Current Plant Biology最新文献

{"title":"Climate constraints and adaptation strategies for improving the production and quality of exotic vegetables in North America (literature review)","authors":"Morel Libère Comlan Kotomale ,&nbsp;Kueshi Semanou Dahan ,&nbsp;Fernand A. Sotondji ,&nbsp;Jean-Pierre Kapongo ,&nbsp;Stefan Sieber","doi":"10.1016/j.cpb.2026.100598","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cpb.2026.100598","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Exotic vegetables play an increasingly important role in North American food systems, driven by cultural diversification and the demand from immigrant communities. Unfortunately, climate change is intensifying the threats to their production and quality. This review aims to fill the current lack of an integrated synthesis of knowledge on the main exotic vegetables consumed by communities of Asian and Afro-Caribbean origin in North America, by analysing their production constraints, their physiological and molecular responses, and the adaptation strategies that can be mobilized to secure and strengthen their supply chains. It also highlights the market opportunities that these crops represent for North American farmers. Using a structured literature review approach inspired by PRISMA guidelines, the most representative crops for these communities were identified, along with the main limiting factors for their establishment and yield stability. The results show that increasing frequency and intensity of heat waves, water deficits, and extreme weather events lead to physiological alterations in these crops, quality losses, and the exacerbation of certain pests and diseases. These effects are mediated by complex tolerance networks involving heat shock factors and proteins, phytohormonal crosstalk, and transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic reprogramming. The review underscores the need for a multifaceted strategy combining agronomic and technological innovations (protection against extremes, water management, biostimulants, protected cultivation systems), breeding and genetic improvement approaches that integrate tools from genomics, genomic selection, genome editing, and epigenomics, as well as institutional support mechanisms and public policies that promote tailored breeding programs, the dissemination of resilient cultivars, and the strengthening of local supply chains. It further shows that, when supported by appropriate public policies and targeted investment in research, this sector offers new business opportunities for North American producers through crop diversification, the creation of niche markets, and the development of high-value-added local value chains, thereby contributing to economic dynamism, agronomic innovation, and food system resilience.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38090,"journal":{"name":"Current Plant Biology","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 100598"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147385792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Roles of the Mediator complex and transcriptional activators/repressors in regulating plant gene expression under salt stress","authors":"Zainab M. Almutairi ,&nbsp;Pravej Alam ,&nbsp;Thamer Albalawi ,&nbsp;Shubhra Khare ,&nbsp;Mehmet Firat Baran ,&nbsp;Mohammad Faizan","doi":"10.1016/j.cpb.2026.100596","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cpb.2026.100596","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Abiotic stresses, including drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures, pose significant threats to global agriculture by adversely affecting plant growth, productivity, and the sustainability of arable land. These challenges are intensifying due to accelerated climate change and rapid population growth, which together necessitate increased agricultural output despite declining land availability. Among these stresses, salinity is particularly detrimental, as it induces osmotic and ionic imbalances, disrupts nutrient homeostasis, and triggers excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), ultimately leading to oxidative damage and impairment of key physiological processes. To mitigate such stresses, plants activate complex genetic and molecular defense mechanisms, including transcriptional reprogramming mediated by transcription factors (TFs). Emerging research highlights the pivotal role of the plant Mediator complex a conserved, multisubunit transcriptional coactivator in coordinating responses to environmental cues. The Mediator complex functions as a central integrator of transcriptional regulation by facilitating interactions between TFs and RNA polymerase II. In both model and crop species, such as <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em>, <em>Oryza sativa</em>, and <em>Glycine max</em>, mediator subunits exhibit tissue-specific and developmentally regulated expression patterns, thereby influencing critical biological processes including flowering, root architecture, and abiotic stress responses. The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the structural organization, functional roles, and regulatory mechanisms of plant mediator complex subunits in response to salinity stress. By synthesizing recent advances in plant molecular biology, this review aims to elucidate the potential of mediator-based transcriptional regulation as a promising target for the development of stress-resilient crops.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38090,"journal":{"name":"Current Plant Biology","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 100596"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147385790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Leveraging plant-bacteria interactions for sustainable production of perennial fruit crops","authors":"Rabiath F.R. Adigoun ,&nbsp;Hervé N.S. Aholoukpè ,&nbsp;Alexis Durand ,&nbsp;Dèdéou A. Tchokponhoué ,&nbsp;Nicodème V. Fassinou Hotègni ,&nbsp;Enoch G. Achigan-Dako ,&nbsp;Aimé H. Bokonon-Ganta ,&nbsp;Emile Benizri","doi":"10.1016/j.cpb.2026.100600","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cpb.2026.100600","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The use of chemical inputs in perennial fruit crop production, while effective in promoting high yields, often results in numerous adverse effects on both human and environmental health. Harnessing plant-bacteria interactions has emerged as a promising alternative approach to promoting ecological and sustainable agriculture (along with high yields), beneficial for human health and biodiversity. This review provides an integrated overview of the most recent research studies on the potential of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) inoculants to enhance the yield, productivity, health, and resilience of perennial fruit crops. Studies on the characterization of the diversity, structure, and composition of the bacterial microbiome have revealed that perennial fruit crops are associated with highly diverse bacterial communities, influenced by factors such as the host plant, soil properties, agricultural practices, and climatic and geographical conditions. Several studies revealed convincing results on the effectiveness of PGPB, applied either as a single inoculation or as a bacterial consortium, to promote the growth, yield, and tolerance to pests and abiotic stresses of perennial fruit crops. However, despite these significant advances, challenges remain regarding the scalability of these technologies, their effectiveness in real environmental conditions, and their practical application by farmers. This review proposes research avenues and strategies to maximize the effectiveness of PGPB inoculants and their adoption by farmers, with an emphasis on the need to integrate a farmer-participatory research approach. In addition, key marketing strategies that could be implemented by microbial inoculants manufacturing companies to stimulate market growth were also suggested.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38090,"journal":{"name":"Current Plant Biology","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 100600"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147449038","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"When rhizosphere complexity is too important for constraining into a single causality pattern: A causal inference methodology","authors":"Edith Le Cadre ,&nbsp;Mathieu Emily","doi":"10.1016/j.cpb.2026.100590","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cpb.2026.100590","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Structural Equation Modeling is used in ecological studies to confirm pre-assumed multivariate causal relationships. However, the rhizosphere is a complex environment, and knowledge is not sufficiently consistent to propose unambiguous causal relationships to be tested. Using a Latent Variable Structural Equation Modeling framework, that aims to build and explore different causality patterns in rhizosphere environments, we designed an exploratory approach to detect causality patterns that are worth being investigated <em>a posteriori</em> and contribute to rhizosphere knowledge and applications. Grounded in statistical methods, exploration of the “causal space” is applicable to prioritize rhizosphere causality patterns that worth to be tested. Application of our framework to field studies is discussed. The term causal space is debated as a pioneer concept for causal inference in the rhizosphere.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38090,"journal":{"name":"Current Plant Biology","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 100590"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146116518","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comprehensive characterization of the rye dwarfism locus (dw10) on chromosome 5R: Phenotypic and molecular insights","authors":"Hymavathi Salava ,&nbsp;Iman Samiei Mosleh ,&nbsp;Stefan Stojałowski ,&nbsp;Hanna Bolibok-Brągoszewska ,&nbsp;Beata Myśków ,&nbsp;Fatemeh Maghuly","doi":"10.1016/j.cpb.2026.100592","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cpb.2026.100592","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plant height is a critical determinant of yield stability in cereals, with dwarfing alleles reducing lodging risk. We present the first molecular characterization of <em>dw10</em>, a gibberellin (GA)-insensitive recessive dwarfing locus in rye (<em>Secale cereale</em> L.). Using Near-Isogenic Lines (NILs), high-resolution DArTseq mapping, and RNA-seq profiling, <em>dw10</em> was fine-mapped to chromosome 5 R and shown to be distinct from known loci (<em>Ddw1</em>, <em>dw8</em>). The allele reduced internode length without affecting thousand-grain weight, with incomplete dominance in F₁ hybrids. GA₃ treatment partially restored elongation, indicating altered GA signaling. Transcriptome analysis revealed 125 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) on 5 R, including four within the <em>dw10</em> interval: <em>IBH1-LIKE</em> (a BR signaling repressor), an FAD/NAD(P)-binding protein, a TolB-like protein, and a cyclin-like protein. Co-expression analysis implicated brassinosteroid-related regulatory modules and protease-mediated remodeling in height control. Variant analysis identified a missense mutation in <em>TRYPTOPHAN SYNTHASE ALPHA</em> (<em>TSA</em>) with upregulation of paralogues, suggesting functional compensation. These results define the genetic and molecular framework of <em>dw10</em>, provide tightly linked markers for breeding, and highlight hormone signaling and cell wall processes as targets for height modulation in rye and related cereals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38090,"journal":{"name":"Current Plant Biology","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 100592"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174854","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular mechanisms and ecological function in plant–microbial interactions for sustainable agriculture","authors":"Mohammad Yaghoubi Khanghahi,&nbsp;Suprasanna Penna,&nbsp;Carmine Crecchio","doi":"10.1016/j.cpb.2026.100601","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cpb.2026.100601","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":38090,"journal":{"name":"Current Plant Biology","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 100601"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147539257","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Highlighting the cold plasma effect on Wheat performance: Enhancing drought tolerance, and improving baking quality","authors":"Fazileh Esmaeili ,&nbsp;Mohammad Ramezani Kaporchali ,&nbsp;Khadijeh Razavi ,&nbsp;Mohammad Ahmadi ,&nbsp;Sara Hejri ,&nbsp;Milad Begri ,&nbsp;Aboutorab Naeimabadi ,&nbsp;Tahmineh Lohrasebi","doi":"10.1016/j.cpb.2026.100591","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cpb.2026.100591","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plasma treatment is a promising approach to enhance plant growth and stress tolerance, particularly under drought. This study assessed the effects of plasma treatment on the physiological and morphological traits of <em>Triticum aestivum</em> (wheat) under normal and drought conditions.Treatments were applied at two intensities (200 W and 500 W) and varying durations. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to probe potential chemical changes in the seed coat induced by plasma exposure. Our results show that plasma treatment at 500 W with longer duration yielded the most pronounced improvements in morphological and physiological traits. Clustering and heatmap analysis indicated significant increases in stem and root length, soluble sugars, proline content, activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT). Field trials corroborated these findings, revealing that plasma treatments markedly enhanced biochemical traits, especially under drought stress. Moreover, the combination of plasma treatment and drought stress produced a time-dependent rise in proline and soluble sugars. Correspondingly, reductions in malondialdehyde (MDA) level suggested diminished membrane oxidative damage. FTIR spectra revealed plasma-induced structural modifications in the seed coat associated with improved water uptake, germination, and seedling establishment. Notably, plasma treatment, particularly under drought, not only increased Wheat flour protein content and Zeleny gluten index but also improved bread volume relative to controls and drought-only treatments. These synergistic effects, together with stable moisture content and enhanced water absorption, support plasma treatment as a strategy to boost drought tolerance and baking quality in Wheat.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38090,"journal":{"name":"Current Plant Biology","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 100591"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174857","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrative multi-omics reveals genome evolution and CYP719-mediated BIA biosynthesis in Tinospora sagittata","authors":"Mohammad Murtaza Alami ,&nbsp;Shaohua Shu ,&nbsp;Sanbo Liu ,&nbsp;Shengqiu Feng ,&nbsp;Guozheng Yang ,&nbsp;Zhinan Mei ,&nbsp;Xuekui Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.cpb.2026.100602","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cpb.2026.100602","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Tinospora sagittata</em> (Oliv.) Gagnep. is an essential medicinal tetraploid plant in the Menispermaceae family. Its tuber, “<em>Radix Tinosporae</em>,” is widely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is rich in terpenoids and benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs). To better understand the biosynthesis of these compounds and the evolution of the <em>T. sagittata</em> genome, we performed comparative genomics with 16 other plant species, estimating its evolutionary placement and divergence time within Ranunculales. Genome evolution analyses revealed one round of tandem duplication approximately 1.5 million years ago and one whole-genome duplication (WGD) around 86.9 Mya. WGD contributed to the expansion of the clade-specific cytochrome P450 gene families in Ranunculales. Genome-wide mining identified genes involved in BIA biosynthesis, and transcriptomic profiling was combined with targeted and untargeted metabolomics to analyze gene expression and metabolite accumulation. Finally, one CYP719 gene candidate (<em>TsA02G014550</em>) was functionally characterized to catalyze the formation of (S)-canadine in the jatrorrhizine biosynthetic pathway. Our integrative genomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics analyses provide new insights into the evolution of the <em>T. sagittata genome</em> and BIA biosynthesis, supporting future sustainable production of these valuable secondary metabolites.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38090,"journal":{"name":"Current Plant Biology","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 100602"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147449037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comprehensive transcriptome analysis reveals coordinated multi-organ carbon metabolism responses in Medicago truncatula under water deficit stress","authors":"Andres Echeverria ,&nbsp;Aitziber Calleja-Satrustegui ,&nbsp;Ha Duc Chu ,&nbsp;Santiago Signorelli ,&nbsp;Javier Buezo ,&nbsp;Weiqiang Li ,&nbsp;Yasuko Watanabe ,&nbsp;Yukiko Uehara-Yamaguchi ,&nbsp;Komaki Inoue ,&nbsp;Kanatani Asaka ,&nbsp;Minami Shimizu ,&nbsp;Yusuke Kouzai ,&nbsp;Lam-Son Phan Tran ,&nbsp;Keiichi Mochida ,&nbsp;Esther M. Gonzalez","doi":"10.1016/j.cpb.2026.100585","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cpb.2026.100585","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Medicago truncatula</em> (<em>Mt</em>) is a relatively drought-tolerant model legume widely cultivated in Australia. Unlike previous studies that focus on specific plant components, this work reanalyses the metabolite pattern along with transcriptome data to understand the integrated response of the entire plant system to water deficit stress. Physiological and transcriptomic analyses of the leaves, taproots, and fibrous roots were performed in response to moderate and severe drought conditions. Our findings revealed that plants prioritize water supply to aboveground organs, leading to a significant decline in the root system water content during active growth. At the whole plant level, a coordinated upregulation involving LEA proteins, proline, and ABA metabolism was observed. Furthermore, carbohydrate metabolism, essential for sustaining tissue growth, was significantly altered by drought stress. Despite the well-established link between water deficit and reduced photosynthesis, which compromises carbon availability within the plant, the activation of a complete set of sucrose- and starch-degrading and -synthesising enzymes was detected. These enzymes act in concert with hexose and sucrose transporters to remobilise carbon throughout the plant system. In addition to enhanced carbon remobilisation, a notable root-specific downregulation of ethylene synthesis was observed, shedding light on the mechanism regulating plant growth under drought stress. In conclusion, our findings reveal a strong organ-specific and coordinated molecular response across progressive drought stress levels.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38090,"journal":{"name":"Current Plant Biology","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 100585"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146116519","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advances in CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing for crop improvement and global food security","authors":"Saba Haider ,&nbsp;Aditya Pratap Singh ,&nbsp;Binod Panthi ,&nbsp;Shilpi R. Sindhu ,&nbsp;Nishat Tasnim Safa ,&nbsp;Saira Malik ,&nbsp;Mehdi Rahimi","doi":"10.1016/j.cpb.2026.100593","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cpb.2026.100593","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Global food security is escalating by population growth, climate change and depletion of basic resources, and explicitly demands the implementation of cutting-edge approaches to improve crop yield, resilience, and nutritional quality. CRISPR/Cas9 technology has transformed modern agriculture by introducing accurate and inherently stable modifications in different plants. This review highlights the latest advancements in the application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology for crop improvement and explores its potential in mitigating global food security. These advancements include the use of base and prime editing to accurately alter metabolic pathways for nutritional enhancements, along with designing Cas variants with limited dependency on PAM, to facilitate editing in complex genome crops like wheat. Moreover, the integration of artificial intelligence-driven target prediction and speed breeding has significantly improved varietal development by shortening breeding period and increasing resilience to various biotic and abiotic stresses. Case studies in cereal (Rice, wheat, maize, and sorghum) and horticultural crops provide evidence of CRISPR’s major contribution towards limiting food security, improving nutritional value, and mitigating postharvest waste. This section also addresses the dynamic regulatory developments in different areas, associated ethical reflections, and approaches to foster fair accessibility stressing the transparent governance and public participation in the implementation of this technique.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38090,"journal":{"name":"Current Plant Biology","volume":"46 ","pages":"Article 100593"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147385875","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}