Crop yield and quality are two very important and quantitative traits with many components. For example, crop yield is highly correlated with flowering or heading, plant height, branching or tillering, grain number, and weight. Crop quality formation is a result of metabolic flux, which can be attributed to compound biosynthesis and metabolism. Although crop yield and quality are mainly controlled by genetics, the influence of the environment (including biotic and abiotic factors) can strongly affect or even change the genetic responses associated with many traits. Therefore, it is important to clarify the interaction between environment and genetic factors in crops.
Abiotic stresses, such as long-term exposure to drought or unstable temperatures caused by global warming during growth, can severely affect and even damage crop yield and quality. Climate change can consequently affect many agronomic practices, including planting date and fertilizer application timing. Moreover, both climate and agronomic practices have deep impacts on the behavior of organisms besides crops, such as insects and pathogens. As a result, crops might alter the genetic control and gene expression of important traits as a feedback to adapt to or avoid potential external stressors.
Although many reports on the genetic control and identification of important genes in crop yield and quality traits have been elucidated, most of the research has focused on a single or limited environments or genes. However, the genetic behavior or expression of genes can be very different in various environments. Therefore, it is essential to further explore the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between environment and genetic factors to improve crop yield and quality.
In this Research Topic, we will emphasize the regulatory mechanisms of the interaction between environment and genetic factors on crop yield and quality. The Topic welcomes researchers using genetic methods and multi-omics to reveal how the environment affects genetic behavior and gene function in crops.
Please note that articles relating to crop yield but not the study of the interaction between genes and the environment can be submitted to Genetics and Genomics to Enhance Crop Production, Towards Food Security.
Crop yield and quality are two very important and quantitative traits with many components. For example, crop yield is highly correlated with flowering or heading, plant height, branching or tillering, grain number, and weight. Crop quality formation is a result of metabolic flux, which can be attributed to compound biosynthesis and metabolism. Although crop yield and quality are mainly controlled by genetics, the influence of the environment (including biotic and abiotic factors) can strongly affect or even change the genetic responses associated with many traits. Therefore, it is important to clarify the interaction between environment and genetic factors in crops.
Abiotic stresses, such as long-term exposure to drought or unstable temperatures caused by global warming during growth, can severely affect and even damage crop yield and quality. Climate change can consequently affect many agronomic practices, including planting date and fertilizer application timing. Moreover, both climate and agronomic practices have deep impacts on the behavior of organisms besides crops, such as insects and pathogens. As a result, crops might alter the genetic control and gene expression of important traits as a feedback to adapt to or avoid potential external stressors.
Although many reports on the genetic control and identification of important genes in crop yield and quality traits have been elucidated, most of the research has focused on a single or limited environments or genes. However, the genetic behavior or expression of genes can be very different in various environments. Therefore, it is essential to further explore the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between environment and genetic factors to improve crop yield and quality.
In this Research Topic, we will emphasize the regulatory mechanisms of the interaction between environment and genetic factors on crop yield and quality. The Topic welcomes researchers using genetic methods and multi-omics to reveal how the environment affects genetic behavior and gene function in crops.
Please note that articles relating to crop yield but not the study of the interaction between genes and the environment can be submitted to Genetics and Genomics to Enhance Crop Production, Towards Food Security.