The whiteness (WI) of wheat flour and its products is a key indicator influencing the commercial quality of wheat. Using 94 wheat varieties as experimental materials, the differences in flour WI and its products among different varieties and their influencing factors were investigated. The results showed significant differences in WI among wheat varieties, while the correlation analysis of flour and fresh noodle sheet color from the same material showed the same performance. Flour WI was highly significantly negatively correlated with grain hardness, grain protein content, wet gluten content, dough development time, and stability time; significantly negatively correlated with trough viscosity, final viscosity, and setback value; and positively correlated with gluten index, breakdown, and pasting temperature. Grain hardness, grain protein content, sedimentation value, pasting temperature, and breakdown accounted for 80.9% of the variation in flour WI. Gluten index, sedimentation value, pasting temperature, and breakdown had significant positive effects on flour WI, while grain protein content and grain hardness exerted significant negative effects. The negative correlation between flour WI and hardness was the strongest (r = -0.83), indicating that hardness is the key factor affecting wheat WI and color. The WI and color of flour and fresh noodle sheets from soft wheat were generally higher than those from hard wheat. The distribution frequencies of variation loci of quality-related genes, namely Pinb-D1b, Pina-D1b, Ppo-A1b, Ppo-D1a, TaPod-A1b, Lox-B1a, Psy-A1b, Psy-B1a/b, Psy-D1a, TaPds-B1b, TaZds-A1a, and TaLyc-B1b, were 54.7%, 2.2%, 21.3%, 3.9%, 8.0%, 0.0%, 0.0%, 98.9%, 96.6%, 78.5%, 5.3%, and 53.8%, respectively. Thirteen high-WI soft wheat varieties, such as Yangmai 15, Yangmai 25, Chuanmai 93, Mianmai 902, and Yangmai 45, and high-WI hard wheat varieties, such as Zhoumai 36, Huaimai 33, Yangfumai 15, and Ningmaizi 218, were screened. The WI of high-WI soft wheat varieties was higher than that of hard wheat, and the ratio of superior color gene allelic variations in these varieties was higher than that of the overall materials. By strengthening the utilization of elite parents while emphasizing the pyramiding of superior color genes and the screening of related phenotypes, the WI and color of wheat varieties can be gradually improved.

In order to screen winter rapeseed lines with high resistance to pod shattering suitable for planting in Gansu Province, promote mechanized harvesting, and increase yield, the random impact method was used to identify pod shattering resistance of 43 winter rapeseed lines. The results were analyzed through systematic clustering and correlation analysis in combination with related agronomic traits. Clustering analysis revealved that the 43 materials were classified into four groups. The average pod shattering resistance index (SRI) of the Group Ⅰ was 0.861, presenting moderate resistance to shattering. The average SRI of Group Ⅱ was 0.958, presenting high resistance to shattering. The average SRI of Group Ⅲ was 0.722, presenting low resistance to shattering. The average SRI of Group Ⅳ was 0.621, presenting easy shattering. Correlation analysis showed that SRI had an extremely significantly positive correlation with pericarp thickness with a large correlation coefficient. There was no significant correlation between SRI and the other agronomic traits, indicating that pericarp thickness significantly affected pod shattering resistance of winter rapeseed, and it could be used as a morphological index for screening of pod shattering resistant varieties. Based on a comprehensive analysis of the yield, quality traits, and SRI of 43 strong-winter rapeseed lines, a total of 17 winter rapeseed lines were screened. Among them, M-8 and M-14 had a high SRI, high yield, and excellent quality traits.

To investigate the characteristics of aerial roots in maize inbred lines with different genetic backgrounds and their relationship with lodging resistance, 56 maize inbred lines were used as experimental materials. Eight aerial root traits were comprehensively analyzed using correlation analysis, path analysis, and cluster analysis. Stalk anti-thrust was measured using a plant stem strength tester as an evaluation index for lodging resistance, and the relationship between aerial root traits and lodging resistance was analyzed. The results showed that the coefficients of variation (CV) for all aerial root traits were relatively large, with the CV of the aerial root angle being the largest (31.70%) and that of the aerial root emergence time being the smallest (10.77%). Among the aerial root traits, all except emergence time and puncture resistance exhibited significant correlations with one another. Specifically, the number of aerial roots and the aerial root anchoring radius were highly significantly and positively correlated with stalk anti-thrust, with correlation coefficients of 0.560 and 0.522, respectively. Additionally, aerial root puncture resistance and the number of aerial root tiers also showed significant positive correlations with stalk anti-thrust. Path analysis indicated that both the direct and indirect effects of the number of aerial roots and the aerial root anchoring radius on the lodging resistance evaluation indicators were relatively large. Therefore, strengthening the selection and improvement of these two traits in lodging resistance breeding would help enhance the lodging resistance of maize varieties. Cluster analysis classified the tested inbred lines into four groups. Inbred lines in Group II, such as Xun M6968 and LH190, were characterized by high mean values for both stalk anti-thrust and aerial root traits, providing a germplasm foundation for the breeding of new lodging-resistant varieties.

To elucidate the proteomic response mechanism of potato to a pathogenic toxin Thaxtomin A (TA), causing common scab, this study was conducted using the potato cultivar Kexin 19 as the experimental material. Tandem Mass Tag (TMT)-based quantitative proteomics technology was employed to analyze the differential proteomes of potato leaves treated with the toxin and a control group. A total of 130 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified, including 80 up-regulated and 50 down-regulated. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the DEPs were significantly enriched in biological processes such as defense response, plant MAPK signaling pathway, S-adenosylmethionine biosynthesis, and protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum. This reveals that the response of potato to the scab toxin involves a complex physiological and biochemical regulatory network. Through protein-protein interaction network analysis, the core protein M1ASG7 with the highest connectivity was screened out. Additionally, two up-regulated DEPs, M02PK2 and M1A0Y3, were found in its metabolic pathway, all of which are closely related to the regulation of cellular metabolism.

To understand the quality and breeding strategies of nationally approved strong and medium-strong gluten wheat varieties in the Huang-Huai Wheat Region in recent years (2020-2024), cluster analysis based on the coefficient of parentage was performed, combined with a comprehensive analysis of pedigree information and quality traits. The results showed that the number of approved strong and medium-strong gluten wheat varieties in the Huang-Huai Wheat Region showed a yearly increasing trend from 2020 to 2024. The breeding capabilities of companies and research institutes were comparable, with their developed varieties accounting for 43.3% and 45.0% of the total number of varieties, respectively. The overall coefficient of parentage among varieties was low, with an average of 0.0640; however, parental utilization was relatively concentrated, with varieties primarily derived from ten core strong-gluten parents. Different parents exhibited varying focuses on the improvement of quality indicators. The breeding of strong-gluten wheat varieties mainly adopted the single-cross design of “high-quality variety/high-quality variety”. Breeding of strong-gluten wheat should emphasize the utilization of exotic high-quality varieties and wild relatives of wheat to create elite germplasm in the future. In the short term, newly developed elite strong-gluten germplasms such as Zhongmai 578 and Jimai 44 should be more extensively utilized to broaden the genetic base.

As a commonly used bulk medicinal material in China, Astragalus membranaceus has seen increasing demand in recent years. However, the breeding and propagation of superior varietals are relatively weak, and currently cultivated varietals are inconsistent in quality and suffer from severe degeneration. Therefore, the breeding of superior strains of A.membranaceus is crucial for promoting the high-quality and sustainable development of the industry. In this study, using field-cultivated A. membranaceus as material, three new strains were bred from 2013 to 2023 using the “mass selection method” of systematic breeding based on agronomic traits such as stem color, pod characteristics, seed characteristics, and the number of leaflets. A systematic comparative analysis was conducted on their agronomic traits and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). The results showed that strains 13-1 and 13-2 had green stems and pods, while 13-3 had anthocyanins-purple stems and light red pods. Strain 13-2 had the highest number of leaflets (27.9) and seeds (4.5). The fresh root yield of strain 13-2 was greater than that of 13-1 and 13-3 in the Weiheyanchuan and Beishan ecological areas; however, the yield of 13-3 was greater than that of 13-2 and 13-1 in the Southern Eryinshan area. Moreover, the disease incidence of 13-2 was lower than that of the other two strains in all three ecological areas. Additionally, 13-2 had the highest content of extracts and astragaloside IV, with the content of calycosin- 7-O-glucoside 2.6 times that specified in the Pharmacopoeia of the Peopleʼs Republic of China. Comprehensive analysis indicates that 13-2 performs better in agronomic traits, APIs, yield, and disease resistance, and has potential for application and promotion. This study also lays a foundation for the breeding of superior new varietals of A.membranaceus by providing germplasm material.

To clarify the relationship between high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS) composition and quality traits in newly developed wheat varieties (lines) in the Southern Huang-Huai Wheat Region, a total of 93 newly developed wheat varieties (lines) from this region were used as materials. The HMW-GS composition was identified using SDS-PAGE, and their distribution and quality characteristics were systematically analyzed in conjunction with grain quality traits. The results showed that nine subunit types were detected across the three Glu-1 loci, specifically, subunits 1 (72.04%) and Null (27.96%) at the Glu-A1 locus; subunits 7+9 (64.52%), 7+8 (30.11%), and 14+15 (5.38%) at the Glu-B1 locus; and subunits 2+12 (37.63%), 5+12 (32.26%), 5+10 (29.03%), and 2+10 (1.08%) at the Glu-D1 locus. Among the 15 identified subunit combinations, the most frequent combination was 1/7+9/2+12 (19.35%), while the frequency of the combination 1/7+8/5+10 was 8.60%. Based on quality traits, the tested materials were clustered into three groups, with Group I, Group II, and Group III accounting for 47.3%, 17.2%, and 35.5%, respectively. Group III exhibited the best performance across all quality indicators such as protein content, water absorption rate, and wet gluten content; the frequencies of subunits 14+15, 7+8, and 5+10 in group III were 6.06%, 36.36%, and 30.30%, respectively. Varieties (lines) carrying the pedigree of two founder parents, Yumai 2 and Zhou 8425B, accounted for 70.96% of the tested materials. Eight varieties such as Zhengmai 366, Xinmai 26, Jimai 44, and Fumai 916, were screened for carrying high-quality subunits and combinations. These results provide a theoretical basis for parent selection in wheat quality breeding in the Southern Huang-Huai Wheat Region and serve as an important reference for further optimizing HMW-GS composition and improving wheat quality.

The influence of potato transcription factors on anthocyanin accumulation is primarily reflected in their regulation of genes involved in the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway. In this study, the StMYB3 gene was cloned by RT-PCR from three potato cultivars: Shepody (white flesh), Wanziqianhong (light purple flesh), and 2013-89-61 (dark purple flesh). Bioinformatics characterization and differential expression analysis were performed. The results showed that the target fragment of StMYB3 genes was 710 bp in length, encoding a protein with a molecular weight of 20.71 kDa and an isoelectric point of 9.14, which was identified as a hydrophilic protein. StMYB3 genes contains R2R3-MYB domain and bHLH interaction motif but lacks a transmembrane domain. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that StMYB3 genes shares the highest sequence similarity with the ScMYB gene from pepper. Semi-quantitative PCR results showed that the expression level of potato StMYB3 gene in different tissues is: tender leaf > old leaf > stem > tuber > root, and the cultivar 2013-89-61 exhibited consistently high expression across all tissues.

To identify superior adzuki bean varieties suitable for planting in different regions, a multi- environment evaluation of 27 new adzuki bean varieties (lines) was conducted at 18 test sites nationwide from 2022 to 2023, to systematically analyzed the variations in main agronomic traits and yields of these varieties (lines) across different ecological zones. The results showed that there were significant differences in the agronomic traits and yields of the new adzuki bean varieties (lines) across different test sites and ecological zones. Traits such as the number of main stem branches, plant height, and number of pods per plant had strong environmental interaction effects (coefficient of variation >30%), while traits like growth period, pod length, and 100-grain weight showed higher genetic stability (coefficient of variation <15%). Nine varieties, including Baohong 201429-8, Chihong 3 and Tanghong 201301-2, showed yield increases of 0.29%-8.79% compared with the control. Baohong 201429-8 and Tanghong 201509-12 exhibited both high yield and broad adaptability.

To investigate the resistance levels to currently prevalent races and new isolates, as well as the distribution of stripe rust resistance genes in released and candidate wheat varieties from Longnan, Gansu, 73 wheat varieties (lines) were evaluated for seedling resistance against the prevalent races CYR32, CYR34, and ZS asexual isolate and ZS sexual isolate. Meanwhile, molecular markers linked to all-stage resistance genes Yr5, Yr9, Yr10, Yr15, Yr26, and the adult-plant resistance gene Yr18 were utilized for molecular detection. The results indicated that among the 73 tested wheat varieties (lines), 11 (15.07%), 11 (15.07%), 13 (17.81%), and nine (12.33%) exhibited seedling resistance to CYR32, CYR34, and the asexual and sexual isolates of ZS, respectively. Among all tested materials, only Zhongliang 14 exhibited seedling resistance to all the provided isolates of stripe rust. Molecular detection results revealed that the number of wheat varieties (lines) carrying Yr5, Yr9, Yr10, Yr18, and Yr26 was 1, 27, 3, 3, and 16, respectively, accounting for 1.37%, 36.99%, 4.11%, 4.11%, and 21.92% of the total tested materials. Three materials carried two resistance genes, and Zhongliang 14 carried three resistance genes. The Yr15 gene was not detected in any of the tested varieties (lines), and 28 materials carried none of the six tested resistance genes.

In order to investigate the influence mechanism of pH level on the growth and development of rice and nutrient uptake under different nitrogen forms, rice cultivar Guanghui 751 was grown with five pH treatments (pH 3.5, 4.5, 5.5, 6.5, and 7.5) to study the effects on the biomass accumulation, root morphology, and nutrient uptake of rice under ammonium-nitrogen and nitrate-nitrogen conditions hydroponically. The results showed that under ammonium-nitrogen conditions, the highest rice biomass accumulation was found at pH 6.5 treatment; compared with the pH 3.5 treatment, the shoot and whole-plant biomass accumulation increased by 146.6% and 142.5%, respectively. Plant height and maximum root length increased significantly; total root length, root surface area, and root volume increased by 612.6%, 317.8%, and 147.1%, respectively. The uptake of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn) increased by 159.5%, 114.3%, 181.9%, 241.4%, 124.4%, 74.9%, 173.4%, 366.2%, and 3058.0%, respectively. Under nitrate-nitrogen conditions, the highest rice biomass accumulation was found at pH=4.5 treatment; compared with the pH=3.5 treatment, the shoot, root, and whole-plant biomass accumulation increased by 36.7%, 49.6%, and 38.6%, respectively. Plant height and maximum root length increased significantly; total root length, root surface area, and root volume increased by 129.9%, 83.0%, and 47.5%, respectively. The uptake of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn increased by 40.0%, 27.7%, 51.0%, 78.5%, 71.2%, 53.9%, 292.1%, 1449.5%, and 695.1%, respectively. In conclusion, the optimum pH values for rice under ammonium-nitrogen and nitrate-nitrogen conditions were 6.5 and 4.5, respectively. Under their respective optimum pH conditions, ammonium-nitrogen and nitrate-nitrogen primarily increased rice biomass accumulation by promoting root growth and development and increasing nutrient uptake.

To address the issues of unreasonable chemical fertilizer management, low fertilizer use efficiency, and escalating environmental risks in the maize production areas of Inner Mongolia, field plot experiments were conducted in two typical production areas, namely the black soil region of Northeast China and the Tumochuan Plain. Six treatments were established: no nitrogen control (CK), 100% chemical fertilizer (M0), and organic fertilizer replacing 25% (M25), 50% (M50), 75% (M75), and 100% (M100) of chemical nitrogen, to clarify the effects of different substitution ratios on maize yield, dry matter accumulation, fertilizer use efficiency, and nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) nutrient uptake. The results showed that the M25 treatment significantly increased maize yield, with an increase of 4.69%-36.80% compared with other treatments. The M0 treatment exhibited the highest dry matter accumulation of various organs during the early growth stages of maize; however, the M25 treatment showed a distinct advantage from the large bell-mouth stage to maturity. The M25 treatment promoted the uptake of N, P, and K nutrients and enhanced their utilization efficiency; the partial productivity of fertilizer in M25 was 2.77%-50.51% higher than those of other treatments. In conclusion, the response of maize to organic fertilizer substitution in the Tumochuan Plain was superior to that in the Black Soil Region of Northeast China, and replacing 25% of chemical nitrogen with organic fertilizer can achieve a synergistic improvement in maize yield and fertilizer use efficiency.

To clarify the regulatory effects of a polyaspartic acid (PASP) combined with chitosan (CTS) on soil moisture content, tobacco plant and root growth and development, and tobacco leaf quality in the arid tobacco area of Bijie, field experiments were conducted using Yunyan 87. Different concentrations of PASP and CTS (CK: same amount of water; T1: 3.0 kg/ha PASP+0.3 kg/ha CTS; T2: 3.0 kg/ha PASP+0.6 kg/ha CTS; T3: 6.0 kg/ha PASP+0.3 kg/ha CTS; T4: 6.0 kg/ha PASP+0.6 kg/ha CTS) were applied. Soil and root indexes, growth and development parameters and quality indexes of flue-cured tobacco leaves were measured at different growth stages. The results showed that compared with other treatments, T3 treatment significantly increased soil moisture content. At the rosette stage, the moisture content of the shallow soil layer increased by 15.01% and that of deep soil layer increased by 10.16% compared with CK. T4 treatment significantly increased the number of lateral roots and adventitious roots, as well as root volume and root activity, by 34.07%, 29.12%, 25.70% and 29.56% respectively compared with the CK. The combined application of PASP and CTS significantly promoted growth, development, and dry matter accumulation of flue-cured tobacco, with higher concentrations leading to more obvious effects. Compared with CK, the leaf area and stem circumference of T4 treatment increased by 18.3% and 12.3% respectively, and the dry matter accumulation increased by 26.04%. The chemical composition, sensory and appearance quality of tobacco leaves were improved to varying degrees. The improvement effect of T2 treatment was the most significant, with increases of 10.36%, 7.76% and 7.30% respectively, compared with the CK. The quality evaluation of tobacco leaves was 7.57% higher than that of CK. The combined application of PASP and CTS can effectively increase the soil moisture content, promote the root development of flue-cured tobacco, and improve leaf quality. The optimal treatment (3.0 kg/ha PASP+0.6 kg/ha CTS) alleviated the decline in yield and quality of flue-cured tobacco caused by drought in Bijie.

This study used wild Solanum torvum Swartz. as rootstock and cultivated eggplant Solanum melongena L. Yunqie 9 as scion. The grafting method was cleft grafting. The structure of graft union at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 days after grafting was observed, and physiological indicators such as phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and soluble protein (SP) were measured to study the tissue structure and physiological characteristics during healing process after eggplant grafting. The results showed that the healing process of grafting between S. torvum Swartz. and Yunqie 9 could be divided into four stages, including isolation layer and callus formation stage (0-4 d), callus division and proliferation connection stage (5-7 d), cambium connection stage (8-9 d), vascular tissue differentiation and formation stage (10-12 d). The physiological indicators measured within 12 days after grafting showed that the changes in physiological characteristics of grafted seedlings and self-grafted seedlings were basically consistent. Among them, PAL activity showed an overall downward trend, SOD activity showed a “V” shaped change of first decreasing and then increasing, while POD activity and SP content showed an “M” shaped change. In addition, there were significant changes in most physiological indicators at four days after grafting; After six days, the SOD activity of all treatments showed an overall increase, and the increasing trend of SOD activity in grafted seedlings was more pronounced, with a difference of 19 times between the highest and lowest values; During the 6th to 8th days, the SP content of grafted seedlings rapidly increased and reached its highest value on the 8th day, which was 5.6 times the lowest value. In summary, the healing process between S. torvum Swartz. and Yunqie 9 could be basically completed 12 days after grafting, and the key healing time points might be 4, 6, and 8 days after grafting.

Fertilizer management, especially the precise application of panicle fertilizer, has a significant impact on rice yield, quality, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). To determine a reasonable panicle fertilizer ratio and application leaf-age stage for the rice-growing region along the Yellow River in Henan Province, this study used rice variety Bianjing 5 as the experimental material. At a nitrogen application rate of 277.5 kg/ha, the effects of two nitrogen fertilizer management modes—the conventional mode (with panicle fertilizer applied at the 2nd and 1st leaf stages from the top) and the precise delayed mode (with panicle fertilizer applied at the 4th and 3rd leaf stages from the top)—combined with silicon and zinc fertilizer on the yield, grain quality, and NUE of japonica rice were investigated. The results showed that both the precise delayed nitrogen mode and the application of silicon and zinc fertilizers had significant yield-increasing effects, with increments ranging from 3.9% to 13.2%. The precise delayed nitrogen mode improved yield by increasing the effective panicle number, improving the panicle-forming rate and grain number per panicle, while silicon and zinc supplementation improved yield by increasing grain number per panicle and 1000-grain weight. The precise delayed nitrogen mode combined with silicon and zinc application significantly increased the milled rice rate and head rice rate, reduced the chalky grain rate and chalkiness, and effectively improved the appearance and processing quality of the rice. Furthermore, the precise delayed nitrogen mode significantly improved nitrogen uptake efficiency, physiological nitrogen efficiency, nitrogen agronomic efficiency, and nitrogen partial productivity, while silicon and zinc application significantly enhanced nitrogen agronomic efficiency and nitrogen partial factor productivity. In conclusion, the precise delayed nitrogen mode combined with silicon and zinc fertilization contributes to the construction of a healthy population of japonica rice in the rice-growing region along the Yellow River in Henan Province, achieving synergistic improvement in yield, grain quality, and nitrogen use efficiency.

Using 19 quinoa varieties from Hebei and Xinjiang as experimental materials, the total polyphenol and total flavonoid contents of quinoa sprouts during 21-49 d were analyzed, and their antioxidant activities were evaluated by DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS [2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)] methods. The results showed that with the change of growth period, plant height and fresh weight of quinoa sprouts increased significantly; the total polyphenol and total flavonoid contents showed an overall downward trend; and the antioxidant activity also changed accordingly and was significantly positively correlated with the total polyphenol and total flavonoid contents. Combined with the results of cluster analysis, it was found that when the quinoa varieties Y1-Y10 from Hebei Province grew to 35 d, the total polyphenol (10.38-12.71 mg GAE/g DW) and total flavonoid (21.92-26.28 mg RE/g DW) contents were relatively high, and they exhibited certain antioxidant activities (DPPH scavenging activity: 11.65-15.64 mg TE/g DW; ABTS scavenging activity: 24.56-33.98 mg TE/g DW). Furthermore, these varieties showed high biological yields (plant height: 27.97-33.93 cm; fresh weight: 8.81-29.17 g/plant) and relatively tender quality.

To identify suitable plant growth regulators in flax production, enhance lodging resistance and increase yield, different levels of paclobutrazol [975 (D1), 1125 (D2), 1275 g/ha (D3)], uniconazole [750 (X1), 900 (X2), 1050 g/ha (X3)] and chlormequat [1200 (A1), 1800 (A2), 2400 mL/ha (A3)] were applied. The changes of plant growth and development, lodging resistance, seed yield and related traits of flax at different levels were studied with clear water as control (CK). The results showed that spraying three plant growth regulators affected the main agronomic traits of flax. Compared with CK, the number of effective branches of D1 treatment decreased, and the number of effective branches and the number of effective capsules per plant of A1 treatment were lower than those of CK. There was no significant difference in root length among the treatments. The root diameter of A2 treatment was significantly higher than that of CK, and the number of seeds per capsule of each treatment was lower than that of CK. The yield per plant of X2 and A2 treatments was significantly higher than that of CK, and the 1000-grain weight of D1 treatment was significantly lower than that of CK. The plant height and center of gravity height of X3 treatment decreased the most, which were 13.63% and 10.34%, respectively. The stem diameter of each treatment was increased compared with CK, and the D2 treatment increased the most, which was 17.5%. There was no significant difference in yield between any treatment and CK. The stem breaking resistance of A2 treatment was significantly higher than that of CK, and there was no significant difference between the other treatments and the control. The lodging index of each treatment was lower than that of CK, except for D1 and D2 treatments, the other treatments were significantly different.The correlation analysis showed that the effective number of capsules per plant, effective branch number, breaking resistance and root diameter were significantly correlated with the yield per plant, and the fresh weight and crown weight were significantly correlated with the lodging index. Through comprehensive analysis, uniconazole was better than chlormequat, chlormequat was better than paclobutrazol, and uniconazole 900 g/ha had better effect in flax production.

To provide a scientific basis for screening the optimal time and intensity of post-sowing compaction for foxtail millet, an indoor pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of four compaction times [0 d (A1), 1 d (A2), 2 d (A3), and 3 d (A4) after sowing] and five compaction intensities [0 (T0), 0.25 (T1), 0.50 (T2), 0.75 (T3), and 1.00 kg/cm² (T4)] on the emergence rate of dryland foxtail millet and soil physical properties. The results showed that the emergence rate of foxtail millet was the highest in the A1T3 treatment, reaching 80.77%, an increase of 28.57% compared to the A1T0 treatment. The emergence time was the shortest in the A1T3 treatment, lasting around five days. As the compaction intensity increased, the total soil porosity of all treatments gradually decreased, the soil bulk density gradually increased, and the deviation value of the soil three-phase ratio gradually decreased. Compared to the A1T0 combination, the total soil porosity in the A1T3 combination decreased by 17.67%, the bulk density increased by 62.96%, and the deviation value of the three-phase ratio decreased by 17.48%. In conclusion, immediate post-sowing compaction with an intensity of 0.75 kg/cm² (A1T3) resulted in the best emergence quality of foxtail millet.

Progesterone is a steroid hormone found in plants, which is closely related to plant growth and development and plays a positive role in stress resistance. The growth status of wheat roots directly affects yield and stress resistance. This study investigated the effects of exogenous progesterone on the elongation growth of wheat roots and preliminarily analyzed their regulatory pathways. The results showed that different concentrations of exogenous progesterone exerted varying regulatory effects on wheat root growth: low concentrations (0.001 and 0.01 μmol/L) promoted root elongation, whereas high concentrations (0.1 and 1.0 μmol/L) inhibited growth. Exogenous progesterone treatment significantly affected the glucose content and phosphofructokinase (PFK) activity in the roots of wheat seedlings. With increasing progesterone concentration, the root glucose content first decreased and then increased, while the trend of PFK activity was opposite. Further research found that under 10 μmol/L glucose treatment, the root glucose content decreased and PFK activity increased; under 10 000 μmol/L glucose treatment, the root glucose content increased and PFK activity was inhibited. In addition, the application of 0.1 μmol/L progesterone significantly promoted root glucose accumulation under low-concentration glucose treatment and inhibited the induction effect of glucose on PFK activity. Conversely, the application of 0.001 μmol/L progesterone significantly inhibited root glucose accumulation under high-concentration glucose treatment and alleviated the inhibitory effect of glucose on PFK activity. These findings suggest that exogenous progesterone may affect the glycolysis process by acting on PFK, a key rate-limiting enzyme in the glycolytic pathway, thereby regulating the glucose content in roots and regulating wheat root elongation growth.

To elucidate the effects of nitrogen application rate and N-P-K ratio on the source-sink characteristics of small-seed hybrid rice, a field experiment was conducted using the small-seed hybrid rice variety Zhuoliangyou 0985 as material. The experiment involved four nitrogen application levels [120 (N1), 150 (N2), 180 (N3), and 210 kg/ha (N4)] and three NPK ratios [1.0:0.5:0.8 (F1), 1.0:0.5:1.0 (F2), and 1.0:1.0:1.0 (F3)]. The results showed that leaf area index (LAI), high-efficiency LAI, relative content of chlorophyll (SPAD values), and dry matter accumulation increased with increasing nitrogen application rate. There were no significant differences between N3 and N4 treatments, but both were significantly higher than the N1 treatment. Among different N-P-K ratios, the F3 treatment generally resulted in higher values, though the differences were not significant. Total spikelets and total sink capacity increased with the increase of nitrogen application rate, and the available filled ratio of sink capacity followed the order of N1 > N3 > N2 > N4. Under different N-P-K ratios, the effective filling degree of sink capacity was generally the highest in F2, though the difference was not significant. Effective panicles increased with the increase of nitrogen application rate, while the number of grains per panicle initially increased and then decreased. Both seed-setting rate and 1000-grain weight decreased with the increase of nitrogen application rate, but these differences did not reach a significant level. Yield showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing with the increase of nitrogen application, with the N3 treatment producing the highest yield. Among the interaction treatments, N3F2 achieved the highest yield, followed by N3F1. Correlation analysis indicated that LAI, high-efficiency LAI, leaf SPAD value, dry matter accumulation, total spikelets, total sink capacity, and effective panicles were extremely significantly and positively correlated with yield. The available filled ratio of sink capacity and seed-setting rate were negatively correlated with yield, while the number of grains per panicle was significantly and positively correlated with yield. No significant correlations were found between 1000-grain weight, grain-leaf ratio, and yield. Under the conditions of this experiment, N3F1 was considered the optimal treatment for Zhuoliangyou 0985. It had a relatively large leaf area, a high number of grains per panicle, a large sink capacity, and a high available filled ratio of sink capacity, with a moderate grain-leaf ratio, which coordinated source-sink relationship and achieved the dual effects of fertilizer saving and yield increase.

Field sampling of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) was conducted at different growth stages to measure changes in major agronomic traits, dry matter accumulation, and nutrient element content. The results indicated that dry matter accumulation in quinoa followed an S-shaped curve, with a critical period between 60 and 90 days after emergence. There were significant differences in the dry matter allocation ratio and nutrient uptake rates among different parts of quinoa (roots, stems, leaves, panicles) at various growth stages. Notably, the uptake of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) peaked between 60 and 80 days of growth, with K having the highest absorption rate, followed by N, and then P, at a ratio of 4.88:1.00:11.00. The distribution of nutrients in quinoa exhibited dynamic change regularity over time, and nutrients were mainly concentrated in leaves and stems during the early growth stage and shifted more towards the panicles in the later stage. Additionally, the agronomic traits of quinoa were also found to be significantly correlated with dry matter accumulation. Root weight, stem weight and panicle weight were positively correlated with plant height, stem diameter and leaf length.

To clarify the alleviating effect of auxin regulators on low-temperature stress at seedlings stage of soybean, the variety Kennong 18 was used as the test material, and seed coating with sodium naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA-Na), potassium indolebutyrate (IBA-K), and their mixture were adopted as the treatment. From the perspectives of morphological phenotype, antioxidant defense and osmotic regulation, the alleviating effect of NAA-Na and IBA-K on the growth and yield of soybean under low temperature stress was investigated. The results showed that the coating treatment with NAA-Na and IBA-K could reduce the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and the production rate of superoxide anion (O₂^-. ), and significantly decrease the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and malondialdehyde. The osmotic regulation ability of soybean seedlings was enhanced, and the contents of soluble sugar, soluble protein, and proline increased. The activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase were enhanced, and the ascorbic acid-glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle was promoted, thereby alleviating the damage of low-temperature stress to soybean seedlings. The dry matter accumulation in the aboveground and root parts of soybean seedlings increased. The adverse effects of low temperature stress on soybean yield were mitigated, and the number of pods per plant, the number of seeds per plant, 100-seed weight, and the seed weight per plant were significantly increased.

In order to explore the appropriate keeping way of tea plants before closing the garden, using “Baojinghuangjincha 1” as the test material, two autumn management treatments were set up, topping before garden closing (T) and no topping (CK). Samples were collected at germination stage, bud head stage as well as one bud and one leaf stage in spring, and the hormone content was determined. The amino acid components and related gene expression levels at one bud and one leaf stage were determined, and the correlation between hormone content and main amino acid components was analyzed. The results showed that budding density, 100-bud weight, and yield of tea plants in T treatment were extremely significantly increased compared with CK treatment. The determination of endogenous hormones in three periods showed that T treatment mainly affected the contents of auxin and cytokinin, the contents of auxin and cytokinin were positively correlated with the content of major amino acids, and the contents of theanine and aspartic acid were significantly positively correlated with the content of IAA-Ala. T treatment was beneficial to the accumulation of auxin and cytokinin in new shoots of tea plants in spring, promoted the germination and growth of lateral buds of tea plants, increased the yield, and T treatment was also beneficial to the accumulation of major amino acid components, such as theanine, aspartic acid, glutamate, serine, and improved the quality of tea.

To understand the effects of different fertilization rates and planting densities on yield and economic benefit of Zhuangtang 6, and to determine the optimal fertilization level and planting density, field experiments were carried out in Longʼan cane area of Nanning and Jiangzhou cane area of Chongzuo. A two-factor split-block design was conducted, with the main treatment (A) of fertilization. Three levels of 42% compound fertilizer 3750 (high fertilizer, A1), 2250 (medium fertilizer, A2) and 1125 kg/ha (low fertilizer, A3) were set. For secondary treatment (B), five planting densities were set: low density B1 (60 000 buds/ha), medium- low density B2 (75 000 buds/ha), medium density B3 (90 000 buds/ha), medium-high density B4 (105 000 buds/ha), and high density B5 (120 000 buds/ha). The results showed that the yield of Zhuangtang 6 sugarcane increased with the increasing planting density; however, there was no significant difference between yield and fertilization level. The correlation analysis showed that the yield and tillering rate were negatively correlated in the two cane areas (significantly in Longʼan and extremely significantly in Jiangzhou), and yield was significantly positively correlated with the number of productive stalks. The economic benefit of A3B5 treatment was the highest. The yield of A3B5 treatment in Longʼan area of Nanning was 91.44 t/ha, with an economic benefit of 35 419.5 yuan/ha, which was 6.75% higher than that of A2B4 treatment with the highest yield of 92.32 t/ha. The yield of A3B5 treatment in Jiangzhou area of Chongzuo was 74.88 t/ha, with an economic benefit of 27 190.2 yuan/ha, which was 27.15% higher than that of A1B4 treatment with the highest yield of 77.40 t/ha. Considering the different water and fertilizer conditions and management levels of the two sugarcane areas, the suitable fertilizer application rate for high-yield and high efficiency planting of Zhuangtang 6 is 1125-2250 kg/ha, and the reasonable planting density is 10 500-12 000 buds/ha.

Microbial agents are a novel type of fertilizer that can promote the growth and development of plant roots, and they have an important impact on improving nutrient absorption and yield formation in crops. However, their effects on rice grain quality remain unclear. This study used two conventional japonica rice varieties, Nanjing 9108 and Huaidao 5, as experimental materials to investigate the effects of two microbial agents of Bacillus subtilis (BS) and Trichoderma harzianum (TH) on rice grain quality under field cultivation conditions. The results showed that compared with the treatment without microbial agent (CK), the application of the BS and TH had no significant effect on the processing quality of rice. However, the BS treatment reduced the chalkiness rate by 5.5%-5.7% in Nanjing 9108 and 6.3%-7.2% in Huaidao 5, with a slightly decrease in chalkiness degree. The TH treatment significantly reduced the chalkiness rate by 7.7%-12.0% in Nanjing 9108 and 9.3%-11.1% in Huaidao 5, while the chalkiness degree decreased significantly by 10.3%-10.6% and 12.4%-12.5%, respectively. In a two-year experiment, the BS treatment decreased the taste value of two varieties to varying degrees, while the TH treatment increased it, reaching a significant level in 2022. Additionally, after microbial agent application, the amylose content of the rice decreased, while gel consistency and protein content increased. The peak viscosity and breakdown value of rice flour increased, whereas the setback value decreased. In conclusion, the application of B. subtilis and T. harzianum microbial agents contributed to improving the appearance and nutritional quality of rice. Furthermore, T. harzianum also enhanced the taste value of rice.

To clarify the physiological mechanism of graphene oxide (GO) acting as a herbicide safener to alleviate the phytotoxicity of nicosulfuron (NIF) on sweet corn, a pair of sweet corn sister lines, HK301 (NIF-tolerant) and HK320 (NIF-sensitive), were used as experimental materials. Using water treatment as a control, the effects of GO-NIF nanocomposite on key enzymes and non-enzymatic substances involved in sugar-starch metabolism in the leaves of sweet corn seedlings were investigated. The results showed that GO-NIF treatment significantly promoted the conversion of sucrose and starch in sweet corn seedlings compared with GO and NIF treatments alone. In HK320, the root to shoot ratio and the contents of sucrose, soluble sugar, and starch under GO-NIF treatment were significantly higher than those under NIF treatment at seven days after treatment, increasing by 30.19%, 71.80%, 79.29%, and 67.87%, respectively. Furthermore, compared with NIF treatment, GO-NIF treatment significantly increased the activities of sucrose phosphate synthase, sucrose synthase, α-amylase, and β-amylase in HK320. A comprehensive evaluation of the effects of different treatments on physiological indicators revealed that HK301 exhibited moderate responses and minimal fluctuations under both NIF and GO-NIF treatments. In contrast, HK320 showed significant physiological regulatory advantages under GO-NIF treatment, particularly manifesting a synergistic enhancement in key enzyme activities of sugar metabolism and the accumulation of saccharides. In conclusion, GO as a safener for NIF can effectively promote the sugar metabolism process as well as the distribution and transport of saccharides in sensitive sweet corn.

To determine a suitable nutrient solution for rapid propagation of virus-free sweet potato seedlings, four nutrient solutions at two concentrations each were tested using virus-free seedlings of Longshu No.9 in substrate culture to explore the effects of different treatments on the growth of virus-free seedlings. The results showed that both nutrient solution type and electrical conductivity significantly affected morphology and physiology of the virus-free seedling. The Longjiu treatments showed the best growth performance and root vitality, particularly Longjiu 2 resulted in superior stem vine length, stem node number, and aboveground fresh and dry weights compared with other treatments. These results indicated that Longjiu 2 was a suitable nutrient solution for rapid propagation of virus-free Longshu No.9 sweet potato seedlings.

Using ʻHongnuo 16ʼ sorghum as the experimental material and under equivalent nutrient input conditions, six treatments were established: no fertilization (CK), conventional fertilization (HF), and nitrogen organic fertilizer substitution ratios for nitrogen of 25% (NF25), 50% (NF50), 75% (NF75), and 100% (NF100). The results showed that compared with CK treatment, increasing the ratio of organic fertilizer substitution led to varying degrees of improvement in soil organic matter, total nitrogen, alkaline hydrolyzed nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium contents. The activities of alkaline phosphatase, urease, and sucrase in soils treated with organic manure substitutions were significantly increased by an average of 40.8%, 13.6%, and 61.6%, respectively. Sorghum yield could be well fitted with a quadratic equation, with the highest yield obtained when applying cow manure at a nitrogen rate of 92.5 kg/ha theoretically. In this experiment, the treatment NF50 not only improved soil physicochemical properties and enhanced soil enzyme activity but also maintained sorghum at high productivity. Considering the responses in terms of sorghum yield and soil fertility as well as soil enzyme activity under different levels of organic manure substitution, it was suggested that an organic nitrogen substitution ratio of 50% was suitable for optimal application rates.

To investigate the species and pathogenicity of wheat root rot pathogens, diseased plants with symptoms of wheat root rot were collected from 16 sampling sites in six prefecture-level cities in Heilongjiang Province during 2022-2023. A total of 432 fungal isolates were obtained using the tissue isolation method. By combining morphological identification and molecular identification based on 5.8S rDNA-ITS or β-tubulin gene sequence analyses, the pathogens were identified as four species: Bipolaris sorokiniana, Fusarium avenaceum, Fusarium equiseti, and Fusarium proliferatum. The number of isolates for each species was 334, 24, 12, and 3, respectively, with B. sorokiniana being the most frequent, accounting for 77.31% of the total. Verification of Koch’s postulates demonstrated significant differences in pathogenicity among the four species, with both the disease index and disease incidence of B. sorokiniana being higher than those of the three Fusarium species. In summary, B. sorokiniana is the dominant pathogen of wheat root rot in Heilongjiang Province, with the three Fusarium species acting as secondary pathogens.

To explore the impact of soil moisture variation on the relationship between soil organic carbon (SOC) and color characteristic parameters, and to construct quantitative SOC prediction models based on color parameters, soil sample images under different soil moisture content (SMC) conditions were acquired by simulating continuous changes of farmland soil moisture to extract color characteristic parameters. Various mathematical transformation methods were employed to optimize these parameters. Combined with correlation analysis and regression models, the influence of soil moisture on the relationship between color characteristics and SOC was quantified, and SOC quantitative estimation models under different moisture conditions were established. The results indicated that SOC was significantly and negatively correlated with color characteristic parameters in RGB, HSV, and CIELab color spaces, with R, L, and V components showing the highest correlation. Reciprocal and logarithmic transformations enhanced these correlations. Soil moisture affected color component values; as SMC increased, most color parameter values decreased, and their correlation with SOC gradually weakened. Critical moisture contents were identified as SMC=15%. Color parameters such as 1/b*, lnb*, 1/S, and lnS effectively mitigated the impact of moisture on SOC prediction models. Under different moisture conditions, the BP neural network regression model outperformed the linear regression model, demonstrating superior predictive capability. This study demonstrates that the color characteristic parameters of digital images can be effectively utilized for the quantitative analysis of SOC.

Peanut oil content is a complex trait, which is easily affected by environmental conditions. It is critically important to detect oil content of peanut kernels in peanut breeding. A total of 150 lines of recombinant inbred lines (RIL) derived from the cross between Yuhua 18 (high oil) and AT215 (low oil) were selected as materials, the spectral data of single-kernel was collected by Antaris II near infrared spectrometer, and the oil content was determined. A near-infrared (NIR) detection model on oil content for single-kernel oil content was established by partial least squares (PLS). The Root-Mean-Squares Error of Cross-Validation was 1.04 and the correlation coefficient (R²) was 0.9589. Twenty-four peanut samples with obvious difference in oil content were selected for external validation, and the R² was 0.9730. Another F₂ population from the cross between Yuhua 14 (high oil) and Huayu 20 (low oil) was used as the test population, whose oil content was determined by this model and the present single-kernel model. The variation range of predicted values from these two models was from -0.52% to 1.92%, showing a narrow variation range. This model is relatively small, and is reliable for oil content confirmation, which can be used for the oil content selection and quality detection of peanut.

To improve the sowing quality of quinoa and increase the field emergence and seedling retention rates, the optimal pelleting coating formula for quinoa was screened. Using Longli 1 and Longli 5 as materials, various pelleting formulas were developed using different filling materials and different addition amounts of binders. The optimal formula was identified by evaluating the pelleting and germination indexes of pelleted quinoa seeds under different formulations. Furthermore, the agronomic and yield traits of quinoa sown with the optimal formula were measured in field trials. The results showed that the optimal formula consisted of 80% talcum powder and 20% bentonite as filling materials, with the addition of 2.5% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose. For this formula, the average germination rate was 91.33%, the average germination potential was 86.00%, and the physicochemical properties of the pelleted seeds were optimal (seed rate 97.33%, single seed rate 95.00%, disintegration rate 93.33%, compressive strength 317.28 g, and 1000-grain weight 14.27 g). Field production trials indicated that this formula had no significant effect on the agronomic traits of quinoa, but it could promote germination and enhance yield. The quinoa seed pelleting formula screened in this study meets all quality indicators and contains green and safe ingredients. It can regularize seed shape, effectively promote seed germination and yield improvement, and provide a theoretical basis for the research and application of quinoa seed pelleting as well as mechanized precision sowing.

To investigate the effects of priming treatments on the germination and physiological characteristics of wheat seeds and to screen the optimal priming method for wheat seeds with low germination ability, Jimai 325 seeds with a germination rate of 32.67% after artificial aging treatment were used as the research object. Nine priming agents from three categories, including PEG 6000, gibberellic acid (GA₃), and Vitamin B₁ (VB₁), were applied at different concentrations for soaking durations of 8 h, 16 h, and 24 h. The study examined the effects of various priming treatments on germination indicators, such as germination potential, germination rate, germination index, electrical conductivity, and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT). The results showed that all priming treatments significantly enhanced the germination capacity of aged wheat seeds. The priming agents had significant impacts on germination potential, germination rate, and germination index, with VB₁ and VB₂ showing the best priming effects. As the priming time was extended, the germination potential, germination rate, and germination index of wheat seeds all significantly increased, with the effects of 16 h and 24 h being significantly better than those of 8 h. By measuring the leachate electrical conductivity and the activities of SOD, POD, and CAT for priming combinations that increased the germination rate to over 85%, it was determined that soaking in 0.08% VB₁ for 16 h is the optimal priming method for Jimai 325 wheat seeds with an initial germination rate of 32.67%.