Going against the botanical grain: Non-Fibonacci spirals in early land plants
Plant Science Research WeeklyThis study by Turner et al. looks at the patterns of leaf and sporangia arrangement in early leafy plant species, questioning the widely held idea that these structures follow the Fibonacci sequence. The researchers investigated fossilized remains from the Early Devonian period. To evaluate the spatial…
Genome editing to enhance broad-spectrum disease resistance in rice without compromising yield
Plant Science Research WeeklyDeveloping broad-spectrum disease resistant crops without compromising the yield has been a persistent challenge in maintaining global food security. In a breakthrough study, Sha et al. developed a promising multi-pathogen resistant rice mutant that retains the crop’s yield, using forward genetic screen…
Shifting microbial communities can enhance tree tolerance to changing climates
Plant Science Research WeeklyLike all of Earth’s lifeforms, plants are already experiencing hardships due to the changing climate, and these stresses will get more extreme. Much effort has gone into breeding crops for climate resilience, less on trees which are both more diverse and less genetically tractable. Here, Allsup et…
A closer look at the pigmentation patterns of those South African daisies, Gorteria diffusa
Plant Science Research WeeklyRecently, we highlighted a sexually deceptive daisy that mimics a female bee-fly to attract the male pollinators. In a recent preprint, Fattorini et al. take a closer look at the factors that specify the petal pigmentation pattern. The authors looked at three morphotypes with different spot patterns,…
Plant stem cells under low oxygen: metabolic rewiring by phytoglobin underlies stem cell functionality
Plant Science Research WeeklyWhen flooding occurs, soils become saturated and oxygen solubility and diffusion decreases. This situation creates a hypoxic environment in the roots that stresses the plant, causing significantly decreased growth. However, the quiescent center (QC) stem cells, located in the root apical meristem, are…
Juneteenth in STEMM and the barriers to equitable science
Plant Science Research WeeklyRecently, the United States designated Juneteenth as a new federal holiday, which celebrates freedom of the last large body of enslaved Black Americans following the American Civil War. However, the impact of chattel slavery persists: Black scientists face many obstacles to attaining an education and…
Plant Science Research Weekly: June 23, 2023
WWR Full PostEssay: The coming golden age of lichen biology
Lichens are remarkable, complex symbiotic organisms. They have evolved multiple times independently, but all lichen include at least one fungal partner (the mycobiont) which they usually resemble morphologically, and at least one cyanobacterial or algal…
Cell differentiation in the tapetum
The Plant Cell: In a NutshellWu et al. investigate tapetum differentiation in Arabidopsis thaliana. The Plant Cell (2023).
By Yue Lou
Background: The tapetum is the innermost layer of the four cell-layered anther wall. In Arabidopsis, the tapetum undergoes cell differentiation and transitions into secretory cells. Most nutrients…
Lu Yu: Plant Physiology First Author
Plant Physiology: Author ProfilesLu Yu, co-first author of "Transcription factor OsSNAC1 positively regulates nitrate transporter gene expression in rice"
Current Position: Master student of Huazhong Agricultural University
Education:
2020-2023, Huazhong Agricultural University, Master
2016-2020, Shanxi Agricultural University,…