Genetic Heritage: Rice Has Many Fathers but Only Two Mothers
Researchers investigating the heritage of thousands of rice varieties have identified just two distinct maternal lineages, a discovery that could help address the issue of…
Plant Science News
Plant Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine Evolves to Become Less Visible to Humans
A plant used in traditional Chinese medicine has evolved to become less visible to humans, new research shows. Scientists found that Fritillaria delavayi plants, which…
How the Architecture of the Cell Nucleus Can Change Gene Activity in Plants
Genes that give plant nucleus its shape discovered, also regulate copper tolerance. Researchers at the University of Tokyo have identified how the architecture of the…
Cassava May Benefit From Increased Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide More Than Other Crops
Carbon dioxide fuels photosynthesis, the process by which plants generate their food in the form of carbohydrates. The atmosphere’s carbon dioxide levels are rapidly increasing,…
Scientists Unravel How and Why Amazon Trees Die & Why Tree Mortality Is Increasing
The capacity of the Amazon forest to store carbon in a changing climate will ultimately be determined by how fast trees die – and what…
Biologists Shed Light on Mystery of How Microbes Evolve and Adapt to Hosts
The era of COVID-19 and the need to constantly wash one’s hands and sanitize things have brought microbes to new levels of scrutiny, particularly for…
Large Trees Dominate Carbon Storage in Forests: 3% of Trees Account for 42% of Carbon Storage
Large-diameter trees make up 3% of total stems, but account for 42% of total carbon storage in Pacific Northwest forest ecosystems. Older, large-diameter trees have…
Mystery Solved: How Do Tips of Plants Stay Virus-Free in Face of Intensive Infection?
Plants are able to keep growing indefinitely because they have tissues made of meristems — plant stem cells — which have the unique ability to…
Engineering Drought-Resistant Crops With Water-Saving CAM Photosynthesis
Researchers study of the effects of introducing water-saving Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) photosynthesis, which is used by plants that are able thrive in arid conditions,…
Researchers Surprised After They Graft Tomato Plants With Epigenetically-Modified Rootstock
Progeny of novel combination is more vigorous and productive than parental plants. Novel grafted plants — consisting of rootstock epigenetically modified to “believe” it has…
Fighting “Hidden Hunger” With Plant Genetic Engineering and Molecular Breeding
International research team including University of Göttingen explains advantages of molecular breeding methods More than two billion people worldwide suffer from micronutrient malnutrition due to…
“Missing Link” Discovered in the Evolutionary History of Carbon-Fixing Protein Rubisco
A team of scientists has discovered an ancient form of rubisco, the most abundant enzyme on Earth and critical to life as we know it….
Missing Link Discovered in the Evolution of Photosynthesis and Carbon Fixation
A team led by researchers at the University of California, Davis, has discovered a missing link in the evolution of photosynthesis and carbon fixation. Dating…
Physicists, Chemists, and Biologists Working Together to Optimize Plant Growth and Yield Using Plasma Treatment
Researchers are fine-tuning the application of plasma to agriculture to speed up germination and help plants grow strong. Ever since scientists discovered that plasma treatment…
Researchers Say Breadfruit Could Be the Next Superfood
Breadfruit is sustainable, environmentally friendly and a high-production crop. A fruit used for centuries in countries around the world is getting the nutritional thumbs-up from…
Rapid Greening Across Arctic Tundra Studied via NASA Satellites – “Really a Bellwether of Global Climatic Change”
International team of researchers finds the region has become greener as warmer air and soil temperatures lead to increased plant growth. As Arctic summers warm,…
Non-Native Seeds Discovered on Shipping Containers Pose Significant Threats
Seeds that float in the air can hitchhike in unusual places — like the air-intake grille of a refrigerated shipping container. A team of researchers…
Solving a Strange 100-Year-Old Mystery: New Research Provides Solution for the “Dust Bowl Paradox”
Almost 100 years ago, there was a strange, slow-motion takeover of the Great Plains. During the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, as a historic heatwave…
