Background: Wheat is a major cereal that can narrow the gap between the increasing human population and food production. In this connection, assessing genetic diversity and conserving wheat genetic resources for future exploitation is very important for breeding new cultivars that may withstand the expected climate change. The current study evaluates the genetic diversity in selected wheat cultivars using ISSR and SCoT markers, the rbcL and matK chloroplast DNA barcoding, and grain surface sculpture characteristics. We anticipate that these objectives may prioritize using the selected cultivars to improve wheat production. The selected collection of cultivars may lead to the identification of cultivars adapted to a broad spectrum of climatic environments. Results: Multivariate clustering analyses of the ISSR and SCoT DNA fingerprinting polymorphism grouped three Egyptian cultivars with cultivar El-Nielain from Sudan, cultivar Aguilal from Morocco, and cultivar Attila from Mexico. In the other group, cultivar Cook from Australia and cultivar Chinese-166 were differentiated from four other cultivars: cultivar Cham-10 from Syria, cultivar Seri-82 from Mexico, cultivar Inqalab-91 from Pakistan, and cultivar Sonalika from India. In the PCA analysis, the Egyptian cultivars were distinct from the other studied cultivars. The rbcL and matK sequence variation analysis indicated similarities between Egyptian cultivars and cultivar Cham-10 from Syria and cultivar Inqalab-91 from Pakistan, whereas cultivar Attila from Mexico was distinguished from all other cultivars. Combining the data of ISSR and SCoT with the rbcL and matK results retained the close resemblance among the two Egyptian cultivars EGY1: Gemmeiza-9 and EGY3: Sakha-93, and the Moroccan cultivar Aguilal, and the Sudanese cultivar El-Nielain and between Seri-82, Inqalab-91, and Sonalika cultivars. The analysis of all data distinguished cultivar Cham-10 from Syria from all other cultivars, and the analysis of grain traits indicated a close resemblance between cv. Cham-10 from and the two Egyptian cultivars Gemmeiza-9 and Sakha-93. Conclusions: The analysis of rbcL and matK chloroplast DNA barcoding agrees with the ISSR and the SCoT markers in supporting the close resemblance between the Egyptian cultivars, particularly Gemmeiza-9 and Sakha-93. The ISSR and SCoT data analyses significantly expressed high differentiation levels among the examined cultivars. Cultivars with closer resemblance may be recommended for breeding new wheat cultivars adapted to various climatic environments.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a major forage crop of family Fabaceae and is frequently cultivated in Egypt. The present study is concerned with the genetic discrimination of fifteen alfalfa cultivars from three different countries (Egypt, Australia, and USA) using two molecular approaches: inter-retrotransposon-amplified polymorphism (IRAP) markers and two chloroplast DNA barcodes matK and the trnH in addition to the analysis of fifteen morpho-agronomic traits. The genetic relatedness, based on analysis of IRAP marker polymorphism and produced using eleven primers by clustering via principal component analysis (PCA) and multivariate heatmap biostatistical methods differentiated the two Egyptian cultivars EGY1-Ismailia1 and EGY2-Nubaria1 from the three Australian and seven American cultivars, with some distinction of the cv. USA6-SW9720 and cv. AUS4-SuperFast. The results were also supported by the sequence analysis of the matK and the trnH genes on the genetic relatedness between eight cultivars. Moreover, it might be suggested that breeding lines from M. sativa cultivars may provide novel insights and a better understanding of the domestication of M. sativa genetic diversity. The classification of the eight cultivars, as revealed by morpho-agronomic traits, confirmed the close genetic relationship between the two Egyptian cultivars and indicated some resemblance between them and the AUS2-Siri Nafa, whereas the two American cultivars, USA1-Super supreme and USA4-Cuf101, were clearly isolated from a cluster of other three cultivars USA7-SW9628, USA8-Magna901, and USA9-Perfect. The results are useful sources of genetic information for future breeding programs in crop development and open new possibilities of producing M. sativa lines harboring high forage quality, productivity, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses.

Background: Priming of seed prior chilling is regarded as one of the methods to promote seeds germination, whole plant growth, and yield components. The application of biostimulants was reported as beneficial for protecting many plants from biotic or abiotic stresses. Their value was as important to be involved in improving the growth parameters of plants. Also, they were practiced in the regulation of various metabolic pathways to enhance acclimation and tolerance in coriander against chilling stress. To our knowledge, little is deciphered about the molecular mechanisms underpinning the ameliorative impact of biostimulants in the context of understanding the link and overlap between improved morphological characters, induced metabolic processes, and upregulated gene expression. In this study, the ameliorative effect(s) of potassium silicate, HA, and gamma radiation on acclimation of coriander to tolerate chilling stress was evaluated by integrating the data of growth, yield, physiological and molecular aspects. Results: Plant growth, yield components, and metabolic activities were generally diminished in chilling-stressed coriander plants. On the other hand, levels of ABA and soluble sugars were increased. Alleviation treatment by humic acid, followed by silicate and gamma irradiation, has notably promoted plant growth parameters and yield components in chilling-stressed coriander plants. This improvement was concomitant with a significant increase in phytohormones, photosynthetic pigments, carbohydrate contents, antioxidants defense system, and induction of large subunit of RuBisCO enzyme production. The assembly of Toc complex subunits was maintained, and even their expression was stimulated (especially Toc75 and Toc 34) upon alleviation of the chilling stress by applied biostimulators. Collectively, humic acid was the best the element to alleviate the adverse effects of chilling stress on growth and productivity of coriander. Conclusions: It could be suggested that the inducing effect of the pretreatments on hormonal balance triggered an increase in IAA + GA₃/ABA hormonal ratio. This ratio could be linked and engaged with the protection of cellular metabolic activities from chilling injury against the whole plant life cycle. Therefore, it was speculated that seed priming in humic acid is a powerful technique that can benefit the chilled along with non-chilled plants and sustain the economic importance of coriander plant productivity.

The application of biostimulants has great potential in preserving plants against abiotic or biotic stresses and is integrated into promoting tolerance and acclimating of coriander against salinity stress. Deciphering the morphological, physiological and molecular responses underpinning the ameliorative aspects of ecofriendly biostimulants is indispensable to link and overlap the ameliorative responses of seed priming. Hereby, the ameliorative responses of seed priming against salinity stress using potassium silicate, humic acid, and gamma irradiation were evaluated. Salinity stress generally diminishes vegetation, productivity, and metabolic activities. However, abscisic acid (ABA) levels and soluble sugars were elevated. Pretreatments with potassium silicate or humic acid, followed by gamma rays, alleviated and promoted growth parameters, yield components, and vital metabolic processes in salinity-stressed coriander. This promotion was concurrent with an increase in growth promotors, chlorophyll a/b, carbohydrates, antioxidants (compounds and enzymes), and upregulation of RuBisCO large subunit protein expression. Collectively, potassium silicate and humic acid were the best at alleviating the adverse effects of saline conditions. Triggered pretreatments might be engaged in maintaining metabolic activities toward deleterious salinity impacts. Thus, it was suggested that seed priming by potassium silicate and humic acid is an effective regime benefitting salinized along with nonsalinized plants that sustain coriander productivity.