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 identifies a geraniol synthase (CfGES) and a previously unknown geranyl pyrophosphatase (CfG(P)Pase) from Cymbopogon flexuosus that convert geranyl diphosphate to geraniol via a cytosolic, TPS‑independent pathway. Functional analyses using virus‑induced gene silencing and transient overexpression in lemongrass, lemon balm, and rose demonstrate the enzymes’ roles in geraniol and downstream citral production, while subcellular localization reveals CfGES is dual‑localized (cytosol/plastid) and CfG(P)Pase is cytosolic.

The study uncovers a hidden, evolutionarily conserved disorder-containing START (dSTART) domain within plant HD-ZIPIII and HD-ZIPIV transcription factors, demonstrating that dSTART is essential for proper subcellular localization, DNA-binding specificity, and developmental function. It also identifies phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidic acid species as candidate ligands, linking lipid binding to transcription factor regulation.

The study identifies a novel C-terminal FR motif in Lotus japonicus NODULE INCEPTION (NIN) that expands DNA‑binding specificity by stabilizing the RWP‑RK dimer, and shows that loss of this motif impairs nodulation and nitrogen fixation. Comparative analysis reveals that Arabidopsis NLP2 also possesses a NIN‑type FR, and phylogenetic data suggest the motif originated in early gymnosperms, indicating it predates the evolution of root nodule symbiosis.

The study identifies and characterizes a novel class of small extra‑large GTPases (SXLGs) in Lotus japonicus that are associated with rhizobial and mycorrhizal symbiosis, possessing only an N‑terminal domain with a nuclear localization signal and a cysteine‑rich region. Phylogenetic and sequence analyses reveal SXLGs as a distinct, duplicated gene family, while transient expression in tobacco shows diverse subcellular localizations and sxlg2 mutants exhibit delayed nodule infection and altered root growth under nitrogen‑limited conditions.

The study examines how the SnRK1 catalytic subunit KIN10 integrates carbon availability with root growth regulation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Loss of KIN10 reduces glucose‑induced inhibition of root elongation and triggers widespread transcriptional reprogramming of metabolic and hormonal pathways, notably affecting auxin and jasmonate signaling under sucrose supplementation. These findings highlight KIN10 as a central hub linking energy status to developmental and environmental cues in roots.