Farming and Agriculture

Asparagus is one of the most labor-intensive crops on the market. Harvesting demands extreme precision—the terrain is uneven, and the stalks are thin and of varying length. These challenges inhibit automation, leading to currently available harvesting robots being too slow and inefficient. Researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM)... Read more

Field margins where hedges have been planted attract twice as many insects as those without hedges. This holds true even in agricultural areas that already contain plenty of natural habitat, according to research published in Basic and Applied Ecology by ecologist Robin Lexmond at Radboud University. Flower strips can also... Read more

A plant signaling gene has been identified as a promising target for breeding cereal crops to produce a steeper, narrower root system architecture, but with associated yield penalties in barley. University of Queensland Ph.D. candidate Richard Dixon said collaborative research with scientists at the Australian National University revealed the gene,... Read more

New research has found technology that removes alcohol from wine can be combined with traditional remediation techniques to mitigate smoke taint, minimizing its impact on wine's sensory elements.... Read more

The taste and texture profile of protein shakes could be improved by tweaking the way whey protein is made, new research has found. An ongoing collaboration among the University of Reading, Aberystwyth University and Arla Foods Ingredients has resulted in the production of whey protein (a dairy-derived ingredient found in... Read more

A selectively bred carp strain is boosting productivity and profits across polyculture ponds in Bangladesh, improving overall pond performance in smallholder systems. A completed study shows that the third generation (G3) rohu, developed by WorldFish, grows 32.6% faster than conventional local fish and increases net margins by 24.8% for farmers,... Read more

Scientists have uncovered an unexpected microbial relationship that could help explain differences in the severity of a major disease affecting common beans. The discovery sheds light on how the pathogen evolves and may point to new strategies for breeding disease-resistant crops and reducing reliance on chemical pesticides. The resulting paper... Read more

Farmers have long debated which practices do the most to keep their soil healthy. Now, after pulling data from 21 long-term field trials scattered across the United States, a multi-state research team has found cover crop use comes on top.... Read more

Curtin University research has found farmers making small changes to how they give water to cattle in semi-arid regions could halt the spread of one of Australia's most damaging invasive species—all without disrupting farming operations. Published in Global Ecology and Conservation, the paper reveals straightforward, low-cost changes to cattle troughs... Read more

Peri-urban agriculture in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) is in a critical situation after decades of decline. A new study conducted by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) highlights the dramatic reduction of peri-urban farming in the region, with losses of up... Read more

Analysis of Australia's highest-volume pesticide use has revealed that the majority of products widely used in Australian agriculture are banned in other parts of the world, according to a new study. Researchers from Griffith's School of Environment and Science analyzed 45 pesticide products used in volumes of more than 100... Read more

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a destructive disease of wheat that can reduce grain yields and contaminate grain with toxins harmful to humans and livestock. The disease threatens wheat production worldwide and poses ongoing challenges for growers, grain handlers, and food safety systems.... Read more

A research team led by the University of Bern has decoded a mechanism by which an inconspicuous succulent regulates the uptake of carbon dioxide via the leaf surface so finely that it receives enough for photosynthesis without losing too much water—and can therefore conserve water efficiently. The findings might be... Read more

Converting sugarcane waste to biofuel could become more environmentally friendly and cost-effective, thanks to a joint project at The University of Queensland and the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. Ph.D. candidate Neethu Joshikumar has successfully tested a process to simplify the preparation of sugarcane waste, known as bagasse. The research... Read more

Collaboration between the UCO's Agronomy and Genetics departments was key to sequencing the genome of this pathogen, which is responsible for losses of up to €50 million per year. Cercospora leaf spot is an olive tree disease that causes defoliation and lower yields. It is caused by the fungus Pseudocercospora... Read more