Wageningen scientists unravel onion genome

Researchers from Wageningen University & Research (WUR) have unraveled the onion genome, a breakthrough that will help speed up the development of new onion varieties that are resistant to various stresses such as drought and meet the world’s growing demand for onions. Onion is one of the most widely grown …

Bioactive packaging keeps strawberries fresh

Scientists from the Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Canada have developed a packaging film made of shellfish shells, essential oils, and nanoparticles to keep strawberries fresh for up to 12 days. The film possesses antifungal and antimicrobial properties that help in preserving the strawberries. It is made of …

Medicago’s plant-based COVID-19 vaccine shows positive Phase 2 results

Medicago, a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Quebec City, and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) have announced the positive interim Phase 2 clinical trial safety and immunogenicity data for Medicago’s plant-derived COVID-19 vaccine candidate, which was tested in combination with GSK’s pandemic adjuvant. These results are part of the ongoing Phase 2/3 study and …

International Research Team Releases Rye Genome Sequence

An international team of researchers from the International Rye Genome Sequencing Group (IRGSG) and their collaborators from 14 countries led by the IPK Leibniz Institute in Germany has released the genome sequence of rye, a distinctly climate-resistant cereal plant that is of considerable importance for Germany and north-eastern Europe. Rye …

Cyanobacteria could revolutionize the plastic industry

Cyanobacteria produce plastic naturally as a by-product of photosynthesis—and they do it in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. Researchers at the University of Tübingen have succeeded for the first time in modifying the bacteria’s metabolism to produce this plastic in quantities to be used industrially. Around 370 million tons …

University of Florida study uncovers vanilla DNA mystery

University of Florida scientists led by tropical plant geneticist Dr. Chambers co-led the generation of a “chromosome-scale” sequencing of vanilla DNA. Four vanilla species were sequenced from a collection of more than 300 varieties established at the Homestead research facility. The sequencing project provided genetic information that lays the groundwork …

Researchers map plant immune system

Researchers from John Innes Centre (JIC) have mapped out the plant immune system. The research provides a roadmap to plant immunity, with a focus on cell-surface and intracellular immune receptors. The review paper, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, explains concepts of the plant immune system to readers from …

Russian biologists sequence Fusarium genome

Biologists from Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU), St. Petersburg State University, and Federal Centre for Bast Fiber Crops teamed up to sequence and assemble the genome of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lini, a highly destructive fungal parasite causing Fusarium wilt. Fusarium wilt is a disease caused by various …