Nitrogen Fixation Process in Plants to Combat Drought in Various Species of Legumes - Although nitrogen is abundant in soil, it is useless to plants unless it is first reduced to other chemical forms like nitrate or ammonium. Organisms like soil bacteria are able to reduce atmospheric nitrogen to ammonium in a process called biological fixation of nitrogen (BFN). These bacteria are often closely associated with the root systems of plants and export useable forms of nitrogen into the roots. When a plant experiences water stress (such as drought), BFN is rapidly inhibited and several plant species die as a result. Researchers have determined that changes in carbon flow may be causing this association of water stress and reduced BFN.

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Agricultural Practices Found to Contribute to Bicarbonate in River - The presence of bicarbonate in rivers, which contributes to the river’s pH, are usually the result of the weathering of rocks. However, in the last 50 years, scientists have noticed a substantial increase of bicarbonate in the Mississippi. Why? Modern agricultural practices increase water flow through bicarbonate contains soils, feeding directly into the river.

Scientists To Study High-risk Plant Pathogen Using Small, Unmanned Aircraft- the plant pathogen that caused the Irish Potato Blight can still be a risk to us today. Almost none of the potato varieties on the market are resistant to it. Scientists are now studying how this pathogen could be used as bioterrorism agent by analyzing how it may be spread aerially.

Using DNA, scientists hunt for the roots of the modern potato - 99% of all potato varieties in existence arose from a common ancestor - from Chile. Scientists are using DNA evidence to determine just how a potato variety in Chile gave rise to the world’s potato varieties.