Genetius

The study reports the first field evidence that elite spring wheat carrying the Lr#N short arm from Leymus racemosus exhibits biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) in alkaline soils (pH 8.6‑8.7), resulting in 24‑77% lower soil nitrate and reduced nitrification rates after ammonium fertilization. While the translocation line showed delayed anthesis and variable grain yields, protein content and grain nitrogen uptake remained comparable to controls, highlighting the environmental potential of BNI wheat in non‑acidic systems.

The study used a yeast two-hybrid screen to identify 52 wheat proteins that interact with the inositol pyrophosphate kinase TaVIH2-3B, highlighting the fasciclin‑like arabinogalactan protein TaFLA7 as a key partner involved in cell‑wall functions. Pulldown assays and reporter fusion analyses confirmed the interaction and plasma‑membrane localization of TaFLA7, which is modulated by TaVIH2‑3B activity and shows drought‑responsive and grain‑development expression in wheat.

The study reveals that polyploidization in wheat leads to a suite of root anatomical changes—including larger cortical cells, expanded metaxylem vessels, and blunter root tips—that together enhance nutrient use efficiency and hydraulic conductivity but reduce soil penetration in compacted soils. These traits likely facilitated wheat’s adaptation to nutrient‑poor, irrigated Neolithic agroecosystems.

The study investigated whether wheat homoeologs exhibit active transcriptional compensation following premature termination codon (PTC) mutations. Analysis of mutagenised wheat lines revealed that only about 3% of cases showed homoeologous upregulation, indicating that widespread transcriptional compensation among wheat homoeologs is unlikely.

The study examined how the emerging 15ADON/3ANX chemotype of Fusarium graminearum alters protein expression in both wheat and the fungus, identifying core wheat proteins linked to defense, development, and photosynthesis, as well as chemotype‑specific proteins in each organism. Notably, wheat showed reduced mycotoxin‑protective mechanisms and the fungus displayed increased virulence‑related and ergosterol‑biosynthesis proteins in response to the 3ANX toxins.

The study identified and characterized six wheat HRZ homoeologs (TaHRZ1 and TaHRZ2) that are root‑specific and iron‑responsive, showing functional conservation by rescuing the Arabidopsis bts-1 mutant phenotype. CRISPR‑Cas9 editing of the HHE3 domain in TaHRZ1, combined with GRF4‑GIF1, increased iron accumulation in wheat grain tissues and altered expression of key iron‑regulation genes, highlighting TaHRZ1 as a promising target for wheat biofortification.

The study evaluated the impact of wheat cultivar mixtures on grain and flour quality across eight Swiss cultivars and multiple environments, finding that mixtures generally reduced most flour quality parameters but did not stem from changes in cultivar proportions. Importantly, the mixtures enhanced the stability of flour quality by buffering against variable weather conditions.

Flavonol accumulation regulated by the wheat bHLH transcription factor TaPGS1 increases grain size by disrupting auxin polar transport, causing localized auxin buildup, delayed endosperm cellularization, and a higher endosperm cell number. Metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses of TaPGS1‑overexpressing wheat lines reveal up‑regulation of flavonol biosynthetic genes, linking flavonol‑mediated auxin distribution to seed size control.

The study evaluated how alginate oligosaccharide (AOS) chain length (degree of polymerization, DP) influences seven phytohormones in wheat seedlings challenged with Botrytis cinerea. Results showed DP‑dependent modulation, with mid‑range oligomers (DP 4‑6) maximally increasing defense‑related hormones (JA, SA, ABA, CTK) and longer oligomers (DP 7) strongly suppressing ethylene. These findings suggest that selecting specific AOS fractions can enhance disease resistance and growth in wheat.

The study presents SpikePheno, a deep‑learning pipeline that accurately segments wheat spikes (mIoU = 0.948) and counts spikelets (R² = 0.9923), extracting 45 detailed phenotypes from 221 cultivars. Correlation analyses reveal that precise measurements of spike area and spikelet area are strongly linked to thousand‑grain weight and overall yield, and hierarchical clustering defines six spike morphology classes with distinct yield impacts. The work highlights temporal and regional shifts toward larger‑spike cultivars, offering valuable tools for wheat breeding.