The genomes of mitochondria are usually depicted as rings or circles. But in plants, 1 ring does not rule them all. A new study of lettuce shows that the mitochondrial genome often forms branching structures with elements that can be swapped around like a chopped salad.
Read moreSince they first arrived on land, plants have likely been using the same genetic tools to regulate whether they grow bigger or reproduce. The discovery was made using liverwort, one descendant of the first plants to move out of the ancient oceans and onto land.
Read moreScientists have studied air quality inside of four cannabis growing facilities in Nevada and California. They recorded high levels of BVOCs (biogenic volatile organic compounds) and butane inside each growing facility, which can contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone if released into the outdoors.
Read moreScientists studied the two species of moss that make up the peatland. They discovered that in hot weather and drought conditions, one species resists, whereas the other is negatively impacted. In wet weather conditions the opposite takes place. Peatland however survives in the end. Although peatlands make up only 3% of the Earth's surface, they store one third of CO2 present in soil. Preserving peatlands would therefore limit the impact of future climate change.
Read moreA group of scientists studying the ways plant-associated bacteria interact were surprised to find that strains predicted to be more sensitive to bacteria were able to coexist with aggressor strains.
Read moreA new study has revealed that future demand for ethanol biofuel could potentially expand sugarcane farming land in Brazil by 5 million hectares by 2030.
Read moreResearchers analyzing recent BBC and Netflix nature documentaries found that although they increasingly mention threats to nature, visual depictions of these threats remain scarce, potentially misleading audiences on the state of the natural world.
Read moreEarly rice growers unwittingly gave barnyard grass a big hand, helping to give root to a rice imitator that is now considered one of the world's worst agricultural weeds.
Read moreCorn, soybean, and cotton farmers shudder at the thought of Palmer amaranth invading their fields. The aggressive cousin of waterhemp – itself a formidable adversary – grows extremely rapidly, produces hundreds of thousands of seeds per plant, and is resistant to multiple classes of herbicides. New research explains Palmer's evil genius.
Read moreOnce dismissed as 'junk DNA' that served no purpose, a family of 'jumping genes' found in tomatoes has the potential to accelerate crop breeding for traits such as improved drought resistance.
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