Gassmann Lab identifies key defense protein's role in triggering immunity in Arabidopsis: 12/348/2011
An article in the December 9, 2011 issue of Science reports on the discovery of the function of a protein that plays a key role in defense and disease recognition in Arabidopsis.

Liscum Lab Illuminates Role of Light-Sensing Protein in Plants: 10/285/2011
Plants do not have eyes or legs, yet they are able to 'see' and move toward and away from light. This ability, called phototropism, is controlled by a series of molecular-level signals between proteins inside and between plant cells.

Blevins Receives Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Kentucky: 10/278/2011
In recognition of significant career achievements as an alumnus of the Plant and Soil Sciences Department, the University of Kentucky has elected Dale Blevins, Professor Emeritus of plant physiology in the Division of Plant Sciences at the University of Missouri, as the recipient of their Distinguished Alumni Award for 2011.

$100,000 gift will enhance undergraduate education at the University of Missouri: 8/219/2011
The University of Missouri has received a $100,000 grant from the Monsanto Company to support student research in the plant sciences.

Galen Receives Funding for NSF GK-12 Show Me Nature Program: 6/159/2011
National statistics indicate that many children fall behind and lose interest in science during the crucial fourth and fifth grades. Now, a unique collaboration featuring University of Missouri scientists and graduate students will help young students develop their interests in science while teaching doctoral students how to communicate their work to the general public.

MU Professor Elected to Membership in National Academy of Sciences: 5/125/2011
The National Academy of Sciences has elected James Birchler, Curators’ Professor of Biological Sciences in the MU College of Arts & Science, as a member. Birchler will be inducted into the organization next April during its annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

Polacco Tackles Interrelationships among Nitrogen, Plants, and Environment in New Book: 5/122/2011
Nitrogen is essential for plant growth. Despite the abundance of nitrogen in the atmosphere as N2 gas, plants must rely on a series of chemical reactions to convert atmospheric and other forms of nitrogen into usable forms.

Zhang Identifies Missing Link in Plant Defense against Fungal Disease: 4/109/2011
Botrytis bunch rot, a disease caused by the fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea, can devastate grape vineyards. Yet other plants can repel the invader and protect themselves by mounting a form of chemical warfare against the fungi through the production of antimicrobial substances, called phytoalexins.

A Plant Only A Geneticist Could Love: 3/66/2011
It's a corn plant only a geneticist could love, but an MU researcher has found a way to help scientists love it.

Chatterjee recognized for pioneering research on Erwinia carotovora: 1/21/2011
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has awarded the distinction of Fellow to Arun Chatterjee, a professor emeritus of plant sciences in the College of Agricultural, Food and Natural Resources at the University of Missouri.

Two Bacterial Enzymes Confer Resistance to 2,4-D: 1/21/2011
In an article in the Nov. 23 issue of the journal The Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, researchers with Dow AgroSciences and the University of Missouri report on two bacterial enzymes that, when transformed into corn and soybeans, provide robust resistance to the herbicide 2,4-D.