Genetius

The study demonstrates that short‑term low phosphate treatment delays leaf senescence in rice by increasing photosynthetic pigments, enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities, and reducing oxidative damage, whereas high phosphate accelerates senescence. CRISPR/Cas9 editing of MIR827 to lower Pi levels also postpones senescence, while overexpression of MIR827 or MIR399, which raises Pi, speeds it up. Transcriptomic profiling reveals coordinated changes in senescence‑associated and metabolic pathways underlying the low‑phosphate response.

The study identifies the AP2/ERF transcription factor GEMMIFER (MpGMFR) as essential for asexual reproduction in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, showing that loss of MpGMFR via genome editing or amiRNA abolishes gemma and gemma cup formation, while dexamethasone‑induced activation triggers their development. Transient strong activation of MpGMFR initiates gemma initial cells at the meristem, which mature into functional gemmae, indicating MpGMFR is both necessary and sufficient for meristem‑derived asexual propagule formation.

The study identifies the cysteine‑rich receptor‑like kinase CRK5 as a negative regulator of salicylic‑acid‑mediated cell death and a positive regulator of antioxidant homeostasis during dark‑induced leaf senescence in Arabidopsis. Loss‑of‑function crk5 mutants display accelerated senescence, elevated ROS and electrolyte leakage, and altered antioxidant enzyme activities, phenotypes that are rescued by suppressing SA biosynthesis or catabolism. Transcriptome analysis reveals extensive deregulation of senescence‑ and redox‑related genes, highlighting CRK5’s central role in coordinating hormonal and oxidative pathways.

The study identifies the extended NT‑C2 domain of Plastid Movement Impaired 1 (PMI1) as the main membrane‑binding module that interacts with PI4P and PI(4,5)P2, requiring basic residues for plasma‑membrane association. Calcium binding by the NT‑C2 domain modulates its phosphoinositide preference, and cytosolic Ca2+ depletion blocks blue‑light‑induced PMI1 redistribution, indicating that both the NT‑C2 domain and adjacent intrinsically disordered regions are essential for PMI1’s role in chloroplast movement.

A two‑year field trial compared conventional and organic nutrient management on the Basmati rice cultivar Pant Basmati 1, revealing that conventional fertilizer enhanced later‑stage growth and grain yield, while organic inputs increased early plant height and markedly improved soil health and harvest index in the second year. Despite some yield differences, organic management achieved comparable productivity with superior soil macro‑ and micronutrient status, water‑holding capacity, aggregate stability, and enzyme activities, supporting its sustainability as an alternative nutrient regime.

The authors used a bottom‑up thermodynamic modelling framework to investigate how plants decode calcium signals, starting from Ca2+ binding to EF‑hand proteins and extending to higher‑order decoding modules. They identified six universal Ca2+-decoding modules that can explain variations in calcium sensitivity among kinases and provide a theoretical basis for interpreting calcium signal amplitude and frequency in plant cells.

The study identified 12 SABATH methyltransferase genes in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha and demonstrated that MpSABATH2 is crucial for normal thallus growth and gemma cup formation. Loss‑of‑function mutants displayed developmental phenotypes reminiscent of far‑red light responses, which were linked to gibberellin metabolism and could be partially rescued by inhibiting GA biosynthesis or supplying the GA precursor ent‑kaurenoic acid. These findings suggest that SABATH enzymes independently evolved regulatory roles in land‑plant development.

The study demonstrates that carbon availability promotes gemma cup formation in Marchantia polymorpha by activating cytokinin signaling, which up‑regulates the transcription factors MpGCAM1 and MpSTG. Pharmacological and genetic manipulations showed that cytokinin accumulation in response to sucrose and high light is sufficient to overcome low‑sucrose repression, and that this pathway operates independently of KAI2A‑MAX2 mediated karrikin signaling. The findings suggest a conserved carbon‑cytokinin interaction governing developmental plasticity across land plants.

The study examined the pre‑activation state of the rice NLR pair Pik‑1 (sensor) and Pik‑2 (helper) when transiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. Both wild‑type and engineered Pik‑1 variants constitutively associate with Pik‑2 to form ~1 MDa hetero‑oligomeric complexes that localize to the plasma membrane in the absence of effector. These results reveal that some NLRs exist as pre‑assembled membrane‑associated complexes prior to pathogen perception.

The study reveals that rice perceives Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae outer membrane vesicles through a rapid calcium signal that triggers plasma‑membrane nanodomain formation and the re‑organisation of defence‑related proteins, establishing an early immune response. Without this Ca2+ signal, OMVs are not recognized and immunity is weakened.