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Summary: Triacylglycerols (TAG), accumulate within lipid droplets (LD), predominantly surrounded by OLEOSINs (OLE), that protect TAG from hydrolysis. We tested the hypothesis that identifying and removing degradation signals from OLE would promote its abundance, preventing TAG degradation and enhancing TAG accumulation.We tested whether mutating potential ubiquitin‐conjugation sites in a previously reported improved Sesamum indicum OLE (SiO) variant, o3‐3 Cys‐OLE (SiCO herein), would stabilize it and increase its lipogenic potential. SiCOv1 was created by replacing all five lysines in SiCO with arginines. Separately, six cysteine residues within SiCO were deleted to create SiCOv2. SiCOv1 and SiCOv2 mutations were combined to create SiCOv3.Transient expression of SiCOv3 in Nicotiana benthamiana increased TAG by two‐fold relative to SiCO. Constitutive expression of SiCOv3 or SiCOv5, containing the five predominant TAG‐increasing mutations from SiCOv3, in Arabidopsis along with mouse DGAT2 (mD) increased TAG accumulation by 54% in leaves and 13% in seeds compared with control lines coexpressing SiCO and mD.Lipid synthesis rates increased, consistent with an increase in lipid sink strength that sequesters newly synthesized TAG, thereby relieving the constitutive BADC‐dependent inhibition of ACCase reported for WT Arabidopsis. These OLE variants represent novel factors for potentially increasing TAG accumulation in a variety of oil crops. See also the Commentary on this article by Sadre, 243: 7–9. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Prunus sibirica seeds with rich oils has great utilization, but contain amygdalin that can be hydrolyzed to release toxic HCN. Thus, how to effectively reduce seed amygdalin content of P. sibirica is an interesting question. Mandelonitrile is known as one key intermediate of amygdalin metabolism, but which mandelonitrile lyase (MDL) family member essential for its dissociation destined to low amygdalin accumulation in P. sibirica seeds still remains enigmatic. An integration of our recent 454 RNA-seq data, amygdalin and mandelonitrile content detection, qRT-PCR analysis and function determination is described as a critical attempt to determine key MDL and to highlight its function in governing mandelonitrile catabolism with low amygdalin accumulation in Prunus sibirica seeds for better developing edible oil and biodiesel in China. Results: To identify key MDL and to unravel its function in governing seed mandelonitrile catabolism with low amygdalin accumulation in P. sibirica. Global identification of mandelonitrile catabolism-associated MDLs, integrated with the across-accessions/developing stages association of accumulative amount of amygdalin and mandelonitrile with transcriptional level of MDLs was performed on P. sibirica seeds of 5 accessions to determine crucial MDL2 for seed mandelonitrile catabolism of P. sibirica. MDL2 gene was cloned from the seeds of P. sibirica, and yeast eukaryotic expression revealed an ability of MDL2 to specifically catalyze the dissociation of mandelonitrile with the ideal values of Km (0.22 mM) and Vmax (178.57 U/mg). A combination of overexpression and mutation was conducted in Arabidopsis. Overexpression of PsMDL2 decreased seed mandelonitrile content with an increase of oil accumulation, upregulated transcript of mandelonitrile metabolic enzymes and oil synthesis enzymes (involving FA biosynthesis and TAG assembly), but exhibited an opposite situation in mdl2 mutant, revealing a role of PsMDL2-mediated regulation in seed amygdalin and oil biosynthesis. The PsMDL2 gene has shown as key molecular target for bioengineering high seed oil production with low amygdalin in oilseed plants. Conclusions: This work presents the first integrated assay of genome-wide identification of mandelonitrile catabolism-related MDLs and the comparative association of transcriptional level of MDLs with accumulative amount of amygdalin and mandelonitrile in the seeds across different germplasms and developmental periods of P. sibirica to determine MDL2 for mandelonitrile dissociation, and an effective combination of PsMDL2 expression and mutation, oil and mandelonitrile content detection and qRT-PCR assay was performed to unravel a mechanism of PsMDL2 for controlling amygdalin and oil production in P. sibirica seeds. These findings could offer new bioengineering strategy for high oil production with low amygdalin in oil plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TGA transcription factors belong to Group D of the bZIP transcription factors family and play vital roles in the stress response of plants. Brassica napus is an oil crop with rich economic value. However, a systematic analysis of TGA gene family members in B. napus has not yet been reported. In this study, we identified 39 full-length TGA genes in B. napus, renamed TGA1~TGA39. Thirty-nine BnTGA genes were distributed on 18 chromosomes, mainly located in the nucleus, and differences were observed in their 3D structures. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 39 BnTGA genes could be divided into five groups. The BnTGA genes in the same group had similar structure and motif compositions, and all the BnTGA genes had the same conserved bZIP and DOG1 domains. Phylogenetic and synteny analysis showed that the BnTGA genes had a close genetic relationship with the TGA genes of the Brassica juncea, and BnTGA11 and BnTGA29 may play an important role in evolution. In addition, qRT-PCR revealed that three genes (BnTGA14/17/23) showed significant changes in eight experimental materials after drought treatment. Meanwhile, it can be inferred from the results of drought treatment on different varieties of rapeseed that the stress tolerance of parental rapeseed can be transmitted to the offspring through hybridization. In short, these findings have promoted the understanding of the B. napus TGA gene family and will contribute to future research aimed at B. napus resistant breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.) is extensively cultivated in China due to its root being used as a traditional Chinese medicine known as 'Radix Paeoniae Alba'. In recent years, it has been discovered that its seeds incorporate abundant unsaturated fatty acids, thereby presenting a potential new oilseed plant. Surprisingly, little is known about the full-length transcriptome sequencing of Paeonia lactiflora, limiting research into its gene function and molecular mechanisms. Results: A total of 484,931 Reads of Inserts (ROI) sequences and 1,455,771 full-Length non-chimeric reads (FLNC) sequences were obtained for CDS prediction, TF analysis, SSR analysis and lncRNA identification. In addition, gene function annotation and gene structure analysis were performed. A total of 4905 transcripts were related to lipid metabolism biosynthesis pathway, belonging to 28 enzymes. We use these data to identify 10 oleosin (OLE) and 5 diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) gene members after de-redundancy. The analysis of physicochemical properties and secondary structure showed them similarity in gene family respectively. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the distribution of OLE and DGAT family members was roughly the same as that of Arabidopsis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT–PCR) analyses revealed expression changes in different seed development stages, and showed a trend of increasing and then decreasing. Conclusion: In summary, these results provide new insights into the molecular mechanism of triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthesis and storage during the seedling stage in Paeonia lactiflora. It provides theoretical references for selecting and breeding oil varieties and understanding the functions of oil storage as well as lipid synthesis related genes in Paeonia lactiflora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) can be grown both as an oil crop and as a fiber crop, and this offers new opportunities when included in the framework of a whole-crop biorefinery, a system in which a range of products are made from portions of grain and straw and in which both of these should be satisfactorily produced. In the present experiment, the effect of flax genotypes (7 varieties), cultivation sites (two locations) and seasons (two years) were tested with a standard randomized complete block design, in search of a compromise for the production performance for both grain and straw, with the aim of reintroducing flax back into the northern Italian environment. Overall, grain yield reaches an average value of about 1.4 t ha−1 (dw), while straw yield reaches 2.77 t ha−1 (dw). The former is strictly dependent on the environmental effects of the growing site and season, while the effect of genotype was not significant. The straw yield also depends on the second-order interaction of the factors analyzed, although the performance of three varieties, Festival, Solal and Linoal, was noteworthy and seemed to respond well in both environments. Overall, it was found that flax can be conveniently grown for both grain and straw production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sunflower is one of the four major oil crops in the world. 'Zaoaidatou' (ZADT), the main variety of oil sunflower in the northwest of China, has a short growth cycle, high yield, and high resistance to abiotic stress. However, the ability to tolerate adervesity is limited. Therefore, in this study, we used the retention line of backbone parent ZADT as material to establish its tissue culture and genetic transformation system for new variety cultivating to enhance resistance and yields by molecular breeding. The combination of 0.05 mg/L IAA and 2 mg/L KT in MS was more suitable for direct induction of adventitious buds with cotyledon nodes and the addition of 0.9 mg/L IBA to MS was for adventitious rooting. On this basis, an efficient Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated genetic transformation system for ZADT was developed by the screening of kanamycin and optimization of transformation conditions. The rate of positive seedlings reached 8.0%, as determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), under the condition of 45 mg/L kanamycin, bacterial density of OD600 0.8, infection time of 30 min, and co-cultivation of three days. These efficient regeneration and genetic transformation platforms are very useful for accelerating the molecular breeding process on sunflower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rape (Brassica napus L.; AACC) is an important oil‐bearing crop worldwide. Temperature significantly affects the production of oil crops; however, the mechanisms underlying temperature‐promoted oil biosynthesis remain largely unknown. In this study, we found that a temperature‐sensitive cultivar (O) could accumulate higher seed oil content under low nighttime temperatures (LNT,13°C) compared with a temperature‐insensitive cultivar (S). We performed an in‐depth transcriptome analysis of seeds from both cultivars grown under different nighttime temperatures. We found that low nighttime temperatures induced significant changes in the transcription patterns in the seeds of both cultivars. In contrast, the expression of genes associated with fatty acid and lipid pathways was higher in the O cultivar than in the S cultivar under low nighttime temperatures. Among these genes, we identified 14 genes associated with oil production, especially BnLPP and ACAA1, which were remarkably upregulated in the O cultivar in response to low nighttime temperatures compared to S. Further, a WGCNA analysis and qRT‐PCR verification revealed that these genes were mainly regulated by five transcription factors, WRKY20, MYB86, bHLH144, bHLH95, and NAC12, whose expression was also increased in O compared to S under LNT. These results allowed the elucidation of the probable molecular mechanism of oil accumulation under LNT conditions in the O cultivar. Subsequent biochemical assays verified that BnMYB86 transcriptionally activated BnLPP expression, contributing to oil accumulation. Meanwhile, at LNT, the expression levels of these genes in the O plants were higher than at high nighttime temperatures, DEGs (SUT, PGK, PK, GPDH, ACCase, SAD, KAS II, LACS, FAD2, FAD3, KCS, KAR, ECR, GPAT, LPAAT, PAP, DGAT, STERO) related to lipid biosynthesis were also upregulated, most of which are used in oil accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extremely important oil crop in the world, Helianthus annuus L. is one of the world's most significant members of the Asteraceae family. The rate and extent of seed germination and agronomic features are consistently affecting by temperature (T) and changes in water potential (ψ). A broad hydrothermal time model with T and ψ components could explain sunflower responses over suboptimal T and ψ. A lab experiment was performed using the HTT model to discover both T and ψ and their interactive effects on sunflower germination and also to figure out the cardinal Ts values. The sunflower seeds were germinated at temperatures (15 °C, 20 °C, 25 °C and 30 °C); each Ts had five constant ψs of 0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, and 1.2 MPa via PEG 6000 as osmotic stress inducer. The results revealed that highest germination index was found in seed grown at 20 °C in distilled water (0 MPa) and the lowest at 30 °C with osmotic stress of (− 1.2 MPa). The highest value of germination rate index was found in seed grown at 20 °C in distilled water (0 MPa) and the lowest at 15 °C with an osmotic stress of (− 1.2 MPa). In conclusion, water potential, temperature, and their interactions have a considerable impact on seed germination rate, and other metrics (GI, SVI-I, GRI, GE, SVI-II, and MGT). Seeds sown at 20 °C with zero water potential showed high germination metrics such as GE, GP, GRI, and T50%. The maximum value to TTsub noted at 30 °C in − 0.9 MPa osmotic stress and the minimum value was calculated at 15 °C in − 1.2 MPa osmotic stress. The result of TTsupra recorded highest at 15 °C in controlled group (0 MPa). Moreover, θH was highest at 30 °C in controlled condition (0 MPa) and minimum value was observed at 20 °C under − 1.2 MPa osmotic stress. The value of θHTT were maximum at 30 °C in controlled group (0 MPa) and minimum value was recorded at 15 °C under − 1.2 MPa osmotic potential. The base, optimum and ceiling temperatures for sunflower germination metrics in this experiment were noted 6.8, 20 and 30 °C respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Acyl‐acyl carrier protein (ACP) thioesterases (FAT) hydrolyze acyl‐ACP complexes to release FA in plastids, which ultimately affects FA biosynthesis and profiles. Soybean GmFATA1 and GmFATA2 are homoeologous genes encoding oleoyl‐ACP thioesterases whose role in seed oil accumulation and plant growth has not been defined. Using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing mutation of Gmfata1 or 2 led to reduced leaf FA content and growth defect at the early seedling stage. In contrast, no homozygous double mutants were obtained. Combined this indicates that GmFATA1 and GmFATA2 display overlapping, but not complete functional redundancy. Combined transcriptomic and lipidomic analysis revealed a large number of genes involved in FA synthesis and FA chain elongation are expressed at reduced level in the Gmfata1 mutant, accompanied by a lower triacylglycerol abundance at the early seedling stage. Further analysis showed that the Gmfata1 or 2 mutants had increased composition of the beneficial FA, oleic acid. The growth defect of Gmfata1 could be at least partially attributed to reduced acetyl‐CoA carboxylase activity, reduced abundance of five unsaturated monogalactosyldiacylglycerol lipids, and altered chloroplast morphology. On the other hand, overexpression of GmFATA in soybean led to significant increases in leaf FA content by 5.7%, vegetative growth, and seed yield by 26.9%, and seed FA content by 23.2%. Thus, overexpression of GmFATA is an effective strategy to enhance soybean oil content and yield. Significance Statement: Our results demonstrated that the positive roles of GmFATA1 and GmFATA2 on soybean growth, seed oil accumulation. We propose that overexpression of GmFATA could be an engineering strategy to enhance soybean oil content and yield. In addition, the Gmfata1/2 mutants with increased content of benefit oil oleic acid could be used as germplasm sources in breeding of soybean oil quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presented manuscript deals with the issues of genesis and evolution of soil structure and crop plants in the Lower Amu Darya Region. The pertinent investigation also elaborates on wild plant characteristics in the desert zone and details of cultivated plants grown in the Lower Amu Darya region. The paper also discusses soil-forming processes and the structure of soils, which is the external appearance involved in specific changes from the vertical direction of its layers. Horizons always differ in color, structure, composition, and other morphological features. The article also describes the mechanical composition of the soils of these regions, including the formation of plants grown on highly saline soils, the morphology and characteristics of these plants, and the effective use of arable land to ensure food security in the country. Likewise, the most urgent problems today are increasing soil productivity and its protection and raising economic efficiency to obtain high-quality and ecologically clean products from every agricultural crop. The soils distributed in the lower Amudarya regions, including Karakalpakstan and Khorezm regions, are more or less saline. For the soils' future effective use, salt-resistant and phytomeliorative crops, especially alfalfa, white corn, beets, melons, watermelons, and pumpkins, and oil crops, such as sesame, will give a high and highquality harvest. As a result of the sand and dust-salty mixture rising from the dry bottom of the Aral Sea under the influence of the wind in the spring months, crops are drying up. Therefore, to prevent this, it is most practical and scientifically imperative to carry out phytomeliorative work in these areas to establish saxovull farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is an important, substantial global oil crop with robust resilience to drought and salt stresses. The TGA (TGACG motif-binding factor) transcription factors, belonging to the basic region leucine zipper (bZIP) family, have been implicated in orchestrating multiple biological processes. Despite their functional significance, a comprehensive investigation of the TGA family's abiotic stress tolerance in sunflowers remains elusive. In the present study, we identified 14 TGA proteins in the sunflower genome, which were unequally distributed across 17 chromosomes. Employing phylogenetic analysis encompassing 149 TGA members among 13 distinct species, we revealed the evolutionary conservation of TGA proteins across the plant kingdom. Collinearity analysis suggested that both HaTGA01 and HaTGA03 were generated due to HaTGA08 gene duplication. Notably, qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated that HaTGA04, HaTGA05, and HaTGA14 genes were remarkably upregulated under ABA, MeJA, and salt treatments, whereas HaTGA03, HaTGA06, and HaTGA07 were significantly repressed. This study contributes valuable perspectives on the potential roles of the HaTGA gene family under various stress conditions in sunflowers, thereby enhancing our understanding of TGA gene family dynamics and function within this agriculturally significant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Soybean is important oil seed crop. Poor seed germination is a major constraint for increasing the productivity of soybean. Seed quality enhancement will enhance the germination. Treating the seeds with chemicals may cause harmful effects to ecosystems and also to human beings. Using botanicals for seed treatment is safe. The present study was taken with a view to assess the seed quality of soybean by using different botanicals treatments (ball milled and commercial grade) along with shaking and without shaking. Methods: Experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of seed treatment with different ball milled botanicals and commercial grade along with shaking (60 min) and without shaking of soybean seeds on quality attributes. Botanical powders of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) seed, leafs of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), tea (Camellia sinensis) and noni (Morinda citrifolia) were ball milled for 1 h to bring into near nano size and treated with seeds @ 2 g kg-1 for 60 min. Without ball milling was served as commercial grade. Among these two methods (commercial grade and near nano size) highest values were observed in seeds treated with near nano size powder. Generally shaking of seeds with botanicals was performed better than without shaking. Result: In this experiment, botanical fenugreek seed powder perfrmed well. In interaction, soybean seeds treated with near nano size fenugreek seed powder @ 2 g kg-1 with shaking of 60 min showed highest seed quality parameters. The per cent increase over control for germination, shoot length, root length, dry matter production and vigour index were 17.8, 27.7, 43.9, 47.6 and 45.3%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant height, a key agronomic trait, affects crop structure, photosynthesis, and thus the final yield and seed quality. The combination of digital cameras on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and use of structure from motion have enabled high-throughput crop canopy height estimation. However, the focus of prior research has mainly been on plot-level height prediction, neglecting precise estimations for individual plants. This study aims to explore the potential of UAV RGB images with mask region-based convolutional neural network (Mask-RCNN) for high-throughput phenotyping of individual-level height (IH) in oilseed rape at different growth stages. Field-measured height (FH) of nine sampling plants in each subplot of the 150 subplots was obtained by manual measurement after the UAV flight. An instance segmentation model for oilseed rape with data augmentation based on the Mask-RCNN model was developed. The IHs were then used to obtain plot-level height based on individual-level height (PHIH). The results show that Mask-RCNN performed better than the conventional Otsu method with the F1 score increased by 60.8% and 26.6% under high and low weed pressure, respectively. The trained model with data augmentation achieved accurate crop height estimation based on overexposed and underexposed UAV images, indicating the model's applicability in practical scenarios. The PHIH can be predicted with the determination coefficient (r2) of 0.992, root mean square error (RMSE) of 4.03 cm, relative root mean square error (rRMSE) of 7.68%, which outperformed the results in the reported studies, especially in the late bolting stage. The IHs of the whole growth stages of oilseed can be predicted by this method with an r2 of 0.983, RMSE of 2.60 cm, and rRMSE of 7.14%. Furthermore, this method enabled a comprehensive Genome-wide association study (GWAS) in a 293-accession genetic population. The GWAS identified 200 and 65 statistically significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which were tightly associated with 28 and 11 candidate genes, at the late bolting and flowering stages, respectively. These findings demonstrated that the proposed method is promising for accurate estimations of IHs in oilseed rape as well as exploring the variations within the subplot, thus providing great potential for high-throughput plant phenotyping in crop breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean (Glycine max) plants first emerged in China, and they have since been established as an economically important oil crop and a major source of daily protein for individuals throughout the world. Seed emergence height is the first factor that ensures seedling adaptability to field management practices, and it is closely related to epicotyl length. In the present study, the Suinong 14 and ZYD00006 soybean lines were used as parents to construct chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) for quantitative trait loci (QTL) identification. Seven QTLs were identified using two years of epicotyl length measurement data. The insertion region of the ZYD00006 fragment was identified through whole genome resequencing, with candidate gene screening and validation being performed through RNA-Seq and qPCR, and Glyma.08G142400 was ultimately selected as an epicotyl length-related gene. Through combined analyses of phenotypic data from the study population, Glyma.08G142400 expression was found to be elevated in those varieties exhibiting longer epicotyl length. Haplotype data analyses revealed that epicotyl data were consistent with haplotype typing. In summary, the QTLs found to be associated with the epicotyl length identified herein provide a valuable foundation for future molecular marker-assisted breeding efforts aimed at improving soybean emergence height in the field, with the Glyma.08G142400 gene serving as a regulator of epicotyl length, offering new insight into the mechanisms that govern epicotyl development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Soybean is an important feed and oil crop in the world due to its high protein and oil content. China has a collection of more than 43,000 soybean germplasm resources, which provides a rich genetic diversity for soybean breeding. However, the rich genetic diversity poses great challenges to the genetic improvement of soybean. This study reports on the de novo genome assembly of HJ117, a soybean variety with high protein content of 52.99%. These data will prove to be valuable resources for further soybean quality improvement research, and will aid in the elucidation of regulatory mechanisms underlying soybean protein content. Data description: We generated a contiguous reference genome of 1041.94 Mb for HJ117 using a combination of Illumina short reads (23.38 Gb) and PacBio long reads (25.58 Gb), with high-quality sequence coverage of approximately 22.44× and 24.55×, respectively. HJ117 was developed through backcross breeding, using Jidou 12 as the recurrent parent and Chamoshidou as the donor parent. The assembly was further assisted by 114.5 Gb Hi-C data (109.9×), resulting in a contig N50 of 19.32 Mb and scaffold N50 of 51.43 Mb. Notably, Core Eukaryotic Genes Mapping Approach (CEGMA) assessment and Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs (BUSCO) assessment results indicated that most core eukaryotic genes (97.18%) and genes in the BUSCO dataset (99.4%) were identified, and 96.44% of the genomic sequences were anchored onto twenty pseudochromosomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury (Hg) pollution has seriously threatened the crop productivity and food security. In the present research, experiments were conducted to assess the influence of nanoscale sulfur/sulfur nanoparticles and the corresponding bulk and ionic sulfur forms on the growth and Hg accumulation of oilseed rape seedlings grown on Hg-contaminated soil, as well as the transformation of soil Hg fractions. The results showed a significant reduction in fresh biomass for seedlings grown on 80–200 mg/kg Hg-polluted soil after 30 days. At 120 mg/kg Hg treatment, 100–300 mg/kg sulfur nanoparticles (SNPs) application counteracted Hg toxicity more effectively compared to the corresponding bulk sulfur particles (BSPs) and ionic sulfur (sulfate) treatments. The seedlings treated with 120 mg/kg Hg + 300 mg/kg SNPs gained 54.2 and 56.9% more shoot and root biomass, respectively, compared to those treated with Hg alone. Meanwhile, 300 mg/kg SNPs application decreased Hg accumulation by 18.9 and 76.5% in shoots and roots, respectively, relative to Hg alone treatment. SNPs treatment caused more Hg to be blocked in the soil and accumulating significantly less Hg in plants as compared to other S forms. The chemical fractions of Hg in the soil were subsequently investigated, and the solubility of Hg was significantly decreased by applying SNPs to the soil. Especially 200–300 mg/kg SNPs treatments caused the ratio of the soluble/exchangeable and the specifically absorbed fraction to be the lowest, accounting for 1.95–4.13% of the total Hg of soil. These findings suggest that adding SNPs to Hg-contaminated soils could be an effective measure for immobilizing soluble Hg and decreasing the Hg concentration in the edible parts of crops. The results of the current study hold promise for the practical application of SNPs to Hg-contaminated farmland for better yields and simultaneously increasing the food safety. The novelty of this study is the selection of oilseed rape and nanoscale sulfur (NS) or sulfur nanoparticles (SNPs) as nontoxic nanomaterial to counteract the Hg toxicity and accumulation. Oilseed rape was selected due to its wide adaptability to various environmental conditions and the high-value oil for human consumption and biofuels production. These advantages make oilseed rape a highly valuable crop for various applications. NS was selected due to its reported ability to limit the uptake of heavy metals in oilseed rape, rice, and wheat along with other crops and subsequently restrict the toxicity of heavy metals in these plants and improve food safety. In this study, we evaluated the growth, Hg accumulation, and the resulting toxicity in oilseed rape grown on Hg-contaminated soil, with or without amendments with NS. The outcomes from this study provided evidence of the significant potential of NS in preventing Hg bioaccumulation and improving crop yields in oilseed rape. This provides opportunity to use NS as an ideal non-GMO approach to limit toxic metals in crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brassica napus, commonly known as rapeseed or canola, is a major oil crop contributing over 13% to the stable supply of edible vegetable oil worldwide. Identification and understanding the gene functions in the B. napus genome is crucial for genomic breeding. A group of genes controlling agronomic traits have been successfully cloned through functional genomics studies in B. napus. In this review, we present an overview of the progress made in the functional genomics of B. napus, including the availability of germplasm resources, omics databases and cloned functional genes. Based on the current progress, we also highlight the main challenges and perspectives in this field. The advances in the functional genomics of B. napus contribute to a better understanding of the genetic basis underlying the complex agronomic traits in B. napus and will expedite the breeding of high quality, high resistance and high yield in B. napus varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aphids and Sclerotinia stem rot in oilseed rape are often studied in isolation, and their relationship is rarely explored. Our field studies have revealed a significant positive correlation between the number of aphids and the incidence of Sclerotinia stem rot. Hence, starting with the colonizing stages of the two pests, Breveroryne brassicae was assessed for its potential to acquire, transmit, and inoculate Sclerotinia sclerotiorum by being sprayed with an ascospore suspension. Moreover, distinctions in aphid feeding behavior were examined between aphids on inoculated/uninoculated winter and spring oilseed rape plants or aphids, both with and without S. sclerotiorum ascospores, using electropenetrography (EPG). The results showed that aphid feeding followed by dropping ascospore suspension significantly increased the incidence of S. sclerotiorum. Ascospores were able to adhere to aphids and were carried by aphids to healthy plants, causing disease. The results of the EPG analysis indicated that aphid feeding behavior was significantly altered in all leaf tissue levels following infection with S. sclerotiorum. Specifically, aphids initiated their first puncture significantly sooner, began probing mesophyll cells earlier, had a significantly shorter pathway duration, and secreted saliva more frequently but reduced salivation prior to feeding and ingestion compared to aphids feeding on uninfected oilseed rape. Additionally, the feeding behavior of aphids carrying ascospores was markedly different from that of aphids not carrying ascospores, implying that ascospores directly influence aphid feeding behavior but that this influence appeared to be beneficial only for S. sclerotiorum infection. Aphids carrying ascospores started to puncture cells more quickly, with a significant increase in the frequency and duration of short probes and cell punctures, shortened pathway durations, and reduced salivation before feeding compared to aphids not carrying ascospores. It is clear that there is an interaction between aphids and S. sclerotiorum. The impact of S. sclerotiorum on aphid feeding behavior is directional, favoring the spread of the fungus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sesame is one of the important oil seed crops grown for the high-quality oil. Its growth, development, and yield are significantly affected by the changing climate conditions. Evaluating the sesame climatic suitability is crucial to optimize sesame cultivation patterns and planting distribution, and to aid strategic decision making for future agricultural adaptation. Based on agricultural climatic suitability theory and the fuzzy mathematics method, in this study, we established the temperature, precipitation, sunshine, and comprehensive suitability model. Then, we assessed the spatial distribution and chronological changes in climatic suitability under two periods, 1978–1998 (earlier 21 years) and 1999–2019 (latter 21 years). The results showed that compared with the meteorological data in the earlier 21 years, the mean temperature during the sesame-growing season in the latter 21 years increased from 24.48 °C to 25.05 °C, and the cumulative precipitation increased from 744.38 mm to 754.81 mm; however, the sunshine hours decreased from 6.05 h to 5.55 h. Temperature, precipitation, sunshine, and comprehensive suitability during the sesame-growing season in the main sesame-producing areas of China all had a downward trend. The distribution of temperature and comprehensive suitability in the north is higher than that in the south, while the precipitation and sunshine suitability had an uneven distribution. The area of high-temperature suitability and high-precipitation suitability increased from 43.45 × 106 ha to 46.34 × 106 ha and from 3.20 × 106 ha to 7.97 × 106 ha, respectively, whereas the area of high-sunshine suitability decreased from 4.04 × 106 ha to 2.09 × 106 ha. The climate change was more beneficial to sesame cultivation in northeast Anhui where the area of high climatic suitability clearly expanded, and in eastern Jiangxi where the area of the general climatic suitability increased. In contrast, it is worth noting that the area of high climatic suitability in northern Henan decreased and the area of low climatic suitability in Hubei increased. Our results have important implications for improving agricultural production to cope with ongoing climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fatty acyl-acyl carrier protein thioesterase B (FATB) gene, involved in the synthesis of saturated fatty acids, plays an important role in the content of fatty acid and composition of seed storage lipids. However, the role of FATB in soybeans (Glycine max) has been poorly characterised. This paper presents a preliminary bioinformatics and molecular biological investigation of 10 hypothetical FATB members. The results revealed that GmFATB1B, GmFATB2A and GmFATB2B contain many response elements involved in defense and stress responses and meristem tissue expression. Moreover, the coding sequences of GmFATB1A and GmFATB1B were significantly longer than those of the other genes. Their expression varied in different organs of soybean plants during growth, with GmFATB2A and GmFATB2B showing higher relative expression. In addition, subcellular localisation analysis revealed that they were mainly present in chloroplasts. Overexpression of GmFATB1A, GmFATB1B, GmFATB2A and GmFATB2B in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants increased the seed oil content by 10.3%, 12.5%, 7.5% and 8.4%, respectively, compared to that in the wild-type and led to significant increases in palmitic and stearic acid content. Thus, this research has increased our understanding of the FATB family in soybeans and provides a theoretical basis for subsequent improvements in soybean quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytophthora palmivora has caused disease in many crops including oil palm in the South America region. The pathogen has had a significant economic impact on oil palm cultivation in Colombia, and therefore poses a threat to oil palm cultivation in other regions of the World, especially in Southeast Asia, the largest producer of the crop. This study aimed to look at the ability of isolates from Malaysia, Colombia, and other regions to cross-infect Malaysian oil palm, durian, and cocoa and to develop specific biomarkers and assays for identification, detection, and diagnosis of P. palmivora as a key component for the oil palm biosecurity continuum in order to contain the disease especially at the ports of entry. We have developed specific molecular biomarkers to identify and detect Phytophthora palmivora using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time loop mediated isothermal amplification (rt-LAMP) in various sample types such as soil and plants. The limit of detection (DNA template, pure culture assay) for the PCR assay is 5.94 × 10−2 ng µl−1 and for rt-LAMP is 9.28 × 10−4 ng µl−1. Diagnosis using rt-LAMP can be achieved within 30 min of incubation. In addition, PCR primer pair AV3F/AV3R developed successfully distinguished the Colombian and Malaysian P. palmivora isolates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing public attention to the health benefit of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and demand for linolenic acid (C18:3), it is of great significance to increase the C18:3 content in our meal. As an oil crop with high content of C18:3, Camelina sativa has three homologous copies of FAD2 and three homologous copies FAD3. In this study, we seed-specifically overexpressed two Camelina sativa fatty acid desaturase genes, CsFAD2 and CsFAD3, in rapeseed cultivar Zhongshuang 9. The results show that C18:3 content in CsFAD2 and CsFAD3 overexpressed seeds is increased from 8.62% in wild-type (WT) to 10.62–12.95% and 14.54–26.16%, respectively. We crossed CsFAD2 and CsFAD3 overexpression lines, and stable homozygous digenic crossed lines were obtained. The C18:3 content was increased from 8.62% in WT to 28.46–53.57% in crossed overexpression lines. In addition, we found that the overexpression of CsFAD2 and CsFAD3 had no effect on rapeseed growth, development, and other agronomic traits. In conclusion, we successfully generated rapeseed germplasms with high C18:3 content by simultaneously overexpressing CsFAD2 and CsFAD3, which provides a feasible way for breeding high C18:3 rapeseed cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The potential of plant-based sources of vernolic acid to provide agricultural producers with a market diversification opportunity and industrial manufacturers with a renewable, environmentally friendly chemical feedstock is immense. The herbaceous wild spurge or caper spurge (Euphorbia lagascae Spreng) is the most promising source of vernolic acid, containing an average oil content of 50%, of which around 60% is vernolic acid. Its seed yield ranges between 500 and 2000 kg ha−1, and a theoretical yield of 180 kg ha−1 of pure vernolic acid is possible. The objective of this research was to characterize the flower and whole plant morphology so to allow for the development of a method to efficiently hybridize E. lagasce plants for breeding purposes. Results: In this study, we have characterized the flower and whole plant morphology in detail, thereby, developing an efficient method for hybridization of E. lagasce to allow for its breeding and improvement as a novel oil crop. Such method was not described previously in the literature making it difficult to breed this crop. We believe that the method will be of great value to plant breeders working on optimizing the crop, particularly in terms of the development of non-shattering cultivars with enhanced germination potential. Conclusions: The successful development of this crop through plant breeding could provide substantial economic benefits to farmers by offering them a new industrial oilseed crop. This research could prove invaluable in unlocking the potential of E. lagasce, and in turn, the potential of vernolic acid as a renewable, environmentally friendly source of chemical feedstock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycorrhizal symbiosis, the mutually beneficial association between plants and fungi, has gained significant attention in recent years due to its widespread significance in agricultural productivity. Specifically, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) provide a range of benefits to grain and oil crops, including improved nutrient uptake, growth, and resistance to (a)biotic stressors. Harnessing this symbiotic interaction using molecular and systems biology approaches presents promising opportunities for sustainable and economically-viable agricultural practices. Research in this area aims to identify and manipulate specific genes and pathways involved in the symbiotic interaction, leading to improved cereal and oilseed crop yields and nutrient acquisition. This review provides an overview of the research frontier on utilizing molecular and systems biology approaches for harnessing the symbiotic interaction in mycorrhizal symbiosis for grain and oil crop cultivation. Moreover, we address the mechanistic insights and molecular determinants underpinning this exchange. We conclude with an overview of current efforts to harness mycorrhizal diversity to improve cereal and oilseed health through systems biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microalgae have emerged as a promising alternative biomass source, offering distinct advantages over conventional crops in terms of oil content per mass. Maximizing their reproductive capacity throughout their life cycle is essential for optimizing biomass production. This study investigates the influence of ultrasonic waves on the reproductive rate of Botryococcus braunii microalgae. Various ultrasonic parameters, including power (56.2, 86.3, and 132.2 W for 37 kHz; 46.3, 67.2, and 101.2 W for 80 kHz), exposure times (3 and 5 min), and time intervals (2 and 4 days) were examined. The best outcomes were obtained with a 37 kHz ultrasonic frequency, 83.6 W power, 3-min exposure, and a 2-day interval, resulting in a maximum relative specific growth rate (16.67%) and relative biomass productivity (34.62%). Beyond these parameters, adjustments in ultrasonic treatment conditions resulted in decreased growth rates and biomass productivity. It is crucial to consider multiple ultrasonic factors, including frequency, power, exposure time, and time intervals, as each parameter significantly impacts microalgae growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean has been grown as an important protein and oil crop for thousands of years. Additionally, it also has a high content of iso-flavonoids, folic acid and saponins, exhibiting various biological activities. It contains several antioxidants, and has anti-diabetic, anti-proliferative, anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory properties. However, soybean also contains various antinutritional factors such as trypsin inhibitor, agglutinin, lectins, phytic acid and tannins, which reduce nutrient utilisation. Attempts have been made to improve the nutritional quality of soybean through conventional breeding, but anticipated outcomes could not be met and these efforts primarily resulted in agronomically undesirable traits. However, the development of cutting-edge tools and technologies including high throughput genotyping, phenotyping, DNA sequencing techniques and genome editing have made great progress in improving the functional and nutritional qualities of soybean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oilseed rape is worldwide an important oil and protein crop. Its oil is valued because of its excellent quality. The oil extracted meal is marketed as a lower value by-product for feeding livestock. Recently, interest in vegetable proteins has increased to use the oilseed rape protein as an alternative vegetable source for human consumption. However, the use of the protein rich meal for food production is greatly limited by the presence of residual glucosinolate, phenolic acid esters and crude fibre contents which affect its techno-functional properties, taste and colour. Further reducing contents of glucosinolates, cellulose, hemicellulose and indigestible lignin, is expected to enhance protein content and quality. To this end, two half-sib DH populations were tested in replicated field experiments. Inheritance of individual seed fibre components in relation to each other and to oil, protein and glucosinolate content were investigated. The DH populations were genotyped with Brassica 15K SNP Illumina chip, QTL were mapped and candidate genes were identified using the high quality long read reference genome of Express 617. Novel QTL for fibre components were identified that co-located to each other, with QTL for oil, protein and glucosinolate content, and with opposite direction of additive effects. The parallel investigation of two half-sib DH populations gave insight into the direction of the additive effects which depended on the indvidual parents. The results provide additional understanding of genetic loci underlying the seed quality traits which may help achieving the breeding goals in oilseed rape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyploids are common in Camellia sect. Paracamellia, which contain many important oil crop species. However, their complex evolutionary history is largely unclear. In this study, 22 transcriptomes and 19 plastomes of related species of Camellia were sequenced and assembled, providing the most completed taxa sampling of Camellia sect. Oleifera and C. sect. Paracamellia. Phylogenetic trees were reconstructed with predicted single‐copy nuclear genes and plastomes. Phylogenetic trees with nuclear genes demonstrated that C. sect. Oleifera should be merged into C. sect. Paracamellia. Cytonuclear discordance and network analyses suggested hybridizations among polyploid species and relatives. The divergence of major clades in C. sect. Paracamellia was dated to be during the middle to late Miocene from the ancestral Lingnan region, and a rapid diversification during the Quaternary was found, probably through hybridization and polyploidization. The tetraploid Camellia meiocarpa Hu may have originated from hybridization between closely related diploid species. The hexaploid Camellia oleifera C. Abel probably originated from hybridization between closely related diploid and tetraploid (e.g., C. meiocarpa) species. The octoploid Camellia vietnamensis T. C. Huang ex Hu could have originated from hybridization between hexaploid C. oleifera and the closely related diploid species. Hybridization and polyploidization played an important role in generating the rich variation of important fruit traits, especially increased fruit size in polyploid species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Objective: Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is one of the most important oil crops and due to its high content of unsaturated fatty acids and lack of cholesterol, the oil benefits from a desirable quality. Drought is the most important crop production limiting factor in the changing climate scenario and its intensity is predicted to increase in future. In this research, drought tolerance of some sunflower cultivars under non-stress and drought stress conditions was studied and SIIG method was used for integrating studied traits in order to select the best drought stress tolerant cultivars. Material and Methods: In order to evaluate the drought and susceptible cultivars using tolerance index (Ti) for studied traits and selection index of ideal genotype (SIIG), an experiment was conducted in 2022 cropping season based on randomized complete block design with three replication under non-stress and drought stress conditions separately on 10 sunflower cultivars including Azargol, All-star, Master, Hysun33, Golsa, Ghasem, Farrokh, Shams, Golshid and Barzegar in field in Abarkouh city. Grain yield, plant height, number of days to maturity, number of seeds per head and 1000 seed weight were measured in this research. Results: The results of combined analysis of variance revealed that drought stress and cultivar had significant effect on all studied traits. Cultivar effect was significant in all studied traits. Stress × cultivar interaction was significant only in grain yield. Drought stress led to a significant decrease in all studied traits. Mean comparisons showed that Farrokh, Barzegar and Shams cultivars had the highest value in the most traits and so these cultivars were suggested for cultivation under both conditions. Ghasem, Farrokh and Shams had the highest value of Ti index for grain yield, 1000 seed weight and number of seeds per head. Ghasem, Barzegar, Farrokh, Shams and Golsa had the highest value and All-star, Golshid and Hysun33 had the lowest value of SIIG, respectively. Cluster analysis, based on ward method and by using Eucilidian distance, classified studied cultivars using Ti index of traits into two groups. Azargol, Barzegar, Golsa, Shams, Master, Ghasem and Farrokh cultivars were placed in first group and these cultivars in terms of Ti index values for grain yield, 1000 seed weight and number of seeds per head were higher than second group and whole mean. Conclusion: The results of cluster analysis using Ti index of traits are similar to the results of cultivar ranking based on SIIG and it can be said that Farrokh, Ghasem, Shams, Barzegar, Azargol, Golsa and Master cultivars were drought tolerant and All-star, Hysun33 and Golshid were susceptible cultivars according to cluster analysis and SIIG values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research was to determine the technical feasibility of extracting amaranth seed oil with butane in a subcritical state and to take advantage of the cake generated. To this end, a type of non-germinated grain was characterized, oil was extracted from a germinated grain and the characterized one, the oil obtained was characterized, and the protein was extracted from the defatted cake of the non-germinated one. It was found that the non-germinated grain was made up of 13.33% protein, 7.24% fat, and 9.02% moisture, the optimum yield of this grain was 91%, for the germinated grain, a maximum value of 6.63% for oil mass. By comparing the characteristics of both oils, higher quality was found in the non-germinated oil, and the maximum protein extraction productivity was 5.15%. Thus, it has been concluded that this extraction method is technically feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is the oldest important edible oilseed crop found throughout many tropical and subtropical regions of the world. India ranks second in its domestication with a total production of 0.67 million tons. The growth index of sesame in Asia, Africa, and South and Central America is 54.9%, 40.8%, and 4.3%, respectively. The crop has high economic potential but stress factors like temperature sensitivity, early senescence, pest attack, water logging, and disease infestations limit its productivity worldwide. Its recalcitrant nature, sexual incompatibility, and post fertilization barriers greatly restrict the generation of new varieties, via tissue culture and traditional breeding strategies. Thus, genetic engineering appears to be the best alternative to improve its yield by developing stress-tolerant plants. The callus induction and regeneration frequency in sesame is highly genotype dependent. Regeneration is observed in different cultivars via callus phase or directly from different explants mainly on Murashige and Skoog basal medium (MS) with high cytokinin and low auxin concentrations. The attempts towards developing genetic transformation protocols has resulted in very limited success. The present review highlights the history and discusses the detailed progress of sesame tissue culture and genetic transformation research with respect to genotype dependency, different medium compositions, plant hormones, and explant age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Larvae of the split-banded owl-butterfly, Opsiphanes fabricii fabricii (Boisduval), feed on leaflets of oil palm, Elaeis guineensis Jacq. (Arecaceae), from southeastern Mexico to Panama. Cotesia invirae Salgado-Neto & Whitfield was identified as a gregarious koinobiont endoparasitoid of 4th-5th instar larvae of O. fabricii fabricii. This is the first record of C. invirae parasitizing O. fabricii fabricii larvae in Mexico, which broadens the geographic distribution of the species in the neotropical region of the world. Field parasitism from June 2021 to May 2022 at two commercial oil palm plantations in the State of Tabasco, Mexico was 11.3% (“Las Palmas” farm) and 7.1% (“El Tintal” farm); 82% of parasitized larvae were found during the rainy season in the study area (July-September), which coincided with the most O. fabricii fabricii in the oil palm crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild species field cress (Lepidium campestre) has favorable agronomic traits, making it a good candidate for future development as an oil and catch crop. However, the species is very prone to pod shatter, resulting in severe yield losses. This is one of the important agronomic traits that needs to be improved in order to make this species economically viable. In this study, we cloned the L. campestre INDEHISCENT (LcIND) gene and prepared two LcIND-RNAi constructs with the IND promoter (long 400 bp and short 200 bp) from Arabidopsis. A number of stable transgenic lines were developed and evaluated in terms of pod shatter resistance. The majority of the transgenic lines showed increased resistance to pod shatter compared to the wild type, and this resistance was maintained in four subsequent generations. The downregulation of the LcIND gene by RNAi in the transgenic lines was confirmed by qRT-PCR analysis on T3 lines. Southern blot analysis showed that most of the analyzed lines had a single-copy integration of the transgene, which is desirable for further use. Our results show that it is possible to generate stable transgenic lines with desirable pod shatter resistance by downregulating the LcIND gene using RNAi in field cress, and thus speeding up the domestication process of this wild species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: CeOLE genes exhibit a tuber-predominant expression pattern and their mRNA/protein abundances are positively correlated with oil accumulation during tuber development. Overexpression could significantly increase the oil content of tobacco leaves. Oleosins (OLEs) are abundant structural proteins of lipid droplets (LDs) that function in LD formation and stabilization in seeds of oil crops. However, little information is available on their roles in vegetative tissues. In this study, we present the first genome-wide characterization of the oleosin family in tigernut (Cyperus esculentus L., Cyperaceae), a rare example accumulating high amounts of oil in underground tubers. Six members identified represent three previously defined clades (i.e. U, SL and SH) or six out of seven orthogroups (i.e. U, SL1, SL2, and SH1–3) proposed in this study. Comparative genomics analysis reveals that lineage-specific expansion of Clades SL and SH was contributed by whole-genome duplication and dispersed duplication, respectively. Moreover, presence of SL2 and SH3 in Juncus effuses implies their appearance sometime before Cyperaceae-Juncaceae divergence, whereas SH2 appears to be Cyperaceae specific. Expression analysis showed that CeOLE genes exhibit a tuber-predominant expression pattern and transcript levels are considerably more abundant than homologs in the close relative Cyperus rotundus. Moreover, CeOLE mRNA and protein abundances were shown to positively correlate with oil accumulation during tuber development. Additionally, two dominant isoforms (i.e. CeOLE2 and -5) were shown to locate in LDs as well as the endoplasmic reticulum of tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana) leaves, and are more likely to function in homo and heteromultimers. Furthermore, overexpression of CeOLE2 and -5 in tobacco leaves could significantly increase the oil content, supporting their roles in oil accumulation. These findings provide insights into lineage-specific family evolution and putative roles of CeOLE genes in oil accumulation of vegetative tissues, which facilitate further genetic improvement for tigernut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Soybean growth was stimulated and inhibited at low and high Cd concentrations. • Soybean can tolerate moderate Cd contamination. • High Cd concentrations resulted in the imbalance of essential elements in soybeans. Soybean (Glycine max L.), as an oil and protein crop, has attracted interest for its potential in the reclamation/restoration of barren and contaminated habitats due to its ability to tolerate adverse environments. To investigate the effects of the growth (biomass and plant height), chlorophyll content, antioxidative capacity (peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities), and homeostasis of essential elements in soybean plants induced by cadmium (Cd), a pot experiment was performed. Soybean seeds were cultivated in six different levels of Cd-contaminated soil (0, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, 2.50, 5.00, and 10.00 mg kg−1) for 27 days at 60 % humidity and 25–35 °C in a greenhouse with natural light. Soybean seedling growth was stimulated and inhibited at low (≤1.00 mg kg−1) and high (≥2.50 mg kg−1) Cd concentrations, respectively. Essential metal elements (Mg, Fe, and Zn) and chlorophyll contents of leaves were increased and decreased at low and high Cd concentrations, respectively. Exposure to high Cd concentrations interfered with the homeostasis of essential elements in soybean plants. High Cd concentrations reduced antioxidant capacity and chlorophyll content, which inhibited soybean growth. The Cd accumulation level (>100 mg kg−1) in soybean plant organs was unsafe for producing soybean products. However, soybean seedlings appear to tolerate moderate Cd contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Peanut (Arachis) is a key oil and protein crop worldwide with large genome. The genomes of diploid and tetraploid peanuts have been sequenced, which were compared to decipher their genome structures, evolutionary, and life secrets. Genome sequencing efforts showed that different cultivars, although Bt homeologs being more privileged in gene retention and gene expression. This subgenome bias, extended to sequence variation and point mutation, might be related to the long terminal repeat (LTR) explosions after tetraploidization, especially in At subgenomes. Except that, whole‐genome sequences revealed many important genes, for example, fatty acids and triacylglycerols pathway, NBS‐LRR (nucleotide‐binding site‐leucine‐rich repeats), and seed size decision genes, were enriched after recursive polyploidization. Each ancestral polyploidy, with old ones having occurred hundreds of thousand years ago, has thousands of duplicated genes in extant genomes, contributing to genetic novelty. Notably, although full genome sequences are available, the actual At subgenome ancestor has still been elusive, highlighted with new debate about peanut origin. Although being an orphan crop lagging behind other crops in genomic resources, the genome sequencing achievement has laid a solid foundation for advancing crop enhancement and system biology research of peanut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the construction of an experimental-based transcription factor (TF) interaction network in the seeds of Brassica napus, an important oil crop. The researchers used a method called mCrY2H-seq, which is a cost-effective and time-saving approach for screening protein-protein interactions. They identified 932 non-redundant TFs involved in seed development and organic accumulation. The resulting TF interaction network revealed both conserved subnetworks and previously unreported interactions related to hormone signaling pathways. The researchers also investigated the function of a specific TF, BnaGRF6, and found that its interaction with another TF, BnaWRI1, increased seed oil content. The study provides insights into the functions of genes in polyploid crops and has implications for molecular breeding advancements. [Extracted from the article]

Glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) catalyzes the first step in triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthesis. However, GPAT members and their functions remain poorly understood in Perilla frutescens, a special edible-medicinal plant with its seed oil rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (mostly α-linolenic acid, ALA). Here, 14 PfGPATs were identified from the P. frutescens genome and classified into three distinct groups according to their phylogenetic relationships. These 14 PfGPAT genes were distributed unevenly across 11 chromosomes. PfGPAT members within the same subfamily had highly conserved gene structures and four signature functional domains, despite considerable variations detected in these conserved motifs between groups. RNA-seq and RT-qPCR combined with dynamic analysis of oil and FA profiles during seed development indicated that PfGPAT9 may play a crucial role in the biosynthesis and accumulation of seed oil and PUFAs. Ex vivo enzymatic assay using the yeast expression system evidenced that PfGPAT9 had a strong GPAT enzyme activity crucial for TAG assembly and also a high substrate preference for oleic acid (OA, C18:1) and ALA (C18:3). Heterogeneous expression of PfGPAT9 significantly increased total oil and UFA (mostly C18:1 and C18:3) levels in both the seeds and leaves of the transgenic tobacco plants. Moreover, these transgenic tobacco lines exhibited no significant negative effect on other agronomic traits, including plant growth and seed germination rate, as well as other morphological and developmental properties. Collectively, our findings provide important insights into understanding PfGPAT functions, demonstrating that PfGPAT9 is the desirable target in metabolic engineering for increasing storage oil enriched with valuable FA profiles in oilseed crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camelina (Camelina sativa), an oilseed plant in the Brassicaceae family, is recognized as a significant crop both biologically and industrially, with recent attention shifting towards its potential as a biofuel source. The close genetic resemblance between Arabidopsis thaliana and C. sativa has sparked interest among researchers in manipulating oleic acid levels through microRNAs and the gene sequences FAE1-A and FAD2-A. A recent bioinformatics study focused on these genes in camelina revealed that the FAE1-A protein is hydrophobic, while FAD2-A is hydrophilic. Structural analysis indicated GMQE values of 0.88% for FAE1-A and 0.93% for FAD2-A. The FAE1-A protein's secondary structure comprises 49% helix, 11% beta-sheet, 41% coil, and 9% membrane content with a confidence level of 79.2%. Similarly, the secondary structure of the FAD2-A consists of 43% helix, 12% beta-sheet, 45% coil, and 30% membrane content with a confidence level of 79.8%. Codon preference patterns were explored using the Sequence Manipulation Suite database to understand the relationship between codons and gene performance. Furthermore, analysis of FAE1-A and FAD2-A gene expression showed peak expression levels in developing seeds approximately 20 days after pollination. Further investigation into these structures promises to enhance our understanding of fat biosynthesis, thereby improving oil quality in C. sativa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peanut meal (PM) is a by-product of extracting oil from peanut kernels. Although peanut meal contains protein, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and small amounts of polyphenols and fiber, it has long been used as a feed in the poultry and livestock industries due to its coarse texture and unpleasant taste. It is less commonly utilized in the food processing industry. In recent years, there has been an increasing amount of research conducted on the deep processing of by-products from oil crops, resulting in the high-value processing and utilization of by-products from various oil crops. These include peanut meal, which undergoes treatments such as enzymatic hydrolysis in industries like food, chemical, and aquaculture. The proteins, lipids, polyphenols, fibers, and other components present in these by-products and hydrolysates can be incorporated into products for further utilization. This review focuses on the research progress in various fields, such as the food processing, breeding, and industrial fields, regarding the high-value utilization of peanut meal and its hydrolysates. The aim is to provide valuable insights and strategies for maximizing the utilization of peanut meal resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important oil crop in China and the world, the harvesting problem of Camellia oleifera has attracted much attention. Research is needed on mechanical characteristics of harvesting equipment. Explicit dynamics was used to establish a finite element model under a simulated load response to the branch-pedicel-fruit system of C. oleifera to predict the fracture process at the pedicel junction. The separation mechanism of C. oleifera fruit was determined by measuring the constitutive parameters of fruit branches and pedicels and conducting separation experiments and explicit dynamics simulations on different hanging fruits. The maximum stress at the fruit pedicel was 1.14 MPa, and the goodness of fit between the simulation and experiment was approximately 89.5%, indicating that the branch-pedicel-fruit finite element model could accurately reflect the fruit shedding process and that the pedicel diameter was correlated positively with the separation force. This study provides technical parameters for the optimized design of existing C. oleifera harvesting equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sunflower is the most important oil crop practiced in Romania, in terms of the constituent indicators of the primary supply, but also by the fact that sunflower seeds have a surplus trade balance at national level. Culture has a high productive potential, it comes to exploit the existing opportunities on the market, in terms of existing opportunities nationally and internationally. Over time, Romania has been a dynamizing factor of scientific research in the field, highlighting the concerns of researchers from National Institute of Agricultural Research and Development (INCDA) Fundulea for the creation of a quality genetic material. It should be noted that the favorability of sunflower cultivation is quite pronounced at EU level, both due to the pedoclimatic conditions and due to the existing traditions in certain areas (less tradition in the extreme Southern part of the EU), for the practice of other crops providing raw materials for obtaining oil or consumption habits of the population (olive - in the Mediterranean area). The topic of this paper was approachd based on the existing global and continental context for the period 2007-2019. The results showed that in this period 2007-2019, Romania cultivated (on average) 3.81 and 5.39 of the world and European area respectively (966.84 thousand ha compared to 25,325.47 and 16,298.01 thousand ha respectively), achieved 4.62 and 6.79% of the total production (1,919.96 thousand tons compared to 41,548.57 and 28,296.81 thousand tons). The importance on the international market is highlighted by the fact that Romania held 22.52 and 26.97% of the world and continental volume of exports (1,070.99 thousand tons compared to 4,755.42 and 3,971.52 thousand tons), and for imports, the shares were 3.96 and 6.05% (183.47 thousand tons compared to 4,629.84 and 3,220.90 thousand tons respectively). Romania is not an important player in the market of this product at European and global level, especially since sunflower seeds can reduce the deficit of the external trade balance, given the appropriate use of the specific national potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Egypt suffers from a large food gap in vegetable oils due to the increased demand for them as a result of the continuous increase in population on the one hand, and the decrease in local production Cultivated with oil crops, where it reached by about 28.22 thousand tons during the study period on the other hand, as well as the decrease in the area of agricultural land, It reached about 28.25 thousand acres on average during the period (2001-2020, and the research aims to study the current situation of production and consumption of vegetable oils by identifying the development of the amount of local production of vegetable oils, the amount of pure food, and the size of the oil gap from soybean oils and sunflower oils. The most important results were found to be a decrease in the amount of local oil production by 30.7 thousand tons at an annual rate of 6% of the average total amount of local production of oils by 670 thousand tons. The cultivation of soybeans was also concentrated in the Minya Governorate by 74.6% of the total cultivated area in Egypt. Then Beni Suef Governorate came in second place in terms of soybean crop cultivation with a rate of 10.4%, then Assiut Governorate came in third place with 5% of the total area of the governorates planted with soybeans, and sunflower crop cultivation was concentrated in Nubaria Governorate with a rate of 26.5% of the total cultivated area. In Egypt, then Beheira Governorate comes in second place in terms of sunflower cultivation with a rate of 24.3%, then Fayoum Governorate comes in third place with a rate of 17.2% of the total area of the governorates cultivated with sunflower crops. The amount of pure food made from vegetable oils also increased by 56.49 thousand tons, at a rate of 5.4% of the average total amount of pure food, estimated at about 1114.7 thousand tons. The import of sunflower oil to Egypt from Russia ranked first and represented about 40% of the import values of sunflower oil out of the total. Countries from which Egypt imports Ukraine comes in second place and represents about 36% of the amount of sunflower oil imported, then comes the country of Argentina and represents about 20.51% of the amount of sunflower oil imported, and imports of soybean oil from the country of Argentina are also concentrated and are It ranks first in terms of importing soybean oil with a rate of 79%, then Brazil comes in second place and represents about 18.8% of the amount of imported soybean oil out of the total number of countries in the world, then the United States comes in third place and represents about 8.18% of the amount of imported soybean oil. Of the total countries in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sunflower is one of the most important oilseed plants in the world and its oil has nutritional and high economic value. Selection of high‐yielding hybrids is important in sunflower breeding. In this regard, 11 new hybrids along with four cultivars were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with four replications during the 2018–2020 growing seasons. The phenological and agronomic traits including days to flowering, days to ripening, plant height, stem diameter, head diameter, seed number per head, thousand‐seed weight, oil content, and seed yield were measured. In this study, the methods of genotype × trait (GT) and genotype × yield × trait biplot (GYT) were used to identify interrelationships between different traits and to select the best sunflower hybrids based on multiple traits. According to the results, GYT biplot method was more efficient compared to the GT biplot method. Considering both superiority index (SI) and GYT biplot, the genotypes G8, G11, G5, and G3 were superior in terms of agronomical attributes such as flowering and maturity times, stem and head diameter, plant height, thousand‐seed weight, and seed number per head in close relationship with grain yield. Oil content of the hybrids G8, G11, G5, and G3 was 47.9%, 46.4%, 45.8%, and 46.3%, respectively. The results indicated that there is a potential for simultaneous genetic improvement of the characteristics (i.e., plant height, thousand‐seed weight, seed number per head, early maturity) in sunflower. Overall, the GYT graphical biplot method provides a practical and efficient new approach for the identification of suitable hybrids according to the set of intended characteristics in sunflower improvement under multi‐years or multi‐locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phospholipases are among the important elements involved in lipid-dependent cell signaling that lead to the induction of downstream pathways. In the current study, phospholipases D (PLDs) gene family was characterized and compared in two important oilseed crops, Brassica napus and Camelina sativa. The results revealed that PLD has 33 members in Camelina sativa (CsPLD) and 41 members in Brassica napus (BnPLD). All studied PLDs showed a negative GRAVY value, indicating that PLDs are probably hydrophilic proteins. Phylogenetic analysis classified PLDs into five main subfamilies, including gamma, delta, beta, alpha, and zeta. According to evolution analysis, a different evolution process was observed between CsPLD and BnPLD. In addition, the results disclosed that most of the PLD genes have been segmentally duplicated under purifying selection. Cis-regulatory elements related to ABA and auxin responsiveness were found more in the upstream region of CsPLDs, while elements linked with MeJA responsiveness were observed more in the promoter region of BnPLDs. Analysis of the expression data showed that PLD alpha genes have a wide expression in most tissues. Quantitative expression analysis (qPCR) of CsPLD genes under salt stress, 200 mM of NaCl, was conducted in different time series. The results revealed that the CsPLD genes are involved in the response to salinity stress and their expression levels enhance with increasing salinity stress period. The outcomes of this research will be useful for future molecular works related to lipid signaling in oilseed plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the challenges in agriculture practices is guaranteeing an adequate and bioavailable phosphorus supply for plants on phosphorus-deficient soils. A promising alternative lies in the utilization of phosphate nano-fertilizers (NFs) through spray applications. Therefore, this short-term study aimed to investigate the yet undetermined widespread impact of P-NFs on crops characterized by broad leaves, an intensive rate of photosynthesis, and belonging to the oilseed plant, sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). To achieve this, NFs were applied at lower concentrations of various phosphate-based NFs, including (i) nano-hydroxylapatite (nano-Hap) and (ii) a mixture of nano-calcium zinc phosphate and macro-sized parascholzite (nano/macro-ZnPhos), in comparison to the NF-free control. The study was carried out under authentic field conditions during the 2022 vegetation season at the Dolná Malanta site within the Central European Region. The empirical evidence presented herein indicates that the utilization of biocompatible and bioactive nano-Hap, initially engineered for biomedical applications, and nano/macro-ZnPhos, now foliarly applied at reduced concentrations, elicited a statistically significant elevation in quantitative parameters and seasonal physiological responses. The parameters analyzed included head diameter, dry head weight, seed yield per hectare, nutritional seed oiliness, etc. as well as the physiological normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), stomatal conductance index (Ig), and crop water stress index (CWSI). In terms of agro-ecological terrestrial bio/diversity, it was evident that the nano/macro-ZnPhos was the most hospitable variant for the terrestric insect community, but surprisingly, the agronomically more popular nano-Hap showed only statistically insignificant changes in the diversity of the detected communities. However, the relevance of outcomes highlighted using nano-fertilizers, supporting the concept of precision and sustainable agriculture under field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camelina sativa is a member of the Brassicaceae family and is characterized as an annual oilseed plant with a short growth cycle. Its seeds offer rich nutritional value comparable with other feed and food sources due to the presence of high-quality oils, protein, essential fatty acids, and bioactive compounds. Our study investigated mineral profile and bioactive compound contents among two different camelina genotypes. The evaluated camelina genotypes NS Zlatka and NS Slatka were developed in Serbia. The bioactive compound investigation included total phenolic and flavonoid contents, chlorophyll a and b, and total carotenoid contents. Furthermore, antioxidant activity was assessed by measuring the DPPH-scavenging capacity of camelina seed extracts. The results demonstrate differences in mineral content between the two genotypes, with variations in sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, manganese, copper, and phosphorus levels. Both genotypes exhibit notable mineral profiles, with particularly high levels of potassium (1007.76-1047.74 mg/100 g) and magnesium (224.09-227.45 mg/100 g), which makes them potentially valuable for both animal feed and human nutrition. Furthermore, analysis reveals substantial levels of total phenolic (8.13-8.16 mg GAE/g DM) and flavonoid (5.91-6.41 mg QE/g DM) compounds in both genotypes, indicating their suitability for applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Chlorophyll content analysis demonstrates significant differences between the two genotypes, particularly in chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b levels. These variations suggest differences in photosynthetic capacity and seed maturity. Total carotenoid content remains consistent between the genotypes at levels from 16.43 to 17.91 µg ß-CE/g DM, implying similar antioxidant protection mechanisms. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the biochemical properties of two camelina genotypes, indicating their potential applications in agriculture and human nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean (Glycine max L.) is an important oil crop with production below the real need in Africa. To increase production, substantial upgrading must be accomplished by enlarging the genetic potential of new cultivars that relies on the parents' genetic diversity. We aimed to assess the genetic diversity and the population structure of soybean accessions, therefore, evaluate soybean value in terms of use for breeding purposes. To accomplish this, a set of 282 soybean accessions were genotyped using the diversity array technology sequencing with a high throughput of the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). A total of 6,935 high-quality SNPs were identified across the whole soybean genome. The mean value of genetic diversity, major alleles frequency, minor alleles frequency, expected heterozygosity, and the polymorphism information content were estimated at 0.35, 0.77, 0.22, 0.33, and 0.29, respectively. The analysis of molecular variance reveals that the variance among the populations is lower than the variance within the populations. The soybean accessions could be classified into two groups based on the principal coordinate analysis. The information provided in this study will be helpful for breeders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean is an important legume cum oil seed crop of the country. Generation of information on genetic control of traits and association among them could play a great role in targeted crop improvement. In this study, 76 soybean genotypes including five checks were characterized and evaluated during summer, 2023. The traits namely plant height, number of branches per plant, number of pods per plant, number of clusters per plant and single plant yield showed high GCV and PCV. High heritability and GAM were also observed for the above traits. Traits namely the number of pods per plant, number of branches per plant, number of clusters per plant, number pods per cluster, number of seeds per pod and plant height had significant correlation with yield and direct effects observed to be higher for number of pods per plant and plant height. This study suggested that selection for number of pods per plant, number of branches per plant and number of clusters per plant could be useful to improve the yield and evolve high yielding varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]