The study compared aphid resistance and Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) transmission among three wheat varieties (G1, RGT Wolverine, RGT Illustrious). G1 emits the repellent 2‑tridecanone, restricts aphid phloem access, and shows reduced BYDV transmission, whereas RGT Wolverine limits systemic viral infection despite high transmission efficiency. The authors suggest breeding the two resistance mechanisms together for improved protection.
The study profiled small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) in barley (Hordeum vulgare) seeds differing in viability after controlled long‑term storage, identifying 85,728 differentially expressed siRNAs associated with seed vigor. Trans‑acting siRNAs displayed distinct temporal patterns during imbibition, and functional analyses linked siRNA targets to key processes such as cytochrome activity, root development, and carbohydrate metabolism, suggesting a role in maintaining metabolic activity during germination.
The study applied a progressive, sublethal drought treatment to Arabidopsis thaliana, collecting time‑resolved phenotypic and transcriptomic data. Machine‑learning analysis revealed distinct drought stages driven by multiple overlapping transcriptional programs that intersect with plant aging, and identified high‑explanatory‑power transcripts as biomarkers rather than causal agents.
Salt stress strongly suppresses root growth in Festuca rubra while sparing shoot development. Transcriptome profiling identified over 68,000 differentially expressed genes, with up‑regulated genes enriched in methionine, melatonin, and suberin biosynthesis and down‑regulated genes involved in gibberellin, ABA, and sugar signaling, indicating extensive hormonal and metabolic reprogramming. Paradoxical regulation of gibberellin and ethylene pathways suggests a finely tuned balance between growth and stress responses.
The study examined how single and repeated mechanical disturbances (whole‑pot drops) affect leaf folding in Mimosa pudica, using chlorophyll fluorescence to track photosystem II efficiency and transcriptome profiling to identify responsive genes. A single drop mainly up‑regulated flavonoid biosynthesis genes, whereas multiple drops triggered broader biotic and abiotic stress pathways, indicating a shift in the plant’s gene regulatory network under repeated stress.
Post-Domestication selection of MKK3 Shaped Seed Dormancy and End-Use Traits in Barley
Authors: Jorgensen, M. E., Vequaud, D., Wang, Y., Andersen, C. B., Bayer, M., Box, A., Braune, K., Cai, Y., Chen, F., Antonio Cuesta-Seijo, J., Dong, H., Fincher, G. B., Gojkovic, Z., Huang, Z., Jaegle, B., Kale, S. M., Krsticevic, F., Roux, P.-M. L., Lozier, A., Lu, Q., Mascher, M., Murozuka, E., Nakamura, S., Simmelsgaard, M. U., Pedas, P. R., Pin, P., Sato, K., Spannagl, M., Rasmussen, M. W., Russell, J., Schreiber, M., Thomsen, H. C., Tulloch, S., Thomsen, N. W., Voss, C., Skadhauge, B., Stein, N., Waugh, R., Willerslev, E., Dockter, C.
The study demonstrates that in barley (Hordeum vulgare) the MAPK pathway, specifically the MKK3 kinase, controls grain dormancy through a combination of haplotype variation, copy-number changes, and intrinsic kinase activity. Historical selection of particular MKK3 haplotypes correlates with climatic pressures, offering a genetic basis to balance short dormancy with resistance to pre‑harvest sprouting under climate change.
Enhancement of Arabidopsis growth by Enterobacter sp. SA187 under elevated CO2 is dependent on ethylene signalling activation and primary metabolism reprogramming
Authors: Ilyas, A., Mauve, C., Pateyron, S., Paysant-Le Roux, C., Bigeard, J., Hodges, M., de Zelicourt, A.
The study shows that inoculating Arabidopsis thaliana with the plant‑growth‑promoting bacterium Enterobacter sp. SA187 markedly boosts root and shoot biomass under elevated CO₂, accompanied by altered nitrogen and carbon content and reshaped phytohormone signaling. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses reveal activation of salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, and ethylene pathways and enhanced primary metabolism, while the ethylene‑insensitive ein2‑1 mutant demonstrates that the growth benefits are ethylene‑dependent.
The study examined soybean (Glycine max) responses to simultaneous drought and Asian soybean rust infection using combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses. Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis identified stress-specific gene modules linked to metabolites, while Copula Graphical Models uncovered sparse, condition‑specific networks, revealing distinct molecular signatures for each stress without overlapping genes or metabolites. The integrative approach underscores a hierarchical, modular defense architecture and suggests targets for breeding multi‑stress resilient soybeans.
The study investigated whether wheat homoeologous genes actively compensate for each other when one copy acquires a premature termination codon (PTC) mutation. By analyzing mutagenised wheat lines, the authors found that only about 3% of cases exhibited upregulation of the unaffected homoeolog, indicating that widespread active transcriptional compensation is absent in wheat.
Authors: Orosz, J., Lin, E. X., Torres Ascurra, Y. C., Kappes, M., Lindsay, P. L., Bashyal, S., Everett, H., Gautam, C. K., Jackson, D., Mueller, L. M.
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.