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...
An update on major microarray and RNA-seq studies, exploration of data integration approaches using gene coexpression network, and outline of important web resources.
Submergence tolerance in rice is primarily attributed to SUB1 gene action, but other associated traits such as leaf gas film (LGF) thickness, leaf hydrophobicity, porosity and leaf density have been known to aid...
Low temperatures at the start of the growing season can impair the productivity of crop species. Chilling (0 – 20°C) and freezing (< 0°C) both negatively affect plant growth and development. Cotton is an important...
Characterisation of the biochemical and genetic mechanisms that underpin plant responses to water deficit are central to the development of more productive drought-tolerant biomass crops, including fast-growing poplars.
Floral colour in angiosperms can be controlled by variations in the expression of the genes of the anthocyanin pathway. Floral colour shifts influence pollinator specificity. Multiple shifts in floral colour occurred in...
Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) is a key pasture grass in many parts of the world. It is reported to be the most valuable plant species in New Zealand, with a $14.5 billion impact on New Zealand’s GDP in...
Seeking to uncover the effects of ethylene on the metabolic process and pectin remobilising capacity of rice (Oryza sativa) that is grown in phosphorus (P)-deficient conditions, Zhu et al. find that ethylene positively...
Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi play a key role in phosphate (P) uptake of many crop species, but the mechanisms by which P uptake in the AM symbiosis is controlled are only poorly understood. Wang et al. examined the...
Embryogenesis has evolved independently in plants and animals. Comparative studies in animals have pointed towards an hourglass pattern of embryo development where early events are less conserved across species but lead...
Despite their importance in many aspects of plant physiology, information about the function of oxidative and, particularly, of nitrosative signalling in fruit biology is limited. Tanou et al. study the ripening of...