Cover crops, as an effective measure of farmland management, have been widely recognized for their positive roles in preventing soil erosion, alleviating soil degradation, enhancing soil quality and reducing the input of pesticides and fertilizers. This paper comprehensively analyzed the effects of cover crops on controlling soil erosion, their impact on soil carbon pools and greenhouse gas emissions, their regulatory effects on soil nutrients and moisture, as well as their effectiveness in controlling pests, diseases and weeds. By reviewing and summarizing current research progress, this paper aimed to provide theoretical support for the improvement of cover crop planting technology and to offer scientific basis for the selection of cover crops and the trade-offs in ecological and environmental benefits. The study found that cover crops reduced the risk of water and wind erosion by improving soil physical properties, increased soil carbon storage, reduced nutrient loss, enhanced water retention capacity, and to some extent suppressed pests, diseases, and weeds. However, the impact of cover crops was complex, and their effects on soil moisture and nutrients needed to be weighed according to specific crop types and planting conditions. This paper emphasized the importance of cover crops in sustainable agricultural development and points out directions for future research.

This research aims to establish a theoretical foundation for the production, application, and further exploration of Bacillus licheniformis and its liquid formulations by studying the liquid culture medium of Bacillus licheniformis and the preservation methods of its liquid preparations. Using Bacillus licheniformis as the test material, the liquid culture medium was optimized by orthogonal test, and the optimal medium was verified by fermenter test; different proportions of Lactobacillus plantarum were added to its liquid preparation to determine the best preservation method. The results were as follows. (1) The optimal medium and fermentation conditions were as following: bran 10 g/L, soybean meal 15 g/L, calcium carbonate 0.75 g/L, sodium chloride 10 g/L. The initial pH was 7.5, the temperature was 37℃, and the viable count of effective bacteria in the fermentation broth attained 2.68×10¹⁰ cfu/mL. The fermentation in a 2 t fermenter was completed after approximately 24 hours of cultivation, achieving a viable count of 3.8×10¹⁰ cfu/mL. (2) At indoor temperature, in the experimental groups supplemented with 2.00% and 5.00% Lactobacillus plantarum, the survival rates of Bacillus licheniformis were 84.2% and 84.1%, respectively, after 30 days, and reached 54.3% and 52.4% after 90 days. This study obtained a high-density liquid fermentation medium for this strain of Bacillus licheniformis, and laid a theoretical foundation for the research on the preservation of Bacillus licheniformis liquid preparations.

Pruning is an essential technical measure in the process of forest cultivation. Reasonable pruning is conducive to promoting the growth of forest trees, improving the trunk shape, increasing trunk completeness and timber outturn percentage, reducing the number of dead and live knots, and improving the overall quality of wood. This paper comprehensively analyzed the influence and mechanism of pruning on the growth of tree diameter at breast height and tree height, the physical properties of wood, and the tree trunk quality, and revealed that the growth promotion effect was achieved by regulating the distribution of photosynthetic products and improving the efficiency of nutrient transport. At the same time, the complex regulation rules of pruning intensity and seasonal difference on wood density, mechanical properties and knot scar formation were clarified. On this basis, it further summarized the deficiencies and problems in the past research and put forward the main research directions for the future as follow. (1) To construct the theoretical model of precise pruning based on tree species characteristics and growth stages; (2) to research and develop intelligent pruning equipment and digital operation systems; (3) to establish a standardized technical system covering material improvement and economic benefit evaluation. The research results provide theoretical support and technical path for directional cultivation of high-quality industrial materials.

Freeze-thaw cycling is a distinctive natural phenomenon prevalent in cold climate zones, including high-latitude and high-altitude regions. The periodic fluctuations in hydrothermal conditions associated with freeze-thaw processes exert substantial impacts on the physicochemical properties and biological characteristics of environmental media, particularly soils. These effects manifest through both direct and indirect mechanisms: freeze-thaw actions directly modulate soil microbial activity while simultaneously influencing microbially-mediated soil processes. Within the context of black soil farmland ecosystems, freeze-thaw cycling plays a pivotal role in nutrient cycling dynamics, thereby significantly affecting crop cultivation and growth. To elucidate the nutrient cycling processes in agricultural soil ecosystems within freeze-thaw affected black soil regions, it is imperative to account for the influence of freeze-thaw actions. This paper systematically synthesized relevant domestic and international research findings, with particular emphasis on analyzing advancements in understanding how freeze-thaw processes affect soil microbial community structure and function, as well as soil enzyme activities. Furthermore, we examined the effects of freeze-thaw frequency and intensity on soil properties. The insights derived from this review provide theoretical foundations for the sustainable utilization and management of black soil resources in Northeast China under freeze-thaw climate conditions.

To investigate the effects of different cultivation methods on the growth and quality of different varieties of water spinach, ‘Daye baigu’, ‘Zhongye qingguliuye’ and ‘Bobai kongxincai’ were used as experimental materials to explore the effects of soil cultivation, perlite substrate cultivation, hydroponics, and floating cultivation of seedling trays methods in facilities. The results showed that all three varieties of water spinach had the fastest plant height growth rate under floating cultivation of seedling trays conditions, which could shorten the time from sowing to first harvest by 21-24 days compared to soil cultivation. In the early stage, the harvesting interval under floating cultivation of seedling trays conditions was the shortest, while in the later stage, the harvesting interval of perlite substrate cultivation had an advantage. The main stem thickness showed no significant difference between soil and perlite cultivation conditions in all three varieties, but was both significantly higher than those under hydroponic and floating cultivation of seedling trays conditions. The leaf length, petiole length, and number of leaves were the highest in soil cultivation, followed by perlite cultivation. Under soil cultivation conditions, the content of vitamin C and cellulose were higher, while the content of soluble sugar and soluble protein were lower. Under perlite cultivation conditions, the content of soluble protein and dry matter were higher, while the content of vitamin C was lower. Under hydroponic conditions, the content of soluble sugar and chlorophyll were higher. The comprehensive quality was shown as perlite substrate cultivation > hydroponic > soil cultivation > floating cultivation of seedling trays. Water spinach grew fastest under floating cultivation of seedling trays conditions, and had the best quality under perlite substrate cultivation conditions.

The purpose of this study is to deeply explore the research trends of Perilla leaf's active chemical components and clarify its chemical composition and active mechanisms, and offers theoretical support for future research directions and the multi-domain development of Perilla leaf resources. Through bibliometrics and systematic review, we analyzed the research path and mechanisms of Perilla leaf's active components. We summarized the evolution and cutting-edge trends of its active component research, focusing on key components like essential oils, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and anthocyanins. Their chemical structures, structure-activity relationships, and molecular mechanisms of functional activities (e.g., antioxidant and antibacterial properties) were clarified. This study highlights the research progress and direction of Perilla leaves functional components, and probes into its resource potential in food, medicine, cosmetics and other fields.

The aim of this study is to improve the chromatic value of Monascus pigment, providing technical support for its widespread applications. To achieve the aim, the liquid medium for Monascus pigments production by Monascus purpureus fermentation was optimized using single-factor experiments and response surface methodology (RSM). Plackett-Burman design and steepest ascent experiments were employed to identify three key factors significantly affecting chromatic value of Monascus pigment including glucose, peptone, and KH₂PO_4, and the maximum response intervals of these factors were determined. Subsequently, a Box-Behnken design was used to optimize the medium composition, resulting in the following optimal medium formulation: glucose 59.3 g/L, peptone 30.5 g/L, KH₂PO₄ 0.8 g/L, MgSO₄ 1.0 g/L, ZnSO₄ 0.1 g/L. Under such optimized medium, the chromatic value of Monascus pigment reached 268.49 U/mL, which was 3.23 times higher than that achieved before optimization. The results demonstrate that response surface methodology is a highly efficient tool for optimizing culture media and this optimization significantly improves the yield of Monascus pigment.

To distinguish the characteristics of fresh leaves of tea plants from the Zhengyan, Banyan and Zhoucha tea regions in Wuyi Mountain from an ecological stoichiometry perspective, the study was conducted at Wuyi Mountain National Park in July 12-31, 2021. We compared the carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) contents, stoichiometric ratios and the natural abundance of carbon isotopes (δ13C) of tea (Cinnamomum cassia) plants leaves. The results showed that prior to autumn fertilization, the N content of fresh tea leaves in the Zhengyan area (24.81 g/kg) was significantly higher than those in the Banyan (22.26 g/kg) and Zhoucha (22.31 g/kg) areas. The δ13C value of Zhengyan fresh tea leaves (-29.79‰) was markedly lower than those of Banyan (-29.09‰) and Zhoucha (-28.50‰) regions. Additionally, The N:P ratio in Zhengyan fresh tea leaves (16.04) significantly exceeded those of the Banyan (14.14) and Zhoucha (14.21) areas. So, we could draw conclusions as followed. (1) The N content, N:P ratio and δ13C values could effectively differentiate fresh tea leaves in the Zhengyan region from those of the other two regions. (2) Zhengyan tea plants exhibited slower growth rates, lower water use efficiency, and the growth was limited by phosphorus, whereas tea plants in the Banyan and Zhoucha regions demonstrated faster growth, higher water use efficiency, and the growth was co-limited by both N and P. These physiological and stoichiometric disparities might contribute to variations in tea quality among the three regions.

To identify the distribution patterns and variation characteristics of climate resources during the growing season of figs, which is a distinctive fruit of Kezhou, and to provide a theoretical basis for the rational utilization of climate resources in agricultural production, daily meteorological data of the Atush Station in Kezhou from 1981 to 2023 were utilized. Methods such as univariate linear regression equation, Mann-Kendall mutation test, and wavelet analysis were employed to analyze the variation characteristics of climate resources during the fig growing season (April to September) in Atush. Additionally, the spatial distribution patterns were analyzed in conjunction with topography. The results indicated that over the past 43 years, the temperature during the growing season in Atush had shown a mild upward trend, with a significant mutation occurring in 1997, and oscillation cycles of 3, 8 and 30 years. The overall trend of precipitation was also increasing, with a mutation in 1997 and oscillation cycles of 2, 5, 8 and 30 years. Sunshine duration was significantly influenced by topography, showing a decreasing trend over the past 43 years, with notable mutations in 1996 and 2012, and oscillation cycles of 2, 5 and 20 years. Based on the local climate resources and their spatiotemporal distribution patterns, it is concluded that Atush is suitable for developing distinctive fruits, particularly in areas near river valleys. However, factors such as soil conditions, diurnal temperature variations, and meteorological disasters like strong winds, heavy rain, low-temperature frost damages, and high temperatures have certain impacts on fig growth. Corresponding defensive measures are proposed.

Wheat powdery mildew, caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt), is a destructive fungal disease that significantly reduces wheat yield and grain quality worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate powdery mildew resistance in Sichuan wheat varieties (lines) and characterize their resistance genes, which will provide an important theoretical basis and practical guidance for disease-resistant wheat breeding. A total of 168 Sichuan wheat varieties (lines) were screened for seedling powdery mildew resistance under artificial climate chamber, which were inoculated with Bgt isolate E09, and the resistance gene was analyzed by molecular marker detection and genomic in situ hybridization (GISH). The result showed that 35 wheat materials (20.8%) were resistant. Molecular marker analysis showed that 34 materials carries the Pm21 gene, and ‘Shumai 2352’ carries Pm56. GISH analysis further confirmed that wheat cultivar ‘Mianmai 367’ carries a whole-arm chromosomal translocation of V chromosome (6VS·6AL) harboring Pm21, and ‘Shumai 2352’ possesses a whole-arm translocation of R chromosome (6RS·6AL) containing Pm56. The study highlights the limited genetic diversity of powdery mildew resistance in Sichuan wheat germplasm which are mainly relying on the Pm21 resistance gene, and emphasizes the urgent need to diversify resistance sources by introducing more Pm genes to broaden the genetic basis of disease resistance sources.

Epigenetic regulation refers to the heritable control of gene expression without alterations in the DNA sequence, achieved through mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modification, RNA modification, chromatin remodeling and non-coding RNAs. Epigenetics provides an additional and flexible source of trait variation for horticultural crop improvement, opening innovative avenues for breeding new varieties capable of addressing challenges like climate change adaptation, disease and pest resistance, and quality enhancement. This review systematically synthesizes current research progress on the epigenetic regulation of key agronomic traits in horticultural crops and summarizes relevant breeding tools and methods developed for their use in horticultural crop breeding. It aims to provide a theoretical reference for further understanding the epigenetic basis of the formation of horticultural crop traits, and provide a theoretical basis and technical support for the promotion and application of epigenetic breeding in horticultural crops.

To explore the law of water and salt transportation under different improvement modes of saline-alkali land in the Yellow River Delta, this study innovatively adopted a combination of continuous dynamic monitoring ( June-November 2024 ) and multi-factor ( soil-groundwater-drain ) comprehensive analysis. Taking Kenli District of Dongying City as the research area, the response mechanism of water and soil environment in the process of saline-alkali land improvement was systematically studied through field fixed-point sampling. The results showed as follows. (1) Under the condition of subsurface pipe drainage, the soil total salt content in the rice-improved area decreased by 82.81%-91.73% at the end of the growth period, which was significantly higher than that in the rain-fed area (71.79% -81.54%). (2) Following the conversion to rice cultivation, the soil pH increased, and salt leaching led to a pH increase of 6.55%-13.10%, showing a typical 'desalination and alkalization' feature; Notably, except for HCO₃^-, there was a significant correlation observed between other ion indicators, total salinity and soil pH. (3) The total salt content of groundwater was driven by irrigation-precipitation coupling, showing a trend of increasing first and then decreasing. The buried depth from July to September was generally <1.2 m, and the water quality from August to November (total salt content >2g/L) exceeded the standard of farmland irrigation and should not be directly used for farmland irrigation. The results of this study can provide some theoretical and technical support for the regulation and control of soil salinization in the Yellow River Delta.

The novelty of floral organ morphology serves as one of the critical indicators for the ornamental value of flowering plants. This article summarized the influences of relevant floral developmental genes, temperature, hormones, and other external factors on the floral organ variation of Rosa chinensis ‘Viridiflora’. Analysis indicated that the formation of unique floral organ traits in R. chinensis ‘Viridiflora’ was associated with the inherent characteristics of floral organs, external factors, and molecular mechanisms. Finally, suggestions were made for future research directions. (1) Conducting physiological and anatomical studies on the leaf-like structures of R. chinensis ‘Viridiflora’ to determine their evolutionary orientation. (2) Performing functional verification of the screened related genes to determine whether this gene can cause flower type variation. (3) Constructing interaction network diagrams illustrating relationships between genes. (4) Utilizing rose plant regeneration and genetic transformation systems to cultivate novel floral cultivars.

In order to assess the suitability of MaizeSM crop model in Tumd Left Banner, a global sensitivity analysis method was employed to identify sensitive parameters of the model. Subsequently, localized model parameters were calibrated using maize variety data from experimental fields, meteorological observations, soil physical and chemical data, and field management records spanning 2010 to 2022. This calibration enabled accurate simulation and prediction of local maize growth processes and characteristics across different stages. Accuracy of simulation results was verified using actual yield and growth period duration indicators. The results showed that findings revealed nine sensitive parameters within the model, with k₁ (emerging-joining stage basic development coefficient) being identified as most sensitive while TR₁ (stem sheath storage transport efficiency parameter before flowering) exhibited minimal sensitivity. Strong correlations between simulated values for each growth period and actual values were observed, with normalized root-mean-square error (NRMSE) below 30% and root-mean-square error (RMSE) falling within an acceptable range. The crop model can simulate the local maize growth well. The crop model demonstrates good simulation performance for local maize growth. The localized maize growth simulation model, MaizeSM, with improved parameters, has enhanced the refined yield prediction based on station-scale agricultural meteorological services. This further strengthens the application capabilities of agricultural models in climate change impact assessment, operational services, and agricultural production in the Tumd Left Banner region. These advancements assist agricultural managers in formulating optimal planting strategies to achieve maximum production efficiency.

To enhance rooting efficiency of Styrax japonicus cuttings, an orthogonal experimental design was conducted using current-season softwood and 1-year-old hardwood shoots. Five factors (substrate composition, cutting type, rooting hormone type, concentration, and immersion duration) were evaluated for their impacts on rooting performance. Results revealed a mixed rooting mechanism involving both callus and bark tissues, with root emergence occurring between 26-38 days post-cutting. Substrate type, cutting category, and hormone type demonstrated highly significant effects on rooting rate, normalized rooting rate, root count, and root length, while hormone concentration and immersion time significantly influenced root length. Optimization analysis prioritizing rooting rate identified the optimal conditions as: perlite: vermiculite (1:3) substrate, softwood cuttings, and treatment with 400 mg/L IBA solution for 60 minutes. Range analysis highlighted rooting hormone type as the most critical factor, followed by concentration, cutting type, substrate ratio, and immersion duration. Integrated findings recommended using a perlite: vermiculite (1:3) medium with softwood cuttings, pretreated in 400 mg/L IBA solution for 60 minutes, and conducted during spring for maximal propagation success.

By visually analyzing the research literature in the field of synthetic microbial communities in the past 10 years (2014-2024), this paper explores the research process, research strength, main research contents and deficiencies in this field, and provides a reference for the application research of synthetic microbial communities in the agricultural field. By using bibliometric methods and CiteSpace and VOSviewer software, 1017 literatures related to synthetic microbial communities in the CNKI and WOS databases were visualized, including domestic and international publication trends, cooperation networks, co-occurrence and emergent analysis of high-frequency keywords. The results show that the research on synthetic microbial communities at home and abroad shows a fluctuating upward trend, and the growth rate of foreign language papers is greater than that of Chinese papers. A research pattern has been formed globally, with China and the United States taking the lead and other countries participating together. There is a lack of cooperation between research institutions and researchers, with cooperation rates of 10.12% and 21.70% respectively. However, the quality of research institutions is relatively high, such as Tianjin University, Nanjing Agricultural University, Northwest A&F University, University of California, Chinese Academy of Sciences, United States Department of Energy (DOE), etc. The research on synthetic microbial communities mainly focuses on the construction of bacterial flora, interspecific interactions within the community and their applications, lacking related mechanism studies. In the future, attention should be paid to the construction of cross-border synthetic flora and the mechanism research on the advantages of flora. The research on synthetic microbial communities is in the development stage and has great research potential. Future research should still focus on constructing microbiota, interspecific interactions and enhancing the practical application effects of synthetic microbial communities based on practical applications.

To address the limitations of conventional remote sensing classification methods, such as reliance on manual feature design and poor generalization ability, this study systematically evaluated three backbone architectures (ResNet34, MobileNetV2_100 and TF_MobileNetV3_Small_100) under frozen and non-frozen transfer learning strategies, utilizing Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) multispectral imagery and employing a saline-alkali land information extraction method based on U-Net deep learning model. The experimental findings demonstrated that ResNet34 generally showed superior convergence speed, segmentation accuracy and generalization ability in comparison to the lightweight models (MobileNetV2_100, TF_MobileNetV3_Small_100). Specifically, the non-frozen ResNet34 model achieved the optimal overall performance, with a classification precision of 0.880, recall of 0.708, and F₁-score of 0.785, all of which exceeded those of other models. The lightweight model demonstrated efficacy in scenarios characterized by limited resources, which could be employed in cases where computational resources were limited and segmentation precision required was low but still necessitates high-performance backbones for complex environments. Notably, non-frozen training consistently exceeded frozen strategies, emphasizing the importance of full-parameter optimization for enhancing accuracy and generalization ability. The research not only validates the effectiveness of deep learning in the remote sensing monitoring of saline-alkali land but also provides a model selection framework for intelligent identification and monitoring of saline and saline-alkali land, offering practical guidance for ecological governance and precision agriculture.

The characteristics, application fields, existing problems and future research directions of edible fungal protein were comprehensively reviewed in order to promote its wider application and development. Through the collection, organization and analysis of relevant data on mycoprotein from edible fungi, the research is conducted from multiple aspects such as its composition, efficacy, and application examples in different industries. Mycoprotein from edible fungi is a natural and nutritionally rich substance, rich in bioactive components. It has multiple biological functions such as anti-fungal and anti-viral properties. In the food industry, as an important source of high-quality protein, it can enhance the nutritional value and quality of food and also serve as a natural colorant; in the medical field, its medicinal efficacy is utilized to develop new anti-tumor and anti-viral drugs; it also shows great application potential in the chemical industry, agriculture, and textile industries. However, there are currently problems such as low extraction efficiency and complex purification processes. Therefore, it is urgent to study its efficient extraction and purification technology and clarify the mechanism of biological functional activity, so as to break through the existing bottleneck, fully tap its multi-field application value, and promote the development of related industries.

Maize is the crop with the largest planting area in China, playing a crucial role in safeguarding national food security. Dwarfing breeding is a core approach to break the bottleneck of maize yield per unit area by optimizing plant architecture and increasing planting density. This paper systematically reviews the research progress on maize dwarf genes, with a focus on clarifying the biological significance of maize plant height traits, the practices of dwarf genetic breeding, and the regulatory mechanisms of plant hormones on plant height, while proposing future research directions. The results show that: (1) maize plant height is co-regulated by the number of internodes and internode length. Dwarf plants can reduce lodging risk by shortening internode length, optimize canopy structure, and improve light energy use efficiency and adaptability to dense planting, but it is necessary to coordinate the relationship between dwarfing and yield traits. (2) Maize dwarf genetics is divided into two major systems: single-gene and multi-gene. In the single-gene system, the br2 gene has the clearest molecular mechanism—it inhibits the elongation of stem cells, reducing stem length by 40% to 50% compared with the wild type, with a more significant effect on internodes below the ear position—and it is the most widely used major gene at present. The multi-gene system can avoid the defect of pleiotropy by accumulating minor-effect genes, and varieties such as 'Aidan 268' that balance dwarfing and high yield have been bred. (3) Gibberellin (GA), brassinosteroid (BR), and auxin (IAA) are the core hormones regulating plant height: mutations in GA synthesis-related genes (d1, an1) or signal genes (d8, d9) lead to dwarfing, loss of function of BR synthesis genes (brd1, na2) or signal genes (ZmBRI1a) causes stunted plants, and abnormal function of the IAA polar transport gene (br2) results in dwarfing of lower stem nodes. Currently, maize dwarf breeding has problems such as a relatively small number of applicable genes (more than 60 dwarf genes have been discovered, and about 40 have been cloned), genetic linkage drag restricting the coordination of traits, and insufficient functional verification of novel dwarf genes (such as the mapped genes K718d and d8227). In the future, it is necessary to explore medium dwarf genes suitable for dense planting, use genome-wide selection technology to aggregate multiple genes, and integrate phenomics with artificial intelligence to screen for ideal plant architecture, so as to breed maize varieties with the characters of dwarf stalks for lodging resistance, dense planting for high yield, wide adaptability and easy mechanical harvesting, and provide support for the sustainable development of the maize industry.

Nutrition and functional components are crucial constituents of food products. The production of these components has been gradually evolving from traditional methods towards a more intelligent form of biofabrication, which represent the development of China's biofabrication industry. With the continuous progress of synthetic biology technologies, an increasing number of nutrition and functional components can be biosynthesized using microorganisms. Concurrently, research in this area has been growing significantly. To comprehensively understand the domestic and international development trends in the field of food biofabrication, this study presents a systematic review of the latest applications of synthetic biology technologies in the biosynthesis of nutrition and functional components. Additionally, a comparative analysis of the advantages and distinctions between in vivo and in vitro biosynthesis methods is conducted. Despite the notable research achievements has been achieved in new biofabrication technologies both at home and abroad, the Chinese biofabrication industry still faces several challenges. These include an imperfect production system, immature processing technologies, and a reliance on imported equipment due to the relative lack of advanced domestic alternatives. In light of the current development status and practical requirements of China's biofabrication industry, this paper proposes several key areas for promoting scientific and technological innovation: formulating a diversified strategy for the raw material system in Chinese biofabrication; developing high-performance industrial strains for biosynthesis with independent intellectual property rights in China; accelerating the in-depth integration of artificial intelligence and biofabrication, and develop intelligent new equipment for industrial production. These initiatives aim to provide essential technical support for further advancing the development and application of biofabrication platforms.