The study demonstrates that short‑term low phosphate treatment delays leaf senescence in rice by increasing photosynthetic pigments, enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities, and reducing oxidative damage, whereas high phosphate accelerates senescence. CRISPR/Cas9 editing of MIR827 to lower Pi levels also postpones senescence, while overexpression of MIR827 or MIR399, which raises Pi, speeds it up. Transcriptomic profiling reveals coordinated changes in senescence‑associated and metabolic pathways underlying the low‑phosphate response.

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.

Using diverse Mexican maize varieties and a MAGIC population, the study demonstrated that leaf vein density is both variable and plastic, correlating positively with photosynthetic rates for small intermediate veins and increasing under heat in drought-adapted lines. Twelve QTLs linked to vein patterning were identified, highlighting candidate genes for intermediate vein development and shedding light on the evolution of high-efficiency C4 leaf architecture.

The study evaluated how stomatal anatomy and physiological efficiency influence wheat heat tolerance across multi‑environment field trials with 200 genotypes, using early versus delayed sowing to impose temperature stress. Findings revealed a decoupling between anatomical capacity (gsmax) and actual conductance (gs, gse) under heat, plastic shifts toward smaller, denser stomata, and identified 125 QTL linked to stomatal traits, suggesting targets for breeding climate‑resilient wheat.

Integrating physiological, transcriptomic, and cellular analyses, the study shows that olive fruit abscission zones undergo lignification, alkalization, and extensive cell‑wall remodeling during natural maturation and after ethephon treatment. A set of 733 FAZ‑specific genes, including β‑1,3‑glucanases, pectate lyases, and pH‑regulating transporters, were identified, and increased glucanase activity together with reduced plasmodesmata callose suggest enhanced intercellular communication facilitates organ detachment in this non‑climacteric fruit.

The study identified that fruit photosensitivity in eggplant is governed by a single dominant gene, with QTLs clustering at the distal end of chromosome 10 (84.1-87.9 Mb). Bulked segregant analysis sequencing and RNA‑seq highlighted the SmNAC1‑like transcription factor as a likely regulator of anthocyanin accumulation, though no coding sequence mutations were detected, suggesting regulatory control at another level.

The study demonstrates that limonene, a natural essential‑oil component, strongly inhibits Fusarium oxysporum, the causal agent of potato dry rot, by impairing colony growth, hyphal morphology, spore viability, membrane integrity, and transcription/translation processes, as well as disrupting ion homeostasis. Combined treatments reveal additive effects with mancozeb and synergistic effects with hymexazol, highlighting limonene's potential as an eco‑friendly bio‑fungicide for potato disease management.

The study identified a major QTL on chromosome 6A that accounts for 40% of variation in medium-chain ester (MCE) levels in strawberry fruit, pinpointing FaCCR1 and FaOCT4 as the causal genes. Functional validation through subcellular localization, transient overexpression, enzymatic assays, and molecular docking demonstrated that FaCCR1 also catalyzes MCE precursor reactions, and a KASP marker in FaOCT4 was developed for breeding fragrant cultivars.

The study identified seven adult plant resistance QTL for oat crown rust using two recombinant inbred line populations, with a major QTL (QPc_GS7_4A.2) on chromosome 4A closely linked to the Pc61 resistance gene. KASP markers targeting SNPs tightly linked to the four most significant QTL were developed, and genetic and haplotype analyses confirmed the association of QPc_GS7_4A.2 with both seedling and adult plant resistance, providing valuable tools for oat breeding.

The study presents a high-quality genome assembly for the nickel hyperaccumulator Noccaea caerulescens and uses it as a reference for comparative transcriptomic analyses across different N. caerulescens accessions and the non‑accumulating relative Microthlaspi perfoliatum. It identifies a limited set of metal transporters (NcHMA3, NcHMA4, NcIREG2, and NcIRT1) whose elevated expression correlates with hyperaccumulation, and demonstrates that frameshift mutations in NcIRT1 can abolish the trait, indicating an ancient, transporter‑driven origin of nickel hyperaccumulation.