To address the dual challenges of water scarcity and rising demand for premium rice, this study investigated the synergistic effects of mild alternate wetting and drying (Mild AWD) irrigation combined with wheat straw biochar application on rice yield and grain quality. A two-year field experiment (2023–2024) was conducted with the hybrid rice cultivar Yongyou 2640, with two irrigation regimes: continuous flooding (CF) and Mild AWD (re-irrigation at a soil water potential of –10 to –15 kPa at 15–20 cm depth), with or without a one-time biochar application (10 t ha⁻¹). The results showed that co-application of Mild AWD and biochar significantly increased grain yield by 18.7% in 2023 and 13.4% in 2024 compared to CF alone. It also comprehensively improved grain quality: milling quality (head rice rate increased by 23.1–24.6%), appearance quality (chalkiness reduced by 36.4–38.2%), cooking and eating quality (higher peak viscosity and lower gelatinization temperature and enthalpy), and nutritional quality (increased glutelin and decreased prolamin content and starch digestion). These improvements were attributed to enhanced root activity alongside leaf photosynthetic rate, which promotes the accumulation of photoassimilates in vegetative organs and their translocation to grains. Moreover, elevated activities of key starch synthases further enhanced starch biosynthesis and accumulation, which underpinned the improved yield and superior quality. We also identified that a minimum soil water potential of –10 to –15 kPa at a depth of 15–20 cm represents the optimal threshold for Mild AWD in rice production. This research provides a cultivation approach for synergistically producing high-yield, high-quality rice, which shows promising potential for scalable implementation.

Neonatal calves exhibit heightened susceptibility to infections caused by various gut microbiota, primarily due to their immature gastrointestinal barrier functions and underdeveloped immune systems during the pre-weaning period. Calf diarrhea poses a significant risk to the health of juvenile ruminants and can result in substantial financial losses within the livestock sector. Therefore, diarrhea is a significant disease that requires improved management practices and preventive measures in cattle rearing. Antibiotics are commonly administered to combat diarrhea and promote calf growth. However, their misuse has led to increased bacterial resistance and higher levels of antibiotic residues in meat. Consequently, finding advanced and alternative ways to treat newborn calf diarrhea for enhanced livestock production and public health is a significant challenge. Probiotic administration can offer significant advantages such as improving the internal microenvironment of the gut and enhancing the host’s immune response, thereby reducing the likelihood of gastrointestinal diseases. Additionally, probiotic supplements have been formulated as alternatives to antibiotic treatment to upgrade animal health and productivity, and are essential for maintaining the balance of the gut microbiota. The treatment of calves with probiotic supplementation has emerged as a significant area of research. This review highlights the research progress on the pathogenesis of neonatal calf diarrhea and the mechanism of action of probiotics to provide new insights into the prevention and treatment of diarrhea in calves.

While straw mulching has the potential to reduce fertilizer-nitrogen (N) losses in intensively managed cropland, how soil organic carbon (SOC) regulates this fate of fertilizer-N at soil aggregate or profile scales remains unresolved. Here, micro-plots were nested within a four-year field experiment to assess fertilizer-N fates and their linkages with SOC fractions and stabilization processes via ¹⁵N-tracing and ¹³C natural abundance analyses. Three treatments were included: (i) conventional N application (FN), (ii) reduced N application (RN), and (iii) reduced N with straw mulching (RS). While RN reduced crop yields compared to FN, RS achieved comparable yields and 7.71% higher N recovery efficiency (P<0.05). The δ¹³C fractionation between aggregates and bulk soil was significantly positively correlated with the fertilizer-N content in the >2 mm and <0.053 mm fractions, indicating that N retention was coupled with SOC stabilization processes. Compared with RN, RS resulted in a 2−3.4 times greater SOC conversion probability into the <0.053 mm fraction and a 1.4 times higher aggregate-associated fertilizer-N content. SOC fractions differentially regulated the profile distribution of fertilizer-N, with nonlabile organic carbon (C) correlated positively, while dissolved organic C correlated negatively but increased plant N recovery. Compared with RN, RS increased the SOC stock by 24%, reduced NO₃⁻-N accumulation by 37%, and immobilized 36% more N into the microbial biomass (P<0.05). Our findings demonstrate that straw mulching increases N recovery by mediating SOC fractionation, stabilization, and microbial N immobilization. These results provide new insights into SOC–N interactions that could aid in the development of optimal soil C and N management strategies.

Nitrogen (N) leaching is a major pathway of N loss in subtropical crop production systems, contributing to groundwater pollution and thus posing serious threats to human health. However, the characteristics of annual N leaching in subtropical open-field vegetable systems and the effectiveness of integrative N fertilization management practices in reducing N leaching remain poorly understood. In this study, two plot-based field experiments were conducted with open-field Chinese cabbage–pepper rotation system in subtropical Southwest China to quantify annual N leaching and evaluate the effectiveness of integrated N fertilization management practices. Experiment 1 compared five N fertilizer application rates using conventional urea, while Experiment 2 compared different N sources including conventional urea, organic fertilizer, nitrification inhibitor-based fertilizer, and controlled-release urea which were all applied at the optimized N rate. Results showed that the annual N leaching under farmers’ N practice (FNP) was 251 kg N ha⁻¹, with contributions of 55, 31, and 14% from the pepper season, Chinese cabbage season, and fallow period, respectively. Total N leaching increased exponentially with N rate. The seasonal N leaching factor was 32% for pepper and 17% for Chinese cabbage in the FNP treatment, respectively. Compared to FNP, optimizing N rate based on crop requirement and soil supply significantly reduced N leaching by 68% and gray water footprint by 66−75%, while improving N use efficiency (NUE) from 35 to 54%. In Experiment 2, mixing organic and inorganic fertilizers, applying nitrification inhibitor, and using controlled-release urea further reduced annual N leaching by 27, 54, and 25%, respectively, compared to conventional urea. These practices also improved crop yields by 2−11% and NUE by 10−13%, and lowered gray water footprint by 28−58%. In summary, integrative N stewardship practices, particularly use of nitrification inhibitors under optimized N rates, effectively reduced N leaching while achieving high NUE and vegetable yields, providing a promising strategy for sustainable subtropical vegetable production

Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is a newly identified pathogen that can potentially undergo cross-species transmission to threaten the safety of swine and humans. The mechanism by which PDCoV nonstructural protein 14 (nsp14) inhibits the expression of IFN-β is unknown. In this study, we showed that PDCoV nsp14 degrades the MAVS, MyD88 and TRAF3 proteins in host cells by proteasomal and autophagy pathways. PDCoV nsp14 recruits the E3 ubiquitin ligase MARCH8 for catalyzing MAVS, MyD88 and TRAF3 protein ubiquitination. These proteins were recognized and transported to lysosomes by the cargo receptor NDP52 for degradation to inhibit the expression of IFN-β. Furthermore, MAVS, MyD88 and TRAF3 were also found to degrade PDCoV nsp14 by selective autophagy. These results reveal the dual function of selective autophagy in the PDCoV nsp14 and host proteins, which can promote the ubiquitination of viral particles and host antiviral proteins to degrade them both for regulating the relationship between virus infection and host innate immunity.

Ovulation is paramount for female animal fertility, necessitating a thorough understanding of its process and molecular underpinnings. This study aimed to delineate the temporal dynamics of ovulation in the goat ovary. Utilizing single-cell sequencing, we analyzed follicular fluid samples obtained at 0, 6, 12, 18, and 24 h post-hCG administration, identifying 4 cell types and 6 myeloid cell subtypes. We elucidated gene expression and functional changes in granulosa cells (GCs) over the time course of ovulation. Notably, our study detected and confirmed immune cell infiltration at 6 h post-luteinizing hormone (LH) peak. Additionally, cell–cell communication analysis revealed strong predicted interactions between GCs and macrophages, involving signaling programs associated with immune-cell recruitment, extracellular-matrix remodeling, and oocyte maturation. Collectively, our investigation has established a comprehensive single-cell transcriptome atlas of the ovulatory goat follicular microenvironment for advancing exploration into ovulation mechanisms and developing therapies for ovulatory disorders.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a crucial global crop that serves as a primary source of food and feed. However, its kernels are susceptible to infection by Aspergillus flavus, a fungus known for producing aflatoxins - which are highly carcinogenic compounds harmful to human and animal health. Identifying quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for aflatoxin resistance and developing aflatoxin-resistant maize varieties are essential for mitigating aflatoxin contamination. In this study, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using an enlarged genotypic panel of 311 maize inbred lines was used to identify genetic loci associated with A. flavus resistance. Phenotypic data on A. flavus resistance were collected through controlled inoculation experiments conducted under controlled conditions. The results revealed that the resistance to A. flavus follows a normal distribution. In addition, temperate inbreds exhibited stronger resistance to A. flavus than tropical/subtropical materials. This study identified 13 novel QTLs encompassing 47 highly expressed genes, with each QTL explaining 8.22–27.71% of the phenotypic variation, indicating that the higher marker density improved statistical power. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses revealed that these genes are related to fatty acid synthesis, glycoside decomposition, and root growth and development. One specific gene located on ZmAFR16, ZmFUC1, displayed clustered peaks and accounted for an average of 10.21% of the phenotypic variation. This gene was found to play a role in cell membrane formation and possess alpha-L-fucosidase activity, so it promotes glycoside metabolism and contributes to polysaccharide degradation. Haplotype analysis showed significant differences in resistance to A. flavus among the different haplotypes of elo1 and ZmFUC1. Inbreds carrying the favorable haplotype combination of these two genes exhibited strong resistance to A. flavus. A select sweep analysis indicated that ZmFUC1 was selected during the domestication of teosinte (Zea mays ssp. mexicana) to modern maize, as well as during the adaptation from tropical/subtropical maize to temperate maize. Importantly, this study developed molecular markers in the promoter region of ZmFUC1 to efficiently identify maize germplasm with beneficial haplotypes for resistance to A. flavus. These findings not only enhance our understanding of the genetic factors influencing maize kernel resistance to A. flavus but also offer valuable insights for improving existing germplasm and developing new maize varieties with enhanced resistance to this pathogen

The interactions between nematodes and fungi are important for soil carbon cycling. However, their cascading effects on soil organic carbon (SOC) accrual remain unclear, particularly the role of soil aggregates and manure amendments in mediating this trophic cascade. Using a 19-year fertilization experiment, we examined how nematode predation influences fungal necromass carbon (FNC) and glomalin-related soil proteins (GRSPs), and quantified their contributions to SOC across soil aggregates under different manure amendments. Our findings showed that nematode predation significantly enhanced fungal biomass and promoted deterministic assembly of fungal communities. These effects were strongly dependent on aggregate size, with the most pronounced responses observed in the large macroaggregate (LA) fraction. A complementary microcosm experiment confirmed that nematode predation increased fungal biomass by over 6%, particularly in the LA fraction. Manure amendments further stimulated fungal growth and reinforced deterministic community assembly, thereby enhancing trophic cascade-driven accrual of FNC and GRSPs. Of the two fungal-derived carbon sources, FNC contributed more substantially to SOC (40%) than GRSPs (17%), with the greatest contribution found in the LA fraction. Path analysis further revealed that nematode-induced changes in fungal communities mediated the positive effects of manure amendments on fungal-derived carbon accrual. Overall, these findings underscore the pivotal role of nematodes in driving positive trophic cascade impact on SOC accrual. Our study offers new insights into aggregate-scale carbon dynamics and biologically mediated strategies for soil carbon management.

The bean bug, Riptortus pedestris, is a major pest of soybeans in East Asian countries. Male-released aggregation pheromones attract both adults and nymphs, offering potential for eco-friendly pest control. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the detection of the aggregation pheromones remain unclear. In the present study, functional analysis using the Xenopus oocyte expression system demonstrated that two ORs (OR23h and OR109d) were responsible for sensing aggregation pheromones, with the primary component (E)-2-hexenyl (E)-2-hexenoate (E2HE2H) being shared by the two ORs. Further quantitative PCR (qPCR) profiling indicated that OR109d was expressed only in male antennae, while OR23h was expressed in both sexes at similar levels. RNA interference (RNAi) assays demonstrated that dsOR23h-treatment significantly reduced the electroantennographic (EAG) response of (E)-2-hexenyl (Z)-3-hexenoate (E2HZ3H) in both sexes. Furthermore, simultaneous RNAi knockdown of the two ORs significantly reduced the male EAG response to E2HE2H and abolished male attraction to this compound. These results were consistent with the sex expression profile, demonstrating the sex and functional differentiation between the two ORs. Taken together, this study characterizes the ORs responsible for chemical perception and the associated aggregation behaviors driven by these pheromones. Thus, this study enhances our understanding of olfactory signaling in a hemipteran insect and contributes to the knowledge required for improved pest management.