Frontiers in Plant Science最新文献

Molybdenum (Mo) deficiency is a global problem in acidic soils, limiting plant growth, development, and nutrient availability. To address this, we carried out a field study with two treatments, i.e., Mo applied (+Mo) and without Mo (-Mo) treatment to explore the effects of Mo application on crop growth and development, microbial diversity, and metabolite variations in maize and soybean cropping systems. Our results indicated that the nutrient availability (N, P, K) was higher under Mo supply leading to improved biological yield and nutrient uptake efficiency in both crops. Microbial community analysis revealed that Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria were the dominant phyla in Mo treated (+Mo) soils for both maize and soybean. Both these phyla accounted together 39.43% and 57.74% in -Mo and +Mo, respectively, in soybean rhizosphere soil, while they accounted for 44.51% and 46.64% in maize rhizosphere soil. This indicates more variations among the treatments in soybean soil compared to maize soil. At a lower taxonomic level, the diverse responses of the genera indicated the specific bacterial community adaptations to fertilization. Candidatus Koribacter and Kaistobacter were commonly significantly higher in both crops under Mo-applied conditions in both cropping systems. These taxa, sharing similar functions, could serve as potential markers for nutrient availability and soil fertility. Metabolite profiling revealed 8 and 10 significantly differential metabolites in maize and soybean, respectively, under +Mo treatment, highlighting the critical role of Mo in metabolite variation. Overall, these findings emphasize the importance of Mo in shaping soil microbial diversity by altering metabolite composition, which in turn may enhance the nutrient availability, nutrient uptake, and plant performance.

Introduction: Seed coat color in sesame is a crucial trait for breeding programs as it is closely associated with important characteristics such as oil content, protein levels, and disease resistance, which directly influence seed quality and market value.

Methods: This study investigates the genetic basis of seed coat color in 200 Sudanese sesame genotypes grown for two consecutive years through comprehensive phenotyping, genomic diversity analysis, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and candidate gene discovery.

Results and discussion: Phenotypic analysis across two growing seasons revealed high heritability and significant correlations among color parameters (L*, a*, and b*), indicating strong genetic control over seed coat color. The genomic analysis identified distinct clusters among sesame accessions, with rapid linkage disequilibrium decay suggesting a high level of recombination. GWAS identified significant SNPs associated with seed coat color traits, revealing key genomic regions on chromosomes 3, 6, 9, 12, and 13. Candidate gene analysis highlighted several genes, including DOF zinc finger proteins and WRKY transcription factors, which may play essential roles in pigment biosynthesis pathways. These findings provide valuable insights for breeding programs to enhance desirable seed coat color traits in sesame.

Powdery mildew (PM) caused by Erysiphie pisi Syd. is the most devastating disease of pea, affecting fresh pea production as well as the quality of the marketable harvest worldwide. The efforts were made to develop PM-resistant mutants of popular pea varieties "Lincoln" and "Azad P-1" through induced mutations by following gamma irradiation (300, 400, 500, and 600 Gy) and chemical mutagenesis, i.e., ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) (0.3% and 0.4%). The screening of 13,868 M₂ progenies at Kukumseri (summer season) followed by M₃ generation at Palampur (winter season) resulted in the isolation of six putative PM-resistant mutants. The rigorous evaluation of these progenies under in vivo (field screening) and in vitro (artificial screening under greenhouse conditions and using the detached leaf assay method) conditions over the years resulted in the isolation of three PM-resistant mutants, viz., L-40-1014, L-0.3-139, and AP-0.3-129. SSR markers "PSMPSAD60 d" and "PSMPA5 c" linked to the er-1 gene indicated the presence of the "er1" gene in the mutant L-0.3-139 while the er-2 gene-linked SCAR marker "ScX171400" and SSR marker "AD141" indicated the probability of the "er-2" gene in mutant L-40-1014. The known markers linked to PM resistance genes could not be validated in the mutant AP-0.3-129, suggested to identify new markers linked to PM resistance. These PM-resistant mutants can be promising candidates as the new source of resistance for future pea breeding programs.

Introduction: Earlier sowing is a promising strategy of ensuring sufficiently high maize yields in the face of negative environmental factors caused by climate change. However, it leads to the low temperature exposure of maize plants during emergence, warranting a better understanding of their response and acclimation to suboptimal temperatures.

Materials and methods: To achieve this goal, whole transcriptome sequencing was performed on two maize inbred lines - tolerant/susceptible to low temperatures, at the 5-day-old seedling stage. Sampling was performed after 6h and 24h of treatment (10/8°C). The data was filtered, mapped, and the identified mRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs were quantified. Expression patterns of the RNAs, as well as the interactions between them, were analyzed to reveal the ones important for low-temperature response.

Results and discussion: Genes involved in different steps of photosynthesis were downregulated in both genotypes: psa, psb, lhc, and cab genes important for photosystem I and II functioning, as well as rca, prk, rbcx1 genes necessary for the Calvin cycle. The difference in low-temperature tolerance between genotypes appeared to arise from their ability to mitigate damage caused by photoinhibition: ctpa2, grx, elip, UF3GT genes showed higher expression in the tolerant genotype. Certain identified lncRNAs also targeted these genes, creating an interaction network induced by the treatment (XLOC_016169-rca; XLOC_002167-XLOC_006091-elip2). These findings shed light on the potential mechanisms of low-temperature acclimation during emergence and lay the groundwork for subsequent analyses across diverse maize genotypes and developmental stages. As such, it offers valuable guidance for future research directions in the molecular breeding of low-temperature tolerant maize.

De novo organogenesis from somatic cells to the entire plant represents a remarkable biological phenomenon, but the underlying regulatory mechanism, particularly at the epigenetic level, remains obscure. In this work, we demonstrate the important role of histone deacetylases (HDACs) in shoot organogenesis. HDAC inhibition by trichostatin A (an HDAC inhibitor) at the callus induction stage promotes shoot formation in wounded roots and circumvents tissue wounding to initiate shoot regeneration in unwounded roots. This HDAC inhibition-mediated promotion of shoot organogenesis in wounded roots is associated with the concomitant upregulation of the wound signaling pathway (WOUND INDUCED DEDIFFERENTIATION 4, ENHANCER OF SHOOT REGENERATION1, ISOPENTENYLTRANSFERASE 5, CUP-SHAPED COTYLEDON 2 etc.) and the ARF-LBD pathway (AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR 19, LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES-DOMAIN 29, etc.) and the downregulation of auxin biosynthesis and reduced auxin content. Furthermore, inhibiting HDACs enhances the local enrichment of histone 3 lysine 9/lysine 14 acetylation at ISOPENTENYLTRANSFERASE 5, supporting the role of histone acetylation in its transcriptional regulation. On the other hand, the HDAC inhibition-associated activation of shoot organogenesis from unwounded roots is coupled with increased expression of the ARF-LBD pathway gene LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES-DOMAIN 29 while bypassing the wound signaling or auxin biosynthetic genes. These findings provide novel insights into the regulatory mechanisms underlying de novo shoot organogenesis and lay a foundation for the improvement of plant transformation technologies.

Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) represents one of the fastest-growing sectors of horticulture. Production in controlled environments ranges from highly controlled indoor environments with 100% artificial lighting (vertical farms or plant factories) to high-tech greenhouses with or without supplemental lighting, to simpler greenhouses and high tunnels. Although food production occurs in the soil inside high tunnels, most CEA operations use various hydroponic systems to meet crop irrigation and fertility needs. The expansion of CEA offers promise as a tool for increasing food production in and near urban systems as these systems do not rely on arable agricultural land. In addition, CEA offers resilience to climate instability by growing inside protective structures. Products harvested from CEA systems tend to be of high quality, both internal and external, and are sought after by consumers. Currently, CEA producers rely on cultivars bred for production in open-field agriculture. Because of high energy and other production costs in CEA, only a limited number of food crops have proven themselves to be profitable to produce. One factor contributing to this situation may be a lack of optimized cultivars. Indoor growing operations offer opportunities for breeding cultivars that are ideal for these systems. To facilitate breeding these specialized cultivars, a wide range of tools are available for plant breeders to help speed this process and increase its efficiency. This review aims to cover breeding opportunities and needs for a wide range of horticultural crops either already being produced in CEA systems or with potential for CEA production. It also reviews many of the tools available to breeders including genomics-informed breeding, marker-assisted selection, precision breeding, high-throughput phenotyping, and potential sources of germplasm suitable for CEA breeding. The availability of published genomes and trait-linked molecular markers should enable rapid progress in the breeding of CEA-specific food crops that will help drive the growth of this industry.

Giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) is a paramount species of immense ecological and economic importance. It forms dense underwater forests, providing crucial habitat and serving as a foundation species for diverse marine ecosystems. Understanding the genetics of giant kelp is essential for conservation and sustainable farming, safeguarding these valuable ecosystems and their benefits. By analyzing mutations based on their impact, we can gain insights into the potential functional consequences and implications for the organism, helping to identify critical genes or regions that may play a significant role in adaptation, development, and environmental response. To achieve this, we annotated the effects and impact of spontaneous mutations in 559 giant kelp individuals from four different populations. We found over 15.9 million mutations in genes of giant kelp, and classified them into modifier, low, moderate, and high impact depending on their predicted effects. The creation of this mutation effect database, attached to the seedbank of these individuals, offers several applications, including enhancing breeding programs, aiding genetic engineering with naturally occurring mutations, and developing strategies to mitigate the impact of environmental changes.

Introduction: In the present study, the flower of Chinese peony (CPF), major waste by-product of Chinese Herb Radix paeoniae, was comprehensively investigated for the first time.

Methods: A validated UHPLC Orbitrap Mass spectrometry combined a three-levels characterization strategy were used to analyze CPF samples from four representative cultivars. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities were analyzed using RAW264.7 cells, and DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and ORAC antioxidant assays.

Results: A total of 150 chemical components were identified in CPF, among them, more than 50 components were reported from this species for the first time, with potential new chemicals reported. 67 quantified or semi-quantified targeted metabolomics analysis indicated a clear distinction between flower parts and four cultivars. CPF demonstrated significant antioxidant activities and displayed anti-inflammatory effects by reducing nitric oxide, IL-6, and TNF-a release in LPS-induced macrophages. Correlation analysis highlighted a strong positive correlation between total phenolic content and DPPH ABTS, and FRAP antioxidant activities.

Discussion: The present study is the first to comprehensively investigate the chemical profile and bioactivities of CPF, which provide insights into further understanding of its health-promoting potential.

Soybean Mosaic Virus (SMV) poses a serious threat to soybean production, often resulting in considerable yield losses or complete crop failure, particularly if infection occurs during early growth stages. While several SMV resistance genes have been identified, the genetic basis of resistance to certain strains remains poorly understood. Among the 22 SMV strains, SC4 and SC20 are considered pathogenic in Central China. Dominant genes resistant to SC4 (Rsc4) on Chr.14 in Dabaima and to SC20 (Rsc20) on Chr.13 in Qihuang-1 have been identified. Kefeng-1 is resistant to SC4 and SC20. This study aimed to determine whether the resistance to SC4 and SC20 in Kefeng-1 was identical and whether Rsc4 and Rsc20 in Dabaima and Qihuang-1 are also present in Kefeng-1 due to translocation. Mendelian experiments using F₁, F_2, and recombinant inbred lines (RIL_3:8) of Kefeng-1 (resistant) and NN1138-2 (susceptible) indicated a single dominant gene inheritance pattern in SC4 and SC20, respectively. Linkage mapping showed two loci for SC4 and SC20 in neighboring single nucleotide polymorphism linkage disequilibrium blocks (SNPLDB) marker regions of 253 kb and 375 kb, respectively, in Kefeng-1. Association between SNPs in possible gene regions of Kefeng-1 and resistance data showed SNP11692903 jointly as the most significant SNP, exhibiting the highest χ² value. By comparing SNP11692903 to possible gene sequences in the coding region, Glyma02g13380 was identified as a joint candidate gene. The results were validated using qRT-PCR, virus induced gene silencing (VIGS), and gene-sequence. Therefore, the two Mendelian genes on chromosome 2 in Kefeng-1 responsible for SC4 and SC20 resistance are unique genes, different from Rsc4 in Dabaima and Rsc20 in Qihuang-1. Hence, one gene is involved in resistance toward two SMV strains resistance. This result challenged our previous hypothesis of a single dominant gene responsible for resistance against a single strain and underscored the potential for using multiple resistance sources aimed at enhancing SMV resistance in breeding practices.

With a focus on plant tolerance to environmental challenges, nanotechnology has emerged as a potent instrument for assisting crops and boosting agricultural production in the face of a growing worldwide population. Nanoparticles (NPs) and plant systems may interact molecularly to change stress response, growth, and development. NPs may feed nutrients to plants, prevent plant diseases and pathogens, and detect and monitor trace components in soil by absorbing their signals. More excellent knowledge of the processes of NPs that help plants survive various stressors would aid in creating more long-term strategies to combat these challenges. Despite the many studies on NPs' use in agriculture, we reviewed the various types of NPs and their anticipated molecular and metabolic effects upon entering plant cells. In addition, we discussed different applications of NPs against all environmental stresses. Lastly, we introduced agricultural NPs' risks, difficulties, and prospects.