Darwin Reviews
Darwin Reviews are the Journal of Experimental Botany's most prestigious review series and topics are carefully chosen in the most progressive fields of research. Darwin Review authors are invited for their expertise and long-standing reputation. They are asked to provide new foresight and highlight contemporary perspective on topics of broad interest to the plant science community.
Latest Darwin Reviews
Trace metal metabolism in plants
Elisa Andresen, Edgar Peiter, and Hendrik Küpper
Full text
Many trace metals are essential micronutrients, but also potent toxins. One focus of plant research is on the response to trace metals in terms of uptake, transport, sequestration, speciation, physiological use, deficiency, toxicity, and detoxification. In this review, we cover most of these aspects for the essential micronutrients copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, and zinc to provide a broader overview than found in other recent reviews.
The evolutionary origins of cell type diversification and the role of intrinsically disordered proteins
Karl J Niklas, A Keith Dunker, and Inmaculada Yruela
Full text
The evolution of complex multicellular life forms occurred multiple times and was attended by cell type specialization. We argue that the multifunctionalities conferred by IDPs and the disproportionate involvement of IDPs with AS and PTMs provided a IDP–AS–PTM ‘motif’ that significantly contributed to the evolution of multicellularity in all major eukaryotic lineages.
Differential manipulation of leaf angle throughout the canopy: current status and prospects
Maria Betsabe Mantilla-Perez and Maria G Salas Fernandez
Full text
Leaf angle is defined as the inclination between the midrib of the leaf blade and the vertical stem of a plant. This review focuses on research conducted on grass species of economic importance, including high-yielding varieties of cereal species, particularly maize, rice, wheat, and sorghum.
The causes and consequences of leaf hydraulic decline with dehydration
Christine Scoffoni and Lawren Sack
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Resolving the drivers of hydraulic decline during drought is crucial for understanding drought tolerance in crops and natural ecosystems. This review hypothesizes a novel framework to explain diversity across species in the co-ordination of Kleaf and gas exchange during dehydration.
Enhancing genetic gain in the era of molecular breeding
Yunbi Xu, Ping Li, Cheng Zou, Yanli Lu, Chuanxiao Xie, Xuecai Zhang, Boddupalli M. Prasanna, and Michael S. Olsen
Full text
This review focuses on enhancing genetic gain in the era of molecular breeding through unlocking and creating genetic variation, improving estimation of heritability, heightening selection intensity, and shortening the breeding cycle time.
Meet the Editor - Don Ort
Don Ort is the Robert Emerson Professor of Plant Biology and Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois and Research Leader of the USDA/ARS Global Change and Photosynthesis Research Unit in Urbana, IL. His B.S. degree is in biology/chemistry from Wake Forest University and he earned his Ph.D. in plant biochemistry from Michigan State University. He served as President of International Society of Photosynthesis Research, President of the International Association of Plant Physiology, President of the American Society of Plant Biologists and as Editor-in-Chief of Plant Physiology and is an Associate Editor of Annual Review of Plant Biology. He is the 2006 ASPB Kettering Award recipient, elected Fellow of the American Society of Plant Biologist in 2007 and Fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Science Award in 2009.
He is the Director of the SoyFACE project; a unique open-air laboratory investigating the impacts of rising carbon dioxide and tropospheric ozone and their interactions with temperature and precipitation on crop systems of the Midwest, involving research groups from a range of University of Illinois departments and institutions across the US, Europe and Asia. He is also Theme Leader of Genomic Ecology of Global Change in the Institute for Genomic Biology at Illinois and Associate Director of the Gates Foundation funded RIPE - Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency for Improved Crop Production project. His laboratory is engaged in three lines of research: i) Redesigning photosynthesis for improved efficiency; ii) Molecular and biochemical basis of environmental interactions with crop plants; iii) Ecological genomics: Interactive effects of CO2, temperature and drought on plant, plant canopy and plant ecosystem performance.
Suggested Reviews
If you would like to suggest a topic and/or author for a Darwin Review please email j.exp.bot@lancaster.ac.uk providing a brief outline and reason for your choice.
