Characterization of an endophytic bacterium (), originating from tomato ( L.), and its ability to inhabit the parasitic weed .

is an obligate holo-parasitic weedlacking a functional photosynthetic system, which subsists on roots of a wide range of host crops, causing severe losses in yield quality and quantity. The parasite and its host are connected through their vascular system, forming a unique ecological system that enables the exchange of various substances. In a previous study, it was suggested that endophytic bacteria, which naturally inhabit the internal tissues of plants, can also be transmitted from the parasitic weed to its host and .

A comprehensive genome variation map of melon identifies multiple domestication events and loci influencing agronomic traits.

Melon is an economically important fruit crop that has been cultivated for thousands of years; however, the genetic basis and history of its domestication still remain largely unknown. Here we report a comprehensive map of the genomic variation in melon derived from the resequencing of 1,175 accessions, which represent the global diversity of the species. Our results suggest that three independent domestication events occurred in melon, two in India and one in Africa.

New opportunities for the integration of microorganisms into biological pest control systems in greenhouse crops.

Biological pest control with mass-produced arthropod natural enemies is well developed in greenhouse crops and has often resulted in the evolution of complex ecosystems with persistent populations of multiple arthropod natural enemy species. However, there are cases where arthropod natural enemies are either not effective enough, not available, or their use is rather costly. For these reasons, biological control based on microorganisms, also referred to as 'microbials', represents a complementary strategy for further development.

Two host clades, two bacterial arsenals: evolution through gene losses in facultative endosymbionts.

Bacterial endosymbiosis is an important evolutionary process in insects, which can harbor both obligate and facultative symbionts. The evolution of these symbionts is driven by evolutionary convergence, and they exhibit among the tiniest genomes in prokaryotes. The large host spectrum of facultative symbionts and the high diversity of strategies they use to infect new hosts probably impact the evolution of their genome and explain why they undergo less severe genomic erosion than obligate symbionts.