To clarify the effects of different dwarfing genotype combinations on stem traits and individual plant yield in hybrid wheat, seventeen known molecular markers for wheat dwarfing genes were used to screen six male sterile lines and six restorer lines. A total of 36 diallel cross combinations were prepared, and plant height, stem characteristics, and individual plant yield of F₁ hybrids from different combinations were investigated. The results showed that all 12 parental materials contained the Rht1 gene. Rht8 was mainly distributed in the male sterile lines, and Rht24 was predominant in the restorer lines. Rht2, Rht4 and Rht11 presented low distribution frequency among the 12 materials, and Rht3, Rht5 and Rht14 were not detected in any tested materials. The combination of different dwarfing genes carried by the parents significantly affected the combining ability for plant height in the F₁ generation. For instance, restorer line 17ARH41 showed excellent general combining ability for plant height reduction when crossed with male sterile lines Xiaoyan 22A and Jin 11324A. The combinations containing the Rht4 had the highest filling degree of peduncle internode(1.66 mg·cm^-1) and peduncle internode ratio(39.48%), in contrast to 1.65 mg·cm^-1 and 38.5% recorded in combinations without Rht4. F₁ hybrids derived from the crosses between restorer lines 17ARH44, 13AR55 and six male sterile lines displayed obviously heterotic differences in stem breading resistance and puncture resistance. The two restorer lines differed only in the presence of the Rht13 gene in their dwarfing gene constitutions. Stem type index was positively correlated with the second internode ratio and individual plant yield, with correlation coefficients of 0.90 and 0.68 respectively. The optimal F₁ combinations achieving favorable balance between lodging resistance traits and individual plant yield were Xiaoyan 22A×17ARH44 and Jin 11324A×17ARH44.

To explore the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) related to wheat gluten traits, the red-grained wheat Yang 97G59 and the white-grained wheat Sumai 6 and their derived 189 DH lines were used as materials, and the quality parameters such as wet gluten content, dry gluten content, and gluten index were measured in two years, and the high-density genetic linkage map of single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) was used for QTL mapping. The results showed that a total of 30 QTLs related to gluten traits were detected by complete interval mapping, distributed on 17 chromosomes except 1A, 1B, 3D, and 6B. A single QTL could explain 3.0%—25.0% of the phenotypic variation. Among them, 18 QTL synergistic genes are derived from Sumai 6, and 4 QTL synergistic genes are derived from Yang 97G59. Two stable QTLs controlling wet gluten content, QWGC.Zhjas-2B.1 and QWGC.Zhjas-6A.1, were detected, with an explainable average phenotypic variation of 20.67% and 7.07%, respectively, and three stable QTLs controlling dry gluten content, QDGC.Zhjas-1D.1, QDGC.Zhjas-2B.1, and QDGC.Zhjas-6A.1, with an explainable average phenotypic variation of 5.0%, 19.77%, and 6.17%, respectively. One stable QTL controlling gluten index was detected, QGI.Zhjas-3A.1, with an average value of explainable phenotypic variation of 10.87%.

Wheat is one of the world's important staple crops, and its high and stable yield is of great significance for ensuring food security. Wheat spike length, as a key agronomic trait, determines the grain number per spike and positively correlates with yield. Identifying major-effect genes for spike length and elucidating their molecular mechanisms play an important supportive role in high-yield wheat breeding. This paper reviews the genetic basis, gene mapping, functional research on candidate genes for spike length, molecular marker development and current breeding application of wheat spike length trait, providing a basis for research and genetic improvement of wheat spike length trait.

Brachypodium distachyon has emerged as a pivotal model system for deciphering the complex agronomic traits of temperate grasses, owing to its compact genome, short life cycle, and high phylogenetic affinity with Triticeae crops. This article systematically reviews the core advances in Brachypodium functional genomics over the past years and their applications in cereal breeding. First, we elucidate the evolution from a single reference genome to a pangenome atlas, alongside innovations in efficient genetic transformation and multiplex CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing toolkits. These breakthroughs have laid a robust foundation for high-throughput gene function analysis. Second, we highlight key mechanistic discoveries in three core areas: (1)dissecting the ferulic acid cross-linking network of the unique grass Type II cell wall to guide biomass energy improvement; (2)revealing the CBF-dependent cold acclimation and ABA-mediated drought signaling pathways to elucidate the environmental adaptation mechanisms of “cool-season” grasses; and (3)serving as a plant pathology model to decipher defense networks against fungal diseases such as wheat rust and Fusarium head blight. Finally, we discuss the potential and pathways for utilizing Brachypodium as a “rapid prototyping platform” to accelerate precision design breeding in crops like wheat and barley, in the context of integrating synthetic biology and artificial intelligence.

Drought is the main cause of crop yield reductions, and its impact is greater than all other stresses combined. Therefore, the selection of wheat germplasm with excellent drought resistance is of great significance to ensure China's food security. In this study, 140 wheat varieties (lines) at home and abroad were used as research materials, and 10 morphological indices such as plant height, stem nodes traits, and flag leaves traits were measured under two treatments, control and drought in the field. Correlation analysis, principal component analysis, membership function method, and cluster analysis were used to comprehensively evaluate the drought resistance of wheat varieties (lines). The results of correlation analysis showed that there was no significant correlation between the drought resistance coefficient and the length of each node, but it was significantly positively correlated with plant height and flag leaf length and width. Principal component analysis was carried out on the drought resistance values of each index, and a total of five principal components were extracted, which explained 78.450% of the total variance. Based on the weights and membership function of each index, the comprehensive drought resistance evaluation index(D value) of the 140 wheat varieties (lines) was calculated, and the cluster analysis was carried out by R studio software. The results showed that the wheat varieties were divided into five drought resistance grades:highly drought resistant type, relatively drought resistant type, moderately drought resistant type, more sensitive type, and highly sensitive type. Among them, the three wheat varieties with high drought resistant type were Xiaoyan 6, Lunxuan 715 and Lantian 10, and their D values were 0.548, 0.520, and 0.493, respectively.

To screen oat (Avena sativa L.) germplasm resources suitable for cultivation in saline-alkali soil and to establish a scientific and efficient salt tolerance evaluation system, 70 oat germplasm resources were used as test materials. NaCl solution was employed to simulate the salt stress environment. Six indices related to germination and seedling growth including relative germination potential, relative germination rate, and relative vigor index were systematically measured. The salt tolerance of the oat germplasms was comprehensively evaluated through principal component analysis and cluster analysis. The results indicated that salt stress significantly affected the seed germination and seeding growth of the 70 tested oat materials, with the coefficient of variation for each index ranging from 26.04% to 68.66%. Principal component analysis(PCA) transformed the six individual indices into two comprehensive factors with a cumulative contribution rate of 86.66%. The first principal component showed high loadings on relative germination potential, relative germination rate, and relative germination index, reflecting the germination potential of seeds under salt stress; the second principal component was correlated with relative root length and relative seedling length, reflecting the growth tolerance of seedlings to salt stress. Based on the cluster analysis of weighted membership function values(D values), the 70 oat germplasm resources were classified into five categories: 6 with highly salt-tolerance(Zishouziyuan 3, Zishouziyuan 14, Wuyou 1, Zishouziyuan 25, Bayan 4 and Pinyan 4), 23 with salt-tolerance, 12 with moderate salt-tolerance, 21 with salt-sensitivity, and 8 with highly salt-sensitivity. Through the optimal regression equation established, relative germination rate and relative vitality index were identified as the key indicators for evaluating oat salt tolerance at the germination stage. Comparative analysis revealed that hulled oat(Avena sativa L.) generally exhibited greater salt tolerance than hulless oat(Avena nuda L.).

To clarify the resistance levels to powdery mildew and stripe rust, as well as the distribution patterns of resistance genes in wheat germplasm resources from Zhejiang Province, and to explore elite resistant resources suitable for the wheat-growing regions in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, this study performed seedling resistance identification on 241 wheat accessions from Zhejiang Province［177 landraces and 64 bred varieties(lines)］ using Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici physiological race E09 and Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici physiological race CYR32. Molecular markers were used to analyze the composition of resistance genes. The results showed that among the 241 accessions, 57(23.65%) were resistant to powdery mildew, consisting of 51 bred varieties(lines) and 6 landraces; 66(27.39%) were resistant to stripe rust, including 24 bred varieties(lines) and 42 landraces; and 24(9.96%) showed resistance to both diseases, containing 22 bred varieties(lines) and 2 landraces. Molecular detection of seven powdery mildew resistance genes(Pm2, Pm4, Pm5e, Pm8, Pm21, Pm24, and Pm60) revealed that Pm4 and Pm21 had the highest detection rate, with 23 accessions carrying each gene, yet no target Pm genes were detected in 16 accessions. Among eight tested stripe rust resistance genes(Yr5, Yr9, Yr10, Yr15, Yr28, Yr30, Yr46, and YrZH84), Yr10 showed the highest detection rate with 23 carriers, all of which were landraces, yet 13 accessions(including 5 landraces) had no detectable target stripe rust resistance genes. Among the 24 accessions with dual resistance to powdery mildew and stripe rust, 12 carried both types of resistance genes, while Zhenongmai 7 and Zhe 21 were detected without any of the tested resistance genes. Agronomic trait analysis revealed that bred varieties(lines) had superior performance in plant height, thousand-kernel weight and other traits, which could be directly used as elite resistant donors for wheat disease resistant breeding. Based on the above results, both the wheat bred varieties(lines) and landraces in Zhejiang Province contain good resistance resources to powdery mildew and stripe rust. The resistance sources for powdery mildew and stripe rust are mainly concentrated in the bred varieties(lines) and landraces, respectively, ang show a clear differentiation characteristic.

To understand the current research and development status of wheat powdery mildew, the literature analysis software CiteSpace and VOSviewer were used to conduct a visual analysis of relevant literature from the Web of Science and CNKI databases over the past decade. The results indicated that the number of English publications had generally shown an upward trend, with China being the country with the highest number of publications in international journals. There was close international collaboration with countries such as the United States, Israel, and the United Kingdom, and researchers from different nations engaged in multifaceted cooperation, forming a stable core group of authors. The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Northwest A&F University had the highest number of publications. In contrast, the number of Chinese publications had shown a declining trend, with limited collaboration among institutions and no stable core group of authors. Research hotspots on wheat powdery mildew both domestically and internationally primarily focused on disease resistance identification, resistance gene mining and utilization, resistance mechanism research, combined breeding, disease monitoring and prevention, etc. Comprehensive evaluation of durable resistance and resistant germplasm had emerged as a prominent research focus in recent years. Future studies would develop new resistant varieties through various approaches, elucidate the resistance mechanisms against wheat powdery mildew, and explore green, efficient, and widely applicable disease management measures through multidisciplinary collaboration.

In order to explore the effects of different mulching methods on soil water and thermo-conditions, and dry matter accumulation of spring wheat in dryland of northwest China under different precipitation years, the dynamic changes of soil water and thermo-conditions, and growth and development of spring wheat under different treatments were studied using the spring wheat variety Xihan 3 as the material, and three treatments were set up, including straw strip mulching(SSM), plastic film mulching(PMS) and open field flat planting(CK). The results showed that compared with CK, PMS and SSM treatments significantly increased the average soil water content during the whole growth period of spring wheat, with an average increase of 4.54% and 6.78%, respectively. PMS treatment significantly increased soil temperature by 5.76%. SSM treatment significantly reduced soil temperature by 10.85%. Mulching treatment significantly increased the aboveground dry matter accumulation of spring wheat, and the increase rate ranked as PMS>SSM, while the translocation rate of dry matter to grain before anthesis in dry year was significantly increased, which was 11.81%-19.36% higher than that of CK; the increase of spike number was the main factor of yield increase. Correlation analysis showed that soil moisture had a more prominent role in promoting early dry matter accumulation and population formation in the normal water year, while the correlation between population dry matter accumulation process and yield formation was significantly enhanced in the dry year. Mulching can significantly improve the soil water and thermo-status, dry matter accumulation and grain yield of spring wheat in dryland. Among them, straw strip mulching is stable in maintaining a high proportion of grain dry matter distribution and promoting grain dry matter accumulation, without any risk of plastic film pollution. It is a green and efficient cultivation technology suitable for promotion in arid areas of northwest China.

A field experiment was conducted during the 2023-2024 growing season on the Weibei rainfed highland to investigate the effects of summer green manure sorghum-sudangrass biomass incorporation on grain yield and water use efficiency of subsequent winter wheat. A summer fallow treatment was used as the control(CK), and three incorporation treatments were established: whole biomass incorporation without mowing(M₀), incorporation of one-third mowed biomass(M₁), and incorporation of half mowed biomass(M₂). The effects of different biomass incorporation methods on soil water storage, leaf photosynthetic characteristics, aboveground biomass accumulation, grain yield, and water use efficiency of winter wheat were evaluated. The results showed that sorghum-sudangrass cultivation significantly decreased soil water storage in the 0-200 cm soil profile before winter wheat sowing, with reductions of 1.31%-1.93% compared with CK. Sorghum-sudangrass biomass incorporation significantly increased leaf net photosynthetic rate of winter wheat at anthesis and grain-filling stages, with increases of 17.34%-46.97% and 6.27%-25.33%, respectively. The leaf water use efficiency under M₁ was significantly improved by 12.72%-18.79% from jointing stage to filling stage. Biomass incorporation promoted aboveground biomass accumulation of winter wheat, with mature-stage aboveground biomass increasing by 18.47%-38.88%. The increase in grain yield was mainly attributed to enhanced spike number(7.77%-15.94%) and thousand-grain weight(2.50%-4.48%), resulting in a 6.37%-13.97% increase in grain yield and an 8.85%-23.60% improvement in yield water use efficiency. After one rotation cycle, soil water storage under M₀ and M₂ was significantly reduced by 2.22% and 2.92%, respectively, compared with CK, whereas no significant difference was observed under M₁. The M₀ and M₁ treatments significantly reduced seasonal water consumption of winter wheat, with the greatest reduction observed under M₁(6.53%). All sorghum-sudangrass incorporation treatments significantly increased winter wheat water use efficiency, and M₁ showed the greatest improvement(23.60%). Overall, summer cultivation and biomass incorporation of sorghum-sudangrass during the fallow period improved photosynthetic performance, enhanced water use efficiency, and increased grain yield of subsequent winter wheat under rainfed conditions on the Weibei highland. Among the tested incorporation methods, incorporation of one-third mowed sorghum-sudangrass biomass exhibited the most favorable agronomic performance.

To determine the optimal sowing method and drip irrigation rate combination for winter wheat in the Xinjiang region, a winter wheat variety Xindong 22 was used. A split-plot design was employed, with the main plots comprising four wide-width uniform sowing methods [30 cm row width + 30 cm row spacing(B1), 35 cm row width + 25 cm row spacing(B2), 40 cm row width + 20 cm row spacing(B3), 45 cm + 15 cm(B4)], and conventional row sowing(CK). The sub-plots were set up with three drip irrigation rates [3 555 m³·hm^-2(W1), 3 870 m³·hm^-2(W2), and 4 185 m³·hm^-2(W3)]. A comparative analysis was conducted to examine differences in the photosynthetic performance of winter wheat, dry matter accumulation, transport and allocation, soil moisture, yield, and yield components under various combinations of sowing methods and drip irrigation rates in the Xinjiang region. The results indicated that, under the same drip irrigation rates, compared with the control(CK), the leaf area index and net photosynthetic rate of winter wheat were significantly higher under wide-width uniform sowing. The increase rate of leaf area index ranged from 3.83% to 21.55%, whereas the increase rate of net photosynthetic rate during the flowering and grain-filling stages was 16.12%~34.93% and 12.34%~35.68%, respectively. Wide-width uniform sowing promotes the translocation of dry matter from vegetative organs to grains, significantly increasing winter wheat grain yield and water use efficiency. Under the same sowing method, as drip irrigation rate increased, the leaf area index, net photosynthetic rate, dry matter accumulation and translocation, yield, and its components all exhibited a trend of initial increasing and then decreasing, whilst water use efficiency showed a decreasing trend. Under the conditions of this experiment, the B3W2 treatment yielded the highest yield, reaching 8 922.34 kg·hm^-2, representing the optimal combination for achieving a synergistic improvement in both yield and water use efficiency.

To clarify the effects of different tillage and straw return practices on soil nutrients, microorganisms and crop yield, six treatments were conducted under the field soil conditions of the Huang-Huai-Hai winter wheat-maize rotation system: shallow rotary tillage without straw return(SN), shallow rotary tillage with straw return(SR), shallow rotary tillage with biochar application(SC), deep tillage without straw return(DN), deep tillage with straw return(DR), and deep tillage with biochar application(DC). The study compared the effects of different tillage practices and straw return methods on soil nutrient status, enzyme activity, and bacterial abundance, as well as on dry matter accumulation and yield components of wheat and maize. The results showed that under deep plowing conditions, combining straw incorporation or straw biochar incorporation effectively increased nutrient contents in the 0-40 cm soil layer, including total nitrogen, available nitrogen, total phosphorus, available phosphorus, and available potassium. Compared with the SN treatment, the other treatments significantly increased soil enzyme activity, particularly sucrase, phosphatase, and urease, indicating that the effect of straw return, tillage measures and their incorporation are beneficial for enhancing soil biological activity and nutrient cycling efficiency. Tillage practices and straw return significantly influenced soil microbial abundance. Compared with SN, all other treatments increased the populations of bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes. At the same time, deep plowing combined with straw return or straw biochar application promoted dry matter accumulation in winter wheat and summer maize, thereby increasing crop yields. Therefore, deep plowing, straw return, and straw biochar application are beneficial for improving soil fertility and increasing dry matter and yield of wheat and maize.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of nano-titanium dioxide(nTiO₂) priming on seed germination and seedling growth of barley under drought stress, and to determine the optimal combination of priming time and concentration. Using a barley cultivar Ganpi 8 as material, drought stress was simulated with 22% polyethylene glycol-6000. Three priming times(12, 24, and 36 h) and five nTiO₂ concentrations(0, 250, 500, 750, and 1 000 mg·L^-1) were set, and the diifferences in 13 indices including germination rate, germination potential, germination index, vigor index, root length, shoot length, root fresh weight, shoot fresh weight, root dry weight, shoot dry weight, root-shoot ratio, root number, and coleoptile length among different treatments were compared and analyzed. Two-way ANOVA showed that priming time, concentration, and their interaction had significant effects on most indices(P<0.05 or P<0.01), with significant interaction effects between time and concentration. Compared with the unprimed control(CK), hydro-priming(HP) significantly improved some germination and growth indices. Under 12 h priming time, 750 mg·L^-1 nTiO₂ treatment showed the best effect, with germination rate, germination potential, germination index, and vigor index significantly increased by 8.0 percentage points, 44.7 percentage points, 69.4%, and 145.8%, respectively, compared with hydro-priming, and root length and shoot length increased by 72.5% and 5.2%, respectively. Under 24 h priming time, 500 mg·L^-1 nTiO₂ treatment performed best, with the above germination indices significantly increased by 18.7 percentage points, 10.7 percentage points, 28.9%, and 102.9%, respectively, and root fresh weight and root length increased by 40.5% and 7.0%, respectively. When priming time was extended to 36 h or concentration increased to 1 000 mg·L^-1, nTiO₂ showed inhibitory effects, with germination rate and root growth indices significantly lower than those of hydro-priming. This indicates that appropriate time and concentration of nTiO₂ priming can effectively promote barley seed germination and seedling growth under drought stress, where 12 h priming with 750 mg·L^-1 nTiO₂ and 24 h priming with 500 mg·L^-1 nTiO₂ showed better effects under the experimental conditions, especially the comprehensive effect of 24 h priming with 500 mg·L^-1 nTiO₂ showing the best overall performance.

To gain a compound microbial seed coating formulation with synergistic efficacy against wheat crown rot, Bacillus paralicheniformis ZYGT1811 and Bacillus atrophaeus ZY1825 were selected as the primary active components of the seed coating agent. Single-factor experiments, orthogonal tests, and the filter paper disc diffusion method were employed to screen for the optimal dispersant, film-forming agent, and the optimal mixing ratio of the seed coating agent. The results indicated that no significant mutual antagonism was observed between ZYGT1811 and ZY1825, providing a basis for their compounding. When the ratio of ZYGT1811 to ZY1825 was 2∶1, the synergistic inhibition rate against Fusarium pseudograminearum MC-7 reached 64.17%, which was significantly higher than the inhibition rates of the single-strain treatments(58.12% and 60.20%, respectively). Furthermore, the optimal auxiliary system formulation for the seed coating agent was determined as follows: 4% sodium lignosulfonate, 5% hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, 1.5% ethylene glycol, 0.1% xanthan gum, and 2% scarlet dye. Physicochemical property tests demonstrated that the compound microbial seed coating complied with GB/T 17768-1999 and relevant industrial standards. Its shelf life was up to 90 days, and the pot control efficacy against wheat crown rot was 60.56%.