Rebecca Leuschen-Kohl, Robyn Roberts, Danielle M Stevens, Ning Zhang, Silas Buchanan, Brooke Pilkey, Gitta Coaker, Anjali S Iyer-Pascuzzi
{"title":"Tomato Roots Exhibit Development-Specific Responses to Bacterial-Derived Peptides.","authors":"Rebecca Leuschen-Kohl, Robyn Roberts, Danielle M Stevens, Ning Zhang, Silas Buchanan, Brooke Pilkey, Gitta Coaker, Anjali S Iyer-Pascuzzi","doi":"10.1111/pce.70164","DOIUrl":"10.1111/pce.70164","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To combat soilborne pathogens, roots activate pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) through pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs) that recognise microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs). Root PTI pathways can differ from their above-ground counterparts and have been well-characterised in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana but are not well-defined in crops. Gene repurposing coupled with differences in root tissues and root architecture in tomato species (Solanum lycopersicum and S. pimpinellifolium) led us to hypothesise that signalling pathways of Solanaceous-specific PRRs diverge from canonical pathways. The objective of this study was to characterise PTI signalling pathways and responses (ROS, MAPK, gene expression, and growth inhibition) in roots of wild and domesticated tomatoes downstream of three immune receptors: the well-conserved SlFLS2 and the Solanaeceous-specific FLS3 and CORE. We find that Solanum root PTI responses are concentrated in early differentiating root regions compared to late differentiating regions or whole roots, and that FLS3 and CORE signalling pathways are overlapping but distinct from each other and from FLS2. Although the early differentiating root region had strong PTI responses across Solanum cultivars and species, different genetic backgrounds varied in their response dynamics. Our results underscore the complexity of PTI signalling across species and highlight the developmental-stage specificity of tomato root immunity.</p>","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144999375","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Boaz Hilman, Emily F Solly, Frank Hagedorn, Iris Kuhlman, David Herrera-Ramírez, Susan Trumbore
{"title":"<sup>14</sup>C-Age of Carbon Used to Grow Fine Roots Reflects Tree Carbon Status.","authors":"Boaz Hilman, Emily F Solly, Frank Hagedorn, Iris Kuhlman, David Herrera-Ramírez, Susan Trumbore","doi":"10.1111/pce.70154","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.70154","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The time elapsed between carbon fixation into nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) and their use to grow tree structural tissues can be estimated by <sup>14</sup>C ages. Reported <sup>14</sup>C-ages indicate that NSC used to grow root tissues (growth NSC) can vary from < 1 year to decades. To understand the controls of this variability, we compared <sup>14</sup>C-ages of leaf, branch, and root tissues from two conifers (Larix decidua, Pinus mugo) in a control valley site and an alpine treeline ecotone where low temperatures restrict tree growth. Our results of increasing respiration rate and NSC concentration with ecotone elevation suggest an excess of C assimilation over growth and an increase in fresh NSC supply. Greater flow of fresh NSC through needles and branches could explain their young growth NSC (< 2 years). A smaller inflow of fresh NSC into roots could explain older growth NSC ages, which increased from 2 to 10 years from the valley to the bottom of the ecotone, and then declined to 6 years at the ecotone top. Rather than species differences that were small, environmental conditions over years appear to be the primary driver of C allocation dynamics, which are reflected in the <sup>14</sup>C-ages of fine roots.</p>","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144999343","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ravneet Kaur, Mary Durstock, Stephen A Prior, G Brett Runion, Elizabeth A Ainsworth, Ivan Baxter, Alvaro Sanz-Sáez, Courtney P Leisner
{"title":"Investigating the Impact of Elevated CO<sub>2</sub> on Biomass Accumulation and Mineral Concentration in Foliar and Edible Tissues in Soybeans.","authors":"Ravneet Kaur, Mary Durstock, Stephen A Prior, G Brett Runion, Elizabeth A Ainsworth, Ivan Baxter, Alvaro Sanz-Sáez, Courtney P Leisner","doi":"10.1111/pce.70141","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.70141","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels are expected to enhance biomass and yield in C<sub>3</sub> crops. However, these benefits are accompanied by significant reductions in the concentrations of essential nutrients in both foliar and edible tissues, posing potential global nutritional challenges. In this study, we grew three soybean cultivars (Clark, Flyer, and Loda) in ambient ( ~ 438 ppm) and elevated CO₂ ( ~ 650 ppm) conditions using open top chambers and measured changes in leaf-level physiological responses, biomass accumulation, and nutrient concentrations across developmental stages. Elevated CO₂ increased carbon assimilation and decreased stomatal conductance, which led to an increase in seed yield, while root biomass remained unchanged. Seed nutrient concentrations, particularly iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), boron (B), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and magnesium (Mg), decreased at maturity. We hypothesize that reductions in seed mineral concentration resulted from enhanced carbon assimilation and biomass accumulation without a concomitant response in root biomass and nutrient uptake. This constrained the plant's ability to maintain nutrient status with increased yield at elevated CO₂, and this response was conserved across the cultivars included in this study. Future work is needed to further understand the molecular mechanisms associated with these physiological responses at elevated CO<sub>2</sub> in soybean.</p>","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144991130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jhong-He Yu, Jo-Wei Allison Hsieh, Zhifeng Wang, Jia Wei, Quanzi Li, Ying-Lan Chen, Ying-Chung Jimmy Lin
{"title":"Decoding Xylem Development in Flowering Plants: Insights From Single-Cell Transcriptomics.","authors":"Jhong-He Yu, Jo-Wei Allison Hsieh, Zhifeng Wang, Jia Wei, Quanzi Li, Ying-Lan Chen, Ying-Chung Jimmy Lin","doi":"10.1111/pce.70169","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.70169","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has emerged as a transformative tool for decoding plant development, particularly in elucidating xylem differentiation. By capturing transcriptomic changes at single-cell resolution, scRNA-seq enables reconstruction of developmental trajectories across diverse plant tissues. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the application of scRNA-seq to study both primary and secondary xylem development in monocots and eudicots. These studies have revealed distinct xylem cell types, including vessel elements, libriform fibers, and ray parenchyma cells, and provided insight into their lineage relationships. We also highlight key technical and analytical challenges that limit cross-study comparisons, including inconsistent bioinformatic pipelines, variability in protoplasting efficiency, and the use of potentially misannotated marker genes. To address these limitations, we discuss the integration of in situ transcriptomic profiling using laser microdissection, which provides more accurate cell-type annotation and supports the current best working model of xylem developmental lineages. Finally, we suggest future directions for improving xylem developmental studies, including deeper integration of spatial and single-cell technologies to overcome current limitations in resolving lignified tissues and to better understand xylem responses to environmental perturbations.</p>","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144990988","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ying Zhang, Yaoyao Song, Tianxue Shang, Yanni Tang, Hong Chen, Hao Ma, Xueping Zhang, Zhibo Miao, Baoqiong Lan, Lei Wang, Ning Cao, Xiaoning Liu, Zhenfeng An, Rongfang Lian, Tao Yang, Peng Chen, Chengjin Jiao, Quanle Xu
{"title":"The LsBAHD3-LsAAE3 Module Catalyses Biosynthesis of β-N-Oxalyl-L-α,β-Diaminopropionic Acid in Lathyrus sativus and Pisum sativum.","authors":"Ying Zhang, Yaoyao Song, Tianxue Shang, Yanni Tang, Hong Chen, Hao Ma, Xueping Zhang, Zhibo Miao, Baoqiong Lan, Lei Wang, Ning Cao, Xiaoning Liu, Zhenfeng An, Rongfang Lian, Tao Yang, Peng Chen, Chengjin Jiao, Quanle Xu","doi":"10.1111/pce.70167","DOIUrl":"10.1111/pce.70167","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The neuroactive β-N-oxalyl-L-α,β-diaminopropionic acid (β-ODAP) was first identified in Lathyrus sativus and present also in several Chinese traditional herbs including Panax notoginseng. It exhibit toxicological effects as the causative agent of neurolathyrism when L. sativus was over-consumed under drought-triggered famines or pharmacological effects including neuroprotection and wound healing. Determinating of β-ODAP synthetase (BOS) will accelerate plant improvement and utilisation of those species containing β-ODAP. In this report, trace level of β-ODAP was confirmed in several cultivars of Pisum sativum, a close relative of L. sativus. Functions of LsBAHD3 and LsAAE3 were investigated via its transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana, in vitro enzymatic activity assay and overexpression in hairy roots of L. sativus and P. sativum, etc. The results suggested that LsBAHD3 act as BOS, while LsAAE3 function as oxalyl-CoA synthetase to catalyse/promote β-ODAP biosynthesis. Further comparison and verification of LsBAHD3-specific and LsAAE3-specific protein interactome suggested that the LsBAHD3-LsAAE3 module catalyses β-ODAP biosynthesis, and the ubiquitin/26S proteasome system is highly involved in the regulation of BOS and β-ODAP content and may be responsible for the different level of β-ODAP in L. sativus and P. sativum. These results provide valuable insight into the biochemical and genetic mechanisms of β-ODAP biosynthesis.</p>","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144937566","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sandra Roller, Thea M Weiß, Volker Hahn, Tobias Würschum
{"title":"Genetic Variation and Quantitative Trait Loci Analysis of the Maize Ionome in Response to Phosphorus Fertilisation.","authors":"Sandra Roller, Thea M Weiß, Volker Hahn, Tobias Würschum","doi":"10.1111/pce.70174","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.70174","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Improving the nutritional quality of crops is crucial for human health, livestock, and agricultural productivity, especially on nutrient-limited soils. To address this, we investigated the variation and the genetic basis of mineral content, including, among others, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and zinc, in a diverse panel of maize (Zea mays L.) grown across environments. Our results show that genetic variation significantly contributes to differences in mineral content. Genotype-by-environment interaction and environmental factors, such as reduced phosphorus fertilisation, substantially impact the ionome composition, particularly decreasing zinc content and altering grain quality. Correlations between the 12 minerals were mostly positive, with variation observed in mineral composition between tissues and in translocation from vegetative to generative tissue. In addition, elite lines exhibited distinct mineral profiles compared to landraces. Genome-wide association mapping revealed a quantitative inheritance of the minerals and few common quantitative trait loci. Significantly associated markers were found in proximity to candidate genes involved in processes like mineral transport, detoxification and storage, which represent potential targets for marker-assisted selection to improve nutritional quality in maize. In conclusion, our results highlight the temporal and spatial dynamics of the maize ionome as a basis toward its targeted design for future agriculture.</p>","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144991139","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lu Li, Kexin Cheng, Yao Du, Yiwen Zhang, Yingwen Zhou, Yi Jin, Xiaoqing He
{"title":"Rhizosphere Microbes From Populus euphratica Conferred Salt Stress Resistance to Populus alba × Populus glandulosa.","authors":"Lu Li, Kexin Cheng, Yao Du, Yiwen Zhang, Yingwen Zhou, Yi Jin, Xiaoqing He","doi":"10.1111/pce.70160","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.70160","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The rhizosphere microbiomes of halophytes are crucial for plant adaptation to high-salinity soil conditions, but how to harness rhizosphere microbes to confer salt stress resistance to plants remains obscure. This study aimed to establish a framework (isolate-select-construct) for tailoring simplified salt-tolerant synthetic microbial communities (SynComs) and explore how they confer salt stress resistance to the plant. First, a total of 512 strains were isolated from the high-salt rhizosphere soil of Populus euphratica through high-throughput cultivation. Among these, nine strains were further selected for their salt-tolerant and growth-promoting abilities, with three isolates identified as key microbes, including hub microbes, keystone taxa and biomarkers. Guided by a function-driven strategy, we constructed five distinct SynComs, with SynCom5, SynCom7 and SynCom9 showing the most significant improvement in the growth of hybrid Poplar 84K (Populus alba × Populus glandulosa). Mechanistic investigations revealed that these SynComs can increase resistance to salt stress by directly reducing oxidative stress, adjusting osmolytes and balancing ions. Additionally, these SynComs were observed to recruit specific root-associated bacterial consortia that enhance the adaptability of poplar to salt stress. Overall, this study lays the groundwork for designing SynComs that promote plant growth and offers insights into harnessing specific microbial communities to boost plants' salt resistance.</p>","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144991089","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Metabolism and Signalling in Pea (Pisum sativum) Leaves Exposed to Drought and Subsequent Recovery.","authors":"Jayendra Pandey, Chakradhar Mantena, Aprajita Kumari, Pooja Singh, Christine H Foyer, Kapuganti Jagadis Gupta, Rajagopal Subramanyam","doi":"10.1111/pce.70157","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.70157","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Uncovering the metabolic and molecular mechanisms involved in plant responses to drought and subsequent recovery, is essential to identify drought tolerance mechanisms that can be used to improve crop plants. Here we combine plant physiology and biochemistry, with gene expression, quantitative proteomics and metabolite profiling to identify the genetic and metabolic networks that operate in plants experiencing and recovering from drought. Network analysis of transcripts, proteins and metabolites revealed that certain biological processes such as the tricarboxylic acid cycle and lipid metabolism had a strong impact on the overall control of leaf responses to drought and recovery. The stimulation of carbohydrate oxidation pathways is demonstrated to be a key node in the generation of energy and precursors required to support diverse survival pathways of defence.</p>","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144937490","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rong Jia, Min Chen, Jie Zhou, Yi Xu, Junlong Huang, Yadong Yang, Bahar S Razavi, Zhaohai Zeng, Yakov Kuzyakov, Huadong Zang
{"title":"Diversified Crop Rotations Strengthen Maize Seedling Drought Tolerance by Modulating Rhizosphere Microbiota and Enzyme Activities.","authors":"Rong Jia, Min Chen, Jie Zhou, Yi Xu, Junlong Huang, Yadong Yang, Bahar S Razavi, Zhaohai Zeng, Yakov Kuzyakov, Huadong Zang","doi":"10.1111/pce.70150","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.70150","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Although diversified crop rotations increase drought tolerance and system productivity, the underlying mechanisms conferring this resilience in crop-soil-microorganisms systems remain incomplete. Maize drought tolerance mechanisms were evaluated in a 20-year experiment with low, medium, and high crop diversity rotations using soil zymography to visualize enzyme activity distribution and high-throughput sequencing to assess microbial communities. High crop diversity increased maize shoot biomass by 56%-87% and reduced drought-induced root biomass loss by 14%-59% compared to low crop diversity. Root diameter increased by 1.7-2.5 times leading to better drought tolerance by 2.2-2.7 times, and stabile key rhizosphere microbiota. The complexity of the rhizosphere bacterial network increased with crop diversification, and the keystone taxa (such as biofilm-producing Pseudomonas ) raised maize drought tolerance by increasing rhizosphere water retention. These microbiota increased habitat resilience under drought, increasing ecosystem provision and regulatory functions. Activities and hotspot areas of enzymes related to carbon and nitrogen cycling decreased with crop diversification, but changed minimally under drought, indicating that this enzymatic resilience could contribute to maize drought tolerance. In conclusion, crop diversification enriches drought-tolerance microbial species in soil that stabilize the rhizosphere microenvironment and facilitate root proliferation, underscoring the importance of crop-microbial interactions for drought resilience.</p>","PeriodicalId":222,"journal":{"name":"Plant, Cell & Environment","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144937570","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}