plant biology

Take a break from the bench to puzzle and peruse

A tiny pilot study found that so-called chameleon vines mimicked plastic leaves, but experts say poor study design and conflicts of interest undermine the report.

Silverthorne shaped the development of many NSF programs driving innovation in plant biology and agriculture. 

Abundant environmental CO₂ can increase plant biomass and photosynthesis, but it has downsides for agriculture and ecosystems, a growing body of research finds.

Aridity appears to configure landscapes with a greater diversity of plant species that rely on symbiotic bacteria for nitrogen.

An honorable mention in the 2022 Nikon Small World in Motion competition shows thale cress sperm being released into the ovule.

A strange layer in the fossil record contains evidence that fern populations exploded following the mass extinction that ended the Cretaceous period. Scientists want to know why.

A study suggests that several species of brown algae may have independently evolved to express both sexes simultaneously, and it’s likely that female algae evolved male traits—not the other way around.

The largest waterlily species in the world was incorrectly classified for more than 170 years.

While the higher temperatures and CO₂ levels associated with climate change currently fuel plant productivity, a study finds that changing conditions could take a toll on photosynthesis rates in regions outside the Arctic within a decade.

The growing season on the tundra is starting earlier as the planet warms, but the plants aren’t sequestering more carbon, a new study finds.

A seagrass relies on symbiotic bacteria inside its roots to fix nitrogen. This is the first time scientists have demonstrated that this relationship occurs in a marine plant.

Researchers can now explain how some marine plants obtain their nitrogen.

Record-breaking rainfall has caused widespread flooding and devastation in Queensland and New South Wales, forcing the closure of some university campuses.

Canada has ordered 76 million doses of Covifenz, the main ingredient of which was manufactured in the leaves of a tobacco relative.

The dual purposes of the plants’ hidden colors may conflict as the climate warms, authors of a new study suggest.

Scientists warn that climate change–induced early flowering could have negative effects on wildlife, agriculture, and gardening.