Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

C-SPIRIT @c-spirit.org · 10h

C-SPIRIT’s Sue Rhee (@rheelab.bsky.social) is giving a keynote at the XXI SMB Plant Biology Congress! 🌱
🗓️ Oct 21 | 6:30-7:15 pm CT
💬 Drug discovery for agriculture: Center for Sustainable Plant Innovation and Resilience through International Teamwork

See more: smbplant.quimica.unam.mx
#PlantScience

Upcoming C-SPIRIT team member talk!
Director of the Plant Resilience Institute & C-SPIRIT
Michigan State University
Dr. Seung Yon (Sue) Rhee
Talk Title: Drug discovery for agriculture: Center for Sustainable Plant Innovation and Resilience through International Teamwork (C-SPIRIT)
Tuesday, October 21st 6:30 - 7:15 pm CT
Learn more!

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C-SPIRIT @c-spirit.org · 1d

🎉 Congrats to Daisuke Todaka, Motoaki Seki, Kenji Miura, & colleagues on their new paper in Scientific Reports!

4-CPA & ethanol boost tomato growth, fruit quality, & heat tolerance — advancing C-SPIRIT’s mission for sustainable, resilient agriculture. 🌱🍅

🔗 doi.org/10.1038/s415...

#plantscience

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Reposted by C-SPIRIT

aspbplantbiology.bsky.social @aspbplantbiology.bsky.social · 5d

📣 The #PlantBio2026 Program Committee is pleased to announce that the abstract submission portal is now open! plantbiology.aspb.org/submit-a-pro...

The Plant Biology conference is developed for the plant science community, by members of the plant science community—that means YOU!

#plantscience

Image text: Call for Content. #PlantBio2026. plantbiology.aspb.org. Featuring ASPB, CSPB/SCBV & PB26 logos on a themed-background

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Reposted by C-SPIRIT

Journal of Experimental Botany @jxbotany.bsky.social · 7d

💧🌾 RESEARCH 💧🌾

Multi-omics analysis identifies 13 traits that efficiently identify wheat cultivars sensitive to drought priming and lead to the identification of a candidate gene – Li et al.

🔗doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...

#PlantScience 🧪

Fig. 1.Experimental design. (A) Schematic diagram of the drought-priming and drought stress treatments; DAA, days after anthesis. Destructive sampling was carried out at 0 DAA and at maturity to determine dry matter distribution. Non-destructive data acquisition for high-throughput phenotyping (HTP) was carried out 1 d before the start of drought stress (DS), at 1, 3, and 5 d during the DS, and at 1 d and 2 d during the recovery period after DS. Representative images of plants after the two priming treatments are shown. (B) The HTP platform used in this study carrying the LiDAR instrument, and the multispectral and thermal infrared cameras. Representative images of the 3D point cloud data, and the multispectral and thermal infrared data are also shown. The blue-to-red color scale represents low-to-high values, respectively, for plant height and temperature.

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Reposted by C-SPIRIT

WALIIAnhydro @waliianhydro.bsky.social · 6d

There is only ONE WEEK LEFT to submit an abstract for a contributed talk at the first annual WALII Virtual Symposium on Tuesday, Nov 18, 2025! 💧🌎

Selected speakers will present 10-12 min. talks followed by 3-5 min. of Q&A.

Submit now!

Visit: walii.science/virtual-symp...

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C-SPIRIT @c-spirit.org · 6d

Keep up to date with conference details here! @aspbplantbiology.bsky.social #PlantBio2026

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C-SPIRIT @c-spirit.org · 6d

🌍 ASPB Plant Biology 2026 is set for Ottawa, Canada, July 18–22, 2026

📢 Call for proposals & abstracts is open
🌱 Symposia & workshops: Oct 31, 2025
🌱 Independent abstracts: Jan 2, 2026
🌱 Posters: June 19, 2026

Learn more & submit
🔗 plantbiology.aspb.org/submit-a-pro...

#PlantScience

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C-SPIRIT @c-spirit.org · 7d

📌 Institutional Feature Series | No. 16: Michigan State University

MSU’s 37 members contribute to 6 areas of work: discovery, annotation, gene-pathway studies, lab/field testing, toxicity testing, and broader impacts. We're lucky to have their expertise!

🔗 c-spirit.org/research

#PlantScience

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C-SPIRIT @c-spirit.org · 8d

Check out this opportunity for a postdoctoral researcher to join us at C-SPIRIT!

#plantscience

MSU Plant Resilience Institute @msupri.bsky.social · Sep 3

The @rheelab.bsky.social at the MSU Plant Resilience Institute is now #hiring a postdoctoral researcher to investigate how #nematodes respond to chemical and environmental cues as part of @c-spirit.org and @waliianhydro.bsky.social. 🪱

Apply now at: careers.msu.edu/jobs/researc... #PlantSciJobs

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C-SPIRIT @c-spirit.org · 9d

@rheelab.bsky.social @istudytrust.bsky.social @hatem-rouached.bsky.social @bobvanburen.bsky.social @santastic-k.bsky.social @nicolabiologist.bsky.social @wishartnode.bsky.social @oli-wilkins.bsky.social @asherpasha.bsky.social @bar-plantbio.bsky.social @alenzimic10.bsky.social@lichmanlab.bsky.social

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C-SPIRIT @c-spirit.org · 9d

Our September newsletter is out! 🌿

Inside:
🔹Blogpost on C-SPIRIT’s role in the bioeconomy
🔹Spotlight on the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences
🔹Member publications
🔹Upcoming events
...and more!

👉 Read: createsend.com/t/y-23A65796...
✉️ Subscribe: forms.gle/Wkz3TgNQ2wJZ...

#plantscience

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C-SPIRIT @c-spirit.org · 12d

Congrats to C-SPIRIT members Daisuke Todaka and Motoaki Seki (RIKEN CSRS) and colleagues on their new Plant Biotechnology paper! 🎉

Their study shows ethanol plus sufficient light boosts cassava drought resilience by activating ABA signaling & more. 🌱🌍

🔗 doi.org/10.5511/plan...

#plantscience

New Publication!
Learn more & read the article!
Congratulations to C-SPIRIT Members Daisuke Todaka, Motoaki Seki, and their colleagues on the publication of their article Light photon flux density affects ethanol-mediated drought avoidance in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) in Plant Biotechnology!

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Reposted by C-SPIRIT

Journal of Experimental Botany @jxbotany.bsky.social · 13d

🧬🌱RESEARCH 🧬🌱

🧬🌱 Overexpression in Brassica napus of Arabidopsis G-protein genes increases biomass of seedling plants under low and high nitrogen conditions, and increases nitrogen use efficiency and yield under low nitrogen condition – Xie et al.

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...
#PlantScience 🧪

Fig.10.Integrated schematic diagram of the changes in growth and development and N uptake and utilization in oilseed rape (Brassica napus) by overexpression of Arabidopsis G-proteins. In a low-N environment, overexpression of each of AtGPA1, AtAGB1-AGG1, AtAGB1-AGG2, and AtAGB1-AGG3 promoted root growth and increased GS activity and expression of most GS genes in roots and leaves in oilseed rape at the seedling stage. Subsequently, the seed N accumulation, the number of seeds per silique, and the yield of rapeseed at maturity stage were increased, resulting in higher nitrogen harvest index and NUE. Red arrows represent increases, different colored asterisks represent different transgenic lines, and the size of the asterisks represents the relative degree of increases. GS, glutamine synthetase; LN, low nitrogen; NHI, nitrogen harvest index; NUE, nitrogen use efficiency; NupE, nitrogen uptake efficiency; NutE, nitrogen utilization efficiency.

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C-SPIRIT @c-spirit.org · 14d

Pennycress drought trials are off and running! 🌱 On 9/19, C-SPIRIT members Danielle Hoffmann and Briana Hashim, with the help of Paige Smith and Katherine Egeler, planted 96 rows of pennycress MSU. Part of C-SPIRIT’s mission to grow climate-resilient crops! 🌍

#plantscience

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C-SPIRIT @c-spirit.org · 15d

📌 C-SPIRIT Institutional Feature No. 15: Cornell University

Research team members Alen Zimić and Gaurav Moghe support Aims 1, 2, and 5, helping us achieve our mission of stabilizing global food production and fostering sustainable agricultural practices!

🔗 c-spirit.org/research

#plantscience

C-SPIRIT @c-spirit.org · 16d

🎧 C-SPIRIT’s Motoaki Seki is featured on NHK World!

Seki's team is studying how ethanol boosts drought resistance in crops like cherry tomatoes. This aligns with C-SPIRIT’s mission to support sustainable agriculture through global collaboration! 🌿

🔗 www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/...

#PlantScience

C-SPIRIT in the News!
C-SPIRIT Leadership Member Motoaki Seki explains the work he and his team at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science are doing to determine how ethanol encourages drought resistance in crops such as cherry tomatoes.
Listen to the interview!

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Reposted by C-SPIRIT

Springer @springer.springernature.com · Aug 28

🧪 Climate change is stressing our crops like never before. 'Plants Response to Different Abiotic Stresses'—highlights the importance of developing climate-resilient strategies by showcasing how minor ecological changes can lead to major crop stress. bit.ly/46f9tLd #PlantScience #Climate

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C-SPIRIT @c-spirit.org · 20d

🌾 Upcoming C-SPIRIT Member Talk!

C-SPIRIT team member Dr. Olivia Wilkins (@oli-wilkins.bsky.social) will speak at the 2025 RiboClub Annual Meeting on rice leaf osmotic stress responses.

📅 Sept 23 | 🕚 11:45 am ET
📍 Orford, QC | In person

Learn more 🔗 home.riboclub.org/annual-meeting

#plantscience

Talk Title: Spatiotemporal variation of osmotic stress responses in developing rice (Oryza sativa) leaves
September 23, 2025 | 11:45 am – 12:05 pm ET | In-person
Learn more about the RiboClub Annual Meeting happening in Orford, QC, Canada Sept. 21-25, 2025!
home.riboclub.org/annual-meeting
Upcoming C-SPIRIT team member talk!
Dr. Olivia Wilkins
Associate Professor within the Department of Biological Sciences
University of Manitoba

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C-SPIRIT @c-spirit.org · 21d

🌍 It’s National Postdoc Appreciation Week!

C-SPIRIT celebrates 19 postdocs in 5 countries who power our mission to improve soil health, strengthen crop resilience, & advance sustainable farming. 🌱

Learn more about the work our postdocs & other research team members do: c-spirit.org

#plantscience

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C-SPIRIT @c-spirit.org · 22d

🌿 C-SPIRIT members represented at the 1st Great Lakes Plant Science Conference this past weekend in Lansing, Michigan!

5 members of our research team gave fantastic poster presentations: Shogo Kuwayama, Kwang-chul Shin, Karine Prado, Danielle Hoffmann, & Bri Hashim 🌱

#PlantScience #GLPSC2025

Shogo Kuwayama discussing his poster and research with a GLPSC attendee

Kwang-chul Shin with his poster at GLPSC

Bri Hashim presenting her poster at GLPSC

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Reposted by C-SPIRIT

MSU Plant Resilience Institute @msupri.bsky.social · 23d

Thank you to everyone who attended the 1st Great Lakes Plant Science Conference and helped make it a success! This inaugural meeting brought together 416 registrants from 55 institutions. Together, we’ve built momentum for the future of #plantscience in the Great Lakes region and beyond! #GLPSC2025

GLPSC 2025 attendees pose together on the sidewalk in front of the Grand River for a group photo

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Reposted by C-SPIRIT

WALIIAnhydro @waliianhydro.bsky.social · 26d

Join us for the very first inaugural WALII Virtual Symposium on Tuesday, Nov 18, 2025!

Abstract submissions for a contributed talk are NOW OPEN!

Selected speakers will be chosen in Oct. and will present 10-12 minute talks followed by 3-5 minutes of Q&A.

For More: www.walii.science/virtual-symp...

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C-SPIRIT @c-spirit.org · 26d

Also featured in this post is Aim 5 lead @santastic-k.bsky.social !

C-SPIRIT @c-spirit.org · 26d

C-SPIRIT was at the NSF Global Centers Community Building Meeting this week! 🌱

Director Sue Rhee (@rheelab.bsky.social) pitched our mission to boost soil health, crop resilience, & food security, and we connected folks from the ASAP Global Center. 🌍

#PlantScience

C-SPIRIT at the 2025 NSF Global Centers Community Building meeting!

Picture 1: C-SPIRIT Director Sue Rhee at a lectern, presenting her elevator pitch on C-SPIRIT

Picture 2: C-SPIRIT Director Sue Rhee and Aim 5 Lead Kari Sant meeting with leadership from the NSF Global Center Alliance for Socially-acceptable & Actionable Plants (ASAP)

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C-SPIRIT @c-spirit.org · 28d

📌 C-SPIRIT Institutional Feature 14: University of Cambridge

Nicola Patron (@nicolabiologist.bsky.social) & Konstantina Beritza support Aim 4 through synthetic pathway engineering, compound optimization, & detection strategies. We are lucky to have them!

🔗 c-spirit.org/research

#PlantScience

Institutional Feature
University of Cambridge
Aims
4: Synthesis of Bioactive Compounds
C-SPIRIT Members
Nicola Patron
Konstantina Beritza

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