Nitrogen (N) uptake and utilisation are crucial for improving rice yields, but the mechanisms of N absorption and transportation under salt stress conditions are still unclear. To address this gap, therefore, a field experiment was conducted from 2022 to 2023 to evaluate the characteristics of N metabolism, nitrogen use efficiency, and yield in rice under varying saline conditions. The experiment was

Salinity stress is a significant environmental factor limiting the productivity of Jatropha curcas, a biofuel crop of economic importance. Understanding the molecular mechanisms behind salinity tolerance in J. curcas is crucial for improving its resilience. This study aimed to analyse the differential proteomic profiles of two J. curcas genotypes under salt stress to identify candidate proteins that

Climate change is leading to warmer winters world‐wide with an increasing number of extreme events every year. Studies show that winter varieties of rapeseed are particularly impacted negatively by global warming. This study investigates the molecular, physiological, and biochemical effects of diverse vernalisation scenarios (i.e., the vernalisation models) on rapeseed plants and seeds. The winter

Sorghum is an economically important crop for human consumption, animal feed and biomass production. However, its productivity is affected by abiotic and biotic stresses. Drought is one of the major global problems due to alarming global climate change. Plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) help crops improve their resilience and survival in water‐scarce environments. Therefore, the present study

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the world's main cereals, with considerable potential for expansion in tropical regions such as the Brazilian Cerrado. However, abiotic stresses, such as drought and salinity, present significant challenges for the cultivation of this species in the region. This challenge can be overcome by selecting cultivars that are tolerant to these stresses. This study investigated

Wheat, a major staple crop, is critical for global food security. However, abiotic stresses, particularly heat stress, threaten crop productivity. With climate change predicted to increase temperatures by around 1.5°C by 2050, crop productivity could be severely affected. Given ongoing hunger‐related challenges and the growing global population, developing crop varieties with improved tolerance to

Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) globally is an important pastoral species, used to strengthen pasture mixes and to produce highly nutritious forage. To ensure its continued use and effectiveness, new adaptable cultivars must be developed. Breeders have continuously harnessed diversity to improve the genetic potential of species, and a key part of this is the introduction of new wild germplasm. This

Drought stress severely impacts wheat growth, development and yield, significantly challenging global food security. Wheat is a staple crop worldwide, and increasing its drought resilience is crucial. Trehalose, a stress‐protective disaccharide, is crucial for enhancing drought tolerance. This review examines strategies for strengthening wheat's drought resilience through trehalose, including genetic

The climate change has led to an increase in the number of relatively warm days experienced in Central Europe during the late winter and early spring periods. These conditions have resulted in an early onset of vegetation, thereby elevating the risk of spring frost damage. The present study investigates spring frost tolerance in sets of bread wheat and barley accessions, with experiments conducted

The impacts of whole‐growth‐duration warming on grain yield and quality in a double rice cropping system remain largely unknown. In this study, a 2‐year field whole‐growth‐duration warming experiment was conducted with two inbred indica rice cultivars (Zhongjiazao 17 and Xiangzaoxian 45) for early season and two hybrid indica rice cultivars (Wanxiangyouhuazhan and Tianyouhuazhan) for late season, respectively

Drought is a major threat to wheat production. Utilising microbial inoculant technology to enhance crop drought resistance to achieve high yield has emerged as a promising strategy. Dark septate endophytes (DSEs) can improve plant drought resistance; however, there is little research on the DSE inoculant preparation. In this study, two dominant DSE strains, Alternaria alstroemeriae (Aa) and Paraphoma

Understanding crop responses to drought stress is crucial for securing future agricultural productivity. Guard cells regulate transpiration and thus the yield burden under drought conditions. Therefore, the influence of repeated drought stress on the guard cell metabolome of Zea mays L. was investigated to improve our understanding of crop resilience mechanisms. A controlled greenhouse experiment with

The study aimed to determine how the physiological responses of the sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) plant were affected by prolonged drought stress, salinity stress, and boron application, as well as to assess the recovery dynamics following re‐watering. The experimental design included well‐watered (WW 80% watering), drought stress (DS, 20% watering) salinity stress (SS, 0 control and 13 dS m−1)

Agricultural development and production management crucially depend on efficient and accurate acquisition of crop growth information. This study focuses on maize, employing drones to monitor its growth based on metrics such as plant height (PH), SPAD values and leaf area index (LAI). Using the entropy weighting method (EWM) and coefficient of variation method (CV), comprehensive growth indices, CGMIEWM

Small‐molecule sugars, such as glucose, sucrose, trehalose and raffinose, are essential for seed germination, seedling establishment and stress resilience. These sugars act as both energy sources and signalling molecules, regulating osmotic balance, gene expression and critical metabolic pathways involved in early growth. Key enzymes, including α‐amylase (AMY1 and AMY2), hexokinase (HXK1) and sucrose‐phosphate

MiRNAs are key regulators of gene expression, controlling plant development and response to environmental stresses. In this work, we studied the global dynamics of the accumulation of conserved and identified novel barley miRNAs at an early stage of plant development during heat stress (1 h, 3 h and 6 h of heat stress). The majority of miRNAs respond to heat stress after 3 h and 6 h of heat stress

Climate change poses a global challenge to agricultural production and food security, especially in developing countries. In Northeast China, a major grain‐producing region, the Maize–Soybean rotation is crucial for sustainable agricultural development. However, previous studies have mainly focused on single crops and lacked attention to soil health and regional scale analysis. This study utilises

Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) is highly susceptible to saline–alkaline conditions, exhibiting significant genotypic variability in tolerance. The root system plays a pivotal role in saline–alkaline resistance, yet the precise mechanisms, particularly those related to root morphological traits, remain unclear. This study explores genotypic variations in root morphology and saline–alkaline tolerance

Evaluating the biological mechanism of winter wheat in resisting freezing stress is important. The aim of this study was to clarify the effect of the shoot apex differentiation status on freezing resistance in wheat and identify regulatory genes. Nongda 5181 (ND5181) and its ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS)‐mutated wheat lines were used as research materials. Three wheat varieties showed strong freezing

The use of sensor‐ or model‐based decision support tools (DSTs) is encouraged to manage crop nitrogen (N) fertilisation, but studies evaluating the obtained advice at the crop succession scale are lacking. The aim of this work was to compare the agronomic performance between the advice obtained by DSTs and that obtained by the reference balance sheet method (BSM) regarding the N fertiliser dose and

Photochemical reflectance index (PRI) has been a promising indicator for estimating vegetation photosynthetic efficiency. However, its capability to track drought stress‐induced changes in canopy radiation use efficiency (RUE) and the underlying mechanisms remains insufficiently explored, largely due to the confounding effects of soil background and canopy characteristics. This study aimed to explain

High temperature disrupts physiological processes in rice, including impairing the function of photosystem II and leading to reduced productivity. However, understanding of the short‐term effects of elevated temperatures on photosystem II function and its protein composition in rice seedlings remains limited. This study examined the effect of short‐term exposure to elevated temperature (25°C–40°C)

To understand the impact of salinity heterogeneity on maize growth, a split‐root experiment involving both homogeneous and heterogeneous salinity environments was designed. Four homogeneous salinity levels (2, 4, 6 and 8 g L−1), four heterogeneous treatments (0/2, 0/4, 0/6, and 0/8 g L−1) and a control (CK) with 0 g L−1 NaCl were applied to respective sides of split‐root pots. Findings revealed that

Water deficiency has a serious effect on cotton productivity. Development of cotton bolls determines cotton fibre yield and quality and is affected by many environmental variables, including water availability. However, we know little about the effect of water stress on boll development and the final fibre yield and quality of the varieties with different boll sizes. In this study, cotton varieties

The occurrence of wheat pre‐harvest sprouting (PHS) has been intensified with global climatic change and increasing rainfall from 1981 to 2020, which has led to a drastic reduction in wheat quality and yield. Therefore, scientific assessments of the potential climatic risk of wheat PHS in different areas based on historical meteorological data help identify the high‐risk areas, select suitable wheat

Triple‐helix transcription factors (GT factors) play a pivotal role in plant abiotic stress responses and growth and development. Named for their specific binding affinity to GT factors, they are clustered into five subgroups: GT‐1, GT‐2, GT‐γ, SIP1 and SH4. In Phaseolus vulgaris, 43 GT family members have been identified through reference genome analysis. PvGT members exhibit uneven genomic distribution

Because of inadequate freshwater resources and poor irrigation facilities, salinity and drought often co‐occur for rice production in saline lands. The root is the primary and most vulnerable organ for detecting and perceiving salinity and drought stresses in soil. Still, little information is available on the root morpho‐physiological characteristics and grain yield of rice when subjected to the combined

Lodging is a major factor limiting soybean yield in maize–soybean intercropping system (IS). Potassium fertilisation significantly enhances the lodging resistance index by promoting dry matter accumulation in soybean. However, the physiological mechanisms through which potassium affects the lodging resistance index remain unclear, particularly under different planting systems. In this study, we analysed

Waterlogging increasingly threatens global crop production, particularly affecting major crops like wheat, barley, and maize at all growth stages. Although research on oat tolerance to waterlogging is limited, there is evidence that oat may be a suitable alternative crop due to its resilience and ability to maintain yields despite nutrient imbalances caused by waterlogging. However, it remains uncertain

Free air carbon dioxide enrichment (FACE) offers a unique approach to study the response of crops to rising carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations under field conditions. We have established a Miglietta‐type FACE facility in Northern Germany (JKI‐FACE) consisting of four rings with CO2 fumigation and four rings without fumigation with diameters of 15.5 m. Here, we present the technical details and the

Different nitrogen (N) doses may stimulate the photosynthetic responses of sweet potato under CO2‐enriched environment (ECO2). The photosynthetic responses of two varieties, Sree Arun and Sree Kanaka, were adjudicated under varying nitrogen levels (0%, 25%, 50%, 100%, and 125% of the recommended N dose), exposed to ambient CO2 (400 ppm) and elevated CO2 (600 and 800 ppm). The results indicated that

Drought stress reduces cereal crop growth and yield due to modifications to interactions between sink and source. However, little research has investigated multiple carbon sources and their relationships with sink capacities, especially in response to drought stress at different growth stages. The objective of this study was thus to examine two major carbon sources (i.e., photosynthetic assimilation

Heat and drought stresses negatively affect maize grain yields. Identification and deployment of high‐yielding and stress‐tolerant maize hybrids adapted to stress‐prone agro‐ecologies is important for improving smallholding farmers' food security and livelihoods. The adaptation level among maize genotypes under heat and drought stresses is strongly affected by morphological and physiological aspects

Legumes are among the most utilised agronomic plant species due to their symbiotic association with N2‐fixing bacteria. Since N2 fixation entails high ATP cost, salt stress disrupts N2 fixation in the symbiont, but increases the production of osmolytes and antioxidant systems in the host plant. This results in competition for C allocation between osmoprotection in the host and continued supply to the

Silage soybeans subjected to water stress show symptoms as if it had been subjected to drought stress due to lack of rainfall. Understanding how water stress impacts crop yield is crucial for developing effective irrigation strategies in drought‐inclined areas. This study investigates the relationship between silage soybean forage yield and water stress indices, specifically the Crop Water Stress Index

Heat stress is a significant climatic hazard, intensified by rising global temperatures and frequent heatwaves, hindering wheat production. Heat stress damage wheat maturity resulting in morphophysiological changes, biochemical disturbances and a decline in genetic potential. Understanding the morpho–physio–biochemical responses of wheat to heat stress is essential for identifying tolerance mechanisms

Alkaline salt stress, as a more diverse stress, severely affects the growth and development of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and leads to yield reduction. Brassinosteroids have been shown to regulate plant growth and play an essential role under environmental stress. However, the physiological responses by which brassinosteroids confer alkaline salt stress tolerance in potato remain unclear. We used

The frequent occurrence of drought is an important factor restricting economic as well as sustainable agricultural development. Therefore, to address the issue of seasonal drought during summer in dry semi‐humid areas of Guanzhong Plain, a biodegradable liquid film is used to replace the plastic film for ridge–furrow rainwater harvesting in summer maize cultivation. The experiment was conducted for

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. (2n = 6x = 42; AABBDD)) is a commodity crop serving diverse value chains worldwide. However, drought stress and poor soil health are major causes of a yield gap in wheat production. Silicon (Si) fertiliser application with drought‐adapted wheat cultivars may enhance wheat productivity. This study aimed to examine the impact of Si fertilisation on agronomic performance and

Low solar radiation is an important factor affecting maize root growth and development. Roots have an anchoring function, and their important components are cellulose and lignin. Here, shade experiments were conducted using shade nets with 50% light transmittance (L50). The experiment was conducted in 2021 and 2022 using the ‘Xianyu 335’ maize variety under two nitrogen conditions (N1 = 180 kg ha−1

The investigation of water and heat flux variation patterns in saline‐alkali land is significant due to the distinctive characteristics that affect crop growth, and surface energy flux and evapotranspiration are two key factors affecting saline‐alkali land. Surface energy fluxes and evapotranspiration of three crops (wheat, maize, and soybean) in saline‐alkali soils were observed using an EC (eddy

Sorghum is a drought‐tolerant crop with the potential to alleviate food insecurity in arid and semiarid regions of the world. This study aimed to identify the morphological and physiological traits that are associated with drought tolerance in three sorghum varieties grown in Kenya: the Makueni (MKL) landrace, Gadam (GD) open‐pollinated variety and the IESH 22012 hybrid. A randomised split‐plot design

This meta‐analysis assesses the effects of melatonin (Mel) on various wheat agronomic traits, revealing significant heterogeneity and potential publication bias. This comprehensive analysis highlights the variability across studies (I2 > 98% for overall, leaf area, root and shoot weight), indicating a potential for selective reporting in the analysed studies. Grain yield and root weight showed I2 values

Climate warming has induced shifts in the phenological period and thus affected cultivar selection and effective crop management. Particularly, the great climate warming in the dry environment could have more effects on the phenology of spring wheat with the distinct cycle of biological events during growth. In this study, the daily observations of spring wheat phenology and meteorology from 1991 to

Rising atmospheric CO2 concentration ([CO2]) is believed to mitigate the drought stress on plant, and is regulated by soil nitrogen availability. Nonetheless, effects of elevated [CO2] (e[CO2]) on plant response to drought and their interactive effects on plant N uptake and utilisation remain critical unknown. In this study, three‐month‐old potted tobacco plants (a C3 model and crop plant) cultivated

This study compared the salt tolerance of two tobacco varieties with different salt tolerances during the germination period—Basma (Oriental tobacco) and K326 (flue‐cured tobacco)—under NaCl stress. Basma exhibited higher antioxidant enzyme activity (1.16–3.58 times that of K326), reduced levels by 16.5% during the peak accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and effectively regulated ion homeostasis

Water‐saving and drought‐resistance rice (WDR) is a new type of cultivated rice, which not only has the characteristics of high yield and quality of rice, but also has the properties of water‐saving and drought‐resistance of upland rice. However, the source, flow and sink basis of its high yield were still unclear. It was of great significance for the breeding of high‐yielding WDR varieties and cultivation

Bituminaria bituminosa is a promising drought‐tolerant perennial legume which could reduce the vulnerability of Mediterranean livestock systems to drought. A 3‐year field split‐plot experiment was carried out in southern Spain to test the response of Bituminaria bituminosa cv. Lanza (tedera) to a 24% annual rainfall reduction and competition in terms of yield and forage quality. The experiment included

Waterlogging, a global environmental stress, jeopardises food security, causing an economic loss of US$ 74 billion. This could intensify by 14%–35% due to climate change, particularly affecting leguminous crops by altering root morphology and yields. Therefore, studies on the crops root systems and yield reduction to waterlogging stress are required to ensure global food security (sustainable development

Root lodging significantly affects maize yield and is influenced by both genotypes and soil characteristics. Strip‐till (ST) is a conservative cultivation method that disturbs only the planting strip, leaving the remaining soil undisturbed and covered with maize residues. Less is known about the effect of ST on root lodging. Here, a field experiment was conducted in Northeast China in 2020 and 2021

Exogenous melatonin (MT) can aid crops in mitigating drought stress, yet its impacts on cotton pollen fertility under drought remain understudied. To address this, a study on the effects of exogenous MT on cotton pollen sterility and internal physiological metabolism under drought stress was conducted. Results showed that although antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and superoxide

In natural ecosystems, plants are under continuous environmental stresses, compromising plants' survival and propagation. Being sessile in nature, plants evolved various signalling pathways to cope with adverse changing environments, and to optimise their adaptation to terrestrial conditions. The plant cell wall, rich in polymers, is actively engaged in the signalling process. In this context, the

The plant cuticle, the outermost protective layer of most aboveground plant parts, serves as the first line of defence. While its role in various stress responses has been well‐studied, its role in ice encasement stress tolerance is unknown. This research aimed to investigate changes in cuticular wax on the leaves and crowns of annual bluegrass after different ice encasement durations (0, 40, and 60

Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is the main source of white sugar in northern China, and an optimal harvesting time is key for maximising its yield and sugar content. The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of gradually extending harvest times on the growth, physiological characteristics, yield and sucrose accumulation in sugar beet and identify the optimal harvesting time. We conducted

In the flood‐prone area, the improved high‐yielding variety of rice declines its vegetative growth and suffers substantial yield losses due to water stagnation. To address the issue measurement, the present work implemented 45 rice genotypes in a randomized complete block design with three replicates over three consecutive years (2018–2021) across submergence (E1, E3, E5) and optimum environments (E2