The study examined nitrogen use strategies in the model alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by comparing growth on ammonium, nitrate, and urea, finding similar molar nitrogen utilization efficiency under saturating conditions. Rapid nitrogen uptake and storage were demonstrated through pulse experiments, and source‑specific transcriptome analysis revealed distinct regulation of assimilation pathways and transporters, supporting a model of flexible nitrogen acquisition and storage.

The study identified that fruit photosensitivity in eggplant is governed by a single dominant gene, with QTLs clustering at the distal end of chromosome 10 (84.1-87.9 Mb). Bulked segregant analysis sequencing and RNA‑seq highlighted the SmNAC1‑like transcription factor as a likely regulator of anthocyanin accumulation, though no coding sequence mutations were detected, suggesting regulatory control at another level.

The study investigates how the timing of the vegetative phase change (VPC) in Arabidopsis thaliana influences drought adaptation, revealing strong genotype-by-environment interactions that create stage-specific fitness tradeoffs. Genotypes from warmer, drier Iberian climates transition earlier, and genome-wide association mapping identifies loci linked to VPC timing and drought response, with several candidates validated using T‑DNA insertion lines.

The study investigates how maternal environmental conditions, specifically temperature and light intensity, influence seed longevity in eight Arabidopsis thaliana natural accessions. Seeds developed under higher temperature (27 °C) and high light showed increased longevity, with transcriptome analysis of the Bor-4 accession revealing dynamic changes in stored mRNAs, including upregulation of antioxidant defenses and raffinose family oligosaccharides. These findings highlight the genotype‑dependent modulation of seed traits by the maternal environment.

The study identified a major QTL on chromosome 6A that accounts for 40% of variation in medium-chain ester (MCE) levels in strawberry fruit, pinpointing FaCCR1 and FaOCT4 as the causal genes. Functional validation through subcellular localization, transient overexpression, enzymatic assays, and molecular docking demonstrated that FaCCR1 also catalyzes MCE precursor reactions, and a KASP marker in FaOCT4 was developed for breeding fragrant cultivars.

The study genotyped 1,013 hard red spring wheat lines using SNP arrays and targeted KASP markers to track changes in genetic diversity and the distribution of dwarfing Rht alleles over a century of North American breeding. It found shifts from Rht‑D1b to Rht‑B1b dominance, identified low‑frequency dwarf alleles at Rht24 and Rht25 that have increased recently, and revealed gene interactions that can fine‑tune plant height, along with evidence of recent selection for photoperiod sensitivity.

The study developed a high-throughput phenotyping platform to assess root infestation by Orobanche cumana in a diverse sunflower association mapping population and applied a dual GWAS using SNPs and k-mers to uncover resistance loci. It validated known QTLs with higher resolution, identified novel candidate genes such as leucine‑rich repeat receptor kinases, and highlighted introgressed segments from wild Helianthus species that contribute to broomrape resistance.

The study identified seven adult plant resistance QTL for oat crown rust using two recombinant inbred line populations, with a major QTL (QPc_GS7_4A.2) on chromosome 4A closely linked to the Pc61 resistance gene. KASP markers targeting SNPs tightly linked to the four most significant QTL were developed, and genetic and haplotype analyses confirmed the association of QPc_GS7_4A.2 with both seedling and adult plant resistance, providing valuable tools for oat breeding.

The study reports the creation and validation of a high‑density Axiom SNP array for Solanum tuberosum, based on 10X Genomics sequencing of 108 diverse clones and integration of existing Illumina markers. The array demonstrated high reproducibility and, after filtering, provided 206,616 informative markers for population structure analysis, GWAS of polyphenol oxidase activity, and genomic prediction with accuracies up to 0.86.

A genome-wide association study of 166 Iberian Arabidopsis accessions identified loci, including ABA3 and GA2ox2, that modulate the inhibitory effect of the auxin precursor indole-3-acetamide (IAM) on primary root elongation. Integrating sequence analysis, transcriptomics, 3D protein modeling, and mutant physiology revealed that IAM promotes ABA biosynthesis and signaling, uncovering a novel node of hormone crosstalk.