Enhancing both starch and protein accumulation is a key strategy for improving maize yield and quality. Achieving this goal requires an in-depth understanding of the regulatory mechanisms that integrate these pathways. Here, we demonstrate that functionally redundant subclass III SNF1-related protein kinase 2s (SnRK2s) act as central regulators that orchestrate starch synthesis and storage protein

Plant synthetic biology holds great promise for engineering plants to meet future demands. Genetic circuits are being designed, built and tested in plants to demonstrate the proof of concept. However, developing these components in monocots, which the world relies on for grain, lags behind dicot models, such as Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana benthamiana . Here, we show the successful adaptation

Flower colour variation is pivotal for plant evolution, ecological adaptation, and pollinator attraction. In the Liriodendron genus, L. tulipifera features a distinct orange petal stripe which is absent in L. chinense , driven by differential carotenoid accumulation, yet the underlying genetic mechanism remains unclear. To address this, we assembled a high‐quality 1.57 Gb genome of L. tulipifera

Yield heterosis has been extensively exploited in hybrid breeding, with intersubspecific hybrids often exhibiting the most pronounced effects. However, developing elite hybrids remains a laborious and time‐consuming process. The genetic basis of heterosis has been debated for over a century, hindered largely by the lack of high‐quality genomes. Here, we assembled genomes for 12 representative indica

The Orobanchaceae family, the largest group of parasitic plants, spans a complete spectrum from autotrophic to holoparasitic species. As a typical endangered holoparasitic species within this family, Cistanche deserticola is a parasitic plant that is widely harvested for traditional medicine in desertic regions, and of growing importance as a cash crop. However, the evolution of C. deserticola

Plant positive-strand RNA viruses (PSVs) are excellent vectors for delivering gRNAs into Cas9-overexpressing plants to achieve efficient genome editing (Shen et al. 2024; Steinberger and Voytas 2025; Wu et al. 2024). The development of a more compact programmable Cas12 system will bring revolutionary progress to plant genome editing technology, particularly in the field of plant PSV-mediated genome

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata) is one of the most important vegetables grown globally (Li et al. 2024). Currently, more than 90% of cabbage cultivars are male sterile. Male sterility-based hybridisation facilitates heterosis utilisation and yield enhancement (Han et al. 2023). Ogura cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is more commonly used due to its maternal inheritance and easy transferability

Plant biofortification with phytonutrients typically relies on metabolic engineering strategies known as ‘push’ (enhancing biosynthetic flux), ‘block’ (inhibiting competing pathways) and ‘pull’ (promoting metabolite storage). Here, we describe a novel synthetic compound, X57, that simultaneously targets biosynthesis, competition and storage to enhance leaf tocopherol content. Tocopherols protect plants

Genetic transformation in sorghum faces major challenges, including limited explant availability, phenolic compound accumulation, and strong genotype dependence. Morphogenic transcription factors (MTFs), such as Baby boom (Bbm) and Wushel2 (Wus2), markedly improve transformation efficiency using seedling leaf whorls. The Cre/loxP system subsequently removes MTF genes after somatic embryogenesis, enabling

Tomato yellow leaf curl China virus (TYLCCNV) is a major agricultural pathogen and primary model for circular single‐stranded DNA (cssDNA) virus studies. The infectious clones of TYLCCNV and other cssDNA viruses are usually constructed as two tandem copies of the small viral genomes in Agrobacterium‐ mediated T‐DNA vectors. However, during our experiment, we observed that successive cultivation of

Wheat stripe rust ( Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici , Pst ) poses a catastrophic threat to global food security. While MADS‐box transcription factors regulate development and abiotic stress, their roles in plant‐pathogen immunity remain enigmatic. In this study, we identified TaMADS2 , a Pst ‐induced MADS‐box gene, as a positive regulator of wheat resistance. Functional analyses demonstrated that

The high demand for energy during floral thermogenesis drives the synergistic operation of multiple energy substrates for the rapid temperature rise and successful reproduction of flowers. However, how thermogenic plants precisely regulate substrate supply and metabolic pathways within a short time to support large‐scale energy and heat release remains a mystery. This study revealed the elaborate synergistic

Wheat is one of the globally important food crops, but its genetically modified application lags behind other staple crops due to its complex genome and low transformation efficiency. Normally, traditional transgenic and gene‐edited wheat requires multiple selfing generations for obtaining homozygous lines, which delayed the development of genetically modified wheat varieties. In this study, we crossed

Chlorella spp. are among the most prominent microalgal species utilised commercially for human consumption. Since the 1950s, large-scale cultivation of Chlorella spp. has been implemented to address the growing demand for alternative protein sources, due to their rapid growth cycle, robust environmental tolerance and high protein content (Lu et al. 2021). These microalgae are used in various applications

The incidence of pests and diseases seriously impacts rice production, and NLR genes play a crucial role in the regulation of immune signalling in rice. Here, we identified an NLR gene OsRGA3 that positively regulates rice resistance to brown planthopper (BPH) and rice blast disease (RBD). The mutant OsRGA3 D605V as an auto‐activated form of OsRGA3 can form a resistosome and exhibit Ca 2+ permeable

Mulberry is a representative economic tree species valued for both poverty alleviation and medicinal use. To advance the understanding of mulberry genomics and demography, we assembled high‐quality haploid genomes of two widely cultivated mulberry varieties NS14 and QS1, and analysed 376 accessions from 12 countries, including 39 ancient trees to investigate their origin and spreading. Population genetic

Heading date is a critical determinant of regional adaptation and yield potential. Here, we identify an E286K substitution in TaSG‐D1, encoding an STKc_GSK3 kinase, which delays heading date in wheat. Mechanistically, this substitution strengthens the physical interaction between TaSG‐D1 and TaWRKY53 and enhances the phosphorylation of TaWRKY53. Interestingly, the phosphorylation confers increased

The CRISPR/Cas9 gene‐editing technology has been widely used in defining gene functions and crop improvement. However, some genes are essential for plant growth and development. Loss‐of‐function homozygous mutations in essential genes lead to plant death or sterility. Mutations in essential genes need to be maintained and propagated in heterozygous plants. CRISPR/Cas9 technology is highly efficient

Fluxes of intracellular metabolic reactions are an integrated output of multiple cellular processes, from transcription to post-translational modifications that shape cell physiology (Koley et al. 2024) and can be used to raise targets for improving different metabolic traits (Treves et al. 2022). Intracellular metabolic fluxes are not measured, but are estimated using approaches from Metabolic Flux

Floret fertility is a key determinant of grain number per spike and an important factor in cereal crop yield. However, the mechanisms by which phytohormone signalling and transcription factors coordinately regulate floret fertility and spikelet development are not well understood, especially in wheat. In this study, we identified the role of jasmonic acid (JA) in the regulation of floret fertility

Cold stress adversely affects plant growth and development, significantly limiting fruit yield and quality in citrus. Ichang papeda ( Citrus ichangensis ), a cold‐tolerant citrus species, serves as a valuable genetic resource for studying cold adaptation, yet the key genes and their modes of action underlying the cold stress response remain largely unexplored. In this study, we identified CiWRKY27

Common wheat (Triticum aestivum, AABBDD) is an important staple crop for approximately 35% of the global population. The powdery mildew disease caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt) leads to significant yield losses in most wheat-producing regions (Zorb et al. 2018). To effectively cope with this disease, sustained efforts are being committed to mine more effective Pm genes and understand

Seed oil content is a key trait in soybean, yet its genetic basis remains largely unresolved. Here, we identify GmABHD6 , an α/β‐hydrolase domain‐containing gene, as the causal gene underlying a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) for seed oil content on chromosome 16. Through fine‐mapping in a chromosome segment substitution population derived from Glycine max (SN14) and wild Glycine soja (ZYD00006)

Seed production yield is a critical bottleneck limiting the large-scale adoption of hybrid rice technology. Hybrid seed yield mainly depends on the outcrossing traits of the male sterile line, which can be broadly divided into two categories: floret-opening traits and stigma-related traits (Zhou et al. 2017). Among them, diurnal flowering time and stigma exsertion rate are the most decisive factors

Domestication signifies the beginning of crop breeding and is essential for modern breeding efforts. Seeds play a crucial role in conveying both domestication and evolutionary information. Wild species generally produce small seeds with pronounced dormancy, enabling them to survive in challenging environments. In contrast, modern cultivars feature larger seeds with reduced dormancy, optimising them

Nicotine, the most abundant alkaloid produced in Nicotiana species (Saitoh et al. 1985), plays a vital role in defence against insect herbivores (Steppuhn et al. 2004). Several transcription factors (TFs) have been identified as positive regulators, such as NtMYC2, NtERF189, NtERF199 and NtMYB305a (Shoji et al. 2010; Shoji and Hashimoto 2011; Sui et al. 2020; Qin et al. 2021; Bian et al. 2022). In

Selenium (Se) is a vital micronutrient for humans, with important functions for health and anti‐cancer properties. Organic Se shows higher antioxidant activity and much lower toxicity compared to inorganic Se, making it safer for use. Selenomethionine (SeMet) is one of the primary forms of organic Se. OsPT4, the high‐affinity phosphate (Pi) transporter (PHT) of rice, has been investigated for its role

I summarise and discuss the effects of environmental factors and culture conditions on the productivity of recombinant proteins, including biopharmaceuticals, in Nicotiana benthamiana via transient gene expression platforms. A primary focus is on controlled‐environment plant cultivation systems such as plant factories with artificial lighting. Before gene transfer, sufficient leaf biomass accumulation

Plant viruses are so harmful to crops. It is an urgent need to develop modern, environment‐friendly, and sustainable plant viral epidemic‐management strategies that are safe for both human health and the environment. The field of nanotechnology is gaining increased interest in plant science. Magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgONPs) have typical physical and chemical characteristics of nanomaterials.

Plant defensins (PDFs) are cysteine‐rich antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that are important components of plant immunity. They occur constitutively in various plant tissues but are also upregulated upon stress. Therefore, these molecules are of great interest as markers for the diagnosis of early forest stress response in plants at the molecular level. PDFs are small peptides (~5 kDa) with a compact

Diosmin is often used as a dietary supplement, and it is sometimes used to make phlebotropic drugs for venous diseases. Traditionally, diosmin is obtained by the dehydrogenation of the flavanone glycoside hesperidin through chemical semisynthesis. In this study, we identified and characterised a flavonoid‐O‐methyltransferase (F4′OMT) and two glucosyltransferases (F7GlcTs) and completed the biosynthetic

Oomycete pathogens secrete hundreds of RXLR effectors into plant cells to modulate host immunity by targeting diverse plant proteins. Here, we report that the Peronophythora litchii RXLR effector PlAvh133 acts as a virulence factor and targets the litchi glycolate oxidase (GLO) LcGLO1, a key enzyme in photorespiration, thereby suppressing plant immunity. PlAvh133 localises to the plasma membrane (PM)

The Orchidaceae family, with its unparalleled species diversity among angiosperms, is integral to ornamental, medicinal, cultural, and ecological value. Multi‐omics techniques have proven invaluable for the identification of candidate genes and the advancement of functional genomics research. Nevertheless, the application of these technologies in Orchidaceae remains severely limited due to the lack

High‐temperature stress severely threatens rice ( Oryza sativa L.) growth and productivity, particularly during the seedling stage, making heat tolerance an essential breeding target. In this study, we identified the heat shock transcription factor OsHsfc1a as a positive regulator of thermotolerance in rice seedlings. OsHsfc1a expression was strongly induced by heat stress, and overexpression lines

Aegilops geniculata Roth is a tetraploid (M g M g U g U g ; 2 n = 4 x = 28) wild relative of wheat and a valuable source of genetic diversity for improving agronomic traits. We present a high‐quality homoeolog‐resolved assembly and annotation of the Ae. geniculata genome and use it to study the function, origin and evolution of the M g and U g genomes. Comparative genomics revealed that the U g genome

Sinapine ( O ‐sinapoyl choline) is the major phenolic metabolite typically found in the oil‐rich seeds of Brassicaceae such as Camelina sativa and Brassica napus . It imparts a bitter taste to the seeds as a defence mechanism against herbivores, but it also renders them less palatable to livestock. To improve Camelina flour for human consumption or as animal feed, we reduced sinapine content through

Drought is the major abiotic stress threatening global crop yields, thus identifying potential candidates with promising breeding value has become a central goal of current breeding programmes. Here, we found that miR164b functions as a negative regulator in plant drought tolerance, whose expression is dramatically inhibited under drought stress. Overexpressing MIR164b reduced the drought tolerance

Solanum tuberosum L. (potato) is a key food crop, with its tubers serving as an important food source worldwide. Tuber development is a tightly regulated process involving the transition of a hooked stolon (a modified stem) to a tuber following the perception of mobile signals within the stolon tip. While genes like FLOWERING LOCUS T homologue StSP6A and the transcription factors (TF) StPOTH1 , StBRC1b

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is essential for global sugar and bioenergy production, but its yield and quality are severely threatened by fungal diseases (Ling et al. 2025). Plant defence against pathogens is primarily regulated by transcription factors (TFs) (Buscaill and Rivas 2014), among which WRKYs can act as positive or negative immune regulators (Huang et al. 2022). We previously reported that

The allocation of carbon sources between cotton ovule and fibre significantly influences the yield and quality of seed and fibre. SWEET15 (Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporter 15) plays a key role in sucrose transport; however, the transcriptional regulation of SWEET15 in cotton remains unclear. Here, a SWEET15_A01 , predominantly expressed during late ovule development (25–35 DPA), functions

In bread wheat ( Triticum aestivum L . ), cysteine (Cys) residues within the N‐ and C‐termini of high‐molecular‐weight glutenin subunits (HMW‐GSs) critically influence dough quality. However, the functional significance of Cys residue in their central repeat domain (CRD) remains unclear. Using site‐directed mutagenesis (SDM), we introduced Cys residues near the N‐terminus (m1) and/or C‐terminus (m2)

To develop salt‐tolerant transgenic soybeans, ScHAL1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast), which increases salt tolerance by maintaining high intracellular K + concentrations and decreasing intracellular Na + during salt stress, was introduced into soybean ( Glycine max L. Merr.) through Agrobacterium tumefaciens ‐mediated transformation. Among the 373 transgenic plants generated, three lines

The role of transposable elements (TEs) in genome evolution and phenotypic diversification in Camellia remains poorly understood. Here, we present an integrated analysis of genome resequencing data from 237 Camellia accessions and 11 de novo genome assemblies representing all major floral colour types. We constructed a comprehensive phylogenetic framework for the genus and suggest that the most recent

Efficient production of hybrid rice seeds requires male sterility systems to overcome the challenges of self‐pollination. In this study, we identified male gametic transfer defect ( GTrD ) 5 and GTrD9 as essential genes for the process of male gamete transmission in rice. Mutations in these genes cause partial male sterility by impairing pollen tube elongation, thereby reducing the fertilisation rate

Induction of apomixis, or clonal reproduction through seed, could economise commercial hybrid seed production and enable smallholder farmers to save and sow hybrid seed. Here, we demonstrate the synthetic induction of apomixis in two sorghum hybrids and show that the clonal hybrid seed can be maintained across multiple seed generations. This was achieved through the combination of avoidance of meiosis

Longan is an exotic tropical fruit crop and exhibits off‐season flowering induced by potassium chlorate (KClO 3 ), though the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. We assembled a high‐quality, 441.5 Mb genome of variety ‘Shixia’, with a contig N50 at 28.1 Mb, 29, 325 protein‐coding genes, 26 telomeres and 15 centromeres. Comparative genomic analysis with lychee revealed structural variations potentially

Rice cooking and eating quality (CEQ), a core agronomic trait tied to consumer preference and market value, is regulated by endosperm starch, protein, and lipid metabolism; this review synthesizes advances in its molecular mechanisms, focusing on genetic determinants and regulatory networks of storage substances. Starch is key: the Wx gene (central hub) has ≥ 9 allelic variants (e.g., Wx ᵃ, Wx ᵇ and

Anthocyanins are plant pigments that contribute to fruit coloration and nutritional quality, yet the coordinated regulation of their accumulation in both peel and flesh remains elusive. Here, we present a haplotype‐resolved genome of Malus cv. ‘Royalty’, a model cultivar with consistently red peel and flesh. A zinc‐finger transcription factor, MdZAT5, was identified as a candidate regulator of anthocyanin

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are sterol-derived phytohormones that play a crucial role in regulating various agronomic traits related to crop yield (Song et al. 2023; Zhang, Meng, et al. 2024). It is therefore believed that precise manipulation of the BR pathway can effectively improve both crop yield and quality traits, thereby making a substantial contribution to the next green revolution (Yang et al. 2024;

Maintaining stable and high-yielding rice production is crucial for food security. Among the major challenges in rice cultivation, lodging remains a persistent agronomic problem that significantly compromises harvesting efficiency, reduces yield, and diminishes grain quality. Generally, rice varieties with stronger culms exhibit better lodging resistance. Rice culm strength is determined by its morphology

Global consumer acceptance of gene‐edited food crops is increasing with new breeding technologies that can modify the genome without foreign DNA integration. Here, we report an Agrobacterium ‐based system for transgene‐free, gene editing of the banana cultivar, Cavendish. The protocol uses a three‐tiered approach whereby cells containing T‐DNA are enriched by positive antibiotic selection over a 48‐h

As the staple food of over half the world's population, rice with a high resistant starch (RS) content may be beneficial in the dietary prevention of diabetes and hyperlipidemia. Mutating key enzymes in starch metabolism to increase the RS content has been successful in other crops. However, there are always adverse effects, such as low grain weight, wrinkled seeds, and powdery endosperm that accompany

Sheath blight (ShB), caused by the necrotrophic fungus Rhizoctonia solani, is one of the serious diseases in rice worldwide (Nizamani et al. 2025). Rice resistance to ShB is controlled by polygenes, each with minor effects on resistance, and to date very few resistance genes with breeding potential have been identified, which heavily hinders the progress on developing ShB resistant varieties (Gao et al

Stalk rot, primarily caused by Fusarium graminearum ( Fg ) and Pythium inflatum ( Pi ), is a major maize disease responsible for significant yield losses. The molecular mechanisms governing defence against these pathogens remain poorly understood. To uncover key miRNAs and their regulatory genes, small RNA, degradome, and transcriptome sequencing data were integrated to explore maize's response to

Plants are promising bioreactor for the sustainable and scalable production of high‐value natural bioactive compounds, because they can synthesise phytochemicals from CO 2 , light, water and minerals through their innate photosynthetic carbon assimilation machinery. However, metabolic engineering in multicellular plants via stable transgene is challenged by the low accumulation of heterologous compounds