Maximum Yield USA April 2018 | Page 26

max facts Phytoplankton Fertilize Themselves with Iron Upwelling in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean provides essential nutrients for the region’s microscopic plants, but iron—a key ingredient that facilitates nitrogen consumption—is in short supply. To compensate, the phytoplankton band together to recycle the scarce metal and retain it in their upper-ocean habitat, scientists have discovered. “For decades, oceanographers have understood the vital, fertilizing role iron plays in the ocean environment,” says Patrick Rafter, lead author on a recent study in Nature Communications. “Aquatic plants will not take up nitrogen in the absence of the metal, which is a limiting factor in their reproduction and growth.” This understanding is key because these organisms help regulate global climate by pulling atmospheric carbon dioxide into the ocean. “When we say iron is recycled in the system more efficiently than other elements, it doesn’t sound like this big, profound statement, but it’s actually a very important insight into how the system works, how marine plant life functions in the ocean,” Rafter says. “This microbial community has figured out a way to fertilize itself with iron.” —sciencedaily.com Vertical Farming Continues Upward Trend As the global urban population continues to grow and the demand for quality food to feed everyone rises, the use of vertical farming practices is expected to skyrocket. A new report published by Acumen Research and Consulting states the global market for vertical farming could grow and reach a market value of more than $6 billion by 2023. In 2015, the market had a value of $1 billion. The report says much of the growth can be attributed to the fact the food for the growing urban population needs to be grown in cities—and the best way to do that is to use vertical farms. The most popular vertically grown crops are greens, fruits, flowers, vine crops, strawberry, herbs, and tomatoes. Leafy greens came in as the largest segment in 2014 in terms of revenue and accounted for around $273 million that year. This segment is expected to maintain its dominance through 2023 as leafy greens are the major element in diets from all around the world. —gpnmag.com Plants Boost Flower Production Within 24 Hours of Soil Nutrient Application The molecular mechanisms that enable plants to quickly adapt their rate of flower production in response to changing nutrient levels in soil have been revealed by researchers at the Sainsbury Laboratory. A team of plant scientists examined the processes through which plants are able to pass on information about the external environment from the roots to the new shoots. The results showed increased soil nutrients leads to a response in stem cells in the shoots in just less than 24 hours. Experiments showed this rapid response occurred both in vitro at the microscopic level and ex vitro with entire plants beginning to increase the rate of stem cell growth and flower development in response to the application of nitrogen in the form of nitrate. The scientists say the study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could contribute to improving crop yields by refining timing of fertilizer application and selective plant breeding. —pyhs.org/news 26 tapped in