Tianjun He

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Spinetoram (SPI) on the midgut of Apis cerana cerana Fabricius pupae, emphasizing detoxifying enzyme activity, gene expression, and morphological alterations. Pupae were subjected to SPI at LC₂₀ and LC₅₀ concentrations, and the midgut was evaluated using morphological assessment, detoxifying enzyme assays, and transcriptome analysis utilizing gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment. Transcriptome analysis revealed 32 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were common to both the LC₂₀ vs. control (CK) and LC₅₀ vs. CK comparisons, along with 24 DEGs unique to the LC₂₀ vs. CK comparison and 76 DEGs unique to the LC₅₀ vs. CK comparison. KEGG pathway analysis indicated the substantial enrichment of pathways associated with drug metabolism, xenobiotic metabolism, and amino acid metabolism, implying disruptions in detoxification mechanisms and broader metabolic imbalances resulting from SPI exposure. Morphological analysis showed a normal midgut structure in the control group, while significant damage was observed in the LC₂₀ group, and severe degeneration was observed in the LC₅₀ group. Detoxification enzyme assays revealed that the activities of cytochrome P450, glutathione S-transferase, and carboxylesterase significantly increased at LC₂₀ (p < 0.05), indicating an initial induction of detoxification responses; however, they declined at LC₅₀, suggesting enzyme inhibition or midgut damage. The activity of acetylcholinesterase markedly diminished at both LC₂₀ and LC₅₀ (p < 0.05), with a more substantial decline observed at LC₅₀, suggesting possible neurotoxicity. These findings indicate that SPI exposure causes substantial alterations in midgut morphology, detoxifying enzyme activity, and gene expression in Apis cerana cerana Fabricius pupae, underscoring the insecticide’s detrimental impact on honey bee health.

Fall armyworm (FAW, Spodoptera frugiperda) has now spread to more than 26 Chinese provinces. The government is working with farmers and researchers to find ways to prevent and control this pest. The use of biochar is one of the economic and environmentally friendly strategies to increase plant growth and improve pest resistance. We tested four v/v combinations of bamboo charcoal with coconut bran [BC1 (10:1), BC2(30:1), BC3(50:1)] against a control (CK) in maize. We found that plant height, stem thickness, fresh weight and chlorophyll content were significantly higher in BC2, in addition to the lowest FAW survival %. We then compared the metabolome and transcriptome profiles of BC2 and CK maize plants under FAW herbivory. Our results show that the levels of flavonoids, amino acids and derivatives, nucleotides and derivatives and most phenolic acids decreased, while terpenoids, organic acids, lipids and defense-related hormones increased in BC-grown maize leaves. Transcriptome sequencing revealed consistent expression profiles of genes enriched in these pathways. We also observed the increased expression of genes related to abscisic acid, jasmonic acid, auxin and MAPK signaling. Based on these observations, we discussed the possible pathways involved in maize against FAW herbivory. We conclude that bamboo charcoal induces anti-herbivory responses in maize leaves.

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a major legume and is frequently attacked by fungal pathogens, including Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli (FSP), which cause Fusarium root rot. FSP substantially reduces common bean yields across the world, including China, but little is known about how common bean plants defend themselves against this fungal pathogen. In the current study, we combined next-generation RNA sequencing and metabolomics techniques to investigate the changes in gene expression and metabolomic processes in common bean infected with FSP. There were 29,722 differentially regulated genes and 300 differentially regulated metabolites between control and infected plants. The combined omics approach revealed that FSP is perceived by PAMP-triggered immunity and effector-triggered immunity. Infected seedlings showed that common bean responded by cell wall modification, ROS generation, and a synergistic hormone-driven defense response. Further analysis showed that FSP induced energy metabolism, nitrogen mobilization, accumulation of sugars, and arginine and proline metabolism. Importantly, metabolic pathways were most significantly enriched, which resulted in increased levels of metabolites that were involved in the plant defense response. A correspondence between the transcript pattern and metabolite profile was observed in the discussed pathways. The combined omics approach enhances our understanding of the less explored pathosystem and will provide clues for the development of common bean cultivars’ resistant to FSP.