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Crop and Pasture Science Crop and Pasture Science Society
Plant sciences, sustainable farming systems and food quality

Crop and Pasture Science

Crop and Pasture Science

Crop and Pasture Science is a highly cited and prestigious journal publishing original research on advances in plant sciences, sustainable farming systems, and food quality. Read more about the journalMore

Editors-in-Chief: Sergio Atienza and Zed Rengel

Publishing Model: Hybrid. Open Access options available.

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Latest

These articles are the latest published in the journal. Crop and Pasture Science is published under a continuous publication model. More information is available on our Continuous Publication page.

Herbicide resistant weeds are a major threat to crop production, with the broadleaf species wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum), sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus), and Indian hedge mustard (Sisymbrium orientale) being of concern in Australia. Surveys of south-eastern Australia conducted over a 5-year period found significant levels of resistance to Group 2 sulfonylurea herbicides with 66% of sowthistle, 34% of Indian hedge mustard and 16% wild radish populations resistant to this group. Lower levels of resistance were found to four other herbicide groups

This viewpoint critiques four papers that presented positive conclusions regarding the efficacy of a range of biostimulants to mitigate the effects of pasture dieback in Queensland, Australia. We argue that many methods used were inappropriate or poorly described, the statistical analyses are largely invalid, and the conclusions drawn do not align with the data presented. We conclude the four publications do not present any compelling evidence for any agronomic benefits of the biostimulants tested, and the authors’ conclusions are over-optimistic and misleading.

Published online 13 June 2025

CP24221Effects of inoculation of wheat (Triticum aestivum) with rhizosphere bacteria in Victoria, Australia

Merfat Ben Mahmud, Grant J. Hollaway 0000-0002-2638-0107 and Ann C. Lawrie 0000-0002-4752-6187
 

Increasing wheat (Triticum aestivum) yield and protein content is essential to feed a growing global population. Achieving this sustainably is critical, as excessive nitrogen fertiliser use contributes to water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Inoculation with a newly discovered bacterium (RMBMTa1) isolated from soil grown with wheat increased wheat yield in a pot trial and increased grain protein content in both pot and field trials. This bacterium may increase the access of wheat roots to nitrogen, offering a promising tool to contribute to sustainable agriculture.

Published online 12 June 2025

CP24265Wild and cultivated cotton species: comparative studies on plant biochemistry, soil biology, and soil nutrient status

Ritika Rajendra Waghmare, Kulandaivelu Velmourougane 0000-0002-2554-7462, Desouza Blaise, Manikandan Angamuthu, Lalita Rameshwar Harinkhede, Pranali Tarachand Bansod, Sanika Bhagawatrao Nasare, Jimmy Bhardwaj Vaidya, Vinita Prashant Gotmare and Yenumula Gerard Prasad
 

Wild cotton species (WCS) serve as a reservoir of unique traits, useful to cotton breeders for genetic improvement in cultivated cotton species (CCS). Although breeding programs traditionally use phenotypic information in selecting parents, they overlook plant/soil attributes because of absence of data. A comparative analysis was conducted to understand the differences in 10 WCS and 4 CCS. WCS had higher plant defense enzyme activities than did CCS. Our results supplement the cotton database, and benefit cotton breeders in parent selection.

Published online 10 June 2025

CP24327Analysis of genetic diversity and multi-trait selection using multi-trait genotype ideotype index and genotype × yield*trait biplot in inter-subspecific cross derivatives of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Bonipas Antony John 0000-0002-7922-8862, Saraswathi Ramaswamy, Manonmani Swaminathan, Ramalingam Jegadeesan, Renganayaki Perumalsamy Raju and Uma Doraiswamy
 

Heterosis breeding is a crucial method for breaking the yield plateau in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Inter-subspecific crosses were used in rice to diversify the parental lines to harness high heterosis. We evaluated the newly developed inter-subspecific lines for agronomic and quality traits to identify promising candidates. The inter-subspecific derivatives showed substantial genetic diversity. Selection based on multiple traits identified a few superior lines that may serve as potential restorers in hybrid development.

This article belongs to the collection: Plant breeding- and genetics-based tools for food security under changing climate.

Published online 04 June 2025

CP25012Lucerne genetic diversity for living mulch: identifying key traits and evaluating their impacts on wheat development

Zineb El Ghazzal 0009-0000-5066-3126, Gaëtan Louarn, Fabien Surault, Romain Barillot 0000-0002-9956-9103, Marie Pégard 0000-0002-8788-3154, Arman Grumel and Bernadette Julier 0000-0001-9976-8818
 

Lucerne accessions differently affected wheat and weed growth in living mulch systems. Non-dormant accessions controlled weeds in winter, but were competitive with wheat. Short lucerne accessions facilitated wheat growth but weakly suppressed weeds. No available lucerne accession combined high wheat yield, weed control, and nitrogen nutrition.

Published online 03 June 2025

CP25047Assessment of genetic diversity in wheat (Triticum aestivum) genotype for cold tolerance, agronomic, and quality traits

Berrin Dumlu 0000-0002-6370-2793, Metin Tosun, Halit Karagoz 0000-0002-4055-7984, Umran Kucukozdemir, Jan Bocianowski 0000-0002-0102-0084, Hadi Alipour 0000-0003-0086-002X and Aras Türkoglu
 

This study evaluates 186 Kırik wheat (Triticum aestvium) genotypes and eight standard varieties, identifying superior lines with enhanced yield, quality, and cold resistance traits for sustainable wheat production. Key genotypes exhibited outstanding agronomic and quality characteristics, including grain yield, spike length, and gluten content, highlighting their potential for wheat improvement. The findings underscore the value of Kırik wheat as a genetic resource for pre-breeding programmes aimed at developing resilient wheat varieties to address future agricultural challenges.

To address rising greenhouse-gas emissions from intensive farming in the North China Plain, we investigated five cropping systems under future climate scenarios. Although a warming climate may boost crop yields, traditional wheat–maize double-cropping worsens emissions. Shifting to three crops in a 2-year cropping system with straw mulching could reduce emissions by 21.6–25.5% compared with conventional cropping system. This optimized system maintains productivity while slashing environmental harm, offering a blueprint for sustainable agriculture in a warming world.

This article belongs to the collection: Climate Change Impact and Adapting Strategies Based on Advanced Modelling Techniques.

Published online 30 May 2025

CP25056Adaptability evaluation and germplasm filtration of Aegilops tauschii in glasshouse on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Fahui Ye, Shuxiang Yin, Meixi Song, Xia Li, Jicheng Shen, Demei Liu, Ruijuan Liu, Huaigang Zhang, Yuhu Shen and Wenjie Chen 0000-0003-0641-1815
 

Aegilops tauchii, which is the ancestor of the common wheat, has abundant genetic variation, but the volume of production and quality of Qinghai–Tibet Plateau wheat are not good because of the local special climate. Different processing conditions were used to find the Aegilops tauschii accessions that adapted to the climate of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, and we have selected 57 Aegilops tauchii accessions that can succeed in this climate. The current situation of common wheat in Qinghai–Tibet Plateau can benefit from these results.

Published online 30 May 2025

CP24357Swathing subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) does not suck: a promising alternative to vacuum seed harvesting

R. C. Wiese 0009-0006-7753-4256, M. H. Ryan, P. G. H. Nichols 0000-0001-6778-5525, W. M. Moss, B. Wintle, Y. A. Zago, L. Hunt 0009-0004-1479-9594, A. Hamblin and A. L. Guzzomi
 

Subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) is a key pasture legume in southern Australia, but outdated, inefficient and environmentally destructive harvesting methods threaten its commercial seed production. This study explores a novel swathing technique that cuts plants below ground, forming windrows for later seed collection. The findings show that well-timed swathing achieves comparable efficiency to traditional methods, with minimal impact on seed viability and vigour, offering a sustainable solution for the future of subterranean clover seed production.

This article belongs to the collection: Australian Grasslands Symposium 2025 “Seeds of Change”.

Published online 21 May 2025

CP25043The role of wheat long intergenic non-coding RNAs in drought stress

Yingchun Yu 0009-0004-6167-6124, Xiaoyu Wang, Ye Dong, Yiting Li, Shiqin Cao and Dongfang Ma 0000-0002-0724-0870
 

As a polygenic stress, drought poses one of the major threats to crop yields in agriculture. Advances in sequencing technology have shown that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in plant growth and stress responses. Differential expression analysis showed 310 differentially expressed lincRNAs (DE-lincRNAs). Functional enrichment annotation and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analyses were employed to explore the regulatory responses of lincRNAs during drought stress, which is important for the breeding of drought-resistant wheat varieties.

Published online 09 May 2025

CP24336Changes in pasture and soil properties with liming and superphosphate application on five soils in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales over 12 years

P. M. Dowling, I. A. Vimpany, M. K. Conyers 0000-0001-9811-4679, G. D. Millar, K. R. Helyar, D. L. Michalk, H. I. Nicol, J. Bradley, P. J. Milham and R. C. Hayes 0000-0002-0313-1757
 

Pasture responses to lime vary with soil properties and composition, clouding assessments of the duration of benefit. This study presents a detailed and long-running evaluation of responses to lime and superphosphate in multiple permanent pasture environments. Effects on soil chemistry were still evident 12 years following lime application and generally proportional to the quantum of lime applied but this did not always lead to increased pasture biomass, highlighting the importance of pasture renovation for increasing the response to lime.

This article belongs to the collection: Australian Grasslands Symposium 2025 “Seeds of Change”.

Published online 07 May 2025

CP24335Fabaceae response to dimethoate insecticide application: investigation of germination, seedling growth and tolerance mechanisms

Karima Jalali 0000-0003-2758-4686, Issam Nouairi, Wael Taamalli, Amal Bouallegue, Wael Toukabri 0000-0003-0323-8463, Nadia Kallala and Haythem Mhadhbi 0000-0003-0786-4269
 

Pesticides are essential for crop protection, but overuse can cause environmental damage such as soil degradation. Our study investigated which legume species could serve as effective ground cover in vineyards and citrus groves in the Cap Bon region of Tunisia, where dimethoate is commonly used. To do this, we looked at how dimethoate affects the growth of four legumes and how these plants respond to the pesticide stress, to find out which species could provide the most natural soil protection.

Published online 01 May 2025

CP24293Chickpea transcriptomics: insights into stress responses and future applications

Zeba Shahnaz, Muhammad Abu Bakar Zia 0000-0002-7685-1392, Arooba Shahnaz, Zahid Manzoor 0000-0003-4243-9233, Asif Ismail and Zeshan Hassan
 

This paper basically is about chickpea transcriptomics, which helps cope with biotic and abiotic stresses. Chickpea transcriptome research has made significant progress since the introduction of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies. Researchers from a wide range of disciplines have studied gene expression in reproductive and vegetative tissues by using NGS platforms, uncovering a plethora of transcripts that are unique to their development stages

This article belongs to the collection: Plant breeding- and genetics-based tools for food security under changing climate.

Published online 01 May 2025

CP24334In-crop fertiliser application improved nitrogen recovery in irrigated cotton: a multi-year field study with 15N-labelled urea

Jonathan Baird 0000-0001-8348-9718, Graeme Schwenke, Greg C 0000-0002-7611-9812, Ben Macdonald 0000-0001-8105-0779 and Helen Suter
 

Optimising nitrogen use efficiency in cotton is critical for improving environmental sustainability. Modifying nitrogen fertiliser application date to align with crop demand improved fertiliser efficiency by 10%. The improvement in fertiliser efficiency, and, importantly, reduction in losses benefits the environment and producers, resulting in a more sustainable future for the industry.

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