Rice false smut (RFS), caused by Ustilaginoidea virens, poses a serious threat to global rice production by forming false smut balls and reducing grain yield and quality. Although numerous putative effectors have been predicted in the U. virens genome, only a limited number have been functionally characterized. Here, we identify and characterize U. virens DUF domain-containing protein 1 (UvDUF1), a secreted, ascomycete-conserved protein harboring a DUF3455 domain. UvDUF1 is strongly induced during the early stages of infection, and its deletion significantly reduces the virulence of U. virens. Pathogenicity is restored by complementation with the wild-type UvDUF1 gene but not with a signal peptide-deficient variant, demonstrating that secretion is indispensable for its virulence function. Recombinant UvDUF1 elicits early immune responses, including reactive oxygen species bursts and activation of defense-related genes, and enhances rice resistance to Magnaporthe oryzae. Moreover, UvDUF1 induces immune responses in the nonhost Nicotiana benthamiana and increases resistance to Phytophthora species. Collectively, results show that UvDUF1 contributes to pathogen virulence and plant immunity induction, providing new avenues for the development of environmentally friendly strategies for crop disease management.

Phytophthora sojae, the causal agent of soybean root and stem rot, is one of the most destructive oomycete pathogens threatening global soybean production. Unlike fungi, P. sojae possesses a highly unconventional signaling architecture, characterized by the absence of several canonical eukaryotic modules and the emergence of lineage-specific innovations. Advances in genomics and functional studies have revealed that its pathogenicity is orchestrated by multiple gene families and signaling networks that diverge substantially from classical eukaryotic paradigms. In this review, we summarize recent progress on four major categories of functional genes: G protein signaling pathways, protein kinases, transcription factors, and effectors. The simplified heterotrimeric G protein system of P. sojae is compensated by the expansion of dual-domain G protein-coupled receptors, an oomycete-specific innovation that integrates seven-transmembrane signal perception with intracellular catalytic domains to coordinate chemotaxis and development. The kinome is unusually large, with expanded tyrosine kinase-like and MAPK families, highlighting its role in stress responses and host recognition. Transcription factors, including basic leucine zipper, myeloblastosis, C₂H₂, and RWP-RK families, show stage-specific and stress-induced expression, with some directly regulating effector gene transcription. Effectors, both apoplastic and cytoplasmic, represent the most rapidly evolving gene class, mediating sophisticated manipulation of host immune and metabolic processes. Collectively, these gene families form a multilayered regulatory network that integrates environmental sensing, intracellular signaling, and host manipulation. We also discuss challenges and perspectives, emphasizing the need for systematic functional validation, network-level analyses, and the integration of multi-omics and structural biology. These insights not only expand our understanding of oomycete biology but also provide potential molecular targets for breeding and chemical interventions against soybean root rot.

Plant viruses that rely on insect vectors for persistent transmission are widespread globally and inflict severe yield losses in agricultural crops. Through long-term coevolution, these viruses and their insect vectors have developed complex interactions that maintain a balance between vector fitness and efficient virus transmission. Furthermore, accumulating evidence indicates that the innate immune system plays a pivotal role in mediating these intricate interactions. In this review, we highlight two key aspects of the virus–vector interplay: (1) persistently transmitted viruses exploit host factors to overcome transmission barriers; and (2) molecular recognition triggers antiviral immunity and subsequent viral counter-defense. Elucidation of these virus–vector interactions offers critical insights for the development of novel strategies to disrupt viral transmission cycles.

Xenorhabdus budapestensis strain XBD8, isolated from soil in northeastern China, produces a diverse array of natural products with promising agricultural applications, including fabclavines and GameXPeptides. However, the development and application of this strain have been significantly constrained because conventional genome-editing methods rely on homologous recombination technology, which is inefficient and time-consuming. The CRISPR/Cas technology, derived from the adaptive immune system of prokaryotes, provides a powerful and groundbreaking tool for microbial genome editing. In this study, we developed a CRISPR/Cas12a-based genome-editing approach for XBD8 that enables precise and seamless deletion or replacement of DNA fragments ranging from 379 to 45,168 base pairs, with a success rate exceeding 90%. Using this system, the quorum-sensing regulatory module LuxR/LuxI was introduced into XBD8 to enable dynamic regulation of key biosynthetic genes involved in fabclavines biosynthesis. As a result, the production of fabclavine-8 reached 140.10 mg/L, representing a 1.90-fold increase compared with the wild-type strain.

Modern sugarcane cultivars are allo-autopolyploids and aneuploids, which pose great challenges for research and breeding to meet global demand. Recent breakthroughs in gene-editing technologies offer the potential to expedite the development of high-yield stress-resilient sugarcane, a vegetatively propagated crop. However, the limited valuable targets, coupled with complex transgenic methodologies for verifying gene function, hamper this progress. Protoplasts enable rapid gene introduction and function validation, yet an efficient protoplast expression system for elite sugarcane cultivars is currently lacking. Here, we developed a protoplast isolation and transfection method using tissue-cultured GT42, a primary sugarcane cultivar in China, yielding 1.41 × 10⁷ protoplasts/g fresh weight with 78.74% viability and 39.01% transfection efficiency. This system proved effective for various assays, including GCaMP6-based calcium imaging. Using this system, we showed that abscisic acid biosynthesis gene ScNCED3 acts as an early drought signal, positively regulated by ScPYL4-12, ScOST1-12 and ScMPK6-11, whereas salicylic acid (SA) enhances ScPR1 expression. Notably, the ScNPRs exhibited opposite functionalities compared to those in Arabidopsis, with ScNPR1 negatively and ScNPR3/4 positively activating ScPR1 expression upon SA treatment. Together, we established an efficient protoplast expression system using GT42 sugarcane culm, providing a valuable tool for studying sugarcane gene function under stress.

The evolutionary arms race between crops and pathogens has reached a critical impasse: pathogen adaptation consistently outpaces the development of resistant varieties through conventional breeding. This growing imbalance highlights the need to move beyond the exclusive reliance on natural variation toward more predictive and design-oriented approaches to crop protection. Here, we argue that rational design of immune components, which enabled by the integration of structural biology, synthetic biology, and artificial intelligence, offers a complementary path to enhance and extend plant immunity. Within this emerging framework, three strategic approaches are beginning to redefine how resistance can be engineered: (1) reprogramming pathogen recognition to counter effector evolution, (2) engineering host proteins to evade pathogen sabotage, and (3) deploying synthetic pathogen-responsive switches to bypass growth-defense trade-offs. Together, these strategies shift the focus from discovering naturally occurring resistance to designing immune functions with defined properties. Although still constrained by biological complexity and implementation challenges, advances in computational protein design and genome engineering are steadily expanding the scope of what can be achieved, pointing toward a more precise and programmable paradigm of plant immunity

Apple scar skin viroid (ASSVd) causes dapple and scar skin apple diseases, posing serious threats to apple production. The molecular mechanisms underlying disease induction remain poorly understood, primarily due to the long period required for apple trees to exhibit fruit symptoms. Here, we found that the two fruit disorders are associated with alterations in phenylpropanoid metabolic pathways. Transcriptomic analyses revealed that anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway was downregulated in dapple apples, whereas suberin biosynthesis pathway was upregulated in scar skin apples, aligning with the development of dapple and scar skin symptoms. Both pathways act as parallel branches of the core phenylpropanoid pathway, suggesting that ASSVd interferes with upstream metabolic steps. Infection experiments using the established apple callus system revealed that ASSVd infection inhibited the development of red pigment in the callus and suppressed key structural genes in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. Moreover, no specific ASSVd variant was detected in apple fruit skins exhibiting dapple symptoms. It seems unlikely that the expression of regulatory genes in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway is inhibited via RNA silencing. Collectively, these findings deepen the understanding of the pathogenesis of dapple and scar skin apple diseases and provide a suitable infection system for studying ASSVd and apple interactions.

Polyphagous insect pests are highly sensitive to landscape changes, making it essential to assess their responses across various landscapes to support regional and sustainable pest management. Lygus pratensis, a typical polyphagous pest, reaches high densities during the cotton flowering period in Xinjiang, reducing cotton yield and quality. We monitored its populations in 36 cotton fields in northern Xinjiang in 2021 and 2023. Landscape composition and configuration were quantified within 0.5–2.0 km buffers using GIS, and multi-scale models were used to evaluate their effects on abundance and population growth rate. The Shannon diversity index (SHDI) was positively associated with population growth rate at 0.5–1.5 km and with abundance at 1.0–2.0 km, whereas cotton proportion, noncrop habitats, and edge density exhibited no significant effects. These results suggest that more diverse landscapes facilitate access to host plants and refuges, thereby promoting population growth. This highlights the importance of incorporating landscape context into regional ecological pest management.

Aphid alarm pheromone, (E)-β-farnesene (EβF), is a key chemical signal responding to predation threats, inducing alarm, escape, and wing differentiation in conspecifics. Beyond facilitating intraspecific communication, EβF also modulates interactions with natural enemies, playing a crucial role in defense. This review explores the chemical composition, biosynthesis pathways, release dynamics, and molecular perception mechanisms of EβF. Furthermore, we discuss its potential applications in pest management, including transgenic traits, slow-release formulations, and synergistic deployment with plant-derived enhancers (e.g., methyl salicylate). However, the incorporation of EβF into integrated pest management encounters several challenges, such as high volatility, environmental instability, and aphid adaptability. Future research should focus on optimizing slow-release technologies, developing multifunctional EβF analogs, integrating gene editing and precision release strategies, and adopting interdisciplinary approaches to improve EβF stability and efficacy.