Recent Posts

Critical plant gene takes unexpected detour that could boost biofuel yields

OAK RIDGE, Tenn., June 15, 2018 - For decades, biologists have believed a key enzyme in plants had one function--produce amino acids, which are vital to plant survival and also essential to human diets. But for Wellington Muchero, Meng Xie and their colleagues, this enzyme does more than advertised.…

Plant scientists use big data to map stress responses in corn

Iowa State University AMES, Iowa – Plant scientists at Iowa State University have completed a new study that describes the genetic pathways at work when corn plants respond to stress brought on by heat, a step that could lead to crops better capable of withstanding stress. The findings, published…

Press Release: Could eating moss be good for your gut?

New work published in The Plant Cell is featured in this press release from the University of Adelaide. An international team of scientists including the University of Adelaide has discovered a new complex carbohydrate in moss that could possibly be exploited for health or other uses. The scientists,…

From The Scientist: Image of the day, Pseudomonas autophagy

An image from a paper published in Plant Cell is featured as The Scientists "Image of the Day" Image of the Day: Pseudomonas Autophagy Researchers identify antibacterial functions of cell death in Arabidopsis when the plant is infected with Pseudomonas. By The Scientist Staff | March 30, 2018 A…

Gene boosts rice growth and yield in salty soil

In a new study published in The Plant Cell, a team of researchers identified a gene that limits yield losses in rice plants exposed to salt stress and deciphered the underlying mechanism. Soil salinity poses a major threat to food security, greatly reducing the yield of agricultural crops. Rising…

Wheat research discovery yields genetic secrets that could shape future crops

A new study published in The Plant Cell has isolated a gene controlling shape and size of spikelets in wheat. Materials provided by the John Innes Centre. A new study has isolated a gene controlling shape and size of spikelets in wheat in a breakthrough which could help breeders deliver yield…

Press Release: How to target a gene

Scientists find proteins important for plant development, DNA repair and gene targeting  Freiburg, Mar 08, 2018 All living cells have invented mechanisms to protect their DNA against breaks during duplication and against damage by UV-light or chemicals. A team of biologists led by Prof.…

Editorial: The Plant Cell Welcomes Assistant Features Editors

We are pleased to introduce to our readers our new team of assistant features editors at The Plant Cell. These talented and energetic young scientists are passionate about plant science and dedicated to communicating the importance and fascination of plant biology to a wide audience. They will work with…

New Teaching Tool: Root Phenomics

Meet the newest member of the Teaching Tools in Plant Biology family, Phenomics of root system architecture: Measuring and analyzing root phenes -By Larry York and Guillaume Lobet. This teaching tool discusses the relatively young field of root system architecture quantification. It introduces the concepts…