Genomic selection offers new prospects for revisiting hybrid breeding schemes by replacing extensive phenotyping of individuals with genomic predictions. Finding the ideal design for training genomic prediction models is still an open question. Previous studies have shown promising predictive abilities using sparse factorial instead of tester-based training sets to predict single-cross hybrids from the same generation. This study aims to further investigate the use of factorials and their optimization to predict line general combining abilities (GCAs) and hybrid values across breeding cycles.

Succulents, valued for their drought tolerance and ornamental appeal, are important in the floriculture market. However, only a handful of succulent species can be genetically transformed, making it difficult to improve these plants through genetic engineering. In this study, we adapted the recently developed cut-dip-budding (CDB) gene delivery system to transform three previously recalcitrant succulent varieties – the dicotyledonous Kalanchoe blossfeldiana and Crassula arborescens and the monocotyledonous Sansevieria trifasciata.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most commercially essential vegetable crops cultivated worldwide. In addition to the nutritional value, tomato is an excellent model for studying climacteric fruits' ripening processes. Despite this, the available natural pool of genes that allows expanding phenotypic diversity is limited, and the difficulties of crossing using classical selection methods when stacking traits increase proportionally with each additional feature.

Genomic selection offers new prospects for revisiting hybrid breeding schemes by replacing extensive phenotyping of individuals with genomic predictions. Finding the ideal design for training genomic prediction models is still an open question. Previous studies have shown promising predictive abilities using sparse factorial instead of tester-based training sets to predict single-cross hybrids from the same generation.

Auxin regulates flower and fruit abscission, but how developmental signals mediate auxin transport in abscission remains unclear. Here, we reveal the role of the transcription factor BEL1-LIKE HOMEODOMAIN11 (SlBEL11) in regulating auxin transport during abscission in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). SlBEL11 is highly expressed in the fruit abscission zone, and its expression increases during fruit development.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) production is threatened by global warming associated with extreme high temperatures, and rice heat sensitivity is differed when stress occurs between daytime and nighttime. However, the underlying molecular mechanism are largely unknown. We show here that two glycine-rich RNA binding proteins, OsGRP3 and OsGRP162, are required for thermotolerance in rice, especially at nighttime.

Durian (Durio zibethinus L.), popularly known as the "King of fruits," holds significant economic importance in Southeast Asia, including Thailand. During its ripening process, the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) content has been reported to increase. However, a comprehensive understanding of ABA's specific role in durian fruit ripening remains elusive. Furthermore, little is known about the molecular aspects of the carotenoid cleavage pathway in this iconic fruit. Therefore, we performed genome-wide identification of the carotenoid cleavage oxygenase (CCO) family in durian.

Predictive breeding approaches, like phenomic or genomic selection, have the potential to increase the selection gain for potato breeding programs which are characterized by very large numbers of entries in early stages and the availability of very few tubers per entry in these stages. The objectives of this study were to (i) explore the capabilities of phenomic prediction based on drone-derived multispectral refectance data in potato breeding by testing diferent prediction scenarios on a diverse panel of tetraploid potato material from all market segments and considering a broad range of traits, (ii) compare the performance of phenomic and genomic predictions, and (iii) assess the predictive power of mixed relationship matrices utilizing weighted SNP array and multispectral refectance data.

Drought stress is one of the major threats to crop yield. In response to drought stress, functions of basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) have been reported in Arabidopsis and rice, but little is known for sorghum. Here, we characterized the function of SbMYC2, a bHLH TF in sorghum, and found that SbMYC2 responded most significantly to PEG-simulated drought stress and JA treatments.

Flavonoids are a class of secondary metabolites widely distributed in plants. Regiospecific modification by methylation and glycosylation determines flavonoid diversity. A rare flavone glycoside, diosmin (luteolin-4'-methoxyl-7-O-glucosyl-rhamnoside), occurs in Chrysanthemum indicum. How Chrysanthemum plants evolve new biosynthetic capacities remains elusive. Here, we assemble a 3.11-Gb high-quality C. indicum genome with a contig N50 value of 4.39 Mb and annotate 50,606 protein-coding genes