Plant life form determines spatiotemporal variability and climate response of plant seed rain in subtropical forests

Spatiotemporal variation of seed rain reflects the response of plants in terms of their reproductive strategy to environmental gradients.In this study,we collected seeds from four sites in the Dalaoling Nature Reserve,Hubei Province,China,between 2011 and 2014,measured seed output and seed mass as seed rain traits,and compared their interannual and elevational variation.Then,we ran phylogenetic generalized mixed linear models(PGLMMs) to explore the effects of temperature and precipitation as well as interspecific differences on seed rain,and fitted the best regression models for seed rain vs.weather of canopy and understory species.The results showed no correlation between values of seed output and seed mass.However,the variation of the two traits showed significantly positive correlation.Seed output of canopy species generally decreased with increasing elevation,and showed significant interannual difference;however,seed output of understory species and seed mass for both canopy and understory species did not show consistency tends along elevational or in interannual variation.Seed output was significantly affected by temperature and precipitation,while seed mass mainly varied due to interspecific differences.Weather explained more the variation of the seed output of canopy species than that of understory species,with R^(2) values of 43.0%and 29.9%,respectively.These results suggested that canopy plants contributed more to the reproductive dynamics of the whole communities,and the canopy's buffer effect on the underground weakened the response of understory plants to weather variation in terms of their reproductive strategy.

Spatiotemporal characteristics of seed rain and soil seed bank of artificial Caragana korshinskii Kom. forest in the Tengger Desert, China

Vegetation restoration and reconstruction are effective approaches to desertification control and achieving social and economic sustainability in desert areas.However,the self-succession ability of native plants during the later periods of vegetation restoration remains unclear.Therefore,this study was conducted to bridge the knowledge gap by investigating the regeneration dynamics of artificial forest under natural conditions.The information of seed rain and soil seed bank was collected and quantified from an artificial Caragana korshinskii Kom.forest in the Tengger Desert,China.The germination tests were conducted in a laboratory setting.The analysis of species quantity and diversity in seed rain and soil seed bank was conducted to assess the impact of different durations of sand fixation(60,40,and 20 a)on the progress of vegetation restoration and ecological conditions in artificial C.korshinskii forest.The results showed that the top three dominant plant species in seed rain were Echinops gmelinii Turcz.,Eragrostis minor Host.,and Agropyron mongolicum Keng.,and the top three dominant plant species in soil seed bank were E.minor,Chloris virgata Sw.,and E.gmelinii.As restoration period increased,the density of seed rain and soil seed bank increased first and then decreased.While for species richness,as restoration period increased,it gradually increased in seed rain but decreased in soil seed bank.There was a positive correlation between seed rain density and soil seed bank density among all the three restoration periods.The species similarity between seed rain or soil seed bank and aboveground vegetation decreased with the extension of restoration period.The shape of the seeds,specifically those with external appendages such as spines and crown hair,clearly had an effect on their dispersal,then resulting in lower seed density in soil seed bank.In addition,precipitation was a crucial factor in promoting rapid germination,also resulting in lower seed density in soil seed bank.Our findings provide valuable insights for guiding future interventions during the later periods of artificial C.korshinskii forest,such as sowing and restoration efforts using unmanned aerial vehicles.

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.

Dormancy of Amaranthus retroflexus L. Seeds and Physiological Response Seedlings to Acifluorfen Sodium

Amaranthus retroflexus L. is a serious and widespread malignant weed in soybean fields in Heilongjiang Province. Exploring the dormancy characteristics of A. retroflexus L. seeds and the physiological response of its seedlings to acifluorfen sodium can provide a basis for further researches on its resistance mechanism. Using newly harvested and stored A. retroflexus L. seeds for one year as experimental materials, the effects of different concentrations of HCl, NaOH, water temperature, gibberellic acid(GA) and polyethylene glycol(PEG) on the dormancy and germination of A. retroflexus L. seeds were studied. The sensitivity of A. retroflexus L.to acifluorfen sodium was determined using bioassay. The effects on leaf chlorophyll content and target enzyme activity were studied at a normal dosage of 360 g a.i. hm^(-2) and a doubling dosage of 720 g a.i. hm^(-2) of acifluorfen sodium. Newly harvested seeds exhibiting dormancy were soaked in water of various temperatures and in different concentrations of NaOH and HCl, which were ineffective in breaking the seed dormancy. GA could break seed dormancy, and the highest seed germination rate reached 93.33% when they were soaked at 3 000 mg·L^(-1) for 72 h and 4 000 mg·L^(-1) for 48 h. The drought stress was simulated with a 15%-25% polyethylene glycol solution, which had no significant effect on the seed germination rate. The GR_(50) value of acifluorfen sodium for A. retroflexus L. was 705.7 g a.i. hm^(-2), which was 1.96 times the recommended dose in the field. After the application of different doses of acifluorfen sodium, the chlorophyll content of A. retroflexus L. reached its minimum value 3 days after treatment(DAT), and then gradually increased. The activity of the target enzyme protoporphyrinogen oxidase(PPO) reached the highest value at 7 DAT under different dosages, and gradually returned to normal levels thereafter. Soaking with gibberellin was an effective method to break seed dormancy. A. retroflexus L. seeds had certain drought resistance during the germination process. A. retroflexus L. was not sensitive to acifluorfen sodium and acifluorfen sodium ether, and could not effectively inhibit the PPO activity, indicating that A. retroflexus L. had target resistance to acifluorfen sodium.

Biochar-Based Seed Coating as an Effective Strategy to Reduce Seed Predation When Restoring Forests on Degraded Land

As ecosystem degradation becomes more widespread, there is a growing need for efficient and effective forest restoration methods. Direct seeding is one such method that can be used to cover a relatively large area, particularly places with difficult-to-access terrain. One major obstacle hampering successful restoration via direct seeding is seed predation, as seeds are damaged or eaten. We tested the effectiveness of encrusting six species of native seeds with biochar-based coating in reducing the seeds’ chances of being predated on degraded hillsides and landslide scars in Hong Kong. The six seeded species are native trees and shrubs, including both late-successional and pioneer species that are present in forests and shrublands. Our results show that biochar-based seed coats were able to significantly reduce overall seed predation by 5.77% (SE = 1.41, p < 0.05). Additionally, we found varied effectiveness of the biochar-based seed coats across species and seed morphology. Of the six species that were included, four of them had significantly reduced seed predation after encrusting with biochar-based seed coats, while two other species were not significantly affected by the biochar-based seed coats. When we investigated seed predation against seed morphology, we found that while the species with larger seeds were more likely to be predated when sown without any biochar-based seed coat, the effectiveness of the biochar-based seed coat to reduce predation also increased with larger seeds. Our results suggest that encrusting seeds with biochar-based seed coats is an effective means of reducing seed predation.

Pectin methylesterase inhibitors GhPMEI53 and AtPMEI19 improve seed germination by modulating cell wall plasticity in cotton and Arabidopsis

The germination process of seeds is influenced by the interplay between two opposing factors,pectin methylesterase(PME)and pectin methylesterase inhibitor(PMEI),which collectively regulate patterns of pectin methylesterification.Despite the recognized importance of pectin methylesterification in seed germination,the specific mechanisms that govern this process remain unclear.In this study,we demonstrated that the overexpression of GhPMEI53is associated with a decrease in PME activity and an increase in pectin methylesterification.This leads to seed cell wall softening,which positively regulates cotton seed germination.AtPMEI19,the homologue in Arabidopsis thaliana,plays a similar role in seed germination to GhPMEI53,indicating a conserved function and mechanism of PMEI in seed germination regulation.Further studies revealed that GhPMEI53 and AtPMEI19 directly contribute to promoting radicle protrusion and seed germination by inducing cell wall softening and reducing mechanical strength.Additionally,the pathways of abscicic acid(ABA)and gibberellin(GA)in the transgenic materials showed significant changes,suggesting that GhPMEI53/AtPMEI19-mediated pectin methylesterification serves as a regulatory signal for the related phytohormones involved in seed germination.In summary,GhPMEI53 and its homologs alter the mechanical properties of cell walls,which influence the mechanical resistance of the endosperm or testa.Moreover,they impact cellular phytohormone pathways(e.g.,ABA and GA)to regulate seed germination.These findings enhance our understanding of pectin methylesterification in cellular morphological dynamics and signaling transduction,and contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the PME/PMEI gene superfamily in plants.

The structure-directing role of heterologous seeds in the synthesis of zeolite

Zeolites have been widely used as catalysts,ion-exchangers,and adsorbents in chemical industries,detergent industry,steel industry,glass industry,ceramic industry,medical and healthfield,and environmentalfield,and recently applied in energy storage.Seed-assisted synthesis is a very effective approach in promoting the crystallization of zeolites.In some cases,the target zeolite cannot be formed in the absence of seed zeolite.In homologous seed-assisted synthesis,the structure of the seed zeolite is the same to that of the target zeolite,while the structure of the seed zeolite is different to that of the target zeolite in the heterologous seed-assisted synthesis.In this review,we briefly summarized the heterologous seed-assisted syntheses of zeolites and analyzed the structure-directing effect of heterologous seeds and surveyed the“common composite building units(CBUs)hypothesis”and the“common secondary building units(SBUs)hypothesis”.However,both hypotheses cannot explain all observations on the heterologous seed-assisted syntheses.Finally,we proposed that the formation of the target zeolite does need nuclei with the structure of target zeolite and the formation of the nuclei of the target zeolite can be promoted by either the undissolved seed crystals with the same CBUs or SBUs to the target zeolite or by the facilitated appropriate distribution of the specific building units due to the presence of the heterologous seed that does not have any common CBUs and SBUs with the target zeolite.

Targeted mutations of BnPAP2 lead to a yellow seed coat in Brassica napus L.

The yellow seed trait is preferred by breeders for its potential to improve the seed quality and commercial value of Brassica napus.In the present study,we produced yellow seed mutants using a CRISPR/Cas9 system when the two BnPAP2 homologs were knocked out.Histochemical staining of the seed coat demonstrated that proanthocyanidin accumulation was significantly reduced in the pap2 double mutants and decreased specifically in the endothelial and palisade layer cells of the seed coat.Transcriptomic and metabolite profiling analysis suggested that disruption of the BnPAP2 genes could reduce the expression of structural and regulated genes in the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthetic pathways.The broad suppression of these genes might hinder proanthocyanidin accumulation during seed development,and thereby causing the yellow seed trait in B.napus.These results indicate that BnPAP2 might play a vital role in the regulatory network controlling proanthocyanidin accumulation.

Seed-assisted growth for high-performance perovskite solar cells:A review

The rapid increase in the power conversion efficiency(PCE)of perovskite solar cells(PSCs)is closely related to the development of deposition techinique for perovskite layer.The high-quality perovskite film enables efficient charge transportation and less trap states,which are eventually translated into enhanced device performance.Seed-assisted growth(SAG)is a potential technique for depositing highly-crystallized perovskite films with preferential crystal orientation among the numerous approaches related to crystallization modulation.In this review,we summarize the recent advances in the SAG technique for both one-step and two-step processed perovskite films.Additionally,seeding at the buried interface and on the top surface are also introduced.We present different seeds and their corresponding seeding mechanism in detail,such as inorganic nanomaterials,organic ammoniums,alkali metal halides,and perovskite seeds.Finally,challenges and perspectives are proposed to investigate the potential expansion of seeding engineering in high-performance PSCs,particularly large-area devices.

Differential roles of seed and sprout regeneration in forest diversity and productivity after disturbance

Natural regeneration after disturbances is a key phase of forest development,which determines the trajectory of successional changes in tree species composition and diversity.Regenerating trees can originate from either seeds or sprouts produced by disturbed trees with sprouting ability.Although both regeneration strategies often develop and co-occur after a disturbance,they tend to affect forest development differently due to significant functional differences.However,the origin of tree regeneration is rarely distinguished in post-disturbance forest surveys and ecological studies,and the differential roles of seed and sprout regeneration in forest productivity and diversity remain poorly understood.To address these research gaps,we explored the role of sprout and seed regeneration in the formation of woody species diversity and above-ground biomass(AGB)productivity in early-stage forest development.Data were collected in two experimental forest stands in the Czech Republic,where trees were cut with varying intensities with the density of residual(uncut)trees ranging from 0 to 275 trees per hectare.All trees were mapped and their sizes were measured before cutting and then,either as a stump with sprouts or a residual tree,remeasured 11 years later.In addition,all tree saplings were mapped and measured 11 years after logging,and their origin(sprout or seed)was identified.To assess abundances and productivity,we estimated AGB of all2,685 sprouting stumps of 19 woody species and 504 generative(i.e.,seed origin)individuals of 16 woody species,using allometric equations.Mixed-effects models were used to analyze the effects of each regeneration strategy on woody species diversity and the total AGB under varying densities of residual trees.Nonmetric multidimensional scaling was used to evaluate the effect of regeneration strategies on species composition.AGB and diversity of sprouts were significantly higher than those of seed regeneration.Sprouts formed on average97.1%of the total regeneration AGB in H ady and 98.6%in Sobe s ice.The average species richness of sprouts was4.7 in H ady and 2.2 in Sob e sice,while the species richness of seed regeneration averaged 2.1 and 1.1 in H ady and Sob e sice,respectively.Increasing density of residual trees reduced AGB and diversity of both sprouts and seed regeneration,but seed regeneration was affected to a greater extent.Residual trees had an especially strong inhibitory effect on the establishment of seed regeneration.Consequently,seed-originated saplings were nearly absent in plots with high residual tree density,and abundant sprouts accounted for most of the AGB and diversity.However,unlike sprouts whose species composition resembled that of the original stand,seed regeneration brought in new species,enriching the stand?s overall species pool and beta diversity.Our results demonstrated differential roles of sprout and seed regeneration in the early stage of forest succession.Sprout regeneration was the main source of woody AGB productivity as well as species diversity,and its importance increased with the increasing density of standing mature trees.The results indicate the crucial yet previously underestimated role of sprout regeneration in post-disturbance forest dynamics.They suggest that the presence of residual mature trees,whether retained after partial cutting or undisturbed,can substantially suppress seed regeneration while the role of sprout regeneration in early succession becomes more distinctly evident.

An allelic variation in the promoter of the LRR-RLK gene,qSS6.1,is associated with melon seed size

Seed size is an important agronomic trait in melons that directly affects seed germination and subsequent seedling growth.However,the genetic mechanism underlying seed size in melon remains unclear.In the present study,we employed Bulked-Segregant Analysis sequencing(BSA-seq)to identify a candidate region(~1.35 Mb)on chromosome 6 that corresponds to seed size.This interval was confirmed by QTL mapping of three seed size-related traits from an F2 population across three environments.This mapping region represented nine QTLs that shared an overlapping region on chromosome 6,collectively referred to as qSS6.1.New InDel markers were developed in the qSS6.1 region,narrowing it down to a 68.35 kb interval that contains eight annotated genes.Sequence variation analysis of the eight genes identified a SNP with a C to T transition mutation in the promoter region of MELO3C014002,a leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase(LRR-RLK)gene.This mutation affected the promoter activity of the MELO3C014002 gene and was successfully used to differentiate the large-seeded accessions(C-allele)from the small-seeded accessions(T-allele).qRT-PCR revealed differential expression of MELO3C014002 between the two parental lines.Its predicted protein has typical LRR-RLK family domains,and phylogenetic analyses reveled its similarity with the homologs in several plant species.Altogether,these findings suggest MELO3C014002 as the most likely candidate gene involved in melon seed size regulation.Our results will be helpful for better understanding the genetic mechanism regulating seed size in melons and for genetically improving this important trait through molecular breeding pathways.

qSTA2-2,a novel QTL that contributes to seed starch synthesis in Zea mays L.

The seed storage materials accumulate during seed development,and are essential for seed germination and seedling establishment.Here we employed two bi-parental populations of an F2:3 population developed from a cross of improved 220(I220,small seeds with low starch)and PH4CV(large seeds with high starch),as well as recombinant-inbred lines(RILs)of X178(high starch)and its improved introgression line I178(low starch),to identify the genes that control seed storage materials.We identified a total of 12 QTLs for starch,protein and oil,which explained 3.44-10.79%of the phenotypic variances.Among them,qSTA2-1 identified in F2:3 and qSTA2-2 identified in the RILs partially overlapped at an interval of 7.314-9.554 Mb,and they explained 3.44-10.21%of the starch content variation,so they were selected for further study.Fine mapping of qSTA2-2 with the backcrossed populations of ^(I220)/PH4CV in each generation narrowed it down to a 199.7 kb interval that contains 14 open reading frames(ORFs).Transcriptomic analysis of developing seeds from the near-isogenic lines(NILs)of ^(I220)/PH4CV(BC_(5)F_(2))showed that only 11 ORFs were expressed in 20 days after pollination(DAP)seeds.Five of them were upregulated and six of them were downregulated in NIL^(I220),and the differentially expressed genes(DEGs)between NIL^(I220) and NIL^(PH4CV) were enriched in starch metabolism,hormone signal transduction and glycosaminoglycan degradation.Of the eleven NIL^(I220) differential expressed ORFs,ORF4(Zm00001d002260)and ORF5(Zm00001d002261)carry 75%protein sequence similarity,both encodes an glycolate oxidase,were the possible candidates of qSTA2-2.Further analysis and validation indicated that mutation of the qSTA2-2 locus resulted in the dysfunction of ABA accumulation,the embryo/endosperm ratio and the starch and hormone levels.

Seed Storability in Rice: Physiological Foundations, Molecular Mechanisms, and Applications in Breeding

Long-term storage of crop seeds is critical for the conservation of germplasm resources, ensuring food supply, and supporting sustainable production. Rice, as a major food staple, has a substantial stock for consumption and production worldwide. However, its food value and seed viability tend to decline during storage. Understanding the physiological responses and molecular mechanisms of aging tolerance forms the basis for enhancing seed storability in rice. This review outlines the latest progress in influential factors, evaluation methods, and identification indices of seed storability. It also discusses the physiological consequences, molecular mechanisms, and strategies for breeding aging-tolerant rice in detail. Finally, it highlights challenges in seed storability research that require future attention. This review offers a theoretical foundation and research direction for uncovering the mechanisms behind seed storability and breeding aging-tolerant rice.

Arginine promotes seed energy metabolism,increasing wheat seed germination at low temperature

Low temperatures during germination inhibit seed growth,lead to small and weak seedlings,and significantly reduce the wheat yield.Alleviating the adverse effects of low temperature on wheat seed germination is highly important for achieving high and stable wheat yields.In this study,Tongmai 6(insensitive)and Zhengmai 113(sensitive),which have different low-temperature sensitivities during germination were treated with low temperature during germination.The transcriptome,metabolome and physiological data revealed that low temperature decreased the germination rate,downregulated the expression of a large number of genes involved in regulating glycometabolism,and inhibited carbon,nitrogen(especially amino acids)and energy metabolism in the seeds.Arginine content increased at low temperature,and its increase in the low-temperature-tolerant variety was significantly greater than that in the sensitive variety.Arginine priming experiment showed that treatment with an appropriate concentration of arginine improved the seed germination rate.The conversion of starch to soluble sugar significantly increased under exogenous arginine conditions,the content of key metabolites in energy metabolism increased,and the utilization of ATP in the seeds increased.Taken together,arginine priming increased seed germination at low temperature by relieving inhibition of seed carbon and nitrogen metabolism and improving seed energy metabolism.

Fine-mapping and primary analysis of candidate genes associated with seed coat color in mung bean(Vigna radiata L.)

Seed coat color affects the appearance and commodity quality of mung beans(Vigna radiata L.).The substances that affect mung bean seed coat color are mainly flavonoids,which have important medicinal value.Mapping the seed coat color gene in mung beans would facilitate the development of new varieties and improve their value.In this study,an F2 mapping population consisting of 546 plants was constructed using Jilv9(black seed coat)and BIS9805(green seed coat).Using bulk segregated analysis(BSA)sequencing and kompetitive allele-specific PCR(KASP)markers,the candidate region related to seed coat color was finally narrowed to 0.66 Mb on chromosome(Chr.)4 and included eight candidate genes.Combined transcriptome and metabolome analyses showed that three of the eight candidate genes(LOC106758748,LOC106758747,and LOC106759075)were differentially expressed,which may have caused the differences in flavonoid metabolite content between Jilv9 and BIS9805.These findings can provide a research basis for cloning the genes related to seed coat color and accelerate molecular markerassisted selection breeding in mung beans.

Natural variation in the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 5B OsCOX5B regulates seed vigor by altering energy production in rice

Seed vigor is a crucial trait for the direct seeding of rice.Here we examined the genetic regulation of seed vigor traits in rice,including germination index(GI)and germination potential(GP),using a genome-wide association study approach.One major quantitative trait locus,qGI6/qGP6,was identified simultaneously for both GI and GP.The candidate gene encoding the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 5B(OsCOX5B)was validated for qGI6/qGP6.The disruption of OsCOX5B caused the vigor traits to be significantly lower in Oscox5b mutants than in the japonica Nipponbare wild type(WT).Gene co-expression analysis revealed that OsCOX5B influences seed vigor mainly by modulating the tricarboxylic acid cycle process.The glucose levels were significantly higher while the pyruvic acid and adenosine triphosphate levels were significantly lower in Oscox5b mutants than in WT during seed germination.The elite haplotype of OsCOX5B facilitates seed vigor by increasing its expression during seed germination.Thus,we propose that OsCOX5B is a potential target for the breeding of rice varieties with enhanced seed vigor for direct seeding.

Highly ordered crystallization of α-FAPbl_(3) films via homogeneous seeds for efficient perovskite solar cells

Formamidine lead triiodide(FAPbI_(3))perovskites have become the most promising photovoltaic materials for perovskite solar cells with record power conversion efficiency(PCE).However,random nucleation,phase transition,and lattice defects are still the key challenges limiting the quality of FAPbI_(3) films.Previous studies show that the introduction or adding of seeds in the precursor is effective to promote the nucleation and crystallization of perovskite films.Nevertheless,the seed-assisted approach focuses on heterogeneous seeds or hetero-composites,which inevitably induce a lattice-mismatch,the genera-tion of strain or defects,and the phase segregation in the perovskite films.Herein,we first demonstrate that high-quality perovskite films are controllably prepared using α-and δ-phases mixed FAPbI_(3) micro-crystal as the homogeneous seeds with the one-step antisolvent method.The partially dissolved seeds with suitable sizes improve the crystallinity of the perovskite flm with preferable orientation,improved carrier lifetime,and increased carrier mobility.More importantly,the α-phase-containing seeds promote the formation of α-phase FAPbI_(3) films,leading to the reduction of residual lattice strain and the suppres-sion of I-ion migration.Besides,the adding of dimethyl 2,6-pyridine dicarboxylate(DPD)into the pre-cursor further suppresses the generation of defects,contributing to the PCE of devices prepared in air ambient being significantly improved to 23.75%,among the highest PCEs for fully air-processed FAPbI_(3) solar cells.The unpackaged target devices possess a high stability,maintaining 80%of the initial PCE under simulated solar illumination exceeding 800 h.

Improved length of calcium sulfate crystal seeds and whiskers via ball milling and hydration treatment

Elucidating the effect of growth periods on the quality of calcium sulfate whiskers(CSWs)prepared from calcium sulfate dihydrate(DH)is imperative.Herein,crystal seeds and whiskers were prepared from DH in a water–glycerol system.Longer whiskers were obtained from crystal seeds prepared via hydration of DH for 30 s than via ball milling for 5 min followed by hydration for 20 s.The attachment of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide and glycerol additives to the whisker tops promoted whisker growth.The whisker sponges exhibited good thermal barrier properties and compression cycle stability.

Genome-wide association study reveals that JASMONATE ZIM-DOMAIN 5 regulates seed germination in rice

Seed germination is a complex trait regulated by multiple genes in rice.However,the regulators of rice seed germination have yet to be sufficiently determined.Here,a quantitative trait locus(QTL)for rice seed germination was identified in a genome-wide association study.The candidate gene JASMONATE ZIM-DOMAIN 5(OsJAZ5)of the QTL was verified that positively regulates seed germination.OsJAZ5 regulation of seed germination involves an OsABI3-mediated abscisic acid pathway.Overexpression of OsJAZ5 facilitated seed germination.The application of OsJAZ5 might be useful for increasing seed germination for rice direct seeding.

Identification of P-type plasma membrane H^(+)-ATPases in common wheat and characterization of TaHA7 associated with seed dormancy and germination

The P-type plasma membrane(PM)H^(+)-ATPases(HAs)are crucial for plant development,growth,and defense.The HAs have been thoroughly characterized in many different plants.However,despite their importance,the functions of HAs in germination and seed dormancy(SD)have not been validated in wheat.Here,we identified 28 TaHA genes(TaHA1-28)in common wheat,which were divided into five subfamilies.An examination of gene expression in strong-and weak-SD wheat varieties led to the discovery of six candidate genes(TaHA7/-12/-14/-16/-18/-20).Based on a single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP)mutation(C/T)in the TaHA7 coding region,a CAPS marker(HA7)was developed and validated in 168 wheat varieties and 171 Chinese mini-core collections that exhibit diverse germination and SD phenotypes.We further verified the roles of the two allelic variations of TaHA7 in germination and SD using wheat mutants mutagenized with ethyl methane sulphonate(EMS)in‘Jimai 22’and‘Jing 411’backgrounds,and in transgenic Arabidopsis lines.TaHA7 appears to regulate germination and SD by mediating gibberellic acid(GA)and abscisic acid(ABA)signaling,metabolism,and biosynthesis.The results presented here will enable future research regarding the TaHAs in wheat.