ZmL75 is required for colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and for saline-alkali tolerance in maize.

Saline-alkali soil severely reduces the productivity of crops, including maize (Zea mays). Although several genes associated with saline-alkali tolerance have been identified in maize, the underlying regulatory mechanism remains elusive. Here, we report a direct link between colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and saline-alkali tolerance in maize.

Physiological and Transcriptome Analyses Reveal the Effects of Fertilization on the Yield of Winter Wheat and on the Photosynthetic Performance of Leaves during the Flowering Period.

Fertilization significantly affects the growth and development of wheat. However, the precise mechanisms underlying gene regulation during flowering in response to fertilization deficiency remain elusive. In this study, fertilization (F) and non-fertilization (CK) ) treatments were set up to reveal examine the effect of fertilization on the photosynthetic capacity of winter wheat during the flowering period through physiological, biochemical, and transcriptome analyses.

Isolation and Functional Characterization of a Constitutive Promoter in Upland Cotton ( L.).

Multiple cis-acting elements are present in promoter sequences that play critical regulatory roles in gene transcription and expression. In this study, we isolated the cotton (Fiddlehead) gene promoter (pGhFDH) using a real-time reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) expression analysis and performed a cis-acting elements prediction analysis. The plant expression vector pGhFDH::GUS was constructed using the Gateway approach and was used for the genetic transformation of and upland cotton plants to obtain transgenic lines.

Comparative transcriptome responses of leaf and root tissues to salt stress in wheat strains with different salinity tolerances.

Salinity stress is a major adverse environmental factor that can limit crop yield and restrict normal land use. The selection of salt-tolerant strains and elucidation of the underlying mechanisms by plant breeding scientists are urgently needed to increase agricultural production in arid and semi-arid regions. In this study, we selected the salt-tolerant wheat () strain ST9644 as a model to study differences in expression patterns between salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive strains.

Identification of the Potential Genes Regulating Seed Germination Speed in Maize.

Seed germination is the crucial stage in plant life cycle. Rapid and uniform germination plays an essential role in plant development and grain yield improvement. However, the molecular mechanism underlying seed germination speed is largely unknown due to the complexity of the dynamic process and the difficulty in phenotyping.

A maize calcineurin B-like interacting protein kinase ZmCIPK42 confers salt stress tolerance.

Calcineurin B-like (CBL) and CBL-interacting protein kinase (CIPK) play a crucial role in biotic and abiotic stress responses. However, the roles of different CIPKs in biotic and abiotic stress responses are less well characterized. In this study, we identified a mutation leading to an early protein termination of the maize CIPK gene ZmCIPK42 that undergoes a G to A mutation at the coding region via searching for genes involved in salt stress tolerance and ion homeostasis from maize with querying the EMS mutant library of maize B73.

Antibiotic Application and Resistance in Swine Production in China: Current Situation and Future Perspectives.

To meet increasing demand for animal protein, swine have been raised in large Chinese farms widely, using antibiotics as growth promoter. However, improper use of antibiotics has caused serious environmental and health risks, in particular Antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This paper reviews the consumption of antibiotics in swine production as well as AMR and the development of novel antibiotics or alternatives in China.

Characterization of the calcineurin B-Like (CBL) gene family in maize and functional analysis of ZmCBL9 under abscisic acid and abiotic stress treatments.

In plants, calcineurin B-like proteins (CBLs) play crucial roles in regulating calcium-signaling in response to various abiotic stresses by interacting with specific CBL-interacting protein kinases (CIPKs). However, the identities and functions of CBL gene family members in maize are largely unknown. Here, we identified from the maize genome 12 CBL genes.

ZmCIPK21, a maize CBL-interacting kinase, enhances salt stress tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Salt stress represents an increasing threat to crop growth and yield in saline soil. In this study, we identified a maize calcineurin B-like protein-interacting protein kinase (CIPK), ZmCIPK21, which was primarily localized in the cytoplasm and the nucleus of cells and displayed enhanced expression under salt stress. Over-expression of ZmCIPK21 in wild-type Arabidopsis plants increased their tolerance to salt, as supported by the longer root lengths and improved growth.