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  • Open access
  • 110 Reads
Biodiversity and Pesticides, Why We are Wrong

Biodiversity is a dynamic process which has been collapsing at a remarkably high speed for the last thirty years. How can 80% of the insect biomass in protected areas of Europe vanish in such a short period of time? In the meantime, honeybee colonies are collapsing. In each case, the usual answer is that the causes are multifactorial and that more research is needed. A statement that easily satisfies the scientific community. The aim of this paper is to show that, in fact, this consensus results from the manipulation of the scientific management system by social engineers working for the agrochemical industry. Such techniques have been in use since 1953 when they served to hide the major effects of tobacco concerning lung cancer. Indeed, lung cancer, like biodiversity collapse, is multifactorial. But one cause is more important than all others. By insisting on the multifactorial aspect and by manipulating the research system, this fact remains hidden. This process has been documented by journalists and sociologists but remains largely ignored by the community of biologists who are immerged in it and thus largely ignore it.

  • Open access
  • 142 Reads
Functional Role of NAC Transcription Factors in Stress Responses and Genetic Diversity of Rice Plants Grown under Salt Stress Conditions

Abiotic stress factors adversely affect crop growth and yield all over the world. NAC transcription factors could regulate stress response in plant species, and their underlying mechanisms should be studied. The current work investigates whether the rice transcription factor, SNAC3, could augment salinity tolerance of rice plants. Results indicated that salt-stressed rice plants overexpressing SNAC3 had improved salt tolerance and yield, enhanced relative water content and osmolytes, increased gas-exchange attributes and antioxidant enzymes activity, up-regulated stress-responsive genes expression, and reduced oxidative stress markers levels, as compared to wild-type plants. SNAC3 rice mutants exhibited the reversed traits. Additionally, simple sequence repeats analysis showed genetically diverse patterns among treated and non-treated plants. In conclusion, SNAC3 has a crucial role in improving salinity tolerance and grain yield of rice plants. This study also presented transgenic rice lines with enhanced grain yield and improved salinity tolerance.

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