An international research team has investigated the potential impacts of climate change on non-vascular vegetation (mosses, lichens) and their functions in ecosystems worldwide. Based on this, the researchers have developed a concept paper proposing the next important steps for the research field.
Iron is a critical micronutrient for the survival of plants and humans, yet too much iron can also be toxic. An interdisciplinary research team has discovered that the protein PATELLIN2 is not only involved in regulating iron levels in plants. PATELLIN2 is one of a group of proteins that are also involved in the transport of vitamin E in humans. The researchers are now presenting the results, which are also important for supplying people with iron via plant foods.
New research is showing how the rise of modern agriculture has turned a North American native plant, common waterhemp, into a problematic agricultural weed.
For spring ephemerals, timing is everything. These special wildflowers grow in temperate forests around the world, early in spring before the trees leaf out. Come out too early and it’s still winter, too late and it’s too shady under the forest canopy.
What defines us and other living organisms more strongly: genes or the environment? Only recently, researchers were able to prove experimentally that even microorganisms can be inherited from one plant generation to the next via the seed. In a new article, scientists examine the process of microbial inheritance via the seed in more detail and identify factors that significantly influence the assembly of the plant microbiome. With their basic work, the authors create an important milestone of microbiome research.
Seed dormancy is an important survival tool for plants since it allows them to weather conditions not conducive to survival. At the same time, excessive dormancy may lessen cultivation time. In response, farmers often plant low dormancy cultivars of rice and wheat in order to achieve a higher, more uniform emergence rate after sowing. Unfortunately, this practice has led to an unwanted worldwide production problem called pre-harvest sprouting, which severely reduces both grain yield and quality.
A new analysis of more than 20,000 trees on five continents shows that old-growth trees are more drought tolerant than younger trees in the forest canopy and may be better able to withstand future climate extremes.
A plant common to Japan, Causonis japonica, is the first to show a newly discovered trait. Its flowers can change color depending on the stage of its maturation cycle, and then change back to its original color. Although many flowers have been shown to change color depending on their maturation phase, Causonis japonica is the only known example of bidirectional color change.
Iron (Fe) is an indispensable micronutrient for plants since it is necessary for many important cellular processes. In order to survive Fe-deficient environments, plants have evolved sophisticated Fe deficiency responses for maintenance of Fe homeostasis. Recent studies have shown that Fe deficiency induces the resistance of plants to several pathogens. However, the molecular mechanism by which Fe deficiency induces the resistance to pathogens is unclear.
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important crops worldwide, providing much of the calorific needs for half of the global population. Economic development and rising living standards have led to the demand for rice gradually shifting from satisfying the need to “be full” to satisfying the need to “eat well,” and combining flavor with nutrition is essential for the latter. Much research has focused on improving the eating and cooking quality (ECQ) of rice to meet the demand for “tasty.” However, effort to improve comprehensive nutrition in rice remains fragmented.
