Frontiers in Plant Science最新文献

{"title":"Development of rice water-saving and drought resistance quantitative evaluation system of wide water ecological range based on quantitative gradient water control.","authors":"Haiqi Kang, Muhammad Ahmad Hassan, Jiarong Kang, Yuehua Luo, Hong Zhang, Yongxuan Zeng, Guanfu Fu, Rongmin Qin, Deze Xu, Shimei Wang","doi":"10.3389/fpls.2025.1548074","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpls.2025.1548074","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The drought resistance of rice is an indirect observational and complex trait whose phenotype is reflected in the response of directly observational traits to drought stress. To objectively and accurately evaluate the drought resistance of rice, soil moisture gradient quantification was designed as a general water index among different soil types. Through soil water control, water consumption calculation, yield test, trait examination, and statistical analysis, the relationship between quantitative water control treatment and rice yield drought resistance was studied to establish a quantitative and controllable evaluation system of rice drought resistance. Four kinds of gradients, namely, 100%, 80%, 60%, and 40% field moisture capacity, were designed in the experiment. Six tested rice varieties grew under the long-term water control treatment. Six varieties grew under four levels of field moisture capacity from transplanting and returning to green to maturity. The calculation of actual field moisture shows that the four design levels formed a significant gradient and reached a very significant difference. The gradient and quantitative water control (GQWC) significantly influenced tiller formation, grain yield, yield component traits, and water use efficiency. Under the designed GQWC treatment, the difference in yield drought resistance of tested rice varieties is reflected under wide water ecological amplitude. There was a significant difference between varieties and traits, and the relationship between traits and varieties was very significantly different under different GQWC levels. The differences in drought resistance among varieties differ due to various water gradients and direct observational traits. It is difficult to evaluate drought resistance accurately with a single gradient. Considering yield components and water use efficiency, it is the best choice for a comprehensive index with multi-gradient yield drought resistance. Based on the index mapping of gradient drought resistance and area calculations, 28 evaluation indices of drought resistance were calculated in parallel, and six indices with better evaluation effect were screened to solve the optimal comprehensive index, namely, the sum of drought resistance index under multi-gradient with multi-traits (MG_MT_DI_SUM), the sum of drought resistance index of yield under multi-gradient (MG_Y_DI_SUM), the product of total area under the curve of drought resistance index under multi-gradient with multi-traits (MG_MT_DI_TAUC_MUL), the drought resistance index of yield under the second gradient (SGII_Y_DI), the comprehensive value of membership function of the total area under the curve of drought resistance index with multi-gradient and multi-traits (MG_MT_DI_SUM), and the logarithm of total area under the curve of drought resistance index with multi-gradient and multi-traits (MG_MT_DI_TAUC_LOG). Among these indices, 100*MG_MT_DI_TAUC_LOG and 5*MG_Y_DI_SUM were the ideal evaluation ","PeriodicalId":12632,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Plant Science","volume":"16 ","pages":"1548074"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11893852/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143604415","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genotyping by sequencing reveals the genetic diversity and population structure of Peruvian highland maize races.","authors":"Carlos I Arbizu, Isamar Bazo-Soto, Joel Flores, Rodomiro Ortiz, Raul Blas, Pedro J García-Mendoza, Ricardo Sevilla, José Crossa, Alexander Grobman","doi":"10.3389/fpls.2025.1526670","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpls.2025.1526670","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Peruvian maize exhibits abundant morphological diversity, with landraces cultivated from sea level (sl) up to 3,500 m above sl. Previous research based on morphological descriptors, defined at least 52 Peruvian maize races, but its genetic diversity and population structure remains largely unknown. Here, we used genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) to obtain single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that allow inferring the genetic structure and diversity of 423 maize accessions from the genebank of Universidad Nacional Agraria la Molina (UNALM) and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Tayacaja (UNAT). These accessions represent nine races and one sub-race, along with 15 open-pollinated lines (purple corn) and two yellow maize hybrids. It was possible to obtain 14,235 high-quality SNPs distributed along the 10 maize chromosomes of maize. Gene diversity ranged from 0.33 (sub-race Pachia) to 0.362 (race Ancashino), with race Cusco showing the lowest inbreeding coefficient (0.205) and Ancashino the highest (0.274) for the landraces. Population divergence (F_ST) was very low (mean = 0.017), thus depicting extensive interbreeding among Peruvian maize. A cluster containing maize landraces from Ancash, Apurímac, and Ayacucho exhibited the highest genetic variability. Population structure analysis indicated that these 423 distinct genotypes can be included in 10 groups, with some maize races clustering together. Peruvian maize races failed to be recovered as monophyletic; instead, our phylogenetic tree identified two clades corresponding to the groups of the classification of the races of Peruvian maize based on their chronological origin, that is, anciently derived or primary races and lately derived or secondary races. Additionally, these two clades are also congruent with the geographic origin of these maize races, reflecting their mixed evolutionary backgrounds and constant evolution. Peruvian maize germplasm needs further investigation with modern technologies to better use them massively in breeding programs that favor agriculture mainly in the South American highlands. We also expect this work will pave a path for establishing more accurate conservation strategies for this precious crop genetic resource.</p>","PeriodicalId":12632,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Plant Science","volume":"16 ","pages":"1526670"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11893605/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143604537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Metabolomic analyses reveal that graphene oxide alleviates nicosulfuron toxicity in sweet corn.","authors":"Jian Wang, Yanbing Wang, Yanli Wang, Xuemei Zhong, Xiuping Wang, Xiaohu Lin","doi":"10.3389/fpls.2025.1529598","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpls.2025.1529598","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nicosulfuron can repress the growth and quality of sweet corn (<i>Zea mays</i>), and graphene oxide has been used for sustainable agriculture. However, the underlying mechanism of the toxicity of nicosulfuron that is mediated in sweet corn remains elusive. To explore the potential mechanism of GO-mediated nicosulfuron toxicity in sweet corn in this study, we investigated the effects of graphene oxide on nicosulfuron stress in the sweet corn sister inbred lines of H01 and H20. Furthermore, we performed a metabolomics analysis for the H01 and H20 under different treatments. The results showed that nicosulfuron severely affected the rate of survival, physiological parameters, photosynthetic indicators, and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of corn seedlings, whereas foliar spraying with graphene oxide promoted the rate of survival under nicosulfuron toxicity. The metabolomics analysis showed that 70 and 90 metabolites differentially accumulated in the H01 and H20 inbred lines under nicosulfuron treatment, respectively. Graphene oxide restored 59 metabolites in the H01 seedlings and 56 metabolites to normal levels in the H20 seedlings, thereby promoting the rate of survival of the sweet corn seedlings. Compared with nicosulfuron treatment alone, graphene oxide resulted in 108 and 66 differential metabolites in the H01 and H20 inbred lines, respectively. A correlation analysis revealed that metabolites, such as doronine and (R)-2-hydroxy-2-hydroxylase-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4-hydroxylase)-1, were significantly correlated with the rate of survival, photosynthetic parameters and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. Furthermore, metabolites related to the detoxification of graphene oxide were enriched in the flavonoid metabolic pathways. These results collectively indicate that graphene oxide can be used as a regulator of corn growth and provide insights into their use to improve crops in areas that are contaminated with nicosulfuron.</p>","PeriodicalId":12632,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Plant Science","volume":"16 ","pages":"1529598"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11893866/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143604594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evolutionary and functional analysis of the DIR gene family in Moso bamboo: insights into rapid shoot growth and stress responses.","authors":"Xueyun Xuan, Shiying Su, Jialu Chen, Jiaqi Tan, Zhen Yu, Yang Jiao, Sijia Cai, Zhijun Zhang, Muthusamy Ramakrishnan","doi":"10.3389/fpls.2025.1535733","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpls.2025.1535733","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Dirigent (DIR) proteins are key regulators of lignin and lignan biosynthesis and play critical roles in plant hormone responses, abiotic stress tolerance, and growth and development. This study identified and characterized 47 <i>PeDIR</i> genes in Moso bamboo, classifying them into three groups. Phylogenetic and comparative analyses revealed strong evolutionary conservation, with the Moso bamboo <i>PeDIR</i> genes being most closely related to those in rice and maize. DIR proteins within each subfamily exhibited high conservation in motif composition, domain structure, and 3D configuration. Subcellular localization and protein interaction studies further elucidated <i>PeDIR</i> gene functions. Specifically, PeDIR02 primarily localized to the cell membrane and was shown to be unable to form homodimers in yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) assays. Transcriptome and expression analyses revealed the involvement of <i>PeDIR</i> genes in rapid shoot growth, indicating roles in lignin biosynthesis and cell wall modification. Transcriptome and qRT-PCR data also demonstrated the responsiveness of these genes to hormones and abiotic stresses, such as drought and salinity. This study constructed the first comprehensive regulatory network between transcription factors (TFs) and <i>PeDIR</i> genes, identifying ERF, DOF, and MYB TFs as key synergistic regulators of <i>PeDIR</i> gene expression.</p>","PeriodicalId":12632,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Plant Science","volume":"16 ","pages":"1535733"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11893575/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143604586","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The correlation of starch composition, physicochemical and structural properties of different sorghum grains.","authors":"Kuangye Zhang, Fulai Ke, Hanling Zhou, Jiaxu Wang, Zhenbing Ma, Fei Zhang, Yanqiu Wang, Zhipeng Zhang, Feng Lu, Youhou Duan, Han Wu, Linlin Yang, Zidan Yang, Kai Zhu, Jianqiu Zou","doi":"10.3389/fpls.2025.1515022","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpls.2025.1515022","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The composition, structure, and physicochemical properties of starch in sorghum grains greatly influence the processing and quality of the final products. In this study, 19 sorghum lines were examined to analyze various starch-related characteristics. Correlation analysis of these key traits, revealed a significant correlation between amylose and amylopectin content. Amylopectin was identified as the primary component, averaging 80.75% of the starch content. The distribution of starch chain lengths, as well as the degrees of polymerization and branching, varied significantly among the sorghum lines, maintaining an equilibrium relationship between chain lengths. The size distribution of starch granules also varied among the lines, showing an overall positive correlation. Thermodynamic properties were positively correlated with each other, with correlation coefficients exceeding 0.614. Peak viscosity, trough viscosity, and final viscosity during the pasting process were highly correlated with the setback value, with correlation coefficients of -0.520, -0.651, and 0.618, respectively. 19 sorghum lines were classified into three categories: glutinous, japonica, semi-glutinous. Japonica sorghum exhibited superior thermal stability and viscoelasticity. This study elucidates the relationship between starch fractions, structure and physicochemical properties, providing a crucial theoretical foundation for optimizing sorghum processing for food and industrial applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":12632,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Plant Science","volume":"16 ","pages":"1515022"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11894258/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143604613","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization of fatty acid desaturase gene family in <i>Glycine max</i> and their expression patterns in seeds after <i>Fusarium fujikuroi</i> infection.","authors":"Xinyuan Li, Maira Munir, Weiying Zeng, Zudong Sun, Xiaoli Chang, Wenyu Yang","doi":"10.3389/fpls.2025.1540003","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpls.2025.1540003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The family of membrane-bound fatty acid desaturase (<i>FAD</i>) genes play a vital role in plant growth, development, and stress responses. The seed-borne pathogen <i>Fusarium fujikuroi</i> causes seed decay disease during pre-harvest and post-harvest stages of soybean, leading to a significant reduction in yield and quality. Therefore, it is very meaningful to characterize the diversity and function of the <i>GmFAD</i> gene family in soybean and to elucidate their roles in seed resistance to <i>F. fujikuroi.</i></p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In this study, 30 full-length <i>GmFAD</i> genes were identified from the soybean genome. A range of analysis was conducted to characterize gene and protein structures, chromosomal locations, conserved motif and conserved structural domains, and results showed that <i>GmFAD</i> genes were clustered into seven subfamilies (<i>FAB2</i>, <i>ADS</i>, <i>SLD</i>, <i>DES</i>, <i>FAD6</i>, <i>FAD2</i>, <i>FAD3/7/8</i>), which is also supported by phylogenetic analysis. The diversity and expansion of the <i>GmFAD</i> gene family were mainly caused by segmental duplication, and their encoding proteins were observed to locate in chloroplast or endoplasmic reticulum. The promoters of <i>GmFAD</i> genes contained a set of cis-acting elements in response to plant hormone, defense and stress, light, and plant growth and development, indicating these genes have the complex expression regulation and diverse functions. Gene ontology (GO) and KEGG enrichment pathway analyses showed that <i>GmFAD</i> genes were closely related to the biosynthesis and metabolism of lipid and unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs). In addition, the expression of <i>GmFADs</i> was significantly changed in soybean seeds when challenged by the seed decay pathogen <i>F. fujikuroi</i>. Specifically, <i>GmFAB2.1/2.2</i>, <i>GmFAD3.3/3-2B/7-1//8-2</i>, and <i>GmFAD2.3/2.5</i> genes displayed distinct temporal expression patterns in the resistant ND25 and susceptible CX12, highlighting their potential roles in soybean resistance against <i>F. fujikuroi</i> infection.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the <i>GmFAD</i> gene family and their intricate roles in soybean resistance against the seed-borne pathogen <i>F. fujikuroi</i>. Moreover, several distinct genes provide valuable candidates for further application in soybean resistant breeding.</p>","PeriodicalId":12632,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Plant Science","volume":"16 ","pages":"1540003"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11893595/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143604411","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dynamic molecular regulation of salt stress responses in maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) seedlings.","authors":"Atikaimu Maimaiti, Wei Gu, Diansi Yu, Yuan Guan, Jingtao Qu, Tao Qin, Hui Wang, Jiaojiao Ren, Hongjian Zheng, Penghao Wu","doi":"10.3389/fpls.2025.1535943","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpls.2025.1535943","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Maize ranks among the most essential crops globally, yet its growth and yield are significantly hindered by salt stress, posing challenges to agricultural productivity. To utilize saline-alkali soils more effectively and enrich maize germplasm resources, identifying salt-tolerant genes in maize is essential.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this study, we used a salt-tolerant maize inbred line, SPL02, and a salt-sensitive maize inbred line, Mo17. We treated both lines with 180 mmol/L sodium chloride (NaCl) for 0 days, 3 days, 6 days, and 9 days at the three-leaf growth stage (V3). Through comprehensive morphological, physiological, and transcriptomic analyses, we assessed salt stress effects and identified hub genes and pathways associated with salt tolerance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our analysis identified 25,383 expressed genes, with substantial differences in gene expression patterns across the salt treatment stages. We found 8,971 differentially expressed genes (DEGs)-7,111 unique to SPL02 and 4,791 unique to Mo17-indicating dynamic gene expression changes under salt stress. In SPL02, the DEGs are primarily associated with the MAPK signaling pathway, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and hormone signaling under salt treatment conditions. In Mo17, salt stress responses are primarily mediated through the abscisic acid-activated signaling pathway and hormone response. Additionally, our weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) pinpointed five hub genes that likely play central roles in mediating salt tolerance. These genes are associated with functions including phosphate import ATP-binding protein, glycosyltransferase, and WRKY transcription factors.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>This study offers valuable insights into the complex regulatory networks governing the maize response to salt stress and identifies five hub genes and pathways for further investigation. These findings contribute valuable knowledge for enhancing agricultural resilience and sustainability in saline-affected environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":12632,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Plant Science","volume":"16 ","pages":"1535943"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11893837/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143604578","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Formulation and evaluation of nanoemulsions from <i>Jasminum officinale</i> essential oil for controlling postharvest browning and maintaining quality in jasmine (<i>Jasminum sambac</i>) flowers.","authors":"Kittiya Yeamsuriyotai, Natthamon Pradabkun, Nutcha Manichart, Nipaporn Yonsawad, Na-Monrug Khamchatra, Chamroon Laosinwattana, Montinee Teerarak, Naphat Somala","doi":"10.3389/fpls.2025.1541721","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpls.2025.1541721","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The jasmine (<i>Jasminum sambac</i> (L.) Aiton) flower has delicate petals, resulting in rapid browning after harvest. The aim of this study was to search for an innovative postharvest treatment for delaying browning of jasmine petals using plant essential oils. <i>J. officinale</i> L. f. var. <i>grandiflorum</i> (L.) essential oil was found to reduce peroxidase activity in jasmine flower by 44.21% in the <i>in vitro</i> condition. The antioxidant activities and chemical composition of <i>J. officinale</i> essential oil were subsequently characterized. The essential oil exhibited the ability to scavenge 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil (DPPH) radicals with a 50% inhibition (EC₅₀) value of 6.72 ± 0.89 mg/mL, a chelating effect with EC₅₀ value of 7.42 ± 1.59 mg/mL, and reducing power with EC_0.5 value of 14.89 ± 0.73 mg/mL. GC-MS analysis detected 29 compounds in the oil, with benzyl alcohol (20.68%) and benzyl acetate (19.87%) predominating. As plant essential oils have restricted water solubility, an oil-in-water emulsion was formulated using a spontaneous emulsification method. The resulting <i>J. officinale</i> essential oil naonoemulsion (JEN) had an oil droplet size of 70.2 ± 0.39 nm and a narrow polydispersity index. <i>In vivo</i> testing confirmed the inhibitory effects of JEN on jasmine flower browning and relevant enzyme activities. Jasmine flowers were soaked in various concentrations of JEN for 5 min, packed in polyethylene plastic bags, and stored in a refrigerator at 10 ± 3°C with relative humidity 66 ± 5%. Flowers treated with 1 and 2 mg/mL JEN showed effective delay of petal browning and maintained good quality with minimum flower opening index, high freshness score, and high color retention index. JEN treatment also reduced phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and peroxidase (POD) activities, indicating postponement of the browning process. In addition, scanning electron microscopy micrographs of treated flower epidermis cells revealed delayed cell wall collapse, indicating retention of intact cells. Taken together, these results support JEN as a potential preventative of enzymatic browning and hence petal browning in jasmine flower.</p>","PeriodicalId":12632,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Plant Science","volume":"16 ","pages":"1541721"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11894382/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143604602","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Silencing of <i>GhSHP1</i> hindered flowering and boll cracking in upland cotton.","authors":"Wenjuan Xu, Qi Ma, Jisheng Ju, Xueli Zhang, Wenmin Yuan, Han Hai, Caixiang Wang, Gang Wang, Junji Su","doi":"10.3389/fpls.2025.1558293","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpls.2025.1558293","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The opening of cotton bolls is an important characteristic that influences the precocity of cotton. In the field, farmers often use chemical defoliants to induce cotton leaves to fall off earlier, thus accelerating the cracking of cotton bolls. However, the molecular mechanism of cotton boll cracking remains unclear. We identified ten <i>AGAMOUS</i> subfamily genes in upland cotton. Three pairs of <i>Gossypium hirsutum</i> AG subfamily genes (<i>GhAGs</i>) were amplified via tandem duplication. The promoters of the <i>GhAGs</i> contained a diverse array of <i>cis</i>-acting regulatory elements related to light responses, abiotic stress, phytohormones and plant growth and development. Transcriptomic analyses revealed that the expression levels of <i>GhAG</i> subfamily genes were lower in vegetative tissues than in flower and fruit reproductive organs. The qRT-PCR results for different tissues revealed that the <i>GhSHP1</i> transcript level was highest in the cotton boll shell, and <i>GhSHP1</i> was selected as the target gene after comprehensive analysis. We further investigated the functional role of <i>GhSHP1</i> using virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS). Compared with those of the control plants, the flowering and boll cracking times of the <i>GhSHP1</i>-silenced plants were significantly delayed. Moreover, the results of paraffin sectioning at the back suture line of the cotton bolls revealed that the development of the dehiscence zone (DZ) occurred later in the <i>GhSHP1</i>-silenced plants than in the control plants. Furthermore, at the same developmental stage, the degree of lignification in the silenced plants was lower than that in the plants transformed with empty vector. The expression of several upland cotton genes homologous to key <i>Arabidopsis</i> pod cracking genes was significantly downregulated in the <i>GhSHP1</i>-silenced plants. These results revealed that <i>GhSHP1</i> silencing delayed the flowering and cracking of cotton bolls and that the cracking of cotton bolls was delayed due to effects on DZ development. These findings are highly important for future studies of the molecular mechanism of cotton boll cracking and for breeding early-maturing and high-quality cotton varieties.</p>","PeriodicalId":12632,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Plant Science","volume":"16 ","pages":"1558293"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11893620/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143604608","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genome-wide characterization and expression profiling of the <i>TGA</i> gene family in sweet orange (<i>Citrus sinensis</i>) reveal <i>CsTGA7</i> responses to multiple phytohormones and abiotic stresses.","authors":"Min Wang, Yue Ma, Yu-Xin Qiu, Si-Si Long, Wen-Shan Dai","doi":"10.3389/fpls.2025.1530242","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpls.2025.1530242","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Citrus is widely recognized as one of the most economically important fruit crops worldwide. However, citrus growth is frequently hindered by external environmental stresses, which severely limit its development and yield. The TGA (TGACG motif-binding factor) transcription factors (TFs) are members of the bZIP family and play essential roles in plant defense responses and organ development. Nevertheless, the systematic identification and functional analysis of the TGA family in citrus remains unreported. In this study, genome-wide analysis identified a total of seven CsTGA TFs in <i>Citrus sinensis</i>, which were classified into five subgroups. Phylogenetic and syntenic analysis revealed that the <i>CsTGA</i> genes are highly conserved, with no tandem or segmental duplication events among family members. Promoter sequence analysis identified numerous <i>cis</i>-acting elements associated with transcriptional regulation, phytohormone response, and environmental adaptation in the promoters of <i>CsTGA</i> genes. The expression patterns under five phytohormones and three abiotic stresses demonstrated significant responses of multiple <i>CsTGA</i> genes under various forms of adversity. Among all tested treatments, <i>CsTGA7</i> showed the most robust response to multiple stresses. Tissue-specific expression pattern analysis revealed potential functional biases among <i>CsTGA</i> genes. In-depth analysis showed that CsTGA7 localized in the nucleus and possessed transcriptional activation activity, consistent with the typical characteristic of transcriptional regulators. In summary, our research systematically investigated the genomic signature of the TGA family in <i>C</i>. <i>sinensis</i> and unearthed <i>CsTGA7</i> with potential functions in phytohormone signaling transduction and abiotic stress responses. Our study establishes a basis for further exploration of the function of <i>CsTGA</i> genes under abiotic stress.</p>","PeriodicalId":12632,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Plant Science","volume":"16 ","pages":"1530242"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11893830/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143604531","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}