A million year-old mating opens up an improved future

A coming together and genetic merging of an American plant with an African or Asian plant one or two million years ago produced the ancestor of the bush that now provides 90% of the world’s commercial cotton. And although the resulting plant has been domesticated and changed genetically by breeding over thousands of year, it retains a genetic structure and capacity which is conducive to further modification. [continue reading…]

Queensland researchers believe future cancer drugs could be grown in sunflowers and ultimately delivered as a seed ‘pill’.

They’ve got a long way to go, but the concept illustrates the power of modern botany to deliver everything from new medicines, to functional foods, and customised biofuels. More below.

Also at the International Botanical Congress in Melbourne today: IdentifyLife will empower everyone to identify plants and animals. Make way for the microbes – can plants help us create a sustainable future or do we need to turn to microbes? [continue reading…]

Queensland researchers believe future cancer drugs could be grown in sunflowers and ultimately delivered as a seed ‘pill’.

They’re a long way from that outcome. But, as they reported to the XVIII International Botanical Congress in Melbourne today, they have already shown that sunflowers make a precursor to cancer drugs as part of their defence against insect attack. [continue reading…]

Our civilisation is built on plants – they provide food, shelter, fuel and medicine.

Can we rely on them in the future? Or will it be the era of the microbes. [continue reading…]

photo: Leo Berzins

Posted on behalf of Lynne Sealie, Communication Manager, Atlas of Living Australia. Photos available.

“The beginning of wisdom is to call a thing by its right name.” Chinese proverb

IdentifyLife is being launched at 1.00pm on Thursday 28th July at the International Botanical Congress in Melbourne. [continue reading…]

The world’s favourite tree

The world loves our eucalypts. Now Eucalyptus had become the world’s favourite tree for farming and today in Melbourne its genome is revealed at the International Botanical Congress.

Other stories today include: a series of talks on how plants will respond to climate change; more on the future of wine and the Breathing Planet Programme. [continue reading…]

The world’s most farmed tree has had its genome read, opening the way to new breeding, biofuel, and conservation opportunities.

The genome of one of Australia’s biggest Eucalyptus trees, the Flooded Gum or Eucalyptus grandis, has now been mapped, allowing scientists and conservationists an insight into the secrets of an important piece of Australiana. [continue reading…]

Posted on behalf of CSIRO

CSIRO scientists are investigating the potentially damaging effects climate change will have on Australia’s agricultural crops and native plants as carbon dioxide concentrations, temperatures and rainfall patterns change.

“We’re facing an urgent need to develop new crop varieties for anticipated conditions in 20 to 50 years,” said a team leader in the climate-ready cereals project at CSIRO, Dr Jairo Palta. [continue reading…]