Understanding the genetics behind senescence — the process of aging — should help make crops more productive
Senescence is the condition of aging in plants and animals. One of the best examples is the change in the colour of leaves in autumn as they die and fall off trees. The energy saved from the leaves is stored in the trunk and branches for next spring’s growth. While the process of senescence is […] Read moreAuthor Archives
Protein ‘decides’ if plant acquires phosphorus
Researchers have discovered a protein that can have both a negative and a positive regulatory effect on phosphorus use
Researchers at La Trobe University in Victoria, Australia, have uncovered a protein that can sense phosphorus levels and alter gene regulation to either turn off or turn on phosphorus acquisition. Phosphorus is essential to maintaining plant health and one of the three main nutrients most commonly found in fertilizers, the other two being nitrogen and […] Read more
Genetic influence on root growth discovered
Researchers in the United State have found the gene that influences whether roots need to grow deep or shallow
While flowers and leaves define a plant, of equal importance is its network of underground roots drawing up nutrients and water from the soil. But missing from the knowledge of plant roots are the mechanisms that dictate which parts of the soil the roots actually explore. Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in […] Read more
Scientists explore genetic weed control
The goal is to modify male plants that would mate with wild females and produce nothing but male offspring
Weeds are the Achilles’ heel of farming. They invade crops, reduce productivity, compete for water, nutrients and sunlight, and lead to poor crop quality and reduced yield. Herbicides are the farmer’s counterbalance but for aggressive weeds like waterhemp and Palmer amaranth, both of which are resistant to 7 and 8 herbicide groups, respectively, they have […] Read more
Plant and insect viruses help spread disease
Researchers are better understanding how insect and plant viruses work together to use aphids as a way to spread to other organisms
Aphids and their ability to spread viruses are the bane of many farmers’ production forecasts. Globally, aphids cause billions of dollars in crop damage, and more plant viruses are transmitted by aphids than any other group of insects. But until recently, the complex relationship between the aphid host — a plant virus — and an […] Read moreAir channel networks can influence how leaves operate
Understanding how carbon dioxide moves through pores could help develop crops to adapt to climate change
Botanists have long known that plants breathe through tiny openings in leaves called stomata that take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. But until now, it was never clear how these air channels form their intricate patterns in the right places to deliver a steady flow of CO2 to every plant cell. In a new […] Read more
UV light increases vitamin D in chicken eggs
A lack of vitamin D can lead to brittle and painful bones, muscle weakness and a variety of health risks. During summer, people are able to get about 90 percent of their daily requirements naturally through the skin by exposure to the sun. The remainder is consumed through foods such as oily fish or chicken […] Read more
Weather extremes devastate yields: study
International researchers have more precisely measured how extreme weather events driven by a changing climate can devastate crop yields. Hot and cold temperature extremes, drought and heavy precipitation account for 18 to 43 percent of variations in global yields for maize, spring wheat, rice and soybeans. “Climate extremes such as heat waves or droughts can […] Read more
Cattle bred to produce less methane
Genetic makeup of an individual cow significantly controls the level and type of methane-producing microbes in its rumen
Cattle and other ruminants are known as significant producers of the greenhouse gas methane. According to Agriculture Canada, a lactating dairy cow produces about 400 grams of methane each day. In one year, that adds up to the equivalent of greenhouse gas emissions from a mid-sized car driven 20,000 kilometres. Given there are about 1.5 […] Read more
Research discredits wheat hardiness myth
An Australian study finds today’s wheat out-performs older strains in both optimum and challenging conditions
Contrary to popular opinion, modern wheat varieties are not heavily dependent on pesticides and fertilizer to remain productive. In fact, recent research from the University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia shows that today’s wheat out-performs older strains not only in optimum conditions but under challenging growing situations. In addition, the modern wheat gene pool is […] Read more
