Using a newly available genome sequence of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) a research team has identified key biochemical steps that lead to the production of the neurotoxin β-L-ODAP (ODAP).
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A team of scientists have conducted a new study which shows that three ways to fight the invasive Prosopis juliflora tree in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania all proved very effective in almost all cases.
Plants use photosynthesis to produce oxygen, nutrients and bioenergy. But this complex biochemical process is inefficient, with only a fraction of the sun’s energy actually being utilized in photosynthesis. Researchers want to change this in order to help increase the yield of cultivated crops. A research team has now discovered that the outer envelope membrane of chloroplasts could play a key role in this process.
CONSTANS (CO), a well-known member of the B-box family, is the major component of the photoperiodically regulated flowering and circadian pathways in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). A new study showed that CONSTANS protein negatively modulated salinity tolerance in Arabidopsis by physically associating with and antagonizing the ABSCISIC ACID-RESPONSIVE ELEMENT BINDING FACTOR (ABF) transcription factors under long-day conditions.
Researchers have shown a new way to boost plant nutrient uptake and growth. This could reduce the need for fertilisers, an input to agriculture which can be harmful for the environment.
Cottonwood trees are crucial for biodiversity in the arid Southwest, but less than 3% of their pre-20th-century distribution remains. A new study reveals their genetics influence insect and fungal communities. To preserve these ecosystems, reforestation efforts should consider tree genetics and collect seeds from nearby regions with resilient traits. Planting diverse trees supports diverse communities, ensuring the survival of this vital foundation species.
A group of researchers have found, for the first time, that chloroplast size manipulations are unlikely to be an option for increasing crop photosynthetic efficiency.
Scientists have discovered a new molecular signalling pathway, triggered when leaves are exposed to low humidity, that ensures plant roots keep growing towards water.
Most plants worldwide live in symbiosis with fungi. Often there is an exchange of nutrients from which both partners benefit. In numerous other cases, however, the plants feed unilaterally at the expense of the fungi. International research groups have presented a method that makes it possible for the first time to apply isotope analyses to all forms of symbiosis between plants and fungi without restrictions. In principle, it will be possible in the future to determine for each plant which and how many nutrients it obtains from fungal partners.
A novel approach to synthetic biology could revolutionize how scientists improve plants for bioenergy and agriculture.
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