Journal of Experimental Botany

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Founded in 1950, the Journal of Experimental Botany (JXB) is a top-ranking journal owned by the Society for Experimental Biology (SEB) and dedicated to publishing advances in plant science. j.exp.bot@lancaster.ac.uk

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Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· 21d

🌱🔥 SPECIAL ISSUE REVIEW 🔥🌱 Root traits, microbiome interactions, and epigenetic regulation play a role in plant heat stress resilience, stressing the need for laboratory approaches that closely reflect field conditions - Devesa-Aranguren et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 2.TGRooZ system adapted for rhizotrons. (A) Custom-designed rhizotron with three independent compartments, allowing simultaneous analysis of Arabidopsis plants under three different treatments. Images were captured using a LemnaTec Root Analyzer, which enables detailed morphological analysis through dedicated software. (B) Plants from the rhizotron shown in (A) were transferred to the Rhizo-TGRooZ system and grown in a chamber at 34 °C. A RGB image of the rhizotron is shown at left; a thermal image is shown at right. A thermal gradient was formed along the Rhizo-TGRooZ, similar to that observed in pots, effectively mimicking natural soil temperature profiles. (C) Two weeks-old wheat seedlings grown in a rhizotron. The image was captured using a LemnaTec Root Analyzer. (D) Plants from the rhizotron shown in (A) were transferred to the Rhizo-TGRooZ system and grown in a chamber at 34 °C. A RGB image of the rhizotron is shown at left; a thermal image is shown at right.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· 21d

🌱🤝 RESEARCH 🤝🌱 This study uncovers a novel, nodule-independent interaction between Arabidopsis thaliana and Sinorhizobium meliloti, expanding our understanding of plant–microbe partnerships in nitrogen-limited environments - Armijo-Godoy et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 7 (shortened, full legend in paper): Proposed model for the role of AtNSP1 and AtNLP9 in the A. thaliana–S. meliloti interaction under N-deficient conditions. Under N-deficient conditions, A. thaliana is proposed to perceive initial signals derived from S. meliloti, potentially including ammonium (NH4+) or other as yet unidentified bacterial molecules, through unknown receptor(s). This perception leads to the activation of AtNSP1, which functions upstream of AtNLP9 and promotes its transcriptional activation. Together, NSP1 and NLP9 coordinate downstream responses in nitrogen assimilation and the modulation of root system architecture (RSA). In parallel, S. meliloti activates biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) in a nifH-dependent manner. Unknown plant-derived signals, modulated by NSP1 and NLP9, feedback to influence nifH promoter activity and bacterial nitrogenase functionality.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· 23d

⚙️ REVIEW ⚙️ Autophagy plays a key role in plant responses to metal imbalance and toxicity by mitigating oxidative damage, recycling essential metals, and sequestering toxic ones. Its regulation is closely linked to oxidative stress - Sandalio et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 1 (shortened, full legend in paper): Overview of the autophagy pathway and sequential activation of ATG proteins under stress conditions. Autophagy is initiated by stress signals (nutrient starvation, ROS) which activate SnRK1, which in turn inhibits TOR. The ATG1 complex is activated by phosphorylation via SnRK1 and activates downstream autophagy components (ATG9 and VSP34). Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) produces phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PI3P), which binds to the phagophore and recruits PI3P-binding proteins such as ATG18. The expansion and maturation of the phagophore require lipid input from ATG9 and the lipid transport protein ATG2, as well as two ubiquitin-like conjugation cascades that culminate in the conjugation of ATG8 to phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) on the phagophore membrane.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· 23d

🍃⚡ SPECIAL ISSUE RESEARCH ⚡🍃 Ethylene signalling promotes mitochondrial stress tolerance independently of ANAC017 - Izquierdo et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 4.Callose formation in response to mitochondrial inhibitors. (A) Fluorescence visualization of callose by aniline blue staining in wild-type (wt) roots 3 days after passing to MS (control) or MS containing rotenone (50 µM), malonate (3.5 mM), antimycin A (AA) (10 µM), KCN (300 µM), oligomycin (5 µM), doxycycline (5 µM), or ACC (2 µM). (B) Callose formation in the roots tips of wt, ein2-5, eto1-13 or anac017-1 seedlings 3 days after passing to MS containing AA (10 µM). In each case, three independent experiments were performed with similar results.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· 24d

🌿🧬 RESEARCH 🧬🌿 Plant post-germinative growth is coordinated by the repressive role of nitric oxide on brassinosteroid- (BR) controlled growth responses through altering the accumulation of BR bioactive molecules and the expression of BR target genes - Rubio-Heras et al. #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 1 (shortened, full legend in paper): Epibrassinolide (eBL) effect on NO homeostasis mutants during hypocotyl elongation under light and dark conditions. (A, B) Seven-day-old wild-type (wt), cue1-6, nox1-1, and nia1nia2noa1-2 plants were grown on 1/2 MS medium supplemented with 0.01, 0.1, or 1 µM eBL or mock treated in LD (A) or dark conditions (B). Scale bar 0.5 cm. (C, D) Hypocotyl quantification of 7-day-old wt, cue1-6, nox1-1, and nia1nia2noa1-2 plants mock treated or treated with 0.01, 0.1, or 1 µM eBL grown in LD (C) or dark conditions (D). The percentage shown on each bar corresponds to the percentage hypocotyl elongation (in green) or inhibition (in red) relative to the wt (mutant versus the wt in control) or to untreated (eBL treated versus untreated for each genotype). All the measurements presented are individual values of n≥20 seedlings with the corresponding mean and SD.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· 26d

🌍 SPECIAL ISSUE EDITORIAL 🌍 "Climate change is no longer a distant projection but an ongoing process redefining the boundaries of plant survival." Balsera, Pérez-Ruiz & Serrato introduce a Special Issue on multiscale strategies to enhance plant resilience under climate change. #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 1.Multiscale integration of plant responses to dynamic environmental conditions. Plants experience fluctuating environmental conditions, including heat, drought, salinity, and biotic pressures, among others. Within this context, plant responses emerge from the coordinated interaction of multiple regulatory layers, such as calcium signalling, hormonal pathways, redox processes, transcriptional and epigenetic regulation, and plant–microbe interactions. These interconnected systems operate within metabolic and cellular constraints and define a dynamic regulatory space that continuously adjusts through time-dependent state transitions. The integration of these processes underlies key emergent properties of plant behaviour, including stability (homeostasis), flexibility (developmental plasticity), and memory (stress priming), which together determine plant performance and ecosystem-level outcomes.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· 26d

🧬 SPECIAL ISSUE REVIEW 🧬 In this review, Romero et al underscore the critical role of protein persulfidation in regulating different aspects of plant biology, emphasizing metalloproteins as important targets and thioredoxin system for depersulfidation. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 1.Mechanism of action for hydrogen sulfide(H₂S) in protein persulfidation. The interaction of H₂S with oxidized cysteine species, including sulfenic acids (Cys-SOH), is the best established process. A second mechanism for protein persulfide formation is through transsulfuration reactions, consisting of the donation of a sulfur atom from a sulfur compound catalyzed by sulfurtransferases, or the exchange with low-molecular-weight persulfides like persulfide of cysteine (CysSSH) and glutathione (GSSH). A non-enzymatic mechanism may involve metal elements within metalloproteins, such as Zinc-finger motifs or metal cofactors including heme iron, copper, or iron-sulfur clusters. Created in BioRender. Aroca, A. (2025) https://BioRender.com/fm2nhwp.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· 27d

📣 Check out JXB's newest Special Issue 📣 📕 Issue 13 📕 🌸 From Molecular Insights to Plant Resilience and Performance 🌸 ✍️ Guest edited by Monica Balsera, Juan Manuel Pérez-Ruiz & Antonio Jesús Serrato 🔗 academic.oup.com/jxb... #PlantScience 🧪 #JXBspecialissues

The cover of Vol 77 | Issue 13 | 2026 of the Journal of Experimental Botany. Warermelon red coloured banners border the top and bottom of the page and in the centre is a photo of peach orchards cultivated under controlled light and temperature conditions with drip irrigation illustrate sustainable agricultural practices in semi-arid environments. In the foreground, the peach trees have pink flowers, and in the background are hills of conifers (Credit: Prof. Francisca Sevilla, CEBAS-CSIC, Murcia, Spain.)

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· 28d

🫛 RESEARCH 🫛 Carboxylate exudation and reproductive effort are associated with leaf phosphorus-resorption efficiency in chickpea - Feng et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 6 (shortened, full legend in paper): Partial least squares path model (PLS-PM) showing the pathways through which carboxylate amount per plant (Cbp), leaf functional traits [FT; leaf mass per area (LMA) and leaf dry matter content (LDMC)], canopy senescence traits [SeneT; canopy senescence duration (SD) and reproductive period (RP)], reproductive traits [RT; flowering date (DF) and podding date (DP)], reproductive effort [REffort; seed dry weight (DWseed) and total seed phosphorus (P) content (TPseed)], and senesced leaf P (Ps) contribute to P resorption efficiency (PRE). Arrow width reflects the magnitude of standardized path coefficients (values >0.3 in bold). Blue lines indicate positive effects, red lines indicate negative effects. Solid lines represent significant paths (based on 15 000 bootstraps with 95% confidence intervals excluding zero); dashed lines denote non-significant paths. R2 values indicate the variance explained for each latent variable.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· 28d

🍅💧 RESEARCH 💧🍅 Zhai et al. uncover a miRNA-centered cascade where ABA-activated miR398b represses CSD1 to elevate ROS, driving stomatal closure and enhancing drought tolerance in tomato. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 1.sly-miR398b positively regulates drought tolerance in tomato. (A) O2·– accumulation during 15% PEG treatment in Alisa Craig; bars=1 cm. (B and C) Expression patterns of SlCSD1 (B) and sly-miR398b (C) in leaves under treatment with 15% PEG. SlACTIN and SlUBI3 were used as the reference genes for the quantification of SlCSD1, and U6 was used as the reference gene for the quantification of sly-miR398b. (D) Leaf phenotypes of WT, miR398b#20, miR398b#28, and mir398b plants after drought stress treatment for 15 d and recovery for 4 d; bars=5 cm. (E) Survival rates of various lines after rehydration. (F) Relative water content of leaves. FW (G) and DW (H) after drought stress treatment for 15 d. Data are presented as means ±SE (n=3). (I) Histochemical GUS staining of transgenic tomato carrying a 2.0 kb miR398b promoter–GUS construct; GUS activity is visualized in blue. Bars=100 μm. The same letters indicate no significant difference based on one-way ANOVA followed by Duncan’s test.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· 28d

🥔 RESEARCH 🥔 Brandon et al. propose a new framework to understand the mechanisms driving disease suppression in strip-intercropping systems, integrating effects estimated from field data into a microclimate-dependent epidemiological simulation model 🦠 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 1 (shortened, full legend in paper): Conceptual diagram of the modeling approach. This diagram outlines the methodology used to model the effect of disease-suppressive mechanisms in strip crops on late blight epidemics in potato, which consists of four steps. Step 1: field observations are used to estimate rate modifiers which estimate the strength of disease-suppressive mechanisms in strip crops relative to the monoculture. Rate modifiers are used to change the rate parameters in the late blight model. Step 2: a general late blight epidemic model is parametrized to fit observed disease progress in the monoculture. Step 3: disease progress in strip-crop treatments is predicted by inputting companion-specific strip-crop canopy microclimate data and adjusting model parameters according to the rate modifiers estimated in Step 1; mechanisms are toggled ON/OFF in a full factorial design. Step 4: disease progress under all scenarios is compared with observed disease severity.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· 29d

🌊🌿 RESEARCH 🌿🌊 Increased sediment nutrients strengthen submerged macrophyte trait network connectivity, boosting plant growth through enhanced nutrient use efficiency - Zhao et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Graphical Abstract shortened, full abstract in paper): Submerged macrophytes serve as crucial primary producers in freshwater ecosystems, with their growth strategies shaped by environmental factors. Plant trait networks (PTNs) reveal complex trait associations, offering deeper insights into environmental adaptation than traditional methods. However, plant responses to sediment nutrients within the PTN framework remain unclear. This study cultivated 12 common submerged macrophyte species across 11 sediment nutrient gradients for 3 months, measuring 30 functional traits per species. Results show that increasing sediment nutrients enhance PTN connectivity. Specifically, network edges and graph density increase while average path length decreases, indicating greater trait coordination under nutrient-sufficient conditions. Co-occurrence network analysis identifies the N:P ratio as a hub trait strongly linked to others across sediment nutrient gradients.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· 29d

🌾🌱 RESEARCH 🌱🌾 In a durum wheat mixture, increased susceptibility to Septoria tritici blotch is linked to delayed defense response induction, probably triggered by early root competition resulting from contrasting root architectures - Mathieu et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 7.Scheme of the proposed signaling cascade in a durum wheat varietal mixture. In the Cultur–Atoudur mixture, a below-ground signal—presumably associated with root architecture rather than root-derived metabolites—triggers a competitive response characterized by the down-regulation of primary metabolism and an increase in phenylpropanoid accumulation in Cultur. Additionally, the delayed activation of defense following Septoria tritici blotch (STB) inoculation probably explain the observed higher susceptibility to STB in this varietal mixture. Created in BioRender. Mathieu, L. (2026) under agreement #HJ2926JXGQ.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· 29d

🪲🌿 RESEARCH 🌿🪲 A highly conserved genetically linked and co-regulated effector pair in aphids forms an effector protein complex that targets a host trafficking protein - Bleau et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 6.Working model of Mp1–Mp58–AtVPS52 complex. Upon infestation, Myzus persicae effectors Mp1 and Mp58 are secreted into host plant cells. Mp1 and Mp58 interact to form a complex, but the size and stoichiometry of the complex and whether the complex forms before, during, or after delivery remain to be investigated. Mp1 and Mp58 associate with VPS52-associated vesicles, which may disrupt or alter VPS52-associated complexes to alter vesicle trafficking mechanisms to benefit aphid feeding.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· 29d

🍎🛡️ RESEARCH 🛡️🍎 Leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase 1 regulates apple resistance to the fungus Colletotrichum fructicola and aphids, and interacts with MdGRP1-LIKE to improve apple resistance to C. fructicola but not to aphids - Chen et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 6.Mechanism by which MdLRR-RLK1 modulates biotic resistance in apple. Elevated expression of MdLRR-RLK1 in its overexpression lines significantly increases the accumulation of antioxidant enzymes, enhances the synthesis of secondary metabolites, and up-regulates key defense-related genes, including those in the jasmonic acid biosynthesis pathway as well as MdWRKYs and MdPRs, and MdTGA9 and MdNPR3. These changes confer stronger resistance to both C. fructicola and aphids. Similarly, heightened expression of MdGRP1-LIKE in its overexpression lines elevates antioxidant enzyme levels and induces the expression of MdWRKYs and MdPRs, and MdTGA9 and MdNPR3, thereby enhancing resistance to C. fructicola. As a receptor-like protein kinase, MdLRR-RLK1 interacts with and phosphorylates MdGRP1-LIKE proteins, leading to their functional activation. CAT, catalase; OE, overexpression line; POD, peroxidase; SOD, superoxide dismutase; TF, transcription factor.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· Jul 13

🌾🍄 EDITOR'S CHOICE 🍄🌾 The fungus Fusarium graminearum produces multiple secretory proteins that target the cell nucleus of the host wheat plant, one of which was shown to interact physically with nuclear-localized β-amylase 2 - Ayilalath et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 4 (shortened, full legend in paper): Characteristics of EFF18 target genes identified by yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) screen. (A) Protein domains identified in the four target proteins as predicted by a Conserved Domain Database (CDD) analysis. (B) Unrooted phylogenetic trees where monocotyledons (green) and dicotyledons (blue) are indicated. Branch lengths were standardized for all trees and expressed as substitution/site. Percentage of identity and evolution rates computed as the sum of the branch lengths for the monocotyledon species are given below each tree. Values for AGL62 and MSH1 served as indicators for high and low evolution rates. (C) Expression profiles of the four target proteins in the ‘Recital’ wheat cultivar. Data are expressed as log2(fold change) between infected (values obtained from plants facing three different F. graminearum strains in three replicates each) and mock (three replicates) conditions at 48, 72, and 96 hours post-infection (hpi).

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· Jul 13

🍅🍄 RESEARCH 🍄🍅 Mycorrhizal tomato plants exhibit primed sensitivity to damage signals, leading to primed defense responses and induced resistance to fungal pathogens - Minchev et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 1.Proteomic analysis reveals that mycorrhizal plants are more sensitive to oligogalacturonides (OGs) than non-mycorrhizal plants. (A) Sparse partial least squares discriminant analysis sPLS-DA) of the non-targeted proteomic study in leaves of non-mycorrhizal (Nm) and mycorrhizal (Fm) plants treated with different concentrations of OGs (0, 5, and 50 µg ml–1). (B) sPLS-DA comparing the effect of OGs treatment in Nm and Fm plants separately. (C) Heatmap analysis of 200 proteins showing the highest changes among treatments according to ANOVA. Plants were colonized (Fm) or non-colonized (Nm) with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Funneliformis mosseae and treated with two different concentrations of OGs (5 µg ml–1 and 50 µg ml–1) or water as a control treatment (0 µg ml–1). Each data point represents a biological replicate. All the samples were injected twice.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· Jul 13

🌿⚙️ RESEARCH ⚙️🌿 Model-informed overexpression of SBPase, FBP aldolase, and AGPase in tobacco did not enhance carbon assimilation or biomass, providing insights into species-specific responses for optimizing these traits - Lemonnier et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 1.Production and selection of triple overexpressor lines. (A) qPCR/transcript abundance in T1 plants. (B) Protein quantification; relative spectral counts for the target proteins in fully expanded leaves of T2 plants. (C) Fq′/Fm′ at low O2 and 500 μmol m−2 s−1 of T2 plants 21–22 d after sowing. n=6–10. *P<0.05 (linear mixed model analysis accounting for block as random effect was carried out; comparisons were done only between each SFA and corresponding CN). In boxplots: the box represents the middle 50% of the data (first to thirrd quartile, Q1–Q3); the mid-line indicates the median (Q2); whiskers extend to the most extreme data points within 1.5× the interquartile range (IQR); and outliers beyond this range are shown as large red dots.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· Jul 12

🌿🌍 RESEARCH 🌍🌿 Photosynthetic fluxes in C4 species are more complex than most textbook models show, with malate and aspartate both carrying C4 cycle fluxes in all three subtypes (NADP-ME, NAD-ME, and PEPCK) - Baccolini et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 1 (shortened, full legend in paper): Photosynthetic pathways in the three C4 subtypes. (A) Inter- and subcellular compartmentation of the C4 pathways in canonical NADP-malic enzyme (NADP-ME)-, NAD-malic enzyme (NAD-ME)-, and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK)-type C4 species. Abbreviations: 3PGA, 3-phosphoglycerate; Ala, alanine; AlaAT, alanine aminotransferase; AspAT, aspartate aminotransferase; CA, carbonic anhydrase; CBC, Calvin–Benson cycle; DHAP, dihydroxyacetone-phosphate; NADP-MDH, NADP-dependent malate dehydrogenase; OAA, oxaloacetate; PEP, phosphoenolpyruvate; PEPC, PEP carboxylase; PPDK, pyruvate, phosphate dikinase; Pyr, pyruvate. The predominant C4 acid and C3 products of decarboxylation are shown in red, and the major decarboxylating enzymes in blue. The 3PGA:triose-phosphate energy shuttle in NADP-ME species is shown by the grey arrows.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· Jul 12

🌼🛢️ RESEARCH 🛢️🌼 Arabidopsis seeds with high levels of hydroxy fatty acids were produced by expressing a lesquerella gene in a transgenic line expressing castor genes without adverse effects on seed and leaves - Park et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 1 (shortened, full legend in paper): Schematic presentation of strategies for hydroxy fatty acid accumulation in Arabidopsis. The dotted arrows represent weak reactions. (A) Wild-type Col-0 that does not produce hydroxy fatty acid in seeds. (B) pCam5, which expressed five castor genes (RcFAH12, RcDGAT2, RcPDAT1-2, RcPDCT, RcLPCAT) in the Col-0 background (Park et al., 2022). (C) Knockout of the FAE1 in pCam5 background, referred to as pCam5-atfae1 (Park et al., 2022). (D) Additional introduction of PfKCS18 into pCam5 and (E) pCam5-atfae1. CoA, coenzyme A; DAG, diacylglycerol; DGAT, diacylglycerol acyltransferase; FAD, fatty acid desaturase; FAE, fatty acid elongase; FAH12, oleate 12-hydroxylase; G3P, glycerol-3-phosphate; GPAT, glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase; KCS, 3-ketoacyl-CoA synthase; LPA, lysophosphatidic acid; LPAT, lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase; LPCAT, lyso-phosphatidylcholine acyltransferase;

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· Jul 11

🌾🍃 RESEARCH 🍃🌾 Rapid early growth in new rice lines results from preferential biomass allocation to wider leaves, promoting rapid canopy expansion and greater whole-plant carbon gain despite reduced leaf-level photosynthetic capacity - Zhang et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 7 (shortened, full legend in paper): Response curves of the CO2 assimilation rate and growth rate components in four rice genotypes. (A) Response of A to photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) and (B) to intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) for each genotype. Ac, Aj, and Ap indicate the limitations on A due to ribulose bisphosphate (RuBP) carboxylation, RuBP regeneration, and the availability of inorganic phosphate, respectively. The open points in (A) and (B) represent mean values (±SE, n = 6). Details about the fitted parameters for CO2 assimilation curves are shown in Table 2. Asterisks indicate significant differences in photosynthetic rates between genotypes at a specific PPFD or ambient CO2 concentrations based on ANOVA. *P<0.05; **P<0.005; ***P<0.001. (C) The average net assimilation rate from 16 to 21 d after sowing, from 21 to 26 d after sowing, and the overall period.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· Jul 11

🌙🌾 RESEARCH 🌾🌙 Warm nights suppress night-time respiration in wheat without reducing photosynthetic capacity, contradicting the common assumption that warmer nights uniformly increase respiratory carbon loss - Shahi et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 2.Effects of high night temperature on photosynthetic efficiency traits in 10 Australian wheat cultivars released between 1901 and 2012. Plants were treated with day/night temperatures of 25/12 °C (control) or 25/22 °C (high night), and all measurements were made at 25 °C. (A) Maximum rate of Rubisco carboxylation (Vcmax), (B) rate of electron transport (J1500), and (C) rate of triphosphate utilisation (TPU). Data are means (±SEM), n=2–6. Regression equations and adjusted R2 values are shown; NS, not significant. Non-significant relationships are shown as black dashed lines, whilst significant relationships are colour-coded according to the key.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· Jul 10

🫐🍃 RESEARCH 🍃🫐 Ponce et al. characterized ethylene biosynthesis in blueberries and found that blueberry fruit do not have autocatalytic ethylene biosynthesis but show a genotype-dependent ethylene response during ripening. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 7.Effect of postharvest PGR treatments on fruit ripening of different highbush blueberry cultivars. (A) ‘O’Neal’, (B) ‘Brigitta’, (C) ‘Spartan’, (D) ‘Darrow’, and (E) ‘Blueray’. Images of treated fruits were taken at 8 d after treatment. Ethylene emission and respiration rate were measured after 20 h of treatments. Bars represent the mean ±SEM (n=3). Statistical differences were tested with ANOVA withTukey’s post-hoc test: * P<0.05, ns=not significant.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· Jul 10

🥝🌸 RESEARCH 🌸🥝 Gene editing and overexpression show that LEAFY genes control branching and floral organ development but not flowering time in kiwifruit, unlike the flowering-time function proposed in other plants - Peng et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 5 (shortened, full legend in paper): Abnormal floral development in kiwifruit lfy1 and lfy2 single-mutants, and in the lfy1 lfy2 double-mutant. (A) Representative images of closed and open floral buds, and open flowers from the non-edited control (fast-flowering hermaphrodite background, cen4 sygl double-mutant), the lfy1 and lfy2 single-mutant lines 11 and 27, respectively, and the lfy1 lfy2 double-mutant line 22 (Fig. 4). Scale bars are 1 mm. (B) SEM images of dissected floral buds from the non-edited control and the lfy1 lfy2 double-mutant lines 10 and 33. Scale bars are 1 mm. The insets are images of the complete floral buds. (C–F) Relative expression of (C) the class A genes AcAP1, AcAP1-1, AcAP1-2, and AcAP2, (D) the class B genes AcPI and AcAP3-2, (E) the class C gene AcAG, and (F) the class E genes AcSEP1 and AcSEP3 in the floral buds of the non-edited, single-mutant, and double mutant plants. Expression is shown relative to that of the ACTIN reference gene.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· Jul 9

🦠🌱 RESEARCH 🌱🦠 2,5-Dimethylpyrazine emitted by plant growth-promoting microbes improved Arabidopsis growth, increasing accumulation of nitrate and ammonium through activation of nitrate and ammonium transporter genes - Thida et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 2.Effects of the five volatile organic compounds [2-butanone (2-B), benzaldehyde (Benz), diethylene glycol (DG), 2-ethyl-1-hexanol (2E-1H), and 2,5-dimethylpyrazine (2,5-D)] emitted from five plant growth-promoting microbes [Acinetobacter sp. WCHAc060042 (B20), Cereibacter sphaeroides TS (B34), Pseudomonas putida YH-2 (B74), Acinetobacter tjernbergiae DSM 14971 (B75), and Pseudomonas sp. CA10 (B141)] on Arabidopsis growth. After 14 d of co-culture, the shoots (A) and the roots (B) of Arabidopsis seedlings were harvested, and then the dry weight of biomass was recorded. The data show the mean value ±SE from four biological replications. The same letter indicates no significant differences according to the least significant difference test with α=0.05.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· Jul 9

🌸🌡️ RESEARCH 🌡️🌸 Naturally occurring polymorphisms in FLC and MAFs in result in early flowering regardless of temperature or day-length, highlighting the central role of the FLC–MAF regulatory module in integrating seasonal signals - Karim et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 7.A proposed working model for the early-flowering phenotype in the Arabidopsis accessionIP-Svi-0. The normal expression patterns of FLC, FLM, MAF2, MAF3, and MAF5 in Col-0 repress the expression of the floral activators FT and SOC1, thereby preventing precocious flowering. However, in IP-Svi-0, genetic polymorphisms remove the expression of FLC, MAF2, and MAF3, and significantly reduce the expression of FLM and MAF5 leading to de-repression of FT and SOC1, which results in early flowering in a manner that is both temperature- and photoperiod-independent. The lines below the gene names represent the relative level of expression, and the arrows along FT/SOC1 indicate the relative transcriptional activity. FLC/M, FLOWERING LOCUS C/M; MAF, MADS AFFECTING FLOWERING; FT, FLOWERING LOCUS T; SOC1, SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS 1.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· Jul 8

🍅🌱 RESEARCH 🌱🍅 The tomato drought-induced DREB transcription factor TINY1 suppressed embryonic and early seedling growth by inhibiting gibberellin activity, but it had no significant effect on drought response mechanisms - Azriel et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 1 (shortened, full legend in paper): Tiny1 exhibited faster water loss under drought conditions. (A) Representative M82 and tiny1-23 plants after 8 d without irrigation. Scale bar=6 cm. (B) Leaf relative water content (RWC, %) of M82 and tiny1-23 under normal irrigation and 7 d without irrigation. Values are the means ±SE of six biological replicates (terminal leaflets taken from the third leaf below the apex). Different letters above the box plots indicate statistically significant differences (P<0.05, Tukey–Kramer HSD). (C) Stomatal conductance (gsw) of M82 and tiny1-23, measured at 09.00 h over 4 d without irrigation. Data represent the means ±SE of 14 biological replicates for M82 and 19 biological replicates for tiny1-23, with three technical replicates per measurement. Statistical significance was determined using Student’s t-test (P<0.05); ‘ns’ denotes non-significant differences.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· Jul 6

🍅☀️ RESEARCH ☀️🍅 Light perception influences the way tomato fruits build their protective skin, affecting water loss and disease resistance after harvest - Fernandes et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 6 (shortened, full legend in paper): Proposed regulatory model for SlPHYB1/B2-mediated control of fruit cuticle deposition. Upon red light absorption, activated SlPHYB1/B2 (Pfr form) represses the downstream positive regulators SlPIF3/4 and SlBBX28, which otherwise physically interact to activate the expression of cuticle-related genes. Concurrent down-regulation of genes from pathways related to the biosynthesis and activation of fatty acids (FAs) likely reduces the pool of activated FAs feeding into cutin and wax biosynthetic pathways, thereby constraining cuticle formation and resulting in a thinner protective layer over the fruit epidermal cells (left). By contrast, conversion of SlPHYB1/B2 to the inactive Pr form under far-red-enriched light conditions relieves this repression, leading to increased cuticle load (right).

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· Jul 6

🌱🌀 RESEARCH 🌀🌱 The boron analogue phenylboronic acid interacts with pectins, and disrupts auxin levels and signaling, resulting in abnormal root curvature and the absence of lateral roots - Hays et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 7 (shortened, full legend in paper): Hypothetical model representing the action of phenylboronic acid (PBA) on Arabidopsis root growth and development. The model shows the main elements mentioned in the discussion and potentially targeted by PBA. (A) Control conditions where it is hypothesized that the dimerization of rhamnogalacturonan type II (RG-II) occurs normally and is associated with rapid growth and a vertical shape of the roots. (B) Upon PBA treatment in the presence of boron, RG-II might dimerize alternatively with either boron or PBA. This chimeric dimerization might disrupt pectin organization in the cell wall, leading to a loosening or tightening of the wall and creating a twist in the root.

Journal of Experimental Botany@jxbotany· Jul 4

🌾🌸 RESEARCH 🌸🌾 The roles of four rice AGAMOUS-like genes are revealed by generating in situ overexpression transgenic plants and corroborated by a genome-wide survey of direct targets, interacting proteins, and trans-acting factors - Gong et al. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... #PlantScience 🧪