A study published in the Lancet Regional Health – Europe looks at plant based ultra-processed foods and cardiovascular disease risk.   … read more

A study published in Science Advances looks at photosynthesis and carbon uptake by plants.    Prof Simon Lewis, Professor of Global Change … read more

A study published in Nature suggests that tropical forests are approaching critical temperature thresholds.   Dr Chloe Brimicombe, Climate Scientist … read more

Wheat, the most important food crop, is threatened by a blast disease pandemic. Now a new study, conducted by an … read more

A policy paper has been published by Defra detailing the plan to protect plant biosecurity in Great Britain.   Prof … read more

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has announced new legislation to cut red tape for gene editing plant … read more

There is growing interest in alternative proteins, both in their source, use and nutritional profiles, and whether they can provide … read more

Research, published in Nature Communications, reports that lead from some solar cells is more likely to be absorbed by plants … read more

Research, published in Current Biology, reports that faster rates of climate change could be increasing the diversity of plant species … read more

A global analysis published in Nature Ecology and Evolution collates all plant extinction records documented from across the world. The … read more

The effect of climate change on grasses such as wheat and rice is examined in a paper published in Biology Letters with the authors reporting that climate change is expected to outpace rate of adaptation. read more

A group of researchers have reported the identification of ash trees which are tolerant to ash dieback, a disease which is spreading through the UK. read more

The rate of plant respiration (conversion of photosynthetic materials to carbon dioxide and energy) can change with temperature. A paper published in the journal Nature has reported that increasing temperatures due to climate change may increase plant respiration and hence atmospheric carbon dioxide, which they report to be the case in their experimental models. read more

A study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has suggested that differences in carbon dioxide concentrations inside plants may account for errors in estimations of their capacity for carbon storage. read more

The creation of a new Facebook game means members of the public will soon be able to help identify the clues needed to restore our ash woodlands to long-term health in the face of the ash dieback outbreak that is threatening to eliminate significant proportions of the UK’s ash tree population. read more

Ash dieback – Chalara fraxinea – has been found in the UK and comparisons are already being made with the devastation of Dutch elm disease in the 1970s. read more

A study in PNAS found that two commonplace nanoparticles — zinc oxide and cerium oxide — may have deleterious effects on plant growth and soil fertility. read more

Scientists at Rothamsted have produced a variety of wheat that produces an aphid alarm pheromone, with the aim of making wheat production less reliant on pesticides. The wheat was developed to fight off aphids using the same odour that peppermint plants release naturally. The team is planting the wheat in what will be only the third field trial of a genetically modified crop variety in the UK. read more

This SMC briefing brought together three top experts in using GM technology to pack added nutritional benefit into a variety of plants in order to to benefit public health. The briefing included news that the gene responsible for the health-enhancing pigment in blood oranges has been successfully incorporated into standard oranges. read more

As BASF announced it would relocate its transgenic plant operations from Europe to the USA due to a “lack of acceptance for this technology”, the SMC circulated reaction from plant scientists. read more