Phenotypic characterisation of root adaptations to infertile soils enables plant breeders to develop improved cultivars that not only yield more, but also contribute to yield stability and nutritional security in the...
Tag - nitrogen
botanyone
Light on hemiparasitic plants impacts on their hosts
Although parasitic plant–host associations occur in an ever-changing light environment, there is a poor understanding of how light influences the impact of the parasite on the host plant. Cirocco et al. hypothesize that...
Ecophysiology of four co-occurring Lycophyte species: an investigation of functional convergence
Modern clubmosses (Lycophytes) are a vestige of their gargantuan carboniferous ancestors that dominated the paleoflora flora for millions of years. The group has a broad global distribution ranging from tundra to...
AoBPLANTS
Decision time: Inorganic or Organic..?
Plants need appropriate amounts of essential nutrients if they are to grow fully and generate the yield of which they are capable. Quite often, however, one of those essentials – principally, nitrogen (N) – is in...
Nigel Chaffey
Saprotrophic fungi and fully mycoheterotrophic orchids
This study identifies saprotrophic mycorrhizal fungi for seven mycoheterotrophic orchid species growing in four humid and warm subtropical forests in Taiwan
Defoliation, tree growth and storage of C and N
Although lenga beech trees, completely defoliated by caterpillars of Ormiscodes amphimone, do not die, they show reduced growth for at least 2 years.
MPs fiddle with Nature…
Were UK MPs wrong for employing gardener to remove autumn leaves by hand from lime trees in New Palace Yard?
Root foraging and yield in maize/bean/squash polycultures
One cause of the yield advantage in the 'three sisters' polyculture is that the crops have different, possibly complementary, root foraging strategies.
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 into Free Access. I’m used to the idea that...
Alun Salt
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 African sugar industry, are deficient in plant-available...
A better understanding of wheat gluten
Wheat is the most important food crop in the temperate world, but we know little about the gluten it contains.
AJ Cann
Drosera, the hunter
The hunting cycle of the carnivorous sundew Drosera capensis, including prey attraction, digestion and subsequent benefits from nutrient uptake.
Carnivory and photosynthesis in sundew
The growth of unfed D. capensis plants is P-limited, and this limitation is markedly alleviated by feeding on fruit flies, improving plant nutrient status.
