Mulberry leaves are used as functional food materials, but drought can reduce leaf production and physiological stability. This study evaluated whether foliar sodium selenite application could partially alleviate drought injury while increasing total selenium and selected functional-quality indicators in mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves. Seedlings were assigned to four treatments: normal water supply with the surfactant-containing control spray (CK), normal water supply with sodium selenite application (Se), drought stress with the control spray (D+CK), and drought stress with sodium selenite application (D+Se). Drought reduced plant growth, leaf water status, leaf pigment status, gas exchange, and PSII photochemical performance while increasing oxidative damage and membrane injury. Under drought stress, sodium selenite application partially maintained growth, water status, photosynthetic performance, and antioxidant enzyme activities and was associated with lower oxidative-damage indicators. Drought alone increased several stress-responsive secondary metabolites but reduced biomass, polysaccharides, and soluble protein, indicating a trade-off rather than a uniform improvement in leaf quality. Compared with D+CK, D+Se increased total selenium, several functional compounds, and in vitro antioxidant capacity. Overall, foliar application of 10 μM sodium selenite was associated with partial drought-stress alleviation and higher functional-quality indicators under controlled pot conditions. Further studies are required to optimize the application dose and evaluate selenium speciation, bioaccessibility, intake safety, and field performance.

The angiosperm calyces display considerable diversity and have adaptive functions. However, the evolutionary trajectories and underlying mechanisms of calyx morphological diversity remain unclear. In this study, ancestral state reconstruction revealed that the abscised calyx was ancestral; however, most extant angiosperms exhibited persistent calyces showing notable variation in size. Remarkably, the Solanaceae family may represent a miniature reflecting the calyx diversity of angiosperms. Distinct from Solanum and Capsicum, Physalis fruits featured a morphological novelty known as inflated calyx syndrome (ICS). To reveal the molecular repatterning events underlying ICS formation, we conducted time-course transcriptomic comparisons on developing calyces of ICS species (Physalis floridana) and non-ICS species (Capsicum annuum and two Solanum species), and detected that variations in heterometric expression and alternative splicing were predominant across these species. Moreover, two Physalis-calyx highly expressed genes respectively encoding PHYSALIS ORGAN SIZE 4 (POS4) and POS5 were knocked down and out using virus-induced gene silencing and CRISPR/Cas9 technologies, and the resulting genetically modified P. floridana plant lines displayed a significant reduction in ICS size. Furthermore, when compared with Solanum and Capsicum, heterotopically expressed genes in Physalis calyx relative to berry were mainly enriched for functions in photosynthesis and responses to stimuli, thereby supporting the hypothesis that the inflated fruiting calyx may have partitioned and exapted functions originally associated with berry. This work elucidates the calyx evolutionary pattern of angiosperms as well as transcriptomic repatterning mechanisms that may govern both developmental and functional evolution of fruiting calyx inflation within Solanaceae, thereby providing insights into plant morphological evolution.

Wildfires are rising globally, sharpening the need to predict post-fire soil recovery. We synthesize field chronosequences, soil transplants, controlled microcosms, and quantitative syntheses to reconcile seemingly conflicting reports of microbial succession. We propose a Dual-Track model in which succession is temporally staggered: an initial interval of deterministic environmental filtering-driven by thermal and chemical shocks, notably shifts in soil pH-selects a low-diversity pioneer community, followed by a prolonged interval dominated by stochastic processes (dispersal constraints and priority effects) that inflate taxonomic beta-divergence among sites. Functional redundancy can buffer core processes (carbon turnover, nitrogen cycling) even as community composition diverges, producing earlier stabilization of functional profiles. We locate the transition boundary when soil pH-with supporting movement in electrical conductivity (EC), cation-exchange capacity (CEC), and exchangeable cations-returns to the pre-fire mean +/- 1 SD for the site. Using harmonized time-since-fire bins, the framework predicts: (i) early functional convergence under strong filters; (ii) later taxonomic divergence via stochastic assembly; and (iii) function-taxonomy decoupling relevant to stability, erosion, and nutrient export. These elements connect microbial recovery to geomorphic outcomes and suggest actionable tests for post-fire management.

Ecological restoration of degraded wetlands is widely implemented, but the belowground responses to alternative revegetation strategies remain poorly quantified in cold-region marshes. We compared vegetation, soil properties, bacterial community composition, assembly processes and predicted metabolic functions among two actively revegetated marshes dominated by Deyeuxia angustifolia (XY) and Carex schmidtii (TC), a passively regenerating site (ZR) and a natural marsh reference (TR) in the Sanjiang Plain, northeast China. Vegetation surveys and soil analyses were combined with 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, null-model-based partitioning of community assembly (homogeneous and heterogeneous selection, dispersal limitation, homogenizing dispersal and drift) and PICRUSt2 functional inference. Compared with natural regeneration, both actively revegetated marshes had higher vegetation cover and biomass, elevated soil organic carbon and inorganic nitrogen, and bacterial communities that were taxonomically more similar to the reference site. Active revegetation strengthened homogeneous selection and reduced dispersal limitation, indicating a shift from slow, drift-dominated assembly toward stronger environmental filtering. At the same time, key metabolic pathways related to lipid metabolism and secondary metabolite biosynthesis were consistently depleted in actively revegetated soils, suggesting reduced functional redundancy and potentially lower resistance to future disturbance. These findings indicate that single-species active revegetation in cold-region wetlands can accelerate structural and compositional recovery, but may not fully rebuild microbial functional capacity; community-assembly metrics and functional pathway profiles therefore offer sensitive indicators of restoration progress and support the design of mixed-species revegetation strategies.

Understanding yield improvement in horticultural systems depends on elucidating how multiple plant traits operate in concert to sustain productivity. Mulberry (Morus alba L.) provides a suitable model for examining such whole-plant integration. Under cold-region field conditions, a modern high-yield cultivar (‘Nongsang 14’) was compared with a traditional cultivar (‘Lusang 1’). Measurements encompassed canopy architecture, biomass allocation between roots and shoots, leaf economic traits, and gas-exchange parameters, allowing trait coordination to be evaluated across structural and physiological dimensions. Multivariate profiling—Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and correlation networks—was used to characterise phenotypic integration. The modern cultivar’s superior productivity emerged as a coordinated “acquisitive” trait syndrome. This strategy couples a larger canopy (higher LAI) and nitrogen-rich foliage (higher LNC) with greater stomatal conductance (Gs), operating together with reduced root-to-shoot allocation. These features form a tightly connected network where structural investment and physiological upregulation are synchronised to maximise carbon gain. These findings provide a whole-plant framework for interpreting high productivity, offering guidance for breeding programmes that target trait integration rather than single-trait optimisation.

Soil microplastic pollution may affect woody plant establishment, but evidence for tree seedlings remains limited. Populus simonii × P. nigra ‘1307’ seedlings were grown for 45 d in soil containing an equal-mass PVC–PE–PS mixture at 0, 100, 500, or 1000 mg kg−1 dry soil. Growth, root architecture and activity, photosynthetic traits, oxidative status, and soil chemical and enzymatic properties were measured. The 100 mg kg−1 treatment produced limited, trait-specific changes and did not consistently inhibit growth. In contrast, 500 and 1000 mg kg−1 reduced most growth and physiological traits. At 1000 mg kg−1, total dry biomass, total root length, root surface area, root volume, root-tip number, and root activity decreased by 43.7%, 46.5%, 47.2%, 50.2%, 51.1%, and 50.9%, respectively. Net photosynthetic rate and PSII electron transport declined, whereas H2O2, O2•− production, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), and electrolyte leakage increased. Under higher exposure, soil electrical conductivity was higher, whereas available nutrient levels and several soil enzyme activities were lower. These results indicate that medium and high concentrations of the tested mixture were associated with concurrent inhibition of root development, photosynthetic performance, and biomass accumulation under short-term pot conditions. Because concurrent impairment of woody-seedling performance and soil biochemical functioning may compromise vegetation establishment, these findings support the inclusion of mixed-polymer exposure in ecological risk assessments for soils used in forestry and ecological restoration.

Salt stress restricts cucumber seedling establishment by impairing root development, photosynthesis, ion homeostasis, and redox balance. This study examined whether potassium silicate (K2SiO3) could partially alleviate these responses under hydroponic sodium chloride (NaCl) stress. Cucumber seedlings were exposed to six treatments: a nutrient-solution control, K2SiO3 alone supplying 1.0 mmol L−1 silicon (Si), 75 mmol L−1 NaCl, and NaCl combined with K2SiO3 supplying 0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 mmol L−1 Si. Growth, root morphology, photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, photosystem II (PSII) energy partitioning, oxidative injury, antioxidant enzyme activities, osmotic adjustment, and ion status were evaluated at 7 and 14 d. NaCl markedly reduced seedling growth, root development, net photosynthetic rate, PSII photochemical performance, and electron transport, while increasing leaf sodium (Na+), malondialdehyde accumulation, non-photochemical quenching, non-regulated energy loss, proline, and soluble sugar. K2SiO3 partially alleviated these changes. The treatment supplying 1.0 mmol L−1 Si produced the strongest integrated recovery of growth, root activity, photosynthetic performance, PSII function, and oxidative status. The treatment supplying 2.0 mmol L−1 Si resulted in the lowest leaf Na+ concentration and the highest leaf potassium (K+)/Na+ ratio among salt-stressed seedlings but did not produce the greatest growth recovery. These findings suggest coordinated changes in photosynthesis, photochemical energy use, redox status, and ion balance. Because K2SiO3 supplied both Si and K+, the results represent responses to K2SiO3 supplementation rather than Si-specific effects.

Cotton fiber, the dominant natural fiber worldwide, is a specialized single cell trichome initiating from the ovule epidermis. The structure and composition of its cell wall critically influence fiber quality and its economic value for the textile industry. This review centers on the structure and biosynthesis of major cell wall components, including cellulose, pectin, lignin, and xylan, during different stages of cotton fiber development. A systematic elucidation is therefore merited, regarding how the biosynthesis and remodeling of these components regulated by stage-specific genes and enzymes influence fiber initiation, elongation, secondary wall thickening, and maturation, ultimately determining critical quality traits such as fiber length and strength. Future research on cotton fiber cell walls presents both challenges and opportunities in frontier areas and applications within the textile industry. In-depth investigations understanding and harnessing cell wall components will provide crucial support for enhancing cotton fiber quality through molecular breeding and biotechnological approaches.

This study focused on four typical island forest types (Populus davidiana, Betula platyphylla, Quercus mongolica, and mixed forest) in the Sanjiang Plain to investigate the differences in soil physicochemical properties and bacterial community characteristics across forest types and their subsequent influence on greenhouse gas (CO2, CH4, and N2O) emissions. Results showed that different forest types significantly shaped distinct soil physicochemical properties: Betula platyphylla forests exhibited the highest soil moisture content, Quercus mongolica forests showed significant enrichment in organic carbon and total nitrogen, while mixed forests had the highest pH and available nitrogen levels. Bacteria community characteristics subsequently displayed forest-type specificity: Betula platyphylla forests had the highest α-diversity and stronger predicted nitrification-related functions; although mixed forests had the lowest α-diversity, the number of differential species was second only to Betula platyphylla, and stochastic processes (drift and dispersal) had a stronger influence on community assembly than in other forest types; Populus davidiana and Quercus mongolica forests had similar bacteria diversity but markedly different network structures. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed that Betula platyphylla and mixed forests formed highly integrated and robust interaction networks (high connectivity, low modularity, rich in connector and hub nodes), whereas the Quercus mongolica network exhibited a fragmented and fragile structure. Cascade path analysis based on partial least squares path models further discovered that the three greenhouse gases were governed by distinctly different mechanisms: CO2 emission was co-regulated by the direct effects of soil factors (temperature, moisture) and the indirect effects of bacteria community structure; CH4 uptake was entirely dependent on bacteria-mediated dual pathways; in contrast, N2O emission was largely directly associated with soil temperature, with bacteria attributes showing no significant mediating effect in our model. This study reveals distinct regulatory pathways from forest type to greenhouse gas fluxes, highlighting the gas-specific roles of bacteria communities. The findings underscore the necessity of considering bacteria community assembly and network interactions for a comprehensive understanding of forest GHG emissions and suggest that management strategies for mitigating different greenhouse gases may need to be gas-specific.

Angiosperm AGAMOUS-like (AG-like) genes are essential for flower formation. The molecular basis underlying the functions and divergence of four rice AG-like genes that belong to the AG lineage (OsMADS3 and OsMADS58) and AGL11 lineage (OsMADS13 and OsMADS21) is currently poorly understood. In this study, we created AG-like in situ overexpressing (AGisOE) transgenic rice plants for each gene with AG-like fusion with GFP. The AG-like expression domains in AGisOE were found to be similar to those in the wild type, although their expression levels exhibited varying degrees of elevation. In situ overexpression of OsMADS3, OsMADS13, and OsMADS21 perturbed floral robustness and affected flowering time, male fertility, seed-setting rate, and seed-borne fungal growth in different ways. Overall, the fitness of the transgenic plants was reduced in these AGisOEs. Genome-wide characterization of the molecular interactions associated with the AG-like genes revealed that the phenotypic differences observed in the AGisOE lines were well supported by corresponding variations in their direct target genes, putative trans-acting factors, and protein-protein interaction partners. Our results provide new insights into the molecular basis underlying the functional divergence of rice AG-like duplicates in reproductive organs, and reveal the potential significance of variation in gene expression-dosage in plant evolution, the manifestation of new functions, and crop improvement.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination poses a threat to crop productivity and ecological safety. To understand the mechanisms of Cd tolerance in alfalfa (Medicago sativa), we used physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analyses. Increasing Cd levels significantly inhibited plant growth by reducing shoot height, leaf area, and biomass, while increasing Cd accumulation, particularly in roots and cell walls. Severe Cd stress decreased photosynthetic pigments and efficiency, casused ultrastructural damage, and reactive oxygen species. Antioxidant enzyme responses varied: POD and APX activities increased consistently, while SOD and CAT showed different patterns. We conducted transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling under moderate Cd stress compared with Cd0. Using M. sativa and M. truncatula reference genomes, transcriptome analysis identified 16,888 and 4768 differentially expressed genes, respectively, enriched in photosynthesis, carbon metabolism, hormone signaling, and redox regulation. Metabolomic analysis identified 3359 differentially accumulated metabolites, indicating a shift towards secondary metabolism, particularly flavonoids and phenylpropanoids. Integrated analyses revealed galactose metabolism as a as a key link between photosynthesis, antioxidative defense, and Cd sequestration. Collectively, alfalfa responded to Cd toxicity involved suppressing photosynthesis, activatiing antioxidant pathways, redirecting metabolism. These findings offer insights into Cd tolerance and a basis for improving alfalfa's phytoremediation potential.

High temperature can impair leaf water status, photosynthetic function, and membrane stability in ornamental woody seedlings. However, integrated evidence combining gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, oxidative injury, antioxidant activity, and osmotic-adjustment-related responses in heat-stressed Syringa oblata remains limited. One-year-old seedlings from a single nursery batch were exposed for 7 d to 25/18 °C or 40/30 °C day/night conditions and sprayed with either a solvent solution or 0.5 mM salicylic acid. Growth, leaf water status, photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange, pulse-amplitude-modulated fluorescence, OJIP/JIP-test parameters, oxidative-injury markers, antioxidant enzyme activities, and osmotic-adjustment-related compounds were evaluated. Heat treatment reduced leaf relative water content, photosynthetic performance, and photosystem II function and increased reactive oxygen species accumulation, lipid peroxidation, and electrolyte leakage. Compared with heat treatment alone, seedlings receiving salicylic acid under heat showed an 82.2% higher net photosynthetic rate, a 12.2% higher maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II, and a 116.4% higher performance index on an absorption basis. Hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde, and electrolyte leakage were 35.1%, 35.8%, and 32.5% lower, respectively. Antioxidant enzyme activities were also higher under heat plus salicylic acid than under heat alone, whereas additional increases in proline and soluble sugars were not statistically confirmed; soluble protein was partially maintained. Gas exchange was measured after treatment at a common leaf-chamber temperature of 25 °C and therefore represented retained photosynthetic capacity under standardized conditions. Overall, foliar application of 0.5 mM salicylic acid was associated with partial maintenance of photosynthetic function and lower oxidative injury during short-term heat exposure. Because one chamber was assigned to each treatment combination in a single experimental run, possible chamber-specific effects could not be statistically separated from treatment-related differences. Independent validation is therefore required.

Waterlogging restricts root-zone oxygen availability and can impair seedling growth and leaf quality in mulberry. Root-zone aeration may reduce waterlogging injury, but its effects on root anaerobic metabolism, photosynthesis, oxidative stress, and leaf functional quality have not been well integrated. In this study, Morus alba L. ‘Longsang No. 1’ seedlings were subjected to four treatments: normal moisture without aeration (CK), normal moisture with intermittent root-zone aeration (RA), waterlogging without aeration (WL), and waterlogging with intermittent root-zone aeration (WL+RA). Waterlogging was maintained with a water layer 1–2 cm above the substrate surface, and root-zone aeration was supplied using an air pump and microporous aeration stones for 30 min every 4 h. Root-zone dissolved oxygen, growth traits, root activity, root fermentative indicators, root and leaf oxidative injury, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, antioxidant enzyme activities, and leaf quality-related traits were measured after 14 d of treatment. Waterlogging decreased root-zone dissolved oxygen from 6.62 to 1.69 mg L−1. It also reduced plant height, total leaf area, shoot and root dry weight, root activity, Pn, Fv/Fm, Y(II), and ETR. In contrast, WL increased ADH and PDC activities, lactate and ethanol contents, MDA, H2O2, electrolyte leakage, and NPQ. Leaf 1-DNJ, polysaccharides, total phenolics, total flavonoids, DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP were also reduced under WL. Intermittent aeration increased root-zone dissolved oxygen to 4.64 mg L−1 under waterlogging and partially alleviated many of these changes. WL+RA showed higher growth, root activity, photosynthetic performance, PSII photochemical efficiency, antioxidant enzyme activities, and leaf functional quality than WL. These results indicate that intermittent root-zone aeration was associated with better mulberry seedling performance under waterlogging, together with changes in root-zone oxygen status, fermentation metabolism, photosynthesis, oxidative balance, and leaf quality.

Saline–alkali stress severely restricts leafy vegetable growth by impairing photosynthesis, ion homeostasis, and oxidative balance. This study investigated whether exogenous melatonin could alleviate saline–alkali stress in pakchoi (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) through coordinated protection of photosynthetic electron transport, ionic balance, and antioxidant defense. Pakchoi plants were subjected to four treatments: normal nutrient solution (CK), 100 μM melatonin (MT), 100 mM mixed saline–alkali stress with NaCl:NaHCO3 at 2:1 (SAS), and saline–alkali stress plus melatonin (SAS+MT). After 7 d, growth traits, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, OJIP transients, ion contents, osmotic adjustment, oxidative damage, and antioxidant enzyme activities were analyzed. Saline–alkali stress markedly inhibited growth, reduced photosynthetic pigment contents and gas exchange, impaired PSII photochemical performance, disrupted ion balance, and increased ROS accumulation and membrane damage. Compared with SAS, SAS+MT increased net photosynthetic rate (Pn) by 66.2%, effective quantum yield of PSII [Y(II)] by 56.0%, electron transport rate (ETR) by 57.9%, and the performance index on absorption basis (PIABS) from 0.80 to 1.80. Melatonin also reduced Na+ content by 38.7%, increased the K+/Na+ ratio from 1.0 to 2.2, and enhanced superoxide dismutase (SOD),peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities by 20.5%, 24.4%, 29.2%, and 33.3%, respectively. These results indicate that melatonin alleviates saline–alkali injury in pakchoi by maintaining PSII electron transport, improving ion homeostasis, and strengthening antioxidant defense.

Cysteine metabolism is essential for plants to alleviate cadmium (Cd2+) stress. Investigating the function of serine acetyltransferase (SAT), the pivotal enzyme in cysteine synthesis, in combating Cd2+ stress is highly significant. This study conducted a bioinformatics analysis of the SAT gene family and identified key candidate genes, GhSERAT1;1 and GhSERAT1;2, that respond to Cd2+ stress. Plants subjected to gene silencing of GhSERAT1;1 and GhSERAT1;2 through virus-induced gene silencing exhibited a notable reduction in cysteine and glutathione levels, an increase in intracellular malondialdehyde content, and heightened sensitivity to Cd2+ stress. Compared with non-silenced plants, those with silenced genes displayed poorer growth conditions, decreased biomass, and more pronounced damage to chloroplast and leaf structures when exposed to Cd2+ stress. This study integrated the primary enzyme involved in cysteine synthesis with Cd2+ stress, elucidating the relationship between Cd2+ and cysteine. These findings significantly enhance our understanding of cysteine synthesis genes and contribute to developing Cd2+-resistant plant breeding strategies.

Involving wetland protection policies in the simulation of the wetland biodiversity pattern has the potential to improve the accuracy of policy-making. In this research, by combining the Cellular Automata Markov Model (CA-Markov) for land use change simulation and a wetland Biodiversity Estimation Model Based on Hydrological Pattern and Connectivity (BEHPC), we put forward a comprehensive framework that integrates policy stage division, the identification of stage characteristics, and biodiversity prediction. This framework divided the wetland conservation policies implemented in the study area into three stages: promoting (1995−2005), strengthening (2005–2010), and stabilizing (2010–2020). CA-Markov verification confirmed the stages’ consistency with actual policy implementation, indicating its usability. Using the land use data of different policy stages as input for the CA-Markov model, we then predicted the wetland biodiversity pattern in 2030 under different scenarios. The results showed that the land use and wetland protection policies implemented during 2010–2020 were most beneficial for enhancing wetland biodiversity in the study area, with an expected increase of about 8% if continued. This study offers technical and scheme references for the future evaluation of wetland-related policies at the regional scale. It also provides guidance for optimizing the spatial structure and providing numerical goals for land use and wetland protection.

The adaptive evolution of the glutathione S-transferase (GST) gene family in Salix lindleyana provides insights into the relationship between enzyme structure and function. In this study, 37 genes encoding the GST protein were cloned from S. lindleyana with no genomic data available, and their expression levels and enzyme activity were determined in vitro. The 22 genes encoding the Tau GST subfamily were divided into Clades A and B, with Clade A subjected to more relaxed selection pressure than Clade B. Clade A was split into two smaller branches, Clades a and b. Three genes under positive selection from Clade a were chosen for 36 site-directed mutations, with Trp162 and Pro202 crucially affecting variations in GST enzyme activity. Crystal structure analysis of SliGSTU7 complexed with GSH revealed that the Trp162 residue was located at the bottom of the hydrophobic cavity. Homology modeling and molecular docking revealed that the W162G/P202A mutation in SliGSTU7 significantly reduced the neighboring effect during the formation of GS-DNB. A study of the GST gene family of S. lindleyana identified Trp162 and Pro202 as key amino acids that regulate the release rate of GS-X.

Coenzyme Q (CoQ) was an electron carrier within the mitochondrial respiratory chain, serves as a cofactor for various mitochondrial dehydrogenases thereby playing a significant role in plant growth and development. In this study, GhCoQ9 was identified through transcriptomic analysis of cotton under salt stress. GhCoQ9 participates in the synthesis of coenzyme Q. Under salt stress condition, cotton plants with GhCoQ9 silenced exhibited more pronounced growth inhibition compared to the control group. Additionally, the catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were significantly increased, while the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) showed an upward trend. Microscopic analysis of cotton leaves revealed that under salt stress conditions GhCoQ9 -silenced plants exhibited reduced stomatal aperture, cellular destruction, cell shrinkage and deformation, and increased intercellular space compared to the control plants. The ultrastructure of GhCoQ9-silenced plants exhibited increased susceptibility to salt stress, primarily manifested as damage to the chloroplast and mitochondrial structures. We also investigated the function of CoQ9 in Arabidopsis, the results showed that coq9 mutant exhibited reduced germination rate and significant inhibited growth under salt stress. These findings suggest that GhCoQ9 plays a crucial role in the adaptation of cotton to salt stress by preserving the integrity of chloroplast and mitochondrial structures.

This study assessed water quality variations in the Hulan River Estuary Wetland Nature Reserve, using physicochemical properties and pollution indices. Twelve water samples showed spatial variations in temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), electrical conductivity (EC), turbidity, inorganic salts and organic matter. Results indicated excellent: heavy metal pollution index (HPI, 2.83 to 14.2), heavy metal evaluation index (HEI, 0.5 to 2.1), pollution index (PI, 2.38 to 6.0), contamination degree (Cd, − 8.5 to − 5.90), and water quality index (WQI, 26.12 to 44.02). Heavy metal analysis showed elevated iron (Fe) and sodium (Na) concentrations at certain sites suggested localized agricultural influence, though overall contamination was minimal. Spatial patterns of pollution indices aligned with land use changes, suggesting that agricultural expansion and urbanization may contribute to future risks. A VMD-CNN-LSTM model yielded high prediction accuracy (R2: 0.9788, 0.9452, 0.9171; MSE: 0.0561, 0.1298, 0.2136 for training, validation and test sets), and long-term forecasting indicated potential water quality decline, underscoring the need for ongoing monitoring. These findings provide essential insights for sustainable water management and conservation strategies in the region, emphasizing the importance of mitigating potential pollution risks associated with anthropogenic activities.

Cottonseed is a globally significant oilseed crop due to its high contribution to vegetable oil supply. The process of lipid accumulation is essential for seed maturation and oil buildup. In this study, we analyzed lipid metabolites and gene expression patterns related to fatty acid synthesis in two cotton genotypes with varying oil content. Our lipid analysis identified 588 kinds of lipids in developing embryos of upland cotton, with glycerophospholipids (64.29 %), glycerolipids (17.69 %), and saccharolipids (13.61 %) being the main components. Transcriptome analysis of key genes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis and lipid droplet formation revealed potential regulatory regions influencing lipid content in developing embryos of upland cotton. This research provides valuable insights into the lipidome profiles during embryo development and lays the groundwork for future investigations on lipid accumulation in economically important crops.