Leaf drooping increases leaf breakage during mechanical harvesting, lowering tea yield and quality. The study reveals that CsTPR, a TETRATRICOPEPTIDE REPEAT gene, plays a key role in maintaining leaf straightness by suppressing brassinosteroid-induced droopiness. A single-base mutation in CsTPR promoter strengthens repression by the transcription factor CsBES1.2, reducing CsTPR expression and ultimately enhancing leaf drooping. Functional verification using gene-silenced plants confirmed that CsTPR acts as a negative regulator of leaf drooping, influencing vascular development and leaf tip angle. This work uncovers a molecular mechanism that links promoter variation to drooping traits, providing genetic targets for breeding cultivars suitable for mechanical harvesting.

Parthenocarpy, the ability of plants to set fruit without fertilization, is a key trait for breeding high-yielding blueberry cultivars, especially in the context of pollination deficits. This study investigates genomic selection (GS) and other molecular breeding methods to accelerate the development of parthenocarpic blueberries. Through genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and predictive analysis, researchers identified several promising genetic markers linked to parthenocarpic fruit set, offering a strategic approach to improve blueberry cultivation.

Tanshinones are major bioactive components in Salvia miltiorrhiza and are widely used in cardiovascular therapies. However, their naturally low content limits pharmaceutical utilization. This study reveals a transcriptional regulatory module involving SmWRKY32, SmbHLH65, and SmbHLH85 that directly shapes tanshinone biosynthesis. The researchers demonstrate that SmbHLH65 and SmbHLH85 act as positive regulators promoting tanshinone accumulation, while SmWRKY32 functions as a suppressor by downregulating SmbHLH65. Overexpressing SmbHLH65 or SmbHLH85 significantly increases tanshinone levels, whereas silencing these factors decreases production. These findings uncover a coordinated gene–protein interaction network providing new molecular targets for metabolic engineering to enhance tanshinone yield.

Terpenoids are among the most pharmacologically valuable plant metabolites, yet their biosynthetic gene clusters in Euphorbiaceae have remained largely unexplored. This study establishes a comprehensive genome-wide identification framework and analyzes terpene gene clusters using multi-omics data. A total of 1824 candidate clusters were detected in seven Euphorbiaceae species, and 16 were confirmed as high-confidence terpene clusters after strict screening based on TPS/CYP pairing, copathway linkage, and coexpression patterns. Notably, casbene and casbene-derived diterpenoid gene clusters were identified, providing new clues to the biosynthesis of bioactive compounds such as neocembrene, ingenanes, and jatrophanes. This work lays a foundation for metabolic engineering and drug development linked to Euphorbiaceae terpenoids.

Tea plants are known for their ability to accumulate aluminum (Al), a trait that is beneficial for growth at optimal levels but may pose health risks when consumed in excess. This study identifies a key gene, CsWRKY17, that plays a crucial role in the accumulation of aluminum in the leaves of tea plants. By enhancing pectin deesterification in the cell walls, this gene helps facilitate the binding of aluminum, which is essential for managing Al toxicity. This discovery provides a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating aluminum accumulation in tea plants, offering potential strategies for breeding tea varieties with reduced aluminum content and improved safety.

Flowering time is essential for regulating production cycles and commercial value in chrysanthemum. Researchers have identified a photoperiod-regulated mechanism in which the gene CmARF3 suppresses the transcription factor CmTCP7, relieving inhibition of the floral transition pathway. Silencing CmTCP7 leads to earlier flowering, while CmARF3 overexpression accelerates floral initiation. Reduced CmTCP7 protein level enhances activity of the CmFTL3–CmFDL1 complex and promotes the expression of the floral meristem gene CmCDM111L. This work outlines a multilayer regulatory network controlling short-day flowering and offers potential molecular targets for breeding early-blooming cultivars.

Recently, Professor Fei Wang's research group at Nankai University developed an aromatic radical substitution reaction based on aniline protonation-induced polarity reversal, achieving the direct meta-selective amination of aromatic amines to synthesize m-phenylenediamine compounds. The authors transformed the amine group, originally an ortho/para directing group, into a strongly electron-withdrawing ammonium functional group with meta-directing effects through aniline protonation. Simultaneously, they combined this with aryl hydrocarbon amination mediated by highly reactive ammonium radical cations/pyridinium radicals, thus solving the challenge of meta-selective hydrocarbon amination of aniline compounds. The article was published as an open access communication in CCS Chemistry, the flagship journal of the Chinese Chemical Society.

A new study published in Biochar reveals that biochar, a carbon rich soil amendment widely used to improve soil health and reduce pollution, continues to influence the movement of veterinary antibiotics in farmland soils even after five years in the field. The work shows that biochar’s ability to retain pollutants changes in surprising ways over time, shifting from adsorption driven effects in the first year to soil structure driven mechanisms after long term aging.

Indoor air contains countless microscopic particles, including bacteria and viruses that can affect human health. A new study from the Jiangsu Center for Disease Control and Prevention provides the most detailed comparison to date of four commonly used microbial aerosol samplers. The findings offer practical guidance for researchers and public health agencies working to monitor airborne pathogens in homes, hospitals, schools, and other indoor spaces.

Researchers have discovered that microplastics floating in rivers, lakes, and oceans continuously leak a complex mixture of dissolved organic chemicals that evolve over time, especially under sunlight. The work provides the most detailed molecular-level view to date of how this microplastic-derived dissolved organic matter, or MPs DOM, forms and transforms in natural waters.