size of their undusted lab-mates.What is more,these species
were clearly ready for the dust's arrival.As
soon as a lack of
phosphorus announced itself,two things happened.Their leaves
became hairier,and therefore better at capturing
dust.And
those leaves also started producing acid fluids that could dissolve
any incoming apatite,assisting phosphorus's absorption.
That plants can take up phosphorus through their leaves
1S
not,of itself,news to farmers.But until now the practical
con
sequence of such knowledge has been that crops are sprayed with
liquid fertilizer.Dusting leaves could,Dr Gross suggests,be a
more efficient way of providing desert-derived crop species with
the phosphorus they need.
12.What does the underlined word "detrimental"in paragraph 1