Core-shell biochar-zeolite fertilizer with starch coating: Boosting nutrient use in saline-alkaline rice soils via smart drone delivery & economic assessment.

Metabolites with biotic and abiotic stress-alleviating effects derived from the endophytic fungus Aspergillus nishimurae associated with tissue-cultured Oryza sativa L.

Earthworm burrows enhanced rice root growth under a no-tillage rice-rapeseed rotation system

Accurate and rapid assessment of canopy chlorophyll content (CCC) is essential for monitoring rice growth and development. Canopy structure strongly influences canopy spectral variations, affecting CCC estimation accuracy. This study utilized the canopy scattering coefficient (CSC) to normalize canopy structural effects, thereby improving the accuracy of CCC estimation. Field experiments conducted in 2023 and 2024 in Hubei Province, China, measured canopy reflectance, leaf area index (LAI), aboveground biomass (AGB), leaf chlorophyll content, and leaf spectra of paddy rice at different growth stages. The CSC was calculated based on spectral invariant theory and used to replace red-edge and near-infrared bands in traditional vegetation indices (VIs). Results showed significant differences between CCC derived from LAI (CCC LAI ) and from AGB (CCC AGB ). For the same VI, CCC LAI generally exhibited higher correlation than CCC AGB . CSC-optimized VIs further enhanced these correlations, confirming that CCC LAI was more suitable for CCC estimation. Incorporating CSC improved the relationship between VIs and CCC, significantly enhancing estimation accuracy. Among CSC-optimized VIs, the CSC MERIS Terrestrial Chlorophyll Index, CSC Canopy Chlorophyll Content Index, CSC Chlorophyll Indexed Edge, CSC Normalized Difference Red-edge, and the CSC Multiplicative Vegetation Index (CSC LCI × CSC NDRE) achieved high correlations with CCC LAI , all with R² values around 0.8. Overall, this study highlights the potential of the CSC for improving CCC estimation and provides a valuable reference for remote sensing-based phenotyping in rice.

Interaction effects and legacy effects of multiple environmental stressors on rice growth and the rhizosphere microbiome

Phenological stage-specific DOM transformations sustain N2 fixation during rice growth in paddy soil

Rice–fish coculture and its ecological indicators: Insights from Ziro Valley using LASSO regression model

Rice cold tolerance: Physiological responses, molecular regulatory networks, and improvement strategies.

Streptomyces rhizoryzae RET4-A017 suppresses Meloidogyne graminicola and enhances rice growth through soil microbiome modulation

As carbon-rich materials, biochar (BC) and hydrochar (HC), the by-products of feedstocks produced through pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonization, respectively, have demonstrated encouraging promise as soil conditioners that enhance soil fertility and crop development and have recently gained attention as potential products for seed germination improvement, growth, and yield, this research was carried out to evaluate the impact of BC and HC on rice (Oryza sativa) seedlings germination and growth under laboratory conditions. conduct the factorial the experiment, five (5) treatments for each of BC and HC, respectively was applied. The results indicated that T1(0%), T2 (1%), T3 (2%), T4 (4%), and T5 (6%) of BC and HC increased germination percentage (GP), mean germination time (MGT), germination rate index (GRI), germination energy (GE), shoot length (cm), fresh and dry shoot weight (g), fresh dry root weight (g), root/shoot ratio, and plant biomass, which GP, GRI, and GE showed increased by 70.2% and MGT by 66.6% in comparison with the control (0%) for BC and HC, respectively. Treatments 1%, 2%, 4%, and 6% of BC and HC significantly increased shoot length by 43.8% and 60.5%, respectively. Fresh and dry shoot weight, fresh and dry root weight, and plant biomass were significantly increased in comparison to the control for BC and HC at lower and higher concentrations, respectively. The findings reveal that lower concentrations of BC and higher concentrations of HC may be used as a viable soil conditioner to enhance rice seed germination and improve growth.

Seed priming presents a promising strategy for regulating plant growth and development by using nanomaterials. However, the response of plant roots and their associated microorganisms to nanopriming remains poorly understood. In this study, carbon dots (CDs) were synthesized and applied for rice seed priming. The results showed that CD priming significantly enhanced photosynthesis and growth in rice seedlings. Notably, CDs improved root architecture, increased cell wall thickness and lignification, enhanced root vitality, stimulated Ca2+ influx and K+ efflux, and upregulated genes related to aquaporins and stress resistance. Microbial analysis revealed that CD priming significantly enriched microbial communities involved in nitrogen transformation and absorption while reducing pathogenic species. Consequently, these effects induced by CD priming on rice seedlings conferred significant resistance to salt, 2,4-D, and 2,4-D-Na stresses. This study provides a sustainable approach to promoting plant growth and mitigating environmental stress.

Transcription factors (TFs) and nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR) genes are core components of the immune response in rice against Magnaporthe oryzae. Although the construction of the rice pan-genome has provided new opportunities for dissecting the regulatory relationship between them, researchers still have limited systematic understanding of their interaction network during pathogen infection. In this study, we explored the interaction network between TFs and NLR genes by integrating the rice pan-genome with time-series transcriptomic data obtained at multiple time points during the rice-M. oryzae interaction. By combining weighted gene co-expression network analysis and the machine learning-based GENIE3 algorithm to construct TF-NLR interaction networks, we found that the bHLH TF family actively responds to M. oryzae infection and is widely involved in diverse biotic stress responses as well as the regulation of rice growth and development. To validate their biological functions, mutant rice lines were generated. Functional assays demonstrated that knockout of Os08g0490000, Os02g0726700, and Os01g0218100 significantly reduces rice resistance to M. oryzae infection (enhances susceptibility). Overall, this study highlights the importance of the bHLH TF family in rice immune responses through network-based analyses and identifies Os08g0490000 and Os01g0218100 as novel candidate genes associated with rice blast resistance. This study presents the first construction of a TF-NLR interaction network associated with rice blast resistance based on the rice pan-genome, providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying rice-pathogen interactions. Furthermore, two novel bHLH-type resistance genes were identified, offering valuable genetic resources for rice improvement.

Nitrogen level significantly impacts rice resistance to the brown planthopper (BPH, Nilaparvata lugens). Yet, the mechanisms underlying nitrogen level-mediated rice BPH resistance remain largely unclear. Here, we found that, relative to medium nitrogen (MN) and high nitrogen (HN) conditions, low nitrogen (LN) suppressed rice growth but enhanced plant resistance to BPH, as evidenced by reduced nymph biomass, decreased phloem ingestion and lower fecundity. Biochemical and transcriptome analyses revealed that compared to MN and HN plants, LN plants exhibited significantly higher basal and/or BPH-induced levels of abscisic acid (ABA) and salicylic acid (SA), cell wall components (lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose), and certain flavonoids but lower levels of phenolamides. Moreover, the relative water content (RWC) and total amino acid concentrations were significantly lower in LN plants compared with those in MN and HN plants. Impairing the signalling pathway mediated by ABA but not SA in rice abolished the basal and/or BPH-induced accumulation of defence compounds (cell wall components and certain flavonoids) in plants and plant resistance to BPH. The results demonstrate that the ABA signalling pathway, together with reduced RWC and total amino acid concentrations in plants caused by LN conditions, plays an important role in regulating the LN-mediated rice resistance to BPH.

Biomass-derived carbon dots (CDs) have attracted increasing attention in agriculture due to their simple synthesis and low environmental impact. In this study, CDs were synthesized from guava (Psidium guajava) leaves using a hydrothermal method (200 °C, 15 h). The particles had an average size of 6.17 nm and a quantum yield of 2.46%, confirming the successful synthesis of fluorescent carbon nanomaterials from the natural precursor. The effects of CDs on rice (Oryza sativa L., variety HT1) were evaluated through both seed treatment and field application. Soaking seeds in a 200 ppm CD solution for 24 h significantly enhanced shoot and root lengths (28.87 mm and 34.00 mm, respectively) among the tested treatments. In field trials, applying CDs at the same concentration also promoted plant growth, as evidenced by improvements in plant height, leaf development, tillering, and flag leaf characteristics. These changes were reflected in yield, with the highest grain yield of 6.13 t ha-1 at 200 ppm, exceeding that of the control treatment. The observed positive effects may be due to enhanced photosynthetic activity and better control of oxidative processes in plants. Nevertheless, the effect was less pronounced at higher concentrations. This trend suggests a dose-dependent response.

Soil contamination by microplastics (MPs) and heavy metals (HMs), particularly cadmium (Cd), poses an emerging threat to agricultural sustainability, food safety, and human health. Although the individual effects of MPs and Cd on crop performance have been widely investigated, their interactive impacts on rice remain poorly understood. Biochar (BC) and melatonin (MT) have recently attracted attention for their capacity to alleviate HM toxicity and abiotic stress in plants; however, their combined potential to mitigate MP-Cd co-stress has not yet been explored. This study aimed to evaluate the individual and enhanced effects of BC and MT on rice growth, physiological and molecular responses, Cd bioavailability, and soil properties under MP-Cd co-contamination. Exposure to Cd (20mg kg⁻¹) and MPs (1%) significantly inhibited rice growth and productivity by inducing oxidative stress, enhancing Cd uptake and accumulation, suppressing chlorophyll biosynthesis, and impairing water and nutrient acquisition. In contrast, the combined application of BC (2%) and MT (100 µM) markedly alleviated these adverse effects and outperformed individual amendments. Co-application substantially increased chlorophyll content (82%), leaf relative water content (48.47%), antioxidant enzyme activities (57.84-99.42%), proline accumulation (49.21%), and endogenous melatonin (EM) levels (48.35%). At the molecular level, BC + MT treatment upregulated antioxidant-related genes (OsAPx6, OsCAT, OsPOD, and OsSOD), the proline biosynthesis gene OsP5CS, and the MT biosynthesis gene OsCOMT, while significantly downregulating Cd transporter genes (OsNRAMP1 and OsHMA3). Furthermore, this combined treatment reduced soil Cd bioavailability and Cd accumulation in rice tissues, while improving soil fertility by increasing nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and soil organic carbon (SOC). This study provides the first evidence that the combined application of BC and MT effectively mitigates the detrimental effects of simultaneous MP and Cd contamination in rice. The enhanced physiological, molecular, and soil-level improvements induced by BC and MT collectively enhance rice growth and productivity under MP-Cd stress. These findings highlight a promising, integrated remediation strategy to manage co-pollution of MPs and HMs in agricultural soils, with important implications for sustainable crop production and food security.

Enterobacter adelaidei, an extensively drug resistant strain, was recently described and isolated from hospital wastewater in Australia. However, its distribution in plant-associated environments has not been documented yet. This study presents a whole-genome-based characterization of E. adelaidei strain CELK12, isolated from the rhizosphere of taro (Colocasia esculenta L.) and its plant growth-promoting performance under saline stress conditions. Genomic analyses confirmed the strain as E. adelaidei (ANI: 96.49%, dDDH: 71.90%). The genome of strain CELK12 (4.68Mb, 53.5% GC content) was predicted to contain key genes involved in nutrient acquisition (gcd, pqqC, amtB), phytohormone biosynthesis (ipdC, trpE), iron transport (entB, feoB), and stress tolerance (otsA, katG, sodA, oxyR). These genomic features suggest the potential for rhizosphere competence and plant-beneficial activity of strain CELK12. Comparative genomics suggested a trend toward an open pan-genome among the selected strains (Heap's law α = 0.11) and strain-specific divergences in secondary metabolite production, consistent with possible environmental adaptation. Genomic and phenotypic assessments revealed that while CELK12 carries certain chromosomally encoded resistance genes, it lacks plasmids, shows no hemolytic activity, and exhibits broad phenotypic susceptibility to major antibiotic classes. The seed germination and pot investigations confirmed significant enhancement of rice growth under saline conditions (100-150 mM NaCl) following CELK12 treatment. The findings of this study expand the known ecological range of E. adelaidei to include plant-associated niches and provide the first genomic predictions and experimental evidence of potential plant-beneficial traits within this specific lineage of the species.

Antimony (Sb) is a toxic metalloid that poses a significant threat to living organisms and ecosystem sustainability. Biochar (BC) and zinc oxide nano-particles (ZnO-NPs) are promising amendments to mitigate heavy metals toxicity. However, the potential role of BC and ZnO-NPs in alleviating the Sb toxicity remains unexamined. To address this gap, the present study investigated how BC and ZnO-NPs mitigate Sb toxicity in rice. The study included eight different treatments: control, biochar (2%), ZnO-NPs (100 mg L- 1), BC + ZnO-NPs, Sb stress (250 mg kg- 1), Sb stress + BC (2%), Sb stress + ZnO-NPs, and Sb stress + BC (2%) + ZnO-NPs. Antimony suppressed rice growth and yield by inducing oxidative stress (increased hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and electrolyte leakage), enhancing soil Sb availability and its accumulation in plant tissues, while reducing hormones synthesis and soil nutrients availability. Biochar + ZnO-NPs markedly enhanced the rice yield by decreasing H2O2 synthesis (26.06%), EL production (25.68%), soil Sb availability (41.80%) and increasing antioxidants activities, formation of iron plaque in roots (63.60%) and soil nutrients availability. Additionally, BC + ZnO-NPs upregulated the antioxidant genes (OsAPx6, OsCAT, OsPOD, and OsSOD), and downregulated the expression of OsSMP and OsMTP1 genes associated with Sb transport, thus helping to counteract Sb toxicity. These findings suggest that the BC + ZnO-NPs can effectively mitigate the Sb toxicity and improve rice productivity. These findings provide insights to develop the measure for remediating Sb-polluted soils, while simultaneously increasing the safe and sustainable crop production.

Above-ground biomass (AGB) is a critical indicator for evaluating crop growth, with its large-scale monitoring being fundamental to precision agriculture. To improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of large-scale farmland monitoring, this study developed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)–satellite collaborative inversion framework. The data, including rice AGB, UAV imagery, and satellite imagery, were collected in 2024. The proposed Distance-Correlation–Correlation-Feature-Selection (DC-CFS) algorithm was employed to select compact feature subsets for each growth stage. Subsequently, six machine learning models were compared to identify the optimal UAV-scale inversion model for each specific stage. Then, the AGB values simulated by the UAV-scale model were used to train the satellite-scale inversion model. A paddy field mask covering the entire district was generated using Segment Anything Model (SAM) and the temporal spectral variation pattern of rice, enabling county-scale AGB mapping. Research results indicate that the DC-CFS algorithm can effectively select a small number of low-redundancy features for each growth stage. The optimal UAV scale model type varies dynamically with growth stages, with ExtraTrees demonstrating overall superior performance. Except for the heading stage, the R2 of the models remained above 0.69. Furthermore, the BayesianRidge algorithm also presents a viable and competitive alternative when computational efficiency is a consideration. At the satellite scale, eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) and Extremely Randomized Trees (ExtraTrees) were identified as the optimal models for rice AGB estimation due to their stable performance across all stages, with R2 values consistently above 0.74. Finally, rice growth classification maps and corresponding fertilization recommendations were generated based on the satellite-scale inversion results, providing technical support for precision agriculture practices.

Rice striped stem borer (Chilo suppressalis), a major lepidopteran pest affecting rice ecosystems, poses a severe threat to global rice production and food security. The internal feeding behavior of larvae, which bore into stems, limits the efficacy of conventional insecticide sprays in reaching target sites and achieving lasting control. Developing a responsive nano-delivery system to enable precise, systemic insecticide release for sustained larvae control represents a highly promising strategy. Herein, a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive metal-phenolic network-based chlorantraniliprole (CAP) nano-delivery system (CAP@TF-PEG) was successfully constructed, inspired by plant-herbivore interaction signaling. CAP@TF-PEG exhibited improved foliar wetting, enhanced phloem-mediated systemic mobility within rice plants, and improved insecticidal persistence and field control efficacy compared with conventional formulations. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that this delivery strategy strengthened the inhibitory effect of CAP on insect cuticle synthesis. Importantly, CAP@TF-PEG showed excellent biosafety to zebrafish and cells. Notably, it maintained soil ecological stability without compromising microbial diversity, underscoring its significant potential for commercial application. It also promoted rice root growth, offering a multi-functional approach to crop protection. The combination of targeted pest control and plant growth promotion offers a highly promising strategy for achieving efficient, sustainable, and ecologically compatible crop protection.

Zinc (Zn) is an indispensable micronutrient required in various physiological, biochemical, and molecular processes in plants. Zinc Oxide (ZnO), in its nano-structured form (nano-Zn) possesses unique physico-chemical properties that improve its absorption efficiency and exert a better impact on plants as compared to its bulk counterparts. The present study was conducted to investigate molecular response and cooperation between bZIP transcription factors (TFs) and microRNAs (miRs) in divergent rice varieties under nano-Zn imposition. Accordingly, spatio-structural annotations (gene-structures, Cis-elements, conserved motifs, evolutionary and syntenic nature) of OsbZIP TF genes were analyzed with their targeting Osa-miRs. Furthermore, the response of 30 OsbZIPs and 41 corresponding Osa-miRs were assessed between unlike (CSR-30 and PB-1) rice varieties under nano-Zn treatment. In CSR-30 rice, OsbZIP TFs generally showed reduced expression levels, with fold changes ranging from 0.95 to 0.44 (R² = 0.982). Correspondingly, their associated Osa-miRNAs exhibited increased expression, with changes ranging from 1x to 2.5x (R² = 0.947). In PB-1 rice, OsbZIP TFs generally exhibited reduced expression, with fold changes ranging from 0.85 to 0.47 (R² = 0.940). Similarly, their corresponding Osa-miRNAs also showed decreased expression, ranging from 1.05 to 0.30 fold change (R² = 0.940). Notably, distinct expressions were also identified for OsbZIP1, OsbZIP13, Osa-miR1846a, Osa-miR396e, Osa-miR11337a, and Osa-miR5801r, in CSR-30 rice. Additionaly, OsbZIP6, OsbZIP14, OsbZIP23, OsbZIP27, and OsbZIP29 exhibited distinct expression patterns, along with uneven responses of their corresponding Osa-miRNAs, suggesting multilayered combinatorial regulation in PB-1 rice. Therefore, the present study demonstrates the differential and coordinated responses of OsbZIP transcription factors gene family and Osa-miRNAs and also provides insights into key molecular determinants regulating rice growth under the influence of nano-Zn.