Healthy land
Land has a wide variety of uses: agricultural, residential, industrial, and recreational. Microbes play a key role in the terrestrial ecosystem, providing symbiotic relationships with plants. Human use of land has led to the exhaustion of nutrients in soils, contamination of land, and a reduction in biodiversity. Applying our knowledge of microbes will be essential in restoring the biodiversity of affected ecosystems. Greater research into how microbes impact human life on land could all have a positive impact, by increasing crop production, repurposing areas of land and improving microbial biodiversity in soil, land, and water.
News
Barley plants fine-tune their root microbial communities through sugary secretions
Different types of barley recruit distinct communities of soil microbes to grow around their roots by releasing a custom mix of sugars and other compounds, according to a new study.
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NewsScientists graft Prunus sp. to control crown gall disease by regulating the rhizosphere environment
This study provides insights into the mechanism whereby grafted Prunus plants make use of root exudates and the rhizosphere microbiome to suppress soil-borne crown gall disease.
NewsMicrobes linked to oilfield reservoir souring prove remarkably persistent
New research being presented at the Letters in Applied Microbiology ECS Research Symposium shines a fresh light on the persistence of microbial communities that are linked to the contamination of oilfield reservoirs - a problem that costs the energy sector billions of dollars a year.
NewsWorld’s chocolate supply threatened by devastating virus
A rapidly spreading virus threatens the health of the cacao tree and the dried seeds from which chocolate is made, jeopardizing the global supply of the world’s most popular treat.
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News
‘Sunny day flooding’ increases fecal contamination of coastal waters
A new study finds that ‘sunny day flooding’, which occurs during high tides, increases the levels of fecal bacteria in coastal waters, suggesting policymakers and public health officials should be aware of potential risks associated with tidal flooding.
NewsSalmonella rates more prevalent in commercial poultry farm samples vs backyard farms
In a comparison of differently sized poultry farms, researchers at North Carolina State University found that rates of Salmonella in fecal and environmental samples were more prevalent on larger commercial farms than on smaller backyard farms.
NewsBacteria can deliver on promise of climate-neutral chemicals of the future
To explore the potential of synthetic methylotrophs for the biotechnological production of industrially relevant bulk chemicals, researchers have equipped the bacteria with additional genes for four different biosynthetic pathways.
NewsScientists probe influence of soil microbes on spiciness of mustard
Scientists ran one of the first experiments to figure out if soil microorganisms like bacteria and fungi influence the flavor of a crop.
FeaturesUnder the microscope: microplastics
Examining the issue of plastic pollution with a round-up of microbial advances from the last few years.
NewsWarming and exogenous organic matter input affects temperature sensitivity and microbial carbon use efficiency of agricultural soil respiration on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
A study highlights the complexity of the interaction between climate change and exogenous organic matter inputs and their importance in soil carbon dynamics.
NewsArboviruses, mosquitoes and potential hosts tracked in real time
The technology used to sequence the first infections by SARS-CoV-2 at record speed has been successfully tested as a technique to monitor viruses transmitted by mosquitoes, such as dengue, zika, chikungunya and yellow fever.
NewsProbiotic feed additive boosts growth and health in poultry in place of antibiotics
Researchers found that supplementing the diet of young chicks with a probiotic over 21 days significantly boosted the abundance of beneficial intestinal microorganisms.
NewsScientists reveal how soil microbes survive in harsh desert environments
A new study reveals how desert soil bacteria are highly adapted to survive the rapid environmental changes experienced with prolonged droughts followed by sudden bursts of rainfall.
NewsDiscovery of bacterial proteins that induce asexual reproduction in insects
From microbes in the human gut to symbiotic algae in coral reefs, research in recent decades has increasingly revealed the pivotal roles that microorganisms (or microbial species) play in shaping the biology of host organisms and of broader ecosystems.
NewsNew study uncovers the role of soil microbes in forest ecosystems
Assessing the function of forest ecosystems requires a deep understanding of the mechanisms of soil nitrogen mineralization. A recent study conducted by a team of researchers has shed light on how soil N-cycling genes drive soil nitrogen mineralization during afforestation.
NewsThe nitroplast revealed: a nitrogen-fixing organelle in a marine alga
A nitrogen-fixing bacterial endosymbiont of marine algae is evolving into a nitrogen-fixing organelle, or nitroplast, thereby expanding a function that was thought to be exclusively carried out by prokaryotic cells to eukaryotes.
CareersThe Future is Fungi Award: showcasing the fascinating problem-solving scope of fungi
The huge potential of fungi for solving some of the world’s most pressing environmental problems came under the spotlight at The Future Is Fungi Award.
NewsA microbial plastic factory for high-quality green plastic
Engineered bacteria can produce a plastic modifier that makes renewably sourced plastic more processable, more fracture resistant and highly biodegradable even in sea water.
NewsInside look at how plants and mycorrhizal fungi cooperate
A new view into a symbiosis could offer benefits to address climate change: pulling atmospheric carbon into soil and boosting biofuel feedstocks with less fertilizer.
NewsImpact of synbiotic supplements on the gut microbiome and overall health of penguins
A new study shows that parasynbiotics have health benefits for Magellanic penguins, particularly for young birds, and offer potential new strategies for maintaining animal health.
NewsPlastic-free vegan leather that dyes itself grown from bacteria
Researchers at Imperial College London have genetically engineered bacteria to grow animal- and plastic-free leather that dyes itself.
NewsResearchers track the virus behind India’s lumpy skin cattle crisis
A study provides critical insights into the evolution and origins of the virus strains fueling a devastating outbreak of lumpy skin disease, which has severely affected India’s agricultural sector, leading to staggering economic losses.
NewsWild plants face viral surprise spreading from crops
A new study reveals a previously unknown threat: non-native crop viruses are infecting and jeopardizing the health of wild desert plants.
