Evaluate the impacts of different straw returning rates on soil quality and field environmental sustainability of film mulching or non-mulching farmland in semiarid region.

Film mulching (FM) has been widely adopted in dryland agriculture to increase crop yields, but its potential long-term impacts on soil health and degradation remain a subject of debate. In contrast, straw returning (SR) has shown promising results in improving soil quality and enhancing economic returns, making it an effective measure to optimize FM practices. This study assessed the effects of varying straw return rates (0, 6, 12, and 18 t ha) on soil quality, ecosystem services, and economic benefits in a semiarid region, under both mulched (FM) and non-mulched conditions.

Chromosome-level genome assembly of finger millet (Eleusine coracana) provides insights into drought resistance.

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana Gaertn.), a nutritionally rich and drought-resilient C4 cereal, possesses exceptional grain storage longevity (up to 50 years). Here, we report a high-quality genome assembly of the allotetraploid cultivar C142, revealing extensive structural rearrangements between its two subgenomes (subA and subB), which are associated with asymmetric gene expression and subgenome dominance favoring subA.

Knockout of TaOTUB1 homoeologs in wheat promotes increased grain yield and earlier flowering.

Flowering and subsequent seed development are not only the most crucial reproductive activities of plants but also key determinants of crop yield. However, the mechanisms and effective strategies for the synergistic regulation of seed size and flowering time in plants remain unclear. Here, we show that TaOTUB1, a deubiquitinase gene with three homoeologs (TaOTUB1-7A, -7B, and -7D), plays a critical role in regulating grain size and flowering time in wheat.

Concurrent enhancement of provitamin A and yield in tropical maize hybrids.

Maize is a strategic food crop in sub-Saharan Africa, where vitamin A deficiency affects millions. Significant investments have thus focused on developing maize varieties that provide 50% of the daily vitamin A requirement for vulnerable populations. Despite the release of many provitamin A enriched maize varieties across Africa, estimates of genetic gains in provitamin A content and grain yield from long-term breeding programs are undocumented.

Stem nematode disease resistance-conferring gene identification in sweet potato using combined BSA-Seq and BSR-Seq analyses.

Stem nematode disease, the most prevalent of three major diseases in northern China, causes huge sweet potato production losses. In this study, the resistant (Zhenghong22) and sensitive (Longshu9) parents, and the F segregating population mixed pools (Resistant- and Sensitive-Mixed) having extreme resistance traits, were used for BSA-Seq, BSR-Seq, and transcriptomic analyses to locate stem nematode disease resistance-conferring genes in sweet potato. Transcriptome results indicated that ethylene and ABA were the main hormones involved in disease resistance regulation, with secondary metabolic pathways playing crucial roles.

Engineering Oilseed Microbiome Synergy for Saline Alkaline Soil Restoration.

Soil salinization poses a critical threat to global agriculture, necessitating innovative strategies for sustainable remediation. This review synthesizes advances in leveraging plant-microbe interactions to remediate saline-alkali soils, focusing on oilseed crops-, , , , and -as keystone species for ecosystem restoration. These crops exhibit unique adaptive strategies, including root architectural plasticity and exudate-mediated recruitment of stress-resilient microbiomes (Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Ascomycota), which collectively stabilize soil structure and enhance nutrient cycling, ion homeostasis, and soil aggregation to mitigate soil salinity and alkalinity.

Genome-wide association studies reveal genetic diversity and regulatory loci underlying dwarfing traits in banana.

Bananas (Musa ssp.) are globally important staple crops increasingly constrained by biotic stressors, climatic instability, and the high labor demands of cultivation. The genetic improvement of dwarf phenotypes offers a strategic pathway to enhance mechanization and reduce production costs.

Silencing of the Alkaline α-Galactosidase Gene Impairs Root and Gall Development in Cucumber upon Infection.

() is a devastating root-knot nematode that parasitizes a broad range of crop species by inducing the formation of giant cells (GCs) in host roots, thereby facilitating nutrient acquisition. This process profoundly alters host sugar metabolism, yet the molecular regulators underlying sugar dynamics during infection remain poorly understood in cucumber. In this study, we investigated the role of the cucumber alkaline α-galactosidase gene () in -infected roots.

An ABF5b-HsfA2h/HsfC2a-NCED2b/POD4/HSP26 module integrates multiple signaling pathway to modulate heat stress tolerance in wheat.

Heat stress caused by increasing global temperature has become a major factor limiting yield in wheat. Heat shock transcription factors (Hsfs), as the primary regulators in plant responses to heat stress, play essential roles in modulating both basal and acquired thermotolerance in plants. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain to be elucidated.

Genome-wide association study identifies candidate SNP markers and genes associated with low nitrogen tolerance in .

Low nitrogen (LN) stress is a major limiting factor affecting crop growth and productivity. Understanding the genetic basis of LN tolerance is essential for improving nitrogen use efficiency in . A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted on a panel of 275 accessions using a semi-automated hydroponic system to evaluate five seedling traits-leaf number (NL), shoot length (SL), root length (RL), shoot fresh weight (SFW), and root fresh weight (RFW)-under LN conditions.

Inclusive analysis of key precursor peptides and flavor enhancing components of sesame cake meal maillard reaction products.

Our study investigated the flavor-enhancing attributes of Maillard reaction products (MRPs) derived from sesame cake meal digest. Taste dilution analysis (TDA) revealed that peptide-MRPs significantly enhanced flavor depth, umami intensity, and flavor continuity. LC-MS/MS analysis identified 30 distinct peptides in the sesame cake meal digest after the Maillard reaction.

TaSGT1 increased salt stress tolerance through the TaSGT1-TaRGLG2-TaPPCa model in wheat.

High salt in the soil limits plant growth and crop productivity. Under salt stress, plants have evolved various adaptive mechanisms, among which protein degradation by ubiquitination is an effective one. SGT1 is an inhibitory factor of the S-phase kinase-associated protein 1 (Skp1) G2 allele.

Identification of QTLs for adult-plant stripe rust resistance in Chinese wheat landrace Yizhanghongkemai and assessment of their utility for decreasing yield loss.

Unlabelled: Stripe rust is prevalent in the wheat-growing region of southwestern China. Frequent changes in stripe rust pathogen virulence in this region lead to a rapid loss of disease resistance among wheat varieties. However, Chinese wheat landrace Yizhanghongkemai (YZHK) has exhibited adult-plant stripe rust resistance for more than one decade in a disease nursery in southwestern China.

Sustainable storage of Cocoyam Cormels using Ash lined clay pits for post harvest preservation.

This study evaluated the efficacy of plant-derived ash treatments on cocoyam cormels' storage life and nutritional quality. A novel underground cellar with composite walls comprising clay and plant material ash was developed. Various ash treatments, including Iroko tree bark (IR) and feathery Pennisetum Grass (G2), significantly reduced moisture uptake and weight loss (< 28% and 28.

Unlocking the secrets of zombi pea: a pantropical orphan for a sustainable future.

Zombi pea is a treasure trove for hunting genes to deliver climate-smart cultivars. The integrated power of genetic and genomic approaches could be fruitful in deciphering the genetic basis of climate resilience, domestication syndrome, and the utility of orphan crops for a sustainable future. The plant genetics, biology and physiology are significantly influenced by climate change in numerous ways, which ultimately threatens food and nutritional security.

Comparative Analysis of Differentially Expressed Genes and Metabolites in Waxy Maize Inbred Lines with Distinct Twin-Shoot Phenotypes.

Polyembryonic maize, capable of producing multiple seedlings from a single kernel, holds great potential value in agricultural and industrial applications, but the seedling quality needs to be improved. In this study, seedlings of two waxy maize ( L. Kulesh) inbred lines, D35 (a polyembryonic line with twin shoots) and N6110 (single-shoot), exhibited similar relative growth rates during 1 to 5 days post-germination.

The Application of a High-Energy Fluidic Microfluidizer System Improves the Physicochemical and Antioxidant Properties of Whole Mulberry Juice.

Whole mulberry juice (WMBJ) was prepared using a novel high-energy fluidic microfluidizer (HEFM). The effects of varying treatment pressures (0-120 MPa) on the physical stability and nutritional quality of the juice were investigated. As the pressure increased, the average particle size (D[4,3]) decreased from 232.

The GoSPGF-GoPGF-GhWRKYs transcriptional cascade positively regulates pigment gland formation in the stem of upland cotton.

The pigment gland in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is a specialized structure that serves as a reservoir for gossypol and its derivatives. The morphogenesis of the pigment gland is complex and involves sophisticated but poorly understood interactions among genes that regulate cell differentiation and development. In this study, we identified a distinct gland/gossypol cluster which includes a key regulator of cotton pigment gland formation, GoPGF, and elucidated the developmental trajectory of gland cells through spatial transcriptome and single-cell RNA integrative analysis.

Effects of phosphorus fertilizer application rates on the characteristics of flag leaves senescence and grain filling of wheat.

Clarifying the effects of different phosphorus (P) application rates on grain weight and yield of wheat under water-saving supplementary irrigation can provide a basis for determining a reasonable amount of phosphate fertilization. Taking 'Jimai 22' as the test material in the wheat growing season of 2022-2023 and 2023-2024, we set up five P application rates of 0 (P), 45 (P), 90 (P), 135 (P) and 180 kg·hm(P), with the soil relative moisture being supplemented to 70% in the 0-40 cm soil layer at the jointing and anthesis stages. We measured the chlorophyll fluorescence and senescence characteristics of flag leaves and grain filling traits in wheat.

A xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase gene, , increases cold tolerance in transgenic sweetpotato.

Introduction: Low temperature is a key environmental factor that threaten sweetpotato growth and development. In-depth studies on the gene functions underlying cold resistance are important for genetic engineering in sweetpotato.

Methods: The gene was cloned using a homologous cloning approach.

Identification and development of KASP markers for genetic loci controlling plant height in bread wheat and evaluation their effects using near isogenic lines.

Background: Plant height (PH), as a key trait of plant architecture, is the embodiment of biomass accumulation and plays a critical role in determining wheat yield. Excavating diverse PH genes and understanding their pleiotropic effects on important agronomic traits are essential to enrich the PH gene pool and facilitate their further application in breeding.

Results: In this study, five stable PH QTLs were identified on chromosome 2B, 4A, 4B, 5A and 6A in a double haploid (DH) population from the cross between two elite wheat cultivars, Chuanmai 42 and Kechengmai 1.

Targeted metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses provide insights into flavonoid biosynthesis in the grain of Foxtail millet.

Background: Foxtail millet ( L.), a traditional Chinese crop, is valued for its rich abundance of health-beneficial compounds (e.g.

Chromosome-level genome assembly of stem borer Batocera rufomaculata using PacBio HiFi and Hi-C sequencing.

Batocera rufomaculata (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae), a prominent representative of longhorned beetles, is a globally significant stem-boring pest, infesting over 50 species of deciduous trees. Despite its substantial ecological and economic impact, the genomic basis underlying its host adaptation remain poorly understood. Here, we present a chromosome-level genome assembly of B.

QTL mapping and transcriptome analysis identified BnaA03.XTH4 as a novel negative regulator of plant height in Brassica napus L.

Identified and validated BnaA03.XTH4 as a negative regulator of plant height through QTL mapping and RNA-seq, with promoter structural variation influencing expression, providing a foundation for dwarf breeding in B. napus.

Effect of foliar spray selenium on antioxidant defense system, yields, fatty acid composition, and mineral concentrations in flax ( L.).

Introduction: Flax is an important multipurpose oil crop with high-quality seed, oil, and fibre.

Methods: This study aims to investigate the effect of selenium (Se) fertilization on the flax antioxidant defense system, yields, fatty acid composition, and mineral concentrations. A field experiment was conducted in Gansu, Northwest China in 2022, 2023, and 2024, by foliar application of Se at early budding, early flowering, and early seed-filling using a low-pressure hand sprayer.