Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science最新文献

{"title":"Impact of Heat Stress on Growth and Fodder Yield of C3 (Cowpea) and C4 (Pearl Millet) Crops: Insights From Field and Modelling Experiments","authors":"Vijay Kumar,&nbsp;S. S. Sandhu,&nbsp; Prabhjyot-Kaur,&nbsp;Simerjeet Kaur,&nbsp;S. S. Walia,&nbsp;K. K. Gill","doi":"10.1111/jac.70063","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jac.70063","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Rising temperature is a major concern globally and its impact on crop production and food security is obvious. The impact of rising temperature on various crops needs to be studied under field conditions. Therefore, a study was conducted at Ludhiana (India) during 2021 and 2022 to investigate the effect of high temperature on growth and yield of cowpea (<i>Vigna unguiculata</i> (L.) Walp.), a C3 legume, and pearl millet (<i>Pennisetum glaucum</i> (L.) R. Br.), a C4 cereal grown as fodder crops. Artificial heat stress was imposed during 0–15, 16–30, 31–45, 46–60 and 0–60 days after sowing (DAS). Mini heat tents made up of galvanised iron pipe and polythene sheets were installed which resulted in an increase in maximum and minimum temperature by 4.0°C–5.1°C and 0.5°C–1.5°C, respectively. The heat stress resulted in a statistically significant reduction in the number of branches, plant height, dry matter and fresh fodder yield of cowpea, while it resulted in a statistically significant increase in plant height, dry matter and fodder yield of pearl millet. Physiological parameters like chlorophyll index and flavanol index were decreased under high temperature in both crops indicating stress. Heat stress positively affected chlorophyll fluorescence in pearl millet and negatively in cowpea. Green fodder yield of cowpea decreased by 3.83%–18.56%, while that of pearl millet increased by 9.44%–25.02% under different heat stress treatments. Thus, heat stress resulted in a decrease in fodder productivity of the C3 crop due to a reduction in physiological and growth parameters, while the increase in the same led to an improvement in fodder productivity of the C4 crop.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"211 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143866009","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 Mechanisms of Improved Grain Yield and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Salt-Tolerant Rice Varieties Under Salt Stress","authors":"Lin Li,&nbsp;Zheng Huang,&nbsp;Shu Wu,&nbsp;Yicheng Zhang,&nbsp;Yixue Mu,&nbsp;Yusheng Li,&nbsp;Aibin He,&nbsp;Zhiyong Ai,&nbsp;Xiayu Guo,&nbsp;Lixiao Nie","doi":"10.1111/jac.70064","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jac.70064","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Nitrogen (N) uptake and utilisation are crucial for improving rice yields, but the mechanisms of N absorption and transportation under salt stress conditions are still unclear. To address this gap, therefore, a field experiment was conducted from 2022 to 2023 to evaluate the characteristics of N metabolism, nitrogen use efficiency, and yield in rice under varying saline conditions. The experiment was comprised of three irrigation treatments i.e., freshwater irrigation (S0) and seawater and freshwater mixtures i.e., 5 dS m⁻¹ (S1), and 11 dS m⁻¹ (S2) to simulate salt stress in salt tolerant (ST), i.e., ‘Chaoyou 1000’ and ‘Longliangyou 506’, and in salt sensitive (SS), i.e., ‘Ruanhuayou1179’ and ‘Ruanhuayoujinsi’ rice varieties. Compared with S0, the 2-year average decreases in total nitrogen accumulation, nitrogen grain production efficiency and nitrogen harvest index were 27.1%, 17.8% and 10.5% under S1 treatment and 46.8%, 53.7% and 41.2% under S2 treatment for ST, respectively, all of which were lower than those for SS. Additionally, the gene expression of N-metabolising enzymes such as <i>OsNR1</i>, <i>OsGS1.1</i> and <i>OsGOGAOT</i> and N transporter genes such as <i>OsNRT2.1</i> and <i>OsNRT2.3</i> were higher in ST than SS during the heading stage under salt stress, potentially enhancing N transport and utilisation. Moreover, a significant and positive correlation was found between total N accumulation at maturity and yield under salt stress. Overall, the findings not only provide significant theoretical support for the breeding and improvement of salt-tolerant rice varieties but also offer scientific guidance for optimising nitrogen management strategies in saline conditions.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"211 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143849039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"MALDI-ToF/ToF-MS Detection of Differential Protein Expression and Metabolomic Profiles in Jatropha curcas Under Salinity: Advancing the Understanding of Salt Stress Mechanisms","authors":"Marcelo F. Pompelli,&nbsp;Mahmoud F. Seleiman,&nbsp;Prithwiraj Dey,&nbsp;Isidro Elias Suarez-Padrón,&nbsp;Luis Eliécer Oviedo Zumaqué,&nbsp;Alfredo Jarma-Orozco,&nbsp;Juan Jaraba-Navas,&nbsp;Yirlis Yadeth Pineda-Rodríguez,&nbsp;Luis Alfonso Rodríguez-Páez,&nbsp;Éderson Akio Kido","doi":"10.1111/jac.70058","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jac.70058","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Salinity stress is a significant environmental factor limiting the productivity of <i>Jatropha curcas</i>, a biofuel crop of economic importance. Understanding the molecular mechanisms behind salinity tolerance in <i>J. curcas</i> is crucial for improving its resilience. This study aimed to analyse the differential proteomic profiles of two <i>J. curcas</i> genotypes under salt stress to identify candidate proteins that could serve as molecular targets for salinity response. The treatments comprised two genotypes of <i>J. curcas</i> (CNPAE183—tolerant, CNPAE218—sensitive) and two NaCl concentrations (0- and 150-mM L⁻¹). After protein extraction, purification, and quantification, we detected 114 differentially accumulated proteins (DAPs). Of these DAPs, 42 (65%) and 23 (35%) were identified as either exclusive or overexpressed in CNPAE183, while 36 (72%) and 14 (28%) were exclusive to or overexpressed in CNPAE218 when compared to the two genotypes under the same 150 mM L⁻¹ NaCl exposure. Protein ontology analysis revealed that CNPAE183 exhibited higher expression of proteins related to photosynthesis and branched-chain amino acids, whereas CNPAE218 showed upregulation of proteins involved in cellular respiration and stress response. A heatmap generated through principal component analysis further distinguished the proteomic responses of the two genotypes under salt stress. These findings highlight the molecular basis of salt tolerance in <i>J. curcas</i>, offering potential applications in breeding programs to enhance crop resilience. The identification of key proteins may also contribute to environmental sustainability by improving salt tolerance in biofuel crops under saline conditions.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"211 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143840730","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unveiling the Impact of Vernalisation on Seed Oil Content and Fatty Acid Composition in Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) Through Simulated Shorter Winters","authors":"İrem Çağlı,&nbsp;Büşra Elif Kıvrak,&nbsp;Osman Altunbaş,&nbsp;Çağla Sönmez","doi":"10.1111/jac.70057","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jac.70057","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Climate change is leading to warmer winters world-wide with an increasing number of extreme events every year. Studies show that winter varieties of rapeseed are particularly impacted negatively by global warming. This study investigates the molecular, physiological, and biochemical effects of diverse vernalisation scenarios (i.e., the vernalisation models) on rapeseed plants and seeds. The winter and spring varieties of rapeseed (<i>Brassica napus</i> L.) were subjected to short durations of vernalisation (3 and 4 weeks) as well as to 6- and 8-week long vernalisation interrupted by 1-week devernalisation intervals at warm temperatures. Our results reveal a notable difference in vernalisation responsiveness in major floral regulator <i>FLC</i> orthologues between the late-flowering winter variety, Darmor, the early-flowering winter variety, Bristol, and the spring variety, Helios, after 3 weeks of vernalisation. Within the three <i>FLC</i> genes (<i>BnaFLCA02</i>, <i>BnaFLCA10</i>, and <i>BnaFLCC02</i>) analysed in this study, <i>BnaFLCA10</i> emerged as the most responsive to vernalisation in all three varieties. The vernalisation duration significantly influenced seed oil content and fatty acid composition in both Bristol and Helios varieties. In Bristol, the 2 + 6w vernalisation model in which vernalisation was interrupted for 1 week after 2 weeks of vernalisation and continued for another 4 weeks consistently resulted in the highest oil content and oleic acid percentage. The interrupted vernalisation (2 + 4w and 2 + 6w) also led to increased monounsaturated fatty acids across all 3 years. In Helios, non-vernalised plants produced seeds with the lowest oil content, and vernalisation duration positively correlated with both seed oil content and oleic acid percentage. Our findings unveil a robust correlation between vernalisation and seed oil content, as well as fatty acid composition in rapeseed.</p>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"211 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jac.70057","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143831274","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Evaluating the Potential of Rhizobacterial Isolates Enhancing Sorghum's Abiotic Stress Tolerance: A Focus on Ethiopian Soil Isolates From Sorghum Root","authors":"Mekdes Mulugeta,&nbsp;Daniel Yimer,&nbsp;Tilahun Rabuma","doi":"10.1111/jac.70062","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jac.70062","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Sorghum is an economically important crop for human consumption, animal feed and biomass production. However, its productivity is affected by abiotic and biotic stresses. Drought is one of the major global problems due to alarming global climate change. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) help crops improve their resilience and survival in water-scarce environments. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the growth-promoting potential of rhizobacterial isolates to improve sorghum tolerance to drought and other abiotic stress. The bacterial sample from different soil roots of sorghum genotype was isolated from different locations in Ethiopia using serial dilution techniques. The biochemical properties of these isolates were evaluated. The potential of these PGPR traits to improve abiotic tolerance in sorghum was analysed under different temperatures, pH, salinity and drought stress. Furthermore, the potential of the rhizobacterial isolates' performance to improve sorghum drought tolerance was evaluated using four different concentrations of PEG (6000): (10%, 15%, 25% and 32.6%), which induces osmotic stress by reducing water availability, thus mimicking the effects of drought in sorghum. PCR detection of genes associated with abiotic stress, such as phosphate solubilisation, nitrogen fixation, ACC (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate) deaminase and phytohormone production was performed using the designed primers. In addition, identification and molecular characterisation of PGPRs was performed using 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene-specific primers. Serial dilution techniques of soil from different sorghum genotype roots resulted in the identification of 210 rhizobacterial isolates. Biochemical analysis revealed that 68 isolates exhibited their potential for nitrogen fixation, while 50 isolates showed their ability to solubilise phosphate. PCR amplification identified genes involved in phosphate solubilisation, nitrogen fixation, ACC (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate) deaminase and phytohormone production in several rhizobacterial isolates, suggesting that they have the potential to improve sorghum abiotic stress tolerance. Among the 68 rhizobacterial isolates examined, PCR amplification identified the <i>nifH</i> gene in 16 isolates, the <i>acdS</i> gene in 10 isolates and the <i>pgg</i> gene in 21 isolates. Among these, the <i>Pseudomonas</i> ms22 bacterial isolate showed a high potential to promote sorghum growth under greenhouse performance. Therefore, our findings suggest that harnessing the potential of <i>Pseudomonas</i> ms22 could pave the way for environmentally friendly and efficient agricultural practices under abiotic stress conditions.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"211 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143831273","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Drought Stress Priming Affects Tuber Yield and DNA Methylation Status in Vegetatively Propagated Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Plants","authors":"Alicja Macko-Podgórni,&nbsp;Jarosław Plich,&nbsp;Paulina Smyda-Dajmund,&nbsp;Dorota Sołtys-Kalina,&nbsp;Dariusz Grzebelus,&nbsp;Waldemar Marczewski","doi":"10.1111/jac.70059","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jac.70059","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Drought stress is one of the major challenges for agriculture worldwide. The cultivated potato is a tetraploid tuber propagated crop that is sensitive to drought stress. We revealed that the tuber yield in two subsequent tuber progeny generations strongly depended on the cultivar and drought-induced memory. Upon non-stressed conditions, drought stress memory caused significant tuber yield losses in the first tuber progeny generation. In the second stress-free tuber generation, partial memory resetting was observed. DNA methylation has been shown to play a significant role in plant stress responses. Information on stress memory in crop plants is still limited. This is the first report on alterations in drought-induced DNA methylation levels in the long-term stress memory in potato. We showed that epigenetic changes induced by drought stress differentiated Katahdin and five Katahdin-derived potato cultivars (Cayuga, Dalila, Pontiac, Sebago and Seneca). We determined the cultivar-specific profiles of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in the first tuber progeny generation of drought-primed and non-primed potato plants planted under non-stressed conditions. The epigenetic stress effects were transmitted to the first progeny generation and then largely lost in the subsequent generation. This suggests that other molecular components of the stress-inducible memory mechanism can affect the transmission of epigenetic information between two potato tuber generations. For cultivars ‘Cayuga’ and ‘Sebago’, primed plants produced lower tuber yields than non-primed plants in the first tuber progeny generation, and nine shared DMRs were localised on potato chromosomes. Four of them were attributed to genic regions, and two were cases of hypermethylation of proline-rich extensin-like receptor kinases.</p>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"211 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jac.70059","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143831272","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Potential of RGB Spectral Information in the Selection of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Genotypes Adapted to Early Drought and Salinity Stresses","authors":"Alan Mario Zuffo,&nbsp;Francisco Charles dos Santos Silva,&nbsp;Ricardo Mezzomo,&nbsp;Leandra Matos Barrozo,&nbsp;Fábio Steiner,&nbsp;Jorge González Aguilera,&nbsp;Bruno Rodrigues de Oliveira,&nbsp;Rafael Felippe Ratke,&nbsp;Gustavo Cardoso Oliveira,&nbsp;Kaiane Maria Martins Moreira,&nbsp;Agnaldo da Conceição Brito,&nbsp;Leandris Argentel-Martínez","doi":"10.1111/jac.70060","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jac.70060","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) is one of the world's main cereals, with considerable potential for expansion in tropical regions such as the Brazilian Cerrado. However, abiotic stresses, such as drought and salinity, present significant challenges for the cultivation of this species in the region. This challenge can be overcome by selecting cultivars that are tolerant to these stresses. This study investigated the potential of using RGB spectral information from wheat seedlings as a rapid and nondestructive tool to identify wheat genotypes adapted to drought and salinity stress conditions. Seeds from 11 wheat cultivars were sown under nonstressful (control) and stressful (drought and salinity) conditions. The seedlings were evaluated for germination and morphological traits, and RGB spectral images were obtained via a low-cost platform for analysis. The data were subjected to analysis of variance, correlation, and calculation of the WAASB multitrait stability index to identify the genotypes with the greatest adaptation and stability. The RGB spectral information (ExGR, ExR, VEG, RED, GREEN and BLUE) proved to be efficient in the selection of wheat genotypes adapted to drought and salinity stress conditions during the initial seedling growth stage. The wheat genotypes ORS FEROZ and BRS 404 have high stability for cultivation both under nonstressful conditions and under drought and salinity stress conditions. Additionally, these genotypes can be used as parents in crossing blocks to obtain genotypes that are better adapted to drought and salinity stress conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"211 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jac.70060","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143818599","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"From Stress to Success: Strategies for Improving Heat Tolerance in Wheat","authors":"Muhammad Ahmad,&nbsp;Maryium Sajjad,&nbsp;Aman Ullah,&nbsp;Usman Zulfiqar,&nbsp;Sami Ul-Allah,&nbsp;Ejaz Ahmad Waraich,&nbsp;Kaleem ul Din,&nbsp;Kadambot H. M. Siddique,&nbsp;Muhammad Farooq","doi":"10.1111/jac.70048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jac.70048","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Wheat, a major staple crop, is critical for global food security. However, abiotic stresses, particularly heat stress, threaten crop productivity. With climate change predicted to increase temperatures by around 1.5°C by 2050, crop productivity could be severely affected. Given ongoing hunger-related challenges and the growing global population, developing crop varieties with improved tolerance to abiotic stresses is essential. Plant breeders have long used the natural stress tolerance of crops, selectively breeding cultivars capable of thriving in adverse conditions. Molecular tools have further advanced this success, allowing for identifying and manipulating genes associated with abiotic stress tolerance. Combining traditional breeding methods and innovative biotechnological tools has shown promising results in developing stress-resilient crop varieties. As technology continues to evolve, policy interventions may become more affordable, enabling precise responses to the challenges posed by climate change. Wheat's capacity to withstand heat stress is influenced by both phylogenetic and environmental factors, as revealed by quantitative trait locus mapping and genome-wide association studies. Recently, omics technologies—such as genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, proteomics, phenomics, and ionomics—have provided valuable insights into the complex interactions between proteins, metabolites, and genes that govern the wheat phenotype. These approaches, supported by computational tools and bioinformatics, enable a comprehensive understanding of biological processes, aiding in the precise improvement of wheat varieties. Despite advancements, there remains a lack of in-depth studies on precision breeding for abiotic stress tolerance in wheat. This review seeks to address this gap by examining various morphological, physiological, cellular, and molecular adaptation mechanisms to improve heat tolerance in wheat.</p>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"211 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jac.70048","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143787267","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"From Root to Shoot: Morphological Evaluation of an International Collection of Red Clover (Trifolium pratense L.) Populations","authors":"Angus D. Heslop,&nbsp;John L. Ford,&nbsp;Zulfi Jahufer,&nbsp;Rainer W. Hofmann","doi":"10.1111/jac.70055","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jac.70055","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Red clover (<i>Trifolium pratense</i> L.) globally is an important pastoral species, used to strengthen pasture mixes and to produce highly nutritious forage. To ensure its continued use and effectiveness, new adaptable cultivars must be developed. Breeders have continuously harnessed diversity to improve the genetic potential of species, and a key part of this is the introduction of new wild germplasm. This material brings an assortment of genetic variation for key morphological traits for crop improvement and adaptation. A row-column experimental design was used to observe trait responses of 15 red clover populations, including 12 germplasm populations, across 3 years. Thirteen above- and below-ground traits were used to evaluate plant yield, plant persistence and root structure. As expected, the biomass production of most of the 12 wild germplasm populations was low in comparison with the cultivar controls. However, key relationships between root structure and both plant persistence and plant production were identified, with plants having either an expansive or compact root system or a mixture of both. This study explored wild germplasm material and highlights the potential genetic variation available within germplasm collections. As this is one of a few publications that look at both below- and above-ground traits, it also highlights the benefits of finding the right balance between root systems. This includes the need to breed plants that are able to manoeuvre between root systems depending on the growing conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"211 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jac.70055","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143741644","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"The Role of Trehalose in Improving Drought Tolerance in Wheat","authors":"Marwa Sulaiman Al Hinai,&nbsp;Abdul Rehman,&nbsp;Kadambot H. M. Siddique,&nbsp;Muhammad Farooq","doi":"10.1111/jac.70053","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jac.70053","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Drought stress severely impacts wheat growth, development and yield, significantly challenging global food security. Wheat is a staple crop worldwide, and increasing its drought resilience is crucial. Trehalose, a stress-protective disaccharide, is crucial for enhancing drought tolerance. This review examines strategies for strengthening wheat's drought resilience through trehalose, including genetic modifications to enhance trehalose synthesis and external applications. It discusses how trehalose influences vital physiological processes—such as osmotic adjustment, oxidative stress reduction and cellular stability—that collectively boost drought tolerance. Additionally, this review explores nano-trehalose formulations, particularly nano-trehalose chitosan, as innovative means to improve trehalose delivery and efficacy. The review also synthesises recent findings, highlighting trehalose's role in supporting drought tolerance and its broader potential in sustainable agriculture. Integrating trehalose-based strategies and nanotechnology offers a promising pathway for developing drought-resistant wheat varieties, contributing to sustainable wheat production and global food security.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"211 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143741218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}