Callicarpa americana L. is a member of the Lamiaceae family with important ornamental and medicinal value. Although the chloroplast genome of Lamiaceae has been extensively studied, its mitochondrial genome remains unreported, limiting a comprehensive understanding of the phylogeny and genome evolution of Lamiaceae. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome of C. americana was successfully assembled for the first time. The genome is 499,565 bp in length, showing a complex multi-branched closed-loop structure that contains 37 protein-coding genes, 23 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. The difference in mitochondrial genome size is relatively large compared to Orobanchaceae species, but the difference in GC content is not obvious. The expansion of genome size was mainly due to the accumulation of non-coding regions and repetitive sequences. Meanwhile, two pairs of long repetitive sequences (LR3 and LR5) mediated homologous recombination. The mitogenome was also identified; there were a total of 494 C-to-U RNA editing sites in protein-coding genes. In addition, 42 mitochondrial plastid DNA fragments (MTPTs) were detected, with a total length of 21,464 bp, accounting for 4.30% of the genome. Repeat sequence analysis showed that tetranucleotide SSR was the most abundant repeat type in the mitochondria of Lamiaceae. Phylogenetic analysis based on the alignment of 32 protein-coding gene sequences showed that Callicarpa is sister to the other eight species of Lamiaceae. This work fills an important gap by presenting the first complete mitochondrial genome of C. americana, providing an important data resource for further understanding the structural evolution, dynamic recombination mechanism, and phylogeny of the mitochondrial genome of Lamiaceae.

Introduction: Microbial succession in fruit wine has been reported, but the ecological mechanisms linking niche competition to aroma formation remain poorly understood. To test the hypothesis that niche competition between microbial communities significantly influences aroma formation in pomelo wine, the flesh of Jinggang honey pomelo was subjected to semi-inoculation fermentation to produce Jinggang honey pomelo wine. Methods: High-throughput amplicon sequencing technology was used to investigate the evolving microbial community during the fermentation process of pomelo wine. The changes in volatile compounds were measured using headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results: The dominant taxa in the wine were Weissella , Pediococcus , Lactiplantibacillus , Saccharomyces , Komagataella , Wickerhamomyces , and Aspergillus . The microbiota shifts were associated with dynamic changes in physicochemical properties, and they altered the pH, alcohol content, total soluble solids, and overall acidity. Principal component analysis (PCA), orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), and relative odor activity value analysis identified 17 key volatiles. A correlation network analysis revealed that Lactiplantibacillus and Aspergillus were strongly associated with various flavor molecules. Disscussion: The present findings suggested that inter-kingdom niche competition between fungi and bacteria plays a pivotal role in shaping the aroma profile of pomelo wine, offering new insights for targeted aroma regulation.

Introduction: Strawberries are highly perishable postharvest due to infection by pathogens such as Alternaria alternata , and chemical fungicides have drawbacks like residues and resistance. Clove extract exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, but its targeted inhibitory threshold and mechanism on strawberry postharvest pathogens remain unclear. Methods: The minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of clove extract against A. alternata was determined. “Benihoppe” strawberries were treated with MFC (30 mg/mL) and stored at 25°C/90% RH. Key quality indicators (firmness, VC content, weight loss rate, etc.) were monitored, and microbial community structure was analyzed via high-throughput sequencing. Results: The MFC of clove extract against A. alternata was 30 mg/mL, which reduced spore survival rate to 40.0% and increased cell membrane permeability. After 8 days of storage, the treatment group showed 68.3% higher firmness, 52.5% higher VC content, and 46.4% lower weight loss rate than the control. The abundance of spoilage microorganisms (e.g., Alternaria , Pantoea) decreased, while beneficial bacteria (e.g., Bacillus ) increased in the treatment group. Discussion: Clove extract preserves strawberries by directly damaging the cell membrane of A. alternata and reshaping the fruit surface microbial community, providing a green alternative for postharvest preservation.

Introduction: Citrus canker, caused by Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc), leads to severe economic losses in global citrus production. Conventional chemical control strategies are increasingly hindered by bacterial resistance and environmental concerns. Bacteriophages offer a sustainable alternative for plant disease management. Methods: This study isolated bacteriophages from wastewater using a double-layer plate method, and conducted biological characterization and genomic analysis on the isolated bacteriophages. Results: We report the isolation and characterization of a phage, GJKY-A, from sewage effluent targeting Xcc. Transmission electron microscopy revealed an polyhedral head (~90 nm) and a long, flexible non-contractile tail (~150 nm). One-step growth analysis showed a latent period of 20 min and a burst size of ~84 plaque-forming units per cell. GJKY-A displayed high host specificity and remained stable across 40–50 °C and pH 3–12. Genomic sequencing identified a 62,551 bp double-stranded DNA genome with 44.81% GC content. Analysis of the taxonomic status of the phage shows that phage GJKY-A is closely related to phages of the genus Stenotrophomonas . Functional assays demonstrated efficient inhibition of host growth in vitro and suppression of citrus canker symptoms in ex vivo leaf assays. Discussion: These findings establish GJKY-A as a promising biocontrol candidate and provide a foundation for developing safe, eco-friendly strategies for citrus canker management.

The unique flavor quality of pomelo wine is closely related to its complex fermentation process and metabolic activities. The aim of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the microbial community succession in pomelo wine fermentation and its specific contribution to aroma formation. This was achieved by analyzing the dynamic succession of microbial communities during the fermentation process of pomelo wine and then evaluating the role of hub taxa microbiota in the generation of key aroma compounds in the wine. Bacillus, Pichia, Komagataeibacter, Pediococcus, Zasmidium, Penicillium, Saccharomyces, Weissella, and Gluconobacter were identified as hub taxa microbiota, and their relative abundances showed a correlation with multiple key volatile aroma metabolites detected during pomelo wine fermentation. These findings of functional zoning and aroma contribution evaluation of the pomelo wine fermentation microbial community provide a scientific basis for realizing the precise regulation of the fermentation process, standardization and optimization of pomelo wine flavor quality, and thus enhancing product competitiveness.

Using leaves from a single origin and the same harvest batch, processing was the sole variable: homologous Gougunao No. 2 green and black teas were produced. An integrated workflow (UHPLC–HRMS and HS-SPME–GC–MS) was combined with flavonoid contents and multiple antioxidant assays to probe how processing reshapes the composition–function–aroma nexus. Multivariate analysis clearly separated the two teas, with green tea showing higher flavonoids and stronger antioxidant readouts. In non-volatile fraction, 1988 features were detected, of which 713 changed significantly, implicating remodelling of flavonoid- and catechin-centred pathways and purine metabolism. In volatile fraction, 1066 compounds were annotated, with 76 differing significantly; relative odor activity value based analysis indicated that unsaturated aldehydes and sulphur-containing compounds drive a roasted, full-bodied profile in black tea, whereas alcohols, esters and selected terpenoids confer fresher, fruity notes in green tea. Overall, these results support a processing-associated bitterness–aroma rebalancing pattern and nominate candidate chemical indicators for quality evaluation.