Sustainability Issue #2 June 2008

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Gene that regulates the growth of plants has been found

Researchers at Umeå Plant Science Centre, UPSC, and colleagues in the US, France and Argentina, have identified a gene the regulates the growth of plants. The findings are presented in the scientific journal Cell.

The researchers have made a special study of how plants regulate growth when they come into shade. The difference in light quality which occurs when a plant is shaded by other plants results in a rapid increase in the quantity of the growth hormone Auxin and thus the growth of the stem. The researchers have now identified the gene which, via an enzyme, activate production of Auxin. Better understanding of how the growth of plants is regulated will have great importance in both agriculture and forestry. Both the size and quality of harvests are influenced by the mechanisms of growth.

Responsible for this page: Birgitta Bruzelius

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Sustainability June 2008

Editorial

Cooperation is the key E NVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS are largely caused by mankind and its way of managing environmental and natural resources. If we are to have a chance of dealing with these ...

Focus: Across disciplinary boundaries

Environment and disciplines Environmental problems must be tackled by linking together studies of social scientific and natural scientific orientation. Formas has an annual call for grant appli... Interdisciplinary cooperation to understand the climate To understand the climate is to understand the interplay between the atmosphere, the seas, ice sheets, the biosphere and now also the anthroposphere. Research groups... Office environment affects health, wellbeing and work The way the workplace is designed has greater significance than we think. It affects health, wellbeing and work. This is shown by an ongoing interdisciplinary resear... Toxicants in combination An inflow of new chemicals to an already overloaded environment can give rise to unexpected synergi stic effects between environmental toxicants. Harvest time for genetics Billions of chickens all over the world have yellow legs. The reason for this is that mankind, over thousands of years, has greatly preferred this. But why just yell... The role of microbes in nature Six research groups from Uppsala Microbiomics Centre (UMC) at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Uppsala University are busy developing tomorrow´s t...

The Interview

Marine environment and climate the highest priority Greatly increased grants for civil research. This is what Minister of Environment Andreas Carlgren expects to see in the forthcoming research bill. He prioritizes no...

Articles

Storms and flooding damage the coast Increasingly Swedish coasts are damaged by erosion and severe flooding, overwash. At present, there are no tools to find out to what extent stretches of coast with s... Formas places special focus on three areas At its board meeting in April 2008, Formas allocated grants for research in three specially selected areas. One concerned environmental pollutants and gender differe... Nature’s calendar in network Now in the spring, a Swedish phenological network has started with the aim to collect phenological data, i.e. data relating to the timing of recurring natural events... Passive buildings – how to increase their numbers A very well informed and helpful project leader is essential to succeed in passive house construction. Increased fertility via pheromones That a cow or heifer shows signs of oestrus and can be inseminated is important for optimal production of milk. Researchers at SLU are now investigating whether pher... Stump extraction – the joker in energy supply? Stumps are an almost unused resource in the context of biofuels. A concentrated effort is now made at SLU in Uppsala into research on both the positive and negative ... Air pollution can give children asthma Children exposed to high concentrations of airborne pollutants in their first year of life run a greater risk of asthma, pollen allergy and impaired respiratory func... Stress resistant bacterium degrades pollutants Bioremediation utilises the ability of microorganisms to degrade environmental pollutants. Maria Unell shows in her doctoral thesis at SLU that Arthrobacter chloroph... Environmental archaeology database Umeå University has been given MSEK 4.5 to develop a database that will provide new knowledge on the interaction between ancient enviro­n­ments, climate and humans. Sweden values happy pigs Some consumers are willing to pay more for the meat if they know that the pig had had a good life, others because they believe that animal welfare makes for safer fo...

In Brief

Sea New marine environment institute Animals Sustainable development for reindeer husbandry Website Pesticides on the web Gender Bonus for choosing women as professors Birds Barn swallows acquitted Energy Nine good examples save energy Genetics Gene that regulates the growth of plants has been found Ethanol 100,000 ethanol cars in Sweden

Results from research

Risks and benefits of GM plants How did the research turn out? What were the findings? Researchers themselves report briefly on the research they have undertaken with funding support from the Forma... Fast food – help or scourge? How did the research turn out? What were the findings? Researchers themselves report briefly on the research they have undertaken with funding support from the Forma... The sea never shimmered so much How did the research turn out? What were the findings? Researchers themselves report briefly on the research they have undertaken with funding support from the Forma... Brick facades worth preserving How did the research turn out? What were the findings? Researchers themselves report briefly on the research they have undertaken with funding support from the Forma... Knowledge of wood required How did the research turn out? What were the findings? Researchers themselves report briefly on the research they have undertaken with funding support from the Forma... Better information, better work How did the research turn out? What were the findings? Researchers themselves report briefly on the research they have undertaken with funding support from the Forma...

People and News

The latest from the field of environmental researchNew appointments, prestigious awards, new research institutes – all the latest from the field of environmental research.
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