Table of Content

20 September 2025, Volume 34 Issue 9

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Species spatial distribution patterns in grassland under restoration in ‘hill and gully’ regions of the Loess Plateau

Fan-xi KONG, Bang-jie TANG, A-li-mi-ri ALIMUJIANG, Ge-ge ADE, Mao-guo YUAN, Jun CHEN

2025, 34(9):  1-11.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024428

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The aim of this work was to explore the spatial distribution pattern of plants in grasslands under natural restoration on the Loess Plateau. To this end， a field study was conducted at three grassland sites that had been under natural restoration for 5， 10， and 25 years in Wuqi County， Shaanxi Province. The spatial heterogeneity indexes of the whole community and each species in the community were calculated using the aboveground biomass measurement method and the point-grid coverage measurement method， the data were analyzed using two mathematical analytical models： γ-distribution and β-distribution models. Using these analyses， we were able to determine the role of each plant species in the spatial distribution pattern. The results show that the spatial heterogeneity index of grassland species decreased significantly with the increase in average aboveground biomass and coverage （P<0.01）； the proportion of aboveground biomass and coverage of grasses were higher in the 10-year grassland than in the 5-year grassland. Among all the plant species， Stipa capillata accounted for 23.0% and 37.6% of the total biomass and coverage in the 10-year grassland， respectively. In the 25-year grassland， the degradation indicator plant species， Potentilla freyniana， was the dominant species in the community. This result indicates that a long fallow period is not conducive to maintaining the aboveground biomass and cover ratio of grasses and other high-quality plants in the community. The most dominant plant species reduced the spatial heterogeneity of the community as a whole， while the least dominant species had very little effect on the spatial distribution pattern of the community. Overall， the results of this study provide objective data to guide scientific management and rational use of grassland during restoration.

Plant community characteristics and niches in mountain meadows of Wugong Mountain

Ze-yu XIANG, Zhong-bing TANG, Xin-heng PENG, Xiao-long YANG, Chuang-ming YANG, Xiang-dong QIU, Chun-fa CHEN, Yan-song PENG, Sai-xia ZHOU

2025, 34(9):  12-25.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024421

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The meadows of Wugong Mountain represent a rare typical natural grassland in southeast China， and constitute a significant part of the diversity of mountain ecosystem types in this area. However， our understanding of the overall composition and structure of the plant community in meadows on Wugong Mountain remains limited. Therefore， for appropriate conservation and management， it is important to explore the diversity， niches， and structural quality of the plant community in meadows on Wugong Mountain. Three transects （E₁： 1380-1580 m， E₂： 1580-1780 m， E₃： 1780-1918 m） were established along an elevational gradient across the whole range of meadows from the forest-grass ecotone to the top of the mountain. Ten survey plots were established along each transect， and aspects of the community and terrain were recorded （species composition， height， and coverage， as well as the altitude， longitude， latitude， slope， and aspect of each plot）. The changes in diversity （α， β）， species’ niches， and interspecific competition in the meadow plant community along the elevational gradient were evaluated. The results showed that the meadow community structure varied gradually with the increase in elevation. The α diversity increased significantly with increasing elevation， whereas the community variability （β diversity） decreased significantly. The meadow plant community on shady slopes showed higher species richness. Analysis of interspecific competition in the meadow community revealed the wide niche and large overlap coefficient of the high-quality grasses Miscanthus sinensis and Arundinella hirta. These two species showed an absolute advantage and were the most representative dominant species across the meadows. The meadow community environment also provided a refuge for the survival of three orchid species （Ponerorchis gracilis， Platanthera minor， and Platanthera ussuriensis）， while invasive plants such as Erigeron canadensis and Bidens pilosa were also relatively common. The results of this study show that the overall quality and structure of the plant community in meadows on Wugong Mountain are excellent， as well as， the meadow community is at risk of degradation. We recommend that comprehensive protection and management of these mountain meadows should be strengthened， especially in the section from 1800 m to the highest peak， Jinding. This area should be the key focus for meadow protection because it has the largest aboveground biomass of the meadow plant community， the richest species diversity， and the most stable community.

Response of aboveground net primary productivity to plant species richness and identification of the factors of influence

Xu LUO, Hui MA, Cui HAN, Ya-xin ZHAO, Ying ZHAO, Ying-zhong XIE, Jian-ping LI

2025, 34(9):  26-37.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024412

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The productivity of grassland ecosystems is largely influenced by their dominant and subdominant species. However， relatively few studies have explored the effects of species richness established by different combinations of dominant species and subdominant species on aboveground productivity. Therefore， to explore the direct and indirect driving factors of dominant and subdominant plant community productivity， we conducted monoculture and mixed-culture experiments using three dominant species and seven subdominant species from the Yanchi desert steppe in northern Ningxia. Five degrees of plant species richness （monoculture and 4-， 6-， 8-， and 10-species mixtures） were established， and the aboveground biomass， soil microbial community composition， extracellular enzyme activity， and soil physicochemical properties were investigated in each group. The results show that： 1） Mixtures of both dominant species and subdominant species increased the total relative abundance of the dominant bacterial phyla （Actinobacteriota， Acidobacteriota and Proteobacteria） and dominant fungal phyla （Ascomycota and Basidiomycota）， and the increase in the total relative abundance of dominant bacterial phyla was more obvious than that of dominant fungal phyla. 2） The vector length of monocultures and mixed cultures ranged from 1.31 to 1.38， and the vector angle was greater than 45°. Soil microbial metabolism was mainly limited by soil carbon and phosphorus. The nitrogen∶phosphorus was significantly higher in monoculture soil than in 4-species mixed-culture soil （P<0.05）. 3） There was a significant positive correlation between aboveground net primary productivity and species richness （P<0.001）， and both the complementarity effect and the selection effect made significant positive contributions to the observed net primary aboveground productivity. 4） The structural equation model showed that plant species richness indirectly and positively affected aboveground productivity of the plant community through a selection effect， a complementarity effect， and soil physical and chemical properties. The results of this study provide data support and theoretical guidance for devising strategies to protect grassland biodiversity and strengthen grassland ecosystem restoration.

Changes in soil organic carbon fractions and carbon sequestration potential of degraded alpine meadows

Jian-min RAN, Xiao-yan SONG, Dan WANG, Chang-ting WANG

2025, 34(9):  38-52.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024462

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This study investigates the changes in soil organic carbon （SOC） components and the carbon sequestration potential associated with varying degrees of degradation in alpine meadow soil on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. Utilizing the internationally recognized physical grouping method， SOC is categorized into particulate organic carbon （POC） and mineral-associated organic carbon （MAOC）. The analysis focuses on the characteristics of SOC component alterations and the carbon sequestration potential in alpine meadow soil subjected to different degradation levels： ［no degradation （ND）， light degradation （LD）， moderate degradation （MD）， and heavily degradation （HD）］. The findings reveal that light， moderate， and heavy degradation led to reductions in soil organic carbon in the 0-30 cm layer of the alpine meadow by 24.54%， 34.45%， and 34.81%， respectively， with significant impacts observed in the 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm layers （P<0.05）. Degradation resulted in a decrease of POC by 43.47%-56.01% and MAOC by 17.61%-31.20%， indicating that POC constitutes the primary component of SOC loss. Furthermore， the relative analysis using random forest methodologies identifies soil total nitrogen （TN）， bulk density （BD）， and pH as the principal influencing factors on soil organic carbon and its components， with soil TN exerting the most significant influence （P<0.01）. Correlation analysis indicates a significant positive relationship between SOC， POC， and MAOC with TN， while a negative correlation exists between BD and pH. The study estimates the carbon sequestration potential of the soil （0-30 cm） for the recovery of light， moderate， and heavy degradation in alpine meadows at 1.97， 2.78， and 2.86 kg·m^-2， respectively. Notably， the surface layer （0-10 cm） contributes 54.93% of the total carbon sequestration， highlighting its critical role in carbon sequestration potential in this region. The research findings provide a theoretical foundation for restoring degraded alpine meadows and offer scientific support for carbon sequestration strategies within grassland ecosystems on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.

Soil carbon mineralization in an orchard with and without interplanted ground cover species and its temperature sensitivity under long-term conditions

Jun-ling CHEN, Sha-sha WANG, Jing YE, Yi LIN, Yi-xiang WANG

2025, 34(9):  53-64.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024415

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Establishing ground cover is an eco-friendly orchard management method， but it is still poorly understood how different types of cover affect soil carbon mineralization and its temperature sensitivity. Based on a 28-year long-term monitoring experiment in Yuchi Village， Youxi County， Fujian Province， we investigated the changes in the soil mineralization rate and its temperature sensitivity in orchards with three different ground cover management strategies； clear tillage， and orchard interplanting with the legumes round-leaf cassia （Chamaecrista rotundifolia） or Arachis pintoi. The overall aim of this work was to provide a theoretical basis for reducing emissions of carbon sequestered in soil and for the scientific management of orchards in subtropical regions under climate change. The results showed that， compared with clear tillage， the interplanting treatments led to increased soil organic carbon content （SOC） （by 19.20%-30.04%） after 28 years. Across both interplanting modes， the cumulative mineralization of SOC was positively correlated with the incubation time and temperature. At 35 ℃， the highest cumulative mineralization of SOC was in the A. pintoi interplanting treatment （633.41 mg·kg^-1）， followed by the C. rotundifolia interplanting treatment； their SOC values were 72.75% and 61.27% higher than that of the cleartillage treatment， respectively. The potential mineralization was increased by 2.98 times in the A. pintoi interplanting treatment and by 1.14 times in the C. rotundifolia interplanting treatment， compared with the clear tillage treatment. Under high-temperature conditions （>25 ℃）， the soil mineralization temperature sensitivity coefficient （Q₁₀） of the A. pintoi interplanting treatment and the C. rotundifolia interplanting treatment were 35.20% and 47.37% lower， respectively， than that of the clear tillage treatment. In conclusion， long-term ground cover increased the SOC content of soil， and with increasing temperatures （>25 ℃）， the temperature sensitivity of SOC mineralization in the soil decreased， and the response of the soil carbon pool to temperature change increased. Among the tested treatments， the A. pintoi interplanting treatment was more beneficial than the C. rotundifolia interplanting treatment.

Allelopathic effects of cabbage leaf on germination and seedling stages of three crops

Cong ZHAO, Wen-hui WU, Juan-ling WANG, Gai-mei LIANG, Na-na LI, Xue-fang HUANG

2025, 34(9):  65-77.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024378

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This research investigated， using petri dish filter paper and pot culture methods， the allelopathic effects and their physiological mechanisms of water extract of air-dried leaves of cabbage （Brassica oleracea var. capitata） on seed germination， seedling growth and physiological traits of three crops commonly cultivated in cold and arid areas of Shanxi Province： cocozelle （Cucurbita pepo）， kidney bean （Phaseolus vulgaris） and maize （Zea mays）. It was found that tested concentrations of water extract of cabbage leaves had a significant inhibitory effect on seed germination and seedling growth of the three tested crops （P<0.05）， and the inhibitory effect increased with an increase in concentration. The inhibitory effect on radicle elongation of cocozelle and corn was stronger than that on germ elongation at the same concentration， while the inhibitory effect on radicle elongation of kidney bean was smaller than that on germination elongation at a cabbage leaf water extract concentration of 0.04 g·mL^-1. The malondialdehyde content of kidney bean and corn seedlings after allelochemical treatments was higher than that of the controls. At cabbage leaf water extract concentrations of 0.06 and 0.08 g·mL^-1， the antioxidase enzyme activities of test crop seedlings were enhanced， including SOD， POD and CAT. In multivariate analysis of the data， the allelopathic inhibitory effect of cabbage leaf extract on the three test crops ranked as cocozelle>corn>kidney bean. The differences in the inhibitory effect were related to the changes in malondialdehyde content and antioxidant enzyme activity in vivo. Therefore， planting kidney bean after cabbage may be one method to alleviate the negative effect of the stubble on the following crop. It is recommended that the aboveground parts should be completely removed during cabbage harvesting to avoid allelopathic substances accumulating in the soil and affecting the growth of the next crop.

Physiological characteristics of the alfalfa root collar during overwintering under soda saline-alkali stress in cold areas

Ning CHEN, Feng-xuan BAO, Hui-xiang ZHAO, Nan WANG, Ru-yu JIANG, Guo-liang LI, Xiang-ping LIU, Shan-min QU, Wei-guang YANG

2025, 34(9):  78-86.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024386

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The root collar or crown of alfalfa （Medicago sativa） is a transitional structure connecting roots and stems， and has an important role in alfalfa greening. This research aimed to clarify the physiological characteristics of the alfalfa root collar during overwintering under soda saline-alkali stress in a cold area. Two alfalfa varieties Longmu No.801 （over-winter survival rate 96.59%） and Stockpile （over-winter survival rate 83.54%）， were tested in Daqing. The activities of superoxide dismutase （SOD） and peroxidase （POD）， and the contents of free proline （Pro）， soluble protein （SP）， total soluble sugar （SS）， malondialdehyde （MDA） and tissue water content （TWC） in root collar of two alfalfa varieties were monitored at six time points during overwintering （late September， October， November， December， February and April） in the field. The physiological characteristics of the alfalfa root collar in test plants under combined stresses of soda saline-alkali and low temperature in winter were analyzed using a multivariate procedure. It was found that under the combined stresses of soda saline-alkali and low temperature in winter， alfalfa root collar TWC gradually decreased with increase in the low temperature stress exposure time， and the contents of SS， SP and Pro gradually increased， reaching a peak in February of the following year. The SS content of Longmu No.801 was higher than Stockpile， while the Pro content of Stockpile was higher than Longmu No.801. SOD and POD activities together with MDA content in alfalfa root collars showed a bimodal winter pattern， with peaks in late November and February， and the February peak in the variety Stockpile significantly higher than Longmu No.801 for all three parameters. Compared with Stockpile， Longmu No.801 had stronger SOD activity and less MDA accumulation， and POD activity was higher under cold exposure. In summary， under the combined stress of soda saline and winter cold， Longmu No.801 accumulated more SS in the root collar， maintained a more stable TWC in the root collar， and maintained stronger activities of antioxidant enzymes， than the variety Stockpile， which had lower over-winter survival. These root collar physiological characteristics are therefore indicated by our research to be linked to the variety differences in overwinter survival in saline-alkali conditions.

Effect of drought stress on the hydraulic traits of Salsola passerina

Xing-long ZHANG, Li-shan SHAN, Hong-yong WANG, Ting-ting XIE, Jing MA

2025, 34(9):  87-96.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024393

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Moisture is a major limiting factor for plant survival and growth in arid zones， and reductions in available soil moisture directly affect the water transport capacity and embolism vulnerability of plants. Nevertheless， related studies on the dynamic change characteristics of hydraulic traits in desert plants under drought stress are still unclear. Therefore， in this research Salsola passerine， a dominant species in arid， semi-arid regions， was studied. Control （sufficient water supply） and drought treatments （no watering） were set up to determine the hydraulic parameters of S. passerina subjected to drought stress to different growth stages. The results demonstrated that， with increase in drought stress duration： 1） the leaf specific hydraulic conductivity of S. passerina exhibited a notable decline， embolism vulnerability notably increased， and the hydraulic safety boundary showed a significant decline， while sapwood-specific hydraulic conductivity did not differ significantly between control and drought treatments； 2） the water regulation responses of S. passerina subjected to drought stress exhibited a proclivity towards water-variable behavior， in comparison to the control； 3） decoupling between embolism resistance and water transport efficiency of drought-treated S. passerina； 4） hydraulic safety boundary and sapwood-specific hydraulic conductivity are the main adaptive traits of S. passerina in response to drought stress. Furthermore， these responses can be modulated to adapt to soil moisture changes. In conclusion， the hydraulic traits of S. passerina were significantly modified by drought stress， with higher water transport efficiency maintained at the cost of embolism vulnerability under drought stress. Thus， higher hydraulic risk exists.

Analysis of main agronomic traits of low-fertility-tolerant and high-yielding maize varieties

Chang-qing LI, Ya-ru SONG, Fan XIAO, Chun-yu MIAO, Meng-yu SUN, Meng JI, Zhi-mei SUN

2025, 34(9):  97-110.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024374

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In this study， field experiments were conducted in nitrogen and phosphorus co-limited soil treated with and without fertilizer application to analyze the differences in plant traits， ear traits， and yield of ten maize （Zea mays） varieties. The aims were to explore the differences in low-fertility tolerance among maize varieties， and identify the main agronomic traits of low-fertility-tolerant and high-yielding maize varieties， thereby providing a scientific basis for selecting and breeding maize varieties that are suitable for low-to-medium-yielding fields with nutrient deficiencies. Based on the average yields under these conditions， the ten maize varieties were classified into three types： low-fertility-tolerant and high-yielding type （HB）， low-fertility-intolerant and high-yielding type （HNB）， and low-fertility-intolerant and medium-yielding type （SHNB）. The yield increase from fertilization of the HB-type was significantly lower than that of HNB and SHNB types. Without fertilizer in low-fertility soil， the HB-type exhibited significantly greater plant height， ear height， ear length， kernels per row， and kernels per ear， compared to HNB and SHNB types， while the bald tip length was significantly shorter， and the coupling coordination degree of agronomic traits was significantly higher. Under fertilization， although the above agronomic traits of the HB-type did not differ significantly from those of the HNB-type， they were significantly higher than those of the SHNB-type. Boundary line analysis of agronomic traits and yields revealed that， to achieve a target yield of 12000 kg·ha^-1 in low-fertility soil， the suitable ranges for agronomic traits of the HB-type were： ear length 17.80-20.42 cm； bald tip length <0.05 cm； kernels per row 34.32-40.36； kernels per ear 578.95-691.55； 100-grain weight 34.31-39.70 g； plant height 229.43-256.98 cm； and ear height 103.38-125.52 cm. In conclusion， in low-to-medium-yielding fields with nitrogen and phosphorus co-limitation， the HB-type maize varieties achieved a significantly higher kernels per row and kernels per ear by maintaining a longer ear length and shorter bald tip length. The coupling coordination degree of agronomic traits was also significantly higher， ultimately demonstrating an obvious yield advantage in low-fertility soil.

Comprehensive evaluation of regional trials for hulless barley based on AMMI model and GGE biplot

Hong HE, Jin LI, Qiu-yi TAN, Yi-ping LIU, Gui-lin LONG, Feng PAN, Wen-fu ZHANG, Xing-yuan LIU, Li ZHOU, Yun-shu ZHANG

2025, 34(9):  111-120.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024390

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This research aimed to accurately evaluate the productivity， stability， and adaptability of hulless barley （Hordeum vulgare var. nudum） varieties tested in Sichuan Province in 2023， as well as the discriminative power and representativeness of testing sites. Accordingly， the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction （AMMI） model written in the R language and genotype main effect plus genotype-environment interaction （GGE） biplots were employed to analyze the trial data and comprehensively evaluate 14 new hulless barley varieties （lines） and 5 testing sites. It was found that hulless barley yield was extremely significantly affected by the combined effects of genotype， environment and the interaction effect between the two； 1277 and Aqing 6 were both high-yielding and stable-yielding varieties suitable for planting in Zoige County， Aba County and Songpan County. Lines 1325 and 10462 were high-yielding but stable-yielding varieties with general stability， which were ideal for growing in specific regions of Barkam City and Zamtang County. Among the five test sites， Aba County has strong representativeness and discrimination， making it an ideal test site for screening high-yielding and stable varieties， based on results in this study. The study provides technical data for the selection and formulation of planting recommendations for new hulless barley varieties on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and the selection of regional pilots.

Cloning of MsNAC053 from alfalfa and analysis of its transcript profile in response to abiotic stresses

Wei-peng ZOU, Yi LIU, Jia-xing ZHAI, Si-yi ZHOU, Zhi-yi GONG, Hui-fang CEN, Hui-sen ZHU, Tao XU

2025, 34(9):  121-133.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024404

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The NAC （NAM， ATAF1/2， CUC1/2） transcription factors are plant-specific regulators that play critical roles in plant growth and development， hormone signaling， and stress responses. Alfalfa （Medicago sativa）， one of the most important leguminous forage crops worldwide， is renowned for its high nutritional value and quality. To investigate the function of the MsNAC053 gene in alfalfa， specific primers were designed using SnapGene and NCBI to clone MsNAC053 through polymerase chain reaction （PCR） technology. The physicochemical properties， secondary structure， and subcellular localization of the protein were analyzed through bioinformatics tools. And the tissue-specific expression patterns of MsNAC053 and its responses to abiotic stresses were analyzed through quantitative real-time PCR （qRT-PCR）. The subcellular localization analysis were conducted by introducing vector into tobacco （Nicotianatabacum） leaves via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The results showed that the coding region of MsNAC053 was 903 bp， encoding 300 amino acids， with a predicted molecular weight of 34.62 kDa， an aliphatic index of 73.82， a theoretical isoelectric point （pI） of 7.05， a grand average hydropathicity of -0.604， and an instability coefficient of 47.28， categorizing it as an unstable hydrophilic protein without transmembrane regions. Cis-acting elements responsive to low-temperature （LTR） and abscisic acid responsiveness （ABRE） were identified. Subcellular localization confirmed that MsNAC053 was localized in nucleus. Phylogenetic and amino acid sequence analyses revealed close evolutionary relationships between MsNAC053 and other NAC proteins from leguminous species such as Medicago truncatula and Vicia villosa. qRT-PCR demonstrated tissue-specific expression of MsNAC053， with the highest expression level in young leaves and the lowest expression level in cotyledons. Drought， salt， and ABA treatments significantly upregulated the expression level of MsNAC053， indicating that it plays a role in response to drought and salt stresses. In summary， the results of this study provides both theoretical insights and a candidate gene for molecular breeding of stress-resistant alfalfa varieties.

The role of HaFT-9， a 14-3-3 protein from Haloxylon ammodendron， in the cross regulation of high temperature and drought stress

Yuan-yuan LIU, Xu WANG, Qi WEI, Li-juan CHE, Meng YUAN, Bo WANG

2025, 34(9):  134-146.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024403

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Previous research has demonstrated that Haloxylon ammodendron seedlings acquire resistance to stressors like high temperatures and drought through adaptive stress conditioning during their growth. Additionally， the expression of the 14-3-3 protein gene HaFT-9 is significantly upregulated in response to high temperature and drought stress， suggesting a potential role in mediating crosstalk between these stress pathways. This study further investigates the role of HaFT-9 in the cross-regulation of high temperature and drought stress signals. Pre-treatment of H. ammodendron seedlings with heat stress， followed by a subsequent drought stress challenge， significantly increased HaFT-9 expression during drought stress. Comparative experiments demonstrated that Arabidopsis thaliana lines overexpressing HaFT-9 showed higher survival rates and reduced cellular mortality under sequential heat and drought stress compared to wild-type controls. Notably， the lines overexpressing HaFT-9 exhibited enhanced expression of several key stress-responsive genes， including P5CS1， P5CS2， CAT2， CHLI1， HSP21， HsfA2 and BI-1， in response to subsequent drought stress.In addition， these lines showed significantly enhanced catalase （CAT） activity， increased proline and chlorophyll levels， while the content of malondialdehyde （MDA） was significantly reduced. Moreover， staining with diaminobenzidine （DAB） and nitroblue tetrazolium （NBT） in overexpressing lines was lighter. In conclusion， HaFT-9 overexpression markedly improves drought tolerance in A. thaliana， underscoring its critical regulatory role in modulating the interplay between high temperature and drought stress responses. This study provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying stress tolerance in H. ammodendron seedlings and provides data relevant to the conservation of its germplasm resources.

Screening of candidate genes for plant height in forage oat （Avena sativa） through combined transcriptome and proteome analysis

Zhi-peng ZHANG, Qing-xue JIANG, Xin-yue ZHOU, Tong MIAO, Jun TANG, Deng-xia YI, Xue-min WANG, Lin MA

2025, 34(9):  147-161.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024418

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Forage oat （Avena sativa） is a high-yielding， high-quality， and stress-resistant forage that plays a significant role in China’s forage industry. In this study， high-throughput transcriptome sequencing （RNA-Seq） and quantitative proteomic analysis were performed on stem nodes and internode tissues from high-stalk （No.972） and low-stalk （No.1289） forage oat varieties. The aim was to identify differentially expressed genes （DEGs） and differentially expressed proteins （DEPs） between these two varieties to discover plant height-related genes in A. sativa. We identified 22762 DEGs and 3934 DEPs between the two germplasm lines. Further integrated analyses revealed 1147 overlapping DEGs/DEPs in the transcriptome and proteome datasets. Gene Ontology （GO） enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis indicated that these 1147 overlapping genes/proteins were significantly enriched in pathways associated with cell growth， metabolism， and cell wall formation. Among these DEGs/DEPs， 10 candidate transcription factors were identified through transcription factor analysis， and their transcription profiles were validated using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction （qRT-PCR） analyses. The transcription patterns of the ten candidate genes were highly consistent with those predicted from the transcriptomic and proteomic data， confirming the reliability of the sequencing results. Tissue-specific analyses of their transcriptional profiles showed that these ten candidate genes exhibited higher transcript levels in stems and nodes but lower levels in other tissues， suggesting that they play roles in regulating plant height in forage oat. In summary， through integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analyses， along with differential gene function annotation and transcription factor analyses， we identified ten candidate genes related to plant height in forage oat. These candidate genes primarily regulate processes such as cell growth， metabolism， and cell wall development， contributing to plant height formation in forage oat. These findings provide a foundation for further exploration of the molecular mechanisms underlying plant height and offer key candidate genes for forage oat breeding programs.

Cloning of alfalfa MsMYB86 and analysis of its transcriptional response to abiotic stress

Ran XIAN, Yu DENG, Qiu-yue FU, Jing-xia JIANG, Jia-li TAO, Tao XU, Hui-sen ZHU, Hui-fang CEN

2025, 34(9):  162-172.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024416

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Alfalfa （Medicago sativa） occupies a prominent position in forage production as a high-quality forage with excellent nutritional value and wide adaptability. The MYB family is one of the largest families of transcription factors in plants， and its members play crucial roles in plant growth and development， secondary metabolism， and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study， MsMYB86 was cloned from alfalfa and its putative encoded protein was analyzed using online websites and software such as ExPASy， Prabi， and SMART. These analyses predicted the relative molecular mass， protein secondary structure， and protein-binding domains of the putative MYB86 protein. Tissue-specific transcript profiles of MsMYB86 and its transcriptional response to different abiotic stresses were analyzed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （RT-qPCR）. The results showed that the full-length MsMYB86 coding sequence was 1104 bp long， encoding a polypeptide of 367 amino acids. The protein was predicted to have a relative molecular mass of 41.27 kDa， an isoelectric point of 7.10， and a high lipid index of 65.61， indicating that it is a hydrophilic protein. The MsMYB86 protein was predicted to contain two highly conserved SANT-MYB structural domains and to localize in the nucleus. We detected tissue-specific transcript profiles of MsMYB86， and its transcript levels were significantly higher in mature stems than in other tissues. Transcription of the MsMYB86 gene was responsive to drought， salt stress， and abscisic acid treatment， suggesting that it plays a role in the alfalfa response to abiotic stresses. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for further studies on the role of MsMYB86 in regulating the abiotic stress response of alfalfa.

A study of the feed associative effects of mung bean， garlic and eggplant peels when combined with maize straw silage and feed concentrate

Jiu YUAN

2025, 34(9):  173-184.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024379

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This research used in vitro gas production （GP） when feed samples were incubated with rumen fluid of donor Han sheep， to explore the optimal associative effects （AE） when mixing maize （Zea mays） straw silage， feed concentrate， and commercial waste and peel of one of three different vegetables： mung bean （Vigna radiata）， garlic （Allium sativum）， or eggplant （Solanum melongena）. First， the different vegetable wastes were screened as mixtures with maize straw silage at ratios of 100∶0， 75∶25， 50∶50， 25∶75， 0∶100. For each vegetable waste， the maize straw silage mixture with the best AE was regarded as a mixed roughage that was combined with a commercial concentrate at ratios of 0∶100， 50∶50， 60∶40， 70∶30， 80∶20， 100∶0. The GP was recorded at 0， 2， 4， 6， 9， 12， 24， 36， 48， 72 hours. From exponential curve fitting of the GP time series data， the fast GP， slow GP， and an exponential GP constant were calculated. The GP_72h and weighted estimated values of each combination were used to calculate the value of AE of GP. The results showed that the AE value were significantly or extremely significantly higher （P<0.01， P<0.05） than the other two groups when peel of mung bean， garlic or eggplant was combined with maize straw silage at ratios of 25∶75， 75∶25， 50∶50， respectively. When these three mixed roughages were combined with concentrate at different ratios， for the 25∶75 mung bean waste： maize straw silage it was found that the fast GP， the AE of GP at 48 and 72 hours of 70∶30 ratio were significantly higher than 80∶20， 60∶40， 50∶50 groups （P<0.05）. For the 75∶25 garlic peel∶maize silage mixed roughage， the slow GP and potential GP of the 60∶40， 0∶100 concentrate groups were significantly or extremely significantly higher than 100∶0， 80∶20 and 50∶50 groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Also， the AE value of GP at 48 and 72 hours of 60∶40 concentrate mixture of garlic peel mixed roughage were significantly higher than the other three groups （P<0.05）. For the eggplant peel mixed roughage， the 80∶20 mixture with concentrate had a significantly higher fast GP and AE value of GP at 48 and 72 hours than the other three groups （P<0.01， P<0.05）. In summary， optimal dietary AE was obtained with a 17.5∶52.5∶30.0 ratio of mung bean peel∶corn straw silage∶concentrate； with a 45∶15∶40 ratio of garlic peel∶corn straw silage∶concentrate； and with a 40∶40∶20 mixture of eggplant peel∶corn straw silage∶concentrate. However， a caveat is that these in vitro results still need to be validated by animal feeding experiments to confirm that they hold good for predicting the performance of animals.

Screening of cellulose-degrading bacteria involved in metabolic utilization of rice straw

Dan-dan CHEN, Yao WANG, Tian-xin GUO, Qiu-yu LIANG, Qing ZHANG, Rui-qi PIAN

2025, 34(9):  185-193.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024385

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To enhance the utilization rate of straw， two cellulose-degrading bacteria were isolated from the intestinal tract of termites. The bacteria were initially screened using Congo red and subsequently re-screened with a filter paper degradation test. They were identified as Cellulomonas iranensis （CE） and Bacillus safensis （BS） through NCBI homologous sequence alignment. The enzymatic activities of endoglucanase， exoglucanase， and β-glucosidase were quantified to two bacterial species. The measured activities for BS were 0.102， 0.321， and 0.112 U·mL^-1， respectively， whereas those for CE were 0.202， 0.434， and 0.131 U·mL^-1， respectively. The differential metabolites identified during filter paper fermentation by BS and CE were primarily amino acids and their metabolites， benzene and its derivatives， aldehydes， ketones， esters， alkaloids， organic acids and their derivatives， as well as heterocyclic compounds. The differential metabolic pathways were dominated by the biosynthesis of phenylalanine， tyrosine， and tryptophan， as well as the degradation of aromatic compounds. After 14 days fermentation， BS and CE were cultivated with rice （Oryza sativa） straw as the sole carbon source. The straw was degraded to varying degrees. Both of BS and CE significantly （P<0.05） reduced the contents of acid detergent fiber （48.80%， 35.43% DM）， hemicellulose （19.90%， 17.53% DM） and water soluble carbohydrate （0.11%， 0.18% DM）. In addition， the inoculation of CE also obviously increased （P<0.05） the weight loss rate of straw （43.12% DM） and reduced the content of neutral detergent fiber （52.95% DM）.

Progress in research on quinoa downy mildew and its integrated control

Chang WANG, Geng-mei MIN, Li-juan ZHANG, Jian-ying LU, Zao-xia NIU, Yu-ming WEI, Fa-rong YANG

2025, 34(9):  194-205.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024465

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Quinoa （Chenopodium quinoa） has a rich and balanced nutrient profile， and also shows excellent stress resistance. It is an important crop because it increases farmers’ income and contributes to national food security in China. Quinoa downy mildew is the most destructive disease of this crop plant worldwide， and it seriously restricts the development of the quinoa industry. Quinoa downy mildew is caused by the oomycete Peronospora variabilis， and its heterothallic mating system is the driving force for its continuous evolution and pathogenicity differentiation of pathogen populations. Seed-borne pathogens can spread over long distances and cause systemic infections. Therefore， it is very difficult to control this disease. Research on quinoa downy mildew in China has lagged behind that in other countries， where extensive studies have been conducted. Downy mildew pathogens were initially misidentified， which affected the progress of research in this field. In this review， we systematically summarized the occurrence and damage， pathogen identification， biological characteristics and infection cycle of quinoa downy mildew caused by Peronospora variabilis. Furthermore， we discussed the agricultural， physical， biological， and chemical methods used to control quinoa downy mildew. Finally， we addressed existing challenges in current research， and proposed future research priorities and directions. The overall aim of this review is to provide a reference and guidance for further research on quinoa downy mildew in China.

Mitigating effects of exogenous melatonin on alfalfa under salt stress

Yi-xin LIU, Xiao-qing SUI, Xin-yao WANG, Meng-qing LANG, Ling-zi-yin SUN, Er-ge JIER

2025, 34(9):  206-214.  DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024400

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Salt stress severely restricts plant growth and poses a threat to sustainable agricultural development. Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant that plays an important role in the resistance of different plants to various stressful environments. This research was conducted using ‘Gongnong No.1’ alfalfa （Medicago sativa）， and the effect and regulation of physiological characteristics of alfalfa under 150 mmol·L^-1 NaCl stress when different concentrations of exogenous melatonin were applied， were investigated in hydroponically grown plants. It was found that external application of 50， 100 and 150 μmol·L^-1 melatonin alleviated various symptoms of physiological damage to alfalfa seedlings caused by salt stress. For example， under salt stress exogenous melatonin increased the content of osmotic adjustment substances such as free proline， soluble protein and soluble sugar， the hydroxyl radical scavenging rate was increased under salt stress， and the damage of malondialdehyde， hydrogen peroxide content and relative conductivity was reduced. Exogenous melatonin also increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase， catalase， peroxidase， glutathione S-transferase， glutathione reductase and the content of antioxidant such as ascorbic acid and reduced glutathione. Finally， exogenous melatonin increased the content of K⁺ and reduced the content of Na⁺ which acted to balance ionic homeostasis. However， 200 μmol·L^-1 melatonin caused osmotic stress， oxidative stress and ionic imbalance in alfalfa. Principal component analysis indicated that catalase activity， hydrogen peroxide content and K⁺∶Na⁺ could be used as key indicators for evaluating alfalfa for salt tolerance. The results of a multi-trait evaluation of 17 physiological indexes using an affiliation function methodology showed that 150 μmol·L^-1 melatonin treatment provided the most effective salt stress alleviation. A further insight from the results of this experiment was that melatonin enhances the resistance of alfalfa to salt stress in two ways： one is through direct pathways， such as direct scavenging of reactive oxygen species； the other is through indirect pathways， such as regulation of ionic homeostasis through the enhancement of metabolite content of the antioxidant enzyme system and osmoregulatory substances.