Articles for category Plant Biology

In the article "Impact of emerging compound droughts on forests: A water supply and demand perspective" the authors C. Werner,  M. Bahn,  T. E. E. Grams,  C. Grossiord,  S. Haberstroh,  G. Lenczner,  D. Tuia,  H. Vallicrosa not only summarize physiological and ecological responses of trees to emerging compound droughts, but also explain the role of acclimation and consequences for ecosystem-level functions. They explore the physiological and ecological mechanisms underlying tree water and carbon regulation during these extreme conditions, focusing on the balance between water demand and supply, the role of acclimation, and its consequences for ecosystem-level functions. By examining the mechanisms at play from the organ to the ecosystem-scale, they provide a comprehensive understanding of how trees and forests are likely to respond to an increasingly unpredictable climate with a higher likelihood of compound
droughts.

Read whole paper open access in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2025) DOI: 10.1111/plb.70080

In their review "Drought-induced aesthetic decline and ecological impacts on ornamentals: mechanisms of damage and innovative strategies for mitigation" the authors S. Chachar, N. Ahmed, and X. Hu summarize drought responses in ornamental plants by emphasizing hormone regulation, antioxidant defence, and gene expression changes. They focus on the dual challenge of ensuring drought tolerance while preserving aesthetic traits, which sets ornamentals apart from other plant types. The authors present innovative management strategies, such as genetic engineering (e.g., CRISPR-Cas9), transcription factor manipulation, and exogenous applications of hormones and biostimulants to enhance resilience, as well as solutions to mitigate drought-induced damage. This review underscores the urgent need for integrated molecular, physiological, and horticultural strategies to balance these demands, offering a roadmap to sustain the aesthetic and ecological contributions of ornamentals in an era of increasing climate variability. 

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2025) DOI: 10.1111/plb.70074 

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In their review "Genome blaze: engineering chilli pepper chloroplasts for sustainable production of capsaicinoids through organellar genome editing" the authors M. Bulle,  S. Abbagani,  A. Raza summarize recent advances for genetic improvement of Chilli peppers, enriched with heightened levels of phytochemicals, such as capsinoids (CATs) and capsaicinoids (CAPs) with potential health benefits. The expression of specific genes is crucial to stimulate the CAT and CAP levels in response to environmental conditions. The authors also highlight recent advancements in CRISPR/Cas and plastid engineering within Capsicum, coupled with application of base editing approaches for editing plant organelle DNA. The review also assesses the challenges and opportunities in the pursuit of commercial and sustainable production of bioactive compounds specific to Capsicum species.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2025) DOI: 10.1111/plb.70067 

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Since the parasitic processes in Cuscuta are closely linked to their cell wall structures and functions, authors M. Takagawa and R. Yokoyama have put together current knowledge in a review. In the paper "Current understanding of the role of the cell wall in Cuscuta parasitism", they summarise each of the processes: 

• the beginings with tight coiling around the host stem by the strong tensile force of the thickened inner cell wall layers
• attachment to the host surface using secretory cell wall components
• invasion of a feeding structure (haustorium), facilitated by degradation and modification of host cell walls
• haustoria-derived search hyphae transdifferentiation into tracheary elements of the secondary cell walls
• since secondary cell walls provide mechanical strength and hydrophobicity to the tracheary element, Cuscuta can draw fluids from the host through the tracheary element.

Read whole paper open access in our scientific journal Plant Biology (20xx) DOI: 10.1111/plb.70059 

The paper summarizes transposon chromosomal niches, and the functional consequences of their specific chromosomal localization in plants. The authors E. Kejnovsky, P. Jedlicka, M. Lexa and Z. Kubat review specific chromosomal niches where transposable elements (TEs) are often localized including 

• centromeres
• (sub)telomeres
• genes
• sex chromosomes.

They also focus on the processes standing behind non-equal distribution of various TEs in genomes including 

• purifying selection
• insertion site preference or targeting of TEs
• post-insertion ectopic recombination between TEs
• spatiotemporal regulation of TE jumping.

They explain the distribution of TEs on sex chromosomes, describe the phenomena of mutual nesting of TEs, epigenetic mark silencing in TEs, and TE interactions in the 3D interphase nucleus concerning TE localization and summarize the functional consequences of TE distribution and relate them to cell functioning and genome evolution.

Read whole paper open access in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2025) DOI: 10.1111/plb.70057 

Special issue “Ecology and Evolution of Plant Chemodiversity” in our Journal Plant Biology is edited by C. Müller, B. Fuchs,  J.-P. Schnitzler,  S. B. Unsicker,  and S. R. Whitehead. 

This compilation of current research systematically explores dimensions of phytochemical diversity, plant metabolites, fine-tunings, as well as about interactions among mutualists, antagonists, and plants. Why this results are of crucial importance for plant sciences is explained in the editorial DOI: 10.1111/plb.13667 

Read issue information under DOI: 10.1111/plb.13667 

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In their research paper "Root water uptake depth in temperate forest trees: species-specific patterns shaped by neighbourhood and environment" authors Hackmann, Paligi, Mund, Hölscher, Leuschner, Pietig and Ammer used stable water isotopes to compare water uptake in pure and mixed stands of European beech (Fagus sylvatica), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), and Norway spruce (Picea abies). Beech and Douglas fir had access to water from deeper soil layers, unlike spruce. Beech used deeper water in mixtures with both conifers, while spruce shifted to shallower layers in mixture with beech. Douglas fir showed no significant difference between pure and mixed stand. They emphasize the importance of species-specific traits and mixture effects in forest water cycles, and how they are mediated by site and environmental conditions. Conclusion: Douglas fir appears more drought resistant than Norway spruce, by accessing deeper water sources. Beech and Douglas fir may equally coexist, while beech presence exacerbates the drought exposure of spruce. 

Read early view of whole paper Open Access in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2025) DOI: 10.1111/plb.70058 

The authors Katharina Wolff and Boas Pucker summarize current knowledge about anthocyanin pigmentation variation, several different regulatory mechanisms, three potential ecological functions and promising industrial applications in their review "dark side of anthocyanin pigmentation". They conclude: Understanding the genetic basis of dark pigment accumulation would facilitate biotechnological and agricultural applications.

Read whole paper Open Access in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2025) DOI: 10.1111/plb.70047 

Human-invisible but bee-visible UV-patterns in flowers aid pollination by signalling pollinators and protecting vulnerable DNA in pollen. In their review the authors Lunau, Camargo, and Ren summarize functions of UV pigments and UV reflection patterns in flowers, including visual signalling by reflectance, fluorescence, and gloss, as well as protection against UV radiation. Advantages and limits of spectrophotometry, UV photography and false colour photography in bee view are discussed. Authors briefly touch how flower UV patterns may change in response to increasing global UV radiation, potentially influencing plant pollination.

Read whole paper Open Access in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2025) DOI: 10.1111/plb.70050 

The primary medicinal components in G. biloba, flavonoids, have antiinflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant effects, and are promising in treating Alzheimer’s disease and hypertension. In their review "Ginkgo biloba flavonoids: Analysis of functions, regulatory mechanisms, and extraction" authors Wang, Zhang, Liao, Ye, Xu, and Wang highlight structural genes and regulatory factors involved in flavonoid biosynthesis, explore how abiotic factors influence flavonoid accumulation, and outline optimal extraction methods for increasing the flavonoid content in G. biloba. They address insights for future production practices and scientific research that will enhance the medicinal and commercial value of G. biloba. 

Read whole paper Open Access in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2025) DOI: DOI: 10.1111/plb.70054 

MicroRNAs are more difficult to study than other RNAs. Therefore, the authors Hernández, Sierra-Sarabia, Díaz-Camino and Reyes summarize functions of non-conserved microRNAs in the legumes known so far. They address their potential role in regulating important processes, such as stress responses and communication with other organisms, including bacteria and fungi. Their review "Non-conserved microRNAs and their roles in plants: the case for legumes" comes to the conclusion that non-conserved microRNAs are likely to contribute to more gene regulation circuits than currently appreciated, and in a wider range of plant species.

Read whole paper Open Access in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2025) DOI: 10.1111/plb.70027 

In the article author Trinh introduces the modified version of the tubulin kinase PROPYZAMID-HYPERSENSITIVE 1 (PHS1), named PHS1ΔP, and describes it as a tool to study microtubules. Traditionally, research involving microtubules relies on analysing mutants with altered microtubule properties or treating plant tissues with drugs that interfere with microtubule behaviours and unfortunately are not specific. In this article "PHS1ΔP as a promising tool to study microtubule-related processes in plant sciences" microtubules could be manipulated with high spatial and temporal accuracy and several microtubule-related research questions could be addressed. The author therefore suggests that also other researchers could adopt the technique in the future. 

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2025) DOI: 10.1111/plb.70019 

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This review summarizes more than 20 years of research and focusses on the role of hybridization, polyploidization, and environmental factors in shaping the phenotypic diversity of the more than 100 existing wild potato species. In their article "Unveiling the hidden codes: a review of variability and ecological epigenetics after 20 years of studies on potato" authors Masuelli, Cara and Kozub address the ecological implications of epigenetic variation, emphasizing its role in plant adaptation to changing environments. The authors also propose a model that integrates epigenetic variability into the evolution of natural potato populations, highlighting its potential for rapid adaptation and phenotypic differentiation.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2025) DOI: 10.1111/plb.70003

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In their review "the branched-chain amino acid-related isoleucic acid: recent research advances" authors Mekonnen, Ghirardo, Zhang, and Schäffner review recent progress in the characterization of isoleucic acid (ILA) biosynthesis and function in plants and discuss current knowledge gaps and future directions in ILA research. ILA plays a positive role in plant signalling for defence responses against bacterial pathogens by increasing the abundance of salicylic acid aglycone through competitive inhibition of SA deactivation by glucosylation. ILA is also important for humans with maple syrup urine disease who are defective in the catabolism of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), that is, isoleucine, leucine, and valine and accumulate BCAA breakdown products like 2-keto acid derivatives. They also summarize the differences in ILA biosynthesis, regulation, and functional roles in plants vs. mammals.

Read whole paper open access in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2025) DOI: 10.1111/plb.13771

Melatonin (MT) application not only maintains quality but also delays senescence in horticultural products, which is important for their nutritional quality, shelf life, commercial value, and marketability. The review "The role of melatonin in delaying senescence and maintaining quality in postharvest horticultural products" by Liu et al. summarizes significant effects of exogenous MT application on postharvest horticultural products, examines regulatory mechanisms of MT-mediated effects, and provides an integrated review for understanding the positive role of MT in senescence delay and quality maintenance. Also its role as multifunctional molecule and its coordinating functions are put together. The authors conclude that MT could become an emerging and eco-friendly preservative to extend shelf life and maintain postharvest quality of horticultural products.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2024) DOI: 10.1111/plb.13706

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In their review authors Pittman and Hirschi summarize recent findings on the significance of CAX transporters (Cation/H⁺ Exchangers) in plant signal transduction and element partitioning. This may open future ways of strategically manipulating the temporal loss of CAX function in agriculturally important crops that may bolster plant immunity, enhance cold tolerance, and fortify resilience against one of agriculture’s most significant challenges, namely flooding. In their review entitled "CAX control: multiple roles of vacuolar cation/H⁺ exchangers in metal tolerance, mineral nutrition and environmental signalling" the authors also address the use of genetically encoded Ca²⁺ sensors, the loss of CAX functions and specific stress conditions, as well as the determination of optimal timing and approach for modulating the expression of CAX.

Read whole paper open access in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2024) DOI: 10.1111/plb.13698

Since the precise mechanisms through which nitrogen influences lignin biosynthesis have not been fully elucidated, the authors Peng, Shrestha, Zhang, Fan, Yu and Wang summarize a systematic search of the literature. Among the selected studies, 64.52% refer to lignin content found a negative correlation between nitrogen availability and lignin content. High nitrogen decreases the lignin content, delays cell lignification, increases p-hydroxyphenyl propane monomer content, and regulates lignin synthesis through the expression of key genes. Nitrogen deficiency enhances lignin synthesis through the accumulation of phenylpropanoids, phenolics, and soluble carbohydrates, and indirect changes in phytohormones, secondary metabolites, etc. The paper "How lignin biosynthesis responds to nitrogen in plants: a scoping review" provides new insights and important references for future studies on the regulation of lignin biosynthesis.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2024) DOI: 10.1111/plb.13627

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In their review "The modelling of flower colour: spectral purity or colour contrast as biologically relevant descriptors of flower colour signals for bees depending upon the perceptual task" authors Lunau and Dyer ask whether quantitative modelling of flower signals should strive for repeatable consistency enabled by parameter simplification, or whether modelling should reflect the dynamic way in which bees are known to process signals. They also touch why colour is an interpretation of spectral information by the animal's brain, and how bee's colour perception is based on physiological, neuroanatomical and behavioural evidence to provide a pathway for modelling flower colours. They ask, whether flower petals and floral guides as viewed against spectrally different backgrounds should be considered as a simple colour contrast problem or require a more dynamic consideration of how bees make perceptual decisions. The authors also discuss exploitative vs. honest signalling.

Read whole paper open access in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2024) DOI: 10.1111/plb.13682 

Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link, commonly referred to as Scotch broom, is a Mediterranean shrub capable of thriving in a variety of ecosystems that has invaded every habitable continent on Earth. The authors PW Hacker and NC Coops here present a timeline and estimated rate of expansion from 1816 to 2016. They also model its expected range over the next 70 years, and highlight the need for investigation into its expansion mechanisms and the establishment of monitoring programs.

Read whole paper open access in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2024) DOI: 10.1111/plb.13662

It is challenging to maintain high crop yields, even in arid and drought-prone regions that depend on irrigation. In this review authors Geilfus, Zörb, Jones, Wimmer & Schmöckel explain water use efficiency (WUE) and options to improve water use and thus crop yield. Nutrient management might represent another possibility to manipulate water uptake and use by plants. An emerging topic involves agroforest co-cultivation, where trees in the system facilitate water transfer through hydraulic lift, benefiting neighbouring crops. Other options to enhance crop yield per water use are also discussed.

Read paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology open access (2024) DOI: 10.1111/plb.13652

Breeding of new plant varieties with lower mesophyll resistance for CO₂ diffusion requires knowledge of its diffusion components. Authors Janová, Kubásek, Grams, Zeisler-Diehl, Schreiber & Šantrůćek therefore tested a new method to estimate relative drawdowns of CO₂ concentration across hypostomatous leaves of Fagus sylvatica integrated over the lifetime of the leaf. The new method shows that intercellular components is minor but not negligible part of CO₂ diffusion and reflects leaf anatomy traits, i.e. leaf mass per area and thickness.

Read paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology open access (2024) DOI: 10.1111/plb.13655

In their paper the authors Park et al. provide a brief overview of recent progress in genome-editing technologies, including zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated protein 9 (Cas9) technologies. They classify disease resistant mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana and several crop plants based on the roles or functions of the mutated genes in plant immunity and suggest potential target genes for molecular breeding of genome-edited disease-resistant plants. Genome editing technologies are resilient tools for sustainable development and promising solutions for coping with climate change and population increases.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2024) DOI: 10.1111/plb.13625

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In the open access paper "pollen, anther, stamen, and androecium mimicry" authors Lunau, De Camargo and Brito review the hypotheses, why the yellow UV-absorbing floral centre is so frequent in angiosperms. They review the pollen, anther, stamen, and androecium mimicry (PASAM) hypotheses, present new and published data on pollenating and pollen-collecting pollinators’ responses to PASAM structures and discuss how widespread these systems are around the globe. Their ultimate goal is to promote the idea that PASAM is a plausible first approach to understanding floral colour patterns in angiosperms.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2024) DOI: 10.1111/plb.13628

The paper summarizes the ecological and physiological significance of mycorrhization. As the authors Chaudhury et al. describe: Dual mycorrhization relationships in trees and even triple relationships among trees, mycorrhizal fungi and bacteria offer an interesting physiological system to understand how plants interact with other organisms for better survival. Besides, studies indicate additional roles of mycorrhization in learning, memorizing and communication between host trees through a common mycorrhizal network (CMN). Recent observations in trees suggest that mycorrhization may even promote tolerance to multiple abiotic (e.g., drought, salt, heavy metal stress) and biotic (e.g. fungi) stresses. Due to the extent of physiological reliance, local adaptation of trees is heavily impacted by the mycorrhizal community. This knowledge opens the possibility of a non-GMO avenue to promote tree growth and development. Indeed, mycorrhization could impact growth of trees in nurseries and subsequent survival of the inoculated trees in field conditions.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2024) DOI: 10.1111/plb.13613

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In their review authors Han et al. summarize and classify allelochemicals and chemical signals according to their function and structure in relation to environmental factors and generation and diffusion of such signals, since allelopathy and allelobiosis have never been systematically described thus far. Moreover the authors provide recent research on the application of allelopathy and allelobiosis in agroecosystems in future studies.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2023) DOI: 10.1111/plb.13582 

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In the article "Evolution of a non-flying mammal-dependent pollination system in Asian Mucuna (Fabaceae)" author S. Kobayashi summarizes the available knowledge of pollination in Asian Mucuna (Fabaceae), a genus mainly distributed in the tropics, and discusses the evolution of plants pollinated by non-flying mammals in Asia. Nineteen pollinator species have been recorded and pollination systems have been categorized into four types. An examination of the relationship between Mucuna species and their pollinators from the lineage perspective revealed that all species in Mucuna, subgenus Macrocarpa, which are distributed in Asia, are pollinated exclusively by non-flying mammals, f.e. from squirrel species.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2023) DOI: 10.1111/plb.13557.

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In the article "An overview of oxygen transport in plants: diffusion and convection" author G. G. Striker summarizes how plants under hypoxia/anoxia ensure a steady oxygen supply to their cells and identifies three types of pressurized (convective) flows: humidity-induced pressurization (positive pressure), thermal osmosis (positive pressure with air flow against the heat gradient), and venturi-induced suction (negative pressure) caused by wind passing over broken culms.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2023) DOI: 10.1111/plb.13558.

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In their review "Recent advances in the genetics underlying wheat grain protein content (GPC) and grain protein deviation (GPD) in hexaploid wheat", the authors Paina and Gregersen summarize the scientific findings about the genetics underlying wheat GPC and GPD, representing the relationship between grain protein content and yield), together with the performance of genomic prediction models characterizing these traits. A total of 364 significant loci related to GPC and GPD are positioned on the hexaploid wheat genome, one of the most important global crops which therefore is of major interest in breeding programs.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2023) DOI: 10.1111/plb.13550 (Open Access)

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In their article "Molecular gibberellin (GA) pathways as conserved integrators for adaptive responses" Bouré and Arnaud summarize the elements of GA metabolism and signalling pathways, with emphasis on the key role of the GA/GID1/DELLA complex as a conserved developmental integrator. They also discuss how the GA signalling pathway - together with feedback regulation on GA metabolism -  contributes to the integration of endogenous and exogenous signals to provide an adaptive output.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2023). DOI: 10.1111/plb.13549.

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The autors Touhami et al. review the current state of knowledge on the effects of climate change on sclerophyllous and semi-deciduous forest ecosystems in Tunisia. They found alarming results concerning the tree cover lost to fires, as well as shifted phenological parameters like start and end of the green season. And they call upon scientists, policymakers, and managers to adapt Mediterranean forests to climate change.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2023). DOI: 10.1111/plb.13524

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In their review "assessment of proline function in higher plants under extreme temperatures" authors Raza, Charagh, Abbas et al conclude that exogenous application of proline and genetic engineering of proline genes promise ways to develop temperature-smart future crop plants to combat impending climate change crisis.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2023). DOI: 10.1111/plb.13510

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In their review "Functions and interaction of plant lipid signalling under abiotic stresses" the authors Liang, Huang, Liu, Chen and Li describe the metabolism of plant lipids and discuss their involvement in plant responses to abiotic stress. Thereby they also provide necessary background for further research on the interactions between plant lipids and abiotic stress. Several summary diagrams as well as a comprehensive model of interactions between plant lipids and abiotic stresses is summarized in a graph.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology 2023, DOI: 10.1111/plb.13507

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Findings on rice tapetum development, including genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic studies are reviewed by the authors Tariq, Yaseen, Xu, Rehman, Bibi and Uzair. They also describe tapetal programmed cell death (PCD), sporopollenin biosynthesis, ROS activity for tapetum
function and its role in male reproductive development. They summarize the role of the tapetum in male fertility using rice as a model system, and provide information that can be applied in rice hybridization and that of other major crops.

Read whole paper open access in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2022). DOI: 10.1111/plb.13485

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The authors Dubbert, Couvreur, Kübert, and Werner summarize how interdisciplinary hybrid plant water uptake models add the value of a broader conceptual view of soil-plant feedbacks of water, nutrient and carbon cycling. The main goal is to highlight how the four dominant model approaches can be and have been used to create interdisciplinary hybrid models enabling a holistic system understanding that also embeds plant water uptake plasticity into a broader conceptual view of soil–plant feedbacks of water, nutrient and carbon cycling, or reflects observed drought responses of plant–soil feedbacks and their dynamics under, that is, drought.

Read whole paper open access in our scientific journal Plant Biology 25 (2021) 32–42. DOI: 10.1111/plb.13478.

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In the review author Lamont summarizes the worldwide literature for reports on germination responses among grasses, whose photosynthetic pathway was known, to treatment by smoke and obtained information for 217 species and 126 genera. Thus, even though C3 and C4 grasses are equally capable of expressing smoke sensitivity, their response depends on the region’s climate and fire regime that also dictate which photosynthetic pathway dominates.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology DOI: 10.1111/plb.13479

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Authors Diamond, Barnabé and Desgagné-Penix raise questions on the interpretation of data obtained from the technique used and on the true localization of the biosynthetic enzymes in V. planifolia. They discuss the findings surrounding the cellular-localization and activity of enzymes of vanillin biosynthesis. This will help to further understand the pathway and urge for additional research study to resolve the current debate in the biosynthesis of the most popular flavor compound in the world.

Read whole viewpoint in our scientific journal Plant Biology DOI: 10.1111/plb.13465

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Author Garmash in the review with the title "Suppression of mitochondrial alternative oxidase can result in upregulation of the ROS scavenging network: some possible mechanisms underlying the compensation effect" proposes that the decrease in the relative amount of reduced ascorbate at stable ROS levels as a result of compensation in AOX1a-suppressed plants is a sign of stress development.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology DOI: 10.1111/plb.13477

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In their paper "Growth, physiological, biochemical and molecular changes in plants induced by magnetic fields" the authors Hafeez, Zahra, Ahmad et al. describe the effects of altering magnetic field conditions (higher or lower values than the Earth’s geomagnetic field) on physiological and biochemical processes of plants: Magnetic field application play a role in changing several physiological processes and could be a potential affordable, reusable and safe practice for enhancing crop productivity by changing physiological and biochemical processes.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology DOI: 10.1111/plb.13459

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Based on the current experimental advances authors Pradhan, Panda, Bishi, et al. in their review "Progress and prospects of C4 trait engineering in plants" summarize novel biotechnological crop improvement strategies that might help to incorporate C4 photosynthetic traits into C3 crops for sustaining food, fiber and fuel production around the globe. They not only report on successes but also on failures and highlight the pros and cons of using rice as a model plant for short-, medium- and long-term goals of genetic engineering.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology open access. DOI: 10.1111/plb.13446

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In their review "Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi: Effects on secondary metabolite accumulation of traditional Chinese medicines", the authors Ran, Ding, Cao et al. discuss the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on secondary metabolites in Traditional Chinese medicine and the mechanism of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi regulating the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. The results could be used to provide new ideas and methods for improving the quality of Traditional Chinese medicine.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology open access. DOI: 10.1111/plb.13449

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In their review "Advances in physiological mechanisms of selenium to improve heavy metal stress tolerance in plants" the authors Lai, Yang, Rao et al. summarize several antagonistic effects of selenium on heavy metal stressors such as cadmium and mercury. The review helps to comprehensively understand the physiological mechanism of selenium in plant tolerance to heavy metal stress of plants, and provides theoretical support for the practical application of selenium in environmental remediation and agricultural development.

Read whole review in our scientific journal Plant Biology open access. DOI: 10.1111/plb.13435

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Professor Rob Roelfsema (Würzburg) now is the Viewpoint Editor at our journal Plant Biology. He is looking forward to your viewpoints, short papers of approximately three published pages, with one or two figures with the following topics:

• New insights in a hot topic in plant biology
• Critical examination of known methods and approaches
• New emerging techniques
• Novel conceptual ideas or approaches in developing fields

Feel free to contact him at Würzburg University, if you have any questions. Please note that scientists in Germany and several other European countries can publish open access in Plant Biology without costs (https://deal-operations.de/en/here-is-the-deal) and please contact your library if these conditions apply to your Institution.

In their research paper "Central European 2018 hot drought shifts scots pine forest to its tipping point" published in July 2022 authors Haberstroh et al. analyse the severe negative impacts of the hot drought in 2018 on a Pinus sylvestris forests in southwest Germany. The co-occurrence of unfavourable site-specific conditions with recurrent severe droughts resulted in accelerated mortality. Thus, the 2018 hot drought pushed the P. sylvestris stand towards its tipping point, with a subsequent vegetation shift to a broadleaf-dominated forest. To draw this conclusions the authors had analysed needle water potential, carbon assimilation and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. The impact and recovery were assessed as ecosystem carbon exchange, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from satellite data and tree mortality data.

Read whole open access paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2022). DOI: 10.1111/plb.13455

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From the data measured and published in their paper "Seasonal shifts in isoprenoid emission composition from three hyperdominant tree species in central Amazonia" Gomes Alves and the 12 other authors suggest that emission composition shifts are part of a plastic response to increasing abiotic stress (e.g. heat and drought) and reduced photosynthetic supply of substrates for isoprenoid synthesis. They emphasize that future focus should be put on emission composition shifts that are part of a plastic response to increasing abiotic stress (e.g. heat and drought) and reduced photosynthetic supply of substrates for isoprenoid synthesis.

Read whole open access paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2022) 24, 721-. DOI: 10.1111/plb.13419

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In their paper "The role of species interactions for forest resilience to drought" authors Haberstroh and Werner summarize the scientific findings on the impact of species interactions on tree resilience (resistance + recovery) under increasing drought severity. They find with increasing drought, negative effects occurred, such as interspecific competition. After extreme droughts, competition effects and reduced recovery for some species were observed, which can strongly compromise tree resilience.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology DOI: 10.1111/plb.13415

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In their review "Glutamine synthetase: an unlikely case of functional redundancy in Arabidopsis thaliana" the authors Moreira, Coimbra and Melo integrate analyses on the likely roles of the distinct cytosol- and plastidlocated Glutamine synthetase (GS) isoenzymes in the model plant, highlighting the redundancy of the GS gene family specifically occurring in this plant. This is in contrast to GS isoenzymes that were observed in nitrogen metabolism in species like Oryza sativa and Zea mays.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology DOI: 10.1111/plb.13408

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A growing body of evidence indicates potential role of H₂S in plant defence, particularly against bacterial and fungal pathogens. Recent studies suggested that the gaseous signalling molecule participates in plant defence potentially by

1. regulating glutathione metabolism,
2. inducing expression of pathogenesis-related (PR) and other defence-related genes,
3. modulating enzyme activity through post-translational modifications, and
4. interacting with phytohormones such as jasmonic acid, ethylene and auxin.

The authors Choudhary, Singh, Khatri, and Gupta discuss the biosynthesis, metabolism and interaction of H₂S with phytohormones, and highlight evidence gathered so far to support the emerging roles of H₂S in plant defence against invading pathogens.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology DOI: 10.1111/plb.13376.

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Since signalling molecules like hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) play a crucial role in mitigating the adverse effects of environmental stresses in plants it is important to understand the several physiological and biochemical mechanisms. The authors review recent advances in understanding the beneficial roles of H₂S in conferring multiple abiotic stress tolerance in plants. And discuss the interaction and crosstalk between H₂S and other signal molecules and highlight some genetic engineering-based current and future directions.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology DOI: 10.1111/plb.13368

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In their review the authors Tyagi, Sharma, Ali, and Gaikwad summarize the crosstalk of the important plant signalling molecules hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) and nitric oxide (NO) during waterlogging stress in legumes, which are emitted from plants and soil microbes and that are known to regulate key physiological pathways. They provide an overall summary on H₂S and NO, including biosynthesis, biological importance, crosstalk, transporter regulation as well as understanding their role during waterlogging using ‘multi-omics’ approach.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology DOI: 10.1111/plb.13319

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In his viewpoint paper Author Lamont asks for caution against the routine use of end-of-trial germination and viability of ungerminated seeds as an estimate of initial viability in determining germination success of various treatments. He analyses Leucadendron species and in his paper also explores ways to deal with the problem and to preference estimates of initial viability to be undertaken on a separate sample of seeds concurrently with the experiment as this avoids the risk of seed death during the trial.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2022) DOI: 10.1111/plb.13407

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In their review, the authors Khan, Xiong, Zhang, Liu, Yaseen und Hui highlight the diverse roles of GRAS in plant systems that could be useful in enhancing crop productivity through genetic modification, especially of crops. It is the first review to report the role and function of the GRAS gene family in plant systems.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2021) DOI: 10.1111/plb.13364

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From their findings the authors Krix, Murray and Murray conclude that leaf flammability is significantly affected by increasing radiant heat flux. In their paper “Increasing radiant heat flux affects leaf flammability patterns in plant species of eastern Australian fire-prone woodlands” they suggest that of the flammability attributes assessed, flame duration is the most informative to include in wildfire models which explicitly consider species’ flammability, given that differences among species in flame duration are maintained across a radiant heat flux gradient.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology 24 (2022) 302–312. DOI: 10.1111/plb.13381

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In their review Yang, Han, Li, Ye, and Xu summarize the biosynthesis and mechanisms of miRNA, and provides a summary of the mechanisms of miRNAs involved in production of flavonoids, in order to elucidate the biosynthesis pathway and complex regulatory network of plant flavonoids. They aim to provide new insights into improving the content of flavonoid active ingredients in plants.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2021). DOI: 10.1111/plb.13361

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In their research paper "Shoot:root ratio of seedlings is associated with species niche on soil moisture gradient", Mašková, Maternová, Tĕšitel explore evolutionary adaptations determining plant early growth strategies in 15 herbaceous genera of temperate grasslands differing in their requirements for soil water availability. Linear mixed-effect models identified the length-based shoot:root ratio of seedlings was positively associated with soil moisture requirements in a congeneric species comparison. Nitrogen and phosphorus seed concentrations had an additional negative effect on the shoot:root ratio. Neither of these trends was found for the mass-based shoot:root ratio.
They thus demonstrated for the first time that there might be a general adaptation modifying the seedling shoot:root ratio according to the species niche position on the soil moisture gradient in temperate grassland species across a broad range of angiosperm phylogeny. This adaptation seems to be affected by seed mineral nutrient reserves and may
operate in parallel to the well-known phenotypic plasticity.

Read whole paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology (2021). DOI: 10.1111/plb.13352.

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Genome data have accumulated rapidly in recent years, doubling roughly after every 6 months due to the influx of next-generation sequencing technologies. A plethora of plant genomes are available in comprehensive public databases. This easy access to data provides an opportunity to explore genome datasets and recruit new genes in various plant species not possible a decade ago. In the past few years, many gene families have been published using these public datasets. These genome-wide studies identify and characterize gene members, gene structures, evolutionary relationships, expression patterns, protein interactions and gene ontologies, and predict putative gene functions using various computational tools. Such studies provide meaningful information and an initial framework for further functional elucidation. The review by I. Safder, G. Shao, Z. Sheng, P. Hu, and S. Tang provides a concise layout of approaches used in these gene family studies and demonstrates an outline for employing various plant genome datasets in future studies.

Read whole review in our scientific journal Plant Biology Early View. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/plb.13340

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A plant’s associated biota plays an integral role in its metabolism, nutrient uptake, stress tolerance, pathogen resistance and other physiological processes. Although a virome is an integral part of the phytobiome, a major contradiction exists between the holobiont approach and the practical need to eradicate pathogens from agricultural crops. In their review, V. Oberemok, K. Laikova, I. Golovkin, L. Kryukov and R. Kamenetsky-Goldstein discuss grapevine virus control. But the issue is also relevant for numerous other crops, including potato, cassava, citrus, cacao and other species. Grapevine diseases, especially viral infections, cause main crop losses. Methods have been developed to eliminate viruses and other microorganisms from plant material, but elimination of viruses from plant material does not guarantee protection from future reinfection. Elimination of viral particles in plant material could create genetic drift, leading in turn to an increase in the occurrence of pathogenic strains of viruses. A possible solution may be a combination of virus elimination and plant propagation in tissue culture with in vitro vaccination. In this context, possible strategies to control viral infections include application of plant resistance inducers, cross protection and vaccination using siRNA, dsRNA and viral replicons during plant ‘cleaning’ and in vitro propagation. The experience and knowledge accumulated in human immunization can help plant scientists to develop and employ new methods of protection, leading to more sustainable and healthier crop production.

Read whole open access paper in our scientific journal Plant Biology - early view DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/plb.13338

Auxins as plant hormones play a central role in controlling growth and development across different environmental conditions. In their review G. L. B. Gomes and K. C. Scortecci summarise recent advances in understanding the biosynthetic pathways, both dependent and independent of tryptophan, highlighting the intermediate indole compounds (indole-3-acetamide, indole-3-acetaldoxime, indole-3-pyruvic acid and tryptamine) and the key enzymes for auxin biosynthesis, such as YUCs and TAAs. In relation to the signalling cascade, it has been shown that auxins influence gene expression regulation by the connection between synthesis and distribution. Moreover, the molecular action of the auxin response factors and auxin/indole-3-acetic acid transcription factors with the F-box TIR1/AFB auxin receptors regulates gene expression. In addition they also demonstrate the importance of microRNAs in the auxin signalling pathway and their influence on plant plasticity to environmental fluctuations. Finally, this review describes the chemical and biological processes involving auxins in plants.

Read whole review in our scientific journal Plant Biology 23 (Nov. 2021): 894-904. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/plb.13303

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The review summarizes the effects of drought stress on crop plants and relates the dehydration-dependent yield penalty to the harvested organ and tissue. The control of shoot transpiration and the reorganization of root architecture are of core importance for maintaining proper plant water relationships. Upon dehydration, the provision and partitioning of assimilates and the uptake and distribution of nutrients define remaining growth activity. Domestication of crops by selection for high yield under high input has restricted the genetic repertoire for achieving drought stress tolerance. Introgression of suitable alleles from wild relatives into commercial cultivars might improve the ability to grow with less water. As the authors KJ Dietz, C Zörb, and CM. Geilfus,conclude, future research activities should focus more on field studies in order to generate more realistic improvements to crops. Robotic field phenotyping should be integrated into genetic mapping for the identification of relevant traits.

Read whole paper open access in our scientific journal Plant Biology - early view DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/plb.13304 

There are positive relationships between vineyard production and native vegetation in the landscape. The native fragments inserted within landscapes with more native vegetation area exhibited better parameters of vine production and quality. Apis and non-Apis (such as flies and small bees) floral visitors, known to have different effects on vine pollination, could hypothetically provide variation in vine production and quality. Considering a near 20% native vegetation increment, there was an enhancement, on average, of ten-fold more berries per bunch, the changing physical and chemical fruit traits by vegetation increment could also increase the aggregate value of vines and the value of pollination services in the economy.

Read the whole paper "Different visitation frequencies of native and non-native bees to vines: how much vegetation is necessary to improve fruit production?"  in our scientific journal Plant Biology - early view DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/plb.13327

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Within the Open Science project a multidisciplinary study analyzed Ballota acetabulosa (L.) Benth. at the Ghirardi Botanic Garden (Toscolano Maderno, BS, Italy). Micromorphological and histochemical investigations were performed on the secreting structures of the vegetative and reproductive organs under light, fuorescence and electronic microscopy. Concurrently spontaneously emitted volatiles from leaves and flowers were examined. Four trichome morphotypes were identified: peltate and short-stalked, mediumstalked and long-stalked capitate trichomes, each with a specific distribution pattern. The histochemical analysis was confirmed using ultrastructural observations, with the peltates and long-stalked capitates as the main sites responsible for terpene production. The head-space characterization revealed that sesquiterpene hydrocarbons dominated both in leaves and flowers, with c-muurolene, b-caryophyllene and (E)-nerolidol as the most abundant compounds. Moreover, a comparison with literature data concerning the ecological roles of the main compounds suggested their dominant roles in defence, both at the leaf and flower level.

Read whole paper "Micromorphological and phytochemical survey of Ballota acetabulosa (L.) Benth" in our scientific journal Plant Biology 23 (2021) 643–65. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/plb.13254

Three abundant grassland plant species maintained leaf level carbon and water fluxes under strongly altered water and nitrogen availability (treatments). This was shown by Kübert, Kuester, Götz, Dubbert, Eiblmeier, Werner, Rothfuss and Dubbert from Freiburg, Berlin and Jülich in their recent paper "Combined experimental drought and nitrogen loading: the role of species-dependent leaf level control of carbon and water exchange in a temperate grassland", for which they had analysed data from a multifactorial field experiment.

in our scientific journal Plant Biology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/plb.13230

Pink flowers of Silene littorea receive more visits of pollinators, whilst white flowers suffer more florivory, but autonomous autogamy helps to maintain colour variation.

Results researchers Buide, Del Valle, Prado‐Comesaña and Narbona from Spain show in their recent paper "The effects of pollination, herbivory and autonomous selfing on the maintenance of flower colour variation in Silene littorea" in our scientific journal Plant Biology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/plb.13209