Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) is an important cereal crop with rich nutritional value. Distinctness, Uniformity, and Stability (DUS) are the prerequisites for the application of new variety rights for foxtail millet. In this study, we investigated 32 DUS test characteristics of 183 foxtail millet resources, studied their artificial selection trends, and identified the varieties that conform to breeding trends. The results indicated significant differences in terms of the means, ranges, and coefficients of variation for each characteristic. A correlation analysis was performed to determine the correlations between various DUS characteristics. A principal component analysis was conducted on 31 test characteristics to determine their primary characteristics. By plotting PC1 and PC2, all the germplasm resources could be clearly distinguished. The trends in foxtail millet breeding were identified through a differential analysis of the DUS test characteristics between the landrace and cultivated varieties. Based on these breeding trends, the optimal solution types for multiple evaluation indicators were determined; the weight allocation was calculated; and a specific TOPSIS algorithm was designed to establish a comprehensive multi-criteria decision-making model. Using this model, the breeding potential of foxtail millet germplasm resources were ranked. These findings provided important reference for foxtail millet breeding in the future.

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) is an important cereal crop with rich nutritional value. Distinctness, Uniformity, and Stability (DUS) are the prerequisites for the application of new variety rights for foxtail millet. In this study, we investigated 32 DUS test characteristics of 183 foxtail millet resources, studied their artificial selection trends, and identified varieties that conform to breeding trends. The results indicated significant differences in terms of means, ranges, and coefficients of variation for each characteristic. Correlation analysis was performed to determine the correlations between various DUS characteristics. Principal component analysis was conducted on 31 test characteristics to determine their primary characteristics. By plotting PC1 and PC2, all germplasm resources could be clearly distinguished. Trends in foxtail millet breeding were identified through differential analysis of DUS test characteristics between landrace varieties and cultivated varieties. Based on these breeding trends, optimal solution types for multiple evaluation indicators were determined; weight allocation was calculated, and a specific TOPSIS algorithm was designed to establish a comprehensive multi-criteria decision-making model. Using this model, the breeding potential of foxtail millet germplasm resources was ranked. These findings provided important reference for foxtail millet breeding in future.

Background: Foxtail millet (Setaria italica), domesticated from green foxtail (Setaria viridis), is crucial for global food security. Given increasing environmental challenges, exploring its stress-resistance mechanisms via researching the BREVIS RADIX (BRX) gene family is urgent. Methods: The study combines advanced bioinformatics and experimental validation. It uses phylogenetic, motif, domain, synteny analyses, miRNA prediction, and quantitative expression profiling under stress. Results: Phylogenetic analysis reveals new sub-clades and trajectories. Motif and domain analyses find new conserved elements. Statistical models show unique selective forces. Synteny analysis identifies genomic architecture and new blocks. miRNA prediction reveals gene-miRNA interactions, and expression profiling shows new patterns. Conclusions: The research offers new insights into the BRX family’s role in foxtail millet’s growth and stress responses, laying a foundation for crop genetic improvement and enhancing stress resilience for global food security.

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica), domesticated from green foxtail (Setaria viridis), is a crucial cereal crop that plays a significant role in global food security. With the escalating environmental challenges, exploring novel stress - resistance mechanisms in foxtail millet has become a frontier in modern agricultural science and an urgent need for sustainable agriculture.In this study, we comprehensively investigated the BRX gene family in the foxtail millet genome by integrating advanced bioinformatics techniques with rigorous experimental validation. Using cutting - edge algorithms for phylogenetic analysis, we clarified the evolutionary relationships among BRX gene family members and identified previously unrecognized sub - clades and evolutionary trajectories unique to foxtail millet, rice, Arabidopsis thaliana, and green foxtail. This in - depth phylogenetic analysis provides new insights into the genetic divergence and convergence of the BRX family across different plant species.Through high - resolution motif and domain analyses, we discovered a new set of conserved elements and potential functional modules within the BRX family. These findings challenge the existing understanding of the family's functional conservation, suggesting novel regulatory mechanisms that could be utilized for crop improvement.Advanced statistical models were employed to assess the nonsynonymous to synonymous substitution ratio, enabling us to accurately quantify the evolutionary pressures on BRX gene family members in green foxtail and foxtail millet. Our results revealed unique selective forces that may have driven the adaptation of these species to diverse ecological niches.The latest genomic mapping strategies were applied in synteny analysis, offering a comprehensive view of the genomic architecture and evolutionary background of BRX family members in multiple plant species. We identified new syntenic blocks and chromosomal rearrangements, which contribute to understanding the dynamic evolution of BRX genes and their potential role in species - specific adaptation. Notably, this study innovatively carried out miRNA prediction, an aspect not covered in previous similar research. We found that four foxtail millet genes interact with four rice miRNAs, which are known to play important roles in rice development and metabolism. This discovery further validates the strong functionality of the foxtail millet BRX genes.Using the latest quantitative expression profiling techniques, we analyzed the tissue - specific expression patterns of SiBRXs under drought, salt stress, and cold conditions. Our results revealed previously unknown expression patterns and regulatory nodes, which are essential for understanding how foxtail millet responds to environmental stresses at the molecular level.Overall, this study breaks new ground in understanding the role of the BRX gene family in foxtail millet's growth and stress responses. These novel findings not only deepen our knowledge of plant genetics but also provide a solid foundation for targeted genetic improvement and breeding strategies aimed at enhancing stress resilience in foxtail millet and other related crop species.