Many soil microbes play a vital role in ecosystems, as they help plants access nutrients and water and assist in stress tolerance such as during drought and to defend against pathogens. One such group of soil microbes are arbuscular mycorrhizal, aka AM, fungi, which are associated with the roots of approximately 70% of plant species on land.  new Dartmouth-led study reports on how global climate conditions affect AM fungal spore traits and the species biogeographic patterns. The results are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 

Amylase/trypsin-inhibitors (ATIs) are proteins that can trigger immune reactions in the human body. They are best known from wheat, where they are considered a possible trigger of non-celiac wheat sensitivity. An international research team led by Katharina Scherf from the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich has now succeeded for the first time in precisely measuring these proteins in barley. The results could open up new avenues for the development of more tolerable foods.

Hybrid pepper breeding has long hinged on cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) systems, but a lack of functional restorer genes has left a critical gap.

Humanity has an insatiable appetite for ammonia: this substance is used to make fertilizer, which in turn is used in most modern agriculture. Until now, the Haber-Bosch process has been the method of choice for extracting nitrogen from the seemingly inexhaustible atmosphere and binding it in the form of ammonia. However, this method requires an extremely large amount of methane gas and energy. Prof. Nikolay Kornienko from the University of Bonn has discovered a more climate-friendly alternative for producing ammonia from renewable energy sources. The research team is now presenting its findings in the journal Nature Communications. 

The Asian monsoon is one of the world's most influential climate systems, directly impacting the weather, water resources, agriculture, and livelihoods of billions of people across Asia. A recent review paper by an international team is expected to inspire new research and innovation to advance monsoon prediction further, ultimately supporting better risk management and adaptation across Asia

Researchers have revived 80-year-old fungal pathogens from a museum collection and found that these pre-Green Revolution strains differ significantly from modern ones, revealing how decades of pesticide use and intensive farming have reshaped plant pathogens. By comparing the old and new fungi, the team uncovered critical insights into the evolution of fungicide resistance, environmental adaptation, and plant disease dynamics, paving the way for more sustainable, informed strategies in modern agriculture.