This study aimed to analyze the effects of salt stress on the growth physiology and plant-cell ultrastructure of Isatis indigotica Fort. (I. indigotica) to evaluate its adaptability under salt stress. The effects of different concentrations of salt (NaCl; 0, 25, and 300 mmol·L⁻¹) on the agronomic traits, activities of related enzymes, ion balance, and mesophyll-cell ultrastructure of I. indigotica were studied in a controlled pot experiment. Results showed that compared with those of the control group, the aerial-part fresh weight, underground fresh weight, tiller number, root length, root diameter, plant height, and leaf area of salt-stressed I. indigotica increased at 25 mmol·L⁻¹ and then decreased at 300 mmol·L⁻¹. The changes in levels of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, and catalase showed a similar trend, with significant differences compared with control group. Salt stress altered the ion balance of I. indigotica, resulting in a significant increase in Na⁺ content and a significant decrease in K⁺ content. The contents of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ changed to varying degrees. The analysis of the microstructure of the root showed that under salt treatment, the epidermal cells of the root significantly thickened and the diameter of the xylem decreased. The results of ultrastructural analysis of mesophylls showed that salt stress can cause cell-membrane contraction, cell-gap enlargement, disorder in the structures of chloroplasts and mitochondria, and an increase in the number of osmiophilic particles. These changes were aggravated by the increase in NaCl concentration. This study reveals the response of I. indigotica to salt stress and provides a basis for further study on the salt-tolerance mechanism of I. indigotica.

The Lichen moth, Lyclene dharma dharma (Arctiidae, Lithosiinae), plays a significant role in forest ecosystem dynamics. A concise and novel method to synthesize the active sex pheromone components, (S)-14-methyloctadecan-2-one ((S)-1), (S)-6-methyloctadecan-2-one ((S)-2), and their enantiomers has been developed. Key steps in the synthesis include the use of Evans’ chiral auxiliaries, Grignard cross-coupling reactions, hydroboration–oxidation, and Wacker oxidation. The synthesized sex pheromone components hold potential value for studies on communication mechanisms, species identification, and ecological management.

The western hemlock looper, Lambdina fiscellaria lugubrosa (Hulst) is a destructive defoliator of coniferous forests and a major cause of economic losses in forestry. A novel and efficient stereoselective synthesis of the sex pheromone of the western hemlock looper (1, 2 and 3) has been successfully achieved. The synthetic strategy integrates several key transformations, including Evans’ chiral auxiliaries, Grignard cross-coupling, hydroboration–oxidation, sulfone alkylation, and hydrogenation, providing an efficient and scalable approach for sex pheromone production. The three synthesized pheromone components were subsequently tested for their ability to attract Semiothisa cinerearia (Bremer & Grey) using both Y-tube and cage bioassays. Notably, compound 1 exhibited a cross-species attractive effect on S. cinerearia, a species that had not previously been documented to respond to the pheromone of L. fiscellaria lugubrosa. This discovery underscores the potential for cross-species attraction, broadens our understanding of pheromone specificity, and emphasizes the value of stereoselectively synthesized pheromones as molecular tools for cross-species pest monitoring and integrated pest management.

A concise synthesis of the sex pheromones of elm spanworm as well as painted apple moth has been achieved. The key steps were the alkylation of acetylide ion, Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation and Brown’s P2-Ni reduction. This approach provided the sex pheromone of the elm spanworm (1) in 31% total yield and those of the painted apple moth (2, 3) in 26% and 32% total yields. The ee values of three final products were up to 99%. The synthesized pheromones hold promising potential for use in the management and control of these pests.