Genetic & Breeding·Germplasm Resources·Molecular Biology

• The Inositol-Phosphate Synthase Gene，MdMIPS1，Enhances Heat Stress Tolerance in Transgenic Apple Plants
• SUN Wenjing, LI Xiaoyan, ZHANG Jingyun, ZHOU Hui, HUANG Xiaojun, MA Fengwang, GONG Xiaoqing
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3143-3156. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-0997
• Abstract ( 715 ) HTML ( 513 ) PDF (3718KB) ( 513 ) 　　　

• In order to reveal the role of Myo-inositol（MI）in apple plants responding to high-temperature stress，apple plants were first exogenously supplied with MI and treated with high temperature stress. The results showed that high-temperature stress significantly caused leaf yellow and wilting，increased the contents of reactive oxygen species（ROS），malondialdehyde（MDA），and relative electrolyte leakage（REL），decreased the contents of the chlorophyll in apple plants. However，100 µmol · L^-1 exogenous MI treatment significantly alleviated the damage caused by high temperature. In addition，MdMIPS1 encoding the key rate-limiting enzyme in the MI biosynthesis，expressed highly under high-temperature stress in apple plants. The transgenic lines overexpressed MdMIPS1（OE，high MI content）were obtained in our previous study. They had higher endogenous content of MI，compared with wild type（WT）plants. And these OE lines were also used in this work and treated with high temperature stress. Compared with WT plants under high temperature stress，the OE lines exhibited slighter chlorisis and wilting in leaves. The contents of REL were lower and the contents of the chlorophyll were higher in OE plants than in WT. In addition，the stomatal aperture were larger in OE leaves，and the photosynthetic efficiency were stronger in OE plants than in WT. Meanwhile，the OE plants possessed less ROS accumulation and higher antioxidant enzyme activity than WT. The expression levels of several genes encoding the heat shock protein were also higher in OE plants than in WT under high temperature stress. In sum，all these results indicated that increasing the MI levels can significantly enhance tolerance to high temperature stress in apple plants.

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• Sporogenesis and Gametogenesis of Ziziphus jujuba‘Hupingzao’
• GUO Hongyan, WU Jinfan, XIANG Min, JIANG Shaodong, ZHAO Ailing
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3157-3166. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2025-0560
• Abstract ( 336 ) HTML ( 145 ) PDF (4143KB) ( 145 ) 　　　

• Observing sporogenesis and gametogenesis is a fundamental step in revealing the mechanism of embryo abortion in Ziziphus jujuba‘Hupingzao’. The occurrence of megasporogenesis，microsporogenesis as well as the development of female and male gametophyte of‘Hupingzao’were studied by paraffin sectioning technique in this paper. Each anther has four pollen sacs. The anther wall is composed of an epidermis，an endothecium，two middle layers，and a secretory tapetum，and its development type is the basic type. Following meiosis，the microspore mother cells forme tetrahedral tetrads through simultaneous cytokinesis. The mature pollen grains are two-celled with three pollen apertures. The ovule is anatropous，and the ovary is bilocular with one ovule per locule. The megaspore mother cell undergo meiosis to form a linear tetrad along the longitudinal axis. The chalazal megaspore develops into the functional megaspore. The female gametophyte develops through binucleate and four-nucleate embryo sac stages，ultimately formed a mature 7-celled，8-nucleate embryo sac. Embryo sac development is the polygonum type.‘Hupingzao’exhibits dichogamy，with stamens developing earlier than pistils.

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• Genomic-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of the DNA Methylation-Modifying Enzyme Genes in Poncirus trifoliata
• CHEN Mengru, WU Qing’an, HE Sijia, CAI Xiangbin, MA Qiaoli, GU Qingqing, WEI Qingjiang
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3167-3179. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-1034
• Abstract ( 307 ) HTML ( 116 ) PDF (3350KB) ( 116 ) 　　　

• In order to understand the characteristics of DNA methylation-modifying enzyme genes in the citrus genome，the DNA methyltransferase and demethylase genes in Poncirus trifoliata were identified and analyzed at the genome-wide level in this study. The results showed that 11 DNA methyltransferase genes and 3 demethylase genes existed in the Poncirus trifoliata genome. The peptide sequences of those proteins contain 665-1 962 amino acids，and all of them were hydrophilic proteins，with 13 members located at the nucleus. In addition，three fragment duplication events occurred in the PtrDME，PtrROS1，PtrDML3，PtrCMT2，and PtrMET1-6 genes，which were covariant with both Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sative. Further analysis revealed that promoter regions of these DNA methylation-modifying genes contain numerous light-responsive and hormone-responsive elements and that the PtrMET1 was a core protein in the protein interaction network. Gene expression analysis demonstrated that PtrMET1-2 and PtrCMT1 were highly expressed in leaf，root，late-stage ovule，and early-stage ovule，while PtrCMT2 and PtrCMT3 were highly expressed in flesh of mature and young fruit and seed. The DNA methylation inhibitor 5-azacitidine treatment reduced the leaf DNA methylation level in Poncirus trifoliata and increased the expression of most DNA methylation-modifying enzyme genes with the exception of PtrRM gene，which showed down expression in the stem. The result indicted that the methylation inhibitor methylation inhibitors may alter the methylation levels of plants via regulating the methylation-related genes expression.

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• Construction of Core Collection of Pitaya Based on Phenotypic Traits
• WEI Shuotong, WU Zhijiang, LI Zhenying, HUANG Fengzhu, LIANG Guidong, DENG Haiyan, HUANG Lifang, YE Xiaoying, LU Guifeng
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3180-3188. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-0978
• Abstract ( 310 ) HTML ( 118 ) PDF (1205KB) ( 118 ) 　　　

• The 292 pitaya（Selenicereus spp.）accessions were used as materials. Based on 19 phenotypic traits，24 candidate core collections were constructed using 4 sampling methods and six sampling ratios. The optimal core collection construction strategy was determined based on four evaluation indicators：Ratio of Phenotype Retained（RPR），Range Conformity Rate（CR），Variation Coefficient Change Rate（VR），and Shannon-Weaver Diversity Index（I）. Accessions with specific traits were then selectively added to the core collection，resulting in a final core collection of 50 pitaya accessions，which accounts for 17.12% of the original collection. The evaluation indicators，including CR，RPR，I，and VR，were 100.00%，99.44%，1.80，and 131.52%，respectively. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the core collection was evenly distributed in the sample distribution plot，covering the range of the original collection，and effectively reduced the overlapping portion of the original collection. Both the evaluation indicators and PCA results indicate that the core collection constructed in this study effectively preserved the genetic diversity of the original collection while removing redundancy.

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• QTL Mapping and Candidate Gene Analysis of Related Traits of Broccoli
• GAO Xu, HE Daogen, TAN Guoyin, ZHU Changzhi, ZHANG Hongyun, XIAO Jiarui, WANG Hui
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3189-3201. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2025-0186
• Abstract ( 260 ) HTML ( 66 ) PDF (1991KB) ( 66 ) 　　　

• Using two high-generation inbred broccoli lines（B20101 and B736）exhibiting significant differences in curd agronomic traits as parents，a test population of 228 F₂ individuals was obtained through hybridization and selfing. By mapping QTLs related to curd agronomic traits，candidate genes were identified to lay a theoretical foundation for elucidating the molecular mechanisms of curd formation in broccoli and breeding new superior varieties. Based on resequencing technology，SNP markers and constructed a genetic map consisting of 985 bin markers（comprising 6 329 SNP markers）were developed. The map spanned 788.78 cM，with an average marker interval of 0.84 cM. Through QTL mapping analysis of curd-related agronomic traits，3，3，1，4，and 8 QTLs were detected to control stem diameter，curd diameter，curd height，single curd weight，and floret size，respectively. The phenotypic variation explained（PVE）by these QTLs ranged from 4.5689% to 21.0997%. Among them，one major QTL（LOD = 10.6897，PVE = 21.0997%）controlling floret size was mapped within an approximately 58.977 kb interval defined by SNP markers mk_18639516 and mk_18698493. Analysis of this QTL interval identified four candidate genes-Bo6g067260，Bo6g067270，Bo6g067280，and Bo6g067290-that may influence floret size in the parental lines. These genes showed significant differences in expression levels between the two parents but no sequence variations in the parental lines or the F₂ population. This suggests that variations in the regulatory regions（e.g.，promoters）of these genes may lead to differences in gene expression，thereby affecting floret size.

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• Development of HRM Molecular Markers for Important Traits in Tomato and Assessment of Analytical Effects Across Various Reaction Systems
• LIU Chang, WEI Kai, ZHANG Li, LU Feifei, YU Qingtong, WANG Mengya, WANG Xiaoxuan, DU Yongchen, GUO Yanmei, LI Junming, LIU Lei, LI Xin, ZHU Can, HUANG Zejun
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3202-3218. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-0881
• Abstract ( 263 ) HTML ( 52 ) PDF (7449KB) ( 52 ) 　　　

• High resolution melting（HRM）genotyping technology can identify the genotypes of different samples by forming different melting curves，be characterized by its simplicity，rapid processing，high throughput，and superior resolution. This study aims to develop HRM molecular markers for identifying superior alleles associated with important traits in tomato and to assess the impact of various factors on HRM analysis outcomes. A total of 23 HRM molecular markers were successfully developed based on the sequence characteristics of 23 superior alleles of specific genes or their adjacent regions. These genes include those associated with disease resistance，such as Bwr-12，Frl，I-7，Pto，Rx4，Sm，Ty-1；genes conferring abiotic stress tolerance，including SlACR11A，SlBBX31，SlHAK20，SlSOS2；genes related to fruit traits，such as Aft，LC，GF，OVATE，PT，R，SlALMT9，STP1，Y；and genes associated with plant type，including SD1，SP，SP5G. Furthermore，an assessment of the impact of varying reaction volumes，template DNA concentrations，and DNA extraction methods on HRM analysis revealed that reaction volumes of 5，7.5，10，12.5 and 15 µL demonstrated comparable analytical performance to the recommended reaction volume of 20 µL specified in the kit. Notably，within the 5 µL reaction volume，DNA concentrations ranging from 12.5 ng · µL^-1 to 1 600 ng · µL^-1 exhibited robust analytical performance. Additionally，DNA extracted using the NaOH method was found to be suitable for HRM analysis. The findings of this study will facilitate the identification of superior alleles and marker-assisted breeding in tomato.

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• Mapping of Genes Regulating Tomato Fruit Skin Toughness
• QI Yujie, ZHAO Shiqi, SUN Shuai, WANG Haijing, CUI Xia, LI Ren
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3219-3228. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2025-0124
• Abstract ( 231 ) HTML ( 44 ) PDF (1725KB) ( 44 ) 　　　

• Fruit firmness is an important quality trait that directly affects the fruit cracking and storability. Skin toughness and compression resistance are key indicators for evaluating fruit firmness. In this study，we found that although processing tomato TS292 and large-fruited tomato TS12 showed no significant difference in compression resistance. However，TS292 fruits exhibited significantly enhanced skin toughness. Histological and metabolomic analyses demonstrated that TS292 possesses a thicker cuticle layer with elevated cutin and wax content in the red fruit pericarp，potentially constituting the primary determinant of its superior skin toughness. To clone key genes regulating fruit skin toughness，we established a recombinant inbred line（RIL）population derived from TS12 × TS292 crosses as a mapping population. Four QTLs control the skin toughness were identified by using Bulked Segregant Analysis（BSA）method. Among these，a major QTL located at the chromosome 7，contributed 30.12% variation of fruit skin toughness. Further genetic analysis narrowed the QTL-FIS3 into a 295 kb region including 16 genes.

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• Function Analysis of SlPLATZ18 in Regulating Low Temperature Stress and ABA Signal Response in Tomato
• FAN Bei, REN Min, WANG Yanfeng, CHEN Guoliang, DANG Fengfeng, CHENG Guoting, SUN Huiru
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3229-3242. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2025-0092
• Abstract ( 266 ) HTML ( 113 ) PDF (7126KB) ( 113 ) 　　　

• PLATZ transcription factors play crucial roles in plant response to abiotic stress. The open reading frame（ORF）of SlPLATZ18 was cloned from‘Micro-Tom’tomato. The length of ORF was 687 bp，encoding 228 amino acids. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that SlPLATZ18 had higher homology with StPLATZ9/11 and GhPLATZ1. The SlPLATZ18-overexpressing tomato lines （SlPLATZ18-OE）were generated via genetic transformation. Under low temperature stress，compared to the wild type（WT），SlPLATZ18-OE plants exhibited reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species（ROS），enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase（SOD），peroxidase（POD）and catalase（CAT），increased the content of proline（Pro），decreased the content of malondialdehyde（MDA）and the relative conductivity. Additionally，the expressions of the cold-responsive genes（SlCBF1，SlCBF3，SlCOR47-like，and SlRD29A）were significantly upregulated in SlPLATZ18-OE than those of WT. The cold tolerance of SlPLATZ18-OE plants was markedly improved. Furthermore，under ABA treatment，the seed germination rates and primary root lengths of SlPLATZ18-OE were significantly higher than those of WT. It was speculated that SlPLATZ18 positively regulated low temperature stress response and negatively regulated ABA signal response in tomato.

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• Mining of Regulatory Genes Related to Bolting in Carrot
• YAO Xiangcun, LIU Xing, GUO Caifeng, ZHAO Zhiwei, CHEN Xu, ZHUANG Feiyun, and OU Chenggang
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3243-3256. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-0980
• Abstract ( 192 ) HTML ( 28 ) PDF (5972KB) ( 28 ) 　　　

• Premature bolting seriously affects the commercial value of carrot taproots and production of overwintering and spring cultivation in China. To study regulatory mechanism and identify functional genes related to bolting traits，we compared the transcriptome data of the wild species‘Songzi Wild’with bolting-sensitive and annual habit and the cultivated variety‘Amsterdam Forcing’with bolting-tolerant and biennial habit at three growth stages during bolting. A total of 2 320 differentially expressed genes were detected，which were mainly enriched in cellular processes and metabolic processes of biological processes，and the catalytic and binding activity functions in molecular functions. Finally，32 flowering time genes were identified，which mainly involved in the photoperiod，gibberellin，vernalization pathway and flowering integrator factors. Among them，the expression levels of AP1，AP2，AGL19，TPS1，and four SOC1 genes showed significantly higher differences in all three stages between two species. SOC1s（DCAR_209690，DCAR_209695 and DCAR_414778）were specifically expressed in Ws，which provided a scientific basis to research bolting traits and provided theoretical reference for the selection and breeding of carrot varieties with different bolting habits.

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• Screening of Key Genes Involved in the Synthesis and Catabolism of S-Alk（en）yl-L-cysteine Sulfoxide in Chinese Chive
• ZHAO Chaosheng, CHEN Mengran, ZHENG Yongqi, LI Ju, MA Peifang, XIAO Xuemei, YU Jihua
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3257-3270. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-0940
• Abstract ( 201 ) HTML ( 21 ) PDF (2827KB) ( 21 ) 　　　

• The aim of this study was to further enrich the genomic information and uncover genes related to the synthesis and catabolism of S-alk（en）yl-L-cysteine sulfoxides（CSOs）. In the study，the content of three types of CSOs，namely S-allyl-L-cysteine sulfide（ACSO），S-methyl-L-cysteine sulfide（MCSO）， and S-propenyl-L-cysteine sulfide（PeCSO），was measured in 50 Chinese chives germplasm resources. Based on these result，two cultivars were selected for further analysis：‘Huanggezi’（HGZ），which exhibited the highest S-alk（en）yl-L-cysteine sulfoxide content，and‘Hami Goujiu’（HMGJ），which had the lowest S-alk（en）yl-L-cysteine sulfoxide content. Then，transcriptome sequencing was performed to compare gene expression differences between the two cultivars，and genes associated with the synthesis and catabolism of S-alk（en）yl-L-cysteine sulfoxides were identified. A total of 11 493 differentially expressed genes（DEGs）were identified，with 6 203 up-regulated，and 5 290 down-regulated. Gene Ontology（GO）enrichment analysis revealed that sulfur metabolic pathways related to S-alk（en）yl-L-cysteine sulfoxide biosynthesis were significantly enriched. Additionally，KEGG pathway analysis identified 122 enriched pathways，including those involved in sulfur metabolism，cysteine metabolism，and glutathione metabolism，which are closely associated with the synthesis and metabolism of S-alk（en）yl-L-cysteine sulfoxides. Through gene annotation，51 key genes involved in CSOs synthesis and catabolism were obtained. Among these，four flavin monooxygenase genes（AtuFMOs），two gamma glutamyl transpeptidase genes（AtuGGT），and seven alliinase genes（AtuALL）were found to be highly expressed in the‘Huanggezi’cultivar. These findings suggest that these genes may play a crucial role in regulating the synthesis and degradation of CSOs in Chinese chive.

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• Identification of Cytochrome P450 Family Genes in Melon and Expression Analysis in Response to Light Intensity
• HAN Hongwei, CHANG Yanan, LIU Huifang, ZHUANG Hongmei, XING Jiayi, ZHANG Xiaoda, ZULIPIYE · Abudumilike, WANG Hao, WANG Qiang
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3271-3287. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-0990
• Abstract ( 167 ) HTML ( 47 ) PDF (8180KB) ( 47 ) 　　　

• To investigate the functions of cytochrome P450 monooxygenase（CYP450）gene family in Cucumis melo L.，the genomic data was analyzed using bioinformatics methods to identify the CYP450 family members in C. melo. The results revealed that a total of 195 full-length CYP450 genes were identified，belonging to 10 clan family clusters，and they were unevenly distributed on 12 chromosomes，contained 15 conserved motifs：The results of physical and chemical property analysis showed that the vast majority of CmCYP450 proteins were hydrophobic proteins，mainly localized in chloroplasts and plastid membranes：A large number of eukaryotic RNA polymerase Ⅱ binding sites，transcription factor binding sites，as well as photoresponsive and hormone responsive elements are present in the promoter regions of family genes. There were 69 CmCYP450 genes differentially expressed between yellow green leaf mutant Cmygl-1 and wild-type plants in response to different light intensities by RNA-seq. Among them，16 CmCYP450 genes are relatively highly expressed in melon leaves and show differential expression trends induced by different light radiation intensities，which may be involved in the regulation of leaf color variation of mutants.

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• Differential Expressed Analysis by Transcriptome Sequencing in Leaves of Different Ploidy Paeonia ostii‘Fengdan’
• PENG Chaofeng, QI Shuaizheng, GENG Xining, YAO Pengqiang, XIE Lihua, ZHANG Yu, CHEN Minghui, SHI Jiang, CHENG Shiping
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3288-3302. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-0781
• Abstract ( 231 ) HTML ( 51 ) PDF (7501KB) ( 51 ) 　　　

• In this study，the leaves from different ploidy Paeonia ostii‘Fengdan’at blooming and flower decay stage as test materials，the change of leaf phenotype，anatomical structure and transcriptome were analyed. The results showed that the order of leaf area size was triploid > tetraploid > diploid；the order of leaf blade thickness and vein diameter were tetraploid > triploid > diploid. Compared with diploid flowering leaves，19 genes such as SAUR23，SAUR32，ARR4，IPT3，and IPT5 were up-regulated expression in triploid leaves at blooming stage；18 genes，including SAUR78，CYCD3，ARP5，ZOG2，HEMD，and HEME，were up-regulated expression in tetraploid leaves at bloom stage. Up-regulated expression of 10 genes including ARF10，IPT9，and HEMB in triploid leaves at flower decay stage；13 genes，including AHP4，CKX7，ZOG，UGT83A1，PAO，and SGR，were up-regulated expression in tetraploid leaves at flower decay stage. The analysis of differential genes in the pathway of carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms showed that the expression levels of GAPC and MDH genes were higher in triploid leaves at blooming stage. WGCNA analyses showed that 18 core genes，including TCTP，BTB，BRH1 and PsMYC2，were expressed at higher levels in triploid，and 15 core genes，such as GLY，NmrA-like and WAT1，were highly expressed in tetraploid. The result of qRT-PCR confirmed the reliability of the RNA-seq data. The differential expression of these genes affected the growth and development of polyploid P. ostii‘Fengdan’leaves.

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Cultivation·Physiology & Biochemistry

• Effects of Nitrogen Application on Leaf Photosynthetic and Endophyte Characteristics of Apple Scions
• ZHANG Huanhuan, LI Xujiao, YAO Dongdong, ZHANG Guangxin, XI Jinshan, LIANG Yinchi, ZHAO Fengyun, YU Songlin, WANG Xiaofei, YU Kun
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3303-3321. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-0998
• Abstract ( 224 ) HTML ( 74 ) PDF (6659KB) ( 74 ) 　　　

• To explore the mechanisms underlying nitrogen-mediated regulation of scion leaf adaptation，three apple scion varieties—Malus sieversii（Ledeb.）Roem.，‘Hanfu’（M. × domestica Borkh.）， and‘Fuji’（M. × domestica Borkh）were grafted onto M. sieversii rootstocks and subjected them to nitrogen-deficient and nitrogen-supplemented（0.2 g · kg^-1）conditions. Stable isotope tracing and high-throughput sequencing were employed to analyze variations in leaf tissue structure，photosynthetic characteristics，carbon and nitrogen content，and endophytic microbial communities among the different scion varieties. Under nitrogen-deficient conditions，‘Fuji’scion leaves exhibited significantly greater leaf thickness，chlorophyll content，and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio compared to‘Hanfu’and M. sieversii. Following nitrogen application，‘Hanfu’scion leaves showed a substantial increase in net photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance by 24.84% and 73.86%，respectively，exhibiting superior photosynthetic efficiency over the other scions. Analysis of endophytic microbial communities revealed that‘Hanfu’scion leaves possessed the highest diversity and richness of bacterial and fungal communities，with nitrogen supplementation further enhancing the diversity indices（Chao1 and Shannon indices increased by 7.30% and 61.96%，respectively）and microbial network complexity（598 nodes and 75 728 edges）. Additionally，nitrogen application significantly promoted the enrichment of beneficial functional bacteria in‘Hanfu’scion leaves，with Bacillus，Novosphingobium，and Sphingomonas increasing in relative abundance by 226.21%，59.35%，and 149.42%，respectively，compared to the nitrogen-deficient condition. In conclusion，nitrogen application significantly improved the photosynthetic performance and optimized the endophytic microbial community structure of apple scion leaves. Among the tested scions，‘Hanfu’exhibited the most pronounced advantages under nitrogen-sufficient conditions，characterized by superior photosynthetic efficiency and a more stable endophytic microbiome. The findings highlight that nitrogen not only enhances the photosynthetic traits of apple scions but also regulates endophytic microbial composition，thereby enhancing environmental adaptability and growth potential.

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• Impact of GA₃-CPPU Combined Fruit Retention Treatments on Berry Quality in Protected Cultivation of‘Wuhe Cuibao’Grape
• HAN Shou’an, WANG Min, XIE Hui, ZHU Xuehui, WANG Yanmeng, LIU Xupeng, ZHANG Wen
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3322-3334. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-1051
• Abstract ( 201 ) HTML ( 48 ) PDF (2332KB) ( 48 ) 　　　

• To advance cultivation techniques and facilitate regional adoption of‘Wuhe Cuibao’（Vitis vinifera L.），an elite early-maturing seedless grape cultivar in Xinjiang，investigated three plant growth regulator combinations（GA₃ + CPPU）applied two days post-anthesis under protected cultivation：T1（5 mg · L^-1 + 0.5 mg · L^-1），T2（10 mg · L^-1 + 0.5 mg · L^-1），and T3（15 mg · L^-1 + 0.5 mg · L^-1），with water-treated vines as the control. Systematic analysis demonstrated that all treatments significantly enhanced berry weight（23.33%，28.72%，and 32.05% increases over the control for T1-T3，respectively），cluster weight，and visual quality. While treatments maintained soluble solids content（TSS）> 19°Brix，they exhibited reduced TSS/titratable acidity ratios（19.24%，19.12%，and 22.50% decreases vs. the control）without detectable sensory impairment. Volatile profiling revealed：significant increases in most terpene-derived aroma compounds，elevated relative odor activity values（rOAV）of rose-type aromas（nerol，geraniol），and reduced damascenone rOAV. Sensory evaluation showed T1 and T2 significantly increased peel tannins without altering astringency scores，while all treatments reduced flesh texture refinement but improved appearance ratings. Comparative analysis identified T2（10 mg · L^-1 GA₃ + 0.5 mg · L^-1 CPPU）as optimal，achieving balanced berry enlargement，TSS preservation（> 19°Brix），enhanced rose-type aroma profile，and superior pedicel tensile strength combined with optimal fruit firmness. These results validate T2 as the standardized fruit retention protocol for protected cultivation of ‘Wuhe Cuibao’in Xinjiang.

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• Exploration on the Broad-Spectrum Disinfection Effect of Sodium Dichloroisocyanurate on Postharvest Pretreatment of Citrus
• CHEN Xingchen, ZOU Yunqian, JIANG Xiaoli, AI Zongkui, ZHANG Jiangwen, XU Rangwei, ZHU Feng, CHENG Yunjiang
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3335-3345. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-0854
• Abstract ( 192 ) HTML ( 28 ) PDF (2772KB) ( 28 ) 　　　

• ‘Valencia’oranges，‘Newhall’navel oranges，and‘Ponkan’mandarins were used as experimental materials and treated with sodium hypochlorite and sodium dichloroisocyanurate（DCCNa）by immersion. The fruit decay rate，weight loss rate，soluble solids content，and titratable acid content were measured. Changes in microbial populations on the fruit surface were recorded，and inoculation experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of different disinfectants against postharvest diseases. The results showed that DCCNa treatment significantly reduced the fruit decay rates by 8.70%，5.36%，and 7.67% in‘Valencia’oranges，‘Newhall’navel oranges，and‘Ponkan’mandarins，respectively，compared to the control. The microbial populations on the surface of‘Newhall’navel oranges and‘Ponkan’mandarins decreased by 68.09% and 52.49%，respectively. After inoculation，the lesion diameters of blue mold and sour rot were reduced by 17.47% and 11.36%，respectively. Treatments with different disinfectants had no significant effects on the soluble solids content or titratable acid content of the fruits. In summary，DCCNa can significantly reduce the postharvest decay rate of citrus fruits while maintaining their quality，inhibit the occurrence of postharvest diseases，demonstrating great potential as a broad-spectrum disinfectant for the postharvest pretreatment of citrus.

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Plant Protection

• Isolation and Identification of Pseudomonas koreensis ZF518 and Its Biocontrol Effect on Cucumber Leaf Spot
• DING Changzong, LI Lei, JIANG Zhenqun, SHEN Yuhe, GAO Suqin, DEJI Yangzong, SHI Yanxia, CHAI Ali, FAN Tengfei, SUN Xianhua, LI Baoju, XIE Xuewen
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3346-3362. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-0985
• Abstract ( 225 ) HTML ( 55 ) PDF (8429KB) ( 55 ) 　　　

• To obtain biocontrol Pseudomonas strains with high efficacy against cucumber Corynespora leaf spot，a total of 557 fluorescent strains were isolated from 56 cucumber rhizosphere soil samples collected across China. This was achieved through low-temperature enrichment and selective medium screening，with fluorescence detected under 365 nm UV light. Using the plate confrontation assay，strains antagonistic against Corynespora cassiicola were selected. Through in vivo pot experiments，one strain，designated ZF518，was identified as providing stable and effective control of cucumber Corynespora leaf spot，with an inhibition rate of 65.82% in vitro and a control efficacy of 57.08% in planta. Based on a polyphasic taxonomic approach including morphology，physiological-biochemical characteristics，and multi-gene phylogenetic analysis，strain ZF518 was identified as Pseudomonas koreensis. This strain exhibited direct inhibitory effects against various phytopathogenic fungi in vitro and was capable of producing siderophores. These findings indicate that P. koreensis ZF518 is a promising biocontrol resource for managing cucumber Corynespora leaf spot.

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New Technology and New Method

• Establishment of an Efficient Genetic Transformation System Mediated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens in Pinguicula cyclosecta
• YANG Jiali, ZENG Zhilin, ZHENG Zhe, RAO Yufei, HE Yanhong, NING Guogui
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3363-3372. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-1040
• Abstract ( 218 ) HTML ( 37 ) PDF (2331KB) ( 37 ) 　　　

• In this study，sterile leaves of Pinguicula cyclosecta as explants were employed and successfully established an Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system for P. cyclosecta by examining the factors affecting genetic transformation，such as kanamycin（Kan），cephalosporin（Cef），bacterial solution concentration and infection time，co-culture time and acetyl syringone（AS）. The results indicated that the optimal concentration of Kan was 50 mg · L^-1，and the optimal concentration of Cef was 200 mg · L^-1. With a bacterial solution optical density at OD₆₀₀ of 0.2，an infection duration of 15 minutes，a co-cultivation period of three days，and an AS concentration of 100 mg · L^-1，the highest positive bud rate for P. cyclosecta was achieved at 10.24%. A total of 16 individual transgenic plant lines were successfully obtained.

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• Establishment of TRV Virus-Induced Gene Silencing System in Forsythia suspensa
• LI Aoxuan, FAN Amei, DU Xiaorong, HE Longjiao, JIN Yaxin, LI Qi, WANG Defu, SONG Yun, QIAO Yonggang
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3373-3385. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-0972
• Abstract ( 234 ) HTML ( 50 ) PDF (3797KB) ( 50 ) 　　　

• In order to establish the gene function verification technology of Forsythia suspensa，by using Forsythia seedlings，fruits，and flower buds as materials，the virus-induced gene silencing system was constructed and optimized in the vegetative and reproductive organs of F. suspensa with FsPDS as the reporter gene，and the function of the key gene FsCYP90D1 was verified in the flower buds of F. suspensa. The results showed that the new grown leaves of the experimental group exhibited typical photobleaching phenotype and the expression of FsPDS gene decreased significantly. The FsPDS gene silencing system of F. suspensa seedlings was successfully constructed and the optimal infection solution formula of F. suspensa was：400 μmol · L^-1 AS + 10 mmol · L^-1 MgCl₂ + 10 mmol · L^-1 MES + 400 mg · L^-1 Cysteine + 5 mL · L^-1 Tween-20. The VIGS system of F. suspensa fruit was constructed and optimized from three aspects of fruit treatment，inoculation method and bacterial liquid concentration，which reduced the expression level of FsPDS gene in F. suspensa fruit. The FsCYP90D1 gene silencing study was conducted in the flower buds of F. suspensa，with the experimental group showing decreased expression levels of the FsCYP90D1 gene and shortened floral columns，verifying the involvement of the FsCYP90D1 gene in the elongation of the Forsythia floral column.

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Reviews

• Research Progress of Fruit Trichome Traits in Cucumber
• CHAI Xingwen, YAO Hongxin, HAO Ning, WANG Chunhua, DU Yalin, WU Tao, CAO Jiajian
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3386-3400. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-0939
• Abstract ( 274 ) HTML ( 108 ) PDF (1876KB) ( 108 ) 　　　

• Cucumber（Cucumis sativus L.）is a globally significant vegetable crop characterized by the presence of trichomes on various plant organs. On the fruit surface，these non-glandular trichomes，known as spines，along with protuberances called tubercules，collectively form warts，which significantly influence fruit epidermal appearance and commercial value. The density and size of warts influence consumer acceptance and shape cultivation and breeding decisions，postharvest processes，and responses to both biotic and abiotic stresses. Numerous genes regulating spine and tubercule development have been identified in cucumber，and their underlying molecular mechanisms have been investigated. This review synthesizes current research on the genetic control of cucumber wart development，describes the regulatory networks governing spine ontogeny，and discusses the role of cucumber trichomes in stress responses. This knowledge provides a foundation for developing improved cucumber varieties with enhanced commercial traits and stress resistance.

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• Research Progress on Leaf Variegation Chimeras of Ornamental Plants
• QI Xiaoqing, GAO Chengyue, LI Zhezhe, YANG Xiulian, WANG Lianggui, YUE Yuanzheng
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3401-3411. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-1060
• Abstract ( 223 ) HTML ( 100 ) PDF (2197KB) ( 100 ) 　　　

• The unique patchy or stripe-like phenotype of leaf variegation chimeras is of great value in ornamental plant breeding. Therefore，it is essential to study the molecular regulation mechanism of leaf variegation chimeras for the targeted improvement of ornamental plants with variegated leaves. This review summarizes the research progress on the classification，molecular regulatory mechanisms，and breeding methods of leaf variegation chimeras. It focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying their formation and the technical approaches for artificially inducing leaf variegation chimeras. Furthermore，the review also summarizes the unresolved scientific issues in this field. It is further indicated that critical gaps exist in our understanding of several core areas，namely plastid development，interlayer signaling，and survival mechanisms. A more profound elucidation of these processes is imperative to inform strategies for their stable induction and practical application.

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• Progress on the Formation Mechanism of Lagerstroemia indica Flower Color
• HUANG Jiake, HONG Sidan, XU Haihua, Gu Cuihua
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3412-3426. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-1021
• Abstract ( 224 ) HTML ( 72 ) PDF (2960KB) ( 72 ) 　　　

• The research progress on the mechanisms of flower color formation，flower color genesis，anthocyanin glycoside biosynthesis，and transcriptional regulation were analyzed and summarized in Lagerstroemia indica. The results showed that anthocyanin glycosides were the main color-presenting substances in plants. Their types，anabolic pathways，and other factors have an important impact on flower color formation. The preliminary analysis and functional identification of the components of anthocyanidin，and related structural genes and transcription factors in anthocyanin synthesis pathway of L. indica found that there is not a full understanding of the formation of flower color in L. indica. Therefore，there is a need to analyze the molecular mechanism and regulatory process of metabolism in L. indica，and then to analyze the reasons for the presentation of flower color in L. indica at the microscopic level，so as to provide a theoretical basis for new superior color cultivars.

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New Cultivar

• A New Melastoma Cultivar‘Jiyue’
• LI Bingmin, TAN Guangwen, LIU Xiaozhou, LI Yin, XIE Tengfang, WANG Zihang, ZHOU Renchao
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3427-3428. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-0493
• Abstract ( 206 ) HTML ( 52 ) PDF (1176KB) ( 52 ) 　　　

• A new Melastoma cultivar‘Jiyue’has been selected from the artificial F₁ hybrids between Melastoma dodecandrum（♀）× M. malabathricum（♂）.‘Jiyue’is a semi-creeping evergreen shrub with its height less than 50 cm. It has pliant and creeping branches，and green and glossy leaves. Its leaves turn reddish in the autumn and winter. Its flowering period lasts from May to July with abundant beautiful flowers. However，it seldom sets fruits. It has high ornamental value and prefers warm and humid climates，so that it can be widely cultivated in South China and other tropical regions.

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• A New Camellia Cultivar‘Jinfei 1’
• HUANG Zhanwen, YAN Haixia, TAO Dayan, GUAN Shikai, ZHOU Jinye, LU Jiashi
• Acta Horticulturae Sinica. 2025, 52(12): 3429-3430. DOI:10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2024-0465
• Abstract ( 174 ) HTML ( 53 ) PDF (957KB) ( 53 ) 　　　

• The Camellia nitidissima‘Jinfei 1’is a new cultivar selected from the seedlings of C. nitidissima Chi in Fangcheng，Guangxi. This cultivar features yellow petals and semi-double flower type. Its leaves are dark green with fishtail-shaped tips. The corolla diameter ranges from 5.2 to 6.5 cm，and the flowering type is semi-double. The flowering period lasts from late January to late March. This cultivar is suitable for cultivation in areas such as Nanning and Fangcheng，Guangxi and possesses high ornamental value.

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