Feature Channels: Agriculture

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22-Nov-2017 10:05 AM EST
New Study Finds Timing Is Key in Keeping Organic Matter in Wet Soils
Iowa State University

Published recently in the peer-reviewed academic journal Nature Communications, the findings show periodically flooded soils may actually lose organic matter at accelerated rates.

Released: 22-Nov-2017 11:05 PM EST
New Discovery to Accelerate Development of Salt-Tolerant Grapevines
University of Adelaide

A recent discovery by Australian scientists is likely to improve the sustainability of the Australian wine sector and significantly accelerate the breeding of more robust salt-tolerant grapevines.

   
20-Nov-2017 3:05 PM EST
High Yield, Protein with Soybean Gene
American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), Soil Science Society of America (SSSA)

Soybean growers face a challenge. It has proved difficult to develop soybean varieties with both high protein levels and high yields.

Released: 20-Nov-2017 5:05 PM EST
Ancient Barley Took High Road to China, Changed to Summer Crop in Tibet
Washington University in St. Louis

First domesticated 10,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East, wheat and barley took vastly different routes to China, with barley switching from a winter to both a winter and summer crop during a thousand-year detour along the southern Tibetan Plateau, suggests new research from Washington University in St. Louis,

Released: 20-Nov-2017 4:55 PM EST
New Research Details Genetic Resistance to Sudden Death Syndrome in Soybeans
Iowa State University

Incorporating a combination of genes from the model plant Arabidopsis may build high levels of resistance to sudden death syndrome in soybeans, according to research from an Iowa State University agronomist. A recently published study points to one gene in particular as a likely candidate to bolster resistance.

Released: 20-Nov-2017 8:00 AM EST
What’s in Your Wheat? Johns Hopkins Scientists Piece Together Genome of Most Common Bread Wheat
Johns Hopkins Medicine

Johns Hopkins scientists report they have successfully used two separate gene technologies to assemble the most complete genome sequence to date of Triticum aestivum, the most common cultivated species of wheat used to make bread.

10-Nov-2017 11:05 AM EST
Raindrops Splash Pathogens Onto Crops
American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics

Pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses or fungi, cause harmful plant disease and often lead to the destruction of agricultural fields. With many possible dispersal methods, it can often be difficult to assess the damage of a pathogen’s impact before it’s too late. At the 70th meeting of the Division of Fluid Dynamics, Nov. 19-21, researchers from Virginia Tech will present their work on rain drop dispersal mechanisms of rust fungus on wheat plants.

Released: 16-Nov-2017 10:05 AM EST
Aquatic Plant May Help Remove Contaminants From Lakes
South Dakota State University

A tiny aquatic plant called duckweed might be a viable option for remove phosphorus, nitrates, nitrites and even heavy metals from lakes, ponds and slow-moving waterbodies.

Released: 16-Nov-2017 9:05 AM EST
Florida First Detectors Help ID Invasive Plant Pests Before They Spread
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

Florida has the most invasive species of any state in the country, and half of the insects, reptiles, arachnids and crustaceans imported into the United States come through Florida ports, University of Florida experts say. So, UF/IFAS has teamed up with government agencies to create a program to teach the public how to identify these insects before they become prolific.

10-Oct-2017 5:05 PM EDT
Soils and Your Thanksgiving Meal
Soil Science Society of America (SSSA)

Did you know soil scientists are making your Thanksgiving dinner more sustainable? The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) November 15 Soils Matter blog explains research to make cranberries, poultry litter, and sweet potatoes better for the environment.

Released: 15-Nov-2017 12:05 PM EST
Are Petite Poplars the Future of Biofuels? UW Studies Say Yes
University of Washington

A University of Washington team is trying to make poplar a viable competitor in the biofuels market by testing the production of younger poplar trees that could be harvested more frequently — after only two or three years — instead of the usual 10- to 20-year cycle.

14-Nov-2017 10:05 AM EST
Filling Intercropping Info Gap
American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), Soil Science Society of America (SSSA)

In some parts of Africa, farmers intercrop sorghum – a grain – and peanuts. But they face a major information gap. There hasn’t been much research on optimal levels of fertilizer use for intercropping sorghum and peanuts in these areas. A new study has filled this information gap. Researchers from Niger, Mali, and the United States have developed a method to help farmers determine how much fertilizer to apply when intercropping.

Released: 15-Nov-2017 8:05 AM EST
UF/IFAS Experts: Clean and Cook Holiday Meals Thoroughly
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

Here are hints to avoid food-borne illnesses from a holiday meal.

Released: 13-Nov-2017 10:05 AM EST
UF/IFAS Celebrates Partnership as It Commemorates Century of CREC
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

Whether they’ve faced problems with pests, pathogens, soils, water or natural disasters, growers have turned to scientists at the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center for answers for the past 100 years.

Released: 9-Nov-2017 11:05 AM EST
Breeding Highly Productive Corn Has Reduced Its Ability to Adapt
University of Wisconsin–Madison

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison wanted to know whether the last 100 years of selecting for corn that is acclimated to particular locations has changed its ability to adapt to new or stressful environments. By measuring populations of corn plants planted across North America, they could test how the corn genomes responded to different growing conditions.

Released: 9-Nov-2017 8:05 AM EST
UF/IFAS Researcher Named to Global Climate, Crop-Modeling Panel
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

A University of Florida professor known for his work in using computer models to predict crop yields has been named to a newly formed global leadership panel for the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Program, also known as AgMIP.

6-Nov-2017 2:05 PM EST
Easing the Soil’s Temperature
American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), Soil Science Society of America (SSSA)

Many factors influence the ability of soil to buffer against temperature changes. Recent research shows both perennial biofuel and cover crops help soils shield against extreme temperatures.

8-Nov-2017 8:55 AM EST
Closing the Rural Health Gap: Media Update from RWJF and Partners on Rural Health Disparities
Newswise

Rural counties continue to rank lowest among counties across the U.S., in terms of health outcomes. A group of national organizations including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the National 4-H Council are leading the way to close the rural health gap.

       
Released: 6-Nov-2017 12:05 PM EST
'Smart' Paper Can Conduct Electricity, Detect Water
University of Washington

A University of Washington team wants to simplify the process for discovering detrimental water leaks by developing “smart” paper that can sense the presence of water.

1-Nov-2017 3:20 PM EDT
Agricultural Productivity Drove Euro-American Settlement of Utah
University of Utah

U anthropologists propose that agricultural productivity drove dispersal patterns of early Euro-Americans settlers in Utah in a process that led to the current distribution of populations today. They adapted a well-known ecological model, and tested its predictions by combining satellite-derived measures of agricultural suitability with historical census data.

Released: 2-Nov-2017 6:05 PM EDT
Identifying Pathogens That Cause Soybean Stem Canker
South Dakota State University

Soybean diseases caused by various species of Diaporthe pathogens are on the rise and scientists are identifying the pathogens behind this increase.

Released: 2-Nov-2017 11:05 AM EDT
UC-Led Genomic Study Reveals Clues to Wild Past of Grapes
University of California, Irvine

About 22,000 years ago, as the ice sheets that consumed much of North America and Europe began retreating, humans started to consume a fruit that today brings joy to millions of wine drinkers around the world: grapes

Released: 2-Nov-2017 11:05 AM EDT
Vitamin E Discovery in Maize Could Lead to More Nutritious Crop
Cornell University

New research has identified genes that control vitamin E content in maize grain, a finding that could lead to improving the nutritional profile of this staple crop.

31-Oct-2017 11:05 AM EDT
Key to Better Asparagus Identified in Evolution of Sex Chromosomes
University of Georgia

Working with an international team of breeders and genome scientists, plant biologists at the University of Georgia have sequenced the genome of garden asparagus as a model for sex chromosome evolution.

Released: 1-Nov-2017 8:05 AM EDT
Bugs as Snacks Among UF/IFAS Experts’ Predicted 2018 Food Trends
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

Cutting food waste, becoming a food entrepreneur and eating on a budget if you're a foodie. These are just some of the fearless forecasts from UF/IFAS experts, as they predict food trends for 2018.

27-Oct-2017 2:40 PM EDT
Invasive Weevil Threatens California’s Palm Trees and Date Industry
ISCA Technologies

Effort to stop the spread of invasive South American palm weevil that is devastating palm trees in San Diego County will use environmentally-friendly pheromone formulation.

Released: 1-Nov-2017 2:05 AM EDT
Scientists Develop Groundnut Resistant to Aflatoxin
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center

The discovery has the potential to drastically improve food safety and reduce losses caused by the contamination from the poisonous carcinogen, aflatoxin.

Released: 31-Oct-2017 4:10 PM EDT
New Study Finds Marijuana Farming Hurts Environment
Ithaca College

Planting cannabis for commercial production in remote locations is creating forest fragmentation, stream modification, soil erosion and landslides. Without land-use policies to limit its environmental footprint, the impacts of cannabis farming could get worse, according to a new study published in the November issue of Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.

Released: 31-Oct-2017 11:05 AM EDT
Get FRUVED Campaign Makes Healthy Lifestyle Choices Easier
South Dakota State University

College students are creating a campus environment that encourages healthy lifestyles and promotes healthful activities through social media and marketing, thanks to Get FRUVED.

   
Released: 26-Oct-2017 12:05 PM EDT
$1 Million Grant to Improve Corn Genetics for Organic Production Practices
Iowa State University

A $1 million grant will help ISU researchers advance the genetics of corn varieties intended to be grown in organic settings. The project aims to improve the performance of field and sweet corn varieties in conditions unique to organic production systems.

Released: 26-Oct-2017 10:05 AM EDT
UF Partners with International Organization to Combat Food Insecurity in Africa
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

UF/IFAS signed an agreement with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture so their scientists can work together to fight hunger in Africa.

Released: 25-Oct-2017 8:05 AM EDT
Green Industry Contributes More Than $20B to Florida Economy, Up 19 Percent From 2000
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

The environmental horticulture industry, or the “green industry,” includes landscaping, nurseries, greenhouses, wholesale and retail distributors and allied manufacturing.

20-Oct-2017 1:05 PM EDT
Exposure to Glyphosate, Chemical Found in Weed Killers, Increased Over 23 Years
UC San Diego Health

Analyzing samples from a prospective study, University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers found that human exposure to glyphosate, a chemical widely found in weed killers, has increased approximately 500 percent since the introduction of genetically modified crops.

   
Released: 24-Oct-2017 9:05 AM EDT
Tumor Growth Blocked by Potato Virus-Chemo Combo
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering

Researchers combined the immune response created by injection of potato virus nanoparticles with doxorubicin to halt melanoma progression in a mouse model. It is the first demonstration of an anti-tumor response using potato virus nanoparticle vaccination—a novel treatment further enhanced with doxorubicin chemotherapy.

Released: 23-Oct-2017 9:00 AM EDT
Crops Evolving Ten Millennia Before Experts Thought
University of Warwick

Ancient hunter-gatherers began to systemically affect the evolution of crops up to thirty thousand years ago – around ten millennia before experts previously thought – according to new research by the University of Warwick.

18-Oct-2017 9:50 AM EDT
Benson Hill Biosystems Launches the First Fully Enabling Genome Editing System for Crop Improvement
Benson Hill

Benson Hill Biosystems today announced the commercial launch of Edit, powered by CropOS™, the first complete genome editing system made accessible to partners for the development of improved crops. Edit system combines the analytical power of Benson Hill’s CropOS™ computational platform with a robust portfolio of novel genome editing nucleases to create the first comprehensive genome editing system. Edit is designed to optimize plant characteristics such as flavor profiles, nutrient-density, and environmental sustainability with greater speed and precision than previously possible.

Released: 18-Oct-2017 4:00 PM EDT
Kansas State University Featured in Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense National Report
Kansas State University

Kansas State University is featured in several sections of the Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense's special bipartisan report released on Wednesday, Oct. 18.

   
17-Oct-2017 2:05 PM EDT
Living Mulch Builds Profits, Soil
American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), Soil Science Society of America (SSSA)

Living mulch functions like mulch on any farm or garden except — it’s alive. No, it’s not out of the latest horror movie; living mulch is a system farmers can use to benefit both profits and the soil. While the system has been around for a while, scientists at the University of Georgia are making it more efficient and sustainable.

Released: 17-Oct-2017 3:05 PM EDT
Texas Tech Plant & Soil Science Creates Local Food and Wine Concentration
Texas Tech University

The program will be the first of its kind in the U.S. focused on education and promotion of the growing local food and wine movement in Texas.

   
Released: 17-Oct-2017 1:00 PM EDT
DuPont Pioneer and Danforth Center Collaborate to Apply Cutting-edge Technologies to Improve Crops for Smallholder Farmers
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center

The Danforth Center is applying CRISPR-Cas technology to staple food crops such as cassava and sorghum to produce planting materials with improved disease resistance, nutritional value and enhanced resilience to biotic stresses.

Released: 17-Oct-2017 11:05 AM EDT
WVU Opens New Inhalation Facility, $1.7 Million NIH Grant Investigates Effects of Inhaled Particles on Health
West Virginia University

West Virginia University’s new Inhalation Facility will be the home for research and collaborations that measure, identify and discover how the particles we breathe affect our health.

   
Released: 16-Oct-2017 4:50 PM EDT
Using Complex Carbohydrates to Absorb Nitrates, Phosphorus
South Dakota State University

Polysaccharides, commonly used in food products, may be used to absorb nitrates and phosphorus—and put the nutrients back in the field.

12-Oct-2017 7:05 AM EDT
Scientists Log Newfound Understanding of Water’s Responses to Changing Temperatures
New York University

A team of chemists has uncovered new ways in which frozen water responds to changes in temperature to produce novel formations. Its findings have implications for climate research as well as other processes that involve ice formation—from food preservation to agriculture.

Released: 16-Oct-2017 2:30 PM EDT
Clues to the Innate Drug Resistance of a Cocoa-Fermenting Pathogen
Genetics Society of America

At first glance, the yeast Candida krusei seems as innocuous as microbes come: it’s used for fermenting cocoa beans and gives chocolate its pleasant aroma. But it’s increasingly being found as a pathogen in immunocompromised patients—and C. krusei infections aren’t always easy to cure.

Released: 16-Oct-2017 11:05 AM EDT
New Research Shows Dinosaur Dung Fertilizes Planet
Northern Arizona University

According to NAU researcher Chris Doughty, these large animals are important not for the quantity of dung they produce, but for their ability to move long distances across landscapes, effectively mixing the nutrients.



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