Grafting with epigenetically-modified rootstock yields surprise

Novel grafted plants—consisting of rootstock epigenetically modified to "believe" it has been under stress—joined to an unmodified scion, or above-ground shoot, give rise to progeny that are more vigorous, productive ...

Scientists create virus-resistant tomato plants

Researchers of Valencia's Polytechnic University (UPV) and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) have used tools that regulate gene expression in order to produce tomato plants that are resistant to the spotted wilt ...

France keeps eyes peeled for ruinous tomato virus

France's agriculture ministry said Thursday that it was increasing surveillance of fields to stave off a ruinous virus affecting tomatoes that has already been found in neighbouring countries.

Solving the riddle of strigolactone biosynthesis in plants

Strigolactones (SLs) are a class of chemical compounds found in plants that have roles as plant hormones and rhizosphere signaling molecules. They regulate plant architecture and promote germination of root parasitic weeds ...

Insect bites and warmer climate means double-trouble for plants

Recent models are telling us that, as our climate warms up, herbivores and pests will cause increased damage to agricultural crops. One study predicted that crop yield lost to insects increases 10 to 25 percent for every ...

A new tomato ideal for urban gardens and even outer space

Farmers could soon be growing tomatoes bunched like grapes in a storage unit, on the roof of a skyscraper, or even in space. That's if a clutch of new gene-edited crops prove as fruitful as the first batch.

Study gets to root of rice's resilience to floods

Climate change is increasing both the severity and frequency of extreme weather events, including floods. That's a problem for many farmers, since rice is the only major food crop that's resilient to flooding. A new study, ...

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