Mycoviruses, viruses that infect fungi, have been identified across nearly every fungal taxon. Despite their widespread presence, the ecological effects of mycoviruses remain poorly understood. They can influence the biology of their hosts in various ways, including altering growth, reproduction, and pathogenicity. Their ability to induce either fungal hyper- or hypovirulence and thus regulate general fungal fitness by increas...

Global agriculture is heavily dependent on sustainable plant protection. Worldwide, the concept of integrated pest management (IPM) is being followed. IPM utilizes a range of strategies, with chemical synthetic pesticides being employed only as a last resort. However, in agricultural practice, farmers continue to rely primarily on this option. To further reduce this dependence, new strategies are being sought to strengthen the...

Microrchidia (MORC) proteins are fundamental regulators of genome stabilization, chromatin remodeling and gene expression in both mammals and plants. In Arabidopsis, their activity is linked to the RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) pathway, which utilizes small RNAs (sRNAs) to influence the rate of DNA methylation and chromatin compaction and thus gene expression. In barley, there are a total of seven members of the MORC fam...

Summary Non‐expressor of pathogenesis‐related genes 1 (NPR1) is a key regulator of plant innate immunity and systemic disease resistance. The model for NPR1 function is based on experimental evidence obtained largely from dicots; however, this model does not fit all aspects of Poaceae family, which includes major crops such as wheat, rice and barley. In addition, there is little scientific data on NPR1's role in mutualistic sy...