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Glutaredoxin regulation of primary root growth is associated with early drought stress tolerance in pearl millet (2023)
Journal Article
de la Fuente, C., Grondin, A., Sine, B., Debieu, M., Belin, C., Hajjarpoor, A., …Laplaze, L. (2023). Glutaredoxin regulation of primary root growth is associated with early drought stress tolerance in pearl millet. eLife, 12, Article RP86169. https://doi.org/10.7554/elife.86169.3

Seedling root traits impact plant establishment under challenging environments. Pearl millet is one of the most heat and drought tolerant cereal crops that provides a vital food source across the sub-Saharan Sahel region. Pearl millet’s early root sy... Read More about Glutaredoxin regulation of primary root growth is associated with early drought stress tolerance in pearl millet.

FTIR spectra from grass pollen: A quest for species-level resolution of Poaceae and Cerealia-type pollen grains (2023)
Journal Article
Katsi, F., Kent, M. S., Jones, M., Fraser, W. T., Jardine, P. E., Eastwood, W., …Lomax, B. H. (2024). FTIR spectra from grass pollen: A quest for species-level resolution of Poaceae and Cerealia-type pollen grains. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 321, Article 105039. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.revpalbo.2023.105039

Palynological analysis based on spore and pollen morphology is well established in the field of palaeo-environmental reconstruction but is currently not fully exploited for understanding the history and development of cereal cultivation due to diffic... Read More about FTIR spectra from grass pollen: A quest for species-level resolution of Poaceae and Cerealia-type pollen grains.

Fluctuations in auxin levels depend upon synchronicity of cell divisions in a one-dimensional model of auxin transport (2023)
Journal Article
Bellows, S., Janes, G., Avitabile, D., King, J. R., Bishopp, A., & Farcot, E. (2023). Fluctuations in auxin levels depend upon synchronicity of cell divisions in a one-dimensional model of auxin transport. PLoS Computational Biology, 19(11), Article e1011646. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011646

Auxin is a well-studied plant hormone, the spatial distribution of which remains incompletely understood. Here, we investigate the effects of cell growth and divisions on the dynamics of auxin patterning, using a combination of mathematical modelling... Read More about Fluctuations in auxin levels depend upon synchronicity of cell divisions in a one-dimensional model of auxin transport.

Associations between endogenous spike cytokinins and grain-number traits in spring wheat genotypes (2023)
Journal Article
Love, B., Molero, G., Rivera-Amado, C., Müller, M., Munné-Bosch, S., Reynolds, M. P., & Foulkes, M. J. (2024). Associations between endogenous spike cytokinins and grain-number traits in spring wheat genotypes. European Journal of Agronomy, 152, Article 127011. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2023.127011

Genetic variation in grain number has been positively associated with levels of cytokinins in inflorescences in cereals, although studies quantifying endogenous levels in the field are currently lacking. The present study, using a spring wheat associ... Read More about Associations between endogenous spike cytokinins and grain-number traits in spring wheat genotypes.

Linking soil adsorption-desorption characteristics with grain zinc concentrations and uptake by teff, wheat and maize in different landscape positions in Ethiopia (2023)
Journal Article
Desta, M. K., Broadley, M. R., McGrath, S. P., Hernandez-Allica, J., Hassall, K. L., Gameda, S., …Haefele, S. M. (2023). Linking soil adsorption-desorption characteristics with grain zinc concentrations and uptake by teff, wheat and maize in different landscape positions in Ethiopia. Frontiers in Agronomy, 5, Article 1285880. https://doi.org/10.3389/fagro.2023.1285880

Aim: Zinc deficiencies are widespread in many soils, limiting crop growth and contributing to Zn deficiencies in human diets. This study aimed at understanding soil factors influencing grain Zn concentrations and uptake of crops grown in different la... Read More about Linking soil adsorption-desorption characteristics with grain zinc concentrations and uptake by teff, wheat and maize in different landscape positions in Ethiopia.

Uncovering root compaction response mechanisms: new insights and opportunities (2023)
Journal Article
Pandey, B. K., & Bennett, M. J. (2024). Uncovering root compaction response mechanisms: new insights and opportunities. Journal of Experimental Botany, 75(2), 578-583. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erad389

Compaction disrupts soil structure, reducing root growth, nutrient and water uptake, gas exchange, and microbial growth. Root growth inhibition by soil compaction was originally thought to reflect the impact of mechanical impedance and reduced water... Read More about Uncovering root compaction response mechanisms: new insights and opportunities.

Elementary effects for models with dimensional inputs of arbitrary type and range: Scaling and trajectory generation (2023)
Journal Article
Rutjens, R. J., Band, L. R., Jones, M. D., & Owen, M. R. (2023). Elementary effects for models with dimensional inputs of arbitrary type and range: Scaling and trajectory generation. PLoS ONE, 18(10), Article e0293344. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0293344

The Elementary Effects method is a global sensitivity analysis approach for identifying (un)important parameters in a model. However, it has almost exclusively been used where inputs are dimensionless and take values on [0, 1]. Here, we consider mode... Read More about Elementary effects for models with dimensional inputs of arbitrary type and range: Scaling and trajectory generation.

Modelling how plant cell-cycle progression leads to cell size regulation (2023)
Journal Article
Williamson, D., Tasker-Brown, W., Murray, J., Jones, A. R., & Band, L. R. (2023). Modelling how plant cell-cycle progression leads to cell size regulation. PLoS Computational Biology, 19(10), Article e1011503. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011503

Populations of cells typically maintain a consistent size, despite cell division rarely being precisely symmetrical. Therefore, cells must possess a mechanism of “size control”, whereby the cell volume at birth affects cell-cycle progression. While s... Read More about Modelling how plant cell-cycle progression leads to cell size regulation.

Dietary selenium intake among Ethiopian children in areas known for selenium spatial variability (2023)
Journal Article
Hailu, K., Joy, E. J., Ferguson, E. L., Bailey, E. H., Wilson, L., Davis, K., …Gashu, D. (2023). Dietary selenium intake among Ethiopian children in areas known for selenium spatial variability. Frontiers in Nutrition, 10, Article 1250002. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2023.1250002

Introduction: There is spatial variability of selenium (Se) in soil and crops in Ethiopia. We assessed the Se content of food items, breast milk, and urine among infants in Ethiopia from two areas with contrasting Se concentrations in soils. Methods:... Read More about Dietary selenium intake among Ethiopian children in areas known for selenium spatial variability.

Changes in nutrient composition and gene expression in growing mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) (2023)
Journal Article
Lopez-Viso, C., Castellanos-Uribe, M., May, T., Brameld, J., Salter, A., & Parr, T. (2023). Changes in nutrient composition and gene expression in growing mealworms (Tenebrio molitor). Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, 10(4), 601-610. https://doi.org/10.1163/23524588-20230143

Insects are of high interest as a sustainable source of nutrients to be included in the food production system. The larvae of Tenebrio molitor, commonly known as yellow mealworms (MW), have a high protein content, which means potential applications i... Read More about Changes in nutrient composition and gene expression in growing mealworms (Tenebrio molitor).

The role of plant vasculature in tackling N2O emissions (2023)
Journal Article
Safdar, L. B., Fisk, I. D., & Foulkes, M. J. (2023). The role of plant vasculature in tackling N2O emissions. Trends in Plant Science, 28(12), 1354-1356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2023.09.012

Rising demand for protein-rich foods can impact N2O emissions from croplands. Recent research has pointed to the role of modified plant vasculature in grain protein increase. Here we highlight how discovering the mechanistic role of plant vasculature... Read More about The role of plant vasculature in tackling N2O emissions.

Landscape and Micronutrient Fertilizer Effect on Agro-Fortified Wheat and Teff Grain Nutrient Concentration in Western Amhara (2023)
Journal Article
Manzeke-Kangara, M. G., Amede, T., Bailey, E. H., Wilson, L., Mossa, A. W., Tirfessa, D., …Gameda, S. (2023). Landscape and Micronutrient Fertilizer Effect on Agro-Fortified Wheat and Teff Grain Nutrient Concentration in Western Amhara. Agronomy, 13(10), Article 2598. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13102598

Agronomic biofortification, encompassing the use of mineral and organic nutrient resources which improve micronutrient concentrations in staple crops is a potential strategy to promote the production of and access to micronutrient-dense foods at the... Read More about Landscape and Micronutrient Fertilizer Effect on Agro-Fortified Wheat and Teff Grain Nutrient Concentration in Western Amhara.

Interaction of planting system with radiation-use efficiency in wheat lines (2023)
Journal Article
Moroyoqui‐Parra, M. A., Molero, G., Reynolds, M. P., Gaju, O., Murchie, E. H., & Foulkes, M. J. (2024). Interaction of planting system with radiation-use efficiency in wheat lines. Crop Science, 64(1), 314-332. https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.21115

Radiation-useefficiency (RUE) is animportant trait for raising biomass and yield potential in plant breeding. However, the effect of the planting system (PS) on genetic variation in RUE has not been previously investigated. Our objectives were to qua... Read More about Interaction of planting system with radiation-use efficiency in wheat lines.

Mechanistic insight into the role of AUXIN RESISTANCE4 in trafficking of AUXIN1 and LIKE AUX1-2 (2023)
Journal Article
Tidy, A., Abu Bakar, N., Carrier, D., Kerr, I. D., Hodgman, C., Bennett, M. J., & Swarup, R. (2024). Mechanistic insight into the role of AUXIN RESISTANCE4 in trafficking of AUXIN1 and LIKE AUX1-2. Plant Physiology, 194(1), 422-433. https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiad506

AUXIN RESISTANCE4 (AXR4) regulates the trafficking of auxin influx carrier AUXIN1 (AUX1), a plasma-membrane protein that predominantly localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in the absence of AXR4. In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), AUX1 is... Read More about Mechanistic insight into the role of AUXIN RESISTANCE4 in trafficking of AUXIN1 and LIKE AUX1-2.

The appraisal of pedotransfer functions with legacy data; an example from southern Africa (2023)
Journal Article
Miti, C., Mbanyele, V., Mtangadura, T., Magwero, N., Namaona, W., Njira, K., …Lark, R. M. (2023). The appraisal of pedotransfer functions with legacy data; an example from southern Africa. Geoderma, 439, Article 116661. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2023.116661

Predictions of soil hydraulic properties by pedotransfer functions (PTFs) must be treated with caution when they are used in an application domain which differs from the domain of their original development and calibration. However, in some settings,... Read More about The appraisal of pedotransfer functions with legacy data; an example from southern Africa.

Challenges facing sustainable protein production: Opportunities for cereals (2023)
Journal Article
Safdar, L. B., Foulkes, M. J., Kleiner, F. H., Searle, I. R., Bhosale, R. A., Fisk, I. D., & Boden, S. A. (2023). Challenges facing sustainable protein production: Opportunities for cereals. Plant Communications, 4(6), Article 100716. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xplc.2023.100716

Rising demands for protein worldwide are likely to drive increases in livestock production, as meat provides ∼40% of dietary protein. This will come at a significant environmental cost, and a shift toward plant-based protein sources would therefore p... Read More about Challenges facing sustainable protein production: Opportunities for cereals.

Multiscale asymptotic analysis reveals how cell growth and subcellular compartments affect tissue-scale hormone transport (2023)
Journal Article
Kiradjiev, K. B., & Band, L. R. (2023). Multiscale asymptotic analysis reveals how cell growth and subcellular compartments affect tissue-scale hormone transport. Bulletin of Mathematical Biology, 85, Article 101. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11538-023-01199-4

Determining how cell-scale processes lead to tissue-scale patterns is key to understanding how hormones and morphogens are distributed within biological tissues and control developmental processes. In this article, we use multiscale asymptotic analys... Read More about Multiscale asymptotic analysis reveals how cell growth and subcellular compartments affect tissue-scale hormone transport.

Reviving grain quality in wheat through non-destructive phenotyping techniques like hyperspectral imaging (2023)
Journal Article
Safdar, L. B., Dugina, K., Saeidan, A., Yoshicawa, G. V., Caporaso, N., Gapare, B., …Fisk, I. D. (2023). Reviving grain quality in wheat through non-destructive phenotyping techniques like hyperspectral imaging. Food and Energy Security, 12(5), Article e498. https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.498

A long-term goal of breeders and researchers is to develop crop varieties that can resist environmental stressors and produce high yields. However, prioritising yield often compromises improvement of other key traits, including grain quality, which i... Read More about Reviving grain quality in wheat through non-destructive phenotyping techniques like hyperspectral imaging.

Molecular characterisation of defence of Brassica napus (Oilseed rape) to Rhizoctonia solani AG2-1 confirmed by functional analysis in Arabidopsis thaliana (2023)
Journal Article
Sims, I., Jayaweera, D., Swarup, K., & Ray, R. V. (2023). Molecular characterisation of defence of Brassica napus (Oilseed rape) to Rhizoctonia solani AG2-1 confirmed by functional analysis in Arabidopsis thaliana. Phytopathology, 113(8), 1525-1536. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-08-22-0305-R

Rhizoctonia solani is a necrotrophic, soilborne fungal pathogen associated with significant establishment losses in Brassica napus (oilseed rape; OSR). The anastomosis group (AG) 2-1 of R. solani is the most virulent to OSR, causing damping-off, root... Read More about Molecular characterisation of defence of Brassica napus (Oilseed rape) to Rhizoctonia solani AG2-1 confirmed by functional analysis in Arabidopsis thaliana.