Arabidopsis thaliana
number of breaks: 5
Smart plant defense against a stealthy herbivore
Many vegetables, fruits and ornamental flowers you buy in shops, have been treated with chemicals. The reason for this is that herbivorous insects and pathogens that would otherwise destroy these crops had to be killed. The use of pesticides and insecticides is not harmless and... click to read more
One root for every soil: a double-personality tale
In biology, life success is based on the ability to have offspring. For that, before reproduction, organisms must deal with different and sometimes unfriendly situations. The capacity to overcome environmental challenges increases the possibility to have descendants, and will determine then that organism's life success. A... click to read more
Capturing Mother Nature at work: seeing how plants make vitamin B6
Vitamins are essential for life. They perform a huge variety of tasks within metabolism, with many helping to promote biochemical reactions in our bodies. In general, we cannot make vitamins from scratch, and so we must obtain them from our diet. Plants and microorganisms can... click to read more
Out of the darkness: how plants prepare for, and endure, life in the sun
All plants must sense, and respond to, their environment. This perception is of crucial importance to developing seedlings. Initially, they must grow in subterranean darkness in order to reach the surface - a process known as skotomorphogenesis (development in the dark). Once at the surface,... click to read more
Attractive in the dark — how petunias may help to feed humanity
Many plants, including staple crops, need insects to reproduce. Changing climate and human interference threaten the sensitive relationships between plants and their pollinators. Many aspects of these relationships are not well understood. However, this knowledge may be crucial to sustain and increase crop production to... click to read more
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