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How light and temperature work together to affect plant growth

A recent study published in Nature Communications has revealed that PIF7 and auxin proteins accelerate plant growth when exposed to warm temperatures and canopy shade. This discovery will help scientists predict how plants respond to climate change and increase crop productivity, enabling the development of more resilient crops.

SourceSalk Institute·JournalNature Communications·DateAug 29, 2022

Photorhabdus luminescens – a true all-rounder: Insect pathogenic bacterium also helps to combat fungal infestation

Research at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz reveals Photorhabdus luminescens can protect plants from fungal infection, colonizing the fungus's hyphae and breaking down its cell wall. This secondary cell form also promotes plant growth and offers new potential for biological crop protection.

SourceJohannes Gutenberg Universitaet Mainz·JournalApplied and Environmental Microbiology·DateJul 6, 2022

Gametophytes are ready for their close up: Methods used to study obscure sexual portion of plant life cycle focus of Applications in Plant Sciences special issue

A new special issue of Applications in Plant Sciences explores techniques for studying gametophytes, essential for understanding biodiversity and conservation. The study reveals the complexity of gametophyte biology, including their limited size and invisibility in some plants.

SourceBotanical Society of America·JournalApplications in Plant Sciences·DateMay 10, 2022

Climate change demands near perfect weed control in soybean

Research reveals that climate change and drought can cause significant yield losses in soybeans, even with high levels of weed control. To mitigate this, farmers need to adopt integrated weed management strategies, including the use of soil-residual herbicides and late-maturing soybean varieties.

Increased heat and drought stunt tropical trees, a major carbon sink

A recent study published in Nature Geoscience has found that tropical trees' trunk growth is reduced in years with drier and warmer conditions. The researchers also discovered that the effect of climatic fluctuations is more dramatic in arid or warm regions, suggesting climate change may increase the sensitivity of tropical trees.

SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalNature Geoscience·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMar 31, 2022

New molecular mechanism promotes growth of duckweed, an important plant in aquatic ecosystems

Scientists identified a new plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) that enhances duckweed biomass productivity by 2.7-fold, increasing photosynthesis and wastewater treatment efficiency. The molecular mechanism suggests that organic compounds are transferred from the bacteria to duckweed, triggering an increase in photosynthetic activity.

SourceAmerican Phytopathological Society·JournalMolecular Plant-Microbe Interactions·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 23, 2022

Stronger drought resistance of urban vegetation due to higher temperature, CO2 and reduced O3

A recent study found that urban vegetation has a stronger ability to withstand drought compared to rural areas. The researchers attribute this enhanced drought resistance to increased temperature and CO2 concentration, as well as reduced ozone levels in urban environments.

SourceCarl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign·JournalEnvironmental Research Letters·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 15, 2021

Effects of meteorological factors and airmass movements on airborne pollen in Betula wetland in Xinjiang

Airborne pollen concentrations in Betula microphylla-dominated wetland of Ebinur Lake, Xinjiang, are influenced by meteorological factors such as temperature, precipitation, wind speed, and direction. The study found that airborne pollen composition corresponds to local vegetation and reflects long-distance transported pollen taxa.

SourceScience China Press·JournalScience China Earth Sciences·DateOct 28, 2021

Survival strategy of starving spruces trees: The critical role of reserves

Trees continue to form reserves even during long periods of starvation, contrary to the assumption that they only form when photosynthetic conditions are favorable. As CO2 starvation progresses, trees stabilize their reserve levels and divert resources to storage, allowing them to survive climate extremes.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 23, 2021

Body size, digestive systems shape ungulate foraging

Research reveals that smaller-bodied ruminants prioritize high-energy intake by foraging at optimal vegetation maturity, while equids focus on areas near surface water. This study challenges the 'forage maturation hypothesis,' suggesting ungulate species adapt to their body size and digestive systems to optimize resource utilization.

SourceUniversity of Wyoming·JournalEcology Letters·TypeMeta-analysis·DateJul 27, 2021

Chemical signal in plants reduces growth processes in favor of defense

Researchers found that beta-cyclocitral produced by plants after herbivore attack increases defense responses and inhibits the production of metabolites for growth in Arabidopsis thaliana. This volatile signal opens up new possibilities for developing herbicides or antimicrobial agents that block the methylerythritol 4-phosphate pathway.

SourceMax Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 9, 2021

Dueling proteins give shape to plants

In a new study, researchers have identified the molecular mechanism behind two key proteins that influence plant form and timing of developmental transitions. The study reveals an antagonistic relationship between Terminal Flower 1 (TLF1) and Flowering Locus T (FT) proteins, which promote branch formation and flowering, respectively.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalNature Communications·DateOct 12, 2020

Producing leather-like materials from fungi

Researchers from the University of Vienna have developed biodegradable, CO2-neutral leather substitutes from fungi, using low-cost agricultural by-products. These materials exhibit comparable properties to traditional leather and hold significant potential as an environmentally friendly alternative.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Sustainability·DateSep 7, 2020

Insect bites and warmer climate means double-trouble for plants

A new study reveals that warmer temperatures worsen the productivity of infested tomato plants, causing them to produce more defense compounds in response to caterpillar attacks. This double-edged sword leads to impaired photosynthesis, decreased crop yield, and unexpected tradeoffs between defense responses and plant productivity.

SourceMichigan State University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 20, 2020

Agriculture of the future: Neural networks have learned to predict plant growth

Researchers trained neural networks to predict plant growth patterns using computer vision algorithms and efficient graphics processing units. The system uses Raspberry Pi with Intel Movidius graphics card to calculate and predict the optimal ratio of nutrients, enabling continuous monitoring and prediction in artificial growing systems.

SourceSkolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech)·JournalIEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement·DateOct 31, 2019

Cigarette butts hamper plant growth -- study

A new study published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety found that cigarette butts contain a bioplastic filter that harms plants, reducing germination success and shoot length of clover and grass by significant margins. The filters' chemical composition is believed to be the primary cause of damage.

SourceAnglia Ruskin University·JournalEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety·DateJul 19, 2019