Category

Agriculture

​​​Infected insects may warn of impending citrus disease a year in advance​

By | Agriculture, Fruits and Vegetables, News, Plant Health, Plant Science

Citrus greening disease (Huanglongbing of HLB), transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid, is currently the biggest threat to the citrus industry and is threat to many parts of the world. In Florida alone, citrus greening disease has accounted for losses of several billions of U.S. dollars. Despite HLB’s widespread prevalence, factors influencing the epidemic are poorly understood because most research has been conducted after the pathogen has been introduced.

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Image: soy plant in the field, with close-up of soybean pod. Credit: Julio César García / Pixabay

How a Molecular “Alarm” System in Plants Protects Them from Predators

By | Agriculture, Fruits and Vegetables, JSPB, News, Plant Science

Some plants, like soybean, are known to possess an innate defense machinery that helps them develop resistance against insects trying to feed on them. However, exactly how these plants recognize signals from insects has been unknown until now. Scientists uncover how oral secretions of the cotton leaf worm trigger defense responses in a plant.

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How bacteria fertilise soya

By | Agriculture, News, Plant Science

Soya and clover have their very own fertiliser factories in their roots, where bacteria manufacture ammonium, which is crucial for plant growth. Although this has long been common knowledge, scientists have only recently described the mechanism in detail. With biotechnology, this knowledge could now help make agriculture more sustainable.

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