plant-science

Erwinia persicina (Ep) is recognized as an emerging pathogen of considerable threat to tomato yields. Although Stenotrophomonas rhizophila (Sr) has long been recognized as a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR), the use of this PGPR has sometimes been constrained by the rhizosphere stress factor in the biocontrol of the pathogen. This study investigated the potential of biogenic gold nano…

IntroductionThe rhizosphere microbiome serves as a critical line of defense for plant health and soil-borne disease suppression. However, the underlying mechanisms by which root-knot nematodes (RKN), a devastating soil-borne pathogen, undermine putative disease-suppressive function through destabilizing microbial interaction networks remain poorly understood.MethodsThis study employed metagenomic…

IntroductionMany nitrogen-fixing bacteria (NFB) can synthesize siderophores. However, the contribution of NFB siderophore synthesis to plant growth has not been evaluated, and its impact on NFB’s antifungal activity remains unclear.MethodsThe type of siderophore synthesized by the nitrogen-fixing bacterium (NFB) Kosakonia radicincitans GXGL-4A was determined. The effects of NFB siderophore produc…

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 20 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02325-3 Phytophthora secretes an infection-induced apoplastic lipase, damaging Arabidopsis extracellular vesicles and suppressing plant defence against infection.

Principal Investigator(s): Overview: Veg-06 studies how plants and beneficial bacteria work together in microgravity. Some plants, like beans and peas, partner with specific bacteria to pull nitrogen from the air and convert it into a form that plants can use for growth. The investigation also examines changes in lignin, the tough material that helps plants […] The post VEG-06: How plants and ben…

Light doesn’t just help plants grow—it may also quietly hold them back. Researchers have uncovered a surprising mechanism where light strengthens the “glue” between a plant’s outer skin and its inner tissues. This tighter bond, driven by a compound called p-coumaric acid, reinforces cell walls but also restricts how much the plant can expand. The discovery reveals a hidden balancing act: light bo…

Introduction Phosphorus is a needed supplement for the development and progress of plant life and progress, yet its attainability in the soil is often slight due to its appearance in indissoluble forms. This scarcity of bioavailable phosphorus poses a significant challenge to plant nutrition, particularly in agricultural soils. Phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSBs) act as a fundamental factor in…

Plants constantly juggle oxygen inside their cells, but scientists have now discovered a surprising twist in how that balance works. Researchers at the University of Helsinki found that mitochondria—the cell’s energy generators—can actively pull oxygen away from chloroplasts, the structures responsible for photosynthesis. This previously unknown interaction suggests mitochondria can effectively “…

New research has found when plant leaves physically touch each other, they seem to form a biological signalling network to warn each other about the upcoming stress. This can boost their resilience to withstand intense light, which is a common environmental challenge. In the new study, yet to be peer-reviewed and published in a journal, resilience refers to a plant’s ability to endure excess ligh…

Introduction  Coffea spp., known as coffee, is recognized globally in the world of agricultural industry and commerce, as its unique flavor stands out on the palate of its consumers.1 Coffee has a global market value of $102 billion, resulting in 125 million direct jobs worldwide.2 During 2020-2021, approximately 166.63 million kilograms of coffee bags were […]

This Collection invites original research on the plant immune response, and the associated tools and methods used to shape it.

Associate professor Rajan Sekhon along with a team of researchers at Clemson University and partner organizations have received a $2.4 million, four-year grant to map genes that control leaf senescence in corn. Funded by the National Science Foundation through both the Plant Genome Research Program and the Cross-Directorate Activities program, this project aims to sustain […]

2024 HALDANE PRIZE SHORTLIST: Pamela Medina-van Berkum discusses her paper “Plant geographic distribution influences chemical defences in native and introduced Plantago lanceolata populations“, which has been shortlisted for Functional Ecology’s 2024 Haldane Prize for Early Career Researchers: About the paper Plants face many challenges when they spread to new places. Our research foc…

This blog post is provided by Pragya Singh and tells the #StoryBehindThePaper for the paper “Plant metabolites modulate social networks and lifespan in a sawfly” which was recently published in the Journal of Animal Ecology. Together with colleagues, Pragya explores how turnip sawflies acquire plant chemicals from non-food plants that not only boost their defenses but also, depending on group com…

Introduction Tomato (Lycopersicon  esculentum Mill) is one of the rich source of vitamins, minerals, organic acids, essential amino acids and dietary fibres.Abiotic and Biotic factors(microbes) decreasing the production of tomato crop. Many Microbial diseases like Fusarium wilt, Early blight, Late blight, damping off, Leaf spots, Bacterial fruit canker, Anthracnose, bacterial speck affecting Toma…

Introduction One of the major abiotic stresses that adversely affects plant growth, productivity, and quality, is soil salinity. About 20% of irrigated lands are negatively affected by salinity. In India, it was estimated that there are 6.74 million hectare of salt-affected lands that cause high economic losses. Among the various environmental stresses, soil salinity is […]