nitrogen Archives

Plant life partners: Beneficial bacteria

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The evolution of terrestrial plants from aquatic ecosystems came with challenges: adaptation to survive the harsh environments, and co-evolution with other life, such as bacteria. Bacteria are one of the most ancient forms of life on earth, and amount to about 13% of total biomass (measured as tonnes of carbon) seen on our planet. Land plants have evolved positive relationships […]

Do bees farm microbes? Rethinking what it is to be a bee

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A bee on a purple flower. Dr Dharampal and Dr Steffan study bee–microbe symbioses.

Bees have not been eating what we thought they were. The work of Dr Prarthana Dharampal and Dr Shawn Steffan, University of Wisconsin, USA, shows bees are not strict vegetarians requiring just pollen and nectar for food. Larval bee health is also reliant on eating the microbes that are feeding on the pollen supplies. The bee larvae are further up […]

Understanding tomato plant metabolism for sustainable production

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Drs Joaquin Medina and Laura Carrilo investigate the metabolic responses of tomato plants to nitrogen stress, aiming to understand specific gene expressions that could then be targeted for future plant breeding

Historically, crops have been domesticated without limiting their access to nutrients or water. Since these varieties did not need efficient nutrient absorption and distribution mechanisms, they are poorly adapted to a sustainable agricultural system which limits the need for excess fertiliser. Drs Laura Carrillo and Joaquin Medina of the Centre of Biotechnology and Genomics (CBGP) in Madrid, Spain, investigated the […]

Cow genetics could reduce the environmental impact of pastoral livestock production

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Dairy farming can have negative effects on the environment, polluting waterways with an excess of nitrogen that can have long-term impacts. Research to date has addressed this problem by looking at ways to reduce the cow’s urinary urea nitrogen concentration, but this has involved mitigation techniques that paint the cow as the problem rather than the solution. Cameron Marshall, a […]

Symbiotically competent cyanobacteria for the bio-sustainable cultivation of rice

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The researchers tested the interactions of several Nostoc strains in laboratory conditions.

Every year, large amounts of nitrogen fertilisers are used around the world to sustain the cultivation of rice. The wetland culture conditions required for rice cause nitrogen to leach and contaminate freshwater, triggering a number of adverse consequences for aquatic habitats. Dr Consolación Álvarez and Dr Vicente Mariscal Romero, from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Spain, propose the development […]