The study generated a chromosome‑scale genome of the grass Achnatherum inebrians and identified dynamic expression patterns of conserved cell pluripotency regulators (CPRs) as precise predictors of the optimal callus regeneration window, enabling a 49.4% transformation efficiency in this species. The CPR‑based approach was successfully transferred to wheat and sainfoin, markedly increasing their shoot regeneration rates, thereby providing a rational design framework to overcome genotype‑dependent regeneration bottlenecks in plant biotechnology.

Using diverse Mexican maize varieties and a MAGIC population, the study demonstrated that leaf vein density is both variable and plastic, correlating positively with photosynthetic rates for small intermediate veins and increasing under heat in drought-adapted lines. Twelve QTLs linked to vein patterning were identified, highlighting candidate genes for intermediate vein development and shedding light on the evolution of high-efficiency C4 leaf architecture.

The study created a system that blocks root‑mediated signaling between wheat varieties in a varietal mixture and used transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling to reveal that root chemical interactions drive reduced susceptibility to Septoria tritici blotch, with phenolic compounds emerging as key mediators. Disruption of these root signals eliminates both the disease resistance phenotype and the associated molecular reprogramming.

The study assessed 17 morphological, biochemical, and salt‑stress tolerance traits in 19 maize (Zea mays) landrace accessions from northern Argentina, revealing substantial variation both within and among accessions. Redundancy analysis linked phenotypic variation to the altitude of the collection sites, underscoring the potential of these landraces as sources of diverse biochemical and stress‑related traits for breeding.

The study tests whether heavy‑metal stress contributed to maize domestication by exposing teosinte (Zea mays ssp. parviglumis) and the Palomero toluqueno landrace to sublethal copper and cadmium, then analysing genetic diversity, selection signatures, and transcriptomic responses of three chromosome‑5 heavy‑metal response genes (ZmHMA1, ZmHMA7, ZmSKUs5). Results reveal strong positive selection on these genes, heavy‑metal‑induced phenotypes resembling modern maize, and up‑regulation of Tb1, supporting a role for volcanic‑derived metal stress in early maize evolution.

The study uncovers how arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi induce lateral root formation in maize by activating ethylene‑responsive transcription factors (ERFs) that regulate pericycle cell division and reshape flavonoid metabolism, lowering inhibitory flavonols. It also shows that the rhizobacterium Massilia collaborates with AM fungi, degrading flavonoids and supplying auxin, thereby creating an integrated ethylene‑flavonoid‑microbe signaling network that can be harnessed to improve nutrient uptake and crop sustainability.

The authors compiled and standardized published data on Rubisco dark inhibition for 157 flowering plant species, categorizing them into four inhibition levels and analyzing phylogenetic trends. Their meta‑analysis reveals a complex, uneven distribution of inhibition across taxa, suggesting underlying chloroplast microenvironment drivers and providing a new resource for future photosynthesis improvement efforts.

The authors created a fast‑cycling, isogenic barley line (GP‑rapid) by introgressing the wild‑type Ppd‑H1 allele from Igri into the Golden Promise cultivar and performing two backcrosses to limit the donor genome, achieving a 25% reduction in generation time under speed‑breeding conditions while retaining high transformation efficiency. CRISPR/Cas9‑mediated editing of Ppd‑H1 showed regeneration and transformation rates comparable to the original Golden Promise, establishing GP‑rapid as a rapid platform for transgenic and gene‑edited barley research.

The study identifies two maize genes, Discordia3a and Discordia3b, that encode the microtubule‑severing protein KATANIN. Loss‑of‑function allele combinations reduce microtubule severing, impair cell elongation, delay mitotic entry, and disrupt preprophase band and nuclear positioning, leading to dwarfed, misshapen plants.

The study identified lineage-specific long non‑coding RNAs (lncRNAs) from the aphid‑specific Ya gene family in Rhopalosiphum maidis and R. padi, demonstrating that these Ya lncRNAs are secreted into maize, remain stable, and move systemically. RNA interference of Ya genes reduced aphid fecundity, while ectopic expression of Ya lncRNAs in maize enhanced aphid colonization, indicating that Ya lncRNAs act as cross‑kingdom effectors that influence aphid virulence.