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Seeds are complex structures composed of three regions, embryo, endosperm, and seed coat, with each further divided into subregions that consist of tissues, cell layers, and cell types. Although the seed is well characterized anatomically, much less is known about the genetic circuitry that dictates its spatial complexity. To address this issue, we profiled mRNAs from anatomically distinct seed subregions at several developmental stages. Analyses of these profiles showed that all subregions express similar diverse gene numbers and that the small gene numbers expressed subregion specifically provide information about the biological processes that occur in these seed compartments. In parallel, we profiled RNAs in individual nuclei and identified nuclei clusters representing distinct cell identities. Integrating single-nucleus RNA and subregion mRNA transcriptomes allowed most cell identities to be assigned to specific subregions and cell types and/or cell states. The number of cell identities exceeds the number of anatomically distinguishable cell types, emphasizing the spatial complexity of seeds. We defined gene coexpression networks that underlie distinct biological processes during seed development. We showed that network distribution among subregions and cell identities is highly variable. Some networks operate in single subregions and/or cell identities, and many coexpression networks operate in multiple subregions and/or cell identities. We also showed that single subregions and cell identities possess several networks. Together, our studies provide unique insights into the biological processes and genetic circuitry that underlie the spatial landscape of the seed.

Plants display a range of temporal patterns of inter-annual reproduction, from relatively constant seed production to mast seeding, the synchronized and highly variable interannual seed production of plants within a population. Previous efforts have compiled global records of seed production in long-lived plants to gain insight into seed production, forest and animal population dynamics, and the effects of global change on masting. Existing datasets focus on seed production dynamics at the population scale but are limited in their ability to examine community-level mast seeding dynamics across different plant species at the continental scale. We harmonized decades of plant reproduction data for 141 woody plant species across nine Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) or long-term ecological monitoring sites from a wide range of habitats across the United States. Plant reproduction data are reported annually between 1957 and 2021 and based on either seed traps or seed and/or cone counts on individual trees. A wide range of woody plant species including trees, shrubs, and lianas are represented within sites allowing for direct community-level comparisons among species. We share code for filtering of data that enables the comparison of plot and individual tree data across sites. For each species, we compiled relevant life history attributes (e.g., seed mass, dispersal syndrome, seed longevity, sexual system) that may serve as important predictors of mast seeding in future analyses. To aid in phylogenetically informed analyses, we also share a phylogeny and phylogenetic distance matrix for all species in the dataset. These data can be used to investigate continent-scale ecological properties of seed production, including individual and population variability, synchrony within and across species, and how these properties of seed production vary in relation to plant species traits and environmental conditions. In addition, these data can be used to assess how annual variability in seed production is associated with climate conditions and how that varies across populations, species, and regions. The dataset is released under a CC0 1.0 Universal public domain license.

Climate change is disrupting floral traits that mediate mutualistic and antagonistic species interactions. Plastic responses of these traits to multiple shifting conditions may be adaptive, depending on natural selection in new environments. We manipulated snowmelt date over three seasons (3-11 d earlier) in factorial combination with growing-season precipitation (normal, halved, or doubled) to measure plastic responses of volatile emissions and other floral traits in Ipomopsis aggregata. We quantified how precipitation and early snowmelt affected selection on traits by seed predators and pollinators. Within years, floral emissions did not respond to precipitation treatments but shifted with snowmelt treatment depending on the year. Across 3 yr, emissions correlated with both precipitation and snowmelt date. These effects were driven by changes in soil moisture. Selection on several traits changed with earlier snowmelt or reduced precipitation, in some cases driven by predispersal seed predation. Floral trait plasticity was not generally adaptive. Floral volatile emissions shifted in the face of two effects of climate change, and the new environments modulated selection imposed by interacting species. The complexity of the responses underscores the need for more studies of how climate change will affect floral volatiles and other floral traits.

Understanding the regulatory mechanisms controlling storage lipid accumulation will inform strategies to enhance seed oil quality and quantity in crop plants. The WRINKLED1 transcription factor (WRI1 TF) is a central regulator of lipid biosynthesis. We characterized the genome-wide binding profile of soybean (Gm)WRI1 and show that the TF directly regulates genes encoding numerous enzymes and proteins in the fatty acid and triacylglycerol biosynthetic pathways. GmWRI1 binds primarily to regions downstream of target gene transcription start sites. We showed that GmWRI1-bound regions are enriched for the canonical WRI1 DNA binding element, the ACTIVATOR of Spomin::LUC1/WRI1 (AW) Box (CNTNGNNNNNNNCG), and another DNA motif, the CNC Box (CNCCNCC). Functional assays showed that both DNA elements mediate transcriptional activation by GmWRI1. We also show that GmWRI1 works in concert with other TFs to establish a regulatory state that promotes fatty acid and triacylglycerol biosynthesis. In particular, comparison of genes targeted directly by GmWRI1 and by GmLEC1, a central regulator of the maturation phase of seed development, reveals that the two TFs act in a positive feedback subcircuit to control fatty acid and triacylglycerol biosynthesis. Together, our results provide unique insights into the genetic circuitry in which GmWRI1 participates to regulate storage lipid accumulation during seed development.

The understanding on the growth mechanism of complex gold nanostructures both experimentally and theoretically can guide their design and fabrication toward various applications. In this work, we report a cysteine-directed overgrowth of penta-twinned nanorod seeds into jagged gold bipyramids with discontinuous stepped {hhk} facets. By monitoring the growth process, we find that {hhk} facets with large k/h values (∼7) are formed first at two ends of the nanorods, followed by the protrusion of the middle section exposing {hhk} facets with smaller indices (k/h ∼ 2–3). Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the strong adsorption of cysteine molecules on {110} facets is likely responsible for the formation of stepped {hhk} facets, and the stronger adsorption of cysteine molecules on {hhk} facets with smaller k/h compared to that on {hhk} facets with larger k/h is a possible cause of the discontinuity of {hhk} facets at the middle of gold bipyramids. The obtained jagged gold bipyramids display large field enhancement under illumination due to their sharp nanostructures, demonstrating their application potentials in surface-enhanced spectroscopy and catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we introduce variational umbrella seeding, a novel technique for computing nucleation barriers. This new method, a refinement of the original seeding approach, is far less sensitive to the choice of order parameter for measuring the size of a nucleus. Consequently, it surpasses seeding in accuracy and umbrella sampling in computational speed. We test the method extensively and demonstrate excellent accuracy for crystal nucleation of nearly hard spheres and two distinct models of water: mW and TIP4P/ICE. This method can easily be extended to calculate nucleation barriers for homogeneous melting, condensation, and cavitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed lending programs, or seed libraries, have increased in popularity as programs within both public and academic libraries as part of the "library of things" movement. Most of the literature on seed libraries offers program descriptions, often accompanied by how-to steps to starting a seed library, and does not provide a critical analysis of any aspect of seed libraries. This study aims to explore the intentions of librarians and libraries in starting seed lending programs and how those same programs are described in outreach and marketing efforts. The purpose of this study is to use recent literature on neutrality and activism to broaden the discourse around seed lending programs from how-to articles to a more critical examination of said programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhamnogalacturonan II (RG-II) is a structurally complex and conserved domain of the pectin present in the primary cell walls of vascular plants. Borate cross-linking of RG-II is required for plants to grow and develop normally. Mutations that alter RG-II structure also affect cross-linking and are lethal or severely impair growth. Thus, few genes involved in RG-II synthesis have been identified. Here, we developed a method to generate viable loss-of-function Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mutants in callus tissue via CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing. We combined this with a candidate gene approach to characterize the male gametophyte defective 2 (MGP2) gene that encodes a putative family GT29 glycosyltransferase. Plants homozygous for this mutation do not survive. We showed that in the callus mutant cell walls, RG-II does not cross-link normally because it lacks 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid (Kdo) and thus cannot form the α-L-Rhap-(1→5)-α-D-kdop-(1→sidechain). We suggest that MGP2 encodes an inverting RG-II CMP-β-Kdo transferase (RCKT1). Our discovery provides further insight into the role of sidechains in RG-II dimerization. Our method also provides a viable strategy for further identifying proteins involved in the biosynthesis of RG-II.

Soil salinity is a major nutritional challenge with poor agriculture production characterized by high sodium (Na+) ions in the soil. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and biochar have received attention as a sustainable strategy to reduce biotic and abiotic stress. However, there is a lack of information regarding the incorporation of ZnO NPs with biochar to ameliorate the salinity stress (0, 50,100 mM). Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the potentials of ZnO NPs application (priming and foliar) alone and with a combination of biochar on the growth and nutrient availability of spinach plants under salinity stress. Results demonstrated that salinity stress at a higher rate (100 mM) showed maximum growth retardation by inducing oxidative stress, resulted in reduced photosynthetic rate and nutrient availability. ZnO NPs (priming and foliar) alone enhanced growth, chlorophyll contents and gas exchange parameters by improving the antioxidant enzymes activity of spinach under salinity stress. While, a significant and more pronounced effect was observed at combined treatments of ZnO NPs with biochar amendment. More importantly, ZnO NPs foliar application with biochar significantly reduced the Na+ contents in root 57.69%, and leaves 61.27% of spinach as compared to the respective control. Furthermore, higher nutrient contents were also found at the combined treatment of ZnO NPs foliar application with biochar. Overall, ZnO NPs combined application with biochar proved to be an efficient and sustainable strategy to alleviate salinity stress and improve crop nutritional quality under salinity stress. We inferred that ZnO NPs foliar application with a combination of biochar is more effectual in improving crop nutritional status and salinity mitigation than priming treatments with a combination of biochar.

Inheritance of the presence/absence of seeds in Annona squamosa is mediated by a single fully recessive gene and is caused by a deletion of the INNER NO OUTER (INO) locus. For some fruits, seedless varieties are desirable for consumption and processing. In the sugar apple tree (Annona squamosa L.), the seedless trait in the Thai seedless (Ts) and Brazilian seedless (Bs) accessions was associated with defective ovules and an apparent deletion of the INNER NO OUTER (INO) ovule development gene locus. Segregation analysis of F2 and backcross descendants of crosses of Bs to fertile wild-type varieties in this species with a multi-year generation time showed that seedlessness was recessive and controlled by a single locus. Comparison of whole genome sequence of a wild-type plant and a third accession, Hawaiian seedless (Hs), identified a 16 kilobase deletion including INO in this line. Ts and Bs lines were shown to have an identical deletion, indicating a common origin from a single deletion event. Analysis of microsatellite markers could not preclude the possibility that all three seedless accessions are vegetatively propagated clones. The sequence of the deletion site enabled a codominant assay for the wild-type and mutant genes allowing observation of complete cosegregation of the seedless/defective ovule phenotype with the INO deletion, showing maximal separation of less than 3.5 cM. The observed deletion is the only significant difference between the wild-type and Hs line over 587 kilobases, likely encompassing much more than 3.5 cM, showing that the deletion is the cause of seedless trait. The codominant markers and obtained progenies will be useful for introgression of the seedless trait into elite sugar apple lines and into other Annonas through interspecific crossings.

Seed endophytic microbiomes are shaped by host and environmental factors and play a crucial role in their host growth and health. Studies have demonstrated that host genotype, including hybridization, affects seed microbiomes. Heterosis features are also observed in root-associated microbiomes. It remains unclear, however, whether heterosis exists in seed endophytic microbiomes and whether hybrid microbiota provide noticeable advantages to host plant growth, especially to seed germination. Here, we investigated the structure of seed endophytic bacterial and fungal communities from three hybrid rice varieties and their respective parents using amplicon sequencing targeting 16S rRNA and ITS2 genes. Heterosis was found in diversity and composition of seed endophytic microbiomes in hybrids, which hosted more diverse communities and significantly higher abundances of plant growth-promoting taxa, such as Pseudomonas and Rhizobium genera compared with their parental lines. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed that there are potentially tighter microbial interactions in the hybrid seeds compared with their parent seeds. Finally, inoculation of seed-cultivable endophytes, isolated from hybrids, resulted in a greater promotion of seed germination compared with those isolated from parent lines. These findings suggest that heterosis exists not only in plant traits but also in seed endophytic microbiota, the latter in turn promotes seed germination, which offers valuable guidance for microbiome-assisted rice breeding.IMPORTANCEGenetic and physiological changes associated with plant hybridization have been studied for many crop species. Still, little is known about the impact of hybridization on the seed microbiota. In this study, we indicate that hybridization has a significant impact on the endophytic bacterial and fungal communities in rice seeds. The seed endophytic microbiomes of hybrids displayed distinct characteristics from those of their parental lines and exhibited potential heterosis features. Furthermore, the inoculation of seed-cultivable endophytes isolated from hybrids exhibited a greater promotion effect on seed germination compared with those isolated from the parents. Our findings make a valuable contribution to the emerging field of microbiome-assisted plant breeding, highlighting the potential for a targeted approach that aims to achieve not only desired plant traits but also plant-beneficial microbial communities on the seeds.

High-throughput sequencing-based methods for bulked segregant analysis (BSA) allow for the rapid identification of genetic markers associated with traits of interest. BSA studies have successfully identified qualitative (binary) and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) using QTL mapping. However, most require population structures that fit the models available and a reference genome. Instead, high-throughput short-read sequencing can be combined with BSA of k-mers (BSA-k-mer) to map traits that appear refractory to standard approaches. This method can be applied to any organism and is particularly useful for species with genomes diverged from the closest sequenced genome. It is also instrumental when dealing with highly heterozygous and potentially polyploid genomes without phased haplotype assemblies and for which a single haplotype can control a trait. Finally, it is flexible in terms of population structure. Here, we apply the BSA-k-mer method for the rapid identification of candidate regions related to seed spot and seed size in diploid potato. Using a mixture of F1 and F2 individuals from a cross between 2 highly heterozygous parents, candidate sequences were identified for each trait using the BSA-k-mer approach. Using parental reads, we were able to determine the parental origin of the loci. Finally, we mapped the identified k-mers to a closely related potato genome to validate the method and determine the genomic loci underlying these sequences. The location identified for the seed spot matches with previously identified loci associated with pigmentation in potato. The loci associated with seed size are novel. Both loci are relevant in future breeding toward true seeds in potato.

The fundamental goal of a rare plant translocation is to create self-sustaining populations with the evolutionary resilience to persist in the long term. Yet, most plant translocation syntheses focus on a few factors influencing short-term benchmarks of success (e.g., survival and reproduction). Short-term benchmarks can be misleading when trying to infer future growth and viability because the factors that promote establishment may differ from those required for long-term persistence. We assembled a large (n = 275) and broadly representative data set of well-documented and monitored (7.9 years on average) at-risk plant translocations to identify the most important site attributes, management techniques, and species' traits for six life-cycle benchmarks and population metrics of translocation success. We used the random forest algorithm to quantify the relative importance of 29 predictor variables for each metric of success. Drivers of translocation outcomes varied across time frames and success metrics. Management techniques had the greatest relative influence on the attainment of life-cycle benchmarks and short-term population trends, whereas site attributes and species' traits were more important for population persistence and long-term trends. Specifically, large founder sizes increased the potential for reproduction and recruitment into the next generation, whereas declining habitat quality and the outplanting of species with low seed production led to increased extinction risks and a reduction in potential reproductive output in the long-term, respectively. We also detected novel interactions between some of the most important drivers, such as an increased probability of next-generation recruitment in species with greater seed production rates, but only when coupled with large founder sizes. Because most significant barriers to plant translocation success can be overcome by improving techniques or resolving site-level issues through early intervention and management, we suggest that by combining long-term monitoring with adaptive management, translocation programs can enhance the prospects of achieving long-term success.

We express cluster variables of type B n and C n in terms of cluster variables of type A n. Then we associate a cluster tilted bound symmetric quiver Q of type A 2 n − 1 to any seed of a cluster algebra of type B n and C n. Under this correspondence, cluster variables of type B n (resp. C n) correspond to orthogonal (resp. symplectic) indecomposable representations of Q. We find a Caldero-Chapoton map in this setting. We also give a categorical interpretation of the cluster expansion formula in the case of acyclic quivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed germination directly influences seeding survival. Phylogenetically related species often exhibit similar germination traits; however, several environmental factors also play important roles in determining germination. In this study, we tested inter-specific variability in seeds and investigated relations between germination responses, seed morphology, and phylogenetic relatedness in 9 species of Polygonaceae. Seed dimensions (length, width, and height) were examined using a Stereo Microscope equipped with a microscope camera. Water permeability was assessed by measuring the mass of three replicates of 25 seeds. Seeds were tested at five different alternating temperature regimes: 5/10, 10/20, 20/30, 25/35, and 35/40 °C and under two different conditions: 24 h darkness (dark treatment) and 12 h light/12 h darkness (light treatment) and light regimes. The findings highlighted significant differences in the seed morphology, water uptake, and germination behavior. Some species exhibited physiological dormancy while other responded readily to light and temperature. Seed size was positively correlated with germination performance, while the seed morphology distance matrix was not correlated to phylogenetic distances. These findings suggest that while phylogeny is an important factor in determining a role in seed traits, environmental cues play a more intense role in the evolution of seed traits in Polygonaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maximizing microbial functions for improving crop performance requires better understanding of the important drivers of plant-associated microbiomes. However, it remains unclear the forces that shapes microbial structure and assembly, and how plant seed-microbiome interactions impact grain quality. In this work, we characterized the seed endophytic microbial communities of malting barley from different geographical locations and investigated associations between microbial (bacterial and fungal) species diversity and malt quality traits. Host genotype, location, and interactions (genotype x location) significantly impacted the seed endophytic microbial communities. Taxonomic composition analysis identified the most abundant genera for bacterial and fungal communities to be Bacillus (belonging to phylum Firmicutes) and Blumeria (belonging to phylum Ascomycota), respectively. We observed that a greater proportion of bacterial amplicon sequence variants (bacterial ASVs) were shared across genotypes and across locations while the greater proportion of the fungal ASVs were unique to each genotype and location. Association analysis showed a significant negative correlation between bacterial alpha diversity indices (Faith PD and Shannon indices) and malt quality traits for barley protein (BP), free amino nitrogen (FAN), diastatic power (DP) and alpha amylase (AA), while fungal alpha diversity (Shannon and Simpson) showed significant negative relationship with β-D-glucan content. In addition, some bacterial and fungal genera were significantly associated with malt extract (ME) -a key trait for maltsters and brewers. We conclude that barley genotype, location, and their interactions shape the seed endophytic microbiome and is key to microbiome manipulation and management during barley production and/or malting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is primarily due to excessive energy intake and lipid accumulation, leading to type 2 diabetes. Studies showed radish seed extract (RSE) can impede weight gain in mice, but the mechanism was unclear. We hypothesized that RSE inhibits obesity by stimulating adipocyte browning. Radish seeds were water-extracted, yielding a sulforaphene (SE) concentration of 1.381 ± 0.005 mg/g RSE. In 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation experiments, RSE and SE increased the expression of beige adipocyte markers uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1-α (PGC1α). In C57BL/6 mice, RSE and SE mitigated weight increase, averted fatty liver, and diminished fat accumulation. In the adipose tissue, we also noted the enhanced browning of white adipocytes through elevated expression of UCP1 and PGC1α. Increased mitochondrial numbers in treated adipocytes supported this effect. Additionally, RSE and SE improved glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity in high-fat diet-fed mice, indicating RSE's potential to prevent obesity and diabetes by enhancing adipocyte thermogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noxious plants pose a significant threat to human and livestock health, as well as to the safety of agricultural and forestry ecosystems. Accurate and rapid identification of these plants is crucial for risk prevention. This paper explores for the first time the development and application of a rapid detection technology for noxious plants based on a novel isothermal amplification technique. We targeted the seeds, leaves, and grain impurities of four major noxious weeds: Amaranthus palmeri , the A.tuberculatus complex, Rhaponticum repens , and Euphrosyne xanthiifolia , we designed and screened primers and probes suitable for this isothermal amplification method, determined their limit of detection, optimized the genomic DNA extraction methods, and verified the method. We developed genomic DNA extraction methods for single tissue components of plant seeds and leaves, as well as for mixed tissue components. Ultimately, we established standardized detection protocols for different tissue forms of each species, significantly enhancing detection efficiency. This study enables the detection positive samples in seeds or leaves within 10 to 15 minutes and positive samples from mixtures within 12 to 18 minutes. The entire process, from sample collection, genomic DNA preparation to reaction completion, takes approximately 35 minutes. This detection technology, which marks the first development of an isothermal amplification-based method for noxious plants, meets the needs for on-site rapid testing, aiding in the timely identification of risks and the implementation of corresponding prevention and control measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four new homoisoflavonoids, 7-hydroxy-3-[hydroxy(4′-methoxyphenyl)methyl]-benzopyran-4-one (1), (3R)-7, 8-dihydroxy-3-(4′-methoxybenzyl)-chroman-4-one (2), 7-hydroxy-3-(2′-hydroxy-4′-methoxybenzyl)-chroman-4-one (3), and 7-hydroxy-3-(2′-hydroxy-4′-methoxybenzyl)-benzopyran-4-one (4), were isolated from the seeds of Caesalpinia pulcherrima. The structures of new compounds were elucidated by MS and NMR spectra. Their absolute configurations were assigned using electronic circular dichroism spectrum. Compounds 2 and 4 exhibited cytotoxic effects on MCF-7/TAM cells with the IC50 values of 101.4 ± 0.03 and 93.02 ± 0.03 μM, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carica papaya seeds were used in this research for the synthesis of AgNPs. The production of silver nanoparticles was characterized using UV–Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD and SEM-EDX analysis. The antibacterial activity of the prepared AgNPs was evaluated by the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method with the antibacterial activity of different compounds against Bacillus aerogenes. UV–Vis spectral peaks are found at 8–18 nm. SEM and TEM analysis revealed several spherical structures between 10 nm and 50 nm. XRD analysis also confirmed its 50 nm size. Experimental data revealed that AgNPs inhibited bacterial growth. This study shows that papaya seed extract contributes to the bioreduction and stabilization of the synthesized silver nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In recent years, there has been a growing interest in deep learning-based clustering. A recently introduced technique called DipDECK has shown effective performance on large and high-dimensional datasets. DipDECK utilises Hartigan's dip test, a statistical test, to merge small non-viable clusters. Notably, DipDECK was the first deep learning-based clustering technique to incorporate the dip test. However, the number of initial clusters of DipDECK is overestimated and the algorithm then randomly selects the initial seeds to produce the final clusters for a dataset. Therefore, in this paper, we presented a technique called UNSDipDECK , which is an improved version of DipDECK and does not require user input for datasets with an unknown number of clusters. UNSDipDECK produces high-quality initial seeds and the initial number of clusters through a deterministic process. UNSDipDECK uses the unique closest neighbourhood and unique neighbourhood set approaches to determine high-quality initial seeds for a dataset. In our study, we compared the performance of UNSDipDECK with fifteen baseline clustering techniques, including DipDECK, using NMI and ARI metrics. The experimental results indicate that UNSDipDECK outperforms the baseline techniques, including DipDECK. Additionally, we demonstrated that the initial seed selection process significantly contributes to UNSDipDECK 's ability to produce high-quality clusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared the effects of seed treatment with low-pressure cold plasma (CP) and atmospheric dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma on morpho-biochemical traits in Stevia rabaudiana Bertoni plants cultivated by two methods: in soil and aeroponics. We investigated the impact of the treatments on the germination, plant growth, and content of secondary metabolites, namely steviol glycosides (SGs), rebaudioside A (RebA), and stevioside (Stev), as well as phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Seeds were treated for 2, 5, and 7 min with CP or DBD and 5 min with vacuum six days before sowing. All growth parameters in aeroponics exceeded the parameters of seedlings in the corresponding groups cultivated in soil. Seed treatments stimulated SGs biosynthesis in seedlings grown in soil, except for CP7. Although there were no stimulating effects of seed treatments on SGs in aeroponics, overall SG concentrations were considerably higher compared to plants cultivated in soil: the RebA+Stev concentration was 1.8–2-fold higher in the control, V5-, and CP-treated groups, and 1.3-fold higher in the DBD5 and DBD7 groups. Thus, aeroponic cultivation has the potential to improve the growth and synthesis of SGs in stevia, while a combination of aeroponics with seed treatments only increases the content of antioxidants and antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have seen the introduction of several new and traditional fruit and vegetable cultivars worldwide through various breeding programs, raising an important question regarding their variability in nutritional composition. Various watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) cultivars are being cultivated worldwide, either at marketable or farmer level, depending on technological improvement and agricultural practices. The primary objective of this study was to investigate four fruit parts of four different watermelon cultivars, i.e., Black prince, Black chairman, Sugar baby, and Crimson sweet, commonly commercially cultivated in Pakistan. These cultivars and their respective tissues were characterized for chemical composition, minerals, vitamins, bioactive compounds, antioxidants, and antinutritional composition analysis. Significant variability (p<0.05) was observed in the nutritional composition of cultivars and their respective tissues. The rind and seeds had the highest crude protein, fat, total phenolics, flavonoids, antioxidant activity, and FRAP, whereas the pulp showed the lowest in all studied cultivars. Among cultivars, residual parts such as rind and seed have potentially higher nutritional composition and antioxidant activity and have significantly higher bioactive compounds than edible flesh. However, considering their excessive nutritional content, watermelon waste can be revalorized for developing nutraceutical and functional foods. This research brings attention to the significant nutritional importance of watermelon by-products, contributing to improving health, cost-efficiency, and environmental impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During high-speed corn sowing at 10 km/h, the rapid seed discharge resulting from the high rotation speed of the seed disc escalates the impact force of seeds as they are released from the seed metering device into the seed guiding apparatus, consequently diminishing the overall seeding efficiency of the seeder. This study employed high-speed videography to conduct experiments and optimize parameters for the seed-receiving mechanism of a belt-driven seed guide tube. By changing the clamping wheel speed and seed-receiving angle, the speed change curve and displacement trajectory of seeds under different conditions were obtained and analyzed. The findings demonstrate that the seed speed fluctuation is more stable, and the seed displacement trajectory achieves greater stability at a clamping wheel speed of 560 r·min−1. When the seed-receiving angle is set at 85°, the seed speed fluctuation becomes less apparent, resulting in a smoother seed displacement trajectory. Finally, the experimental results of high-speed cameras are confirmed by field tests. The findings of this study can act as a theoretical basis for the further optimization of the experimental belt-driven seed guide tube. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key drawback of the popular k-means clustering algorithm is its susceptibility to local minima. This problem is often addressed by performing repeated runs of the algorithm, and choosing the best run afterward. The approach is effective but computationally expensive: it multiplies the running time proportional to the number of repeats. We observe, in this paper, that repeated k-means runs is equivalent to comparing different candidate initializations using the k-means objective function obtained after running the algorithm fully, as the fitness function. This observation implies that if it were possible to compare the initializations ab initio without depending on the full algorithm for judgment, then there will be no need for repeats. Unfortunately, this phenomenon has not been studied in the literature, to our knowledge. We pursue the development of such a technique for comparing initializations directly. We choose as the "best", the initialization that possesses the largest minimum inter-center distance (MIND). This proposed technique also serves as a general technique for optimizing k-means seeding algorithms. We demonstrate the concept with MIND-optimized versions of two popular algorithms: k-means and k-means++. Experiments on real-world and benchmark synthetic datasets as well as mathematical analysis establish drastic efficiency gains when compared to repeated k-means. Furthermore, our approach significantly improves the accuracy of the standard versions of the algorithms, and it is easy to implement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The seeds of Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc., a by-product of the Chinese medicine industry, have been firstly reported in our previous work to contain abundant 1,2,3,6-tetragalloylglucose (TgG). TgG is a polyol ester formed by a β - D -glucose that constitutes its core and four gallic acids. It is known to possess several pharmaceutical activities. The objective of this work was to establish a method effectively preparing high-purity TgG from C. officinalis seeds. Methods: TgG is unstable and degrades because of internal redox reactions and polymerizations under high temperatures. And there is a lack of effective methods to produce TgG, which limits its applications. Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) can be performed at low temperatures and can be used to extract TgG effectively, thereby preventing its degradation. Therefore, in this study a UAE coupled with resin enrichment and reverse-phase silica-gel purification to achieve high-purity TgG from C. officinalis seeds was developed for the exploration of its potential value. Moreover, water was selected as the extracting solvent because of the excellent solubility of the seed extract. It provides a clean and green extracting method for producing TgG from C. officinalis seeds in a sustainable manner. Results: It was indicated that the purity of the obtained TgG was 96.2%, and the total TgG recovery of the established procedure was 73.5%. Conclusion: The established method demonstrates good precision and accuracy, making it suitable for the preparation of high-purity TgG from the C. officinalis seeds. It not only provided a novel and alliterative method to obtain TgG for its wider application in the pharmaceutical industry but also added potential value to the herbal medicine industry using C. officinalis via the use of by-product seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotion recognition based on electroencephalogram (EEG) has always been a research hotspot. However, due to significant individual variations in EEG signals, cross-subject emotion recognition based on EEG remains a challenging issue to address. In this article, we propose a dynamic domain-adaptive EEG emotion recognition method based on multi-source selection. The method considers each subject as a separate domain, filters suitable source domains from multiple subjects by assessing their resemblance, then further extracts the common and domain-specific features of the source and target domains, and then employs dynamic domain adaptation to mitigate inter-domain discrepancies. Global domain differences and local subdomain differences are also considered, and a dynamic factor is added so that the model training process first focuses on global distribution differences and gradually switches to local subdomain distributions. We conducted cross-subject and cross-session experiments on the SEED and SEED-IV datasets, respectively, and the cross-subject accuracies were 89.76% and 65.28%; the cross-session experiments were 91.63% and 67.83%. The experimental outcomes affirm the efficacy of the EEG emotion recognition approach put forward in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some natural wind-borne plants spread their seeds in a mode of autorotation, for example, maple, pterocarya stenoptera, and tristellateia. However, these wind-borne seeds have different numbers of wings. The current work focuses on the effects of wings number on the flight performance of autorotating seeds. Experiment and numerical simulation are used to analyze the aerodynamic performance of tristellateia seeds with different numbers of wings. In the free fall experiments, it is found that reducing the wings number leads to larger wing loadings, larger stable descending velocities, and larger spinning rates. The growth rate of descending velocity and spinning rate are related to the wings number. However, as the number of clipped wings increases, the seeds are more likely to fall into unsteady rotation even free fall. Numerical simulations are used to analyze the flow field around the rotating tristellateia seeds. It finds that seeds with clipped wings have larger pressure difference between the upper and lower wing surfaces, which contributes to larger lift. Three kinds of vortex systems occur on the rotating seeds: the leading-edge vortex, the wing tip vortex, and the separated vortex. Seeds with different clipped wings present various vortex morphology and structure. A stable separated vortex ring dominates the stable autorotation of tristellateia seeds. However, an unstable separated vortex emerges on the seeds with less wings, which makes these seeds difficult to achieve stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Insects can receive environmental signals via structures called sensilla. Different types of sensilla receive different kinds of stimuli. In this paper, the antennal sensilla of three subfamilies of seed bugs (Lygaeidae) are analyzed to outline potential similarities and differences between them, as well as to discuss their potential function. Antennal sensillar structures respond to a variety of environmental stimuli. In the present study, the antennal sensilla of all three subfamilies of the family Lygaeidae are studied for the first time. This research shows the presence of five main types of sensilla (sensilla trichodea, chaetica, campaniformia, basiconica, and coeloconica). Their comparison to other, previously studied, heteropteran insects and their putative mechano-, chemo-, and thermo-hygroreceptive functions are discussed. The current study shows uniformity in the types of sensilla in all studied species. However, minor differences between the subfamilies, as well as within the subfamily Lygaeinae, are observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of the current study was to investigate the effects of seed priming with salicylic acid (SA) on seed germination parameters, seedling growth traits, nutritional element mobilization, and oxidative stress status in two barley species that were subjected to various salt treatments. The findings demonstrated that salinity reduced a number of germination parameters in unprimed seeds and impacted seedling growth by impeding both species' necessary nutrient mobilization. Under this abiotic stress, a noticeable rise in malondialdehyde and electrolyte leakage was also noted. Interestingly, pretreating seeds with SA improved seed germination and seedling growth performance under either 100 mM or 200 mM NaCl treatments. In fact, SA improved the length and dry weight of stressed seedlings of both barley species in addition to increasing the germination rate and mean daily germination. Additionally, SA increased the content of calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium while lowering the concentrations of sodium and malondialdehyde and electrolyte leakage. It is significant to note that, in comparison to Hordeum maritimum, the positive effects of this hormone were more noticeable in stressed Hordeum vulgare species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]