All Soil & Plant Science articles – Page 2
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NewsSmart bacteria could transform global agricultural food production
An interdisciplinary team are to receive almost half a million pounds to fund the development of a ‘smart bacterium’ that can dynamically reprogramme how crops respond to environmental stresses in real-time.
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NewsUnderground Atlas: First global map of fungal biodiversity reveals 90% conservation gap
The Underground Atlas is the first digital map predicting Earth’s underground mycorrhizal fungal biodiversity. The work analyzed 2.8 billion DNA sequences from 130 countries revealing that over 90% of mycorrhizal biodiversity hotspots lie outside protected areas.
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NewsThe Holobiont Revolution: How wheat is becoming more climate-resilient
A new breeding concept, specifically for wheat, could help reduce nitrogen fertilization. This holobiont principle places the complex interactions between plants and soil microbiomes at the center of plant breeding.
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NewsCertain fungi can boost the micronutrient content of bread wheat
New research indicates that bread wheat’s micronutrient content can be increased by cultivating it with a specific type of fungus. Crops grown with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis developed larger grains with greater amounts of phosphorus and zinc.
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NewsTiny soil microbes turn detective to uncover the timeline of oil spill contamination
Scientists in Belfast and Nigeria have developed a diagnostic tool that deploys microbes to uncover the timeline of crude oil contamination in soils.
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NewsFermented stevia leaf extract has potential as anticancer treatment, researchers find
Stevia may provide more benefits than as a zero-calorie sugar substitute. When fermented with bacteria isolated from banana leaves, stevia extract kills off pancreatic cancer cells but doesn’t harm healthy kidney cells, according to a research team.
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NewsCassava witches’ broom disease takes flight in South America
Cassava witches’ broom disease is quickly spreading across Northeastern South America, threatening a critical food staple for millions of people in Brazil and the continent.
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NewsModel can calculate the often hidden costs of fungicide resistance
An international research team has developed a mathematical model that can be used to calculate the economic and often hidden costs of fungicide resistance. They used a model that can be used to calculate the spread of fungal diseases in several fields.
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NewsBiologicals vs. biostimulants: study clarifies crop input confusion
Scientists have published a commentary on use of biologicals and biostimulants in agriculture, calling for more nuanced labelling and regulation.
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NewsDelicious but damaging invasive golden oyster mushrooms are decreasing fungal community richness
The golden oyster mushroom has spread rapidly throughout the US since escaping from cultivation into the wild. Ecosystems invaded by the golden oyster support less diversity of fungal species and smaller numbers of native fungal species.
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NewsHow do traditional and biodegradable microplastics affect agricultural ecosystems?
With biodegradable plastics viewed as potential alternatives to traditional plastics in agriculture, researchers investigated the differences in their impacts on agricultural fields and the health of the crop-soil system.
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NewsHow do oxo-degradable plastics perform in soil?
A study systematically revealed the effects of oxo-degradable plastics of different sizes and concentrations on soil and corn growth, providing important evidence to address concerns about degradation efficiency and impact on crop growth and soil quality.
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NewsDual lifestyle plant fungus turns ally, protecting cereal crops against harmful Fusarium infections
A plant-friendly fungus that colonises cereal crops can protect the plants against harmful fungal infestations, a new study reveals.
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NewsNitrogen may limit natural climate solutions
A global inventory reveals nitrogen is in shorter supply than previously thought in natural areas, which could limit carbon storage in plants and soils.
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NewsSimple rules govern soil microbiome responses to environmental change
New research shows that a deceptively simple mathematical model can describe how the soil responds to environmental change. Using just two variables, the model shows that changes in pH levels consistently result in three distinct metabolic states of the community.
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NewsCan biodegradable mulch films harm soil health?
A new study validates the long-term ecological safety of biodegradable plastic mulch films in temperate maritime climates, breaking the traditional belief that “mulch films increase yield at the cost of soil fertility”.
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NewsForest trees and microbes choreograph their hunt for a ‘balanced diet’ under elevated CO2
Oak trees change their fine roots and ‘energise’ soil microbes by supplying them with a cocktail of small organic compounds, all to supplement the trees’ supply of essential nutrients when exposed to higher levels of carbon dioxide.
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NewsBeetles under climate stress lay larger male eggs: Wolbachia infection drives adaptive reproduction strategy
Researchers find that azuki bean beetles, a common pest, produce larger eggs yielding male offspring when infected with Wolbachia bacteria under elevated temperature and carbon dioxide conditions.
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NewsHow plants build the microbiome they need to survive in a tough environment
New research points to the idea that under some conditions plants can “curate” their microbiomes—selecting good microbes and suppressing harmful ones—to adapt to their environments.
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NewsScientists reimagine citrus greening treatment delivery
Texas A&M AgriLife Research is launching a multi-institutional study to develop and evaluate systems that deliver treatments to trees affected by citrus greening disease, also known as Huanglongbing.