Phys.org news tagged with:root

Probiotics for plants: Microorganisms boost growth and nitrogen uptake

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 09:15:31 EST

Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have identified a bacterial genus that promotes root growth and nitrogen uptake in plants. The findings open new possibilities for developing customized "plant probiotics" that could contribute to more resource-efficient agriculture by reducing the need for nitrogen fertilizer.

Mining genomes for cyst nematode resistance could enable better soybean harvests

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 16:10:01 EST

Soybean farmers around the world face a persistent and costly enemy hidden beneath the soil: soybean cyst nematode (SCN), a microscopic roundworm that attacks plant roots and drains yields. SCN is one of the most damaging pests affecting soybean production globally, resulting in significant losses every year.

Scientists illuminate ancient plant-fungus partnership at molecular level

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 09:04:43 EST

For 450 million years, plants and soil fungi have been trading partners. The fungi weave through plant roots, delivering phosphorus and other soil minerals in exchange for sugars and fats produced by the plant through photosynthesis. This ancient collaboration supports roughly 80% of Earth's plant species—including corn, wheat, and other crops that feed billions of people.

When and how to plant fruit trees for 'fruitful' results

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 09:27:18 EST

Dreaming of harvesting peaches, plums, apples or figs from your own backyard? Growing delicious homegrown fruit starts with planting your tree correctly—and at the right time of year.

Scientists uncover hidden 'winter memory' inside plants

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:59:42 EST

Scientists have developed a powerful new microscope that reveals, for the first time, how plants store a 'memory' of winter deep inside their cells.

Scientist wins 'Environment Nobel' for shedding light on hidden fungal networks

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 04:44:05 EST

Beneath the surface of forests, grasslands and farms across the world, vast fungal webs form underground trading systems to exchange nutrients with plant roots, acting as critical climate regulators as they draw down 13 billion tons of carbon annually.

'Command center' cell that orchestrates tooth root formation discovered

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 09:45:40 EST

Teeth function not only because of the hard enamel on the surface, but also because they have roots that anchor them firmly in the jawbone beneath the gums. Eating, speaking, and maintaining the shape of the face—teeth are essential for supporting our daily lives.

Deciphering symbiotic code: Research unlocks 'secret handshake' between legumes and rhizobia

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 09:08:32 EST

In a study published in Science, researchers have resolved, for the first time, the high-resolution crystal structure of the complex formed between the NodD protein of pea rhizobia and a flavonoid compound (hesperetin). They elucidate how NodD recognizes flavonoids and reveal key structural elements in NodD that determine the specificity of signal recognition.

How I'm helping rice farmers in India harness the power of fungi in soil

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 21:50:01 EST

It's an exciting time to be a microbiologist working in rice research. A global push towards the cultivation of water-saving rice is enabling farmers to harness the power of microbes that thrive in less water.

Fungus 'rewires' maize plants, causing tumor-like growths by hijacking root formation process

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 14:55:22 EST

When a maize plant is attacked by the fungus Ustilago maydis, tumor-like tissue growths occur at the site of infection. How the pathogen causes this response in its host has long been unknown. But a University of Bonn study has now shown how the fungus takes over the plant's function of forming lateral roots. The findings have been published in the journal New Phytologist.

Mechanism for twisted growth of plant organs discovered

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 15:00:02 EST

From morning glories spiraling up fence posts to grape vines corkscrewing through arbors, twisted growth is a problem-solving tool found throughout the plant kingdom. Roots "do the twist" all the time, skewing hard right or left to avoid rocks and other debris.

Scientists discover a molecular switch that protects crops from freezing cold

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 22:50:01 EST

The onset of sudden cold spells can threaten plant survival, especially during early growth phases. But how do plants detect low temperatures fast enough to initiate life-saving changes? Researchers at Chonnam National University have identified a hidden molecular "off-switch" that quickly reprograms root development to withstand the adverse cold conditions.

From prey to predator: How carnivores spread beneficial fungi

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 12:06:30 EST

Animals help disperse seeds and spores for many plant and fungal species. This typically happens when animals eat the fruiting bodies of plants and fungi and pass seeds and spores through their digestive systems.

Iron minerals' hidden chemistry explains how soils trap carbon

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 15:08:30 EST

While scientists have long known that iron oxide minerals help lock away enormous amounts of carbon—sequestering it from the atmosphere—a new Northwestern University study now reveals exactly why these minerals are such powerful carbon traps.

Fungal allies arm plant roots against disease by rewriting the rules of infection

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 16:00:01 EST

Scientists have discovered that beneficial root-dwelling fungi boost plant resilience to disease by remodeling the plant cell membrane at pathogen infection sites—offering critical new insights into how plants coordinate defenses in complex natural environments.

Researchers find promising adaptations to climate change in tropical forests

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 14:39:41 EST

As tropical forests experience chronic drying and more extreme droughts due to climate change, some plants are adapting by growing longer root systems to reach water deep within soils, according to a study published in November in New Phytologist.

Plants use engineering principles to push through hard soil

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 11:39:24 EST

Across the globe, soil compaction is becoming an ever more serious challenge. Heavy vehicles and machinery in modern agriculture compress the soil to such an extent that crops struggle to grow. In many regions, the problem is aggravated by drought linked to climate change.

Cover crops hold key to healthier soils in Norwegian agriculture

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 19:00:01 EST

Cover crops, plants grown to protect and enrich the soil, are known to boost soil health and help store carbon. However, the exact mechanisms behind these benefits, especially under Nordic climate conditions, have been unclear—until now.

Novel technique reveals insights into soil microbe alarm clock

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 15:45:04 EST

Soil microbes benefit plants by helping with nutrient uptake and disease resistance. Modulating these communities of bacteria and fungi could potentially sustainably improve agriculture, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Aboveground, not belowground productivity drives variability in biomass crop's net primary productivity

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 16:29:54 EDT

A study by researchers at the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) found that net primary productivity in Miscanthus × giganteus (M × g) is driven by aboveground productivity, influenced by nitrogen application and site. The results provide useful data for agroecosystem models and crucial insights for future perennial belowground sampling, and will help improve understanding of the carbon sequestration potential of this perennial grass.

Researchers call for holistic ecosystem assessment

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 14:28:04 EDT

Plants adapt the growth of their roots and shoots differently in response to environmental changes, according to a study involving the Ecological-Botanical Garden (ÖBG) at the University of Bayreuth. The researchers challenge previous assessments of climate change impacts on plants, which often extrapolate from aboveground to belowground plant structures. Their findings have been published in the journal Plant and Soil.

Root chemistry determines how antibiotic resistance spreads from manure to crops, research indicates

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 12:56:02 EDT

Antibiotic resistance is one of the most pressing global health challenges, and farms that use livestock manure as fertilizer have emerged as important sources of resistant bacteria and genes in the environment.

Researchers uncover hidden plant-microbe strategy that boosts crop growth under nutrient stress

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 10:36:04 EDT

Scientists have uncovered a surprising strategy plants use to thrive when an essential nutrient—sulfur—is in short supply.

Absorptive roots drive forest soil carbon accumulation through iterative effects, study finds

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 13:00:01 EDT

Since the 1980s, scientists have known fine roots (< 2 mm) are critical to ecosystem carbon cycling, with research long suggesting their contribution to soil carbon accrual may exceed that of aboveground plant parts like leaves. Yet more than 40 years later, a key knowledge gap remains: the role of multi-decadal root iterative dynamics (growth, turnover, decomposition) in soil carbon accumulation—especially for "absorptive roots," the finest, most metabolically active roots (typically the distal 2–3 root orders or < 0.5 mm in diameter).

Slime mold metabolites are a promising, eco-friendly repellent of root-knot nematodes

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 11:12:04 EDT

Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) are worm-like parasites of the genus Meloidogyne that are found in many parts of the world. They attack the roots of plants, causing them to wilt and eventually die. It is estimated that crops worth nearly USD 173 billion are lost every year due to RKN infestations. While chemical pesticides are effective in controlling RKNs, they also kill other microorganisms that are beneficial to plants, thereby reducing soil fertility. New, less toxic control methods are needed to prevent the loss of crops and soil fertility to RKNs.

Efficient bacterial modeling cuts computational costs for researchers

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 11:44:03 EDT

Newcastle scientists have developed an efficient new model to track bacterial responses to toxic chemicals and nutrients.

How root barrier breaks guide beneficial bacteria to plants

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 14:00:16 EDT

When we talk about microbiota, we usually think of the one inhabiting our gut. But there is another, less known and equally vital: the plant microbiota. In an article featured on the cover of Science, Professor Niko Geldner and his team at the University of Lausanne (Unil) unveil the subtle alliances and rivalries that unfold between bacteria and roots, hidden beneath the soil.

Artificial floating wetlands offer cost-effective, nature-based water treatment

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 09:50:53 EDT

A new international study has endorsed artificial floating wetlands as a sustainable and cost-effective solution for improving water quality in rivers, lakes and wastewater systems.

How a plant hormone helps roots bend and grow downward toward gravity

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 14:00:04 EDT

Scientists have uncovered how the plant hormone auxin helps roots bend and downwards towards gravity—a process called gravitropism—even after encountering obstacles in soil.

Barley's root defense: Protein could be key to surviving acidic, aluminum-rich soils

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 09:50:04 EDT

A new study has revealed the 3D structure of a barley root protein that protects plants from toxic aluminum in acidic soils. Unlike most transporters, this protein exports citrate—an anion that binds to harmful aluminum ions—thereby shielding the roots. The findings offer fresh insights into how plants adapt to hostile soils and could help guide the breeding of crop varieties capable of thriving on acidic farmland worldwide.