Reducing nitrogen application rates can mitigate issues such as environmental degradation and resource wastage.However,it can also exacerbate problems such as wheat floret degeneration,leading to reduced yields.Theref...Reducing nitrogen application rates can mitigate issues such as environmental degradation and resource wastage.However,it can also exacerbate problems such as wheat floret degeneration,leading to reduced yields.Therefore,investigating wheat floret degeneration mechanisms under low-nitrogen stress and identifying mitigation measures are conducive to achieving high yields and sustainable development.To investigate the physiological mechanism of how low-nitrogen stress affects wheat floret degradation and whether exogenous brassinosteroids(BRs)can alleviate this stress,experiments were designed with treatments of three nitrogen application rates(N0,no nitrogen application;N1,120 kg ha–1 pure nitrogen;N2,240 kg ha–1 pure nitrogen)and exogenous spraying(N0CK,no nitrogen with water spraying;N0BR,no nitrogen with 24-epibrassinolide(an active brassinosteroid)spraying;N1,120 kg ha–1 pure nitrogen with water spraying).The results indicated that low-nitrogen stress generated a large amount of reactive oxygen species.Although wheat spikes synthesized flavonoids to combat oxidative stress,their energy metabolism(glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid cycle)and ascorbate-glutathione cycle were inhibited,which kept the reactive oxygen levels elevated within the spike,induced cell death and exacerbated floret degeneration.Furthermore,brassinosteroids played a role in regulating wheat floret degeneration under low-nitrogen stress.Exogenous foliar spraying of 24-epibrassinolide promoted energy metabolism and the ascorbate-glutathione cycle within the spike,which enhanced the energy charge and effectively mitigated a portion of the reactive oxygen induced by low-nitrogen stress,thereby alleviating the floret degeneration caused by low-nitrogen stress.In summary,low-nitrogen stress disrupts the redox homeostasis of wheat spikes,leading to floret degeneration,while brassinosteroids alleviate floret degeneration by improving the redox state of wheat spikes.This study provides theoretical support for balancing the contradiction between high yields and sustainable development and will be beneficial for the application of low nitrogen in production.展开更多
Rice is the world's largest food crop,but it often encounters flowering asynchronization problems during hybrid rice seed production.In addition,the slow closure of female florets leads to seed mildew and affects ...Rice is the world's largest food crop,but it often encounters flowering asynchronization problems during hybrid rice seed production.In addition,the slow closure of female florets leads to seed mildew and affects the quality.The hormone abscisic acid(ABA)plays a crucial role in plant responses to abiotic stresses.Previous studies showed that exogenous ABA promotes floret closure,although the molecular mechanisms and effects of endogenous ABA on floret closure remain unknown.In this study,the effect of endogenous ABA on floret closure and the molecular mechanism by which ABA promotes floret closure through sugar transporters were investigated by changing the expression levels of OsNCED3 and OsPYL1 in rice.The results showed that overexpression(OE)-OsNCED3increased the endogenous ABA level of florets.Florets closed 5.91 min earlier and OsNCED3 gene knockout line delayed the closure of florets by 5.08 min compared with the wild type.In addition,OsPYL1 regulated the endogenous ABA content and changed the sensitivity to ABA such that the floret closure times for OE and CRISPR-Cas9(CR)were 9.84 min earlier and 12.78 min later,respectively,resulting in an increase in the split husk rate to 15.4%.The gene expression levels of some sugar transporters(STs)changed.The OsPYL1 and OsSWEET4proteins could interact on the cell membrane.These results indicate that ABA promotes the closure of rice florets and the enhanced sensitivity to ABA promotes this effect even more.The molecular mechanism is mainly related to downstream sugar transporters that respond to the ABA signaling pathway,especially OsSWEET4.展开更多
Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.is an important industrial crop with a high medicinal value,whose capitulum consists of ray and disc florets containing numerous bioactive components,such as flavonoids and phenolic acid...Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.is an important industrial crop with a high medicinal value,whose capitulum consists of ray and disc florets containing numerous bioactive components,such as flavonoids and phenolic acids.However,the distribution and accumulations of the bioactive metabolites in florets of Chrysanthemum morifolium were unclear.Herein,the ray and disc florets of Chrysanthemum morifolium were separated for comparing the bioactive metabolites.The contents of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities were significantly different between the two florets.The metabolomic analysis identified 203 and 241 differential metabolites between ray and disc florets at two flowering stages.The derivatives of quercetin,isorhamnetin,tricin,and caffeoylquinic acid were enriched in the disc florets,while apigenin,kaempferol,acacetin,and their glycosides mainly accumulated in the ray florets.Besides,the results of transcriptome and qRT-PCR suggested that the F3H,F3'H,and FLS genes highly expressed in disc florets,while the FNS gene was well expressed in ray florets,which explained the different distribution of phenolic compounds between ray and disc florets.Furthermore,the expression of CmCYC2 genes was found to be significantly related to the distribution of flavones by correlation analysis.It was proved by the luciferase reporter assay that CmCYC2a and CmCYC2d factors could bind and activate the CmFNS promoter to regulate the flavones biosynthesis in ray florets.These results revealed the significant difference of metabolite contents and gene expression profile between ray and disc floret in Chrysanthemum morifolium and demonstrated that the quality of Chrysanthemum morifolium‘Hangju'was closely relevant to its flower morphology.展开更多
The trade-off between yield and environmental effects caused by nitrogen fertilizer application is an important issue in wheat production.A reduction in fertile florets is one of the main reasons for the lower yields ...The trade-off between yield and environmental effects caused by nitrogen fertilizer application is an important issue in wheat production.A reduction in fertile florets is one of the main reasons for the lower yields under low nitrogen application rates.Brassinosteroids(BRs)have been found to play a role in nitrogen-induced rice spikelet degeneration.However,whether BRs play a role in wheat floret development and the mechanisms involved are not clear.Therefore,a nitrogen gradient experiment and exogenous spraying experiment were conducted to investigate the role and mechanism of BRs in wheat floret development under low nitrogen stress.The results showed that as the nitrogen application decreased,the endogenous BRs content of the spikes decreased,photosynthesis weakened,and total carbon,soluble sugar and starch in the spikes decreased,leading to a reduction in the number of fertile florets.Under low nitrogen stress,exogenous spraying of 24-epibrassinolide promoted photosynthesis,and stimulated stem fructan hydrolysis and the utilization and storage of sucrose in spikes,which directed more carbohydrates to the spikes and increased the number of fertile florets.In conclusion,BRs mediate the effects of nitrogen fertilizer on wheat floret development,and under low nitrogen stress,foliar spraying of 24-epibrassinolide promotes the flow of carbohydrates from the stem to the spikes,alleviating wheat floret degeneration.展开更多
With the intensification of climate change,spring low-temperature stress(SLTS)leads to floret degeneration and a decrease in grain number.This study investigated the physiological mechanisms underlying SLTS-induced fl...With the intensification of climate change,spring low-temperature stress(SLTS)leads to floret degeneration and a decrease in grain number.This study investigated the physiological mechanisms underlying SLTS-induced floret degeneration using two wheat varieties with contrasting cold sensitivity.SLTS caused yellowing and shrinkage of floret primordia,increasing floret degeneration and fertile floret abortion,ultimately reducing grains per spike by 12.2%-26.1%.SLTS disrupted nutrient supply,impairing dry matter accumulation in young spikes.At 0-15 d after low-temperature stress(DALTS),SLTS caused a brief increase in the sugar content of young spikes(0-3 DALTS),followed by a rapid decrease(6-15 DALTS),while the total nitrogen content keeps decreasing.SLTS altered key enzyme activities,enhancing sucrose synthase and sucrose phosphate synthase but suppressing nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase.Transcriptomic analysis revealed that SLTS perturbed starch and sucrose metabolism,carbon and nitrogen metabolism,and amino sugar pathways,altering soluble sugars,sucrose,fructose,and protein levels.SLTS disrupted carbon-nitrogen metabolic homeostasis,thereby reducing the number of fertile florets and ultimately leading to a decrease in grain number per spike.These findings enhance understanding of SLTS impacts on wheat floret development and provide insights for improving low-temperature tolerance and yield stability in wheat.展开更多
With the support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,a study by the research group led by Prof.He Guanghua(何光华)from the Rice Research Institute,Southwest University demonstrates that LATERAL FLORET ...With the support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,a study by the research group led by Prof.He Guanghua(何光华)from the Rice Research Institute,Southwest University demonstrates that LATERAL FLORET 1induces the'three-florets spikelet'in rice,which was published in PNAS(2017,114(37):9984-9989).展开更多
Nitrogen(N)fertilization is critical for spike and floret development,which affects the number of fertile florets per spike(NFFs).However,the physiological regulation of the floret development process by N fertilizati...Nitrogen(N)fertilization is critical for spike and floret development,which affects the number of fertile florets per spike(NFFs).However,the physiological regulation of the floret development process by N fertilization is largely unknown.A high temporal-resolution investigation of floret primordia number and morphology,dry matter,and N availability was conducted under three N fertilization levels:0(N0),120(N1)and 240(N2)kg ha^(−1).Interestingly,fertile florets at anthesis stage were determined by those floret primordia with meiotic ability at booting stage:meiotic ability was a threshold that predicted whether a floret primordium became fertile or abortive florets.Because the developmental rate of the 4th floret primordium in the central spikelet was accelerated and then they acquired meiotic ability,the NFFs increased gradually as N application increased,but the increase range decreased under N2.There were no differences in spike N concentration among treatments,but leaf N concentration was increased in the N1 and N2 treatments.Correspondingly,dry matter accumulation and N content of the leaf and spike in the N1 and N2 treatments was increased as compared to N0.Clearly,optimal N fertilization increased leaf N availability and transport of assimilates to spikes,and allowed more floret primordia to acquire meiotic ability and become fertile florets,finally increasing NFFs.There was no difference in leaf N concentration between N1 and N2 treatment,whereas soil N concentration at 0–60 cm soil layers was higher in N2 than in N1 treatment,implying that there was still some N fertilization that remained unused.Therefore,improving the leaf’s ability to further use N fertilizer is vital for greater NFFs.展开更多
Promoting more floret primordia within a spike to acquire fertile potential during the differentiation and pre-dimorphism phases is critical for increasing the number of fertile florets per spike(NFFs).However,it is y...Promoting more floret primordia within a spike to acquire fertile potential during the differentiation and pre-dimorphism phases is critical for increasing the number of fertile florets per spike(NFFs).However,it is yet unknown the physiological mechanism regulating the complex and dynamic process.This study aimed to clarify how intra-spike hormones,pigments,and assimilates coordinate with each other to regulate spike morphology and then floret primordia development.A two-year field experiment was conducted with two winter wheat genotypes:N50(big-spike with greater NFFs)and SM22(mediumspike with fewer NFFs).We monitored high temporal and spatial-resolution changes in the number and morphology of floret primordia within a spike,as well as in intra-spike hormones,pigments,and assimilates.Our results revealed that the big-spike genotype had more NFFs than the medium-spike genotype,not only because they had more spikelets,but also because they had greater NFFs mainly at central spikelets.More floret primordia at central spikelets had sufficient time to develop and acquire fertile potential during the differentiation phase(167-176 d after sowing,DAS)and the pre-dimorphism phase(179 DAS)for the big-spike genotype than the medium-spike genotype.Floret primordia with fertile morphology during the pre-dimorphism phase always developed into fertile florets during the dimorphism phase.Those early-developed floret primordia most proximal and intermediate to the rachis in the big-spike genotype developed faster than the medium-spike genotype.Correspondingly,the spike dry matter and pigments(chlorophyll a,chlorophyll b,carotene,and carotenoids)content during 170-182 DAS,auxin(IAA)and cytokinin(CTK)content on 167 DAS were significantly higher in the big-spike genotype than in the medium-spike genotype,while jasmonic acid(JA)content was significantly lower in the big-spike genotype compared to the medium-spike genotype during 167-182 DAS.Since the significant differences in intra-spike hormone content of the two genotypes appear earlier than those in dry matter and pigments,we propose a possible model that helped the N50 genotype(big-spike)to form more fertile florets,taking the intra-spike hormone content as a signaling molecule induced assimilates and pigments synthesis,which accelerated the development of more floret primordia during the differentiation phase and then acquired fertile potential during the pre-dimorphism phase,finally improved the NFFs.Our high temporal and spatial-resolution analysis provides an accurate time window for precision cultivation and effective physiological breeding to improve the number of fertile florets in wheat.展开更多
The levels of endogenous plant hormones regulate floret development and degeneration, and thus grain set in flower crops. This study was undertaken to characterize the changes of endogenous hormone levels during flor...The levels of endogenous plant hormones regulate floret development and degeneration, and thus grain set in flower crops. This study was undertaken to characterize the changes of endogenous hormone levels during floret development in three wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes: “97J1' with the highest grain set and fertile florets per spike, “H8679' with the lowest grain set and fertile florets per spike, and a medium, “YM158'. The results showed that the peak level of ABA appeared between stamen and pistil differentiation and antherlobe formation of floret development, and the timing delayed with the size of spike (earliest in “H8679” and latest in “97J1”). From antherlobe formation to meiosis, the levels of ABA and GA 1+3 decreased sharply in the ears of “97J1”, while in the ears of “H8679” there was only a slight decrease in ABA, and even an increase in GA 1+3 . The ratio of isopentenyladenosine (iPA)/ABA and IAA/ABA in the ears of “97J1” increased sharply from antherlobe formation to meiosis, but changed only slightly in the ears of “H8679”. At antherlobe formation, IAA and GA 1+3 levels were higher in the ears of “97J1”, but lower in the ears of “H8679” than in the leaves. At meiosis, ABA, GA 1+3 and IAA levels in the “97J1” ears were much lower than in the leaves, but similar in “H8679”. These results indicated that the sharp decreases of ABA and GA 1+3 in ears from antherlobe formation to meiosis and the lowest maintenance at meiosis may be favorable for development of fertile florets and enhancement of grain set in wheat.展开更多
A double mutant with streaked leaf and abnormal floret was found and temporarily named streaked leaf and floral organ number mutant （st-fon）. For this mutant, besides white streak appeared on culm, leaves and panicl...A double mutant with streaked leaf and abnormal floret was found and temporarily named streaked leaf and floral organ number mutant （st-fon）. For this mutant, besides white streak appeared on culm, leaves and panicles, the number of floral organs increased and florets cracked. The extreme phenotype was that several small florets grew from one floret or branch rachis in small florets extended and developed into panicles. By using transmission electron microscope to observe the ultrastructure of white histocytes of leaves at the seedling stage, the white tissues which showed abnormal plastids, lamellas and thylakoids could not develop into normal chloroplast, and the development of chloroplast was blocked at the early growth stage of plastid. Scanning electron microscope and paraffin section were also used to observe the development of floral organs, and the results indicated that the development of floral meristem was out of order and unlimited, whereas in the twisty leaves, vascular bundle sheath cells grew excessively, or some bubbly cells increased. Genetic analyses carried out by means of cross and backcross with four normal-leaf-color materials revealed that the mutant is of cytoplasm inheritance.展开更多
The Q gene in common wheat encodes an APETALA2(AP2) transcription factor that causes the free threshing attribute. Wheat spikelets bearing several florets are subtended by a pair of soft glumes that allow free liberat...The Q gene in common wheat encodes an APETALA2(AP2) transcription factor that causes the free threshing attribute. Wheat spikelets bearing several florets are subtended by a pair of soft glumes that allow free liberation of seeds. In wild species, the glumes are tough and rigid,making threshing difficult. However, the nature of these "soft glumes", caused by the domestication allele Q is not clear. Here, we found that over expression of Q in common wheat leads to homeotic florets at glume positions. We provide phenotypic, microscopy, and marker genes evidence to demonstrate that the soft glumes of common wheat are in fact lemma-like organs, or so-called sterile-lemmas. By comparing the structures subtending spikelets in wheat and other crops such as rice and maize, we found that AP2 genes may play conserved functions in grasses by manipulating vestigial structures, such as floret-derived soft glumes in wheat and empty glumes in rice. Conversion of these seemingly vegetative organs to reproductive organs may be useful in yield improvement of crop species.展开更多
The yield of wheat in wheat–rice rotation cropping systems in the Yangtze River Plain, China, is adversely impacted by waterlogging. A raised bed planting(RBP) pattern may reduce waterlogging and increase the wheat y...The yield of wheat in wheat–rice rotation cropping systems in the Yangtze River Plain, China, is adversely impacted by waterlogging. A raised bed planting(RBP) pattern may reduce waterlogging and increase the wheat yield after rice cultivation by improving the grain number per spike. However, the physiological basis for grain formation under RBP conditions remains poorly understood. The present study was performed over two growing seasons(2018/2019and 2019/2020) to examine the effects of the planting pattern(i.e., RBP and flat planting(FP)) on the floret and grain formation features and leaf photosynthetic source characteristics of wheat. The results indicated that implementation of the RBP pattern improved the soil–plant nitrogen(N) supply during floret development, which facilitated balanced floret development, resulting in a 9.5% increase in the number of fertile florets per spike. Moreover, the RBP pattern delayed wheat leaf senescence and increased the photosynthetic source capacity by 13.9%, which produced more assimilates for grain filling. Delayed leaf senescence was attributed to the resultant high leaf N content and enhanced antioxidant metabolism. Correspondingly, under RBP conditions, 7.6–8.6% more grains per spike were recorded, and the grain yield was ultimately enhanced by 10.4–12.7%. These results demonstrate that the improvement of the spike differentiation process and the enhancement of the leaf photosynthetic capacity were the main reasons for the increased grain number per spike of wheat under the RBP pattern, and additional improvements in this technique should be achievable through further investigation.展开更多
The study was carried out on the effect of nitrogen application in different wheat growth stage on the floret development, the photosynthetic rate, the yield and its components of winter wheat. The result indicated th...The study was carried out on the effect of nitrogen application in different wheat growth stage on the floret development, the photosynthetic rate, the yield and its components of winter wheat. The result indicated that nitrogen application in the pistil-stamen primordium formation stage and the tetrad formation stage of wheat growth prolonged the duration of floret development, promoted the balance growth of floret and reduced the floret decadence number, thus increased the grain number per spike. Nitrogen application in the middle and in the late stages of wheat development increased the photosynthetic ability of the plant leaves in the later stage, and also lengthened the peak of grain filling stage, thus enhanced the grain weight and yield of wheat significantly.展开更多
Oat (Avena sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) vary in the structure of their inflores-cences and also in how pollination proceeds within the inflorescence. In both species the grain position in the spikelet d...Oat (Avena sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) vary in the structure of their inflores-cences and also in how pollination proceeds within the inflorescence. In both species the grain position in the spikelet determines grain weight potential. Primary grains in oat and proximal grains in wheat weigh more than secondary and distal grains. This variation in grain weight can potentially result from differences in post-pollination cell division in the grain. In this study pollination duration and dynamics were analyzed from head samples collected at two-day intervals, starting from the pollination of the most advanced floret. The number of grain cells was determined for individual grains throughout the inflorescence, starting from the pollination event. When mature, grain position in the spikelet and spike was noted and grain weight assessed. Pollination advance in oat proceeded from the uppermost primary floret towards the basal spikelets in ten to eleven days. Within the spikelet, the primary floret was pollinated on average one day earlier than the secondary floret. In wheat, pollination duration was four to five days, starting from the proximal florets in the mid-section of the inflorescence progressing towards the apical and basal spikelets. Proximal florets were pollinated one to two days earlier than distal florets. Maximum cell number in primary grains exceeded that of secondary grains in two oat cultivars. Similarly, primary grains were heavier than secondary grains. Cell number and single grain weight were correlated in terms of grain position in the spikelet (primary – secondary) and cultivar. Oat cultivar Belinda had a higher single grain weight than Fiia, which was also expressed as larger grain cell number. In wheat, proximal grains had higher maximum cell numbers and were also heavier than distal grains. This grain weight gradient was apparent throughout the inflorescence. Consequently, grain cell number is one of the possible regulators of grain-filling capacity in both cereal crops.展开更多
Spikelets are the basic unit of the inflorescence in crops, consisting of one or more florets, playing a key role in determining yield. During cereal flower development, the spikelet meristem (SM) arises from the infl...Spikelets are the basic unit of the inflorescence in crops, consisting of one or more florets, playing a key role in determining yield. During cereal flower development, the spikelet meristem (SM) arises from the inflorescence meristem or branch meristem, and subsequently gives rise to the floret meristem (FM) (Xie et al., 2023). The multi-ovary or multi-floret spikelet phenomenon is commonly observed in certain cereal germplasms (Zhu et al., 2019;Ren et al., 2020;Selva et al., 2023), demonstrating the potential for enhancing grain yield through the production of a larger number of grains. A typical sorghum spikelet produces a single fertile floret, resulting in a single-grain spikelet morphology. However, the multiple-grain spikelet (MGS) sorghum germplasm, first documented in 1936, contains more than half of the double-grain spikelets per panicle and exhibits an unusual spikelet architecture in which two mature grains are produced within a single spikelet (Karper and Stephens, 1936). Despite this, the genetic basis underlying this trait has remained unclear.展开更多
Convergent morphological evolution is widespread in flowering plants,and understanding this phenomenon relies on well-resolved phylogenies.Nuclear phylogenetic reconstruction using transcriptome datasets has been succ...Convergent morphological evolution is widespread in flowering plants,and understanding this phenomenon relies on well-resolved phylogenies.Nuclear phylogenetic reconstruction using transcriptome datasets has been successful in various angiosperm groups,but it is limited to taxa with available fresh materials.Asteraceae,which are one of the two largest angiosperm families and are important for both ecosystems and human livelihood,show multiple examples of convergent evolution.Nuclear Asteraceae phylogenies have resolved relationships among most subfamilies and many tribes,but many phylogenetic and evolutionary questions regarding subtribes and genera remain,owing to limited sampling.Here,we increased the sampling for Asteraceae phylogenetic reconstruction using transcriptomes and genome-skimming datasets and produced nuclear phylogenetic trees with 706 species representing two-thirds of recognized subtribes.Ancestral character reconstruction supports multiple convergent evolutionary events in Asteraceae,with gains and losses of bilateral floral symmetry correlated with diversification of some subfamilies and smaller groups,respectively.Presence of the calyx-related pappus may have been especially important for the success of some subtribes and genera.Molecular evolutionary analyses support the likely contribution of duplications of MADS-box and TCP floral regulatory genes to innovations in floral morphology,including capitulum inflorescences and bilaterally symmetric flowers,potentially promoting the diversification of Asteraceae.Subsequent divergences and reductions in CYC2 gene expression are related to the gain and loss of zygomorphic flowers.This phylogenomic work with greater taxon sampling through inclusion of genome-skimming datasets reveals the feasibility of expanded evolutionary analyses using DNA samples for understanding convergent evolution.展开更多
Transient heatwaves occurring more frequently as the climate warms,yet their impacts on crop yield are severely underestimated and even overlooked.Heatwaves lasting only a few days or even hours during sensitive stage...Transient heatwaves occurring more frequently as the climate warms,yet their impacts on crop yield are severely underestimated and even overlooked.Heatwaves lasting only a few days or even hours during sensitive stages,such as microgametogenesis and flowering,can significantly reduce crop yield by disrupting plant reproduction.Recent advances in multi-omics and GWAS analysis have shed light on the specific organs(e.g.,pollen,lodicule,style),key metabolic pathways(sugar and reactive oxygen species metabolism,Ca2+homeostasis),and essential genes that are involved in crop responses to transient heatwaves during sensitive stages.This review therefore places particular emphasis on heat-sensitive stages,with pollen development,floret opening,pollination,and fertilization as the central narrative thread.The multifaceted effects of transient heatwaves and their molecular basis are systematically reviewed,with a focus on key structures such as the lodicule and tapetum.A number of heat-tolerance genes associated with these processes have been identified in major crops like maize and rice.The mechanisms and key heat-tolerance genes shared among different stages may facilitate the more precise improvement of heat-tolerant crops.展开更多
Heat waves induced by climate warming have become common in food-producing regions worldwide,frequently coinciding with high temperature(HT)-sensitive stages of many crops and thus threatening global food security.Und...Heat waves induced by climate warming have become common in food-producing regions worldwide,frequently coinciding with high temperature(HT)-sensitive stages of many crops and thus threatening global food security.Understanding the HT sensitivity of reproductive organs is currently of great interest for increasing seed set.The responses of seed set to HT involve multiple processes in both male and female reproductive organs,but we currently lack an integrated and systematic summary of these responses for the world’s three leading food crops(rice,wheat,and maize).In the present work,we define the critical high temperature thresholds for seed set in rice(37.2℃±0.2℃),wheat(27.3℃±0.5℃),and maize(37.9℃±0.4℃)during flowering.We assess the HT sensitivity of these three cereals from the microspore stage to the lag period,including effects of HT on flowering dynamics,floret growth and development,pollination,and fertilization.Our review synthesizes existing knowledge about the effects of HT stress on spikelet opening,anther dehiscence,pollen shedding number,pollen viability,pistil and stigma function,pollen germination on the stigma,and pollen tube elongation.HT-induced spikelet closure and arrest of pollen tube elongation have a catastrophic effect on pollination and fertilization in maize.Rice benefits from pollination under HT stress owing to bottom anther dehiscence and cleistogamy.Cleistogamy and secondary spikelet opening increase the probability of pollination success in wheat under HT stress.However,cereal crops themselves also have protective measures under HT stress.Lower canopy/tissue temperatures compared with air temperatures indicate that cereal crops,especially rice,can partly protect themselves from heat damage.In maize,husk leaves reduce inner ear temperature by about 5℃compared with outer ear temperature,thereby protecting the later phases of pollen tube growth and fertilization processes.These findings have important implications for accurate modeling,optimized crop management,and breeding of new varieties to cope with HT stress in the most important staple crops.展开更多
基金supported by the Key Research and Development Program of Shaanxi,China(2021NY-083)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31871567)。
文摘Reducing nitrogen application rates can mitigate issues such as environmental degradation and resource wastage.However,it can also exacerbate problems such as wheat floret degeneration,leading to reduced yields.Therefore,investigating wheat floret degeneration mechanisms under low-nitrogen stress and identifying mitigation measures are conducive to achieving high yields and sustainable development.To investigate the physiological mechanism of how low-nitrogen stress affects wheat floret degradation and whether exogenous brassinosteroids(BRs)can alleviate this stress,experiments were designed with treatments of three nitrogen application rates(N0,no nitrogen application;N1,120 kg ha–1 pure nitrogen;N2,240 kg ha–1 pure nitrogen)and exogenous spraying(N0CK,no nitrogen with water spraying;N0BR,no nitrogen with 24-epibrassinolide(an active brassinosteroid)spraying;N1,120 kg ha–1 pure nitrogen with water spraying).The results indicated that low-nitrogen stress generated a large amount of reactive oxygen species.Although wheat spikes synthesized flavonoids to combat oxidative stress,their energy metabolism(glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid cycle)and ascorbate-glutathione cycle were inhibited,which kept the reactive oxygen levels elevated within the spike,induced cell death and exacerbated floret degeneration.Furthermore,brassinosteroids played a role in regulating wheat floret degeneration under low-nitrogen stress.Exogenous foliar spraying of 24-epibrassinolide promoted energy metabolism and the ascorbate-glutathione cycle within the spike,which enhanced the energy charge and effectively mitigated a portion of the reactive oxygen induced by low-nitrogen stress,thereby alleviating the floret degeneration caused by low-nitrogen stress.In summary,low-nitrogen stress disrupts the redox homeostasis of wheat spikes,leading to floret degeneration,while brassinosteroids alleviate floret degeneration by improving the redox state of wheat spikes.This study provides theoretical support for balancing the contradiction between high yields and sustainable development and will be beneficial for the application of low nitrogen in production.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32260780 and 31360297)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2021M701513)+1 种基金the Jiangxi 2011 Collaborative Innovation Centre of Postharvest Key Technology and Quality Safety of Fruits and Vegetables,China(JXGS-05)the Gan Po 555 Engineering Excel ence Talents Project in Jiangxi Province,China。
文摘Rice is the world's largest food crop,but it often encounters flowering asynchronization problems during hybrid rice seed production.In addition,the slow closure of female florets leads to seed mildew and affects the quality.The hormone abscisic acid(ABA)plays a crucial role in plant responses to abiotic stresses.Previous studies showed that exogenous ABA promotes floret closure,although the molecular mechanisms and effects of endogenous ABA on floret closure remain unknown.In this study,the effect of endogenous ABA on floret closure and the molecular mechanism by which ABA promotes floret closure through sugar transporters were investigated by changing the expression levels of OsNCED3 and OsPYL1 in rice.The results showed that overexpression(OE)-OsNCED3increased the endogenous ABA level of florets.Florets closed 5.91 min earlier and OsNCED3 gene knockout line delayed the closure of florets by 5.08 min compared with the wild type.In addition,OsPYL1 regulated the endogenous ABA content and changed the sensitivity to ABA such that the floret closure times for OE and CRISPR-Cas9(CR)were 9.84 min earlier and 12.78 min later,respectively,resulting in an increase in the split husk rate to 15.4%.The gene expression levels of some sugar transporters(STs)changed.The OsPYL1 and OsSWEET4proteins could interact on the cell membrane.These results indicate that ABA promotes the closure of rice florets and the enhanced sensitivity to ABA promotes this effect even more.The molecular mechanism is mainly related to downstream sugar transporters that respond to the ABA signaling pathway,especially OsSWEET4.
基金financially supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.81503180)the Opening Project of Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Resources Protection and Innovation of Traditional Chinese Medicine(Grant No.2021E10013)+1 种基金the Opening Project of NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine(Grant No.AHYJ-KFKT-202101)the Earmarked fund for Jiangsu Agricultural Industry Technology System(Grant No.JATS[2022]460)。
文摘Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.is an important industrial crop with a high medicinal value,whose capitulum consists of ray and disc florets containing numerous bioactive components,such as flavonoids and phenolic acids.However,the distribution and accumulations of the bioactive metabolites in florets of Chrysanthemum morifolium were unclear.Herein,the ray and disc florets of Chrysanthemum morifolium were separated for comparing the bioactive metabolites.The contents of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities were significantly different between the two florets.The metabolomic analysis identified 203 and 241 differential metabolites between ray and disc florets at two flowering stages.The derivatives of quercetin,isorhamnetin,tricin,and caffeoylquinic acid were enriched in the disc florets,while apigenin,kaempferol,acacetin,and their glycosides mainly accumulated in the ray florets.Besides,the results of transcriptome and qRT-PCR suggested that the F3H,F3'H,and FLS genes highly expressed in disc florets,while the FNS gene was well expressed in ray florets,which explained the different distribution of phenolic compounds between ray and disc florets.Furthermore,the expression of CmCYC2 genes was found to be significantly related to the distribution of flavones by correlation analysis.It was proved by the luciferase reporter assay that CmCYC2a and CmCYC2d factors could bind and activate the CmFNS promoter to regulate the flavones biosynthesis in ray florets.These results revealed the significant difference of metabolite contents and gene expression profile between ray and disc floret in Chrysanthemum morifolium and demonstrated that the quality of Chrysanthemum morifolium‘Hangju'was closely relevant to its flower morphology.
基金supported by the Key Research and Development Program of Shaanxi,China(2021NY-083)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31871567)。
文摘The trade-off between yield and environmental effects caused by nitrogen fertilizer application is an important issue in wheat production.A reduction in fertile florets is one of the main reasons for the lower yields under low nitrogen application rates.Brassinosteroids(BRs)have been found to play a role in nitrogen-induced rice spikelet degeneration.However,whether BRs play a role in wheat floret development and the mechanisms involved are not clear.Therefore,a nitrogen gradient experiment and exogenous spraying experiment were conducted to investigate the role and mechanism of BRs in wheat floret development under low nitrogen stress.The results showed that as the nitrogen application decreased,the endogenous BRs content of the spikes decreased,photosynthesis weakened,and total carbon,soluble sugar and starch in the spikes decreased,leading to a reduction in the number of fertile florets.Under low nitrogen stress,exogenous spraying of 24-epibrassinolide promoted photosynthesis,and stimulated stem fructan hydrolysis and the utilization and storage of sucrose in spikes,which directed more carbohydrates to the spikes and increased the number of fertile florets.In conclusion,BRs mediate the effects of nitrogen fertilizer on wheat floret development,and under low nitrogen stress,foliar spraying of 24-epibrassinolide promotes the flow of carbohydrates from the stem to the spikes,alleviating wheat floret degeneration.
基金funded by Scientific Research Projects of Colleges and Universities in Anhui Province,China(2023AH051016)Anhui Province New Era Education Provincial Quality Engineering Project(2023xscx044)+1 种基金Anhui Agricultural University,the First Batch of College Students"Science and Innovation Pilot"Cultivation Program Projectthe National Key Research and Development Program of China(2023YFD1901005)。
文摘With the intensification of climate change,spring low-temperature stress(SLTS)leads to floret degeneration and a decrease in grain number.This study investigated the physiological mechanisms underlying SLTS-induced floret degeneration using two wheat varieties with contrasting cold sensitivity.SLTS caused yellowing and shrinkage of floret primordia,increasing floret degeneration and fertile floret abortion,ultimately reducing grains per spike by 12.2%-26.1%.SLTS disrupted nutrient supply,impairing dry matter accumulation in young spikes.At 0-15 d after low-temperature stress(DALTS),SLTS caused a brief increase in the sugar content of young spikes(0-3 DALTS),followed by a rapid decrease(6-15 DALTS),while the total nitrogen content keeps decreasing.SLTS altered key enzyme activities,enhancing sucrose synthase and sucrose phosphate synthase but suppressing nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase.Transcriptomic analysis revealed that SLTS perturbed starch and sucrose metabolism,carbon and nitrogen metabolism,and amino sugar pathways,altering soluble sugars,sucrose,fructose,and protein levels.SLTS disrupted carbon-nitrogen metabolic homeostasis,thereby reducing the number of fertile florets and ultimately leading to a decrease in grain number per spike.These findings enhance understanding of SLTS impacts on wheat floret development and provide insights for improving low-temperature tolerance and yield stability in wheat.
文摘With the support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,a study by the research group led by Prof.He Guanghua(何光华)from the Rice Research Institute,Southwest University demonstrates that LATERAL FLORET 1induces the'three-florets spikelet'in rice,which was published in PNAS(2017,114(37):9984-9989).
基金This study was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFD1900703,2022YFD2300802)the Earmarked Fund for CARS(CARS-3)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31871563)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2022M723437).
文摘Nitrogen(N)fertilization is critical for spike and floret development,which affects the number of fertile florets per spike(NFFs).However,the physiological regulation of the floret development process by N fertilization is largely unknown.A high temporal-resolution investigation of floret primordia number and morphology,dry matter,and N availability was conducted under three N fertilization levels:0(N0),120(N1)and 240(N2)kg ha^(−1).Interestingly,fertile florets at anthesis stage were determined by those floret primordia with meiotic ability at booting stage:meiotic ability was a threshold that predicted whether a floret primordium became fertile or abortive florets.Because the developmental rate of the 4th floret primordium in the central spikelet was accelerated and then they acquired meiotic ability,the NFFs increased gradually as N application increased,but the increase range decreased under N2.There were no differences in spike N concentration among treatments,but leaf N concentration was increased in the N1 and N2 treatments.Correspondingly,dry matter accumulation and N content of the leaf and spike in the N1 and N2 treatments was increased as compared to N0.Clearly,optimal N fertilization increased leaf N availability and transport of assimilates to spikes,and allowed more floret primordia to acquire meiotic ability and become fertile florets,finally increasing NFFs.There was no difference in leaf N concentration between N1 and N2 treatment,whereas soil N concentration at 0–60 cm soil layers was higher in N2 than in N1 treatment,implying that there was still some N fertilization that remained unused.Therefore,improving the leaf’s ability to further use N fertilizer is vital for greater NFFs.
基金funded by the Scientific and Technological Innovation Team Project of Seed Industry for Saline-alkali Tolerant Crop in Hebei Province(23327501D)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFD2300802,2022YFD1900703)the China Agriculture Research System(CARS-3).
文摘Promoting more floret primordia within a spike to acquire fertile potential during the differentiation and pre-dimorphism phases is critical for increasing the number of fertile florets per spike(NFFs).However,it is yet unknown the physiological mechanism regulating the complex and dynamic process.This study aimed to clarify how intra-spike hormones,pigments,and assimilates coordinate with each other to regulate spike morphology and then floret primordia development.A two-year field experiment was conducted with two winter wheat genotypes:N50(big-spike with greater NFFs)and SM22(mediumspike with fewer NFFs).We monitored high temporal and spatial-resolution changes in the number and morphology of floret primordia within a spike,as well as in intra-spike hormones,pigments,and assimilates.Our results revealed that the big-spike genotype had more NFFs than the medium-spike genotype,not only because they had more spikelets,but also because they had greater NFFs mainly at central spikelets.More floret primordia at central spikelets had sufficient time to develop and acquire fertile potential during the differentiation phase(167-176 d after sowing,DAS)and the pre-dimorphism phase(179 DAS)for the big-spike genotype than the medium-spike genotype.Floret primordia with fertile morphology during the pre-dimorphism phase always developed into fertile florets during the dimorphism phase.Those early-developed floret primordia most proximal and intermediate to the rachis in the big-spike genotype developed faster than the medium-spike genotype.Correspondingly,the spike dry matter and pigments(chlorophyll a,chlorophyll b,carotene,and carotenoids)content during 170-182 DAS,auxin(IAA)and cytokinin(CTK)content on 167 DAS were significantly higher in the big-spike genotype than in the medium-spike genotype,while jasmonic acid(JA)content was significantly lower in the big-spike genotype compared to the medium-spike genotype during 167-182 DAS.Since the significant differences in intra-spike hormone content of the two genotypes appear earlier than those in dry matter and pigments,we propose a possible model that helped the N50 genotype(big-spike)to form more fertile florets,taking the intra-spike hormone content as a signaling molecule induced assimilates and pigments synthesis,which accelerated the development of more floret primordia during the differentiation phase and then acquired fertile potential during the pre-dimorphism phase,finally improved the NFFs.Our high temporal and spatial-resolution analysis provides an accurate time window for precision cultivation and effective physiological breeding to improve the number of fertile florets in wheat.
文摘The levels of endogenous plant hormones regulate floret development and degeneration, and thus grain set in flower crops. This study was undertaken to characterize the changes of endogenous hormone levels during floret development in three wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes: “97J1' with the highest grain set and fertile florets per spike, “H8679' with the lowest grain set and fertile florets per spike, and a medium, “YM158'. The results showed that the peak level of ABA appeared between stamen and pistil differentiation and antherlobe formation of floret development, and the timing delayed with the size of spike (earliest in “H8679” and latest in “97J1”). From antherlobe formation to meiosis, the levels of ABA and GA 1+3 decreased sharply in the ears of “97J1”, while in the ears of “H8679” there was only a slight decrease in ABA, and even an increase in GA 1+3 . The ratio of isopentenyladenosine (iPA)/ABA and IAA/ABA in the ears of “97J1” increased sharply from antherlobe formation to meiosis, but changed only slightly in the ears of “H8679”. At antherlobe formation, IAA and GA 1+3 levels were higher in the ears of “97J1”, but lower in the ears of “H8679” than in the leaves. At meiosis, ABA, GA 1+3 and IAA levels in the “97J1” ears were much lower than in the leaves, but similar in “H8679”. These results indicated that the sharp decreases of ABA and GA 1+3 in ears from antherlobe formation to meiosis and the lowest maintenance at meiosis may be favorable for development of fertile florets and enhancement of grain set in wheat.
基金supported by the Foundation Program,Innovative Team Development Plan of the Ministry of Education,China(Grant No.IRT0453)the Financial Gene Engineering Excellent Article Foundation Program of Sichuan Province,China(Grant No.2011LWJJ-005)
文摘A double mutant with streaked leaf and abnormal floret was found and temporarily named streaked leaf and floral organ number mutant （st-fon）. For this mutant, besides white streak appeared on culm, leaves and panicles, the number of floral organs increased and florets cracked. The extreme phenotype was that several small florets grew from one floret or branch rachis in small florets extended and developed into panicles. By using transmission electron microscope to observe the ultrastructure of white histocytes of leaves at the seedling stage, the white tissues which showed abnormal plastids, lamellas and thylakoids could not develop into normal chloroplast, and the development of chloroplast was blocked at the early growth stage of plastid. Scanning electron microscope and paraffin section were also used to observe the development of floral organs, and the results indicated that the development of floral meristem was out of order and unlimited, whereas in the twisty leaves, vascular bundle sheath cells grew excessively, or some bubbly cells increased. Genetic analyses carried out by means of cross and backcross with four normal-leaf-color materials revealed that the mutant is of cytoplasm inheritance.
基金supported by the National Key Program for Transgenic Crop Cultivation (2016ZX09001-001)The CAAS Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program Cooperation and Innovation Mission (CAAS-XTCX2016)
文摘The Q gene in common wheat encodes an APETALA2(AP2) transcription factor that causes the free threshing attribute. Wheat spikelets bearing several florets are subtended by a pair of soft glumes that allow free liberation of seeds. In wild species, the glumes are tough and rigid,making threshing difficult. However, the nature of these "soft glumes", caused by the domestication allele Q is not clear. Here, we found that over expression of Q in common wheat leads to homeotic florets at glume positions. We provide phenotypic, microscopy, and marker genes evidence to demonstrate that the soft glumes of common wheat are in fact lemma-like organs, or so-called sterile-lemmas. By comparing the structures subtending spikelets in wheat and other crops such as rice and maize, we found that AP2 genes may play conserved functions in grasses by manipulating vestigial structures, such as floret-derived soft glumes in wheat and empty glumes in rice. Conversion of these seemingly vegetative organs to reproductive organs may be useful in yield improvement of crop species.
基金funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFD0301306 and 2018YFD0300906)。
文摘The yield of wheat in wheat–rice rotation cropping systems in the Yangtze River Plain, China, is adversely impacted by waterlogging. A raised bed planting(RBP) pattern may reduce waterlogging and increase the wheat yield after rice cultivation by improving the grain number per spike. However, the physiological basis for grain formation under RBP conditions remains poorly understood. The present study was performed over two growing seasons(2018/2019and 2019/2020) to examine the effects of the planting pattern(i.e., RBP and flat planting(FP)) on the floret and grain formation features and leaf photosynthetic source characteristics of wheat. The results indicated that implementation of the RBP pattern improved the soil–plant nitrogen(N) supply during floret development, which facilitated balanced floret development, resulting in a 9.5% increase in the number of fertile florets per spike. Moreover, the RBP pattern delayed wheat leaf senescence and increased the photosynthetic source capacity by 13.9%, which produced more assimilates for grain filling. Delayed leaf senescence was attributed to the resultant high leaf N content and enhanced antioxidant metabolism. Correspondingly, under RBP conditions, 7.6–8.6% more grains per spike were recorded, and the grain yield was ultimately enhanced by 10.4–12.7%. These results demonstrate that the improvement of the spike differentiation process and the enhancement of the leaf photosynthetic capacity were the main reasons for the increased grain number per spike of wheat under the RBP pattern, and additional improvements in this technique should be achievable through further investigation.
文摘The study was carried out on the effect of nitrogen application in different wheat growth stage on the floret development, the photosynthetic rate, the yield and its components of winter wheat. The result indicated that nitrogen application in the pistil-stamen primordium formation stage and the tetrad formation stage of wheat growth prolonged the duration of floret development, promoted the balance growth of floret and reduced the floret decadence number, thus increased the grain number per spike. Nitrogen application in the middle and in the late stages of wheat development increased the photosynthetic ability of the plant leaves in the later stage, and also lengthened the peak of grain filling stage, thus enhanced the grain weight and yield of wheat significantly.
文摘Oat (Avena sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) vary in the structure of their inflores-cences and also in how pollination proceeds within the inflorescence. In both species the grain position in the spikelet determines grain weight potential. Primary grains in oat and proximal grains in wheat weigh more than secondary and distal grains. This variation in grain weight can potentially result from differences in post-pollination cell division in the grain. In this study pollination duration and dynamics were analyzed from head samples collected at two-day intervals, starting from the pollination of the most advanced floret. The number of grain cells was determined for individual grains throughout the inflorescence, starting from the pollination event. When mature, grain position in the spikelet and spike was noted and grain weight assessed. Pollination advance in oat proceeded from the uppermost primary floret towards the basal spikelets in ten to eleven days. Within the spikelet, the primary floret was pollinated on average one day earlier than the secondary floret. In wheat, pollination duration was four to five days, starting from the proximal florets in the mid-section of the inflorescence progressing towards the apical and basal spikelets. Proximal florets were pollinated one to two days earlier than distal florets. Maximum cell number in primary grains exceeded that of secondary grains in two oat cultivars. Similarly, primary grains were heavier than secondary grains. Cell number and single grain weight were correlated in terms of grain position in the spikelet (primary – secondary) and cultivar. Oat cultivar Belinda had a higher single grain weight than Fiia, which was also expressed as larger grain cell number. In wheat, proximal grains had higher maximum cell numbers and were also heavier than distal grains. This grain weight gradient was apparent throughout the inflorescence. Consequently, grain cell number is one of the possible regulators of grain-filling capacity in both cereal crops.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32241038,32472124,32241045,32241042,and 32201780)the National High-Level Personnel of Special Support Program(2024WRQB003)+5 种基金the Shenzhen Science and Technology Program(JCYJ20240813151204006)the National Key R&D Program of China(2022YFD1500503,2023YFD1200700,and 2023YFD1200704)the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDA0440302)the ShenZhen Postdoctoral Funding Project(77000*42100029)the Fundamental Research Fund for the Central Universities(77000-12240011)a joint research project from Shanxi Xinghuacun Fenjiu Distillery Co.Ltd.
文摘Spikelets are the basic unit of the inflorescence in crops, consisting of one or more florets, playing a key role in determining yield. During cereal flower development, the spikelet meristem (SM) arises from the inflorescence meristem or branch meristem, and subsequently gives rise to the floret meristem (FM) (Xie et al., 2023). The multi-ovary or multi-floret spikelet phenomenon is commonly observed in certain cereal germplasms (Zhu et al., 2019;Ren et al., 2020;Selva et al., 2023), demonstrating the potential for enhancing grain yield through the production of a larger number of grains. A typical sorghum spikelet produces a single fertile floret, resulting in a single-grain spikelet morphology. However, the multiple-grain spikelet (MGS) sorghum germplasm, first documented in 1936, contains more than half of the double-grain spikelets per panicle and exhibits an unusual spikelet architecture in which two mature grains are produced within a single spikelet (Karper and Stephens, 1936). Despite this, the genetic basis underlying this trait has remained unclear.
基金supported by funds from the Eberly College of Sciences and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences at the Pennsylvania State University,the Hunan Normal University and by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDB31000000)the Large-Scale Scientific Facilities of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(2017-LSFGBOWS-02)+5 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(nos.32270229,31870179,31570204,31270237,31070167,30670148)Additional support was provided by the Key Project at Central Government Level:the Ability Establishment of Sustainable Use of Valuable Chinese Medicine Resources(no.2060302)National Plant Specimen Resource Bank(no.E0117G1001)Survey of Wildlife Resources in Key Areas of Tibet(no.ZL202203601)the International Partnership Program of CAS(no.151853KYSB20190027)Some of the GS experiments were performed at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Germplasm Bank of Wild Species in Southwest China,Kunming Institute of Botany,CAS.No conflict of interest is declared.
文摘Convergent morphological evolution is widespread in flowering plants,and understanding this phenomenon relies on well-resolved phylogenies.Nuclear phylogenetic reconstruction using transcriptome datasets has been successful in various angiosperm groups,but it is limited to taxa with available fresh materials.Asteraceae,which are one of the two largest angiosperm families and are important for both ecosystems and human livelihood,show multiple examples of convergent evolution.Nuclear Asteraceae phylogenies have resolved relationships among most subfamilies and many tribes,but many phylogenetic and evolutionary questions regarding subtribes and genera remain,owing to limited sampling.Here,we increased the sampling for Asteraceae phylogenetic reconstruction using transcriptomes and genome-skimming datasets and produced nuclear phylogenetic trees with 706 species representing two-thirds of recognized subtribes.Ancestral character reconstruction supports multiple convergent evolutionary events in Asteraceae,with gains and losses of bilateral floral symmetry correlated with diversification of some subfamilies and smaller groups,respectively.Presence of the calyx-related pappus may have been especially important for the success of some subtribes and genera.Molecular evolutionary analyses support the likely contribution of duplications of MADS-box and TCP floral regulatory genes to innovations in floral morphology,including capitulum inflorescences and bilaterally symmetric flowers,potentially promoting the diversification of Asteraceae.Subsequent divergences and reductions in CYC2 gene expression are related to the gain and loss of zygomorphic flowers.This phylogenomic work with greater taxon sampling through inclusion of genome-skimming datasets reveals the feasibility of expanded evolutionary analyses using DNA samples for understanding convergent evolution.
基金supported by grants from the National Key R&D Program of China(2023YFD2303304)the National Science Foundation of China(32272214)+1 种基金the 2115 Talent Development Program of China Agricultural University,the Chinese Universities Scientific Fund(2024TC062)the Pinduoduo-China Agricultural University Research Fund(PC2023B02006).
文摘Transient heatwaves occurring more frequently as the climate warms,yet their impacts on crop yield are severely underestimated and even overlooked.Heatwaves lasting only a few days or even hours during sensitive stages,such as microgametogenesis and flowering,can significantly reduce crop yield by disrupting plant reproduction.Recent advances in multi-omics and GWAS analysis have shed light on the specific organs(e.g.,pollen,lodicule,style),key metabolic pathways(sugar and reactive oxygen species metabolism,Ca2+homeostasis),and essential genes that are involved in crop responses to transient heatwaves during sensitive stages.This review therefore places particular emphasis on heat-sensitive stages,with pollen development,floret opening,pollination,and fertilization as the central narrative thread.The multifaceted effects of transient heatwaves and their molecular basis are systematically reviewed,with a focus on key structures such as the lodicule and tapetum.A number of heat-tolerance genes associated with these processes have been identified in major crops like maize and rice.The mechanisms and key heat-tolerance genes shared among different stages may facilitate the more precise improvement of heat-tolerant crops.
基金supported by the National Science Foundation of China(32272214)the 2115 Talent Development Program of China Agricultural University,and the General Project of Chongqing Natural Science Foundation(cstc2021jcyj-msxmX0747).
文摘Heat waves induced by climate warming have become common in food-producing regions worldwide,frequently coinciding with high temperature(HT)-sensitive stages of many crops and thus threatening global food security.Understanding the HT sensitivity of reproductive organs is currently of great interest for increasing seed set.The responses of seed set to HT involve multiple processes in both male and female reproductive organs,but we currently lack an integrated and systematic summary of these responses for the world’s three leading food crops(rice,wheat,and maize).In the present work,we define the critical high temperature thresholds for seed set in rice(37.2℃±0.2℃),wheat(27.3℃±0.5℃),and maize(37.9℃±0.4℃)during flowering.We assess the HT sensitivity of these three cereals from the microspore stage to the lag period,including effects of HT on flowering dynamics,floret growth and development,pollination,and fertilization.Our review synthesizes existing knowledge about the effects of HT stress on spikelet opening,anther dehiscence,pollen shedding number,pollen viability,pistil and stigma function,pollen germination on the stigma,and pollen tube elongation.HT-induced spikelet closure and arrest of pollen tube elongation have a catastrophic effect on pollination and fertilization in maize.Rice benefits from pollination under HT stress owing to bottom anther dehiscence and cleistogamy.Cleistogamy and secondary spikelet opening increase the probability of pollination success in wheat under HT stress.However,cereal crops themselves also have protective measures under HT stress.Lower canopy/tissue temperatures compared with air temperatures indicate that cereal crops,especially rice,can partly protect themselves from heat damage.In maize,husk leaves reduce inner ear temperature by about 5℃compared with outer ear temperature,thereby protecting the later phases of pollen tube growth and fertilization processes.These findings have important implications for accurate modeling,optimized crop management,and breeding of new varieties to cope with HT stress in the most important staple crops.
