Related topics: food · soil · plants · drought · larvae

The lifetime journeys of manure-based microbes

Studies at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are shedding some light on the microbes that dwell in cattle manure—what they are, where they thrive, where they struggle, and where they can end up.

New tool gets to the root of the matter

A U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientist and his colleague at Cornell University have developed a new tool for studying how roots take shape in the soil.

How the daffodil got its trumpet

The daffodil is one of the few plants with a 'corona', a crown-like structure also referred to as the 'trumpet'. New research suggests that the corona is not an extension of the petals as previously thought, but is a distinct ...

Groundwater levels decline in Western and Central Kansas

(Phys.org)—Average groundwater levels across western and central Kansas showed significant declines for the second consecutive year, according to preliminary data compiled by the Kansas Geological Survey, based at the University ...

Understanding microbes blowing in the wind

With help from a wind tunnel and the latest DNA technology, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists are shedding light on the travel patterns of microbes in soils carried off by strong winds. The work has implications ...

Corn cobs eyed for bioenergy production

Corn crop residues are often left on harvested fields to protect soil quality, but they could become an important raw material in cellulosic ethanol production. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) research indicates that ...

Process that controls tomato ripening discovered

(Phys.org)—Everyone loves a juicy, perfectly ripened tomato, and scientists have long sought ways to control the ripening process to improve fruit quality and prevent spoilage.

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