Collaborate Disseminate
Selective breeding of plants can help give them new beneficial traits, but trees have a frustratingly long reproductive cycle. Now, scientists at the University of Georgia have used CRISPR gene-editing to make poplar trees flower within months rather t… Continue reading CRISPR cuts tree flowering times from a decade to mere months
Although plain unbuttered popcorn is a relatively healthy snack, it’s still not one that most people would think of as being particularly nutritious. That could change, however, as a new variety reportedly offers nearly twice the normal levels of an im… Continue reading “Superpopcorn” packs almost twice the amount of an essential nutrient
Farmers are increasingly being encouraged to plant cover crops, which take the place of their main crops during the off-season. According to a new study, however, the use of cover crops can actually reduce main-crop yields.Continue ReadingCategory: Sci… Continue reading Study suggests cover crops may reduce yields of main crops
A number of studies have already shown that synthetic chemicals can harm the bees that are vital to the pollination of plants. New research now additionally indicates that fertilizers may disrupt bees’ ability to identify flowers, reducing the likeliho… Continue reading Study suggests fertilizers may hamper bees’ ability to identify flowers
Just like many of the flowers in your garden, rice has traditionally been an annual plant – that means new crops have to be sown every year. A perennial version is now available, however, which comes back on its own over multiple growing seasons.Contin… Continue reading New perennial rice promises less labor, lower costs and higher profits
Along with their use in foods, soybeans have also been utilized as a source of graphene, a greener alternative to mulch, and an ingredient in longer-lasting tires. Now, they’re additionally being used to extend the life of asphalt roads.Continue Readin… Continue reading New biopolymer gives asphalt roads a soybean-based-boost
In order to grow big and strong, plants require the red and blue light that are part of the visible “white” light produced by the sun. Scientists have now developed a plant-boosting film, that converts the sun’s UV light into more red light.Continue Re… Continue reading Thin film boosts plant growth by converting sun’s UV rays into red light
It would certainly be logical to think that plants don’t do well when exposed to forest fire smoke. New research, however, suggests that certain crops get hardier and more disease-resistant when liquid smoke is added to the soil.Continue ReadingCategor… Continue reading For more robust, disease-resistant crops … just add liquid smoke?
While plants such as corn and soybeans are major sources of biofuel, they’re grown on land that could otherwise be used for food crops. With that problem in mind, scientists have genetically engineered oil-producing duckweed that could be grown in wast… Continue reading Engineered duckweed could be a more sustainable source of biofuel
It’s no secret that herbicides can be harmful to the environment, plus they’re costly, and weeds may develop a resistance to them. New research now suggests that farmers could get the same weed-killing results from a hot biodegradable foam.Continue Rea… Continue reading Weed-killing plant-based foam shown to be as effective as herbicides