The First International Symposium of the World Wild Rice Wiring: Conservation and Utilization of Global Wild Rice Germplasm Resources through International Cooperation.

As drastic climatic changes significantly impact global agriculture, the importance of conserving and utilizing wild germplasm has gained prominance. In this context, the conservation and sustainable utilization of wild rice germplasm resources have become a high priority. Although efforts to conserve and sustainably utilize wild rice germplasm are underway globally, they are fragmented and require international cooperation to advance climate-resilient rice breeding and ensure future food securiety.

A Pollen-Based Assisted Migration for Rapid Forest Adaptation.

Climate change poses an unprecedented threat to forest ecosystems, necessitating innovative adaptation strategies. Traditional assisted migration approaches, while promising, face challenges related to environmental constraints, forestry practices, phytosanitary risks, economic barriers, and legal constraints. This has sparked debate within the scientific community, with some advocating for the broader implementation of assisted migration despite these limitations, while others emphasize the importance of local adaptation, which may not keep pace with the rapid rate of climate change.

Genome-wide identification of the WOX gene family in Populus davidiana×P.bolleana and functional analysis of PdbWOX4 in salt resistance.

WOX transcription factors (TFs) are plant specific transcription regulatory factors that have a momentous role in maintaining plant growth and development and responding to abiotic stress. In this study, a total of 13 PdbWOX genes were identified. qRT-PCR analyses showed that 13 PdbWOX genes were responsive to salt stress.

Plants used for the management of venereal diseases in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and critical assessment of their research status.

Background: Sub-Saharan Africa faces one of the highest burdens of venereal diseases (VDs) globally. This review aims to critically evaluate the existing literature on the diverse Indigenous knowledge and medicinal plants utilised for treating VDs in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods: We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol to guide the execution of the review.

Phylogenetic diversity and morphological characterization of cordycipitaceous species in Taiwan.

Species classified in () include multiple entomopathogenic fungi. Numerous changes have recently occurred in the nomenclature of cordycipitaceous fungi due to the single naming system proposed for pleomorphic fungi in 2011. Species of are widely applied as herbal medicines, especially in Asian cultures.

The Impact of Exclosure Duration on Plant Species Diversity in a Desert Grassland and the Relative Contribution of Plant Groups.

Plant species diversity has long been a focal point in ecological studies. In order to study the changes in species diversity at different spatial scales (α, β, and γ diversities) in the restoration process of grassland vegetation in fragile desert steps, this study took desert steppe of Inner Mongolia as the research object and employed a two-factor experimental design that combined exclosure years (the years when an area was isolated to prevent grazing and other disturbances) with years of monitoring (the years when data were collected). It analyzed the plant groups (dominant species, common species, and rare species) and species diversity, and obtained the preliminary conclusions as follows: The optimal exclosure duration for promoting species diversity balance in desert steppe management is between 16 and 18 years.

Mycobiome analysis of leaf, root, and soil of symptomatic oil palm trees ( Jacq.) affected by leaf spot disease.

Recently, attention has been shifting toward the perspective of the existence of plants and microbes as a functioning ecological unit. However, studies highlighting the impacts of the microbial community on plant health are still limited. In this study, fungal community (mycobiome) of leaf, root, and soil of symptomatic leaf-spot diseased (SS) oil palm were compared against asymptomatic (AS) trees using ITS2 rRNA gene metabarcoding.

Monitoring soil arsenic content in densely vegetated agricultural areas using UAV hyperspectral, satellite multispectral and SAR data.

Accurate and effective monitoring of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soil across vast regions is crucial for environmental modeling and public health. While remote sensing (RS) technology provides a promising approach by detecting soil spectrum, dense and persistent vegetation cover in subtropical agricultural areas hinders acquisition of bare soil signals, limiting soil PTEs monitoring. To address this challenge, the present study proposed an innovative method for monitoring soil arsenic (As) content by using vegetation characteristics retrieved from RS data as proxy variables, given soil-vegetation interactions.

A DNA barcode reference of Asian ferns with expert-identified voucher specimens and DNA samples.

Ferns belong to species-rich group of land plants, encompassing more than 11,000 extant species, and are crucial for reflecting terrestrial ecosystem changes. However, our understanding of their biodiversity hotspots, particularly in Southeast Asia, remains limited due to scarce genetic data. Despite harboring around one-third of the world's fern species, less than 6% of Southeast Asian ferns have been DNA-sequenced.

Host Plants for the Lanternfly Kato, 1929 (Hemiptera, Fulgoridae) Endemic to Taiwan, and Parasitism of Its Eggs by Wasps.

Since Kato, 1929 was first reported as a new species in Taiwan; there have been few published reports on its ecology, and fundamental knowledge of this species is still lacking. The objectives of this study are to (1) determine the preferred plants of adults, egg-laying, and nymphs, (2) analyze the change in host plants with time and development, and (3) explore the relationship between the survival of eggs and parasitism by their wasps. We detected the adults of this species between May and September 2023, and again in April 2024, mainly on F.

Deadwood manipulation and type determine assemblage composition of saproxylic beetles and fungi after a decade.

The biodiversity crisis calls for immediate restoration of deteriorated and rare habitat. Due to fire suppression and intensive forest management, boreal pine forests of high conservation value are exceptionally rare. Despite decades of restoration research in boreal forests, relatively few studies have evaluated multi-taxon biodiversity response of restoration measures in pine forests.

Exploring Candesartan, an angiotensin II receptor antagonist, as a novel inhibitor of NLRP3 inflammasome: alleviating inflammation in Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection.

Background: Gonorrhea, induced by Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection, stands as a prevalent sexually transmitted inflammatory disease globally. Our earlier research illuminated that N. gonorrhoeae-infected macrophages provoke inflammation by activating the intracellular sensor NACHT, LRR, and PYD domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, a pivotal regulator in inflammatory diseases governing the maturation and secretion of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18.

Grazing effects on species diversity across different scales are related to grassland types.

Background: Community species in different grassland types exhibit unique ecological traits and adaptation strategies, influencing the impact of grazing on species diversity at various scales. This study aimed to elucidate the response characteristics and rules of species diversity in different grassland types to grazing intensity by analyzing plant groups and species diversity.

Results: Grazing intensity, grassland type, and their interaction significantly affected α, β, and γ diversity.

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Insertion/Deletion Variation Analysis of Octoploid and Decaploid Tropical Oil Tea Camellia Populations Based on Whole-Genome Resequencing.

Oil tea camellia ( spp.) is an important woody oil crop with a high nutritional and economic value. Whole-genome resequencing (WGR) technology can provide an in-depth understanding of the genetic background of this plant as well as a reference for breeding research, germplasm resource conservation, and genetic modification.

Do We Contribute to Women's Empowerment? Insights From a Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Project Implemented in Nong, Laos.

Background: The gender-gap in power is still persistent around the globe. Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture (NSA) interventions have been implemented to increase women's empowerment as a goal in itself, and as a pathway to food and nutrition security (FNS). However, contradicting evidence exists on whether the interventions, besides food security, realize women's empowerment.

Why models underestimate West African tropical forest primary productivity.

Tropical forests dominate terrestrial photosynthesis, yet there are major contradictions in our understanding due to a lack of field studies, especially outside the tropical Americas. A recent field study indicated that West African forests have among the highest forests gross primary productivity (GPP) yet observed, contradicting models that rank them lower than Amazonian forests. Here, we show possible reasons for this data-model mismatch.

A useful PCR primer set for the ectomycorrhizal fungus in wild pine rhizosphere based on the nuclear ribosomal DNA IGS2 sequence.

is an edible ectomycorrhizal mushroom that forms a symbiotic association with Pinaceae trees by constructing a large extraradical mycelial area (called a shiro) in the soil. The detection of this fungal mycelium in the soil is crucial for estimating the success of outplanted mycorrhizal seedlings inoculated with under experimental conditions. Although several -specific DNA markers have been reported for efficient detection in the field, no comparative study has been conducted to assess their effectiveness.

and Native Broadleaf Mixed Cultures Boost Soil Multifunctionality by Regulating Soil Fertility and Fungal Community Dynamics.

The growing recognition of mixed and native broadleaf plantations as a means of offsetting the detrimental impacts of pure plantations on soil fertility and the wider ecological environment is accompanied by a clear and undeniable positive impact on forest ecosystem functions. Nevertheless, the question of how mixed and native broadleaf plantations enhance soil multifunctionality (SMF) and the mechanisms driving soil fungal communities remains unanswered. In this study, three types of mixed and native broadleaf plantations were selected and compared with neighboring evergreen broadleaf forests and pure plantations.

New Invasive Leaf Gall-Inducing Wasps sp. nov. and on Eucalypts in Taiwan.

We identified two gall-inducing wasp species infesting eucalypts leaves, including an undescribed species, sp. nov., and , which is a new record for Taiwan.

Component analysis of L. leaves and their antioxidant activity.

Ser. (or netted melon 'Earl's Favourite'), a variety of L., is widely cultivated in Shizuoka, Japan.

PdbCRF5 Overexpression Negatively Regulates Salt Tolerance by Downregulating PdbbZIP61 to Mediate Reactive Oxygen Species Scavenging and ABA Synthesis in Populus davidiana × P. bolleana.

Salt stress is the main factor limiting the large-scale cultivation of Shanxin poplar; therefore, improving its salt tolerance is crucial. In this study, we identified and characterized a CRF gene (PdbCRF5) in Shanxin poplar. Compared with the wild-type poplar, the Shanxin poplar overexpressing PdbCRF5 were more sensitive to salt stress.