Priming plant defenses with aspirin-like compound

For thousands of years, humankind has extracted salicylic acid from willow tree bark to alleviate minor pain, fever, and inflammation. Today, it's used in acne medication and wart removers, among other cosmetic products.

Plant signals travel different routes to turn on defense

Faced with a pathogen, important signaling chemicals within plant cells travel different routes to inform the plant to turn on its defense mechanisms, according to a recent University of Kentucky study.

Pharmaceutical substances found in waters of Donana

Researchers from the University of Seville (US) have detected active pharmaceutical substances for the first time in the waters of the Doñana National Park and its surrounding areas. The results suggest eco-toxicological ...

Dual internal clocks keep plant defenses on schedule

Time management isn't just important for busy people—it's critical for plants, too. A Duke University study shows how two biological clocks work together to help plants deal with intermittent demands such as fungal infections, ...

The balancing act between plant growth and defense

Researchers from Kumamoto University in Japan have pinpointed the mechanism that regulates the balance between plant growth and defense. Plants synthesize and accumulate protective hormones to protect them from pathogen infections, ...

Plants on aspirin

When pathogens enter a plant, infected cells set off an alarm before they die. They discharge methylsalicylic acid, which is later transformed into salicylic acid, triggering an immune response. Hence, salicylic acid is a ...

Linking sensing to signaling during plant immunity

Plant defense against invading pathogens relies upon effective recognition of non-self organisms and a subsequent signaling response characterized by reprogramming of host gene expression and localized cell death to combat ...

Single enzyme controls two plant hormones

Scientists at Washington University in St. Louis isolated an enzyme that controls the levels of two plant hormones simultaneously, linking the molecular pathways for growth and defense.

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