Evaluating the use of plant hormones and biostimulators in forage pastures to enhance shoot dry biomass production by perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)

A 294 kb deletion causes reduced leaflet size and biomass in pigeonpea

KEY MESSAGE

BSA-seq and fine mapping revealed a 294 kb deletion on chromosome 9 regulating leaflet size and biomass in pigeonpea. Leaf size critically influences photosynthetic capacity, impacting organic matter production and biomass yield. This study reports the identification and characterization of a small leaflet mutant (sl1) in pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) generated via aerial mutagenesis. Compared to the wild-type Qiongzhong, sl1 displayed significantly reduced leaf area, plant height, stem diameter, and biomass, characteristic of a dwarf phenotype. Genetic analysis confirmed a single recessive locus controlling the sl1 phenotype. Bulked segregant analysis sequencing (BSA-seq) and fine mapping identified the causal mutation as a 294 kb deletion encompassing 21 genes on chromosome 9. Transcriptomic analysis identified 1,039 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), indicating disruptions in, among others, plant hormone signaling pathways. Analysis of 28 target plant hormone metabolites revealed significant shifts in sl1 mutant compared to wild-type, including increased levels of strigolactone, methyl indole-3-acetate, and trans-zeatin-riboside, and decreases in gibberellin A3, N6-isopentenyladenine, and methyl jasmonate. Cytological analysis revealed a decreased cell number in sl1 leaves, contributing to the reduced leaflet size. Three candidate genes, CC09g01700, CC09g01705, and CC09g01707, within the deleted region were prioritized based on their altered expression patterns and their putative roles in leaf development. These findings elucidate the genetic regulation of leaf morphology and biomass in pigeonpea, offering potential targets for marker-assisted selection to enhance pigeonpea yield.

Temporal profiling of physiological, histological, and transcriptomic dissection during auxin-induced adventitious root formation in tetraploid Robinia pseudoacacia micro-cuttings

MAIN CONCLUSION

Optimal levels of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) applied at the stem base promote adventitious root (AR) initiation and primordia formation, thus promoting the rooting of leafy micro-cuttings of tetraploid Robinia pseudoacacia. Tetraploid Robinia pseudoacacia L. is a widely cultivated tree in most regions of China that has a hard-rooting capability, propagated by stem cuttings. This study utilizes histological, physiological, and transcriptomic approaches to explore how root primordia are induced after indole butyric acid (IBA) treatment of micro-cuttings. IBA application promoted cell divisions in some cells within the vasculature, showing subcellular features associated with adventitious root (AR) founder cells. The anatomical structure explicitly showed that AR initiated from the cambium layer and instigate the inducible development of AR primordia. Meanwhile, the hormone data showed that similar to that of indole-3-acetic acid, the contents of trans-zeatin and abscisic acid peaked at early stages of AR formation and increased gradually in primordia formation across the subsequent stages, suggesting their indispensable roles in AR induction. On the contrary, 24-epibrassinolide roughly maintained at extremely high levels during primordium initiation thoroughly, indicating its presence was involved in cell-specific reorganization during AR development. Furthermore, antioxidant activities transiently increased in the basal region of micro-cuttings and may serve as biochemical indicators for distinct rooting phases, potentially aiding in AR formation. Transcriptomic analysis during the early stages of root formation shows significant downregulation of the abscisic acid and jasmonate signaling pathways, while ethylene and cytokinin signaling seems upregulated. Network analysis of genes involved in carbon metabolism and photosynthesis indicates that the basal region of the micro-cuttings undergoes rapid reprogramming, which results in the breakdown of sugars into pyruvate. This pyruvate is then utilized to fuel the tricarboxylic acid cycle, thereby sustaining growth through aerobic respiration. Collectively, our findings provide a time-course morphophysiological dissection and also suggest the regulatory role of a conserved auxin module in AR development in these species.

Endophytic PGPB Improves Plant Growth and Quality, and Modulates the Bacterial Community of an Intercropping System

The intercropping of ryegrass and red clover constitutes a sustainable alternative to mitigate the adverse effects of intensive livestock production on grassland degradation by increasing forage yield and quality. The implementation of biofertilization technologies has been widely used to improve soil nutritional properties, and therefore has the potential to ensure the success of this multicrop system. To determine the impact of bioaugmentation on forage growth and quality, as well as the associate changes in the rhizosphere bacterial community, we evaluated the inoculation with two plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) under reduced nitrogen usage. Overall, Herbaspirillum sp. AP21 had a larger effect than Azospirillum brasilense D7 on plant growth. Inoculation with Herbaspirillum sp. AP21 together with 50% of the required nitrogen rate increased shoot dry weight, crude protein, and shoot nitrogen content, and decreased the amount of neutral detergent fiber. PGPB inoculation changed the rhizosphere bacterial community structure, which associated with forage growth and quality. We conclude that PGPB inoculation has the potential to improve the growth of the ryegrass-red clover system, decreasing the requirements for nitrogen fertilization.

Transcriptome Profiling Provides Molecular Insights into Auxin-Induced Adventitious Root Formation in Sugarcane (Saccharum spp. Interspecific Hybrids) Microshoots

Adventitious root (AR) formation was enhanced following the treatment of sugarcane microshoots with indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 1-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) combined, suggesting that auxin is a positive regulator of sugarcane microshoot AR formation. The transcriptome profile identified 1737 and 1268 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the basal tissues (5 mm) of sugarcane microshoots treated with IBA+NAA compared to nontreated control on the 3rd and 7th days post-auxin or water treatment (days post-treatment—dpt), respectively. To understand the molecular changes, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were performed. This analysis showed that DEGs associated with the pathways were associated with plant hormone signaling, flavonoid and phenylpropanoid biosyntheses, cell cycle, and cell wall modification, and transcription factors could be involved in sugarcane microshoot AR formation. Furthermore, qRT–PCR analysis was used to validate the expression patterns of nine genes associated with root formation and growth, and the results were consistent with the RNA-seq results. Finally, a hypothetical hormonal regulatory working model of sugarcane microshoot AR formation is proposed. Our results provide valuable insights into the molecular processes associated with auxin-induced AR formation in sugarcane.

Genome assembly provides insights into the genome evolution and flowering regulation of orchardgrass

Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) is an important forage grass for cultivating livestock worldwide. Here, we report an ~1.84-Gb chromosome-scale diploid genome assembly of orchardgrass, with a contig N50 of 0.93 Mb, a scaffold N50 of 6.08 Mb and a super-scaffold N50 of 252.52 Mb, which is the first chromosome-scale assembled genome of a cool-season forage grass. The genome includes 40 088 protein-coding genes, and 69% of the assembled sequences are transposable elements, with long terminal repeats (LTRs) being the most abundant. The LTRretrotransposons may have been activated and expanded in the grass genome in response to environmental changes during the Pleistocene between 0 and 1 million years ago. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that orchardgrass diverged after rice but before three Triticeae species, and evolutionarily conserved chromosomes were detected by analysing ancient chromosome rearrangements in these grass species. We also resequenced the whole genome of 76 orchardgrass accessions and found that germplasm from Northern Europe and East Asia clustered together, likely due to the exchange of plants along the 'Silk Road' or other ancient trade routes connecting the East and West. Last, a combined transcriptome, quantitative genetic and bulk segregant analysis provided insights into the genetic network regulating flowering time in orchardgrass and revealed four main candidate genes controlling this trait. This chromosome-scale genome and the online database of orchardgrass developed here will facilitate the discovery of genes controlling agronomically important traits, stimulate genetic improvement of and functional genetic research on orchardgrass and provide comparative genetic resources for other forage grasses.