Plant Science最新文献

Drought stress is among the most critical threats to global food security, and its complex impact on plant physiology often exceeds the reach of traditional breeding approaches. Metabolomics has emerged as a transformative tool for dissecting drought responses, enabling dynamic, systems-level characterization of primary and secondary metabolites that mediate osmotic balance, redox homeostasis, and stress memory. Unlike earlier reviews that mainly catalog stress-associated metabolites, this article emphasizes the integration of metabolomics with cutting-edge technologies, CRISPR-based genome editing, pathway engineering, synthetic biology, and artificial intelligence, to establish a translational framework for engineering drought-resilient crops. Recent advances in analytical platforms, bioinformatics pipelines, and crop-specific case studies are critically examined to demonstrate how metabolomic signatures can be converted into predictive biomarkers and incorporated into breeding pipelines. In addition, emerging frontiers such as single-cell and spatial metabolomics, ecological metabolomics, and AI-driven predictive modeling are highlighted as powerful directions for connecting laboratory discoveries with field-scale applications. By synthesizing technological and biological advances, this review outlines how metabolomics can evolve from a diagnostic tool into a predictive and prescriptive platform, positioning it as a cornerstone of climate-smart agriculture and next-generation crop improvement.

J. sigillata produces abundant flavonols such as rutin and myricetin in pellicle, which provide various benefits to human health. However, the transcriptional regulation of flavonols biosynthesis in pellicle of J. sigillata remains unclear. Our study showed that the JsMYB170 is a transcriptional activator involved in the biosynthesis of flavonols in J. sigillata. In the pellicle of J. sigillata, the transient silencing of the JsMYB170 gene can significantly reduce its expression level, as well as the expression of JsFLS1/5 and the accumulation of flavonols such as rutin, myricetin, quercetin and kaempferol. In contrast, the transient over-expression of JsMYB170 can significantly increase the content of flavonols in the pellicle. Similarly, qRT-PCR detection in mature fruits of JsMYB170 over-expressing transgenic T₃ generation tomato showed that, the expression levels of JsMYB170 and SlFLS also significantly increased. At the same time, HPLC analysis showed that the content of flavonols also significantly increased. Through DAP-seq, 25 downstream target genes of JsMYB170 were screened out. The dual luciferase assay conducted on tobacco leaves and the subsequent yeast one-hybrid assay both indicated that JsMYB170 can positively regulate the transcriptional expression of JsFLS1/5 by binding to the AC element of the promoter. As a key enzyme gene for flavonol synthesis, the same transient expression of JsFLS1/5 also showed that JsFLS1/5 could positively regulate the accumulation of flavonols in pellicle of walnut. These research results provide new insights into the molecular regulatory pathways of functional substance flavonols accumulation on walnut pellicle.

Root-associated beneficial microbes can enhance plant resistance at the systemic level without triggering constitutive defense activation, yet how such durable and low-cost immune states are established remains poorly understood. Plant-Trichoderma spp. mutualism represents a well-characterized model of beneficial plant-microbe interactions in which induced resistance is maintained despite the absence of sustained transcriptional defense outputs. Accumulating evidence implicates small RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), as central regulators of immune priming during Trichoderma-plant interactions. Such RNA-mediated processes shape defense responsiveness, hormonal sensitivity, and chromatin-associated regulation. In parallel, epigenetic modifications have been linked to the persistence and reversibility of primed immune states. However, these regulatory layers are often examined separately, limiting mechanistic understanding of how immune states are both stabilized and flexibly reprogrammed. In this conceptual review, we synthesize recent advances to examine Trichoderma-induced systemic immunity through an integrated RNA-epigenetic perspective. By viewing RNA-mediated regulation and epigenetic modification as components of a functional continuum, we illustrate how immune priorities defined by small RNAs can be consolidated into chromatin states that preserve inducibility without imposing constitutive costs. This framework provides a coherent explanation for how Trichoderma-induced immunity is organized across molecular layers in plants.

Low temperature during the reproductive stage, particularly late-spring cold events, severely threatens wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield. This study explored how exogenous glucose promotes the source-flow-sink balance under low temperature by assessing its effects on sucrose metabolism, carbohydrate partitioning, vascular development, and yield components in wild-type (WT) and chlorophyll b-deficient mutant (ANK 32B) plants. Low temperature inhibited the activities of sucrose metabolism enzymes (soluble acid invertase, neutral invertase, sucrose phosphate synthase, and sucrose synthase) in spikes, while inducing abnormal activation in leaves and uppermost internodes. This disturbance caused carbohydrate retention in non-spike organs and severe depletion in spikes, markedly reducing starch, glucose, fructose, and sucrose in the basal and apical spikelets. Consequently, spike development was impaired, grain number and weight decreased, and main-stem yield declined by 60.66%, 31.05%, and 52.63% in the basal, central, and apical spikelets. Micro-CT analysis revealed that cold stress also restricted rachis vascular bundle formation, particularly the bundles delivering assimilates to basal spikelets. The assimilate-limited ANK 32B mutant exhibited compounded sensitivity to low temperature. Exogenous glucose provided sufficient assimilates, stabilized the "source" by mitigating the sucrose metabolism enzyme disturbance, ensured the "flow" by maintaining vascular development, and strengthened the "sink" by increasing carbohydrate accumulation and dry matter in spikes. This coordinated regulation ultimately optimized source-flow-sink system, alleviating cold-induced yield loss by 4.54%, 0.32%, and 6.75% in the basal, central, and apical spikelets, respectively.

Plant height is a key agronomic trait in soybean that is closely associated with yield potential. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms underlying its regulation remain largely elusive. In this study, we employed a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population comprising 271 lines evaluated across six environments to dissect the genetic architecture of plant height. A total of eleven quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with plant height were identified, including four novel loci (qPH5-1, qPH6-1, qPH6-2, and qPH17-1). Among these, four stable major QTLs (qPH2-1, qPH10-1, qPH18-1, and qPH19-2) were consistently detected across multiple environments, each explaining more than 10% of the phenotypic variance. Resequencing analysis of the parental lines suggested that E1, E2, Dt2, and E3 represent candidate genes underlying qPH6-3, qPH10-1, qPH18-1, and qPH19-2, respectively. Notably, Glyma.02G057500 (GmDWF4.2), a soybean ortholog of Arabidopsis AtDWF4, was mapped within the qPH2-1 interval and exhibited exon polymorphisms between the two parental lines, Jidou17 and Suinong14. Functional assays demonstrated that both GmDWF4.2_JD17 and GmDWF4.2_SN14 partially rescued the dwarf phenotype of the Arabidopsis dwf4-102 mutant. Notably, heterologous overexpression of GmDWF4.2_SN14 in wild-type Arabidopsis resulted in a significantly greater increase in plant height compared to that of GmDWF4.2_JD17. Overall, our findings demonstrate that GmDWF4.2 functions as a positive regulator of plant height in soybean and further reveal that the GmDWF4.2_SN14 haplotype confers a stronger promotive effect on this trait. These findings contribute to elucidating the genetic regulatory mechanisms of soybean plant height and provide a theoretical foundation for refining molecular marker-assisted selection strategies for this agronomic trait.

WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) transcription factors (TFs), which constitute a plant-specific homeodomain-containing family, play diverse roles in growth and development. However, their function in pathogen-induced stress responses remains largely unexplored. In this study, we identified 11 SsWOX family members in the sugarcane reference genome, which were classified into ancient, intermediate, and modern/WUSCHEL clades. Comparative analyses of motif composition, exon-intron organization, and cis-regulatory elements revealed conserved evolutionary relationships among SsWOX family genes. Expression profiling using RNA-seq and qRT-PCR during sugarcane-smut (Sporisorium scitamineum) interactions demonstrated distinct expression patterns of several SsWOX genes, with SsWOX13 showing robust induction, indicating its potential role in smut resistance. Transient overexpression of SsWOX13 in Nicotiana benthamiana led to hypersensitive response (HR)-associated programmed cell death, evidenced by elevated electrolyte leakage, increased reactive oxygen species accumulation, and upregulation of HR- and defense-related genes. Furthermore, transcriptional self-activation assays confirmed that SsWOX13 possesses transcriptional activation activity, functioning as a TF in sugarcane. Collectively, these results expand our understanding of sugarcane WOX TFs and indicate that sugarcane WOX13 positively regulates HR-mediated immunity.

The Homeodomain-Leucine Zipper (HD-Zip) transcription factors play critical regulatory functions in plant developmental programming and abiotic stress adaptation. While the HD-Zip gene family have been well characterized in model plants, its molecular evolution and biological functions in oat (Avena sativa L.) remain largely unexplored. In this study, a total of 60 AsHD-Zip family members (designated AsHD-Zip1 to AsHD-Zip60) were identified, phylogenetically categorized into four evolutionarily conserved subfamilies (I-IV). Cis-regulatory elements linked to plant growth, developmental processes, stress responses, and phytohormone signaling were detected through promoter analysis of AsHD-Zip genes, suggesting their functional significance in environmental adaptation. RT-qPCR analysis revealed that salt stress and polyethylene glycol-mediated drought stress significantly up-regulated the expression of AsHD-Zip15, 34, 38, 39, 49, and 60 genes. It is noteworthy that AsHD-Zip49 was able to consistently respond to drought stress. Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H), bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) and split luciferase complementation (Split-luc) assay indicate that AsHD-Zip49 interacts with AsHD-Zip39. The heterologous overexpression of AsHD-Zip49 in Arabidopsis thaliana, combined with the virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of this gene in oat, strongly suggests that AsHD-Zip49 plays a positive and crucial role in enhancing drought tolerance. In summary, this study comprehensively characterized the AsHD-Zip gene family, analyzed its expression pattern under drought and salt stress, validated the biological function of AsHD-Zip49, and laid the foundation for further research into the roles of HD-Zip in oat abiotic stress.

FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) is a MADS-box transcription factor that integrates diverse internal and environmental signals to precisely regulate the growth and development of plants. While historically characterized as a key repressor of flowering in the vernalization, autonomous, and temperature pathways, recent research has revealed that FLC's functions extend far beyond flowering control. This review synthesizes current understanding of FLC's pleiotropic roles in various developmental processes, from seed germination, juvenile-to-adult phase transition and biomass determination, to the establishment of annual/perennial habits. Furthermore, it explores emerging links between FLC and broader environmental adaptation, including plant responses to drought stress, nitrogen availability, and pathogen tolerance, where its role may be both direct and indirect. The molecular mechanisms underlying FLC's expression are explored, encompassing complex multi-layered regulation at transcriptional, post-transcriptional, including alternative splicing (AS) and m⁶A RNA methylation, and epigenetic levels (notably PRC2-mediated H3K27me3 deposition). The discussion also covers how natural sequence variation and transposable elements in the FLC locus contribute to adaptive evolution. By contextualizing recent findings, this review aims not only to summarize FLC's functions as a developmental-stress integrator but also to critically evaluate the strength of evidence, identify persistent knowledge gaps, and propose key questions for future research to move from descriptive association to mechanistic understanding.

Phytophthora blight, caused by the notorious oomycete pathogen, Phytophthora capsici, is a devastating disease of pepper worldwide. Transcription factors (TFs) play pivotal roles in modulating host immune networks during pathogen attack. Among them, the APETALA2/ethylene responsive factor (AP2/ERF) family, which is the largest group of plant-specific TFs, is critically involved in plant growth, development, and stress adaptation. However, their transcriptional profiles and functional roles in pepper resistance to P. capsici remain largely unexplored. In this study, we profiled AP2/ERF TFs in the resistant (CM334) and susceptible (EC01) pepper lines following P. capsici infection by transcriptome analysis. Differential expression analysis identified an ERF subfamily gene, CaAP2/ERF99, which was significantly up-regulated at 3 h post-infection in both pepper lines, suggesting its role in basal defense against P. capsici. RT-qPCR further validated its early-response expression pattern, and subcellular localization confirmed its nuclear distribution. Moreover, CaAP2/ERF99 expression was strongly induced by exogenous treatment of salicylic acid (SA), methyl jasmonate (MeJA), and ethephon (ETH), linking it to hormone-mediated defense signaling. Loss- and gain-of-function experiments revealed that transient overexpression of CaAP2/ERF99 in pepper leaves significantly reduced lesion size and P. capsici biomass. However, the silencing of this gene compromised the disease resistance. Further transcriptional regulation analysis revealed that CaAP2/ERF99 activated a broad spectrum of defense-related genes, including CaPR1, CaPR10, CaLOX1, CaChi2, and CaDEF1. Collectively, these results demonstrate that CaAP2/ERF99 exerts a positive regulatory role in pepper's defense response against P. capsici and represents a promising candidate gene for enhancing resistance against Phytophthora blight.

Rapid, field-deployable diagnostics are essential for effective plant disease management. Although CRISPR-Cas systems offer high sensitivity and programmability, their use in on-site plant pathogen detection has been hindered by the lack of standardized, practical workflows. Here we present implementable CRISPR-Cas diagnostic protocols using Cas12a, Cas13a, and miniature Cas variants for rapid detection of major plant pathogens. Three field-ready assays are described: (i) an RPA-Cas12a lateral-flow test for DNA pathogens, (ii) a Cas13a RT-RPA assay for RNA viruses, and (iii) an amplification-free Cas12a electrochemical biosensor suited for portable laboratories. Each protocol includes sample preparation steps, reagent formulations, incubation conditions, and troubleshooting guidance. Across platforms, detection limits of 1-100 copies µL⁻¹ were achieved within 20-45minutes, demonstrating analytical sensitivity comparable to conventional PCR-based diagnostics while offering substantially reduced assay time and improved field deployability. We also address practical constraints including sample inhibitors, reagent stability, and biosafety and propose solutions for field implementation. These standardized workflows translate recent advances in CRISPR diagnostics into reproducible, field-deployable tools for plant health surveillance and rapid disease detection.