The cultivation of herbicide-resistant crops is an effective tool for weed management in agriculture. Weed control in flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) remains challenging due to the lack of available herbicide-resistant cultivars. In this study, a mutant resistant to acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides was obtained by ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS) mutagenesis using an elite cultivar, Longya10. Whole-plant dose–response assays revealed that, compared to Longya10, the mutant was 11.57-fold more resistant to tribenuron-methyl (TBM) and slightly resistant to imazethapyr (resistance index (mutant/Longya10) < 3). In vitro acetolactate synthase assays showed that the relative resistance of the mutant was 12.63 times more than that of Longya10. A biochemical analysis indicated that there was a Pro197Ser (relative to the Arabidopsis thaliana ALS sequence) substitution within the LuALS1, conferring high resistance to sulfonylurea herbicides in the mutant. Additionally, two cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) markers, BsaI-LuALS1 and EcoO109I-LuALS1, were developed based on the mutation site for marker assistant selection in breeding. Moreover, the mutant did not cause losses in natural field conditions. We find a mutant with ALS-inhibiting herbicide resistance chemically induced by EMS mutagenesis, providing a valuable germplasm for breeding herbicide-resistant flax varieties.

Shanlan upland rice is a kind of upland rice and is suitable for planting in the mountains and in hilly terrain. It is mainly found in China’s Hainan province. To discover the drought-resistant genes in Shanlan upland rice, two representative varieties—Baishanuo (BSN) and Dongfang Manpoxiang (MPX)—were selected for transcriptome sequencing, after which gene expression analysis was used to confirm their gene expression patterns. The results demonstrated that 2791 and 829 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified for each variety, including 184 and 58 transcriptional factors, respectively. Expression analysis demonstrated that some genes with unknown functions, such as Os10g0505900, were highly expressed under drought stress treatment. The transcriptomic data and digital gene expression profiling data obtained in this study provide a basis for studying the drought-resistant mechanism in Shanlan upland rice.

Flax is a flowering plant cultivated for its oil and contains various unsaturated fatty acids. Linseed oil is known as the “deep-sea fish oil” of plants, and is beneficial to brain and blood lipids, among other positive effects. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in plant growth and development. There are not many studies assessing how lncRNAs are related to the fatty acid synthesis of flax. The relative oil contents of the seeds of the variety Heiya NO.14 (for fiber) and the variety Macbeth (for oil) were determined at 5 day, 10 day, 20 day, and 30 day after flowering. We found that 10–20 day is an important period for ALA accumulation in the Macbeth variety. The strand-specific transcriptome data were analyzed at these four time points, and a series of lncRNAs related to flax seed development were screened. A competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was constructed and the accuracy of the network was verified using qRT-PCR. MSTRG.20631.1 could act with miR156 on the same target, squamosa promoter-binding-like protein (SPL), to influence fatty acid biosynthesis through a gluconeogenesis-related pathway during flax seed development. This study provides a theoretical basis for future studies assessing the potential functions of lncRNAs during seed development.

The coexistence of genetically modified (GM) and non-GM crops has been a subject of considerable concern, particularly in the context of the extensive utilisation of GM crops. In response to this concern, various countries have devised coexistence strategies that are tailored to their respective national contexts, taking into account economic, political, technological and public acceptability factors. In the context of planting, countries such as the United States and Brazil have adopted a strategy of coexistence management, whereby the responsibility for implementing isolation measures falls upon premium producers. In contrast, the European Union, Japan and other countries that import GM crops have enacted legislation requiring growers to adhere to stringent isolation measures to prevent the mixing of GM and non-GM crops. Internationally, GM products are distinguished by a labelling management system to satisfy the public’s right to know and choose and to realise the coexistence of GM and non-GM during circulation and consumption. When considered in the context of China’s specific national conditions, particularly the prevalence of a small-scale peasant economy, it is recommended that China draw upon the lessons learned from the field coexistence strategies employed in countries that have adopted GM planting. This recommendation involves the refinement and enhancement of existing labelling management practices as well as the formulation of a coexistence management policy that is characterised by cost savings, efficiency gains and robust operational capabilities. The implementation of these measures is expected to foster the commercialisation of GM soybean and maize in China.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a vital staple crop, and the environmental risk assessment of transgenic varieties is crucial for formulating biosafety policies. Rice pollen grains are spherical, with an average diameter of 40.03 ± 2.75 μm. This study established a standardized protocol for in vitro pollen germination by first optimizing key culture conditions. A single-factor experimental design identified the optimal medium composition as 150 g/L sucrose, 40 mg/L boric acid, 20 mg/L calcium chloride, 10 mg/L monopotassium phosphate, and 10 mg/L magnesium sulfate. The ideal germination temperature was determined to be 31 ± 1 °C, with no germination observed below 16 °C or above 40 °C. Pollen germination rates declined significantly within 5 min post-isolation and ceased completely after 30 min. Building on this optimized protocol, a standardized evaluation method was developed, defining key assessment conditions at temperatures of 25/31/37 °C and post-isolation times of 0/5/15 min. Under these defined conditions, the pollen viability of glyphosate-resistant transgenic rice G2-6 was compared to its non-transgenic recipient ZH11. No significant differences were found at any tested time–temperature combination (p > 0.05). This work establishes a practical and reproducible standard for transgenic rice pollen assessment, offering a scientific basis for evidence-based biosafety regulation and policy-making.

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is a globally important oilseed crop, valued for its edible and industrial uses. Flax seeds are rich in unsaturated fatty acids. In this study, ethyl methyl sulfone was employed to construct a mutant library from the flax cultivar Longya 10 (WT). Screening efforts identified M45, a stable mutant with an oleic acid content of 43.22% at 40 days after flowering, representing a 21.23% increase over the wild-type. RNA-Seq analysis revealed the presence of two homologs of the SAD (stearoyl-ACP desaturase) family and two homologs of the FAD2 (fatty acid desaturase 2) family, which showed differential expression in a trend consistent with the phenotype of M45. A BSA-Seq analysis was conducted to identify genes with SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) and Indel (insertions/deletions) variant loci that were associated with increased oleic acid. The combination of BSA-Seq, RNA-Seq, and metabolomic analyses identified L.us.o.g.scaffold122.86, a gene that may be co-expressed with L.us.o.g.scaffold7.26 to affect oleic acid accumulation via FAD2.