OfWRKY48 coordinates floral aroma biosynthesis by dual regulation of MEP pathway and carotenoid metabolism in Osmanthus fragrans.

The flowers of Osmanthus fragrans are widely appreciated for their distinctive fragrance, predominantly derived from monoterpenes and apocarotenoid volatiles. However, the transcriptional mechanisms coordinating the production of these scent compounds remain poorly understood. In this study, integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses of five cultivars with varying scent profiles identified OfWRKY48, a Group II-c WRKY TF. Functional studies demonstrated that transient overexpression and virus-induced gene si…