Breeding a better chickpea
Chickpeas are an important crop and food in India. They are used almost every day in meals and snacks. India is the largest producer, consumer, and importer of chickpeas. And with good reason—they are high in protein, fiber, and vitamins and minera.....»»
Researchers examine drought resistance traits in beans using hyperspectral remote sensing
Crops adapt to climatic and environmental changes by exhibiting certain modified biological traits. For instance, plants growing in deserts exhibit drought resistance. However, at times, plant breeding becomes necessary to ensure optimal crop yields,.....»»
Counting heads: How deep learning can simplify tedious agricultural tasks
The selective breeding of grain crops is one of the main reasons why domesticated plants produce such excellent yields. Selecting the best candidates for breeding is, however, a remarkably complex task. On one hand, it requires a skilled breeder with.....»»
Elephants in US zoos? Without breeding, future is uncertain
Mabu saunters across a grassy field and raises his long, gray trunk to wrangle food from a hole carved inside a large boulder, captivating the attention of a girl propped up on her father's shoulders......»»
Australia"s rarest bird of prey disappearing at alarming rate
Australia's rarest bird of prey—the red goshawk—is facing extinction, with Cape York Peninsula now the only place in Queensland known to support breeding populations......»»
Scientists lure Burmese pythons using radio telemetry during mating/breeding season
University of Florida wildlife scientists are scouting for Burmese pythons in the Everglades by using previously captured pythons to lure, locate and learn how the invasive species is thriving in the Everglades......»»
Endangered African penguin chicks hatch at Arizona aquarium
An Arizona aquarium is celebrating the hatching of three endangered African penguin chicks, saying the tiny additions are genetically valuable as zoos and aquariums around the world work to ensure the species' survival through breeding programs and c.....»»
Scientists exploit genetic mutation to accelerate plant breeding process
Iowa State University researchers may have solved a long-standing challenge associated with accelerated development of pure genetic lines......»»
Urban birds prefer native trees, shows long-term study
Small passerine birds, such as blue and great tits, avoid breeding in urban areas where there are many non-native trees. Chicks also weigh less the more non-native trees there are in the vicinity of the nest. This is shown in a long-term study from L.....»»
New modeling shows how interrupted flows in Australia"s Murray River endanger frogs
Flooding in Australia's Murray-Darling Basin is creating ideal breeding conditions for many native species that have evolved to take advantage of temporary flood conditions......»»
Hard to bear: UK"s only panda pair to return to China
It was supposed to be a match made in heaven that would produce a cub but after years of trying, Edinburgh Zoo said on Wednesday it is now sending its breeding pair of giant pandas back to China......»»
Breakthrough in plant breeding: Grafting and mobile CRISPR for genome editing in plants
A ground-breaking twist to the CRISPR tool—aka "genetic scissors"—is being put to use to edit plant genomes by scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, signaling a methodology change. The discovery, recently publish.....»»
Predicting calving problems before insemination
A small percentage of cows will experience problems when calving and breeders would like to know which cows are at risk. Using the vast dataset of the Dutch cattle breeding company CRV, computer scientists at the University of Groningen used artifici.....»»
Some sharks return to the same sites to breed for decades
Some species of shark return to the same breeding grounds for decades at a time, and live longer than previously thought, scientists studying the animals off Florida say......»»
Scientists develop a method to allow trees to flower in mere months
Normal breeding experiments can take years to come to fruition.....»»
Bat diversity and abundance are highest in old deciduous forest stands on river banks in Eastern Ukraine
European forest-dwelling bats require complex woodland structures at both the micro-habitat and the landscape level for successful breeding in summer. Particularly, the results from Kharkiv region (Eastern Ukraine) demonstrate that large stands of ma.....»»
More efficient hybrid rice breeding achieved with female sterility technique
Research led by Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) involving the use of a pioneering female sterility technique has led to a breakthrough in the production of hybrid rice seeds. Compared to the commonly used "three-line" male sterility technique in.....»»
Increasing crop yields by breeding plants to cooperate
A simple breeding experiment, combined with genetic analysis, can rapidly uncover genes that promote cooperation and higher yields of plant populations, according to a new study published November 29 in the open access journal PLOS Biology, by Samuel.....»»
Research identifies "danger zones" for wandering albatrosses
Over half of wandering albatrosses breeding on Bird Island, in the sub-Antarctic, encounter fishing vessels when feeding, putting them at risk of being accidentally caught or killed in fishing gear, according to new research led by British Antarctic.....»»
Egyptian lagoon vital to Cyprus turtles, study shows
The number of green turtles breeding in Cyprus has risen in recent years—but this bounce-back depends heavily on an Egyptian lagoon where many turtles feed, new research shows......»»
To Ditch Pesticides, Scientists Are Hacking Insects’ Sex Signals
It’s now possible to mass-produce pheromones that keep insects from breeding near crops—protecting cereals and other staples with fewer chemicals......»»