TaGAD2 is a potential downstream effector of Rht5 in controlling wheat plant height

The functions of TaLAD1-A1, Rht8, and Rht-D1b in regulating leaf angle in wheat

Branch architecture and flowering time are separately regulated by GhFL and GhSP2 in cotton.

Crop flowering, a critical aspect of plant growth, is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. The indeterminate growth of cotton can lead to asynchronous flowering and boll setting. This study identified and characterized a determinate growth mutant, dt2, in Gossypium arboreum (G. arboreum) Shixiya 1 (SXY1) through EMS mutagenesis. The dt2 mutant exhibited main axis termination and shoot apical meristem (SAM) transition into flowers. Map-based cloning revealed a single nucleotide mutation in the coding sequence (CDS) of GaFL (Ga07G0556), a FLORICAULA/LEAFY homolog responsible for the determinate growth phenotype. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) and protein interaction assays, including bimolecular fluorescence complementation, luciferase imaging, and GST pull-down, were employed to functionally characterize GaFL and its Gossypium hirsutum (G. hirsutum) homolog GhFL (Gh_A07G051000). These integrated approaches demonstrated the critical roles of both proteins in cotton development. The results indicated that GhFL interacts with GhSP2 (Gh_D09G150100), both of which negatively influence flowering time in cotton. Furthermore, a reduction of GhSP2 expression resulted in increased GhJAZ5 (Gh_D06G087500) expression while overexpression of GhJAZ5 in cotton promoted early flowering. This research uncovers the genetic basis of determinate growth and provides insights into the mechanisms of flowering regulation in cotton. These findings have significant implications for breeding strategies to improve cotton plant architecture.

A Wild Emmer Wheat B3 Transcription Factor Regulates Seed Growth and Nutrient Allocation.

A B3-domain transcription factor (B3TF) is identified as a key regulator of seed growth and metabolic partitioning in wheat, providing a framework for exploiting regulatory alleles to enhance yield and nutritional quality in modern wheat.

Functional Characterization of GmRD22 Modulating Nitrogenase Activity in Soybean with Transcriptomic Comparison Between Two Genotypes

Soybean (Glycine max) is a key crop in China grown as a source of edible oil and plant-derived protein, and its production is closely linked to national food security. Insufficient nitrogen availability remains a key constraint on soybean yield. In legumes, symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF) enables the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, thereby reducing reliance on synthetic fertilizers and improving soil quality. Nitrogenase activity is a central determinant of SNF efficiency; however, its regulatory mechanisms in soybean nodules are not yet fully understood. In this study, transcriptomic data from two soybean accessions with contrasting SNF performance (Suinong 14 and ZYD00006) were analyzed, leading to the identification of Glyma.04G013500 as a member of the GmRD22 gene family. This study verified that this gene is potentially associated with nitrogenase activity. Functional characterization revealed that this gene acts as a negative regulator of nodulation by influencing the expression of genes associated with nodule development. Haplotype analysis further uncovered a pattern consistent with domestication, as the elite haplotype (HapI) with enhanced nitrogen fixation capacity, exhibited a progressive increase in frequency from wild soybean populations to landraces and modern cultivars. These findings suggest that GmRD22 has undergone directional selection during soybean domestication and improvement. Overall, these results offer new insights into the genetic control of SNF and establish promising targets for breeding soybean varieties with improved nitrogen fixation efficiency.

Glycine max DREB1D transcription factor regulates plant height by reducing gibberellin levels and response

OsCYP51H9 integrates brassinosteroid biosynthesis and nitrogen sensing to enhance grain development and nitrogen utilization in rice.

Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and grain development are pivotal for rice yield improvement, particularly under low-nitrogen (LN) conditions. Cytochrome P450 CYP51 family members are conserved obtusifoliol 14α-demethylases essential for phytosterol and brassinosteroid (BR) biosynthesis; however, the biological roles of the rice CYP51H subfamily remain largely unclear. Here, we characterized OsCYP51H9, a gene encoding an endoplasmic reticulum-localized protein highly expressed in reproductive and vascular tissues. Loss-of-function mutants (oscyp51h9) and RNAi lines exhibited BR-deficient phenotypes, including reduced plant height, impaired root growth, smaller grains, and erect leaves, which were associated with disrupted phytosterol and BR biosynthesis. While preliminary metabolite profiling indicated a potential link between OsCYP51H9 and triterpene metabolism via β-amyrin, this requires further validation. Notably, under LN conditions, OsCYP51H9-overexpressing plants displayed enhanced root growth, increased grain yield, and higher nitrogen accumulation. This improvement coincided with the upregulation of key nitrogen-responsive transcription factors, including OsWRKY69 and OsDREB1C/B. Collectively, our results suggest that OsCYP51H9 participates in the phytosterol-BR pathway and plays a positive role in rice adaptation to low-nitrogen environments, providing a potential target for molecular breeding.