Study confirms bats' value in combating crop pests

It's dusk in the countryside, and in the fading golden light a small, winged shape takes to the air over a local cornfield. Darting this way and that, the creature executes maneuvers far beyond what any modern fighter jet ...

Bt sweet corn can reduce insecticide use

Since 1996, corn containing a gene that allows it to create a protein that is toxic to certain insects, yet safe for human consumption, has been grown in the United States. However, most of this "Bt corn" has been used for ...

Flower power puts a hurt on caterpillars

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists in Peoria, Ill., are investigating the pest-fighting potential of anthocyanins, healthful chemical compounds in the form of plant pigments that give blueberries, plums, grapes ...