Protecting the weedy and wild kin of globally important crops

Over the past few decades, crop breeders have increasingly relied on the wild and weedy relatives of domesticated crops as new sources of disease resistance, drought tolerance, and other traits. But just like all wild plant ...

El Nino cycle has a big effect on a major greenhouse gas

Nitrous oxide is commonly associated with laughing gas—the pleasantly benign vapor that puts patients at ease in the dentist's chair. But outside the dentist's office, the gas plays a serious role in the planet's warming ...

Earthworms can survive and recover after 3-week drought stress

Earthworms are a welcomed sight in many gardens and yards since they can improve soil structure and mixing. But they are hard to find in the drier soils of eastern Colorado where water and organic matter is limited. Adding ...

Earthworm invasion

Beavers reshape landscapes with their dams. Wolves control elk populations. Sea otters protect kelp forests by eating sea urchins. These are what ecologists call "keystone" species: critters that control an ecosystem and ...

Scientists uncover the secret life of frozen soils

Contrary to popular belief, winter plays a significant role in farming. The ground beneath that seemingly peaceful blanket of snow is not idle during the long, cold winter months and researchers want to know what is going ...

Genome duplication aids plant's survival in saline soils

(Phys.org) —Having more than two sets of chromosomes can increase a plant's ability to take up nutrients and survive in saline soils, a joint study by Purdue University and the University of Aberdeen shows.

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