All Soil & Plant Science articles – Page 3
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NewsHow scientists are breeding spinach to better withstand Pythium
Breeding efforts to improve spinach tolerance to a pathogen called Pythium will help both indoor and outdoor growers of the popular leafy green.
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NewsMetagenomic software advance boosts research into microbial diversity
Researchers studying the diversity of microbes in environmental samples now have access to a new tool that opens the door to cheaper, more accessible analysis of their samples.
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NewsEngineered dual-bacterial sensors turn chemical signals into electricity
Most bacterial information transmission is done via electricity. While electricity-emitting bacteria exist, manipulating them into useful sensors has been quite challenging. Researchers recently developed a flexible bioelectrical sensor system called electroactive co-culture sensing system.
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News To thwart pathogens, researchers are giving beneficial microbes what they really want
Researchers have developed a new method that allows precise modification of any microbiome with prebiotics, helping beneficial organisms outcompete dangerous pathogens.
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NewsHow soil microbes adapt to life in lakes
Researchers have analyzed the genome of bacteria living in Lake Zurich to conclude that microbes employ two different strategies to colonize new habitats. Some acquire new traits – but others reduce the size of their genome and lose some functions in order to successfully move to a new home.
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NewsAI spots hidden behavior patterns in self-organizing bacteria
A custom-built artificial intelligence system has helped to uncover how bacterial communities organize themselves, showing that the earliest moments of a biological transition carry far more information than previously considered.
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NewsIntegration of two genes: A valuable strategy for developing virus-resistant tomatoes
Researchers have demonstrated that integration of Ty-1/Ty-3 and Ty-6 resistance genes in tomato plants can confer highly robust resistance to begomoviruses.
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NewsNative bacteria may break down dioxins without genetic modification
Researchers have demonstrated that native soil bacteria, when treated with decoy molecules, can degrade non-native compounds, including persistent pollutants such as dioxins, without genetic modification.
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NewsTropical trees are more neighborly, study suggests
Tropical trees are better neighbors than trees in temperate forests, according to a new study. Trees growing closer to the equator have more positive interactions with their neighbors, which may help explain why tropical forests are home to so many tree species.
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NewsDrones, DNA, and weather: A phase-oriented hybrid engine to predict sugar beet disease
A fungus that can wipe out up to 50% of a sugar beet crop may soon meet its match in a new generation of smart disease forecasting. Combining drone imagery, weather data, and qPCR-based airborne spore monitoring can reveal where disease is present and what the pathogen is likely to do next.
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NewsNew biochar composite tackles arsenic pollution and methane emissions in rice paddies
Rice paddies feed more than half of the world’s population, yet they are also hotspots for toxic arsenic contamination and greenhouse gas emissions. A promising solution that addresses both problems at once uses an engineered biochar material enhanced with titanium dioxide.
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NewsFungi hold the key to boosting urban soil health with biochar and compost
A new study reveals that combining biochar and compost can restore soil health in urban green spaces, but only under the right conditions, and fungi play a decisive role in determining success.
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NewsA world within the leaves: Sign up for our fascinating free webinar
A single tree can harbour hundreds of species - yet few people will realise that some of those species live within the very leaves themselves. A fascinating free webinar will explore the fascinating world of fungal communities that live inside leaves.
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NewsNew strategy to break resistance-yield trade-off in rice by pathogen-inducible gene expression
A research team has developed a genetic strategy to enhance broad-spectrum disease resistance in rice without compromising plant growth and yield, a major challenge in crop breeding.
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NewsNitrogen addition reshapes forest microbes: A five-year insight into community dynamics
A new study reveals how long-term nitrogen enrichment influences soil bacterial communities and network stability, with surprising insights into ecological processes and dissolved organic matter’s critical role.
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NewsBiochar triggers long-term soil recovery by reshaping microbes and metabolism
A five-year field study reveals that biochar can do far more than improve soil chemistry. It can reorganize entire soil ecosystems, creating lasting benefits for agriculture and environmental sustainability.
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NewsScientists reveal the potential of a tiny soil bacterium to beat the Haber-Bosch process
A new review finds that biological ammonia production offers strong potential as a cleaner, greener alternative to the costly Haber-Bosch process. Microbes such as Azotobacter can produce ammonia under ambient conditions and atmospheric pressure.
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NewsBiochar offers climate-smart pathway to healthier soils and safer tea production
A new scientific review highlights how biochar, a carbon-rich material produced from biomass, could transform tea farming by restoring soil health, reducing pollution risks, and improving both yield and quality. Source: AxelBoldt Closeup of leaves of tea plant Camellia sinensis Tea, derived from Camellia sinensis, is one ...
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NewsSalty soils slow biochar aging but limit beneficial microbes, study finds
A new study reveals that increasing soil salinity can significantly slow the aging of biochar, a widely used soil amendment, while also suppressing the microbial communities that help drive its environmental benefits.
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NewsIntroducing environmental microbiota to urban homes shifts the indoor microbiome
Introducing forest soil on an entryway doormat shifted the indoor microbiome of Finnish homes closer to bacterial profiles found outdoors, with less contribution from human-associated bacteria, a new study shows.