ROOT ARCHITECTURE

Mar 07 2026SCIENCE

Roots Show How Plants Balance Growth and Survival

In forests of North Patagonia, scientists looked at how the shape of a plant’s root system affects tiny roots that do most of the work. They studied eight perennial herb species, half of which grow a single main root (tap‑rooted) and the other half grow many small roots from the stem (adventitious).

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Dec 24 2025ENVIRONMENT

How do plants and fibers team up to make concrete better for nature?

Plants and fibers can work together to make concrete more eco-friendly. This is especially important for protecting slopes from erosion. But how exactly do they do this? And what happens when the plants die? These are the big questions scientists are trying to answer. First, let's talk about the pl

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Jan 16 2025SCIENCE

Plant Roots' Glutamate Sensor: A Surprising Splice Variant

When plants like Arabidopsis encounter L-glutamate at their root tips, it causes significant changes in their root structure. But how they sense this amino acid is a mystery. Scientists know that GLUTAMATE RECEPTOR-LIKE (GLR) proteins act as channels that let calcium in when they detect amino acids,

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