SharePlusNew research published in Science Advances reveals that the protein complex known as DREAM, which typically acts as a gene repressor, may also play an essential role in plant reproduction. Understanding this mechanism could open new pathways for agricultural research and crop yield improvement.
Drought is traditionally recorded in trees through the narrow bands of their annual growth rings. However, new research from University of Utah biologists suggests that quaking aspens go a step further by forming functional memories of previous dry years. This novel cellular and chemical response is reflected directly in the composition of their leaves. The three-year experiment sheds light on how long-lived plant species adapt and respond to shifting environmental pressures over time.
A recent scientific study led by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research and the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research has uncovered how plants adapt their chemical signaling with root bacteria to acquire iron. Published in the journal Cell, the research focuses on Arabidopsis plants and their root microbiota. The findings demonstrate how these partnerships help plants unlock bio-unavailable iron from challenging acidic or calcareous soils.