The study used comparative transcriptomics of dorsal and ventral petals across development, alongside expression profiling in floral symmetry mutants, to identify genes linked to dorsal (AmCYC-dependent) and ventral (AmDIV-dependent) identities in Antirrhinum majus. In situ hybridisation validated axis‑specific and boundary‑localized expression patterns, revealing that a conserved NGATHA‑LIKE1‑BRASSINAZOLE‑RESISTANT1‑miR164 module has been co‑opted to regulate AmDIV targets and shape the corolla. These findings delineate regulatory modules coordinating dorsoventral and proximal‑distal patterning in zygomorphic flowers.

The study combined high-throughput image-based phenotyping with genome-wide association studies to uncover the genetic architecture of tolerance to the spittlebug Aeneolamia varia in 339 interspecific Urochloa hybrids. Six robust QTL were identified for plant damage traits, explaining up to 21.5% of variance, and candidate genes linked to hormone signaling, oxidative stress, and cell‑wall modification were highlighted, providing markers for breeding.

The study sequenced genomes of ericoid mycorrhiza‑forming liverworts and experimentally reconstituted the symbiosis, revealing a nutrient‑regulated state that supports intracellular colonization. Comparative transcriptomics identified an ancestral gene module governing intracellular symbiosis, and functional validation in Marchantia paleacea through genetic manipulation, phylogenetics, and transactivation assays confirmed its essential role. The findings suggest plants have retained and independently recruited this ancestral module for diverse intracellular symbioses.

The study investigates the role of the chromatin regulator MpSWI3, a core subunit of the SWI/SNF complex, in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha. A promoter mutation disrupts male gametangiophore development and spermiogenesis, causing enhanced vegetative propagation, and transcriptomic analysis reveals that MpSWI3 regulates genes controlling reproductive initiation, sperm function, and asexual reproduction, highlighting its ancient epigenetic role in balancing vegetative and reproductive phases.

The study generated the first nested association mapping (NAM) population in the outcrossing forage grass Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) to investigate seed shattering and related traits, using ddRAD sequencing of 708 F2 individuals combined with whole-genome sequencing of 24 founders to obtain over 3 million SNPs for population structure, parentage, and GWAS analyses. Seven QTL were identified for seed shattering and other agronomic traits, leading to the discovery of candidate genes, including one associated with ripening pathways that explained 10% of phenotypic variance, demonstrating the utility of NAM for dissecting complex traits in outcrossing grasses.

The study examined drought tolerance across nine provenances of the conifer Pinus nigra using high‑throughput phenotyping combined with metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses under controlled soil‑drying conditions. Drought tolerance, measured by the decline in Fv/Fm, varied among provenances but was not linked to a climatic gradient and was independent of growth, with tolerant provenances showing distinct flavonoid and diterpene profiles and provenance‑specific gene expression patterns. Integrating phenotypic and molecular data revealed metabolic signatures underlying drought adaptation in this non‑model conifer.

The study examined how the bioinoculant Trichoderma afroharzianum T22 influences Pisum sativum growth under iron-sufficient versus iron-deficient conditions, finding pronounced benefits—enhanced photosynthesis, Fe/N accumulation, and stress‑related gene expression—only during iron deficiency. RNA‑seq revealed distinct gene expression patterns tied to symbiosis, iron transport, and redox pathways, and microbiome profiling showed T22 reshapes the root bacterial community under deficiency, suggesting context‑dependent mutualism.

The study characterizes tissue-specific elimination of B chromosomes in Sorghum purpureosericeum during embryo development, identifying 28 candidate genes linked to this process. Integrated in situ visualization, genome sequencing, and transcriptomic analyses reveal that the B chromosome originates from multiple A chromosomes, harbors unique repeats, and expresses divergent kinetochore components that likely mediate its selective removal.

The study evaluated whether integrating genomic, transcriptomic, and drone-derived phenomic data improves prediction of 129 maize traits across nine environments, using both linear (rrBLUP) and nonlinear (SVR) models. Multi-omics models consistently outperformed single-omics models, with transcriptomic data especially enhancing cross‑environment predictions and capturing genotype‑by‑environment interactions. The results highlight the added value of combining transcriptomics and phenomics with genotypes for more accurate and generalizable trait prediction in maize.

Phytoplasma infection in sesame (Sesamum indicum) triggers tissue-specific alterations in gene expression and metabolite composition, with floral organs adopting leaf-like traits and distinct changes in porphyrin, brassinosteroid, and phenylpropanoid pathways. Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses, supported by biochemical, histological, and qRT-PCR assays, reveal differential stress and secondary metabolite responses between infected leaves and flowers.