Corn is a staple feed and biofuel crop with a value close to $3.7 billion in the Michigan economy alone. However, knowledge about seedling pathogens in Michigan corn fields is limited. A group of scientists in the Department of Plant,…
Tag: Agriculture
SMART discovers breakthrough way to look at the surface of nanoparticles
New method to explore the surface of nanoparticles, unlike existing chemical procedures which have severe limitations
Helpful insects and landscape changes
We might not notice them, but the crops farmers grow are protected by scores of tiny invertebrate bodyguards. Naturally occurring arthropods like spiders and lady beetles patrol crop fields looking for insects to eat. These natural enemies keep pests under…
Palm oil: Less fertilizer and no herbicide but same yield?
International team led by the University of Göttingen investigates environmentally sustainable palm oil production
Calcium added to acidified prepartum diets for dairy cows benefits future reproduction
URBANA, Ill. – Achieving an appropriate calcium balance in dairy cows is critical near calving, but not only to ensure a healthy transition to lactation. According to a new study from the University of Illinois, calcium added to acidified prepartum…
UTIA partners with energy and utility providers in fresh electric farm
Kale grown in a storage container to be donated to charity
Research highlights importance of crop competition as a weed control strategy
WESTMINSTER, Colorado – November 04, 2019 – A new study featured in the journal Weed Science points to the formidable weed control challenges faced by growers today. Weeds have developed resistance to many existing herbicide options, and new herbicide discoveries…
Global policy-makers must take a more ambitious approach to reversing biodiversity loss
A group of leading conservationists, including Dr Joseph W. Bull at the University of Kent, is urging governments across the globe to adopt a new approach to address the impact of economic development on our natural world. In a new…
Scientists create ‘artificial leaf’ that turns carbon into fuel
Converts harmful carbon dioxide into useful alternative fuel
Scientists create ‘artificial leaf’ that turns carbon into fuel
Converts harmful carbon dioxide into useful alternative fuel
Overexpression of maize gene improves yield
Researchers report that increasing and expanding expression of zmm28, a maize transcription factor gene, can produce plants with increased growth and nutrient use capacity. Maize is a leading cereal crop in the world, but yield increases are not keeping pace…
Global policy-makers must take a more ambitious approach to reversing biodiversity loss
A group of leading conservationists, including Dr Joseph W. Bull at the University of Kent, is urging governments across the globe to adopt a new approach to address the impact of economic development on our natural world. In a new…
Scientists create ‘artificial leaf’ that turns carbon into fuel
Converts harmful carbon dioxide into useful alternative fuel
Agri-Neo launches Neo-Temper™ to prevent flour recalls through pathogen-reduction process
Organic, validated non-thermal food safety solution easily integrates into existing tempering process; preserves nutrition, sensory and functional characteristics of both hard and soft wheat flours
Agri-Neo launches Neo-Temper™ to prevent flour recalls through pathogen-reduction process
Organic, validated non-thermal food safety solution easily integrates into existing tempering process; preserves nutrition, sensory and functional characteristics of both hard and soft wheat flours
Research highlights importance of crop competition as a weed control strategy
WESTMINSTER, Colorado – November 04, 2019 – A new study featured in the journal Weed Science points to the formidable weed control challenges faced by growers today. Weeds have developed resistance to many existing herbicide options, and new herbicide discoveries…
Research highlights importance of crop competition as a weed control strategy
WESTMINSTER, Colorado – November 04, 2019 – A new study featured in the journal Weed Science points to the formidable weed control challenges faced by growers today. Weeds have developed resistance to many existing herbicide options, and new herbicide discoveries…
Overexpression of maize gene improves yield
Researchers report that increasing and expanding expression of zmm28, a maize transcription factor gene, can produce plants with increased growth and nutrient use capacity. Maize is a leading cereal crop in the world, but yield increases are not keeping pace…
Agri-Neo launches Neo-Temper™ to prevent flour recalls through pathogen-reduction process
Organic, validated non-thermal food safety solution easily integrates into existing tempering process; preserves nutrition, sensory and functional characteristics of both hard and soft wheat flours
Overexpression of maize gene improves yield
Researchers report that increasing and expanding expression of zmm28, a maize transcription factor gene, can produce plants with increased growth and nutrient use capacity. Maize is a leading cereal crop in the world, but yield increases are not keeping pace…
Global policy-makers must take a more ambitious approach to reversing biodiversity loss
A group of leading conservationists, including Dr Joseph W. Bull at the University of Kent, is urging governments across the globe to adopt a new approach to address the impact of economic development on our natural world. In a new…
Viticulture gets a boost with yield predicting, threat detecting robots
For grape growers, accurately predicting each season’s yield is key to a successful harvest. Underpredict, and you won’t have enough labor on hand or you’ll run out of storage space; overpredict, and you could fall through on promises to your distributors.
Preserved pollen tells the history of floodplains
Fossil pollen can help reconstruct the past and predict the future
To avoid cassava disease, Tanzanian farmers can plant certain varieties in certain seasons
A nutty-flavored, starchy root vegetable, cassava (also known as yuca) is one of the most drought-resistant crops and is a major source of calories and carbs for people in developing countries, serving as the primary food for more than 800…
Decoding plant chatter could lead to stronger crops
Researchers will use a $2.25 federal grant to study how cells communicate within plants, and between plants and pathogens, to develop crops that are resilient to disease and other stresses. The work also could play a role in reengineering plants and microbes to improve biofuel production.
Project partners researchers, librarians and AI to fight hunger
Ceres2030, a global effort led by International Programs in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, is employing machine learning, librarian expertise and cutting-edge research analysis to use existing knowledge to help eliminate hunger by 2030.
Micro-satellites offer a fresh view of NYS agriculture
Cornell University researchers are deploying thumbnail-size satellites to monitor environmental conditions as a dry run for using the technology for future space research. At the same time, he is harvesting valuable data that will help growers make more informed decisions about growing crops and caring for animals.
A new drought-protective small molecule ‘drug’ for crops
Using a structure-guided approach to small molecule discovery and design, researchers have developed a drought-protective ‘drug’ for crops, according to a new study. The results show opabactin, the new synthetic abscisic acid (ABA) mimic, is nearly 10 times more effective…
Eastern Broccoli Project on track to meet $100M goal
The Eastern Broccoli Project began in 2010 with the goal of growing a $100 million broccoli industry in the Eastern U.S. in 10 years. Currently, the industry is valued at around $90 million and, with two remaining years of funding, Cornell University researchers say they are on schedule to meet their goal.
A roadmap to make the land sector carbon neutral by 2040
A new roadmap outlines actions on deforestation, restoration, and carbon cuts that could lead to the land sector becoming carbon neutral by 2040 and a net carbon sink by 2050.
Mapping millet genetics
October 23, 2019 – In the semi-arid tropics of Asia and Africa, conditions can be difficult for crops. Plants need to have short growing seasons, survive on poor soils and tolerate environmental stresses. Enter, the millets. Close to 97% of…
Researchers discover the ‘KARAPPO’ gene and illuminate vegetative reproduction
Applications expected in agricultural and horticultural fields
Swarm of tiny drones explores unknown environments
Researchers have presented a swarm of tiny drones that can explore unknown environments completely by themselves. This work, presented in Science Robotics on 23 October, forms a significant step in the field of swarm robotics. The challenge comes from the…
Nature: Scientists present new data on the evolution of plants and the origin of species
There are over 500,000 plant species in the world today. They all evolved from a common ancestor. How this leap in biodiversity happened is still unclear. In the upcoming issue of Nature , an international team of researchers, including scientists…
$2.3 million DoE grant to advance ethanol fuel research
Grant supports mathematical modeling of biomass movement in large fermentation facilities
Neural network technique identifies mechanisms of ferroelectric switching
Innovations in material science are as essential to modern life as indoor plumbing – and go about as unnoticed. For example, innovations in semiconducting devices continue to enable the transmission of more information, faster and through smaller hardware – such…
New portable DNA sequencer quickly and accurately diagnoses wheat viruses
New Portable DNA Sequencer Quickly and Accurately Diagnoses Wheat Viruses Blasts cause significant loses in wheat crops. Recently Bangladesh was devastated by an invasion of South American races of wheat blast fungus, which occurred for the first time in the…
Making high-value products from agricultural waste
Sunscreen from mushroom waste, healthy skincare products from apples and berries, and high-tech materials from Brussels sprout stalks – these are some high value products that could be first to market from a new $11 million research consortium led by the University of Adelaide.
Real texture for lab-grown meat
Researchers grow muscle cells on edible fibers
Merger to bring the next generation of insect control to the global marketplace
Eco-friendly pheromone insect controls become feasible
Defining the centromere
Investigating the roles of kinetochores in cell division
Resistance to antibiotics doubles in 20 years, new study finds
(Barcelona, October 21, 2019) Resistance to commonly-used antibiotics for treating harmful bacteria related to a variety of stomach conditions has more than doubled in 20 years, new research presented today at UEG Week Barcelona 2019 has shown. The study, which…
Next-generation sequencing used to identify cotton blue disease in the United States
St. Paul, MN (October, 2019)–Cotton blue disease, caused by Cotton leafroll dwarf virus (CLRDV), was first reported in 1949 in the Central African Republic and then not again until 2005, when it was reported from Brazil. In 2017, cotton blue…
Future flash drought will increase over humid regions
Flash drought is a new phenomenon with increasing prominence under global warming. The drought develops rapidly without sufficient early warning, and has stricken the world with severe impacts during recent years, such as the droughts over central USA in 2012…
Photosynthesis olympics: can the best wheat varieties be even better?
Scientists have put elite wheat varieties through a sort of “Photosynthesis Olympics” to find which varieties have the best performing photosynthesis. This could ultimately help grain growers to get more yield for less inputs in the farm. “In this study…
First report of cotton blue disease in the United States
St. Paul, MN (October, 2019)–In August 2017, Kathy S. Lawrence, a plant pathologist at Auburn University, received a call from Drew Schrimsher of Agri-AFC, who had discovered foliar distortion and leaf curling and rolling on approximately 50,000 acres of cotton…
Alfalfa and potassium: It’s complicated
Expect a tradeoff between alfalfa yield and quality when fertilizing with potassium
Alfalfa and potassium: It’s complicated
Has anyone ever told you to eat a banana when you have a muscle cramp or eye twitch? That’s because bananas have potassium. Potassium is an important nutrient for humans, and an even more important nutrient when it comes to…
Bolivian forager-farmers with amazing heart health are split over what makes a good life
Lifestyle may be central to maintaining health in a small society undergoing change in livelihood and nutrition, Baylor University researcher finds
How hunger makes food tastier: a neural circuit in the hypothalamus
Researchers at the National Institute for Physiological Sciences in Okazaki identify the neural pathways that cause hunger-induced increases in the preference for sweet foods and the decreased sensitivity to aversive tastes in mice