Search Results (103)

Drosophila suzukii is an invasive pest of many fruit crops worldwide. Employing the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) could mitigate D. suzukii population growth and crop damage. This study evaluated the efficacy of SIT on commercial fruit, by (1) validating the quality of irradiated sterile males (male mating competitiveness, courtship, and flight performance) in the laboratory, and (2) assessing population suppression and fruit damage reduction in commercial raspberry fields. Treatment with SIT was compared to the grower’s standard chemical insecticide program throughout the season. The principal metrics of efficacy were trap counts of wild adult female D. suzukii in crops and larvae per fruit during harvesting. These metrics together with monitoring of border areas allowed targeting of high-pressure areas with higher releases of sterile males, to maximise efficacy for a given release number. The sterile male D. suzukii were as competitive as their fertile non-irradiated counterparts in laboratory mating competitiveness and flight performance studies while fertility egg-to-pupae recovery was reduced by 99%. In commercial raspberry crops, season-long releases of sterile males significantly suppressed the wild D. suzukii population, compared to the grower standard control strategy; with up to 89% reduction in wild female D. suzukii and 80% decrease in numbers of larvae per harvested fruit. Additionally, relative fruit waste (i.e., percentage of harvested fruits rejected for sale) at harvest was reduced for early, mid and late harvest crops, by up to 58% compared to the grower standard control. SIT has the potential to provide an effective and sustainable strategy for managing D. suzukii in raspberries, increasing marketable yield by reducing adult populations, fruit damage and waste fruit. SIT could therefore serve as a valuable tool for integrated pest management practices in berry production systems. Full article

Background: The spleen is the primary reservoir of immune cells in mammals. Diverse stimuli can disrupt spleen homeostasis, resulting in spleen injury and immune dysfunction. This study employed a porcine model to assess the therapeutic potential of salvianolic acid B (SAB) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced splenic injury. Methods: Seventy-two male weanling piglets were randomly assigned to one of four groups: CON-SS, SAB-SS, CON-LPS, and SAB-LPS. The CON-SS and CON-LPS groups received a basal diet, while SAB-SS and SAB-LPS groups received a SAB-supplemented diet. After 14 d, the CON-SS and SAB-SS groups received an intraperitoneal injection of sterile saline, whereas the CON-LPS and SAB-LPS groups were injected with LPS. Blood and spleen tissues were harvested 6 h post-injection for biochemical analysis. Results: LPS induced systemic immune disorders in piglets, as evidenced by increased immune organ indices and decreased white blood cell, lymphocyte, and basophil counts in blood (p < 0.05). LPS also caused histoarchitectural disruption, cell apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation in the spleen (p < 0.05). Conversely, SAB improved splenic histopathology and reduced splenic apoptosis and pro-inflammatory mediators in piglets (p < 0.05). SAB significantly mitigated peroxidation accumulation by facilitating the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 and strengthening the antioxidant system, and inhibited nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation (p < 0.05). Mechanistically, SAB attenuated LPS-induced splenic oxidative stress and NLRP3 inflammasome activation by restoring mitochondrial structure and function (p < 0.05). Conclusions: This research unveils that SAB alleviates LPS-induced spleen disorder by reinforcing antioxidant system and suppressing NLRP3 inflammasome, highlighting SAB’s potential as a prospective therapeutic agent for spleen disorders. Full article

Pyrus bretschneideri ‘Xinli No.7’, a progeny of Pyrus sinkiangensis ‘Korla Fragrant Pear’, is an early-maturing, high-quality pear (Pyrus spp.) cultivar. As a dominant variety in China’s pear-producing regions, it holds significant agricultural importance. Investigating its male sterility (MS) mechanisms is critical for hybrid breeding and large-scale cultivation. Integrated cytological, physiological, and transcriptomic analyses were conducted to compare dynamic differences between male sterility (MS, ‘Xinli No.7’) and male-fertile (MF, ‘Korla Fragrant Pear’) plants during anther development. Cytological observations revealed that, compared with ‘Korla Fragrant Pear’, the tapetum of ‘Xinli No.7’ exhibited delayed degradation and abnormal thickening during the uninucleate microspore stage. This pathological alteration compressed the microspores, ultimately leading to their abortion. Physiological assays demonstrated excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, lower proline content, higher malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and reduced activities of antioxidant enzymes (peroxidase and catalase) in MS plants. Comparative transcriptomics identified 283 co-expressed differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Functional enrichment linked these DEGs to ROS-scavenging pathways: galactose metabolism, ascorbate and aldarate metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, fatty acid degradation, pyruvate metabolism, and flavonoid biosynthesis. qRT-PCR validated the expression patterns of key DEGs in these pathways. A core transcriptome-mediated MS network was proposed, implicating accelerated ROS generation and dysregulated tapetal programmed cell death. These findings provide theoretical insights into the molecular mechanisms of male sterility in ‘Xinli No.7’, supporting future genetic and breeding applications. Full article

To facilitate the adoption of a food safety standard by producers, it is essential to understand their perception of it. However, few empirical studies have examined how livestock farmers perceive food safety standards in Vietnam. This research examines sheep farmers’ attitudes towards Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices (VietGAP), a type of a food safety standard in Vietnam. A sample size of 109 farmers was selected for interviews and a structured questionnaire was generated to collect data. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were employed. The study results show that sheep farmers were well aware of most VietGAP requirements. They perceived that adopting VietGAP requires practical changes in sheep farming systems, including: selecting breeding stock from clear sources to ensure sheep product traceability, collecting and treating wastes daily to protect the environment, and frequent sterilization of sheep cages. The farmers were changing several practices to comply with VietGAP. Key changed practices identified included: bought breeding stock from clear and reliable sources, frequent collecting and treating of sheep wastes, and used veterinary medicine according to instructions of veterinary medicine producers. Statistically significant relationships existing between the sheep farmers’ perceptions and their education level (Pearson = 0.229, p = 0.017), farm size (Pearson = −0.193; p = 0.049), gender (Eta = 0.173, p = 0.060), practice of using labours (Eta = 0.202, p = 0.028), training participation (Eta = 0.211, p = 0.022), credit participation (Eta = 0.177, p = 0.050), community-based organisations (Eta = 0.153, p = 0.087), and veterinary/extension contacts (Eta = 0.217, p = 0.019) were found. This means that a male sheep farmer who had a higher education level, possessed a smaller farm, practiced hired labours, participated in training/credit programs, was a member of community-based organisation, and had contacts with veterinary/extension workers likely perceived VietGAP better than their counterparts. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that the promotion of VietGAP for livestock farmers should be developed and carried out as joint attempts along the value chain actors. New food marketing practices and legal framework and policy for using safe food certifications are required to address to promote farmers’ adoption of VietGAP and facilitate transition towards a sustainable agri-food system in Vietnam. This study provides significant insights into safety food standard adoption by livestock farmers and highlights aspects that require to be considered when developing policies to improve the adoption of safety food standards in developing countries. Full article

Securing food for an expanding population in the face of climate change necessitates a transformation of global food systems towards sustainability, emphasizing nutritional quality and environmental consequences. This research assessed eight cytoplasmic male sterility-based cabbage hybrids and two controls across nine environments from 2020 to 2022 to improve cabbage output and sustainability. Essential characteristics, including head weight, compactness, and yield, were examined, revealing considerable heterogeneity and elevated heritability for features such as ascorbic acid content (98.41%) and net head weight (86.12%). Yield had a favorable correlation with characteristics such as net head weight and harvest index. Path coefficient research revealed that gross and net head weight have the most significant direct effects on yield. Heterosis research indicated UHF-CAB-HYB-1 had the highest significant positive heterosis in yield compared to the standard checks, Pusa Hybrid-81 and Pusa Cabbage-1, across all nine conditions. The results underscore the need to identify essential characteristics for the creation of high-yield, hardy cabbage hybrids, in accordance with sustainable agriculture and food security objectives. Full article

Onion, belonging to the Allium genus, is an essential and versatile vegetable crop that plays a pivotal role in culinary traditions worldwide. Renowned for its distinctive flavor and nutritional value, onion is an indispensable ingredient in countless dishes. As the global demand for onion continues to surge, securing a stable supply of high-quality, high-yielding onion varieties becomes ever more pressing. The onion umbel bears numerous tiny flowers that are protandrous in nature. Hybrid breeding is limited in onion due to high inbreeding depression, tedious emasculation and lack of elite inbreds. In this quest for crop improvement, the phenomenon of male sterility stands out as a key tool in modern onion breeding. Male sterility, which is recognized as the incapacity to produce viable pollen grains, inhibition of anther dehiscence and production of non-functional male gametes, has been harnessed as a mechanism to control cross-pollination and escalating hybrid development. The successful utilization of stable male sterile lines in onion holds the promise of producing uniform, high-yielding and disease-resistant hybrids. In recent decades, scientific advances have illuminated the molecular intricacies underlying male sterility systems in onion. Much progress has been made in elucidating the regulation of male sterility systems in the post-genomics era. This review highlights the current status of molecular markers linked with male sterility and provides genetic and molecular insights into its regulation. Additionally, it discusses the role of male sterility as a transformative tool in onion breeding in the genomics era. Full article

Background: The aim of this study was to develop a genetic transformation system to construct an overexpression vector for the mitochondrial gene atp6 in tobacco, thereby providing a foundation to investigate the functional roles of mitochondrial genes in this species. Methods: A full-length coding sequence (CDS) of the atp6 gene from a sterile line was cloned, along with the mitochondrial leader peptide sequence of atp2-1 from tobacco, using cDNA from kenaf UG93A anthers as a template. An overexpression vector for plants was constructed by employing In-Fusion technology, and wild-type tobacco plants were transformed via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transgenic tobacco plants were then subjected to resistance screening and PCR validation. Results: The overexpression vector PBI121-atp2-1-atp6-EGFP, which includeds the mitochondrial leader peptide sequence, was successfully constructed. PCR validation using two pairs of primers targeting different sites on the overexpression vector confirmed the stable expression of the target gene in six transgenic tobacco plants (H1, H3, H4, H5, H7, and H8) via both primer pairs. A phenotypic analysis and iodine–potassium iodide (I₂-KI) staining of pollen grains from transgenic tobacco plants revealed the presence of shriveled and malformed pollen grains with reduced viability. These findings suggest that the atp6A gene, including the mitochondrial signal peptide, induces pollen abortion in tobacco. Conclusions: The genetic transformation system developed for the vector overexpressing the atp6 mitochondrial gene from kenaf provides a valuable framework to investigate the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying the role of the atp6 gene in kenaf cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS). Full article

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) and dominant genic male sterility (DGMS) both result in the inability to produce or release functional pollen, making them pivotal systems in the hybridization breeding programs of Brassica crops such as cabbage (B. oleracea var. capitata). However, the underling molecular mechanisms are still largely unexplored. This study integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses of cabbage DGMS line, Ogura CMS line, and the maintainer line to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying these sterility types. The joint analysis predominantly identified significantly enriched pathways, including carbohydrate metabolism, flavonoid biosynthesis, and phenylpropanoid pathways between the MS lines and the maintainer. Especially, the CMS line exhibited a broader range of metabolic perturbations, with a total of 3556 significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 439 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) detected, particularly in the vitamin B6 metabolism pathway, which showed significant alterations. Given the differences in the inactivation period of microspores in CMS and DGMS lines, we found that DEGs unique to DGMS and maintainer line, such as BoGRPs and BoLTPs, primarily regulate fertility development before the unicellular stage. The DEGs shared between CMS_vs_maintainer and DGMS_vs_maintainer mainly govern microspore development after release from the tetrad, such as BoHXK1 and BoIDH. Additionally, the DEGs unique to CMS_vs_maintainer may contribute to other damage in floral organs beyond male fertility, potentially leading to severe bud abortion, such as BoPNPO. These findings provide a comprehensive framework for understanding the molecular mechanisms of male sterility and offer valuable insights into future breeding strategies in cruciferous vegetables. Full article

The Brassica oleracea L. species embrace important horticultural crops, such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, which are highly valued for their beneficial nutritional effects. However, the complexity of flower emasculation in these species has forced breeders to adopt biotechnological approaches such as somatic hybridization to ease hybrid seed production. Protoplasts entail a versatile tool in plant biotechnology, supporting breeding strategies that involve genome editing and hybridization. This review discusses the use of somatic hybridization in B. oleracea L. as a biotechnological method for developing fusion products with desirable agronomic traits, particularly cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) condition. These CMS lines are critical for implementing a cost-effective, efficient, and reliable system for producing F1 hybrids. We present recent studies on CMS systems in B. oleracea L. crops, providing an overview of established models that explain the mechanisms of CMS and fertility restoration. Additionally, we emphasize key insights gained from protoplast fusion applied to B. oleracea L. breeding. Key steps including pre-treatments of donor plants, the main tissues used as sources of parental protoplasts, methods for obtaining somatic hybrids and cybrids, and the importance of establishing a reliable plant regeneration method are discussed. Finally, the review explores the incorporation of genome editing technologies, such as CRISPR-Cas9, to introduce multiple agronomic traits in Brassica species. This combination of advanced biotechnological tools holds significant promise for enhancing B. oleracea breeding programs in the actual climate change context. Full article

Cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) systems have great potential in hybrid seed production in many plants. However, the incompatibility between the cytoplasmic and nuclear genes and the availability of fewer CMS lines limit the system’s application in cotton heterosis. Therefore, the present study sequenced the mitochondrial (mt) genomes of a novel cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) CMS line J4A and its cytoplasmic nuclear homologous maintainer line J4B to investigate the mechanism underlying CMS and improve its application. A novel CMS gene, orf116b, was identified in the CMS line. Ectopic expression of orf116b in Escherichia coli suppressed growth, while its overexpression in Arabidopsis, rice, tobacco, and cotton led to complete or partial male sterility. Further analysis of anthers revealed mt disruption in J4A with higher levels of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and malondialdehyde (MDA), but lower levels of ATP and ribosomal protein (RP) than in J4B. Finally, a membrane-based yeast two-hybrid (MYTH) assay and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays demonstrated that orf116b probably interacts with an anther-specific protein, LAT52. These observations collectively proved that orf116b is associated with early and stable pollen abortion in cotton, providing a foundation for further research on cotton fertility restoration and heterosis breeding. Full article

Vasectomy is a reliable male contraceptive method with a success rate exceeding 98%. Despite its efficacy, vasectomy is not foolproof, with potential early and late failures requiring careful postoperative monitoring via post-vasectomy semen analysis (PVSA). Published guidelines emphasize the necessity of conducting PVSA to ensure clinical sterility. Despite these clear guidelines, discrepancies in adherence and interpretation persist, with significant mismatches between guidelines and actual practice. Recent shifts in societal attitudes toward reproductive autonomy, spurred by significant political events and socioeconomic factors, have increased vasectomy rates, particularly among younger, childless men. This demographic change calls for enhanced PVSA compliance and clear communication about the non-immediate contraceptive effect of vasectomy. Home test kits have emerged as a convenient, though not always reliable, method for conducting PVSAs, which may require reevaluation in clinical practice. Given the variations across clinical guidelines and the challenges in achieving consistent PVSA outcomes, further research is needed to harmonize PVSA protocols across different health systems. PVSA is typically conducted between 8 and 16 weeks post-vasectomy, depending on the surgeon’s preference. Success is confirmed when a fresh, uncentrifuged sample exhibits either azoospermia, rare non-motile sperm (RNMS), or fewer than 100,000 non-motile sperm per milliliter. This effort will ensure that both patients and practitioners can rely on vasectomy as a safe and effective form of contraception. Effective patient counseling and strategic follow-up are crucial when it comes to managing expectations and ensuring compliance with post-vasectomy protocols, thereby minimizing the risk of unintended pregnancies post-procedure. Full article

In studying the molecular underpinning of spermatogenesis, we expect to understand the fundamental biological processes better and potentially identify genes that may lead to novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies toward precision medicine in male infertility. In this review, we emphasized our perspective that the path forward necessitates integrative studies that rely on complementary approaches and types of data. To comprehensively analyze spermatogenesis, this review proposes four axes of integration. First, spanning the analysis of spermatogenesis in the healthy state alongside pathologies. Second, the experimental analysis of model systems (in which we can deploy treatments and perturbations) alongside human data. Third, the phenotype is measured alongside its underlying molecular profiles using known markers augmented with unbiased profiles. Finally, the testicular cells are studied as ecosystems, analyzing the germ cells alongside the states observed in the supporting somatic cells. Recently, the study of spermatogenesis has been advancing using single-cell RNA sequencing, where scientists have uncovered the unique stages of germ cell development in mice, revealing new regulators of spermatogenesis and previously unknown cell subtypes in the testis. An in-depth analysis of meiotic and postmeiotic stages led to the discovery of marker genes for spermatogonia, Sertoli and Leydig cells and further elucidated all the other germline and somatic cells in the testis microenvironment in normal and pathogenic conditions. The outcome of an integrative analysis of spermatogenesis using advanced molecular profiling technologies such as scRNA-seq has already propelled our biological understanding, with additional studies expected to have clinical implications for the study of male fertility. By uncovering new genes and pathways involved in abnormal spermatogenesis, we may gain insights into subfertility or sterility. Full article

The cytoplasm of Aegilops kotschyi is known for the induction of male sterility and haploidy in wheat. Both systems originally appeared rather simple, but manipulation of the standard chromosome constitution of the nuclear genome revealed additional interactions. This study shows that while there is little or no allelic variation at the main fertility restorer locus Rf^multi on chromosome arm 1BS, additional genes may also be involved in the nuclear–mitochondrial genome interactions, affecting not only male fertility but also the growth rate, from pollen competition for fertilization and early endosperm divisions all the way to seed size and plant maturity. Some of these effects appear to be of a sporophytic nature; others are gametophytic. Induction of parthenogenesis by a rye inducer in conjunction with the Ae. kotschyi cytoplasm is well known. However, here we show that the cytoplasmic-nuclear interactions affect all aspects of double fertilization: producing maternal haploids from unfertilized eggs, diploids from fertilized eggs or synergids, embryo-less kernels, and fertilized eggs without fertilization of the double nucleus in the embryo sack. It is unclear how frequent the inducers of parthenogenesis are, as variation, if any, is obscured by suppressors present in the wheat genome. Genetic dissection of a single wheat accession revealed five distinct loci affecting the rate of maternal haploid production: four acting as suppressors and one as an enhancer. Only when the suppressing haplotypes are confirmed may it be possible to the identify genetic variation of haploidy inducers, map their position(s), and determine their nature and the mode of action. Full article

Ogura cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is considered the rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) with the most potential to be utilized as a heterosis system worldwide, but it lacks sufficient restorers. In this study, root tip cell (RTC) mitotic and pollen mother cell (PMC) meiosis observations were compared to ensure the number of chromosomes and the formation of a chromosomal bridge using restorer lines R2000, CLR650, and Zhehuhong (a new restorer) as the experimental material. Further, molecular markers of exogenous chromosomal fragments were detected and the sequence and expression differences of restorer genes in the three lines were determined to identify the distinctive characteristics of Zhehuhong. The results showed that the number of chromosomes in Zhehuhong was stable (2n = 38), indicating that the exogenous radish chromosome segment had been integrated into the chromosome of Zhehuhong. Molecular marker detection revealed that Zhehuhong was detected at most loci, with only the RMA05 locus being missed. The exogenous radish chromosome segment of Zhehuhong differed from R2000 and CLR650. The pollen mother cells of Zhehuhong showed chromosome lagging in the meiotic metaphase I, meiotic anaphase I, and meiotic anaphase II, which was consistent with R2000 and CLR650. The restorer gene PPRB in Zhehuhong had 85 SNPs compared with R2000 and 119 SNPs compared with CLR650, indicating the distinctive characteristic of PPRB in Zhehuhong. In terms of the spatial expression of PPRB, the highest level was detected in the anthers in the three restorer lines. In addition, in terms of temporal expression, the PPRB gene expression of Zhehuhong was highest at a bud length of 4 mm. Our results clearly indicated that Zhehuhong is a new restorer line for the Ogura CMS system, which can be used further in rapeseed heterosis utilization. Full article

Recent advances in diploid F₁ hybrid potato breeding rely on the production of inbred lines using the S-locus inhibitor (Sli) gene. As a result of this method, female parent lines are self-fertile and require emasculation before hybrid seed production. The resulting F₁ hybrids are self-fertile as well and produce many undesirable berries in the field. Utilization of cytoplasmic male sterility would eliminate the need for emasculation, resulting in more efficient hybrid seed production and male sterile F₁ hybrids. We observed plants that completely lacked anthers in an F₂ population derived from an interspecific cross between diploid S. tuberosum and S. microdontum. We studied the antherless trait to determine its suitability for use in hybrid potato breeding. We mapped the causal locus to the short arm of Chromosome 6, developed KASP markers for the antherless (al) locus and introduced it into lines with T and A cytoplasm. We found that antherless type male sterility is not expressed in T and A cytoplasm, proving that it is a form of CMS. We hybridized male sterile al/al plants with P cytoplasm with pollen from al/al plants with T and A cytoplasm and we show that the resulting hybrids set significantly fewer berries in the field. Here, we show that the antherless CMS system can be readily deployed in diploid F₁ hybrid potato breeding to improve hybridization efficiency and reduce berry set in the field. Full article