Jujube witches' broom, caused by phytoplasma, is a destructive disease of Chinese jujube. Studies have shown that zju‐miR156s play an important role in phytoplasma infection in jujube, but the regulatory mechanism between zju‐miR156c and witches' broom remains unexplored. In the current study, miRNA‐seq and gene expression analysis showed that zju‐miR156c was more highly induced in infected jujube plants than the other miRNAs and its target gene was ZjSPL3 . In addition, the expression levels of thymidylate kinase gene ( TMK _JWB ) and secreted jujube protein (SJP1 _JWB ) in diseased materials were higher than those in healthy controls. The expression level of zju‐miR156c was significantly upregulated, while ZjSPL3 was sharply downregulated and the content of cytokinin (CTK) significantly increased. Overexpression of zju‐miR156c in Arabidopsis significantly reduced the expression of AtSPL10 (homologous gene of ZjSPL3 ) but increased the content of CTK, and the transgenic plants exhibited witches' broom symptoms. In addition, yeast two‐hybrid and co‐immunoprecipitation assays confirmed that SJP1 _JWB interacted with ZjERF18. Yeast one‐hybrid analysis showed that ZjERF18 could interact with the promoter of zju‐MIR156c. In conclusion, our results demonstrated a novel pathogenic module of ZjERF18‐zju‐miR156c‐ZjSPL3‐CTK has an important function in the formation of witches' broom caused by SJP1 _JWB .

Drought stress severely limits grapevine productivity and compromises fruit quality, with its adverse effects expected to intensify under ongoing climate change. This review synthesizes recent advances in elucidating the molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying drought tolerance in Vitis vinifera . Key physiological responses include abscisic acid (ABA)-mediated amplification of stomatal closure, osmotic adjustment, activation of antioxidant defense systems, and hydraulic vulnerability segmentation-a protective strategy involving the targeted sacrifice of petioles and basal leaves to maintain hydraulic integrity in stems and roots. These coordinated responses are regulated by a complex transcriptional network centered on NAC, WRKY, MYB, and bZIP transcription factors, and further modulated by hormone metabolism, potassium channel activity, aquaporin-facilitated water transport, and both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant pathways. We also identify critical knowledge gaps requiring urgent attention: (First) field-scale validation of transgenic or CRISPR-edited grapevine lines; (Second) the molecular basis of rootstock–scion signaling during drought stress; and (Third) the integration of multi-omics data with high-resolution phenotyping to accelerate precision breeding. Collectively, this review provides an integrative conceptual framework to support sustainable viticulture in water-limited environments.

During the plant life cycle, biotic and abiotic stresses critically influence survival and development. Sucrose non-fermenting 1-related protein kinases (S

BBX transcription factors are key regulators of plant growth, development, and stress responses, yet their functions in jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.), an economically important fruit tree, remain largely unexplored. Here, we systematically identified 26 ZjBBX genes and comprehensively analyzed their phylogenetic relationships, structural features, and expression dynamics. Our integrative approach revealed three major findings. First, nine ZjBBX genes exhibited distinct expression patterns during fruit coloration, with ZjBBX9 and ZjBBX25 emerging as persistent up-regulated candidates. Second, under salt stress, ZjBBX members displayed three contrasting response modes, sustained down-regulation, rapid induction, or sharp repression, suggesting functional diversification in salinity adaptation. Third, under jujube witches’ broom, ZjBBX8, ZjBBX11, and ZjBBX13 showed differential expression between healthy and infected materials, implicating them in biotic stress defense. Collectively, this study provides the first multidimensional expression atlas of the ZjBBX family linked to fruit quality, salt tolerance, and pathogen resistance in jujube. Our findings open new avenues for marker-assisted breeding and genetic improvement of stress-resilient jujube cultivars.