Plants

Ordinarily, if you want to check if two plants of the same species come from genetically different populations, you have to analyze their DNA. A new study, however, has found that an analysis of their leaves is a much quicker and easier alternative.

The first Martian colonists will need to figure out how to grow their own food locally, but the soil is less than ideal. A new study has shown that dosing plants with symbiotic bacteria can drastically improve their growth in barren Mars-like soil.

The Plantee indoor greenhouse was developed for folks who have brought a colorful plant home from a shopping trip, only to watch it wither and die. The all-in-one, plug-and-play solution takes the guesswork out of caring for plants in the home.

Scientists in China have developed a novel technology that turns CO2 into starch in a highly efficient manner, which could lead to massive savings when it comes to land and water use, and damage to the environment.

A decent chunk of energy usage goes towards lighting, so scientists at MIT are developing a new kind of passive lighting – glow-in-the-dark plants. In the latest experiments, the team made them glow brighter without harming their health.

Climate change can feel inevitable, but we’ve stepped up to the challenge before. New modeling shows how bad things would be if CFCs hadn’t been banned decades ago – depleted ozone would've increased UV exposure and stopped plants capturing carbon.

While you might think that it's best to keep crops fungus-free, there are some fungi that actually help plants grow. In order to observe that relationship, scientists have created plants with roots that turn red when infiltrated by beneficial fungi.

Food security is a major potential problem, especially in the face of climate change. New research has shown that manipulating RNA in plants can drastically boost the amount of food they produce, and make them more resistant to drought conditions.

Sugarcane is a key food crop, but its large environmental impact leaves plenty of room for improvement. Unfortunately it’s tricky and time-consuming to breed new varieties, but now researchers have used CRISPR gene-editing to do so more easily.

Given how meat-like some plant-based meat substitutes have become, it's understandable that many people are considering simply switching over to them. According to new research, however, the two food types are far from being nutritionally identical.

While lab-grown meat does show promise as a more sustainable alternative to its traditional counterpart, its texture currently isn't all that appetizing. There may be new hope on the horizon, though, in the form of cell scaffolds made from grass.

When restoring former industrial or agricultural land back to its natural state, it's vitally important to reestablish ground cover plants such as native grasses. According to a new study, the addition of aspirin helps those grasses grow.