The Formation of Specialized Traits and the Regulation of Directional Development in Forage

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Grassland and Pasture Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 1223

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China
Interests: forage molecular breeding; drought tolerance; pod shattering; alfalfa; common vetch
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E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Grassland Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
Interests: forage and turfgrass physiology; abiotic stress; molecular biology; alternative splicing; metabolism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
Interests: forage; abiotic stress; nitrogen fixation; functional gene; molecular breeding

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forage possesses unique traits that significantly enhance its adaptability, productivity, and resilience, making it indispensable for ecological restoration and ruminant-based agriculture. Studying the genetic, molecular, and environmental mechanisms behind these traits is key to advancing forage breeding.

This Special Issue, The Formation of Specialized Traits and the Regulation of Directional Development in Forage, explores the factors shaping forage traits and development. It focuses on stress tolerance (e.g., drought, temperature extremes, saline–alkaline conditions, and acidic aluminum), yield traits such as pod shattering, and identifies organisms with promise for nitrogen fixation associated with forage. It also focuses on quality factors such as protein content, lignin levels, and secondary metabolites, with the aim of enhancing resilience and productivity.

This Issue highlights research in omics, bioinformatics, genetic engineering, gene editing, and molecular markers, utilizing advanced methods to uncover growth and stress response mechanisms in forage.

We invite original research, reviews, and methodological advancements that address the physiological, molecular, and genetic aspects of forage traits, including stress responses, yield, and quality.

Prof. Dr. Zhipeng Liu
Dr. Tieyuan Liu
Dr. Dong Luo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • forage
  • stress tolerance
  • yield traits
  • quality factors
  • regulatory mechanism

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

19 pages, 15946 KiB  
Article
Genome-Wide Identification of the GRAS Transcription Factor Family in Medicago ruthenica and Expression Analysis Under Drought Stress
by Xingli Wang, Xueming Dong, Pengzhen Li, Mingyu Li, Zhaoming Wang, Qiang Zhou, Zhipeng Liu and Longfeng Yan
Agronomy 2025, 15(2), 306; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15020306 - 25 Jan 2025
Viewed by 903
Abstract
The GRAS gene family encodes a group of plant-specific transcription factors essential for regulating plant growth, development and stress responses. While the GRAS gene family has been extensively studied in various plant species, a comprehensive characterization of the GRAS gene family in Medicago [...] Read more.
The GRAS gene family encodes a group of plant-specific transcription factors essential for regulating plant growth, development and stress responses. While the GRAS gene family has been extensively studied in various plant species, a comprehensive characterization of the GRAS gene family in Medicago ruthenica has not yet been conducted. In this study, a total of 62 MrGRAS gene family members were identified through a comprehensive whole-genome analysis of M. ruthenica, and phylogenetic analysis categorized these 62 genes into 13 distinct groups. Gene structure and conserved domain analysis showed that MrGRAS genes from the same evolutionary branch share similar exon–intron architecture and conserved motifs. A large number of hormone-responsive, growth and development and stress-responsive cis-regulatory elements were detected in the upstream sequences of MrGRAS genes. RT-qPCR analysis showed that drought stress significantly induced the expression of nine selected MrGRAS genes. Overall, this study analyzed the phylogenetic relationships, conserved domains, cis-regulatory elements and expression patterns of the GRAS gene family in M. ruthenica, filling the gap in the identification of the MrGRAS gene family and laying the foundation for functional analysis of the MrGRAS gene family. Full article
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