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Monoculture systems in South East Asia are facing challenges due to climate change-induced extreme weather conditions, leading to significant annual production losses in rice and oil palm. To ensure the stability of these crops, innovative strategies like resilient agroforestry systems need to be explored. Converting oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) monocultures to rice (Oryza sativa)-based intercropping systems shows promise, but achieving optimal yields requires adjusting palm density and identifying rice varieties adapted to changes in light quantity and diurnal fluctuation. This paper proposes a methodology that combines a model of light interception with indoor experiments to assess the feasibility of rice–oil palm agroforestry systems. Using a functional–structural plant model of oil palm, the planting design was optimized to maximize transmitted light for rice. Simulation results estimated the potential impact on oil palm carbon assimilation and transpiration. In growth chambers, simulated light conditions were replicated with adjustments to intensity and daily fluctuation. Three light treatments independently evaluated the effects of light intensity and fluctuation on different rice accessions. The simulation study revealed intercropping designs that significantly increased light transmission for rice cultivation with minimal decrease in oil palm densities compared with conventional designs. The results estimated a loss in oil palm productivity of less than 10%, attributed to improved carbon assimilation and water use efficiency. Changes in rice plant architecture were primarily influenced by light quantity, while variations in yield components were attributed to light fluctuations. Different rice accessions exhibited diverse responses to light fluctuations, indicating the potential for selecting genotypes suitable for agroforestry systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a correction to an article titled "Limited trait responses of a tropical seagrass to the combination of increasing pCO2 and warming" published in the Journal of Experimental Botany. The authors have identified mistakes in the discussion and Table 5 of the original paper. The correction provides the accurate information regarding the effect of temperature on biochemical composition in below-ground tissues, as well as the functional traits that respond to pCO2 and high temperatures. The authors have made the necessary corrections to the original version of the paper. [Extracted from the article]

The Journal of Experimental Botany has announced the appointment of six early career researchers as editorial interns for 2024. The aim of these internships is to train the next generation of editors. Each intern has been paired with an editor who shares their scientific interests and will serve as a mentor during their one-year internship. The interns will gain experience in editorial work and will also have the opportunity to write Insight commentaries on selected papers and provide content for the journal's social media channels. The Society for Experimental Biology, which owns and manages the journal, is dedicated to helping young scientists through conferences, training, and career workshops. The journal is also planning a 75th Anniversary meeting in 2025 to provide an opportunity for early career researchers to share their work and vision for the future of plant science. [Extracted from the article]

This document is a correction to an article titled "Steroidal glycoalkaloids contribute to anthracnose resistance in Solanum lycopersicum" published in the Journal of Experimental Botany. The correction adds an acknowledgement to an additional organization that sponsors the author's postdoctoral appointment. The organization is the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Research Participation Program, administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) through an interagency agreement between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The correction states that all opinions expressed in the paper are the author's and do not necessarily reflect the policies and views of USDA, DOE, or ORAU/ORISE. [Extracted from the article]

Allometric rules provide insights into the structure-function relationships across species and scales and are commonly used in ecology. The fields of agronomy, plant phenotyping and modeling also need simplifications such as allometric rules to reconcile data at different temporal and spatial levels (organs/canopy). This paper explores the variations in relationships for wheat regarding (i) the distribution of crop green area between leaves and stems, and (ii) the allocation of above-ground biomass between leaves and stems during the vegetative period, using a large dataset covering different years, countries, genotypes and management practices. Our results show that the relationship between leaf and stem area was linear, genotype-specific, and sensitive to radiation. The relationship between leaf and stem biomass depended on genotype and nitrogen fertilization. The mass per area, associating area and biomass for both leaf and stem, varied strongly by developmental stage and was significantly affected by environment and genotype. These allometric rules were evaluated with satisfactory performance, and their potential use is discussed with regard to current phenotyping techniques and plant/crop models. Our results enable the definition of models and minimum datasets required for characterizing diversity panels and making predictions in various G × E × M contexts., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Recent research findings established the cruciality of Cys2/His2-type Zinc Finger Proteins (C2H2-ZFPs) in plant growth and their relevance in coping with various stressors. Nevertheless, the complex structure of the C2H2-ZFPs network and the molecular mechanisms of response to stress in adversity have received considerable attention and now require more in-depth examination. This paper reviews the structural characteristics, classification, and recent functional research advances of C2H2-ZFPs. In addition, it systematically introduces the roles of these proteins across diverse facets of plant biology, encompassing growth and development, responses to biotic and abiotic stresses, and laying the foundation for future functional studies of C2H2-ZFPs., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)