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Journal of Plant Physiology Feb 2021Climate change during the last 40 years has had a serious impact on agriculture and threatens global food and nutritional security. From over half a million plant... (Review)
Review
Climate change during the last 40 years has had a serious impact on agriculture and threatens global food and nutritional security. From over half a million plant species, cereals and legumes are the most important for food and nutritional security. Although systematic plant breeding has a relatively short history, conventional breeding coupled with advances in technology and crop management strategies has increased crop yields by 56 % globally between 1965-85, referred to as the Green Revolution. Nevertheless, increased demand for food, feed, fiber, and fuel necessitates the need to break existing yield barriers in many crop plants. In the first decade of the 21st century we witnessed rapid discovery, transformative technological development and declining costs of genomics technologies. In the second decade, the field turned towards making sense of the vast amount of genomic information and subsequently moved towards accurately predicting gene-to-phenotype associations and tailoring plants for climate resilience and global food security. In this review we focus on genomic resources, genome and germplasm sequencing, sequencing-based trait mapping, and genomics-assisted breeding approaches aimed at developing biotic stress resistant, abiotic stress tolerant and high nutrition varieties in six major cereals (rice, maize, wheat, barley, sorghum and pearl millet), and six major legumes (soybean, groundnut, cowpea, common bean, chickpea and pigeonpea). We further provide a perspective and way forward to use genomic breeding approaches including marker-assisted selection, marker-assisted backcrossing, haplotype based breeding and genomic prediction approaches coupled with machine learning and artificial intelligence, to speed breeding approaches. The overall goal is to accelerate genetic gains and deliver climate resilient and high nutrition crop varieties for sustainable agriculture.
Topics: Agriculture; Crops, Agricultural; Genome, Plant; Genomics; Plant Breeding
PubMed: 33412425
DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2020.153351 -
Journal of Zhejiang University....Agriculture is the foundation of social development. Under the pressure of population growth, natural disasters, environmental pollution, climate change, and food... (Review)
Review
Agriculture is the foundation of social development. Under the pressure of population growth, natural disasters, environmental pollution, climate change, and food safety, the interdisciplinary "new agriculture" is becoming an important trend of modern agriculture. In fact, new agriculture is not only the foundation of great health and new energy sources, but is also the cornerstone of national food security, energy security, and biosafety. Hydrogen agronomy focuses mainly on the mechanism of hydrogen gas (H) biology effects in agriculture, and provides a theoretical foundation for the practice of hydrogen agriculture, a component of the new agriculture. Previous research on the biological effects of H focused chiefly on medicine. The mechanism of selective antioxidant is the main theoretical basis of hydrogen medicine. Subsequent experiments have demonstrated that H can regulate the growth and development of plant crops, edible fungus, and livestock, and enhance the tolerance of these agriculturally important organisms against abiotic and biotic stresses. Even more importantly, H can regulate the growth and development of crops by changing the soil microbial community composition and structure. Use of H can also improve the nutritional value and postharvest quality of agricultural products. Researchers have also shown that the biological functions of molecular hydrogen are mediated by modulating reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), and carbon monoxide (CO) signaling cascades in plants and microbes. This review summarizes and clarifies the history of hydrogen agronomy and describes recent progress in the field. We also argue that emerging hydrogen agriculture will be an important direction in the new agriculture. Further, we discuss several scientific problems in hydrogen agronomy, and suggest that the future of hydrogen agronomy depends on contributions by multiple disciplines. Important future research directions of hydrogen agronomy include hydrogen agriculture in special environments, such as islands, reefs, aircraft, and outer space.
Topics: Agriculture; Carbon Monoxide; Climate Change; Crops, Agricultural; Food Safety; Hydrogen; Microbiota; Nitric Oxide; Reactive Oxygen Species; Soil; Soil Microbiology
PubMed: 33150769
DOI: 10.1631/jzus.B2000386 -
Current Biology : CB Dec 2023Climate change threatens global food and nutritional security through negative effects on crop growth and agricultural productivity. Many countries have adopted... (Review)
Review
Climate change threatens global food and nutritional security through negative effects on crop growth and agricultural productivity. Many countries have adopted ambitious climate change mitigation and adaptation targets that will exacerbate the problem, as they require significant changes in current agri-food systems. In this review, we provide a roadmap for improved crop production that encompasses the effective transfer of current knowledge into plant breeding and crop management strategies that will underpin sustainable agriculture intensification and climate resilience. We identify the main problem areas and highlight outstanding questions and potential solutions that can be applied to mitigate the impacts of climate change on crop growth and productivity. Although translation of scientific advances into crop production lags far behind current scientific knowledge and technology, we consider that a holistic approach, combining disciplines in collaborative efforts, can drive better connections between research, policy, and the needs of society.
Topics: Crops, Agricultural; Climate Change; Plant Breeding; Agriculture; Crop Production
PubMed: 38052178
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.10.028 -
Current Biology : CB Jun 2023Plant life defines the environments to which animals adapt and provides the basis of food webs. This was equally true for hunter-gatherer economies of ancestral humans,... (Review)
Review
Plant life defines the environments to which animals adapt and provides the basis of food webs. This was equally true for hunter-gatherer economies of ancestral humans, yet through the domestication of plants and the creation of agricultural ecologies based around them, human societies transformed vegetation and transported plant taxa into new geographical regions. These human-plant interactions ultimately co-evolved, increasing human population densities, technologies of farming, and the diversification of landraces and crop complexes. Research in archaeology on preserved plant remains (archaeobotany) and on the genomes of crops, including ancient genomes, has transformed our scientific understanding of the complex relationships between humans and plants that are entailed by domestication. Key realizations of recent research include the recognition that: the co-evolution of domesticates and cultures was protracted, the adaptations of plant populations were unintended results of human economies rather than intentional breeding, domestication took place in dozens of world regions involving different crops and cultures, and convergent evolution can be recognized among cropping types - such as among seed crops, tuber crops, and fruit trees. Seven general domestication pathways can be defined for plants. Lessons for the present-day include: the importance of diversity in the past; genetic diversity within species has the potential to erode over time, but also to be rescued through processes of integration; similarly, diversification within agricultural ecosystems has undergone processes of decline, including marginalised, lost and 'forgotten' crops, as well as processes of renewal resulting from trade and human mobility that brought varied crops and varieties together.
Topics: Humans; Domestication; Ecosystem; Plant Breeding; Agriculture; Crops, Agricultural
PubMed: 37279694
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.038 -
Emerging Topics in Life Sciences Dec 2023In the current scenario of climate change, global agricultural systems are facing remarkable challenges in order to increase production, while reducing the negative... (Review)
Review
In the current scenario of climate change, global agricultural systems are facing remarkable challenges in order to increase production, while reducing the negative environmental impact. Nano-enabled technologies have the potential to revolutionise farming practices by increasing the efficiency of inputs and minimising losses, as well as contributing to sustainable agriculture. Two promising applications of nanotechnology in agriculture are nanobiosensors and nanoformulations (NFs). Nanobiosensors can help detect biotic and abiotic stresses in plants before they affect plant production, while NFs can make agrochemicals, more efficient and less polluting. NFs are becoming new-age materials with a wide variety of nanoparticle-based formulations such as fertilisers, herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides. They facilitate the site-targeted controlled delivery of agrochemicals enhancing their efficiency and reducing dosages. Smart farming aims to monitor and detect parameters related to plant health and environmental conditions in order to help sustainable agriculture. Nanobiosensors can provide real-time analytical data, including detection of nutrient levels, metabolites, pesticides, presence of pathogens, soil moisture, and temperature, aiding in precision farming practices, and optimising resource usage. In this review, we summarise recent innovative uses of NFs and nanobiosensors in agriculture that may boost crop protection and production, as well as reducing the negative environmental impact of agricultural activities. However, successful implementation of these smart technologies would require two special considerations: (i) educating farmers about appropriate use of nanotechnology, (ii) conducting field trials to ensure effectiveness under real conditions.
Topics: Agriculture; Pesticides; Agrochemicals; Nanotechnology; Farms; Plants
PubMed: 37921102
DOI: 10.1042/ETLS20230070 -
Trends in Ecology & Evolution Oct 2021We challenge the widespread appraisal that organic farming is the fundamental alternative to conventional farming for harnessing biodiversity in agricultural landscapes.... (Review)
Review
We challenge the widespread appraisal that organic farming is the fundamental alternative to conventional farming for harnessing biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. Certification of organic production is largely restricted to banning synthetic agrochemicals, resulting in limited benefits for biodiversity but high yield losses despite ongoing intensification and specialisation. In contrast, successful agricultural measures to enhance biodiversity include diversifying cropland and reducing field size, which can multiply biodiversity while sustaining high yields in both conventional and organic systems. Achieving a landscape-level mosaic of natural habitat patches and fine-grained cropland diversification in both conventional and organic agriculture is key for promoting large-scale biodiversity. This needs to be urgently acknowledged by policy makers for an agricultural paradigm shift.
Topics: Agriculture; Biodiversity; Conservation of Natural Resources; Ecosystem; Organic Agriculture
PubMed: 34362590
DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.06.010 -
Ambio Jan 2020Dairy production systems have rapidly intensified over the past several decades. Dairy farms in many world regions are larger and concentrated in fewer hands. Higher... (Review)
Review
Dairy production systems have rapidly intensified over the past several decades. Dairy farms in many world regions are larger and concentrated in fewer hands. Higher productivity can increase overall economic gains but also incurs site-specific social and environmental costs. In this paper, we review the drivers and impacts of dairy intensification. We identify in the literature four prominent concerns about dairy intensification: the environment, animal welfare, socioeconomic well-being, and human health. We then critically assess three frameworks-sustainable intensification, multifunctionality, and agroecology-which promise win-win solutions to these concerns. We call for research and policy approaches that can better account for synergies and trade-offs among the multiple dimensions of dairy impacts. Specifically, we suggest the need to (1) consider dairy system transitions within broader processes of social-environmental change and (2) investigate how certain framings and metrics may lead to uneven social-environmental outcomes. Such work can help visualize transformations towards more equitable, ethical, and sustainable food systems.
Topics: Agriculture; Animal Welfare; Animals; Conservation of Natural Resources; Farms; Humans; Policy
PubMed: 31055793
DOI: 10.1007/s13280-019-01177-y -
Current Opinion in Biotechnology Apr 2020While synthetic nitrogen fuels modern agriculture, its production is energy-intensive, and its application leads to aquatic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.... (Review)
Review
While synthetic nitrogen fuels modern agriculture, its production is energy-intensive, and its application leads to aquatic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable intensification of agriculture to provide both food for humans and feedstocks for bio-based fuels and materials requires alternative options for nitrogen management. For nearly fifty years, nitrogen fixation in cereal crops has been pursued to address this challenge. Efforts to engineer plants for nitrogen fixation have made strides through eukaryotic nitrogenase expression and a deepened understanding of root nodulation pathways, but deployment of transgenic nitrogen fixing cereals may be outpaced by population growth. By contrast, a root-associated bacterium that can fix and supply nitrogen to cereals could offer a sustainable solution for nitrogen management on a shorter timescale.
Topics: Agriculture; Crop Production; Crops, Agricultural; Edible Grain; Nitrogen; Nitrogen Fixation
PubMed: 31790876
DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2019.09.024 -
Journal of Agricultural and Food... May 2024Digital Twins have emerged as an outstanding opportunity for precision farming, digitally replicating in real-time the functionalities of objects and plants. A virtual... (Review)
Review
Digital Twins have emerged as an outstanding opportunity for precision farming, digitally replicating in real-time the functionalities of objects and plants. A virtual replica of the crop, including key agronomic development aspects such as irrigation, optimal fertilization strategies, and pest management, can support decision-making and a step change in farm management, increasing overall sustainability and direct water, fertilizer, and pesticide savings. In this review, Digital Twin technology is critically reviewed and framed in the context of recent advances in precision agriculture and Agriculture 4.0. The review is organized for each step of agricultural lifecycle, edaphic, phytotechnologic, postharvest, and farm infrastructure, with supporting case studies demonstrating direct benefits for agriculture production and supply chain considering both benefits and limitations of such an approach. Challenges and limitations are disclosed regarding the complexity of managing such an amount of data and a multitude of (often) simultaneous operations and supports.
Topics: Crops, Agricultural; Agriculture; Fertilizers; Crop Production
PubMed: 38709011
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c01934 -
Molecular Plant Jan 2024People have grafted plants since antiquity for propagation, to increase yields, and to improve stress tolerance. This cutting and joining of tissues activates an... (Review)
Review
People have grafted plants since antiquity for propagation, to increase yields, and to improve stress tolerance. This cutting and joining of tissues activates an incredible regenerative ability as different plants fuse and grow as one. For over a hundred years, people have studied the scientific basis for how plants graft. Today, new techniques and a deepening knowledge of the molecular basis for graft formation have allowed a range of previously ungraftable combinations to emerge. Here, we review recent developments in our understanding of graft formation, including the attachment and vascular formation steps. We analyze why plants graft and how biotic and abiotic factors influence successful grafting. We also discuss the ability and inability of plants to graft, and how grafting has transformed both horticulture and fundamental plant science. As our knowledge about plant grafting improves, new combinations and techniques will emerge to allow an expanded use of grafting for horticultural applications and to address fundamental research questions.
Topics: Plants; Agriculture
PubMed: 38102831
DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2023.12.006