U of A scientist tries understanding what makes plants tick in an effort to make them natural weed killers
An Alberta researcher wants to figure out if farmers can tap into the fighting abilities of their crops and use that to benefit the farm. The benefits could mean higher yields, fewer inputs and fewer weeds, according to JC Cahill, a biological sciences professor with the University of Alberta. Cahill discussed this idea during the […] Read moreTag Archives plant research
The secret life of plants
For decades, scientists and crop protection companies have employed a straightforward approach to fight weeds, diseases and insects. Step one: find a chemical that controls a particular pest in a crop. Step two: convince farmers to spray the chemical on the crop. While chemistry remains the go-to solution for crop protection, a different form of […] Read more
Why don’t plants get sunburned?
Much like a five-year-old with red hair, it turns out plants also need sun protection. Researchers at the University of Purdue now understand how plants produce their own sunscreen. Tim Zwier, a chemistry professor at Purdue, determined that crops and other plants use a group of molecules called sinapate esters to block harmful ultraviolet radiation. […] Read more
