• The yield-increasing mechanism of rhamnolipid on potato in alpine region was revealed for the first time from the perspective of multi-omics. • It provides an operable theoretical basis for biological fertilizer for plateau green agriculture. • The physiological indexes and gene expression were correlated to clarify the dual enhancement effect of rhamnolipid on stress resistance and nutritional metabolism. The potato serves as a crucial food crop and a significant industrial and economic mainstay in Qinghai. The impact of rhamnolipid, a typical biological fertilizer, on potato yield in Qinghai requires further investigation. This study employed transcriptome sequencing to examine the impact of rhamnolipid on potato yield in alpine locations. We adopted the Illumina platform for sequencing and examined the transcriptome of 18 potato leaf specimens. A total of 36,720 genes were functionally annotated using the GO, KEGG, NR, Swiss-Prot, Pfam, and KOG databases. Combined with physiological indices, including total chlorophyll content, total flavonoid content, and auxin content of potato leaves following rhamnolipid application. The findings indicated that rhamnolipid application enhanced the expression of differential genes regulating essential enzymes, including auxin, flavonoids, and starch in potato foliage, elucidating the molecular mechanism by which rhamnolipid increases potato yield. The findings facilitated the advancement of biological pesticides, established a theoretical foundation for the utilization of rhamnolipid in potato cultivation, offered technical assistance for achieving high and steady potato yields in Qinghai, and promoted the progression of sustainable agriculture in the plateau region.
Gao et al. (Wed,) studied this question.