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Context: Development of high-yielding potato cultivars represents the most efficient and sustainable strategy to secure global food and nutrition. In the past decades, numerous quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping studies have identified various QTLs associated with morphological traits in potato. However, the varying genetic backgrounds of germplasm and the diverse QTL analysis algorithms restrict the utility of identified QTLs for research. Aims: One of the primary objectives of breeders is to identify consistent chromosomal regions linked to economically significant quantitative traits associated with yield through QTL analysis. To achieve this, an investigation was conducted to pinpoint the most stable QTLs for traits such as maturity, harvest index, plant height, stem diameter, tuber starch content, sprouting, and flesh colour. Methods: In order to detect stable QTLs for major agronomic traits, metaQTL analysis was performed using 294 QTLs from 14 publications. Key results: A total of 10 metaQTLs were found to be associated with seven morphological traits. Meta-analysis was considerably refined as compared to the initial QTLs and provided the closest flanking markers for investigated traits and reduce confidence interval mainly to five folds as compared to the mean confidence interval of initial QTLs. The metaQTLs of morphological traits juxtaposed along Chromosomes II, III, IV, and V from independent studies were considered the most stable QTLs over different field trails and genetic background. Conclusions: Ten metaQTLs were identified that contain major consensus QTLs for various morphological traits in potato. Implications: This study will enable the integration of QTLs to create new cultivars with targeted quantitative traits, thereby accelerating breeding initiatives. For decades, potato breeding has been hindered by high diversity and genetic complexity. We identified the individual locations of genes that contribute to potato yield, by analysing data from 14 prior studies. This knowledge will accelerate breeding programmes. This article belongs to the Collection Plant breeding- and genetics-based tools for food security under changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Biotic and abiotic stresses are among major factors limiting crop yields, and Filamentation temperature-sensitive (FtsH) genes are one of the key regulators of plant response to these stresses. The FtsH is an ATP-dependent metalloprotease in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Due to the economic importance and cultivation of potato grown in the biotic and abiotic stress prone areas, identification and characterization of FtsH family members are crucially important. The present research was conducted to investigate FtsH family members in potato under stressful regime. To detect the FtsH genes in potato, we performed genome-wide analysis of FtsH genes in the Solanum tuberosum genome using the Ensemble Plant. All putative sequences were approved with the Pfam. Bioinformatics analysis was conducted using phylogenetic tree, gene structure, Transcription factor-binding site (TFBS) analysis, protein–protein interaction, and gene expression. The members of FtsH were categorized into eight groups. Some of the FtsH proteins were subcellularly located in the nucleus and chloroplast. The number of introns was ranged from 3 to 14 in gene family members. Totally, 33 TFBS including biotic and abiotic stress-responsive elements were found in FtsH promoter sequences. MYB and WRKY were the highest number among TFBS which were involved in abiotic and biotic stresses. Gene expression analysis revealed that the StFtsH2 and StFtsH5 had the highest gene expression, induced by abiotic and biotic stresses in all three tissues of stem, root, and leaves. It is expected that the StFtsH2 and StFtsH5 could be used in plant manipulation and breeding programs aimed for tolerance enhancement to abiotic (cold, heat, and high light) and biotic stresses [Potato virus Y (PVY), Potato virus X (PVX), Potato virus A (PVA), Potato virus X (PVA), and Potato virus S (PVS)]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Seed germination is an important process that determines the beginning of the seed plant life cycle. However, the mechanism underlying seed germination in barley remains unclear. To understand the molecular mechanism of seed germination in barley, WGCNA analysis was used to detect the hub and responsive genes and to reveal the expression of the genes on seed germination. WGCNA is a valuable tool for studying the correlation between genes, identifying modules with high correlation, and identifying Hub genes in different modules. Materials and methods: Raw microarray data related to the germination stage were obtained from the GEO microarray database for 0h, 3h, 9h, 18h, 33h, and 71h after the germination stage. Then, weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was utilized for the detection of co-expressed network genes. In the present study, a barley cultivar, Mahtab, was utilized to show expression patterns after 9h, 18h, and 71h after the germination stage. A total number of 4137 differentially expressed genes (DEG) were identified, with some genes showing higher expression in Mahtab and three genes verified by qRT-PCR. Results: Most of these DEGs were involved in metabolic processes, cellular processes, glycolysis, and response to a stimulus. Hub gene in MEbrown was alpha/beta-Hydrolases superfamily protein, MEpurple was U-box domain-containing protein 4, and MEdarkgrey was B3 domain-containing transcription factor ABI3 which were positively correlated with germinated seeds. The results showed a microarray database and candidate genes for further study of barley at germination stages. In addition, DEGs were divided into three modules by WGCNA. In this study, gene modules associated with seed germination during barley seed germination were identified. Transcription factor and alpha/beta-hydrolase played an important role at the germination stage. Also, gene modules and hub genes at 9h, 18h, and 71h after germination were detected. As there is a lack of information on the seed germination requirements of barley, this research was conducted to study seed germination mechanisms as well as evaluation of hub genes to study molecular mechanism of seed germination in barley. Conclusions: The results of the present study provide new insights into the molecular mechanism underlying barley seed germination. Based on the network analysis, transcription factors (TFs) and ubiquitin proteins were involved in germination. Most of the genes related to each module were related to proteins involved in carbohydrate metabolism, glycolysis, and protein degradation. Our gene expression results can serve as molecular markers in barley cultivars during seed germination. These findings can be suitable for molecular-assisted selection and breeding of fast-germinating barley genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]