All Soil & Plant Science articles
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NewsUnique bond identified as key to viral infection speed
Viruses are typically described as tiny, perfectly geometric shells that pack genetic material with mathematical precision, but new research reveals a deliberate imbalance in their shape that helps them infect their hosts.
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NewsScientists create microneedle system to deliver living biofertiliser directly into plants, boosting growth with less waste
A dissolving patch delivers beneficial microbes into leaves and stems, speeding growth in vegetables while using over 15 per cent less biofertiliser than soil application.
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NewsRice resists change: Study reveals viral tools for probing gene function fall short
Researchers tested two popular viral vectors - barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV) and foxtail mosaic virus (FoMV) - to see if they could temporarily switch genes on or off in rice (Oryza sativa). They found no evidence that these virus-enabled reverse genetics (VERG) techniques work in rice.
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NewsNew study reveals how natural humic substances reshape soil carbon cycling and boost antibiotic resistance
Researchers have uncovered surprising links between natural humification processes in soil, carbon metabolism, and the spread of antibiotic resistance. Subtle shifts in the composition of humic substances can reshape microbial metabolism and alter the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes.
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CareersFascinating exchange of ideas at 6th Plant Microbiome Symposium - and new collaborations are already starting
Last month Applied Microbiology International supported the 6th Plant Microbiome Symposium in Antequera, Spain, funding 17 travel grants for early career researchers to attend. Organiser Dr Victor Jose Carrion Bravo reports back on a vibrant exchange of ideas.
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NewsPostharvest apple immunity: a key factor in shelf life and fruit quality
New research sheds light on how the immune system of apple fruits interacts with their microbiomes during storage, playing a crucial role in maintaining fruit health and preventing spoilage.
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NewsMicrobiome of an entire country is mapped for the first time
An international research team has systematically mapped the microbiome of an entire country for the first time. More than 10,000 environmental samples from across Denmark were analyzed, resulting in an atlas of environmental microbiomes with unprecedented spatial resolution and functional depth.
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NewsScientists clarify how much metal in soil is 'too much' for people and the environment
A new review explains which laboratory tools, models and tests best capture the true bioavailability of heavy metals in soil and how regulators worldwide are starting to use them.
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NewsPlant ‘first responder’ cells warn neighbors about bacterial pathogens
Researchers have found that a subset of epidermal cells in plant leaves serves as early responders to chemical cues from bacterial pathogens and communicate this information to neighbors through a local traveling wave of calcium ions.
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NewsBlack carbon from wheat straw burning shown to curb antibiotic resistance spread in farmlands with plastic mulch residues
A new study reveals that black carbon formed during wheat straw burning can significantly reduce the spread of antibiotic resistance genes in soil and soybean crops, offering a promising strategy for safer and more sustainable farming in regions burdened by plastic mulch debris.
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NewsVIRE: a global data platform to better understand viruses
Researchers have released a comprehensive viral genome database covering diverse ecosystems to advance the understanding of viral evolution and ecosystem functions.
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NewsPlant extracts show promise in reducing human pathogen risks in agricultural soils
A new study has revealed that natural plant extracts can significantly lower the risks posed by human bacterial pathogens in manure amended agricultural soils. The eco friendly strategy disrupts the communication systems that bacteria use to coordinate harmful activities.
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NewsNew global guidelines streamline environmental microbiome research
A team of nearly 250 researchers from 28 countries has developed a new set of reporting guidelines for environmental microbiomes called STREAMS. The guidelines are organized by the structure of a scientific manuscript and help ensure that important details aren’t overlooked.
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NewsCan a synthetic compound help plants recruit beneficial bacteria?
Researchers examining how a DMA analog called proline-2’-deoxymugineic acid (PDMA) influences the rhizosphere microbiome of peanut plants found that PDMA increased the abundance of beneficial microbes, particularly those within the phylum Actinobacteria.
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NewsAcid rain may be training soil bacteria to become more deadly
Acid rain from fossil fuel pollution may be quietly training soil bacteria to become longer-lived, more transmissible, and more deadly, according to a new study that tracks how a notorious foodborne pathogen rapidly evolved under simulated acid deposition.
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NewsMichigan cherry farmers find a surprising food safety ally: falcons
By shooing cherry-pecking birds away, kestrels also keep them from contaminating crops with their droppings, a new study shows. Kestrels were associated with a 3-fold reduction in droppings spotted on branches.
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NewsNew Arkansas Clean Plant Center partnership to boost Indian agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture has entered a five-year agreement with the Indian National Horticulture Board and Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to help farmers in India improve agricultural production by limiting spread of pathogens.
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NewsNew super pest combines broad spectrum of microbes
Researchers investigating what role the reed leafhopper’s microbial flora might have played in its rapid spread as a pest found it hosts at least seven species of bacteria and appears to be completely dependent on three of these species, which inhabit specific organs.
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NewsSoil carbon decomposition varies vastly, holding implications for climate models
A new study shows that even under uniform laboratory conditions, the rate of organic carbon decomposition in soil samples collected across the U.S. differed by up to tenfold, in part due to variations in soil mineral and microbial properties.
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NewsMicrobial nano-selenium breakthrough boosts tea quality and safety
Scientists developing selenium-enriched tea have identified a powerful selenium-reducing bacterium, Raoultella ornithinolytica S-1, capable of converting inorganic selenium into selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) while simultaneously promoting plant growth.