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2026 Vol. 25 No. 3 Previous Issue   

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Review
Crop Science
Horticulture
Plant Protection
Animal Science · Veterinary Medicine
Agro-ecosystem & Environment
Food Science
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Cover illustration


Conventional chemical methods can control plant diseases but often cause many environmental problems. Consequently, there is a growing interest in green, eco-friendly, broad-spectrum, and efficient plant immunity inducers to establish sustainable disease management systems. Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), a precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), is widely utilized in the human medical field. In recent years, the potential of NMN as a plant immunity inducer has garnered increasing attention. This study confirms its role as an immunity inducer in various plant species, including Nicotiana benthamiana, Solanum lycopersicum (tomato), and Capsicum annuum. Pretreatment with NMN can activate plant local defenses, including pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) and salicylic acid (SA) signaling, not only via NAD-dependent pathways but also through other independent pathways. This local defense activation further triggers systemic acquired resistance (SAR), protecting untreated tissues and creating a comprehensive defense barrier. In turn, this strengthened resistance against diverse phytopathogens (including bacteria, oomycetes, fungi, and viruses) significantly reduces crop yield and quality losses caused by such infections. The cover image vividly illustrates that the bioactive molecule NMN imparts broad-spectrum disease resistance in diverse plants, offering a simple, environmentally friendly, and promising strategy for safeguarding crops against diverse phytopathogens. The picture was specifically provided by Dr. Shuangxi Zhang from the College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, China. For more details, please see pages 1064–1073.


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Review

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Where is plant beneficial element research heading? Zhihao Pang, Nina Nikolic, Miloslav Nikolic, Alexander Lux, Yongchao Liang 2026, 25(3): 829-846.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.05.008 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Maintaining optimal crop nutritional levels is crucial for maximizing yield and enhancing stress resistance.  In addition to the 17 essential nutrients, there are many plant-beneficial elements: silicon, aluminum, selenium, titanium, iodine, vanadium, cobalt, sodium, and rare earth elements.  They are not essential for all plants, but some are crucial for specific plant species.  However, the mechanisms of action of many beneficial elements are still unclear, and products containing beneficial elements have not been widely accepted and used by the public.  This review systematically summarizes the current knowledge of plant-beneficial elements.  Most importantly, we offer suggestions for future research on beneficial elements, which include integrating cross-disciplinary and innovative technologies, expanding the scope of application and elemental spies, broadening the spatial and temporal scales of research, incorporating beneficial elements into the soil health evaluation system, and shifting from single to multi-element applications.  In the future, research on beneficial elements should be closely centered around “mechanism+application” to meet the ever-increasing demands driven by population growth, improve human health, tackle environmental challenges, and promote rural economic development.

Crop Science

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Genome-wide association study reveals genomic regions for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium use efficiency in bread wheat Jili Xu, Shuo Liu, Zhiyuan Gao, Qingdong Zeng, Xiaowen Zhang, Dejun Han, Hui Tian 2026, 25(3): 847-863.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.06.012 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   The development of wheat cultivars with improved nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) use efficiency is essential for sustainable agriculture.  Genetic dissection and identification of causative genes underlying nutrient use efficiency represent a key strategy toward this goal.  We conducted an extensive genome-wide association study (GWAS) using a panel of 431 wheat cultivars, identifying 1,659 significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (LOD>5) through genotyping-by-sequencing.  This analysis revealed 534 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with 12 nutrient use efficiency traits across five distinct environments, among which 14 QTLs were consistently detected in at least three environments.  Notably, meta-QTL analysis, showed that QTL80 (72.12–74.24 Mb, chr2A), QTL387 (32.88–33.56 Mb, chr6A), and QTL500 (535.53–540.80 Mb, chr7B) exhibit clear co-localization with MQTL-2A-2, MQTL-6A-1, and MQTL-7B-2, respectively.  This overlap highlights their robustness across diverse environmental conditions.  Within these regions, critical candidate genes - including members of the bZIP transcription factor family and a potassium transporter gene - were identified in relation to nutrient use efficiency.  Furthermore, a novel locus, QTL234, was discovered, harboring key candidate genes such as dof zinc finger protein, Ankyrin repeat family protein, and cytochrome P450.  To validate the SNP within QTL234 associated with nitrogen harvest index (NHI), we developed a dCAPS marker for AX-109095537.  These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of high-resolution SNP-based GWAS in rapidly pinpointing promising candidate genes.  They also establish a foundation for large-scale QTL fine mapping, candidate gene validation, and the development of functional markers essential for enhancing nutrient use efficiency in wheat breeding programs.

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Structural chromosome variations from Jinmai 47 and Jinmai 84 affected agronomic traits and drought tolerance of wheat Shuwei Zhang, Jiajia Zhao, Haiyan Zhang, Duoduo Fu, Ling Qiao, Bangbang Wu, Xiaohua Li, Yuqiong Hao, Xingwei Zheng, Zhen Liang, Zhijian Chang, Jun Zheng 2026, 25(3): 864-878.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.07.047 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Structural variation is an important source of genetic variation in wheat and have been important in the evolution of the wheat’s genome.  Few studies have examined the relationship between structural variations and agronomy and drought tolerance.  The present study identified structural chromosome variations (SCVs) in a doubled haploid (DH) population and backcross introgression lines (BC5F3) derived from Jinmai 47 and Jinmai 84 using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).  There are one simple translocation, 10 present/absent variations (PAVs), and one copy number variation (CNV) between Jinmai 47 and Jinmai 84, which distributed in 10 chromosomes.  Eight SCVs were associated with 15 agronomic traits.  A PAV recombination occurred on chromosome 2A, which was associated with grain number per spike (GNS).  The 1BL/1RS translocation and PAV.2D were associated with significant reductions in plant height, deriving from the effects on LI2-LI4,  LI2-LI4 and UI, respectively respectively.  PAV.2D was also contributed to an increase of 3.13% for GNS, 1BL/1RS significantly increased spikelet number, grain length (GL), and grain thickness (GT).  The effect of PAV.4A.1 on GL, PAV.6A on spike length (SL) and thousand-grain weight (TGW), PAV.6B on SL, GT and TGW were identified and verified.  PAVs on chromosomes 2A, 6A, 1D, 2D, and a CNV on chromosome 4B were associated with the drought tolerance coefficients.  Additive and interaction effects among SCVs were observed.  Many previously cloned key genes and yield-related QTL were found in polymorphic regions of PAV.2B, PAV.2D, and CNV.4B.  Altogether, this study confirmed the genetic effect of SCVs on agronomy and drought tolerance, and identification of these SCVs will facilitate genetic improvement of wheat through marker-assisted selection.

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A single nucleotide substitution in BnaC02.LBD6 promoter causes blade shape variation in Brassica napus Jinxiang Gao, Bing Li, Pei Qin, Sihao Zhang, Xiaoting Li, Yebitao Yang, Wenhao Shen, Shan Tang, Jijun Li, Liang Guo, Jun Zou, Jinxing Tu 2026, 25(3): 879-892.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.06.009 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Leaf morphology constitutes a key component of the ideotype, and optimal leaf rolling contributes to compact plant architecture.  Rapeseed (Brassica napus) is an important oilseed crop; however, the genetic mechanisms underlying leaf shape development remain poorly understood, and corresponding germplasm resources for genetic improvement are limited.  In this study, we identified a dominant mutant, INSIDE-ROLLING LEAF1 (IRL1), which exhibits inward leaf rolling due to defective mesophyll cell development.  The mutant also displays drooping siliques and a semi-dwarf phenotype, accompanied by a reduction of one to two effective branches.  Through map-based cloning and functional complementation assays, we confirmed BnaC02G0201100ZS as the causal gene IRL1.  This gene encodes LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES DOMAIN6 (BnaC02.LBD6).  The phenotypic alterations in the IRL1 mutant result from elevated expression of BnaC02.LBD6, driven by a single nucleotide substitution within a DNA binding site in its promoter region.  Overexpression of BnaC02.LBD6 recapitulated the IRL1 mutant phenotype, confirming its functional role.  Haplotype analysis revealed a rare allelic variant in the BnaC02.LBD6 promoter associated with the unique leaf morphology of IRL1.  Transcriptomic profiling indicated significant differential expression of genes involved in adaxial–abaxial leaf polarity establishment, secondary metabolic pathways, and hormone signaling networks.  Our findings provide novel insights into the genetic regulation of leaf morphogenesis in rapeseed and offer valuable genetic resources for optimizing plant architecture in breeding programs.

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Identification of a pleiotropic QTL and development of KASP markers for 100-pod weight, 100-seed weight, and shelling percentage in peanut Xiukun Li, Jing Hao, Hongtao Deng, Shunli Cui, Li Li, Mingyu Hou, Yingru Liu, Lifeng Liu 2026, 25(3): 893-902.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.06.013 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   High yield remains the primary objective of peanut breeding.  Key yield components, 100-pod weight (HPW), 100-seed weight (HSW), and shelling percentage (SP), are critical determinants of overall productivity.  This study aimed to construct a high-density linkage map using resequencing data from recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between ‘Silihong’ (Arachis hypogaea var. fastigiate) and ‘Jinonghei 3’ (A. hypogaea var. hypogaea).  The resulting map comprised 4,499 bins distributed across 20 chromosomes, spanning a total length of 1,712.32 cM with an average inter-marker distance of 0.38 cM.  A total of 46 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified across three environments.  Major QTLs, including qHPW5.2, qHPW18.1, qSP7.1, qSP8.1, qSP8.2, qSP18.1, and qSP18.2, explained phenotypic variation (PVE) of 12.04, 11.41, 16.53, 24.17, 10.49, 10.82, and 29.89%, respectively.  Fourteen QTLs detected across multiple environments were considered stable.  Notably, one QTL region (qHPW7, qHSW7.1, and qSP7) was associated with all three traits, accounting for PVE values of 8.91, 9.04, and 16.53% for HPW, HSW, and SP, respectively.  To validate the accuracy of QTL mapping, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted using the US mini-core collection.  Across two environments, 115 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were significantly associated with HPW, HSW, and SP in the association panel.  Six SNPs were linked to two traits, explaining an average phenotypic variation of 13.84%.  Integration of both mapping populations revealed that AX-176802178, detected on chromosome 7 in the association panel and associated with SP, was located within the confidence interval of QTL qSP7 defined by the recombined inbred lines (RIL) population.  Furthermore, three KASP markers were developed and validated in peanut landraces and cultivated varieties.  These findings provide valuable insights into the genetic architecture underlying HPW, HSW, and SP, and offer useful molecular tools for marker-assisted selection in peanut breeding programs.

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Optimized application strategy of controlled-release nitrogen improves grain yield, nitrogen use efficiency and lodging resistance of rice Hao Wu, Wenjiang Jing, Yajun Zhang, Ying Zhang, Weilu Wang, Kuanyu Zhu, Weiyang Zhang, Junfei Gu, Lijun Liu, Jianhua Zhang, Hao Zhang 2026, 25(3): 903-917.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.10.007 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Lodging is a primary factor limiting rice grain yield.  Achieving synergistic improvements in grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) without increasing lodging risk has been a global research priority.  In this study, two rice cultivars - Yongyou 2640 (indica–japonica hybrid rice) and Jinxiangyu 1 (inbred japonica rice) - were evaluated in field experiments conducted over two growing seasons.  Six nitrogen management strategies were implemented: no nitrogen (T1), conventional urea (T2), controlled-release nitrogen (CRN) (T3), reduction of CRN (T4), CRN combined with single basal application of conventional urea (T5), and CRN combined with split applications of conventional urea (T6).  Compared with T2, the integrated nitrogen strategies (T5 and T6) increased NUE by 4.89–5.69% and grain yield by 3.41–4.65%.  These treatments also enhanced structural integrity of the second basal internode, evidenced by increased carbohydrate content, internode breaking strength, epidermal silicon layer thickness, number of large and small vascular bundles, and thickness of both parenchymatous and mechanical tissues.  Concurrently, internode length, bending moment, and lodging index were reduced.  Collectively, these findings indicate that integrating CRN with conventional urea improves morphological, mechanical, physicochemical, and anatomical properties of the second basal internode, thereby enhancing stem strength and enabling high yield and NUE without compromising lodging resistance.

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Underlying mechanisms of high carbon budget surplus in low-stubble rice ratooning in Southeast China Qiaohong Fan, Jingnan Zou, Zhimin Lin, Gui Chen, Wu You, Kai Su, Wenxiong Lin 2026, 25(3): 918-937.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.07.012 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   The rice ratooning system has attracted increasing attention in southern China due to its low carbon emissions and high yield potential.  However, the net carbon budget and underlying mechanisms remain unclear.  Three rice cropping systems were established in this trial experiment conducted from 2021 to 2022 in Fuzhou (25°05´N, 119°13´E), Southeast China: ratooning rice (RR: MC+RSR) pattern for rice ratooning, single-cropping rice (LR1), and double-cropping rice (DC: ER+LR2).  The closed static dark box gas collection, dry matter determination, life cycle assessment (LCA) etc. approaches were utilized to investigate the mechanism of “high carbon fixation–low emissions” mechanism in RR.  A comprehensive assessment was conducted across multiple dimensions, including crop yield, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, carbon and nitrogen footprints, resource use efficiency, carbon sequestration capacity, and carbon budget balance.  Results showed that the average daily yield of ratoon season rice (RSR) across RR treatments from 2021 to 2022 was 28.21–47.40% higher than that of the main crop (MC) and LR1, and the average daily yield of RR was 13.50–27.76% higher than DC.  This yield advantage was attributed to a 32.32–39.26% increase in the allocation of 13C-labeled photosynthetic products (including non-structural carbohydrates, NSCs) to panicle organs, and a 21.77–43.51% reduction in allocation to underground roots and soil.  Furthermore, the average daily global warming potential (GWP) was 16.44 kg CO2-eq ha–1 for RR, 24.99 kg CO2-eq ha–1 for LR1, and 21.32 kg CO2-eq ha–1 for DC.  Specifically, the average daily GWP of ratoon rice was 34.21% lower than that of LR1 and 22.90% lower than double-cropping rice.  Similarly, the average daily greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) of ratoon rice was 62.28% lower than LR1 and 28.96% lower than double-cropping rice.  In terms of carbon and nitrogen footprints, the ratoon rice system exhibited average daily values of 34.54 kg CO2-eq ha–1 and 0.47 kg N ha–1, respectively.  In comparison, LR1 had values of 45.63 kg CO2-eq ha–1 and 0.49 kg N ha–1, while double-cropping rice showed 43.38 kg CO2-eq ha–1 and 0.53 kg N ha–1.  These values represent reductions of 24.30% in carbon footprint and 4.28% in nitrogen footprint relative to LR1, and 20.38 and 11.45% relative to double-cropping rice, respectively.  Moreover, the average annual carbon budget surplus across systems was 22,380.01 kg CO2-eq ha–1 for ratoon rice (MC+RSR), 11,228.54 kg CO2-eq ha–1 for LR1, and 23,772.15 kg CO2-eq ha–1 for DC.  Consequently, the resource utilization efficiency of the RR was 24.42 and 47.50% higher than that of single-cropping and double-cropping systems, respectively.  Average daily economic returns also increased by 32.71 and 80.75%, respectively.  These findings provide a robust theoretical foundation and practical guidance for advancing agricultural carbon neutrality technologies and ensuring food security.

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Enhancing yield of modern maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids through optimization of population photosynthetic capacity and light-nitrogen use efficiency under high planting density Zhenlong Wang, Pin He, Xuyao Li, Tieshan Liu, Saud Shah, Hao Ren, Baizhao Ren, Peng Liu, Jiwang Zhang, Bin Zhao 2026, 25(3): 938-951.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.09.007 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   In maize production, the development of density-tolerant and lodging-resistant varieties has made dense planting an effective strategy for achieving high and stable yields, with superior hybrids serving as a prerequisite for successful high-density cultivation.  However, the photosynthetic mechanisms underlying improved density tolerance in maize hybrids released across different eras in China remain unclear.  This study investigates 40 years of breeding progress toward enhanced photosynthetic traits under varying planting densities and elucidates the physiological and ecological bases of improved density tolerance in maize hybrids.  A three-year field experiment was conducted from 2019 to 2021 to compare eight major Chinese hybrids from four decadal cohorts under three planting densities: 45,000 (D1), 67,500 (D2), and 90,000 (D3) plants ha−1.  At high density (D3), modern hybrids exhibited a more optimal canopy architecture and superior leaf photosynthetic performance compared to older hybrids, despite a slight reduction in specific leaf nitrogen.  Notably, modern hybrids (2000s) were able to maintain higher net photosynthetic rates and photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency (PNUE) at D3, resulting in the highest grain yield (GY), which was 118.47% greater than that of older hybrids (1970s).  Leaf area duration after anthesis, total chlorophyll content, key photosynthetic enzyme activities, and maximum quantum efficiency of PSII photochemistry were all positively correlated with GY.  Among these, PNUE showed the strongest correlation with grain yield and thus represents a key indicator for optimizing maize hybrids.  Based on these findings, breeders should continue selecting hybrids under high-density and suboptimal conditions, focusing on optimizing population architecture and enhancing photosynthetic capacity while fine-tuning leaf nitrogen status to develop high-yielding, density-tolerant hybrids capable of sustaining long-term increases in maize grain yield.

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Rhizosphere flavonoids alleviate inhibition of soybean nodulation caused by shading under maize–soybean strip intercropping Ping Lin, Shanshan Liu, Zhidan Fu, Kai Luo, Yiling Li, Xinyue Peng, Xiaoting Yuan, Lida Yang, Tian Pu, Yuze Li, Taiwen Yong, Wenyu Yang 2026, 25(3): 952-964.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.09.030 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Flavonoids produced by legume roots act as signaling molecules that induce the expression of nod genes in symbiotic rhizobia.  However, the role of flavonoids in root exudates under intercropping systems in promoting soybean nodulation remains unclear.  Two consecutive years of field experiments were conducted using maize–soybean strip intercropping with interspecific row spacings of 30 cm (MS30), 45 cm (MS45), and 60 cm (MS60), along with sole cropping of soybean (SS) and maize (MM).  Root interactions were manipulated using either no root barrier (NB) or a polyethylene plastic barrier (PB) to assess the relationship between flavonoids in root exudates and soybean nodulation.  We found that root–root interaction between soybean and maize increased nodule number and fresh weight in intercropped soybean, with enhancement gradually increasing as interspecific distance widened.  The proportion of nodules with diameters exceeding 0.4 cm was higher in intercropped soybean under NB compared to PB.  Additionally, the expression of nodule-related genes - GmENOD40, GmNIN2b, and GmEXPB2 - was up-regulated.  Furthermore, compared to monocropping, isoflavone secretion by soybean roots decreased, whereas flavonoid and flavonol secretion by both maize and soybean roots increased under intercropping.  The abundance of differentially secreted flavonoid metabolites in the rhizosphere of both species declined when root contact was prevented by the barrier.  In soybean roots, the expression of GmCHS8 and GmIFS1 was up-regulated, while GmICHG was down-regulated under root interaction.  Most flavonoid and flavonol compounds showed positive correlations with nodule diameter.  Nodule number, fresh weight, and the proportion of nodules larger than 0.2 cm increased in diverse soybean genotypes treated with maize root exudates, which contributed to enhanced nitrogen fixation capacity.  Therefore, maize–soybean strip intercropping, combined with optimal row spacing, enhances the positive effects of underground root interactions and improves nodulation and nitrogen fixation in intercropped soybean.

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Critical role of outside xylem hydraulic conductance in regulating stomatal conductance and water use efficiency in cotton across different planting densities Yunrui Chen, Dayong Fan, Ziliang Li, Yujie Zhang, Yang He, Minzhi Chen, Wangfeng Zhang, Yali Zhang 2026, 25(3): 965-976.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.11.012 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Hydraulic theory predicts a positive coupling between leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf) and stomatal conductance (gs); however, this theory has not been fully supported by observations, and underlying mechanisms are poorly understood.  Partitioning Kleaf into inside-xylem (Kx) and outside-xylem (Kox) components offers a refined framework for elucidating the regulation of gs by leaf hydraulics.  While optimal planting density may enhance water use efficiency (WUE) through modulation of gs, corresponding changes in leaf hydraulic properties and their influence on gas exchange remain unclear.  We examined relationships among Kx, Kox, gs, leaf photosynthetic rate (AN), and WUE, and analyzed the structural determinants of Kox in cotton grown under eight planting densities: 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, and 84 plants m–2.  Results showed that as planting density increased, Kleaf and AN remained stable, whereas Kox and gs declined significantly.   Leaf thickness and the volume fraction of inter-cellular air space were key structural factors influencing Kox.  Neither Kleaf nor Kx correlated with AN or gs; however, Kox exhibited a significant positive correlation with gs.  Furthermore, Kox was negatively correlated with WUE.  These findings indicate that Kox modulates gs to minimize water loss without compromising AN, thereby enhancing WUE in cotton across varying planting densities.

Horticulture

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Genome-wide identification of the peach LOB/LBD genes and the positive role of the PpNAP4–PpLOB1 module in peach fruit softening Jieyu Dai, Ze Xu, Qianjin Zhan, Jingwen Zhu, Lijun Cao, Zhanling Lu, Yuting Xu, Tongyang Kang, Yanan Hu, Caiping Zhao 2026, 25(3): 977-988.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.02.043 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Softening of fleshy fruits during ripening and postharvest is a programmed physiological process that substantially impacts fruit quality and shelf life.  However, the molecular mechanism underlying peach softening remains largely unknown.  Lateral organ boundary (LOB) domain (LBD) proteins are pivotal regulators of plant growth and development.  To date, certain LOB/LBD transcription factors are seemingly implicated in fruit softening.  In this study, we identified 42 LOB/LBD genes in the peach genome.  Expression analysis showed a significant upregulation of PpLOB1 transcripts toward peach fruit ripening.  PpLOB1 was classified into Class II subgroup, and showed high sequence similarity to several softening-related LOB/LBD transcription factors.  Transient transformation assays showed that PpLOB1 positively modulates peach softening.  Further experiments demonstrated that PpLOB1 directly targets and activates the promoters of pectate lyase 1 (PpPL1) and PpPL15, thereby contributing to the regulation of fruit softening.  Additionally, PpNAP4 up-regulates PpLOB1 expression by binding to its promoter.  Meanwhile, our findings revealed that PpNAP4 and PpNAP6 cooperatively modulate the expression of PpLOB1.  Taken together, our findings revealed a novel regulatory module involving PpNAP4 and PpLOB1 that modulates peach fruit softening.

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Amur grape VaMYB4a mediates grapevine cold tolerance via dual regulation of CBF–COR and ABA pathways Qinhan Yu, Yue Sun, Yaping Xie, Jiaxin Li, Rong Wang, Qiaoling Zheng, Chang Liu, Ningbo Zhang, Weirong Xu 2026, 25(3): 989-1008.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.005 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Cold stress represents a critical constraint on crop productivity, particularly in temperate climates.  Despite the established role of abscisic acid (ABA) in cold stress responses, the precise mechanisms through which transcription factors mediate ABA-dependent cold tolerance remain elusive.  Here, we identify VaMYB4a, a MYB transcription factor from Vitis amurensis Rupr.  (Amur grape), as a key regulator of cold tolerance.  It integrates ABA signaling with the CBF (C-repeat binding factors)-COR (cold-regulated) pathway to orchestrate cold stress adaptation.  Through a combination of overexpression and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout lines in Arabidopsis thaliana, grape callus, and Vitis vinifera L. seedlings, we demonstrate that VaMYB4a enhances freezing tolerance by promoting osmotic regulation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, and stomatal closure.  VaMYB4a functions as a homo-dimer, with its C-terminal domain being essential for transcriptional activation.  Mechanistically, VaMYB4a directly upregulates CBF and COR genes while fine-tuning ABA signaling components such as ABI1 and ABF4.  Notably, ABA exhibits a dual role: enhancing VaMYB4a-mediated freezing tolerance under short-term stress but attenuating its effects during prolonged cold exposure, revealing an intricate regulatory crosstalk between cold and hormonal pathways.  Our work not only advances the molecular understanding of cold adaptation but also provides a promising genetic target for developing stress-resilient grape varieties to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

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Transcription factor CsHSFB2c suppresses CsTS1 and CsGS1 expression to reduce theanine biosynthesis in tea plants under heat stress Qihong Zou, Bokun Zhou, Yilan Hu, Ping Li, Qi Zhao, Hu Tang, Yujie Jiao, Xinzhuan Yao, Lin Chen, Litang Lü 2026, 25(3): 1009-1019.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.12.027 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Heat stress reduces theanine content in tea plants, but the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear.  In this study, a temperature gradient treatment (20°C, 25°C, 30°C, and 35°C) was performed to unveil the effect of heat stress on biosynthesis and accumulation of theanine.  We found that heat stress induced metabolic changes, characterized by decreased theanine content and increased catechin levels.  In addition, heat stress up-regulated the expression of the 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 decreased theanine levels.  Consistent with these changes, silencing CsHSFB2c upregulated the expression of CsTS1 and CsGS1, while overexpression of CsHSFB2c downregulated their expression.  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 the heat resistance and quality of tea plants via molecular breeding.

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StCOMT1 enhances potato resistance to Fusarium sporotrichioides by regulating coumarin-related substance accumulation and the ROS system Jiaqi Wang, Biao Zhao, Dan Liu, Fumeng He, Chong Du, Yunzhu Che, Zengli Zhang, Xu Feng, Xue Wang , Yingnan Wang, Fenglan Li 2026, 25(3): 1020-1035.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.11.021 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Caffeic acid-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is a crucial enzyme in the phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway, with significant roles in both the lignin and coumarin pathways.  The function of COMT in plant disease resistance has been demonstrated in several species.  Our research identified the potato COMT gene family on a genome-wide scale and StCOMT1 as a candidate gene for enhancing potato disease resistance under DON induction through phylogenetic analyses combined with previously identified metabolic differences and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) results.  In order to better understand the function of StCOMT1, heterologous expression and overexpression assays were conducted.  StCOMT1 is localized in chloroplasts and was found to catalyze the methylation of substrates to produce ferulic acid and melatonin in vitro.  Physiological parameters showed that, compared with wild-type potato plants, StCOMT1-overexpressing plants infected with Fusarium sporotrichioides exhibited smaller lesion areas and lower reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels.  High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and RT-qPCR analyses revealed organ-specific accumulation of coumarin-related compounds and organ-specific expression of their corresponding genes in StCOMT1-overexpressing plants post-inoculation.  The results indicate that StCOMT1 overexpression in potatoes enhanced resistance to F. sporotrichioides by enhancing reactive oxygen species clearance and promoting organ-specific accumulation of coumarin-related compounds.

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AcMYB12 and AcMYB29 promote flavonol biosynthesis through transcriptional regulation in onion (Allium cepa L.) Qingwei Jia, Shuting Gai, Yiren Wang, Zhihui Zhang, Xiong Wu, Wenhui Wu, Yumeng Pang, Xiaonan Zhang, Lei Qin, Yong Wang 2026, 25(3): 1035-1050.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.06.023 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Flavonols possess significant medical value and are essential for plant stress resistance.  These compounds constitute primary components of the nutritional value in onions, particularly in edible portions.  While the flavonol biosynthetic pathway has been extensively studied, its regulatory mechanisms in onions remain incompletely understood.  This investigation identified flavonol biosynthesis and regulatory genes through analysis of transcriptome and metabolomics data from different developmental stages of ‘SA1’.  Two R2R3-MYB transcription factors, AcMYB12 and AcMYB29, were identified as positive regulators of onion flavonol biosynthesis.  Transcriptional activation assays demonstrated that both could activate AcCHS, AcF3´H, and AcFLS.  Yeast one-hybrid assays confirmed their direct binding to these gene promoters.  The expression levels of flavonol pathway genes and flavonol contents in AcMYB12/AcMYB29-overexpressing onion calli and Arabidopsis plants were significantly higher than those in the control group.  Transient silencing assays revealed partial functional redundancy between these two transcription factors.  Notably, their regulatory capabilities exhibited significant differences.  AcMYB12 predominantly regulates flavonol accumulation, while AcMYB29 specifically influences quercetin.  Further investigation of the molecular mechanisms underlying differential regulation indicated variations in cis-elements within flavonol pathway gene promoters and differences in binding activity between transcription factors and cis-elements.

Plant Protection

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Silence of five Fusarium graminearum genes in wheat host confers resistance to Fusarium head blight Jie Shuai, Qiang Tu, Yicong Zhang, Xiaobo Xia, Yuhua Wang, Shulin Cao, Yifan Dong, Xinli Zhou, Xu Zhang, Zhengguang Zhang, Yi He, Gang Li 2026, 25(3): 1051-1063.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.04.026 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Fusarium head blight (FHB), mainly caused by fungus Fusarium graminearum, is a devastating wheat disease worldwide, leading to reduced yield production and compromised grain quality due to contamination by mycotoxins, such as deoxynivalenol (DON).  Manipulating the specific gene expression in microorganisms through RNA interference (RNAi) presents an opportunity for new-generation double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-based formulations to combat a large number of plant diseases.  Here, we applied both spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS) and host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) to target five virulence-related and DON-synthesized genes in F. graminearum, including protein kinase gene Gpmk1, zinc finger protein gene FgChy1, transcription factor FgSR, DON synthesis gene TRI5 and the cell-end marker protein gene FgTeaA, aiming to effectively control FHB in wheat.  Direct spraying of individual or combined small interfering RNA (siRNAs) from the fungus showed reduced expression of target genes and suppressed pathogenic symptoms during F. graminearum infection in wheat leaves, with the combination of all five siRNAs demonstrating superior resistance.  Furthermore, we generated transgenic wheat lines expressing chimeric RNAi cassettes targeting these five genes, and two independent lines exhibited strong resistance to FHB and Fusarium crown rot, and the reduced DON accumulation.  Notably, the HIGS transgenic lines did not adversely impact plant growth and yield traits.  Collectively, our findings support that SIGS and HIGS represent effective strategies targeting key pathogenic genes for bolstering disease resistance in crops.

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Nicotinamide mononucleotide confers broad-spectrum disease resistance in plants Shuangxi Zhang, Xinlin Wei, Rongbo Wang, Hejing Shen, Hehuan You, Langjun Cui, Yi Qiang, Peiqing Liu, Meixiang Zhang, Yuyan An 2026, 25(3): 1064-1073.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.04.027 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), a precursor in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) biosynthesis, has long been recognized for its pivotal role in medicine.  Recent investigations have suggested its potential as a plant immunity inducer for controlling fungal diseases.  However, whether NMN confers plant broad-spectrum resistance against diverse phytopathogens, and its underlying mechanisms remain ambiguous.  In this study, we investigate the effect of NMN against multiple phytopathogens in tobacco.  Our results demonstrate that tobacco pretreated with NMN exhibits enhanced resistance against Ralstonia solanacearum CQPS-1, Pseudomonas syringae DC3000 ΔhopQ1-1, Phytophthora parasitica, and tobacco mosaic virus (TMV).  NMN displays effectiveness within the concentration range of 50–600 μmol L–1, with 75 μmol L–1 NMN exhibiting the most pronounced effect.  The impact of NMN pretreatment could persist for up to 10 days.  Beyond tobacco, NMN pretreatment enhances disease resistance in tomato and pepper plants against diverse pathogens, underscoring NMN’s capacity to confer broad-spectrum disease resistance in crops.  Moreover, RT-qPCR analysis reveals that NMN significantly upregulates the expression of the pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) marker gene NbCYP71D20 and salicylic acid (SA) marker gene NbPR1a.  This suggests that NMN enhances plant resistance by inducing both PTI and SA-mediated immunity.  Interestingly, the positive impact of NMN on plant disease resistance is not significantly compromised in both NMN adenylyltransferase (NMNAT)-silenced plants and NAD receptor mutant lecrk-I.8, suggesting the existence of NAD-independent signaling pathways for NMN-induced plant immunity.  In conclusion, our study establishes that the bioactive molecule NMN imparts broad-spectrum disease resistance in plants, offering a simple, environmental-friendly, and promising strategy for safeguarding crops against diverse phytopathogens.  These findings also provide valuable insights for future in-depth studies into the functional mechanisms of NMN.

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Screening and evaluation of plant-derived attractants for Loxostege sticticalis adult management Hongnian Li, Ertao Li, Aiguo Kang, Kebin Li, Lei Zhang, Huanhuan Dong, Zhimin Wang, Yangyang Wang, Byambasuren Mijidsuren, Fei Hu, Jiao Yin, Zhaojun Wei 2026, 25(3): 1074-1086.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.04.034 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   The Loxostege sticticalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is a major migratory pest of agriculture and animal husbandry in Asia and Europe.  Utilizing plant volatile organic compounds (pVOCs) as attractants for monitoring and controlling pests is considered an environmentally friendly and effective method.  However, limited knowledge exists regarding applying pVOCs to manage L. sticticalis.  Here, volatile compounds released by Chenopodium album, Setaria viridis, and Medicago sativa, the three preferred oviposition plants for L. sticticalis females, were collected using dynamic headspace sampling techniques.  A total of 55 distinct compounds were identified through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and 16 compounds in the concentration range from 0.001 to 100 µg µL–1 elicited consistently enhanced electrophysiological responses in both male and female L. sticticalis.  Subsequently, the attraction potential of four bioactive compounds - linalool, cis-anethole, trans-2-hexenal, and 1-octen-3-ol - were further confirmed by indoor behavioral bioassays.  The blends of linalool, cis-anethole, trans-2-hexenal, and 1-octen-3-ol mixed at ratios of 5:1:5:10 (formulation No. 25) and 5:1:1:10 (formulation No. 21) were highly attractive to L. sticticalis adults.  Field-trapping assays indicated that lure No. 2 baited with formulation 21 demonstrated superior efficacy in field trapping.  These findings suggest that pVOC-based attractants can be effectively employed for monitoring and mass trapping L. sticticalis adults, providing insights into the development of botanical attractants.

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Rice stripe virus protein NS3 exploits synergistically insect vector importin and ubiquitin systems to promote viral replication Lu Zhang, Ze Qu, Yihui Tan, Yao Li, Xinyi Li, Zhipeng Huang, Siyuan Ruan, Shimin Zuo, Fang Liu, Wenxing Hu 2026, 25(3): 1087-1098.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.04.025 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Plant viruses pose significant threats to agriculture, with many vectored by insect pests.  The entry of viruses and their encoded proteins into the host nucleus is a critical step for promoting some viral replication and enabling systemic infection.  Laodelphax striatellus, also known as the small brown planthopper (SBPH), is an efficient vector for rice stripe virus (RSV), one of the most damaging viruses of rice.  In this study, we demonstrate that RSV infection induces the expression of genes in both the classical and non-classical nuclear import pathways of SBPH.  A gene belonging to the importin β family, importin 5 (LsIPO5), was upregulated by 84% in SBPH midguts infected with RSV.  The nuclear localization signal (NLS, 168YRSPSKKRHKYV179) is located within the nonstructural protein NS3 directly bound to LsIPO5, thereby facilitating NS3 nuclear entry.  Moreover, a RING-type E3 ligase (LsRING) in SBPH, which mediated the ubiquitination of NS3 in the insect vector, enhanced NS3 binding to LsIPO5 and facilitated NS3 perinuclear localization.  Combined treatment of SBPH with both dsIPO5 and dsRING significantly reduced RSV loads, highlighting the importance of LsIPO5 and NS3 ubiquitination cooperation in facilitating viral replication.  Our findings provide new insights into synergistic molecular mechanisms that govern RSV infection and suggest potential therapeutic targets to control viral transmission through their insect vectors.

Animal Science · Veterinary Medicine

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Unraveling genetic underpinnings of purine content in pork Cong Huang, Min Zheng, Yizhong Huang, Liping Cai, Xiaoxiao Zou, Tianxiong Yao, Xinke Xie, Bin Yang, Shijun Xiao, Junwu Ma, Lusheng Huang 2026, 25(3): 1099-1113.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.05.004 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   The significance of purine base content as an important nutrition indicator in foods arises from its potential to trigger hyperuricemia or gout via high-purine diet.  Livestock meats, including pork, generally contain moderate to high total purine content (TP).  Recent research revealed substantial variations within and across pig breeds, implying genetic factors influencing this trait.  Thus, this study aimed to unravel the genetic underpinnings governing purine base content in pork.  The heritability estimates (h2) for the four purine traits ranged from 0.14 to 0.35.  A total of 14, 36, 19 and 25 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified for guanine, adenine, hypoxanthine, and TP, respectively.  Our comprehensive gene set enrichment analysis and gene network analysis revealed 15 promising candidate genes intricately interwoven within diverse purine metabolism pathways, such as purine ribonucleotide metabolic process, purine nucleotide metabolism and transport, and purine salvage pathways, all contributing to TP.  Strikingly, most genetic variants significantly associated with TP displayed analogous effects on multiple purine bases.  Two distinct and highly significant QTLs (P<10–12) emerged on Sus scrofa chromosome (SSC) 12: one impacting guanine content and the other concurrently influencing adenine and hypoxanthine levels.  The peak of the guanine QTL on SSC12 resided 1.1 kb downstream of the transmembrane protein 238 like (TMEM238L) gene and is encapsulated within a genomic segment characterized by the histone modification H3K27me3.  Focused fine-mapping for the SSC12 QTL associated with adenine and hypoxanthine levels narrowed its scope to around 172 kb, encompassing the growth arrest specific 7 (GAS7) and myosin heavy chain 13 (MYH13) genes.  However, the observed QTL effect was not attributed to any missense mutations within the two genes.  This pioneering study unveils the genetic variations and candidate genes associated with purine content in livestock, laying a robust foundation for the selective breeding of pig lines with reduced purine base content.

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An InDel in the promoter of ribosomal protein S27-like gene regulates skeletal muscle growth in pigs Xiaoqin Liu, Xinhao Fan, Junyu Yan, Longchao Zhang, Lixian Wang, Honor Calnan, Yalan Yang, Graham Gardner, Rong Zhou, Zhonglin Tang 2026, 25(3): 1114-1124.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.05.005 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Genetic improvement of meat production traits has always been the primary goal of pig breeding.  Geographical isolation, natural and artificial selection led to significant differences in the phenotypes of meat production traits between Chinese local pigs and Western commercial pigs.  Comparative genomics and transcriptomics analysis provided powerful tools to identify genetic variants and genes associated with skeletal muscle growth.  However, the number of available genetic variants and genes are still limited.  In this study, a comprehensive comparison of transcriptomes showed that ribosomal protein S27-like (RPS27L) gene was highly expressed in skeletal muscle and up-regulated in Chinese local pigs when compared with Western commercial pigs.  Functional analysis revealed that overexpression of RPS27L promoted myoblast proliferation and repressed differentiation in pig skeletal muscle cells.  Conversely, the knockdown of RPS27L led to the inhibition of myoblast proliferation and the promotion of differentiation.  Notably, a 13-bp insertion-deletion (InDel) mutation was identified within the RPS27L promoter, inserted in Chinese local breeds and predominantly deleted in Western commercial breeds.  Luciferase reporter assay suggested this InDel modulated RPS27L expression by influencing transcription factor 3 (TCF3) and myogenic differentiation antigen (MYOD) binding to the promoter.  Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between RPS27L expression and backfat thickness.  Association studies demonstrated this InDel was significantly associated with the body weight of pigs at the age of 240 d.  Together, our results suggested that RPS27L was a regulator of skeletal muscle development and growth, and was a candidate marker for improving meat production traits in pigs.  This study not only provided a biomarker for animal breeding, but also was helpful for understanding skeletal muscle development and muscular disease in humans.

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Myostatin promotes proliferation of bovine muscle satellite cells through activating TRPC4/Ca2+/calcineurin/NFATc3 pathway Yajie Gao, Song Wang, Anqi Di, Chao Hai, Di Wu, Zhenting Hao, Lige Bu, Xuefei Liu, Chunling Bai, Guanghua Su, Lishuang Song, Zhuying Wei, Zhonghua Liu, Lei Yang, Guangpeng Li 2026, 25(3): 1125-1136.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.04.020 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Myostatin (MSTN) is principally expressed in skeletal muscle and negatively regulates muscle growth and development.  MSTN mutation can induce muscle overgrowth in cattle by activating cell proliferation, presenting a “double-muscle” phenotype.  However, the specific regulatory mechanism is still unclear.  Here, we found that Ca2+ content in muscle tissue and muscle satellite cells of MSTN mutated (MSTN–/–) cattle were significantly increased compared to wild-type (WT).  Furthermore, transcriptome analysis of muscle satellite cells revealed that TRPC4 was significantly increased in MSTN–/– cattle.  And the expression of TRPC4 in muscle tissue of MSTN–/– cattle was detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot, which was significantly higher than that of WT.  These results suggested that MSTN mutation promoted muscle satellite cells proliferation through activation of TRPC4 channel.  To further verify, ML204, a specific inhibitor of TRPC4, was used to treat MSTN–/– muscle satellite cells.  We found that cell proliferation was inhibited, calcineurin expression was downregulated, and the entry of NFATc3 into nuclei was reduced, which was similar to WT group.  Thus, MSTN mutation leads to the activation of TRPC4 channel, which increases intracellular Ca2+ content, further activates calcineurin/NFATc3 pathway, and ultimately promotes the proliferation of muscle satellite cells.

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ACSL4 is a target for β-hydroxybutyrate-induced increase in fatty acid content and lipid droplet accumulation in bovine mammary epithelial cells Ming Li, Jingjing Wang, Jia’nan Wen, Juan J. Loor, Qianming Jiang, Jingyi Wang, Huijing Zhang, Yue Yang, Wei Yang, Bingbing Zhang, Chuang Xu 2026, 25(3): 1137-1149.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.12.004 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Ketosis, a common metabolic disease during early lactation, is associated with high circulating levels of β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB).  A portion of BHB that reaches the mammary gland is utilized as precursor for synthesis of fatty acids.  Recent findings from nonruminant studies revealed that long chain fatty acyl-CoA ligase 4 (ACSL4) could play a role in the regulation of cellular fatty acid metabolism, but the mechanisms by which ACSL4 mediates cellular lipid metabolism in response to BHB remains unclear.  To achieve the aims, we conducted in vivo or in vitro analyses using bovine mammary gland biopsies and the immortalized mammary epithelial cell line (MAC-T).  The in vivo study (n=6 cows per group) involved healthy cows (plasma BHB<0.60 mmol L–1) or ketotic cows (plasma BHB>2.0 mmol L–1) from which mammary gland tissue was biopsied.  In vitro, MAC-T cells were challenged with 0, 0.3, 0.6, 1.2, or 2.4 mmol L–1 BHB for 24 h to determine an optimal dose.  Subsequently, MAC-T were incubated with 1.2 mmol L–1 BHB for 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, or 48 h.  Furthermore, MAC-T cells were treated with small interfering ACSL4 (siACSL4) for 24 h or ACSL4 overexpression plasmid (pcACSL4) for 36 h followed by a challenge with 1.2 mmol L–1 BHB for 24 h.  Results showed that increased mRNA and protein abundance of lipogenic genes were linked to both mammary gland and in vitro challenge with BHB.  BHB increased fatty acid content by activating ACSL4 expression, whereas inhibition of ACSL4 reduced BHB-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction, enhancement of mitochondrial membrane potential, increase in fatty acid content, and lipid droplet accumulation.  Furthermore, we also elevated ACSL4 expression with an overexpression plasmid to clarify its molecular role in response to BHB challenge.  ACSL4 overexpression enhances BHB-induced lipid droplet accumulation by increased fatty acid content.  Overall, the information showed that ACSL4 is crucial for the process of producing fatty acids from exogenous BHB.  Reduced ACSL4 decreased fatty acid content and lipid droplet accumulation, improved mitochondrial function, directed more fatty acids towards oxidation.  Thus, ACSL4 plays an important role in determining the fate of intracellular fatty acids and BHB in BMECs.

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Genome-wide characteristic and functional analyses of the BMP gene family reveal its role in response to directed selection in chicken (Gallus gallus) Yulong Guo, Wanzhuo Geng, Botong Chen, Zhimin Cheng, Yihao Zhi, Yanhua Zhang, Donghua Li, Ruirui Jiang, Zhuanjian Li, Yadong Tian, Xiangtao Kang, Hong Li, Xiaojun Liu 2026, 25(3): 1150-1164.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.06.007 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   The bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) gene family comprises a group of multifunctional cytokines that play important roles in limb development, bone formation, fat deposition, and reproductive traits of vertebrates.  However, no systematic and comprehensive investigations of the various traits of the whole family members have been conducted, particularly in chickens.  Here, we performed genome-wide screening and identified 14 BMP genes, which were classified into the BMP2/4, BMP5/6/7/8A, growth differentiation factor (GDF) 2/BMP10, GDF5/6/7, and GDF11/BMP3/15 subfamilies.  Genetic variation pattern analysis showed that BMP genes were responsible for the artificial selection of commercial broilers and layers, with BMP2, BMP6, and GDF7 likely contributing significantly to the formation of both specialized meat- and egg-type lines, whereas BMP7 likely contributed more to the formation of meat-type lines.  Genetic association analysis showed that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the BMP7 intron region were associated with body weight, breast muscle weight, leg weight, abdominal fat weights and contents of total cholesterol (T-CHO), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in serum.  Additionally, gain- and loss-of-function assays demonstrated that BMP7 promoted the proliferation, myogenic differentiation, and lipid droplet accumulation in myoblasts; enhanced lipid synthesis in hepatocytes; promoted the proliferation and inhibited adipogenic differentiation of intramuscular preadipocytes; and induced the proliferation and adipogenic differentiation of abdominal preadipocytes.  These results provide novel insights into the role of BMP genes in chicken growth, reproductive regulation, and lipid deposition and could be used to develop genetic markers for breeding selection in chickens.

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Hexanoic acid addition helps to clarify the possible mechanisms of the increased β-carotene content during alfalfa fermentation Cheng Zong, Yuhong Zhao, Wanqi Jiang, Tao Shao, Xinyu Liang, Aili Wu, Qinhua Liu 2026, 25(3): 1165-1179.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.05.007 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of hexanoic acid (HA) supplementations (0, as the control, CON; 0.05%, HA1; 0.1%, HA2; 0.2%, HA3) on β-carotene, and ascertain the way and key factors of HA influencing β-carotene content of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) after ensiled in an oxygen-free and dark conditions for 10, 40, and 80 d (from May to August, 2021).  This was achieved by examining the dynamic change of β-carotene, activities of β-carotene-related enzymes, and bacterial community succession of ensiled alfalfa, using operon crtNM identification, crtE gene quantitation, and single-molecule real-time sequencing technology.  The results revealed that when compared with the fresh material, terminal alfalfa silage treated with different level of HA supplementations (0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2%; fresh weight basis) increased β-carotene content up to 2.86, 85.8, 159, and 133%, accordingly.  Meanwhile, alfalfa silage treated with higher levels of HA (0.1 and 0.2%) showed superior effects compared to those treated with lower levels of supplementation (0 and 0.05%).  HA supplementation specifically facilitated the increase abundance of Lactobacillus kullabergensis and the emergence of L. senioris. Multiple linear regression models inferred that L. kullabergensis, L. apis, L. saniviri, L. senioris, peroxidase, phytoene desaturase, and lycopene β-cyclase positively regulated β-carotene.  Conversely, Lactobacillus rennini and L. brevis adjusted β-carotene, negatively.  Positive regulations of the above bacterial species and enzymes had a stronger role in increasing β-carotene than L. rennini and L. brevis. In conclusion, the β-carotene increase of ensiled alfalfa may be regulated by HA supplementation via multiple positive factors, including 4 special Lactobacillus species (L. kullabergensis, L. apis, L. saniviri, and L. senioris), and 3 vegetative β-carotene-related enzymes (peroxidase, phytoene desaturase, and lycopene β-cyclase).

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Roles of dandelions alone or in combination with lactic acid bacteria on improving aerobic stability and mitigating in vitro greenhouse gas emissions in whole-plant corn silage Linna Guo, Min Zhang, Hao Dang, Meiping He, Meng Han, Shuyang Zhang, Wenke Fan, Di Jiang, Xiaojing Liu, Yaoming Cui, Liping Gan, Junjun Guan 2026, 25(3): 1180-1193.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.08.005 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Reducing aerobic spoilage and rumen greenhouse gas emissions from anaerobically fermented feeds remains critical challenges in energy saving and environmental protection of animal husbandry.  This study investigated the effects of dandelions, both alone and combined with Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus buchneri (LAB) on fermentation quality, bacteriome and mycobiome after 180 d of anaerobic and 4 d of aerobic fermentation of whole-plant corn.  In vitro dry matter digestion (IVDMD) and gas production from anaerobically fermented whole-plant corn were also assessed.  The results demonstrated that dandelions, either alone or combined with LAB, effectively improved fermentation quality by reducing NH3-N concentrations (22.72–25.99%) after anaerobic fermentation, decreasing the proliferation of yeast and molds to enhance the aerobic stability.  Notably, the changes in the bacteriome were more pronounced than those in the mycobiome after aerobic exposure.  The addition of dandelions or the combination reduced Acetobacter fabarum abundance, a member of the Acetobacter that was spoilage-induced microbe indicated by correlation analysis.  Besides, these treatments facilitated competition relations of microbiome which contributed to the enhanced aerobic stability.  Furthermore, dandelions reduced CH4 and CO2 emissions by 14.88 and 13.73%, respectively, and also positively influencing IVDMD by 4.46%.  Collectively, dandelion alone or combined with LAB are promising strategies to improve the aerobic stability of anaerobically fermented whole-plant corn, a process linked to the interactions between the bacteriome and mycobiome, and to contribute to clean production by reducing rumen CH4 and CO2 emissions.

Agro-ecosystem & Environment

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Granulated organic amendment enhances recalcitrant carbon accumulation through soil aggregation in a barren paddy field Yan Li, Xiaobin Guo, Yingnan Xian, Zhe Li, Haoyu Fu, Li Tang, Yuting Dai, Wei Gao, Yan Li, Ping Zhou, Shoulong Liu, Jinshui Wu 2026, 25(3): 1194-1208.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.05.004 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Barren paddy fields characterized by poor soil structure, shallow tillage layers and low organic carbon content are a common limitation to rice production in subtropical China.  As a novel approach to soil improvement, granulated organic amendments offer significant potential.  Previous studies have shown that granulated straw can improve soil physicochemical properties and rapidly increase the soil organic carbon (SOC) content.  However, their effects on barren paddies remain underexplored.  This study evaluated four soil amendment strategies: no organic amendments (CK), 10 t ha–1 of composted manure (M10), 20 t ha–1 of granulated organic amendment (G20), and 40 t ha–1 of granulated organic amendment (G40).  The objective was to assess the effects of these amendments on soil structure, the contents of aggregate-associated carbon (AAC), particulate organic carbon (POC) and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC), and the chemical stability of MAOC among various size aggregates in both topsoil (0–20 cm) and subsoil (20–40 cm).  The results demonstrated that organic amendment inputs significantly increased the macroaggregate (>250 µm) proportion and improved soil structural stability.  These amendments also elevated the carbon concentration within aggregates of various sizes and facilitated the redistribution of organic carbon from microaggregates (53–250 µm) and silt+clay fractions (<53 µm) to macroaggregates.  The proportion of POC to AAC declined with decreasing aggregate size, whereas the proportion of MAOC increased.  In the topsoil, macroaggregate formation enhanced the protection of POC, supported the accumulation of non-hydrolyzable carbon within MAOC, and accelerated the formation of intra-microaggregates.  In the subsoil, mineral-bound organic carbon remained the dominant form of carbon sequestration.  In conclusion, the application of 40 t ha–1 of granulated organic amendment proved to be a successful tactic for enhancing soil physicochemical structure, increasing SOC content, and improving carbon stability.  This approach offers a promising and innovative solution for the sustainable management and restoration of barren paddy fields.

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Opportunistic keystone diazotrophs from co-occurrence networks drive biological nitrogen fixation in peanut/cotton intercropping systems  Shijie Zhang, Yingchun Han, Guoping Wang, Lu Feng, Yaping Lei, Shiwu Xiong, Beifang Yang, Xiaoyu Zhi, Minghua Xin, Yahui Jiao, Xiaofei Li, Yabing Li, Zhen Jiao 2026, 25(3): 1209-1222.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.05.005 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Legume-based intercropping enhances asymbiotic biological nitrogen fixation (BNF); however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear, including the roles of soil keystone diazotroph taxa with varying niche breadths.  A field experiment was conducted to evaluate soil BNF variations between rhizosphere and bulk soils in peanut/cotton intercropping systems and monocultures.  BNF activities were measured by nitrogen fixation rates, nitrogenase activity, and nifH gene abundance.  Phylogenetic null models, co-occurrence networks, and niche breadth analysis were applied to investigate the roles of diazotrophic keystone taxa and their ecological niches.  Rhizosphere soils exhibited 7.8–125.5% higher BNF potentials than bulk soils, whereas intercropping systems showed 11.6–323.0% increases over monocultures for nitrogen fixation rate, nitrogenase activity, and nifH gene abundance (all P<0.05).  Diazotrophic community composition and diversity differed significantly, with Proteobacteria (excluding Alphaproteobacteria) enriched in intercropping and rhizosphere soils, while Cyanobacteria and Firmicutes were less abundant.  Deterministic processes, particularly heterogeneous selection, dominated community assembly in the rhizosphere (91.9%) and intercropping soils (86.3%).  The co-occurrence networks consistently revealed more complex and interconnected communities in intercropping and rhizosphere soils that were dominated by opportunistic diazotrophs (78.8–85.9%), followed by specialists (10.2–18.5%) and generalists (1.38–3.80%).  Keystone taxa, including opportunists such as Azoarcus, Azohydromonas, and Steroidobacter, and generalists like Pseudomonas and Azotobacter, correlated positively with microbial biomass carbon and nitrate nitrogen, contributing to enhanced BNF.  Peanut/cotton intercropping enhances BNF by selectively enriching the keystone diazotrophic taxa with varying ecological roles, particularly opportunists and generalists.  Such targeted intercropping strategies can optimize BNF, improve soil fertility, and promote sustainable agricultural production.

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Development of the FI-R model, a novel remote sensing method for fine-scale extraction of vegetation, using rapeseed as an example Sixian Yin, Taixia Wu, Shudong Wang, Ran Chen, Yingying Yang, Hongzhao Tang 2026, 25(3): 1223-1242.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.05.006 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   The fine-scale characterization of vegetation surface information serves as a fundamental basis for studying the spatial distribution of resources and the dynamic patterns of environmental responses.  Accurately extracting the distributions of different crop species is of critical importance for improving agricultural production efficiency and ensuring food security.  Traditional fine-scale vegetation extraction methods often face significant challenges due to the presence of spectrally similar features and the substantial influence of background interference, which limit their applicability across large areas.  As a key phenological stage of angiosperms, flowering is characterized by distinctive flowering times, floral morphology, and canopy spectral signatures, so it is an effective pathway for fine-scale vegetation extraction using remote sensing.  Using rapeseed as an example, this study developed a spectral index model for precise flowering vegetation extraction (FI-R) based on Landsat OLI imagery.  The model integrates a yellowness index (Blue, Green) and a peak index (Red, Nir and SWIR1) while leveraging the NDVI to mitigate background interference from spectrally similar objects.  This approach successfully enables the rapid and accurate large-scale mapping of flowering vegetation under complex background conditions.  The proposed method was tested in five rapeseed cultivation regions worldwide with diverse backgrounds.  Validation datasets were generated using GF imagery and the U.S. CDL dataset.  The FI-R model demonstrated superior capability in distinguishing flowering rapeseed from other vegetation, and achieved overall accuracies exceeding 94% in all study areas.  Furthermore, FI-R is compatible with other multispectral sensors that have similar band configurations, so it is applicable to rapeseed extraction in broader contexts.  The method also shows strong potential for the fine-scale extraction of other types of flowering angiosperm vegetation.

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Deep storage irrigation can recharge farmland deep soil moisture and sustain production of summer maize (Zea mays L.) through flood resources utilization in irrigation districts of northern China Xiaodong Fan, Xiaotao Hu, Yakun Wang, Dianyu Chen, Wene Wang, Fang Wang, Qing Zha 2026, 25(3): 1243-1262.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.07.013 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   The irrigation districts of northern China face issues such as water scarcity, inability to effectively utilize flood resources, and groundwater overexploitation.  In view of these challenges, this study proposes a new concept of deep storage irrigation through flood resources utilization.  However, whether deep storage irrigation can recharge deep soil moisture and sustain crop production still requires further study.  A two-year field experiment was conducted on summer maize in the Guanzhong Plain with five soil wetting layer depths (T1: 60 cm; T2: 90 cm; T3: 120 cm; T4: 150 cm; T5: 180 cm) and soil saturation moisture content as the irrigation upper limit.  The results presented that the ranges of deep soil moisture recharge in the 100–200 cm soil profile (SMS100–200) was 73.34–267.42 and 0–150.03 mm in 2021 (wet season) and 2022 (normal season).  When the effective precipitation and irrigation exceeded 390 mm, the SMS100–200 began to linearly increase.  The highest grain yield (GY) were observed at T2 and T3 treatments in 2021 (11.44 t ha−1) and 2022 (11.25 t ha−1), respectively.  The maize GY of T4 in 2021 and T5 in 2022 were only 3.9 and 5.7% lower than the maximize GY, respectively.  However, the SMS100–200 for T4 and T5 were 2.4 and 5.0 times that of T2 and T3 treatments in 2021 and 2022, respectively.  Overall, the further increase in irrigation amounts induced only a slight decrease in grain yield, but it significantly increased deep soil moisture recharge.  Therefore, the deep storage irrigation breaks through the traditional idea of water-saving irrigation with limited water resources, which can be utilized as an effective alternative to address the issues of water scarcity, low flood resources utilization, and groundwater level declines in the irrigation districts of northern China.

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Microplastics reduce the wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) net photosynthetic rate through rhizospheric effects Yuhuai Liu, Heng Wang, Li Wang, Jina Ding, Hui Zhai, Qiujin Ma, Can Hu, Tida Ge 2026, 25(3): 1263-1275.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.06.014 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Microplastic accumulation after film mulching affects nutrients cycling in the soil–crop system.  Bulk soil (BS) and rhizosphere soil (RS) have two different community compositions which lead to their different microbial nutrient acquisition abilities.  Microplastics influence the rhizosphere effect.  However, the mechanism by which microplastic accumulation affects the net photosynthetic rate (NPR) through rhizospheric microbial communities remains unknown.  This study aimed to identify the mechanisms underlying the effects of polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics at 0, 1, and 5% (w/w) on the NPR in the wheat–soil ecosystem using a pot experiment.  Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was reduced by 15.35–36.7%, and that of peroxidase (POD) was increased by 32.47–61.93%, causing reductions in NPR (17.94–23.81%) in the PE5% and PVC (1 and 5%) (w/w) treatments compared with the control.  The Chao1, Shannon, and Simpson indices of the bacterial and fungal diversities were lower in BS than in RS at PE1% and PVC5% (w/w), respectively.  The bacterial and fungal network complexities were reduced and increased, respectively, owing to alterations in the bacterial and fungal community compositions and structures for wheat growth.  The Mantel test showed that the bacterial and fungal diversity indices in BS had positive correlations with Olsen-P and phosphatase; however, those in RS were positively correlated with NO3– and β-1,4-glucosidase.  The structural equation model indicated that wheat enzymatic and soil hydrolytic activities negatively affected NPR.  Wheat has a profound antioxidant defense strategy for PE and PVC microplastic stress, which produces a synergistic effect of POD by protecting organelles and reducing tissue damage to preserve the NPR.

Food Science

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Microbial and aroma characteristics of spontaneously fermented wine from organic grapes at the eastern foot of the Helan Mountain Yueqi Li, Bohan Rao, Yingzi Jin, Zhicheng Zhang, Wen Ma, Xuewei Shi, Yongsheng Tao 2026, 25(3): 1276-1285.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.08.004 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   Organic management practices and spontaneous fermentations have become focal points in wine research due to increasing consumer interest in healthy foods and sustainable agriculture.  In this study, ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ grapes sourced from organic and conventional management vineyard (OMV/CMV) in the Ningxia region were subjected to spontaneous fermentation.  The microbial, oenological, and aroma profiles of grape must and resulting wines were assessed using high-throughput sequencing (HTS), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and sensory evaluations.  Network analysis was applied to explore relationships among microorganisms, volatile compounds, and aroma attributes.  Results showed that organic management significantly increased microbial species richness, α-diversity, and the variety and concentration of aroma compounds, favoring the production of natural wines with complex aroma profiles.  Relative abundance of Saccharomyces in OMV reduced, promoting the prevalence of other yeast species during fermentation.  Bacterial succession in wines from OMV remained stable, with Pantoea as the dominant genus.  Among oenological parameters, OMV wines significantly induced glycerol content, while reduced total acidity, tartaric acid, and citric acid content.  These wines exhibited significantly higher levels of fermentative (+16%) and varietal (+72%) volatiles, as well as enhanced floral and sweet fruity aromas, along with distinct nail polish and vegetal notes.  Additionally, Saccharomyces, Hanseniaspora, Metschnikowia, and Pantoea were strongly correlated with specific volatile compounds and aroma characteristics.  This study provides valuable data that can inform spontaneous fermentation practices and guide vineyard management for natural wine production.

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Risk assessment and residue behavior of a novel pesticide cyetpyrafen and its metabolites from fresh tea leaves to tea infusion Yue Hu, Yating Ning, Yan Zhao, Yaqi Wang, Fengjian Luo, Li Zhou, Xinzhong Zhang 2026, 25(3): 1286-1296.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2026.01.001 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect   China has limited acaricide options for tea plantations.  Cyetpyrafen, a novel domestic acaricide with high efficacy, low toxicity and a negative temperature coefficient, offers an alternative for tea pest control; however, its residue fate in tea remains unclear.  This study developed a method to simultaneously detect cyetpyrafen and its metabolites (M-309, M-325-1, and M-409-3) in different tea matrices to investigate their fate.  Recoveries of compounds ranged from 73.4 to 106.2% with the relative standard deviations (RSDs) below 12.0%.  During tea cultivation, the dissipation half-life of cyetpyrafen was 0.59 d, with M-309 as a major metabolite.  The residues of cyetpyrafen and M-309 were affected by different processing stages, especially water loss and high temperatures during fixing, drying and withering.  The total processing factors ranged from 1.39 to 1.71 for green tea and 1.48 to 2.28 for black tea (processed from fresh tea leaves sampled at 1, 5, and 7 d), respectively.  The leaching rates of cyetpyrafen from green tea and black tea into tea infusions were 7.4 and 6%, respectively.  The risk associated with cyetpyrafen intake from tea consumption was low, with risk quotient values below 100%.  However, theoretical calculation indicated potential harm to non-target organisms from its metabolites.  This research provides a reference for the safe and efficient use of cyetpyrafen in tea gardens.

Letter

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One-step generation of sh2isu1 sweet maize via CRISPR/Cas9 cytosine base editor (CBE) Lu Zhang, Yao Wang, Mengyuan Liu, Ziheng Song, Xiaoxu Li, Yue Fu, Panchao Wang, Ya Liu, Ronghuan Wang, Jiuran Zhao 2026, 25(3): 1297-1300.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.11.031 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect

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Rapid and visual on-site detection system for Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease Virus based on a combination of CRISPR-Cas12a and RT-ERA Dong Zhou, Junyong Guan, Haibo Yu, Yuntong Shao, Changyou Xia, Caixia Gao, Yinglin Qi 2026, 25(3): 1301-1305.  DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.023 Abstract ( )   PDF in ScienceDirect