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Science News for April 13, 1997


New Data Shows How Humus Handles Pollution

Research by Penn State scientists has shown that humus can bind up to 40-50% of applied chemicals, including pesticides and other pollutants, rendering them unavailable to plants or groundwater. This natural process is beneficial as bound chemicals are stable and do not leach into the environment.

Plant's Defenses Used Against Them

A Penn State scientist has created a method to stimulate plants to produce valuable chemicals by mimicking their natural defense mechanisms. By using dead fungal cell fragments, the technique can increase production of desired compounds up to 500 times.