Airy shoots Plants grow towards the light. A phenomenon that keeps fascinating researchers. Now Swiss researchers show in Science that having airy spaces in young shoots helps plants to determine from which side the light is coming. Phototropism is the phenomenon of growing towards the light. Plants are using receptors that are sensitive to blueContinue reading “Airy shoots”
Tag Archives: Paper review
‘Water balloons’ uncovered
‘Water balloons’ uncovered The leaves of quinoa and ice plants are covered with fine hairs. Long was believed that these hairs help plants coping during water shortage and salt stress. But now Danish researchers show in Current Biology that this is not true: they protect against herbivory insects. Quinoa and ice plants are salt tolerantContinue reading “‘Water balloons’ uncovered”
Enlarging the throughfare
Enlarging the throughfare Plant cells are surrounded by cell walls. To stay in contact with their neighbours they have those tunnel like structures, called plasmodesmata. Through these tunnels small molecules can travel from cell to cell. But pathogens also use these throughfares. Now English researchers show that pathogens enlarge these tunnels in a still unknownContinue reading “Enlarging the throughfare”
Sweet duplication
Sweet duplication Some flowers have a specific hollow outgrowth wherein they store their nectar, a so called nectar spur. How these evolved is often a mystery. Now Colombian researchers show in the journal Annals of Botany that it might be the result of a gene duplication. Flowers of Tropaeolum longifolium can only be divided inContinue reading “Sweet duplication”
Plant en Zo 