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
Slime mold metabolites are a promising, eco-friendly repellent of root-knot nematodes
A team of researchers has discovered 14 compounds secreted by slime molds that repel root-knot nematodes (RKNs) - worm-like parasites of the genus Meloidogyne - and could be the source of new, non-toxic anti-RKN pesticides.
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NewsDeadwood-decomposing fungi feed germinating orchids
Deadwood-decomposing fungi feed germinating orchids, providing the carbon their tiny seeds don’t have. The finding not only closes a gap in our understanding of wild orchid ecology but also uncovers an important carbon flux in the ecosystem.
NewsSoil bacteria and minerals form a natural ‘battery’ that breaks down antibiotics in the dark
Researchers have unveiled a surprising new way that soil microbes can use sunlight energy. The team developed a “bio-photovoltage soil-microbe battery” that can capture, store, and release solar energy to power the breakdown of antibiotic pollutants in the dark.
NewsCould slime mold microbes be a source of potent antimicrobials?
The cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum is a soil microbe that produces diverse natural products with potential antibiotic activity. In this study, researchers optimized lab culture conditions of Dictyostelium cells to boost the levels of low-abundance chlorinated compounds and to characterize their antimicrobial properties.
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News
Biodegradable microplastics rewire carbon storage in farm fields
A pioneering two-year field study has revealed that biodegradable microplastics, often hailed as eco-friendly alternatives to conventional plastics, are quietly reshaping the chemistry of farmland soils in unexpected and complex ways. They attracted a special group of microbes known as K-strategists—slow-growing, efficient decomposers.
NewsGolden spruce trees: Gold forms nanoparticles in the needles – bacteria show the way
A new study has, for the first time, uncovered a connection between bacteria living in Norway spruce needles and gold nanoparticles. This discovery could pave the way for environmentally friendly gold exploration methods, while examining similar processes in mosses may also help remove metals from mining-impacted waters.
NewsRocket test proves bacteria survive space launch and re-entry unharmed
A world-first study has proven microbes essential for human health can survive the extreme forces of space launch. The study found the spores of Bacilus subtilis, a bacterium essential for human health, can survive rapid acceleration, short-duration microgravity and rapid deceleration.
NewsResearchers wake up microbes trapped in permafrost for thousands of years
In a new study, a team of geologists and biologists resurrected ancient microbes that had been trapped in ice—in some cases for around 40,000 years.
NewsThe essential role of the urban tree microbiome: A key to city health
Researchers studied the difference in microbial communities of street trees and non-urban forest trees. By analyzing fungal and bacterial diversity, tree size, and soil properties, their research shows the impacts of urban environmental stressors upon city tree microbiomes.
NewsViruses help cut farm greenhouse gas emissions by targeting soil microbes
A new study reveals that soil viruses can reduce nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions by selectively infecting the microbes responsible for producing this potent greenhouse gas.
NewsLong-term biochar use boosts soil health and soybean yields, study finds
A decade-long field study has revealed that biochar can significantly improve soil quality and boost soybean production in continuous cropping systems. The findings provide new evidence that biochar could be a powerful tool for making agriculture more sustainable.
NewsScientists revive almost forgotten Balkan yoghurt recipe that deploys bacteria, acids - and ants
Researchers recreated a nearly forgotten yogurt recipe that was once was once common across the Balkans and Turkey—using ants. The team shows that bacteria, acids, and enzymes in ants can kickstart the fermentation process that turns milk into yogurt.
NewsBreakthrough results from elephant herpesvirus trial find vaccine to be safe
The world’s first vaccine trial against elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) – a leading cause of death in young Asian elephants – is safe and triggers a strong virus-fighting immune response, according to a research team.
NewsPlant microbiota: War and peace under the surface
Scientists unveil the subtle alliances and rivalries that unfold between bacteria and roots, hidden beneath the soil. A new study probed how and when root exudates are released at the microscale relevant to microorganisms.
NewsGene editing, traditional crossbreeding produce disease-resistant cacao plants
Researchers reported that they edited the gene TcNPR3 in cacao plants, ultimately resulting in disease-resistant cacao plants that had 42% smaller disease lesions when infected with phytophthora, compared to non-edited plants.
NewsNew biochar technology promises breakthrough in soil clean-up and crop safety
Scientists have unveiled a pioneering method that could help farmers reclaim lands blighted by toxic metals and boost the safety of crops grown in contaminated soils. Phosphorus-modified biochar can reduce the threat posed by heavy metals in agricultural soils near mining areas.
NewsCould bacteria help fix the smoky taste of wildfire-tainted wine?
New laboratory experiments show that a bacterium that lives on grape plants can break down guaiacol—an unpleasant-tasting substance which ruins wines made from grapes exposed to wildfire smoke.
NewsBacteria transform waste polystyrene into nylon precursors
Scientists have succeeded in getting bacteria to break down the molecular building blocks of polystyrene and convert them into useful chemicals.
NewsMicrobial DNA sequencing reveals nutrient pollution and climate change reinforce lake eutrophication
A new study using DNA sequencing of lakebed microbes reveals that nutrient pollution from agricultural runoff and climate change amplify each other in ways that profoundly affect the health of lake ecosystems.
NewsSome plants can make their own fertilizer - scientists say they learned it more than once
In a new study, scientists show that chemical receptors that plants use to recognize nitrogen-fixing bacteria have developed the same function independently on at least three separate occasions through a process called convergent evolution.
NewsFungi set the stage for life on land hundreds of millions of years earlier than thought
New research indicates the diversification of fungi hundreds of millions of years before the emergence of land plants. It suggests a common ancestor of living fungi dating to roughly 1.4–0.9 billion years ago.
NewsCaldic and AmphiStar join forces to transform personal care market in Europe with upcycled microbial biosurfactants
Global distributor Caldic and Belgian biotech innovator AmphiStar have announced an exclusive partnership to distribute and promote AmphiStar’s 100% upcycled microbial biosurfactants for personal care applications across Europe.
NewsFriendly soil fungus could replace chemical sprays in battle against crop diseases
A common soil fungus could help farmers reduce their reliance on synthetic fungicides by producing natural airborne chemicals that suppress plant diseases. Trichoderma hamatum releases volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that inhibit the growth of crop pathogens.