Category

Plant Science

Tree fecundity and biological aging

By | Botany, News, Plant Science

Researchers have concluded that tree fecundity peaks or plateaus when trees reach adult size, and then begins to decline. The study examines 597 species from more than 500 sites in North America, South America, Asia, Europe and Africa. This work has led to the development of a calibrated model to accurately calculate long-term tree fecundity.

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New carnivorous plant must balance trapping prey and being pollinated

By | Botany, News, Plant Science

Triantha occidentalis makes its home in wetlands and bogs from Alaska to California and inland to Montana. In the summer, it shoots up tall flowering stems coated with sticky hairs that trap small insects like gnats and midges. The scientists discovered that the plant acquires more than half of its nitrogen by digesting these ensnared insects, a welcome treat in its nutrient-poor habitat.

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Scientists take step to improve crops’ photosynthesis, yields

By | News, Plant Science

In order to feed a projected 9 billion people by 2050, farmers need to grow 50% more food on a limited amount of arable land. As a result, plant scientists are in a race against time to engineer crops with higher yields by improving photosynthesis. Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) are known to photosynthesize more efficiently than most crops, so researchers are working to put elements from cyanobacteria into crop plants.

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