Researchers have identified a novel molecular module, the PEP2-PEPR2 signalling pathway, that regulates iron-deficiency responses in plants. This discovery reveals how plants integrate growth and iron acquisition, offering insights into nutrient homeostasis and potential strategies for improving crop yield and nutritional quality in iron-deficient soils globally.
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A study by IIT Gandhinagar has linked Indus Valley Civilization’s collapse to four severe droughts lasting for 88-164 years between 4,400 and 3,400 years ago with up to 20% reduction in rainfall, reduced river discharge of over 12%, together with 0.5 degree C warming
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The biggest problem with conventional breeding programmes and the cutting-edge genetic engineering is that only a small set of genes are programmed to behave differently and the impact of that is also limited. On the other hand, with identification of a global switch for salt-stress, this study opens a new realm of possibilities
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When plants face abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity or heat, specific epigenetic marks appear at stress-response genes. Later, these marks help plants mount faster with a stronger defense system.
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The Bharat Forecast System has demonstrated significant improvement in the rainfall forecast over the core monsoon region, and 30% better accuracy for the extreme rainfall forecast compared with the previous operational model. It has been developed primarily for improving the short- and medium-range weather prediction but may be applied for other scales of prediction as well
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An extreme rainfall event — about 572 mm of rainfall in just over 48 hours — was identified as the immediate trigger for the disaster. But the occurrence of a landslide is not determined by rainfall alone. It is the result of a complex interaction between this climatic trigger and pre-existing terrain vulnerabilities
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The Ganga River has been through unprecedented drying for 30 years between 1991 and 2020 in the last 1,300 years (700 to 2012). The drying seen during 1991-2020 is 76% more intense than the last severe drought that occurred in the 16th Century — between 1501 and 1530. The lastest 30-year period stands out as the driest period not only because of the number of drought years but also because the drought prolonged for a few years without a break
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Though located in the same climatic zone, aspect, and slope, Durung Drung glacier lost over eight sq. km area and retreated more than 800 metres, while the Pensilungpa glacier lost just over two sq. km and retreated only about 200 metres. Besides the warming climate, other factors too have a role to play
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Unlike trees, bamboos, which have hollow culms and fibrous tissues, seldom get fossilised. That makes the Imphal Valley bamboo fossil remarkable — not only does it retain structural features such as nodes, internodes, and nodal buds, but it also preserves scars of thorns, details that almost never survive fossilisation
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Traditionally, scientists estimate lake volume using satellite images and some empirically derived mathematical formulae. But these approaches often rely on rough assumptions. The recent work showed that these methods can be off by more than 1,000% in some Himalayan lakes. The implication: some lakes hold huge volume of water, possing a risk of glacial lake outburst floods
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Various indices that already exist focus on the magnitude of the floods or the inundation caused by the floods while ignoring the impact of flood on people, be it injury or deaths. The District Flood Severity Index developed by IIT Delhi and IIT Gandhinagar researchers addresses this lacuna
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While the loss was in the forest core and bridge areas (corridors connecting different core areas), the increase in forest area was mostly restricted to islets — patches of forest containing no core and representing isolated habitats. Nearly half of newly added forests were islets, while a negligible 6% increase in forest cover was in the core
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Inspired by Ahmedabad’s success, over 130 cities and 23 States across India have developed their own Heat Action Plans. Alongside Heat Action Plans, a variety of heat-mitigation solutions have been implemented. Despite a variety of solutions implemented, significant challenges remain in addressing heatwave-related problems.
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