Feature Channels: Agriculture

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Making milk powder seems simple, but it’s not. Creamer must dissolve very quickly in hot coffee, but powder density is critical for infant formula. Dairy scientists from South Dakota State University and chemical engineers from Monash University in Australia are using a single-droplet spray dryer and computation fluid dynamics modeling to determine the drying parameters needed to produce powders with those specific properties.

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For Pennsylvania dairy farmers, producing feed grain on-farm requires significantly less energy than importing it from the Midwest, according to Penn State researchers whose findings may help dairy farmers save energy and money in the face of rising feed costs.

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As fresh water resources become scarce, one option for water-conscious farmers is to water crops with treated wastewater. This effluent is becoming a more popular option for applications that don’t require drinking-quality water. However, there are still questions about how the effluent interacts with and affects the rest of the ecosystem. Researchers set out to follow the environmental paths of pharmaceutical and personal care products found in effluent when it is used to spray irrigate wheat crops.

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Leaf litter, plant debris decomposed by nature into healthy soil

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“Plant diagnostic labs and specialists are your plant emergency room, family doctor and physical therapist all in one," said Carrie Harmon, a UF/IFAS Extension specialist in plant pathology and director of the UF/IFAS Plant Diagnostic Center. "Our connection to anyone who works with plants is built on the Extension system, supporting the state and federal departments of agriculture goals to protect crops and livelihoods across the country."

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Higher food prices, a significant boost in greenhouse gas emissions due to land use change and major loss of forest and pasture land would be some results if genetically modified organisms in the United States were banned, according to a Purdue University study.

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Farm-grown fish are an important source of food with significant and worldwide societal and economic benefits, but the fish that come from these recirculating systems can have unpleasant tastes and odors. To clean contaminated water for farmed fish, drinking and other uses, scientists are now turning to an unlikely source — the mucilage or inner “guts” of cacti. Researchers will be presenting their latest findings at the 251st National Meeting of the American Chemical Society.

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Hops, those little cone-shaped buds that give beer its bitter flavor, pack a surprisingly healthful punch. They are widely studied for their ability to halt bacterial growth and disease. Now, researchers report that they are close to synthesizing the healthful hops compounds in the lab, which could help scientists more easily create medicines from these compounds. The researchers present their work at the 251st National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society.

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The blueberry, already labeled a “super fruit” for its power to potentially lower the risk of heart disease and cancer, also could be another weapon in the war against Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers present their work today at the 251st National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society.

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Do you want to know if it’s the right time of year to plant a vegetable? Want to buy Florida produce but you don’t know whether it’s in season? UF/IFAS has a new app to guide you. It’s called the “Florida Fresh” veggie app, and you can now download it for free on your mobile device.

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New journal, Agricultural & Environmental Letters, supports rapid scientific communication.

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Two thirds of urban farmers have a social mission that goes beyond food production and profits, finds new research led by NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.

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On 25 February 2016, a group of scientific societies, companies, research institutes, and governmental agencies launched the Phytobiomes Roadmap presenting a new vision for agriculture to increase health, productivity, and sustainability of our current cropping and forest systems.

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A newly discovered insect species in prairie cordgrass may explain why increasing seed production has been so difficult, according to South Dakota State University entomologist Paul J. Johnson, a professor in the plant science department. The larvae feed on the developing seed within the plant. This is part of U.S. Department of Agriculture supported research to develop native grasses as a source of biobased transportation fuels.

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Researchers have found the molecular marker -- a pattern in the plant's natural DNA -- for calcium in potatoes. This will save time in breeding high-quality, high-calcium potatoes that resist rot.

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Berkeley Lab scientists have shown for the first time that an enzyme can be tweaked to reduce lignin in plants. Their technique could help lower the cost of converting biomass into carbon-neutral fuels to power your car and other sustainably developed bio-products.

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From the Yellow River in China to the Mississippi River in Louisiana, researchers are racing to better understand and mitigate the degradation of some of the world's most important river deltas, according to a University of Colorado Boulder faculty member.

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University of Florida researchers hope to help farmers hop into the beer business by cultivating hops

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Hops would not only help growers looking for another alternative crop, it would help quench the thirst of the micro-brewing industry, which is growing by leaps and bounds in Florida and across the United States. Craft beer produced and sold in Florida accounted for $875.9 million in 2013, Deng said. Production of Florida craft beer has increased nearly 10-fold in the last two years, from about 100,000 barrels per day to more than 1 million, Pearson said. Craft breweries have nearly tripled in Florida in the last two years – from 66 in 2013 to 182 in 2015.

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Just add a handful of almonds: a University of Florida study suggests that improving one’s diet can be as simple as that.

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The Crop Science Society of America (CSSA) is sending ten graduate students to Zambia to learn more about dry bean research and increase international knowledge of this important crop. CSSA worked in collaboration with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Feed the Future’s Knowledge-Driven Agricultural Development (KDAD) project to select and fund the students.

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Researchers at the University of Georgia, working with the International Peanut Genome Initiative, have discovered that a wild plant from Bolivia is a “living relic” of the prehistoric origins of the cultivated peanut species.

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Global market integration is key to buffering future commodity prices and food security from the negative effects of climate change on agriculture, says a Purdue University agricultural economist.

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A new variety of upright pinto bean, Long’s Peak, combines upright architecture with high yields, excellent seed color and weight, and resistance to several diseases such as common rust. The International Year of Pulses coincidentally highlights the importance of this and other beans for the health of the soil -- and humans.

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As National Strawberry Day approaches on Feb. 27, you can bite into a Florida strawberry, and you might taste the tang of the fruits bred through the combined efforts of University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers.

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The web-based tool, known as the Strawberry Advisory System (SAS), uses data such as temperature and leaf wetness to tell growers when to spray fungicide to ward off diseases. Most strawberry growers treat for fungi every week. Natalia Peres, a UF/IFAS associate professor of plant pathology, helped develop the SAS in 2012 to give producers more precise times to chemically prevent two potentially deadly fungi.

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Intentionally or unintentionally, many gardeners have left plants in their gardens over the winter. The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) February 15 Soils Matter blog post explains this is actually a good thing… and something everyone should consider on a yearly basis.

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Kansas State University researchers have found that freezing strip loin and inside round steaks makes those cuts as much as 10 percent more tender when it comes time to eat them.

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Leaving some of your plants and vegetables up over the winter is a good thing!

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On Charles Darwin's 207th birthday, a new study of evolution in a diverse group of wild tomatoes is shedding light on the importance of genetic variation in plants.

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At least 25 specimens of fungi that infect plants, collected by George Washington Carver more than a century ago, were discovered Feb. 8 in the Wisconsin State Herbarium at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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Scientists at Indiana University have modified a plant gene that normally fights bacterial infection to confer resistance to a virus. The method, described in a paper to be published Feb. 12 in the journal Science, is the first time a plant’s innate defense system has been altered to deliver resistance to a new disease.

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New measurements from a NASA satellite have allowed researchers to identify and quantify, for the first time, how climate-driven increases of liquid water storage on land have affected the rate of sea level rise.

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Scientists hope to find “an ideal combination” of plant, endophyte, environment, and genetic interactions

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Kansas State University researchers have received $6.5 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture since 2009 to keep a devastating wheat fungus out of the country's farm fields.

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When Joachim Messing discovered a way to crack the genetic code of humans and plants like rice, corn and wheat, he did not patent his work. Instead, he gave away the tools he invented – for free – to his fellow scientists around the world because he believed it was vital for future research.

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Today’s students will be the world’s leaders in 2050, when the population is expected to reach 9 billion people; they will face issues like overcrowding, food security, energy and water management, and climate change. UF's ONE WORLD summit addresses these issues by bringing together a diverse group of educators and students, Extension professionals, community development personnel, corporate partners and policy makers.

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Chicago’s history of industrialization and urbanization left its mark on the soil. Soil acts as a sponge, and can host contaminants for years. In Chicago, the waste from industrial manufacturing causes undesirable toxic organic chemicals, heavy metals, and other chemicals to linger in the soil. This can pose problems for the health of the humans and plants that inhabit the land years later. A non-profit youth development center hopes to repurpose lots into useful spaces for the community. However, the poor quality soils in the lots create challenges.

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“Citrus greening has affected more than 75 percent of Florida citrus crops and threatens production all across the United States,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “The research and extension projects funded today bring us one step closer to providing growers real tools to fight this disease, from early detection to creating long-term solutions for the industry, producers and workers.”

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Agricultural policies aimed at alleviating poverty in Africa could be making things worse, according to research by the University of East Anglia (UEA).

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Innovation needed to meet 21st century challenges

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) today announced the winners of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) Think-and-Do Challenge.

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Researchers at the University of Minnesota have engineered a new synthetic biopathway that can more efficiently and cost-effectively turn agricultural waste, like corn stover and orange peels, into a variety of useful products ranging from spandex to chicken feed.

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Florida hives are on the rise. According to statistics with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, as of Feb. 1, Florida has 3,957 registered beekeepers and more than 500,000 hives. That is a substantial increase from 10 years ago, when Florida reached an all-time low of only about 150,000 hives and just 650 registered beekeepers.

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Study analyzes 40 years of science against 4 areas of sustainability.

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Cotton's genetic history is full of surprises. From transoceanic travels to inter-species cross-breedings, cotton’s story is one of plant and seed survival, adaptation, and human cultivation. What started as a naturally tough, unspinnable fiber has been transformed into something most folks adore for its soft, comforting feel.

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A new University of Washington study looked at potential risks associated with growing vegetables in urban gardens and determined that the benefits of locally produced vegetables in cities outweigh any risks from gardening in contaminated soils.

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Researchers at NMSU’s Chile Pepper Institute have discovered that super-hot chile peppers, those with more than one million Scoville Heat Units, are built differently than other peppers.