The Growth-Regulating Factor (GRF) family and their co-activators, GRF-Interacting Factors (GIFs), are key players in the trade-off between plant development and stress adaptation, functioning as canonical targets of the highly conserved miR396 family, which mediates responses to environmental stressors including high temperatures and water deficits. The “starlet” phenomenon in the allotetraploid Coffea arabica L. is a developmental disorder that results in malformed flowers, frequently associated with environmental stress and floral sterility. Since their underlying molecular mechanisms remain uncharacterized, we performed a genome-wide identification of the CaGRF and CaGIF families and quantified their transcriptional profiles in shoot apical meristems (SAMs) and across multiple stages of floral bud development. Our findings reveal significant differential expression of the GRF-GIF module between typical and starlet tissues throughout development, including the SAM. Intriguingly, these results do not correlate with the levels of a representative member of the miR396 family, indicating that the GRF-GIF expression shifts in starlet-flowers may be uncoupled from miR396 levels. This work provides the first molecular insights into the enigmatic starlet phenomenon in Coffea arabica L., addressing an understudied aspect of coffee reproductive development and its implications for the reproductive stability (and productivity) of this important tropical crop species.
Gabriel de Campos Rume, R. R. de Oliveira, Isabel Marques et al.· International Journal of Mol...· 0 citations
Micronutrient deficiencies, collectively known as hidden hunger, affect more than two billion people worldwide and remain a major challenge for sustainable agriculture, global food security and human nutrition. Crop biofortification has emerged as a sustainable agricultural strategy to enhance the concentration and bioavailability of essential micronutrients in edible plant tissues while reducing reliance on post-harvest fortification and dietary supplementation. This review provides an integrated analysis of the soil, plant physiological, agronomic and molecular processes governing biofortification efficiency in agricultural systems. Particular emphasis is placed on how soil formation, mineralogy, nutrient speciation, organic matter and rhizosphere interactions regulate micronutrient availability, root uptake, translocation and accumulation in crops. The review further examines plant physiological mechanisms involved in nutrient acquisition and partitioning, together with the contribution of beneficial microorganisms, precision agriculture and digital technologies to improving nutrient-use efficiency under diverse agricultural conditions. Conventional breeding, agronomic biofortification, transgenic approaches and genome-editing technologies are critically evaluated as complementary strategies for developing nutrient-enriched and climate-resilient crop varieties. Particular attention is also given to nutrient bioavailability, post-harvest stability and consumer acceptance, which ultimately determine the nutritional effectiveness of biofortified crops. Furthermore, the review discusses how climate change modifies soil properties, plant physiology and crop productivity, thereby influencing micronutrient availability, nutrient accumulation and the long-term effectiveness of biofortification programmes. By integrating advances in soil science, plant physiology, agronomy and molecular biology, this review identifies current challenges, knowledge gaps and future research priorities for developing resilient biofortification strategies capable of supporting sustainable agricultural systems and improving global nutritional security.
C. Pessoa, D. Daccak, I. Luís et al.· The Scientist· 0 citations
