Farming and Agriculture

Gene drives—a genetic engineering approach that quickly spreads specific genetic changes throughout a population, whether to kill it off or add a new trait—may have potential for controlling weeds. But so far, gene drives have primarily been studied in mosquitoes, and have yet to be deployed in the real world.... Read more

Scientists at Florida International University have identified a promising way to safely ship fish long distances without losing vital vitamin D, using a method already widely applied to preserve other foods—gamma irradiation.... Read more

Chocolate prices have jumped again this Easter, and it has a lot of people concerned about how much higher they can go—and why they are so high in the first place.... Read more

Scientists at Rothamsted Research have successfully developed wheat with dramatically reduced levels of asparagine, without affecting yield, using gene editing techniques, offering a promising route to safer food production and improved regulatory compliance. Results from two years of field trials demonstrate that wheat produced using CRISPR genome editing can significantly... Read more

Adelaide University is leading the international Wheat Spatial Omics Consortium (WSOC) of more than 30 institutions in nine countries, which will explore how collaborative research in spatial omics technologies could improve wheat performance for growers.... Read more

Advanced technology can help farmers get to the root of a growing problem—overwatering in an era of increasing drought and water scarcity. A new UC Riverside system can map soil moisture tree by tree, so growers water only where and when it's needed.... Read more

A new international study offers insights into the health risks posed by crops' absorption of "contaminants of emerging concern" (CECs) and flags knowledge gaps the authors say must be addressed. CECs include pharmaceuticals, microplastics, engineered nanomaterials and PFAS (commonly known as "forever chemicals"). The researchers warn that even when present... Read more

In the search to replace antibiotic growth promoters with effective alternatives in modern swine production, plant-based essential oils are showing potential to provide lasting benefits. In a rare long-term public study that compared the effects of phytochemicals from rosemary and oregano with antibiotic growth promoters, animal scientists with the Arkansas... Read more

While aquaculture has grown rapidly to meet global seafood demand, it is increasingly relying on species that are less beneficial for food security, climate mitigation, and biodiversity, said a new study from researchers at the University of British Columbia. The study, published in Fish and Fisheries, analyzed global aquaculture production... Read more

Researchers from the University of Maine, in partnership with the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR), are analyzing more than 20 years of fishery survey data from the Gulf of Maine to examine how environmental change is reshaping marine ecosystems. The work aims to understand how changes impact the effectiveness... Read more

Diverse soil microbial communities may help suppress pathogens naturally, acting as a biological barrier against their establishment and spread, according to a new study. Professor Brajesh Singh, from The University of Western Australia's School of Agriculture and Environment and Institute of Agriculture, was lead author of the study published in... Read more

Farmers, gardeners, and botanists have long observed that plant diseases tend to flare up during periods of high humidity, particularly after rainfall. Humid conditions help bacteria enter plant leaves, and once inside, certain species create a waterlogged internal environment known as "water-soaking." This dilutes the plant's defenses and essentially turns... Read more

An article published in CABI Agriculture and Bioscience calls for a diverse, participatory approach that combines indigenous, local knowledge systems with modern technologies to tackle plant diseases and strengthen food security in Africa. This comprehensive review proposes a strategy for "One Plant Health" management across the continent and aims to... Read more

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