Plant science articles

Fixed leaf image
Small soybean plants growing in row

Measuring Competition in Crop Plants: Mechanisms & Outcomes

Plant to Plant Competition Competition can be intraspecific (between members of a species) or interspecific (between species). In both cases, competition occurs for resources. Nutrients, water, and light are the common resources for which plants compete in space and time. While plants obtain light and some essential elements like carbon (C) and oxygen (O) from… Continue reading…

Root and plants

Root Respiration: Importance and Applications

Definition of Root Respiration Plant respiration happens not only in the leaves, but also through the root system. In root systems, oxygen (O2) in soil pores diffuses into the root hairs and gets transported to all parts of the roots. Plant roots use photosynthates during respiration for their various functions, like nutrient uptake and maintaining… Continue reading…

latest-news-in-crop-and-plant-research

Latest News in Plant and Crop Research: October 2021

Plant research is focused on physicochemical and biochemical attributes, as well as physiological processes to establish basic plant science. These are applied in crop research to improve productivity and also reduce the ecological footprint of conventional farming. Today, we give ten of this year’s latest discoveries in plant and crop science the “tl;dr” treatment, providing you with… Continue reading…

coal mine

Root Dynamics and Mycorrhizal Amelioration of Root Stress

The pollution caused by modern mining efforts is well documented, but the practice can also disturb soil structure and damage root systems, hampering restoration efforts in coal mines.

Water remained on the leave.

Transpiration in Plants: Its Importance and Applications

Definition of Transpiration A plant does not use most of the water that it absorbs. About 97-99% of the water is lost through transpiration. Transpiration is defined as the physiological loss of water in the form of water vapor, mainly from the stomata in leaves, but also through evaporation from the surfaces of leaves, flowers,… Continue reading…

Enriching Plant Science Education for the Next Generation of Researchers | CID & CASEE

Battleground Public Schools’ Center for Agriculture, Science, and Environmental Education (CASEE) is a leader in plant science and STEM education in the greater Portland area. The center has integrated several CID measurement tools into their curriculum to give students an in-depth look at the latest in modern plant research. Recently, Application Scientist Galen George visited the 80-acre outdoor learning… Continue reading…

Reducing the Effects of Lead Toxicity in Plants

Lead Toxicity Treatments Reduce Impacts on Leaf Area, Biochemistry, and Physiology Today we take a look at two studies of lead toxicity in plants, and the environment at large. Lead toxicity is increasing and it is impacting the performance of many crops. Leaf parameters, such as leaf area and chlorophyll levels, are reduced due to… Continue reading…

Plant Canopy Data to Assess Urban Cooling Methods

With global warming and its effects becoming increasingly apparent, all possible measures must be explored to reduce its impact on human life. A growing number of communities find themselves dealing with increased temperatures not taken into account in earlier city planning. Urban cooling measures can make life easier for these residents and also mitigate climate… Continue reading…

Nutrients Moderate Root Dynamics

The continuous cultivation of trees in plantations requires nutrient management to maintain soil fertility. The method and extent to which nutrients are increased can alter species interactions in mixed plantations by influencing root growth. Until recently, little was known about these below-ground dynamics, as they were difficult to study. Advanced tools like minirhizotrons, which make… Continue reading…

Specific Leaf Area Drives Tropical Forest Seedling Diversity

Several forest restoration strategies are commonly attempted today, such as monocultures, mixed-species plantations, and passively regenerating forests. Scientists are also looking at an increasingly wider array of parameters to find out more about the processes that drive seedling diversity in recruitments in different forest restoration methods. Specific leaf area was found to be crucial in… Continue reading…