The study identifies the pseudokinase CRN in Medicago truncatula as a regulator of inflorescence meristem branching and a negative modulator of root interactions with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, operating partially independently of the AM autoregulation CLE peptide MtCLE53. Transcriptomic profiling of crn mutant roots reveals disruptions in nutrient, symbiosis, and stress signaling pathways, highlighting the multifaceted role of MtCRN in plant development and environmental interactions.

The study examined how varying temperature regimes, including cold deprivation and early cold exposure, affect dormancy onset and maintenance in sweet cherry (Prunus avium) flower buds. Phenological monitoring combined with transcriptomic analyses revealed that temperature drives dormancy progression, identifying specific genes and pathways responsive to cold, and uncovering a distinct shallow dormancy phase induced by cold deprivation with a unique molecular signature.

The study combined cell biology, transcriptomics, and ionomics to reveal that zinc deficiency reduces root apical meristem size while preserving meristematic activity and local Zn levels, leading to enhanced cell elongation and differentiation in Arabidopsis thaliana. ZIP12 was identified as a highly induced gene in the zinc‑deficient root tip, and zip12 mutants displayed impaired root growth, altered RAM structure, disrupted Zn‑responsive gene expression, and abnormal metal partitioning, highlighting ZIP12’s role in maintaining Zn homeostasis and meristem function.

Overexpression of the wheat bHLH transcription factor TaPGS1 leads to increased flavonol accumulation in the seed coat, which disrupts polar auxin transport and causes localized auxin accumulation, delaying endosperm cellularization and increasing cell number, thereby enlarging grain size. Integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses identified upregulated flavonol biosynthetic genes, revealing a regulatory module that links flavonol-mediated auxin distribution to seed development in wheat.

The study evaluated how alginate oligosaccharide (AOS) chain length influences the levels of seven key phytohormones in wheat seedlings challenged with Botrytis cinerea. Hormone profiling revealed that mid‑range oligomers (DP 4‑6) most strongly up‑regulate defense‑related hormones (JA, SA, ABA, CTK), whereas longer oligomers (DP 7) most effectively suppress ethylene. These findings suggest that tailoring AOS polymerization can optimize disease resistance and growth in cereal crops.

The study used transcriptomic and lipidomic profiling to investigate how chia (Salvia hispanica) leaves respond to short‑term (3 h) and prolonged (27 h) heat stress at 38 °C, revealing rapid activation of calcium‑signaling and heat‑shock pathways and reversible changes in triacylglycerol levels. Nearly all heat‑responsive genes returned to baseline expression after 24 h recovery, highlighting robust thermotolerance mechanisms that could inform improvement of other oilseed crops.

The study used Arabidopsis thaliana mutants with low (vtc2, vtc4) and high (vtc2/OE-VTC2) ascorbate levels to examine how ascorbate concentration affects gene expression and cellular homeostasis. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that altered ascorbate levels modulate defense and stress pathways, and that TAA1/TAR2‑mediated auxin biosynthesis is required for coping with elevated ascorbate in a light‑dependent manner.

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.

The study evaluated how acute heat stress affects early-stage rice seedlings, identifying a critical temperature threshold that impairs growth. Transcriptomic profiling of shoots and roots revealed ethylene‑responsive factors (ERFs) as central regulators, with ethylene and jasmonic acid acting upstream, and pre‑treatment with these hormones mitigated heat damage. These findings highlight ERF‑hormone interaction networks as targets for improving rice heat resilience.

The authors adapted OpenPlant kit CRISPR/Cas9 tools to enable multiplex gRNA expression from a single transcript using tRNA sequences in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, markedly enhancing editing efficiency and scalability. They coupled this vector system with a simplified, optimized thallus transformation protocol, providing a rapid and versatile platform for generating CRISPR/Cas9 mutants and advancing functional genomics in this model species.