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Reposted by Mirjam Meischner

Plant & Cell Physiology @plantcellphysiol.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

How do plant-soil feedbacks & defense pathways differ if they are induced by exogenous #phytohormones or #herbivory? These are some of the questions posed by PCP budding Editor, Merissa Huei-Hsuan Tsai @hueihsuantsai.bsky.social 🆓 doi.org/10.1093/pcp/... #PlantScience #PlantImmunity

Schematic overview showing defense-induced rhizosphere shifts and density-gated plant-soil feedback systems in B. oleracea.The diagram is split into the initial 'Conditioning phase' (left) where both the JA and SA pathways are induced by either phytohormone application (MeJA, SA) or herbivory (M. brassicae caterpillars; M. persicae aphids). The JA-pathway induction depleted Proteobacteria, mainly the genus Massilia, in the rhizosphere, while both pathways enriched a shared set of general stress-responsive microbes, including Planctomycetota (bacteria) and Mortierellomycota (fungi). The 'Feedback phase' is shown in the right panel: second-generation plants grown in conditioned soils were challenged with caterpillars or aphids; for clarity, only the SA-conditioned soil under aphid challenge is illustrated, as this was the only combination for which a soil-legacy effect on herbivore performance was detected. The soil legacy effect was not detectable under high aphid density, but became apparent under low aphid density. The diagram concludes that SA-conditioned soil from the conditioning phase is passed into the feedback phase. Figure taken from Huei-Hsuan Merissa Tsai, Not whether, but when: contextual rules for defense-induced plant–soil feedbacks, Plant and Cell Physiology, Volume 67, Issue 9, September 2026, Pages 1458–1460, https://doi.org/10.1093/pcp/pcag116

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Mirjam Meischner @mm-ecophys.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I am looking forward to meeting the #stable_isotope community and presenting our recent work on tree-tree signalling (📅Tue 06. Oct., 9:30 am) at this year's #ASI2026 at @uni-freiburg.de. 🙏to 👥 @simonhaber.bsky.social, @chriswernerlab.bsky.social, @jpschnitzler.net & 📄 @jxbotany.bsky.social

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Mirjam Meischner @mm-ecophys.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Can forest trees sense, via their root systems, whether their neighbours are suffering from herbivore attack, and go into defence mode themselves? This was a question I addressed in my PhD project, and the study has now been published in JXB: doi.org/10.1093/jxb/... 🐛🌲✉️🌳🚨

doi.org

Fagus sylvatica detects below-ground stress signals from conspecific and heterospecific (Picea abies) neighbors, triggering increased volatile organic compound emissions from shoots

This study found that below-ground signaling occurs between temperate tree saplings: when herbivory was simulated at sender plants, untreated receiver tree

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Mirjam Meischner @mm-ecophys.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Just as my experimental plants 🌲 had a smooth start at @voltcenter.bsky.social this July, so did I ☺️. Now, it's time for both me and the plants to grow roots in our new environment and prepare for the upcoming experiments🥼.

Tree saplings (Pinus sylvestris) with root balls after delivery from tree nursery.

Close-up of the shoot of a Scots pine sapling. This year's generation of needles is developing.

Scots pine saplings are potted and in a green house.

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