Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture最新文献

Background

Sugarcane yellow leaf virus (SCYLV) is an important pathogen that induces severe leaf yellowing and substantial yield loss in sugarcane cultivation. The absence of resistant cultivars underscores the urgent need for large-scale detection techniques to control SCYLV spread.

Methods

We employed single B-cell technology to generate a specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) against the SCYLV coat protein (CP). Using this mAb, we established a tissue blot immunoassay (TBIA) for viral detection based on imprinting sugarcane leaf midrib tissues onto nitrocellulose membranes. The complete light and heavy chain sequences of the antibody have been determined.

Results

The developed TBIA demonstrated superior efficiency compared to conventional RT-PCR, and is capable of processing 300 samples within 24 h at a low cost of 0.28 USD per test. Validation with 40 field samples showed 100% concordance with RT-PCR results and only one discrepancy compared to RT-MIRA-CRISPR/Cas12a assays.

Conclusion

In this study, we report the first application of single B-cell technology for SCYLV diagnostics, provides a rapid, reliable, and cost-effective TBIA method for SCYLV detection, which facilitates early warning and enables integrated prevention and control of sugarcane yellow leaf disease.

Graphical Abstract

Background

CQDs are an ideal platform material that integrates excellent optical properties, superior biosafety, flexible, and adjustable chemical properties. They serve as a bridge connecting nanotechnology with fields such as life sciences, environmental energy, and more.

Methods

In this study, Hc-DES-CQDs based on natural deep eutectic solvents and Houttuynia cordata were successfully prepared.

Results

The prepared Hc-DES-CQDs exhibits strong blue fluorescence and excellent photostability. The detection of trace Cr⁶⁺ under acidic and alkaline conditions can be realized by Hc-DES-CQDs, and also successfully applied to practical environmental water samples. Spectral analysis reveals that Hc-DES-CQDs exhibits emission behavior related to excitation, with a quantum yield of approximately 17.3%. The Hc-DES-CQDs demonstrated excellent antibacterial and free radical scavenging effects (such as DPPH, ·OH).

Conclusions

Therefore, the Hc-DES-CQDs has potential applications in the analysis and combating of cellular oxidative stress.

Graphical abstract

Background

Artificial colorants raise health and environmental concerns, creating demand for sustainable natural alternatives. Blue pigments are particularly scarce due to their structural complexity and instability, with actinorhodin standing out among Streptomyces metabolites. A major challenge for actinorhodin production is to improve yields and reduce costs to enhance process feasibility. Discarded potato, an abundant and underutilized agricultural byproduct, is a nutrient-rich, low-cost substrate for microbial processes. Recently, a Streptomyces lydicus strain was reported to convert this byproduct into actinorhodin, but with relatively low production compared to traditional media and other Streptomyces species. This study aimed to optimize the conversion of discarded potato into actinorhodin-related blue pigments by S. lydicus PM7 and to evaluate biochemical responses that influence pigment production.

Results

A Plackett–Burman design identified temperature, agitation, pH, and KH₂PO₄ supplementation as significant factors among 11 tested variables. Optimization using a central composite face-centered design (CCD) within the framework of response surface methodology (RSM) increased pigment production up to 8000 mg L^− 1. Model validation using point prediction identified optimal conditions of 30 °C, 180 rpm, an initial pH of 9, and 0.15 g L^− 1 KH₂PO₄. Growth kinetics under optimized conditions revealed two exponential phases and shifts in α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities, indicating a possible sequential use of carbohydrates. Catalase activity coincided with the onset of exponential growth and pigment production.

Conclusions

The optimized process yielded an 8.5-fold increase in pigment production, supporting the use of potato byproducts as an effective and low-cost fermentation substrate. The biochemical responses of S. lydicus PM7 provide initial insight into metabolic features associated with pigment formation. Overall, the findings establish a laboratory-scale proof of concept and a basis for future bioreactor-scale and application-oriented studies on microbial blue pigments by Streptomyces spp.

Graphical abstract

Background

Seasonal forage shortages pose a significant challenge to livestock production on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. To address this issue, this study developed an integrated land utilization strategy combining “cultivation + on-site ensiling” using mixed oats and forage peas. The research evaluated how different mixed-cropping ratios and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) inoculation affect silage production in this high-altitude region.

Results

In silage grown in corral plots, the 1:1 oat-pea ratio showed clear advantages over monocropped oats, increasing crude protein by 29.43% while reducing acid detergent fiber (ADF) by 14.37% and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) by 11.21%. LAB inoculation improved the fermentation quality of corral-grown silage. In inoculated oat silage, the relative abundance of Lactiplantibacillus increased significantly to 66.54%, which suppressed spoilage bacteria (e.g., Hafnia-Obesumbacterium) and reduced the ammonia nitrogen-to-total nitrogen ratio by 15–20%. When the mixed sowing ratio of oats to peas is 1:1, it minimizes dry matter loss among corral-grown silages. LAB inoculation increased propionic and acetic acid production by 25%. Metabolic prediction indicated that LAB inoculation increased nitrogen compound degradation by 17% and stimulated secondary metabolite synthesis. Bacterial communities correlated with soluble carbohydrate and lactic acid levels, whereas fungal communities regulated fiber breakdown. Redundancy analysis showed that fiber content explained over 50% of fungal community variation in corral silage.

Conclusions

The 1:1 oat-pea ratio with LAB inoculation optimizes silage production specifically for corral systems, achieving carbon–nitrogen balance and microbial synergy. This corral-based approach provides a sustainable solution for alpine livestock resilience, transforming underutilized confinement areas into high-quality forage resources.

Graphical abstract

Background

The plant growth regulatory activity of both enantiomers of abscisic acid (ABA) provides a rationale for evaluating the potential benefits of using racemic ABA (RS-ABA) over S-ABA as a plant protection product. For soil application, where phytohormone stability is an important issue, the use of either S-ABA or RS-ABA would require a thorough evaluation of their enantioselective behavior in soil. In this work, a comparative study of the bioactivity of S- and RS-ABA under different regimes of soil application was performed, using Eruca sativa as a target test plant.

Results

Under soilless conditions (Petri-dish experiments), S-ABA inhibited the germination of Eruca sativa at lower concentrations (IC₅₀ = 1.1 mg/L) than RS-ABA (IC₅₀ = 1.9 mg/L). Conversely, in soil pot bioassays, RS-ABA inhibited germination at lower concentrations (IC₅₀ = 12 mg/L) than S-ABA (IC₅₀ = 30 mg/L). This was attributed to a more rapid inactivation of the S-enantiomer of ABA by biodegradation in soil in comparison with the R-ABA enantiomer. When applied post-emergence to soil-grown Eruca sativa seedlings, S-ABA exhibited greater activity than RS-ABA in foliar applications, while differences in activity became insignificant upon soil applications. A field experiment confirmed the germination inhibitory activity of both S-ABA and RS-ABA under real environmental conditions, with soil-applied RS-ABA showing slightly greater activity compared to S-ABA.

Conclusions

The outcomes of this work demonstrate that the enantiomeric composition can significantly influence the effectiveness of ABA as a plant protection product, and suggest that racemic ABA may offer advantages over S-ABA in certain soil application scenarios due to a slower inactivation of the R-ABA enantiomer.

Graphical abstract

Rising ambient temperatures associated with global climate change present a major threat to plant productivity by imposing heat stress (HS) that disrupts cellular, biochemical, and molecular processes in plants. HS leads to protein unfolding, aggregation, and inactivation, with consequent perturbation of metabolic pathways, impaired growth, and yield losses. This review elucidates comprehensive details of how the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) maintains proteostasis through diverse pathways in plants exposed to elevated temperatures. Plants deploy ubiquitination, a highly conserved post-translational modification, as a key remedial mechanism to restore proteome homeostasis and support thermotolerance. Ubiquitination proceeds via an enzymatic cascade (E1-E2-E3) that selectively tags damaged or misfolded proteins for degradation by the 26 S proteasome or for processing via the autophagy lysosome pathway. In plants, the expanded repertoire of ubiquitin E3 ligases provides substrate specificity and enables integration of stress signalling, developmental control, and protein quality-control systems. E3 ligases include various pathways such as XBAT31, which mediates reproductive thermotolerance by ubiquitinating heat shock factor repressors; COP1, which links thermal and light-mediated cues via the COP1–HY5–PIF4 axis; PUB63, an early heat-responsive U-box E3 in rice that supports protein-quality control; and KEG, which integrates ubiquitin-mediated regulation of hormone and stress signalling networks. Moreover, the interplay between ubiquitination and selective autophagy ensures that ubiquitinated aggregates are recognized (NBR1) and delivered to autophagosomes, while N-degron regulation of ATG8a fine-tunes autophagic flux during HS. Through these coordinated ubiquitin-mediated and autophagy-driven clearance mechanisms, plants preserve proteome integrity, maintain cellular function, and achieve adaptive recovery under extreme temperatures. Understanding these ubiquitination-centred regulatory networks is essential for developing chemical and biological technologies to engineer heat-resilient crops. Such interventions hold promise for sustainable agricultural production under warming climates by integrating molecular insights with applied technologies.

Graphical abstract

Background

The mismatch between the solar spectrum and chlorophyll absorption peaks, combined with magnesium (Mg) and molybdenum (Mo) deficiencies in acidic soils, critically constrains photosynthetic efficiency and crop productivity.

Results

In this study, a multifunctional nanomaterial with dual-capabilities i.e. spectral-conversion and nutrient-supply—molybdate-intercalated (MoO₄²⁻) and europium (Eu³⁺)-doped layered double hydroxide (MgAlEu-MoO₄²⁻-LDH)—was applied to tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) leaves as a phyllospheric regulator. Material characterization revealed that MgAlEu-MoO₄²⁻-LDH exhibited strong absorption in the ultraviolet region and efficiently converted the absorbed energy into red emissions at 610 nm and 706 nm, thereby optimizing the leaf-surface light environment. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed its uniform adhesion on the leaf surface. Compared with the control (CK) and the unreacted MgAlEu-MoO₄²⁻-LDH raw material (Raw), MgAlEu-MoO₄²⁻-LDH treatment significantly enhanced plant height, leaf area, net photosynthetic rate (Pn), chlorophyll content, and accumulation of photosynthetic carbon assimilate. The Mg and Mo contents in leaves increased markedly, while malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and antioxidant enzyme activities showed no significant changes, indicating effective nutrient supplementation and no evident phytotoxicity. Mechanism analyses with transcriptomics and metabolomics further revealed that MgAlEu-MoO₄²⁻-LDH upregulated multiple genes involved in photosystem electron transport and reprogrammed the phytohormone network (downregulation of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and abscisic acid (ABA), and upregulation of salicylic acid (SA)).

Conclusions

Collectively, MgAlEu-MoO₄²⁻-LDH acts as a novel phyllospheric nano-regulator that synergistically couples “light-environment optimization” and “nutrient supply” to enhance photosynthetic efficiency and promote crop growth, providing a promising strategy for nanomaterial-driven sustainable agriculture.

Graphical abstract

Background

Sugarcane smut, caused by the fungus Sporisorium scitamineum, is a devastating disease that limits sugarcane production and causes significant yield losses worldwide. This urgent threat highlights the critical need for novel sustainable control strategies. While utilizing beneficial plant-associated microbes shows promise for enhancing disease resistance, the contribution of the sugarcane rhizosphere microbiome in smut resistance remains poorly understood.

Results

In this study, rhizosphere microbial communities of sugarcane cultivars with contrasting resistance to smut were comparatively analyzed using high-throughput amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and ITS region. Analysis of microbial co-occurrence networks analysis revealed that the resistant cultivars maintained more complex and stable networks than the susceptible cultivars. The rhizosphere microbiome of smut-resistant cultivars was predominantly enriched in beneficial genera such as Trichoderma, Penicillium, Talaromyces, Psathyrella, and Sphingomonas whereas that of susceptible cultivars contained more Streptomyces and Gibberella. Functional prediction also revealed distinct metabolic functions between the two microbiomes.

Conclusion

These findings demonstrate that network stability and enrichment of antagonistic microbes constitute key determinants of rhizosphere-mediated smut resistance. Our study provides critical insights for developing microbiome-driven breeding strategies and biological control measures against this economically important disease.

Graphic abstract

Background

Selenium (Se) deficiency affects a significant portion of the global population, making biofortification of staple crops essential for public health. While selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) show promise for biofortification due to their low toxicity and high bioavailability, their application is limited by poor colloidal stability. This study explores the potential of Phellinus igniarius polysaccharide-stabilized SeNPs (SHP–SeNPs) to enhance rice growth and selenium biofortification (Se biofortification), focusing on their underlying molecular mechanisms.

Results

SHP–SeNPs demonstrated excellent colloidal stability and significantly improved rice physiological parameters. A foliar application of 45 mg/L SHP–SeNPs increased chlorophyll content, soluble sugars, and soluble proteins, surpassing the effects of unmodified selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) and SHP alone. Field trials confirmed that SHP–SeNPs boosted rice grain yield and achieved Se biofortification, with polished rice containing 0.228 mg/kg Se, primarily as bioavailable selenomethionine. Metabolomics analysis revealed that SHP–SeNPs activated metabolic pathways such as the TCA cycle and sugar metabolism, upregulating 16 core metabolites including flavonoids, terpenoids, and glycerophospholipids, which contributed to the observed growth promotion.

Conclusions

SHP–SeNPs enhance rice growth, biofortification, and overall metabolic activity through a synergistic effect between SHP and SeNPs. The results highlight the potential of SHP–SeNPs as a stable and effective agent for Se biofortification in rice. This work provides valuable insights into the metabolic reprogramming of plants induced byfunctionalized nanoparticles and lays the foundation for developing intelligent nano-fertilizers to improve crop nutrition.

Graphical Abstract