Recent ipnc items

Berry sugar accumulation and softening dynamics in a slow ripening genotype and its response to hormone application

Wed, 9 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The onset and rate of sugar accumulation in wine grapes are important traits for wine style and quality attainment. As sugar accumulation rates increase due to the consequences of a rapidly changing environment, an uncoupling between the concentration of sugar and other compounds contributing to wine quality is often observed. Management practices can mitigate accelerated sugar accumulation only to a certain extent, while exploration of natural variants with fruit ripening traits of interest represents a more permanent solution. In this study, differences between two full siblings with extreme phenotypic variation in fruit ripening were investigated. Sugar accumulation, berry growth and softening over three years showed an unprecedented ripening delay of over 65 days. Hypothetical causes for the ripening failure were tested through a series of experiments. Leaf physiology was not impaired in the slow ripening genotype, and severe cluster thinning did not impact ripening time...

Both inherent soil properties and management practices shape soil microbial communities under prolonged organic management

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The soil microbiome is recognized as a key component of soil health; however, microbial community responses to agricultural management can be inconsistent and context dependent. Here, we investigated the connections between soil microbial communities, soil properties, and agricultural practices in the Driftless Region of Wisconsin and Illinois, spanning 128 fields that have been under organic management for varying durations (from 3 to 51 years). Using structural equation modeling (SEM) we uncovered the effects of tillage, time under organic management, alfalfa use, and cover crop use on total carbon, nitrogen, and pH while quantifying their direct and indirect effects on bacterial biomass, bacterial diversity, relative abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and fungal diversity. We found that bacterial and fungal community compositions significantly varied among fields that recently transitioned to organic management but converged to a more consistent composition...

Long-term yield dynamics of rice-rice and rice-wheat systems in South Asia: Evidence from 39 experiments

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We assessed long-term yield trajectories in rice-rice (RR) and rice-wheat (RW) in South Asia, using multi-decadal records from 11 RR and 28 RW experiments under Control, NPK, and NPK + farmyard manure (FYM). Trends were classified as positive or declining using site-level regressions (slope ≠ 0, P ≤ 0.05). In RR, positive system productivity trends occurred at 10% of Control vs. 46% of NPK and 60% of NPK + FYM, while declines fell from 40% to 9–10%. In RW, corresponding shares of positive trends were 10%, 18%, and 44% for Control, NPK, and NPK + FYM, respectively, with declines dropping from 30% to 9–11%. Meta-analysis of crop yields showed consistent patterns: under NPK + FYM, the pooled correlations were positive for RR (kharif rice: r = 0.41, P = 0.001; rabi rice r = 0.28, P = 0.004), and RW (rice: r = 0.27, P = 0.011; wheat r = 0.18, P = 0.002), whereas NPK effects were less positive for RW-wheat (0.15, P = 0.048) and RR-rice (rabi rice: r = 0.29, P = 0.007) but near zero...

Leveraging sustainable agronomic practices in smallholder maize production for environmental and economic gains: Evidence from the Erhai Lake Basin, China

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Context Global maize production faces multiple challenges of increasing food security, farmers’ profitability, and reducing environmental impacts, especially in smallholder-dominated, environmentally sensitive areas. Leveraging sustainable agronomic practices from high-performing smallholders holds the potential to reconcile crop production and environmental protection. Objective This study uses the Erhai Lake Basin, a typical lake basin in China surrounded by intensive crop production, as an example to illustrate how optimized agronomic practices can balance the environmental sustainability and economic benefits in maize production. Methods We conducted extensive farmer surveys across the Erhai Lake Basin, collecting 379 valid samples (comprising 226 grain maize and 153 sweet maize). From this dataset, we identified high yield and high N use efficiency (HH) maize farmers, and pinpointed key agronomic practices contributing to superior environmental and economic performance. Results...

Navigating challenges and unlocking future opportunities in cereal-based cropping systems in India

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Cereal-based cropping systems, particularly in India, are vital for food and livelihood security. These systems, which mostly include rice-based, millet-based, and maize-based rotations, are crucial for meeting the growing food demands of over 1.4 billion people in the country. However, the sustainability of dominant cropping systems faces significant challenges, including soil degradation, declining groundwater, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution due to faulty agronomic practices. These practices have led to increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, climatic vulnerabilities, herbicide resistance in weed species, and outbreaks of biotic stresses. Sustainable agricultural practices such as multiple stress-tolerant crop varieties, organic amendments, efficient water and fertilizer management, and nature-friendly regenerative agriculture (RA)/conservation agriculture (CA), along with the adoption of digital tools and practices and decision support systems, are considered...

Global insights into nitrogen losses and efficiency in rice, wheat, and maize cultivation

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Context Nitrogen (N) use efficiency (NUE) and N losses in cereal systems are central to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on food security and environmental sustainability. However, global variations in NUE across cereals, regions, and management conditions remain poorly quantified, especially in relation to the relative roles of synthetic and non-synthetic N inputs. Objectives This study aimed to (i) assess global differences in NUE and N losses among maize, rice, and wheat; (ii) compare efficiencies derived from synthetic versus total N inputs; (iii) evaluate regional and temporal patterns; and (iv) identify key drivers and management implications to enhance NUE and mitigate losses. Methods A global dataset was assembled to calculate NUE indicators including partial factor productivity of N (PFPN), agronomic efficiency of N (AEN), recovery efficiency of synthetic N (REN-S), recovery efficiency of total N (REN-T), and the fraction of N derived...

Forecasting Urban Water Demand and Effects on Wastewater Management: An Integrated Systems Approach with Uncertainty

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Water demand forecasting is an important tool for integrated water management. Long-term demand predictions include inherent uncertainty, but few studies have investigated empirical methods to forecast water demand that include uncertainty from many driving factors or evaluate how changes in demand affect linked systems such as wastewater conveyance and treatment. This study presents a novel approach for long-term urban water demand forecasting that (1) integrates uncertainty in technology, behavior, and climate; and (2) estimates effects of demand changes on wastewater management systems. We demonstrate this using a case study of 350 urban water supply agencies and more than 300 wastewater treatment systems in California serving 31 million people. For the period from 2020 to 2030, we used modeling with Monte Carlo simulations to estimate future scenarios of urban water demand given changes in efficiency, climate, water rates, and population. Effects of demand changes on wastewater...

Integrating legumes to enhance cereal production: The relative inputs of fertiliser nitrogen and legume biological nitrogen fixation in major wheat and maize producing countries

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

BackgroundCereal crops dominate arable agriculture and underpin global food supply. Cereal grain yield is closely related to crop nitrogen (N) uptake. However, excessive inputs of N fertiliser in cereal production systems can have negative environmental consequences and represent high financial risk for farmers.ScopeThis review explores opportunities to reduce the current reliance of the global staples, wheat (Triticum aestivum) and maize (Zea mays), on N fertiliser by diversifying cereal-based cropping systems with legumes, in both time (rotation) and space (via intercropping). Increases in cereal grain yield and N uptake resulting from the inclusion of legumes in wheat and maize cropping systems are examined across different geographic regions. The role of grain legumes and legume-based forages, cover-crops and green manures is described for the 15 countries responsible for producing > 70% of the world’s wheat and maize and consuming > 80% of the global applications of...

Correcting Apparent Priming Bias Unveils Fertilizer Nitrogen‐Risk Archetypes of Surplus and Depletion Across Asian Rice Systems

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Accurate assessment of fertilizer nitrogen (N) fate is essential for optimizing rice production, yet regional-scale estimates remain limited. This progress has been fundamentally constrained by the prohibitive cost of isotopic tracing, which has not only limited large-scale deployment but also prevented the correction of apparent priming effect (APE)-induced bias, resulting in a systematic misestimation of soil N retention. To overcome this limitation, a continental-scale framework is developed to quantify fertilizer N fate across Asian rice systems. Ensemble modeling produces the first high-resolution (5 arcmin) maps of Net Residue and Loss, identifying Eastern andCentral China, along with Northern India, as critical Loss hotspots. Accounting for APE reveals that positive priming suppresses the Net Residue of applied N to below 7% (-1%-15%), while 48% (43%-53%) of applied N is lost to the environment, leading to annual environmental costs of US$98.53 (83.25-108.27)...

Long-term balanced organic and synthetic nitrogen fertilization can realize sustainable crop production

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

CONTEXT Manure recycling to cropland reduces synthetic fertilizer use and nitrogen (N) waste while increasing soil carbon (C) sequestration, which is important for sustainable crop production. However, few studies have systematically integrated long-term N budgets with changes of soil C and N stocks and the greenhouse gas (GHG) balance. OBJECTIVE We aim to quantify the long-term responses of crop productivity, changes of soil C and N stock, reactive N losses and the GHG balance to various C and N management practices, thus providing evidence for sustainable crop production. METHODS We used a 15-year wheat-maize double cropping system in the North China Plain. The experiment included eight fertilization treatments with contrasting C and N management practices. Crop productivity, N losses, changes of soil C and N stock; and the GHG balance were evaluated. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Compared with conventional fertilization with excess synthetic N, long-term balanced organic and synthetic...

Gradual increases in light intensity and photoperiod enhance light use efficiency and dry matter in indoor basil

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L. Genovese) is a highly valued and economically important herb with significant culinary qualities. The quantity of light supplied to plants, including both light intensity and photoperiod, plays a critical role in regulating plant morphology and biomass accumulation. Optimizing these factors can simultaneously enhance yield and resource efficiency. This study assessed the effects of constant versus gradually increasing light intensity and photoperiod on basil growth, physiology, and light use efficiency (LUE), while maintaining an equivalent average daily light integral (DLI) over the 24-day growing period. Four different treatments were applied in a climate-controlled growth chamber: (CIP) constant light intensity (300 μmol m^-² s^-¹) and constant photoperiod (16 h), (CIDP) constant light intensity with a dynamic photoperiod (14-16-18 h), (DICP) dynamic light intensity (200-300-400 μmol m^-² s^-¹) with...

Liquid organic fertilizers in soilless cultivation: a systematic review of production, performance, challenges, and future prospects

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Organic farming practices, including the use of organic growing media, biopesticides, and biological control, are increasingly gaining attention in soilless crop production under controlled environments, driven by rising environmental awareness and potential economic benefits. However, plant nutrition in soilless systems still relies heavily on synthetic fertilizers (SFs), whose production is energy-intensive and can contribute to environmental pollution when overapplied. Liquid organic fertilizers (LOFs), derived from plants, animals, and other organic waste materials, present a promising alternative. Despite this potential, their adoption remains limited due to insufficient awareness of production factors, uncertainty regarding performance, and challenges related to application. This systematic review synthesizes findings from more than 77 peer-reviewed studies, revealing substantial variability in LOF nutrient composition depending on formulation, feedstock, and processing...

The annotated blueprint: integrated functional genomic resources for a model tetraploid wheat Triticum turgidum cv Kronos

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Triticum turgidum cv Kronos is a tetraploid wheat cultivar that underpins one of the most widely used community platforms for functional genomics. Over the past decade, researchers have generated c. 3000 exome-capture (EC) and promoter-capture (PC) datasets linked to mutagenized seed stocks, along with extensive transcriptomic and phenotypic resources. However, the absence of a reference genome has constrained their full utility. We assembled a chromosome-scale reference genome for Kronos, with high-confidence annotations, including manual curation of over 1000 disease resistance (nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR)) genes and genome-wide identification of microRNAs and phasiRNAs. We additionally reanalyzed EC and PC data to capture mutational landscapes across ethyl methane sulphonate-mutagenized Kronos populations. We revealed previously hidden NLR diversity and resolved their genomic organization at chromosomal ends. Re-analysis of capture datasets enabled high-resolution...

Decoupled carbon assimilation and growth responses to aridity in temperate deciduous oaks.

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The magnitude of the terrestrial carbon sink remains a key uncertainty in future climate projections, in part due to poorly understood links between carbon uptake and its allocation to woody biomass in vegetation. Here, in this study, we show that photosynthesis and aboveground growth occur asynchronously across diel to seasonal scales in eight North American oak species. Across 137 tree ring sites, current-year annual growth was insensitive to climate variability after midsummer despite 26 to 36% of annual gross primary productivity (GPP) occurring during this period. Hourly GPP flux and growth measurements at four sites spanning seven site years further demonstrate that wood formation ceases earlier than photosynthesis and is restricted to periods of low atmospheric aridity and temperature. This photosynthesis-growth decoupling intensifies with interannual variability in vapor pressure deficit (r = 0.86, P < 0.05), suggesting that by assuming tight coupling...

Invasion stress mitigates climate stress in a brackish marsh amphipod

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract Organisms in coastal brackish ecosystems face not only highly variable environmental conditions, but the intensity and stochasticity of these environmental conditions are anticipated to increase due to climate change. While environmental changes are often presented unilaterally as stressors, there are some anthropogenic environmental transformations, such as the introduction of habitat forming plant species, that may mitigate physiological stress imposed by warming. In Suisun Marsh in the California Delta, native plant canopies allow light and heat to penetrate to the understory yet the canopies of the introduced Phragmites australis reed block out sunlight and heat for organisms living below. We set out to understand the physiological performance of mud‐dwelling invertebrates in this context: can invasion stress mitigate climate stress? We raised field collected Gammarus amphipods in the laboratory under simulated ‘native canopy’ and ‘ Phragmites canopy’ temperature/light...

Thirty Years of Changes in How We Understand and Steward California’s Grasslands

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The California Native Grassland Association’s (CNGA’s) leadership in the restoration of California grasslands has extended far beyond incorporating the latest science into restoration techniques, it’s also pushed the frontiers of research—forging new directions and recruiting and collaborating with researchers to explore novel ways of understanding these grasslands, addressing critical knowledge gaps in our stewardship. This is a short review of some of the major changes in our understanding of California’s grasslands in the last 30 years.

Interactive effects of electrical conductivity and light intensity on growth, yield, and nutrient dynamics of hydroponic lettuce

Wed, 3 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract Precise management of nutrient solution properties, such as electrical conductivity (EC), and environmental factors, such as light intensity (LI), is essential for optimizing crop yield and quality in hydroponic production. This study evaluated the individual and combined effects of two EC ranges (EC1: 1.5–2.0 dS m-1; EC2: 4.5–6.0 dS m-1) and three LI levels (L1 = 145, L2 = 185, and L3 = 240 $$\mu$$mol m-2 s-1) on the growth, yield, leaf mineral uptake, and nitrate accumulation of butterhead lettuce grown in hydroponic system under artificial lighting. The greatest leaf area (1338.31 cm2) and yield (57.97 g plant-1) were observed in EC1L3 treatment, corresponding to reductions of 75% and 77.2%, respectively, compared to EC2L3 (330.79 cm2 and 13.98 g plant-1), indicating the adverse effects of salinity stress. Furthermore, within the same EC1 level, LI positively impacted yield, which increased by 47% under EC1L3 compared to EC1L1. Mineral...

The psyI and psyR Genes of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 Contribute to Bacterial Virulence on Tomato.

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The LuxI/LuxR system, which produces and perceives N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs), plays a significant role in regulating pathogenesis and communication in gram-negative bacteria. A homologous system exists in Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst) DC3000, which is encoded by the single-copy genes psyI/psyR. We created a double-knockout mutant of the AHL synthase (psyI) and the AHL receptor (psyR) genes in Pst DC3000 and a corresponding complemented strain to gain insights into their role in plant-pathogen interactions and the metabolic processes associated with this system in vitro. We observed that the mutant strain psyI^-R^- can overcome stomatal immunity as the parental strain Pst DC3000. However, the psyI^-R^- apoplastic population is significantly smaller than that of Pst DC3000 at 3 days postinoculation. Furthermore, PsyI and PsyR are required for...

Structure and sequence evolution in the pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) pangenome

Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Eukaryotic genomes harbor many forms of variation, including nucleotide diversity and structural polymorphisms, which experience natural selection and contribute to genome evolution and biodiversity. Harnessing this variation for agriculture hinges on our ability to detect, quantify, catalog, and deploy genetic diversity. Here, we explore seven complete genomes of the emerging biofuel crop pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) drawn from across the species' current genetic diversity to catalog variation in genome structure and content. Across this new pangenome resource, we find contrasting evolutionary modes in different genomic zones. Gene-poor, repeat-rich pericentromeric regions experience frequent rearrangements, including repeated centromere repositioning. By contrast, conserved gene-dense chromosome arms maintain large-scale synteny across accessions even in fast-evolving NOD-like receptor immune genes, where microsynteny breaks down across species, but gene cluster positioning...

Labile carbon dynamics under initial transition to regenerative agriculture

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Understanding the dynamics of labile organic carbon (LOC) is critical for evaluating the short-term impacts of regenerative agricultural practices on soil health. We assessed changes in key LOC fractions such as permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC) measured by 0.01 M, 0.02 M, 0.033 M potassium permanganate, microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and very labile carbon (CVL) across four long-term conservation agriculture (CA) experiment sites located in contrasting agro-ecological zones of South Asia namely Karnal, Patna, Aduthurai, and Gazipur. At each site, four cropping system scenarios (S) were evaluated: S1, current farmers practice; S2, current farmers cropping system with partial CA; S3, current farmers cropping system with full CA; and S4, diversified crop rotation with full CA. Soil samples were collected from 0–15 and 15–30 cm depth after two cropping cycles. Results showed that POXC, MBC, CVL, oxidizable organic carbon (SOC) and total organic carbon (TOC) increased following...

No-till in rice systems: A global meta-analysis of key agronomic practices impacting yields

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Context While no-till (NT), one of the pillars of conservation agriculture, is widely practiced in upland crops, considerably less research has been conducted in rice systems. While adoption has been limited, numerous field experiments have evaluated NT rice across diverse regions and management contexts yet reported yield responses to key agronomic practices, soil properties, and climatic conditions remain inconsistent and poorly synthesized at a global scale. Objective Our objective was to conduct a global meta-analysis comparing the effects of NT to conventional tillage (CT) on rice yields and to identify the agronomic practices, soil characteristics, and climate factors most strongly associated with yield changes under NT. Methods We performed a global meta-analysis of 115 studies (579 paired observations) comparing rice yields under NT and CT. Yield response ratios (lnRR) were analyzed using mixed-effects meta-analysis to estimate overall effects. Meta-regression and Random...

Association Between Observed Climate Change and Cardiovascular Disease in the United States

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Climate change is affecting nearly all social and environmental determinants of health. However, the extent of resulting cumulative impacts on cardiovascular and other noncommunicable diseases is not known. To address this gap and inform future research, we conducted an ecological evaluation of associations between 14 long-term climate anomaly metrics and prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke in the United States. We calculated long-term anomaly metrics as the difference between their respective 1970-1979 baseline mean and 2013-2022 modern mean values. With fitted random effects regression analysis, we evaluated associations between each anomaly metric, individually and collectively, and census tract-level 2020-2022 mean prevalence of CHD and stroke. In adjusted models with all noncollinear anomaly metrics, we found a net association of all metrics with 0.59% higher CHD prevalence and 0.88% higher stroke prevalence (9.8% and 27.9% relative prevalence, respectively)....

Target-site mechanism confers resistance pattern of ACCase inhibitors in bearded sprangletop (Leptochloa fusca ssp. fascicularis) from California

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract Bearded sprangletop is a problematic native grass weed in California’s rice fields. The widespread and extensive use of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase)–inhibiting herbicides, such as cyhalofop- p -butyl (cyhalofop), has led to speculation that biotypes of bearded sprangletop have developed herbicide resistance to ACCase. The aim of this study was to evaluate suspected resistant bearded sprangletop biotypes, R1, R2, R3, and the susceptible biotype, S1, in terms of their levels of resistance to three ACCase-inhibiting herbicides and to characterize the molecular mechanisms of resistance. Dose–response experiments suggested that the biotype R1, R2, and R3 had high-level resistance to cyhalofop and to quizalofop- p -ethyl (quizalofop), but not clethodim. The study determined that the resistance to ACCase inhibitors was a target-site mechanism resulting from nucleotide substitution. The carboxyl transferase (CT) domain of the ACCase gene’s sequence analysis revealed the substitutions...

DNA methylation is conserved between vegetative propagules in almond (Prunus dulcis Mill DA Webb)

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

DNA methylation is conserved between vegetative propagules in almond (Prunus dulcis Mill DA Webb)

Multi-environment evaluation and genomic prediction of agronomic traits in the southern US rice genepool.

Wed, 8 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The southern United States is responsible for 80% of the countrys production of rice, approximately half of which is exported. Understanding genotypic and environmental factors impacting the historical performance of rice (Oryza sativa L.) is important for directing research efforts to optimize production of this globally important crop. A set of 429 rice genotypes including globally diverse historical parents and advanced japonica breeding lines from southern US breeding programs was phenotyped in 2008 for eight agronomic traits in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. They were also genotyped using a single-nucleotide polymorphism set optimized for genomic prediction/selection. Genotypic and phenotypic data were analyzed via clustering techniques and principal component analysis. Single-trait and multi-trait genomic prediction were used to predict genetic values on a per-plant basis. We found that contemporary germplasm from the southern state breeding programs was highly interrelated...

Effect of physiological priming on stored coffee seeds

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract: The physiological priming has been used to standardize and increase the speed of development of seed lots. The use of this technique is essential in coffee cultivation, as the crop has low longevity associated with slow and uneven germination. The objective was to evaluate the effect of physiological priming on the physiological quality of coffee seeds stored with different water contents. Seeds of two cultivars of Coffea arabica were used: cv. Catuaí Vermelho IAC144 and Topázio MG1190. A portion of the seeds were dried in the shade until reaching 12% moisture, and the other did not undergo drying. The seeds were stored in a cold chamber at 10 °C for nine months. Every three months, the physiological priming technique was performed with subsequent evaluation of the physiological quality by germination tests, root protrusion, normal seedlings at fifteen days, strong normal seedlings, seedlings with expanded cotyledonary leaves and seedling dry weight. Seeds that did not...

Trait‐based approaches to restoration ecology: Synthesizing insights from diverse systems

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Under accelerating global change, trait-based approaches are emerging as essential tools in the ecological restoration toolbox. Where restoration has traditionally focused on the recovery of focal species in isolated systems, trait-based methods can provide a common language that extends beyond species- or system-specific contexts, allowing scientists and practitioners to translate insights across organisms and ecosystems and predict functional variation critical to resilience in the face of rapidly changing environmental conditions. Trait-based insights can thus help achieve restoration that is both adaptable and scalable as future climate scenarios unfold. To date, trait-based approaches to restoration have developed and proceeded independently across habitats and ecosystems, limiting information sharing and innovation. Here, we synthesize diverse perspectives and research on trait-informed restoration across ecosystems, distilling our findings into three key insights. First,...

Vigor of maize seeds and its effects on plant stand establishment, crop development and grain yield

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Vigor of maize seeds and its effects on plant stand establishment, crop development and grain yield

Lignin content, morphoanatomical traits and antioxidant activity as determinants of soybean seed storage tolerance and quality

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The storage of soybean seeds is a critical aspect of the production process, making it essential for genotypes to show tolerance during this phase to maintain seed quality. This study aimed to examine and correlate lignin content in the seed coat, enzyme activity expression, and morphoanatomical characteristics of soybean cultivars with the preservation of physiological quality and storage tolerance. Eight soybean cultivars were selected, produced, and harvested under uniform edaphoclimatic conditions. Physiological quality assessments were conducted at six storage intervals: 0, 60, 120, 180, 240, and 360 days. Evaluations included tests for germination, emergence, accelerated aging, electrical conductivity, and lignin content in the seed coat. Additionally, biochemical and enzymatic analyses of antioxidant metabolism and morphoanatomical examinations were performed using light microscopy on seeds stored for 0 and 360 days. The experiment used an 8 × 6 factorial arrangement, encompassing...

Comparative genomics of six Juglans species reveals disease‐associated gene family contractions