Paper made from banana plants stymies potato pest
Wrapping potato seeds in biodegradable paper made from unusable parts of banana plants reduces the infestation and harmful effects of a nasty plant pathogen—a worm called the potato cyst nematode—and sharply increases potato size and yields......»»
Nitrogen-fixing plant diversity declines with over-fertilization, study finds
Anthropogenic nitrogen deposition and climate change can reduce the competitive advantage of nitrogen-fixing plants, leading to reduced diversity of these plants in a community. Surprisingly, changes in temperature and aridity do not contribute to th.....»»
Loss of "nitrogen fixers" threatens biodiversity, ecosystems, say biologists
Mississippi State University is part of a European-American collaboration studying how human activities, like fertilizer use and pollution, are impacting nitrogen-fixing plants which are crucial for maintaining healthy ecosystems by adding nitrogen t.....»»
Smallest dinosaur egg ever found confirmed in China
A team of paleontologists, geoscientists and evolutionary specialists affiliated with multiple institutions in China has found that a fossilized egg unearthed in 2021 is the smallest dinosaur egg ever found. In their paper published in the journal Hi.....»»
Scientists untangle the challenging complexities of radiocarbon in ice cores
ANSTO scientists, Dr. Andrew Smith, Dr. Quan Hua and Dr. Bin Yang have contributed to a paper that elucidates how in situ cosmogenic radiocarbon (14C) is produced, retained and lost in the top layer of compacting snow (the "firn layer") and the shall.....»»
Materials of the future can be extracted from wastewater
A group of researchers is on the way to revolutionizing what biomass from wastewater treatment plants can be used for. Biopolymers from bacteria can be a sustainable alternative to oil-based products, and phosphorus and other minerals can also be har.....»»
Q&A: A faster way to identify drought-resistant plants for crop breeding research
Climate change is making droughts more common and more severe—which makes research into developing drought-resistant crops more important than ever. Now researchers have developed a new framework that should expedite this important research......»»
Nonnative plants are a major force behind global insect invasions, study finds
In an article in the journal BioScience, an international team of researchers led by Dr. Cleo Bertelsmeier from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, argues that the global spread of nonnative plants is a key factor driving the growing number of i.....»»
Discovery of key protein for biosynthesis of plant defense steroids could enhance pest control strategies
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology have identified GAME15 as a key protein that regulates the biosynthesis of both steroidal glycoalkaloids and steroidal saponins in plants of the genus Solanum......»»
Stem carbohydrate richness in two cycad species
Terrestrial plants have developed strategies to cope with suboptimal conditions. Storage of nonstructural resources is one of those strategies. Nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) of plants are primarily sugars and starch, and have been studied extens.....»»
Global north"s growing appetite for farmed salmon imperils communities" access to local fish, study warns
A paper published in Science Advances exposes the global aquaculture sector's growing dependence on wild fish. Despite industry claims to the contrary, these findings highlight how the growing appetite for expensive farmed salmon can leave coastal co.....»»
Trace gas measurements could advance carbon cycle predictions
A novel method for estimating the rate of photosynthesis from land plants reveals that satellite observations—the current gold standard for quantifying terrestrial carbon uptake—underestimate this important metric, a result that could inform and.....»»
Astronomer detects eclipses in a candidate cataclysmic variable system
Russian astronomer Valerij Kozhevnikov has performed photometric observations of a candidate cataclysmic variable known as LAMOST J035913.61+405035.0. He detected 14 eclipses of this system. The finding was reported in a paper published October 9 on.....»»
In a fusion device plasma, a steep ion temperature gradient slows the growth of magnetic islands
Future fusion power plants will require good plasma confinement to sustain reactions and generate energy. One way to contain plasma for fusion reactions is to use a tokamak, a device that applies magnetic fields to "bottle" plasma. However, magnetic.....»»
Novel sensors could help develop bee-friendly protection for plants
The increasing global demand for plant-based foods makes the use of pesticides necessary in order to protect crops from pests and ensure crop yields. However, there is one major disadvantage: the widespread use of pesticides has led to a considerable.....»»
Honda ups its EV game with 3 new production technologies for 0 Series
Honda plants in the U.S. are already being outfitted with all manner of cutting-edge manufacturing gear for the Japanese carmaker's next-gen 0 Series electric vehicles......»»
Unlocking the genetic mysteries of modern roses: Research provides insights into origin and breeding
Roses are one of the world's most beloved and widely cultivated ornamental plants, captivating hearts and adorning gardens for centuries. Despite their popularity, the genetic origins and breeding history of modern roses have remained mostly unknown......»»
Global study shows causes for the dominance of woody plants in drylands
Precipitation, temperature, and grazing have the greatest influence on whether woody or herbaceous species grow in dryland areas. This has been shown by a large global study that includes Potsdam researchers......»»
Modern mass extinction in an Ecuadorean cloud forest found to be a mirage
One of the most notorious mass extinction events in modern times occurred on a hilltop in coastal Ecuador in the 1980s. Ninety species of plants known from nowhere else on Earth—many of them new to science and not yet given a name—went extinct wh.....»»
How "vaccinating" plants could reduce pesticide use and secure global food supplies
In a growing and changing world, we need to find ways of putting food on everyone's table. Pesticides have enabled mass cultivation on an incredible scale, but they can have harmful secondary effects on humans and wildlife, and pests are rapidly evol.....»»
Giving First Nations names to bird species is more complex and contentious than you might think
First Peoples' names for animals and plants undeniably enrich Australian culture. But to date, few names taken from a language of Australia's First Peoples have been widely applied to birds......»»