Phages are now gaining more attention as precise anti-bacterial agents, but their transition from laboratory work to practical applications in livestock farming, biofilm control, and food processing is currently challenging. In a problem-solving analysis framework, we summarize the key obstacles and novel solutions for phage technology from farm to table chain. For livestock, we study complex interactions between phages and antibiotics, poor oral delivery stability, rapid immune clearance in vivo, optimization strategies such as phage cocktails, microcapsule encapsulation, PEGylation modification, and immune escape engineering. For biofilm control, we consider a quadruple defense network of bacteria, including the EPS physical barrier, metabolically dormant cells, efflux pump systems, and quorum sensing repair. We summarize targeted breakthrough methods such as matrix degradation by depolymerases, directed evolution for phage training, and “wake-kill” combination therapy. In food processing and safety detection, we consider constraints such as narrow host range, high environmental sensitivity, and rapid resistance mutation, as well as broad-spectrum cocktails, lysin application, compounding with natural preservatives, immobilization on packaging materials, and novel applications of artificial intelligence for genome mining, host prediction, and protein design. We discuss the current industrialization stages of various technologies and analyze the practical challenges encountered during their industrial transformation in large-scale applications, such as safety assessment, regulatory differences, and public acceptance. Combining multidisciplinary approaches from phage biology, materials science, intelligent sensing, and computational biology, we aim to accelerate the transition of phage technology from the lab to industrial applications by providing new strategies for developing a sustainable food safety assurance system.

Salmonella typhimurium, a Gram-negative pathogen widely distributed in the environment, poses a serious threat to public health by contaminating food and causing foodborne diseases. Our preliminary study found that under thymol stress, the expression of YibT, a poorly characterized factor in salmonella, was significantly reduced, and deletion of the yibT gene markedly impaired biofilm formation. However, the biological role of yibT in salmonella pathogenesis remains unclear. In this study, the λ-Red homologous recombination system and pET28a vector were used to construct the single deletion mutant STΔrpoS, the double deletion mutant STΔrpoSΔyibT, complementation strains, and an overexpression strain. Promoter reporter vectors were constructed using pKP302. Growth characteristics, biofilm formation, adhesion, invasion, virulence, and pathogenicity were evaluated. The regulatory relationship between rpoS and yibT was examined by β-galactosidase assays. Results showed that deletion of rpoS and yibT led to slow growth, reduced biofilm formation, and decreased flagella and surface appendages under transmission electron microscopy. qRT-PCRshowed that there is a negative feedback loop between yibT and rpoS, where RpoS positively regulates yibT transcription and YibT negatively regulates RpoS expression. Preliminary detection of β-galactosidase confirms that yibT may be located downstream of rpoS. Cellular infection models demonstrated that deletion of yibT and rpoS significantly reduced salmonella adhesion, invasion, and intracellular survival. In mouse infection experiments, bacterial loads in the liver, spleen, and ileum were markedly decreased in mutant-infected mice, with further reduction under quercetin intervention. Flow cytometry analysis of T-cell subsets suggested attenuated immune modulation by the mutant strains, indicating reduced pathogenicity. Collectively, yibT contributes to regulate adhesion and invasion of S. typhimurium, and its deletion attenuates bacterial virulence and host pathogenicity. YibT may participate in the virulence regulatory network by interacting with the transcriptional regulator RpoS. This study provides a theoretical basis for elucidating the molecular mechanism by which YibT modulates salmonella pathogenicity.

Salt-induced clay dispersion and pore deterioration restrict water infiltration and salt removal during the reclamation of saline-alkali soils. However, bio-based soil conditioners that simultaneously promote particle aggregation and facilitate salt leaching remain limited. In this study, 2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyltrimethylammonium chloride (DMC) was grafted onto industrial calcium lignosulfonate (CLS) through aqueous free-radical polymerization to produce a cationic graft copolymer (CLS-g-DMC). The optimized CLS-g-DMC had a weight-average molecular weight of 6.14×105 g mol-1 and an apparent cationic degree of 71.36 wt%. Its performance was evaluated using soil-suspension flocculation, column leaching, cucumber-seed phytotoxicity screening, and a 30-day maize pot experiment. At 0.1% (w/w), CLS-g-DMC decreased soil-suspension turbidity by 93.29%, whereas an excessive dosage of 0.2% induced charge reversal and partial particle redispersion, indicating a distinct dosage-dependent response. In soil columns, 0.1% CLS-g-DMC shortened leaching time by 29.65% and decreased soil electrical conductivity, soluble Na+ concentration, and sodium adsorption ratio by 36.85%, 32.85%, and 43.33%, respectively. Meanwhile, the proportion of water-stable aggregates larger than 0.25 mm and the mean weight diameter increased by 58.15% and 41.93%, respectively. Zeta-potential, particle-size, and microscopic analyses indicated that charge neutralization and polymer bridging were the primary mechanisms responsible for soil-particle aggregation. CLS-g-DMC did not inhibit cucumber seed germination under 50 mmol L-1 NaCl and increased the germination index to 117.77%. In the pot experiment, 0.1% CLS-g-DMC increased maize seedling height, root length, and fresh biomass by 58.60%, 65.24%, and 61.59%, respectively. These results demonstrate that cationic modification converts low-molecular-weight lignosulfonate into an effective material for coupling soil aggregation with salt leaching, although its long-term stability and environmental fate require further evaluation.

Dinoflagellate harbors diverse associated bacterial communities (ABCs) that play crucial roles in host physiology and ecological interactions. Coolia malayensis is a benthic dinoflagellate distributed from temperate to tropical regions. Despite growing knowledge about the morphology, distribution, and toxicity of C. malayensis, little is known about its associated bacteria, particularly under changing environmental conditions. Given that climate change alters microbial interactions through temperature shifts, this study investigated the composition, diversity, and dynamics of ABCs across four C. malayensis strains, under varying temperatures and growth time. Despite differences in strain origin, a stable core microbiome, comprising Alteromonas, Marinobacter, Muricauda, and Ruegeria, was consistently observed, suggesting these taxa are functionally important members of the ABC. However, strain-specific differences and temperature-driven shifts were also detected, especially among low-abundance bacterial taxa. Negative interactions among abundant amplicon sequence variants, such as those between Ruegeria and Muricauda, and between Alteromonas and Marinobacter, were conserved across conditions, suggesting stable patterns of co-occurrence. Functional predictions and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis suggested potential involvement of ABCs in chemoheterotrophy, fermentation, hydrocarbon degradation, energy metabolism, and the metabolism of cofactors and vitamins, implying potential diverse metabolic exchanges between the bacteria and C. malayensis. These findings highlight both the ecological stability and environmental sensitivity of C. malayensis culture-associated microbiomes, with important implications for host health and ecosystem dynamics under climate change.

Efficient nutrient management is essential for mitigating nutrient losses from farmland in the Erhai Lake Basin (ELB). This 2-year field study (2021-2022) in the northern ELB investigated the effects of different fertilizer application methods on nitrogen and phosphorus losses. The four fertilizer treatments included: no fertilizer, farmer practice of solely organic fertilizer application (FP), mineral fertilizer, and a combination of organic and mineral fertilizers (OMC). Over the study period, total N (TN) losses ranged from 17 to 34 kgha-1 and total P (TP) losses from 1.0 to 1.4 kgha-1. Peak N and P losses occurred during June and July, with N lost primarily as nitrate and P lost primarily in dissolved forms. Compared with the FP treatment, the OMC treatment significantly reduced nutrient losses throughout the tobacco season; TN runoff decreased by 2.7 kgha-1, TP runoff by 0.1 kgha-1, TN leaching by 21% and TP leaching by 17%. Also, the OMC treatment increased the average tobacco yield by 3.8% (to 2.55 tha-1) compared to the FP treatment, which in turn enhanced the gross value. Fertilizer treatments significantly affected soil properties. These altered soil properties, particularly alkaline hydrolysis N and soil organic matter levels, subsequently regulated N and P loss dynamics. These results provide a scientific basis for mitigating nutrient loss from farmland in the ELB through optimized fertilizer application.

The legume crop soybean forms a symbiosis with rhizobia to fix atmospheric nitrogen (N) in specialized organs called root nodules. However, the mechanisms regulating early infection of the root epidermis and nodule-primordium formation in the cortex for proper nodule formation remain unclear in soybean. Here, we report a single-cell transcriptome analysis of mock- and rhizobia-inoculated soybean roots at 4 days after inoculation, an important control point for autoregulation of nodulation and nodule-primordium formation. We profiled 21,500 cells and detected 12 major cell clusters, and identified 193 infected-cell-specific, 205 epidermis-specific and 180 cortex-specific DEGs. Gene-ontology enrichment and gene-regulatory network analyses uncovered key pathways such as reactive oxygen species-mediated hormone signaling involved in coordinating defense signaling and symbiotic pathways. We also identified and functionally validated an ethylene-activated circuit comprising GmWRKY6.3/6.4 transcription factors and select downstream GmNod19 targets, in which genes act as positive regulators by promoting infection-thread formation during early nodulation, thereby shaping nodule formation. This study showcases how single-cell transcriptomics and gene-regulatory networks provide hypotheses for identification and characterization of previously unappreciated regulatory circuits, broadens our understanding of precise genetic control underlying symbiosis establishment, and underscores how functional diversification of nodulation genes has occurred across legumes.

Efficient water uptake and transport through xylem vessels are essential for plant growth and development. The patterned secondary cell wall (SCW) structure of xylem vessels provides robust mechanical support to withstand the strong negative pressure generated by transpiration and facilitates long-distance water transport. However, the key factors governing SCW patterning in xylem vessels and their potential for enhancing water use efficiency (WUE) remain undetermined. Here, we report the identification of a recessive maize (Zea mays) mutant drought-sensitive 1 (ds1), which is highly susceptible to water deficit. ds1 defects in SCW patterning and xylem vessel differentiation, and exhibits significantly reduced hydraulic conductivity. DS1 is the ortholog of Arabidopsis Exo70A1 and is regulated by the NAC transcription factor NECROTIC UPPER TIPS1 (NUT1) in vascular tissues. Overexpressing Exo70A1 enhanced hydraulic conductivity and consequently boosted biomass and grain yield under both well-watered and drought conditions. Thus, the NUT1-Exo70A1 module represents a promising genetic target for improving WUE in crops.

Continuous cropping obstacles (CCOs) impair soil health and reduce crop yields, posing a significant challenge to agricultural sustainability. Tobacco is a vital economic crop worldwide. For shortage of arable land, tobacco suffers economic losses attributed to CCOs. To address tobacco CCOs, we conducted a 2-year field experiment utilizing microbial inoculants coupled with a mineral soil amendment (tobermorite). Compared to the control, the combined application of microbial inoculants (Bacillus velezensis K01 and Streptomyces xylanolyticus B75) with tobermorite significantly increased yield by 15.8% and economic value by 32.9%; reduced the disease index by 73.8% of black root rot caused by Fusarium spp.; and enhanced the absorption of mineral nutrients, increasing the leaf contents of boron (B), iron (Fe), and magnesium (Mg) by 45.0%, 65.7%, and 40.1%, respectively. Microbial inoculants and mineral soil amendment modulated the soil bacterial and fungal community structures, increasing bacterial and fungal richness, reducing the abundance of pathogens such as Fusarium, enriching beneficial native bacterial genera such as Pseudomonas, and increasing the number of nodes and edges in the fungal network. Path analysis revealed that fungal community abundance was a critical positive driver of flue-cured tobacco yield.

The apple anthocyanin content is an important trait in apple breeding. Auxin, as an important plant hormone, plays significant roles in regulating the biosynthesis of anthocyanins. However, the molecular mechanism of how plants regulate auxin content and activity to affect anthocyanin accumulation remains unclear. In this study, through fruit anthocyanin content analysis and transcriptome sequencing of the hybrids derived from 'Golden Delicious' and 'Fuji Nagafu No. 2' crosses, a key gene for regulating apple anthocyanin accumulation, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) methyltransferase (MdIAMT), was identified. Functional analyses showed that the apple calli and peel overexpressing MdIAMT accumulated more anthocyanin than that in Vec by regulating IAA homeostasis. Yeast two-hybrid assays, luciferase complementation imaging assays and co-immunoprecipitation assays revealed that MdCSN5, an important protein in light signal transduction, interacts with MdIAMT. More importantly, further research showed that the MdCSN5-MdIAMT module affected auxin signal transduction pathway by regulating IAA homeostasis, thus promoting anthocyanin accumulation. In summary, our findings elucidate a novel mechanism by which auxin-regulated anthocyanin accumulation via MdCSN5-MdIAMT module, deepening our knowledge of plant hormone signaling in anthocyanin biosynthesis.

Comprehensive investigations into genetic predisposition, heritability, and systematic evaluation of fruit quality traits are essential for reflecting plant characteristics and achieving crop breeding objectives. However, such studies remain limited in apple. In this study, hereditary variation, genetic inheritance patterns, and comprehensive phenotypic data were analyzed for 24 fruit traits in 63 F1 hybrids derived from the cross'MATO' x 'Royal Gala'. Values exceeded the mid-parent levels for quantitative traits, including average single fruit weight, longitudinal diameter, shape index, firmness, soluble sugar, total phenol, total flavonoid, a* value, and anthocyanin. Anthocyanin, total phenol, total flavonoid, and a* value exhibited significant heterosis, high variability, strong genetic transmissibility, and high broad-sense heritability. Among 12 qualitative traits, 42 distinct character segregations were observed, indicating substantial phenotypic variation and potential for breeding superior varieties. The F1 hybrids displayed rich diversity, with a diversity index ranging from 2.67 to 2.98 for quantitative traits, and 0.50 to 2.48 for qualitative traits. To validate the accuracy of genetic parameter estimation, linear mixed-effects models were developed for quantitative fruit traits in the F1 population, generating critical data for elucidating polygenic architecture. Based on multivariate analysis of fruit quality traits, integrated evaluation models were developed, and an optimized selection protocol was established for hybrid progeny. Using this framework, ten superior hybrids excelling in multiple quality parameters were selected. These findings provide a foundation for targeted cultivar development and offer valuable insights into postharvest trait evaluation and apple breeding programs.

Optimisation of cropping and fertiliser management is essential to overcome the constraints of continuous cropping and to enhance crop yields. However, the combined effects of these practices on yield, through the regulation of soil fertility and microbial communities, remain unclear. To address this, a 13-year field experiment was conducted to assess the impacts of integrated management practices, including cropping systems (tobacco-fallow system, TFS; and tobacco-rapeseed system, TRS) and fertilisation treatments (no fertiliser, CK; moderate mineral fertiliser, NPK; and high mineral fertiliser, HNPK), on tobacco yield, soil fertility, and microbial communities. The results demonstrated that, across all fertilisation treatments, TRS increased the average yield by 46.1 % and soil fertility by 6.1 % compared to TFS. The cropping system was the primary factor shaping the overall microbial community structure (R-diversity), whereas fertilisation significantly influenced the relative abundance of specific microbial taxa (e.g., copiotrophs) within each system. TRS promoted fungal alpha-diversity and bacterial network complexity, whilst concomitantly suppressing pathogenic fungi. The mechanism underlying yield response to fertilisation varied with the cropping system. Under TFS, HNPK increased yield via a 'high-fertiliser nutrient compensation mechanism' by enhancing soil fertility. Specifically, HNPK increased soil fertility by 6.4 % and crop yield by 62.4 %, but it significantly reduced soil pH. In contrast, under TRS, NPK increased yield through 'soil-microbial synergy', which involved the simultaneous optimisation of soil fertility and enhancement of bacterial network complexity. Furthermore, bacterial network complexity was identified as the strongest predictor of yield. The TRS-NPK treatment outperformed TFS-HNPK in yield by 32.5 %, whilst avoiding soil acidification. This study underscores the critical role of soil bacterial network complexity in agricultural systems and demonstrates that combining crop diversification with moderate nutrient supply improves soil fertility, mitigates acidification, and enhances the sustainability of agricultural production.

Wheat is a globally important staple crop. However, the weak regeneration ability of wheat significantly restricts the progress of wheat molecular design breeding. Screening for key factors that can enhance the regeneration ability of wheat is crucial for the development of the wheat industry. In this study, a DOF transcription factor, TaDOF4.7-B, was identified as a crucial factor regulating the wheat regeneration ability. Transcriptome analysis results indicated that TaDOF4.7-B could improve the regeneration ability of wheat by directly promoting the expression of regeneration related genes, such as TaWOX5, or indirectly regulating the expression level of TaARFs. Importantly, combined with the experimental results of ChIP-qPCR and luciferase activation assays, TaDOF4.7-B can specifically bind to the promoters of multiple TaCKXs and inhibit their expression. The cytokinin concentration in overexpression TaDOF4.7-B wheat was significantly higher than that in the control. On the SIM medium without cytokinin, the wheat immature embryos transformed with the Ubi::TaDOF4.7-B-6MYCvector maintained a higher regeneration frequency and regeneration shoot frequency. Furthermore, the T2-generation of TaDOF4.7-B overexpression transgenic wheat lines still hold a highly regenerative capacity. The present findings demonstrate a novel regeneration factor, TaDOF4.7-B, and shed light on the mechanism by which DOF transcription factors promote plant regeneration through regulating cytokinin homeostasis.

As drought severely threatens the stability of crop yields, it is crucial to develop cultivars with enhanced drought resilience. Here we demonstrate that natural variation in ZmDapF1, encoding a putative diaminopimelate epimerase, contributes to maize drought-stress resistance without compromising grain yield. ZmDapF1 inhibits the activity of ZmMDH6, a chloroplast NADP-dependent malate dehydrogenase. ZmDapF1 gene knockout mutants exhibited significantly enhanced seedling viability and grain yield under drought stress, while maintaining high yields under normal field conditions. Natural variations in the ZmDapF1 promoter increase its binding affinity to a MYB transcription factor, ZmMYB121, which represses ZmDapF1 expression under drought. Therefore, ZmMYB121 plays a positive role in drought resistance. Knocking out ZmDapF1 resulted in increased ZmMDH6 activity, enhanced photosynthetic rate and reduced reactive oxygen species accumulation under drought, which may confer the enhanced drought resilience. Thus, genetic engineering targeting ZmDapF1 holds great potential for developing maize varieties with improved drought resilience.

The work investigated the browning inhibition of oxyresveratrol (OXY) in fresh-cut potatoes by physicochemical and structural analysis. The results showed that the optimal inhibitory concentration was 0.002 % for fresh-cut potato sticks. Under this condition, oxyresveratrol inhibited the activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POD), cinnamate-4-hydroxylase (C4H) and catalase (CAT), and decreased the content of chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid, but increased the contents of catechic acid and epicatechin in fresh-cut potatoes. Further analysis found that oxyresveratrol was a competitive inhibitor for PPO with the strong ability to chelate Cu2+. Oxyresveratrol formed hydrogen bonds with Ala246, Ala143, Met247 and Ala146 of StPPO2, and constructed stable hydrophobic interactions with His144, Pro245, Glu145 and Ile151 residues. The analysis of tertiary and secondary structures showed that oxyresveratrol decreased the fluorescence intensity and alpha-helix content of PPO, but increased beta-sheet and beta-turn content. The results showed that oxyresveratrol is a promising anti-browning agent for fresh-cut potatoes.

The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) is important during abiotic stresses, especially drought stress. Although mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are crucial for ABA-mediated drought tolerance, how these cascades integrate and deliver the downstream ABA signals is poorly understood. Here, the group C MAPK GhMPK7 was found to positively regulate ABA-mediated drought tolerance in cotton. Silencing GhMPK7 decreased drought tolerance in transgenic cotton plants. After ABA treatment, the GhMPK7-silenced transgenic plants were not sensitive to ABA, exhibited restricted stomatal closure, faster germination rates and longer roots. Importantly, GhSDIRIP1, a negative regulator of ABA signaling, was found to interact with GhMPK7 as a downstream. Silencing GhSDIRIP1 in GhMPK7-silenced transgenic cotton plants restored the drought-intolerant phenotype caused by GhMPK7 silencing. The results of the phosphorylation experiments revealed that GhMPK7 can phosphorylate the Ser-19 residue of GhSDIRIP1 to regulate its stability. GhMPK7-induced GhSDIRIP1 protein degradation increased ABA signaling intensity in response to drought stress. Overall, our findings provide insights into the positive regulatory mechanism of ABA-involved drought tolerance, which is mediated by the GhMPK7-GhSDIRIP1 module. This study expands our knowledge of how MAPK cascades regulate the intensity of ABA-mediated drought tolerance in plants and advances our understanding of the interplay between phosphorylation and ubiquitination.

Organic fertilizer granulation represents a promising strategy for modifying nitrogen (N) release from compost in soil. Nevertheless, there is a lack of large-scale field trials exploring its impact on tobacco production and soil N supply. This research conducted a preliminary study by employing 15N tracing technology to investigate the effects of granular compost on soil N transformation and supply; on the yield and quality of tobacco leaves; and on the distribution of granular compost-derived N among the different soil N pools and tobacco plant organs. The results revealed that the 2 cm diameter granule organic fertilizer treatment (G2) significantly increased tobacco leaf yield by 15% compared to conventional fertilization (CK). However, the 4 cm diameter granule organic fertilizer (G4) treatment resulted in a reduction in leaf yield. Notably, the quality of tobacco leaves remained unaffected compared to conventional fertilization treatment; the N content ranged from 15 to 25 g kg−1, which was within the high-quality range. The results also indicated that direct N supply to the tobacco from granular compost was limited. The G2 and G4 treatments provided 2.8% and 2.2% of the N in the fertilizer to the tobacco plants, respectively, with more than 93% of the N in the tobacco plants derived from the soil. Therefore, both of these particle sizes of granular compost facilitated the absorption of soil N by tobacco plants. At the end of the growth period, the N content derived from the G4 granular fertilizer in the soil was significantly higher than that from the G2 fertilizer. This may be due to the slower nutrient release mechanism and longer release period of the G4 fertilizer compared to G2. Our results suggested that granulated compost fertilizer (both G2 and G4) has the potential to enhance soil N supply. Despite the elevated nitrogen levels observed in leaves treated with 4 cm diameter granular fertilizer, an integrated assessment of yield performance demonstrates that the 2 cm diameter granular organic fertilizer delivers superior economic benefits. However, G2 may also have a higher potential for N loss. Further investigations under field conditions are necessary to validate the applicability of granular fertilizer of different particle sizes and its specific mechanisms of impact.

BACKGROUND:Browning is a key problem in the process of fresh-cut agricultural products. The present study investigates the synergistic inhibition of ultrasound (US) and oxyresveratrol (OXY) in the browning and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) of fresh-cut potatoes. RESULTS:US combined with OXY treatment significantly inhibited the browning of fresh-cut potatoes and maintained better sensory quality in contrast to single treatment. PPO activity in the combined group was only 81% of control group after 96 h of storage. The combined treatment more effectively inhibited the increases of peroxidase and phenylalanine ammonia lyase activity, total phenols, chlorogenic acid, and caffeic acid, at the same time as enhancing 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging ability of fresh-cut potatoes compared to single treatment. Moreover, the combined treatment induced irregular starch shape and promoted granule dissolution from potato tubers. In addition, the combined treatment decreased the fluorescence intensities of PPO and shifted the spectra peak from 341 to 335 nm depending on the treatment methods and processing sequence. The combined treatment could also destroy the hydrogen bond and secondary structure of PPO, leading to a decrease in α-helix and random coil content. CONCLUSION:The combined application of OXY at 0.06 mmol L-1 and US at 40 kHz (600 W) for 3 min is an effective way to control the browning of fresh-cut potatoes and maintain the sensory quality. This study also provides a technical reference for controlling browning of fresh-cut products based on US and chemical synergistic methods. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Cytochrome P450 plays a crucial role in regulating insect growth, development, and resisting a variety of stresses. Insect metamorphosis and response to external stress are altered by deleting CYP450 genes. In this study, we identified and analyzed a novel gene of CYP450 family, AccCYP6A13, from Apis cerana cerana, and explored its role in the response of Apis cerana cerana to adverse external stressors. It was found that the expression of AccCYP6A13 was spatiotemporal specificity. The expression level increased with age and reached its highest value in the adult stage. The primarily expressiong location were legs, brain, and epidermis of honeybees. Stress conditions can affect the expression of AccCYP6A13 depending on treatment times. RNA interference experiments have shown that knocking down AccCYP6A13 reduces antioxidant activity and deactivates detoxification enzymes, resulting in oxidative damage accumulation and a decline in detoxification capability in bees, as well as inhibiting numerous antioxidant genes. Additionally, knockdown of the AccCYP6A13 gene in Apis cerana cerana resulted in increased sensitivity to pesticides and increased mortality when treated with neonicotinoid pesticides such as thiamethoxam. AccCYP6A13 overexpression in a prokaryotic system further confirmed its role in resistance to oxidative stress. To summarize, AccCYP6A13 may play an essential role in the normal development and response to environmental stress in Apis cerana cerana. Furthermore, this study contributed to the theoretical understanding of bee resistance biology.

Maize(Zea mays),which is a vital source of food,feed,and energy feedstock globally,has significant potential for higher yields.However,environmental stress conditions,including drought and salt stress,severely restrict maize plant growth and development,leading to great yield losses.Leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases(LRR-RLKs)function in biotic and abiotic stress responses in the model plant Ara-bidopsis(Arabidopsis thaliana),but their roles in abiotic stress responses in maize are not entirely under-stood.In this study,we determine that the LRR-RLK ZmMIK2,a homolog of the Arabidopsis LRR-RK MALE DISCOVERER 1(MDIS1)-INTERACTING RECEPTOR LIKE KINASE 2(MIK2),functions in resistance to both drought and salt stress in maize.Zmmik2 plants exhibit enhanced resistance to both stresses,whereas overexpressing ZmMIK2 confers the opposite phenotypes.Furthermore,we identify C2-DOMAIN-CON-TAINING PROTEIN 1(ZmC2DP1),which interacts with the intracellular region of ZmMIK2.Notably,that region of ZmMIK2 mediates the phosphorylation of ZmC2DP1,likely by increasing its stability.Both ZmMIK2 and ZmC2DP1 are mainly expressed in roots.As with ZmMIK2,knockout of ZmC2DP1 enhances resistance to both drought and salt stress.We conclude that ZmMIK2-ZmC2DP1 acts as a negative regulatory module in maize drought-and salt-stress responses.

Tobacco continuous cropping is prevalent in intensive tobacco agriculture but often leads to microbial community imbalance, soil nutrient deficiency, and decreased crop productivity. While the tobacco-rape rotation has demonstrated significant benefits in increasing tobacco yield. Microorganisms play a crucial role in soil nutrient cycling and crop productivity. However, the internal mechanism of tobacco-rape rotation affecting tobacco yield through microbe-soil interaction is still unclear. In this study, two treatments, tobacco continuous cropping (TC) and tobacco-rape rotation (TR) were used to investigate how planting systems affect soil microbial diversity and community structure, and whether these changes subsequently affect crop yields. The results showed that compared with TC, TR significantly increased the Shannon index, Chao1 index, ACE index of bacteria and fungi, indicating increased microbial α-diversity. On the one hand, TR may directly affect the bacterial and fungal community structure due to the specificity of root morphology and root exudates in rape. Compared with TC, TR significantly increased the proportion of beneficial bacterial and fungal taxa while significantly reduced soil-borne pathogens. Additionally, TR enhanced the scale and complexity of microbial co-occurrence networks, promoting potential synergies between bacterial OTUs. On the other hand, TR indirectly changed microbial community composition by improving soil chemical properties and changing microbial life history strategies. Compared with TC, TR significantly increased the relative abundance of copiotrophs while reduced oligotrophs. Notably, TR significantly increased tobacco yield by 39.6% compared with TC. The relationships among yield, microbial community and soil chemical properties indicated that planting systems had the greatest total effect on tobacco yield, and the microbial community, particularly bacteria, had the greatest direct effect on tobacco yield. Our findings highlighted the potential of tobacco-rape rotation to increase yield by both directly and indirectly optimizing microbial community structure.