A weekly plant science research roundup curated and summarized by our Plantae Editors and Fellows
For a plant, form is function. Despite the diversity of forms that exist in nature, plant root diversity is notoriously understudied compared to their aerial counterpart. This review by Ramachandran and…
Anthropogenic climate change has introduced tremendous uncertainty about the future of all life on Earth. As primary producers, threats to plants are transduced up the food chain to their consumers, including…
Plasmodesmata are important for intercellular communication in plants. They are formed through incomplete cytokinesis during which there is no “final cut” of the communication between daughter cells.…
Light is both a source of energy for photosynthesis and a key environmental signal that regulates plant growth. Seedlings grown in darkness exhibit elongated hypocotyls and shorter roots, while light promotes…
The vascular cambium, a bifacial stem cell niche, generates xylem on one side and phloem on the other, driving wood formation—the largest reservoir of terrestrial biomass. This developmental system must…
The endodermal Casparian strip (CS) is a conserved lignin-based barrier in plant roots that seals the endodermal apoplastic space. Most angiosperms possess an additional root cell type, the exodermis,…
Thanks to the continued shedding and renewal of root cap cells, plant roots are able to extend into further reaches within the soil column overcoming physical barriers and potential microbial attacks,…
While flowers are typically associated with pleasant fragrances, every few years a certain part of the rainforests of Sumatra is filled with the pungent odor of rotting flesh. This smell emanates from…
This interesting article by Cathie Martin and Eugenio Butelli describes the process through which purple, anthocyanin-accumulating tomatoes were brought to the US market, from idea to business plan to…
Non-invasive imaging technologies like computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have revolutionized medicine by improving diagnostics and guiding treatment. Due to its versatility, MRI…
Osmosis, driving water uptake and transport, is crucial for plants. It supports nutrient uptake, turgidity, and overall plant health. In hyperosmotic conditions, caused by drought, salinity, and cold stress,…
The regulated expression of genes is fundamental to all biological processes, including development, cell growth, and responses to environmental signals. Transcription factors (TFs) are sequence-specific…
Each week, the Plantae editors select new plant science research articles to highlight. The short summaries describe the question addressed and key findings, with links to the article. Suggestions? Join/Sign-in to the community to participate in the discussion.
Ideas? Sign-in to Plantae, then you can connect with Mary and send her a direct message.