English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
Esperanto
French
German
Greek
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
UrduA new discovery by scientists at the University of Bristol changes ideas about the origin of branching in plants.
Tag: plants
Horticulture expert addresses plant resiliency as seasons change
A West Virginia University expert is offering insights on the effects lingering winter weather and fluctuating temperatures could have on trees, shrubs and flowers heading into the official start of spring on Monday, March 20. Mira Danilovich, associate professor with…
Flower power: Research highlights the role of ants in forest regeneration
Ants play a key role in forest regeneration, according to a new paper from Binghamton University, State University of New York.
New discovery to bulk up gluten-free fibre supplement
Scientists have for the first time constructed the reference genome for the source of the popular fibre supplement, psyllium husk, which could boost supplies of the versatile plant-derived product.
Producing ‘green’ energy — literally — from living plant ‘bio-solar cells’
By collecting electrons naturally transported within plant cells, scientists can generate electricity. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces have, for the first time, used a succulent plant to create a living “bio-solar cell” that runs on photosynthesis.
Researchers Identify Elusive Carbon Dioxide Sensor in Plants that Controls Water Loss
UC San Diego scientists have identified a long-sought carbon dioxide sensor in plants, a discovery that holds implications for trees, crops and wildfires. The researchers found that two proteins work together to form the sensor, which is key for water evaporation, photosynthesis and plant growth.
3D flora and fauna at your fingertips
Reporting in Research Ideas and Outcomes, a Kyushu University researcher has developed a new technique for scanning various plants and animals and reconstructing them into highly detailed 3D models.
What is blue carbon, and why is it important?
Blue carbon provides many ecosystem services and is an important tool in reducing the effects of climate change
Diverse landscapes at the heart of bee conservation
New research from the University of Georgia revealed that mixed land use – such as developments interspersed with forest patches – improves bee diversity and is leading to new solutions for bee conservation. The researchers hypothesized that development would negatively affect bee diversity, but the results of the study were surprising. They found that small amounts of development actually had a positive impact on the number of bee species present in a given area.
USDA funds IU-led research team to develop disease-resistant wheat
The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture has awarded researchers led by IU’s Roger Innes an over $1.2 million grant to generate wheat and barley lines with enhanced resistance to Fusarium Head Blight.
Racing to the Roots: Soil Moisture Impacts the Speed of Nematodes
Greenhouse experiment finds that decreased soil moisture can hinder nematode speed and migration toward roots
MSU researchers help reveal a ‘blueprint’ for photosynthesis
Michigan State University researchers and colleagues at the University of California Berkeley, the University of South Bohemia and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have helped reveal the most detailed picture to date of important biological “antennae.”
How do nutrients in leaves inform farming practices?
Leaf samples help identify plant health and nutritional needs.
They’re green, clean, and serene. Learn about the latest research on plants in the Plants channel
The latest research on plants brought to you by Newswise.
Juicy research unearths new genome within the tomato family
The first full genome in the tomatillo tribe adds to the rich story of the tomato family.
How environmental changes affect the shapes of RNA in living cells
The impact of environmental conditions on the dynamic structures of RNAs in living cells has been revealed by innovative technology developed by researchers at the John Innes Centre.
How does young soil support plant life?
Naturally occurring soil fungus can help protect crops from disease
Does dew provide water to plants?
Plant life in drier regions rely on an unsuspecting water source
Shedding light on more efficient ways to breed cassava
Hand-hand spectrometer found to accurately predict root dry matter content
Arctic shrub expansion limited by seed dispersal and wildfire
Scientists investigating the growth of arctic vegetation have found that seed dispersal and fire will slow its land expansion in the long term, despite more favorable conditions from a warming planet.
Research Reveals the Science Behind This Plant’s Blue Berries
On a beautiful fall day in 2019, Miranda Sinnott-Armstrong was walking down Pearl Street in Boulder, Colorado when something caught her eye: a small, particularly shiny blue fruit, on a shrub known as Lantana strigocamara.
St. Louis AgTech: An Innovation Community on the Move
Dr. William H. Danforth, founding chairman of the Danforth Center, had a vision for St. Louis as a bioscience and agriculture innovation ecosystem.
Living laboratory, biodiversity hub: The Oak Ridge National Environmental Research Park
Nestled at the intersection of eastern Tennessee’s Anderson and Roane Counties, the Oak Ridge National Environmental Research Park is a living laboratory and a major resource for conducting ecological studies.
Pest Attack-Order Changes Plant Defenses
The dining time of different insects impacts a plant’s defenses and nutritional quality—a complexity uncovered in new research with implications for pest management strategies.
Take a Look Inside the Danforth Center’s X-Ray CT Facility
Did you know our x-ray computer tomography (x-ray CT) facility is one of the only X-ray imaging facilities in North America that is solely devoted to studying plant biology?
Step Inside the Danforth Center Prairie: Plants, Pollinators, and Birds
Whether you are driving by or visiting the Danforth Center, one of the first things you’ll notice is the six acres of reconstructed Missouri tallgrass prairie in front of our building.
Field biologists and NASA planes to map biodiversity in South Africa’s Greater Cape Floristic Region
Scientists from the U.S. and South Africa are launching a campaign to map marine, freshwater, and terrestrial species and ecosystems in one of Earth’s biodiversity hotspots: the Greater Cape Floristic Region at the southwestern edge of South Africa.
How plants become good neighbours in times of stress
Scientists from the University of Bristol and the John Innes Centre have discovered how plants manage to live alongside each other in places that are dark and shady.
New findings to boost barley yields at higher temps
An international team of researchers has identified a novel mechanism in barley plants, which could help crop growers achieve high yields as temperatures rise.
UC San Diego Scientists Develop the First CRISPR/Cas9-based Gene Drive in Plants
Researchers have created the first CRISPR-Cas9-based gene drive designed for plants. The new technology, which allows scientists to cut and copy key genetic elements, helps scientists breed plants that defend against crop diseases and withstand the impacts of climate change.
Climate change is driving plant die-offs in Southern California, UCI study finds
Irvine, Calif., June 21, 2021 – A shift is happening in Southern California, and this time it has nothing to do with earthquakes. According to a new study by scientists at the University of California, Irvine, climate change is altering the number of plants populating the region’s deserts and mountains. Using data from the Landsat satellite mission and focusing on an area of nearly 5,000 square miles surrounding Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the research team found that between 1984 and 2017, vegetation cover in desert ecosystems decreased overall by about 35 percent, with mountains seeing a 13 percent vegetation decline.
Symbiotic Bacteria In Root Cells May Be Key To Producing Better Crops, Rutgers Study Finds
A Rutgers study finds that symbiotic bacteria that colonize root cells may be managed to produce hardier crops that need less fertilizer.
Rutgers Professor Joan Bennett Elected to American Academy of Arts & Sciences
Joan W. Bennett, a Distinguished Professor of plant biology and pathology at Rutgers University–New Brunswick, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. She joins neurosurgeon and CNN medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center atmospheric scientist Ann Thompson and media entrepreneur and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey.
Yes, spring flowers are blooming earlier. It might confuse bees.
After a long pandemic winter, people are eager to welcome the first cheerful blooms of spring. Lucky for them, many flowers really are popping open earlier in the year. Not so lucky for some plants, though. Plants that rely on bees or other insect pollinators to transport pollen between like individuals — buzzing from violet to violet, or trillium to trillium — face uncertainties when spring becomes front-loaded.
Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss How to Build a Native Plant Garden
New Brunswick, N.J. (March 18, 2021) – With spring on the horizon, Rutgers master gardener coordinator Angela Monaghan is available for interviews on how to build a native plant garden. “Everyone can encourage native plant communities in their backyards and…
“Ghost Forests” Expanding Along Northeast U.S. Coast
Why are “ghost forests” filled with dead trees expanding along the mid-Atlantic and southern New England coast? Higher groundwater levels linked to sea-level rise and increased flooding from storm surges and very high tides are likely the most important factors, according to a Rutgers study on the impacts of climate change that suggests how to enhance land-use planning.
Here’s How Insects Coax Plants into Making Galls
Scientists have identified proteins in aphid saliva that can alter plant development. These proteins drive abnormal growths called galls, which give insects a protected place to feed and reproduce.
Fishes Contribute Roughly 1.65 Billion Tons of Carbon in Feces and Other Matter Annually
Scientists have little understanding of the role fishes play in the global carbon cycle linked to climate change, but a Rutgers-led study found that carbon in feces, respiration and other excretions from fishes – roughly 1.65 billion tons annually – make up about 16 percent of the total carbon that sinks below the ocean’s upper layers.
How Rocks Rusted on Earth and Turned Red
How did rocks rust on Earth and turn red? A Rutgers-led study has shed new light on the important phenomenon and will help address questions about the Late Triassic climate more than 200 million years ago, when greenhouse gas levels were high enough to be a model for what our planet may be like in the future.
Plant Reproduction Finding by University of Kentucky Scientists Could Lead to More Reliable Crop Production
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 5, 2021) —Understanding the mechanisms behind successful plant reproduction can lead to more reliable crop production and higher yields. In a recent study, an international group of scientists led by researchers from the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture,…
Rutgers Expert Can Discuss Colorful Household Plants for Holiday Season and Year-Round
New Brunswick, N.J. (Dec. 14, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick horticultural expert Bruce Crawford is available for interviews on colorful household plants for the holiday season, beyond the standard poinsettia. “Keeping houseplants can improve your mood, work performance and even…
How Did Red Algae Survive in Extreme Environments?
Red algae have persisted in hot springs and surrounding rocks for about 1 billion years. Now, a Rutgers-led team will investigate why these single-celled extremists have thrived in harsh environments – research that could benefit environmental cleanups and the production of biofuels and other products.
Plant-Based Spray Could be Used in N95 Masks and Energy Devices
Engineers have invented a way to spray extremely thin wires made of a plant-based material that could be used in N95 mask filters, devices that harvest energy for electricity, and potentially the creation of human organs. The method involves spraying methylcellulose, a renewable plastic material derived from plant cellulose, on 3D-printed and other objects ranging from electronics to plants, according to a Rutgers-led study in the journal Materials Horizons.
Shattering Expectations: Novel Seed Dispersal Gene Found in Green Millet
Researchers generated genome sequences for nearly 600 green millet plants and released a very high-quality reference S. viridis genome sequence Analysis of these plant genome sequences also led them to identify for the first time in wild populations a gene related to seed dispersal.
Rutgers Experts Can Discuss Invasive Spotted Lanternfly Spread in N.J.
New Brunswick, N.J. (Oct. 1, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor George C. Hamilton and Associate Professor Anne L. Nielsen can discuss the spread of and threat posed by the invasive spotted lanternfly, a destructive pest, in New Jersey. “Their…
How to Get a Handle on Carbon Dioxide Uptake by Plants
How much carbon dioxide, a pivotal greenhouse gas behind global warming, is absorbed by plants on land? It’s a deceptively complicated question, so a Rutgers-led group of scientists recommends combining two cutting-edge tools to help answer the crucial climate change-related question.
Study looks at smoking in pre-colonization North America
For the first time, researchers use a metabolomics approach to find more detailed information about how tobacco use and smoking practices changed after colonization in North America.
Once infected, twice infected
A key to surviving in the wild is fighting off infection — and not just once. In plants as in humans, one infection may or may not leave a plant with lasting immunity. In fact, an early infection might make things worse. New research from an international team including an assistant professor of biology at Washington University in St. Louis shows that infection actually makes a plant more susceptible to secondary infection — in experiments and in the wild. The findings are published Aug. 31 in Nature Ecology & Evolution.
New Device Can Measure Toxic Lead Within Minutes
Rutgers researchers have created a miniature device for measuring trace levels of toxic lead in sediments at the bottom of harbors, rivers and other waterways within minutes – far faster than currently available laboratory-based tests, which take days. The affordable lab-on-a-chip device could also allow municipalities, water companies, universities, K-12 schools, daycares and homeowners to easily and swiftly test their water supplies. The research is published in the IEEE Sensors Journal.
Study sheds new light on vein formation in plants
An international team of researchers including the University of Adelaide, has found plant hormones known as strigolactones suppress the transportation of auxin, the main plant hormone involved in vein formation, so that vein formation occurs slower and with greater focus.