Planta最新文献

{"title":"Transcriptome and metabolite profiles reveal differential molecular responses of wild and cultivated amaranth species to water deficit and salt stress.","authors":"Ana P Barba de la Rosa, Jose Cetz, Esaú Bojórquez-Velázquez, José P Martínez, Antonio De León-Rodríguez, Eduardo Espitia-Rangel, Alfredo Herrera-Estrella","doi":"10.1007/s00425-026-04927-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00425-026-04927-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>A. hybridus tolerance to salinity depends on constitutively active mechanisms, whereas A. hypochondriacus tolerance to salt and water deficit depends on a constitutive protection and a robust transcriptional response. Drought and soil salinity are two environmental factors that significantly affect crop production. To gain a better understanding of how amaranth responds to these abiotic stresses, we analyzed the transcriptomic and metabolomic changes in the leaves of Amaranthus hybridus, a wild species, and A. hypochondriacus, a cultivated species used for seed production. We identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the two species and under different stress conditions. Control plants of A. hypochondriacus exhibited higher expression levels of genes associated with photosynthesis, amino acid metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, sulfur metabolism, thiamine metabolism, and secondary metabolism. Notably, A. hybridus under salt stress showed an up-regulation of genes related to phosphonate and phosphinate metabolism and steroid biosynthesis. In contrast, the response of A. hypochondriacus to salt stress was characterized by increased expression of ABC transporters and genes involved in fructose, mannose, trehalose, porphyrin, thiamine, and monoterpenoid metabolism. When subjected to both types of stresses, A. hypochondriacus showed up-regulation of MAPK signaling pathways, ABC transporters, galactose, branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) degradation, and the production of defense compounds. Both amaranth species modulated their metabolic processes in response to drought and salinity stress towards cell wall modification, as well as the metabolism of pectin and lignin, while also producing antimicrobial and antifungal metabolites. Additionally, we detected differential accumulation of compounds, including methylphosphonate, 2-hydroxyethylphosphonate, and several metabolites related to fatty acid metabolism in the leaves of both amaranth species.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"263 3","pages":"59"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12855421/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146086734","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The potential of Pseudomonas spp. as sustainable bioinoculants for enhancing maize growth and integrated management of drought and Fusarium verticillioides stress.","authors":"Khethiwe Ndlazi, Siyabonga Ntshalintshali, Lungelo Buthelezi, Ashwil Klein, Marshall Keyster, Mbukeni Nkomo, Arun Gokul","doi":"10.1007/s00425-025-04906-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00425-025-04906-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>The review highlights PGPR (e.g., Pseudomonas spp.) as sustainable, low-cost solution to mitigate drought and Fusarium stress in maize, enhancing yield and resilience. Maize (Zea mays L.) is a vital staple crop worldwide, yet its productivity is under growing pressure from the combined effects of drought and Fusarium verticillioides infection. These stresses often occur together, compounding the damage. Drought limits water availability, disrupts nutrient uptake, and slows photosynthesis, while also making plants more vulnerable to disease. In turn, F. verticillioides harms plant tissues, contaminates grain with fumonisins, and can further intensify water stress. Conventional approaches such as irrigation, fungicides, and resistant cultivars often fall short when both stresses occur simultaneously. In recent years, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), particularly Pseudomonas spp., have gained attention as eco-friendly partners in managing these challenges. These beneficial bacteria support maize growth by improving nutrient availability, regulating plant hormones, enhancing osmoprotectants' production, activating antioxidant defenses, and suppressing pathogens through antifungal compounds, competitive root colonization, and induced systemic resistance. Findings from single-stress experiments show that Pseudomonas endophytes can boost drought tolerance by maintaining osmotic balance and antioxidant activity, while also limiting F. verticillioides infection and toxin production. However, studies examining their effectiveness under the combined pressures of drought and fungal attack remain limited. This review brings together current knowledge on the mechanisms, case studies, and practical constraints of Pseudomonas-mediated stress relief in maize, highlighting research gaps and setting priorities for strain selection, microbial consortia design, and large-scale field testing. Harnessing these bacteria could be a key step toward building climate-resilient maize production systems that protect both yields and grain safety in an era of environmental uncertainty.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"263 3","pages":"58"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12852290/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146065951","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of a high-performance synthetic promoter for plant-based bioproduction.","authors":"Khushbu Kumari, Tsheten Sherpa, Soumyajit Ghosh, Soma Chattopadhyay, Nrisingha Dey","doi":"10.1007/s00425-026-04925-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-026-04925-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>The study developed a synthetic FM promoter through domain shuffling of pararetroviral promoters, achieving 4-fold higher activity than CaMV35S in plants. It enhanced recombinant protein yields, demonstrated by effective scytovirin production against Chikungunya, proving FM's utility in plant synthetic biology and molecular farming. Plant synthetic biology requires high-performance constitutive promoters to maximise recombinant protein yields. In this study, we developed a synthetic promoter (FM) through strategic intermolecular domain shuffling of key regulatory regions derived from the full-length transcript promoters of Figwort mosaic virus (FMV) and Mirabilis mosaic virus (MMV). Functional characterization in transient systems demonstrated that this promoter drives exceptionally strong expression of reporter genes across three model plant species: Nicotiana tabacum, Nicotiana benthamiana, and Petunia × atkinsiana. Quantitative β-glucuronidase (GUS) assays revealed that the FM promoter exhibits 4.0-fold higher activity than the conventional CaMV35S promoter in tobacco, and also outperformed the modified CaMV35S2 promoter by 2.0-fold. These results were further validated in stable transgenic lines of N. tabacum and A. thaliana, where qRT-PCR and histochemical staining consistently showed superior transgene expression relative to CaMV35S controls. Through systematic mutagenesis analysis of the FM promoter, we identified that the as-1, G-Box, and ABRE cis-elements are critical for its high activity. We further demonstrated the promoter's compatibility with orthogonal regulation systems by enhancing FM-driven expression using CRISPR-dCas9/VP64 synthetic transcriptional activation. To evaluate biotechnological applications, an antiviral peptide scytovirin (SVN) was expressed under the control of the FM promoter in transgenic N. tabacum plants. In vitro antiviral assays against Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) confirmed that the plant-produced SVN retained biological activity and significantly reduced viral titers by 60%. These results collectively demonstrate the FM as a compact, high-performance synthetic promoter, making it especially valuable for plant molecular farming.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"263 2","pages":"56"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145998850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular evolution and comparative genomics of highly threatened Malagasy rosewoods (Dalbergia, Fabaceae) unveil genome diversity and a fine-scale evolutionary framework.","authors":"Shabir A Rather, Fazal Ullah, Harald Schneider","doi":"10.1007/s00425-025-04884-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-025-04884-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>This study presents the first complete plastome sequences for highly threatened Malagasy rosewood species, filling a critical genomic gap, clarifying their evolutionary relationships, and identifies polymorphic loci for molecular marker development to enhance species delimitation, and sustainable management. The biodiversity hotspot of Madagascar is not only home to many endemic species of Dalbergia but also arguably the epicenter of an escalating rosewood massacre, driven by the global demand for some of the world's most coveted tropical timbers. Malagasy rosewoods, among the planet's most valuable and endangered timbers, face extreme extinction risks as a consequence of unsustainable exploitation, illegal logging, habitat loss, mining, weak governance, ineffective regulation, corruption, and political instability, despite being listed under CITES and protected by a national decree No. 2016-801. The lack of genomic resources undermines our understanding of evolutionary relationships and hinders the crucial law enforcement required in the ongoing conservation efforts. To date, no plastome sequences have been available for Malagasy Dalbergia species, creating a significant gap in genomic resources. This study bridges this knowledge gap by presenting the first de novo assembled complete plastid genome sequences for five highly threatened Malagasy rosewoods, namely, D. monticola, D. bathiei, D. maritima, D. louvelii, and D. greveana. All plastomes exhibited classical quadripartite structure with genome sizes ranging from 153,602 to 156,580 bp. Each plastome contains 127 genes, including 83 protein-coding genes, 8 rRNA genes, and 36 tRNA gene, with several gene losses (psbL and rpl22) and gene duplications (rpl2, rpl23, rps7, and ycf2) across the plastomes. Comparative analysis identified eight hypervariable intergenic regions, and 550 polymorphic simple-sequence repeats (SSRs), forming a toolkit for species delimitation, and conservation genetics. Phylogenomic analysis, based on 118 plastomes representing 42 species generated a robust, well-resolved phylogenetic hypothesis, clarifying the previously ambiguous evolutionary relationships. The analysis revealed that Malagasy species do not form a monophylum but rather share a complex evolutionary history with geographically distant Dalbergia species. Codon-usage analysis revealed strong GC bias, whereas relaxed purifying selection in genes, such as accD, clpP, and rpl2, indicated local adaptation across Madagascar's diverse environments. These findings not only fill a critical genomic gap but also provide essential tools for enhancing conservation research, law enforcement, and sustainable management of these highly valuable taxa, and establishing a genomic framework applicable to other CITES-listed tropical timber species.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"263 2","pages":"57"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146003824","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phototropin monitors actual temperature, not temperature difference, to regulate temperature-dependent chloroplast movement via cis-trans autophosphorylation mode switching in Marchantia polymorpha.","authors":"Minoru Noguchi, Tatsushi Fukushima, Saki Wakasugi, Yutaka Kodama","doi":"10.1007/s00425-026-04923-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00425-026-04923-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>In liverworts, phototropin senses the actual temperature rather than temperature differences and switches from cis- to trans-autophosphorylation to trigger the cold-avoidance response of chloroplast movement. Blue-light (BL)-induced chloroplast movement in plant cells is temperature-dependent. At standard growth temperatures, chloroplasts move toward weak BL-irradiated regions (accumulation response), maximizing photoreception, whereas at lower temperatures they move away from the irradiated area (cold-avoidance response), reducing photodamage. This temperature-dependent switch in the chloroplast response is mediated by phototropin (phot), a BL receptor and thermosensor, which contains a kinase domain and undergoes cis- and trans-autophosphorylation in response to BL and temperature. Under weak BL conditions, phot autophosphorylates in cis at standard growth temperatures and in both cis and trans at lower temperatures. However, it remains unclear whether phot senses actual temperatures or relative temperature changes to regulate chloroplast movement via autophosphorylation. In this study, we analyzed phot-mediated chloroplast movement in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha under varying temperature conditions. We determined that chloroplast movement responds to actual temperatures rather than temperature differences and confirmed that phot is responsible for sensing actual temperatures in planta. Phot continuously monitors the actual temperature and increases its autophosphorylation levels as temperature decreases. The threshold temperature for the transition between the accumulation response and the cold-avoidance response corresponds to that for the switch from cis- to trans-autophosphorylation of phot. Our findings reveal that phot serves as an actual temperature sensor in planta to regulate chloroplast movement through autophosphorylation mode switching.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"263 2","pages":"55"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12812097/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145990385","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Functional and biosynthetic investigation of polyisoprenoids in roses leaves.","authors":"Aleksandra Weremczuk, Kamil Steczkiewicz, Benoît Boachon, Karolina Skorupińska-Tudek, Adam Jozwiak, Liliana Surmacz","doi":"10.1007/s00425-026-04924-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00425-026-04924-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>In Rosa chinensis, four distinct polyisoprenoid families, including two very long-chain types, are synthesized by only three cis-prenyltransferases, challenging the traditional one-enzyme-one-family model. The presence of very long polyisoprenoids in leaves and young shoots is most probably involved in plant organ development. Although terpenoids in roses have been extensively studied, the polyisoprenoid fraction has remained unexplored. In this work, we provide the first characterization of polyisoprenoid diversity and biosynthesis in roses, revealing unexpected chemical and enzymatic complexity. Four distinct polyisoprenoid families (7-9, 15-25, 26-34, and 35-50 isoprene units) were identified in Rosa chinensis, with very long-chain compounds accumulated in leaves and young shoots. We functionally characterized three cis-prenyltransferases (CPTs) and a CPT-binding partner, RcNUS1, involved in their biosynthesis. The chloroplast-localized RcCPT2 synthesizes short-chain polyisoprenoids, whereas two endoplasmic reticulum-localized heteromeric enzymes, RcCPT1 and RcCPT3, require RcNUS1 as a partner to produce longer-chain compounds. Phylogenetic analysis revealed strong evolutionary conservation but notable species-specific diversification of these enzymes. Remarkably, the number of polyisoprenoid families exceeded the number of identified CPTs, challenging the long-standing one-enzyme-one-product paradigm and suggesting additional, yet unidentified mechanisms regulating chain length. To explore their potential functions, we analyzed the effects of temperature, light, and leaf age on polyisoprenoid accumulation. Environmental treatment had little effect, but leaf aging caused a marked increase in long-chain polyisoprenoids, suggesting roles in development and physiological stability. Our findings reveal new aspects of polyisoprenoid metabolism and highlight their potential functional diversity in plants.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"263 2","pages":"54"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12811362/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145990377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The impact of reactive oxygen species on Fe valence speciation, mineral crystallinity, and nutrient element uptake in rice root iron plaque.","authors":"Xiaoyu Wang, Junru Huang, Qing Zhang, Yuxi Feng, Yujuan Lin, Meina Liang","doi":"10.1007/s00425-026-04920-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-026-04920-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>Hierarchical ROS network regulating rice root iron plaque formation, Fe speciation, mineral crystallinity, and absorption of nutrient elements has been revealed. The root iron plaque (RIP) of rice plays a critical role in heavy metal adsorption and rhizosphere environment regulation. However, the regulatory mechanisms of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in RIP formation remain poorly understood. This study investigated hydroponically cultivated rice under Fe(II) concentration gradients (50-200 mg L^-1) and water management regimes [contrast of continuous waterlogging (CW) with alternate wetting and drying (AWD)]. Using ROS scavengers [Cu(II), DMTU, TBA] to specifically inhibit O₂·^-, H₂O₂, and ·OH generation, we systematically elucidated ROS-mediated regulation of RIP formation, Fe redox speciation, and mineralogical structure. Key findings include: (i) ROS scavenging experiments revealed O₂·^- as the dominant contributor to RIP formation (17.55 ± 0.89% reduction after scavenging), followed by H₂O₂ (11.86 ± 0.45%) and ·OH (6.35 ± 0.34%); (ii) O₂·^- depletion reduced Fe(III)/Fe(II) ratios from 4:1 to 1:1, suppressed crystalline mineral formation (e.g., hematite), and increased weakly crystalline siderite proportions; (iii) XPS and XRD analyses demonstrated that ROS drive Fe(II) oxidation and mineral phase transitions by oxidative chain reactions (O₂·^- → H₂O₂ → ·OH), with O₂·^- being pivotal for maintaining high oxidation states and crystallinity in RIP. (iv) The mineral crystallinity of RIP affects its regulatory effect on nutrient elements. Scavenging O₂·^- treatment results in low crystallinity of RIP, which weakens its adsorption and fixation capacity for trace elements, such as Mn, Zn, and Cu. Consequently, the contents of Mn, Zn, and Cu in the iron plaque are low, while their contents in rice plants are high. This study unveils a hierarchical ROS regulatory network governing RIP formation, providing theoretical foundations for optimizing RIP functionality through water management strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"263 2","pages":"53"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145990370","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Proteases of vacuoles and other endomembrane compartments possibly involve proteolytic processing of soybean β-conglycinin subunits.","authors":"Yuki Matsuoka, Nobuyuki Maruyama","doi":"10.1007/s00425-026-04926-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-026-04926-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>GmCP3 in soybean seed vacuoles is a candidate processing enzyme of β-conglycinin subunits. However, a different type of proteases may be involved in unconventional secretion of β-conglycinin propeptides. Soybean β-conglycinin subunits, a 7S vicilin class of seed storage proteins (SSPs) of seed vacuoles, are subject to proteolytic cleavage of the N-terminal propeptide for subunit maturation. Unlike other SSPs, this process is independent of asparagine residues. It occurs at the C-terminal of lysine residues, indicating the involvement of unidentified processing enzymes outside the vacuolar processing enzyme (VPE) family of proteases. In this study, we hypothesized that GmCP3, a seed-specific vacuolar protease belonging to the papain-like cysteine protease (PLCP) family, might be responsible for this process and analyzed the relationship between its accumulation and processing. The results showed that GmCP3 accumulated abundantly during the synthesis of β-conglycinin subunits and significantly decreased once the processing was complete. Immunoelectron microscopy of developing seed cells showed the accumulation of both, GmCP3 and β-conglycinin propeptides, in vacuolar-associated compartments, such as protein storage vacuoles (PSVs) and prevacuolar compartments (PVCs). Unexpectedly, labeling specific of the propeptide region of β-conglycinin subunits, but not the mature subunit region, was observed in extracellular regions. These results indicate that GmCP3 is a possible candidate β-conglycinin processing enzyme of vacuoles, though other proteases may have a role in the secretion of propeptides.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"263 2","pages":"51"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145985503","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Plant growth-promoting functions of endophytic Fusarium annulatum alleviate the damage caused by saline stress in rice.","authors":"Haoyu Cai, Tongtong Liu, Jiafeng Yu, Wenchao Sun, Lingyun Chang, Shengyi Liu, Ziguang Liu, Junze An, Weilin Cui, Yumei Li, Juan Wu","doi":"10.1007/s00425-026-04919-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-026-04919-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>Fa-Os-1 regulates salt tolerance of rice by regulating physiological shape and genes expression in metabolism and secondary metabolites biosynthesis, revealing a growth-promoting mechanism of endophytic Fa-Os-1. Salt stress is an important constraining factor endangering crop yield and quality. Microorganisms have significant growth-promoting and stress resistance-enhancing effects on crops, but the mechanism by which microorganisms exert their growth-promoting effects under salt stress remains largely unexplained. This study isolated an endophytic fungus with significant salt tolerance from rice roots and focused on its regulatory effects on crop growth. Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing identified the fungus as Fusarium annulatum from Oryza sativa 1# (Fa-Os-1), a non-pathogenic species with a genome rich in growth-related and stress-relieving genes, with variations in genes associated with deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEA) biosynthesis. Under salt stress, rice growth was enhanced following inoculation with Fa-Os-1 compared with the growth of untreated rice, which was attributed to enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity and nutrient uptake, reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in the plant, and significant changes in the expression of key genes involved in metabolism, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and plant hormone signal transduction. These differentially expressed genes were significantly enriched in biological processes, such as iron ion binding, oxidoreductase activity, hydrolase activity, and biosynthetic pathways of secondary metabolites. These results provide evidence of possible interaction mechanisms between endophytic fungi and crops under salt stress, and offer a theoretical basis to develop novel microbial fertilizers to mitigate the adverse effects of salt stress on crop growth.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"263 2","pages":"52"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145985431","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unlocking the genetic and molecular secrets of thousand-seed weight in Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. & Coss.] employing generation mean and candidate gene analysis.","authors":"Manoj Kumar Patel, Masochon Zimik, Sneha Adhikari, Yashpal Taak, Navin C Gupta, Joghee Nanjundan, K K Vinod, Sujata Vasudev, Devendra Kumar Yadava, Navinder Saini","doi":"10.1007/s00425-026-04921-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-026-04921-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>Additive effects of three candidate genes-SAMBA, NAC TF25, and ARF18-significantly influenced seed weight in Brassica juncea, collectively accounting for 35.79% of the trait variation. Seed weight is a major determinant of seed yield in Brassica juncea, yet its inheritance and underlying genes remain insufficiently understood. To address this, generation mean analysis (GMA) was conducted using populations derived from two contrasting parents, DRMRIJ-31 (bold seeded) and RLC-3 (small seeded), for thousand-seed weight (TSW). In addition, a GWAS was conducted employing SNP genotyping of 142 diverse genotypes of B. juncea targeting TSW across 2 rabi seasons (2020-2021 and 2021-2022). GMA suggested the predominance of d, h and i components influencing the seed weight, along with a significant maternal influence. GWAS identified two stable SNPs, Bj-B3-p17726495 (PVE: 17.77%; chromosome B03) and Bj-B4-p10707039 (PVE: 18.05%; chromosome B04), associated with candidate genes SAMBA and NAC TF25, respectively. Cloning and sequencing of these genes from both parents uncovered multiple SNPs and In/Dels, highlighting their potential role in trait variation. Molecular markers developed from these MTAs were validated in F₂ population of DRMRIJ-31 and RLC-3. Furthermore, comparative analysis with major seed weight QTLs on chromosome A09 of B. napus identified ARF18 as an additional candidate gene. Sequencing of ARF18 across bold- and small-seeded B. juncea genotypes revealed several SNPs and In/Dels. Targeting the In/Del, a gene-based marker was designed and validated in germplasm panel with PVE 10.79%. Collectively, the three loci (Bj-B3-p17726495, Bj-B4-p10707039, and ARF18) demonstrated additive effects with PVE 35.79%. This initial study on seed weight candidate genes and molecular markers in Brassica juncea will aid future efforts to improve seed weight either through marker-assisted breeding or genome-editing mediated mutagenesis.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"263 2","pages":"50"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145966853","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}