🌻 The Week in Botany September 25, 2023

It’s been another 7-day week, the second in a row, so I’ve experimented with using AI to summarise the scientific papers. It cuts down on brainwork. At the moment I’m ready to sleep, so avoiding brainwork seems like a good idea. However, I have an enforced break on Friday, so should be fresher for next weekend.

Next week on Botany One, we have something on the Rafflesia paper. I wanted to read it before blogging about it. We’ll also have something on a plant’s sense of touch and, I hope, an unexpected pollinator. The newsletter with be with you at the same time next week, COVID permitting. Until then, take care.

Alun (webmaster@botany.one)

On Botany One

Climate Change Alters the Chemical Arms Race Between Flowers and Butterflies
Scientists find that common floral compounds become more toxic to butterflies at higher temperatures, complicating projections of climate change impacts.

The Secret Genetic Code of Invasive Plants
Scientists uncover how the amount of DNA and number of chromosome sets make certain plants genetic supervillains when they invade new regions.

Imaginary Plants Reveal the Physics of Real Killers
A novel approach uniting maths, physics, and biology has uncovered how diverse rim shapes in carnivorous pitcher plants relate to strategies for catching different insect prey.

Fire and Conservation of Mexico’s Mediterranean Forests
The Sierra San Pedro Mártir's pine forests thrive on the fires that recycle nutrients, but fire suppression threatens this unique Mexican ecosystem.

Introducing the new CPlantBox
Computational model may help unravel the complex processes of drought tolerance.

Darwin’s Paradox Solved – Again(!)
Darwin’s longstanding puzzle about reef productivity sparked ongoing research that reveals the complex dynamics sustaining coral symbioses and entire reef ecosystems.

In Brief

• Scientists Gene Edit Venus Flytraps to Study Prey Detection

• Phylogenetics Reveals the Importance of Biodiversity to Food Plants in Mexico

• Scientists Find Close Relatives Drive Island Plants Extinct

• Scientists Investigate What Makes Urban Gardens Buzz With Bees

• Bringing Botany Back to Cities

News & Views

Gardener’s notebook: inside the secret garden and greenhouse in the middle of Hyde Park
This royal nursery in Hyde Park is the ultimate secret garden. George Hudson is lucky enough to visit.

Mow-no-more? How to make a pollinator-friendly yard.
Some lawn alternatives require less maintenance and can provide food and habitat to struggling species of bees, butterflies, and birds

'Do not anthropomorphize plants,' say plant and forest researchers
Plants are often attributed with abilities similar to those known in the animal or human world. Trees are said to have feelings and can purportedly care for their offspring, like mothers. In an article in the review journal Trends in Plant Science, 32 international plant and forest researchers followed up on such assertions.

Thousands sign petition against moving world-famous plant collection from Kew Gardens
A supporter of the petition said the planned move would be 'madness'.

We could sequester CO2 by 're-greening' arid lands, plant scientists say
Reducing CO₂ levels in the atmosphere will take more than cutting emissions—we will also need to capture and store the excessive volumes of already-emitted carbon. In an opinion paper published in the journal Trends in Plant Science on September 21, a team of plant scientists argue that arid lands such as deserts could be one answer to the carbon-capture problem.

This parasitic plant convinces hosts to grow into its own flesh--it's also an extreme example of genome shrinkage
Balanophora shed one third of its genes as it evolved into a streamlined parasitic plant -- an extreme degree of genome shrinkage even among parasites. Along the way this subtropical plant developed the ability to induce the host plant to grow into the parasite's own flesh -- forming chimeric organs that mix host and parasite tissues.

Urban ‘micro forest’ with 2,000 plantings coming to Muskegon vacant lot
The micro forest will muffle noise pollution from the nearby freeway, help combat climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the air, capture stormwater runoff and allow for “forest bathing”.

The World’s Largest—and Stinkiest—Flower Is in Danger of Extinction
The 42 known species of the parasitic plant Rafflesia, known as the corpse flower, are endangered due to the destruction of forest habitats.

♻️ The Chemicals Behind the Colours of Autumn Leaves
With autumn looming on the horizon, the leaves on some trees have already begun the transition towards the vibrant hues of autumn. Whilst this change may outwardly seem like a simple one, the many vivid colours are a result of a range of chemical compounds, a selection of which are detailed here.

Flower or fungus? This mysterious Michigan plant has some surprising secrets
A striking white plant growing deep in the shady woods? Sounds like the start of a bewitching tale. And it is, because that unearthly color is just the beginning of the intriguing story of Monotropa uniflora, a Michigan native plant commonly known as ghost pipe.

6 unexpected ways scientists see dried plants helping people and the planet
Seen by many as historic relics with little application, herbarium specimens are vital in research. See through the lens of a scientist who uses them to combat our greatest global challenges.

Genetic modification can improve crop yields — but stop overselling it
With a changing climate and a growing population, the world increasingly needs more-productive and resilient crops. But improving them requires a knowledge of what actually works in the field.

Scientific Papers

Soil nitrogen fertilization reduces relative leaf nitrogen allocation to photosynthesis
Waring et al. aimed to understand the links between soil nitrogen availability, leaf nitrogen, and photosynthetic capacity using a non-nitrogen-fixing plant and a nitrogen-fixing plant. The findings showed that while soil nitrogen increased leaf nitrogen in both species, the proportion used for photosynthesis decreased due to higher increases in leaf nitrogen content over chlorophyll and leaf biochemical process rates. This suggests these species preferentially allocate more nitrogen to plant growth and non-photosynthetic leaf processes as soil nitrogen levels rise, indicating the relationship between leaf nitrogen and photosynthesis varies with different soil nitrogen levels.

Haplotype-resolved genome assembly provides insights into the evolution of S-locus supergene in distylous Nymphoides indica
Yang et al. investigated the genetic evolution of distyly, a trait which has developed in numerous pollinated angiosperms, in the flower species Nymphoides indica. The researchers used genome mapping and comparative genomic analyses to identify three key genes linked to distyly that are found only in the short-styled morph of the species. The study provides new understanding of the evolution and regulation of this trait, and the findings could aid future research into the molecular mechanisms of evolutionary convergence in similar species.

Most of the world's largest flowers (genus Rafflesia) are now on the brink of extinction
The world's largest flowers, belonging to the genus Rafflesia, are critically endangered, with 60% facing a risk of extinction and 67% of their habitats lying outside protected areas. Despite being poorly understood, these flowers play a significant role in Asian culture, ethnobotanical medicine, and ecotourism. This paper calls for a multi-pronged conservation approach that includes taxonomy strengthening, ex situ propagation, expanding protected areas, and integrating local communities along with social media awareness campaigns.

Environmental users abandoned Twitter after Musk takeover
A study of 380,000 environmentally-focused Twitter users found that almost 50% stop using the platform after it was sold in 2022. This high inactivity rate among environmentally conscious users suggests potential adverse impacts on digital environmental information dissemination and public mobilization.

Daylength variation affects growth, photosynthesis, leaf metabolism, partitioning, and metabolic fluxes
Xu et al. analyse how false flax plants adapt to variations in daylength, using several measurement and labeling techniques. The findings show that short daylight leads to enhanced photosynthetic rates, reduced respiration, greater sugar to starch partitioning, and varying amino acid allocation to compensate for lower CO2 intake, thus sustaining growth. The research provides insights into multi-level plant adaptability mechanisms in response to daylength changes.

Transgene-free genome editing of vegetatively propagated and perennial plant species in the T0 generation via a co-editing strategy
The researchers developed a new strategy for transgene-free plant genome editing in the T0 generation, which is desired yet difficult to achieve. They used Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression of cytosine base editor to edit ALS gene for herbicide resistance, Cas12a/CRISPR RNA for editing other genes of interest, and a green fluorescent protein for selecting transgene-free transformants. This method proved effective for tomato, tobacco, potato and citrus, with mutation rates ranging from 1.9% to 42.1%.
ReadCube: https://rdcu.be/dmRWF

Light and temperature regulation of leaf morphogenesis in Arabidopsis
Legris focuses on the environmental regulation of leaf development in the Arabidopsis plant, which is influenced majorly by light and temperature. The research contrasts the signaling mechanisms between leaves and seedlings and emphasises the recent discoveries as well as the most intriguing unresolved questions.

Taking the lead: NLR immune receptor N-terminal domains execute plant immune responses
Chia & Carella focus on the function and diversity of nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat (NLR) proteins, crucial intracellular immune receptors in plants. The paper reviews the biochemistry of known plant NLR domains, their evolution in nonflowering plants, and how these compare to NLR-related receptors in microbes and metazoans. This comprehensive examination sheds light on how these proteins operate to provide plants with immunity toward pathogens.

What Can Be Learned by a Synoptic Review of Plant Disease Epidemics and Outbreaks Published in 2021?
Jeger et al. reviews plant disease outbreaks in 2021 by assessing scientific literature and records from the CABI Distribution Database. From 186 articles, 62 categories of pathogen species were identified across more than 40 host species worldwide, and 617 new distribution records of 283 plant pathogens from the database were found. The review confirmed 15 pathogens in new locations, suggesting distinct disease outbreaks with little overlap, indicating the need for continuous monitoring and reporting.

A new family of proteins is required for tethering of Casparian strip membrane domain and nutrient homoeostasis in rice
A newly identified family of proteins, GAPLESS, is found to mediate the attachment of the plasma membrane to the Casparian strip in rice, which is key to maintaining nutrient balance in multicellular organisms. The proteins are localised in the Casparian strip of root endodermal cells, loss of which disrupts nutrient homeostasis.
ReadCube: https://rdcu.be/dmRXF

Mechanodetection of neighbor plants elicits adaptive leaf movements through calcium dynamics
Plants respond to touch by their neighbours through a process called hyponasty, where signal transduction different from light-induced responses is involved. The touch causes a spread of cytosolic calcium from the leaf tip to the petiole, and interrupting this calcium response or the absence of trichomes diminishes the hyponasty. This touch-induced leaf movement is adaptive and promotes growth in dense vegetation, as shown in Arabidopsis plant competition assays.

Careers

Two Postdoctoral positions – Nobori Lab, Norwich
Two postdoctoral positions are available to join the Nobori lab at The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich. The successful applicants will be part of a newly forming group that aims to understand the fundamental principles underlying plant-microbe interactions by applying and developing cutting-edge technologies.

Postdoctoral Researcher (Osbourn Group), Norwich
Applications are invited for a five-year Postdoctoral Researcher position in the group of Professor Anne Osbourn OBE FRS NAS at the John Innes Centre to work on elucidating and engineering biosynthetic routes to steroidal bioactives, inspired by the chemical diversity of the Plant Kingdom.  The post is part of a larger programme in the Osbourn lab on harnessing plant metabolic diversity for human health, funded by a Wellcome Discovery Award.

Postdoctoral Researcher (Osbourn Group), Norwich
Applications are invited for a five-year Postdoctoral Scientist position in the group of Professor Anne Osbourn OBE FRS NAS at the John Innes Centre with expertise in natural product chemistry.  This post is part of a large eight-year project funded by a Wellcome Trust Discovery Award. The successful candidate will join a multidisciplinary team working on harnessing plant metabolic diversity for human health.

Postdoctoral Researcher (Osbourn Group), Norwich
Applications are invited for a five-year Postdoctoral Researcher position in the group of Professor Anne Osbourn OBE FRS NAS at the John Innes Centre to design and apply computational approaches for predicting, accessing and optimising bioactives (triterpenoids and steroids) inspired by the chemical diversity of the Plant Kingdom. The post is part of a larger programme in the Osbourn lab on harnessing plant metabolic diversity for human health funded by a Wellcome Discovery Award, and builds on an established collaboration between the Osbourn lab and the group of Dr Brooks Paige (University College London/Alan Turing Institute).

Open Call for Associate Editors, USA
The Botanical Society of America is looking for botanists actively engaged in research to join the Editorial Boards of the American Journal of Botany and Applications in Plant Sciences. At the Botanical Society of America, we value the benefits that diversity brings. We are holding this open call to help improve the diversity of our editorial boards and strongly encourage applicants from underrepresented groups and regions to apply. The start date for the role is early November with flexibility to take up the position as it suits the applicant’s current commitments.

Controlled Environment Agriculture Research Plant Scientist, Essex
The University of Essex in partnership with Stourgarden offers an exciting opportunity for a graduate with the relevant skills and knowledge to undertake research and development to apply the latest theories in plant physiology to optimise light and nutrient recipes in totally controlled environments to grow alliums. Benefits include savings in costs and time through shortened growing cycles and reduced energy use. This post is fixed term for 20 months and is based initially at the University of Essex, with regular travel to Stourgarden’s offices in Great Horkesley, Colchester. It is anticipated that the final month of the project will take place at Stourgarden’s offices.

Research Associate, Lancaster
We are looking for a post-doctoral researcher for a new Forestry Commission funded project, “Priming tree seed for enhanced germination and stress resilience”. The position is available from December 2023 for 16 months, in the group of Dr Mike Roberts in the Lancaster Environment Centre.

Lecturer or Senior Lecturer in Ecology, Monash
The School of Biological Sciences is seeking to appoint multiple new colleagues who will cultivate and demonstrate excellence in both research and teaching within the field of Ecology. We welcome applicants from any area of Ecology, but particularly encourage applicants with experience and research interests in field ecology, experimental ecology, plant ecology, phytoplankton ecophysiology, or ecological genomics. We also encourage applicants with research interests that align with the objectives of Securing Antarctica’s Environmental  Future (SAEF), an Australian Research Council Special Research Initiative administered by Monash and part of the Australian Antarctic Program.

Assistant Lecturer in Biological Sciences, Donegal
The Assistant Lecturer will deliver modules in the area of Biology and other related areas. In addition to lecturing, there will be supervision of undergraduate projects. The Assistant Lecturer will play an active role in the academic direction of courses including teaching, research, academic assessment and academic administration.

Lecturer (master level) or Assistant Teaching Professor (doctoral level) in Biology, Pennsylvania
Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus invites applications for Lecturer (master level) or Assistant Teaching Professor (doctoral level) in Biology. This is a full-time, 36 week, limited-term, multi-year (3-year) appointment beginning August 2024 or as negotiated with excellent potential for re-appointment.

Assistant Professor, Botany, Kentucky
The primary teaching responsibilities will be Botany and other introductory courses, Field Botany or Systematic Botany, as well as upper-level courses in the candidate's area of expertise.  The research area in plant biology is open. An interest in curating the MSU Herbarium, which has over 40,000 specimens, is desirable but not mandatory.  The successful candidate will advise undergraduate and graduate students in preparation for their transition to careers in the ecological and evolutionary sciences and/or other fields in plant science. 

Postdoctoral Research Assistant, London
Applications are invited for the post of Postdoctoral Research Assistant in the Department of Biological Sciences. We are seeking a 2-year Postdoctoral Research Assistant, starting in January 2024, to join the research team responsible for implementing WildPosh, a European-funded consortium project that seeks to evaluate the risks of exposure of wild pollinators to pesticides across Europe. This project will involve contributors across multiple countries that include academics and industry partners, and is expected to make major contributions to shaping environmental risk assessment of plant protection products at EU and national levels.

Research Associate in Bioinformatics, Abu Dhabi
An exciting opportunity to join the research team at Khalifa University's Center for Biotechnology (BTC) has been established for an upcoming "Bioinformatician" with leadership aspirations. In the role of " Bioinformatician", the successful candidate will assist provide high quality research support to assist in the management of an internationally competitive research portfolio in field of biotechnology and biomedical science. It is the successful candidate will publish research outcomes in high quality peer-reviewed technical journals, thereby contributing to research mission of the university.