Locusts employ neuronal sensory prioritization to reconcile two conflicting olfactory signals while aggregating.

Migratory locusts () emit two key odorants during aggregation: 4-vinylanisole (4VA), which serves as an aggregation pheromone attracting conspecifics to form swarms, and phenylacetonitrile (PAN), which acts as an aposematic signal and a precursor of a defense toxin, deterring conspecifics from cannibalism and protecting against predators. However, how locusts reconcile these two conflicting olfactory signals while aggregating is not yet understood. Our study addresses this by examining the release dynamics of the two signals, their behavioral effects, and the neural mechanisms underlying their perception.

Regulating Leaf Photosynthesis and Soil Microorganisms through Controlled-Release Nitrogen Fertilizer Can Effectively Alleviate the Stress of Elevated Ambient Ozone on Winter Wheat.

The mitigation mechanisms of a kind of controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer (sulfur-coated controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer, SCNF) in response to O stress on a winter wheat ( L.) variety (Nongmai-88) were studied in crop physiology and soil biology through the ozone-free-air controlled enrichment (O-FACE) simulation platform and soil microbial metagenomics. The results showed that SCNF could not delay the O-induced leaf senescence of winter wheat but could enhance the leaf size and photosynthetic function of flag leaves, increase the accumulation of nutrient elements, and lay the foundation for yield by regulating the release rate of nitrogen (N).

Optimal N management affects the fate of urea-N and improves N uptake and utilization of wheat in different rotation systems.

Rice-wheat and maize-wheat rotations are major cropping systems in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River in China, where high nitrogen (N) inputs and low N efficiency often exacerbate resource waste and environmental pollution. Due to the changes in factors such as soil properties and moisture content, the N fate and the N utilization characteristics of wheat in different rotations are significantly different. Efficient N management strategies are thus urgently required for promoting maximum wheat yield in different rotation systems while reducing N loss.

The Inhibiting Effects of High-Dose Biochar Application on Soil Microbial Metagenomics and Rice ( L.) Production.

Biochar is usually considered as an organic improver which can improve soil and increase crop yields. However, the unrestricted application of biochar to normal-fertility farmland will cause chemical stress on crops and affect agricultural production. At present, the effects and mechanisms of high-dose applications of biochar on rice ( L.

4-Vinylanisole promotes conspecific interaction and acquisition of gregarious behavior in the migratory locust.

Chemical signals from conspecifics are essential in insect group formation and maintenance. Migratory locusts use the aggregation pheromone 4-vinylanisole (4VA), specifically released by gregarious locusts, to attract and recruit conspecific individuals, leading to the formation of large-scale swarms. However, how 4VA contributes to the transition from solitary phase to gregarious phase remains unclear.

4-Vinylanisole is an aggregation pheromone in locusts.

Locust plagues threaten agricultural and environmental safety throughout the world. Aggregation pheromones have a crucial role in the transition of locusts from a solitary form to the devastating gregarious form and the formation of large-scale swarms. However, none of the candidate compounds reported meet all the criteria for a locust aggregation pheromone.