Aspen forests face complex challenges from climate change, not just rising temperatures but interactions with drought, fire, and browsing. A 42% aspen mortality rate highlights vulnerabilities, especially for young trees in dry, low-elevation areas. Adaptive management and collaborative strategies are vital to support regeneration and maintain biodiversity in these essential ecosystems.
An international team uncovered how carbon and nitrogen signals regulate flowering in Arabidopsis thaliana. The study reveals that these pathways converge on FLOWERING LOCUS C to fine-tune flowering time, offering insights to develop resilient, resource-efficient crops for sustainable agriculture.
A new study reveals that plastic, even under best practices, contaminates soils with macro- and microplastics, harming critical soil functions. Sampling 12 California farms, researchers found significant plastic debris. To protect soil health and productivity, biodegradable alternatives to plastic mulch are urgently needed.
The corpse flower’s rare, short-lived blooms emit a pungent scent to attract pollinators, fueled by heat from its spadix. Researchers uncovered genes driving heat and odor production, linking sulfur metabolism and amino acids like methionine and putrescine to its smell. This study advances understanding of thermogenesis and pollination in plants.
Scientists aim to engineer cereal crops like corn and rice to fix nitrogen directly from air, reducing fertilizer dependence. By identifying a minimal seven-gene pathway, they aim to embed nitrogen-fixing abilities into crops’ mitochondria and chloroplasts. This innovation could lower farming’s carbon footprint, combat hunger, and support space agriculture.
Barley plants produce unique antifungal compounds called hordedanes to defend against pathogens. Scientists identified 17 hordedanes that inhibit fungal growth, but a pathogen, Bipolaris sorokiniana, exploits these defenses to thrive. By neutralizing hordedanes, it extends its parasitic phase, showcasing the complex evolutionary battle between plants and pathogens.
Researchers have achieved the most detailed genome assembly of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus) to date, creating a chromosome-scale reference genome. This resource could revolutionize breeding for climate-smart agriculture. With improved accuracy, the genome reveals insights into drought resilience and supports development of safer, more sustainable crop varieties.
Researchers have streamlined methods to study chloroplast and mitochondrial impacts on photosynthesis, opening new pathways for enhancing energy efficiency in crops. Plants currently capture only ~1% of solar energy; optimized genetics could increase this sixfold. These advances promise sustainable, high-yield crops to address global food security amid climate challenges.
Scientists have discovered a novel way to protect plants from harmful pathogens using weak electric fields. Spores like Phytophthora palmivora, which attack crops such as palms and nuts, are electrotactic—attracted to electric charges. Placing field-generating devices near plant roots reduced spore attachment, offering a pesticide-free approach to crop protection.
Nitrogen-fixing plants like clover and alder, crucial for enriching nutrient-poor soils, are declining in temperate forests due to human-driven nitrogen deposition, a new study shows. Using decades of data from Europe and the USA, researchers found this decline is independent of climate changes, highlighting the threat to ecosystem diversity and soil health.
