Highlights from the 14th International Conference for Plant Mitochondrial Biology: Current Trends and Future Directions.

Abstract

Plant mitochondrial biology is undergoing a rapid transformation driven by advances in genomics, structural biology, quantitative imaging, and genome engineering. Once focused primarily on respiration and bioenergetics, the field now encompasses diverse areas including genome evolution, gene expression, organelle dynamics, stress signaling, metabolism, and biotechnology. The 14th International Conference for Plant Mitochondrial Biology (ICPMB), held in Kagoshima, Japan, from 18-22 May 2026 (Fig. 1), brought together researchers to discuss recent advances across these rapidly expanding research areas. This meeting report summarizes the major scientific advances presented at ICPMB 2026 and highlights emerging directions that are defining the future of plant mitochondrial biology.