The environment experienced by a plant before and after reproduction can have a profound effect on the behaviour of the progeny after shedding. Maternal environmental effects on seeds are important for phenology and fitness in plants, especially for bet-hedging reproductive strategies. Maternal tissues that disperse with seeds are important for dormancy in many species, particularly those with coat-imposed

Drought stress poses a significant challenge to turfgrass growth, particularly in the regions like southern United States, where bermudagrass (Cynodon sp.) is widely used for lawns and sports fields. Drought stress disrupts physiological processes, leading to reduced water availability, impaired photosynthesis, and oxidative stress. To understand the bermudagrass response to drought, we investigated

In turfgrass breeding, drought resistance is a primary trait for improvement due to scarcity and reduced quality of water for irrigation. Therefore, in 2010, the turfgrass breeding programs at six public universities joined efforts to address these challenges by cross evaluating breeding lines for the most economically significant warm‐season turfgrass species in the southern United States through

Maize (Zea mays L.) production in Argentina changed markedly during the last decade due to the widespread adoption of late sowing dates, expanding its productive area, and diversifying crop end‐uses. This study was conducted to assess how the sowing date and nitrogen (N) availability affect grain yield, its physiological determinants (biomass and its partitioning), and numeric components (kernel number

Golden Rice (GR), genetically modified (GM) rice enriched with provitamin A, holds promise to address micronutrient deficiencies in developing countries. However, its success hinges on market acceptance. This study investigates how the marketing aspects of GR influence consumers' purchase intentions in Bangladesh and the Philippines. The Expectation Confirmation Theory (ECT) is employed to analyze

Numerous sources of putative novel resistance genes toward Phytophthora sojae (Rps genes) have been identified and loci mapped in soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) but cloning has remained elusive. We utilized resistance gene enrichment sequencing (RenSeq) to identify the putative resistance genes in 20 plant introductions (PIs) and differentials of the cultivar Williams with rps, Rps1c, Rps3a, and Rps8

Genotype imputation is a cost-effective method for obtaining sequence genotypes for downstream analyses such as genome-wide association studies (GWAS). However, low imputation accuracy can increase the risk of false positives, so it is important to pre-filter data or at least assess the potential limitations due to imputation accuracy. In this study, we benchmarked three different imputation programs

Under current EU legislation, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and derived food and feed products must be authorized as GM food, feed, or seed and appropriate detection methods must be made available for use in official controls. A Real-Time PCR method has recently been published by Chhalliyil et al. claiming to be specific for the detection and identification of genome-edited oilseed rape (OSR)

The goal of transgenesis in plant breeding is to make step‐change improvements in traits of interest. However, improving quantitative traits, such as yield in maize (Zea mays L.), with transgenes has been difficult. Traditionally, transgene testing is done on a few isogenic lines, and results are extrapolated to entire breeding populations. Testing on limited germplasm does not provide a robust estimate

Continuous high ambient temperature in hot summer months leads to a sharp decline in turf quality of cool‐season turfgrass. Verticillium dahliae Aspf2‐like protein (VDAL) is a secretory protein of V. dahliae that can improve crop yield and resistance to disease, but its role in improving heat tolerance of cool‐season turfgrass has not been reported so far. The objectives of this study were to explore

A transgenic protein is frequently expressed as different homologous variants in genetically modified crops due to differential processing of targeting peptides or optimization of activity and specificity. The aim of this study was to develop a science-based approach for risk assessment of homologous protein variants using dicamba mono-oxygenase (DMO) as a case study. In this study, DMO expressed in

When water resources are limited, cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plants adapt in part through adjustments in carbon allocation strategies, often evident in the leaves within the canopy. The dynamics of leaf carbon accumulation provide insights into how the plant partitions and uses carbon resources, a key aspect of optimizing crop productivity. In this study, we investigated the dynamics of leaf carbon

Spring dead spot (SDS) (Ophiosphaerella spp.) is the most detrimental disease to warm‐season turfgrasses in areas with cold‐induced dormancy. Fungicide applications do not provide consistent SDS suppression. One reason for this inconsistency is the use of solely calendar‐based fungicide applications instead of considering both calendar date and soil temperature. A field study was conducted at three

Genome editing is a powerful tool for improving the agronomic traits of polyploid crops such as wheat (Triticum aestivum) by simultaneously generating mutations in multiple homoeologs. However, improvements in cultivars that are amenable to transformation (and thus genome editing) must be tested in region‐specific cultivars under field conditions. Grain dormancy helps ensure the appropriate timing

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is an important food source and a primary source of high‐quality protein. Polyploid breeding is an effective approach to improving the nutritional quality of crops. Several stable tetraploid rice lines with both high seed setting rates and high protein content have been bred. In the present study, the protein quality of two tetraploid rice lines GD2‐4x and GD4‐4x with high protein

There are three main components of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) seeds: protein, oil, and residual. The residual fraction includes soluble and insoluble carbohydrates, lignin, and minerals. Among soluble carbohydrates, the presence of raffinose family of oligosaccharides (RFOs) has poor nutritional value (i.e., raffinose and stachyose), and the inability of monogastric animals to digest them limits

Multiparent advanced generation intercross (MAGIC) populations are a new genetic resource for high‐resolution mapping of quantitative traits and as a source of new germplasm or improved cultivars for breeding due to the high level of recombination events in the population. Here, we have developed an eight‐founder MAGIC population for peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) (PeanutMAGIC). Eight diverse founders

Despite the breeding efforts by many institutions, maize (Zea mays L.) productivity in sub‐Saharan Africa is still low. A limited number of productive maize hybrids have been developed partly due to a lack of knowledge on the diversity and heterotic relationship of the germplasm, especially in public breeding programs. Understanding the extent of diversity, structure, and heterotic grouping of available

Iron sulfate applications reduce dollar spot severity on golf course turfgrass, but further optimizing the use of iron sulfate may increase efficacy and encourage more widespread adoption by golf course superintendents. Three iron sulfate rates (9, 18, 36 kg ha−1), two application intervals (7 and 14 days), three water volumes (306, 612, and 1223 L ha−1), and combinations with fertilizer and fungicide

The agricultural sector could benefit from biotechnologies in addressing challenges such as pests, droughts, and food supply issues. Genetically modified (GM) crops have been developed to offer not...

Breeders successfully increased US soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] yields over the past nearly 100 years and altered various plant characteristics underpinning the yield gains. However, the impact of breeding on plant‐level water‐use efficiency (WUEp) has not been examined yet. This study, conducted across eight environments using maturity group IV cultivars released between 1930 and 2005, aimed to

Warm‐season turfgrasses, including St. Augustinegrass [Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze], are produced and installed as monocultures of single cultivars. Recent research indicates that blending St. Augustinegrass cultivars can increase turfgrass stand resilience to insect pests, establishment of undesired plant species, and abiotic stressors without reducing plant performance. However, effects

Utilizing the full potential of rice collections mainly depends on an in‐depth exploration and understanding of the vast diversity in its germplasm. The AfricaRice genebank holds the largest collection of rice germplasm originating from the African continent. In the present study, we comprehensively characterized a collection of 9013 accessions, including Oryza barthii A. Chev., Oryza glaberrima Steud

The aim of this study was to compare genetic gain and rate of inbreeding for different mass selection breeding programs with the aim of increasing larval body weight (LBW) in black soldier flies. The breeding programs differed in: (1) sampling of individuals for phenotyping (either random over the whole population or a fixed number per full sib family), (2) selection of adult flies for breeding (based

Genotype by environment interactions (GxE) affect a range of production traits in beef cattle. Quantifying the effect of GxE in commercial and multi-breed herds is challenging due to unknown genetic linkage between animals across environment levels. The primary aim of this study was to use multi-trait models to investigate GxE for three heifer fertility traits, corpus luteum (CL) presence, first pregnancy

Sub-Saharan Africa’s agricultural sector faces a multifaceted challenge due to climate change consisting of high temperatures, changing precipitation trends, alongside intensified pest and disease ...

The multi‐floral oat (Avena sativa L.) inflorescence influences grain size and shape distributions, affecting the physical attributes of grain quality such as plumpness, size, and uniformity. While the grain size and shape distribution has been characterized as multi‐modal, very little is known about the genetic determinants of those distributions and their properties. The goal of this study was to

The plant‐based protein industry is rapidly growing and is projected to grow to over $27 billion by 2030. In addition to monetary benefits, plant‐based protein crops, particularly pulse crops (i.e., legume species with dry edible seed), can supplement the existing crop biodiversity and break the disease and insect pest cycle in drastically changing climatic conditions. Most commercially available plant‐based

Warm‐season turfgrasses, especially hybrid bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers × Cynodon transvaalensis Burtt‐Davy), continue to be widely used on golf course putting greens in tropical and subtropical climates globally and are also gaining popularity in the transition zone region of the United States. Hybrid bermudagrass produces a high‐quality putting green surface; however, it has relatively

Flooding stress is a growing threat to global soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production as the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitations are increasing due to climate change. Soybean is highly sensitive to flooding and substantial yield losses are observed due to a cascade of negative physiological responses induced by hypoxia. Hence, there is a pressing need for the development of flood‐tolerant

Russian wheat aphid (RWA, Diuraphis noxia Kurdjumov) is a highly invasive and destructive wheat pest evolving rapidly to overcome host resistance. Novel genes conferring resistance to multiple RWA biotypes are needed to sustain wheat production. The Iranian landrace PI 625139 is resistant to all five US RWA biotypes. To map the RWA resistance gene in PI 625139, both F2 and F2:3 populations were developed

Stability analysis plays a crucial role in plant breeding programs aimed at enhancing crop productivity and resilience. Chili yield stability studies based on the interaction of genotype × environment have been widely conducted, as stable yield is very substantial in the formation of sustainably high-yielding chili varieties. Multi-environmental trials, conducted across different seasons, locations

This study into the response of two Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam cultivars, Melinda and Tio Joe, to coinfection with sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus (SPCSV) and sweet potato pakakuy virus (SPPV), employed a comprehensive approach encompassing symptomatology, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, metagenomics, and transcriptomics. SPCSV is a quarantine virus with synergistic effects, which

Table beet (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) production is threatened by the fungal disease Cercospora leaf spot (CLS). Infections are common across table beet's closest relatives, including Swiss chard, sugar beet, and fodder beet (all B. v. subsp. vulgaris). This study was conducted to characterize the genetic architecture underlying CLS response in table beet. A secondary objective was to test whether

Beard and Green compiled one of the earliest reviews on the environmental and societal (cultural) benefits that living turfgrass systems (e.g., home lawns, athletic fields, golf courses, roadsides, and grounds) provide to humans and associated contemporary issues with turfgrass. Today, the benefits of vegetation systems are called ecosystem services, and the associated negative aspects are called disservices

Climate change, recurrent droughts, and increasing urban water demands have limited water availability in urban landscapes. Water quantity challenges have led to irrigation restrictions and turfgrass removal programs. An experiment was conducted at the University of Florida, West Florida Research and Education Center, Jay, FL, to evaluate the effect of turfgrass conversion to other landscape types

Brassica carinata A. Braun (carinata) has become an important oil crop for biofuel production in subtropical regions. Carinata is highly sensitive to acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides, limiting its introduction into existing crop rotations. The objective of the study was to develop carinata lines resistant to ALS-inhibiting herbicides. A susceptible carinata line was crossed with a

Brown rust (caused by Puccinia melanocephala H. & P. Sydow) is one of the most devastating diseases in commercial sugarcane production. It could reduce sugarcane yield by up to 50% depending on the susceptibility levels of cultivars. Breeding disease‐resistant cultivars is the most effective, economical, and environmentally friendly option to control brown rust. A genome‐wide association study was

Breeders made remarkable progress in improving productivity and stability of cultivars. Breeding progress relies on selecting favorable alleles for performance and stability to produce productive varieties across diverse environments. In this study, we analyzed the Genomes to Fields Initiative 2018–2019 genotype by environment interaction (G × E) dataset, focusing on three populations of double haploid

Field surveys were conducted on golf courses reporting the inability of imidacloprid to control white grubs (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) when applied preventively. Surveys of five sites with significant past imidacloprid use (>10 years) revealed significantly greater white grub populations in rough‐mown turf following imidacloprid treatment than that of adjacent short‐mown fairways. Additionally, spatial

Vegetation indices have become an indispensable tool in remote sensing‐based agricultural research. A recent area of advancement in agricultural remote sensing research is in high‐throughput phenotyping, often conducted on a plot by plot basis. FIELDimageR is a tool used extensively in high‐throughput phenotyping that estimates zonal statistics of vegetation indices per plot. However, being written

In genomic selection (GS), the prediction accuracy is heavily influenced by the composition of the training set (TS). Currently, two primary strategies for building TS are used: one involves accumulating historical phenotypic records from multiple years, while the other is the “test-and-shelf” approach. Additionally, studies have suggested that optimizing TS composition using genetic algorithms can

Turfgrass seeds are often sold as mixtures of several species to increase the probability of positive responses toward abiotic and biotic stresses, a response to drought being one of these. Several species of turfgrass are already thought to be better suited for drought, such as hard fescue (Festuca brevipila Tracey) and tall fescue [Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort]. However, little is known

Turfgrass systems are some of the most ubiquitous forms of perennial agricultural systems. People interact with them on a daily basis, and they provide a wide variety of social and environmental benefits. Over the past two decades, turfgrass systems have been increasingly seen as coupled human‐natural systems, which has prompted new avenues of research across multiple areas from breeding to management

Turfgrasses are those grasses that tolerate frequent mowing. The act of mowing turfgrasses, primarily lawn mowing, has received much negative attention primarily due to its labor requirement and the resulting mower emissions. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the benefits and drawbacks of mowing grasses, specifically turfgrasses used on lawns, parks, golf courses, and sports fields, using

Spray deposition patterns from agricultural sprayers are traditionally sampled discretely along a field transect accounting for 0.5% or less of the treated area. Such methods may not fully capture the dimensional variability inherent in large‐scale, multiple‐pass spray applications, especially evident from an agricultural spray drone (ASD). This study investigated the utilization of UV‐fluorescent

Combining large multi‐environment trial (MET) datasets to decide which genotypes to move forward in the breeding process can be challenging, especially when dealing with negatively correlated traits. The use of a selection index has long been identified as an effective strategy in these situations. However, the method has found limited application in turfgrass breeding. The objective of this study

As a gluten-free cereal with high nutritional properties, pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] has been increasingly regarded as an alternative dryland resilient food crop with enriched grain nutritional value. This paper explores the potential of single-kernel near-infrared (SKNIR) spectroscopy combined with multivariate analysis for rapid and non-destructive evaluation of protein, moisture

Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a popular bread wheat with high milling and baking requirements. Vernalization is not required for spring wheat, which allows for fast growth under manipulated conditions. This experiment's objective was rapid development of inbred lines of hard red spring wheat throughout the off-season and preserve enough genetic variability to perform selection. A total of

Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) is an important forage seed crop, but unlike other cool-season grasses, seed yields have not increased over time. Seed yield increases in orchardgrass may be possible with plant growth regulators (PGRs) such as trinexapac-ethyl (TE) and chlormequat chloride (CCC). Field trials were conducted at Hyslop Experimental Farm near Corvallis, Oregon, over three crop years

Strong creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra L. spp. rubra Gaudin) is a cool-season perennial turfgrass widely used in temperate and subalpine regions around the globe. Although creeping red fescue turf is tolerant of shade, low fertility acidic soils, and drought conditions, creeping red fescue seed crops grown in optimal growing environments can lodge, ultimately reducing yield in regions where this

Several experimental tools allow researchers to manipulate environmental variables to simulate future climate change scenarios during in situ seed ecology studies. The most common ones are designed to modify a single environmental variable. For example, open-top chambers (OTCs) increase temperature or rain-out shelters decrease precipitation. However, changes in environmental variables in the future

Modern domestication efforts have occurred in a wide range of species. These efforts have led to different levels of change from the initial wild populations and market success. In this study, we explore different breeding cycle parameters to understand the rate of change in different potential starting points of neo‐domestication breeding programs. The design of a program that will bring a new crop

Biofortified cassava (Manihot esculenta) plays a crucial role in enhancing the nutritional value of this essential staple, particularly in regions with limited dietary diversity and prevalent nutritional deficiencies. The cassava program at the International Center of Tropical Agriculture has dedicated over a decade to increase β-carotene content in biofortified cassava, simultaneously focusing on

Annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) and creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) commonly coexist in turfgrass ecosystems but differ in drought tolerance, contributing to uneven turf quality. This study was conducted to examine the physiological and metabolic responses of P. annua and A. stolonifera to drought stress and rewatering and identify major metabolites associated with the interspecific variation

CPSF30, a key polyadenylation factor, also serves as an m6A reader, playing a crucial role in determining RNA fate post-transcription. While its homologs mammals are known to be vital for viral rep...

The Dohne Merino sheep was introduced to Australia from South Africa in the 1990s. It was primarily used in crosses with the Merino breed sheep to improve on attributes such as reproduction and carcass composition. Since then, this breed has continued to expand in Australia but the number of genotyped and phenotyped purebred individuals remains low, calling into question the accuracy of genomic selection

Insect-based food and feed are increasingly attracting attention. As a domesticated insect, the silkworm (Bombyx mori) has a highly nutritious pupa that can be easily raised in large quantities through large-scale farming, making it a highly promising source of food. The ratio of pupa to cocoon (RPC) refers to the proportion of the weight of the cocoon that is attributed to pupae, and is of significant

Abiotic constraints, such as drought and heat driven by climate change, negatively impact the production of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), an essential grain legume worldwide. The ability to tolerate drought and heat stress in common bean can be improved by introducing genetic variation from related species, such as tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray), which has recently gained attention