Ecosystems
A Bounty of Wasted Pollen and Nectar Poses New Questions for Pollinator Conservation
A study finds that almost 60% of nectar produced by ivy in autumn goes uncollected by pollinators.
Cells, Genes & Molecules
Botanical genomics to boost sustainable agriculture: the case of faba bean
Since the release of the first plant genome in 2000, the field of next-generation sequencing applied to botanical species has bloomed and expanded from model organism (Arabidopsis thaliana) to crops, thus becoming a powerful tool to guide progress towards a more sustainable agriculture.
Cells, Genes & Molecules
Feral Crops: The Untapped Potential to Boost Food Security Amid Climate Change
Scientists are exploring a new way to improve food security in the face of climate change by studying “feral crops” – wild plants that have escaped cultivation and continue to thrive without human intervention.
Growth & Development
Clonal Plants Use Smart Connections to Boost Resistance Against Hungry Insects
Plants that can reproduce by cloning themselves can share resources and signals to resist herbivores. Clones can change the structure of their leaves according to herbivore stress through the connections between them.
Plants & People
Seeds of Hope Sit Unused in Storage
Limited funding and resources are preventing seed banks from fully using their seed collections to conserve endangered plants.
Close Encounters
How Native Plants Team Up to Repel Invaders
Native plants that suffer when black mustard invades their patch do much better when a neighbour helps.
Cells, Genes & Molecules
Nanoplastics threaten plants’ ability to clean up industrial waste
Water Hyacinths can help clean up polluted water when grown in artificial wetlands, but nanoplastic pollution could dramatically reduce their efficiency.
Cells, Genes & Molecules
From flowering-related genes to your plate: the science behind optimizing radish yield
Scientists have discovered that the reason why some radish plants take longer to flower than others is that different copies of certain genes that control flowering time, can interact in complicated ways with each other, leading to differences in plant blooms.
Notes from the Editor
Botany One & AI
AI authors are like predictive text on your phone. They help writing words, but are less good at sentences and cannot be used for writing whole articles at the moment.
Plants & People
A celebration of Women who revolutionized the History of Botany: 9 incredible stories for International Women’s Day
To celebrate International Women’s Day, Botany One highlights nine historical figures who made great contributions to Botany – from the first pioneering plant illustrators and species collectors to recent Nobel prize winners. With their talent and hard work, these brilliant women participated in adv
Reviews
More plant secrets (please share)!
Nigel Chaffey examines a book that aims to plant the seed of botanical curiosity to see if it bears fruit.
Ecosystems
Ecologists spark hope of protecting western American forests from the worst of wildfires
Ecologists with a burning desire to protect forests have grim news for the western United States.