The genome sequences of Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV) isolates from three accessions of hawthorns (Crataegus pinnatifida) grown at Shenyang Agricultural University were determined using Illumina RNA-seq. To confirm the assembly data from the de novo sequencing, two ACLSV genomic sequences (SY01 and SY02) were sequenced using the Sanger method. The SY01 and SY02 sequences obtained with the Sanger method showed 99.5% and 99.7% nucleotide identity with the transcriptome data, respectively. The genome sequences of the hawthorn isolates SY01, SY02 and SY03 (GenBank accession nos. KM207212, KU870524 and KU870525, respectively) consisted of 7,543, 7,561 and 7,545 nucleotides, respectively, excluding poly-adenylated tails. Sequence analysis revealed that these hawthorn isolates shared an overall nucleotide identity of 82.8–92.1% and showed the highest identity of 90.3% for isolate YH (GenBank accession no. KC935955) from pear and the lowest identity of 67.7% for isolate TaTao5 (GenBank accession no. EU223295) from peach. Hawthorn isolate sequences were similar to those of ‘B6 type’ ACLSV. The relationship between ACLSV isolates largely depends upon the host species. This represents the first comparative study of the genome sequences of ACLSV isolates from hawthorns.

Alternaria alternata (A. alternata) is a common pathogen that greatly influences apples’ quantity and quality. However, chemical treatments produce increased health risks along with decreased food and environmental safety. Advancements in plant molecular biology, such as transgenic technology, have increased apple trees’ resistance to pathogens and have therefore attracted widespread attention. WRKY transcription factors are involved in abiotic and biotic stress regulation; however, their biological role in non-model plants such as apple, is still unknown. In this investigation, MdWRKY120 was isolated from the ‘GL-3′ apple to determine its function during Alternaria alternate infection. The MdWRKY120-GFP fusion protein was located in the nucleus. MdWRKY120 in yeast cells exhibited activating transcriptional activity, meaning it is a transcription activator. MdWRKY120 overexpression transgenic plants were more sensitive to A. alternata, while RNAi transgenic plants showed increased resistance to A. alternata. This investigation demonstrates that MdWRKY120 enhances the susceptibility of apples to A. alternata.

With-no-lysine kinase (WNK) is a unique serine/threonine kinase family member. WNK differs from other protein kinases by not having a standard lysine in subdomain II of the universally preserved kinase catalytic region. Conversely, the amino acid lysine located in subdomain I plays a crucial role in its phosphorylation. The WNK family has been reported to regulate Arabidopsis flowering, circadian rhythm, and abiotic stress. Eighteen members of the WNK gene family were discovered in apples in this research, and they were primarily grouped into five categories on the phylogenetic tree. Conserved domains and motifs also confirmed their identity as members of the WNK family. Promoter cis-acting element analysis indicated their potential role in responses to both abiotic stress and phytohormones. Furthermore, qRT-PCR analysis showed that the expression of MdWNK family genes was stimulated to different extents by Colletotrichum siamense, NaCl, mannitol, ABA, JA, and SA, with Colletotrichum siamense being the most prominent stimulant. MdWNK family genes were expressed across all apple tissues, with young fruits showing the greatest expression and roots showing the least expression. The research offered detailed insights into the MdWNK gene family, serving as a crucial basis for investigating the biological roles of MdWNK genes.

Long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in regulating plant growth and development, and stress response. However, their roles in Botrytis cinerea resistance remain poorly characterized. As a devastating necrotrophic fungus, gray mold is one of the most serious diseases that affects crop production worldwide. In this study, through screening of B. cinerea resistance in 18 strawberry germplasms, we identified Fragaria nilgerrensis as a resistant species and Fragaria nubicola as a susceptible one. We conducted lncRNA‐seq on resistant and susceptible strawberries at 4 d after B. cinerea inoculation and untreated controls. lincRNA6679 and its target gene FnWRKY14 were identified in F. nilgerrensis . Coding potential assessment and RNA pull‐down experiments revealed that lincRNA6679 is a long non‐coding RNA that positively regulates FnWRKY14 expression by forming molecular complexes with FnWRKY50 or FnMYB59. Genetic transformation demonstrated that both lincRNA6679 and FnWRKY14 enhance resistance to B. cinerea in strawberries. Moreover, FnWRKY14 is bound to the FnPR1B promoter, activating its expression. FnWRKY14 was phosphorylated and activated by FnMAPK3 or FnMAPK6, further upregulating the expression of FnPR1B and enhancing disease resistance. This study revealed how long non‐coding RNAs regulate strawberry resistance to B. cinerea , broadening the scope of research on strawberry resistance mechanisms and providing new strategies for molecular breeding.

Apple is an important economic species, but it suffers from biotic stress during its growth and development. Fungi and pests are two types of biotic stress that have significant destructive effects on apple. Members of the leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase (LRR-RLK) family play a key role in regulating plant responses to biotic stress. In this study, overexpressing MdLRR-RLK1 enhanced apple resistance to Colletotrichum fructicola and aphids by promoting the expression of resistance genes such as WRKYs, PRs and JA-pathway genes, as well as increasing the content of antioxidant enzymes and secondary metabolites. Additionally, MdLRR-RLK1 could interact with MdGRP1-LIKE in vivo and in vitro, and MdLRR-RLK1 could phosphorylate MdGRP1-LIKE in vitro. Overexpressing MdGRP1-LIKE enhanced apple resistance to C. fructicola by increasing the expression of resistance genes such as WRKYs and PRs and the content of antioxidant enzymes. However, overexpressing MdGRP1-LIKE did not enhance the apple resistance to aphids. These findings reveal the mechanism by which the MdLRR-RLK1–MdGRP1-LIKE module regulates apple resistance to C. fructicola stress.