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Foliar spray of double-stranded RNA carried on clay particles or BioClay affords protection against multiple life stages of whitefly in crop hosts. The sprayed dsRNA makes its way to the vasculature of plants and is taken up by whiteflies during feeding.
The genome of the flying spider-monkey tree fern and investigations on stem formation and secondary metabolite biosynthesis promote our understanding of fern evolution and arborescence, facilitating the protection and utilization of this endangered species.
By analysing the state of representation of traditional varieties of 25 major crops in ex situ repositories, this study demonstrates conservation progress made over more than a half-century and identifies the gaps remaining to be filled.
Soil-borne Agrobacterium tumefaciens can transform plants by transferring part of its DNA, which subsequently integrates into the host genome. This study reveals how the 5′ end of this bacterial DNA becomes stably attached to plant genomic DNA.
A network of ABA-responsive transcription factors emerges from a genome-wide comparative analysis of four Brassicaceae species, including Arabidopsis thaliana and extremophyte Schrenkiella parvula. Rewiring of growth hormone subnetworks might explain the different physiological responses to stress.
Mutant analysis shows that sucrose synthase makes no substantial contribution to transitory starch synthesis in Arabidopsis leaves, resolving a 20-year-old controversy about one of the most important pathways of photosynthetic metabolism.
This study elucidates the functional dynamics of the ubiquitin ligase SCF D3/MAX2 as a key element in strigolactone signalling. The switch between D3/MAX2 conformational states regulates substrate targeting and can be elicited by a primary metabolite.
Analyses of the genome sequences and expression data for two closely related mycoheterotrophic orchid species provide insights into the genomic basis underlying the evolution of mycoheterotrophy.
This study demonstrates that the processing of miRNAs in plants can occur coupled to transcription, post-transcriptionally or as a mixture of both in a process promoted by DNA–RNA hybrids upstream from the transcription start site of miRNA loci.
The study assembled a chromosome-level genome of Cycas panzhihuaensis, the last major lineage of seed plants for which a high-quality genome assembly was lacking. The study closes an important gap in our understanding of genome structure and evolution in seed plants.
Heat sensing is not well understood in plants. Here the authors show that high temperature induces the production of nitric oxide conjugate S-nitrosoglutathione in the shoot meristem. A systemic long-distance signalling pathway then includes nitrosylation of transcription factor GT-1, which activates heat-responsive genes such as HsfA2.
Contrary to expectations that a warmer planet from climate change would be good for cactus species, this analysis of 400 species under three climate scenarios finds that over half may experience a reduction in their suitable climate, challenging perceptions of impacts for this plant family around the world
In tomato, the transcription factor DOF9 regulates inflorescence termination and flower development, which determines fruit yield. DOF9 is connected to the auxin signalling pathway through ARF5.
A xylan-rich nanodomain at pit boundaries of xylem vessels maintains distinct wall patterns by anchoring cellulosic nanofibrils at the pit borders. These nanocompartments are produced by the xylan synthase IRREGULAR XYLEM (IRX)10 and its homologues.
The establishment of leaf adaxial–abaxial polarity happens early at the shoot apical meristem. Using quantitative live imaging of auxin and dorsiventral polarity markers, the authors trace the origin of polarity to before primordium emergence, to an overlay of high auxin onto a meristem periphery prepattern.
In potato, the TCP transcription factor BRANCHED1b represses aerial tuber formation in the axils of the leaves. It functions through limiting the number of plasmodesmata, reducing sucrose levels and repressing the tuberigen protein SP6A.
In Arabidopsis, microRNAs control the transition from juvenile to adult states. The study, using genomic, genetic and molecular approaches, investigates how miR156 and miR157 are re-activated at each generation.
A method for targeted mutagenesis of mitochondrial genomes is presented. It combines site-specific DNA cleavage with selection for mutations that confer cleavage resistance, and produces genetically stable plants with edited mitochondrial genomes.
Assemblies of six representative perennial Glycine genomes and a comparison with annual soybean genomes reveal evolutionary patterns, differentiation and adaptation of annual and perennial genomes and mechanisms driving subgenome fractionation.
Thousands of plants are known to be edible, yet we lack nutritional data for many of them. This study predicts the B-vitamin profiles for edible plants and finds many have the potential to help alleviate deficiencies and should be conservation priorities.