Plant poison turns seed-eating mouse into seed spitter (w/ Video)

In Israel's Negev Desert, a plant called sweet mignonette or taily weed uses a toxic "mustard oil bomb" to make the spiny mouse spit out the plant's seeds when eating the fruit. Thus, the plant has turned a seed-eating rodent ...

Walk in the park yields biological treasure

A newly identified relationship between a fly and a weedy mustard-type plant promises to answer many long-standing questions surrounding the evolutionary arms race between plant-eating insects and their host plants.

New canola strain takes the 'evil' out of 'weevil'

(PhysOrg.com) -- A strain of canola that could save farmers millions of dollars per year in crop losses and insecticide costs has been developed in part by a University of Alberta researcher.

Over time, an invasive plant loses its toxic edge

Like most invasive plants introduced to the U.S. from Europe and other places, garlic mustard first found it easy to dominate the natives. A new study indicates that eventually, however, its primary weapon - a fungus-killing ...

Cracking the plant-cell membrane code

(PhysOrg.com) -- To engineer better, more productive crops and develop new drugs to combat disease, scientists look at how the sensor-laden membranes surrounding cells control nutrient and water uptake, secrete toxins, and ...

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