How will the farms of the future feed a projected 9.8 billion people by 2050? Berkeley Lab’s “smart farm” project marries microbiology and machine learning in an effort to reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and enhance soil carbon uptake, thus improving the long-term viability of the land while increasing crop yields.
Pumpkins and their seeds are good for you. For example, the flesh of the fruit is a good source of many vitamins and fiber, and its seeds provide unsaturated fats that help reduce cholesterol, among their other health benefits.
Bioreactors, which are woodchip-filled ditches and trenches, are often used near crop fields to filter the water running off of them. The woodchips enhance a natural process called denitrification that prevents too much nitrogen from getting into other bodies of water like rivers and streams.
A new paper by Northern Arizona University professor Andrew Richardson published in the journal Scientific Data describes a vast network of digital cameras designed to capture millions of images documenting seasonal changes of vegetation across North America.
The American Society of Agronomy (ASA) has released four videos highlighting scientists in action. The series, “A Day in the Life,” explains the science of agronomy to the general public.
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State University researchers have discovered how weeds develop resistance to the popular herbicide glyphosate, a finding that could have broad future implications in agriculture and many other industries. Their work is detailed in the March 12 edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The colleges of engineering and agriculture worked together over the summer to find out if turfgrass conserves more water than real grass does. At the end of the project they concluded that turfgrass requires a lot more water to stay cool throughout the day than real grass does.
Three women driving agricultural and ecological research in North Texas seek new solutions for sustainable urban and suburban living in 2018.
While most industrial grain crops are annuals that must be replanted every year, a new perennial grain called Kernza has hit the markets with growing interest from restaurants, bakeries and brewers.
This new study punches a hole in the idea that increased genetic complexity of sex chromosomes accompanied the origin of sexes.
When you go online, do you want a flowery review of groceries, or do you want a write-up that’s more straightforward and factual? A new University of Florida study shows consumers find the “just-the-facts” approach more useful.
Home and large-scale growers share a common struggle: weeds! The March 7th Sustainable, Secure Food blog post explains what makes weeds survive—and how to tackle them.
Researchers at Durham University in the UK have identified a crucial link in the process of how plants regulate their antiviral responses. The research is published in the March 2 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
The same products that get rid of internal parasites in livestock may adversely impact the dung beetles that help break down dung. That could be bad news for the dung beetles and livestock production.
Letting the soil rest can be difficult economically for farmers. Researchers experimented with crop rotation and grazing to discover the least possible amount of time it would take to allow the soil to heal.
Fertilisers with lower environmental impacts and reduced costs for farmers are being developed by University of Adelaide researchers in the world-first use of the new advanced material graphene as a fertiliser carrier.
For years, scientists have argued about whether managing both nitrogen and phosphorus – versus managing strictly phosphorus or just nitrogen – would control harmful algal blooms.
A team of University of Georgia researchers has developed a new way to breed plants with better traits. By introducing a human protein into the model plant species Arabidopsis thaliana, researchers found that they could selectively activate silenced genes already present within the plant.
Researchers have developed a spatial planning strategy that accounts for and quantifies industry, environmental and societal interests in a given area to produce optimized, sustainable ocean usage plans.
The International Certified Crop Adviser (ICCA) Program and American Society of Agronomy have named Harold Watters of Ohio the 2018 ICCA of the Year. The award recognizes a CCA who delivers exceptional customer service, is highly innovative, shows leadership, and contributes substantially to the exchange of ideas and transfer of agronomic knowledge.
Researchers from Cornell University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service announced this week they are releasing a nutritious red rice cultivar that should appeal to people interested in alternative grains.
Cornell plant breeder Michael Mazourek, Ph.D. ’08, noted chef Dan Barber and seed producer Matthew Goldfarb have launched a new vegetable seed company and catalog. The freshly minted Row 7 Seed Co. offers seeds that can turn a container garden or backyard plot into a summer vegetable bounty any foodie will crave.
University of Adelaide researchers have discovered how grapes “breathe”, and that shortage of oxygen leads to cell death in the grape. The discovery raises many questions about the potentially significant impacts on grape and wine quality and flavour and vine management, and may lead to new ways of selecting varieties for warming climates.
Patrick Gibney, assistant professor in the department of food science at Cornell University, is on a mission to help New York state wineries. Gibney is working out how metabolic pathways within a yeast cell determine those changes, with implications for how wine is produced.
With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, thoughts turn to the Irish experience of the 1800s. This includes the devastating conditions in Ireland that led many to the U.S. The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) March 1 Soils Matter blog post explains the agricultural lessons behind Irish Potato Famine.
A recently invented device that measures relative humidity more accurately than current products could save producer growers an average of $6,500 annually and cheese producers up to $10,000 a year.
Brazilian research leader Embrapa, one of the largest plant biodiversity and crop science institutions in the world, announced a partnership to leverage Benson Hill Biosystem’s cutting edge genome editing capabilities to further modernize its R&D programs. The partnership will tap Benson Hill’s knowledge and CRISPR 2.0 and 3.0 nucleases to leverage the natural genetic diversity of plants and accelerate progress in climate resilience, disease resistance and other sustainability targets across multiple crop species.
Fungicides can help prevent the lodging and yield loss that stem canker causes, but timing is crucial. A new disease-forecasting model that predicts stem canker risk can help.
Researchers at the University of Delaware and the University of California-Davis have uncovered new details of how chloroplasts move about in times of trouble. It's the fundamental kind of research information that helps scientists understand plant biology and could help farmers prevent crop loss.
Agricultural fields can be attacked by insects, disease, and weeds. How can growers defend crops? The February 22 Sustainable, Secure Food blog explains how the safe use of pesticides can maintain crop yields, feed the world, and keep our food supply sustainable.
About 25 years ago, University of Florida scientist Nan-Yao Su set out to develop a bait to kill termites. He came up with Sentricon™ and found it worked better than any other termite-killing method to date. Now, scientists know more about why the bait works so efficiently and how to improve it to kill termite colonies faster.
A non-native grass species has been wreaking havoc in wetlands all over the U.S., impacting migratory birds' fueling stops. In response, researchers test the usefulness of reed canarygrass as a feed source for cows, with hopes of controlling the invasive species.
Vance Whitaker toils day and night to develop the tastiest, best-looking, aromatic strawberries a consumer would want. Yummy enough for a nutritious snack or to help flavor a cake or pie just in time for National Strawberry Day on Feb. 27.
Now that the American Association for the Advancement of Science has selected Roger Kjelgren as a Leshner Fellow, he hopes to increase participation in urban food and water security.
Researchers found antibodies against two strains of influenza D in blood samples from horses in the Midwest. “It’s nothing we need to worry about at this moment, but more studies are needed,” according to professor Feng Li.
A team of Texas A&M AgriLife scientists in Dallas works alongside collaborators to understand the ecology and taxonomy of Texas' first federally endangered freshwater mussel species.
Which is better for bird diversity: Arabica or Robusta beans?
Armed with a $600,000 grant, Michigan State University researchers will work alongside Latino migrant farmers to reshape how Michigan harvests fruit – and cultivate a new workforce.
What can be made with unwanted materials, looks like charcoal, and provides multiple benefits to soil health? Biochar! The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) February 15 Soils Matter blog explains what biochar is and how it helps improve—or decontaminate--soil.
Scientists have discovered an extreme lack of genetic diversity and other threats to the future adaptability of domestic chickpeas, the primary source of protein of 20 percent of the world's people. But they also collected wild relatives of chickpeas in Turkey that hold great promise as a source of new genes for traits like drought-resistance, resistance to pod-boring beetles, and heat tolerance.
A circle of life–and nitrogen–is playing out in farms across the United States. And researchers are trying to get the timing right. The goal is to time nutrient release from cover crops to better match the nutrient needs of specific cash crops.
A new study by Northern Arizona University scientists shows how much arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi contribute to the complex ecosystem that makes up the Serengeti.
The International Alliance for Phytobiomes Research announced today that the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD-France) has joined the organization as a sponsoring partner.
With garden season fast approaching, the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) has updated their Community Gardens website. There, gardeners can find out how to design and build community gardens.
Before having a baby, most human parents determine if they are able to feed them, give them a good home and provide them with the best chance to grow up. Researchers have found a similar behavior pattern in the beetle world - specifically with burying beetles who may choose the number of their offspring based on available resources like food.
The science of plant breeding has only existed for a little more than a century. But, humans have unofficially been selecting for the ‘cream of the crop’ for over 10,000 years. The February 7th Sustainable, Secure Food blog post explains how crop breeders use traditional methods of plant breeding.
A new tool may help growers make better decisions in applying nitrogen fertilizer to their rice fields.
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