MdXTH30, an apple gene encoding endotransferase/hydrolase for xyloglucan, enhances plant resistance to drought, salt and pathogenic stresses
January 2026
•The apple MdXTH30 could enhance the resistance to drought, salt, and pathogenic bacteria in plants.•The function of MdXTH30 depends partially on the lignin synthesis mediated by xyloglucan endotra...
Interrelations between probiotics, gut microbiota, intestinal barrier, and immune response focusing on diarrhea in dairy calves
January 2026
•Probiotics modulate gut microbiota to reduce diarrhea in dairy calves.•Probiotic intake strengthens the intestinal barrier and immune response.•Multi-strain probiotics are more effective than single-strain...
Abiotic stress responses in crop plants: A multi-scale approach
January 2026
•Abiotic stresses reduce crop yield and quality.•Plants adapt to abiotic stresses through morpho-physiological and molecular mechanisms.•Water stress lowers amylose but boosts stress-related proteins...
Mechanical stress induces molecular changes in oolong tea: Insights from multi-omics analysis
January 2026
•Integrated multi-omics (metabolomics, transcriptomics, proteomics) elucidates tea leaf responses to mechanical stress.•Mechanical stress-activated DAMPs ignite the Ca²+-JA-GSH signaling cascade, orchestrating...
Identification of Fusarium cugenangense as a causal agent of wilt disease on Pyrus pyrifolia in China
January 2026
•Fusarium cugenangense is identified as a novel causal agent of pear wilt in China.•Systemic infection is demonstrated via GFP-labeling and ultrastructural analysis....
3D genomic alterations during development of skeletal muscle in chicken
January 2026
•Multi-stage 3D genomic and epigenomic maps reveal dynamic chromatin reorganization during chicken muscle development.•A/B compartment switching and TAD remodeling are tightly linked to transcriptional...
Overexpression of OsCAX2 in indica rice reduces cadmium accumulation in grains without yield loss
January 2026
•OsCAX2 is localized to tonoplast, and cadmium induces its expression.•OsCAX2 overexpression reduces cadmium concentration in indica rice grains by 49.1%....
Pathways to improved food and nutrition security: The role of farm production diversity in household dietary outcomes in rural areas of Pakistan
January 2026
•Farm production diversity significantly enhances household dietary diversity in rural Pakistan, primarily through the own-farm consumption pathway.•Each additional crop or livestock species cultivated...
Long-term manure amendment enhances N2O emissions from acidic soil by alleviating acidification and increasing nitrogen mineralization
January 2026
•Manure amendment, especially combined with inorganic fertilizer, increased soil N2O emissions.•Increased N2O emissions resulted from alleviated acidification and enhanced gross N mineralization.•Manure...
MicroRNA-mediated modulation of immune genes facilitates Metarhizium anisopliae infection in the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta
January 2026
•Spatiotemporal profiling of host-encoded microRNAs revealed dynamic regulation of immune pathways in Metarhizium anisopliae-infected Solenopsis invicta.•MiR-71 and miR-7 regulated key immune pathway...
SlIDL6–SlHSL1/2/3 ligand-receptor pairs regulate tomato pedicel abscission
January 2026
•We isolated three HAESA-like homologs, SlHSL1/2/3, which are involved in tomato flower abscission.•SlHSL1/2/3 are the receptors of SlIDL6 in pedicel abscission and flower abscission under low light.•Ethylene...
Impacts of abiotic stresses on cotton physiology and vigor under current and future CO2 levels
January 2026
•Cotton cultivars are sensitive to abiotic stress during the vegetative stage.•Stresses and CO2 levels significantly influence the expression of physiology and phenotypic traits.•Elevated CO2 partially...
Maize–green manure intercropping improves maize yield and P uptake by shaping the responses of roots and soil
January 2026
•Maize–green manure intercropping increases maize yield and grain P uptake.•Intercropping increases the maize root length density and organic acid release rate.•Intercropping increases the soil phosphatase...
Novel characterization of NADC30-like and NADC34-like PRRSV strains in China: Epidemiological status and pathogenicity analysis of L1A variants
January 2026
•A novel PRRSV L1A variant, characterized by a unique recombination pattern derived from NADC30-like, NADC34-like, and HP-like strains, has emerged as a circulating strain in China.•Epidemiological...
Establishing an induced infertile chicken line for efficient germline transmission of exogenous PGCs
January 2026
•Generation of a novel sterile chicken host by targeting HSV-TK to the DAZL locus via CRISPR/Cas9.•The sterile host eliminates endogenous PGC competition, enhancing donor PGCs transmission efficien...
Performance and functional responses of the thelytokous and arrhenotokous strains of Neochrysocharis formosa to Tuta absoluta, a globally severe tomato pest
January 2026
•The thelytokous (TH) and arrhenotokous (AR) strains preferentially parasitize and attack 1st instar host larvae over later instars.•Variations in host-killing by N. formosa produce distinct functional...
Insights into the geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase (GGPPS) gene family in Osmanthus fragrans and the role of OfGGPPS13 in the formation of floral color and aroma
January 2026
•Genome-wide identification of 24 OfGGPPS genes reveals a key flower preferentially expressed enzyme gene, OfGGPPS13.•OfGGPPS13 diverts metabolic flux to enhance β-carotene synthesis but reduces scent...
ZmCals12 impacts maize growth and development by regulating symplastic transport
January 2026
•ZmCals12 is mainly expressed in the vascular transport system, regulating callose deposition and symplastic transport.•ZmCals12 regulates maize growth and development by affecting sugar transport....
Genome-wide characterization and expression analysis of the cultivated peanut AhPR10 gene family mediating resistance to Aspergillus flavus
January 2026
•Comprehensive identification of 54 AhPR10 genes in cultivated peanut, phylogenetically classified into eight distinct subgroups with supported gene structure and motif conservation.•Segmental duplication...
Sustainable phosphorus (P) management: Impact of low P input with enhancement measures on soil P fractions and crop yield performance on a calcareous soil
January 2026
•A 20% P reduction with straw wrapping and ammonium sulfate instead of urea maintains crop yield while enhancing agronomic efficiency and partial factor productivity.•Straw wrapping combined with ammonium...
A novel antibiotic 3-isopropylhexahydro-4H-pyrido[1,2-α]pyrazine-1,4(6H)-dione isolated from the thermophilic bacterium Bacillus licheniformis QX928
January 2026
•A new microbial source compound with a “dual resistance” mechanism has been discovered.•It reveals the concentration-dependent multi-target synergy mechanism of IPHPPD....
Shading and waterlogging interactions exacerbate summer maize yield losses by reducing assimilate accumulation and remobilization processes
January 2026
•Shading, waterlogging, and their combination reduced leaf photosynthetic assimilation and inhibited lignin biosynthesis.•Under shading, waterlogging, and their combination, stem vascular system was...
toGC: A pipeline to correct gene model for functional excavation of dark GPCRs in Phytophthora sojae
January 2026
•Developed toGC, a new tool that corrects errors in gene annotations using RNA-seq data.•Experimentally validated toGC’s accuracy, discovering two novel GPCR genes misannotated as one.•Demonstrated...
Point-of-care antigen detection for porcine deltacoronavirus: Colloidal gold and fluorescent immunochromatographic test strips
January 2026
•By conjugating the same anti-N monoclonal antibody (mAb4-mAb1) with colloidal gold or fluorescent microspheres, this study developed two rapid point-of-care antigen immunochromatographic strips for...
Matrix effect of hydroxycinnamic acids on chromatic properties and phenolic profile of Cabernet Sauvignon dry red wine
January 2026
•Hydroxycinnamic acids can enhance the color quality of wine through copigmentation.•Copigmentation is driven by hydrogen bonding and dispersion forces.•The anthocyanin backbone and the carboxyl group...