Climate change poses a significant threat to grapevine survival and productivity worldwide. Mutation breeding is an effective technique for inducing genetic diversity in grapevines, enabling the modulation of phytochemical and biochemical activities as well as genes associated with morphological traits. This study evaluated the effects of Cobalt-60 gamma irradiation on four grapevine cultivars (maintained at Horticulture Research Institute, Khuzdar, Pakistan) to identify the optimal dose for beneficial changes. Hardwood cuttings were exposed to five radiation levels in a randomized complete block design, followed by assessments of morphological, phytochemical and biochemical traits. 10 Gy irradiation accelerated sprouting, increase plant height, leaf size, and node number and enhanced phenolic, flavonoid, and antioxidant activities across cultivars. In contrast, higher doses delayed development and reduced growth and biochemical performance. Cluster and principal component analyses confirmed the dose dependent responses. Overall, 10 Gy was identified as the optimal dose for promoting growth and metabolic resilience in grapevines. This study provides the first systematic evidence from Pakistan on radiation-induced mutagenesis in grapevines, filling a major knowledge gap and demonstrating the potential of mutation breeding as a rapid and effective strategy for developing climate-resilient cultivars to support sustainable viticulture and regional food security.

Drought stress restricts growth and productivity in grain legumes, yet the integrative mechanisms underlying silicon-mediated drought tolerance in Vigna mungo (mash bean) remain poorly understood. The present study aimed to investigate the role of silicon in mitigating drought-induced damage in two mash bean cultivars. To evaluate this effect, plants were subjected to different drought regimes with and without silicon. Data on growth traits, biomass accumulation, reproductive attributes, photosynthetic gas exchange parameters, water relations, antioxidant enzyme activities, phenolic compounds, nutrient dynamics, and expression of drought-responsive genes were collected and statistically analyzed. Multivariate analyses, including PCA and structural equation modeling (SEM), were used to elucidate relationships among measured variables. Drought significantly reduced plant growth, biomass production, and reproductive traits, accompanied by marked declines in net assimilation rate (up to 35–40%), stomatal conductance, and transpiration under 25% field capacity (FC). In contrast, drought increased WUE (49.7–56.2 µmol CO₂ mmol⁻ ¹ H₂O), antioxidant enzyme activities, and phenolic accumulation. Silicon supplementation substantially improved plant growth, restored photosynthetic performance, and enhanced antioxidant defense under drought conditions. Si-treated plants exhibited increased activities of SOD, CAT, and APX, higher phenolic content, improved water status, and upregulated expression of DREB2A , PIP2-1 , and TIP4-1 compared with non-supplemented plants. Multivariate analyses clearly separated drought and Si treatments, while SEM revealed strong relationships linking gene expression, biochemical defense systems, physiological processes, and plant growth responses. In conclusion, silicon supplementation significantly enhances drought tolerance in mash bean by improving photosynthetic efficiency, antioxidant capacity, and molecular regulation of water transport.

This study investigated the effects of relative humidity (RH) and storage duration (SD) on quinoa seed viability, biochemical composition and physiological traits. A factorial experiment in a completely randomized design (CRD) was conducted at 50 °C with two RH levels (30% And 60%) and three storage durations (30, 60, And 90 days). The objective was to evaluate how RH and storage time influence seed viability and identify varietal differences in storage tolerance. Higher RH (60%) accelerated seed viability decline during prolonged storage, as reflected in reduced germination percentage, vigor index, and sharp losses in tetrazolium (TZ) viability, particularly in V5 (91.67% to 9%). Electrical conductivity increased with storage time, indicating membrane damage. Morphological traits (root length, shoot length and biomass) photosynthetic pigments decreased more markedly under 605 RH, with V1 performing poorest and V6 showing relatively better resilience. Antioxidant enzyme (SOD, POD, CAT, APX) were more active under 30% RH, suggesting an adaptive defense response, while proline accumulation was highlighted in V6 (42.73 µmol/g) at 305 RH after 90 days. Overall, prolonged storage under high RH severely compromised quinoa seed quality, whereas 30% RH preserved viability and biochemical integrity. Statistical analyses (ANOVA, PCA and heatmaps) confirmed superior seed performance at 30% RH. These findings provide practical guidance for optimizing quinoa seed storage and highlight V6 as a promising genotype for a long term preservation.

Developing climate-smart crops with enhanced crop productivity, nutritional quality, resistance to biological and environmental stressors is vital for global food security. While hybrid breeding forms the cornerstone of modern crop improvement, conventional breeding approaches are limited by genetic barriers and prolonged breeding cycles. CRISPR–Cas based genome editing has revolutionized plant biology by allowing precise, efficient, and multiplex genetic modifications. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of a recent advances in CRISPR–Cas technologies and their strategic applications in crop genetics and hybrid breeding. We summarize major genome-editing strategies, including gene knock-out, base editing (BE), knock-in, gene replacement, epigenome editing, and transcriptional regulation. Furthermore, we contrast stable, transient, and DNA-free delivery systems, highlighting ribonucleoprotein (RNP)-mediated delivery for minimizing off-target effects and avoiding transgene integration. We showcase how these technologies accelerate hybrid breeding by engineering male sterility systems, fixing heterosis, and generating high-throughput mutant libraries for trait discovery. Finally, we synthesize major bottlenecks in tissue culture-independent transformation and delivery systems, while outlining how emerging paradigms like de novo domestication and synthetic biology will shape the future of climate-resilient agriculture.