All Soil & Plant Science articles – Page 2
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NewsScientists predict the spatial-temporal dynamics of soil microbial-derived carbon stocks
Scientists forecasting the spatial-temporal dynamics of microbial-derived carbon stocks revealed that for every 1°C increase in temperature, there was a global decrease of 6.7 Pg in the soil MDC stock within the predictable areas.
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NewsInvasive plants drive homogenization of soil microbial communities across U.S.
A new study found that invasive plants are doing more than just taking over landscapes, they are also changing the soil beneath them.
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NewsNative fungus could offer biocontrol for invasive autumn olive
Researchers are studying a native fungus that potentially could kill the invasive autumn olive with minimal human interaction.To remove the autumn olive currently, the plant needs to have its underground root system removed in addition to the destruction of the plant itself, but this fungus could make this process much easier.
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NewsScientists discover how fungi interact with soil actinomycetes
Discovery of a unique microbial interaction offers potential for environmentally friendly control of rice blast disease.
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NewsPlastic mulch is contaminating agricultural fields
Using plastic sheets for weed control, even under current best management practices, pollutes soil with macro- and micro-plastics and negatively affect critical soil functions, according to a study.
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NewsMicrobes drove methane growth between 2020 and 2022, not fossil fuels, study shows
Microbes in the environment, not fossil fuels, have been driving the recent surge in methane emissions globally, according to a new, detailed analysis.
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NewsLoss of ‘nitrogen fixers’ threatens biodiversity and ecosystems
A new study reveals that increased nitrogen deposition from human activity is reducing the diversity and evolutionary distinctiveness of nitrogen-fixing plants, leading to simplified plant communities with fewer species of nitrogen fixers.
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NewsPlant fungus provides colorectal cancer drug with a new cellular target
A compound derived from a plant fungus effectively kills colorectal cancer cells by attacking the enzyme DCTPP1, which thus may serve as a potential biomarker for colorectal cancer and a therapeutic target.
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NewsSoil’s secret language: Researchers decode plant-to-fungi communication
Researchers have cracked the code of plant-to-fungi communication, using baker’s yeast to reveal that the plant hormone strigolactone (SL) activates fungal genes and proteins associated with phosphate metabolism, a system that is key to growth.
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NewsPhages could replace harmful pesticides with a cleaner, greener alternative
Use of phage therapy in farming could be valuable in replacing chemical pesticides with a safer and greener alternative, helping to address climate change, according to a new review in Sustainable Microbiology.
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NewsLettuce and broccoli more resistant to drought
Researchers have developed a product based on four natural extracts from different plants and algae that stimulates the defences of crops in conditions of drought and salinity.
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NewsNovel Pseudomonas species supports plant growth at high altitudes
Scientists have discovered a new Pseudomonas species isolated from cold Himalayan soil that helps to promote plant growth, offering potential as a bio-inoculant for sustainable agriculture in high-altitude regions.
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NewsFirst-ever imaging of pathogens on lettuce leaves in real-time
Researchers have developed a method that allows for imaging common plant infections. For the first time, this can be done without killing the plant and significantly faster than conventional microscopy.
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NewsPresence of bacteria in soil makes flowers more attractive to pollinators
Bacteria that live in soil and help roots fix nitrogen can boost certain plants’ capacity to reproduce by enhancing the attractiveness of the plant’s flowers to pollinators via a relationship known as mutualism that is widespread in plants and animals.
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NewsScientists develop 2-stage process to transform caragana waste into nutritious ruminant feed
In a breakthrough in agricultural waste management, scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have devised a method to convert Caragana korshinskii Kom. waste, a common forestry byproduct in China, into a potential ruminant feed. The research, published in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts, details a ...
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NewsAdditive could help cut greenhouse gas emissions from silage fed to livestock
A study monitoring simulated silage from three key crops over four weeks revealed that all produced substantial amounts of N2O, indicating that forage conservation could be the third largest contributor to agricultural N2O emissions.
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NewsHuman urine could be used as eco-friendly crop fertilizer
Bacterial communities in soil are as resilient to human urine as synthetic fertilisers – making recycling the bodily fluid as a fertiliser for agricultural crops a viable proposition, according to a new study.
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NewsBacteria ‘doing their job’, as nitrogen fertilizer for soybeans offers limited yield benefits
Researchers tested whether modern high-yielding soybeans benefit from nitrogen fertilizer, with results suggesting additions are largely unnecessary.
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News‘Mother plants’ can stop viruses passing to their progeny
Scientists have learned how plants keep viruses from being passed to their offspring, a finding that could ensure healthier crops. The discovery could also help reduce the transmission of diseases from mothers to human children.
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NewsPlant pathogen battle: SlSYTA protein’s dual role in defense and susceptibility
A pivotal study has uncovered the dual role of the Solanum lycopersicum Synaptotagmin A (SYTA) SlSYTA protein in regulating tomato plants’ immune response.
