Plant Science Research Weekly: August 16, 2023
WWR Full PostReview. Lighting the way: Compelling open questions in photosynthesis research
Photosynthesis is fundamental to life on Earth and a topic that all plant biologists should have a good understanding of, but it is also an incredibly complex set of processes, reactions and structures spanning great temporal…
Plant Science Research Weekly: July 26, 2024
Blog, WWR Full PostReview: Stem cells of the vascular cambium
Vascular cambium cells are meristematic cells responsible for secondary growth. Lineage tracing studies in Arabidopsis and poplar show the presence of single bifacial stem cells in each radial cell file that produce xylem inwards and phloem cells outwards.…
Plant Science Research Weekly: July 12, 2024
WWR Full PostReview: Root development and symbiosis: an epigenetic perspective
Roots do not grow in isolation but occupy a space inhabited by a variety of organisms. With certain fungi and bacteria, they form partnerships or symbiotic relationships that increase the plant’s nutrient uptake and assimilation.…
Plant Science Research Weekly: June 14, 2024
WWR Full PostReview: Deep learning approaches to understanding stomatal function
Sydney Brenner famously said, “Progress in science depends on new techniques, new discoveries and new ideas, probably in that order." Right now, we’re seeing how advancements and new techniques in artificial intelligence and deep…
Plant Science Research Weekly: May 31, 2024
WWR Full PostReview: Strategies to improve photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is the process by which plants assimilate carbon by using light energy. However, with the solar energy conversion efficiency of many crop plants less than 1%, it is inefficient. Therefore, there is interest in manipulating photosynthesis…
Plant Science Research Weekly: May 17, 2024
WWR Full PostReview. Revisiting plant electric signaling: Challenging an old phenomenon with new discoveries
In the electrifying world of plant signaling, a paradigm shift is underway as researchers dig into the intricate mechanisms of action potentials (APs) and slow wave potentials (SWPs). Departing from conventional…
Plant Science Research Weekly: May 3, 2024
WWR Full PostReview: The plant immune system: From discovery to deployment
A review of the past 50 years of plant immunity by Jones, Staskawicz, and Dangl? Yes please! I particularly enjoy historical perspectives of a discipline, as they frame conceptual breakthroughs with the benefit of hindsight. As the article…
Plant Science Research Weekly: April 19, 2024
WWR Full PostReview: Chloroplast ion homeostasis
Healthy plants require access to several mineral nutrients, which are usually taken up in ionic form. The details of nutrient uptake, distribution, and function have been painstakingly revealed over several decades. In this excellent new Tansley Review, Kunz et…
Plant Science Research Weekly: March 29, 2024
WWR Full PostReview. Chloroplast ATP synthase: From structure to engineering
I remember how amazed I was the first time I saw an animation of ATP synthase doing its job. This fantastic engine is largely conserved across the domains of life, with some variation as highlighted in this review of the chloroplast…