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The small genome and rapid growth cycle of Arabidopsis thaliana have made it an ideal organism for genetic studies, with over 100,000 research papers exploring topics such as disease resistance, stress tolerance, and response to light. The first studies were done on plants that grew from seeds saved during the Hungarian Uprising of 1956.
These insects—including bumblebees, moths, butterflies, and beetles—play a crucial role in the reproduction of flowering plants, also known as angiosperms. They do so by transferring pollen from the male reproductive organ—the anther—to the female one—the stigma—which enables the plant to produce fruit.
Examining the cellular structure of the Death Valley desert shrub when subjected to heat, scientists identified the appearance of novel, cup-shaped chloroplasts and mitochondrial relocation that modified its optimal photosynthesis temperature to 113 degrees F (45 degrees C). Engineering these mechanisms in crops may help optimize crops for hotter environments.
As bees approach a bright, colorful flower for nectar, they bump into its stamen—the flower's male reproductive organ—and pollen gets stuck to the pollinator's body. This pollen can then be deposited on another flower's sticky pistil—the flower's female reproductive organ—which brings the pollen down to the ovule for fertilization.
A stretch-activated ion channel called DmMSL10 acts as an amplifier, converting grazing contact into a strong impulse that the plant uses to react and close its jaw. To distinguish prey from raindrops or other stimuli, the jaw only closes when the hairs are touched twice in quick succession.
With shorter days and less sunlight, the concentration of the green pigment diminishes, revealing yellow and orange pigments. Red leaves result from trapped sugars, producing new pigments called anthocyanins, which weren't present in leaves during the growing season.
In the 17th century, Native Americans cultivated a three-plant combination of corn, beans, and squash—a symbiotic tradition dating back hundreds of years. The corn allowed the beans to climb, the beans fertilized the plants by extracting nitrogen from the air, and the squash leaves protected the soil and preserved moisture. Learn more about the tradition here.
Pollinators have co-evolved alongside specific plants from their natural habitat and see their populations increase in environments with these native flora. This collection offers recommendations for regional plants that can provide nectar and pollen, serve as host plants for caterpillars, and offer nest sites for specialist bees.
Having outlived the dinosaurs, the tree has no living relatives as the only surviving species of the genus Ginkgo. Its growth in undisturbed environments, pollution resistance, and foul-smelling seeds may have contributed to its survivability.
Water evaporates from the leaves, creating tension that pulls more water upward from the roots through the xylem—the equivalent of plant blood vessels. This process is supported by water molecules sticking to each other (cohesion) and xylem walls (adhesion).
