Intervention strategies to control non-point source nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) pollution in agriculture are expensive and there is a trade-off between engineering cost and treatment effectiveness. Implementing strategies often result in unsatisfactory outcomes and massive engineering costs when managing diffusive pollution in agricultural catchments. To address this issue, this paper proposes a robust, handy, catchment N&P decision support system (CNPDSS), an Android-based smartphone system integrated with a web-based geographic information system (GIS). The CNPDSS aims to provide artificial intelligence-driven decisions that minimize N&P loadings and engineering costs for mitigating pollution in agricultural catchments. It consists of four components: a general user interface (GUI), GIS, N&P pollution modeling (NPPM), and a DSS. The CNPDSS simplifies the GUI and integrates GIS modules to create a user-friendly interface, enabling non-professional users to operate the system easily through intuitive actions. The NPPM uses straightforward empirical models to predict N&P loadings, enhancing efficiency by avoiding excessive parameters. Taking into account the N&P movement pathway in the catchment, the DSS incorporates three control measures: source reduction in farmland (before migration stage), process retention by ecological ditch (midway transport stage), and down-end purification by constructed wetland (waterbody discharge stage), to formulate a comprehensive ternary controlling strategy. To optimize the cost-effectiveness of any proposed N&P control strategies for sub-catchments, a differential evolution algorithm (DEA) is employed in CNPDSS to carry out a dual-objective decision-making optimization computation. In this study, the CNPDSS is applied to a case study in an agricultural catchment in Central China to develop the most cost-effective ternary N&P control strategies that ensure the catchment water quality within Criterion III of the Chinese Surface Water Quality Standard GB3838-2002 is met (total N concentration≤1.0 mg L⁻¹and total P concentration≤0.2 mg L⁻¹). Our results demonstrate that the CNPDSS is feasible and also possesses an adaptive design and flexible architecture to enable its generalization and extension to support strong hands-on applications in other catchments.

Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) areimportant sources of vegetable oil, protein, and forage. The genus Arachiscomprises nine intrageneric taxonomic sections encompassing 84 species. Most Arachisspecies are wild plants that serve widely as forage and turfgrass. Furthermore, wild Arachisspecies providevaluable gene resources for broadening the genetic diversity of cultivated peanuts. To date, several key genes have been identified through the use of recombinant inbred lines derived from interspecific crosses within Arachis. Despite this progress, the application of genetic engineering to enhance peanut traits remains limited. This limitation arises primarily from the absence of a robust and reliable genetic transformation protocol for Arachisspecies. Nevertheless, evidence indicates that successful genetic transformation of Arachisplants was first reportedapproximately 30 years ago. Thus, a notable discrepancy exists between early reports of transformationsuccess and the ongoing challenges in stably transferring candidate genes into Arachisgenotypes. This review summarizes existing methods forregeneration and genetic transformation in Arachis, aiming toadvanceunderstanding of transgenictechnologies applicable to this genus.

Aspergillusspecies are ubiquitous fungi that produce mycotoxins (secondary metabolites) known as sterigmatocystin and aflatoxins in many different kinds of foods, which leads to serious contamination in agricultural products, thereby endangering human health. Extensive studies on Aspergillusfungi have been conducted on growth and development, aflatoxin biosynthesis, and their interactions with environment. Here, we summarized a series of functional genes of the main Aspergillusfungi relative to toxins occurrence in foods, which revealed the signal transduction mechanisms of their involvement in growth and development, toxin production, and response to light, anticipating providing theoretical guidance on developing control and prevention technologies for mycotoxin contamination in agricultural products to ensure food safety.

Improved yield potential is the goal of barley domestication and cultivation. During this process, two- and six-rowed barley types emergedand have been utilised in breeding and production. The six-rowed type could produce three times as many grains as its ancestral two-rowed forms, thus dominating barley cultivation for thousands of years. The deficiensform of the two-rowed type, characterised by extremely suppressed lateral spikelets, has gained dominance over the past few decades in barley-growing regions worldwide. We hypothesised that the absence of lateral spikelets in deficiensbarley affects spike architecture and spike-related traits, contributing to its superior yield potential of deficiensbarley cultivation. Currently, a deficiensbarley variety, RGT Planet, is the most popular barley variety in the world. In this study, we used two F₂populations derived from crossing RGT Planet with two canonical two-rowed barley and identified the functional allele Vrs1.t1associated with deficiensmorphology. We observed that the Vrs1.t1allele may contribute to high yield potential by optimising spike architecture through increased spikelet length, grain number, and grain size. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the deficiensmutation was likely present from the early stages of barley cultivation in the Fertile Crescent and spread to Ethiopia and beyond with agricultural expansion. We conclude that the ancient deficiensallele Vrs1.t1has been a critical driver for the recent success of modern barley improvement by optimising spike architecture.

Recent studies have shown that lipid metabolism is a key factor affecting anther development and male fertility. However, how plants regulating the metabolic balance of multiple lipids to ensure proper anther development and male fertility remains unclear. Analyzing lipid molecules related to anther fertility and genes responsible for their biosynthesis is crucial for understanding the physiological significance of lipid metabolism in crop fertility. In this study, we compared the transcriptome and the composition and content of lipids in anthers of two upland cotton (Gossypiumhirsutum) materials, Shida 98 (WT) and its nearly-isogenic male sterile line Shida 98A (MS). Transcriptomics analysis identified many differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the two materials, with the genes of the alpha-linolenic acid metabolism pathway being the most significantly associated with the male sterility phenotype. Investigations on lipids revealed that the MS anthers over-accumulated free fatty acids (FFAs), phosphatidic acid (PA), mono- and di-galactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG and DGDG), and had a decreased content of triacylglycerol (TAG), which was closely related to the abnormal metabolism of alpha-linolenic acid (C18:3); therefore, the major lipids containing C18:3-acyl chains, such as PA, MGDG, DGDG, and TAG, are proposed to play a major role in cotton anther development. We also showed that an excessive level of MGDG and DGDG caused jasmonic acid (JA) overaccumulation in MS anthers, which in turn inhibited the expression of GhFAD3and consequently reduced the C18:3 content, presumably viaa feedback regulation mechanism, ultimately affecting plant fertility. Together, our results revealed the importance of a balanced lipid metabolism in regulating the development of cotton anther and pollen and consequently male fertility.

The breakthrough in super hybrid rice yield has significantly contributed to China’s and global food security. However, the inherent conflict between high productivity and environmentally sustainable agriculture poses substantial challenges. Issues such as water scarcity, energy crises, escalating greenhouse gas emissions, and diminishing farm profitability threaten long-term agricultural sustainability. In response, we applied a holistic food–carbon–nitrogen–water–energy–profit (FCNWEP) nexus framework to comprehensively assessthe sustainability of distinct crop management strategies across three sub-sites in Central China. Field experiments were conducted in Hubei and Hunan provinces from 2017 to 2021 using a widely adopted elite super hybrid ricecultivar (Y-liangyou 900). Four crop management treatments were implemented: a control (CK, 0kg N ha⁻¹), conventional crop management (CCM, 210–250kg N ha⁻¹, 7:3 basal:mid-tiller fertilizer ratio), and two integrated crop management (ICM) treatments (ICM1, 180–210kg N ha⁻¹, 5:2:3 basal:mid-tiller:panicle initiation fertilizer ratio; ICM2, 240–270kg N ha⁻¹, 5:2:2:1 basal:mid-tiller:panicle initiation:flowering fertilizer ratio). Variables assessed included grain yield, carbon footprint, nitrogen footprint, water footprint, energy footprint, nitrogen use efficiency, and economic benefits. Our results showed significant yield variations, with ICM2 consistently outperforming CCM and ICM1 across all three sites. In Jingzhou, Suizhou, and Changsha, ICM2’s grain yield was 30.2, 24.7, and 13.3% higher than CCM, respectively. Net profits under ICM2 exceeded those of CCM and ICM1 by 31.8 and 115.2% in Jingzhou, 32.2 and 109.9% in Suizhou, and 15.4 and 34.0% in Changsha, respectively. Integrated crop management, particularly ICM2, demonstrated improved nitrogen and energy use efficiency, leading to reduced carbon, nitrogen, water, and energy footprints. Overall, composite sustainability scores derived from the FCNWEP framework indicated that both ICM2 and ICM1 exhibited higher sustainability levels compared to CCM. This study provides valuable insights into practical management methodologies and offers recommendations for enhancing agricultural sustainability.

High temperature stress (HT) significantly reduces maize yield by impairing starch accumulation in kernels. However, the mechanism by which HT affects starch synthesis remains controversial-whether through reduced assimilate supply or direct inhibition on kernel metabolism. To clarify these mechanisms, a heat-sensitive maize hybrid, Xianyu 335 (XY), was exposed to 30°C/20°C (maximum/minimum temperature, control) and 40°C/30°C for seven consecutive days during the seed setting stage. Synchronous pollination (SP), apical pollination (AP), and shading treatments were applied to manipulate the inherent source–sink ratio in maize plants. Results showed that apical kernel weight decreased by 11.9% under 40°C in the SP treatment. The ¹³C content, starch accumulation, and cell-wall invertase (CWIN) activity also declined by 15.9, 36.7, and 16.4%, respectively, under HT. Inthe shading treatment, 40°C/30°C caused even greater reductions in ¹³C content, starch accumulation, and CWIN activity due to diminished assimilate supply. Conversely, inthe AP treatment, starch content and CWIN activity increasedby 22.0 and 18.5%, respectively, under 40°C/30°C, resulting in kernel weight and ¹³C content similar to those in SP and shading treatments regardless of temperature. Consistent with apical kernels under AP, HT did not negatively affect middle kernels in either SP or shading treatments, as kernel weight and starch content remained unchanged under HT. Although all kernels were exposed to the same HT or controlenvironment, their responses varied a lot. The impaired starch synthesis in apical kernels under HT was rescued by increasing carbon supply viaAP treatment. The contrasting performance among middle kernels, apical kernels under AP, and apical kernels under SP or shading indicates that reduced carbon supply is a critical factor underlying inhibited starch accumulation. Our findings provide a theoretical basis for further understanding kernel abortion under HT.

Plants encounter dynamic light environments in natural fieldconditions, and species differ in their physiological and biochemical mechanisms for acclimating to fluctuating light (FL). The manner in which soybean (Glycinemax(L.) Merr.) coordinates multiple physiological adjustments to FL remains poorly understood. This study assessed the effects of FL on soybean morphology and photosynthetic traits by examining changes in photosynthetic gas exchange parameters and chlorophyll (Chl) afluorescence under alternating high- and low-light conditions. Results indicated that soybeans exposed to FL exhibited reduced dry matter accumulation, smaller and thinner leaves, and a lower Chl a/Chl blevels-characteristics typically associated with plants grown under continuous low-light. Despite these morphological similarities, their photosynthetic gas exchange rates and photosynthetic capacity were maintained at levels comparable to those under steady high light, unlike plants grown under constant low-light. Thus, acclimation to FL is distinct from adaptation to sustained low-light conditions. Correlation analyses revealed that the decline in carbon assimilation under FL primarily stemmed from two factors: the slow recovery of stomatal conductance upon transition to high light and the delayed relaxation of nonphotochemical quenching when light intensity decreased. Therefore, the reduction in carbon assimilation under FL cannot be attributed to low-light phase adjustments but rather reflects a lag in photosynthetic responsiveness to changing light conditions.

Lodging is a major constraint limiting oil flax production efficiency in northern China. Crop lodging susceptibility is closely related to stem lignin content, and the regulatory mechanisms by which nitrogen and potassium fertilization interactively influence lignin biosynthesis in oil flax stems require further investigation. Therefore, this study aimed to enhance lodging resistance and increase grain yield in oil flax. We examined the interactive effects of different nitrogen (75, 150, and 225 kg N ha^–1) and potassium (60 and 90 kg K₂O ha^–1) fertilizer rates on lignin metabolism, lodging resistance, and grain yield during the 2022 and 2023 growing seasons. Results indicated that nitrogen and potassium fertilizer levels and their interactions promoted lignin accumulation, improved lodging resistance, and increased grain yield. Compared to the control (CK), the 75–150 kg N ha^–1combined with 60 kg K₂O ha^–1treatments significantly enhanced the activities of key lignin-synthesizing enzymes (tyrosine ammonia-lyase (TAL), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD), and peroxidase (POD)) and upregulated the expression of 4CL1and F5H3genes, leading to a 29.63–43.30% increase in lignin content, improved stem bending strength and lodging resistance index, and a 23.27–32.34% increase in grain yield. Correlation analysis revealed that nitrogen and potassium fertilizers positively regulated enzyme activities and gene expression related to lignin biosynthesis, thereby facilitating lignin accumulation and enhancing stem mechanical strength and lodging resistance. Positive correlations were observed among lignin-related enzyme activities, gene expression, lodging resistance traits, and grain yield. In summary, the application of 75–150 kg N ha^–1in conjunction with 60 kg K₂O ha^–1promoted lignin biosynthesis and accumulation, enhanced lodging resistance, and increased grain yield in oil flax grown in the dryland farming region of central Gansu, China. Furthermore, this treatment provides a technical basis for cultivating stress-tolerant and high-yield oil flax in arid regions.

Anthocyanins are important flavonoid pigments in the coloration of fruits. To identify candidate genes involved in anthocyanin accumulation, metabolic and transcriptome analyses were conducted in ‘Nanguo’ pear and its red sport cultivar ‘Nanhong’ pear. The results showed that ‘Nanhong’ pear had significantly higher anthocyanin and flavonol contents. Additionally, transcriptomic analysis showed that there were significant differences in the expression of genes involved in phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways between the two cultivars, with PuGSTF12being the most upregulated gene in the ‘Nanhong’ cultivar. Further analysis identified a novel MYB transcription factor (PuMYB93), and its silencing repressed PuGSTF12expression and anthocyanin accumulation, suggesting it plays an essential role in the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis. Moreover, yeast one-hybrid analysis, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and β-glucuronidase assay indicated that PuMYB93 can directly bind to the PuGSTF12promoter to positively regulate its expression. Additionally, PuGSTF12silencing suppressed the coloration of PuMYB93-OE peels, suggesting that PuGSTF12act downstream of PuMYB93. Overall, the findings of this study show that PuMYB93 promotes anthocyanin transport in pears by regulating PuGSTF12expression to further enhance anthocyanin accumulation.