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This editorial published in the journal Frontiers in Plant Science discusses recent advancements in genomics and genetics of horticultural crops and their contribution to breeding efforts. The editorial highlights various research studies on topics such as selenium accumulation in tea cultivars, fern gametophytes' response to light, proteomics and metabolomics analysis of kale cultivars, genome-wide identification of gene families in mangrove species and pineapple, and the development of a single primer enrichment technology panel for lettuce. The text also mentions a study on genome editing in cabbage and a review paper on breeding for secondary metabolites content in horticultural crops. The editorial provides information on the progress made in breeding for higher accumulation of phenolic acids and flavonoids in popular vegetables such as pepper, tomato, and eggplant, using genetic and genomic technologies to discover enzymes, genes, and QTLs involved in the biosynthesis and accumulation of these compounds. The text also discusses the assembly and annotation of non-nuclear genomes, specifically the mitochondrial and chloroplastic genomes of the wax apple and three wild perennial Hordeum species, respectively. These genome studies provide insights into plant biology, phylogenetic evolution, and genetic diversity, and offer valuable information for molecular breeding and genetic improvement. [Extracted from the article]

Global climate change is one of the major constraints limiting plant growth, production, and sustainability worldwide. Moreover, breeding efforts in the past years have focused on improving certain favorable crop traits, leading to genetic bottlenecks. The use of crop wild relatives (CWRs) to expand genetic diversity and improve crop adaptability seems to be a promising and sustainable approach for crop improvement in the context of the ongoing climate challenges. In this review, we present the progress that has been achieved towards CWRs exploitation for enhanced resilience against major abiotic stressors (e.g., water deficiency, increased salinity, and extreme temperatures) in crops of high nutritional and economic value, such as tomato, legumes, and several woody perennial crops. The advances in -omics technologies have facilitated the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms that may underlie abiotic stress tolerance. Comparative analyses of whole genome sequencing (WGS) and transcriptomic profiling (RNA-seq) data between crops and their wild relative counterparts have unraveled important information with respect to the molecular basis of tolerance to abiotic stressors. These studies have uncovered genomic regions, specific stress-responsive genes, gene networks, and biochemical pathways associated with resilience to adverse conditions, such as heat, cold, drought, and salinity, and provide useful tools for the development of molecular markers to be used in breeding programs. CWRs constitute a highly valuable resource of genetic diversity, and by exploiting the full potential of this extended allele pool, new traits conferring abiotic-stress tolerance may be introgressed into cultivated varieties leading to superior and resilient genotypes. Future breeding programs may greatly benefit from CWRs utilization for overcoming crop production challenges arising from extreme environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: MADS-box genes encode transcriptional regulators that are critical for flowering, flower organogenesis and plant development. Although there are extensive reports on genes involved in flower organogenesis in model and economically important plant species, there are few reports on MADS-box genes in woody plants. In this study, we have cloned and characterized AGAMOUS (AG), SEEDSTICK (STK) and SEPALLATA (SEP) homologs from peach tree (Prunus persica L. Batsch) and studied their expression patterns in different tissues as well as in fruit pericarp during pit hardening. AG- STK- and SEP-like homologs, representative of the C-, D-, E-like MADS-box gene lineages, respectively, play key roles in stamen, carpel, ovule and fruit development in Arabidopsis thaliana. Sequence similarities, phylogenetic analysis and structural characteristics were used to provide classification of the isolated genes in type C (PPERAG), type D (PPERSTK) and type E (PPERSEP1, PPERSEP3, PPERFB9) organ identity genes. Expression patterns were determined and in combination with phylogenetic data provided useful indications on the function of these genes. These data suggest the involvement of MADS-box genes in peach flower and fruit development and provide further evidence for the role of these genes in woody perennial trees that is compatible with their function in model plant species. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Drought is the main constraint to maize production in the Mediterranean area. This is the first report of breeding temperate maize populations from the Algerian desert. The objective of this study was to evaluate response to selection for reduced anthesis-silking interval (ASI) in Algerian maize under drought and control conditions. Three cycles of selection for reduced ASI were carried out in four populations under control and drought conditions, and the breeding program was evaluated under both conditions. Selection under drought was more efficient than under control conditions, particularly for the LOM and TAO populations. Selection for low ASI reduced ASI and days per cycle for BTM and IGS, respectively, under drought conditions. Selection for ASI reduced anthesis in BTM, when selected under drought and evaluated under control conditions. Significant yield increase was observed for BTM under optimal conditions. Significant genetic gain for yield was observed for the population LOM under drought. Therefore, the improved Algerian populations BTM and TAO could be a novel source for reducing ASI and for earlier flowering time as a mechanism for avoiding drought. Furthermore, we propose these populations as sources to develop tolerant inbred lines and to find quantitative trait loci for drought tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livestock production in the European Union EU is highly dependent on imported soybean, exposing the livestock farming system to risks related to the global trade of soybean. Lupin species could be a realistic sustainable alternative source of protein for animal feeding. Lupinus is a very diverse genus with many species. However, only four of them—namely, L. albus, L. angustifolius, L. luteus and L. mutabilis—are cultivated. Their use in livestock farming systems has many advantages in relation to economic and environmental impact. Generally, lupin grains are characterized by high protein content, while their oil content is relatively low but of high quality. On the other hand, the presence of quinolizidine alkaloids and their specific carbohydrate composition are the main antinutritional factors that prevent their use in animal feeding. This research is mainly related to L. albus and to L. angustifolius, and to a lesser extent, to L. lauteus and L. mutabilis. The breeding efforts are mostly focused on yield stabilization, resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, biochemical structure associated with seed quality and late maturing. Progress is made in improving lupin with respect to the seed quality, as well as the tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress. It has to be noted that modern cultivars, mostly of L. albus and L. angustifolius, contain low levels of alkaloids. However, for future breeding efforts, the implementation of marker-assisted selection and the available genomic tools is of great importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]