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IMAGE: Researchers have discovered that tomato fruitworm caterpillars silence their food plants cries for help as they devour their leaves. view more
Credit: Nick Sloff, Penn State
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. Like a scene from a horror movie, tomato fruitworm caterpillars silence their food plants cries for help as they devour their leaves. That is the finding of a multidisciplinary team of researchers, who said the results may yield insights into the abilities of crop plants such as tomato and soybean to withstand additional stressors, like climate change. We have discovered a new strategy whereby an insect uses saliva to inhibit the release of airborne plant defenses through direct manipulation of plant stomata, said Gary Felton, professor and head of the Department of Entomology at Penn State, noting that stomata are tiny pores on plant leaves that regulate gas exchange, including plant defensive emissions and carbon dioxide, between the plant and the en
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IMAGE: Twelve wheat genotypes and six corn genotypes were grown in a greenhouse at the University Park campus. Large growth containers, or mesocosms, were set up with a compacted soil layer. view more
Credit: Hannah Schneider, Penn State
A previously unknown root trait allows some cereal plants to grow deeper roots capable of punching through dry, hard, compacted soils, according to Penn State researchers, who suggest that harnessing the inherited characteristic could lead to crops better able to deal with a changing climate. This discovery bodes well for American and global agriculture because the trait helps corn, wheat and barley grow deeper roots, which is important for drought tolerance, nitrogen efficiency and carbon sequestration, said Jonathan Lynch, distinguished professor in plant science. Breeding for this trait should be helpful in developing new crops for climate mitigation.