Nuclease 1 (NUC1) is a highly conserved non-specific endonuclease present in vertebrates, fungi, and a few plant species. While the involvement of yeast NUC1p in apoptotic cell death independent of metacaspase or apoptosis-inducing factors is documented, its function in other fungi, particularly pathogenic ones, remains elusive. In this study, we identified and characterized the homolog of yeast NUC1p, termed PstNUC1, in Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici ( Pst), the causal agent of wheat stripe rust. PstNUC1 was induced during infection and was secreted to the extracellular space of the host. Silencing of PstNUC1 significantly attenuated the virulence of Pst, suggesting its critical role in pathogenicity. Exogenous treatment of PstNUC1 diminished the extracellular DNA (exDNA)-triggered plant immune response, including cell death, oxygen peroxide production, and upregulation of Pathogenesis-related genes. Notebaly, overexpression of wild-type PstNUC1, but not a signal peptide-deficient mutant (PstNUC1 ΔSP), in wheat compromised exDNA-triggered immunity, resulting in enhanced susceptibility to Pst infection. These finding collectively highlight the contribution of PstNUC1 to virulence through degradation of exDNA, thereby dampening the exDNA-induced plant immune response.

The evolutionary origin of fruits played a pivotal role in promoting the dominance of angiosperms on the Earth. Fruits, derived from the gynoecium after pollination and fertilization, protect and nourish seeds and facilitate their dispersal through diverse mechanisms that are adaptive in different environments. Therefore, understanding the molecular networks underlying fruit development is a prerequisite for elucidating evolutionary mechanisms shaping fruit diversification, and particularly improving crop yield and quality of fruit in response to the rapid climate change in modern agricultural systems. In this article, we offer a comprehensive analysis of fruit classification, emphasizing the intrinsic characteristics and their adaptive dispersal strategies in specific environments. Based on the studies in the model systems such as Arabidopsis thaliana (representing dry fruits) and Solanum lycopersicum, tomato (representing fleshy fruits), we highlight recent advances in identifying novel components of the molecular networks involved in fruit development. We further discuss the evolutionary mechanisms that contribute to fruit diversification in the context of well-established phylogenetic frameworks, with examples from the Brassicaceae and Solanaceae families. Intriguingly, the comparison between studies in Brassicaceae and Solanaceae indicates the core network underlying fruit development is largely conserved in evolution. Finally, we highlight the unresolved questions associated with fruit development and evolution. We propose the future research that integrates multidisciplinary evidence could help to better understand the mechanisms of fruit development and diversification, which ultimately contribute to improve crop yield and quality in practice.

Cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata) is an important protein source in Sub-Saharan Africa. Optimizing resilience and productivity through genetic engineering in cowpea has been slow due in part to a lack of defined species-specific regulatory elements and difficulty testing gene function within the native system. In many plant species, Agrobacterium-mediated transient gene expression is widely used to validate constructs before investing in transgenic lines, but its implementation in legumes has been challenging. In this study, we optimized an in planta agroinfiltration assay in trifoliate cowpea leaves using a betalain reporter. To demonstrate the “intact plant” aspect of this system, we used this assay to characterize drought-inducible promoters by challenging cowpea plants with drought stress. Subsequently, to identify and broaden the pool of native promoters known in cowpea, we developed a user-friendly web application, CowPEAsy, allowing users to interrogate gene expression from our canopy-level, developmental-series RNA-Seq dataset. Finally, using CowPEAsy, we identified six promoters that showed constitutive expression across all conditions and verified these promoters with our transient system. This work provides an in vivo platform for preliminary validation of regulatory elements in cowpea and other legumes and enhances current genetic resources by identifying a suite of physiologically relevant promoters of varying strengths.

Plants exude a wide variety of compounds into the rhizosphere, modulating soil functioning and diversity. The number of studies investigating exudation has exponentially increased over the past decades. Yet, the high inter-study variability of the results is slowing down our understanding of the root-soil interactions. Such variability is partly due to the absence of harmonized methodologies to collect and characterize exudation. Here, we discuss how various experimental aspects influence exudation profiles by performing a literature review, and we suggest best practices for different experimental setups. We discuss state-of-the art of spatially resolved exudate collection, collection in controlled vs field conditions, and plant growth setups ranging from hydroponics to soil. We highlight the importance of preparing experimental blanks, in situ vs ex situ exudate collection, various collection media and timing of collection, exudate storage and processing, and analytical considerations. We summarize best practices for experimental setup and reporting of parameters in an easily accessible table format to facilitate discussion of best practices in the field. An increased standardization in the field together with the systematic studies suggested will improve our knowledge on how plant exudation shapes interactions with organisms in soil.

Floral organ development, pollen germination, and pollen tube growth are crucial for plant sexual reproduction. Phytohormones maintain these processes by regulating the expression and activity of various transcription factors. ICE1, a MYC-like bHLH transcription factor, has been revealed to be involved in cold acclimatization of Arabidopsis. This study shows that ICE1 regulates multiple aspects of sexual reproduction, including stamen development, pollen development, and germination. Loss-of-function mutants of ICE1 exhibit floral organs with shorter filaments, defective anther dehiscence, and lower pollen viability compared to the wild type. These abnormalities result in disrupted fertilization, leading to short siliques, a high rate of seed abortion, and dark, shriveled mature seeds. JAZ proteins (JAZ1 and JAZ9) interact with ICE1, inhibiting its transcriptional activity on jasmonic acid (JA)–responsive genes, including MYB21, MYB24, and MYB108. This study highlights the essential role of ICE1 as a signaling agent in the JA-regulated maintenance of sexual reproduction in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Transgenerational plasticity in plants is an increasingly recognized phenomenon, yet it is mostly unclear whether transgenerational plasticity is relevant to both the fitness of the plant and its interacting species. Using monoclonal strains of the giant duckweed (Spirodela polyrhiza) and its native herbivore, the waterlily aphid (Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae), we assessed whether pre-treating plants with copper excess, both indoors and outdoors, induces transgenerational plasticity in plant defences that alter plant and herbivore fitness. Outdoors, copper pre-treatment tended to increase plant growth rates under recurring copper excess. Indoors, copper pre-treatment either increased or decreased plant growth rates under recurring conditions, depending on the plant genotype. Copper pre-treatment induced anthocyanins that protected plants against copper toxicity, and these elevated levels were transgenerationally retained. Copper pre-treatment also transgenerationally increased the levels of 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA), a jasmonate precursor. Nevertheless, aphids grew up to 50% better when the plants were pre-treated with copper. The increased aphid growth was likely caused by transgenerationally elevated OPDA levels, as aphids grew better when jasmonates were externally applied to plants. Taken together, this study shows that transgenerational plasticity is relevant to both plant and herbivore fitness, which highlights the role of transgenerational plasticity in plant evolution and species interactions.

Brassinosteroids (BR) are small endogenous phytohormones that are key regulators of plant growth, development, and stress resistance. They fulfil this role partially by modulating cell wall structure and composition through the control of genes involved in primary and secondary cell wall biosynthesis and metabolism. This affects the deposition of cellulose, lignin, and other components, and modifies the inner architecture of the wall, allowing it to adapt to the developmental status and environmental conditions. Here, we review the role of BR in cell wall modifications, highlighting recently described functions of BR in model plants in development and growth, such as cell layers interaction to regulate coordinated growth and tissue development for organ shape, skotomorphogenesis, and regulation of gravitropism for the orientation of plant growth direction against gravity. We also discuss the potential use of BR in crops to address current problems such as the need to maintain crop yield, quality, and wood production while increasing stress resistance. Among these approaches are the modification of BR biosynthesis and upregulated BR signalling, leading to increased crop development or wood deposition. We will also highlight how the use of exogenous BR applications can promote BR-related responses to improve plant fitness and productivity.

Plant-microbe interactions have been studied extensively in legumes, but the influence of host developmental stages on its microbiome remains poorly understood. The rhizospheric region enriched with microbial diversity presents an optimal environment to investigate this relationship. We employed a multi-omics meta-analysis approach to identify the rhizospheric bacteria co-existing with legumes at different developmental stages. The data from eight different legume species across various geographical locations, soil conditions and developmental stages (vegetative, reproductive and maturation) were included in the study. A total of 10 marker bacteria were identified across vegetative, reproductive and maturation stages, with most of them known for their role in plant growth promotion. The functional profiling further elucidated the expression of these marker bacteria genes, indicating the active presence of marker bacteria. Co-expression network analysis revealed the involvement of gene clusters in biological processes such as cobalt and nitrogen metabolism. Furthermore, pathway enrichment analysis illustrated the role of these bacteria in plant metabolic pathways such as biosynthesis of various plant secondary metabolites, biotin metabolism and carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms. Our study identified a positive relationship between the marker bacteria and the host plant, suggesting their crucial role in legume growth and development that could further aid in the advancement of strategies to improve crop yield.

Trait-based approaches offer valuable perspectives for vegetation classification, but functional traits struggle to capture resource allocation among competing plants, showing limitations across scales. This study aimed to introduce plant architecture to enhance trait-based vegetation classification. From 2021 to 2023, 32 plots of Coastal Dwarf Forests (CDF) and Coastal Normal Forests (NCDF) along China’s eastern coast were surveyed. Their community characteristics were quantified, and classification and clustering models assessed the advantages of plant architecture in distinguishing these communities. The results indicated plant architecture traits are more critical for distinguishing different community types than leaf-based functional traits. Additionally, plant architecture traits are effective in clustering plant associations within the same community type. This is because plant architecture traits are closely linked to habitat, phylogeny, and community structure, providing a comprehensive description of vegetation, while functional traits reflect only partial habitat information related to soil nutrients. Our findings underscore the importance of plant architecture in optimizing trait-based vegetation classification and suggest that variations in the plasticity of plant architecture traits may support the classification of CDF as a distinct vegetation unit.

not-yet-known not-yet-known not-yet-known unknown In the context of climate change, associated with increasingly frequent water deficit and heat waves, there is an urgent need to maintain the performance of soybean the most extensively grown legume before it declines. The objective of this study was to explore which plant traits improve soybean resilience to heat and/or water stress, with a focus on traits involved in plant architecture and nutrient uptake. For this purpose, two soybean genotypes, already shown to have contrasted root architecture were grown under controlled conditions in the high-throughput phenotyping platform 4PMI where either optimal condition, heat waves, water stress or both heat waves and water stresses were applied during the vegetative stage. Under stress conditions the two genotypes displayed contrasted architectural features traits such as root width, root angle branching or number of roots. By correlating architectural to functional traits, related to water, carbon allocation and nutrient absorption, we were able to explain the stress susceptibility level of the two genotypes. This cross analysis of plant ecophysiology and architectural traits under different stresses provides new information on the adaptation of soybean and can inform future crop design, particularly under changing climatic conditions.

Identical physical principles dictate the formulation of transpiration and sap flow. Yet, a hiatus separates the ways the conduction of water in the vapor and liquid phases are dimensioned, leading to the elaboration of conflicting response mechanisms to water stress. An analysis prompted by the discrepancy between the dimensionality assigned to water vapor conductance for transpiration and that assigned to hydraulic conductance for sap flow reveals that capacitance combines with conductance to determine the respective transport rates. For transpiration, the capability of air to accept or release water vapor qualified as pneumatic capacitance, derived from theory, is equal to the reciprocal of the barometric pressure. The conductance is set by the network of diffusive and convective air paths where stomatal aperture is the ruling biological component. For sap flow the current view is that the proportionality between flux density and motive water potential difference is the hydraulic conductance, disregarding that its physical dimensions lump conductance and capacitance. Plant hydraulic capacitance derives from measured water retention curves. It varies according to water potential which is determined by the metabolic regulation of living cell osmolarity. Hydraulic conductance is set by abiotic factors: friction and water column cohesion in dead xylem conduits. Lumping the two properties into a single parameter erroneously defined as plant hydraulic conductance confounds the factors affecting sap flow, precluding a scientifically sound investigation of plant hydraulics.

Nitrogen (N) deficiency critically affects wheat development and productivity. Our study aimed to decipher tolerance mechanisms to N deficiency regulated by a QTL transferred into bread wheat from wild emmer wheat (WEW). Root system architecture (RSA) and transcriptome modifications in response to severe N deficiency were compared between the introgression (IL99) and its cultivated parent. Higher plasticity was demonstrated in IL99 by modifying the growth strategy of RSA coordinated with shoot development. These included a shift in root orientation from shallow to steep, more and longer roots, and higher root networks, enabling nutrient acquisition from a larger volume and deeper soil layers. Transcriptome analyses revealed gene-expression reprogramming, highlighted by unique GO and KEGG-enriched pathways in leaves and toots. Based on transcriptome results and protein-protein interaction, we identified promising candidate genes associated with uptake of NO 3 - (high-affinity transporter NRT2.4), increased root lignification ( trans-cinnamate 4-monooxygenase (CYP73A), and 4-coumarate-CoA ligase (4CL)). Jasmonic acid, known as associated with plasticity of RSA, was predominant among other plant hormones identified in this study, by activating allene oxide synthase ( AOS1), TIFY proteins, transcription factors MTB2 and MYC2. Transcriptomic and developmental changes in IL99 demonstrated fundamental mechanisms underlying its enhanced N-use efficiency and stress tolerance attributed to WEW.

The rhizosphere is a key interface between plants, microbes and the soil which influences plant health and nutrition and modulates terrestrial biogeochemical cycling processes. Recently it has been shown that the rhizosphere environment is far more dynamic than previously recognized, with evidence emerging for diurnal rhythmicity in rhizosphere chemistry and in the composition of rhizosphere microbial communities. Rhythmicity of the rhizosphere microbiome is in part linked to the host plant's circadian rhythm, although evidence also points to some heterotrophic rhizosphere bacteria and fungi possessing rhythmicity. We review the evidence for diurnal rhythmicity in the composition and abundance of rhizosphere microbial communities, and its link to the plant circadian clock. Factors which may drive microbial rhythmicity in the rhizosphere are discussed, including diurnal change in the flux and composition of root exudates, rhizosphere physico-chemical properties and plant immunity mechanisms. The potential contributions of microbial processes to community rhythmicity are considered, including self-sustained microbial rhythms, bacterial movement into and out of the rhizosphere, and microbe-microbe interactions. We also consider evidence that changes in microbial composition mediated by the plant circadian clock may affect microbial function and its significance for plant health and broader soil biogeochemical cycling processes. We identify key knowledge gaps and approaches which could help to resolve the spatial and temporal variation and functional significance of rhizosphere microbial rhythmicity. This includes unravelling the factors which determine the oscillation of microbial activity, growth and death, and cross-talk with the host over diurnal time frames. We conclude that diurnal rhythmicity is an inherent characteristic of the rhizosphere environment and that temporal factors should be considered and reported in experimental studies conducted on the rhizosphere.

The present study investigated the linkage between days to flowering (DTF) and Growth Habit (GH) in pigeonpea using QTL mapping, QTL-seq, and GWAS approaches. The linkage map developed here is the largest to date, spanning 1825.56 cM with 7987 SNP markers. In total, eight and four QTLs were mapped for DTF and GH, respectively, harboring 78 pigeonpea orthologs of Arabidopsis flowering time genes. Corroboratively, QTL-seq analysis identified a single linked QTL for both traits on chromosome 3, possessing 15 genes with genic variants. Together, these 91 genes were clustered primarily into autonomous, photoperiod, and epigenetic pathways. Further, we identified 39 associations for DTF and 111 associations for GH through GWAS in the QTL regions. Of these, nine associations were consistent and constituted nine haplotypes (five late, two early, one each for super-early and medium duration). The involvement of multiple genes explained the range of allelic effects and the presence of multiple LD blocks. Further, the linked QTL on chromosome 3 was fine-mapped to the 0.24 Mb region with a LOD score of 8.56, explaining 36.47% of the phenotypic variance. We identified a 10 bp deletion in the first exon of TFL1 gene of the ICPL20338 variety, which may affect its interaction with the Apetala1 and Leafy genes, resulting in determinate GH and early flowering. Further, the genic marker developed for the deletion in the TFL1 gene could be utilized as a foreground marker in marker-assisted breeding programs to develop early-flowering pigeonpea varieties.

Pandemics originating from zoonotic viruses have posed significant threats to human health and agriculture. Recent discoveries have revealed that wild-rice plants also harbor viral pathogens capable of severely impacting rice production, a cornerstone food crop. In this study, we conducted virome analysis on ~1000 wild-rice individual colonies and discovered a novel single-strand positive-sense RNA virus prevalent in these plants. Through comprehensive genomic characterization and comparative sequence analysis, this virus was classified as a new species in the genus Polerovirus, designated Rice less tiller virus (RLTV). Our investigations elucidated that RLTV could be transmitted from wild-rice to cultivated rice via a specific insect vector, the aphid Rhopalosiphum padi, causing less tiller disease symptoms in rice plants. We generated an infectious cDNA clone for RLTV and demonstrated systemic infection of rice cultivars and induction of severe disease symptoms following mechanical inoculation or stable genetic transformation. We further illustrated transmission of RLTV from stable transgenic lines to healthy rice plants by the aphid vector, leading to the development of disease symptoms. Notably, our database searches showed that RLTV and another polerovirus isolated from a wild plant species are widely circulating not only in wild rice but also cultivated rice around the world. Our findings provide strong evidence for a wild plant origin for rice viruses and underscore the imminent threat posed by aphid-transmitted rice Polerovirus to rice cultivar.

Drought stress reduces leaf net assimilation (A N) and phloem export, but the equilibrium between the two is unknown. Consequently, the leaf carbon balance and the primary use of the leaf nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) under water deficit are unclear. Also, we do not know how quickly leaves can replenish their NSC storage and resume export after rehydration. Hence, we dried grapevines to either zero A N, turgor loss, or complete wilting while following the leaf carbon dynamics. The vines ceased growth and minimized carbon export under drought, conserving the leaves NSC until A N zeroed. Subsequently, the leaves slowly depleted their NSC storage. However, the NSC depletion rate in the leaves was too slow to support the leaf’s energetic requirements, probably transforming the leaves into carbon sinks. Even under extreme drought (-2 MPa), the leaves had substantial NSC reserves (38% of the controls). After rehydration, all surviving leaves recovered their NSC storage within a week, and even leaves that were later shed had functional phloem export in the week after rehydration. The study reveals the leaf carbon relations under drought, highlighting the preference of the leaf to conserve its NSC storage rather than utilize it.

Plants maintain iron (Fe) homeostasis under varying environmental conditions by balancing processes such as Fe uptake, transport, and storage. In Arabidopsis, POPEYE (PYE), a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor (TF), has been shown to play a crucial role in regulating this balance. In recent years, the mechanisms regulating Fe uptake have been well established but the upstream transcriptional regulators of Fe transport and storage are still poorly understood. In this study, we report that ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL5 (HY5), a basic leucine zipper (bZIP) TF which has recently been shown to play a crucial role in Fe homeostasis, interacts with PYE. Molecular, genetic and biochemical approaches revealed that PYE and HY5 have overlapping as well as some distinct roles in regulation of Fe deficiency response. We found that HY5 and PYE both act as a repressor of Fe transport genes such as YSL3, FRD3 NPF5.9, YSL2, NAS4, and OPT3. HY5 was found to directly bind on the promoter of these genes and regulate intercellular Fe transport. Further analysis revealed that HY5 and PYE directly interact at the same region on PYE and NAS4 promoter. Overall, this study revealed that HY5 regulates Fe homeostasis by physically interacting with PYE as well as independently.

Pollen, a pivotal stage in the plant reproductive cycle, is highly sensitive to temperature fluctuations, impacting seed quality and quantity. While the importance of understanding pollen temperature limtits (Tmin, Topt, Tmax – collectively PTLs) is recognized, a comprehensive synthesis of underlying drivers is lacking. Here, we examined PTLs, correlating them with vegetative tissue thermotolerance and assessing variability at the intra- and interspecific levels across 198 species with contrasting phylogeny, cultivation history, biology and ecology. At the species level, the PTLs range from 6.1 to 39.5 0C, with considerable differences among growth forms and cultivation histories. Positive correlations were found between PTLs and leaf/stem temperature tolerances. Notably, pollen cold tolerances varied significantly across species populations, while Topt and Tmax values remained stable. Phylogenetic analysis revealed family-level conservation in pollen cold tolerance, contrasting with heat tolerance’s independence from evolutionary history. Climate emerged as a significant PTL driver, with species at higher elevations and latitudes exhibiting enhanced cold and heat tolerance. Cultivated species displayed narrower temperature tolerances (10.3-39.9 °C) than their wild counterparts (5.2-42.3 °C), highlighting potential crop vulnerabilities to global warming. Herbaceous plants exhibited superior tolerance to both low and high temperatures compared to shrubs and trees, reflecting divergent thermal conditions during anthesis. This study illuminates complex relationships between pollen temperature limits, plant characteristics, and environmental factors, providing crucial insights into climate change impacts on plant reproduction.