Roots play a critical role in determining  seedling resilience mechanisms to abiotic stress conditions. Despite advancements in the characterization of root systems at phenotypic and cellular levels, the diversity of belowground epidermal microstructures remains poorly understood, particularly prior…

Plant pathogens are skilled manipulators, using specialized molecular weapons to weaken plant defenses and establish infection. Traditionally, scientists have focused on secreted proteins, known as effectors, that help pathogens suppress plant immune responses. But recent discoveries show that fungal…

This is a very interesting Perspective article by Barry et al. that should be of interest to anyone who has benefitted from Indigenous Knowledges or who teaches about scientific writing. The authors, a group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous scholars in Australia, explore how Indigenous Knowledges should…

Review: Revisiting endophyte-mediated plant protection across diverse host systems Endophytic bacteria and fungi, the invisible allies within plant tissues, are emerging as powerful contributors to sustainable agriculture. They can enhance plant defense through multiple mechanisms, including antibiosis,…

In plants, compared to male meiosis, female meiosis has remained largely unexplored. In our recent study published in The Plant Cell (Hu and Prusicki et al., 2026), by live cell imaging, we visualize female meiosis in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, advancing the knowledge of reproductive development. Background:…

We are putting our spotlight in this section on how secondary cell walls acquire the precise shape, structure, and polarity necessary for explosive seed dispersal in the small weed Cardamine hirsuta. Specifically, we wanted to understand the role of cellulose- a major structural component of plant cell…

When looking at the foods that fill our supermarkets, it can be hard to imagine we are relying on just a handful of domesticated plant species. Thousands of wild plants, each with its own unique strengths, remain overlooked and underused. For years, plant breeders have tried to borrow these unique traits…

This comprehensive review by Mogollón et al. would be a great starting point to help students think about the pressing challenge of feeding growing numbers of people in the face of climate change. The article begins with the impact of food production on the environment; the release of greenhouse gasses,…