Category

News

Image: a path through the forest with sunlight shining through the trees. Credit: jusuf111 en Pixabay

Drought imperils carbon sequestration in European forests

By | News

Forests play a critical part in mitigating climate change due to their ability to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. However, many European forests removed less CO2 from the atmosphere during the extremely hot and dry summer of 2022, according to a new European study. The findings suggest that plans to compensate for CO2 emissions through forests may have to be amended. 

Read More
Image: image of a grassland. Credit: Pixabay

Can planting multiple crops in the same plot improve agricultural production and sustainability?

By | News, Plant Science

Agricultural management has typically focused on increasing yields, but there is an increasing need for sustainable food production that limits negative impacts on the environment. A new study provides insights into the potential benefits of diversifying agricultural practices, revealing how different mixtures of plant species can improve production, quality, and conservation.

Read More
Image: Airborne Z-3-HAL (in the tube on the right side) induced Ca2+ signals in Arabidopsis leaves. Credit: saitama University

Unlocking nature’s silent conversations: Real-time visualization of plant-plant communications through airborne volatiles

By | News

Plants emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere upon mechanical damages or insect attacks. Undamaged neighboring plants sense the released VOCs as danger cues to activate defense responses against upcoming threats. This phenomenon of airborne communication among plants through VOCs was first documented in 1983 and has since been observed in more than 30 different plant species. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying VOC perception to defense induction remain unclear.

Read More
Image: The plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Credit: Salk Institute

Role of methylation in vernalization and photoperiod pathway: a potential flowering regulator?

By | News, Plant Science

Flowering, a critical developmental phase in a plant’s life, signifies its transition to reproductive maturity. The timing of flowering crucially impacts the plant’s reproductive period and adaptability to the environment. Achieving the correct flowering time is essential for successful fruit reproduction, regulated by both environmental cues and internal signals. Vernalization and photoperiod pathways orchestrate numerous floral signals, with methylation (histone, DNA, and RNA) emerging as a key epigenetic player in regulating plant growth and development, especially in flowering. Despite progress, understanding regulatory factors in vernalization and photoperiod pathways, as well as responses to internal and external signals, remains an ongoing challenge.

Read More
Image: Scientists estimate that 3 in 4 plants that are yet to be described as new to science are likely already under threat of extinction, according to research published in the latest edition of the State of the World's Plants and Fungi report. Credit: Lydia Shellien-Walker/Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

State of the world’s plants and fungi report

By | Botany, News, Plant Science

5th State of the World’s report, lays out the current condition of the world’s plants and fungi globally. Based on the work of 200 international researchers and covering the content of more than 25 cutting-edge scientific papers in its 11 chapters, the new report examines global drivers and patterns of biodiversity as well as critical knowledge gaps and how to address them.

Read More