Across southeastern US, weedy rice steals herbicide resistance from crop rice
Weedy rice is a close relative of cultivated rice that infests rice fields worldwide and drastically reduces yields. To combat this agricultural pest, rice growers in the southeastern United States have been planting rice cultivars that were tweaked.....»»
Chickpeas identified as key crop for future food security
Climate change has a negative impact on food security. An international research team led by Wolfram Weckwerth from the University of Vienna has now conducted a study to investigate the natural variation of different chickpea genotypes and their resi.....»»
Nano-nutrients can blunt effects of soil contamination, boost crop yields
One of the pressing problems that the world faces in the era of climate change is how to grow enough healthy food to meet the increasing global population, even as soil contamination rises. Research recently published in Nature Food by an internation.....»»
Honey bees in demand: New contract strategies to support pollination services
As the world's native bee populations are declining, crop production requiring pollinators increasingly relies on commercial pollination services. In the U.S., the beekeeping industry is in great demand, and truckloads of bee colonies travel the coun.....»»
Novel sensors could help develop bee-friendly protection for plants
The increasing global demand for plant-based foods makes the use of pesticides necessary in order to protect crops from pests and ensure crop yields. However, there is one major disadvantage: the widespread use of pesticides has led to a considerable.....»»
Biological control generates "desirable outcomes" within all One Health dimensions, research reveals
New CABI-led research has revealed that biological control generates "desirable outcomes" within all One Health dimensions—mitigating global change issues such as chemical pollution, biocide resistance, biodiversity loss, and habitat destruction......»»
New salicylic acid-based strategy could balance disease resistance with plant growth
Researchers at the University of Georgia have identified a promising approach to addressing a longstanding challenge for plant geneticists: balancing disease resistance and growth in plants......»»
Calcium transport protein in bacteria offers insights for drug development and food safety
Researchers at Umeå University have revealed details on how bacteria use calcium to regulate vital processes in a way that differs from human cells. This breakthrough is significant in the fight against antibiotic resistance and for increasing safet.....»»
Natural extracts boost drought resistance in lettuce and broccoli
A team from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Universitat Jaume I of Castelló, in collaboration with the company Caldic Ibérica, has developed a product based on four natural extra.....»»
Experts warn "crazy busy" Atlantic hurricane season is far from over
Millions of people in the southeastern U.S. still are reeling from the catastrophic damage caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, but scientists warn that the Atlantic hurricane season is far from over......»»
Targeting "selfish" bacteria could optimize inhibitors that fight antibiotic resistance
As strains of pathogens resistant to frontline antibiotics become more common worldwide, clinicians are more often turning to combination treatments that degrade this resistance as a first treatment option......»»
Key gene discovered for regulating rice grain length
Recently, a research team led by Professor Wu Yuejin from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, discovered a key gene that can influence rice grain length by regulating cell proliferation, the RGL2 gene. This pr.....»»
What yields per acre reveal about the impact of extreme weather
Since time immemorial, crop yields have been influenced by such extreme weather phenomena as heat waves, persisting droughts, downpours and lasting rainfall. Many studies have already demonstrated that due to climate change, periods of extreme weathe.....»»
Genetic mechanism unlocks a key secret behind disease infection in crops
Researchers have unraveled a key genetic mechanism behind the way pathogens infect crops, leading to new strategies for breeding resistant crop varieties against other pathogens carrying the same genetic mechanism......»»
Microplastic-free carrier system for pesticides shows potential for sustainable agriculture
Researchers from the University of Twente (Netherlands) and Bayreuth (Germany) have developed microplastic-free encapsulation for crop protection agents. They recently published their findings in Advanced Materials.....»»
Research team develops metallodrug-antibiotic combination strategy to combat superbugs
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) bacterial infections have become a serious problem threatening human health worldwide. The overuse of antibiotics has promoted drug-resistant mutations in bacteria, causing almost all clinically used antibiotics to deve.....»»
Field study finds using biodiversity instead of pesticides can reduce crop damage from herbivores
Pesticides aren't always necessary. Researchers at the University of Zurich have conducted a comprehensive field study showing that damage from herbivores can be reduced by using biodiversity within a plant species. Different plant genotypes can coop.....»»
Helene ravaged the NC plant that makes 60% of the country’s IV fluid supply
There is currently no timeline for when the plant will be able to reopen. Hurricane Helene's catastrophic damage and flooding to the Southeastern states may affect the country's m.....»»
Study reveals invasive Apple Snail could spread further in Africa
New research reveals that the invasive Apple Snail—which threatens rice crops—could spread further in Africa. The study is published in the journal CABI Agriculture and Bioscience......»»
One in three Harris County, Texas residents face victimization: Report
New research from Rice University's Kinder Institute for Urban Research finds that nearly 50% of Harris County residents said they have been a victim of a crime or legal incident at some point in their lifetime, and one in three individuals in the co.....»»
Death toll from powerful storm Helene tops 150 in US
The death toll from powerful storm Helene, which battered the southeastern United States, has climbed to at least 155, authorities said Tuesday, as President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris prepared to survey the damage......»»