Development of eRUBY maize with betalain-enriched endosperm using a push-and-pull synthetic metabolic engineering strategy
Available online 8 November 2025
Betalain, an economically valuable water-soluble natural plant pigment, is prized for its strong antioxidant activity, making it popular as a dietary supplement and a visual marker for plant transformation....
The transcription factor GmBIM1 negatively regulates plant height in soybean (Glycine max L.)
Available online 8 November 2025
Plant height is a key agronomic trait in soybean (Glycine max L.), as it directly influences the number of nodes on the main stem, pod number per plant, yield, and lodging resistance. Identifying genes...
TaJAZ1-mediated transcriptional regulation of starch biosynthesis synergistically enhances resistant starch content and yield in wheat
Available online 8 November 2025
Jasmonate ZIM-domain (JAZ) proteins are key repressors of the jasmonate signaling pathway and are involved in plant stress responses. However, their roles in starch biosynthesis in cereal crops remain...
Planting density affects yield of indica-japonica hybrid rice by regulating population and photosynthetic characteristics
Available online 8 November 2025
To increase the yield of indica-japonica hybrid rice, it is crucial to explore their photosynthetic and population characteristics at different yield levels and quantify their response to varying planting...
MsNF-YC4 positively regulates root branching and drought resistance in alfalfa by activating MsARF8
Available online 8 November 2025
The objective of this study was to identify functional genes regulating root branching and drought resistance that could be used in developing drought-tolerant alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) cultivars....
Identification of YrBK, an all-stage stripe rust resistance gene in a recombination-suppressed pericentromeric region of chromosome 1B in a Chinese wheat landrace
Available online 8 November 2025
Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), is a major disease constraining global wheat production. The Chinese wheat landrace Baikeheshangmai (BK) exhibits high-level, all-stage...
TillerPET: high-throughput in-situ phenotyping of rice tiller number and compactness from post-harvest stubble
Available online 7 November 2025
For fast in-situ assessment of tiller phenotypes in rice breeding, we introduce the TillerPET model, an improved transformer-based deep learning solution that permits phenotyping the number and compactness...
From gene discovery to molecular tool: Characterization of a sucrose regulator and diagnostic KASP marker development for high-sucrose peanut breeding
Available online 7 November 2025
Sucrose content dictates processing quality and consumer preference in edible peanuts, but its genetic control remains poorly characterized, limiting progress in breeding. In this study, using a breeding-informed...
Biochemical factors of maize silks associated with host susceptibility to Fusarium graminearum
Available online 4 November 2025
Fusarium graminearum is the causal agent of Gibberella ear rot (GER) in maize, a devastating fungal disease leading to yield reduction and contamination of grains with type B trichothecene mycotoxins...
The rice auxin response factor OsARF12 coordinates ROS scavenging, photosynthetic protection, and Na+/K+ homeostasis under salt stress
Available online 3 November 2025
Salt stress severely limits rice growth and productivity. Auxin signaling has a well-documented role in development, but its role in rice salt stress responses is far from clear. In this study, we identified...
Combining optimized irrigation with reduced N fertilization increases wheat N use efficiency by increasing soil N cycling and plant N uptake
Available online 3 November 2025
With the aim of maximizing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of wheat in the North China Plain by optimizing irrigation and nitrogen application, a field experiment with a split-plot design was conducted....
Structural genomic variation in African cultivated rice contributed to shorter awns
October 2025
African cultivated rice (Oryza glaberrima) was domesticated from its wild progenitor, Oryza barthii. The transition from long-awn to short-awn or awnless glumes was an important evolutionary event during...
Genetic mapping and functional characterization of two recessive loci governing white testa color in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)
October 2025
Peanut is a globally significant oil crop and economic resource, notable for its kernel containing over 50% oil content. White testa peanuts are highly valued for their superior nutritional profile,...
Combining ultralow-altitude drone phenotyping with deep learning analytics to assess resistance and disease dynamics of Fusarium head blight in wheat
October 2025
Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a serious fungal disease that affect small grain cereals, causing significant wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield and quality losses globally. Breeding disease-resistant...
OsEHD1 and OsEHD2, two EH domain proteins targeted by E3 ubiquitin ligase OsBBI1, negatively modulate rice immunity against blast and bacterial blight diseases
October 2025
Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) are essential regulatory mechanisms that play a critical role in plant immunity. Previously, we demonstrated that OsBBI1, a RING finger type E3 ligase, contributes...
Systematic analysis of the rice E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme family identifies seven genes essential for seed germination
October 2025
Rice seed germination marks the start of cultivation and influences subsequent seedling growth, and is affected by hormones and environmental factors. Ubiquitination plays a critical role in this process...
Mitogenomic comparison identifies rpl16 as a CMS driver via ROS dysregulation in pearl millet
October 2025
Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) caused by mitogenomic variation underlies CMS lines essential for hybrid crop production. However, the role of CMS in pearl millet remains unclear. To clarify the function...
Accelerating wheat breeding by haploid induction
October 2025
The identification of haploid induction genes has promoted the advancement of several breeding technologies. Haploid induction genes in wheat, coupled with visual marker, have led to the establishment...
Gma-miR398c/d negatively regulates soybean resistance to Soybean mosaic virus by targeting SOD family genes
October 2025
Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) poses a substantial threat to the yield and quality of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), leading to significant economic losses in soybean production. However, the mining...
Structural variation in Heinong 531 soybean genome underlies yield and resistance traits
October 2025
Soybean (Glycine max) is a globally important crop that serves as a primary source of edible oil and protein for both humans and animals. Cultivated soybean varieties exhibit considerable genetic diversity...
A single-nucleus transcriptomic atlas of peanut seedlings unveils gene regulatory dynamics governing hypocotyl development
October 2025
Peanut seedlings develop from seeds by hypocotyl elongation and differentiation. However, the intricate gene regulatory networks and molecular crosstalk underlying hypocotyl growth in peanuts remain...
Targeted deletion of the OsCSLC3 5′ UTR improves disease resistance and agronomic traits in rice
October 2025
The plant cell wall serves as a barrier in defense against pathogen invasion. However, the specific contribution of cell walls in vascular tissues to plant immunity remains largely unexplored. In this...
Functional characterization of the effects of gene TaPLT8 on iron distribution in different wheat organs
October 2025
Iron (Fe) is a micronutrient for living organisms, and maintenance of Fe homeostasis is required for normal physiological functions. In this study, we report the function of a plasma membrane localized...
Nitrogen sources and sinks – Understanding the fate of nitrogen fertiliser when applied at various times and quantifying internally remobilised nitrogen in cotton
October 2025
Achieving a sustainable cropping system requires the efficient use of resources, particularly nitrogen (N). Nitrogen fertiliser is applied in most irrigated cotton fields to maximise yield potential,...