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How do thirsty plants hold out during drought?

Salk Institute scientists created a high-resolution atlas showing how droughts affect plant cells. They identified a gene, Ferric Reduction Oxidase 6 (FRO6), that could be targeted to create more resilient crops. FRO6 expression in mesophyll cells partially maintained leaf growth under drought stress.

Africa acacias ‘go for broke’ to grow, use up water to survive drought

Researchers studied the genetic response of umbrella acacia and splendid thorn acacia to drought stress. The study found that umbrella acacias prioritize continued growth over water conservation when water is scarce, using up all accessible water to survive severe droughts. In contrast, splendid thorn acacias invest in water conservati...

All DRII-ed up: How do plants recover after drought?

Researchers discovered that plants rapidly activate a coordinated immune response during drought recovery, prioritizing immunity over growth. This finding highlights the importance of studying the post-drought period and points to new strategies for engineering crops that can rebound more effectively after environmental stress.

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition

Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition is a durable star atlas for planning sessions, identifying targets, and teaching celestial navigation.

Dual associations with two fungi improve tree fitness

Researchers found that dual symbioses between trees and mycorrhizal fungi enhance tree fitness, making them less sensitive to drought and nutrient scarcity. This cooperation enables trees to colonize a larger territory and adapt to harsher climates, particularly in dry areas.

Growth before photosynthesis: how trees regulate their water balance

Researchers discovered that trees close their stomata earlier than previously thought, prioritizing growth over photosynthesis during drought. This finding has implications for carbon sequestration and climate models, suggesting that trees may absorb less CO2 from the atmosphere during droughts.

How roots forage for water

A new study reveals that plants prioritize water over gravity during drought conditions, suppressing gravitropism to become more hydrotropic. MIZ1 protein helps attenuate root gravitropism, enabling plants to search for water effectively.

Peptide imitation is the sincerest form of plant flattery

Researchers identify CLE16 peptide as key molecule promoting symbiotic relationship between plants and beneficial soil fungi. Supplementing with this peptide or its fungal equivalent can enhance nutrient exchange and strengthen these traits in crops.

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter logs beta, gamma, and X-ray levels for environmental monitoring, training labs, and safety demonstrations.

Planting seeds for safer farming

Researchers aim to reduce PFAS contamination risk in agriculture by developing monitoring tools and strategies for remediation. The study focuses on comprehensively understanding PFAS uptake and bioaccumulation in plants, advancing strategies for PFAS remediation in biosolid/soil.

This salty gel could harvest water from desert air

Researchers at MIT have developed a superabsorbent material that can soak up record amounts of moisture from the air, even in dry conditions. The material is made by infusing hydrogel with lithium chloride and has shown to absorb and retain unprecedented amounts of water vapor.

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach provides rugged GNSS navigation, satellite messaging, and SOS for backcountry geology and climate field teams.

Sensing water for smarter agriculture

Researchers at KAUST have developed a rapid and sensitive soil moisture sensor using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to optimize water usage in agriculture. The MOF-based sensor shows high sensitivity and selectivity for water even in the presence of metal ions, enabling precise irrigation management.

Study sheds light on life cycle of tree roots

Researchers at Nagoya University have developed a new method to study the life cycle of tree roots, shedding light on the decomposition process. They found that fine roots, which control nutrient uptake by trees, are discarded and decompose differently than leaf litter.

Super-adsorbent MOF to control humidity

Researchers at KAUST have developed a super-adsorbent metal-organic framework (MOF) that can adsorb water at high capacity and release it easily when humidity levels fall. This MOF has been shown to outperform existing materials in terms of capacity, reversibility, and cyclic performance.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

Super-adsorbent MOF captures twice its weight in water

Researchers have developed a superporous solid that can absorb up to 200% of its own weight in atmospheric moisture, overcoming challenges of existing porous solids. The material, Cr- soc -MOF-1, maintains its structural integrity and performance over multiple water vapor adsorption-desorption cycles.

Why fruit cracking differs among sweet cherry varieties

Research finds that sweet cherry varieties differ in their susceptibility to skin cracking due to variations in cell wall properties. The study suggests that cell wall physical properties account for the differences in cracking susceptibility among cultivars.

Malic acid encourages sweet cherry cracking

A new study reveals that malic acid is the primary cause of sweet cherry cracking, even at low water uptake levels. The researchers found that artificial juices composed of malic acid or five abundant osmolytes reproduce the effect on fruit cracking.