Search Results (143)

Low temperature during germination of late-seeded rapeseed disrupts multiple physiological and biochemical processes and thus limits growth and yield. Accordingly, methods to improve cold tolerance in late-sown rapeseed are needed. In this study, Zhongshuang 11 seeds were primed for 10 h with different concentrations of erucic acid (EA) or glucosinolates (GSLs). After drying, seeds were germinated at low temperature (15 °C/10 °C, 16 h/8 h light/dark) for 14 days. Compared with the control (distilled water priming), the optimal treatments—500 mg/L EA and 300 mg/L GSLs—increased germination rates by 2.9% and 15.6%, respectively, and raised total seedling biomass by 14–24%. Physiological assays on day 14 showed that EA priming increased peroxidase (POD) activity by 28.3%, while GSL priming enhanced superoxide dismutase (SOD) and POD activities by 12.6% and 36.2%, respectively. EA seed priming increased auxin (IAA), brassinolide (BR), cytokinin (CTK), and gibberellin (GA) contents in underground tissues by 37.2%, 18.7%, 53.9%, and 46.7%, respectively, while GSL priming raised IAA, BR, and GA levels in aerial tissues by 74.0%, 59.0%, and 26.6%. Moreover, EA seed priming significantly increased the activities of long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase (LACS) and carnitine acyltransferase (CPT) in rapeseed seedlings, whereas GSL priming elevated glutathione S-transferase (GST) and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) activities. Field experiments confirmed that EA and GSL priming enhanced seedling biomass accumulation, producing 31.4% and 23.8% increases in total dry weight, respectively, and increased silique number per plant by 15.6% and 17.3%, ultimately raising grain yield by 12.9% and 20.0%. These results indicate that EA or GSL seed priming can improve cold tolerance and yield of late-seeded rapeseed, although further multi-environment and mechanistic studies are required. Full article

Drought stress severely limits the growth, yield, and seed quality of rapeseed. Plant U-box (PUB) proteins are a class of E3 ubiquitin ligases involved in abiotic stress responses, but the function of BnPUBs in B. napus drought tolerance remains largely unknown. We obtained bnpub12 knockout mutants by CRISPR/Cas9 technology, and constructed BnPUB12 overexpression lines. This study investigated the role of BnPUB12 in drought resistance through phenotypic, physiological, and biochemical analyses. Under drought stress, bnpub12 mutants exhibited a significantly lower survival rate during germination, whereas overexpression lines showed a higher survival rate. During the seedling stage, bnpub12 mutants displayed lower relative water content, a lower water holding capacity, and a faster water loss rate; conversely, overexpression lines showed higher relative water content, an enhanced water holding capacity, and a slower water loss rate. DAB and NBT staining revealed less reactive oxygen species accumulation in overexpression lines but stronger staining in mutants. Physiological measurements further indicated that BnPUB12 overexpression increased SOD and POD activities and proline content, while decreasing MDA content; the opposite trends were observed in mutants. Overall, these results demonstrated that BnPUB12 positively regulates drought tolerance in B. napus during both the germination and seedling stages. Full article

Plant lecithins are complex mixtures of phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidic acid (PA) and lysophospholipids. They are increasingly demanded as natural, non-allergenic emulsifiers and as nutraceutical carriers. Quantitative data on the phospholipid (PL) fraction of less-commodity oilseeds, however, remain dispersed. This review compares the PL composition, processing-dependent extractability, and functional behavior of six oils: hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), corn/maize (Zea mays L., germ), pumpkin (Cucurbita spp.), flax/linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.), and camelina (Camelina sativa L.). Across the six oils, total PL content varies by more than an order of magnitude (c.a. 0.25% in camelina oil bodies; >1% in solvent-extracted hemp and c.a. 0.5–1.0% in Styrian pumpkin oil), and PC fraction ranges from 30% (hemp seed tissue) to 56% (rapeseed-comparable sunflower). Flax stands out for both an exceptionally high PE share (22.7%) and a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content in the PL fraction (53.3%) that exceeds rapeseed, sunflower and soy by an order of magnitude. We integrate recent extraction (cold pressing, supercritical CO₂, microwave-assisted, aqueous enzymatic) and degumming data (water, acid, enzymatic with phospholipases A1/A2/C) with functional evidence in emulsions, oil bodies, and bioactive delivery. Full article

Rapeseed is one of the most important oil crops in the world. Its yield and quality are severely restricted by biotic stress and abiotic stress. Rapeseed seeds play a crucial role in the propagation process, and the microorganisms in the seeds can be vertically passed on to the next generation, which greatly affects the quality, yield and growth of rapeseed. However, from a group perspective, there is currently a lack of systematic research on the composition of seed-associated microbiome within rapeseed seeds. This study utilized the transcriptome data of 218 rapeseed seeds that have been published, focusing on analyzing and comparing the dynamic changes and functional differences in the composition of seed-associated microbiome in rapeseed seeds under normal growth and development, biologic stress and abiotic stress conditions. Since we used public transcriptome data without surface sterilisation control, we refered to the detected microorganisms as seed-associated microbiome. The advantage of this study lies in its application of this method to a large-scale sample of rapeseed populations, which systematically revealed the response characteristics of seed-associated microbiome under different stress conditions. Interestingly, some widely distributed genera were not detected, while rare taxa were found under specific conditions, warranting further verification. Since these microorganisms originated from the seeds, their compatibility with plants and colonization ability may far exceed those of soil-derived agents. In the future, high-throughput screening of strains with excellent antagonistic or repellent effects against major diseases and pests of rapeseed can be conducted from these unique seed-associated microbiome. These strains that were confirmed by culture-based, amplicon or metagenomic approaches can then be used to develop seed coating agents or soil inoculants. Full article

Due to drought stress caused by climate change, a growing global population, and limited land resources, interest in sustainable agriculture is growing. In this study, we evaluate the impact of commercial plant-based probiotics, several beneficial microorganisms, and calcium salts on the growth and yield of winter wheat and winter rapeseed under limited water resources. The study was conducted in field conditions in two countries simultaneously with different climatic conditions: Spain and Lithuania. Soil was supplemented with calcium in two forms: CaCO₃ and CaCl₂. Seeds were treated with microorganisms before sowing, and plants were sprayed with them in the spring. The plants inoculated with beneficial microorganisms showed improvement in yield, with harvest index increasing by 5–10% in treated plants. Grain yield was enhanced across treatments, with ProbioHumus + CaCO₃ showing the highest yield in Lithuania. Additionally, treated plants exhibited significantly lower stress indicators, with Bacillus subtilis + CaCl₂ decreasing lipid peroxidation by 27%. This study provides further evidence that plant treatment with beneficial microorganisms and calcium can contribute to a more environmentally sustainable agriculture. Full article

We hypothesized that the application of digestate (D) to winter oilseed rapeseed would have the same effect on seed production as nitrogen fertilizer (N_f). It impacts yield by altering the mass of readily available N in the vegetative and reproductive periods of plant growth. This allows for a good yield forecast. This hypothesis was assessed in field experiments with rapeseed carried out in 2015/2016, 2016/2017, and 2017/2018. The experiment included three N fertilization systems (FSs): AN, based on ammonium nitrate (AN); D, with digestate-based N; DAN, using ²/₃ of digestate + ¹/₃ of AN—and five N_f doses: 0, 80, 120, 160, and 240 kg N ha⁻¹. The net seed yield increase due to N application was 1.44 t ha⁻¹ in the AN system, 1.53 t ha⁻¹ in D, and 1.77 t ha⁻¹ in DAN. The optimal N rates were 160, 250, and 224 kg N ha⁻¹. The N economy of winter oilseed rapeseed was assessed in two periods: vegetative—before anthesis (from the rosette stage to the beginning of anthesis, BBCH 30–BBCH 60) and reproductive (from the beginning of anthesis to full maturity, BBCH 60–BBCH 89). The mass of available N at the beginning of anthesis increased by 54.3% (151 kg N ha⁻¹ to 233 N ha⁻¹) and doubled (151 kg N ha⁻¹ to 302 kg N ha⁻¹) compared to its value at the rosette stage, taking into account the mass of N in the rapeseed canopy and its total mass in the soil/rapeseed continuum. No differences in NUE were found for the tested N carriers. The net increase in N available resources resulting from the application of N fertilizer was 55.1, 104.9, 102.8, and 93.0 kg N ha⁻¹ for respective plots fertilized with 60, 120, 180, and 240 kg N ha⁻¹. Three N indices were measured at the beginning of rapeseed anthesis—N in crop biomass (NAF, r = 0.87 ***), N balance (Nb60, r = 0.87 ***), and N released from soil resources (Ngain60, r = 0.79 ***)—and showed potential for seed yield (SEY) prediction. The linear dependence of SEY on these indicators indicates that the potential of the rapeseed canopy to effectively accumulate N during the vegetative growth was too low. This limitation was fully confirmed by analogous N management indicators, but developed for rapeseed during the seed-filling period. The key indicator of SEY at harvest was the N mass in rapeseed biomass (NAH, r = 0.95 ***). N from digestate acted as a slow-release fertilizer, giving it an advantage over ammonium nitrate. In summary, digestate is an optimal N carrier under conditions of average rapeseed yield. Full article

Histone methyltransferases of the Trithorax-related (ATXR) family act as critical epigenetic regulators in plants. However, systematic characterization of this gene family remains limited in the economically important oilseed crop Brassica napus. In this study, we performed a pan-genomic analysis of the BnaATXR family genes using 11 genetically diverse rapeseed accessions and identified a total of 185 BnaATXR family members, among which BnaATXR5 was categorized as a dispensable gene. Pan-genomic and phylogenetic analyses grouped these genes into five distinct subfamilies and uncovered strong sequence conservation and pervasive purifying selection across the family. Whole-genome duplication (WGD) was identified as the major evolutionary force driving BnaATXR genes expansion. Cis-acting regulatory element analysis further revealed significant enrichment of stress- and phytohormone-responsive motifs in the promoter regions of BnaATXR genes. BnaATXR members exhibited divergent tissue expression profiles: subfamilies B and C displayed constitutive and broad expression across multiple tissues, whereas subfamilies A and E exhibited pronounced tissue-specific expression, with preferential enrichment in reproductive organs. Notably, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of BnaATXR6 led to delayed flowering time, shortened siliques, and decreased seed size, thereby demonstrating a key functional role of this gene in the modulation of yield-associated agronomic traits. Collectively, our findings present a genome-wide systematic characterization of the ATXR gene family and highlight their critical functional relevance to agronomically important traits in rapeseed. Full article

Organic fertilizer substitution is increasingly used to reduce chemical nitrogen input in rice production, but the agronomic effects may vary with fertilizer source. This study compared chemical fertilizer alone with seven organic substitution treatments based on rapeseed cake, peanut bran, mushroom residue fertilizer, cattle manure, chicken manure, goat manure, and pig manure under the same nitrogen substitution ratio. Rice yield, grain quality, post-harvest soil physicochemical properties, and integrated performance were evaluated in the 2025 final-year dataset after two consecutive years of continuous fertilization. Responses differed clearly among fertilizer sources. Chicken manure and cattle manure produced the highest grain yields, mainly through stronger effects on grains per panicle, seed-setting rate, and grain filling. Grain quality showed more selective responses: mushroom residue fertilizer resulted in the highest head rice rate, peanut bran increased chalkiness-related traits, and mushroom residue fertilizer and goat manure were associated with higher grain protein content. In contrast to the yield pattern, plant-derived fertilizers, especially rapeseed cake and mushroom residue fertilizer, showed stronger advantages in post-harvest soil improvement. Rapeseed cake produced the highest soil quality index, whereas mushroom residue fertilizer showed the most balanced overall performance across yield, grain quality, and soil variables. These results indicate that the effects of organic fertilizer substitution in rice are strongly source-dependent. Animal-derived fertilizers were more favorable for short-term yield improvement, rapeseed cake was more effective for soil fertility enhancement, and mushroom residue fertilizer provided the best overall balance among productivity, grain quality, and soil improvement. Full article

Thousand-seed weight (TSW) is a critical determinant of yield in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.). Developing germplasm with high TSW is therefore a key strategy in high-yield rapeseed breeding. However, the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying TSW in rapeseed remain poorly understood. In our earlier work, we identified a mutant, designated GRG177, which exhibits a remarkably high TSW exceeding 7 g. To unravel the mechanisms driving this elevated TSW, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of GRG177, integrating morphological, genetic, developmental, anatomical, and physiological approaches. Compared with the control germplasm GRD328 (TSW ≈ 3.5 g), GRG177 displayed a significant increase in seed weight and seed volume, larger silique surface area, and higher yield per plant. However, it also showed a notable reduction in both silique number per plant and seed number per silique. Genetic analysis of a segregating population revealed that the high-TSW trait in GRG177 is governed by two pairs of dominant epistatic major genes plus polygenes. Endogenous hormone analysis revealed significantly higher zeatin riboside (ZR) content in the early stage of seed development in GRG177, whereas indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and abscisic acid (ABA) levels were significantly up-regulated in the late stage of seed development. Anatomical observation using paraffin sections further confirmed that enhanced cell division activity in the early stage and improved cell expansion capacity in the later stage underpin the formation of high TSW. Furthermore, BSA-seq was utilized to map four TSW-related Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) and screen 13 candidate genes involved in IAA, ZR, and ABA signaling pathways. In conclusion, these findings provide novel insights into the regulatory mechanisms governing high-TSW formation in rapeseed and present valuable genetic resources for high-yield breeding. Full article

B vitamins are essential micronutrients for human health with prominent antioxidant properties, capable of scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) and maintaining redox homeostasis, protecting cells from oxidative damage. To address global nutrient deficiencies and identify plant-based antioxidant sources, this study quantified seven B vitamins (B₁, B₂, B₃, B₅, B₆, B₉, B₁₂) in seeds, leaves, and seedlings of five oilseeds (sesame, peanut, soybean, rapeseed, perilla) and two leafy vegetables (spinach, lettuce) via LC-MS/MS, revealing distinct species- and tissue-specific patterns. Notably, sesame seeds exhibited exceptional vitamin B₃ (niacin, 39.3 μg/g), surpassing other oilseeds1.6–8.2-fold; its leaves contained outstanding vitamin B₆ (2.88 μg/g), 2.57–8.31-fold higher than spinach (1.12 μg/g) and lettuce (0.34 μg/g), and vitamin B₁₂ (0.44 μg/g) levels ~13–20 times higher than other leaf samples. Sesame seedlings recorded high vitamin B₆ (1.6 μg/g) and B₁₂ (0.1 μg/g) among the oilseed crops seedlings. These findings highlight sesame as a multifunctional B vitamin resource for antioxidant nutrition, supporting dietary optimization, crop biofortification, and mitigation of global B vitamin inadequacies via plant-based solutions. Full article

In order to elucidate the trait structure of yield formation and optimize the selection strategy for breeding high-yield spring rapeseed, this study systematically evaluated the genetic variation, interrelationship, and contribution to yield of 10 key agronomic traits. A comprehensive assessment of 26 varieties across five test environments was conducted using the coefficient of variation, phenotypic correlation, path analysis, principal component analysis, and grey relational analysis. The results showed that the variations in plant height, branch position, and the number of primary effective branches were the most abundant (CV > 0.20), indicating high genetic improvement potential. Among the yield components, a significant positive correlation was observed between the number of effective pods per plant and the number of seeds per pod. The direct positive effect of pod length on yield per plant was the strongest (path coefficient = 0.467), indicating that yield formation was more dependent on pod structure and grain filling ability. Principal component analysis showed that PC1 had a contribution rate of 94.2%, driven mainly by the effective pod number of the whole plant. This could be used as a comprehensive index to distinguish between different ecological groups and evaluate the overall growth potential. Grey correlation analysis further clarified that the effective length of the main inflorescence was most closely related to yield per plant (correlation degree = 0.847). In summary, this study proposes a high-yield breeding strategy of ‘quality first, collaborative improvement’, whereby pod length, 1000-grain weight, and effective length of the main inflorescence are used as core selection traits. This novel study involves coordinating and optimizing the number of effective branches and inflorescence structure, as well as screening stable genotypes through multi-environment identification, in order to achieve the efficient integration of yield components. Full article

Integrated water and nitrogen management plays a crucial role in the sustainable intensification of rapeseed production, particularly in water-limited regions. This two-year field study (2022–2024) evaluated the interactive effects of three irrigation lower limits—W₁ (90% of field capacity, [FC]), W₂ (70% FC), and W₃ (50% FC)—and four nitrogen rates (0, 80, 160, and 240 kg N ha⁻¹; representing N₀, N₁, N₂, N₃, and N₄) on winter rapeseed growth, yield, resource use efficiency, and economic performance under semi-arid conditions. Both irrigation and nitrogen significantly influenced plant growth, photosynthetic performance, biomass accumulation, and yield formation, with pronounced interactive effects observed across most measured parameters. The W₁N₂ treatment achieved optimal performance, producing seed yields of 5131 and 3220 kg ha⁻¹ with superior nitrogen use efficiency. Overall, N₁, N₂, and N₃ increased yield by 38.12%, 79.26%, and 84.85%, respectively, relative to N₀. Compared with W₃N₀, W₁N₂ improved yield by 178%, water use efficiency by 131%, and irrigation water use efficiency by 110%. Relative to W₁N₃, W₁N₂ increased nitrogen agronomic efficiency, physiological efficiency, recovery efficiency, and partial factor productivity by 40.5%, 7.4%, 30.4%, and 45.2%, respectively, while reducing nitrate nitrogen residue by 12%. Entropy-TOPSIS analysis identified W₁N₂ as the top-ranked treatment, indicating that optimized irrigation and nitrogen management offer a sustainable strategy to maximize rapeseed productivity, enhance resource-use efficiency, and improve economic returns under water-limited conditions. For practical application in semi-arid environments, the W₁N₂ treatment is recommended as the optimal management strategy for sustainable winter rapeseed intensification. Full article

Background/Objectives: Oleosomes, plant-derived lipid nanostructures comprising a triacylglycerol core surrounded by a phospholipid monolayer and interfacial proteins, provide sustainable alternatives to synthetic lipid vesicles. This study compares solvent-free aqueous extractions of oleosomes from five nuts (almond, macadamia, walnut, hazelnut, pine) and five seeds (flaxseed, sunflower, hemp, sesame, canola/rapeseed) to understand how botanical origin influences composition and physicochemical behavior. Methods: Oleosomes were isolated using solvent-free aqueous extraction. Extraction yield, lipid content, protein content, particle size, polydispersity, and zeta potential were determined using standard analytical assays and dynamic light scattering techniques. SDS–PAGE was performed to evaluate interfacial protein profiles and oleosin abundance. Results: Extraction yields ranged from 8.4% (flaxseed) to 59.5% (walnut). Oleosome diameters spanned 424 nm to 3.9 µm, and all oleosome dispersions exhibited negative zeta potentials (–26 to –57 mV). SDS–PAGE revealed abundant 15–25 kDa oleosins in seed oleosomes but relatively sparse proteins in nut oleosomes. Seed oleosomes were smaller and exhibited stronger electrostatic stabilization, while nut oleosomes formed larger droplets stabilized primarily through steric interactions due to lower oleosin content. Conclusions: Variation in oleosin abundance and interfacial composition leads to distinct stabilization mechanisms in nut and seed oleosomes. These findings establish a predictive basis for tailoring oleosome size, stability, and functionality, and highlight their potential as natural nanocarriers for food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical formulations. Full article

Phytosulfokine (PSK) is a tyrosine-sulfated pentapeptide found throughout the plant kingdom, playing key roles in plant growth, development, and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, there is still a lack of a comprehensive analysis of the BnPSK gene family in Brassica napus. In this study, we conducted a genome-wide identification and characterized 19 BnPSK genes in oil seed plants, which are unevenly distributed across both sub-genomes (A and C). BnPSK proteins ranged from 77 to 99 amino acids (BnPSK3c and BnPSK3d) in length, all belonging to the PSK-α type and containing conserved PSK domains. Synteny analysis revealed that the expansion of the BnPSK gene family is primarily attributed to whole genome duplication, with homology to Arabidopsis thaliana PSK genes. A promoter region analysis identified cis-acting elements related to hormone and stress responses. An expression profile analysis showed that BnPSK genes are highly expressed in roots, leaves, petals, and pollens and are induced by both abiotic stresses and phytohormone application. Furthermore, RT-qPCR assay demonstrated that the expression levels of BnPSK4c, BnPSK5a, and BnPSK5b were significantly enhanced under drought stress (3~5-fold) both in plant roots and leaves following ABA application. Lastly, the application of ABA induced antioxidant activity including SOD, POD, CAT and APX (2~5-fold) and their corresponding genes (3~5-fold), and altered the ROS-signaling in rapeseed plants; also, strong evidence of mitigating drought stress was present. These findings establish a basis for further research into the role of the BnPSK gene family in oilseed plant tolerance against drought stress and underlying molecular mechanisms, offering valuable perspectives for developing novel peptides. Full article

In modern agriculture, heterotic hybrids produced from hybridization of inbred lines, have shown superiority over open-pollinated and pure line varieties due to their morphological homogeneity, synchronized maturity, and yield performance. The worldwide use of heterosis in plant breeding programs has become possible due to the discovery of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS), a phenomenon that prevents a plant from producing viable pollen. The CMS-Rf genetic systems are commonly used to produce hybrid seeds. Species from primary, secondary, and tertiary gene pools serve as sources of sterility-inducing cytoplasm in different crop plants. In this review, information on the main genetic factors that induce sterility and restore pollen fertility in F₁ hybrids of economically important cereal (rice, sorghum, maize, rye, wheat, pearl millet) and oilseed (sunflower, rapeseeds, mustard) crops are discussed. The genetic data indicate the location of putatively orthologous candidate Rf genes on syntenic chromosomes in evolutionarily related species. The cytological features of male gametophyte development associated with pollen abortion in lines with CMS are highlighted. The problem of heterotic grouping and selecting parental forms based on genetic distance is discussed. The present knowledge on the genetic resources of different cereal and oilseed crops is highly related to the availability of genomic data. Broadening the CMS source pool and the search for new pollen fertility restoration genes are relevant to avoid cytoplasm unification. Knowledge of the cytoembryological features of CMS manifestation in cereals and oilseed crops is of great importance for understanding the genetic control and practical use of this phenomenon. Utilization of wild species’ genetic resources for these purposes and applying modern techniques of the targeted genome and gene changes at the molecular, genomic, cytological and organismal levels are promising. Full article