Genetius

Field experiments combined with RNA sequencing revealed that wheat ploidy influences heat stress resilience, with tetraploid T. turgidum showing the smallest yield loss and hexaploid T. aestivum mounting the largest transcriptional response. Ploidy-dependent differences were observed in differential gene expression, alternative splicing—including hexaploid-specific exon skipping of NF‑YB—and co‑expression networks linked to grain traits, highlighting candidate pathways for breeding heat‑tolerant wheat.

The authors introduce the ENABLE(R) Gene Editing in planta toolkit, a streamlined two‑step cloning system for creating CRISPR/Cas9 knockout vectors suitable for transient or stable transformation. Validation was performed in Oryza sativa protoplasts and Arabidopsis thaliana plants, and the toolkit includes low‑cost protocols aimed at facilitating adoption in the Global South.

The study demonstrates that ethylene signaling contributes to host resistance against the root parasitic plant Phelipanche aegyptiaca, as both water stress and parasitism activate ethylene responses in Arabidopsis roots. Application of the ethylene precursor ACC reduced parasite attachment, and mutants in ethylene signaling components (ETR1, CTR1) showed altered tolerance, highlighting ethylene-mediated defenses as a potential strategy for crop protection.

The study generated a phenotypic dataset for 550 Lactuca accessions, including 20 wild relatives, and applied an iterative two‑step GWAS using a jointly processed SNP set for cultivated lettuce (L. sativa) and its wild progenitor (L. serriola) to dissect trait loci. Known and novel QTLs for anthocyanin accumulation, leaf morphology, and pathogen resistance were identified, with several L. serriola‑specific QTLs revealing unique genetic architectures, underscoring the breeding value of wild lettuce species.

The study performed daily large-scale glycome, transcriptome, and proteome profiling of developing fibers from the two cultivated cotton species, Gossypium barbadense and G. hirsutum, across primary and secondary cell wall stages. It identified delayed cellulose accumulation and distinct compositions of xyloglucans, homogalacturonans, rhamnogalacturonan‑I, and heteroxylans in G. barbadense, along with higher expression of specific glycosyltransferases and expansins, suggesting these molecular differences underlie the superior fiber length and strength of G. barbadense.