Roots are important for acquiring water and nutrients from the soil; however root system architecture is poorly understood in cereal crops. Here Aldiss et al. used CRISPR/Cas9 to generate barley mutants in the auxin transporter PIN-FORMED2 (PIN2). Seedlings were grown in chambers and after four days…

The onset of flowering is a tightly regulated process, as is the end of the reproductive phase in plants. In Arabidopsis thaliana, FRUITFULL (FUL) contributes to ending the reproductive cycle, as do signals derived from developing seeds. Here, Martínez-Fernández et al. explored to which extent that…

Plant roots are functionally distinct along the longitudinal axis due to different cell types and diverse metabolic states. Root-secreted metabolites are involved in the assembly of complex microbial communities, yet the relationships between root-metabolites and organization of root microbiota at the…

The defensive alkaloid gramine, present in barley and other grass species, plays an important role in protecting the plant from insect damage but poses challenges for ruminant palatability. Breeding strategies balance these factors by maintaining the protective function and making the grain palatable…

Soil microbial communities respond rapidly to stress, potentially leading to altered compositions in stressful environments and consequently impacting plant natural selection. Bolin and Lau investigated the influence of microbial responses to stress and persistent microbial legacy effects on plant selection.…

Afforestation initiatives are globally underway to replace naturally treeless ecosystems with native and non-native trees. The primary objective is to enhance atmospheric carbon capture as a means to combat climate change. This review seeks to illuminate the diverse impacts of afforestation, both positive…

Review: Chloroplast ion homeostasis Healthy plants require access to several mineral nutrients, which are usually taken up in ionic form. The details of nutrient uptake, distribution, and function have been painstakingly revealed over several decades. In this excellent new Tansley Review, Kunz et…

The et al. identified a chloroplast glutamate exporter in Arabidopsis thaliana. The Plant Cell (2023). By Samantha The and Mechthild Tegeder, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koad310 Background: Plants produce…