Brassinosteroids (BRs) regulate plant growth and stress responses, but their role in wheat's phosphate (Pi) uptake and low-phosphorus (LP) tolerance is unclear. This study reveals that BR signaling enhances Pi uptake and LP tolerance by modulating the expression of key genes involved in Pi uptake, transport and LP response. Consistently, the sextuple mutants of TaGSK3, encoding the key repressor of the BR signaling, increased Pi uptake by 16.42 %. Unexpectedly, the TaGSK3 gain-of-function mutants also exhibited a 129.90-202.30 % increase in Pi uptake, mediated by their increased kinase activity. Under LP stress, sextuple mutants of TaGSK3 exhibited enhanced tillering and root elongation, whereas TaGSK3 gain-of-function mutants increased root biomass, suggesting the functional state of TaGSK3 affects the trade-off strategies for above-ground and below-ground growth. Overall, these results uncover a complex regulatory network in which BR signaling and TaGSK3 collaboratively and independently coordinate Pi homeostasis, offering novel targets for improving phosphorus use efficiency in wheat.

As semi-autonomous organelles, mitochondria function through the coordinated regulation of nuclear genomes and their own genetic material, primarily providing energy for eukaryotic organisms. Currently, high-throughput sequencing technologies have been used to resolve the mitochondrial genomes of various edible fungi. With advances in sequencing technology, species genome characterization has evolved from single genomes to pan-genomes. However, the application of pan-genomes for the analysis of edible mushroom mitochondrial genomes remains unexplored. In this study, we conducted a comparative mitochondrial genome analysis of 31 Hypsizygus marmoreus strains (4 newly sequenced monotypes and 27 public datasets). The results revealed that the mitochondrial genome sizes ranged from 98,284 to 111,087 bp, exhibiting significant structural diversity. This variation is primarily driven by dynamic changes in non-coding regions, particularly intronic polymorphisms in the cox1 gene. This study revealed that tRNA secondary structures exhibit atypical globular and elongated conformations alongside copy number variations. Additionally, codon usage showed a pronounced A/T bias, whereas core respiratory chain genes demonstrated an evolutionary pattern of strong purifying selection. Furthermore, the 31 mitochondrial genomes of H. marmoreus were identified 8 gene rearrangement patterns and 5 genetic clusters, and the pan-genome (220,364 bp, 217 nodes) captured abundant SNPs, InDels and structural variations. This study provides breeding-relevant genetic markers and a genomic framework for germplasm classification, genetic improvement and stress-resilient variety molecular breeding of Hypsizygus marmoreus.

Verticillium longisporum is a highly destructive soil-borne pathogen responsible for verticillium wilt, a significant disease impacting numerous brassicaceous crops in various regions. Accurate species-level identification of V. longisporum is crucial for developing effective management strategies against verticillium wilt. However, the high sequence identity between V. longisporum and Verticillium dahliae, particularly at commonly used molecular markers like the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) and Actin (ACT) genes, presents a significant challenge for accurate species-level differentiation. Here, we conducted a comprehensive comparative genomics analysis for Verticillium species. This approach, combined with targeted PCR validation, led to the identification of a novel V. longisporum-specific genomic fragment, designated VLspe2. Leveraging the sequence of VLspe2, we developed a precise Enzyme Mediated Duplex Exponential Amplification (EmDEA) assay for the rapid detection of V. longisporum, integrated with a fast DNA extraction protocol. The developed EmDEA assay demonstrated a minimum detection limit of 5 fg in a 20 µL reaction volume. This isothermal EmDEA assay offers accurate and rapid detection of V. longisporum at a low constant temperature (37–42 °C), providing invaluable guidance for on-site detection in agricultural fields and ports, ultimately contributing to plant disease management and food safety.

The industrial cultivation of the medicinal mushroom Cordyceps militaris relies heavily on expensive animalderived supplements such as silkworm pupae powder, creating economic and sustainability challenges. This study evaluated spent mushroom substrates (SMSs) from seven saprophytic species as alternative cultivation inputs. Among them, Hypsizygus marmoreus-SMS proved the most effective, increasing fresh fruiting body weight by 35.33% and matching the yield-promoting performance of silkworm pupae powder. To identify the key growth-enhancing factor, we integrated targeted metabolomic profiling and exogenous validation assays. Malic acid, highly enriched in H. marmoreus-SMS, was identified as a growth-associated organic acid; exogenous malic acid supplementation increased fresh weight by 20.97%. Spatiotemporal transcriptomic analysis further revealed that malic acid induced a stage-specific transcriptional response, prominently at the primordium stage, marked by coordinated remodeling of central carbon metabolism, including the TCA cycle, gluconeogenesis, the pentose phosphate pathway, and one-carbon metabolism. These metabolic shifts suggest an enhanced supply of precursors for fruiting body development. Our findings establish H. marmoreus-SMS not merely as an agro-industrial by-product repurposed as a nutrient source, but as a dual-function input that combines basal nutrition with malic acid-mediated developmental reprogramming. This work provides a mechanistic basis for replacing animalderived supplements with valorized SMS in circular mushroom production.

Xiangxi radish paocai is a regionally distinctive fermented vegetable whose characteristic aroma depends on microbial succession during brine fermentation, but the active microbial and metabolic basis of this flavor remains unclear. Here, metatranscriptomics, metabolomics, and HS-SPME-GC-Q-TOF-MS were integrated to characterize flavor formation during Xiangxi radish paocai fermentation. Organic acid accumulation, especially lactic and acetic acid, together with free sugar depletion, represented the main environmental pressure associated with microbial succession (R2 > 0.79). This shift favored acid-tolerant bacteria, with active Levilactobacillus namurensis becoming dominant and increasing from 41.01% to 47.18%. HS-SPME-GC-Q-TOF-MS identified 24 key aroma-active compounds, including the novel meat flavour compound 2-pentylpyridine, which showed a relative odour activity value as high as 2700.02. Correlation analysis further showed that L. namurensis abundance was strongly correlated with 16 characteristic aroma compounds, likely linked to precursor metabolism involving serine, alanine, glycine and histidine. These findings provide a mechanistic basis for understanding flavor development in Xiangxi radish paocai and support for optimization of the fermentation process.

Sparassis latifolia is an edible and medicinal mushroom with significant economic value, now commercially cultivated on a large scale in China. However, current cultivars face challenges, including an extended mycelial growth period and unstable fruiting body yields. Advances in molecular breeding and functional genomics for this species are hindered by the absence of a reliable genetic transformation system. In this study, we first determined that S. latifolia is highly sensitive to carboxin and hygromycin, two selective agents commonly used in fungal genetics. We subsequently constructed a novel binary vector, pCbxHyg, harboring a carboxin resistance cassette driven by its native Pleurotus eryngii promoter and a hygromycin resistance cassette under the control of the P. eryngii Glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPD) gene promoter. Initial transformation attempts using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of liquid-cultured mycelial pellets were unsuccessful. During microscopic examination, we discovered that S. latifolia mycelia produce abundant asexual chlamydospores. Using these chlamydospores as recipient material, we efficiently and reproducibly obtained transformants with the pCbxHyg vector under both carboxin and hygromycin selection. This method highlights the advantage of using asexual spores of Basidiomycetes as recipients for genetic transformation. PCR analysis confirmed the stable integration of the exogenous resistance genes into the fungal genome. The functionality of the system was further validated by transforming chlamydospores with a vector carrying a β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene, whose expression was confirmed via histochemical staining of the resulting transformant mycelia. This work establishes the first successful Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation system for S. latifolia, providing a foundational platform for future gene function studies and molecular breeding efforts.

Breeding wheat varieties with a high nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) reduces both production costs and threats to the ecological environment. Here, using candidate-gene and genome-wide association studies, we identify TaNPF7.6-A1 as a positive regulator of NUE in wheat. A widely conserved polymorphism in the coding region of TaNPF7.6-A1 produces allele TaNPF7.6-A1mod with a higher transcription level and nitrate transport activity than TaNPF7.6-A1lan, resulting in a greater NUE. We also reveal the mechanism by which TaEIL3-TaJAZ1-TaNPF7.6-A1 regulates NUE in wheat. TaNPF7.6-A1mod interacts more strongly with TaJAZ1 than TaNPF7.6-A1lan and promotes the retention of nuclear-localized TaJAZ1 in the cytoplasm. TaJAZ1 interacts with TaEIL3 and represses TaEIL3, binding to the TaNPF7.6-A1mod promoter, influencing allele expression and causing phenotypic differences. TaNPF7.6-A1mod also shows significant geographical distribution aggregation globally and undergoes continuous positive selection during the breeding process. Overall, this study provides molecular and evolutionary insights into the regulation of NUE. Improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is a key objective in wheat breeding. Here, the authors identify a superior allele, TaNPF7.6-A1mod, and its upstream regulatory factors, demonstrating their roles in enhancing NUE and increasing grain yield in wheat.

Background Fusarium wilt of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL), is a devastating soil-borne disease. Due to the limitations of conventional methods, sustainable biocontrol strategies are required. Bacillus velezensis is considered a promising biocontrol agent; however, the strain-specific nature of its antifungal and plant-growth-promoting mechanisms demands further investigation. Results We demonstrated the efficacy of B. velezensis BV25 against tomato Fusarium wilt. In vitro assays showed that FOL growth was significantly inhibited by both BV25 and its crude extracts; further, the inhibitory effect of the extracts was dose-dependent. In greenhouse trials, application of B. velezensis BV25 fermentation broth not only significantly suppressed the severity of Fusarium wilt but also promoted plant growth, even in the absence of the pathogen. The suppression of Fusarium wilt by B. velezensis BV25 treatment was correlated with the priming of plant defenses, as evidenced by the elevated activities of defense enzymes (superoxide dismutase, SOD; peroxidase, POD; catalase, CAT; phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, PAL). The complete genome sequencing of B. velezensis BV25, coupled with ANI analysis, determined its species designation. Our focus then turned to its functional genetic repertoire. We identified a diverse complement of Secondary metabolite (SM) biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) for known antimicrobials such as fengycin and surfactin, a suite of genes encoding fungal cell wall-degrading Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes (CAZymes), and multiple genes implicated in plant growth promotion including indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) synthesis, siderophore production, and nutrient uptake. Conclusion Our findings provide an extensive understanding of the biocontrol mechanisms of B. velezensis BV25, which include direct antagonism, induction of systemic resistance, and direct plant growth promotion. The integration of phenotypic evidence with genomic data positions B. velezensis BV25 as a robust candidate for developing sustainable biocontrol inoculants to manage tomato Fusarium wilt.

Acyrthosiphon pisum (pea aphid) is a major pest of leguminous crops, resulting in substantial economic losses worldwide. In recent years, entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) and RNA interference (RNAi) have emerged as effective biological control strategies for managing A. pisum. This study evaluated five entomopathogenic fungal strains and combined with transcriptomic analysis, to investigate the pathogenic mechanism of Akanthomyces dipterigenus against A. pisum, and explored the potential roles of two genes ApSlc19a3 and ApEXT2 in the defense against fungal infection. A. dipterigenus demonstrated the highest pathogenicity against adult A. pisum (LC50: 1.22 × 104 conidia mL-1; LT50: 3.909 d at 1.0 × 108 conidia mL-1). Sublethal and transgenerational effects showed that LC50 treatments of A. dipterigenus significantly reduced the longevity and fecundity of F0, LC50 treatment significantly reduced the mean generation time (T) and adult longevity in F1, LC30 treatment decreased the intrinsic rate of increase (r) and finite rate of increase (λ) in F1, along with a reduction in fecundity. Transcriptomic analysis of A. pisum infected with A. dipterigenus identified ApSlc19a3 and ApEXT2 as genes responsive to fungal infection, differentially expressed across developmental stages, and highly transcribed in the midgut and cuticle. RNAi silencing of these genes significantly enhanced the susceptibility of adult A. pisum to fungal infection. Therefore, the combined application of this RNAi approach with A. dipterigenus exhibits notable potential for controlling A. pisum. These findings provide important insights and a promising framework for future mechanistic studies and the implementation of biological control within sustainable pest management strategies.

Fungal immunomodulatory proteins (FIPs) are low-molecular-weight proteins from macrofungi that share the potential to modulate immune responses. Structurally, they fall into five subgroups, with the Fve-type and Cerato-type being the most representative. Originally, these proteins evolved in fungi for mycoparasitism and defense; their immunomodulatory, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective effects validated in human cells and animal models are surprisingly beneficial. Post-translational modifications and specific oligomeric states regulate the FIP functionality. These structural features critically govern receptor engagement and downstream signaling, whereby FIPs orchestrate immune responses via Toll-like receptor/NF-κB modulation and exert antitumor effects through EGF receptor/Akt interference. Recent advances in genomic mining and bioinformatics have accelerated novel FIP discovery, while scalable production is now achievable through optimized heterologous expression systems incorporating solubility-enhancing tags, promoter engineering, endotoxin removal, and tailored fermentation. This review examines the structure-activity relationships, mechanism-driven bioactivities, and bioproduction platforms of FIPs, highlighting their potential in biopharmaceutical and functional food applications.

Mitochondria regulate nuclear genomes and their own genetic material, primarily to provide energy in eukaryotes. Currently, high-throughput sequencing technologies are being used to resolve the mitochondrial genomes of various edible fungi. However, the application of pan-genomes for the analysis of edible mushroom mitochondrial genomes remains unexplored. In this study, we conducted a comparative mitochondrial genome analysis of 31 Hypsizygus marmoreus strains (four newly sequenced monotypes and 27 public datasets), ranging from 98,284 to 111,087 bp. This variation was determined to be primarily driven by dynamic changes in non-coding regions, particularly intronic polymorphisms in the cox1 gene. Further, transfer RNA (tRNA) secondary structures exhibited atypical globular and elongated conformations alongside copy number variations. Additionally, codon usage showed a pronounced A/T bias, whereas core respiratory chain genes demonstrated an evolutionary pattern of strong purifying selection. Furthermore, the 31 mitochondrial genomes of H. marmoreus were found to harbor eight gene rearrangement patterns and five genetic clusters, and the pan-genome analysis (220,364 bp, 217 nodes) captured abundant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), insertions/deletions (InDels), and structural variations. This study provides breeding-relevant genetic markers and a genomic framework for H. marmoreus germplasm classification, genetic improvements, and the molecular breeding of stress-resilient varieties.

Rhizoctonia solani AG3-TB is a destructive necrotrophic pathogen causing tobacco target spot disease. WRKY70 acts as a key regulator integrating salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) signals in plant immunity. Our previous study found that NtWRKY70 in Nicotiana tabacum L. is significantly induced by R. solani AG3-TB infection; however, its functional mechanism remains elusive. In this study, bioinformatics analysis showed that NtWRKY70 is a nuclear localized protein with conserved domains and transcriptional autoactivation activity. Further investigations using virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout and overexpression transgenic plants confirmed that NtWRKY70 acts as a positive regulator against R. solani AG3-TB. Based on RNA-seq data and differential expression genes (DEGs) screening, the total of 11 defense-related genes were significantly upregulated. Exogenous application of SA and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) induced NtWRKY70 expression and decreased the lesion diameter, which indicated that NtWRKY70 is potentially linked to the activation of downstream SA and JA signaling pathways. Collectively, our findings suggest that NtWRKY70 participates in tobacco defense against R. solani AG3-TB, potentially by coordinating SA and JA signaling to activate defense-related genes, which provides a valuable candidate for tobacco disease-resistant breeding.

Hypsizygus marmoreus (Peck) H.E. Bigelow is a commercial edible mushroom includes two primary commercial varieties: brown and white. To reveal the genetic and metabolic differences between these two varieties, genomic and metabolomic comparisons of the white strain F4 and the brown strain B5-15 were performed. The assembled genome sizes were 40,851,948 bp for F4 and 41,902,673 bp for B5-15. Molecular clock analysis estimated that H. marmoreus diverged from Termitomyces sp. approximately 59.4 million years ago during the Paleocene based on the genomic information. The two genomes showed little difference in the gene compositions related to β-Glucosidase and certain lignin degrading auxiliary enzymes. In contrast, the structures of the mating-type loci, including gene copy numbers and the transcriptional orientation of open reading frames, differed between the varieties, and it exhibited higher mating-type locus diversity. Comparative genomic analysis further indicated that the brown strain can biosynthesize melanin-like compounds using chorismate as the starting molecule, with tyrosinase acting as a key enzyme. Moreover, metabolomic profiling based on principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) revealed distinct metabolic profiles between the two varieties. Collectively, these findings improve our understanding of the genetic basis underlying the phenotypic differences between the two H. marmoreus varieties.

Fermentation can enhance the bioactivity of Lonicera japonica flos, yet the effects of co-fermentation and the underlying metabolic mechanisms are not fully understood. This study aimed to evaluate how fermentation improves the antioxidant and cytoprotective activities of L. japonica enzymatic hydrolysate, and to identify the key biotransformation using LC/MS-based metabolomics. Results showed that the ·OH scavenging rate of Lactobacillus plantarum and mixed strain groups increased by 23

Cold-active cellulases are highly desirable for temperature-sensitive biomass valorization and food processing, yet they remain scarce in conventional industrial fungal platforms. In this study, a novel cold-induced cellobiohydrolase, VvCBHI-II, was mined from the mushroom Volvariella volvacea and successfully engineered into the industrial workhorse Trichoderma reesei via site-specific homologous replacement. Structural homology modeling revealed that the substitution of the flexible B3 loop with a β-sheet creates a more open substrate-binding cleft in VvCBHI-II. Consequently, the purified VvCBHI-II exhibited robust endoglucanase-like characteristics with superior catalytic efficiency on amorphous cellulose. At 10 °C, the engineered cellulase complex demonstrated an 8.1-fold increase in filter paper activity compared to the wild-type strain. Mechanistic structural analyses indicated that the open cleft architecture elongates and weakens the hydrogen-bonding network with the cellobiose product, facilitating rapid product dissociation and alleviating severe cold-induced product inhibition. In practical applications, the engineered cold-active enzyme complex exhibited an exceptional saccharification capacity on natural pear pomace at 10 °C. Furthermore, when applied to simulated fruit juice processing, it significantly maximized the extraction yield, elevated the sweetness response, and substantially mitigated undesirable bitterness and astringency. This study elucidates the structural-functional paradigm of cold-adapted cellobiohydrolases and provides a promising strategy for formulating highly efficient, energy-saving biocatalysts for the food and biorefinery industries.

Cordyceps militaris is a widely cultivated edible and medicinal fungus, but the metabolic mechanisms that coordinate vegetative growth and fruiting body development are still not fully understood. In this study, we examined the role of CmPah1, a conserved Pah1 homolog and putative phosphatidate phosphatase, in lipid homeostasis and development-related traits associated with artificial cultivation. Deletion of CmPah1 impaired hyphal growth and spore germination and increased sensitivity to environmental stresses, suggesting that CmPah1 contributes to strain establishment and stress adaptation under cultivation conditions. Lipidomic analysis showed that the ΔCmPah1 mutant had disrupted lipid homeostasis, characterized by reduced diacylglycerol and triacylglycerol levels together with the accumulation of membrane phospholipids. This lipid imbalance was accompanied by abnormal nuclear morphology and reduced tolerance to exogenous iron. Transcriptomic analysis further revealed changes in genes associated with lipid metabolism, nuclear organization, membrane transport, and iron regulation. In addition, CmPah1 deletion delayed fruiting body development, and transcriptomic analysis of fruiting tissues showed broad changes in lipid-related genes and pathways. Together, these findings suggest that CmPah1 acts as an important regulator linking lipid homeostasis with environmental adaptation and fruiting body development, providing a useful basis for understanding cultivation-related development in C. militaris.

Cordyceps militaris (CM) is widely distributed in humid temperate and tropical forests. Commercially available CM is mainly dried fruiting bodies and their further processed products. In the Chinese market, these products are mainly stored at room temperature without vacuum sealing after air drying. In this study, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and microbial community abundance analysis were applied to analyze the changes of major metabolites and microbial communities in CM dried products and explore the changes in quality during storage at room temperature. A total of 856 non-volatile and 431 volatile substances were detected, of which 195 non-volatile and 85 volatile substances showed significant differences. By analyzing the microbial community relative abundance, the highest relative abundance was observed in the second month, which was then followed by a decline. These results demonstrated that the quality, odor, and nutrient content of CM changed considerably after storage from one to two months. These findings can provide new insights for exploring the optimal consumption time for the best flavor and health function of CM dried products in the future. 2026 The authors. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are essential macronutrients for the growth and development of crops such as wheat. Zhengmai 1860, a variety with high N and P utilization efficiency and Zhoumai 18 (A national regional trial control variety during the same period), a variety with low N and P utilization efficiency were studied. For three consecutive years (2022, 2023, and 2024) at five experimental sites, the yield of Zhengmai 1860 showed no difference compared with that under normal fertilization conditions when the fertilizer was reduced by 20%. Zhengmai 1860 had significantly higher root dry weight, root-to-shoot ratio, root surface area, and root branch number than Zhoumai 18. Additionally, throughout its growth period, Zhengmai 1860 maintained higher organic acid (oxalic acid, malonic acid, acetic acid, citric acid, succinic acid, and malic acid) content in the rhizosphere soil, greater activity of key enzymes (ACP, GS, GOGAT, and NR) involved in N and P metabolism, and elevated gene expression levels. The N accumulation in the grains, aboveground N accumulation, and aboveground P accumulation of Zhengmai 1860 were significantly higher than those of Zhoumai 18. The thousand-grain weight, number of spikes per 666.7 m2, and grain yield of Zhengmai 1860 increased by 4.52, 15.00, and 10.85%, respectively compared to Zhoumai 18. Under low N stress, the roots of Zhengmai 1860 accumulated a significant amount of amino acids (e.g., lysine, pyroglutamic acid, and serine) and organic acids that are beneficial for N absorption and utilization. Under low P stress, the number of down-regulated metabolites in the roots of Zhoumai 18 was 2.49 times that of Zhengmai 1860. These results revealed that Zhengmai 1860 possesses a well-developed root system and a high concentration of primary metabolites, which endowed it with high nutrition use efficiency.

Following the elucidation of the fungal bioluminescence pathway (FBP), it was quickly adopted as a reporter system in plants; however, no such application has been documented in fungi to date. In this study, we established for the first time a luminescent reporter in the commercially important mushroom Hypsizygus marmoreus by expressing the luciferase gene from the luminous fungus Neonothopanus nambi. Using an established Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method, we separately introduced the wild-type luciferase gene nnLuz and the previously reported optimized variant nnLuz-v4 that can enhance bioluminescence expression into H. marmoreus arthroconidia. Both genes were stably integrated into the genome and expressed under the control of the H. marmoreus Glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPD) gene promoter. Upon addition of exogenous luciferin, transformants carrying the wild-type nnLuz produced clear, readily detectable bioluminescence signals, whereas no luminescence was observed in untransformed controls. Unexpectedly, the wild-type luciferase consistently exhibited substantially higher luminescence intensity than the optimized nnLuz-v4 variant. This finding suggests that codon optimization may be unnecessary or even detrimental when the donor and host are phylogenetically close basidiomycetes. The successful deployment of the fungal luciferase gene in H. marmoreus provides a sensitive and non-invasive genetic tool that does not require external excitation. This system opens new avenues for promoter characterization, real-time gene expression monitoring during mushroom development, and molecular breeding efforts aimed at improving agronomically important traits.

Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) severely impacts white-grain wheat production. To uncover its genetic basis, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) across 273 wheat varieties and identified 41 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for PHS resistance. Among these, a major and stable QTL on chromosome 6A, designated QTL15, was detected across all tested environments and accounted for up to 19.12% of the phenotypic variance. Integrated analysis of RNA-seq data and sequence variation within the QTL15 interval pinpointed TaIAA10-6A, an auxin-responsive Aux/IAA family gene, as the candidate. An elite haplotype, TaIAA10-6A-M, featuring an 18-bp deletion and a 21-bp substitution in its coding sequence, was strongly correlated with enhanced PHS resistance. Intriguingly, overexpressing TaIAA10-6A-M allele significantly increased PHS susceptibility, demonstrating that TaIAA10-6A encodes a dose-dependent PHS-promoting protein. Therefore, the TaIAA10-6A-M haplotype confers resistance by acting as a functionally attenuated allele that reduces PHS-promoting signal. A co-dominant CAPS marker, phs-TaIAA10-6A-M, was also developed and validated for its tight association with PHS resistance. Overall, this study not only elucidates a novel auxin-mediated regulatory mechanism for PHS in wheat but also provides a valuable gene resource for marker-assisted breeding of PHS-resistant white-grain wheat varieties.