Double defence The parasitic plant Striga, or witchweed, is a disaster for lots of sub-Sahara African farmers. Striga does what any parasite does, it taps water and nutrients from its host. Something that in agriculture result in big losses. Sometimes the whole harvest is lost. Now Kenyan researchers together with researchers from the USA, GermanyContinue reading “Double defence”
Tag Archives: Paper review
Alternative on ants
Alternative on ants Plants do all they can do to prevent getting eaten. In this regard do the tropical tococa bush and ants work together. Tococa gives the ants a home and as thanks the ants keep the plant free of herbivorous insects and pathogens. But even without an ant colony are the tococa plantsContinue reading “Alternative on ants”
Orange flowers
Maybe orange will be possible For lots of flower breeders have one wish: breeding a flower with a unique colour. This allows their flower to stick out in a bunch of flowers. Despite their wish to be unique, some colours remain unattainable. Simply because the plant does not have the enzymes to make that specificContinue reading “Orange flowers”
Warm flowers
Warm flowers We associate warm-bloodedness, or to be more precise the regulation of body temperature through burning nutrients, with animals. With mammals and birds, but not really with plants. There are however, also plants that regulate their temperature independent of their environment. Mostly they do this for a specific organ, for example, their flowers. OneContinue reading “Warm flowers”