Phylogenetic distance of host does not explain phenotypic differences of Meloidogyne incognita parasitism at 25 dpi.

The traditional model of plant–arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal coevolution, based solely on interactions between plants and AM fungi, became obsolete with the discovery of the critical roles that belowground microbiomes play in the function of mycorrhizal symbiosis. Based on insights into hyphosphere microbiota, we expand the plant–AM fungus–bacterium continuum into a multipartite AM fungal-orchestrated holobiont (H-AMF) framework, where AM fungi integrate plant roots with soil microbiota into a cross-kingdom ecological unit. A division of labor exists among plants, AM fungi, and hyphosphere microbes in the mycocentric H-AMF perspective. We summarize mechanisms by which AM fungi sustain cooperative relationships with plants and hyphosphere microbiota and propose holobiont-scale methodologies to advance understanding of plant–fungal–microbial interactions and their ecological functions.

Hundreds of thousands of residents have been evacuated from regions of France and Spain as fire crews battle dozens of wildfires—with extreme heat predicted in the coming days, threatening even more potential fires.

Symbiotic nitrogen fixation reduces reliance on synthetic fertilizers and is central to agriculture and ecosystem functioning. In legumes, this process occurs in root nodules where rhizobia differentiate into bacteroids that either remain viable or undergo terminal differentiation, a strategy that can enhance nitrogen fixation but limits nodule life span. This irreversible program suits annual legumes and has evolved convergently across multiple lineages, including the inverted repeat-lacking clade (IRLC), where it is enforced by nodule-specific cysteine-rich (NCR) peptides. By contrast, perennial legumes with indeterminate nodules must sustain symbiosis over extended periods, which is incompatible with terminally differentiated bacteroids. Here, we identify a family of nodule-specific proline-glycine-rich peptides (NPGs) in Robinia that are induced upon rhizobial infection. NPGs are highly expressed in nodules, encode intrinsically disordered peptides, and accumulate in infected cells within the fixation zone. Exposure of Mesorhizobium robiniae to recombinant NPGs induces transcriptional changes associated with a fixation-related physiological state while preserving bacterial viability. These findings identify NPGs as candidate host effectors at the plant-microbe interface and point to an alternative mode of symbiont modulation in perennial legumes.

Some plant-beneficial microbes, including bacteria and fungi, can induce plant defense, enabling plants to resist pathogen infections. Successful defense elicitation depends on compatible host–microbe...

Extracellular interactions are pivotal in the plant–pathogen arms race. Fungal, bacterial, and oomycete pathogens manipulate the apoplast to control pH, water soaking, sugar levels, and nutrient avail...

A recently published study shows how beneficial fungi can enter cereal roots without triggering an excessive immune response.

Abstract. In a rapidly changing climate, evidence-based decision-making benefits from up-to-date and timely information. We track twelve key sets of indicators of the state of the climate system, clos...

As genome editing technologies continue to evolve, there is a growing need for methods capable of detecting and characterising the changes they introduce in crops.

The coevolution of plant–microbe (PM) associations over approximately 450 million years has been a fundamental driver of terrestrial life, giving rise to mutualistic, commensal, and pathogenic relationships along a dynamic friend–foe continuum. The need to adapt to the host environment has driven the convergent evolution of common strategies among mutualists and pathogens, enabling them to evade or modulate the plant immune system. This review synthesizes PM coevolution within a deep-time, three-pillar framework: organellogenesis, root evolution, and immune gatekeeping, linking ancient endosymbiotic events (mitochondria, chloroplasts, and nitroplasts) to contemporary holobiont-level phenotypes and biotechnological applications. We organize the friend–foe continuum around a coevolution-guided cost–benefit and tipping-point framework, using identified molecular switches and evolutionary constraints to derive actionable design rules for engineering PM associations. Moving beyond a descriptive toolbox of technologies, we integrate recent breakthroughs to analyze how four principal axes (host and microbial genetics, evolutionary dynamics, environmental and ecological conditions, and metabolic switches) define the thresholds that govern microbial lifestyle transitions. Finally, we propose specific, testable strategies for PM coevolution-informed crop improvement, distinguishing near-term feasible targets from long-term speculative goals in nitrogen utilization, synthetic microbial communities, immune receptor engineering, modulation of plant memory, and microbiome-integrated breeding through genome editing, synthetic biology, AI, and microbiome engineering. Together, these approaches extend existing syntheses into a predictive, evolution-informed framework that translates coevolutionary principles into a functional blueprint for sustainable, resilient agriculture.

Root-knot nematodes navigate the underground chemical landscape to find their hosts. Building on Wu et al.’s discovery that plant metabolites shape microbial cues guiding nematode behavior, this commentary explores how rhizosphere chemical communication integrates plant, microbial, and parasite interactions within a shared ‘information network’.

The Iran war has driven up the cost of fertilizer, squeezing farmers in the developing world. Prof. Kevin Donovan says that governments can respond most effectively by shifting from broad subsidies to...

Plant growth is influenced by the composition of its associated microbiome. The inherent complexity and functional redundancy of natural plant microbiomes presents a formidable barrier to understanding the myriad biological interactions therein. Efforts have been made to develop synthetic microbial communities (SynComs) that can provide a rigorous and generalizable framework for the rational design of next-generation microbial products for sustainable agriculture. We test multiple strategies for stable, plant growth promoting SynCom design and evaluate the phenotypic and molecular impacts of a successful plant-SynCom interaction. We designed 4 distinct, reduced-complexity variants of SynCom SRC1 and assessed their capacities for colonization, stability, and plant growth promotion. To understand the impact on plant performance of our highest performing SynCom variant, we characterized the host’s longitudinal transcriptional response to SynCom inoculation and corroborated the results with metabolomics analysis. The top performing SynCom stably colonized sorghum roots and rhizospheres, elicited plant growth promotion, and induced dynamic spatiotemporal gene transcription in sorghum roots and shoots defined by modulation of growth-defense tradeoff machinery and enhanced flavonoid production. The resultant reduced-complexity SynCom is a highly stable, soil-independent, plant growth promoting, and demonstrates the utility of colonization-based selection criteria, integrated with longitudinal transcriptomic and metabolomic characterization.

Dans son essai, le microbiologiste controversé reprend la plupart des grands récits complotistes contemporains, et y ajoute des suspicions de son cru.

Updated 30 January 2026 (Version 1). Taxonomy: nematodes (XIPHRI). Host plants: berries, grape, pome fruits, stone fruits). Regulation: quarantine pests.

Discover the incredible journey of Elizabeth Roemer, a pioneering female astronomer who recovered lost comets, made groundbreaking asteroid discoveries, and fought for gender equality in STEM.

The European Commission today established a Task Force to maintain and reinforce the EU\'s ability to ensure imports meet Union standards, while supporting the competitiveness of EU producers.

Agricultural sustainability is becoming increasingly threatened by climate change and anthropogenic activities. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) provide an important solution through their symbiotic associations with plant roots, enhancing nutrient acquisition, improving soil structure, mitigating stress effects, and contributing to carbon sequestration through glomalin production. AMF improves the bioavailability of essential nutrients by extending hyphal networks and activating nutrient transporter genes. They also aid in heavy metal detoxification by sequestering metals within hyphae, reducing plant uptake, and safeguarding tissues, while supporting carbon sequestration by stabilizing soil aggregates. Across diverse taxa, AMF exhibit species-specific adaptations to different soil types and agroecosystems, contributing to phosphorus solubilization, nitrogen use efficiency, and metal sequestration. Molecular insights revealed that AMF symbiosis activates genes related to nutrient exchange and stress adaptation, including the Ca2⁺ signaling pathways. Advanced inoculation techniques, such as high-efficiency spore propagation, seed pelleting, and bioreactor-based production, provide scalable and contamination-free applications that reduce reliance on synthetic fertilizers and promote sustainable cropping systems. Future research should focus on integrating molecular tools, precision agriculture, and real-time monitoring to optimize AMF application strategies, enhance nutrient cycling, and strengthen soil health, thereby advancing sustainable food systems and addressing global agricultural challenges.

Fifty years after her death in New York, Hannah Arendt has become the most popular philosopher of our time. For good reason: Her views are just as timely as ever.

Rewilding corn with ancestral traits helps crops shape soil microbiomes, reduce fertilizer use, and supports sustainable farming.

Drought is a key factor that affects food production and represents one of the major challenges to global food security, especially with the increasing human population. One of the main strategies to...