Genetius

Phosphite (Phi) and phosphate (Pi) share the same root uptake system, but Phi acts as a biostimulant that modulates plant growth and disease resistance in a species‑ and Pi‑dependent manner. In Arabidopsis, Phi induces hypersensitive‑like cell death and enhances resistance to Plectosphaerella cucumerina, while in rice it counteracts Pi‑induced susceptibility to Magnaporthe oryzae and Fusarium fujikuroi, accompanied by extensive transcriptional reprogramming.

The study investigated the ability of foliar-applied salicylic acid (SA) to alleviate drought stress in the high‑altitude medicinal plant Valeriana wallichii by measuring physiological and biochemical responses during vegetative and flowering stages. SA at specific concentrations improved photosynthetic rates, water‑use efficiency, chlorophyll content, membrane stability, and root biomass under both severe (25% field capacity) and moderate (50% field capacity) drought conditions. These results suggest that SA treatment enhances drought tolerance and productivity in this species.

The study examined how elevated atmospheric CO₂ (550 ppm) affects immunity in the C₄ cereal maize (Zea mays L.) by exposing plants grown under ambient and elevated CO₂ to a range of pathogens. Elevated CO₂ increased susceptibility to sugarcane mosaic virus, decreased susceptibility to several bacterial and fungal pathogens, and left susceptibility to others unchanged, with reduced bacterial disease linked to heightened basal immune responses. These findings provide a baseline for future investigations into CO₂‑responsive defense mechanisms in C₄ crops.

The study examined the roles of AtKUP2, AtKUP6, AtKUP8, and GORK potassium transport proteins in guard cell function by performing gas-exchange measurements on mature Arabidopsis leaves. Loss of KUP2/6/8 reduced stomatal conductance, whereas a GORK loss‑of‑function mutant showed increased conductance, yet the magnitude of light‑ and ABA‑induced transpiration changes remained similar across genotypes, suggesting a limited dynamic range for rapid stomatal movements that relies on small ionic osmolytes.

The study characterizes the plant spliceosomal protein AtSF1 in Arabidopsis thaliana, using iCLIP and RNA‑seq to map its in vivo branch point binding sites and demonstrate that loss of AtSF1 causes widespread 3' splice‑site mis‑selection. Structural comparison reveals a plant‑specific domain architecture, and the identified AtSF1 targets are enriched for circadian and defense genes, linking splicing regulation to timing and immunity.

The study demonstrates that salicylic acid (SA) restricts plant root growth through a mechanism requiring the transmembrane kinase TMK1, which leads to apoplastic alkalinization and inhibition of plasma membrane H⁺-ATPase phosphorylation. This SA effect operates independently of the auxin receptor ABP1, suggesting a novel SA-mediated pathway that balances stress responses with growth.

The study reveals that rice perceives Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae outer membrane vesicles through a rapid calcium signal that triggers plasma‑membrane nanodomain formation and the re‑organisation of defence‑related proteins, establishing an early immune response. Without this Ca2+ signal, OMVs are not recognized and immunity is weakened.

The study compares the iron-poor oceanic diatom Thalassiosira oceanica with the iron-rich coastal species T. pseudonana to uncover how diatoms adapt to low-iron conditions. Using photo‑physiological measurements, proteomic profiling, and focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy, the researchers show that each species remodels chloroplast compartments and exhibits distinct mitochondrial architectures to maintain chloroplast‑mitochondrial coupling under iron limitation.

The study demonstrates that the plastid chaperone CLPC2, but not its paralogue CLPC1, is essential for Arabidopsis responsiveness to microbial volatile compounds and for normal seed and seedling development. Loss of CLPC2 alters the chloroplast proteome, affecting proteins linked to growth, photosynthesis, and embryogenesis, while overexpression of CLPC2 mimics CLPC1 deficiency, highlighting distinct functional roles within the CLP protease complex.

The study shows that Arabidopsis root tips adapt to hypoxia by increasing H3K4me3 levels, linked to the inhibition of group 7 demethylases (KDM7s). Genetic loss of KDM7s mimics hypoxic conditions, activating genes that sustain meristem survival, suggesting KDM7s act as root‑specific oxygen sensors that prime epigenetic tolerance mechanisms.