Hydrogen peroxide assists sexual reproduction in spruce
(PHYSorg.com Biology)

Plant physiologists from MSU have proved for the first time that dangerous reactive oxygen species that are often considered by-products of energy generation in cells are required by conifers to fertilize egg cells. Experiments with blue spruce (Picea pungens) pollen led to the discovery of a protein that makes the whole system work. The scientists believe that the obtained data will lead to the optimization of conifer forest restoration. The results of the study were published in Plant Reproduction.