Academic Background Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a globally important food crop, providing a primary source of calories for approximately one-fifth of the world’s population. However, rice production faces various biotic and abiotic stresses, leading to reduced yields. Among these, rice brown leaf spot disease, caused by the fungal pathogen Cochliobol...
Academic Background Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) holds significant value in the pharmaceutical and industrial sectors due to its rich secondary metabolites, such as cannabinoids, terpenoids, and flavonoids. Cannabinoids, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), exhibit notable pharmacological activities, with THC being ps...
Academic Background The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, harboring a high number of endemic species and providing critical ecosystem services. However, a long history of deforestation has reduced its original forest cover to just 24%. Despite existing legal protections, the rate of forest loss remains alarming....
Academic Background When plants face pathogen invasion, they activate a series of complex defense mechanisms. Among these, reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a crucial role in plant immune responses. Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), as a major component of ROS, is considered a key signaling molecule in plant immunity. However, how H₂O₂ is sensed within pl...
Academic Background Citrus fruits have long been favored by consumers for their rich nutritional value and unique flavor. However, citrus fruits are highly susceptible to diseases during postharvest storage, particularly green mold caused by Penicillium digitatum. This disease leads to fruit decay and significantly shortens storage life. Traditiona...
Same Data, Different Analysts: The Impact of Analytical Decisions on Effect Sizes in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Research Background and Question In scientific research, particularly in the fields of ecology and evolutionary biology, the replicability and reliability of results are crucial. However, even when using the same dataset and similar...
Metformin Enhances Plant Immunity by Blocking BIK1-Mediated CPK28 Phosphorylation Academic Background In the context of the increasingly severe global food security issues, controlling crop diseases has become a major challenge in agricultural production. Although traditional chemical pesticides can effectively control diseases, the environmental p...
Research on the Functional Mapping of Rubisco Enzyme Background Introduction Rubisco (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase) is the most abundant enzyme on Earth, responsible for the carbon dioxide fixation process in photosynthesis. However, Rubisco’s catalytic efficiency is low, and it is prone to side reactions with oxygen, limiting th...
Leveraging a Phased Pangenome for Haplotype Design of Hybrid Potato Academic Background Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the most important tuber crops globally, providing food for over 1.3 billion people annually across more than 120 countries. However, the tetraploid genome and clonal propagation of potatoes result in slow breeding progres...
Challenges to Mediterranean Fagaceae Ecosystems Affected by Phytophthora cinnamomi and Climate Change Academic Background The Mediterranean Fagaceae ecosystems, including oak trees (Quercus ilex and Quercus suber) and chestnut trees (Castanea sativa), are vital ecological and economic resources in southern Europe. However, in recent years, these ec...