In plants, the jasmonate (JA) signaling pathway helps plants control their defense responses to environmental stresses. Like the human body, plants respond differently to individual threats. Just as people wouldn’t get a fever due to a sprained ankle, plants deal with harmful elements in particular ways. A study looks at how plants respond to environmental threats in the correct way.
Imagine if humans could ‘talk’ to plants and warn them of approaching pest attacks or extreme weather. A team of plant scientists would like to turn this science fiction into reality using light-based messaging to ‘talk’ to plants
In the field of agricultural science, understanding the intricacies of soybean resilience holds profound significance. Soybeans (Glycine max) are a pivotal crop species, highly regarded for their versatility and their substantial contribution to global food and feed supplies, as well as biofuel production. New research aims to shed light on the intricate mechanisms that govern the BONZAI genes, illuminating their pivotal role and the complexities of their regulated expression within saline environments.
Male sterility in plants enhances breeding and hybrid crop production. The elusive Sanming Dominant Genic Male Sterile (SDGMS) Rice, discovered in 2001, offered stable male sterility. Scientists recently unraveled the SDGMS gene’s mechanism. They found that in sterile plants, a retrotransposon triggers SDGMS expression in tapetal cells, causing male sterility. This discovery highlights the importance of transposable elements in genome evolution and the utility of SDGMS rice for efficient breeding without manual emasculation.
Scientists have found a plant gene that drives the growth of root hairs, the tiny structures that help plants find water and nutrients in the soil. The gene, dubbed “BUZZ,” causes faster-growing, denser webs of roots and may also determine how plants find and use nitrates, a prime source of nitrogen essential to plant growth. Nitrates are also used in fertilizers that can pollute the environment as runoff, and this genetic discovery could ultimately help plant scientists find ways to grow crops more sustainably.
Researchers identify the first enzymatic step in the biosynthesis of these plant steroids important in the medical treatment of heart disease.
Peppers are a versatile, flavorful, and widely popular crop, used not only as a healthy food source but also for their medicinal properties. In a new study, an international team of researchers has sequenced the genomes of key cultivated and wild pepper species, offering unprecedented insights into pepper evolution, domestication, and genetic diversity.
The success of cacao cultivation depends to a large extent on functioning pollination. If there is a lack of pollinators, for example, this leads to lower yields – and thus to financial problems for farmers. A study has now investigated how the yield and quality of organic cacao can be increased – through a more efficient plantation design that’s taking ecological aspects into account. During research in Peru, the researchers identified pollination techniques that improved pollination success and produced higher quality fruit.
Despite strong promotion of green growth perspective by a variety of policymakers and international institutions, a new article reveals widespread scepticism among climate policy researchers in high-income countries.
Rising sea levels due to climate change and artificial irrigation cause soil salinity to increase. This has a negative impact on agriculture, including viticulture. The plants die, yields decrease. Researchers have therefore studied a wild grapevine of higher salt tolerance. Their goal is to identify the genetic factors that make the grapevine resilient. They can then be inserted into commercial varieties, thus securing viticulture.
