Blushing plants reveal when fungi are growing in their roots

Almost all crop plants form associations with a particular type of fungi – called arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi – in the soil, which greatly expand their root surface area. This mutually beneficial interaction boosts the plant’s ability to take up nutrients…

Study innovates in gluten-free formulations, creating more palatable and nutritious bread

Study at the Federal University of São Paulo developed a recipe combining chickpea flour and psyllium, a plant-derived soluble fiber. The product is nourishing and rated highly by consumers in qualitative surveys.

Press registration opens for ACS Fall 2021 meeting

WASHINGTON, July 15, 2021 — Journalists who register for the fall meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) will have access to more than 7,000 presentations on topics including agriculture and food, energy and fuels, health and medicine, space science,…

A new sensitive tool for the efficient quantification of plant disease susceptibility

While several biology techniques have undergone significant technical advances that have allowed their high-throughput implementation, assessing the resistance levels of plant varieties to microbial pathogens remains an arduous and time-consuming task. In response to this, Pujara and collaborators took advantage…

Dartmouth Engineering professor selected to direct new Brazilian biofuels lab

Lee Lynd , the Queneau Distinguished Professor of Engineering at Dartmouth, will be the founding director of the new Advanced Second Generation (A2G) Biofuel Laboratory located at the University of Campinas (Unicamp) in Brazil. The lab’s mission is to develop…

Protein crop’s potential unlocked by deciphering anti-nutrient biosynthesis

Faba beans are an excellent source of food protein, but about 4% of the world’s population are afflicted by favism, which renders them sensitive to the faba bean anti-nutrients vicine and convicine. Now, an international research team has identified the…

New broadly applicable tool provides insight into fungicide resistance

Succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDHIs) are a class of fungicides widely used to control many fungal diseases of crops. The relationship between SDHIs and fungi can be compared to finding the right key for the right lock. However, fungi are adaptable…

Research enhances understanding of switchgrass, an important bioenergy crop

Bioenergy crops are an alternative energy source that, unlike fossil fuels, could positively impact the environment by reducing greenhouse gases, soil erosion, and carbon dioxide levels. They can be produced even more sustainably if they are grown on poor quality…

From eyebrow beans to ‘lost’ rice: community seedbanks are protecting China’s crops

Despite being relatively new in China, community-led seedbanks are a valuable resource in conserving agricultural biodiversity. For the first time, researchers have provided a comprehensive summary of the services performed by 27 seedbanks across the coun

The sense of smell in older adults declines when it comes to meat, but not vanilla

Contrary to what science once suggested, older people with a declining sense of smell do not have comprehensively dampened olfactory ability for odors in general – it simply depends upon the type of odor. Researchers at the University of Copenhagen…

Slowing down grape ripening can improve berry quality for winemaking

Wine grapes are particularly finicky when it comes to their environment. For instance, heatwaves and droughts lead to earlier berry ripening and lackluster wine. And these types of episodes are expected to intensify as Earth’s climate changes. Now, researchers reporting…

Kiwi disease study finds closely related bacterial strains display different behaviors

Over the last decade, severe outbreaks of bacterial canker have caused huge economic losses for kiwi growers, especially in Italy, New Zealand, and China, which are among the largest producers. Bacterial canker is caused by the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae…

Compost improves apple orchard sustainability

As the saying goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. But what’s the key to growing a quality apple? Apple trees need access to important nutrients, which come from the soil. However, soil is quite different from orchard…

Tuckered out: Early Antarctic explorers underfed their dogs

It’s one of the iconic images of early Antarctic exploration: the heroic explorer sledging across the icy wastes towed by his trusty team of canine companions. But new research analysing a century-old dog biscuit suggests the animals in this picture…

How to awkwardly interact with people at a bar using chemistry (video)

WASHINGTON, June 14, 2021 — With pandemic restrictions lifting in the U.S., we’re starting to get back out in the world, meeting up with friends and coworkers at restaurants and bars. If you’re worried you forgot how to talk to…

Association of sweetened beverage tax with purchases of beverages, high-sugar foods

What The Study Did: Researchers examined whether a sweetened beverage tax in Philadelphia was associated with sustained changes in beverage prices and purchases of sweetened beverages and high-sugar foods two years after implementation of the tax. Authors: Christina A. Roberto,…