Pineapple genome sequences hint at plant domestication in a single step
An international team published their analysis of the genome of the red pineapple, a plant grown for fiber production and as an ornamental.
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Molecular mechanism of botanical folk medicines used to treat hypertension
Common herbs, including lavender, fennel and chamomile, have a long history of use as folk medicines used to lower blood pressure. In a new study, researchers explain the molecular mechanisms that make them work.
Read moreBiologists track the invasion of herbicide-resistant weeds into southwestern Ontario
A team led by biologists have identified the ways in which herbicide-resistant strains of the invasive common waterhemp weed have emerged in fields of soy and corn in southwestern Ontario. The resistance, first detected in 2010, spread thanks to two mechanisms: either pollen and seeds of resistant plants were physically dispersed by wind, water and other means, or resistance appeared through the spontaneous emergence of mutations that then spread.
Read moreHow a protein connecting calcium and plant hormone regulates plant growth
A new study finds that a unique mechanism involving calcium, the plant hormone auxin and a calcium-binding protein is responsible for regulating plant growth.
Read moreSoil microbes play a key role in plant disease resistance
Scientists have discovered that soil microbes can make plants more resistant to an aggressive disease — opening new possibilities for sustainable food production.
Read moreFaster than ever — neutron tomography detects water uptake by roots
New high-speed neutron tomography generates a complete 3D image every 1.5 seconds and is thus seven times faster than before. The method facilitates a better understanding of water and nutrient uptake of crop plants. The method can also be applied to investigate transport processes in various porous material systems.
Read moreAerosols from coniferous forests no longer cool the climate as much
Emissions of greenhouse gases have a warming effect on the climate, whereas small airborne particles in the atmosphere, aerosols, act as a cooling mechanism. That is the received wisdom in any case. However, new research can now show that the tiniest aerosols are increasing at the expense of the normal sized and slightly larger aerosols — and it is only the latter that have a cooling effect.
Read moreHigh carbon dioxide can create 'shrinking stems' in marshes
For most plants, carbon dioxide acts like a steroid: The more they can take in, the bigger they get. But scientists have now discovered something strange happening in marshes. Under higher levels of carbon dioxide, instead of producing bigger stems, marsh plants produced more stems that were noticeably smaller.
Read moreScientists find ways to improve cassava, a 'crop of inequality' featured at Goalkeepers
New research has highlighted a crop of inequality called cassava, which has starchy, tuberous roots that sustain more than 500 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, yet cassava has been largely neglected by research and development compared to the staple crops of wealthier regions. Researchers have identified opportunities to improve cassava yields — which have not increased for more than fifty years in Africa.
Read moreNeurotoxin lead sometimes added to turmeric for brighter color
Some spice processors in Bangladesh use an industrial lead chromate pigment to imbue turmeric with a bright yellow color prized for curries and other traditional dishes, elevating blood lead levels in Bangladeshis.
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