Agronomy

PIN-LIKES (PILS) auxin transport genes play key roles in plant development, but their functions and molecular mechanism in soybean yield remain unclear. Here, we characterized the 44-member soybean GmPILS genes via comprehensive analyses. Phylogenetic analysis classified GmPILS into three subfamilies, with most proteins being hydrophobic, stable, and membrane-localized. Chromosomal distribution showed random scattering across 17 chromosomes, with gene duplication driving family expansion. Expression profiling identified GmPILS36 and GmPILS40 as seed-specific and differentially expressed between cultivated Suinong14 (SN14) and wild ZYD00006 (ZYD06) soybeans. Population genetic analyses revealed GmPILS40 experienced a domestication bottleneck without yield-related superior haplotypes, while GmPILS36 underwent selection during landrace-to-improved variety domestication. A coding region CC/TT natural variation in GmPILS36 (S/A substitution) was significantly associated with seed weight per plant and 100-seed weight, with the TT genotype conferring superior traits. This study provides insights into GmPILS genes’ evolution and identifies GmPILS36 as an important candidate gene for further functional study and investigation of the molecular mechanisms regulating soybean yield.

This study investigated the effects of different additives on the fermentation quality and bacterial community of silage prepared from Giant Juncao grass (Cenchrus fungigraminus) grown in saline–alkali soil. Four treatments were compared: a control group (CK), wheat bran (WB), fermented Juncao grass juice (FJGJ), and a combined wheat bran + fermented Juncao grass juice treatment (WB + FJGJ). Dynamic changes in physicochemical characteristics—including dry matter (DM), pH, lactic acid (LA), acetic acid (AA), propionic acid (PA), and total volatile fatty acids (TVFA)—were monitored together with shifts in bacterial community structure. Quantitative results showed that FJGJ and WB + FJGJ significantly improved fermentation performance. Compared with the control, the WB + FJGJ treatment reduced the final pH to 3.61 (p < 0.05) and increased lactic acid concentration to 48 g/kg DM. Concentrations of acetic acid and TVFA were also higher in additive-treated silages than in the control. Redundancy analysis indicated that pH and lactic acid were the main environmental factors associated with changes in bacterial community composition, whereas ether extract and acetic acid showed weaker but detectable effects. Bacterial community profiling revealed that genera such as Secundilactobacillus and Lacticaseibacillus dominated in the additive-treated groups, and that the additives significantly altered microbial community structure compared with the control. Overall, the combined application of wheat bran and fermented Juncao grass juice improved the fermentation quality of Giant Juncao grass silage grown on saline–alkali soil and promoted a bacterial community dominated by beneficial lactic acid–producing taxa.

Biomass ashes represent a promising secondary phosphorus (P) source, yet their agronomic performance depends on feedstock origin, processing, and crop-specific interactions. This study evaluated the P fertilizer efficacy of raw and processed biomass ashes derived from cereal straw and paludiculture biomass, compared with triple superphosphate (TSP), using two sequential greenhouse pot experiments with maize, amaranth, and blue lupine. Processed ash products, particularly compacted ashes and ash–straw mixtures, increased plant biomass and P uptake to levels comparable to or exceeding those achieved with TSP. The cumulative P uptake of the three crops reached up to 250–300 mg pot⁻¹ under processed ash treatments, exceeding the uptake under TSP (≈150–180 mg pot⁻¹) and the unfertilized control (≤80 mg pot⁻¹). However, crop-specific differences were observed: amaranth benefited most from the ash products, whereas combinations of ashes with lupine were less favorable. Beside acting as a P source, processed biomass ashes also increased soil pH by about 0.5 units, improved soil aggregation by increasing macroaggregates (>2 mm) to up to 20% compared with only about 7% in TSP and the control, and promoted favorable shifts in Hedley P fractions. Soil enzyme activities were governed primarily by crop species, with amaranth stimulating phosphatase activity the most. Further research should aim to refine crop-specific application strategies for processed biomass ashes and to elucidate their impacts on soil structure and P dynamics.