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

Improved utilization of rice (Oryza sativa L.) straw and Chinese milk vetch (Astragalus sinicus L., vetch) has positive effects on rice production. So far, few studies have investigated the productivity of vetch under different residue management practices in double-rice cropping system. The effects of rice straw on the growth and nutrient accumulation of vetch across seven years (2011–2017) and the

Green manure can be used as a substitute for chemical fertilizer without reducing rice yield. We studied the responses of soil fertility and rice yield to different combinations of Chinese milk vetch (CMV; Astragalus sinicus L.) and chemical fertilizer in a subtropical double-rice cropping system. Our goal is to reduce chemical fertilizer use and decrease environmental contamination. Compared with

Selecting a proper set of covariates is one of the most important factors that influence the accuracy of digital soil mapping (DSM). The statistical or machine learning methods for selecting DSM covariates are not available for those situations with limited samples. To solve the problem, this paper proposed a case-based method which could formalize the covariate selection knowledge contained in practical

Magnesium slag (MS) is one of the main industrial solid wastes produced by the magnesium industry. Solving the problem of its disposal has attracted much attention with increasing amounts of solid wastes generated in the production of metallic magnesium. Because MS contains calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and silicon (Si), some have tried to use MS as Si-Ca-Mg fertilizer or for soil amendment in agriculture

Plant-parasitic nematodes wreak havoc on the yield and quality of crops worldwide. Damage from these pests is estimated to exceed US$100 billion annually but is likely higher due to misdiagnosis. Nematode damage may be catastrophic, but historically the solution has been damaging as well. Use of the synthetic nematicide methyl bromide (MBr) poses risks to the environment and to human health. Biofumigation

The paste viscosity attributes of starch, measured by rapid visco analyzer (RVA), are important factors for the evaluation of the cooking and eating qualities of rice in breeding programs. To determine the genetic roots of the paste viscosity attributes of rice grains, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with the paste viscosity attributes were mapped, using a double haploid (DH) population derived

The Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporter (SWEET) gene family, identified as sugar transporters, has been demonstrated to play key roles in phloem loading, grain filling, pollen nutrition, and plant-pathogen interactions. To date, the study of SWEET genes in response to abiotic stress is very limited. In this study, we performed a genome-wide identification of the SWEET gene family in wheat

Low stature in wheat is closely associated with lodging resistance, and this impacts harvest index and grain yield. The discovery of novel dwarfing or semi-dwarfing genes can have great significance for dwarf wheat breeding. In this study, we identified an EMS-induced dwarf wheat mutant JE0124 from the elite cultivar Jing411. JE0124 possesses increased stem strength and a 33% reduction in plant height

In Brassica napus L. (rapeseed), complete genic male sterility (GMS) plays an important role in the utilization of heterosis. Although microRNAs (miRNAs) play essential regulatory roles during bud development, knowledge of how GMS is regulated by miRNAs in rapeseed is rather limited. In this study, we obtained a novel recessive GMS system, CN12AB. The sterile line CN12A has defects in tapetal differentiation

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are a new light source with low energy consumption and high photoelectric conversion efficiency, and they can satisfy the energy-saving needs of plant culture systems. However, the effects of LED light sources on rice tissue culture and rice seedling cultivation are poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of LEDs on the growth of tissue culture plantlets

Understanding the characteristics of rice productivity is of great importance for achieving high yield formation. However, such traits have not yet been studied for different ages of hydroponically grown long-mat rice seedlings (HLMS), which constitutes a new method of seedling cultivation. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of seedling age on the growth stage, photosynthesis

Compared with single agronomic practices management during grain formation, knowledge about integrated agronomic practices management on grain-filling characteristics and physiological function of endogenous hormones was limited. In order to clarify this issue, two field experiments, integrated agronomic practices management (IAPM), T1 (local conventional cultivation practices), T2 (an optimized combination

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are frequently used to adjust cotton growth and development. The objectives of this study were to determine how PGRs affect plant morphology, light distribution and the spatial distribution of leaves and bolls within the cotton canopy. The field experiments were carried out at Shihezi (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China) in 2014 and 2015. The experiment included

To elucidate the mechanisms underlying the differences in yield formation among two parents (P1 and P2) and their F1 hybrid of cucumber, biomass production and whole source–sink dynamics were analyzed using a functional–structural plant model (FSPM) that simulates both the number and size of individual organs. Observations of plant development and organ biomass were recorded throughout the growth periods

Selection of rootstock is very important for citrus production. Besides its major role on resistance, the rootstock also can affect fruit production and quality. Currently, the main concerns on selection of rootstock for citrus production are compatibility and resistance, due to less information on the impacts of rootstock to the performance of scion varieties. This study aims to provide information

Histone lysine acetylation is catalyzed by acetyltransferases (HATs), which is important in regulating gene expression and physiological function in eukaryotic cells. HATs can be classified into two main types: A- and B-type HATs. Recently, in Fusarium graminearum, it has been reported that A-type HATs are involved in hyphal development, conidiation, sexual reproduction and virulence. However, the

High-throughput deep-sequencing technology and bioinformatics analysis of the small RNA (sRNA) population isolated from plants allows universal virus detection and complete virome reconstruction for a given sample. In the present sRNA deep-sequencing analysis of virus-infected wheat samples in the Czech Republic, samples were firstly tested for barley yellow dwarf viruses (BYDVs), wheat streak mosaic

To develop a rapid and high-sensitivity method for detection of grapevine virus E (GVE), a SYBR Green based real-time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR method (RT-qPCR) was established. This method could be used to detect GVE specifically, and the sensitivity was about 100 times greater than conventional RT-PCR. An excellent linear correlation (R2=0.997) and a high amplification efficiency (E=97.5%)

Three transgenic maize events (IE09S034, Shuangkang 12–5 and C0030.3.5) produced Cry1le, Cry1Ab/Cry2Aj and G10-EPSPS, Cry1Ab and EPSPS, respectively, all of which target the Asian corn borer. The oriental armyworm Mythimna separata (Walker) is the secondary target. In this study, the effects of the three Bt maizes on the development and survival of armyworm were studied. The results showed that IE09S034

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) in the form of PQQ disodium (PQQ▪Na2) on the growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality and antioxidative ability of broilers. A total of 720 one-d-old Arbor Acres male broilers were randomly allocated to 1 of 6 treatments with 8 replicates of 15 birds per replicate in a completely

In the present study, we aimed to investigate a protective role for resveratrol against the effects of immobilization stress on corpora lutea (CL) of mice in early pregnancy. A total of 45 early-pregnant mice were divided into no immobilization stress (NIS) group, immobilization stress (IS) group, and immobilization and resveratrol treatment (IS+RES) group (n=15). Mice were immobilized in plastic tubes

Infectious bursal disease (IBD), caused by IBD virus (IBDV), is one of the most devastating and immunosuppressive diseases of the poultry and has been a constraint on the sustainable poultry production around the globe including Pakistan. While the disease is threatening the poultry industry, the nature of predominant strains of IBDV in Pakistan remained ill-defined. In this study, an epidemiology

Straw return is an effective management practice. It not only utilizes agricultural waste but also introduces dissolved organic matter (DOM) into the soil. Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element in the human diet and contributes to the popularity of Se-enriched agricultural products in the Chinese market. Moreover, there are still some Se-enriched agricultural products that have yet to be utilized

Rice growth requires a large amount of water, and planting rice will increase the contradiction between supply and demand of water resources. Paddy field fallowing is important for the sustainable development of an agricultural region, but it remains a great challenge to accurately and quickly monitor the extent and area of fallowed paddy fields. Paddy fields have unique physical features associated

Early-season crop type mapping could provide important information for crop growth monitoring and yield prediction, but the lack of ground-surveyed training samples is the main challenge for crop type identification. Although reference time series based method (RBM) has been proposed to identify crop types without the use of ground-surveyed training samples, the methods are not suitable for study regions

Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) originated in South America and is one of the most serious pests of tomatoes. It is also known to attack other solanaceous crops, including potato, eggplant, pepper, tobacco, and weedy species such as black nightshade. After accidental introduction into Spain in 2006, this pest spread rapidly throughout Afro-Eurasia and has become a major threat to tomato production worldwide

Lepidoptera, with 0.16 million species, is the second largest order of insecta. This order includes silk worms, butterflies, and many agricultural pests. The cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) is one of the pests in Lepidoptera that seriously harms cotton plant and other crops in China and other countries. This pest develops resistance to chemical insecticides rapidly. Bacillus thuringiensis

Insect neuropeptides are a group of brain neuro-regulatory factors, which plays very important roles in growth and development, molting and metamorphosis, as well as mating and reproduction. The neuropeptide F (NPF), a multi-functional neuropeptide, is one of neuropeptides identified in numerous insect species, which plays important roles in feeding, metabolism, courtship, reproduction, aggression

The nervous system of the silkworm is vital for the development of organisms. It achieves and maintains normal life activities by regulating the function of the organs and all kinds of physiological processes in the silkworm. BmApontic (BmApt), as an important bZIP transcription factor, is required for the formation of pigmentation in the silkworm. However, the function of BmApt in the development

Reproductive polyphenism, which allows one genotype to produce sexual and asexual morphs, is an extreme case of phenotypic plasticity and is commonly observed in aphids. Aphids are typical species that switch these reproductive modes, and the pathway orientation is triggered by the environmental conditions (mainly photoperiod and temperature). The typical annual life of aphids includes a succession

The oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a harmful pest which causes heavy loss in agricultural crops. Sex identification of M. separata is very important for understanding the biology and management of this pest. Development of fast and convenient methods to identify M. separata female and male is the necessary prerequisite for conducting gender-related studies. In this

Cereal aphids are major insect pests of wheat, which cause significant damages to wheat production. Previous studies mainly focused on the resistance of different wheat varieties to one specific aphid species. However, reports on the physiology and defense responses of wheat to different cereal aphids are basically lacking. In this work, we studied the feeding behavior of three cereal aphids: the grain

The corn borer is a world-wide agricultural pest. In this study, a high-efficiency RNAi method was explored to knock down the neuropeptide F (NPF) to determine if NPF regulates larval feeding in the Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis. Results showed that the expression peaks of npf mRNA in both midgut and fat body are at 28 h of early 5th instar larvae. When NPF was knocked down either by feeding

Hox genes of proboscipedia (pb) and Sex combs reduced (Scr) and their cofactors are required for determination of insect mouthpart identity and play important roles in insect organ morphogenesis. However, in the lepidopteran insects, including many agricultural and forest pests, the roles of these genes in determination of mouthpart morphogenesis are unclear. Here we report that both BmPB (Gene ID:

Fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs) are a family of lipid chaperones, which contribute to systemic metabolic regulation through diverse lipid signalings. In this study, a midgut-specific FABP gene (Slfabp2) was cloned from Spodoptera litura. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis indicated that RNA and protein levels of SlFABP2 gradually increased and reached a peak at the prepupal stage and maintained a

Insect quantity is an important index for determining the degree of damage to plants. The brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), is one of the most important rice pests in Asia. Here, we used two genotypes of BPH, a high-fecundity genotype (HFG) and a low-fecundity genotype (LFG), to measure their ecological fitness and to explore possible causes for genotype differentiation by transcriptome

Cytochrome b5 (Cyt-b5) is a small heme protein and known to be involved in a wide range of biochemical transformations, including cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYP)-mediated metabolism of endogenous and exogenous compounds. Studies on Cyt-b5 are more concentrated in mammals, but are relatively rare in insects. The characteristics and function of Cyt-b5 from Locusta migratoria have not been described

Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) are a very complex protein superfamily that increase insect temperature tolerance. In order to deeply understand the function and role of sHSPs in Chilo suppressalis (Walker), this study isolated and identified two CsHSP genes lacking introns from C. suppressalis, Cshsp23.9 and Cshsp27.3. The cDNA full-length of Cshsp23.9 and Cshsp27.3 were 909 and 1 036 bp encoding

Aphelinus asychis is an important aphid endoparasitoid. Under field and greenhouse conditions, high temperature is one of the factors limiting the application of A. asychis for biological pest control. To explore the potential role of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels and heat shock proteins (HSPs) in this process, we identified 11 genes encoding TRP channels and nine genes encoding HSPs

Nitrate transporters (NRTs) are regulators of nitrate assimilation and transport. The genome sequences of TaNRT2L12-A, -B and -D were cloned from wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and polymorphisms were analyzed by sequencing. TaNRT2L12-D in a germplasm population was highly conserved. However, 38 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TaNRT2L12-A coding region and 11 SNPs in TaNRT2L12-B coding region

High-amylose maize starch has great potential for widespread industrial use due to its ability to form strong gels and film and in the food processing field, thus serving as a resistant starch source. However, there is still a substantial shortage of high-amylose maize due to the limitation of natural germplasm resources, although the well-known amylose extender (ae) gene mutants have been found to

Brassica napus cultivars have little or no primary dormancy; however, they are prone to secondary dormancy induction. Secondary dormant seeds can produce volunteer plants, which can result in genetic contamination, reduced quality and biosafety issues. However, information regarding the molecular mechanism underlying secondary dormancy is limited. The MOTHER OF FT AND TFL1 (MFT) gene, which is evolutionarily