Clubroot is a worldwide soil-borne disease caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae, under the division of protist with certain similarity to flagellates. In recent years, the incidence of clubroot disease in the main rapeseed cultivation regions in China has increased significantly, posing a serious threat to rapseseed production. Breeding and cultivation of clubroot resistant varieties is the key to solving this problem. In this paper, we briefed the infection process of clubroot pathogen, described the current status on the clubroot resistance (CR) genes mapping and the breeding of Brassica napus CR varieties in China, and how these varieties have been utilized. We also discussed the main problems to be solved in the future in clubroot-resistance breeding and provide possible solutions. These gene resources and genetic materials were expected to be useful references for future breeding work and for supporting rapeseed industry.

Soybean is a cornerstone crop for China's grain and oil security strategy. The northern high-latitude cold regions of Northeast China as a vital production area, accounting for one-third of the nation's total output. However, the short frost-free period and low-temperature environment severely constrain yield improvement. This study systematically reviews the genetic basis and breeding practices of soybean variety improvement in this region, with a focus on the molecular mechanisms underlying growth period regulation. The soybean varieties in this region belong to the early-maturity to super-early-maturity groups of northern spring soybeans, with maturity group ranges of MG0000-MG0. From 2004 to 2024, a total of 609 soybean varieties were approved in this region, including 15 high-yield varieties such as Heihe 43 and Henong 95, each achieving annual planting areas exceeding approximately 33 333.3 hectares, whose development and industrial application have significantly boosted the region's soybean production capacity. Molecular mechanism studies on latitudinal adaptation revealed that during the northward expansion of soybeans, loss-of-function variations in genes such as E1-E4 and GmPRR3a/3b reduced photoperiod sensitivity, forming a photothermal response network centered on E3/E4-GmPRR3a/3b-LHY/CCA1-E1s-Tof5-FT, which elucidates the molecular genetic basis of high-latitude adaptation. While conventional breeding techniques have achieved some breakthroughs, the mission to enhance domestic soybean productivity by improving varieties' high-latitude adaptability remains formidable. To address this, the study proposes integrating modern breeding technologies—such as CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and genomic selection (GS)—to optimize key loci governing photoperiod and temperature responses. Additionally, establishing genotype-phenotype-environment interaction models will enhance germplasm utilization strategies. These approaches will facilitate the pyramiding of early-maturing superior haplotypes and precise improvement of photothermal adaptation. The resulting broadly adaptive varieties will support soybean production expansion in northern Northeast China, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and Eurasian high-latitude regions, thereby advancing sustainable soybean industry development in high-latitude areas.

As one of the most important oil, food and feed crop worldwide, soybean is the main source of vegetable oils and proteins for human beings. Soybean viral diseases are widely distributed in soybean-producing areas all over the world, which seriously affect yield and quality of soybean. At present, there is no effective chemical agent for controlling them. Viral infectious clone is a powerful tool for reverse genetic research on viral gene function and mechanisms of interaction between virus and plant, and it can be modified to virus-mediated overexpression (VOX) vector or virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) vector for rapid analysis of plant gene function. In this paper, we summarized research progresses of construction of viral infectious clone and its application in VOX and VIGS for 6 soybean viruses including Soybean mosaic virus (SMV), Bean pod mottle virus (BPMV), Apple latent spherical virus (ALSV), Tobacco rattle virus (TRV), Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) and Cowpea severe mosaic virus (CPSMV), in order to provide reference for research.

Targeting 3 major abiotic stresses: soil salinization, drought, and waterlogging, which currently affect soybean production, this study aimed to comprehensively evaluate drought tolerance, saline-alkali tolerance, and waterlogging tolerance of 20 soybean varieties with certain application areas or potential, and to screen out soybean varieties with strong comprehensive stress resistance, in order to provide a reference for soybean stress-resistant production and stress-resistant breeding. The experiment was conducted in a rain shelter using a pot-culture method, with the 20 soybean varieties planted separately in black calcareous soil (pH 7.93, EC 20.3 μs·cm^-1) and saline-alkali soil (pH 8.95, EC 73.4 μs·cm^-1). Principal component analysis and fuzzy mathematics membership function methods were used to comprehensively evaluate the drought tolerance, saline-alkali tolerance, and waterlogging tolerance of the varieties. Cluster analysis was performed to screen out soybean varieties with strong comprehensive stress resistance. The results demonstrated that 6 sybean varieties exhibited exceptional adaptability under diverse stress conditions, among them, Henong 165 and Henong 144 exhibited Grade 1 drought resistance and grade 3 salt-and-alkali tolerance, rendering them suitable for cultivation areas prone to light salt and alkali as well as drought. Heike 88 and Keshan No.1 exhibited Grade 1 waterlogging tolerance and Grade 3 saline-alkali tolerance, suitable for planting areas with mild salinization, frequent waterlogging, or low-lying terrain. Shengdou 15 exhibited Grade 2 drought tolerance, Grade 3 saline-alkali tolerance, and Grade 3 waterlogging tolerance, suitable for planting areas with moderate drought, mild salinization, and mild waterlogging or low-lying terrain. Jinshan No.3 exhibited Grade 2 waterlogging tolerance, Grade 3 drought tolerance, and Grade 3 saline-alkali tolerance, suitable for planting areas with moderate waterlogging, mild drought, and mild salinization.

Phytosterols, as lipid concomitant in oil crops, have physiological functions as lowering cholesterol, anticancer and antioxidant. Phytosterols content in vegetable oil changes with the processing of oil crops, result in varied oil quality and application value. It is significant to study the effect of oil crops processing methods on content and distribution of phytosterols in vegetable oil. In this paper, we systematically analyzed and summarized the latest research on methods for analyzing phytosterols, and discussing the effects of processing on distribution of phytosterols in vegetable oil. It was expected to provide scientific basis for the high-value processing of oil crops and the effective analysis of phytosterols.

To thoroughly examine the current status and challenges of peanut variety registration and application in China, and to support the breeding, registration, and promotion of peanut varieties, this paper provides a systematic analysis of the quantity, quality, resistance, and particularly the promotion and application of registered peanut varieties since the implementation of the non-main crops variety registration system in 2017. The results indicate that from 2017 to 2023, China has had an ample number of registered peanut varieties. The registration of these varieties is primarily led by research institutions, with varieties from major production regions dominating the registry, the Virginia and Spanish botanical types are predominant. Moreover, the number and proportion of high-quality varieties have been continuously increasing. In terms of the promotion and application of varieties, the currently leading varieties in production are mostly those that were previously released and have been re-registered. The newly developed and registered varieties are being accelerated in their promotion, and the primary regions for large-scale cultivation varieties highly coincide with the provinces where the breeding institutions are located. At present, there are still some prominent problems in the registration and promotion of varieties: Firstly, among the registered varieties, there are few specialized types suitable for fresh consumption or special processing purposes such as peanut butter production, and there is a lack of varieties suitable for mechanized production, resistant to soil-borne diseases, tolerant to saline-alkali conditions, and cold-resistant. Secondly, from the perspective of variety registration management, the application materials for some variety registrations are not standardized, and there is insufficient follow-up evaluation and supervision after registration. Thirdly, there are not many varieties with wide adaptability that can be promoted cross provincial borders. To address these issues, the following recommendations are proposed: Firstly, intensify innovation and research on peanut breeding for important traits, such as multi-resistant, suitable for mechanization, salt alkali resistant, cold resistant and other specialized varieties. Secondly, include the descriptions of important traits such as resistance to stem rot disease and pod rot disease, as well as specialized utilization when registering varieties. Thirdly, strengthen the linkage between the variety registration system and the variety protection system to enhance the protection of intellectual property rights in the seed industry. Finally, increase the promotion of excellent varieties, facilitate the widespread application of breakthrough superior varieties across the country, and contribute to increase yield and efficiency.

The biosynthesis of plant lipids is a complex, multilayered regulatory process that involves a variety of transcription factors, signaling molecules, and their interaction networks. With the rapid advancement of genomics, transcriptomics, and functional genomics technologies, significant progress has been made in elucidating the transcriptional regulation mechanisms underlying plant lipid biosynthesis. This review summarizes the most recent research on the key transcription factors and their regulatory networks in lipid biosynthesis, with a particular focus on the regulatory mechanisms of transcription factors such as WRI1 and LAFL network, as well as their interactions with other signaling pathways. Furthermore, the review highlights the latest advancements in metabolic engineering strategies aimed at enhancing plant lipid yields through transcription factor modulation. It also discusses the potential applications and strategies for utilizing transcription factor regulatory networks in molecular breeding, offering both theoretical insights and practical guidance for genetic engineering improvements and crop breeding in plant lipid biosynthesis.

As the world's largest peanut-producing country, the peanut industry in China assumes significant strategic importance in guaranteeing national grain and oil security, facilitating farmers' income growth, and propelling rural revitalization. In recent years, under the guidance of the national agricultural science and technology innovation strategy, peanut breeding and cultivation techniques have been continuously refined, resulting in a steady enhancement of yield and quality. This has gradually contributed to the establishment of major production areas, including the Huang-Huai-Hai region, Northeast China, the Yangtze River Basin, and South China. Nevertheless, the industry still confronts challenges such as uneven regional development in mechanization, weak linkages among various segments of the industrial chain, and a low proportion of deeply processed products. The No. 1 central document of 2025 explicitly put forward for the first time the initiative to "tap the potential of expanding peanut planting," thus charting a course for the industry's high-quality development. This article comprehensively summarizes the current development status of China’s peanut industry through in-depth investigation and systematic data analysis. It thoroughly analyzes the constraints faced by the industry and proposes countermeasures and suggestions to promote high-quality development. Research indicates that by fully stimulating market demand potential, optimizing regional layouts, enhancing technological innovation capabilities and coordinating the entire industry chain, and increasing policy support, China’s peanut planting area is expected to expand from the current 72 million mu to 87-90 million mu by 2035. Moving forward, China’s peanut industry aims to steadily advance along a sustainable development path characterized by “technology enhancing quality, quality forging brands, and brands driving the industry,” ultimately achieving comprehensive industrial upgrading and high-quality development.

Ralstonia solanacearum utilizes its type III secretion system to inject effector proteins into host cells, inhibiting the host's immune response or disrupting normal cellular functions, thereby causing disease. Previous studies have demonstrated that overexpressing the RipTAL gene in Nicotiana benthamiana, an effector from peanut Ralstonia solanacearum, significantly enhanced the resistance level to R. solanacearum. To further investigate the interaction mechanism between peanut and R. solanacearum mediated by the RipTAL effector protein, a normalized library of peanut root tissues induced by R. solanacearum was constructed. The candidate host target proteins interacted with RipTAL were screened using yeast two-hybrid technology. Functional annotation showed that these genes mainly involved post-translational modification, translation, ribosome structure, and biogenesis, amino acid transport and metabolism. the expression of these genes in resistant and susceptible peanut varieties induced by Phytophthora infestans, and the expression characteristics of these genes induced by different exogenous hormones. The expression patterns of these genes in different tissues and organs were elucidated based on RNA-seq analysis. Additionally, their expression level induced by R. solanacearum in resistant and susceptible peanut varieties, as well as induced by different exogenous hormones, were also investigated. Two candidate interacting proteins NPR5 and TIFY 10b, were identified using one-to-one yeast two-hybrid verification, and both of them were found to interact with RipTAL..

Commercialization of bio-breeding soybean is regarded as an important strategy to increase domestic soybean production and guarantee national food security. Based on the information obtained from survey in parts of pilot areas, we analyzed the necessity of commercialization of bio-breeding soybean in China, and put forward the existing problems, which including the insufficient of cost-benefit advantage, and the adaptability of varieties needs to be enhanced. We suggest that government strengthen the publicity of bio-breeding technology, promote breeding of high-yield and high-oil soybean varieties, and improve the support policy for bio-breeding soybean industry, in order to accelerate the commercialization of bio-breeding soybean on the basis of guaranteeing a stable supply of conventional soybeans.

Walnuts are rich in oils, proteins, and various trace nutrient active components, and their processed products are widely used in food, feed, and other fields. Developing walnut processing technology is of great significance in promoting the progress of the walnut industry, improving product quality, and reducing walnut production costs. This article mainly provides an overview of the nutritional components of walnuts, walnut pretreatment techniques (baking, frying, microwave), oil extraction techniques (low-temperature pressing, hydration, organic solvent extraction, supercritical CO₂ fluid extraction, subcritical extraction, ultrasound assisted extraction, enzyme assisted extraction), walnut protein (alkaline acid precipitation, ultrasound assisted extraction, reverse micelle extraction), and walnut peptide preparation techniques (enzymatic preparation, fermentation preparation). The characteristics of these techniques are analyzed and discussed, aiming to provide references for development of green and efficient walnut processing technologies.

To comprehensively analyze transcription factor regulatory network during peanut seeds development, this study first measured phenotypic data of seeds and pods at 3 different developmental stages (5 d, 25 d, and 45 d) after fruit needle entered to soil. Subsequently, transcriptome sequencing was performed for gene expression analysis, identifying a total of 71 044 expressed genes, of which 5198 were newly identified transcripts. The study identified 5159 (25 vs 5), 7714 (45 vs 5), and 1712 (45 vs 25) differentially expressed genes at the 3 different developmental stages. Differential genes were studied by analyzing their involvements on biological metabolic pathways. Results showed that the most metabolic pathways focused on 25 d-seeds after fruit needle entering the soil. When 45 d after needle entering, the number of metabolic pathways decreased, but oil synthesis was becoming dominant. Based on differential gene profile, 544 transcription factors were screened, and a transcriptional regulatory network was constructed, which was mainly involved in important pathways related to seed development, such as plant hormone signal transduction, circadian rhythm regulation, and MAPK signaling pathways. Further research showed that 18 transcription factors were specifically highly expressed in seeds, and were positively correlated with developmental rate of the seeds in terms of oil accumulation-related transcription factors family ABI, NFYB, and WRI, which were verified by qPCR.

Off-target effects of CRISPR/Cas9 system have long been an important issue that concerns researchers. Off-target editing might be reduced among regenerated edited plants when Cas9 is driven by a callus-specific promoter. For effective reduction, we cloned a rice callus-specific promoter P _OsCSPpro and investigated its expression activity and base editing efficiency in peanut callus. GUS histochemical staining revealed that P _OsCSPpro was active in peanut callus. The 190th amino acid P190 encoded by AhALS2 was chosen as the target site and a base editor with its cytosine deaminase and nCas9 driven by P _OsCSPpro was constructed. The base editor was transformed into peanut to determine the editing efficiency. Result showed that P _{OsCSPpro drove cytosine base editor and achieved 3.6% editing efficiency in peanut.}

Perilla seed is one of the characteristic oil-bearing crops in China. Its oilcake protein content after oil extraction could reach up to 45%. Perilla seed protein is rich in amino acids and suitable for human absorption. Its true digestibility reaches 94.2%, which shows great potential as a high-quality natural protein. However, perilla seed protein resources are often ignored, only used for low-value animal feed, fertilizer or directly discarded. Its potential value has not been fully utillized. In order to improve the utilization efficiency of perilla seed protein, we reviewed perilla composition, structure, and nutritional value. We summarized the extraction methods and functional properties of perilla seed protein, as well as optimization of its functional properties through modification. In addition, we also explored various applications of perilla seed protein in food, aiming to provide references for further development and research.

To tap the high-value utilization potential oilseed protein in food industry, 3 special oilseeds were studied. The oilseeds, including perilla (two types as perilla and white perilla), sesame and flaxseed, were extracted by alkaline extraction-isoelectric point precipitation. The protein composition, nutritional value, and functional properties were analyzed and investigated. Results revealed that the composition and distribution of subunit with regard to 3 special oilseed proteins were different. Perilla protein content was the highest (~84%). The analysis of amino acid composition demonstrated that 3 oilseed proteins had the highest content of glutamic acid, and were rich in phenylalanine and leucine. Among them, flaxseed protein possessed the highest essential amino acid index and biological value. Their isoelectric points were between 4 to 5. At pH 7, solubility of both perilla seed protein and sesame protein was the highest (~50%), emulsifying activity index of white perilla seed protein was the highest (~13 m²/g), emulsifying stability index of sesame protein was the highest (~68 min), and foaming stability of flaxseed protein was the highest (~82%). In conclusion, the composition and physicochemical properties of the 3 characteristic oilseed proteins differed, and all of them have high nutritional value.

CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats /CRISPR-associated protein 9) genome editing technology has been widely applied in various plants. However, conventional method of target site detection is often a tedious, time-consuming, and costly process. Developing simpler and high-throughput methods could significantly enhance the efficiency of target site detection. In this experiment, we used the southern soybean variety Tianlong 1 as the experimental material and developed a rapid leaf DNA extraction method termed "Water-Grinding Method", which significantly shortened the time required for DNA extraction and detection. Notably, the DNA extracted using this method remained stable for up to 20 days. Furthermore, we conducted a study to analyse the stability of DNA when the extraction solution was replaced with TE buffer and subjected to boiling conditions. The results indicated that DNA samples stored at 4°C or -20°C remained stable for 45 days after boiling for 1, 3, 5, and 10 minutes, respectively. Subsequently, we performed capillary electrophoresis on PCR products of the target sequences from the test materials. By comparing the results with those from control materials, we were able to observe any differences in base sequences, which allowed us to determine whether gene editing had occurred in the test materials and identify the possible types of edits. By combining rapid plant leaf DNA extraction method with capillary electrophoresis technology, this study presents a more efficient and high-throughput approach for screening mutations and their types in soybean materials. This integrated methodology is expected to provide valuable technical support for the functional analysis of important trait genes in soybeans.

Asian soybean rust, caused by the pathogen Phakopsora pachyrhizi, represents a significant threat to global soybean production. Consequently, there is an urgent imperative to develop rust-resistant soybean cultivars to enhance control strategies, particularly in light of the increased production costs and environmental pollution associated with the reliance on chemical spraying as the primary control method. To date, eight rust resistance loci (Rpp1, Rpp2, Rpp3, Rpp4, Rpp5, Rpp6, Rpp7, and Rpp6907) have been identified. Ongoing research is focused on the cloning and elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying these resistance genes in soybean. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of recent advancements in identification and characterization of soybean rust resistance genes. We summarize current research on localization and functional analysis of these genes, examine their primary functions, and underlying molecular mechanisms. Additionally, we discuss potential applications of these findings in the context of breeding for rust resistance, aiming to offer valuable insights for future research and cultivar development in this field.

For large scale in vitro purification of highly active mGmEPFL6a (MATURE EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTOR LIKE6a) protein, we optimized prokaryotic expression conditions for the protein. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect homologous gene GmEPFL6 expressions under shade treatment. GmEPFL6a, with the highest shade response degree, its mature parts mGmEPFL6a was selected to construct prokaryotic expression vector pCold-mGmEPFL6a, which was then transformed into BL21(DE3) expression strain. Induction expression was carried out using isopropyl β-D-thiogalactoside (IPTG), and then expression level of target protein was analyzed using enzyme marker, SDS-PAGE, and Western blot. The optimal expression conditions were determined through single-factor and orthogonal experiments. Real-time fluorescence quantitative results showed that GmEPFL6a highly responded to shade in hypocotyl and petioles. Its response level varied with different light qualities. The optimal expression conditions for the recombinant protein were as follows: 0.5 mmol·L^-1 IPTG inducer, incubation at 28°C, 120 r/min for 24 h. Order of influence factors was in induction temperature > induction time > IPTG concentration. The above results were expected to provide basis on mGmEPFL6 function on shade avoidance response mechanism of soybean.

Brassica napus (L.) is an dominant crop for improving and utilizing saline alkali land. To explore the salt tolerant functional genes and germplasm of rapeseed, in this study, we treated 350 rapeseed accession populations with salt stress during the germination stages, and recorded the germination force, germination rate, root length ratio, hypocotyl length ratio, and fresh weight ratio under salt stress. Genome wide association study was performed by combining SNP markers based on whole genome resequencing. A total of 128 significantly associated SNPs were obtained and located in 43 candidate intervals. Among them, 6 candidate intervals contain more than 5 SNPs, distributed on chromosomes A01, A02, A09, and C08, which are the key candidate intervals in this study. Subsequently, combined with salt stress transcriptome data and gene annotation, preliminary analysis was conducted on the key genes involved in the key candidate intervals. Based on various salt tolerance indicators, 5 salt tolerant and 5 salt sensitive germplasm resources were screened. In conclusion, this study established a complete salt tolerance evaluation system for rapeseed germination stages. Through GWAS analysis, candidate regions closely related to salt tolerance in rapeseed were identified, and rapeseed germplasm resources with extreme salt tolerance and sensitivity were screened. This study provides a reference for the exploration of salt tolerance functional genes and germplasm identification in rapeseed.

The development of non-destructive testing technology for soybean seed vigor holds significant practical important in ensuring the quality of soybean seeds and enhancing the production capacity. In this study, near-infrared spectroscopy of 43 soybean varieties was collected and used to construct the prediction models for five seed vigor parameters, i.e., germination rate, germination index, normal seedling rate, germination energy and shoot length in soybean. Multiple spectral pretreatment methods and different modelling methods such as multiple linear regression, partial least squares regression, support vector machine regression, XGBoost and BP neural network were applied to construct prediction models. The results showed that independent modelling of dark- and light-colored seed coat soybeans could improve the effectiveness of the models, preprocessing of NIR spectra and selecting of spectral variables could improve the model prediction ability, and the prediction models constructed on the basis of XGBoost and BP neural network performed optimally. The R² of the optimal prediction model in training set for germination rate, germination index, shoot length and normal seedling rate of light-colored seed coat soybeans was 0.93-0.96, and the corresponding R² in validation set^{was above 0.80. The R2 of the optimal prediction model for germination potential of light-colored seed coat soybeans reached above 0.91 in both training set and validation set. The R2 of the optimal prediction model for normal seedling rate and germination rate of dark seed coat soybean was 0.96 and 0.94 in training set, while the R2 was 0.79 and 0.82 in validation set, respectively. The R2 of the prediction model for germination potential, germination index, and shoot length of dark seed coat soybean were all above 0.90 in both training set and validation set. The prediction models for seed vigour traits constructed in this study showed high generalisation ability and accuracy, providing a scientific foundation for the non-destructive prediction of soybean seed vigour. This methodology might offer promising applications for optimizing sowing quality and ultimately improving crop yield.}