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Plants Use Circadian Rhythms to Prepare for Battle With Insects


February 13, 2012

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In a study of the molecular underpinnings of plants' pest resistance, Rice University biologists have shown that plants use circadian rhythms to both anticipate raids by hungry insects and to time the production of defensive hormones that protect against insect attack. In this week's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers demonstrated that when the plants' timing was shifted, they were defenseless against daytime-feeding caterpillars.Full Story

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Rice University

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