Soybeans grown alongside maize often face shading stress that reduces yield, yet some cultivars can thrive under low light. Scientists have now uncovered a comprehensive genetic network that controls this shade tolerance, moving beyond the traditional single-gene perspective. By integrating forward genome-wide association and reverse transcriptomic analyses, researchers identified more than 200 causal genes and over 7,800 expressed genes involved in soybean’s shade response. These genes function in a coordinated sequence—from light signal detection to metabolic adaptation—forming a multilayered regulatory system. The findings open a new pathway toward breeding high-yield, shade-tolerant soybeans for intercropping systems worldwide.

An ancient genetic event may hold the key to how plants survive in metal-contaminated environments. Scientists have discovered that a duplication of phytochelatin synthase (PCS) genes—crucial enzymes for detoxifying toxic metals—occurred millions of years ago and remains conserved in flowering plants today. These twin gene copies, known as D1 and D2, evolved distinct but complementary functions: while D1 plays a general role in detoxification, D2 exhibits exceptional catalytic activity against cadmium and arsenic. Functional tests in Malus domestica (MdPCS1, MdPCS2) and Medicago truncatula (MtPCS1, MtPCS2) revealed that both copies are indispensable for maintaining metal balance, unveiling a deep evolutionary strategy for resilience.

A new study by researchers from Sichuan Agricultural University and international collaborators provides the most comprehensive evidence to date that biochar, a charcoal-like substance made from organic materials, plays a crucial role in faster, cleaner composting.

Restoring degraded peatlands could play a vital role in tackling climate change, according to a new study led by researchers from Bangor University and the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. The study shows that combining rewetting with biochar and iron sulphate additions can significantly slow down carbon loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from drained agricultural peat soils.

In a pioneering exploration of the evolving landscape of carbon fiber composite material recycling, researchers are leveraging bibliometric analysis to uncover the latest advancements and emerging hotspots in this critical field. The study, titled "Research Advances and Hotspot Evolution of Carbon Fiber Composite Material Recycling Based on Bibliometrics Analysis," is led by Prof. Da Chen from the Science and Technology Innovation Research Institute at the Civil Aviation University of China in Tianjin, China, and the Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Civil Aviation Energy-Environment and Green Development. This comprehensive analysis offers valuable insights into the current state and future directions of carbon fiber recycling research.

A team led by Associate Researcher Zhaoming Zhang and Researcher Xuzhou Yan from Shanghai Jiao Tong University introduced pseudorotaxane end groups of varying sizes and utilized their steric hindrance to modulate the dissociation kinetics of supramolecular crosslinks, thereby achieving control over the mechanical properties of supramolecular polymer networks (SPNs). This study systematically elucidated the relationship between supramolecular structure, dissociation kinetics, and macroscopic mechanical properties of the network, providing new insights into the development of high-performance SPNs.

A research team led by Prof. BI Guo-Qiang from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in collaboration with several domestic and international institutions, has resolved a 50-year-old controversy in neuroscience. By employing a self-developed, time-resolved cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) technique, the team has delineated the intricate choreography of synaptic vesicle (SV) release and rapid recycling, the cornerstone of neural communication. Their findings, which introduce a new biophysical mechanism termed the “Kiss-Shrink-Run”, were published in Science on October 17 (Beijing time).

The secret to tomato size lies within the flower's core. Scientists have discovered that the gene SlKNUCKLES (SlKNU), which encodes a zinc finger protein, serves as a key switch that determines fruit size by regulating floral meristem activity—the tissue responsible for forming reproductive organs.