ALT Decorative image.

ALT Cover of the June 2026 issue of JIPB, featuring a sunflower with an enhanced MYB22–GST3.2 module (left), exhibiting significantly stronger salt stress tolerance compared to the salt sensitive control (right).

ALT Diagram comparing WT and HaMYB22-OE plants under salt stress conditions, showing how transcription factors HaMYB22, HaMYB120, and HaMYB121 cooperatively activate the transcription of the glutathione S-transferase gene HaGST3.2, thereby facilitating the removal of reactive oxygen species induced by salt stress in sunflowers and improving their salt tolerance.

ALT Diagrams comparing resting and activated state spatial organization of the plant internal sensors that detect infection and trigger immune responses, showing the formation of small units that assemble into larger clusters at the cell surface, and illustrating how this spatial organization may strengthen defense signals and lead to controlled cell death.

ALT Diagrams of two cells, one Pi and the other -Pi, to illustrate how the Mediator subunit SlMED25 and the co-repressor SlSPX2 competitively bind the N-terminal domain of the phosphate starvation response transcription factor SlPHR3 in tomato to form a sensitive molecular switch that dynamically modulates phosphate starvation responses and maintains phosphate homeostasis.

ALT Diagram summarizing how the CIN-TCP transcription factor family member TCP4 recruits the repressor SMXL6 to specific sites on chromatin to mediate transcriptional responses in the strigolactone signaling pathway in Arabidopsis.

ALT Expression and functional analysis of the candidate region on chromosome 20 associated with nitrogen fixation efficiency. (A) Scatter plot showing SNP association signals within the candidate region on Chr20. (B) Expression patterns of six genes within the candidate region comparing cultivated (CS) and wild soybean (WS) accessions. (C) Root and nodule phenotypes at 28 days after inoculation following CRISPR-Cas9 hairy root transformation. (D) Quantification of six traits, including root length (RL), nodule number (NN), root weight (RW), nodule weight (NW), nitrogen fixation efficiency (NFE), and nitrogen fixation activity per plant (NFP), in empty vector (EV) and knockout (KO) samples.

ALT Diagram comparing uninfected and MCMV-infected maize cells, illustrating that upon viral infection, P31 obstructs formation of the ZmRACK1-ZmCDPK7-ZmAPX1 complex, inhibiting ZmCDPK7-mediated ZmAPX1 activity and promoting reactive oxygen species production to facilitate viral infection.

ALT Diagram summarizing the review by Hu et al., exploring how genomic variation shapes plant flavor by altering the biosynthetic and regulatory pathways of key attributes like sweetness, acidity, bitterness, piquancy, astringency, and aroma. It also highlights how multi-omics, AI-assisted breeding, and gene editing can translate this knowledge into plants with improved flavor, nutrition, and sustainability.

ALT This annotated diagram of a cell cross-section describes how the tomato transcription factors SlWRKY42 and SlMYC2 enhance transcription of the spermine synthase gene SlSPDS2, leading to increased spermidine accumulation. Additionally, SlWRKY42 boosts the transcription of the gene encoding the sodium-hydrogen exchanger SlNHX4, which mitigates ion toxicity under saline-alkali stress.

ALT Diagram showing how a helper strain induces biofilm formation in the core symbiotic strain, Bradyrhizobium, via production of acyl homoserine lactones. This biofilm formation facilitates colonization of the soybean plant roots by Bradyrhizobium and promotes nodulation.

ALT Haplotype-resolved genome of Salix integra highlighting results of comparative analyses that reveal conserved sex-linked regions and a partial-PI-based mechanism on chromosome 15.

ALT Circular web diagram summarizing the relationships between structural characteristics, regulatory mechanisms, and functional roles of NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2, and CUC2) transcription factors in plant development and stress responses in different plant species.

ALT This diagram summarizes the molecular regulatory mechanisms of WRKY transcription factors in balancing growth and defense responses to abiotic and biotic stresses.

ALT This review highlights the molecular regulatory mechanisms of WRKY transcription factors in balancing growth and defense responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. The dual roles of different WRKYs in growth and resistance are discussed, and the manipulation of WRKY functions is proposed to improve crop growth and stress tolerance.

ALT This review provides an in-depth review of the structural characteristics, regulatory mechanisms, and functional roles of NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2, and CUC2) transcription factors in different plant species.

ALT The tomato transcription factors SlWRKY42 and SlMYC2 enhance the transcription of the spermine synthase gene SlSPDS2, leading to increased spermidine accumulation. Additionally, SlWRKY42 boosts the transcription of the gene encoding the sodium-hydrogen exchanger SlNHX4, which mitigates ion toxicity under saline-alkali stress.

ALT In the simplified and functional synthetic community (sfSynCom), a helper strain induces biofilm formation in the core symbiotic strain, Bradyrhizobium, via production of acyl homoserine lactones. This biofilm formation facilitates colonization of the soybean plant roots by Bradyrhizobium and thus promotes nodulation.

ALT Working models for PBF6: (A) Proposed role of PBF6 in enhancing the splicing of ycf3 intron 1 and clpP1 intron 2, and of introns from petB, ndhA, and ndhB transcripts. (B) Proposed role of PBF6 in concert with two other PPR-type splicing factors ECD2 and PBF2 in promoting splicing of ycf3 intron 1.

ALT Panel of images describing morphological, anatomical, and physiological changes in the basal regions of hypocotyl explants in mars1/rough mutants during adventitious root formation.

ALT Diagram to illustrate how the MYB-like repressor GRAIN PROTEIN CONTENT 6 (GPC6) in rice regulates storage protein genes and regulators, highlighting a single-nucleotide polymorphism in the GPC6 promoter that defines the GPC6T (low protein) and GPC6C (high protein) alleles.

ALT Diagram describing how the β-tubulin OsTUB1 affects rice endosperm development and grain size by controlling microtubule organization via functional modules with the microtubule-associated proteins END-BINDING 1a (OsEB1a) and OsEB1c. OsTUB1–OsEB1a affects grain size and OsTUB1–OsEB1c affects endosperm development, revealing distinct mechanisms and potential targets for improving rice yield and quality.

ALT Diagram describing details of and process stages for an adenine base-editing system established to precisely modify the sorghum SbALS gene and generate transgene-free mutant plants. These plants exhibit strong herbicide resistance, with no significant differences in agronomic traits, providing valuable germplasm for herbicide-resistance breeding in sorghum.

ALT Diagram summarizing a review discussing naturally plant-exuded compounds, which can act as prebiotics, selectively feeding native beneficial soil microbes to enhance disease suppression, nutrient acquisition, and contaminant degradation. These prebiotics can complement microbial inoculants as sustainable biofertilizers when properly identified, designed with synthetic communities, and validated by field trials.