University of Manitoba research results fake

The University of Manitoba sanctions a former researcher after an internal investigation concluded he faked data and made up experiments. Researcher Fawii Razem had claimed to have discovered a receptor for the major hormone linked to a plant's response to environmental stress. The receptor was long sought after, as it could help plants better adapt to cold or drought.

Read full article by Jen Skerritt at the Winnepeg Free Press

Love hormone being used to boost plant growth

Photo: Love hormone being used to boost plant growth in India (Getty Images)

A large number of Indian farmers are using the love hormone oxytocin, also known as "cuddle chemical", to boost the growth of pumpkins and cucumbers. However, the Indian Ministry of Agriculture is adamant on banning the practice, as "indiscriminate use of oxytocin may cause health hazards if taken through vegetables over a period of time". The use of oxytocin in farming has become prevalent in the Uttar Pradesh and Punjab regions in northern India, Oxytocin is known to affect social behaviour in humans, as well as facilitating birth and breastfeeding, reports New Scientist magazine. However, it is still unclear how this animal hormone might stimulate plant development.