Kishnor Ingole and Kathryn Lilley have published an article in Science, together with colleagues from Durham, Liverpool, Lyon, Neuchâtel and Nottingham. The study identifies reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a potential early “alarm” signal for fluctuating water availability by modulating the functions of specific Aux/IAAs like IAA3 in a redox dependent manner. ‘Understanding ROS’s role in microscale root adaptations, such as xerobranching, sheds light on how roots rapidly sense and respond to heterogeneous water availability in complex soil environments. This insight could inform biotechnological and breeding approaches to enhance crop water-use efficiency.’ Read the article here.