Search Results (1,691)

The restricted genetic diversity of current cotton varieties (Gossypium hirsutum L.) considerably limits breeding opportunities aimed at enhancing fiber quality and resistance to environmental factors. Wild types of allotetraploid cottons are valuable sources of genetic variation, and their breeding potential has not yet been fully utilized. In this study, the inheritance and variability of important agronomic traits were analyzed in F₁ and F₂ hybrid generations obtained from intra- and interspecific crosses involving G. hirsutum, G. barbadense, and G. darwinii. The phylogenetic relationships of allotetraploid species were analyzed using molecular-genetic and cytogenetic methods, and their breeding potential was evaluated. Cytogenetic analysis of the F₁ hybrids revealed the occurrence of univalents at metaphase I of meiosis, while bivalent numbers reached 25.9 in some hybrid combinations. Based on molecular marker analysis, significant genetic differences and polymorphism were identified between var. gambia and var. m. palmerii. There were reciprocal translocations, shown as multivalents, during ecotypic differentiation in other cross combinations. Positive transgressive segregation for the enhancement of fiber length was identified in F₂ populations. Notably, in certain hybrid combinations, fiber length extended to 40.9 mm. Furthermore, molecular analysis identified 113 unique alleles across the genotypes examined. These findings affirm that wild and exotic allotetraploid cotton forms constitute a significant source of genetic diversity for breeding programs. Full article

Wheat cultivation has recently expanded into new agro-climatic regions of South Korea owing to increasing concerns about food security and changing climatic conditions. However, comprehensive evaluations of regional cultivation suitability remain limited. This study evaluated regional variations in wheat growth, yield, grain quality, and cultivation suitability across three agro-climatic groups classified primarily by January minimum temperature: G1 (<−10 °C; central inland and high-altitude regions), G2 (−8 to −7 °C; southern inland and plain regions), and G3 (−4 to −3 °C; southern coastal and warmer regions). During the 2024 and 2025 growing seasons, field experiments were conducted, and growth traits, yield components, meteorological data, soil properties, and grain quality were analyzed. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to examine the relationships among agronomic and grain quality traits. In both years, G3 exhibited superior growth performance, characterized by earlier heading, higher biomass, and greater tiller and spike numbers, resulting in the highest grain yield (4.3 t ha⁻¹), compared with G1 (2.8 t ha⁻¹). The superior growth and yield performance observed in G3 was associated with relatively higher winter temperatures and differences in soil nutrient statuses, although other environmental factors may also have contributed. In contrast, the lower productivity observed in G1 may have been related to colder winter conditions and differences in soil nutrient statuses. G2 demonstrated a balance between productivity and stability. Grain quality traits also exhibited regional variability. PCA further indicated that G3 was associated with productivity-related traits, whereas G1 was associated with crude protein content and grain quality-related characteristics. Overall, regional differences in winter temperature and soil fertility were associated with contrasting patterns of wheat productivity and grain quality. These findings highlight the importance of integrated, region-specific cultivation strategies for optimizing wheat production under changing climatic conditions. Full article

Agro-food processing by-products represent valuable sources of bioactive compounds with potential applications in sustainable crop production. This study evaluated the agronomic and postharvest responses of greenhouse-grown tomato to two commercial formulations enriched in hydroxytyrosol (Formula A and Formula B) and derived from olive oil processing by-products. Plants were grown in a soilless coco-peat system, and the formulations were applied manually to the root system according to their respective manufacturer-recommended regimes. The substrate bag was considered the experimental unit (n = 6 per treatment), with the greenhouse block retained in the statistical model. Formula A and Formula B increased total yield by 9.6% and 15.7%, respectively, and marketable yield by 14.5% and 21.0%. Both formulations increased fruit firmness, whereas total soluble solids remained unaffected. Shelf life increased from 23 days in control fruit to 32 and 38 days following Formula A and Formula B application, respectively. Antioxidant-related responses were treatment-dependent: Formula B increased DPPH radical-scavenging capacity and total and reduced vitamin C, whereas lycopene increased significantly with Formula A and showed an intermediate response with Formula B; total polyphenols and anthocyanins were unaffected. The treatments also modified fruit primary-metabolite profiles, including sugars, organic acids, and amino acids, and both formulations increased fruit Ca, K, and N concentrations at the final sampling. Overall, these findings demonstrate the potential of hydroxytyrosol-enriched commercial formulations to improve tomato productivity and selected postharvest-quality traits while providing a valorization route for olive oil processing by-products. However, because the formulations differed in composition, hydroxytyrosol concentration, dose, and application frequency, the specific contribution of hydroxytyrosol cannot be isolated from that of the complete formulations. Full article

To optimize the varietal structure of fruit crops in arid environments and screen apricot-plum varieties suitable for cultivation in the Aksu region, a systematic agronomic evaluation was conducted to comprehensively analyze the phenotypic diversity and fruit quality traits of seven apricot-plum cultivars in Aksu, Xinjiang. In 2025, seven-year-old trees cultivated under identical and standardized agronomic conditions were selected as experimental materials. Key agronomic parameters, including flowering and fruiting phenology, floral and foliar morphological traits, fruit appearance properties, and internal nutritional profiles (soluble solids, soluble sugars, titratable acids, vitamin C, flavonoids, and total phenolics) were systematically measured. Correlation analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to quantitatively integrate these multi-dimensional datasets, identify key factors driving agronomic variation, and evaluate varietal adaptability to the arid climate. The results revealed a high degree of phenotypic diversity and significant variations in agronomic performance among the seven cultivars. Specifically, ‘Weihou’ recorded the highest single-fruit weight (111.27 g), indicating superior physical development, whereas ‘Konglongdan’ achieved the maximum soluble solid content (21.43%) and vitamin C level (96.41 mg/100 g), exhibiting exceptional nutritional quality. Despite these outstanding individual traits in specific cultivars, evaluating overall adaptability requires a holistic approach. PCA effectively captured 93.84% of the total variance through five extracted principal components, successfully modeling the interrelationships among vegetative vigor, reproductive morphology, and fruit chemical profiles. Based on the comprehensive agronomic scores, the varieties ranked as follows: ‘Fengweihuanghou’ > ‘Weihou’ > ‘Hongtianerong’ > ‘Konglongdan’ > ‘Weidi’ > ‘WeiWang’ > ‘Fengweimeigui’. Our findings identify ‘Fengweihuanghou’ as the most superior cultivar, with optimal agronomic adaptability and fruit quality balance under arid conditions. This study suggests that ‘Fengweihuanghou’ is a highly promising cultivar for large-scale cultivation in the Aksu region, providing a valuable reference for optimizing the local crop varietal structure, although further multi-year and multi-location validations are warranted. Full article

Reducing nitrogen inputs while maintaining grain yield and quality is an important objective for sustainable barley production. This study evaluated 39 winter barley genotypes (20 six-row and 19 two-row) under two N management treatments following pea as the preceding crop during two contrasting growing seasons (2021–2022 and 2022–2023) under rainfed conditions. Both treatments received the same basal fertilization, while the fertilized treatment received an additional 46 kg N ha⁻¹ as urea. Yield response to additional N differed between barley types and growing seasons. In six-row barley, grain yield increased by 5.9% in 2021–2022 but decreased by 4.8% in 2022–2023, whereas two-row barley maintained positive responses of 7.9% and 5.9%, respectively. Additional N consistently increased grain protein content by 17.2–21.7% in six-row and 17.1–19.0% in two-row barley, while starch content decreased in both barley types. NDVI generally increased following additional N application. GGE biplot analysis revealed substantial genotypic variation in performance and response across the four year × nitrogen combinations evaluated at the experimental location. Overall, two-row barley showed a more consistent yield response to additional N across the two growing seasons, while the identified genotypic variation provides useful material for selecting winter barley adapted to reduced N inputs following a legume preceding crop. Full article

Castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) is an important industrial oil crop worldwide. In China, western Jilin Province represents a major production region for this species, where spring drought severely constrains its yield and quality.This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate drought resistance in castor bean and explore its underlying mechanisms. A total of 40 common castor bean germplasms in Jilin Province were used as materials. Seedling drought resistance was evaluated using 25% polyethylene glycol (PEG) simulated drought stress, and agronomic traits were assessed under natural drought field conditions. Based on these evaluations, eight drought-tolerant and eight drought-sensitive germplasms were selected. Physiological indices and transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) were performed on the drought-tolerant genotype Baibi 22 and the drought-sensitive genotype Nongxuan 1. The 40 germplasms were classified into three drought resistance categories: drought-tolerant (8), moderately drought-tolerant (24), and drought-sensitive (8). Under 25% PEG stress, chlorophyll content decreased continuously, while peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were higher than in the control, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content showed a unimodal increase. RNA-seq was used to identify 94 consistently differentially expressed genes (uDEGs) between the two germplasms at 3 and 7 days after stress, which were enriched in calcium signaling, redox balance, antioxidant stress, and the proteolytic ubiquitination pathway. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) verification confirmed the reliability of the RNA-seq results. This study screened elite drought-tolerant castor bean germplasms and identified 17 key genes related to abiotic stress regulation, providing germplasm resources and a molecular basis for improving abiotic stress resistance in castor bean through gene editing or molecular breeding. Full article

Integrated nutrient management (INM) is increasingly recognized as a promising approach for sustaining crop productivity while reducing some of the environmental impacts associated with intensive agricultural production. This study presents a structured narrative review with critical evidence synthesis of the published literature examining the effects of INM on crop productivity, soil health, and greenhouse gas emissions. Relevant studies were identified through structured searches of Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, covering publications from January 2000 to December 2025. Eligible studies included peer-reviewed field and controlled experiments evaluating the combined application of organic and inorganic nutrient sources across cereal, legume, and vegetable production systems under diverse soil types, climatic conditions, and agroecological regions. The findings show that INM has been associated with improvements in crop yield, soil health, and nutrient use efficiency across many production systems; however, the magnitude of these responses varies with crop type, soil properties, climate, organic input quality, and management practices. Reported yield improvements of approximately 15–25%, reductions in N₂O emissions of 15–30%, and decreases in global warming potential of 11–24% represent ranges reported in the reviewed literature rather than pooled effect estimates. Evidence from long-term field experiments further indicates that INM can increase soil organic carbon, improve soil structure, and enhance biological indicators of soil health, although responses are not uniform across all agroecosystems. In flooded rice systems, for example, improvements in greenhouse gas intensity may occur alongside methane–nitrous oxide trade-offs, highlighting the importance of evaluating both agronomic and environmental outcomes. Full article

Feed shortage and water scarcity critically constrain livestock production in semiarid regions, yet the interactive mechanism of growth by which planting density and mowing shape the trade-off between biomass yield and nutritional quality remain poorly quantified for rainfed sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench). The Loess Plateau is located in the north-central part of China. It belongs to the semiarid continental monsoon climate and is mainly rainfed by agriculture. A two-year field experiment (2023–2024) was conducted in this region to investigate how four planting densities (50,000, 70,000, 90,000 and 110,000 plants·ha⁻¹) and two mowing regimes regulate plant morphology, root development and comprehensive nutritional traits. Compared with a mowing treatment, a non-mowing treatment significantly increased dry matter yield from 8.54 t·ha⁻¹ to 21.59 t·ha⁻¹ (an increase of 152.7%) in 2023 and from 10.32 t·ha⁻¹ to 20.91 t·ha⁻¹ (an increase of 102.6%) in 2024. Increasing planting density elevated population biomass, with the 90,000 plants·ha⁻¹ treatment optimally balancing individual growth and interplant resource competition. Mowing reduced stem diameter, leaf area index, and root biomass, thereby lowering fiber concentration but suppressing total dry matter accumulation. Structural equation modeling (GFI = 0.937) quantified this dual effect: mowing exerted a strong negative direct effect on dry matter yield (path coefficient = −4.211, explaining 94.9% of the yield variance) but indirectly improved nutritional quality by thinning stems to optimize leaf allocation. Integrated random forest and radar chart multi-index evaluation identified non-mowing at 90,000 plants·ha⁻¹ as the optimal cultivation regime (comprehensive score Y = 0.917), which coordinated population biomass and nutritional performance while delivering a 23.3% higher net profit than conventional mowing treatments. This study revealed the physiological trade-off path between biomass productivity of sorghum and its quality under drought stress under rainfed conditions on the Loess Plateau and provides a quantitative, replicable evaluation framework to optimize agronomic management for sweet sorghum and analogous C4 crops in global semiarid rainfed ecosystems, offering practical strategies for sustainable forage production. Full article

Reliable identification of genomic regions controlling complex agronomic traits across variable growing seasons remains a major challenge in soybean genetics and breeding. Here, a diverse panel of 252 soybean accessions was evaluated over six consecutive growing seasons (2018–2023) for flowering time, maturity, plant height, number of seeds per plant, seed yield per plant, and thousand-seed weight. Whole-genome resequencing and variant filtering yielded 2,019,772 high-quality SNPs, and association signals were evaluated using Inclusive Integrative Input Multiple-locus Random-SNP-effect Mixed Linear Model (IIIVmrMLM), Bayesian-information and Linkage-disequilibrium Iteratively Nested Keyway (BLINK), and Multi-Locus Mixed Model (MLMM) together with linkage disequilibrium (LD)-based locus consolidation. Cross-model prioritization retained 21 high-confidence loci supported by all three GWAS models and distributed across 10 chromosomes. Among the identified loci, 18 overlapped or co-localized with previously reported SoyBase genes and QTLs, whereas three (q.VER2.13-1, q.YP.01-1, and q.TSW.15-1) showed no positional overlap with known genes and QTLs and were therefore considered presumably novel. These three loci were associated with flowering time, yield per plant, and thousand-seed weight, accounting for 1.60%, 2.13%, and 5.53% of phenotypic variation, respectively. Ten loci co-localized with genomic regions containing established soybean regulators, including E2, E3, GmDt2, and POWR1, support the biological plausibility of the association results. Integration of genomic position, functional annotation, and tissue-expression evidence prioritized 112 candidate genes across 18 loci. These findings provide a focused set of genomic loci and candidate genes for independent validation and further investigation of the genetic basis of soybean adaptation and yield formation under variable continental growing conditions. Full article

The synergistic regulatory mechanism of current planting patterns on cotton agronomic traits, boll source–sink development and fiber quality remains unclear. Therefore, this study used 11 upland cotton parents and 36 F1 progenies as materials. Three planting patterns, namely, one film–three rows, one film–four rows and one film–six rows, were established from 2024 to 2025. The dynamic changes in the boll morphology and dry-fresh-weight accumulation of each boll component were monitored at eight stages from 10 to 60 days after anthesis, and agronomic traits and fiber quality were measured simultaneously. The Logistic growth model was adopted to fit cotton boll growth parameters to analyze the regulatory effects of planting patterns on the developmental process and dry-matter accumulation of upland cotton. The results showed that boll morphological stability gradually decreased with the increase in planting density. The maximum cumulative boll volume (Wm) under the one-film–three-rows pattern ranged from 29.19 to 30.97 cm³, higher than those under one film–four rows (28.35–30.77 cm³) and one film–six rows (28.74–30.86 cm³). Vegetative growth indicators, including plant height, height of the first fruiting node and number of fruiting branches, declined with increasing density. The one-film–six-rows treatment exhibited a significantly higher proportion of empty fruiting branches and a lower boll-setting rate. The one-film–three-rows pattern presented prominent single-boll sink capacity, yet suffered insufficient population photosynthetic supply, leading to assimilate allocation biased toward vegetative organs. Under high-density competition stress, the one-film–six-rows pattern possessed poor source–sink stability and inhibited dry-matter accumulation in reproductive organs. The one-film–four-rows pattern achieved the highest dry-matter translocation efficiency from boll shell to cottonseed and fibers, with the maximum cumulative fiber dry weight (Wm) of 2.40–2.62 g, and obtained optimal fresh-weight accumulation and allocation of fibers. Synthesizing all indicators, the one-film–four-rows pattern is more suitable for cotton growth in southern Xinjiang, which can balance population boll-setting potential and boll dry-matter allocation efficiency. These results are only derived from two-year field-located experiments in southern Xinjiang. Multi-site trials are required in further research to clarify the applicable scope of this cultivation pattern in other cotton-producing regions. Full article

Global demand for alfalfa, a vital forage resource for ruminants, is growing. Currently, ruminant production is expanding rapidly in parts of Asia and Africa, further driving demand for high-quality alfalfa forage. Nevertheless, long-term indiscriminate fertilization and imbalanced nutrient input ratios in alfalfa production not only lower fertilizer use efficiency and crop productivity but also induce a range of soil degradation and environmental issues, thereby constraining the sustainable development of the forage-livestock industry. In this study, the alfalfa cultivar ‘Xinmu No. 4’ (Medicago sativa cv. ‘Xinmu No. 4’) was used as the experimental material. A two-year field block experiment was performed to investigate the effects of different organic–inorganic fertilizer ratios on the nutrient use efficiency of alfalfa, with six fertilization treatments: CM0 (100% cow manure), CM1 (75% cow manure + 25% chemical fertilizer), CM2 (50% cow manure + 50% chemical fertilizer), CM3 (25% cow manure + 75% chemical fertilizer), CM4 (100% chemical fertilizer), and CK (no fertilization application). The results demonstrated that the CM3 treatment (25% cow manure combined with 75% chemical fertilizer) significantly enhanced nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium accumulation in alfalfa relative to the CK, sole cow manure (CM0), and sole chemical fertilizer (CM4) treatments (p < 0.05). Additionally, plant nutrient accumulation in 2025 was markedly higher than that in 2024 across treatments (p < 0.05). Combined organic and inorganic fertilization substantially improved the agronomic use efficiency of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in alfalfa, with the CM3 ratio exhibiting the most pronounced beneficial effect. For alfalfa cultivation in Xinjiang, the combined application of 25% cow manure and 75% chemical fertilizer is recommended to optimize nutrient accumulation and utilization efficiency, ultimately boosting alfalfa yield and quality. Full article

Ensuring food authenticity, traceability, and quality has become a critical challenge in increasingly complex and globalized food supply chains. Conventional post-harvest analytical approaches, while powerful, often operate in isolation and fail to fully capture the influence of pre-harvest conditions on food composition. In parallel, the emergence of smart farming technologies has enabled the collection of high-resolution environmental and agronomic data, offering new opportunities to establish baseline signatures linked to geographical origin and production practices. This review explores the integration of pre-harvest data from precision agriculture with advanced post-harvest analytical techniques, focusing on spectroscopic and isotopic methods for food authentication. Recent advances in vibrational spectroscopy, including near- and mid-infrared, Fourier-transform infrared, and Raman techniques, alongside complementary methods such as nuclear magnetic resonance and fluorescence spectroscopy, have enabled rapid and non-destructive food fingerprinting. In parallel, isotope ratio mass spectrometry and compound-specific isotope analysis provide robust markers of origin, climate conditions, and agricultural inputs through the analysis of stable isotopes of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur. The combination of these analytical approaches with chemometric and machine learning tools facilitates the extraction of meaningful patterns from complex datasets. A central focus of this review is the development of integrated farm-to-fork frameworks that use multi-source data, including field sensor technologies, spectral fingerprints, and isotopic signatures, to enhance traceability and authentication. Applications across a wide range of food systems, including edible oils, beverages, plant-based products, and animal-derived foods, are critically evaluated to highlight the strengths and limitations of current methodologies. Key challenges related to data standardization, system interoperability, cost, portability, miniaturization and regulatory acceptance are discussed, alongside emerging solutions such as artificial intelligence-driven models, digital twins, and blockchain-enabled traceability systems. The review underscores a paradigm shift from reactive testing toward predictive and real-time food authentication systems, driven by the convergence of smart agriculture and advanced analytical chemistry. This integrated approach has the potential to significantly enhance transparency, trust, and sustainability in the global food system. Full article

An important component of sustainable agriculture is the development of strategies that reduce the use of mineral fertilizers while maintaining high crop productivity. One promising approach is the application of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB), which may support plant development and improve nutrient use efficiency. A field experiment with winter wheat was conducted in south-western Poland during two growing seasons, 2023–2024 and 2024–2025, to evaluate the effect of inoculation with Priestia sp. KR219 under different nitrogen fertilization regimes. The experiment included three levels of nitrogen: 70, 91, and 130 kg N ha⁻¹ (54%, 70%, and 100% of the full spring nitrogen fertilization rate) with and without bacterial application. Soil chemical and biological properties, photosynthetic pigment content, plant morphological traits, grain yield, as well as grain chemical composition and amino acid profile were evaluated. The inoculated treatments showed higher soil dehydrogenase activity in the second growing season and higher contents of selected photosynthetic pigments, particularly chlorophyll a, under reduced nitrogen fertilization. Bacterial inoculation was also associated with numerical increases in grain yield in most treatment combinations, although these differences were not statistically significant. Differences among treatment combinations involving nitrogen fertilization were more pronounced for grain chemical composition and amino acid profile than differences between inoculated and non-inoculated treatments at the same nitrogen level, with the full nitrogen rate generally resulting in the highest protein content and higher contents of several essential and non-essential amino acids. Overall, the responses observed following Priestia sp. KR219 inoculation included changes in selected soil and physiological parameters, while responses in grain yield and quality varied between growing seasons. Further studies under diverse environmental conditions are required to determine its agronomic potential. Full article

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) imparts distinctive health benefits and flavor to tea, and its accumulation is modulated by plant growth regulators (PGRs). However, the regulatory mechanisms of Paclobutrazol (PAC) and Lovastatin (LS) underlying EGCG biosynthesis remain uncharacterized. We integrated quantitative analysis, transcriptomics, and metabolomics to investigate the regulatory effects of exogenous PAC and LS on EGCG accumulation in tea plants and systematically elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism governing EGCG biosynthesis. The results demonstrated that exogenous PAC and LS treatments significantly elevated the accumulation of EGCG, as well as endogenous auxin and jasmonic acid (JA) contents. The variation trend of these key metabolites was highly consistent with the accumulation patterns of upstream flavonoid components, including eriodictyol, delphinidin, and epigallocatechin. Transcriptomic profiling further verified the critical involvement of auxin and JA signal transduction pathways in PGR-induced EGCG differential accumulation, and we screened a total of 14 auxin-related and 8 JA-related core signal regulatory factors. Furthermore, integrated bioinformatic analyses and antisense oligonucleotide (AsODN) functional validation experiments revealed that the core hormone signaling genes CsARF2 and CsMYC2 regulate the expression of CsSCPL16 through the transcription factor CsMYB80, and ultimately promote the conversion of epigallocatechin to EGCG and promote the accumulation of EGCG in tea plants. Collectively, the PGRs boost EGCG biosynthesis by mediating endogenous auxin and JA signal transduction. These results support the development of targeted agronomic practices to improve tea quality and lay a theoretical basis for expanding the industrial exploitation of tea bioactive constituents. Full article

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is an important oilseed crop valued for its oil, favourable fatty acid profile, and health-promoting phytoconstituents. However, information on the agronomic performance and seed-quality characteristics of sesame genotypes under Australian growing conditions remains limited. This study evaluated sesame genotypes under Australian conditions using complementary field evaluations at Kingaroy and Emerald, Queensland. At Kingaroy three genotypes (BLACK 2, WHITE 5, and WHITE 3) were evaluated across two growing seasons (2023/2024 and 2024/2025) to provide exploratory observations on oil yield and seed-quality characteristics. Because these genotypes were grown as single field strips and harvested seed was bulked within genotype, the Kingaroy data were treated as descriptive observations rather than statistically replicated genotype or seasonal effects. At Emerald, five genotypes (WHITE 6, BLACK 5, BLACK 2, WHITE 5, and WHITE 3) were evaluated using a randomised complete block design with four biological replicates, allowing statistical assessment of genotype effects on agronomic and seed-quality traits. Genotype significantly influenced crop establishment, first-pod height, screw-pressed oil yield, phytochemical composition, and fatty acid profile, whereas most other growth and yield traits did not differ significantly among genotypes. In the replicated Emerald experiment, final plant density ranged from 17.5 to 43.8 plants/m², screw-pressed oil yield from 35.7 to 39.7%, total phenolic content (TPC), FRAP, and CUPRAC from 64.8 to 111.6 mg GAE/100 g DW, 87.3 to 124.8 mg TE/100 g DW, and 587.1 to 806.3 mg TE/100 g DW, respectively, and the sesamin and sesamolin from 107.9 to 281.5 mg/100 g DW and 96.6 to 138.9 mg/100 g DW, respectively. WHITE 3 generally showed high values for several phytochemical characteristics, including TPC, antioxidant capacity, and sesamin concentration. The Kingaroy evaluation showed numerical variation in oil yield and seed-quality characteristics across genotype–season combinations, providing complementary exploratory information but not statistical evidence of genotype or seasonal effects. Overall, the replicated Emerald experiment demonstrated substantial genotypic variation in several agronomic and seed-quality characteristics, highlighting the potential for genotype selection to improve sesame production and seed quality under Australian conditions. Further replicated multi-season and multi-location studies are required to assess the stability of these traits across Australian production environments. Full article