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Environmental and Genetic Factors in Field Crop Production and Improvement:...
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Environmental and Genetic Factors in Field Crop Production and Improvement: Mechanisms and Regulation

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2024) | Viewed by 7423

Special Issue Editors

Dr. ShuiJin Hua

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Crop and Nuclear Technology Utilization, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
Interests: molecular and physiological regulation on crop growth and development; crop genetics and engineering; crop breeding
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Yang Zhu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology (CAB), Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Interests: rapeseed breeding; plant functional genomics; omics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Crop production with improved quality and yield is generally affected by both genetic and environmental factors. Need-to germplasms have been largely produced via multiple approaches, such as agronomic breeding, genetic engineering, and biotechnology. Recently, gain-of-function and loss-of-function genetic materials have shown potential applications in modern crop breeding programs. In addition, genome editing for targeted traits and other methods with genetic information changes, such as chromosome introgression and distant hybridization, are available via toolkits to enhance crop production, improve yield, and achieve nutrient enrichment. Therefore, it is essential to understand the mechanisms of how genetic information is precisely transduced at different field conditions and in various consequential development transitions. With dramatic changes in the globe’s climate, how to increase plant stress tolerance in response to drought, waterlogging, and extreme temperatures is a key research area for the crop industry and for food security. However, the mechanism underlying these changes are still largely unknown. This Special Issue of Plants plans to decipher how both genetic and environmental factors contribute to crop improvement, showcasing perspectives on agronomy, ecophysiology, biochemistry, bioengineering, and crop biology.

Dr. ShuiJin Hua
Dr. Yang Zhu
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • field crop
  • production
  • improvement
  • regulation
  • genetic
  • environment
  • yield
  • quality

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 3742 KiB  
Communication
Characterization of a Drought-Induced Betaine Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Gene SgBADH from Suaeda glauca
by Hangxia Jin, Min Tang, Longmin Zhu, Xiaomin Yu, Qinghua Yang and Xujun Fu
Plants 2024, 13(19), 2716; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13192716 - 28 Sep 2024
Viewed by 501
Abstract
Betaine aldehyde dehydrogenases (BADHs) are key enzymes in the biosynthesis of glycine betaine, which is an important organic osmolyte that maintains cell structure and improves plant tolerance to abiotic stresses, especially in halotolerant plants. Improving the drought tolerance of crops will greatly increase [...] Read more.
Betaine aldehyde dehydrogenases (BADHs) are key enzymes in the biosynthesis of glycine betaine, which is an important organic osmolyte that maintains cell structure and improves plant tolerance to abiotic stresses, especially in halotolerant plants. Improving the drought tolerance of crops will greatly increase their yield. In this study, a novel BADH gene named SgBADH from Suaeda glauca was induced by drought stress or abscisic acid. To explore the biological function of SgBADH, the SgBADH gene was transformed into Arabidopsis. Then, we found SgBADH-overexpressing Arabidopsis seedlings showed enhanced tolerance to drought stress. SgBADH transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings also had longer roots compared with controls under drought stress, while SgBADH-overexpressing Arabidopsis exhibited increased glycine betaine accumulation and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) under drought stress. Our results suggest that SgBADH might be a positive regulator in plants during the response to drought. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental and Genetic Factors in Field Crop Production and Improvement: Mechanisms and Regulation)
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17 pages, 3301 KiB  
Article
Optimal Planting Density Increases the Seed Yield by Improving Biomass Accumulation and Regulating the Canopy Structure in Rapeseed
by Guobing Lin, Long Wang, Yiyang Li, Jing Li, Chen Qian, Xia Zhang and Qingsong Zuo
Plants 2024, 13(14), 1986; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13141986 - 20 Jul 2024
Viewed by 648
Abstract
Planting density is an important factor affecting plant growth and yield formation in rapeseed. However, the understanding of the mechanism underlying the impact of planting density on biomass, canopy, and ultimate seed yield remains limited. A field experiment was conducted to investigate the [...] Read more.
Planting density is an important factor affecting plant growth and yield formation in rapeseed. However, the understanding of the mechanism underlying the impact of planting density on biomass, canopy, and ultimate seed yield remains limited. A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of planting density on seed yield, yield components, biomass accumulation and partitioning, and canopy structure. Five planting density levels were set as D1 (2.4 × 105 plants ha−1), D2 (3.6 × 105 plants ha−1), D3 (5.4 × 105 plants ha−1), D4 (6.0 × 105 plants ha−1), and D5 (7.2 × 105 plants ha−1). The results showed that with planting density increasing from D1 to D3, the seed yield, number of pods in population, and 1000-seed weight increased, while seedling survival rate, yield per plant, number of pods per plant, and number of seeds per plant decreased. When planting density increased to D4 and D5, seed yield dramatically decreased due to a decreased number of seeds per pod and 1000-seed weight. Increasing planting density from D1 to D3 increased biomass accumulation in all organs. D3 produced the highest biomass partitioning in seeds. In addition, D2 and D3 treatments had a high level of pod area index (5.3–5.8), which caused an approximately 93% of the light to be intercepted. The distribution of light in D2 and D3 was more evenly spread, with the upper and lower parts of the canopy displaying a distribution ratio of roughly 7:3. Therefore, D2 and D3 produced the highest seed yields. In conclusion, D2 and D3 are recommended in rapeseed production due to their role in improving biomass accumulation and partitioning and canopy structure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental and Genetic Factors in Field Crop Production and Improvement: Mechanisms and Regulation)
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14 pages, 1007 KiB  
Article
Phenotype, Biomass, Carbon and Nitrogen Assimilation, and Antioxidant Response of Rapeseed under Salt Stress
by Long Wang, Guobing Lin, Yiyang Li, Wenting Qu, Yan Wang, Yaowei Lin, Yihang Huang, Jing Li, Chen Qian, Guang Yang and Qingsong Zuo
Plants 2024, 13(11), 1488; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13111488 - 28 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 794
Abstract
Salt stress is one of the major adverse factors affecting plant growth and crop production. Rapeseed is an important oil crop, providing high-quality edible oil for human consumption. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of salt stress on the phenotypic traits [...] Read more.
Salt stress is one of the major adverse factors affecting plant growth and crop production. Rapeseed is an important oil crop, providing high-quality edible oil for human consumption. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of salt stress on the phenotypic traits and physiological processes of rapeseed. The soil salinity was manipulated by setting three different levels: 0 g NaCl kg−1 soil (referred to as S0), 1.5 g NaCl kg−1 soil (referred to as S1), and 3.0 g NaCl kg−1 soil (referred to as S2). In general, the results indicated that the plant height, leaf area, and root neck diameter decreased with an increase in soil salinity. In addition, the biomass of various organs at all growth stages decreased as soil salinity increased from S0 to S2. The increasing soil salinity improved the distribution of biomass in the root and leaf at the seedling and flowering stages, indicating that rapeseed plants subjected to salt stress during the vegetative stage are capable of adapting their growth pattern to sustain their capacity for nutrient and water uptake, as well as leaf photosynthesis. However, as the soil salinity increased, there was a decrease in the distribution of biomass in the pod and seed at the maturity stage, while an increase was observed in the root and stem, suggesting that salt stress inhibited carbohydrate transport into reproductive organs. Moreover, the C and N accumulation at the flowering and maturity stages exhibited a reduction in direct correlation with the increase in soil salinity. High soil salinity resulted in a reduction in the C/N, indicating that salt stress exerted a greater adverse effect on C assimilation compared to N assimilation, leading to an increase in seed protein content and a decrease in oil content. Furthermore, as soil salinity increased from S0 to S2, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) and the content of soluble protein and sugar increased by 58.39%, 33.38%, 15.57%, and 13.88% at the seedling stage, and 38.69%, 22.85%, 12.04%, and 8.26% at the flowering stage, respectively. In summary, this study revealed that salt stress inhibited C and N assimilation, leading to a suppressed phenotype and biomass accumulation. The imbalanced C and N assimilation under salt stress contributed to the alterations in the seed oil and protein content. Rapeseed had a certain degree of salt tolerance by improving antioxidants and osmolytes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental and Genetic Factors in Field Crop Production and Improvement: Mechanisms and Regulation)
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17 pages, 2795 KiB  
Article
Application of Silicon Influencing Grain Yield and Some Grain Quality Features in Thai Fragrant Rice
by Phukjira Chan-in, Sansanee Jamjod, Chanakan Prom-u-thai, Benjavan Rerkasem, Joanne Russell and Tonapha Pusadee
Plants 2024, 13(10), 1336; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13101336 - 12 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1565
Abstract
Silicon (Si) is a beneficial nutrient that has been shown to increase rice productivity and grain quality. Fragrant rice occupies the high end of the rice market with prices at twice to more than three times those of non-fragrant rice. Thus, this study [...] Read more.
Silicon (Si) is a beneficial nutrient that has been shown to increase rice productivity and grain quality. Fragrant rice occupies the high end of the rice market with prices at twice to more than three times those of non-fragrant rice. Thus, this study evaluated the effects of increasing Si on the yield and quality of fragrant rice. Also measured were the content of proline and the expression of the genes associated with 2AP synthesis and Si transport. The fragrant rice varieties were found to differ markedly in the effect of Si on their quality, as measured by the grain 2AP concentration, while there were only slight differences in their yield response to Si. The varieties with low 2AP when the Si supply is limited are represented by either PTT1 or BNM4 with only slight increases in 2AP when Si was increased. Si affects the gene expression levels of the genes associated with 2AP synthesis, and the accumulation of 2AP in fragrant rice mainly occurred through the upregulation of Badh2, DAO, OAT, ProDH, and P5CS genes. The findings suggest that Si is a potential micronutrient that can be utilized for improving 2AP and grain yield in further aromatic rice breeding programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental and Genetic Factors in Field Crop Production and Improvement: Mechanisms and Regulation)
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25 pages, 6771 KiB  
Article
Elevated ROS Levels Caused by Reductions in GSH and AsA Contents Lead to Grain Yield Reduction in Qingke under Continuous Cropping
by Xue Gao, Jianxin Tan, Kaige Yi, Baogang Lin, Pengfei Hao, Tao Jin and Shuijin Hua
Plants 2024, 13(7), 1003; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13071003 - 31 Mar 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1165
Abstract
Continuous spring cropping of Qingke (Hordeum viilgare L. var. nudum Hook. f.) results in a reduction in grain yield in the Xizang autonomous region. However, knowledge on the influence of continuous cropping on grain yield caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced stress [...] Read more.
Continuous spring cropping of Qingke (Hordeum viilgare L. var. nudum Hook. f.) results in a reduction in grain yield in the Xizang autonomous region. However, knowledge on the influence of continuous cropping on grain yield caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced stress remains scarce. A systematic comparison of the antioxidant defensive profile at seedling, tillering, jointing, flowering, and filling stages (T1 to T5) of Qingke was conducted based on a field experiment including 23-year continuous cropping (23y-CC) and control (the first year planted) treatments. The results reveal that the grain yield and superoxide anion (SOA) level under 23y-CC were significantly decreased (by 38.67% and 36.47%), when compared to the control. The hydrogen peroxide content under 23y-CC was 8.69% higher on average than under the control in the early growth stages. The higher ROS level under 23y-CC resulted in membrane lipid peroxidation (LPO) and accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) at later stages, with an average increment of 29.67% and 3.77 times higher than that in control plants. Qingke plants accumulated more hydrogen peroxide at early developmental stages due to the partial conversion of SOA by glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and other production pathways, such as the glucose oxidase (GOD) and polyamine oxidase (PAO) pathways. The reduced regeneration ability due to the high oxidized glutathione (GSSG) to GSH ratio resulted in GSH deficiency while the reduction in L-galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase (GalLDH) activity in the AsA biosynthesis pathway, higher enzymatic activities (including ascorbate peroxidase, APX; and ascorbate oxidase, AAO), and lower activities of monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR) all led to a lower AsA content under continuous cropping. The lower antioxidant capacity due to lower contents of antioxidants such as flavonoids and tannins, detected through both physiological measurement and metabolomics analysis, further deteriorated the growth of Qingke through ROS stress under continuous cropping. Our results provide new insights into the manner in which ROS stress regulates grain yield in the context of continuous Qingke cropping. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental and Genetic Factors in Field Crop Production and Improvement: Mechanisms and Regulation)
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Review

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11 pages, 688 KiB  
Review
Flooding Tolerance of Rice: Regulatory Pathways and Adaptive Mechanisms
by Jing Wang, Mingzhen Han, Yongxiang Huang, Junliang Zhao, Chuanguang Liu and Yamei Ma
Plants 2024, 13(9), 1178; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13091178 - 23 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1918
Abstract
Rice is a major food crop for more than half of the world’s population, while its production is seriously threatened by flooding, a common environmental stress worldwide. Flooding leads to oxygen deficiency, which is a major problem for submerged plants. Over the past [...] Read more.
Rice is a major food crop for more than half of the world’s population, while its production is seriously threatened by flooding, a common environmental stress worldwide. Flooding leads to oxygen deficiency, which is a major problem for submerged plants. Over the past three decades, significant progress has been made in understanding rice adaptation and molecular regulatory mechanisms in response to flooding. At the seed germination and seedling establishment stages, the CIPK15-SnRK1A-MYBS1 signaling cascade plays a central role in determining rice submergence tolerance. However, from seedlings to mature plants for harvesting, SUB1A- and SK1/SK2-regulated pathways represent two principal and opposite regulatory mechanisms in rice. In addition, phytohormones, especially gibberellins, induce adaptive responses to flooding throughout the rice growth period. This review summarizes the significant adaptive traits observed in flooded rice varieties and updates the molecular genetics and mechanisms of submergence tolerance in rice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental and Genetic Factors in Field Crop Production and Improvement: Mechanisms and Regulation)
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