This study investigated the effects of six crop rotation combinations on the soil quality of old apple orchard and seedling growth of Malus hupehensis Rehd. (apple rootstock) under pot conditions. The inhibitory effects of crops such as Allium fistulosum, Brassica juncea, and Triticum aestivum on four species of Fusarium were observed and compared in six treatments. These were continuous cropping (CK)

Rain-fed fig culture is known to provide a good quality of dried figs, while almost no research has been reported so far on the enzyme activity comparisons of seasonal variations among terminal buds in this plant. Toward this goal, we evaluated the physiochemical changes of terminal buds of fig 'Sabz' and their micromorphology during the dormant season (November to April) using Scanning Electron Microscope

Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a natural defense mechanism of plants, which can cause sequence-specific degradation of viral RNA and is often used for studying the functional genome. At present, the VIGS system mediated by Tobacco rattle virus (TRV) has been successfully established in many plant species. However, the VIGS system in Chinese narcissus had not been reported yet. In this paper

Genes containing GTP_EFTU domain mainly express elongation factors (EF), Small GTPases, and GTP-binding proteins, which are closely related to protein synthesis, extension and ATP synthesis. In this study, we identified 39 genes containing GTP_EFTU domains from peppers. The evolutionary trees constructed from capsicum, Arabidopsis, rice, and tomato are mainly divided into 7 subfamilies. Using PacBio

The abscisic acid (ABA) receptor PYR/PYL/RCAR, located upstream of the ABA signaling pathway, recognizes ABA signals and initiates the primary process of signal transduction. In our previous study, we found that the PYL4 gene in tomato plants was significantly upregulated after exogenous treatment with the hormone ABA. The present study used virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) to further elucidate

Brassica rapa (AA, 2n = 20) and Raphanus sativus (RR, 2n = 18) are popular vegetables containing multiple secondary metabolites, such as flavonoids and anthocyanins. Nevertheless, few studies on miRNA expression profiles and potential regulatory network of flavonoid metabolism have been reported in the intergeneric hybrid of B. rapa and R. sativus (Brassicacoraphanus, AARR, 2n = 38). Here, the miRNAs

Sugar composition not only affects fruit flavor but is also an important determinant of fruit taste and consumer preference. In this study, changes in the sugar content and sugar-metabolizing enzymes were investigated from different sections of various fruit development phases of ‘Hongshuijing’ pitaya (Hylocereus monacanthus). Genes related to sugar metabolism were also screened by transcriptome analyses

Mutants lacking wild-type MLO (Mildew resistance Locus O) proteins show broad-spectrum resistance to the powdery mildew fungus, and dysregulated cell death control, with spontaneous cell death in response to developmental or abiotic stimuli. In order to understand the evolution and divergence patterns of the MLO gene family in Rosaceae plants, we analysed systematically genome-wide data from Fragaria

Kiwifruit is an extremely perishable fruit; postharvest disease and senescence during storage can reduce the fruit quality, resulting in economic loss. Considerable research effort has focused on identifying safe and cost-effective ways to preserve fresh kiwifruit. To this end, the present study investigated the effects of alginate oligosaccharide (AOS) soaking treatment on postharvest quality and

Cladosporium cladosporioides is an emerging pathogenic fungus that causes Cladosporium rot in postharvest table grapes (Vitis vinifera). However, studies investigating the infection process of C. cladosporioides are lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the infection process by investigating the influence of microclimatic parameters (temperature, wetness and fungal age) in C. cladosporioides

Anthocyanins, a class of flavonoid compounds that provide pigmentation to plant organs, are beneficial components of the human diet and there is an interest in understanding the regulation of their formation in crop plants. The apple cultivar ‘May’ represents an excellent model for the study of anthocyanin metabolism due to the spatial color pattern of its flesh, which transitions sequentially from

Prunus mume is an important woody plant that has high ornamental and economic value, widely distributed and used in landscape architecture in East Asia. In plants, basic (region) leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors play important regulatory roles in growth, development, dormancy and abiotic stress. To date, bZIP transcription factors have not been systematically studied in P. mume. In this

Gerbera hybrida is one of the important cut flowers across the world. The novel traits are the primarily market requirements and the breeding targets, mainly determined by the degree of genetic variation after hybridization. However, meiotic recombination is highly conserved in most eukaryotes which suppressed the crossover formation and limited the genetic diversity. Recently, several meiotic recombination

FUSCA3 (FUS3) is a member of B3-domain transcription factor family and master regulator of seed development. It has potential roles in hormone biosynthesis and signaling pathways and therefore plays diverse roles in plant life cycle, especially in seed germination, dormancy, embryo formation, seed and fruit development, and maturation. However, there is limited information about its functions in seed

Flower blight on anthurium (Anthurium andraeanum) was observed during August 2018 on an anthurium cultivation farm in the Songkhla Province of southern Thailand. The fungal isolate was identified as Neopestalotiopsis clavispora based on the morphology and DNA sequence of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1-α), and β-tubulin (tub) genes. The phylogenetic tree

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), which belongs to the large Asteraceae (Compositae) family, breeds by sexual reproduction and produces seeds. Actually, lettuce seeds are achenes, which are defined as fruits. However, few studies have described the morphological characteristics of the lettuce achenes, and genes essential for achene development are largely unknown in lettuce. To investigate the gene activity

Hormones play important roles in vegetative and reproductive processes; however, the regulatory roles of hormones in Nelumbo nucifera (Lotus) growth and development are unclear. In this study, nine types of endogenous hormones, including gibberellins (GA1, GA3, and GA4), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), brassinolide (BR), ethylene (ETH), jasmonic acid (JA), abscisic acid (ABA), and zeatin (ZT) were detected

The various monochromatic Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights are widely used in growth facility for cultivating various plants, particularly horticultural crops because of their higher luminous efficiency, lower radiation and power consumption than the traditional white fluorescent lamp light. However, considerable inconsistent effects have been reported in literature. We conducted a meta-analysis to

Mesocarp color is an important agronomic trait of Cucurbita maxima and is determined mainly by the contents and compositions of the carotenoids. The two inbred lines with significant differences in fruit flesh color were used in the study, the orange ‘312-1’ and white ‘98-2’. Changes in seven carotenoid contents and compositions in the flesh of fruit produced by inbred lines ‘312-1’ and ‘98-2’ were

Rootstocks have a significant influence on adaptation to biotic and abiotic stress conditions and quality of fruit. So, choice of rootstock for a specific growing region is an important decision for a grower to make when establishing a commercial citrus orchard. This study was undertaken to assess effects of rootstock and location on quality of orange fruit. The study was conducted over two consecutive

Tomato fruit are sensitive to chilling injury (CI) during cold storage. Several factors have been discovered to be involved in chilling injury of tomato fruit. Plant hormones play an important regulatory role, however, the relationship between chilling injury and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation of transcripts in plant hormone pathways has not been reported yet. In order to clarify the complex

Tree peony has nine wild species, but the evolutionary relationship of them is still unclear. Here, a total of 274 specimens from 22 natural populations of nine wild species were collected, and their genetic diversity and similarity was analyzed based on Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR) molecular markers. A total of 106 alleles were generated based on 20 primers and with an average of 5.3 alleles per

Cytokinins are a class of phytohormones that promote cell division and differentiation and are thought to affect plant immunity to multiple pathogens. However, a comprehensive analysis of cytokinin dehydrogenase/oxidase (CKX) family genes in cabbage has not been reported. In this study, a total of 36 CKX genes were identified using a genome-wide search method. Phylogenetic analysis classified these

Winged bean [Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.) DC.] is a vegetable legume crop. The center of origin, diversity and domestication of this crop are not known. This study assessed the genetic diversity and population structure of 457 accessions of winged bean collected from six geographical regions (North, Northeast, East, West, and central, and South) in Thailand using 14 simple sequence repeat (SSR)

To better understand the genetic diversity and population structure of broccoli cultivars planted in China, a total of 161 representative broccoli cultivars in the past 25 years were collected and analysed based on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Ten pairs of primers with good polymorphism and high resolution were screened from 315 pairs of SNP primers by 3 broccoli accessions (inbred

Abiotic stress has a serious effect on plant growth. The transcription factor DREB2A is a member of the AP2/ERF family, which is widely involved in abiotic stress response. However, the function of apple MdDREB2A has not been systematically investigated. In this study,MdDREB2A was isolated from the cultivar ‘Royal Gala’. The open reading frame of MdDREB2A was 1 197 bp in length and it encoded a protein

Microalgae, such as Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck (green algae), are beneficial microscopic organisms that may help plants to improve nutrient uptake, growth, and abiotic tolerance to stressors. The current study was performed to investigate the effectiveness of algae (Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck) foliar applications [1%, 3%, or 5% (v/v)] on mitigation of drought stress in broccoli plants subjected

Plant dormancy is essential for perennial plant survival. Different genotypes of Prunus mume, including Eumume group and Apricot Mei group, undergo leaf senescence and dormancy at different times. In order to verify the cold resistance of P. mume, freeze resistance evaluation was carried out. Our results showed that Apricot Mei group had a stronger freezing tolerance than Eumume group and that leaf

Rose is sensitive to high temperature which will make the rose go into a semi-dormancy state. Grafting is an excellent way to enhance rose heat tolerance. Here, heat-tolerant Rosa multiflora ‘Huanong Wuci 1′ (W) and heat-sensitive Rosa chinensis ‘Old Blush’ (X) were selected as experimental materials. The RNA-seq technique was used to investigate the transcriptomes of self-root grafting line (XX0)

The cadmium tolerance capacity of Canna orchioides was evaluated using glasshouse experiment to lay a theoretical foundation to broad applications of this species in cadmium (Cd) polluted areas. The plant growth, Cd absorption, and antioxidative enzyme activities of canna plants treated with different Cd concentrations (0, 100, and 200 mg · kg−1 per dry soil) for 30 days were investigated. The results

The detrimental effects of Huanglongbing (HLB) on citrus are well known and so is the need for effective methods to combat this disease. Solar thermotherapy (ST), one of the management methods to help alleviate some of the negative effects of HLB, is the process of heating trees to therapeutic temperatures by encompassing the tree within a plastic structure (Visqueen) to harness the sun's natural energy

In agriculture, LED light sources have increasingly replaced the standard luminescent lamps and have acquired an important role in plant micropropagation. We studied the effect of different light sources such as narrow-band LEDs (bright blue, blue, green, yellow, deep red, and red) and wide-band LEDs (cold white, white, warm white, full spectrum, and an artificial solar spectrum sun box constructed

Plant viruses are mainly transmitted by insect vectors in the non-persistent, semi-persistent, or persistent modes. In the non-persistent mode, plant viruses are retained in the stylets of their insect vectors. In the semi-persistent mode, plant viruses are carried to vector foreguts or salivary glands, but they cannot spread to salivary glands. In the persistent mode, plant viruses are retained in

Asian lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) is an aquatic plant with ornamental, cultural, economic, and ecological values. China has abundant germplasm resources of Asian lotus. However, in many areas, the wild Asian lotuses have been destroyed and the germplasms is now facing extinction. In addition, the knowledge of the genetic diversity of the wild Asian lotus in China is poor. To identify and protect

Sucrose synthase (SUS, EC 2.4.1.13) is widely considered as a key enzyme involved in plant sucrose metabolism, and the gene family encoding different SUS isozymes has been identified and characterized in several plant species. However, to date scant information about the SUS genes is available in Litchi chinensis Sonn. Here, we identified five SUS genes in litchi. These LcSUSs shared high levels of

The aim of this study was to characterize the changes in berry anatomy during the development of grape (Vitis vinifera L., and Vitis vinifera × Vitis labrusca) with different shapes. Paraffin sectioning was used to examine the structural parameters of the cells. The results revealed that, with the development of berries, the transverse and longitudinal diameters of the flesh cells gradually increased

The homeodomain-leucine zipper (HD-Zip) family has been shown to perform a multitude of functions during plant development and stress responses; however, the family members and functions have not been identified in apple (Malus × domestica). In this study, 83 HD-Zips (MdHDZs) were identified in the apple genome. They were assembled into four subgroups according to the classification in Arabidopsis

DNA barcoding is a supplementary tool in plant systematics, extensively used to resolve the species level controversies. This paper details the identification of DNA barcodes for seven species of Momordica, using the chloroplast gene matK. Since the species M. cymbalaria has been confused as a member of the genus Luffa, 26 accessions of Momordica belonging to seven Indian species and two accessions

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) is an evergreen fruit tree species of the Rosaceae, and its unique flowering time greatly hinders its production. To explore the artificial regulation of loquat flowering time, we removed the main inflorescence (by cutting it) to induce reflowering. For different loquat tree cultivars with different stages, the inflorescence was removed by cutting the main floral

Although open-central canopy (OCC) is popular in apple (Malus × domestica) orchards in Loess Plateau of China, its relevant photosynthetic mechanisms have not been elucidated. In this study, changes in photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence quenching and fruit quality in apple trees were measured in OCC and compared with those in the conventional condensed

Osmanthus fragrans is one of the top ten traditional flowers in China. It is divided into three different groups according to its color. α-Carotene and β-carotene are the main determinants to distinguish the color differences between three groups. However, the dominant genes and transcription factors involved in carotenoid metabolism remain unclear. CPTA treatment (0.7 mmol · L−1) remarkably promoted

Chinese cabbage, belonging to Brassica rapa species, is an important vegetable in Eastern Asia. It is well known that Chinese cabbage is quite recalcitrant to genetic transformation and the transgenic frequency is generally low. The lack of an efficient and stable genetic transformation system for Chinese cabbage has largely limited related gene functional studies. In this study, we firstly developed

It is of great practical significance to study the development process of cut lily for regulating flowering and preservation. In this study, the developmental process of lily cut flower was explored from cellular, morphological, and physiological aspects. From a morphological aspect, the tepal edge grows faster than the midrib. The midrib groove of the flowering stage is wider than that of bud stage

Cysteine-rich polycomb-like (CPP) is a small gene family in plants, which plays key role in plant development and stress response. Although CPP transcription factors have been characterized in several other plant species, a genome-wide characterization of the CPP gene family has been absent in Camellia sinensis. In this study, we totally identified 7, 8, and 8 non-redundant CsCPP genes in three published

Orchids are horticultural plants with significant ornamental and economic value. Increasing market circulation and rising trade in orchids is forcing breeders to develop varieties with unique characteristics, including flower color, morphology, and resistance using a range of approaches, including traditional and molecular breeding. Advances in high-throughput technologies have generated extensive

Whole-genome shogun sequence (WGS) data generated by next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms are a valuable resource for crop improvement. We produced 5–6 × WGS coverage of 44 Brassica oleracea breeding lines representing seven subspecies/morphotypes: cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kailan, kale, Brussels sprout, and kohlrabi to systematically evaluate the nuclear and chloroplast (Cp) diversity

The G protein α-subunit, GPA1, is an integral component of several signaling pathways in plants, including response to abiotic stress. However, the molecular mechanism behind these processes remains largely unknown in the cucumber plant (Cucumis sativus L.). In order to further understand the role of CsGPA1 in cucumber under drought stress, changes in plant growth, physiological parameters, and gene

Most cherry orchards in China have low organic carbon content, though carbon is very important for plant growth. The changes in soil carbon and bacterial diversity were determined after different amounts of 12C-glucose were added to the rhizosphere of Cerasus sachalinensis. Soil bacteria diversity was measured using high throughput sequencing, and bacteria containing 13C-glucose were identified using

Rose (Rosa hybrida) is widely used for cut flowers and as garden plants. Stable and efficient transformation system is required for functional genomics of rose. Here, we established an efficient transformation method for rose using Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of embryogenic callus. Expanding rose leaves were used as explants to induce somatic embryos, which were subjected to transformation

Downy mildew is a serious disease in cucumber production worldwide, which is caused by Pseudoperonospora cubensis (Berk. & Curt.) Rostov. Underlying the mechanism of cucumber response to downy mildew infection is important for breeding improvement and production; however, the research remains largely elusive. A comparative proteomic approach was used to reveal the differential accumulation of the proteomes

Citrus Huanglongbing, associated with Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (Las), is the serious disease of citrus worldwide. Here, we compared differences between leaf and root responses in Wanjincheng Orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck) to Las infection using leaf-disc grafting. Trees had no obvious symptoms in the first two months after grafting (MAG), but yellowing leaves, thickened midribs and decayed

Plants demonstrate dynamic changes in molecular structures under fluctuating light conditions. Accumulating evidence suggests that light plays a vital role in plant growth and morphogenesis. In particular, light has a role in the absorption and utilization of nutrients in plants. Despite significant progress in understanding the mechanism of nutrient acquisition and assimilation, how light affects

Huanglongbing (HLB), which is mainly associated with “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus” (CLas), is currently threatening citrus production around the world. This destructive century-old disease results in callose deposition in phloem plasmodesmata and starch overaccumulation in leaf chloroplasts. Heat treatment with high humidity has proven to be effective in eliminating the CLas titers in potted

Kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) ‘Bruno’ is prone to accumulate ethanol rapidly after respiratory climacteric during storage at ambient conditions without stresses, which causes quality deterioration of the fruit associated with alcohol off-flavor. For maintaining the postharvest quality of kiwifruit ‘Bruno’, the effects of 1.0 µL • L−1 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment on regulating the ethanol

Biofumigation is an environmentally friendly strategy used to control nematodes and plant diseases. The volatile oil of Zanthoxylum bungeanum has high insecticidal and antibacterial activity. However, it is not known if the seed of Z. bungeanum is a suitable material for biofumigation to control southern root-knot nematodes (SRKN) on tomato, and how it may regulate the soil bacterial community structure

Nitrogen deficiency is a major factor that affects the yield and quality of horticultural crops. Differentially expressed proteins were identified in cucumber fruit under nitrogen deficiency treatment, and are expected to be highly useful for dissecting carbon, nitrogen and ascorbate metabolism in cucumber and for improving nitrogen fertilizer utilization. Cucumber plants grown hydroponically in Hoagland

Stigma color plays an important role in pollination. In nature, melon (Cucumis melo L.) stigmas are either yellow or green; however, a review of the literature found no report on how stigma color affects pollination and fruit development in melon. Here, we used an F2 melon population derived from a cross between ‘MR-1’ (P1, with green stigmas) and ‘M1–32’ (P2, with yellow stigmas), and performed genetic

Rosa roxburghii Tratt. is a well-known commercial horticultural crop in China with nutritional and medicinal value. Wild germplasms of this species are mainly distributed in Southwest China but the population is decreasing due to continuous exploitation, habitat destruction, and fragmentation. Therefore, assessing the genetic diversity and phylogeography is essential for efficient conservation. Herein

Dioecy, the presence of male and female individual, has evolved independently from hermaphroditism in multiple flowering plant lineages. Spinach, an important leafy vegetable crop worldwide, is a dioecious species with an XY sex-determination system. Although some markers that are fully linked to male-determination locus were identified, the male-specific region (MSR) remained unclear. In this research

A homologous gene of strigolactones repressor protein gene SMXL7/D53, MdSMXL8.2 (GenBank accession No.: MD07G1222400), was cloned from ‘Royal Gala’ apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) in this study. The sequence analysis revealed that the length of this gene was 3 243 bp, which encoded 1 080 amino acids, and had a protein molecular mass of ∼110 kD. The phylogenetic tree analysis indicated that the MdSMXL8