Pub Date : 2025-12-27DOI: 10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100130
Yihan Gao , Shasha Liu , Qingshuo Gu , Haoyan Wang , Xin Wang , Qun Li , Zuhua He , Yiwen Deng
Rice blast, caused by Magnaporthe oryzae (M. oryzae), is one of the most destructive diseases of rice and poses a critical threat to global food security. Breeding rice varieties with broad-spectrum and durable resistance through the deployment of resistance (R) genes remains the most effective and economical control strategy. In this study, we identified a highly blast-resistant rice variety, Xiushui114 (XS), by screening diverse rice accessions across three blast nurseries from 2016 to 2019. Pathogenicity assays demonstrated that XS exhibits resistance to more than 16 M. oryzae strains collected from major rice-growing regions, indicating a broad-spectrum resistance phenotype. Genetic analyses revealed that XS carries multiple R genes. Using a map-based cloning approach and sequence analysis further confirmed the presence of several known blast R genes, including Pizh, Pik-KA, Pita, and Pib, in XS. Resistance-spectrum evaluation indicated that Pizh contributes predominantly to the strong resistance observed in XS. Together, these findings establish XS as a valuable germplasm resource for improving rice blast resistance and provide new insights for breeding programs aiming to develop durable, broad-spectrum blast-resistant cultivars.
{"title":"Genetic dissection and identification of blast resistance genes in an elite broad-spectrum resistance rice variety Xiushui114","authors":"Yihan Gao , Shasha Liu , Qingshuo Gu , Haoyan Wang , Xin Wang , Qun Li , Zuhua He , Yiwen Deng","doi":"10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100130","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100130","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rice blast, caused by <em>Magnaporthe oryzae</em> (<em>M</em>. <em>oryzae</em>), is one of the most destructive diseases of rice and poses a critical threat to global food security. Breeding rice varieties with broad-spectrum and durable resistance through the deployment of resistance (<em>R</em>) genes remains the most effective and economical control strategy. In this study, we identified a highly blast-resistant rice variety, Xiushui114 (XS), by screening diverse rice accessions across three blast nurseries from 2016 to 2019. Pathogenicity assays demonstrated that XS exhibits resistance to more than 16 <em>M. oryzae</em> strains collected from major rice-growing regions, indicating a broad-spectrum resistance phenotype. Genetic analyses revealed that XS carries multiple R genes. Using a map-based cloning approach and sequence analysis further confirmed the presence of several known blast <em>R</em> genes, including <em>Pizh</em>, <em>Pik-KA</em>, <em>Pita</em>, and <em>Pib</em>, in XS. Resistance-spectrum evaluation indicated that <em>Pizh</em> contributes predominantly to the strong resistance observed in XS. Together, these findings establish XS as a valuable germplasm resource for improving rice blast resistance and provide new insights for breeding programs aiming to develop durable, broad-spectrum blast-resistant cultivars.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100341,"journal":{"name":"Crop Design","volume":"5 1","pages":"Article 100130"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145908860","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The aim of this research was to evaluate the stability of 11 hybrid sugar beet varieties and two resistant control cultivars, Denzel and Melindia, in the presence of natural Rhizomania conditions. A two-year experiment was conducted at five agricultural stations in Iran: Karaj, Mashhad, Miandoab, Zarqan, and Hamedan, utilizing a randomized complete block design with four replications. The results showed no significant differences in sugar content (SC), white sugar content (WSC), and white sugar yield (WSY) between the hybrids F-21374 and F-21375, and the resistant cultivar Melindia, across all locations. The Additive Main effects and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI) stability value (ASV) index revealed that the Denzel cultivar demonstrated the greatest stability for SC and WSC, while hybrids 21372, F-21374, and F-21376 were the most stable for WSY. Additionally, F-21376, F-21375, and F-21374 were found to have high and steady values for all principal components (PCs) involved in genotype × environment interaction, such as Weighted Average of Absolute Scores for Stability and Mean Performance (WAASBY), Weighted Average of Absolute Scores (WAAS), and the best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP). Further analysis using the Multi-Trait Stability Index (MTSI) indicated F-21376 and F-21370 hybrids as the most promising in terms of cultivar stability for all the examined quantitative and qualitative traits. Lastly, based on the Multi-Trait Genotype-Ideotype Distance Index (MGIDI), hybrids F-21374 and F-21375, along with resistant Melindia, were identified as being closest to the ideal genotype for all assessed traits. Therefore, it can be concluded that F-21376, F-21375, and F-21374 possess strong quantitative and qualitative traits and resistance to rhizomania and are potential candidates for future sugar beet varieties.
{"title":"Genotype by environment interaction and stability analysis for new sugar beet (Beta vulgaris l.) genotypes under natural rhizomania contamination conditions","authors":"Hamze Hamze , Rahim Mohammadian , Saeed Darabi , Jamshid Soltani Idiliki , Shahram khodadadi , Hamed Mansouri , Ali Saremirad , Jaber Nasiri","doi":"10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100120","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100120","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The aim of this research was to evaluate the stability of 11 hybrid sugar beet varieties and two resistant control cultivars, Denzel and Melindia, in the presence of natural Rhizomania conditions. A two-year experiment was conducted at five agricultural stations in Iran: Karaj, Mashhad, Miandoab, Zarqan, and Hamedan, utilizing a randomized complete block design with four replications. The results showed no significant differences in sugar content (SC), white sugar content (WSC), and white sugar yield (WSY) between the hybrids F-21374 and F-21375, and the resistant cultivar Melindia, across all locations. The Additive Main effects and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI) stability value (ASV) index revealed that the Denzel cultivar demonstrated the greatest stability for SC and WSC, while hybrids 21372, F-21374, and F-21376 were the most stable for WSY. Additionally, F-21376, F-21375, and F-21374 were found to have high and steady values for all principal components (PCs) involved in genotype × environment interaction, such as Weighted Average of Absolute Scores for Stability and Mean Performance (WAASBY), Weighted Average of Absolute Scores (WAAS), and the best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP). Further analysis using the Multi-Trait Stability Index (MTSI) indicated F-21376 and F-21370 hybrids as the most promising in terms of cultivar stability for all the examined quantitative and qualitative traits. Lastly, based on the Multi-Trait Genotype-Ideotype Distance Index (MGIDI), hybrids F-21374 and F-21375, along with resistant Melindia, were identified as being closest to the ideal genotype for all assessed traits. Therefore, it can be concluded that F-21376, F-21375, and F-21374 possess strong quantitative and qualitative traits and resistance to rhizomania and are potential candidates for future sugar beet varieties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100341,"journal":{"name":"Crop Design","volume":"4 4","pages":"Article 100120"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145519799","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-15DOI: 10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100122
Muhammad Rehman , Bahar Ali , Abdul Salam , Madiha Zaynab , Zulqarnain Haider , Muhammad Umair Yasin , Irshan Ahmad , Chunyan Yang , Muhammad Haseeb Javaid , Yinbo Gan
Heavy metal (HMs) contamination is becoming increasingly critical due to rapid urbanization and unregulated industrialization. Nickel (Ni), although an essential trace element for plants, becomes toxic at high concentration, where it can accumulate to phytotoxic levels and make plants highly susceptible to its adverse effects. This study investigated the impact of variable Ni concentrations on maize seedlings by analyzing physiological, biochemical, ultrastructural, and molecular responses to understand the stress adaptation mechanisms. The results showed that Ni exposure suppressed plant growth and development by inducing oxidative stress, limiting nutrient uptake, and reducing photosynthetic efficiency. Higher Ni concentrations led to excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in roots and shoots, resulting in oxidative damage as indicated by elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) content and ultrastructural disruptions. In vivo ROS detection using Dichloro-dihydro-fluorescein diacetate (H2DCFDA) and dihydroethidium (DHE) staining further confirmed ROS overaccumulation under stress. Antioxidant enzyme activities initially increased with Ni levels, but declined sharply at the highest concentration, while ROS levels continued to rise, suggesting a breakdown in redox homeostasis. Furthermore, qPCR analysis revealed changes in the expression of antioxidant-related genes under Ni stress. In summary, Ni exposure disrupted redox balance, triggered oxidative damage, and activated defense responses in maize seedlings.
{"title":"Nickel stress modulates growth dynamics, disrupts redox homeostasis, and induces ultrastructural damage in maize","authors":"Muhammad Rehman , Bahar Ali , Abdul Salam , Madiha Zaynab , Zulqarnain Haider , Muhammad Umair Yasin , Irshan Ahmad , Chunyan Yang , Muhammad Haseeb Javaid , Yinbo Gan","doi":"10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100122","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100122","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Heavy metal (HMs) contamination is becoming increasingly critical due to rapid urbanization and unregulated industrialization. Nickel (Ni), although an essential trace element for plants, becomes toxic at high concentration, where it can accumulate to phytotoxic levels and make plants highly susceptible to its adverse effects. This study investigated the impact of variable Ni concentrations on maize seedlings by analyzing physiological, biochemical, ultrastructural, and molecular responses to understand the stress adaptation mechanisms. The results showed that Ni exposure suppressed plant growth and development by inducing oxidative stress, limiting nutrient uptake, and reducing photosynthetic efficiency. Higher Ni concentrations led to excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in roots and shoots, resulting in oxidative damage as indicated by elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) content and ultrastructural disruptions. In vivo ROS detection using Dichloro-dihydro-fluorescein diacetate (H<sub>2</sub>DCFDA) and dihydroethidium (DHE) staining further confirmed ROS overaccumulation under stress. Antioxidant enzyme activities initially increased with Ni levels, but declined sharply at the highest concentration, while ROS levels continued to rise, suggesting a breakdown in redox homeostasis. Furthermore, qPCR analysis revealed changes in the expression of antioxidant-related genes under Ni stress. In summary, Ni exposure disrupted redox balance, triggered oxidative damage, and activated defense responses in maize seedlings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100341,"journal":{"name":"Crop Design","volume":"4 4","pages":"Article 100122"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145363987","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) remains a crucial crop for food security and livelihood resilience in arid and semi-arid regions. This study reviews existing literature to identify thematic and geographical gaps in sorghum research, focusing on climate adaptation, farmer-led practices, input systems, and institutional dynamics. The goal is to critically analyze patterns in adaptation strategies, production challenges, and future research directions that affect sorghum sustainability under changing environmental and socio-economic conditions. A systematic review method was used to analyze peer-reviewed studies. Key themes covered agronomic adaptation, genetic diversity across ecological zones, policy barriers, and innovations in disease management. The findings reveal regional differences in research focus, with limited long-term data from the Middle East, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. Interdisciplinary studies remain few, especially those linking climate projections with behavioural adoption of technologies. Improvements in soil water retention with broad bed furrows, along with yield declines under delayed sowing. The study underscores the importance of localized, farmer-centred innovations, better institutional coordination, and region-specific data collection. Promoting a research agenda that combines agronomy, policy, and social factors can strengthen sorghum's future amid rising climate uncertainty and support scalable, inclusive agricultural development strategies.
{"title":"Global perspectives on sorghum production: A SPAR-4-SLR framework of its role, trends, and climate-resilient strategies","authors":"Eliakira Kisetu Nassary , Aneth Japhet Magubika , George Muhamba Tryphone","doi":"10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100121","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100121","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sorghum (<em>Sorghum bicolor</em> (L.) Moench) remains a crucial crop for food security and livelihood resilience in arid and semi-arid regions. This study reviews existing literature to identify thematic and geographical gaps in sorghum research, focusing on climate adaptation, farmer-led practices, input systems, and institutional dynamics. The goal is to critically analyze patterns in adaptation strategies, production challenges, and future research directions that affect sorghum sustainability under changing environmental and socio-economic conditions. A systematic review method was used to analyze peer-reviewed studies. Key themes covered agronomic adaptation, genetic diversity across ecological zones, policy barriers, and innovations in disease management. The findings reveal regional differences in research focus, with limited long-term data from the Middle East, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. Interdisciplinary studies remain few, especially those linking climate projections with behavioural adoption of technologies. Improvements in soil water retention with broad bed furrows, along with yield declines under delayed sowing. The study underscores the importance of localized, farmer-centred innovations, better institutional coordination, and region-specific data collection. Promoting a research agenda that combines agronomy, policy, and social factors can strengthen sorghum's future amid rising climate uncertainty and support scalable, inclusive agricultural development strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100341,"journal":{"name":"Crop Design","volume":"4 4","pages":"Article 100121"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145363985","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The rapid increase in global demand for cereals has led to excessive use of conventional fertilizers. While these fertilizers enhance crop yields, they are also associated with environmental degradation, soil and water pollution, and health concerns. In response to these issues, nanotechnology has been introduced as a revolutionary approach in agriculture, offering improvements through advanced practices. Nano-fertilizers, including nano NPK, nano iron, HAP-modified urea nanoparticles, and nano zeolite composite fertilizers, have been studied for their potential benefits. This review examines the application of these nano-fertilizers in three major cereal crops—wheat, maize, and rice. The comparative studies reveal that the biological yield of wheat can be increased by 20–55 %, maize by 20–40 %, and rice by 13–25 % with the use of nano-fertilizers. Furthermore, the overall grain yield of wheat has been found to increase by 20–55 %, maize by 22–50 %, and rice by 30–40 %. It is emphasized that careful management of nano-fertilizer concentrations is essential to avoid any adverse effects on plant health. The review highlights the significant improvements in cereal productivity and nutrient use efficiency offered by nano-fertilizers as a sustainable alternative to conventional methods along with limitations and way forward.
{"title":"Unlocking higher productivity and nutrient use efficiency in cereals through nano-fertilizers","authors":"Shivani Ranjan , Sumit Sow , Souvik Sadhu , Ritwik Sahoo , Dibyajyoti Nath , Dinabandhu Samanta , Muhammad Nazim , Navnit Kumar , Lalita Rana","doi":"10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100119","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100119","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rapid increase in global demand for cereals has led to excessive use of conventional fertilizers. While these fertilizers enhance crop yields, they are also associated with environmental degradation, soil and water pollution, and health concerns. In response to these issues, nanotechnology has been introduced as a revolutionary approach in agriculture, offering improvements through advanced practices. Nano-fertilizers, including nano NPK, nano iron, HAP-modified urea nanoparticles, and nano zeolite composite fertilizers, have been studied for their potential benefits. This review examines the application of these nano-fertilizers in three major cereal crops—wheat, maize, and rice. The comparative studies reveal that the biological yield of wheat can be increased by 20–55 %, maize by 20–40 %, and rice by 13–25 % with the use of nano-fertilizers. Furthermore, the overall grain yield of wheat has been found to increase by 20–55 %, maize by 22–50 %, and rice by 30–40 %. It is emphasized that careful management of nano-fertilizer concentrations is essential to avoid any adverse effects on plant health. The review highlights the significant improvements in cereal productivity and nutrient use efficiency offered by nano-fertilizers as a sustainable alternative to conventional methods along with limitations and way forward.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100341,"journal":{"name":"Crop Design","volume":"4 4","pages":"Article 100119"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145222062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-08-30DOI: 10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100118
Shuchang Zhou , Ke Cheng , Lei Lv , Jiamei Jiang , Shusheng Zhou , Yanda Zhou , Zhitao Xu , Qixiang Huang , Huankun Yang , Lingxi Chen , Yuzhe Xu , Zhangliang Yao , Ting Zhao
Genomic selection (GS) utilizes genome-wide markers to predict complex traits, thereby enhancing crop breeding efficiency. Recently, deep learning has emerged as a promising approach to improve prediction accuracy in GS. This study introduces CropARNet, a novel deep learning framework for GS that integrates a self-attention mechanism with a deep residual network. We systematically evaluated CropARNet's performance on 53 key agronomic traits across four major crops: rice, maize, cotton, and millet. When benchmarked against established models including GBLUP, DNNGP, XGBoost, and CropFormer, CropARNet ranked first in prediction accuracy for 29 of the 53 traits and consistently placed among the top performers for the remainder. Furthermore, CropARNet can successfully predict phenotypes using transcriptomic data. In summary, CropARNet represents a robust, accurate, and powerful tool for advancing the molecular breeding of complex traits in crops. The CropARNet software and illustrative examples are publicly available for download at: https://github.com/Zhoushuchang-lab/CropARNet.
{"title":"CropARNet: A deep learning framework for crop genomic prediction with attention and residual modules","authors":"Shuchang Zhou , Ke Cheng , Lei Lv , Jiamei Jiang , Shusheng Zhou , Yanda Zhou , Zhitao Xu , Qixiang Huang , Huankun Yang , Lingxi Chen , Yuzhe Xu , Zhangliang Yao , Ting Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100118","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100118","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Genomic selection (GS) utilizes genome-wide markers to predict complex traits, thereby enhancing crop breeding efficiency. Recently, deep learning has emerged as a promising approach to improve prediction accuracy in GS. This study introduces CropARNet, a novel deep learning framework for GS that integrates a self-attention mechanism with a deep residual network. We systematically evaluated CropARNet's performance on 53 key agronomic traits across four major crops: rice, maize, cotton, and millet. When benchmarked against established models including GBLUP, DNNGP, XGBoost, and CropFormer, CropARNet ranked first in prediction accuracy for 29 of the 53 traits and consistently placed among the top performers for the remainder. Furthermore, CropARNet can successfully predict phenotypes using transcriptomic data. In summary, CropARNet represents a robust, accurate, and powerful tool for advancing the molecular breeding of complex traits in crops. The CropARNet software and illustrative examples are publicly available for download at: <span><span>https://github.com/Zhoushuchang-lab/CropARNet</span><svg><path></path></svg></span>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100341,"journal":{"name":"Crop Design","volume":"4 4","pages":"Article 100118"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145050537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-08-18DOI: 10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100117
Yanjing Xu , Yue Cao , Rui Sun , Baogang Lin , Jie Dong
{"title":"Genetic manipulation of BnCOP1 genes enhances multiple agronomic traits in rapeseed","authors":"Yanjing Xu , Yue Cao , Rui Sun , Baogang Lin , Jie Dong","doi":"10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100117","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100117","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":100341,"journal":{"name":"Crop Design","volume":"4 4","pages":"Article 100117"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145363988","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-19DOI: 10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100112
Yunfeng Xu , Ling Shen , Mingjiong Chen , Haoran Sun , Liangbo Fu , Guoping Zhang , Qiufang Shen
Cadmium (Cd) contamination in soil poses a threat to crop production and food safety. Rhizosphere microorganisms are crucial for crop growth and production. However, sufficient evidence regarding Cd-responsive bacteria and fungi within crop rhizosphere remains largely unknown. Here, we investigated the impacts of Cd on soil microbial communities in wheat rhizosphere by performing 16S and ITS sequencing under normal (CK) and Cd (10 μM) conditions. We found that the lower concentration of Cd significantly increased Cd concentration in wheat grains (nearly 0.2 mg kg−1), but it had no obvious growth inhibition. Interestingly, bacterial abundance and diversity were significantly decreased in soil rhizosphere when exposed to Cd, whereas little changes were observed in fungi. A total of 259 CK-specific and 45 Cd-specific operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in bacteria, as well as 3 CK-specific and 2 Cd-specific OTUs in fungi were identified. The function of identified bacteria were enriched in human diseases, organismal systems, metabolism, genetic information processing and environmental information processing. We also revealed a complicated bacterial co-occurrence network responding to Cd, including the core bacteria of Acidobacteria, Nitrospirae and Chloroflexi phylums. This study revealed Cd-responding bacteria and fungi communities in wheat rhizosphere, which may provide new insights into beneficial microorganisms for food safety.
土壤镉污染对作物生产和食品安全构成威胁。根际微生物对作物生长和生产至关重要。然而，关于作物根际对cd有反应的细菌和真菌的充分证据在很大程度上仍然未知。在正常（CK）和Cd （10 μM）条件下，通过16S和ITS测序研究了Cd对小麦根际土壤微生物群落的影响。结果表明，低浓度Cd处理显著提高了小麦籽粒Cd浓度（约0.2 mg kg - 1），但对小麦生长无明显抑制作用。土壤根际细菌丰度和多样性显著降低，而真菌的丰度和多样性变化不大。细菌中共鉴定出259个ck特异性otu和45个cd特异性otu，真菌中鉴定出3个ck特异性otu和2个cd特异性otu。鉴定出的细菌在人类疾病、机体系统、代谢、遗传信息处理和环境信息处理等方面功能丰富。我们还发现了一个复杂的细菌共生网络，包括酸杆菌门、硝基螺旋菌门和绿藻门的核心细菌。本研究揭示了小麦根际对cd响应的细菌和真菌群落，为食品安全有益微生物的研究提供了新的思路。
{"title":"Rhizosphere microbial communities of bacteria and fungi responding to cadmium stress in wheat","authors":"Yunfeng Xu , Ling Shen , Mingjiong Chen , Haoran Sun , Liangbo Fu , Guoping Zhang , Qiufang Shen","doi":"10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100112","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100112","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cadmium (Cd) contamination in soil poses a threat to crop production and food safety. Rhizosphere microorganisms are crucial for crop growth and production. However, sufficient evidence regarding Cd-responsive bacteria and fungi within crop rhizosphere remains largely unknown. Here, we investigated the impacts of Cd on soil microbial communities in wheat rhizosphere by performing 16S and ITS sequencing under normal (CK) and Cd (10 μM) conditions. We found that the lower concentration of Cd significantly increased Cd concentration in wheat grains (nearly 0.2 mg kg<sup>−1</sup>), but it had no obvious growth inhibition. Interestingly, bacterial abundance and diversity were significantly decreased in soil rhizosphere when exposed to Cd, whereas little changes were observed in fungi. A total of 259 CK-specific and 45 Cd-specific operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in bacteria, as well as 3 CK-specific and 2 Cd-specific OTUs in fungi were identified. The function of identified bacteria were enriched in human diseases, organismal systems, metabolism, genetic information processing and environmental information processing. We also revealed a complicated bacterial co-occurrence network responding to Cd, including the core bacteria of <em>Acidobacteria</em>, <em>Nitrospirae</em> and <em>Chloroflexi</em> phylums. This study revealed Cd-responding bacteria and fungi communities in wheat rhizosphere, which may provide new insights into beneficial microorganisms for food safety.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100341,"journal":{"name":"Crop Design","volume":"4 3","pages":"Article 100112"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144656528","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-18DOI: 10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100111
Yuhao Li , Dang Xu , Hao Du
Bioluminescence has emerged as a valuable resource for developing novel biological tools and engineered luminescent organisms. The fungal bioluminescence pathway (FBP) represents a particularly promising system, employing endogenous, non-toxic substrates to enable sustained light emission in autoluminescent plants. Recent progress in substrate optimization, enzyme engineering, and metabolic pathway enhancement has significantly improved the system's robustness, facilitating commercial applications. Beyond plant illumination, FBP has proven effective as a biological reporter for quantitative measurements in research settings. This review comprehensively examines the FBP system, detailing its progress, challenges, and multidisciplinary applications. As an innovative biotechnology system, the FBP system paves the way for a future illuminated by living organisms.
{"title":"Advances and applications of the fungal bioluminescence pathway","authors":"Yuhao Li , Dang Xu , Hao Du","doi":"10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100111","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100111","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bioluminescence has emerged as a valuable resource for developing novel biological tools and engineered luminescent organisms. The fungal bioluminescence pathway (FBP) represents a particularly promising system, employing endogenous, non-toxic substrates to enable sustained light emission in autoluminescent plants. Recent progress in substrate optimization, enzyme engineering, and metabolic pathway enhancement has significantly improved the system's robustness, facilitating commercial applications. Beyond plant illumination, FBP has proven effective as a biological reporter for quantitative measurements in research settings. This review comprehensively examines the FBP system, detailing its progress, challenges, and multidisciplinary applications. As an innovative biotechnology system, the FBP system paves the way for a future illuminated by living organisms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100341,"journal":{"name":"Crop Design","volume":"4 3","pages":"Article 100111"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144656533","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-17DOI: 10.1016/j.cropd.2025.100110
Temesgen Begna , Techale Birhan , Taye Tadesse
Sorghum is one of the most vital cereal crops well adapted to arid and semi-arid regions. However, its productivity remains low compared to its potential, primarily due to severe and recurrent drought stress. To develop climate-resilient sorghum hybrids, it is essential to understand the extent of heterosis and identify heterotic groups comprising drought-tolerant inbred lines. Therefore, this study was conducted to quantify the magnitude of heterosis and to classify sorghum inbred lines into heterotic groups using specific combining ability (SCA) and general combining ability (GCA) across multiple traits. A total of 42 sorghum genotypes were evaluated using an alpha lattice design with two replications across two environments during the 2019 cropping season. Significant genetic differences among genotypes were observed for the traits studied across locations. Several top-performing and well-adapted hybrids P-9534 × Melkam (6.32 t ha−1), B6 × ICRS-14 (5.92 t ha−1), TX-623 × ICRS-14 (5.88 t ha−1), P9511 × Melkam (5.78 t ha−1), and P-850341 × ICRS-14 (5.57 t ha−1) were identified as promising for moisture-stressed environments. Among these, B6 × ICRS-14 exhibited the highest mid-parent heterosis (112.41 %), TX-623 × ICRS-14 showed the highest better-parent heterosis (68.71 %), and P-9534 × Melkam recorded the highest standard heterosis (30.71 %) for grain yield. Heterotic grouping based on specific combining ability (SCA) classified the sorghum inbred lines into two distinct groups, while the general combining ability of multiple traits (HGCAMT) method identified three heterotic groups for the development of superior hybrid varieties. Combining ability-based heterotic grouping is a critical approach for identifying the most suitable parental lines for creating new, agronomically superior hybrids. Overall, several sorghum hybrids demonstrated superiority over their mid-parents, better-parents, and the standard check in terms of grain yield and key agronomic traits. Therefore, the hybrids P-9534 × Melkam, B6 × ICRS-14, TX-623 × ICRS-14, MARC3 × Melkam, MARC3 × ICRS-14, P-9511 × Melkam, and P-850341 × ICRS-14 were identified as superior performers with the potential to significantly increase sorghum productivity per unit area.
高粱是适应干旱半干旱地区的最重要的谷类作物之一。然而，其生产力与其潜力相比仍然很低，主要是由于严重和经常性的干旱压力。为了开发适应气候变化的高粱杂交种，必须了解杂种优势的程度，并确定由耐旱自交系组成的杂种优势群体。因此，本研究利用特定配合力（SCA）和一般配合力（GCA）对高粱自交系的杂种优势程度进行量化，并将其划分为杂种优势类群。在2019年种植季，采用α晶格设计，在两个环境中进行了两次重复，对42种高粱基因型进行了评估。不同地区的性状基因型间存在显著的遗传差异。结果表明，P-9534 × Melkam （6.32 t ha -1）、B6 × ICRS-14 （5.92 t ha -1）、TX-623 × ICRS-14 （5.88 t ha -1）、P9511 × Melkam （5.78 t ha -1）和P-850341 × ICRS-14 （5.57 t ha -1）在水分胁迫环境中表现优异，适应性良好。其中，B6 × ICRS-14中亲本杂种优势最高（112.41%），x -623 × ICRS-14优良亲本杂种优势最高（68.71%），P-9534 × Melkam标准杂种优势最高（30.71%）。基于特定配合力（SCA）的杂种优势分组将高粱自交系划分为两个不同的类群，而多性状一般配合力（HGCAMT）方法则确定了三个杂种优势类群，用于培育优良杂交种。以配合力为基础的杂种优势分组是鉴定最合适的亲本系以创造新的、农艺学上优越的杂种的关键方法。总体而言，几种高粱杂交种在产量和关键农艺性状方面均优于中亲本、好亲本和标准检验。结果表明，P-9534 × Melkam、B6 × ICRS-14、TX-623 × ICRS-14、MARC3 × Melkam、MARC3 × ICRS-14、P-9511 × Melkam和P-850341 × ICRS-14表现优异，具有显著提高高粱单位面积产量的潜力。
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