A study on nickel application methods for optimizing soybean growth.

Fertilization with nickel (Ni) can positively affect plant development due to the role of this micronutrient in nitrogen (N) metabolism, namely, through urease and NiFe-hydrogenase. Although the application of Ni is an emerging practice in modern agriculture, its effectiveness strongly depends on the chosen application method, making further research in this area essential. The individual and combined effects of different Ni application methods-seed treatment, leaf spraying and/or soil fertilization-were investigated in soybean plants under different edaphoclimatic conditions (field and greenhouse). Beneficial effects of the Soil, Soil + Leaf and Seed + Leaf treatments were observed, with gains of 7 to 20% in biological nitrogen fixation, 1.5-fold in ureides, 14% in shoot dry weight and yield increases of up to 1161 kg ha-1. All the Ni application methods resulted in a 1.1-fold increase in the SPAD index, a 1.2-fold increase in photosynthesis, a 1.4-fold increase in nitrogenase, and a 3.9-fold increase in urease activity. Edaphoclimatic conditions exerted a significant influence on the treatments. The integrated approaches, namely, leaf application in conjunction with soil or seed fertilization, were more effective for enhancing yield in soybean cultivation systems. The determination of the ideal method is crucial for ensuring optimal absorption and utilization of this micronutrient and thus a feasible and sustainable management technology. Further research is warranted to establish official guidelines for the application of Ni in agricultural practices.

Elucidating the role of exogenous melatonin in mitigating alkaline stress in soybeans across different growth stages: a transcriptomic and metabolomic approach.

BACKGROUND: Soybean (Glycine max), a vital grain and oilseed crop, serves as a primary source of plant protein and oil. Soil salinization poses a significant threat to soybean planting, highlighting the urgency to improve soybean resilience and adaptability to saline stress. Melatonin, recently identified as a key plant growth regulator, plays crucial roles in plant growth, development, and responses to environmental stress. However, the potential of melatonin to mitigate alkali stress in soybeans and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. RESULTS: This study investigated the effects of exogenous melatonin on the soybean cultivar Zhonghuang 13 under alkaline stress. We employed physiological, biochemical, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analyses throughout both vegetative and pod-filling growth stages. Our findings demonstrate that melatonin significantly counteracts the detrimental effects of alkaline stress on soybean plants, promoting plant growth, photosynthesis, and antioxidant capacity. Transcriptomic analysis during both growth stages under alkaline stress, with and without melatonin treatment, identified 2,834 and 549 differentially expressed genes, respectively. These genes may play a vital role in regulating plant adaptation to abiotic stress. Notably, analysis of phytohormone biosynthesis pathways revealed altered expression of key genes, particularly in the ARF (auxin response factor), AUX/IAA (auxin/indole-3-acetic acid), and GH3 (Gretchen Hagen 3) families, during the early stress response. Metabolomic analysis during the pod-filling stage identified highly expressed metabolites responding to melatonin application, such as uteolin-7-O-(2''-O-rhamnosyl)rutinoside and Hederagenin-3-O-glucuronide-28-O-glucosyl(1,2)glucoside, which helped alleviate the damage caused by alkali stress. Furthermore, we identified 183 differentially expressed transcription factors, potentially playing a critical role in regulating plant adaptation to abiotic stress. Among these, the gene SoyZH13_04G073701 is particularly noteworthy as it regulates the key differentially expressed metabolite, the terpene metabolite Hederagenin-3-O-glucuronide-28-O-glucosyl(1,2)glucoside. WGCNA analysis identified this gene (SoyZH13_04G073701) as a hub gene, positively regulating the crucial differentially expressed metabolite of terpenoids, Hederagenin-3-O-glucuronide-28-O-glucosyl(1,2)glucoside. Our findings provide novel insights into how exogenous melatonin alleviates alkali stress in soybeans at different reproductive stages. CONCLUSIONS: Integrating transcriptomic and metabolomic approaches, our study elucidates the mechanisms by which exogenous melatonin ameliorates the inhibitory effects of alkaline stress on soybean growth and development. This occurs through modulation of biosynthesis pathways for key compounds, including terpenes, flavonoids, and phenolics. Our findings provide initial mechanistic insights into how melatonin mitigates alkaline stress in soybeans, offering a foundation for molecular breeding strategies to enhance salt-alkali tolerance in this crop.

Towards food security: Exploring the spatio-temporal dynamics of soybean in India.

India is the world's largest edible oil importer, and soybean oil accounts for a major portion of those imports, with implications for the Indian economy. Despite being the 4th largest globally in terms of harvested soybean area and 5th largest in terms of production, India is still heavily dependent on imports to meet the vegetable oil requirement for its population. It is therefore imperative to understand the dynamics and trends in India's soybean production to help the country achieve self-sufficiency in edible oils. This study provides the first spatially explicit analysis of soybean in India, using long-term spatial and temporal statistics at national and subnational levels, using spatial and temporal statistical analysis models to examine the historical trends and its future prospects. Our analysis details the overall soybean expansion across the country and the increase in production but we also note that the annual growth rate has declined in each consecutive decade even though the area continues to expand. The average national yield has been stagnant at around 1 T/Ha but for some of the low-producing districts, a higher yield of more than 3 T/ha is reported. For most major producing districts, soybean yields are below 1.5 T/Ha. The state of Madhya Pradesh which was the major soybean producer is now matched by the state of Maharashtra in terms of production, however, Madhya Pradesh still has the largest area under soybean. We analyzed soybean hotspot expansion in India and found that the mean center of the soybean area and production has shifted approximately 93 km towards the south and 24 km to the west as the crop is rapidly being adopted in the southern and western parts of India expanding the hotspot in these parts. District-level analysis showed that the total number of districts constituting hotspots of soybean cultivation in India has increased from 29 to 42 in three decades. Furthermore, analysis of soybean oil and meal consumption with respect to the national population, import, export, domestic production, GDP per capita, and price of soybean oil and meal suggests that soybean oil and meal are highly correlated with GDP per capita and population, indicating that consumption of soybean oil and meal is likely to increase as GDP per capita increases, and future demand is expected to rise with the anticipated growth in the Indian population. Increased soybean production can play a significant role in increasing national food security for India and reducing dependence on foreign oil imports and also help the economy with soy meal exports. Understanding the spatiotemporal variability in area and yield will help target interventions to increase production. Given the overall low yields with high variability in production, particularly in recent years primarily due to successive extreme rains and droughts in major producing districts and the overall need to increase production to meet the country's demand, there is a pressing need for government policies and research aimed at narrowing the yield gap and developing soybean varieties that are more productive and resilient to climate change.

Multifractal analysis of maize and soybean DNA.

This paper investigates the complexity of DNA sequences in maize and soybean using the multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MF-DFA) method, chaos game representation (CGR), and the complexity-entropy plane approach. The study aims to understand the patterns and structures of these DNA sequences, which can provide insights into their genetic makeup and improve crop yield and quality. The results show that maize and soybean DNA sequences exhibit fractal properties, indicating a complex and self-organizing structure. We observe the persistence trend between sequences of base pairs, which indicates long-range correlations between base pairs. We also identified the stochastic nature of the DNA sequences of both species.

GmSABP2-1 encodes methyl salicylate esterase and functions in soybean defense against soybean cyst nematode.

KEY MESSAGE: The soybean gene GmSABP2-1 encodes methyl salicylate esterase and its overexpression led to significant reduction in development of pathogenic soybean cyst nematode. Soybean cyst nematode (SCN, Heterodera glycines) is one of the most devastating pests of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.). In searching for SCN-defense genes, a soybean gene of the methylesterase (MES) family was found to be upregulated in an SCN-resistant soybean line and downregulated in an SCN-susceptible line upon SCN infection. This gene was designated as GmSABP2-1. Here, we report on biochemical and overexpression studies of GmSABP2-1 to examine its possible function in SCN resistance. The protein encoded by GmSABP2-1 is closely related to known methyl salicylate esterases. To determine the biochemical function of GmSABP2-1, a full-length cDNA of GmSABP2-1 was cloned into a protein expression vector and expressed in Escherichia coli. The resulting recombinant GmSABP2-1 was demonstrated to catalyze the demethylation of methyl salicylate. The biochemical properties of GmSABP2-1 were determined. Its apparent Km value was 46.2 ± 2.2 µM for methyl salicylate, comparable to those of the known methyl salicylate esterases. To explore the biological significance of GmSABP2-1 in soybean defense against SCN, we first overexpressed GmSABP2-1 in transgenic hairy roots of an SCN-susceptible soybean line. When infected with SCN, GmSABP2-1-overexpressing hairy roots showed 84.5% reduction in the development of SCN beyond J2 stage. To provide further genetic evidence for the role of GmSABP2-1 in SCN resistance, stable transgenic soybean plants overexpressing GmSABP2-1 were produced. Analysis of the GmSABP2-1-overexpressing lines showed a significant reduction in SCN development compared to non-transgenic plants. In conclusion, we demonstrated that GmSABP2-1 encodes methyl salicylate esterase and functions as a resistance-related gene against SCN.

Identification of Quantitative Trait Loci Controlling Root Morphological Traits in an Interspecific Soybean Population Using 2D Imagery Data.

Roots are the hidden and most important part of plants. They serve as stabilizers and channels for uptaking water and nutrients and play a crucial role in the growth and development of plants. Here, two-dimensional image data were used to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling root traits in an interspecific mapping population derived from a cross between wild soybean 'PI366121' and cultivar 'Williams 82'. A total of 2830 single-nucleotide polymorphisms were used for genotyping, constructing genetic linkage maps, and analyzing QTLs. Forty-two QTLs were identified on twelve chromosomes, twelve of which were identified as major QTLs, with a phenotypic variation range of 36.12% to 39.11% and a logarithm of odds value range of 12.01 to 17.35. Two significant QTL regions for the average diameter, root volume, and link average diameter root traits were detected on chromosomes 3 and 13, and both wild and cultivated soybeans contributed positive alleles. Six candidate genes, Glyma.03G027500 (transketolase/glycoaldehyde transferase), Glyma.03G014500 (dehydrogenases), Glyma.13G341500 (leucine-rich repeat receptor-like protein kinase), Glyma.13G341400 (AGC kinase family protein), Glyma.13G331900 (60S ribosomal protein), and Glyma.13G333100 (aquaporin transporter) showed higher expression in root tissues based on publicly available transcriptome data. These results will help breeders improve soybean genetic components and enhance soybean root morphological traits using desirable alleles from wild soybeans.

Novel strategy to raise the content of aglycone isoflavones in soymilk and gel: Effect of germination on the physicochemical properties.

Germination holds the key to nutritional equilibrium in plant grains. In this study, the effect of soybean germination on the processing of soymilk (SM) and glucono-δ-lactone (GDL) induced soymilk gel (SG) was investigated. Germination promoted soybean sprout (SS) growth by activating the energy metabolism system. The energy metabolism was high during the three-day germination and was the most vigorous on the second day of germination. After germination, protein dissolution was improved in SM, and endogenous enzymes produced small molecule proteins. Small molecule proteins were more likely to aggregate to produce SM protein particles. Germination increased the water-holding capacity of SG induced by GDL but weakened the strength. Furthermore, the dynamic fluctuations in isoflavone content were closely monitored throughout the processing of soybean products, including SS, SM, and SG. Although the total amount of isoflavones in SM and SG processed from germinated soybeans decreased, a significant enrichment in the content of aglycone isoflavones was observed. The content of aglycone isoflavones in SG processed from germinated soybeans on the second day of germination was 736.17 ± 28.49 µg/g DW, which was 83.19 % higher than that of the control group. This study demonstrates that germination can enhance the nutritional value of soybean products, providing innovative opportunities for the development of health-promoting soybean-based products.

Characterization of high-internal-phase emulsions based on soy protein isolate with varying concentrations of soy hull polysaccharide and their capabilities for probiotic delivery: In vivo and in vitro release and thermal stability.

In this study, the impact of soy hull polysaccharide (SHP) concentration on high-internal-phase emulsions (HIPEs) formation and the gastrointestinal viability of Lactobacillus plantarum within HIPEs were demonstrated. Following the addition of SHP, competitive adsorption with soy protein isolate (SPI) occurred, leading to increased protein adhesion to the oil-water interface and subsequent coating of oil droplets. This process augmented viscosity and enhanced HIPEs stability. Specifically, 1.8 % SHP had the best encapsulation efficiency and delivery efficiency, reaching 99.3 % and 71.1 %, respectively. After 14 d of continuous zebrafishs feeding, viable counts of Lactobacillus plantarum and complex probiotics in the intestinal tract was 1.1 × 107, 1.3 × 107, respectively. In vitro experiments further proved that HIPEs' ability to significantly enhance probiotics' intestinal colonization and provided targeted release for colon-specific delivery. These results provided a promising strategy for HIPEs-encapsulated probiotic delivery systems in oral food applications.

Non-invasive prediction of maca powder adulteration using a pocket-sized spectrophotometer and machine learning techniques.

Discriminating different cultivars of maca powder (MP) and detecting their authenticity after adulteration with potent adulterants such as maize and soy flour is a challenge that has not been studied with non-invasive techniques such as near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). This study developed models to rapidly classify and predict 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50% w/w of soybean and maize flour in red, black and yellow maca cultivars using a handheld spectrophotometer and chemometrics. Soy and maize adulteration of yellow MP was classified with better accuracy than in red MP, suggesting that red MP may be a more susceptible target for adulteration. Soy flour was discovered to be a more potent adulterant compared to maize flour. Using 18 different pretreatments, MP could be authenticated with R2CV in the range 0.91-0.95, RMSECV 6.81-9.16 g/,100 g and RPD 3.45-4.60. The results show the potential of NIRS for monitoring Maca quality.

Comparative transcriptome analysis between two different cadmium-accumulating genotypes of soybean (Glycine max) in response to cadmium stress.

BACKGROUND: Cadmium (Cd) is extremely toxic and non-essential for plants. Different soybean varieties differ greatly in their Cd accumulation ability, but little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms. RESULTS: Here, we performed transcriptomic analysis using Illumina pair-end sequencing on root tissues from two soybean varieties (su8, high-Cd-accumulating (HAS) and su7, low Cd-accumulating (LAS)) grown with 0 or 50 µM CdSO4. A total of 18.76 million clean reads from the soybean root samples were obtained after quality assessment and data filtering. After Cd treatment, 739 differentially expressed genes (DEGs; 265 up and 474 down) were found in HAS; however, only 259 DEGs (88 up and 171 down) were found in LAS, and 64 genes were same between the two varieties. Pathway enrichment analysis suggested that after cadmium treatment, the DEGs between LAS and HAS were mainly enriched in glutathione metabolism and plant-pathogen interaction pathways. KEGG analysis showed that phenylalanine metabolism responding to cadmium stress in LAS, while ABC transporters responding to cadmium stress in HAS. Besides we found more differential expressed heavy metal transporters such as ABC transporters and zinc transporters in HAS than LAS, and there were more transcription factors differently expressed in HAS than LAS after cadmium treatment in two soybean varieties, eg. bHLH transcription factor, WRKY transcription factor and ZIP transcription factor. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this study will shed new insights on the underlying molecular mechanisms behind the Cd accumulation in soybean.

Developing an SNP dataset for efficiently evaluating soybean germplasm resources using the genome sequencing data of 3,661 soybean accessions.

BACKGROUND: Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers play significant roles in accelerating breeding and basic crop research. Several soybean SNP panels have been developed. However, there is still a lack of SNP panels for differentiating between wild and cultivated populations, as well as for detecting polymorphisms within both wild and cultivated populations. RESULTS: This study utilized publicly available resequencing data from over 3,000 soybean accessions to identify differentiating and highly conserved SNP and insertion/deletion (InDel) markers between wild and cultivated soybean populations. Additionally, a naturally occurring mutant gene library was constructed by analyzing large-effect SNPs and InDels in the population. CONCLUSION: The markers obtained in this study are associated with numerous genes governing agronomic traits, thus facilitating the evaluation of soybean germplasms and the efficient differentiation between wild and cultivated soybeans. The natural mutant gene library permits the quick identification of individuals with natural mutations in functional genes, providing convenience for accelerating soybean breeding using reverse genetics.

Comparing the Potential of Silicon Nanoparticles and Conventional Silicon for Salinity Stress Alleviation in Soybean (Glycine max L.): Growth and Physiological Traits and Rhizosphere/Endophytic Bacterial Communities.

In this study, 20-day-old soybean plants were watered with 100 mL of 100 mM NaCl solution and sprayed with silica nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) or potassium silicate every 3 days over 15 days, with a final dosage of 12 mg of SiO2 per plant. We assessed the alterations in the plant's growth and physiological traits, and the responses of bacterial microbiome within the leaf endosphere, rhizosphere, and root endosphere. The result showed that the type of silicon did not significantly impact most of the plant parameters. However, the bacterial communities within the leaf and root endospheres had a stronger response to SiO2 NPs treatment, showing enrichment of 24 and 13 microbial taxa, respectively, compared with the silicate treatment, which led to the enrichment of 9 and 8 taxonomic taxa, respectively. The rhizosphere bacterial communities were less sensitive to SiO2 NPs, enriching only 2 microbial clades, compared to the 8 clades enriched by silicate treatment. Furthermore, SiO2 NPs treatment enriched beneficial genera, such as Pseudomonas, Bacillus, and Variovorax in the leaf and root endosphere, likely enhancing plant growth and salinity stress resistance. These findings highlight the potential of SiO2 NPs for foliar application in sustainable farming by enhancing plant-microbe interactions to improve salinity tolerance.

Cytochrome GmGLY1 is Involved in the Biosynthesis of Glycitein in Soybean.

Isoflavones, the major secondary metabolites of interest due to their benefits to both human and plant health, are exclusively produced by legumes. In this study, we profiled the isoflavone content in dry seeds from 211 soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] accessions grown across five environments. Broad and discernible phenotypic variations were observed among accessions, regions, and years of growth. Twenty-six single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with the sum of glycitein (GLE), glycitin (GL), 6″-O-acetylglycitin (AGL), and 6″-O-malonylglycitin (MGL) contents were detected in multiple environments via a genome-wide association study (GWAS). These SNPs were located on chromosome 11 (8,148,438 bp to 8,296,956 bp, renamed qGly11-01). Glyma.11g108300 (GmGLY1), a gene that encodes a P450 family protein, was identified via sequence variation analysis, functional annotation, weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA), and expression profile analysis of candidate gene, and hairy roots transformation in soybean. Overexpression of GmGLY1 increased the glycitein content (GLC) in soybean hairy roots and transgenic seeds, while CRISPR/Cas9-generated mutants exhibited decreased GLC and increased daidzein content (DAC). Haplotype analysis revealed that GmGLY1 allelic variations significantly affect the GLC accumulation. These findings enhance our understanding of genes influencing GLC in soybean and may guide breeding for lines with high and stable GLC.

A new method based on melatonin-mediated seed germination to quickly remove pesticide residues and improve the nutritional quality of contaminated grains.

In the present study, we attempted to use melatonin combined with germination treatment to remove pesticide residues from contaminated grains. High levels of pesticide residues were detected in soybean seeds after soaking with chlorothalonil (10 mM) and malathion (1 mM) for 2 hours. Treatment with 50 µM melatonin for 5 days completely removed the pesticide residues, while in the control group, only 61-71% of pesticide residues were removed from soybean sprouts. Compared with the control, melatonin treatment for 7 days further increased the content of ascorbic acid (by 48-66%), total phenolics (by 52-68%), isoflavones (by 22-34%), the total antioxidant capacity (by 37-40%), and the accumulated levels of unsaturated fatty acids (C18:1, C18:2, and C18:3) (by 17-30%) in soybean sprouts. Moreover, melatonin treatment further increased the accumulation of ten components of phenols and isoflavones in soybean sprouts relative to those in the control. The ability of melatonin to accelerate the degradation of pesticide residues and promote the accumulation of antioxidant metabolites might be related to its ability to trigger the glutathione detoxification system in soybean sprouts. Melatonin promoted glutathione synthesis (by 49-139%) and elevated the activities of glutathione-S-transferase (by 24-78%) and glutathione reductase (by 38-61%). In summary, we report a new method in which combined treatment by melatonin and germination rapidly degrades pesticide residues in contaminated grains and improves the nutritional quality of food.

Use of modelling tools to assess climate change impacts on smallholder oil seed yields in South Africa.

Oil seed crops are the second most important field crops after cereals in the agricultural economy globally. The use and demand for oilseed crops such as groundnut, soybean and sunflower have grown significantly, but climate change is expected to alter the agroecological conditions required for oilseed crop production. This study aims to present an approach that utilizes decision-making tools to assess the potential climate change impacts on groundnut, soybean and sunflower yields and the greenhouse gas emissions from the management of the crops. The Decision Support Tool for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT v4.7), a dynamic crop model and the Cool Farm Tool, a GHG calculator, was used to simulate yields and estimate GHG emissions from these crops, respectively. Four representative concentration pathways (RCPs 2.6, 4.5, 6.0, and 8.5), three nitrogen (0, 75, and 150 kg/ha) and phosphorous (0, 30 and 60 P kg/ha) fertilizer rates at three sites in Limpopo, South Africa (Ofcolaco, Syferkuil and Punda Maria) were used in field trials for calibrating the models. The highest yield was achieved by sunflower across all crops, years and sites. Soybean yield is projected to decrease across all sites and scenarios by 2030 and 2050, except at Ofcolaco, where yield increases of at least 15.6% is projected under the RCP 4.5 scenario. Positive climate change impacts are predicted for groundnut at Ofcolaco and Syferkuil by 2030 and 2050, while negative impacts with losses of up to 50% are projected under RCP8.5 by 2050 at Punda Maria. Sunflower yield is projected to decrease across all sites and scenarios by 2030 and 2050. A comparison of the climate change impacts across sites shows that groundnut yield is projected to increase under climate change while notable yield losses are projected for sunflower and soybean. GHG emissions from the management of each crop showed that sunflower and groundnut production had the highest and lowest emissions across all sites respectively. With positive climate change impacts, a reduction of GHG emissions per ton per hectare was projected for groundnuts at Ofcolaco and Syferkuil and for sunflower in Ofcolaco in the future. However, the carbon footprint from groundnut is expected to increase by 40 to 107% in Punda Maria for the period up to 2030 and between 70-250% for 2050, with sunflower following a similar trend. We conclude that climate change will potentially reduce yield for oilseed crops while management will increase emissions. Therefore, in designing adaptation measures, there is a need to consider emission effects to gain a holistic understanding of how both climate change impacts on crops and mitigation efforts could be targeted.

CeO2 nanoparticle dose and exposure modulate soybean development and plant-mediated responses in root-associated bacterial communities.

Agricultural soils are increasingly undergoing inadvertent and purposeful exposures to engineered CeO2 nanoparticles (NPs), which can impact crops and root-associated microbial communities. However, interactions between NP concentration and exposure duration on plant-mediated responses of root-associated bacterial communities are not well understood. Soybeans seedlings were grown in soil with uncoated NPs added at concentrations of 0, 1 or 100 mg kg-1. Total soil exposure durations were either 190 days, starting 106 days before planting or 84 days with NP amendments coinciding with planting. We assessed plant development, bacterial diversity, differential abundance and inferred functional changes across rhizosphere, rhizoplane, and root tissue compartments. Plant non-monotonic dose responses were mirrored in bacterial communities. Most notably, effects were magnified in the rhizoplane under low-dose, short-exposures. Enriched metabolic pathways were primarily related to biosynthesis and degradation/utilization/assimilation, rather than responses to metals or oxidative stress. Our results indicate that plant-mediated bacterial responses were greater than direct NP impacts. Also, we identify needs for modeling non-monotonic legume stress responses that account for coinfection with mutualistic and parasitic bacteroids. Our findings provide new insights regarding effects of applications of soil amendments such as biosolids containing NPs or nano-enabled formulations used in cultivation of legumes and other crops.

Soybean MKK2 establishes intricate signalling pathways to regulate soybean response to cyst nematode infection.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MPK) cascades play central signalling roles in plant immunity and stress response. The soybean orthologue of MPK kinase2 (GmMKK2) was recently identified as a potential signalling node whose expression is upregulated in the feeding site induced by soybean cyst nematode (SCN, Heterodera glycines). To investigate the role of GmMKK2 in soybean-SCN interactions, we overexpressed a catabolically inactive variant referred to as kinase-dead variant (KD-GmMKK2) using transgenic hairy roots. KD-GmMKK2 overexpression caused significant reduction in soybean susceptibility to SCN, while overexpression of the wild-type variant (WT-GmMKK2) exhibited no effect on susceptibility. Transcriptome analysis indicated that KD-GmMKK2 overexpressing plants are primed for SCN resistance via constitutive activation of defence signalling, particularly those related to chitin, respiratory burst, hydrogen peroxide and salicylic acid. Phosphoproteomic profiling of the WT-GmMKK2 and KD-GmMKK2 root samples upon SCN infection resulted in the identification of 391 potential targets of GmMKK2. These targets are involved in a broad range of biological processes, including defence signalling, vesicle fusion, chromatin remodelling and nuclear organization among others. Furthermore, GmMKK2 mediates phosphorylation of numerous transcriptional and translational regulators, pointing to the presence of signalling shortcuts besides the canonical MAPK cascades to initiate downstream signalling that eventually regulates gene expression and translation initiation. Finally, the functional requirement of specific phosphorylation sites for soybean response to SCN infection was validated by overexpressing phospho-mimic and phospho-dead variants of two differentially phosphorylated proteins SUN1 and IDD4. Together, our analyses identify GmMKK2 impacts on signalling modules that regulate soybean response to SCN infection.

Mapping annual 10-m soybean cropland with spatiotemporal sample migration.

China, as the world's biggest soybean importer and fourth-largest producer, needs accurate mapping of its planting areas for global food supply stability. The challenge lies in gathering and collating ground survey data for different crops. We proposed a spatiotemporal migration method leveraging vegetation indices' temporal characteristics. This method uses a feature space of six integrals from the crops' phenological curves and a concavity-convexity index to distinguish soybean and non-soybean samples in cropland. Using a limited number of actual samples and our method, we extracted features from optical time-series images throughout the soybean growing season. The cloud and rain-affected data were supplemented with SAR data. We then used the random forest algorithm for classification. Consequently, we developed the 10-meter resolution ChinaSoybean10 maps for the ten primary soybean-producing provinces from 2019 to 2022. The map showed an overall accuracy of about 93%, aligning significantly with the statistical yearbook data, confirming its reliability. This research aids soybean growth monitoring, yield estimation, strategy development, resource management, and food scarcity mitigation, and promotes sustainable agriculture.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) improves salinity stress tolerance in soybean seedlings by modulating their mineral nutrition, osmolyte contents, and ascorbate-glutathione cycle.

BACKGROUND: In plants, GABA plays a critical role in regulating salinity stress tolerance. However, the response of soybean seedlings (Glycine max L.) to exogenous gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) under saline stress conditions has not been fully elucidated. RESULTS: This study investigated the effects of exogenous GABA (2 mM) on plant biomass and the physiological mechanism through which soybean plants are affected by saline stress conditions (0, 40, and 80 mM of NaCl and Na2SO4 at a 1:1 molar ratio). We noticed that increased salinity stress negatively impacted the growth and metabolism of soybean seedlings, compared to control. The root-stem-leaf biomass (27- and 33%, 20- and 58%, and 25- and 59% under 40- and 80 mM stress, respectively]) and the concentration of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b significantly decreased. Moreover, the carotenoid content increased significantly (by 35%) following treatment with 40 mM stress. The results exhibited significant increase in the concentration of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), malondialdehyde (MDA), dehydroascorbic acid (DHA) oxidized glutathione (GSSG), Na+, and Cl- under 40- and 80 mM stress levels, respectively. However, the concentration of mineral nutrients, soluble proteins, and soluble sugars reduced significantly under both salinity stress levels. In contrast, the proline and glycine betaine concentrations increased compared with those in the control group. Moreover, the enzymatic activities of ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase decreased significantly, while those of superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, and dehydroascorbate reductase increased following saline stress, indicating the overall sensitivity of the ascorbate-glutathione cycle (AsA-GSH). However, exogenous GABA decreased Na+, Cl-, H2O2, and MDA concentration but enhanced photosynthetic pigments, mineral nutrients (K+, K+/Na+ ratio, Zn2+, Fe2+, Mg2+, and Ca2+); osmolytes (proline, glycine betaine, soluble sugar, and soluble protein); enzymatic antioxidant activities; and AsA-GSH pools, thus reducing salinity-associated stress damage and resulting in improved growth and biomass. The positive impact of exogenously applied GABA on soybean plants could be attributed to its ability to improve their physiological stress response mechanisms and reduce harmful substances. CONCLUSION: Applying GABA to soybean plants could be an effective strategy for mitigating salinity stress. In the future, molecular studies may contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms by which GABA regulates salt tolerance in soybeans.

The effect of a fermented soy beverage among patients with localized prostate cancer prior to radical prostatectomy.

BACKGROUND: Fermented soy products have shown to possess inhibitory effects on prostate cancer (PCa). We evaluated the effect of a fermented soy beverage (Q-Can®), containing medium-chain triglycerides, ketones and soy isoflavones, among men with localized PCa prior to radical prostatectomy. METHODS: We conducted a placebo-controlled, double-blind randomized trial of Q-Can®. Stratified randomization (Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment (CAPRA) score at diagnosis) was used to assign patients to receive Q-Can® or placebo for 2-5 weeks before RP. Primary endpoint was change in serum PSA from baseline to end-of-study. We assessed changes in other clinical and pathologic endpoints. The primary ITT analysis compared PSA at end-of-study between randomization arms using repeated measures linear mixed model incorporating baseline CAPRA risk strata. RESULTS: We randomized 19 patients, 16 were eligible for analysis of the primary outcome. Mean age at enrollment was 61, 9(56.2%) were classified as low and intermediate risk, and 7(43.8%) high CAPRA risk. Among patients who received Q-Can®, mean PSA at baseline and end-of-study was 8.98(standard deviation, SD 4.07) and 8.02ng/mL(SD 3.99) compared with 8.66(SD 2.71) to 9.53ng/mL(SD 3.03), respectively, (Difference baseline - end-of-study, p = 0.36). There were no significant differences in Gleason score, clinical stage, surgical margin status, or CAPRA score between treatment arms (p > 0.05), and no significant differences between treatment arms in end-of-study or change in lipids, testosterone and FACT-P scores (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Short exposure to Q-Can® among patients with localized PCa was not associated with changes in PSA levels, PCa characteristics including grade and stage or serum testosterone. Due to early termination from inability to recruit, study power, was not achieved.