The footprints of water and nitrogen(WF and NF)provide a comprehensive overview of the type and quantity of water consumption and reactive nitrogen(Nr)loss in crop production.In this study,a field experiment over two ...The footprints of water and nitrogen(WF and NF)provide a comprehensive overview of the type and quantity of water consumption and reactive nitrogen(Nr)loss in crop production.In this study,a field experiment over two years(2019 and 2020)compared three integrated agronomic practice management(IAPM)systems:An improved management system(T2),a high-yield production system(T3),and an integrated soil-crop management system(ISCM)using a local smallholder farmer’s practice system(T1)as control,to investigate the responses of WF,Nr losses,water use efficiency(WUE),and nitrogen use efficiency(NUE)to IAPM.The results showed that IAPM optimized water distribution and promoted water use by summer maize.The evapotranspiration over the whole maize growth period of IAPM increased,but yield increased more,leading to a significant increase in WUE.The WUE of the T2,T3,and ISCM treatments was significantly greater than in the T1 treatment,in 2019 and 2020respectively,by 19.8-21.5,31.8-40.6,and 34.4-44.6%.The lowest WF was found in the ISCM treatment,which was 31.0%lower than that of the T1 treatment.In addition,the ISCM treatment optimized soil total nitrogen(TN)distribution and significantly increased TN in the cultivated layer.Excessive nitrogen fertilizer was applied in treatment T3,producing the highest maize yield,and resulting in the highest Nr losses.In contrast,the ISCM treatment used a reduced nitrogen fertilizer rate,sacrificing grain yield partly,which reduced Nr losses and eventually led to a significant increase in nitrogen use efficiency and nitrogen recovery.The Nr level in the ISCM treatment was34.8%lower than in the T1 treatment while NUE was significantly higher than in the T1 treatment by 56.8-63.1%in2019 and 2020,respectively.Considering yield,WUE,NUE,WF,and NF together,ISCM should be used as a more sustainable and clean system for sustainable production of summer maize.展开更多
Herbicide safeners alleviate herbicide toxicity while preserving weed-control efficacy in common buckwheat.A three-year field experiment was performed to measure the effects of quizalofop-P-ethyl(QPE)alone or in combi...Herbicide safeners alleviate herbicide toxicity while preserving weed-control efficacy in common buckwheat.A three-year field experiment was performed to measure the effects of quizalofop-P-ethyl(QPE)alone or in combination with gibberellin or brassinolide on soil enzyme activity and yield components in common buckwheat.The herbicide-brassinolide application yielded the greatest increases in soil enzyme activity and yield components without sacrificing weed control efficacy.It is recommended for use in common buckwheat cultivation in the Loess Plateau.展开更多
Pear(Pyrus bretschneideri)fruit stone cells are primarily composed of lignin and have strongly lignified cell walls.The presence of stone cells has a negative influence on fruit texture and taste,and thus the reductio...Pear(Pyrus bretschneideri)fruit stone cells are primarily composed of lignin and have strongly lignified cell walls.The presence of stone cells has a negative influence on fruit texture and taste,and thus the reduction of stone cell content in pear fruit is a key goal of breeding efforts.However,research into the key transcription factors and regulatory networks associated with pear fruit stone cell formation have been limited.We here used a combination of co-expression network and expression quantitative trait locus(eQTL)analyses in 206 pear cultivars with different stone cell contents to identify relevant genes;these analyses uncovered the gene PbrMYB4,a R2R3 MYB transcription factor gene.There was a strong positive correlation between relative PbrMYB4 expression levels in the fruit flesh and stone cell/lignin contents.Overexpression of PbrMYB4 significantly increased the lignin contents,whereas silencing of PbrMYB4 had the opposite effect,decreasing the contents of lignin.PbrMYB4 overexpression in pear calli significantly promoted lignin biosynthesis.In Arabidopsis thaliana,PbrMYB4 overexpression resulted in increasing lignin deposition,cell wall thickness of vessels and xylary fiber,and accelerating expression level of lignin biosynthetic genes.PbrMYB4 was found to activate 4-Coumarate:Coenzyme A Ligase(Pbr4CL1)by binding to AC-I elements in the promoter regions,as demonstrated with dual-luciferase reporter assays and a yeast one-hybrid assay.These results demonstrated that PbrMYB4 positively regulated lignin biosynthesis in pear fruit stone cells by activating lignin biosynthesis genes.This study improves our understanding of the gene regulatory networks associated with stone cell formation in pear fruit,providing guidance for molecular breeding of pear varieties with low stone cell content.展开更多
Tomato(Solanum lycopersicum)is an extensively cultivated vegetable,and its growth and fruit quality can be significantly impaired by low temperatures.The widespread presence of N^(6)-methyladenosine(m^(6)A)modificatio...Tomato(Solanum lycopersicum)is an extensively cultivated vegetable,and its growth and fruit quality can be significantly impaired by low temperatures.The widespread presence of N^(6)-methyladenosine(m^(6)A)modification on RNA is involved in a diverse range of stress response processes.There is a significant knowledge gap regarding the precise roles of m^(6)A modification in tomato,particularly for cold stress response.Here,we assessed the m^(6)A modification landscape of S.lycopersicum'Micro-Tom'leaves in response to low-temperature stress.Furthermore,we investigated the potential relationship among m^(6)A modification,transcriptional regulation,alternative polyadenylation events,and protein translation via MeRIP-seq,RNA-seq,and protein mass spectrometry.After omic date analysis,11378 and 10735 significant m^(6)A peak associated genes were identified in the control and cold treatment tomato leaves,respectively.Additionally,we observed a UGUACAK(K=G/U)motif under both conditions.Differential m^(6)A site associated genes most likely play roles in protein translation regulatory pathway.Besides directly altering gene expression levels,m^(6)A also leads to differential poly(A)site usage under low-temperature.Finally,24 important candidate genes associated with cold stress were identified by system-level multi-omic analysis.Among them,m^(6)A modification levels were increased in SBPase(Sedoheptulose-1,7-bisphosphatase,Solyc05g052600.4)mRNA,causing distal poly(A)site usage,downregulation of mRNA expression level,and increased protein abundance.Through these,tomato leaves try to maintain normal photo synthetic carbon assimilation and nitro gen metabolism under low-temperature condition.The comprehensive investigation of the m^(6)A modification landscape and multi-omics analysis provide valuable insights into the epigenetic regulatory mechanisms in tomato cold stress response.展开更多
Photosynthesis is the basis of crop growth and is sensitive to stress.Smut(Sporisorium destruens)is the primary disease in the production of broomcorn millet(Panicum miliaceum L.).This study evaluated the effects of i...Photosynthesis is the basis of crop growth and is sensitive to stress.Smut(Sporisorium destruens)is the primary disease in the production of broomcorn millet(Panicum miliaceum L.).This study evaluated the effects of infection with S.destruens on the photosynthesis of the resistant cultivar(BM)and susceptible cultivar(NF).After inoculation,there was a decrease in the chlorophyll content,gas exchange parameters,and chlorophyll fluorescence of the two cultivars.Observation of the ultrastructure of diseased leaves showed that the chloroplasts and mitochondria had abnormal morphology,and some vacuoles appeared.RNA-seq was performed on the flag leaves after inoculation.In addition to the resistant and susceptible cultivars,the diseased leaves developed from inflorescences were defined as S2.The analysis showed that the pathways related to photosynthesis stimulated some differentially expressed genes(DEGs)after infection with S.destruens.More DEGs were induced in the susceptible broomcorn millet NF than in the resistant broomcorn millet BM,and most of those genes were downregulated.The number of DEGs induced by S2 was greater than that in susceptible cultivar NF,and most of them were upregulated.These results indicate that infection with S.destruens affects the normal photosynthetic performance of broomcorn millet.Understanding the mechanism between S.destruens,photosynthesis,and broomcorn millet is an effective measure to prevent the occurrence of smut and enhance its resistance.展开更多
Agronomically optimizing the timing and rates of nitrogen(N) fertilizer application can increase crop yield and decrease N loss to the environment. Wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)–peanut(Arachis hypogaea L.) relay interc...Agronomically optimizing the timing and rates of nitrogen(N) fertilizer application can increase crop yield and decrease N loss to the environment. Wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)–peanut(Arachis hypogaea L.) relay intercropping systems are a mainstay of economic and food security in China. We performed a field experiment to investigate the effects of N fertilizer on N recovery efficiency, crop yield, and N loss rate in wheat–peanut relay intercropping systems in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain, China during 2015–2017. The N was applied on the day before sowing, the jointing stage(G30) or the booting stage(G40) of winter wheat, and the anthesis stage(R1) of peanut in the following percentage splits: 50-50-0-0(N1), 35-35-0-30(N2), and 35-0-35-30(N3), using 300 kg N ha-1, with 0 kg N ha-1(N0) as control. ^(15)N-labeled(20.14 atom %) urea was used to trace the fate of N in microplots. The yields of wheat and peanut increased by 12.4% and 15.4% under the N2 and N3 treatments, relative to those under the N1 treatment. The ^(15)N recovery efficiencies( ^(15)NRE) were 64.9% and 58.1% for treatments N2 and N3, significantly greater than that for the N1 treatment(45.3%). The potential N loss rates for the treatments N2 and N3 were23.7% and 7.0%, significantly lower than that for treatment N1(30.1%). Withholding N supply until the booting stage(N3) did not reduce the wheat grain yield; however, it increased the N content derived from ^(15)N-labeled urea in peanuts, promoted the distribution of ^(15)N to pods, and ultimately increased pod yields in comparison with those obtained by topdressing N at jointing stage(N2). In comparison with N2, the N uptake and N recovery efficiency(NRE) of N3 was increased by 12.0% and 24.1%,respectively, while the apparent N loss decreased by 16.7%. In conclusion, applying N fertilizer with three splits and delaying topdressing fertilization until G40 of winter wheat increased total grain yields and NRE and reduced N loss. This practice could be an environment-friendly N management strategy for wheat–peanut relay intercropping systems in China.展开更多
Intercropping is used widely by smallholder farmers in developing countries to increase land productivity and profitability. We conducted a maize/peanut intercropping experiment in the 2015 and 2016 growing seasons in...Intercropping is used widely by smallholder farmers in developing countries to increase land productivity and profitability. We conducted a maize/peanut intercropping experiment in the 2015 and 2016 growing seasons in Shandong, China. Treatments included sole maize (SM), sole peanut (SP), and an intercrop consisting of four rows of maize and six rows of peanut (IM and IP). The results showed that the intercropping system had yield advantages based on the land equivalent ratio (LER) values of 1.15 and 1.16 in the two years, respectively. Averaged over the two years, the yield of maize in the intercropping was increased by 61.05% compared to that in SM, while the pod yield of peanut was decreased by 31.80% compared to SP. Maize was the superior competitor when intercropped with peanut, and its productivity dominated the yield of the intercropping system in our study. The increased yield was due to a higher kernel number per ear (KNE). Intercropping increased the light transmission ratio (LTR) of the ear layer in the maize canopy, the active photosynthetic duration (APD), and the harvest index (HI) compared to SM. In addition, intercropping promoted the ratio of dry matter accumulation after silking and the distribution of 13C-photosynthates to grain compared to SM. In conclusion, maize/peanut intercropping demonstrated the potential to improve the light condition of maize, achieving enhanced photosynthetic characteristics that improved female spike differentiation, reduced barrenness, and increased KNE. Moreover, dry matter accumulation and 13C-photosynthates distribution to grain of intercropped maize were improved, and a higher grain yield was ultimately obtained.展开更多
Fruit quality is the main factor determining market competitiveness;it represents the combination of fruit flavor,color,size,and the contents of aromatic and bioactive substances.Research on the genetic basis of fruit...Fruit quality is the main factor determining market competitiveness;it represents the combination of fruit flavor,color,size,and the contents of aromatic and bioactive substances.Research on the genetic basis of fruit quality can provide new information about fruit biology,promote genomic-assisted breeding,and provide technological support for the regulation of fruit quality via habitat selection and/or the control of environmental conditions.High-throughput sequencing is a powerful research method for studying fruit quality traits,and reference genome sequences for many important fruit crops have provided vast amounts of genomic data.To study fruit quality,it is important to select appropriate omics strategies and to analyze omics data meaningfully.Here,we summarize genomic mechanisms of fruit quality formation:gene duplication,transposable element insertion,structural variations and genome methylation in functional genes.We review the genomic,transcriptomic,and metabolomic strategies that have been used to study the genetic basis of fruit quality traits.We also describe some of the genes associated with fruit traits;these genes are a valuable resource for genomics-assisted breeding and are useful models for deciphering the mechanisms of agronomic traits,such as fruit color,size,hardness,aroma components,sugar and acid content.Finally,to maximize the application of omics information,we propose some further directions for research using omics strategies.展开更多
This study investigated the effects of six crop rotation combinations on the soil quality of old apple orchard and seedling growth of Malus hupehensis Rehd.(apple rootstock) under pot conditions. The inhibitory effect...This study investigated the effects of six crop rotation combinations on the soil quality of old apple orchard and seedling growth of Malus hupehensis Rehd.(apple rootstock) under pot conditions. The inhibitory effects of crops such as Allium fistulosum, Brassica juncea, and Triticum aestivum on four species of Fusarium were observed and compared in six treatments. These were continuous cropping(CK), fumigation with the methyl bromide(FM), rotating A. fistulosum only(R1), rotating A. fistulosum and T. aestivum(R2), rotating A. fistulosum, B. juncea, and T. aestivum(R3), and fallow(FC) in a year. The results showed that the biomass of Malus hupehensis Rehd. seedlings increased significantly. The root length increased and the root architecture was optimized. The respiration rate of the root system was increased by about 1 time after rotation. The treatments of R1, R2, R3, and FC increased bacterial count by 232.17%, 96.04%, 316.21%, and 60.02%, respectively. However, the fungi were reduced in varying degrees and bacteria/fungi ratio was increased by 5–10 times. The enzyme activities, p H, and organic matter were increased, but soil bulk density was decreased. Phenolic acids such as phloridzin was decreased significantly. The copy number of four Fusarium species declined by 85.59%, 74.94%, 69.68%, and 54.41% after rotating three different crops(R3 treatment). The root volatiles of three plants inhibited mycelial growth and spore germination of four Fusarium species.展开更多
The components and contents of high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits(HMW-GS) in wheat grains affect glutenin macropolymer(GMP) size, which is considered an important flour quality trait in wheat. Four wheat cultivar...The components and contents of high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits(HMW-GS) in wheat grains affect glutenin macropolymer(GMP) size, which is considered an important flour quality trait in wheat. Four wheat cultivars(Shiluan 02-1, Yannong 24, Jinan 17 and Lumai 21) with different end-use qualities were used to investigate the HMW-GS and GMP contents, and the GMP particle distributions in grain produced under irrigated and rainfed conditions. The percent volume of GMP particles and the contents of HMW-GS and GMP were affected by genotype and soil water. Genotype × soil water interaction was significant only for GMP particles <12 μm and >100 μm in the growing season of 2010–2011. Irrigated and rainfed conditions had different influences on the GMP particle distribution in the four cultivars. Compared to irrigated treatment, the rainfed treatment had higher accumulations of HMW-GS and GMP, especially in cultivars Yannong 24, Jinan 17 and Lumai 21. Rainfed conditions also increased the proportion of large size particles of GMP, indicating that different water regimes had an effect on grain quality. According to correlation coefficients(r), the contents of HMW-GS and GMP in grains were negatively correlated with the volume of <12 μm GMP particles, but positively correlated with GMP particles >100 μm.展开更多
Shuguang （Prunus persica var. nectariana cv. Shuguang） nectarine was used to study effects of photoperiod on key-enzyme activities of respiration during dormancy induction. The dormancy status was determined with sp...Shuguang （Prunus persica var. nectariana cv. Shuguang） nectarine was used to study effects of photoperiod on key-enzyme activities of respiration during dormancy induction. The dormancy status was determined with sprouting ability. Spectrophotometry was used to investigate activities of phosphohexose isomerase （PGI）, malic dehydrogenase （MDH）, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase （G6PDH）. The results revealed that short day （SD） treatment promoted dormancy induction while long day （LD） treatment postponed the process. During dormancy induction, PGI activities declined, MDH activities changed little, and G6PDH activities increased both in flower buds and leaf buds. PGI activities and MDH activities in SD treatment were lower than control, and G6PDH activities were higher, which was opposite with LD treatment. The changes of respiratory key-enzyme activities were adjusted by photoperiod and correlated with the development of dormancy induction.展开更多
Prunus species include many important perennial fruit crops,such as peach,plum,apricot,and related wild species.Here,we report de novo genome assemblies for five species,including the cultivated species peach(Prunus p...Prunus species include many important perennial fruit crops,such as peach,plum,apricot,and related wild species.Here,we report de novo genome assemblies for five species,including the cultivated species peach(Prunus persica),plum(Prunus salicina),and apricot(Prunus armeniaca),and the wild peach species Tibetan peach(Prunus mira)and Chinese wild peach(Prunus davidiana).The genomes ranged from 240 to 276 Mb in size,with contig N50 values of 2.27−8.30Mb and 25,333−27,826 protein-coding gene models.As the phylogenetic tree shows,plum diverged from its common ancestor with peach,wild peach species,and apricot~7 million years ago(MYA).We analyzed whole-genome resequencing data of 417 peach accessions,called 3,749,618 high-quality SNPs,577,154 small indels,31,800 deletions,duplications,and inversions,and 32,338 insertions,and performed a structural variant-based genome-wide association study(GWAS)of key agricultural traits.From our GWAS data,we identified a locus associated with a fruit shape corresponding to the OVATE transcription factor,where a large inversion event correlates with higher OVATE expression in flat-shaped accessions.Furthermore,a GWAS revealed a NAC transcription factor associated with fruit developmental timing that is linked to a tandem repeat variant and elevated NAC expression in early-ripening accessions.We also identified a locus encoding microRNA172d,where insertion of a transposable element into its promoter was found in double-flower accessions.Thus,our efforts have suggested roles for OVATE,a NAC transcription factor,and microRNA172d in fruit shape,fruit development period,and floral morphology,respectively,that can be connected to traits in other crops,thereby demonstrating the importance of parallel evolution in the diversification of several commercially important domesticated species.In general,these genomic resources will facilitate functional genomics,evolutionary research,and agronomic improvement of these five and other Prunus species.We believe that structural variant-based GWASs can also be used in other plants,animal species,and humans and be combined with deep sequencing GWASs to precisely identify candidate genes and genetic architecture components.展开更多
Photosynthesis, the most important physiological process in plants, can produce not only ATP and NADPH used in other processes but also carbohydrate, the key factor for crop yield. Production of photoassimilates is of...Photosynthesis, the most important physiological process in plants, can produce not only ATP and NADPH used in other processes but also carbohydrate, the key factor for crop yield. Production of photoassimilates is often influenced by various environmental factors such as light, temperature, CO2, water, mineral elements and leaf stage and position. Here we focused on the light-mediated regulation of photoassimilate translocation in plants and the application of light environment control in greenhouse production. We also reviewed the effects of other factors including leaf age and position, air temperature, CO2 concentration and water and mineral element supply on photoassimilate translocation in plants. Finally some perspectives have been proposed.展开更多
Apple replant disease(ARD) is primarily caused by biotic factors that seriously inhibits the development of apple industry. Therefore, the use of biological control measures to inhibit the main pathogens(such as Fusar...Apple replant disease(ARD) is primarily caused by biotic factors that seriously inhibits the development of apple industry. Therefore, the use of biological control measures to inhibit the main pathogens(such as Fusarium spp.) that cause ARD is of great significance to the sustainable development of the apple industry. Trichoderma virens 6PS-2, which exhibited antagonism toward a variety of pathogens, was screened from the rhizosphere soils of healthy apple trees(Malus robusta) in different replanted orchards in the Yantai and Zibo Cities, Shandong Province, China. Its fermentation extract inhibited the growth of pathogenic Fusarium proliferatum f. sp. Malus domestica MR5, which was proportional to the concentration. These substances also increased the hairy root volume and growth of Arabidopsis thaliana lateral roots. The phenotype of Malus hupehensis seedlings and microbial community structure in rhizosphere soils in greenhouse experiment using Highthroughput sequencing were analyzed, and the field experiment with grafted apple trees were used for further verification. Compared with the application of potato dextrose broth(PDB) medium, application of 6PS-2 spore suspension directly to replanted soils could improve the growth of M. hupehensis seedlings as well as the elongation of grafted apple trees. Concomitant decreases in the gene copy number of Fusarium and increases in the culturable bacteria/fungi were also observed in the greenhouse and field experiments. The abundance of Trichoderma,Bacillus, and Streptomyces increased significantly, but that of Fusarium, Pseudarthrobacter, and Humicola decreased. The content of esters, phenols,furans, and amino acids in root exudates of M. hupehensis seedlings increased, which significantly inhibited the multiplication of Fusarium, but was positively correlated with Bacillus and Trichoderma. In summary, T. virens 6PS-2 not only directly inhibits the activity of pathogenic Fusarium but also secrets secondary metabolites with antifungal and growth-promoting potential. In addition, 6PS-2 spore suspension can also promote the growth of plants to a certain extent, and change the soil microbial community structure of rhizosphere soils. It is believed that T. virens 6PS-2 has the potential for the alleviation of apple replant disease(ARD) in China.展开更多
Bread wheat(Triticum aestivum)is a staple food crop worldwide.The genetic dissection of important nutrient traits is essential for the biofortification of wheat to meet the nutritional needs of the world's growing...Bread wheat(Triticum aestivum)is a staple food crop worldwide.The genetic dissection of important nutrient traits is essential for the biofortification of wheat to meet the nutritional needs of the world's growing population.Here,45,298 single-nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)from 55K chip arrays were used to genotype a panel of 768 wheat cultivars,and a total of 154 quantitative trait loci(QTLs)were detected for eight traits under three environments by genome-wide association study(GWAS).Three QTLs(qMn-3B.1,qFe-3B.4,and qSe-3B.1/qFe-3B.6)detected repeatedly under different environments or traits were subjected to subsequent analyses based on linkage disequilibrium decay and the P-values of significant SNPs.Significant SNPs in the three QTL regions formed six haplotypes for qMn-3B.1,three haplotypes for qFe-3B.4,and three haplotypes for qSe-3B.1/qFe-3B.6.Phenotypic analysis revealed significant differences among haplotypes.These results indicated that the concentrations of several nutrient elements have been modified during the domestication of landraces to modern wheat.Based on the QTL regions,we identified 15 high-confidence genes,eight of which were stably expressed in different tissues and/or developmental stages.TraesCS3B02G046100 in qMn-3B.1 and TraesCS3B02G199500 in qSe-3B.1/qFe-3B.6 were both inferred to interact with metal ions according to the Gene Ontology(GO)analysis.TraesCS3B02G199000,which belongs to qSe-3B.1/qFe-3B.6,was determined to be a member of the WRKY gene family.Overall,this study provides several reliable QTLs that may significantly affect the concentrations of nutrient elements in wheat grain,and this information will facilitate the breeding of wheat cultivars with improved grain properties.展开更多
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 bi...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.展开更多
Harpins play a key role in inducing disease resistance in crops,and identifying their core functional regions and establishing a system for their efficient expression would be very valuable.In this study,large amounts...Harpins play a key role in inducing disease resistance in crops,and identifying their core functional regions and establishing a system for their efficient expression would be very valuable.In this study,large amounts of soluble fusion proteins of harpin HrpZ and its subpeptides were obtained via the optimized induction conditions(28℃ with 0.5 mmol·L^(-1) IPTG for 6 h)in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3).Hypersensitive response(HR)assays demonstrated that the C-terminal 66 aa of HrpZ(HrpZ_C_2_2)elicited a strong HR in tobacco(Nicotiana benthamiana)and grape(Flame Seedless)leaves.Additionally,treatment with HrpZ,and particularly HrpZ_C_2_2,significantly reduced the disease incidence and severity index of field vine leaves and those inoculated with downy mildew.The determination of the physiological parameters indicated that HrpZ,and especially HrpZ_C_2_2,improved the photosynthesis-and chlorophyll fluorescence-related parameters,enhanced the activity of defense-related enzymes,including SOD,POD,CAT and PAL,and increased the H_(2)O_(2) level.Collectively,we efficiently expressed a core peptide of HrpZ and elucidated its strong ability to elicit a HR and resistance to downy mildew.This research provides insight into understanding the structure and function of HrpZ and will advance the application of HrpZ_C_2_2 to increase the resistance of grapevine to downy mildew.展开更多
Genomic selection (GS) has the potential to improve selection efficiency and shorten the breeding cycle in fruit tree breeding. In this study,we evaluated the effect of prediction methods, marker density and the train...Genomic selection (GS) has the potential to improve selection efficiency and shorten the breeding cycle in fruit tree breeding. In this study,we evaluated the effect of prediction methods, marker density and the training population (TP) size on pear GS for improving its performance and reducing cost. We evaluated GS under two scenarios:(1) five-fold cross-validation in an interspecific pear family;(2) independent validation. Based on the cross-validation scheme, the prediction accuracy (PA) of eight fruit traits varied between 0.33 (fruit core vertical diameter)and 0.65 (stone cell content). Except for single fruit weight, a slightly better prediction accuracy (PA) was observed for the five parametrical methods compared with the two non-parametrical methods. In our TP of 310 individuals, 2 000 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were sufficient to make reasonably accurate predictions. PAs for different traits increased by 18.21%-46.98%when the TP size increased from 50to 100, but the increment was smaller (-4.13%-33.91%) when the TP size increased from 200 to 250. For independent validation, the PAs ranged from 0.11 to 0.45 using rrBLUP method. In summary, our results showed that the TP size and SNP numbers had a greater impact on the PA than prediction methods. Furthermore, relatedness among the training and validation sets, and the complexity of traits should be considered when designing a TP to predict the test panel.展开更多
Chilling stress and continuous cropping obstacles limit sustainable production of watermelons under controlled environments.Grafting of watermelon scions onto resistant rootstocks is an effective strategy currently us...Chilling stress and continuous cropping obstacles limit sustainable production of watermelons under controlled environments.Grafting of watermelon scions onto resistant rootstocks is an effective strategy currently used to overcome these environment limitations.However,currently used commercial rootstocks adversely affect watermelon fruit quality.The chilling tolerance and Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.niveum race 1(FON1)resistance of seven Cucurbit germplasms,including four watermelon germplasms(M08,TC,YL,and MY),two muskmelon cultivars(JT1 and JSM),and one commercial Cucurbita rootstock(QZ1)of watermelon,were explored in the current study.The effects of the rootstocks of these germplasms on watermelon resistance to chilling stress and continuous cropping obstacles were evaluated.TC rootstock showed the highest chilling tolerance and increased chilling tolerance of watermelon scion.All Cucurbit germplasms showed higher resistance to FON1 than watermelon cultivar N5(control).Watermelons grafted onto QZ1 showed the lowest wilt incidence and highest fruit yield but had the worst fruit quality after planting on soils continuously cropped for 11 years.Watermelons grafted onto TC showed higher resistance and yield and the best fruit quality.These findings indicate that TC has a large potential for use in grafting watermelon planted in continuously cropped soils(<10 years).TC can also be used as breeding rootstocks to improve watermelon resistance against continuous cropping obstacles without compromising fruit quality.展开更多
Abiotic stress reduces plant yield and quality.WRKY transcription factors play key roles in abiotic stress responses in plants,but the molecular mechanisms by which WRKY transcription factors mediate responses to drou...Abiotic stress reduces plant yield and quality.WRKY transcription factors play key roles in abiotic stress responses in plants,but the molecular mechanisms by which WRKY transcription factors mediate responses to drought and osmotic stresses in apple(Malus×domestica Borkh.)remain unclear.Here,we functionally characterized the apple GroupⅢWRKY gene MdWRKY115.qRT-PCR analysis showed that MdWRKY115 expression was up-regulated by drought and osmotic stresses.GUS activity analysis revealed that the promoter activity of MdWRKY115 was enhanced under osmotic stress.Subcellular localization and transactivation assays indicated that MdWRKY115 was localized to the nucleus and had a transcriptional activity domain at the N-terminal region.Transgenic analysis revealed that the overexpression of MdWRKY115 in Arabidopsis plants and in apple callus markedly enhanced their tolerance to drought and osmotic stresses.DNA affinity purification sequencing showed that MdWRKY115 binds to the promoter of the stress-related gene MdRD22.This binding was further verified by an electrophoretic mobility shift assay.Collectively,these findings suggest that MdWRKY115 is an important regulator of osmotic and drought stress tolerance in apple.展开更多
基金support of the National Key R&D Program of China(2023YFD2301500)the China Agriculture System of MOF and MARA(CARS-02)the Shandong Central Guiding the Local Science and Technology Development,China(YDZX20203700002548)。
文摘The footprints of water and nitrogen(WF and NF)provide a comprehensive overview of the type and quantity of water consumption and reactive nitrogen(Nr)loss in crop production.In this study,a field experiment over two years(2019 and 2020)compared three integrated agronomic practice management(IAPM)systems:An improved management system(T2),a high-yield production system(T3),and an integrated soil-crop management system(ISCM)using a local smallholder farmer’s practice system(T1)as control,to investigate the responses of WF,Nr losses,water use efficiency(WUE),and nitrogen use efficiency(NUE)to IAPM.The results showed that IAPM optimized water distribution and promoted water use by summer maize.The evapotranspiration over the whole maize growth period of IAPM increased,but yield increased more,leading to a significant increase in WUE.The WUE of the T2,T3,and ISCM treatments was significantly greater than in the T1 treatment,in 2019 and 2020respectively,by 19.8-21.5,31.8-40.6,and 34.4-44.6%.The lowest WF was found in the ISCM treatment,which was 31.0%lower than that of the T1 treatment.In addition,the ISCM treatment optimized soil total nitrogen(TN)distribution and significantly increased TN in the cultivated layer.Excessive nitrogen fertilizer was applied in treatment T3,producing the highest maize yield,and resulting in the highest Nr losses.In contrast,the ISCM treatment used a reduced nitrogen fertilizer rate,sacrificing grain yield partly,which reduced Nr losses and eventually led to a significant increase in nitrogen use efficiency and nitrogen recovery.The Nr level in the ISCM treatment was34.8%lower than in the T1 treatment while NUE was significantly higher than in the T1 treatment by 56.8-63.1%in2019 and 2020,respectively.Considering yield,WUE,NUE,WF,and NF together,ISCM should be used as a more sustainable and clean system for sustainable production of summer maize.
基金supported by the Science and Technology Key Research&Development Project of Shaanxi Province(2022NY-178)the Technical System of Minor Cereals Industry in Shaanxi Province(NYKJ-2022-YL(XN)28)the Special Fund for Seed Industrial Development in Shaanxi Province(K3031223130).
文摘Herbicide safeners alleviate herbicide toxicity while preserving weed-control efficacy in common buckwheat.A three-year field experiment was performed to measure the effects of quizalofop-P-ethyl(QPE)alone or in combination with gibberellin or brassinolide on soil enzyme activity and yield components in common buckwheat.The herbicide-brassinolide application yielded the greatest increases in soil enzyme activity and yield components without sacrificing weed control efficacy.It is recommended for use in common buckwheat cultivation in the Loess Plateau.
基金funded by the Science Foundation of China(Grant No.32230097)Earmarked Fund for China Agriculture Research System(Grant No.CARS-28)+2 种基金the Earmarked Fund for Jiangsu Agricultural Industry Technology System(Grant No.JATS[2023]412)Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province for Young Scholar(Grant No.BK20221010)supported by the high-performance computing platform of Bioinformatics Center,Nanjing Agricultural University。
文摘Pear(Pyrus bretschneideri)fruit stone cells are primarily composed of lignin and have strongly lignified cell walls.The presence of stone cells has a negative influence on fruit texture and taste,and thus the reduction of stone cell content in pear fruit is a key goal of breeding efforts.However,research into the key transcription factors and regulatory networks associated with pear fruit stone cell formation have been limited.We here used a combination of co-expression network and expression quantitative trait locus(eQTL)analyses in 206 pear cultivars with different stone cell contents to identify relevant genes;these analyses uncovered the gene PbrMYB4,a R2R3 MYB transcription factor gene.There was a strong positive correlation between relative PbrMYB4 expression levels in the fruit flesh and stone cell/lignin contents.Overexpression of PbrMYB4 significantly increased the lignin contents,whereas silencing of PbrMYB4 had the opposite effect,decreasing the contents of lignin.PbrMYB4 overexpression in pear calli significantly promoted lignin biosynthesis.In Arabidopsis thaliana,PbrMYB4 overexpression resulted in increasing lignin deposition,cell wall thickness of vessels and xylary fiber,and accelerating expression level of lignin biosynthetic genes.PbrMYB4 was found to activate 4-Coumarate:Coenzyme A Ligase(Pbr4CL1)by binding to AC-I elements in the promoter regions,as demonstrated with dual-luciferase reporter assays and a yeast one-hybrid assay.These results demonstrated that PbrMYB4 positively regulated lignin biosynthesis in pear fruit stone cells by activating lignin biosynthesis genes.This study improves our understanding of the gene regulatory networks associated with stone cell formation in pear fruit,providing guidance for molecular breeding of pear varieties with low stone cell content.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.32202518 and 32070601)Shandong University of Technology PhD Start-up Fund(418097)。
文摘Tomato(Solanum lycopersicum)is an extensively cultivated vegetable,and its growth and fruit quality can be significantly impaired by low temperatures.The widespread presence of N^(6)-methyladenosine(m^(6)A)modification on RNA is involved in a diverse range of stress response processes.There is a significant knowledge gap regarding the precise roles of m^(6)A modification in tomato,particularly for cold stress response.Here,we assessed the m^(6)A modification landscape of S.lycopersicum'Micro-Tom'leaves in response to low-temperature stress.Furthermore,we investigated the potential relationship among m^(6)A modification,transcriptional regulation,alternative polyadenylation events,and protein translation via MeRIP-seq,RNA-seq,and protein mass spectrometry.After omic date analysis,11378 and 10735 significant m^(6)A peak associated genes were identified in the control and cold treatment tomato leaves,respectively.Additionally,we observed a UGUACAK(K=G/U)motif under both conditions.Differential m^(6)A site associated genes most likely play roles in protein translation regulatory pathway.Besides directly altering gene expression levels,m^(6)A also leads to differential poly(A)site usage under low-temperature.Finally,24 important candidate genes associated with cold stress were identified by system-level multi-omic analysis.Among them,m^(6)A modification levels were increased in SBPase(Sedoheptulose-1,7-bisphosphatase,Solyc05g052600.4)mRNA,causing distal poly(A)site usage,downregulation of mRNA expression level,and increased protein abundance.Through these,tomato leaves try to maintain normal photo synthetic carbon assimilation and nitro gen metabolism under low-temperature condition.The comprehensive investigation of the m^(6)A modification landscape and multi-omics analysis provide valuable insights into the epigenetic regulatory mechanisms in tomato cold stress response.
基金supported by the China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA(CARS-06-A26)the“Two-chain”Fusion Crop Breeding Key Project of Shaanxi,China(2021-LLRH-07)。
文摘Photosynthesis is the basis of crop growth and is sensitive to stress.Smut(Sporisorium destruens)is the primary disease in the production of broomcorn millet(Panicum miliaceum L.).This study evaluated the effects of infection with S.destruens on the photosynthesis of the resistant cultivar(BM)and susceptible cultivar(NF).After inoculation,there was a decrease in the chlorophyll content,gas exchange parameters,and chlorophyll fluorescence of the two cultivars.Observation of the ultrastructure of diseased leaves showed that the chloroplasts and mitochondria had abnormal morphology,and some vacuoles appeared.RNA-seq was performed on the flag leaves after inoculation.In addition to the resistant and susceptible cultivars,the diseased leaves developed from inflorescences were defined as S2.The analysis showed that the pathways related to photosynthesis stimulated some differentially expressed genes(DEGs)after infection with S.destruens.More DEGs were induced in the susceptible broomcorn millet NF than in the resistant broomcorn millet BM,and most of those genes were downregulated.The number of DEGs induced by S2 was greater than that in susceptible cultivar NF,and most of them were upregulated.These results indicate that infection with S.destruens affects the normal photosynthetic performance of broomcorn millet.Understanding the mechanism between S.destruens,photosynthesis,and broomcorn millet is an effective measure to prevent the occurrence of smut and enhance its resistance.
基金supported by the National Key Technology R&D Program of China (2014BAD11B04-2)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30840056, 31171496)Shandong Modern Agricultural Technology and Industry System (SDAIT-04-01)
文摘Agronomically optimizing the timing and rates of nitrogen(N) fertilizer application can increase crop yield and decrease N loss to the environment. Wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)–peanut(Arachis hypogaea L.) relay intercropping systems are a mainstay of economic and food security in China. We performed a field experiment to investigate the effects of N fertilizer on N recovery efficiency, crop yield, and N loss rate in wheat–peanut relay intercropping systems in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain, China during 2015–2017. The N was applied on the day before sowing, the jointing stage(G30) or the booting stage(G40) of winter wheat, and the anthesis stage(R1) of peanut in the following percentage splits: 50-50-0-0(N1), 35-35-0-30(N2), and 35-0-35-30(N3), using 300 kg N ha-1, with 0 kg N ha-1(N0) as control. ^(15)N-labeled(20.14 atom %) urea was used to trace the fate of N in microplots. The yields of wheat and peanut increased by 12.4% and 15.4% under the N2 and N3 treatments, relative to those under the N1 treatment. The ^(15)N recovery efficiencies( ^(15)NRE) were 64.9% and 58.1% for treatments N2 and N3, significantly greater than that for the N1 treatment(45.3%). The potential N loss rates for the treatments N2 and N3 were23.7% and 7.0%, significantly lower than that for treatment N1(30.1%). Withholding N supply until the booting stage(N3) did not reduce the wheat grain yield; however, it increased the N content derived from ^(15)N-labeled urea in peanuts, promoted the distribution of ^(15)N to pods, and ultimately increased pod yields in comparison with those obtained by topdressing N at jointing stage(N2). In comparison with N2, the N uptake and N recovery efficiency(NRE) of N3 was increased by 12.0% and 24.1%,respectively, while the apparent N loss decreased by 16.7%. In conclusion, applying N fertilizer with three splits and delaying topdressing fertilization until G40 of winter wheat increased total grain yields and NRE and reduced N loss. This practice could be an environment-friendly N management strategy for wheat–peanut relay intercropping systems in China.
基金support of the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFD0301001)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31301274 and 31171497)+1 种基金funds from the Shandong “Double Tops” Program, China (SYL2017XTTD14)the Open Project of State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology in Shandong Agricultural University, China (2018KF10)
文摘Intercropping is used widely by smallholder farmers in developing countries to increase land productivity and profitability. We conducted a maize/peanut intercropping experiment in the 2015 and 2016 growing seasons in Shandong, China. Treatments included sole maize (SM), sole peanut (SP), and an intercrop consisting of four rows of maize and six rows of peanut (IM and IP). The results showed that the intercropping system had yield advantages based on the land equivalent ratio (LER) values of 1.15 and 1.16 in the two years, respectively. Averaged over the two years, the yield of maize in the intercropping was increased by 61.05% compared to that in SM, while the pod yield of peanut was decreased by 31.80% compared to SP. Maize was the superior competitor when intercropped with peanut, and its productivity dominated the yield of the intercropping system in our study. The increased yield was due to a higher kernel number per ear (KNE). Intercropping increased the light transmission ratio (LTR) of the ear layer in the maize canopy, the active photosynthetic duration (APD), and the harvest index (HI) compared to SM. In addition, intercropping promoted the ratio of dry matter accumulation after silking and the distribution of 13C-photosynthates to grain compared to SM. In conclusion, maize/peanut intercropping demonstrated the potential to improve the light condition of maize, achieving enhanced photosynthetic characteristics that improved female spike differentiation, reduced barrenness, and increased KNE. Moreover, dry matter accumulation and 13C-photosynthates distribution to grain of intercropped maize were improved, and a higher grain yield was ultimately obtained.
基金This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2018YFD1000200)the Chinese National Natural Science Foundation(Grant No.31800573)+1 种基金the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant No.2019M662416)We thank Jennifer Smith,PhD,from Liwen Bianji,Edanz Group China(www.liwenbianji.cn/ac),for editing the English text of a draft of this manuscript.
文摘Fruit quality is the main factor determining market competitiveness;it represents the combination of fruit flavor,color,size,and the contents of aromatic and bioactive substances.Research on the genetic basis of fruit quality can provide new information about fruit biology,promote genomic-assisted breeding,and provide technological support for the regulation of fruit quality via habitat selection and/or the control of environmental conditions.High-throughput sequencing is a powerful research method for studying fruit quality traits,and reference genome sequences for many important fruit crops have provided vast amounts of genomic data.To study fruit quality,it is important to select appropriate omics strategies and to analyze omics data meaningfully.Here,we summarize genomic mechanisms of fruit quality formation:gene duplication,transposable element insertion,structural variations and genome methylation in functional genes.We review the genomic,transcriptomic,and metabolomic strategies that have been used to study the genetic basis of fruit quality traits.We also describe some of the genes associated with fruit traits;these genes are a valuable resource for genomics-assisted breeding and are useful models for deciphering the mechanisms of agronomic traits,such as fruit color,size,hardness,aroma components,sugar and acid content.Finally,to maximize the application of omics information,we propose some further directions for research using omics strategies.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31672104)China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA (Grant No. CARS-27)+4 种基金Shandong Agricultural Major Applied Technology Innovation Project (Grant No. SD2019ZZ008)Taishan Scholar Funded Project(Grant No. 20190923)Qingchuang Science and Technology Support Project of Shandong Colleges and Universities (Grant No.2019KJF020)Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province(Grant No. ZR2020MC131)the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2020YFD1000201)。
文摘This study investigated the effects of six crop rotation combinations on the soil quality of old apple orchard and seedling growth of Malus hupehensis Rehd.(apple rootstock) under pot conditions. The inhibitory effects of crops such as Allium fistulosum, Brassica juncea, and Triticum aestivum on four species of Fusarium were observed and compared in six treatments. These were continuous cropping(CK), fumigation with the methyl bromide(FM), rotating A. fistulosum only(R1), rotating A. fistulosum and T. aestivum(R2), rotating A. fistulosum, B. juncea, and T. aestivum(R3), and fallow(FC) in a year. The results showed that the biomass of Malus hupehensis Rehd. seedlings increased significantly. The root length increased and the root architecture was optimized. The respiration rate of the root system was increased by about 1 time after rotation. The treatments of R1, R2, R3, and FC increased bacterial count by 232.17%, 96.04%, 316.21%, and 60.02%, respectively. However, the fungi were reduced in varying degrees and bacteria/fungi ratio was increased by 5–10 times. The enzyme activities, p H, and organic matter were increased, but soil bulk density was decreased. Phenolic acids such as phloridzin was decreased significantly. The copy number of four Fusarium species declined by 85.59%, 74.94%, 69.68%, and 54.41% after rotating three different crops(R3 treatment). The root volatiles of three plants inhibited mycelial growth and spore germination of four Fusarium species.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31271667)the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province, China (Grant No. ZR2010CM044)+1 种基金the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program, Grant No. 2009CB118602)State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology (Grant No. 2012KF01) of Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, China
文摘The components and contents of high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits(HMW-GS) in wheat grains affect glutenin macropolymer(GMP) size, which is considered an important flour quality trait in wheat. Four wheat cultivars(Shiluan 02-1, Yannong 24, Jinan 17 and Lumai 21) with different end-use qualities were used to investigate the HMW-GS and GMP contents, and the GMP particle distributions in grain produced under irrigated and rainfed conditions. The percent volume of GMP particles and the contents of HMW-GS and GMP were affected by genotype and soil water. Genotype × soil water interaction was significant only for GMP particles <12 μm and >100 μm in the growing season of 2010–2011. Irrigated and rainfed conditions had different influences on the GMP particle distribution in the four cultivars. Compared to irrigated treatment, the rainfed treatment had higher accumulations of HMW-GS and GMP, especially in cultivars Yannong 24, Jinan 17 and Lumai 21. Rainfed conditions also increased the proportion of large size particles of GMP, indicating that different water regimes had an effect on grain quality. According to correlation coefficients(r), the contents of HMW-GS and GMP in grains were negatively correlated with the volume of <12 μm GMP particles, but positively correlated with GMP particles >100 μm.
基金supported by the National High-Tech R&D Program (863) of China (2005AA247041)the Key Projects in the National Science & Technology Pillar Program of China during the 11th Five-Year Plan period (2006BAD07B06)
文摘Shuguang （Prunus persica var. nectariana cv. Shuguang） nectarine was used to study effects of photoperiod on key-enzyme activities of respiration during dormancy induction. The dormancy status was determined with sprouting ability. Spectrophotometry was used to investigate activities of phosphohexose isomerase （PGI）, malic dehydrogenase （MDH）, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase （G6PDH）. The results revealed that short day （SD） treatment promoted dormancy induction while long day （LD） treatment postponed the process. During dormancy induction, PGI activities declined, MDH activities changed little, and G6PDH activities increased both in flower buds and leaf buds. PGI activities and MDH activities in SD treatment were lower than control, and G6PDH activities were higher, which was opposite with LD treatment. The changes of respiratory key-enzyme activities were adjusted by photoperiod and correlated with the development of dormancy induction.
基金This work was supported byNational Key Research and Development Plan,grant No.2018YFD1000104National Natural Science Foundation of China,grant No.31872041+2 种基金Provincial Natural Science Foundation of Shandong,grant No.ZR2018MC023Shandong Province Agricultural Good Seed Project grant,No.2020LZGC007 and 2020LZGC00702Funding for major agricultural application technology innovation projects in Shandong Province.
文摘Prunus species include many important perennial fruit crops,such as peach,plum,apricot,and related wild species.Here,we report de novo genome assemblies for five species,including the cultivated species peach(Prunus persica),plum(Prunus salicina),and apricot(Prunus armeniaca),and the wild peach species Tibetan peach(Prunus mira)and Chinese wild peach(Prunus davidiana).The genomes ranged from 240 to 276 Mb in size,with contig N50 values of 2.27−8.30Mb and 25,333−27,826 protein-coding gene models.As the phylogenetic tree shows,plum diverged from its common ancestor with peach,wild peach species,and apricot~7 million years ago(MYA).We analyzed whole-genome resequencing data of 417 peach accessions,called 3,749,618 high-quality SNPs,577,154 small indels,31,800 deletions,duplications,and inversions,and 32,338 insertions,and performed a structural variant-based genome-wide association study(GWAS)of key agricultural traits.From our GWAS data,we identified a locus associated with a fruit shape corresponding to the OVATE transcription factor,where a large inversion event correlates with higher OVATE expression in flat-shaped accessions.Furthermore,a GWAS revealed a NAC transcription factor associated with fruit developmental timing that is linked to a tandem repeat variant and elevated NAC expression in early-ripening accessions.We also identified a locus encoding microRNA172d,where insertion of a transposable element into its promoter was found in double-flower accessions.Thus,our efforts have suggested roles for OVATE,a NAC transcription factor,and microRNA172d in fruit shape,fruit development period,and floral morphology,respectively,that can be connected to traits in other crops,thereby demonstrating the importance of parallel evolution in the diversification of several commercially important domesticated species.In general,these genomic resources will facilitate functional genomics,evolutionary research,and agronomic improvement of these five and other Prunus species.We believe that structural variant-based GWASs can also be used in other plants,animal species,and humans and be combined with deep sequencing GWASs to precisely identify candidate genes and genetic architecture components.
文摘Photosynthesis, the most important physiological process in plants, can produce not only ATP and NADPH used in other processes but also carbohydrate, the key factor for crop yield. Production of photoassimilates is often influenced by various environmental factors such as light, temperature, CO2, water, mineral elements and leaf stage and position. Here we focused on the light-mediated regulation of photoassimilate translocation in plants and the application of light environment control in greenhouse production. We also reviewed the effects of other factors including leaf age and position, air temperature, CO2 concentration and water and mineral element supply on photoassimilate translocation in plants. Finally some perspectives have been proposed.
基金supported by China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA (Grant No.CARS-27)Shandong Agricultural Major Applied Technology Innovation Project (Grant No.SD2019ZZ008)+5 种基金Qingchuang Science and Technology Support Project of Shandong Colleges and Universities (Grant No.2019KJF020)Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (Grant No.ZR2020MC131)the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No.2020YFD1000201)Taishan Scholars Funded Project (Grant No.ts20190923)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.32072510)the Fruit Innovation Team in Shandong Province,China (Grant No.SDAIT-06-07)。
文摘Apple replant disease(ARD) is primarily caused by biotic factors that seriously inhibits the development of apple industry. Therefore, the use of biological control measures to inhibit the main pathogens(such as Fusarium spp.) that cause ARD is of great significance to the sustainable development of the apple industry. Trichoderma virens 6PS-2, which exhibited antagonism toward a variety of pathogens, was screened from the rhizosphere soils of healthy apple trees(Malus robusta) in different replanted orchards in the Yantai and Zibo Cities, Shandong Province, China. Its fermentation extract inhibited the growth of pathogenic Fusarium proliferatum f. sp. Malus domestica MR5, which was proportional to the concentration. These substances also increased the hairy root volume and growth of Arabidopsis thaliana lateral roots. The phenotype of Malus hupehensis seedlings and microbial community structure in rhizosphere soils in greenhouse experiment using Highthroughput sequencing were analyzed, and the field experiment with grafted apple trees were used for further verification. Compared with the application of potato dextrose broth(PDB) medium, application of 6PS-2 spore suspension directly to replanted soils could improve the growth of M. hupehensis seedlings as well as the elongation of grafted apple trees. Concomitant decreases in the gene copy number of Fusarium and increases in the culturable bacteria/fungi were also observed in the greenhouse and field experiments. The abundance of Trichoderma,Bacillus, and Streptomyces increased significantly, but that of Fusarium, Pseudarthrobacter, and Humicola decreased. The content of esters, phenols,furans, and amino acids in root exudates of M. hupehensis seedlings increased, which significantly inhibited the multiplication of Fusarium, but was positively correlated with Bacillus and Trichoderma. In summary, T. virens 6PS-2 not only directly inhibits the activity of pathogenic Fusarium but also secrets secondary metabolites with antifungal and growth-promoting potential. In addition, 6PS-2 spore suspension can also promote the growth of plants to a certain extent, and change the soil microbial community structure of rhizosphere soils. It is believed that T. virens 6PS-2 has the potential for the alleviation of apple replant disease(ARD) in China.
基金This work was supported by grants from the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province,China(ZR2020MC096,ZR2021ZD31,and ZR2020MC151)the Agricultural Variety Improvement Project of Shandong Province,China(2021LZGC013 and 2022LZGC002).
文摘Bread wheat(Triticum aestivum)is a staple food crop worldwide.The genetic dissection of important nutrient traits is essential for the biofortification of wheat to meet the nutritional needs of the world's growing population.Here,45,298 single-nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)from 55K chip arrays were used to genotype a panel of 768 wheat cultivars,and a total of 154 quantitative trait loci(QTLs)were detected for eight traits under three environments by genome-wide association study(GWAS).Three QTLs(qMn-3B.1,qFe-3B.4,and qSe-3B.1/qFe-3B.6)detected repeatedly under different environments or traits were subjected to subsequent analyses based on linkage disequilibrium decay and the P-values of significant SNPs.Significant SNPs in the three QTL regions formed six haplotypes for qMn-3B.1,three haplotypes for qFe-3B.4,and three haplotypes for qSe-3B.1/qFe-3B.6.Phenotypic analysis revealed significant differences among haplotypes.These results indicated that the concentrations of several nutrient elements have been modified during the domestication of landraces to modern wheat.Based on the QTL regions,we identified 15 high-confidence genes,eight of which were stably expressed in different tissues and/or developmental stages.TraesCS3B02G046100 in qMn-3B.1 and TraesCS3B02G199500 in qSe-3B.1/qFe-3B.6 were both inferred to interact with metal ions according to the Gene Ontology(GO)analysis.TraesCS3B02G199000,which belongs to qSe-3B.1/qFe-3B.6,was determined to be a member of the WRKY gene family.Overall,this study provides several reliable QTLs that may significantly affect the concentrations of nutrient elements in wheat grain,and this information will facilitate the breeding of wheat cultivars with improved grain properties.
基金supported by the National Science and Technology Innovation 2030 of China(2022ZD04010)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFD1200400)+2 种基金the Key Research and Development Program of Shaanxi Province,China(2022NY-158)the Ph D Start-up Fund of Northwest A&F University,China(Z1090121052)a grant from the Yang Ling Seed Industry Innovation Center,China(K3031122024).
文摘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.
基金Major Project of Science and Technology of Shandong Province(Grant No.2022CXGC010605)Fruit Industrial Technology System of Shandong Province(Grant No.SDAIT-06-03)+1 种基金Key Research and Development Program of Shandong Province(Grant No.2022LZGCQY019)Agriculture Improved Variety Project of Shandong Province(Grant No.2020 LZGC008).
文摘Harpins play a key role in inducing disease resistance in crops,and identifying their core functional regions and establishing a system for their efficient expression would be very valuable.In this study,large amounts of soluble fusion proteins of harpin HrpZ and its subpeptides were obtained via the optimized induction conditions(28℃ with 0.5 mmol·L^(-1) IPTG for 6 h)in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3).Hypersensitive response(HR)assays demonstrated that the C-terminal 66 aa of HrpZ(HrpZ_C_2_2)elicited a strong HR in tobacco(Nicotiana benthamiana)and grape(Flame Seedless)leaves.Additionally,treatment with HrpZ,and particularly HrpZ_C_2_2,significantly reduced the disease incidence and severity index of field vine leaves and those inoculated with downy mildew.The determination of the physiological parameters indicated that HrpZ,and especially HrpZ_C_2_2,improved the photosynthesis-and chlorophyll fluorescence-related parameters,enhanced the activity of defense-related enzymes,including SOD,POD,CAT and PAL,and increased the H_(2)O_(2) level.Collectively,we efficiently expressed a core peptide of HrpZ and elucidated its strong ability to elicit a HR and resistance to downy mildew.This research provides insight into understanding the structure and function of HrpZ and will advance the application of HrpZ_C_2_2 to increase the resistance of grapevine to downy mildew.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program (Grant No.2022YFD1200503)Jiangsu Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Fund [Grant No.CX(22)3043]+1 种基金the Earmarked Fund for China Agriculture Research System (Grant No.CARS-28)the Earmarked Fund for Jiangsu Agricultural Industry Technology System (Grant No.JATS [2022]454)。
文摘Genomic selection (GS) has the potential to improve selection efficiency and shorten the breeding cycle in fruit tree breeding. In this study,we evaluated the effect of prediction methods, marker density and the training population (TP) size on pear GS for improving its performance and reducing cost. We evaluated GS under two scenarios:(1) five-fold cross-validation in an interspecific pear family;(2) independent validation. Based on the cross-validation scheme, the prediction accuracy (PA) of eight fruit traits varied between 0.33 (fruit core vertical diameter)and 0.65 (stone cell content). Except for single fruit weight, a slightly better prediction accuracy (PA) was observed for the five parametrical methods compared with the two non-parametrical methods. In our TP of 310 individuals, 2 000 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were sufficient to make reasonably accurate predictions. PAs for different traits increased by 18.21%-46.98%when the TP size increased from 50to 100, but the increment was smaller (-4.13%-33.91%) when the TP size increased from 200 to 250. For independent validation, the PAs ranged from 0.11 to 0.45 using rrBLUP method. In summary, our results showed that the TP size and SNP numbers had a greater impact on the PA than prediction methods. Furthermore, relatedness among the training and validation sets, and the complexity of traits should be considered when designing a TP to predict the test panel.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2018YFD1000800)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31972479)+2 种基金the Earmarked Fund for China Agriculture Research System (CARS-25)the Science and Technology Innovation Team of Shaanxi (2021TD-32)the Tang Scholar of Northwest A&F University.
文摘Chilling stress and continuous cropping obstacles limit sustainable production of watermelons under controlled environments.Grafting of watermelon scions onto resistant rootstocks is an effective strategy currently used to overcome these environment limitations.However,currently used commercial rootstocks adversely affect watermelon fruit quality.The chilling tolerance and Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.niveum race 1(FON1)resistance of seven Cucurbit germplasms,including four watermelon germplasms(M08,TC,YL,and MY),two muskmelon cultivars(JT1 and JSM),and one commercial Cucurbita rootstock(QZ1)of watermelon,were explored in the current study.The effects of the rootstocks of these germplasms on watermelon resistance to chilling stress and continuous cropping obstacles were evaluated.TC rootstock showed the highest chilling tolerance and increased chilling tolerance of watermelon scion.All Cucurbit germplasms showed higher resistance to FON1 than watermelon cultivar N5(control).Watermelons grafted onto QZ1 showed the lowest wilt incidence and highest fruit yield but had the worst fruit quality after planting on soils continuously cropped for 11 years.Watermelons grafted onto TC showed higher resistance and yield and the best fruit quality.These findings indicate that TC has a large potential for use in grafting watermelon planted in continuously cropped soils(<10 years).TC can also be used as breeding rootstocks to improve watermelon resistance against continuous cropping obstacles without compromising fruit quality.
基金supported by grants from the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province(Grant No.C2022204086)the Hebei Apple Innovation Team of Modern Agricultural Industry Technology System(Grant No.HBCT2021100211)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.32072524).
文摘Abiotic stress reduces plant yield and quality.WRKY transcription factors play key roles in abiotic stress responses in plants,but the molecular mechanisms by which WRKY transcription factors mediate responses to drought and osmotic stresses in apple(Malus×domestica Borkh.)remain unclear.Here,we functionally characterized the apple GroupⅢWRKY gene MdWRKY115.qRT-PCR analysis showed that MdWRKY115 expression was up-regulated by drought and osmotic stresses.GUS activity analysis revealed that the promoter activity of MdWRKY115 was enhanced under osmotic stress.Subcellular localization and transactivation assays indicated that MdWRKY115 was localized to the nucleus and had a transcriptional activity domain at the N-terminal region.Transgenic analysis revealed that the overexpression of MdWRKY115 in Arabidopsis plants and in apple callus markedly enhanced their tolerance to drought and osmotic stresses.DNA affinity purification sequencing showed that MdWRKY115 binds to the promoter of the stress-related gene MdRD22.This binding was further verified by an electrophoretic mobility shift assay.Collectively,these findings suggest that MdWRKY115 is an important regulator of osmotic and drought stress tolerance in apple.
