5 (+?) independent plant lineages evolved to text the same bacteria for nitrogen. we just need to learn the language they're using. www.cell.com/trends/plant...

Plant–cyanobacterial symbioses: mutualism with emerging translational possibilities

Engineering rhizobial–plant nitrogen fixation in crops is a major goal in plant synthetic biology. We propose expanding efforts to plant–cyanobacterial symbioses as an alternative path. Targeting the ...

cell.com

our new paper on fern genomes is out in @pnas.org - we found that Salvinia genomes are...weird... plus the nasty invasive S. molesta is not what you think it is! www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Thank you BTI and Cornell for the fantastic support, collaboration, and mentorship over the past 10 years. Now we are starting a new journey at Duke Biology!!!

Sharing for no reason www.nasonline.org/directory-en...

Roger W. Innes – NAS

Roger Innes holds the Class of 1954 Professorship in Biology and is former Chair of the Department of Biology at Indiana University Bloomington. He earned his B.A. in Biology at Humboldt State Univers...

nasonline.org

Breaking news: Indiana University plant microbiologist Roger Innes has been locked out of his laboratory by the school in response to a request by one of his federal funders. The move comes after Innes complained about the government’s prosecution of Chinese postdocs. https://scim.ag/4tsDqRr

After USDA request, Indiana plant biologist locked out of lab by school

Move comes after Roger Innes complained about the government’s prosecution of Chinese postdocs

scim.ag

Hornwort pyrenoids: a terrestrial exception with engineering lessons. @tarobison.bsky.social @fernway.bsky.social @laura-gunn.bsky.social @jcarlosvillarreal.bsky.social academic.oup.com/plphys/advan...

Our work on #hornwort #pyrenoids is finally out in @science.org! 🎉 We uncovered how hornworts pack their Rubisco into pyrenoids and successfully recreated them in Arabidopsis. A key step toward engineering more efficient photosynthesis in crops @btiscience.bsky.social www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

An unconventional Rubisco small subunit underpins the CO2-concentrating organelle in land plants

In many algae, photosynthesis is boosted by biophysical CO2-concentrating mechanisms, which pack the CO2-fixing enzyme Rubisco into liquid-like organelles called pyrenoids. Engineering C3 crops with a...

science.org

WE GOT FERNS, folks. I hope you like ferns. If you don’t, just listen and you will like ferns. 🌿🌿🌿 Dr. Li is hilarious and charming and you will love him. And ferns. In conclusion: ferns. www.alieward.com/ologies/pter...

Pteridology (FERNS) with Dr. Fay-Wei Li — alie ward

Fronds. Forest dwellers. Spores. Houseplants. Queer icons. We’ve got ferns. The charming and hilarious professor and author of “Ferns: Lessons in Survival from Earth’s Most Adaptable Plants,” Dr. Fay-...

alieward.com

Now accepting applications for the Jane Silverthorne Postdoctoral Fellowship Program at BTI! 🌿 Supporting bold scientists tackling plant science frontiers with cross-disciplinary approaches. Full funding for high-risk, high-reward research. Apply by Jan 15, 2026! 🧬 spf.btiscience.org

Join us for the 4th annual NonSeed Plant Meeting in Norwich this year! @johninnescentre.bsky.social

Genetics Society Non-Seed Plant SIG@gensocuknonseed.bsky.social · 11mo ago

Registration for #nonseedUK25 is officially open: www.jic.ac.uk/event/4th-ge.... If you wish to be considered for a talk, please submit your abstract by 30th October. Thanks to @philcarella.bsky.social for acting as local organizer this year 😃

Michigan State University is hiring a new Director of our herbarium! This is an open rank, tenure-stream faculty position, with research focus in plant or fungal systematics, ecology, and/or evolution Please consider applying and help spread the word! plantbiology.natsci.msu.edu/job-postings...

The NMNH Department of Botany is looking for a Museum Specialist. Please spread the word!

Museum Specialist (Natural Science), IS-1016-09

Job Opening: Museum Specialist (Natural Science), IS-1016-09 at National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.

trustcareers.si.edu

Botany is already happening in the Denver airport #botany2025

Shameless self-promotion continues...🙃 You might find this #fern book in your local bookstores! mailchi.mp/btiscience/f...

New on This Green Earth: “Survival of Nature’s Fittest May Go to Ferns.” BTI’s @fernway.bsky.social & Jacob Suissa explore their new book Ferns: Lessons in Survival. 400 million years of resilience—what ferns can teach us today. www.kpcw.org/show/this-gr... #PlantScience #ferns

Survival of nature's fittest may go to ferns

Scientists Fay Wei Li and Jacob Suissa discuss their new book, "Ferns: Lessons in Survival From Earth’s Most Adaptable Plants."

kpcw.org

Meet the authors behind Ferns: Lessons in Survival from Earth's Most Adaptable Plants! BTI's @fernway.bsky.social and Jacob S. Suissa explore the ancient, resilient world of ferns — plants that have thrived for over 400 million years. Learn more go.btiscience.org/ferns. #FernsBook #PlantScience

Exclusive: National Science Foundation staff were told today that the agency’s 37 divisions—across all eight directorates—are being abolished and the number of programs within those divisions will be drastically reduced.

Exclusive: NSF faces radical shake-up as officials abolish its 37 divisions

Changes seen as a response to presidential directives on what research to fund

scim.ag

Travel 400M years in a flip. FERNS explores the evolution, survival, and modern ties of Earth’s most adaptable plants. By @fernway.bsky.social & Jacob Suissa, illustrated by Laura Silburn. Out May 6: go.btiscience.org/ferns #FernsBook #PlantScience

My NSF PRFB on the genetics of female polymorphism in hummingbirds was terminated yesterday. I don't have much to say, I'm just sad. We've discovered so much, and could have gone so much further. If anyone else is in the same boat, esp postdocs, please reach out, it would be good to connect.

NSF has spent decades—and billions of dollars—trying to attract more women and members of underrepresented groups into STEM. Not anymore. scim.ag/3RUtgZg

NSF starts to kill grants that violate Trump’s war on diversity efforts

Attracting women and minorities into science and studying misinformation are no longer priorities, agency says

scim.ag

Jacob Suissa and I wrote a #book about #ferns! It's beautifully illustrated by the amazing artist Laura Silburn. Will be released in May and you can preorder from Amazon. We hope this book could help you forget all the bad things happening on Earth right now. More here: mailchi.mp/btiscience/f...

apprendre plus sur les anthocérotes et leur importance potentielle ? #photosynthese www.pourlascience.fr/sd/biologie-... @fernway.bsky.social @tarobison.bsky.social

Une piste pour améliorer la photosynthèse des plantes agricoles grâce aux anthocérotes

Les anthocérotes, des plantes méconnues, possèdent les capacités de photosynthèse exceptionnelles des algues. Les gènes responsables ont été identifiés. De quoi espérer améliorer la productivité agricole…

pourlascience.fr

"I want parents who have children to know that opportunities for your kids, if they aspire to be scientists or engineers, are being stripped away right in front of you," the NSF employee told Axios. www.axios.com/2025/03/10/a...

Exclusive: Science and tech agency cuts spark industry pushback

As Trump administration cuts hit research, some fear American leadership in computer science is at risk.

axios.com

The National Science Foundation benefits communities in every state.

Just extended the deadline to March 21 for this position in the Plant Phylogenomics group at the University of Vienna. It is sort of a "post doc plus" position funded for up to six years. Please reach out if you want to chat - I'd love to talk to you about it! jobs.univie.ac.at/job/Universi...

As many of you know, ~170 Program Officers at #NSF were fired on Tuesday, including a number that worked in Divisions important to the EEB community (e.g., DEB and GEO/OPP). 1/3

A tiny plant with a powerful secret! The Li Lab discovered that hornworts have a unique CO₂ booster that could supercharge photosynthesis and boost crop yields by up to 50%! Could this be the future of agriculture? Find out more: ambrook.com/research/stu... @fernway.bsky.social #PlantScience

The Funny Little Plant That Could Upend Agriculture - Ambrook Research

Hornworts, an otherwise unremarkable bit of flora, has a unique photosynthesis booster. New research finds this booster has the potential to increase crop yields up to 50%.

ambrook.com

Firings happening right now at the NSF.

1/6 Super excited to share with you our work on Marchantia intra-specific diversity and pan-genomics, just out @naturegenet.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41... Everything on the discoveries in the thread by @chloe-beaulieu.bsky.social I want to emphasize 5 additional points: