Carotenoids give California poppies their distinctive orange color, visible from afar. The spectacular “super bloom” of this desert plant has even been photographed from space. Photo: Annette Becker

The evolutionary secret of the California poppy

The biosynthesis pathways of alkaloids and carotenoids in this flowering desert plant are the result of different evolutionary processes.

buff.ly/ZZPSKDh via @jlugiessen.bsky.social #PlantScience

Image: Foxtail barley. Credit: 👀 Mabel Amber, who will one day / Pixabay

Barley #plants produce unique antifungal compounds called hordedanes.

But one of them, B. sorokiniana, exploits these defenses to thrive. By neutralizing theme, it extends its parasitic phase, showcasing the evolutionary battle between plants and pathogens.

buff.ly/5LV93xB...

Image: A field of the parasitic weed Striga, one of the most destructive agricultural pests worldwide. The molecular mechanism described in this study was uncovered using the model parasitic plant Phtheirospermum japonicum. The findings provide insights into how parasitic plants distinguish self from non-self, offering potential strategies to protect crops from parasitic weeds such as striga. Credit: Satoko Yoshida from Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Japan

Uncovering how parasitic plants avoid attacking themselves to improve crop resistance

Researchers uncovered how glucosylation of lignin-derived signals enables parasitic plants to avoid attacking themselves and related plants

buff.ly/E02e14U via NAIST #PlantScience

Image: Flueggea suffruticosa close-up. Credit: University of York

Plant discovery could lead to new ways of producing medicines

Scientists have shown how plants produce natural chemicals that could help in the production of new medicines in more environmentally friendly ways.

buff.ly/LQl04Wa via Uni Of York #PlantScience

Image: Freshwater alga Trachydiscus minutus has a unique chlorophyll structure to capture far-red light. This single-celled alga harvests far-red light by organizing chlorophyll molecules into large, cooperative clusters within its photosynthetic antenna. Credit: Yuki Isaji, Soichiro Seki

How an alga makes the most of dim light by rearranging ordinary chlorophyll

Researchers have found that a freshwater alga captures far-red light as an additional energy source by arranging ordinary chlorophyll in an extraordinary way.

buff.ly/xZXGtED via Osaka Metropolitan Univ #PlantScience

How many people know Nicotiana benthamii is native to Australia? #PlantScience🌱🪴🌾

Image: Male cone of Pinus pinaster. Credit: Wikimedia

Young maritime pine trees retain a memory of early temperature conditions through epigenetic changes; marks persist for up to 2 years post-germination.

Discovery shows how trees could be conditioned to adapt to climate change.

buff.ly/40hLTKy... via @inrae-france.bsky.social

Image: Ptilotus senarius grows in such a remote part of Australia it’s a miracle it was rediscovered at all. Credit: Aaron Bean/inaturalist.org/observations/288434421

No longer extinct, just critically endangered

Citizen science platforms including iNaturalist are leading to major new discoveries and are becoming crucial to the work of scientists.

buff.ly/uDgXY04 via University of New South Wales #PlantScience

Image: soy bean seedlings in a tray. Credit: Julio César García / Pixabay

Key survival strategy for soybeans during heat and drought identify

Study reveals that soybeans use a natural targeted cooling mechanism to protect reproduction under tough weather conditions.

buff.ly/dD2Or89 via Mizzou #PlantScience

Image credit: The research team has subjected the leaves near the fruit to the technique of near and mid-infrared spectroscopy. Credit: Universitat Rovira i Virgili

A new technique predicts the ripeness of fruit by analysing leaves

A new method analyses the biochemical changes in the leaves closest to the fruit without damaging it.

buff.ly/TZOIHcF via @urv.cat #PlantScience

Image: Field Museum scientist Matt von Konrat examining dried moss collected in 2013 in a botanical survey as part of a homicide investigation. Credit: courtesy of Field Museum.

Solving mysteries with moss

New paper examines the history of using moss as evidence in forensic cases

buff.ly/pLM9RzL via Field Museum #PlantScience

Image: Foxtail barley. Credit: 👀 Mabel Amber, who will one day / Pixabay

Barley #plants produce unique antifungal compounds called hordedanes.

But one of them, B. sorokiniana, exploits these defenses to thrive. By neutralizing theme, it extends its parasitic phase, showcasing the evolutionary battle between plants and pathogens.

buff.ly/5LV93xB...

🚀 Don’t miss our 2nd webinar with @plantbiotechj.bsky.social!

Explore The Nicotiana benthamiana Biofactory with experts from around the world: Dominique Michaud, Frank Sainsbury & Kathrin Göritzer.

📅 Apr 29, 2026 | ⏰ 14:00 CEST

🎟️ Register: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

#PlantScience

Image: Flueggea suffruticosa close-up. Credit: University of York

Plant discovery could lead to new ways of producing medicines

Scientists have shown how plants produce natural chemicals that could help in the production of new medicines in more environmentally friendly ways.

buff.ly/LQl04Wa via Uni Of York #PlantScience

Image of grasslands in Australia. Credit: Pixabay

Nature conservation policies are trying to safeguard forests all over the world. But it seems like less-flashy ecosystems, like grasslands, are getting left behind. Experts say these ecosystems are being neglected by current conservation efforts.

buff.ly/SiQQo9V via @particlewa.bsky.social #Plant

Image: Male cone of Pinus pinaster. Credit: Wikimedia

Young maritime pine trees retain a memory of early temperature conditions through epigenetic changes; marks persist for up to 2 years post-germination.

Discovery shows how trees could be conditioned to adapt to climate change.

buff.ly/40hLTKy... via @inrae-france.bsky.social

Image: Field Museum scientist Matt von Konrat examining dried moss collected in 2013 in a botanical survey as part of a homicide investigation. Credit: courtesy of Field Museum.

Solving mysteries with moss

New paper examines the history of using moss as evidence in forensic cases

buff.ly/pLM9RzL via Field Museum #PlantScience

Image: Pine, Cone, Needles image. Credit: Pixabay. Free for use.

Mediterranean pine needle loss analyzed for more efficient forest management

A study combines climate, field and remote sensing data to identify growth patterns associated with defoliation processes and mortality in artificial pine forests

buff.ly/lKcZA5U via University of Cordoba #PlantScience

The Global Plant Council The Global Plant Council is a coalition of plant, crop and enviromental science organizations seeking to develop plant science and its community at a global scale. https://globalplantcouncil.org/

Enjoyed catching up on some great #plantscience with the @globalplantgpc.bsky.social's webinar series. Check out the "Live" section of their YouTube channel to hear more about some really fascinating research! www.youtube.com/@TheGlobalPl... #plantsci

Tomorrow 👇👇👇

🌱𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐝𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Explore different aspects of plant receptors in this 3rd webinar in collaboration with @globalplantgpc.bsky.social

🗓️ 10th March 2026
🕗 18:00 am CET

Register here 👉 us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Image: Jasper national park, River, Mountains image. Free for use. Credit: Jörg Vieli / Pixabay

Strategic #tree planting could help Canada become C neutral by mid-century

A new study finds that Canada could remove at least 5 times its annual C emissions with strategic planting of more than 6 mill hectares of trees along the northern edge of the boreal #forest

buff.ly/tb51mgB v U of Waterloo

Image credit: The research team has subjected the leaves near the fruit to the technique of near and mid-infrared spectroscopy. Credit: Universitat Rovira i Virgili

A new technique predicts the ripeness of fruit by analysing leaves

A new method analyses the biochemical changes in the leaves closest to the fruit without damaging it.

buff.ly/TZOIHcF via @urv.cat #PlantScience

🍀 Competition 🍀

💸 Design the logo for next year's International Advances in Plant Virology IAPV 2027
📆 6 - 8th April
📍Cambridge, UK

📧 Send your logo design to jordan@aab.org.uk by 1st May 2026 for your chance to win free registration!

Image of grasslands in Australia. Credit: Pixabay

Nature conservation policies are trying to safeguard forests all over the world. But it seems like less-flashy ecosystems, like grasslands, are getting left behind. Experts say these ecosystems are being neglected by current conservation efforts.

buff.ly/SiQQo9V via @particlewa.bsky.social #Plant

Image: soy bean seedlings in a tray. Credit: Julio César García / Pixabay

Key survival strategy for soybeans during heat and drought identify

Study reveals that soybeans use a natural targeted cooling mechanism to protect reproduction under tough weather conditions.

buff.ly/dD2Or89 via Mizzou #PlantScience

Image: The Ottelia alismoides. Credit: FU Wenlong

Unique aquatic plant has three concurrent CO₂-concentrating mechanisms buff.ly/5Zq632B via Wuhan Botanical Garden #PlantScience

Join the International “Fascination of Plants Day” around May 18, 2026 – a global celebration of plants!

buff.ly/5oRINHp via @epsoeurope.bsky.social #FoPD #PlantScience

Image: Ptilotus senarius grows in such a remote part of Australia it’s a miracle it was rediscovered at all. Credit: Aaron Bean/inaturalist.org/observations/288434421

No longer extinct, just critically endangered

Citizen science platforms including iNaturalist are leading to major new discoveries and are becoming crucial to the work of scientists.

buff.ly/uDgXY04 via University of New South Wales #PlantScience

Image: Virginia bluebells at Trelease Woods. Credit: Jennifer Álvarez

Researchers have review 96 years of forest census data to understand ecological changes. Their study reveals concerning homogenization trends. Meaning forest has become less diverse over time, losing trees that played a critical role in its ecosystem.

buff.ly/Za9Vljz via ACESIllinois #PlantScience