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Functional Plant Biology Functional Plant Biology Society
Plant function and evolutionary biology
Functional Plant Biology

Functional Plant Biology

Volume 51 Number 5 2024

FP23267No-tillage enhances soil water storage, grain yield and water use efficiency in dryland wheat (Triticum aestivum) and maize (Zea mays) cropping systems: a global meta-analysis

Muhammad Adil 0000-0003-2915-8461, Siqi Lu, Zijie Yao, Cheng Zhang, Heli Lu, Safdar Bashir, Mansoor Maitah, Isma Gul, Sehar Razzaq and Lin Qiu

Agricultural productivity has been affected by climate change. This study investigated the effects of conventional and conservation tillage methods on wheat (Triticum aestivum) and maize (Zea mays) physiology. Our findings suggest that conservation tillage is a promising practice to increase precipitation water storage, soil water conservation and crop yield in the regions with medium to low mean annual precipitation and medium to high mean annual temperature.

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

FP24036Recent advances in genome editing strategies for balancing growth and defence in sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum)

Maira Tanveer 0009-0007-6340-3332, Zain Ul Abidin, Hussam F. Najeeb Alawadi, Ahmad Naeem Shahzad, Athar Mahmood 0000-0003-4473-1668, Bilal Ahmad Khan, Sameer Qari and Hesham Farouk Oraby 0000-0003-4675-3297

Various approaches are employed to enhance yield of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) and resilience in harsh climates. Among these, CRISPR/Cas is one of the most promising and rapidly advancing fields. With the help of these techniques, several crops like rice (Oryza sativa), maize (Zea mays) and sugarcane have been improved to be resistant against harsh conditions.

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

FP23315The genetic control of herkogamy

Jacques-Joseph Boucher, Hilary S. Ireland, Ruiling Wang, Karine M. David and Robert J. Schaffer 0000-0003-1272-667X

Plants go to extreme lengths to promote outcrossing by creating pollen that cannot fertilise itself (self-incompatibility), spatially separating the male and female organs (herkogamy), and even having male-only and female-only plants (dioecy). In this review, we describe how herkogamy is achieved by changing the floral structure of the flower and cover the known genetic and molecular control of these changes. This will lay the foundations for future work in this area.

FP23310Genome-wide association studies identifies genetic loci related to fatty acid and branched-chain amino acid metabolism and histone modifications under varying nitrogen treatments in safflower (Carthamus tinctorius)

Fawad Ali, Mian A. R. Arif, Arif Ali, Muhammad A. Nadeem, Emre Aksoy, Allah Bakhsh, Shahid U. Khan, Cemal Kurt, Dilek Tekdal, Muhammad K. Ilyas 0000-0001-9487-7302, Amjad Hameed, Yong S. Chung and Faheem S. Baloch 0000-0002-7470-0080

Optimising nitrogen intake in agricultural plants is essential to boost crop production without compromising the environment and natural resources. This is the first genome-wide association studies (GWAS) report to uncover the genetic loci under varying nitrogen treatments in under-utilised industrial crop safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) and the identified loci were found related to fatty acid and branched-chain amino acid metabolism and histone modifications. The identified markers and eight best-performing genotypes will be beneficial in future safflower nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) breeding.

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

FP23295Genomic blueprints of soybean (Glycine max) pathogen resistance: revealing the key genes for sustainable agriculture

Aiman Hina 0000-0003-1656-2780, Muhammad Khuram Razzaq 0000-0002-1916-4596, Asim Abbasi 0000-0003-2731-0490, Muhamad Basit Shehzad, Muhammad Arshad, Tayyaba Sanaullah, Kamran Arshad, Ghulam Raza 0000-0001-9003-0374, Hayssam M. Ali, Faisal Hayat, Naeem Akhtar and Nader R. Abdelsalam

Soybean (Glycine max) is an important oil, protein and biodiesel crop, but various diseases cause economic losses and putting global nutritional stability at risk. It’s crucial for scientists to work together to study soybean genes and how they respond to diseases and stress. This will help us meet the growing food demand and adapt to environmental changes, ensuring a strong future for agriculture.

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

Glyphosate inhibits the growth of the microalgae Thalassiosira weissflogii by reducing the efficiency of the photosynthetic apparatus, and provoking depolarisation of mitochondrial membranes and oxidative stress in algae cells. Glyphosate remains toxic in water for at least 9 days, and can lead to a change in the species structure of natural biocoenoses.

FP23091Blue light regulated lignin and cellulose content of soybean petioles and stems under low light intensity

Wei He 0000-0002-0226-8663, Qiang Chai, Cai Zhao, Aizhong Yu, Zhilong Fan, Wen Yin, Falong Hu, Hong Fan, Yali Sun and Feng Wang

Increasing plant density is an important way to improve soybean yields, but risks increased lodging. Light plays a crucial role in regulating structural polymers that provide mechanical support to plants. Under a low light intensity, blue light regulated lignin and cellulose content of soybean petioles and stems. Under low light intensity, 20% blue light enhanced petiole length and lignin content; whereas 50% blue light increased cellulose content in stems and lowered plants’ centre of gravity, preventing lodging and saving carbohydrate allocation.

FP24032Small ubiquitin-like modifiers E3 ligases in plant stress

Shantwana Ghimire 0000-0002-2723-7652, Md Mahadi Hasan and Xiang-Wen Fang 0000-0003-2227-2800

Plants respond to stresses like salt, drought, cold, heat, heavy metals and pathogens by modifying certain proteins using small ubiquitin-like modifiers. This process is facilitated by a class of compounds known as E3 ligases. We provide a comprehensive overview of E3 ligases and their substrates associated with biotic and abiotic stresses, elucidating the diverse and complex mechanisms by which this pathway facilitates plant survival under stress conditions. These essential insights are crucial for comprehending plant molecular reactions to such stresses.

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

Modulating photochemistry renders significant competitive physiological advantage. PSII photochemistry enhances the performance index of energy conservation (PIABS). Enhanced pigment contents and stoichiometry upregulate energy fluxes and yields.

Cold tolerance in crop plants is an important topic, and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) play important roles in plant stress response. However, the regulatory function of TaMPK3 in freezing tolerance in wheat (Triticum aestivum) remains unknown. This study initially revealed the role of TaMPK3 in freezing tolerance, and broadened our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying MAPs regulation of plant cold tolerance.

We investigated the effects of lead (Pb) on the oxidative reactions and antioxidative responses of Scrophularia striata (a member of the Scrophulariaceae family) under hydroponic culture. Our results indicated that S. striata activates the enzymatic and the non-enzymatic defence system under Pb stress.

FP24034Understanding the role of the fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase gene for enhancing the photosynthetic rate in Arabidopsis thaliana

Fatima Gulzar, Raza Ahmad, Suk-Yoon Kwan, Zulqurnain Khan, Sulaiman Ali Alharbi, Mohmmad Maroof Shah, Shoaib ur Rehman, Maria Siddique, Mohammad Javed Ansari, Irum Shahzadi, Muhammad Abu Bakar Saddique 0000-0001-8107-0833, Muhmmad Zahid Ishaq and Ummara Waheed 0000-0001-5518-6736

Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana (ecotype Columbia) were successfully transformed with the gene that encodes for the enzyme fructose-1,6 -bisphosphatase. Transgenic plants were taller, had more leaves and more chlorophyll, used water more efficiently and allowed gases to pass more easily through the leaf pores. These changes all resulted in enhanced photosynthetic rate compared to wild type plants.

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

FP23249Identification and analysis of MATE protein family in Gleditsia sinensis

Zisiye Mu, Zhun Liang, Jing Yang, Shixiang Wei, Yang Zhao and Heying Zhou 0009-0005-3388-3326

Multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) is a new secondary transporter family that plays a key role in secondary metabolite transport. This article aims to identify the MATE protein family in Gleditsia sinensis and to reveal the possible functions of this gene family, as well as the different expression of the MATE protein family in different tissues of Gleditsia sinensis. It lays the groundwork for further functional characterisation of this significant family of transporters in Gleditsia sinensis.

Autumn senescence does not often proceed uniformly. Notably, green pigments (chlorophylls) disappear and red pigments (anthocyanins) appear unevenly along leaf blades of senescing leaves of deciduous trees. We show that only green parts of senescing leaves show efficient recovery from photodamage and that red parts contain high amounts of antioxidants and thus, produce little harmful reactive oxygen species (singlet oxygen). To fully understand tree physiology, the heterogenous nature of (autumn) senescence should be considered.

FP24011Shrub leaf area and leaf vein trait trade-offs in response to the light environment in a vegetation transitional zone

Dingyue Liu, Chengzhang Zhao 0000-0002-8610-6599, Geyang Li, Zhini Chen, Suhong Wang, Chenglu Huang and Peixian Zhang

The leaf is an important site for energy acquisition and material transformation in plants. Leaf functional traits and their trade-off mechanisms reflect the resource utilisation efficiency and habitat adaptation strategies. We studied the trade-off relationships of leaf area with leaf midvein diameter and leaf vein density in Cotoneaster multiflorus. The results show the adaptability of C. multiflorus to environments with high light and low soil water content, which explains the expansion in the shrub’s geographic distribution.

Committee on Publication Ethics

Call for Papers

We are seeking contributions for the following Special Issues. More

Australian Society of Plant Scientists

Official Journal of the Australian Society of Plant Scientists (asps.org.au).

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Best Paper Award

Phan Thi Thanh Hoai has been awarded the ASPS-FPB Best Paper Award for 2023.

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