All Soil & Plant Science articles – Page 8
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NewsAMAST Network launches to battle AMR in the agrifood system
AMAST – the AMR in Agrifood Systems Transdisciplinary Network, has been created to harness perspectives from across agrifood stakeholders and prepare new ways to tackle these challenges.
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NewsStudies explore converting wastewater to fertilizer with fungal treatment
Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) converts biomass into biocrude oil through a high-temperature, high-pressure process. Two new studies explore the use of a fungal treatment to convert the leftover wastewater into fertilizer for agricultural crops.
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NewsRhythm led by plants is crucial for symbiosis with nutrient-providing bacteria
Recent research on Lotus japonicus has unveiled that the interaction between legume roots and rhizobia is characterized by periodic gene expression with a six-hour rhythm, maintained with the help of the plant hormone cytokinin.
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News‘Talented’ peatland microorganisms have an outsize impact on climate
Leveraging a new genome annotation tool, researchers have identified ‘talented’ microorganisms with genes for transforming polyphenols in peatlands.
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NewsRhizobacteria identified to combat striga and boost sorghum yields in Ethiopia
Researchers have identified potential Striga-suppressing rhizobacteria associated with sorghum, which have been shown to significantly reduce Striga seed germination rates.
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NewsResearch unveils rhizobia strains effective against soybean root rot fungal pathogens
Scientists have identified three rhizobia strains which effectively suppressed root rot fungal pathogens in soybeans under both in vitro and greenhouse conditions, demonstrating significant potential as biocontrol agents.
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NewsScientists build roadmap to bioengineer plants that produce their own nitrogen fertilizer
Nitrogen fertilizers make it possible to feed the world’s growing population, but they are also costly, harm ecosystems and require a lot of energy to manufacture. However, a few plants have evolved the ability to make their own nitrogen with the help of bacteria. A new study helps explain how ...
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NewsPumpkin disease not evolving - which could make a difference for management
The bacterium, Xanthomonas cucurbitae, is so successful that it has had no reason to evolve through time or space, according to new research characterizing the pathogen’s genetic diversity across the Midwest.
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NewsResearchers develop new way for beneficial microbes to survive extreme conditions and space exploration
The team’s formulations allow microbial therapeutics to maintain their potency and function over time despite extreme temperatures, harsh manufacturing processes, and radiation exposure.
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NewsImaging techniques reveal detail of soybean nodule structures for improved nitrogen fixation efficiency
Researchers have used synchrotron-based X-ray microcomputed tomography to non-invasively obtain high-quality 3D images of fresh soybean root nodules, quantifying the volumes of the central infected zone and vascular bundles.
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NewsCertain bacteria or fungi can combat a plant pathogen that attacks common vetch
A new study reveals that treating common vetch with certain bacteria or fungi that promote plant growth may be effective for combating anthracnose, a severe disease caused by the Colletotrichum spinaciae plant pathogen.
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NewsDecoding disease defenses: miRNAs and the battle against apple pathogens
A new study illuminates the genetic dynamics in tissue-specific interactions between apple trees and Valsa mali, a fungus causing severe disease.
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FeaturesPGPR Strategies for Climate-Resilient Agriculture
In the face of environmental degradation and climate change, farmers are increasingly challenged to sustain productivity and ensure food security.
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NewsDesert-loving fungi and lichens pose deadly threat to 5,000-year-old rock art
A study has revealed that the petroglyphs of the Negev desert are home to a community of uncommon specialist fungi and lichens. Unfortunately, these species may pose a serious threat to the rock art in the long term.
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NewsRetreating glaciers: fungi enhance carbon storage in young Arctic soils
Melting Arctic glaciers are in rapid recession, and microscopic pioneers colonize the new exposed landscapes. A new study has revealed that yeasts play an important role in soil formation in the Arctic.
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NewsMicroscopic fungi enhance soil carbon storage in new landscapes created by shrinking Arctic glaciers
Melting Arctic glaciers are in rapid recession, and microscopic organisms colonise the newly exposed landscapes. A new study reveals that yeasts play an important role in soil formation in the Arctic after glaciers have melted away.
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NewsPotato blight pathogen probably originated in the Andes before spreading worldwide
A new study challenges the common theory that the devastating potato blight pathogen Phytophthora infestans originated in Mexico. Researchers meticulously reconstructed its global migration history and found it likely originated in the South American Andes before spreading globally. Source: Gareth James Famine memorial, Dublin. The potato blight pathogen ...
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NewsFertilizer strategies can shape microbial communities in the rhizosphere
Fertilizer strategies can play a key role in the diversity of microbial communities in the crop rhizosphere, according to a new study.
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NewsScientists discover genetic ‘off switch’ in legume plants that limits biological ability to source nutrients
The discovery of a new genetic regulator in legumes could be key to understanding how to increase the crop’s capacity to convert nitrogen from the air and improve soil quality.
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NewsMultidrug-resistant fungi found in commercial soil, compost and flower bulbs
A study has found high levels of multidrug-resistant fungi in commercially available compost, soil and flower bulbs. Named a critical public health threat by WHO, Aspergillus fumigatus is potentially deadly to immunocompromised people.