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2025 Vol. 24 No. 7 Previous Issue   

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Horticulture
Plant Protection
Animal Science · Veterinary Medicine
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Bemisia tabaci Mediterranean cryptic species (MED) is an invasive pest that was first detected in China in 2003 and is now widely distributed in most provinces.  Therefore, exploring the temperature response mechanism in B. tabaci MED cryptic species is urgently needed.  In this study, BtamiR- 998 and Bta-miR-129 were shown to be associated with temperature tolerance.  Under different temperature stresses, B. tabaci MED can inhibit or promote the transcriptional expression of target genes by regulating miR-129 expression level, thereby altering their temperature tolerance to respond to adverse temperature stress quickly.  The cover photo displays the corresponding temperature response mechanism provided by Dr. Xiaona Shen from Department of Basic Medicine, Changzhi Medical College, China and Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.  For more details, please see pages 2719–2731.


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Review

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Mechanism of mitigating on Deoxynivalenol-induced intestinal toxicity in swine and its dietary regulation strategy Ting Pan, Ruiting Guo, Weiwei Wang, Xing Liu, Bing Xia, Linshu Jiang, Ming Liu 2025, 24(7): 2449-2464.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.07.037 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Mycotoxins are the most widely existing pollutants in both dietary provisions and livestock feed, and they pose a series of hazards for humans and animals.  Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a prevalent mycotoxin that is primarily produced by Fusarium spp. and commonly found in various cereal products.  Feeding swine diets contaminated with trichothecene DON can lead to major adverse effects, including reduced feed intake, diminished weight gains, and compromised immune function.  Among all animal species, swine are the most sensitive to DON.  Here we explore the disruption of gut health by DON, considering aspects such as intestinal histomorphology, epithelial barrier functions,  immune system, microflora, and short-chain fatty acid production in the intestines.  Numerous additives have been documented for their potential in the detoxification of DON.  These additives can alleviate the toxic effects of DON on pigs by modulating the Nrf2-Keap1, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and Nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling pathways.  Additionally, there are additives capable of mitigating the toxicity of DON through adsorption or biotransformation.  This update has novel potential for advancing our comprehension of the mechanisms linked to DON intestinal toxicity and facilitating the formulation of innovative strategies to mitigate the impact of DON.

Crop Science

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Fine mapping and candidate gene analysis of a major QTL for grain length on chromosome 5BS in bread wheat Jianqi Zeng, Dehui Zhao, Li Yang, Yufeng Yang, Dan Liu, Yubing Tian, Fengju Wang, Shuanghe Cao, Xianchun Xia, Zhonghu He, Yong Zhang 2025, 24(7): 2465-2474.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.04.033 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Large grain is a favorable trait for appearance quality and a large sink potential in wheat breeding.  The stable QTL QGl.caas-5BS for grain length was previously identified in a recombinant inbred line population from the cross of Zhongmai 871 (ZM871) and its sister line Zhongmai 895 (ZM895).  Here, a BC1F6 residual heterozygous line was selected from the cross of a ZM871/ZM895//ZM871 population, and six heterozygous recombinant plants were identified in the BC1F7 population from self-pollination of the heterozygous line.  QGl.caas-5BS was delimited into an interval of approximately 2.2 Mb flanked by markers Kasp_5B33 and Kasp_5B2 (25.3–27.5 Mb) by phenotyping and genotyping the secondary mapping populations derived from these heterozygous recombinant plants.  Five genes were predicted as candidates of QGl.caas-5BS based on sequence polymorphism and differential expression analyses.  Further mutation analysis showed that TraesCS5B02G026800 is likely the causal gene of QGl.caas-5BS.  The gene-specific marker Kasp_5B_Gl for TraesCS5B02G026800 was developed, and a significant genetic effect of QGl.caas-5BS on grain length was identified in a validation population of 166 cultivars using this marker.  These findings lay a good foundation for map-based cloning of QGl.caas-5BS and provide a breeding-applicable marker for the improvement of grain length in wheat.

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Genetic analysis of maize crude fat content by multi-locus genome-wide association study Dan Lü, Jianxin Li, Xuehai Zhang, Ran Zheng, Aoni Zhang, Jingyun Luo, Bo Tong, Hongbing Luo, Jianbing Yan, Min Deng 2025, 24(7): 2475-2491.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.11.014 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Crude fat is an important nutritional component of maize kernels.  However, the genetic mechanisms underlying crude fat content in maize kernels remain elusive.  Previous studies used single-model genome-wide association studies (GWAS) with limited population sizes, which can result in false loci positives and hinder functional gene identification.  Therefore, this study used a population consisting of 495 maize inbred lines, combined with 1.25 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and implemented GWAS using six models to identify quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) controlling crude fat content and to mine key genes.  The results revealed a wide variation in crude fat content (0.62–16.03%) and broad-sense heritability (H2) (96.23%).  In total, 744 significant QTNs were detected, with 147 co-located across different models, environments, and methods.  Based on the 147 co-located QTNs, candidate genes were searched at 50 kb up- and down-stream intervals of each QTN.  We finally screened eight candidate genes (GRMZM2G169089, GRMZM2G117935, GRMZM2G002075, GRMZM2G368838, GRMZM2G058496, GRMZM2G090669, GRMZM2G001241, and GRMZM2G333454) related to crude fat content that exhibited high expression levels during kernel development in maize inbred line B73.  Notably, GRMZM2G169089, GRMZM2G117935, GRMZM2G002075, and GRMZM2G368838 are involved in the linoleic acid metabolic pathway, oil metabolism, kernel growth, and development in maize.  Furthermore, co-expression network analysis revealed that the eight candidate genes strongly correlated with 30 known genes.  Proteins encoded by candidate genes interact with other proteins and play an important role in oil content and oleic acid metabolism in maize kernels.  The best haplotypes of candidate genes might increase crude fat content without decreasing maize yield.  These results broaden the understanding of the genetic mechanism of crude fat content and facilitate marker-assisted selection for high-crude fat breeding programs for maize.

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Genome-wide characterization of soybean malate dehydrogenase genes reveals a positive role for GmMDH2 in the salt stress response Runnan Zhou, Sihui Wang, Peiyan Liu, Yifan Cui, Zhenbang Hu, Chunyan Liu, Zhanguo Zhang, Mingliang Yang, Xin Li, Xiaoxia Wu, Qingshan Chen, Ying Zhao 2025, 24(7): 2492-2510.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2023.12.036 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Malate dehydrogenase (MDH) is a widely expressed enzyme that plays a key role in plant growth, development, and stress responses.  However, information on MDH genes in the soybean genome is limited.  Seventeen members of the soybean MDH family were identified by genome-wide analysis, and the genes were analyzed for the presence of conserved protein motifs.  The genes were divided into five clusters according to their phylogenetic relationships.  The intracellular localizations of six GmMDHs were determined by confocal microscopy of Arabidopsis mesophyll protoplasts.  Transcripts of GmMDHs were significantly increased by abiotic stress (drought, salt, and alkalinity) and hormone treatments, as shown by an analysis of cis-regulatory elements and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).  The GmMDHs displayed unique expression patterns in various soybean tissues.  Notably, the expression levels of a chloroplast isoform (GmMDH2) were unusually high under salt stress, presumably indicating a critical role in soybean responses to salinity.  Expression of GmMDH2 in Escherichia coli showed that the recombinant enzyme has nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP)-dependent MDH activity.  The redox states of the NADP (reduced form) (NADPH) pool and antioxidant activities were shown to be modulated by GmMDH2 gene overexpression, which in turn reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation in transgenic soybean, significantly enhancing the salt stress resistance.  Gene-based association analysis showed that variations in GmMDH2 were strongly linked to seedling salt tolerance.  A polymorphism potentially associated with salt tolerance was discovered in the promoter region of GmMDH2.  These findings not only improve our understanding of the stress response mechanism by identifying and characterizing the MDH gene family throughout the soybean genome but they also identified a potential candidate gene for the future enhancement of salt tolerance in soybean.

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Identification of QTLs for plant height and branching-related traits in cultivated peanut Shengzhong Zhang, Xiaohui Hu, Feifei Wang, Huarong Miao, Chu Ye, Weiqiang Yang, Wen Zhong, Jing Chen 2025, 24(7): 2511-2524.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2023.12.009 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Plant height (PH), primary lateral branch length (PBL), and branch number (BN) are architectural components impacting peanut pod yield, biomass production, and adaptivity to mechanical harvesting.  In this study, a recombinant inbred population consisting of 181 individual lines was used to determine genetic controls of PH, PBL, and BN across three environments.  Phenotypic data collected from the population demonstrated continuous distributions and transgressive segregation patterns.  Broad-sense heritability of PH, PBL, and BN was found to be 0.87, 0.88, and 0.92, respectively.  Unconditional individual environmental analysis revealed 35 additive QTLs with phenotypic variation explained (PVE) ranging from 4.57 to 21.68%.  A two-round meta-analysis resulted in 24 consensus and 19 unique QTLs.  Five unique QTLs exhibited pleiotropic effects and their genetic bases (pleiotropy or tight linkage) were evaluated.  A joint analysis was performed to estimate the QTL by environment interaction (QEI) effects on PH, PBL, and BN, collectively explaining phenotypic variations of 10.80, 11.02, and 7.89%, respectively.  We identified 3 major and stable QTL regions (uq9-3, uq10-2, and uq16-1) on chromosomes 9, 10, and 16, spanning 1.43–1.53 Mb genomic regions.  Candidate genes involved in phytohormones biosynthesis, signaling, and cell wall development were proposed to regulate these morphological traits.  These results provide valuable information for further genetic studies and the development of molecular markers applicable to peanut architecture improvement.

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Alleviating vanadium-induced stress on rice growth using phosphorus-loaded biochar Jianan Li, Weidong Li, Wenjie Ou, Waqas Ahmed, Mohsin Mahmood, Ahmed S. M. Elnahal, Haider Sultan, Zhan Xin, Sajid Mehmood 2025, 24(7): 2525-2539.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2023.12.022 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   This investigation evaluated the impact of as-is biochar (BC) and phosphorous (P)-loaded biochar (PBC) (3%) on the growth and biochemical characteristics of rice under exposure to vanadium (V) (60 mg L–1).  The results indicate that rice plants exposed to a V-only treatment experienced declines in several growth parameters.  Conversely, the inclusion of BC and PBC caused noteworthy increases in physiological traits.  PBC performed well in stress environments.  Specifically, the shoot and root fresh weights increased by 82.86 and 53.33%, respectively, when compared to the V-only treatment.  In addition, the SPAD chlorophyll of the shoot increased by 13.05% relative to the V-amended plants.  Moreover, including BC and PBC improved the antioxidant enzyme traits of plant shoot and root, such as significant increases in superoxide dismutase (SOD by 56.11 and 117.35%), catalase (CAT by 34.19 and 35.77%), and peroxidase (POD by 25.90 and 18.74%) when compared to V-only amended plants, respectively.  These findings strongly suggest that the application of BC and PBC can trigger biochemical pathways that facilitate biomass accumulation in meristematic cells.  However, further investigations are required to elucidate the underlying mechanisms responsible for this growth promotion.

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Impact of hyperspectral reconstruction techniques on the quantitative inversion of rice physiological parameters: A case study using the MST++ model Weiguang Yang, Bin Zhang, Weicheng Xu, Shiyuan Liu, Yubin Lan, Lei Zhang 2025, 24(7): 2540-2557.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.03.082 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Quantitative inversion is a major topic in remote sensing science.  The development of visible light-based hyperspectral reconstruction techniques has opened novel prospects for low-cost, high-precision remote sensing inversion in agriculture.  The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of hyperspectral reconstruction technology in agricultural remote sensing applications.  Hyperspectral images were reconstructed using the MST++ hyperspectral reconstruction model and compared with the original visible light images in terms of their correlations with physiological parameters, the accuracy of single-feature modeling, and the accuracy of combined feature modeling.  The results showed that compared to the visible light image, the reconstructed data exhibited a stronger correlation with the measured physiological parameters, and the accuracy was improved for both the single feature and combined feature inversion modes.  However, compared to multispectral sensors, hyperspectral reconstruction provided limited improvement of the inversion model accuracy.  The results suggest that for physiological parameters that are not easy to observe directly, deep mining of features in visible light data through hyperspectral reconstruction technology can improve the accuracy of the inversion model.  However, appropriate feature selection and simple models are more suitable for the remote sensing inversion task of traditional agronomic plot experiments.  To strengthen the application of hyperspectral reconstruction technology in agricultural remote sensing, further development is necessary with broader wavelength ranges and more diverse agricultural scenarios.

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Optimizing planting density and nitrogen application to mitigate yield loss and improve grain quality of late-sown wheat under rice–wheat rotation Zhongwei Tian, Yanyu Yin, Bowen Li, Kaitai Zhong, Xiaoxue Liu, Dong Jiang, Weixing Cao, Tingbo Dai 2025, 24(7): 2558-2574.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.01.032 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Late sowing is a critical factor that hinders achieving high-yield, good-quality wheat under rice–wheat rotation.  Understanding the physiological basis and regulatory pathways that lead to high yield and sound quality late-sown wheat is crucial for developing effective cultivation strategies.  A 2-year field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of sowing date, nitrogen (N) application rate, and planting density on wheat yield, grain quality, population characteristics, and the underlying physiological factors.  The results revealed significant interactions among the sowing date, planting density, and N application in regulating both yield and quality.  Late sowing reduced grain yield primarily by reducing the number of spikes and kernels.  However, the latter was improved by increasing N application and the planting density, thus mitigating the yield losses caused by late sowing.  Moreover, the grain protein content (GPC) and wet gluten content (WGC) increased with delayed sowing dates and higher N rates but decreased with increased planting densities.  For wheat yields over 9,000 or 7,500 kg ha–1, the latest sowing date should not be later than Nov. 4 or 15, respectively.  In addition, specific criteria should be met, including a maximum of 1.5 and 1.0 million stems and tillers ha–1, a maximum leaf area index of 6.7 and 5.5, and a dry matter accumulation (DMA) at anthesis of 14,000 and 12,000 kg ha–1, respectively.  For high-yield, good-quality late-sown wheat, the optimal combination is a 25% increase in the N rate (300 kg N ha–1) and a planting density of 2.25 million (N300D225) or 3.75 million (N300D375) plants ha–1 for 10- or 20-day delays in sowing, respectively.  These combinations result in a higher leaf net photosynthetic rate, higher activities of leaf nitrate reductase, glutamine synthetase, grain glutamic pyruvic transaminase, and a lower sugar-N ratio during post-anthesis.

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Effect of nitrogen fertilizer on proso millet starch structure, pasting, and rheological properties Honglu Wang, Hui Zhang, Qian Ma, Enguo Wu, Aliaksandr Ivanistau, Baili Feng 2025, 24(7): 2575-2588.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.02.015 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Nitrogen fertilizer is an important agronomic measure significantly affecting crop yield and grain quality.  This two-year study aimed to explore the effects of four nitrogen levels on the morphology, lamellar and crystalline structure, pasting, and rheological properties of proso millet (PM) starch and to investigate potential food applications of PM.  The results showed that the starch surface became uneven, and the structure of the starch granules shifted towards greater complexity with increasing nitrogen levels.  Nitrogen increased the relative crystallinity, ordered structure, and average repeat distance, leading to a stable starch structure and a higher gelatinization enthalpy.  Furthermore, nitrogen significantly increased peak, breakdown, setback, and final viscosities but decreased apparent amylose content, which caused the shear resistance and storage capacity of PM starch-based foods to deteriorate during processing and transport.  Rheological analysis showed that PM starch exhibited the typical characteristics of a pseudoplastic fluid.  Under nitrogen treatment, PM starch gels showed high potential for application in 3D printing products due to high resistance to shear thinning, gel strength, and yield stress, presumably owing to the significantly higher G´ than G´´, and the lower amylose content, which in turn promoted the formation of a stable network structure in water to immobilize more water.  Our study provides a reference for applying PM starch in the food industry and for developing PM cropping-management programs to improve quality.

Horticulture

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Identification and molecular marker development for peel color gene in melon (Cucumis melo L.) Jian Ma, Guoliang Yuan, Xinyang Xu, Haijun Zhang, Yanhong Qiu, Congcong Li, Huijun Zhang 2025, 24(7): 2589-2600.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.11.004 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Peel color is an important appearance quality of melons that significantly affects consumer preferences.  In this study, a near-isogenic line NIL-G (dark green peel) was generated from B8 (grey-green peel) and B15 (white peel).  The F2 population constructed by crossing NIL-G and B15 was used to study the inheritance pattern of peel color, and bulked-segregant analysis sequencing (BSA-seq) was employed to identify the interval in which the target gene was located.  Genetic analysis showed that a dominant gene controls the dark green peel trait at maturity.  BSA-seq and molecular markers were used to localize the candidate gene in a 263.7 kb interval of chromosome 4, which contained the CmAPRR2 gene with known functions.  Moreover, allelic sequence analysis revealed four SNP variations of the CmAPRR2 gene in B15, of which SNP.G614331A was located at the junction of the 6th exon and 6th intron.  The G-to-A mutation caused alternative splicing of the transcript of CmAPRR2 in B15, generating two transcripts (CmAPRR2-A and CmAPRR2-B) with premature termination codons.  Furthermore, the Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) marker, APRR2-G/A, was developed based on this SNP and shown to co-segregate with the peel color phenotype in the F2 population.  Compared to white-peel B15, the expression level of CmAPRR2 in dark green peel NIL-G was higher at each growth stage.  Therefore, CmAPRR2 may be the key gene controlling the fruit color of melons.  This study identified a novel allelic variant of CmAPRR2 that leads to white peel formation in mature melons.  We also provides a theoretical basis for further research on the gene regulatory mechanism of melon peel colors, which promotes using molecular marker-assisted selection to modify melon peel colors in the future.

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NAC family gene CmNAC34 positively regulates fruit ripening through interaction with CmNAC-NOR in Cucumis melo Ming Ma, Tingting Hao, Xipeng Ren, Chang Liu, Gela A, Agula Hasi, Gen Che 2025, 24(7): 2601-2618.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.11.041 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Melon (Cucumis melo) is an economically important horticultural crop cultivated worldwide.  NAC (NAM/ATAC/CUC) transcription factors play crucial roles in the transcriptional regulation of various developmental stages in plant growth and fruit development, but their gene functions in melon remain largely unknown.  Here, we identified 78 CmNAC family genes with an integrated and conserved no apical meristem (NAM) domain in the melon genome by performing genome-wide identification and bioinformatics analysis.  Transcriptome data analysis and qRT-PCR results showed that most CmNACs are specifically enriched in either the vegetative or reproductive organs of melon.  Through genetic transformation, we found that overexpression of CmNAC34 in melons led to early ripening fruits, suggesting its positive role in promoting fruit maturation.  Using yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays, we verified the direct protein interaction between CmNAC34 and CmNAC-NOR.  The expression patterns of CmNAC34 and CmNAC-NOR were similar in melon tissues, and subcellular localization revealed their nuclear protein characteristics.  We transformed CmNAC-NOR in melon and found that its overexpression resulted in early ripening fruits.  Then, the yeast one-hybrid and dual luciferase reporter gene assays showed that the CmNAC34 protein can bind to the promoters of two glyoxalase (GLY) genes, which are involved in the abscisic acid signal pathway and associated with fruit regulation.  These findings revealed the molecular characteristics, expression profiles, and functional patterns of the NAC family genes and provide new insights into the molecular mechanism by which CmNAC34 regulates climacteric fruit ripening.

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Ppbbx24-del mutant positively regulates light-induced anthocyanin accumulation in the ‘Red Zaosu’ pear (Pyrus pyrifolia White Pear Group) Shuran Li, Chunqing Ou, Fei Wang, Yanjie Zhang, Omayma Ismail, Yasser S. G. Abd Elaziz, Sherif Edris, , He Li, Shuling Jiang 2025, 24(7): 2619-2639.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.11.005 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Red fruit peel is one of pear’s most valuable economic traits and is mainly determined by anthocyanins.  Many pear cultivars with a red peel originated from bud sports; however, little is known about the genetic mechanisms underlying this trait.  We have previously identified a mutant PpBBX24 containing a 14-nucleotide deletion in the coding region (Ppbbx24-del) as the only known variant associated with the red coloration of the mutant ‘Red Zaosu’ pear (Pyrus pyrifolia White Pear Group).  Herein, we analyzed the role of the mutant gene in red coloration and its mechanism of action.  The results showed that light promoted red peel coloration in the ‘Red Zaosu’ pear, and Ppbbx24-del positively affected light-induced anthocyanin biosynthesis, while normal PpBBX24 had the opposite effects.  Transient and stable transformation experiments confirmed that Ppbbx24-del could promote anthocyanin accumulation in pear fruit peels, calli, and tobacco flowers.  Due to the loss of nuclear localization sequence (NLS) and viral protein (VP) domains, Ppbbx24-del co-localized in the nucleus and cytoplasm, whereas PpBBX24 localized only in the nucleus.  Real-time PCR and transcriptome analyses indicated that PpMYB10 and PpHY5 are highly expressed in the ‘Red Zaosu’ pear.  In yeast one-hybrid and dual-luciferase assays, Ppbbx24-del and PpHY5 independently promoted the expression of PpCHS, PpCHI, and PpMYB10 by binding to their promoters; however, PpBBX24 did not affect the expression of these genes.  Additionally, we found that Ppbbx24-del and PpHY5 had additive effects on the expression of PpCHS, PpCHI, and PpMYB10, as they promote the expression of anthocyanin synthesis genes separately.  The co-expression of PpBBX24 and PpHY5 inhibited the activation of downstream genes by PpHY5, which was attributed to the interaction between the two loci.  In conclusion, our results clarify the molecular mechanism by which mutant Ppbbx24-del and PpBBX24 exert opposite effects in regulating anthocyanin accumulation in pear.  These findings lay an important theoretical foundation for using Ppbbx24-del to create red pear cultivars.

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The MdMYB306-MdERF114 module promotes tolerance to cadmium by regulating MdATG16 in apple Yusong Liu, Yiwei Jia, Yuhao Li, Jifa Han, Qianwei Liu, Xuewen Li, Zhijun Zhang, Chao Li, Fengwang Ma 2025, 24(7): 2640-2654.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.05.002 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Cadmium (Cd) stress is a serious threat to apple growth and development.  Ethylene response factors (ERFs) are a major family of transcription factors (TFs) that play a key role in the resistance to Cd stress.  In this study, we found that the ERF TF MdERF114 was induced in response to Cd stress.  The overexpression of MdERF114 in apple (Malus domestica) roots reduced the accumulation of Cd in the plants and enhanced their tolerance to Cd stress.  Yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) assays, dual-luciferase assays, and electrophoretic mobility shift assays indicated that MdERF114 directly binds to the promoter of MdATG16 and activates its expression to increase autophagic activity, which leads to higher resistance to Cd stress.  In addition, MdMYB306 interacts with MdERF114 and enhances the resistance to Cd stress by promoting the binding of MdERF114 to the promoter of MdATG16.  Our findings reveal an important mechanism by which MdMYB306-MdERF114-MdATG16 influences the resistance of apple to Cd stress.

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Development and characterization of genome-wide microsatellite molecular markers for Chinese chestnut Shihui Chu, Xinghua Nie, Chaoxin Li, Wenyan Sun, Yang Liu, Kefeng Fang, Ling Qin, Yu Xing 2025, 24(7): 2655-2669.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.11.039 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Chestnuts are important economic forest tree species with enormous application value in the wood, medicine, and chemical industries. Currently, the limited genome-wide SSR molecular marker information on chestnut resources significantly limits research on genetic diversity and identification of chestnut resources. To address this issue, we used GMATA to screen simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers throughout the Chinese chestnut genome. A total of 312,302 molecular markers were obtained with a density of 434.38/Mb. Subsequently, all SSR markers were examined for polymorphism using the HipSTR program and 138,208 polymorphic loci were finally obtained. To verify the identification ability of the developed SSR, we randomly selected 36 markers on 12 chromosomes to construct fingerprint maps of 96 ancient chestnut resources from the Yanshan Mountains. The results showed that only 6 pairs of primers were required to create a unique DNA fingerprint of the tested ancient trees, showing that the developed markers have high identification potential. We then evaluated the inter-specific universality and polymorphism of these markers using three species, including 91 chestnut plants. The molecular markers amplified 94% of the interspecies with a PIC value of 0.859. Cluster analysis revealed that testing resources using these developed markers can be well differentiated and these markers have been widely used to identify interspecific boundaries. These results proved that the developed molecular markers have the potential for genotypic diversity, which can provide references for genetic diversity research, variety identification, kinship analysis, selection of good products, and construction of core germplasm resources of chestnut and even chestnut plants. They lay a solid foundation for the molecular design of hybrids to improve breeding and develop germplasm resources.

Plant Protection

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Amino acid substitutions in succinate dehydrogenase complex conferring resistance to the SDHI fungicide pydiflumetofen in Cochliobolus heterostrophus causing southern corn leaf blight Jiazhi Sun, Bingyun Yang, Lingmin Xia, Rui Yang, Chaoyang Ding, Yang Sun, Xing Chen, Chunyan Gu, Xue Yang, Yu Chen 2025, 24(7): 2670-2685.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.08.017 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Southern corn leaf blight (SCLB) caused by Cochliobolus heterostrophus, is a widespread foliar disease that has a substantial impact on maize yield in the Huang-Huai-Hai Region of China.  Pydiflumetofen (Pyd), a new succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI), has been found as a promising fungicide for the efficient control of SCLB, however, resistance of C. heterostrophus to Pyd has not been studied well.  Here, five Pyd-resistant mutants were generated through fungicide adaptation.  Sequence alignment analysis revealed that these mutants primarily mutated in ChSdhB and ChSdhD, with three genotypes: ChSdhBH277Y, ChSdhBI279T and ChSdhDH133Y, exhibiting two distinct categories of resistance: high resistance (HR) and moderate resistance (MR), among which the resistance factors were 214.22 and 44.33–53.67, respectively.  These mutants were more pathogenic than the wild-type parental strains, but there was a significant reduction in mycelial growth rate and sporulation in the resistant mutants, indicating a significant fitness cost associated with resistance to Pyd.  In addition, this study revealed a positive cross-resistance between Pyd and another SDHI fungicide cyclobutrifluram.  However, no cross-resistance was found between Pyd and other classes of fungicides, including prochloraz, fludioxonil, iprodione or pyraclostrobin.  Homology modeling and molecular docking further confirmed that point mutations of ChSdhBH277Y, ChSdhBI279T, and ChSdhDH133Y could reduce binding affinity between Pyd and its target subunits from –74.07, –74.07, –152.52 kcal mol–1 to –3.90, –4.95, –9.93 kcal mol–1, respectively.  These findings not only provided valuable insights for managing SCLB caused by C. heterostrophus, but also enhanced our understanding of molecular mechanism underlying plant pathogen resistance to Pyd.

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Acidic environment favors the development and pathogenicity of the grape white rot fungus Coniella vitis Lifang Yuan, Hang Jiang, Qibao Liu, Xilong Jiang, Yanfeng Wei, Xiangtian Yin, Tinggang Li 2025, 24(7): 2686-2703.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.01.002 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Grape white rot caused by Coniella vitis is a global concern in the grape industry.  pH regulation is essential for cell growth, reproductive processes and pathogenicity in phytopathogenic fungi.  In this study, we observed that the growth rate, spore production and virulence of C. vitis significantly declined in alkaline pH, as well as the suppressive effect on secretion of hydrolytic enzymes.  Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses were used to investigate the responses of C. vitis to acidic (pH 5), neutral (pH 7) and alkaline environments (pH 9).  We identified 728, 1,780 and 3,386 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at pH 5, pH 7 and pH 9, when compared with the host pH (pH 3), and 2,122 differently expressed metabolites (DEMs) in negative and positive ion mode.  Most DEGs were involved in carbohydrate metabolic process, transmembrane transport, tricarboxylic acid cycle, peptide metabolic process, amide biosynthetic process, and organic acid metabolic process.  In addition, metabolomic analysis revealed ABC transporters, indole alkaloid biosynthesis, diterpenoid biosynthesis, and carotenoid biosynthesis pathways in response to the pH change.  Furthermore, we found that the aspartate synthesis metabolic route associated with the TCA cycle is a key limiting factor for the growth and development of C. vitis in alkaline environments, and aspartate supplementation enables C. vitis to grow in alkaline environments.  Plant cell wall-degrading enzymes (PCWDEs) could contribute to the pathogenicity, when C. vitis infected at pH 3.  Importantly, aflatrem biosynthesis in acidic environment might contribute to the virulence of C. vitis and has a risk of causing human health problems due to its acute neurotoxic effects.

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Dynamic changes in weed abundance and biodiversity following different green manure establishment He Yan, Shuang Chen, Jingkun Zhao, Zhibing Zhang, Lunlun Chen, Renmei Huang, Yongmin Liu, Xiaojun Shi, Yuting Zhang 2025, 24(7): 2704-2718.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.01.007 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Weeds have a negative impact on agricultural production by competing with cultivated crops for resources and fostering conditions conducive to disease and insect pest dissemination.  Hence, optimal weed management is of paramount importance for sustainable agricultural.  In this study, the ability of four distinct green manure species to suppress weeds was determined in a field experiment conducted in Chongqing, Southwest China.  After cultivating the green manure species, the weed density and diversity were monitored over the following year.  The findings highlight a notable trend in the suppressive ability of green manures, with increased suppression observed from November to March, an optimal level observed from March to May, and a gradual decline observed thereafter.  Poaceae (Lolium perenne L.) demonstrated the highest efficacy in suppressing weeds.  The meta-analysis underscore the exceptional suppressive effects of poaceous green manures on weed as well and prove sustained planting for three or more consecutive years yielded superior weed suppression outcomes.  Green manure had the most prominent inhibitory effect on poaceae weeds, followed by Polygonaceae and Caryophyllaceae.  The field experiment also investigated the effect of green manures on weed community composition, they increased in the proportion of perennial weeds within these communities.  This study offers valuable insights that can guide policymakers, agricultural experts, and farmers in devising effective weed management strategies.  By highlighting the potential benefits of green manures and unraveling their nuanced impact, this study contributes to the arsenal of sustainable agricultural practices.

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Characterization and functions of temperature stress-associated microRNAs in invasive insect Bemisia tabaci Mediterranean cryptic species Xiaona Shen, Jianyang Guo, Fanghao Wan, Zhichuang Lü, Jianying Guo, Wanxue Liu 2025, 24(7): 2719-2731.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.09.021 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   With the development of international trade and frequent personnel exchanges, biological invasion is showing a rapidly growing trend worldwide.  Insects are ectothermic animals, so their geographical distribution is due largely to their high and low temperature tolerances.  To study the temperature response mechanisms of Bemisia tabaci Mediterranean cryptic species (MED), miRNA-seq technology was used to unravel the miRNA library of B. tabaci MED in three field populations (TP, HB, and HK) from cities with different environmental temperatures.  We identified 12 differentially expressed miRNAs in response to temperature stress, and Bta-miR-998 and Bta-miR-129 were shown to be associated with temperature tolerance.  In addition, we predicted and verified the target genes associated with the temperature tolerance imparted by Bta-miR-998 and Bta-miR-129.  The results showed that the down-regulated target gene of Bta-miR-129, BtMGAT3, significantly reduced the heat tolerance and another down-regulated target gene, BtRGS7, affected the cold tolerance of B. tabaci MED.  These results indicate that gene expression regulated by miRNAs is an important temperature response mechanism in B. tabaci MED.  This study reveals the important regulatory role of miRNA in insect temperature adaptation and provides a new avenue for studying the regulation of insect gene expression by miRNA

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Four signal chemicals can non-destructively induce enhanced resistance to Asian citrus psyllids in Citrus sinensis while maintaining balanced plant growth and development Wei Wang, Chuxiao Lin, Yirong Zhang, Shiyan Liu, Jiali Liu, Xinnian Zeng 2025, 24(7): 2732-2748.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.11.034 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is a significant pest of citrus crops that can transmit citrus Huanglongbing (HLB) by feeding on the phloem sap of citrus plants, which poses a significant threat to citrus production.  Volatile signal chemicals with plant communication functions can effectively enhance the resistance of recipient plants to herbivorous insects with minimal impacts on plant growth.  While (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene (DMNT), (E,E)-4,8,12-trimethyl-1,3,7,11-tridecene (TMTT), (E)-β-caryophyllene, and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), are known as signaling molecules in guava-sweet orange communication, whether these four chemical signals can enhance the resistance of Citrus sinensis to feeding by ACP adults with no apparent costs in terms of plant growth remains unclear.  Therefore, this study measured the effect of non-damaging induction by DMNT, TMTT, (E)-β-caryophyllene, and DMDS on the ability of C. sinensis to resist feeding by ACP, as well as their impacts on the defensive phytochemicals, defensive enzymes, functional nutrients, Photosystem II’s utilization and allocation of light energy, photosynthetic pigments, growth conditions, and leaf stomatal aperture in C. sinensis.  The results indicate that non-damaging induction by these four chemicals can enhance the activity of the defensive enzyme polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and increase the contents of total phenols, tannins, and terpenoid defensive phytochemicals within C. sinensis, thereby enhancing the resistance of C. sinensis to ACP feeding.  Specifically, DMNT and DMDS exhibit more significant effects in inducing resistance compared to TMTT and (E)-β-caryophyllene.  The characteristics of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and changes in photosynthetic pigments in C. sinensis during different post-exposure induction periods revealed these chemicals can maintain the stability of the photosynthetic system in C. sinensis and regulate its capacity to capture, transmit, and distribute light energy, which significantly enhances the non-photochemical quenching ability of C. sinensis.  In addition, detailed measurements of the water content, leaf mass per unit area (LMA), functional nutrients (soluble protein, soluble sugar, and amino acids), and stomatal parameters in C. sinensis leaves further indicated that the non-destructive induction by these chemicals can optimize the levels of functional nutrients in C. sinensis, primarily manifesting as the upregulation of soluble sugars, proline, or soluble proteins, and reduction of stomatal area and aperture, which maintains a stable leaf water content and LMA, thereby enhancing resistance to ACP while sustaining the healthy growth of C. sinensis.  These results fully substantiate that the non-damaging induction by the signal chemicals DMNT, TMTT, (E)-β-caryophyllene, and DMDS can enhance the resistance of C. sinensis to ACP feeding while maintaining the balance between pest resistance and growth.  This balance prevents any catastrophic effects on the growth of C. sinensis, so these agents can potentially be integrated with other pest management strategies for the collective protection of crops.  This study provides theoretical support and assistance for the development of signal chemical inducers for the prevention and management of ACP in agricultural systems.

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GBiDC-PEST: A novel lightweight model for real-time multiclass tiny pest detection and mobile platform deployment Weiyue Xu, Ruxue Yang, Raghupathy Karthikeyan, Yinhao Shi, Qiong Su 2025, 24(7): 2749-2769.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.12.017 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Deep learning-based intelligent recognition algorithms are increasingly recognized for their potential to address the labor-intensive challenge of manual pest detection. However, their deployment on mobile devices has been constrained by high computational demands. Here, we developed GBiDC-PEST, a mobile application that incorporates an improved, lightweight detection algorithm based on the you only look once (YOLO) series single-stage architecture, for real-time detection of four tiny pests (wheat mites, sugarcane aphids, wheat aphids, and rice planthoppers). GBiDC-PEST incorporates several innovative modules, including GhostNet for lightweight feature extraction and architecture optimization by reconstructing the backbone, the Bi-directional Feature Pyramid Network (BiFPN) for enhanced multiscale feature fusion, Depthwise convolution (DWConv) layers to reduce computational load, and the Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) to enable precise feature focus. The newly developed GBiDC-PEST was trained and validated using a multitarget agricultural tiny pest dataset (Tpest-3960) that covered various field environments. GBiDC-PEST (2.8 MB) significantly reduced the model size to only 20% of the original model size, offering a smaller size than the YOLO series (v5 ~ v10), higher detection accuracy than YOLOv10n and v10s, and faster detection speed than v8s, v9c, v10m and v10b. In Android deployment experiments, GBiDC-PEST demonstrated enhanced performance in detecting pests against complex backgrounds, and the accuracy for wheat mites and rice planthoppers was improved by 4.5-7.5% compared with the original model. The GBiDC-PEST optimization algorithm and its mobile deployment proposed in this study offer a robust technical framework for the rapid, onsite identification and localization of tiny pests. This advancement provides valuable insights for effective pest monitoring, counting, and control in various agricultural settings.

Animal Science · Veterinary Medicine

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Metabolite of Clostridium perfringens type A, palmitic acid, enhances porcine enteric coronavirus porcine epidemic diarrhea virus infection Jun Wang, Feiyu Zhao, Wenfei Bai, Shiping Yu, Xu Yang, Hansong Li, Fanbo Shen, Xingyang Guo, Xinglin Wang, Wei Zhou, Qinghe Zhu, Xiaoxu Xing, Chunqiu Li, Dongbo Sun 2025, 24(7): 2770-2791.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.05.014 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   The host intestinal microbiota has emerged as the third element in the interactions between hosts and enteric viruses, and potentially affects the infection processes of enteric viruses.  However, the interaction of porcine enteric coronavirus with intestinal microorganisms during infection remains unclear.  In this study, we used 16S-rRNA-based Illumina NovaSeq high-throughput sequencing to identify the changes in the intestinal microbiota of piglets mediated by porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) infection and the effects of the alterations in intestinal bacteria on PEDV infection and its molecular mechanisms.  The intestinal microbiota of PEDV-infected piglets had significantly less diversity than the healthy group and different bacterial community characteristics.  Among the altered intestinal bacteria, the relative abundance of Clostridium perfringens was significantly increased in the PEDV-infected group.  A strain of C. perfringens type A, named DQ21, was successfully isolated from the intestines of healthy piglets.  The metabolites of swine C. perfringens type A strain DQ21 significantly enhanced PEDV replication in porcine intestinal epithelial cell clone J2 (IPEC-J2) cells, and PEDV infection and pathogenicity in suckling piglets.  Palmitic acid (PA) was identified as one of those metabolites with metabolomic technology, and significantly enhanced PEDV replication in IPEC-J2 cells and PEDV infection and pathogenicity in suckling piglets.  PA also increased the neutralizing antibody titer in the immune sera of mice.  Furthermore, PA mediated the palmitoylation of the PEDV S protein, which improved virion stability and membrane fusion, thereby enhancing viral infection.  Overall, our study demonstrates a novel mechanism of PEDV infection, with implications for PEDV pathogenicity.

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Low rumen-degradation-rate starch reduces diarrhea and colonic inflammation by influencing the whole gastrointestinal microbiota and metabolite flow in dairy goats Chunjia Jin, Ziqi Liang, Xiaodong Su, Peiyue Wang, Xiaodong Chen, Yue Wang, Xinjian Lei, Junhu Yao, Shengru Wu 2025, 24(7): 2792-2809.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.04.015 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Postruminal intestinal inflammation and hindgut acidosis caused by increased dietary starch supply and thereby increased quantities of ruminal degradable starch (RDS) in ruminants have been widely studied.  Although the roles of the microbiota in mediating hindgut health that are focused on the hindgut have been widely studied, the absence of whole gastrointestinal insight may influence the depth of research.  We integrated the microbiome, metabolome, and host transcriptome changes in the rumen, jejunum, ileum, and colon to investigate the contributions of foregut changes to hindgut gene expression driven by gastrointestinal microbiota and metabolite flow.  Forty goats were randomly assigned to receive either a low rumen-degradation-rate starch diet (LRDS, n=20) or a high rumen-degradation-rate starch diet (HRDS, n=20).  Compared with the HRDS group, the LRDS group significantly decreased the diarrheal rate.  Based on the mean values of the fecal scores, 6 represented goats of LRDS group (fecal scores=(4.58±0.120)) and 6 represented goats of HRDS group (fecal scores=(3.53±0.343)) were selected for sampling and subsequent analysis.  LRDS had significantly decreased the colonic pathologic scores.  Transcriptomic analysis revealed that LRDS reduced jejunal, ileal, and colonic inflammatory responses.  An increase in beneficial commensals and a decreased abundance of pathogenic genera in the small intestine and hindgut were found in goats fed the LRDS diet using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.  To identify microbial transmission as well as the transmission of microbial metabolites, 8 genera were identified as core genera according to their calculated niche width.  Metabolomics analysis revealed that a total of 554 metabolites were identified among different gastrointestinal sites.  Then, metabolites were incorporated into 3 modules: metabolites increased in the current site (ICS), unchanged inflow metabolites in the current site (UICS), and metabolites decreased in the current site (DCS).  The results indicated that the UICS metabolites contributed more than 10% to host gene expression in the jejunum, ileum, and colon.  When we further focused on the effects of colonic UICS metabolites on the colonic immune-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs), the results indicated that 1-palmitoylglycerol and deoxycholic acid contributed 60.74 and 11.5% to the colonic immune-related DEGs, respectively.  Our findings provide a preliminary framework of microbial effects that includes the microbiota and their metabolite changes, especially reduced 1-palmitoylglycerol and deoxycholic acid, in the former gastrointestinal tract that could be involved in the alleviation of colonic inflammation in goats fed LRDS diets.

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Differences in N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation among the three major clonal lineages of Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites Changning Wei, Hui Cao, Chenxu Li, Hongyu Song, Qing Liu, Xingquan Zhu, Wenbin Zheng 2025, 24(7): 2810-2825.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.03.072 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Toxoplasma gondii is an important zoonotic parasite which has over 200 genotypes worldwide.  N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation is a common epigenetic modification in messenger RNAs (mRNAs), and has been implicated in many aspects of mRNA biology.  However, little is known about the difference in m6A methylation among different genotypes of T. gondii.  In the present study, we employed methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq) technology to identify key genes exhibiting m6A methylation in the three major clonal lineages (Types I, II and III) of T. gondii tachyzoites.  A total of 7,650, 8,359 and 7,264 m6A peaks were identified in 5,211, 5,607 and 4,974 genes in tachyzoites of RH (Type I), ME49 (Type II) and VEG strain (Type III), respectively.  By comparing RH vs. ME49, RH vs. VEG, and ME49 vs. VEG, 735, 192 and 615 differentially methylated peaks (DMPs) were identified in 676, 168 and 553 genes, respectively.  A combined MeRIP-seq and RNA-seq analysis revealed 172, 41 and 153 differentially methylated genes (DMGs) at both the m6A methylation and transcriptional level.  Gene Ontology term enrichment analysis of the DMPs identified differences related to Golgi apparatus, plasma membrane, signal transduction, RNA processing and catalytic step 2 spliceosome.  KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that the DMGs are mainly involved in endocytosis, systemic lupus erythematosus and mTOR signaling pathway.  These findings reveal genotype-specific differences in m6A methylation, which provide new resources for further investigations of the role of m6A in the pathobiology of T. gondii.

Agro-ecosystem & Environment

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Intercropping maize with leguminous green manure can compensate for the losses in grain yield and N uptake caused by a reduced N supply Hanting Li, Zhilong Fan, Falong Hu, Wen Yin, Qiming Wang, Guocui Wang, Weidong Cao, Wei He, Qiang Chai, Tuo Yao 2025, 24(7): 2826-2840.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.11.038 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   A critical challenge for global food security and sustainable agriculture is enhancing crop yields while reducing chemical N inputs.  Improving N use efficiency in crops is essential for increasing agricultural productivity.  The aim of this study was to evaluate the impacts of intercropping maize with leguminous green manure on grain yield and N utilization under reduced N-fertilization conditions.  A field experiment with a split-plot design was conducted in northwestern China from 2018 to 2021.  The main plots consisted of two cropping systems: maize–common vetch intercropping (IM) and sole maize (SM).  The subplots had three N levels: zero N application (N0, 0 kg ha–1), a 25% reduction from the traditional chemical N supply (N1, 270 kg ha–1), and the traditional chemical N supply (N2, 360 kg ha–1).  The results showed that the negative effects of N reduction on maize grain yield and N uptake were compensated by intercropping leguminous green manure, and the improvements increased with cultivation years.  The integrated system involving maize–leguminous green manure intercropping and a reduced N supply enhanced N translocation from maize vegetative organs to grains and increased the nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase activities in maize leaves.  The supercompensatory effect in maize leaves increased year by year, reaching values of 16.1, 21.3, and 25.5% in 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively.  These findings suggest that intercropping maize with leguminous green manure under reduced chemical N input can enhance N assimilation and uptake in maize.  By using this strategy, chemical fertilizer is effectively replaced by leguminous green manure, thereby improving N use efficiency and maintaining stable yields in the maize-based intercropping system.

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Comparing carbon sequestration efficiency in chemically separated soil organic carbon fractions under long-term fertilization in three major Chinese croplands Hu Xu, Adnan Mustafa, Lu Zhang, Shaomin Huang, Hongjun Gao, Mohammad Tahsin Karimi Nezhad, Nan Sun, Minggang Xu 2025, 24(7): 2841-2856.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.12.013 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   The combined application of organic manure and chemical fertilizers is an effective way to enhance soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration through its influences on organic carbon (OC) input and the stability of SOC fractions.  However, there is limited information on the carbon sequestration efficiency (CSE) of chemically separated SOC fractions and its response to OC input under long-term fertilization regimes, especially at different sites.  This study used three long-term fertilization experiments in Gongzhuling, Zhengzhou and Qiyang spanning 20 years to compare the stocks and CSE in four different OC fractions (very labile OC, labile OC, less labile OC, and non-labile OC) and their relationships with annual OC input.  Three treatments of no fertilization (CK), chemical nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium fertilizers (NPK), and chemical NPK combined with manure (NPKM) were employed.  The results showed that compared with CK, NPKM resulted in enhanced SOC stocks and sequestration rates as well as CSE levels of all fractions irrespective of experimental site.  Specifically for the very labile and non-labile OC fractions, NPKM significantly increased the SOC stocks by 43 and 83%, 77 and 86%, and 73 and 82% in Gongzhuling, Qiyang, and Zhengzhou relative to CK, respectively.  However, the greatest changes in SOC stock relative to the initial value were associated with non-labile OC fractions in Gongzhuling, Zhengzhou, and Qiyang, which reached 6.65, 7.16, and 7.35 Mg ha–1 under NPKM.  Similarly, the highest CSE was noted for non-labile OC fractions under NPKM followed sequentially by the very labile OC, labile OC, and less-labile OC fractions, however a CSE of 8.56% in the non-labile OC fraction for Gongzhuling was higher than the values of 6.10 and 4.61% in Zhengzhou and Qiyang, respectively.  In addition, the CSE for the passive pool (very labile+labile OC fractions) was higher than the active pool (less-labile+non-labile OC fractions), with the highest value in Gongzhuling.  The redundancy analysis revealed that the CSEs of fractions and pools were negatively influenced by annual OC input, mean annual precipitation and temperature, but positively influenced by the initial SOC and total nitrogen contents.  This suggests that differential stability of sequestered OC is further governed by indigenous site characteristics and variable amounts of annual OC input.

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Wheat cover crop accelerates the decomposition of cucumber root litter by altering the soil microbial community Xianhong Zhang, Zhiling Wang, Danmei Gao, Yaping Duan, Xin Li, Xingang Zhou 2025, 24(7): 2857-2868.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.09.020 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Cover cropping is a diversifying agricultural practice that can improve soil structure and function by altering the underground litter diversity and soil microbial communities.  Here, we tested how a wheat cover crop alters the decomposition of cucumber root litter.  A three-year greenhouse litterbag decomposition experiment showed that a wheat cover crop accelerates the decomposition of cucumber root litter.  A microcosm litterbag experiment further showed that wheat litter and the soil microbial community could improve cucumber root litter decomposition.  Moreover, the wheat cover crop altered the abundances and diversities of soil bacterial and fungal communities, and enriched several putative keystone operational taxonomic units (OTUs), such as Bacillus sp. OTU1837 and Mortierella sp. OTU1236, that were positively related to the mass loss of cucumber root litter.  The representative bacterial and fungal strains B186 and M3 were isolated and cultured.  In vitro decomposition tests demonstrated that both B186 and M3 had cucumber root litter decomposition activity and a stronger effect was found when they were co-incubated.  Overall, a wheat cover crop accelerated cucumber root litter decomposition by altering the soil microbial communities, particularly by stimulating certain putative keystone taxa, which provides a theoretical basis for using cover crops to promote sustainable agricultural development.

Short Communication

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A tomato NBS-LRR gene Mi-9 confers heat-stable resistance to root-knot nematodes Shudong Chen, Yupan Zou, Xin Tong, Cao Xu 2025, 24(7): 2869-2875.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.07.017 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) are the most widespread soil-borne obligate endoparasites.  They can infect the roots of many crops and cause significant yield losses.  The only commercially available RKN-resistant gene in tomatoes, Mi-1.2, fails at soil temperatures above 28°C.  We cloned the heat-stable RKN-resistant gene, Mi-9, from a gene cluster composed of seven nucleotide-binding sites and leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) type resistant genes in Solanum arcunum accession LA2157.  Screening nematode infections in individual and combinatorial knockouts of five NBS-LRR genes showed that Mi-9 Candidate 4 (MiC-4) alone is sufficient to confer heat-stable RKN resistance.  Our study identifies a new source of heat-stable resistance to RKN in tomatoes for challenging environmental conditions.  We also showcase a roadmap for rapid characterization of resistance genes by combining comparative genomics and genome editing, with the potential to be utilized in other crops.

Letter

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ZmMYC2, selected during modern breeding, orchestrates growth and defense gene expression in maize Shuai Ma, Xiangyu Lu, Bo Zhou, Jiameng Zhu, Qianhe Zhang, Suzhen Li, Xiaoqing Liu, Wenzhu Yang, Chunhui Li, Yongxiang Li, Yu Li, Rumei Chen, Xiaojin Zhou, Tianyu Wang 2025, 24(7): 2876-2880.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.12.020 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect

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Identification of a multidrug-resistant porcine Proteus vulgaris harbouring a plasmid-borne cfr gene Jie Hou, Qiu Xu, Stefan Schwarz, Longyu Zhou, Jiyun Chai, Longhua Lin, Caiping Ma, Yao Zhu, Wanjiang Zhang 2025, 24(7): 2881-2884.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.11.021 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect