The Crop Journal最新文献

{"title":"Monoacylglycerol lipase ZmMAGL is required to maintain photosynthesis and growth at low temperature","authors":"Ming Yang, Yuan Jiang, Yuanjia Fu, Chaoyue Wang, Haixiao Dong, Shengzhong Su, Shipeng Li, HongKui Liu, Xiaohui Shan, Yaping Yuan","doi":"10.1016/j.cj.2025.12.009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cj.2025.12.009","url":null,"abstract":"The monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) is a key enzyme in the lipid metabolism pathway which products fatty acids and could play an important role in plant growth and stimulus response. However, the underlying mechanism through which MAGL regulates chilling tolerance in plants is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the ZmMAGL could be a positive regulator in plants to enhance chilling tolerance. Loss of function on MAGL resulted in slow growth, leaf chlorosis, and decreased photosynthetic capacity in both maize and Arabidopsis under chilling conditions. We show that the ZmMAGL directly interacts with ZmEULS3 for regulating chilling tolerance together. In addition, the ZmFBIP could enhance the ZmMAGL activity by binding to its promoter region. Further multi-omics analysis revealed that the ZmMAGL could be involved in fatty acid remodeling under chilling stress to maintain photosynthesis capacity and regular growth. These results uncover a ZmFBIP-ZmMAGL/ZmEULS3 regulation module which plays an essential role for growth and development through regulating the photosynthesis and lipid metabolism in maize under chilling stress.","PeriodicalId":428398,"journal":{"name":"The Crop Journal","volume":"14 2","pages":"374-387"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147894252","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An intracellular Ras-group related leucine-rich repeat protein IbPIRL8 increases soft rot and root rot resistance in sweet potato","authors":"Wenbin Wang, Kui Peng, Meiqi Shang, Hong Zhai, Shaopei Gao, Ning Zhao, Qingchang Liu, Huan Zhang, Shaozhen He","doi":"10.1016/j.cj.2025.12.008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cj.2025.12.008","url":null,"abstract":"The plant intracellular Ras-group related leucine-rich repeat proteins (PIRLs) play important roles in pollen tube growth and development. However, the role of PIRLs in modulating defense responses against fungal diseases has not been reported. In this study, the IbPIRL8 gene was isolated from the resistant variety Nongdabai. Its expression was strongly induced by salicylic acid (SA) and methyl jasmonate. The IbPIRL8 protein was localized to the nucleus and cell membrane. Overexpression of IbPIRL8 conferred resistance to soft rot and root rot in sweet potato. Key SA-responsive genes, cellulose biosynthesis-related genes and callose biosynthesis-related genes were upregulated in IbPIRL8 -OE plants compared with wild type (WT). Consistently, the storage roots of IbPIRL8 -OE plants accumulated more endogenous SA, cellulose and callose than WT plants. Yeast one-hybrid, dual-luciferase, and electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that IbDEAR2, induced by Rhizopus stolonifer , binds to the IbPIRL8 promoter to repress its expression. These findings provide insights into the genetic basis for improving disease-resistant sweet potato varieties.","PeriodicalId":428398,"journal":{"name":"The Crop Journal","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147882025","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of BnaA01.AP2 increases seed oil content with no yield penalty in Brassica napus L.","authors":"Shixiang Wang, Yuan Guo, Jia Shengwu, Zixuan Zhang, Ke Li, Ruize Ma, Saiqi Yang, Shihao Wei, Yanfeng Zhang, Zijin Liu, Mingxun Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.cj.2025.12.014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cj.2025.12.014","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":428398,"journal":{"name":"The Crop Journal","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147915999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"StHEMERA and StPIF4 synergistically regulate thermomorphogenesis in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)","authors":"Rongrong Liu, W.J. Liang, Lina Shang, Xinlong Chen, Jirong Yin, Jinyi Xu, Yan Li, Dianqiu Lyu, Hongju Jian","doi":"10.1016/j.cj.2025.11.016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cj.2025.11.016","url":null,"abstract":"While high-temperature stress severely inhibits the growth, development, and tuberization of potatoes ( Solanum tuberosum L.), moderate high temperatures can trigger thermomorphogenesis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying thermomorphogenesis in potato remain largely elusive. In this study, we identified a heat-responsive, nucleus-plastid shuttling transcriptional activator, StHEMERA (StHMR), whose nuclear translocation was enhanced under high-temperature conditions. Transgenic analyses revealed that the high-temperature induced increase in plant height and cell elongation in potato depends on the function of StHMR. The StHMR-silenced lines displayed a phenotype insensitive to elevated temperatures. Biochemical evidence further revealed that StHMR forms a regulatory module with PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 4 (StPIF4), a potato homolog of the central Arabidopsis thermosensory. StPIF4 is indispensable for high-temperature-induced stem elongation and directly binds the promoters of the auxin biosynthesis gene YUCCA8 ( StYUC8 ) and the cell-elongation gene α-EXPANSION A8 ( StEXPA8 ). StPIF4 regulates cell elongation under high-temperature conditions by binding to E-box elements within the promoters of these genes. Notably, StHMR functions as a transcriptional co-activator that enhances the ability of StPIF4 to activate the transcription of StYUC8 , especially under heat conditions. Collectively, this study characterizes the StHMR-StPIF4 module as a key molecular unit of potato thermomorphogenesis and highlights its potential relevance to tuber formation, providing promising molecular targets for breeding heat-tolerant potato varieties.","PeriodicalId":428398,"journal":{"name":"The Crop Journal","volume":"14 2","pages":"436-447"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147915875","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"PcUGT84A82 catalyzes a key step in the biosynthesis of galloylated macrocyclic polyphenols in Penthorum chinense Pursh","authors":"Yajing Li, Yiru Liu, Xiao Li, Ke Zhang, Yun Wang, Minghui Lu, Yang Xu, Yinan Zou, Jiajia Cao, Lianna Sun, Junfeng Chen, Doudou Huang, Wansheng Chen, Ying Xiao","doi":"10.1016/j.cj.2025.12.001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cj.2025.12.001","url":null,"abstract":"Penthorum chinense Pursh has been used for centuries as an herbal medicine and food in East Asia. The main active substances in P. chinense are galloylated macrocyclic polyphenolic compounds, which have excellent medicinal properties. Galloylation and glycosylation are key steps in the formation of polyphenolic compounds, as the glycosylation of flavonoids is required for the acylation of flavonoid glycosides, and the glycosylation of gallic acid is necessary for its role as an acyl donor. Therefore, glycosylation to generate the acyl donor or acceptor is a core step in the biosynthesis of polyphenolic compounds. However, how this glycosylation occurs in P. chinense is unknown. In this study, we determined that the UDP-glucose transferase PcUGT84A82 mediates the glycosylation of gallic acid and pinocembrin to produce 1- O -Galloyl-β-D-glucose and pinocembroside, respectively. Metabolic profiling of polyphenolic compounds using UHPLC-ESI–Q-TOF/MS revealed high levels of polyphenols in flowers, leaves, and roots, and low levels in stems of P. chinense . We performed isoform-sequencing (Iso-seq) to assemble a full-length transcriptome of P. chinense , from which we identified 58 UGT family members. PcUGT84A82 is highly similar to functional UGTs in other plant species, and PcUGT84A82 transcript levels were positively correlated with the levels of various polyphenolic compounds. We validated the function of PcUGT84A82 via in vitro enzyme assays and transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. Subcellular localization tests showed that PcUGT84A82 localizes to the nucleus and cytoplasm. In summary, PcUGT84A82 catalyzes the conversion of gallic acid to 1- O -Galloyl-β-D-glucose as the acyl donor and pinocembrin to pinocembroside as the acyl acceptor, mediating the biosynthesis of galloylated macrocyclic polyphenolic compounds in P. chinense. These findings lay the foundation for elucidating the entire biosynthetic pathway of active polyphenols in this important herbal plant species.","PeriodicalId":428398,"journal":{"name":"The Crop Journal","volume":"14 1","pages":"247-254"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147880181","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Soybean MYB diversification identifies GmMYBA1 as a light-responsive anthocyanin activator","authors":"Xiaotong Shan, Shirui Zhu, Ruifang Gao, Siqi Yang, Yanan Wang, L. Leng, Ye Zhang, Xianzhong Feng, Chunbao Zhang, Xiang Gao, Yueqing Li","doi":"10.1016/j.cj.2025.11.014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cj.2025.11.014","url":null,"abstract":"Anthocyanin biosynthesis in plants is spatiotemporally controlled by a suite of transcription factors, with MYB proteins playing a key regulatory role. However, the evolution of the distinct roles of MYB paralogs remains poorly understood. Our previous studies have established GmMYBA2 and GmMYBA3 as the regulators of seed coat and floral anthocyanin production in soybean ( Glycine max ), respectively. In this study, we reveal the functional divergence of their paralog GmMYBA1 in orchestrating light-responsive anthocyanin biosynthesis in juvenile tissues and stems. In brief, hypocotyl/stem- and young leaf-predominant expression of GmMYBA1 correlates with photoprotective anthocyanin accumulation. Ectopic overexpression of GmMYBA1 induces systemic pigmentation across leaves, stems, and reproductive organs, whereas RNAi-mediated silencing of GmMYBA1 significantly reduces anthocyanin accumulation in the hypocotyl. Light-dark shift assays confirmed that GmMYBA1 is required for hypocotyl pigmentation, while dual-luciferase assays revealed the specific regulation of the GmMYBA paralogs by GmSTF1/2 (soybean TGACG-motif binding factor 1/2). GmSTF1/2 both activate GmMYBA1 , with only GmSTF2 weakly inducing GmMYBA2 and neither affecting GmMYBA3 . Further investigation indicated that the differential transactivation of GmMYBA promoters largely resulted from their cis -element difference, suggesting regulatory divergence as a driver of MYB paralog diversification. Our findings position GmMYBA1 as the central MYB activator integrating light signaling with anthocyanin biosynthesis, with paralog specialization reflecting evolutionary subfunctionalization post-gene duplication.","PeriodicalId":428398,"journal":{"name":"The Crop Journal","volume":"14 1","pages":"141-153"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147891500","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"CRISPR/Cas9-mediated editing of ZmNRAMPL5 generates maize with reduced cadmium accumulation and uncompromised yield","authors":"Zimeng Wang, Wen Sun, Minghui Shi, Jun Fan, Lijie Bai, Beijiu Cheng, Longjiang Gu, Xiaoyu Li","doi":"10.1016/j.cj.2025.11.011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cj.2025.11.011","url":null,"abstract":"Cadmium (Cd) in agricultural soils readily accumulates in crop grains and shoots, posing serious risks to food and feed safety, especially in maize ( Zea mays L.). Natural resistance-associated macrophage proteins (NRAMPs) constitute a key family of metal transporters; however, their role in Cd uptake in maize remains unclear. In this study, the maize gene ZmNRAMPL5 mediated Cd uptake when expressed in yeast. ZmNRAMPL5 knockout mutants, which exhibited no differences from wild type under normal conditions but showed reduced Cd accumulation, alleviated toxicity, increased tolerance under Cd stress. Pot experiments under simulated light and moderate Cd-contaminated soils further showed that knockout lines maintained silage biomass and exhibited over 60 % and 80 % increases in grain yield per ear compared with wild type, respectively. Moreover, Cd concentrations in stems, leaves, and grains of knockout lines were significantly reduced and remained well below China’s national safety thresholds. Thus, ZmNRAMPL5 might be used in developing Cd-tolerant, low-Cd maize germplasm for grain and feed production in Cd-contaminated farmlands.","PeriodicalId":428398,"journal":{"name":"The Crop Journal","volume":"14 2","pages":"679-683"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147887811","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Foliar nano-molybdenum application mitigates cadmium-induced apoplastic H2O2 burst in rice roots by optimizing the antioxidant system","authors":"Lin Tao, Wenyi Pan, Jing Li, Xiaole Chen, Yalin Li, Xuewen Li, Jiayou Liu, Sergey Shabala, Xuecheng Sun, Fangbai Li, Min Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.cj.2025.09.016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cj.2025.09.016","url":null,"abstract":"Cadmium (Cd 2+ ) exhibits pronounced phytotoxicity and poses significant risks to human health through bioaccumulation in agricultural products. This study investigates the mitigative effects of foliar-applied nano-molybdenum particles (MoNPs) on Cd accumulation and growth rates in rice ( Oryza sativa ). Our findings demonstrate that MoNPs application effectively alleviates Cd-induced root growth suppression and reduces Cd deposition in root cell walls, through MoNPs-mediated attenuation of Cd-induced elevation of pectin content. Through cross-sectional analysis combined with ROS-specific fluorescent probes revealed a spatial pattern of Cd-induced H 2 O 2 accumulation, with strongest signals observed in the apoplastic regions of root elongation and maturation zones, with minimal accumulation in meristematic regions. This oxidative burst was significantly mitigated by MoNPs treatment, which enhanced plasma membrane (PM)-localized respiratory burst oxidase homolog (RBOH) activity via transcriptional upregulation of OsRBOH genes. Furthermore, foliar MoNPs application activated the ascorbate–glutathione (ASA-GSH) cycle through selective upregulation of OsAPXs and OsGRs , enhancing cellular capacity for H 2 O 2 detoxification. These coordinated mechanisms collectively suggest that MoNPs treatment offers dual protection against Cd toxicity by 1) reducing Cd bioavailability in plant tissues and 2) counteracting Cd-induced oxidative damage, thereby effectively ameliorating root growth inhibition under Cd stress.","PeriodicalId":428398,"journal":{"name":"The Crop Journal","volume":"13 6","pages":"1827-1841"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147905935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identification of a major QTL and its candidate genes controlling stem strength in soybean via QTL mapping and GWAS","authors":"Luqi Liu, Hongxiang Cao, Haiman Yao, Yongbin Zhuang, Baoyin Chen, Chunbao Zhang, Xiaoming Li, Dajian Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.cj.2025.08.013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cj.2025.08.013","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":428398,"journal":{"name":"The Crop Journal","volume":"13 6","pages":"1805-1815"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147904351","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genetic architecture of condensed tannins accumulated in wheat grains","authors":"Yunlong Pang, Shanshan Li, Qiang Yan, Pingping Zhang, Yu Lu, Cunyuan Zhao, Tao Li, Hailiang Zhao, Shanyi Sun, Tingting Zhou, Xiaoqian Wang, Huaqiang Zhu, Yong Li, Lingrang Kong, Guihua Bai, Shubing Liu, Yuye Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.cj.2025.09.005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cj.2025.09.005","url":null,"abstract":"Wheat grains contain various bioactive substances, of which, condensed tannins (CT) are polymeric flavan-3-ols that accumulate in wheat seed coat influencing the end-use quality and nutritional value. However, the genetic architecture underlying CT biosynthesis in wheat grain remains unclear. Here, we studied the deposition and genetic regulation of CT in wheat grains, and found that CT deposited specifically in the testa layer of red-grained wheat as catechin- and epicatechin-formed polymers. Genome-wide association study identified 22 genetic loci affecting CT content, one of which, TaTAN , a single dominant gene controlling CT presence, was mapped to chromosome 3A in a segregation population. Further pan-genome analysis, transcriptome profiling and ethyl methanesulfonate induced mutants sequencing revealed a R2R3-MYB transcription factor, TaMYB10-3A , as the causal gene . Three loss-of-function alleles in TaMYB10-3A caused by large fragment inversion-deletion and insertion were identified which abolish both CT deposition and red pigmentation, demonstrating the pleiotropic effect of TaMYB10-3A on CT presence and grain color. TaMYB10-3A directly trans -activates core flavonoid genes such as chalcone synthase and dihydroflavonol 4-reductase to initiate CT biosynthesis. Our investigation provides a comprehensive understanding of CT presence in wheat grains and lays a solid foundation for manipulating CT metabolites to improve wheat grain end-use quality and nutrition values in wheat.","PeriodicalId":428398,"journal":{"name":"The Crop Journal","volume":"13 6","pages":"1773-1785"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147888314","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}