Phytochromes (phys) encompass a diverse collection of biliproteins that enable cellular light perception by photoconverting between a red-light-absorbing ground state (Pr) and a far-red light-absorbing active state (Pfr). Based on the central role of plant phys in controlling numerous agriculturally important processes, their rational redesign offers great promise toward accelerating crop impro...

The rapid spread of nonnative plant species have caused considerable negative impact to the biodiversity and ecosystems in Taiwan. To better unders tand the status and to suppor t researchers and decision makers to develop strategies and remedies for this problem, it is necessary to obtain accurate spatial information and the progression about the invasions of foreign species into native ecocom...

Plants periodically shed more than 90% of their biomass production as above- and below-ground litter, including leaves, twigs, flowers, logs, roots other tissues [...]

The failure of a tailing pond dam at the Aznalcóllar pyrite mine (SW Spain) in April 1998 released a toxic spill affecting approximately 4300 ha along the Agrio and Guadiamar valleys. Two years later, we have studied yield and concentration of mineral nutrients and trace elements in sunflower plants grown in the spill-affected soil, and in an adjacent unaffected soil as comparison. The study ha...

The impact of gnawing by Microcavia australis on the survival of Geoffroea decorticans plants was studied in the Monte Desert of Argentina. Sampled ( ) plants N s 105 were selected randomly from two different colonies of M. australis. For each plant sampled the following properties were measured: the diameter of the trunk at ground level; the distance to the nearest burrow of M. australis; the ...

Bacterial endophytes colonize the inner tissues of host plants through the roots or through discontinuities on the plant surface, including wounds and stomata. Little is known regarding a possible role of insects in acquiring and transmitting non-phytopathogenic microorganisms from plant to plant, especially those endophytes that are beneficial symbionts providing plant protection properties an...