Many survival and ecological problems have emerged in Pinus yunnanensis pure pine forest plantations that are usually assumed to be solved by creating mixed plantations. On this basis, we determined the physicochemical properties and enzyme activities of three soil layers in pure and three types of mixed P. yunnanensis plantation stands (admixed species: Alnus nepalensis, Celtis tetrandra, and Quercus acutissima) in Southwest China. We used one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s test to analyze the effects of plantation type and depth on the soil’s properties and variations among different depths. Principal component analysis combined with cluster analysis was used to evaluate the soil quality of different forest types comprehensively. The results showed that the stand with a mixing proportion of 2:1 of P. yunnanensis and A. nepalensis, C. tetrandra, and Q. acutissima had higher total porosity, moisture content, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, total phosphorus, sucrase, urease, and catalase enzyme activities than other proportions of mixed forest and P. yunnanensis pine pure forest. In general, the mixed P. yunnanensis plantation could improve the soil quality, especially its chemical properties and enzymes. This study provides a basis for creating a mixed-mode of P. yunnanensis and other tree species that can not only improve the economy of forest land but also enhance the ecological value.

Mikania micrantha is a highly invasive vine, and its ability to sexually reproduce is a major obstacle to its eradication. The long-distance dissemination of M. micrantha depends on the distribution of seeds; therefore, inhibiting M. micrantha flowering and seed production is an effective control strategy. The number of blooms of M. micrantha differs at different altitudes (200, 900, and 1300 m). In this study, we used a combination of metabolomics and transcriptomics methods to study the patterns of metabolite accumulation in the flower buds of M. micrantha. Using LC-MS/MS, 658 metabolites were found in the flower buds of M. micrantha at three different altitudes (200, 900, and 1300 m). Flavonoids and phenolic acids were found to be the main differential metabolites, and their concentrations were lower at 900 m than at 200 m and 1300 m, with the concentrations of benzoic acid, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid being the lowest. The biosynthesis pathways for flavonoids and phenolic compounds were significantly enriched for differentially expressed genes (DEGs), according to the results of transcriptome analysis. The production of flavonoid and phenolic acids was strongly linked with the expressions of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase (COMT), and 4-coumarate-CoA ligase (4CL), according to the results of the combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis. These genes’ roles in the regulation of distinct phenolic acids and flavonoids during M. micrantha bud differentiation are still unknown. This study adds to our understanding of how phenolic acids and flavonoids are regulated in M. micrantha flower buds at various altitudes and identifies regulatory networks that may be involved in this phenomenon, offering a new approach for the prevention and management of M. micrantha.

WRKY transcription factors (TFs) regulate plant responses to environmental stimuli and development, including flowering. Despite extensive research on different species, their role in the invasive plant Mikania micrantha remains to be explored. The aim of this study was to identify and analyze WRKY genes in M. micrantha to understand their function in flowering and adaptation mechanisms. By analysing the whole genome of M. micrantha, a total of 77 M. micrantha WRKY (MmWRKY) genes were identified. Based on phylogenetic relationships, sequence alignment, and structural domain diversity, the MmWRKY gene family was preliminarily classified into three major groups and five subgroups: Group I, Group II (II-a, II-b, II-c, II-d, II-e), and Group III. Expression profiles showed tissue-specific expression patterns, with many WRKY genes highly expressed in flowers, indicating potential roles in floral development. Real-time quantitative PCR confirmed that the selected 11 genes were highly expressed in floral tissues, supporting their functional significance in flowering. In this study, 77 WRKY genes were identified in M micrantha, and their phylogenetic relationships, structural domains, and expression patterns across various tissues and organs were comprehensively analyzed. This work provides a foundation for future functional characterization of WRKY genes in M. micrantha, which may contribute to the development of more effective strategies to control its rapid spread.

Coeloides qinlingensis Dang et Yang, 1989 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a biocontrol agent of several scolytid pine pests in Southwest China. We examined the fine morphology of the antennae of adult C. qinlingensis, as well as the type, shape, and distribution of antennal sensilla, via scanning electron microscopy. The antennae of female and male C. qinlingensis are filiform and comprise a scape, pedicel, and 31–36 flagellomeres. We detected sexual dimorphism in antennal flagellar length but not in the length of other subsegments. A total of nine morphological types of antennal sensilla varying in cuticular pore structure are present in both sexes, including nonporous types (sensilla trichodea, sensilla chaetica (2 subtypes), and sensilla coeloconica); apical pore types (sensilla basiconica and sensilla auricillica); and multiporous types (dome-shaped sensilla and sensilla placodea (2 subtypes)). Dome-shaped sensilla and sensilla auricillica are reported for the first time for C. qinlingensis, and their shape differs from that of sensilla in other parasitic wasps. The functional morphology of the sensilla of C. qinlingensis was compared with that of the sensilla of other parasitic wasps, including those that parasitize concealed insects. This information provides a foundation for further research on the chemical communication and behavior of C. qinlingensis.

Background: Mikania micrantha is a vine with strong invasion ability, and its strong sexual reproduction ability is not only the main factor of harm, but also a serious obstacle to control. M. micrantha spreads mainly through seed production. Therefore, inhibiting the flowering and seed production of M. micrantha is an effective strategy to prevent from continuing to spread. Result: The flowering number of M. micrantha is different at different altitudes. A total of 67.01 Gb of clean data were obtained from nine cDNA libraries, and more than 83.47% of the clean reads were mapped to the reference genome. In total, 5878 and 7686 significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were found in E2 vs. E9 and E13 vs. E9, respectively. Based on the background annotation and gene expression, some candidate genes related to the flowering pathway were initially screened, and their expression levels in the three different altitudes in flower bud differentiation showed the same trend. That is, at an altitude of 1300 m, the flower integration gene and flower meristem gene were downregulated (such as SOC1 and AP1), and the flowering inhibition gene was upregulated (such as FRI and SVP). Additionally, the results showed that there were many DEGs involved in the hormone signal transduction pathway in the flower bud differentiation of M. micrantha at different altitudes. Conclusions: Our results provide abundant sequence resources for clarifying the underlying mechanisms of flower bud differentiation and mining the key factors inhibiting the flowering and seed production of M. micrantha to provide technical support for the discovery of an efficient control method.

The identification of odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) involved in host location by Oides leucomelaena (O. leucomelaena Weise, 1922, Coleoptera, Galerucinae) is significant for its biological control. Tools in the NCBI database were used to compare and analyze the transcriptome sequences of O. leucomelaena with OBP and other chemosensory-related proteins of other Coleoptera insects. Subsequently, MEGA7 was utilized for OBP sequence alignment and the construction of a phylogenetic tree, combined with expression profiling to screen for candidate antennae-specific OBPs. In addition, fumigation experiments with star anise volatiles were conducted to assess the antennae specificity of the candidate OBPs. Finally, molecular docking was employed to speculate on the binding potential of antennae-specific OBPs with star anise volatiles. The study identified 42 candidate OBPs, 8 chemosensory proteins and 27 receptors. OleuOBP3, OleuOBP5, and OleuOBP6 were identified as classic OBP family members specific to the antennae, which was confirmed by volatile fumigation experiments. Molecular docking ultimately clarified that OleuOBP3, OleuOBP5, and OleuOBP6 all exhibit a high affinity for β-caryophyllene among the star anise volatiles. We successfully obtained three antennae-specific OBPs from O. leucomelaena and determined their high-affinity volatiles, providing a theoretical basis for the development of attractants in subsequent stages.