New CropsPub Date : 2025-02-19DOI: 10.1016/j.ncrops.2025.100069
Jingyan Liu, Weiwei Jin
{"title":"Molecular underpinnings of plant stress granule dynamics in response to high-temperature stress","authors":"Jingyan Liu, Weiwei Jin","doi":"10.1016/j.ncrops.2025.100069","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ncrops.2025.100069","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With the escalating impacts of global climate change, including more frequent episodes of extreme high temperatures, understanding the molecular mechanisms that enable plants to tolerate heat stress (HS) has become a critical research focus. A newly identified transcriptional regulatory pathway involving the SICKLE (SIC) protein and the mRNA splicing regulator DBR1 (RNA DEBRANCHING ENZYME 1) in <em>Arabidopsis</em> highlights the dynamic regulation of lariat intronic RNAs (lariRNAs) and their role in thermotolerance. Additionally, post-transcriptional and translational mechanisms regulating stress granules (SGs) in response to HS underscore the proteasome's essential function in maintaining SG homeostasis. These findings advance our understanding of plant HS responses and offer promising targets for developing crops with enhanced heat resilience.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100953,"journal":{"name":"New Crops","volume":"2 ","pages":"Article 100069"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143600880","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The selection and utilization of heading date loci in modern wheat breeding","authors":"Zhiwei Zhu, Xiangjun Lai, Yuanfei Zhang, Jialiang Zhang, Ji Shuang, Shengbao Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.ncrops.2025.100066","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ncrops.2025.100066","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Heading and flowering timing are critical factors in wheat breeding for variety adaptation and yield. In this study, we identified four key QTLs associated with these traits in 406 accessions across various environments. Modern wheat varieties tend to exhibit earlier heading and flowering times compared to traditional landraces. This trend demonstrates a shift towards faster development in modern wheat, particularly in the Yangtze River wheat zone. Notably, three out of the four haplotypes associated with accelerated development are common in different Chinese agroecological zones. These favored haplotypes may enhance modern wheat yields by increasing grain weight. Our research highlights the importance of selecting optimal heading and flowering times in contemporary wheat breeding. This understanding can help balance rapid development with yield maximization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100953,"journal":{"name":"New Crops","volume":"2 ","pages":"Article 100066"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143610691","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
New CropsPub Date : 2025-01-25DOI: 10.1016/j.ncrops.2025.100067
Aiqi Li , Yun Yang , Yuxin Guo , Quanzhi Li , Ao Zhou , Jiahui Wang , Ran Lu , Megan C. Shelden , Chengyun Wu , Jiandong Wu
{"title":"ZmASR6 positively regulates salt stress tolerance in maizeResearch Paper","authors":"Aiqi Li , Yun Yang , Yuxin Guo , Quanzhi Li , Ao Zhou , Jiahui Wang , Ran Lu , Megan C. Shelden , Chengyun Wu , Jiandong Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.ncrops.2025.100067","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ncrops.2025.100067","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>High salinity stress severely impacts plant growth and yield. ABA, stress, ripening (ASR) proteins play critical roles in plant responses to various abiotic stresses. This study characterizes a salt-induced ASR gene, <em>ZmASR6</em>, in maize and investigates its role in salt stress tolerance. Transcriptional analysis revealed significant induction of <em>ZmASR6</em> under salt stress over 24 hours. Subcellular localization experiments confirmed ZmASR6 protein presence in the nucleus and cytoplasm of maize protoplasts. Using CRISPR/Cas9, we generated <em>ZmASR6</em> knockout lines, which displayed reduced salt tolerance compared to wild-type (WT) plants. These mutants exhibited higher reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde accumulation, elevated Na<sup>⁺</sup>/K<sup>⁺</sup> ratios, and increased ionic conductivity, indicating impaired oxidative stress tolerance. RNA sequencing further revealed that <em>ZmASR6</em> deficiency significantly altered the expression of key stress-regulatory genes. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that <em>ZmASR6</em> is essential for salt stress tolerance in maize, making it a promising candidate for genetic improvement of maize salt tolerance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100953,"journal":{"name":"New Crops","volume":"2 ","pages":"Article 100067"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143685679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
New CropsPub Date : 2025-01-09DOI: 10.1016/j.ncrops.2025.100065
Xiaoxi Cai , Wenchuang He , Qian Qian , Lianguang Shang
{"title":"Genetic resource utilization in wild rice species: Genomes and gene bank","authors":"Xiaoxi Cai , Wenchuang He , Qian Qian , Lianguang Shang","doi":"10.1016/j.ncrops.2025.100065","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ncrops.2025.100065","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rice stands as one of the foremost staple crops globally. The rice domestication and selective breeding processes have led to the loss or attenuation of numerous beneficial genes, resulting in a constrained genetic diversity within modern cultivated rice varieties. Consequently, this limitation poses significant challenges to the genetic enhancement of rice. One promising strategy for augmenting genetic resources is the exploration of beneficial genes present in the genomes of wild rice species, which may unlock opportunities for improved yields and enhanced stress resistance. This review consolidates extensive genomic and gene resource data from wild rice species, emphasizing variants associated with critical agronomic traits, including resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, yield traits, and other traits. Additionally, we examine the prospects and challenges related to using wild rice germplasm in breeding programs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100953,"journal":{"name":"New Crops","volume":"2 ","pages":"Article 100065"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143562927","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
New CropsPub Date : 2025-01-04DOI: 10.1016/j.ncrops.2024.100064
Dandan Hu , Jinyu Zhang , Yuming Yang , Deyue Yu , Hengyou Zhang , Dan Zhang
{"title":"Molecular mechanisms underlying plant responses to low phosphate stress and potential applications in crop improvement","authors":"Dandan Hu , Jinyu Zhang , Yuming Yang , Deyue Yu , Hengyou Zhang , Dan Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.ncrops.2024.100064","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ncrops.2024.100064","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Phosphorus is a critical nutrient for plant growth, influencing crop development and yield. However, the excessive reliance on phosphate fertilizers to address inorganic phosphate (Pi) deficiency is unsustainable. This review explores recent advances in understanding plant responses to Pi deficiency, focusing on the molecular mechanisms and genes involved. Key biological participants include Pi transporters, transcription factors, hormones, sugar signaling pathways, root exudates, and the complex interactions between Pi and other essential nutrients such as nitrogen, iron, and potassium. Furthermore, the role of microRNAs, lncRNAs, lipid remodeling, and genetic and epigenetic modifications are discussed. The review also highlights the potential of integrating phenomics, multi-omics approaches, gene editing, breeding strategies, and artificial intelligence to accelerate the development of Pi-efficient crops to meet the demands of a growing global population amidst dwindling Pi reserves.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100953,"journal":{"name":"New Crops","volume":"2 ","pages":"Article 100064"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143637248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
New CropsPub Date : 2024-12-14DOI: 10.1016/j.ncrops.2024.100063
Feng Sun , Ya-Feng Zhang , Pan-Pan Jiang , Yue Li , Shi-Kai Cao , Chun-Hui Xu , Yong Wang
{"title":"Advances and prospects of plant mitochondrial pentatricopeptide repeat proteins in post-transcriptional processing","authors":"Feng Sun , Ya-Feng Zhang , Pan-Pan Jiang , Yue Li , Shi-Kai Cao , Chun-Hui Xu , Yong Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.ncrops.2024.100063","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ncrops.2024.100063","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein is integral to various post-transcriptional processing functions of precursor RNA in plant mitochondria and plastids. It plays a significant role in seed development, plant growth and development, and male infertility, thereby influencing crop yield and hybrid breeding. Over the past 30 years, significant progress has been achieved in elucidating the molecular functions and mechanisms of PPR proteins in various species, including Arabidopsis, maize, rice, and moss. Here, we provide a comprehensive summary of advances in the role of plant mitochondrial PPRs in post-transcriptional regulation, focusing on RNA editing, intron splicing, stability of 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs), maturation of 5' UTRs as well as RNA translation. Additionally, we discuss the potential applications of engineered PPR proteins in crop breeding and outline future research directions to resolve the outstanding questions surrounding the molecular mechanisms of PPR proteins.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100953,"journal":{"name":"New Crops","volume":"2 ","pages":"Article 100063"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143140913","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
New CropsPub Date : 2024-11-29DOI: 10.1016/j.ncrops.2024.100062
Xiaowen Han , Yan Li , Wai Kyaw Htet Wai , Junliang Yin , Yongxing Zhu
{"title":"The bioinformatic tools, characteristics, biological functions and molecular mechanisms associated with plant circular RNA","authors":"Xiaowen Han , Yan Li , Wai Kyaw Htet Wai , Junliang Yin , Yongxing Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.ncrops.2024.100062","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ncrops.2024.100062","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are covalently closed RNA molecules formed through the back-splicing of precursor mRNA, widely found in eukaryotes. They regulate linear mRNA expression and fulfill various biological roles, including serving as miRNA sponges, interacting with proteins to modulate pathways, and influencing protein translation. CircRNAs have been extensively studied for their significant roles in plant growth, development, and responses to both abiotic and biotic stresses. This review presents a comprehensive summary of bioinformatics tools, online databases, characteristics, research methods, potential biological functions and molecular mechanisms of circRNA in plants. It specifically delves into strategies for studying circRNAs, including techniques for overexpression, silencing, and knockdown. Furthermore, it highlights molecular studies on the role of circRNA in plant growth and stress responses. The discussed mechanisms include circRNA acting as miRNA sponges, regulating parental gene expression, interacting with proteins, and exhibiting potential translational functions. By offering a detailed overview of plant circRNAs, this review aims to deepen researchers´ understanding and provide valuable insights for future circRNA studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100953,"journal":{"name":"New Crops","volume":"2 ","pages":"Article 100062"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143141317","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
New CropsPub Date : 2024-11-28DOI: 10.1016/j.ncrops.2024.100061
Wei Zhang , Shihui Li , Zaihui Zhou , Weihua Ma
{"title":"The development and prospects of insect-resistant crops expressing double-strand RNAs","authors":"Wei Zhang , Shihui Li , Zaihui Zhou , Weihua Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.ncrops.2024.100061","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ncrops.2024.100061","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>RNA interference (RNAi) triggered by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) has shown effectiveness against many major agricultural insect pests worldwide. With its remarkable specificity and high efficiency, RNAi holds great promise for modern pest management in agriculture. Modern plant biotechnology has advanced the use of plant-mediated RNAi for pest control, known as host-induced gene silencing (HIGS), which specifically targets essential genes in pest species. It has now been over 20 years since HIGS was first introduced. This review will summarize recent progress in developing insect-resistant crops that express dsRNA, and will discuss the future potential of this technology in agricultural pest management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100953,"journal":{"name":"New Crops","volume":"2 ","pages":"Article 100061"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143562917","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
New CropsPub Date : 2024-11-14DOI: 10.1016/j.ncrops.2024.100058
Ying Chen, Tiantian Ye, Shaoqing Tang, Peisong Hu
{"title":"Facing chilling, kinase-transcription factors relay cold tolerance signals","authors":"Ying Chen, Tiantian Ye, Shaoqing Tang, Peisong Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.ncrops.2024.100058","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ncrops.2024.100058","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rice (<em>Oryza sativa</em> L.), native to tropical regions, is highly vulnerable to low temperatures, limiting its geographical range and posing a substantial threat to global rice production. Our understanding of the molecular basis for cold tolerance in rice remains incomplete. A recent study identified OsERF52, an AP2/ERF transcription factor, as a new upstream regulator of <em>OsCBF</em>s, through a mutant screening approach. Under cold stress, phosphorylation of OsERF52 at Ser261 by OsSAPK9 not only stabilizes the protein but also enhances its interaction with IPA1 and OsICE1/OsbHLH002, leading to an increase in <em>OsCBF</em> transcription and enhanced chilling tolerance. Importantly, plants with a base-edited <em>OsERF52</em><sup><em>S261D</em></sup><em>-3HA</em> allele show improved cold resistance without yield loss under normal conditions. After chilling stress at the booting stage, these plants had significantly higher seed-setting rates than controls. These findings establish OsERF52 as a key regulator of <em>OsCBF</em>s, highlight a novel kinase-transcription factor complex that modulates cold response, and provide valuable genetic resources for breeding cold-tolerant rice varieties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100953,"journal":{"name":"New Crops","volume":"2 ","pages":"Article 100058"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143140912","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}