Plant Science Archives - Page 5 of 89 - The Global Plant Council

Jan 23

Image: A tall stalk with purple and pink flowers in a grassy field under a cloudy sky. Credit: University of California - Riverside

An inexpensive fix for struggling wildflowers

By Isabel Botany, Climate change, News, Plant Science

Raking dead grass (thatch) helps native plants grow by improving light access, according to a study. In three-year tests, raking increased plant diversity, reduced invasive grasses, and boosted wildflowers. While it also raised some invasive wildflowers, raking offers a low-cost,…

Jan 20

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The Minimum Information about a Biosynthetic Gene cluster (MIBiG) database

By Isabel News, Plant Science, Research, SPS Network

Established in 2015 and recently updated, MIBiG sets a global standard for annotating biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) and their products. Its online, open-access database now catalogs ~2,500 pathways, with contributions from 288 scientists worldwide. Updates include verified entries, biosynthesis steps,…

Jan 15

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Image: tropical forest. Credit: Antonios Ntoumas / Pixabay

Land use in tropical regions: Biodiversity loss due to agricultural trade three times higher than thought

By Isabel Agriculture, News, Plant Science

Intensive land use for agriculture in tropical regions, driven by international trade, has caused over 90% of biodiversity loss since 1995, far exceeding previous estimates of 20-30%. Research using satellite data highlights hotspots like Brazil, Indonesia, and Madagascar. Solutions include…

Jan 09

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Image: Plant RNA-FM, believed to be the first AI model of its kind, has been developed by a collaboration between plant researchers at the John Innes Center and computer scientists at the University of Exeter. Credit: John Innes Center

AI model can translate the RNA language of plant life

By Isabel News, Plant Science

Scientists have developed PlantRNA-FM, an AI model that deciphers the genetic "language" of plants, analyzing RNA sequences and structures. Trained on data from 1,124 species, it predicts RNA functions and structural patterns. This breakthrough aids crop improvement, stress resilience, and…

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 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 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…

Nov 29

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Image: Test site of the generated cybrids. Credit: WUR

Hidden DNA in plants reveals secrets of photosynthesis

By Isabel News, Plant Science

Researchers have streamlined methods to study chloroplast and mitochondrial impacts on photosynthesis, opening new pathways for enhancing energy efficiency in crops. Plants currently capture only ~1% of solar energy; optimized genetics could increase this sixfold. These advances promise sustainable, high-yield…

Nov 21

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Image: The spring pea (Lathyrus vernus) is a nitrogen-fixing plant that occurs in the forest undergrowth. Credit: Marcus Schmidt

Consequence of over-fertilization – Diversity of nitrogen-fixing plants is reduced

By Isabel News, Plant Science

Nitrogen-fixing plants like clover and alder, crucial for enriching nutrient-poor soils, are declining in temperate forests due to human-driven nitrogen deposition, a new study shows. Using decades of data from Europe and the USA, researchers found this decline is independent…

Plant Science

An inexpensive fix for struggling wildflowers

The Minimum Information about a Biosynthetic Gene cluster (MIBiG) database

Land use in tropical regions: Biodiversity loss due to agricultural trade three times higher than thought

AI model can translate the RNA language of plant life

Researchers find trees acclimate to changing temperatures

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

Secrets of the Corpse Flower Revealed

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

Hidden DNA in plants reveals secrets of photosynthesis

Consequence of over-fertilization – Diversity of nitrogen-fixing plants is reduced

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