Efficient Protocol for Doubled Haploid Production in Rye (Secale cereale L.).

How do media compositions, pretreatments, and genotypes affect haploidization in sweet watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus) ovary culture?

Currently, consumer demands are rapidly and continuously evolving, which accelerates the development and release of new cultivars. This dynamic process necessitates the integration of biotechnological approaches that can shorten the duration of plant breeding programs. Among these, the doubled haploid (DH) technique, which enables the rapid production of completely homozygous lines in F1 hybrid breeding programs, has been widely and successfully applied in many plant species. Unfertilized ovary culture is one such method and represents a prominent approach for haploid plant production, particularly in the Cucurbitaceae family. However, reports on its successful application in watermelon remain limited. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the effects of culture media composition, pretreatments, and genotype on haploid plant production via ovary culture in watermelon. Although gynogenic embryos and in vitro plantlets were successfully obtained from all tested cultivars, the frequency of haploid induction was influenced by the composition of the culture media, pretreatment conditions, and genotype. The highest haploid induction frequency was achieved using culture media supplemented with a GPT mixture (500 mg L⁻¹ L-glutamine, 250 mg L⁻¹ L-proline, and 0.5 mg L⁻¹ thiamine). Among the tested media, M8 (MS + GPT + 1 mg/l 2,4-D + 1 mg/L BAP + 7 g/L Agar + 30 g/L sucrose + pH:5.8) was identified as the most effective, as it supported haploid plant production across all cultivars. Ploidy analysis of 94 regenerated plants revealed that 82 were haploid (n = 11), 9 were diploid (2n = 22), and 3 were mixoploid (n + 2n). Among the cultivars, Pastel F1 produced the highest number of haploid plants (52), followed by Paskal F1 (14), Crimson Sweet (10), and Crimson Tide F1 (6).

Isolated Microspore Cultures of Triticale (× Triticosecale Wittm.).

Wheatgrass (Triticum aestivum L.): The microgreen powerhouse shaping the future of superfoods

Wheatgrass (Triticum aestivum L.), the young shoot of common wheat, has attracted increased interest as a functional microgreen due to its rich phytochemical profile and reported nutritional and bio functional properties. This review summarises cultivation practices, biochemical composition and reported medicinal attributes of wheatgrass. Wheatgrass is a concentrated source of chlorophyll, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, essential amino acids, vitamins (A, C, E and B-complex) and enzymatic antioxidants such as catalase and superoxide dismutase. Among the many pharmacological effects these bioactive elements support is antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, anti-diabetic, antibacterial, detoxifying and may exhibit anticancer effects, as suggested by preliminary experimental studies actions. Cultivation approaches such as hydroponics and soil-based systems enable sustainable production of wheatgrass biomass including in urban and space-limited environments. Under optimised light and substrate conditions, elevated chlorophyll and phenolic levels enhance its potential nutritional and functional relevance. Findings from several in vitro and animal-based studies suggest potential applicability of wheatgrass in nutraceutical development. Its more general use depends on further standardising growth conditions, phytochemical extraction techniques and clinical confirmation. This review aims to highlight the botanical significance of wheatgrass as a sustainable microgreen and its potential role in nutrition-focused food system.

Harnessing heterosis in Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. & Coss.: Challenges in commercial hybrid production and future strategies

India relies on imports to meet nearly 70 % of its edible oil demand, underscoring an urgent need to improve domestic oilseed productivity. Rapeseed-mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. & Cosson), the second-largest oilseed crop in India, has experienced a yield plateau due to the exhaustion of genetic variability in conventionally bred varieties. Heterosis breeding through hybrid development offers the most promising strategy to break this stagnation, yet commercialisation remains critically dependent on efficient pollination control systems, primarily cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS). A key challenge is the “biological penalty” imposed during CMS background conversion, wherein the combining ability and heterotic potential of superior genotypes may not remain intact, necessitating rigorous re-evaluation of converted lines. Public-sector brassica hybrids have largely failed to exceed the commercial heterosis threshold of 25–35 %. This review examines the fundamental requirements for hybrid development, the historical progression of breeding systems and the current status of major CMS systems (Ogura, Moricandia, Tournefortii and others) deployed in India, along with the challenges hindering adoption. The regulatory approval of the genetically engineered hybrid DMH-11-utilising the Barnase-Barstar system marks a significant milestone, offering stable and precise pollination control independent of alien cytoplasm constraints with a demonstrated 28–37 % yield advantage. Future strategies must focus on broadening the genetic base through alien introgression, developing defined heterotic pools and integrating genomic selection, gene editing and marker-assisted selection (MAS) with conventional breeding to achieve self-sufficiency in edible oil production.  

Biostimulant Extracts from Tetradesmus obliquus Cultivated in Rice Parboiling Effluent Improve Rice Germination and Generate PUFA-rich Residues in a Circular Biorefinery Strategy

Findings demonstrate that T. obliquus cultivated in AIE preserves bioactive functionality and supports circular biorefinery strategies integrating wastewater remediation, agricultural biostimulant production, and lipid valorization for potential aquaculture applications.

Metabolic analysis of two wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars in response to Russian wheat aphid (Diuraphis noxia Kurdjumov) infestation

Wheat is one of the most widely consumed cereal grains globally and plays a critical role in food security. As a staple crop in many households, it provides essential nutrients and contributes significantly to daily caloric intake. Although wheat is attacked by multiple pests, the Russian wheat aphid (RWA), Diuraphis noxia, remains one of the most damaging, causing considerable yield losses. While resistance breeding has long been the preferred control strategy, newly emerging RWA biotypes have increasingly overcome previously effective resistance genes. This highlights the need for alternative approaches, with metabolomics emerging as a valuable tool for identifying metabolic biomarkers that can support faster and more effective resistance breeding. This study, therefore, aimed to investigate the effect of the South African Russian wheat aphid biotype 5 (RWASA5) on the metabolic profiles of two wheat cultivars, Tugela and Tugela DN. The cultivars were infested with RWASA5 and harvested at 0, 4, 8, 24, and 48 h post-infestation, followed by untargeted liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) profiling. A total of 19 metabolites were identified, of which 12 were upregulated and 7 were downregulated. Phenolic compounds were the dominant class, with secoisolariciresinol diglucoside showing a significant increase in Tugela DN following RWASA5 infestation. Flavonoids formed the most abundant phenolic subgroup. Enriched pathways included glycerophospholipid, linolenic acid, and arachidonic acid metabolism. These findings indicate that RWA infestation triggers distinct metabolic shifts in wheat and provide insights into wheat–RWA interactions for crop improvement.