Plant parasitic nematodes harm pineapple crop yields in Kenya
Pineapple is the third most economically important fruit crop worldwide, after banana and mango. The largest producers are Costa Rica, the Philippines, Brazil and Thailand, which together amount to nearly 50% of total world production. In Africa, Nig.....»»
Spraying rice with zinc oxide nanoparticles protects yields during heat waves, study finds
A small team of horticulturists in China and the U.S. has found that spraying rice plants with a zinc oxide nanoparticle solution helps them better handle the stress of a heat wave. In their study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of.....»»
Svalbard Global Seed Vault evokes epic imagery and controversy because of the symbolic value of seeds
Two-thirds of the world's food comes today from just nine plants: sugar cane, maize (corn), rice, wheat, potatoes, soybeans, oil-palm fruit, sugar beet and cassava. In the past, farmers grew tens of thousands of crop varieties around the world. This.....»»
Genome sequencing of all four Macadamia species unlocks new potential for crop improvement
A research team has successfully sequenced and assembled the genomes of all four Macadamia species, marking a significant advance in crop improvement efforts for this commercially valuable nut. The findings reveal key genetic traits that could enhanc.....»»
Study reveals effect of slope position on nonstructural carbohydrates in biological soil crusts
Nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) provide energy for metabolic processes in plants and play a key role in plant growth, defense and osmoregulation. However, the regulation of NSC in biological soil crusts across different slope positions remains unc.....»»
Advanced AI techniques enhance crop leaf disease detection in tropical agriculture
Researchers have made significant progress in the field of artificial intelligence by applying deep learning techniques to automate the detection and classification of crop leaf diseases......»»
Only 3% of South Africans can name all five national animals and plants. Why these symbols matter
Alongside a national flag, anthem and coat of arms, most countries have one or more plant and animal species that they designate as national symbols. The national animal of China, for example, is the giant panda, a nation-wide source of pride and dip.....»»
Mangrove degradation threatens carbon storage in China"s Pearl Bay
Carbon sinks are important in the fight against climate change as they draw down atmospheric carbon dioxide levels by storing organic carbon in the oceans and soil, for example. Within tropical and subtropical intertidal locations, wetland plant comm.....»»
Deadly shooting at after-hours club yields Lubbock"s first mass shooting charge
Deadly shooting at after-hours club yields Lubbock"s first mass shooting charge.....»»
Saturday Citations: On chimpanzee playwrights; the nature of dark energy; deep-diving Antarctic seals
This week, researchers reported the world's second-tiniest toad, winning the silver in the Brachycephalus contest. Chemists at UCLA disproved a 100-year-old organic chemistry rule. And researchers in Kenya report that elephants don't like bees, which.....»»
The reasons flowers wilt could explain how plants spend (and save) their energy
Wilting flowers might not signal poor flower or plant health, but rather the effects of a sophisticated resource management strategy in plants, millions of years in the making......»»
3 Reliable Dividend Stocks With Yields Up To 5.1%
3 Reliable Dividend Stocks With Yields Up To 5.1%.....»»
Another US oil refinery to vanish with Lyondell Houston plant closing
Another US oil refinery to vanish with Lyondell Houston plant closing.....»»
As hospitals struggle with IV fluid shortage, NC plant restarts production
The initial batches will be shipped in late November at the earliest. The western North Carolina plant that makes 60 percent of the country's intravenous fluid supply has restart.....»»
Researchers study effect of phosphorous and irradiance on the invasive plant Chromolaena odorata
Resource competition is an important factor affecting the invasion success of alien plants, and environmental factors influence the competition outcomes between invasive and native plants. Chromolaena odorata has been listed as one of the main invasi.....»»
Advances in taro research: New gene silencing system enables rapid gene function verification
A research team has established a virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) system in taro, enabling researchers to rapidly verify gene functions in this underutilized crop. Utilizing a tobacco rattle virus (TRV)-based vector, the study paves the way for s.....»»
Government interventions can reduce deadly air pollution in South Asia, study finds
Air pollution, driven in large part by practices like crop burning, contributes to 2 million deaths a year in South Asia and persists as a public health emergency. But a new study co-led by Brown University researcher Gemma Dipoppa found that governm.....»»
International team discovers small molecules that regulate how fast plant leaves age
Two small molecules that are produced by the plant Arabidopsis thaliana are shown to have the opposite effect on how fast its leaves age. The molecules are peptides, short chains of amino acids. While the peptide SCOOP10 accelerates aging, SCOOP12 su.....»»
New study explores adoption of robotic weeding to fight superweeds
Most corn and soybean fields in the U.S. are planted with herbicide-resistant crop varieties. However, the evolution of superweeds that have developed resistance to common herbicides is jeopardizing current weed management strategies. Agricultural ro.....»»
Global fleet of undersea robots reveals the phytoplankton hidden beneath the ocean"s surface
Phytoplankton—microscopic plant-like organisms—are the foundation of the marine food web, sustaining everything from tiny fish to multi-ton whales while also playing a critical role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere......»»
Eco-friendly nanofibrous cellulose matrix has diverse applications ranging from textiles to medical devices
The efficient use of cellulose—the primary plant scaffold and a major natural building block—could address many issues associated with petroleum-based polymers across various industries. In the search for more sustainable uses of cellulose, Lithu.....»»