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This research aimed to investigate the impacts of a combination of rice husk biochar and organic fertilizer on the physical and chemical properties of soil, the population of soil bacteria, the relative chlorophyll content of leaves, the development of soybean root nodules, and yield components under strongly acid soil conditions. A greenhouse and pot experiment was designed using a randomize complete block design with factorial 2 × 3 treatments and three replications. The experimental treatments comprised two rates of biochar (35 and 70 g/pot) and three rates of organic fertilizer (70, 105, and 140 g/pot). After 100 days of amendment of strongly acidic soils, the results showed that application of treatments B35F70 and B70F140 increased soil pH by 16.80% compared to the control group (CK). On the other hand, treatments B35F140 and B70F105 resulted in an increase of soil electrical conductivity by 66.67% compared to CK. In addition, after 100 days of amendment with treatments B35F105, B35F105, B35F140, B70F105, B70F70, B70F70, and B35F140, organic matter, available phosphorous (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn), organic matter, available phosphorous (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn), significantly increased when compared to the control group (CK). Treatment B35F140 increased relative leaf chlorophyll content and soybean seed weight per plant by 60.76% and 100.56%, respectively when compared to the CK. Furthermore, treatment B35F70 produced 125% more root nodules than CK. Moreover, each amended strongly acid soil resulted with a significant upsurge in total soil bacteria compared to the CK. Overall, statistics proved that a combination of biochar and organic fertilizer improved soil properties and soybean agronomic attributes.

Melon (Cucumis melo L.) is a global commercial crop that is sensitive to seed-borne wilt infections caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis (Fom). To address the challenge of detecting Fom contamination, we designed a probe-based real-time PCR method, TDCP2, in combination with rapid or column-based DNA extraction protocols to develop reliable molecular detection methods. Utilizing TDCP2, the detection rate reached 100% for both artificially Fom-inoculated (0.25–25%) and pod-inoculated melon seeds in conjunction with DNA samples from either the rapid or column-based extraction protocol. We performed analyses of precision, recall, and F1 scores, achieving a maximum F1 score of 1 with TDCP2, which highlights the robustness of the method. Additionally, intraday and interday assays were performed, which revealed the high reproducibility and stability of column-based DNA extraction protocols combined with TDCP2. These metrics confirm the reliability of our developed protocols, setting a foundation for future enhancements in seed pathology diagnostics and potentially broadening their applicability across various Fom infection levels. In the future, we hope that these methods will reduce food loss by improving the control and management of melon diseases.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0310221.].

The correct sentence is: ‘In addition, the amendment of strongly acidic soils with a combination of biochar and organic fertilizer resulted to a significant increase in soil organic matter, available phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and sodium (Na) compared to the control group (CK). [...]root nodule development was more pronounced in soybean plants grown in the amended soils than in the control group. The most favorable responses in key parameters—including available potassium and zinc, soil electrical conductivity, bacterial proliferation, chlorophyll content, and soybean yield attributes such as pod number, pod dry weight, number of seeds per plant, and seed weight per plant—were achieved with application rates of 35 g of biochar per pot and 140 g of organic fertilizer per pot. [...]combining biochar and organic fertilizer can enhance the physical, chemical, and biological properties of strongly acidic soil while improving the agronomic performance of soybean crop.

Latent curing systems are widely used in industrial thermosets in applications such as adhesion, coating, and composites. Despite many attempts to improve the practicality of this dormant reaction system, the majority of commercially available latent products still use particulate hardeners or liquid compounds with blocked active groups. These formulations generally lack fluidity or rapid reaction characteristics and thus are problematic in some industry applications. Here we describe a novel concept that stabilizes highly reactive benzoxazine/amine mixtures by reaction equilibrium. These new latent benzoxazine curing systems have a long storable lifetime but very short gel time at 150 °C. The reversible reaction between benzoxazine and amine is further demonstrated by FT-IR spectral measurements and rheological experiments, and it is shown that the overall characteristics of the latent system are promising for many industrial applications.

Melon (Cucumis melo L.) is a global commercial crop that is sensitive to seed-borne wilt infections caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis (Fom). To address the challenge of detecting Fom contamination, we designed a probe-based real-time PCR method, TDCP2, in combination with rapid or column-based DNA extraction protocols to develop reliable molecular detection methods. Utilizing TDCP2, the detection rate reached 100% for both artificially Fom-inoculated (0.25–25%) and pod-inoculated melon seeds in conjunction with DNA samples from either the rapid or column-based extraction protocol. We performed analyses of precision, recall, and F1 scores, achieving a maximum F1 score of 1 with TDCP2, which highlights the robustness of the method. Additionally, intraday and interday assays were performed, which revealed the high reproducibility and stability of column-based DNA extraction protocols combined with TDCP2. These metrics confirm the reliability of our developed protocols, setting a foundation for future enhancements in seed pathology diagnostics and potentially broadening their applicability across various Fom infection levels. In the future, we hope that these methods will reduce food loss by improving the control and management of melon diseases.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0310221.].

The proficiency of phyllosphere microbiomes in efficiently utilizing plant-provided nutrients is pivotal for their successful colonization of plants. The methylotrophic capabilities of Methylobacterium/Methylorubrum play a crucial role in this process. However, the precise mechanisms facilitating efficient colonization remain elusive. In the present study, we investigate the significance of methanol assimilation in shaping the success of mutualistic relationships between methylotrophs and plants. A set of strains originating from Methylorubrum extorquens AM1 are subjected to evolutionary pressures to thrive under low methanol conditions. A mutation in the phosphoribosylpyrophosphate synthetase gene is identified, which converts it into a metabolic valve. This valve redirects limited C1-carbon resources towards the synthesis of biomass by up-regulating a non-essential phosphoketolase pathway. These newly acquired bacterial traits demonstrate superior colonization capabilities, even at low abundance, leading to increased growth of inoculated plants. This function is prevalent in Methylobacterium / Methylorubrum strains. In summary, our findings offer insights that could guide the selection of Methylobacterium / Methylorubrum strains for advantageous agricultural applications. A point mutation in the phosphoribosylpyrophosphate synthetase gene is found to rewire C1 metabolism and thereby enhance colonization capabilities and growth-promoting effects in plants. The effect of this mutation is prevalent across Methylobacterium strains.

Antimicrobial peptides are important components of the host innate immune system, forming the first line of defense against infectious microorganisms. Among them, liver-expressed antimicrobial peptides (LEAPs) are a family of antimicrobial peptides that widely exist in vertebrates. LEAPs include two types, named LEAP-1 and LEAP-2, and many teleost fish have two or more LEAP-2s . In this study, LEAP-2C from rainbow trout and grass carp were discovered, both of which are composed of 3 exons and 2 introns. The antibacterial functions of the multiple LEAPs were systematically compared in rainbow trout and grass carp. The gene expression pattern revealed that rainbow trout and grass carp LEAP-1 , LEAP-2A , LEAP-2B and/or LEAP-2C were differentially expressed in various tissues/organs, mainly in liver. After bacterial infection, the expression levels of LEAP-1 , LEAP-2A , LEAP-2B and/or LEAP-2C in the liver and gut of rainbow trout and grass carp increased to varying degrees. Moreover, the antibacterial assay and bacterial membrane permeability assay showed that rainbow trout and grass carp LEAP-1, LEAP-2A, LEAP-2B and LEAP-2C all have antibacterial activities against a variety of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria with varying levels through membrane rupture. Furthermore, cell transfection assay showed that only rainbow trout LEAP-1, but not LEAP-2, can lead to the internalization of ferroportin, the only iron exporter on cell surface, indicating that only LEAP-1 possess iron metabolism regulation activity in teleost fish. Taken together, this study systematically compared the antibacterial function of LEAPs in teleost fish and the results suggest that multiple LEAPs can enhance the immunity of teleost fish through different expression patterns and different antibacterial activities to various bacteria.

Objectives Kashgar prefecture is an important transportation and trade hub with a high incidence of tuberculosis. The following study analyzed the composition and differences in Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( M.tb ) lineage and specific tags to distinguish the lineage of the M.tb in Kashgar prefecture, thus providing a basis for the classification and diagnosis of tuberculosis in this area. Methods Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 161 M.tb clinical strains was performed. The phylogenetic tree was constructed using Maximum Likelihood (ML) based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and verified through principal component analysis (PCA). The composition structure of M.tb in different regions was analyzed by combining geographic information. Results M.tb clinical strains were composed of lineage 2 (73/161, 45.34%), lineage 3 (52/161, 32.30%) and lineage 4 (36/161, 22.36%). Moreover, the 3 lineages were subdivided into 11 sublineages, among which lineage 2 included lineage 2.2.2/Asia Ancestral 1 (9/73, 12.33%), lineage 2.2.1-Asia Ancestral 2 (9/73, 12.33%), lineage 2.2.1-Asia Ancestral 3 (18/73, 24.66%), and lineage 2.2.1-Modern Beijing (39/73, 53.42%). Lineage 3 included lineage 3.2 (14/52, 26.92%) and lineage 3.3 (38/52, 73.08%), while lineage 4 included lineage 4.1 (3/36, 8.33%), lineage 4.2 (2/36, 5.66%), lineage 4.4.2 (1/36, 2.78%), lineage 4.5 (28/36, 77.78%) and lineage 4.8 (2/36, 5.66%), all of which were consistent with the PCA results. One hundred thirty-six markers were proposed for discriminating known circulating strains. Reconstruction of a phylogenetic tree using the 136 SNPs resulted in a tree with the same number of delineated clades. Based on geographical location analysis, the composition of Lineage 2 in Kashgar prefecture (45.34%) was lower compared to other regions in China (54.35%-90.27%), while the composition of Lineage 3 (32.30%) was much higher than in other regions of China (0.92%-2.01%), but lower compared to the bordering Pakistan (70.40%). Conclusion Three lineages were identified in M.tb clinical strains from Kashgar prefecture, with 136 branch-specific SNP. Kashgar borders with countries that have a high incidence of tuberculosis, such as Pakistan and India, which results in a large difference between the M.tb lineage and sublineage distribution in this region and other provinces of China.