Toward making the field talk: assessing the relationship between digital technology and sustainable food production in agricultural regions.

Introduction: The global food system faces numerous challenges, including population growth, pandemics, climate change, natural disasters, and economic instability. These challenges have a profound impact on agriculture, with climate change leading to unpredictable weather and more frequent extreme events that threaten crop yields and farming sustainability. Farmers are also grappling with rising input costs and market volatility, intensifying the need for improved productivity and efficiency.

Plant PI4P is required for bacteria to translocate type-3 effectors.

Type-3 effectors (T3E) of phytopathogenic Gram-negative bacteria fulfill a virulent role, causing disease, or an avirulent role, inducing immunity, following their translocation into plant cells. This study aimed to validate the hypothesis that bacterial T3E translocation requires lipidic compounds in plant cell membranes. Based on genetic, molecular, and biochemical assays, we determined that phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PI4P) associated with plant cell membranes is essential for the translocation of T3E by bacterial pathogens.

Evaluation of the efficicacy of myrcene in the treatment of Eimeria tenella and Toxoplasma gondii infection.

Protozoan parasites such as Eimeria tenella and Toxoplasma gondii pose significant health challenges in livestock and humans. The limited treatment options and rising drug resistance underscore the urgent need for new therapies. This study investigates myrcene, a monoterpene hydrocarbon classified for its antiprotozoal potential against E.

Field-deployable porcine epidemic diarrhea virus diagnostics utilizing CRISPR-Cas13a.

Porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDV), a pathogenic microorganism that induces epidemic diarrhoea in swine, causes substantial economic damage to swine-farming nations. To prevent and control PEDV infections, the availability of upgraded and rapid virus detection techniques is crucial. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated protein (Cas)13a system, namely, programmability of CRISPR RNA (crRNA) and "collateral" promiscuous RNase activity of Cas13a after target RNA identification.

CELL DIVISION CYCLE 5 controls floral transition by regulating flowering gene transcription and splicing in Arabidopsis.

CELL DIVISION CYCLE 5 (CDC5) is a R2R3-type MYB transcription factor, serving as a key component of modifier of snc1, 4-associated complex/NineTeen complex, which is associated with plant immunity, RNA splicing, and miRNA biogenesis. In this study, we demonstrate that mutation of CDC5 accelerates flowering in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). CDC5 activates the expression of FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) by binding to and affecting the enrichment of RNA polymerase II on FLC chromatin.

Deciphering the molecular logic of WOX5 function in the root stem cell organizer.

Plant and animal stem cells receive signals from their surrounding cells to stay undifferentiated. In the Arabidopsis root, the quiescent center (QC) acts as a stem cell organizer, signaling to the neighboring stem cells. WOX5 is a central transcription factor regulating QC function.

Soil Microbiota Modulates Root Transcriptome With Divergent Effect on Maize Growth Under Low and High Phosphorus Inputs.

Plant growth can be promoted by beneficial microorganisms, or inhibited by detrimental ones. Although the interaction process between a single microbial species and its host has been extensively studied, the growth and transcriptional response of the host to soil microbiota is poorly understood. We planted maize in natural or sterile soil collected from a long-term experimental site with two different soil phosphate (P) regimes.

Pinus massoniana pollen polysaccharides alleviate LPS-induced myocardial injury through p110β-mediated inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/NFκB pathway.

The inflammatory response is the core of the pathogenesis of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced sepsis myocardial injury (SMI). Pinus massoniana pollen polysaccharide (PPPS) is a natural polymer with known biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiviral properties. In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of PPPS on SMI, myocardial enzyme levels, pathological changes, oxidative stress, cell apoptosis, and related signaling pathways in LPS-induced SMI models were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, immunohistochemical (IHC) staining, qPCR, Western blot analysis, with a particular focus on anti-inflammatory effects of PPPS.

Inducible global knockout of surfeit locus protein 4 in adult mice results in hypolipidemia, intestinal lipid accumulation, liver injury, and increased mortality.

Surfeit locus protein 4 (SURF4) acts as a cargo receptor to mediate endoplasmic reticulum export of various cargos. We have shown that SURF4 is essential for secretion of hepatic very low-density lipoprotein and intestinal chylomicron. Knockdown of hepatic Surf4 also significantly reduces the development of atherosclerosis and liver fibrosis without causing overt liver damage.

Phosphorylation-dependent activation of the bHLH transcription factor ICE1/SCRM promotes polarization of the Arabidopsis zygote.

In Arabidopsis thaliana, the asymmetric cell division (ACD) of the zygote gives rise to the embryo proper and an extraembryonic suspensor, respectively. This process is controlled by the ERECTA-YODA-MPK3/6 receptor kinase-MAP kinase-signaling pathway, which also orchestrates ACDs in the epidermis. In this context, the bHLH transcription factor ICE1/SCRM is negatively controlled by MPK3/6-directed phosphorylation.

Long-term garlic‒maize rotation maintains the stable garlic rhizosphere microecology.

Background: Crop rotation is a sophisticated agricultural practice that can modify the demographic structure and abundance of microorganisms in the soil, stimulate the growth and proliferation of beneficial microorganisms, and inhibit the development of harmful microorganisms. The stability of the rhizosphere microbiome is crucial for maintaining both soil ecosystem vitality and crop prosperity. However, the effects of extended garlic‒maize rotation on the physicochemical characteristics of garlic rhizosphere soil and the stability of its microbiome remain unclear.

Identification of reproduction-related genes in the hypothalamus of sheep (Ovis aries) using the nanopore full-length transcriptome sequencing technology.

The hypothalamus is the coordination center of the sheep (Ovis aries) endocrine system and plays an important role in the reproductive processes of sheep. However, the specific mechanism by which the hypothalamus affects sheep reproductive performance remains unclear. In this study, the hypothalamus tissues of high-reproduction small-tailed Han sheep and low-reproduction Wadi sheep were collected, and full-length transcriptome sequencing by Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) was performed to explore the key functional genes associated with sheep fecundity.

PLC based laser scanning system for conveyor belt surface monitoring.

This paper presents the design, implementation, and testing of an advanced conveyor belt surface monitoring system, specifically engineered for harsh and complex industrial environments. The system integrates multiple cutting-edge technologies, including programmable logic controllers (PLC), laser scanning, industrial-grade cameras, and deep learning algorithms, particularly YOLOv7, to achieve real-time, high-precision monitoring of conveyor belt conditions. Key innovations include optimized detection location based on failure modes, advanced PLC integration for seamless automation, and intelligent dust-proof features to maintain accuracy in challenging conditions.

Architecture of the spinach plastid-encoded RNA polymerase.

The plastid-encoded RNA polymerase serves as the principal transcription machinery within chloroplasts, transcribing over 80% of all primary plastid transcripts. This polymerase consists of a prokaryotic-like core enzyme known as the plastid-encoded RNA polymerase core, and is supplemented by newly evolved associated proteins known as PAPs. However, the architecture of the plastid-encoded RNA polymerase and the possible functions of PAPs remain unknown.

A glucose-rich heteropolysaccharide from Marsdenia tenacissima (Roxb.) Wight et Arn. and its zinc-modified complex enhance immunoregulation by regulating TLR4-Myd88-NF-κB pathway.

A previously unreported immunological polysaccharide (MTP70-1) was obtained from Marsdenia tenacissima (Roxb.) Wight et Arn. MTP70-1 (2738 Da) is a heteropolysaccharide that mainly consists of (1 → 5)-linked-L-Araf, t-D-Glcp, (1 → 3,5)-linked-L-Araf, (1 → 4)-linked-D-Galp, (1 → 6)-linked-D-Glcp, and (1 → 3,6)-linked-D-Manp.

Polysaccharides from Ziziphus jujuba prolong lifespan and attenuate oxidative stress in Caenorhabditis elegans via DAF-16 and SKN-1.

Jujube is a commonly consumed traditional Chinese medicinal food. Recent evidence revealed crude polysaccharides of jujube extract (CPJE) exhibited bioactive properties in vitro; however, its antioxidant capacity in vivo remains unknown. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of CPJE on growth, locomotion, reproduction, lifespan, and antioxidant defense system using Caenorhabditis elegans.

A metabolic roadmap of waxy corn flavor.

As well as being a popular vegetable crop worldwide, waxy corn represents an important amylopectin source, but little is known about its breeding history and flavor characteristics. In this study, through comparative-omic analyses between 318 diverse waxy corn and 507 representative field corn inbred lines we revealed that many metabolic pathways and genes exhibited selection characteristics during the breeding history of waxy corn, contributing to the divergence between waxy and field corn. We showed that waxy corn is not only altered in its glutinous property but also its sweetness, aroma, and palatability are all significantly affected.

Optimized agricultural management reduces global cropland nitrogen losses to air and water.

Nitrogen (N) losses from croplands substantially contribute to global N pollution. Assessing the reduction in N losses through improved N management practices is complex due to varying site conditions, such as land use, climate, soil properties and local farming methods. In this Article, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of improved practices on N loss reduction, analysing data from 1,065 studies with 6,753 pairs of observations comparing standard and optimized practices.

Postharvest changes in the phenolic and free volatile compound contents in Shine Muscat grapes at room temperature.

Herein, we studied changes in the contents of phenolic and free volatile compounds in Shine Muscat grapes stored at room temperature. Berry quality was maintained up to 11 d after harvest, and the levels of 35 phenolic compounds were observed to increase during storage. This increase is attributed to the upregulation of genes, including phenylalanine ammonia-lyases, 4-coumarate-CoA ligases, and stilbene synthases, in the phenylpropanoid pathway.