Nanoparticle causes soil pollution, which affected plant development and then resulted in biomass decreased, especially in crops. However, little is known how sodium nanoparticles affect wheat root development at plant physiological level. We used NaBiF4 (size of 50–100 nm) to analyze the effect in wheat development at plant physiological level. Under exogenous application of 50 μM NaBiF4 for treatment

Hypoxia causes injury and yield loss. Soil aeration has been reported to accelerate the growth of plants and increase crop yield. The aim of this study was to examine growth response of greenhouse-produced muskmelon to 3 levels of sub-surface drip irrigation (I), 3 different installation depths of drip laterals in the soil (D), and 4 levels of supplemental soil aeration frequency (A). A fractional

Reducing the dependence of crop production on chemical fertilizer with its associated costs, carbon footprint and other environmental problems is a challenge for agriculture. New solutions are required to solve this problem, and crop breeding for high nitrogen use efficiency or tolerance of low nitrogen availability has been widely considered to be a promising approach. However, the molecular mechanisms

Flower development and sufficient fruit set are important parameters with respect to walnut yield. Knowledge about flowering genes of fruit trees can help to conduct better molecular breeding programs. Therefore, this study was carried out to investigate the expression pattern of some flowering genes (FT, SOC1, CAL, LFY and TFL1) in Persian walnut (cv. Chandler) during the growing season and winter

Flower longevity plays an important role in pollen dispersal and reproductive success in plants. In dichogamous plants, the duration of anthesis as well as the time allocated to male and female functions can vary in response to intrinsic factors (e.g., flowering time and resource allocation) and pollination context along a growth season. However, the fitness consequences of phenological dynamics have

Beta vulgaris L. is one of the main sugar-producing crop species and is highly adaptable to saline soil. This study explored the alterations to the carbon and nitrogen metabolism mechanisms enabling the roots of sugar beet seedlings to adapt to salinity. The ionome, metabolome, and transcriptome of the roots of sugar beet seedlings were evaluated after 1 day (short term) and 7 days (long term) of 300 mM

Response and adaptation strategies of plants to the environment have always been the core issues in ecological research. So far, relatively little study exists on its functional traits responses to warming, especially in an urban environment. This information is the key to help understand plant responses and trade-off strategy to urban warming. We chose the common greening trees of mature age in Beijing

Genes associated with arsenite uptake and transport in rice plants (i.e., OsLsi1, OsLsi2, OsLsi3, OsLsi6 and OsABCC1) have been identified to date. However, their expression over time during the whole growth period of rice under arsenite stress conditions is still poorly understood. In this study, the dynamics of gene expression associated with arsenite transport and arsenic concentrations in different

Introgression of chromatin from Secale species into common wheat has for decades been a successful strategy for controlling the wheat diseases. The wild Secale species, Secale africanum Stapf., is a valuable source for resistance to foliar disease of wheat. A wheat-S. africanum chromosome 6Rafr substitution line displayed resistance to both powdery mildew and stripe rust at the adult-plant stage. Wheat-S

Arsenic toxicity induces a range of metabolic responses in plants, including DNA methylation. The focus of this paper was on the relationship between As-induced stress and plant senescence in the hyperaccumulator Pteris cretica var. Albo-lineata (Pc-Al). We assume difference in physiological parameters and level of DNA methylation in young and old fronds as symptoms of As toxicity. The As accumulation

Leaves of the medicinal plant Ampelopsis grossedentata, which is commonly known as vine tea, are used widely in the traditional Chinese beverage in southwest China. The leaves contain a large amount of dihydromyricetin, a compound with various biological activities. However, the transcript profiles involved in its biosynthetic pathway in this plant are unknown. We conducted a transcriptome analysis

NADP-malic enzyme (NAPD-ME), and pyruvate orthophosphate dikinase (PPDK) are important enzymes that participate in C4 photosynthesis. However, the evolutionary history and forces driving evolution of these genes in C4 plants are not completely understood. We identified 162 NADP-ME and 35 PPDK genes in 25 species and constructed respective phylogenetic trees. We classified NADP-ME genes into four branches

Pear is one of the most important fruit crops worldwide. Anthocyanins and procyanidins (PAs) are important secondary metabolites that affect the appearance and nutritive quality of pear. However, few studies have focused on the molecular mechanism underlying anthocyanin and PA accumulation in pear. We conducted metabolome and transcriptome analyses to identify candidate genes involved in anthocyanin

Soybean developing seed is susceptible to high temperature and humidity (HTH) stress in the field, resulting in vigor reduction. Actually, the HTH in the field during soybean seed growth and development would also stress the whole plant, especially on leaf and pod, which in turn affect seed growth and development as well as vigor formation through nutrient supply and protection. In the present study

SNF-related Kinase 1 (SnRK1) is a key component of the cell signaling network. SnRK1 is known to respond to a wide variety of stresses, but its exact role in salt stress response and tolerance is still largely unknown. In this study, we reported that overexpression of the gene encoding the α subunit of Prunus persica SnRK1 (PpSnRK1α) in tomato could improve salt stress tolerance. The increase in salt

The function of 4-coumarate-CoA ligases (4CL) under abiotic stresses has been studied in plants, however, limited is known about the 4CL genes in cotton (G. hirsutum L.) and their roles in response to drought stress. We performed genome-wide identification of the 4CL genes in G. hirsutum and investigated the expression profiles of the identified genes in various cotton tissues and in response to stress

A microgranule fertilizer was designed for localized fertilization of soil with controlled release of nutrients. The microgranule matrix was fortified with proteins, which were obtained from food industry byproducts or waste, i.e., whey protein from milk serum, soy protein from soy isolate and egg white protein from chicken egg white powder. The mechanism of the protein decomposition and migration

Panax notoginseng is a medicinally important Chinese herb with a long history of cultivation and clinical application. The planting area is mainly distributed in Wenshan Prefecture, where the quality and safety of P. notoginseng have been threatened by high concentration of arsenic (As) from the soil. The roles of phosphate (Pi) transporters involved in Pi acquisition and arsenate (AsV) tolerance were

Crop productivity is challenged by abiotic stresses, among which drought stress is the most common. NF-Y genes, especially NF-YA genes, regulate tolerance to abiotic stress. Soybean NF-Y gene GmNFYA5 was identified to have the highest transcript level among all 21 NF-YA genes in soybean (Glycine max L.) under drought stress. Drought-induced transcript of GmNFYA5 was suppressed by the ABA synthesis

The low grain water content (GWC) at harvest is a prerequisite to mechanical harvesting in maize, or otherwise would cause massive broken kernels and increase drying costs. The GWC at harvest in turn depends on GWC at the physiological maturity (PM) stage and grain dehydration rate (GDR). Both GWC and GDR are very complex traits, governed by multiple quantitative trait loci (QTL) and easily influenced

Alternative splicing (AS) plays a critical regulatory role in modulating transcriptome and proteome diversity. In particular, it increases the functional diversity of proteins. Recent genome-wide analysis of AS using RNA-Seq has revealed that AS is highly pervasive in plants. Furthermore, it has been suggested that most AS events are subject to tissue-specific regulation. To reveal the functional characteristics

Potato is the third most consumed crop in the world. Breeding for traits such as yield, product quality and pathogen resistance are main priorities. Identifying molecular signatures of these and other important traits is important in future breeding efforts. In this study, a progeny population from a cross between a breeding line, SW93–1015, and a cultivar, Désirée, was studied by trait analysis and

Styrax tonkinensis (Pierre) Craib ex Hartwich has great potential as a woody biodiesel species having seed kernels with high oil content, excellent fatty acid composition and good fuel properties. However, no transcriptome information is available on the molecular regulatory mechanism of oil accumulation in developing S. tonkinensis kernels. The dynamic patterns of oil content and fatty acid composition

In Arabidopsis, the aluminum (Al) exclusion mechanism is mainly facilitated by ALMT1-mediated malate exudation and MATE-mediated citrate releases from the root. Recently, we have demonstrated that coordinated functioning between an ALMT1-mediated Al exclusion mechanism, via exudation of malate from the root tip, and a NIP1;2-facilitated internal detoxification mechanism, via removal of Al from the

Areas with saline soils are sparsely populated and have fragile ecosystems, which severely restricts the sustainable development of local economies. Zoysia grasses are recognized as excellent warm-season turfgrasses worldwide, with high salt tolerance and superior growth in saline-alkali soils. However, the mechanism underlying the salt tolerance of Zoysia species remains unknown. The phenotypic and

The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) gene family is one of the largest transcription factor families in plants and is functionally characterized in diverse species. However, less is known about its functions in the economically important allopolyploid oil crop, Brassica napus. We identified 602 potential bHLHs in the B. napus genome (BnabHLHs) and categorized them into 35 subfamilies, including seven

Developing fruit is considered as an excellent model to study the complex network of metabolites which are altered rapidly during development. Metabolomics revealed that developing psyllium fruit is a rich source of primary metabolites (ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids and amino-acids), secondary metabolites and natural antioxidants. Eidonomy and anatomy confirmed that psyllium fruit followed five stages of

In recent years, the planting area of sweet corn in China has expanded rapidly. Some new varieties with high yields and good adaptabilities have emerged. However, the improvement of edible quality traits, especially through the development of varieties with thin pericarp thickness, has not been achieved to date. Pericarp thickness is a complex trait that is the key factor determining the edible quality

The angiosperm family Bromeliaceae comprises over 3.500 species characterized by exceptionally high morphological and ecological diversity, but a very low genetic variation. In many genera, plants are vegetatively very similar which makes determination of non flowering bromeliads difficult. This is particularly problematic with living collections where plants are often cultivated over decades without

Sand burial plays an irreplaceable and unique role in the growth and distribution of vegetation on the Shell Dike Island in the Yellow River Delta. There are still some unknown on the effects of sand burial on the morphology, biomass, and especially the stoichiometry of Periploca sepium, as well as the relationship between these factors. Shell sand burial depth had a significant influence on seedling

Powdery mildew (PM) is an important disease of pea that reduce yield. Ascophyllum nodosum extract (ANE) and chitosan (CHT) are biostimulants used to improve plant health. Efficacy of ANE and CHT was assessed individually and in combination against pea powdery mildew. Combined applications of ANE and CHT had a significant inhibitory effect on pathogen development and it reduced disease severity to 35%

To understand the gene expression networks controlling flower color formation in alfalfa, flowers anthocyanins were identified using two materials with contrasting flower colors, namely Defu and Zhongtian No. 3, and transcriptome analyses of PacBio full-length sequencing combined with RNA sequencing were performed, across four flower developmental stages. Malvidin and petunidin glycoside derivatives

In plants, the key roles played by RopGEF-mediated ROP signaling in diverse processes, including polar tip growth, have been identified. Despite their important roles in reproduction, a comprehensive analysis of RopGEF members has not yet been performed in rice (Oryza sativa). To determine whether RopGEF regulators are involved in rice pollen tube growth, we performed genome-wide analysis of this family

The perturbance of chloroplast proteins is a major cause of photosynthesis inhibition under drought stress. The exogenous application of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) mitigates the damage caused by drought stress, protecting plant growth and development, but the regulatory mechanism behind this process remains obscure. Wheat seedlings were drought treated, and the iTRAQ-based proteomic approach was employed

In contrast to most animal species, polyploid plant species are quite tolerant of aneuploidy. Here, the global transcriptome of four aneuploid derivatives of a synthetic hexaploid wheat line was acquired, with the goal of characterizing the relationship between gene copy number and transcript abundance. For most of the genes mapped to the chromosome involved in aneuploidy, the abundance of transcripts

Shoot orientation is important for plant architecture formation, and zigzag-shaped shoots are a special trait found in many plants. Zigzag-shaped shoots have been selected and thoroughly studied in Arabidopsis; however, the regulatory mechanism underlying zigzag-shaped shoot development in other plants, especially woody plants, is largely unknown. In this study, tea plants with zigzag-shaped shoots

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in the regulation of plant responses to environmental stress by acting as essential regulators of gene expression. However, whether and how lncRNAs are involved in cold acclimation-dependent freezing tolerance in plants remains largely unknown. Medicago truncatula is a prominent model for studies of legume genomics, and distinguished by its cold-acclimation

Fenclorim (Fen) can effectively protect rice from pretilachlor (Pre) injury, but its effects on rice have not been formally evaluated; thus, the Fen mode of action for alleviating the phytotoxicity caused by Pre in rice is not clear. This study aimed to examine the biochemical and physiological effects of Fen on rice and to determine the changes induced by Fen at the transcriptome level. The chlorophyll

Studies have indicated that graphene oxide (GO) could regulated Brassica napus L. root growth via abscisic acid (ABA) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). To study the mechanism and interaction between GO and IAA further, B. napus L (Zhongshuang No. 9) seedlings were treated with GO and IAA accordance with a two factor completely randomized design. GO and IAA cotreatment significantly regulated the root

Brassinolide (BR), as a new type of plant hormones, is involved in the processes of plant growth and stress response. Previous studies have reported the roles of BR in regulating plant developmental processes and also response tolerance to abiotic stresses in plants. The main purpose of our study was to explore whether nitric oxide (NO) plays a role in the process of BR-induced adventitious root formation

Aroma is an important organoleptic quality for fruit and has a large influence on consumer preference. Kiwifruit esters undergo rapid and substantial changes contributing to the flavor during fruit ripening. Part of enzymes and their coding genes have been indicated potential candidates for flavor-related esters synthesis. However, there still exist obvious gaps in the biosynthetic pathways of esters

Loss of vigor caused by seed aging adversely affects agricultural production under natural conditions. However, priming is an economical and effective method for improving the vigor of aged seeds. The objective of this study was to test the effectiveness of exogenous ascorbic acid (ASC) and glutathione (GSH) priming in the repairing of aged oat (Avena sativa) seeds, and to test the hypothesis that

BACKGROUND "Bairihua", a variety of the Catalpa bungei, has a large amount of flowers and a long flowering period which make it an excellent material for flowering researches in trees. SPL is one of the hub genes that regulate both flowering transition and development. RESULTS SPL homologues CbuSPL9 was cloned using degenerate primers with RACE. Expression studies during flowering transition in "Bairihua"

BACKGROUND The Eurasian steppe is an important vegetation type characterized by cold, arid and nitrogen poor conditions. At the Eastern edge, including in the Songnen grassland, the vegetation is dominated by Leymus chinensis (henceforth L. chinensis) and is increasing threatened by elevated anthropogenic nitrogen deposition. L. chinensis is a perennial grass that mainly reproduces vegetatively and

BACKGROUND Both drought and heat stress are serious global problems, leading to agricultural production loss. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in plant species responding to individual drought and heat stress. However, the miRNAs and mRNAs in association with combined drought and heat in crops like tomato remains unclear. RESULTS We studied the crosstalk of miRNAs and their target genes in tomato

BACKGROUND Pear fruit exhibit a single sigmoid pattern during development, while peach and strawberry fruits exhibit a double sigmoid pattern. However, little is known about the differences between these two patterns. RESULTS In this study, fruit weights were measured and paraffin sections were made from fruitlet to maturated pear, peach, and strawberry samples. Results revealed that both single and

BACKGROUND The steroidal hormones brassinosteroids (BRs) play important roles in plant growth and development. The pathway and genes involved in BR biosynthesis have been identified primarily in model plants like Arabidopsis, but little is known about BR biosynthesis in woody fruits such as pear. RESULTS In this study, we found that applying exogenous brassinolide (BL) could significantly increase

BACKGROUND The shade represents one of the major environmental limitations for turfgrass growth. Shade influences plant growth and alters plant metabolism, yet little is known about how shade affects the structure of rhizosphere soil microbial communities and the role of soil microorganisms in plant shade responses. In this study, a glasshouse experiment was conducted to examine the impact of shade

BACKGROUND The cytochrome P450s (CYP450s) as the largest enzyme family of plant metabolism participate in various physiological processes, whereas no study has demonstrated interest in comprehensive comparison of the genes in wheat and maize. Genome-wide survey, characterization and comparison of wheat and maize CYP450 gene superfamily are useful for genetic manipulation of the Gramineae crops. RESULTS

BACKGROUND Small ROP (also called RAC) GTPases are key factors in polar cell development and in interaction with the environment. ROP-Interactive Partner (RIP) proteins are predicted scaffold or ROP-effector proteins, which function downstream of activated GTP-loaded ROP proteins in establishing membrane heterogeneity and cellular organization. Grass ROP proteins function in cell polarity, resistance

BACKGROUND Eremophila R.Br. (Scrophulariaceae) is a diverse genus of plants with species distributed across semi-arid and arid Australia. It is an ecologically important genus that also holds cultural significance for many Indigenous Australians who traditionally use several species as sources of medicines. Structurally unusual diterpenoids, particularly serrulatane and viscidane-types, feature prominently

BACKGROUND The heterotrimeric G protein complex, consisting of Gα, Gβ, and Gγ subunits, are conserved signal transduction mechanism in eukaryotes. Recent molecular researches had demonstrated that G protein signaling participates in the regulation of yield related traits. However, the effects of G protein genes on yield components and stress tolerance are not well characterized. RESULTS In this study

BACKGROUND MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in the regulation of plant development and growth, but little information is available concerning their roles during grain development under different nitrogen (N) application levels. Our objective was to identify miRNAs related to the regulation of grain characteristics and the response to different N fertilizer conditions. RESULTS A total of 79 miRNAs

BACKGROUND Gossypol is a specific secondary metabolite in Gossypium species. It not only plays a critical role in development and self-protection of cotton plants, but also can be used as important anti-cancer and male contraceptive compound. However, due to the toxicity of gossypol for human beings and monogastric animals, the consumption of cottonseeds was limited. To date, little is known about

BACKGROUND Verticillium wilt of cotton is a serious soil-borne disease that causes a substantial reduction in cotton yields. A previous study showed that the endophytic fungus Chaetomium globosum CEF-082 could control Verticillium wilt of cotton, and induce a defense response in cotton plants. However, the comprehensive molecular mechanism governing this response is not yet clear. RESULTS To study

BACKGROUND Phosphorus (P) deficiency is one of the major constraints limiting plant growth, especially in acid soils. Stylosanthes (stylo) is a pioneer tropical legume with excellent adaptability to low P stress, but its underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. RESULTS In this study, the physiological, molecular and metabolic changes in stylo responding to phosphate (Pi) starvation were investigated

BACKGROUND Elevated temperature as a result of global climate warming, either in form of sudden heatwave (heat shock) or prolonged warming, has profound effects on the growth and development of plants. However, how plants differentially respond to these two forms of elevated temperatures is largely unknown. Here we have therefore performed a comprehensive comparison of multi-level responses of Arabidopsis

BACKGROUND Neo-tetraploid rice, which is a new germplasm developed from autotetraploid rice, has a powerful biological and yield potential and could be used for commercial utilization. The length of panicle, as a part of rice panicle architecture, contributes greatly to high yield. However, little information about long panicle associated with heterosis or hybrid vigor is available in neo-tetraploid

BACKGROUND Membrane lipid composition associates closely with membrane stability and fluidity under water stress. In this study, lipidomic analyses based on electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) were carried out to explore dynamic changes of membrane lipids in term of molecular species caused by PEG (Polyethylene glycol-6000)-induced water stress in wheat seedlings. RESULTS Among the

BACKGROUND Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) is a small berry with high economic value. Although cold storage can extend the storage time of blueberry to more than 60 days, it leads to chilling injury (CI) displaying as pedicle pits; and the samples of 0 °C-30 days was the critical point of CI. However, little is known about the mechanism and the molecular basis response to cold stress in blueberry have not