A growing global population and the increasing prevalence of diet-related health issues such as“hidden hunger”,obesity,hypertension,and diabetes necessitate a fundamental rethinking of crop design and breeding.Synth...A growing global population and the increasing prevalence of diet-related health issues such as“hidden hunger”,obesity,hypertension,and diabetes necessitate a fundamental rethinking of crop design and breeding.Synthetic metabolic engineering offers a method to modify and redesign metabolic pathways to increase the nutritional value of crops.We summarize recent advances in the biofortification of key nutrients including provitamin A,vitamin C,vitamin B9,iron,zinc,anthocyanins,flavonoids,and unsaturated fatty acids.We discuss the potential of multi-gene stacking,gene editing,enzyme engineering,and artificial intelligence in synthetic metabolic engineering.We propose future research directions and potential solutions centered on leveraging AI-driven systems biology,precision gene editing,enzyme engineering,agrobacterium-mediated genotype-independent transformation,and modular metabolic engineering strategies to develop next-generation nutritionally enhanced super crops and transform global food systems.展开更多
Industrial activities have caused widespread arsenic(As)contamination in soil and medicinal crops across south-ern Asia.This study constructed interplanting systems combing medicinal crops with Pteris vittata L.,aimin...Industrial activities have caused widespread arsenic(As)contamination in soil and medicinal crops across south-ern Asia.This study constructed interplanting systems combing medicinal crops with Pteris vittata L.,aiming to mitigate the risk of As exposure in medicinal crops,while simultaneously achieving ecological remediation of contaminated soil.The results revealed that interplanting with P.vittata significantly enhanced the yield of Gynos-temma pentaphyllum by 31.90%(P<0.05)compared with monoculture systems.Under monoculture conditions,the As concentration in G.pentaphyllum leaves reached 2.34 mg/kg,exceeding the national food safety standard(GB2762–2017,2 mg/kg).However,interplanting with P.vittata effectively reduced the As concentration in G.pentaphyllum leaves to 1.82 mg/kg.Furthermore,the interplanting of P.vittata with Rhus chinensis significantly inhibited As translocation from belowground to aboveground tissues in R.chinensis.Compared to monoculture,the stem biomass of P.vittata was significantly increased by 57.50%and 70.32%when interplanted with G.pentaphyllum and Cassia obtusifolia L.(P<0.05).So the As enrichment of P.vittata was enhanced in interplanting systems,which is beneficial for the As removal from contaminated soil.The study demonstrated that interplant-ing primarily regulates plant As uptake through modifications of rhizosphere physicochemical properties and As bioavailability,especially for water-soluble As that is easily absorbed by plants.In conclusion,the interplant-ing models integrating medicinal crops and P.vittata can achieve the goal of“remediating while producing”in As-contaminated soil.展开更多
Crop yield and quality are affected by abiotic stresses such as drought,low and high temperature,salinity,and heavy metals,which threaten the survival of human beings and the development of industry.As a new plant hor...Crop yield and quality are affected by abiotic stresses such as drought,low and high temperature,salinity,and heavy metals,which threaten the survival of human beings and the development of industry.As a new plant hormone derived from carotenoid,strigolactone(SL)is produced in the roots of plants.It was first reported that SL can induce seed germination of root-parasitic plants.In recent years,it has been shown that strigolactone plays a regulatory role in plant response to abiotic stresses.By eliminating oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species,it can potentially increase photosynthetic rate,chlorophyll content,and thus enhance plant drought resistance.Transcriptome studies have explored signal transduction,antioxidant enzyme activity,transcription factors,and expression of stress-and metabolism-related genes induced by extrinsic strigolactone in plants,the effects of strigolactone on plant growth and development have been preliminarily determined,but the studies on inducing crop tolerance to abiotic stresses are still unknown.In this review,the physiological and molecular aspects of the induction of the response to stress in horticultural crops by strigolactone were reviewed.It is important to improve the tolerance and productivity of horticultural crops under abiotic stress.展开更多
[Objectives]This study was conducted to investigate the effects of soil selenium(Se)content and exogenous Se supplementation on crop Se levels and provide a theoretical basis for the production of Se-enriched agricult...[Objectives]This study was conducted to investigate the effects of soil selenium(Se)content and exogenous Se supplementation on crop Se levels and provide a theoretical basis for the production of Se-enriched agricultural products.[Methods]Thirty three representative townships in Xiayi County,Ningling County,and Yongcheng City were selected.Soil Se content and its impact on wheat Se level were measured.The effects of exogenous Se supplementation on the Se content of crops including soybean,wheat,peanut,corn,sweet potato,grape,crisp pear and apple were also investigated.[Results]Showed that the soil Se content in 18 townships of Xiayi County ranged from 0.08 to 0.34 mg/kg,and Se-adequate areas,Se-deficient areas and severely Se-deficient areas accounted for 27.78%,66.67%,and 0.055%of the total,respectively.In Ningling County,the soil Se content in 11 townships ranged from 0.13 to 0.23 mg/kg,and among them,Se-adequate areas and Se-deficient areas comprised 18.18%and 81.82%,respectively.In Yongcheng City,the soil Se content in 4 townships ranged from 0.16 to 0.23 mg/kg,and Se-adequate areas and Se-deficient areas constituted 75.00%and 25.00%,respectively.The soil Se content in 33 townships across Xiayi County,Ningling County,and Yongcheng City ranged from 0.07 to 0.34 mg/kg.However,the Se levels in wheat from all 33 townships fail to meet the standard for Se-enriched agricultural products.It indicates that relying solely on soil Se supply is insufficient for crops to achieve the Se level required for Se-enriched agricultural products.Exogenous Se supplementation could effectively increase the Se content in soybean,wheat,peanut,corn,sweet potato,grape,crisp pear,and apple.Among these,soybean,wheat and peanut showed the highest Se levels after supplementation,all exceeding 0.10 mg/kg and meeting the industry standard for Se-enriched agricultural products.[Conclusions]The results of this study indicates that exogenous Se supplementation can serve as a key measure for producing Se-enriched agricultural products.展开更多
Vegetation plays an important role in the environmental transport behavior of organic pollutants,however,the different roles of crops and natural vegetation have been ignored in most previous studies.In this study,we ...Vegetation plays an important role in the environmental transport behavior of organic pollutants,however,the different roles of crops and natural vegetation have been ignored in most previous studies.In this study,we developed the BETR-Urban-Rural-Veg model to quantitatively evaluate the influences of both natural vegetation and crops on the multimedia transport processes of Phenanthrene(PHE)and Benzo(a)pyrene(BaP)in mainland of China.The geographic distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon(PAH)emissions and concentrations were consistent,displaying higher levels in northern China while lower levels in southern China.Under seasonal simulations,for both natural vegetation and crops,PAH concentrations in winter and spring were 1.5 to 27-fold higher than in summer and autumn,especially for PHE.Owing to the higher leaf area index(LAI)of natural vegetation and harvesting of crops,the filter and sequestration effect of natural vegetation was stronger than crops,while the seasonal changes of PAH concentrations in crops were more significant than natural vegetation.Temperature,precipitation rates and LAI might have important influences on seasonal concentrations and overall persistence of PAHs.PHE was more sensitive to the impacts of seasonal environmental parameters.Under different landscape scenarios,average annual PAH concentrations in natural vegetation were always a little higher than those in crops,and the overall persistence of BaP was greatly affected increasing by 15.15%-16.47%.This improved model provides a useful tool for environmental management.The results of this study are expected to support land use plans and decision-making in China's mainland.展开更多
Global population pressures have necessitated increased focus on protecting and developing resilient plant species that can maintain productivity despite environmental challenges.Environmental degradation,driven by cl...Global population pressures have necessitated increased focus on protecting and developing resilient plant species that can maintain productivity despite environmental challenges.Environmental degradation,driven by climate change and anthropogenic activities,poses significant threats to global food security through various forms of physical stress.Major environmental constraints affecting agricultural yields worldwide include salinity,water scarcity,nutritional imbalances(encompassing mineral toxicity and deficiencies),and extreme temperatures.Crop yield is influenced by multiple abiotic factors,including agronomic conditions,climatic variables,and soil nutrient availability.Plants develop various survival mechanisms at molecular,cellular,and physiological levels in response to stress.Abiotic stress,whether occurring individually or in combination,significantly impacts crop growth and productivity.For instance,drought stress reduces leaf area,plant height,and overall crop development.Cold stress inhibits plant development and crop efficiency,leading to diminished productivity.Salinity stress not only induces water stress in plants but also negatively affects cytosolic metabolism,cell development,membrane function,and increases reactive oxygen species(ROS)production.Elevated CO_(2)concentrations may enhance global precipitation patterns,potentially resulting in increased rainfall that can adversely affect crop development.Plants under excessive water stress exhibit reduced amylose content but increased crude protein levels.This affects both quality and quantity of crop production by inhibiting seed germination and causing growth impairment through combined effects of elevated osmotic potential and ion toxicity.Plants have evolved various escape-avoidance and tolerance mechanisms in response to abiotic stress,including physiological adaptations and integrated cellular or molecular responses.This review paper examines the impact of abiotic stress on morpho-physiological,biochemical,and molecular activities across various crops.Additionally,it analyzes crop interactions with abiotic stress regarding response and adaptation mechanisms,providing a fundamental framework for species selection and development of stress-tolerant varieties in the future.展开更多
Plants produce a vast array of specialized metabolites that serve as essential defenses against herbivores and pathogens.However,the capacity to produce these compounds differs substantially among plant species and is...Plants produce a vast array of specialized metabolites that serve as essential defenses against herbivores and pathogens.However,the capacity to produce these compounds differs substantially among plant species and is frequently diminished during domestication.Advances in synthetic metabolic engineering enable efficient elucidation and engineering of plant specialized metabolic pathways active in crop pest and pathogen resistance.This review summarizes strategies and workflows for selecting defensive metabolic pathways,identifying candidate biosynthetic genes,and rewiring native or introducing heterologous pathways to enhance crop resistance to pests and pathogens.Strategies include weighted gene co-expression network construction,biosynthetic gene cluster scanning,and metabolite genome-wide association studies for pathway discovery,as well as transcriptional reprogramming,enzyme activity optimization,and transporter deployment for pathway engineering.We further discuss challenges in using synthetic metabolic engineering to enhance crop resistance and highlight the potential of artificial intelligence in addressing them.展开更多
With the approval of more and more genetically modified(GM)crops in our country,GM safety management has become more important.Transgenic detection is a major approach for transgenic safety management.Nevertheless,a c...With the approval of more and more genetically modified(GM)crops in our country,GM safety management has become more important.Transgenic detection is a major approach for transgenic safety management.Nevertheless,a convenient and visual technique with low equipment requirements and high sensitivity for the field detection of GM plants is still lacking.On the basis of the existing recombinase polymerase amplification(RPA)technique,we developed a multiplex RPA(multi-RPA)method that can simultaneously detect three transgenic elements,including the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S gene(CaMV35S)promoter,neomycin phosphotransferaseⅡgene(NptⅡ)and hygromycin B phosphotransferase gene(Hyg),thus improving the detection rate.Moreover,we coupled this multi-RPA technique with the CRISPR/Cas12a reporter system,which enabled the detection results to be clearly observed by naked eyes under ultraviolet(UV)light(254 nm;which could be achieved by a portable UV flashlight),therefore establishing a multi-RPA visual detection technique.Compared with the traditional test strip detection method,this multi-RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a technique has the higher specificity,higher sensitivity,wider application range and lower cost.Compared with other polymerase chain reaction(PCR)techniques,it also has the advantages of low equipment requirements and visualization,making it a potentially feasible method for the field detection of GM plants.展开更多
The security of the seed industry is crucial for ensuring national food security.Currently,developed countries in Europe and America,along with international seed industry giants,have entered the Breeding 4.0 era.This...The security of the seed industry is crucial for ensuring national food security.Currently,developed countries in Europe and America,along with international seed industry giants,have entered the Breeding 4.0 era.This era integrates biotechnology,artificial intelligence(AI),and big data information technology.In contrast,China is still in a transition period between stages 2.0 and 3.0,which primarily relies on conventional selection and molecular breeding.In the context of increasingly complex international situations,accurately identifying core issues in China's seed industry innovation and seizing the frontier of international seed technology are strategically important.These efforts are essential for ensuring food security and revitalizing the seed industry.This paper systematically analyzes the characteristics of crop breeding data from artificial selection to intelligent design breeding.It explores the applications and development trends of AI and big data in modern crop breeding from several key perspectives.These include highthroughput phenotype acquisition and analysis,multiomics big data database and management system construction,AI-based multiomics integrated analysis,and the development of intelligent breeding software tools based on biological big data and AI technology.Based on an in-depth analysis of the current status and challenges of China's seed industry technology development,we propose strategic goals and key tasks for China's new generation of AI and big data-driven intelligent design breeding.These suggestions aim to accelerate the development of an intelligent-driven crop breeding engineering system that features large-scale gene mining,efficient gene manipulation,engineered variety design,and systematized biobreeding.This study provides a theoretical basis and practical guidance for the development of China's seed industry technology.展开更多
The high labor demand during rice seedling cultivation and transplantation poses a significant challenge in advancing machine-transplanted rice cultivation.This problem may be solved by increasing the seeding rate dur...The high labor demand during rice seedling cultivation and transplantation poses a significant challenge in advancing machine-transplanted rice cultivation.This problem may be solved by increasing the seeding rate during seedling production while reducing the number of seedling trays.This study conducted field experiments from 2021 to 2022,using transplanting seedling ages of 10 and 15 days to explore the effects of 250,300,and 350 g/tray on the seedling quality,mechanical transplantation quality,yields,and economic benefits of rice.The commonly used combination of 150 g/tray with a 20-day seedling age in rice production was used as CK.The cultivation of seedlings under a high seeding rate and short seedling age significantly affected seedling characteristics,but there was no significant difference in seedling vitality compared to CK.The minimum number of rice trays used in the experiment was observed in the treatment of 350-10(300 g/tray and 10-day seedling age),only 152-155 trays ha^(-1),resulting in a 62%reduction in the number of trays needed.By increasing the seeding rate of rice,missed holes during mechanical transplantation decreased by 2.8 to 4%.The treatment of 300-15(300 g/tray and 15-day seedling age)achieved the highest yields and economic gains.These results indicated that using crop straw boards can reduce the application of seedling trays.On that basis,rice yields can be increased by raising the seeding rate and shortening the seedling age of rice without compromising seedling quality.展开更多
Organic material combined with inorganic fertilizer has been shown to greatly improve crop yield and maintain soil fertility globally. However, it remains unclear if crop yield and soil fertility can be sustained in t...Organic material combined with inorganic fertilizer has been shown to greatly improve crop yield and maintain soil fertility globally. However, it remains unclear if crop yield and soil fertility can be sustained in the long term under the combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizers. Three long-term field trials were conducted to investigate the effects of organic amendments on the grain sustainable yield index(SYI), soil fertility index(SFI)and nutrient balance in maize–wheat cropping systems of central and southern China during 1991–2019. Five treatments were included in the trials: 1) no fertilization(control);2) balanced mineral fertilization(NPK);3) NPK plus manure(NPKM);4) high dose of NPK plus manure(1.5NPKM);and 5) NPK plus crop straw(NPKS). Over time, the grain yields of wheat and maize showed an increasing trend in all four fertilization treatments at the Yangling(YL) and Zhengzhou(ZZ) locations, while they declined at Qiyang(QY). The grain yield in the NPKM and 1.5NPKM treatments gradually exceeded that of the NPK and NPKS treatments at the QY site. The largest SYI was recorded in the NPKM treatment across the three sites, suggesting that inorganic fertilizer combined with manure can effectively improve crop yield sustainability. Higher SYI values were recorded at the YL and ZZ sites than at the QY site, possibly because the soil was more acid at QY. The key factors affecting grain yield were soil available phosphorus(AP) and available potassium(AK) at the YL and ZZ sites, and pH and AP at the QY site.All fertilization treatments resulted in soil N and P surpluses at the three sites, but soil K surpluses were recorded only at the QY site. The SFI was greater in the 1.5NPKM, NPKM and NPKS treatments than in the NPK treatment by 13.3–40.0 and 16.4–63.6% at the YL and ZZ sites, respectively, and was significantly higher in the NPKM and 1.5NPKM treatments than in the NPK and NPKS treatments at the QY site. A significant, positive linear relationship was found between SFI and crop yield, and SYI and nutrient balance, indicating that grain yield and its sustainability significantly increased with increasing soil fertility. The apparent N, P and K balances positively affected SFI.This study suggests that the appropriate amount of manure mixed with mineral NPK fertilizer is beneficial to the development of sustainable agriculture, which effectively increases the crop yield and yield sustainability by improving soil fertility.展开更多
The crop yields achieved through traditional plant breeding techniques appear to be nearing a plateau.Therefore,it is essential to accelerate advancements in photosynthesis,the fundamental process by which plants conv...The crop yields achieved through traditional plant breeding techniques appear to be nearing a plateau.Therefore,it is essential to accelerate advancements in photosynthesis,the fundamental process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy,to further enhance crop yields.Research focused on improving photosynthesis holds significant promise for increasing sustainable agricultural productivity and addressing challenges related to global food security.This review examines the latest advancements and strategies aimed at boosting crop yields by enhancing photosynthetic efficiency.There has been a linear increase in yield over the years in historically released germplasm selected through traditional breeding methods,and this increase is accompanied by improved photosynthesis.We explore various aspects of the light reactions designed to enhance crop yield,including light harvest efficiency through smart canopy systems,expanding the absorbed light spectrum to include far-red light,optimizing non-photochemical quenching,and accelerating electron transport flux.At the same time,we investigate carbon reactions that can enhance crop yield,such as manipulating Rubisco activity,improving the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle,introducing CO_(2)concentrating mechanisms in C_(3)plants,and optimizing carbon allocation.These strategies could significantly impact crop yield enhancement and help bridge the yield gap.展开更多
Global food production faces enormous challenges in increasing yields while promoting environmental sustainability.A field experiments in the ecotone between the Yangtze River Basin and the HuangHuai-Hai Plain evaluat...Global food production faces enormous challenges in increasing yields while promoting environmental sustainability.A field experiments in the ecotone between the Yangtze River Basin and the HuangHuai-Hai Plain evaluated the effects of changing preceding crop rotation cycles(wheat and rapeseed)on long-term wheat-rice(W)and rapeseed-rice(R)rotation systems.A comprehensive evaluation of crop rotation systems was conducted using life cycle assessment,considering productivity,economic benefits,carbon footprint(CF),and soil health.Compared with fallow-rice rotation(F),alternating rapeseed and wheat rotations increased equivalent yield by 60.4%-82.2%,reduced CF by 0.3%-5.7%,and improved soil health by 0.3%-47.5%.Additionally,adding rapeseed to rotations increased soil nutrient content and raised soil organic carbon stocks by 31.3%-40.5%.The 3R rotation(3-year rapeseed-rice and 1-year wheat-rice)boosted rice yield by 82.2%and annual economic benefits by 84.4%,offering an effective model for optimizing long-term R rotations.Similarly,the 2W rotation(2-year wheat-rice and 1-year rapeseed rice)enhanced rice yield by 70.0% and annual economic benefits by 65.9%,providing a successful example for optimizing long-term W rotations.The 3R rapeseed-based rotation and the 2W wheatbased rotation demonstrated good environmental sustainability.These rotation systems have broad potential in sustainable intensive farming,especially in China and similar regions.展开更多
Small signaling peptides,generally comprising fewer than 100 amino acids,act as crucial signaling molecules in cell-to-cell communications.Upon perception by their membrane-localized corresponding receptors or co-rece...Small signaling peptides,generally comprising fewer than 100 amino acids,act as crucial signaling molecules in cell-to-cell communications.Upon perception by their membrane-localized corresponding receptors or co-receptors,these peptide-receptor modules then(de)activate either long-distance or local signaling pathways,thereby orchestrating developmental and adaptive responses via(post)transcriptional,(post)translational,and epigenetic regulations.The physiological functions of small signaling peptides are implicated in a multitude of developmental processes and adaptive responses,including but not limited to,shoot and root morphogenesis,organ abscission,nodulation,Casparian strip formation,pollen development,taproot growth,and various abiotic stress responses such as aluminum,cadmium,drought,cold,and salinity.Additionally,they play a critical role in response to pathogenic invasions.These small signaling peptides also modulate significant agronomic and horticultural traits,such as fruit size,maize kernel development,fiber elongation,and rice awn formation.Here,we underscore the roles of several small signaling peptide families such as CLE,RALF,EPFL,mi PEP,CEP,IDA/IDL,and PSK in regulating these biological processes.These novel insights will deepen our current understanding of small signaling peptides,and offer innovative strategies for genetic breeding stress-tolerant crops and horticultural plants,contributing to establish sustainable agricultural systems.展开更多
In the new phase of sustainable development,agriculture is seeking sustainable management of the water-land-energy-economy-environment-food nexus.At present,there are few studies on optimizing crop planting structure ...In the new phase of sustainable development,agriculture is seeking sustainable management of the water-land-energy-economy-environment-food nexus.At present,there are few studies on optimizing crop planting structure and analyzing its spatial layout with consideration of natural and socio-economic factors.Herein,we proposed a framework for addressing this issue.In this framework,the NSGA-II algorithm was used to construct the multi-objective optimization model of crop planting structures with consideration of water and energy consumption,greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions,economic benefits,as well as food,land,and water security constraints,while the model for planting spatial layout optimization was established with consideration of crop suitability using the MaxEnt model and the improved Hungarian algorithm.This framework was further applied in the Black Soil Region of Northeast China(BSRNC)for analyzing optimized crop planting structures and spatial layouts of three main crops(rice,maize,and soybean)under various scenarios.This study showed that the sown area of rice in the BSRNC decreased by up to 40.73%and 35.30%in the environmental priority scenario and economic-environmental balance scenario,respectively,whereas that of soybean increased by up to 112.44%and 63.31%,respectively.In the economic priority scenario,the sown area of rice increased by up to 93.98%.Expanding the sown area of soybean was effective in reducing GHG emissions.On the contrary,rice production led to greater environmental costs though it provided higher economic returns.Among the three crops,maize exhibited an advantage in balancing environmental and economic benefits.Hegang-Jixi area in the northeast of the BSRNC was identified as the key area with the most intense crop planting transfer among different scenarios.Overall,this framework provides a new methodology for optimizing crop planting structures and spatial layouts with con-sideration of the nexus of various factors.Moreover,the case study demonstrates the applicability and expansion potential of the framework in the fields of sustainable agricultural development and food security assurance.展开更多
With the rapid growth of the global population and the increasing demand for healthier diets,improving the nutrient utilization efficiency of staple food crops has become a critical scientific and industrial chal-leng...With the rapid growth of the global population and the increasing demand for healthier diets,improving the nutrient utilization efficiency of staple food crops has become a critical scientific and industrial chal-lenge,prompting innovation in food processing technologies.This review introduces first the common nutritional challenges in the processing of staple food crops,followed by the comprehensive examination of research aiming to enhance the nutritional quality of staple food crop-based foods through innovative processing technologies,including microwave(MW),pulsed electric field(PEF),ultrasound,modern fer-mentation technology,and enzyme technology.Additionally,soybean processing is used as an example to underscore the importance of integrating innovative processing technologies for optimizing nutrient utilization in staple food crops.Although these innovative processing technologies have demonstrated a significant potential to improve nutrient utilization efficiency and enhance the overall nutritional pro-file of staple food crop-based food products,their current limitations must be acknowledged and addressed in future research.Fortunately,advancements in science and technology will facilitate pro-gress in food processing,enabling both the improvement of existing techniques as well as the develop-ment of entirely novel methodologies.This work aims to enhance the understanding of food practitioners on the way processing technologies may optimize nutrient utilization,thereby fostering innovation in food processing research and synergistic multi-technological strategies,ultimately providing valuable references to address global food security challenges.展开更多
The Conservation Agriculture (CA) is a current concept drives to save natural resources for agricultural production based on the minimum soil disturbance or no-tillage, crop rotation and permanent maintenance of straw...The Conservation Agriculture (CA) is a current concept drives to save natural resources for agricultural production based on the minimum soil disturbance or no-tillage, crop rotation and permanent maintenance of straw on soil surface. The increasing in soil density is a problem to achieve great copping yield under CA, so occasional one-time tillage is considered as an alternative to continuous no-tillage. In this way, this experiment was carried out to compare occasional tillage and no-tillage interacting with cover crops in a field established under conservation agriculture. Thus, the experimental treatments were set up by two tillage methods, conventional tillage and no-tillage and two cover crops, white lupin and millet setting in a randomized blocks with split plot design with four replications. The traits evaluated in the research were soil fertility, soil resistance to penetration, soil moisture and tomato agronomic performance. No-tillage was more efficient to preserve soil moisture;however soil fertility, soil resistance to penetration and tomato yield were favored by conventional tillage. Regarding to cover crops white lupin increased the soil K concentration and enhanced the tomato growth. Although occasional tillage had better performance to the soil fertility and tomato yield, we highlighted that CA is the better way to increase soil health and soil and water conservation along the time leading to so desired regenerative agriculture.展开更多
Burundi faces major agricultural constraints, including land fragmentation, soil erosion, limited access to inputs, inadequate infrastructure and demographic pressures that exacerbate food insecurity. In order to addr...Burundi faces major agricultural constraints, including land fragmentation, soil erosion, limited access to inputs, inadequate infrastructure and demographic pressures that exacerbate food insecurity. In order to address the multiple challenges faced by farmers in rural areas, a study on improving agricultural productivity and food security in Burundi through optimized land use and diversified farming practices in agroforestry systems has been carried out. The study area is the communes of Giheta and Rutegama, all located in Burundi’s humid plateau livelihood zone, and involved 164 households grouped in coffee growing cooperatives supervised by the cooperative consortium COCOCA. The study uses a mathematical programming model to determine optimal crop selection based on factors such as production costs, yields and market demand. The findings of the study revealed significant insights into the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the sampled population. Notably, 98.8% of respondents were engaged in agriculture, confirming the predominantly agricultural nature of Burundi. The results indicated that maize is the most important crop, occupying 33.9% of the average total cultivated area, followed by cassava at 26.5% and bananas at 19.4%. Together, these three crops accounted for a substantial portion of the total cultivated area, highlighting their significance in local agriculture. Beans and potatoes also play a role, occupying 14.4% and smaller areas, respectively. In terms of profitability, the study provides a detailed analysis of profit margins by crop. Bananas emerges as the most profitable crop, with a profit margin of 97.3%, followed closely by cassava at 96.1% and rice at 90.5%. These crops not only offered substantial yields relative to their production costs but also benefited from strong market demand. Other crops, such as beans (71.3%), coffee (70.3%), and vegetables (54.5%), also demonstrated considerable profitability, although they occupied smaller cultivated areas. Conversely, crops like pigeon peas (4.1%), potatoes (7.6%), and sweet potatoes (7.6%) exhibited the lowest profit margins, which may discourage farmers from investing in them unless other incentives, such as ecological benefits or local consumption needs, are present. Regarding the results, we therefore recommend to promote policies supporting agroforestry, improve market access and develop infrastructure to exploit these benefits.展开更多
Traditional hybrid crop breeding faces inefficiencies due to labor-intensive manual pollination-especially for crops like tomatoes and soybeans with complex flowers.Researchers at the Institute of Genetics and Develop...Traditional hybrid crop breeding faces inefficiencies due to labor-intensive manual pollination-especially for crops like tomatoes and soybeans with complex flowers.Researchers at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology(IGDB),Chinese Academy of Sciences,have developed GEAIR(Genome Editing with Artificial-Intelligence-based Robots),an AI-robotic system that pollinates gene-edited plants 24/7.展开更多
基金supported by grants from the Guangxi Science and Technology Major Project(GKAA24206023)the Biological Breeding-National Science and Technology Major Project(2024ZD04077)+2 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32272120)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2024YFF1000800)the Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Precise Breeding of Future Crops Major Project(FCBRCE-202502,FCBRCE-202504).
文摘A growing global population and the increasing prevalence of diet-related health issues such as“hidden hunger”,obesity,hypertension,and diabetes necessitate a fundamental rethinking of crop design and breeding.Synthetic metabolic engineering offers a method to modify and redesign metabolic pathways to increase the nutritional value of crops.We summarize recent advances in the biofortification of key nutrients including provitamin A,vitamin C,vitamin B9,iron,zinc,anthocyanins,flavonoids,and unsaturated fatty acids.We discuss the potential of multi-gene stacking,gene editing,enzyme engineering,and artificial intelligence in synthetic metabolic engineering.We propose future research directions and potential solutions centered on leveraging AI-driven systems biology,precision gene editing,enzyme engineering,agrobacterium-mediated genotype-independent transformation,and modular metabolic engineering strategies to develop next-generation nutritionally enhanced super crops and transform global food systems.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2020YFC1807805)the Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangzhou,Guangdong Province,China(No.202206010176).
文摘Industrial activities have caused widespread arsenic(As)contamination in soil and medicinal crops across south-ern Asia.This study constructed interplanting systems combing medicinal crops with Pteris vittata L.,aiming to mitigate the risk of As exposure in medicinal crops,while simultaneously achieving ecological remediation of contaminated soil.The results revealed that interplanting with P.vittata significantly enhanced the yield of Gynos-temma pentaphyllum by 31.90%(P<0.05)compared with monoculture systems.Under monoculture conditions,the As concentration in G.pentaphyllum leaves reached 2.34 mg/kg,exceeding the national food safety standard(GB2762–2017,2 mg/kg).However,interplanting with P.vittata effectively reduced the As concentration in G.pentaphyllum leaves to 1.82 mg/kg.Furthermore,the interplanting of P.vittata with Rhus chinensis significantly inhibited As translocation from belowground to aboveground tissues in R.chinensis.Compared to monoculture,the stem biomass of P.vittata was significantly increased by 57.50%and 70.32%when interplanted with G.pentaphyllum and Cassia obtusifolia L.(P<0.05).So the As enrichment of P.vittata was enhanced in interplanting systems,which is beneficial for the As removal from contaminated soil.The study demonstrated that interplant-ing primarily regulates plant As uptake through modifications of rhizosphere physicochemical properties and As bioavailability,especially for water-soluble As that is easily absorbed by plants.In conclusion,the interplant-ing models integrating medicinal crops and P.vittata can achieve the goal of“remediating while producing”in As-contaminated soil.
基金supported by the Special projects on biological seed industry and intensive processing of agricultural products(Grant No.202402AE090004-02)National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2023YFD2001404)+1 种基金Technology talent and platform program(Grant No.202305AF150112)China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA(Grant No.CARS-29-zp-6).
文摘Crop yield and quality are affected by abiotic stresses such as drought,low and high temperature,salinity,and heavy metals,which threaten the survival of human beings and the development of industry.As a new plant hormone derived from carotenoid,strigolactone(SL)is produced in the roots of plants.It was first reported that SL can induce seed germination of root-parasitic plants.In recent years,it has been shown that strigolactone plays a regulatory role in plant response to abiotic stresses.By eliminating oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species,it can potentially increase photosynthetic rate,chlorophyll content,and thus enhance plant drought resistance.Transcriptome studies have explored signal transduction,antioxidant enzyme activity,transcription factors,and expression of stress-and metabolism-related genes induced by extrinsic strigolactone in plants,the effects of strigolactone on plant growth and development have been preliminarily determined,but the studies on inducing crop tolerance to abiotic stresses are still unknown.In this review,the physiological and molecular aspects of the induction of the response to stress in horticultural crops by strigolactone were reviewed.It is important to improve the tolerance and productivity of horticultural crops under abiotic stress.
基金Supported by Shangqiu Science and Technology Project(20240036).
文摘[Objectives]This study was conducted to investigate the effects of soil selenium(Se)content and exogenous Se supplementation on crop Se levels and provide a theoretical basis for the production of Se-enriched agricultural products.[Methods]Thirty three representative townships in Xiayi County,Ningling County,and Yongcheng City were selected.Soil Se content and its impact on wheat Se level were measured.The effects of exogenous Se supplementation on the Se content of crops including soybean,wheat,peanut,corn,sweet potato,grape,crisp pear and apple were also investigated.[Results]Showed that the soil Se content in 18 townships of Xiayi County ranged from 0.08 to 0.34 mg/kg,and Se-adequate areas,Se-deficient areas and severely Se-deficient areas accounted for 27.78%,66.67%,and 0.055%of the total,respectively.In Ningling County,the soil Se content in 11 townships ranged from 0.13 to 0.23 mg/kg,and among them,Se-adequate areas and Se-deficient areas comprised 18.18%and 81.82%,respectively.In Yongcheng City,the soil Se content in 4 townships ranged from 0.16 to 0.23 mg/kg,and Se-adequate areas and Se-deficient areas constituted 75.00%and 25.00%,respectively.The soil Se content in 33 townships across Xiayi County,Ningling County,and Yongcheng City ranged from 0.07 to 0.34 mg/kg.However,the Se levels in wheat from all 33 townships fail to meet the standard for Se-enriched agricultural products.It indicates that relying solely on soil Se supply is insufficient for crops to achieve the Se level required for Se-enriched agricultural products.Exogenous Se supplementation could effectively increase the Se content in soybean,wheat,peanut,corn,sweet potato,grape,crisp pear,and apple.Among these,soybean,wheat and peanut showed the highest Se levels after supplementation,all exceeding 0.10 mg/kg and meeting the industry standard for Se-enriched agricultural products.[Conclusions]The results of this study indicates that exogenous Se supplementation can serve as a key measure for producing Se-enriched agricultural products.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.42107420,U23A20157,and U1910207)Shanxi Province Science Foundation for Young Scholars(No.20210302124363).
文摘Vegetation plays an important role in the environmental transport behavior of organic pollutants,however,the different roles of crops and natural vegetation have been ignored in most previous studies.In this study,we developed the BETR-Urban-Rural-Veg model to quantitatively evaluate the influences of both natural vegetation and crops on the multimedia transport processes of Phenanthrene(PHE)and Benzo(a)pyrene(BaP)in mainland of China.The geographic distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon(PAH)emissions and concentrations were consistent,displaying higher levels in northern China while lower levels in southern China.Under seasonal simulations,for both natural vegetation and crops,PAH concentrations in winter and spring were 1.5 to 27-fold higher than in summer and autumn,especially for PHE.Owing to the higher leaf area index(LAI)of natural vegetation and harvesting of crops,the filter and sequestration effect of natural vegetation was stronger than crops,while the seasonal changes of PAH concentrations in crops were more significant than natural vegetation.Temperature,precipitation rates and LAI might have important influences on seasonal concentrations and overall persistence of PAHs.PHE was more sensitive to the impacts of seasonal environmental parameters.Under different landscape scenarios,average annual PAH concentrations in natural vegetation were always a little higher than those in crops,and the overall persistence of BaP was greatly affected increasing by 15.15%-16.47%.This improved model provides a useful tool for environmental management.The results of this study are expected to support land use plans and decision-making in China's mainland.
基金financially supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2022YFE0113400)the Jiangsu Provincial Fund for Realizing Carbon Emission Peaking and Neutralization,China(BE2022305)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Fundation of China(32102411)the Project funded by China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2022M722698)。
文摘Global population pressures have necessitated increased focus on protecting and developing resilient plant species that can maintain productivity despite environmental challenges.Environmental degradation,driven by climate change and anthropogenic activities,poses significant threats to global food security through various forms of physical stress.Major environmental constraints affecting agricultural yields worldwide include salinity,water scarcity,nutritional imbalances(encompassing mineral toxicity and deficiencies),and extreme temperatures.Crop yield is influenced by multiple abiotic factors,including agronomic conditions,climatic variables,and soil nutrient availability.Plants develop various survival mechanisms at molecular,cellular,and physiological levels in response to stress.Abiotic stress,whether occurring individually or in combination,significantly impacts crop growth and productivity.For instance,drought stress reduces leaf area,plant height,and overall crop development.Cold stress inhibits plant development and crop efficiency,leading to diminished productivity.Salinity stress not only induces water stress in plants but also negatively affects cytosolic metabolism,cell development,membrane function,and increases reactive oxygen species(ROS)production.Elevated CO_(2)concentrations may enhance global precipitation patterns,potentially resulting in increased rainfall that can adversely affect crop development.Plants under excessive water stress exhibit reduced amylose content but increased crude protein levels.This affects both quality and quantity of crop production by inhibiting seed germination and causing growth impairment through combined effects of elevated osmotic potential and ion toxicity.Plants have evolved various escape-avoidance and tolerance mechanisms in response to abiotic stress,including physiological adaptations and integrated cellular or molecular responses.This review paper examines the impact of abiotic stress on morpho-physiological,biochemical,and molecular activities across various crops.Additionally,it analyzes crop interactions with abiotic stress regarding response and adaptation mechanisms,providing a fundamental framework for species selection and development of stress-tolerant varieties in the future.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32402306)the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences+1 种基金National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFE0203300)the China-Uruguay Joint Laboratory on Soybean Research and Innovation
文摘Plants produce a vast array of specialized metabolites that serve as essential defenses against herbivores and pathogens.However,the capacity to produce these compounds differs substantially among plant species and is frequently diminished during domestication.Advances in synthetic metabolic engineering enable efficient elucidation and engineering of plant specialized metabolic pathways active in crop pest and pathogen resistance.This review summarizes strategies and workflows for selecting defensive metabolic pathways,identifying candidate biosynthetic genes,and rewiring native or introducing heterologous pathways to enhance crop resistance to pests and pathogens.Strategies include weighted gene co-expression network construction,biosynthetic gene cluster scanning,and metabolite genome-wide association studies for pathway discovery,as well as transcriptional reprogramming,enzyme activity optimization,and transporter deployment for pathway engineering.We further discuss challenges in using synthetic metabolic engineering to enhance crop resistance and highlight the potential of artificial intelligence in addressing them.
基金the Experimental Technology Research Project of Zhejiang University(SYB202138)National Natural Science Foundation of China(32000195)。
文摘With the approval of more and more genetically modified(GM)crops in our country,GM safety management has become more important.Transgenic detection is a major approach for transgenic safety management.Nevertheless,a convenient and visual technique with low equipment requirements and high sensitivity for the field detection of GM plants is still lacking.On the basis of the existing recombinase polymerase amplification(RPA)technique,we developed a multiplex RPA(multi-RPA)method that can simultaneously detect three transgenic elements,including the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S gene(CaMV35S)promoter,neomycin phosphotransferaseⅡgene(NptⅡ)and hygromycin B phosphotransferase gene(Hyg),thus improving the detection rate.Moreover,we coupled this multi-RPA technique with the CRISPR/Cas12a reporter system,which enabled the detection results to be clearly observed by naked eyes under ultraviolet(UV)light(254 nm;which could be achieved by a portable UV flashlight),therefore establishing a multi-RPA visual detection technique.Compared with the traditional test strip detection method,this multi-RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a technique has the higher specificity,higher sensitivity,wider application range and lower cost.Compared with other polymerase chain reaction(PCR)techniques,it also has the advantages of low equipment requirements and visualization,making it a potentially feasible method for the field detection of GM plants.
基金partially supported by the Construction of Collaborative Innovation Center of Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences(KJCX20240406)the Beijing Natural Science Foundation(JQ24037)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32330075)the Earmarked Fund for China Agriculture Research System(CARS-02 and CARS-54)。
文摘The security of the seed industry is crucial for ensuring national food security.Currently,developed countries in Europe and America,along with international seed industry giants,have entered the Breeding 4.0 era.This era integrates biotechnology,artificial intelligence(AI),and big data information technology.In contrast,China is still in a transition period between stages 2.0 and 3.0,which primarily relies on conventional selection and molecular breeding.In the context of increasingly complex international situations,accurately identifying core issues in China's seed industry innovation and seizing the frontier of international seed technology are strategically important.These efforts are essential for ensuring food security and revitalizing the seed industry.This paper systematically analyzes the characteristics of crop breeding data from artificial selection to intelligent design breeding.It explores the applications and development trends of AI and big data in modern crop breeding from several key perspectives.These include highthroughput phenotype acquisition and analysis,multiomics big data database and management system construction,AI-based multiomics integrated analysis,and the development of intelligent breeding software tools based on biological big data and AI technology.Based on an in-depth analysis of the current status and challenges of China's seed industry technology development,we propose strategic goals and key tasks for China's new generation of AI and big data-driven intelligent design breeding.These suggestions aim to accelerate the development of an intelligent-driven crop breeding engineering system that features large-scale gene mining,efficient gene manipulation,engineered variety design,and systematized biobreeding.This study provides a theoretical basis and practical guidance for the development of China's seed industry technology.
基金funded by the Jiangsu Key Research Program,China(BE2022338)the Jiangsu Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Fund,China(CX(23)3107)+3 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions,China(22KJB210004)the Jiangsu Province Agricultural Major Technology Collaborative Promotion Project,China(2022-ZYXT-04-1)the Postgraduate Research&Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province,China(KYCX23_3569)the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions,China.
文摘The high labor demand during rice seedling cultivation and transplantation poses a significant challenge in advancing machine-transplanted rice cultivation.This problem may be solved by increasing the seeding rate during seedling production while reducing the number of seedling trays.This study conducted field experiments from 2021 to 2022,using transplanting seedling ages of 10 and 15 days to explore the effects of 250,300,and 350 g/tray on the seedling quality,mechanical transplantation quality,yields,and economic benefits of rice.The commonly used combination of 150 g/tray with a 20-day seedling age in rice production was used as CK.The cultivation of seedlings under a high seeding rate and short seedling age significantly affected seedling characteristics,but there was no significant difference in seedling vitality compared to CK.The minimum number of rice trays used in the experiment was observed in the treatment of 350-10(300 g/tray and 10-day seedling age),only 152-155 trays ha^(-1),resulting in a 62%reduction in the number of trays needed.By increasing the seeding rate of rice,missed holes during mechanical transplantation decreased by 2.8 to 4%.The treatment of 300-15(300 g/tray and 15-day seedling age)achieved the highest yields and economic gains.These results indicated that using crop straw boards can reduce the application of seedling trays.On that basis,rice yields can be increased by raising the seeding rate and shortening the seedling age of rice without compromising seedling quality.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42177341)the Natural Science Basic Research Program of Shanxi,China(202203021222138).
文摘Organic material combined with inorganic fertilizer has been shown to greatly improve crop yield and maintain soil fertility globally. However, it remains unclear if crop yield and soil fertility can be sustained in the long term under the combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizers. Three long-term field trials were conducted to investigate the effects of organic amendments on the grain sustainable yield index(SYI), soil fertility index(SFI)and nutrient balance in maize–wheat cropping systems of central and southern China during 1991–2019. Five treatments were included in the trials: 1) no fertilization(control);2) balanced mineral fertilization(NPK);3) NPK plus manure(NPKM);4) high dose of NPK plus manure(1.5NPKM);and 5) NPK plus crop straw(NPKS). Over time, the grain yields of wheat and maize showed an increasing trend in all four fertilization treatments at the Yangling(YL) and Zhengzhou(ZZ) locations, while they declined at Qiyang(QY). The grain yield in the NPKM and 1.5NPKM treatments gradually exceeded that of the NPK and NPKS treatments at the QY site. The largest SYI was recorded in the NPKM treatment across the three sites, suggesting that inorganic fertilizer combined with manure can effectively improve crop yield sustainability. Higher SYI values were recorded at the YL and ZZ sites than at the QY site, possibly because the soil was more acid at QY. The key factors affecting grain yield were soil available phosphorus(AP) and available potassium(AK) at the YL and ZZ sites, and pH and AP at the QY site.All fertilization treatments resulted in soil N and P surpluses at the three sites, but soil K surpluses were recorded only at the QY site. The SFI was greater in the 1.5NPKM, NPKM and NPKS treatments than in the NPK treatment by 13.3–40.0 and 16.4–63.6% at the YL and ZZ sites, respectively, and was significantly higher in the NPKM and 1.5NPKM treatments than in the NPK and NPKS treatments at the QY site. A significant, positive linear relationship was found between SFI and crop yield, and SYI and nutrient balance, indicating that grain yield and its sustainability significantly increased with increasing soil fertility. The apparent N, P and K balances positively affected SFI.This study suggests that the appropriate amount of manure mixed with mineral NPK fertilizer is beneficial to the development of sustainable agriculture, which effectively increases the crop yield and yield sustainability by improving soil fertility.
基金funded by CAS Project for Young Scientists in Basic Research(YSBR-072-8)National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFF1000203 and 2022YFF1001704)。
文摘The crop yields achieved through traditional plant breeding techniques appear to be nearing a plateau.Therefore,it is essential to accelerate advancements in photosynthesis,the fundamental process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy,to further enhance crop yields.Research focused on improving photosynthesis holds significant promise for increasing sustainable agricultural productivity and addressing challenges related to global food security.This review examines the latest advancements and strategies aimed at boosting crop yields by enhancing photosynthetic efficiency.There has been a linear increase in yield over the years in historically released germplasm selected through traditional breeding methods,and this increase is accompanied by improved photosynthesis.We explore various aspects of the light reactions designed to enhance crop yield,including light harvest efficiency through smart canopy systems,expanding the absorbed light spectrum to include far-red light,optimizing non-photochemical quenching,and accelerating electron transport flux.At the same time,we investigate carbon reactions that can enhance crop yield,such as manipulating Rubisco activity,improving the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle,introducing CO_(2)concentrating mechanisms in C_(3)plants,and optimizing carbon allocation.These strategies could significantly impact crop yield enhancement and help bridge the yield gap.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31971855)the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science(CAAS-ASTIP-2021-OCRI)+2 种基金the Hubei Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(2024AFB442)the Wuhan Knowledge Innovation Special Program(2023020201020400)the China Agriculture Research System(CARS-12)。
文摘Global food production faces enormous challenges in increasing yields while promoting environmental sustainability.A field experiments in the ecotone between the Yangtze River Basin and the HuangHuai-Hai Plain evaluated the effects of changing preceding crop rotation cycles(wheat and rapeseed)on long-term wheat-rice(W)and rapeseed-rice(R)rotation systems.A comprehensive evaluation of crop rotation systems was conducted using life cycle assessment,considering productivity,economic benefits,carbon footprint(CF),and soil health.Compared with fallow-rice rotation(F),alternating rapeseed and wheat rotations increased equivalent yield by 60.4%-82.2%,reduced CF by 0.3%-5.7%,and improved soil health by 0.3%-47.5%.Additionally,adding rapeseed to rotations increased soil nutrient content and raised soil organic carbon stocks by 31.3%-40.5%.The 3R rotation(3-year rapeseed-rice and 1-year wheat-rice)boosted rice yield by 82.2%and annual economic benefits by 84.4%,offering an effective model for optimizing long-term R rotations.Similarly,the 2W rotation(2-year wheat-rice and 1-year rapeseed rice)enhanced rice yield by 70.0% and annual economic benefits by 65.9%,providing a successful example for optimizing long-term W rotations.The 3R rapeseed-based rotation and the 2W wheatbased rotation demonstrated good environmental sustainability.These rotation systems have broad potential in sustainable intensive farming,especially in China and similar regions.
基金supported by funding from Jiangxi Agricultural University(9232308314 to Huibin Han)Science and Technology Department of Jiangxi Province(20223BCJ25037 to Huibin Han and 20202ACB215002 to Shuaiying Peng)+1 种基金the Outstanding Youth Fund Project of the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province,China(20242BAB23066 to Yong Zhou)National Natural Science Foundation of China(32060047 to Jianping Liu,32160739 to Youxin Yang,32460797 to Yong Zhou and 32460081 to Huibin Han)。
文摘Small signaling peptides,generally comprising fewer than 100 amino acids,act as crucial signaling molecules in cell-to-cell communications.Upon perception by their membrane-localized corresponding receptors or co-receptors,these peptide-receptor modules then(de)activate either long-distance or local signaling pathways,thereby orchestrating developmental and adaptive responses via(post)transcriptional,(post)translational,and epigenetic regulations.The physiological functions of small signaling peptides are implicated in a multitude of developmental processes and adaptive responses,including but not limited to,shoot and root morphogenesis,organ abscission,nodulation,Casparian strip formation,pollen development,taproot growth,and various abiotic stress responses such as aluminum,cadmium,drought,cold,and salinity.Additionally,they play a critical role in response to pathogenic invasions.These small signaling peptides also modulate significant agronomic and horticultural traits,such as fruit size,maize kernel development,fiber elongation,and rice awn formation.Here,we underscore the roles of several small signaling peptide families such as CLE,RALF,EPFL,mi PEP,CEP,IDA/IDL,and PSK in regulating these biological processes.These novel insights will deepen our current understanding of small signaling peptides,and offer innovative strategies for genetic breeding stress-tolerant crops and horticultural plants,contributing to establish sustainable agricultural systems.
基金funded by the Foundation for Innovative Research Groups of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.72221002)the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDA28060200)National Natural Science Foundation of Youth Project(Grant No.72303087).
文摘In the new phase of sustainable development,agriculture is seeking sustainable management of the water-land-energy-economy-environment-food nexus.At present,there are few studies on optimizing crop planting structure and analyzing its spatial layout with consideration of natural and socio-economic factors.Herein,we proposed a framework for addressing this issue.In this framework,the NSGA-II algorithm was used to construct the multi-objective optimization model of crop planting structures with consideration of water and energy consumption,greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions,economic benefits,as well as food,land,and water security constraints,while the model for planting spatial layout optimization was established with consideration of crop suitability using the MaxEnt model and the improved Hungarian algorithm.This framework was further applied in the Black Soil Region of Northeast China(BSRNC)for analyzing optimized crop planting structures and spatial layouts of three main crops(rice,maize,and soybean)under various scenarios.This study showed that the sown area of rice in the BSRNC decreased by up to 40.73%and 35.30%in the environmental priority scenario and economic-environmental balance scenario,respectively,whereas that of soybean increased by up to 112.44%and 63.31%,respectively.In the economic priority scenario,the sown area of rice increased by up to 93.98%.Expanding the sown area of soybean was effective in reducing GHG emissions.On the contrary,rice production led to greater environmental costs though it provided higher economic returns.Among the three crops,maize exhibited an advantage in balancing environmental and economic benefits.Hegang-Jixi area in the northeast of the BSRNC was identified as the key area with the most intense crop planting transfer among different scenarios.Overall,this framework provides a new methodology for optimizing crop planting structures and spatial layouts with con-sideration of the nexus of various factors.Moreover,the case study demonstrates the applicability and expansion potential of the framework in the fields of sustainable agricultural development and food security assurance.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2023YFD2100205)the Fujian Province Science and Technology Plan Project,China(2023N3008).
文摘With the rapid growth of the global population and the increasing demand for healthier diets,improving the nutrient utilization efficiency of staple food crops has become a critical scientific and industrial chal-lenge,prompting innovation in food processing technologies.This review introduces first the common nutritional challenges in the processing of staple food crops,followed by the comprehensive examination of research aiming to enhance the nutritional quality of staple food crop-based foods through innovative processing technologies,including microwave(MW),pulsed electric field(PEF),ultrasound,modern fer-mentation technology,and enzyme technology.Additionally,soybean processing is used as an example to underscore the importance of integrating innovative processing technologies for optimizing nutrient utilization in staple food crops.Although these innovative processing technologies have demonstrated a significant potential to improve nutrient utilization efficiency and enhance the overall nutritional pro-file of staple food crop-based food products,their current limitations must be acknowledged and addressed in future research.Fortunately,advancements in science and technology will facilitate pro-gress in food processing,enabling both the improvement of existing techniques as well as the develop-ment of entirely novel methodologies.This work aims to enhance the understanding of food practitioners on the way processing technologies may optimize nutrient utilization,thereby fostering innovation in food processing research and synergistic multi-technological strategies,ultimately providing valuable references to address global food security challenges.
文摘The Conservation Agriculture (CA) is a current concept drives to save natural resources for agricultural production based on the minimum soil disturbance or no-tillage, crop rotation and permanent maintenance of straw on soil surface. The increasing in soil density is a problem to achieve great copping yield under CA, so occasional one-time tillage is considered as an alternative to continuous no-tillage. In this way, this experiment was carried out to compare occasional tillage and no-tillage interacting with cover crops in a field established under conservation agriculture. Thus, the experimental treatments were set up by two tillage methods, conventional tillage and no-tillage and two cover crops, white lupin and millet setting in a randomized blocks with split plot design with four replications. The traits evaluated in the research were soil fertility, soil resistance to penetration, soil moisture and tomato agronomic performance. No-tillage was more efficient to preserve soil moisture;however soil fertility, soil resistance to penetration and tomato yield were favored by conventional tillage. Regarding to cover crops white lupin increased the soil K concentration and enhanced the tomato growth. Although occasional tillage had better performance to the soil fertility and tomato yield, we highlighted that CA is the better way to increase soil health and soil and water conservation along the time leading to so desired regenerative agriculture.
文摘Burundi faces major agricultural constraints, including land fragmentation, soil erosion, limited access to inputs, inadequate infrastructure and demographic pressures that exacerbate food insecurity. In order to address the multiple challenges faced by farmers in rural areas, a study on improving agricultural productivity and food security in Burundi through optimized land use and diversified farming practices in agroforestry systems has been carried out. The study area is the communes of Giheta and Rutegama, all located in Burundi’s humid plateau livelihood zone, and involved 164 households grouped in coffee growing cooperatives supervised by the cooperative consortium COCOCA. The study uses a mathematical programming model to determine optimal crop selection based on factors such as production costs, yields and market demand. The findings of the study revealed significant insights into the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the sampled population. Notably, 98.8% of respondents were engaged in agriculture, confirming the predominantly agricultural nature of Burundi. The results indicated that maize is the most important crop, occupying 33.9% of the average total cultivated area, followed by cassava at 26.5% and bananas at 19.4%. Together, these three crops accounted for a substantial portion of the total cultivated area, highlighting their significance in local agriculture. Beans and potatoes also play a role, occupying 14.4% and smaller areas, respectively. In terms of profitability, the study provides a detailed analysis of profit margins by crop. Bananas emerges as the most profitable crop, with a profit margin of 97.3%, followed closely by cassava at 96.1% and rice at 90.5%. These crops not only offered substantial yields relative to their production costs but also benefited from strong market demand. Other crops, such as beans (71.3%), coffee (70.3%), and vegetables (54.5%), also demonstrated considerable profitability, although they occupied smaller cultivated areas. Conversely, crops like pigeon peas (4.1%), potatoes (7.6%), and sweet potatoes (7.6%) exhibited the lowest profit margins, which may discourage farmers from investing in them unless other incentives, such as ecological benefits or local consumption needs, are present. Regarding the results, we therefore recommend to promote policies supporting agroforestry, improve market access and develop infrastructure to exploit these benefits.
文摘Traditional hybrid crop breeding faces inefficiencies due to labor-intensive manual pollination-especially for crops like tomatoes and soybeans with complex flowers.Researchers at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology(IGDB),Chinese Academy of Sciences,have developed GEAIR(Genome Editing with Artificial-Intelligence-based Robots),an AI-robotic system that pollinates gene-edited plants 24/7.
