News Archives - Page 8 of 137 - The Global Plant Council

Jan 02

Image: Prosopis-free farms used for continuous cultivation on land where Prosopis was uprooted in Kahe, Tanzania. Credit: René Eschen.

Sustainable land management practice successfully ‘uproots’ invasive Prosopis juliflora in East Africa

By Isabel Agriculture, News

A study reveals success in controlling the invasive Prosopis juliflora in Kenya and Tanzania using Sustainable Land Management (SLM). By uprooting the plant and using cleared land for crops, 75% of households adopted SLM. Adoption was higher among males and…

Dec 30

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Full outdoor shot of a plant with leaves showing signs of fall foliage. On the left side of the image, the leaves are predominantly a mixture of vibrant green and bright yellow, indicating a transition toward autumn colors. The leaves are quite large and present a variety of shades suggesting a shift in chlorophyll production. Some leaves also appear moist likely due to recent rain or high humidity. The background is out of focus but suggests ground or concrete. On the right side of the image, the foliage is also a combination of green and some hints of yellow or orange, but the color gradient is less dramatic than on the left side. Parts of the stems of the plant are visible and are a reddish-brown color. An apparatus, a white/light gray pole with small electronic devices or sensors attached to the leaves is present. The sensors appear to be clamped; this part of the image seems to be part of a monitoring or experimental setup for the plant physiology. The lighting suggests an outdoor setting. Overall, the image compares the natural color changes in leaves to those possibly being observed and monitored via scientific measurement devices. Credit: Tohoku University

New Smart Agriculture Technology for Monitoring Plants

By Isabel Agriculture, News

Researchers have developed a small, leaf-mounted sensor to monitor plant health and stress. This waterproof, Wi-Fi-enabled device tracks changes in leaf color, providing real-time data on plant conditions. Affordable and precise, it supports smart agriculture by enabling farmers to address…

Dec 27

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Male cone of Pinus pinaster. Credit: Wikimedia

Maritime pine seeds remember temperature conditions

By Isabel Forestry, News

Young maritime pine trees retain a memory of early temperature conditions through epigenetic changes, researchers report. These marks, influencing gene expression but not DNA, persist for up to two years post-germination. This discovery highlights how trees could be conditioned early…

Dec 26

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Image: Plum blossom Prunus mume. Credit: Wikimedia

Decoding the cellular basis of floral fragrance

By Isabel Botany, News

Researchers have created the first single-cell gene expression map of Prunus mume petals. Using advanced RNA sequencing, they identified six cell types driving floral scent production, pinpointing key genes like PmBAHD3. This breakthrough enhances understanding of fragrance biosynthesis, offering potential…

Dec 23

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Image credit: Researchers work in the Biotron, a research facility that can simulate nearly any climate on earth. The trees grown here were studied for this project. Credit: Michigan State University/Mitchell Zimmer

Researchers find trees acclimate to changing temperatures

By Isabel Botany, News, Plant Science

Researchers studied how paper birch trees adapt to climate change by analyzing photorespiration, a critical metabolic process. They found that trees maintain excess enzyme capacity, providing a buffer to environmental shifts. This resilience offers hope for forests under changing climate…

Dec 20

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Image: Full outdoor shot of a hillside forest. The foreground displays a slope covered with low-lying, brownish-green vegetation, interspersed with fallen branches and logs of varying lengths and shades of light brown and tan. Mid-ground shows numerous, tall, slender, light-gray, aspen-like trees, with a light-green canopy, evenly spaced, rising from the slope. Some pine trees, dark green in color, are visible among the aspens towards the back and right side of the image. These pine trees are primarily in the background and higher up on the slope. The sky is a vibrant, unblemished blue, with a few faint, wispy, white clouds. The overall impression is one of a coniferous and deciduous forest on a sunny day, situated on a gentle slope. credit: Northern Arizona University

Study shows climate change is hindering aspen tree maturity

By Isabel Climate change, Forestry, News

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…

Dec 19

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The Trehalose 6-phosphate pathway impacts on Flowering Locus C (FLC). Photo: Gramma, Olas, and Zacharaki et al. (2024), Plant Physiology, Fig. 1C.

New Insights into Flowering Regulation: Impact of Carbon and Nitrogen Signalling on Floral Repressors in Arabidopsis

By Isabel News, Plant Science

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.

Dec 17

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Image: Strawberries planted into mulched beds. Credit: Seeta Sistla

Agricultural plastic pollution reduces soil function

By Isabel Agriculture, News

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…

Dec 11

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Image: Image shows a heatmap of the corpse flower when it blooms, with the central appendix heating up to about 20 degrees Fahrenheit above ambient temperature. Credit: of Eric Schaller

Secrets of the Corpse Flower Revealed

By Isabel Botany, News, Plant Science

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.…

Dec 09

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USU biochemists Lance Seefeldt, left, and Zhi-Yong Yang are among an international, Gates Foundation-funded collaboration reporting new knowledge in the Nov. 6, 2024 issue of PNAS that could simplify genetic transfer of nitrogen fixation to food crops. (Photo Credit: USU/M. Muffoletto)

New research could simplify genetic transfer of nitrogen fixation to food crops

By Isabel Agriculture, News, Plant Science

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…

News

Sustainable land management practice successfully ‘uproots’ invasive Prosopis juliflora in East Africa

New Smart Agriculture Technology for Monitoring Plants

Maritime pine seeds remember temperature conditions

Decoding the cellular basis of floral fragrance

Researchers find trees acclimate to changing temperatures

Study shows climate change is hindering aspen tree maturity

New Insights into Flowering Regulation: Impact of Carbon and Nitrogen Signalling on Floral Repressors in Arabidopsis

Agricultural plastic pollution reduces soil function

Secrets of the Corpse Flower Revealed

New research could simplify genetic transfer of nitrogen fixation to food crops

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