Common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) is a globally green manure and forage crop, cultivated extensively worldwide. Its seeds serve as an important concentrated feed. Due to the late release of the reference genome, few studies were conducted to analyze the genetic mechanisms of grain yield, which hindered the progress of common vetch breeding. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) is the best and most effective way to accelerate the genetic improvement of grain yield-related traits in common vetch. In this study, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using the high-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data obtained through re-sequencing to better understand the genetic basis of grain yield-related traits. In total, six grain yield-related traits were evaluated in 172 accessions mainly sourced from China and Russia, across four environments, including branches per plant (NB), pod length (PL), number of pods per plant (NP), number of grains per pod (NG), hundred-grain weight (HGW), and grain yield (GY). Population structure analysis of the 172 accessions revealed four distinct subpopulations, exhibiting strong geographical correlation. In total, 38 loci have been identified as significantly associated with six grain yield-related traits, accounting for 13.3–31.7% of the phenotypic variances. Among them, qGY1.1 and qNG1.1, qNG2.2 and qPL2.1, qNG3.2 and qGY3.2, qNG4.1 and qPL4.1, qGY4.1 and qHGW4.1, qNG6.1 and qPL6.1, and qNB6.2 and qGY6.2 exhibit overlapping regions, suggesting that these regions are pleiotropic and should be prioritized for further research and breeding. In total, 12 candidate genes encoding auxin response factor, F-box repeat protein, gibberellin receptor, serine/threonine-protein kinase-like protein, and cellulose synthase-like protein were identified. Furthermore, we successfully developed and verified a kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) marker (Kasp-NB6.2) for the number of branches. These findings provide molecular insights into grain yield-related traits in common vetch and offer valuable loci and molecular tools for MAS breeding.

Background/Objectives: Common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) is a globally cultivated leguminous crop, valued for its high nutritional content and role in sustainable agriculture. Methods: To identify loci or genes significantly associated with salt tolerance, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using 172 common vetch accessions primarily from diverse geographic regions. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were obtained through re-sequencing, and five salt tolerance-related traits, including the germination rate (GR), germination potential (GP), germination index (GI), shoot length (SL), and root length (RL), were evaluated under salt stress conditions. We have identified 20 loci significantly associated with salt tolerance-related traits, and explaining 9.7–21.8% of the phenotypic variation. Notably, 13 loci exhibited pleiotropic effects on multiple traits; include qST1.1 (associated with SL, GR, GI), qST1.3 (RL, SL, GP), qST2.5 (SL, GR, GI, GP), and qST2.7 (SL, RL, GP, GI), and should be prioritized in future breeding programs. All 20 loci are novel compared to previous reports. Furthermore, we identified 7 candidate genes encoding key regulatory proteins, including a zinc finger MYM-type protein, ubiquitin-like domain-containing protein, transcription factor bHLH, ethylene-responsive transcription factor, auxin-responsive protein, and serine/threonine-protein kinase, as potential regulators of salt tolerance. Conclusions: This study advances our understanding of the genetic basis of salt tolerance in common vetch and provides valuable loci, molecular tools, and elite accessions. HZMC1352, GLF303, GLF301, HZMC1387, GLF306, GLF368, GLF342, HZMC1384, HZMC1355, GLF307, HZMC1366 are used for improving salt tolerance in breeding programs.

Soybean yield is governed by key agronomic traits such as main stem node number, lowest pod height, and branch number. These polygenic traits exhibit substantial environmental variation, and the instability of associated genetic loci identified in single-environment studies constrains their application in molecular breeding. To uncover their stable genetic basis, we conducted multi-environment phenotyping over three years and six locations using a panel of 320 soybean accessions. The Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP) model was employed to integrate phenotypic data and control for genotype-by-environment interactions. Subsequently, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were performed using BLUP-integrated phenotypic values to capture stable genetic effects, with optimal model using the Mixed Linear Model (MLM). As a result, a total of 22 significant single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci were identified. Among these, 10, 7, and 5 significant loci were associated with main stem node number, lowest pod height, and branch number, respectively, representing stable genetic signals across multiple environments. These loci primarily clustered on chromosomes 19, 8, and 18. Within these associated regions, we predicted eight high-confidence candidate genes. Functional annotation revealed that these genes are significantly enriched in pathways related to cell wall biosynthesis, energy metabolism, and stress response. This study provides effective genomic resources derived from a multi-environment GWAS framework. These stable loci and candidate genes directly facilitate the molecular breeding of soybean varieties with improved yield-related traits and environmental adaptability.

Although green manure crops are widely recognized for ameliorating alkaline soils, some previous studies have focused mainly on laboratory germination screenings or single yield indicators, and field validation of the synergy between high yield and soil improvement remains comparatively limited. This study evaluated 16 species/accessions with varying salt tolerance in a typical alkaline soil (initial pH 9.01, EC 306 μS·cm⁻¹) in Heilongjiang Province during 2024–2025, based on prior laboratory screening. The experiment was conducted at a single location with three field replicates, and the same plots were monitored across both years. Plant height, fresh/dry grass yield, and soil properties (pH, EC, organic matter, nutrients) were monitored. Glycine max (L.) Merr. and Sesbania Scop. achieved dual synergy, with two-year average fresh yields of 40,733 and 35,750 kg·ha⁻¹, respectively, while reducing soil pH by 0.28–0.29 and electrical conductivity (EC) by 42.2–46.3%. Melilotus officinalis and Vicia villosa Roth exhibited the strongest alkali reduction (pH ↓0.29, EC ↓39.0–39.7%) with moderate yields. Sorghum sudanense showed the highest salt reduction (EC ↓49.0%). Principal component analysis classified the 16 species into four functional types, revealing preliminary ecological patterns for functional differentiation. This study proposes a “laboratory screening–field validation–functional classification” evaluation framework, which requires further validation across different regions and longer time scales for the biological amelioration of alkaline soils.

Triticale (×Triticosecale Wittmack), a synthetic hybrid of wheat (Triticum spp.) and rye (Secale cereale), is a valuable dual-purpose crop for its high yield and stress tolerance. Introducing beneficial alien chromatin is crucial for expanding genetic diversity and improving cultivars. This study aimed to introduce Thinopyrum intermedium St genome chromatin into hexaploid triticale via trigeneric hybridization to develop novel germplasm. Six stable lines were selected from crosses between an octoploid wheat-Th. intermedium partial amphiploid line Maicao 8 and a hexaploid triticale cultivar Hashi 209. Agronomic traits were evaluated over two cropping seasons, revealing that the translocation lines exhibited superior agronomic performance compared to the parental triticales. These lines showed longer spikes, higher tiller numbers, and increased grain protein content, without compromising thousand-kernel weight. Cytogenetic analysis using sequential multicolor genomic in situ hybridization (smGISH), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and oligonucleotide probes, alongside validation with species-specific molecular markers, identified all six lines as St-R terminal translocation lines containing 14 rye chromosomes. Three lines carried a small terminal St segment on chromosome 1R, while the other three carried St segments on both 1RL and 4RS chromosomes. This work demonstrates that trigeneric hybridization is an effective strategy for inducing intergeneric recombination between Thinopyrum intermedium and rye chromosomes, leading to stable, small-segment terminal translocations. The developed St-R translocation lines represent a novel and valuable germplasm resource for enriching genetic diversity and breeding improved triticale cultivars with enhanced yield and quality traits.