BABY BOOM (BBM) is one of the members of the plant-specific APETALA2/ethylene-responsive factor (AP2/ERF) transcription factor superfamily. It acts as a key regulator of plant cell pluripotency, playing a significant role in promoting somatic embryogenesis. In this study, a BBM gene named PoBBM was screened, cloned, and identified from the third-generation full-length transcriptome data of Paeonia ostii. Its open reading frame was 2136 bp, encoding 711 amino acids. Sequence feature analysis revealed that it possessed two AP2 conserved domains and eight motifs, including bbm-1. The phylogenetic tree indicated that PoBBM clusters with AtBBM in the euANT group of the Arabidopsis AP2 family, which is most closely related to grape VvBBM and may have the same ancestry as grape. Subcellular localization demonstrated that the PoBBM protein was localized in the nucleus. Semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to assess the PoBBM transcript levels during ten developmental stages of somatic embryos and in five tissue types of peonies. The results indicate that PoBBM was highly expressed in the early stages of peony somatic embryo development. The expression on 0–15 d was the highest and decreased gradually with somatic embryogenesis. The gene is almost not expressed after 40 d since somatic embryo formation. PoBBM was expressed in roots, stems, leaves, seeds, and calli, with the highest levels in seeds, followed by leaves and calli. The PoBBM protein displayed transcriptional self-activation activity, which may facilitate further research on its relationships with other proteins. The above results provide a key gene PoBBM for somatic embryogenesis in peonies, which is significant for advancing the establishment of a stable and efficient regeneration and genetic transformation system for peonies.

The sweet potato albino mutant “Snowwhite” serves as an auxiliary platform for studying gene function and editing efficiency.

Forages are essential to global agriculture and ecosystems, with the development of high-yield, high-quality varieties as a cornerstone of efficient agricultural practices. However, traditional genetic breeding methods, characterized by lengthy cycles and limited efficiency, fall short of meeting the demands of modern agriculture. In recent years, the rapid advancements in omics technologies, including genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, have significantly transformed forage research. These tools have deepened our understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying forage growth and development, aided in identifying essential genes and metabolic pathways, and accelerated the improvement of forage varieties. This review summarizes the applications and recent advances of various omics approaches in major forage species, including alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), white clover (Trifolium repens L.), and oat (Avena sativa L.). Additionally, we outline the advancements in these technologies for major crops and how we can learn from and apply them to improve forage yield, nutritional quality, and environmental adaptability, thereby establishing a theoretical foundation for the genetic improvement and molecular breeding of forages.

The Orchidaceae is a large family of perennial herbs especially noted for the exceptional diversity of specialized flowers adapted for insect pollination. Elucidating the genetic regulation of flowering and seed development of orchids is an important research goal with potential utility in orchid breeding programs. Auxin Response Factor (ARF) genes encode auxin-responsive transcription factors, which are involved in the regulation of diverse morphogenetic processes, including flowering and seed development. However, limited information on the ARF gene family in the Orchidaceae is available. In this study, 112 ARF genes were identified in the genomes of five orchid species (Phalaenopsis aphrodite, Phalaenopsis equestris, Vanilla planifolia, Apostasia shenzhenica, and Dendrobium catenatum). These genes were grouped into seven subfamilies based on their phylogenetic relationships. Compared with the ARF family in model plants, such as Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa, one subfamily of ARF genes involved in pollen wall synthesis has been lost during evolution of the Orchidaceae. This loss corresponds with absence of the exine in the pollinia. Transcriptome analysis indicated that the ARF genes of subfamily 4 may play an important role in flower formation and plant growth, whereas those of subfamily 3 are potentially involved in pollen wall development. Through mining of the published genomic and transcriptomic data for the five species, the present results provide novel insights into the genetic regulation of unique morphogenetic phenomena of orchids. This study lays a foundation for further analysis of the regulatory mechanisms and functions of sexual reproduction-related genes in orchids.

Moso bamboo, recognized for its wide distribution and economic importance, encounters challenges in varietal enhancement due to its protracted sexual reproduction cycle. This study employed whole-genome resequencing to uncover spontaneous mutations in Moso bamboo and investigated mutagenesis using atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP). Through the sequencing results, we identified the population of flowering bamboo as an asexual breeding line. Notably, the flowering Moso bamboo population, exclusively derived from asexual reproduction, exhibited a high spontaneous mutation rate (4.54 × 10-4 to 1.15 × 10-3/bp) during sexual reproduction, considering parental and cross-pollination effects. Genetic disparities between offspring and parents exhibited a bimodal distribution, indicating a substantial cross-pollination rate. ARTP mutagenesis increased structural variations in offspring, while changes in SNPs and INDELs were less pronounced. Sanger sequencing validated a gene subset, providing a foundation for spontaneous mutation rate investigation via whole-genome sequencing. These insights, particularly from mutagenized offspring sequencing, contribute to Moso bamboo breeding strategies. Highlight Moso bamboo breeding revolutionized—high spontaneous mutations in asexually derived flowering population. ARTP mutagenesis boosts structural variations, shaping innovative breeding approaches.