All Soil & Plant Science articles – Page 7
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NewsNew study unlocks molecular defense against devastating potato pathogen
A team of plant scientists has made a significant breakthrough in understanding how potato plants defend themselves against a soilborne pathogen that causes powdery scab, an emerging and economically damaging disease affecting potato crops worldwide.
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NewsFungicides intended to suppress turfgrass diseases may damage fairways
Golf course managers have much more insight into which fungicides to use to suppress turfgrass diseases, such as the common and costly dollar spot disease, without damaging the grass on their fairways, thanks to a new study.
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NewsNew chlorophyll fluorescence imaging technique enables early detection of rice fungal diseases
A research team leverages chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) imaging, a cutting-edge technique, to identify reliable pre-symptomatic diagnostic indicators for rice blast and brown spot.
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NewsHow plants are learning to spot sneaky bacterial invaders
Scientists used artificial intelligence to help plants recognize a wider range of bacterial threats — which may lead to new ways to protect crops like tomatoes and potatoes from devastating diseases.
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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”.