Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) is an important vegetable with medicinal value. Rhizome development determines ginger yield and quality. However, little information is available about the molecular features underlying rhizome expansion and maturation. In this study, we investigated anatomy characteristics, lignin accumulation and transcriptome profiles during rhizome development. In young rhizomes, the vascular bundle (VB) was generated with only vessels in it, whereas in matured rhizomes, three to five layers of fibre bundle in the xylem were formed, resulting in VB enlargement. It indicates VB development favouring rhizome swelling. With rhizome matured, the lignin content was remarkably elevated, thus facilitating tissue lignification. To explore the regulators for rhizome development, nine libraries including ginger young rhizomes (GYR), growing rhizomes (GGR), and matured rhizomes (GMR) were established for RNA-Seq, a total of 1264 transcription factors (TFs) were identified. Among them, 35, 116, and 14 differentially expressed TFs were obtained between GYR and GGR, GYR and GMR, and GGR and GMR, respectively. These TFs were further divided into three categories. Among them, three ZobHLHs (homologs of Arabidopsis LHW and AtbHLH096) as well as one DIVARICATA homolog in ginger might play crucial roles in controlling VB development. Four ZoWRKYs and two ZoNACs might be potential regulators associated with rhizome maturation. Three ZoAP2/ERFs and one ZoARF might participate in rhizome development via hormone signalling. This result provides a molecular basis for rhizome expansion and maturation in ginger.

Moringa, a versatile tree species, has seen an increasing diversification of breeding objectives due to its rich nutritional value and potential applications in ecological restoration. The emergence and integration of multi-omics technologies have provided a revolutionary systems-level research framework for elucidating the fundamental biological mechanisms underlying Moringa’s agronomic traits and nutritional characteristics. This review systematically analyzes the application prospects and omics significance of Moringa based on research trends, and explores in depth the progress made in various omics studies of Moringa: the fourth iteration of the genome has identified specific genes encoding heat shock proteins (HSPs) in Moringa; phenomics reveals differential expression of Moringa under different environmental conditions; and the transcriptomics and metabolomics elucidate differential regulatory networks across different tissues and environments. In the future, multi-omics technologies can be integrated: genomics can further identify rare alleles and localize genetic loci for key agronomic traits; transcriptomics combined with epigenomics can elucidate the spatial regulation of gene expression and epigenetic mechanisms; and proteomics and metabolomics can be integrated to validate pathways and provide targets for improvement. Throughout the process, a high-throughput phenotyping platform utilizing drones will be introduced to dynamically monitor agronomic traits, enabling efficient breeding and accelerating genetic improvement.