NEWS FROM
PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM
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Published monthly on behalf of SPPS by Wiley-Blackwell.
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Shedding light in the canopy
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Since plants get most of their light from above, photosynthetic activity is highest in the upper part of the canopy. Applying light directly into the canopy might, accordingly, contribute to a more uniform photosynthetic profile and could potentially increase overall photosynthesis leading to higher yield of crops. This hypothesis has now been tested by Dutch researchers from Wageningen University in the Netherlands. They supplied cucumber plants grown in the greenhouse with 38% of their light from LEDs within the canopy and compared them with controls that got all the light from above. Light from within the canopy significantly increased photosynthesis in the lower leaf layers, however, this was not followed by a concomitant increase in overall biomass and fruit yield. This was apparently caused by a more stunted growth when less light came from above and because the LEDs seemingly caused the leaves to curl and thus reduced light interception.
Read full article free: Trouwborst et al (March 2010) Physiologia Plantarum 138: 289Ð300
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NEWS IN BRIEF
FROM OTHER JOURNALS
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Male olives have access to more females
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Source: Saumitou-Laprade et al (26 March 2010) Science 327: 1648-1650
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Lowering atmospheric with algae may contaminate ocean
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Source: Trick et al (15 March 2010) PNAS doi:10.1073/pnas.0910579107
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Registration is now open for the 6th SPPS PhD Student Conference
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The on-line registration form is now available at www.phd-spps.com/registrationform.html
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Registration for the upcoming 6th SPPS PhD Conference is now open and the on-line registration form can be accessed here - the link is written in the figure legend to the right. The deadline for registration is 31 May 2010, but students are encouraged to register early, as only a limited number of rooms are available. Please remember to make full payment (see how on the registration form) no later than two weeks after you have registered - otherwise your registration will be cancelled.
You do not have to be a member of SPPS to join the conference, but members enjoy a 80€-110€ reduction in the registration fee as well as the opportunity to obtain a travel grant. For more information about SPPS membership, please see the SPPS homepage. The conference registration fees depend on your choice of accomodation (SPPS member/non member):- 400€/510€: Double room
- 500€/580€: Single room
- 300€/380€: Without accomodation
The 6th SPPS PhD Student Conference takes place during 2-5 September 2010 in Espoo, Finland. Former SPPS PhD conferences have been very popular and attracts 50-70 students from several countries in Scandinavia, Europe and the rest of the World. You can read proceedings from the most recent conferences here: 2008 - Haslev, Denmark; 2006 - Lycksele, Sweden; and 2004 - Asker (Oslo), Norway.
You can find more information about the 6th SPPS PhD conference at the official homepage and in a former article in SPPS Newsletter.
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