Introduction: Waxy sorghum is widely utilized in the production of commercial brewing products in China. However, the variations in metabolic profile across its whole life cycle have not been characterized, though several studies have been conducted in certain tissues. This study aims to systematically map the dynamic metabolic landscape and identify the key regulatory nodes across the complete developmental trajectory of a representative waxy sorghum landrace. Methods: This study systematically analyzed the accumulation patterns of metabolites across different developmental stages of ‘Hongyingzi’, a waxy sorghum landrace. Samples of fifteen tissues were collected at eight key developmental stages. Results and discussion: Broad metabolomics identified 1,324 metabolites belonging to 12 distinct classes. Tissue-specific metabolic profiling revealed that stems and grains at early developmental stages had high accumulation of phytohormones, whereas the roots contained abundant allelopathicals. Additionally, spikelets and mature grains were enriched with antibacterial alkaloids and a putative nove class of immunostimulatory nucleoside bases, implying that these metabolites are involved in biotic and abiotic stress responses. Integrative analysis of the metabolomic and transcriptomic data resulted in the construction of a metabolic regulation network, which was used to identify the key regulatory genes. For instance, a C-glycosyltransferase gene ( CGT ) associated with high flavonoid accumulation and its co-expressed MYB transcription factor were identified in leaves, while a phospholipase D gene ( PLD ) and an MYB transcription factor related to lipid metabolism were detected in roots. The results provide a systematic profile of the dynamic metabolic changes and tissue-specific regulatory mechanisms throughout the life cycle of waxy sorghum, providing valuable resources and insights for understanding the metabolic basis of its key agronomic traits. The network identified can serve as a foundation for future organ-specific chemical defense studies and targeted crop improvement.

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.), a crucial global legume crop for food security, faces significant challenges in yield and quality due to NaCl stress, which

The unique flavor of Chinese Jiang-flavor Baijiu is hypothesized to be influenced by the regional environment. However, the specific contributions of soil microbiomes and metabolomes remain poorly characterized. This study systematically analyzed soil phenotypes, microbiomes, and metabolomes at five sampling sites near the Moutai production area across spring and autumn. Using high-throughput sequencing, untargeted metabolomics, and multi-omics integration, we explored the impacts of geographical location and seasonal changes. Results revealed significant differences in soil microbial biomass, dominant taxa, and differential metabolites among sites. Region-specific marker microorganisms and metabolic pathways were identified. Seasonal variations, particularly in Region A, strongly affected metabolite profiles. Multi-omics correlation analysis revealed that Ascomycota abundance was positively associated with flavor precursor metabolites including phenylpropanoids, organosulfur compounds, and nucleosides, which are known precursors of aromatic compounds found in Baijiu. This study characterizes the distinct ecological profiles of soils in the core production area, providing a foundational dataset for understanding the regional environmental context of Jiang-flavor Baijiu. These findings offer insights for protecting the regional ecological integrity associated with production areas.

Background: The genus Anomala is exceptionally species-rich and includes many species recognized as major agricultural and forest pests. Nevertheless, the taxonomic status of certain species remains contentious, and the phylogenetic relationships within the genus are still poorly resolved and in need of further investigation. Objectives: To better elucidate the evolutionary relationships among these insects, we assembled the complete mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of four Anomala species—A. aulax, Anomala sp., A. vitalisi, and A. xantholoma. Multiple molecular datasets were integrated to reconstruct the phylogenetic framework of Scarabaeidae. Methods: Wild adult specimens of four Anomala species were collected. After total DNA extraction, complete mitogenomes were assembled and annotated for comparative analysis of core genomic traits. Multiple datasets were applied to construct phylogenetic trees via maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference, so as to evaluate the evolutionary characteristics of each taxon. Results: Our analyses reveal that the mitogenomes of Anomala species exhibit a conserved architecture, characterized by similarities in genome size, AT nucleotide bias, and gene order, suggesting a high degree of evolutionary stability within the genus. The resulting phylogenetic trees robustly support the monophyly of the following families: Passalidae, Lucanidae, Geotrupidae, Trogidae, Hybosoridae, and Glaphyridae. Additionally, the phylogenetic findings revealed the paraphyly of both Scarabaeidae and Anomala, and further suggested that Melolonthinae is likely a paraphyletic group. Conclusions: This study enriches the currently available mitogenomic data and provides a preliminary foundation for understanding the phylogeny, resource conservation, and genetic diversity of Anomala.