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 used Arabidopsis thaliana autoimmune (DANGEROUS MIX) mutants to dissect the growth–defence trade‑off, identifying two core transcriptomic modules that capture growth and defence programs. Genetic removal of the three ADR1 helper NLRs reversed module expression and preferentially restored growth‑related receptor‑like kinase genes, while chromatin accessibility changes were larger at growth loci, indicating that ADR1‑mediated immune signaling actively suppresses growth genes.

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.