Origins of domesticated pearl millet identified in the western Sahara
A long disagreement over the origins of millet farming in Africa may have been solved by combining genetics with archaeological evidence.
Alun Salt
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Cells can use miRNAs to as a signal for their position within a plant.
Plants use miRNAs to pass signals between cells. But cells can’t just let anything in or out, so how do miRNAs get around?
When is it your time to bloom? For a plant, it’s HISTONE DEACETYLASE 19 and FD that decides
A shoot shouldn’t become a flower too early, but needs some control over when the process happens. A paper in JXB finds the genes responsible.
Stinging plants share needle designs
It’s not just nettles that sting. Plants discovered how to defend themselves multiple times, but whatever building blocks they use, they all share a similar design in needles.
What drives the big changes in evolution, biological interactions or geography?
How did life get so diverse ?in silico modelling of evolution suggests there’s not one specific cause, but a complex interaction including diversity interacting with itself.
Hybrids face a battle for dominance of the genome
When two different genomes come together in a hybrid or polyploid, it can trigger conflict in the new genome. A review in New Phytologist investigates how one subgenome can become dominant.
Pest control through conservation is not always a success
Is there a better way to control pests than spraying chemicals? Keeping a non-crop habitat nearby can help shelter predators, but new research shows the correlation between conservation and pest-control isn’t simple.
Do carnivorous plants warn pollinators of danger?
It was thought that carnivorous plants put their flowers well away from their traps to avoid catching pollinators. Research from Asia suggests that something more complex could be happening.
Variations in climate can cause genetic diversity in plant populations
A new paper in Science highlights how variation in an environment can mean plants have no single solution for survival. Where conditions change, genetic diversity can be the best option for a species.
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