Shrub willow as a bioenergy crop
Renewable energy demand and consumption is at an all-time high in the United States......»»
Scientists shed light on the emergence of pathogenic bacteria
Pathogenic bacteria are highly specialized micro-organisms that are a leading cause of human, livestock and crop disease, resulting in significant health and economic loss worldwide. How these pathogens, which sometimes even live inside the cells of.....»»
A new design of sustainable cropping diversifications
Cropping systems are one of the most important components in the crop production system, which is intensified to feed a growing global population. Previous studies focused on high yield with less attention to production of nutrients and vitamins for.....»»
Wild tomato genome will benefit domesticated cousins
A team of researchers has assembled a reference genome for Solanum lycopersicoides, a wild relative of the cultivated tomato, and developed web-based tools to help plant researchers and breeders improve the crop......»»
Long-term study suggests climate-friendly practices could increase crop yields and improve farm ecosystems
An international team of researchers conducting a long-term study has found that climate-friendly farming practices could lead to higher crop yields, reduced costs and improved local ecosystems. In their paper published in the journal Nature Sustaina.....»»
Novel synthetic polymers could lead to greater crop yields for farmers
Scientists at the University of Birmingham have invented a new method to encourage bacteria to form growth-promoting ecosystems that could be used to coat the roots of plant seedlings, which is expected to result in stronger, healthier plants, and hi.....»»
Majority of farmers willing to pay for plant health advice, new research shows
The majority of farmers surveyed in Bangladesh, Rwanda and Zambia are willing to pay for visits to CABI-led Plantwise plant clinics, which help diagnose potentially devastating crop pests and diseases as well as ways to mitigate impacts on yields......»»
Examining the impact of herbicide-resistant crops on weed management
Herbicide-resistant crops are now commonplace in the U.S. and Canada. With proper stewardship, these same crop-trait technologies can also play a key role in integrated weed management—reducing the intensity of herbicide use and the selection press.....»»
What shedding light on plant growth could mean for cancer
Understanding how plants process light is key to improving crop yields. Light helps plants know when to grow and flower at the right time. Plants find light using proteins called photoreceptors. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) Assistant Professo.....»»
Pea and lentils invest in root system development differently
Underneath the surface, plant roots are hard at work. Roots, of course, are how plants get water and minerals from the soil. But digging into how different root systems affect crop yields has been challenging for researchers......»»
Crop Circles - and Why People Believed in Them
The New York Times tells the story of crop circles, "the mysterious patterns that regularly intrigued people around the world in the 1980s and '90s, prompting speculation about alien visitors, ancient spiritual forces, weather anomalies, secret weapo.....»»
Research reveals the science behind this plant"s blue berries
On a beautiful fall day in 2019, Miranda Sinnott-Armstrong was walking down Pearl Street in Boulder, Colorado when something caught her eye: a small, particularly shiny blue fruit, on a shrub known as Lantana strigocamara. While its tiny clusters of.....»»
Scientists offer solutions to global phosphorus crisis that threatens food and water security
Phosphorus is an essential but often overlooked resource, which is vital for life on Earth and is extracted from phosphate rock for use in crop fertilizers, livestock feeds and food additives. A major new report by scientists warns that global misman.....»»
The signaling pathways that make plants more resistant to flooding
Extreme weather phenomena are on the rise worldwide, including frequent droughts and fires. Floods are also a clear consequence of climate change. For agriculture, a flooded field means major losses: about 15% of global crop losses are due to floodin.....»»
Discovery paves way for more sustainable crop cultivation methods
Rutgers researchers have discovered that nitrogen-fixing bacteria hidden within leaf cells could lead to more efficient and sustainable methods of crop cultivation......»»
Machine learning helps determine health of soybean fields
Using a combination of drones and machine learning techniques, researchers from The Ohio State University have recently developed a novel method for determining crop health and used it to create a new tool that may aid future farmers......»»
Can a moss help clean up waterways?
Hydrocarbons from our cars, oil spills and industrial contamination can get into our waterways by many paths. Researchers recently studied if a common "willow moss" could work to soak up these hydrocarbons, and clean up waterways......»»
Uncovering best practices for cover crops to optimize crop production
Planting cover crops is a beneficial agricultural practice. One of their many benefits is to cover soil for times when farmers cannot plant cash crops like corn and soy—over the winter, for example. But it is not as simple as just growing cover cr.....»»
No photosynthetic improvement in ictB transformants in field-grown model crop
It is projected that by the year 2050, the global food supply will need to increase by 50-80% to keep up with the growing population. Researchers all over the world have been working to find ways to sustainably grow food crops to meet this need, and.....»»
Disney+ drops teasers for Andor and Willow TV series at Star Wars Celebration
Also: news on The Mandalorian S3, Ahsoka, and kid-centric series Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Disney+'s forthcoming Andor series will focus on Rogue One's Cassian Andor. Disney+ unveiled two teaser trailers for upcoming series at the Lucasfil.....»»
Proposed nitrogen fertilizer policies could protect farmer profits, environment
Nitrogen fertilizer has major implications for crop yields and environmental health, specifically water quality in the Gulf of Mexico. Federal and state governments have shied away from regulating nitrogen fertilizer use, but voluntary and incentives.....»»