A new discovery has unveiled a genetic module, CsTIE1-CsAGL16, that simultaneously regulates lateral branch development and drought tolerance in cucumbers. This dual-function genetic pathway offers a promising new approach to breeding cucumber varieties that are both resilient to water scarcity and tailored to market preferences. By deciphering how these genes coordinate water conservation and branch growth, researchers have opened new doors for improving crop adaptability and productivity in the face of climate change.
Drought stress poses a major challenge to global agriculture, particularly for water-intensive crops like cucumbers. Meanwhile, lateral branch development is a key trait in cucumber cultivation, with different markets demanding either compact or more branched varieties. Although the abscisic acid (ABA) signaling pathway is known to play a crucial role in drought response, the precise genetic links between ABA metabolism, branch growth, and drought resilience remain poorly understood. Addressing these gaps is crucial for developing cucumber varieties that can withstand harsh environmental conditions while meeting consumer and industry demands.
Published (DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhae279) on October 2, 2024, in Horticulture Research, a research team from China Agricultural University has identified the CsTIE1-CsAGL16 module as a genetic switch that influences both lateral branch outgrowth and drought tolerance. The study reveals that CsTIE1 interacts with CsAGL16 to regulate ABA catabolism, a process that affects both branch architecture and a plant’s ability to endure drought stress. This breakthrough provides a molecular blueprint for breeding cucumbers that thrive in water-limited environments while maintaining optimal growth characteristics.
The researchers found that CsTIE1 physically interacts with CsAGL16, triggering the expression of the ABA catabolism gene CsCYP707A4. This interaction not only promotes lateral branch growth but also enhances drought tolerance by modulating stomatal closure and root development. Genetic modifications revealed a striking pattern: CsTIE1 mutations resulted in shorter branches and reduced drought resistance, whereas overexpression of CsAGL16 reversed these effects, producing longer branches and improved drought tolerance. Intriguingly, under drought conditions, the plant suppresses CsCYP707A4, redirecting its energy from growth to survival—a sophisticated feedback mechanism that underscores the adaptive flexibility of the CsTIE1-CsAGL16 pathway.
“This study represents a major step forward in understanding how plants balance growth and stress responses,” said Dr. Jianyu Zhao, the study's corresponding author. “By targeting the CsTIE1-CsAGL16 module, we can engineer cucumber varieties that thrive in water-scarce environments while meeting market-specific demands for branch structure.”
The implications of this discovery extend far beyond cucumbers. By fine-tuning the CsTIE1-CsAGL16 pathway, breeders can develop water-efficient cucumber varieties tailored for regions prone to drought, such as China and other arid agricultural zones. Furthermore, this genetic strategy could be applied to other crops, offering a transformative approach to improving global food security. The ability to simultaneously control drought tolerance and plant architecture through a single genetic module marks a significant leap forward in crop science, paving the way for sustainable and high-efficiency agricultural practices in a changing climate.
###
References
DOI
10.1093/hr/uhae279
Original Source URL
https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhae279
Funding information
This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32025033 and 32372699), Pinduoduo-China Agricultural University Research Fund (PC2023B01002) and The Construction of Beijing Science and Technology Innovation and Service Capacity in Top Subjects (CEFF-PXM2019_014207_000032).
About Horticulture Research
Horticulture Research is an open access journal of Nanjing Agricultural University and ranked number one in the Horticulture category of the Journal Citation Reports ™ from Clarivate, 2023. The journal is committed to publishing original research articles, reviews, perspectives, comments, correspondence articles and letters to the editor related to all major horticultural plants and disciplines, including biotechnology, breeding, cellular and molecular biology, evolution, genetics, inter-species interactions, physiology, and the origination and domestication of crops.
END
New genetic pathway unlocks drought-resistant cucumbers with fewer branches
2025-03-18
(Press-News.org)
[Attachments] See images for this press release:
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
New high-definition pictures of the baby universe
2025-03-18
New research by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) collaboration has produced the clearest images yet of the universe’s infancy – the earliest cosmic time yet accessible to humans. Measuring light that traveled for more than 13 billion years to reach a telescope high in the Chilean Andes, the new images reveal the universe when it was about 380,000 years old – the equivalent of hours-old baby pictures of a now middle-aged cosmos.
“We are seeing the first steps towards making the earliest stars and galaxies,” says Suzanne Staggs, director of ACT and Henry ...
Zhou conducting GPU modeling research
2025-03-18
Keren Zhou, Assistant Professor, Computer Science, College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), received funding for: “GPU Modeling Research of Smart Modeling and Simulation for HPC (SMASH).”
Zhou and his collaborators will complete research and development tasks.
Zhou received $65,648 from Brookhaven National Laboratory on a subaward from the U.S. Department of Energy for this research. Funding began in Feb. 2025 and will end in late Sept. 2025.
...
Twenty-two year study: Adolescents engaged in fewer external risky behaviors but some report increasing mental health concerns
2025-03-18
Between 1999-2021, U.S. adolescents steadily desisted from risky behaviors such as substance use and violence, and from reporting a combination of both risky behaviors and mental health symptoms. Yet a comparatively small but growing proportion of youth demonstrated elevated symptoms of depression, according to a report to be published in the April 2025 issue of Pediatrics.
The study, published online on March 18, and titled “Trends in Mental and Behavioral Health Risks in Adolescents: 1999-2021,” analyzed data from the national biennial Youth Risk Behavior Surveys distributed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A ...
Leafcutter ants recognize and fight pathogen even 30 days after initial contamination, study shows
2025-03-18
A study conducted by researchers from São Paulo State University (UNESP), in Brazil, and collaborators shows that lemon leafcutter ants (Atta sexdens) exhibit behaviors that go beyond so-called social immunity, i.e. the ability to detect pathogens and try to get rid of them for the benefit of the colony.
In an article published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, scientists report that these insects are able to recognize a pathogenic fungus they have already been exposed ...
Terrorists time their attacks during periods of security or financial crisis
2025-03-18
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- Terrorists time their attacks during periods of security or financial crisis, according to new research from political scientists at Binghamton University, State University of New York.
To a bystander, a terrorist attack may seem an indiscriminate act of violence, timed solely to inflict maximum damage on its victims.
But the timing of such attacks is strategic, involving a series of tradeoffs to strike vulnerable targets while preserving the group’s reputation, according to research by Binghamton University Professor of Political Science Seden ...
Kansas, Missouri farmers avoid discussing climate change regardless of opinions, study finds
2025-03-18
LAWRENCE — We have all avoided having conversations if the topic is controversial or may lead to an argument. Farmers, who are on the front lines of climate change, avoid talking about it with their neighbors, community members, elected officials and even their own families because of potential conflict and harm to their livelihood, new research from the University of Kansas has found.
Researchers conducted interviews with more than 20 farmers in Kansas and Missouri to understand their communication about climate change. Results showed respondents had a range of views on climate ...
AI food scanner turns phone photos into nutritional analysis
2025-03-18
Snap a photo of your meal, and artificial intelligence instantly tells you its calorie count, fat content, and nutritional value — no more food diaries or guesswork.
This futuristic scenario is now much closer to reality, thanks to an AI system developed by NYU Tandon School of Engineering researchers that promises a new tool for the millions of people who want to manage their weight, diabetes and other diet-related health conditions.
The technology, detailed in a paper presented at the 6th ...
Looking for donors? Start with where they live
2025-03-18
AUSTIN, Texas -- While nonprofit organizations are growing, their donations are shrinking. The number of nonprofits registered with the Internal Revenue Service grew 25% from 2013 to 2023. But during the past year, both money raised and donor counts have dropped 3%.
Their main challenge is low response rates for fundraising solicitations, says Vijay Mahajan, professor of marketing at Texas McCombs. In turn, a major reason is lack of quality data on donors, which makes it harder to successfully target their appeals.
Nonprofits tend to keep data on active donors, such as how much ...
Mastery of language could predict longevity
2025-03-18
Everyone ages, but, sometimes, people outlive all predictions. Previous research has uncovered an unlikely factor related to longevity: intelligence (Bäckman & MacDonald, 2006; Bosworth & Siegler, 2002).
However, intelligence isn’t a simple characteristic. There are many traits that contribute to it that can be tested—from memory to mathematical logic. In a 2024 Clinical Psychological Science study, Paolo Ghisletta of the University of Geneva linked longevity specifically to one of those traits: verbal fluency, the measure of one’s vocabulary and ability to use ...
Threatened by warming waters, brook trout may be able to adapt to hotter weather
2025-03-18
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Brook trout may have a genetic trick up their scales when it comes to adapting, with limitations, to heatwaves that threaten their existence. Scientists have known for years that brook trout — an iconic coldwater fish species native to streams and lakes in the eastern United States and Canada — are extremely vulnerable to warming temperatures, with more than half of their habitats characterized as highly sensitive and highly vulnerable to such changes by U.S. Forest Service researchers in 2010. Now, a novel study led by researchers ...