https://phys.org/biology-news/agriculture/ en-us Agriculture, livestock, farming and food processing news Jessica Metcalf's work stinks. Literally. But the Colorado State University professor's research may be key to protecting livestock and wildlife from a flesh-eating parasite. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-wound-odors-flesh-world-screwworm.html Plants & Animals Fri, 24 Jul 2026 18:20:01 EDT news704104709 A study carried out on smallholder farms in northern Peru shows that Blanco de Piura, a native fine-flavor cacao variety, can achieve productivity levels comparable to those of commercial varieties widely grown across Latin America. The research, led by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and the University of Göttingen in collaboration with Cooperativa Agraria Norandino, shows that Blanco de Piura—renowned for its exceptional flavor and aroma—can produce an average of 1,200 to 1,500 kilograms of dry beans per hectare. Achieving such high productivity, however, depends on good tree management. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-native-fine-flavor-cacao-commercial.html Agriculture Fri, 24 Jul 2026 14:20:01 EDT news704118841 As the climate becomes increasingly variable and extreme events become more frequent, accelerating the use of innovations that can strengthen agricultural resilience has become a priority for agrifood systems. Science has made progress in developing solutions with the potential to help farmers address these challenges. However, ensuring that knowledge about these innovations reaches more farmers and is understood, adapted and scaled remains one of the major challenges in research for development. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-farmers-key-scaling-climate-smart.html Agriculture Fri, 24 Jul 2026 13:00:03 EDT news704115181 New World screwworm, a concerning pest that mainly affects livestock and wildlife, was detected in South Texas in June 2026. It has since expanded northward in Texas, and there was one case in New Mexico as of July 23, 2026. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-colorado-screwworms-pest-eradicated.html Ecology Fri, 24 Jul 2026 11:20:03 EDT news704102941 The European Union adopted new legislation on plants obtained through certain new genomic techniques in June 2026. The new framework will apply after a two-year transition period. It distinguishes between two categories. Plants in Category 1 (NGT-1) have a limited number and type of genetic changes that could also occur naturally or through conventional breeding. Under the new legislation, they will largely be regulated like conventionally bred plants. Category 2 plants with more extensive or complex modifications will remain subject to the existing genetically modified organism (GMO) rules. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-scientist-impact-eu-gene.html Biotechnology Thu, 23 Jul 2026 21:20:01 EDT news704038621 Crop production faces threats from plant pathogens. Traditional disease-resistance breeding relies heavily on natural plant resistance genes that encode immune receptors adapted to particular pathogens. However, rapidly evolving pathogens frequently overcome these natural defenses, and the limited diversity of naturally occurring immune receptors makes it difficult to develop crops with durable resistance. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-programmable-platform-enables-demand-immune.html Biotechnology Thu, 23 Jul 2026 18:30:04 EDT news704044381 Plant diversity has long been regarded as key to stable and resilient ecosystems. However, until now, little has been understood about why it has different effects in agricultural areas than in grasslands or forests. An international research group, in which the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB) played a leading role, has now investigated this question for the first time on a global scale. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-diversity-boosts-natural-pest-farms.html Ecology Thu, 23 Jul 2026 18:10:02 EDT news704044141 Scientists at the University of Lincoln have discovered a promising new way to help protect crops from one of climate change's growing threats to global food production—increasing soil salinity. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-microbes-soils-impacts-climate.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 23 Jul 2026 12:40:07 EDT news704022061 Five minutes. That was the amount of time that Oso Grande strawberries remained in contact with the Ctx(Ile21)-Ha peptide—a molecule isolated from a frog native to the Brazilian Cerrado—in experiments conducted in Brazil by scientists at the Tupã campus of São Paulo State University (UNESP). It was enough to demonstrate the molecule's potential to extend the shelf life of the fruit, which is highly perishable. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-peptide-isolated-cerrado-frog-strawberry.html Biotechnology Thu, 23 Jul 2026 11:20:07 EDT news704018941 In cases of extreme drought, soil organic carbon does not improve crop yields, Colorado State University research has found. The finding contradicts the commonly held belief that soil organic carbon benefits yields most during drought. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-soil-carbon-crop-yield-extreme.html Ecology Thu, 23 Jul 2026 08:20:01 EDT news704003101 When it comes to protecting livestock from devastating diseases, simply telling people what to do may not be enough. A new review led by a researcher from the University of Vermont and collaborators from two institutions in Australia suggests that improving farm biosecurity requires something often overlooked in animal health: understanding how humans make decisions. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-human-side-animal-health-global.html Veterinary medicine Thu, 23 Jul 2026 07:20:01 EDT news704002382 Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have developed a new way to add large pieces of genetic information to plants, overcoming a challenge that has limited plant biotechnology for decades. The advance could help scientists build more complex traits into plants in the future, supporting research into areas such as crop resilience, sustainable agriculture, biotechnology and the use of plants as scalable platforms for producing therapeutics and biologics. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-genome-tool-large-genetic-sequences.html Biotechnology Wed, 22 Jul 2026 19:40:01 EDT news703949461 The American chestnut tree was a dominant and iconic species in many Appalachian forests until it was devastated by an introduced fungus from Asia called chestnut blight. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-genetic-approaches-american-chestnut-glory.html Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 22 Jul 2026 14:00:01 EDT news703942561 According to United Nations projections, global food demand could increase by around 60% by 2050, while only about 2% of additional agricultural land is expected to become available. Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) are therefore exploring new approaches to safeguard food security. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-solar-powered-protein-amino-acids.html Biotechnology Wed, 22 Jul 2026 13:00:06 EDT news703937401 In precision agriculture, where data is used to automate and optimize agricultural tasks for maximum yield, large-scale mapping and digital modeling of the land of interest are essential. This digital backbone enables tasks such as yield estimation, targeted spraying and phenotyping while also providing the foundation for autonomous navigation, perception and robotic operation. However, in modern commercial orchards, with their large scale, high tree density and structured layouts, achieving consistent mapping and accurate 3D modeling remains challenging. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-ai-highly-accurate-orchards.html Biotechnology Wed, 22 Jul 2026 12:40:04 EDT news703941301 A team of scientists led by researchers at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and Texas A&M University recently uncovered genetic traces of ancient migration in DNA from avocados growing in Nicaragua. They found evidence that, around 5,000 years ago, people migrating north from South America carried the oversized seeds of one of their favorite fruits—avocados. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-genetically-distinct-avocados-nicaragua.html Plants & Animals Wed, 22 Jul 2026 11:00:01 EDT news703850725 Low-intensity green lighting in refrigerated storage can slow spoilage in leafy greens, helping maintain their appearance and nutritional value, according to a new study from McGill University. The research, published in the Journal of Food Science, tested how different lighting conditions affect fresh spinach and lettuce during cold storage. The team compared green LED light with white light and complete darkness. Green light stood out. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-green-leafy-greens-fresher-longer.html Biotechnology Wed, 22 Jul 2026 10:40:01 EDT news703933381 Factors such as erosion, dehydration and soil compaction are jeopardizing food supplies for broad swaths of the world's population, according to a study by the University of Bonn, the University of Minnesota, the University of Basel and Hamburg University of Technology. If human-made soil degradation were reversed by 10%, Earth's arable land could feed an extra 70 million or so people in purely mathematical terms. The findings have been published in the journal Nature Food. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-reversing-soil-degradation-million-global.html Agriculture Wed, 22 Jul 2026 05:00:01 EDT news703852321 Feeding a growing global population is no longer enough. Scientists say the next generation of crops must also deliver better nutrition while withstanding the increasing impacts of climate change. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-shift-crop-tackle-hunger-malnutrition.html Agriculture Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:20:06 EDT news703850582 New research from Washington State University could help grape growers improve nutrient use efficiency and develop a more accurate fertilizer budget, helping ensure high fruit quality, vineyard productivity and long-term economic and environmental sustainability. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-nutrient-loss-vineyards-attributed-factors.html Ecology Tue, 21 Jul 2026 13:50:01 EDT news703859423 When talking about Hawaiʻi's food security, the conversation often focuses on physical infrastructure—warehouses, cold storage and doubling crop production to reduce the need to import 90% of food. A new policy article by a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa researcher contends that physical infrastructure and production are essential but incomplete when addressing the challenges. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-key-ingredients-hawaii-food.html Agriculture Tue, 21 Jul 2026 11:20:03 EDT news703844582 Earth remains full of undiscovered species and unexplored interactions that continue to fascinate us, including, in the most ordinary places, the fields where our food is grown. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-wasp-species-ernest-hemingway-efforts.html Ecology Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:40:06 EDT news703844882 Traditional and Indigenous knowledge could play a vital role in addressing some of the world's most pressing challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss and poor health and nutrition, according to a new review of current research. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-indigenous-knowledge-key-healthier-sustainable.html Agriculture Tue, 21 Jul 2026 05:00:03 EDT news703748625 A couple of miles south of the main quad at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a remarkable agricultural experiment is taking shape. The so-called Alma Mater Plots are unique in their setup—with 64 plots of 1 acre (0.4 hectares) each, individually tile-drained, it is the largest experiment of its kind anywhere. To maximize the experiment's value to Illinois and Midwest agriculture, scientists are teaming up with farmers to decide what, exactly, to study. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-envisioning-years-crop-alma-mater.html Agriculture Mon, 20 Jul 2026 22:40:04 EDT news703780604 An advanced technology that could benefit farmers' bottom line and help meet the rising demand for domestic energy production borrows a key ingredient from a centuries-old practice of burning dried manure to warm homes where trees were sparse or expensive: animal waste. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-qa-anaerobic-digestion-emissions-income.html Biotechnology Mon, 20 Jul 2026 22:00:04 EDT news703759419 Scientists have successfully edited the genome of biting midges, opening the door to new research on how these insects transmit disease. Culicoides biting midges are small blood-feeding insects responsible for spreading important vector-borne viruses such as bluetongue virus (BTV), Schmallenberg virus (SBV) and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV), which cause major losses to livestock production worldwide. Despite their importance as disease vectors, Culicoides are among the smallest blood-feeding insects, just 1–4 mm (0.04–0.16 inches) long, making them difficult to study in the laboratory. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-world-gene-culicoides-midges-door.html Biotechnology Mon, 20 Jul 2026 13:40:12 EDT news703771621 A new Murdoch University study has uncovered alarming levels of pesticide contamination in the food sources of endangered Carnaby's cockatoos in the Wheatbelt—including concentrations well above regulatory limits found in seed spills near grain silos. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-carnaby-cockatoos-exposed-dangerous-pesticide.html Ecology Sun, 19 Jul 2026 12:30:01 EDT news703497043 What if the plants growing in a field could one day produce the same proteins that give milk its nutrition, texture and cheese-making properties? A new study brings that possibility a step closer by revealing an unexpected way plant seeds can manufacture and store one of milk's most important proteins. The discovery could help overcome a major hurdle in producing real dairy proteins without cows, paving the way for more sustainable dairy ingredients and alternative food production. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-real-dairy-protein-scientists-unexpected.html Plants & Animals Sun, 19 Jul 2026 08:00:01 EDT news703340372 As sulfur becomes increasingly scarce in soils worldwide, scientists are studying how plants decide whether to invest limited resources in growth or defense. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-dimmer-immune.html Plants & Animals Fri, 17 Jul 2026 12:20:01 EDT news703497759 Erosion, salinization and shrinking numbers of organisms such as worms and beneficial fungi can have a devastating effect on soil fertility, and so many parts of the world have passed laws to curb these processes. A study by the University of Bonn has now shown that these measures have improved soil quality in many countries. Their impact, however, is heavily dependent on the political and institutional environment in which they are implemented. The researchers' findings have been published in the journal Nature Food. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-global-soil-gains-farmland-health.html Agriculture Fri, 17 Jul 2026 10:40:04 EDT news703498412