'Sleeping' plants discovery made by city researchers

SCIENTISTS have proved that plants, like humans, benefit from a good night's sleep.

A study led by Edinburgh University has pinpointed genes that help plants sense when it is dark and time to slow down.

The scientists used computer models of gene networks in a cress plant to show that certain genes take effect to allow plants to reduce their activity at night and predict when the sun will rise again.

Researchers hope the discovery will bring them a step closer to understanding other daily rhythms that affect plants and people, such as the flowering of staple crops like wheat, barley and rice, and the patterns of human sleep.

Professor Andrew Millar, of the university's School of Biological Sciences, who led the study, said: "We may be able to understand more about why some plants grow better in certain regions of the world and find new varieties to grow in other locations."