Recently, the Yunnan Provincial Department of Education announced the selection results of excellent doctoral and master's degree theses in Yunnan Province in 2024. Three doctoral dissertations by Pang Zhiqiang, Zhang Yunbin, Mo Yuxuan and one master thesis by Liu Jiazhi from Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) are enlisted on the 105 excellent dissertations or the 257 master theses.
Pang Zhiqiang’s work focused on plant-microbiome interaction mechanisms.His doctoral thesis, Functional microbiomes of different root types and their shaping effects, systematically analyzed the formation and maintenance mechanisms of functional microbiomes in different plants. The study found for the first time that root exudates of dicot plants can recruit nitrogen-fixing microorganisms, revealing the critical role of functional microbiomes in maintaining habitat stability. This work provides a new paradigm for expanding the concept of the "rhizosphere" and deepening the understanding of root biological functions.Related results have been published The ISME Journal; Microbiome, and others. His supervisor is Prof. XU Peng.
Zhang Yunbing’s research focused on plant physiological ecology. Her doctoral thesis, Functional traits of mistletoe and host plants and their ecological significance, systematically revealed differences in ecological adaptation strategies between mistletoe and host plants by measuring their nutrient, water, and anatomical traits. Some research results have been published in New Phytologist, Tree Physiology, Plant Biology, and others. Her supervisor is Prof. Zhang Jiaolin.
Mo Yuxuan carried out his master and doctoral studies under the guidance of Prof. Liu Wenyao. His doctoral thesis, Changes in functional traits and ecological adaptation of semi-epiphytic Ficus tinctoria in a tropical phosphorus-deficient environment, focused on the "strangler phenomenon" of semi-epiphytic figs. The research systematically revealed the species' mechanisms for coping with phosphorus shortage by reducing leaf phosphorus allocation, improving phosphorus use efficiency, and activating acid phosphatase and phosphorus transporter genes. Related results have been published in New Phytologist, Plants People Planet, and Tree Physiology.
Liu Jiazhi’s research focused on plant omics data analysis and platform development. His master's thesis, Multi-omics data analysis of Euphorbiaceae and construction of an omics data platform, systematically collected and integrated genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic data from important Euphorbiaceae species such as rubber trees, castor beans, and cassava. He constructed the family's first family-scale omics database—EupDB (http://eupdb.liu-lab.com/). Related results have been published in Plant Communications. His supervisor is Prof. Liu Changning.
The recognition of these four theses represents another significant achievement in XTBG's graduate education efforts.
