News Feature Channel: Agriculture

Unlocking the Secrets of Tomato Photosynthesis with Genetic Editing

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 07:40:37 EST

In the ongoing effort to enhance crop efficiency, researchers have uncovered key genetic components of photosynthesis in tomatoes. A new study highlights the PetM domain-containing protein, crucial for the electron transport chain in chloroplasts, and its role in plant growth under different light conditions. By knocking out the PetM gene, scientists observed significant effects on photosynthesis, providing fresh insights into how plants adapt to varying light environments. This discovery could pave the way for improving crop resilience and productivity.

Strawberry's Silent War: Unveiling the Early Defense Against Gray Mold

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 06:50:36 EST

A pivotal study has illuminated how woodland strawberries launch rapid defense mechanisms against Botrytis cinerea, the fungus responsible for devastating gray mold. Using high-resolution RNA sequencing, researchers mapped the strawberry's swift systemic response and the pathogen's persistent gene activity during early infection stages. These findings are key to advancing strategies aimed at enhancing plant immunity, offering promising directions for safeguarding strawberry crops from this widespread disease.

Energy-Thirsty Indoor Vertical Gardens Ripe for Improvement

University of South Australia — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 18:40:16 EST

Indoor vertical gardens are gaining popularity among homeowners and restaurants, allowing them to grow microgreens year-round, but new research has identified a major drawback: their demands on energy.

Honey Bees in Demand: New Contract Strategies to Support Pollination Services

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 15:10:34 EST

As the world's native bee populations are declining, crop production requiring pollinators increasingly relies on commercial pollination services. A study from the University of Illinois looks at pollination contracts between beekeepers and California almond growers, exploring clauses that make the agreements more appealing for both parties.

Researchers Separate Plant Growth and Disease Resistance

University of Georgia — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 10:10:24 EST

Researchers at the University of Georgia have identified a promising approach to addressing a longstanding challenge for plant geneticists: balancing disease resistance and growth in plants. The breakthrough could help protect plants from disease in the future while also promoting higher biomass yields to support sustainable food supplies for both humans and animals, production of biofuels and lumber, and more, according to the new study.

Novel Study Uncovers Health Benefits of Red Clover Seed Oil

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Sat, 12 Oct 2024 11:05:51 EST

A research team has identified a wealth of bioactive compounds in red clover (Trifolium pratense ) seeds and their oil, positioning them as a promising source for functional ingredients in food and health care products.

Multi-State Center Provides Mental Health Support for Farmers, Agricultural Workers

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 15:05:41 EST

Agricultural producers and farm workers experience stressful working conditions that result in anxiety and depression at higher rates than the general population. At the same time, access to mental health care is often lacking in rural areas. In response, the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture funded four regional farm and ranch stress assistance networks in 2019.

Study Explores Stress, Social Support, and Mental Health for Men and Women Farmers

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 14:05:21 EST

Agriculture is a stressful occupation, and farmers struggle with anxiety and depression at higher levels than the general population. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign examines differences in mental health challenges for men and women farmers, focusing on the role of social support in mitigating stress.

Allison Aiken Will Lead ARM Mobile Deployment and Atmospheric Research Campaign

Los Alamos National Laboratory — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 15:05:36 EST

Allison Aiken, a staff scientist in the Earth and Environmental Sciences division at Los Alamos National Laboratory, is the lead of a new Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility campaign called Desert-Urban SysTem IntegratEd AtmospherIc Monsoon, or DUSTIEAIM, in the Southwestern United States. This campaign will take place in Phoenix from April 2026 to September 2027, and will utilize an ARM mobile atmospheric observatory to collect continuous data over the course of 18 months.

Experts Say Drought Can Affect Wildlife, Livestock

West Virginia University — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 11:00:56 EST

Rutgers Receives Grant from USDA to Develop an Alternative to Hydroponics Method

Rutgers University-New Brunswick — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 12:05:55 EST

Rutgers Health received a $607,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop "electroponics," an alternative to the hydroponics approach to farming that would allow plants to grow under limited water conditions or in zero gravity conditions ready for deployment in space stations.

Prestigious Arthur S. Flemming Awards Marks 75 Years of Recognizing Excellence in Government Service

George Washington University — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 12:00:47 EST

Esteemed journalist Frank Sesno to Emcee November 13 ceremony in Washington, D.C. ...

Cows and Solar Panels? In a New Jersey First, Project Melds Farming With Electricity Generation

Rutgers University-New Brunswick — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 22:05:17 EST

Federal, state and university officials are inaugurating a research and demonstration project at Rutgers University-New Brunswick with the purpose of advancing a technology that could produce renewable energy while making farms more sustainable.

Turning Plants Into Workout Supplement Bio-Factories

American Chemical Society (ACS) — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 08:00:00 EST

It's important to eat your veggies, but some essential vitamins and nutrients can only be found in animals, including certain amino acids and peptides. But, in a proof-of-concept study published in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, researchers developed a method to produce creatine, carnosine and taurine -- all animal-based nutrients and common workout supplements -- right inside a plant. The system allows for different synthetic modules to be easily stacked together to boost production.

Inflation Reduction Act Funding to Allow ASC Scientists to Contribute to US Governmental Efforts and Improve Mitigation Estimates for Agriculture Management Practices

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 15:05:58 EST

The USDA local Agricultural Research Service plans to allocate resources, which run through 2031, to ASC researchers to ramp up studies to improve greenhouse gas estimates of agricultural practices, as a continuation of DOE ARPA-E's SMARTFARM effort.

New Imaging Technique Brings US Closer to Simplified, Low-Cost Agricultural Quality Assessment

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 15:05:46 EST

A team of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers has developed a method to reconstruct hyperspectral images from standard RGB images using deep machine learning. This technique can greatly simplify the analytical process and potentially revolutionize product assessment in the agricultural industry.

Unlocking the Potential of Electrochemical Nitrate Reduction: A New Catalyst Approach

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 09:05:57 EST

In a major step toward sustainable chemistry, scientists have uncovered a new way to significantly boost the electrochemical reduction of nitrate to ammonia through the in-situ evolution of electrocatalysts. This breakthrough provides a cleaner alternative to the traditional ammonia synthesis process and a solution to the critical issue of nitrate pollution in water systems.

New MSU Research Shows How Some Agriculture Practices Impact Food Safety, Health

Michigan State University — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 09:05:48 EST

Agriculture is the world's largest industry. It employs more than one billion people and generates over $1.3 trillion dollars' worth of food annually, but some farm practices have serious negative impacts on the environment, which is why sustainable agricultural practices have been championed.

Climate-Smart Grazing: U. Of I. Study Shows How Weather Mitigates Nitrogen Runoff

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 15:05:50 EST

A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign examines the combined influence of grazing and climate on the outflow of nitrogen from pastures into water resources under different grazing schemes.

Beyond the Stigma: Strategies for Maximizing Recombinant Protein Production in Tobacco Plants

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 08:05:09 EST

Plant molecular farming (PMF) is an efficient strategy for producing recombinant protein. Tobacco plants, known for their short life cycle and large biomass production capacity, are excellent choices for PMF. In this review, researchers from institutes across China and Korea reviewed strategies for guiding recombinant proteins into different subcellular compartments of the cell. Findings reported in this review are extremely significant as optimized localization of recombinant proteins is crucial for pharmacological industries.