News

Researchers from the Department have found a novel way to combine two species of grass-like plants, including banana, rice and wheat, using embryonic tissue from their seeds. The technique allows beneficial characteristics, such as disease resistance or stress tolerance, to be added to the plants. Grafting is the technique...

Plant cell walls are made of cellulose fibres laid down on top of each other like plywood. In many cells, each layer is laid down with a twist from the one before, but why? By measuring the properties of individual cells in the metallic fruit of the marble berry, Pollia condensata , researchers at the University, including...

A wheat rust early warning system developed by the Department’s Epidemiology and Modelling Group in collaboration with the Met Office, CIMMYT, EIAR and ATA has been presented at COP26 . Held in Glasgow, this year’s United Nations annual climate change summit is focused on the effects of climate change, including its impact...

New study by the Department's Professor Giles Oldroyd and Jian Feng shows how legume cells in the nodule transition into the nitrogen-fixing state control multiple different mechanisms, which support bacteria inside the nodules and the enzyme nitrogenase necessary for nitrogen fixation. Legumes engage with nitrogen fixing...