Fungal decisions can affect climate

When we think of climate change, we tend to think about greenhouse gases, fossil fuels and pollution. Most of us don't think about fungi.

Soil phosphorus availability and lime: More than just pH?

Plants can't do without phosphorus. But there is often a 'withdrawal limit' on how much phosphorus they can get from the soil. That's because phosphorus in soils is often in forms that plants can't take up. That affects how ...

Pumpkin production can benefit from conservation practices

Pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo) are a common vegetable crop sold at local pumpkin patches and farmers markets, in addition to commercial production. In 2019, the value of harvested pumpkin was worth $180 million.

Clover-corn combo benefits corn, soil, business

Living mulch functions like mulch on any farm or garden except—it's alive. No, it's not out of the latest horror movie; living mulch is a system farmers can use to benefit both profits and the soil. While the system has ...

Radish cover crop traps nitrogen; mystery follows

When you think of a radish, you may think of the small, round, crunchy, red-and-white vegetable that is sliced into salads. You might be surprised to learn that a larger, longer form of this root vegetable is being used in ...

Reduce, reuse, recycle: The future of phosphorus

When Hennig Brandt discovered the element phosphorus in 1669, it was a mistake. He was really looking for gold. But his mistake was a very important scientific discovery. What Brandt couldn't have realized was the importance ...

Microbes play important role in soil's nitrogen cycle

Under our feet, in the soil, is a wealth of microbial activity. Just like humans have different metabolisms and food choices, so do those microbes. In fact, microbes play an important role in making nutrients available to ...

Juicy research unearths new genome within the tomato family

Hidden beneath the delicate, red skin and juicy flesh of a tomato is a wealth of nutrients and genetic makeup. With recent research on the first genome of a species in the tomatillo tribe (part of the tomato family), we now ...

page 2 from 38