Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Plant Science
Poplar stems actively straightened after bending by forming tension wood on the outer, or convex, side of the curve. The results provide direct evidence that trees sense their own curvature and use that information, alongside gravity sensing, to control their posture.
A drone-based system combined images, soil readings and weather data to predict how crop stress might develop. In experiments, its irrigation decisions reduced predicted yield vulnerability by 46.6 and increased water-use efficiency by 41.1 compared with rule-based strategies.
Researchers expected an enzyme involved in building tomato fruit cuticles to strengthen the fruit surface. Instead, engineered tomatoes had less cutin and wax, softer cuticles and greater susceptibility to a common fungus.
