Plant Cuttings
Garlic and octopus battle tree disease
An allicin-based solution has been shown to treat trees infected with fungal diseases.
Uncategorized
If you put someone in a room with enough bananas, will they age?
I was driving to a wedding on Saturday, when bananas came up as a topic on the Rhod Gilbert show. The question came up, would putting
Uncategorized
Using Plant and Crop Extracts to Enhance Rural Household Food Security
Various plants, crops and extracts have been used over several generations to contribute to household food and nutrition security in semi-arid areas (Khan, et al.
AoB PLANTS
Pollinator limitation on reproductive success in Iris tuberosa
Variation in plant and floral size can have conflicting effects on pollination and fruit production in flowering plants. In a new study published in AoB PLANTS,
Plant Cuttings
Prize-winning banana research
Kiyoshi Mabuchi et al. won an award at the 24th First Annual Ig Nobel Prize ceremony in 2014, for their work investigating ‘why bananas are slippery’.
AoB PLANTS
Genetic diversity and population structure of an extremely endangered species – the world’s largest Rhododendron
Comprehensive studies on the genetic diversity and structure of endangered species are urgently needed to promote effective conservation and management activities. A new study by Qin
AoB PLANTS
Trichomes related to an unusual method of water retention and protection of the stem apex in an arid zone perennial species
The adaptation strategies of plants to harsh environments are among the most interesting subjects in plant biology. Several studies have investigated the role played by trichomes
Uncategorized
Snacking helps Drosera’s appetite
A paper by Pavlovič et al. has caught my eye this week. Feeding on prey increases photosynthetic efficiency in the carnivorous sundew Drosera capensis has moved
annals-of-botany
Tensile properties of bamboo responsible for its mechanical performance
A study of the mechanical properties of single fibres and tissue slices of stems of mature moso bamboo and latewood of spruce.
AoB PLANTS
Provision of nitrogen as ammonium rather than nitrate increases silicon uptake in sugarcane
Silicon (Si) is important in mitigating abiotic and biotic plant stresses, yet many agricultural soils, such as those of the rainfed production areas of the South
annals-of-botany
Molecular phylogenetics of the orchid Himantoglossum
The first comprehensive molecular phylogeny for Lizard orchids (Himantoglossum), sampling all known taxa across the whole distribution area of the genus.
Plant Cuttings
Timeless inner beauty…
This study of the fossilised stem of a royal fern in Lahar deposits from Korsaröd in Scania includes cellular details that are ‘exquisitely preserved’.