The study demonstrates that the peripheral light‑harvesting protein Lhcf2 is essential for energy‑dependent nonphotochemical quenching (qE) in the marine diatom Chaetoceros gracilis by enabling stable accumulation and assembly of the NPQ effector Lhcx1. Targeted knockout of Lhcf2 eliminates qE without affecting the trans‑thylakoid proton gradient or diatoxanthin accumulation, revealing a cooperative structural role for distinct LHC proteins in photoprotection.

The study characterizes a radiation‑induced root‑suppressed (Rs) mutant in tomato that displays dwarfism and pleiotropic defects in leaves, flowers, and fruits. Metabolite profiling and rescue with H2S donors implicate disrupted sulfur metabolism, and whole‑genome sequencing identifies promoter mutations in two root‑meristem‑specific sulfotransferase genes as likely contributors to the root phenotype.

The study reveals that REMORIN protein evolution is primarily driven by diversification of their conserved C-terminal domain, defining four major clades. Structural bioinformatics predicts a common membrane‑binding interface with diverse curvatures and lengths, and suggests that some REMs can form C‑terminal‑mediated oligomers, adding complexity to membrane organization.

The study identifies members of the REMORIN protein family as inhibitors of plasma membrane H⁺‑ATPases, leading to extracellular pH alkalinization that modulates cell surface processes such as steroid hormone signaling and coordinates root developmental transitions in Arabidopsis thaliana. This inhibition represents an ancient mechanism predating root evolution, suggesting that extracellular pH patterning has shaped plant morphogenesis.

A comprehensive multi‑environment trial of 437 maize testcross hybrids derived from 38 MLN‑tolerant lines and 29 testers identified additive genetic effects as the primary driver of grain yield, disease resistance, and drought tolerance. Strong general combining ability and specific combining ability patterns were uncovered, with top hybrids delivering up to 5.75 t ha⁻¹ under MLN pressure while maintaining high performance under optimum and drought conditions. The study provides a framework for selecting elite parents and exploiting both additive and non‑additive effects to develop resilient maize hybrids for sub‑Saharan Africa.

The complete chloroplast genome of the endemic fruit species Dillenia philippinensis was sequenced, assembled, and annotated, revealing a 161,591‑bp quadripartite structure with 113 unique genes. Comparative analyses identified simple sequence repeats, codon usage patterns, and phylogenetic placement close to D. suffroticosa, providing a genomic resource for future breeding and conservation efforts.

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.

Six new Viola species and two reinstated species from China were identified using field surveys, detailed morphological comparison, and phylogenetic analysis of ITS and GPI gene sequences, placing them in section Plagiostigma subsect. Diffusae. The GPI data offered higher resolution, indicating complex relationships possibly due to ancient hybridization or incomplete lineage sorting, thereby clarifying species boundaries and evolutionary patterns in Chinese Viola.

The study provides a comprehensive genome-wide catalog and single‑cell expression atlas of the carbonic anhydrase (CA) gene family in maize, identifying 18 CA genes across α, β, and γ subfamilies and detailing their structural and regulatory features. Phylogenetic, synteny, promoter motif, bulk tissue RNA‑seq, and single‑cell RNA‑seq analyses reveal distinct tissue and cell‑type specific expression patterns, highlighting β‑CAs as key players in C4 photosynthesis and γ‑CAs in ion/pH buffering, and propose cell‑type‑specific CA genes as targets for improving stress resilience.

The study presents a plant‑focused phylogenetic analysis of class B flavin‑dependent monooxygenases, identifying eight distinct families and revealing lineage‑specific diversification, especially in the NADPH‑binding domain. Using known FMOs as baits, they assembled flavin‑related proteins from key Viridiplantae lineages, performed domain architecture and motif analyses, and reclassified several families, providing a framework for future functional studies.