The cover image is based on the Original Article Contrasting seasonal dynamics of dormancy, respiratory metabolism and cell cycle state in grapevine buds of a subtropical and Mediterranean climate by Yazhini Velappan et al., https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.431. Image Credit: Michael J. Considine.

WHY proteins serve important roles in plant development and stress tolerance. They function as transcription factors in the nucleus, as well as fulfilling crucial roles in DNA and RNA metabolism in chloroplasts and mitochondria. They are excellent potential targets for plant breeding strategies aiming to improve sustainable agriculture.

This review focus on the similarities and differences in redox regulation in C3 and C4 plants. Antioxidant defence response against abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity and high temperatures is reviewed. The redox mediated regulation of growth and development of C3 and C4 plants are also addressed.

We have analysed the trends in rice research in the past three decades in both Asian (Oryza sativa) and African (O. glaberrima) rice, with their impact on rice cultivation. We have also analysed the trends in population growth, rice cultivation, production, price, consumption and varietal release along with their projections for 2030 and beyond.

This review describes the genes and processes associated with Fe and Zn accumulation in common bean, a significant food source in Africa that plays an important role in nutritional security. We discuss the conventional plant breeding, transgenic and gene editing approaches that are being deployed to improve Fe and Zn accumulation in beans. We also consider the requirements of successful bean biofortification programmes, highlighting gaps in current knowledge, possible solutions and future perspectives.

Marama bean has potential as a food security crop in arid regions. The steps needed for it to be domesticated to provide uniform individuals for farmers to grow are detailed. The possibility of a value-added chain for growers aside from the food product is also considered.

Deciphering the complexities of abiotic stress tolerance is a huge task and requires good model crops for investigation. Advancements in genomic technologies have made it possible to sequence and analyze a large number of orphan crops, which are known for their abiotic stress tolerance potential.

Life cycle analysis using lettuce as an example crop indicate that electricity consumption by VF account for 91% of the carbon footprint. Under the 2020 Scottish electricity mix, vertical farming was seen to be comparable with UK open-field agriculture in environmental impacts. This lowers further under a 100% renewable electricity generation scenario, offer a low carbon production method and a potential alternative for sustainable future produce.

Food production is one of the main contributors to climate change. This paper investigated factors influencing Chinese consumers’ purchase intentions for sustainable food baskets using extensive survey data. The research tested whether public education through information provision effectively achieves sustainable diet transition in China.

A risk assessment and traceability mechanism of hazardous factor is proposed to deal with the hazard factors in advance. We explored a shelf-life model of rice to predict the remaining shelf life of rice products, preventing the circulation of spoiled food from entering the market and reducing food waste. We constructed a rice supply chain traceability management system in rice supply chain to protect food quality and safety.

This study find a suitable or optimal CRNF strategies to achieve improvements in both yield and quality of rice. Results from this study provides empirically supported recommendations for improving rice yield and quality through N fertilizer management.

The effects of three mass-information channels on sustainable management of fall armyworm (FAW) are studied. We find complementary effects of radio drama, SMS and plant health rallies. Information channels boost the adoption of environmentally-friendly management practices and maize yield

This paper reviews the formation process, influencing factors, variation patterns, practical applications, and measurement techniques of rice canopy temperature. Moreover, this study analyzes the drawbacks in current studies on rice canopy temperature, proposes to strengthen studies on the influencing mechanism of rice canopy temperature, improves the methods and techniques of rice canopy temperature measurement, and systematically assess the effect of canopy temperature on rice production, to construct a systemic analysis and auxiliary decision-making system for rice production with canopy temperature as the main marker.

The impacts of the rhizosphere soil nitrification rate on NUE and denitrification losses at different rice growth stages in two paddy soils were investigated. Rhizosphere nitrification played a dominant role in increasing denitrification and decreasing NUE. Rhizosphere nitrification rate was affected by soil pH and nitrifying microbial community composition.

When grown in a subtropical climate, the energy metabolism of grapevine is dysregulated; the perennating bud shows negligible dormancy, and respiratory metabolism elevates three-fold during winter, implicating a premature change in source/ sink balance that later manifests in poor production.

The study estimated the impact of a component of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) technology on yield and food security. The results show a positive effect of Striga-resistant maize (SRM) varieties and mineral fertilizers on yield and food security. The adoption of multiple agricultural technologies is key to the economic development of rural households.

Selecting appropriate source-sink indicators is a method that can provide strategies to develop crop productivity. In this study, RGB and thermal infrared sensors were used to obtain multivariate eigenvalues of wheat source organs and sink organs, respectively. This study demonstrates that the multivariate eigenvalues of both source and sink organs have the potential to predict wheat yield, and that the combination of machine learning models and variable selection methods can significantly affect the accuracy of yield prediction models and achieve effective monitoring of crop growth at late reproductive stages.

A long-term study on the effects of tillage on soil traits and yield in a rice–ratoon rice cropping system has been carried out. Plowing tillage in winter + rotatory tillage (PTW) maintains soil permeability at a depth of 0–40 cm. Independent of tillage methods and ratoon rice systems require increased SOM input to maintain C storage. PTW had the highest soil microbial biomass, soil enzyme activity, and grain yield.

We use a double-bounded format of contingent valuation to assess WTP for potato cold storage among smallholder farmers in Kenya. The results show that seasonal price gaps were higher than the estimated WTP suggesting that potato storage could be economically viable.

The atmospheric CO₂ enrichment can seriously affect rice root growth. Alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation, which can also increase root growth, is a widely promoted water-saving technology for future climate, yet how elevated CO₂ (eCO₂) influences rice root growth under AWD remains unclear. In the present study, we examined the root growth of Yangdao 6 (YD 6, a cultivar with strong response to eCO₂) and Koshihikari (KOS, a cultivar with weak response to eCO₂) cultured under different water irrigation regimes (well-watered and AWD) and CO₂ concentration (400 and 800 ppm).