A plant’s number one priority is to grow—a feat that demands sunlight, nutrients, and water. If just one of these three inputs is missing, like water in a drought, growth halts. You might then think that at the end of that…
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A study uncovers how a variation in a natural substance called lignin supports natural environmental adaptation and improved bioenergy production.
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Plants and microbes often have a symbiotic relationship, relying on each other for nutrients or shelter. Understanding and engineering such symbioses is an essential step in the journey towards tackling global challenges such as food security, carbon capture and ecosystem…
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Nature conservation policies are trying to safeguard forests all over the world, which is a good thing. But it seems like less-flashy ecosystems are getting left behind. Grassy ecosystems include grasslands, savannas, shrublands, woodlands and tundra. Experts say these ecosystems are…
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Researchers have analyzed 96 years of forest census data to better understand ecological changes and inform management practices. Their study, reveals concerning homogenization trends. This means the forest has become less diverse over time, losing trees that played a critical role…
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Study reveals that soybeans use a natural targeted cooling mechanism to protect reproduction under tough weather conditions.
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New Study Unlocks Molecular Defense Against Devastating Potato Pathogen (Spongospora subterranea)
A team of plant scientists has made a significant breakthrough in understanding how potato plants defend themselves against Spongospora subterranea f. sp. subterranea (Sss)—the soilborne pathogen that causes powdery scab, an emerging and economically damaging disease affecting potato crops worldwide.
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A newly discovered pathway in a plant process could help farmers grow more successful crops, particularly in places where harsh, high light stresses plants.
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Researchers discovered that plant phototropism—growth toward light—is fine-tuned by acetylation-phosphorylation cross-talk in the blue-light receptor phototropin 1 (phot1). Acetylation at key lysines, especially K636, regulates phot1’s phosphorylation and activity, with the deacetylase HDA9 balancing these modifications. Light triggers phosphorylation, reducing…
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Preserving strips of native vegetation beside avocado orchards gives insects a buffet of wild pollen when blossoms are scarce, doubling their plant menu and boosting their resilience. Using cutting-edge eDNA metabarcoding, Curtin scientists revealed how this botanical diversity underpins pollination,…
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