Phys.org

Diosgenin, a secondary metabolite isolated from the Dioscorea spp. plant family, is an irreplaceable and ideal starting material for the synthesis of steroid hormone drugs. Dioscorea zingiberensis is the world's most desirable and important plant source of steroid hormone drugs.

A research team has completed a high-quality chromosome-scale assembly of the Chuanhonghua 1 safflower genome. This work sheds light on the genetic underpinnings of crucial traits like linoleic acid (LA) and hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) production. It sets a new precedent for crop improvement and functional genomics studies.

Scientists have found oysters could be very useful in gobbling up nutrient pollution from tropical waterways, including the Great Barrier Reef.

The frequency and intensity of plant stresses have increased in recent years due to climate change. Among them, low temperature is an unavoidable environmental factor limiting agricultural productivity.

The genus Musa, encompassing approximately 70 herbaceous species, is predominantly found in the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and Oceania. This genus is renowned for being one of the most important food crops globally and popular ornamental plants in the markets.

In perennial woody plants, bud endodormancy is crucial for survival under adverse environmental conditions in winter, such as low temperature (LT) and dehydration stress. To break bud dormancy is essential for the resumption of bud growth and flowering. Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa Andr.), belonging to the section Moutan of the genus Paeonia and family Paeoniaceae, is famous for high ornamental and medicinal value and is also known as a newly cultivated oil plant.

Ultrashort pulses play a significant role in spectroscopic applications. Their broad spectral bandwidth enables simultaneous characterization of the sample at various frequencies, eliminating the need for repeated measurements or laser tuning. Moreover, their extreme temporal confinement allows for temporal isolation of the sample's response from the main excitation pulse.

Grafting is a traditional and significant strategy to suppress soil-borne diseases, such as the crown gall disease caused by tumorigenic Agrobacterium and Rhizobium. Root exudates and the rhizosphere microbiome play critical roles in controlling crown gall disease, but their roles in suppressing crown gall disease in grafted plants remain unclear.

Sweet potatoes are a popular food choice for consumers worldwide because of their delicious taste and nutritious quality. The red, tuberous root vegetable can be processed into chips and fries, and it has a range of industrial applications, including textiles, biodegradable polymers, and biofuels.

New movies of two of the most famous objects in the sky—the Crab Nebula and Cassiopeia A—are being released from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. Each includes X-ray data collected by Chandra over about two decades. They show dramatic changes in the debris and radiation remaining after the explosion of two massive stars in our galaxy.