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Department of Plant Sciences

 
Read more at: The A to B of pigmentation evolution in Caryophyllales
Opuntia cacti in Arribes del Duero Natural Park in Spain

The A to B of pigmentation evolution in Caryophyllales

13 November 2023

The A to B of pigmentation evolution in Caryophyllalesceae Major steps taken towards solving a classic mystery of plant evolution A new study by Boas Pucker, Nat Walker-Hale and Jasmina Dzurlic in Samuel Brockington’s Evolution and Diversity group , working in partnership with colleagues at the Technical University of...


Read more at: New Cambridge MPhil nurtures future leaders in crop science
MPhil Crop Science students in the lab at NIAB

New Cambridge MPhil nurtures future leaders in crop science

6 November 2023

New Cambridge MPhil nurtures future leaders in crop science Students from seven nations form the inaugural cohort of the new MPhil in Biological Sciences (Crop Science) in the Department of Plant Sciences. This new and exciting MPhil course is a joint initiative between the Department of Plant Sciences, the Crop Science...


Read more at: Offset markets: new approach could help save tropical forests by restoring faith in carbon credits
tropical forest

Offset markets: new approach could help save tropical forests by restoring faith in carbon credits

30 October 2023

A new way to price carbon credits could encourage desperately needed investment in forest preservation and boost vital progress towards net-zero. Our new approach has the potential to address market concerns around nature-based solutions to carbon offsetting. Srinivasan Keshav A new approach to valuing the carbon storage...


Read more at: Getting maximum calories in shortest time is the priority for bumblebees
Bee on a scabious flower

Getting maximum calories in shortest time is the priority for bumblebees

24 October 2023

Bumblebees make decisions ‘on the fly’ to maximize amount of energy collected in time Research has found that bumblebees make foraging choices to collect the most sugar from flowers in the shortest time – even if that means using more energy in the process – to provide an immediate energy boost for the colony. It’s amazing...


Read more at: A new perspective on insect transmission of cassava pathogens
Viral transmission of Cassava mosaic disease by B. tabaci whitefly on a leaf

A new perspective on insect transmission of cassava pathogens

18 October 2023

Whitefly transmission efficiency of a potentially devastating pathogen of cassava - a staple food-source for millions across sub-Saharan Africa – is substantially higher than previously thought. A new approach developed by the Epidemiology and Modelling Group , using model-based Bayesian methods to analyse access period...


Read more at: Breeding for soil-borne phytopathogenic fungi resistance affects diversity of rhizosphere viruses and viroids
Phaseolus vulgaris bean plants in a field

Breeding for soil-borne phytopathogenic fungi resistance affects diversity of rhizosphere viruses and viroids

11 October 2023

Breeding for resistance against soil-borne phytopathogenic fungi unintentionally affects the diversity of viruses and viroids in the Phaseolus vulgaris rhizosphere A study by Dr Lucas Braga and colleagues in the Ecosystems and Global Change group shows that breeding for resistance against Fusarium oxysporum affects the...


Read more at: Departmental Research Fellowship applications open
Nematode researchers at the festival of plants

Departmental Research Fellowship applications open

2 October 2023

Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship applications open Excellent candidates for 2024 externally-funded post-doctoral Fellowship schemes are invited to apply by 1st December to attend our Research Fellowship Open Day in February 2024. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to visit the Department on 7th February to discuss...


Read more at: Drier savannas and grasslands store more climate-buffering carbon than previously thought
oak savanna burn image

Drier savannas and grasslands store more climate-buffering carbon than previously thought

30 September 2023

Savannas and grasslands in drier climates around the world store more carbon than scientists previously thought and are helping to slow the rate of climate warming, according to a new study. Because drier savannas are more sensitive to changes in fires, the decreases in burned area in those ecosystems has resulted in soils...


Read more at: Modeling the developmental processes of petal cuticle ridges
petal ridge formation composite image

Modeling the developmental processes of petal cuticle ridges

21 September 2023

New model boosts understanding of how petals develop nanoscale patterns that provide optical guides for pollinators The nanoscopic patterns found on the surface of petal and leaf epidermal cells are known to influence several types of interaction with visiting insects, for example by providing optical and tactile clues for...


Read more at: Plant Sciences features in new MPhil in Planetary Sciences and Life in the Universe
MPhil in Planetary Sciences and Life in the Universe illustration

Plant Sciences features in new MPhil in Planetary Sciences and Life in the Universe

17 September 2023

The Plant Sciences department contributes to new MPhil in Planetary Sciences and Life in the Universe This week sees the launch of Cambridge’s new MPhil qualification in Planetary Sciences and Life in the Universe . The new programme will be jointly taught and led by astronomers, chemists, zoologists, plant biologists, and...