Response of metabolic and lipid synthesis gene expression changes in Camellia oleifera to mulched ecological mat under drought conditions

Plants respond to adverse conditions by activating defense mechanisms that alter metabolism and impact agricultural crop yield. Organic mulching of Camellia oleifera leads to increased oil yield compared to control. In this study, multi-platform untargeted metabolomics and qRT-PCR were used to measure the effects of organic mulching on seed kernel metabolism. Metabolomics analysis revealed that tyrosine, tryptophan, and several flavonoids and polyphenol metabolites were significantly lower in the mulched treatment compared to the control, indicating lower stress levels with mulching. The qRT-PCR analysis showed that EAR, SAD, and CoHCD were up-regulated by mulching, while CT, FAD7, FAD8, CoATS1, SQS, SQE, FATB, and β-AS were down-regulated. Correlation network analysis was used to integrate data from this multi-omics investigation to analyze the relationships between differentially expressed genes, metabolites, and fruit and soil indicators concerning mulch treatment of C. oleifera. Tyrosine, tryptophan, and several flavonoids and polyphenol metabolites were significantly lower in the mulched treatment compared to the non-mulched indicating lower stress levels with mulching. [Display omitted] •Ecological mat mulching improved the yield of C. oleifera, soil water potential and maintains soil temperature.•qRT-PCR showed that the expression of key gene for fatty acid chain extension synthesis was up-regulated after mulching.•Multi-platform untargeted metabolomics reveals tyrosine, tryptophan were significantly lower in the mulched treatment.•Correlation network reveals the connections between yield, soil conditions, genes, and metabolites after mulching.