Pollen sterility in wheat is induced by blocking a light signal to the growing juvenile spike
April 2026
Light intensity plays a critical role in determining spike fertility of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) by influencing floret development. However, whether a light signal directly perceived by the juvenile...
Dwarf and Brittle Culm 3, encoding a glycosyltransferase, is required for mechanical strength in rice
April 2026
Plant mechanical strength affects lodging resistance and stress tolerance, highlighting the importance of elucidating the regulatory mechanisms underlying cell wall development. In this study, we identified...
Heat shock protein 101 safeguards meiotic thermotolerance of male germlines in rice and Arabidopsis
April 2026
Heat stress induces severe meiotic defects in plants, leading to significant male sterility and substantial yield losses in crops. However, few genes involved in meiotic thermotolerance have been characterized....
HTPRootSlides: A high-throughput phenotyping platform for crop root germination dynamic screening
April 2026
Root phenotyping is crucial for advancing our understanding of plant development and adaptation. However, existing platforms often face challenges in balancing high-throughput capacity with long-term,...
CRISPR/Cas9-mediated editing of ZmNRAMPL5 generates maize with reduced cadmium accumulation and uncompromised yield
April 2026
Cadmium (Cd) in agricultural soils readily accumulates in crop grains and shoots, posing serious risks to food and feed safety, especially in maize (Zea mays L.). Natural resistance-associated macrophage...
StHEMERA and StPIF4 synergistically regulate thermomorphogenesis in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)
April 2026
Optimizing nitrogen application increases strip-intercropped maize yields by reshaping root morphology and physiology
April 2026
The objective of this study was to identify a combination of N application site and application rate that maximized maize yield and nutrient efficiency in soybean–maize strip intercropping systems in...
An OVATE family protein GmOFP8 increases drought tolerance and nodule formation in soybean
April 2026
OVATE family proteins (OFPs) are key regulators involved in plant development and stress responses. However, their biological roles in soybean remain largely unclear. In this study, we identified GmOFP8,...
Mapping and characterization of stable major QTL for heading date and spikelet number in wheat
April 2026
Optimization of heading date (HD) and spike formation, two sequential development phases, is essential for improving wheat acclimation and yield. Identification of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for...
Natural variation in ZmHSP20-5 enhances root growth and drought tolerance in maize
April 2026
Root architecture is intricately linked to the acquisition of water and nutrients in maize seedlings. Despite its functional importance, few genes controlling root development have been targeted for...
Pratylenchus coffeae effector PcENG3 targets the maize TCTP protein to facilitate parasitism
April 2026
Pratylenchus coffeae is a widespread migratory endoparasitic nematode that causes substantial yield losses across a broad range of crops. Successful parasitism depended on the secretion of effector...
Beyond dwarfism: Green Revolution gene Rht-D1b orchestrates tiller angle and canopy architecture in wheat
April 2026
The Green Revolution genes Rht-B1b and Rht-D1b encode truncated DELLA proteins that confer gibberellin (GA)-insensitive semi-dwarfism in wheat. Their roles in reducing plant height and enhancing lodging...
From gene discovery to molecular tool: Characterization of a sucrose regulator and diagnostic KASP marker development for high-sucrose peanut breeding
April 2026
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...
Fine mapping of the major QTL qLLS.A02.1 and identification of a novel NBS-LRR gene cluster associated with late leaf spot resistance in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)
April 2026
Late leaf spot (LLS) is a major foliar disease that significantly reduces yield and compromises the quality of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.). To identify genes conferring LLS resistance, a recombinant...
Phosphatase member TaPP2C62-2A cooperates with downstream partners to regulate drought response in wheat
April 2026
Drought is a major limiting factor for growth, development, and yield in wheat. TaPP2C62-2A, a clade A type phosphatase (PP2C) member in T. aestivum, was identified as a mediator of drought response....
TaGSK3 controls wheat lateral root developmental plasticity under salt stress
April 2026
The plasticity of crop development is crucial for survival and yield stability under adverse conditions. Saline-alkaline soil is a major environmental constraint limiting wheat productivity. Elucidating...
MsNF-YC4 positively regulates root branching and drought resistance in alfalfa by activating MsARF8
April 2026
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
April 2026
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...
Planting density affects yield of indica-japonica hybrid rice by regulating population and photosynthetic characteristics
April 2026
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...
Genetic transformation and genome editing in wild soybean (Glycine soja)
April 2026
Soybean (Glycine max), a key food and oilseed crop, is derived from wild soybean (Glycine soja). Compared with cultivated varieties, wild soybean exhibits significantly higher genetic diversity, harboring...
Single-nucleus RNA sequencing reveals transcriptional response of wheat roots and leaves to salt stress
Available online 28 April 2026
Deeper understanding of the mechanism by which wheat responds to salt stress (SS) remains a major challenge due to the scarcity of available single-cell/nucleus transcriptomics resources. Here, in order...
Heat shock transcription factor ZmHsfA5 coordinates with ZmHsp9 to enhance thermotolerance in maize
Available online 22 April 2026
Heat shock transcription factors (HSFs) have roles in plant thermotolerance. However, the functional characterization and regulatory analyses of HSFs in maize remain limited. In this study, we cloned...
The soybean CDPK gene family: Genome-wide analysis and the role of GmCDPK14 in nodulation
Available online 22 April 2026
Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) function as key sensors of Ca2+ signals in plants; however, their roles in soybean-rhizobial symbiosis and biological nitrogen fixation remain poorly understood....
Hi4GS: An interpretable hybrid feature selection framework for genomic selection and application in identifying wheat yield-associated SNPs
Available online 22 April 2026
We present Hi4GS, a hybrid feature selection (HFS) algorithm for selecting SNP subsets from high-dimensional genotypes to improve the prediction of genomic estimated breeding value (GEBV) under genomic...