A new article “ABA-auxin cascade regulates crop root angle in response to drought” has been published on Current Biology by the Hydrosensing team.
A group of the Hydrosensing team in collaboration with others discovered that the plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) helps crops adapt to drought by boosting auxin production, which shapes root growth angles. This mechanism enhances roots’ ability to grow deeper, accessing water in dry soils. These insights could lead to drought-resistant cereal crops, improving food security in challenging environments.
Full reference: Xiong, Y., Song, X., Mehra, P., Yu, S., Li, Q., Tashenmaimaiti, D., … & Huang, G. (2025). ABA-auxin cascade regulates crop root angle in response to drought. Current Biology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2024.12.003
Image: graphical abstract. Credit: Current Biology.
