Drought and frost batter vital potato crops in Bolivia
Dozens of furrows lie barren in a dusty field on the Bolivian highlands. It should be replete with potato plants ready for harvest, but a deadly combination of drought and frost proved too much for the crop......»»
Disinfection tech uses low-temperature plasma to remove E. coli from hydroponically grown crops
A group led by researchers at Nagoya University and Meijo University in Japan has developed a disinfection technology that uses low-temperature plasma generated by electricity to cultivate environmentally friendly hydroponically grown crops. This inn.....»»
Unlocking the potential of protease inhibitors for enhanced pest resistance in tea plants
Protease inhibitors are a promising strategy for enhancing herbivore resistance in plants, which is crucial for addressing the significant yield losses in crops such as tea plants due to insect herbivores. Serine protease inhibitors (SERPIN) are one.....»»
Scientists develop rapid gene-screening platform to boost disease resistance in crops
Scientists at CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, have achieved a breakthrough in molecular plant pathology, marking a technological leap forward for breeding durable disease-resistant crops......»»
Ditching meat could release vital land to produce energy and remove carbon from the atmosphere—new study
A radical reduction in the amount of meat, dairy and other products sourced from animals is possible in the coming decades, as people turn to an increasing variety of alternatives. This would unlock vast amounts of land currently used to rear animals.....»»
Research provides insight into constructing gene regulatory networks
Gene regulatory networks (GRNs) depict the regulatory mechanisms of genes within cellular systems as a network, offering vital insights for understanding cell processes and molecular interactions that determine cellular phenotypes. Transcriptional re.....»»
Ladybug scents offer a more ecologically friendly way to protect crops
The use of pesticides, while beneficial for global food security, wreaks havoc on natural ecosystems and human health. To address this issue, Penn State researchers have turned to an unlikely enforcer to protect crops: the ladybug. The team, led by S.....»»
Iran outlaws "unauthorized" VPN usage
The new ban adds to existing high censorship levels online that make the use of Iran VPNs vital to access the open internet. Here is what's at stake for citizens......»»
"Zombie" blazes and drought: Canada headed for another brutal fire season
Beneath the ground in Western Canada, dozens of so-called "zombie fires" that started last year are still burning......»»
Compound vital for all life likely played a role in life"s origin, suggests synthesis study
A chemical compound essential to all living things has been synthesized in a lab in conditions that could have occurred on early Earth, suggesting it played a role at the outset of life, finds a new study led by University College London researchers......»»
Apple Search Ads expands to Brazil and eight more countries
Apple Search Ads is launching soon in more countries, expanding into the Latin America region. Ads will soon start appearing in the App Store for Brazil, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and Paraguay......»»
Winter drought grips southern Europe, northern Africa
Drought plaguing the Mediterranean has failed to recede over winter months that brought below-average rainfall, the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service has reported, prompting water restrictions and state of emergency declarations......»»
New evidence shows UK solar parks can provide for bees and butterflies
A new study shows that U.K. solar parks, if managed correctly, can provide vital resources to help stem the decline in the nation's bees and butterflies......»»
Baleen whales evolved a unique larynx to communicate but cannot escape human noise
Baleen whales are the largest animals to have ever roamed our planet and as top predators play a vital role in marine ecosystems. To communicate across vast distances and find each other, baleen whales depend critically on the production of sounds th.....»»
Potato plant radiation sensors could one day monitor radiation in areas surrounding power plants
While expanding nuclear energy production would provide carbon-free power and can help countries around the world meet their climate goals, nuclear energy could also come with some inherent risk. Radioactive pollution damages the environment, and it'.....»»
Cracking the code to a healthier potato chip
In a breakthrough for the snack food industry, a team of scientists led by Michigan State University professors Jiming Jiang and David Douches has discovered a key mechanism behind the darkening and potential health concerns associated with cold-stor.....»»
More frequent extreme droughts result in significant crop losses, say researchers
Climate change has resulted in increasingly extreme weather events worldwide. NIBIO research scientist Pål Thorvaldsen is among the many scientists who participated in a large international drought experiment initiated by the University of Michigan,.....»»
All That Rain Is Driving Up Cases of a Deadly Fungal Disease in California
Valley fever is thriving as California swings widely between drought and flooding......»»
Researchers remotely map crops, field by field
Crop maps help scientists and policymakers track global food supplies and estimate how they might shift with climate change and growing populations. But getting accurate maps of the types of crops that are grown from farm to farm often requires on-th.....»»
Using text analytics, scientists map the spread of potato blight prior to the Irish potato famine
North Carolina State University researchers used text analytics on both historic and modern writing to reveal more information about the effects and spread of the plant pathogen—now known as Phytophthora infestans—that caused the 1840s Irish pota.....»»
Australia"s shot-hole borer beetle invasion has begun, but we don"t need to chop down every tree under attack
A new pest attacking Perth's trees threatens to spread across Australia, damaging crops and native forests as well as our urban forest. To control its spread, the Western Australian government is chopping down hundreds of established trees. But these.....»»