An annotated reference sequence representing the hexaploid bread wheat genome in 21 pseudomolecules has been analyzed to identify the distribution and genomic context of coding and noncoding elements across the A, B, and D subgenomes. With an estimated coverage of 94% of the genome and containing 107,891 high-confidence gene models, this assembly enabled the discovery of tissue- and developmental stage–related coexpression networks by providing a transcriptome atlas representing major stages of wheat development. Dynamics of complex gene families involved in environmental adaptation and end-use quality were revealed at subgenome resolution and contextualized to known agronomic single-gene or quantitative trait loci. This community resource establishes the foundation for accelerating wheat research and application through improved understanding of wheat biology and genomics-assisted breeding.

The cooking and eating quality of the rice grain is one of the most serious problems in many rice-producing areas of the world. In this study, we conducted a molecular marker-based genetic analysis of three traits, amylose content (AC), gel consistency (GC) and gelatinization temperature (GT), that are the most important constituents of the cooking and eating quality of rice grains. The materials used in the analysis included F(2) seeds, an F(2:3) population, and an F(9) recombinant inbred-line population from a cross between the parents of 'Shanyou 63', the most widely grown hybrid in rice production in China. Segregation analyses of these three generations showed that each of the three traits was controlled by a single Mendelian locus. Molecular marker-based QTL (quantitative trait locus) analyses, both by one-way analysis of variance using single marker genotypes and by whole-genome scanning with MAPMAKER/QTL, revealed a single locus that controls the expression of all three traits. This locus coincided with the Wx region on the short arm of chromosome 6, indicating that all three traits were either controlled by the Wx locus or by a genomic region tightly linked to this locus. This finding has provided clues to resolving the molecular bases of GC and GT in future studies. The results also have direct implications for the quality improvement of rice varieties.

A set of 63 Chinese-adapted non-waxy rice varieties of the indica and japonica subspecies was measured to extract simple indicators for rice quality evaluation. Approximate methods including amylose content (AC), gel consistency (GC), gelatinisation temperature (as measured by alkali spreading value, ASV), protein content, etc and instrumental methods including differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), viscoamylography (with a Rapid Visco-Analyser, RVA) and texture pro®le analysis were adopted. Four sets of data, ie ordinary testing,¯our pasting property, texture of the cooled¯our gel, and visual appearance of whole milled grain and¯our, were obtained and analysed for mutual relationships. Wide variations were observed in most of the measurements, eg AC (ranging from 6.3 to 28.2%), gelatinisation temperature (T p , 65.8±83.0°C), protein content (7.2±13.5%), pasting (peak viscosity, 92±319 RVU) and texture (hardness, 2.5±24.4 g) properties and grain appearance (grain length, 4.8±8.4 mm), to mention a few. Signi®cant correlations were also detected among the four sets of data of the rice varieties, such as AC versus SB (setback viscosity) with a correlation coef®cient of À0.73, AC versus HRD (gel hardness) of 0.73, HRD versus FRC (gel fracturability) of 0.99, etc. Generally, the instrumental measurements including DSC, pasting and texture properties were highly correlated with the three ordinarily used indicators of rice quality, ie AC, GC and ASV. However, there was a lack of correlation between pasting properties and textural parameters, implying effects on gel texture of retrogradation of starch after cooling of the paste. Six factors were computed by principal component factor analysis that explained 80% of the variation in the traits, among which amylose content-related (30.8%), gelatinisation temperature-related (14.9%) and grain appearance-related (11.1%) factors were most important. Gel pasting properties evaluated by RVA, and¯our colour played less important roles in explaining total variation (accounting for a combined 23% of the eigenvalue loading). This report can be used to identify predictive parameters for rapid screening of rice genotypes for eating quality.

In plants, submergence from flooding causes hypoxia, which impairs energy production and affects plant growth, productivity, and survival. In Arabidopsis, hypoxia induces nuclear localization of the group VII ethylene‐responsive transcription factor RELATED TO AP2.12 (RAP2.12), following its dissociation from the plasma membrane‐anchored ACYL‐COA BINDING PROTEIN1 (ACBP1) and ACBP2. Here, we show that polyunsaturated linolenoyl‐CoA (18:3‐CoA) regulates RAP2.12 release from the plasma membrane. Submergence caused a significant increase in 18:3‐CoA, but a significant decrease in 18:0‐, 18:1‐, and 18:2‐CoA. Application of 18:3‐CoA promoted nuclear accumulation of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusions RAP2.12‐GFP, HYPOXIA‐RESPONSIVE ERF1‐GFP, and RAP2.3‐GFP, and enhanced transcript levels of hypoxia‐responsive genes. Plants with decreased ACBP1 and ACBP2 (acbp1 ACBP2‐RNAi, produced by ACBP2 RNA interference in the acbp1 mutant) had reduced tolerance to hypoxia and impaired 18:3‐CoA‐induced expression of hypoxia‐related genes. In knockout mutants and overexpression lines of LONG‐CHAIN ACYL‐COA SYNTHASE2 (LACS2) and FATTY ACID DESATURASE 3 (FAD3), the acyl‐CoA pool size and 18:3‐CoA levels were closely related to ERF‐VII‐mediated signaling and hypoxia tolerance. These findings demonstrate that polyunsaturation of long‐chain acyl‐CoAs functions as important mechanism in the regulation of plant hypoxia signaling, by modulating ACBP–ERF‐VII dynamics.