Explore the vast range of titles available.

Konjac is an important horticultural vegetable and characteristic cash crop. Amorphophallus bulbifer has many advantages such as high yield, good quality and strong resistance. However, the awareness of collection and classification of germplasm resources is not strong, the germplasm resources are mixed in planting, there is a lack of good varieties, and the chemical composition of A. bulbifer is still unclear. Therefore, 5 self-selected A. bulbifer germplasm resources were used as experimental materials to study the growth, physicochemical properties and nutritional components by correlation analysis, principal components analysis (PCA) and metabolomic analysis. The results showed that A. bulbifer had strong growth adaptability, konjac glucomanan (KGM) content was 34.88% to 65.72%, viscosity was up to 19513.33 mPa.s, in addition, it was rich in starch, crude protein, amino acids and other nutrients. The aboveground growth and underground yield of konjac had significant positive correlation with each other ( p < 0.05) and KGM had significant positive correlation with viscosity ( r = 0.8, p < 0.001), but had significant negative correlation with starch, soluble sugar and crude fiber ( p < 0.01), respectively. 945 metabolites were detected in the metabolome. Besides the primary metabolites, there were also abundant secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, alkaloids, organoheterocyclic compounds, phytohormones and other secondary metabolites. Carbohydrates and its derivatives, amino acids and its derivatives, organic acids and its derivatives, organoheterocyclic compounds and lipids were the main differential metabolites, among which D-Gluconic acid was an important differential metabolite. In conclusion, this study confirmed that A. bulbifer has good physical and chemical properties and rich nutritional components, suitable for the development and utilization of high value-added products. Highlights 1. There was a significant positive correlation among petiole diameter, plant height, leaf width and yield, and the correlation coefficient was 0.59 or above. 2. Konjac glucomannan was positively correlated with viscosity and negatively correlated with starch, soluble sugar and crude fiber. 3. By principal components analysis, 5 Amorphophallus bulbifer germplasm resources were divided into 3 categories. The first category was ‘YunRe1701’, which was significantly higher than other varieties and had the highest yield. The second category was ‘YunRe1709’ and ‘YunRe1726’ with KGM content of about 65%. The third category was ‘YunRe1707’ and ‘YunRe1710’ with better comprehensive performance. 4. D-gluconic acid was an important differential metabolite among A. bulbifer varieties.

Porang is a tuberous plant commodity that has the potential as an alternative food due to its high glucomannan content, so the demand for porang is always increasing. The main problem in efforts to fulfill and increase the demand for porang is climate change which can cause drought in various regions in Indonesia. Drought stress is one of the most damaging types of abiotic stress because it can reduce plant growth, so it becomes a limiting factor in plants. Plants are able to survive and grow in abiotic stress conditions such as drought through morpho-physiological and molecular adaptation. Therefore, this study investigates the drought resilience mechanisms of porang (Amorphophallus muelleri) by integrating morpho-physiological, anatomical, and molecular analyses, with a focus on glucomannan biosynthesis genes (SuSy2, CSLA3) under progressive drought stress (75% to 0% field capacity). We demonstrate that porang prioritizes glucomannan accumulation (130.3% increase at 50% FC) via CSLA3 upregulation (3.11-fold), revealing a novel drought adaptation strategy distinct from other tuber crops. This study was conducted for 21 days with the treatment stress level based on field capacity of 75%, 50%, 25%, and 0%. Data were analyzed using ANOVA One-Way and followed by Tukey Test. The result showed that drought stress negatively induced various morphological responses such as the reduction in root lenght, weight and diameter of tuber, and leaf area. However, plant height did not show a significant difference compared to the control. However, drought stress significantly increased the percentage of stomata closure and stomata density. The physiological response shows a decreased chlorophyll content, while the net assimilation rate showed no significant difference compared to the control. Interestingly, glucomannan content at 50% field capacity and transpiration rate were increased under drought treatment. Molecular responses were characterized by the expression of glucomannan biosynthesis gene, SuSy2 and CSLA3. Relative expression of SuSy2 was increased up to 1.3-fold at 75% field capacity and decreased at 25%-0% field capacity. While CSLA3 was increased up to 3.11-fold at 50% field capacity. As an implication of the results of this study, it can be seen that drought stress of 50% FC increases the highest glucomannan production so that porang can be used as an alternative food source.

Background Konjac corms are known for their alkaloid content, which possesses pharmacological properties. In the primary cultivation areas of konjac, nitrogen deficiency is a common problem that significantly influences alkaloid synthesis. The impact of nitrogen deficiency on the alkaloids in konjac corms remains unclear, further complicated by the transition from mother to daughter corms during their growth cycle. Results This study examined 21 alkaloids, including eight indole alkaloids, five isoquinoline alkaloids, and eight other types of alkaloids, along with the associated gene expressions throughout the development of Amorphophallus muelleri Blume under varying nitrogen levels. Nitrogen deficiency significantly reduced corm diameter and fresh weight and delayed the transformation process. Under low nitrogen conditions, the content of indole alkaloids and the expression of genes involved in their biosynthesis, such as tryptophan synthase (TRP) and tryptophan decarboxylase (TDC), exhibited a substantial increase in daughter corms, with fold changes of 61.99 and 19.31, respectively. Conversely, in the mother corm, TDC expression was markedly reduced, showing only 0.04 times the expression level observed under 10 N treatment. The patterns of isoquinoline alkaloid accumulation in corms subjected to nitrogen deficiency were notably distinct from those observed for indole alkaloids. The accumulation of isoquinoline alkaloids was significantly higher in mother corms, with expression levels of aspartate aminotransferase (GOT), chorismate mutase (CM), tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT), and pyruvate decarboxylase (PD) being 4.30, 2.89, 921.18, and 191.40 times greater, respectively. Conversely, in daughter corms, the expression levels of GOT and CM in the 0 N treatment were markedly lower (0.01 and 0.83, respectively) compared to the 10 N treatment. Conclusions The study suggests that under nitrogen deficiency, daughter corms preferentially convert chorismate into tryptophan to synthesize indole alkaloids, while mother corms convert it into tyrosine, boosting the production of isoquinoline alkaloids. This research provides valuable insights into the mechanisms of alkaloid biosynthesis in A. muelleri and can aid in developing nitrogen fertilization strategies and in the extraction and utilization of alkaloids.

Background The genus Amorphophallus (Araceae) contains approximately 250 species, most of which have high ecological and economic significance. The chloroplast genome data and the comprehensive analysis of the chloroplast genome structure of Amorphophallus is limited. In this study, four chloroplast genomes of Amorphophallus were sequenced and assembled. For the first time, comparative analyses of chloroplast genomes were conducted on the 13 Amorphophallus species in conjunction with nine published sequences. Results The Amorphophallus chloroplast genomes exhibited typical quadripartite structures with lengths ranging from 164,417 to 177,076 bp. These structures consisted of a large single copy (LSC, 90,705 − 98,561 bp), a small single copy (SSC, 14,172 − 21,575 bp), and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs, 26,225 − 35,204 bp). The genomes contain 108 − 113 unique genes, including 76 − 79 protein-coding genes, 28 − 29 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. The molecular structure, gene order, content, codon usage, long repeats, and simple sequence repeats (SSRs) within Amorphophallus were generally conserved. However, several variations in intron loss and gene expansion on the IR-SSC boundary regions were found among these 13 genomes. Four mutational hotspot regions, including trnM-atpE, atpB , atpB-rbcL and ycf1  were identified. They could identify and phylogeny future species in the genus Amorphophallus . Positive selection was found for rpl36 , ccsA , rpl16 , rps4 , rps8 , rps11 , rps12 , rps14 , clpP , rps3 , ycf1 , rpl20 , rps2 , rps18 , rps19, atpA , atpF , rpl14 , rpoA , rpoC1 , rpoC2 and rps15 based on the analyses of Ka/Ks ratios. Phylogenetic inferences based on the complete chloroplast genomes revealed a sister relationship between Amorphophallus and Caladieae . All Amorphophallus species formed a monophyletic evolutionary clade and were divided into three groups, including CA-II, SEA, and CA-I. Amorphophallus albus , A. krausei , A. kachinensis and A. konjac were clustered into the CA-II clade, A. paeoniifolius and A. titanum were clustered into the SEA clade, A. muelleri ‘zhuyajin1’, Amorphophallus sp, A. coaetaneus , A. tonkinensis and A. yunnanensis were clustered into CA- I clade. Conclusions The genome structure and gene content of Amorphophallus chloroplast genomes are consistent across various species. In this study, the structural variation and comparative genome of chloroplast genomes of Amorphophallus were comprehensively analyzed for the first time. The results provide important genetic information for species classification, identification, molecular breeding, and evolutionary exploration of the genus Amorphophallus .

Konjac seeds of Amorphophallus muelleri are produced through a unique form of apomixis in triploid parthenogenesis, and typically require a longer maturation period (approximately 8 months). To date, the relevant functions of endophytic microbial taxa during A. muelleri seed development and maturation remain largely unexplored. In this study, we analyzed the functional adaptability and temporal dynamics of endophytic microbial communities during three stages of A. muelleri seed maturation. Through metagenomic sequencing, we determined that the functions of the endophytic microbiome in A. muelleri seeds were driven by the seed maturation status, and the functions of the microbial communities in the seed coats and seeds differed significantly. The species annotation results show that Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota were the dominant bacterial and fungal communities in A. muelleri seeds at different maturation stages. The KEGG and COG functional gene annotation results revealed that the seed samples during the three maturation stages had higher KO functional diversity than the seed coat samples, and the COG functional diversity of the green and red seed samples was also significantly higher than that of the seed coat samples. At different maturation stages, microbial functional genes involved in energy production and conversion as well as carbon fixation were enriched in the A. muelleri seed coats, while microbial functional genes involved in signal transduction mechanisms, amino acid transport and metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and lipid metabolism were more highly expressed in the seeds. Moreover, in the middle to late stages of seed maturation, the microbial functional genes involved in the biosynthesis of resistant compounds such as phenols, flavonoids, and alkaloids were significantly enriched to enhance the resistance and environmental adaptation of A. muelleri seeds. The results verified that the functions of the endophytic microbial communities change dynamically during A. muelleri seed maturation to adapt to the current needs of the host plant, which has significant implications for the exploration and utilization of functional microbial resources in A. muelleri seeds.

Background The GRAS gene family is a plant-specific group of genes that play critical roles in various biological processes, including plant growth and development, responses to adverse stress, light signaling, hormone signaling, and others. To elucidate the characteristics of the GRAS transcription factor family in Amorphophallus konjac ( AkGRAS ), we identified GRAS family members based on whole-genome data and bioinformatics methods. We further analyzed their physicochemical properties, gene structure, evolutionary relationships, regulatory networks, and stress response patterns using bioinformatics tools. Results A total of 57 AkGRAS genes were identified in the A. konjac genome. Most of the encoded proteins were unstable, hydrophilic proteins with molecular weights ranging from 15.78 to 90.82 kDa. Chromosomal localization analysis revealed that the 57 AkGRAS genes were unevenly distributed across 13 chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis classified the 57 AkGRAS genes into eleven subgroups: DELLA, Os04, SHR, PAT1, HAM, SCR, SCL28, SCL4/7, LAS, LISCL, and SCL3. Six pairs of duplicated genes were identified within the AkGRAS gene family. Protein-protein functional associations analysis suggested that the top three functionally associated proteins were RGA, PAT1-2, and NSP2 in Arabidopsis thaliana . Enrichment analysis predicted the involvement of AkGRAS genes in numerous biological processes. To investigate the expression patterns of AkGRAS genes under Abscisic Acid (ABA), Jasmonic Acid (JA), Salicylic Acid (SA), Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum ( Pcc ), low temperature, drought, and Salt stresses, we analyzed RNA-seq data and performed RT-qPCR assays. Our results indicated that these genes exhibited tissue-specific expression and diverse responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Specifically, AkGRAS07 , AkGRAS09 , and AkGRAS19 expression were upregulated under Pcc infection. AkGRAS19 , AkGRAS34 , AkGRAS38 , and AkGRAS39 were upregulated in response to low-temperature stress. Additionally, AkGRAS09 , AkGRAS19 , AkGRAS34 , and AkGRAS38 were highly induced by drought stress. Notably, AkGRAS23 and AkGRAS53 showed markedly higher expression levels under the 21-day natural drought treatment compared to other conditions. Furthermore, AkGRAS07 , AkGRAS09 , AkGRAS19 , AkGRAS34 and AkGRAS38 were strongly upregulated under 24 h salt treatment. Conclusions This study identified candidate GRAS genes in A. konjac that may play crucial roles in biotic and abiotic stress responses. The findings provide a theoretical foundation for further research on the functions of AkGRAS genes and their underlying mechanisms in A. konjac stress tolerance.

This study was undertaken on Amorphophallus of Borneo to address two questions: (1) to determine the phylogenetic relations among taxa of Bornean Amorphophallus and (2) to investigate the floral biology and floral visitors of three Amorphophallus species. Phylogenetic analyses were carried out by using one plastid region: matK, and two nuclear regions: ITS and PhyC, with a total of 98 accessions representing 56 taxa of Amorphophallus. Floral biology of three Amorphophallus species (A. hewittii, A. eburneus, and A. julaihii) were investigated. Bornean Amorphophallus is separated into three groups within subgen. Amorphophallus: A. angulatus and A. pendulus of the Paeoniifolius-Manta clade, A. ranchanensis as sister taxon to clade A, clade Pusillus II, and clade B. The anthesis of A. hewittii and A. eburneus lasted for ca. 49 hours and ca. 64 hours respectively. The pistillate anthesis was much longer in A. hewitti (36 hours) than A. eburneus (24 hours) but the staminate anthesis was much shorter in A. hewittii (13 hours) than A. eburneus (40 hours). Floral visitors to A. hewittii are different to those visiting A. eburneus and A. julaihii; the latter two species attract less visitors and belong to clade A where hitherto no species has been investigated.

The bacterial community and diversity in healthy and diseased konjac rhizosphere soils with different ages of continuous cropping were investigated using next-generation sequencing. The results demonstrated that the number of years of continuous cropping significantly altered soil bacterial community and diversity. Soil bacterial Shannon diversity index and Chao 1 index decreased with the increasing cropping years of konjac. After 1 year of cropping, the soil exhibited the highest bacterial relative abundance and diversity. Of the 44 bacterial genera (relative abundance ratio of genera greater than 0.3%), 14 were significantly affected by the duration of continuous cropping and plant status. With increasing continuous cropping, Alicyclobacillus decreased, while Achromobacter, Lactobacillus, Kaistobacter, Rhodoplanes increased after 3 years continuous cropping. Continuous cropping altered the structure and composition of the soil bacterial community, which led to the reduction in the beneficial bacteria and multiplication of harmful bacteria. These results will improve our understanding of soil microbial community regulation and soil health maintenance in konjac farm systems.

is an herbaceous, cormous, perennial plant used as a food source and traditional medicine in Asia. In this study, we assembled and annotated the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of . Then we analyzed the repeated elements and mitochondrial plastid sequences (MTPTs), predicted RNA editing sites in mitochondrial protein-coding genes (PCGs). Lastly, we inferred the phylogenetic relationships of and other angiosperms based on mitochondrial PCGs, and designed two molecular markers based on mitochondrial DNA. The complete mitogenome of consists of 19 circular chromosomes. And the total length of mitogenome is 537,044 bp, with the longest chromosome measuring 56,458 bp and the shortest measuring 12,040 bp. We identified and annotated a total of 36 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 21 tRNA genes, and 3 rRNA genes in the mitogenome. Additionally, we analyzed mitochondrial plastid DNAs (MTPTs) and identified 20 MTPTs between the two organelle genomes, with a combined length of 22,421 bp, accounting for 12.76% of the plastome. Besides, we predicted a total of 676 C to U RNA editing sites on 36 protein-coding genes of high confidence using Deepred-mt. Furthermore, extensive genomic rearrangement was observed between and the related mitogenomes. We conducted phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial PCGs to determine the evolutionary relationships between and other angiosperms. Finally, we developed and validated two molecular markers, Ai156 and Ai976, based on two intron regions ( and ) respectively. The discrimination success rate was 100 % in validation experiments for five widely grown konjac species. Our results reveal the multi-chromosome mitogenome of , and the developed markers will facilitate molecular identification of this genus.

By emitting strong scents resembling rotting organic materials suitable for oviposition and/or foraging of flies, sapromyiophilous flowers mimic the substrates that attract flies as pollinators. It has been suggested that the wide range of volatile organic compounds emitted by this deceptive pollination system reflects the trophic preferences of flies to different types of substrate, including herbivore and carnivore feces, carrion, and fruiting bodies of fungi. Previous studies suggest that floral scents play a particularly important role in sapromyiophily. However, few studies on the relative importance of floral color or synergy between visual and olfactory cues in sapromyiophily have been substantiated. In this study, we analyzed fetid floral odor, floral pigment composition, and reflectance of an Amorphophallus konjac C. Koch inflorescence, and we conducted bioassays with different visual and/or olfactory cues to explore an unsubstantiated color profile in sapromyiophily: mimicking livor mortis. Our analysis showed A. konjac can emit oligosulphide-dominated volatile blends similar to those emitted by carrion. Necrophagous flies cannot discriminate between the color of an inflorescence, livor mortis, and floral pigments. We concluded that mimicking livor mortis may represent a common tactic of pollinator attraction in “carrion flower” systems within angiosperms.