Recent Posts

Plant Science Research Weekly: May 3rd

Review: Functional status of xylem through time ($) If you haven’t been paying attention, you may have missed the great advances that have been taking place in xylem research recently. This excellent review by Brodersen et al. is your chance to catch up. Like all aspects of plant science, new…

Plant Science Research Weekly: April 26th

Review. After the deluge: Plant revival post-flooding Crop losses due to flooding are occuring with increasing frequency. Whilst time submerged can be lethal, the post-submergence period is also potentially lethal. In this new review, Yeung et al. provide an overview of factors that contribute to…

Plant Science Research Weekly: April 19th

Review. Multicellular systems biology: Applying network science to plant organ patterning and function I really enjoyed this review article, which very successfully introduces the reader to the why and how of how to apply network science to plant science. Bassel never veers off into abstraction…

Plant Science Research Weekly: April 12th

Review: Copy Number Variations shaping plant domestication Human-associated plant domestication is a co-evolutionary process that began at least 12,000 years ago. However, the genetic variations underlying many domestication traits are still unknown. In this review, Lye and Purugganan discuss how…

Plant Science Research Weekly: April 5th

Plant Physiology Focus issue on biotic stress The April 2019 issue of Plant Physiology includes a set of papers addressing biotic interactions between plant and pathogens or pests. As the editors indicate, progress on this topic has been rapid and significant. Key topics explored in reviews and research…

Plant Science Research Weekly: March 29th

Review: Exploiting natural variation and genetic manipulation of stomatal conductance for crop improvement Identifying methods to improve crop productivity is vital considering the devastating consequences of climate change (e.g., frequent droughts). Stomatal conductance influences photosynthesis…

Plant Science Reseach Weekly: March 22nd

Review: Molecular networks of seed size control in plants ($) Crop yield is largely determined by the size of seeds, and studies are being conducted to understand the complex molecular network controlling the seed size. Li et al. review the possible molecular mechanisms and regulatory networks underlying…

Plant Science Research Weekly: March 15th

Review: Linking autophagy to abiotic and biotic stress responses ($) Autophagy means “self-eating” in ancient Greek. It’s a process in which cellular components are delivered to lytic vacuoles to be reused. This recycling process promotes abiotic and biotic stress tolerance. In this review,…

Plant Science Research Weekly: March 8th

Review: Evolutionary and ecological insights from herbicide resistant weeds: what have we learned about plant adaptation, and what is left to uncover? Weeds represent a problem for the economy due to their easy resistance of pesticides, but they are also a model for adaptation, ecology and evolution.…