Length of grain affects the appearance, quality, and yield of rice. A rice long-grain chromosome segment substitution line Z744, with Nipponbare as the recipient parent and Xihui 18 as the donor parent, was identified. Z744 contains a total of six substitution segments distributed on chromosomes (Chrs.) 1, 2, 6, 7, and 12, with an average substitution length of 2.72 Mb. The grain length, ratio of length

Non-specific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs/LTPs) that can transport various phospholipids across the membrane in vitro are widespread in the plant kingdom, and they play important roles in many biological processes that are closely related to plant growth and development. Recently, nsLTPs have been shown to respond to different forms of abiotic stresses. Despite the vital roles of nsLTPs in many

Glyphosate-tolerant soybean is the most widely planted genetically modified crop worldwide. However, soybean remains recalcitrant to routine transformation because of the low infection efficiency of Agrobacterium to soybean and lack of useful selectable markers. In this study, several Agrobacterium strains and cell densities were compared by transient expression of the GUS gene. The results showed

Mechanical pot-seedling transplanting is an innovatively developed transplanting method that has the potential to replace mechanical carpet-seedling transplanting. However, the initial pot-seedling transplanting machine lacked optimized density spacing and limited yield potential for japonica rice. Therefore, ascertaining the optimized density by wide-narrow rows and the appropriate transplanting method

In the North China Plain (NCP), soil deterioration threatens winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. Although rotary tillage or plowing tillage are two methods commonly used in this region, research characterizing the effects of mixed tillage on soil characteristics and wheat yield has been limited. A fixed-site field trial was carried out during 2011–2016 to examine the impacts of three tillage

Leaf growth and its interaction with the growing environment critically affect leaf area, distribution, and function, and ultimately affects grain yield of maize (Zea mays L.). To detect the effects of leaf area dynamics, growth periods, and the environment on maize grain yield, a three-year field experiment was conducted using two maize varieties, medium plant-size variety Zhengdan 958 (ZD958) and

A yield gap analysis for rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is critical to meeting the oil demand by identifying yield potential and yield constraints. In this study, potential yield (Yp), attainable yield (Yatt), and actual yield (Yact) for winter rapeseed were determined in five different zones of China. A boundary line approach was adopted to calculate Yp, based on a large-scale field experimental database

Anthocyanins confer the wide range of colors for plants and also play beneficial health roles as potentially protective factors against heart disease and cancer. Brassica juncea is cultivated as an edible oil resource and vegetable crop worldwide, thus elucidating the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway would be helpful to improve the nutritional quality of Brassica juncea through the breeding and cultivating

Asparagine is an efficient nitrogen transport and storage carrier. Asparagine synthesis occurs by the amination of aspartate which is catalyzed by asparagine synthetase (ASN) in plants. Complete genome-wide analysis and classifications of the ASN gene family have recently been reported in different plants. However, systematic analysis and expression profiles of these genes have not been performed in

Potato late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans is one of the most destructive plant diseases that threaten global food security. Early and effective diagnosis of P. infestans is required before disease management decisions are made. Here, we developed a quick protocol to detect P. infestans based on a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay. The P. infestans specific multiple copy

Potato virus M (PVM) is one of the common and economically important potato viruses in potato-growing regions worldwide. To investigate and control this viral disease, efficient and specific detection techniques are needed. In this study, PVM virions were purified from infected potato plants and used as the immunogen to produce hybridomas secreting PVM-specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). Four highly

Mikania micrantha Kunth is an invasive alien weed and known as a plant killer around the world. Accurately and rapidly identifying M. micrantha in the wild is important for monitoring its growth status, as this helps management officials to take the necessary steps to devise a comprehensive strategy to control the invasive weed in the identified area. However, this approach still mainly depends on

Locusts are agricultural pests around the world. To cognize how locust distribution density and community structure are related to the hydrothermal and vegetation growth conditions of their habitats and thereby providing rapid and accurate warning of locust invasions, it is important to develop efficient and accurate techniques for acquiring locust information. In this paper, by analyzing the differences

The aim of this study was to detect evidence for signatures of recent selection in the Jinhua pig genome. These results can be useful to better understand the regions under selection in Jinhua pigs and might shed some lights on groups of genes that control production traits. In the present study, we performed extended haplotype homozygosity (EHH) tests to identify significant core regions in 202 Jinhua

The digestive tract of termite (Microcerotermes diversus) contains a variety of lignocellulose-degrading bacteria with exocellulases enzyme activity, not found in the rumen, which could potentially improve fiber degradation in the rumen. The objectives of the current study were to determine the effect of inoculation of rumen fluid (RF) with three species of bacteria isolated from termite digestive

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), a vital enzyme in anaerobic glycolysis, is closely associated with the survival of parasites. Previous studies of some parasites have shown that LDH exhibits unique physicochemical properties and molecular structures and may be an ideal potential target for diagnosis and drug screening. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of acetamizuril, a novel anticoccidial

In order to improve the management of nitrogen (N) fertilization in pear orchards, we investigated the effects of application timing on the distribution, storage, and remobilization of N in mature pear trees in a field experiment at Jingtai County, Gansu Province, China. Nine trees were selected for the experiment and each received equal aliquots of 83.33 g N in the autumn, spring, and summer, with

Soil microbes play essential roles in the biogeochemical processes of organic carbon and nutrient cycling. Many studies have reported various short-term effects of fertilization on soil microbes. However, less is known about the effects of longterm fertilization regimes on the rhizosphere. Therefore, the objective of this study was to explore how the soil microbial communities in the rhizosphere respond

It is of great significance to study the root characteristics of rice to improve water and nitrogen (N) use efficiency and reduce environmental pollution. This study investigated whether root traits and architecture of rice influence grain yield, as well as water and N utilization efficiency. An experiment was conducted using the upland rice cultivar Zhonghan 3 (a japonica cultivar) and paddy rice

Lead (Pb) in soil may accumulate in crops and enter the human body. This study aimed to understand the speciation transformation and accumulation characteristics of exogenous Pb in calcareous soil with or without the application of soil amendments. Field experiments with continuous maize cultivation have been carried out for two years. The results showed that the contents of total Pb were slightly

For evaluating the effects of UV-B treatment on lignification and quality of bamboo (Phyllostachys prominens) shoots during postharvest, fresh bamboo shoots without sheaths were irradiated with UV-B at a dose of 8.0 kJ m–2 and then stored at (6±1)°C along with 85–90% relative humidity (RH) for 15 d. The results showed that UV-B treatment apparently slowed down the increase rates of flesh firmness,

As a synthetic functional analog of salicylic acid, 2,6-dichloroisonicotinic acid (INA) is effective in inducing the host disease resistance of a plant against a pathogen. The effects of INA on controlling postharvest blue and green molds and anthracnose decay and defense-related enzymes on citrus fruits were investigated, and the ascorbic acid of naturally infected citrus flavedo was also measured

Bleeding canker, a devastating disease of pear trees (Pyrus pyrifolia L.), was first reported in the 1970s in Jiangsu, China and more recently in other provinces in China. Trees infected with bleeding canker pathogen, Dickeya fangzhongdai, develop cankers on the trunks and branches, and a rust-colored mixture of bacterial ooze and tree sap could be seen all over the trunks and branches. In this study

Bleeding canker, caused by Dickeya fangzhongdai, is a devastating disease of pear in China. The bacterium causes cankers, branch die-back, and eventually kills pear trees. The typical sign of bleeding canker infection is a rusty-brown bacterial ooze that exudes down from cankers onto branches or trunks. However, early symptoms and signs are inconspicuous, which makes effective disease management difficult

Dickeya fangzhongdai, the causal agent of bleeding canker of pear, is a new member of the Dickeya genus and the only one that infects woody plants. Recent studies have reclassified several Dickeya isolates as D. fangzhongdai, which were isolated from various environments, including water, Phalaenopsis sp. and Aglaonema sp. To provide genomic characterization of D. fangzhongdai isolates from pear, the

The spikelet is a unique inflorescence structure in grasses. However, the molecular mechanism that regulates its development remains unclear, and we therefore characterize a spikelet mutant of rice (Oryza sativa L.), aberrant-floral spikelet 1 (afs1), which was derived from treatment of Xinong 1B with ethyl methanesulfonate. In the afs1 mutant, the spikelet developed an additional lemma-like organ

Resistance to powdery mildew is an important trait of interest in many wheat breeding programs. The information on genes conferring resistance to powdery mildew in wheat cultivars is useful in parental selection. Winter wheat breeding line DH51302 derived from Liangxing 99 and cultivar Shimai 26 derived from Jimai 22 showed identical infection patterns against 13 isolates of Blumeria graminis f. sp

ThIPK2 is an inositol polyphosphate kinase gene cloned from Thellungiella halophila that participates in diverse cellular processes. Drought is a major limiting factor in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. The present study investigated whether the application of the ThIPK2 gene could increase the drought resistance of transgenic wheat. The codon-optimized ThIPK2 gene was transferred into common

Auxin regulates cell division and elongation of the primordial cells through its concentration and then shaped the plant architecture. Cell division and elongation form the internode of soybean and result in different plant heights and lodging resistance. Yet the mechanisms behind are unclear in soybean. To elucidate the mechanism of the concentration difference of auxin related to stem development

As one of the top three tuber crops of the world, cassava is a staple food and feed crop for tropical and subtropical regions. Because of its high drought resistance and tolerance to nutrient deficiency, cassava is usually cultivated on hilly areas that are nutrient-poor. Nitrogen (N) is one of the significant factors affecting cassava yield. A double factorial (N level×genotypes) split-plot field

The objective of the study was to determine the physiological mechanisms of plants in response to brassinolide (BR) alleviating cold water stress on rice. In this study, physiological responses of rice to exogenous BR and cold water submergence were investigated using the chilling-tolerant cultivar Kongyu 131 (KY131) and the chilling-sensitive cultivar Kenjiandao 6 (KJD6). A total of 2 mg L−1 BR increased

To understand the effect of nitrogen (N) fertilizer on rice (Oryza sativa L.) eating and cooking quality (ECQ). Here, we investigated the ECQ attributes, physicochemical foundation of ECQ, and amylopectin fine structure of two Waxy (Wx) alleles japonica rice cultivars Nanjing 9108 (NJ9108) and Huaidao 5 (HD5) under four N rates (0, 150, 300, and 450 kg ha−1). Sensory and pasting properties of the two

Indica-japonica hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars showed high yield potential and poor tasting quality when compared with common japonica rice cultivars. Large panicle is a prominent factor of high yield for indica-japonica hybrid rice cultivars, and the panicle weight varies greatly among different indica-japonica hybrid rice cultivars. It is important to research on yield and grain quality

In this study, we investigated the effect of exogenous sodium benzoate on wheat seedlings (Yangmai 16) grown under heavy metal stress. The results showed that 2.4 mmol kg−1 of heavy metals significantly inhibited growth and delayed emergence of wheat seedlings. Under compound heavy metal stress, application of 2–4 g L−1 sodium benzoate significantly increased (P>0.01) chlorophyll content and chlorophyll

Double-seed sowing (two seeds per hole) is the dominant pattern of peanut sowing in China, but within-hole plant competition usually limits their growth and yield formation. Besides, the traditional double-seed sowing method does not facilitate mechanization during sowing. The objective of this study was to determine if single-seed sowing at a proper seeding rate yielded better than traditional double-seed

Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is an effective approach of in vitro regeneration that depends on plant cell totipotency. However, largely unknown of molecular mechanisms of SE in woody plants such as Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima Blume), limits the development of the woody plant industry. Here, we report the MADS-box transcription factor CmAGL11 in Chinese chestnut. CmAGL11 transcripts specifically

Gibberellins (GAs) are important phytohormones that regulate many developmental processes in plants. Clove, as the reproductive organ of garlic, dramatically affected garlic bulb development. Considering the potential of gibberellins in plant development and our previous studies, we investigated the effect of soaking two types of seed cloves (seed clove-I: without root/shoot sprouting; seed clove-II:

Lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) is a key factor in the recognition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the initiation of immune response, thus regulating the body's resistance to pathogenic infection. To investigate the tissue-specific expression characteristics of the LBP gene and its transcriptional regulation in pigs, we detected LBP expression in different tissues of 35-day-old Meishan weaned

The CRISPR/Cas9 system has been extensively used to engineer genetic loci for the generation of knockouts, insertions, and point mutations in animal models. However, many mutations that have been reported in animals are small insertions or deletions. This study used the CRISPR/Cas9 system to induce large DNA fragment deletions in MSTN via three guide RNAs in sheep. This successfully achieved the precise

This study evaluated the effects of palm fat powder (PFP) and coated folic acid (CFA) on growth performance, ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility, microbial enzyme activity, microflora, hepatic lipid content and gene expression in dairy bulls. Forty-eight Chinese Holstein bulls ((362±12.4) days of age and (483±27.1) kg of body weight (BW)) were assigned to four groups in a completely randomized

Dengue virus (DENV) has emerged as a major virus that is spread by mosquitoes. Recently, it has spread to more than a hundred nations but continues to lack specific treatable medication. Many traditional Chinese medicinal (TCM) plants are in practice for dengue fever in dengue endemic regions. These traditional medicines persevere with treatments, which modern medicines lack. The study aims to substantiate

The effectiveness and longevity of amendments will influence the reduction in cadmium (Cd) bioavailability by in situ remediation techniques. Different amendments, including red mud (RM), corn straw (CS), rape straw (RS), and their combinations with zinc (Zn) fertilizer, were evaluated based on a long-term field experiment. It was found that all amendments decreased the concentration of available-Cd

Water is a key limiting factor in agriculture. Water resource shortages have become a serious threat to global food security. The development of water-saving irrigation techniques based on crop requirements is an important strategy to resolve water scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions. In this study, field experiments with winter wheat were performed at Wuqiao Experiment Station, China Agricultural

The breakdown of soil aggregates under rainfall and their abrasion in overland flow are important processes in water erosion due to the production of more fine and transportable particles and, the subsequent significant effect on the erosion intensity. Currently, little is known about the effects of sediment load on the soil aggregate abrasion and the relationship of this abrasion with some related

Antibiotics residues have been accumulating in the environment day by day due to overuse of antibiotics. Recalcitrant antibiotic residues, such as tylosin (TYL), can cause serious environmental problems, which makes it important to eliminate TYL from the environment. It is important to eliminate TYL from the environment. In this study, a strain was isolated and purified from fermentation by-product

Potato insurance plays an important role in transferring agricultural risks to promote the potato staple strategy. Understanding farmers' real preferences for potato insurance attributes is important to improve the potato insurance. In this study, a choice experiment was designed with attributes such as peril, minimum compensation ratio for production loss, types of crops covered by insurance, annual

This study examines the development and trends of China's alfalfa market and imports, identifies key factors for the rapid increase in China's alfalfa imports, and discusses potential impacts of the U.S.–China trade dispute and retaliations on the alfalfa markets and trade in both nations. China's rapid transition toward larger-scale commercial dairy production, with enhanced feed and cost management

In recent years, some reports, mainly from Chinese research, show that there has been an increasing trend in the use of ammonia-soda residue (ASR) (or called ammonia-soda white mud) as a soil conditioner in farmlands. Up to now, the studies on ASR have focused on its utilization for acid soil amendment in agriculture, but few studies have assessed its environmental risk. ASR contains pollutant elements

Chlorophyll (Chl) biosynthesis is essential for photosynthesis and plant growth. Glutamyl-tRNA reductase (GluTR) catalyzes glutamyl-tRNA into glutamate-1-semialdehyde (GSA) and initiates the chlorophyll biosynthesis. Even though the main role of GluTR has been established, the effects caused by natural variations in its corresponding gene remain largely unknown. Here, we characterized a spontaneous

Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, is a serious disease in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Identification and use of adult plant resistance (APR) resources are important for stripe rust resistance breeding. Bread wheat line C33 is an exotic germplasm that has shown stable APR to stripe rust for more than 10 years in Sichuan Province of China. Here, 183 recombinant inbred

Protoplast electrofusion between callus protoplasts of cultivar TMS60444 and mesophyll protoplasts of cultivar SC8 was performed as an approach for the genetic improvement of cassava. The fusion products were subsequently cultured in protoplast culture medium (TM2G) with gradual dilution for approximately 1–2 months. Then the protoplast-derived compact calli were transferred to suspension culture medium

Polyamines (PAs) play diverse roles in plant growth and development, as well as responses to environmental stimuli. In this study, the effects of PAs on rice salt tolerance were investigated. Salt stress resulted in the alteration of endogenous PAs levels in rice roots and leaves, where spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm) contents were increased, and putrescine (Put) content was decreased. RT-qPCR

In order to study the effects of different levels of salt stress and nitrogen (N) on physiological mechanisms, carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13C), and yield of two wheat cultivars (cv.), a two-year field experiment was carried out during 2013–2015. The treatments included three levels of salt stress (1.3, 5.2, and 10.5 dS m−1), three levels of N (50, 100, and 150 kg N ha−1), and two wheat cultivars

Maize (Zea mays L.) stands prominently as one of the major cereal crops in China as well as in the rest of the world. Therefore, predicting the growth and yield of maize for large areas through yield components under high-yielding environments will help in understanding the process of yield formation and yield potential under different environmental conditions. This accurate early assessment of yield

The cotton direct seeding after wheat (rape) harvested is under trial and would be the future direction at the Yangtze River Valley region of China. The objective of this study was to quantify the effects of branch and stem architecture on cotton yield and identify the optimal cotton architecture to compensate the yield loss due to the reduction of individual production capacity under high planting

To clarify the response and adaptability of peanut under salt stress, Huayu 25 was used as the material, and non-salt stress (CK), 0.15% salt stress (S1), and 0.3% salt stress (S2) were applied as three treatments. The study analysed the effects of salt stress on photosynthetic characteristics, photosynthetic substances accumulation and distribution as well as the ecological adaptability of peanuts

Development of highly sensitive and reliable method for detection of phytohormones is of great significance to study plant hormones and agricultural production. In this study, an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry method was established for separation and quantification of trans-zeatin, trans-zeatin riboside, gibberellin A3, indol-3-acetic acid, salicylic

Nitrogen (N) deficiency is a common problem for apple (Malus×domestica) production in arid regions of China. However, N utilization efficiency (NUE) of different apple cultivars grown under low N conditions in arid regions has not been evaluated. In this study, NUE was assessed for one-year-old seedlings of six apple cultivars, Golden Delicious, Qinguan, Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Fuji and Pink Lady, grafted

Mathematical models have been widely employed for the simulation of growth dynamics of annual crops, thereby performing yield prediction, but not for fruit tree species such as jujube tree (Zizyphus jujuba). The objectives of this study were to investigate the potential use of a modified WOFOST model for predicting jujube yield by introducing tree age as a key parameter. The model was established using

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) is an important rice pathogen. This is a vascular pathogen entering the plant via the hydathodes causing rice bacterial blight. It has been known that most regulation of pathogenicity factor F (RpfF) genes in Xanthomonas regulates virulence in response to the diffusible signal factor (DSF). The RpfF recognized as an attractive drug target in bacterial rice blight