In China, Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim, known as “Huajiao,” has a pleasant, fragrant flavor and several therapeutic properties. The nutritional content of plants is necessary for their defense response to insects. In this study, we analyzed the effects of soil fertilization treatments such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and special compound fertilizer for pepper (HZ) on the different growth parameters and expression of insect-defense-response genes in Z. bungeanum. The results show that the height and weight of prickly ash significantly differed after the application of fertilizers with different concentrations. Additionally, seedlings that were treated with low concentrations of nutrient fertilizers (N1, P1, K1, Ca1, and HZ1) were significantly higher, and they were selected for transcriptome analysis. According to transcriptomic analysis, a total of 65,566 unigenes were discovered, among which 61,379 corresponded to annotated protein-coding genes and 4187 to transcripts of novel protein-coding genes. A total of 294 unigenes were detected as candidate genes for regulating the defense response to insects, including 204 protease inhibitors, 29 plant lectins, and 61 other defense response genes. Additionally, trypsin inhibitors, cystatin, phytepsin, metalloproteinase, MMP, caffeic acid, resveratrol, and thiol proteinase inhibitors, ACA, TDC, and 28 BES1 were enriched in Z. bungeanum. Specifically, the leaves of Z. bungeanum that were treated with Ca and HZ fertilizations were dominated by the protease inhibitors. In addition, the type of fertilizer significantly affects gene expression in plants. The functional annotations were predicted by the number of differentially expressed genes and classified by GO and KEGG ontology enrichment analysis. Moreover, according to the GO database, biological processes were the largest group and contained a high frequency of differentially expressed genes. According to KEGG pathway results, significantly enriched genes belonged to the biosynthesis of secondary metabolisms, amino acid metabolism, and folding, sorting, and degradation. Overall, it was found that the type of fertilizer with low concentrations had an effect on Z. bungeanum’s primary and secondary metabolism, and these findings provided grounds for further research in forest protection science.

Sitophilus zeamais is one of the most destructive pests of stored grains. Both adults and larvae penetrate and consume the grains, thereby diminishing the grain quality and nutritional value. We determined the chemical composition of Angelica archangelica essential oil, its fumigation toxicity against S. zeamais, and its effects on the activities of detoxification enzymes in the insects. RNA-seq was performed to analyze the impact of the essential oil on the transcriptional level of S. zeamais, and qRT-PCR was conducted to validate the differentially expressed genes. Chemical analysis identified 35 components in essential oil, including δ-3-Carene (24.26%), Limonene (19.81%), and α-Pinene (14.96%). A significant positive correlation was observed between the fumigation activity of the essential oil and the applied dose. The median lethal concentrations (LC₅₀) values were 164.38, 132.62, and 90.35 mg/L air at 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. Fumigation significantly inhibited the activities of the three detoxification enzymes. RNA-seq revealed a total of 3718 significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs). qRT-PCR confirmed that the expression patterns of the DEGs were consistent with the RNA-seq data. This study comprehensively evaluates the control efficacy of A. archangelica essential oil against S. zeamais and provides data support for developing novel, eco-friendly, plant-based pesticides.

Schizaphis graminum is the most important pest of wheat, and its feeding harm not only affects photosynthesis but also causes diseases, posing a serious threat to wheat production. We measured the contact killing and fumigation activities, population changes, enzyme activities, and nanoemulsion physicochemical property of Eupatorium fortune essential oil (EFEO) and pyrethrin against S. graminum and its natural enemy (Harmonia axyridis). Toxic effects of EFEO and pyrethrin increased with increasing concentration. After 24 h of contact killing, the LD₅₀ of S. graminum were 9.23 and 0.02 μg/head, respectively. Harmonia axyridis were 36.71 and 0.07 μg/head. The fumigation of EFEO LD₅₀ on S. graminum was 9.779 mg/L (y = 2.88x − 2.852). EFEO contains 28 chemical components, including l-Caryophyllene, Lily aldehyde, α-Terpineol, and Cineole. EFEO LD₅₀ significantly reduced the adult longevity, nymph production, and nymph production duration of the F0 S. graminum, while there were no significant differences in various parameters of offspring. The activity of acetylcholinesterase, glutathione-S-transferase, and carboxylesterase is significantly affected. The population decline rate of EFEO nanoemulsion is significantly higher than that of EFEO. This research aims to clarify the toxic effect of EFEO on S. graminum, providing a scientific basis for developing new plant essential oil preparations and nano preparations.

Understanding the genomic basis of environmental adaptation is essential for the conservation and genetic improvement of domestic camels. In this study, we investigated the population structure, genetic diversity, and genomic variation potentially associated with environmental adaptation of Kazakh dromedary and Bactrian camels using whole-genome sequencing. Whole-genome sequencing data were generated for Kazakh camels (15 dromedaries and 16 Bactrian camels) and integrated with 131 publicly available genomes representing camel populations from the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Mongolian wild camels. Population structure, genetic diversity, and genome-wide selection were evaluated using principal component analysis, ADMIXTURE, nucleotide diversity, linkage disequilibrium, runs of homozygosity, genomic inbreeding (FROH), and selection scans based on F_ST, θπ ratio, and XP-EHH. Population genomic analyses revealed clear differentiation between dromedary and Bactrian camels, whereas Kazakh camel populations exhibited higher nucleotide diversity (θπ = 1.307–1.551 × 10⁻³), and lower genomic inbreeding (median FROH: 0.037–0.056) than Arabian populations. Genome-wide selection analyses identified MC4R as the prominent candidate gene in Kazakh dromedaries and RYR1 as a prominent candidate gene in Kazakh Bactrian camels. Functional enrichment analyses highlighted pathways related to energy metabolism, thermogenesis, calcium signaling, skeletal muscle function, mitochondrial activity, and oxidative stress response. These findings provide new insights into genomic variation potentially associated with environmental adaptation in Kazakh camels and offer valuable genomic resources for future conservation, breeding, and evolutionary studies.