Rice seedling blight, caused by Fusarium oxysporum, significantly affects global rice production levels. Fluoro-substituted benzothiadiazole derivatives (FBT) and chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) are elicitors that can enhance plant resistance to pathogen infection. However, there is a lack of information regarding FBT and COS used as elicitors in rice seedlings blight. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of FBT and COS treatments on rice seedling blight and elucidate the molecular mechanisms of the two elicitors for inducing resistance using proteomic technique. Results indicated that FBT and COS significantly reduced the disease incidence and index, and relived the root growth inhibition caused by F. oxysporum (p < 0.05). Biochemical analyses demonstrated that these two elicitors effectively enhanced activities of defense enzymes. Moreover, the proteomic results of rice root tissues disclosed more differentially expressed proteins in diterpenoid biosynthesis pathway that were particularly stimulated by two elicitors compared to the other pathways studied, resulting in the accumulation of antimicrobial substance, momilactone. Findings of this study could provide sound theoretical basis for further applications of FBT and COS used as rice elicitors against seedling blight.

Cold stress critically restricts maize seedling growth in Northeast China, yet the mechanism by which cold priming (CP) enhances cold tolerance through proline–nitrogen metabolic networks remains unclear. This study systematically investigated CP’s synergistic regulation in cold-tolerant (Heyu27) and cold-sensitive (Dunyu213) maize using a two-phase temperature regime (priming induction/stress response) with physiological and multivariate analyses. CP alleviated cold-induced photosynthetic inhibition while maintaining a higher chlorophyll and photosynthetic rate, though biomass responses showed varietal specificity, with Heyu27 minimizing growth loss through optimized carbon–nitrogen allocation. Antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) were pre-activated during early stress, effectively scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reducing malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation, with Heyu27 showing superior redox homeostasis. CP enhanced proline accumulation via bidirectional enzyme regulation (upregulating ∆¹-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase/reductase [P5CS/P5CR], inhibiting proline dehydrogenase [ProDH]) and reprogrammed nitrogen metabolism through glutamate dehydrogenase/isocitrate dehydrogenase (GDH/ICDH)-mediated ammonium conversion to glutamate, alleviating nitrogen dysregulation while supplying proline precursors. Principal component analysis revealed divergent strategies: Heyu27 prioritized proline–antioxidant synergy, whereas Dunyu213 emphasized photosynthetic adjustments. These findings demonstrate that CP establishes “metabolic memory” through optimized proline–nitrogen coordination, synergistically enhancing osmoregulation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, and nitrogen utilization. This study elucidates C₄-specific cold adaptation mechanisms, advancing cold-resistant breeding and stress-resilient agronomy.

The GARP transcription factor family is integral to the regulation of plant growth, development, hormone signaling pathways, circadian rhythms, and responses to both biotic and abiotic stressors. Despite its recognized importance, a comprehensive characterization of the GARP gene family in Glycine max remains unexplored. In this study, we identified 126 GmGARP genes across the 16 chromosomes of G. max and elucidated their diverse physicochemical properties. Phylogenetic classification grouped the GmGARP genes into eight distinct subfamilies, based on conserved motifs and gene structures, suggesting functional and evolutionary conservation within these clusters. The discovery of 56 segmentally duplicated gene pairs highlights gene duplication as a key driver of family expansion. Promoter analysis revealed various cis-regulatory elements, while expression profiling demonstrated that GmGARP genes possess significant tissue specificity. Furthermore, qRT-PCR analysis indicated that GmGARP genes are highly responsive to exogenous hormones, such as ABA, MeJA, and GA, as well as to abiotic stresses, including cold, salt, and drought conditions. Notably, GmGARP120 and GmGARP98 contain specific cis-elements linked to hormone responses, with their interaction verified through yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays. Additionally, 11,195 potential target genes were predicted, underscoring the regulatory potential of the GmGARP transcription factors. These findings provide significant insights into the GmGARP gene family, laying a strong foundation for future studies on its role in G. max development and adaptive responses to environmental stressors.