Genetius

The study introduces a hybrid modeling framework that integrates a logistic ordinary differential equation with a Long Short-Term Memory neural network to form a Physics-Informed Neural Network (PINN) for predicting wheat plant height. Using only time and temperature as inputs, the PINN outperformed other longitudinal growth models, achieving the lowest average RMSE and reduced variability across multiple random initializations. The results suggest that embedding biological growth constraints within data‑driven models can substantially improve prediction accuracy for plant traits.

Using laser ablation microscopy, the study dissected the role of the first cell row and a contiguous stem cell quorum in the apical notches of germinating Marchantia gemmae, revealing that these cells are essential for meristem activity and that apical notches communicate via auxin‑mediated signals to regulate dominance and regeneration. The findings support a model of intra‑, inter‑, and extra‑notch communication governing meristem formation and maintenance in Marchantia.

Using the bryophyte Physcomitrium patens, the study shows that loss of autophagy enhances auxin‑driven caulonemata differentiation and colony expansion under low nitrogen or imbalanced carbon/nitrogen conditions, accompanied by higher internal IAA, reduced PpPINA expression, and up‑regulated RSL transcription factors. Autophagy appears to suppress auxin‑induced differentiation during nutrient stress, acting as a hub that balances metabolic cues with hormonal signaling.

The abstract proposes that microbial indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) enhances plant thermotolerance by regulating proline metabolism, coordinating early osmoprotective synthesis with later catabolism to support growth and redox balance during heat stress. This regulation is hypothesized to involve integration of auxin perception (HSP90‑TIR1), MAPK signaling (MPK‑IAA8), mitochondrial redox components (SSR1, HSCA2) and interactions with abscisic acid and ethylene, offering a framework for using auxin‑producing microbes to boost heat resilience.

The study cloned the resistance genes Rmo2 and Rwt7 from barley and wheat, revealing them as orthologous tandem kinase proteins (TKPs) with an N‑terminal heavy metal‑associated (HMA) domain. Domain‑swapping experiments indicated that the HMA domain dictates effector specificity, supporting a model of TKP diversification into paralogs and orthologs that recognize distinct pathogen effectors.

Mutations in the plastid division gene PARC6 and the granule initiation gene BGC1 were combined to generate wheat plants with dramatically enlarged A-type starch granules, some exceeding 50 µm, without affecting plant growth, grain size, or overall starch content. The parc6 bgc1 double mutant was evaluated in both glasshouse and field trials, and the giant granules displayed altered viscosity and pasting temperature, offering novel functional properties for food and industrial applications.

The study characterizes the endophytic fungus Penicillium melinii, isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana roots, as a plant‑growth‑promoting agent that enhances root architecture and biomass across Arabidopsis, quinoa, and tomato. Integrated phenotypic, transcriptomic, and hormonal analyses reveal that the fungus stimulates auxin‑related pathways and modest stress responses, leading to increased tomato yield in field trials, underscoring its value as a model for root development and a sustainable biostimulant.

The study demonstrates that salinity stress induces a photomorphogenic‑like response in dark‑grown Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings, resulting in reduced apical hook curvature and impaired soil emergence. This phenotype is linked to disrupted asymmetric epidermal cell elongation, decreased auxin signaling and PIN3 abundance on the hook’s concave side, repression of BBX28 expression, and loss of a spatial COP1 gradient, highlighting spatial regulation as a key factor in stress‑affected seedling development.

The researchers performed a large‑scale field trial with 105 wheat (Triticum aestivum) genotypes inoculated by Fusarium culmorum, combining quantitative deoxynivalenol (DON) profiling and untargeted metabolomics to uncover molecular signatures of infection. Sesquiterpene‑derived metabolites tracked toxin accumulation, whereas glycosylated diterpene conjugates were enriched in low‑DON samples, indicating a potential defensive metabolic pathway.

The study elucidates the SPL/NZZ‑dependent regulatory pathway governing megaspore mother cell (MMC) differentiation, revealing that SPL/NZZ directly targets genes and interacts with ovule‑identity MADS‑domain transcription factor complexes. Integration of multi‑omics data with genetic complementation and mutant analyses uncovers an auxin‑dependent downstream network that drives MMC formation.