Combining transcriptome and metabolome analysis to understand the response of sorghum to Melanaphis sacchari.

BACKGROUND: The sorghum aphid Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner) (Homoptera: Aphididae) is an important insect in the late growth phase of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.). However, the mechanisms of sorghum response to aphid infestation are unclear. RESULTS: In this paper, the mechanisms of aphid resistance in different types of sorghum varieties were revealed by studying the epidermal cell structure and performing a transcriptome and metabolome association analysis of aphid-resistant and aphid-susceptible varieties. The epidermal cell results showed that the resistance of sorghum to aphids was positively correlated with epidermal cell regularity and negatively correlated with the intercellular space and leaf thickness. Transcriptome and metabolomic analyses showed that differentially expressed genes in the resistant variety HN16 and susceptible variety BTX623 were mainly enriched in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway and differentially expressed metabolites were mainly related to isoflavonoid biosynthesis and flavonoid biosynthesis. The q-PCR results of key genes were consistent with the transcriptome expression results. Meanwhile, the metabolome test results showed that after aphidinfestation, naringenin and genistein were significantly upregulated in the aphid-resistant variety HN16 and aphid-susceptible variety BTX623 while luteolin was only significantly upregulated in BTX623. These results show that naringenin, genistein, and luteolin play important roles in plant resistance to aphid infestation. The results of exogenous spraying tests showed that a 1‰ concentration of naringenin and genistein is optimal for improving sorghum resistance to aphid feeding. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, the physical properties of the sorghum leaf structure related to aphid resistance were studied to provide a reference for the breeding of aphid-resistant varieties. The flavonoid biosynthesis pathway plays an important role in the response of sorghum aphids and represents an important basis for the biological control of these pests. The results of the spraying experiment provide insights for developing anti-aphid substances in the future.

[Variations of arsenic species in the solution of arsenic-contaminated paddy soil under flooding and at different temperatures].

Taking arsenic (As)-contaminated paddy soil as test object, and by using high performance liquid chromatography inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS), this paper studied the variations of As species in soil solution when the soil was sterilized or non-sterilized and incubated at different temperatures (5, 27, and 50 degrees C) under flooding. In the soil solution (pore water), only As(III) (arsenite), As(V) (arsenate), and DMA(V) ( dimethylarsinic acid) were detected, but no MMA(V)(mono methylarsinic acid) was found. With the increasing time of flooding and at the test temperatures, arsenite became the predominant species, averagely accounting for 64%, followed by As(V), with the proportion of 35%, and DMA(V), with the least proportion of 1%. Soil sterilization or non-sterilization had less effect on the concentrations of As(III) and DMA(V) in the soil solution, but remarkably affected the reduction of As(V) and the methylation of As(III). The promotion effect of soil sterilization decreased gradually with the increasing time of flooding and incubation. At 50 degrees C and after flooded for 23 days, the DMA(V) concentration in sterilized soil solution was the highest and up to 23.7 ng x mL(-1), indicating that some thermophilic microbes remained in sterilized soil became predominant species, and promoted the methylation of As(III) In sum, the total arsenic concentration in non-sterilized soil at incubation temperature 27 degrees C and flooded for 23 days was relatively low (501 ng x mL(-1)), and thus, in As-contaminated paddy rice planting areas, to adopt the water management mode of short cycle flooding-non-flooding could decrease the As level in soil solution as far as possible, and in the same time, save water resources and ensure yielding.