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For Selected: Download Citations EndNote Ris BibTeX Toggle Thumbnails Select A rapid and highly efficient tobacco ringspot virus (TRSV)-induced gene silencing system based on vacuum infiltration and tenoxicam co-cultivation in melon Jiyu Wang, Xiang Li, Xiaoxue Liang, Yingying Chen, Lei Cao, Qiong Li, Zhiqiang Cheng, Yan Guo, Junlong Fan, Wenwen Mao, Chen Luo, Lili Li, Panqiao Wang, Luming Yang, Juan Hou, Jianbin Hu DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2026.01.014 Online: 14 January 2026 Abstract （0）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Melon is a globally important cucurbit crop, but its functional genomics are hindered by inefficient genetic transformation. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) enables rapid gene analysis and high-throughput screening. In this study, we evaluated the silencing efficiency of three viral vectors delivered via vacuum infiltration and cotyledon injection. We developed an optimized tobacco ringspot virus (TRSV)-mediated VIGS system using vacuum infiltration, which exhibited remarkable silencing efficiency and accelerated phenotypic manifestation in melon. The reporter gene CmPDS (phytoene desaturase) was effectively silenced, resulting in complete photobleaching across the entire leaf surface. This method achieved 95.2% silencing efficiency with 80% transformation frequency, completing the entire process from seed treatment to observable phenotype within just 11 days. Supplementing with tenoxicam (TNX, oxicam-type nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs) during co-culture significantly enhanced transformation frequency to 93.3% across diverse genotypes. qRT-PCR showed TNX may boost transformation by attenuating plant immunity. To validate the system’s broad applicability, we silenced the Mg-chelatase H subunit (CmChlH) gene, resulting in the expected yellow-leaf phenotype. The VIGS system developed herein provides a powerful tool for investigating gene function during early melon development. Also, this work establishes a foundational framework for VIGS system construction and accelerates genetic research in other cucurbit species. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select The CsRAP2.3-CsUGT78A14 module regulates flavonol biosynthesis in white tea trichomes Junmei Huang, Dafeng Dong, Tao Wang, Zhidan Chen, Peitao Lü, Weijiang Sun, Wen Zeng DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2026.01.013 Online: 14 January 2026 Abstract （0）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Tea trichomes are rich in secondary metabolites and play a crucial role in the stress resistance and quality formation of tea plants. However, the specific metabolites involved and their regulatory mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we employed ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) to conduct a comprehensive targeted metabolomic analysis of the trichomes and corresponding defoliated leaves from the buds of Fudingdahao (FDDH) white tea. Our analysis identified a total of 2,425 metabolites, with 1,537 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) between the trichomes and leaves. Notably, flavonoids, particularly kaempferol and its derivatives, were found to be more abundant in trichomes. Transcriptomic analysis revealed 447 genes specifically highly expressed in trichomes, with significant enrichment in phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways. Further chromatin accessibility analysis identified an ERF transcription factor, CsRAP2.3, as a key regulator. DNA affinity purification sequencing and luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that CsRAP2.3 binds to the promoter of the CsUGT78A14 gene, which is involved in kaempferol glycosylation. Transient overexpression of CsRAP2.3 in tobacco leaves increased flavonol metabolites. Our results suggest that CsRAP2.3 may regulate the expression of CsUGT78A14, thereby influencing the accumulation of flavonols in trichomes of tea plants. This study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the accumulation of flavonol metabolites in white tea trichomes and offers a foundation for improving tea stress resistance and quality. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Antagonism and convergence of MiCOL14B-GQ and MiCOL14B-JH in mango (Mangifera indica) flowering and abiotic stress Junjie Zhong, Ruoyan Li, Yuan Liu, Shuquan Chen, Huibao Wen, Teng Tang, Cong Luo, Xinhua He DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2026.01.012 Online: 14 January 2026 Abstract （1）      PDF in ScienceDirect       The CONSTANS/CONSTANS-LIKE (CO/COL) gene family plays important roles in plants flowering and stress response. In this study, two variants of the MiCOL14B gene were identified from two different mango cultivars; they were designated as MiCOL14B-GQ and MiCOL14B-JH, which exhibited significant differences in sequence and B-box domain. Both genes are expressed in various tissues of mango, localized in the nucleus, and responsive to drought and salt stress. In transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana, MiCOL14B-GQ delayed flowering, while MiCOL14B-JH promoted flowering. This phenotypic divergence stemmed from their molecular regulatory specificity. Yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) and dual-luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that both variants directly bind to the promoters of florigen genes (MiFTs), with MiCOL14B-GQ repressing their transcription and MiCOL14B-JH enhancing it. Altered expression levels of MiFTs in the roots of transgenic mango further validated this mechanism. Moreover, both MiCOL14B-GQ and MiCOL14B-JH improved stress tolerance under drought and salt conditions in transgenic A. thaliana as well as in transgenic mango roots. These variants significantly increased stress tolerance by increasing proline (Pro) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, while reducing malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) accumulation. Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays revealed that MiCOL14B-GQ and MiCOL14B-JH interact with several stress-related proteins. This study demonstrates for the first time the potential function of MiCOL14B gene sequence variation in regulating flowering and stress responses, providing valuable genetic resources for mango molecular breeding. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Multiple human-mediated introductions shape the disjunct distribution of an invasive weed Amaranthus palmeri in China Jingjing Cao, Yongpan Qian, Jianying Guo, Hongwei Wang, Jianguo Fu, Yibo Zhang, Wanxue Liu, Fanghao Wan, Rui Wang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2026.01.011 Online: 14 January 2026 Abstract （0）      PDF in ScienceDirect       A central challenge in invasion biology is to determine whether disjunct distributions of invasive species stem from secondary spread from an initial introduction bridgehead or from recurrent, human-mediated introductions. The devastating alien weed Amaranthus palmeri, with its large-scale disjunct distribution across China, provides an ideal system to address this question. We tested the competing hypotheses of bridgehead-mediated expansion (originating from the initial introduction in Beijing, 1985) versus multiple independent introductions. By integrating genetic analyses with stable isotope geolocation, we treated propagules from imported soybean shipments as direct, traceable links to potential source populations. Newly field-collected populations in China harbored significantly higher nucleotide diversity (π=(0.78 ± 0.18) × 10-3) and haplotype diversity (Hd = 0.47 ± 0.04) than both the initial introduced population and the pooled propagules from the primary source, the United States (US). Significant genetic differentiation (FST > 0.20) was observed both among newly field-established populations and between them and the initial introduction. Non-significant neutrality tests, coupled with multimodal mismatch distributions (Raggedness index = 0.0946, P > 0.05), indicated that these populations did not undergo a recent demographic expansion or selection. Genetic diversity and structure correlated with regional soybean import volume (r = 0.59, P < 0.05) but not with environmental distance (Mantel r = 0.24, P > 0.05). Our findings demonstrate that recurrent transcontinental introductions, mediated by global grain trade, are the dominant force shaping the genetic pattern and invasion process. This study provides a framework for reconstructing invasion pathways and highlights the need for proactive, source-targeted biosecurity strategies to manage invasions in the Anthropocene. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Parallel denitrification and nitrite oxidation in the unsaturated zone: isotopic constraints from nitrate δ15N and δ18O in Tianjin, China Dongmei Xue, Jinglei Wang, Lanxin Xiang, Xiaoxian Peng, Ke Jin, Yunting Fang, Xiangzhen Li, Yidong Wang, Zhongliang Wang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2026.01.010 Online: 14 January 2026 Abstract （1）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Denitrification plays a critical role in mitigating anthropogenic nitrate (NO3-) accumulation in JIA-2025-1634 Jinke slj ZR.docxecosystems. The isotopic composition of NO3- (δ15N and δ18O) serves as a powerful tracer for identifying N sources and transformation processes. Denitrification often superimposed on the isotope effects of NO2- oxidation, resulting in parallel enrichment of δ15N- and δ18O-NO3- (Δδ18O:Δδ15N trajectory) that causes them to be either below or above 1. This study compared the Δδ18O:Δδ15N trajectory during denitrification, functional genes (narG, napA, and nxrA), and carbon sources from metabolites in the Δδ18O:Δδ15N trajectories below or above 1 in unsaturated zones. The results revealed that NO3- reduction was more important for variation in the Δδ18O:Δδ15N trajectory because the difference in isotope effects (15εNO3 reduction and 18εNO3 reduction) between the two Δδ18O:Δδ15N trajectory groups was significant, whereas the difference in isotope effects (15εnxr and 18εnxr) upon NO2- oxidation was not. Carbon sources in the group with Δδ18O:Δδ15N trajectories below 1 facilitated more efficient electron production to promote NO3- reduction because of their low molecular weight and simple structure. Conversely, the lower electron production efficiency due to the high molecular weight and complex structures of carbon sources in the group with Δδ18O:Δδ15N trajectories above 1 downregulated the expression of the three functional genes (narG, napA, and nxrA). The group with Δδ18O:Δδ15N trajectories below 1 showed significantly higher levels of 15εNO3 reduction, 18εNO3 reduction, NO2- oxidation ratio, and copy numbers of narG, napA, and nxrA genes compared to the other group, revealing that NO3- reduction at the cellular level was more active in the former group. This study elucidated the integrated influence of isotope effects, NO3- reductase and NO2- oxidoreductase activities, and carbon sources from metabolites. These findings are significant for understanding the Δδ18O:Δδ15N trajectories of N cycling in terrestrial ecosystems and support groundwater conservation by improving carbon supplementation approaches that stimulate denitrification, with Δδ18O:Δδ15N trajectories serving as effective tracers for assessing denitrification performance in terrestrial environments. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Functional analysis and epitope recognition of African swine fever virus pA151R antigen-specific T cells Jing Cao, Yunfei Tian, Longfei Han, Xiaoping He, Liming Niu, Jiawei Liu, Fangyuan Zhang, Dongyue Wang, Jiangnan Li, Changjiang Weng, Jiajun Wu, Li Huang, Shaobin Shang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2026.01.009 Online: 08 January 2026 Abstract （19）      PDF in ScienceDirect       African swine fever (ASF) is a highly lethal hemorrhagic disease of swine caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV). Development of safe and effective ASFV subunit vaccine relies on the identification of protective antigens. In this study, we systematically evaluated the antigenicity of ASFV non-structural protein pA151R recognized by T cells from immune-protected pigs. Recombinant pA151R (rpA151R) was expressed in E. coli and used to generate anti-rpA151R polyclonal antibodies (pAb). This pAb bound both eukaryotically-expressed and native viral pA151R, confirming that rpA151R retains its native antigenicity. Using ASFV attenuated vaccine-immunized pigs, we further analysed the kinetics and functions of pA151R-specific T cells as well as their epitope recognition. The results showed that pA151R-specific T cell responses peaked at 14 days post-immunization in pigs, and secreted IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2, and perforin simultaneously, with multifunctional characteristics. T-cell epitope mapping identified seven peptides recognized by these pA151R-specific T cells. Among them, three peptides (P2, P4, and P5) were exclusively recognized by CD4⁺ T cells, four peptides (P6, P10, P12, and P13) were specific for CD8⁺ T cells whereas P1, P7, and P9 were recognized by both CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells. These peptide-specific CD4⁺ or CD8⁺ T cells showed cytotoxicity, killing peptide-pulsed autologous target cells in a dose-dependent manner. These findings demonstrated that pA151R-specific swine T cells are able to contribute to protective immunity against ASFV and pA151R is a potential protective antigen for vaccine development. This study established a benchmark for screening and defining more ASFV protective antigens. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Molecular epidemiological and phenotypic characteristics of Streptococcus suis isolated in Hainan Island of China Song Liang, Shaoyan He, Shidan Zhang, Jiqi Song, Yubing Wang, Xinyi Liu, Lei Dai, Jinxiu Wang, Youzhi Xie, Huochun Yao, Guangjin Liu DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2026.01.008 Online: 08 January 2026 Abstract （6）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Streptococcus suis (S. suis) is an important global zoonotic pathogen that can cause meningitis, arthritis, and even death in humans and pigs. Hainan, as the only tropical island in China, experiences a year-round prevalence of S. suis in swine and a high risk of human infection. This work aimed to investigate the molecular epidemiological and phenotypic characteristics of S. suis isolates from pigs in Hainan. Between 2022 and 2024, a total of 298 S. suis isolates were recovered from 639 samples (629 from healthy pigs and 10 from sick pigs) collected across Hainan Island. Serotype 16 (22.15%) and 2 (11.74%) strains exhibited the highest prevalence, followed by serotypes 7 (6.04%) and 31 (5.37%), while 17.79% of the strains belonged to non-classical serotypes. Whole-genome sequencing was conducted on 63 representative strains, and the genome data showed that 65.08% of the strains belonged to novel sequence types, which reflects the distinctive evolutionary relationships of strains originating from Hainan. Notably, D74-2 and D77-1, isolated from healthy pigs, exhibited high virulence with 106 virulence-associated genes (VAGs), and had the closest evolutionary relationship to the human strains 98HAH33 and 05ZYH33, which were responsible for two human outbreaks in China. Further, two new NCL subtypes (NCL3-3, NCL29-2) were identified from diseased pig-derived strains. Furthermore, 98.41% of sequenced strains exhibited multidrug resistance, irrespective of whether they originated from healthy or diseased pigs. Interestingly, all SS2/ST1 and SS7/ST29 strains were classified as highly virulent, whereas all SS16 strains were categorized as lowly virulent in zebrafish infection experiments. Nevertheless, our data showed that some strains lacking combinations of virulence markers (mrp/sly/epf, srtF/ofs, and NisR/K) still exhibited high virulence. In conclusion, the results presented above illustrate the diverse molecular epidemiological and phenotypic characteristics of S. suis in Hainan, providing a targeted scientific basis for the development of prevention and control strategies for this zoonotic pathogen in the Chinese tropical region Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Green agriculture enabled by versatile metal-organic frameworks: A review Lianjie Wan, Fei Ma, Jianmin Zhou, Changwen Du DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2026.01.007 Online: 08 January 2026 Abstract （13）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Modern agriculture faces unprecedented challenges: a growing global population, limited arable land, freshwater scarcity, and inefficient agrochemical use have triggered severe environmental degradation.  Pollutants including pesticides, heavy metals, microplastics, antibiotics, nutrient runoff, and greenhouse gases threaten ecosystem stability, food security, and human health.  Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), with their tunable structures, high porosity, and versatile functionality, emerge as promising materials to address these issues.  This review comprehensively summarizes recent advances in MOFs-based solutions for agriculture.  It covers green synthesis strategies to enhance structural stability and promote circular economy principles.  Applications span three primary domains: pollutant remediation, sustainable technologies (e.g., atmospheric water harvesting, seawater desalination, and green ammonia synthesis), and smart agricultural systems.  The latter enables controlled agrochemical release and real-time sensing and monitoring.  Finally, challenges - such as high costs, biosafety concerns, and scalability limitations - are discussed, alongside forward-looking perspectives including AI-assisted design, improved recyclability, scalable production, and multifunctional integration toward green and smart agriculture. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Genetic diversity and recombination analysis of NADC34-like porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome viruses Zhengqin Ye, Wenqiang Wang, Zhenbang Zhu, Wei Wen, Hu Suk Lee, Xiangdong Li DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2026.01.006 Online: 08 January 2026 Abstract （5）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Macroaggregates magnify the positive feedback of trophic cascades on carbon accrual Lele Jin, Xiaoyue Wang, Yu Luo, Jie Zheng, Francisco Dini-Andreote, Chao Liang, Yuji Jiang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2026.01.005 Online: 08 January 2026 Abstract （7）      PDF in ScienceDirect       The interactions between nematodes and fungi are important for soil carbon cycling. However, their cascading effects on soil organic carbon (SOC) accrual remain unclear, particularly the role of soil aggregates and manure amendments in mediating this trophic cascade. Using a 19-year fertilization experiment, we examined how nematode predation influences fungal necromass carbon (FNC) and glomalin-related soil proteins (GRSPs), and quantified their contributions to SOC across soil aggregates under different manure amendments. Our findings showed that nematode predation significantly enhanced fungal biomass and promoted deterministic assembly of fungal communities. These effects were strongly dependent on aggregate size, with the most pronounced responses observed in the large macroaggregate (LA) fraction. A complementary microcosm experiment confirmed that nematode predation increased fungal biomass by over 6%, particularly in the LA fraction. Manure amendments further stimulated fungal growth and reinforced deterministic community assembly, thereby enhancing trophic cascade-driven accrual of FNC and GRSPs. Of the two fungal-derived carbon sources, FNC contributed more substantially to SOC (40%) than GRSPs (17%), with the greatest contribution found in the LA fraction. Path analysis further revealed that nematode-induced changes in fungal communities mediated the positive effects of manure amendments on fungal-derived carbon accrual. Overall, these findings underscore the pivotal role of nematodes in driving positive trophic cascade impact on SOC accrual. Our study offers new insights into aggregate-scale carbon dynamics and biologically mediated strategies for soil carbon management. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Oilseed Brassica under threat: viral pathogens and the compounding effects of climate change Archita Sahu, Rohit Bharati, Piotr Trebicki, Jiban Kumar Kundu DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2026.01.004 Online: 08 January 2026 Abstract （9）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Oilseed crops of the genus Brassica rank third globally in vegetable oil production and contribute substantially to global oil supplies for both food and industrial purposes, including lubricants, biofuels, and cosmetics. Despite advances in high-yielding cultivars and modern agronomic practices, the productivity of oilseed Brassica species remains significantly constrained by a range of pathogens, particularly viral agents such as turnip yellows virus (TuYV), turnip mosaic virus (TuMV), and cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV). Climate change further exacerbates these challenges by influencing plant physiology, virus biology and vector ecology. Rising temperatures enhance virus-vector interactions and increase the risk of disease outbreaks, while elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentrations can alter plant nutritional profiles, potentially stimulating vector feeding behaviour and promoting virus transmission. Although natural sources of resistance offer partial protection, their effectiveness may be compromised under abiotic stress conditions such as heat stress, highlighting vulnerabilities in plant defence. This mini-review addresses three major challenges to Brassica oilseed production: the impact of principal viral pathogens, climate-driven shifts in host-virus-vector dynamics, and the environmental robustness of genetic resistance. The review also outlines knowledge gaps and research priorities for developing climate-resilient Brassica oilseed genotypes. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Warming alters fresh-carbon assimilating bacterial community relevant to priming effect in Mollisols Yan Gao, Yansheng Li, Zhenhua Yu, Zhuxiu Liu, Jinyuan Zhang, Xiaojing Hu, Jun Wang, Hanting Cheng, Rong Li, Caixian Tang, Junjie Liu, Junjiang Wu, Guanghua Wang, Xiaobing Liu, Yueyu Sui, Jian Jin DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2026.01.003 Online: 08 January 2026 Abstract （8）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Soil microbial response to warming may potentially contribute to the positive priming effect, i.e. accelerating the decomposition of native soil organic carbon (SOC) under the outsourced carbon (C) input. Investigating microbiota that metabolize the outsourced C is essential to deciphering the mechanism of priming effect in response to warming and thus mitigating the SOC loss under warming climate. In this work, we monitored the priming effect at 25, 35 and 45°C over four weeks with weekly addition of 13C-glucose, and subsequently revealed microbial assemblage metabolizing glucose with the DNA stable-isotope probing (DNA-SIP) method. Warming initially inhibited the priming effect, and decreased bacterial α-diversity, K/r-strategists ratio (K/r)  and recalcitrant C/labile C gene ratio (R/L) in week 1, suggesting that at the onset of the outsourced C input, the increased proportion of r-strategists preferentially utilize the added glucose over SOC to meet their C and energy demands. Yet, in week 4, positive priming effects were intensified by warming with up to 3.8-fold increase at 45°C. Additionally, the primed C was positively correlated with K/r, R/L, and the abundances of chitin degradation genes in week 4. These functions concurred with an increase in the abundance of resource-acquisition strategists such as Streptomyces affiliated to Actinobacteria under warming conditions over time. From week 1 to 4, warming induced a distinctive change in glucose-assimilating bacterial community compositions with a particular decrease in the relative abundance of Actinobacteria while an enriched abundance of Chloroflexi. Taken together, warming-triggered change of priming effect depended on alternation of microbiota and metabolic function over time. These findings provide important insights of how warming mediates microbial metabolic use of fresh C and subsequent SOC mineralization, reflecting the positive feedback between soil C emission and climate warming. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Risk assessment and residue behavior of a novel pesticide cyetpyrafen and its metabolites from fresh tea leaves to tea infusion Yue Hu, Yating Ning, Yan Zhao, Yaqi Wang, Fengjian Luo , Li Zhou, Xinzhong Zhang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2026.01.001 Online: 08 January 2026 Abstract （10）      PDF in ScienceDirect       China has limited acaricide options for tea plantations. Cyetpyrafen, a novel domestic acaricide with high efficacy, low toxicity and a negative temperature coefficient, offers an alternative for tea pest control; however, its residue fate in tea remains unclear. This study developed a method to simultaneously detect cyetpyrafen and its metabolites (M-309, M-325-1, and M-409-3) in different tea matrices to investigate their fate. Recoveries of compounds ranged from 73.4% to 106.2% with the relative standard deviations (RSDs) below 12.0%. During tea cultivation, the dissipation half-life of cyetpyrafen was 0.59 d, with M-309 as a major metabolite. The residues of cyetpyrafen and M-309 were affected by different processing stages, especially water loss and high temperatures during fixing, drying and withering. The total processing factors ranged from 1.39 to 1.71 for green tea and 1.48 to 2.28 for black tea (processed from fresh tea leaves sampled at 1, 5, and 7 d), respectively. The leaching rates of cyetpyrafen from green tea and black tea into tea infusions were 7.4% and 6%, respectively. The risk associated with cyetpyrafen intake from tea consumption was low, with risk quotient values below 100%. However, theoretical calculation indicated potential harm to non-target organisms from its metabolites. This research provides a reference for the safe and efficient use of cyetpyrafen in tea gardens. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Impacts of Bacillus velezensis inoculation on exogenous organic carbon mineralization and bacterial community composition in fumigated continuous-cropping obstacle soils Yixian Liu, Runa Zhang, Shuai Ding, Shuang Wang, Liang Wei, Cuiyan Wu, Wensheng Fang, Qiuxia Wang, Dongdong Yan, Aocheng Cao, Jianping Chen, Tida Ge, Zhenke Zhu DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.076 Online: 02 January 2026 Abstract （21）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Chemical fumigants such as dazomet (DZ) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) effectively suppress soil-borne pathogens but  there  is  uncertainty  regarding  the  restoration  of  soil  ecological  functions  in  continuous  cropping  obstacles  after fumigation, such as microbe-mediated organic carbon cycling.   However, the mechanism by which microbial remediation measures enhance carbon mineralization activity after soil fumigation remains unclear.   In  this study, we conducted microcosm experiments to investigate the impacts of Bacillus velezensis inoculation on exogenous organic carbon (EOC) mineralization and bacterial community composition and interactions following chemical fumigation.  Relative to fumigation alone, B. velezensis addition increased cumulative EOC mineralization by 27% in DZ-treated soils and by 22% in DMDS- treated soils.  This enhancement was associated with the enrichment of core taxa and keystone species, which collectively increased microbial activity.   Structural equation modeling further confirmed that core taxa (OTU56, belonging to Bacillus) induced positive interactions with indigenous species, which drove the observed enhancement in EOC mineralization. We conclude that B. velezensis facilitates the rapid recovery of soil carbon mineralization after fumigation by selectively reshaping the bacterial community and strengthening bacterial cooperative networks.   This work provides a mechanistic framework for microbially driven ecological restoration of fumigant-impacted continuous-cropping obstacle soils and informs the development of sustainable soil-management practices in chemically challenged agroecosystems. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Vacuolar metabolomic and proteomic profiling reveals vacuole composition of ripe juice sacs and functions of CsTST2 and CsERDL6 for sugar accumulation in citrus Youfu Fan, Wenxin Shangguan, Rong Hu, Yong Liu, Li Yang, Wei Hu, Jie Song, Jingheng Xie, Yingjie Huang, Mingjun Li, Dechun Liu, Liuqing Kuang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.074 Online: 02 January 2026 Abstract （11）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Vacuolar composition, particularly the type and abundance of metabolites and tonoplast proteins, critically determines fruit quality and flavor. However, the specific vacuolar composition of fruits with different flavors at the fully ripe stage, especially regarding sugar accumulation, remains unclear. In this study, we established an optimized protocol to overcome technical barriers in isolating intact vacuoles from four types of fresh ripe citrus juice sacs. Subsequently, quasi-targeted metabolomics analysis and 4D-label-free proteomic analysis were conducted, identifying 640 metabolites and 1,782 proteins, respectively. Notably, amino acids, flavonoids, lipids, carbohydrates, and organic acids collectively represented 70% of the total vacuolar metabolites. Pummelo MJY vacuoles exhibited the highest sucrose accumulation, whereas tangerine NFMJ showed minimal sucrose content. Proteomic profiling revealed vacuolar proteins participating in protein fate determination, metabolism, vesicle trafficking, solute transport, and energy supply. Comparative analysis demonstrated significantly greater protein abundance variation between MJY and NFMJ than between other varieties. In total, 158 transport proteins, including sugar-related transporters, were identified, and most of them were more abundant in MJY vacuoles. The protein abundance of CsTST2 and CsERDL6 was greater in MJY vacuoles compared to other varieties, and the relative expression patterns of their encoding genes were consistent with sugar accumulation during fruit ripening. Subcellular localization analysis confirmed their tonoplast localization. Importantly, transgenic tomato fruits overexpressing these genes demonstrated both enhanced gene expression and increased sugar content. This study systematically revealed cultivar-specific vacuolar composition and sugar accumulation strategies in ripe citrus fruits and provided key tonoplast proteins responsible for fruit quality improvement.   Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Brassinosteroid signaling regulates floral transition defects in Camellia sinensis 'Ziyang 1' via CsBZR2-mediated suppression of CsFLC Yingao Zhang, Huike Li, Siqing Wan, Yongheng Zhang, Dan Chen, He Zhang, Yezi Xiao, Lu Liu, Pengjie Wang, Youben Yu DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.073 Online: 31 December 2025 Abstract （8）      PDF in ScienceDirect       The tea plant (Camellia sinensis) is an economically important leaf crop in which the flowering process consumes substantial nutrients, thereby negatively impacting tea yield and quality. Therefore, deciphering the molecular basis of floral transition is essential for enhancing tea cultivars and optimizing plantation management. The natural mutant ‘Ziyang 1’ (ZY1H, which had not flowered for years) and its wild-type cultivar ‘Ziyang’ (ZYQT, normal flowering) were used to study the molecular mechanisms underlying the non-flowering phenotype in ZY1H. Phenotypically, ZY1H exhibited shortened internodes, prolonged vegetative growth, and failure to develop floral meristems. Chromosomal analysis confirmed that ZY1H maintains a normal diploid chromosome number (2n=30), excluding triploidy as a cause of its sterility. Transcriptome analysis revealed defective vegetative-to-reproductive transition in ZY1H, manifesting as insufficient expression of SPL genes and sustained high expression of flower-inhibiting AP2-like genes. Additionally, elevated expression of the flowering repressor SVP and reduced expression of the flowering integrator FT further disrupted the integration of floral induction signals. Notably, brassinosteroid (BR) levels and CsBZR2 expression were elevated in ZY1H. Functional assays showed that CsBZR2 directly interacts with the CsFLC promoter and suppresses its expression, thereby blocking the flowering process. These findings suggest that the floral transition defect in ZY1H is driven by dysregulated BR signaling and excessive vegetative growth, to provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms of flowering regulation in tea plants and valuable theoretical support for cultivar improvement. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Proton-responsive SlSTOP1-SlFRDL1 regulatory pathway modulates citrate-driven iron acquisition in tomato roots Huihui Zhu, Liqiong Jia, Yuzhi Bai, Junqiang Xu, Xulu Luo, Wei Fan, Weiwei Chen, Jianli Yang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.072 Online: 31 December 2025 Abstract （10）      PDF in ScienceDirect       The composition and function of root exudates in rhizosphere iron (Fe) mobilization are significantly influenced by environmental pH conditions. While the role of organic acids in Fe solubilization is well-recognized, the molecular mechanisms underlying this pH-dependent process remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that under weakly acidic conditions, proton excretion alone is insufficient to solubilize sparingly soluble Fe. Instead, a pH-dependent ligand specificity emerges as a critical factor in Fe mobilization. Notably, within the pH range of 5.0-6.0, citric acid exuded by roots exhibits superior Fe solubilization efficacy compared to oxalic acid and malic acid. We identified SlFRDL1, a gene induced by Fe deficiency, as a key player in this process. SlFRDL1 encodes a plasma membrane-localized protein with citrate permeability, as confirmed by its functional expression in Xenopus oocytes. Knockout mutants of SlFRDL1 displayed exacerbated Fe deficiency symptoms, which were associated with a significant reduction in citrate secretion from roots. Furthermore, we discovered that SlSTOP1, a transcription factor, binds to the promoter region of SlFRDL1 and activates its expression. Slstop1 mutants exhibited leaf chlorosis symptoms similar to those observed in Slfrdl1 mutants, highlighting the functional interplay between these two genes. Interestingly, while Fe deficiency triggers the FER-mediated Fe uptake system across both acidic and alkaline conditions, the SlSTOP1-SlFRDL1 module is specifically activated only in acidic environments. This pH-specific regulation underscores the importance of the SlSTOP1-SlFRDL1 pathway in root-mediated Fe solubilization under acidic conditions.  Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select The heat shock transcription factor SlHSFA3 enhances heat tolerance in tomato by directly modulating both APX activity and SlAPX1 expression Chunrui Chen, Licheng Xiao, Yaling Wang, Rong Huang, Sunan Gao, Wenran Su, Jiajun Ran, Lei Song, Taotao Wang, Jie Ye, Yongen Lu, Zhibiao Ye, Jinhua Li, Junhong Zhang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.071 Online: 31 December 2025 Abstract （25）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Global climate warming and extreme high-temperature events significantly impact crop growth, development, and economic productivity. Plants typically enhance heat tolerance by regulating heat shock transcription factors (HSFs) and antioxidant enzymes to reduce the detrimental impacts of heat stress. However, the precise regulatory mechanisms by which HSFs confer heat tolerance in tomato remain to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the role of the heat-induced transcription factor SlHSFA3 in tomato heat tolerance. We demonstrated that knockout of SlHSFA3 increases tomato plants' sensitivity to heat stress, while enhanced expression of SlHSFA3 improves heat tolerance by promoting reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging through increased ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity. Similarly, overexpression of SlAPX1 enhances heat tolerance in tomato by reducing ROS accumulation, whereas its knockout increases heat stress sensitivity. Furthermore, SlHSFA3 interacts with SlAPX1 to further augment APX activity. Molecular analysis revealed that SlHSFA3 directly upregulates the expression of SlAPX1 by binding to its promoter region. In summary, our findings elucidate the molecular mechanism of the SlHSFA3-SlAPX1 regulatory pathway in tomato heat tolerance, providing a theoretical foundation for developing advanced biotechnological and breeding strategies to improve crop adaptation under elevated temperature conditions. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Multi-omics analyses unveil dynamic metabolic and transcriptomic changes of swelling potato tubers Jiangyue Long, Wei Tan, Chunzhi Zhang, Guangtao Zhu, Zhong Zhang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.070 Online: 31 December 2025 Abstract （8）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Potato is a vital global food source, yet the metabolic and transcriptional regulation governing tuber development and quality remains poorly understood. Here, we performed integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses on wild and cultivated potato tubers, revealing dynamic and distinct metabolic accumulation patterns. The 849 metabolites exhibited 10 distinct temporal accumulation patterns, including six shared patterns between accessions and four genotype-specific patterns. The wild genotype exhibited an early decrease in lipids, followed by an increase in phenolic acids, whereas the cultivated genotype displayed an early increase in phenolic acids, accompanied by a decrease in some phenolic acids, amino acids, and flavonoids. A comparative analysis highlighted a key metabolic trade-off: the cultivated genotype exhibited significantly lower levels of bitter steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs) but higher levels of beneficial flavonoids compared to its wild counterpart. Co-expression network analysis revealed 35 SGA- and 57 phenylpropanoid-related genes that underlie metabolite dynamics. Notably, we functionally validated that the transcription factor StMYB113 plays a previously unknown role in positively regulating phenolic acid biosynthesis in tuber flesh. Our work provides a comprehensive map of tuber metabolism and a valuable resource of high-confidence targets for accelerating the genetic improvement of key potato quality traits. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Geographical origin authentication of fruits: A decadal review (2014-2024) of technological progress and outlook Jiyun Nie, Mengying Shuai, Yihui Liu, Xiaoming Li, Mingyu Liu, An Li, Duoyong Zhao, Qiusheng Chen, Xiaoli Liu, Zhichao Li DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.069 Online: 31 December 2025 Abstract （13）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Food fraud is an increasing deliberate act of deception for profits. Hence, it is highly necessary to develop powerful analytical approaches to assess the authenticity of foods. In recent years, the geographical origin authenticity of fruits has become a particular public concern. The geographical origin of fruit is generally determined based on specific indicators such as elements, stable isotopes, and metabolites. Many studies have demonstrated that mineral elements and stable isotope ratios are effective indictors for geographical origin authentication as they are directly related to the geographical environment. Some other techniques, such as spectroscopy and chromatography, have shown potential in identifying geographical origin and assessing the authenticity of fruits. Nonlinear PCA, PLS-DA, and LDA are commonly used for geographical origin authentication of fruits. A modern approach for data classification is machine learning, including SVM, RF, and ANN, which have been applied to identify the origin of fruits with high accuracies.  Reference | Related Articles | Metrics page Page 1 of 19 Total 378 records First page Prev page Next page Last page