š» The Week in Botany March 3, 2025
Itās been another grim week on social media, making botanical news harder to find. Iām going to try something different for next week.
There are a lot of press releases. Iāve seen some sites reproduce these verbatim as news stories, a practice called āchurnalismā. There are problems I have with this, one being that if Iām going to be that lazy, why not be lazier and just link directly to the press release?
What Iāll be trying next week is a new template for writing social media threads / news stories that uses the press releases, but also combines that with actually reading the paper the release is based on to provide more information about the work. Iām hoping that will highlight a few interesting stories that would otherwise get missed.
2025 keeps coming. Iād lost track of both Daiās Day and Ramadan coming around. Best wishes if you celebrate either. There will be another email of the papers youāre sharing on Mastodon, Bluesky, and Twitter. Until next time, take care.
Alun (webmaster@botany.one)
On Botany One
Garden Choices Shape Urban Pollinator Havens
Urban gardeners can make unusual niches for pollinators in their cities.
Bruce Anderson: Cracking the Plant Language Code
Botany One interviews Dr Bruce Anderson, a born entomologist who became passionate about plants and their interactions.
Iconic Saguaros May Struggle to Survive in a Drier Future
As the Sonoran Desert gets hotter and drier due to climate change, the famous saguaro cactus might struggle to survive because fewer new cacti are growing to replace the old ones.
WORLD FLORA: Botanical Wonderland of the Canary archipelago
The Canary Islands are renowned for their breathtaking landscapes and unique endemic flora. From the ancient laurel forests to striking succulents and vibrant wildflowers, this archipelago hosts extraordinary plant species, each adapted to the regionās diverse climates and volcanic habitats.
News & Views
Botanic gardens are struggling to keep up with the biodiversity crisis ā hereās what they can do
āAs I wander around Cambridge University Botanic Garden, a tree called the Wollemi pine often catches my eye. Itās one of our rarest trees, and a distinctive looking pine, with broad needles and bark that reminds you of coco pops.ā
The Worldās Biggest And Stinkiest Flowers Are Facing Extinction
All 42 known species of the parasitic plant genus Rafflesia, often known as ācorpse flowersā, are endangered due to runaway destruction of their tropical forest habitats.
Costa Rica Is Saving Forest Ecosystems by Listening to Them
Monitoring the noises within ecosystems reveals their healthāallowing researchers to monitor changes in biodiversity, detect threats, and measure the effectiveness of conservation strategies.
Waiting for wildflowers? Hereās the forecast for Southern Californiaās iconic blooms
Wildflowers usually start blooming in March in Southern California, but a dry winter means weāre unlikely to see large swaths of poppies and other native annuals in 2025.
Gene-editing, taking the ouch out of touch
Do you know the difference between prickles, thorns and spines?
Kew to open garden focusing on climate change
The Carbon Garden will show how carbon helps to sustain life on Earth, the scale of "the climate crisis" and how nature can be used to combat it.
AIās fake plant images are bilking gardeners
Don Kinzler writes: āEducation is an important first step in informing everyone that AI-generated plant images have infiltrated the gardening world.ā
Project to restore 'vital' seagrass around Scotland
A Ā£2.4m seagrass planting programme has been launched to help restore the plant in seas around the north of Scotland.
Burn land or plant trees? Bolivian farmers weigh their options
Less than a year after the worst wildfires in Bolivia's history, farmers face a choice: continue starting blazes to clear land for agriculture, or plant trees to mitigate worsening droughts.
$75 million was awarded to plant trees in places that badly need them. In anti-DEI push, thatās over
When Hurricane Katrina roared through two decades ago, it wiped out 200,000 trees across the city, including many in Johnsonās neighborhood and several in his own yard. The city has struggled ever since to restore its tree canopy.
Black in Plant Science Summer Studentship 2025
The BiPS Summer Studentship aims to encourage students to consider a career in plant sciences by providing funding to support paid summer placements for Black undergraduate students.
These Studentships will address the lack of Black and Black heritage researchers in the UK plant science community.
Scientific Papers
MicroRNA control of stem cell reconstitution and growth in root regeneration ($)
Baulies et al show that the miR396āGRF regulatory module guides stem cell reconstitution after root tip excision, playing a dual role: while miR396 promotes competence, the GRFs control regeneration speed. Moreover, plants with ectopic miR396 expression have defined stem cell niches before the excision but do not reconstitute them afterwards, remaining in an open state despite continuing to grow.
Read free at https://rdcu.be/ebPOs
MADS31 supports female germline development by repressing the post-fertilization programme in cereal ovules (FREE)
Yang et al report that MADS31, a conserved MADS-box transcription factor from the B-sister subclass, is a potent regulator of niche cell identity. In barley, MADS31 is preferentially expressed in nucellar cells directly adjoining the germline, and loss-of-function mads31 mutants exhibit deformed and disorganized nucellar cells, leading to impaired germline development and partial female sterility.
Co-option and neofunctionalization of stomatal executors for defence against herbivores in Brassicales (FREE)
show that in Arabidopsis thaliana, FAMA directly induces the TF gene WASABI MAKER (WSB), which triggers MC differentiation. WSB and STOMATAL CARPENTER 1(SCAP1, a stomatal lineage-specific direct FAMA target), synergistically promote guard cell differentiation. wsb mutants lacked myrosin cells and the wsb scap1 double mutant lacked normal guard cells.
Glutathione triggers leaf-to-leaf, calcium-based plant defense signaling (FREE)
Li et alās genetic screening of the previously constructed hairpin RNA-based Arabidopsis library identifies a glutathione (GSH)-deficient mutant that has high accumulation of glutamate (Glu), a previously defined wound signal essential for activating plant defense, but disharmoniously exhibits attenuation of defense signaling events.
Spray-induced gene silencing to control plant pathogenic fungi: A step-by-step guide ($)
Mosquera et al provide a practical guide to spray-induced gene silencing for the control of plant pathogenic fungi. This guide outlines the essential steps and considerations needed for designing and assessing dsRNA molecules.
Disruption of the mRNA m6A writer complex triggers autoimmunity in Arabidopsis (FREE)
Distinguishing self from non-self is crucial to direct immune responses against pathogens. Unmodified RNAs stimulate human innate immunity, but RNA modifications suppress this response. mRNA m6A modification is essential for Arabidopsis thaliana viability. However, the molecular basis of the impact of mRNA m6A depletion is poorly understood. Metheringham et al show that disruption of the Arabidopsis mRNA m6A writer complex triggers autoimmunity.
Transposon-triggered epigenetic chromatin dynamics modulate EFR-related pathogen response (FREE)
Mencia et al found that an inverted-repeat transposon (EFR-associated IR, Ea-IR) located between the loci encoding PRRs ELONGATION FACTOR-TU RECEPTOR (EFR) and myosin XI-k (XI-k) in Arabidopsis affects chromatin organization, promoting the formation of a repressive chromatin loop. Upon pathogen infection, chromatin changes around EFR and XI-k correlate with increased EFRtranscription.
Arabidopsis REM transcription factors and GDE1 shape the DNA methylation landscape through the recruitment of RNA Polymerase IV transcription complexes (FREE)
Wu et al describe four Arabidopsis REM transcription factors, VDD, VAL, REM12 and REM13, that recognize specific sequence regions, and together with the protein GENETICS DETERMINES EPIGENETICS1 (GDE1), recruit RNA polymerase IV transcription complexes to generate 24-nucleotide small interfering RNAs (24nt-siRNAs) that guide DNA methylation to specific loci.
Fighting to thrive via plant growth regulators: Green chemical strategies for drought stress tolerance ($)
This updated review delivers comprehensive mechanistic insights for leveraging various plant growth regulators to enhance overall plant fitness under drought stress conditions.
Carbon cycling across ecosystem succession in a north temperate forest: Controls and management implications ($)
Despite decades of progress, much remains unknown about successional trajectories of carbon (C) cycling in north temperate forests. Drivers and mechanisms of these changes, including the role of different types of disturbances, are particularly elusive. To address this gap, Nave et al synthesized decades of data from experimental chronosequences and long-term monitoring at a well-studied, regionally representative field site in northern Michigan, USA.
In AoBC Publications
StomaGAN: Improving image-based analysis of stomata through Generative Adversarial Networks (FREE)
Global variation in seed covering structure hardness of woody species with orthodox seeds (FREE)
Species habitat preferences and root trait variation across 65 temperate perennial forbs ($)
AraRoot - A Comprehensive Genome-Scale Metabolic Model for the Arabidopsis Root System (FREE)
Chief Editor, AoB PLANTS, Worldwide
If youāve ever wanted to run a top-notch, open-access plant science journal, nowās your chance. AoB PLANTS is on the lookout for a new Chief Editor as Professor Tom Buckley prepares to step down this summer.
Careers
Note: These are posts that have been advertised around the web. They are not posts that I personally offer, nor can I arrange the visa for you to work internationally.
Research Associate in Modelling Photosynthesis and Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds Emissions, London
Within the European HORIZON program āCONCERTOā (improved CarbOn cycle represeNtation through multi-sCale models and Earth obseRvation for Terrestrial ecOstyems), you will develop a unifying model for photosynthesis and BVOC emissions within the P model (https://stineb.github.io/sofun/pmodel.html). This modelling framework will account for pigments dynamic involved in light absorption and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ). This modelling work aims to prepare for data exploitation of the upcoming FLEX mission through exploiting Sentinel-5P/ Tropomi HCHO indicative of BVOC emissions.
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Oxford
The Department of Biology is seeking to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Associate until 31 March 2026. This post is financially supported by funds from the ERC āSynOxyS: Synthetic Oxygen-related molecular Systems in plantsā awarded to Prof Francesco Licausi. The work is to be conducted in his lab in the Department of Biology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB. The postholder will engineer metabolic pathways that produce or consume O2 in plant organs. We plan to useĀ Arabidopsis thaliana, Camelina sativaĀ andĀ Solanum tuberosumĀ as models to investigate opportunities to improve crop yield under stress conditions.
Project Manager, Greensphere, Kew
In the UK and globally, the value of biodiversity is increasingly important in human lives and livelihoods. RBG Kewās scientific mission as a world-leading biodiversity institute is to stop biodiversity loss, develop nature-based solutions to societal challenges and evaluate the quality and providence of plant and fungal materials entering the trade as outlined in its Science StrategyĀ https://www.kew.org/science/our-science/publications-and-reports/science-reports/kew-science-strategyĀ and Manifesto for ChangeĀ https://www.kew.org/about-us/press-media/manifesto-for-change-2021. We undertake research on different aspects of plant and fungal science and have the opportunity to evaluate the commercial potential of some of these activities through our relationship with Greensphere Capitalās Gaia Sciences Innovation (GSI).
Post-Doctoral Ecologist, Part-Time, Sussex
The University of Sussex is seeking a Post-Doctoral Ecologist to lead the Nature Sense initiative. This role involves establishing and managing a network of biodiversity and land use monitoring stations in the South Coast counties. The goal is to collect and analyse data on the state of nature and the benefits nature provides people to help improve land use and management decisions.Ā
Assistant Professor in Plant Conservation, Dublin
The Discipline of Botany in the School of Natural Sciences seeks to appoint an Assistant Professor in the broad area of Plant Conservation. The successful applicant will have an excellent research record in field botany, plant conservation and/or restoration ecology. The successful applicant will be expected to contribute to both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in areas such as plant conservation and biodiversity, plant restoration ecology, vegetation analysis, conservation horticulture and environmental science.
PhD student in tree biology, UmeƄ
A PhD position is available in theĀ NiittylƤ group at the UmeĆ„ Plant Science Center, Sweden to study wood formation using hybrid aspen as the model system. The position is financed by the newly funded NovoNordisk Synergy Project CarbonTree, which is a collaboration between the NiittylƤ group, theĀ Moritz groupĀ at the University of Copenhagen and theĀ MƤhƶnen groupĀ at the University of Helsinki. The PhD student will join the collaboration between the three research groups.
M/F Post doc fellow on the characterization of the extracellular functions of a plant RNA-binding protein, Paris
The project aims to characterize the extracellular functions of an Arabidopsis thaliana RNA-binding protein. More specifically, the candidate will work on the ability of this protein to associate with extracellular small RNAs in the apoplast of Arabidopsis plants under normal growth conditions, but also in response to biotic stresses. In addition, he/she will determine whether this protein could be internalized by pathogenic bacteria, and induce gene silencing in these prokaryotic cells. Protein complexes containing this protein will be identified and characterized both in the apoplast of Arabidopsis leaves and in phytopathogenic bacterial cells.
Post-doctorate (M/F): Paleoecosystem dynamics in the Bolivian Altiplano during the rise of the Andes, from the middle Miocene (15 Ma) to present-day, Montpellier
The aim of this post-doctoral fellowship is to study the phytoliths of the Pomata-Ayte sedimentary series (Bolivian Altiplano) covering the Neogene and early Quaternary periods in order to reconstruct the corresponding palaeoenvironments (vegetation, climate, altitudes) in an ideally constrained geochronological context.
Postdoctoral Position ā Characterization of the AoDev Pathway in White Lupin (M/F), Montpellier
The successful candidate will investigate the AoDev pathway, which regulates cluster root formation in white lupin. A genetic screen has identified several mutants with altered cluster root formation. The identification of the receptor-like kinase CCR1 revealed a shared regulatory pathway between cluster root and nodule formation, defining the Autoregulation of Cluster Root and Nodule Development (AoDev) pathway.
Post Doc on genome assemblies of four plant-parasitic species, Wageningen
As a PostDoc, you will work on genome assemblies of four plant-parasitic species. Datasets based on cutting-edge sequencing technologies (e.g. PacBio, Minion, Hi-C, but also Illumina sequencing) are available for these species. Your aim will be to generate multiple chromosome-level assemblies for these species, allowing deep exploration of the within-species genetic diversity. Furthermore, you will manage an international network to generate expert-driven genome annotations.
Postdoc Understanding Asexual Embryo Development in Plants, Wageningen
The role involves using molecular-genetic and genome editing techniques to overexpress and knock-out candidate parthenogenesis genes. The successful candidate will employ various types of microscopy, including confocal and Nomarski optics, to describe phenotypes induced by modulation of candidate parthenogenesis genes. Additionally, they will utilize genetics, proteomics (IP-MS), and epigenetic (ChiP-seq) and transcriptional regulation (RNA-seq) techniques to understand the signalling pathways that drive egg cell parthenogenesis.
Lecturer or Senior Lecturer (Soil-Plant Interactions), Perth
The successful candidate will undertake independent teaching and research in soil-plant-microbe interactions related to plant nutrition and food quality. Responsibilities include teaching soil science and plant nutrition to agricultural and environmental science students at the Undergraduate and Masters levels, supervising Honours, Masters and PhD research students, and developing collaborations with researchers. The role requires attracting grants for research funding from national and international funding agencies.
Assistant Professor, Agroecology/Agroinformatics, Minnesota
This position is a full-time, nine-month (academic year) tenure-track appointment with a 50% teaching and 50% research split. Research activities will support the development of multifunctional agricultural systems, by analysis and improvement of the cumulative environmental effects of diversified farming systems across extended spatial and temporal scales. The successful candidate will integrate agroinformatics, biophysical modeling, and empirical approaches using modern agroecology research methods. Research areas may include, but are not limited to, landscape scale modeling to 1) strategically deploy emerging crops that minimize negative impacts on natural environments, 2) sustainably integrate crop and livestock systems, 3) predict watershed- and landscape-scale water quality and soil health outcomes associated with the adoption of conservation agriculture practices, or 4) forecast crop production and environmental impacts of current and future cropping systems under various climate change scenarios.
Assistant Professor of Biology, Arkansas
To teach General Botany lecture and lab, prepare lectures, create assignments, grade assignments, act as an advisor to Biology majors. Must also be able to teach General Ecology and lab and Regional Flora.Ā