Research Progress on the Innate Immunity of Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) and the Regulation Mechanism of Parasitic Wasp Venom Protein

[Objectives]The use of natural enemies of living insects and their derivatives can effectively avoid the problems of pesticide residues,pest resistance,biodiversity decline,control effect weakening and so on.[Methods]Parasites inject various parasitic factors into hosts to inhibit the development of hosts,adjust the immunity of hosts,interfere with the growth and development of hosts,and reduce the nutrition metabolism of hosts,so as to ensure the growth and development of the offspring.Host pests can escape or conquer the parasitism of parasitic wasps through immune defense system in order to reproduce their own offspring.[Results]Under intense and strong selection pressure,in order to effectively ensure the success rate of parasitism,the adaptive diversity of parasitism strategies of parasitic wasps is finally caused.In the process of evolution and under the pressure of directional selection,the innate immunity and acquired immunity gradually evolve.[Conclusions]In-depth research on parasitic factors of parasitic wasps and their interaction with crop pests immunity and development can not only improve theoretical understanding of insect immunity and development biology,pest biological control and other disciplines,but also be expected to enable the application of some components of parasitic factors to agriculture,medicine and pharmacy.Bactrocera dorsalis is a destructive fruit and vegetable pest.This paper summarized the venom protein of B.dorsalis parasitoids and the immune interaction with hosts,in order to provide theoretical basis for biological control of plant pests by using parasitic natural enemies.

Genetics of biochemical attributes regulating morpho-physiology of upland cotton under high temperature conditions

Background Cotton is a strategically important fibre crop for global textile industry.It profoundly impacts several countries’industrial and agricultural sectors.Sustainable cotton production is continuously threatened by the unpre-dictable changes in climate,specifically high temperatures.Breeding heat-tolerant,high-yielding cotton cultivars with wide adaptability to be grown in the regions with rising temperatures is one of the primary objectives of modern cotton breeding programmes.Therefore,the main objective of the current study is to figure out the effective breed-ing approach to imparting heat tolerance as well as the judicious utilization of commercially significant and stress-tolerant attributes in cotton breeding.Initially,the two most notable heat-susceptible(FH-115 and NIAB Kiran)and tolerant(IUB-13 and GH-Mubarak)cotton cultivars were spotted to develop filial and backcross populations to accom-plish the preceding study objectives.The heat tolerant cultivars were screened on the basis of various morphological(seed cotton yield per plant,ginning turnout percentage),physiological(pollen viability,cell membrane thermostabil-ity)and biochemical(peroxidase activity,proline content,hydrogen peroxide content)parameters.Results The results clearly exhibited that heat stress consequently had a detrimental impact on every studied plant trait,as revealed by the ability of crossing and their backcross populations to tolerate high temperatures.However,when considering overall yield,biochemical,and physiological traits,the IUB-13×FH-115 cross went over particularly well at both normal and high temperature conditions.Moreover,overall seed cotton yield per plant exhibited a posi-tive correlation with both pollen viability and antioxidant levels(POD activity and proline content).Conclusions Selection from segregation population and criteria involving pollen viability and antioxidant levels concluded to be an effective strategy for the screening of heat-tolerant cotton germplasms.Therefore,understanding acquired from this study can assist breeders identifying traits that should be prioritized in order to develop climate resilient cotton cultivars.

Transcriptome Sequencing for Sugar and Flavonoid Metabolism in Prunus persica‘Jinxiangyu’

In this study,high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)and RNA-seq transcriptome sequencing were used to study the changes in soluble sugar components and flavonoids in Prunus persica‘Jinxiangyu’at different developmental stages(20–90 d after flowering)and screen the key genes regulating the formation of soluble sugar and flavonoids in the fruits.The results showed that 60–85 d after flowering was the key stage of quality formation of Prunus persica‘Jinxiangyu’,and the content of soluble sugar,soluble solid,fructose,and sucrose in the fruit increased significantly during this period.The sugar content of ripe fruits was mainly fructose and sucrose.The content of kaempferol glycoside was low in the fruit.Quercetin glycoside content was higher in the young fruit stage and decreased with fruit maturity.There were no anthocyanin compounds in the fruit.The expression levels of genes involved in flavonoid metabolism(ANS,DFR,F3H,FLS,4CL1,etc.)were low in the fruit.A total of 181 differentially expressed genes were identified during fruit development to participate in five sugar metabolism pathways,among which the SDH gene had a higher expression level,which continuously rised in the later stage of fruit development.It mainly promoted the accumulation of fructose content in the later stage of fruit development.The expression levels of SPS1,SS,and SS1 genes were continuously up-regulated,which played a key role in sucrose regulation.The higher expression levels of SUS3 and INVA genes in the early stage of fruit development promoted the degradation of sucrose.

Efficiency of Bio-Fertilizing as One of the Natural Alternatives to Improve the Growth of Khaya senegalensis and Swietenia mahagoni Trees and for Sustainability

A field experiment was carried out at Ismailia Research Station, Ismailia Governorate from 2020-2022 to improve the growth of Khaya senegalensis and Swietenia mahagoni by using a combination of mineral fertilizer (NPK) and biological fertilizer (Azotobacter chroococcum, Bacillus megatherium, and Bacillus circulant) as recommended dose under new sandy soils conditions. Split plot designed with four treatments (Control, (50% Mineral fertilizer (M.) + 50% Biological fertilizer (Bio.)), 100% M. and 100% Bio.) of each species. Vegetative growth, leaf area, tree biomass, stored carbon, basal area, tree volume, and in the soil both of microbial account and mineral content were determined. The experimental results showed no significant differences between studied species among the most studied parameters except for Khaya senegalensis which gave the highest significant difference in root biomass and below-stored carbon than Swietenia mahagoni. Evidently, the highest significant growth parameters were 100% mineral fertilizer followed by (50% M. + 50% Bio.) as compared with control. No significant difference between 100% M. and (50% M. + 50% Bio.) of shoot dry biomass (15.19 and 12.02 kg, respectively) and above-stored carbon (0.28 and 0.22 Mt, respectively). Microbial account and mineral content in soil were improved after cultivation of tree species compared to before planting and control, especially with 50% mineral fertilizer and 50% bio-fertilizer treatment. In conclusion, a treatment containing 50% mineral fertilizer and 50% bio-fertilizer has led to the ideal Khaya senegalensis and Swietenia mahagoni growth in sandy soil for cheaper and sustainable.

AcWRKY28 mediated activation of AcCPK genes confers salt tolerance in pineapple(Ananas comosus)

Unfavorable environmental cues severely affect crop productivity resulting in significant economic losses to farmers. In plants, multiple regulatory genes, such as the WRKY transcription factor (TF) family, modulate the expression of defense genes. However, the role of the pineapple WRKY genes is poorly understood. Here, we studied the pineapple WRKY gene, AcWRKY28, by generating AcWRKY28 over-expressing transgenic pineapple plants. Overexpression of AcWRKY28 enhanced the salt stress resistance in transgenic pineapple lines. Comparative transcriptome analysis of transgenic and wild-type pineapple plants showed that “plant-pathogen interaction” pathway genes, including 9calcium-dependent protein kinases (CPKs), were up-regulated in AcWRKY28 over-expressing plants. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation and yeast one-hybrid assays revealed AcCPK12, AcCPK3, AcCPK8, AcCPK1, and AcCPK15 as direct targets of AcWRKY28. Consistently, the study of AcCPK12 over-expressing Arabidopsis lines showed that AcCPK12 enhances salt, drought, and disease resistance. This study shows that AcWRKY28 plays a crucial role in promoting salt stress resistance by activating the expression of AcCPK genes.

Evaluation of extracts and essential oil from Callistemon viminalis leaves:Antibacterial and antioxidant activities,total phenolic and flavonoid contents

Objective:To investigate antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Callistemon viminalis(C.viminalis)leaves.Methods:The essential oil of C.viminalis leaves obtained by hydrodistillation was analyzed by GC/MS.Different extracts were tested for total phenolic and flavonoid contents and in vitro antioxidant(DPPH assay)and antibacterial(agar disc diffusion and 96-well micro-plates methods)actives.Results:Fourteen components were identified in the essential oil,representing 98.94%of the total oil.The major components were 1,8-cineole(64.53%)andα-pinene(9.69%).Leaf essential oil exhibited the highest antioxidant activity of(88.60±1.51)%comparable to gallic acid,a standard compound[(80.00±2.12)%].Additionally,the biggest zone of inhibitions against the studied bacterial strains was observed by the essential oil when compared to the standard antibiotic(tetracycline).The crude methanol extract and ethyl acetate fraction had a significant antibacterial activity against the tested bacterial strains.Conclusions:It can be suggested that C.viminalis is a great potential source of antibacterial and antioxidant compounds useful for new antimicrobial drugs from the natural basis.The present study revealed that the essential oil as well as the methanol extracts and ethyl acetate fraction of C.viminalis leaves exhibited highly significant antibacterial activity against the tested bacterial strains.

Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Clues into leaf-like flower mutant in Chinese orchid Cymbidium ensifolium

The floral morphology of Cymbidium ensifolium,a well-known orchid in China,has increasingly attracted horticultural and commercial attention.However,the molecular mechanisms that regulate flower development defects in C.ensifolium mutants are poorly understood.In this work,we examined a domesticated variety of C.ensifolium named‘CuiYuMuDan',or leaf-like flower mutant,which lacks typical characteristics of orchid floral organs but continues to produce sepal-to leaf-like structures along the inflorescence.We used comparative transcriptome analysis to identify 6234 genes that are differentially expressed between mutant and wild-type flowers.The majority of these differentially expre ssed genes are involved in membrane-building,anabolism regulation,and plant hormone signal transduction,implying that in the leaf-like mutant these processes play roles in the development of flower defects.In addition,we identified 152 differentially expre ssed transcription factors,including the bHLH,MYB,MIKC,and WRKY gene families.Moreover,we found 20 differentially expressed genes that are commonly involved in flower development,including MADS-box genes,CLAVATA3(CLV3),WUSCHEL(WUS),and PERIANTHIA(PAN).Among them,floral homeotic genes were further investigated by phylogenetic analysis and expression validation,which displayed distinctive spatial expression patterns and significant changes between the wild type and the mutant.This is the first report on the C.ensifolium leaf-like flower mutant transcriptome.Our results shed light on the molecular regulation of orchid flower development,and may improve our understanding of floral patterning regulation and advance molecular breeding of Chinese orchids.

Introgression of Two Drought QTLs into FUNAABOR-2 Early Generation Backcross Progenies Under Drought Stress at Reproductive Stage

FUNAABOR-2 is a popular Ofada rice variety grown in a large area under rainfed upland condition across western states of Nigeria. We used the combination of phenotypic and marker-assisted selection(MAS) to improve grain yield of FUNAABOR-2 under drought stress(DS) at the reproductive stage via introgression of two drought quantitative trait loci(QTLs), qDTY12.1 and qDTY2.3. Foreground selection was carried out using peak markers RM511 and RM250, associated with qDTY12.1 and qDTY2.3, respectively, followed by recombinant selection with RM28099 and RM1261 distally flanking qDTY12.1. Furthermore, BC1 F2-derived introgressed lines and their parents were evaluated under DS and non-stress(NS) conditions during the 2015–2016 dry season. Overall reduction of grain yield under DS compared to NS was recorded. Introgressed lines with qDTY12.1 and qDTY2.3 combinations showed higher yield potential compared to lines with single or no QTL under DS, indicating significant positive interactions between the two QTLs under the FUNAABOR-2 genetic background. Pyramiding of qDTY12.1 and qDTY2.3 in the FUNAABOR-2 genetic background led to higher grain yield production under DS and NS.

Systematic Identification of the Light-quality Responding Anthocyanin Synthesis-related Transcripts in Petunia Petals

Previous studies have shown that high light intensity can induce anthocyanin synthesis(AS)in petunia plants.To identifywhich kind of light quality plays a role in inducing such metabolic process,and what transcripts participate in controlling it,we carried out whole-transcriptome sequencing and analysis of petunia petals treated with different light-quality conditions.Among the red and white light treatments,a total of 2205 differentially expressed genes and 15,22,and 20 differentially expressed circRNAs,miRNAs,and lncRNAs,were identified respectively.The AS-related genes,including the structural genes CHSj,F3H,F35H,DFR,and ANS,and the regulatory genes AN4,DPL,PHZ and MYBx were found to be downregulated under red light condition compared with their levels under white light condition.Furthermore,the light photoreceptor Cryptochrome 3(CRY3)and a series of light-dependent genes,such as PIF,HY5,andBBXs,were also determined to respond to the light treatments.The anthocyanin contents in early petunia petals under red light were significantly lower than that under white and blue light.The results of qRT-PCR further confirmed the expression pattern of some AS-related and light-response genes in response to different light quality.Yeast two-hybrid results showed that the key elements in the light signal pathway,HY5 can interact with BBX19,BBX24 and BBX25.And PHZ,the important AS regulator can induce anthocyanin synthesis in response to blue light quality fromtransient expression analysis in petunia petals.These findings presented here not only deepen our understanding of how light quality controls anthocyanin synthesis,but also allow us to explore potential target genes for improving pigment production in petunia flower petals.

Identification and expression patterns of alcohol dehydrogenase genes involving in ester volatile biosynthesis in pear fruit

Alcohol dehydrogenase （ADH） catalyzes the interconversion of aldehydes and their corresponding alcohols, and is a key enzyme in volatile ester biosynthesis. However, little is known regarding ADH and ADH encoding genes （ADHs） in pear. We identified 8 ADHs in the pear＇s genome （PbrADHs） by multiple sequences alignment. The PbrADHs were highly ho- mologous in their coding regions, while were diversiform in structure. 9 introns were predicted in PbrADH3-PbrADH8, while 8 introns, generated through exon fusion and intron loss, were predicted in PbrADH1 and PbrADH2. To study the genetic regulation underlying aroma biogenesis in pear fruit, we determined the PbrADH transcripts, ADH activities and volatile contents of fruits during ripening stage for Nanguoli and Dangshansuli, two cultivars having different aroma characteristics. ADH activity was strongly associated with the transcription of ADH~ in the two cultivars during fruit ripening stage. The higher ester content paralleling to a higher ADH activity was detected in Nanguoli than in Dangshansuli, so it is induced that the lower ester content in Dangshansuli fruit may be the result of weak ADH activity. The present study revealed that total ADH activity and volatile ester production correlated with increased PbrADHstranscript levels. PbrADH6 may contribute to ADH activity catalyzing aldehyde reduction and ester formation in pear fruit.

Comparative analysis of antioxidant activities of essential oils and extracts of fennel(Foeniculum vulgare Mill.)seeds from Egypt and China

The present study was conducted to assay the antioxidant activities of essential oils and ethanol extracts of fennel(Foeniculum vulgare Mill.)seeds from Egypt and China.The major components of the Egyptian fennel essential oil were estragole(51.04%),limonene(11.45%),l-fenchone(8.19%)and trans-anethole(3.62%)by GC–MS analysis.Whereas,the major constituents of Chinese fennel essential oil were transanethole(54.26%),estragole(20.25%),l-fenchone(7.36%)and limonene(2.41%).The fennel seed extracts from Egypt and China contained appreciable levels of total phenolic contents(42.24 and 30.94 mg PE/g,respectively).The extracts exhibited good DPPH radical scavenging capacity with IC50(6.34 and 7.17 mg/g),respectively.A high variation in free radical scavenging activities of essential oils was observed.The Chinese fennel essential oil showed high activity in DPPH radical scavenging with IC50(15.66 mg/g).The Egyptian fennel essential oil showed very low activity with IC50(141.82 mg/g).The results of the present investigation demonstrated significant variations in the antioxidant activities of fennel essential oils and extracts from Egypt and China.

Molecular Identification and Cultivar Fingerprints of Prunus persica (L.) Batsch Germplasms

[Objective] The aim was to study the molecular identification and cultivar fingerprints of Prunus persica (L.) Batsch germplasms.[Method] Sixty peach genotypes,representing China common local cultivars and European samples were screened by microsatellites (simple sequence repeats,SSRs) and Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers.[Result] 26 reproducible bands were amplified by Nine SSR primers,and 24 of which were polymorphic; 236 bands were amplified by 30 ISSR primers,and 113 of which were polymorphic.31 genotypes were discriminated with 1-3 distinct polymorphic bands generated from the primers ISSR and SSR.Seven cultivar-specific ISSR fragments and two SSR unique alleles obtained from this study were available to be converted into Sequence Characterized Amplified Region (SCAR) markers.The genetic similarity coefficient (GS) estimated from these molecular data averaged were 0.939 (ranged from 0.856 to 0.983) for ISSR and 0.646 (ranged from 0.240 to 1.000) for SSR,respectively.The combined grouping association indicated that most local Chinese peach cultivars and exotic accessions were clustered together.This could be related to the mode of introduction and maintenance of the peach cultivars involving limited foundation germplasm,exchange of cultivars between plantations,and periodic development of new recombinant cultivars following sexual reproduction.[Conclusion] The results obtained in this work would help to improve the conservation,molecular identification and management of peach germplasm in breeding.

Antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of essential oils and extracts of sweet basil(Ocimum basilicum L.)plants

The present study was conducted to evaluate the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of the essential oils and ethanol extracts of Ocimum basilicum L.obtained from Assiut,Minia and BeniSuef of Egypt.The major constituents of sweet basil essential oils from three locations were linalool,estragole,methyl cinnamate,bicyclosesquiphellandrene,eucalyptol,-bergamotene,eugenol,-cadinene and germacrene D by the method of GC–MS.The relative concentration of these compounds varies.The basil extracts contained appreciable levels of total phenolic contents and exhibited good DPPH radical scavenging capacity higher than that of essential oils.The highest TPC(82.45 mg PE/g)and maximum radical scavenging activity with IC50 value(1.29 mg/mL)was obtained from Minia basil extract.High correlation between antioxidant activity and total phenolic contents of basil extracts was observed.High variation in free radical scavenging activity of essential oils was found.The essential oil from Minia basil showed high activity in DPPH radical scavenging with IC50(11.23 mg/mL)and contained the highest content of phenolic(41.3 mg PE/g).On contrary,low correlation between antioxidant activity and total phenolic contents of basil essential oils from different locations.The results of the present investigation demonstrated significant variations in the antioxidant activities of sweet basil essential oils and extracts from Egypt.

New geographic distribution and molecular diversity of Citrus chlorotic dwarf-associated virus in China

In 2009, an emerging citrus viral disease caused by Citrus chlorotic dwarf-associated virus(CCDaV) was discovered in Yunnan Province of China. However, the occurrence and spread of CCDaV in other citrus-growing provinces in China is unknown to date. To better understand the distribution and molecular diversity of CCDaV in China, a total of 1 772 citrus samples were collected from 11 major citrus-growing provinces and were tested for CCDaV by PCR. Among these, 134 citrus samples from Guangxi, Yunnan and Guangdong were tested positive for CCDaV, demonstrating that the occurrence and spread of CCDaV are increasing in China. The complete genome sequences of 17 CCDaV isolates from different provinces and hosts were sequenced. Comparisons of the whole-genome sequences of the 17 CCDaV isolates as well as the 15 isolates available in GenBank revealed that the sequence identity was about 99–100%, showing that the CCDaV isolates were highly conserved. Phylogenetic studies showed that the 32 CCDaV isolates belonged to four different groups based on geographical origins and host species, and that CCDaV isolates from China and Turkey were clustered into different groups. The results provide important information for clarifying the distribution and genetic diversity of CCDaV in China.

Diversity of metabolite accumulation patterns in inner and outer seed coats of pomegranate:exploring their relationship with genetic mechanisms of seed coat development

The expanded outer seed coat and the rigid inner seed coat of pomegranate seeds,both affect the sensory qualities of the fruit and its acceptability to consumers.Pomegranate seeds are also an appealing model for the study of seed coat differentiation and development.We conducted nontarget metabolic profiling to detect metabolites that contribute to the morphological differentiation of the seed coats along with transcriptomic profiling to unravel the genetic mechanisms underlying this process.Comparisons of metabolites in the lignin biosynthetic pathway accumulating in seed coat layers at different developmental stages revealed that monolignols,including coniferyl alcohol and sinapyl alcohol,greatly accumulated in inner seed coats and monolignol glucosides greatly accumulated in outer seed coats.Strong expression of genes involved in monolignol biosynthesis and transport might explain the spatial patterns of biosynthesis and accumulation of these metabolites.Hemicellulose constituents and flavonoids in particular accumulated in the inner seed coat,and candidate genes that might be involved in their accumulation were also identified.Genes encoding transcription factors regulating monolignol,cellulose,and hemicellulose metabolism were chosen by coexpression analysis.These results provide insights into metabolic factors influencing seed coat differentiation and a reference for studying seed coat developmental biology and pomegranate genetic improvement.

The combination of DNA methylation and positive regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis by MYB and bHLH transcription factors contributes to the petal blotch formation in Xibei tree peony

Xibei tree peony is a distinctive cultivar group that features red–purple blotches in petals.Interestingly,the pigmentations of blotches and non-blotches are largely independent of one another.The underlying molecular mechanism had attracted lots of attention from investigators,but was still uncertain.Our present work demonstrates the factors that are closely related to blotch formation in Paeonia rockii‘Shu Sheng Peng Mo’.Non-blotch pigmentation is prevented by the silencing of anthocyanin structural genes,among which PrF3H,PrDFR,and PrANS are the three major genes.We characterized two R2R3-MYBs as the key transcription factors that control the early and late anthocyanin biosynthetic pathways.PrMYBa1,which belongs to MYB subgroup 7(SG7)was found to activate the early biosynthetic gene(EBG)PrF3H by interacting with SG5 member PrMYBa2 to form an‘MM’complex.The SG6 member PrMYBa3 interacts with two SG5(IIIf)bHLHs to synergistically activate the late biosynthetic genes(LBGs)PrDFR and PrANS,which is essential for anthocyanin accumulation in petal blotches.The comparison of methylation levels of the PrANS and PrF3H promoters between blotch and non-blotch indicated a correlation between hypermethylation and gene silencing.The methylation dynamics of PrANS promoter during flower development revealed a potential early demethylating reaction,which may have contributed to the particular expression of PrANS solely in the blotch area.We suggest that the formation of petal blotch may be highly associated with the cooperation of transcriptional activation and DNA methylation of structural gene promoters.

PbGA2ox8 induces vascular-related anthocyanin accumulation and contributes to red stripe formation on pear fruit

Fruit with stripes,which are generally longitudinal,can occur naturally,but the bioprocesses underlying this phenomenon are unclear.Previously,we observed an atypical anthocyanin distribution that caused red-striped fruit on the spontaneous pear bud sport“Red Zaosu”(Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd.).In this study,comparative transcriptome analysis of the sport and wild-type“Zaosu”revealed that this atypical anthocyanin accumulation was tightly correlated with abnormal overexpression of the gene-encoding gibberellin(GA)2-beta-dioxygenase 8,PbGA2ox8.Consistently,decreased methylation was also observed in the promoter region of PbGA2ox8 from“Red Zaosu”compared with“Zaosu”.Moreover,the GA levels in“Red Zaosu”seedlings were lower than those in“Zaosu”seedlings,and the application of exogenous GA4 reduced abnormal anthocyanin accumulation in“Red Zaosu”.Transient overexpression of PbGA2ox8 reduced the GA4 level and caused anthocyanin accumulation in pear fruit skin.Moreover,the presence of red stripes indicated anthocyanin accumulation in the hypanthial epidermal layer near vascular branches(VBs)in“Red Zaosu”.Transient overexpression of PbGA2ox8 resulting from vacuum infiltration induced anthocyanin accumulation preferentially in calcium-enriched areas near the vascular bundles in pear leaves.We propose a fruit-striping mechanism,in which the abnormal overexpression of PbGA2ox8 in“Red Zaosu”induces the formation of a longitudinal array of anthocyanin stripes near vascular bundles in fruit.

The updated weeping forsythia genome reveals the genomic basis for the evolution and the forsythin and forsythoside A biosynthesis

Weeping forsythia (Forsythia suspensa,Oleaceae) is a deciduous broad-leaved tree species distributed in the warm temperate zone of China.However,the species still lacks a chromosome-level genome.In this study,the former draft genome (Accession No.WIPI00000000) of weeping forsythia was assembled into 14 chromosomes with a 712.9 Mb genome size.Weeping forsythia underwent a and b whole-genome duplication events.After the divergence between weeping forsythia and Olea europaea,1 453 gene families had a significant expansion,and 1 146 gene families had a significant contraction.The enrichment pathways and ontologies of expanded genes suggested that the tillering,photosynthesis and growth capacity of weeping forsythia were enhanced after the divergence of weeping forsythia and O.europaea.The contracted genes suggested that the resistance of weeping forsythia to cold and drought was weakened.The last glacial period led to a significant decline in the effective population size of weeping forsythia.Forty-six candidate genes were identified for the synthesis of the forsythin and forsythoside A by genomic and transcriptomic data.In this study,we improved the previous draft genome of weeping forsythia.Our genome will provide genomic resources for the subsequent evolution and breeding research of weeping forsythia.

Citron C-05 inhibits both the penetration and colonization of Xanthomonas citri subsp.citri to achieve resistance to citrus canker disease

Citrus canker,caused by Xanthomonas citri subsp.citri(Xcc),is a serious bacterial disease that affects citrus production worldwide.Citron C-05(Citrus medica)is the only germplasm in the Citrus genus that has been identified to exhibit strong resistance to Xcc.However,it has not been determined when,where,and how Xcc is restricted in the tissues of Citron C-05 during the infection process.In the present study,we investigated the spatiotemporal growth dynamics of an eGFP-labeled virulent Xcc(eGFP-Xcc)strain in Citron C-05 along with five susceptible biotypes(i.e.,lemon,pummelo,sour orange,sweet orange,and ponkan mandarin)upon inoculation via the spraying or leaf infiltration of a bacterial suspension.The results from extensive confocal laser scanning microscopy analyses showed that while Xcc grew rapidly in plants of all five susceptible genotypes,Xcc was severely restricted in the epidermal and mesophyll cell layers of the leaves of Citron C-05 in the early stage of infection.Not surprisingly,resistance against Xcc in Citron C-05 was found to be associated with the production of reactive oxygen species and hypersensitive response-like cell death,as well as greater upregulation of several defense-related genes,including a pathogenesis-related gene(PR1)and a glutathione S-transferase gene(GST1),compared with sweet orange as a susceptible control.Taken together,our results not only provide further valuable details of the spatiotemporal dynamics of the host entry,propagation,and spread of Xcc in both resistant and susceptible citrus plants but also suggest that resistance to Xcc in Citron C-05 may be attributed to the activation of multiple defense mechanisms.

In vitro Screening of Fusarium Wilt-resistant Germplasm Resources of Red Edible Seed Watermelon( Citrullus lanatus ssp. vulgaris var. megalaspermus Lin et Chao)

[ Objective] This study aimed to establish an appropriate technology system for in vitro screening of Fuzarium wilt-resistant germplasm resources of red edible seed watermelon and obtain variants resistant to fusaric acid, thus providing resistant materials for breeding Fusarium wilt-resistant red edible seed watermel- on. [ Method] Using Zhongxin No. 1 red edible seed watermelon advemitious buds as screening materials and fusaric acid （FA） as a stress agent, in vitro screen- ing of Fusarium wilt-resistant red edible seed watermelon clonal variants and identification of Fusarium wilt-resistance of the germplasm resources of red edible seed watermelon were performed. [ Result] The results showed that the appropriate FA for in vitro screening of Fusarium wilt-resistant red edible seed watermelon vari- ants was 15 mg/L. In vitro screening system for Fusarium wilt-resistant red edible seed watermelon variants was established preliminarily and FA-resistant regenera- ted plants were obtained. Among the 36 germplasm resources of red edible seed watermelon, there were 2 highly resistant materials, 6 moderately resistant materi- als, 11 slightly resistant materials and 17 highly susceptible materials. [ Conclusion] This study confirmed preliminarily that in vitro screening method is effective for obtaining resistant materials of red edible seed watermelon.