Crop Science最新文献

Raman, R., Neely, H. L., Rajan, N., Bhandari, M., Siegfried, J., Ibrahim, A. M. H., Adams, C. B., & Hardin, R. G. (2025). UAS-derived vegetation indices detect wheat leaf rust infection and its influence on grain yield and canopy temperature. Crop Science, 65, e70062. https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.70062

In this article, the middle initial was incorrect in the author's name “Robert H. Hardin” as originally published. We have corrected the author's name from “Robert H. Hardin” to “Robert G. Hardin” in the authors list and Author Contributions section.

We apologize for this error.

Induction of deleterious mutations in pathogen susceptibility genes may provide a route for increasing levels of disease resistance in cultivated tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.). In other species, mutations in DMR6 genes have been demonstrated to have the effect of increasing salicylic acid levels with corresponding activation of systemic acquired resistance. In this research, gene editing was used to create deleterious mutant alleles of DMR6 genes at two loci in the tobacco genome. In anticipation of potential adverse effects such as reduced plant productivity caused by mutations in members of this gene family, different genetic combinations of mutant alleles were established in five recipient genotypes, including those with genetic potential for increased leaf number. Relative to wild-type control lines, double homozygous DMR6 mutants exhibited significantly improved and impressive resistance to black shank and bacterial wilt caused by economically important soilborne pathogens Phytophthora nicotianae and Ralstonia solanacearum, respectively. This mutant combination was associated with late-season physiological leaf spotting prior to harvesting, however, resulting in significantly reduced cured leaf yields. Improved resistance of single homozygous mutants was inconsistent across recipient genotypes. Double heterozygous mutant genotypes exhibited greater levels of soilborne pathogen resistance but did not exhibit the leaf spotting characteristic. Although slightly lower yielding than wild-type genotypes, this genetic combination may offer a satisfactory tradeoff for tobacco breeders when considering both improved pathogen resistance and yielding ability. Strategic temporal or spatial modification of DMR6 expression might be pursued to achieve maximal pathogen resistance with minimal corresponding adverse effects in this species.

Crop shoot mass production is often estimated from intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (iPAR), which when divided into accumulated shoot mass gives radiation use efficiency (RUE) for mass production. Management practices significantly influence mass production and are frequently evaluated through their effects on iPAR and RUE. While plant density's effect on iPAR is well recognized, mainly through its influence on leaf area index (LAI), its impact on RUE has received comparatively limited attention. Theoretical derivations suggest that RUE should remain relatively stable across differing LAI, with potentially slightly smaller values at very low LAI. This study provides a comprehensive review of existing literature on the effects of plant density on RUE under optimal growing conditions in maize (Zea mays L.), examining factors contributing to variability in RUE responses to plant density reported across studies. Results indicate a general agreement that RUE is largely unaffected by plant density within the tested range of LAI and for crops grown under non-stressed conditions.

The global decline of pollinators, driven primarily by habitat loss due to urbanization and agricultural expansion, poses significant risks to biodiversity and food security. Turfgrass lawns, which dominate urban and suburban landscapes, offer a largely untapped opportunity to mitigate these declines by adopting pollinator-friendly management practices. This review explores how modifications to lawn care, including reduced mowing frequency, increased mowing height, and the integration of flowering forbs, can transform lawns into viable habitats for pollinators. Despite their potential, broader implementation of these practices faces challenges, including regional variability and sociocultural barriers. Interdisciplinary collaboration among ecologists, urban planners, and policymakers is crucial to overcoming these obstacles. This review also emphasizes the need for long-term research and public engagement to promote sustainable, biodiverse urban landscapes that support pollinator populations.

Soybean seed composition has long been a subject of study, not only due to its importance to the oil market, but also because variations in seed protein and oil content impact meal quality. Previous analyses of historical data (1948–1998) examined trends in seed protein and oil concentrations over time across different maturity groups (MGs) in the United States. Our study extends the previous analysis through the more recent period of 1999–2022. We found that seed protein concentration significantly declined over time in short (MG0, MG1, and MG2) and mid (MG3, MG4, and MG5) MGs at a rate of 0.04% and 0.06% per year, respectively. In contrast, protein levels in long MGs (MG6, MG7, and MG8) increased at a rate of 0.10% per year. For seed oil concentration, however, no distinct differences among MG classes were observed; instead, oil concentration showed a consistent increase of 0.11% per year across all classes. Additionally, we identified an inverse relationship between protein and oil concentrations, with protein decreasing by 0.26% for every 1% increase in oil, regardless of MG category. These insights helped to identify predictors for modeling seed protein and oil concentrations, allowing the assessment for additional information to increase prediction accuracy. We found that a simpler model including latitude, longitude, sowing date, and mean temperature from sowing to flowering performed similarly to more complex models that included additional environmental variables. Moreover, nonlinear relationships between predictors appear to play a significant role, as models capable of capturing these interactions outperformed linear approaches.

The consumption of plant proteins is increasing worldwide as a viable alternative to animal-derived proteins in the marketplace. The projected increase in global population to at least 10 billion by 2050 is placing greater pressure on the food supply, particularly due to the rising demand for large-scale protein production. This protein transition is caused by macro-drivers such as changing consumer demographics, environmental sustainability, animal ethics, regulatory influences, and changing dietary patterns. Research efforts worldwide have explored various food applications for plant protein ingredients, including meat analogs, dairy alternatives, beverages, bakery products, and hybrid products. We provide here a review of the potential for legume breeding programs to incorporate traits that target the emerging plant-based protein market and aim to promote discussion among (but not limited to) plant breeders and geneticists, plant physiologists, agricultural economists, food scientists and chemists, and agricultural engineers. The prospects, progress, and tools developed when breeding for protein content, quality, structure, and functionality of several food legumes (common bean—Phaseolus vulgaris, pea—Pisum sativum, lentil—Lens culinaris, chickpea—Cicer arietinum, faba bean—Vicia faba, and mung bean—Vigna radiata) are presented. We also present some of the physiological processes that affect the accumulation of nitrogen and protein metabolism in tropical legume crop species, providing some insight into potential breeding targets for improving protein concentration, quality, and structural and functional properties. Finally, a perspective of industrial processing technologies for extracting and transforming plant proteins is discussed.

Aflatoxin contamination in peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) presents significant risks to human health and economic stability. While epigenetic mechanisms offer potential for resistance, critical gaps hinder their practical application. This review explores the role of epigenetic mechanisms in enhancing aflatoxin resistance in peanuts. This study involved an analysis of the literature on the role of epigenetic modifications in regulating peanut defense-related genes against Aspergillus flavus. This included reviewing progress in epigenome-wide association studies and CRISPR–dCas9-mediated editing technologies, which allow the modification of resistance genes without changing the plant core genetic structure. Significant developments have been made in employing epigenetic mechanisms to improve resilience in other crops. These approaches have the potential to improve resistance to aflatoxin-producing fungi. However, few field studies have validated the long-term effectiveness of epigenetic modifications. Research must focus on establishing stable resistance traits across diverse environments. The absence of standardized protocols for peanut-specific modifications complicates progress. The heritability and environmental stability of epigenetic marks in peanuts remain unclear. Current studies have focused primarily on a limited range of peanut genotypes, emphasizing the need for research across diverse genetic backgrounds to ensure broader applicability. Furthermore, a unified model linking epigenetic mechanisms with aflatoxin resistance is needed to bridge molecular findings with practical breeding applications. Consequently, addressing these gaps through interdisciplinary approaches and research will enable the development of resilient and aflatoxin-resistant peanut varieties. Thus, overcoming these challenges will contribute significantly to global food security, sustainable agriculture, and the long-term stability of peanut production in diverse environments.

Concentrated dairy production coexists with large-scale crop production in southern Idaho. This results in large amounts of manure available for crop production, but the suitability of manure for sugar beet production is not well understood. A field experiment was conducted to determine soil properties, sugar beet yield and quality, and economic value response to solid dry-lot manure applications. Research was conducted over an 8-year period with two manure application frequencies (annual and biennial) at dry-weight rates of (18, 36, and 52 Mg ha⁻¹) and a synthetic fertilizer-only and a non-amended check. Nearly all soil nutrients increased with increasing manure rates with particularly high levels of NO₃-N and Olsen-P at the highest rates. At the highest annual rate, soil electrical conductivity exceeded 2 dS m⁻¹, the concentration at which sugar beet growth is limited. Root yields were greater in manure treatments versus fertilizer and control treatments; however, beet sucrose concentration decreased, and NO₃-N and conductivity increased with higher manure application. Despite this, estimated recoverable sugar remained constant indicating similar payout for the grower. Results indicate the potential for manure usage in sugar beet production but convey concerns that may arise due to increased soil salinity alongside issues that exist in terms of crop quality.

Grain production systems in Rio Grande do Sul (RS) have soybean (Glycine max L.) as the main crop in these subtropical environments, demonstrating over the years its adaptability to different growing conditions. The objective of the study was to highlight which soil and climate factors are determinants for grain yield according to the relative maturity group (RMG) of soybean based on the historical series of the last 15 years in RS. An exploratory meta-analysis was performed using a structure of 231 soybean cultivars sown in 20 environments in the last 15 years in RS, collecting data on soybean yield and soil and climate characteristics of each environment. The variance components and genetic parameters were estimated using the restricted maximum likelihood procedure. The general best unbiased linear predictor was extracted by RMG and stratified for each cultivation environment. Through the analysis of the reaction norm, a multiple regression with environmental covariates was used to identify the responsiveness, adaptability, and stability of the RMG as a function of the cultivation environment. The specific RMG of the soybean cultivar group influences 4% of genetic contribution to the phenotypic manifestation of grain yield regardless of the cultivation environment. RMGs 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, and 6.5 presented the highest yields, regardless of the environment and harvest. The balanced concentrations of soil texture components condition its carbon concentration and allowed the highest soybean yields in RS.

Yellow foxtail and knotroot foxtail are problematic weed species in turfgrass that are often mistaken for one another due to their similar morphology. Yellow foxtail and knotroot foxtail have phenotypic plasticity inter- and intraspecies, which can bias their identification. Accurate identification in the early growth stage is challenging as key traits like rhizomes appear late or are absent. Previous research showed they responded differently to several herbicides within the limited options for selective control in warm-season turfgrass. Research was conducted to evaluate the use of genetic markers for differentiating biotypes of yellow foxtail, knotroot foxtail, giant foxtail, green foxtail, and some unknown foxtails collected in Alabama. Extracted DNA was amplified with polymerase chain reaction targeting trnH-psbA, atpB-rbcL, maturase K (matK), and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions. Sanger sequencing, except for trnH-psbA, revealed single-nucleotide polymorphisms distinguishing the two species. Evolutionary analysis of the concatenation of those DNA regions revealed that yellow foxtail and knotroot foxtail cluster in one clade, while green foxtail and giant foxtail belong to two distinct clades. This study demonstrated that applying these DNA barcodes except trnH-psbA is relevant in accurately identifying early, aiding proper identification before herbicide selection.