The study used X-ray fluorescence and histochemistry to map conserved metal accumulation sites in diverse fruit crops, revealing calcium in outer tissues, potassium in fleshy parts, and iron in vascular and chalazal seed regions. In Arabidopsis thaliana and tomato, chalazal iron formed distinct deposits that influenced germination, as shown by desferoxamine treatments and mutant analyses. These findings introduce fruit metal hotspots as novel targets for improving fruit physiology and food security.

The study demonstrates that the chromatin remodeler DDM1 is essential for biomass heterosis in Arabidopsis thaliana hybrids, as loss of DDM1 function leads to reduced rosette growth and extensive genotype‑specific transcriptomic and DNA methylation changes. Whole‑genome bisulfite sequencing revealed widespread hypomethylation in ddm1 mutants, while salicylic acid levels were found unrelated to heterosis, indicating that epigenetic divergence, rather than SA signaling, underpins hybrid vigor.

The study applied a progressive, sublethal drought treatment to Arabidopsis thaliana, collecting time‑resolved phenotypic and transcriptomic data. Machine‑learning analysis revealed distinct drought stages driven by multiple overlapping transcriptional programs that intersect with plant aging, and identified high‑explanatory‑power transcripts as biomarkers rather than causal agents.

Salt stress strongly suppresses root growth in Festuca rubra while sparing shoot development. Transcriptome profiling identified over 68,000 differentially expressed genes, with up‑regulated genes enriched in methionine, melatonin, and suberin biosynthesis and down‑regulated genes involved in gibberellin, ABA, and sugar signaling, indicating extensive hormonal and metabolic reprogramming. Paradoxical regulation of gibberellin and ethylene pathways suggests a finely tuned balance between growth and stress responses.

The study examined how single and repeated mechanical disturbances (whole‑pot drops) affect leaf folding in Mimosa pudica, using chlorophyll fluorescence to track photosystem II efficiency and transcriptome profiling to identify responsive genes. A single drop mainly up‑regulated flavonoid biosynthesis genes, whereas multiple drops triggered broader biotic and abiotic stress pathways, indicating a shift in the plant’s gene regulatory network under repeated stress.

The study shows that inoculating Arabidopsis thaliana with the plant‑growth‑promoting bacterium Enterobacter sp. SA187 markedly boosts root and shoot biomass under elevated CO₂, accompanied by altered nitrogen and carbon content and reshaped phytohormone signaling. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses reveal activation of salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, and ethylene pathways and enhanced primary metabolism, while the ethylene‑insensitive ein2‑1 mutant demonstrates that the growth benefits are ethylene‑dependent.

The study examined soybean (Glycine max) responses to simultaneous drought and Asian soybean rust infection using combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses. Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis identified stress-specific gene modules linked to metabolites, while Copula Graphical Models uncovered sparse, condition‑specific networks, revealing distinct molecular signatures for each stress without overlapping genes or metabolites. The integrative approach underscores a hierarchical, modular defense architecture and suggests targets for breeding multi‑stress resilient soybeans.

The study identifies the pseudokinase CRN in Medicago truncatula as a regulator of inflorescence meristem branching and a negative modulator of root interactions with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, operating partially independently of the AM autoregulation CLE peptide MtCLE53. Transcriptomic profiling of crn mutant roots reveals disruptions in nutrient, symbiosis, and stress signaling pathways, highlighting the multifaceted role of MtCRN in plant development and environmental interactions.

The study examined how varying temperature regimes, including cold deprivation and early cold exposure, affect dormancy onset and maintenance in sweet cherry (Prunus avium) flower buds. Phenological monitoring combined with transcriptomic analyses revealed that temperature drives dormancy progression, identifying specific genes and pathways responsive to cold, and uncovering a distinct shallow dormancy phase induced by cold deprivation with a unique molecular signature.

The study combined cell biology, transcriptomics, and ionomics to reveal that zinc deficiency reduces root apical meristem size while preserving meristematic activity and local Zn levels, leading to enhanced cell elongation and differentiation in Arabidopsis thaliana. ZIP12 was identified as a highly induced gene in the zinc‑deficient root tip, and zip12 mutants displayed impaired root growth, altered RAM structure, disrupted Zn‑responsive gene expression, and abnormal metal partitioning, highlighting ZIP12’s role in maintaining Zn homeostasis and meristem function.