Fruit News and Research

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Understanding Watermelon Genetics Could Lead to Development of More Resilient, Delicious Varieties

Watermelon is a globally significant agricultural product, both in terms of the total amount produced and the total economic value generated.

14 Aug 2023

Fossil Phytoliths Reveal That Early Birds Were Leaf Eaters

A new type of analysis of a spectacular 120-million-year-old fossil skeleton of the extinct early bird Jeholornis from northeastern China has revealed the oldest evidence for birds eating leaves, marking the earliest known evolution of arboreal plant-eating among birds.

2 Aug 2023

Single-Cell Sequencing Finds New Cell Types in the Visual Systems of Flies

Researchers from New York University have created a method that discovers and labels neurons throughout development, which has allowed them to identify novel cell types in the visual system of flies.

1 Aug 2023

Smart Agrochemical Delivery Platform Shows Promise for Precision Agriculture

Improvements in crop productivity and nutritional value are needed to meet increased global demand for food in terms of both quantity and quality.

1 Aug 2023

Scientists Discover Secret of Virgin Birth, and Switch on the Ability in Female Flies

Scientists have pinpointed a genetic cause for virgin birth for the first time, and once switched on the ability is passed down through generations of females.

26 Jul 2023

Study Unravels How the Microbiome Shapes Evolutionary Immune Defenses

Animals and humans coexist with a vast array of microorganisms known as the microbiome, forming an intricate relationship that can range from mutually beneficial to pathogenic.

25 Jul 2023

Dietary Fiber Regulates Gut Microbiota and Improves Epithelial Cell Proliferation

A high-fiber diet is known to have several health benefits. Scientific studies point to protection against such diseases as cancer and diabetes.

25 Jul 2023

Study Identifies a Gene That Largely Controls Weeping Growth in Apple

Plant geneticists have identified a mutation in a gene that causes the "weeping" architecture – branches growing downwards – in apple trees, a finding that could improve orchard fruit production.

21 Jul 2023

Scientists Discover Specific Genes Involved in Rare, Life-Threatening Heart Disease

By identifying genes in patients and testing their effects in fruit flies, researchers from Sanford Burnham Prebys have found new genes that contribute to hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a rare, life-threatening heart disease that occurs in infants.

18 Jul 2023

5-ALA Opens New Avenues for Treating Mitochondrial Disorders

At the Tokyo Metropolitan University, researchers have shown that 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) aids bypass deficiencies in Complex I (CI), the first in a series of protein complexes that transport electrons and assist in powering the mitochondria.

17 Jul 2023

USDA Funds Texas A&M AgriLife Research to Develop “Holy Grail” of Tomatoes

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has funded a new Texas A&M AgriLife Research project expected to bring researchers even closer to developing the "holy grail" of tomatoes.

7 Jul 2023

New AI Tool Tracks Complex Fruit Fly Behavior

What is the easiest way to know if a fruit fly is hungry? Ask a computer.

3 Jul 2023

Study Examines Neural Activity and Wake-Like Skin Patterning of Octopus During Their Sleep

When octopuses sleep, their quiet periods of slumber are punctuated by short bursts of frenzied activity. Their arms and eyes twitch, their breathing rate quickens, and their skin flashes with vibrant colors.

29 Jun 2023

New Approach to Revolutionize Synthetic Biology

For the first time, scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory of the Department of Energy (Berkeley Lab) have created a genome-scale method to map the regulatory role of transcription factors, proteins that are essential for controlling gene expression, and a plant’s physiological features.

22 Jun 2023

Albino Squid Illuminates Cephalopod Brain Activity

A team of researchers at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) has successfully engineered an albino strain of Euprymna berryi, the hummingbird bobtail squid.

21 Jun 2023

Heat-Damaged DNA in Food Linked to Possible Genetic Risks

Researchers have newly discovered a surprising and potentially significant reason why eating foods frequently cooked at high temperatures, such as red meat and deep-fried fare, elevates cancer risk. The alleged culprit: DNA within the food that's been damaged by the cooking process.

14 Jun 2023

Study Sheds Light on the Genetic Basis for Body Plan Development in the Starlet Sea Anemone

Lacking bones, brains, and even a complete gut, the body plans of simple animals like sea anemones appear to have little in common with humans and their vertebrate kin.

14 Jun 2023

Dual CRISPR Gene Drive Systems Target a Specific Gene

According to recent research from North Carolina State University, scientists have created a “homing gene drive system” based on CRISPR/Cas9 that could be used to suppress populations of Drosophila suzukii vinegar flies—so-called “spotted-wing Drosophila” that severely damage soft-skinned fruit in North America, Europe, and parts of South America.

13 Jun 2023

Birds and Bats are Responsible for Increases in Cacao Yield in Northern Peru

Healthy bat and bird populations don't only help to keep the endangered tropical dry forests of northern Peru in equilibrium.

8 Jun 2023

Leave Bats Alone to Prevent the Next Pandemic of Zoonotic Origin

A new paper in the journal The Lancet Planetary Health makes the case that pandemic prevention requires a global taboo whereby humanity agrees to leave bats alone-;to let them have the habitats they need, undisturbed.

7 Jun 2023