The study demonstrates that invasion of Arabidopsis thaliana roots by the parasitic plant Phtheirospermum japonicum induces a phosphate‑starvation response in the host, which in turn leads to systemic suppression of immunity. This immunosuppression makes Arabidopsis more vulnerable to secondary microbial infections, highlighting the importance of multitrophic interactions in crop resilience.

The study investigated the role of the ABA transporter NPF4.6 in Arabidopsis thaliana by analyzing loss-of-function mutants under steady and fluctuating light. Mutants displayed faster stomatal opening, higher CO2 assimilation, and increased shoot biomass under well‑watered, dynamic‑light conditions, while showing no advantage under drought stress, indicating NPF4.6 fine‑tunes stomatal kinetics in variable light environments.

The study examined how soil phosphorus and nitrogen availability influence wheat root-associated arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) communities and the expression of mycorrhizal nutrient transporters. Field sampling across two years combined with controlled pot experiments showed that P and N jointly affect AMF colonisation, community composition (with Funneliformis dominance under high P), and regulation of phosphate, ammonium, and nitrate transporters. Integrating metabarcoding and RT‑qPCR provides a framework to assess AMF contributions to crop nutrition.

The study evaluated how light, vapor pressure deficit, and temperature affect carbon assimilation in four Brazilian Saccharum officinarum varieties over a 530‑day field trial, using diurnal measurements and statistical modeling. Polynomial and multiple linear regression models accurately predicted photosynthetic rates, identifying optimal conditions (PAR ~1800 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹, VPD 2.34 kPa, temperature ~32.5 °C) and explaining up to 60% of the variability.

The study investigated unexpected leaf spot symptoms in Psa3‑resistant kiwifruit (Actinidia) germplasm, finding that Psa3 was detectable by qPCR and metabarcoding despite poor culturing. Metabarcoding revealed distinct bacterial community shifts in lesions versus healthy tissue, and whole‑genome sequencing identified diverse Pseudomonas spp. that, while not individually more pathogenic, could enhance Psa3 growth, suggesting pathogenic consortia on resistant hosts.