Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science最新文献

{"title":"Effects of Long-Term Straw Return on Physiological Traits and Grain Yield of Wheat Under Spring Low-Temperature Stress","authors":"Weixiang Huang,&nbsp;Jiyuan Zhang,&nbsp;Hongmei Cai,&nbsp;Zhiqiang Li,&nbsp;Baoqiang Zheng,&nbsp;Jincai Li,&nbsp;Xiang Chen","doi":"10.1111/jac.70241","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jac.70241","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Spring low-temperature stress (SLTS) is an important constraint on winter wheat production under increasing climate variability, but whether long-term straw return can maintain physiological stability under SLTS remains unclear. A long-term field experiment was established in 2008 in the Huaihe River Basin of China. Four straw-management treatments were compared: no straw return, maize straw ploughing-in, wheat straw mulching and wheat straw mulching combined with maize straw ploughing-in. Wheat physiological traits and grain yield were evaluated during a natural mild SLTS event in the 2024–2025 growing season. Straw-return treatments maintained higher root activity, more stable chlorophyll status, stronger antioxidant and osmotic regulation and lower oxidative damage than no straw return. Across straw-return treatments, hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde contents were 11.3%–53.4% and 6.8%–37.8% lower, respectively. These physiological advantages were accompanied by improved young-spike growth, biomass accumulation and grain yield. Wheat straw mulching showed the highest comprehensive principal component analysis score and increased grain yield by 19.2% compared with no straw return. These findings describe treatment-associated physiological and yield performance during one natural mild SLTS event and provide a basis for further evaluation of straw-return management across additional events and years.</p>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"212 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jac.70241","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148877360","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":"Impact of Drought Stress on Fatty Acid Composition, Oil and Protein Content, and Yield of Soybean Genotypes","authors":"Rustem Ustun,&nbsp;Muhammad Amjid,&nbsp;Mehmet Zahit Yeken,&nbsp;Mariem Karabeniz,&nbsp;Mehmet Fatih Cengiz,&nbsp;Bülent Uzun","doi":"10.1111/jac.70240","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jac.70240","url":null,"abstract":"<p>As global warming intensifies, drought stress has emerged as a major abiotic factor limiting soybean (<i>Glycine max</i> L.) production. A primary objective of sustainable agriculture is the identification of drought-tolerant genotypes and the implementation of breeding programs to develop resilient cultivars. This study evaluated the effects of drought stress on fatty acid composition, oil content, and protein yield across diverse soybean genotypes. The experiment consisted of four irrigation treatments during the 2023 and 2024 growing seasons: cessation of irrigation at flowering (T1), at pod formation (T2), and at pod filling (T3), alongside a fully irrigated control (T0). Oil content ranged from 12.9% (G9, T1) to 19.0% (G2, T0), while protein content ranged from 26.1% to 39.6%. Higher protein content was observed in the second year. Oil and protein contents were generally higher under T1 than T2, likely due to earlier activation of drought-response mechanisms. The highest oil yield was 675.0 kg/ha (G2) in 2023 and 494.0 kg/ha (G9) in 2024. Similarly, peak protein yields were 1453.9 kg/ha (G2) in 2023 and 1993.6 kg/ha (G9) in 2024. Oil quality, measured by polyunsaturated fatty acid content, was highest in G8 (86.2%), closely followed by G9 and G10 (86.1% each). Genotype G9 demonstrated superior performance for oil and protein yield and oil quality. Therefore, G9 may be recommended as a promising parental line for future hybridization and breeding programs. These findings highlight the need to integrate drought-tolerant traits into breeding programs to sustain soybean cultivation in water-limited environments and to select varieties based on oil and protein yields and fatty acid profiles.</p>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"212 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jac.70240","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148860942","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":"Selection of Sodic Stress-Tolerant Rice Genotypes Through Stress Indices and GGE Biplot Analysis","authors":"B. M. Lokeshkumar,&nbsp;Ranjith Kumar Ellur,&nbsp;Suman Rathor,&nbsp;Arvinder Singh Warraich,&nbsp;Satyendra Yadav,&nbsp;Ashish Nain,&nbsp;S. Gopala Krishnan,&nbsp;A. K. Singh,&nbsp;P. C. Sharma,&nbsp;S. L. Krishnamurthy","doi":"10.1111/jac.70239","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jac.70239","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The rising problem of salt stress is a major abiotic threat to the production and productivity of rice. Therefore, increasing salt tolerance in rice will enhance the potential of saline-alkali soils and ensure food security. A total of 215 RILs derived from the cross between TRY1 and Pusa Basmati 1 (PB1) were tested over 4 years, from 2015 to 2018, in controlled microplots with moderate (E1—pH~9.5), high (E2—pH~9.9), and non-stress (pH~7.5) conditions at CSSRI, Karnal. The data on grain yield, stress tolerance index (STI), and stress susceptibility index (SSI) were used to identify stable sodic-tolerant genotypes. GGE biplot analysis for SSI and grain yield identified one genotype, G93; STI and SSI identified nine genotypes, G129, G156, G116, G43, G58, G145, G130, G159, and G102; SSI, STI, and grain yield identified three genotypes, G79, G127, and G157, as ideal, stable salt-tolerant lines over PB1. The “which-won-where” graph indicated that G79, G129, and G93 were the overall winning genotypes. Agro-morphologically desirable genotypes, G156 (CSR TPB-156), G127 (CSR TPB-127), G159 (CSR TPB 159), and one basmati line, G31 (CSR-B-31), were nominated for the All India Co-Ordinated Rice Improvement Project (AICRIP) trials, and they showed significant yield advantage over the salt-tolerant checks. The nominated lines can be released as varieties, and winning genotypes G79, G129, and G93 could serve as potential donors for the development of salt-tolerant varieties for commercial cultivation.</p>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"212 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jac.70239","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148842933","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":"Exogenous Salicylic Acid Improves Storage Root Yield of Drought-Stressed Sweet Potato via Enhancing Antioxidant Efficiency","authors":"Kang Du,&nbsp;Guolian Zheng,&nbsp;Zhiqing Guo,&nbsp;Beibei Xing,&nbsp;Hong Li,&nbsp;Lang Gong,&nbsp;Xueying Liu,&nbsp;Daobin Tang,&nbsp;Jichun Wang,&nbsp;Changwen Lyu,&nbsp;Kai Zhang","doi":"10.1111/jac.70237","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jac.70237","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Although exogenous salicylic acid (SA) has the potential to assist sweet potatoes in coping with drought stress (DS), the specific effects on leaf antioxidant metabolism and storage root yield during the bulking stage remain poorly understood. To investigate this, a pond experiment was conducted in 2024 and 2025 to assess the influences of SA on leaf oxidative damage, antioxidant systems, and final yield under DS. Results demonstrated that DS significantly elevated peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activities in leaves. However, this increase was insufficient to regulate reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, leading to a marked hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion accumulation, which subsequently induced oxidative stress. Consequently, this oxidative stress significantly increased malondialdehyde (MDA) content while reducing leaf relative water content (LRWC), ultimately leading to a decrease in storage root yield by 49.26% to 55.47%. Notably, exogenous SA application reduced the total leaf antioxidant capacity and decreased peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities. Concurrently, SA treatment improved LRWC, restored chloroplast ultrastructure, and reduced abscisic acid (ABA) accumulation, thereby effectively alleviating the build-up of ROS and MDA. Further analysis indicated that SA decreased ascorbate content and ascorbate peroxidase activity, while simultaneously increasing glutathione content and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) expression within the ascorbate–glutathione cycle. This indicates a strategic reallocation of resources towards the GSH-GPX branch. Such an approach facilitated effective ROS scavenging at a reduced metabolic cost, thereby sustaining leaf photosynthetic capacity and enhancing final yield by 53.18% to 68.02% relative to DS alone. In conclusion, exogenous SA enhances drought tolerance in sweet potatoes not merely by elevating total antioxidant capacity, but by improving antioxidant efficiency through the restoration of leaf water status and chloroplast integrity, attenuation of ABA signalling, and resource reallocation within the AsA-GSH cycle.</p>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"212 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jac.70237","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148767290","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":"Heat Tolerance in Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.) Is Associated With Coordinated Canopy Cooling and Reproductive Stability Under Field Conditions","authors":"P. S. Basavaraj,&nbsp;Mallikarjun Biradar,&nbsp;Kuldeep Tripathi,&nbsp;Vijay Singh Meena,&nbsp;Sreekanth Dasari,&nbsp;Sunil Archak,&nbsp;Sandeep Adavi,&nbsp;K. M. Boraiah,&nbsp;C. B. Harisha,&nbsp;Hanamant M. Halli,&nbsp;R. N. Singh,&nbsp;K. Sammi Reddy","doi":"10.1111/jac.70238","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jac.70238","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Elevated temperature during the reproductive phase severely constrains cowpea (<i>Vigna unguiculata</i> (L.) Walp.) productivity; however, the physiological and reproductive traits associated with heat tolerance under field conditions remain inadequately understood. In this study, 30 cowpea genotypes were evaluated across two locations and two sowing environments to impose terminal heat stress under field conditions. Heat stress significantly reduced canopy greenness (~20%), chlorophyll content (~26%), leaf area (~30%), net photosynthetic rate (~60%), pollen viability (15%–30%) and grain yield (~11%). Results revealed that maintenance of canopy function, reflected by higher normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and SPAD values together with lower canopy temperature, was associated with improved grain yield under heat stress. Physiological measurements conducted at the Baramati location further indicated that genotypes maintaining higher photosynthetic activity and pollen viability exhibited greater reproductive resilience under heat stress. Integrated multi-trait analyses, including the Multi-trait Genotype–Ideotype Distance Index (MGIDI) and Multi-trait Stability Index (MTSI), consistently identified EC240920, IC488270 and IC488085 as promising genotypes combining favourable physiological and agronomic traits. Overall, the results suggest that heat tolerance in cowpea is associated with coordinated canopy cooling and reproductive stability under field conditions. Although the physiological characterization was based on a single cropping season, the identified genotypes are consistent with previous multi-year field evaluations and represent promising genetic resources for breeding programs targeting high-temperature environments. Nevertheless, further multi-year physiological validation will strengthen confirmation of their stability under diverse environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"212 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jac.70238","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148767289","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":"Physiological and Morphological Responses of Soybean to Water Stress and Rehydration: Implications for Growth, Seed Yield and Quality","authors":"Marҫal Gusmão,&nbsp;Brenda L. Gambin,&nbsp;Carolina Freitas,&nbsp;Antonella Ferela,&nbsp;George Kalogeropoulos,&nbsp;Kadambot H. M. Siddique","doi":"10.1111/jac.70236","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jac.70236","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Rapid stomatal regulation is an early response associated with improved maintenance of leaf water status and post-stress recovery in soybean, but it cannot fully offset the detrimental effects of severe drought on seed production. This study evaluated the physiological and morphological responses of soybean genotypes to progressive water stress and subsequent rehydration imposed at different growth stages under controlled-environment conditions. Water stress rapidly reduced stomatal conductance, which was associated with improved maintenance of leaf water content and partial recovery following rehydration. Rehydration after severe water stress, except when imposed at pod set, partially compensated for yield losses by prolonging vegetative and reproductive growth and delaying maturity. However, severe drought during flowering and pod set caused substantial reductions in seed yield, with losses of up to 82% relative to the control. The soybean genotypes did not accelerate seed filling under water stress, indicating limited drought-escape capacity. These findings demonstrate that drought timing is a major determinant of recovery and yield loss, highlighting the importance of traits associated with stomatal regulation, recovery following rehydration and yield stability for improving drought resilience in soybean breeding.</p>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"212 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jac.70236","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148754465","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":"Pollen Viability, Germination and Tube Elongation Responses to Heat Stress During the Reproductive Stage in Maize","authors":"Anicet Gatera,&nbsp;Ahsan Khan,&nbsp;Wenguang Li,&nbsp;Xu Zhang,&nbsp;Huihui Liu,&nbsp;Lixin Tian,&nbsp;Youhong Song","doi":"10.1111/jac.70235","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jac.70235","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Climate change-induced heat stress increasingly threatens crop production, particularly when high temperatures occur during the sensitive flowering stage. In maize, successful fertilization depends on viable pollen, successful pollen germination and subsequent pollen tube elongation reaching the ovule. However, the extent to which these processes are influenced by heat stress remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of heat stress on pollen viability, pollen germination and pollen tube growth in the maize hybrid ZD 958 during the 2024 and 2025 growing seasons. At anthesis, tassels were collected and exposed in vitro to 3-h daily heat treatments at 28°C, 31°C, 34°C, 37°C, 40°C and 43°C for three consecutive days. Pollen viability (TTC staining), germination rate and pollen tube elongation dynamics were assessed. While viability and germination declined only moderately up to 37°C, pollen tube elongation was severely inhibited, with final tube length decreasing to approximately 53% of the control (28°C) in both years. The estimated temperature for 50% inhibition (<i>T</i>₅₀) was significantly lower for pollen tube elongation (35.9°C) than for pollen viability (36.8°C) or pollen germination (37.5°C). Growth rate analysis revealed that pollen tube elongation declined by 5.75% per °C, compared to 5.13% for pollen viability and 4.39% for pollen germination. Although inter-annual variation was observed, the hierarchical sensitivity of the three pollen traits remained consistent across both years. Pollen tube growth was the most heat-sensitive trait. Our results suggest that pollen tube growth may represents a critical bottleneck in the fertilization process of this genotype under heat stress. Even a 1°C increase above 35°C severely compromise the ability of the pollen tube to reach the ovule, indicating that pollen tube thermotolerance is a promising target for breeding heat-resilient maize varieties.</p>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"212 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jac.70235","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148715754","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":"Spatiotemporal Transcriptomic Analysis of Saccharum robustum Reveals Developmental Dynamics and Key Role of 4CL Genes in Lignin Biosynthesis and Stress Response","authors":"Pingping Lin,&nbsp;Xiaoying Huang,&nbsp;Yu Tang,&nbsp;Yaxi Cai,&nbsp;Xinya Yu,&nbsp;Zuhu Deng,&nbsp;Muqing Zhang,&nbsp;Wei Yao,&nbsp;Fan Yu","doi":"10.1111/jac.70228","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jac.70228","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p><i>Saccharum robustum</i>, a pivotal wild relative within the <i>Saccharum</i>, serves as a crucial reservoir of genetic diversity for improving lodging resistance in sugarcane breeding. However, the developmental dynamics and transcriptomic mechanisms underpinning its lodging resistance remain largely unexplored. Here, we conducted a spatiotemporal transcriptomic analysis of roots, leaves, and stem segments (basal, middle, and apical) in <i>S. robustum</i>, which revealed greater transcriptome complexity in underground tissues compared to above-ground organs. Tissue-specific enrichment analysis revealed that leaf-specific transcripts were predominantly associated with photosynthesis, whereas root-specific transcripts were enriched for defence responses and lignification pathways. Gene regulatory network inference identified key transcription factors governing tissue development. Genes involved in cellulose biosynthesis were highly expressed in stems, while lignin biosynthesis genes were upregulated in both roots and stems. We further investigated 4-Coumarate: CoA ligase (<i>4CL</i>), a key branch-point enzyme in the phenylpropanoid pathway. We identified 17 <i>Ss4CL</i> and 38 <i>So4CL</i> members from AP85-441 (<i>S. spontaneum</i>) and LA-purple (<i>S. officinarum</i>), respectively. Promoter analysis revealed enrichment of cis-regulatory elements responsive to plant hormones and abiotic stresses. Evolutionary analysis indicated that the <i>4CL</i> gene family has primarily undergone purifying selection. Notably, <i>Ss4CL1/4/6</i> exhibited high expression in roots and stems. qRT-PCR validation showed that their expression levels were significantly lower in smut-resistant varieties (ZZ1, ZZ6, ZZ9) compared to smut-susceptible ones (GT42, ROC22, FN41), suggesting that these genes respond to smut disease. In summary, this study provides comprehensive insights into the transcriptional regulation of <i>S. robustum</i> development and pinpoints candidate genes for optimizing lignin biosynthesis and disease resistance in cultivated sugarcane.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"212 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148703449","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":"Pre-Flowering Heat Wave Sensitivity on Yield and Its Components in Two Spring Barley Near-Isogenic Lines for PPD-H1 Alleles","authors":"Jorge D. Parrado,&nbsp;Roxana Savin,&nbsp;Gustavo A. Slafer","doi":"10.1111/jac.70234","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jac.70234","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Rising temperatures associated with climate change increasingly threaten cereal yields. Most previous studies have focused on chronic high temperatures, which primarily affect yield indirectly through modifications of crop phenology. In contrast, the effects of short-term heat waves on reproductive development and yield formation remain poorly understood. In barley (<i>Hordeum vulgare</i> L.), development and reproduction are tightly regulated by photoperiod sensitivity, mainly controlled by the <i>PPD-H1</i> gene, which may modulate plant responses to thermal stress. Here, we quantified the impact of a pre-flowering heat wave on yield formation and spike fertility in near-isogenic lines of spring barley differing at the <i>PPD-H1</i> locus, across four contrasting environmental backgrounds combining sowing date and photoperiod conditions. Heat waves were imposed for 10 days at the flag leaf stage under field and outdoor conditions, increasing daily maximum temperatures with minimal effects on mean temperature and phenology. Across environments, the heat wave consistently reduced grain yield. Yield losses were primarily driven by reductions in grain number rather than grain weight and were markedly greater in the photoperiod-insensitive <i>ppd-H1</i> line than in the photoperiod-sensitive <i>Ppd-H1</i> line. Differences in flowering time between near-isogenic lines were small or absent under most conditions, indicating that the contrasting heat wave responses were largely independent of phenological escape and instead reflected direct effects on reproductive development. The lower resilience of <i>ppd-H1</i> was associated with both reduced floret fertility at flowering and increased grain abortion, particularly in apical spikelets, whereas spike fertility in <i>Ppd-H1</i> plants was largely preserved. Our results demonstrate that the wild-type <i>Ppd-H1</i> allele confers enhanced tolerance to short-term heat stress immediately before flowering by stabilising spike fertility and grain set. This study highlights the importance of photoperiod genes not only in shaping phenology but also in conferring intrinsic resilience of reproductive processes to heat waves, providing valuable insights for breeding barley cultivars adapted to increasingly variable thermal environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"212 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jac.70234","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148675332","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":"Water-Related Physiological Traits and Aquaporin Gene Expression in Flag Leaves and Panicles of Rice Cultivars Differing in Tolerance to High-Temperature-Induced Grain Quality Deterioration","authors":"Hinako Takahashi,&nbsp;Kyoko Toyofuku,&nbsp;Atsushi Ogawa","doi":"10.1111/jac.70231","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jac.70231","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Deterioration in the appearance quality of brown rice due to heat-stress-induced ripening damage is a severe agricultural problem exacerbated by global warming. Five rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) cultivars differing in their tolerance to heat-stress-induced ripening (‘Fukei 227,’ ‘Fusaotome,’ ‘Komanomai,’ ‘Sasanishiki,’ and ‘Hatsuboshi’) were used to measure the water potential and aquaporin-related gene expression in flag leaves and panicles at heading to examine their correlations with brown rice appearance traits at harvest. Post-heading mean air temperatures exceeded 26°C for all cultivars, confirming ripening under heat-stress conditions. In heat-stress-tolerant cultivars, higher water potentials of flag leaves and elevated <i>OsPIP2;2</i> and <i>OsTIP1;2</i> expression levels were associated with lower milky-white and immature grain percentages. In panicles, lower water potentials combined with the suppressed expression of <i>OsPIP2;1</i>, <i>OsPIP2;2</i>, <i>OsPIP2;4</i>, and <i>OsNIP2;1</i> genes and the upregulated expression of <i>OsTIP2;1</i>, <i>OsTIP2;2</i>, and <i>OsTIP4;2</i> genes were associated with lower percentages of all grain categories with poor appearance quality. These results indicate that in heat-stress-tolerant cultivars, a coordinated organ-specific water-control strategy operates at heading. The aquaporin-mediated increase in water transport maintains source function in flag leaves, whereas the suppression of the plasma-membrane-specific aquaporin genes and the upregulation of the tonoplast-specific aquaporin genes stabilize sink function in panicles, collectively preserving brown rice appearance quality. ‘Hatsuboshi’ maintained a high appearance quality through a distinct mechanism independent of these water-related physiological traits.</p>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"212 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jac.70231","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148675246","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}