A legume locus stimulates promiscuous interaction with soil bacteria

While promiscuity among humans is often scorned, symbiotic promiscuity can be a sign of excellent teamwork in other species. Plant growth, especially in legumes, flourishes through mutualistic interactions with soil bacteria, ...

How much fluorine is too much fluorine?

For most of us, our closest encounter with the element fluorine is likely to be our toothpaste or a municipal water supply with added fluoride.

How bacteria fertilize soya

Plants need nitrogen in the form of ammonium if they are to grow. In the case of a great many cultivated plants, farmers are obliged to spread this ammonium on their fields as fertiliser. Manufacturing ammonium is an energy-intensive ...

Study finds natural selection favors cheaters

Mutualisms, which are interactions between members of different species that benefit both parties, are found everywhere—from exchanges between pollinators and the plants they pollinate, to symbiotic interactions between ...

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