DROUGHT STRESS

May 09 2025SCIENCE

Leonurus japonicus: The Drought Fighter

Leonurus japonicus, a common flowering plant in Asia, faces a big challenge: drought. Drought is a major stress factor for this plant, affecting its growth and survival. WRKY genes are known to help plants cope with drought. These genes produce proteins that act like managers, turning other genes on or off in response to stress. Researchers have studied WRKY genes i...

reading time about 1 minute
Mar 21 2025SCIENCE

Grass Survives Drought: The Amazing Recovery of Xylem Embolism

In the plant world, drought can be a major problem. It can mess with a plant's ability to photosynthesize, grow, and even reproduce. In the worst cases, it can kill the plant. But here's a twist: some plants have a trick up their sleeves. They can fix the damage caused by drought and bounce back. This is what scientists call xylem embolism refilling. It's like a plan...

reading time about 1 minute
Feb 03 2025SCIENCE

One answer for drought-resistant fodder

Picture this: a farmer facing a drought. Do they genres seeds that can deal with salty soil easily or implement powerful ones? This is the fight for fenugreek. Enriching fenugreek plants with certain natural products could help keep them moving and growing while drought conditions persist. For decades, farmers, growers, and researchers have been looking...

reading time about 2 minutes
Jan 26 2025SCIENCE

Discovering Soybean's Secret Weapon: The Sec14 Gene Family and Its Role in Stress Tolerance

Ever wonder how plants survive harsh conditions like dry spells or salty soils? One key player is the Sec14 gene family, a group of genes with a special domain that helps regulate lipids, the building blocks of cell membranes. This family has been around since the days of yeast, and it's found in all eukaryotic cells, including ours. But what about in soybeans? Not m...

reading time about 1 minute
Jan 19 2025SCIENCE

Drought's Effect on Phosphorus in Tropical Maize Fields

Drought can seriously mess with how plants get their phosphorus, a key nutrient. Recent studies might not have fully understood how different drought conditions alter the availability of phosphorus in soil. Scientists decided to test this by growing maize under varying levels of soil wetness in a tropical setting. They found that the drier the soil, the less phosphor...

reading time less than a minute
Dec 26 2024SCIENCE

The Secret of Silicon in Drought-Stricken Brassica

Scientists have been exploring how silicon, a crucial element for plants, can aid oilseed rape (Brassica napus) in surviving drought conditions. They were particularly interested in how silicon influences callose, a substance found in plant roots, and how it alters the cell walls when the going gets tough. They examined the roots using a microscope and observed prote...

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Dec 22 2024SCIENCE

The Hidden Harms of Drought: How Tomato Plants Lose Their Green Touch

Ever wondered what happens to tomato plants when they're thirsty? A recent study dug deep into this question, tracking how water shortage affects the way tomato plants process light during photosynthesis. Researchers created different drought levels (100%, 75%, 50%, and 25% of normal water), hoping to see how plants cope. As expected, leaves became less juicy, pigmen...

reading time less than a minute
Nov 18 2024SCIENCE

Unlocking Stability in Triticale: New Methods for Drought Stress

Scientists have been busy making a new super crop called triticale. It's a mix of wheat and rye. The goal? To have a crop that can handle tough conditions, like drought. The study looked at 30 different types of this super crop in Iran from 2016 to 2020. They checked how well these plants handled different water levels and environments. They grew the plants in patte...

reading time less than a minute
Nov 16 2024SCIENCE

Exploring Pseudoroegneria's Hidden Stress Fighters: The bZIP Genes

Have you ever wondered how some plants can survive extreme conditions like drought? One such plant is Pseudoroegneria libanotica, a tough grass from the Triticeae tribe. Scientists discovered 108 special genes in this plant, known as bZIP genes, which play a key role in helping plants cope with stress. Let's dive into the world of these bZIP genes. They are like tin...

reading time about 1 minute