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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 Optimizing row configuration and maize planting density enhances yield and economic benefits in maize and soybean strip intercropping Jinchuan Zhang, Xin Qian, Yuting Wei, Tianzi Wang, Xuelong Fu, Sijie Luo, Yuanquan Chen, Leanne Peixoto, Zhaohai Zeng, Huadong Zang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.038 Online: 24 December 2025 Abstract （3）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Maize and soybean intercropping improve land use efficiency and plays a crucial role in ensuring food security. However, optimal field configuration parameters for maize and soybean strip intercropping remain unclear, particularly in the North China Plain where the system has been widely adopted. A two-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of four maize planting densities under two row configurations on the land equivalent ratio (LER), crop yields, and economic benefits. Our results demonstrated that intercropping consistently enhanced land use efficiency across all field configurations, with an average LER of 1.20. Under the M3S4 (three maize rows alternating with four soybean rows) configuration at 90% of the monocropping maize density, maize yields were sustained at up to 93.3% of monocrop, while simultaneously producing an additional 893 kg ha-1 soybean. Compared to the M2S4 configuration (two maize rows alternating with four soybean rows), the M3S4 increased maize yield by 12.2%, but led to a 17.1% reduction in soybean yield. Further, optimization of maize planting density improved land use efficiency, crop yields, and the net income. The optimal M3S4 configuration at 90% of the monocropping maize density increased the LER by 6.7%, maize yield by 5.6%, soybean yield by 8.1%, and net income by 8% compared to M3S4 at 100% density. These findings indicate that optimizing field configurations can significantly improve crop yields and farmers' economic benefits in maize-soybean strip intercropping. Our study highlights that optimized field configurations improve both yield potential and economic viability of mechanized maize and soybean strip intercropping, providing a scientific basis for its large-scale adoption. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Synergistic regulation of carbohydrate metabolism by histone acetyltransferases FgSas3 and FgRtt109 in a mycotoxin-producing fungal pathogen Kaili Duan, Yutong Shi, Hanru Gong, Qifang Shen, Chunlan Wu, Aliang Xia, Ping Xiang, Cong Jiang, Guanghui Wang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.037 Online: 23 December 2025 Abstract （3）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Fusarium head blight (FHB), primarily caused by Fusarium graminearum, is a globally destructive fungal disease that not only reduces cereal crop yields but also threatens food safety due to mycotoxin contamination. In this study, we systematically characterized histone acetyltransferases in F. graminearum and revealed the overlapping functions between FgSas3 and FgRtt109. The double deletion mutant Fgsas3 Fgrtt109 showed severely impaired vegetative growth, conidiation, mycotoxin production, as well as complete loss of sexual reproduction and pathogenicity. Furthermore, integrated transcriptome and metabolome analyses revealed that this double mutant had significant dysregulation in carbohydrate metabolism, particularly in the disaccharides to monosaccharides conversion. This metabolic shift was evidenced by the reduced disaccharide concentrations, accumulated monosaccharide and their derivatives, and enhanced growth on disaccharide-supplemented medium in the Fgsas3 Fgrtt109 double mutant. Taken together, our results demonstrate that FgSas3 and FgRtt109 synergistically regulate carbohydrate metabolism, which in turn modulates fungal development, and plant infection. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Advances in rice synthetic biology: toward a better staple crop and beyond Chenchen Zhang, Yan Wang, Lu Chen, Xixi Wang, Sheng Teng DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.036 Online: 23 December 2025 Abstract （4）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Synthetic biology is an interdisciplinary field that applies engineering principles to design and construct novel biological systems or organisms. Initially focused on microbial systems, its applications have expanded to include plants. Plant synthetic biology offers promising solutions to pressing global challenges in agriculture and human health. As a staple crop for much of the world’s population and a model species in plant science, rice has emerged as a pivotal platform in this domain. Significant progress has been achieved in genome engineering through multiplex genome editing, synthetic hybrid rice systems, induction of apomixis, reconstruction of photosynthesis and nitrogen-fixation pathways, and biosynthesis of micronutrients, pharmaceuticals, and therapeutic proteins or peptides. This review summarizes recent advances in rice synthetic biology, outlines current developments, and discusses future research directions. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Yield improvement in maize through optimized application of nitrogen fertilizer under narrow-wide row intercropping is associated with source-flow-sink trade-offs Liang Feng, Ruoxing Liao, Muhammad Umair Hassan, Xin Liu, Xinghao Chen, Xuyang Zhao, Xinhui Lei, Tian Pu, Yushan Wu, Taiwen Yong, Feng Yang, Xiaochun Wang, Wenyu Yang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.035 Online: 23 December 2025 Abstract （1）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Narrow-wide row soybean-maize intercropping systems can improve crop yield. Particularly, the mechanisms underlying the maize yield advantage associated with the source-flow-sink theory are unclear. Effect of optimized nitrogen (N) fertilizer application strategies on intercrops yield still needs to be further studied. This study revealed the mechanism of wide-row N application strategy to enhance the yield of intercropped maize through the trade-off relationship of source-flow-sink. Field experiments were conducted from 2023 to 2024, in a typical soybean maize intercropping region of the Sichuan Basin, China. The study was contained different fertilizer application sites: narrow rows (A1), wider row sites 10 cm (A2), 20 cm (A3) and 30 cm (A4) away from the maize plants, respectively, and different N rates (N0, 0 kg ha-1; N1, 225 kg ha-1; N2, 300 kg ha-1; N3, 375 kg ha-1). Specifically, compared to A1N2, optimized fertilization A3N2 treatments significantly enhanced the leaf biomass (11.44%), net photosynthetic rate (11.04%), SPAD (13.24%), root bleeding saps intensity (RBSI, 54.1%), number of vascular bundles (VB, 7.0%), soluble sugars (SS, 12.6%) and amino acids (16.3%), apparently, A3N2 also significantly enhanced the root morphology and maize yield (17.4%). Structural equation modeling showed that the N site and N rate interaction effect significantly increased the number of vascular bundles, soluble sugars and amino acids, which promoted root morphology, sped up grain filling (GF) and extended the active grain filling period by 2 d, ultimately leading to higher intercropped maize yields. Random forest modeling also revealed that factors such as GF, RBSI, SS and VB made a main contribution to the intercropped maize yield effect. Collectively, optimization of trade-offs in source-flow-sink relationships facilitates intercropped maize to achieve increased yield at 20 cm wide row distance with 300 kg ha-1 N application rates. These findings enriched the knowledge of source-flow-sink of strip intercropped maize under the condition of optimal N fertilizer application. It offers critical insights for the optimized application of N fertilizers in large-scale field production of strips intercropped maize. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Increasing temperature during early spring increases kernel number per spike of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) by prolonging spike differentiation and increasing water soluble carbohydrate accumulation Haiwang Yu, Guangzhou Liu, Xiaoyu Li, Yanhong Cui, Zhen Gao, Xiong Du DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.034 Online: 23 December 2025 Abstract （1）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Climate warming during early spring usually increases the kernel number per spike (KNS) of winter wheat in North China. However, the underlying physiological mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, field warming experiments were conducted in early spring (late wintering period) using mobile plastic greenhouses for three consecutive growing seasons from 2020 to 2023. Warming treatment (WT) advanced wheat regreening and reduced the daily mean temperature (DMT) during subsequent growth stages, with a decrease of 1.4–1.9 °C from regreening to maturity compared to CK. Consequently, WT extended the duration of spike differentiation and the active growth period of winter wheat, significantly increased spike length, flag leaf area, and leaf area index. WT exhibited increased contents of indole-3-acetic acid and gibberellin A3 along with decreased abscisic acid levels in both flag leaves and spikes. Furthermore, WT increased the content of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) of different organs, which significantly enhanced the dry matter accumulation (DMA) and the contribution rate of stored assimilates in vegetative organs to grains. Compared to CK, WT led to significant increases of the number of fertile spikelets (NFS), fertile florets (NFF), and KNS by 9.1–19.5%, 6.8–8.4%, and 17.1–18.9%, respectively. In conclusion, WT extended the active growth period and spike differentiation duration of winter wheat, increased photosynthetic area, and regulated hormone levels, thereby increasing WSC and DMA in the spike. These promoted spike development and differentiation, ultimately significantly increase KNS. These findings provide new insights into the wheat KNS formation in the North China Plain under climate warming.   Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Genetic diversity of H13 avian influenza viruses in migratory shorebirds in eastern China Mengdi Guan, Wenxi Li, Wenjun Shi, Mengjing Wang, Lili Liu, Yujiao Xie, Huihui Kong, Yujie Li, Hongke Xu, Mingfeng Liu, Xuan Yang, Zhanshuai Li, Anran Ren, Jing Guo, Xuyong Li DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.043 Online: 23 December 2025 Abstract （3）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Coronavirus-like particles package the negative-strand genome of coronavirus Xinyu Yang, Wenzhen Qin, Ning Kong, Yuchang Liu, Guangzhi Tong, Tongling Shan DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.042 Online: 23 December 2025 Abstract （1）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Research on lightweight detection of cotton leaf diseases based on self-supervised contrastive representation learning Meiqi Zhong, Linjing Wei, Henghui Mo DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.041 Online: 23 December 2025 Abstract （0）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Cotton leaf diseases such as leaf spot, blight, and wilt are difficult to detect reliably in the field because lesions are small, low-contrast, and often obscured by complex backgrounds. We present RT-DETR-SDSL, a lightweight detector designed for real-world on-device deployment. Our main research line is a complementary three-part pipeline that aligns representation quality, lesion sensitivity, and edge efficiency: (i) we adopt MoCo v2 self-supervised pretraining on unlabeled field imagery to initialize the backbone and improve data efficiency under scarce labels; (ii) we propose a Decoupled Focused Self-Attention (DFSA) module that factorizes 2D attention along height and width and augments each axis with 1D dilated depthwise convolution, enlarging the effective receptive field around fine textures while suppressing background responses; and (iii) we propose a Teacher–Assistant–Student distillation framework coupled with a structured channel-pruning schedule to preserve accuracy while reducing parameters and storage for edge devices. To mitigate class imbalance and rare-lesion scarcity, we incorporate high-fidelity StyleGAN3 synthesis and targeted augmentations, and we use Grad-CAM++ to visualize decision evidence for interpretability. On challenging field datasets, RT-DETR-SDSL attains precision of 90.32%, recall of 87.52%, and mAP50 of 88.47%, outperforming strong baselines. The deployable model is 17.8 MB and runs at 14 fps on an NVIDIA Jetson Xavier NX, striking a practical balance between accuracy and efficiency for precision agriculture. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Nano-biochar amendment reduces reactive gaseous nitrogen losses and improves grain yield in alternate wetting and drying paddy fields Yidi Sun, Tao Zong, Yuhao Zhou, Jianchang Yang, Xiaoping Xin, Weiyang Zhang, Wenhao Fang, Tong Shen DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.040 Online: 23 December 2025 Abstract （2）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Biochar (BC) demonstrates considerable potential for reducing nitrogen emissions and improving crop yield. However, it frequently exhibits limited capacity and may increase ammonia (NH3) volatilization. Nano-biochar (NBC) is attracting growing attention due to its higher surface energy, but there is a lack of information for rice production systems, especially under alternate wetting and drying (AWD). Therefore，a two-year field experiment was conducted in 2023 and 2024, involving six treatments: continuous flooding (CF) without BC (ICFB0), AWD without BC (IAWDB0), AWD with 20 t ha-1 BC (IAWDB20), AWD with 5,10 and 20 t ha-1 NBC (IAWDNB5, IAWDNB10 and IAWDNB20). Their effects on reactive gaseous nitrogen losses (NH3 and N2O; Nr), floodwater nitrogen, soil environment variables, nitrogen uptake, grain yield, and nitrogen-related global warming potential (GWPN) were evaluated. Results showed that there was no significant difference in NH3 volatilization and grain yield between IAWDB0 and ICFB0 treatments, but AWD increased N2O emission by 41.71-53.25%. Compared with without BC addition, NBC application increased soil mineral nitrogen while decreasing floodwater NH4+-N, thereby reducing NH3 volatilization, N2O emission, Nr and GWPN by 5.92-34.41%, 9.95-25.49%, 6.37-33.39%, 12.20-26.11%, respectively, in AWD paddy fields. Compared to IAWDB20, IAWDNB20 reduced NH3 volatilization, N2O emission, Nr losses and GWPN by 12.97-13.45%, 9.47-17.26%, 13.69%, 9.95-17.89%, respectively, and IAWDNB10 showed no significant difference in 2023, but significantly reduced N2O emission, lowering GWPN by 7.81% in 2024. NBC also promoted aboveground dry matter and nitrogen accumulation in rice plants, ultimately increasing grain yield by 1.95-12.25%, and no significant difference was observed between IAWDNB10 and IAWDB20. Therefore, even with the biochar application rate halved, NBC can still enhance soil nitrogen content, thereby mitigating Nr losses and GWPN, while simultaneously improving grain yield in AWD paddy fields.   Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Boll-leaf system photosynthesis reveals systemic chilling responses in cotton Pei Yang, Cao Cheng, Peng Yan, Fubin Liang, Jingshan Tian, Yali Zhang, Chuangdao Jiang, Wangfeng Zhang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.039 Online: 23 December 2025 Abstract （0）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Chilling stress is a major abiotic factor that limits the yield and quality of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), particularly during the flowering and boll-setting stages. Developing a scientific and precise evaluation system for chilling tolerance is important for the screening and breeding of tolerant cultivars. In this study, 14 early maturing upland cotton cultivars were subjected to a three-day chilling stress treatment (15°C/10°C, day/night) during the flowering and boll-setting stages. Physiological and biochemical parameters, including photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, antioxidant enzyme activities, and membrane lipid peroxidation, were measured in both the main and sympodial leaves. A comprehensive evaluation index (D-value) was constructed based on principal component analysis (PCA) and membership function and validated by the resistance coefficient of whole-plant biomass (RCBM). Systematic cluster analysis was used to classify chilling tolerance levels, and partial least squares regression (PLSR) was applied to identify key physiological indicators. The results showed that chilling stress significantly suppressed photosynthesis and induced oxidative damage, with sympodial leaves being more sensitive than main stem leaves. PCA revealed that main-stem leaves primarily relied on a “photosynthesis–antioxidant coordinated defense” mechanism, while sympodial leaves exhibited a “damage signal-driven” response pattern. The D-value based on main-stem leaf traits was highly correlated with the whole-plant biomass resistance coefficient (R²=0.92, P<0.001), indicating that it is the most effective indicator for assessing plant chilling tolerance. PLSR analysis identified the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and peroxidase (POD) activity as the core indicators shared by both leaf types. Furthermore, the resistance coefficient of boll–leaf system photosynthesis [Pn(BLS)] was also significantly correlated with RCBM (R²=0.84, P<0.001), suggesting its great potential as a simple and efficient indicator for rapid screening. This study developed a reliable and systematic evaluation strategy for chilling tolerance in cotton, highlighted the predictive value of main stem leaf traits, and proposed Pn(BLS) as a mechanistic indicator reflecting systemic photosynthetic responses under chilling stress. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Convergent dynamics and shared mechanisms of three pool soil carbon mineralization under different grassland managements Junhao Feng, Ji Chen, Xiaowei Liu, Yudu Jing, Ke Liang, Qiang Yu, Changhui Peng, Liang Guo DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.030 Online: 22 December 2025 Abstract （4）      PDF in ScienceDirect       The mineralization dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) in grasslands are crucial to terrestrial biogeochemical cycles. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying extracellular enzyme metabolism and microbial community structure during SOC mineralization across different carbon pools remain poorly understood. In this study, a 553-day incubation experiment was conducted to examine temporal changes in CO2 emissions, extracellular enzyme activities, microbial biomass, and microbial community composition in soils from both enclosed and grazed grasslands. Using a three-pool model, SOC dynamics were quantified within active, slow, and passive carbon pools, revealing a shift in the dominance of mineralization from the active carbon pool to the passive carbon pool during the long-term carbon turnover, with differences observed across grassland management strategies. Compared to grazed grasslands, enclosed grasslands exhibited an approximately 110% larger active carbon pool and higher initial SOC mineralization rates (significantly higher during the first 113 days), yet long-term microbial and enzymatic regulatory mechanisms—particularly shifts in microbial strategies, enzyme activity patterns, and their interactions with carbon pools—were similar across both management regimes. The observed shifts in carbon pool dynamics were driven by enhanced microbial capacity to decompose passive carbon, associated with substantially increased oxidative enzyme production (e.g., mass-specific oxidase activity increased by 190.6% in enclosed soil and by 256.1% in grazed soil) and elevated nitrogen and phosphorus demands. Notably, microbial communities shifted from fast-growing copiotrophic taxa (e.g., Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Ascomycota) to slower-growing oligotrophic taxa (e.g., Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes, Basidiomycota), with the oligotroph-to-copiotroph ratio increasing by 55.5–62.6% for bacteria and 96.9–247.5% for fungi. These changes were closely linked to shifts in enzyme activity profiles and stoichiometric ratios. Overall, this study provides mechanistic insights into how microbial ecological strategies and enzyme activities interact to regulate SOC mineralization across different pools under contrasting grassland management regimes. These findings advance our understanding of SOC turnover and improve predictive capabilities for carbon cycling, with broader implications for global climate change feedbacks. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select A mutation in BrPRPL1 causes leaf yellowing by influencing chloroplast protein translation in Chinese cabbage Xiaowei Ren, Xing Li, Jie Li, Jindi Fan, Mengyao Yuan, Yan Li, Daling Feng, Yin Lu, Hao Liang, Xiaofei Fan, Lei Sun, Kehui Ren, Mengyang Liu, Wei Ma, Jianjun Zhao DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.029 Online: 22 December 2025 Abstract （5）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Leaf color directly influences the appearance quality and nutritional quality of leafy vegetables, determining their economic value. Here, we identify a golden leaf mutant, Mut298, from an ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS)-induced mutant library of Chinese cabbage. Through the approach of forward genetics, it has been demonstrated that the phenotype of Mut298 is due to a single nucleotide substitution from C to T change glycine to arginine in the conserved domain of BrPRPL1, which encodes the large subunit ribosomal protein L1 of the chloroplast. Due to the PRPL1 mutation result in embryonic lethality in Arabidopsis, the function of PRPL1 in leaf development remains elusive. In this study, the mutation of BrPRPL1 causes a substantial reduction in the expression of key chloroplast-encoded proteins (RbcL, PsaA, and PsaB), and causing abnormal chloroplast development. Moreover, the chlorophyll content and photosynthetic parameters are significantly lower in Mut298 plants than in wild type plants, resulting in golden yellow leaves in Chinese cabbage. This study details the impact of PRPL1 mutation on ribosome translation within chloroplasts and sets a foundation for future research into the regulatory roles of PRPL1 in plant growth and development. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Transcriptomic changes and VvMYBPA1 function analysis reveal the molecular mechanism of drought tolerance in grapevine Shuzhen Jiao, Yaping Huang, Shixiong Lu, Han Wang , Yanmei Li, Juan Mao, Baihong Chen DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.028 Online: 19 December 2025 Abstract （4）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Drought stress negatively affects grapevine growth and development. Grafting with rootstock is widely used to improve the quality of grape fruits and confer drought stress tolerance, but the underlying genetics and regulatory mechanism is unclear. Hence, we investigated the physiologic and transcriptomic profiles in the leaves of grafted SM/1103P (SM shoot/1103P root) and self-rooted SM (Shine Muscat) as well as roots of grafted SM/1103P and self-rooted 1103P under drought stress conditions. The results indicated that grafted grapevine effectively attenuated drought damage in grape leaves by increasing phytohormone levels and antioxidant enzyme activity, reducing H2O2 and MDA content. Transcriptomic profiling revealed a total of 11,855 and 11,197 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in grape leaves and roots respectively. Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was performed based on the RNA-seq data, and five modules (greenyellow, black, turquoise, salmon and blue) were significantly correlated to drought stress. Pathway analysis showed that DEGs were enriched in the plant hormone signal transduction and MAPK signaling pathway. 916 transcription factor genes (TFs) belonging to different gene families were detected that may participate in regulating the drought stress. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain expression analysis of twelve drought stress responsive DEGs were used to verify the transcriptome data. Furthermore, overexpression of VvMYBPA1 in Arabidopsis thaliana and grape callus improved drought tolerance. Our findings provided new insights into to the regulation of mechanism for improving grapevine adaptation to drought.  Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Transcription factor CsHSFB2c suppresses CsTS1 and CsGS1 expression to reduce theanine biosynthesis under heat stress Qihong Zou, Bokun Zhou, Yilan Hu, Ping Li, Qi zhao, Hu Tang, Yujie Jiao, Xinzhuan Yao, Lin Chen, Litang Lu DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.027 Online: 19 December 2025 Abstract （1）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Theanine content in tea plants is reduced by heat stress, but its molecular mechanism is still unclear. In this study, a temperature gradient treatment (20°C, 25°C, 30°C, 35°C) was performed to unveil the effect of heat stress on biosynthesis and accumulation of theanine. It was found that heat stress triggered metabolic alterations characterized by reduced theanine and increased catechin levels. In addition, heat stress up-regulated the expression of class B heat shock transcription factor gene CsHSFB2c, while significantly suppressing the transcription of key theanine biosynthetic genes CsTS1 and CsGS1. Functional studies showed that silencing CsHSFB2c increased theanine content, while its overexpression significantly reduced theanine levels. Consistent with these changes, silencing CsHSFB2c up-regulated the expression of CsTS1 and CsGS1, while overexpression of CsHSFB2c resulted in their down-regulation. Yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) and dual-luciferase reporter gene (Dual-LUC) assays showed that CsHSFB2c directly binds to the promoters of CsTS1 and CsGS1 and inhibits their expression. These results demonstrate that CsHSFB2c mediates heat-induced suppression of theanine biosynthesis by directly inhibiting the expression of CsTS1 and CsGS1. This study provides a theoretical basis for improving heat resistance and quality of tea plants through molecular breeding. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Superoxide anion-induced ferritinophagy is involved in ferroptosis occurrence of cashmere goat sperm during cryopreservation Erhan Hai, Boyuan Li, Yukun Song, Jian Zhang, Bingbing Xu, Yongbin Liu, Jiaxin Zhang DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.033 Online: 19 December 2025 Abstract （12）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Ferroptosis is the primary form of regulated cell death in cashmere goat sperm during the freeze-thaw process, which significantly hinders the efficacy and application of frozen semen technology, yet its specific regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we found it activated during the cooling-equilibration phase, linked to the degradation of critical ferroptosis inhibitory proteins like ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1). Freezing causes superoxide anion accumulation via cytochrome b (CYTB) upregulation and reduced mitochondrial antioxidants, unblocked by ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1). Superoxide anions dose-dependently induce ferroptosis, mitigated by Fer-1. Autophagy/ferritinophagy inhibitors alleviate it, implicating ferritinophagy. This identifies superoxide anions as key mediators, offering new targets for sperm cryopreservation. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Integrated analysis strategy of genome-wide functional gene mining and transcriptome analysis reveals MALSU1 gene underlying intramuscular fat in Bamei pigs Tiantian Yuan, Yulin He, Minghao Cao, Dong Li, Yulong Wang, Lin Zhang, Xiang Li, Rongrong Ding, Gongshe Yang, Taiyong Yu DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.032 Online: 19 December 2025 Abstract （2）      PDF in ScienceDirect       The Bamei pigs (BM), an indigenous breed in Northwest China, is renowned for its superior meat quality. To uncover the genetic basis of its traits, we analyzed whole-genome sequencing data from 61 BM. Our results revealed that BM have a good genetic conservation status and distinct genomic divergence from Western breeds. We identified MALSU1 as a new candidate gene associated with intramuscular fat (IMF) by integrating selection signature analysis with public databases, such as PigGTEx, PigBiobank, and PigQTL. Overexpression and interference experiments of MALSU1 demonstrated that it regulates IMF by inhibiting the proliferation and promoting the differentiation of porcine intramuscular adipocyte primary cells. RNA-seq results further revealed that MALSU1 regulates IMF by inhibiting lipid metabolism and promoting lipid synthesis. Interestingly, a missense mutation (p.Arg10Leu) in the coding region of the MALSU1 gene was identified, which could promote the proliferation of intramuscular preadipocytes, suggesting an important role in IMF deposition. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select A single-nucleus and spatial transcriptomic atlas of the shoot apex reveals insights into the vegetative-to-reproductive transition in loquat Chongbin Zhao, Jiale Huang, Yuanyuan Jiang, Jie Jiang, Wenbing Su, Shunquan Lin, Guibing Hu, Xianghui Yang, Ze Peng DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.031 Online: 19 December 2025 Abstract （2）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Flowering time and subsequent fruiting significantly influence the economic value of fruit trees. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying the vegetative-to-reproductive transition remain understudied, particularly at single-cell and spatial levels. Here, we present a single-nucleus (snRNA-seq) and spatial transcriptomic (stRNA-seq) atlas of shoot apices in loquat (Eriobotrya japonica), a perennial fruit crop with both nutritional and medicinal importance. From the snRNA-seq dataset, 42,546 nuclei were profiled and resolved into 22 clusters corresponding to seven major cell types. Pseudotime analysis reconstructed developmental trajectories, revealing bifurcated lineages toward external and internal tissues, and identified genes dynamically associated with cell differentiation. Comparative analysis between the pre-initiation and onset stages of floral bud initiation uncovered 3,329 differentially expressed genes, including 67 homologs of Arabidopsis flowering-related genes, with the most pronounced transcriptional changes observed in epidermal and shoot meristematic cells, underscoring their central roles in floral initiation. Moreover, 43 key candidate genes, such as EjCRY2 and EjAGL79, associated with pseudotime branch points critical for cell fate decisions were predicted to act within a regulatory network dominated by photoperiod- and circadian rhythm-related pathways. Finally, integration with stRNA-seq demonstrated well concordance with snRNA-seq results and supported cell-type annotations particularly for epidermal and shoot meristematic cells. Collectively, the marker genes and associated datasets generated here provide a valuable resource for advancing single-cell and spatial transcriptomic research in loquat and potentially other fruit tree species. In addition, the identified candidate genes represent promising targets for in-depth functional studies and for breeding strategies aimed at manipulating flowering and fruiting time in loquat. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select CmERFV-2 regulates CmCBF3 and CmMYB44 to inhibit sucrose accumulation in oriental melon fruit at low temperature Fan Yang, Ge Gao, Cheng Wang, Jingyue Guan, Hongyan Qi DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.022 Online: 17 December 2025 Abstract （2）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Low temperature is involved in regulating plant growth, development, and quality formation. The mechanism by which low temperature affects sucrose accumulation in oriental melon fruit is currently unclear. Here, ‘HS’ (High Sucrose) melons were used as the research material and treated at temperature of 30/18℃ (day/night) and 22/10℃ (day/night) at the stage of ethylene is about to be released. Low temperature significantly inhibited ethylene release and sucrose accumulation in melon fruit, while ethephon treatment at low temperature partially restored the ethylene production and sucrose content. Through Yeast One-Hybrid (Y1H), GUS activity analysis, and Luciferase assay, we found that the transcription factor CmCBF3 could bind to CmACO1 (ACC oxidase 1) promoter and inhibit its activity, thereby suppressing ethylene production. Overexpression CmCBF3 at low temperature significantly inhibited the synthesis of ethylene and sucrose. Further research had shown that low temperature promoted CmERFV-2 expression, and CmERFV-2 could bind to CmCBF3 promoter to further inhibit ethylene synthesis. In addition, CmMYB44, as a transcription factor that negatively regulated fruit ethylene production and sucrose accumulation, could inhibit the expression of CmACO1 and CmSPS1 (sucrose phosphate synthase 1). CmERFV-2 further affected the expression of CmACO1 and CmSPS1 by binding to CmMYB44 promoter, thereby regulating ethylene and sucrose content at low temperature. In summary, this study revealed the mechanism by which CmERFV-2 affects ethylene release and sucrose accumulation in oriental melon fruit, laying the foundation for cultivating high-quality melon varieties in low-temperature environment. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Study on regional rapeseed yield estimation based on data assimilation technology considering canopy photosynthesis and component succession characteristics Tiaohong Su, Yong Jin, Shangrong Wu, Shiwei Ruan, Hong Cao, Hu Zhong, Yongli Guo, Shaoxiong Guo, Hanxiao Meng, Yingbin Deng DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.025 Online: 17 December 2025 Abstract （3）      PDF in ScienceDirect       To improve the accuracy of regional rapeseed yield simulations, in this study, a new assimilation system for estimating rapeseed yield based on a four-dimensional variational (4DVar) algorithm was proposed. In this assimilation system, the state variable that bridges crop models and remote sensing observations is the total photosynthetic area index (TPAI), which is composed of the leaf area index (LAI) and silique peel area index (SPAI) and can describe the characteristics of photosynthesis and component succession in the rapeseed canopy. First, on the basis of the proposed new bridging parameter, the crop model localization method was improved, and a crop model localization method combining the TPAI and specific pod area (SPA) was proposed. Second, on the basis of the proposed new bridging parameter, a rapeseed yield estimation system was constructed in which the TPAI inverted from the SAR data was assimilated. Finally, the system was applied to single-point and regional scales rapeseed yield estimation in the main rapeseed-producing areas of Hengyang city and Yongzhou city in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Basin in China. The results revealed that at the single-point scale, the R2 values between the simulated total dry weight of storage organs (TWSO) and total above-ground biomass (TAGP) and the yield measured in the field were 0.6313 and 0.7327, respectively, whereas the root mean square error (RMSE) values reached 807.6795 and 885.3617 kg ha-1, respectively. At the regional scale, the R2 values for the simulated TWSO and TAGP in relation to the yield measured in the field were 0.6456 and 0.6894, respectively, whereas the RMSE values reached 953.6547 and 1,238.4942 kg ha-1, respectively. The accuracy of the yield simulation using the TPAI as the bridging parameter is greater than that using the LAI as the bridging parameter. Additionally, the regional assimilation results were verified via county-level rapeseed grain yield data from the National Bureau of Statistics. The R2 value between the simulated mean county TWSO and the statistical value of rapeseed grain yield reached 0.8348, with an RMSE of 867.2809 kg ha-1. These results indicate that using the TPAI as a parameter to bridge crop models and remote sensing observations can result in high rapeseed yield estimation accuracy at both single-point and regional scales, providing a new technical methodology for monitoring regional rapeseed growth and forecasting yield. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics Select Multi-objective integrated cotton cultivation (MOICC): A synergistic framework for sustainable production Yanjun Zhang, Jianlong Dai, Hezhong Dong DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.024 Online: 17 December 2025 Abstract （1）      PDF in ScienceDirect       Global cotton production faces mounting pressure to reconcile rising fiber demand with urgent sustainability imperatives, including water scarcity mitigation, greenhouse gas reduction, and agrochemical pollution control. Traditional practices, constrained by fragmented objectives and inherent trade-offs among yield, fiber quality, labor efficiency, and ecological impact, struggle to address these systemic challenges. Building upon previous concept of collaborative cultivation, this review for the first time introduces and comprehensively elaborates Multi-objective Integrated Cotton Cultivation (MOICC) —also referred to as Integrated Cotton Cultivation (ICC)—a transformative paradigm centered on three pillars: dynamic trade-off management (e.g., region-specific priority adjustment), systematic technology integration (precision seeding, dense planting, chemical regulation, water-nutrient synergy, targeted defoliation), and resource circularity (spatiotemporal optimization, waste recycling). MOICC leverages key physiological mechanisms—ethylene signaling enhancing stress-resilient seedling establishment; jasmonate-mediated pathways improving water/nutrient efficiency; canopy light competition coupled with hormonal regulation eliminating manual pruning; and growth regulators concentrating boll maturation—to overcome sustainability bottlenecks. Case studies from diverse Chinese agro-ecosystems (e.g., Xinjiang, Yangtze/Yellow River basins) and intercropping systems demonstrate significant synergies: yield gains (8–22%), resource efficiency improvements (water use efficiency increased by ≥20%, nitrogen productivity up to 35 kg kg-1), and enhanced environmental performance (labor reduction 30–40%, carbon footprint reduction 24–37%, agrochemical savings: nitrogen reduction of 15–20%, pesticides reduction of 25%). Crucially, MOICC resolves core conflicts through integrated optimization: yield versus quality (via≥70% inner-position bolls), labor-saving versus eco-safety (precision defoliant timing), and productivity versus emissions (root-zone nitrogen monitoring). Future research priorities include deciphering multi-scale stress adaptation, developing intelligent decision-support systems (e.g., AHP-NSGA-II integration), advancing carbon-neutral value chains, addressing socio-economic adoption barriers, and fostering policy synergy. MOICC establishes a conceptually globally scalable pathway toward high-yield, superior-quality, resource-efficient, and ecologically sustainable cotton production, providing a viable framework for sector-wide sustainability transition and demonstrating adaptability to other major cropping systems. Reference | Related Articles | Metrics page Page 1 of 19 Total 367 records First page Prev page Next page Last page