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Abstract The plant immune response plays a central role in maintaining a well-balanced and healthy microbiome for plant health. However, insights into how the fruit immune response and the fruit microbiome influence fruit health after harvest are limited. We investigated the temporal dynamics of the fruit microbiota and host defense gene expression patterns during postharvest storage of apple fruits at room temperature. Our results demonstrate a temporal dynamic shift in both bacterial and fungal community composition during postharvest storage that coincides with a steep-decline in host defense response gene expression associated with pattern-triggered immunity. We observed the gradual appearance of putative pathogenic/spoilage microbes belonging to genera Alternaria (fungi) and Gluconobacter and Acetobacter (bacteria) at the expense of Sporobolomyces and other genera, which have been suggested to be beneficial for plant hosts. Moreover, artificial induction of pattern-triggered immunity in apple fruit with the flg22 peptide delayed the onset of fruit rot caused by the fungal pathogen Penicillium expansum. Our results suggest that the fruit immune response helps to orchestrate a microbiome and that the collapse of the immunity results in the proliferation of spoilage microbes and fruit rot. These findings hold implications for the development of strategies to increase fruit quality and prolong shelf life in fruits and vegetables. 

Polyyne bridges have attracted extensive interest as molecular wires due to their shallow distance dependence during charge transfer. Here, we investigate whether triplet energy transfer from cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots (QDs) to anthracene acceptors benefits from the high conductance associated with polyyne bridges, especially from the potential cumulene character in their excited states. Introducing π-electron rich oligoyne bridges between the surface-bound anthracene-based transmitter ligands, we explore the triplet energy transfer rate between the CdSe QDs and anthracene core. Our femtosecond transient absorption results reveal that a rate constant damping coefficient of β is 0.118 ± 0.011 Å−1, attributed to a through-bond coupling mechanism facilitated by conjugation among the anthracene core, the oligoyne bridges, and the COO⊖ anchoring group. In addition, oligoyne bridges lower the T1 energy level of the anthracene-based transmitters, enabling efficient triplet energy transfer from trapped excitons in CdSe QDs. Density-functional theory calculations suggest a slight cumulene character in these oligoyne bridges during triplet energy transfer, with diminished bond length alternation. This work demonstrates the potential of oligoyne bridges in mediating long-distance energy transfer. 

Triplet energy transfer from CdS quantum dots enhances europium(iii) emission under visible light excitation. 

Abstract Dimethylammonium lead iodide (DMAPbI_x) has the potential to address the phase stability issue of inorganic perovskite solar cells (PSCs). In this study, the crystallinity, phase structure, defect states, and crystal growth habits of DMAPbI_xare controlled by adjusting thexvalue during synthesis, where N,N‐dimethylacetamide (DMAC) is used as the solvent to regulate perovskite film growth. Furthermore, large‐area CsPbI_2.85Br_0.15perovskite films with preferred oriented growth are achieved using the optimizedxvalue in DMAPbI_xthrough the slot‐die coating method. The inorganic PSCs, with a n‐i‐p structure and the active area of 0.04 cm², achieve a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 19.82%, with an open‐circuit voltage (V_oc) of 1.16 V based on perovskite films formed by slot‐die coating. This work provides important insights into the DMAPbI_x‐based method for fabricating high‐quality inorganic perovskite films, and paves the way for large‐area inorganic PSCs fabrication for practical applications. 

Abstract The optimal selection of alkyl chains and halogen ions in ammonium salts for addressing specific defect types in perovskite films remains unclear, although ammonium salts emerged as a promising strategy to enhance the performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, four ammonium salts are introduced with different alkyl chain types and halogen ions to passivate perovskite films. Branched‐alkyl chain ammonium salts exhibited superior passivation effects compared to linear‐alkyl chain salts, with the alkyl chain structure having a more significant impact on device performance than the halogen ion component. In addition, DFT calculations are performed to investigate which defect types in perovskite films are most effectively passivated by different alkyl chain types and halogen ions in ammonium salts. Branched‐alkyl chain ammonium salts demonstrated superior passivation effects on V_Pband V_FAdefects in perovskite films compared to linear‐alkyl chain salts, while exhibiting similar passivation effects for V_Idefects. PSCs passivated with tert‐OAI achieved an impressive efficiency of 25.49%, with a V_ocof 1.19 V, a J_scof 25.40 mA cm⁻², and an FF of 84.34%. This work highlights a targeted ammonium salt passivation strategy tailored to address different defect types in perovskite films, accounting for variations in perovskite composition and fabrication environments.