Genetius

The study optimized speed‑breeding parameters—photoperiod, light intensity, and blue‑red light quality—to accelerate the life cycle of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and its diploid relative Medicago truncatula. A combined regime (20 h light/4 h dark at 450 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹) cut harvest time by 17% in alfalfa and 28% in M. truncatula while maintaining viable seed production, and chlorophyll fluorescence revealed species‑specific photosynthetic constraints.

Phosphite (Phi) shares the same root transport system as phosphate (Pi) and, unlike Pi, can inhibit the growth of certain fungal pathogens and modulate plant disease resistance in a species‑ and Pi‑dependent manner. In Arabidopsis thaliana, Phi triggers a hypersensitive‑response‑like cell death that enhances resistance to Plectosphaerella cucumerina, while in rice (Oryza sativa) it reverses Pi‑induced susceptibility to Magnaporthe oryzae and Fusarium fujikuroi, accompanied by extensive transcriptomic reprogramming.

The study introduced an in‑situ system with 24 cuvettes to continuously monitor leaf gas exchange and VOC emissions on mature Fagus sylvatica and Pseudotsuga menziesii in a temperate forest, alongside sap flux, radial growth, and tree water deficit measurements. Results revealed species‑specific responses to midsummer drying, with reduced stomatal conductance and VOC emissions in sun‑exposed P. menziesii branches, while F. sylvatica sun leaves increased gas exchange, and highlighted time lags between leaf and stem water fluxes.

The study demonstrates that silica‑dried plant material can be effectively used for flow‑cytometric genome size and ploidy estimation across a large flora, analyzing ~45,000 samples from 1,135 Eastern Alpine angiosperm species. Using a mostly universal protocol, they obtained ploidy data for 97% of the species, revealing that 34% contain polyploid cytotypes and 16% are ploidy‑variable, and they provide a comprehensive dataset for the botanical community.

The study applies convolutional neural networks to super‑resolution images of modern and fossil grass pollen, enabling quantification of taxonomic diversity and C3/C4 physiological ratios in ancient grassland assemblages. Using semi‑supervised training and gradient‑boosted classifiers, the authors reconstruct past grass diversity and C4 decline in a 25,000‑year lake‑sediment record, linking these changes to climate and fire dynamics.

The study shows that wheat seminal roots and rice crown roots actively maintain gravitropic setpoint angles (GSAs) by returning to their original growth angles after displacement, and exhibit antigravitropic offsets under clinorotation. Exogenous auxin steepens rooting in both species, indicating conserved hormonal regulation, while lateral root GSA responses differ between wheat and rice. These results reveal gravity‑dependent and auxin‑mediated mechanisms governing root angle in monocot cereals.

Using a co‑transcriptomic approach, the study examined interactions between the generalist necrotroph Botrytis cinerea and two closely related legumes, common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), across 72 pathogen isolates. While lesion development was mainly driven by pathogen genetic variation, both host and pathogen displayed extensive host‑by‑isolate transcriptional plasticity, with host‑specific expression of cell‑wall modifying enzymes and divergent co‑expression networks. The findings reveal that pervasive gene‑expression flexibility in both partners enables similar disease outcomes despite divergent molecular responses.

The study used narrow‑band laser diode lighting versus broad‑band LEDs to test how spectral bandwidth, independent of peak wavelength, affects photosynthesis, canopy architecture, leaf senescence, and growth in tobacco, lettuce, and Arabidopsis. Narrow‑band blue light reduced assimilation and biomass but produced more upright canopies and delayed lower‑leaf senescence, while combined narrow‑band red + blue light improved photosynthetic performance and yielded higher fresh weight and healthier physiology than broad‑band light. These results show that controlling bandwidth can decouple traditional sun‑shade leaf traits and optimize indoor horticultural productivity.

The study surveyed 258 transcriptomic datasets from 183 Cucurbitaceae species and found a consistent absence of key anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin biosynthetic genes, indicating a widespread loss of anthocyanin pigmentation in this family. Phylogenomic and synteny analyses suggest a stepwise loss that may be partially compensated by increased carotenoid pigmentation.

The study compared expression and function of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) families in the moss Physcomitrium patens and barley Hordeum vulgare under stress, revealing distinct family-specific patterns and the absence of ALDH21 in barley. Functional analyses of moss ALDH5, ALDH10, and ALDH21 showed that loss of ALDH5F2 or ALDH21A1 impairs the GABA shunt, alters amino‑acid levels, reduces colony size, and triggers up‑regulation of glutathione‑S‑transferase genes, indicating a compensatory oxidative‑stress response.