Exogenous melatonin enhances heat stress tolerance in sweetpotato by modulating antioxidant defense system,osmotic homeostasis and stomatal traits

Heat stress hinders the growth and productivity of sweetpotato plants,predominantly through oxidative damage to cellular membranes.Therefore,the development of efficient approaches for mitigating heat-related impairments is essential for the long-term production of sweetpotatoes.Melatonin has been recognised for its capacity to assist plants in dealing with abiotic stress conditions.This research aimed to investigate how different doses of exogenous melatonin influence heat damage in sweetpotato plants.Heat stress drastically affected shoot and root fresh weight by 31.8 and 44.5%,respectively.This reduction resulted in oxidative stress characterised by increased formation of hydrogen peroxide(H_(2)O_(2))by 804.4%,superoxide ion(O_(2)^(·-))by 211.5%and malondialdehyde(MDA)by 234.2%.Heat stress also reduced chlorophyll concentration,photosystemⅡefficiency(F_v/F_m)by 15.3%and gaseous exchange.However,pre-treatment with 100μmol L^(-1)melatonin increased growth and reduced oxidative damage to sweetpotato plants under heat stress.In particular,melatonin decreased H_(2)O_(2),O_(2)^(·-)and MDA by 64.8%,42.7%and 38.2%,respectively.Melatonin also mitigated the decline in chlorophyll levels and improved stomatal traits,gaseous exchange and F_(v)/F_(m)(13%).Results suggested that the favorable outcomes of melatonin treatment can be associated with elevated antioxidant enzyme activity and an increase in non-enzymatic antioxidants and osmo-protectants.Overall,these findings indicate that exogenous melatonin can improve heat stress tolerance in sweetpotatoes.This stu dy will assist re searchers in further investigating how melatonin makes sweetpotatoes more resistant to heat stress.

Impact of Seed Halopriming on Germination,Morphological Traits,and Cry1Ac Gene Expression in Bt Cotton(Gossypium hirsutum)

Seed priming is an effective seed pretreatment technology that enhances germination and overall crop performance by optimizing seed hydration and metabolic processes before planting.Seed quality is a critical determinant of cotton(Gossypium hirsutum)crop performance,influencing germination,plant vigor,and yield.This study evaluates the effects of seed priming with potassium salts(1%and 2%KCl and K2SO4)on germination,morphological traits,and Cry1Ac gene expression in three Bt cotton cultivars(IUB-2013,NIAB-878B,FH-142)as Cry1Ac enhance the pest resistance in Bt cotton and reduce the plant’s dependence on chemical insecticides.Seeds were primed for six hours,air-dried,and sown in the field.Germination rates,plant height,number of bolls per plant,boll weight,seed cotton yield,and ginning outturn(GOT)were assessed at crop maturity.Cry1Ac gene expression was quantified to explore the influence of priming treatments on transgene activity.Results demonstrated that 1%K2SO4 priming significantly enhanced germination and yield-related traits,with Cry1Ac expression peaking in the IUB-2013 cultivar under 1%K2SO4 treatment.These findings suggest that potassium-based halopriming improves cotton seedling establishment and Bt gene expression.This study addresses the critical gaps in understanding the effects of seed halopriming on morphological traits,germination,and expression of the Cry1Ac gene in Bt cotton while providing a novel eco-friendly and cost-effective halopriming approach,offering the potential to improve cotton production.

The third dimension of alpine plant leaf traits is related to cold-tolerance

Alpine plants possess unique traits to adapt alpine environments.Whether leaf trait relationships of alpine plants can be captured by the two trait dimensions of organ size and resource economics is unknown.We hypothesized that,beyond the trait dimensions of leaf size and resource economics,nonstructured carbohydrates(NSC)would reflect a dimension of cold-tolerance in alpine plants.To test this hypothesis,we measured 12 leaf traits critical to leaf construction and growth in 143 species across 7 sites ranging from alpine steppes to alpine meadows along an environmental gradient on the Tibetan Plateau.Furthermore,a cold resistance experiment was conducted at one of these sites to estimate the lethal temperature causing 50%frost damage(LT_(50))of 11 alpine species.The majority of variations in 12 leaf traits of alpine plants were captured by three trait axes,in which leaf carbon(LCC)and NSC(including leaf starch;LSC and leaf soluble sugars;LSS)were clustered in a new dimension(PC3)beyond leaf size and structure,and resource economics.Although LCC,LSC and LSS all showed negative correlations with mean annual temperature,a significant negative correlation was only found between LSS and LT_(50).It indicated that PC3 was able to reflect the cold-tolerance of alpine plants to some extent,in which LSS was the most critical trait.The storage and transformation of NSC under stressful conditions could reflect a dimension of long-term metabolic adaptation and cold-tolerance,which is an extension of the resource-utilization strategy beyond construction cost and growth.

Quantifying foliar trait variation and covariation in sun and shade leaves using leaf spectroscopy in eastern North America

Characterizing foliar trait variation in sun and shade leaves can provide insights into inter-and intra-species resource use strategies and plant response to environmental change.However,datasets with records of multiple foliar traits from the same individual and including shade leaves are sparse,which limits our ability to investigate trait-trait,trait-environment relationships and trait coordination in both sun and shade leaves.We presented a comprehensive dataset of 15 foliar traits from sun and shade leaves sampled with leaf spectroscopy,including 424 individuals of 110 plant species from 19 sites across eastern North America.We investigated trait variation,covariation,scaling relationships with leaf mass,and the effects of environment,canopy position,and taxonomy on trait expression.Generally,sun leaves had higher leaf mass per area,nonstructural carbohydrates and total phenolics,lower mass-based chlorophyll a+b,carotenoids,phosphorus,and potassium,but exhibited species-specific characteristics.Covariation between sun and shade leaf traits,and trait-environment relationships were overall consistent across species.The main dimensions of foliar trait variation in seed plants were revealed including leaf economics traits,photosynthetic pigments,defense,and structural traits.Taxonomy and canopy position collectively explained most of the foliar trait variation.This study highlights the importance of including intra-individual and intra-specific trait variation to improve our understanding of ecosystem functions.Our findings have implications for efficient field sampling,and trait mapping with remote sensing.

Promoting Sickle Cell Trait Awareness and Education: A Typology of Interventions in the United States to Inform Ongoing Efforts to Patients and Providers

Research Background: Sickle cell trait has no treatment or cure and predominantly affects people who are Black, but can affect anyone of any race or ethnicity. While commonly incorrectly considered benign by providers and the public, people with a sickle cell trait experience life-threatening outcomes that are exacerbated by extreme conditions. There is a severe lack of awareness and understanding of sickle cell trait and the associated health complications among sickle cell trait carriers and healthcare providers. Purpose/Aim: Interventions that aim to improve awareness of sickle cell trait differ in approaches and are not well documented in the literature. This typology aims to highlight current efforts to inform targeted interventions that raise awareness through consistent messaging, educate people and providers on sickle cell trait and the related health complications, and support the design and implementation of comprehensive sickle cell trait awareness initiatives. Methods: We conducted a scoping review of United States-based sickle cell trait interventions and performed a content analysis to identify the categories and characteristics of these efforts. We then organized the results into a typology according to established protocols. Results: Among 164 interventions, twenty-five (15%) met the typology inclusion criteria described above and were grouped into categories: Seven of twenty-five interventions were Educational Interventions (28%), three of twenty-five interventions (12%) were Combined Screening and Educational-Based Interventions, eight of twenty-five interventions (32%) were Policy and Guideline-Based Intervention, and six of twenty-five interventions (24%) were Sickle Cell Trait Organization-Led Interventions. Conclusions: There is a lack of consistency in messaging across interventions whether delivered by credible healthcare institutions or national organizations, which can result in lack of education and awareness and confusion around sickle cell trait. Categorizing interventions through a typology allows clarity and informs consistency in messaging, which should be at the forefront of future sickle cell trait efforts.

Detection of Quantitative Trait Loci Associated with Several Internal Organ Traits and Teat Number Trait in a Pig Population

Quantitative trait loci （QTL） were detected for 8 internal organ traits, 3 carcass length traits, and teat number trait in 214 pigs in a resource population that included 180 F2 individuals. A total of 39 microsatellite markers were examined on SSC4, SSC6, SSC7, SSC8, and SSC13. The genetic traits included heart weight （HW）, lung weight （LW）, liver and gallbladder weight （LGW）, spleen weight （SPW）, stomach weight （STW）, small intestine weight （S1W）, large intestine weight （LIW）, kidney weight （KW）, carcass length to the first cervical vertebra （CL1）, carcass length to the first thoracic vertebra （CL2）, rib numbers （RNS）, and teat numbers （TNS）. Results indicated that, 3 highly significant QTL （P≤0.01 at chromosome-wise level） for HW （at 30 cM on SSC6）, RNS （at 115 cM on SSC7）, TNS （at 110 cM on SSC7）, and 6 significant QTL （P≤0.05 at chromosome-wise level） for LW （at 119 cM on SSC13）, LGW （at 94 cM on SSC6）, SPW （at 106 cM on SSC8）, SIW （0 cM on SSC4）, LIW （170 cM on SSC 4）, and TNS （at 95 cM on SSC6） were detected. The phenotypic variances for which these QTL were accounted ranged from 0.04 % to 14.06 %. Most of these QTL had not been previously reported.

Mining elite loci and candidate genes for root morphology-related traits at the seedling stage by genome-wide association studies in upland cotton(Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Root system architecture plays an essential role in water and nutrient acquisition in plants,and it is significantly involved in plant adaptations to various environmental stresses.In this study,a panel of 242 cotton accessions was collected to investigate six root morphological traits at the seedling stage,including main root length(MRL),root fresh weight(RFW),total root length(TRL),root surface area(RSA),root volume(RV),and root average diameter(AvgD).The correlation analysis of the six root morphological traits revealed strong positive correlations of TRL with RSA,as well as RV with RSA and AvgD,whereas a significant negative correlation was found between TRL and AvgD.Subsequently,a genome-wide association study(GWAS)was performed using the root phenotypic and genotypic data reported previously for the 242 accessions using 56,010 single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)from the CottonSNP80K array.A total of 41 quantitative trait loci(QTLs)were identified,including nine for MRL,six for RFW,nine for TRL,12 for RSA,12 for RV and two for AvgD.Among them,eight QTLs were repeatedly detected in two or more traits.Integrating these results with a transcriptome analysis,we identified 17 candidate genes with high transcript values of transcripts per million(TPM)≥30 in the roots.Furthermore,we functionally verified the candidate gene GH_D05G2106,which encodes a WPP domain protein 2in root development.A virus-induced gene silencing(VIGS)assay showed that knocking down GH_D05G2106significantly inhibited root development in cotton,indicating its positive role in root system architecture formation.Collectively,these results provide a theoretical basis and candidate genes for future studies on cotton root developmental biology and root-related cotton breeding.

Dominance of rock exposure and soil depth in leaf trait networks outweighs soil quality in karst limestone and dolomite habitats

Leaf trait networks(LTNs)visualize the intricate linkages reflecting plant trait-functional coordination.Typical karst vegetation,developed from lithological dolomite and limestone,generally exhibits differential communities,possibly due to habitat rock exposure,soil depth,and soil physicochemical properties variations,leading to a shift from plant trait variation to functional linkages.However,how soil and habitat quality affect the differentiation of leaf trait networks remains unclear.LTNs were constructed for typical dolomite and limestone habitats by analyzing twenty-one woody plant leaf traits across fifty-six forest subplots in karst mountains.The differences between dolomite and limestone LTNs were compared using network parameters.The network association of soil and habitat quality was analyzed using redundancy analysis(RDA),Mantle's test,and a random forest model.The limestone LTN exhibited significantly higher edge density with lower diameter and average path length when compared to the dolomite LTN.It indicates LTN differentiation,with the limestone network displaying a more compact architecture and higher connectivity than the dolomite network.The specific leaf phosphorus and leaf nitrogen contents of dolomite LTN,as well as the leaf mass and leaf carbon contents of limestone LTN,significantly contributed to network degree and closeness,serving as crucial node traits regulating LTN connectedness.Additionally,both habitat LTNs significantly correlated with soil nitrogen and phosphorus,stoichiometric ratios,pH,and organic carbon,as well as soil depth and rock exposure rates,with soil depth and rock exposure showing greater relative importance.Soil depth and rock exposure dominate trait network differentiation,with the limestone habitat exhibiting a more compact network architecture than the dolomite habitat.

Extremely thin but very robust:Surprising cryptogam trait combinations at the end of the leaf economics spectrum

Leaf economics spectrum(LES)describes the fundamental trade-offs between leaf structural,chemical,and physiological investments.Generally,structurally robust thick leaves with high leaf dry mass per unit area(LMA)exhibit lower photosynthetic capacity per dry mass(Amass).Paradoxically,“soft and thinleaved”mosses and spikemosses have very low Amass,but due to minute-size foliage elements,their LMA and its components,leaf thickness(LT)and density(LD),have not been systematically estimated.Here,we characterized LES and associated traits in cryptogams in unprecedented details,covering five evolutionarily different lineages.We found that mosses and spikemosses had the lowest LMA and LT values ever measured for terrestrial plants.Across a broad range of species from different lineages,Amass and LD were negatively correlated.In contrast,Amass was only related to LMA when LMA was greater than 14 g cm^(-2).In fact,low Amass reflected high LD and cell wall thickness in the studied cryptogams.We conclude that evolutionarily old plant lineages attained poorly differentiated,ultrathin mesophyll by increasing LD.Across plant lineages,LD,not LMA,is the trait that represents the trade-off between leaf robustness and physiology in the LES.

Ploidy and fruit trait variation in oil-tea Camellia:Implications for ploidy breeding

Plant polyploidy often occurs in conjunction with higher yield and superior quality.Therefore,obtaining polyploid germplasms is a significant part of breeding.The oil-tea Camellia tree is an important native woody plant that produces high-quality edible oil and includes many species of Camellia with different ploidies.However,whether higher ploidy levels in oil-tea Camellia trees are related to better traits remains unclear.In this study,the ploidy levels of 30 different oil-tea Camellia strains in three different species in the Sect.Paracamellia were determined by flow cytometry and chromosome preparation,and the phenotypic characteristics and fatty acid compositions of the fruits were examined by field observations and laboratory analyses.The correlations between the ploidy level of oil-tea Camellia and the main traits of the fruit were investigated.Our results showed that 10 Camellia lanceoleosa strains were diploid,10 Camellia meiocarpa strains were tetraploid and 10 Camellia oleifera strains were hexaploid.Hexaploid C.oleifera had larger fruit size and weight,more seeds per fruit,greater seed weight per fruit,higher oil content and greater yield per crown width than tetraploid C.meiocarpa and diploid C.lanceoleosa,but their fruit peel thickness and fresh seed rate were significantly lower,and these traits were significantly correlated with ploidy level.In addition,in terms of fatty acid composition,hexaploid C.oleifera had a higher oleic acid content than tetraploid C.meiocarpa and diploid C.lanceoleosa,but their linoleic acid,linolenic acid and arachidonic acid contents were lower.The contents of palmitic acid,stearic acid and total unsaturated fatty acids were not significantly correlated with ploidy level.In conclusion,certain correlations exist between the main characteristics of oil-tea Camellia fruit and the ploidy level,and increasing the ploidy level led to an increase in fruit yield with no effect on oil composition.The discovery of variations in the main characteristics of oil-tea Camellia fruit with different ploidies will facilitate germplasm innovation and lay a foundation for ploidy breeding and mechanistic research on fruit traits.

Identification of candidate genes for early-maturity traits by combining BSA-seq and QTL mapping in upland cotton(Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Cotton breeding for the development of early-maturing varieties is an effective way to improve multiple cropping indexes and alleviate the conflict between grains and cotton in the cultivated fields in China.In the present study,we aimed to identify upland cotton quantitative trait loci(QTLs)and candidate genes related to early-maturity traits,including whole growth period(WGP),flowering timing(FT),node of the first fruiting branch(NFFB),height of the node of the first fruiting branch(HNFFB),and plant height(PH).An early-maturing variety,CCRI50,and a latematuring variety,Guoxinmian 11,were crossed to obtain biparental populations.These populations were used to map QTLs for the early-maturity traits for two years(2020 and 2021).With BSA-seq analysis based on the data of population 2020,the candidate regions related to early maturity were found to be located on chromosome D03.We then developed 22 polymorphic insertions or deletions(InDel)markers to further narrow down the candidate regions,resulting in the detection of five and four QTLs in the 2020 and 2021 populations,respectively.According to the results of QTL mapping,two candidate regions(InDel_G286-InDel_G144 and InDel_G24-InDel_G43)were detected.In these regions,three genes(GH_D03G0451,GH_D03G0649,and GH_D03G1180)have nonsynonymous mutations in their exons and one gene(GH_D03G0450)has SNP variations in the upstream sequence between CCRI50 and Guoxinmian 11.These four genes also showed dominant expression in the floral organs.The expression levels of GH_D03G0451,GH_D03G0649 and GH_D03G1180 were significantly higher in CCRI50 than in Guoxinmian 11 during the bud differentiation stages,while GH_D03G0450 showed the opposite trend.Further functional verification of GH_D03G0451 indicated that the GH_D03G0451-silenced plants showed a delay in the flowering time.The results suggest that these are the candidate genes for cotton early maturity,and they may be used for breeding early-maturity cotton varieties.

Genetic parameter evaluation for growth and cold resistance traits of the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii

The giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii distributed from tropical to subtropical regions,is a warm-water species,and its survival temperature is 14-35°C,which greatly limits its culture cycle and culture area in China.Therefore,it is urgent to cultivate a new high quality,high yield variety with improved cold-resistance,but the genetic parameters for cold-resistance traits are unknown in M.rosenbergii.In this study,the cold-resistance of adult M.rosenbergii populations was tested using the indoor artificial cooling method.Individuals were selected from 139 families of Shufeng G3 generation and cultured for 200 days.A linear mixed model was constructed by ASReml-R to evaluate the genetic parameters of the cold-resistance trait(cooling degree hours,CDH)and growth traits(body weight,BW,and body length,BL)based on the restricted maximum likelihood(REML)method.The results show that the heritability of CDH was low(0.12±0.05),while the growth traits(BW and BL)had low to moderate heritability,with 0.20±0.06 for BW and 0.06±0.04 for BL.The phenotypic and genetic correlation between BW and BL was significantly positive,but significantly negative phenotypic and genetic correlations were detected between CDH and BW and between CDH and BL.Furthermore,the analysis of the differences between cold-resistance and phenotypic traits showed that the female reproductive status,exoskeleton hardness and claw number of adult prawns had a great influence on the cold-resistance of M.rosenbergii(P<0.05),indicating that adults with claws and hard exoskeletons are preferred as parents in subsequent breeding selection.The present results can be attributed to the selection and breeding of a new cold-resistant variety of M.rosenbergii.

Large‑scale transcriptomic and genomic analyses reveal a novel functional gene SERPINB6 for chicken carcass traits

Background Carcass traits are crucial indicators of meat production efficiency.However,the molecular regulatory mechanisms associated with these traits remain unclear.Results In this study,we conducted comprehensive transcriptomic and genomic analyses on 399 Tiannong partridge chickens to identify key genes and variants associated with carcass traits and to elucidate the underlying regulatory mechanisms.Based on association analyses with the elastic net(EN)model,we identified 12 candidate genes(AMY1A,AP3B2,CEBPG,EEF2,EIF4EBP1,FGFR1,FOXD3,GOLM1,LOC107052698,PABPC1,SERPINB6 and TBC1D16)for 4 carcass-related traits,namely live weight,dressed weight,eviscerated weight,and breast muscle weight.SERPINB6 was identified as the only overlapping gene by 3 analyses,EN model analysis,weighted gene co-expression network analysis and differential expression analysis.Cell-level experiments confirmed that SERPINB6 promotes the proliferation of chicken DF1 cells and primary myoblasts.Further expression genome-wide association study and association analysis indicated that rs317934171 is the critical site that enhances SERPINB6 expression.Furthermore,a dual-luciferase reporter assay proved that gga-miR-1615 targets the 3′UTR of SERPINB6.Conclusions Collectively,our findings reveal that SERPINB6 serves as a novel gene for chicken carcass traits by promoting fibroblast and myoblast proliferation.Additionally,the downstream variant rs317934171 regulates SERPINB6 expression.These results identify a new target gene and molecular marker for the molecular mechanisms of chicken carcass traits.

Myostatin gene role in regulating traits of poultry species for potential industrial applications

The myostatin(MSTN)gene is considered a potential genetic marker to improve economically important traits in live-stock,since the discovery of its function using the MSTN knockout mice.The anti-myogenic function of the MSTN gene was further demonstrated in farm animal species with natural or induced mutations.In poultry species,myo-genesis in cell culture was regulated by modulation of the MSTN gene.Also,different expression levels of the MSTN gene in poultry models with different muscle mass have been reported,indicating the conserved myogenic function of the MSTN gene between mammalian and avian species.Recent advances of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome edit-ing techniques have led to development of genome-edited poultry species targeting the MSTN gene to clearly dem-onstrate its anti-myogenic function and further investigate other potential functions in poultry species.This review summarizes research conducted to understand the function of the MSTN gene in various poultry models from cells to whole organisms.Furthermore,the genome-edited poultry models targeting the MSTN gene are reviewed to inte-grate diverse effects of the MSTN gene on different traits of poultry species.

Genome-wide association study identifies 12 new genetic loci associated with growth traits in pigs

Growth traits are among the most important economic traits in pigs and are regulated by polygenes with complex regulatory mechanisms.As the major indicators of growth performance,the backfat thickness(BFT),loin eye area(LEA),and days to 100 kg(D100)traits are commonly used to the genetics improvement in pigs.However,the available genetic markers for these traits are limited.To uncover novel loci and candidate genes associated with growth performance,we collected the phenotypic information of BFT,LEA,and D100 in 1,186 pigs and genotyped all these individuals using the Neogen GGP porcine 80K BeadChip.We performed a genome-wide association study(GWAS)using 4 statistical models,including mixed linear models(MLM),fixed and random model circulating probability unification(FarmCPU),settlement of MLM under progressively exclusive relationships(SUPER),Bayesian-information and linkage-disequilibrium Iteratively nested keyway(Blink),and identified 5,3,and 6 high-confidence single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)associated with BFT,LEA,and D100,respectively.Variant annotation and quantitative trait locus(QTL)mapping analysis suggested that6 genes(SKAP2,SATB1,PDE7B,PPP1R16B,WNT3,and WNT9B)were potentially associated with growth performance in pigs.Transcriptome analysis suggested that the expression of Src Kinase Associated Phosphoprotein 2(SKAP2)was higher in prenatal muscles than in postnatal muscles,and the expression of Phosphodiesterase 7B(PDE7B)continuously increased during the prenatal stages and gradually decreased after birth,implying their potential roles in prenatal skeletal muscle development.Overall,this study provides new candidate loci and genes for the genetic improvement of pigs.

Assessment of the Characteristics of Demersal Fish Communities Using Species-and Trait-Based Approaches in the Coastal Habitats Along Rongcheng Bay,Shandong Peninsula,China

Biodiversity declines have motivated many studies on the relationship between species diversity and ecosystem functioning.In this study,we described the spatial-temporal characteristics of demersal fish communities along a coastal habitat in Rongcheng Bay,Shandong Peninsula,China with both species-based and biological trait-based approaches.The field survey was carried out monthly using traps from April to October of 2018,and divided into three seasons(spring:April and May;summer:June,July and August;autumn:September,October and November).The study area included five distinct habitats:seagrass bed,natural rocky reef,bare sand,artificial reef together with natural rocky reef,and artificial reef together with bare sand.We analyzed the fish communities with three taxonomic diversity indices,including Shannon-Wiener,Simpson,and Pielou Evenness,as well as four functional diversity indices,including FRic,FEve,FDiv,and FDis,based on 7 functional groups which are categorized into 27 traits.The results showed that there were no significant differences in taxonomic diversity indices among different habitats in the three seasons.However,significant differences were found in the functional richness of fish communities among different habitats in three seasons.Seagrass bed represented the highest functional richness in spring and autumn.This study demonstrates that seagrass bed is very important in enhancing the functional diversity of fish communities in a complex habitat.The study also indicates that the combination of taxonomic diversity and functional diversity will provide a more detailed description of the characteristics of fish communities.

Genome-wide association study dissecting drought resistance-associated loci based on physiological traits in common bean

Genetic improvement of drought resistance is one of the main breeding goals for common bean,so molecular markers must be identified to facilitate drought resistance breeding.In this study,we evaluated the proline,trehalose,raffinose,and stachyose contents of 210 common bean accessions under two watering conditions and found large variations in all four.The coefficients of variation ranged from 21.21%for proline content to 78.69%for stachyose content under well-watered conditions,and from 20.11%for proline content to 50.08%for trehalose content under drought stress.According to our genome-wide association analysis,32 quantitative trait loci were associated with drought resistance,seven of which overlapped with known loci.Four hotspot regions were identified at Pv01,Pv07 and Pv11.A set of candidate genes was identified,including genes encoding MYB,bZIP,bHLH,ERF,and protein kinases.Among these genes,Phvul.001G189400,Phvul.007G273000 and Phvul.008G270500 were annotated as bZIP,ERF and WRKY,respectively.These genes are reportedly involved in drought stress responses in Arabidopsis thaliana and were induced by drought stress in common bean.Significant SNPs in six candidate gene regions formed different haplotypes,and phenotypic analysis revealed significant differences among the haplotypes.These results provide new insight into the genetic basis of drought resistance in common bean and reveal candidate genes and superior natural variations that will be useful for improving common bean.

Random Amplification Polymorphic DNA and Agro-Morphological Traits-Based Fingerprinting for Detection of Genetic Divergence in Indian Black Rice

In this study, 32 black rice genotypes spanning diverse geographies in India were evaluated at both phenotypic and DNA sequence levels to gain insights into their genetic makeup. Significant variations were observed for 14 agro-morphological traits, showing correlations among several yield-related traits.

Effects of wind speed,underlying surface,and seed morphological traits on the secondary seed dispersal in the Tengger Desert,China

The maintenance of sand-fixing vegetation is important for the stability of artificial sand-fixing systems in which seed dispersal plays a key role.Based on field wind tunnel experiments using 11 common plant species on the southeastern edge of the Tengger Desert,China,we studied the secondary seed dispersal in the fixed and semi-fixed sand dunes as well as in the mobile dunes in order to understand the limitations of vegetation regeneration and the maintenance of its stability.Our results indicated that there were significant variations among the selected 11 plant species in the threshold of wind speed(TWS).The TWS of Caragana korshinskii was the highest among the 11 plant species,whereas that of Echinops gmelinii was the lowest.Seed morphological traits and underlying surface could generally explain the TWS.During the secondary seed dispersal processes,the proportions of seeds that did not disperse(no dispersal)and only dispersed over short distance(short-distance dispersal within the wind tunnel test section)were significantly higher than those of seeds that were buried(including lost seeds)and dispersed over long distance(long-distance dispersal beyond the wind tunnel test section).Compared with other habitats,the mobile dunes were the most difficult places for secondary seed dispersal.Buried seeds were the easiest to be found in the semi-fixed sand dunes,whereas fixed sand dunes were the best sites for seeds that dispersed over long distance.The results of linear mixed models showed that after controlling the dispersal distance,smaller and rounder seeds dispersed farther.Shape index and wind speed were the two significant influencing factors on the burial of seeds.The explanatory power of wind speed,underlying surface,and seed morphological traits on the seeds that did not disperse and dispersed over short distance was far greater than that on the seeds that were buried and dispersed over long distance,implying that the processes and mechanisms of burial and long-distance dispersal are more complex.In summary,most seeds in the study area either did not move,were buried,or dispersed over short distance,promoting local vegetation regeneration.

Remote sensing of quality traits in cereal and arable production systems:A review

Cereal is an essential source of calories and protein for the global population.Accurately predicting cereal quality before harvest is highly desirable in order to optimise management for farmers,grading harvest and categorised storage for enterprises,future trading prices,and policy planning.The use of remote sensing data with extensive spatial coverage demonstrates some potential in predicting crop quality traits.Many studies have also proposed models and methods for predicting such traits based on multiplatform remote sensing data.In this paper,the key quality traits that are of interest to producers and consumers are introduced.The literature related to grain quality prediction was analyzed in detail,and a review was conducted on remote sensing platforms,commonly used methods,potential gaps,and future trends in crop quality prediction.This review recommends new research directions that go beyond the traditional methods and discusses grain quality retrieval and the associated challenges from the perspective of remote sensing data.