Water deficit-induced changes in transcription factor expression in maize seedlings ($)

Understanding plant responses to water deficit is crucial for the development of drought-reliance, but complicated by the different ways plant researchers induce water deficit. Starting with the premise that transcription factors are important coordinators of water-deficit responses, Seeve et al. carried out a systematic analysis of maize transcription factor expression in response to defined water deficit conditions, using a vermiculite growth medium that provides reproducible water potential conditions. They identified nearly 400 water-deficit responsive transcription factors, providing a valuable resources for genetic mapping and breeding studies.  Plant Cell Environ. 10.1111/pce.12891