Wild edible plants hold a significant position in the lives of local residents, serving as a primary food source or supplement. Laifeng County, located in the hinterland of the central mountainous area of China, boasts abundant wild edible plant resources. The Tujia people, residing here for generations, have accumulated a wealth of traditional knowledge in the long-term practice of utilizing wild edible plants. The aim of this study is to document and organize the traditional utilization of wild edible plants by the Tujia ethnic group in Laifeng. An ethnobotanical investigation, comprising semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews, and participatory observations, was conducted in 26 traditional villages in Laifeng County from May 2023 to June 2024. A total of 252 informants were interviewed, from whom information about wild edible plants, including edible parts, food categories, consumption modes, and multiple uses was collected. The relative frequency of citation (RFC) and the cultural food significance index (CFSI) were calculated to identify the cultural importance of wild edible plants. A total of 163 species of wild edible plants consumed by the Tujia people in Laifeng, belonging to 64 families and 118 genera and related traditional knowledge were collected, including vegetables (78), fruits (52), wine-soaking plants (12), spices (11), food substitutes (9), tea substitutes (6), nuts (5), coagulants (2), and oil (1). The most frequently used families were Rosaceae, Asteraceae, and Poaceae, with 23, 10, and 10 species, respectively. The most commonly utilized plant parts were fruits, leaves, and stems. RFC and CFSI analyses identified 14 species of wild edible plants with high cultural importance in the local diet, such as Allium macrostemon, Houttuynia cordata, and Hovenia acerba. The Tujia ethnic group in Laifeng demonstrates extensive knowledge in their traditional usage of wild edible plants, offering unique and robust insights into the harvesting, processing, and consumption of these resources. Over time, this practice has become an integral part of the local food culture. These findings contribute to the preservation of the Tujia culture of wild edible plants in Laifeng and the conservation and development of wild edible plant resources.

Low temperature is a major environmental factor that limits the growth, yield, and geographical distribution of Cavendish and Dajiao bananas (Musa spp.). Dajiao bananas exhibit a significantly higher cold tolerance than the Cavendish cultivar. However, the underlying mechanisms involved in cold tolerance regulation in Dajiao plants have not been determined. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the differences in cold tolerance at the cellular level between the cold-sensitive Cavendish and cold-tolerant Dajiao banana types through comparative metabolomics and transcriptomics analyses in calli exposed to cold treatment under dark conditions. A higher accumulation of lipids was observed in Dajiao calli cells compared to Cavendish cells under cold stress. After cold treatment, 4,626 and 5,516 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in Cavendish and Dajiao banana cells, respectively. By integrating the transcriptomic and metabolomic datasets, we discovered that the linoleic acid and α-linoleic acid metabolism and the Abscisic acid (ABA)-independent Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade-Inducer of CBF expression 1 (ICE1) signal transduction pathway (including Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 1 [MEKK1], MAPK5, ICE1, and Cold-regulated 47 [COR47]) played crucial roles in the cold tolerance of Dajiao bananas. Our study provides new insights into cold response regulation and novel cold tolerance mechanisms, providing valuable leads and targets for the genetic improvement of cold tolerance in bananas.

Spontaneous herbaceous plants (SHPs) play an essential role in urban biodiversity. Research on the diversity of SHPs has profound implications for the conservation of urban biodiversity and green space management in the process of urbanization. We investigated the habitat, life form, and growth form of SHPs by combining samples and inspections in Jingzhou, in central southern China. Additionally, we chose three typical regions—Ji’nan, Gucheng, and Shashi—for the examination and comparison of biodiversity. The results showed that diverse habitats provided abundant living space for SHPs of different growth forms and life forms in Jingzhou. Water edges with higher humidity do not significantly support more SHP growth forms and life forms, except for pseudo-rosette, partial-rosette, and perennial plants. In addition, both wasteland and road gaps and slopes support significantly more SHP growth forms, including erect, tussock, and others. Wasteland supported the vast majority of species, both growth forms and life forms. In the diverse habitats, there are 352 plant species belonging to 70 families and 236 genera in Jingzhou (Ji’nan 184 species, Gucheng 157 species, and Shashi 127 species). Plant species diversity differed according to the level of management. The Ji’nan region had a large number of SHP species because of the less disruptive and milder management implemented in this region. SHPs show good performance and can provide wild landscape effects; therefore, they have the potential to be used in many urban landscaping applications. In the process of urbanization expansion, we should implement the concept of protection and coordinated development in new construction areas. Our study has important implications for the support of SHPs in urban areas.

Background: A homegarden is a conventional small-scale agricultural ecosystem dominated predominantly by humans. Homegarden plants, which are plants with specific functionalities that are either cultivated or consciously preserved within the homegarden, are the most critical elements of the homegarden and are capable of providing a multitude of products and services. Recognized as one of China’s biodiversity hotspots, the Wuling mountain area has long been inhabited by multiple ethnic groups, each of which has accumulated a wealth of traditional knowledge. This study focuses on the Tujia ethnic communities in Laifeng County, situated in the hinterland of the Wuling mountain area, with the primary objective of collecting, documenting, and organizing local homegarden plants, their functions, and the associated traditional knowledge, and exploring the factors influencing their composition and diversity. Methods: From May 2023 to August 2024, field surveys were conducted in Laifeng County, Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hubei Province, China. Semi-structured interviews and participatory observation were used to gather information on homegarden plants with informed consent. To analyze and evaluate homegarden plants, we employed the relative frequency of citation (RFC) and Jaccard index (J) for quantitative analysis. Additionally, the factors influencing the composition of homegarden plants were investigated using redundancy analysis (RDA). Results: This study documented a total of 414 species of homegarden plants from 114 families. These plants are primarily sourced from market purchases (158), spontaneous species (107), wild introductions (103), neighborhood sharing (59), and self-preservation (36). Homegarden plants serve multiple functions, including ornamental (201), medicinal (189), edible (165), traded (95), timber (34), forage (28), and other functions (11). There are 24 homegarden plants with an RFC greater than 0.5, indicating their high importance, including Allium fistulosum, Raphanus sativus, and Brassica rapa var. chinensis. The Jaccard index results suggest the highest degree of similarity between the homegarden plants in Geleche Town and Dahe Town. The RDA results established that knowledge of herbal medicine and homegarden area are two significant factors impacting the composition and diversity of homegarden plants, with the average age of the household resident population also exerting an influence. Conclusions: This study reveals the composition, source diversity, and functional diversity of homegarden plants within the Laifeng Tujia ethnic community, along with the influencing factors. These homegarden plants play an integral role in sustaining the balance of the homegarden ecosystem and supporting the daily lives of local residents. The management of homegarden plants by the Laifeng Tujia ethnic community carries traditional agricultural knowledge and wisdom. Emphasis should be placed on bolstering the understanding, protection, and transmission of traditional knowledge and culture related to homegardens, which play a vital role in safeguarding local agricultural biodiversity and fostering sustainable development.

Location of the proteases would affect on protease stability and photorespiratory bypass pathway, while it is unsolved. Potato rbcS signal peptide was analyzed and constructed into the protease for study of their localization site. The tartronate semialdehyde reductase (EcTSR) proteins could be accurately and efficiently located in chloroplast only when this signal peptide was extended to 80 amino acids. The signal peptide would help malate synthase (CmMS) locate to the surface of chloroplast, to form granules on the outer membrane of chloroplast. The whole spectrum scanning showed that these proteins could enter chloroplast. A signal peptide named PCS1 (Peptide of self-cleavage site 1) carrying a self-cleavage site was designed, and sixteen amino acids from the blue pigment precursor protein of chloroplast positioning signal of Silene pratensis were added to the C-terminal of PCS1. Transient expression, Western blot analysis and full-spectrum scanning showed that PCS1 could locate the EcTSR to the chloroplast, after the removal of the signal peptide.