How plants are working hard for the planet

As the planet warms, plants are working to slow the effect of human-caused climate change—and research published today in Trends in Plant Science has assessed how plants are responding to increasing carbon dioxide (CO2).

How plants learned to save water

Tiny pores on the leaves of plants, called stomata, have a huge influence on the state of our planet. Through the stomata, plants absorb carbon dioxide, which is incorporated into carbohydrates, and release oxygen. But they ...

Should researchers engineer a spicy tomato?

The chili pepper, from an evolutionary perspective, is the tomato's long-lost spitfire cousin. They split off from a common ancestor 19 million years ago but still share some of the same DNA. While the tomato plant went on ...

3-D imaging opens a door to fascinating leaf complexity

The field of plant science is in the process of being profoundly transformed by new imaging and modelling technologies. These tools are allowing scientists to peer inside the leaf with a clarity and resolution inconceivable ...

Legumes for a sustainable farming future

Climate change and food security are two of the greatest challenges facing humanity. At Swinburne, Professor Mark Adams is exploring how legumes can play a role in sustainable agriculture.

How humans and their gut microbes may respond to plant hormones

A bowl of salad contains more than vitamins and minerals. Plant matter also includes remnants of the hormones plants produce to control how they grow, age, and manage water intake. Recently, scientists have reported that ...

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