Plants tolerate cold stress by regulating gene networks controlling cellular and physiological traits to modify growth and development. Transcription factor (TF)-directed regulation of transcription within these gene networks is key to eliciting appropriate responses. Identifying TFs related to cold tolerance contributes to cold-tolerant crop breeding. In this study, a comparative transcriptome analysis was carried out to investigate global gene expression of entire TFs in two peanut varieties with different cold-tolerant abilities. A total of 87 TF families including 2328 TF genes were identified. Among them, 445 TF genes were significantly differentially expressed in two peanut varieties under cold stress. The TF families represented by the largest numbers of differentially expressed members were bHLH (basic helix—loop—helix protein), C2H2 (Cys2/His2 zinc finger protein), ERF (ethylene-responsive factor), MYB (v-myb avian myeloblastosis viral oncogene homolog), NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2, CUC2) and WRKY TFs. Phylogenetic evolutionary analysis, temporal expression profiling, protein–protein interaction (PPI) network, and functional enrichment of differentially expressed TFs revealed the importance of plant hormone signal transduction and plant-pathogen interaction pathways and their possible mechanism in peanut cold tolerance. This study contributes to a better understanding of the complex mechanism of TFs in response to cold stress in peanut and provides valuable resources for the investigation of evolutionary history and biological functions of peanut TFs genes involved in cold tolerance.

The global expansion of rapeseed seed quality has been focused on maintaining glucosinolate (GSL) and erucic acid (EA) contents. However, the influence of seed GSL and EA contents on the germination process under drought stress remains poorly understood. Herein, 114 rapeseed accessions were divided into four groups based on GSL and EA contents to investigate their performance during seed imbibition under drought stress. Our results revealed significant variations in seed germination-related traits, particularly with higher GSL and EA, which exhibited higher germination % (G%) and lower mean germination time (MGT) under drought stress conditions. Moreover, osmoregulation, enzymatic system and hormonal regulation were improved in high GSL and high EA (HGHE) versus low GSL and low EA (LGLE) seeds, indicating the essential protective role of GSL and EA during the germination process in response to drought stress. The transcriptional regulation mechanism for coordinating GSL–EA-related pathways in response to drought stress during seed imbibition was found to involve the differential expression of sugar metabolism-, antioxidant-, and hormone-related genes with higher enrichment in HGHE compared to LGLE seeds. GO enrichment analysis showed higher variations in transcription regulator activity and DNA-binding transcription factors, as well as ATP and microtubule motor activity in GSL–EA-related pathways. Furthermore, KEGG analysis identified cellular processes, environmental information processing, and metabolism categories, with varied gene participation between GSL, EA and GSL–EA-related pathways. For further clarification, QY7 (LGLE) seeds were primed with different concentrations of GSL and EA under drought stress conditions. The results showed that 200 μmol/L of GSL and 400 μmol/L of EA significantly improved G%, MGT, and seedling fresh weight, besides regulating stress and fatty acid responsive genes during the seed germination process under drought stress conditions. Conclusively, exogenous application of GSL and EA is considered a promising method for enhancing the drought tolerance of LGLE seeds. Furthermore, the current investigation could provide a theoretical basis of GSL and EA roles and their underlying mechanisms in stress tolerance during the germination process.

Phosphatidyl ethanolamine-binding proteins (PEBPs) are involved in regulating flowering time and various developmental processes. Functions and expression patterns in cultivated peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) remain unknown. In this study, 33 PEBP genes in cultivated peanuts were identified and divided into four subgroups: FT, TFL, MFT and FT-like. Gene structure analysis showed that orthologs from A and B genomes in cultivated peanuts had highly similar structures, but some orthologous genes have subgenomic dominance. Gene collinearity and phylogenetic analysis explain that some PEBP genes play key roles in evolution. Cis-element analysis revealed that PEBP genes are mainly regulated by hormones, light signals and stress-related pathways. Multiple PEPB genes had different expression patterns between early and late-flowering genotypes. Further detection of its response to temperature and photoperiod revealed that PEBPs ArahyM2THPA, ArahyEM6VH3, Arahy4GAQ4U, ArahyIZ8FG5, ArahyG6F3P2, ArahyLUT2QN, ArahyDYRS20 and ArahyBBG51B were the key genes controlling the flowering response to different flowering time genotypes, photoperiods and temperature. This study laid the foundation for the functional study of the PEBP gene in cultivated peanuts and the adaptation of peanuts to different environments.

Microbes in the rhizosphere make significant contributions to nutrient cycling and plant health maintenance. Tobacco is an important commercial crop, and the methods used for seedling cultivation significantly influence the rhizosphere soil microenvironment. Compared to conventional seedling practices, the use of agricultural waste—such as sunflower straw—to fabricate biodegradable nursery containers represents an environmentally friendly alternative technology. This approach may exert specific potential effects on the structure and function of microbial communities in the tobacco rhizosphere. In this study, Yunyan-301 was used as the test material, and field experiments were carried out at two test sites (BT and HCZ). Each site included two treatments: conventional seedling cultivation (CK) and sunflower straw-based natural bowl seedling cultivation (T). While tobacco was harvested, a rhizosphere soil sample of tobacco was collected for microbial analysis. The results showed that sunflower straw-based natural bowl seedling cultivation led to a less diverse but functionally specialized microbial community. The specific alterations in the abundance of core taxa (e.g., Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Sphingomonas, Pseudoduganella, Luteitalea) suggest a potential ecological advantage, where the enriched community may be more efficient in utilizing sunflower straw-derived compounds and providing host-beneficial functions. Predictions of microbial community functions revealed that sunflower straw-based natural bowl seedling cultivation significantly enhanced the capacity of carbon fixation and oxidative phosphorylation, effectively improving the metabolic activity and carbon cycling ability of tobacco rhizosphere microbes. In summary, sunflower straw-based natural bowl seedling cultivation effectively alter the microenvironment of tobacco rhizosphere soil, thereby enriching functional microbial taxa and related metabolic pathways that were beneficial to soil health and tobacco growth. However, its effect was modulated by the environmental background of the test sites. In future research and actual production, further optimization of the sunflower straw-based natural bowl seedling cultivation should be conducted, and attempts should be made to assist in green and sustainable tobacco cultivation from the perspective of microbial community management.