Integration of physiological and remote sensing traits for improved genomic prediction of wheat yield.

Genomic selection is an extension of marker-assisted selection by leveraging thousands of molecular markers distributed across the genome to capture the maximum possible proportion of the genetic variance underlying complex traits. In this study, genomic prediction models were developed by integrating phenological, physiological, and high-throughput phenotyping traits to predict grain yield in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under three environmental conditions: irrigation, drought stress, and terminal heat stress.

Identification of hotspots of crop wild relatives in Germany to promote their in situ conservation in a network of genetic reserves.

Background: Crop wild relatives (CWR) represent a valuable resource for ensuring food security. Although they are negatively affected by the loss of habitats due to climate change and land use change, they are underrepresented in conservation programmes. The establishment of genetic reserve (GR) networks has been put forward as an approach to protect CWR.

Rootstock genotype shapes whole-plant 3D architecture and biomass allocation in field-grown grapevines.

Background And Aims: In perennial crops, efficient resource acquisition critically depends on whole-plant architecture, encompassing both canopy and root systems. In grafted grapevine, research has largely focused on scion canopy structure, whereas root system architecture - despite its key role in water and nutrient uptake - remains underexplored. This study comprehensively analyzed whole-plant 3D architecture during vineyard establishment, investigating how different rootstock genotypes influence both root and shoot development.

A chickpea MAGIC population to dissect the genetics of complex traits.

Multiparent populations are now widespread in crop genetic studies as they capture more genetic diversity and offer high statistical power for detecting quantitative trait loci (QTLs). To confirm the suitability of using a recently developed chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) multi-parent advanced generation intercross (MAGIC) population for genetic studies, we characterized the diversity of the eight founder lines and explored the linkage disequilibrium decay, marker coverage, segregation distortion, allelic variation, and structure of the population.

Haplotype-based insights into seminal root angle in barley.

Root system architecture (RSA) plays a crucial role in crop adaptation and yield stability, especially in the context of climate change and variable growing conditions. Despite this, the genetic basis of RSA remains poorly understood in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), necessitating the need for more research to better characterize this architecture and explore the potential of diverse germplasm for trait improvement.

The crop wild relative Fragaria vesca as source of resistance against strawberry anthracnose.

The genetic diversity of Fragaria species in situ has great potential for breeding resistance in cultivated strawberries against anthracnose disease. In this study, we investigated the host-pathogen interactions of 72 F. vesca genotypes of various German origins to identify new resistance to Colletotrichum, one of the most economically important genera of pathogens in F.

Harnessing clonal diversity in grapevine: from genomic insights to modern breeding applications.

Grapevine has been clonally propagated for thousands of years. Though clonal propagation aims at maintaining varietal identity, somatic mutations and epigenetic modifications accumulated over hundreds to thousands of years lead to intra-varietal diversity. This intra-varietal variation is a very valuable resource in grapevine breeding, as it creates the opportunity to improve important traits related to yield, phenology, stress tolerance, and quality without altering the varietal identity which is extremely important for the industry.

Grapevine Responses to the Entomopathogenic Fungi and and the Effects of Salicylic Acid on Their Virulence Against the European Grapevine Moth, .

Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are substantial biocontrol agents reducing the populations of economically important pests in numerous crops. Recent findings indicate that their role in agroecosystems is more complex and extends to affecting plant physiology and growth. This study examined the effects of and , as well as Salicylic acid (SA), on physiological parameters of grapevine ( cv.

Chloride transport and homeostasis in plants.

The micronutrient chloride (Cl) plays key roles in plant physiology, from photosystem II and vacuolar ATPase activity to osmoregulation, turgor maintenance and drought resilience, while also posing toxicity risks at high concentrations. This review examines Cl uptake, transport and homeostasis, focussing on adaptations balancing its dual roles as a nutrient and toxicant. Key transporters, including NPF, SLAH, ALMT, CLC and CCC families, mediate Cl fluxes to maintain ionic balance and prevent toxicity.

Scientific literature on carbon dioxide removal revealed as much larger through AI-enhanced systematic mapping.

Carbon dioxide removal plays an important role in any strategy to limit global warming to well below 2 °C. Keeping abreast with the scientific evidence using rigorous evidence synthesis methods is an important prerequisite for sustainably scaling these methods. Here, we use artificial intelligence to provide a comprehensive systematic map of carbon dioxide removal research.

Blueprints for sustainable plant production through the utilization of crop wild relatives and their microbiomes.

Conserving crop wild relatives (CWR) in their natural environments, together with the complex communities of microorganisms that live with them, could lay the foundation to unlock novel mechanisms for crop resilience and new strategies for achieving food security.

Molecular mechanisms underlying the early steps of floral initiation in seasonal flowering genotypes of cultivated strawberry.

Floral initiation is essential for sexual reproduction in angiosperms and plays a critical role in determining crop yields. In cultivated strawberry, however, the molecular mechanisms underlying floral initiation remain poorly understood, with most studies focusing on a single genotype under controlled conditions. To gain more insight into this process, we conducted a field-based study in two countries using two seasonal flowering cultivars.

Phenotyping the hidden half: Combining UAV phenotyping and machine learning to predict barley root traits in the field.

Improving crop root systems for enhanced adaptation and productivity remains challenging due to limitations in scalable non-destructive phenotyping approaches, inconsistent translation of root phenotypes from controlled environments to the field and a lack of understanding of genetic controls. This study serves as a proof of concept, evaluating a panel of Australian barley breeding lines and cultivars in field experiments conducted across two contrasting environments. A diverse subset of 20 genotypes was subjected to ground-based root and shoot phenotyping at key growth stages and this dataset was used in combination with UAV-captured vegetation indices (VIs) to train machine learning models to predict root distribution and above-ground biomass for the untested panel comprising 544 genotypes across the two seasons.

Selective recruitment of beneficial microbes in the rhizosphere of maize affected by microbial inoculants, farming practice, and seasonal variations.

Background: Plant beneficial microorganisms as inoculants can improve crop performance, but factors affecting their impact on plant performance under field conditions remain unclear, thereby limiting their use in farming. Here, we investigated how farming practices (e.g.

Two decades long-term field trial data on fertilization, tillage, and crop rotation focusing on soil microbes.

Agricultural long-term field trials provide fundamental data on crop performance and soil characteristics under diverse management practices. This information represents essential knowledge for upcoming challenges in food and nutrition security. Data provided here have been compiled since 2004 from a nitrogen(N)-fertilization intensity, tillage, and crop rotation field trial in Central Germany including standardized metrics regarding soil management, physical soil properties, crop management, crop characteristics, yield, and harvest quality parameters.

Airborne microplastics in leaves and food safety risks.

Global plastic production has surged. Li et al. provide evidence of an important aspect of terrestrial plastic pollution, highlighting leaf absorption of airborne plastics as a major route into plants.

Microbial inoculants modulate the rhizosphere microbiome, alleviate plant stress responses, and enhance maize growth at field scale.

Background: Field inoculation of crops with beneficial microbes is a promising sustainable strategy to enhance plant fitness and nutrient acquisition. However, effectiveness can vary due to environmental factors, microbial competition, and methodological challenges, while their precise modes of action remain uncertain. This underscores the need for further research to optimize inoculation strategies for consistent agricultural benefits.

Direct and Indirect Effects of Ivermectin on Phytophagous, Frugivorous and Parasitoid Insects.

Ivermectin, an anthelmintic used in livestock, is excreted in faeces and can therefore affect non-target organisms. While its effects on coprophagous insects have been well studied, recent research suggests that it can be taken up by plants, raising the possibility that it may affect a much wider range of invertebrates than previously known. Our study investigated the effects of ivermectin on insects from different feeding guilds.

Environmental drivers of wild bee reproductive performance across a South American dryland ecoregion.

The reproductive performance of wild bees is a key determinant of their population persistence. However, few studies have directly examined the environmental drivers of demographic processes using a geographically broad approach. In this study, we explored how biotic and abiotic factors influence the reproduction of solitary, cavity-nesting bees across the Monte Desert ecoregion in Argentina.

Exploring genomic loci and candidate genes associated with drought tolerance indices in spring wheat evaluated under two levels of drought.

Background: Wheat is a major global crop, and increasing its productivity is essential to meet the growing population demand. However limited water resources is the primary constraint. This study aimed to identify genetic factors associated with drought tolerance using a diverse panel of 287 wheat genotypes evaluated under well-watered and drought-stressed conditions.

Exploring the Sensory Typicity of Timorasso Wines: Physicochemical and Sensory Characteristics of Seven Consecutive Vintages.

'Timorasso' is an autochthonous, non-aromatic white grape variety cultivated mainly in the southwest of the Piedmont region (northwestern Italy). The sensory profile of wines produced from this variety evolves greatly with aging. In this study, 31 wines from 2015-2021 vintages were analyzed to investigate changes in sensory descriptors at various stages of aging and their correlation with physicochemical properties (wine basic parameters, color, and total polyphenols) and sensory-perceptual typicity.

Application of cryo-FIB-SEM for investigating ultrastructure in guard cells of higher plants.

Stomata are vital for CO and water vapor exchange, with guard cells' aperture and ultrastructure highly responsive to environmental cues. However, traditional methods for studying guard cell ultrastructure, which rely on chemical fixation and embedding, often distort cell morphology and compromise membrane integrity. In contrast, plunge-freezing in liquid ethane rapidly preserves cells in a near-native vitreous state for cryogenic electron microscopy.

Isolation and characterization of haploid heterothallic beer yeasts.

Improving ale or lager yeasts by conventional breeding is a non-trivial task. Domestication of lager yeasts, which are hybrids between Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces eubayanus, has led to evolved strains with severely reduced or abolished sexual reproduction capabilities, due to, e.g.