https://phys.org/biology-news/agriculture/ en-us Agriculture, livestock, farming and food processing news For the first time, a research team at the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) has succeeded in reducing the size of, or even completely removing, chromosomes in plants with large genomes, such as wheat. They achieved this by using the CRISPR/Cas gene-editing tool to target highly repetitive sections of DNA. The results of the study, published today in the journal Plant Communications, could significantly accelerate breeding processes. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-team-successfully-trims-wheat-chromosomes.html Biotechnology Fri, 17 Apr 2026 15:00:01 EDT news695649961 As water supplies shrink and food demand grows, new interdisciplinary research from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln offers a practical way for farmers to manage irrigation more efficiently while protecting their bottom line. Their paper, "Dynamic Irrigation Management Under Weather Uncertainty and Soil Heterogeneity" is published in the journal Manufacturing and Service Operations Management. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-smart-irrigation-farm-profits.html Other Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:40:05 EDT news695647801 Researchers at University of Tsukuba have demonstrated that tomato mutants lacking the SlIAA9 gene, an auxin signaling repressor involved in the regulation of seed germination, not only retain high germination capacity under high-temperature conditions but also exhibit vigorous post-germination growth. Furthermore, the molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying this enhanced heat resilience are elucidated. These findings offer new insights into the genetic improvement of heat-tolerant tomato varieties. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-key-gene-enables-tomato-seed.html Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:00:05 EDT news695640541 A greater focus on roots during plant breeding could ensure staple grain crops continue to feed the world as recycled nutrients substitute conventional fertilizers in the future, a University of Queensland study published in npj Sustainable Agriculture has found. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-modern-crops-lazy-underground-sorghum.html Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 17 Apr 2026 10:40:01 EDT news695638205 Researchers from the University of Seville (US) and the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) have demonstrated that it is possible to grow tomatoes and generate solar energy simultaneously, a key strategy for tackling global water scarcity. The study, carried out in Madrid and Seville during the spring of 2024, evaluated the use of agrovoltaic systems and regulated deficit irrigation to optimize water resources in tomato cultivation. The results show that, although using less water reduces the volume of the harvest, the overall outcome is a more efficient and sustainable process. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-agrovoltaic-generating-energy-tomato-cultivation.html Biotechnology Thu, 16 Apr 2026 20:20:02 EDT news695577422 Bacterial blight (BB) is a serious plant disease that mainly affects rice plants, especially in warm, humid regions. Due to the severity of BB, discovering and applying BB-resistance genes is strategically important for ensuring stable rice production in Asia. However, genetic strategies to improve disease resistance face a trade-off between crop yield and immunity to disease—since better immunity may be associated with lower yield. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-gene-discovery-path-disease-resistant.html Biotechnology Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:10:01 EDT news695575081 Humans adjust to changes in temperature by putting on a sweater or taking off layers. Plants adjust to temperature changes, in part, by switching the way they express the protein that performs the critical first step of photosynthesis, according to new research from Cornell, Texas A&M and Stockholm University. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-temperature-shifts-proteins-power-photosynthesis.html Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 16 Apr 2026 17:30:02 EDT news695574601 California's processing tomato industry for the first time this past harvest season, agreed to voluntary equipment cleaning and notification guidelines to prevent the spread of branched broomrape, a parasitic weed that attaches to roots and sucks out key nutrients. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-tomato-industry-parasitic-weed.html Ecology Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:20:08 EDT news695552342 Rice farmers Siriporn and Amnat Taidee used to burn their paddy fields between plantings—a common method of clearing crop residue partly blamed for toxic smog that blankets much of Thailand every spring. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-thai-farmers-pin-microbes-annual.html Agriculture Thu, 16 Apr 2026 04:50:40 EDT news695533807 When lightning strikes a paddock, it does more than scorch grass and scare the cows. The electrical discharge breaks apart nitrogen molecules in the atmosphere, converting them into a form that falls to Earth in rain and becomes available to plants. It is a natural process, primordial and efficient, which has been fixing nitrogen into soils long before humans began to farm them. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-air-field-nitrogen-fertilizer-world.html Agriculture Wed, 15 Apr 2026 22:40:04 EDT news695464903 Research published in Nature Water found that widespread application of the common farm fertilizer, urea, severely degrades water quality in the Canadian Prairies. Researchers at the University of Manitoba and the University of Regina added urea to farm ponds to simulate the effects of agricultural fertilization in the southern Prairies. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-safe-fertilizer-linked-extreme-quality.html Ecology Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:40:04 EDT news695461502 Nutrients recovered from animal and human waste could drastically reduce synthetic fertilizer use in the U.S., according to a new Cornell University study that takes into account real-world implementation challenges like processing and transport. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-america-sewage-manure-billion-key.html Biotechnology Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:00:09 EDT news695379241 A method developed by the University of Córdoba (UCO) predicts the fatty acid, phenol, and volatile compound profile of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) quickly, easily, and accurately by using the olives directly. Virgin olive oil is one of the cornerstones of the Mediterranean diet, and—according to scientific evidence—a source of health benefits. Three chemical families ensure the quality of olive oil: fatty acids, phenols, and volatile compounds responsible for the oil's health benefits, organoleptic properties (such as its fruity aroma), and its oxidative stability, which refers to how long the oil remains in optimal condition without becoming rancid. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-olive-laboratory-analytical-approach-quality.html Agriculture Tue, 14 Apr 2026 20:20:02 EDT news695404381 Researchers at the University of New England have identified two fly species as promising pollinators for berry crops, offering a vital alternative to European honey bees in protected cropping systems. The results of their study are published in Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-flies-effective-pollinators-berry-crops.html Ecology Tue, 14 Apr 2026 20:00:01 EDT news695384402 Australia's animal sectors now have a comprehensive framework to help strengthen the industry's response to antimicrobial resistance. The Animal Antimicrobial Stewardship Framework helps animal sectors improve and verify day-to-day stewardship practices. The work was co-designed by veterinarians and animal managers based on the study led by CSIRO, Australia's national science agency. The corresponding paper is published in the journal Cambridge Prisms: Antimicrobial Resistance. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-national-framework-australia-antimicrobial-stewardship.html Plants & Animals Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:40:04 EDT news695402642 Oceans absorb roughly 25% to 30% of the carbon dioxide (CO2) that is released into the atmosphere. When this CO2 dissolves in seawater, it forms carbonic acid, making the water more acidic and altering its chemistry. Elevated levels of acidity are harmful to marine life like corals, oysters, and certain plankton that rely on calcium carbonate to build shells and skeletons. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-carbon-maine-blue-economy-broader.html Ecology Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:00:07 EDT news695384581 Rice has historically been a heat-loving plant. In fact, the wild ancestor of cultivated rice once grew primarily on the sweltering, rain-swept Malay and Indochina peninsulas as well as the islands of Southeast Asia. It wasn't until Earth's climate warmed after the last ice age that wild rice substantially spread into central China and South Asia, where it was independently domesticated by humans in two events that arguably rank among the most important in the history of our species. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-years-cultivation-rice-thermal-limit.html Ecology Tue, 14 Apr 2026 17:50:01 EDT news695403721 Tomato yellow leaf curl disease (TYLCD), caused by begomoviruses, is a global problem in tomato production, affecting yield. While introduction of resistance genes is one of the strategies to control TYLCD, introduction of a single Ty-gene is inadequate in providing full protection against begomoviruses. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-genes-valuable-strategy-virus-resistant.html Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:00:08 EDT news695389442 A genetic master map of ancient grasses could be the key to future-proofing global food supplies, according to a new study revealing why some crops are naturally better at surviving climate change than others. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-genetic-discovery-reveals-born-survive.html Evolution Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:20:04 EDT news695386802 Modern broiler chicken strains have been selectively bred for rapid growth, increased meat yield and feed efficiency, making poultry meat affordable and widely available. But this has led to reduced movement and natural behaviors, such as foraging, and increased susceptibility to conditions linked to inactivity such as poor leg health and skin lesions. These welfare issues can in turn cause significant economic losses in the broiler industry. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-insects-boost-poultry-welfare.html Veterinary medicine Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:00:04 EDT news695384823 An unusually mild winter followed by a wet spring made last year one of the worst in a decade for Pennsylvania soybean growers. It wasn't the soybeans that were the problem; it was the slugs. The pests survived the warm winter to lay a second round of eggs, and twice as many slugs hatched in the spring of 2024 as the year before. The slugs ate so many seedlings that some growers had to replant three times. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-unpredictable-resilient-crops-world.html Agriculture Mon, 13 Apr 2026 21:40:03 EDT news695293131 Light has long been known to regulate plant growth. New research from Osaka Metropolitan University has discovered a new mechanism behind this regulation. A team led by Professor Kouichi Soga of the Graduate School of Science used a unique method to measure adhesion between the epidermal (the outermost layer) and inner tissues in young pea stems. They found that those grown in light exhibit enhanced adhesion. The research is published in Physiologia Plantarum. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-tightens-young-pea-stems-revealing.html Molecular & Computational biology Mon, 13 Apr 2026 18:20:05 EDT news695296033 Beans of the cacao plant, Theobroma cacao, are used in chocolates, pharmaceuticals and other products, but they're under threat. Increased drought associated with climate change has already begun to stress cacao-growing regions of Colombia and other countries, and models predict it will get worse. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-cacti-fungal-endophytes-cacao-tolerate.html Ecology Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:00:05 EDT news695030941 While stopped in heavy Melbourne traffic recently, I noticed that what looked like a shadow under a row of spotted gums (Corymbia maculata) along a major road was actually a stain on the concrete curb. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-river-cup-tea-secret-world.html Molecular & Computational biology Mon, 13 Apr 2026 08:40:03 EDT news695288221 Scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, World Forest ID, University of Sheffield and international collaborators have developed a new technique that can identify where soybeans—the third largest driver of tropical deforestation—are grown to within roughly 200 kilometers, a breakthrough that could transform efforts to stop deforestation linked to global food supply chains. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-scientists-unveil-breakthrough-tool-world.html Ecology Mon, 13 Apr 2026 05:00:01 EDT news694950624 Making wheat more resilient to climate change without compromising yields has become an urgent priority for the agricultural sector. Now, a study led by a research team from the University of Barcelona and the Agrotecnio research center has identified an innovative way to address this challenge: combining advanced technology and artificial intelligence to select the best varieties of this crop. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-ai-drones-resilient-wheat.html Biotechnology Fri, 10 Apr 2026 21:20:01 EDT news695033055 In a three-year project, researchers at NIBIO have tested how biochar affects potato yields and soil quality under Norwegian conditions. The results show that biochar has little effect on yield, but that it may offer other benefits. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-biochar-limited-effect-potato-yields.html Ecology Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:20:03 EDT news695034781 Pennsylvania is the fourth-largest wine producer in the United States, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The industry supports nearly 11,000 jobs and directly contributes $1.77 billion to the state economy annually. In an effort to produce more and better grapes at a lower cost and with less environmental impact, vineyard growers have increasingly planted grass between rows of vines. These groundcovers root shallowly, but can benefit vineyard soils and reduce the need for herbicide applications. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-simple-vineyard-impacts-soil-microbiome.html Ecology Thu, 09 Apr 2026 17:30:02 EDT news694972622 Plants can't move to escape the heat like humans can; they are forced to adapt. As temperatures fluctuate, one key survival strategy is the ability of roots to keep growing, allowing plants to access water and nutrients farther away in the soil. But how do plants sense temperature and translate it into growth? Salk Institute scientists have uncovered a new answer in a familiar plant hormone: auxin. Their research appears in Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-internal-thermostat-root-growth-unpredictable.html Plants & Animals Thu, 09 Apr 2026 16:40:04 EDT news694967942 New York State and New England have optimal conditions for grass-fed beef production—with an abundance of pasturelands and forage—but higher production costs have made farmers wary of expanding operations. In a new analysis, published in Agricultural Systems, researchers find that grass-fed beef can compete with grain-fed beef in the region, even given those higher costs and prices for consumers—particularly if operations are scaled up, either through larger farms or farm cooperatives, which could drop production costs and prices by 24%. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-northeast-farmers-profit-grass-fed.html Agriculture Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:00:07 EDT news694953001