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In order to define the provenance of the raw material of the glazed tile bodies excavated at the site of Mingzhongdu (Fengyang, China), X‐ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), X‐ray powder diffraction (XRD) and inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometer (ICP‐MS) were used. A comparative analysis was performed using glazed tiles excavated from the Qiaojianzi kiln in Fengyang (FQY), a kiln in Dangtu (DY), Nanjing Ming Palace (NMGG) and Dabaoensi in Nanjing (DEBS). The data suggest that the clay of the glazed tiles in Mingzhongdu came from the local area, while the others were from Dangtu and unknown areas. Clays are usually more or less refined, and minerals such as quartz, feldspar and mullite are often added. This study provides a direct basis for the material source of the glazed tile body in Mingzhongdu, and offers some useful data for further study of the firing system of glazed tiles in Mingzhongdu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In apple (Malus) cultivation, the adaptability of rootstocks has a fundamental influence on multiple abiotic-stress resistance properties of their scions. Here, we investigated the high-salt resistance of apple rootstocks, by treating 2-year-old apple trees consisting of the 'Fuji' cultivar grafted onto three different dwarfing rootstocks (SH6, M9-T337 and G935) with a high-salt solution for 30 days. We found that the high-salt stress caused leaf yellowing and growth inhibition to all apple plants, and that the most serious reduction in relative chlorophyll content, plant height and biomass accumulation was associated with the SH6 rootstock. In addition, based on the salt injury index, the high-salt resistance of the 'Fuji' scion on the three dwarfing rootstocks was ranked as G935 > M9-T337 > SH6. In addition, analysis of mineral elemental composition showed that the Na+ content in 'Fuji' leaves on the G935 rootstock increased less than twofold compared to the control, whereas those on the SH6 rootstock increased nearly 20-fold, accompanied with reduced K and Fe element absorption under high-salt treatments. Expression analysis of nine Na+ transport-related genes indicated that in the salt overly sensitive (SOS) pathway, the SOS1, SOS2 and SOS3 genes showed considerably greater induction by high-salt stress in G935 roots than in SH6 roots. Given the Na+ content detected in roots of different rootstocks, we propose that more efficient Na+ extracellular efflux in G935 roots, rather than intracellular Na+ compartmentalization, contributed to the improved characteristics of the G935 rootstock under high-salt conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glutinous rice mortar is a traditional lime-based building material which was first used in China during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279 CE) according to ancient Chinese documents. The Tieguai Tomb, dating back to the late Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127 CE) in Nanling, Southern China, was built by using mortar for its tomb chamber, making it the earliest mortar tomb found in China to date. In this study, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thin-section petrography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and starch grain analyses were conducted to comprehensively investigate the manufacturing techniques of the mortar from the Tieguai tomb. The results show that the mortar is a type of organic–inorganic mixed material made of glutinous rice pulp, lime, clay, and fine sand. This finding indicates that glutinous rice mortar had already been used as a building material as early as the late Northern Song Dynasty, which is the earliest use record for this material in China. This study also provides direct scientific evidence for exploring the origin of glutinous rice mortar and is of great importance for reconstructing the history of Chinese traditional building materials and architectural techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pogostemon cablin is a medicinally and economically important plant because it contains a high content of patchouli oil. Patchouli oil is composed of more than 24 unique sesquiterpene compounds, with the most abundant being patchouli alcohol (PA). PA is a sesquiterpene and is mainly synthesized through the mevalonate (MVA) pathway in plants in which isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase (IPI) is a key enzyme. Here, a full-length cDNA encoding IPI (designated as PcIPI) was cloned from P. cablin through the rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the full-length PcIPI includes an 879 bp open reading frame (ORF) that encodes a 292 amino acid protein with a theoretical isoelectric point of 5.55 and a molecular mass of 32.8 kDa. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that PcIPI shared the most recent genetic relationship with the IPI of Isodon rubescens (86.43%), Salvia miltiorrhiza (85.38%), Plectranthus barbatus (86.54%), and Prunella vulgaris (86.31%). To verify the function of the PcIPI gene in PA biosynthesis, the P. cablin plants were infected with Agrobacterium tumefaciens bearing a pTRV2-PcIPI construct to induce virus-mediated PcIPI silencing. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis were applied to detect changes in the PcIPI catalytic products and transcription levels. The trend of decreasing transcript level was found to be similar to that of decreasing sesquiterpene content. These results revealed that PcIPI silencing had a negative effect on PA biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY Canker disease caused by the bacterium Lonsdalea populi is one of the most destructive diseases affecting poplar stems. However, the detailed stress response mechanisms of poplar have not been widely characterized. To explore the diverse regulatory RNA landscape and the function of key regulators in poplar subjected to L. populi stress, we integrated time‐course experiment with mock‐inoculation (CK) and inoculation (IN) with L. populi at the first, third, and sixth day (IN1, IN3, IN6) on Populus × euramericana cv. ‘74/76’ (107), small RNA‐seq, whole transcriptome‐wide analysis, degradome analysis and transgenic experiments. A total of 98 differentially expressed (DE) miRNA, 17 974 DEmRNA, and 807 DElncRNA were identified in poplar infected by L. populi, presenting dynamic changes over the infection course. Regulatory networks among RNAs were further constructed. Notably, a network centered on ptc‐miR482a in CK‐vs‐IN3 contained most DEGs. We show that miR482a and miR1448 are located in one transcript as a polycistron. Overexpression of pre‐miR482a‐miR1448 (OX482‐1448) and pre‐miR482a (OX482) increased poplar susceptibility to canker pathogen with reduced accumulation of reactive oxygen species, while the suppression of miR482a (STTM482) conferred poplar disease resistance. PHA7 was validated as the target of miR482a with degradome sequencing and tobacco transient co‐transformation, its expression being downregulated in OX482‐1448 and OX482 lines. Additionally, a series of phasiRNAs were triggered by miR482a targeting PHA7, forming regulatory cascades with more RLP, NBS‐LRR, and PK genes, further verifying the defense function of miR482a. These findings provide insights for understanding the roles of ncRNAs and regulatory networks involved in poplar immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]