Biologists find gene that creates extra vacuoles in plant cells

Sometimes plant cells don't have just one large central cavity, or vacuole, but several. These can even have different functions. How is that possible? A team led by UvA biologists Ronald Koes and Francesca Quattrocchio took ...

Why roots don't grow in the shade

When a plant finds itself in too much shade, it redirects its resources to reach for light. Crop yield and root development stall as the plant focuses on growing taller, striving to rise above neighboring plants to access ...

Scientists can switch on plants' response to light

Scientists have figured out how plants respond to light and can flip this genetic switch to encourage food growth. The discovery could help increase food supply for an expanding population with shrinking opportunities for ...

Scientists ID sterol essential for oil accumulation in plants

Scientists seeking to unravel the details of how plants produce and accumulate oil have identified a new essential component of the assembly line. They discovered a particular sterol—a molecule related to cholesterol—that ...

Breeding beetle-resistant potatoes

Potatoes are the most consumed vegetable in the United States. According to the USDA, US farmers grew more than 42 billion lbs. of potatoes in 2019. That's 128 lbs. of potatoes per person.

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