Journal Of Plant Physiology[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
Molecular mechanisms and biotechnological advances in herbicide resistance: Insights into the development of herbicide-tolerant crops.
Zheng S, Tie H, Chai S … +5 more , Wang M, Wang S, Zeng YY, Wu G, Zhang TG
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41500141 · Publisher ↗
Herbicides play a pivotal role in modern agriculture by controlling weed populations and safeguarding crop yields. However, the long-term and extensive use of herbicides has accelerated the evolution of herbicide-resista...
Herbicides play a pivotal role in modern agriculture by controlling weed populations and safeguarding crop yields. However, the long-term and extensive use of herbicides has accelerated the evolution of herbicide-resistant weeds, thereby diminishing their efficacy and posing a serious threat to global food security. Recent advances in molecular biology and plant biotechnology have greatly expanded our understanding of herbicide resistance mechanisms and enabled the development of crops with enhanced herbicide resistance. Herbicide resistance genes function primarily by encoding detoxifying enzymes, modifying herbicide target sites, or activating specific metabolic pathways that mitigate herbicidal toxicity. Emerging genetic tools, including transgenic approaches and CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome editing, have further facilitated the precise introduction of resistance traits into major crops. It is noteworthy that this review offers novel insights into the latest CRISPR/Cas applications, including base editing and prime editing for developing novel, non-transgenic herbicide-resistant crops. Furthermore, it provides a systematic overview of advanced strategies for engineering multi-gene stacking traits to combat complex or evolving weed resistance. This review integrates recent progress in elucidating the molecular targets of herbicides and the underlying resistance mechanisms, and highlights the potential of modern biotechnological strategies for engineering herbicide-resistant crops to promote sustainable and environmentally responsible weed management.
Multi-omics profiling identifies potential biological nitrification inhibitor 1,9-decanediol biosynthesis and secretion mechanisms in diverse rice varieties.
Di DW, Luan CS, Ma MK … +6 more , Yang T, Kronzucker HJ, Min J, Lu Y, Liu X, Shi W
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41500140 · Publisher ↗
1,9-Decanediol (1,9-D) was identified as the first fatty alcohol with biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) activity in rice root exudates. In a previous study, transcriptomic and untargeted metabolomic analyses cont...
1,9-Decanediol (1,9-D) was identified as the first fatty alcohol with biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) activity in rice root exudates. In a previous study, transcriptomic and untargeted metabolomic analyses contrasted two rice varieties, suggesting metabolic pathways and associated gene families involved in 1,9-D biosynthesis and secretion. However, due to the small number of varieties and technical constraints, the pool of candidate genes remained extensive, impeding precise identification and functional validation. Here, we employ ten rice varieties with diverging root-secretion properties for integrated transcriptomic and targeted metabolomic profiling. Our results demonstrate that ammonium treatment significantly enhances 1,9-D secretion across varieties, indicating a potentially conserved regulatory mechanism in rice. Integrated analysis revealed that α-linolenic acid (LN) and linoleic acid (LA) may serve as biosynthetic precursors of 1,9-D and identified key candidate genes in LN/LA metabolism, including Os04g37430, Os04g47120, Os08g39840, Os08g39850, and Os08g08220. Furthermore, our data show that root secretion of 1,9-D is actively regulated by specific transporters, including the major facilitator superfamily (MFS) member Os11g04104, the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter Os01g07870, and the multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) transporter Os10g20390. This study reveals a novel multi-gene regulatory network underlying 1,9-D synthesis and secretion, providing candidate targets for improving nitrogen-use efficiency in rice.
Insights into responses to elevated temperatures in Solanum tuberosum cultivars with contrasting sensitivity.
Beck S, Höfner L, Rüscher D … +8 more , Tarkowská D, Široká J, Reid S, Pscheidt D, Hofmann J, Novák O, Strnad M, Sonnewald S
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41485326 · Publisher ↗
Elevated temperatures caused by climate change threaten potato production. To understand heat stress adaptations and variety-specific responses, plants of a susceptible (Cecile) and a tolerant cultivar (Solara) were expo...
Elevated temperatures caused by climate change threaten potato production. To understand heat stress adaptations and variety-specific responses, plants of a susceptible (Cecile) and a tolerant cultivar (Solara) were exposed to elevated temperatures (30/28 °C) for 21 days at tuberization stage. Phenotypic, physiological, transcriptional and metabolic changes were analyzed in comparison to ambient temperatures (21/19 °C). Heat stress caused shoot elongation and tuber weight loss, which were more pronounced in Cecile. Transcriptome analysis of leaf samples revealed a stronger decrease of photosynthesis-associated genes in the sensitive cultivar Cecile, which was associated with decreased chlorophyll fluorescence and an early senescence. These effects correlated with strongly elevated levels of salicylic acid and ethylene. In contrast, Solara showed delayed senescence and a higher expression of sugar and amino acid transporters suggesting an adaptive mechanism to maintain carbohydrate and amino acid allocation. The expression of known tuberization regulators including SP6A, exhibited a similar response to heat in both varieties, with decreasing expression of SP6A. Solara exhibited a constitutively higher expression of PEBP14/15 and MADS13, which potentially promote tuberization and may support tuber growth under heat. Regardless of variety, a few genes, such as HSP20 and HSP70, were induced by heat and may serve as heat stress marker genes. Altogether, the results indicate that delayed senescence, stable photosynthesis, efficient assimilate translocation, and differential regulation of tuberization pathways contribute to heat tolerance in Solara. These insights improve our understanding of the molecular basis of heat resilience and provide potential targets for breeding climate-resilient potato varieties.
Global lysine crotonylation profiling reveals metabolic and stress-responsive mechanisms in Reynoutria japonica.
You L, Zhang P, Cheng H … +11 more , Deng Y, Xiong H, Zhang J, Ye Z, Zhang Z, Li C, Martinez Espinosa VM, Zhou C, Zheng L, Li T, Zhang Y
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41478012 · Publisher ↗
Reynoutria japonica (Huzhang), also known as Japanese knotweed, is a traditionally valued medicinal herb in Asian medicine. Historically introduced to Europe and England for ornamental purposes, it has since become widel...
Reynoutria japonica (Huzhang), also known as Japanese knotweed, is a traditionally valued medicinal herb in Asian medicine. Historically introduced to Europe and England for ornamental purposes, it has since become widely regarded as an invasive species due to its aggressive growth and adaptability. Understanding the mechanisms underlying its robust growth and environmental adaptability is therefore of both horticultural and ecological interest. Lysine crotonylation (Kcr) is a newly discovered post-translational modification implicated in diverse biological processes, but its roles in non-histone proteins, especially within medicinal plant R. japonica, remain poorly understood. Here, we present the first comprehensive proteome-wide profiling of Kcr in R. japonica. Using high-resolution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) coupled with immunoaffinity enrichment, we identified 18,914 Kcr sites across 5842 proteins and characterized six conserved sequence motifs, constituting the largest plant crotonylome described to date. Functional enrichment revealed that Kcr-modified proteins are primarily associated with critical metabolic pathways, including carbon fixation, photosynthesis, fatty acid degradation, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and protein translation. Notably, abundant Kcr modifications were found on enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites such as resveratrol and anthraquinones. Additionally, stress-responsive changes in global Kcr modification were observed, with H2B carrying the highest number of Kcr sites and showing a marked reduction under stress. These findings provide novel insights into the functional significance of Kcr in plant metabolic regulation and stress adaptation.
Light signal transduction networks regulating phenylpropanoid, terpenoid and alkaloid biosynthesis in horticultural plants.
Chen Y, Shi L, Xu Q … +3 more , Zhang C, Wang L, Li W
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41455240 · Publisher ↗
Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs), crucial for horticultural crop quality and value, are synthesized in an organ-specific manner and are highly regulated by light. Acting beyond a mere energy source for photosynthesis,...
Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs), crucial for horticultural crop quality and value, are synthesized in an organ-specific manner and are highly regulated by light. Acting beyond a mere energy source for photosynthesis, light signals are detected by specialized photoreceptors (e.g., phytochromes, cryptochromes, UV RESISTANCE LOCUS 8), triggering signaling cascades that converge on central regulators including the COP1-SPA complex and the transcription factor HY5. These regulators interact with a broad network of transcription factors, such as MYBs, bHLHs, BBXs, and PIFs, as well as epigenetic modifications, to precisely direct the transcriptional programs governing phenylpropanoid, terpenoid, and alkaloid metabolism. This review synthesizes these molecular mechanisms and discusses their implications for designing precise lighting strategies to enhance the quality and value of horticultural products in controlled-environment agriculture, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for light-quality regulation.
Eggplant SmMYB6.2 positively regulates anthocyanin biosynthesis by activating SmANS gene expression.
Hao J, Hua Z, Zhang J … +5 more , Liu S, Li D, Li S, Liu Y, Chen H
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41455239 · Publisher ↗
Anthocyanins significantly influence both the visual quality and nutritional value of eggplants. Exogenous application of jasmonic acid enhanced anthocyanin biosynthesis in eggplant peel under low-light conditions and in...
Anthocyanins significantly influence both the visual quality and nutritional value of eggplants. Exogenous application of jasmonic acid enhanced anthocyanin biosynthesis in eggplant peel under low-light conditions and induced the expression of several MYB genes. In this paper, these MYB proteins were investigated by yeast one-hybrid experiments, and it was found that SmMYB6.2 could directly bind to the promoter sequence of the anthocyanin synthesis structural gene SmANS. SmMYB6.2 was a nuclear-localized protein whose expression could be induced by various stimuli, including UV-B radiation, blue light, ABA treatment, PEG stress, and low-temperature exposure at 4 °C. Next, overexpression of SmMYB6.2 in Arabidopsis promoted anthocyanin accumulation and enhanced the gene expression of AtANS. Further, Dual-LUC assays demonstrated that SmMYB6.2 enhanced its transcriptional activation of the SmANS promoter through protein-protein interactions with the bHLH proteins SmTT8, SmbHLH79, and SmGLABRA3. These findings deepen our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms underlying anthocyanin biosynthesis in eggplant peel and provide candidate genes for breeding anthocyanin-enriched eggplant varieties.
MsTIFY10a gene from alfalfa negatively regulates drought and salt tolerance in transgenic tobacco.
Chen Q, Zhang Y, Tian Y … +6 more , Xu J, Fu QW, Li ZY, Shi FL, Gao CP, Zhang ZQ
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41453341 · Publisher ↗
The JAZ protein family acts as a key negative regulator in the jasmonic acid signaling pathway, interacting with transcription factors and playing essential roles in plant growth, development, and abiotic stress response...
The JAZ protein family acts as a key negative regulator in the jasmonic acid signaling pathway, interacting with transcription factors and playing essential roles in plant growth, development, and abiotic stress responses. However, the specific function of JAZ transcription factors in mediating salt and drought stress tolerance in alfalfa (Medicago sativa) remains unclear. In this study, we cloned MsTIFY10a, a JAZ gene from alfalfa, and found that its expression was downregulated under salt and drought stresses. Heterologous expression of MsTIFY10a in tobacco significantly reduced tolerance to both drought and salt stresses in seedlings and mature plants. Physiological analysis revealed that MsTIFY10a overexpression suppressed the antioxidant system, including superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD), compromised photosynthetic capacity, and exacerbated membrane damage, collectively leading to reduced stress tolerance. Moreover, under drought or salt treatment, MsTIFY10a overexpression downregulated the expression of several reactive oxygen species (ROS)-related and stress-responsive genes. In summary, MsTIFY10a may functions as a negative regulator in abiotic stress responses, providing a basis for further investigation into its mechanistic roles in alfalfa.
Increasing CO concentration promoted the biomass accumulation but decreased the mineral nutrition and forage quality of Leymus chinensis.
Yu J, Ji C, Sun Y … +1 more , Qi Z
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41447736 · Publisher ↗
The global atmospheric CO concentration is predicted to increase from the current approximate 450 to 700 ppm by end of this century. To evaluate its potential impact on sustainability of grassland, Leymus chinensis, the...
The global atmospheric CO concentration is predicted to increase from the current approximate 450 to 700 ppm by end of this century. To evaluate its potential impact on sustainability of grassland, Leymus chinensis, the dominant wild forage species in the eastern Eurasian Steppe, was cultivated in two growth chambers for a month with ambient 450 ppm (aCO) as the control and elevated 700 ppm CO (eCO) as simulation of the future respectively. The eCO increased the aboveground biomass, net photosynthesis rate and contents of carbohydrates, as well as the Mn contents in the leaves. The eCO decreased the stomatal conductance, transpiration rate and the contents of mineral elements S, P, K, Fe, Zn in the xylem sap and leaves, as well as expression of ion transporter-encoding transcripts. As response to the eCO, the DNA, RNA and protein metabolism related transcripts were over-represented in the down-regulation transcriptome, accompanied with reduction in the contents of amino acids. The eCO significantly suppressed expression of lipid metabolism-encoding transcripts and contents of phospholipids, as well as expression of vesicle-traffic encoding transcripts. The eCO decreased contents of bioactive compounds flavonoids, terpenoids including gibberellins and steroids. These data imply that the predicted increasing atmospheric CO concentration in the near future would have negative impacts on the forage quality of the grass.
Spatiotemporal trajectory of senescence in mesocarp cell clusters of Hylocereus undatus based on single-cell and spatial transcriptomics.
Tian Y, Ji X, Lv M … +10 more , Lu L, Yu T, Wang J, Xu J, Wang G, Li F, Song Y, Li Y, Pang X, Li X
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41435797 · Publisher ↗
Fruit senescence is a complex physiological process. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis revealed the differentiation trajectories of 13 cell clusters during the senescence of Hylocereus undatus (H. undatus)....
Fruit senescence is a complex physiological process. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis revealed the differentiation trajectories of 13 cell clusters during the senescence of Hylocereus undatus (H. undatus). The mesocarp of the fruit contained four cell clusters, but their precise localization and functional division remained unclear. This work documented mesocarp phenotypic alterations and elucidated the time courses of mesocarp flavonoid biosynthesis and superoxide anion generation. Additionally, overall ROS changes were observed using fluorescence microscopy. By combining the single-cell atlas with spatial transcriptomics data at resolutions of 0.2 and 0.8, and applying four computational algorithms (SingleR, SciBet, CARD, and RCTD), we accurately mapped the spatial distribution of the four cell populations in the two layers of the mesocarp from outer to inner regions. Furthermore, we identified highly correlated cells with cell-specific functions, which allowed us to perform a detailed analysis of the differentiation trajectories of these four cell clusters. We proposed a hypothesis that these four clusters in the mesocarp participate in the senescence process. Finally, using SCODE, we uncovered the gene regulatory networks of the pericarp's highly correlated cell clusters during fruit senescence. Through single-cell technology, the functional division of the four cell clusters in the mesocarp-responsible for stress responses, signal transduction, material preparation, and cell differentiation trajectories-has been revealed. These findings provide insights from a single-cell dimension and a spatiotemporal perspective, enhancing the understanding of the dynamic process of plant senescence.
Golden coloration of Ginkgo biloba can be driven by fine-tuning of pigment, flavonoid, and terpene metabolism.
Lu Y, Wang G, Yang D … +9 more , Zhang C, He G, Zhou X, Liu Y, Li W, Fu C, Lu M, Zhou G, Meng J
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41435796 · Publisher ↗
The ginkgo leaf, with its unique fan-shaped structure, golden color, and rich content of bioactive metabolites, serves as an important medium for both cultural appreciation and medicinal use. However, the high-resolution...
The ginkgo leaf, with its unique fan-shaped structure, golden color, and rich content of bioactive metabolites, serves as an important medium for both cultural appreciation and medicinal use. However, the high-resolution metabolic profile of pigments and bioactive compounds has yet to be systematically investigated during the leaf color change process. In this study, we investigated a yellow-leaf mutant (YL) and a naturally yellowing leaf type (YL), comparing them with green leaves (GL) in terms of cellular structure, metabolic profile of gene expression and metabolite contents, and hormone levels. First, only the light-harvesting complexes (LHCs) involved in the photosystems were severely damaged in YL while the whole chloroplast severely damaged in YL. Second, extensive reduction in chlorophyll content was only caused by the differential expression of POR, CAO and CLH in YL without the degradation which also occurred in the YL. The overall gene expression patterns as well as the proportion of specific metabolites in the carotenoid and flavonoid metabolic pathways varied significantly between YL and YL, suggesting distinct regulatory mechanisms between the two types of YL. The contents of hormones such as indole-3-acetic acid, jasmonic acid, ethylene levels, and gibberellin were significantly different between YL and YL. The expression levels of several transcription factors involved in chloroplast development and pigment biosynthesis such as GLK, FtsZ, ELIP, ORANGE, TCP14 were not changed significantly in YL. In conclusion, golden coloration of Ginkgo biloba is directly caused by the sharp decrease in chlorophyll, which can be driven by the precise regulation of certain genes and does not necessitate the initiation of senescence.
TaGSr-4D orchestrates lateral root development and tolerance to low nitrogen stress in Arabidopsis.
Li H, Zhang D, Zhang X … +4 more , Nai F, Wang L, Wei Y, Wang X
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41422661 · Publisher ↗
Lateral roots are significant for capturing nutrients and water from the soil due to their capacity to expand the uptake area of the root system. Comprehending the molecular mechanisms that regulate lateral root developm...
Lateral roots are significant for capturing nutrients and water from the soil due to their capacity to expand the uptake area of the root system. Comprehending the molecular mechanisms that regulate lateral root development would be beneficial for optimizing the root system architecture (RSA) and improving crop yield. The enzyme GS (Glutamine synthetase) is a key enzyme that assimilates ammonium into glutamine. Previous study showed that TaGSr (Triticum aestivum L. ROOT GLUTAMINE SYNTHETASE) was mainly expressed in the root. However, little is known about the function of TaGSr in root system development in wheat. In this study, we showed that TaGSr-4D was expressed at all eight developmental stages of lateral root primordia and the heterologous expression of TaGSr-4D gene from wheat promoted the lateral root development in Arabidopsis. Overexpression of TaGSr-4D increased glutamine content and auxin content in root. Moreover, qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated that the expression of IAA14, LBD18, ARF6, ARF8, YUC3, YUC5, YUC6, and YUC9 were up-regulated in TaGSr-4D-OE Arabidopsis plants compared with wild-type. The absence of lateral roots in the arf7 arf19 mutant was not complemented by TaGSr-4D overexpression. These findings suggested that TaGSr-4D-regulated lateral root development is dependent on auxin signaling pathway. Furthermore, the shoot fresh weight of overexpression of TaGSr-4D OE-1 in Arabidopsis was greatly increased (39.29 %) compared with wild-type under low nitrogen conditions. This study may provides important clues for improving RSA and yield in wheat.
Detection and mapping of gm13, a QTL governing recessive resistance to rice gall midge.
Huang F, Teng C, Huang H … +8 more , Cheng H, Zhou G, Liu T, Zhu H, Jiang Z, Ahmad S, Liu P, Qiu Y
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41420948 · Publisher ↗
The Asian rice gall midge (RGM, Orseolia oryzae Wood-Mason) is a major devastating insect pest of rice, causing continuous damage from seedling to tillering stage. Its larvae invade the basal meristematic tissues of rice...
The Asian rice gall midge (RGM, Orseolia oryzae Wood-Mason) is a major devastating insect pest of rice, causing continuous damage from seedling to tillering stage. Its larvae invade the basal meristematic tissues of rice shoots, secreting effectors that induce the formation of characteristic hollow, tube-like structures known as 'silver-shoot', which inhibits panicle development. Deploying resistant cultivars harboring RGM resistance genes remains the most effective, environment-friendly, and sustainable management strategy, yet the discovery of novel resistance loci remains critical. We found that rice variety NY74 employs a combination of antixenotic and antibiotic defenses against RGM, without a hypersensitive response during the first 16 days of infestation. Genetic segregation analysis revealed that resistance in NY74 is governed by a single recessive locus, designated as gm13. Initial mapping using bulked segregant analysis (BSA) localized gm13 to chromosome 8L. The identified quantitative trait locus (QTL) individually explained 41.7 % of the phenotypic variation, with likelihood of odd (LOD) score 14.3. Subsequently, high-resolution linkage analysis segregating progenies further refined the locus to an 82 kb interval between 18.33 Mb and 18.41 Mb. Functional annotation of the candidate region identified a resistance gene homolog, gene1, as the most promising candidate gene, characterized by a leucine-rich repeat domain. Both the gene location and recessive genetic mode distinguish gm13 from other RGM resistance locus. Our findings provide a valuable genetic resource for breeding programs and advance the molecular understanding of rice immunity against gall midge.
The JmjC domain-containing histone demethylase ZmJMJ703 orchestrates salt stress adaptation in maize.
Wang S, Jiang L, Zhai T … +9 more , Qu K, Liu X, Di Z, Chen Y, Lu X, Li X, Zhang J, Zhang S, Yang W
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Feb · PMID 41418723 · Publisher ↗
The JmjC domain-containing protein family (JMJs) represents a family of key demethylases critical for epigenetic regulation and orchestrating plant growth and developmental processes. Despite their established roles, fun...
The JmjC domain-containing protein family (JMJs) represents a family of key demethylases critical for epigenetic regulation and orchestrating plant growth and developmental processes. Despite their established roles, functional investigations into JMJ proteins under abiotic stress conditions remain limited in maize. In this study, we identified and functionally characterized ZmJMJ703, a JmjC domain-containing gene exhibiting salt stress-responsive expression patterns in maize. Physiological and phenotypic analysis revealed that ZmJMJ703 mutation significantly impairs salt stress tolerance in maize seedlings. Transcriptomic profiling uncovered differential expression patterns between zmjmj703 mutants and wild-type plants, with affected genes predominantly associated with intracellular protein trafficking, amino acid metabolism, and small molecule reprogramming. Parallel proteomic analysis through mass spectrometry further demonstrated that differential protein accumulation in mutants primarily enriched pathways related to secondary metabolite biosynthesis. These integrated omics analyses collectively suggest that ZmJMJ703 may modulate metabolic pathways critical for abiotic stress responses. Functional validation was reinforced by phenotypic evaluation of Arabidopsis lines heterologous overexpressing ZmJMJ703, which exhibited enhanced salt stress tolerance compared to control plants. Collectively, these findings significantly advance our mechanistic understanding of JMJ proteins' contributions to plant abiotic stress resilience, particularly in the context of salt stress adaptation.
Dissecting the physiology of wild tomatoes under abiotic stress: Dynamic photosynthesis and metabolic adaptations to combined drought and salinity.
Spormann S, Neves J, Pereira C … +6 more , Soares C, Valente IM, Rodrigues JA, Martins V, Kaiser E, Fidalgo F
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Jan · PMID 41411950 · Publisher ↗
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is widely cultivated in open fields, being increasingly threatened by environmental constraints like drought and salinity, which disrupt water and nutrient uptake, photosynthesis, redox bala...
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is widely cultivated in open fields, being increasingly threatened by environmental constraints like drought and salinity, which disrupt water and nutrient uptake, photosynthesis, redox balance and growth. We examined how the wild relatives Solanum habrochaites LA1223 and Solanum galapagense LA1403 accessions respond to single and combined drought and salinity, in comparison to a modern cultivar. Growth, pigment content, dynamic photosynthesis, primary metabolism, and profiles of amino acids, polyamines, and phytohormones were evaluated to assess their natural resilience relative to the cultivated tomato. Wild tomato species sustained growth better under stress, with an enhanced nitrogen metabolism and osmotic adjustment. In particular, S. habrochaites exhibited higher pigment levels, superior photosynthetic performance, coupled with a rapid stomatal regulation, alongside the accumulation of osmoprotectants such as proline and sugars, leading to improved water use efficiency, likely mediated by salicylic acid. In contrast, S. galapagense showed a more conservative stomatal behavior and constitutively higher leaf spermine and root amino acid contents, being able to maintain biomass production and photosynthesis under water stress. Our results show that, despite their slower growth, wild tomato species display distinct and finely tuned physiological responses to abiotic stress, outperforming a commercial tomato cultivar. These findings emphasize wild species as valuable genetic resources for improving stress tolerance in cultivated tomato.
Overexpression of TaMAPK20-2 in Brachypodium reveals freezing and drought tolerance via modulation of sugar synthesis pathway.
Jung WJ, Kim KH, Yoon JS … +1 more , Seo YW
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Jan · PMID 41391276 · Publisher ↗
Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades play critical roles in plant responses to abiotic stress, yet their functional characterization in wheat remains limited. In this study, we investigated the function of a...
Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades play critical roles in plant responses to abiotic stress, yet their functional characterization in wheat remains limited. In this study, we investigated the function of a cold-responsive wheat MAPK gene, TaMAPK20-2, and its associated cascade components. Expression analysis revealed that TaMAPK20-2, TaMKK5, and TaMPKKK1 were significantly upregulated under cold stress. Subcellular localization and BiFC assays confirmed physical interactions among MPKKK1-MKK5-MAPK20-2 and MPKKK5-MKK6-MAPK20-2 modules, suggesting distinct signaling pathways. To assess its physiological role, we generated transgenic Brachypodium distachyon lines overexpressing TaMAPK20-2. Compared to wild-type (WT) plants, overexpression lines exhibited enhanced tolerance to both freezing and drought stress, as evidenced by higher survival rates, lower water loss, and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation. Notably, OE plants showed increased soluble sugar, starch, sucrose, and glucose contents under non-stress conditions, but not fructose. These changes were supported by elevated expression of key carbohydrate metabolism genes (Susy, GolS3, SPS, Invertase) in the absence of stress. Additionally, OE lines showed pre-activation of the ICE-CBF-COR cold tolerance pathway, suggesting a priming effect. These findings demonstrate that TaMAPK20-2 positively regulates abiotic stress tolerance by modulating both signaling and metabolic pathways. This study provides new insights into MAPK-mediated stress responses and highlights TaMAPK20-2 as a promising target for improving wheat resilience to environmental stress.
Triumphing over hidden hunger: Redesigning rice (Oryza sativa L.) for enhanced nutraceutical grain composition utilizing multiplexed genome editing.
Fathy K, Bharti J, Khan Sony S … +7 more , Nehra M, Kaul R, Rawat B, Sopory SK, Agrawal PK, Prakash A, Kaul T
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Jan · PMID 41385899 · Publisher ↗
Rice, a staple food crop, is consumed by most of the world's population. Micronutrient malnutrition is a severe health issue, leading to diseases such as cancer, anemia, diabetes, heart disease, and disorders in physical...
Rice, a staple food crop, is consumed by most of the world's population. Micronutrient malnutrition is a severe health issue, leading to diseases such as cancer, anemia, diabetes, heart disease, and disorders in physical and psychological development. We aimed to create rice with low cadmium in the grain but having high cadmium in shoots, safe biofortified protein, high iron, and zinc using CRISPR/Cas9 and breeding technologies instead of adding drugs. The triple gene Knockout rice lines for two iron sensors and one negative regulator gene for cadmium were created to offer high Fe/Zn and low Cd content for breeders. Multiplexed gene editing mediated biolistic transformation of rice callus, and genotyping was used to check the genetic stability of the edited rice lines. Rice lines were found to have enhanced iron, zinc, and protein content, with concentrations varying based on growth conditions. These lines can be used as phytoremediators for cadmium by storing Cd on plant shoots. The rice-edited plants possessed excellent agro-morphological traits, photosynthetic, and physiological performance. The developed edited indica rice lines have crucial agronomic traits with more nutritional value. Compared to the other lines and the wild wildtype, the genome-edited free Cas9 line 2 showed better traits: 13.48 μg/g (iron), 22.9 μg/g (zinc), and a high protein content, which depends on how bioavailable metals and nutrients are in the soil. The line also had 20.60 g of seeds per 1000 g of plant, a total plant yield of 102.76 g, and 101 days of 50 % flowering. This work offers efficient and precise multiple gene-editing in rice with an effective, sustainable strategy for multi-trait enhancement. The developed lines could be used in breeding programs for sustainable solutions for malnutrition worldwide. The experimental results can provide reference and support for the safe use of edited crops as a diet.
Dose-dependent mutagenic effects of carbon-ion beams in foxtail millet: from phenotypic screening to physiological and molecular mechanisms.
Liu R, Zhan Y, Cui A … +5 more , Qu Y, Jin W, Du Y, Yu L, Zhou L
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Jan · PMID 41380351 · Publisher ↗
Foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) Beauv) is an important crop for both basic research and sustainable dryland agriculture, due to its rapid growth, high seed yield, strong stress tolerance, and rich nutritional qualit...
Foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) Beauv) is an important crop for both basic research and sustainable dryland agriculture, due to its rapid growth, high seed yield, strong stress tolerance, and rich nutritional qualities. Multiple mutagenesis approaches have been used to broaden foxtail millet germplasm resources, among which heavy ion beam (HIB) irradiation has emerged as a powerful tool for inducing genetic variations in plant breeding. However, compared with other model species, genetic resources in foxtail millet remain limited, and the specific effects of HIB radiation on this crop are not yet fully understood. In this study, seeds of foxtail millet (Yugu 24) were irradiated using six different carbon-ion beams (CIB, 100 Gy-500 Gy), a commonly used HIB mutagen. Then, the mutagenic effects were evaluated in the M generation, conducted large-scale phenotype screening in the M generation, and analyzed the anatomical, physiological, and molecular mechanisms of stable leaf mutants. M plants exhibited dose-dependent responses, with the optimum CIB dose for Yugu 24 ranging from 110 Gy to 140 Gy. From 3100 M2 plants, we identified 56 individuals exhibiting obvious phenotypic variations, resulting in an overall mutation frequency of 1.81 % under CIB irradiation. High frequencies of leaf morphological mutations was observed in the M population. Stable leaf mutants were identified and further characterized in the M generation, which displayed distinct phenotypic variations, including changes in chloroplast structure, stomatal characteristics, and photosynthetic pigment content. Collectively, these findings establish a theoretical foundation for applying CIB irradiation in foxtail millet mutation breeding. Furthermore, the CIB-induced mutant library of Yugu 24provides a valuable resource for future functional genomics research on foxtail millet.
Squaring the Circle: Challenges and Breakthroughs in Plant Sciences.
Sonnewald U, Qiu QS, Kronzucker HJ
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Jan · PMID 41353909 · Publisher ↗
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
Autophagy, ROS, and their interplay in plant adaptive responses.
Zhang C, Li SQ, Jing P … +5 more , Wu RX, Ma YQ, Wu JX, Song RF, Liu WC
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Jan · PMID 41353908 · Publisher ↗
In ever-changing natural environments, plants have evolved precise and intricate regulatory networks to combat energy deprivation. Under limited energy supply, plants use autophagy to recycle cellular components and sust...
In ever-changing natural environments, plants have evolved precise and intricate regulatory networks to combat energy deprivation. Under limited energy supply, plants use autophagy to recycle cellular components and sustain vital processes. Autophagy represents an evolutionarily conserved mechanism operating at the subcellular level in eukaryotes. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), traditionally viewed as metabolic byproducts, exert concentration-dependent effects in plants: lower ROS in a controllable concentration range serve as signaling molecules modulating various aspects of plant growth, development and stress responses, whereas over-accumulating ROS induce oxidative damages, threatening plant growth and survival. Although the classification, metabolic dynamics, and multifaceted roles of ROS in plants have been extensively studied, the reciprocal regulatory interplay between ROS signaling and autophagy remains inadequately explored, particularly in plants. This review summarizes recent progress of plant ROS, autophagy, and their interplay, and also provides predictions and perspectives on the potential regulatory mechanisms between ROS and autophagy.
Overexpression of the halophyte Suaeda salsa Rubisco activase gene SsRCA in Arabidopsis improves plant photosynthesis under salt-stressed conditions.
Yang M, Wang X, Zhang X … +2 more , Wei X, Guo J
J Plant Physiol · 2026 Jan · PMID 41353907 · Publisher ↗
Rubisco activase (RCA) is the key regulatory enzyme in photosynthetic carbon assimilation that governs the activation state of Rubisco, which is the rate-limiting enzyme in CO fixation. While salinity generally inhibits...
Rubisco activase (RCA) is the key regulatory enzyme in photosynthetic carbon assimilation that governs the activation state of Rubisco, which is the rate-limiting enzyme in CO fixation. While salinity generally inhibits photosynthesis and yield in glycophytic crops, it paradoxically enhances photosynthetic efficiency in halophytes, such as Suaeda salsa. However, the potential mechanism still remains unknown. We cloned and characterized the SsRCA gene from S. salsa, and generated SsRCA-overexpressing Arabidopsis lines. We then examined the salt tolerance and photosynthetic traits of the transgenic plants. Results showed that RCA activity in the transgenic lines was 64 % higher, and that the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) was 41 % higher, as was the Fv/Fm, in SsRCA-overexpressing Arabidopsis under a 100 mM NaCl stress condition than in the wide type (WT). Meanwhile, under NaCl stress, the transgenic plants displayed increased growth and seed yield, lower Na and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, enhanced K and proline accumulation, and reduced oxidative damage compared to WT. These results suggested that SsRCA overexpression enhanced plant salt tolerance by optimizing Rubisco activation efficiency. Our findings will provide a novel halophyte-derived genetic resource for engineering crops with improved photosynthetic resilience in saline environments.
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