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PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET
Online ISSN:
2572-2611
Journal Overview
Plants, People, Planet is a cross-disciplinary Open Access journal, owned by the New Phytologist Foundation, focusing on the interface between plants and society. Please click here to submit.
A message to our community ▼
The New Phytologist Foundation has been closely monitoring updates on the spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus. Our staff is now working remotely and while Plants, People, Planet is considering manuscripts as normal, we are conscious that there may be a slight delay in handling papers due to editor and reviewer availability during this time.
We also appreciate that our community may have many pressures and challenges to face in the coming weeks, so please be assured that our Editorial Office team is on hand to help with any queries and support you may need. Please contact ppp@lancaster.ac.uk with any queries you may have.
Browse Articles
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more >Open access
Urban park visitor preferences for vegetation – An on‐site qualitative research study
- 15 March 2021
Abstract
With more than half of the human population living in cities, urban parks are some of the most significant places for human–nature interactions and their vegetation can provide a range of ecosystem services; however, the vegetation may not always meet the preferences of visitors. By conducting qualitative semi‐structured interviews with visitors at a range of urban park types interspersed throughout a city, we explored vegetation preferences that may be used to improve park planning, design, and maintenance, as well as educate and engage visitors.
Open accessA digital catalog of high‐density markers for banana germplasm collections
- Mathieu Rouard
- Julie Sardos
- Guilhem Sempéré
- Catherine Breton
- Valentin Guignon
- Ines Van den Houwe
- Sebastien C. Carpentier
- Nicolas Roux
- 1 March 2021
Abstract
Global production of bananas, among the top ten food crops worldwide, is under threat. Increasing the use of germplasm conserved in genebanks is crucial. However, the lack of or difficult access to genetic diversity information limits the efficient utilization of these valuable resources. Here, we present a digital catalog of high‐density markers for banana germplasm conserved at the international banana collection. By facilitating access to subsets of genetic diversity information, the catalog has potential to maximize conservation and use of climate‐ready varieties and to optimize breeding strategies. The catalog is extendable with data from any banana collection and the software is easily deployable in other crop genebanks.
free accessIssue Information
- 93-93
- 25 February 2021
Abstract
A crop of taro (Colocasia esculenta) growing on the island of Futuna. Taro is a widely cultivated and nutritious food plant, with considerable untapped potential, but is overlooked and considered to be an "orphan crop". Why is this the case and can these perceptions about certain food plants be changed? Please see Peter Matthews and Michel Ghanem's article ‘Perception gaps that may explain the status of taro (Colocasia esculenta) as an "orphan crop"’ in this issue, which outlines that the key to future food and nutrition security may lie in unlocking the untapped potential of overlooked (orphan) crops such as taro. Image courtesy of Théo Rouby.
Open accessSpecific arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal–plant interactions determine radionuclide and metal transfer into Plantago lanceolata
- 22 February 2021
Abstract
Industrial activity has left a legacy of pollution by radionuclides and heavy metals. The exposure of terrestrial environments to increased levels of ionising radiation and toxic elements is of concern, not only because of the immediate effects to biota but also because of the potential risk of mobilisation into higher levels of a food chain. Here, we present a study that extends our knowledge of how arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi contribute to the mobilisation of non‐essential elements in environments such as former mine sites, and provides a perspective that will be of interest for the management and remediation of such sites.
Open accessBringing access and benefit sharing into the digital age
- Sylvain Aubry
- Christine Frison
- Jorge C. Medaglia
- Emile Frison
- Marcel Jaspars
- Muriel Rabone
- Aysegul Sirakaya
- Devanshi Saxena
- Esther van Zimmeren
- 21 February 2021
Abstract
Reading and writing DNA is now possible with an unprecedented speed and ease. To catch up with digitization of genetic resources, scientists need to join with all relevant stakeholders and design new global governance mechanisms for digital sequence information. We propose the establishment of a Multi‐stakeholder Committee on the Governance of Digital Sequence Information (DSI). This multi‐disciplinary body will be dedicated to mitigate governance issues associated with the digitization of genetic resources. Solving the DSI conundrum is sorely needed given the forthcoming multilateral meetings of the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) framework (the next CBD COP is scheduled in 2021) that are central to tackle the global loss of biodiversity, global warming, pandemic risk and food insecurity.
Open accessAccess and benefit‐sharing DNA Componentry for plant synthetic biology: Bioparts expressed in plant chassis
- 18 February 2021
Abstract
The “Parts Agenda” is an approach to synthetic biology that fragments genetic resources into functional bioparts to help design and build biological devices and systems. Access and benefit‐sharing (ABS), and the issue of how to regulate digital sequence information (DSI) within the current ABS regime, poses a problem for synthetic biology because it assumes fragmented and abstracted bioparts can be traced to their country of origin for the purposes of benefit‐sharing, and that contributions to information and knowledge can be quantified and appropriately valued. Any DSI regulatory solutions should account for genetic resource fragmentation and other complexities of modern scientific practice.
Open accessReaching the highest shelf: A review of organic production, nutritional quality, and shelf life of kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala)
- 15 February 2021
Abstract
Since its inception in the early 20th century, organic agriculture has grown increasingly popular due to its focus on a holistic, environmentally friendly approach to crop production. However, it is comparatively limited in biomass production, disease management, nutritional quality, and postharvest treatment compared to conventional agriculture. These challenges carry over into kale production, the majority of which is certified organic. This article reviews organic kale production, morphology, and shelf life, focusing on nutrition and plant breeding. It explores the shortcomings of organic output and potential areas of study to enhance shelf life in organic kale while maintaining nutritional quality.
Open accessVisualising an invisible symbiosis
- 11 February 2021
Abstract
Despite the vast abundance and global importance of plant and microbial species, the large majority go unnoticed and unappreciated by humans, contributing to pressing issues including the neglect of study and research of these organisms, the lack of interest and support for their protection and conservation, low microbial and botanical literacy in society, and a growing disconnect between people and nature. The invisibility of many of these organisms is a key factor in their oversight by society, but also points to a solution: sharing the wealth of visual data produced during scientific research with a broader audience. Here, we discuss how the invisible can be visualised for a public audience, and the benefits it can bring.
Open accessIntrogression between Betula tianshanica and Betula microphylla and its implications for conservation
- Junyi Ding
- Donglai Hua
- James S. Borrell
- Richard J. A. Buggs
- Luwei Wang
- Feifei Wang
- Zheng Li
- Nian Wang
- 3 February 2021
Abstract
In rapidly changing environments species conservation can be hindered by uncertainties in distinguishing closely related species. Cryptic ongoing hybridization can add further uncertainty and could be beneficial or destructive. Here, we show that a declining birch tree species is hybridizing with a more widespread relative in the Junggar basin, NW China, and their hybrids have been previously named as rare sub‐species. Given the declining numbers of this birch tree, we suggest that conservation effort should aim to slow the rate of anthropogenic habitat loss at this hybrid zone and preserve its pure populations away from the hybrid zone.
Open accessCan common mycorrhizal fungal networks be managed to enhance ecosystem functionality?
- 2 February 2021
Abstract
Mycorrhizal fungi are key components of soil biodiversity that offer potential to provide sustainable solutions for land management, notably in agriculture and forestry. Several studies conducted in controlled environments show that key functional attributes of common mycorrhizal networks (CMNs), which inter‐link different plants, are influenced by management practices. Here, we highlight the need to consider how land management affects the ubiquity and function of CMNs in nature to maximize the role of mycorrhizal fungi in enhancing ecosystem services. We emphasize that CMNs can sometimes negatively affect aspects of plant performance, but there remain major gaps in understanding before explicit consideration of CMN management can be delivered.
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Plants, People, Planet publishes across six broad themes:
- Plants and Society
- Plant Conservation
- Plant Diversity
- Plants and Global Change
- Plant Natural Assets
- Plant Genomics Applications
Plants and Society
- Science policy decision-making
- Food security
- Economic policy
- Risk and resilience
- Environmental social sciences
- Sustainable crops and sustainable agriculture
- Education and public engagement
Plant Conservation
- National and international programmes
- Success stories at all scales
- Trees and forests
- Ecological restoration
- The role of botanical gardens and arboreta
- Conservation genetics
- The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation
- Evaluating success
Plant Diversity
- Phylogenetics and systematics
- Biogeography
- Biodiversity hotspots
- Adaptation and speciation
- Coevolution and mutualisms
- Pollination and mating systems
- Ecological genetics and genomics
- Fungal taxonomy and diversity
Plants and Global Change
- Climate change and policy
- Plant health
- Ecological change
- Phenotypic plasticity and evolutionary responses
- Deforestation
- Invasive plants
- Urban ecology and green landscaping
- Urban amelioration of air pollution
Plant Natural Assets
- Plants, human health and wellbeing
- Crops and agro-ecology
- Ethnomedicine and drug discovery
- Phylogenetics of medical plants
- Natural asset sharing policy
- Plant-insect interactions and ecosystem services
- Environmental economics
Plant Genomics Applications
- Marker assisted plant breeding
- Crop genomics
- Biotechnology
- Resource utilisation efficiency of crops
- Abiotic stress
- Plant-microbe interactions
- Soil metagenomics
- Plant microbiomes
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