Research on Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Horticultural Plants

• Mechanisms and Regulation of the Synergistic Interactions Among Plants，Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi，and Rhizosphere Microorganisms
• RUI Wenjing, LI Jing, ZHANG Jing, ZHANG Xiaodan, WANG Cheng, XIE Jianming
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2026, 53(4): 923-937. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2025-1343
• Abstract ( 7 ) HTML ( 1 ) PDF (1495KB) ( 1 ) 　　　

• To deeply understand the synergistic mechanisms between plants and microorganisms in mycorrhizal symbiosis networks，systematically elabarates recent advances in understanding the tripartite interactions. It summarizes the compositional characteristics of the mycosphere microbiome and highlights the functional roles of its interactions with AMF in plant growth and development，resource competition，and the maintenance of ecosystem diversity. By synthesizing current research，this review aims to offer new perspectives for predicting and managing beneficial plant-microbe interactions.

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• Progress of the Application of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Horticultural Crops
• LI Feng, YAN Wenhui, LENG Hao, XIANG Dan, LIANG Bin, LI Min, LI Baoshen, ZHANG Lin
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2026, 53(4): 938-954. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2026-0132
• Abstract ( 6 ) HTML ( 1 ) PDF (4309KB) ( 1 ) 　　　

• Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi（AMF），as widely symbiotic microorganisms with plants，play significant roles in promoting the growth and development of horticultural crops，enhancing yield and quality，strengthening stress resistance，and improving soil ecology. The application progress and mechanism of AMF in fruit trees，vegetables，and ornamental plants，and focuses on the production technology of AMF agents and their application strategies in horticultural production were systematically summarizes. Additionally，from an ecological perspective，this article proposes three innovative application paths of AMF for sustainable horticultural production：using mycorrhiza to assist bacteria in strengthening the functions of AMF；regulating plant interactions through the mycelial network to achieve

  nutrient and signal sharing; and regulating native AMF to stimulate the biological potential of the native mycorrhizal network.

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• Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Orchard Ecosystems：Diversity，Environmental Responses，and Mechanisms in Enhancing Fruit Tree Stress Resistance
• YE Guojian, FENG Zengwei, LIU Xiaodi, CHEN Meng, XIE Xiaolin, YAO Qing, DENG Mingrong, ZHU Honghui
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2026, 53(4): 955-971. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2026-0111
• Abstract ( 4 ) HTML ( 1 ) PDF (1928KB) ( 1 ) 　　　

• A comprehensive investigation into the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal（AM）fungi in orchards and their mechanisms of interaction with fruit trees is of great significance for overcoming the limitations posed by biotic and abiotic stresses in fruit production and promoting the sustainable development of orchards. This paper systematically reviews AM fungal species diversity in orchard soil ecosystems，the key driving factors influencing their diversity and community assembly，and the physiological，biochemical，and molecular mechanisms underlying AM fungal enhancement of fruit tree resistance. These mechanisms include enhancing the uptake of water and mineral nutrients and activating the host's systemic resistance signaling pathways. Finally，the potential applications of AM fungi in sustainable orchard management and future research directions are discussed.

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• Mechanisms and Challenges in the Application of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Enhancing Drought Tolerance in Fruit Trees
• XIAO Wang, ZHANG Fei, ZHENG Fengling, ZOU Yingning, WU Qiangsheng
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2026, 53(4): 972-984. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2025-0860
• Abstract ( 3 ) HTML ( 0 ) PDF (1427KB) ( 0 ) 　　　

• In light of global climate change，drought stress has emerged as a significant abiotic factor limiting the development of the fruit production industry. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi（AMF），which form mutualistic symbiotic associations with the roots of most plants（including the vast majority of fruit trees），play a crucial role in enhancing drought tolerance in plants. This review highlights the effects of drought on AMF colonization within fruit tree roots and summarizes the potential mechanisms through which AMF enhance drought tolerance. These mechanisms encompass the enhanced water uptake and transport，the facilitation of nutrient acquisition，the modulation of osmotic adjustment，the activation of antioxidant defense mechanisms，the maintenance of photosynthesis and growth，the regulation of polyamine homeostasis，the optimization of fatty acid metabolism，and the acceleration of signal transduction pathways. Furthermore，this review discusses the existing applications，prospects，and challenges associated with using AMF in the fruit tree cultivation for drought resistance. Additionally，future researches are proposed to lay the groundwork for utilizing AMF technology to mitigate drought stress and achieve water-efficient，high-yield fruit tree cultivation.

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• Research Progress，Existing Problems and Prospects on the Diversity and Function of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Tree Peony
• ZANG Jiaojiao, SHI Zhaoyong, ZHANG Shanglong, SUN Yajie, XIAO Jingyi, WU Shanwei, GAO Jiakai, ZHANG Xin, DUO Yonghao
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2026, 53(4): 985-996. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2025-1252
• Abstract ( 3 ) HTML ( 0 ) PDF (773KB) ( 0 ) 　　　

• Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi（AMF），are pivotal soil microorganisms that establish extensive mutualistic symbiosis with plant roots，harboring rich species diversity and irreplaceable physiological and ecological functions. As a distinctive and precious woody flower endemic to China，Paeonia suffruticosa is a mycorrhiza-dependent plant and a total of 51 AMF species have been colonized in the rhizosphere of cultivated P. suffruticosa across China. Specifically，Acaulospora，Funneliformis，Glomus and Septoglomus are the dominant genera in Heze，Shandong Province，with Funneliformis geosporum and Septoglomus constrictum being the species with high occurrence frequency；Luoyang，Henan Province is dominated by Acaulospora，Funneliformis，Glomus and Rhizophagus，where Rhizophagus clarus has a relatively high occurrence frequency；Pengzhou，Sichuan Province is mainly composed of Acaulospora and Claroideoglomus，with Claroideoglomus claroideum having a relatively high occurrence frequency；Hanzhong，Shaanxi Province includes Acaulospora，Claroideoglomus，Glomus and Rhizophagus，and the species with high occurrence frequency are Acaulospora rehmii，Claroideoglomus claroideum and Rhizophagus aggregatus. Studies have demonstrated that AMF exert significant promotional effects on the growth and development，mineral element uptake，and stress resistance of P. suffruticosa. AMF can effectively enhance the absorption of mineral elements such as nitrogen，phosphorus，and potassium in P. suffruticosa；notably strengthen the photosynthetic capacity and root activity of plants，optimize root architecture，and thereby boost overall growth and development；and markedly improve the resistance of P. suffruticosa to high temperature，drought，salinity and other stresses by regulating leaf anatomical structure，physiological and biochemical metabolism，as well as osmotic adjustment ability. Nevertheless，current research on the molecular mechanisms underlying the AMF-Paeonia suffruticosa interaction remains insufficient，particularly in the aspects of investigating the community structure characteristics，physiological and ecological functions，diversity driving factors of AMF associated with P. suffruticosa by means of omics technologies，and developing field application techniques. Future studies are expected to achieve substantial breakthroughs in the fields of deepening the analysis of molecular mechanisms governing symbiotic interactions，constructing functional synthetic microbial communities，and developing precise and intelligent mycorrhizal cultivation technologies. These advances will further promote the industrial application of AMF in the green production of P. suffruticosa，thereby providing solid theoretical and technical support for the sustainable development of the P. suffruticosa industry.

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• Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Medicinal Plants：A Review on Growth Regulation and Active Ingredient Synthesis
• ZUO Yiling, MENG Jingjing, LIU Xinyu, LI Han, YU Chenjie, HE Xueli
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2026, 53(4): 997-1012. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2025-1130
• Abstract ( 3 ) HTML ( 0 ) PDF (2177KB) ( 0 ) 　　　

• As beneficial microorganisms applicable to the green production of traditional Chinese medicinal materials and soil remediation，arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi（AMF）play a vital role in improving the growth of medicinal plants and soil fertility. The research progress in the interaction between AMF and medicinal plants was systematically reviewed. It elaborates from eco-physiological effects such as nutrient uptake and enhanced stress resistance，down to molecular mechanisms including symbiotic signal transduction，hormonal network regulation，and the expression of key genes involved in secondary metabolism，thereby comprehensively elucidating the regulatory mechanism of AMF on the biosynthesis of medicinal active components. Finally，the application prospects of AMF in the green cultivation and sustainable development of medicinal plants are prospected，and the limitations of current research and priorities for future studies are analyzed. This review aims to provide a theoretical basis and innovative ideas for the application of mycorrhizal biotechnology to promote the ecological cultivation and sustainable production of traditional Chinese medicinal materials.

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• Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi-Specific Lipid Allocation Patterns in Citrus Mycorrhizae in Response to Drought Stress
• ZHANG Wei, YIN Xilong, FENG Zengwei, LIU Xiaodi, ZHOU Yang, ZHU Honghui, YAO Qing
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2026, 53(4): 1013-1024. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2025-0960
• Abstract ( 2 ) HTML ( 0 ) PDF (1152KB) ( 0 ) 　　　

• With trifoliate orange[Poncirus trifoliata（L.）Raf.]as plant materials inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus（AMF）Rhizophagus irregularis DAOM197198 or not，this study investigated the allocation patterns of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi（AMF）-specific lipids in response to drought stress under well watered（soil water content 18%）or drought stressed（soil water content 10%）conditions，in which the lipid contents in roots and soils and the expression levels of related genes were determined. Results showed that AMF significantly promoted plant growth，with the biomass increasing by 49.09% and 29.76% respectively after 1（weak stress）and 4（strong stress）weeks of drought. Drought significantly inhibited AMF colonization，and significantly reduced the AMF-specific lipid（C16∶1ω5）content as well. The specific phospholipid fatty acid（PLFA-C16∶1ω5）contents decreased by 18.59% and 61.52% respectively after 1（weak stress）and 4（strong stress）weeks of drought，while the specific neutral lipid fatty acid（NLFA-C16∶1ω5）contents decreased by 54.08% and 46.05%，indicating the greater effect of strong stress on PLFA-C16∶1ω5 than that of weak stress. Under well watered condition，NLFA-C16∶1ω5 mainly distributed intraradically with drought promoting it to distribute outwards in soils，while PLFA-C16∶1ω5 mainly distributed extraradically with drought further increasing its proportion in soils. Moreover，drought inhibited the expression of genes related to specific lipid synthesis and transport（PtFatM，PtRAM2，PtSTR，PtSTR2），P transporter PtPT4 and sugar transporter PtSWEET2. In conclusion，considering the close relations of PLFA-C16∶1ω5 with arbuscule（hyphae），and NLFA-C16∶1ω5 with spores（vesicles），it is acceptable that AMF respond to drought stress by differentially allocating lipids based on function（PLFA vs. NLFA）and spatial distribution（intraradical vs. extraradical）.

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• Functional Identification of a Nitrate Transport Gene PtNPF5.2 Related to Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis in Poncirus trifoliata
• YU Miao, HUANG Shengyu, PAN Zhiyong
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2026, 53(4): 1025-1037. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2026-0001
• Abstract ( 5 ) HTML ( 0 ) PDF (3721KB) ( 0 ) 　　　

• To investigate the molecular mechanism of nitrate（NO₃^-）transport via the arbuscular mycorrhiza（AM）pathway in citrus, this study used Poncirus trifoliata，a common citrus rootstock，to examine the expression pattern and subcellular localization of the NO₃^- transporter gene PtNPF5.2，as well as the role of its homologous genes in the AM symbiosis of the model plants Medicago truncatula and Solanum lycopersicum. The results showed that PtNPF5.2 was specifically induced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi（AMF），its promoter was activated in root cells containing arbuscules，and the encoded protein was localized to the plasma membrane. Interference or insertion mutation of the homologous gene MtNPF5.3 in Medicago truncatula did not affect AMF colonization. Similarly，CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of the homologous gene SlNPF5.2 in Solanum lycopersicum did not affect AMF colonization but led to a significant decrease in shoot NO₃^- content. In summary，PtNPF5.2 may be involved in regulating the NO₃^- allocation within the plant during AM symbiosis in Poncirus trifoliata，providing insights into the nitrogen transport mechanisms via the AM pathway in citrus.

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• Mechanism of Synergistic Alleviation of Apple Replant Disease by Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Talaromyces pinophilus LZ1
• GAO Yawen, SUN Linjiao, LIU Yusong, SUN Wentai, XU Mingna, SONG Lefen, WANG Xuemei, WANG Gongshuai, WANG Mei, YIN Chengmiao, MAO Zhiquan
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2026, 53(4): 1038-1056. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2025-1229
• Abstract ( 1 ) HTML ( 0 ) PDF (3937KB) ( 0 ) 　　　

• This study aimed to develop a green and sustainable biocontrol strategy for apple replant disease（ARD）by exploring the alleviating effect of combined application of an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi（Paraglomus sp. SW1）and an antagonistic Talaromyces pinophilus LZ1 on ARD. The results showed that the LZ1 strain isolated from the rhizosphere of chestnut not only significantly inhibited the growth of the main pathogenic Fusarium species causing ARD，but also increased the mycorrhizal colonization rate in apple seedlings grown in replant soil. Validation through greenhouse，pot，and field experiments revealed that the combined application of AMF and LZ1 significantly enhanced the biomass and mycorrhizal colonization in apple plants under replant soil. Compared with the replant control soil treatment without any microbial inoculants（CK-1），plant height，ground diameter，fresh weight，dry weight，and mycorrhizal colonization rate increased by 85.43%，88.20%，144.47%，145.40%，and 62.94%，respectively. The co-inoculation of AMF and LZ1 also significantly increased soil spore density and easily extractable glomalin-related soil protein（EE-GRSP）content，which were 59.87% and 46.98% higher than those in CK-1，respectively. Furthermore，the co-inoculation improved soil enzyme activities and optimized the soil microbial community structure. In summary，the synergistic application of AMF and LZ1 can provide a sustainable and eco-friendly strategy for alleviating ARD.

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• Non-Targeted Metabolomics Reveals Hormonal Responses in Walnut Roots Mediated by Two Mycorrhizal Fungi Under Salt Stress
• WU Chengxu, NIE Ruining, JI Xinying, TANG Jiajia, LI Ao, ZHENG Xu, ZHANG Junpei
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2026, 53(4): 1057-1072. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2025-1332
• Abstract ( 3 ) HTML ( 0 ) PDF (6381KB) ( 0 ) 　　　

• To investigate the response of mycorrhizal fungi to the physiological mechanisms of walnut seedling roots under salt stress，Funneliformis mosseae and Piriformospora indica were selected as the fungal strains，and potted greenhouse seedlings of Juglans regia‘Yanyuanzao'were used as the plant material. Treatments included non-inoculation，single inoculation，and dual inoculation. Non-targeted metabolomics was employed to analyze the effects of the two mycorrhizal fungi and different inoculation methods on the content of plant endogenous hormones（jasmonic acid，salicylic acid，auxin，and abscisic acid）in the roots of walnut seedlings under short-term stress induced by 150 mmol · L^-1 NaCl solution. The results showed that both mycorrhizal fungi could colonize the roots of walnut seedlings，with no significant difference in the colonization rate between the inoculation treatments. Under salt stress，mycorrhizal fungi significantly affected the number of metabolites in the roots of walnut seedlings. Among these，inoculation with P. indica（single or dual inoculation）resulted in the highest number of differential metabolites，with 505 and 527 species，respectively. Enrichment analysis of metabolic pathways revealed that under salt stress，F. mosseae influenced nitrogen metabolism and glutathione metabolism，P. indica activated the pentose phosphate pathway and pantothenate biosynthesis pathway，and the dual inoculation treatment regulated multiple pathways，including 2-oxocarboxylic acid metabolism and glycolysis. Under salt stress，the levels of endogenous hormones in walnut seedling roots changed，with a decrease in JA，SA，and IAA content and an increase in ABA content. Pre-inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi increased the levels of JA，SA，and IAA in the roots of walnut seedlings under salt stress. Among these，P. indica showed a greater ability to enhance JA and IAA levels，while dual inoculation significantly reduced ABA content. In summary，single and dual inoculations with F. mosseae and P. indica can colonize and form symbionts in the roots of walnut seedlings，promoting hormone synthesis and hormone signaling pathways，thereby enhancing the salt tolerance of walnut seedlings. The synergistic effect was more pronounced in the dual inoculation treatment.

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• Effects of Funneliformis mosseae Inoculation on the Growth and Rhizosphere Microenvironment of Sand-Cultivated Pepper Amended with Biochar
• YANG Yuqi, WEI Yuxin, LI Xuezhen, KE Xixi, HUANG Tingting, LIU Huiying
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2026, 53(4): 1073-1087. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2025-1284
• Abstract ( 3 ) HTML ( 0 ) PDF (4749KB) ( 0 ) 　　　

• This study investigated the effects of different inoculation doses of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Funneliformis mosseae on the growth and rhizosphere microenvironment of pepper in biochar-amended sandy soils. The objectives were to determine the optimal inoculation dose of F. mosseae and provide a theoretical and technical basis for improving sand culture substrates and desertified soils for protected-vegetable cultivation in the Gobi Desert of Xinjiang. Pepper（Capsicum annuum‘Lü Xuanfeng'） was used as the experimental plant，and the substrate supplemented with 3%（w/w）rice-husk biochar. The experiment included a non-inoculated control and four F. mosseae doses of 2，4，6，and 8 g · kg^-1 of substrate. The growth parameters，photosynthetic traits and yield of pepper plant，physicochemical properties of the substrate，activities of key enzymes，and rhizosphere microbial community compositions were determined. The results showed that the different inoculation dose of F. mosseae has varying degrees of promoting effects on the growth andyield of sand-cultivated pepper，with 6 g · kg^-1 showing the best application effect. The treatment significantly increased the rate of root colonization，shoot and root dry weights，root morphology and activity. Furthermore，the photosynthetic efficiency and chlorophyll contents of pepper after 6 g · kg^-1 treatment was significantly enhanced. Net photosynthetic rate（P_n）and yield significantly increased by 29.53% and 12.80%，respectively compared with the control. In addition，Analysis of the microbial communities in the rhizosphere soil showed that 6 g · kg^-1 treatment enhanced the relative abundance of beneficial microbial taxa，including Actinomycota，Bacteroidota，Glomeromycota，and Ascomycota，and significantly elevated the contents of available nitrogen，available phosphorus，and available potassium. In conclusion，6 g · kg^-1 was identified as the optimal F. mosseae inoculation dose for promoting pepper growth，increasing fruit yield，and optimizing the rhizosphere microenvironment in biochar-amended sandy soils. The positive effects were attributed primarily to enhanced mycorrhizal symbiosis，improved nutrient uptake by the roots，and increased photosynthesis in the leaves，as well as optimization of nutrient availability in the substrate and microbial community compositions in the rhizosphere soil.

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• AM Fungal Community in Root Zone Soil Grown with Different Paeonia suffruticosa Cultivars
• LI Xia, BU Xinyu, XU Meng, LONG Xin, LIU Zongyao, SUN Lei, GUO Shaoxia
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2026, 53(4): 1088-1100. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2026-0109
• Abstract ( 1 ) HTML ( 0 ) PDF (4191KB) ( 0 ) 　　　

• Root-zone soil samples were collected from nine major cultivars of peony（Paeonia suffruticosa）grown in Heze，Shandong，China. High-throughput sequencing was employed to compare the diversity and community structure of arbuscular mycorrhizal（AM）fungi in these soils. In addition，correlations between the AM fungal community and soil chemical properties, as well as between the AM fungal and bacterial communities，were analyzed. The results indicated that there were no significant differences of AM fungal diversity in the root-zone soil of the nine peony cultivars. All of the AM fungi in whole samples belonged to the Glomerales, and the dominant family was Glomeraceae. The dominant genus in the root-zone soils of‘Qingtianfen'（relative abundance 65%），‘Heifuren'（65%），‘Zhaofen' （64%），‘Daojin'（63%），and‘Yaohuang'（54%）was Sclerocystis. Glomus was the dominant genus in‘Huawang'（82%），‘Doulü'（63%），and‘Caiju'（55%）. While‘Huangguan'（37%，30%）exhibited co-dominance of Glomus and Sclerocystis. Available potassium and organic matter were the primary soil factors positively correlated with the AM fungal community abundance in the root zones of‘Yaohuang'‘Doulü'‘Caiju'‘Heifuren'‘Daojin'‘Huawang'and‘Huangguan'. The relative abundance of Sclerocystis was significantly positively correlated with Nitrospira and unclassified bacteria（d_Bacteria）within the domain bacteria. Furthermore，the unclassified genus（f_Glomeraceae）within the family Glomeraceae showed significant positive correlations with unclassified bacteria p25（c_bacteria p25）and Peribacillus. It is concluded that the peony cultivars can indirectly affect the community structure of AM fungi by altering the content of available potassium and organic matter in the root-zone soil. Moreover, the results indicate potential functional associations between specific AM fungal taxa and bacterial groups in the root-zone soil of peony.

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Genetic & Breeding · Germplasm Resources · Molecular Biology

• Functional Analysis of the bZIP Transcription Factor CiFD in Regulating Lemon Branching
• YE Lixia, WU Yanmei, ZHANG Jinzhi, ZHANG Lei
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2026, 53(4): 1101-1112. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2025-0507
• Abstract ( 3 ) HTML ( 0 ) PDF (4207KB) ( 0 ) 　　　

• In lemon，phylogenetic analysis of the bZIP transcription factor CiFD revealed that it is most closely related to the Arabidopsis thaliana class A bZIP transcription factor AtbZIP27. The expression level of the CiFD gene was significantly higher in stems compared to other organs，and higher in stems with branches than those without branches. Overexpression of the CiFD gene in tobacco and trifoliate orange showed that the number of branches in transgenic plants was significantly higher than that in the non-transgenic control. Additionally，the qRT-PCR analysis revealed that the expression levels of NtTI1 and CiTI1，the homologous genes of TCP transcription factor THORNIDENTITY1（TI1），were significantly down-regulated in CiFD transgenic tobacco and trifoliate orange. Sequence analysis revealed that the CiTI1 promoter contains a bZIP transcription factor binding element，G-box. Yeast one-hybrid experiments showed that CiFD could bind to the CiTI1 promoter，and Dual-luciferase assays further indicated that CiFD protein represses CiTI1 gene expression. These findings indicate that the CiFD gene participates in regulating lemon branching by inhibiting the expression of the CiTI1 gene.

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• High-Density Genetic Map Construction and QTL Mapping of Fruit Acidity in the Cerasus humilis
• GUO Caizhen, WANG Pengfei, MU Xiaopeng, ZHANG Jiancheng, DU Junjie
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2026, 53(4): 1113-1124. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2025-0105
• Abstract ( 1 ) HTML ( 1 ) PDF (4276KB) ( 1 ) 　　　

• In this study，whole-genome resequencing was performed on Cerasus humilis cultivars‘Nongda 4'and‘DS-1'and their 208 F₁ progeny in this study to construct the first high-density genetic linkage map of the C. humilis，and trait loci for fruit acidity were located by QTL mapping. The fruit titratable acid content of the‘Nongda 4'בDS-1'hybrid population showed a continuous normal distribution for two consecutive years，which was a quantitative trait controlled by multiple genes. The genetic map contained eight linked groups and 5 371 single-nucleotide polymorphism markers. The total genetic distance was 1 321.5 cM，with an average distance of 0.26 cM between markers. QTL mapping was performed based on titratable acid content in fruits. A total of 13 QTLs related to the titratable acid content of the fruits were identified，with a phenotypic variation contribution rate from 7.1% to 13.1%. Based on these results and transcriptome analysis，one structural gene（VHA-e1，linkage group LG3）and two transcription factors（MYB44 and bHLH148，LG1）significantly related to fruit acidity were screened.

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• Identification of FRL Gene Family，Expression Analysis and Functional Study of BrcFRI1 in Non-Heading Chinese Cabbage
• BAI Xueying, TANG Manzhi, QU Tianhui, ZHANG Liting, XIAO Dong, LI Ying, HOU Xilin, LIU Tongkun
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2026, 53(4): 1125-1142. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-1054
• Abstract ( 5 ) HTML ( 0 ) PDF (6186KB) ( 0 ) 　　　

• In order to understand the functions of the FRIGIDA-Like（FRL）gene family members in non-heading Chinese cabbage，their basic properties，evolutionary characteristics，and expression features at different times and under different abiotic stresses were analyzed. Bioinformatics methods were used to identify and analyze the FRL gene family in the genome of non-heading Chinese cabbage‘NHCC001'，and transcriptome data were used to analyze the expression patterns of non-heading Chinese cabbage FRL genes under ABA treatment，and qRT-PCR was used to analyze the expression patterns under drought stress and in different periods of early and late flowering materials and three flowering genes in wild-type and transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana. The results showed that the non-heading cabbage contained a total of 13 BrcFRLs randomly distributed on seven chromosomes，and the BrcFRLs could be classified into six subgroups. The covariance analysis of five cruciferous species revealed that the FRL genes were not completely on the covariance region，and different degrees of differentiation might have occurred during the evolutionary process. In addition，cruciferae FRLs were highly expressed mainly in roots compared to species of other families，and there was differential tissue expression of BrcFRLs. cis-acting element analysis showed that all BrcFRLs contained ABA response elements，and all 11 BrcFRL members showed different degrees of response to ABA signaling，which may be regulated by ABA. Under drought stress，BrcFRL1，BrcFRI2，and BrcFRI3-1 responded significantly. BrcFRL1 was both positively regulated by ABA treatment and responsive to drought stress，suggesting that the FRL genes may be related to the hormonal response of non-heading Chinese cabbage and that ABA-responsive genes may be induced by drought stress. Overexpression of BrcFRI1 delays flowering in Arabidopsis. However，the expression of FRI and FLC in Brassica was not consistent with that in Arabidopsis，with BrcFRI accumulating in the pre-vernalization period to inhibit flowering；its expression level decreases during the vernalization process and rises again after vernalization ends. In this study，a total of 13 non-heading Chinese cabbage FRL family genes were identified，clarified the function of BrcFRL1 in delaying flowering time，and screened out a number of key genes that are related to flowering and involved in drought stress response.

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• Identification of the WSD Family Gene in Chinese Cabbage and Expression Analysis Under Drought Stress in Waxy Near-Isogenic Lines
• WANG Ronghua, LIU Shuantao, ZHAO Zhizhong, LI Qiaoyun, XU Nianfang, ZHANG Zhigang, WANG Shubin
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2026, 53(4): 1143-1156. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2025-0407
• Abstract ( 1 ) HTML ( 1 ) PDF (4681KB) ( 1 ) 　　　

• Wax synthase/diacylglycerol acyltransferase（WSD）is a key enzyme that catalyzes esterification reaction of long-chain fatty acids and fatty alcohols to synthesize wax esters. An increase in wax ester content helps to improve drought resistance in plant. Whole genome identification and chromosome localization，protein physicochemical properties，gene structure，protein conserved domain structure，collinear relationships，promoter cis-acting elements，tissue-specific expression and expression patterns under drought stress were analyzed based on bio-informatics methods. The results identified 18 WSD genes members classified into four subfamilies，which are unevenly distributed across seven chromosomes.The range of amino acids length and molecular weight for WSD is 415-554 and 46.57-62.86 kD，respectively. Gene structure analysis revealed that the WSD structure is relatively conserved. There are three pairs of tandem duplicated genes and six pairs of fragment duplicated genes in WSD. Collinearity analysis showed that six family members，including BrWSD1，BrWSD4，BrWSD8，BrWSD16，BrWSD17 and BrWSD18，exhibited tripling of the WSD gene in Arabidopsis thaliana，while two family members，BrWSD3 and BrWSD7，exhibited doubling. Based on homology comparison and comparative transcriptome analysis，two candidate genes BrWSD1 and BrWSD9 were identified which may be involved in the drought stress response of Chinese cabbage.

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• Genome-Wide Identification of GAD Gene Family in Tomato and Expression Profiling after Ralstonia solanacearum Infection
• DAI Yuru, SUN Pingping, WANG Qiong
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2026, 53(4): 1157-1174. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2025-0152
• Abstract ( 5 ) HTML ( 1 ) PDF (5792KB) ( 1 ) 　　　

• Glutamate decarboxylase（GAD）is a key enzyme that catalyzes the irreversible decarboxylation of glutamate to produce gamma-aminobutyric acid（GABA），playing a significant role in plant growth and stress resistance. To systematically investigate the potential function of the tomato GAD members in bacterial wilt resistance，this study identified five genes named SlGAD1 to SlGAD5 from the tomato genome database. Comprehensive bioinformatics analyses were conducted to characterize their physicochemical properties，evolutionary relationships，gene structures，collinearity，and promoter cis-regulatory elements. Furthermore，tissue-specific expression patterns and induced expression patterns after treatment with bacterial infections or pathogen-associated molecular patterns（PAMPs）were examined by integrating transcriptomic data with quantitative real-time PCR（qRT-PCR）. SlGAD genes are distributed across various chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis classifies the GAD family proteins into four subgroups，with tomato GAD members found exclusively in subgroupsⅠ，Ⅱ and Ⅳ. All SlGAD proteins show a high degree of amino acid sequence conservation，containing both calmodulin-binding sites and autoinhibitory domains at their C-termini. The promoter regions of SlGAD2 to SlGAD4 contain cis-regulatory elements associated with defense and stress response；however，transcriptomic data indicate that only the expression of SlGAD3 is significantly induced by bacteria and PAMPs. After infecting tomato plants with Ralstonia solanacearum strain GMI1000，the transcript levels of SlGAD1 to SlGAD4 exhibited significant but varying degrees of change. Transient overexpression of SlGAD in tobacco followed by infection with Ralstonia solanacearum strain Y45 revealed that SlGAD1 and SlGAD4 significantly inhibited bacterial growth. These results suggest that SlGAD1 and SlGAD4 positively regulate tomato resistance to bacterial wilt. In addition，both tissue-specific expression and subcellular localization analyses revealed that SlGAD5 exhibited a higher expression level across various tissues compared to SlGAD1 to SlGAD4，and all SlGADs were localized in the cytoplasm. These results provide a theoretical foundation and novel genetic resources for investigating the GAD gene family in tomato against bacterial wilt and for breeding resistant cultivars.

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• Functional Analysis of Pepper U-Box Domain-Containing Protein Gene CaPUB18 in Heat Tolerance
• LI Ying, GUO Yuling, ZHAO Yue, YANG Qiaomin, CHEN Tao, AN Yuchang, MAO Zhangliang, LU Minghui
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2026, 53(4): 1175-1188. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-0897
• Abstract ( 4 ) HTML ( 1 ) PDF (4830KB) ( 1 ) 　　　

• U-box E3 ubiquitin ligase（PUB）plays important roles in plant stress resistance，while the function of CaPUB18 gene in pepper heat tolerance is still unclear. Pepper CaPUB18 protein contains one U-box domain and four ARM domains，and presents closer phylogenetic relationship to its homologues from potato and tomato. CaPUB18 is localized in the cell membrane，and expressed in various tissues. During heat stress，its expression level increases initially，and then decreases. The silencing and heterologous overexpression of CaPUB18 compromised the heat tolerance of pepper and Arabidopsis，respectively，as evidenced by the aggravated leaf wilting，increased relative conductivity and malondialdehyde（MDA）content，accumulation of dead cells and H₂O₂，reduced total chlorophyll content，and inhibited induction of heat-tolerance marker genes. These results indicate that both silencing and overexpression of CaPUB18 are detrimental to the heat tolerance of pepper. This study highlights the importance of maintaining the stability of U-box protein gene CaPUB18 expression level to the formationof heat tolerance of pepper.

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• Development of Blight-Resistant and High-Pungency Processing-Type Pepper Cytoplasmic Male Sterility（CMS）Restorer Lines Using Doubled Haploid Technology
• LI Yifei, DUAN Minjie, HUANG Qizhong, WANG Chunping, HUANG Renzhong, ZHANG Shicai
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2026, 53(4): 1189-1201. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2025-0343
• Abstract ( 3 ) HTML ( 0 ) PDF (3349KB) ( 0 ) 　　　

• To accelerate the development of cytoplasmic male sterility（CMS）restorer lines for processing-type peppers with disease resistance and high pungency，eight interspecific triple cross hybrids aggregated with disease resistance，strong pungency，and restorer genes-were used as experimental materials for anther culture to induce doubled haploid（DH）. The goal was to obtain DH lines that combine disease resistance，pungency，and CMS fertility restoration. The results showed that embryoids were successfully induced from all eight hybrids，with an artificial chromosome doubling rate of 89.8% in haploid seedlings. Following comprehensive evaluation using molecular marker-assisted selection，agronomic trait assessment，quality analysis，disease resistance screening，and CMS fertility restoration testing，three CMS restorer lines were selected from 12 DH lines. These lines exhibited low initial flowering nodes，strong disease resistance，and high pungency，making them ideal parental materials for breeding new processing-type pepper cultivars with desirable traits.

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• Effects of Ethylene Signal Treansduction Factor CmEIL01 Gene on Volatile Biosynthesis of Melon Fruit
• GUO Xinqi, CHEN Qiang, ZHANG Ying, ZHANG Chong
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2026, 53(4): 1202-1214. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2025-0057
• Abstract ( 4 ) HTML ( 1 ) PDF (1889KB) ( 1 ) 　　　

• EIN3-like（EIL）proteins are crucial nuclear transcription factors in the ethylene signaling pathway，initiating a series of transcriptional cascades that regulate the expression of ethylene target genes. Using GST pull-down combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry（LC-MS/MS）technology，proteins interacting with CmEIL01 were screened in mature melon fruits，and the interaction between CmEIL01 and candidate proteins was further validated. To elucidate the regulatory function of the ethylene signaling factor gene CmEIL01 in the biosynthesis of aroma compounds in oriental melon，nine proteins potentially interacting with CmEIL01 were identified，among which the key gene for fruit ester synthesis，CmAAT1，had the highest predicted confidence value. Yeast two-hybrid（Y2H）and Pull-down analyses also confirmed the interaction between CmEIL01 and CmAAT1 proteins in vitro. Tobacco dual-luciferase reporter assays showed that CmEIL01 significantly activated the promoter activity of the CmAAT1 gene. Transient expression in oriental melon melon fruits revealed that the expression level of CmEIL01 peaked on the sixth day after injection，significantly increasing the expression levels of the homologous gene CmEIL02 and CmAAT1，leading to a notable rise in ethyl acetate content and the contents of hexyl acetate and hexanol were also significantly higher than those in the non-injected fruits. The results suggest that CmEIL01 may participate in the synthesis of aromatic compounds in oriental melon fruits by regulating the expression of the key gene CmAAT1 involved in straight-chain ester synthesis.

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New technologies and methods

• Development and Implementation of an Efficient Method for Evaluating Tomato Resistance to Bacterial Wilt Based on Leaf Injection
• HUANG Xinran, WANG Rongbo, ZHANG Qianrong, LI Benjin, WENG Qiyong, LIU Peiqing
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2026, 53(4): 1215-1225. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-1061
• Abstract ( 3 ) HTML ( 0 ) PDF (4573KB) ( 0 ) 　　　

• Bacterial wilt，caused by Ralstonia solanacearum，is a significant crop disease worldwide，particularly in southern China. The adoption of resistant varieties remains the most economical and effective strategy for managing this soil-borne disease. Identification and screening of bacterial wilt-resistant germplasms are fundamental to crop disease resistance breeding. In this study，a leaf-injection inoculation method was established for the identification of bacterial wilt-resistant germplasms of tomato，while five highly virulent R. solanacearum strains with varied pathogenicity，collected from Fujian province were combined and utilized as an identification strain mix. Three germplasms，rootstock 6，8 and 10，were identified as resistant in the screening. Further，the leaf injection method was compared for its effectiveness with the traditional root injuring and root soaking inoculation methods. While the leaf injection method could be simply operated，results showed that it required less inocula and shorter experimental time to provide more clear and consistent symptoms than the traditional methods. In addition，this method was further evaluated and validated for its effectiveness on other crops in Solanaceae.

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• Establishment of LAMP Detection Systems for Three Fusarium Species Causing Rootstalk Rot in Hibiscus mutabilis
• WEN Hanyong, SHEN Xuemei, TANG Shengwen, MA Jiao, YANG Danna, YANG Maoxi, MAO Ziyou, DU Xinmei, LI Peili
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2026, 53(4): 1226-1236. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2025-0292
• Abstract ( 3 ) HTML ( 0 ) PDF (4289KB) ( 0 ) 　　　

• Rootstalk rot of Hibiscus mutabilis is primarily caused by fungi of the genus Fusarium，with F. oxysporum，F. solani，and F. equiseti identified as the dominant pathogenic species. In this study，a loop-mediated isothermal amplification（LAMP）assay targeting the EF-1α gene was developed for the detection of these three Fusarium species. The specificity of the primers designed for each species was validated，and the reagents and reaction conditions for the LAMP assay were optimized. Results demonstrated that the LAMP primers exhibited high specificity，allowing for accurate detection of the target Fusarium species. The assay was capable of distinguishing each species，even in mixed infections，through the use of a species-specific primer. In a 25 μL reaction volume，optimal concentrations of Mg²⁺， dNTPs，and the colorimetric indicator hydroxy naphthol blue（HNB）were determined to be 10 mmol · L^-1，1.4 mmol · L^-1，and 100 μmol · L^-1，respectively. Under these conditions，the assay performed at 63 ℃ for 60 min achieved a detection sensitivity of 10^-3 ng · μL^-1. In simulated environmental samples，the LAMP assay successfully detected the inoculated Fusarium species in the rhizosphere soil of Hibiscus. mutabilis within 12 hours post-inoculation，regardless of single or mixed species presence. Additionally，the pathogens were detectable within plant tissues as early as 24 hours after inoculation.

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