Wen-Wei Tang

BACKGROUND: The discovery of lead compounds is critical for the development of new herbicides. To obtain novel potential lead compounds, herbicidal activities of a series of benzothiazole derivatives were evaluated in this study. Mechanistic investigation and structural optimization were subsequently conducted for the most active compound. RESULTS: 5‐fluorobenzothiazol‐2‐amine ( C25 ) exhibited the most potent inhibition effect against root (IC ₅₀ = 4.50 μg mL ⁻¹ ) and shoot growth (IC ₅₀ = 11.13 μg mL ⁻¹ ) of Bidens pilosa L. seedlings among all tested compounds. It also showed good crop selectivity, with no significant inhibitory effect on the growth of maize seedlings. Compound C25 treatment caused severe damage in the root tip of B. pilosa , including cell viability decrease and cell membrane integrity loss due to the excessive reactive oxygen species accumulation. Transcriptomic analysis results revealed that the expression level of key genes in auxin signal transduction pathway, including members of the AUX/IAA, ARF, GH3, and SAUR families, were significantly altered in seedlings of C25 ‐treated group. Molecular docking further identified that auxin influx carrier 1 (AUX1) is a possible target protein. Finally, a series of C25 derivatives were designed and synthesized, and part of the derivatives also exhibited marked herbicidal activity. CONCLUSION: Compound C25 is a new potential lead compound for the development of novel pre‐emergence herbicides with potent activity, good selectivity, synthetic accessibility and structural modifiability. It may inhibit weed seedling growth through a unique dual mechanism including the induction of excessive oxidative stress and the disruption of IAA signal transduction pathway. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Fenoxaprop-P-ethyl (FE), an acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) inhibitor, disrupts fatty acid synthesis, but downstream lipid disturbances remain unknown. Here, we performed integrative physiological, enzymatic, lipidomic, and transcriptomic analyses to investigate FE-induced lipid disruption in rice seedlings. Lipidomics revealed that FE decreased total lipid content by ∼35%, mostly reducing free fatty acids, phosphatidylglycerol, and lysophosphatidylethanolamine, particularly long-chain (≥C16) species. KEGG enrichment identified fatty acid elongation as a key pathway, with 32 DEGs predominantly downregulated. Most genes for elongation enzymes (KCS, KCR, HCD, ECR) were downregulated, and six key DEGs were confirmed by qRT-PCR. Enzyme assays showed time-dependent inhibition of these enzymes, peaking at 53-66% on day 7 post-treatment. Multiomics analysis suggested that ACCase inhibition disrupts fatty acid elongation, depleting critical lipids. We propose that FE disrupts lipid homeostasis via "cascade inhibition of lipid metabolism", where suppression of fatty acid elongation amplifies phytotoxicity.

BACKGROUND: Insect‐borne viruses represent a major threat to global agriculture and public health. Rice ragged stunt virus (RRSV), a destructive pathogen transmitted by brown planthopper ( Nilaparvata lugens Stå ), lacks comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying its replication and transmission. RESULTS: This study reveals that the RRSV P6 protein serves as a key regulator of vector‐borne transmission by sequentially interacting with RTE1‐HOMOLOG 2 (OsRTH2) and ETHYLENE‐INSENSITIVE3‐LIKE 2 (OsEIL2) in the host ethylene signaling pathway. This biphasic strategy manipulates brown planthopper (BPH) behavior, initially promoting viral replication and subsequently facilitating epidemic spread. Furthermore, the ethylene precursor 1‐aminocyclopropane‐1‐carboxylic acid (ACC) significantly impairs BPH fitness, reducing survival and fecundity. CONCLUSIONS: Our study elucidates how a plant virus manipulates the host ethylene signaling pathway to promote its own replication and transmission. Moreover, we identify the ethylene biosynthesis precursor ACC as a potential, environmentally friendly control agent against brown planthoppers. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

BACKGROUND: Cyperus rotundus L. (purple nutsedge) is a troublesome weed in sugarcane fields due to its prolific underground tuber network. While deep tillage removes its above‐ground biomass, our previous study revealed that each fragmented mature tuber could survive and regenerate more effectively than intact ones, suggesting a strong self‐healing capacity. This study aims to uncover the physiological and molecular mechanisms enabling self‐healing and survival of fragmented C. rotundus tubers under field‐simulated mechanical treatments. RESULTS: The results showed that mechanical damage significantly upregulated the expression of CrADT4 , CrADT5 , and CrADT6 , leading to rapid lignin layer formation at the wound surface of damaged mature tubers (DMT), and typical sugarcane tillage temperatures (28 °C–40 °C) could accelerate the ADT ‐mediated lignification process to promote wound healing and fragment survival. Furthermore, Carboxy‐PTIO [2‐(4‐carboxyphenyl)‐4,4,5,5‐tetramethylimidazoline‐1‐oxyl‐3‐oxide] treatment of DMT could suppress lignin deposition and significantly inhibited CrADT5 expression at 3 and 5 days after wounding. Additional heterologous expression revealed that CrADT5‐OE and CrADT6‐OE transgenic lines enhanced lignin accumulation and promoted growth compared with wild‐type (WT) plants, demonstrating that CrADT5 and CrADT6 contribute to lignin synthesis. CONCLUSION: These results highlight the important roles of CrADT ‐mediated lignification in DMT wound healing. By elucidating this self‐healing mechanism, this study offers insights into the dominance of C. rotundus in sugarcane fields and potential control strategies. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Cyperus rotundus L. is a globally invasive weed that is difficult to control due to its aggressive underground rhizomes. This study developed a nanocarrier using O-carboxymethyl chitosan (O-CMCS) to encapsulate halosulfuron methyl (HM) and functionalized the surface of the nanoparticles with pectin (PE) to prepare HM@O-CMCS/PE, which significantly improved herbicide delivery in C. rotundus. Compared with traditional HM water-dispersible granules (HM WG), HM@O-CMCS/PE exhibits better adhesion to leaf surfaces. Quantitative analysis results across different groups indicate that the HM content was highest in the HM@O-CMCS/PE group when testing various parts of C. rotundus at different time points. Greenhouse trials demonstrated superior performance: HM@O-CMCS/PE induced leaf chlorosis (day 7) and necrosis (day 15), reducing chlorophyll A (68.17%), chlorophyll B (51.31%), and carotenoids (42.39%) versus WG. Plant height decreased by 15.52%, while underground tuber viability dropped 73.35% due to oxidative stress, disrupted sugar metabolism, and reduced lignin accumulation. Mechanistic studies indicate that HM@O-CMCS/PE utilizes ABC transporters to achieve efficient delivery to tubers. This system also demonstrates environmental safety advantages. In summary, HM@O-CMCS/PE is a highly promising strategy for effectively controlling C. rotundus and has great application potential in weed control.

Brown rice planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens (Stål)) is a highly damaging pest of rice that has led to considerable losses in yields, increasing resistance to most conventional insecticides demands the adoption of eco-friendly chemical solutions. Cyperus rotundus L., a medicinal plant unaffected by N. lugens and reported to possess insecticidal properties, was selected for its potential to inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE), a key insect nervous system enzyme. Nine phytochemicals isolated from C. rotundus were evaluated through molecular docking, with quercetin (−8.9 kcal/mol), biochanin A (−8.7 kcal/mol), and cyperotundol (−8.1 kcal/mol) outperforming the positive control, carbofuran (−8.2 kcal/mol). The identified phytochemicals proved to have better binding affinity and complex stability, evidenced by the reduced values of RMSD/RMSF and more lasting interactions over 100 ns MD simulations compared to the positive control in both domain movement and binding stability. MMGBSA estimated favorable binding free energies (−67.06, −57.11, −71.07 kcal/mol) versus carbofuran (−36.84 kcal/mol). These findings suggest that C. rotundus phytochemicals are promising natural AChE inhibitors and potential candidates for sustainable N. lugens control. Their effectiveness implies the eco-friendly use of these natural compounds as a possible factor in the use of fewer and non-synthetic insecticides in pest control or integrated pest management.

One new natural benzaldehyde derivative (1), together with five known compounds, was isolated from the methanolic extract of the whole plant of Cyperus rotundus L., which is a globally distributed noxious weed.

Brucea javanica (L.) Merr. is a medicinal plant widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions, and under the B. javanica plantations region few weed species have been established. This study demonstrated that mulching with moistened B. javanica leaf powder inhibited the emergence of Bidens pilosa and Digitaria sanguinalis seedlings compared to the control, with the inhibitory effect being thickness-dependent. Among the four extracts (methanolic, M; petroleum ether, PE; ethyl acetate, EA; and n-butanol, n-B) of B. javanica leaf powder, both n-B and EA extracts showed significant inhibitory activity in laboratory and greenhouse experiments, which were correlated with their relatively high Bruceine D (BD) content. Further column leaching simulated rainfall demonstrated that decreased rainfall intensity could enhance the herbicidal activity of the B. javanica leaf powder against weed seedling emergence, which significantly coincided with the increased content of BD leached. Our results concluded that BD, may as the main phytotoxic compound in B. javanica leaf litter, could be leached into the soil by rainfall and interfere with the germination and growth of neighboring plants to help B. javanica gain an advantage in the particular habitat.

Purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus L.) is one of the world’s resilient upland weeds, primarily spreading through its tubers. Its emergence in rice (Oryza sativa L.) fields has been increasing, likely due to changing paddy-farming practices. This study aimed to investigate how C. rotundus, an upland weed, can withstand soil flooding and become a problematic weed in rice fields. The first comparative analysis focused on the survival and recovery characteristics of growing and mature tubers of C. rotundus exposed to soil-flooding conditions. Notably, mature tubers exhibited significant survival and recovery abilities in these environments. Based on this observation, further investigation was carried out to explore the morphological structure, nonstructural carbohydrates, and respiratory mechanisms of mature tubers in response to prolonged soil flooding. Over time, the mature tubers did not form aerenchyma but instead gradually accumulated lignified sclerenchymal fibers, with lignin content also increasing. After 90 d, the lignified sclerenchymal fibers and lignin contents were 4.0 and 1.1 times higher than those in the no soil-flooding treatment. Concurrently, soluble sugar content decreased while starch content increased, providing energy storage, and alcohol dehydrogenase activity rose to support anaerobic respiration via alcohol fermentation. These results indicated that mature tubers survived in soil-flooding conditions by adopting a low-oxygen quiescence strategy, which involves morphological adaptations through the development of lignified sclerenchymal fibers, increased starch reserves for energy storage, and enhanced anaerobic respiration. This mechanism likely underpins the flooding tolerance of mature C. rotundus tubers, allowing them to endure unfavorable conditions and subsequently germinate and grow once flooding subsides. This study provides a preliminary explanation of the mechanism by which mature tubers of C. rotundus from the upland areas confer flooding tolerance, shedding light on the reasons behind this weed’s increasing presence in rice fields.

Fenoxaprop-P-ethyl (FE) can effectively control weeds in rice fields, but it has been found to cause phytotoxicity in rice. In this study, the phytotoxicity of FE was mitigated by perilla leaf essential oil (PEO) in rice seedlings. The injury recovery rates (IRRs) for shoot length and fresh weight treated with 800 mg/L of PEO were 101.51% and 99.05%, respectively. Moreover, the damage of s-metolachlor and pretilachlor was also alleviated when co-applied with 800 mg/L PEO; the IRR of s-metolachlor phytotoxicity was 26.07% and 27.34%, respectively, and the IRR of pretilachlor phytotoxicity was 127.27% and 124.39%, respectively. However, PEO had no significant effect on the phytotoxicity of pinoxaden, mesotrione, penoxsulam, mesosulfuron-methyl, and nicosulfuron. The results of GC–MS analysis showed that a total of 23 components were detected in PEO, among which linalool (36.49%), linalyl formate (26.96%), α-terpineol (10.63%), 2-hexanoylfuran (5.81%), geranyl acetate (4.13%), and neryl acetate (2.30%) were the primary components. Among them, 2-hexanoylfuran was the most effective component to alleviate FE damage, for which the IRR of shoot length and fresh weight was 73.17% and 73.02%, respectively, followed by the geranyl acetate, for which the IRR was 72.32% and 60.56%, respectively, and neryl acetate, for which the IRR was 65.28% and 58.11%, respectively. Furthermore, the application of 50 mg/L of 2-hexanofuran significantly improved the tolerance of shoot length and fresh weight to FE stress by factors of 5.32 and 5.35, respectively. This research demonstrates that PEO and 2-hexanoylfuran have the potential to serve as natural safeners to reduce phytotoxicity.