Differences between two wheat genotypes in the development of floret primordia and contents of pigments and hormones
Available online 16 May 2024
Promoting more floret primordia within a spike to acquire fertile potential during the differentiation and pre-dimorphism phases is critical for increasing the number of fertile florets per spike (NFFs)....
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Identification of new cotton fiber-quality QTL by multiple genomic analyses and development of markers for genomic breeding
Available online 16 May 2024
Cotton fiber is one of the main raw materials for the textile industry. In recent years, many cotton fiber quality QTL have been identified, but few were applied in breeding. In this study, a genome...
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Improving dryland maize productivity and water efficiency with heterotrophic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria via nitrification and cytokinin activity
Available online 16 May 2024
A two-year field experiment conducted under dryland conditions in semi-humid and drought-prone regions of China aimed to assess the effect of ammonia-oxidizing bacterial on maize water use efficiency...
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Rice melatonin deficiency causes premature leaf senescence via DNA methylation regulation
Available online 13 May 2024
In a study of DNA methylation changes in melatonin-deficient rice mutants, mutant plants showed premature leaf senescence during grain-filling and reduced grain yield. Melatonin deficiency led to transcriptional...
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Estimating wheat spike-leaf composite indicator (SLI) dynamics by coupling spectral indices and machine learning
Available online 13 May 2024
The contribution of spike photosynthesis to grain yield (GY) has been overlooked in the accurate spectral prediction of yield. Thus, it’s essential to construct and estimate a yield-related phenotypic...
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Plant aquaporins: Their roles beyond water transport
Available online 13 May 2024
Compared to other organisms, plants have evolved a greater number of aquaporins with diverse substrates and functions to adapt to ever-changing environmental and internal stimuli for growth and development....
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J-family genes redundantly regulate flowering time and increase yield in soybean
Available online 3 May 2024
Soybean (Glycine max) is a short-day crop whose flowering time is regulated by photoperiod. The long-juvenile trait extends its vegetative phase and increases yield under short-day conditions. Natural...
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Development of a single transcript CRISPR/Cas9 toolkit for efficient genome editing in autotetraploid alfalfa
Available online 3 May 2024
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa. L.) is a globally significant autotetraploid legume forage crop. However, despite its importance, establishing efficient gene editing systems for cultivated alfalfa remains...
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A novel semi-dominant allele of the transmembrane NAC transcription factor ZmNTL2 reduces the size of multiple maize organs
Available online 3 May 2024
Maize plant architecture influences planting density and, in turn, grain yield. Most of the plant architecture-related traits can be described as organ size. We describe a miniature maize mutant, Tiny...
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Wild soybean (Glycine soja) transcription factor GsWRKY40 plays positive roles in plant salt tolerance
Available online 3 May 2024
Wild soybean (Glycine soja), a relative of cultivated soybean, shows high adaptability to adverse environmental conditions. We identified and characterized a wild soybean transcription factor gene,...
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The UDP-glycosyltransferase OsUGT706D2 positively regulates cold and submergence stress tolerance in rice
Available online 3 May 2024
In a genome-wide association study, we identified a rice UDP-glycosyltransferase gene, OsUGT706D2, whose transcription was activated in response to cold and submergence stress and to exogenous abscisic...
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Mapping of powdery mildew resistance genes transferred to common wheat from wild emmer wheat revealed three functional Pm60 haplotypes
April 2024
Powdery mildew (PM), caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt), is one of the destructive wheat diseases worldwide. Wild emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccoides, WEW), a tetraploid progenitor...
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SsdchA is a novel secretory cellobiohydrolase driving pathogenicity in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum
April 2024
The necrotrophic fungus, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, employs an array of cell wall-degrading enzymes (CWDEs), including cellulase, to dismantle host cell walls. However, the molecular mechanisms through...
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Unraveling the regulatory network of flower coloration in soybean: Insights into roles of GmMYBA3 and GmMYBR1
April 2024
Anthocyanins play crucial roles in pollen protection and pollinator attraction in flowering plants. However, the mechanisms underlying flower color determination and whether floral anthocyanin regulators...
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The cytosolic isoform of triosephosphate isomerase, ZmTPI4, is required for kernel development and starch synthesis in maize (Zea mays L.)
April 2024
Triosephosphate isomerase (TPI) is an enzyme that functions in plant energy production, accumulation, and conversion. To understand its function in maize, we characterized a maize TPI mutant, zmtpi4....
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Genome-wide association mapping and genomic prediction of stalk rot in two mid-altitude tropical maize populations
April 2024
Maize stalk rot reduces grain yield and quality. Information about the genetics of resistance to maize stalk rot could help breeders design effective breeding strategies for the trait. Genomic prediction...
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Rice AGL1 determines grain size and sterile lemma identity
April 2024
The grass spikelet is a unique inflorescence structure that determines grain size. Although many genetic factors have been well characterized for grain size and glume development, the underlying molecular...
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Synergistic effects of planting density and nitrogen fertilization on chlorophyll degradation and leaf senescence after silking in maize
April 2024
Regulating planting density and nitrogen (N) fertilization could delay chlorophyll (Chl) degradation and leaf senescence in maize cultivars. This study measured changes in ear leaf green area (GLAear),...
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MIR1868 negatively regulates rice cold tolerance at both the seedling and booting stages
April 2024
Low temperature causes rice yield losses of up to 30%–40%, therefore increasing its cold tolerance is a breeding target. Few genes in rice are reported to confer cold tolerance at both the vegetative...
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Natural variation of GmFNSII-2 contributes to drought resistance by modulating enzyme activity in soybean
April 2024
As an essential crop that provides vegetable oil and protein, soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is widely planted all over the world. However, the scarcity of water resources worldwide has seriously...
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Effects of dense planting patterns on photosynthetic traits of different vertical layers and yield of wheat under different nitrogen rates
April 2024
A two-year field experiment was conducted to measure the effects of densification methods on photosynthesis and yield of densely planted wheat. Inter-plant and inter-row distances were used to define...
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Mapping upland crop–rice cropping systems for targeted sustainable intensification in South China
April 2024
Upland crop-rice cropping systems (UCR) facilitate sustainable agricultural intensification. Accurate UCR cultivation mapping is needed to ensure food security, sustainable water management, and rural...
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Wheat kinase TaSnRK2.4 forms a functional module with phosphatase TaPP2C01 and transcription factor TaABF2 to regulate drought response
April 2024
SNF1-related protein kinase 2 (SnRK2) family members are essential components of the plant abscisic acid (ABA) signaling pathway initiated by osmotic stress and triggering a drought stress response....
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A telomere-to-telomere genome assembly of Hongyingzi, a sorghum cultivar used for Chinese Baijiu production
April 2024
Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is a world cereal crop used in China for producing Baijiu, a distilled spirit. We report a telomere-to-telomere genome assembly of the Baijiu cultivar Hongyingzi,...
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Knock-out of BnHva22c reduces the susceptibility of Brassica napus to infection with the fungal pathogen Verticillium longisporum
April 2024
Verticillium longisporum (Vl43) is a soilborne hemibiotrophic fungal pathogen causing stem striping on oilseed rape (OSR) and severe yield losses. Breeding for resistant varieties is the most promising...
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