Physical effects of soil drying on roots and crop growth.

The nature and effect of the stresses on root growth in crops subject to drying is reviewed. Drought is a complex stress, impacting on plant growth in a number of interacting ways. In response, there are a number of ways in which the growing plant is able to adapt to or alleviate these stresses.

Freeways in the plant: transporters for N, P and S and their regulation.

This review focuses on plant acquisition and transport of the inorganic forms of nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur. Families of membrane transporters have been identified and several members are well characterised. Although some families are large, specific members may be expressed in a particular membrane or cell type, or at certain times during development.

Immunolocalization of deformed wing virus particles within the mite Varroa destructor.

Deformed wing virus (DWV) induces wing deformation when bees are infected during their pupal development. Field observations and laboratory experiments suggest that the mite Varroa destructor is a vector of the virus. Moreover, it has been stated that DWV replicates within this mite.

Use of Co speciation and soil properties to explain variation in Co toxicity to root growth of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in different soils.

The influence of soil properties on the bioavailability and toxicity of Co to barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) root elongation was investigated. Ten soils varying widely in soil properties were amended with seven doses of CoCl2.

Bacterial diversity of the broadbalk 'classical' winter wheat experiment in relation to long-term fertilizer inputs.

With more than 160 years of contrasting fertilizer regimes, the Broadbalk winter wheat experiment represents a unique experimental resource for studying the effects of long-term fertilizer application on microbial population diversity. Using DGGE and clone library analysis, we report here on eubacterial species diversity (16S rRNA gene) and diversity within two sets of gene products associated with microbial N acquisition: NifH (nitrogen fixation) and AmtB (ammonium transport). Comparisons were made within and between soils treated with mineral N fertilizer, farmyard manure or receiving no fertilizer.

Cytosolic nitrate ion homeostasis: could it have a role in sensing nitrogen status?

Background And Aims: question of whether homeostasis occurs for some nutrients and, if so, what are the consequences for how plants sense their nutrient status. Particularly for nitrate, this controversy has focused on the methods used and the cellular pools which they measure. Cytoplasm and cytosol have been distinguished and it has been suggested that two ranges of nitrate values can be separated depending on whether the method separates the pools found in organelles.