Understanding the Molecular Basis of Disease Resistance in Plants
Posted 13th October 2017 by Jane Williams
There has been tremendous progress in understanding the molecular basis of disease resistance in plants in the last twenty years. However, translation of this knowledge into practical use has been slow.
Phytobiomes: Embracing Complexity to Achieve a New Vision for Agriculture
Posted 2nd October 2017 by Jane Williams
Imagine a world in which farmers have at their disposal analytical tools that help them determine the crop, management practices, and inputs to apply to a specific field in a given year, taking into consideration all physical (climate, soil…) and biological conditions (microbes, pests, disease, weeds, animals…)
Biocontrol & Biostimulants: The Brightest Spots In Agriculture
Posted 30th August 2017 by Jane Williams
Biocontrol and biostimulants hold the key to important agricultural benefits such as improved efficiency, increased yield and greater sustainability.
Novel Applications Of The Chloroplast Genome
Posted 23rd August 2017 by Jane Williams
Henry Daniell’s research analyses the crop chloroplast genome. In the past years, more than 40 crop chloroplasts genome were sequenced in his lab, including some of the most important crops such as coffee, orange, cotton and soybean.
Probiotic Consortia Applications In Non-Sterile Soil
Posted 18th August 2017 by Jane Williams
Plants feed microbial communities that, in return, provide the plant with growth hormones and antibiotics. Alexandre Jousset’s research focuses on probiotics consortia in tomato plant roots that form a shield defending plant tissues from Ralstonia solanacearum (Wei et al., 2015). This is an aerobic non-spore forming plant pathogenic bacterium colonising the xylem and causing bacterial wilt in its host. It can affect most world crop species including tomato, potato, banana and tobacco and there’s still no cure for this disease (Hu et al., 2016).
The Wheat Genome Sequence Odyssey
Posted 9th August 2017 by Jane Williams
As the world population is expected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050, it is crucial to have innovative genomics tools to address global food security in a sustainable way.
Biofuels; The Energy Resource Of Our Future
Posted 4th August 2017 by Jane Williams
Norman Lewis’ research currently focuses on the composition of phenylpropanoid metabolism pathway, which provides plants with neolignans and lignans. These are organic compounds giving structure and rigidity to the cell wall and allowing the normal growth and developments of plants. We interviewed him about his research.
The Synergistic Relationship Between University and Industry: A Case Study
Posted 21st July 2017 by Jane Williams
All companies look to universities for the training and expertise of their future workforce. Yet, many companies have discovered that relationships with universities can yield much more than access to future staff members.