Planta最新文献

{"title":"MdDIC2 contributes to salt tolerance by citric acid efflux from mitochondria to the cytoplasm in apple plants.","authors":"Yingxue Lv, Ranxin Liu, Shanshan Li, Yuening Wang, Mingkun Wang, Xiaohan Qin, Ke Zhang, Zikai Zhang, Xiaofei Wang, Qianyu Yue","doi":"10.1007/s00425-026-04993-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00425-026-04993-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>This study identified the MdDIC2 gene and demonstrated that its overexpression enhanced salt tolerance in apple by mediating citric acid efflux from mitochondria to the cytoplasm. To counteract osmotic water loss caused by salt, plants release citric acid, a tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediate whose transmembrane movement is mediated by dicarboxylate carriers (DICs). Although this process has been demonstrated in other plant species, the role of DIC transporters in apple salt tolerance remains unclear. The gene encoding the DIC protein, MdDIC2, was cloned and studied in the current work. Salt stress elevated citric acid levels in apple plants; moreover, exogenous citric acid further enhanced salt tolerance in both apple and Arabidopsis. At the same time, salt stress significantly induced MdDIC2 expression. Arabidopsis and tomato transgenic lines expressing MdDIC2 exhibited enhanced salt stress tolerance, along with reduced accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) under salt stress. The overexpression of MdDIC2 significantly enhanced salt stress tolerance in apple calli. Moreover, MdDIC2 overexpression enhanced citric acid efflux from mitochondria in apple calli, Arabidopsis and tomato. These results indicate that MdDIC2 enhances apple salt tolerance by mediating citric acid efflux. In conclusion, this study revealed that MdDIC2 plays a pivotal role in plant salt tolerance by mediating citric acid efflux, thus providing a basis for dissecting the underlying molecular mechanisms.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"263 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147646000","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":"Evolutionary insight and characterization of WOX genes in callus development and differentiation of Peucedanum praeruptorum.","authors":"Cheng Song, Haoyu Pan, Muhammad Arif, Haiyu Wang, Yunpeng Cao, Bangxing Han, Muhammad Aamir Manzoor","doi":"10.1007/s00425-026-04970-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00425-026-04970-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>The WOX genes essential for callus formation and development were successfully isolated from Peucedanum praeruptorum, confirming the involvement of PpWOX9, PpWOX14, and PpWOX15 in this process. WUSCHEL (WUS)-related homeobox (WOX) gene family is essential due to its pivotal role in orchestrating fundamental developmental processes, such as stem cell maintenance, organ morphogenesis, and embryonic patterning, which underpin plant growth and adaptability. They form intricate regulatory networks to ensure cellular homeostasis and enable indeterminate growth, revealing the evolutionary innovations and how plants achieve complex architectures. However, the specific role of WOX members in regulating callus development and differentiation in P. praeruptorum remains unclear. Using bioinformatics, genomics, and transcriptomics methods, we performed a systematic analysis of the structural composition, family classification, evolutionary relationships, and expression patterns of WOX genes in P. praeruptorum during callus formation. PpWOX proteins were categorized into three main subclades based on the phylogenetic tree. Cis-acting element analysis indicated that many PpWOX genes possess multiple copies of light-responsive elements (LREs), suggesting that light signals significantly influence the expression of these genes. Synteny analysis revealed eight whole-genome duplication (WGD) and segmental duplication events in their evolutionary history, which may have facilitated the expansion of PpWOX genes. The expression profile showed distinct expression levels for PpWOX genes during callus formation, with PpWOX9, PpWOX13, PpWOX14, PpWOX15, and PpWOX16 exhibiting higher expression levels compared to other PpWOX genes. qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated that the expression levels of PpWOXs varied across six different stages. During the somatic cell development stage, the expression levels of PpWOX9 and PpWOX15 were significantly elevated. Transcriptional co-expression analysis revealed that PpWOX9, PpWOX14, and PpWOX15 exhibited similar co-expression patterns. Subcellular localization studies using tobacco protoplasts showed that the PpWOX9 and PpWOX15 genes were specifically localized in the nucleus. Our findings serve as a scientific reference for the study of WOX genes in the conservation of P. praeruptorum resources.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"263 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147633866","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":"Transcriptional footprints associated with bud fertility in grapevine development (Vitis vinifera L.).","authors":"Francesco Girardi, Giorgia Bettio, Angela Rasori, Monica Canton, Alessandro Botton","doi":"10.1007/s00425-026-05000-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00425-026-05000-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>Transcriptomic analyses carried out on buds at different positions and developmental stages reveal the functional domains mainly involved in determining bud fertility in grapevine, with a focus on hormone signalling and floral integrators. Bud fruitfulness in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) depends on complex interactions between developmental stage, node position and hormonal regulation. In this study, transcriptomic analyses were performed on buds of cv. Merlot collected at three phenological stages (BBCH63, BBCH77 and BBCH90) from three node positions (2, 5 and 10), representing basal, intermediate and apical fertility patterns. RNA-Seq data revealed that phenological stage was the primary driver of transcriptional variation, while node position contributed to intra-stage differences. BBCH77 emerged as the most transcriptionally dynamic phase. Differential expression, enrichment analyses and WGCNA highlighted distinct developmental trajectories among nodes. Buds at node 5, characterized by lower fertility, showed transcriptional signatures associated with enhanced gibberellin biosynthesis and signalling, early activation of dormancy-related pathways, and complex hormonal interplay involving ethylene. In contrast, buds at node 10 displayed transcriptional features consistent with sustained auxin flux from the shoot apical meristem and reduced local inhibitory signalling, potentially supporting higher fertility. Cytokinin-related genes showed stage-dependent activation, particularly at BBCH77, suggesting a transient promotive role during floral transition. Expression profiling of flowering-related genes confirmed stage-dependent regulation of major floral integrators and revealed position-specific modulation of key regulators. Overall, the integration of positional and temporal transcriptomics supports a working model in which bud fertility results from the dynamic balance between stimulatory (auxin, cytokinins) and inhibitory (gibberellins, ethylene, ABA) signals, modulated by developmental stage and meristem proximity.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"263 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13061797/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147639246","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":"Characterisation and meiotic observation of triploid hybrids of Ipomoea trifida (2x) and Ipomoea tabascana (4x) by reciprocal crosses.","authors":"Zongkuan Weng, Lukuan Zhao, Jiangong Li, Yao Wang, Yitong Deng, Lingxiao Zhao, Shizhuo Xiao, Tianni Yang, Xibin Dai, Zhilin Zhou, Qinghe Cao","doi":"10.1007/s00425-026-04982-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00425-026-04982-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>We generated triploid hybrids of I. trifida and I. tabascana, providing insights into sweetpotato evolution and bridge germplasm for genetic improvement. Sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] (2n = 6x = 90) is an important root crop whose genomic polyploidisation process remains incompletely understood and highly complex. Its wild relatives are favoured for the study of genome formation, polyploidy processes and genetic improvement in sweetpotato. In this study, we obtained two triploid hybrids via reciprocal crosses between the closest diploid (I. trifida, 2n = 2x = 30) and the closer tetraploid (I. tabascana, 2n = 4x = 60) wild relatives of sweetpotato. To verify the authenticity of these two hybrids, molecular marker analysis, flow cytometry analysis, chromosome counting, morphological characterisation, pollen viability testing and meiotic observation were performed. Through InDel marker analysis, nine primer pairs consistently amplified parent-specific bands in the hybrids. Ploidy characterisation showed that both hybrids were triploid with 45 chromosomes. Morphologically, the two hybrids inherited many traits from both parents whilst producing some variation, such as both round and pentagonal corollas and purple stigmas with two or three lobes. Some pollen grains from the hybrids were fertile. The hybrids showed many abnormalities during meiosis, such as lagging chromosomes and uneven chromosome distribution. The triploid hybrids produced in this study can be used to infer early triploid genomic events during the origin and evolution of sweetpotato and to develop bridge germplasm for its genetic improvement.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"263 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147633848","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":"Characterization and comparison of the complete chloroplast genome of Rubroshorea palembanica: an endemic and threatened dipterocarp.","authors":"Siti R Ariati, Arief Priyadi, Fitri Indriani, Risha A Pratiwi, Aditya Nugroho, Muhammad R Hariri, Irfan Martiansyah, Didik Widyatmoko","doi":"10.1007/s00425-026-04995-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00425-026-04995-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>Genomic characterization of R. palembanica's chloroplast reveals key markers and evolutionary links, advancing molecular resources for conserving threatened Dipterocarpaceae species. The Dipterocarps have an important ecological and economical role and are a major component of tropical forests in Southeast Asia. They are well-known as sources both for their timber and non-timber products. Genome references become fundamental resource and can be used as best practice in achieving biodiversity conservation efforts and goals. This study aims to characterize chloroplast genome of Rubroshorea palembanica compared to other Dipterocarpaceae species, construct phylogenetic relationship, and identify potential molecular markers for inferring genetic diversity and phylogenetic analysis. The chloroplast genome of R. palembanica was 150,558 bp in size. A typical quadripartite structure occurred, comprising a large single-copy region of 83,511 bp, a small single-copy region of 19,839 bp, and a pair of inverted regions of 23,604 bp each. There were 128 unique genes, including 84 protein coding genes, 36 transfer RNA genes, and 8 ribosomal RNA genes. A total of 159 simple sequence repeats and 190 long repeats were identified. Eight highly variable loci were identified and they have the potential for genetic markers. Those genes were rps16-trnQ, trnQ-psbK, psbK-psbI, psbI-trnS, psbB-psbT, psbT-psbN, psbN-psbH, and psbH-petB. The phylogenetic position of R. palembanica was nested in the Rubroshorea clade, which was more closely related to R. macrophylla. These findings provide genomic information that could support conservation studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"263 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147639504","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 isopropylmalate synthases: in and beyond leucine biosynthesis.","authors":"Mohan Varghese, Asif Lone, Naveen C Bisht","doi":"10.1007/s00425-026-04994-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00425-026-04994-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Primary metabolic enzymes in amino acid biosynthesis pathways are involved in amino acid synthesis and maintenance of metabolic homeostasis through feedback regulatory mechanisms. The genes encoding these enzymes are also known to undergo functional diversification through evolutionary processes to encode specific secondary metabolic enzymes. One such enzyme is α-isopropylmalate synthase (α-IPMS), which catalyzes and regulates leucine (Leu) biosynthesis in eubacteria, archaebacteria, fungi, and plants, and has served as an evolutionary progenitor for specialized enzymes in distinct secondary metabolic pathways. However, most information on IPMS comes from the bacterial research community, particularly in the context of Leu overproduction or as a target for developing drugs against tuberculosis. In plants, only a few studies have reported on IPMS, focusing primarily on its role in regulating Leu homeostasis. Herein, we review the complex regulatory network that exists in Leu metabolism, focusing on the regulation of its biosynthesis and its key regulatory enzyme, IPMS. This review also highlights how evolution has independently recruited IPMS for specialized metabolism in several plant lineages. Finally, we describe the emerging roles of IPMS as a candidate for engineering amino acid and yield-related traits in crop plants. We also identify important open questions in this area that remain to be addressed.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"263 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147623581","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":"Characterization of novel Trichoderma spp. isolates: phytostimulant and biocontrol properties in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana.","authors":"Martina María Pereyra, Yordan J Romero-Contreras, Daniela Maza, Florencia Isabel Chacón, Irina Guardia, Rolf Daniel, Mario Serrano, Julián Rafael Dib","doi":"10.1007/s00425-026-04988-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00425-026-04988-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Among microbials, Trichoderma spp. have been the focus of significant research due to their capacity to promote plant growth and suppress a wide range of phytopathogens. A total of 27 native isolates of Trichoderma spp. were obtained from diverse agroecological regions of the province of Tucumán, Argentina, and were characterized by their antagonistic activity and phytostimulant potential. In vitro assays revealed the ability of the isolates to combat fungal phytopathogens that affect various economically important crops, such as Penicillium digitatum, Alternaria alternata, Botrytis cinerea, Phytophthora capsici, and Fusarium oxysporum. Furthermore, it was determined that diffusible compounds secreted by Trichoderma isolates did not induce the elongation of the primary root of Arabidopsis thaliana in vitro; however, volatile compounds released by certain isolates not only induced this process but also increased the area occupied by the lateral roots of the plant. Based on this screening, five isolates were selected for further analyses: T. longibrachiatum (CP-1), T. breve (HM-1), T. scalesiae (L1-03), T. yunnanense (M4Ar-05), and T. atrobrunneum (M5Ar-03). The strains were evaluated for their ability to promote the growth of A. thaliana under greenhouse conditions and modulate the expression of growth and defense-related genes. All treated plants exhibited increased biomass and leaf area, accompanied by isolate-dependent changes in the expression of genes involved in plant development and immune responses. These results suggest that the selected Trichoderma spp. possess multiple beneficial traits, with valuable agricultural properties, and provide a basis for the development of bioformulations adapted to local production systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"263 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13046639/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147593850","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":"Transcriptomic comparison of Tylophora indica and Tylophora pauciflora leaves indicates major contribution of the ornithine pathway in tylophorine accumulation.","authors":"Pratibha, Seema Yadav, Soumyajit Mohapatra, Kajal Kumari, Maneesha Mall, Saumya Shah, Abhishek K Shukla, Velusamy Sundaresan, Karuna Shanker, Daya N Mani, Ashutosh K Shukla","doi":"10.1007/s00425-026-04980-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00425-026-04980-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>Transcriptomic comparison of tylophorine-containing Tylophora indica and tylophorine-deficient Tylophora pauciflora leaves identified a differentially expressed TiNAOD, which was characterized through VIGS for its role in tylophorine accumulation in T. indica. Ornithine, tyrosine, and phenylalanine are considered to be biogenetic precursors for phenanthroindolizidine alkaloids (PIAs), but their relative contribution to the metabolic flux is not clear. Tylophorine is a major PIA of Tylophora indica, whereas another closely related species, T. pauciflora, is deficient in tylophorine. Here, transcriptomic comparison of leaves of both the species was carried out to explore the role of differential gene expression in species diversity. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the two species were identified with the help of a master transcriptome assembled using combined data from both the species. Many DEGs could be related to the discernible differences between the two species. Notably, N-acetylornithine deacetylase (NAOD) was found to be downregulated in T. pauciflora compared to T. indica. Molecular cloning of TiNAOD was carried out and its VIGS in T. indica resulted in reduced levels of ornithine and tylophorine. The major role of ornithine in biosynthesis of key PIA, tylophorine, was also corroborated by feeding T. indica leaves with tyrosine, phenylalanine, and ornithine, whereby the impact of ornithine was maximal in terms of tylophorine accumulation. This cross-species study has provided insights into gene expression-dependent Tylophora species diversity and also elucidated the major contribution of ornithine in tylophorine biosynthesis.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"263 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147593890","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":"Alkaline conditions not only decrease iron availability but also affect iron homeostasis mediated by mugineic acids in rice.","authors":"Tomoki Okamura, Keita Takahashi, Akiko Watanabe, Seiji Nagasaka","doi":"10.1007/s00425-026-04992-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00425-026-04992-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>Under alkaline conditions, iron concentrations differed among rice plant tissues, and 2'-deoxymugineic acid biosynthesis was not induced in the root. About 30% of the world's soil is alkaline, restricting iron (Fe) availability in plants. Grasses have a unique mechanism called Strategy II to acquire Fe from the soil by secreting mugineic acids (MAs). MAs are suggested to facilitate not only Fe uptake but also internal metal transport within the plant. We investigated how MAs, which are involved in Fe homeostasis, are affected by Fe deficiency induced under alkaline conditions. At pH 9, rice leaves were chlorotic and had reduced Fe concentrations, whereas the roots had ~ 8 × the Fe level of the control. The expression of genes involved in the synthesis and transport of 2'-deoxymugineic acid (DMA) that responded to Fe deficiency (OsNAS1, OsNAS2, OsNAAT1, OsDMAS1, OsTOM1, and OsYSL15) was induced in the leaves at pH 9, as in Fe deficiency, but not in the roots, indicating different Fe-related responses between tissues. At pH 9, the concentrations of DMA in leaves and roots and in xylem sap were comparable to those in the control, inconsistent with the observed changes in gene expression. These findings suggest that Strategy II is regulated differently between alkaline conditions and typical Fe-deficient conditions, influenced by Fe status in different tissues. Furthermore, under alkaline conditions, the problem for plants may lie not only in the reduced availability of Fe but also in the failure of roots to properly sense Fe deficiency, even when the shoots are experiencing it.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"263 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147575157","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":"Integrating rhizosphere microbiota into speed breeding: plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria-induced early flowering and yield enhancement in rice.","authors":"Ratnadeep Bhattacharjee, Nikhil Padmanabhan Thazath, Karunakaran Maruthachalam, Sridev Mohapatra","doi":"10.1007/s00425-026-04990-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00425-026-04990-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Main conclusion: </strong>The plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium, Pseudomonas putida AKMP7, enhances biomass and yield, while Bacillus endophyticus J13 specifically promotes early flowering, in hydroponically grown rice. Our laboratory has previously reported the beneficial impacts of free-living, plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), Pseudomonas putida AKPM7 and Bacillus endophyticus J13 on growth and stress-tolerance in plants (Gopalan et al. 2022, 2024; Nikhil et al. 2023, 2024; Sharma et al. 2024). In this study, we examined the effects of these two rhizobacterial strains on the growth, morphological traits and yield of three rice varieties-IR64, Rc140 (TUBIGAN 6) and IR58025B-grown in a hydroponic set-up. The inoculation of these bacteria significantly enhanced plant growth, biomass, and yield across all three varieties. Plants inoculated with J13 exhibited a significant reduction in the number of days to flowering. Analysis of key flowering genes in the rice plants revealed a substantial increase in Hd3a transcript levels, during the pre-flowering stage, in the inoculated plants. The expression levels of other genes-Rft1, Ghd8, and Ehd1-varied between pre-flowering and post-flowering stages in inoculated versus non-inoculated plants, indicating differential gene expression influenced by J13 inoculation. Our findings suggest that AKMP7 enhances biomass and yield in hydroponically grown rice, while J13 specifically promotes early flowering, offering a potential pathway for PGPR-mediated rapid generation advancement in plants.</p>","PeriodicalId":20177,"journal":{"name":"Planta","volume":"263 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147575131","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}