Journal of Experimental Botany

Hatem Rouached

Fig. 1 (shortened, full legend in paper): Phosphorus availability tunes root architecture through TOR signaling. Pathways are represented without implying temporal or spatial sequence. Positive and negative regulation is denoted by arrowheads and flat-ended lines, respectively. (A) Nutrient control of TOR signaling. The TOR complex 1 (TORC1) integrates multiple mineral nutrient signals, including sulfur (S), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), iron (Fe), and potassium (K). Sulfate is transported via SULTRs, activating TOR. Nitrate, imported through NRTs, stimulates TOR via the ROP2 GTPase. Phosphate uptake through PHTs enhances ARSK1 expression and activity, which phosphorylates RAPTOR1B, activating TOR. Conversely, phosphate limitation lifts repression of PSR1 and ARSK1, which inhibits TORC. Iron is taken up via IRTs and eventually influences TORC activity.

🌱🧬 SPECIAL ISSUE REVIEW 🧬🌱

TORC1 integrates phosphorus and iron signals to regulate root architecture under stress, revealing key mechanisms of root plasticity and offering novel strategies to improve phosphorus use efficiency in crops – Choi et al.

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...

#PlantScience 🧪

SEB Conference Florence 2026: Final day to submit your abstract Abstract submission deadline: 6 March 2026 🗓️

🚨 FINAL CALL:
Abstract submission deadline is TODAY for the #SEBconference 2026 in Florence!

Don't miss your chance to present your research and join scientists from around the world.

Submit your abstract now ⬇️
www.sebiology.org/resource/seb...

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Final corrected proof now online in @jxbotany.bsky.social
Curious about phloem, grafting, starch, source–sink relations, or plant growth? Using phloem development mutants and grafting, we show that root phloem is key for coordinating both root and shoot growth.
#Phloem #PlantDevelopment #Grafting

Fig. 1 (shortened, full legend in paper): Models of the regulation of nutrient- and drought-responsive flowering. Sugar-responsive flowering: in leaves, TPS1 catalyzes the synthesis of Tre6P from Glc6P and UDP-glucose, which inhibits SnRK1 activity and de-represses the CO–FT module and sugar transport/metabolism and flowering controlled by the SnRK1-phosphorylated and inactivated IDD8 TF. In the SAM, Tre6P inhibits SnRK1, affecting expression of SPL genes and the floral meristem identity genes LFY, FUL, and AP1. In leaves and/or the SAM, vernalization induces an increase in glucose levels, which activates TOR phosphorylation of FIE and represses FLC expression through changes in H3K27me3 levels at the FLC locus.

🌸💧🪾 FLOWERING NEWSLETTER REVIEW 🪾💧🌸

New research is starting to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of nutrient- and drought-responsive flowering with an apparent key role for the SnRK1 kinase – Sanagi et al.

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...

#JXBspecialissues #PlantScience 🧪

🍃🎤🍃 Speaker announcement 🍃🎤🍃

Its that time again... introducing our next set of Invited Speakers for Photosynthesis 2026 🌱

🌿 Join us in Liverpool this July 🌿
⏰️ Abstract submission for oral presentations closes 31st March

Find out more 👉 photosynthesis2026.com

#plantscience #ICPR26
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Fig. 1.The core energy management machinery, comprising SnRKs, TORC, and the T6P pathway, and its interactions with multiple signals through complex feedback regulation to regulate growth and resilience trade-offs.

⚡🌱 SPECIAL ISSUE EDITORIAL 🌱⚡

🔎 The Energy Management guest editors Wahl, Hanson & Menand dive into reviews and research exploring the plant energy management machinery as a central hub for stress resilience, development, and crop improvement 🌱

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...

#PlantScience 🧪

Exploring the diversity of the CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM) in different C4 subtypes Abstract. C4 plants have traditionally been classified into NADP-malic enzyme (NADP-ME), NAD-malic enzyme (NAD-ME) and PEP carboxykinase (PEPCK) subtypes b

Exploring the diversity of the CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM) in different C4 subtypes academic.oup.com/jxb/article/... @jxbotany.bsky.social

The cover of Vol 77 | Issue 5 | 2026 of the Journal of Experimental Botany, Special Issue: Energy Management: Molecular Mechanisms and Signaling. Yellow coloured banners border the top and bottom of the page and in the centre the image depicts a whiteboard illustration of the original concept behind the workshop ‘Plant Energy Management: Molecular Mechanisms and Signalling,’ held at UPSC, Sweden, in August 2024. The aim was to expand upon the original TOR meeting by focusing on the inputs and outputs of the core energy management machinery in a species-agnostic manner. (Credit: Benoît Menand, Johannes Hanson, and Vanessa Wahl.)

📣 Check out JXB's newest Special Issue 📣
📘 Issue 5 of 2026 📘

⚡🌿 Energy Management: Molecular Mechanisms and Signalling 🌿⚡

📘 Guest edited by Benoît Menand, Johannes Hanson & Vanessa Wahl

🔗 academic.oup.com/jxb...

#JXBspecialissues #PlantScience 🧪 SEBiology

Diversity of GET3 chaperones in tail-anchored protein insertion Abstract. Tail anchored proteins are involved in a broad range of essential cellular processes. Because of their unique membrane topology, dedicated pathwa

Diversity of GET3 chaperones in tail-anchored protein insertion academic.oup.com/jxb/article-... @jxbotany.bsky.social

Modulation of fatty acid elongation enhances hydroxy fatty acid biosynthesis and accumulation in Arabidopsis Abstract. Seed oils of castor (Ricinus communis) and lesquerella (Physaria fendleri) mainly contain hydroxy fatty acids (HFAs) useful in industrial applica

Modulation of fatty acid elongation enhances hydroxy fatty acid biosynthesis and accumulation in Arabidopsis academic.oup.com/jxb/article-... @jxbotany.bsky.social

Fig. 1.The framework of traits determining water transport and fruit size of a tomato. Fruit size is determined by fruit water mass and dry matter mass, which influence total soluble solids (the most important quality traits of the tomato fruit). Water and dry matter accumulation in the fruit relies on the transport capacity of the vascular network within the fruit. We tested how fruit size was correlated with water uptake capacity, vascular bundle architecture, xylem vessel traits, and non-vascular cell traits under well-watered and water deficit conditions. Vascular bundle architecture traits included total, primary, and secondary vein length density. Xylem vessel traits included vessel number in primary and secondary vascular bundles, and vessel diameter in primary and secondary vascular bundles. Non-vascular cell traits included mean cell size and cell layer number.

🪾💧🍅 RESEARCH PAPER 🍅💧🪾

The vascular network in the fruit pericarp of 10 tomato genotypes is closely associated with fruit size and quality under well-watered and water deficit conditions – Hou et al.

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...
#PlantScience 🧪

Matthew Terry

Fig. 1 (shortened, full legend in paper): A. alternata induces an EX1/2-independent increase in SA levels in Arabidopsis leaves. (A) Schematic representation of SA biosynthesis pathways in Arabidopsis (Lefevere et al., 2020). The main route is indicated by black arrows. Abbreviations: ICS1, ISOCHORISMATE SYNTHASE 1; IC, isochorismate; EDS5, ENHANCED DISEASE SUSCEPTIBILITY 5; PALs, PHENYLALANINE AMMONIA LYASEs; SA, salicylic acid. (B) Experimental setup for A. alternata inoculation on Arabidopsis leaves in vivo. Actively growing A. alternata cultures were inoculated using 3 mm diameter agar plugs. (C and D) Comparison of the expression of SA biosynthesis genes ICS1 and PAL1, respectively, in ex1/2 and Col-0 plants inoculated with A. alternata plugs for 0, 6, 12, 18, and 24 h. Gene expression was quantified by qRT–PCR and normalized to ACTIN2. Data shown are means ±SD (n=4).

🌿🛡️ RESEARCH 🛡️🌿

The plant hormone salicylic acid is demonstrated to function in an EXECUTER-independent pathway and act antagonistically with jasmonic acid signaling to enhance resistance in Alternaria alternata-infected Arabidopsis – Guo et al.

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...

#PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 6.Proposed layered stomatal immunity against P. viticola infection in grapevine leaves. By comparison of P. viticola infection in Chardonnay and Qingdahean, the following defense responses at the stomatal level are proposed: (i) interference in stomatal targeting of zoospores in the Qingdahean; (ii) stomatal closure seen in both cultivars; (iii) interference in stomatal invasion of germ tubes in Qingdahean; and (iv) guard cell death in Qingdahean. Malondialdehyde molecules released from stomata repel the zoospores, interfering with the stomatal targeting process in Qingdahean.

🍇🛡️ RESEARCH PAPER 🛡️🍇

This study reveals layered stomatal immunity in resistant grapevines overlooked so far, thus paving the way for mechanistic studies on defense responses against downy mildew – Ji et al.

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...
#PlantScience 🧪

Switching on and off the hypoxic response in plants Abstract. Hypoxia significantly impacts plant metabolism and growth by disrupting mitochondrial respiration, and oxygen sensing plays a vital role in regul

Switching on and off the #hypoxic response in #plants

academic.oup.com/jxb/advance-...

#PlantScience #SciComm @jxbotany.bsky.social @olmiemma.bsky.social @theplantlab.bsky.social @isplore.bsky.social @n-end-rules.bsky.social @hartman-plantlab.com @plantstress.bsky.social @plantredox.bsky.social

Fig. 3.Induction kinetics of CQAs and HQTs in leaf and root samples of N-deficient sunflowers. In three separate experiments, 10-day-old sunflower plants were transferred from N-replete to N-deficient (1% N of N replete) or fresh N-replete (control) hydroponic nutrient solution. (A) In the first experiment, the epidermal UV-A absorbance was measured on primary leaves using the Dualex leaf-clip meter. (B and C) In the second experiment, the caffeoyl residue concentration of primary leaf or root samples was quantified using HPLC. (D and E) In the third experiment, the transcript quantities of three genes of interest (HQT1–HQT3) of primary leaf and root samples were measured by RT-qPCR. Shown are the means ±SD (n=3–4). For each time point, a t-test or non-parametric alternative was performed between control and N-deficient conditions on the original data (A–C) or on the log-transformed relative gene expression (D, E). *P<0.05; **P<0.01; ***P<0.001.

🌻⚖️ RESEARCH PAPER ⚖️🌻

Root growth, not formation of major phenylpropanoids, is the main sink for photosynthetically assimilated carbon in early stages of N deficiency, challenging common growth–defense trade-off hypotheses – Negwer & Bilger

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...
#PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 1.Comparative Ustilago maydis infections of 18 maize cultivars under different temperature conditions. (A) Plan of the infection studies performed under four different temperature regimes. DR, disease rating. (B) Photographs of different infection symptoms. The different symptom categories are represented by specific colors and a specific disease index (DIX), shown above the images. Scale bars=25 mm. (C–E) Disease ratings of 17 EU-NAM founder cultivars and B73 14 days after infection with the compatible U. maydis strains FB1 and FB2 or mock infection under the temperature conditions of 1985 (C), 2050 (D), or the temperature for 1985 with an additional 3 d heatwave (E). All experiments were performed in two biologically independent replicates; the total number of plants used (n) is indicated in each case. The mean ±SE infection intensity for each maize cultivar is given as the DIX. Colors indicate the different symptom categories defined in (B).

🌡️🌽 RESEARCH 🌽🌡️

A minimal increase in temperature, as forecast by global warming scenarios, results in increased Ustilago maydis infection and significant differences in maize gene expression – Schwarz et al.

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...

#PlantScience 🧪 @cerealcell.bsky.social

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...
#PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 1.Stem anatomy of Alternanthera philoxeroides. (A, B) Longitudinal section of the stem node. (C) Cross section of the stem internode. nd, stem nodal diaphragm; pc, stem pith cavity. (D) Cross section of internodal area showing aerenchyma channels, indicated with asterisks (*), in cortex. (E) Inner surface of the stem wall (pith surface) showing densely arranged parenchyma cells of pith. (F) Cross section of the stem node. (G, H) Cross section of nodal area showing dense and compact parenchyma cells.

🌊🌱 RESEARCH 🌱🌊

For submerged Alternanthera philoxeroides plants with high-density diaphragms in stems, the internode-to-internode diffusional pathway plays a critical role in supplying oxygen longitudinally to submerged tissues, despite diaphragms restricting convective gas flow – Ayi et al.

We are really excited that Euro Evo Devo will take place here in Scotland from the 9th-12th June, at the University of Glasgow!

Deadline for Early Bird Registration and Abstract Submission are rapidly approaching in March so do register soon!

www.evodevoconference26.com/important-da...

@plantlabulm.bsky.social

Fig. 1 (shortened, full legend in paper): Scheme of the hydraulic experiments. (A) Experiment 1. (1) A small area of bark was removed from the intact stem of a potted plant or from a branch of a tree, and a piece of cotton saturated with either water (control) or a PEG solution was positioned on it and held in place with Parafilm. (2) The sample was positioned inside a pressure collar and pressure was applied to radially perfuse the solution into the stem/branch and to induce embolism (see Supplementary Fig. S1). (3) The branch/stem was placed under water, cut, and left to achieve xylem relaxation, after which the percentage loss of hydraulic conductivity (PLC) was measured gravimetrically. (B) Experiment 2. (1) A beaker with the perfusion solution was placed inside a chamber and pressure was applied to flush the solution via a capillary tube through the xylem of a branch sampled from a tree. An initial flush with a standard solution was applied to remove possible embolisms.

🌳💧 RESEARCH 💧🌳

Induced plasmolysis of vessel-associated parenchyma cells in poplar stems increases xylem vulnerability to embolism, suggesting that turgor maintenance might be important for xylem hydraulic integrity – Tomasella et al.

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...

#PlantScience 🧪

Color phenotype of three jackfruit cultivars. THA (left), GTM (middle), and YNH (right). Scale bar: 1 cm.

Combined Analysis of Transcriptome and Metabolome Explains the Differences in Pulp Color in Jackfruit (Jianjun Liang, Xiangwei Ma, Chenxin Yi, Hailan Zhou, Zhuangmin Wei, Xiuguan Tang, Weiyan Ye, Hailing Tang, Pengjin Zhu) buff.ly/Cut6j18 #PlantScience @aspbofficial @wileyecology @sebiology

Switching on and off the hypoxic response in plants Abstract. Hypoxia significantly impacts plant metabolism and growth by disrupting mitochondrial respiration, and oxygen sensing plays a vital role in regul

Happy to see our review online in @jxbotany.bsky.social 🌱

In this work, we provide an overview of the molecular mechanisms plants use to survive under low oxygen stress and during recovery after reoxygenation 🌊

doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...

Fig. 1 (shortened, full legend in paper): The left panel illustrates the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum: water first enters the roots through apoplastic (no crossing of plasma membrane), symplastic (plasma membrane crossed once), and transcellular pathways (plasma membrane crossed many times), a process governed by radial root conductance and dominated by diffusional movement across membranes and cell walls (random movement of molecules; 1 and 3). Once inside the stele, water enters the xylem and travels upward through the axial transport pathway by bulk flow (mass movement through conduits; 1, 2), forming a cohesive column that moves along a gradient of decreasing water potential (Ψw), which is determined by the osmotic (Ψπ) and pressure (Ψp) potentials (Ψw=Ψs+Ψp).

💧🌱 INSIGHT 🌱💧

"Scaling the plant hydraulic system: from xylem networks to whole-plant integration".
Mateus et al. comment on research recently published in JXB by Hou et al.

🔍 Insight: doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...
🔬 Research: doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...

#PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 1.Expression pattern of OsABCB24 in rice. (A) Relative expression of OsABCB24 in various organs at different growth stages. Rice (cv. ZH11) was grown in a paddy field, and various organs were sampled at different growth stages. Data are presented as means ±SD (n=3). (B–I) Tissue specificity of OsABCB24 expression by histochemical staining of GUS activity in pOsABCB24::GUS transgenic plants. (B) Leaf blade at the seedling stage, (C) floral organs, (D) filament, (E) lodicule, (F) rice caryopsis at 6, (G) 12, and (H, I) 20 days after pollination (DAP). (J–K) Cross-section of aleurone cell layers (J) and central endosperm (K) at 20 DAP. OsHistone and OsGADPH were used as the internal reference genes. PB, protein body; St, starch.

🌾💊 RESEARCH 💊🌾

Knockout of chloroplast-localized OsABCB24 boosts mineral-rich aleurone thickness in rice without yield loss, probably by modulating auxin homeostasis, identifing OsABCB24 as a promising target for rice biofortification – Yang et al.

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...
#PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 3.Validation of the pathogenicity of the nine fungal strains and the modes of pathogen invasion with strain ‘10’. (A) Disease symptoms of ‘Fudingdabai’ at different stages after inoculated with nine strains. Scale bars: 5 cm. (B) Virulence of the strains evaluated by measuring the diameter of necrotic lesions on infected tea leaves 9 d after inoculation. Values with the same letter in the same column show no significant difference as analysed by Duncan’s significant difference test (P<0.05). (Ca) Hyphal growth traversing stomata; (b) stomatal penetration; (c, d) wound-mediated invasion. Scale bars: 10 μm. AP, appressorium; CO, conidium; GT, germ tube; HY, hypha; IP, infection peg; ST, stomata.

🍵🦠 RESEARCH PAPER 🦠🍵

First identification of Pseudopestalotiopsis camelliae-sinensis as the dominant tea gray blight pathogen in Shaanxi, revealing resistant cultivars with structural and biochemical defenses that reduce fungal invasion– Jiang et al.

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...
#PlantScience 🧪

Flavonoids at the Crossroads of Plant Defense: A Multifunctional Shield Against Insect Pests Abstract. Flavonoids are a diverse group of secondary metabolites or specialized metabolites that play crucial roles in plant defense against insect herbiv

Flavonoids at the Crossroads of Plant Defense: A Multifunctional Shield Against Insect Pests academic.oup.com/jxb/article-... @jxbotany.bsky.social

Coordinating #nutrient supply and #flowering time for sustainable #agriculture

academic.oup.com/jxb/article/...

#PlantScience #SciComm @jxbotany.bsky.social @sebiology.bsky.social @ibmp-cnrs.bsky.social @ensa-research.bsky.social @agricoedu.bsky.social @cropxr.bsky.social @agripolyii.bsky.social