Based on surveys in major production areas, this paper summarizes the main modes and characteristics of current vegetable circulation. Using tracking survey data from 2023, it calculates the price formation mechanisms and profit distribution across different stages under various circulation modes. Taking the example of tomatoes from Shouguang, Shandong, the study identifies the primary circulation modes for vegetables in China today, including: broker agency mode, production area wholesale market mode, farmsupermarket direct connection mode, and e-commerce retail mode. The analysis of tracking surveys indicates: First, vegetable circulation is still dominated by the traditional wholesale and retail model, with the farmersupermarket direct supply model and the e-commerce model playing a supplementary role. Second, the modern short-chain circulation model has effectively addressed the pain point of too many circulation links under the traditional model, but it also faces problems such as high entry barriers and poor product quality. Third, on the whole, farmers are in a weak position in the circulation chain, while terminal retailers obtain the largest share of profits in the entire circulation chain. In recent years, the achievements of the modernization of fresh agricultural product circulation in China have mainly been reflected in the two-way efforts at the ‘first mile’ and the ‘last mile’, with the overall circulation efficiency improved significantly. Based on the research conclusions, countermeasures and suggestions are proposed to further improve the quality and efficiency of vegetable
agricultural product circulation in China.

Garlic is an important pungent vegetable crop in China and a distinctive agricultural product with
a significant comparative advantage in international markets. It plays an important role in meeting residents’daily
consumption needs, increasing farmers’ incomes, and generating foreign exchange earnings through agricultural
exports. By systematically reviewing the current development of China’s garlic industry in terms of cultivation
scale and regional distribution, export trade, price fluctuations, brand development, and cost-benefit performance,
the analysis shows that the industry faces several major problems, including insufficient capacity to supply
improved varieties, a low level of mechanization in key operations, inadequate standardization, and limited
capacity for advanced processing. To address fluctuations in supply and demand and pressures from international
competition, this study proposes establishing and improving a modern garlic seed industry system, strengthening
technological innovation, enhancing standardization throughout the entire industry chain, and improving
mechanisms for regulating the balance between supply and demand,with a view to further consolidating the
international competitive advantage of China’s garlic industry and promoting its high-quality transformation and
upgrading.

To clarify the development trends and competitive landscape of global eggplant technological innovation, this study systematically analyzes eggplant patent innovation based on global eggplant patent data from 2006 to 2025 in the IncoPat patent database across five dimensions: development trends, technological structure, regional layout, innovation entities, and market commercialization. The results show that: ① Global eggplant patent applications exhibited an overall fluctuating upward trend, indicating continuously increasing industrial innovation activity. ② The technologies covered cultivation, postharvest processing, biotechnology, and other directions. A01G (434 patents) ranked first in patent volume, while A23L (248 patents) and C12N (206 patents) became hotspots of international competition. China’s eggplant patent technologies covered all IPC subclasses and demonstrated significant advantages in cultivation technology. ③ In terms of regional layout, China dominated with 83.98% of eggplant patent applications, and industrial innovation was highly concentrated in Asia. ④ Innovation entities were mainly Chinese research institutes and agricultural enterprises, with innovation focusing on breeding and efficient cultivation. The core inventors of eggplant patents were mainly Chinese experts such as Chen Huoying and Liu Yang, whose research focused on molecular breeding, gene editing, biotechnology, and related fields. ⑤ The activity of patent commercialization showed a fluctuating upward trend, and the scale of commercialization increased significantly after 2021. Accordingly, countermeasures and suggestions are proposed, including optimizing patent layout and deepening industry–university–research collaboration, with the aim of providing references for scientific and technological
innovation and intellectual property strategy formulation in China’s eggplant industry.

Glucosinolates are sulfur-containing secondary metabolites unique to Brassicaceae plants, which
possess both stress resistance, defense functions and health-promoting properties. Their biosynthesis is tightly
regulated by basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors. The bHLH family contains conserved bHLH
domains, with core members including MYC2/3/4 of the Ⅲe subgroup and ILR3 of the Ⅳc subgroup. These
factors either directly bind to the promoters of glucosinolate biosynthetic genes or form complexes with MYB transcription factors to indirectly regulate gene expression. In addition, bHLH transcription factors can respond to hormone signals (e.g., jasmonic acid, abscisic acid) and environmental cues (e.g., selenium/sulfur/iron deficiency, UV-B radiation), integrating internal and external signals to finely modulate glucosinolate biosynthesis. Currently, a core regulatory model, namely ‘signal-JAZ degradation-bHLH-MYB complexbiosynthetic genes’, has been established. Relevant research provides theoretical support for improving crop stress resistance and nutritional quality through molecular breeding and environmental regulation.

 Exploitation of heterosis is an effective approach for improving cucumber yield and has
important applications in breeding. However, systematic studies on the magnitude and seasonal variation of
heterosis for yield-related traits in cucumber remain limited, restricting the efficient identification and utilization of superior hybrid combinations. In this study, 140 core germplasm accessions representing five major ecotypes
were used as female parents, and crossed with the densely spined North China type inbred line ‘XTMC’ as a
common male parent, generating a panel of 140 F1 hybrids. Twelve yield-related traits of the parents and F1
hybrids were evaluated across three growing seasons, and their heterosis performance was analyzed. The results
showed that six traits consistently exhibited higher mean values in the F1 hybrids than in the parental accessions
across all three seasons, with plant height showing the largest increase. When averaged across the 12 traits
and three seasons, mid-parent heterosis and heterobeltiosis were 14.07% and 2.31%, respectively. Eight traits
displayed stable mid-parent heterosis in more than half of the F1 hybrids. The magnitude of mid-parent heterosis
differed among growing seasons, with a higher overall mean in autumn (17.80%) than in the two spring seasons
(9.16% and 15.24%). In spring, heterobeltiosis for total yield was significantly and positively correlated with
heterobeltiosis for fruit length and total fruit number. In autumn, it was significantly and positively correlated
with heterobeltiosis not only for reproductive traits, including the percentage of nodes bearing female flowers and
total fruit number, but also for vegetative traits, including leaf length, leaf width, and internode length. Across the
three seasons, 46 crosses exhibited positive mid-parent heterosis for at least five traits, of which two consistently
exhibited positive heterobeltiosis. In summary, this study elucidates the patterns and seasonal variation of
heterosis for yield-related traits in cucumber, providing a preliminary theoretical basis for understanding its
underlying mechanisms and optimizing breeding strategies.

Bacterial wilt of tomato caused by Ralstonia solanacearum severely restricts the development
of tomato cultivation. In this study, a bacterial strain ZF528 was isolated from the rhizosphere soil of healthy
tomatoes in Wuqing District, Tianjin. Plate confrontation assays and live potted plant experiments showed that
this strain has a significant inhibitory effect on the tomato bacterial wilt pathogen, Through morphological,physiological and biochemical characteristics, as well as multi-gene (16S rDNA, gyrA, and gyrB) phylogenetic
tree analysis, strain ZF528 was identified as Bacillus subtilis. In addition, strain ZF528 exhibited significant
antagonistic effects against various plant pathogenic fungi. Biocontrol trait tests indicated that ZF528 can
produce protease, has the ability to solubilize potassium and organic phosphorus, and contains synthesis genes
for multiple antibacterial lipopeptides such as Surfactin, Fengycin, Bacilysin, Macrolactin, Difficidin, and
Bacillaene. In potted plant trials, this strain achieved a control efficacy of 62.01% against tomato bacterial wilt,
significantly outperforming the control agent 20% thiazole zinc suspension. In summary, Bacillus subtilis ZF528
demonstrates strong potential for biological control and has promising applications in the green management of
tomato bacterial wilt.

To select excellent pepper varieties suitable for promotion and processing in Ordos, Inner
Mongolia, this experiment used 21 pepper varieties as materials. Field trials were carried out in Chengchuan
Town, Otog Front Banner, Ordos, using a completely randomized block design. A total of 18 plant and fruit
traits were measured, and descriptive statistics, ANOVA, principal component analysis, cluster analysis, and
correlation analysis, while 6 qualitative traits were only recorded morphologically. The results showed that the 12
quantitative traits had extremely significant differences among varieties (P ＜ 0.01), indicating rich phenotypic
diversity. Principal component analysis extracted 4 components (cumulative contribution rate 85.458%),
representing yield, plant height, fruit type, and plant compactness. Cluster analysis divided the varieties into
4 phenotypic groups: large-fruited high-yield, tall medium-yield, low-yield poor-quality, and special lowyield
types. Among the 21 varieties, M165, J809, J803, and M20 had higher comprehensive scores, showing
excellent performance across multiple traits and high breeding and cultivation value locally. This study clarified
the phenotypic classification and variation patterns of the tested varieties under local ecological conditions,
providing a scientific basis for local pepper breeding, introduction, and industrial development, and can also
serve as a reference for breeding varieties in similar ecological environments.

 Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), a newly identified member of the genus Tobamovirus, has recently emerged as a significant threat to tomato production. In this study, symptomatic fruit samples exhibiting typical shrinkage were collected from Shijiazhuang City (Hebei Province), Changping District (Beijing), and Shouguang City (Shandong Province). Full-length genomes of the viral isolates, designated ToBRFV-HB, ToBRFV-BJ, and ToBRFV-SD, were cloned and sequenced. Representative ToBRFV genome sequences from domestic and international sources were retrieved from the NCBI database for phylogenetic analysis and sequence identity comparison.The results showed that the full-length sequences of the three isolates each comprised 6 392 bp, with nucleotide identities ranging from 99.8% to 99.9%. Genome sequence alignment revealed 14 nucleotide variations, resulting in three amino acid changes at position 484 in
the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), position 156 in the replication protein (RP), and position 6 in the
coat protein (CP). Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the three isolates shared close relationships with Asian
isolates from Palestine, Turkey, and Israel. Sequence consistency analysis demonstrated that ToBRFV isolates
worldwide are evolutionarily conserved and belong to a lineage originating in the Middle East. Genetic diversity
analysis revealed that European ToBRFV populations exhibit the highest genetic diversity, and all populations are
predominantly under purifying selection.This study accurately identifies the characteristics and taxonomic status
of the ToBRFV-HB, ToBRFV-BJ, and ToBRFV-SD isolates, providing a scientific basis for understanding the
epidemiology and control of ToBRFV in China.

Starch synthase (SS) is a key enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of starch, significantly
influencing the economic traits of many crops, such as cereals, fruits and vegetables. Based on wholegenome
data, this study used bioinformatics identify the starch synthase gene family members in Cucurbita
maxima (CmaSS), and analyzed their gene structure, protein characteristics, evolutionary relationships, and
spatiotemporal expression patterns. The results indicated that a total of seven CmaSS gene family members
were identified, unevenly distributed across six chromosomes. Each member contains 8 to 20 exons, encoding
proteins ranging from 616 to 1 144 amino acids, molecular weights of 67 333.37-129 228.45 Da, and isoelectric
points of 5.15-6.45, all being acidic hydrophilic proteins. Based on the phylogenetic tree analysis across multiple
species, the CmaSS gene family can be divided into four subfamilies: CmaGBSS, CmaSSⅢ, and CmaSSⅣ. Each
subfamily contains two members, while CmaSSⅡ has one member, but the CmaSSⅠ subfamily is absent. Analysis
of cis-acting elements in the promoters revealed that all members of the CmaSS gene family possess elements
responsive to light and hormones. Transcriptome expression analysis showed that during the fruiting stage,
members of the CmaSS gene family exhibited obvious tissue-specific expression patterns. Among them,
CmaGBSS had the highest expression level in stems, while CmaSSⅡ and CmaSSⅣ had the highest expression
in leaves, and CmaSSⅢ was most highly expressed in fruits, while very low expression of all CmaSS genes
in roots. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis of CmaSS gene expression across different cultivars
revealed that, during fruit development, the expression of CmaSS genes followed a pattern of initial upregulation
followed by downregulation. Moreover, the expression peaks of individual CmaSS family members were
distributed across distinct fruit developmental stages, among which the CmaGBSSⅠ gene was found to play a
critical role in starch accumulation during fruit development in Cucurbita maxima.

To elucidate the dynamic accumulation of quality components and their relationship with
processing properties during pepper fruit development, this study systematically analyzed the dynamic changes
in the fruit commodity traits, nutritional quality, and key secondary metabolites of three pepper varieties
with distinct processing uses sauce pepper (BX1), dried pepper (BX6), and fresh sweet pepper (BX8): during
ripening. The results indicated that Fruits were sampled at multiple maturity stages from color transition to
full ripeness, and indicators including vitamin C, chili red pigment, capsaicin, and dihydrocapsaicin were
measured, quality formation strongly depended on maturity. Most traits, such as vitamin C and chili red pigment,
accumulated progressively with advancing maturity and peaked at the fully ripe stage. In contrast, capsaicin
content reached its maximum during the color transition period before declining slightly, suggesting that its
synthesis peaks earlier than full physiological maturity. The accumulation of both capsaicin and pigments exhibited clear varietal specificity: BX6 displayed high levels of capsaicin and pigment, supporting its use
as a high-quality dried pepper, whereas BX8 accumulated no capsaicin but contained high pigment content,
aligning with its desirable traits as a fresh sweet pepper. These findings provide an important physiological and
biochemical basis for targeted breeding, cultivation management, and optimal harvest timing tailored to different
processing purposes in pepper production.

 To elucidate the cytological basis of fertility differentiation and the factors contributing to
reproductive abortion in garlic (Allium sativum L.), we systematically investigated sterile garlic, fertile garlic,
and closely related species Nanou garlic (Allium ampeloprasum L.) using pollen viability assays, seed set
statistics, meiotic observation, and anther histological analysis. The results showed that the pollen viability and
seed setting rate of sterile garlic were 0. In the fertile garlic, pollen viability ranged from 2.38% to 8.03%, and the seed set from 4.38% to 4.94%. In contrast, Nanou garlic demonstrated higher values, with pollen viability of
12.05%-16.39% and a seed set of 9.94%-43.88%. Meiotic observations revealed complete and normal meiotic
processes in both fertile garlic and Nanou garlic. However, in the sterile garlic, normal meiosis was absent,
and severe abnormalities such as multivalents, chromosome bridges, lagging chromosomes, and micronuclei
were observed. Histological analysis indicated that in the sterile garlic, the anther tapetum exhibited abnormal
hypertrophy and hyperplasia and failed to degrade, while the middle layer cells disintegrated prematurely. These
coordinated anomalies ultimately led to the formation of shriveled and nonviable pollen grains. This study
identifies the critical cytological stage and key factors governing pollen abortion in garlic, providing a theoretical
foundation for advancing reproductive biology research and refining breeding strategies of garlic.

To promote the exploration and industrial utilization of high-quality gene resources in purple
flowering stalk, eight morphological traits (plant height, leaf length, leaf width, petiole length, petiole width,
stem length, stem diameter, and single stem weight) and eight nutritional quality traits (moisture content, soluble
sugar content, soluble protein content, vitamin C content, crude fiber content, calcium content, iron content, and
zinc content) were measured, analyzed, and comprehensively evaluated across 46 purple flowering stalks. The
results showed that the coefficient of variation for the 16 agronomic traits ranged from 0.75% to 48.54%, with
vitamin C content exhibiting the highest variation. The genetic diversity index ranged from 1.87 to 2.04, with
plant height and single stem weight having the highest values at 2.04 each. Broad-sense heritability ranged
from 69.22% to 99.82%, with 11 traits exceeding 90%. Correlation analysis revealed 19 trait pairs showing
highly significant relationships, among which the strongest positive correlation was between leaf length and
plant height (r = 0.86), while the strongest negative correlation was between stem length and petiole width
(r = -0.52). Cluster analysis grouped the 46 accessions into three clusters: cluster Ⅰ characterized by high
vitamin C content; cluster Ⅱ distinguished by superior plant height and single stem weight; and cluster Ⅲ
featured high levels of soluble protein and soluble sugar. Principal component analysis grouped the 16 traits
into growth factors, yield components, and quality factors. Based on comprehensive evaluation, accessions such
as ‘Z28’‘Hongshanyucai’‘MF18’ were identified as excellent multi-trait performers, while ‘Z1’ stood out as a
unique accession. These findings provide theoretical support for the efficient utilization of purple flowering stalk
germplasm and the breeding of new specialty varieties.

Abstract: Brassica juncea L. is an important cruciferous vegetable crop, which is traditionally processed
into pickled mustard products via natural fermentation. However, traditional natural fermentation has multiple
drawbacks, including a long fermentation cycle, unstable product quality, and potential safety risks caused by nitrite accumulation. In this study, lactic acid bacteria strains (LAB) were screened from the original
fermentation brine of homemade pickled mustard, and further identified by gene sequencing. The identified
strains were individually inoculated into the leafy mustard cultivar ‘Qingxiangbiyu’ for fermentation. The
dynamic changes of pH, and total acid, reducing sugar, nitrite, soluble solid contents were systematically
monitored during 0-7 days of fermentation. Multiple analytical methods, including daily variation rate analysis,
correlation heatmap analysis, principal component analysis, hierarchical clustering analysis and logistic model
fitting, were adopted for data analysis and comprehensive evaluation of fermentation performance. The results
indicated that the LAB strains effectively shortened the fermentation cycle and reduced nitrite accumulation
during mustard fermentation. Among them, Levilactobacillus brevis A-8 exhibited the optimal comprehensive
fermentation performance. A core metabolic network characterized by ‘reducing sugar consumption-total
acid accumulation-pH decrease-nitrite degradation’ was successfully constructed. The accumulation of total
acid conformed to a typical S-shaped kinetic rule, including lag phase, logarithmic phase and stationary
phase. Meanwhile, the entire mustard fermentation process was divided into three stages: rapid fermentation
stage (0-2 day), metabolic transition stage (2-5 day) and stable maturation stage (5-7 day).

The biocontrol agent LB-1 is a strain of Chaetomium subaffine. Previous studies have found
that its extracellular culture filtrate exhibits significant inhibitory effects against several plant pathogenic
fungi. In this study, using Botrytis cinerea Pers. as the target pathogen, a single-factor experimental design was
employed to screen and optimize the culture medium and fermentation conditions for preparing of the highly
antifungal fermentation filtrate of strain LB-1. Based on these optimized conditions, the inhibitory effect of the
strain LB-1 fermentation filtrate on B. cinerea were investigated through in vitro antifungal assay, microscopic
observation, potted seedling inoculation experiment, and the plant growth parameters and defense-related
enzyme activities in the tomato plants were determined. The results showed that a highly antifungal fermentation
filtrate of the strain LB-1 can be obtained by inoculation of the strain LB-1 into beef extract peptone broth
at an inoculation amount of 0.5 g · L-1 of mycelia and cultivated at 25 ℃, pH 6.5-7.5, and 130 r · min-1
for 10 d. Strain LB-1 fermentation filtrate demonstrated an inhibitory rate of 72.53% on colony extension of
B. cinerea and caused hyphal swelling and impaired cell structure of the pathogen; a control efficacy of 57.41%
on tomato grey mould was achieved by foliar spraying of the strain the strain LB-1 fermentation filtrate on
potted tomato seedlings. Furthermore, foliar spraying of the strain LB-1 fermentation filtrate has improved
the growth parameters of plant height, leaf number per plant, stem width, root length, fresh weight, and dry
weight, enhanced the activities of defense-related enzymes of catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), superoxide
dismutase (SOD), and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) of the potted tomato plants. In conclusion, a highly
antifungal fermentation filtrate of strain LB-1 can be obtained by inoculation and cultivation it in beef extract
peptone culture under optimal fermentation conditions. Strain LB-1 fermentation filtrate exerts strong inhibitory
and mycolytic effect on B. cinerea, promotes the plant growth, and induces disease resistance of tomato
plants. Therefore, strain LB-1 fermentation filtrate is potential for research and application in managing tomato
grey mould.

To achieve rapid, non-destructive, and accurate estimation of leaf nitrogen content (LNC)
in pepper plants across multiple growth stages, and to overcome the limitations of conventional nitrogen
determination methods, including strong destructiveness, poor timeliness, and insufficient cross-stage
generalization ability of single inversion models, this study conducted experiments using pepper as the research
subject. Canopy hyperspectral data and corresponding leaf nitrogen content measurements were collected during
the flowering and fruit-setting stage, peak fruiting stage, and late harvesting stage. The original spectral data were preprocessed using first-order derivative (FD) and second-order derivative (SD) transformations. Pearson
correlation analysis was applied to identify sensitive characteristic bands, based on which single models,
including support vector regression (SVR) and Gaussian process regression (GPR), were developed. Furthermore,
a stacking ensemble model was proposed for the first time, using SVR and GPR as base learners and random
forest (RF) as the meta-learner, to investigate nitrogen content inversion at individual growth stages and across
the entire growth period. The results demonstrated that models developed using data from the peak fruiting
stage achieved the highest inversion accuracy. Under SD preprocessing, the SVR model obtained a coefficient of
determination (R2) of 0.951 2 and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 2.444 5 on the test dataset. The stacking
model based on FD preprocessing achieved a test-set R2 of 0.924 3. For the entire growth period, the stacking
model using FD preprocessing achieved a test-set R2 of 0.961 2 and an RMSE of 3.198 7, effectively integrating
the advantages of individual models and improving inversion performance. This study revealed the differences in
hyperspectral inversion of pepper leaf nitrogen content among different growth stages and demonstrated that the
proposed stacking ensemble model effectively alleviated the limitations associated with traditional single-model
fitting. The findings provide a novel approach and theoretical foundation for rapid, non-destructive nitrogen
monitoring, nutritional diagnosis, and precision nutrient management of pepper plants across multiple growth
stages.

The light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding proteins (Lhc) are a class of key membrane
proteins in photosynthesis responsible for capturing and transferring light energy to photosynthetic reaction
centers, thereby playing a pivotal role in determining photosynthetic efficiency in crops. This study aims to
investigate the characteristics and functions of the Lhc gene family in garden asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.). We identified the Lhc gene family via bioinformatics analysis of the garden asparagus genome database and
characterized their expression properties using transcriptome sequencing. The results showed that 19 Lhc genes
were identified based on garden asparagus reference sequences. With the exception of two genes (Lhcb1.7 and
Lhcb4)，the remaining 17 genes were mapped to eight chromosomes (Chr1-Chr8). The number of encoded
amino acids ranged from 149 to 295, the molecular weight was 16.17-31.69 kDa, the isoelectric point was 4.54-
8.61, the instability coefficient was 8.33-47.95, and the aliphatic index was 76.03-105.46, suggesting that these
proteins have high thermal stability. All Lhc genes were predicted to be localized in chloroplasts. These Lhc
genes were classified into three phylogenetic subfamilies, members within each subfamily sharing similar gene
structures and conserved motifs. The promoter regions of the garden asparagus Lhc genes contained numerous
cis-acting elements related to hormones, stress responses, and growth, with light-responsive elements being the
most abundant. These findings suggest that the Lhc genes may be involved in the photoregulation and stress
response processes of garden asparagus. Transcriptome sequencing analysis indicated that Lhc genes exhibited
the highest expression levels in leaves. Moreover, the expression patterns of various garden asparagus materials
differed under drought stress. In the drought-tolerant accession, most Lhc genes were down-regulated with
substantial fold changes. Collectively, the Lhc genes are extensively involved in the growth and development
of garden asparagus and play a significant role in drought stress response. This study provides a foundation for
future functional characterization of the Lhc gene family in asparagus.

Seed germination is an ideal stage for evaluating salt tolerance in crops. In this study, 18 turnip
varieties (A1-A18) were subjected to different concentrations of NaCl solution (0.3%, 0.6%, 0.9%, 1.2%, 1.5%,
and 1.8%, designated as T1-T6) to simulate salt stress during the germination period. The salt tolerance was
evaluated by measuring germination potential, germination rate, germination index, hypocotyl length, radicle
length, and fresh weight, combined with membership function analysis and cluster analysis for comprehensive
assessment, aiming to screen salt-tolerant turnip varieties suitable for cultivation in saline soils. The results
showed that low-concentration NaCl treatment (T1) had no significant effect on germination potential,
germination rate, or germination index for most varieties, but significantly increased the seed vigor index. Under
T1 and T2 treatments, the hypocotyl length, hypocotyl diameter, radicle length, radicle fresh weight, and total fresh weight of most varieties were higher than those of the control (CK). With increasing NaCl concentration,
all germination-related indicators were inhibited to varying degrees, with significant differences observed among
varieties. The results of membership function values and cluster analysis indicated that varieties A6, A17, and
A18 exhibited strong salt tolerance during the germination stage, varieties A7, A16, A13, A4, A3, A12, and A9
showed moderate salt tolerance, whereas varieties A15, A14, A11, A5, A8, A10, A2, and A1 were relatively saltsensitive.
These findings provide a reference for the breeding of salt-tolerant turnip varieties and their regional
promotion.

To investigate the comprehensive effects of light-conversion film (AY-PO) on tomato plants, fruit
quality, and yield under the low-temperature and low-light conditions of early spring in the Shanghai region．
Using ‘Qingxia 66’ and ‘Zixiaoke’ (cherry tomatoes) and ‘Pufen 500’ and ‘Provence’ (common tomatoes) as
experimental materials, with conventional high-insulation PO film as the control, a two-factor randomized block
design was adopted to study the effects of the light-conversion film on the temperature and humidity inside the
greenhouse, as well as plant height, leaf number, SPAD value, disease incidence, and quality indicators (including
soluble sugar, titratable acid, soluble protein, and vitamin C contents) and yield of tomatoes planted in early
spring. The results showed that the use of the light-conversion film optimized the greenhouse microclimate. From February to April, the average nighttime temperature was 0.86 to 7.40 ℃ higher than the control, while the
daytime temperature was maintained within the optimal photosynthetic range of 23.84-28.48 ℃. Furthermore,
the average daytime humidity in February and April was significantly reduced. The growth curves for plant
height, leaf number, and SPAD value for all varieties were significantly superior to the control. The incidence of
gray mold decreased by 5.00 percentage points, and the disease index decreased by 4.70%. In terms of yield, the
yield per 667 m2 of tomato treated with light-conversion film was significantly increased by 18.83%-25.99%.
Among them, cherry tomato increased yield mainly by increasing the number of fruits per plant (12.73%-17.60%),
while ordinary tomato increased yield mainly by increasing the weight of single fruit (10.33%-14.10%). In terms
of fruit quality, the light-conversion film treatment significantly increased the soluble sugar content of tomato
fruit by 11.09%-47.19%. Among them, the content of vitamin C in ‘Zixiaoke’ was significantly increased by
23.08%, and the soluble protein content of ‘Pufen 500’ and ‘Provence’ was significantly increased by 45.14% and
94.80%, respectively. Therefore, covering with light-conversion film during early spring tomato cultivation can
create a greenhouse environment characterized by nighttime heat preservation, daytime temperature control, and
humidity reduction, thereby promoting tomato plant growth, reducing the incidence of gray mold, and improving
tomato quality and yield.

Postharvest water-soaking injury is the primary physiological disorder causing high circulation
losses and sharp decline in commercial value of Bailan melon, an important muskmelon (Cucumis melo
var. inodorus) cultivar in China, yet its molecular regulatory mechanism remains poorly understood. In this
study, Bailan melon fruits were treated with 100 mg · L-1 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) fumigation for 24
h and 500 mg · L-1 ethephon immersion for 60 s, respectively, to establish three experimental models with
extremely significant differences in water-soaking injury severity (injury rate: 8.63% for 1-MCP group, 26.00%
for control group, and 46.80% for ethephon group). Transcriptome sequencing and functional enrichment
analysis were performed to systematically identify key genes and metabolic pathways regulating water-soaking
injury. A total of 588 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in ethephon vs. control and 809 DEGs in 1-MCP
vs. control were identified. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that DEGs were significantly enriched
in two core pathways: phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and plant hormone signal transduction. Nine core genes
highly correlated with water-soaking injury rate were further screened, including those encoding calmodulin-like
protein (MELO3C004465), pectinesterase (MELO3C022701), cellulose synthase (MELO3C008022), WRKY
transcription factor (MELO3C006724), and chitinase (MELO3C007962). This study confirmed that ethylene is
the core upstream signaling molecule inducing water-soaking injury in Bailan melon. The above core genes form
a complex regulatory network of water-soaking injury by mediating Ca2 + signal perception, maintaining cell wall
structural integrity, and activating defense responses. This study evaluates transcriptome data of water-soaking
injury in Bailan melon, clarifies the molecular mechanism and production application value of postharvest 1-MCP
treatment, and offers critical theoretical basis and gene targets for postharvest preservation technology
development and water-soaking-resistant molecular breeding of muskmelon.

To optimize the technical system for polyploid induction in cucurbit crops using colchicine,
wax gourd (inbred lines 1503-1 and 1503-2) and chieh-qua were used as the main materials, with pumpkin
and luffa as sensitivity controls. The effects of different colchicine concentrations (0.05%, 0.10%, 0.20%,
0.30%) and treatment stages on the polyploid induction rate of various cucurbit materials were systematically
investigated. The results showed significant differences in colchicine sensitivity among the tested materials, and
wax gourd 1503-1 exhibited the highest induction potential. A relatively high induction rate was achieved in
wax gourd 1503-1 under 0.20% colchicine treatment, with a mutation rate of 97.5% for stem segments under
in vitro conditions and 43.33% for seedlings at two leaves stage. Chromosome squashing microscopy and flow
cytometry confirmed the successful obtainment of stably inherited tetraploid germplasm of wax gourd. This
study establishes an efficient polyploid-induction technical system for wax gourd, providing critical technical
support and theoretical basis for polyploid breeding and germplasm creation of cucurbit crops.

To enhance the yield of artificially cultivated Xylaria brevipes, oats were used as the primary
substrate for fruiting body domestication. Using the biological efficiency of Xylaria brevipes fruiting bodies as an
indicator, nutrients that promote fruiting body growth were screened. A response surface central composite design
was employed to determine the optimal substrate formulation, and the biological efficiency, antioxidant activity,
protein content, and acid-hydrolyzed amino acid composition of the resulting fruiting bodies were subsequently
measured. The results indicate that different nutritional additives exert varying effects on the biological efficiency
of Xylaria brevipes fruiting bodies. The addition of wheat flour, barley flour, millet flour, glucose, and succinic
acid promoted the growth of Xylaria brevipes fruiting bodies. The optimal substrate formulation is as follows:
per 15 g of substrate, 6.440 g of wheat flour, 6.318 g of millet flour, 6.215 g of barley flour, 0.108 g of glucose,
and 0.121 g of succinic acid are added. Under these conditions, Xylaria brevipes achieved a biological efficiency
of 19.72%, an amino acid score of 66.70, and umami amino acids accounted for 18.70% of the total amino
acid content. This study provides a theoretical foundation for further research into the cultivation techniques,
pharmacological effects, and nutritional composition of Xylaria brevipes.

Recently, the low level of mechanization in crop protection operations has become an important
factor restricting the production of protected vegetables. In order to scientifically promote plant protection
equipment suitable for protected vegetable production, the main spray performance indicators of four commonly
used types of plant protection machinery for protected vegetables (traditional backpack sprayers, electrostatic
air-assisted backpack sprayers, lightweight cart-type sprayers, and self-propelled sprayers) were measured in this
study. The results showed that the droplet coverage rate and droplet deposition density of the four types of plant
protection machinery were significantly higher on the front side of the leaves than on the back side; overall, the
droplet coverage rate, droplet deposition density, and droplet deposition amount exhibited a trend of upper layer ＞
middle layer ＞ lower layer. The electrostatic air-assisted backpack sprayer had significant improvements over
traditional backpack sprayers in terms of droplet size and droplet deposition density, and its price was relatively
low, making it suitable for small-scale planting entities; the self-propelled sprayer performed optimally in terms of droplet coverage rate, droplet deposition density, and operational efficiency, but its model size was larger and
the price was higher, making it suitable for promotion and application in large-scale protected vegetable parks;
the lightweight trolley sprayer had the smallest droplet size, higher coverage rate and deposition density, and
its price was easily accepted by farmers, with a high degree of compatibility with current protected vegetable
planting conditions, making it suitable for large-scale promotion and application.

To explore the effects of different altitude gradients and different fish peptide protein fertilizers
on the amino acid composition, quality indicators and yield of tomatoes, and to screen the optimal cultivation
combination for high-quality and high-yield tomatoes. This experiment set up three altitude gradients of 1 750
meters, 1 450 meters and 880 meters. Under each altitude, two different fish peptide protein fertilizers, fish
protein enzymatic hydrolyzed oligopeptide and shijinyu, were applied, and a control without fish peptide protein
fertilizer was also set up. The contents of 18 amino acids, soluble solids, vitamin C, lycopene, nitrate, total
phenols, flavonoids, soluble sugar, titratable acid, sugar-acid ratio, fruit firmness and other quality indicators,
as well as the yield per plant and per hectare of tomatoes were measured. The results showed that at an altitude
of 1 450 meters and with the application of fish protein enzymatic hydrolyzed oligopeptide, the contents of
flavor amino acids, essential amino acids and aromatic amino acids were the highest among all treatments,
and all quality indicators of tomatoes were also the highest. The application of fish protein peptide fertilizers
could increase the yield of tomatoes, and among the two fish protein peptide fertilizers, fish protein enzymatic hydrolyzed oligopeptide was more effective in promoting tomato yield increase, with the highest increase of
61.5% compared to the control. Under the condition of 1450 meters altitude and the application of fish protein
enzymatic hydrolyzed oligopeptide, the amino acid nutritional value, fruit quality and yield of tomatoes could be
significantly improved, providing a technical reference for high-quality and high-yield cultivation of tomatoes in
Longnan City.

To address the adverse impacts of global warming on autumn potato production in the Central
Double System Zone, a field experiment was carried out under the intercropping system of one row of fresheating
maize alternating with two rows of autumn potato. Taking advantage of the shading effect of maize
canopy, seven sowing date treatments (T1-T7) were arranged to investigate the effects of different sowing dates
on field microclimate, growth and development, and tuber yield of autumn potato, so as to identify the optimal
sowing date for intercropped autumn potato. The results showed that delayed sowing gradually shortened
the growth period of autumn potato, accompanied by decreases in daily average air temperature, relative air
humidity and effective accumulated temperature during the whole growth cycle. Meanwhile, seedling emergence
rate rose and the number of days required for emergence declined continuously. Tuber number per plant, yield
per plant, converted yield per unit area and marketable tuber rate all presented a trend of increasing first and then
decreasing. The treatment sown on August 25 (T6) achieved the best agronomic performance of autumn potato,with a converted yield of 36 446 kg · hm-2 and a marketable tuber rate of 84.7%, representing a prominent yield
increment. In contrast, treatments sown on July 31 (T1) and August 5 (T2) only attained an emergence rate of
approximately 30%, accompanied by excessive vegetative growth and severe lodging, leading to nearly total
yield loss. In conclusion, for the intercropping system of fresh-eating maize and autumn potato, delaying potato
sowing to late August effectively evades adverse environmental conditions and facilitates stable and high tuber
yields.

To clarify the yield-preserving effect of green prevention and control technologies in protected
continuous cropping production of pakchoi, multi-crop repeated experiments were conducted in Funing County,
Jiangsu Province, and the plant protection contribution rates of different control technologies on pakchoi were
quantitatively analyzed. The results showed that for the main pests and diseases in pakchoi production, namely
diamondback moth, cabbage caterpillar, striped flea beetle and downy mildew, the integrated technology
treatment (Y1) had the highest plant protection contribution rate of 59.98%, which was significantly higher than
the average plant protection contribution rate of its core individual technologies (37.98%), with a synergistic
effect value of +22.00%. These results provide a scientific basis for constructing a green prevention and control
technology system for protected pakchoi, and have important reference value for formulating and promoting
precise control technology models centered on synergistic enhancement.

‘Jinongza No.1’ is a new cucumber F1 hybrid developed through crossbreeding using the highgeneration
inbred line ‘T8c-1-3-5-2-1’ as the female parent and ‘LFC-3-2-1’ as the male parent. It is early
maturing, with a growth period of about 50 days from sowing to first harvest, and the first female flower node is
around the 3rd node. The fruit is cylindrical, straight, and green, with white spines on the middle bumps, slightly
pointed heads, good uniformity, no wax powder on the fruit surface, good glossiness. The average fruit length is
22.7 cm, transverse diameter is 4.3 cm, and a single fruit weight is 258 g. The flesh is crisp, slightly sweet with
aroma, with containing 142.0 mg · kg-1 vitamin C, 2.43% soluble sugar, 3.7% soluble solids, and 9.1 g · kg-1
protein. The yield is about 123 t · hm-2. It is suitable for protected cultivation in Jilin Province.

‘Nenzaojiamei’ is a new extremely early-maturing pumpkin F1 hybrid developed by crossing
inbred line ‘8P-1-1-1-1-2’ as female parent and ‘22P-1-2-2-3-1’ as male parent. The plant shows vigorous
growth. The first female flower is set at the 8th-9th node of main vine, and female flowers are borne on 3-4
consecutive nodes. The period from transplanting in spring to first harvest is 35-40 days, and whole growth
period is about 130 days. The tender fruit is nearly-round, with a glossy green-mottled rind, and single-fruit
weight is about 430 g. The flesh is yellowish-white, crisp and tender, with a clean and sweet taste. The soluble
sugar content is 0.13 g · kg-1, vitamin C content is 38.49 mg · kg-1, and commercial characters are excellent. It is
resistant to powdery mildew and Fusarium wilt, and performs well in fruit setting, with a high yield of about 45
t · hm-2 of tender fruits. It is suitable for extremely early cultivation in both protected, open-field production in
middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

‘Liziyun No.2’ is a new early-maturing bean cultivar developed by crossing ‘Liyun No.3’ as
the female parent and ‘Zijinjiadou’ as the male parent, followed by six consecutive generations of systematic
selection. The plant is vining, with moderate growth vigor. The first inflorescence is borne on the 5th-6th node
of the main stem. Under open-field cultivation in Zhejiang Province, the period from emergence to first harvest
is about 47 days. The main stem is purple. The leaves are trifoliate, dark green with a purple tinge, with nearly
round leaflets. The flowers are purple. The marketable pods are dark purple, but the color tends to become lighter
under insufficient light. The pods are straight and flat-round in cross-section, with a length and width of about
19.4 cm and 1.1 cm, respectively, and an average single-pod weight of 10.2 g. The seeds are reniform, with a
brownish-yellow seed coat bearing brown mottling, and a 1 000-seed weight of 257.9 g. The tender pods are not
prone to fiber formation and have thick pod walls and good eating quality. The contents of crude fiber, protein,
vitamin C, anthocyanin, and amino acids are 0.6%, 17.0 g · kg-1, 95.7 mg · kg-1, 177.4 mg · kg-1, and 9.9 g ·
kg-1, respectively. It is resistant to anthracnose, Fusarium wilt, and rust. The yield is about 22.5 t · hm-2. It is
suitable for early spring protected cultivation, spring open-field cultivation, and high-altitude summer cultivation
in Zhejiang Province.

‘Liaoconghanmei’ is a new welsh onion F1 hybrid developed by crossing male sterile line
‘JA319’ as female parent and highly inbred line ‘JZ026’ as male parent. It is a special for fresh welsh onion
cultivation. The plant height is about 80 cm, pseudostem is about 25 cm long and 1.0 cm in diameter. The leaf
is erect, dark green. The single plant weight is about 75 g. It is tolerant to bolting, low light, and has excellent
quality, rich green onion flavor. The yield is about 90 t · hm-2. It is suitable for annual cultivation in northern
regions such as Liaoning, Jilin Provinces.