The study integrates multi-omics data from six Sorghum bicolor accessions under field drought to link RNA covalent modifications (RCMs) with photosynthetic performance, identifying the enzyme SbDUS2 that produces dihydrouridine (DHU) on transcripts. Loss‑of‑function dus2 mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana reveal that DHU deficiency leads to hyperstability of photosynthesis‑related mRNAs, impairing germination, development, and stress‑induced CO2 assimilation. The authors propose DHU as a post‑transcriptional mark that promotes rapid mRNA turnover during abiotic stress, enhancing plant resilience.

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.

A meta‑analysis of 73 studies on cucumber (Cucumis sativus) under elevated CO₂ (eCO₂) revealed that eCO₂ significantly increased net photosynthetic rate (+56.31%), biomass (+27.75%) and yield (+21.98%), while reducing stomatal conductance (‑36.07%) and transpiration (‑30.42%). The authors recommend maintaining eCO₂ levels between 800–1200 ppm together with higher light, temperature, optimal humidity, and adequate fertilization to optimise greenhouse cucumber production under climate‑change scenarios.

The study introduces an enhanced crosslinking mass spectrometry workflow that preserves native protein interactions within functional thylakoid membranes of Arabidopsis and spinach, while electron transport remains active. Mapping the obtained crosslinks to known structures validates complex integrity and reveals novel assemblies, facilitating in situ exploration of photosynthetic membrane protein networks.

The study examined how microclimatic factors influence leaf morphology and photosynthetic productivity in Arctostaphylos crustacea ssp. crustacea across two chaparral sites in California, finding that higher light and lower soil moisture increased leaf mass per area, leaf angle steepness, and photosynthetic rates. Linear mixed‑model analysis identified light level as the strongest predictor, with vapor pressure deficit, soil moisture, leaf temperature, and leaf angle also contributing, highlighting the role of combined microclimatic interactions in driving intraspecific trait variation.

The study examined how simulated microgravity, using a 2-D clinostat, influences the metabolomic profile of the Starbor Kale (F1) cultivar, focusing on flavonoid content. Proton NMR revealed increased aromatic peaks, and HPTLC showed enhanced banding in medium- and high-polarity extracts, indicating elevated secondary metabolite production under microgravity conditions. These findings suggest kale is a promising candidate for space-based cultivation to mitigate astronaut health risks.

The study performed comparative gene expression profiling across four rice accessions—from shoot apical meristem to primordia stage P5—to delineate developmental and photosynthetic transitions in leaf development. By integrating differential expression and gene regulatory network analyses, the authors identified stage-specific regulatory events and key transcription factors, such as RDD1, ARID2, and ERF3, especially in the wild rice Oryza australiensis, offering a comprehensive framework for optimizing leaf function.

The authors established a live‑cell imaging platform that combines confocal microscopy of genetically encoded fluorescent protein biosensors with on‑stage illumination to monitor pH, MgATP²⁻, and NADH/NAD⁺ dynamics during dark‑light transitions in Arabidopsis mesophyll cells. They discovered that photosynthetic proton pumping triggers a stromal alkalinization wave extending to the cytosol and mitochondria, elevates MgATP²⁻ levels, and drives reduction of the NAD pool, with malate dehydrogenase mutants showing altered cytosolic redox even in darkness. This methodological advance enables high‑resolution mapping of photosynthesis‑linked energy physiology across cellular compartments.

The study compared photosynthetic performance and carbon metabolism in mature versus immature leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana accessions from different latitudes under standard and low‑temperature/high‑light conditions. Leaf‑specific measurements of Fv/Fm and CO2 assimilation revealed distinct acclimation capacities, and integration of carbohydrate and carboxylic‑acid profiles into a carbon balance model indicated that mature leaves help stabilize metabolism in younger tissue. The authors emphasize the importance of accounting for intra‑rosette heterogeneity to avoid misleading metabolic interpretations.

The study functionally characterizes three tomato CNR/FWL proteins (SlFWL2, SlFWL4, SlFWL5) and demonstrates that SlFWL5 localizes to plasmodesmata, where it regulates leaf size and morphology by promoting cell expansion likely through cell‑to‑cell communication. Gain‑ and loss‑of‑function transgenic tomato lines reveal that SlFWL5 is a key regulator of organ growth via modulation of plasmodesmatal signaling.