Search Results (26,414)

Although traditional genetically modified (GM) cotton has reduced lepidopteran pests, secondary pests such as Adelphocoris suturalis Jakovlev (Hemiptera: Miridae) have become increasingly problematic. RNA interference (RNAi)-based insect-resistant plants offer a promising alternative, but their potential ecological risks, particularly within the plant–pest–natural enemy framework, require comprehensive evaluation. As a key natural enemy in cotton agroecosystems, Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) plays a vital role in regulating pest populations and thus serves as an important non-target insect for environmental risk assessment. In this study, dsAsFAR transgenic cotton and the non-target insect H. axyridis were used to evaluate potential ecological risks. Based on the sequences of the HaFAR, AsFAR, and GFP genes, dsAsFAR, dsHaFAR, and dsGFP were synthesized in vitro and incorporated into artificial diets fed to H. axyridis, along with a ddH₂O control group. No significant differences were observed among the treatments across various developmental stages. Furthermore, H. axyridis was fed aphids that had been reared on either transgenic or non-transgenic cotton plants cultivated in a greenhouse. The findings indicated no significant differences in the growth, development, predatory ability, or fecundity of H. axyridis. These results suggest that transgenic dsAsFAR cotton targeting A. suturalis poses no detectable adverse effects on H. axyridis, supporting the environmental safety of RNAi crops within a plant–pest–natural enemy ecological interaction framework. Moreover, the dsAsFAR expressed in transgenic cotton was not effectively transferred through the food chain to affect homologous gene expression in H. axyridis. Full article

Transparent Exopolymer Particles (TEP) play a key role in the marine carbon cycle, facilitating the aggregation and exportation of organic matter. TEP production is particularly relevant during Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), where dinoflagellates like Lingulaulax polyedra can release significant amounts of exudates. Temperature is a crucial environmental factor that influences HAB dynamics and physiological processes of bloom-forming species, affecting exudate composition and abundance. This study investigates the influence of temperature and nutrient availability on the production of organic exudates in L. polyedra cultures. TEP, Particulate Organic Carbon (POC), and Particulate Organic Nitrogen (PON) concentrations were analyzed under controlled laboratory conditions. Batch cultures were maintained at temperatures of 17, 20, and 25 °C, with two nutrient regimes (low and high nitrate and phosphate concentrations). Exudates were quantified using colorimetric and spectrophotometric methods. We found that temperature and nutrient availability significantly influence exudate production. The highest TEP concentration was recorded at 25 °C in cells cultivated under low-nutrient conditions, whereas POC exhibited a notable increase at 20 °C. ANOVA revealed that TEP and POC were the primary drivers of variability among treatments. These findings reveal that temperature is important in the regulation of L. polyedra exudate production. The role of this variable on organic matter cycling and bloom dynamics in marine ecosystems is discussed. Full article

The harsh, cold, and dry winters in northern China necessitate burying wine grapevines (Vitis vinifera) for winter protection. In this study, we screened for stably expressed reference genes in wine grapes (V. vinifera) under low-temperature stress at 4 °C (chilling) and −15 °C (freezing). A cold-resistant line “Hanniang 1301” and its cold-sensitive parent ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ were treated at 4 °C and −15 °C for varying durations. Nineteen candidate reference genes were selected for qPCR analysis. Gene stability under chilling and freezing stress was evaluated using the following five algorithms: Delta CT (ΔCt), geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder. The optimal reference genes under chilling (4 °C) and freezing (−15 °C) conditions were pairs with dual-reference combinations. However, the genes selected differed between chilling and sub-freezing temperatures. For chilling stress (4 °C), EF1α-1 and EF1α-2 were the most stable. Meanwhile, for freezing stress (−15 °C), GAPDH and Actin were optimal. We identified suitable reference genes for gene expression studies in wine grapes under low-temperature stress; this establishes a theoretical foundation for optimizing reference gene selection in plants under other abiotic stresses. Full article

Crop aeroponic cultivation still faces issues such as insufficient precision in water supply control and scientifically-based irrigation scheduling. To address this challenge, the present study aims to establish a precision irrigation protocol adapted to the characteristics of crop aeroponic cultivation. Using coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) as the experimental subject, crop water requirements were estimated utilizing both the FAO56 P-M equation and its revised form. The RMSE between the water requirement measured values and the calculated values using the P-M formula is 2.12 mm, the MAE is 2.0 mm, and the MAPE is 14.29%. The RMSE between the water requirement measured values and the calculated values using the revised P-M formula is 0.88 mm, the MAE is 0.82 mm, and the MAPE is 5.78%. The results indicate that the water requirement values calculated using the revised P-M formula are closer to the measured values. For model development, this study used coriander evapotranspiration as a basis. Major environmental variables influencing water requirement were selected as input features, and the daily reference water requirement served as the output. Three modeling approaches were implemented: Random Forest (RF), Bagging, and M5P Model Tree algorithms. The results indicate that, in comparing various input combinations (C1: air temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind speed, radiation, photoperiod; C2: air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, radiation; C3: air temperature, relative humidity, radiation), the RF model based on C1 input demonstrated superior performance with RMSE = 0.121 mm/d, MAE = 0.134 mm/d, MAPE = 2.123%, and R² = 0.971. It significantly outperforms the RF models with other input combinations, as well as the Bagging and M5P models across all input scenarios, in terms of convergence rate, determination coefficient, and comprehensive performance. Its predictions aligned more closely with observed data, showing enhanced accuracy and adaptability. This optimized prediction model demonstrates particular suitability for forecasting water requirements in aeroponic coriander production and provides theoretical support for efficient, intelligent water-saving management in crop aeroponic cultivation. Full article

The saline–alkali soil environment profoundly influences the diversity and composition of soil microbial communities, reshaping their ecological network structures. As a vital staple crop, rice (Oryza sativa L.) plays a crucial role in global food security, highlighting the urgent need to improve its cultivation efficiency in saline–alkali soils. However, the mechanisms by which rice roots recruit beneficial microorganisms from native soils under prolonged saline–alkali stress remain largely unclear, and limited research has been conducted on the effectiveness of microbial inoculants in enhancing rice salt tolerance. This study investigated microbial communities in a saline field subjected to over a decade of continuous rice cultivation. Plant growth-promoting microorganisms were isolated and screened from the rhizosphere. The findings revealed long-term salt stress significantly altered microbial diversity and community composition, although the overall microbial network structure remained resilient. A total of 21 plant growth-promoting strains were identified, indicating that rice roots under sustained salt stress selectively recruit beneficial microbes that contribute to plant growth and stress adaptation. Further experimental validation demonstrated that synthetic microbial communities outperformed individual strains in promoting rice seedling growth under high-salinity conditions, likely due to synergistic microbe and microbe–plant interactions. In conclusion, while saline–alkali conditions disrupt native microbial communities, rice exhibits adaptive capacity by selectively enriching growth-promoting microorganisms. The application of synthetic microbial consortia presents a promising strategy to enhance rice resilience and productivity in saline–alkali environments. Full article

Gerronema lapidescens (Lei Wan), a valued medicinal basidiomycete traditionally employed for antiparasitic and digestive ailments, faces severe conservation threats due to unsustainable wild harvesting and the absence of reliable cultivation protocols. To address this crisis and unlock its pharmacotherapeutic potential, we present the first chromosome-scale genome assembly and comprehensive methylome profile for the wild strain G. lapidescens QL01, domesticated from the Qinling Mountains. A multi-platform sequencing strategy (Illumina and PacBio HiFi) yielded a high-quality 82.23 Mb assembly anchored to 11 chromosomes, exhibiting high completeness (98.4% BUSCO) and 46.03% GC content. Annotation predicted 15,847 protein-coding genes, with 81.12% functionally assigned. Genome-wide analysis identified 8.46 million high-confidence single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Notably, methylation profiling revealed 3.25 million methylation events, with elevated densities on chromosomes 4, 9, and 10, suggesting roles in gene silencing and environmental adaptation. Phylogenomic analyses clarified the evolutionary status of G. lapidescens, whilst gene family evolution indicated moderate dynamics reflecting niche adaptation. Carbohydrate-Active enzymes (CAZymes) analysis identified 521 enzymes, including 211 Glycoside Hydrolases (GHs), consistent with organic matter degradation. Additionally, 3279 SSRs were catalogued as molecular markers. This foundational resource elucidates G. lapidescens’s genetic architecture, epigenetic regulation, evolutionary history, and enzymatic toolkit, underpinning future research into medicinal compound biosynthesis, environmental adaptation, germplasm conservation, and sustainable cultivation. Full article

Identifying the botanical origin of honey is essential for ensuring its quality, preventing adulteration, and protecting consumers. Traditional techniques, such as melissopalynology, physicochemical analysis, and PCR, are often labor-intensive, time-consuming, or limited to the detection of only known species, while advanced DNA sequencing remains prohibitively costly. In this study, we aim to develop a deep learning-based approach for identifying pollen grains extracted from honey and captured through microscopic imaging. To achieve this, we first constructed a dataset named VNUA-Pollen52, which consists of microscopic images of pollen grains collected from flowers of plant species cultivated in the surveyed area in Hanoi, Vietnam. Second, we evaluated the classification performance of advanced deep learning models, including MobileNet, YOLOv11, and Vision Transformer, on pollen grain images. To improve performances of these model, we proposed data augmentation and hybrid fusion strategies to improve the identification accuracy of pollen grains extracted from honey. Third, we developed an online platform to support experts in identifying these pollen grains and to gather expert consensus, ensuring accurate determination of the plant species and providing a basis for evaluating the proposed identification strategy. Experimental results on 93 images of pollen grains extracted from honey samples demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid fusion strategy, achieving 70.21% accuracy at rank 1 and 92.47% at rank 5. This study demonstrates the capability of recent advances in computer vision to identify pollen grains using their microscopic images, thereby opening up opportunities for the development of automated systems that support plant traceability and quality control of honey. Full article

The environmental problems brought about by factory-based aquaculture have become increasingly prominent. Reducing nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in tailwater has become the key to tailwater management. In order to assess the potential of microalgae in removing nitrogen and phosphorus ions from aquaculture wastewater, four microalgae species, i.e., Chlorella sp., Dicrateria zhanjiangensis, Nitzschia closterium minutissima, and Platymonas subcordiformis, were used in this study, and their growth and nitrogen and phosphorus removal rates in four nutrient concentrations of simulated aquaculture wastewater were systematically evaluated. After 15 days of cultivation, the cell counts of all four types of microalgae increased. Three species, i.e., Chlorella sp., N. closterium minutissima, and P. subcordiformis, grew best in high PO₄³⁻ and low NH₄⁺ medium, whereas D. zhanjiangensis possessed best growth in low PO₄³⁻ and high NH₄⁺ medium. The removal rate of PO₄³⁻, NH₄⁺, NO₃⁻, and NO₂⁻ by four microalgae species exceeded 82.64%, 89.06%, 59.27%, and 42.15%, respectively, even though the four microalgae had different performance in the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus. All microalgae in the low-phosphorus groups removed PO₄³⁻ at significantly lower rates than those in the high–phosphorus groups, while high NH₄⁺ removal rates were observed in all four microalgae groups. Moreover, in phosphorus-limited conditions, four microalgae exhibit lower removal rates of NO₃⁻ when nitrogen content was high. The chlorophyll a contents of microalgae in four culture media strictly corresponded to their final cell densities. P. subcordiformis exhibited the highest intracellular polysaccharide accumulation in high PO₄³⁻ and low NH₄⁺ type medium, whereas D. zhanjiangensis demonstrated the strongest protein synthesis capacity in high PO₄³⁻ and low NH₄⁺ medium. The activities of acid phosphatase in all microalgae were higher under phosphorus–deficient conditions than phosphorus-sufficient conditions. Our results might provide useful references for microalgae selection in the treatment of different aquaculture wastewater conditions. Full article

The discrete element model of Mactra veneriformis currently employs an oversimplified multi-sphere approach using EDEM’s Hertz–Mindlin model, assuming uniform shell–flesh mechanical properties. This study developed an advanced dual-layer flexible bonding model through comprehensive biomechanical testing. Mechanical properties and shell morphology were experimentally characterized to inform model development. Parameter optimization combined free-fall experiments with Plackett–Burman screening, steepest ascent method, and Box–Behnken RSM, yielding optimal contact parameters: flesh–flesh stiffness (X₁) = 3.64 × 10¹¹ N/m³, shell–flesh interface (X₃) = 1.48×10¹³ N/m³, shell–shell tangential stiffness (X₆) = 3.23 × 10¹² N/m³, and normal strength (X₇) = 8.35 × 10⁶ Pa. Validation showed only 4.89% deviation between simulated and actual drop tests, with hydraulic impact tests confirming excellent model accuracy. The developed model accurately predicts mechanical behavior and shell fracture patterns during harvesting operations. This research provides a validated numerical tool for optimizing clam cultivation and harvesting equipment design, offering significant potential to reduce shell damage while improving harvesting efficiency in bivalve aquaculture systems. Full article

Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a transformative tool in the treatment of phobias and the cultivation of emotional resilience. This study aims to explore the potential of VR to create controlled, immersive environments that facilitate exposure therapy, enabling individuals to confront and desensitize themselves to their fears in a safe and personalized manner. The flexibility of VR systems allows therapists to tailor scenarios to the unique needs of patients, addressing specific phobias such as acrophobia, arachnophobia, and social anxiety disorders. Beyond phobia treatment, VR’s capacity to simulate challenging or stress-inducing scenarios presents opportunities for fostering emotional resilience by building adaptive coping mechanisms and reducing stress responses over time. The integration of biofeedback and machine learning further enhances VR applications, enabling real-time adjustments based on physiological and psychological responses. In this article, the current advancements, underlying mechanisms, and challenges in leveraging VR technology for therapeutic purposes are discussed with a focus on its implications for mental health care. By combining immersive technology with evidence-based practices, VR offers a promising pathway for improving mental health outcomes and expanding the accessibility of therapeutic interventions. Full article

Watermelon is a popular fruit, predominantly cultivated in Asian countries. However, the production and harvesting processes present several challenges. Due to its size and weight, manually harvesting watermelons is labor-intensive and costly. In the future, technology is expected to enable robots to harvest watermelons. Therefore, it becomes essential to introduce intelligent systems to effectively identify and locate watermelons in harvesting. This research aims to develop an advanced methodology for watermelon identification and location using You Look Only Once (YOLO)v8 and YOLOv8-oriented bounding box (OBB) algorithms. Furthermore, the simple online and real-time tracking (SORT) algorithm was employed to track and count watermelons and estimate yield. The performance of YOLOv8-OBB was better than that of YOLOv8 and the highest precision (0.938) was achieved by YOLOv8s-OBB. Additionally, the size of each watermelon was measured with both models. The models help farmers find the optimal watermelons for harvest. Full article

Pepper is a major horticultural crop cultivated extensively worldwide. Among its various agronomic characteristics, fruit length is a key trait influencing both yield and visual quality. Despite its importance, the genetic mechanisms regulating fruit length in Capsicum remain insufficiently characterized, hindering the development of high-yielding and aesthetically desirable cultivars. In this study, fruits at three developmental stages (0, 15, and 30 days after flowering) were sampled from the long-fruit mutant fe1 and its wild-type progenitor LY0. Phenotypic characterization and transcriptomic sequencing were conducted to identify candidate genes associated with fruit length regulation. Morphological analysis revealed that the most pronounced difference in fruit length occurred at 30 days after flowering. RNA-seq analysis identified 41,194 genes, including 13,512 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Enrichment analysis highlighted key pathways, such as plant–pathogen interaction, plant hormone signal transduction, and the MAPK signaling pathway. DEG classification suggested that several downregulated genes related to early auxin responses may contribute to the regulation of fruit elongation. Notably, the gibberellin signaling gene SCL13 (Caz12g26660), transcription factors MYB48 (Caz11g07190) and ERF3-like (Caz10g00810), and the cell-wall-modifying gene XTH15-like (Caz07g19100) showed significantly elevated expression in 30-day-old fruits of fe1. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) further revealed a strong positive correlation among these genes. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of eight selected DEGs confirmed the RNA-seq results. This study provides a foundational framework for dissecting the molecular regulatory network of fruit length in Capsicum, offering valuable insights for breeding programs. Full article

Organic fertilisers release nutrients more slowly than mineral fertilisers, which is why combining organic and mineral fertilisation gives good results in crop cultivation. In the conducted pot experiment, the reaction of oats to compost fertilisation with or without additional nitrogen mineral fertilisation was examined. The following treatments were used: A, control (no fertilisation); B, compost (sewage sludge 80% + sawdust 20%); C, compost (garden and park waste 80% + sawdust 20%); D, compost (sewage sludge 40% + garden and park waste 40% + sawdust 20%); E, compost B with nitrogen fertilisation (30 N kg ha⁻¹); F, compost C with nitrogen fertilisation (30 N kg ha⁻¹); and G, compost D with nitrogen fertilisation (30 N kg ha⁻¹). The study results indicated that the composts used had an altering impact on the soil’s chemical composition by the end of the experiment. Overall, the lowest levels of nutrients were recorded in the control group, indicating that the composts increased soil fertility. Oat plants were better nourished (SPAD—soil–plant analysis development) after fertilisation with sewage sludge composts than garden and park waste composts. However, the most favourable results were obtained in the treatments where organic fertilisation (composts) was combined with mineral fertilisation (nitrogen). All fertilisation treatments significantly enhanced plant height and the number of panicles in the pot compared to the control. The highest values for the number of grains in the panicle, thousand-grain weight, grain mass from the pot, and protein content in the grain were observed after applying organic–mineral fertilisation. Therefore, fertilisation with composts, especially composts combined with mineral nitrogen, can be recommended for oat cultivation. Full article

Pentastiridius leporinus (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae) is considered the main vector of three phloem-restricted pathogens, γ-proteobacteria ‘Candidatus Arsenophonus phytopathogenicus’, ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’ (Stolbur phytoplasma), and 16SrXII-P phytoplasma, which infect two economically important crops, sugar beet and potato. In this study, four pop-up tents (1 m²) were set up in a carrot (Daucus carota L.) field located in Bingen on the Rhine to determine whether egg laying, development of nymphs, and infection is possible on this vegetable. We further show that the planthopper P. leporinus can complete significant parts of its life cycle on carrots in the field, suggesting that it has expanded its host range to this crop in addition to sugar beet and potato. In addition, this study shows that P. leporinus is able to transmit phloem-restricted pathogens to carrots. Full article

The success of truffle cultivation is especially dependent on the quality of truffle-mycorrhized seedlings, which are typically produced in nurseries under aseptic conditions to avoid root colonization by undesired ectomycorrhizal fungi. However, such practices may also eliminate beneficial microorganisms that could support truffle symbiosis and improve seedling quality. In this study, twelve endophytic bacterial and fungal strains, isolated from the Tuber melanosporum environment (gleba tissue, mycorrhizae and truffle brûlé), were tested for their effect on T. melanosporum mycorrhization levels in inoculated Quercus ilex seedlings under nursery conditions. Co-inoculation with a strain of Agrobacterium tumefaciens significantly enhanced root colonization by T. melanosporum, supporting its potential role as mycorrhizal helper bacterium. In contrast, a strain of Trichoderma harzianum negatively affected mycorrhization. The remaining strains did not show significant effects on seedling mycorrhization or seedling growth. Our findings support the hypothesis that specific bacterial strains associated with truffles can act as mycorrhizal helper bacteria, highlighting the potential for co-inoculation strategies to enhance quality of truffle-inoculated seedlings in nurseries. However, further research is needed to gain a deeper understanding of the interactions within the mycorrhizosphere that could contribute to improving nursery seedling quality. Full article