Research

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22 pages, 2626 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Selection of Perennial Flax (Linum spp.) for Yield and Reproductive Traits for the Oilseed Ideotype

by David G. Tork, Neil O. Anderson, Donald L. Wyse and Kevin J. Betts

Agronomy 2024, 14(1), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14010099 - 30 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1103

Flaxseed has gained popularity as a health food. Wild, perennial Linum relatives of annual flax (L. usitatissimum) possess similar oil compositions, making them perennial oilseed (OS) alternatives. The objective of this study was to phenotype 25 OS and 17 cut flower [...] Read more.

Flaxseed has gained popularity as a health food. Wild, perennial Linum relatives of annual flax (L. usitatissimum) possess similar oil compositions, making them perennial oilseed (OS) alternatives. The objective of this study was to phenotype 25 OS and 17 cut flower (CF) breeding populations with 137 wild Linum species’ accessions in a common garden over three years (Y1–3) to quantify the impact of selection and identify top candidates. This study was intercepted by COVID-19, which prevented the same detailed phenotyping of Y1 from occurring in Y2–3. Traits measured from the perennial flax OS, in comparison with the CF ideotypes: weekly seed germination (Y1), yield per plant (Y1–3), seed weight (Y1–2), shattering (Y1–2), and seed capsule diameter (Y1). In Y1, OS selections had the highest yield per plant, followed by L. austriacum and then CF selections. The 1000 seed weights in Y1 were highest in annual flax, followed by L. grandiflorum and L. baicalense. Seed numbers/capsule were low in Y1–2, possibly due to shattering. Average yield per plant increased across Y1–3 indicating that, once plant establishment had occurred along with the potential for two harvests/year in Y2 onwards, significant OS yield can be realized. Harvest 1 yields were significantly higher than in harvest 2. In Y1–3, OS selections had the highest average seed yield. In Y1, OS and CF populations had smaller seeds, higher shattering, smaller capsule diameters, and lower germination than wild species. Significant breeding efforts are needed to increase perennial flax yield, using the multiple crop ideotypes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding Innovations in Crop for Resilient Cropping Systems)

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20 pages, 5610 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Imidacloprid Disturbs the Nitrogen Metabolism and Triggers an Overall Stress Response in Maize Seedlings

by Xingxing Zhang, Hongkai Fu, Qihua Wu, Lijuan Chen, Yinglin Lu and Shuai Gao

Agronomy 2022, 12(12), 3161; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12123161 - 13 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1285

Abstract

Imidacloprid (IMI) protects crops from pests; however, its potential toxicity to plants and underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood. We investigated the effects of IMI on maize seedlings under different nitrogen sufficiency conditions. Our measurement of the maize seedlings’ growth traits and physiological [...] Read more.

Imidacloprid (IMI) protects crops from pests; however, its potential toxicity to plants and underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood. We investigated the effects of IMI on maize seedlings under different nitrogen sufficiency conditions. Our measurement of the maize seedlings’ growth traits and physiological indicators found that a 5 ppm IMI treatment stunted the maize’s growth and enhanced membrane lipid peroxidation under a nitrogen-supplied condition, but that it promoted an increase in biomass and alleviated chlorosis in maize shoots under nitrogen deficiency. These results suggest that IMI causes serious toxicity in maize seedlings under nitrogen-sufficient conditions. The content of IMI indicated that the leaf was the main site of IMI accumulation in maize, and that NO₃⁻ was beneficial for the transportation of IMI from the roots to the leaves. The three groups of seedlings, which received 0 (−N), 4 (N) or 10 mmol L⁻¹ NO₃⁻ (NN), were either treated or not treated with 5 ppm IMI. The six sets of transcriptome profiles from the shoots and roots were compared using Illumina sequencing. Transcriptome analysis revealed that IMI treatment led to changes in the expression of the genes involved in multiple biological processes, including nitrate transporter, nitrogen assimilation, nitrogen-regulatory factors, detoxification-related genes and several antioxidant-related genes in maize roots. The above results and the data for the nitrate content, glutamine synthetase activities and nitrate reductase activities showed that IMI disturbed nitrogen absorption and metabolism in maize seedlings. Glutathione S-transferase genes, C-type ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter 4, anthocyanins and lignin may play an important role in the detoxification of IMI in maize. These findings have helped us to elaborate the underlying detoxification mechanisms of IMI in plants, which is highly important in the cultivation of anti-pesticide crop varieties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding Innovations in Crop for Resilient Cropping Systems)

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17 pages, 2393 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genetic Variation and Stability Analysis of an Artificially Synthesized Allohexaploid Brassica for Breeding Innovations

by Su Yang, Kangni Zhang, Chenze Lu, Guangna Chen, Qian Huang, Zaid Ulhassan, Ji’an Wei, Muhammad Ahsan Farooq and Weijun Zhou

Agronomy 2022, 12(11), 2843; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12112843 - 15 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1483

Abstract

Allopolyploids play an essential role in plant evolution and confer apparent advantages on crop growth and breeding compared to low ploidy levels. A doubled haploid (DH) population derived from the cross between two artificially synthesized allohexaploid Brassica was created and self-crossed continuously. Morphological [...] Read more.

Allopolyploids play an essential role in plant evolution and confer apparent advantages on crop growth and breeding compared to low ploidy levels. A doubled haploid (DH) population derived from the cross between two artificially synthesized allohexaploid Brassica was created and self-crossed continuously. Morphological and yield-related traits showed considerable variation among different generations, different families and even within the same families. However, the flowering time, pollen viability and seed yield increased gradually during the selfing process. Ploidy level estimation and karyotyping analysis revealed that this population was chimeras with varied chromosome numbers within an identical plant. Chromosome translocations analysis showed that the B genome was more instable compared to the A and C genomes. The A genome was more prone to chromosome recombination than the C genome. Although some genomic regions were more likely to be duplicated, deleted, or rearranged, a consensus pattern was not shared between different progenies. This research deepened our understanding of the genetic variation of artificially synthesized allohexaploid Brassica. In addition, the allohexaploid Brassica can be used as a bridge to transfer some of the valuable traits blocked by reproductive barriers from wild Brassica species to cultivated species such as cold and drought resistance, etc. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding Innovations in Crop for Resilient Cropping Systems)

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17 pages, 4522 KiB

Open AccessArticle

DNA Methylation Inhibitor 5-Azacytidine Promotes Leaf Senescence in Pak Choi (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) by Regulating Senescence-Related Genes

by Yuntong Li, Junzhen Zhu, Xiaoyang Xu, Pengxia Li and Xuesong Liu

Agronomy 2022, 12(10), 2568; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102568 - 19 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1485

Abstract

Leaf senescence is strictly regulated by multiple internal factors and external environmental signals, with the epigenetic modification being an important element among them. However, the epigenetic mechanism of leaf senescence is largely unknown in horticultural crops, especially the leaf vegetable pak choi, which [...] Read more.

Leaf senescence is strictly regulated by multiple internal factors and external environmental signals, with the epigenetic modification being an important element among them. However, the epigenetic mechanism of leaf senescence is largely unknown in horticultural crops, especially the leaf vegetable pak choi, which easily senesces, and becomes yellow post-harvest. In this study, we found that the expression of DNA methyltransferases (BcMET1, BcSUVH4, BcDRM2, BcRDR2, and BcCMT3) of pak choi decreased during storage. The preliminary results showed that its senescence process was accompanied by DNA methylation changes. Moreover, treatment with 500 μM 5-Azacytidine (5-Aza) (DNA methylation inhibitor) can promote the senescence of pak choi leaves by (1) increasing the degradation of chlorophyll (Chl) and its derivatives, (2) increasing the activities of Mg-dechelatase (MDCase), pheophytinase (PPH) and pheophorbide a oxygenase (PAO), and (3) inducing the expression of senescence-related genes (BcSAG12, BcNYC1, BcSGR1, BcSGR2, BcPPH1, BcPPH2, BcPAO, and BcRCCR), thereby accelerating the senescence of the pak choi leaves. Further studies showed that DNA demethylation occurred in the promoter regions of BcSGR2 and BcSAG12 during storage, with the bisulfite sequencing detection showing that their degrees of methylation decreased. Therefore, our findings help us understand how epigenetic modifications affect the storage tolerance of leafy vegetables, which is highly significant for cultivating anti-senescent vegetable varieties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding Innovations in Crop for Resilient Cropping Systems)

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16 pages, 1986 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Variation Characteristics of Glucosinolate Contents in Leaf Mustard (Brassica juncea)

by Huiping Huang, Junwei Wang, Shuxiang Mao, Qi Wu, Yuxiao Tian, Feng Wang, Pei Wang, Ke Huang and Qiuyun Wu

Agronomy 2022, 12(10), 2287; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102287 - 23 Sep 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1592

Abstract

Mustard, which belongs to the family Brassicaceae, is an annual or biennial herb and is considered as one of the most important native vegetables in China. Glucosinolates are important secondary metabolites containing sulfur and nitrogen in plants, which form a network with [...] Read more.

Mustard, which belongs to the family Brassicaceae, is an annual or biennial herb and is considered as one of the most important native vegetables in China. Glucosinolates are important secondary metabolites containing sulfur and nitrogen in plants, which form a network with other metabolic pathways that play important roles in plant growth, development, and interaction with the environment. We studied varied phenotypic and glucosinolate contents of 60 mustard resources collected from various areas of China. The results showed both agronomic traits and glucosinolates varied greatly among mustard resources. We detected nine glucosinolates in mustard resources and the contents of total glucosinolates ranged from 1.2023 to 30.7310 μmol/g. Through the correlation analysis, we preliminarily found a significant negative correlation between leaf color and glucosinolate contents but needed further validation. For mustard resource JC 18-56, we analyzed the glucosinolate contents in different organs of different growth stages. The results indicated a significant difference among organs in both glucosinolates concentration and composition. The contents of glucosinolatess in alabastrums at bolting stage were highest, up to 140.1257 μmol/g dry weight (DW). We found that the main glucosinolates in roots were 4-methoxyglucobrassicin, while in other organs the glucosinolates were sinigrin. The contents of glucosinolatess in different organs of mustard were as follows: alabastrums > seeds > flowers > siliques > leaves > flower stems > stems > roots. This study provides important references for the selection and cultivation of high-quality mustard varieties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding Innovations in Crop for Resilient Cropping Systems)

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Review

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29 pages, 1780 KiB

Open AccessReview

Enhancing Cowpea Tolerance to Elevated Temperature: Achievements, Challenges and Future Directions

by Saba Baba Mohammed, Patrick Obia Ongom, Abou Togola and Ousmane Boukar

Agronomy 2024, 14(3), 513; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14030513 - 01 Mar 2024

Viewed by 1975

Abstract

Despite its ability to thrive in high-temperature environments, cowpea productivity can be hampered by heat stress, particularly when night air temperatures exceed 17 °C. The crop’s germplasm pool potentially possesses significant genetic variability that can be harnessed to breed for heat-tolerant varieties. Progress [...] Read more.

Despite its ability to thrive in high-temperature environments, cowpea productivity can be hampered by heat stress, particularly when night air temperatures exceed 17 °C. The crop’s germplasm pool potentially possesses significant genetic variability that can be harnessed to breed for heat-tolerant varieties. Progress in improving the crop for heat tolerance has been limited, especially under the hot, short-day environments typical of sub-Saharan Africa. Only a few heat-tolerant varieties have been released, partly due to the limited understanding of heat stress tolerance mechanisms and environmental interaction effects on genotypes, as well as imprecise phenotyping. This review contributes to the literature on cowpea heat stress by highlighting key achievements, challenges, and future directions in breeding heat-tolerant cowpea genotypes and by providing additional information from the recent literature. We opine that the genetic variability for heat tolerance-related traits in cowpea has not been sufficiently exploited in developing varieties adapted to the target production environments. Therefore, attention should be given to assessing the crop’s genetic repository by targeting adaptive, morphological, and physiological traits that enhance heat stress tolerance. We propose that breeding programs integrate phenotyping of whole-plant physiological traits and molecular breeding to identify breeder-friendly markers for routine selection. This should be followed by introgression of the heat-tolerant favourable alleles to adapted susceptible varieties using rapid and precise approaches that take advantage of modern genetic and genomic resources such as innovative genetic resources, genomic selection, speed breeding, and genome editing technologies. These tools hold great promise in fast-tracking the development of improved heat-tolerant varieties and incorporating the must-have traits preferred by cowpea farmers and consumers. In view of the likely increase in atmospheric temperature to be occasioned by climate change, there is an urgent need to develop heat-tolerant cowpea varieties to ensure the sustainability of current and future cropping and agri-food systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding Innovations in Crop for Resilient Cropping Systems)

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19 pages, 2452 KiB

Open AccessReview

Advances in the Agro-Environment Migration of Organic Chemical Pollutants and Their Biotransformation in Crops

by Yifei Hua, Yi Yuan, Yi Qin, Chenyi Zhang, Xiaodong Wang, Shengjun Feng and Yichen Lu

Agronomy 2022, 12(12), 3009; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12123009 - 29 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2197

Abstract

Global production, consumption and emission of various chemicals continue to rise, despite growing evidence of their harmful effects on environmental quality, food safety and human health. Agronomy, a nature-dependent industry, is considered to be extremely sensitive to chemical pollution. Hence, it is of [...] Read more.

Global production, consumption and emission of various chemicals continue to rise, despite growing evidence of their harmful effects on environmental quality, food safety and human health. Agronomy, a nature-dependent industry, is considered to be extremely sensitive to chemical pollution. Hence, it is of great importance for food safety and human health to study the migration and biotransformation of chemical pollutants among agricultural elements, such as soil, water and crops. Thus, this review focused on typical organic pollutants (TOPs) in the agro-environment, such as pesticides, antibiotics and persistent organic pollutants (POPs), firstly describing their sources and the current state. Then, we further elucidated the mechanism and influence factors of the TOP-based uptake, translocation and biotransformation of TOPs in crops, including the apoplastic and symplastic pathway, enzyme-assisted nontarget resistance and the physicochemical properties of different TOPs. In addition, future insight into the identification of detoxified genes and lower-toxic metabolism of TOPs was presented in this review, which provides valuable information for breeding agro-products with lower chemical contaminants. In a nutshell, our review discussed comprehensive research progress on TOPs’ fates and offered theoretical guidance for pollution control and ecological risk assessment in agroecosystems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding Innovations in Crop for Resilient Cropping Systems)

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11 pages, 1057 KiB

Open AccessReview

Research Progress in Leaf Related Molecular Breeding of Cucurbitaceae

by Yafei Liu, Huinan Xu, Huasen Wang and Shengjun Feng

Agronomy 2022, 12(11), 2908; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12112908 - 21 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2857

Abstract

Cucurbitaceae crops play an important role in agricultural production, and they are a primary source of vegetables and fruits for daily needs. The cultivation of cucurbit varieties with excellent agronomic characters has attracted much attention in recent years. As the main source energy [...] Read more.

Cucurbitaceae crops play an important role in agricultural production, and they are a primary source of vegetables and fruits for daily needs. The cultivation of cucurbit varieties with excellent agronomic characters has attracted much attention in recent years. As the main source energy organ of Cucurbitaceae, the development of leaves is closely related to yield and environmental response. In this paper, the main research achievements on leaf development of Cucurbitaceae plants were summarized, and the origin, genetic research, gene mapping, and effects on the agronomic and economic characters of the leaf shape and leaf color mutants of Cucurbitaceae were introduced. In addition, the effects of some hormones and environmental factors were reviewed. This work provides a reference point for molecular breeding of leaf development of Cucurbitaceae. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding Innovations in Crop for Resilient Cropping Systems)

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