Asian-Americans in three East Coast states, including Florida, yearn for more of their native vegetables, and those crops can be grown in the East, say two University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers.
A doctoral student at K-State Olathe, completed a series of studies focused on helping Kansas growers produce more strawberries in the state — particularly Greater Kansas City.
For the first time, X-ray scientists have access to wavelength-tunable circularly polarized free-electron laser pulses in the range between 280 and 1200 eV. Several types of experiments can benefit from the short and intense pulses.
When growing algae in outdoor ponds as a next-generation biofuel, a naturally diverse mix of species will help reduce the chance of crop failure, according to a federally funded study by University of Michigan researchers.
Hugh English helped launch southwest Florida’s fledgling citrus industry. He started his career as a citrus grove manager at A. Duda & Sons in 1965, and through his work, English began many citrus research and Extension demonstrations in the Duda groves. He retired in 2001 as a corporate vice president.
Md Ali Babar, a UF/IFAS agronomy assistant professor and his team of researchers, hope to increase the harvest index from 45 to 60 percent, which translates to much more wheat. The harvest index quantifies a crop’s yield versus the amount of biomass – shoots and roots – that it produces.
Diners waste far less food when they’re schooled on the harm their leftovers can inflict on the environment. But if they know the food is going to be composted instead of dumped in a landfill, the educational benefit disappears.
Are you concerned about how your water tastes? Do you want to know how much you use, or whether we’ll have enough water for the next generation? A new UF/IFAS website links users with UF/IFAS programs on how to preserve and, perhaps improve the quantity and quality of water in Florida.
Wintry weather can pack a slippery punch. While use of salt on roads and sidewalks can return surfaces to a safer status, too much salt can have long-term effects on soil. The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) January 1 Soils Matter blog post explains how too much salt reduces soils’ ability to retain plant nutrients and water, and damage soil structure.
Researchers are uncovering the genome of cowpeas, also known as black-eyed peas, in response to challenging growing conditions and the need for food security.
Faculty at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences write Extension documents that bring top-notch, science-based information to the public for free. Topics cover myriad issues from reptiles to rivers and from crops to food safety. These documents are found on a website, www.edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
ARPA-E has awarded Berkeley Lab $4.6 million for two projects to “see” into the soil and ultimately develop crops that take carbon out of the atmosphere. One technology aims to use electrical current to image the root system. The other will use neutron scattering to measure the distribution of carbon and other elements in the soil.
Leftover DNA from dead organisms -- known as "relic DNA" -- has historically thrown a wrench into estimates, causing scientists to overestimate microbial diversity by as much as 55 percent.
Research Fellow Monamie RINGHOFER and Associate Professor Shinya YAMAMOTO (Kobe University Graduate School of Intercultural Studies) have proved that when horses face unsolvable problems they use visual and tactile signals to get human attention and ask for help. The study also suggests that horses alter their communicative behavior based on humans' knowledge of the situation. These findings were published in the online version of Animal Cognition on November 24.
Plants need the nutrients of soil to grow. The Earth’s creatures need homes to live. The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) December 15th Soils Matter blog post explains how soil provides these and other services.
In the days before Hurricane Matthew, researchers used satellite maps of soil moisture to help forecast where the power would go out along the East Coast.At the American Geophysical Union meeting this week, they report that their method worked with 91 percent accuracy.
“In recent years I have been frequently contacted by the public with questions about genetic engineering, and Florida strawberry growers have frequently reached out to me to help answer questions they have received from the public as well,” said Vance Whitaker, a UF/IFAS associate professor of horticultural sciences and a strawberry breeder.
In a new study, researchers describe a fully-automated, portable, and energy-independent rainout shelter. This new design will allow researchers to more effectively field test crop varieties for their tolerances to water stress.
Scientists under VIRCA Plus are developing improved cassava varieties to enhance the livelihoods and health status of African farm families.
Subsurface drip irrigation is the newest method in turfgrass efficiency. Two projects will test these research findings: A subsurface drip irrigation system in several tee boxes at a golf course, and a city park, where a subsurface drip irrigation system has been installed on half of the park.
As human uses increasingly threaten the Earth’s natural spaces, a new ecological model developed by University of Guelph researchers suggests that so-called mosaic ecosystems may be near a “tipping point” and that conserving these landscapes requires taking a longer and more balanced view.
An international team of scientists analyzed grain production in 10 sub-Saharan countries. Although farmers in the region could quadruple production by optimizing plant and soil management, yields still would fall short of demand.
It has been 20 years since Dolly the sheep was successfully cloned in Scotland, but cloning mammals remains a challenge. A new study by researchers from the U.S. and France of gene expression in developing clones now shows why most cloned embryos likely fail.
Turbulence created by wind turbines may help corn and soybeans by influencing variables such as temperature and carbon dioxide concentration, according to Iowa State University research. The project drew on data generated by research towers set up on a 200-turbine wind farm in Iowa.
Precisely meeting a pregnant sow’s protein needs, specifically amino acid requirements, will improve the health of the sow and piglet—and help protect the environment by utilizing resources wisely.
The wild faba – today, fava – bean is believed to be extinct. Dr. Elisabeth Boaretto has identified the oldest known faba beans – about 14,000 years old. Understanding how the wild fabas survived can help scientists grow hardier fava crops today. Favas are a major source of nutrition in many parts of the world
The critical zone extends from the top of the tallest tree down through the soil and into the water and rock beneath it. It stops at what’s called the weathering zone — or where soils first begin to develop. This zone allows crops to grow well and supports our buildings. It also allows for animals and microbes to live, and filters our water. A review of recent research is now available.
Miranda Klugesherz, graduate student in communication studies, will research global solutions to food insecurity through the George J. Mitchell Scholarship, a national, competitive scholarship program of the US-Ireland Alliance.
“We want to help figure out ways to return to the fresh taste of milk that our grandparents experienced when it came straight from the dairy,” said Susan Duncan, a professor of food science and technology.
As part of an effort to develop drought-resistant food and bioenergy crops, scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have uncovered the genetic and metabolic mechanisms that allow certain plants to conserve water and thrive in semi-arid climates.
Heidi Copeland, family and consumer sciences agent with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension Leon County, has these tips for avoiding common baking blunders during the holidays.
A study of more than 5,000 Wisconsin lakes shows that nearly a quarter of them have become murkier in the past two decades. It also shows this trend could get worse as a changing climate leads to increased precipitation.
The wise person builds on a solid foundation. The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) December 1st Soils Matter blog post explains what goes into deciding soil’s suitability for a construction project.
For many farmers, in-furrow starter application is a cheaper alternative to other starter fertilizers. New research suggests it does not provide an economic benefit in most situations, however.
An Iowa State University veterinary research team has discovered the specific genetic mutations that make Campylobacter jejuni such a virulent strain of bacteria in ruminant animals such as sheep and cattle. The research could lead to a vaccine or new ways to control the bacteria.
The Kansas Forest Service, which is housed at Kansas State University, provides trucks and equipment for rural fire departments.
What would the paradise of Hawaii be without swaying coconut palms, with succulent fruit that is almost synonymous with the tropical island? Unfortunately, that may be the future of the island unless scientists find some way to stop the destructive Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle which feeds on the coconut palms, stripping them of their leaves and decimating the vegetation. A team of researchers at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu are using acoustics to help to understand this beetle, its habits and movements in order to protect the state’s valuable natural resources.
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is honoring Vara Prasad, Kansas State University distinguished professor of agronomy, as one of its 2016 fellows.
Corn is the leading grain crop in the U.S. but a lack of understanding about the mechanics involved in wind-induced corn stalk failure has hindered further improvements in corn production. Now, by applying mechanical engineering tools and techniques, a group of engineers and plant scientists are making headway addressing this problem. The work will be presented at the 172nd ASA meeting.
Assessing soil physical quality can save time and money. It can help steer away from soils that wouldn’t help crops grow their best. Researchers have combined this information in a mathematical equation.
After more than 60 years of working closely with University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources researchers to identify and learn how to manage a disease that causes the death of up to 90,000 calves annually, ranchers are optimistic that they are on the home stretch to getting a vaccine that will protect cattle.
Bioplastic may offer gardeners a more sustainable alternative to petroleum-based pots and flats, according to Iowa State University research. Although more expensive to manufacture than conventional plastics, bioplastics someday may grow beyond a niche market, said ISU experts.
MADISON, Wis. – New insights into the mechanism behind how plants age may help scientists better understand crop yields, nutrient allocation, and even the timing and duration of fall leaf color.
As they prepare to be new homeowners with help from Habitat for Humanity, program candidates learn home maintenance, how to save energy and how to get along better with home occupants through the Homeflow program.
Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory have conducted a detailed study of the albedo (reflectivity) effects of converting land to grow biofuel crops. Based on changes in albedo alone, their findings reveal that greenhouse gas emissions in land use change scenarios represent a net warming effect for ethanol made from miscanthus grass and switchgrass, but a net cooling effect for ethanol made from corn.
Wind energy is a key part of the global energy future, expanding rapidly throughout the world in onshore and offshore settings. But to be sustainable, large scale, multi-megawatt (multi-MW) wind farming’s economic efficiencies need to be maximized -- and knowing where to place the turbines within the wind farm is a first step. Bring on the drones. Moreover, design novel instrumented drones with a suite of sensors capable of gathering precise field data in the complex flow and terrain of an actual wind farm. This was the approach of researchers from Switzerland.
If you drink cranberry juice, munch on dried cranberries or savor cranberry sauce, chances are they may include varieties bred at Rutgers University in the New Jersey Pinelands.
Turning cattle out to graze in harvested fields was once a common practice. It’s something that researchers would like to see used again—and improved by planting cover crops, such as such as oats, sorghum, turnips, radishes or millet. These have the potential to improve the soil health and utilize any remaining nutrients, thus preventing runoff that pollutes lakes and streams.
University of Delaware researchers have found that rice plants can withstand attacks from arsenic in water and soil and a fungal disease called rice blast. They have discovered that a combination of beneficial soil microbes can be applied to the infected plants to boost their natural defenses.
Berkeley and Illinois researchers have bumped up crop productivity by as much as 20 percent by increasing the expression of genes that result in more efficient use of light in photosynthesis. Their work could potentially be used to help address the world’s future food needs.
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