Drought stress restricts growth and productivity in grain legumes, yet the integrative mechanisms underlying silicon-mediated drought tolerance in Vigna mungo (mash bean) remain poorly understood. The present study aimed to investigate the role of silicon in mitigating drought-induced damage in two mash bean cultivars. To evaluate this effect, plants were subjected to different drought regimes with and without silicon. Data on growth traits, biomass accumulation, reproductive attributes, photosynthetic gas exchange parameters, water relations, antioxidant enzyme activities, phenolic compounds, nutrient dynamics, and expression of drought-responsive genes were collected and statistically analyzed. Multivariate analyses, including PCA and structural equation modeling (SEM), were used to elucidate relationships among measured variables. Drought significantly reduced plant growth, biomass production, and reproductive traits, accompanied by marked declines in net assimilation rate (up to 35–40%), stomatal conductance, and transpiration under 25% field capacity (FC). In contrast, drought increased WUE (49.7–56.2 µmol CO₂ mmol⁻1 H₂O), antioxidant enzyme activities, and phenolic accumulation. Silicon supplementation substantially improved plant growth, restored photosynthetic performance, and enhanced antioxidant defense under drought conditions. Si-treated plants exhibited increased activities of SOD, CAT, and APX, higher phenolic content, improved water status, and upregulated expression of DREB2A, PIP2-1, and TIP4-1 compared with non-supplemented plants. Multivariate analyses clearly separated drought and Si treatments, while SEM revealed strong relationships linking gene expression, biochemical defense systems, physiological processes, and plant growth responses. In conclusion, silicon supplementation significantly enhances drought tolerance in mash bean by improving photosynthetic efficiency, antioxidant capacity, and molecular regulation of water transport.

Developing climate-smart crops with enhanced crop productivity, nutritional quality, resistance to biological and environmental stressors is vital for global food security. While hybrid breeding forms the cornerstone of modern crop improvement, conventional breeding approaches are limited by genetic barriers and prolonged breeding cycles. CRISPR–Cas based genome editing has revolutionized plant biology by allowing precise, efficient, and multiplex genetic modifications. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of a recent advances in CRISPR–Cas technologies and their strategic applications in crop genetics and hybrid breeding. We summarize major genome-editing strategies, including gene knock-out, base editing (BE), knock-in, gene replacement, epigenome editing, and transcriptional regulation. Furthermore, we contrast stable, transient, and DNA-free delivery systems, highlighting ribonucleoprotein (RNP)-mediated delivery for minimizing off-target effects and avoiding transgene integration. We showcase how these technologies accelerate hybrid breeding by engineering male sterility systems, fixing heterosis, and generating high-throughput mutant libraries for trait discovery. Finally, we synthesize major bottlenecks in tissue culture-independent transformation and delivery systems, while outlining how emerging paradigms like de novo domestication and synthetic biology will shape the future of climate-resilient agriculture.

Wheat serves as a fundamental pillar of global food security, functioning as a primary source of dietary energy and protein for a substantial proportion of the world’s population. Recent progress in wheat science has driven notable gains in productivity, largely attributable to advances in breeding technologies, genomics and molecular biology. In this review, we synthesize key developments in wheat research, with particular emphasis on the convergence of modern biotechnological tools and an increasingly refined understanding of wheat genetic architecture and physiology. We highlight the transition from conventional multi-omics frameworks, which typically analyze individual datasets in isolation to integrative pan-omics paradigms that unify diverse omics layers across pangenomic scales to shift from simple data integration to context-driven causal inference. This shift has markedly improved the resolution at which genome organization, allelic variation, and complex regulatory networks are characterized, thereby facilitating the dissection of multifactorial agronomic traits. By incorporating genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, phenomics, and epigenomics into unified analytical platforms, pan-omics enables a systems-level interpretation of genotype–phenotype relationships, particularly under complex and combined abiotic stress environments. Furthermore, the integration of pan-omics with advanced methodologies including genome editing, high-throughput phenotyping, and artificial intelligence provides a robust foundation for predictive breeding and precision crop design. We also highlight critical knowledge gaps, emerging research priorities, and strategic technological interventions required to accelerate wheat improvement over the coming decade. Given projections that global wheat demand will rise by approximately 60% by 2050, sustained innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the deployment of integrative pan-omics-driven approaches will be indispensable. Such efforts are essential to enhance yield potential, nutritional quality, and resilience to climate variability, thereby ensuring sustainable wheat production systems for future generations.

DNA methylation consists of 5-methylcytosine and N6-methyl deoxyadenosine (6mA) and is crucial in plant development. However, its specific role and potential mechanism to initiate cotton fibers remain unclear. This study employed Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) sequencing to analyze DNA methylation alterations in ZM24 and ZM24 fuzzless-lintless (ZM24fl) during fiber initiation. Our results indicated that DNA 6mA methylation exhibited the most remarkable difference among ovule samples at -2, 0, and 5 d post anthesis of ZM24 and ZM24fl. Subsequently, genes with significant changes in DNA 6mA methylation and transcription during fiber initiation were screened. We found that GhMAF1 displayed significant transcriptional upregulation and 6mA enrichment in its promoter, which could serve as a potential target for DNA 6mA in fiber initiation. Further, we knocked out GhMAF1 using CRISPR-Cas technology and demonstrated that GhMAF1 specifically promotes the initiation of fiber cells at the base of the ovule by mediating the downstream JAZ2/CPC-MML3/MML4 pathway. These findings unveil a novel spatial module of fiber cell initiation on the ovule surface that involves GhMAF1. Ultimately, this work provides significant knowledge for the regulatory network of DNA 6mA modification in fiber initiation to improve fiber yield and quality.

This study investigated the effects of relative humidity (RH) and storage duration (SD) on quinoa seed viability, biochemical composition and physiological traits. A factorial experiment in a completely randomized design (CRD) was conducted at 50 °C with two RH levels (30

Cotton is a vital fiber crop for the global textile industry, but rising temperatures due to climate change threaten its growth, fiber quality and yields. Heat stress disrupts key physiological and biochemical processes, affecting carbohydrate metabolism, hormone signaling, calcium and gene regulation and expression. This review article explores cotton’s defense mechanism against heat stress, including epigenetic regulations and transgenic approaches, with a focus on genome editing tools. Given the limitations of traditional breeding, advanced omics technologies such as GWAS, transcriptomics, proteomics, ionomics, metabolomics, phenomics and CRISPR-Cas9 offer promising solutions for developing heat-resistant cotton varieties. This review highlights the need for innovative strategies to ensure sustainable cotton production under climate change.

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum. L) holds the esteemed position of being the second most cultivated and consumed legume crop globally. Nevertheless, both biotic and abiotic constraints limit chickpea production. This legume is sensitive to heat stress at its reproductive stage leading to reduced flowering, flower abortion, and lack of pod formation, therefore emerging as a major limiting factor for yield. Chickpea, predominantly cultivated in semi-arid regions, is frequently subjected to high-temperature stress, which adversely affects its growth and yield. Given the escalating impacts of climate change, the development of heat-tolerant chickpea genotypes is imperative and can be achieved through the integration of advanced biotechnological approaches. The appropriate solution devised by some researchers is the modification of genetic architecture by targeting specific genes associated with tolerance to heat stress and harnessing them in the development of more robust chickpea varieties. Besides this, multi-omics strategies (Genomics, Transcriptomics, Proteomics, and Metabolomics) have made it easier to reveal the distinct genes / quantitative trait loci (QTLs) / markers, proteins, and metabolites correlated with heat tolerance. This review compiles noteworthy revelations and different tactics to boost chickpea tolerance under heat temperatures.

The cuticular wax of terrestrial plants' outer epidermis is indispensable in plant reproductive development and response to external environmental stress. Alkanes are the main component of cuticle wax and fatty acid hydroxylases play a key role in alkane biosynthesis; however, their function in cotton remains elusive. Here, 53, 55, 28 and 28 candidate fatty acid hydroxylase superfamily (FAHS) genes in four cultivated cotton species were identified. The FAHSs share relatively conserved gene tructure and motifs. We conducted a systematic structural, expression and functional regulatory analysis of the FAHS genes in cotton. Transcriptome analysis indicated that GhFAHS11 is highly expressed specifically in reproductive organs, especially stamens. Sequence analysis revealed that GhFAHS11 and AtCER1 share conserved histidine-rich domains, LEGW motif and seven transmembrane domains. Yeast two-hybrid analyses showed that GhFAHS11, GhFAR3 and GhCER2 are all subcellularly localized to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and interacted with each other. Moreover, GhFAHS11 is co-expressed with CER3 and CYTB5, involved in cuticular wax biosynthesis. When GhFAHS11 transcription was reduced in cotton, anther dehiscence was blocked, pollen grains were depressed, and pollen activity was reduced. These findings indicate that GhFAHS11 affects the biosynthesis of cotton anther cuticular wax, which regulates the development of anther and pollen, ultimately affecting male fertility. This study provides a reference for the biosynthesis of cotton cuticle wax and its effects on reproductive development and environmental stress responses.

Steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs), predominantly comprising α-solanine (C45H73NO15) and α-chaconine (C45H73NO14), function as natural phytotoxins within potatoes. In addition to their other roles, these SGAs are crucial for enabling potato plants to withstand biotic stresses. However, they also exhibit toxicity towards humans and animals. Consequently, the content and distribution of SGAs are crucial traits for the genetic improvement of potatoes. This review focuses on advancing research related to the biochemical properties, biosynthesis, regulatory mechanisms, and genetic improvement of potato SGAs. Furthermore, we provide perspectives on future research directions to further enhance our understanding of SGA biosynthesis and regulation, ultimately facilitating the targeted development of superior potato varieties.

Cottonseed is a by-product of cotton industry, but its broad application in human diets has not been fully elucidated. This study aims to analyse the nutritional composition of cotton sprouts and investigate metabolic and transcriptomic differences under light and darkness. The findings revealed that the glanded ZM41 yellow cotton sprouts were rich in protein (2.8%), vitamin E (0.443 mg/100g), and minerals, with < 0.01% free gossypol. Moreover, protein, aspartic acid (1,026 mg/100g), and serine (136 mg/100g) reached their highest levels in nine-day-old sprouts, while no significant differences were observed in the other nutrients on the 7th, 9th, or 11th day. The average quantitative values of 64 cottonseed varieties found gossypol (27.9 mg/kg), protein (3.6%), potassium (1,487.3 mg/kg), calcium (506.2 mg/kg) and magnesium (330.2 mg/kg). Integrated metabolome and transcriptome analyses revealed that 317 out of 1,880 metabolites were differentially accumulated between light and dark conditions, wherein the downregulation of structural genes encoding CHI, F3H, FLS, DFR, F3′H, ANS, LAR and ANR resulted in decreased flavonoid levels in dark-cultivated sprouts, while the upregulation of HMGR and 2-ODD-1 enhanced the biosynthesis of gossypol. This study provides insights into the nutritional and metabolic aspects of cotton sprouts, offering a reference for potential commercial applications.

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is a significant fiber crop. Being a major contributor to the textile industry requires continuous care and attention. Cotton is subjected to various biotic and abiotic constraints. Among these, biotic factors including cotton leaf curl virus (CLCuV) are dominant. CLCuV is a notorious disease of cotton and is acquired, carried, and transmitted by the whitefly (Bemisia tabaci). A cotton plant affected with CLCuV may show a wide range of symptoms such as yellowing of leaves, thickening of veins, upward or downward curling, formation of enations, and stunted growth. Though there are many efforts to protect the crop from CLCuV, long-term results are not yet obtained as CLCuV strains are capable of mutating and overcoming plant resistance. However, systemic-induced resistance using a gene-based approach remained effective until new virulent strains of CLCuV (like Cotton Leaf Curl Burewala Virus and others) came into existence. Disease control by biological means and the development of CLCuV-resistant cotton varieties are in progress. In this review, we first discussed in detail the evolution of cotton and CLCuV strains, the transmission mechanism of CLCuV, the genetic architecture of CLCuV vectors, and the use of pathogen and nonpathogen-based approaches to control CLCuD. Next, we delineate the uses of cutting-edge technologies like genome editing (with a special focus on CRISPR-Cas), next-generation technologies, and their application in cotton genomics and speed breeding to develop CLCuD resistant cotton germplasm in a short time. Finally, we delve into the current obstacles related to cotton genome editing and explore forthcoming pathways for enhancing precision in genome editing through the utilization of advanced genome editing technologies. These endeavors aim to enhance cotton’s resilience against CLCuD.

Polygalacturonases (PGs) are important plant cell wall degrading enzymes that catalyze pectin hydrolysis and are essential during almost all stages of plant development. However, the functional properties of cotton PGs, especially their expression patterns during reproductive organ development, remain elusive. Herein, the systematic and comprehensive identification and analysis of cotton PGs were conducted. The identified PGs were divided into six groups with conserved gene structures and motifs. The purifying selection was their primary evolutionary force. Meanwhile, cis-elements, TFs, and miRNAs related to stress and tissue-specific development, especially anther development, were identified. Transcriptome and qRT-PCR analysis revealed that many GhPGs were expressed in response to environmental stress. They also exhibited tissue specificity, especially at various stages of anther development. Many genes involved in anther development were co-expressed with GhPGs. This study provides valuable information and novel insights for further exploring the function of cotton PGs and their implementation in cotton improvement.

In the recent past, the production of wastewater from domestic and industrial sources steadily increased through population growth, urbanization, the Industrial Revolution, and economic development. In the world, 80% of wastewater consists of several harmful substances and hazardous chemicals that cause many deadly effects on human beings as well as ecosystems. So, the elimination of this toxic substance before discarding it into landfills is utilized as an alternative source of water which is an emerging need. Using treated wastewater for agricultural purposes is an excellent approach to rendering wastewater beneficial. As the quantity of wastewater grows, it becomes necessity to redistribute the water in a beneficial way. The rapidly increasing world population will undoubtedly increase the food demand, which directly requires more water for irrigation purposes. The rapidly increasing world population rate will undoubtedly demand an increased food production rate, which directly impacts agricultural water usage. In order to achieve sustainability in terms of agricultural water usage, alternative water resources should be explored. In this review, we tried to focus on summarizing all the leading studies in the field of wastewater utilization, the most prominent treatment methods, and a benchmarking of their technical efficiency in agriculture with special emphasis on agriculture in the marginal lands, with special emphasis on the United Arab Emirates.

Key message A novel strong fertility restorer gene Rf12 for C-type cytoplasmic male sterility of maize was finely mapped on chromosome 2. Its best candidate gene Zm00001d007531 is predicted to encode a p-type PPR protein. Abstract The lack of strong restorer gene of maize CMS-C greatly limits its application in hybrid seed production. Therefore, the cloning of maize CMS-C novel strong restorer genes is necessary. In this study, a strong restorer line ZH91 for maize CMS-C was found, and the novel restorer gene named Rf12 in ZH91 had been mapped in a 146 kb physical interval on maize chromosome 2. Using the third-generation high-throughput sequencing (ONT), the whole genome sequence of ZH91 was got, and with integrating the annotation information of the reference genome B73_RefGen_v4 and B73_RefGen_v5, four candidate genes were predicted in ZH91 within the mapping region. Then using gene cloning, stranded specific RNA sequencing, qRT-PCR analysis and subcellular localization, Zm00001d007531 was identified as the most likely candidate gene of Rf12 . Zm00001d007531 encodes a p-type PPR protein with 19 PPR motifs and targets mitochondria and chloroplast. Stranded specific RNA sequencing and qRT-PCR results both show that the expression of Zm00001d007531 between anthers of near-isogenic lines C478 Rf12Rf12 and C478 rf12rf12 was significantly difference in pollen mother cell stage. And the result of sequence alignment for Zm00001d007531 gene in 60 materials showed that there are twelve SNPs in CDS region of Zm00001d007531 were tightly linked to the fertility. The finding of a novel strong restorer germplasm resource ZH91 for maize CMS-C can greatly promote the application of maize CMS-C line in maize hybrid seeds production, and the identification of candidate gene Zm00001d007531 can accelerate the backcrossing process of maize CMS-C strong restorer gene Rf12 to some extent.

OPINION article Front. Plant Sci., 05 December 2022Sec. Plant Metabolism and Chemodiversity Volume 13 - 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.1080407

The wide occurrence of natural phytotoxins renders many crops unfit for human consumption. To overcome this problem and produce detoxified crop varieties, we propose the use of biotechnological strategies that can enhance the harvest index without the need to increase crop biomass or alter whole plant architecture.

Rf4 is one of the dominant restorer genes for maize C-type cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS-C), which has significant value in hybrid maize seed production. However, the highly complex fertility restoration mechanism of CMS-C makes it difficult to screen Rf4-restorer lines, and insufficient Rf4-restorer lines limit its use in current agricultural production. To search for Rf4-restorer lines, in this study, the genotypes of eighteen inbred maize lines at the Rf4 locus were analyzed based on the male fertility investigation of hybrid F1, the genetic analysis of F2 populations, molecular marker mapping, allelic tests, and Rf4 genomic sequence analysis. Our results indicated that of the eighteen maize inbred lines, ten were able to completely rescue CMS-C line CHuangzaosi (CHZS) male sterility. A genetic analysis showed that DAN598, PHT77, 78551S, and LH212Ht only contained one dominant restorer gene each, and the molecular-marker mapping indicated that their restorer genes were located at the short arm of chromosome 8. The allelic testing of the fertility of the restorer (Rf) demonstrated that the restorer gene of twelve inbred lines, including DAN598, PHT77, 78551S, and LH212Ht, was allelic to one restorer gene of A619. Furthermore, the genomic sequence alignment of Rf4 revealed that there were two different amino acids in the coding sequence between the A619 (Rf4Rf4) restorer lines and four CMS-C lines (rf4rf4). For the crucial S1596 site variation (TTT/TAC), DAN598, PHT77, 78551S, and LH212Ht shared the same bases (TTT) with A619 and encoded phenylalanine, while the four CMS-C sterile lines had the TAC and encoded tyrosine. Our results revealed that these tester lines, DAN598, PHT77, 78551S, and LH212Ht, were the Rf4-restorer lines. Additionally, derived from the sequence variants of Rf4, 39 possible Rf4-restorer lines from 129 inbred maize lines were detected. Furthermore, we developed a Cleaved Amplified Polymorphism Sequences (CAPS) marker based on the S1596 variations. The PCR amplification product of S1596 (TAC) was digested by the TatI endonuclease into two bands with sizes of ~260 bp and ~100 bp. In comparison, when S1596 was TTT, the PCR product could not be digested. In conclusion, in this study, we identified various Rf4-restorer lines for maize CMS-C and developed a molecular marker for Rf4. The reported results will contribute to the popularization and application of Rf4 in hybrid maize-seed production.

The ideal plant for cultivation in space would provide as many nutrients from as few inputs as possible. Here, we discuss how biotechnology could be used to produce a potato cultivar suitable for humans in space. The logistical and practical challenges of supplying food for long-term space missions are substantial. In this comment, the authors discuss potential biotechnological approaches that could be used to aid the production of food crops in space.

Maize, a monoecious crop, is a model plant for studying the regulation of floral organ development. In a previous study, we found that ZmMYB150 is significantly downregulated in sterile anthers by analyzing transcriptome data of the cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) line C48-2 and its maintainer line 48-2. To elucidate the functional mechanism of ZmMYB150 in maize reproductive development, we cloned ZmMYB150 , and sequence analysis showed it is a typical R2R3-MYB transcription factor (TF). Tissue-specific analysis revealed ZmMYB150 to be specifically highly in anthers. The subcellular localization in tobacco leaves proved that ZmMYB150 is located in the nucleus. Co-expression analysis identified 876 genes that may be coexpressed with ZmMYB150 , and sequence alignment analysis showed that the coexpressed genes ZmMYB116 and ZmPIP5K6 are homologous to Arabidopsis male fertility-related genes. Furthermore, a yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) assay revealed that ZmMYB150 interacts with ZmPIP5K6. qRT-PCR analysis showed that ZmMYB150 is specifically highly expressed at the late stage of normal anther development, but no expression during the whole stages of sterile anther development. Tobacco transient expression system was used to confirm that ZmMYB150 can be regulated by miR159e-3p at the translational level. Our results lay a foundation for further understanding of the regulatory mechanism of MYB TFs in maize reproductive development.

The current research was done to verify the prevalence, the antimicrobial resistant strains and virulence profiles of Escherichia coli in sheep of western China In total 167 lambs diarrhea samples were collected from Gansu and Qinghai province, China, during 2014-2017. A total of 103 E. coli isolates were subjected to verify their antimicrobial susceptibility and virulence genes. The data showed that the percentage of E. coli isolates was 61.68%. The main resistances were obtained for penicillin (97.09%), lincomycin (95.15%) and erythromycin (69.90%). The most common antimicrobial resistance gene was tetA (83.50%), tetB (68.93%), blaTEM (63.11%), blaSHV (56.31%) and aac (3)-I (78.64%). Overall, the frequently virulence genes were mdh, ipaH, eae and six1 . The most frequent combined virulence patterns were ipaH-eae (38.83%), ipaH-stx1 (37.86%), eae-stx1 (33.98%), ipaH-astA (23.30%), astA-eae (21.36%) and ipaH-eae-stx1 (26.21%). These results demonstrated pathogenic E. coli are widely distributed in sheep of western China and carrying various antimicrobial resistance genes and virulence genes. (C) 2019 PVJ. All rights reserved