Moving reproductive siRNAs
When thinking about plant reproduction you might be forgiven thinking that all the action happens in flowers. Small interference RNA, or siRNA for short, that originated elsewhere in the plant also play a role. In fact, without them pollen are largely not viable. The one exception, at least so scientists thought, where the brassica species.…
Keep readingSalt loving bacteria help plants in salty soils
Crops growing on salty soil do less well than their on none salty soil growing counterparts. And this is a problem, as salinity affects huge swatches of soil all over the world. Now a group of Indian researchers decided to find out if salt loving bacteria could help plants grow on salty soils.
Keep readingSensing temperature
Plants sense temperature, but whether this is the actual temperature, or a perceived difference in temperature, that’s what the scientists are not sure about. Now a group of Japanese scientists think they have the answer, at least for the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha.
Keep readingUsing the pathogens tricks to gain resistance
Plants and pathogens are involved in a tug of war. A lot of that fight takes place in the extracellular space, the space between cells, in plant tissues. There plants secrete an arsenal of defence molecules, like proteases, glycosidases and lipases. Pathogens do this as well including some inhibitors. So how come those inhibitors don’t…
Keep readingA new regulatory element enables bacterial uptake by plant cells
Plants take up nitrogen fixing bacteria when they start a symbiosis with them. Now new research shows that it is not a specific gene, but a regulatory element of genes that allows plant to do this.
Keep readingParasite plants give their development a headstart
For their nutrients are parasitic plants dependent on their host plant. Logically they make sure to time their germination accordingly. Up till now the assumption was that parasitic plants only develop an haustorium when they perceive specific haustorium inducing signals from their host. Now a new study shows that that is not the whole story.
Keep readingTwisting stems and the golden rule
Most plants orient their leaves around their stem according to the principle of the golden rule. This comes down to that every subsequent leaf is oriented at an angle of about 137.5 degrees compared to its predecessor. Now researchers found out how the plant does this.
Keep readingSeason dependent growth pause
Trees and other perennial plants stop growing each year when it gets colder. A strategy that helps then to survive the cold winter. But how plants are regulating this is not completely known. A group of Swedish and Chinese researchers found this out for poplars.
Keep readingA waxy layer for salt tolerance
Most plants don’t like to much salt. Still, there are plants that flourish under salty conditions. Not surprisingly researchers are curious how plants adapted that don’t stress out over an extra pinch of salt.
Keep readingInterrupting virus replication
Just like us humans, plants are also infected by viruses. These can cause lost of damage. Therefore, researchers like to know how these viruses work, so they can stop them where possible.
Keep readingPitcher plant not a strict predator after all
Nature documentaries make us believe that pitcher plants are highly skilled at trapping insects. In reality, a pitcher plant success rate is not that high, about 2%. This made scientist wonder if pitcher plants are really the predators we believe them to be.
Keep readingAttract and repel
About the effect of the composition of those scents researchers know relatively little. Do plants with a more divers scent bouquet also attract more pollinators? And what about its effect on bacteria?
Keep readingDomesticated vs wild plants – the microbe edition
For the plant attraction of microbes is often useful. Therefore, the question was raised about how domestication and breeding influenced the attraction of microbes. A new study found out.
Keep readingHow soybeans get the most out of offered help
A symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi helps plants during nutrient shortages. But in legumes this is slightly different regulated. A new study analysing this finds that once the symbioses is initiated the plant actively recruits more microbes that help.
Keep readingThe influence of CO2 on acorns
Plants grow better if they receive more CO2, aren’t they? In first instance this appears to be the case. Plants get bigger and are also producing more and bigger seeds. But if that is good news for everyone, that is something that remains to be seen.
Keep readingParasite organ formation
Parasitic plants need another plant to survive. With an organ called an haustorium they latch on their host plant to siphon away its nutrients. Now a new study shines some light on how the development of an haustorium is regulated.
Keep readingPotential for regeneration
For a long time, the question was if all plant cells could develop into embryo’s or that only specific cells can do that. Now a group of international researchers show in their latest article that only specific cells have this possibility to develop into embryo’s.
Keep readingFinding an entry point
Plants are pretty good at halting entrance to unwanted pathogens. Pathogens do, however, still find a way in. The authors of a new study set out to find out how the fire blight bacteria finds its way in.
Keep readingAttracting useful bacteria
Plants that grow in challenging environments, like limited nutrients, often attract microbes that can help them. Now researchers show that by increasing the signals that attract helpful microbes plants can grow better in challenging environments.
Keep readingA less penetrable skin
Sap-sucking insects like white flies and aphids are a disaster for plants. Not so much for their sap sucking but for giving plants bacteria and viruses. As such plant like to make it difficult for those insects. For example, by having a sturdier wax layer, like Chinese researchers found in a new study.
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