Graphene oxide enhances aphid resistance in sorghum via the <scp>miR319</scp>‐<scp>SbTCP7</scp>‐<scp>SbLOX3</scp> Pathway
Yannan Shi, Zhiyin Jiao, Jinping Wang, Zhifang Wang, Chengcai Chu, Yongchao Guo, Peng Lv, Junfeng Cao
Abstract
Summary The aphid ( Melanaphis sacchari ) has emerged as a formidable pest, devastating sorghum plants and highlighting the need for sustainable management strategies. Graphene oxide (GO), as a novel material, has garnered attention for its use in crop cultivation and management, but its effects on biotic stresses remain elusive. Here, we used 10 mg/L GO to spray aphid‐stressed sorghum seedlings four times in total. GO exposure reduced 50% H 2 O 2 from the reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst induced by the aphid. Further analysis revealed that GO within the cells acts as a nanozyme, mimicking and enhancing the catalytic activity of the ROS‐scavenging system to maintain ROS homeostasis, protecting normal plant growth and development under aphid stress. Moreover, the moderate increase in H 2 O 2 in GO‐treated, aphid‐infected seedlings blocked the biogenesis of miR319 , leading to the induction of its target gene SbTCP7 , which in turn activated the transcription of SbLOX3 , a rate‐limiting enzyme in jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis. Subsequent molecular and genetic assays confirmed that the miR319‐SbTCP7 module enhances JA metabolism, promoting the accumulation of JA and its active derivative jasmonic acid‐isoleucine (JA‐Ile) to combat aphids. Our results suggest that GO, as a potential nanozyme, enhances the aphid resistance of sorghum through the miR319‐SbTCP7 module to regulate JA synthesis, indicating a novel cultivation strategy for improving pest management via nanomaterials. This frontier research has opened new avenues for crop protection against invasive pests like aphids.