Collaborate Disseminate
One of the challenges of farming lies in the fact that by the time plants appear to be diseased or otherwise stressed, it may already be too late to address the problem. A new type of potato, however, is designed to warn farmers by fluorescing at the e… Continue reading Genetically engineered potato plant “glows” in response to stress
With the global population continuing to increase and arable land continuing to shrink, there is an urgent need to improve the efficiency of food production, and a new technology developed at the University of Oxford could offer a helping hand. Scienti… Continue reading Scientists discover how tomato ripening can be slowed down and sped up
Although Ceriporia lacerata fungus causes tree wood to rot, it also has a good side. According to a new study, adding the fungus to agricultural soil allows tomatoes to be grown using much less fertilizer.Continue ReadingCategory: ScienceTags: Fungus, … Continue reading Tree-fungus supplement could reduce fertilizer use in tomato crops
It can be difficult for farmers to determine exactly when their crops need watering, or when they’re getting infested with bugs or fungus. InnerPlant technology was created to help, by getting the plants to “glow” when they’re in distress.Continue Read… Continue reading High-tech crops designed to glow when they need help
Advances in transparent solar cells mean that soon we might be able to install them into windows and greenhouses. But in the latter case, would they deprive plants of vital sunlight? To find out, researchers at North Carolina State University grew lett… Continue reading Transparent solar cells don’t steal light from greenhouse crops
Although we’ve been hearing about various agricultural robots that are still in development, there’s at least one which is already commercially available. It’s called the Slopehelper, and it’s made mainly for use in vineyards.Continue ReadingCategory: … Continue reading Slopehelper agricultural robot tends to steep vineyards
Scientists at the Salk Institute’s Harnessing Plants Initiative hope to tackle the issues of climate change and food security by unraveling the genomic architecture behind various plant species, and they’ve just gleaned some valuable lessons from the f… Continue reading World’s fastest growing plant offers genomic clues for next-gen crops
While pest insects can have a devastating effect on crops, pesticides can likewise cause a great deal of damage to the environment. That’s where CropCoat comes in, as it’s designed not to kill harmful insects, but to “hide” plants from them instead.Con… Continue reading Pesticide alternative coats crops to hide them from insects
Pesticides may indeed kill plant pathogens, but they’re also harmful to the environment. Newly developed nanoparticles may provide a more eco-friendly alternative, as they boost the immune systems of crop plants, then harmlessly dissolve.Continue Readi… Continue reading Immunity-boosting silica nanoparticles could replace pesticides
If crop plants aren’t receiving enough nutrients, they’ll typically have lower-than-normal nitrogen levels. A portable new device could allow farmers to check those levels on the spot, so they can start addressing the problem as soon as possible.Contin… Continue reading Plant-assessing leaf-clip sensor could be a big help to farmers