Fungi add flavor to vanilla

Worldwide, vanilla is the most popular flavor we know. Vanilla is also a popular product in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry, where it is used in perfumes and medicines, amongst other things. The only source of vanilla ...

Virus turns deadly fungus from foe to friend in plants

Researchers have discovered that a fungal virus (also called a mycovirus) can convert deadly fungal pathogens into beneficial fungus in rapeseed plants. Once transformed, the fungus boosts the plant's immune system, making ...

Poisonous grasses: new study provides reassurance

"Dangerous Pastures: Deadly Grass Puts Horses at Risk"—Such dire warnings on the websites of horse owners and horse lovers may cause people to see their environment in a whole new light. Because what they once considered ...

Harnessing plant-invading fungi for fuel

(Phys.org)—As gas prices rise around the world, researchers are seeking a potential solution from endophytic fungi—fungi that live inside plants.

Breakthrough in plant-fungi relationship

(PhysOrg.com) -- Massey biologists have uncovered for the first time the complete set of gene messages that define the symbiotic interaction between a fungal endophyte and its grass host.