Global population pressures have necessitated increased focus on protecting and developing resilient plant species that can maintain productivity despite environmental challenges. Environmental degradation, driven by climate change and anthropogenic activities, poses significant threats to global food security through various forms of physical stress. Major environmental constraints affecting agricultural yields worldwide include salinity, water scarcity, nutritional imbalances (encompassing mineral toxicity and deficiencies), and extreme temperatures. Crop yield is influenced by multiple abiotic factors, including agronomic conditions, climatic variables, and soil nutrient availability. Plants develop various survival mechanisms at molecular, cellular, and physiological levels in response to stress. Abiotic stress, whether occurring individually or in combination, significantly impacts crop growth and productivity. For instance, drought stress reduces leaf area, plant height, and overall crop development. Cold stress inhibits plant development and crop efficiency, leading to diminished productivity. Salinity stress not only induces water stress in plants but also negatively affects cytosolic metabolism, cell development, membrane function, and increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Elevated CO₂ concentrations may enhance global precipitation patterns, potentially resulting in increased rainfall that can adversely affect crop development. Plants under excessive water stress exhibit reduced amylose content but increased crude protein levels. This affects both quality and quantity of crop production by inhibiting seed germination and causing growth impairment through combined effects of elevated osmotic potential and ion toxicity. Plants have evolved various escape-avoidance and tolerance mechanisms in response to abiotic stress, including physiological adaptations and integrated cellular or molecular responses. This review paper examines the impact of abiotic stress on morpho-physiological, biochemical, and molecular activities across various crops. Additionally, it analyzes crop interactions with abiotic stress regarding response and adaptation mechanisms, providing a fundamental framework for species selection and development of stress-tolerant varieties in the future.

The interplay between gut microbiota and host health has attracted significant interest in the animal science community. Maintaining gut microbiota homeostasis by supplementing probiotics to treat clinical conditions like calf diarrhea is an emerging area of research nowadays because of increased concerns regarding antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and drug residues in animal products. Probiotics reduce the incidence of calf diarrhea by increasing the gut microbiota diversity and richness with more commensal bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium that produce antimicrobial compounds, as well as modulating the immune response by increasing cytokines, Interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, and reducing tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), by increasing production of antibodies, especially immunoglobulin E (IgE), also IgG, differentiating naïve Th lymphocytes (Tho) into Th1, hence stimulate innate immunity and prime the adaptive immune response. Specific probiotic strains of bacteria and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) derived probiotics maintain the integrity of the intestinal barrier. In this review, data are being organized to address the role of probiotics in treating calf diarrhea by modulating gut microbiota and stimulating an immune response against notorious pathogens, to present animal and veterinary scientists and nutritionists with a new concept to treat infectious diseases from the perspective of the gut microbiota, increasing animal health, performance, and welfare. In conclusion, health status and gut microbiome are strongly interlinked. Research data indicated a significant reduction in the incidence of diarrhea after probiotic administration. If interrelations between probiotics and existing gut microbiota are explored more quantitatively, novel antibiotic substitutes can emerge in the future.

Thinopyrumponticum(2n=10×=70), a wild relative of common wheat (TriticumaestivumL.), is considered an invaluable genetic resource for wheat improvement due to its abundance of genes conferring resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. This study focused on the CH97 line, derived from the BC₁F₇progeny of a cross between wheat cv. 7182 and Th. ponticum. Cytological evidence showed that CH97 has 42 chromosomes, forming 21 bivalents at meiotic metaphase I, with the bivalents subsequently separating and moving to opposite poles during meiotic anaphase I. Through a combination of fluorescence insituhybridization (FISH), genomic insituhybridization (GISH), multicolor GISH (mc-GISH), and liquid array analysis, it was determined that CH97 comprises 40 wheat chromosomes and two alien chromosomes from the E^egenome of Th. ponticum, featuring the absence of a pair of 5D chromosomes and variations in 1B, 6B, and 7B chromosomes. These findings confirm that CH97 is a stable wheat-Th. ponticum5E (5D) alien disomic substitution line. Inoculation experiments revealed that CH97 exhibits high resistance to wheat powdery mildew and stripe rust throughout the growth period, in contrast to the highly susceptible common wheat parent 7182. Compared to 7182, CH97 displayed improvements in thousand-kernel weight and kernel length. Additionally, utilizing specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) technology, chromosome 5E-specific molecular markers were developed and validated, achieving a 33.3% success rate, facilitating marker-assisted selection for disease resistance in wheat. Overall, the CH97 substitution line, with its resistance to diseases and improved agronomic traits, represents valuablenew germplasm for wheat chromosome engineering and breeding.

Carbohydrate partitioning from source to sink tissues is essential for plant growth and development. However, in maize (ZeamaysL.), the molecular mechanisms by which callose synthase genes regulate this process remain largely unexplored. This study demonstrates that mutation of maize callosesynthase12(ZmCals12) results in increased carbohydrate accumulation in photosynthetic leaves but decreased carbohydrate content in sink tissues, leading to plant dwarfing and male sterility. Histochemical β-glucuronidase (GUS) activity assay and mRNA insituhybridization (ISH) revealed that ZmCals12expression mainly occurs in the vascular transport system. ZmCals12 loss-of-function decreased callose synthase activity and callose deposition in plasmodesmatas (PDs) and surrounding phloem cells (PCs) of the vascular bundle. The drop-and-see (DANS) assay indicated reduced PD permeability in photosynthetic cells and diminished transport competence of leaf veins in Zmcals12mutants, resulting in decreased symplastic transport. Paraffin section analysis revealed that less-developed vascular cells (VCs) in Zmcals12mutants likely disrupted sugar transport, contributing to the pleiotropic phenotype. Furthermore, impaired sugar transport inhibited internode development by suppressing auxin (IAA) biosynthesis and signaling in Zmcals12mutant. These findings elucidate the mechanism by which ZmCals12-mediated callose deposition and symplastic transport regulate maize growth and development

The pathogenesis-related protein PR10 plays a vital role in plant growth, development, and stress responses. This study systematically identified and analyzed PR10genes in cultivated peanut (ArachishypogaeaL.), examining their phylogenetic relationships, conserved motifs, gene structures, and syntenic relationships. The analysis identified 54 AhPR10genes, which were classified into eight groups based on phylogenetic relationships, supported by gene structure and conserved motif characterization. Analysis of chromosomal distribution and synteny demonstrated that segmental duplications played a crucial role in the expansion of the AhPR10gene family. The identified AhPR10genes exhibited both constitutive and inducible expression patterns. Significantly, AhPR10-7, AhPR10-33, and AhPR10-41demonstrated potential importance in peanut resistance to Aspergillus flavus. Invitrofungistatic experiments demonstrated that recombinant AhPR10-33 effectively inhibited A.flavusmycelial growth. These findings provide valuable insights for future investigations into AhPR10 functions in protecting peanut from A.flavusinfection.

Alternate wetting and drying irrigation (AWD) significantly influences the cooking and eating quality of rice (Oryza sativa L.). However, the mechanisms by which AWD affects rice cooking and eating quality remain unclear. Lipid and free fatty acid contents in grains correlate positively with cooking and eating quality of rice. This study examined Yangdao 6 (YD6, a conventional taste indica inbred) and Nanjing 9108 (NJ9108, a superior taste japonica inbred) cultivated under conventional irrigation (CI), alternate wetting and moderate drying irrigation (AWMD), and alternate wetting and severe drying irrigation (AWSD) from 10 days after transplanting to maturity. The research investigated the relationship between lipid and free fatty acid biosynthesis in grains and the cooking and eating quality of rice. Compared to CI treatment, AWMD significantly enhanced the contents of lipid, total free fatty acids (TFFAs), free unsaturated fatty acids (FUFAs), linoleic acid, and oleic acid in milled rice by increasing activities of enzymes associated with lipid synthesis, while AWSD produced opposite effects. Correlation analysis revealed that elevated levels of lipid, TFFAs, FUFAs, linoleic acid, and oleic acid contribute to improved rice cooking and eating quality. The findings demonstrate that AWMD enhances cooking and eating quality of milled rice through optimization of lipid and fatty acid synthesis in rice grains.

Coordinating light and nitrogen (N) distribution within a canopy is essential for improving rice yield and resource use efficiency. However, limited research has examined light and N distribution in response to planting density and N rate, and their relationships with grain yield, radiation use efficiency (RUE), and N use efficiency for grain production (NUEg) in rice. A two-year field experiment was conducted with two hybrid varieties under three N levels, 0 kg ha^–1(N1), 90 kg ha^–1(N2) and 180 kg ha^–1(N3), and two planting densities, 22.2 hills m^–2(D1) and 33.3 hills m^–2(D2). Results showed 3.4% higher yield and 4.4% higher NUEg under N2D2 compared with N3D1. The extinction coefficient for N (K_N) and light (K_L) and their ratio (K_N/K_L) at heading stage were significantly influenced by N rate, planting density, and their interaction. K_Ndecreased with the increase of N input or planting density. Compared to N1, K_Ndecreased by 43.5 and 58.8% under N2 and N3, respectively, while K_Nunder D2 decreased by 16.0% compared to D1. Higher K_Land K_N/K_Lvalues occurred under low N rates, with opposite trends under high N rates. Increased planting density led to decreased K_Land K_N/K_Lvalues. N2D2 demonstrated higher K_Land K_N, and thus comparable K_N/K_L, compared to N3D1. Correlation analysis revealed K_Lnegatively correlated with RUE, while K_Nand K_N/K_Lpositively correlated with NUEg. These findings indicate that increasing planting density under reduced N input could maintain rice yield while enhancing resource use efficiency through regulation of canopy light and N distribution.

Persistent overcast rain was an essential limiting factor for summer maize production, of which immediate impact was the dual pressure of waterlogging and shading. However, the mechanisms underlying independent and combined effects of waterlogging and shading on maize yield losses remain understudied, particularly across different growth stages. Denghai 605 (DH605) was selected tobe subjected shading, waterlogging, and their combined stress at the 3rd leaf stage (V3), the 6th leaf stage (V6), and tasseling stage (VT). Results showed that shading, waterlogging and their combination significantly restricted leaf areaexpansion, reduced leaf net photosynthetic rate (P_n) and net assimilation rate (NAR), thereby decreasing the crop growth rate (CGR) and biomass accumulation. Additionally, compared to control, the process of lignin synthesiswas inhibited under stressed treatment, resulting in diminished stem mechanical strength and impaired vascular systemdevelopment, which substantially reduced assimilate remobilizationefficiency to the ear and ultimate grain yield. Waterlogging and combined stresses exhibited maximum impact atthe V3 stage, followed by V6 and VT stages, while shading effects were most pronounced atthe VT stage, followed by V6 and V3 stages. Moreover,the compound stress exacerbated the damage brought about by a single stress. As climate change is projected to increase the frequency of multiple abiotic stress occurrences, these findings provide valuable insights for future summer maize breeding research under persistent rainfall conditions.

Elevated CO₂(eCO₂) may mitigate stress-induced damage to cotton (Gossypiumspp.) growth and development.However, understanding the early-stage responses of cotton to multiple abiotic stressors at eCO₂ levels has been limited. This study quantified the impacts of chilling (CS, 22/14°C, day/night temperature), heat (HS, 38/30°C), drought (DS, 50% irrigation of the control), and salt (SS, 8 dSm^–1) stresses on pigments, physiology, growth, and development of 14 upland cotton cultivars under ambient CO₂(aCO₂, 420 ppm; current) and eCO₂(700 ppm; future) levels during the vegetative stage. The eCO₂partially negated the effects of all stresses by improving one or more of the pigments, physiological, growth, and development traits, except CS. For instance, HS at aCO₂significantly increased stomatal conductance by 36% compared with non-stressed plants at aCO₂. However, HS at eCO₂significantly decreased stomatal conductance by 18% compared with HS at aCO₂.The first squaring was delayed by one day under SS at aCO₂but two days earlier under SS at eCO₂than non-stressed plants at aCO₂.Root and shoot dry mass and the total leaf area were significantly higher under all stresses, except for CS, at the eCO₂compared with similar stresses at theaCO₂. Most growth and development traits, including plant height, leaf area, and shoot dry mass, displayed a mirroring response pattern between aCO₂and eCO₂ under all environments except CS.Cultivars exhibited significant interaction with stressed environments. Further, results revealed differential sensitivity and adaptation potential of cultivars to stress environments at varying CO₂levels. This study highlights the need to consider eCO₂in designing breeding programs to develop stress-tolerant varieties for future cotton-growing environments.