Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science最新文献

{"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}

{"title":"Differential Impacts of Whole-Growth-Duration Warming on the Grain Yield and Quality Between Early and Late Rice (Oryza sativa) in a Double Rice Cropping System","authors":"Shan Huang,&nbsp;Haiyuan Wang,&nbsp;Xiaohua Pan,&nbsp;Yongjun Zeng,&nbsp;Guanjun Huang","doi":"10.1111/jac.70052","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jac.70052","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The impacts of whole-growth-duration warming on grain yield and quality in a double rice cropping system remain largely unknown. In this study, a 2-year field whole-growth-duration warming experiment was conducted with two inbred <i>indica</i> rice cultivars (Zhongjiazao 17 and Xiangzaoxian 45) for early season and two hybrid <i>indica</i> rice cultivars (Wanxiangyouhuazhan and Tianyouhuazhan) for late season, respectively. The results showed that whole-growth-duration warming did not affect early rice yield but significantly decreased late rice yield, which was caused by the decreased grain weight that may be related to the reduced translocation of dry matter accumulated during the pre-heading phase under warming. Whole-growth-duration warming improved the milling quality of late rice but decreased that of early rice; however, the chalky rice rate and chalkiness degree were increased by 20.7% and 33.9% for early rice, and 37.6% and 51.6% for late rice under warming, respectively. We found that the crude protein content of milled rice was significantly increased by warming in both early and late rice, which would result in the deterioration of eating quality. Besides, compared with the control treatment, the setback of late rice was significantly reduced by 17.8% under warming, while that of early rice was not significantly affected by warming. These results suggest that the negative impacts of whole-growth-duration warming on grain quality varied between early rice and late rice to some extent. In summary, adaptation in both rice breeding and agronomic practices is needed to alleviate climate warming on the production of the double rice cropping system.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"211 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143690189","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":"Phenotyping the Effects of Simulated Spring Frost on the Yield of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)","authors":"Marcin Rapacz,&nbsp;Barbara Jurczyk,&nbsp;Ipsa Bani,&nbsp;Magdalena Wójcik-Jagła","doi":"10.1111/jac.70054","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jac.70054","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The climate change has led to an increase in the number of relatively warm days experienced in Central Europe during the late winter and early spring periods. These conditions have resulted in an early onset of vegetation, thereby elevating the risk of spring frost damage. The present study investigates spring frost tolerance in sets of bread wheat and barley accessions, with experiments conducted over a period of 2 years. In both species, the occurrence of spring frost during the flowering stage resulted in a reduction in grain yield, manifested as a decrease in the number of grains and a concomitant reduction in grain size. In barley, an additional association was observed between yield reduction and a decline in the number of tillers and heads following freezing. The detrimental effects of spring frost can be amplified when low temperatures are followed by drought. When water availability is not limited, plants begin to establish new heads, which in the case of wheat may partially compensate for decreasing yield. However, the practical impact of this effect may be limited by unequal maturity. There was a significant range in the extent of the reduction in yield following spring frosts between accessions, which offers a promising opportunity for breeding more resilient varieties.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"211 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143698900","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":"Physiological Responses of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) to Multiple Combined Prolonged Drought Stress, Salinity Stress and Boron Toxicity: Insights from Pre- and Post-Recovery Stages","authors":"Öner Canavar,&nbsp;Hatice Kübra Gören,&nbsp;Uğur Tan,&nbsp;Onur Yilmaz,&nbsp;Mustafa Ali Kaptan,&nbsp;Seçil Küçük Kaya","doi":"10.1111/jac.70047","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jac.70047","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The study aimed to determine how the physiological responses of the sunflower (<i>Helianthus annuus</i> L.) plant were affected by prolonged drought stress, salinity stress, and boron application, as well as to assess the recovery dynamics following re-watering. The experimental design included well-watered (WW 80% watering), drought stress (DS, 20% watering) salinity stress (SS, 0 control and 13 dS m⁻¹), boron toxicity (Na₂O₅B₂O₃.10H₂O, at different doses of 0 and 8 mg L⁻¹) and re-watering after a long-term period of drought stress (24 days). The well-irrigated (80% WW) treatment, which included all factors as a the non-stressed control treatment during the experiment was carried out with five replications. Morphological, physiological and biochemical analyses of plants were measured at four time points: at the 10th and 24th days after the onset of the drought stress period and after re-watering, at 2nd and 7th days following. The relative membrane permeability was increased and relative water content was decreased because drought and salinity stress limited water availability and caused an imbalance in the water status of the leaves and stem of the plant. Even though high levels of Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions interfered with essential nutrient uptake under drought stress and boron application, Ca⁺² ion levels in the leaves significantly increased in the leaves of plants in areas treated with drought, salt, and boron after re-watering. Extended or intense drought and salinity conditions harmed the phloem and xylem tissue cells of the stem by changing cell size and density, which in turn disrupted biochemical processes, including the functioning of water channels under challenging circumstances. Particularly under conditions of salt and drought stress, the vascular bundles in the plant stem were observed to either shrink significantly or assume an irregular shape. Long-term drought reduced relative water content (RWC) values, resulting in plant dehydration and increased osmotic pressure (RMP) in leaf cells, further exacerbated by salinity and drought stress. The plant attempted to regain some of its characteristics in response to these severe stress conditions after re-watering. However, 24 days after the long dry period, even if watering was re-applied, the growth power of the plant was reduced due to the disturbance in membrane permeability as a result of excessive cell damage.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"211 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143666060","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":"Guard Cell-Specific Metabolic Responses to Drought Stress in Maize","authors":"Patrick Pascal Lehr,&nbsp;Alexander Erban,&nbsp;Roman Paul Hartwig,&nbsp;Monika Andrea Wimmer,&nbsp;Joachim Kopka,&nbsp;Christian Zörb","doi":"10.1111/jac.70049","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jac.70049","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Understanding crop responses to drought stress is crucial for securing future agricultural productivity. Guard cells regulate transpiration and thus the yield burden under drought conditions. Therefore, the influence of repeated drought stress on the guard cell metabolome of <i>Zea mays</i> L. was investigated to improve our understanding of crop resilience mechanisms. A controlled greenhouse experiment with physiological evaluation and a non-targeted metabolomics approach was used to analyse unprimed and primed guard cells. Primed and unprimed maize plants showed similar overall physiological and metabolic responses to drought, with gas exchange and general metabolic patterns largely unaffected by priming. However, distinct priming effects emerged in specific metabolites. Metabolites of the alanine and aspartate pathway, as well as those of the glycine, serine and threonine pathway were less impacted by drought stress in guard cells than in mesophyll cells, suggesting the emphasis of plants to maintain stable guard cell metabolomes for functional integrity. In contrast, the increase in sugar concentrations in guard cells was similar to that in mesophyll cells, suggesting a pivotal role of sugars in guard cells during drought conditions. New insights into cell type-specific metabolic responses to drought stress will contribute to a better understanding of stress memory in maize. Enhancing guard cell resilience could help optimise water use efficiency for sustainable agricultural production under climate change conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":14864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science","volume":"211 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jac.70049","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143665920","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}