Genetic and Molecular Regulation of Seed Size in Brassica napus: Current Knowledge and Breeding Perspectives
5 affiliations
- 1School of Biological Science and Technology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
- 2Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
- 3Faculty of Agriculture, Ankara University, Ankara 06110, Türkiye
- 4Biodiversity and Bioenergy Research Centre, Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan
- 5State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Abstract
Brassica napus L. (rapeseed), a member of the family Brassicaceae, is the world’s third most important oilseed crop for edible oil production, after soybean and palm. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping is a powerful strategy for dissecting the genetic basis of seed weight. In this review, Previous studies summarized a total of 1905 candidate genes associated with seed weight in Brassica napus. Five candidate genomic regions harboring 204 seed-weight-related genes were identified, among which 21 genes were characterized as differentially expressed genes via transcriptomic analysis. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) mutant libraries targeting genes related to silique and seed size have been constructed in Brassica napus, revealing that BnaHRD genes play critical roles in seed development. These differentially expressed genes are involved in developmental processes, cell division. and nutrient storage, supporting their functions in seed size regulation. SHB1 and HAIKU2 modulate endosperm proliferation through the IKU pathway, thereby affecting seed weight. BZR1 (brassinazole-resistant 1) acts as a master regulator of seed growth via maternal tissues. Thidiazuron (TDZ), a cytokinin analogue, simultaneously promotes cell proliferation and cell expansion, thereby increasing cell number and cell size. Multiple phytohormone signaling pathways, including auxin, gibberellin (GA), and brassinosteroid (BR), as well as transcription factors such as LEC2, participate in the regulatory network of seed size. Here, we review current advances in the genetic and molecular regulation of seed size and discuss future perspectives for rapeseed breeding.
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BibTeX
@article{wang2026genetic,
title = {{Genetic and Molecular Regulation of Seed Size in Brassica napus: Current Knowledge and Breeding Perspectives}},
author = {Jin Wang and Sana Ashraf and Yu Han and Xinyao Long and Wenlong Jiang and Hasan Huseyin Atar and Mushtaq Ahmad and Li Ma and Qinxue Zhang},
journal = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/ijms27219465},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/21/9465},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Genetic and Molecular Regulation of Seed Size in Brassica napus: Current Knowledge and Breeding Perspectives
AU - Jin Wang
AU - Sana Ashraf
AU - Yu Han
AU - Xinyao Long
AU - Wenlong Jiang
AU - Hasan Huseyin Atar
AU - Mushtaq Ahmad
AU - Li Ma
AU - Qinxue Zhang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/23
JO - International Journal of Molecular Sciences
DO - 10.3390/ijms27219465
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/21/9465
AB - Brassica napus L. (rapeseed), a member of the family Brassicaceae, is the world’s third most important oilseed crop for edible oil production, after soybean and palm. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping is a powerful strategy for dissecting the genetic basis of seed weight. In this review, Previous studies summarized a total of 1905 candidate genes associated with seed weight in Brassica napus. Five candidate genomic regions harboring 204 seed-weight-related genes were identified, among which 21 genes were characterized as differentially expressed genes via transcriptomic analysis. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) mutant libraries targeting genes related to silique and seed size have been constructed in Brassica napus, revealing that BnaHRD genes play critical roles in seed development. These differentially expressed genes are involved in developmental processes, cell division. and nutrient storage, supporting their functions in seed size regulation. SHB1 and HAIKU2 modulate endosperm proliferation through the IKU pathway, thereby affecting seed weight. BZR1 (brassinazole-resistant 1) acts as a master regulator of seed growth via maternal tissues. Thidiazuron (TDZ), a cytokinin analogue, simultaneously promotes cell proliferation and cell expansion, thereby increasing cell number and cell size. Multiple phytohormone signaling pathways, including auxin, gibberellin (GA), and brassinosteroid (BR), as well as transcription factors such as LEC2, participate in the regulatory network of seed size. Here, we review current advances in the genetic and molecular regulation of seed size and discuss future perspectives for rapeseed breeding.
SN - 1422-0067
ER -