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Introduction: Magnesium (Mg) is a crucial macronutrient for plants. Understanding the molecular responses of plants to different levels of Mg supply is important for improving cultivation practices and breeding new varieties with efficient Mg utilization. Methods: In this study, we conducted a comprehensive transcriptome analysis on tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) seedling leaves to investigate changes in gene expression in response to different levels of Mg supply, including Mg-deficient, 1/4-normal Mg, normal Mg, and 4×-normal Mg, with a particular focus on Mg deficiency at 5, 15 and 25 days after treatment (DAT), respectively. Results: A total of 11,267 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the Mg-deficient, 1/4-normal Mg, and/or 4×-normal Mg seedlings compared to the normal Mg seedlings. The global gene expression profiles revealed potential mechanisms involved in the response to Mg deficiency in tobacco leaves, including down-regulation of genes–two DEGs encoding mitochondria-localized NtMGT7 and NtMGT9 homologs, and one DEG encoding a tonoplast-localized NtMHX1 homolog–associated with Mg trafficking from the cytosol to mitochondria and vacuoles, decreased expression of genes linked to photosynthesis and carbon fixation at later stages, and up-regulation of genes related to antioxidant defenses, such as NtPODs , NtPrxs , and NtGSTs. Discussion: Our findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying how tobacco responds to Mg deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Although thousands of genes have been identified or cloned in rice (Oryza sativa) in the last two decades, the majority of them have only been separately characterized in specific varieties or single‐gene modified backgrounds, thus limiting their practical application. We developed an optimized multiplex genome editing (MGE) toolbox that can efficiently assemble and stably express up to twelve sgRNA targets in a single plant expression vector. In this study, we established the MGE‐based Rapid Directional Improvement (MRDI) strategy for directional improvement of complex agronomic traits in one small‐scale rice transformation. This approach provides a rapid and practical procedure, encompassing sgRNA assembly, transgene‐free screening and the creation of promising germplasm, by combining the precision of gene editing with phenotype‐based field breeding. The MRDI strategy was used to generate the full diversity of twelve main agronomic genes in rice cultivar FXZ for the directional improvement of its growth duration and plant architecture. After applying the MRDI to FXZ, ideal plants with the desired traits of early heading date reduced plant height, and more effective panicles were generated without compromising yield, blast resistance and grain quality. Furthermore, the results of whole‐genome sequencing (WGS), including the analysis of structural variations (SVs) and single nucleotide variations (SNVs) in the MGE plants, confirmed the high specificity and low frequency of unwanted mutations associated with this strategy. The MRDI breeding strategy would be a robust approach for exploring and applying crucial agronomic genes, as well as for generating novel elite germplasm in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Boron (B) is an essential micronutrient for plants. Inappropriate B supply detrimentally affects the productivity of numerous crops. Understanding of the molecular responses of plants to different B supply levels would be of significance in crop improvement and cultivation practices to deal with the problem. Results: We conducted a comprehensive analysis of the transcriptome and proteome of tobacco seedlings to investigate the expression changes of genes/proteins in response to different B supply levels, with a particular focus on B deficiency. The global gene and protein expression profiles revealed the potential mechanisms involved in the responses of tobacco to B deficiency, including up-regulation of the NIP5;1-BORs module, complex regulation of genes/proteins related to cell wall metabolism, and up-regulation of the antioxidant machinery. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that B deficiency caused severe morphological and physiological disorders in tobacco seedlings, and revealed dynamic expression changes of tobacco genes/proteins in response to different B supply levels, especially to B deficiency, thus offering valuable insights into the molecular responses of tobacco to B deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing changes in climate constitute a major risk factor for global potato production. Recent studies have underscored the productivity-enhancing effects of plastic mulching for rain-fed potatoes. However, the adaptability of mulching measures to climate change in order to facilitate increased potato yields remains a question. Moreover, the coupling effects of different climatic factors on potato production was unclear. This study aimed to investigate the impact of different climatic factors and their coupling effects on the yields of mulching and no mulching potatoes in the Loess Plateau. We utilized multiple crop models and global climate models (GCMs) to predict the yields of mulching and no mulching potatoes on the Loess Plateau based on Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) 245 and SSP585 scenarios. Additionally, we analyzed the response of yields to the coupling effects of climate, and clarified the effects of main climatic coupling effects to yield of mulching and no mulching potatoes. We found that, for mulching potatoes, the contribution of climate coupling to yield under the SSP245 and SSP585 scenarios ranged from 47.05 % to 49.31 % for the period 2021–2060 and increased to 49.09 % to 50.94 % for the period 2061–2100. The mean temperature (T men)-dominated coupling contributed the most to yield for mulching potatoes, while for no mulching potatoes, precipitation (Pr)-dominated coupling played a dominant role. The maximum temperature (T max)-dominated coupling significantly reduced potato yields in the future, and mulching measures exacerbated the negative effect. However, mulching measures eliminated the adverse impact of minimum temperature (T min)-dominated coupling on potato yields. After decomposing the coupling effects of climatic factors, we found that the main factors leading to a reduction in potato yield were T max and Pr couplings, with mulching measures amplifying the heat-moisture effects. But mulching not only alleviated T min and Pr coupling but also strengthened the T mean and Pr coupling, resulting in increased yield. Hence, understanding how mulching potatoes avoid heat-moisture coupling to promote production was crucial for the future on the Loess Plateau. Our findings contribute to clarifying the impact of climatic coupling on mulching potato production, thereby aiding in the informed development of rational policies. [Display omitted] • Potato yields exhibited varying sensitivities to different climatic factors. • Climatic coupling explained approximately half of the potato yield variations. • Plastic mulching would amplify the negative effects of heat-moisture coupling. • The impact of plastic mulching on potato yields should be re-examined in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]