Optimizing oilseed rape growth: Exploring the effect of foliar biostimulants on the interplay among metabolism, phenology, and yield.

The current agricultural system is in search of new strategies to achieve a more sustainable production while keeping or even increasing crop yield and quality. In this scenario, the application of biostimulants constitutes a potent solution. In the current study, the impact of a blue-green microalgal extract (MB) and a pig tissue hydrolysate (PTH) on rapeseed plants' development was characterized.

Differential effects of elevated CO on awn and glume metabolism in durum wheat ().

While the effect of CO2 enrichment on wheat (Triticum spp.) photosynthesis, nitrogen content or yield has been well-studied, the impact of elevated CO2 on metabolic pathways in organs other than leaves is poorly documented. In particular, glumes and awns, which may refix CO2 respired by developing grains and be naturally exposed to higher-than-ambient CO2 mole fraction, could show specific responses to elevated CO2 .

Differential Effect of Free-Air CO Enrichment (FACE) in Different Organs and Growth Stages of Two Cultivars of Durum Wheat.

Wheat is a target crop within the food security context. The responses of wheat plants under elevated concentrations of CO ([CO]) have been previously studied; however, few of these studies have evaluated several organs at different phenological stages simultaneously under free-air CO enrichment (FACE) conditions. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of [CO] in two cultivars of wheat (Triumph and Norin), analyzed at three phenological stages (elongation, anthesis, and maturation) and in different organs at each stage, under FACE conditions.

Medicago sativa and M. tunetana reveal contrasting physiological and metabolic responses to drought.

Alfalfa production is frequently constrained by drought, indicating the importance of assessing species biodiversity in endemic close relatives to enhance forage production under future global change conditions. In the present study, plants of two ecotypes of M. tunetana, native to Tunisia, and four commercial cultivars of M.

Additive effects of heatwave and water stresses on soybean seed yield is caused by impaired carbon assimilation at pod formation but not at flowering.

Heatwave (HW) combined with water stress (WS) are critical environmental factors negatively affecting crop development. This study aimed to quantify the individual and combined effects of HW and WS during early reproductive stages on leaf and nodule functioning and their relation with final soybean seed yield (SY). For this purpose, during flowering (R2) and pod formation (R4) soybean (Glycine max L.

Could ammonium nutrition increase plant C-sink strength under elevated CO conditions?

Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO) is increasing, and this affects plant photosynthesis and biomass production. Under elevated CO conditions (eCO), plants need to cope with an unbalanced carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C/N) due to a limited C sink strength and/or the reported constrains in leaf N. Here, we present a physiological and metabolic analysis of ammonium (NH)-tolerant pea plants (Pisum sativum L.

Holm oak decline is determined by shifts in fine root phenotypic plasticity in response to belowground stress.

Climate change and pathogen outbreaks are the two major causes of decline in Mediterranean holm oak trees (Quercus ilex L. subsp. ballota (Desf.

Estimating peanut and soybean photosynthetic traits using leaf spectral reflectance and advance regression models.

By combining hyperspectral signatures of peanut and soybean, we predicted V and J with 70 and 50% accuracy. The PLS was the model that better predicted these photosynthetic parameters. One proposed key strategy for increasing potential crop stability and yield centers on exploitation of genotypic variability in photosynthetic capacity through precise high-throughput phenotyping techniques.

Traffic restrictions during COVID-19 lockdown improve air quality and reduce metal biodeposition in tree leaves.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has had a great global impact on human health, the life of people, and economies all over the world. However, in general, COVID-19´s effect on air quality has been positive due to the restrictions on social and economic activity. This study aimed to assess the impact on air quality and metal deposition of actions taken to reduce mobility in 2020 in two different urban locations.

Soybean Inoculated With One Bradyrhizobium Strain Isolated at Elevated [CO] Show an Impaired C and N Metabolism When Grown at Ambient [CO].

Soybean ( L.) future response to elevated [CO] has been shown to differ when inoculated with strains isolated at ambient or elevated [CO]. Plants, inoculated with three strains isolated at different [CO], were grown in chambers at current and elevated [CO] (400 vs.

Climate Change, Crop Yields, and Grain Quality of C Cereals: A Meta-Analysis of [CO], Temperature, and Drought Effects.

Cereal yield and grain quality may be impaired by environmental factors associated with climate change. Major factors, including elevated CO concentration ([CO]), elevated temperature, and drought stress, have been identified as affecting C crop production and quality. A meta-analysis of existing literature was performed to study the impact of these three environmental factors on the yield and nutritional traits of C cereals.

Overexpression of thioredoxin m in chloroplasts alters carbon and nitrogen partitioning in tobacco.

In plants, there is a complex interaction between carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) metabolism, and its coordination is fundamental for plant growth and development. Here, we studied the influence of thioredoxin (Trx) m on C and N partitioning using tobacco plants overexpressing Trx m from the chloroplast genome. The transgenic plants showed altered metabolism of C (lower leaf starch and soluble sugar accumulation) and N (with higher amounts of amino acids and soluble protein), which pointed to an activation of N metabolism at the expense of carbohydrates.

Short-Term Exposure to High Atmospheric Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD) Severely Impacts Durum Wheat Carbon and Nitrogen Metabolism in the Absence of Edaphic Water Stress.

Low atmospheric relative humidity (RH) accompanied by elevated air temperature and decreased precipitation are environmental challenges that wheat production will face in future decades. These changes to the atmosphere are causing increases in air vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and low soil water availability during certain periods of the wheat-growing season. The main objective of this study was to analyze the physiological, metabolic, and transcriptional response of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) metabolism of wheat ( cv.

Differential Flag Leaf and Ear Photosynthetic Performance Under Elevated (CO) Conditions During Grain Filling Period in Durum Wheat.

Elevated concentrations of CO (CO) in plants with C photosynthesis metabolism, such as wheat, stimulate photosynthetic rates. However, photosynthesis tends to decrease as a function of exposure to high (CO) due to down-regulation of the photosynthetic machinery, and this phenomenon is defined as photosynthetic acclimation. Considerable efforts are currently done to determine the effect of photosynthetic tissues, such us spike, in grain filling.

Assessing the evolution of wheat grain traits during the last 166 years using archived samples.

The current study focuses on yield and nutritional quality changes of wheat grain over the last 166 years. It is based on wheat grain quality analyses carried out on samples collected between 1850 and 2016. Samples were obtained from the Broadbalk Continuous Wheat Experiment (UK) and from herbaria from 16 different countries around the world.

Durum Wheat Grain Yield and Quality under Low and High Nitrogen Conditions: Insights into Natural Variation in Low- and High-Yielding Genotypes.

The availability and management of N are major determinants of crop productivity, but N excessive use has an associated agro-ecosystems environmental impact. The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of N fertilization on yield and grain quality of 6 durum wheat genotypes, selected from 20 genotypes as high- and low-yielding genotypes. Two N levels were applied from anthesis to maturity: high (½ Hoagland nutrient solution) and low (modified ½ Hoagland with one-third of N).

Elevated CO2 has concurrent effects on leaf and grain metabolism but minimal effects on yield in wheat.

While the general effect of CO2 enrichment on photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, N content, and yield has been documented, there is still some uncertainty as to whether there are interactive effects between CO2 enrichment and other factors, such as temperature, geographical location, water availability, and cultivar. In addition, the metabolic coordination between leaves and grains, which is crucial for crop responsiveness to elevated CO2, has never been examined closely. Here, we address these two aspects by multi-level analyses of data from several free-air CO2 enrichment experiments conducted in five different countries.

Remote sensing techniques and stable isotopes as phenotyping tools to assess wheat yield performance: Effects of growing temperature and vernalization.

This study compares distinct phenotypic approaches to assess wheat performance under different growing temperatures and vernalization needs. A set of 38 (winter and facultative) wheat cultivars were planted in Valladolid (Spain) under irrigation and two contrasting planting dates: normal (late autumn), and late (late winter). The late plating trial exhibited a 1.

Vitamin E in legume nodules: Occurrence and antioxidant function.

Although the biosynthesis and function of tocochromanols in leaves and seeds have been extensively studied, their occurrence and function in underground tissues, such as roots and nodules, is very poorly understood. Here, we performed a comparative study of the presence of tocochromanols in different plant organs (leaves, roots and nodules) of three legumes (soybean, alfalfa and pea plants). Additionally, we measured variations in tocochromanols as a function of the severity of water stress and evaluated their relationship with the extent of membrane lipid peroxidation and nodule performance (as indicated by thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances assay and N isotope labeling, respectively).

Photosynthetic Metabolism under Stressful Growth Conditions as a Bases for Crop Breeding and Yield Improvement.

Increased periods of water shortage and higher temperatures, together with a reduction in nutrient availability, have been proposed as major factors that negatively impact plant development. Photosynthetic CO assimilation is the basis of crop production for animal and human food, and for this reason, it has been selected as a primary target for crop phenotyping/breeding studies. Within this context, knowledge of the mechanisms involved in the response and acclimation of photosynthetic CO assimilation to multiple changing environmental conditions (including nutrients, water availability, and rising temperature) is a matter of great concern for the understanding of plant behavior under stress conditions, and for the development of new strategies and tools for enhancing plant growth in the future.

Physiological, Hormonal and Metabolic Responses of two Alfalfa Cultivars with Contrasting Responses to Drought.

Alfalfa ( L.) is frequently constrained by environmental conditions such as drought. Within this context, it is crucial to identify the physiological and metabolic traits conferring a better performance under stressful conditions.

Metabolic Effects of Elevated CO on Wheat Grain Development and Composition.

The increase in the atmospheric CO concentration is predicted to influence wheat production and grain quality and nutritional properties. In the present study, durum wheat ( Desf. cv.