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The increasing demand for healthier and more sustainable foods has driven the reformulation of bakery products using alternative ingredients. Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.), an Amazonian oilseed rich in proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, and bioactive compounds, represents a promising resource to enhance the nutritional and functional quality of baked goods while valorizing agro-industrial by-products. This study investigated the effects of partially or totally replacing wheat flour and sunflower oil with defatted Sacha inchi oilcake flour and Sacha inchi oil on the nutritional, physicochemical, and functional properties of cookies. Nine formulations were developed, including a control and eight experimental variants. Proximate composition, mineral content, lipid profile, total polyphenols, antioxidant activity (FRAP and DPPH assays), texture, geometry, and color parameters were evaluated. Cookies containing Sacha inchi flour showed significant increases in protein (up to 19.65%), fat, fiber (6-fold higher), ash, and energy, with a reduction in carbohydrates. Mineral content increased markedly for calcium (10.8-fold), magnesium (10.2-fold), potassium (3-fold), phosphorus (5.4-fold), and zinc (4.6-fold), while iron decreased by 25%. Lipid profiling revealed a higher proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly [alpha]-linolenic acid (omega-3), and lower saturated fats in cookies containing Sacha inchi oil. The incorporation of Sacha inchi ingredients also increased total polyphenols (up to 1.46-fold) and antioxidant activity (up to 1.99-fold). Texture analysis showed that Sacha inchi flour reduced hardness (up to 5.8 times softer than control), whereas Sacha inchi oil increased firmness (up to 2.4 times). Full replacement of sunflower oil increased cookie diameter and spread ratio, while Sacha inchi flour reduced diameter and increased thickness. Color parameters were also affected, reflecting compositional and Maillard-related changes during baking. Replacing wheat flour and sunflower oil with Sacha inchi flour and oil enhanced the nutritional profile, fatty acid composition, and antioxidant capacity of cookies, while modulating their texture and geometry. These findings demonstrate the technological feasibility of using Sacha inchi derivatives as functional ingredients in bakery products, supporting the development of sustainable, health-oriented foods and promoting the valorization of Amazonian crops and by-products.

Biological nitrogen fixation by free-living bacteria and rhizobial symbiosis with legumes plays a key role in sustainable crop production. Here, we study how different crop combinations influence the interaction between peanut plants and their rhizosphere microbiota via metabolite deposition and functional responses of free-living and symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Based on a long-term (8 year) diversified cropping field experiment, we find that peanut co-cultured with maize and oilseed rape lead to specific changes in peanut rhizosphere metabolite profiles and bacterial functions and nodulation. Flavonoids and coumarins accumulate due to the activation of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways in peanuts. These changes enhance the growth and nitrogen fixation activity of free-living bacterial isolates, and root nodulation by symbiotic Bradyrhizobium isolates. Peanut plant root metabolites interact with Bradyrhizobium isolates contributing to initiate nodulation. Our findings demonstrate that tailored intercropping could be used to improve soil nitrogen availability through changes in the rhizosphere microbiome and its functions. Sustainability in agriculture can be improved harnessing biological N 2 fixation in legumes. Here, the authors combine different crops with peanut plants finding that maize and oilseed rape are the most successful combinations which have potential to enhance rhizosphere microbiota N 2 fixation.

Rapeseed ( ), the second most important oilseed crop globally, originated from an interspecific hybridization between and . After this genome collision, underwent extensive genome restructuring, via homoeologous chromosome exchanges, resulting in widespread segmental deletions and duplications. Illicit pairing among genetically similar homoeologous chromosomes during meiosis is common in recent allopolyploids like , and post-polyploidization restructuring compounds the difficulties of assembling a complex polyploid plant genome. Specifically, genomic rearrangements between highly similar chromosomes are challenging to detect due to the limitation of sequencing read length and ambiguous alignment of reads. Recent advances in long read sequencing technologies provide promising new opportunities to unravel the genome complexities of by encompassing breakpoints of genomic rearrangements with high specificity. Moreover, recent evidence revealed ongoing genomic exchanges in natural , highlighting the need for multiple reference genomes to capture structural variants between accessions. Here we report the first long-read genome assembly of a winter cultivar. We sequenced the German winter oilseed rape accession 'Express 617' using 54.5x of long reads. Short reads, linked reads, optical map data and high-density genetic maps were used to further correct and scaffold the assembly to form pseudochromosomes. The assembled Express 617 genome provides another valuable resource for genomics in understanding the genetic consequences of polyploidization, crop domestication, and breeding of recently-formed crop species.

Glucosinolate content in the two major oilseed Brassica crops—rapeseed and mustard has been reduced to the globally accepted Canola quality level (<30 μmoles/g of seed dry weight, DW), making the protein‐rich seed meal useful as animal feed. However, the overall lower glucosinolate content in seeds as well as in the other parts of such plants renders them vulnerable to biotic challenges. We report CRISPR/Cas9‐based editing of glucosinolate transporter ( GTR ) family genes in mustard ( Brassica juncea ) to develop ideal lines with the desired low seed glucosinolate content (SGC) while maintaining high glucosinolate levels in the other plant parts for uncompromised plant defence. Use of three gRNAs provided highly efficient and precise editing of four BjuGTR1 and six BjuGTR2 homologues leading to a reduction of SGC from 146.09 μmoles/g DW to as low as 6.21 μmoles/g DW. Detailed analysis of the GTR ‐edited lines showed higher accumulation and distributional changes of glucosinolates in the foliar parts. However, the changes did not affect the plant defence and yield parameters. When tested against the pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and generalist pest Spodoptera litura , the GTR ‐edited lines displayed a defence response at par or better than that of the wild‐type line. The GTR ‐edited lines were equivalent to the wild‐type line for various seed yield and seed quality traits. Our results demonstrate that simultaneous editing of multiple GTR1 and GTR2 homologues in mustard can provide the desired low‐seed, high‐leaf glucosinolate lines with an uncompromised defence and yield.

The world’s population is projected to increase by two billion by 2050, resulting in food and energy insecurity. Oilseed crops have been identified as key to address these challenges: they produce and store lipids in the seeds as triacylglycerols that can serve as a source of food/feed, renewable fuels, and other industrially-relevant chemicals. Therefore, improving seed oil content and composition has generated immense interest. Research efforts aiming to unravel the regulatory pathways involved in fatty acid synthesis and to identify targets for metabolic engineering have made tremendous progress. This review provides a summary of the current knowledge of oil metabolism and discusses how photochemical activity and unconventional pathways can contribute to high carbon conversion efficiency in seeds. It also highlights the importance of 13 C-metabolic flux analysis as a tool to gain insights on the pathways that regulate oil biosynthesis in seeds. Finally, a list of key genes and regulators that have been recently targeted to enhance seed oil production are reviewed and additional possible targets in the metabolic pathways are proposed to achieve desirable oil content and quality.

Background m6A RNA modifications are the most prevalent internal modifications in eukaryotic mRNAs and are crucial for plant growth and development, as well as for responses to biotic or abiotic stresses. The modification is catalyzed by writers, removed by erasers, and decoded by various m6A-binding proteins, which are readers. Brassica napus is a major oilseed crop. The dynamic regulation of m6A modifications by writers, erasers, and readers offers potential targets for improving the quality of this crop. Results In this study, we identified 92 m6A-regulatory genes in B. napus , including 13 writers, 29 erasers, and 50 readers. A phylogenetic analysis revealed that they could be further divided into four, three, and two clades, respectively. The distribution of protein motifs and gene structures among members of the same clade exhibited notable similarity. During the course of evolution, whole genome duplication (WGD) and segmental duplication were the primary drivers of the expansion of m6A-related gene families. The genes were subjected to rigorous purification selection. Additionally, several sites under positive selection were identified in the proteins. RNA-seq and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) expression analyses revealed that the identified Bnam6As exhibit tissue-specific expression patterns, as well as their expression patterns in response to various abiotic and biotic stresses. The 2000 bp sequence upstream of Bnam6As contained a number of cis -acting elements that regulate plant growth and environmental response. Furthermore, the protein interaction network revealed their interactions with a number of proteins of significant functional importance. Conclusion The identification of m6A modifiers in oilseed rape and their molecular evolution and expression profiling have revealed potential functions and molecular mechanisms of m6A, thus establishing a foundation for further functional validation and molecular breeding.

Drought poses serious threats to global crop production and its intensity is continuously soaring due to global warming. Brassica napus L. is an essential oilseed crop with an important place in global edible oil production. Drought-induced yield reduction is a big problem that needs to be addressed by knowing the targeted pathways and processes. Drought stress adversely affects germination, seedling establishment, photosynthetic efficiency, mineral uptake, shoot elongation, seed development, yield and quality in rapeseed. Plants attain various physiological and molecular protective approaches for tolerance under drought stress. The currently existing agronomic, breeding and biotechnological approaches can increase the adaptability provision of a conducive environment to Brassica plants facing drought stress. In the present review, we addressed the possible cross-talk among various responses of rapeseed under drought stress and discussed the potential management strategies for regulating the drought tolerance-related mechanisms. To date, various novel approaches have been tested to minimize the adverse effects of environmental stresses in B. napus . Despite the main improvements, there is still a big room for improvement in the drought tolerance of rapeseed cultivars. Thus, future research mainly using biotechnological and molecular approaches should be carried out to develop genetically engineered rapeseed plants with enhanced drought tolerance.

Background Malania oleifera Chun et Lee (Olacaceae), an evergreen broad-leaved woody tree native to southwest China, is an important oilseed tree. Its seed oil has a high level of nervonic acid (cis-tetracos-15-enoic acid, over 60%), which is essential for human health. M. oleifera seed oil is a promising source of nervonic acid, but little is known about the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying its biosynthesis. Results In this study, we recorded oil accumulation at four stages of seed development. Using a high-throughput RNA-sequencing technique, we obtained 55,843 unigenes, of which 29,176 unigenes were functionally annotated. By comparison, 22,833 unigenes had a two-fold or greater expression at the fast oil accumulation stage than at the initial stage. Of these, 198 unigenes were identified as being functionally involved in diverse lipid metabolism processes (including de novo fatty acid synthesis, carbon chain elongation and modification, and triacylglycerol assembly). Key genes (encoding KCS, KCR, HCD and ECR), putatively responsible for nervonic acid biosynthesis, were isolated and their expression profiles during seed development were confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR analysis. Also, we isolated regulatory factors (such as WRI1, ABI3 and FUS3) that are putatively involved in the regulation of oil biosynthesis and seed development. Conclusion Our results provide novel data on the physiological and molecular mechanisms of nervonic acid biosynthesis and oil accumulation in M. oleifera seeds, and will also serve as a starting point for biotechnological genetic engineering for the production of nervonic acid resources.

Plant associated bacteria with plant growth promotion (PGP) properties have been proposed for use as environmentally friendly biofertilizers for sustainable agriculture; however, analysis of their efficacy in the field is often limited. In this study, greenhouse and field trials were carried out using individual endophytic strains, the well characterized rhizospheric F113 and an endophytic microbial consortium of 10 different strains. These bacteria had been previously characterized with respect to their PGP properties and had been shown to harbor a range of traits associated with PGP including siderophore production, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase activity, and inorganic phosphate solubilization. In greenhouse experiments individual strains tagged with gfp and Km were applied to as a seed coat and were shown to effectively colonize the rhizosphere and root of and in addition they demonstrated a significant increase in plant biomass compared with the non-inoculated control. In the field experiment, the bacteria (individual and consortium) were spray inoculated to winter oilseed rape var. Compass which was grown under standard North Western European agronomic conditions. Analysis of the data provides evidence that the application of the live bacterial biofertilizers can enhance aspects of crop development in at field scale. The field data demonstrated statistically significant increases in crop height, stem/leaf, and pod biomass, particularly, in the case of the consortium inoculated treatment. However, although seed and oil yield were increased in the field in response to inoculation, these data were not statistically significant under the experimental conditions tested. Future field trials will investigate the effectiveness of the inoculants under different agronomic conditions.