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IMAGE: Researchers in China have analyzed a maize hybrid at the multi-omics level to unravel the mechanisms behind this increased hybrid vigor view more
Credit: The Crop Journal
The adage goes, Two is better than one. Well, that might be true for endeavors involving human heads, but when it comes to ears, hybrid maize tends to have a superior advantage over the parental stocks in most cases. This phenomenon, called hybrid vigor or heterosis, has been used by agriculturalists across ages to create higher-yielding, more resistant varieties of maize all over the world.
But what are the factors contributing to the increased hybrid vigor of maize? Several different genetic models have been proposed to explain heterosis in varied crops including maize, but none have hitherto been able to comprehensively unravel the mystery of heterosis.
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IMAGE: Earth-abundant minerals convert sunlight into chemical energy, hinting at the evolution of photosynthesis in early bacteria view more
Credit: Earth Science Frontiers
Photosynthesis, the process by which plants and other organisms convert sunlight into chemical energy, has been a major player during the evolution of life and our planet s atmosphere. Although most of the ins and outs of photosynthesis are understood, how the necessary mechanisms evolved is still a topic of debate. The answer to this question, however, may actually lie buried in the mineral world.
In a recent study published in Earth Science Frontiers (10.13745/j.esf.sf.2020.12.3), scientists from Peking University, China, shifted the focus in photosynthesis research from plants and bacteria one step further back to rocks and substances found in what s known as the mineral membrane of Earth. They propose that various components of this relatively thin layer, such as birnessite, goethite,