There’s nothing like a glass of orange juice, but prices have soared as the Florida citrus industry fights a citrus greening disease epidemic that's been drying out oranges and reducing crop yield. There’s no cure, but researchers report they have identified a fungal compound that may inhibit the bacteria.
The Fertilizer Institute has joined the International Phytobiomes Alliance as a sponsoring partner, both organizations announced today.
New University of Delaware research has found that migratory birds prefer foraging in native leguminous tree species over non-native and many other trees used on many coffee farms. The findings will help farmers choose trees that are best for both birds and business.
Roundworms that feed on plants cause approximately $100 billion in annual global crop damage. Now researchers at the University of New Hampshire have made a patent-pending discovery that certain enzymes in roundworms, called nematodes, behave differently than the same enzymes in humans, with amino acids potentially playing a key role.
Soybean fields are becoming increasingly infested with a glyphosate-resistant weed called “palmer amaranth.” One pesticide currently used for controlling it is “Dicamba,” but it has devastating effects on adjacent areas, because it tends to drift when sprayed during windy conditions. Researchers report in Physics of Fluids that they were inspired to develop a drift-free, weed-specific applicator, which will pave the way for autonomous weed control with smart robots.
Research explores soil, fungi, phosphorus dynamics
American ginseng is in decline thanks chiefly to range-wide overharvesting, according to new research led by University of Georgia ecologist John Paul Schmidt. But that trend could potentially be reversed by promoting and supporting ginseng cultivation.
A team of researchers has tested how each gene within the genome of rice—one of the world’s most important staple crops—senses and responds to combinations of water and nutrients.
To better understand the rhizosphere, a new research endeavor at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory will develop a model instrument that will enable scientists to look at the biological interactions in the rhizosphere in real time, in the field-- a capability that doesn’t currently exist.
From fields of wheat to patio tomatoes, irrigation timing is key
AMARILLO – Lessons learned in construction of protected agriculture systems, or high tunnels, kept Texas A&M AgriLife Research tunnels near Amarillo securely in place during the recent “bomb cyclone” that reached recorded wind gusts of 80-90 mph.
New York farmers have a new way to satisfy consumers’ hunger for something different. Phillip Griffiths, associate professor of plant breeding and genetics at Cornell AgriTech, has released a collection of organic grape tomato varieties that are pretty, profitable and pack a culinary punch.
When you flush the toilet, you probably don’t think about the traces of the medicine and personal care products in your body that are winding up in sewage treatment plants, streams, rivers, lakes, bays and the ocean. But Rutgers scientists have found that bacteria in sewage treatment plants may be creating new contaminants that have not been evaluated for potential risks and may affect aquatic environments, according to a study in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.
Benson Hill Biosystems, a crop improvement company unlocking the natural diversity of plants, announced today at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit that it has acquired the assets of Schillinger Genetics, also known as eMerge Genetics, an Iowa-based company currently delivering novel high-yielding, high-protein non-GMO soybean varieties.
Researchers at the University of Warwick have been inspired by the unique movement of trembling aspen leaves, to devise an energy harvesting mechanism that could power weather sensors in hostile environments and could even be a back-up energy supply that could save and extend the life of future Mars rovers.
With an estimated daily fuel demand of more than 5 million barrels per day, the global aviation sector is incredibly energy-intensive and almost entirely reliant on petroleum-based fuels. However, a new analysis by scientists at Berkeley Lab shows that sustainable plant-based bio-jet fuels could provide a competitive alternative to conventional fuels if current development and scale-up initiatives continue to push ahead successfully.
First-of-a-kind study advances understanding of microbial and viral communities involved in biomass breakdown.
The exposure to glyphosate-based herbicides has been linked to endocrine and developmental effects by a new scientific pilot study.
Scientists show metabolic tradeoffs result from a specific change to the grow-defend balance.
A new study published in Nature Ecology and Evolution led by scientists from the University of Chicago challenges one of the classic assumptions about how new proteins evolve.
The research team studied seed systems in Africa. Seed systems are composed of people and businesses that make seed available, and farmers who use that seed. As a result of the research, scientists developed a model that will help them find seed-borne pathogens and provides recommendations for how to stop the pathogens from spreading.
UC San Diego Distinguished Professor Julian Schroeder has been awarded the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation.
It's widely accepted within agriculture that maintaining genetic diversity is important. In areas where crop plants are more diverse, pathogens might kill some plants but are less likely to wipe out an entire crop.
Getting your seeds to a healthy start
With a few genetic tweaks, a type of soil bacteria with an appetite for hydrocarbons shows promise as a biological factory for converting a renewable — but frustratingly untapped — bounty into a replacement for ubiquitous plastics.
A pioneering study offers an easier approach to study how microbes work and could help scientists advance models of the cycling of elements and nutrients in frequently flooded soils.
Wild bees are indispensable pollinators, supporting both agricultural productivity and the diversity of flowering plants worldwide.
Scientists develop a molecular map of metabolic products of bacteria in root nodules to aid sustainable agriculture.
In new research published in the journal Scientific Reports, Alan Chambers and Elias Bassil led a group of researchers that established a Vanilla collection with 112 potentially unique individuals.
An international team of researchers from the University of Oxford, the University of Birmingham and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have found that the way in which people use the internet is closely tied to patterns and rhythms in the natural world.
Researchers link root water uptake to root traits and assess (poor) performance of common models.
A research team managed to overcome the challenges inherent in the DNA of the soybean cyst nematode to sequence its genome. The project could lead to better management practices to combat the top pest that threatens Iowa soybeans and allows plant breeders to see both sides of the “arms race” between soybean cyst nematodes and the defense mechanisms of soybeans.
Salisbury University has signed the first agreements with prospective industrial hemp growers under a new Maryland Department of Agriculture pilot program to legalize the crop with a university research component.
Crop differences go beyond appearance and taste. Certain plants are more efficient in how they grow and reproduce. The Feb. 22 Sustainable, Secure Food blog explains how this difference in plant metabolism is important for future food security.
Want to help pollinators? Gardens with more woody vegetation provide additional food and shelter.
New research finds that some yeast picked up a whole suite of genes from bacteria that gave them the new ability to scavenge iron from their environment. It’s one of the clearest examples yet of the transfer of genes from one branch on the tree of life to another.
New research reveals that foreign honey bees often account for more than 90 percent of pollinators observed visiting flowers in San Diego, a global biodiversity hotspot. The monopoly may strongly affect species that are foundational to the stability of the region’s plant-pollinator interactions.
As National Strawberry Day approaches on Feb. 27, University of Florida scientists have found another variety that can grow in South Florida. It’s largely unknown to American consumers, it’s temptingly tasty and it’s good for local markets, UF researchers say.
What would be the purpose of a flower that doesn’t bear seeds? Research with crop wild relatives suggests the extra flowers make a small but significant contribution to yield.
Great forest fires are ever more frequent globally and their consequences more severe and destructive.
American kestrel. Chinese mantis. Candleflame lichen. The highly diverse list of species spotted at Rutgers University may be unique globally. Indeed, more than 1,600 kinds of animals, insects, plants and other life forms have been reported so far at 24 Rutgers campuses and properties across New Jersey as part of a new long-term “Flora and Fauna of Rutgers University” biodiversity project.
Plants are master chemists, and Michigan State University researchers have unlocked their secret of producing specialized metabolites. The research, published in the latest issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, combined plant biology and machine learning to sort through tens of thousands of genes to determine which genes make specialized metabolites.
Researchers at Berkeley Lab have used one of the most advanced microscopes in the world to reveal the structure of a large protein complex crucial to photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert sunlight into cellular energy. The finding will allow scientists to explore for the first time how the complex functions and could have implications for the production of a variety of bioproducts, including plastic alternatives and biofuels.
Data mining methods that draw on computer science and statistics can bring new clarity for plant scientists trying to design better crop varieties, according to newly published research from an ISU agronomist. The study outlines several data management approaches that can help plant breeders predict the traits of potential hybrids faster and cheaper than growing and testing the plants.
Often, energy pipelines pass through previously undisturbed areas. These areas need to be managed carefully to re-establish ecologically functioning systems. A new study shows teams can increase the chance of successful land reclamation by first collecting soil data at short intervals. More collections can also lead to significant cost savings.
The importance of the mycorrhizal symbiosis to plant growth has led to a large body of research into their formation and function, yet there are critical unanswered questions. Howard Berg, director of the Imaging and Microscopy Facility at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and his collaborators have discovered a previously unknown compartment within these symbiotic cortical root cells that could be important for nutrient exchange and molecular communication between the symbiotic partners.
Artificial leaves mimic photosynthesis — the process whereby plants use water and carbon dioxide from the air to produce carbohydrates using energy from the sun. But even state-of-the-art artificial leaves, which hold promise in reducing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, only work in the laboratory because they use pure, pressurized carbon dioxide from tanks.
Imagine using a robotic arm to grip and puncture the trunk of a citrus tree to deliver chemicals into the vascular parts of the plant, reducing its susceptibility to the citrus greening disease.
Light pollution affects the skies over most of the world's key wildlife areas, new research shows.
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