Plant sciences articles from across Nature Portfolio

A protein signal remains silent under normal conditions but is activated under cold stress to protect developing pollen. This ‘on-demand’ resilience mechanism could enable the development of ‘climate smart’ crops that maintain high yields in good years and food security under climate stress.

Transposable elements are typically silenced in plant genomes, which limits direct observation of their activity. We show that DNA hypomethylation combined with heat stress activates the Xuan–Feng Helitron family in wheat, and leads to extrachromosomal circular DNA formation and novel somatic insertions, driven by a single autonomous element.

The synchronous flowering of male and female flower clusters in maize is crucial, but drought disrupts this synchrony, leading to considerable yield losses. A gene called SAUR72 is shown to preserve flowering synchrony in drought conditions, offering a potential strategy for breeding drought-resilient maize varieties.

Kim et al. find how wounded plants define tissue boundaries during wound-healing process. FERONIA senses wound-induced pectin changes to deposit cuticle. This confines wound-produced reactive oxygen species, which drive cell reprogramming.

A protein signal remains silent under normal conditions but is activated under cold stress to protect developing pollen. This ‘on-demand’ resilience mechanism could enable the development of ‘climate smart’ crops that maintain high yields in good years and food security under climate stress.

Transposable elements are typically silenced in plant genomes, which limits direct observation of their activity. We show that DNA hypomethylation combined with heat stress activates the Xuan–Feng Helitron family in wheat, and leads to extrachromosomal circular DNA formation and novel somatic insertions, driven by a single autonomous element.

Plant breeding has advanced through genomics and predictive models, yet the plant-associated microbiome remains largely excluded from plant breeding trials. Microbial communities strongly influence nutrient acquisition, stress tolerance, and disease resistance, shaping key agronomic traits. We argue that neglecting microbiome variation biases heritability and G×E estimates, constraining genetic gains. Integrating microbiome information into breeding trials offers a feasible, scalable path toward more predictive, resilient, and sustainable crop improvement.

The synchronous flowering of male and female flower clusters in maize is crucial, but drought disrupts this synchrony, leading to considerable yield losses. A gene called SAUR72 is shown to preserve flowering synchrony in drought conditions, offering a potential strategy for breeding drought-resilient maize varieties.