Genetic variability supports plant survival during droughts

In the first study to predict whether different populations of the same plant species can adapt to climate change, scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology find that central European ones die first.

New strategies to save the world's most indispensable grain 

Plants—they're just like us, with unique techniques for handling stress. To save one of the most important crops on Earth from extreme climate swings, scientists are mapping out plants' own stress-busting strategies.

Team shows how evolution can allow for large developmental leaps

How evolution acts to bridge the chasm between two discrete physiological states is a question that's long puzzled scientists. Most evolutionary changes, after all, happen in tiny increments: an elephant grows a little larger, ...

Researchers solve pre-harvest sprouting in rice and wheat

Seed dormancy is an important survival tool for plants because it allows them to weather conditions not conducive to survival. At the same time, excessive dormancy may lessen cultivation time. In response, farmers often plant ...

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