Are gender inclusiveness and rural transformation interlinked?The case of Bangladesh

Gender inclusiveness is important in the rural transformation process of Bangladesh as rural women play key roles in both agricultural and non-agricultural sectors.Gender inclusiveness also leads to gender equity.We empirically evaluate relationships between rural transformation and gender inclusiveness in Bangladesh.We consider three rural transformation indicators:high-value commodities’share in agricultural output values,non-farm employment’s share in rural labor employment,and non-agricultural GDP’s share in total GDP.Indicators capturing gender inclusiveness include the per capita rural income of males and females,ratio of investments into gender programs,female access to education,access to healthcare,employment participation,land ownership,and asset ownership.We test the effect of the difference in per capita rural income of males and females and the ratio of their incomes and check for the robustness of the gender variables across different model specifications.Analyzing 128 district-level observations from 32 districts of Bangladesh across four time periods(2000,2005,2010 and 2016),we use both ordinary least squares and fixed effects panel regression models.We find that female land and asset ownership and access to education and healthcare are robust determinants of various stages of rural transformation.Thus,our results suggest that improving women’s ownership of land and assets and investing in women’s education and healthcare will likely contribute to a more inclusive rural transformation.

Identification of KASP markers and putative genes for pre-harvest sprouting resistance in common wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)

Common wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)is the most important crop in the world and a typical allopolyploid with a large and complex genome.Pre-harvest sprouting(PHS)leads to a significant reduction in grain quality worldwide.PHS is a complex trait with related QTL located on different chromosomes.However,the study of markers and genes related to PHS resistance is limited especially for whitegrained wheat.Four pairs of near isogenic lines(NILs)from a white-grained wheat cross of Chara
DM5637B*8 targeting a major QTL for PHS resistance(Qphs.ccsu-3A.1)on wheat chromosme 3AL were genotyped using the 90K SNP Illumina iSelect array.Ten SNPs were identified,with a 75%-100%consistency between genotype and phenotype in the resistant or susceptible isolines.The 10 SNPs were converted to cost-effective kompetitive allele-specific PCR(KASP)markers.Screening of 48 wheat cultivars with different phenotypes of PHS identified four KASP markers with 81.3%-85.4%conformity between genotype and phenotype.Further investigation revealed that the four SNPs(BS00022245_51,Kukri_c49927_151,BS00022884_51 and BS00110550_51)corresponding to the four validated KASP markers are residing in three independent genes(TraesCS3A03G1072800,TraesCS3A03G1072400,TraesCS3A03G1071800)close to each other with a distance of 4.28-4.48 Mb to the targeted QTL.These three annotated genes have potential functions related to PHS resistance.Our study revealed that combined use of NILs and the 90K SNP chip is a powerful approach for developing KASP markers and mining functional genes in wheat.The KASP markers for PHS resistance on chromosome 3AL are useful for high-throughput evaluation and marker-assisted selection,and the three identified genes could lead to a better understanding of the genetic pathways controlling PHS.

Rice-wheat comparative genomics:Gains and gaps

Rice and wheat provide nearly 40%of human calorie and protein requirements.They share a common ancestor and belong to the Poaceae(grass)family.Characterizing their genetic homology is crucial for developing new cultivars with enhanced traits.Several wheat genes and gene families have been characterized based on their rice orthologs.Rice–wheat orthology can identify genetic regions that regulate similar traits in both crops.Rice–wheat comparative genomics can identify candidate wheat genes in a genomic region identified by association or QTL mapping,deduce their putative functions and biochemical pathways,and develop molecular markers for marker-assisted breeding.A knowledge of gene homology facilitates the transfer between crops of genes or genomic regions associated with desirable traits by genetic engineering,gene editing,or wide crossing.

Spatiotemporal variation and evaluation of agriculture green development: a case study of Hainan Province, China

The realization of green and sustainable development of agriculture is the common pursuit all over the world. Agriculture green development(AGD)program has been proposed as a sustainable development strategy in China,but insufficient is known about the quantitative evaluation of spatiotemporal variation in AGD at the regional scale. This study aimed to assess spatiotemporal patterns in AGD at the county/city-based regional level. For this purpose, a systematic index evaluation system was developed to assess the performance of socioeconomic, food production and environmental components in a key economic region(Hainan Province) of China. Hainan improved its AGD index(representing the overall performance toward achieving AGD) from 38.8 in 1988 to 40.9 in 2019. The socioeconomic development and agricultural productivity have improved with time;environmental quality declined due to overuse of chemicals from 1988 to 2013, but steadily improved after 2013, indicating positive effects of reducing chemical input. There was a higher AGD index in the coastal vs. central regions and the southern vs. northern regions. Scenarios featuring improved nutrient management or optimized diet structure and reduced waste improved economic benefits and social productivity while concurrently reducing environmental degradation. These results provide new insights for the future development of green and sustainable agriculture and formulation of agricultural policies in Hainan Province of China and even other developing countries that are facing or will soon face similar challenges.

Gender and rural transformation:A systematic literature review

Rural transformation can improve poverty reduction,living standards,and health outcomes in developing countries.However,impacts associated with rural transformation vary by region,household,and individual trait(including gender).While research on rural transformation has been increasing over the last decade,there has been no comprehensive review conducted on the relationships between gender and rural transformation.Here,we conduct a systematic literature review to investigate the impacts of rural transformation on gender and the influence of gender inclusiveness on rural transformation.We reviewed 82 studies from 1960-2021 that explore the relationships between rural transformation and gender.We then developed a framework that captures incidences and flow directions between indicators.Results show that most studies examined the impacts of rural transformation on women and between gender indicators.Few investigated the role of women and the influence of gender inclusiveness on rural transformation.Overall,studies showed that rural transformation typically leads to positive outcomes for women regarding employment,income,and empowerment.However,negative impacts on women’s control over income,stability of new income sources,and access to healthy food are also common.Tailoring future development policies and programs to explicitly account for gender inclusiveness can lead to more successful rural transformation.

Genome-wide identification of U-box gene family and expression analysis under abiotic stresses in Salvia miltiorrhiza

Plant U-box(PUB)E3 ubiquitin ligases play important roles in hormone signaling pathways and in response to different abiotic stresses,but little is known about U-box genes in Danshen(root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge).Here,we identified and characterized 70 SmPUB genes based on its genome sequence.Phylogenetic analysis of U-box genes from S.miltiorrhiza and Arabidopsis suggested that they can be clustered into seven subgroups(I–VII).Typical U-box domains were found in all identified SmPUB genes through the analysis of conserved motifs.Moreover,qRT-PCR was applied to analyze the relative expression levels of U-box genes in S.miltiorrhiza roots and leaves under PEG-induced water deficit and salt stresses.Results revealed that the SmPUB genes exhibited stronger response to drought than to salt stress.To the best of our knowledge,this report is the first to perform genome-wide identification and analysis of the U-box gene family in S.miltiorrhiza,and the results provide valuable information for better understanding of the function of U-box in S.miltiorrhiza.

A major and stable QTL for wheat spikelet number per spike validated in different genetic backgrounds

The spikelet number per spike(SNS)contributes greatly to grain yield in wheat.Identifying various genes that control wheat SNS is vital for yield improvement.This study used a recombinant inbred line population genotyped by the Wheat55K single-nucleotide polymorphism array to identify two major and stably expressed quantitative trait loci(QTLs)for SNS.One of them(QSns.sau-2SY-2D.1)was reported previously,while the other(QSns.sau-2SY-7A)was newly detected and further analyzed in this study.QSns.sau-2SY-7A had a high LOD value ranging from 4.46 to 16.00 and explained 10.21-40.78%of the phenotypic variances.QSns.sau-2SY-7A was flanked by the markers AX-110518554 and AX-110094527 in a 4.75-cM interval on chromosome arm 7AL.The contributions and interactions of both major QTLs were further analyzed and discussed.The effect of QSns.sau-2SY-7A was successfully validated by developing a tightly linked kompetitive allele specific PCR marker in an F_(2:3) population and a panel of 101 high-generation breeding wheat lines.Furthermore,several genes including the previously reported WHEAT ORTHOLOG OF APO1(WAPO1),an ortholog of the rice gene ABERRANT PANICLE ORGANIZATION 1(APO1)related to SNS,were predicted in the interval of QSns.sau-2SY-7A.In summary,these results revealed the genetic basis of the multi-spikelet genotype of wheat line 20828 and will facilitate subsequent fine mapping and breeding utilization of the major QTLs.

Comparative proteomic analysis provides insight into a complex regulatory network of taproot formation in radish (Raphanus sativus L.)

The fleshy taproot of radish is an important storage organ determining its yield and quality.Taproot thickening is a complex developmental process in radish.However,the molecular mechanisms governing this process remain unclear at the proteome level.In this study,a comparative proteomic analysis was performed to analyze the proteome changes at three developmental stages of taproot thickening using iTRAQ approach.In total,1862 differentially expressed proteins(DEPs)were identified from 6342 high-confidence proteins,among which 256 up-regulated proteins displayed overlapped accumulation in S1(pre-cortex splitting stage)vs.S2(cortex splitting stage)and S1 vs.S3(expanding stage)pairs,whereas 122 up-regulated proteins displayed overlapped accumulation in S1 vs.S3 and S2 vs.S3 pairs.Gene Ontology(GO)and pathway enrichment analysis showed that these DEPs were mainly involved in several processes such as“starch and sucrose metabolism”,“plant hormone signal transduction”,and“biosynthesis of secondary metabolites”.A high concordance existed between iTRAQ and RT-qPCR at the mRNA expression levels.Furthermore,association analysis showed that 187,181,and 96 DEPs were matched with their corresponding differentially expressed genes(DEGs)in S1 vs.S2,S1 vs.S3,and S2 vs.S3 comparison,respectively.Notably,several functional proteins including cell division cycle 5-like protein(CDC5),expansin B1(EXPB1),and xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase protein 24(XTH24)were responsible for cell division and expansion during radish taproot thickening process.These results could facilitate a better understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying taproot thickening,and provide valuable information for the identification of critical genes/proteins responsible for taproot thickening in root vegetable crops.

Wheat genotypes tolerant to heat at seedling stage tend to be also tolerant at adult stage:The possibility of early selection for heat tolerance breeding

Wheat production is seriously influenced by extreme hot weather,which has attracted increasing attention.It is important to compare wheat responses to heat at seedling and reproductive stages,to explore the potential relationship between the performances at different growing stages and the possibility of early selection to accelerate heat tolerance breeding.In this study,forty wheat genotypes were screened under heat stress at both seedling and adult stages.It was found that root lengths at seedling stage were severely reduced by heat stress with significant variations among wheat genotypes.Heat-tolerant genotypes at seedling stage showed less root length decrease than susceptible ones.Wheat genotypes tolerant at seedling stage showed higher yield at adult stage after heat treatment.The performances of wheat genotypes screened under heat stress at seedling and adult stages were ranked by seedling damage index and adult damage index.A significant positive relationship was found between heat tolerance at seedling stage and at adult stage(r=0.6930),suggesting a similar tolerant/susceptible mechanism at different plant growth stages and the possibility of early selection at seedling stage for breeding heat tolerance.Extremely tolerant and susceptible genotypes with consistent performances at seedling and adult stages were genetically compared and associated SNP markers and linked candidate genes were identified.

Disentangling the contributions of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to soil multifunctionality

Soil multifunctionality represents a range of soil processes driven by the interactions between soil abiotic and biotic components.As a group of ubiquitous fungi that form mutualistic symbiotic associations with a vast array of terrestrial plants,arbuscular mycorrhizal(AM)fungi may play a critical role in maintaining soil multifunctionality,but the characteristics of their contributions remain to be unraveled.This mini review aims to disentangle the contributions of AM fungi to soil multifunctionality.We provide a framework of concepts about AM fungi making crucial contributions to maintaining multiple soil functions,including primary productivity,nutrient cycling,water regulation and purification,carbon and climate regulation,habitat for biodiversity,disease and pest control,and pollutant degradation and detoxification,via a variety of pathways,particularly contributing to soil and plant health.This review contends that AM fungi,as a keystone component of soil microbiome,can govern soil multifunctionality,ultimately promoting ecosystem services.

The necessity to expand mycorrhizal boundaries:Including the fungal endophytes that possess key mycorrhizal criteria

Dear editor,This letter aims to urge the necessity to expand the boundaries of mycorrhizal symbiosis to include certain root fungal endophytes.The conventional classification of mycorrhizal associations emphasizes specialized fungal structures at the root-fungus interface that are involved in nutrient exchange between symbionts.

Green intelligent fertilizers——A novel approach for aligning sustainable agriculture with green development

This review addresses the growing disparity between the current state of fertilizer production in China and the evolving demands of green agriculture in the 21st century. It explores major advances in fertilizers, proposes the concept of green intelligent fertilizers and develops new strategies aligned with the principles of green development in fertilizer industry and agriculture.Green intelligent fertilizers may be designed to maximize the synergistic effects among plants, soils, microorganisms, nutrient sources and the environment. This concept emphasizes the integration of industry and agriculture toward green development for entire industry chain, using an interdisciplinary approach to drive the green transformation of fertilizer industry, and promote green and sustainable development of agriculture. By bridging the gap between the current state of fertilizer industry and a growing need for environmentally responsible agricultural practices, this review highlights a path toward harmonizing fertilizer production with the imperatives of green agriculture.

Toxicity of cadmium and its competition with mineral nutrients for uptake by plants:A review

Cadmium(Cd)is a toxic heavy metal occurring in the environment naturally and is also generated through various anthropogenic sources and acts as a pollutant.Human health is affected by Cd pollution in farmland soils because food is the main source of Cd intake in the non-smoking population.For crops,Cd toxicity may result from a disturbance in uptake and translocation of mineral nutrients and disturbance in plant metabolism,inhibiting plant growth and development.However,plants have Cd tolerance mechanisms,including restricted Cd uptake,decreased Cd root-to-shoot translocation,enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities,and increased production of phytochelatins.Furthermore,optimal supply of mineral nutrients is one of the strategies to alleviate the damaging effects of Cd on plants and to avoid its entry into the food chain.The emerging molecular knowledge contributes to understanding Cd uptake,translocation,and remobilization in plants.In this review,Cd toxicity and tolerance mechanisms,agricultural practices to minimize Cd accumulation,Cd competition with essential elements(calcium,copper,iron,zinc,and manganese),and genes associated with Cd uptake are discussed in detail,especially regarding how these mineral nutrients and genes play a role in decreasing Cd uptake and accumulation in crop plants.

Organic mulching promotes soil organic carbon accumulation to deep soil layer in an urban plantation forest

Background:Soil organic carbon(SOC)is important for soil quality and fertility in forest ecosystems.Labile SOC fractions are sensitive to environmental changes,which reflect the impact of short-term internal and external management measures on the soil carbon pool.Organic mulching(OM)alters the soil environment and promotes plant growth.However,little is known about the responses of SOC fractions in rhizosphere or bulk soil to OM in urban forests and its correlation with carbon composition in plants.Methods:A one-year field experiment with four treatments(OM at 0,5,10,and 20 cm thicknesses)was conducted in a 15-year-old Ligustrum lucidum plantation.Changes in the SOC fractions in the rhizosphere and bulk soil;the carbon content in the plant fine roots,leaves,and organic mulch;and several soil physicochemical properties were measured.The relationships between SOC fractions and the measured variables were analysed.Results:The OM treatments had no significant effect on the SOC fractions,except for the dissolved organic carbon(DOC).OM promoted the movement of SOC to deeper soil because of the increased carbon content in fine roots of subsoil.There were significant correlations between DOC and microbial biomass carbon and SOC and easily oxidised organic carbon.The OM had a greater effect on organic carbon fractions in the bulk soil than in the rhizosphere.The thinnest(5 cm)mulching layers showed the most rapid carbon decomposition over time.The time after OM had the greatest effect on the SOC fractions,followed by soil layer.Conclusions:The frequent addition of small amounts of organic mulch increased SOC accumulation in the present study.OM is a potential management model to enhance soil organic matter storage for maintaining urban forest productivity.

“Listening to the Sounds of the Water”:Bringing Together Local Knowledge and Biophysical Data to Understand Climate-Related Hazard Dynamics

Integrating local knowledge and scientific information can aid in co-developing locally relevant approaches for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.Communities along the Mekong River have adapted to variability in temperature,rainfall,and flooding patterns over time.Rapid environmental change in the Mekong Basin presents a new set of challenges related to drought,altered seasonal rainfall,more frequent high-flow flood events,and water withdrawals for hydropower and irrigation.We present a multi-method approach to understand how local knowledge of the spatial and temporalpatterns of floods,droughts,and rainfall can be integrated with scientific information along a flood-prone section of the lower Mekong River in Kratie Province,Cambodia.Participatory hazard mapping of community members’knowledge of the movement of floodwaters through the landscape enabled interpretation of flood extent mapping using Synthetic Aperture Radar images from the Sentinel-1A satellite.Seasonal calendars of weather patterns and livelihood activities,together with local indicators of flooding,rainfall,and drought were compared with trends in 35 years of rainfall data,and highlighted"pressure points"at the beginning and end of the rainy season where agriculture may be particularly impacted by climate change.We discuss potential applications of our findings for adaptation and hazard planning.

Nondestructive Phenomic Tools for the Prediction of Heat and Drought Tolerance at Anthesis in Brassica Species

Oilseed Brassica species are vulnerable to heat and drought stress,especially in the early reproductive stage.We evaluated plant imaging of whole plant and flower tissue,leaf stomatal conductance,leaf and bud temperature,photochemical reflectance index,quantumyield of photosynthesis,and leaf gas exchange for their suitability to detect tolerance to heat(H)and/or drought(D)stress treatments in 12 Brassica genotypes(G).A replicated factorial experiment was set up with 7 d of stress treatment fromthe beginning of anthesis with various levels of three factors H,D,and𝐺.Most phenomics tools detected plant stress as indicated by significant main effects of H,D,and H×D.Whole plant volume was highly correlated with fresh weight changes,suggesting that whole plant imaging may be a useful surrogate for fresh weight in future studies.Vcmax,the maximum carboxylation rate of photosynthesis,increased rapidly on day 1 in H and H+D treatments,and there were significant interactions of G×H and G×D.Vcmax of genotypes on day 1 inHandH+Dtreatments was positively correlated with their harvested seed yield.Vcmax onday 1 andday3were clustered with seed yield in H and H+D treatments as shown in the heatmaps of genotypic correlations.TPU,the rate of triose phosphate use,also showed significant positive genotypic correlations with seed yield in H+D treatments.Flower volume showed significant interactions of G×H and G×D on day 7,and flower volume of genotypes on day 7 inHwas positively correlated with their harvested seed yield.There were few interactions of G×H or G×D for leaf stomatal conductance,leaf and bud temperature,photochemical reflectance index,and quantum yield of photosynthesis.Vcmax,TPU,and volume of flowers are potential nondestructive phenomic traits for heat or combined heat and drought stress tolerance screening in Brassica germplasm.

Humus-Rich Compost Increases Lettuce Growth, Nutrient Uptake, Mycorrhizal Colonisation, and Soil Fertility

Sandy soils, typical of Australia's west, either have little or no habitat protection for microbes including arbuscular mycorrhizal(AM) fungi, which are essential for nutrient cycling. To minimize this problem, the application of organic matter, such as humus-rich composts, is necessary during vegetable crop production. This study aimed at determining the effects of humus-rich composts on either indigenous or inoculated AM fungal colonisation in roots, lettuce(Lactuca sativa L. var. Quechua) growth, and soil fertility improvement. Four different humus-rich composts with varying humus contents were applied at the same standard rate to lettuce grown under glasshouse conditions for 10 weeks after sowing and compared with two low-humus composts and non-amended soil(control). Humus-rich composts significantly increased lettuce shoot growth, root growth, and AM fungal colonisation in roots. Humus contents in the composts were also correlated with lettuce shoot and root growth. Soil dissolved organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon, and fertility were increased with the application of humus-rich composts. These humus-rich composts, especially the compost of higher humic acid with and without AM inoculation, might have a significant role in sustainable vegetable production, for example lettuce growth. Overall, the results indicate that supplementation with humus-rich compost is highly beneficial to enhance soil fertility and potentially maintain the sustainability of vegetable production.

REINTEGRATION OF CROP-LIVESTOCK SYSTEMS IN EUROPE:AN OVERVIEW

Ongoing specialization of crop and livestock systems provides socioeconomic benefits to the farmer but has led to greater externalization of environmental costs when compared to mixed farming systems.Better integration of crop and livestock systems offers great potential to rebalance the economic and environmental trade-offs in both systems.The aims of this study were to analyze changes in farm structure and review and evaluate the potential for reintegrating specialized intensive crop and livestock systems,with specific emphasis on identifying the co-benefits and barriers to reintegration.Historically,animals were essential to recycle nutrients in the farming system but this became less important with the availability of synthetic fertilisers.Although mixed farm systems can be economically attractive,benefits of scale combined with socio-economic factors have resulted in on-farm and regional specialization with negative environmental impacts.Reintegration is therefore needed to reduce nutrient surpluses at farm,regional and national levels,and to improve soil quality in intensive cropping systems.Reintegration offers practical and cost-effective options to widen crop rotations and promotes the use of organic inputs and associated benefits,reducing dependency on synthetic fertilisers,biocides and manure processing costs.Circular agriculture goes beyond manure management and requires adaptation of both food production and consumption patterns,matching local capacity to produce with food demand.Consequently,feed transport,greenhouse gas emissions,nutrient surpluses and nutrient losses to the environment can be reduced.It is concluded that reintegration of specialized farms within a region can provide benefits to farmers but may also lead to further intensification of land use.New approaches within a food system context offer alternatives for reintegration,but require strong policy incentives which show clear,tangible and lasting benefits for farmers,the environment and the wider community.