Industrial Crops and Products最新文献

{"title":"Corrigendum to “Trichoderma crassum secrets N, N′-diacetylchitobiose and indole-3-acetic acid to enhance the fibrous root formation in P. heterophylla”[Ind. Crop. Prod. 231 (2025) 121227]","authors":"Lingling Wang, Yanping Gao, Lang Qin, Jiayue Ran, Zan Li, Xianyan Xie, Yangjun Tan, Tao Zhou, Qing-Song Yuan","doi":"10.1016/j.indcrop.2025.122210","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2025.122210","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":13581,"journal":{"name":"Industrial Crops and Products","volume":"56 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146556","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Deep eutectic solvent–driven extraction of bioactive compounds from Artemisia rupestris L.: Enhancing nematicidal activity and tomato plant growth","authors":"Xue-mei Wang ,&nbsp;Hui-dan Shi ,&nbsp;Ting-ting Liu ,&nbsp;Jia-jia Li ,&nbsp;Hai-bo Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.indcrop.2026.122864","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indcrop.2026.122864","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Root-knot nematodes (<em>Meloidogyne incognita</em>) pose a serious threat to global agriculture, necessitating eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic nematicides. This study explores the innovative use of deep eutectic solvents (DES) to extract bioactive compounds from <em>Artemisia rupestris</em>, offering a sustainable approach to nematode management. Six choline chloride (ChCl)-based DES systems were evaluated, revealing extraction efficiency dependent on the hydrogen-bond donor. ChCl–1,4-butanediol (But) yielded the highest thiophene content (143.65 μg/g), which was 2.9 fold greater than that obtained with ethanol. ChCl–urea (U) and ChCl–citric acid (CA) achieved the highest extraction efficiency for phenolics (267.78 mg/g) and flavonoids (175.32 mg/g), respectively. In vitro assays demonstrated that ChCl–But extracts showed the highest nematode mortality at 86.50 %. Thiophene content showed a strong correlation with bioactivity (r = 0.925), identifying it as the principal bioactive driver. Pot trials confirmed a dose-dependent efficacy, with ChCl–But extracts reducing root galling by 79.59 % and nematode populations by 81.65 %. Moreover, the extracts considerably enhanced tomato plant growth, outperforming the commercial nematicide abamectin. Field trials demonstrated that ChCl–But extracts reduced root galling by 68.37 % and second-stage juvenile nematode densities by 66.30 % while increasing tomato shoot biomass by 59.53 %. Five thiophene derivatives were isolated, exhibiting potent nematicidal activity, with xanthopappin A (compound <strong>3</strong>) showing 4.8 fold greater efficacy (LD₅₀ = 2.00 mg/L) than abamectin. This study highlights DES as a sustainable platform for valorizing underutilized plant resources, integrating efficient extraction of bioactive thiophenes with the dual benefits of nematode suppression and crop growth promotion. The findings offer scalable solution for sustainable agriculture, addressing environmental and resistance challenges in nematode management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13581,"journal":{"name":"Industrial Crops and Products","volume":"241 ","pages":"Article 122864"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146548","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Promotion of growth and secondary metabolism in Cyclocarya paliurus by Bacillus velezensis FZB42: Insights from rhizosphere nutrient, hormones and microbiome","authors":"Quan Lin ,&nbsp;Jing Wang ,&nbsp;Zhenbiao Fu ,&nbsp;Shuntao Zhou ,&nbsp;Shengzuo Fang ,&nbsp;Zhikang Wang ,&nbsp;Xiangxiang Fu","doi":"10.1016/j.indcrop.2026.122846","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indcrop.2026.122846","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Cyclocarya paliurus</em> (Batal.) Iljinskaja is a prominent medicinal plant for edible and pharmaceuticals, yet its practical application is highly constrained due to the limited production of secondary metabolites in the leaves and the growth-secondary metabolism trade-off. Inoculation with soil beneficial microorganisms is a sustainable strategy to stimulate the production of secondary metabolites and balance such trade-off. The pot experiment and field trials were assigned to investigate how <em>Bacillus velezensis</em> FZB42 affects the growth and production of secondary metabolites in <em>C. paliurus</em> by integrated underground profiles (native microbial community, nutrient availability, and hormone levels in the rhizosphere) and aboveground responses (nutrient acquisition, biomass, photosynthesis, and secondary metabolites in plants). The results from pot experiment presented the improvements not only in the plant biomass but also in secondary metabolites driven by FZB42. The field trials further preliminary substantiated the effects of inoculant on the growth-promotion and secondary-metabolism-enhancement. Based on potted plants, significant increments in root and leaf biomass of the inoculated plants were 1.75 and 1.52 times of the control, while the contents of flavonoids and triterpenoids reached 10.89 mg g⁻¹ and 43.66 mg g⁻¹, respectively, apparently higher than 7.90 mg g⁻¹ and 35.91 mg g⁻¹ in the control. Inoculation enhanced soil nutrient availability through increased extracellular enzyme activities, resulting in 190 % and 62.98 % increases in available nitrogen and phosphorus, respectively. Moreover, FZB42 application enriched specific native bacterial taxa (e.g., <em>Gammaproteobacteria</em>) and reshaped rhizosphere hormone profiles, including indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), salicylic acid (SA), and jasmonates (JA). Structural equation modeling further demonstrated that alterations in rhizosphere hormone levels mediated by specific native bacterial taxa exerted significant effects on plant secondary metabolism. These findings offer insights into the regulations of FZB42 on growth–metabolism trade-off in medicinal plants, and its potential application as a bio-inoculant in plantations of <em>C. paliurus</em> for medicinal use.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13581,"journal":{"name":"Industrial Crops and Products","volume":"241 ","pages":"Article 122846"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146701","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer for zearalenone in Coix: In-silico design and matrix-matched UPLC–MS/MS","authors":"Yinghong Ma, Juan Lu, Xin Liu, Zheng Hu, Xiangsheng Zhao, Dandan Kong, Zhonghao Sun, Weiheng Kong, Tianyu Wang, Zhaocui Sun, Guoxu Ma, Xudong Xu, Meihua Yang, Ting Shen, Haifeng Wu, Qiongyu Zou, Haitao Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.indcrop.2026.122859","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2026.122859","url":null,"abstract":"Zearalenone (ZEN), a Fusarium-derived estrogenic mycotoxin, frequently contaminates Coix seeds and other grains, posing a food-safety and quality-control challenge because of the complex matrix and trace-level residue limits. Here, we developed a simulation-guided magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer (MMIP) for the rapid and selective enrichment of ZEN prior to LC–MS/MS determination. A pharmacophore model, DFT calculations, and molecular dynamics simulations were combined to identify cyclohexyl-1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (CDHB) as a suitable dummy template and to optimize a dual-monomer formulation (Boc-AG/MAA, ZEN: Boc-AG: MAA = 1:1:3) to strengthen complementary interactions. The resulting MMIP exhibited fast uptake (equilibrium reached in approximately 5 min), high selectivity (imprinting factor = 12.76), and a maximum adsorption capacity of 28.40 mg/g, as determined by Langmuir fitting of the equilibrium isotherms. The adsorbent also showed good reusability (≥10 adsorption–desorption cycles) with single-step desorption &gt; 90 %. When coupled with matrix-matched LC–MS/MS, the method achieved a limit of quantification of 3.70 μg/kg and recoveries of 86.8–112.9 % for spiked Coix samples. This work demonstrates that integrating molecular simulation with magnetic imprinting enables an efficient, reusable cleanup strategy for trace ZEN monitoring in complex grain-based matrices.","PeriodicalId":13581,"journal":{"name":"Industrial Crops and Products","volume":"45 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146138638","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Deciphering anti-asthmatic components in loquat leaves (Eriobotrya japonica folium) by integrating network pharmacology, Mendelian randomization, and machine learning methods","authors":"Shiwei Ma ,&nbsp;Lixin Chen ,&nbsp;Shuhong Wu ,&nbsp;Guofeng Wu ,&nbsp;Yajing Zheng ,&nbsp;Wanyi Liu ,&nbsp;Peiting Hu ,&nbsp;Li Zhang ,&nbsp;Guanpeng Huang ,&nbsp;Samuel Tareke Woldegiorgis ,&nbsp;Wei Liu ,&nbsp;Lina Zhang ,&nbsp;Yufang Ai ,&nbsp;Jincheng Wu ,&nbsp;Huaqin He","doi":"10.1016/j.indcrop.2026.122835","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indcrop.2026.122835","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Eriobotrya japonica folium</em>, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) derived from the dried loquat leaves, has been widely used for treating respiratory diseases. With the deterioration of global environment, the prevalence of asthma continues to rise worldwide. Loquat leaf acts on respiratory diseases at multiple levels, offering advantages for asthma management. However, the active constituents in loquat leaf for asthma treatment and the pharmacological mechanisms is unclear. Network pharmacology approach was applied to systematically elucidate the pharmacological mechanisms of loquat leaf active components against asthma. Based on comprehensive evaluation of structural features, number of potential targets, and network proximity Z-scores, 57 candidate anti-asthmatic compounds were screened from the extraction of loquat leaf. After that, 33 targeted genes by loquat leaf active components were identified using a dual-diffusion network algorithm, and enrichment analysis revealed their involvement in inflammatory response, immune regulation, and airway remodeling. The causal effects between critical targeted genes by loquat leaf active components and asthma were validated via Mendelian randomization. GSK3B and AKT1 elevated asthma risk, while MAPK3 and SRC conferred protection. Furthermore, the machine learning models based on targeted gene expression showed strong predictive performance for asthma classification. AKT1 and SRC exhibited high importance scores and significant differential expression between asthma patients and healthy controls. Finally, molecular docking showed 10 key components formed stable complexes with 8 asthma-related gene products. Quercetin, rutin, isorhamnetin, and EGCG in loquat leaf bound specifically to AKT1, GSK3B, MAPK3, and SRC, respectively. Totally, this study revealed the anti-asthmatic mechanisms of loquat leaf and offered a new perspective for investigating TCM complexity and synergy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13581,"journal":{"name":"Industrial Crops and Products","volume":"241 ","pages":"Article 122835"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146551","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lipidomic profiles reveal the membrane lipid phase transition pattern in chilling-shocked cotton seedlings","authors":"Li Yu ,&nbsp;Xuan Long ,&nbsp;Yubing Chen ,&nbsp;Yue Shi ,&nbsp;Zixuan Zhuge ,&nbsp;Ke Nie ,&nbsp;Ting Zhao ,&nbsp;Zhihong Zheng ,&nbsp;Nijiang Ai ,&nbsp;Shiwei Geng ,&nbsp;Luyao Wang ,&nbsp;Xueying Guan","doi":"10.1016/j.indcrop.2026.122789","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indcrop.2026.122789","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cotton (<em>Gossypium spp</em>), originating from tropical and subtropical regions, is an important natural fiber crop and is currently cultivated across a wide range of latitudes. With the intensification of global climate change, cotton seedlings frequently suffer extreme low-temperature events in spring, often accompanied by delayed cold damage phenotypes. When exposed to chilling stress, membrane lipid phase transition is the fundamental causes of plant chilling damage. Through time-series relative electrolyte leakage (REL), subcellular ultrastructure, and lipidomic analysis, we find that at 6-hour time point under 4°C treatment, the membrane permeability of cotton leaves already undergoes significant changes, with key cell membrane components sphingolipids and phospholipids exhibiting opposite alteration patterns. Lipidomic analysis of chilling-tolerant seedlings generated by <em>GIGANTEA</em> (<em>GI</em>) silencing revealed dynamic changes in lipid profiles, particularly in medium- to long-chain free fatty acids (FFAs) and triacylglycerols (TGs). Notably, Arachidonic Acid (FFA, 20:4) exhibited a distinctive accumulation in chilling-shocked <em>GI</em>-silenced plants, suggesting its potential functional role in enhancing chilling tolerance. Understanding membrane lipid phase transitions and related lipid dynamics facilitates the selection of chilling-tolerant cotton varieties, which is beneficial for improving chilling tolerance and yield stability during the cotton seedling stage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13581,"journal":{"name":"Industrial Crops and Products","volume":"241 ","pages":"Article 122789"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146553","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Formaldehyde-free binder of natural rubber latex and lignin for sugarcane bagasse fiber composite plates","authors":"Juliana M. Silva ,&nbsp;Everton A. Rodrigues ,&nbsp;Pedro I.C. Claro ,&nbsp;Vitor Lima ,&nbsp;Marcos V. Lorevice ,&nbsp;Rubia F. Gouveia","doi":"10.1016/j.indcrop.2026.122807","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indcrop.2026.122807","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rising demand for sustainable alternatives to conventional formaldehyde-containing binders has accelerated the development of renewable adhesives for environmentally friendly wood-inspired composites (WIC). Addressing a gap in the study of elastomeric matrices, this work introduces a novel WIC utilizing sugarcane bagasse fibers (SBF) bonded by an innovative bio-based adhesive (ADV) composed of natural rubber latex (NR) and alkali lignin. The WIC materials were fabricated via a straightforward hot-pressing process. Critically, the ADV binder was the key innovation, yielding composites with up to 60 % higher performance compared to formulations using only NR. Furthermore, varying the SBF content enabled significant modulation of the material properties, achieving a Young’s modulus of 5–35 MPa, yield strength of 0.25–1.25 MPa, and hardness of 30–90 IRHD. Abrasion resistance was also enhanced by nearly 40 %. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that lignin in the ADV improved the wettability and mechanical anchoring of the SBF within the matrix. Complementary X-ray microtomography further demonstrated a reduction in porosity in the ADV-WIC, while dynamic mechanical analysis suggested improved interfacial compatibility due to lignin incorporation in ADV. These results demonstrate a tunable, high-performance, and formaldehyde-free WIC material with strong potential for structural and coating applications as a green alternative to conventional wood-based products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13581,"journal":{"name":"Industrial Crops and Products","volume":"241 ","pages":"Article 122807"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146702","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Production of antibacterial bacterial cellulose through co-fermentation using Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Pediococcus pentosaceus enhanced rice soaking wastewater","authors":"Jianfen Zhang, Feng Peng, Hong Chen, Guangfa Xie","doi":"10.1016/j.indcrop.2026.122843","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2026.122843","url":null,"abstract":"Bacterial cellulose (BC) exhibits a range of exceptional properties, including outstanding purity, superior tensile strength, rapid moisture recovery rate, and excellent biocompatibility, giving it broad application potential. The bioconversion of industrial wastewater into BC is crucial for promoting sustainable economic development. In this study, rice soaking wastewater (RSW) of Chinese rice wine (Huangjiu) was utilized for BC production, leveraging the co-fermentation of <ce:italic>Novacetimonas hansenii</ce:italic> S-08 and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) present in RSW. By using LAB-enhanced RSW from the initial Huangjiu production stage, we produced BC with both enhanced yield and inherent antibacterial properties. Soaking with <ce:italic>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</ce:italic> RL-7 and <ce:italic>Pediococcus pentosaceus</ce:italic> RL-10 rapidly established a LAB dominated community, accelerated acid production, and shortened the soaking time. Co-cultivating <ce:italic>N. hansenii</ce:italic> S-08 with the indigenous strains <ce:italic>L. plantarum</ce:italic> RL-7 or <ce:italic>P. pentosaceus</ce:italic> RL-10 at a 1:4 ratio in RSW medium significantly enhanced BC yield. Under optimized conditions (30°C, 4–5 days, 4 % HFCS), this co-fermentation strategy produced dry BC yields of 13.02 ± 0.23 g/L and 14.11 ± 0.27 g/L, respectively, and established a stable microbial consortium dominated by these strains. Co-fermentation not only increased BC production but also modified its physical structure, resulting in finer fibrils and stronger antibacterial activity. BC produced from co-fermentation exhibited strong inhibitory effects against <ce:italic>Staphylococcus aureus</ce:italic>. These findings provide valuable insights for the resource utilization of wastewater in Huangjiu production enterprise and the development of broad-spectrum antibacterial materials.","PeriodicalId":13581,"journal":{"name":"Industrial Crops and Products","volume":"89 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146700","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Life cycle sustainability assessment of lysine products in China: Integrating environmental and economic perspectives","authors":"Jiaying Ding, Xiuyu Hu, Jin Wang, Zian Zhou, Liming Dong","doi":"10.1016/j.indcrop.2026.122829","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2026.122829","url":null,"abstract":"Lysine is a crucial human nutrient and animal feed additive. Despite China being the world's largest producer and exporter, there is a notable lack of comprehensive evaluation regarding the life cycle environmental impact and economic benefits of its various lysine salt products.","PeriodicalId":13581,"journal":{"name":"Industrial Crops and Products","volume":"242 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146552","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identification of key O-methyltransferases involved in phytoalexin scoparone biosynthesis in Euphorbia lathyris","authors":"Long Huang ,&nbsp;Hui Deng ,&nbsp;Pirui Li ,&nbsp;Mei Tian ,&nbsp;Shu Xu ,&nbsp;Ake Liu ,&nbsp;Guyin Lin ,&nbsp;Guodong Zhang ,&nbsp;Xu Feng ,&nbsp;Yu Chen ,&nbsp;Wanli Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.indcrop.2026.122852","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indcrop.2026.122852","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Euphorbia lathyris</em>, a medicinal and bioenergy plant, suffers significant post-harvest losses due to fruit decay, which reduces biomass yield. Scoparone, a coumarin-type phytoalexin, is widely recognized as an indicator of increased resistance to post-harvest decay in plants. Scoparone acts as both a phytoalexin and a therapeutic compound for liver disorders. However, the <em>O</em>-methyltransferase from the <em>E. lathyris (ElCOMT</em>) gene family, key enzymes responsible for catalyzing the final methylation step in scoparone formation, remain poorly characterized. In this study, 34 <em>ElCOMT</em> genes were identified and classified into two groups: Type I and Type II. Chromosomal localization analysis revealed a non-uniform distribution of <em>ElCOMTs</em> across the <em>E. lathyris</em> genome. Tissue-specific expression profiling and metabolomic analysis in <em>E. lathyris</em> indicated that <em>ElCOMT33</em> and <em>ElCOMT34</em> are potentially involved in scoparone biosynthesis. <em>In vitro</em> enzyme activity assays demonstrated that ElCOMT33 functions as a multifunctional enzyme capable of catalyzing two successive <em>O</em>-methylation reactions, converting esculetin to scoparone <em>via</em> scopoletin as an intermediate. ElCOMT34 exhibits a more limited substrate specificity, mediating only the <em>O</em>-methylation of esculetin to yield isoscopoletin. Furthermore, ElCOMT33 demonstrated broad catalytic activity, effectively methylating coumarins, phenylpropanes, and flavonoids. Transgenic assays confirmed that overexpression of <em>ElCOMT33</em> and <em>ElCOMT34</em> increased scopoletin and isoscopoletin biosynthesis in <em>E. lathyris</em> hairy roots (<em>in vivo</em>), respectively. This study systematically characterized the <em>OMT</em> gene family in <em>E. lathyris</em> and revealed multiple <em>O</em>-methylation steps involved in the biosynthesis of the phytoalexin scoparone. The findings provided a solid theoretical framework for further research on increasing endogenous phytoalexin biosynthesis for breeding disease-resistant plants and reducing post-harvest loss.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13581,"journal":{"name":"Industrial Crops and Products","volume":"241 ","pages":"Article 122852"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146549","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}