All Soil & Plant Science articles – Page 13
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NewsSunflower extract fights fungi to keep blueberries fresh
Rresearchers have reported that compounds from sunflower crop waste prevent rotting in blueberries. They suggest the food industry could use these natural compounds to protect against postharvest diseases.
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NewsMicrobiome of fruit and vegetables positively influences diversity in the gut
In a meta-study, a research team has provided evidence that the consumption of fruit and vegetables contributes positively to bacterial diversity in the human gut.
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NewsChanges in soil organisms in crop rotation farmland accessed by DNA metabarcoding
Researchers using DNA metabarcoding to analyze changes in the composition of soil organisms in corn-cabbage rotation fields found that the soil biota are unexpectedly easily altered by the soil environment, cultivation history and crops.
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NewsSoil carried on sea freight loaded with dangerous plant diseases
Soil collected from the external surfaces of sea freight was found to support live microorganisms, worms, seeds and insects,, confirming that shipping containers provide a pathway for the movement of exotic species.
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NewsStudy demonstrates antimicrobial action of polyalthic acid from copaiba oil
Polyalthic acid from copaiba oil is an effective antibacterial and should be used to develop alternative medications that can contribute to the effort to overcome antimicrobial resistance, according to a new study.
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News$7.3M grant to expand wheat pathogen surveillance
One of the world’s largest crop pathogen surveillance systems is set to expand its capacity to protect wheat productivity in food vulnerable areas of East Africa and South Asia.
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NewsVacuum cleaner-effect in fungi can hold nanoplastics at bay
Researchers have found that while nanoplastics reduce both bacterial and fungal growth, the fungus actually manages to ’clean up’ their surroundings, thereby easing the effect of the plastics.
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NewsResearchers uncover how soil bacterium detoxifies tomato metabolite
Scientists have revealed that the tomato root associated bacterium Sphingobium possesses a series of enzymes that hydrolyze the metabolite tomatine, detoxifying it.
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CareersAdam probes biofilm formation by Bacillus subtilis in his Summer Placement
Adam Bryson (21), from Dunblane, reveals what happened during his Applied Microbiology International-sponsored Summer Placement at the University of Dundee investigating biofilm formation by soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis.
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NewsEmerging diseases threatening trees around the world are accelerating
A study analyzing more than 900 new disease reports on 284 tree species in 88 countries found that the number of new disease emergences globally is doubling every ~11 years, with pines accumulating the most new diseases.
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News‘Lawnmower-like’ viruses change up after dry soils are watered
Viruses in soil may not be as destructive to bacteria as once thought and could instead act like lawnmowers, culling older cells and giving space for new growth.
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NewsSoil bacteria prevail despite drought conditions
Recent research has uncovered the resilience of certain soil microorganisms in the face of increasing drought conditions. While many bacteria become inactive during dry spells, specific groups persist and even thrive.
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CareersToxins, E. coli and soil nematodes - Megan reports on her AMI Summer Placement
Megan Cameron (27) undertook an Applied Microbiology International-sponsored Summer Placement examining the effects of feeding different strains of E. coli to the free living wild type nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans.
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NewsPGPR strain from farmland in India boosts crops in chilly conditions
A bacterial strain isolated from agricultural soil in India can help crops to thrive in chilly conditions by promoting seed germination and growth, a new study shows.
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NewsFungal aroma can be used for behavioural pest control
Scientists exploring how blueberries infected with fungus Colletotrichum fioriniae emit odours which repel spotted-wing drosophila are able to trick the flies into perceiving healthy fruit as infected.
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NewsMineral nanoparticles can help fungi break down organic pollutants in soils
Mineral nanoparticles could potentially act as nanozyme mimics, assisting fungi in breaking down organic pollutants in soils, a new study has found.
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NewsResearchers reveal how microbes return after a wildfire
A study suggests that dispersal - through air or rain, for example - plays a major role in microbial succession after a destructive fire.
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NewsNanoparticles made from plant viruses could be farmers’ new ally
Engineers have developed nanoparticles, fashioned from plant viruses, that can deliver pesticide molecules to soil depths that were previously unreachable.
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CareersEdie uncovers how microbes can shine light on dirt bike vandalism
For her AMI-sponsored Summer Placement, forensic science student Edie Holmes joined a team investigating whether microbial profiling could be used to link dirt bikes to vandalised sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs). Here’s what happened.
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NewsUnzipping mRNA rallies plant cells to fight infection
Scientists studying a plant called Arabidopsis thaliana have discovered short snippets of folded RNA that are unzipped in the presence of a pathogen to allow plant cells to make defense proteins to fight infection.
