Transcriptome Analysis of Chenopodium album in Response to Infection by Botrytis Strain HZ-011

This study conducted a transcriptome sequencing analysis of the interaction between <i>Chenopodium album</i> and <i>Botrytis</i> strain HZ-011 to identify genes involved in the response to fungal infections and elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction. High-throughput RNA-seq technology was employed to analyze the transcriptomes of <i>C. album</i> leaves at 1, 4, and 5 days post-inoculation (dpi) with <i>Botrytis</i> strain HZ-011. The results revealed 11,645 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at 1 dpi, including 7399 upregulated and 4246 downregulated genes; 11,285 DEGs at 4 dpi (7801 upregulated and 3484 downregulated); and 9976 DEGs at 5 dpi (7723 upregulated and 2253 downregulated). GO functional analysis indicated that downregulated DEGs were significantly enriched in chloroplast and plastid functional expression at 1, 4, and 5 dpi. Following infection by <i>Botrytis</i> strain HZ-011, downregulated genes were significantly enriched in pathways related to photosynthesis, including photosynthetic pathways, light-harvesting antenna proteins, and carotenoid biosynthesis. This suggests that the photosynthetic process in <i>C. album</i> was markedly inhibited, disrupting nutrient supply and leading to herbicidal effects. Notably, genes such as <i>PSB28</i>, <i>PSBP</i>, <i>CAP10A</i>, and <i>CRTL-E-1</i> were significantly enriched in these pathways, indicating their potential roles in the herbicidal mechanism. These findings provide a foundation for understanding the herbicidal activity of strain HZ-011 and identifying potential targets for developing novel microbial herbicides.