YABBY is among the specific transcription factor (TF) gene family in plants and plays an important role in the development of the leaves and floral organs. Its specific roles include lateral organ development, the establishment of dorsoventral polarity, and response to abiotic stress. Potato is an important crop worldwide and YABBY genes are not still identified and characterized in potato. So, little has been known about YABBY genes in potato until now. This study was carried out to perform genome-wide analysis, which will provide an in-depth analysis about the role of YABBY genes in potato. There have been seven StYAB genes identified, which are found to be located on seven different chromosomes. Through multiple sequence analyses, it has been predicted that the YABBY domain was present in all seven genes while the C2-C2 domain was found to be absent only in StYAB2. With the help of cis-element analysis, the involvement of StYAB genes in light, stress developmental, and hormonal responsiveness has been found. Furthermore, expression analysis from RNA-seq data of different potato organs indicated that all StYAB genes have a role in the vegetative growth of the potato plant. In addition to this, RNA-seq data also identified StYAB3, StYAB5, and StYAB7 genes showing expression during cadmium, and drought stress, while StYAB6 was highly expressed during a viral attack. Moreover, during the attack of Phytophthora infestans on a potato plant StYAB3, StYAB5, StYAB6, and StYAB7 showed high expression. This study provides significant knowledge about the StYAB gene structures and functions, which can later be used for gene cloning, and functional analysis; this information may be utilized by molecular biologists and plant breeders for the development of new potato lines.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a primary staple for more than half of the world’s population, ranking as the third most-consumed cereal globally and a key contributor to food security. However, climate change is intensifying abiotic stresses, including prolonged flooding during the monsoon season (late June - September), which can drastically reduce rice yield. This submergence stress poses significant challenges in many rice-growing regions worldwide, particularly in low-lying areas of South and Southeast Asia. In Pakistan, where rice is the second most-consumed staple, flooding similarly threatens production. In this study, twenty rice genotypes (3 international lines, 17 national basmati and non-basmati cultivars) were evaluated in a triplicate manner for submergence tolerance. Phenotypic data related to yield and related traits were recorded during 2023–2024 at the Rice Research Institute, Kala Shah Kaku (Pakistan), under natural stagnant flood conditions. Survival percentage and key physiological parameters such as plant height, tiller numbers, and other yield related traits were assessed after complete submergence, and differences were analyzed by ANOVA (P < 0.05). The cultivars KSK-282, ELT-53, and KSK-133 exhibited significantly higher survival rates than others. Molecular validation using five SSR markers linked to the SUB1 QTL revealed that markers RM 7481, RM 23869, and RM 23865 distinguished tolerant from sensitive genotypes. Notably, PK-SUB-15-35 carried the SUB1 allele and showed the highest tolerance. These identified tolerant varieties and associated genetic markers provide valuable resources for breeding programs aimed at improving rice resilience to flooding.