The study compared physiological, ion‑balance, and metabolic responses of two maize inbred lines—salt‑sensitive C68 and salt‑tolerant NC326—under salinity stress. Untargeted metabolomics identified 56 metabolites and, together with genetic analysis, linked 10 candidate genes to key protective metabolites, revealing constitutive and inducible mechanisms of salt tolerance.

The study models maize flowering time plasticity using a physiological reaction norm derived from multi-environment trial data, revealing genotype-specific differences in temperature-driven development and photoperiod perception. It introduces an envirotyping metric that shows genotypes can experience markedly different photoperiods even within the same environment, and demonstrates distinct adaptive strategies between tropical and temperate germplasm.

The study provides an in‑depth proteomic characterization of brewer's spent grain (BSG) and tracks proteome dynamics during malting and mashing, revealing that 29% of identified proteins change in abundance and that B3‑Hordein dominates the BSG protein pool. BSG contains a high proportion of intracellular proteins and over 45% of its proteins are potential allergens or antinutritional factors, underscoring the need for targeted downstream processing to create safe, functional food ingredients.

The study generated a temporal physiological and metabolomic map of leaf senescence in diverse maize inbred lines differing in stay‑green phenotype, identifying 84 metabolites associated with senescence and distinct metabolic signatures between stay‑green and non‑stay‑green lines. Integration of metabolite data with genomic information uncovered 56 candidate genes, and reverse‑genetic validation in maize and Arabidopsis demonstrated conserved roles for phenylpropanoids such as naringenin chalcone and eriodictyol in regulating senescence.

The study profiled the Arabidopsis apoplastic proteome during pattern‑triggered immunity induced by the flg22 peptide, using apoplastic washing fluid with minimal cytoplasmic contamination followed by LC‑MS/MS. Results showed consistent PTI‑specific enrichment and depletion of peptides, a bias toward ectodomain peptides of receptor‑like kinases, and increased abundance of the exosome marker tetraspanin 8, indicating heightened exosome levels during PTI.