Salt stress severely limits plant growth, particularly in woody species. In this study, a time-course transcriptomic analysis (0–24 h NaCl treatment) revealed a clear time-dependent transcriptional reprogramming pattern in Betula platyphylla, characterized by rapid early activation followed by gradual stabilization. The response can be divided into three phases: early stress perception and signaling (1–3 h), mid-stage metabolic and hormonal reprogramming (5–9 h), and late-stage homeostasis and physiological adaptation (12–24 h). Early responses are dominated by signal transduction, the middle phase by metabolic reorganization and enhanced translation, and the late phase by redox and cellular homeostasis. Compared to the limited role of the Dehydration-Responsive Element-Binding protein (DREB) pathway, Abscisic acid (ABA) and Jasmonic acid (JA) signaling appear to play more central regulatory roles. Further analyses revealed the coordinated temporal activation of Reactive oxygen species (ROS), Salt Overly Sensitive (SOS), and ABA pathways: ROS shows an early burst followed by antioxidant activation; the SOS pathway regulates ion homeostasis via the Calcineurin B-like protein (CBL)-CBL-interacting protein kinase (CIPK) module; and ABA signaling progresses from biosynthesis to downstream transcriptional regulation. Protein interaction network analysis further identifies ABA signaling as a central hub integrating Ca²⁺ signaling, ROS metabolism, and ion transport. Overall, B. platyphylla responds to salt stress through a temporally coordinated regulatory network, providing new molecular insights into salt tolerance mechanisms in woody plants.

How do plants build a branch? Shoot branching is a fundamental determinant of plant architecture and is best understood as a dynamic developmental program governed by the coordinated action of multiple regulatory processes rather than by isolated pathways. Branch formation proceeds through a series of coordinated developmental transitions, from axillary meristem initiation and bud establishment to dormancy, activation, and sustained branch outgrowth, driven by interactions among phytohormones, transcription factors, environmental cues, and cellular processes. Here, we propose a developmental framework that integrates these successive stages and synthesize recent advances from both herbaceous and woody plants to illustrate how hormonal, transcriptional, and environmental signals coordinate branch development. We further highlight that these regulatory networks ultimately converge on fundamental cellular processes—including cell cycle progression, vascular differentiation, cell wall remodeling, and mechanical regulation—to execute branch formation. Finally, we discuss the evolutionary diversification of branching mechanisms and emerging technologies, including single-cell and spatial omics, comparative genomics, and artificial intelligence, that are advancing our understanding of shoot branching and accelerating the molecular design of plant architecture. This review provides an integrated framework for understanding how plants build branches and offers new perspectives for future research and crop improvement.