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Journal of Integrative Agriculture
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Transcriptomic insights into the mystery of the shield created by biogas slurry topdressing slowing maize leaf senescence

Xiaoyang Liang1, 2, 3, 4, Haitao Wang1, 3, Junjie Qin1, 5, Jiandong Wang1, 2, 3, 4#, Yongxing Wen1, Chuanjuan Wang1#, Baoqing Chen1, 4

1 Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China

2 Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji 831100, China

3 State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Agricultural Water Resources, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/China Agricultural University, Beijing 100081, China

4 Zibo Institute for Digital Agriculture and Rural Research, Zibo 255035, China

5 College of Resources and Environment, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taiyuan 030000, China

 Highlights 

Biogas slurry (BS) up-regulated leaf photosynthetic system and chlorophyll synthesis pathway.

BS increases more abundant energy for aging leaves.

BS can more effectively activate the active oxygen scavenging mechanism. 

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摘要  

作物叶片早衰对粮食产量构成了严重威胁。沼液(BS)作为有机废液增强了作物衰老过程中的抗氧化防御系统。然而,BS施用对玉米叶片衰老影响的分子调控机制目前仍然存在空白。基于此,本研究设置了BS追施和化肥(CF)追施两处理,通过生理和转录组分析进行探讨BS处理在改变玉米叶片衰老进程中发挥的作用。研究结果表明,BS处理是通过对光合系统、叶绿素合成、光合生物碳固定过程、淀粉和蔗糖代谢以及糖酵解途径的过表达,为衰老中的玉米叶片提供更为充沛的能量,并激活丝裂原活化蛋白激酶信号转导,上调了过氧化物酶体的表达,进而有效激活了活性氧的直接清除系统。同时,BS处理普遍上调了玉米完熟期应激诱导衰老植物激素中的负调节因子。此外,BS处理还减缓了WRKYMYBERFbHLH家族转录因子在玉米叶片衰老过程中的衰减速度。因此,BS处理可降低叶片平均衰老速度(27.28%)和最大衰老速度(13.94%),并显著提高玉米完熟期的相对绿叶面积(94.92%)。同时,我们还确定了超氧阴离子含量作为响应叶片衰老的关键枢纽。总的来说,BS通过调控玉米生理和代谢过程来减缓叶片的衰老进程,为抵御作物早衰提供了新的思路。



Abstract  

Premature senescence of crop foliage presents a formidable challenge to agricultural productivity.  Biogas slurry (BS), an organic effluent, enhances the antioxidant defense system during leaf senescence process.  However, the molecular mechanisms governing the effect of BS on maize leaf senescence remain largely unexplored.  Here, we set up BS topdressing and chemical fertilizer (CF) topdressing treatments, and explored the role of BS in changing the senescence process of maize leaf through physiological and transcriptomic analyses.  Our findings indicated that the BS treatment enhanced the energy supply to aging maize leaves by upreglating the expression of the photosynthetic system, promoting chlorophyll synthesis, enhancing the biological carbon fixation process, and optimizing starch and sucrose metabolism and glycolytic pathways.  Furthermore, BS activated the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascade and elevated peroxisomes expressions.  Concurrently, it suppressed the expression of negative regulatory factors in stress-induced senescence-related plant hormones during maize maturation.  Additionally, the BS treatment decreased the degradation rates of transcription factors from the WRKY, MYB, ERF, and bHLH families during maize leaf senescence.  Consequently, the BS treatment reduced the average senescence rate (27.28%) and maximum senescence rate (13.94%) of leaves, and significantly increase the relative green leaf area at the full maturity stage (94.92%).  Moreover, the superoxide anion content represented as a pivotal mediator in the response to leaf senescence.  Thus, this study showed that BS alleviates the leaf senescence process by regulating the physiological and metabolic processes of maize, thus providing novel strategies for combating crop premature senescence. 

Keywords:  biogas slurry       photosynthetic system       chlorophyll              adversity              active oxygen scavenging              carbon metabolism  
Online: 16 May 2025  
Fund: 

We are grateful for research grants from the Central Public-interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund (Y2025YC35), the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program (CAAS-ZDRW202417), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52379055), the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of CPSF (GZC20233056), and the Xinjiang Tianchi Talents Introduction Plan, China (2023-2025).

About author:  #Correspondence Jiandong Wang, E-mail: wangjiandong@caas.cn; Chuanjuan Wang, E-mail: wangchuanjuan@caas.cn

Cite this article: 

Xiaoyang Liang, Haitao Wang, Junjie Qin, Jiandong Wang, Yongxing Wen, Chuanjuan Wang, Baoqing Chen. 2025. Transcriptomic insights into the mystery of the shield created by biogas slurry topdressing slowing maize leaf senescence. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, Doi:10.1016/j.jia.2025.05.020

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