Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture最新文献

{"title":"Enhancing drying efficiency and nutritional quality of oat grass using high-voltage discharge plasma drying","authors":"Mingjie Zhang,&nbsp;Zhiqing Song,&nbsp;Bufan Li,&nbsp;Chunxu Qin,&nbsp;Changjiang Ding,&nbsp;Liqiang Liu","doi":"10.1186/s40538-025-00777-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40538-025-00777-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Oat grass is a premium forage with exceptionally high nutritional value and quality. Freshly harvested oat grass requires rapid drying to extend its shelf life. Currently, the primary methods employed for drying oat grass are natural air drying (AD) and hot air drying (HAD); however, prolonged drying times or elevated temperatures can lead to degradation in hay quality. In response to this issue, this study explores the use of a novel non-thermal drying technology—high-voltage discharge plasma drying (HVDPD) treatment—for oat grass dehydration. We comparatively investigate the effects of high-voltage discharge plasma drying (HVDPD), hot air drying (HAD), and natural air drying (AD) on the physicochemical properties as well as quality characteristics of oat grass. Oat grass was dried by maintaining a constant voltage at 35 kV while varying the gradient needle spacing. At the same time, a series of studies are conducted on the characteristics of electric fields, including the voltage and current waveforms of needle–plate electrodes, the energy consumption for high-voltage discharge plasma drying (HVDPD), and ICCD emission spectroscopy. The results indicate that reducing needle spacing during HVDPD treatment leads to significant improvements in rehydration performance, microstructural integrity, forage quality, and energy consumption of the oat grass. Specifically, compared to the natural air drying (AD) treatment, the improvements in the performance of oat grass after HVDPD treatment are primarily reflected in the following aspects: (1) the average drying rate increased by 2.36 times. (2) Relative feed value (RFV) and relative forage quality (RFQ) improved by 1.14 times and 1.18 times, respectively. (3) Although specific energy consumption (SEC) was generated, it amounted to only 0.06 times that of hot air drying (HAD) treatment. In summary, HVDPD represents an effective dehydrating technique capable of considerably enhancing both the nutritional quality and inherent characteristics of oat grass. This research offers innovative methodologies for storage and preservation concerning oat grasses' quality.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":512,"journal":{"name":"Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://chembioagro.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s40538-025-00777-z","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144108606","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Electro-anaerobic digestion as carbon–neutral solutions","authors":"Suraj Negi,&nbsp;Jyi-Yong Chai,&nbsp;Audrey Clara Tanesha Tjhin,&nbsp;Shu-Yuan Pan","doi":"10.1186/s40538-025-00776-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40538-025-00776-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Electro-anaerobic digestion (EAD) is a promising biowaste treatment technology that integrates a low electric field with conventional anaerobic digestion to enhance biogas yield. Particularly, EAD improves efficiency in CH₄ production through enhanced microbial activity and direct electron transfer. This study first illustrates the principles and mechanisms of EAD, and compares with other microbial electrochemical technologies, such as microbial electrolysis, microbial electrosynthesis, and electromethanogenesis. Then, we explore the microbial interactions crucial to biogas production, emphasizing the roles of key bacteria and archaea for CH₄ generation in EAD. This study also discusses engineering design considerations for EAD, including applied voltage, temperature, electrode material, electrode spacing, pH control, mixing, and reaction kinetics. The statistical analysis results indicate an average applied voltage of 0.71 V (95% CI 0.48–0.94, <i>n</i> = 19, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) and an average CH₄ yield of 304.7 mL-CH₄ per g-COD (95% CI 252.61–356.73, <i>n</i> = 14, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) for EAD operations reported in the literature. Life cycle assessments and techno-economic evaluations reveal that while EAD has higher capital and operational costs than conventional anaerobic digestion, its increased efficiency in CH₄ production can offset these costs, resulting in significant long-term economic and environmental benefits. Lastly, this study proposes several priority research directions for EAD, including advancing electron transfer and microbial interactions for system optimization, scaling-up to bridge laboratory success to industrial application, and pioneering carbon–neutral solutions that supports a bio-circular-green economy.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":512,"journal":{"name":"Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://chembioagro.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s40538-025-00776-0","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144108513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Construction of high-yielding edeine strains and an initial exploration of their control efficacy against crop pathogens","authors":"Liang Zhang,&nbsp;Ziyue Chen,&nbsp;Fei Xia,&nbsp;Tianbo Liu,&nbsp;Qingshu Liu,&nbsp;Wu Chen","doi":"10.1186/s40538-025-00786-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40538-025-00786-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Edeine, a non-ribosomal antibiotic produced by <i>Brevibacillus brevis</i> X23, has a broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against plant pathogens, but its low yield in wild-type strains limits its potential for agricultural applications. This study aimed to enhance edeine production by genetically engineering <i>B. brevis</i> X23.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>Red/ET homologous recombination technology was used to construct engineered strain X23(Δ<i>abrB</i>)::P_<i>mwp</i> by knocking out global negative regulator AbrB and replacing the natural promoter of the edeine biosynthesis gene cluster (<i>ede</i> BGC) with the strong P_<i>mwp</i> promoter.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Quantitative PCR revealed significantly increased <i>ede</i> BGC transcription levels in X23(Δ<i>abrB</i>)::P_<i>mwp</i> compared to the wild-type strain. High-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS) demonstrated a 10.1-fold increase in the edeine peak area with the final yield reaching 97.3 mg/L. In pot experiments for tobacco bacterial wilt (pathogen name <i>Ralstonia solanacearum</i>) control, X23(Δ<i>abrB</i>)::P_<i>mwp</i> showed an efficacy of 82.9%, representing a 32.6% improvement over the wild-type strain (62.5%). The engineered strain also demonstrated an increased plate inhibition capacity of 20.5–60.9% against <i>Verticillium dahliae</i> Kleb, <i>Rhizoctonia solani</i>, and <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> in cotton, indicating its potential application in crop protection.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Therefore, this study yielded an engineered strain with increased edeine production and enhanced biocontrol efficacy, contributing to the development of biological control methods for plant diseases.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":512,"journal":{"name":"Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://chembioagro.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s40538-025-00786-y","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144100366","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular mechanism study on the contribution of open-fire flue-curing technology to tobacco leaf aroma","authors":"Kaiyuan Gu,&nbsp;Jialiang Li,&nbsp;Lu Zhao,&nbsp;Jiaen Su,&nbsp;Xu Wei,&nbsp;Xianglu Liu,&nbsp;Binbin Hu,&nbsp;Yonglei Jiang,&nbsp;Yi Chen","doi":"10.1186/s40538-025-00784-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40538-025-00784-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study compared the effects of open-fire flue-curing and conventional curing methods on the aroma and chemical composition of K326 tobacco leaves, aiming to reveal the molecular mechanisms of aroma formation during open-fire flue-curing. The results showed that after curing, the leaves from conventional curing appeared orange-yellow, while those from open-fire flue-curing exhibited a brownish color. Sensory evaluation indicated that the leaves absorbed the combustion aroma of pine wood, resulting in an elegant woody fragrance, enhanced pungency, and a harmonious balance between the pungency and woodiness, with a rich aroma and prominent flavor. Physical and chemical analyses indicated that, Unlike conventional curing, the rate of moisture loss in open-fire flue-cured leaves was slower. Between 38 °C and 42 °C, the moisture content of conventionally cured leaves decreased by 9.96%, while that of open-fire flue-cured leaves decreased by only 5.18%. Meanwhile, during this phase, the activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in open-fire flue-cured leaves was significantly higher than in conventionally cured leaves. Phenolic compound analysis showed that, Compared to conventional curing, the scopolamine content in open-fire cured leaves decreased by 33.85%, while the contents of neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, and rutin increased significantly to 1.63, 11.59, and 16.46 mg/g, respectively. An integrated metabolomics and proteomics analysis identified phenylalanine metabolism and amino acid degradation pathways as the central mechanisms driving aroma differentiation. Specifically, key enzymes and proteins in the phenylalanine metabolism pathway were significantly upregulated, promoting the synthesis of phenylalanine and its derivatives. Meanwhile, the degradation of lysine resulted in the conversion of fewer nitrogen-containing compounds in the open-fire flue-cured leaves. These synergistic effects enhanced the production of secondary metabolites, which were further released and transformed during the curing process, ultimately improving the aroma quality of the tobacco leaves. This study not only deepens the scientific understanding of aroma formation during open-fire flue-curing, but also provides theoretical support for the precise regulation and directional synthesis of characteristic aromas, offering feasible strategies to optimize curing processes and enhance the industrial quality of tobacco.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":512,"journal":{"name":"Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://chembioagro.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s40538-025-00784-0","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144108514","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrated microbiome and metabolome approaches reveal the resistant mechanisms of leaf blight resistant plum cultivar","authors":"Xinyan Zhou,&nbsp;Yufei Wei,&nbsp;Yu Zhu,&nbsp;Jiaoming Li,&nbsp;Runche Zhou,&nbsp;Qingju Xiao,&nbsp;Ruihong Luo,&nbsp;Shangdong Yang","doi":"10.1186/s40538-025-00780-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40538-025-00780-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Endophytic microbiome and metabolome are closely related to the plant resistance. Unravelling the compositional features of the endophytic microbiome and metabolome can help to understand plant resistant mechanisms. This study investigates the resistant mechanisms of leaf blight-resistant plum cultivars through comparative analysis of endophytic microbiome and metabolome features between leaf blight resistant (Mihuang Plum, RP) and susceptible (Pearl Plum, SP) cultivars.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The results showed that higher microbial diversity and richness could be detected in RP cultivar than those of SP cultivar. Meanwhile, the endophytic bacterial genera, such as <i>1174-901-12</i>, <i>Sneathia</i>, <i>Gardnerella</i>, <i>Bacteroides</i>, <i>Prevotella</i>, <i>Fastidiosipila</i>, and the endophytic fungal genera, <i>Paramycosphaerella</i>, <i>Epicoleosporium</i>, <i>Zasmidium</i>, and <i>Zeloasperisporium</i> were enriched in the RP cultivar. Moreover, in comparison with SP cultivar, Flavonoid biosynthesis, Isoflavonoid biosynthesis, Phenylalanine metabolism, Phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and Nucleotide metabolism showed high expression levels in RP cultivar, and the contents of (-)-Naringenin, 4-Coumaric acid, Epicatechin, Genistein, M-Coumaric acid, Dihydrokaempferol, and 4-Hydroxycinnamic acid were also significantly higher in RP cultivar.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Our findings had revealed that significant differences of endophytic microbiome and metabolome features could be found between leaf blight resistant (Mihuang Plum, RP) and susceptible (Pearl Plum, SP) cultivars. Meanwhile, positive correlations between potential functional microorganisms, metabolites and leaf blight resistant plum cultivar also had been identified. In future research, a deeper exploration of these microbial communities and metabolites is warranted to fully understand their functional roles in the resistance mechanisms. Identifying the specific microbial taxa and metabolites that contribute to leaf blight resistance could provide valuable insights into their potential applications in biological control. By harnessing these natural microbial and metabolic resources, it may be possible to develop sustainable, eco-friendly strategies for managing leaf blight, ultimately reducing the dependency on chemical pesticides.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":512,"journal":{"name":"Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://chembioagro.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s40538-025-00780-4","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143949441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exogenous melatonin as a natural preservative: a meta-analysis of its effects on fruit shelf life and oxidative stress during storage","authors":"Rahmat Budiarto,&nbsp;Mohammad Miftakhus Sholikin,&nbsp;Syariful Mubarok,&nbsp;Tri Ujilestari,&nbsp;Danung Nur Adli,&nbsp;Temoor Ahmed,&nbsp;Hayssam M. Ali","doi":"10.1186/s40538-025-00781-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40538-025-00781-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Damage to fruits during the postharvest period is inevitable, with oxidative stress due to environmental factors being the primary cause. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the consistent effects of exogenous melatonin application on postharvest fruit quality and shelf life by evaluating its influence on physiological parameters, antioxidant capacities, and oxidative stress-related factors. Meta-analysis via the Hedges’ g random effects model was employed to assess 52 relevant studies, with model validation performed via Egger's test. The meta-analysis results indicated that exogenous melatonin application significantly reduced fruit damage parameters such as the browning index (g = − 0.542), fresh weight loss (g = − 0.689), and decay incidence (g = − 1.23; <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Conversely, the values for chroma (g = 0.224), hue (g = 0.488), lightness (g = 0.154), and firmness (g = 0.444) increased significantly (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Chemical components such as ascorbic acid (g = 0.544), cellulose (g = 0.812), and titratable acidity (g = 0.308) also significantly increased (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001), while water-soluble pectin (g = − 0.935) decreased (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Antioxidant-related compounds, including phenolic acids, general flavonoids, and specifically pigmented molecules such as total anthocyanins (g = 0.33), increased significantly (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.01), indicating enhanced fruit antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, exogenous melatonin led to an increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes, such as ascorbate peroxidase (g = 0.751), catalase (g = 0.815), and glutathione reductase (g = 0.918; <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001), while decreasing the activity of cell wall-degrading enzymes (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.01). A positive trend was observed with a reduction in hydrogen peroxide (g = − 0.8) and malondialdehyde levels (g = − 0.696), both of which are related to oxidative stress. Moreover, application of exogenous melatonin at concentrations up to 500 µM consistently tended to reduce decay incidence during storage for up to 60 days. On the basis of response surface methodology (RSM), the optimal dose is 116 µM, which is predicted to result in a fresh weight loss of only 4.4% and an increase in ascorbic acid content to 57.3 mg/100 g of fresh weight. In conclusion, exogenous melatonin serves as an effective natural preservative that improves postharvest fruit shelf life by reducing the physiological activities associated with oxidative damage and enhancing antioxidant resistance.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":512,"journal":{"name":"Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://chembioagro.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s40538-025-00781-3","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143949440","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Detection of some secondary metabolites of Beauveria bassiana and the potential effects on Spodoptera littoralis","authors":"Wessam Houssiny Bakr,&nbsp;Mohemed Farouk Ghaly,&nbsp;Wafaa Ghatwary Tantawy,&nbsp;Samah Nour El-Shafeiy","doi":"10.1186/s40538-025-00774-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40538-025-00774-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p><i>Beauveria bassiana</i> is one of the most renowned entomopathogenic fungi and has recently been recognized as a potential biopesticide for a wide range of insect pests. The secondary metabolites of <i>B. bassiana</i> are believed to contribute to its pesticidal activity. Meanwhile, the Egyptian cotton leafworm, <i>Spodoptera littoralis</i>, is a significant pest that causes considerable damage to various key crops.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>In this study, secondary metabolites were extracted using ethyl acetate from both the culture medium filtrate and the mycelia separately. Subsequently, the extracts were separated via thin-layer chromatography into six fractions from the medium filtrate (F0:F5) and ten fractions from the mycelia (M1:M10). All fractions were assessed for their insecticidal effects on second instar larvae of <i>S. littoralis</i>. The treatment of F0 resulted in the highest larval mortality rate of 61.11%, followed by M3 with a mortality rate of 45.19%. M2 and M8 had similar effects, each resulting in a mortality rate of 40.00%. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy revealed cuticle disorders and deformations in larvae treated with all treatments. Fractions exhibited the highest mortality rates in <i>S. littoralis</i> larvae, and the total injuries were analyzed using GC/MS, which revealed the presence of eight bioactive compounds. Notably, this study represents the first detection of 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol in the mycelia of <i>B. bassiana</i>, a compound known for its high toxicity. In addition, other compounds contributed to the observed experimental results.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>These findings indicate that <i>B. bassiana</i> could serve as a sustainable source of bioactive metabolites with significant insecticidal effects on <i>S. littoralis</i>. This suggests a strong potential for improving integrated pest management (IPM), particularly when large-scale production is implemented.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":512,"journal":{"name":"Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://chembioagro.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s40538-025-00774-2","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143938457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Novel indazole Schiff base metal chelates as potential antifungal agents: synthesis, characterization, and computational analysis","authors":"Kamal El-Baradie,&nbsp;Yusif S. El-Sayed,&nbsp;Nadia El-Wakiel,&nbsp;Basma M. Salem,&nbsp;Asmaa El-Nagar","doi":"10.1186/s40538-025-00769-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40538-025-00769-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Soil-borne phytopathogenic fungi pose a significant risk to many economically important crops due to their ability to survive in the soil for extended periods without a host. Thus, a novel Schiff base (HL), 3-(1H-indazol-5-ylimino)-1-phenylbut-1-en-1-ol, was synthesized by the condensation of 5-aminoindazole with benzoyl acetone. Its Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Cu²⁺ chelates were also synthesized. These compounds were characterized by FT-IR, ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, UV–Vis, EI–mass spectroscopy, XRD, TGA, magnetic susceptibility, elemental analysis, and molar conductance. The ligand possesses an enol form and functions as a monobasic bidentate through the deprotonated OH and C=N groups. The Co²⁺ and Ni²⁺ ions produced 1:1 (M:L) chelates, whereas Cu²⁺ ion produced a 1:2 (M:L) chelate. From the characterization results and the DFT method, it was revealed that the Co²⁺ chelate has tetrahedral geometry, while Ni²⁺ and Cu²⁺ chelates are octahedral. The antifungal activities of the ligand and the metal chelates were evaluated against some plant pathogenic fungi, namely, <i>Stromatinia cepivora</i>, <i>Botrytis allii</i>,<i> Rhizoctonia solani</i>, and <i>Sclerotinia sclerotiorum</i> in comparison with the commercial fungicide Tebuconazole. The Ni⁺² chelate emerged as the most potent agent that achieved 100% inhibition for the <i>S. cepivora</i> and <i>S. sclerotiorum.</i> It also caused significant morphological alterations in <i>S. sclerotiorum</i> as revealed by the SEM micrograph. The treated <i>S. sclerotiorum</i> hyphae displayed irregular, shriveled, and collapsed structures in contrast to the smooth and robust appearance of the control. The molecular docking study further confirmed that Ni²⁺ chelate strongly interacted with the active site of CYP51 protein compared with Co²⁺ and Cu²⁺ chelates and the fungicide Tebuconazole. The superior efficacy of Ni²⁺ chelate offers a promising alternative to traditional fungicides.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":512,"journal":{"name":"Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://chembioagro.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s40538-025-00769-z","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143938168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Silver nanoparticles priming for drought tolerance in wheat: insights from antioxidant system activation and stress memory","authors":"Sijie Ding,&nbsp;Lihao Zheng,&nbsp;Tao Tao,&nbsp;Qing Li,&nbsp;Jian Cai,&nbsp;Qin Zhou,&nbsp;Yingxin Zhong,&nbsp;Xiao Wang,&nbsp;Dong Jiang","doi":"10.1186/s40538-025-00778-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40538-025-00778-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>AgNPs (nano-silver), as an important nano-material, has been shown to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). This feature can be applied to crop production, triggering a slight stress response and improving tolerance to subsequent stresses. This study investigates the effects of AgNPs on the antioxidant system of newly developed wheat leaves, highlighting their potential to enhance crop resilience.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>The morphology and particle size of AgNPs were observed using a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The effects of AgNPs were evaluated by measuring chlorophyll content and chlorophyll fluorescence. Antioxidant enzyme activities and malondialdehyde content were quantified, and changes in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected using 2’,7’- dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) probe to investigate the physiological mechanism by which AgNPs enhance wheat drought tolerance. Additionally, silver content in different wheat tissues was determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS).</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Our findings demonstrate that lower concentrations of AgNPs (1 mg·L⁻¹) improve drought tolerance without adversely affecting plant growth, while higher concentrations (5 mg·L⁻¹ and 10 mg·L⁻¹) have detrimental effects. Pre-treatment with 1 mg·L⁻¹ AgNPs primes wheat plants for enhanced drought tolerance by inducing a stress memory effect, likely mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling. Spatiotemporal analyses revealed that AgNPs treatment leads to a controlled ROS accumulation, which activates the antioxidant system, reduces lipid peroxidation, and enhances photosynthetic efficiency under drought conditions. Moreover, AgNPs application significantly increases grain yield, with accumulation primarily in leaves and stems and no detectable presence in grains, suggesting a low risk of contamination in the food chain.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Spraying AgNPs produces ROS, which triggers the wheat stress response and forms stress memory. This enables wheat plants to respond rapidly to subsequent drought stress. AgNPs also enhance antioxidant enzyme activity, reduce lipid peroxidation, mitigate drought-induced damage, maintain photosynthetic efficiency, and ultimately improve wheat yield under drought conditions.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":512,"journal":{"name":"Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://chembioagro.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s40538-025-00778-y","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143938456","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physiological, biochemical and histological effects of abscisic acid-synthesized silver and copper oxide nanoparticles on the potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella","authors":"Amr S. Abou El-Ela,&nbsp;Chao Zhang,&nbsp;Asim Munawar,&nbsp;Xuan Chen,&nbsp;Yixin Zhang,&nbsp;Eric Siaw Ntiri,&nbsp;Modhi O. Alotaibi,&nbsp;Amr Elkelish,&nbsp;Suhailah S. Aljameel,&nbsp;Wenwu Zhou,&nbsp;Zeng-Rong Zhu","doi":"10.1186/s40538-025-00782-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40538-025-00782-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>The potato tuber moth (PTM), <i>Phthorimaea operculella</i>, poses a significant threat to potato cultivation in tropical and subtropical regions. Chemical control, though widely used, poses risks to human and environmental health, necessitating safer alternatives. This study investigated eco-friendly alternatives by synthesizing silver (AgNPs) and copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) using abscisic acid (ABA).</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Characterization through UV–vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and zeta potential analysis confirmed the successful synthesis of AgNPs with a uniform size of 35.8 nm and a plasmon resonance at 430 nm. CuONPs displayed a porous, rugby sheet-like structure, with a thickness of 68.5 nm and a 290 nm absorption peak. The effectiveness of the nanoparticles against PTM larvae was assessed through larval spraying and leaf-dipping. Larval spraying outperformed leaf-dipping, with median lethal concentration (LC₅₀) values of 670 mg/L for AgNPs and 1320 mg/L for CuONPs. AgNPs and CuONPs significantly altered digestive enzyme activities in treated PTM larvae, reducing α-amylase, β-glucosidase, lipase, protease, and trypsin, and increasing acid phosphatase activity. Histological studies revealed damage to the larvae's midgut epithelial layer and peritrophic membrane, resulting in nuclei dispersion.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Our study shows a cost-effective, minimal-impact strategy for synthesizing AgNPs and CuONPs, which can serve as a potential approach for managing PTM.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":512,"journal":{"name":"Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://chembioagro.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s40538-025-00782-2","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143930046","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}