Search Results (4,242)

The introduction of alternative crops, including wild edible and medicinal plants, in organic cultivation systems presents an attractive approach to producing healthy and high-quality products due to their content in beneficial compounds and increased nutritional value. The current study evaluated the impact of organic and conventional fertilization on the growth, quality, nutrient status and stress response of the two wild edible species, e.g., purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) and common sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus L.), under field conditions. The fertilization treatments included the following: a control (NoFert) treatment with no fertilizers added, base dressing with conventional fertilization (CoFert), base dressing with organic fertilization (OrFert), base dressing and side dressing with conventional fertilization (OrFert + S_CoFert) and base dressing and side dressing with organic fertilization (CoFert + S_CoFert). Organic fertilization was carried out using a commercial vinasse-based organic fertilizer. In both purslane and common sowthistle, the application of organic fertilizers provided comparable or even enhanced plant growth traits, macronutrient content (i.e., P and K for purslane, and N for sowthistle) and quality (i.e., total soluble solids) compared to the application of conventional fertilizers. On the other hand, conventional fertilization with supplementary fertilization positively influenced the plant growth of purslane (i.e., plant height and stems biomass), as well as its physiological parameters (i.e., chlorophylls content), total phenolics content and antioxidant capacity (i.e., DPPH and FRAP). Similarly, conventional fertilization led to increased total phenolics and antioxidants in common sowthistle, while variable effects were observed regarding plant physiology, stress response and antioxidant capacity indices. In conclusion, the use of organic fertilization in both purslane and common sowthistle exhibited a performance similar to that of conventional fertilization, although further optimization of fertilization regimes is needed to improve the quality of the edible products. Full article

Drought is one of the major abiotic stresses that affect plant growth and productivity, and plant stress responses are affected by both the intensity of stress and genotype. In Iraqi Kurdistan, tomato plants play a significant role in the country’s economy. Due to climate change, which causes soil moisture to diminish, the crop’s growth and yield have been dropping in recent years. Accordingly, the effects of simulated drought stress on germination parameters were assessed in 64 tomato accessions gathered from the Iraqi Kurdistan region in order to identify sensitive and tolerant accessions. In this respect, the responses associated with drought stress were observed phenotypically and biochemically. Germination percentage (GP) and morphological characteristics such as root length (RL), shoot length (SL), and shoot fresh weight (SFW) were significantly reduced in both stress treatments with polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000) (7.5% PEG and 15% PEG). On the other hand, significant changes in biochemical profiles such as proline content (PC), soluble sugar content (SSC), total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity (AC), guaiacol peroxidase (GPA), catalase (CAT), and lipid peroxidation (LP) in tomato accessions were detected; all biochemical traits were increased in most tomato accessions under the PEG-induced treatments compared to the control treatment (0.0% PEG). Three tomato accessions (AC61 (Raza Pashayi), AC9 (Wrdi Be Tow), and AC63 (Sandra)) were found to be the most tolerant accessions under all drought conditions, whereas the performances of the other tested accessions (AC13 (Braw), AC30 (Yadgar), and AC8 (Israili)) were inferior. The OMIC analysis identified the biomarker parameters for differentiating the highly, moderately, and low tolerant groups as PC, SSC, and TPC. This study shows that early PEG-6000 screening for drought stress may help in choosing a genotype that is suitable for growth in water-stressed environments. Hence, Raza Pashayi, Wrdi Be Tow, and Sandra accessions, which had great performances under drought conditions, can be candidates for selection in a breeding program to improve the growth of plants and production in the areas that face water limits. Full article

Plant architecture is an important agronomic trait that impacts crop yield. The tiller angle is a critical aspect of the plant’s structural organization, which is influenced by both internal and external factors. The genetic mechanisms underlying the tiller angle have been extensively investigated in other plants. However, research on wheat is relatively limited. Additionally, mechanics has emerged as a connection between biochemical signaling and the development of three-dimensional biological forms. It not only reveals how physical interactions at the cellular level influence overall morphogenesis but also elucidates the interplay between these mechanical processes and molecular signaling pathways that collectively determine plant morphology. This review examines the recent advancements in the study of tillering angle in wheat and other plants. It discusses progress in research ranging from observable characteristics to the regulation of genes, as well as the physiological and biochemical aspects, and the adaptability to environmental factors. In addition, this review also discusses the effects of mechanical on plant growth and development, and provides ideas for the study of mechanical regulation mechanism of tillering angle in wheat. Consequently, based on the research of other plants and combined with the genetic and mechanical principles, this approach offers novel insights and methodologies for studying tillering in wheat. This interdisciplinary research framework not only enhances our understanding of the mechanisms underlying wheat growth and development but may also uncover the critical factors that regulate tillering angle, thereby providing a scientific foundation for improving wheat yield and adaptability. Full article

Despite the development of adapted popcorn cultivars such as UENF WS01, strategies such as bacterial inoculation are being explored to enhance plant resilience to abiotic stress. This study investigates the impact of drought stress on popcorn cultivation. Specifically, the aim was to identify the benefits of Bacillus cereus interaction with the drought-tolerant hybrid UENF WS01 for its morphophysiology and growth by comparing inoculated and non-inoculated plants under water-stressed (WS) and well-watered (WW) conditions. This evaluation was conducted using a randomized complete block design in a factorial arrangement. For WS with inoculation samples, there were significant increases in relative chlorophyll content, maximum fluorescence intensity, and agronomic water use efficiency. Chlorophyll content increased by an average of 50.39% for WS samples, compared to a modest increase of 2.40% for WW samples. Both leaf and stem biomass also significantly increased for WS relative to WW conditions. Overall, B. cereus inoculation mitigated the impact of water stress, significantly enhancing the expression of physiological and morphological traits, even when paired with a drought-tolerant hybrid. Full article

Heterosis, or hybrid vigor, refers to the phenomenon where hybrid progenies outperform their parents in traits such as yield and resistance. This phenomenon has been widely applied in plant breeding. Recent advances in high-throughput genomics have significantly advanced our understanding of heterosis. This review systematically summarizes the genetic, molecular, and epigenetic mechanisms underlying heterosis. Furthermore, we discuss recent advances in predictive methods for heterosis and their applications in improving growth rate, resistance to abiotic stresses, and wood yield in tree species. We also explore the role of tree genomics in unraveling the mechanisms underlying heterosis, emphasizing the potential of integrating high-resolution genomics, single-cell sequencing, and spatial transcriptomics to achieve a comprehensive understanding of heterosis from the molecular to spatial levels. Building on this, CRISPR-based gene-editing technologies can be employed to precisely edit heterotic loci, enabling the study of allele function. Additionally, molecular marker-assisted selection (MAS) can be utilized to identify heterotic loci in parental lines, facilitating the selection of optimal hybrid combinations and significantly reducing the labor and time costs of hybrid breeding. Finally, we review the utilization of heterosis in tree breeding and provide a forward-looking perspective on future research directions, highlighting the potential of integrating multi-omics approaches and emerging gene-editing tools to revolutionize tree hybrid breeding. Full article

Paddy fields are important anthropogenic emission sources of methane (CH₄). However, it is not clear how rice root development and rhizosphere soil properties affect CH₄ emissions. Therefore, we selected rice varieties with similar growth periods but different root traits in the local area. We measured CH₄ emission fluxes, cumulative CH₄ emissions, root dry weight, root length, and the dissolved organic carbon (DOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), redox potential (Eh), ammonium nitrogen (${\mathrm{N}\mathrm{H}}_4^{+}$–N), and nitrate nitrogen (${\mathrm{N}\mathrm{O}}_3^{-}$–N) contents in rhizosphere soil. Methanogens and methanotrophs are crucial factors influencing CH₄ emissions; thus, their abundance and community composition were also assessed. The result showed that CH₄ fluxes of each rice variety reached the peak at tillering stage and jointing-booting stage. The CH₄ emissions in tillering stage were the largest in each growth period. CH₄ emissions had negative correlations with root length, root dry weight, Eh ${\mathrm{N}\mathrm{O}}_3^{-}$–N, methanotroph abundance, and the pmoA/mcrA ratio, and positive correlations with ${\mathrm{N}\mathrm{H}}_4^{+}$–N, MBC, DOC, and methanogen abundance. Path analysis confirmed methanogens and methanotrophs as direct influences on CH₄ emissions. Root development and rhizosphere soil properties affect CH₄ emissions indirectly through these microbes. This study suggests that choosing rice varieties with good root systems and managing the rhizosphere soil can effectively reduce CH₄ emissions. Full article

We studied the microbial diversity colonizing limestone rock pools at a Neolithic Monument (Arbor Low, Derbyshire, England). Five pools were analyzed: four located at the megaliths of the stone circle and one pool placed at the megalith at the Gib Hill burial mound 300 m distant. Samples were taken from rock pool walls and sediments, and investigated through molecular metabarcoding. The microbiome consisted of 23 phyla of bacteria (831 OTUs), 4 phyla of archaea (19 OTUs), and 27 phyla of microbial eukarya (596 OTUs). For bacteria, there were statistically significant differences in wall versus sediment populations, but not between pools. For archaea and eukarya, significant differences were found only between pools. The most abundant bacterial phylum in walls was Cyanobacteriota, and Pseudomonadota in sediments. For archaea and microbial eukarya, the dominant phyla were Euryarcheota and Chlorophyta, respectively, in both wall and sediments. The distant pool (P5) showed a markedly different community structure in phyla and species, habitat discrimination, and CHN content. Species sorting and dispersal limitation are discussed as mechanisms structuring the microbiome assemblages and their spatial connectivity. The Arbor Low microbiome is composed of terrestrial representatives common in extreme environments. The high presence of Cyanobacteriota and Chlorophyta in the Arbor Low stones is troubling, as these microorganisms can induce mechanical disruption by penetrating the limestone matrix through endolithic/chasmoendolithic growth. Future research should focus on the metabolic traits of strains to ascertain their implication in bioweathering and/or biomineralization. Full article

Effective lettuce cultivation requires precise monitoring of growth characteristics, quality assessment, and optimal harvest timing. In a recent study, a deep learning model based on multimodal data fusion was developed to estimate lettuce phenotypic traits accurately. A dual-modal network combining RGB and depth images was designed using an open lettuce dataset. The network incorporated both a feature correction module and a feature fusion module, significantly enhancing the performance in object detection, segmentation, and trait estimation. The model demonstrated high accuracy in estimating key traits, including fresh weight (fw), dry weight (dw), plant height (h), canopy diameter (d), and leaf area (la), achieving an R² of 0.9732 for fresh weight. Robustness and accuracy were further validated through 5-fold cross-validation, offering a promising approach for future crop phenotyping. Full article

Maize (Zea mays L.) is highly sensitive to temperature during its growth and development stage. A 1 °C drop in temperature can delay maturity by 10 days, resulting in a yield reduction of over 10%. Low-temperature tolerance in maize is a complex quantitative trait, and different germplasms exhibit significant differences in their responses to low-temperature stress. To explore the differences in gene expression and metabolites between B144 (tolerant) and Q319 (susceptible) during germination under low-temperature stress and to identify key genes and metabolites that respond to this stress, high-throughput transcriptome sequencing was performed on the leaves of B144 and Q319 subjected to low-temperature stress for 24 h and their respective controls using Illumina HiSeq^TM 4000 high-throughput sequencing technology. Additionally, high-throughput metabolite sequencing was conducted on the samples using widely targeted metabolome sequencing technology. The results indicated that low-temperature stress triggered the accumulation of stress-related metabolites such as amino acids and their derivatives, lipids, phenolic acids, organic acids, flavonoids, lignin, coumarins, and alkaloids, suggesting their significant roles in the response to low temperature. This stress also promoted gene expression and metabolite accumulation involved in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway. Notably, there were marked differences in gene expression and metabolites related to the glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism pathways between B144 and Q319. This study, through multi-omics integrated analysis, provides valuable insights into the identification of metabolites, elucidation of metabolic pathways, and the biochemical and genetic basis of plant responses to stress, particularly under low-temperature conditions. Full article

Accurately predicting the wheat potential yield (PY) is crucial for enhancing agricultural management and improving resilience to climate change. However, most existing crop models for wheat PY rely on type-specific parameters that describe wheat traits, which often require calibration and, in turn, reduce prediction confidence when applied across different spatial or temporal scales. In this study, we integrated eco-evolutionary optimality (EEO) principles with a universal productivity model, the Pmodel, to propose a comprehensive full-chain method for predicting wheat PY. Using this approach, we forecasted wheat PY across China under typical shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs). Our findings highlight the following: (1) Incorporating EEO theory improves PY prediction performance compared to current parameter-based crop models. (2) In the absence of phenological responses, rising atmospheric CO₂ concentrations universally benefit wheat growth and PY, while increasing temperatures have predominantly negative effects across most regions. (3) Warmer temperatures expand the window for selecting sowing dates, leading to a national trend toward earlier sowing. (4) By simultaneously considering climate impacts on wheat growth and sowing dates, we predict that PY in China’s main producing regions will significantly increase from 2020 to 2060 and remain stable under SSP126. However, under SSP370, while there is no significant trend in PY during 2020–2060, increases are expected thereafter. These results provide valuable insights for policymakers navigating the complexities of climate change and optimizing wheat production to ensure food security. Full article

The use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) for the bioremediation of heavy metal cadmium (Cd) and for enhancing plant growth in Cd-polluted soil is widely recognized as an effective approach. This study aimed to isolate Cd-resistant bacteria with plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits from the rhizosphere of vegetables subjected to metal contamination and to investigate the mechanisms associated with Cd adsorption as well as its impact on Cd uptake in lettuce. Six Cd-resistant bacterial strains were isolated from rhizosphere soil, among which the R27 strain exhibited the highest tolerance to Cd (minimum inhibitory concentration of 2000 mg/L) along with PGP traits, including phosphate solubilization (385.11 mg/L), the production of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) (35.92 mg/L), and siderophore production (3.34 mg/L). Through a range of physiological, biochemical, and molecular assessments, the R27 strain was classified as Bacillus siamensis. This strain demonstrated notable efficiency in removing Cd²⁺ from the growth medium, achieving an efficacy of 80.1%. This removal was facilitated by cell surface adsorption through functional groups such as O–H, C=O, –CO–NH–, and C–O, alongside intracellular Cd accumulation, as evidenced by SEM, TEM, EDX, and FTIR analyses. Pot culture experiments indicated that R27 significantly promoted lettuce seedling growth and helped plants tolerate Cd stress, with the underlying mechanisms likely involving increased antioxidant activities for scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by Cd stress, and reduced Cd²⁺ levels in lettuce seedlings to mitigate Cd²⁺ toxicity. These physiological changes were further supported by the down-regulation of genes associated with cadmium transport, including IRT1, Nramp1, HMA2, HMA4, ZIP4, and ZIP12, as well as the significantly reduced root bio-concentration factor (BCF) and translocation factor (TF). In summary, the R27 strain offers considerable potential in the bioremediation of Cd-polluted soils and can serve as a bio-fertilizer to enhance plant growth. Full article

Studying the physiological mechanisms underlying the traits associated with salt tolerance in genotypes could lead to the discovery of new genetic resources for salt tolerance. In this study, the mechanisms of salt tolerance were evaluated, based on ionic, physiological, and agronomic traits in four varieties that differ in their salt tolerance and in 18 F₈ recombinant inbred lines (RILs) grown in real field conditions. The salt tolerance of plant materials was assessed under both normal (3.5 mM NaCl) and high salinity stress (150 mM NaCl) conditions for two consecutive years. Different growth and physiological traits were assessed 75 days after sowing, while ion contents in the shoots, grain yield, and its components were determined at the maturity stage. Multivariate analysis was used to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of salt tolerance across various genotypes and traits. The ANOVA results showed significant differences (p ≤ 0.05 and 0.001) among salinity, genotypes, and their interactions for all ionic and agro-physiological traits, with a few exceptions. Salinity stress resulted in a considerable increase in Na⁺ content and canopy temperature (CT), with a simultaneous decrease of 11.3% to 94.5% in other ionic and agro-physiological traits compared to the control treatment. However, the salt-tolerant genotypes showed minimal increases in Na⁺ content and CT, as well as decreases in other ionic and agro-physiological traits when compared to salt-sensitive genotypes under salinity stress. All ionic and agro-physiological traits exhibited strong correlations with each other under salinity stress, but these correlations were weak or insignificant under control conditions. The principal component analysis identified Na⁺ and CT as negative indicators and other ionic and agro-physiological traits as positive indicators for salt tolerance under salinity stress. The negative indicators were strongly linked to salt-sensitive genotypes, while the positive indicators were closely associated with salt-tolerant genotypes. Heatmap clustering, using multiple traits, successfully differentiated the salt-tolerant genotypes from the salt-sensitive ones. The salt-tolerant group showed a significant reduction in Na⁺ content by 36.9%, in CT by 10.0%, and in HI by 16.7%, along with an increase of 6.3–51.4% in other ionic and agro-physiological traits compared to the salt-sensitive group. In conclusion, the mechanisms associated with Na⁺ exclusion and high K⁺/Na⁺ and Ca²⁺/Na⁺ ratios, as well as chlorophyll and relative water content, along with low CT, resulted in significant improvements in growth and yield under salinity stress conditions. Given that the effectiveness of various ionic and agro-physiological traits in evaluating salt tolerance in wheat has been proven in real field conditions, these traits will play a key role in the development of salt-tolerant wheat genotypes. Full article

Background: In broiler chickens, the efficient utilization of macro- and micronutrients is influenced by various metabolic pathways that are closely linked to feed efficiency (FE), a critical metric in poultry industry, with residual feed intake (RFI) as the preferred proxy. Feed restriction is considered an approach to address the underlying molecular mechanisms of feed conversion. We hypothesized that broiler chickens with divergent RFI subjected to quantitative feed restriction differ in their pattern of molecular pathways for efficient nutrient utilization in liver as post-absorptive tissue. Methods: Cobb 500FF broiler chickens divergent for RFI (n = 112) were feed-restricted from day 9 until market weight at day 33–37 post-hatch. Based on a previous trial, feed restriction levels were set at 92% (low-RFI birds) and 80% (high-RFI birds) relative to the control groups. Transcriptomic analyses of the liver were conducted. Results: Due to the interaction of the RFI group and feeding regimen, a total of 140 to 507 differentially expressed genes were identified for the respective contrasts, with implications for hepatic metabolism and cellular stress response. Although the broilers did not realize their full growth potential under restrictive feeding (12.4% reduced body weight vs. controls, p = 0.094), the gene expression patterns indicate a lower susceptibility to blood coagulation (KNG1, FGG, and FGB), suggesting that controlled and mild feed restriction could lead to health benefits in less feed-efficient broilers. Moreover, FE traits are shown to be linked to cellular detoxification processes (MGST3 and CYP2AC2) and triacylglycerol syntheses (MOGAT1 and LPIN1). Conclusions: Divergent transcriptional profiles between broiler groups under varied caloric conditions indicate potential for optimizing nutritional management strategies. Full article

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element that has various beneficial effects for human healthy. However, the effects of different Se forms and concentrations on growth and development, photosynthetic characteristics and antioxidant capacity are still unclear with regard to the dual grain-and-feed dual-use of ratoon rice (RR). In this study, three concentrations of three different Se forms were applied to RR using the foliar spraying method, and the results showed that Se treatment can increase the Se content of rice grain and straw. All the Se treatments improved the photosynthetic indexes and activities of antioxidant enzymes. The Se and trace elements contents, and the percentages of organic Se and protein Se of brown rice were found to be similar in all three Se forms. A higher organic Se content was found in the grain by spraying sodium selenite and Se-Met, in which the resistant starch (RS) content was increased with the increase in amylose content in grains. The main Se species in the grain was SeMet and the SeMeCys was found only with SeMet treatments. The grain quality showed that all three Se forms increased the consistency of gelatinization. Our study indicated that exogenous Se could improve the nutritional quality of both grain and straw by improving photosynthetic traits and antioxidant enzyme activities, especially sodium selenite and Se-Met. These results underscore the potential of foliar biofortification to enhance the functional component contents of RR grains and provide an insight into the Se enrichment of ratoon rice. Full article

Exploring the genes regulating rice fertility is of great value for studying the molecular mechanisms of rice reproductive development and production practices. In this study, we identified a sterile mutant from the mutant library induced by ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), designated as meiosis abnormal bisexual sterility 1 (mabs1). The mabs1 mutant exhibits no phenotypic differences from the wild-type during the vegetative growth phase but shows complete sterility during the reproductive growth phase. Phenotypic observations revealed that both pollen and embryo sac fertility are lost in mabs1. Notably, in mabs1, the development of the anther inner and outer walls, tapetum degeneration, and callose synthesis and degradation all proceed normally, yet meiosis fails to form normal tetrads. Genetic analysis indicated that this mutant trait is controlled by a single recessive nuclear gene. By constructing a genetic segregation population, we successfully mapped the MABS1 gene to a 49 kb region between primer markers Y7 and Y9 on chromosome 1. Resequencing revealed a single-nucleotide substitution in the exon of the LOC_Os01g66170 gene, which resulted in a change from Valine to Isoleucine. Subsequent sequencing of this locus in both wild-type and mabs1 mutants confirmed this mutation. Therefore, we have identified the gene at LOC_Os01g66170 as a candidate for MABS1, a previously unreported novel gene involved in rice meiosis. Through RT-qPCR, we found that the expression levels of multiple meiosis-related genes were significantly changed in the mabs1 mutant. Therefore, we believe that MABS1 is also involved in the process of rice meiosis. This study lays the groundwork for a functional study of MABS1. Full article