Plant Biology

How plants evolved a molecular switch to cope with heat

Ghent, 26 August – As climate change drives more frequent and intense heat waves, plants face growing challenges to survive and remain productive. Researchers at VIB, Ghent University, KU Leuven, and their international collaborators have now uncovered an evolutionary innovation that helps plants cope with high temperatures. Published in Nature Plants, the study uncovers a molecular mechanism that helps plants stay cool under heat stress and could help researchers identify new ways to strengthen crop resilience.

Mapping plant-fungus symbiosis, cell by cell

Ghent, 18 August 2026 – Scientists at VIB and Ghent University have produced the first high-resolution, cell-by-cell map of how tomato roots respond to colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. These ancient fungal partners help plants absorb nutrients from the soil. The study, published in Current Biology, reveals the precise molecular programs that unfold as the symbiosis progresses through different stages, and identifies promising new genetic regulators that could one day be used to engineer more efficient, sustainable crops.

How plants keep their root hairs alive and why that matters for crop resilience

Ghent, Belgium – 12 May 2026. Plants rely on millions of tiny hairs on their roots to absorb water and nutrients from the soil. Now, a research team at VIB and UGent led by Prof. Moritz Nowack, has discovered that the lifespan of these root hairs is governed by a surprisingly precise molecular balancing act between recycling and cell death. The findings, published in Nature Plants, open new avenues for engineering crops that are better at extracting resources from the soil.

Plants survived the dinosaur-killing asteroid by duplicating genomes

Ghent, 8 May 2025 – When an asteroid as big as Mount Everest struck Earth 66 million years ago, it wiped out all non-avian dinosaurs and roughly a third of life on the planet. But many plants survived the devastation. In a new study in Cell, researchers from VIB and Ghent University reveal that the accidental duplications of genomes might have helped many flowering plants survive some of the most extreme environmental upheavals in Earth’s history. This strategy could help plants adapt to the rapid climate changes unfolding today.

European scientists uncover new plant-based anti-inflammatory and anti-aging ingredients for sustainable cosmetics 

Transgene-free genome editing in poplar trees: a step toward sustainable forestry 

“The key innovation,” says Prof. Boerjan, “is that the gene-editing tool does its job and then disappears without leaving a genetic trace behind.”

New insights into plant growth

Asymmetric distribution of brassinosteroids after mitotic cell division

New insights in plant response to high temperatures and drought

Researchers at VIB-UGent have unraveled how the opening and closing of stomata - tiny pores on leaves – is regulated in response to high temperatures and drought.

Plant roots change their growth pattern during ‘puberty’ 

Roots go through a puberty phase, which could have important implications for developing climate-resilient agriculture

Improving transformation frequency in maize

Opening the door for high-efficiency gene-editing research

Increasing experimental efficiency in plant genome editing

Improving CRISPR-induced multiplex mutagenesis

CPL3 protein regulates DELLA

New insights into the GA pathway