Agriculture Communications最新文献

Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients for plants. However, the availability of nitrogen sources in the soil is often a limiting factor for growth. Some plants, such as legumes, can establish a nitrogen fixing nodule symbiosis with certain bacteria. This allows them to use nitrogen from the air to make ammonium that can be used for their growth. Since the discovery of the nitrogen fixing process at the end of the 19th century, there has been contemplation regarding the possibility of transferring the property of nitrogen fixing root nodule formation to crops that do not have this ability. Currently, our knowledge concerning its evolution and molecular mechanism that control nodulation has markedly increased. In this review, we summarized recent advances in these areas and discussed possibilities to engineer nodulation in crops.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has indicated that digital technology is key for improving the resilience of food systems. Smart models have been developed for agricultural water, fertilizer, medicine, and environmental regulations, in which data-driven quantity and precision are crucial. However, data acquisition methods based on manual observation cannot meet the requirements of large amount of real-time data. The development of machine vision provides a new method for online non-destructive monitoring. We discuss algorithm types and evaluation methods for machine vision applications based on RGB images considering their low cost and easy access. This paper reviews progress in the application field, covering the entire process from planting to postharvest, and the application of sensing and control equipment in agricultural practice. Finally, aiming at the problems such as lack of agricultural data set, poor model portability, and large model size, a new algorithm framework based on “data layer - model layer - deployment layer,” multi-parameter “environmental data - image data” and multi-method fusion of “mechanism model - machine vision” was proposed to provide a basis for low-cost nondestructive online crop monitoring.

In an effort to develop novel, less toxic, and effective controls for plant diseases, we aimed to identify derivatives of the natural product isomagnolone with antimicrobial activity. We established a facile method for the synthesis of isomagnolone and its isomer Ⅱ, and prepared a series of novel isomagnolone analogues bearing N-(1,3-thiazol-2-yl)amides Ⅲ1–30. The structures of Ⅲ1–30 were determined by IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and ESI-MS. Among them, compounds Ⅲ24 and Ⅲ26 exhibited potent antifungal activity against four fungi with EC₅₀ values substantially lower than that of the positive control, hymexazol. Additionally, the antibacterial results showed that Ⅲ20 and Ⅲ22 displayed more potent antibacterial activity against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) with EC₅₀ values of 12.6 and 10.3 ​μg/mL, respectively, approximately 2-fold lower than that of the positive control, thiodiazole copper (EC₅₀: 24.0 ​μg/mL). Structure-activity relationships suggested that the antifungal activity of title isomagnolone analogues was favored when the substituent (R) was pyridyl or the 2-chloro-3-pyridyl group. Mechanism of action studies revealed that Ⅲ22 could disrupt bacterial membranes, thus resulting in cell death. Furthermore, the potent compounds Ⅲ20, Ⅲ22, Ⅲ24, and Ⅲ26 showed low toxicity against the human hepatocyte cell line (LO2). Given these results, these isomagnolone analogues bearing N-(1,3-thiazol-2-yl)amides are promising antimicrobials against phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria for controlling plant diseases.

To address the challenge of disposing vegetable waste in greenhouses while mitigating white pollution associated with the use of conventional polyethylene film, we compared polyethylene (PE) film with two types of fully biodegradable film in both straw-return and no-straw-return treatments. We systematically investigated the effects of mulching on soil properties, film degradation, and tomato quality and yield. The results showed that the humic acid biodegradable film with straw-return (FZS-SR) increased the contents of lycopene, vitamin C (Vc), and soluble sugars in tomato fruit by 20.77%, 16.68%, and 25.89%, respectively, and decreased the total acid content by 8.46% compared to polyethylene film with no-straw-return (PE-NR). Additionally, FZS-SR enhanced the relative abundance of soil bacteria and fungi in Chloroflexi and Basidiomycota, while reducing the relative abundance of pathogenic fungal groups. Moreover, the biodegradable film degraded 15 days earlier in the straw-return treatment, with significantly higher characteristic peaks in Fourier transform infrared spectral analysis compared to no straw-return treatment. In a greenhouse, the straw-return model accelerated the degradation rate of biodegradable film. In summary, our results indicate that using humic acid biodegradable film with straw-return is an effective and sustainable cultivation method, improving tomato quality and yield. This approach offers insights for addressing residual plant and film pollution in vegetable production.

The pervasive use of antibiotics in agriculture and animal husbandry has raised a significant concern—residual antibiotic contamination in food, which contributes to the natural evolution of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic microbial strains. The emergence of antibiotic resistance in microbial communities poses a global threat to food safety and security. Recently, the situation has been exacerbated by the discovery of novel strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) in plant- and animal-derived foods. These microbes can enter the human body through direct contact with affected animals or through consumption of contaminated foods. In this review, we explore the prevalence of antibiotic contaminants in food at various locations around the world, delve into the molecular mechanisms behind acquisition of antimicrobial resistance, examine the current strategies employed to mitigate the evolution and spread of antibiotic resistant pathogens, and discuss emerging technologies aimed at halting the trend that projects 10 million annual deaths by 2050 as a result of ARB contamination in agriculture. Genetic processes, including mutations, efflux pump activity, and horizontal gene transfer, play crucial roles in the evolution and widespread distribution of ARB in the microbial community. Effectively addressing this global threat requires development of methodologies to rapidly detect ARB in the food supply chain. Therefore, we examine several established rapid diagnostic techniques such as the Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS) methodology, aptasensors, and fluorescence-based Metal Organic Frameworks. Additionally, we explore innovative strategies to fight ARB such as nano-antibiotics, natural antibiotics, synthetic biology, bacteriophages, and predator bacteria. Here, we propose emerging technologies such as omics technologies and biochar use as potential tools for combating ARB. We anticipate that this review article will serve as a valuable resource for future research, particularly in the development of strategies designed not only to suppress the activities of antibiotic resistance genes but also to potentially reverse resistance mechanisms that are already widespread in microbial communities.

Here, we unravel the transcriptional mechanisms that govern porcine muscle myogenesis, a crucial aspect of pork production. Through single cell RNA-sequencing of longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle from 3-day-old piglets, we delineated 5 major cell types from 14,002 cells—muscle cells, fibro-adipogenic progenitors, mural cells, endothelial cells, and immune cells. Within the muscle cell clusters, we specifically identified muscle satellite cells and myoblasts, with 5,388 differentially expressed genes distinguishing the cell populations. Furthermore, our investigation led to the identification of novel cell surface markers for porcine muscle satellite cells, namely ITGA7, SDC2, and SDC4. In addition, we found 55 transcription factors, including AHCTF1, CEBPD, and MAX, which contribute to the regulation of muscle development. Through predictive receptor–ligand analysis, we uncovered 16 secretory factors with associated cellular communication channels influencing porcine skeletal muscle development. Notably, we identified the secretory factor ANGPTL4 as an inhibitor of porcine muscle satellite cell proliferation and differentiation, and confirmed its function through the in vitro treatment of cell lines. We propose that ANGTPL4 is a potential target for the treatment of myopathy. Taken together, our findings contribute to the identification and characterization of myogenic genes and regulatory networks, which enhances our understanding of porcine muscle satellite cell myogenesis and offers potential avenues for optimizing pork production.

Postharvest diseases in lily plants are prevalent during storage and transportation, leading to potentially catastrophic economic losses for the lily industry. Specifically, bulb rot has been observed in Lanzhou lily (Lilium davidii var. unicolor) during cold storage in Beijing, China. In this study, fungal isolates were obtained from decayed bulbs using a conventional fungal separation method, and these isolates were confirmed to be the causative agent of lily bulb rot, according to Koch postulates. A representative isolate, LZ-3-10, was selected for further identification. Based on morphological features and internal transcribed spacer sequencing results, the LZ-3-10 isolate was identified as Rhizopus arrhizus. Subsequently, an endophytic bacterial strain exhibiting robust antagonistic ability, Bacillus siamensis B55, was screened from the roots of lily plants. Evaluation of its biocontrol ability revealed that strain B55 could effectively protect L. davidii var. unicolor bulbs from infection by LZ-3-10, demonstrating a biocontrol efficacy of 51.2 ​% and significantly reducing the severity of lily Rhizopus rot. In summary, this study identifies R. arrhizus as the cause of postharvest bulb rot in L. davidii var. unicolor and, for the first time, showcases the biocontrol activity of the endophytic bacterial strain B. siamensis B55 against the isolated pathogenic fungus. These findings not only provide insights into lily bulb rot but also highlight the potential of B. siamensis B55 as a biocontrol agent for managing this disease during postharvest storage.

A novel lignin-based humic acid liquid fertilizer (LHF) was prepared by supplementing traditional humic acid fertilizer with lignin. The impact of LHF treatments in two distinct red soils was assessed through examination of soil nutrient content, enzyme activity, microbial abundance, and banana biomass. Compared to the conventional composite liquid fertilizer (CF) treatment, LHF treatment improved soil nutrients, including ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, and organic matter. These improvements correlated with shifts in enzymatic activities and increases in microbial populations. The LHF treatments significantly promoted nutrient uptake in banana seedlings, and consequently, accelerated growth. This system allowed for precise determination of correlations between soil physicochemical properties and soil microorganisms, increasing our fundamental understanding of the impact of soil fertilization on microbial communities. The integration of lignin into liquid fertilizers represents a step forward in the research and development of high-efficiency fertilizers. Through the improvement of soil fertility and nutrient uptake, lignin application has the potential to significantly contribute to the advancement of sustainable agriculture.