Seed microorganisms override soil microorganisms when colonizing plants
New research shows that when it comes to colonizing plants, microorganisms from seeds have more staying power than microorganisms from the soil......»»
Honda to end vehicle output at one of two Thailand assembly plants
The move highlights the tougher conditions Japan's second-biggest automaker faces in the Southeast Asian nation as Chinese brands aggressively seek to gain market share in Thailand and consumer demand for EVs grows......»»
How can we effectively improve and use saline-alkali soil to ensure food security?
Soil salinization poses a threat to global agricultural production, food security and sustainable development. Affected by China's population growth and social and economic development, China's arable land has been decreasing in recent decades and is.....»»
Low-cost depth imaging sensors achieve 97% accuracy in rapid plant disease detection
A research team has investigated low-cost depth imaging sensors with the objective of automating plant pathology tests. The team achieved 97% accuracy in distinguishing between resistant and susceptible plants based on cotyledon loss. This method ope.....»»
New microbe-central model predicts global grassland soil pH under climate change
In a study published in One Earth on July 5, a research team led by Prof. Deng Ye from the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences proposed the core-bacteria-forecast model (CoBacFM), which links the changes.....»»
Researchers reveal how plants protect themselves from viral infection by regulating deacetylation
In a paper published in Science Bulletin, a team of Chinese scientists demonstrated that TaSRT2 recognized viral protein P153 and induced wheat resistance to CWMV through inhibition of the TaSRT2-mediated deacetylation of H3K9ac and H3K79ac, which ev.....»»
Pear-derived discovery: A genetic mechanism to fortify crops against drought
A recent study has shed light on a critical genetic mechanism that boosts plants' ability to withstand drought. The research uncovers the role of the transcription factor PbERF3, native to wild pears, which works in concert with the protein PbHsfC1a.....»»
Researchers evaluate impact of warming on soil respiration in different ecosystems
Soil respiration is the result of heterotrophic respiration (Rh) and autotrophic respiration (Ra), accounting for about 50%–75% of the total ecosystem respiration on land, which is crucial for the global carbon cycle and plays an indispensable role.....»»
Caterpillars pass down food preferences to offspring through blood
Many caterpillars are known for their specific food preferences, which they bring with them when they morph into butterflies. For instance, the monarch butterfly only feeds on milkweed plants, while the Lime butterfly feeds on lime leaves. Despite de.....»»
Grasses in the fog: Plants support life in the desert
Researchers from the Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Paleoenvironment (SHEP) at the University of Tübingen and the Senckenberg Natural History Museum in Görlitz have studied the role of the desert grass Stipagrostis sabulicola in the Afr.....»»
Scientists discover new plants that could lead to "climate-proof" chocolate
Scientists have found three new species that are close relatives to the plant from which chocolate is produced—a discovery that could pave the way for climate-proof chocolate. The team's research has been published in the journal Kew Bulletin......»»
Permaculture found to be a sustainable alternative to conventional agriculture
RPTU University of Kaiserslautern-Landau has shown for the first time, in a joint study with BOKU University, that permaculture brings about a significant improvement in biodiversity, soil quality and carbon storage......»»
More carbon in soil can control weeds, in some cases
Cornell researchers have tested an ecological tool in the fight to control weeds in silage soybean and corn fields: adding carbon to soil in the form of sawdust and rye hay......»»
Wastewater is a viable medium for growing lettuce in hydroponic systems, study shows
Urban agriculture has the potential to improve food security through local, efficient, and sustainable food production. Examples of urban food systems include hydroponics, where plants grow in a nutrient solution without soil, and aquaponics, which c.....»»
Novel nematode species, a relative of model organisms, discovered
A new nematode species has been discovered in soil-dwelling bees at the University of Tsukuba's Sugadaira Research Station. This species shares a close relationship with a model nematode Pristionchus pacificus used in developmental and evolutionary b.....»»
Tracing the evolution of ferns" surprisingly sweet defense strategy
Plants and the animals that eat them have evolved together in fascinating ways, creating a dynamic interplay of survival strategies. Many plants have developed physical and chemical defenses to fend off herbivores. A well-known strategy in flowering.....»»
Biologist calls for protection and more studies of natural time capsules of climate change
Packrats, also known as woodrats, are the original hoarders, collecting materials from their environment to make their nests, called middens. In deserts throughout western North America, for instance, packrat middens can preserve plants, insects, bon.....»»
Scientists predict high groundwater depletion risk in South Korea by 2080
Groundwater forms when precipitation such as rain and snow seeps into the soil, replenishing rivers and lakes. This resource supplies drinking water. However, a recent study has alarmed the scientific community by predicting that approximately three.....»»
Q&A: How to make sustainable products faster with artificial intelligence and automation
By modifying the genomes of plants and microorganisms, synthetic biologists can design biological systems that meet a specification, such as producing valuable chemical compounds, making bacteria sensitive to light, or programming bacterial cells to.....»»
Fully automated detection robot promotes efficient soil testing
A research team developed new equipment that achieved fully automatic and unmanned detection of soil nutrients (such as organic matter, available potassium, available phosphorus) and heavy metals (including Pb, Cd, Hg, As, Cr). They named it High Thr.....»»
New method could significantly reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions
New research by the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) and International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) proposes using soil bacteria to cut greenhouse gas emissions from food production. The research is published in the jour.....»»