Search Results (731)

Organic amendments can mitigate soil acidification and degradation, yet their long-term effects on soil microbiome, functions, and crop productivity remain underexplored in latosolic red soils. This study aimed to elucidate how different fertilization regimes reshape soil microbial communities and predicted functions, and how these changes link to sweet potato productivity after 15 years. Soil and plant samples were collected from a 15-year field experiment on latosolic red soil under five treatments: no fertilizer (CK), chemical fertilizer alone (NPK), and chemical fertilizer combined with commercial manure (NPK + CM), pig manure (NPK + PM), or rice straw (NPK + RS). Soil properties, bacterial and fungal communities, and predicted functions (FAPROTAX, FUNGuild) were analyzed. The results showed that long-term NPK alone significantly acidified soil (pH decreased by 1.49 units), whereas NPK + PM increased pH by 1.38 units relative to NPK, and also increased soil organic carbon, available nutrients, and sweet potato yield (by 31% compared with NPK). Soil pH was strongly associated with reshaping the microbial community. NPK + PM enriched beneficial phyla (e.g., Myxococcota, Nitrospirota, Latescibacterota, Entotheonellaeota, and Mortierellomycota) and enhanced predicted chemoheterotrophic, predatory or exoparasitic, and saprotrophic functions. Variance partitioning showed that nutrients, key microbial taxa, and predicted functions jointly explained productivity variation (adjusted R² = 0.9386). Thus, chemical fertilizer combined with pig manure is an effective strategy to mitigate soil acidification and improve sweet potato productivity by regulating soil nutrient-microbiome interactions. Our findings support reshaping the microbiome via organic amendments for sustainable agriculture in acidic soils. Full article

Soil salinity is a major constraint on crop productivity, and plants rely on multilayered regulatory mechanisms to adapt to stress. Alternative splicing (AS) enhances transcriptome plasticity, yet how light modulates AS under salt stress remains unclear. Here, we performed a transcriptome-wide analysis to investigate light-dependent AS dynamics in sweet potato under salt stress. Plant treatments were initiated during daytime (SD) and nighttime (SN) conditions, and samples were collected at five time points (0–8 h). Intron retention (IR) was the predominant AS type (~36–37%), followed by A3SS, A5SS, and exon skipping (SE). Notably, light enhanced both the magnitude and temporal dynamic of AS, with a pronounced early response (0–2 h) under SD, where differential AS (DAS) events were nearly doubled compared with SN. This early AS response was accompanied by an increased prevalence of IR events and upregulation of spliceosome-related genes, suggesting dynamic splicing regulation under light. Enrichment of the mRNA surveillance pathway further indicates that IR-derived transcripts may be subject to RNA quality control. Although enriched pathways were largely conserved between SD and SN, including spliceosome and mRNA surveillance, more DAS genes under SD indicate enhanced responsiveness of conserved regulatory networks. These findings demonstrate that light reshapes the temporal dynamics of AS under salt stress, primarily through IR and its coupling with RNA surveillance, providing new insights into post-transcriptional regulation in crop stress adaptation. Full article

To examine how host plant identity shapes the performance of the invasive pest Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), three sweet potato varieties (Qianshu 12, Qianshu 17, and Yushu 13) were evaluated under laboratory conditions, with maize (Xida 818) as a control. Development, survival, reproduction, and population parameters were assessed using an age-stage, two-sex life table approach. The results demonstrated that S. frugiperda completed its life cycle on all sweet potato varieties. The developmental period was significantly different in the larval stage. S. frugiperda fed with Yushu 13 had the longest pupal duration (9.97 d) and preadult duration (37.94 d). Reproductive performance was also reduced on sweet potato: adults reared on maize showed greater longevity and higher fecundity, whereas no significant differences were found between Qianshu 17 and Yushu 13. Survival patterns differed among host plants and developmental stages. Early instar survival was highest on Qianshu 12 but lowest on Yushu 13, and Qianshu 12 supported relatively higher survival from late larval stages to adulthood. Life table analysis further showed that larvae fed with three sweet potato varieties exhibited a lower net reproductive rate (R₀), intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of increase (λ), and longer mean generation time (T) compared to those fed with corn. Overall, although sweet potato can support the development of S. frugiperda, it constrains reproduction and population growth, indicating lower host suitability. Full article

To assess the potential risk of expansion of the sweet potato weevil (Cylas formicarius) in China under climate change, we combined principal component analysis in environmental space (PCA-env) with a Biomod2 ensemble model, using 173 occurrence records from its native range in India and its invaded range in China. We quantified the dynamics of the climatic niche between the native and invaded ranges and projected both current and future climatically suitable areas in China. Precipitation during the wettest month (Bio13), mean temperature during the driest quarter (Bio9), and isothermality (Bio3) were the key climatic predictors. Niche overlap between India and China was low (Schoener’s D = 0.107). The invaded niche was characterized by high stability (0.991) with very limited expansion (0.009), indicating strong niche conservatism. However, a relatively high unfilling value (0.633) suggests that the species has not yet occupied all potentially suitable climatic space in China. The current suitable area was estimated at 37.55 × 10⁴ km², primarily concentrated in South China and the southeastern coastal region. Under future climate scenarios, suitable habitat is projected to expand overall, extending into Central, Eastern, and Southwestern China. This study provides a climate-informed forecasting framework for assessing the potential spread of C. formicarius in China and offers practical support for quarantine surveillance and region-specific management. Full article

Food security is increasingly threatened by climate change and population growth. Sweet potato has become a crucial crop for ensuring food security due to its adaptability to marginal lands and high yield potential. However, its sustainable production is severely limited by diverse biotic stresses (including fungi, viruses, nematodes, insect pests and bacteria), which cause substantial yield losses. Despite its considerable importance, the key bottlenecks in this field remain unresolved, including the incomplete elucidation of core resistance mechanisms, unclear molecular regulatory networks underlying defense responses, insufficient understanding of crosstalk among multiple stresses, and limited integration of emerging technologies into practical resistance breeding. This review synthesizes the latest advances over the past two years. We dissect sweet potato’s defense mechanisms from multiple dimensions and provide novel insights into biotic stress resistance gene regulatory networks. Given that sweet potato production faces the combined effects of multiple pests and biotic-abiotic stresses, we elaborate on the complex stress interactions in sweet potato. In addition, we propose biotic stress management strategies and a ten-year cultivar improvement roadmap that leverages the potential of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), gene editing, novel omics approaches and synthetic biology. Taken together, with continuous intensification of global biotic stress challenges, systematic multi-dimensional strategies are imperative to alleviate biotic stress-associated yield and quality impairment in sweet potato. On this basis, this review provides a valuable theoretical and practical reference for resistance breeding and the sustainable production of sweet potato. Full article

Climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, posing significant challenges to crop productivity and agroclimatic management in subtropical regions. However, quantitative insights into how different cropping systems respond to climate extremes remain limited. In this study, crop net primary productivity (CNPP) of two representative cropping systems, early–late rice (ER–LR) and dry rapeseed–sweet potato (DR–SP), was analyzed in Pingxiang, a typical subtropical agricultural region of China. Nineteen extreme temperature and precipitation indices were evaluated using an integrated Trend–Prediction–Sensitivity–Threshold (TPST) framework combining statistical and machine learning approaches. CNPP exhibited an upward trend (slope = 4.29 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹) from 2000 to 2023, with ER–LR showing faster growth (slope = 4.54 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹) and higher stability (high-volatility area: 1.25%) than DR–SP (slope = 4.11 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹; 4.94%). Temperature extremes were the dominant drivers, exhibiting nonlinear responses with threshold effects. DR–SP was more climate-sensitive, while ER–LR showed greater tolerance, highlighting the role of cropping systems in enhancing resilience. The TPST framework provides a transferable approach for assessing agroecosystem productivity responses to climate extremes and supports climate-resilient cropland management in subtropical regions. Full article

Leaf area (LA) is a fundamental growth variable for understanding physiological processes and crop yield, but direct measurements are often destructive and time-consuming. This study aimed to develop non-destructive allometric models for estimating the leaf area of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam.) cultivars using leaf dimensions. Morphological data, including leaf length (L), width (W), and their product (L × W), were collected from various cultivars. Linear, power, and exponential models were tested and validated using statistical indices such as the coefficient of determination (R²), root mean square error (RMSE), and Willmott’s d-index. The results indicated that models based on the product of length and width (L × W) provided the most accurate estimations within the evaluated dataset, exhibiting high predictive accuracy (R² ≥ 0.96, RMSE ranging from 4.24 to 5.19 cm², and Willmott’s d-index ≥ 0.98). This non-destructive approach can support rapid, precise leaf area monitoring without leaf harvesting, particularly in the evaluated cultivars and experimental conditions. In conclusion, the proposed allometric equations provide practical and accurate tools for estimating sweet potato leaf area and supporting growth assessments in similar experimental contexts. Full article

Insect odorant receptors (ORs) are pivotal molecular interfaces that translate environmental chemical cues into neuronal electrical impulses, thereby governing essential behaviors such as foraging, mating, oviposition, and predator avoidance. The past three years have witnessed a paradigm shift driven by high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy (cryo–EM) structures of OR-odorant receptor co-receptor (Orco) heterocomplexes, which definitively established the 1:3 stoichiometry (one odorant-specific OR subunit and three Orco subunits) of the functional ion channel. These structures have revealed the architecture of the ligand-binding pocket and the conformational dynamics underlying channel gating. This structural framework has illuminated long-standing questions regarding the evolution of ORs from ancestral gustatory receptors and their lineage-specific expansion via a “birth-and-death” model, enabling adaptation to diverse ecological niches. Concurrently, the long-debated signal transduction mechanism has been reconciled by evidence of a unified bimodal system, where OR–Orco complexes function as both direct ligand-gated ion channels and activators of an IP3-dependent metabotropic cascade. Here, we integrate these recent breakthroughs—from atomic-level structures and evolutionary genomics to in vivo functional validation—with classical knowledge of OR expression, localization, and diversity. We further synthesize the emerging field of structure-guided applications, including virtual screening for novel semiochemicals and the development of RNAi- and CRISPR-based strategies for pest management. This comprehensive review provides a framework for understanding the molecular logic of insect olfaction and its exploitation for biotechnological innovation. Full article

The increasing generation of agri-food waste represents a significant environmental challenge, but also a valuable source of bioactive compounds with potential industrial applications. In this study, selected minimally processed agri-food wastes from the food processing industry were evaluated as potential sources of bioactive compounds and antioxidants. Seven types of agri-food waste were investigated: green bean cutting waste, yellow bean cutting waste, sweet corn waste from the air selector, edamame pods, pepper seed by-products, potato peels, and potato waste from the air selector. Solid–liquid extraction was performed using ethanol at different concentrations (20, 40, 60, 80, and 96%, w/w) as a green solvent. Total polyphenol content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS assays) were determined. The results demonstrated significant differences among the investigated raw materials, with the highest antioxidant activity observed in the potato peel extracts. Specifically, the strongest activity was recorded using 40% ethanol, yielding values of 3.9596 mg TE/g DW for DPPH and 11.4555 mg TE/g DW for ABTS assays. In contrast, the highest FRAP value (2.3970 mg Fe²⁺/g DW) was obtained with 60% ethanol. The highest TPC was detected in pepper seed by-products, reaching 6.7829 mg GAE/g DW when extracted with 20% ethanol. Furthermore, selected extracts were subjected to LC-MS analysis to obtain a preliminary characterization of their chemical profiles. Untargeted LC-MS analysis identified 115 metabolites belonging to different chemical classes, highlighting agri-food waste as a rich source of bioactive compounds, particularly flavonoids and phenolic acids. These findings demonstrate agri-food wastes as sustainable sources of bioactive compounds and support their valorization within circular economy and green processing frameworks. Full article

This study evaluates the techno-economic feasibility of producing a functional baked snack formulated with sweet potato flour, cereals, and upcycled brewer’s spent grain (BSG). The analysis, developed in SuperPro Designer^®, integrates experimentally derived parameters from literature, justifying the transition from laboratory-scale data to an industrial production model. The analysis identified refrigerated storage (48 h) and tray drying as the primary bottlenecks limiting throughput. By synchronizing equipment cycles and increasing the number of units, the production capacity was adjusted from 154.32 to 1077.21 metric tons per year, capturing approximately 0.8% of the estimated annual demand for sweet potato snacks in Mexico. Economic evaluation for this scale demonstrated a capital investment of USD 24.6 million and annual operating costs of USD 8.49 million. The inclusion of a sedimentation-based water treatment, while increasing costs, enables a significant reduction in freshwater intake. The project yielded a payback period of 3.62 years and a Net Present Value (NPV) of USD 23.908 million. Sensitivity analysis revealed that profitability is strongly influenced by production volume and sweet potato costs. These findings provide a realistic framework for assessing the commercial viability of functional food formulations when scaled for industrial production. Full article

Background: Optimized nitrogen (N) application and planting density can enhance sweet potato yield. However, the agronomic mechanisms underlying their effects on photosynthetic efficiency and carbohydrate metabolism in sweet potato remain unclear. Methods: To address this, a two-year field experiment was conducted using a split-plot design with two varieties (YS-25 and GX-14), three N levels (60, 90, and 120 kg/ha; designated N60, N90, and N120, respectively), and three planting densities (D1–D3: 50,000, 62,500, and 83,333 plants/ha). Each treatment was replicated three times. Results: The results showed that the N60D2 treatment (60 kg/ha N; 62,500 plants/ha) optimized canopy light distribution by significantly increasing IPAR, light transmission rate, and extinction coefficient (K). This treatment enhanced individual plant photosynthetic capacity (higher photosynthetic rate: Pn, Ci, Gs, and Tr) and light energy use efficiency (Fv/Fm, Y(II), ETR, and qP), and promoted carbohydrate metabolism (sucrose, starch, fructose, and glucose) by increasing enzyme activities (Rubisco, SuSy, SPS, NI, SSS, and AGPase) in functional leaves and roots. These effects improved source–sink coordination, ultimately increasing storage root yield by 63.27–95.47% compared with the control plants (N120D1). Correlation analysis revealed that single-plant root weight and medium-sized root count were important yield determinants for both varieties. Conclusions: These results indicate that reducing nitrogen fertilizer combined with dense planting shapes a reasonable canopy structure for light distribution at the population level and optimizes light and carbon use efficiency at the individual plant level, thereby improving storage root yield and commercial characteristics of sweet potato. Full article

This study confirmed that cultivation technologies, cultivar, and meteorological conditions significantly influenced the contents of ascorbic acid, total polyphenols, and phenolic acids in sweet potato roots. Ascorbic acid content ranged from 27.22 to 111.9 mg·100 g⁻¹ DW, with the highest values recorded in the traditional cultivation system (TC), reaching 111.9 mg·100 g⁻¹ DW in ‘Carmen Rubin’ and 111.4 mg·100 g⁻¹ DW in ‘Beauregard’. In contrast, in the ‘Satsumo Imo’ cultivar grown under nonwoven fabric (WC), ascorbic acid content decreased to 49–58% of the values obtained in TC. Genetic factors strongly differentiated the contents of bioactive compounds. The ‘Purple’ cultivar showed the highest contents of total polyphenols (up to 963.5 mg·100 g⁻¹ DW) and phenolic acids (17,067.42 mg·100 g⁻¹ DW), whereas the lowest values were recorded in ‘Satsumo Imo’ (858.82–1225.89 mg·100 g⁻¹ DW). Cultivation under polyethylene film (FC) increased and stabilized phenolic compounds. The ‘Carmen Rubin’ cultivar also exhibited high phenolic acid content (5332.04–5447.60 mg·100 g⁻¹ DW), while ‘Beauregard’ was characterized by high stability of this trait (1535.93–1581.46 mg·100 g⁻¹ DW). From a practical perspective, the results highlight the importance of appropriate cultivar selection and cultivation technology for obtaining raw material with high functional value. These findings may serve as a basis for developing agrotechnical recommendations aimed at producing sweet potatoes with enhanced nutritional and health-promoting qualities under the climatic and soil conditions of Poland. Full article

Vegetatively propagated crops, including cassava, sweet potato, banana, and potato, are susceptible to mixed-pathogen infections resulting from the continuous use of clonal planting material and infrequent seed replacement. A diverse array of viruses, bacteria, and fungi can accumulate within these materials over successive cultivation cycles, precipitating seed degeneration and complex disease syndromes that complicate diagnosis and management. Mixed infections frequently trigger synergistic interactions that exacerbate disease severity and yield losses. This review synthesizes data on mixed-pathogen complexes in vegetatively propagated crops, with particular focus on vascular and systemically colonizing pathogens and analyzing starch crops to highlight the epidemiological, biological, and ecological drivers of synergism and antagonism. Furthermore, the review examines host defense responses during coinfection, including the modulation of plant immune pathways, and evaluates how interpathogen dynamics influence pathological outcomes. Although advancements in molecular diagnostics—notably next-generation sequencing and metagenomics—have revolutionized the detection of mixed infections, they have also introduced challenges in differentiating causal agents from commensal microorganisms. Finally, we discuss the implications for integrated disease management, emphasizing clean seed systems, resistance breeding, and phenotyping strategies tailored to multipathogen environments. The dynamics of mixed infections is critical for resilient and sustainable management strategies amidst increasingly complex agricultural and climatic shifts. Full article

Brown spot on the leaf sheath is an emerging disease of sweet corn (Zea mays L.) in Sinaloa, Mexico, with an unknown etiology. This study aimed to identify the causal agent of the disease and assess its pathogenicity on commercial sweet corn hybrids. Bacterial strains were isolated from symptomatic leaf sheaths collected from commercial fields. Identification was performed through biochemical profiling (API 50CHB/E), pathogenicity tests on alternative hosts (potato, onion, celery), and molecular analysis (16S rRNA and recA genes sequencing and phylogenetic reconstruction). Pathogenicity and virulence were confirmed by inoculating four sweet corn hybrids in a greenhouse. The strains were Gram-negative rods, identified as Burkholderia gladioli based on biochemical profiles and molecular data (99% 16S rRNA+ recA similarity; phylogenetic clustering within the B. gladioli clade). In greenhouse trials, the strains induced brown spot lesions on the leaf sheaths of all tested hybrids, replicating field symptoms fulfilling Koch’s postulates. This is the first report of B. gladioli as the causal agent of brown spot on the leaf sheath of sweet corn in Mexico. The pathogen’s broad host range highlights its potential as an emerging threat to horticultural crops in the region. Full article

Variations in the particle size of cereal flour could influence its techno-functional properties and affect the quality of the end products. In this study, common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) seeds were milled and then sieved into five fractions (≥200, 150–200, 100–150, 80–100, and 60–80 mesh). Proximate analysis showed that the protein and ash contents of buckwheat flour decreased with decreased particle size, whereas the starch content increased. Reducing the particle size did not change the A-type crystalline structure and the short-range ordered structure of buckwheat starch, whereas the buckwheat batter flowability, foaming properties and foam stability of the batter supernatant increased. The steamed buckwheat cakes made from ≥100-mesh flour showed a desirable appearance, cross-sectional structure, color, flavor, and texture. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that the starch content and relative crystallinity of buckwheat flour were significantly positively correlated with its pasting parameters and the textural properties (springiness, cohesiveness, resilience) and overall acceptability of steamed buckwheat cake, whereas the protein, lipid, and β-sheet content of buckwheat flour showed the opposite trend. This study demonstrated that differential sieving caused a difference in particle size and chemical composition, which were key variables governing the processing performance of buckwheat flour and important to the quality of its end products. Full article