Nanjing Agricultural University

Fragrant Rice Gains Enhanced 2-Acetyl-1-Pyrroline and Multi-stress Resistance Through a JA-Proline Module Induced by a Rhizopus Fungus

Abstract Rhizosphere microorganisms play crucial roles in regulating crop secondary metabolism and stress adaptation, yet the mechanisms by which they coordinately enhance both 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2-AP) and stress resistance in fragrant rice remain unclear. Here, we report a ne...

ElectrochemiluminescenceMicroscopy

Abstract Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) microscopy is an emerging imaging technology that combines electrochemistry with optical microscopy. It operates without external light excitation, effectively eliminating photobleaching, phototoxicity, and scattered light noise, and thus e...

Superior Leaf Deposition and Subsequent Uptake: Nanocarrier Boosts Cyproflanilide for Enhanced Pest Control

Abstract Chemical pesticides remain indispensable for crop protection, but inefficient delivery and overapplication lead to resistance and environmental risks. Cyproflanilide is a novel meta-diamide insecticide active against a broad range of agricultural pests. Here, we develope...

Variety-Seeking Behavior and Willingness to Pay for Staple Foods: Evidence from Online Food Delivery in China

Food security has always been the leading priority of national strategic deployment. Given the dual background of the continuous upgrading of dietary structures and the rapid growth of the food delivery industry, takeaway staple food waste has become increasingly prominent. Howev...

Integrated morphological, physiological, biochemical and transcriptomic analyses elucidate core pathways underlying genotypic differences in drought resistance of perennial grasses

Drought stress is the major abiotic factor limiting forage and turf grass growth and productivity. However, systematic studies on the response, adaptation, and molecular mechanisms underlying drought resistance in centipedegrass ( Eremochloa ophiuroides ) remain underexplored. He...

OsWOX13 functions as a heading signal transducer from integrator Ehd1 to florigen for the accurate regulation of rice heading date

Abstract Appropriate heading date is an important safeguard for stabilizing rice yield and quality. Heading integrator Ehd1 and florigen Hd3a are crucial for rice heading. However, the mechanism by which Ehd1 transmits heading signals to Hd3a and the accurate regulation of Hd3a e...

A Descriptive Analysis of Morbidity Patterns Among Insured Pet Cats in China Based on Insurance Claims

Population-level information on feline morbidity in China remains limited despite the rapid growth of the pet cat population. This study described morbidity patterns among insured cats in China using insurance claims from a major pet insurance provider, with diagnoses derived fro...

Machine Learning Guided Meta-transcriptomics Reveals OsRPM1 as a Key Regulator of Rice Blast Resistance

Rice blast, caused by Magnaporthe oryzae , is the most destructive fungal disease of rice, responsible for annual yield losses of 10–30% and posing a major threat to global food security. The rapid evolution of blast pathotypes and the polygenic nature of resistance complicate br...

Synergistic Effectsof Particle Size and MolecularWeight on Chain Entanglements in Single-Polymer Nanoparticles

Abstract The polymer dynamics at the nanoscale exhibit significant deviations from their bulk materials, affecting both our fundamental understanding and practical applications of polymers. Despite growing applications and synthesis advancements of 3-dimensional confined polymeri...

Integrated Physiological and Multi-Omics Analysis Reveals Selenium-Mediated Drought Tolerance in Brassica napus Seedlings

Drought stress severely restricts early growth in Brassica napus, while selenium (Se) can enhance stress tolerance. This study examined how foliar sodium selenite pretreatment affects polyethylene glycol (PEG)-induced drought stress in B. napus seedlings. Seedlings were sprayed w...

ProgrammableVersatile Socket: A Tight-Locking andHigh-Gain CRISPR/Cas12a Molecular Circuit for Ultrasensitive Sensingof Diverse Targets

Abstract CRISPR/Cas12a has emerged as an important platform for nucleic acid analysis, yet limited catalytic turnover and intrinsic nucleic acid specificity constrain its sensitivity and analyte scope. Herein, a tight-locking and high-gain Cas12a-driven strand displacement amplif...

Extended Runge‐Kutta‐Nyström Methods Based on Hermite Interpolation for Second‐Order Oscillatory Systems

ABSTRACT Extended Runge‐Kutta‐Nyström methods based on Hermite interpolation (ERKNH) for the numerical solution of general second‐order oscillatory systems of the form are proposed and investigated. It is proved that the ‐stage ERKNH methods achieve the optimal convergence order...

Firmness Variation in Tomato Fruit: Driving Factors, Signaling Regulation, and Genetic Basis

Fruit firmness is a pivotal agronomic and commercial trait that determines the storability, transport tolerance and edible quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Fruit softening severely restricts postharvest performance and economic benefits of tomato products worldwide. T...

Inaugural editorial: Towards understanding, managing and conserving entomological diversity

We are excited to announce the launch of npj Entomology, a fully open-access journal in the Nature Portfolio that is dedicated to rapidly publishing high-quality, cutting-edge research in all aspects of entomology and arachnology. As Editor-in-Chief, I am deeply honoured to launc...

Genomic traits, transcriptional responses, and metabolic activities determine functional divergence in mineral dissolution between Priestia megaterium PMA2-2 and Priestia flexa PMD1-1

ABSTRACT Priestia strains are gram-positive bacteria and globally distributed in mineral-rich environments. However, the functional divergence in mineral dissolution and its molecular drivers among Priestia strains remains poorly understood. Here, we employ comparative phenotypic...

TRIM28 regulate G2/M transition via histone modification and DNA damage repair during mouse oocyte meiosis

TRIM28, a member of the tripartite motif (TRIM) family, functions as a transcriptional coregulator involved in maintaining genome stability during mitosis. However, transcriptional activity is barely detectable during oocyte meiotic maturation. In this study, we explored the role...

Selective Recovery of Lithium from Spent LiFePO4 Cathode Powder Using the [BSO3HMIm]HSO4–H2O2 System

Abstract The recycling of spent LiFePO4 cathodes is critical for meeting the growing demand for lithium and reducing dependence on primary mining. Conventional hydrometallurgical routes are typically limited by high reagent consumption, poor selectivity, and secondary pollution,...

From Inorganic Arsenic to Methylated and Thiolated Arsenic: Speciation Mechanisms, Management Implications, and Rice Safety in Paddy Systems

Rice is a globally important staple crop and a major dietary source of inorganic arsenic (As). Compared with upland crops, flooded rice cultivation profoundly alters soil redox conditions, making paddy soils one of the most active agricultural interfaces for As mobilization, tran...

Capturing microclimates: 30-m downscaled climate dataset reveals fine-scale suitability patterns of invasive pests in karst landscapes

Karst landscapes are characterized by extreme topographic heterogeneity, which limits the capacity of conventional coarse-resolution climate data to resolve local microclimates, thereby introducing uncertainty into biological invasion risk assessments. This study developed a high...

HDA15-Mediated Deacetylation of GPX1 Inhibits Its Nuclear Translocation and Increases Osmotic Stress Sensitivity in Rice

Redox regulation plays an important role in plant stress responses. Our previous study revealed that rice GLUTATHIONE PEROXIDASE 1 (GPX1) acts as a redox sensor and transducer and promotes osmotic stress tolerance by transfer of cytosolic oxidative signals to transcription factor...