đ» TWiB August 22, 2022
I hope you're enjoying the season, whichever one it is where you are. Here, despite the ongoing heat, it feels like summer is coming to an end and the academic year is gearing up. Something else that is starting up is the next round of the Tansley Medal competition. Applications are open for the 2023 New Phytologist Tansley Medal for excellence in plant science.
It's a three-step process. You start with an application by sending a CV, personal statement and a supporting reference. Next, successful applicants are invited to write a single-authored Tansley Insight for New Phytologist. Finally, all the articles that pass through peer review are published in New Phytologist, and the judges choose the winner from these articles. I'm a fan of the Tansley Insights, they're short but useful articles on recent developments plant science. They're also free to access, so even if you don't win if you're published you're still likely to get read by plenty of people. The deadline for applications is the first of November 2022.
This week I went to a cafe for the first time since... April I think. Assuming I didn't catch COVID there, the newsletter should be with you at the same time next week. Until then, take care.
Alun (webmaster@botany.one)
In Botany One
Ecologists discover a place for the dead in graveyards â botany.one It was thought that people preferred graveyards to be tidy. A new survey finds that visitors can accept the presence of some decaying matter - opening more possibilities for biodiversity.
It's not too late to save the carnivorous plants of Janggun wetland â botany.one Surveys of Janggun wetland in South Korea have found some parts have no carnivorous plants, but a study of the seed bank shows that they have the potential to return if the wetland is managed correctly.
Winter is coming, and that's bad news for food security â botany.one Two recent papers take different approaches to the potentially disastrous consequences of loading the stratosphere with ash but combined, they act as a warning for the fragility of food security.
Increased soybean yields finally achieved â botany.one Bioengineering boosts photosynthesis and increases yields in food crops for the first time ever.
Pansies undergo high-speed evolution when pollinators disappear â botany.one French researchers used 'resurrection ecology' to compare 2012 pansies with plants from twenty years earlier to see the evolutionary changes in the flowers over time.
News & Views
Kew Gardens battles with UK drought to care for some of world's rarest plants â www.mirror.co.uk If your lawn has turned yellow and your flowers are wilting, then spare a thought for the staff at Kew Gardens.
The circadian clock makes sure plant cells have the time of their lives â www.eurekalert.org They say timing is everything, and that couldnât be more true for cell cycle progression and differentiation. Now, researchers from Japan have found that the circadian clock is crucial for proper plant development.
Her Discovery Changed the World. How Does She Think We Should Use It? âItâs a little scary, quite honestly,â says Dr. Jennifer Doudna, who helped develop CRISPR gene-editing technology.
Weâre excited to announce the publication of The Plant Cellâs latest Teaching Tool, âPlants and Python,â by Robert VanBurenet al., freely available in the July 2022 issue of The Plant Cell.
Doug manages a team of up to 800,000 employees at Sydney's bustling botanical gardens and their role is crucial â www.abc.net.au
Doug Purdie was so concerned by the decline in bee populations around the world that he left a career in IT to help save the species. He co-founded The Urban Beehive which maintains dozens of hives across Sydney.
Want to grow plants on Mars? High school student project finds 2 tricks for Red Planet â www.space.com The soil and water of Mars are normally too harsh for crops, but research led by a then-high school sophomore finds that alfalfa plants and photosynthetic bacteria might help make Martian soil and water fit enough to support farming
Climate change: 'Staggering' rate of global tree losses from fires â www.bbc.co.uk Around 16 football pitches of trees per minute were lost to forest fires in 2021, a new report says.
Scientists Boost Soy Crops Through Improved Photosynthesis â www.nytimes.com Researchers increased yield in soy plants by making them better at photosynthesis, the process that powers life. The findings hold promise for feeding a warming world.
Scientific Papers
Liu et al. established a transformation procedure involving chemical-inducible activation of the BrrWUSa gene, which resulted in high transformation frequencies of turnip. Estradiol-inducible BrrWUSa transgenic plants were fertile and showed no obvious developmental defects. Furthermore, they used CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology to edit BrrTCP4b and generated 20 BrrTCP4b-edited seedlings with an increase in leaf trichome number.
Anchorage by seed mucilage prevents seed dislodgement in high surface flow: a mechanistic investigation â academic.oup.com
Pan et al. propose a mechanistic model of how mucilage affects substrate anchorage and fluid resistance, ultimately contributing to dislodgement resistance. To test this model, they subjected mucilaginous seeds of 52 species, varying in eight measured seed traits, to 7 d of continuous water flow at a range of dislodgement potentials.
Strigolactones are chemoattractants for host tropism in Orobanchaceae parasitic plants â www.nature.com
Parasitic plants are worldwide threats that damage major agricultural crops. To initiate infection, parasitic plants have developed the ability to locate hosts and grow towards them. This ability, called host tropism, is critical for parasite survival, but its underlying mechanism remains mostly unresolved. To characterise host tropism, Ogawa et al. used the model facultative root parasite Phtheirospermum japonicum, a member of the Orobanchaceae.
MCU proteins dominate in vivo mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake in Arabidopsis roots
Ruberti et al. demonstrate that mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) proteins mediate mitochondrial Ca2+ transport in planta and that this mechanism is the major route for fast Ca2+ uptake. Guided by the subcellular localization, expression, and conservation of MCU proteins, we generated an mcu triple knockout line. Using Ca2+ imaging in living root tips and the stimulation of Ca2+ transients of different amplitudes, we demonstrated that mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake became limiting in the triple mutant.
Smart reprograming of plants against salinity stress using modern biotechnological tools
Raza et al. highlight advances in modern biotechnological tools, such as omics (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) approaches and different genome editing tools (ZFN, TALEN, and CRISPR/Cas system) for improving salinity tolerance in plants and accomplish the goal of âzero hunger,â a worldwide sustainable development goal proposed by the FAO.
Unsupervised analysis of NIRS spectra to assess complex plant traits: leaf senescence as a use case
An unsupervised model was used to document the flag leaf senescence of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum durum). Leaf spectra changes were observed using Moving Window Principal Component Analysis (MWPCA). The dates related to earlier and later spectra changes were compared to two key points on the senescence time course: senescence onset (T0) and the end of the leaf span (T1) derived from a supervised strategy.
Rice EIL1 interacts with OsIAAs to regulate auxin biosynthesis mediated by the tryptophan aminotransferase MHZ10/OsTAR2 during root ethylene responses â academic.oup.com
Ethylene plays essential roles in adaptive growth of rice (Oryza sativa). Understanding of the crosstalk between ethylene and auxin (Aux) is limited in rice. From an analysis of the root-specific ethylene-insensitive rice mutant mao hu zi 10 (mhz10), Zhou et al. identified the tryptophan aminotransferase (TAR) MHZ10/OsTAR2, which catalyzes the key step in indole-3-pyruvic acid-dependent Aux biosynthesis. Genetically, OsTAR2 acts downstream of ethylene signaling in root ethylene responses.
CAMSAP2 organizes a Îł-tubulin-independent microtubule nucleation centre through phase separation
Imasaki et al. present evidence that the minus-end-binding calmodulin-regulated spectrin-associated protein 2 (CAMSAP2) serves as a strong nucleator for microtubule formation by significantly reducing the nucleation barrier. CAMSAP2 co-condensates with αÎČ-tubulin via a phase separation process, producing plenty of nucleation intermediates. Microtubules then radiate from the co-condensates, resulting in aster-like structure formation.
The vacuolar H+/Ca transporter CAX1 participates in submergence and anoxia stress responses
A plantâs oxygen supply can vary from normal (normoxia) to total depletion (anoxia). Tolerance to anoxia is relevant to wetland species, rice (Oryza sativa) cultivation and submergence tolerance of crops. Decoding and transmitting calcium (Ca) signals may be an important component to anoxia tolerance; however, the contribution of intracellular Ca transporters to this process is poorly understood. Four functional cation/proton exchangers (CAX1-4) in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) help regulate Ca homeostasis around the vacuole. Yang et al.'s results demonstrate that cax1 mutants are more tolerant to both anoxic conditions and submergence.
Cold tolerance at the booting stage (CTB) is a major factor limiting rice (Oryza sativa L.) productivity and geographical distribution. A few cold-tolerance genes have been identified, but they either need to be overexpressed to result in CTB or cause yield penalties, limiting their utility for breeding. Tang et al. characterize the function of the cold-induced transcription factor WRKY53 in rice.
Genome editing around the globe: An update on policies and perceptions
Sprink et al. discuss the development of new breeding techniques such as genome editing as a tool for plant breeding.
What drives forest carbon storage? The ramifications of sourceâsink decoupling As the climate changes and scientists seek to project its future course, an important uncertainty lies in the response of forests. Will rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and lengthening growing seasons relieve limitations to tree growth, allowing increased carbon (C) sequestration in long-lived woody tissues and providing a negative feedback to climate change?
Weissflog et al. used artificial, plasticine prey to assess temporal and spatial variation in predation in two Panamanian rainforests and tested whether model prey shape is as important for prey recognition by predators as often assumed. They assessed the effect of prey shape and size, time of day, and trichomes on predation by comparing attacks on caterpillar- and humanoid-shaped figurines.
Careers
Post Doctoral Research Associate in Genomic Selection
The Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University is looking for a PDRA to work on genomic selection in Miscanthus. The project will build on the existing Miscanthus breeding programme at Aberystwyth, and the post holder will work as part of a team on a 3 year project âMiscanspeedâ to implement GS in our recurrent selection populations.
Postdoctoral Research Associate in Speed Breeding
The Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University is looking for a PDRA to work on speed breeding in Miscanthus. The appointee will develop controlled environment seed production and undertake field studies as part of a team implementing genomic selection in our Miscanthus breeding programme in a 3 year project âMiscanspeedâ.Â
ISP Project Manager The successful candidate will organise the preparation of reports, tracking project objectives, liaison with funding agencies and JIC administration, and organising meetings. They will interact with staff across JIC, collaborating institutions, and the wider stakeholder community including industry.
Postdoctoral fellowship in forest genomics at UPSC We are looking for a Postdoc to conduct research on conifer genomic science and genomic selection in Harry Wu's group. The forest genomic project targets innovation in conifer genome sequencing and re-sequencing to identify genome evolution and develop SNP array, GWAS to detect genomic base of observed variation in adaptive and economically important tree traits, and genomic selection for genetic improvement.
Postdoctoral Researcher Biochemistry and ecology of root-induced responses in Brassica species (f,m,d) The scientist will be part of the in future newly established research group âPlant Biotic Interactionsâ. The aim is to unravel the molecular and chemical mechanisms governing interactions between plants and their biotic and abiotic environment in natural and agricultural ecosystems. We are looking for an enthusiastic and ambitious Postdoctoral Researcher Biochemistry and ecology of root-induced responses in Brassica species (f,m,d)
Global species catalogue editor In this role, the contractor will work with both the COL and GBIF secretariats as well as the advisory bodies of the COL governance, such as the COL taxonomic working group and the COL Global Team. This is an exciting opportunity to work with global open data infrastructures, a team of dedicated experts and the global taxonomic community to build a global resource with impact.
PhD Nature-based transitions: quantifying soil suitability and water availability for regenerated sandy-soil landscapes Would you like to contribute to a resilient and sustainable future for the sandy-soil landscapes of the Netherlands? Would you like to quantify how natural landscapes function based on patterns of soil suitability and water availability, and explore how this knowledge can support sustainable land use in a changing climate? Then this PhD position is the perfect fit for you!
Post-doctoral position in Plant Metabolism Within the group of Teresa Fitzpatrick at the University of Geneva in Switzerland, applications are invited for a post-doctoral position to work in the area of plant metabolism. In particular, the molecular characterization of factors controlling B vitamin homeostasis and how this impacts plant health. The project will focus on the family of vitamin B1 and B6 compounds, with Arabidopsis as the key model organism (with an opportunity to also translate work to certain crop plants that are in use in the lab).
Assistant Professor- Plant Developmental Biology This position is intended for early career scientists who are carrying out leading-edge research in the field of Plant Developmental Biology. The Department seeks a highly collaborative scientist who will capitalize on a broad range of questions pursued in the Department from the molecular and cellular levels to the whole plant.
Agronomy and Weed Management Advisor The Agronomy and Weed Advisor will implement an innovative extension education and applied research program to address issues related to sustainably optimizing agronomic cropping systems in Merced, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin Counties.
Postdoc We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher interested in projects exploring plant-soil interactions, litter decomposition, home-field advantage, or coupled C & N dynamics. In this position, you will help design and lead two new projects exploring patterns and processes linking microbial community traits and ecosystem function. Experience with stable isotopes, extracellular enzyme activity assays, and measuring soil and microbial C and N cycling is preferred. The position is through the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at UMass Amherst where you will join a growing and diverse group of faculty and researchers interested in soils. This is a 1-year funded position, with possibility of renewal.
PhD on engineering plant circadian clocks for climate adaptation The lab of Prof. Devang Mehta (https://mehta-lab.com) conducts research in experimental plant systems biology in the Division of Crop Biotechnics (Department of Biosystems) at KU Leuven (Belgium). We have an open full-time PhD position in Bioscience Engineering to study and engineer the plant circadian clock for enhanced latitudinal adaptation due to climate change.
Plant Ecophysiologist The Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology seeks a tenure-track faculty member at the Assistant Professor level in the field of Plant Ecophysiology. We seek applicants whose research focuses on empirical questions affecting terrestrial ecosystems as well as ecological and evolutionary responses to a changing world using multi-faceted approaches that could include molecular, histological, and/or physiological techniques. Applicants should complement existing departmental strengths in ecology, evolution, botany, and global change biology. The successful candidate will build an interdisciplinary research program focused on questions of organismal plant physiology in natural, human-disturbed, or managed ecosystems.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow Modelling Plant Physiology This is an exciting opportunity for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to focus their efforts on developing their expertise and emerging research profile in modelling plant physiology. At this level it is expected that the incumbent will contribute to service and engagement roles and activities.
Postdoctoral Researcher in Developmental Genetics of Cereal Crops (f/m/d) â epsoweb.org The culturally diverse Research Group âPlant Architectureâ is primarily interested in basic research questions concerning how cereal inflorescences, called spikes, develop and how this contributes to yield formation.
Postdoc-Fellow (m/f/d) â euraxess.ec.europa.eu Scientific research in plant and agricultural science, in particular supervision of climate chamber, greenhouse and field experiments; phenotyping of physiological traits at leaf, plant and canopy level through image analysis
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