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News

Dec 27
3
Arabidopsis_thaliana_root_growth_in_vitro Credit: Alena Kravchenko / Wikimedia

Plants recruit distinct chemical activities of coumarins under different soil pHs

By | News, Plant Science

Iron is an essential micronutrient for plants and is generally found in large quantities in the Earth’s crust. However, its availability to plants is highly dependent on the pH value of the soil. When suffering from iron deficiency, certain plant species release coumarins. Which type of these small secondary metabolites is mainly released depends on the pH value of the soil. Now, a research team has shown how different coumarins are used to maximize iron uptake under acidic and alkaline conditions.

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Dec 22
0

Researchers fill new final gaps in the Arabidopsis genome sequence

By | News, Plant Science

A new study unveils the intricate organization and regulation of ribosomal RNA genes within the complete nucleolus organizer regions (NORs) of Arabidopsis, the first plant with a fully sequenced genome. The research identifies over 70 gene subtypes distributed between NOR2 and NOR4, shedding light on their activation and silencing patterns. The findings, crucial for comprehending NOR epigenetic control, hold broad biomedical relevance and offer a platform for future investigations into NOR evolution.

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Dec 20
0
Image: Native Eucalyptus forest growing in the field site located in Cleland Conservation Park - the largest conservation reserve used in the study (1027.47 ha). Credit: A Blackall (Flinders)

Night study of native plant survival

By | Botany, News

With land clearance, bushfires, weeds and climate change, small pockets of native vegetation are important for future plant and animal conservation – but do plants in small reserves struggle with reduced habitat for both plants and their pollinators?

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Dec 06
0

Measuring the impact of desert greening

By | Climate change, KAUST, News, Plant Science

Satellite data reveals a significant cooling impact of vegetation on land surface temperature in the Arabian Peninsula. The study underscores the potential of greening dry areas to mitigate heat stress. The balance between increased evapotranspiration and reduced albedo determines outcomes, emphasizing the need for sustainable water management in climate change adaptation.

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Dec 05
1
Image: Mutations in plant DNA can be observed as mild effects in some "variegated" plants, where leaves become bleached and lose the ability to photosynthesize (see image). While this may be beautiful in your garden, it is not beneficial for crops. Credit: Iain George Johnston

New findings on plants’ ingenious defense against mutational damage

By | News, Plant Science

Plants avoid mutational damage buildup by leveraging randomness in a process called segregation. Unlike passing on the same mutation to all offspring, plants distribute inherited damage randomly, with some offspring inheriting more mutations than others. This segregation process, faster in plants than in humans, holds agricultural promise. Understanding how plants handle mutational variations in their DNA could aid crop breeders in introducing beneficial mutations for enhanced yield. The study’s findings advance knowledge crucial for crop breeding and yield enhancement.

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Dec 04
0
Image: Camelina plants growing in short days. These plants got only 56% as much light as plants in long days, but had a relative growth rate that was 84% of that of the long-day plants. Credit: Yuan Xu

Plants’ secret to surviving shorter days

By | MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, News, Plant Science

New research could help breed plants that are more productive as days grow shorter. The research found that when days are shorter, plants have less time to photosynthesize, so they need to be more efficient with the sunlight they do receive. Plants store more sugar as starch during the day so that they have energy to use during the longer night. These findings could help to develop new crop varieties that can grow in a wider range of climates.

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