https://phys.org/biology-news/agriculture en-us Agriculture, livestock, farming and food processing news Many cereal crops, such as wheat and barley, are prey to devastating fungal diseases caused by infection with so-called grass powdery mildews. A key battleground between the plants and the powdery mildews is the interaction between plant immune receptors and pathogen effectors, molecules which are delivered into host cells by pathogens to establish infection. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-insights-illuminate-arms-crop-fungal.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Wed, 02 Aug 2023 12:33:58 EDT news610198430 Building on the Middle East's reputation as one of the historical birthplaces of cereal crop domestication, a KAUST-led team has compiled the first complete genome map of an ancient grain known as einkorn. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-ancient-grain-genetic-secrets-bread.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Wed, 02 Aug 2023 11:00:02 EDT news610128139 For some years now, biochar has been studied extensively as an alternative to phosphate fertilizer. Biochar is a recyclate produced by biomass pyrolysis, i.e., organic feedstocks are incinerated without oxygen at temperatures ranging from 400°C to 700°C. The biochar bases may differ considerably. Waste wood, chicken manure, or leaves can be processed to fertilizers. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-alternative-phosphate-fertilizer-biochar-basis.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Wed, 02 Aug 2023 08:39:32 EDT news610184369 Scientists at the Children's Nutrition Research Center of the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) helped develop healthier sorghum varieties containing significant concentrations of provitamin A carotenoids while also increasing mineral absorption to meet the nutritional needs of mothers and children in sub-Saharan Africa. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-scientists-healthy-sorghum-crop-healthier.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Mon, 31 Jul 2023 15:11:04 EDT news610035062 Saltwater was once known as an invisible threat to farmers and their crops. It would sneak under the soil undetected on the surface until it intruded so far into groundwater that the soil became saltier and led to a decline in crop yields. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-saltwater-intrusion-wreaking-havoc-farms.html Agriculture Fri, 28 Jul 2023 09:51:04 EDT news609756661 As global temperatures continue to rise, maintaining the quality and yield of crops adapted to lower temperatures will increasingly become a challenge. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-gene-grain-quality-stress-rice.html Biotechnology Agriculture Fri, 28 Jul 2023 09:35:03 EDT news609755701 Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome viruses (PRRSV) cause significant damage to pig farms worldwide every year. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-treatment-porcine-virus-billions-farmers.html Veterinary medicine Agriculture Wed, 26 Jul 2023 11:08:04 EDT news609588481 A Cornell researcher and her colleagues have solved one key piece of the molecular puzzle needed to dramatically improve plant productivity and increase carbon sequestration: They have successfully transferred key regions of a highly efficient red algae into a tobacco plant, using bacteria as an intermediary. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-red-algae-proteins-grafted-tobacco.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Tue, 25 Jul 2023 12:40:55 EDT news609507649 The 'paradox of sex' refers to the puzzle of why the sexual mode of reproduction is more common among living beings than the asexual mode. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-pro1-protein-malfunction-rice-blast.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Mon, 24 Jul 2023 15:52:25 EDT news609432742 Plants form alliances with microbes in the soil in which they grow. Legumes, for example, benefit from a symbiotic relationship with microbes that inhabit nodules in their roots and "fix" nitrogen in the atmosphere to make it available to promote the legumes' growth. But are microbes always beneficial to plants? Or does competition between strains for plant access degrade the service the bacteria ultimately provide? https://phys.org/news/2023-07-bacteria-benefit-growth.html Cell & Microbiology Agriculture Mon, 24 Jul 2023 11:00:01 EDT news609408063 Priming crop plants with a microbe sourced from the roots of desert plants could be a powerful tool to boost crop plant's resilience to drought. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-microbes-drought-tolerance.html Cell & Microbiology Agriculture Thu, 20 Jul 2023 15:08:03 EDT news609084481 Plant geneticists have identified a mutation in a gene that causes the "weeping" architecture—branches growing downwards—in apple trees, a finding that could improve orchard fruit production. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-gene-variation-apple-trees-orchards.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Thu, 20 Jul 2023 12:32:02 EDT news609075120 Tucked into the hillsides of Italy, Portugal, and Spain, some of the world's most famous—and most difficult to maintain—vineyards are heralded for their unique flavor profiles and centuries of tradition. But as extreme weather and changing socioeconomic conditions make this so-called "heroic viticulture" even more challenging, scientists worry these grapes and their cultural histories are at risk. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-mountainside-vineyards-due-climate-environmental.html Ecology Agriculture Fri, 14 Jul 2023 11:00:01 EDT news608544674 Schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease that causes organ damage and death, affected more than 250 million people worldwide in 2021, according to the World Health Organization. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-health-scourge-schistosomiasis-benefit-agriculture.html Ecology Agriculture Thu, 13 Jul 2023 13:34:04 EDT news608474041 When you bite into a juicy steak, tough isn't what you're looking for. There's a lot of science behind the spectrum from tough to tender. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-tech-phenomenon-meat-tenderness.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Mon, 10 Jul 2023 13:54:44 EDT news608216080 Plant roots have their own thermometer to measure the temperature of the soil around them and they adjust their growth accordingly. Through extensive experiments, a team led by Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), was able to demonstrate that roots have their own temperature sensing and response system. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-roots-capable.html Cell & Microbiology Agriculture Mon, 10 Jul 2023 10:45:03 EDT news608204701 Genomic detective work has brought researchers closer to the secret of how and why grass pea produces its notorious toxin, paving the way for this ancient and climate resilient crop to become a food of the future. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-toxic-climate-smart-crop-tomorrow.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Mon, 10 Jul 2023 10:41:04 EDT news608204461 Warmer springs are causing British bees to wake up earlier, a new study has found, threatening the pollination of crops such as apples and pears. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-wild-bees-emerge-week-earlier.html Ecology Agriculture Sun, 09 Jul 2023 19:00:01 EDT news607953676 Tomatoes are a staple in diets worldwide and an essential part of sustainable agriculture. Now, scientists at the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) have reported insights into a long-known tomato mutation, unlocking the potential for enhanced fruit quality and stress resistance. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-ground-hugging-groundbreaking-unique-tomato-mutation.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Fri, 07 Jul 2023 14:04:03 EDT news607957441 Farmland birds have a positive impact on woody crops but are more likely to negatively impact the yield of herbaceous crops, according to a study published in the open access journal PLOS Biology by Cheng Huang from Sun Yat-sen University in China and colleagues. Furthermore, non-lethal measures to deter birds are effective in reducing crop losses, the researchers report. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-birds-net-benefit-production-crops.html Plants & Animals Agriculture Thu, 06 Jul 2023 14:00:01 EDT news607852973 The ability of crops to withstand heat is critical to our food system's resilience to climate change. A study published in the open access journal PLOS Genetics by Aaron Kusmec at Iowa State University; Ames, Iowa, United States and colleagues suggests that trait selection through plant breeding has increased maize's tolerance to moderate heat stress over time; however, its tolerance to severe heat stress has decreased. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-genetic-affected-maize-tolerance-moderate.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Thu, 06 Jul 2023 14:00:01 EDT news607852884 Researchers have for the first time identified several genes in barley that could eventually lead to larger yielding crops. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-code-barley.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Thu, 06 Jul 2023 13:30:03 EDT news607869001 Researchers have been testing real-life Batman-style gadgets to eradicate moth pests from greenhouses, including bat-inspired flying drones that hunt down and destroy moths—but new research reveals that the noise from drones can alter moth flight behavior. Their research was presented at the SEB Centenary Conference 2023, held 4–7 July, in Edinburgh, UK. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-exterminating-greenhouse-pests-bat-inspired-drones.html Biotechnology Agriculture Wed, 05 Jul 2023 14:24:36 EDT news607785870 A new study on the coexistence of bacteria and fungi shows that a mutually beneficial, functioning symbiosis can be very fragile. Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI) in Jena found out that the bacterial species Mycetohabitans rhizoxinica lives happily in the hyphae of the fungus Rhizopus microsporus only when the bacteria produce a certain protein. The research is published in the journal Current Biology. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-molecule-symbiosis-bacteria-fungi.html Cell & Microbiology Agriculture Wed, 05 Jul 2023 09:53:03 EDT news607769581 Helping to promote the natural relationship between plants and bacteria could reduce reliance on environmentally damaging fertilizers, a study has found. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-bacteria-fertilizer.html Ecology Agriculture Mon, 03 Jul 2023 15:36:03 EDT news607617361 Australian allodapines and European honey bees are distant relatives that converge to pollinate apple (Central Asian origin) in a Blue Mountains orchard. https://phys.org/news/2023-06-apple-pollination-australia-reliant-species.html Ecology Agriculture Fri, 30 Jun 2023 10:00:05 EDT news607338000 Some truffle producers in the eastern U.S. intending to grow European black truffles (Tuber melanosporum) are also accidentally cultivating winter truffles (Tuber brumale), a related species that looks nearly identical but sells at a lower price, according to a new study from truffle researchers at the University of Florida and Michigan State University. https://phys.org/news/2023-06-black-truffles-grown-eastern-valuable.html Ecology Agriculture Mon, 26 Jun 2023 17:06:18 EDT news607017974 Many of the world's largest aquatic food producers are highly vulnerable to human-induced environmental change, with some of the highest-risk countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa demonstrating the lowest capacity for adaptation, a landmark study has shown. https://phys.org/news/2023-06-global-aquaculture-substantial-environmental.html Ecology Agriculture Mon, 26 Jun 2023 15:51:34 EDT news607013490 Cotton is the primary source of natural fiber on Earth, yet only four of 50 known species are suitable for textile production. Computer scientists at DePaul University applied a bioinformatics workflow to reconstruct one of the most complete genomes of a top cotton species, African domesticated Gossypium herbaceum cultivar Wagad. Experts say the results give scientists a more complete picture of how wild cotton was domesticated over time and may help to strengthen and protect the crop for farmers in the U.S., Africa and beyond. https://phys.org/news/2023-06-scientists-sequence-cotton-genome.html Molecular & Computational biology Agriculture Thu, 22 Jun 2023 16:30:04 EDT news606670202 "Green" farming policies may accelerate global biodiversity loss, two leading academics have warned. https://phys.org/news/2023-06-policies-global-biodiversity.html Ecology Agriculture Wed, 21 Jun 2023 12:34:49 EDT news606569683