Phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PtdIns(3)P), synthesised by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) complex, regulates various processes in plants and has a function in plant–Phytophthora interactions. We demonstrate that two PI3K component genes (NbVPS15 and NbVPS34) responsible for generating PtdIns(3)P in Nicotiana benthamiana regulate the effector stability of Phytophthora pathogens and cell death induced by effectors. Our results provide new insights into the regulation of plant resistance to Phytophthora and uncover a new function of vacuolar protein sorting genes in N. benthamiana.

The unbalanced application of N fertilizer has resulted in enormous energy consumption and adverse environmental consequences worldwide. Optimum development is attainable when ammonium and nitrate are supplied to the plants at an appropriate ratio. This experiment reveals that an ammonium : nitrate ratio of 25 : 75 is the most appropriate for improved photosynthetic capacity in chilli pepper. This can improve the growth and development of this popular vegetable for the benefit of farmers.

In this study we examined tobacco varieties for ability to induce activation of slowly available potassium. High levels of organic acids exudates resulted in higher levels of available potassium. These findings suggest that some tobacco varieties may be useful for improving nutrient conditions in agricultural soils.

The NAC genes, which play important roles in plant growth and stress responses, were identified and molecularly characterised in wild Medicago falcata. The expression patterns of NAC genes were analysed in different tissues in response to abiotic stress. This study provided basic information on NAC genes in wild M. falcata: MfNAC35 and MfNAC88 have been found as potential candidate genes for molecular genetic breeding.

Slight shading could be an effective approach for growing soybean in intercropping systems. Soybean responds to slight shade by producing larger leaves to intercept more sunlight. Compared with severe-shading, soybean maintained the optimum chlorophyll contents, high net photosynthetic rate, and improved antioxidant enzyme activities under slight-shading. Through configuring the space deployment in the intercropping system, slight shade could be helpful for optimum growth and yield. Redesigning photosynthesis through slight shade for intercropping systems could meet global food and bioenergy demand.

Drought is a major constraint to canola production in Australia and around the world. We studied the genetic variation in a wide range of canola germplasm for transpiration efficiency (TE) – a trait that has value when selecting for drought tolerance in breeding programs. We show there is a large amount of variation for TE in the germplasm studied, and it could be selected for by studying the carbon-isotope composition of leaf material produced in the early vegetative phase of growth.

Nitrogen (N) availability has a profound impact on plant growth. Our research revealed that N availability had little effect on the physiological and leaf morphological components of growth. Rather, the variation in plant growth in response to N was largely due to shifts in biomass allocation. Plants allocated more biomass to roots at the cost of leaves to improve N uptake under low N. This pattern of response to N was maintained when accounting for plant size.