Heading date is a crucial agronomic trait. However, rice usually delays heading due to the photoperiod, temperature, hormones or age. The present research was conducted to analyze the mechanism controlling heading date in F1 hybrid rice. We constructed two test-crossing populations using two introgression lines (ILs), P20 and P21 coming from SH527/FH838 as the male parent, respectively, and male sterile

Initial flowering date (IFD) is closely related to mature period of peanut pods. In present study, a population of recombinant inbred lines (RIL) derived from the cross between Silihong (female parent) and Jinonghei 3 (male parent) was used to map QTLs associated with IFD. The RIL population and its two parental cultivars were planted in two locations of Hebei Province, China from 2015 to 2018 (eight

Although a lot of researches have been done on yield characteristics of japonica/indica hybrid rice, there is little information on differences of yield characteristics between different types of hybrid. To determine common characteristics of japonica/indica hybrid rice (JIHR) and identify the differences between different types of JIHR, the present study assessed yield characteristics, such as panicle

Because of the yield increase of 3.5–15% compared to conventional wheat, hybrid wheat is considered to be one of the main ways to greatly improve the wheat yield in the future. In this study, we performed a principal component analysis (PCA) on two-line hybrids wheat and their parents using the grain weight (GW), the length of spike (LS), the kernel number of spike (KSN), and spike number (SPN) as

The accurate evaluation of maize stalk lodging resistance in different growth periods enables timely management of lodging risks and ensures stable and high maize yields. Here, we established five different sowing dates to create different conditions for maize growth. We evaluated the effects of the different growth conditions on lodging resistance by determining stalk morphology, moisture content

The ability to screen larger populations with fewer replicates and non-destructive measurements is one advantage of high-throughput phenotyping (HTP) over traditional phenotyping techniques. In this study, two wheat accessions were grown in a controlled-environment with a moderate drought imposed from stem elongation to post-anthesis. Red-green-blue (RGB) imaging was performed on 17 of the 22 d following

The impact of increased shading stress on agronomic traits, photosynthetic performance and antioxidants activities in leaves of two soybeans cultivars (D16 and E93) was studied. Soybean seedlings were grown in pots and exposed to no shade (S0), slight shade (S1), moderate shade (S2), and heavy shade (S3). Our findings showed that under the S3 in both cultivars, leaf fresh weight (LFW), specific leaf

Based on morphological, molecular biological, and molecular systematic studies, we describe here a new species of Malus from Yunnan, China. We compared the morphology of this new species, Malus shizongensis Liu sp. nov, with three Malus species, including M. hupehensis, M. baccata, and M. micromalus. Although the appearance of M. shizongensis was similar to these three species, it differed in height

Chemical potassium (K) fertilizer is commonly used in apple (Malus domestica L. Borkh) production but K is easily fixed by soil, resulting in reduced K fertilizer utilization and wasted resources. K-solubilizing bacteria (KSB) can cost-effectively increase the soluble K content in rhizosphere soil. Therefore, the objectives were to select high-efficiency KSB from apple orchards under various soil management

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an important crop throughout the world. An uncharacterized disease has been observed on potato plants during the growing season and tubers during the storage period from Nileke County, Qitai County and other locations in Xinjiang, China. A particular fungus was consistently isolated from the infected potato plants and tubers. Based on its morphology, molecular characteristics

FgGCN5, a GCN5 homolog in Fusarium graminearum, plays a critical role in hyphal vegetative growth, asexual and sexual reproduction, deoxynivalenol (DON) biosynthesis and plant infection. For nuclear localized GCN5, four conserved sequence motifs (I–IV) are presented in the catalytic domain and a bromodomain in the carboxy-terminus. As a lysine acetyltransferase, conserved negatively charged residues

The rice planthoppers, Nilaparvata lugens and Sogatella furcifera, are important sap-sucking pests of rice in Asia. The mesoionic insecticide triflumezopyrim was previously shown to be highly effective in controlling both N. lugens and S. furcifera. In this study, electropenetrography (EPG) was used to evaluate the effect of three triflumezopyrim concentrations (LC10, LC50 and LC90) on the feeding

Monitoring pest populations in paddy fields is important to effectively implement integrated pest management. Light traps are widely used to monitor field pests all over the world. Most conventional light traps still involve manual identification of target pests from lots of trapped insects, which is time-consuming, labor-intensive and error-prone, especially in pest peak periods. In this paper, we

Despite one SINE retrotransposon insertion polymorphism (sRTIP) in the vertebrae development-associated (VRTN) gene was identified in pigs, the structural variations (SVs) in VRTN gene and its proximal flank regions were largely unknown. VRTN genic and flanking sequences from 14 breeds were assembled or downloaded from whole-genome shotgun contings (WGS) database, and aligned to identify the SVs with

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is an opportunistic pathogen of humans and animals and a common source of nosocomial infections especially of the respiratory tract. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is also a major bacterial disease of poultry and in particular, eggs and newly hatched chicks. In this study, we developed a simple, accurate and rapid molecular detection method using cross priming amplification (CPA)

Soil aggregation, microbial community, and functions (i.e., extracellular enzyme activities; EEAs) are critical factors affecting soil C dynamics and nutrient cycling. We assessed soil aggregate distribution, stability, nutrients, and microbial characteristics within >2, 0.25–2, 0.053–0.25, and <0.053 mm aggregates, based on an eight-year field experiment in a greenhouse vegetable field in China. The

Rhizosphere colonization is a key requirement for the application of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) as a biofertilizer. Signaling molecules are often exchanged between PGPR and plants, and genes in plants may respond to the action of PGPR. Here, the luciferase luxAB gene was electrotransformed into Pseudomonas sp. strain TK35, a PGPR with an affinity for tobacco, and the labelled TK35

Fumigation is a widely applied approach to mitigate the soil-borne diseases. However, the potential effects of currently applied fumigants on ammonification remain unclear. An 84-day incubation experiment was conducted based on non-fumigated soil (CK) and fumigated soil using three common fumigants, i.e., chloropicrin (CP), 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D), and metam sodium (MS). The results showed that

This study examines the impact of cash crop cultivation on household income and migration decisions, using survey data collected from low-income regions in China. Given farmers decide themselves whether to cultivate cash crops, an endogenous treatment regression model that accounts for potential selection bias issue is used to analyze the data. The empirical results show that cash crop cultivation

Monitoring and early warning is an important means to effectively prevent risks in agricultural production, consumption and price. In particular, with the change of modes of national administration against the background of big data, improving the capacity to monitor agricultural products is of great significance for macroeconomic decision-making. Agricultural product information early warning thresholds

An active miniature inverted-repeat transposable element (MITE), MCLas-A, was previously identified from ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ known to be associated with citrus Huanglongbing (HLB, yellow shoot disease). To explore the recent transposition status of MCLas-A, 389 ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ strains collected from nine regions in China were amplified using a specific primer set and three representative

Currently, enhancers have key transcriptional regulatory roles in muscle development. Skeletal muscle formation involves various molecules, and in animals, enhancers are one of the main types of transcriptional regulatory regions that are of great importance to regulate myogenic gene expression. In muscle development, enhancers can generate enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) that are involved in the regulation

The rice mutant ossac4 (starch accumulating 4) was raised from seeds of the rice (Oryza sativa L.) indica maintainer line Xinong 1B treated with ethyl methanesulfonate. The distal and medial portions of the second leaf displayed premature senescence in the ossac4 mutant at the four-leaf stage. Physiological and biochemical analysis, and cytological examination revealed that the ossac4 mutant exhibited

Pyrabactin resistance 1-like proteins (PYLs) are direct receptors of abscisic acid (ABA). For the redundant and polymorphic functions, some members of the PYL family interact with components of other signaling pathways. Here, 253 positive colonies from a maize cDNA library were screened as interacting proteins with the members of ZmPYL family. After sequencing and function annotation, 17 of 28 interaction

The vacuolar proton-pumping pyrophosphatase gene (VPP) is often used to enhance plant drought tolerance via genetic engineering. In this study, the drought tolerance of four transgenic inbred maize lines overexpressing ZmVPP1 (PH4CV-T, PH6WC-T, Chang7-2-T, and Zheng58-T) and their transgenic hybrids was evaluated at various stages. Under normal and drought conditions, the height and fresh weight were

The maximum carboxylation rate of Rubisco (Vcmax) and maximum rate of electron transport (Jmax) for the biochemical photosynthetic model, and the slope (m) of the Ball-Berry stomatal conductance model influence gas exchange estimates between plants and the atmosphere. However, there is limited data on the variation of these three parameters for annual crops under different environmental conditions

The accurate representation of surface characteristic is an important process to simulate surface energy and water flux in land-atmosphere boundary layer. Coupling crop growth model in land surface model is an important method to accurately express the surface characteristics and biophysical processes in farmland. However, the previous work mainly focused on crops in single cropping system, less work

Waxy maize is widely cultivated under rainfed conditions and frequently suffers water shortage during the late growth stage. In this study, a pot trial was conducted to examine the effects of post-silking drought on leaf photosynthesis and senescence and its influence on grain yield. Two waxy maize hybrids, Suyunuo 5 (SYN5) and Yunuo 7 (YN7), were grown under the control and drought (soil moisture

Oilseed rape is one of the most important oil crops globally. Attaining the appropriate cultivation method (planting pattern and nitrogen level) is necessary to achieve high yield, quality and resource utilization efficiency. However, the optimal method for oilseed rape varies across countries and regions. The objective of the present study was to determine an appropriate cultivation method, including

Salt stress seriously restricts the growth and yield of potatoes. Plant cystatins are vital players in biotic stress and development, however, their roles in salt stress resistance remain elusive. Here, we report that StCYS1 positively regulates salt tolerance in potato plants. An in vitro biochemical test demonstrated that StCYS1 is a bona fide cystatin. Overexpression of StCYS1 in both Escherichia

Flowering is an important process for the reproduction of higher plants. Up to this point, the studies on flowering have mostly focused on the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, and the flowering mechanism of fruit trees remains mostly unknown. The diversity of the flowering time of loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) makes it an ideal material to study the regulation of flowering. In this study, we

Smut is a serious disease in Job's tears, also known as adlay, and contributes to the reduction of crop yield in agricultural fields. In this study, the key pathogenic fungi in adlay smut disease were first identified by internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) high-throughput sequencing and then used to elucidate the composition and diversity of the fungal community in adlay smut. Results indicate

Clubroot disease, caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae, is one of the most destructive soil-borne diseases in cruciferous crops worldwide. New strategies are urgently needed to control this disease, as no effective disease-resistant varieties or chemical control agents exist. Previously, we found that the incidence rate and disease index of clubroot in oilseed rape decreased by 50 and 40%, respectively

Sesquiterpenoids play an import role in the direct or indirect defense of plants. Farnesyl pyrophosphate synthases (FPSs) catalyze the biosynthesis of farnesyl pyrophosphate, which is a key precursor of farnesol and (E)-β-farnesene. In the current study, two FPS genes in Gossypium hirsutum, GhFPS1 and GhFPS2, were heterologously cloned and functionally characterized in a greenhouse setting. The open

The feasibility of a novel method to improve sow reproductive performance by combining inhibin immunization and hCG treatment was tested using in vivo and in vitro experiments. In the in vivo experiment, 106 sows were administered an inhibin immunogen on day 7 prior to weaning, and 56 non-treated sows served as the controls. Sows exhibiting oestrous behaviour on day 5 after weaning were artificially

We developed an H5/H7 trivalent inactivated vaccine by using Re-11, Re-12, and H7-Re2 vaccine seed viruses, which were generated by reverse genetics and derived their HA genes from A/duck/Guizhou/S4184/2017(H5N6) (DK/GZ/S4184/17) (a clade 2.3.4.4d virus), A/chicken/Liaoning/SD007/2017(H5N1) (CK/LN/SD007/17) (a clade 2.3.2.1d virus), and A/chicken/Guangxi/SD098/2017(H7N9) (CK/GX/SD098/17), respectively

The structural complexity of soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) may reflect soil biogeochemical processes due to its spectral characteristics. However, the features of DOM structural complexity in paddy soil amended with long-term chemical P fertilization are still unclear, which may limit understanding of nutrient-related soil C cycle. We collected soil samples from field experiments receiving application

Assessing spatial variability and mapping of soil properties constitute important prerequisites for soil and crop management in agricultural areas. To explore the relationship between soil spatial variability and land management, 256 samples were randomly collected at two depths (surface layer 0–20 cm and subsurface layer 20–40 cm) under different land use types and soil parent materials in Yujiang

In recent years, the use of fertigation technology with center pivot irrigation systems has increased rapidly in the North China Plain (NCP). The combined effects of water and nitrogen application uniformity on the grain yield, water use efficiency (WUE) and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) have become a research hotspot. In this study, a two-year field experiment was conducted during the winter wheat

Peanut protein is easily digested and absorbed by the human body, and peanut tofu does not contain flatulence factors and beany flour. However, at present, there is no industrial preparation process of peanut tofu, whereas the quality of tofu prepared by different peanut varieties is quite different. This study established an industrial feasible production process of peanut tofu and optimized the key

Sweet and sour are the most important taste of blueberries, and they are produced by sugar and acid, respectively. Their contributions to the taste depend not only on the levels of sugar and acid, but also on the types and relative proportions of sugar and acid. Therefore, it is very important to evaluate the composition and levels of sugar and acid in blueberries. Regional differences and variety

The high nitrogen (N) application rates typically used in Chinese cropping systems have led to diminishing returns for yields and have also imposed substantial environmental costs. Here, we estimate that the annual N loss from rice production in China reached approximately 2.6×109 kg from 2011 to 2015, and we demonstrate that adoption of the mechanically dense transplanting technique by producers is

The contradiction between the supply and demand of edible vegetable oil in China is prominent, and the self-sufficiency rate is less than 35%. Peanut has a very outstanding status in ensuring the security of edible oil and food. The emphasis of increasing peanut yield should be the improvement of pod yield per unit area, because the total yield of peanut has not increased as required. This is attributed

Recombinant virus-vectored vaccines are novel agents that can effectively activate specific and nonspecific immunity, are multivalent and multieffective, and have high safety ratings. Animal alphaherpesviruses have a large genome, contain multiple nonessential regions that do not affect viral replication and are capable of accepting the insertion of an exogenous gene and expressing the antigen protein

The world's population is facing food shortages due to climate change and the competition for arable land between food and energy crops. Many national and international projects to develop “super rice” cultivars were established in recent decades to attain a ‘third leap forward’ in rice production. In order to evaluate the breeding process in northern China, an 11-year tracking survey of japonica rice

Synthetic hexaploid wheat (SHW), possesses numerous genes for drought that can help breeding for drought-tolerant wheat varieties. We evaluated 10 root traits at seedling stage in 111 F9 recombinant inbred lines derived from a F2 population of a SHW line (SHW-L1) and a common wheat line, under normal (NC) and polyethylene glycol-simulated drought stress conditions (DC). We mapped quantitative trait

Kernel development plays an important role in determining kernel size in maize. Here we present the cloning and characterization of a maize gene, nitrate transporter1.5 (NRT1.5), which controls small kernel phenotype by playing an important role in kernel development. A novel recessive small kernel mutant miniature2-m1 (mn2-m1) was isolated from self-pollinated progenies of breeding materials. The

Soil waterlogging is a major environmental stress that suppresses the growth and productivity of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.). Natural genetic variations in waterlogging tolerance (WT) were observed but no QTL mapping has been done for WT related traits in rapeseed. In this study, QTL associated with three WT related traits including relative root length (RRL), relative hypocotyl length (RHL) and relative

Heat stress negatively affects wheat production in many regions of the world. At present, sensitivity to heat stress remains one of the least understood aspects of wheat genetics and breeding, and measures for preventing heat stress are understudied. In this study, we used three cultivars of winter wheat (GY2018, SL02-1 and SY20) to evaluate the effect of heat stress at different days after anthesis

Grain number is crucial for analysis of yield components and assessment of effects of cultivation measures. The grain number per spike and thousand-grain weight can be measured by counting grains manually, but it is time-consuming, tedious and error-prone. Previous image processing algorithms cannot work well with different backgrounds and different sizes. This study used deep learning methods to resolve

As a major abiotic stress, drought causes instability and deterioration of malt barley quality. There is distinct difference among barley cultivars in the responses of the main malt quality traits to drought stress. In the previous study, we identified some Tibetan wild barley accessions with relatively less change of malt quality traits under drought. In this study, we examined the impact of drought

Most Rhododendron species are ornamental flowering species widely distributed in Asia, North America, and West Europe. Rhododendron fortunei, one of the endemic Rhododendron species in China, has beautiful flowers with bright colors and is being exploited to meet the needs of the flower market. Polyploid plants usually show superiority in growth, disease resistance, and adaption over their diploid

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been widely applied in the controlled environment agriculture, which are characterized by relatively narrow-band spectra and energetical efficiency. Most recently, the spectrum of Sunlike LEDs has been engineered and it closely resembles solar spectrum in the range of photosynthetic active radiation (PAR, 400–700 nm). To investigate how plant growth responses to the

Stripe rust is a continuous threat to wheat crop all over the world. It causes considerable yield losses in wheat crop every year. Continuous deployment of adult plant resistance (APR) genes in newly developing wheat cultivars is the most judicious strategy to combat this disease. Herein, we dissected the genetics underpinning stripe rust resistance in Pakistani wheat germplasm. An association panel

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is an important staple crop for global human. The necrotrophic fungus Rhizoctonia cerealis is the causal pathogen of sharp eyespot, a devastating disease of wheat. Herein, we identified RcMEP1, a zinc metalloproteaseencoding gene from R. cerealis genomic sequences, and characterized its pathogenesis function. RcMEP1 expressed at markedly-high levels during R. cerealis infection

Soybean root diseases are associated with numerous fungal and oomycete pathogens; however, the community dynamics and interactions of these pathogens are largely unknown. We performed 13 loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays that targeted specific soybean root pathogens, and traditional isolation assays. A total of 159 samples were collected from three locations in the Huang-Huai-Hai

Emaraviruses are multipartite negative-sense single-stranded viruses that usually infect flowering plants. Using unbiased next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach, a novel virus from lilac leaves with yellow mottle symptom was identified. Five viral genomic RNA segments were detected and completely sequenced. The molecular characteristics of the viral RNAs and proteins resemble those of members of

Bactrocera bryoniae and Bactrocera neohumeralis are highly destructive and major biosecurity/quarantine pests of fruit and vegetable in the tropical and subtropical regions in the South Pacific and Australia. Although these pests have not established in China, precautions must be taken due to their highly destructive nature. Thus, we predicted the potential geographic distribution of B. bryoniae and

Previous studies on mammals showed that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) played a prominent role in regulating muscle fiber type transition and composition. However, the role of PGC-1α in chicken muscle has seldom been explored. To investigate the effect of PGC-1α on chicken skeletal muscles in this study, the PGC-1α gene was overexpressed or silenced in chicken

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element that has a large number of biological functions for broilers. However, the absorption kinetics of Se from sodium selenite in the small intestine of broilers remains unclear. Therefore, two experiments were conducted with 28-d-old commercial male broilers to study the kinetics of Se absorption in ligated small intestinal segments. In experiment 1, the Se absorption