Reactive oxygen species (ROS) serve as crucial signaling molecules in plants, enabling rapid responses to environmental stresses such as abiotic factors. ROS production primarily stems from the activation of enzymes such as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidases and peroxidases, as well as disruptions in the respiratory and photosynthetic electron transport chains. This oxidative stress triggers signaling pathways that involve in calcium ion (Ca²⁺) influx across cell membranes, altering ionic conductance. ROS encompass hydroxyl radicals (OH·) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), which activate hyperpolarization-activated Ca²⁺ channels and influence ion transport dynamics. Our review focuses on the mechanisms driving ROS generation and ion transport during plant responses to abiotic stress. We explore the regulation, characteristics, and potential structures of ROS-activated ion channels in plants. Specifically, we examine the molecular responses and evolutionary adaptations of Shaker-type K⁺ channels (AKT/KAT/GORK/SKOR) under stress conditions. Comparative genetic analyses highlight the conservation of these channels and other ROS-regulated proteins (e.g., MDHAR, POX, and RBOH), suggesting their essential roles in plant to adapt to diverse stresses. This study underscores the significance of ROS-regulated proteins in plant stress responses, advocating for further research to elucidate their fundamental roles.

Continuous crop cultivation has exacerbated the issue of soil-borne diseases, positioning soil biofumigation as a promising and environmentally friendly control method. This review comprehensively assesses recent advances in the use of Brassicaceae plant materials for biofumigation, specifically focusing on their effectiveness in managing soil-borne pests, enhancing soil fertility, improving the composition of beneficial microbial communities, and boosting crop quality and yield. It also explores the mechanisms underlying biofumigation with Brassicaceae plants, highlighting that the incorporation of exogenous myrosinase can significantly increase isothiocyanate production, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of biofumigation. Among these, plants in the Brassica genus have been studied more extensively and have demonstrated superior results. Furthermore, the potential for biofumigation using plant materials from the Liliaceae, Gramineae, Compositae, and Leguminosae etc., families is evaluated. To address the challenge of inconsistent efficacy observed with different plant materials, future research should focus on optimizing biofumigation techniques according to local conditions. Additionally, combining biofumigation with physical and chemical methods, as well as implementing rotational application strategies, may enhance overall effectiveness.

Biological control has gained increasing attention as a strategy to address biotic and abiotic stresses in crops. In this study, we identified the strain KRS009 as Bacillus mojavensis through morphological identification and multilocus sequence analysis. KRS009 exhibited broad-spectrum antifungal activity against various phytopathogenic fungi by secreting soluble and volatile compounds. Additionally, the physio-biochemical traits of strain KRS009 were characterized, including its growth-promoting capabilities and active enzymes. Notably, KRS009 demonstrated the capacity for biofilm formation and exhibited tolerance to saline-alkali conditions. The biological security evaluation confirmed the safety of KRS009 for both humans and plants. Furthermore, strain KRS009 was found to trigger plant immunity by inducing systemic resistance through salicylic acid- and jasmonic acid-dependent signaling pathways. Greenhouse experiments conducted on cotton plants proved that the treatment with strain KRS009 effectively protected cotton against Verticillium wilt caused by Verticillium dahliae and promoted the growth of cotton under salt stress. These findings highlight the potential of B. mojavensis KRS009 as a promising biocontrol and biofertilizer agent for promoting plant growth, combating fungal diseases and mitigating salt stress in plants.

Southern corn rust (SCR), caused by the biotrophic fungal pathogen Puccinia polysora, is a globally significant disease that poses a severe threat to maize production, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. Despite its economic importance, many aspects of the molecular interactions between P. polysora and maize remain poorly understood. In this study, we performed stage-specific transcriptome profiling to explore gene expression dynamics during key phases of P. polysora infection: conidia formation, spore germination, penetration, and colonization. We identified and characterized co-regulated modules of effector proteins that are critical for successful host infection. Utilizing AlphaFold3, we identified structurally conserved proteins co-expressed throughout the infection process. Notably, Cluster 7, a structurally conserved protein group, exhibited uniquely peak expression during the penetration stage, suggesting a pivotal role in overcoming host defenses. This research offers new insights into the molecular processes involved in P. polysora infection and provides a valuable resource for developing novel strategies to mitigate the global impact of SCR.

Milbemycins are a group of 16-membered macrolides produced by the soil-dwelling filamentous bacteria Streptomyces. Renowned for their potent acaricidal and insecticidal properties, combined with low toxicity, milbemycins are recognized as eco-friendly biopesticides, vital for pest control and sustainable agricultural development. Over several decades, milbemycins have been extensively investigated, achieving significant progress, including advancements in their biological activities (such as insecticidal mechanisms and toxicity studies), biosynthetic and regulatory mechanisms, high-yield strain engineering strategies, and the development of milbemycin-derived commercial products for agricultural applications. This review discusses recent advances, current limitations, and ongoing and emerging efforts to overcome the limitations of milbemycin research. Finally, future research directions are outlined for the development of superior milbemycin-producing cell factories to facilitate widespread application in the agricultural field.

Rice false smut disease, caused by the pathogen Ustilaginoidea virens, specifically infects rice panicles. This disease leads to significant quantitative and qualitative losses in the rice industry. Farnesol, a naturally occurring terpene produced by plants, exhibits diverse toxic potentials against various fungi. Here, we investigate the in vitro inhibitory effects of farnesol on U. virens isolates. The results indicate that farnesol could retard conidial germination at a concentration of 20 µM and inhibit germination at concentrations exceeding 40 µM. Additionally, farnesol demonstrates inhibitory activity on the mycelial growth and adhesion of U. virens in a dose-dependent manner. RNA-seq data show that farnesol treatment results in the misregulation of a subset of genes involved in oxidoreductase activity, membrane components, molecular function, and transcription factor activity. Furthermore, farnesol induces a significant accumulation of reactive oxygen species, including superoxide anions, which may subsequently trigger cell death. Notably, farnesol also induces the expression of genes encoding GTPase activity of UvRas1 and UvRas2, leading to the expression of genes encoding adenylate cyclase, which promotes the synthesis of intracellular cAMP, and activates genes involved in MAPK pathway. Collectively, this study proposes a mechanism by which farnesol affects the growth and development of U. virens.

Using pesticide spray adjuvants to improve the physicochemical properties of pesticide liquids can effectively increase droplet deposition on target surfaces. However, there are no clear guidelines for the selection among complex and diverse adjuvants. We aimed to build a model for screening pesticide adjuvants through machine learning. In this paper, five machine learning classification models (decision tree, support vector machine, random forest, logistic regression, and naive Bayes) were developed to predict droplet deposition performance on the superhydrophobic plant leaf surfaces based on the physicochemical properties of pesticide liquids. Among these models, decision tree, support vector machine, and random forest exhibited superior performance. Significance analysis showed that adhesion, equilibrium surface tension, and contact angle are critical factors influencing droplet deposition on wheat leaves. Notably, the decision tree model, due to its simplicity and intuitiveness, is particularly suitable for field applications. Our findings provide a platform for the rapid and accurate screening of pesticide spray adjuvants by simply measuring the physicochemical properties of pesticide droplets.

Chiral succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI) fungicides have undergone rapid development and extensive application in plant protection. Due to the common existing differences in bioactivity, toxicity, and environmental behavior between the enantiomers of chiral pesticides, a comprehensive evaluation of chiral SDHI fungicides at the enantiomeric level is crucial for gaining a deeper understanding of the behavior of chiral pesticides and facilitating their rational application. This review summarizes the research advancements in analytical methods for chiral SDHI fungicides, and explores enantioselective differences in their bioactivity, toxicity, and enantioselective environmental behavior. These insights are intended to enhance the efficient utilization and risk management of these chiral fungicides.

Controlled release and nanotechnology techniques hold promising potential for propelling the pesticide industry toward the goals of green revolution. This study introduces the concept of atom economy into the multifunctionality of controlled-release formulations (CRFs) of pesticides from both economic and sustainable perspectives. In addition to their core function of controlling the release of active ingredient, carriers also provide additional benefits, including enhanced foliar adhesion and pesticide translocation, nutritional function, synergistic bioactivity, safety for nontarget organisms, crop stress alleviation, reduced soil leaching, soil remediation, and fluorescence visualization. These additional functions are highlighted and taken seriously. Through ingenious excogitation, the multifunctional CRFs of pesticides can achieve multiple objectives, enhancing input efficiency while minimizing environmental impacts. We tentatively blazed a trail by reviewing the recent advances in multifunctional CRFs of pesticides from the perspective of green chemistry. Additionally, potential development and implementation barriers of CRFs were discussed, emphasizing the necessity for robust field trials and comprehensive systems- level efficacy/biosafety evaluations to substantially boost the technical readiness and performance of multifunctional CRFs of pesticides. Our goal is to expand the multifunctional concept for pesticide formulations, thereby accelerating the development of global sustainable agrochemical products.

The establishment and spread of alien species in new areas pose a potential threat to global food security. Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte is an invasive maize pest originally from Mexico, causing substantial economic damage to maize production across extensive areas of the United States and Europe. However, it has not yet invaded Asia or other regions. We used the Ensemble Model and Cellular Automaton to analyze the establishment and spread risk of this pest. The pest has not explored novel climates during past invasions, and the climatic ecological niche it occupied in Europe constitutes only a fraction of that in North America, indicating that the species still possesses the potential to spread further in Europe in the future. Currently, approximately 34% of global maize-growing areas are at risk, with 25.5% facing a high establishment risk. By 2060, a significant northward spread is projected to occur in North America and Europe, while only a sporadic spread is expected in South America, Asia, Africa, or Oceania. Therefore, the adaptation of transnational management strategies may be necessary to prevent and control the risk of introduction and spread of this important maize pest into new areas of global maize production.

Insects carry out various behaviors, including searching for food, mates, and oviposition sites using their sensitive olfactory systems. Odorantreceptors (ORs) play critical roles during odor detection. In this study, we identified an OR (AlepOR14) in Athetis lepigone, which is clustered with a conserved HarmOR42- lineage in Lepidoptera. We cloned this OR gene and investigated its expression levels using real-time quantitative PCR. Our results indicated that the expression of AlepOR14 is biased toward antennae, with levels significantly higher in female antennae than in male antennae. Functional analysis using the Xenopus oocytes expression and voltage-clamp recording system demonstrated thatAlepOR14 robustly and sensitively responds to the critical floral scent volatile phenylacetaldehyde (PAA). In behavioral experiments, female adults are attracted by PAA. Our findings improve our general understanding of the relationship between moths and their host plants, and provide an idea for exploiting attractants of A. lepigone for biological control.