"Sour" grapes: Berry damage, fruit flies worsen wine
Damaged grape berries combined with vinegar flies are a recipe for promoting sour rot, a disease that lowers vineyard yields and wine quality, according to a Cornell study reporting on field experiments in New York state......»»
Comprehensive evaluation identifies top finger lime varieties for commercial and ornamental use
A research team has conducted a comprehensive evaluation of nine finger lime varieties, identifying key differences in fruit peel color and suitability for commercial production. Xiangbinhong emerged as the best variety for commercial production, whi.....»»
Invasive species discovered in Colorado River is capable of wiping out ecosystems, causing costly damage
An invasive species capable of wiping out entire aquatic ecosystems and causing millions of dollars in damage to infrastructure has been found for the first time in the Colorado River, the most important river in the American Southwest......»»
Mantle upwelling may have triggered Morocco earthquake
On 8 September 2023, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck western Morocco, causing damage and destruction that claimed thousands of lives in rural communities in the High Atlas Mountains......»»
Sustainable irrigation critical to recovery of Ukrainian farms, a major global exporter of grain and oilseeds
By the middle of the century, three-quarters of Ukrainian croplands—a critical source of the world's grain and oilseeds—will experience water shortages due to the combination of climate change and infrastructural damage caused by the Russian inva.....»»
Groundcherry gets genetic upgrades: Turning a garden curiosity into an agricultural powerhouse
Imagine a small fruit that tastes like a cross between a tomato and a pineapple, wrapped in its own natural paper lantern. That's the groundcherry (Physalis grisea)—a little-known relative of tomatoes that's been quietly growing in gardens and smal.....»»
Genetic study reveals key to mulberry anthocyanin richness
Unlocking the genetic secrets of mulberry anthocyanin content, a study illuminates the regulatory mechanisms that dictate fruit color and nutritional quality. By assembling and analyzing the genomes of two distinct mulberry cultivars, researchers hav.....»»
FruitFlow: A new citizen science initiative unlocks orchard secrets
The "FruitWatch" initiative, a groundbreaking citizen science project, has significantly enhanced the accuracy of predicting flowering times for fruit trees across Great Britain. This improvement is vital for the agricultural sector, enabling better.....»»
Hundreds of new genome sequences fill gaps in the fruit fly tree of life
A multitude of new genomic sequence data fills major gaps in the fruit fly tree of life, Bernard Kim from Stanford University, US, and colleagues report in the open-access journal PLOS Biology, publishing July 18......»»
Peeling back the genetic layers of stone fruit domestication
The Prunus genus, encompassing apricots, peaches, plums, and mei, is vital due to its economic and nutritional value. However, the genetic foundations of these species' shared and unique traits remain largely unexplored. This knowledge gap hinders ad.....»»
Study highlights potential for genetic manipulation in cucumber breeding
The CLAVATA (CLV) signaling pathway is crucial for controlling flower and fruit development by regulating the shoot apical meristem (SAM) size. Despite its significance, the downstream signaling components in crops remain largely unknown. Understandi.....»»
Methane emissions are the low-hanging fruit of the climate transition
Methane is well known for coming from ruminants digestive system. What is less known is its important role in current climate change and what we could do to drastically reduce our emissions......»»
Researchers build ultralight drone that flies with onboard solar
Bizarre design uses a solar-powered motor that's optimized for weight. Enlarge / The CoulombFly doing its thing. (credit: Nature) On Wednesday, researchers reported that they had developed a drone they're calling the Cou.....»»
The cost of eating healthy: NZ fruit and veg prices are going up way faster than processed food
The rising price of food has been making headlines for the past decade. But prices have not been rising consistently across all food groups—and this has major health implications for New Zealanders......»»
Low-cost cellphone-based Raman spectrometer system can identify unknown biological molecules within minutes
Imagine knowing what berry or mushroom is safe to eat during a hike or swiftly detecting pathogens in a hospital setting that would traditionally require days to identify......»»
Highway to hell? Plan for Germany"s biggest motorway sparks anger
A proposal to create Germany's biggest motorway has sparked a backlash, with critics fearful the "monstrosity" will increase climate-damaging emissions, worsen noise pollution and harm biodiverse habitats......»»
Hurricanes Are Trapping Small Island Nations in Ever-Worsening Spirals of Debt
Damage from tropical storms like Beryl saddles islands with debt, which they have no hope of clearing before the next storm hits......»»
Managing cyberattack fallout: Financial and operational damage
In this Help Net Security, Ashley Harrington, Director of Cybersecurity at Aspida, discusses the impact of cyberattack on business operations and financial health. Beyond immediate disruptions and financial burdens, cyber incident can severely damage.....»»
Frozen mammoth skin retained its chromosome structure
Features as small as 50 nanometers preserved in a 50,000-year-old sample. Enlarge (credit: LEONELLO CALVETTI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY) One of the challenges of working with ancient DNA samples is that damage accumulates ove.....»»
The Wild History of Hurricane Forecasting
Scientists, pilots and even a Jesuit priest have tried over decades to understand some of the most ferocious storms on Earth, but climate change is making such efforts to avert damage more difficult.....»»
Auroras caused by head-on blows to Earth"s magnetic field could damage critical infrastructure, scientists say
Auroras have inspired myths and portents for millennia—but only now, with modern technology dependent on electricity, are we appreciating their true power. The same forces which cause auroras also cause currents that can damage infrastructure which.....»»