Articles tagged with Plants
A new onion species, Allium negianum, has been discovered in the western Himalayas, characterized by its unique growth habits and distribution. The species is currently under threat due to indiscriminate harvest for seasoning, highlighting the need for conservation efforts.
Researchers found that regular plants have distinct metabolic differences from CAM photosynthesis-adapted species, which could hinder efforts to bioengineer drought tolerance in crops. Understanding these differences is crucial for future research and potential crop improvement.
Researchers at Dartmouth College have identified proteins PYE and ILR3 that help protect plants from damage during iron deficiency. These proteins enable the plant to optimize its light protection mechanisms, allowing it to continue photosynthesizing without suffering tissue damage.
Researchers discovered that bacteria enter corn plants through natural openings at the leaf's edge, causing Goss's wilt. High concentrations of bacteria lead to freckles and disease symptoms.
A new plant species, Aenigmanu alvareziae, has been identified after nearly 50 years of scientists unable to classify it. The plant's DNA analysis revealed its closest relatives were in the Picramniaceae family.
Researchers have identified a key component of plants' light response, allowing them to regulate gene expression and control stem growth. By reducing PIF protein activity, they can slow down stem growth and promote leaf and seed production, leading to increased crop yields and improved food supply.
Researchers at Arizona State University have created a bioinspired catalyst that lengthens the productive state of chemical reactions, mimicking the process of photosynthesis. By employing proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET), they successfully slowed charge recombination and improved catalytic efficiency.
Researchers found that clover grown with symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria in Martian regolith experienced significant 75% more root and shoot growth compared to uninoculated plants. However, the regolith showed no excess production of nitrogen compounds, suggesting a potential role for these microbes in terraforming Mars soils.
Researchers investigate Pseudomonas cannabina pv. alisalensis (Pcal) interaction with cabbage and oats, discovering coronatine (COR) suppresses salicylic acid to aid pathogen growth. This finding opens doors to new disease control strategies.
A new chemical discovered by a UC Riverside team helps dormant seeds germinate, increasing crop yields and food supply. The compound, Antabactin, blocks ABA hormone receptors, allowing seeds to sprout in response to environmental stressors.
Researchers at KU Leuven and the Alliance of Bioversity International have developed a method to multiply coconut trees faster and store them more efficiently in gene banks. This technique allows for the preservation of coconut shoots for eternity through cryopreservation, ensuring the long-term conservation of genetic diversity.
Scientists at KU Leuven developed a method to multiply coconut trees faster and store them more efficiently, preserving genetic diversity and meeting the demand for coconuts. The technique allows thousands of new specimens with the same genetic profile to be obtained, offering potential for coconut plantations worldwide.
Research from the University of Cambridge has demonstrated that plants use mechanical buckling to produce intricate petal patterns, which can be seen as iridescence. The findings suggest that this optical effect could play an important role in attracting pollinators like bees.
Research reveals that stronger lettuce stems are a key part of disease resistance against Sclerotinia spp., the causative agent of lettuce drop. The study found that wild lettuce species exhibit increased stem strength and reduced symptom development, while modern commercial cultivars are susceptible to rapid basal stem rot.
A study compared four common DNA extraction methods and found that each method produced slightly different results due to varying 'how' factors. Researchers can now make informed decisions about their methods to optimize results.
Researchers at the University of Tsukuba found that coating soybean plant leaves with cellulose nanofiber offers resistance to infection by Asian soybean rust pathogen, changing leaf surface from water repellent to water absorbent and suppressing disease-causing gene expression.
Scientists are still unraveling how pathogens adapt to changing conditions, including climate change and global trade. Genome sequencing and big data technologies have revealed that dramatic events like hybridization between pathogen species can lead to rapid evolution of virulence on new host plants.
Scientists found that rain-borne microbes can successfully colonize plants' aboveground microbial communities, protecting them from stressors. The study suggests that rain is a potentially important reservoir for phyllosphere bacteria, which could be used to improve plant health.
Scientists at Tokyo University of Science discovered endophytic bacteria that can survive extreme conditions within passion fruit seeds. The bacteria were isolated from seedlings grown from cut seeds and found to possess biocatalytic activities related to the metabolism of secondary metabolites, such as resveratrol and piceatannol.
A new study reveals that retinoids trigger the development of plant lateral roots, which are regulated by a protein similar to those found in animal cells. This discovery showcases convergent evolution and opens up new avenues for understanding human development and finding medical treatments.
Researchers can leverage innovative technologies to analyze complex interactions within the plant root microbiome. By combining mesocosms with in-situ sensors and imaging tools, scientists can replicate experiments on spatial and temporal scales.
The New Roots for Restoration Biology Integration Institute aims to integrate plant traits, communities, and the soil ecosphere to advance restoration of natural and agricultural ecosystems. The project seeks to understand how root traits influence plant interactions with each other and with the soil.
Scientists have developed a new live analysis system for plant stomata, allowing for rapid and affordable identification of desirable traits. This innovation has the potential to accelerate crop development for climate-resistance, addressing future food shortages.
Researchers developed a dynamic photosynthesis model that simulated a 10-20% yield increase by improving crop leaves' ability to adjust to fluctuating light. The model identified two proteins essential for the adjustment, which could lead to significant productivity gains.
A team of scientists developed a bioprocess that efficiently converts plant matter into high-value bioproducts, overcoming a major hurdle in lignocellulosic biofuels. The process uses xylose and acetate as carbon sources, resulting in significant increases in TAL production and biomass accumulation.
A team of researchers from the University of York has identified a new class of enzymes that enable crop pathogens to break through plant cell walls and infect plants. The discovery could lead to effective disease control technologies and protect crops from devastating diseases such as potato late blight.
In Ecuador's northwestern Andes, researchers from WSL and Aves y Conservation identified three new endemic orchid species, including Lepanthes microprosartima and Lepanthes caranqui. These rare species are threatened by habitat destruction and human activities, prompting conservation efforts to protect them.
Researchers found that pepper plant fruit scents contain complex mixtures of volatile organic compounds, including alpha-caryophyllene and 2-heptanol, which attract specific bat species. The study suggests bats use these chemical signals to select ripe fruits and find the specific Piper species they eat most.
Researchers found that when a weevil eats before an aphid, it enhances plant anti-pathogen defense responses, but reduces nutritional quality. In contrast, if the aphid eats first, it reduces anti-pathogen defenses and increases virus spread.
A study by researchers at the University of California, Davis found that sunflowers facing east produce more offspring due to increased morning warmth attracting bees. East-facing flower heads also tend to be warmer in the morning and release pollen earlier, coinciding with bee visits.
Researchers discovered a new carnivorous plant species on the West Coast of North America, Triantha occidentalis, which traps insects with sticky hairs on its flowering stem. The plant balances carnivory and pollination by only trapping small midges and not harming its pollinators.
Researchers have identified five new plant species in Bolivia's Bolivian Andes, expanding the genus Jacquemontia. The study highlights the importance of classifying and conserving these species, which are highly vulnerable to threats like invasive species and habitat destruction.
Agricultural crop residues play a crucial role in sequestering carbon, with plant material that rots in soil storing carbon for roughly four times longer than if it isn't added. This method has the potential to store between 0.8 and 1.5 gigatonnes of carbon annually, significantly aiding climate efforts.
Researchers discovered Romanescos are buds that never reach flowering state, resulting in stems producing new buds rapidly, creating pyramidal appearance and fractal structure.
Researchers found that plants don't quite achieve 'equal pay' for microbes, instead allocating resources based on the quality of service. The plant-microbe exchanges follow a square-root model, where low-performing microbes receive more resources than expected.
Researchers found a suitable catalyst and selected an optimal additive to improve the properties of biodiesel, increasing its cetane number by 4.3 units. The fuel can be used in diesel internal combustion engines, improving performance and reducing engine wear.
Researchers at UMaine used imaging spectroscopy to predict water stress in wild blueberry barrens, estimating chlorophyll levels and validating results with ground samples. The technology helps inform growers on irrigation routines and manage water resources sustainably.
Researchers slow down grape ripening to increase compounds associated with floral and fruity notes, improving wine quality. The technique involves thinning vines and more intense irrigation during the later growing season.
Plants can respond to subtle environmental changes on the cellular level, triggering molecular changes in as little as five minutes. The study found that canopy shade leads to the removal of histones at growth-regulating genes through DNA binding of PIF7, activating their expression.
A team of researchers discovered a novel barley protein, HvMADS1, that regulates flower production in response to high temperatures. The study found that introducing a genetic modification to the protein can convert an unbranched spike into a branched structure with more flowers, potentially increasing grain production.
Scientists from the John Innes Centre and University of Bristol found that deep shade triggers changes in plant circadian clocks, suppressing stem elongation. This adaptation allows plants to coexist in dense forests and crop canopies without wasting energy.
A new computer model has been created to understand plant energy storage, with lab experiments confirming its accuracy. The findings could improve crop resilience in challenging environments and help develop new plants for climate change.
Researchers have discovered that anaerobic fungi in herbivores' guts can produce novel antibiotic compounds, which could be used to fight disease. The fungi's ability to produce these compounds is crucial for their survival and competitiveness in the environment.
Research shows that migratory birds disperse seeds to warmer latitudes, which can be counterproductive for plant adaptation to climate change. The study suggests that only a few species of migratory birds have the potential to help plants move to cooler latitudes and adapt to changing conditions.
A newly discovered alpine plant, Dionysia tapetodes, produces fibres from tiny holes in its leaves, producing a stable wool-like material. Flavone and flavone derivatives form the complex structure of the wool through hydrogen bonding, allowing it to maintain stability.
Researchers found that glyphosate-based herbicides can deform reproductive parts of prickly rose plants and reduce pollen viability by 66% a year after application. This persistence can have long-term effects on plant fertility and potentially impact pollinators, which rely on these plants for food.
A Curtin University study finds that up to three-quarters of Western Australia's iconic Banded Iron Formations (BIF) biodiversity could be lost forever after mining. The research highlights the challenges of rehabilitating these unique ecosystems, which are home to nearly every plant species in the region.
A study has identified a gene that plays a crucial role in brain development, with mutations affecting inheritance patterns. The Plexin-A1 gene is found to have dominant and recessive forms, which can cause significant damage to the brain and eyes.
Researchers at the University of Michigan have determined the first steps in converting light into energy for a type of bacteria that uses photosynthesis. By studying heliobacteria's reaction centers, they identified which pigments initially donate and accept electrons during charge separation.
Researchers have discovered a new species of cyanobacteria, Anthocerotibacter panamensis, which can help study the dawn of oxygenic photosynthesis. The species lacks thylakoids and has unique carotenoid biosynthesis pathways, providing insights into the evolution of photosynthesis.
Researchers modelled plant cell walls, discovering that chains of cellulose form a network providing both strength and extensibility. This new concept could inspire polymeric materials with new properties.
New research from the University of Illinois and USDA-ARS found that certain hybrid sweet corn varieties can tolerate higher plant densities without increasing the risk of root lodging. The study used a combination of experimental and on-farm data to conclude that density tolerance is a key factor in reducing lodging incidence.
A comprehensive map of the citrus microbiome has been created, outlining its structure and potential functions. The study reveals that key microbes dominate different niches of the plant, such as the rhizosphere, rhizoplane, endorhiza, and phyllosphere.
A recent study found that plant scientists tend to favor visually striking plants in their research, regardless of ecological importance. The study analyzed 113 plant species and found a strong correlation between research focus on certain plant characteristics and attention.
New research suggests that the Arctic's increasing plant biomass is not enough to absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide, as most of it is released through fires and timber harvests. The study estimates that only 430 million metric tons of biomass have accumulated over 31 years, with much of it being lost due to wildfires.
Researchers have developed a QR code-based digitization workflow to streamline specimen collection, reduce errors, and make data more accessible. The workflow uses unique object identifiers, citizen science platforms, and QR codes to automate data entry and analysis, allowing for the creation of large-scale phylogenetic studies.
A study examined how seed microbiomes of canola are assembled, finding that both genetic and environmental factors play a role. The researchers discovered a core microbiome in all seed samples with potentially beneficial microbes like Pseudomonas spp., which promote plant growth.
Alpine plants are losing their white protective coat as snow cover melts earlier, extending the growing season and increasing frost risk. By the end of the century, continuous snow cover for 30 days below 1,600 meters is expected to be rare.
Two independent studies on apples and oil pumpkins reveal that beneficial microorganisms are passed down to future generations, influencing plant traits. The global 'core' microbiome is shared among apples worldwide, with regional variations indicating adaptation to local environments.
Researchers found common foxgloves in the Americas have evolved longer flower tubes to accommodate hummingbird pollinators, outperforming native bumblebee-pollinated populations. This rapid evolution has occurred over 85 generations, indicating a significant adaptation to their new environment.