Granule-bound starch synthase I (MeGBSSI) is the key enzyme for amylose synthesis in cassava, primarily responsible for catalyzing the formation of amylose through α-1,4-glucosidic linkages on the surface of starch granules. However, how MeGBSSI cooperates with other starch-synthetic enzymes to orchestrate starch biosynthesis remains unclear. In the previous stage of this research group, through yeast two-hybrid technology, it was hypothesized that the soluble starch synthase MeSSV was a potential binding protein of MeGBSSI. In this study, the MeGBSSI and MeSSV genes were cloned using the main cultivated variety of cassava, Huanshan 8 (SC8), as the material. Yeast two-hybrid vectors pGBKT7-MeGBSSI and pGADT7-MeSSV were constructed. Through yeast two-hybrid point-to-point experiments, the interaction relationship between MeGBSSI and MeSSV was preliminarily verified. The luciferase complementation (LCA) and double-molecule fluorescence complementation (BiFC) techniques were used to further clarify the direct protein interaction between the two. The results showed that the protein sequences encoded by the MeGBSSI and MeSSV genes, compared with the sequenced variety AM560, respectively, had 4 and 2 amino acid substitutions; the MeGBSSI protein was non-toxic to yeast cells and had no self-activation activity; this protein interacted with the soluble starch synthase MeSSV in yeast; the LCA experiment showed that the chemical signals significantly enhanced after co-expression of MeGBSSI and MeSSV; the BiFC experiment further proved that the two could form a complex in plant cells, and the interaction signal was located in the chloroplast. The findings would provide new insight into the synergistic regulation among cassava starch-synthetic enzymes.

To clarify the genetic diversity characteristics of pollen morphology and the genetic relationships among pitaya germplasm resources, 63 pitaya germplasm accessions were used as the research materials in this study. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was applied to observe pollen micromorphology, 8 traits including polar axis length, equatorial axis length, and polar-equatorial ratio were systematically measured, and the diversity patterns of these traits were investigated through correlation analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and cluster analysis. The results showed that the pollen grains of all 63 pitaya germplasms were N3P4C3 type, with tricolporate apertures and spiny exine ornamentation. The differences in pollen among the germplasms were mainly reflected in subtle aspects such as shape, size, germinal furrow traits and exine ornamentation. The pollen grains were prolate or subspheroidal in shape. The polar axis length ranged from 58.82 to 101.00 μm, the equatorial axis length ranged from 52.50 to 86.54 μm, the germinal furrow length ranged from 37.03 to 82.25 μm, the germinal furrow width ranged from 1.31 to 8.53 μm, the furrow spacing ranged from 25.14 to 53.88 μm, and the surface spine density ranged from 1.30 to 3.11 per μm². Among the quantitative traits, the coefficient of variation (CV) of germinal furrow width was the largest, while that of equatorial axis length was the smallest. Correlation analysis revealed that polar axis length had an extremely significant positive correlation with germinal furrow length and polar-equatorial ratio, and polar-equatorial ratio had an extremely significant negative correlation with furrow spacing. Cluster analysis showed that the 63 germplasms were divided into 3 major clusters at a Euclidean distance of 20. The first cluster contained 30 accessions including Yuhonglong, the second cluster contained 15 accessions including Yunnan No.5, and the third cluster contained 18 accessions including Bama Red Flesh. This study confirmed that pitaya pollen morphology presents abundant genetic diversity, and established a palynology-based technique for the classification and identification of pitaya germplasms, which can provide important theoretical support for the identification and genetic breeding of pitaya germplasm resources.

Elucidating the response of rhizosphere soil microorganisms to the invasion of Fusarium in pepper provides a theoretical foundation and technical support for research on pepper rhizosphere microecology, the exploration of superior biocontrol resources, and the targeted control of pepper Fusarium wilt. Rhizosphere soil samples were collected from healthy (CK), mildly diseased (T₁), moderately diseased (T₂) and severely diseased (T₃) pepper plants. High-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analyses were employed to compare the community structure and diversity of rhizosphere microorganisms and to assess the functional differences. CK had the highest number of unique bacterial OTUs, while T₁ had the highest number of unique fungal OTUs. At the genus level, the dominant bacterial genera included unclassified Acidobacteriaceae、unclassified Bacteria、unclassified Rhodospirillales、Gaiella、unclassified Betaproteobacteria、Terrimonas、unclassified Desulfuromonadia and Fontisphaera the dominant fungal genera included Thermoascus, Mortierella, Apiotrichum, Fusarium, Rasamsonia, unclassified Fungi, Paracremonium, Talaromyces, Debaryomyces and Metarhizium. With increasing disease severity, the richness of both bacteria and fungi initially increased and then decreased, while the diversity showed a trend of initial increase, followed by a decrease, and then a subsequent increase. PCoA results revealed distinct differences in bacterial and fungal communities among the treatments. Linear discriminant analysis (LEfSe) identified 14, 2, 6 and 6 bacteria-specific species at the genus level, respectively, and 12, 10, 7 and 9 fungi-specific species for CK, T₁, T₂ and T₃, respectively. Cross-domain correlation analysis between rhizosphere bacteria and fungi demonstrated that Fusarium was negatively correlated with Acidibacter, Bradyrhizobium and Bryobacter. As disease severity increased, the network parameters of bacterial and fungal community interactions exhibited an initial rise, followed by a decline, and then a subsequent rise. The abundance of potentially pathogenic microorganisms was significantly higher in diseased plants than that in healthy peppers, while the abundance of stress-tolerant microorganisms initially increased significantly and then decreased. The relative abundance of saprotrophs was significantly higher in severely diseased plants compared to healthy peppers, and the abundance of plant pathogens showed a significant increase-decrease-increase trend. Pepper Fusarium wilt significantly altered the characteristics of the rhizosphere soil microbiome. In the early stages of disease, pepper roots likely resist Fusarium infection by recruiting beneficial microorganisms, stimulating bacterial stress tolerance, and enhancing fungal saprotrophic and symbiotic functions. In the middle and late stages, intensified root damage leads to a decline in recruitment capacity, allowing pathogens to dominate and beneficial microbial communities to be suppressed.

Germplasm resources are the key material support for the breeding of new mango varieties and the sustainable development of the industry, and the efficient conservation and utilization are of great significance for mango research. In the study, 431 mango germplasm accessions were used. Combining different sampling strategies and genetic distances, the optimal sampling strategy combination for constructing the mango core collection was screened by the UPGMA clustering method, and the core collection was subsequently established. The results showed that the average effective number of alleles (Ne), average Shannon's information index (I), and average Nei's diversity index (H) of 12 pairs of primers was 4.0993, 1.534 and 0.7361, respectively, indicating that the mango germplasm possessed rich genetic diversity. The t-test results of genetic diversity parameters revealed that the core collection constructed by the combination of the locus priority sampling strategy and Nei & Li genetic distance had the highest Ne, H and I among all tested groups, with value of 4.2603, 0.7486 and 1.5855, respectively, demonstrating that the combination was the optimal method for constructing the mango core collection. The established core collection comprised 85 accessions, accounting for 19.72% of the original germplasm. The retention rate of Ne, I and H in the core collection reached 103.93%, 103.35% and 101.45%, respectively, indicating that although the core collection was much smaller in quantity than the original germplasm, it exhibited superior performance in genetic diversity-related indicators. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) showed that the distribution of the core collection uniformly covered the distribution range of the original germplasm in the principal coordinate space, suggesting that the core collection could comprehensively retain the genetic diversity characteristics of the original germplasm and had good representativeness.

To enhance the flower quantity and flowering quality of Phalaenopsis, this study investigated the regulatory effects of spraying 6-BA or multi-stem inducer before and after flower stalk emergence on the flowering traits and lateral branch development of different cultivars. The experiment employed one large-flowered cultivar and six small-flowered cultivars. Treatments included spraying 400 mg/L 6-BA or multi-stem inducer (200×dilution) before stalk emergence and 200 mg/L 6-BA after stalk emergence. Flowering indices such as stalk emergence time, double-stalk rate, multiple-stalk rate, stalk length, flower number, number of lateral branches on the stalk, and bud abortion count were measured. Spraying 6-BA or the multi-stem inducer before stalk emergence significantly promoted stalk emergence in small-flowered cultivars, increasing the double-stalk and multiple-stalk rates (e.g., the multiple-stalk rate of 'Jinbian linglong' reached 100%). However, it reduced the number of lateral branches on the stalk in some cultivars. The large-flowered cultivar 'Daliajiao' was insensitive to multi-stalk induction, with a double-stalk rate of only 3.3%, but its stalk emergence time was advanced by 20 days compared to the control after pre-emergence 6-BA treatment. Although spraying 6-BA after stalk emergence delayed flowering, it significantly increased the inflorescence length, flower number, number of lateral branches on the stalk, and the length of the longest lateral branch in small-flowered cultivars. It also induced varying degrees of bud abortion, with 'Jinbian kafei' being the most severely affected, showing a bud abortion rate as high as 59.2%. In conclusion, the effects of 6-BA on Phalaenopsis flowering exhibit significant cultivar differences and are dependent on the application timing. Treatment before stalk emergence is conducive to inducing multiple stalks in small-flowered cultivars and improving emergence uniformity, with the multi-stem inducer showing similar effects to 6-BA. Treatment after stalk emergence can optimize the inflorescence structure of small-flowered cultivars but requires attention to the risk of bud abortion. In production, the appropriate treatment timing should be selected based on cultivar characteristics and cultivation objectives.

Tomato ripening involves the coordinated regulation of key agronomic traits such as color transformation, texture softening, and flavor compound accumulation. Elucidating its molecular mechanisms is not only a central goal in postharvest biology but also crucial for improving fruit quality and achieving precise control of storage duration. In this study, the functions of SlBEL1, SlBEL2 and SlBEL11, members of the BEL family of transcription factors in tomato, were systematically investigated through multi-dimensional experiments. Phylogenetic and amino acid sequence alignment analyses revealed that SlBEL1, SlBEL2 and SlBEL11 possessed highly conserved protein domains, suggesting potential functional similarities. Spatiotemporal expression profiling showed that the genes were synchronously highly expressed during critical stages of fruit ripening, from the breaker to the full ripening stage. Using CRISPR-Cas9 technology, single-gene and triple-gene editing lines of SlBEL1, SlBEL2 and SlBEL11 were generated. The single-gene editing lines CR-SlBEL1, CR-SlBEL2 and CR-SlBEL11 all exhibited a delayed fruit ripening phenotype, while the triple editing line resulted in impaired reproductive development, failing to proceed to flowering and fruit setting. Furthermore, reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis revealed that SlBEL1/2/11 modulated the expression of multiple ripening-related genes in tomato. Collectively, the results demonstrate that SlBEL1/2/11 functioned redundantly to coordinately control the fruit ripening process. This study identified novel targets for the genetic improvement of tomato fruit ripening.

To address the issues of low added value in traditional pepper processing, poor fluidity of pepper oleoresin, and the incomplete extraction and emulsification techniques for freeze-dried green pepper oleoresin, this study used freeze-dried green pepper as raw material to prepare pepper oleoresin through ultrasonic-microwave assisted extraction. The volatile components were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (with cyclohexanone as the internal standard), and a mixed emulsi-system of Tween 80 and Span 80 was selected to investigate the effects of pH, ionic strength, and water content on the of the emulsion. The results showed that a total of 37 volatile compounds were detected in the pepper oleoresin, mainly monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, among which β-caryophyllene (210.83 mg/mL) had a relatively high content. The ideal value of the mixed emulsifier was approximately 11. Under the conditions of pH 8.0-9.0, without adding NaCl, and a water content of 95%, the emulsion had a lower particle size and stable physicochemical properties. This study optimized the extraction and emulsification process of freeze-dried green pepper oleoresin, providing technical support for its development and utilization as well as the upgrading of the pepper industry's deep processing.

Banana has high nutritional and economic value. However, banana is easy to decay after harvest, making preservation difficult. Banana quality is significantly affected by external conditions. Temperature is a key factor in regulating the post-harvest banana ripening quality. Zhongre No. 1 is a new variety resistant to Fusarium wilt with high yield and good quality, which is independently cultivated by our research group. However, its optimal storage temperature has not been clearly defined. Therefore, investigating the effect of different temperature on the post-harvest quality of Zhongre No. 1 is of great significance for the industrialization of the variety. In the study, freshly harvested Zhongre No. 1 banana was ripened at 14 ℃, 16 ℃, 18 ℃, 20 ℃, 22 ℃ and 25 ℃, respectively. Aimed at determining the optimal preservation temperature, the ripening characteristics and starch degradation dynamics were systematically observed, and indicators such as weight loss rate, peel color difference, ethylene release amount, firmness, and starch and sugar content were measured to analyze the effect of storage temperature on the quality indicators. The results showed that higher temperature led to faster fruit color change, weight loss, bunch separation, ethylene release, softening, and starch degradation. Different temperature had little effect on fructose and glucose content but significantly affected sucrose content, with the sucrose content in 22 ℃ and 25 ℃ being significantly higher than that at 14 ℃ and 18 ℃, among which 22 ℃ had the highest sucrose content and 14 ℃ had the lowest. Banana stored at 14 ℃ had the strongest storability, with stable color after turning yellow, making them suitable for long-term storage and transportation. Banana at 22 ℃ ripened quickly and had high sweetness but poor color. Banana at 18 ℃ ripened relatively quickly with golden and plump fruit color, making it more suitable for rapid shelf placement and sales. Banana at 25 ℃ failed to normally lose green color, was easy to bunch separation, and lost commercial value.

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera), a nutrient-rich crop of significant economic importance, serves as a staple food in many Arab countries and regions, offering considerable potential for further development and utilization. Its genetic resources play a crucial role in driving innovation and enhancing the competitiveness of the date palm industry, garnering increasing attention from the scientific community in recent years. While phased research progress has been achieved, overall studies remain in an exploratory stage. Currently, the global date palm industry faces severe challenges, including climate change, cultivar deterioration, loss of genetic diversity, and threats from pest and disease. Therefore, there is an urgent need to accelerate in-depth research on the preservation, identification, evaluation and innovative utilization of date palm germplasm resources to overcome bottlenecks in achieving simultaneous improvements in yield, stress resistance and quality. This paper systematically reviewed the current status of date palm germplasm resources, encompassing core areas such as resource collection and conservation technologies, identification and evaluation systems, and strategies for innovative utilization. It further examined existing bottlenecks and challenges, proposed targeted solutions, and outlined future directions for development. This study aims to provide theoretical support and strategic guidance for the efficient development and innovative utilization of date palm germplasm resources, thereby enhancing agricultural productivity and optimizing resource management.

Konjac (Amorphophallus spp.) is an important medicine and food economic crop in China, but its industrial development has long been threatened by soft rot disease, known as the konjac 'cancer'. Hainan is an emerging konjac producing area, but the current epidemiological pattern of konjac soft rot disease and pathogenic bacteria population structure is not clarified. The study was aimed to carry out soft rot disease investigation, pathogen isolation and identification, and to provide a scientific basis for the control of the disease. The survey of konjac soft rot disease in six cities and counties in Hainan showed that the highest incidence rate (46.01%) was found in the third team of Danzhou Experimental Farm, while that of Wenchang planting base is low (8.25%). Combining morphology, molecular biology (16S rDNA, proA, gapA and mdh multigene phylogenetic analysis) identifications and distribution information of pathogens, Dickeya fangzhongdai (88.64% of the total), Pectobacterium aroidearum (6.82%) and P. colocasium (4.54%), were the cause of the disease. Pathogenicity assay showed that D. fangzhongdai was high pathogenicity, and indoor screening showed that 0.3% tetramycin had the best inhibitory effect on D. fangzhongdai, with the lowest inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 1.825 μg/mL, followed by 80% ethacrynicin (MIC of 25 μg/mL) and 25% bromoxynil (MIC of 125 μg/mL). The dynamic changes of defence antioxidant enzymes and malondialdehyde in konjac in response to D. fangzhongdai infestation were determined by pot inoculation experiment. The results showed that the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) reached 182.57 U/g and 300.33 U/g, respectively, after 72 h of infestation, which was 2.27-fold and 7.03-fold higher than that of the control, while the activity of catalase (CAT) peaked at 24 h (1093.67 U/g) and decreased to 658.01 U/g in the later period (72 h). Malondialdehyde (MDA) content increased incrementally with infestation time and increased by 30.51% at 72 h compared to the control, and β-galactosidase (β-GAL) activity continued to rise [97 nmol/(min·g)] and increased by 36.86% compared to the control.