Editing plant chromosomes using molecular scissors

The CRISPR/Cas molecular scissors work like a fine surgical instrument and can be used to modify genetic information in plants. The research teams of Professor Holger Puchta of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and ...

Scientists shake up balancing act of plant metabolism

Step outside and spring is in full bloom, from red tulips, to pink magnolias to purple lilacs, but how do plants create all that color? The alluring hues that attract pollinators and provide beautiful bouquets begin with ...

Scientists use bacteria to help plants grow in salty soil

A new study has shown that salt-tolerant bacteria can be used to enhance salt tolerance in various types of plants. The new approach could increase crop yield in areas dealing with increasing soil salinity.

What's the best way to identify male hemp seedlings?

The surge in cannabidiol (CBD) popularity means more farmers are growing non-intoxicating strains of cannabis, or hemp, for CBD production. This new market has led to commercial genetic tests for early determination of hemp ...

Mint scent inhibits the growth of weeds

Some plants are very successful in the competition for space, nutrients, and water. They inhibit the growth of their competitors by chemical signals that cause cells of the neighboring plant to die. Scientists of the Botanical ...

Unexpected insights into the dynamic structure of mitochondria

As power plants and energy stores, mitochondria are essential components of almost all cells in plants, fungi and animals. Until now, it has been assumed that these functions underlie a static structure of mitochondrial membranes. ...

Herringbone pattern in plant cell walls critical to cell growth

Plant cells tend to grow longer instead of wider due to the alignment of the many layers of cellulose that make up their cell walls, according to a new study that may have implications for biofuels research. The study, which ...

The tips of a plant design its whole shape

Plants grow throughout their entire life. This is due to a small structure at the tip of the plant's shoots known as the meristem. This is the control center for the maintenance of stem cells—which can be converted into ...

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