News

The Postdoc Innovation Awards were launched in 2024 to fund innovations by Postdoctoral researchers in the Department of Plant Sciences. Two projects were funded as part of the pilot, and here Unnati Sonawala talks about her project 'Optimizing a high-throughput screen for nematode effector genes in tomato root protoplasts' and what the funding has…

Congratulations to Professor Uta Paszkowski, Acting Director of The Crop Science Centre and head of the Cereal Symbiosis group, who has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), USA. Professor Paszkowski said “I still cannot believe that this is true. I thank the NAS for the recognition of our work, but even more I feel an immense gra…

Researchers from the University of Cambridge in collaboration with colleagues from the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Pisa and the University of Essex, have identified new genetic factors that can influence the efficiency of photosynthesis in maize.The research offers a valuable new approach to improving productivity in crops like maize – one of the…

Targeting a newly discovered vulnerability in the signals that cyst nematodes use to infect plant roots could be a powerful method for reducing the damage the parasitic worms cause in crops such as soya beans. A new study from the University of Cambridge in collaboration with the John Innes Centre, Iowa State University and the United States Depart…

A tool predicting how to protect European citrus farms from a deadly epidemic shows how mathematical modelling can help prepare for future plant disease invasions.Citrus greening or huánglóngbìng (HLB) is the most damaging disease of citrus worldwide. Citrus production in Florida has decreased by 80% since 2005, and experts estimate the United Stat…

A new study led by the University of Cambridge has revealed that as our springs and summers get hotter and drier, the UK wildfire season is being stretched and intensified.More fires, taking hold over more months of the year, are causing more carbon to be released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.Fires on peatlands, which are carbon-rich, can …

The world’s botanic gardens must pull together to protect global plant biodiversity in the face of the extinction crisis, amid restrictions on wild-collecting, say researchers.A major study of botanic gardens around the world has revealed their struggles with one fundamental aim: to safeguard the world’s most threatened plants from extinction.Resea…

A new tool that predicts the behaviour of desert locust populations will help national agencies to manage huge swarms before they devastate food crops in Africa and Asia. Desert locusts typically lead solitary lives until something - like intense rainfall - triggers them to swarm in vast numbers, often with devastating consequences. This migratory …

Research into forest dynamics under the influence of typhoons in Hong Kong shows that natural rainforests in East Asia are surprisingly resilient to the storms.Currently, nearly half of the forest restoration commitments globally are achieved by monoculture plantations. Previous research has shown that monocultures fail to provide the biodiversity …

A study into global wildfires and ecosystem water cycling has shown for the first time the large-scale effects of fire on plant and soil water dynamics. The research team from the University of Cambridge used microwave satellite datasets to observe the effects of fire on plant and soil water content across the globe.They found that fire fundamental…

Studying Plant Sciences at Cambridge can open up a wealth of career opportunities. In this series, we hear from Plant Sciences alumni about their experiences of studying here, how it shaped their careers and what they are doing now. If you would like your alumni story featured, please email us at alumni@plantsci.cam.ac.uk.About TrisnaDr Trisna Tung…

The Centre for Global Wood Security has launched a new website to promote and support the Centre’s work. The cross-disciplinary research centre led by Professor David Edwards from the University of Cambridge brings together over 50 partners from academic, industry, NGO and policy organisations. The aim is to deliver research and build capacity to e…

A study into how plants evolved to cope with climate changes millions of years ago could help scientists develop modern-day crops that are more productive and resilient to global warming. Researchers from the University of Cambridge and the SALK Institute in California have uncovered genetic changes in the evolution of a more efficient form of phot…

The spread of bark beetle could have a major impact on the UK’s forestry industry and cause significant ecological damage, particularly in Scotland where around 75% of spruce trees in Britain are grown. Researchers from the University of Cambridge in collaboration with Forest Research have been supporting the UK government’s efforts to understand a…

Studying Plant Sciences at Cambridge can open up a wealth of career opportunities. In this series, we hear from Plant Sciences alumni about their experiences of studying here, how it shaped their careers and what they are doing now. If you would like your alumni story featured, please email us at alumni@plantsci.cam.ac.uk.About LukeLuke Browning gr…