https://phys.org/biology-news/agriculture/ en-us Agriculture, livestock, farming and food processing news The use of robots, drones and AI tools in agriculture is already paying off on 42% of the world's cropland. This could increase to 50% in the next 20 years and to as much as 75% if every country tightened environmental regulations. If every country loosened its regulations, it would fall to 31%. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-smart-farming-profitable-regions-global.html Biotechnology Mon, 19 Oct 2026 15:00:01 EDT news711618121 Infecting a maize plant is no simple task for a fungal pathogen such as Ustilago maydis. A group of researchers led by Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) has now uncovered how the fungus detects that it has successfully entered its host. This signal triggers changes in fungal growth, as the researchers report in Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-unwittingly-fungal-pathogens.html Evolution Mon, 19 Oct 2026 11:20:10 EDT news711621008 Arabidopsis thaliana, a small flowering mustard plant used worldwide as the primary genetic model in plant biology, was long believed incapable of forming relationships with underground fungal networks. New research published in Current Biology led by professor Katie Field demonstrates for the first time that it can establish a fully functional, resource-sharing partnership with an ancient soil fungus known as a Mucoromycotina fine root endophyte (MFRE). https://phys.org/news/2026-10-ancient-fungus-secret-major-food.html Ecology Fri, 16 Oct 2026 13:00:01 EDT news711366938 Two new research papers shed light on the growing practice of grazing sheep in fields with solar arrays. One demonstrates that, in the right numbers, sheep grazing increases populations of beneficial insects like bees and lady beetles compared to mowing around solar panels. The other research describes a decision-making support tool to help farmers profitably grow their solar grazing herds. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-sheep-grazing-solar-fields-farmers.html Ecology Wed, 14 Oct 2026 15:40:07 EDT news711192374 Energy production in our cells, oxygen traveling in our blood and immune cells fighting infection all depend on iron, an essential mineral that enters the food chain when plants absorb it from soil. But iron is often scarce—likely increasingly so as global weather and temperatures continue to change—and we aren't the only ones that need it. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-microbial-invasions-iron-protein.html Plants & Animals Wed, 14 Oct 2026 14:01:05 EDT news711190801 Rice is one of the world's most familiar staple foods, but how does a single cell develop into a rice plant with specialized tissues and organs? A new study offers a detailed look at this process through a three-dimensional (3D) spatiotemporal atlas covering 10 organs and 61 developmental stages across the rice life cycle, from seed to seed. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-3d-rice-gene-entire-life.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 13 Oct 2026 16:00:01 EDT news711116942 Scientists have found a way to make salt taste saltier without increasing its sodium content, a welcome development in the culinary world. Salt is a powerful flavor enhancer, drawing out the subtle flavors of a dish while balancing sweetness and bitterness. Its appeal comes hand in hand with some drawbacks. Salt activates the brain's reward system, making food more pleasurable, but eating too much salty food can negatively affect cardiovascular health. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-mushroom-derived-peptides-boost-saltiness.html Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 13 Oct 2026 12:00:12 EDT news711104447 Modified lentil protein can act like fat in nonfat foods, especially yogurt, delivering creaminess and richness, according to a new study led by researchers at Penn State. The work, published in Food Chemistry, is the latest effort to develop an effective fat texturizer for use in low-fat foods. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-lentil-protein-mimics-fat-yogurt.html Biotechnology Tue, 13 Oct 2026 08:40:12 EDT news711098761 Nitrogen is essential for life. It's needed to build proteins, DNA and many other components of cells. Although nitrogen gas makes up almost 80% of Earth's atmosphere, most organisms cannot use it directly. Certain microbes solve this problem through a process called nitrogen fixation, which converts nitrogen gas into ammonia. This process is carried out by an enzyme called nitrogenase. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-nitrogen-fixation-discovery-day-crops.html Biotechnology Thu, 08 Oct 2026 17:20:21 EDT news710680802 When a person falls and gets a cut or a scrape, they often use hydrogen peroxide to clean the wound. This molecular compound is also produced within our cells, helping our immune system build its defenses against harmful bacteria or other pathogens. Hydrogen peroxide is produced inside plants, too, where it acts as a messenger, telling cells to beef up a plant's defenses when it is stressed, wounded or under attack. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-tiny-channels-cells-wound-hydrogen.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 06 Oct 2026 14:50:01 EDT news710514961 One of the hardest challenges in wildlife conservation arises when the habitat of a species in need of protection overlaps with land used by humans. Wolves and bears can kill livestock, elephants can damage homes and other property and wild boar can damage crops. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-farmer-macaque-conflict-algeria-poses.html Ecology Mon, 05 Oct 2026 12:20:18 EDT news710419081 Rutgers scientists have identified natural repellents against an invasive blueberry pest, a discovery made accidentally when fruit flies invaded their laboratory. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-food-kitchen-whiff-vinegar-happy.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 05 Oct 2026 11:20:06 EDT news710413922 Broccoli grown under magenta solar panels absorbed sunlight more efficiently than plants grown out in the open, according to a study to be published Oct. 2 in Cell Reports Physical Science. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-multitasking-magenta-solar-panels-farms.html Biotechnology Fri, 02 Oct 2026 11:00:05 EDT news710063403 Camelina is a relatively new oilseed gaining interest for its potential use in food, livestock feed and renewable fuel markets. A newly published research paper provides insights into the camelina genome that could give breeders new tools to develop varieties with improved performance, stronger adaptability and traits that matter at the farm level. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-camelina-genome-analysis-reveals-wild.html Plants & Animals Thu, 01 Oct 2026 19:00:01 EDT news710084652 New research from the DTU National Food Institute and Aarhus University shows that microorganisms can be used to specifically alter the amino acid composition of plant-based foods, making them more nutritious and therefore healthier. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-bacteria-based-foods-healthier-humans.html Biotechnology Wed, 30 Sep 2026 19:20:07 EDT news709993982 A new textile used to cover strawberry plants more than tripled fruit yields in tunnel field tests without harming plant health. The technology could also significantly reduce water and pesticide use in strawberry fields. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-textile-fabric-triple-production-strawberry.html Biotechnology Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:20:06 EDT news709915921 From the 13th to the 16th century, herring from the Sound—the strait in the Baltic Sea between Denmark and Sweden—was one of northern Europe's most important trade goods. Salted herring from the so-called Skanör-Falsterbo fishery fed large parts of Europe. Around 1570, however, the fishery collapsed rapidly, with far-reaching consequences for trade, politics and society. It took almost 400 years, until the 1950s, for catches to reach comparable levels again. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-herring-fishery-years-rebound-today.html Ecology Mon, 28 Sep 2026 05:00:08 EDT news709552981 Agri-photovoltaics combines electricity generation and agriculture on the same land—to ensure this works well in the long term, it is worth taking a closer look at the soil. Researchers at the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) have, for the first time, measured how the construction phase of agri-photovoltaic installations affects soil structure. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-soil-agri-photovoltaics-sustainable.html Agriculture Sun, 27 Sep 2026 13:00:01 EDT news709474260 Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) scientists have developed a way to "supercharge" a plant's natural immune response. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-scientists-supercharge-immunity-boost-natural.html Biotechnology Fri, 25 Sep 2026 14:00:05 EDT news709558021 New analyses of ancient cattle, sheep and goat bones on Madagascar suggest the rapid spread of introduced livestock on the island 1,200 years ago coincided with forest loss and population declines of large native herbivores. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-ancient-madagascar-large-native-herbivores.html Ecology Thu, 24 Sep 2026 15:50:02 EDT news709480801 In a win for pollinator conservation, researchers at the University of California, Riverside, have developed a machine learning-based method to identify chemical compounds that can safely repel honey bees from pesticide-treated crops. The research offers a potential solution to one of agriculture's most urgent ecological challenges: the ongoing decline in honey bee populations, driven in part by pesticide exposure. The paper is published in the journal eLife. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-machine-chemicals-repel-honey-bees.html Ecology Thu, 24 Sep 2026 15:30:01 EDT news709480681 A UK-led research collaboration has taken a significant step in the global effort to protect cereal crops from the devastating blast fungus. Researchers at the John Innes Centre explored a recently discovered class of plant defense receptors, showing at the molecular level how they limit blast pathogen attacks and how they might be bioengineered to provide broader, more durable immunity in wheat, barley and rice. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-biotech-halt-destructive-cereal-killer.html Biotechnology Wed, 23 Sep 2026 19:00:04 EDT news709400581 At first glance, a farm field doesn't seem all that complicated. It's just dirt and crops. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-sensor-tracks-soil-ph-months.html Biotechnology Mon, 21 Sep 2026 14:40:07 EDT news709213381 Scientists are getting a leg up on the rice stink bug, one of the most significant threats to rice, a staple food for nearly half the world's population and a major crop in Arkansas. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-genome-rice-bug-tool-pest.html Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 17 Sep 2026 09:00:01 EDT news708852903 Scientists, clinicians, seed companies and others may soon have a new tool in their toolkit for detecting bacterial pathogens, thanks to a new study by researchers in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. The research—published in Journal of Microbiological Methods—details a new method for detecting Pseudomonas syringae, a common bacterium that infects a wide variety of crops, vegetables and woody ornamentals. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-bacterial-invasion-proteins-crop-pathogens.html Biotechnology Wed, 16 Sep 2026 17:20:08 EDT news708784504 Breeding crops for farming systems rather than yield alone could exploit untapped genetic potential and help farmers cut fertilizer bills. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-approach-crop-rotations-yield.html Agriculture Wed, 16 Sep 2026 07:40:07 EDT news708761493 An international team that includes researchers from Murdoch University's Centre for Crop and Food Innovation (CCFI) has built the most comprehensive genetic map of the peanut yet and used this new genomic resource to breed a higher-yielding dwarf peanut line. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-peanut-genome-uncovers-hidden-gene.html Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 15 Sep 2026 15:10:01 EDT news708698440 Global consumption of fertilizer has doubled since 1980, but some regions that have historically overused fertilizer, including China and parts of Europe, have taken steps to reduce use. Those are some of the findings of a new global dataset from the University of Minnesota's Institute on the Environment. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-fertilizer-reveals-world-boost-food.html Agriculture Tue, 15 Sep 2026 12:40:01 EDT news708689881 Cocoa farmers in West Africa cannot stop intense downpours from damaging their crops. But they may be able to anticipate the risk and prepare, protecting both their livelihoods and their plants, the source of one of the world's most beloved foods. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-chocolate-climate-threat.html Plants & Animals Mon, 14 Sep 2026 15:00:02 EDT news708349861 A University of Newcastle-led global study has produced the most complete genetic picture yet of a salt-loving plant with the potential to help grow food in some of the world's harshest environments. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-salicornia-genomes-reveal-genetic-secrets.html Molecular & Computational biology Mon, 14 Sep 2026 13:40:11 EDT news708606601