Immature switchgrass could help cellulosic ethanol industry

(Phys.org)—A gene that keeps switchgrass forever young could have far-reaching implications for the development of the plant as a biofuel crop, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists.

The gene that boosts sugar beet yields

A European team of researchers has discovered a gene with the potential to increase sugar beet yields. Presented in the journal Current Biology, the findings of the study show how the long-sought bolting gene B in the sugar ...

Pest preferences for cranberry cultivars determined

To determine whether insect herbivores have a feeding preference for certain cultivars of cranberry, researchers investigated the phenolic profiles in the foliage of two cranberry cultivars, then isolated and identified compounds ...

Early agricultural piracy informs the domestication of rice

The origins of rice have been cast in a new light by research publishing in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics on June 9, 2011. By reconciling two theories, the authors show that the domestication of rice occurred at least ...

Using cassava to address vitamin A deficiency

The roots of cassava (Manihot esculenta) serve as the primary source of carbohydrates in the diets of people in many arid regions of the world, including more than 250 million people in sub-Saharan Africa. Unfortunately ...

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