ABA) in cold stress responses, the precise mechanisms through which transcription factors mediate ABA-dependent cold tolerance remain elusive. Here, we identify VaMYB4a, a MYB transcription factor from Vitis amurensis Rupr. (Amur grape), as a key regulator of cold tolerance. It integrates ABA signaling with the CBF (C-repeat binding factors)-COR (cold-regulated) pathway to orchestrate cold stress adaptation. Through a combination of overexpression and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout lines in Arabidopsis thaliana, grape callus, and Vitis vinifera.L seedlings, we demonstrate that VaMYB4a enhances freezing tolerance by promoting osmotic regulation, ROS (Reactive oxygen species) scavenging, and stomatal closure. VaMYB4a functions as a homo-dimer, with its C-terminal domain being essential for transcriptional activation. Mechanistically, VaMYB4a directly upregulates CBF and COR genes while fine-tuning ABA signaling components such as ABI1 and ABF4. Notably, ABA exhibits a dual role: enhancing VaMYB4a-mediated freezing tolerance under short-term stress but attenuating its effects during prolonged cold exposure, revealing an intricate regulatory crosstalk between cold and hormonal pathways. Our work not only advances the molecular understanding of cold adaptation but also provides a promising genetic target for developing stress-resilient grape varieties to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Ploidy identification and chromosome-level genome assembly of Poa crymophila elucidate high-altitude adaptation Xinyu Li, Yubo Ma, Wenlin Li, Jihan Li, Mengjiao Li, Caixia Li, Yan Wang, Yi Yang, Xinrong Ma DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.017 Online: 15 September 2025 Abstract （0）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Poa crymophila, a perennial Poaceae species native to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, exhibits remarkable adaptability to cold and drought. As a pioneer species for ecological restoration and a high-quality forage grass, it holds significant ecological and economic value. However, the lack of a clear genetic background has hindered in-depth investigation of its adaptative mechanisms. Here, Oligo-FISH analysis revealed that Poa crymophila possesses 28 chromosomes in its somatic cells (2n=28). De-novo genome assembly yielded a 3.71 Gb autotetraploid genome (2n=4x=28, monoploid size ≈0.93 Gb) with 143,547 annotated protein-coding genes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that P. crymophila diverged from Poa infirma and Poa supina 6.19–20.09 million years ago, coinciding with the rapid uplift event of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, after which a whole-genome duplication drove its autotetraploidy. Comparative genomics revealed expansions in stress-tolerance gene families (e.g., cytochrome P450s, laccase LACs, Cold-Regulated CORs, etc.), and contractions in photosynthesis-related gene families. Additionally, 622 positively selected genes involved in metabolism, stress response and signaling were detected, including KMS1, which is shared with Tibetan Barley (Hordeum vulgare var. nudum) and Tibetan semi-wild wheat (Triticum aestivum subsp. tibeticum). Notably, P. crymophila could synthesize abundant schisandrin A under stress, a hepatoprotective secondary metabolite, further enhancing its value as a forage resource. These findings provide valuable genomic resources for breeding stress-tolerant forage crops and supporting ecological restoration in high-altitude regions. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select The VmCarEs-6 gene in the Therioaphis trifolii（Monell） enhances pesticide sensitivity by inhibiting detoxification metabolism Haoyang Hao, Kaihui Zhu, Xianfeng Yin, Shaodan Wang, Xu Liu, Dejun Li, Chunmei Yang, Zehua Zhang, Mark. Richard NcNeill, Shali Yasen, Xiongbing Tu DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.016 Online: 15 September 2025 Abstract （1）      PDF in ScienceDirect       The long-term overuse of insecticides has accelerated the evolutionary development of insect resistance. In this process, carboxylesterases as pivotal enzymes in detoxification metabolism, play a critical role in the formation of pest resistance, with their enhanced activity and altered expression levels being closely associated with the development of resistance mechanisms. In this study, the VmCarEs-6 gene was screened and cloned based on the transcriptomic data of Therioaphis trifolii under reverse stress conditions. The aim was to investigate the role of this gene in the sensitivity of T. trifolii to chemical pesticides through RNA interference and inhibitor treatments. Indoor bioassay results demonstrated that exposure to LC50 concentrations of lambda-cyhalothrin (LCT), isoprocarb (IPC), phoxim (PHX), and imidacloprid (IMI) significantly upregulated the expression of the VmCarEs-6 gene in T. trifolii. Following RNAi-mediated silencing of VmCarEs-6 using star polycation (SPc)-encapsulated double-stranded RNA, the mortality rates of aphids treated with the four insecticides increased by 35.6, 23.4, 31.1, and 23.3%, respectively, compared tothe control group. Additionally, the carboxylesterase inhibitor TPP exhibited a synergistic effect when combined with the aforementioned insecticides, with synergistic ratios increasing by 1.54, 1.28, 1.24, and 1.17, respectively, consistent with the RNAi results. Field trials further validated the indoor findings, showing that on the 5th day after application, the control efficacy of LCT+TPP, IPC+TPP, PHX+TPP, and IMI+TPP combinations improved by 35.6, 21.5, 46.0, and 70.1%, respectively, compared to the use of chemical pesticides alone.The functional inhibition of the VmCarEs-6 gene in T. trifolii through RNAi and TPP treatment significantly impaired the pest's detoxification metabolism, thereby enhancing its sensitivity to chemical pesticides. This study provides a critical theoretical foundation for elucidating the mechanisms of resistance in piercing-sucking pests and developing targeted pest control products. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Temperament affects the impact of dietary tryptophan on the gut-liver-brain axis in sheep Feifan Wu, Luoyang Ding, Shane K Maloney, Dominique Blache, Mengzhi Wang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.015 Online: 15 September 2025 Abstract （1）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Temperament, similarly to personality, is defined by a consistency in the response of an individual to a challenge, for example, calm or agitated responses. Temperament is partly determined by genetic factors but can also be modulated by internal factors that act on the brain pathways that control temperament. In monogastric animals, the gut-brain axis (GBA) influences temperament. Recently, it has been shown that signals from the liver can impact both brain function and the gut microbiome in a three-way interaction named the GLBA. The role of the liver in GLBA signalling in the expression of temperament is unknown. Here, we report the first broad investigation on the impact of dietary tryptophan (Trp), a supplement that is known to affect temperament, on the communication pathways of the GLBA in Hu sheep of calm (C) or nervous (N) temperaments. In the rumen, Trp supplementation (T) increased the abundance of Chloroflexi and Bdellovibrionota abundance, with Flexilinea enriched in CT and Monoglobus and Sediminispirochaeta enriched in NT. Changes in the abundance of specific genera and phyla probably caused the observed changes in circulating levels of SCFAs, amino acids, and tryptophan metabolites. Changes in the rumen microbiome could partly explain the impact of dietary Trp on the temperament of nervous Hu sheep that was observed previously. The results of a metabolomics analysis of samples from the colon microbiome and the liver suggests that amino acid metabolism and SCFAs from these two tissues could be involved in the expression of temperament. Our findings highlight the GLBA as a potential signalling network modulating temperament in ruminants, with SCFAs, Trp metabolites, and microbial interactions as key mediators. Our data provide the first evidence that, in sheep, Trp affects behaviour through GLBA-dependent pathways and suggest that nutritional strategies, tailored for individuals’ temperament, would improve welfare in precision livestock farming.  Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Mechanical Stress Induces Molecular Changes in Oolong Tea: Insights from Multi-Omics Analysis Zhilong Hao, Yuping Zhang, Weiyi Kong, Jiao Feng, Yucheng Zheng, Hongzheng Lin, Xiaomin Yu, Yun Sun, Xiangxiang Huang, Wei Wang, Yang Wu, Xinyi Jin DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.014 Online: 15 September 2025 Abstract （2）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Understanding the molecular responses of tea leaves to mechanical stress is crucial for elucidating the mechanisms of post-harvest quality formation during oolong tea processing. This study emplemented an integrated multi-omics strategy to characterize the changes and interactions among metabolomic (MB), transcriptomic (TX), and proteomic (PT) profiles in mechanically stressed tea leaves. Mechanical stress initially activated damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), including Ca2+ signaling, jasmonic acid signaling, and glutathione metabolism pathways. These processes subsequently induced quality-related metabolic pathways (QRMPs), particularly α-linolenic acid and phenylalanine metabolism. Up-regulated expression of LOX, ADH1, and PAR genes, together with the increased abundance of their encoded proteins, respectively promoted the accumulation of jasmine lactone, benzyl alcohol, and 2-phenylethanol. These findings indicate that mechanical stress influence the metabolite biosynthesis in tea leaves through coordinated molecular responses. This study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying tea leaf responses to mechanical stress and a foundation for future investigations into how early molecular events may contribute to post-harvest metabolic changes during oolong tea processing. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Microbial bioinputs in Brazilian agriculture Alane Beatriz Vermelho, Andrew Macrae, Athayde Neves Junior, Levy Domingos, Julia Emanuela de Souza, Amália Cristina Piazentim Borsari, Silvia Souza de Oliveira, Irene von der Weid, Pedro Veillard, Jerri Edson Zilli DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.013 Online: 15 September 2025 Abstract （1）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Brazil maintains a leading position in agricultural exports and stands as the world's foremost producer and user of bioinputs in agriculture. These bioinputs generate annual savings of billions of dollars that would otherwise be allocated to chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The nation's regulatory framework enables bioinput agriculture and serves as a model for countries transitioning toward regenerative agriculture. Brazilian legislation categorizes bioinputs into: 1) Biofertilizers (extracts); 2) biostimulants (plant growth-promoting and biocontrol agents); and 3) inoculants (active ingredient comprises one or more living microorganisms). The inoculation of soybeans with Bradyrhizobium strains provides approximately 90% of the nitrogen accumulated by this crop. Brazil has registered over six hundred inoculants, with at least 60% specifically designated for soybean cultivation. The annual sales of inoculants in Brazil reach approximately 120 million doses. Although beans (Phaseolus vulgaris and Vigna unguiculata) represent an essential food crop in Brazil's staple diet and benefit from inoculation, inoculant supply remains insufficient. Regarding biocontrol, soy, corn, sugarcane, and coffee rank among the most protected crops, employing biocontrol agents against bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and insects. Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Streptomyces, Rhizobium, Azotobacter, and Paenibacillus strains were predominantly cited in the 5,000+ bioproduct patents filed between 2022 and 2024. Among fungal genera, Trichoderma, and Penicillium received the most citations. EMBRAPA's biobanks maintain over 10,000 strains of bacteria, fungi, and viruses for biocontrol, and 14,000 strains of nutrient-fixing and plant-growth promoters. Production challenges include quality control, particularly as on-farm production of inoculants becomes prevalent on larger farms, alongside product availability and supply limitations. Brazilian farmers maintain global competitiveness partly through reduced chemical fertilizer and pesticide costs enabled by bioinput usage. As components of regenerative agriculture, bioinputs enhance soil quality, decrease carbon footprints, and support SDGs. Brazil's leadership in microbial bioinput utilization stems from its extensive agricultural sector, rich microbial biodiversity, and progressive regulatory framework. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Genome-wide identification of the PpSWEET gene family and function characterization of PpSWEET6 associated with endodormancy release in peach bud Sen Li, Ge Tian, Xiling Fu, Wei Xiao, Xiude Chen, Dongmei Li, Qingjie Wang, Ling Li DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.012 Online: 15 September 2025 Abstract （3）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Bud endodormancy represents an ecological adaptation mechanism in perennial deciduous fruit trees to endure winter cold conditions. Sucrose serves a crucial role in bud endodormancy as both an energy metabolizer and signaling molecule. Sugars will eventually be exported transporters (SWEETs) function as sugar-efflux transporters that respond to environmental stimuli and contribute to plant growth and development. While SWEET gene families have been identified in various plant species for sugar transport regulation, their mechanism in regulating peach bud endodormancy remains undefined. In this study, we identified 15 SWEET genes in peach. The nomenclature was established through homologous alignment with the Arabidopsis SWEET gene family, resulting in four distinct clades through phylogenetic analysis. Covariance correlation analysis revealed 6 and 12 collinear SWEET genes in peach and Arabidopsis, respectively, forming 13 collinear gene pairs. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis demonstrated significantly elevated expression of PpSWEET6 during peach bud endodormancy release, correlating positively with sucrose content. Transient overexpression of PpSWEET6 enhanced peach bud endodormancy release, while overexpressing PpSWEET6 in Arabidopsis enhanced seed germination and flowering. Y2H and luciferase complementation imaging (LCI) assays confirmed PpSWEET6 interacted with PpABF2. Additionally, Dual luciferase Reporter (DLR) assays showed that PpSWEET6 significantly decreased the activation of PpDAM6 (key dormancy-inducing gene) through PpABF2, thereby modulating peach bud endodormancy release. These findings advance our understanding of SWEET genes in peach bud endodormancy regulation. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Optimizing maize yield and kernel quality via leguminous green manure intercropping with deficit irrigation in arid agroecosystem Diaoliang Zhang, Yunyou Nan, Zhilong Fan, Qiang Chai, Gary Y. Gan, Wen Yin, Falong Hu DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.011 Online: 15 September 2025 Abstract （1）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Intercropping with leguminous green manure represents a sustainable approach to enhance agroecosystem resilience through improved soil fertility and resource-use efficiency. However, the synergistic mechanisms between leguminous green manure intercropping and regulated deficit irrigation in maintaining maize yield stability and enhancing kernel profiles under arid conditions remain inadequately understood. A three-year (2021-2023) split-plot field experiment incorporated main plots consisting of three green manure incorporation practices: full green manure incorporation (M||V-P), green manure stubble retention (M||V-R), and maize without green manure (maize sole cropping, SM); while split plots comprised three irrigation regimes: conventional (I3, 400 mm), 15% deficit (I2, 340 mm), and 30% deficit (I1, 280 mm). The study examined maize grain yield, kernel quality (protein, fat, starch, and essential amino acid content), net photosynthetic rate (Pn) of maize, and soil nitrate-ammonium nitrogen content. M||V-P and M||V-R increased maize grain yield compared to SM, with M||V-P producing 5.7% higher yields than M||V-R. Notably, M||V-PI2 achieved comparable yield to M||V-PI3 while reducing irrigation by 15%, demonstrating an 18.3% yield increase over SMI3. M||V-P and M||V-R enhanced kernel quality compared to SM, exhibiting higher protein, fat, starch, and essential amino acid content. Decreased irrigation led to increased kernel protein content but reduced fat and starch contents. The kernel protein content with M||V-PI2 showed no significant difference from M||V-PI1, while maintaining fat, starch, and essential amino acid content similar to M||V-PI3. M||V-PI2 improved all kernel quality parameters relative to SMI3. These enhancements primarily resulted from maize intercropped with leguminous green manure in combination with 15% deficit irrigation, which increased maize Pn by 14.3%, and elevated soil nitrate-ammonium nitrogen by 12.5 and 5.2%, respectively. These findings demonstrate a scalable approach for sustainable maize production though the integration of leguminous green manure intercropping in water-limited regions. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Trade-offs between artificial forage yield and quality under multiple mowing enhance grass-livestock system balance on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Jing Zhang, Shuaijun Hou, Muhammad Usman, Fujiang Hou, Zhibiao Nan DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.010 Online: 05 September 2025 Abstract （9）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Globally grassland ecosystems are facing unprecedented threats from continuous degradation and about 49% of grasslands are experiencing varying degrees of degradation. Resolving the imbalance between available forage and livestock demand is a major issue for grassland ecosystems. Transforming natural grasslands, which are on the brink of ecological collapse and have extremely high repair costs, into mowing grasslands can simultaneous address forage deficiency and also reduce the cost of long-distance transportation. Exploring the biomass yield and forage quality of multiple-mowing grasslands on the QTP is essential for calculating its construction scale. For this purpose, we conducted a grass-legumes cultivation experiment on the southeastern edge of the QTP and performed multiple mowing experiments. The results showed that compared to one-time harvesting during the growth period, multiple mowing significantly improved the biomass yield and nutritional quality of the grass, and gradually balanced towards quality as the mowing process progressed. Based on the experimental results, we used the current livestock loss rates in the QTP as a reference and further established different supplementary feeding modes from an energy supply perspective. Finally, we conclude that under the premise of no restriction on feeding, the artificial grassland needs to be increased to 2.22-9.38 times the current area. Under the restriction on feeding, the QTP needs to increase by 1.55-9.38 times, and the corresponding natural grassland area needs to be reduced by 3.96-16.75% and 2.77-16.75% respectively to meet the energy demand-supply. These results provide data support for grassland management planning in the QTP and inform the development of feasible strategies for improving the grass-livestock dynamics in the QTP. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Capturing Biological Interactions Improves Predictive Ability of Complex Traits via Epistatic Models Ning Gao, Jinyan Teng, Shaopan Ye, , Qing Lin, Yahui Gao, Jiaying Wang, Shuwen Huang, Jun He, Jiaqi Li, Yaosheng Chen, Lingzhao Fang, Qin Zhang, Zhe Zhang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.008 Online: 05 September 2025 Abstract （11）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Although genome-wide interaction effects are critical for unraveling the underlying genetic architectures of complex traits, the rich landscape of biological interactions is often disregarded in statistical models for genomic dissecting and predicting complex traits/diseases. To bridge this gap, we introduce biBLUP (biological interaction Best Linear Unbiased Prediction), a novel epistatic model that integrates prior biological knowledge by focusing on interactions among genes within KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathways. Simulation experiments demonstrate that biBLUP effectively captures interaction effects across diverse genetic architectures, achieving up to a 62% increase in predictive accuracy compared to models ignoring such information. We validated the performance of biBLUP using real data across species. In a specific application using data from 6,642 yeast lines, biBLUP yielded a 40.36% improvement in prediction accuracy for growth rate by modeling genetic interaction effects within the KEGG pathway associated with allantoin utilization. Furthermore, incorporating KEGG into biBLUP successfully captures validated epistatic effects associated with rice flowering time. This integration results in an improvement of 16.29% in prediction accuracy for flowering time of rice. Our findings demonstrate that integrating KEGG pathway information into genomic prediction models enables the capture of biologically relevant interaction effects, thereby enhancing both predictive ability and our understanding of the genetic basis of complex traits. Related Articles | Metrics Select Pleiotropic effects of overexpressing a legume-specific Cycling DOF Factor MsCDFc1 on flowering and forage quality in alfalfa Xu Jiang, Huiting Cui, Lili Zhang, Zhen Wang, Xue Wang, Mingna Li, Tiejun Zhang, Ruicai Long, Qingchuan Yang, Junmei Kang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.007 Online: 05 September 2025 Abstract （4）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), a photoperiod sensitive long-day (LD) flowering legume forage crop, is widely cultivated for its high-yield, -quality, and -related economic benefits. However, early flowering affects the biomass yield and quality of alfalfa. Cycling DOF Factors (CDFs) play critical roles in multiple fundamental processes in higher plants, including photoperiodic flowering time regulation. Here, we identified 15 CDFs in the alfalfa genome, which is approximately three times than the number of higher plants. Duplication events are the primary driving force behind the expansion of the CDF gene family in alfalfa. Evolutionary analysis revealed that MsCDFs in the C subclade is exclusively present in leguminous plants, suggesting their diverse functions within the legume family. Among them, MsCDFc1 mRNA exhibited a rhythmic expression pattern and its mRNA levels predominantly expressed than other members. MsCDFc1 protein localized to the nucleus and exhibited no transactivation in vitro. We demonstrated that under LD conditions, MsCDFc1 has a conserved function of flowering time regulation, as overexpressed plants (Arabidopsis and alfalfa) showed delay (P<0.05) in flowering time. Therefore, the quality of the late-flowering alfalfa was improved by reduced (P<0.05) levels of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and lignin contents at initial flowering stage. Further investigations showed that the late flowering in the over- expressed plant was correlated with the reduced (P<0.05) transcript levels of the MsFTa1 and MsE1 gene but in a MsCO-Like independent manner. Furthermore, MsCDFc1 does not interact with MsFKF1 or bind to the MsFTa1 and MsFTb1 promoters, suggesting functional divergence from the Arabidopsis model. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select MFAP5 enhances the cold resistance of piglets by promoting the transition of adipocyte progenitor cells to fibroblast lineage Xiangfei Ma, Mengting Li, Shengda Qiu, Di Liu, Hong Ma, Wei Wei, Lifan Zhang, Zan Huang, Jie Chen DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.006 Online: 05 September 2025 Abstract （3）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Although pigs lack classical brown adipose tissue, several studies have demonstrated that porcine adipocytes possess the capacity to undergo thermogenesis through UCP1-independent mechanisms. However, the developmental processes and regulatory mechanisms underlying these thermogenic adipocytes remain poorly characterized. Here, we found that dorsal subcutaneous adipose tissue in pigs exhibits significant thermogenic potential under cold stress. Notably, we observed substantial cold-induced structural remodeling in dorsal subcutaneous adipose tissue, characterized by increased fibrotic deposition. Through integrated analysis of snRNA-seq and RNA-seq data on dorsal subcutaneous adipose tissue, we identified MFAP5, which encodes a microfibril-associated glycoprotein in the extracellular matrix, as a potential regulator for cold-induced the plasticity of dorsal subcutaneous adipose tissue. Both MFAP5 overexpression and MFAP5-conditioned medium not only inhibit preadipocytes differentiation into adipocytes but also promote their commitment to non-adipogenic fibrogenic lineages. Furthermore, MFAP5 treatments significantly enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis of these fibrogenic cells. Mechanistic investigations elucidated that these phenotypic alterations are predominantly mediated through the Hippo signaling pathway. In summary, our findings elucidate the pivotal role of MFAP5 in regulating adipocyte development following cold exposure, providing crucial insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying porcine adaptation to cold stress. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of serpin15 impacts reproduction and immunity in Plutella xylostella Linnaeus Yanbo Jia, Hongxin Wu, Yuting Huang, Yifan Liu, Shaojie Zhu, Zhantao Zhang, Junlin Huang, Junaid Zafar, Rui Pang, Xiaoxia Xu DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.004 Online: 05 September 2025 Abstract （4）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Plutella xylostella represents a significant agricultural pest affecting cruciferous crops globally. The extensive use of synthetic insecticides has resulted in environmental contamination and resistance development, necessitating research into environmentally sustainable biopesticides. Serine protease inhibitors (serpins) serve essential functions in melanization during innate immunity, reproduction, and metamorphic development. Through proteomic analyses conducted across developmental stages of P. xylostella, serpin15 was identified as a crucial member of the typical inhibited serpin family, though its precise function remained undetermined.  RT-qPCR analyses of gene expression patterns across tissues and developmental stages demonstrated that the serpin15 gene exhibits high expression in male adult gonads and reaches maximum levels in hemolymph. The serpin15 mRNA levels showed dynamic regulation in the midgut following Serratia marcescens (PS-1) infection, characterized by an initial decline followed by upregulation. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of serpin15 in homozygous lines led to decreased oviposition and embryonic hatching rates in offspring. Functional analyses confirmed that serpin15 inhibits phenoloxidase (PO) activity, while exogenous supplementation with recombinant serpin15 protein effectively suppressed hemolymph melanization, establishing its regulatory role in countering PS-1 through immune melanization. These findings demonstrate serpin15's dual functionality in regulating both fecundity and immunity against PS-1 in P. xylostella. This research establishes a theoretical foundation for developing biocontrol strategies targeting insect immune and developmental systems. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Alleviating negative home plant-soil feedback in vegetables through phosphorus management Zitian Pu, Ruifang Zhang, Chi Zhang, Hong Wang, Xinxin Wang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.003 Online: 05 September 2025 Abstract （1）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Home plant-soil feedbacks (home-PSFs) typically demonstrate negative effects in vegetable crops, substantially inhibiting their growth. Phosphorus (P), an essential plant nutrient crucial for growth, influences vegetable crop growth patterns through soil availability levels. However, the relationship between soil available P levels and home-PSFs in vegetable crops requires further investigation. This study established a home PSF system incorporating 12 vegetable crops from 6 families to examine growth responses under two P conditions (low P level: 40 mg P kg-1 soil; high P level: 200 mg P kg-1 soil). The findings revealed that low P conditions significantly decreased overall biomass across all vegetables, with preferential biomass allocation to root development. Furthermore, low P conditions enhanced mycorrhizal colonization and rhizosphere acid phosphatase activity while notably decreasing root length. While vegetables generally exhibited negative home PSFs, allium and nonmycorrhizal plants demonstrated positive responses under high P conditions. Wild tomatoes displayed greater variation in feedback values across P levels compared to common tomatoes. Under high-P conditions, mycorrhizal colonization showed positive correlations with feedback values of biomass and P concentration. Root diameter and mycorrhizal colonization demonstrated distinct correlations with these feedback values under low-P conditions. The research concludes that high P levels effectively mitigate negative home-PSFs in vegetables while increasing biomass production. Additionally, high P levels demonstrated superior efficacy in alleviating negative home-PSFs in wild tomatoes compared to common tomatoes. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Machine learning-driven prediction of nitrogen loss in organic solid waste composting Haoran Mi, Dawei Gao, Deling Yuan, Xiao Liu, Lili Gao, Shengping Li, Yuanwan Liu DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.002 Online: 05 September 2025 Abstract （5）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Composting represents a crucial component of sustainable waste management, providing significant resource recovery and environmental advantages. However, nitrogen loss during composting remains a significant challenge, necessitating the development of a predictive model for nitrogen loss during the composting process. This investigation implemented five machine learning models, utilizing 307 data points encompassing composting strategies, physicochemical properties, and composting time stages, to predict nitrogen loss during organic solid waste composting. The findings demonstrated that the adaptive boosting (AdaBoost) algorithm achieved optimal performance with a coefficient of determination of 0.847 after eliminating redundant features (scale and C/N). Moreover, Shapley additive explanation analysis identified several key factors significantly influencing nitrogen losses during composting, including composting time stages, bulking agents, raw materials, and ammonium nitrogen levels. Notably, the initial phase of composting emerged as the most critical period for nitrogen loss. The utilization of sawdust, rice husk, and corn stalk as bulking agents enhanced nitrogen retention in compost. Furthermore, implementing static aeration for ventilation and applying chemical additives effectively reduced nitrogen losses during the composting process. These results provide a scientific foundation for identifying optimal composting conditions to minimize nitrogen loss, thereby offering practical guidance for effective composting operations. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Spatiotemporal dynamics and food security implications of cropland abandonment in China Ze Han, Wei Song, Chen Shen DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.001 Online: 05 September 2025 Abstract （4）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Cropland abandonment significantly impacts food security and agricultural sustainability, yet comprehensive analyses of its dynamics in rapidly developing regions remain scarce. This study investigates the spatiotemporal patterns, labor migration influences, and food security implications of cropland abandonment in China from 1992 to 2022. Analysis reveals that abandonment evolved through four distinct phases: slow growth, rapid increase, high-level fluctuation peaking at 3.98% in 2016, and gradual decline. We further identified three primary abandonment patterns—single long-term (≥10 yr), progressive degradation, and occasional (3-9 yr)—with distinctive spatial distributions. Specifically, long-term abandonment is concentrated in the marginal agricultural areas of southwestern mountainous regions, while occasional abandonment is prevalent in the more economically developed eastern coastal areas, and progressive degradation patterns are found in the transitional zones between plains and mountains. Labor migration influenced abandonment non-linearly with distinct regional thresholds. Short-distance (within-county) migration reduced abandonment rates, while medium-distance (within-province) migration significantly increased them. Although 57.50% of abandonment occurred on low-suitability land, 42.50% affected high-suitability cropland, resulting in peak potential grain losses of 15.0 and 8.8 million tonnes for low and high suitability land respectively in 2010. These findings provide support for regionally differentiated land management strategies that integrate land suitability assessments, labor migration patterns, and local socioeconomic conditions to ensure agricultural sustainability. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Few-shot driven construction method of a large-scale light-trapped insect annotation data based on vision foundation models and self-supervised learning Yanchen You, Zelin Feng, Zhe Wang, Lingyi Li, Ju Luo, Jun Lv, Haowen Zhang, Baojun Yang, Shuhua Liu, Qing Yao DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.08.020 Online: 27 August 2025 Abstract （14）      PDF in ScienceDirect       The intelligent pest-monitoring light trap based on machine vision employs specific light spectra to attract pests, infrared heating to eliminate pests, and artificial intelligence models to recognize and count them. Achieving optimal model performance requires a high-quality insect annotated dataset. However, traditional manual annotation is expert-dependent, time-consuming, and inefficient for large-scale multi-class insect labeling. This study establishes an efficient, few-shot learning approach to construct a large-scale light-trapped insect dataset through a two-stage annotation framework: detection followed by classification. Specifically, a MLTIDD addresses scale and receptive field disparities between large and tiny insects. Based on a fine-tuned Grounding DINO, SAM and SAHI are integrated to detect insects at multiple scales. Subsequently, InsectSSRL, an iBOT-based self-supervised method, learns robust insect feature representations from the extensive set of unlabeled insect sub-images detected by MLTIDD. It enhances feature extraction capability for insect sub-images through three proxy tasks. This feature extractor supports a classification model to pre-classify insect sub-images. Following expert correction, labels are traced back to original images to complete annotation work for the light-trapped insect dataset. Experimental results demonstrate that under limited samples, MLTIDD achieved 79.6% average precision (AP)50-95 and 90.8% average recall (AR), surpassing DINO by 7.0 and 4.7 percentage points. InsectSSRL attained 85.87% top-1 accuracy in k-NN evaluation. In few-shot classification, Swin-T pre-trained with InsectSSRL and fine-tuned on 5% of InsectID achieved 80.35% accuracy, exceeding iBOT by 2.08 and COCO-based transfer learning by 11.3 percentage points. The proposed pipeline improved mAP50-95 by 10.91 and AR by 8.26 percentage points compared to DINO and iBOT, while reducing expert annotation time by approximately 80% relative to manual labeling. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Discovery of N-phenyl-isoindole-1,3-dione derivatives as potent insect chitinase ofChi-h inhibitors through virtual screening Jiahao Zhang, Shenmeng Bai, Jiaxin Chu, Baokang Ding, Bohou Li, Yanzhu Li, Jingwen Guo, Fengyue Suo, Shujie Ma, Jingao Dong, Lihui Zhang, Shengqiang Shen, and Lili Dong DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.08.019 Online: 22 August 2025 Abstract （4）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Ostrinia furnacalis represents a destructive lepidopteran pest causing up to 30% yield losses in maize crops globally. Its larvae penetrate plant tissues, disrupt nutrient transport, and transmit viral and microbial pathogens, exacerbating food security concerns. Current management approaches for O. furnacalis primarily rely on synthetic pesticides. Targeting chitin metabolism presents a promising strategy for green insecticide development. Specifically, OfChi-h, an essential chitinase for O. furnacalis molting and survival, has emerged as a viable target. This study identified a N-phenyl-isoindole-1,3-dione (PI) scaffold as a novel class of OfChi-h inhibitor through virtual screening strategy. Notably, compound PI-17 demonstrated potent inhibitory activity against OfChi-h with a Ki value of 2.3 μmol L-1. PI-17 exhibited significant insecticidal activity against lepidopteran pests O. furnacalis, comparable to the control drug hexaflumuron. scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed morphological alterations in the cuticles of O. furnacalis larvae treated with PI-series compounds. ESP and DFT calculations explored the variations in biological activities of the PI-series compounds at atomic and electronic levels. Additionally, comprehensive safety evaluations assessed the impact on the natural enemy Trichogramma ostriniae and nontarget organisms. These findings introduce a novel class of lead compounds, N-phenyl-isoindole-1,3-dione derivatives, showing significant potential for developing eco-friendly insect growth regulators to control O. furnacalis. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Comprehensive evaluation of HA epitope modifications in H9N2 subtype avian influenza vaccines for broad cross-protection Nan Zhang, Keji Quan, Mengqi Lin, Zijun Lu, Zhifan Li, Yiming Yang, Nuo Xu, Hui Yang, Jie Zhu, George Fei Zhang, Tao Qin, Sujuan Chen, Daxin Peng, Xiufan Liu DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.08.018 Online: 22 August 2025 Abstract （7）      PDF in ScienceDirect       The hemagglutinin (HA) protein of the H9N2 subtype avian influenza virus (AIV) undergoes frequent antigenic drift, which compromises the efficacy of existing inactivated vaccines. We have identified 12 key HA residues responsible for antigenic differences between the 2 major H9N2 antigenic groups; however, their role in eliciting broad cross-reactive immunity remains undefined. In this study, we systematically evaluated the impact of single- and multi-residue mutations in HA antigenic regions A, B1, B2, and E on viral antigenicity using antigenic cartography and monoclonal antibody profiling. 4 recombinant viruses—R118-A, R118-AE, R118-B1, and R118-AB1E—demonstrated broadened antigenic reactivity and were selected for further analysis. Among them, R118-A elicited immune sera with high hemagglutination inhibition and microneutralization titers against a diverse panel of H9N2 strains and exhibited broad antigenic coverage on antigenic cartography. In chicken challenge experiments, immunization with R118-A conferred cross-protection against group 1 (B4.4+B4.6) and group 2 (B4.7) H9N2 viruses, underscoring the critical role of site A modifications in broadening vaccine protection. These findings offer theoretical support and practical strategies for the rational design of next-generation H9N2 vaccines with improved cross-protective efficacy. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select The adaptability of plants to phosphorus deficiency shapes the bacterial community and the spatial patterns of enzyme activities in the rhizosphere Xiaomin Ma, Lisha Zeng, Jialin Wang, Yan Zhou, Yongjian Zhang, Junhui Chen, Yakov Kuzyakov DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.08.017 Online: 22 August 2025 Abstract （4）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Phosphorus (P) availability influences the spatial distribution of carbon (C)-cycling enzyme activities in the rhizosphere through its effects on plant growth and microbial activity. However, the influence of P availability on the spatial patterns of C and P hydrolase activities remains unclear in the rhizosphere of Maize (Zea mays L.) and narrow-leaf lupine (Lupinus angustifolius L.), which exhibit contrasting P deficiency adaptation and acquisition strategies. This study analyzed the spatial patterns of C and P hydrolase activities through zymography and correlated them with bacterial community structure in maize and lupine rhizospheres. Under P-deficient conditions, maize exhibited severe growth restriction while demonstrating a 2.2–9.6-fold increase in root exudation compared to P-sufficient conditions. The enhanced exudation under P deficiency promoted r-strategist bacterial proliferation (e.g., Ktedonobacteria and Xanthomonadales) while reducing K-strategist abundance (Actinobacteriota, Chloroflexia, and Alphaproteobacteria). Maize rhizosphere enzyme activities and hotspot areas demonstrated positive correlation with K-strategist abundance and negative correlation with r-strategist abundance. P-sufficient maize exhibited 15–550% higher C- and P-cycle-related enzyme activity and hotspot areas, attributed to its enhanced root system and predominance of K-strategists with superior enzyme synthesis capabilities. Lupine demonstrated superior P deficiency adaptation, producing 2–19 times more DOC and organic acids than maize. Consequently, lupine showed no significant alterations in enzyme activity, hotspot areas, or bacterial community composition in response to P availability. These findings demonstrate that plant-specific P deficiency adaptation mechanisms distinctly influence the spatial distribution of C-cycling enzyme activity and bacterial community structure in the rhizosphere. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics page Page 1 of 19 Total 362 records First page Prev page Next page Last page