Crop Science最新文献

{"title":"Decades of progress: Breeding modified soybean root systems","authors":"Jose R. Costa Netto, Hussien I. Taresh Almtarfi, Anand Seethepalli, Larry M. York, Alina Zare, Felix B. Fritschi","doi":"10.1002/csc2.70355","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.70355","url":null,"abstract":"Decades of soybean ( <jats:italic>Glycine max</jats:italic> (L.) Merr.) breeding have delivered substantial yield gains, yet how root systems have changed over this period has remained unclear. We evaluated 24 maturity group IV soybean cultivars released between 1930 and 2005 in field experiments at two locations over 2 years, and quantified topsoil root and nodulation traits alongside seed yield. Root crown complexity (RC) increased with cultivar year of release (YoR), accompanied by increases in convex area, total root length (TRL), root network area, solidity, first‐order lateral root number, second‐order lateral root density, and number of root tips. Across environments, RC increased by 31.3% while TRL increased by 28.3%. In contrast, lateral root crown angle (LRCA) decreased 5.2% with YoR, indicating a shift toward shallower root systems. Nodule size and nodule density also increased 20% and 46% over time, respectively. Correlation and principal component analyses revealed strong integration among traits associated with root branching, crown expansion, and root length density. Stepwise regression identified RC, LRCA, TRL, solidity, and average root diameter as the root traits most strongly associated with yield across environments (cross‐validation <jats:italic>R</jats:italic> <jats:sup>2</jats:sup> = 0.67). Together, these results indicate that soybean breeding has been accompanied by coordinated changes in root system architecture (RSA), favoring larger, more highly branched root systems concentrated in the upper soil profile. While breeders focused on yield and aboveground traits, substantial shifts in RSA occurred alongside historical yield improvements. These findings highlight opportunities to leverage root architectural traits in efforts to improve productivity, resource acquisition, and adaptation to diverse production environments.","PeriodicalId":10849,"journal":{"name":"Crop Science","volume":"21 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148809910","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The water risk profile of corn, soybean, and potato in Minnesota from 1951 to 2024","authors":"Samikshya Subedi, Aleksei Rozanov, Kenneth Blumenfeld, Michael Kantar, Vasudha Sharma, Bryan Runck","doi":"10.1002/csc2.70336","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.70336","url":null,"abstract":"Climate change is expected to alter crop phenology, temperature regimes, and water availability, posing challenges for agricultural water management. We focus on corn ( <jats:italic>Zea mays</jats:italic> L.; VT–R1), soybean ( <jats:italic>Glycine max</jats:italic> (L.) Merr.; R3–R4), and potato ( <jats:italic>Solanum tuberosum</jats:italic> L.; tuber initiation‐bulking) to evaluate whether precipitation has historically met evapotranspiration demands during these key sensitive growth stages in Central Minnesota and whether demands or gaps have changed between recent precipitation and crop evapotranspiration (ET). We analyzed accumulated growing degree days (AGDD, 1951–2024) and precipitation using planting windows of April 15–25 for potatoes and May 1–10 for corn and soybean. Field observations from 2023 and 2024 at Becker and Saint Paul confirm that recent years have more AGDD than historical norms. We then compare empirical field measurements with historical AGDD and precipitation data to estimate crop ET demands during the growth stages most sensitive to water stress. We found that rainfall rarely matched ET demands during these stages from 1951 to 2024, as median rainfall frequently fell below growth stage‐specific ET thresholds in addition to the low soil water capacity in central Minnesota. Across the studied counties, approximately 0.3 million acres, which is 77% of the half a million total irrigated acreage of Minnesota, lies in these counties. The high interannual and spatial variability meant that precipitation was not consistently aligned with peak crop demand. We also find no trend of increasing or decreasing water stress over this time period due to evaporative demand limitation. These findings substantiate, as expected, that corn, soybean, and potato grown in Central Minnesota generally have not met the crop‐water demand during the most sensitive growth stages without irrigation, and importantly, in the Central Sand Plains of Minnesota, crop water demand has not gotten riskier since 1951; it is just as risky as it has been historically, requiring irrigation scheduling aligned with crop growth stages and precipitation to sustain yields and build climate‐resilient agricultural systems.","PeriodicalId":10849,"journal":{"name":"Crop Science","volume":"73 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148809909","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genetic analysis of grain yield and adaptive traits in provitamin A maize hybrids under combined drought heat stress and well‐watered conditions","authors":"Derek Mudadirwa, Samuel Adelowo Olakojo, Xavier Mhike, Clever Mukuze, Thokozile Ndhlela","doi":"10.1002/csc2.70352","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.70352","url":null,"abstract":"One hundred and fifty‐four three‐way cross maize ( <jats:italic>Zea mays</jats:italic> L.) hybrids generated from a line × tester mating design were evaluated together with eight commercial checks for tolerance to combined drought and heat stresses. The experiment was conducted in a 9 × 18 alpha (0.1) lattice design replicated twice across 10 different environments. The aim of the study was to evaluate International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture provitamin A maize doubled haploid and elite inbred lines for their combining ability, gene action, and inter‐trait relationships for grain yield and adaptive traits. Analysis of variance for grain yield and most traits showed significant differences at <jats:italic>p</jats:italic> ≤ 0.05 for general combining ability and specific combining ability (SCA) effects signifying the influence of additive and nonadditive effects. Line × tester variance components for grain yield and most traits were higher compared to line and tester variances signifying predominance of additive effects. Inbred lines DS197‐47 and TZMI2104 were strongest general combiners. A cross between TZMI2031‐2 × CLHP0237/CML304 had highest SCA effects under optimum conditions, while inbred line DS197‐217 crossed to CLHP0237/CML304 had highest SCA effects under stressed conditions. Under both conditions, grain yield was positively correlated with ears per plant and plant height while negatively correlated to ear aspect, anthesis date, and kernel texture. Recurrent selection can be employed to accumulate favorable alleles of secondary traits, while hybridization can be used to exploit heterosis for grain yield under combined drought and heat stress. The findings of this research provide a strong foundation for the development of resilient and high‐yielding provitamin A maize hybrid.","PeriodicalId":10849,"journal":{"name":"Crop Science","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148768516","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Associative diazotrophic bacteria and forage legumes sustain brachiariagrass pasture performance through enhanced root traits","authors":"Fagner J. Gomes, Maira L. B. Bourscheidt, Carlos G. S. Pedreira, Dalton H. Pereira, Mariangela Hungria, Cátia R. Tesk, Bruno C. Pedreira","doi":"10.1002/csc2.70356","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.70356","url":null,"abstract":"Interest in microbial plant growth‐promoting processes, particularly biological nitrogen (N) fixation (BNF), has increased globally as a strategic alternative to mineral N fertilization. Understanding the response of root traits to diverse N sources plays a critical role in unraveling canopy dynamics and improving decision‐making in forage‐livestock systems. This study investigated how N‐supply strategies, including <jats:italic>Azospirillum brasilense</jats:italic> (strains Ab‐V5 and Ab‐V6; CNPSo) inoculation and symbiotic BNF via Mandobi forage peanut ( <jats:italic>Arachis pintoi</jats:italic> Krapov. &amp; W.C. Greg.), affect root and canopy characteristics of Ipyporã brachiariagrass ( <jats:italic>Urochloa</jats:italic> (syn. <jats:italic>Brachiaria</jats:italic> ) interspecific hybrid BRS RB331 Ipyporã [ <jats:italic>U. ruziziensis</jats:italic> Germ. &amp; Evrard × <jats:italic>U. brizantha</jats:italic> (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) Stapf]). Six strategies were evaluated over 2 years: a control (no N), mineral N (80 kg N ha <jats:sup>−</jats:sup> <jats:sup>1</jats:sup> year <jats:sup>−</jats:sup> <jats:sup>1</jats:sup> ), <jats:italic>A. brasilense</jats:italic> (Az), 80N+Az (80 kg N ha <jats:sup>−</jats:sup> <jats:sup>1</jats:sup> year <jats:sup>−</jats:sup> <jats:sup>1</jats:sup> plus <jats:italic>A. brasilense</jats:italic> inoculation), grass–peanut (Ipypora brachiariagrass with Mandobi forage peanut) mixture (Mix), and Mix+Az. All N‐supply strategies resulted in 61% greater net CO <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> assimilation compared to the control (33 µmol m <jats:sup>−2</jats:sup> s <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> ). Mineral N, Az, 80N+Az, and Mix+Az strategies did not differ in root mass (1630 kg dry matter [DM] ha <jats:sup>−</jats:sup> <jats:sup>1</jats:sup> ), root total non‐structural carbohydrate (TNC) pool (168 g m <jats:sup>−2</jats:sup> ), root N concentration (40.3 g kg <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> ), and herbage accumulation (8000 kg DM ha <jats:sup>−</jats:sup> <jats:sup>1</jats:sup> year <jats:sup>−</jats:sup> <jats:sup>1</jats:sup> ). Regardless of the N source, root TNC concentration (10.6 g kg <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> ), leaf proportion (26.7%), and leaf area index were similar across strategies. Our findings show that root mass, root TNC pool, and root N pool were associated with canopy response, supporting greater net CO <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> assimilation and herbage accumulation under both microbial and mineral N‐supply strategies. Under the conditions of this study, <jats:italic>A. brasilense</jats:italic> and grass‐legume mixtures show potential as complementary strategies to mineral N fertilization in tropical pastures.","PeriodicalId":10849,"journal":{"name":"Crop Science","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148768517","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bayesian quantile regression with variable selection and applications in plant breeding","authors":"Arwell Nathan Leyva-Chávez,&nbsp;Paulino Pérez-Rodríguez,&nbsp;Sergio Pérez-Elizalde,&nbsp;Juan Manuel Romero-Padilla,&nbsp;Jorge Alfonso Jiménez-Castro,&nbsp;José Crossa","doi":"10.1002/csc2.70354","DOIUrl":"10.1002/csc2.70354","url":null,"abstract":"<p>High-dimensional data present major challenges in identifying key predictors of phenotypic variation, particularly when response distributions are asymmetric or heavy tailed. Traditional variable selection methods focus on the conditional mean, limiting their utility in scenarios with heterogeneity across quantiles. This study applies a Bayesian Quantile Regression model with Variable Selection (BQRVS), which extends classical quantile regression through a hierarchical Bayesian framework and provides selective shrinkage of coefficients through hierarchical priors, along with full posterior uncertainty estimation for all parameters. The BQRVS model was evaluated on two real datasets. The first involves the detection of quantitative trait loci associated with grain yield in barley, using genomic markers and quantile-specific modeling to identify predictors associated with the lower and upper regions of the conditional yield distribution. The second case explores the relationship between hyperspectral reflectance data and grain yield for maize using field-collected data. In both examples, the model was fitted at multiple quantiles <span></span><math>\u0000 <semantics>\u0000 <msub>\u0000 <mi>q</mi>\u0000 <mi>θ</mi>\u0000 </msub>\u0000 <annotation>${{q}_theta }$</annotation>\u0000 </semantics></math>, for probability levels <i>θ</i> ∈ {0.1, 0.5, 0.9} using prior distributions that favor sparsity. Results revealed quantile specific relevance of genomic markers and spectral bands, with certain predictors influencing only low or high quantiles of the response. These findings underscore the importance of moving beyond mean-based approaches, especially in plant breeding and phenotyping contexts characterized by complex or non-normal response behavior. The BQRVS framework provides a flexible and efficient tool for robust variable selection and prediction in genomic and spectral data analysis, offering new insights into the structure of trait variation across the distribution of interest.</p>","PeriodicalId":10849,"journal":{"name":"Crop Science","volume":"66 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148729219","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identification of a plant height quantitative trait loci and candidate genes in a chromosome segment substitution line population derived from wild rice","authors":"Tianye Wang,&nbsp;Yuanming Wu,&nbsp;Lufei Wang,&nbsp;Danting Li,&nbsp;Zongqiong Zhang,&nbsp;Xiaoming Zheng,&nbsp;Hongbo Pang","doi":"10.1002/csc2.70349","DOIUrl":"10.1002/csc2.70349","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Plant height is an important agronomic trait in rice and shows marked divergence between wild and cultivated germplasm. To identify loci associated with plant height variation from wild rice, we developed a BC₄F₇ chromosome segment substitution line population of 308 lines derived from Yuanjiang common wild rice (<i>Oryza rufipogon</i>) and elite cultivar Youzhan 8 (<i>Oryza sativa</i>). Bulked segregant analysis coupled with sequencing identified a 13.6-Mb quantitative trait loci region on chromosome 7 associated with plant height. Eight prioritized candidate genes were identified within this interval based on sequence polymorphism and functional annotation, including known regulators <i>OsTCP21</i> and <i>PROG1</i>. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of stem tissues at the jointing stage detected measurable expression for five of these genes. Four genes, <i>OsTCP21</i>, <i>OsFBL35</i>, <i>OsFBA2</i>, and <i>LOC_Os07g08190</i>, showed significant differential expression between tall and dwarf lines, whereas <i>GID1L2</i> did not. The other three genes, including <i>PROG1</i>, showed transcript levels too low for reliable detection. Haplotype analysis further identified coding and promoter variation in <i>OsFBL35</i>, <i>OsFBA2</i>, <i>LOC_Os07g08190</i>, and <i>GID1L2</i>, as well as promoter haplotypes in <i>OsTCP21</i>. These results suggest that <i>OsTCP21, OsFBL35</i>, <i>OsFBA2</i>, <i>LOC_Os07g08190</i>, and <i>GID1L2</i> are potential candidate genes for plant height variation in this wild rice-derived population. Functional annotation suggested that these candidates may be related to ubiquitination, hormone signaling, and growth regulation. These findings provide insight into the genetic basis of plant height variation derived from wild rice and offer candidate loci and molecular markers for rice improvement.</p>","PeriodicalId":10849,"journal":{"name":"Crop Science","volume":"66 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148729222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Self-pollination rates in US breeding populations of hairy vetch and smooth vetch","authors":"Neal Tilhou,&nbsp;Heathcliffe Riday,&nbsp;Maiyer Vang,&nbsp;Steven Mirsky,&nbsp;Virginia Moore,&nbsp;Matthew R. Ryan,&nbsp;Nancy Jo Ehlke,&nbsp;Amy Bartow,&nbsp;Maria Monteros,&nbsp;Ryan Hayes,&nbsp;Lisa Kissing Kucek","doi":"10.1002/csc2.70353","DOIUrl":"10.1002/csc2.70353","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Hairy vetch (<i>Vicia villosa</i> Roth) and smooth vetch (<i>Vicia varia</i> Host) are legume cover crops with strong winter survival and biomass productivity. Both species tend toward outcrossing but are also self-compatible, suggesting that the species are mixed mating. This study quantified self-pollination rates and inbreeding depression in <i>V. villosa</i> and <i>V. varia</i> within an active US breeding program using single sequence repeat markers. Self-pollination rates were determined using parents and progeny samples in 172 half-sib families (<i>n</i> = 2370 progeny). Progeny with more than one allele varying from the maternal parent were considered the result of cross-pollination. Parent–progeny samples were collected from early-cycle mothers with unselected progeny seed, early-cycle mothers with low-selection-intensity progeny plants, and advanced-cycle mothers with high-selection-intensity progeny plants. Mean self-pollination rate across all samples was 13.0%, with strong variation among families (0%–81%). Unselected progeny seed had low self-pollination rates (4.8%) relative to early-cycle progeny (27.6%) and advanced-cycle progeny (21.6%). Species identity did not impact self-pollination rate, but both parent growing environment and breeding germplasm source had significant but minor (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) effects. Self-pollinated offspring had inbreeding depression for biomass (−48%), seed yield (−45%), plant maturity, seed dormancy, and pod dehiscence. These results confirm that these two cover crop vetch species are mixed-mating systems. The strong skew in self-pollination rates among families is an unexpected observation that parallels other reports from mixed-mating species. Skewed self-pollination rates pose a practical challenge for breeding programs and may have implications for the prevalence of mixed mating in natural systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":10849,"journal":{"name":"Crop Science","volume":"66 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148729220","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Micro‐sprinkling irrigation improves yield, water productivity, and nitrogen use efficiency in purple wheat","authors":"Xinyu Zhao, Rugang Wu, Juan Liu, Yan Li, Peiliang Zhang, Dong Wang, Xiang Lin, Yuangang Zhu, Zhongmin Dai","doi":"10.1002/csc2.70347","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.70347","url":null,"abstract":"The North China Plain (NCP) faces severe water scarcity, threatening sustainable agriculture. Micro‐sprinkling irrigation (MSI) has been instrumental in enhancing crop yield. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of research on the impact of MSI on purple wheat ( <jats:italic>Triticum aestivum</jats:italic> L.). A 2‐year field experiment comparing the effects of conventional flood irrigation (CI) and MSI on purple wheat was conducted, in which grain yield and its components, dry matter (DM) and nitrogen (N) accumulation and partitioning, N use efficiency (NUE), and water productivity (WP) were measured. The findings indicated that MSI observably boosted grain yield by 12.0% and protein yield by 9.7%, driven primarily by more spikes and grains per unit area. The DM accumulation of MSI at various growth stages surpassed that of CI. It also improved canopy architecture, increasing leaf area index and specific leaf N while decreasing specific leaf area. Furthermore, MSI enhanced leaf area duration compared to CI. Crucially, MSI altered resource partitioning, reducing the contribution of pre‐anthesis DM and N remobilization to grain, respectively, while increasing the contribution of post‐anthesis accumulation. Although crop evapotranspiration was similar between treatments, the higher yield under MSI resulted in significantly greater WP. The improvement in NUE under MSI was solely attributed to higher N uptake efficiency. MSI is an effective water‐saving strategy for purple wheat production in the NCP, achieving synergistic improvements in yield, WP, and NUE without increasing seasonal water consumption. This technology offers a feasible pathway for sustainable intensification of functional cereal crops in water‐scarce regions.","PeriodicalId":10849,"journal":{"name":"Crop Science","volume":"59 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148717761","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sabadilla (Schoenocaulon officinale) as a modern green pesticide crop within a novel commercialization framework","authors":"Albert S. Radloff,&nbsp;Neil O. Anderson","doi":"10.1002/csc2.70345","DOIUrl":"10.1002/csc2.70345","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The mounting health, environmental, and resistance challenges posed by synthetic insecticides have renewed interest in botanically derived “green pesticides.” <i>Schoenocaulon officinale</i> (sabadilla), a geophytic perennial native to Mesoamerica with &gt;2000 years of documented insecticidal use, remains undomesticated. A novel green pesticide framework for introducing new taxa is formulated. We present a narrative review of taxonomic, ethnobotanical, phytochemical, agronomic, and genetic studies of sabadilla to (i) benchmark sabadilla against the two mature green pesticide crops (pyrethrum and neem) to highlight regulatory and supply chain bottlenecks; (ii) synthesize botanical and chemical profiles, focusing on steroidal alkaloids (veratridine and cevadine) and modes of action; and (iii) identify the following four critical research gaps that must be addressed—phenology/ideotype definition, genetic diversity and population structure, modern breeding/genomic resources, and propagation/agronomy methods. Coordinated investment in these areas, coupled with streamlined biopesticide registration pathways, can transform sabadilla into a reliable, scalable source of green insecticidal alkaloids. Bridging traditional ethnobotanical knowledge with cutting-edge plant science will revive this botanical but also advance sustainable pest management and biodiversity-driven innovation.</p>","PeriodicalId":10849,"journal":{"name":"Crop Science","volume":"66 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/csc2.70345","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148717283","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quantifying the effects of irrigation, nitrogen application rate, and plant growth management on seed characteristics and seed component yields in cotton","authors":"Emmanuella S. Bredu, John L. Snider, Ved Parkash, Joshua Lee, Rebekah B. Lawson, Lavesta C. Hand, Cristiane Pilon, Phillip Roberts, Guy Collins, Susan Jaconis, Lori L. Hinze","doi":"10.1002/csc2.70351","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.70351","url":null,"abstract":"Cotton ( <jats:italic>Gossypium hirsutum</jats:italic> L.) growth and production are affected by irrigation management approaches, nitrogen (N) application rates, and plant growth regulation strategies. However, their combined effects on cotton seed composition and yield remain understudied. The objective of this experiment was to investigate how irrigation, N application rate, and mepiquat chloride (MC) application strategy interact to affect cottonseed oil and protein concentrations and seed, oil, and protein yields. The study was conducted in 2022 and 2023 using a split‐split plot design. When N effects were observed, N fertilization positively affected seed yields (kg ha <jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> ), protein percentage, and oil and protein yields. When irrigation effects were documented, irrigated cotton produced higher seed yields, oil percentage, and oil yields than dryland. Conversely, protein percentages were increased under yield limiting drought, and protein yields were unchanged. In 2022, there was a significant interaction between N and MC for seed and oil yield, where MC application maximized yields under N fertilization but had no effect under N deficiency. In 2023, a significant interaction between irrigation and N was observed for oil and protein concentration, where oil concentration declined with increasing N rates under dryland conditions but was unaffected by N rate under irrigated conditions. Conversely, protein percentage increased with N rate under dryland conditions. Producers can apply this knowledge to enhance seed composition and the yield of seed, oil, and protein. This work may also have implications for seed or seedling vigor as planting seed composition can be a strong indicator of stand establishment.","PeriodicalId":10849,"journal":{"name":"Crop Science","volume":"16 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148717287","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}