Identifying highly recombinant plants for breeding
For plant breeding, it is important to create as many combinations as possible of genetic variants within a short time to select the most suitable candidates between plants with many different characteristics. The working group of Prof. Dr. Benjamin.....»»
Shrinking lake on Albanian-Greek border struggles to survive
Plants and reeds have sprouted up as the waters of Little Prespa Lake on the Albanian-Greek border recede, their beauty overshadowing a painful truth: the lake is slowly dying......»»
Are plants and fungi trading carbon for nutrients? Not likely, say researchers
Every year, plants move 3.58 gigatons of carbon to mycorrhizal fungi, their underground partners—enough, in fact, that if it were ice, it would cover 112 million NHL hockey rinks. However, a dominant scientific theory explaining that huge transfer.....»»
Pollination shifts in Caribbean after Hurricane Maria demonstrate ecological resilience
Most flowering plants depend on animals for pollination. In warm wet tropical regions, more than 90% of plant species are pollinated by animals. In Dominica, a Caribbean island country, researchers have identified a mutualistic relationship between t.....»»
Police seek help identifying 4 people in Boston assault that caused serious injuries
Police seek help identifying 4 people in Boston assault that caused serious injuries.....»»
For the first time since 1882, UK will have no coal-fired power plants
A combination of government policy and economics spells the end of UK's coal use. Enlarge / The Ratcliffe-on-Soar plant is set to shut down for good today. (credit: Ashley Cooper) On Monday, the UK will see the closure o.....»»
A new apparatus for analyzing partial coherence in integrated photonic networks
Anyone familiar with optics labs is familiar with the extremes of light coherence: laser beams are highly coherent, producing clear interference patterns used for precise applications like atomic manipulation or precise sensing. In contrast, light fr.....»»
Ants might be pushing montane birds higher up, study finds
Mountains are home to 85% of the world's amphibian, bird, and mammalian species, despite covering only 25% of the Earth's surface. This makes them a highly diverse ecosystem and a key focus for conservation efforts......»»
AI bots now beat 100% of those traffic-image CAPTCHAs
I, for one, welcome our traffic light-identifying overlords. Enlarge / Examples of the kind of CAPTCHAs that image-recognition bots can now get past 100 percent of the time. (credit: Arxiv, Plesner et al.) Anyone who has.....»»
Trimer complex TaNF-Y balances grain yield and quality in wheat: Study
Breeding efforts have focused intensively on improving grain yield and quality in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Content and composition of grain starch and seed storage protein (SSP) are two critical factors that determine grain yield and quality. St.....»»
Elucidating the mechanism of cell division during plant self-healing
When the stem of a plant is injured, the surrounding cells proliferate to repair and fuse the damaged tissue, eventually restoring function. This self-healing property is utilized in grafting techniques to propagate fruit and vegetable plants......»»
Presence of bacteria in soil makes flowers more attractive to pollinators, study shows
Bacteria that live in soil and help roots fix nitrogen can boost certain plants' capacity to reproduce, according to an article published in the American Journal of Botany describing a study of this mechanism in Chamaecrista latistipula, a legume bel.....»»
Bulrush once kept NZ"s wetlands and lakes thriving—now it could help restore them
With about 90% of New Zealand's natural wetlands drained or severely damaged during the past decades, we need to understand the role of native plants in the restoration of these important habitats......»»
"Extinct" snails found breeding in French Polynesia following a successful reintroduction project
A species of tropical tree snail is no longer extinct in the wild following a successful reintroduction project......»»
Injecting manure into growing cover crops can cut pollution, support corn crops
Nitrogen in the soil, where plants can readily utilize it, benefits crop growth and health. However, nitrogen leaving the soil—whether through leaching into the groundwater table, flowing with surface runoff into streams or escaping into the air as.....»»
Identifying the top hazardous polluters in the path of Tropical Storm Helene
Recent projections show that Tropical Storm Helene, the latest storm brewing in the Gulf of Mexico, is heading for Florida and tracking toward the state's panhandle. An interactive map developed by Rice University's Center for Coastal Futures and Ada.....»»
New fossil species reshapes understanding of grape family history
Until now, it was believed that plants of the grape family arrived at the European continent less than 23 million years ago. A study on fossil plants draws a new scenario on the dispersal of the ancestors of grape plants and reveals that these specie.....»»
Advancing synthetic Ephedra-type alkaloids with a two-step enzymatic approach
Ephedra-type alkaloids, a class of naturally occurring compounds derived from plants in the genus Ephedra, have long held interest in the pharmaceutical industry due to their stimulant and airway widening effects. These alkaloids are used for the tre.....»»
Strategies for maximizing recombinant protein production in tobacco plants
Plant molecular farming (PMF) is a modern, sophisticated technology that utilizes plants' biosynthetic machinery to synthesize a plethora of recombinant proteins, including industrial and therapeutic enzymes. It has several advantages over traditiona.....»»
Ultra-high speed camera for molecules: Attosecond spectroscopy captures electron transfer dynamics
In nature, photosynthesis powers plants and bacteria; within solar panels, photovoltaics transform light into electric energy. These processes are driven by electronic motion and imply charge transfer at the molecular level. The redistribution of ele.....»»
A versatile approach to realize quantum-enhanced metrology with large Fock states
The collecting of highly precise measurements can enable research developments and technological advancements in numerous fields. In physics, high-precision measurements can unveil new phenomena and experimentally validate theories......»»