Crop Science最新文献

Fall-planted cover crops (CCs) are widely used for weed suppression, but CC establishment challenges after fall harvest in temperate regions necessitate alternative approaches. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the integrated effect of spring-planted barley or oat CC and herbicide programs for CC biomass production, Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) suppression, and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] yield. Field experiments were conducted during 2023–2024 in an irrigated no-till soybean in south central Nebraska. A split-plot design with early spring planted (i) barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) CC, (ii) oat (Avena sativa L.) CC, and (iii) no cover crop (NCC) as main factors and sub-factors included five herbicide programs: (i) nontreated, (ii) pre-emergence (PRE) only (PRE-only), (iii) post-emergence (POST) only (POST-only) (iv) PRE followed by POST herbicide (PP), (v) PRE followed by POST plus residual herbicide (PPR). Barley or oats were drill-planted a month before soybean planting. Oat produced 42% more biomass than barley in 2023 (1.44 Mg ha⁻¹) and 102% more biomass in 2024 (3.47 Mg ha⁻¹). In 2023, CCs had no effect on Palmer amaranth at CC termination. In 2024, oat and barley without PRE herbicide reduced Palmer amaranth density by 89% and 83% and biomass by 90% and 92%, respectively, compared to NCC without PRE herbicide. At 4 weeks after POST herbicide application, oat-nontreated treatment reduced Palmer amaranth density by 80% and biomass by 64%, while barley-nontreated had similar results compared to NCC-nontreated. Soybean yields were not affected by CCs but improved by integrating with herbicide program, with PPR treatment (4.12 Mg ha⁻¹) yielding 225% higher than the nontreated control. It is concluded that spring-planted oat CC integrated with herbicides can be included in Palmer amaranth management program in soybean.

To develop genotypes, breeders test and select genotypes across sites and years representative of their target population of environments (TPE). This is not cost-effective at early breeding stages when evaluating thousands of genotypes. We demonstrate the use of self-organizing maps (SOMs), genomic estimated breeding values (GEBV), and recursive partitioning to identify environmental groups (EGs), environmental covariates differentiating among EGs, and hybrids stable across EGs. Genotypes were predicted based on 310 site-specific estimation sets trained on as many sites in the Argentine maize TPE between 2018 and 2023. Analyses showed that the first cropping season in the Center and South was associated with drought and heat stress during grain fill; the second cropping season was likely to experience drought during the vegetative phase. The second season in the North showed higher temperatures and higher vapor pressure deficit (VPD). SOM grouped sites with similar genotypic ranking for grain yield in repeatable EGs irrespective of geographical zone, season, or year for lines and hybrids. Drought, heat, and high VPD at different phenological stages explained differences in yield among EGs. Lines and hybrids stable across EGs were identified using SOM. We infer that these hybrids would show good adaptation and stability across conditions used for model training. Using site-specific GEBVs in an analogous way to phenotypic data allowed simulating the performance of lines and hybrids at early breeding stages beyond solely relying on phenotypic evaluations. Since SOM predominantly focuses on yield, it is critical to use SOM in combination with other methods and information available.

The USDA-ARS National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation (NLGRP) has developed a pollen cryobank that currently conserves desiccation-tolerant pollen for six crops within the USDA National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS): Carya (pecan), Corylus (hazelnut), Juglans (walnut), Phoenix (date), Pistacia (pistachio), and Prunus (stone fruits). These crops were selected because there was stakeholder interest, ample quantities of desiccation tolerant pollen, and field site capacity for pollen harvest and shipment. Pollen samples from these genera were collected in the field, air-dried, sifted, and sent to NLGRP for moisture adjustment, viability assessment, and long-term storage in the vapor phase of liquid nitrogen. For routine pollen cryopreservation of the six genera, the adjusted moisture content was between 4.4% and 13.3% (fresh weight basis) and between 4.2% and 16.6% dry weight basis prior to liquid nitrogen exposure. Currently, 235 NPGS accessions have been cryopreserved as pollen. In 2025, a subset of cryopreserved pollen inventories was warmed and assessed for viability, as measured by in vitro germination. The results indicate that overall, the viability of the cryopreserved inventories has not changed during cryostorage.

Betalain pigments, betacyanins, and betaxanthins are widely used as coloring agents as well as in pharmaceutical and functional foods. However, significant betacyanin production occurs in only a few species of plants, which limits their wider application. We used the reporter gene RUBY controlled by CaMV 35S promoter to produce betalain in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Betalain pigments were produced throughout the plant with the intensity of coloration varying with RUBY expression. Concentrations of betacyanin in herbage ranged from 50 to 650 mg/100 g dry wt and betaxanthin from 0.28 to 2.55 mg/100 g dry wt, significantly higher than in roots of table beet. Also, alfalfa plants expressing RUBY reduced methane production in in vitro enteric methane assays and had increased stem cell wall fiber digestibility compared to wild-type plants. Alfalfa plants expressing RUBY would provide a low cost and sustainable source of betalain for food and feed applications. When RUBY alfalfa is incorporated into rations, it could be advantageous in cattle production systems to increase forage digestibility and protein synthesis.

Song, Q., Du, C., Wang, J., & Zuo, K. (2025). Spatiotemporal lipid remodeling and signaling networks in cotton fiber development. Crop Science, 65, e70196. https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.70196

The authors were listed in the incorrect order in the byline as Kaijing Zuo, Qingwei Song, Jin Wang, and Chuanhui Du. The correct order is Qingwei Song, Chuanhui Du, Jin Wang, and Kaijing Zuo.

The author order was also incorrectly presented in the Author Contributions section: Kaijing Zuo: Writing—review and editing. Qingwei Song: Writing—original draft. Jin Wang: Writing—review and editing. Chuanhui Du: Writing—original draft. The correct order is Qingwei Song: Writing—original draft. Chuanhui Du: Writing—original draft. Jin Wang: Writing—review and editing. Kaijing Zuo: Writing—review and editing.

We apologize for this error.

Ultra-early seeding provides several benefits for hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), including an extended planting window, grain yield protection, enhancement and stability, earlier harvest, and improved weed competitiveness. However, a knowledge gap exists around whether durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum) is also amenable to this practice. Thus, an experiment was conducted at four locations in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada, from 2022 to 2024. The treatment combinations consisted of five durum wheat cultivars, planted at six soil temperature triggers separated by 2°C increments beginning at 0°C through to 10°C. Among the cultivars, irrespective of planting time, AAC Donlow, CDC Defy, and AAC Stronghold attained similar grain yields when averaged across all environments, which were superior to CDC Desire and Transcend. Planting at a soil temperature of 2°C measured at the 5-cm soil depth generally resulted in higher grain yields and greater net returns. Moreover, a partial least squares regression-additive Main effects and multiplicative interaction analysis indicated that a 2°C planting system was better adapted to warmer June and arid summer conditions, which suggests the system imparts enhanced heat and drought stress resilience. If planting was delayed—that is, ≥10°C soil temperature—a yield drag was usually experienced. Grain protein concentration was not affected by the soil temperature trigger. Thus, commercially available durum cultivars are amenable to ultra-early seeding and optimized when planted at a soil temperature of 2°C, which could increase returns by $CAD 134 ha⁻¹. Future studies will investigate durum responses when planted ultra-early versus dormant-plantings in fall, with variations to planting depth.

We promote whole-genome pooled sequencing data as a persistent, reusable resource to improve management and utilization of heterogeneous germplasm collections. Using 14.9 Tbp of DNA sequence data from 4987 individuals in the sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L. ssp. vulgaris) primary gene pool as a test case, we demonstrate appropriate analytical procedures to reveal population structure, assemble optimized subsets, perform allele mining, and contribute to gene discovery. Table, sugar, fodder, and leaf beets were found to be genetically distinct, with an affinity shown between wild and leaf beets. Differing genetic trajectories were inferred for germplasm releases from four regional U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service sugar beet breeding programs. Using a germplasm panel developed to represent broad-sense variation in B. vulgaris L. ssp. maritima, we show that the wild relative is variable, divergent, and remains underexploited despite an established, successful history of wild introgressions. We discover that novel Rz2-type rhizomania disease resistance alleles are common in table beets and the wild relative but are uncommon in US sugar beet germplasm. Phenotypic characterization data held in gene banks can be used with pooled sequencing data for association analyses—a whole-genome signature of selection scan identified BvWIP2 as a candidate gene for monogerm seed development, a valuable trait in beets, consistent with a recent association study using single individuals. Mass production of whole-genome pooled sequencing datasets linked to gene bank collections would minimize the need to re-sequence individuals, in some cases eliminating the wet lab component of genetic studies, shifting the emphasis of gene discovery to phenotyping and bioinformatics.

Elderberries (Sambucus spp.) have been valued as food and medicine around the world for millennia. Elderberry products are experiencing an increase in demand as ongoing research substantiates their putative health benefits. European elderberries (Sambucus nigra subsp. nigra) are an established industry in Europe and are often imported into the United States to meet demand for elderberry products. However, European cultivars do not reliably perform well in US Midwest environments. American elderberry (Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis) is native to eastern North America and has only recently seen an increase in production and research efforts. The growing American elderberry industry in North America is mainly supported by cultivars selected from the wild. Targeted breeding efforts have the potential to substantially improve the performance and quality of American elderberry cultivars in a way that helps meet growing demand for domestic elderberry products. The following review summarizes foundational research on American elderberry performance, phenology, quality, and composition that informs emerging breeding efforts. Existing germplasm resources and trials are also summarized to aid both producers and new breeding initiatives, highlighting opportunities for growth. The body of work presented enables the informed development of new breeding pipelines and processes for American elderberries in the southern US Midwest, which are in their early stages but are well-positioned to support industry growth and production.

The Solanaceae family comprises several species of flowering plants, including economically important food crops that contribute to a substantial proportion of our nutritional needs, such as Solanum tuberosum (potatoes), Solanum lycopersicum (tomatoes), Solanum melongena (eggplants), and Capsicum annuum (peppers). However, the yield and quality of vegetable crops are constrained by several endemic and emerging pests and diseases. Understanding the host defense mechanisms that govern disease susceptibility and resistance can help develop strategies to prevent yield losses and improve quality. Recently, the role of epigenetic regulation in mediating biotic stress responses has garnered attention. This review provides a comprehensive insight into recent progress in understanding epigenetic regulation that mediates biotic stress responses in solanaceous crops. The dynamic DNA methylation and histone modifications that correlate with the differential expression of defense-responsive genes, conferring tolerance to pathogens, have been discussed. In addition, the identification of numerous microRNAs and long noncoding RNAs in the context of biotic stress, and the functional validation of a few of them, which confer tolerance against pathogens, has been elucidated. Although a few studies have analyzed epigenetic responses to biotic stress in solanaceous vegetable crops, several caveats remain, including the functional identification of immune-responsive genes modulated by epigenetic marks and noncoding RNAs, which present an excellent opportunity to explore further the mechanisms of biotic stress response in solanaceous plants. Moreover, we also discuss epigenetic memory, which is involved in defense against subsequent infections, and transgenerational memory, which can influence the immune response of progeny.