Today would have been the 96th birthday of Frits Went, a Dutch - born American botanist who discovered the role
of the plant hormone auxin and paved the way for the development of weed killers, fertilizers, and genetically engineered crops.
The researchers took a gene from a snapdragon plant (chosen to target the fruit - producing ovaries) and rigged it to stimulate production
of a plant hormone called auxin.
Yesterday would have been the 94th birthday of Frits Went, a Dutch - born American botanist who discovered the
role of the plant hormone auxin and paved the way for the development of weed killers, fertilizers, and genetically engineered crops.
So the next time you're using a rooting powder to give your plant cuttings a jumpstart, think of Zimmerman and Hitchcock, whose trials and errors yielded insights into the
effects of plant hormones, as well as a highly useful garden product.
Work spearheaded by professor Vicent Arbona is progressing in the understanding of the signaling
pathway of a plant hormone that will make plants more resistant to stress by flooding.
The scientists could demonstrate the potential of the protein arrays in the context
of plant hormone signaling pathways, which, for example, mediate responses to drought stress or against pathogens.
«Biologists uncovers a genetic mechanism that could enhance yield in cereal crops: Precise regulation
of plant hormones in early reproductive development as a target for yield increases.»
The herbicide is a synthetic
analog of the plant hormones called auxins, which control everything from the plant's response to light and gravity to the ripening of fruit.
«What was specially relevant from a basic research standpoint was that, for the first time, the descent in
levels of a plant hormone compared to control values as an answer to environmental stress could be a physiologically significant response — and data points in this direction,» adds Arbona.
Eveland's work showed that conversion of a spikelet to a bristle is determined early in inflorescence development and regulated by a
class of plant hormones called brassinosteroids (BRs), which modulate a range of physiological processes in plant growth, development and immunity.
Many studies have shown that the
intake of these plant hormones can be very helpful in minimizing the negative side effects of menopause8 Phytoestrogens are common in a range of plants, including the Schisandra berry, green tea, the goji berry, flax seed and hops.
Plant responses to the environment Controlling plant growth Investigating tropisms Commercial
uses of plant hormones Mammalian nervous system The brain Reflex actions Coordinating responses Controlling heart rate Muscles Muscle contraction
11 slides covering Using plant hormones: - State the hormones used in agriculture and horticulture; - Describe how these hormones can be used; - Observe and evaluate the
effects of plant hormones.