Too hot to defend: a tale of salicylic acid.

Extreme temperatures threaten plant immunity by suppressing the salicylic acid (SA) biosynthesis via unknown mechanisms. Kim et al. demonstrated that suppression of the SA pathway and plant immunity can be rescued by optimised expression of two master immune regulator(s), advancing our prospects for better protecting plants in a warming climate.

Anticoagulant and antiplatelet activities of novel serine protease purified from seeds of Cucumis maderaspatensis.

In this study, we report the biochemical characterization of a novel serine protease from seeds of Cucumis maderaspatensis, aimed with assessing the anticoagulant and antiplatelet activities. The purified serine protease was obtained by subjecting the seed extract to ammonium sulphate precipitation followed by anion exchange and gel filtration chromatography. Twenty seven-fold purification with the specific activity of 884.2 U/mg of protease activity was obtained. The characterization of the novel protease enzyme activity for optimum temperature, pH and effect of different protease inhibitors and metal ions were measured using caseinolytic assay and casein zymogram. The relative molecular mass of the novel neutral serine protease (CmSP) is ~ 32 kDa. Its anticoagulant was determined by assessing the delay in plasma re-calcification time in both platelet-rich and platelet-poor plasma. The antiplatelet activity of serine protease was demonstrated by inhibition of agonists induced platelet aggregation; it was in the order of Epinephrine > Adenosine tri phosphate. Further studies would decipher the mechanism of action to understand its therapeutic potential as an antiplatelet and anticoagulant molecule.

Current status and future challenges in implementing and upscaling vertical farming systems.

Vertical farming can produce food in a climate-resilient manner, potentially emitting zero pesticides and fertilizers, and with lower land and water use than conventional agriculture. Vertical farming systems (VFS) can meet daily consumer demands for nutritious fresh products, forming a part of resilient food systems-particularly in and around densely populated areas. VFS currently produce a limited range of crops including fruits, vegetables and herbs, but successful implementation of vertical farming as part of mainstream agriculture will require improvements in profitability, energy efficiency, public policy and consumer acceptance. Here we discuss VFS as multi-layer indoor crop cultivation systems, exploring state-of-the-art vertical farming and future challenges in the fields of plant growth, product quality, automation, robotics, system control and environmental sustainability and how research and development, socio-economic and policy-related institutions must work together to ensure successful upscaling of VFS to future food systems.