Tea plants (Camellia sinensis) is an essential economic crop in China with significant genetic diversity. Polyploidization, a key driver in species evolution, plays a crucial role in enhancing the economic traits of tea plants, providing new avenues for breeding improved varieties. This study aims to explore the ploidy differences between diploid and triploid tea plants by investigating the morphological, physiological, biochemical and metabolic traits. Utilizing flow cytometry, we identified the chromosome ploidy of 165 tea germplasm resources and discovered 11 new triploid tea plant varieties. The 11 triploid varieties, along with 12 diploid varieties, underwent a comparative study focusing on bud, leaf and anatomical characteristics. The results revealed significant differences between diploid and triploid tea plants in several traits, including phenological period, bud weight, leaf area, stomatal size and stomatal density. Triploid tea plants generally exhibited later budding, significantly higher bud weight, larger leaf areas, and larger stomatal dimensions, but lower stomatal density compared to diploid varieties. As the buds and leaves are vital for tea quality, the morphological and physiological differences can influence tea production and its overall quality. Furthermore, metabolomic analysis using UPLC-MS/MS technology was conducted on the triploid variety Xilianno. 1 and its maternal diploid Fuding Dabai (CK). A total of 1203 differential metabolites were detected, with 170 showing significant variation, of which 81 were upregulated and 89 were down regulated. The most abundant metabolites were flavonoids, followed by amino acids and their derivatives. The triploid variety displayed enhanced levels of metabolites associated with improved antioxidant activity and other health-related properties. The study would provide novel insights into the morphological, physiological and metabolic differences between diploid and triploid tea plants, offering valuable references for genetic assessment and breeding strategies. The findings also emphasize the significance of polyploidy in improving tea plant resilience, yield and quality, which is critical for the sustainable development of the tea industry.

Partial replacement of chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers is a key path for achieving zero growth in chemical fertilizers in tea gardens. Biochar, a new agricultural soil amendment, has positive effects in optimizing the soil microecological environment. Further understanding the effects of organic fertilizer substitution and biochar application on the soil aggregate stability and organic carbon accumulation in tea gardens, also the synergistic effects, can provide scientific basis for reducing fertilizer application, increasing efficiency, and carbon sequestration and emission reduction in tea gardens. Wet screening method was used to treat seven different fertilizers, namely no fertilization (CK), conventional fertilization (NPK), fertilizer and biochar application (biochar dosage 10 t/hm², NPK+BC10), 50% fertilizer+50% organic fertilizer (OM50), 50% fertilizer+50% organic fertilizer (OM50) combined with different amounts of biochar. The amount of biochar was 10 t/hm² (OM50+BC10), 20 t/hm² (OM50+BC20) and 40 t/hm² (OM50+BC40) for physical grading of soil aggregates. The distribution, structure and stability and the change of organic carbon content in different treated tea plantations were studied. Under the treatment of OM50+BC10, OM50+BC20 and OM50+BC40, the organic carbon reserves of aggregates increased to different degrees compared with the conventional fertilization control treatment. In contrast to the NPK and CK treatments, the replacement of 50% chemical fertilizer with different doses of biochar could significantly improve the organic carbon content of soil>2 mm and 0.25-2.00 mm granular aggregates. The increase rate was ranged from 23.96%-70.87% and 21.87%-49.27%, OM50+BC20 and OM50+BC40 had the most significant treatment effect. Geometric mean diameter (GWD) and mean mass diameter (MWD) in aggregate were in the order CK<NPK<NPK+BC10<OM50<OM50+BC10<OM50+BC20<OM50+BC40. The aggregate content and organic carbon content were the most significant in OM50+BC40 treatment. 50% organic fertilizer replacing 50% fertilizer, different amount of biomass carbon application could significantly increase tea garden soil aggregate, organic carbon content, promote tea garden soil aggregate stability and structure level. Organic fertilizer and biomass carbon is more conducive to improving the stability of soil aggregate and promoting the sequestration of organic carbon. OM50+BC20 and OM50+BC40 treatment showed significant results in improving the stability of soil organic carbon and soil aggregates in tea plantations. Without considering the cost effect, OM50+BC40 is a suitable fertilization scheme; otherwise, OM50+BC20 can be selected.

White-fruited pepper is a highly distinctive type of pepper in Zhejiang province. In order to determine the optimal nitrogen level for this variety, a facility cultivation experiment was conducted to analyze the effects of five different nitrogen treatments: 0 kg/hm², T₀; 150 kg/hm², T₁; 195 kg/hm², T₂; 240 kg/hm², T₃; 285 kg/hm², T₄, on the growth, development, quality and accumulation of nitrogen elements in white pepper plants. The results showed that the main stem height, plant height, canopy width, stem diameter, stem and leaf biomass and yield of peppers increased with the application of nitrogen. Notably, fruit width, single fruit weight and yield reached the maximum under the T₄ treatment, with increased of 36.27%, 76.30% and 32.16% respectively compared to the control, followed by T₃, while the T₃ treatment produced the longest fruits. Furthermore, the photosynthetic capacity of the pepper leaves improved with higher nitrogen application, with T₃ and T₄ treatments showing significantly better performance than the others. The quality of peppers was also influenced by nitrogen application. Nitrogen application also affected the quality of the pepper. The content of vitamin C and dihydrocapsaicin decreased with the increasing nitrogen levels, while the levels of capsaicin, total capsaicin and amino acids showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. Different nitrogen levels had a minor impact on nitrogen absorption in the roots, stems and fruits of peppers, but significantly affected nitrogen absorption in the leaves, with the T₂ treatment achieving the highest leaf nitrogen content. Through principal component analysis of the 10 indicators related to yield and quality, the optimal nitrogen application for white-fruited peppers is T₃ (240 kg/hm²).

Enhancing photosynthesis is the key to improving crop yield and quality. The interaction between agronomic traits, photosynthetic parameters, and variety yield and quality is not yet clear. In this study, 10 different mulberry varieties (Morus sp.) were taken as the research objects. Based on the morphological data such as leaf size, the number of leaves, the number of branches, etc., obtained through the statistics of our research group, the nutritional index data such as crude protein, and the measured photosynthetic parameters, we analyzed the correlations of specific parameters within each index through correlation analysis. And we utilized the structural equation model to analyze the influence mechanism and contribution potential of their agronomic traits, stomatal characteristics, and photosynthetic indexes on the yield and quality of mulberry leaves. There were significant differences in stomatal characteristics and photosynthetic indicators among different varieties, and Sha 2×Lun 109 exhibited good photosynthetic capacity and water use efficiency. There was a significant correlation between intercellular carbon dioxide concentration and leaf length, leaf width, and total calcium content. There was a strong positive correlation between stomatal length and width (r=0.833), and a positive correlation between crude protein content and leaf weight (r=0.660). The structural equation model indicated that the stomatal characteristics had a negative effect on leaf quality (R²=–0.75), while the intercellular carbon dioxide concentration had a negative effect on net photosynthetic rate (R²=-0.91). The intercellular carbon dioxide concentration and net photosynthetic rate directly affected leaf yield (R²=2.99 and 3.04, respectively), and leaf yield had a positive effect on leaf quality (R²=0.66). The research shows that mulberry varieties affect the net photosynthetic rate through stomatal characteristics and intercellular carbon dioxide concentration, which further affects the yield and quality of mulberry trees. Therefore, by regulating the parameters of mulberry stomata, the yield and quality of mulberry trees can be improved, which would provide a scientific basis for mulberry variety improvement and precision cultivation management, and has important practical significance.

In order to explore the effect of DNA methylation on drought hardening of different ploidy watermelon, mannitol was used to mimic drought stress in suspension cultured cells of different ploidy watermelon. The cell growth and resistance related physiological indexes were measured after stress, recovery and re-stress treatments. Meanwhile, the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-azacytidine (5-AzaC) was used to explore whether methylation is involved in resistance regulation. The results showed that 5-AzaC could retard the growth, inhibit the extracellular alkalization, increase the content of malondialdehyde, bring down the content proline and the activity of protective enzymes such as SOD in all types of cells. Moreover, it caused the membrane permeability raising in diploid and triploid cells. Above results suggest that 5-AzaC can aggravate the osmotic stress injury and reverse the effects of drought hardening partially. Principal component analysis revealed that malondialdehyde content, proline content, PAL, CAT and APX activity could be used as the main evaluation indexes for evaluation the effect of drought hardening. This study would provide clues for mining the physiological indexes for evaluate the effects of stress hardening and the mechanism of DNA methylation involved in watermelon resistance regulation.

Helopeltis theivora Waterhouse belongs to the genus Helopeltis of the family Miridae of the order Hemiptera, and is one of the most important sap-sucking pests in the tropical tea plantations in Hainan, China. The nymphs and adults of H. theivora mainly damage by piercing and sucking in the young tissues of tea shoots, which causes the black brown spots that necrosis on the leaf and results in the reduction of tea yield and quality. The research on the H. theivora in Hainan tea region is still rare. In this paper, we first investigated the external morphological characteristics of H. theivora, then, the growth and development characteristics such as egg hatching, nymph molting, and adult emergence, as well as the behavioral characteristics including feeding, mating and oviposition were recorded and analyzed, respectively. The results showed that the egg of H. theivora was in a sausage shape, with two respiratory processes on the egg operculum at different length. The color of the freshly laid egg was white. It was then gradually transformed to the orange and ultimately exhibited the orange-red as it approached incubation. The nymphal stage was divided into 5 instars, the color of the freshly hatched nymph was orange-red, and then gradually turned to pale green and green. The adult H. theivora possessed a small head, an elongated beak, and two black compound eyes. The antennae presented filamentous, and the length was twice more than the body. The color of adult H. theivora was brown or yellowish brown. The duration of incubation of H. theivora was (53.25±9.00)min. The hatchability was very low while the rate of egg- hatching was only 69.9% under the laboratory conditions. The moulting of nymphs and the emergence of adults happened mainly on the back of leaves, hanging upside down, and the duration was (6.20±0.97)min and (8.40±1.33)min, respectively. Particularly, as approached to the molting and eclosion, the feeding frequency became significantly less and the activity became weaker. The H. theivora preferred to sucking the saps of the young leaves and stems of tea shoots, and the feeding time was mainly concentrated in the evening. The mating behavior of adults H. theivora mainly happened between 9: 00 and 10: 00 and between 17: 00 and 18: 00, and the duration of each mating was (117.75±18.70) min. In addition, when a female decided to refuse a male’s request for courtship, it generally rolled her abdomen inwards. The stage of the fertilized egg of H. theivora was short. During the oviposition, the female arched itsr abdomen, its head was downward, and the whole body was in a curvedly arched state. The oviposition site was mainly in the epidermis of the tender stems, while a small part of eggs was laid in the petiole and leaf vein. The egg stage was 6-8 days. The results of this study would provide a theoretical basis for the further study on the morphological identification and behavioral ecology of H. theivora in Hainan tea region.

Citrus medica is an older cultivated varieties of the genus Citrus and the parent or ancestor of Citrus fruits with significant commercial value. Due to its nutritional and medicinal values, C. medica occupies an important position in the citrus industry. The southwestern part of China is an important center for the origin and diversity of C. medica, and its cultivation has reached a certain scale. Citrus Huanglongbing (HLB) has been spreading for hundreds of years in the major citrus-producing areas in China. C. medica infected with HLB and healthy C. medica were used as the materials. Firstly, the symptoms of the leaves and fruits of C. medica infected with HLB were observed. Secondly, the distribution pattern of HLB in different tissue parts of C. medica was explored. Meanwhile, the tissue anatomical structures and multiple physiological indicators of C. medica infected with HLB and healthy C. medica were analyzed and measured through comparison. Through comparative observation, it was found that the leaves of C. medica infected with HLB showed typical symptoms such as yellowing, mottling and mosaic, and some branches presented symptoms of witches broom and abnormal flowering, but no “red nose fruit” was observed. The distribution of HLB in different parts of the same C. medica was uneven, with the highest content in the fruit pith, followed by the midrib of the old leaves, and HLB was not detected in the fibrous roots. In C. medica infected with HLB, the cells in the phloem, xylem, parenchyma and root were arranged irregularly, the phloem tissue was deformed and collapsed, and the thickness of the phloem of the taproot was significantly decreased compared with that of the healthy C. medica at the same period (P<0.05). No obvious starch grain accumulation was observed in each tissue section of C. medica infected with HLB, but when the starch content was measured, it was found that the starch contents in the old leaves, new leaves, taproot, fibrous roots and fruit pith of C. medica infected with HLB were all higher than those of the corresponding healthy tissues. The hydrogen peroxide content in each tissue of the diseased C. medica increased significantly (P<0.5), especially significantly accumulated in the young tissues (new leaves, fibrous roots) infected with HLB. Compared with healthy C. medica, the callose deposition phenomenon in the tissues of C. medica infected with HLB, especially in the main root and the midrib of the old leaves, was more obvious. The research results of this study could provide a theoretical basis for the relevant studies on exploring the characteristics of damage caused by HLB and the defense mechanism of citrus against HLB in the future.

Natural rubber in the storage, transport process of rubber molecular chain on the aldehyde group condensaion reaction, results in the plasticity initial value, mooney viscosity and other indicators gradually increased, plasticity retention rate gradually decreased, making it more difficult to increase the plasticizing and mixing processes of natural rubber, and reduces the oxygen aging resistance of the rubber. It is necessary to prepare natural rubber with constant viscosity to reduce the condensation of aldehyde groups in the molecular chain of natural rubber. Alkylhydrazine (OP) solution was used to soak natural rubber by microbial coagulation to analyse the effects of OP solution concentration and wet film soaking time on the physical and chemical indexes, vulcanization characteristics, physical and mechanical properties of natural rubber, plasticity initial value, plasticity retention rate and mooney viscosity hardening value of natural rubber during storage. The results showed that plasticity initial value and mooney viscosity of natural raw rubber increased first and then decreased with the increase of the concentration of OP solution, but the plasticity retention rate was opposite. During the accelerated storage process, the plasticity initial value and mooney viscosity of natural raw rubber soaked in different concentrations of OP solution increased, while its plasticity retention rate decreased. With the increase of OP solution concentration, the hardening value of plasticity initial value, plasticity retention rate and mooney viscosity gradually decreased. With the concentration of OP solution ≥0.5%, the hardening value of plasticity initial value and mooney viscosity were ≤5. The effect of wet film soaking time on the physical and chemical indexes of natural raw rubber and the hardening values of the plasticity initial value, plasticity retention rate and mooney viscosity was not obvious. Compared with the control sample P₀, the natural rubbers (P₇, P₈, and P₉) soaked in 0.5% concentration of OP solution had slightly higher torque difference values ΔM of their blends, the tensile strength and tear strength of vulcanized rubber increased by 4.5%–14.2% and 3.0%–8.5%, respectively. In addition, the soaking time of wet film had a significant effect on the torque difference ΔM of the rubber and the tensile strength and tear strength of the vulcanized rubber. OP solution had a good constant viscosity effect on natural rubber. 0.5% concentration of OP solution soaked natural rubber had excellent physical and mechanical properties, and the production process was simple, not causing the waste of constant viscosity agent and the pollution of the production workshop, surrounding environment, easy to large-scale promotion and application.

The study on the ecological suitability regionalization for jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) is of great significance for guiding its cultivation layout and digging its development potential, via utilization of environmental resources efficiently in tropical and subtropical regions. Based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and GIS, this study constructed a suitability analysis model for jackfruit cultivation using four evaluation factors: temperature, precipitation, sunshine hours and soil index. The results of the regionalization are then validated in conjunction with previous research findings and the actual distribution of jackfruit, while further explore the spatial potential for jackfruit cultivation by integrating land use spatial data. The results indicate that the zones able to plant are primarily distributed in tropical and subtropical monsoon climate regions. The suitable zones for planting are mainly found in Hainan, southern Guangxi, southern Guangdong, parts of southern Yunnan and southern Fujian, where there is sufficient heat throughout the year, favorable wintering conditions, and a good combination of light, heat and water. Total plantable area for jackfruit in China is approximately 47.85×10⁴km², of which 22.71×10⁴km² is suitable for cultivating, comprising 8.89×10⁴km² of arable land and 182.05 km² of unused land. In comparison to previous research findings, this study expanded the amount of potentially viable arable land for jackfruit cultivation by about 58 times the existing cultivating area. Considering comprehensive land use, ecological environment, and policy support, jackfruit has a high potential for production in suitable and relatively suitable arable and unused land in China. Priority should be given to developing suitable planting areas in the southern regions of Guangxi and Yunnan. The study findings could provide scientific and analytic references for optimizing the regional layout and development planning of jackfruit cultivation in China.

Based on the data of rice growth period in Dongfang and Ledong, main producers for rice seed reproduction in Hainan, and the meteorological data from 1971 to 2020, the Penman-Monteith formula and crop coefficient method and the method recommended by the Soil Conservation Service of the United States Department of Agriculture were used to obtain the water requirement (ET_c), effective precipitation (P_e) and water deficit (D_w) of rice seed reproduction in field period and early, middle and late stage of field period. The change characteristics of water supply and demand of rice seed reproduction in the two regions were then analyzed. The 50-year average value of ET_c in field period of rice seed reproduction in Dongfang and Ledong was 400.2 mm and 322.3 mm, respectively, the mean value of P_e was 45.7 mm and 84.3 mm, respectively, and the mean value of D_w was 354.5 mm and 238.0 mm, respectively. The ET_c and D_w in field period of rice seed reproduction were mainly distributed in the middle and early stages, accounting for 72.4% to 85.2% of ET_c and D_w during the field period. The P_e in field period of rice seed reproduction was mainly distributed in the late and middle stages, accounting for 78.2% and 85.6% of P_e during the field period, respectively. In the past 50 years, the ET_c and D_w of rice seed reproduction in field period and all growth stages of field period in Dongfang showed an increasing trend (the increase in field period was significant), while the P_e showed a decreasing trend. The variation trend of ET_c, P_e and D_w of rice seed reproduction with time in Ledong was roughly opposite to that in Dongfang. In the past 50 years, the water shortage situation of rice seed reproduction in Dongfang was significantly worsening, while the water shortage situation in Ledong was easing to some extent but remained severe. Effective measures should be taken to mitigate the impact of climate change on the rice seed reproduction. In the past 50 years, the main reasons for the increase of ET_c and D_w during most growth stages of rice seed reproduction in Dongfang were the insignificant increase in high temperature and extremely significant increase in low temperature, or the insignificant increase in high temperature and sunshine hours. The main reasons for the decrease of ET_c and D_w during most growth stages of rice seed reproduction in Ledong were the insignificant decrease in sunshine hours, extremely significant decrease in average wind speed, or insignificant decrease in sunshine hours and insignificant increase in precipitation. The results of this study provide strong support for rational water use and scientific irrigation scheme for rice seed reproduction in Hainan province under the background of climate change.