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Developing a Dual-Purpose Corn that can be bred for both food and cellulosic ethanol.

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Plant breeders look to genetic markers to protect their research investments and unique plant varieties.

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Scientists investigate kernel development in a large-seeded sorghum line and its hybrid in comparison with normal-seeded lines and hybrids. They examine pre-fertilization floret and ovary development and analyzed post-fertilization kernel-filling characteristics. The goal is to determine what factors influence the development of large seeded sorghum, in order to develop higher grain-yielding varieties.

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Can native or introduced grasses offer sustainable harvest for biofuels?

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Scientists in Africa are working to develop maize hybrids that keep their genetic diversity and resistance to parasitic weeds.

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Scientists have known for a long time that plants grow differently when they are spaced closer together than farther apart. Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison conducted field experiments to determine the effects of early-season light quality on corn productivity.

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Presence of non-native turfgrasses in restored prairies likely due to previous site cultivations rather than post-restoration invasions as reported in Crop Science.

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Crop genetics play key role in understanding the impact of environmental stress.

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Plant breeding industry stakeholders discuss public-private partnerships; commercialization strategies now driving public programs; the impact of foundations in targeted support for cultivar development; and national and global programs that may help build industry capacity and public support in a Nov. 5 symposium in Pittsburgh.

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A recent study at Oregon State University has shown that native bumble bee species have high pollination and seed production levels in red clover. These findings offer promise for alternative crop pollinators, as the population of European honey bee in the US declines

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The Crop Science Society of America (CSSA) will continue a time-honored tradition this year with the presentation of the following individuals as 2009 CSSA Fellows at a special Awards Ceremony during their Annual Meeting on Nov. 1-5 in Pittsburgh, PA.

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The CSSA will recognize individuals for their contributions to agronomy through education, national and international service, and research.

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Determining a specific crop cultivar is an important decision for a farmer to make, and involves careful consideration of the relationship between the environment and the needs of a particular genotype. A new study reconsiders a statistical model that has become an industry standard in studying this relationship.

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With the advent of high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies, it is now possible to cheaply and rapidly sequence hundreds of millions of bases in a matter of hours. A team of scientists have developed molecular and computational tools for the efficient and accurate identification of gene-enriched SNPs in crops.

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Scientists at Purdue University investigate the impacts of manure application, crop rotation, and the rate of nitrogen application on carbon losses in the Journal of Environmental Quality.

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Acquiring cheap genome sequence data can improve the quality of feedstocks used to create biofuels, according to a new study published in The Plant Genome.

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Authors of a new book explain why grassland should be a permanent component of our ecosystem for ensuring the future of sustainable agriculture.

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The Illinois Soil Nitrogen Test was recently studied at the University of Illinois to clarify the chemical nature of what the test measures and its relationship to microbial growth in soils, determining that the test does not estimate total soil nitrogen and is selective for certain forms of microbial nitrogen.

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The desert lands of Abu Dhabi are subjected to various land degradation stresses, including wind erosion, salinization, waterlogging, landfilling, and overgrazing. Sustaining these lands has become an urgent matter, a recent article in Soil Survey Horizons suggests better conservation strategies and management options.

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A recently released publication, Modification of Seed Composition to Promote Health and Nutrition, addresses ways that researchers are working towards securing the world's future food supply.

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A new article assesses the effectiveness of a new online course in the Plant Biology Department at Arizona State University, which was designed as a way for non-majors to fulfill their natural science requirement. The course, which students rated very highly, features written and animated materials to teach topics such as plant growth and their contribution to the biosphere.

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Two scientific coalitions honor New York's 22nd District Representative Maurice Hinchey for his contributions to the nation's research policy. He has been a strong advocate for the integrity of American agriculture, focusing on protecting the family farm and the safety of the food supply, recognizing and supporting federally funded agricultural and biological research.

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The extraordinary yield advance within the U.S. Corn Belt over the past century has been a significant agricultural development associated with the breeding of hybrids and increased planting density. A new study examines how the root structure of corn has been one of the key factors in the efficiency of these crops.

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New research was conducted studying the transport behavior of different strains of E. coli in an attempt to understand their movement through water supplies. Commonly only a single strain of E. coli is used in these studies, but with research showing that a significant amount of genetic variability exists among various strains, a more detailed study was necessary to advance the early detection of contamination of groundwater environments.

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Uranium contamination is a devastating legacy of nuclear weapon and energy development, but new testing has shown that adding organic molecules can positively affect the bioremediation of this uranium, converting it to a solid mineral and sequestering it within the sediment.

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Genetic diversity in a breeding program is essential as an insurance against unforeseeable changes in the environment and to maintain genetic progress, and the incorporation of diversity should be planned carefully. A recent study proposed data-driven methods to group breeding programs likely to be compatible for germplasm exchange.

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With increasing interest in the ways certain food can reduce people's risks for contracting chronic diseases, a new study demonstrates the benefits of dry beans in reducing the risk of contracting mammary cancer, due to their levels of antioxidants and other cancer reducing contents.

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"Response of Crops to Limited Water: Understanding and Modeling Water Stress Effects on Plant Growth Processes," the latest book release from the ASA-CSSA-SSSA, confronts issues related to agriculture in areas of low water availability.

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A recognition of outstanding contributions from the Crop Science Society of America (CSSA) as presented during their Annual Meeting on Oct. 5-9 in Houston, TX.

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A recognition of Fellows from the Crop Science Society of America (CSSA) as presented during their Annual Meeting on Oct. 5-9 in Houston, TX.

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Experts will examine how terrestrial and ocean sequestration of carbon can potentially reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and mitigate global warming. They will also discuss how future changes in carbon policies impact research and the implementation of carbon sequestration programs.

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Representatives Norman Dicks (D-WA) and Ralph Regula (R-OH) will be presented with the first USGS Coalition Leadership Award on Monday evening, September 15, 2008. The USGS Coalition is an alliance of 70 organizations united by a commitment to the continued vitality of the unique combination of biological, geological, hydrological and mapping programs of the U.S. Geological Survey.

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The 2008 National Student Recognition Program recognizes 36 outstanding undergraduate seniors enrolled in agronomy, crop, soil, or environmental science departments that have active student chapters affiliated with The American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America.

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Two papers presented at the Annual Meetings of the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, will examine the future of biomass for biofuel production and will look at how several species, dependent on region, could be grown for biofuels.

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By combining two approaches to model maize productivity, researchers have increased the accuracy of maize yield predictions. These findings may help to improve yield predictions throughout the world.

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To stop the root-knot nematode from destroying soybean crops, plant breeders must move quickly. Scientists from the University of Georgia have discovered faster and less expensive way to screen resistant soybean crops.