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Agriculture news
Turning waste into fuel: Bourbon industry offers new path for renewable energy
University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE) researchers are turning one of the state's largest and fastest-growing industries into an unlikely renewable energy source.
Biotechnology
3 hours ago
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Natural tolerance to weed killer uncovered in bryophytes
Herbicide resistance poses a challenge to producing enough food for a growing population. Sam Caygill and colleagues at the Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences discovered how a large group of ...
Molecular & Computational biology
3 hours ago
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New strategies needed to combat immune system-damaging poultry virus detected on UK farms
Researchers working to understand the prevalence of a virus that can severely damage the immune system of chickens have said that new strategies are needed to improve the control of the disease in the UK.
Veterinary medicine
21 hours ago
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1
Birds, bees and bats working together means more macadamia nuts
An international research team led by the universities of Göttingen and Hohenheim in Germany has gained new insights into how the interaction of birds, bees and bats significantly increases the quantity and quality of macadamia ...
Ecology
22 hours ago
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Smart surveillance system improves tomato plant monitoring with high-speed disease detection, fruit counting
Tomatoes are a critical source of nutrients and remain one of the most widely cultivated fruits globally. However, intensive greenhouse practices increase susceptibility to diseases, which can reduce yields by up to 30% and ...
Biotechnology
23 hours ago
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1
AI-powered model enhances rice lodging detection for improved agricultural outcomes
By leveraging advanced convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture and intelligent optimization algorithms, an AI-powered model significantly surpasses conventional techniques, offering enhanced accuracy and reduced computational ...
Biotechnology
23 hours ago
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Genetic study solves the mystery of 'selfish' B chromosomes in rye
Some chromosomes, such as B chromosomes, can increase their inheritance rate to their own advantage. These extra chromosomes are found in many plants, animals, and fungi and rely upon various strategies to avoid being eliminated ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Nov 11, 2024
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Maternal small RNAs determine the fate of hybrid seeds in plants, finds study
Plant breeders, aiming to develop resilient and high-quality crops, often cross plants from different species to transfer desirable traits. However, they frequently encounter a major obstacle: hybrid seed failure. This reproductive ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Nov 11, 2024
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Stalling a disease that could annihilate banana production is a high-return investment in Colombia
There's no cure for a fungal disease that could potentially wipe out much of global banana production. Widespread adoption of cement paths, disinfection stations, and production strategies could net 3–4 USD of benefits ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 11, 2024
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Heat hardiness: Scientists identify key phase for tomato heat tolerance
By studying tomato varieties that produce fruit in exceptionally hot growing seasons, biologists at Brown University identified the growth cycle phase when tomatoes are most vulnerable to extreme heat, as well as the molecular ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 9, 2024
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Biorefining process could make grass digestible for pigs, chickens, and fish
Currently, grass is mainly used directly as animal feed for cows and other ruminants. These animals have multi-compartmental stomachs that are specialized in breaking down plant fibers.
Biotechnology
Nov 8, 2024
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New research could simplify genetic transfer of nitrogen fixation to food crops
Food productivity is dependent on the availability of fertilizer, says Utah State University biochemist Lance Seefeldt. "We need nitrogen to survive, but we can't take it in from the air," says Seefeldt, professor and head ...
Biotechnology
Nov 8, 2024
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Research team investigates climate change impact on pecan orchards
How are U.S. agricultural crops affected by climate change? A research team from The University of Texas at El Paso aims to find out, starting with the region's pecan farms.
Plants & Animals
Nov 8, 2024
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Improving pulse flours for consumer use: Using synchrotron light to determine optimal particle size for milling
Chickpeas, lentils, beans and peas are a fast-growing food market, with new uses going well beyond bean salads and hummus—think brownies, vegan meats, and salad dressing. Researchers like Chitra Sivakumar are working to ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Nov 8, 2024
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1
Accumulation of polystyrene nanoplastics in leaves poses threats to plants, study shows
Plastic debris can break down into smaller particles due to different environmental factors, and become micro-nanoplastics (MNPs). Foliar accumulation of MNPs in leafy crops could negatively affect plant productivity and ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 7, 2024
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Sprinkling plants with water found effective in keeping spider mites off raspberry leaves
Raspberry production faces many challenges, including pests. To reduce the use of chemical pesticides, it is essential to find environmentally friendly control methods. Now, researchers at NIBIO are studying how sprinkling ...
Ecology
Nov 7, 2024
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Plant engineering method promises to dramatically improve biofuel and bioproduct development
The ability to genetically engineer plants is largely thanks to a microscopic helper: a bacterium called Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Agrobacterium in the wild causes damaging tumors in flowering plants, including some economically ...
Biotechnology
Nov 7, 2024
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Invasive fruit fly species puts parts of Southern California's Orange County under quarantine
The cities of Santa Ana and Garden Grove have been placed under quarantine on Wednesday in light of an uninvited and unwelcome visitor: the oriental fruit fly, an invasive pest that attacks over 230 crops including fruits, ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 7, 2024
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Scientists reveal strigolactone perception mechanism and role in tillering responses to nitrogen
"How is plant growth controlled?" and "What is the basis of variation in stress tolerance in plants?" were among the 125 most challenging scientific questions, according to the journal Science in 2016.
Molecular & Computational biology
Nov 7, 2024
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Biologists discover how plants evolved multiple ways to override genetic instructions
Biologists at Washington University in St. Louis have discovered the origin of a curious duplication that gives plants multiple ways to override instructions that are coded into their DNA. This research could help scientists ...
Evolution
Nov 6, 2024
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