Landscape of Sequence Variations in Homologous Copies of FAD2 and FAD3 in Rapeseed(Brassica napus L.)Germplasm with High/Low Linolenic Acid Trait

Genetic manipulation(either restraint or enhancement)of the biosynthesis pathway ofα-linolenic acid(ALA)in seed oil is an important goal in Brassica napus breeding.B.napus is a tetraploid plant whose genome often har-bors four and six homologous copies,respectively,of the two fatty acid desaturases FAD2 and FAD3,which con-trol the last two steps of ALA biosynthesis during seed oil accumulation.In this study,we compared their promoters,coding sequences,and expression levels in three high-ALA inbred lines 2006L,R8Q10,and YH25005,a low-ALA line A28,a low-ALA/high-oleic-acid accession SW,and the wildtype ZS11.The expression levels of most FAD2 and FAD3 homologs in the three high-ALA accessions were higher than those in ZS11 and much higher than those in A28 and SW.The three high-ALA accessions shared similar sequences with the pro-moters and CDSs of BnFAD3.C4 and BnFAD3.A3.In A28 and SW,substitution of three amino acid residues in BnFAD2.A5 and BnFAD2.C5,an absence of BnFAD2.C1 locus,and a 549 bp long deletion on the BnFAD3.A3 promoter were detected.The profile of BnFAD2 mutation in the two low-ALA accessions A28 and SW is different from that reported in previous studies.The mutations in BnFAD3 in the high-ALA accessions are reported for thefirst time.In identifying the sites of these mutations,we provide detailed information to aid the design of mole-cular markers for accelerated breeding schemes.

BnaC03.BIN2 regulates plant height by affecting the main inflorescence length and first effective branch height in Brassica napus L.

Rapeseed(Brassica napus L.)is one of the main oil crops in the world,and increasing its yield is of great significance for ensuring the safety of edible oil.Presently,improving rapeseed plant architecture is an effective way to increase rapeseed yield with higher planting density.However,the regulatory mechanism of rapeseed plant architecture is poorly understood.In this study,a dwarf rapeseed mutant dwarf08(df08)is obtained by ethyl methane sulfonate(EMS)-mutagenesis.The decrease in plant height of df08 is mainly caused by the reduction in main inflorescence length and first effective branch height and controlled by a single semi-dominant gene.The hybrid plants(F1)show a semi-dwarf phenotype.Through map-based cloning and transgenic assay,we confirm that the nonsynonymous single nucleotide variant(SNV)(C to T)in BnaC03.BIN2,which is homologous with Arabidopsis(Arabidopsis thaliana)BIN2,is responsible for the dwarfism of df08.BnaC03.BIN2 interacts with BnaBZR1/BES1 and involves in brassinosteroids(BRs)signal transduction.Proline to Leucine substitution in 284(P284L)enhances the protein stability of BnaC03.bin2-D,disrupts BRs signal transduction and affects the expression of genes regulating cell division,leading to dwarfism of df08.This study provides a new insight for the mechanism of rapeseed plant height regulation and creates an elite germplasm that can be used for genetic improvement of rapeseed architecture.

Heterogeneous expression of stearoyl-acyl carrier protein desaturase genes SAD1 and SAD2 from Linum usitatissimum enhances seed oleic acid accumulation and seedling cold and drought tolerance in Brassica napus

Flax(Linum usitatissimum L.)is a versatile crop and its seeds are a major source of unsaturated fatty acids.Stearoyl-acyl carrier protein desaturase(SAD)is a dehydrogenase enzyme that plays a key role in oleic acid biosynthesis as well as responses to biotic and abiotic stresses.However,the function of SAD orthologs from L.usitatissimum has not been assessed.Here,we found that two LuSAD genes,LuSAD1 and LuSAD2,are present in the genome of L.usitatissimum cultivar‘Longya 10’.Heterogeneous expression of either LuSAD1 or LuSAD2 in Arabidopsis thaliana resulted in higher contents of total fatty acids and oleic acid in the seeds.Interestingly,ectopic expression of LuSAD2 in A.thaliana caused altered plant architecture.Similarly,the overexpression of either LuSAD1 or LuSAD2 in Brassica napus also resulted in increased contents of total fatty acids and oleic acid in the seeds.Furthermore,we demonstrated that either LuSAD1 or LuSAD2 enhances seedling resistance to cold and drought stresses by improving antioxidant enzyme activity and nonenzymatic antioxidant levels,as well as reducing membrane damage.These findings not only broaden our knowledge of the LuSAD functions in plants,but also offer promising targets for improving the quantity and quality of oil,and the abiotic stress tolerance of oil-producing crops,through molecular manipulation.

BnaWRKY75 positively regulates the resistance against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in ornamental Brassica napus

With the development of tourism at home and abroad,Rapeseed(Brassica napus)has become an important ornamental plant.However,its ornamental value at the inflorescence stage is greatly reduced by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.Identification of important genes in the defense responses is critical for molecular breeding,which is an important strategy for controlling the disease.In this study,we isolated a B.napus WRKY transcription factor gene,BnaWRKY75.BnaWRKY75 was found to encode a nucleus-localized protein and exhibited relatively high expression in the stems.Arabidopsis thaliana transgenic plants expressing BnaWRKY75 showed enhanced resistance to S.sclerotiorum,and both ProBnaWRKY75:GUS and gene expression analyses showed that BnaWRKY75 was highly responsive to S.sclerotiorum infection,indicating the involvement of BnaWRKY75 in response to this infection.Furthermore,overexpression(OE)of BnaWRKY75 in B.napus significantly enhanced the resistance to S.sclerotiorum,whereas the resistance was reduced in RNAi transgenic B.napus plants.Moreover,the BnaWRKY75-OE B.napus plants exhibited constitutive activation of salicylic acid-,jasmonic acid-,and ethylene-mediated defense responses and the inhibition of both H_(2)O_(2)and O_(2)·^(-)accumulation in response to this pathogen.By contrast,BnaWRKY75-RNAi plants showed a reverse pattern,suggesting that BnaWRKY75 is involved in hormonal signaling pathways and in the control of reactive oxygen species accumulation.In conclusion,these data indicate that BnaWRKY75,a regulator of multiple defense responses,positively regulates resistance against S.sclerotiorum,which may guide the improvement of resistance in rapeseed.

Knock-out of BnHva22c reduces the susceptibility of Brassica napus to infection with the fungal pathogen Verticillium longisporum

Verticillium longisporum(Vl43)is a soilborne hemibiotrophic fungal pathogen causing stem striping on oilseed rape(OSR)and severe yield losses.Breeding for resistant varieties is the most promising approach to control this disease.Here,we report the identification of Hva22c as a novel susceptibility factor and its potential for improving OSR resistance.Hva22c is a member of the Hva22 gene family,originally described for barley(Hordeum vulgare).Several Hva22 members have been located at the endoplasmic reticulum.Hva22c is up-regulated in response to Vl43 in both Arabidopsis and OSR.We demonstrate that knock-out of Hva22c in OSR by CRISPR/Cas9 and its homolog in Arabidopsis by T-DNA insertion reduced plants’susceptibility to Vl43 infection and impaired the development of disease symptoms.To understand the underlying mechanism,we analysed transcriptomic data from infected and non-infected roots of hva22c knock-out and wild type plants.We identified a homozygous mutant with frame-shifts in all four BnHva22c loci displaying a vastly altered transcriptional landscape at 6 dpi.Significantly,a large set of genes was suppressed under mock conditions including genes related to the endomembrane systems.Among the up-regulated genes we found several defense-related and phytohormone-responsive genes when comparing mutant to the wild type.These results demonstrate that Hva22c is functionally required for a fully compatible plant-fungus interaction.Its loss of function reduces plant susceptibility,most likely due to endoplasmatic reticulum and Golgi dysfunction accompanied by additionally activated defense responses.These findings can help improve OSR resistance to V.longisporum infection.

The influence of Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation in selenium-enriched Brassica napus L.:changes in the nutritional constituents,bioactivities and bioaccessibility

Selenium(Se)-enriched Brassica napus L.is a valuable organic Se supplement.In this study,the fermentation broth enriched with organic Se(FFS)was prepared using Lactobacillus plantarum to ferment the substrate of Se-enriched Brassica napus L.Significant increases were observed after fermentation in total sugars,reducing sugars,soluble proteins,total phenolic content(TPC),and total flavonoid content(TFC).The organic Se was retained at a concentration of 54.75 mg/g in the freeze-dried sample.Principal component analysis and cluster analysis showed good separation between the FFS and unfermented(FS)groups.Fragrant 2-ethyloxetane had the highest content among all volatiles,while sinapine had the highest content among all phenolic compounds.The fermentation process showed remarkable improvement in the abundance and concentration of volatile compounds and phenolic contents,making FFS exhibit strong antioxidant activity and inhibitory capacity againstα-glucosidase activity.The bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds was significantly greater in FFS compared to FS.ADMET analysis revealed that the majority of phenolic compounds contained in FFS did not exhibit mutagenicity toxicity,hepatotoxicity,skin sensitization,or blood-brain barrier penetration,indicating a favorable level of biosafety.Overall,our study provides a new insight into the further utilization of Se-enriched Brassica napus L.in foods.

Effect of Foliar Fertilizer Spraying at Seedling Stage on the Growth Physiological Characteristics and Yield of Brassica napus L.

In order to select a suitable foliar fertilizer for Brassica napus L.at the seedling stage,using‘Fengyou 958’as the material,different foliar fertilizers including BR,Se,Si,BR+Si,BR+Se,Se+Si and BR+Se+Si were sprayed at the seedling stage to study their effect on the physiological characteristics,growth and yield of Brassica napus L..The results showed that the growth,chlorophyll content,soluble sugar content,soluble protein content,and yield of different treatments at the budding stage improved compared with the control.The effect of the Si+Se treatment was the best,followed by the Se and Si treatments.The chlorophyll content of the flower decreased continuously during the whole flowering period,and the chlorophyll content of the mature silique peel was higher than that of the seed.The content of soluble sugar in flowers was the highest in the early flowering stage,and the content of soluble sugar in leaves at the flowering stage was higher than that at the budding stage.The soluble sugar content in the harvested silique peel decreased gradually with the increase of time,and that in the silique peel and seed was similar at 35 d after pollination.The soluble protein content in the silique peel and seed decreased gradually at the mature stage,and the soluble protein content in the silique peel was higher than that in the seed at the same stage.Si+Se foliar fertilizer spraying at the seedling stage can promote the growth and yield of Brassica napus L.and can be applied in Brassica napus L.production.

Development of a KASP Marker on Chromosome A05 for Seed Oil Content of Brassica napus

In order to identify the molecular markers that can be widely used in the breeding of Brassica napus L.varieties with high seed oil content under different genetic backgrounds,we developed a Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR(KASP)marker for seed oil content on the basis of the results from available studies.The verification in the F_(2) population showed that the marker was closely linked to the quantitative trait locus(QTL)for oil content on chromosome A05.The findings helped to breed the‘Fengyou’varieties with high seed oil content in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.

Biotechnology ofα-linolenic acid in oilseed rape(Brassica napus)using FAD2 and FAD3 from chia(Salvia hispanica)

α-Linolenic acid(ALA,18:3Δ9,12,15)is an essential fatty acid for humans since it is the precursor for the biosynthesis of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids(LC-PUFA).Modern people generally suffer from deficiency of ALA because most staple food oils are low or lack ALA content.Biotechnological enrichment of ALA in staple oil crops is a promising strategy.Chia(Salvia hispanica)has the highest ALA content in its seed oil among known oil crops.In this study,the FAD2 and FAD3 genes from chia were engineered into a staple oil crop,oilseed rape(Brassica napus),via Agrobaterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of their LP4-2A fusion gene construct driven by the seed-specific promoter P_(NapA).In seeds of T0,T1,and T2 lines,the average ALA contents were 20.86,23.54,and 24.92%,respectively,which were 2.21,2.68,and 3.03 folds of the non-transformed controls(9.42,8.78,and 8.22%),respectively.The highest seed ALA levels of T0,T1,and T2 plants were 38.41,35.98,and 39.19%respectively,which were 4.10-4.77 folds of the respective controls.FA-pathway enzyme genes(BnACCD,BnFATA,BnSAD,BnSCD,BnDGAT1,BnDGAT2,and BnDGAT3)and positive regulatory genes(BnWRI1,BnLEC1,BnL1L,BnLEC2,BnABI3,BnbZIP67,and BnMYB96)were all significantly up-regulated.In contrast,BnTT1,BnTT2,BnTT8,BnTT16,BnTTG1,and BnTTG2,encoding negative oil accumulation regulators but positive secondary metabolism regulators,were all significantly down-regulated.This means the foreign ShFAD2-ShFAD3 fusion gene,directly and indirectly,remodeled both positive and negative loci of the whole FA-related network in transgenic B.napus seeds.

Genome-wide and transcriptome-wide identification of the APX gene family in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) and their expression features under low temperature stress

Ascorbate peroxidase(APX)is a crucial H2O2 scavenger that utilizes ascorbic acid as an electron donor and plays a significant role in plant stress resistance.This study aims to identify and characterize the Brassica napus L.APX gene family through genome and transcriptome sequencing,while also revealing their expression profile under low-temperature stress via transcriptome and proteome analysis.The results indicate the presence of 18 genes with three different conserved domains distributed in Brassica napus L.,which can be classified into three major branches based on phylogenetic analysis.Eleven members were predicted to have the low-temperature response component(LTR).Most APX genes exhibit up-regulated transcriptional expression under low temperature stress,particularly APX2,APX4,APX12,and APX18.In terms of proteomics data,only six members(APX2,APX4,APX8,APX12,APX17,and APX18)showed temporal specificity in their expression patterns.Therefore,this study provides valuable insights into the complexity of the APX family in the functional characterization of its genes for future research.

Effect of Chemical Gametocide EXP on Membrane Lipid Peroxidation and Protective Enzyme Activity in Rapeseed (Brassica napus)

[Objective] The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics and mechanism of chemical emasculation in rapeseed and to provide the theoretical basis for development and utilization of new chemical gametocides.[Method] The activity of peroxidase,catalase and the content of hydrogen peroxide,malondialdehyde in leaves and flower buds of Brassica napus cultivars Qinyou No.3 and L89 induced by the chemical gametocide EXP in the course of male sterility were studied.[Result] Protective enzyme activity and the content of hydrogen peroxide,malondialdehyde in rapeseed treated with EXP changed significantly,which indicated that active oxygen metabolism was abnormal.Furthermore,there was a significant difference in the reaction degree of different cultivars and organs treated by EXP.[Conclusion] There was a correlation between the disturbance of active oxygen metabolism and the male sterility induced by chemical gametocide EXP.

耐渍甘蓝型油菜(Brassica napus)种质筛选与评价

长江流域为中国油菜主产区,生产上频发的渍害已成为影响当地直播油菜成苗的主要障碍。为筛选耐渍材料,对26份优质油菜品种及104个自交系进行渍性鉴定。建立稳定的砂培、淹水、排水培养鉴定方法,根据结果将植物材料划分耐渍等级,并选取高抗、敏感材料进行生理特征比较。鉴定结果表明,试验材料活苗率总体在50%以上,主要集中在60%~90%。渍水处理后,材料间反应分化较为明显,表明受试油菜材料普遍具有对渍害的一般耐受性,在耐渍性上存在丰富的遗传变异。‘阳光2009’耐渍性优异,而高油品种‘中双11’‘浙油50’等耐渍性并不十分突出,这对于直播油菜育种而言不是很有利的因素。Ning1038、ZS11carinata、D-yellow、Arm-Z11、FuC、Z18782、11293AF、Arm11等自交系耐渍性较强,对渍害极为敏感的材料有Jade、D615、Z532AF等。生理特征比较结果表明,渍害发生后,材料间的耐渍性差异在一定程度上与根系活力和抗氧化酶SOD、POD、CAT活性有关。结果为后续油菜耐渍定向改良,培育耐渍高产油菜品种提供参考依据。

Effects of Nitrogen Fertilization on the Growth and N Uptake of Late-sowing Winter Oilseed Rape (Brassica napus L.)

[Objective] The aim of this work was to analyze the N fertilization on the vegetative growth and N uptake of different winter rapeseed varieties at wintering stage. [Method] In two consecutive years （2009-2011）, two winter rapeseed varieties （B. napus L.）, an early maturity variety Zhongyou 116 （ZY116） and a middle-late application maturity variety Zhongyouza 12 （ZYZ12） were employed. Field experiments with different N levels （0, 90, 180, 270, 360 kg N/hm 2 ） were designed. At the wintering stage, the dry matter weight, the nitrogen content and concentration of plants, leaf nitrate reductase activity （NRA） and seed yields were investigated. [Result] The shoot dry matter of ZY116 increased rapidly when N rate ranged from 0 to 180 kg/hm 2 , and it raised slightly when N rate ranged from 180 to 360 kg/hm 2 . The shoot dry matter of ZYZ12 were changed in a single peak curve; the peak of shoot dry matter appeared at 270 kg N/hm 2 . The N concentration and N content in shoot and root increased rapidly when the N rate changed from 90 to 180 kg/hm 2 . Moreover, the N concentration and N content root of in ZYZ12 were much higher than that of ZY116. Present study revealed that the changed trend of leaf nitrate reductase activities （NRA） were significantly increased at the N rate of 180 kg/hm 2 in ZY116 and ZYZ12 compared with the N rate of 90 kg/hm 2 in two years. [Conclusion] Optimal nitrogen application significantly increased the dry weights and N uptake at wintering stage as well as increasing the yield of winter oilseed rape.

Effects of Nitrogen Fertilizer Management on Biological Traits and Physiological Indexes at Seedling Stage and Yield of Directly-sown Rapeseed(Brassica napus L.)

Field experiments were carried out to study the effects of different nitroge- napplication rates and application times on biological traits and physiological indexes of directly-sown rapeseed （Brassica napus L.） at the seedling stage and investigate the relationship between these biological traits or physiological indexes at the seedling stage and yield, so as to provide scientific theoretical support for high yield and efficient fertilization management in production of winter rapeseed. Field trials were conducted in Chengdu plain of Sichuan Province under rice-rapeseed rotation system during the period of 2011-2012. The nitrogen application rate trial consisted of five nitrogen levels （0, 90, 180, 270 and 360 kg/hm2） and the nitrogen application time trial included NTl（single application as base fertilized）, NT2 （bottom application ＋one time of topdressing at seedling stage） and NT3 （bottom application＋two times of topdressing at seedling stage） under the same nitrogen rate （225 kg/hm2）. The results indicated that compared with no nitrogen application （NO） treatment, the in- crease of nitrogen fertilizer is beneficial to the increase of biological traits including plant height, green leaf number, leaf area index and dry weight of rapeseed at the seedling stage, the improvement of physiological indexes including total nitrogen content, chlorophyll content and soluble protein content of functional leaves, and the reduction of soluble sugar content. Nitrogen rate was linearly correlated with various biological traits at the seedling stage and physiological indexes including total nitro- gen content, chlorophyll content and soluble sugar content in functional leaves over- a/I, but in parabolic correlation with soluble protein content. Under the same nitrogen rate, NT2 treatment exhibited biological traits remarkably or significantly higher than NT1 treatment and NT3 treatment. The nitrogen application times were linearly cor- related with the physiological indexes of functional leaves at the seedling stage. The various biological traits and physiological index of functional leaves at the seedlings stage were in quadratic function parabolic correlation with seed yield, and the corre- lation was significant （P〈0.05）. Therefore, under the rice-rapeseed rotation system in Chengdu plain, the economic rational nitrogen rate is 180-225 kg/hm2, and the mode of bottom application ＋ one time of topdressing （NT2） is suitable.

ALA Altered ABA Content of Winter Oilseed Rape(Brassica napus L.)Seedling

[Objective] The paper was to explore the impact of 5-aminolevunic acid（ALA）treatment on growth of winter oilseed rape（Brassica napus L.）seedlings and its mechanism.[Method] The effects of ALA on abscisic acid（ABA）contents in plant organs and xylem saps were investigated through hydroponic experiment.Four treatments including seed soaking with 0,25,50 and 75 mg/L ALA solutions（CK,A1,A2 and A3）for 6 h were set in the test.[Result] In addition to A3 treatment which made the dry weights of oilseed rape seedlings slightly decrease,after seed soaking with ALA,dry weights,net photosynthetic rate（Pn）,transpiration rate（Tr）and stomatal conductance（Gs）of plants significantly increased compared with control.ABA concentrations in plant shoots and xylem saps increased in different levels after seed soaking with ALA.[Conclusion] The increasing endogenous ABA contents might be an explanation for promotion effect of ALA application on the growth of winter oilseed rape seedling.

Geometric Modeling of Rape (Brassica napus L.) during Seedling Stage

[Objective] The paper was to study the geometric modeling of rape（Brassica napus L.） during seedling stage.[Method] Based on the analysis and observation of morphological structure and growth process of rape during seedling stage,a characteristic parameters-based three-dimensional mathematical model of rape and its visible method was proposed.The individual control parameters were extracted according to the morphological structures of various organs of rape.Different sizes of leaf and petiole model were constructed by using cubic Bézier surface.The cylinder with different upper and lower bottom area was adopted as the main stem model.Finally,three-dimensional reconstruction of whole Rape plant during seedling stage was achieved through the operations of rotation,scaling and splicing.[Result] This method had certain controllability,which was also easy and convenient,and could quickly use to build the geometric model of rape during seedling stage.[Conclusion] The results provided reference for study on structural model of rape.

Dissecting the genetic architecture of glucosinolate compounds for quality improvement in flowering stalk tissues of Brassica napus

Glucosinolates(GSLs) and their hydrolytic products contribute to the quality traits of rapeseed flowering stalk tissues, such as taste, flavor and anticarcinogenic properties(Glucoraphanin). However, little is known about the genetic mechanisms of GSL accumulation in rapeseed flowering stalks. In this study, the variation and genetic architecture of GSL metabolites in flowering stalk tissues were investigated for the first time among a panel of 107 accessions. All GSL compounds exhibited continuous and wide variations in the present population. Progoitrin,glucobrassicanapin and gluconapin were the most abundant GSL compounds. Five quantitative trait loci(QTL) significantly associated with three GSL compounds were identified by genome-wide association study. GRA_C04 was under selected during modern breeding, in which the ratio of lower GSL haplotype(HAP2) in the accessions bred before 1990(52.56%) was significantly lower than that after 1990(78.95%). Four candidate genes, BnaA01. SOT16, BnaA06. SOT17, Bna A06. MYB51a, and Bna A06. MYB51b, were identified in the GTL_A01 and 4OH_A06 regions.These findings provide new insights into GSL biosynthesis in flowering stalk tissues and facilitate quality improvement in rapeseed flowering stalks.

Comparions of Required Nitrogen Fertilizers by Hybrid Cultivar and Conventional Cultivar of Rapeseed(Brassica napus L.)

[Objective] The aim of this study was to understand the difference of N fertilizer requirement between hybrid rapeseed and conventional rapeseed. [Method] Two hybrid cultivars, ZY5628 and ZY7819, and the conventional cultivar ZS10, were compared through two field experiments. In Experiment 1, seed yield and optimum N application rate were assessed in the field with five N application treatments. In Expedment 2, N was applied uniformly at 180 kg/hm2, and plant biomass and N accumulation were measured at several developmental stages, while N use efficien- cy was calculated for rape at maturity. [Results] The experiment 1 results showed that seed yields of ZY5628 and ZY7819 were both significantly higher than that of ZS10, and compared to ZS10, optimum yield （plateau yield） was higher by 18.7% and 20.2%, while the recommended N application rate was lower by 9.5% and 9.6% for ZY5628 and ZY7819, respectively. The experiment 2 results showed that during vegetative development, all three cultivars exhibited similar accumulations of plant biomass and N, but through flowering and maturity ZY5628 and ZY7819 pro- duced more biomass, acquired more N, and utilized acquired N more efficiently to- wards seed production than ZS10. [Conclusion] With equivalent inputs, the hybrid rapeseed cultivars ZY5628 and ZY7819 tested herein yield more seed with higher N use efficiency than the conventional rapeseed ZS10. This information will be valu- able for growers seeking to improve efficiency while reducing costs of rape production in China.

BnaUBP15s positively regulates seed size and seed weight in Brassica napus

Brassica napus(B.napus)is a globally significant oilseed crop,making a substantial contribution to both human oil and livestock feed production.Enhancing seed weight is crucial for improving rapeseed yield;however,only a limited number of seed weight-related genes have been functionally validated in B.napus thus far.UBIQUITINSPECIFIC PROTEASE 15(UBP15)belongs to the ubiquitin protease pathway and plays a maternal role in prolonging seed development in Arabidopsis.The potential utilization of UBP15 for enhancing seed yield in B.napus has remained unexplored until now.In this study,we identified the orthologs of UBP15 in B.napus and investigated its functionality using the CRISPR-Cas9 system.We generated mutant plants with multiple editing types targeting Bnaubp15s and successfully isolated T-DNA-free homozygous mutant lines that exhibited edits across four homologs of BnaUBP15 in T2 generation plants.Our preliminary data demonstrated that mutation of BnaUBP15s significantly reduced seed size,seed weight,and plant height while noticeably increasing the number of primary branches.These findings not only provide crucial evidence for further elucidating the molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of seed weight and size by BnaUBP15s but also offer promising novel germplasm for enhancing plant architecture.

First report of Leptosphaeria sclerotioides on Brassica napus in Northwestern China

In 2020,diseased seedlings of winter oilseed rape(Brassica napus)with cankered taproots as well as abundant sclerotium-like structures in the soil surrounding the roots were found in Longxi County of Gansu province of northwestern China.A fungus with production of pycnidia was isolated from the diseased roots,and it was identified based on morphological characteristics,molecular phylogeny(ITS,LSU)and PCR detection with the specific primers.The fungus was identified as Leptosphaeria sclerotioides Gruyter,Aveskamp&Verkley[anamorph:Phoma sclerotioides(Preuss)ex Sacc.].Re-inoculation of isolates of P9 and P10 of L.sclerotioides on winter oilseed rape(B.napus cultivar‘Zhongshuang No.9’)in Wuhan caused formation of abundant sclerotium-like structures in soil surrounding the roots,but failed to produce root cankers as those observed in Gansu possibly due to lack of long peroid of low-temperature conditioning in Wuhan.In spite of this,plant height,pod number and seed yield of oilseed rape were significantly reduced in the treatment with L.sclerotioides P9 and P10,compared to the control treatment.To the best of our knowledge,this is the first report of L.sclerotioides on B.napus in China and the finding broadened our understanding about the natural distribution of this psychrophilic fungus.