Effect of a Nutritional Education Program on Children's Undernutrition in Indonesia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

INTRODUCTION: To assess effects of a nutritional education program on improving mothers' undernutrition knowledge, self-efficacy, and complementary feeding practices, and reducing undernutrition in children aged <2 years. METHOD: A randomized controlled trial was conducted at a community healthcare center in Indonesia. The intervention group participated in a 4-week nutritional education program; the control group received standard care (n = 80; 1:1 ratio). Measurements consisted of mothers' knowledge of undernutrition, self-efficacy, and complementary feeding practices, and children's anthropometric indicators. RESULTS: Intervention group mothers improved their understanding of undernutrition, self-efficacy, and complementary feeding practices compared to the control group. Additionally, children in the intervention group exhibited increased mean Z-scores for stunting, wasting, and being underweight at 12 and 24 weeks following the intervention. DISCUSSION: Healthcare professionals can regularly provide nutritional education programs related to managing undernutrition and complementary feeding practices for mothers with children aged <2 years to prevent and improve undernutrition.

Phytoalexin sakuranetin attenuates endocytosis and enhances resistance to rice blast.

Phytoalexin sakuranetin functions in resistance against rice blast. However, the mechanisms underlying the effects of sakuranetin remains elusive. Here, we report that rice lines expressing resistance (R) genes were found to contain high levels of sakuranetin, which correlates with attenuated endocytic trafficking of plasma membrane (PM) proteins. Exogenous and endogenous sakuranetin attenuates the endocytosis of various PM proteins and the fungal effector PWL2. Moreover, accumulation of the avirulence protein AvrCO39, resulting from uptake into rice cells by Magnaporthe oryzae, was reduced following treatment with sakuranetin. Pharmacological manipulation of clathrin-mediated endocytic (CME) suggests that this pathway is targeted by sakuranetin. Indeed, attenuation of CME by sakuranetin is sufficient to convey resistance against rice blast. Our data reveals a mechanism of rice against M. oryzae by increasing sakuranetin levels and repressing the CME of pathogen effectors, which is distinct from the action of many R genes that mainly function by modulating transcription.

Auricular Acupressure Improve Constipation of Patients With Schizophrenia: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Study.

Background. Constipation is a common distressing problem in patients with schizophrenia that can cause complications and impair quality of life. Objective. The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of applying auricular acupressure (AA) treatment in improving constipation in patients with schizophrenia. Methods. A crossover randomized controlled trial design was performed from April 2022 to December 2023 at four psychiatric rehabilitation care centers. A total of 23 patients with schizophrenia received an AA intervention or usual care according to the designated treatment sequences. Measurements comprised subjective assessment of constipation by the Patient Assessment of Constipation-Symptoms (PAC-SYM) questionnaire, an objective assessment of the stool pattern rated by a Bristol stool form scale, and heart rate variability. A generalized estimating equation model was used for data analyses. Results. After completing an 8-week AA intervention stimulating the Shenmen, San Jiao, Large intestine and Rectum, the AA group exhibited lower scores in the PAC-SYM total score (difference = -12.66, ,0.001), and the subscales: abdominal (difference = -3.36, p < .001), rectal (difference = -3.51, p < .001), and stool (difference = -5.79, p < .001), compared to those receiving usual care. The cases of constipation indicated by type 1 and type 2 of the BSF scale significantly decreased after the 8-week AA intervention. Moreover, the AA group displayed more parasympathetic dominance compared to the usual care group, with a low frequency to high frequency ratio of -1.15. Conclusion. AA is an effective non-pharmacological method for improving subjective constipation symptoms and objective stool pattern in patients with schizophrenia.

Diagnostic Accuracy of the FRAIL Scale, Groningen Frailty Indicator, Tilburg Frailty Indicator, and PRISMA-7 for Frailty Screening Among Older Adults in Community Settings: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of four questionnaire-based tools (i.e., the FRAIL scale, Groningen Frailty Indicator [GFI], Tilburg Frailty Indicator [TFI], and PRISMA-7) for screening frailty in older adults. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The 4 databases comprising the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, PubMed, and ProQuest were searched from inception to June 20, 2023. Study quality comprising risks of bias and applicability was assessed via a QUADAS-2 questionnaire. A bivariate network meta-analysis model and Youden's index were performed to identify the optimal tool and cutoff points. RESULTS: In total, 20 studies comprising 13 for FRAIL, 7 for GFI, 6 for TFI, and 5 for PRISMA-7 were included. Regarding study quality appraisal, all studies had high risks of bias for study quality assessment domains. Values of the pooled sensitivity of the FRAIL scale, GFI, TFI, and PRISMA-7 were 0.58, 0.74, 0.66, and 0.73, respectively. Values of the pooled specificity of the FRAIL scale, GFI, TFI, and PRISMA-7 were 0.92, 0.77, 0.84, and 0.86, respectively. The Youden's index was obtained for the FRAIL scale with a cutoff of 2 points (Youden's index = 0.65), indicating that the FRAIL scale with a cutoff of 2 points was the optimal tool for frailty screening in older adults. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: The FRAIL scale comprising 5 self-assessed items is a suitable tool for interview older adults for early frailty detection in community settings; it has the advantages of being short, simple, and easy to respond to.

First Report of Ilyonectria coprosmae Causing Root Rot of Bletilla striata in Yunnan province of China.

Bletilla striata is a valuable medicine in China, belonging to the Orchidaceae family, and is used for treating various ailments such as hemoptysis, pyocutaneous disease, and anal fissure by preventing blood flow, reducing swelling, and promoting granulation. In June 2022, a disease with symptoms similar to root rot was observed on B. striata in the pineland (the area was 0.4 hectare) of Lancang County (22°48'17" N, 99°46'58"22 E), Yunnan Province, China. The root rot incidence rate reached 16% (Table S1). The root rot incidence was calculated as follows: root rot incidence (%) = (number of root rot seedlings/total number of seedlings investigated) × 100. In May 2023, the similar symptoms were observed in the field, and the disease incidence was 17% (Table S1). Initially, there were no obvious symptoms on the leaves. Subsequently, the leaves wilted and brown spots appeared. Later, the entire leaf browned, withered and eventually died (Fig. S1A, B). The roots were brown and the browning spread from the root edge to the center, causing vascular bundle browning and dead lignified fibers in the cortex (Fig. S1C, D). To isolate the causal pathogen, 20 symptomatic root tissues were collected from 20 plants. Cutting the diseased tissues into small pieces (0.5 × 0.5 cm). After surface sterilization (30s with 75% ethanol and 3 min with 2% sodium hypochlorite, rinsed three times with sterile water), the disinfected root tissues were plated onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) and incubated at 25℃ for 4 to 6 days with 12 h light/dark photoperiod. A total of 10 single-spore isolates with similar morphology and conidial characteristics were obtained. one representative isolate BJG6 was selected for identification and further study. The fungal colony was reddish-brown or orange-white on PDA after 8 days of incubation at 25℃. The mycelium was like carpet or cotton, and the edge of colony was uniform (Fig. S1E). Large conidia were formed on simple conidial peduncles (Fig. S1F, G). The conidia with 1~3 septates and 1 mostly, with cylindrical shapes and narrow tops but sharp bases (Fig. S1H-J). Conidia with 1 septate measured as 5.5 (4.3-6.7) × 20.7 (16.0-25.4) µm (n=30), while those with 2 septates measured as 6.6 (5.8-7.4) × 26.5 (21.7-31.3) µm (n=30), and those with 3 septates was 6.9 (6.2-7.8) × 31.8 (29.3-34.3) µm (n=30). Ellipsoidal microconidia could be formed on conidiophore and measured as 2.4 (1.9-2.9) × 4.9 (5.9-3.9) µm to 2.7 (2.2-3.2) × 5.4 (4.3-6.5) µm (n=30). Spherical or subspherical chlamydospores were produced on low-nutrient agar, with an average size of 5.8(5.0-6.6) µm×5.3 (4.4-6.2) µm (n=30) (Fig. S1K, L). According to the morphology and conidial features, the pathogen was consistent with the description of Ilyonectria coprosmae (Cabral et al. 2012). The total genomic DNA was extracted, and primer pairs ITS4/ITS5 were used to amplify and sequence the rDNA-ITS region (ITS1-5.8 S rRNA-ITS2 gene regions) (White et al. 1990). The sequences were deposited in GenBank (SUB13905750 for ITS). BLAST searches revealed BJG6 showed 98% homology with corresponding sequences of Ilyonectria coprosmae in GenBank (JF735260). A phylogenetic tree (MEGA 7.0) was constructed using maximum-likelihood methods (Fig. S2). To identify pathogenicity, a cultured medium in a size of 6mm containing isolate BJG6 was inoculated onto ten healthy roots of B. striata, PDA plugs alone were used as the uninoculated controls. All samples were placed in a dark inoculation chamber at 25℃. The pathogenicity test was replicated three times. After two weeks, all inoculated roots appeared similar symptoms identical to those observed on field plants (Fig. S1M, N-P), while control plants remained healthy (Fig. S1Q, R). The same pathogenic fungus was reisolated from the symptomatic root rot, and the characteristics of colony and conidia were the same as the original isolates (Fig. S1S, T). These results confirmed I. coprosmae as the causal pathogen of root rot disease on B. striata in China by Koch's postulates tests for the first time. Further exploration should be conducted to understand the occurrence and migration of this disease, so as to develop specific and efficient disease management strategies in the future.

Psychometric properties and structural validity of traditional Chinese version of the Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire in intensive care unit patients without physical restraint.

BACKGROUND: Sleep assessment in the intensive care unit (ICU) is difficult and often unreliable. The most commonly used questionnaire for assessing ICU sleep, the Richards-Campbell Sleep Scale (RCSQ), has not been tested for reliability and construct validity in the Mandarin-Taiwanese speaking population. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to test the construct validity and criterion validity of the traditional Chinese version of RCSQ (TC-RCSQ) in critically ill patients without physical restraint. METHODS: We adopted a cross-sectional study design. Adults aged 20 years and above were recruited from a plastic surgery ICU of a medical center. The Cronbach's alpha was used to test internal consistency; the validity testing included content validity, criterion validity, and construct validity. Criterion validity was analysed by testing the association of TC-RCSQ with the Chinese version of Verran and Snyder-Halpern Sleep Questionnaire and sleep parameter of actigraphy using the Pearson correlation coefficient; construct validity was analysed using exploratory factor analysis. RESULTS: A total of 100 patients were included with a mean age of 49.78 years. Internal consistency reliability suggested Cronbach's alpha of 0.93. Moderate to strong correlations of TC-RCSQ with Verran-Snyder-Halpern Sleep Questionnaire were identified (r = 0.36 to 0.80, P < 0.05). We found significant correlations of actigraphic sleep efficiency with difficulty of falling sleep, awakening times, sleep quality, and total score of the TC-RCSQ (r = 0.23, 0.23, 0.20, and 0.23, P < 0.05). One factor (named as overall sleep quality) was extracted by exploratory factor analysis with a total variance explained of 78.40 %, which had good construction validity. CONCLUSIONS: The TC-RCSQ yields satisfactory reliability and validity in critically ill patients. Actigraphic sleep efficiency may be a single index for objectively sleep assessment of sleep quality in patients without physical restraint. Both the TC-RCSQ and actigraphy can aid nurses to evaluate the sleep quality in critically ill patients without physical restraint.

Effects of an Interactive e-Book on Enhancing Nursing Students' Knowledge, Confidence, and Learning Self-efficacy of Nursing Skills: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Interactive e-books offer multimedia and interactive features that make them particularly suitable for learning nursing skills and also allow for easy content updating, ensuring that students learn the most current skills based on the latest clinical guidelines. PURPOSE: To examine the effectiveness of an interactive e-book in increasing nursing students' knowledge, confidence, and learning self-efficacy of performing nasogastric tube feeding. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 62 nursing students, with the experimental group using an interactive e-book for learning whereas the comparison group using a printed textbook. RESULTS: The experimental group demonstrated significantly greater knowledge and confidence improvements than the comparison group, but no significant difference was found in learning self-efficacy. The experimental group was significantly more satisfied with the learning materials than the comparison group. CONCLUSIONS: Interactive e-books are more effective in enhancing nursing students' knowledge and confidence in performing nursing skills than printed textbooks.

Correction: The genetic identity of neighboring plants in intraspecific mixtures modulates disease susceptibility of both wheat and rice.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002287.].

Effects of allyl isothiocyanate fumigation on medicinal plant root knot disease control, plant survival, and the soil bacterial community.

BACKGROUND: Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) is a natural product with high volatility that is used as a biofumigant to alleviate soil-borne plant diseases, and problems such as root knot nematodes (RKNs) that necessitate continuous cropping. However, little research has assessed the effects of AITC fumigation on medicinal plants. RESULTS: AITC significantly reduced the population of RKNs in soil (p < 0.0001) and showed an excellent RKN disease control effect within 6 months after sowing Panax notoginseng (p < 0.0001). The seedling survival rate of 2-year-old P. notoginseng was approximately 1.7-fold higher after soil treatment with AITC (p = 0.1008). 16S rRNA sequencing indicated that the AITC treatment affected bacterial richness rather than diversity in consecutively cultivated (CC) soil. Furthermore, biomarkers with statistical differences between AITC-treated and untreated CC soil showed that Pirellulales (order), Pirellulaceae (family), Pseudomonadaceae (family), and Pseudomonas (genus) played important roles in the AITC-treated group. In addition, the microbiome functional phenotypes predicted using the BugBase tool suggested that AITC treatment is more conducive to improving CC soil through changes in the bacterial community structure. Crucially, our research also suggested that AITC soil treatment significantly increases soil organic matter (p = 0.0055), total nitrogen (p = 0.0054), and available potassium (p = 0.0373), which promotes the survival of a succeeding medicinal plant (Polygonatum kingianum). CONCLUSION: AITC is an ecologically friendly soil treatment that affects the top 10 bacterial richness but not diversity. It could also provide a basis for a useful agricultural soil management measure to alleviate soil sickness.

The genetic identity of neighboring plants in intraspecific mixtures modulates disease susceptibility of both wheat and rice.

Mixing crop cultivars has long been considered as a way to control epidemics at the field level and is experiencing a revival of interest in agriculture. Yet, the ability of mixing to control pests is highly variable and often unpredictable in the field. Beyond classical diversity effects such as dispersal barrier generated by genotypic diversity, several understudied processes are involved. Among them is the recently discovered neighbor-modulated susceptibility (NMS), which depicts the phenomenon that susceptibility in a given plant is affected by the presence of another healthy neighboring plant. Despite the putative tremendous importance of NMS for crop science, its occurrence and quantitative contribution to modulating susceptibility in cultivated species remains unknown. Here, in both rice and wheat inoculated in greenhouse conditions with foliar fungal pathogens considered as major threats, using more than 200 pairs of intraspecific genotype mixtures, we experimentally demonstrate the occurrence of NMS in 11% of the mixtures grown in experimental conditions that precluded any epidemics. Thus, the susceptibility of these 2 major crops results from indirect effects originating from neighboring plants. Quite remarkably, the levels of susceptibility modulated by plant-plant interactions can reach those conferred by intrinsic basal immunity. These findings open new avenues to develop more sustainable agricultural practices by engineering less susceptible crop mixtures thanks to emergent but now predictable properties of mixtures.

[Psychometric Testing of the Community Integration Questionnaire-Revised in Patients With Stroke].

BACKGROUND: No tool is currently available to evaluate the ability of patients with stroke to return to being productive members of their community. PURPOSE: This study was designed to translate the Community Integration Scale-Revised into traditional Chinese (TC-CIQR) and to verify the reliability and validity of this scale in patients with stroke. METHODS: A cross-sectional study design using convenient sampling was adopted in this study. All of the participants were patients undergoing treatment at neurological outpatient clinics and a rehabilitation department of a regional teaching hospital in northern Taiwan. The eligibility criterion was having been diagnosed with stroke for more than three months. The measurement tools used to collect data included an information sheet, the Chinese versions of the Franche Activity Index, EuroQol-5 dimensions, and TC-CIQR. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-four stroke survivors with a mean age of 67.48 years were enrolled as participants. Approximately 60% of the participants were male and over 80% had experienced a stroke of mild severity. The 18-item TC-CIQR yielded strong correlations with the total score of the Franche Activity Index (r = .49 to .83) and CEQ-visual analogue scale (r = .52). The internal consistency of the TC-CIQR (Cronbach's α coefficients = .91) was excellent, and test-retest reliability was .99, indicating the tool has acceptable reliability. CONCLUSIONS: The TC-CIQR was shown to have acceptable reliability and validity. Healthcare providers may integrate the TC-CIQR into clinical practice as an effective tool for evaluating the ability of patients with stroke who are undergoing rehabilitation to return to the community.

Exogenous leucine alleviates heat stress and improves saponin synthesis in Panax notoginseng by improving antioxidant capacity and maintaining metabolic homeostasis.

Panax notoginseng saponins (PNSs) are used as industrial raw materials to produce many drugs to treat cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. However, it is a heat-sensitive plant, and its large-scale artificial cultivation is impeded by high temperature stress, leading to decreases in productivity and PNSs yield. Here, we examined exogenous foliar leucine to alleviate heat stress and explored the underlying mechanism using metabolomics. The results indicated that 3 and 5 mM exogenous foliar leucine significantly alleviated heat stress in one-year- and two-year-old P. notoginseng in pots and field trials. Exogenous foliar leucine enhanced the antioxidant capacity by increasing the activities of antioxidant enzymes (POD, SOD) and the contents of antioxidant metabolites (amino acids). Moreover, exogenous foliar leucine enhanced carbohydrate metabolism, including sugars (sucrose, maltose) and TCA cycle metabolites (citric acid, aconitic acid, succinic acid and fumaric acid), in P. notoginseng leaves, stems, and fibrous roots to improve the energy supply of plants and further alleviate heat stress. Field experiments further verified that exogenous foliar leucine increased the productivity and PNSs accumulation in P. notoginseng. These results suggest that leucine application is beneficial for improving the growth and quality of P. notoginseng under heat stress. It is therefore possible to develop plant growth regulators based on leucine to improve the heat resistance of P. notoginseng and other crops.

Virtual reality exercise programs ameliorate frailty and fall risks in older adults: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Virtual reality (VR) technology constitutes a promising rehabilitation strategy, but its effect on frailty in older adults remains inconclusive. This study examined the effects of interactive VR training programs on lower-limb muscle strength, walking speed, balance, and fall risks in older adults with frailty. METHODS: Various electronic databases comprising PubMed, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, the Cochrane Library, Embase, the Chinese Electronic Periodical Service, the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, and gray literature were searched from their inception through December 31, 2022 for relevant studies. Randomized controlled trials that examined the effects of interactive VR training programs on lower-limb muscle strength, balance, walking speed, and fall risks as measured by validated scales or methods. in older adults aged 65 years and older with frailty were included. A random-effects model was employed to examine the overall effect size, and the trim-and-fill method was adopted to examine publication bias. RESULTS: For those studies that defined frailty using fall risks, substantial evidence demonstrated that interactive VR training interventions increased lower-limb muscle strength (Hedges' g = 0.35, p = 0.015), walking speed (Hedges' g = 0.29, p = 0.003), balance (Hedges' g = 0.62, p = 0.011), and fall risks (Hedges' g = -0.61, p < 0.001). Studies that defined frailty in accordance with the Fried frailty phenotype criteria indicated that interactive VR training interventions only increased walking speed (Hedges' g = 0.28, p = 0.023) and balance (Hedges' g = 0.27, p = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS: Interactive VR training programs may benefit older adults with frailty with respect to walking speed and balance. More studies with good study quality are required to validate the effects of interactive VR exercise training on these frailty-related parameters in older adults.

PlantNLRatlas: a comprehensive dataset of full- and partial-length NLR resistance genes across 100 chromosome-level plant genomes.

Plants have evolved two layers of protection against biotic stress: PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI). The primary mechanism of ETI involves nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat immune receptors (NLRs). Although NLR genes have been studied in several plant species, a comprehensive database of NLRs across a diverse array of species is still lacking. Here, we present a thorough analysis of NLR genes across 100 high-quality plant genomes (PlantNLRatlas). The PlantNLRatlas includes a total of 68,452 NLRs, of which 3,689 are full-length and 64,763 are partial-length NLRs. The majority of NLR groups were phyletically clustered. In addition, the domain sequences were found to be highly conserved within each NLR group. Our PlantNLRatlas dataset is complementary to RefPlantNLR, a collection of NLR genes which have been experimentally confirmed. The PlantNLRatlas should prove helpful for comparative investigations of NLRs across a range of plant groups, including understudied taxa. Finally, the PlantNLRatlas resource is intended to help the field move past a monolithic understanding of NLR structure and function.

Effects of Neurofeedback on Cognitive Function, Productive Activity, and Quality of Life in Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairment is common in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Studies that have examined the effectiveness of neurofeedback (NFB) on cognitive function following TBI have had poor study designs and small sample sizes. OBJECTIVES: This randomized controlled trial assessed the effects of low-resolution tomography Z-score NFB (LZNFB) and theta/beta NFB on cognitive impairment, return to productive activity, and quality of life in patients with TBI. METHODS: We randomly assigned 87 patients with TBI with cognitive impairment to LZNFB, theta/beta NFB, or usual care (UC) groups. Patients in both NFB groups received weekly 60-minute treatment for 10 weeks, and those in the control group received UC and telephone interviews for 10 weeks. The primary outcome was cognitive function as measured by performance on cognitive tasks; the secondary outcomes included productive activity and quality of life based on the Community Integration Questionnaire-revised (CIQ-R) and the Quality of Life after Brain Injury (QOLIBRI), respectively, at baseline and immediately after the last intervention. RESULTS: The LZNFB group exhibited significantly greater improvements in immediate recall, delayed recall, recognition memory, and selective attention compared with the UC group; the theta/beta NFB group exhibited improvements in only immediate memory and selective attention (P < .05). The total CIQ-R scores of the LZNFB group after treatment were significantly improved than those of the UC group were. CONCLUSION: Consecutive LZNFB achieved therapeutic effects in memory, attention, and productive activity, whereas theta/beta NFB improved memory and attention in patients with TBI.This trial was prospectively registered at ClinicalTrial.gov (registration number: NCT03515317; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03515317).

Community-based exercise and nutritional interventions to improve frailty syndrome among older adults: A quasi-experimental study.

This study aimed to explore the efficacy of single and combined effects of exercise and branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplements on improving frailty and quality of life in older adults. In total, 120 study participants were allocated into a combined exercise-and-BCAA supplementation group, an exercise-only group, a BCAA supplementation-only group, and a control group. Results showed that Fried's frailty score significantly decreased in the combined exercise-and-BCAA supplementation group (ß= -1.73, p<0.001), exercise-only group (ß= -1.68, p<0.001), and BCAA supplementation-only group (ß= -0.73, p=0.005) compared to the control group. Moreover, the combination of exercise and BCAA supplements and the exercise-only program produced significant improvements in frailty compared to the BCAA supplement-only group and control group (p<0.05). Exercise should be a critical approach for older adults to improve frailty. Healthcare professionals in geriatric care should incorporate exercise programs as frailty management and prevention for older adults.

Salicylic acid inhibits rice endocytic protein trafficking mediated by OsPIN3t and clathrin to affect root growth.

Salicylic acid (SA) plays important roles in different aspects of plant development, including root growth, where auxin is also a major player by means of its asymmetric distribution. However, the mechanism underlying the effect of SA on the development of rice roots remains poorly understood. Here, we show that SA inhibits rice root growth by interfering with auxin transport associated with the OsPIN3t- and clathrin-mediated gene regulatory network (GRN). SA inhibits root growth as well as Brefeldin A-sensitive trafficking through a non-canonical SA signaling mechanism. Transcriptome analysis of rice seedlings treated with SA revealed that the OsPIN3t auxin transporter is at the center of a GRN involving the coat protein clathrin. The root growth and endocytic trafficking in both the pin3t and clathrin heavy chain mutants were SA insensitivity. SA inhibitory effect on the endocytosis of OsPIN3t was dependent on clathrin; however, the root growth and endocytic trafficking mediated by tyrphostin A23 (TyrA23) were independent of the pin3t mutant under SA treatment. These data reveal that SA affects rice root growth through the convergence of transcriptional and non-SA signaling mechanisms involving OsPIN3t-mediated auxin transport and clathrin-mediated trafficking as key components.

2,3-Butanediol from the leachates of pine needles induces the resistance of Panax notoginseng to the leaf pathogen Alternaria panax.

Compared with the use of monocultures in the field, cultivation of medicinal herbs in forests is an effective strategy to alleviate disease. Chemical interactions between herbs and trees play an important role in disease suppression in forests. We evaluated the ability of leachates from needles of Pinus armandii to induce resistance in Panax notoginseng leaves, identified the components via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and then deciphered the mechanism of 2,3-Butanediol as the main component in the leachates responsible for resistance induction via RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Prespraying leachates and 2,3-Butanediol onto leaves could induce the resistance of P. notoginseng to Alternaria panax. The RNA-seq results showed that prespraying 2,3-Butanediol onto leaves with or without A. panax infection upregulated the expression of large number of genes, many of which are involved in transcription factor activity and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Specifically, 2,3-Butanediol spraying resulted in jasmonic acid (JA) -mediated induced systemic resistance (ISR) by activating MYC2 and ERF1. Moreover, 2,3-Butanediol induced systemic acquired resistance (SAR) by upregulating pattern-triggered immunity (PTI)- and effector-triggered immunity (ETI)-related genes and activated camalexin biosynthesis through activation of WRKY33. Overall, 2,3-Butanediol from the leachates of pine needles could activate the resistance of P. notoginseng to leaf disease infection through ISR, SAR and camalexin biosynthesis. Thus, 2,3-Butanediol is worth developing as a chemical inducer for agricultural production.

Evolution of the rice blast pathogen on spatially structured rice landraces maintains multiple generalist fungal lineages.

Traditional agrosystems, where humans, crops and microbes have coevolved over long periods, can serve as models to understand the ecoevolutionary determinants of disease dynamics and help the engineering of durably resistant agrosystems. Here, we investigated the genetic and phenotypic relationship between rice (Oryza sativa) landraces and their rice blast pathogen (Pyricularia oryzae) in the traditional Yuanyang terraces of flooded rice paddies in China, where rice landraces have been grown and bred over centuries without significant disease outbreaks. Analyses of genetic subdivision revealed that indica rice plants clustered according to landrace names. Three new diverse lineages of rice blast specific to the Yuanyang terraces coexisted with lineages previously detected at the worldwide scale. Population subdivision in the pathogen population did not mirror pattern of population subdivision in the host. Measuring the pathogenicity of rice blast isolates on landraces revealed generalist life history traits. Our results suggest that the implementation of disease control strategies based on the emergence or maintenance of a generalist lifestyle in pathogens may sustainably reduce the burden of disease in crops.