Many climate models focus on scenarios decades into the future, making their outcomes seem unreliable and problematic for decision-making in the immediate future. In a proactive move, researchers are using short-term forecasts to stress the urgency of drought risk in the United States and inform policymakers' actions now.
An animal scientist studying relationships between insulin and milk production in dairy cows has received a three-year, $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Climate services are vital tools for decision makers addressing climate change in developing countries. Science-based seasonal forecasts and accompanying materials can support climate risk management in agriculture, health, water management, energy, and disaster risk reduction. But in East Africa, natural resource managers have been slow to use climate information services, partly because they are difficult to understand and may not feel relevant for their local planning purposes. A new study published by the journal Risk Analysis suggests that one way to encourage policymakers in East Africa to use climate services more often is to appeal to the motivational factors that influence their professional actions on climate change.
The second study published in as many months has identified another reason to add more mushrooms to the recommended American diet.
Experiments testing the ability of ultraviolet light to stop the spread of a costly virus for pork producers has shown promise, according to an ISU research team. Ultraviolet light analyzed in experiments irradiates aerosolized droplets of the virus that causes porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome. The researchers hope to scale their experiments up to a size comparable to pork production facilities.
If you want to learn how to farm successfully and grow crops, here’s a novel place to turn to: The UND Department of Space Studies. Then again, this advice might be a tad limited, given that not many are aspiring to grow crops on asteroids millions of miles from Earth. But UND Assistant Professor of Space Studies Sherry Fieber-Beyer is. And in fact, she’s one of the first in her field who’s seriously looking into such an idea.
S&T released today the ASF Master Question List (MQL), a comprehensive resource that provides an up-to-date authoritative summary of publicly available information about the virus to promote coordinated research and improved emergency response preparedness.
Radishes can be used as biofumigants and break up soil
Most Chinese working in the cities return to work today after a 7-day public holiday of Spring Festival.
For thousands of years, farmers have worked to perfect their crops. Today, scientists use the latest advances to improve the foundation of civilization — our seeds.
A pioneering study of U.S nitrogen use in agriculture has identified 20 places across the country where farmers, government, and citizens should target nitrogen reduction efforts. The 20 nitrogen "hotspots of opportunity"--which appear on a striking map--represent a whopping 63% of the total surplus nitrogen balance in U.S. croplands, but only 24% of U.S. cropland area. Nitrogen inputs are so high in these areas that farmers can most likely reduce nitrogen use without hurting crop yields.
Iowa State University researchers received a $1 million grant to study how manure management systems in livestock production may give rise to antibiotic resistance. Human, animal and environmental health interact in complex ways that influence the pace at which antibiotic resistance spreads, and the researchers hope their work will shed light on these connections.
For the first time, an international team of scientists have developed cassava displaying high-level resistance to cassava mosaic disease (CMD), cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) as well as higher levels of iron and zinc.
Soil aeration and water infiltration among benefits ants provide
An international group of leading fertiliser and soils experts have published a major review of the status of the toxic heavy metal cadmium in agricultural systems around the world.
A Florida State University researcher has received two grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop tests that will uncover adulterated or contaminated foods.
New collection of resources will help yam breeders and farmers
Researchers report that large-scale commercial farms on deforested land in the southern Amazon result in higher temperature increases and less rainfall than small-scale farms.
The UNC Department of Biology's Professor Patrick Burns, Ph.D., and Assistant Professor James Haughian, Ph.D., are using fish byproducts, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, to improve reproduction in female cows in the dairy and beef industries.
Which bananas end up in your shopping basket-- the uniformly yellow ones or those with brown spots?
Protecting plants helps the United Nations meet many of its sustainable development goals
Pulses, including chickpeas, lentils, dry peas and beans, are showing up on more American’s plates, and not by coincidence. Due in part to shifting consumer shopping and cooking behavior during the pandemic, as well as a concerted effort by government organizations to encourage consumers to eat more pulses, the ingredients have seen a 40 percent increase in sales and, according to data from the Mintel GNPD, nearly 1,600 new products containing pulses launched in 2020. Plant-forward organizations, like Meatless Monday, are also enthusiastic about the increase in pulse popularity, which furthers their mission to increase plant-forward eating.
A $2.65 million gift to support Cornell University and partner research in Tanzania will improve distribution of new and more resistant varieties of cassava while empowering women and marginalized groups in the East African nation.
Rice husk residue can prevent uptake of harmful elements in rice
A study of food raised around Chicago has shown that buying local can’t provide all necessary nutrients for area residents, though it could fulfill their needs if some nutrients were supplied as supplements.
Richard Stup, agricultural workforce specialist, analyzes key issues facing New York state farmers this year.
Research evaluating the effectiveness of fungicides against Phomopsis stem canker has earned a SDSU doctoral student 2nd place in the Northeastern Plant, Pest and Soil Conference oral competition.
Root architecture, formation play key roles in modifying soil
There's a better end for used food than taking up space in landfills and contributing to global warming.
The crucially important work is accomplished through deploying S&T’s advanced lab-based technical expertise and capabilities in research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E).
For Michigan State University’s Felicia Wu, the surprise isn’t that people who work with livestock are at higher risk of picking up antibiotic-resistant bacteria, but instead how much higher their risk levels are. “This is a bit of a wakeup call,” said Wu, John. A Hannah Distinguished Professor in the Departments of Food Science and Human Nutrition and Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics. “I don’t think there was much awareness that swine workers are at such high risk, for example. Or that large animal vets are also at extremely high risk.”
Recent events such as the Covid-19 pandemic, locust infestations, drought and labour shortages have disrupted food supply chains, endangering food security in the process. A study published in Nature Food shows that trade restrictions and stockpiling of supplies by a few key countries could create global food price spikes and severe local food shortages during times of threat.
In Nature, a multi-institutional team including DOE Joint Genome Institute researchers has produced a high-quality reference sequence of the complex switchgrass genome. Building off this work, bioenergy researchers are exploring targeted genome editing techniques to customize the crop.
Irvine, Calif., Jan. 27, 2021 — One of President Joe Biden’s first post-inauguration acts was to realign the United States with the Paris climate accord, but a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Irvine demonstrates that rising emissions from human land-use will jeopardize the agreement’s goals without substantial changes in agricultural practices.
Research uses plant breeding and biotechnology to remove proteins associated with food allergies.
Researchers reporting in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry have developed a method to simultaneously measure 77 antibiotics in a variety of foods.
A new variety of cherry tomatoes from Cornell AgriTech provides improved yield and shelf-life while enhancing both visual and culinary appeal.
Healthy food production, erosion prevention among many benefits
Chang brings experience in partnerships and team-building
A new Cornell University study found that harmful mutations in sorghum landraces – early domesticated crops – decreased compared to their wild relatives through the course of domestication and breeding.
Protected areas are critical to mitigating extinction of species; however, they may also be in conflict with efforts to feed the growing human population.
Scientists have discovered how bacteria commonly responsible for seafood-related stomach upsets can go dormant and then "wake up".
Today, data.org announced the eight global winners of the $10 million Inclusive Growth and Recovery Challenge, which aims to address major societal challenges through computer and data science. Among the winners is a project by BASE (Basel Agency for Sustainable Energy) and Empa that aims to give smallholder farmers in India access to sustainable cooling facilities through a mobile app to reduce food waste.
New dry beans from UC Davis combine desirable qualities for both farmers and consumers
Large-scale land acquisitions by foreign investors, intended to improve global food security, had little to no benefit, increasing crop production in some areas while simultaneously threatening local food security in others, according to Notre Dame researchers who studied their effects.
Plants, animals, and microorganisms contribute to unique ecosystem
Differences in nitrogen loss intensity between livestock and crops confirm the need for change.
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