Physiological and biochemical changes in wheat during cold acclimation and vernalisation are pivotal for winter survival. We examined methyl-jasmonate (MeJA) and cold treatment effects on miRNA regulation and target genes in Baz spring wheat and Norstar winter wheat. MeJA’s impact on vernalisation and acclimation varied between cultivars, with Norstar experiencing decreased traits and Baz showing minimal effects. Results underscored the intricate interplay between genotypes, miRNAs and target genes under different vernalisation treatments, elucidating the response of wheat to MeJA and cold treatments.

NF-Y is a key transcription factor found in plants, animals, and fungi, with higher plants having more NF-Y subunits. It consists of three parts (NF-YA, NF-YB, and NF-YC) that work together to regulate gene activity by binding to DNA or interacting with other proteins. NF-Y plays a vital role in plant growth and development. Understanding its structure and function can help improve crops and support sustainable agriculture.

This article belongs to the collection: Functional Genomics for Developing Climate Resilient Crops-Volume II.

Leaf senescence and plant growth are crucial for crop health and yield. This study shows that the NtDHS–NteIF5A complex in Nicotiana tabacum regulates these processes by controlling the translation of genes involved in chlorophyll metabolism and cell growth. The discovery of this translational regulation provides new insights into plant biology, offering potential strategies for improving crop performance by manipulating the balance between growth and aging in plants.

Our study determined that druse synthesis in a xerophytic plant species constitutes an adaptation to drought, not to herbivory. Under drought stress conditions, higher druse abundance correlated with increased growth rates. In contrast, the presence of herbivory did not induce druse synthesis, and its presence influenced the response to drought stress. Our findings highlight the role of druses in the adaptive response to drought and reveal how interactions with other common stressors, such as herbivory, can modify this response.

Semi-arid regions have abundant light and heat, concentrating agricultural activities. However, high temperatures and drought conditions pose significant constraints on crop productivity. Our study found that an optimal Se application enhanced the acquisition traits in eggplants, thereby maximising photosynthetic gains and achieving a ‘high input – rapid return’ model in terms of leaf construction costs and photosynthetic efficiency. Our findings suggest that Se application can serve as a crucial strategy to enhance crop productivity in semi-arid environments.

Although the rise in temperature has been intensively studied, the associated effect of air humidity and vapour pressure deficit (VPD) on trees must be clarified. We investigated the impact of these factors on Norway spruce (Picea abies) saplings and discovered that the higher temperature alone does not affect trees, while the interaction with VPD rise improved tree functioning. These findings suggest that aside from temperature, the impact of air humidity should be considered by predicting trees’ response to global warming.

The existence of C₃- and C₄-types of photosynthesis enables plant to better adapt to different environment conditions including diverse temperature regimes. The current study revealed differences between C₃-plant barley and C₄-plant maize in mechanisms limiting activity of photosystems I and II. These results increased the biophysical component that is underrepresented in the general understanding of distinctions between C₃- and C₄-types of photosynthesis.

We applied a systems biology approach to gain a deep insight into the regulatory mechanisms of barley (Hordeum vulgare) under drought and waterlogging stress conditions. The identified gene modules, enriched pathways, and regulatory networks provide valuable insights into the complex molecular responses of barley to drought and waterlogging stresses. This comprehensive analysis significantly contributes to our understanding of the genetic and regulatory mechanisms underlying stress responses in barley.

Drying wheat (Triticum durum) seeds attached to their spikes improved seed germination (desiccation tolerance), mean germination time, and seedling length at the milk stage of seed development compared with seed dried detached from spikes. The improvement of seed germination of spiked-dried seeds was associated with high accumulation of GABA metabolites, lower MDA content, higher expression of dehydrin genes (dhn, wcor, and dreb).

Fluoride pollution is gradually becoming an environmental concern around the globe. Previous studies have shown the toxic effects of fluoride on rice (Oryza sativa) growth. Our study derived a roadmap for the cultivation of two indica rice varieties (Khitish, which is more resistant to long-term fluoride stress, and MTU1010, which is more susceptible to fluoride stress) in fluoride-marginalized lands. The different response to fluoride stress between the two varieties may be explained by differential reprogramming of protective metabolites and sulfur assimilation.

This article belongs to the Collection Functional Genomics for Developing Climate Resilient Crops.

Rice (Oryza sativa) is an important food crop globally. With a constant need to enhance rice traits in a changing climate, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated Protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) offers cutting-edge and precise genome-editing tool to modify rice genome to provide resilience to abiotic and biotic stresses. This review focuses on the application of CRISPR/Cas9 in rice breeding to create rice varieties that have enhanced tolerance to stresses, herbicide resistance, and higher productivity.

This article belongs to the Collection Functional Genomics for Developing Climate Resilient Crops.

We investigated the effects of various synthetic compounds on wheat (Triticum aestivum) cvs GW-11 and GW-496 under terminal heat stress. Compounds like salicylic acid (100 ppm) and putrescine (4 mM) significantly improved physiological traits, including canopy temperature depression and chlorophyll content. Notably, salicylic acid application led to a 19.5-% increase in grain yield, attributed to enhanced grains per spike and 1000-grain weight. The findings suggest that foliar application of these compounds can effectively mitigate heat stress and enhance wheat productivity.

Variable adaptability to complete submergence was observed among Lotus and Trifolium species, while Melilotus albus and Trifolium michelianum did not survive. Lotus species demonstrated superior recovery growth from submergence compared to Trifolium species, particularly Lotus tenuis, making it suitable for flood-prone areas. The better performance of Lotus species after submergence was due to their ability to maintain higher stomatal conductance, increased chlorophyll concentration in young leaves, and quicker recovery of PSII efficiency.