Earth & Environment - Oct 11, 2010 14:46 - 0 Comments

Plant version of checks and balances

UC SANTA BARBARA (US) — In the plant world, the strongest competitors are held back from total domination by predators that keep them in check. (more…)

Science & Technology - Oct 11, 2010 10:46 - 0 Comments

Monarchs use plants to medicate

EMORY (US) — Monarch butterflies appear to use medicinal plants to treat their offspring for disease, according to findings published Oct. 6 in the journal Ecology Letters. (more…)

Science & Technology - Oct 7, 2010 11:12 - 0 Comments

‘Glue’ helps plants fight pests

MICHIGAN STATE (US) — Discovery of a hormone that acts like molecular glue could shed light on how plants cope with environmental stress. (more…)

Earth & Environment - Sep 30, 2010 8:54 - 1 Comment

Virulent fungus threatens world’s wheat

U. MINNESOTA (US) — A fungus discovered in Uganda in 1999, now threatens up to 80 percent of the world’s wheat crop, according to researchers. (more…)

Science & Technology - Sep 29, 2010 12:36 - 0 Comments

Inversion gives plant dual lifestyle

DUKE (US) — The yellow monkeyflower that lives as both a perennial on the Pacific Northwest coast and a dry-land annual hundreds of miles inland harbors a significant clue about evolution. (more…)

Earth & Environment - Sep 9, 2010 14:24 - 0 Comments

Weighing the pros and cons of Miscanthus

U. ILLINOIS (US)—In the search for the perfect crop for biofuel production, Miscanthus has become the darling to many. But researchers are taking a closer look at its behavior in the field. (more…)

Earth & Environment - Sep 9, 2010 11:39 - 0 Comments

Helping African farmers help themselves

CORNELL (US)—Two efforts led by researchers at Cornell University aim to improve soil health and advance plant breeding on small farms in Africa to lessen food insecurity, hunger, and poverty. (more…)

Earth & Environment - Sep 2, 2010 12:32 - 3 Comments

Pepper pill gets to root of deer problem

U. MINNESOTA (US)—Delivering hot pepper concentrate right to the roots keeps pesky deer and mice from devouring plants before they make it to the dinner table. And unlike spray deterrents, it can’t wash off. (more…)

Earth & Environment - Aug 20, 2010 15:23 - 0 Comments

Aphid immunity shaped by friendly bacteria

CORNELL (US)—Conventional thinking says that animal immune systems have evolved to defend against harmful microorganisms, but what role do friendly bacteria play in shaping animal immunity? (more…)

Earth & Environment - Aug 18, 2010 12:13 - 1 Comment

Pest-resistant soybeans: No ladybugs required

MICHIGAN STATE (US)—Researchers have developed two new lines of pest-resistant soybeans that promise healthier harvests for growers. (more…)

Earth & Environment - Aug 9, 2010 13:44 - 0 Comments

Ladybugs gobble up ‘fearless’ aphids

CORNELL (US)—Aphids that are raised on plants genetically engineered to emit a compound that warns of a predator, become so accustomed to the chemical they no longer respond to it—even when a predator is really present. (more…)

Earth & Environment - Jun 23, 2010 9:13 - 2 Comments

Which came first? Bee or flower decline?

U. LEEDS (UK)—Populations of bees and other insects have been in steady decline—and understanding why is critical, researchers say, because of the potential threat to agriculturally produced foods and wider damage to the environment. (more…)

Earth & Environment - Jun 17, 2010 15:58 - 0 Comments

Flower power lets the globe chill out

U. CHICAGO (US)—The world is a cooler, wetter place because of flowering plants, according to new climate simulations. (more…)

Earth & Environment - May 11, 2010 11:52 - 0 Comments

Reading leaves to predict climate change

PENN STATE (US)—Fossil plant remains from millions of years ago may be the best predictor of future climate change caused by rising levels of carbon dioxide, according to a new study. (more…)

Science & Technology - Apr 19, 2010 11:51 - 0 Comments

Worms, plants, people: We are family

U. TEXAS (US)—New genes responsible for causing human diseases, like cancer and deafness, have been found deep within the genomes of organisms as diverse as plants, worms, and yeast. (more…)

Earth & Environment - Apr 14, 2010 10:58 - 2 Comments

Speedy approach to pure inbred corn lines

IOWA STATE (US)—New technology will allow corn breeders to produce inbred lines in two generations instead of the five to eight generations that it normally takes. (more…)

Earth & Environment - Apr 1, 2010 11:14 - 0 Comments

Soybean aphids: 2 steps forward, 1 step back

U. ILLINOIS (US)—Researchers have developed a soybean that is resistant to aphids but at the same time, discovered a new aphid resistant to the resistance. (more…)

Science & Technology - Feb 22, 2010 11:58 - 0 Comments

Better way to brew cold-weather biodiesel

UC DAVIS (US)—Yields of biodiesel from oilseed crops such as safflower could be increased by up to 24 percent using a new process that should also improve the performance characteristics of biodiesel—especially in cold weather. (more…)

Posts Tagged ‘plants’