A new study led by Dr. YANG Weibing from the Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has discovered a hidden "molecular gatekeeper" that controls the stiffness of these walls, directly guiding the fate of plant stem cells.

A research team from the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a confined crystallization strategy. This approach reconstructs—i.e., redesigns—the crystallization pathway during spray coating at its source through solvation structure regulation. Specifically, the team established a localized high-concentration (LHC) precursor system within individual spray droplets, enabling precise control over nucleation behavior during film formation.

A research team from the Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with China Pharmaceutical University, integrated whole-genome assemblies of 122 vascular plant species with morphological analyses (including analyses of stomata, vascular bundles, and aerenchyma), waterlogging experiments, and transcriptome sequencing.