Effects of Different Seed Coating Agents on the Quality of"Grey-matter"Hybrid Rice Seeds

[Objectives]This study was conducted to select suitable mixed seed coating agents for improving the quality of"grey-matter"hybrid rice seeds.[Methods]Three different mixed seed coating agents(A,B,C)were used to coat the seeds of two varieties(Taiyou 390 and Zhenliangyou 8612)of hybrid rice with different"grey-matter"content(5%,15%,25%),and the results were investigated and compared.[Results]The combinations of treatment B(seed coating agent A+Linong)and treatment C(Manshijin+seed coating agent A)could significantly improve indexes including seed germination potential,germination rate,seed vigor,seedling height,fibrous roots and fresh weight of the two varieties with a"grey-matter"content greater than 15%,but had no significant effects on main root length,dry weight,leaf number and tiller number,and the effects of treatment B was better than those of treatment C.That is to say,mixed seed coating agent B(seed coating agent A+Linong)was suitable for use as a seed coating agent to improve the quality of"grey-matter"seeds.[Conclusions]This study provides a reference plan for the safe use of mixed seed batches with"grey-matter"deterioration.

Preparation of a Novel Highly Effective and Environmental Friendly Wheat Seed Coating Agent

A novel environmental friendly wheat seed coating agent was prepared from the natural polymer,biological pesticide,microfertilizer,microelements and other additives.The laboratory and field test results showed that it could enhance the yield up to 16% and reduce its input cost to 1/6 as compared with the conventional wheat seed coating agent.It is safe without causing any pollution and would have significant economic and environmental benefits.

Preparation of Tartary Buckwheat Seed Coating Agent and Its Effect on Germination

To mitigate the wastage of seed resources and reduce the usage of pesticides and fertilizers, seed coating agentshave gained popularity. This study employs single-factor and multi-index orthogonal experimental design methodsto investigate the seed coating formula and physical properties of Tartary buckwheat. The specific effects ofeach component on Tartary buckwheat seed germination are analyzed. The findings reveal that the seed coatingagent formulated with 1.5% polyvinyl alcohol, 0.15% sodium alginate, 0.2% op-10, 0.1% polyacrylamide, 8% colorant,3% ammonium sulfate, 1% potassium dihydrogen phosphate, and 0.15% carbendazim exhibits the mosteffective coating. It demonstrates optimal physical properties and promotes seed germination efficiently. The suspensionrate of this seed coating agent reaches 91.12%, with a mere 2.13% coating shedding rate and 2.5% coatingseed rot rate. Furthermore, it achieves a germination percentage of 99.17%, which is 20.84% higher than the lowestgroup. The germination potential and index are also significantly higher than the lowest group, with anincrease of 20.84% and 26.56%, respectively. Additionally, the vitality index is 553.08, a 15.75% increase comparedto the lowest group. The application of seed coating agents helps reduce seed resource loss, increase plant numbers,and ultimately enhance agricultural yields. This finding holds practical significance in agriculturalproduction.

Effects of imidacloprid and thiamethoxam as seed treatments on the early seedling characteristics and aphid-resistance of oilseed rape

Seed treatments with the neonicotinoid insecticides imidacloprid and thiamethoxam were evaluated to determine whether the chemicals at effective concentrations for aphid control would influence the germination and early growth of oilseed rape,Brassica napus.Treatment with imidacloprid or thiamethoxam did not affect the cumulative germination rate,but significantly inhibited establishment potential by suppressing root system development in the cotyledon stage.However,these alterations in seedling development in the thiamethoxam-treated seeds appeared not to be detrimental as leaves developed;in contrast,for the seedlings with imidacloprid as seed treatment agent,a significantly decreased shoot/root ratio was still evident at the late two-leaf stage.After two leaves developed,chlorophyll content per leaf in the thiamethoxam treatment was significantly higher than that of the control,while chlorophyll content per leaf in the imidacloprid treatment remained close to that in the control.Most other parameters,i.e.,height,leaf area,weight of stem,leaf or root,and other growth indexes,between the treatments and the control showed no significant difference.Additionally,it was found that storage time of the treated seeds had a significant effect on cumulative germination rate.Treatment 30 d before planting significantly reduced germination relative to that of the control.All of the plants treated with neonicotinoids were shown to have significant anti-aphid characteristics that persisted until the end of the trial.

Seed Germination Traits of Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) as Affected by Various Pre-Sowing Treatments (Cutting of Cotyledons, Removal of Perisperm, Moist Chilling and/or Exogenous Application of Gibberellin)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of various presowing treatments on the germinability(final germination percentage)and germination rate of loquat seeds in order to increase seedling production in nurseries(applied research)as well as provide answers for important physiological issues related to loquat seeds and their seed coat(basic research).Three experiments were carried out with various pre-sowing treatments.These treatments included full or partial removal of seed coat(perisperm),partial cutting of cotyledons as well as moist chilling at 5℃ for 13 days and/or soaking the seeds in water or 250 ppm gibberellic acid(GA_(3))solution for 24 h.According to the results,cotyledons excision resulted in delayed germination,regardless of the presence or absence of the seed coat in comparison with the decoated seeds that demonstrated the highest germination rate amongst them.In addition,even the partial excision of seed coats affected positively both the germinability and the germination rate,compared to the control-intact seeds.Furthermore,control-intact seeds had a higher germination percentage when exposed to moist chilling independently of the application or not of gibberellin;while the combination of gibberellin application and moist chilling improved both the percentage and the rate of germination of decoated seeds.In conclusion,the role of perisperm(seed coat)in the germination procedure of loquat seeds seems to be important,indicating the existence of seed coat-imposed dormancy on loquat seeds.Finally,the existence of a mild endogenous embryo-dormancy on loquat is also discussed.

Improvements of Fiber Yield and Fiber Fineness by Expressing the iaaM Gene in Cotton Seed Coat

Cotton,the most important natural fiber crop in the world,is a mainstay in China's economy.However,for over two decades,cotton yields both in China and U.S.have been at a plateau.

Identification of quantitative trait loci and candidate genes controlling seed pigments of rapeseed

Rapeseed(Brassica napus L.)is an important source of edible vegetable oil and feed protein;however,seed pigments affect the quality of rapeseed oil and the feed value of the residue from oil pressing.Here,we used a population of rapeseed recombinant inbred lines(RILs)derived from the black-seeded male parent cultivar Zhongyou 821 and the yellow-seeded female parent line GH06 to map candidate genes controlling seed pigments in embryos and the seed coat.We detected 94 quantitative trait loci(QTLs)for seed pigments(44 for embryos and 50 for seed coat),distributed over 15 of the 19 rapeseed chromosomes.These included 28 QTLs for anthocyanidin content,explaining 2.41–44.66% of phenotypic variation;24 QTLs for flavonoid content,explaining 2.41–20.26% of phenotypic variation;16 QTLs for total phenol content,accounting for 2.74–23.68% of phenotypic variation;and 26 QTLs for melanin content,accounting for 2.37–24.82% of phenotypic variation,indicating that these traits are under multigenic control.Consensus regions on chromosomes A06,A09 and C08 were associated with multiple seed pigment traits,including 15,19 and 10 QTLs,respectively,most of which were major QTLs explaining>10% of the phenotypic variation.Based on the annotation of the B.napus"Darmor-bzh"reference genome,67 candidate genes were predicted from these consensus QTLs regions,and 12 candidate genes were identified as potentially involved in pigment accumulation by RNA-seq and qRT-PCR analysis.These preliminary results provide insight into the genetic architecture of pigment biosynthesis and lay a foundation for exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying seed coat color in B.napus.

Ultrastructural studies of seed coat and cotyledon during rapeseed maturation

Brassica napus L.(B.napus)is an important oil crop worldwide and it rapidly accumulates oil at late stage of seed maturation.However,little is known about the cellular mechanism of oil accumulation and seed color changes during the late stage of rapeseed development.Here,we analyzed the ultrastructure of seed coat,aleurone and cotyledon in embryos of B.napus from 25 to 70 days after flowering(DAF).The pigments,which were deposited on the cell wall of palisade cells in seed coat,determined dark black color of rapeseed.The chloroplasts degenerated into non-photosynthetic plastids which caused the green cotyledon to turn into yellow.The chloroplasts in aleurone and cotyledon cells respectively degenerated into remnants without inner and outer envelope membranes and ecoplasts with intact inner and outer envelope membranes.From 40 to 70 DAF,there were degraded chloroplasts without thylakoid,oil bodies contacting with plastids or protein bodies,big starch deposits of chloroplasts degrading into small particles then disappearing,and small endoplasmic reticulum(ER)in aleurone and cotyledon cells.Additionally,there were decreases of chlorophyll content and dramatic increases of oil content in rapeseed.These results suggested that the rapid oil accumulation was independent on the NADPH synthesized by photosynthesis of chloroplasts and probably utilized other sources of reductant,such as the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway during the late stage of rapeseed development.The triacylglycerol assembly presumably utilizes the enzymes in the plastid,cytosol or oil body of cotyledon and aleurone cells.

Genetic Analysis and Molecular Mapping of Two SMV-Resistance Traits in Soybean:Adult-Plant Resistance and Resistance to Seed Coat Mottling

Soybean mosaic virus （SMV） could lead to adult-plant system diseases, and cause mottling of soybean seeds. Genetic analysis and molecular mapping were conducted using an F2 population and derived F3 families from two crosses of Dongnong 3C624 （susceptible）x Dongnong 8143 （resistant） and Dongnong 3C628 （susceptible）× Tie 6915 （resistant）. Simple sequence repeat （SSR） markers with bulked segregation analysis （BSA） were used to conduct genetic mapping of the resistance to SMV1 in the segregating populations. The results indicated that resistance to SMV1 in adultplants and the resistance to seed coat mottling in Dongnong 8143 and Tie 6915 was separately controlled by one single dominant gene. The two dominant genes were identified to be linked on the MLG F by Mendel＇s genetics and SSR genetic mapping. The order and distance of markers DPRSMV1 and DSRSMV1 were Sat 229-6.9 cM-DSRSMV1-4.6 cM-Sat_317-3.6 cM-DPRSMV1-5.2 cM-Satt335. The order and distance of markers TPRSMV1 and TSRSMV1 was Satt160-16.1 cM-TPRSMV1-7.3 cM-Satt516-2.0 cM-TSRSMV1-4.5 cM-Sat_133. This research provides the useful information for breeders to select the two types of SMV resistance simultaneously in soybean breeding through molecular marker-assisted selection （MAS）.

Enhancement of seed germination in Macaranga peltata for use in tropical forest restoration

We used pre-sowing treatments v/z., soaking seeds in concen- trated sulphudc acid （CSA）, gibberellic acid （GA）, combined treatment of CSA ＋ GA and mechanical scarification to overcome seed dormancy and enhance synchronous germination of Macaranga peltata seeds. We analysed percent seed germination data by logistic regression and con- finned that except in GA treatment, time and acid concentration together were crucial for enhancing germination. The combination treatment of CSA and GA resulted in higher percent germination （up to 74%） than either treatment used separately, but produced defective seedlings （26%）. Mechanical scarification of seed coat had the greatest impact in enhanc- ing germination （78%） and reducing imbibition time （6 days） against the control （0%）. Germination studies and SEM analysis confirmed that seed germination in M. peltata was inhibited by seed coat dormancy.

Vascular bundle connection between seed stalk and seed coat of Caragana arborescens

The purpose of this study was to investigate the morphology, transmission route of photosynthetic products in the seed stalk of Caragana arborescens Lam. at various stages after flowering and evaluate the role of the seed stalk in seed maturation using scanning electron microscopy. We found that the mature seed stalk mainly consisted of vessels,sclerenchymatous cells and parenchymatous cells. Elongated cells formed a ring at the junction between the seed stalk and seed, and a large hollow was produced by two layers of sclerenchymatous cells in the interior seed, which functions to sustain seed growth. The opening in the center of the ring was closed during an early stage of seed development, and the opening enlarged as the seed matured.There were two routes for material transport, which started from the seed stalk： one from the seed coat to the embryo,and another directly entering the embryo. Vessels, which are abundant in the seed stalk, are the pathway for absorption of nutrients by the seeds. The vessels were densely packed in the seed stalk, and secondary thickening of the cell wall of the vessels was characterized by net thread thickening, while the secondary thickening of the cell wall of the vessels within the seed was characterized by screw thread thickening. The morphological characteristics of the vessels were adaptive to its functions.

Comparison of Five Selection Procedures for Seed Coat and Hilum Color in Interspecific Crossing of Soybeans

Five selection procedures for seed coat and hilum color were studied with F4 progenies in two interspecific crossing of soybeans. The seed coat and hilum color indicated that pedigree, 5% and 10% mass selection method were equally successful, and were better than picking-pod and 25% mass selection in cross S17. However, no significant differences in seed coat and hilum color were found in cross G18.

Correlation Between Antioxidation and the Content of Total Phenolics and Anthocyanin in Black Soybean Accessions

The objective of this study was to investigate the correlations between antioxidations and the contents of the total phenolics and anthocyanin in 127 accessions of black soybean. A T-test, a fast clustering procedure, and a correlation coefficient analysis were used for experimentation. The variation ranges of the total antioxidant capacity （TAC）, the total phenolics, and anthocyanin contents in 127 black soybean accessions were 0.44-3.56, 7.05-74.82, and 0.22-1.87 mg g-l, respectively, displaying significant genotype differences. The major differences in TAC, the total phenolics, and the anthocyanin contents existed among various types of accessions from geographical regions. The differences between the accessions from black and yellow soybeans, spring and autumn, summer and autumn, Dongbeichun and Nanfangchun, Dongbeichun and Nanfangxia, Beifangchun and Nanfangchun, and Beifangchun and Nanfangxia were significant at 0.01 or 0.05 levels, respectively. The general tendency was that the TAC, the total phenolics, and the anthocyanin contents of Beifangchun accessions were higher than that of Dongbeichun ones, while that of Nanfangchun accessions were the worst. 127 black soybean accessions could be clustered into 6 clusters, which consisted of 3, 24, 20, 31, 37, and 12 accessions, respectively. The most significant （P 〈 0.01） correlations existed respectively between the TAC and the total showed that the total substances phenolics content, and the TAC and the anthocyanin content of black soybean. The results phenolics and anthocyanin in black soybean seed coat were the important antioxidation

Recognition model for coated red clover seeds using YOLOv5s optimized with an attention module

The non-destructive recognition of coated seeds is crucial for advancing studies in coating theory.Currently,the recognition of coated seeds heavily relies on manual visual inspection and machine vision detection.However,these methods pose challenges such as high misclassification rates,low recognition efficiency,and elevated labor intensity.In response to the aforementioned challenges,this study leveraged deep learning techniques to develop a coated seed recognition model named YOLO-Coated Seeds Recognition(YOLO-CSR),aiming to address the challenges posed by coated seed recognition tasks.The experiment of this study mainly includes the following steps:First,a seed coating machine was set up to coat red clover seeds,resulting in three types of coated red clover seeds.Subsequently,by collecting images of the three types of coated seeds,a coated seed image dataset was further constructed.Then,the YOLOv5s was built,incorporating the Convolutional Block Attention Module(CBAM)into the model’s backbone to enhance its ability to learn features of coated seeds.Finally,the training results of YOLO-CSR were compared with those of other classical recognition models.The experimental results showed that YOLO-CSR achieved the best recognition performance on the self-built coated seed image dataset.The average precision(AP)for recognizing the three types of coated seeds reached 98.43%,97.91%,and 97.26%,with a mean average precision@0.5(mAP@0.5)of 97.87%.Compared to YOLOv5,YOLO-CSR showed a 1.18%improvement in mAP@0.5.Additionally,YOLO-CSR has a model size of only 14.9 MB,with an average recognition time(ART)of 10.1 ms and a frame per second(FPS)of 99.Experimental results prove that YOLO-CSR can accurately,efficiently,and rapidly recognize coated red clover seeds.The findings of this study provide technical support for the non-destructive recognition of spherical coated seeds.

MYB56 Encoding a R2R3 MYB Transcription Factor Regulates Seed Size in Arabidopsis thaliana

Plant seed size is tightly regulated by the development of seed coat, embryo, and endosperm; however, currently, its underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we revealed a regulatory role of an R2R3 MYB transcription factor MYB56 in controlling seed size specifically in Arabidopsis thaliana L. Loss- of-function or knock-down of MYB56 yielded smaller seeds as compared with the wild type. Conversely, overexpression of MYB56 produced larger seeds. Further observation using semi-thin sections showed that myb56 developed smaller contracted endothelial cells and reduced cell number in the outer integument layer of the seed coat during the seed development; by contrast, MYB56 overexpressing lines had expanded endothelial cells and increased cell number in the outer integument layer of the seed coat, suggesting the essential role of MYB56 in regulating seed development. In addition, reciprocal cross- analysis showed that MYB56 affected the seed development maternally. MYB56 was shown to be dominantly expressed in developing seeds, consistently with its function in seed development. Moreover, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that MYB56 regulates the expression of genes involved in cell wall metabolism such as cell division and expansion. Altogether, our results demonstrated that MYB56 represents an unknown pathway for positively controlling the seed size.

Analysis of Gene Expression Patterns during Seed Coat Development in Arabidopsis

The seed coat is important for embryo protection, seed hydration, and dispersal. Seed coat composition is also of interest to the agricultural sector, since it impacts the nutritional value for humans and livestock alike. Although some seed coat genes have been identified, the developmental pathways controlling seed coat development are not completely elucidated, and a global genetic program associated with seed coat development has not been reported. This study uses a combination of genetic and genomic approaches in Arabidopsis thaliana to begin to address these knowledge gaps. Seed coat development is a complex process whereby the integuments of the ovule differentiate into specialized cell types. In Arabidopsis, the outermost layer of cells secretes mucilage into the apoplast and develops a secondary cell wall known as a columella. The layer beneath the epidermis, the palisade, synthesizes a secondary cell wall on its inner tangential side. The innermost layer （the pigmented layer or endothelium） produces proanthocyanidins that condense into tannins and oxidize, giving a brown color to mature seeds. Genetic separation of these cell layers was achieved using the ap2-7 and tt16-1 mutants, where the epidermis/palisade and the endothelium do not develop respectively. This genetic ablation was exploited to examine the developmental programs of these cell types by isolating and collecting seed coats at key tran- sitions during development and performing global gene expression analysis. The data indicate that the developmental programs of the epidermis and the pigmented layer proceed relatively independently. Global expression datasets that can be used for identification of new gene candidates for seed coat development were generated. These dataset provide a comprehensive expression profile for developing seed coats in Arabidopsis, and should provide a useful resource and reference for other seed systems.

New insights into cell-cell communications during seed development in flowering plants

The evolution of seeds is a major reason why flowering plants are a dominant life form on Earth.The developing seed is composed of two fertilization products,the embryo and endosperm,which are surrounded by a maternally derived seed coat.Accumulating evidence indicates that efficient communication among all three seed components is required to ensure coordinated seed development.Cell communication within plant seeds has drawn much attention in recent years.In this study,we review current knowledge of cross-talk among the endosperm,embryo,and seed coat during seed development,and highlight recent advances in this field.

A chromosome-level genome assembly of chia provides insights into high omega-3 content and coat color variation of its seeds

Chia(Salvia hispanica)is a functional food crop for humans.Although its seeds contain high omega-3 fatty acids,the seed yield of chia is still low.Genomic resources available for this plant are limited.We report the first high-quality chromosome-level genome sequence of chia.The assembled genome size was 347.6 Mb and covered 98.1%of the estimated genome size.A total of 31069 protein-coding genes were predicted.The absence of recent whole-genome duplication and the relatively low intensity of transposable element expansion in chia compared to its sister species contribute to its small genome size.Transcriptome sequencing and gene duplication analysis reveal that the expansion of the fab2 gene family is likely to be related to the high content of omega-3 in seeds.The white seed coat color is determined by a single locus on chromosome 4.This study provides novel insights into the evolution of Salvia species and high omega-3 content,as well as valuable genomic resources for genetic improvement of important commercial traits of chia and its related species.

Ginkgo Biloba Waste Resources and Waste Treatment Combined with Modern Progress and Development Model

Background:Ginkgo biloba L.is listed in the Red List of Endangered Species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.G.biloba is an important medicinal plant in China and can be widely used in materials,gardens,and as a source of nutrients.With the large-scale planting of ginkgo plants,China,accounts for more than 70%of the world’s total gingko output.Currently,G.biloba P.E.is the main extract under product development and application.However,G.biloba has been discarded as waste for a long time and has not been well developed and utilized.According to incomplete statistics,nearly 40,000 tons are discarded in China every year,which not only wastes resources but also pollutes the environment.Objective:This is an issue of great significance and adds value to scientific research.We aim to develop a key technology for resource recycling by combining G.biloba waste resources and waste treatment.Methods:Data were obtained by searching databases such as CNKI,and analyzing the herb application,modern application,main chemical components,utilization of waste parts,ways and modes combined with waste treatment,and safety of G.biloba.This systematic analysis can serve as a reference for the recycling of waste resources in other fields.Conclusion:The chemical constituents of the outer seed coat of G.biloba mainly include hydrophenols,phenolic acids,and biflavones,among which the phenolic acid of G.biloba can be used to extract glycolic acid,which can inhibit Mycobacterium tuberculosis.The domestic waste produced by tuberculosis(TB)patients contains a large number of bacilli,and the incidence of transmission can be reduced by using glycolic acid to inhibit the growth of TB bacilli in the waste.