Journal Highlights

Application of Euclidean Distance for Multi-Trait Selection in In Vitro-Derived Sugarcane Mutant Candidates

Authors:

1. Alberto Lozada (University of Ciego de Ávila Máximo Gómez Báez, Cuba)
2. Daniela Pérez-Díaz (University of Ciego de Ávila Máximo Gómez Báez, Cuba)
3. Yanier Acosta (University of Ciego de Ávila Máximo Gómez Báez, Cuba)
4. Julio César Quintana-Zaez (University of Ciego de Ávila Máximo Gómez Báez, Cuba)
5. Barbarita Companioni (Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Mexico).
6. Byron Enrique Zevallos–Bravo (Universidad Estatal del Sur de Manabí, Ecuador).
7. María de Lourdes Tapia y Figueroa (Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Peru)
8. Eulalia Ojeda Hernández (Instituto de Investigaciones de la Caña de Azúcar, Cuba)
9. José Carlos Lorenzo (University of Ciego de Ávila Máximo Gómez Báez, Cuba)

Sugarcane is grown in more than 100 countries and plays a big role in producing sugar, bioethanol, and supporting rural economies. With climate change bringing more drought and salinity stress, finding resilient varieties is crucial. In this study, six sugarcane plantlets derived from in vitro culture were tested for traits like shoot height, stem thickness, tillering, and biochemical markers such as chlorophyll, phenolics, and aldehydes. Using Euclidean distance analysis, researchers compared each plantlet to an “ideal” profile defined by experts. This approach helped identify which genotypes were closest to the desired combination of agronomic and biochemical traits. Overall, the results highlight how multivariate selection can guide sugarcane improvement, offering a practical way to rank candidates and support breeding programs aimed at tackling climate-related challenges.

Lozada, A., Pérez-Díaz, D., Acosta, Y., Quintana-Zaez, J.C., Companioni, B., Zevallos-Bravo, B.E., Tapia y Figueroa, M.L., Ojeda, E. and Lorenzo, J.C. Application of Euclidean Distance for Multi-Trait Selection in In Vitro-Derived Sugarcane Mutant Candidates. In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology-Plant 62, 242-247, 2026.

An in vitro cellular model for measuring the impact of thermal stress on Florida reef sponges

As climate change continues to elevate ocean temperatures, understanding the responses of reef organisms beyond corals has become increasingly critical. So, what about sponges? In this study, Conkling et al. (2026) presents a pioneering in vitro sponge cell model to evaluate the effects of thermal stress on five ecologically important Florida reef sponge species. This work represents a significant methodological advancement, providing a controlled, reproducible platform to isolate cellular and molecular responses.

Using primary cell cultures of Agelas clathrodes, Aplysina fulva, Cliona varians, Geodia neptuni, and Xestospongia muta, the authors exposed cells to elevated temperatures reflective of future climate scenarios. Surprisingly, results showed minimal impacts on cell viability across all species, even under prolonged thermal exposure. However, transcriptomic analyses revealed substantial molecular-level responses, including activation of pathways associated with stress signaling, apoptosis, immune function, and cellular repair.

This study highlights an important takeaway: even when organisms appear unaffected, there may be hidden stress responses happening behind the scenes. It also introduces a powerful new tool for studying how sponges—and potentially other marine organisms—respond to environmental change. As coral reefs undergo rapid transformation, this work provides critical insight into the potential role of sponges as resilient components of future reef ecosystems.

M. Conkling, M., Hindle, T., Xie, Z., Liu, W., Moore, T. and Pomponi, S.A. An in vitro cellular model for measuring the impact of thermal stress on Florida reef sponges. In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology-Animal, 62, 313-328, 2026.

Flood-induced in vitro shoot regeneration in Vigna aconitifolia and Lens culinaris using thidiazuron: a novel stress-driven approach

Legumes are a vital source of protein. Its recalcitrant nature makes it difficult to undergo genetic modification procedures. Therefore, we wanted to develop a shoot regeneration method that is efficient but bypasses the involvement of intermediate callus stages. By utilising moth bean (Vigna aconitifolia) and lentil (Lens culinaris), it was observed that thidiazuron (TDZ) under flooding conditions promoted shoot regeneration from the epicotyl region without inducing callus more efficiently that the benzylaminopurine (BAP). The observation of direct shoot formation from the epicotyl region will advance our understanding for the whole plant regeneration in legumes. This study advances the genetic modification methods and regenerative abilities of legumes and is a significant milestone in legume research area.

Soni, R. and Tripathi, G. Flood-induced in vitro shoot regeneration in Vigna aconitifolia and Lens culinaris using thidiazuron: a novel stress-driven approach. In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology-Plant 62, 234-241, 2026.

Production of small-scale laboratory grown cell-based fish meat from Asian seabass muscle and fin cell lines

What if we could produce seafood without overfishing our oceans-growing real fish meat directly from cells instead of catching it from the wild? That question guided our exploration into sustainable aquaculture. As a result, we focused on harnessing the cellular potential of Asian seabass, a widely consumed marine species, by utilizing muscle- and fin-derived cell lines for cultivated fish production. Aquaculture plays a crucial role in meeting the rising global demand for seafood, yet increasing pressure from overfishing continues to threaten marine ecosystems. Addressing this challenge requires innovative and sustainable alternatives. Producing seafood without overfishing is possible through cultivated fish meat grown directly from cells. This study explores a sustainable alternative by using muscle- and fin-derived cells from Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer). Cells from both tissues were cultured in bioreactors under dynamic conditions, where they formed sheets that later developed into spheroid aggregates. After 45 days, these aggregates resembled early-stage fish muscle tissue. Immunotyping confirmed the presence of myosin, indicating myoblast-like cells, while genetic analysis verified the species origin. Importantly, the cells grew in multilayered structures, showing strong potential for scalable production. This work demonstrates a viable pathway toward structured, lab-grown fish meat, offering an environmentally responsible alternative to traditional fishing.

Mithra, S., Abdul Majeed, S., Eisa Abdullah, S.A., Pathra, G.A., Taju,G., Singh, I.S.B., Santhanam, P., Sahul Hameed. A.S. Production of small-scale laboratory-grown cell-based fish meat from Asian seabass muscle and fin cell lines. In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology-Animal 62, 337-344, 2026.

Haploid embryogenic cultures of maize (Zea mays L.): stability, doubling efficiency, and use in gene editing

Gene editing technology is revolutionizing crop improvement. The vast majority of published maize gene editing work has used diploid starting material. The generation and recovery of chromosome-scale edits could be simplified by performing the editing in the haploid state and then doubling the chromosomes. In vivo methods for haploid editing have been developed and are academically exciting but suffer from very low efficiency. Here, we report that embryogenic haploid cultures of maize inbred LH244 can be easily initiated from seedlings and remain predominantly haploid even after six months in culture. Transformation frequencies were comparable between haploid and diploid cultures. Colchicine treatment of embryogenic callus was effective for chromosome doubling and generation of dihaploid plants. As expected, plants regenerated from transgenic, colchicine-treated haploid callus were primarily homoallelic for gene edits, while plants from diploid control cultures were primarily biallelic. This study provides a framework for future editing work or mutational studies in maize using haploid embryogenic callus as the starting material.

Armstrong, C., Kouranov, A., Gasper, M., Yang, S., Karcher, D., Wang, H., Homa, N., Beach, S., Zhang, Y. and Gilbertson, L. Haploid embryogenic cultures of maize (Zea mays L.): stability, doubling efficiency, and use in gene editing. In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology-Plant 62, 59-70, 2026.