Posts Tagged ‘plant biology’
Science & Technology - Jul 1, 2010 15:34 - 1 Comment
Protein points cells in right direction
CARDIFF U. (UK)/DUKE (US)—An international team of researchers has discovered a protein that plays a key role in plant cell development—making sure that the right number of cells end up in the right places. (more…)
Science & Technology - Jun 22, 2010 13:07 - 1 Comment
Effort in Philippines to grow robust rice
U. SHEFFIELD (UK)—An effort to use modern molecular tools to produce a more efficient and higher-yielding form of rice to ease the threat of hunger for the poor is under way in the Philippines. (more…)
Science & Technology - May 5, 2010 5:53 - 0 Comments
DNA barcode exposes ‘fake’ ferns for sale
DUKE (US)—DNA testing of garden ferns sold at plant nurseries in North Carolina, Texas, and California has found that plants marketed as American natives may actually be exotic species from other parts of the globe. (more…)
Science & Technology - Apr 16, 2010 10:06 - 1 Comment
‘Smut’ fungus chooses weapons wisely
STANFORD (US)—A tumor-causing maize fungus known as “corn smut” wields different weapons from its genetic arsenal depending on which part of the plant it infects. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Mar 19, 2010 10:01 - 2 Comments
Fungus in golf-course grass wreaks havoc
RICE U. / INDIANA U. (US)—A fungus living inside a popular turf grass called tall fescue, used widely for golf courses and home lawns, is having far-reaching effects on plant, animal, and insect communities. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Mar 17, 2010 14:31 - 0 Comments
‘Green’ bean gene triggers nitrogen fix
STANFORD (US)—Nitrogen-producing bacteria living inside legumes, such as soybeans, could blunt the negative effects of fertilizer and aid efforts to make agriculture more sustainable. (more…)
Science & Technology - Mar 4, 2010 19:30 - 0 Comments
Why are some plants pathogen proof?
TEXAS A&M (US)—A team of scientists has been studying—at the cellular level—how a plant defends itself from bacterial infections rather than how it gets sick. They say it may help them understand how people and other animals could be better protected from such pathogens. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Feb 23, 2010 11:05 - 0 Comments
Roots key to second Green Revolution
PENN STATE (US)—Root systems are the basis of the second Green Revolution, and the focus on beans and corn that thrive in poor growing conditions will help some of the world’s poorest farmers, according to a Penn State plant scientist. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Feb 12, 2010 12:18 - 9 Comments
Genetically modified crops here to stay
UC DAVIS (US)—Global climate warming and population growth will necessitate sweeping changes in how the world produces its food and fiber. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Feb 1, 2010 12:28 - 1 Comment
Online access to a world of grass
U. SHEFFIELD (UK)—GrassPortal, a new online resource for scientists and the public, will allow any of the world’s 11,000 species of grasses to be defined by its geographical range, climate preferences, and evolutionary relationships to other species. (more…)
Science & Technology - Nov 4, 2009 2:20 - 0 Comments
Team sequences cucumber genome
UC DAVIS (US)—The genome of the cucumber has been sequenced by an international consortium led by Chinese and U.S. institutions, offering insight into the genetics of the whole cucurbit family, which includes pumpkins and squash, melon, and watermelon. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Jul 23, 2009 12:32 - 1 Comment
Green revolution fueled by duckweed?
Todd Michael, a plant biologist at Rutgers, says U.S. Department of Energy’s duckweed genome sequencing project “could unlock the remarkable potential of a rapidly growing aquatic plant for absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide, ecosystem carbon cycling, and biofuel production.”
Earth & Environment - Jul 9, 2009 13:25 - 3 Comments
Potato famine blight resurfaces in U.S. gardens
One of the most visible early symptoms of the disease is brown spots (lesions) on stems and leaf tips.
