When a plant goes into defense mode in order to protect itself against harsh weather or pests/disease, it turns off its growth mechanism. Researchers at Michigan State University have figured out how plants can make the “decision” between growth and defense, a finding that could help them strike a balance – keep safe from harm while continuing to grow. In the paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Professor Sheng Yang He and his team found that the two hormones that control growth (gibberellins) and defense (jasmonates) literally come together in a crisis and figure out… Login to continue

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