Farming and Agriculture

Root-knot nematodes pose a significant threat to agriculture, infecting a wide range of crops and causing billions of dollars in losses annually. These parasites induce the formation of galls on plant roots, a key part of their lifecycle, but one that is highly detrimental to the host plant.... Read more

Houttuynia cordata, commonly known as yuxingcao, has been a key ingredient in traditional medicine for centuries, valued for its antibiotic-like properties and ability to treat various ailments. Despite its longstanding use, the genetic mechanisms underlying its medicinal compounds have remained largely unexplored. This gap in knowledge has hindered the full... Read more

The modern food system is largely dependent on a limited genetic pool of crops, raising significant concerns about agricultural sustainability and food security. Only a small fraction of the world's biodiversity is cultivated, making crops vulnerable to diseases and environmental changes.... Read more

Postharvest chilling injury (PCI) is a major challenge in the horticulture industry, resulting in significant losses due to the perishable nature of fruits when stored at low temperatures. Chilling stress disrupts cellular homeostasis, induces oxidative damage, and alters membrane protein structures, which in turn hampers electron transport and adenosine triphosphate... Read more

A research team led by Prof. Xu Hailiang from the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography (XIEG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has demonstrated an effective approach to mitigate cadmium (Cd) stress in mung bean cultivars using salicylic acid (SA) priming. This study was recently published in the Journal... Read more

For Ojok Okello, a Ugandan shea nut farmer, turning his harvest into a marketable product was a lengthy and labor-intensive process.... Read more

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have discovered that around 15 days of dry weather can trigger the flowering of durian. Observations of 110 durian plants revealed that flowering occurred around 50 days after an approximately 15-day dry spell, independent of whether the plant was grafted or grown from a seed.... Read more

A cell protein previously believed only to provide a scaffolding for DNA has also been shown to directly influence DNA transcription into RNA—the first step of the process by which an organism's genetic code expresses itself. The fundamental breakthrough was discovered in apple cells but is relevant to all living... Read more

Xylan is a major interlocking polysaccharide in the cell walls of seed plants, possessing a high structural diversity and cellular specificity in terms of chain polymerization, side chains, and modifications.... Read more

Honey, a complex substance made by a variety of species of bees, is often celebrated for its sweetness and health benefits. In fact, humans have been using honey, sometimes called liquid gold, for generations to soothe cold symptoms and promote wound healing, citing its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Is... Read more

Researchers at the University of Adelaide have discovered that a protein which mediates the transport of alkali metal ions, such as potassium, and halide ions across plant membranes acts similarly to a protein found in animals.... Read more

Scientists have discovered a way to remove toxic compounds from potatoes, making them safer to eat and easier to store. The breakthrough could cut food waste and enhance crop farming in space and other extreme environments.... Read more

The war in Ukraine is causing hunger thousands of miles from the battlefields, according to a study in Communications Earth & Environment. Nearly three years of war in the "breadbasket of the world" has left croplands destroyed and forced laborers who grow, harvest and process a bounty of wheat, barley... Read more

What does a decline in healthy coral reefs mean for fisheries? A new study published in Marine Resource Economics, led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), examines the correlation between fish yield and live coral habitats. Researchers analyzed the yields of nine fisheries dependent on Australia's Great Barrier Reef... Read more

A new paper recently published by scientists explores the potential of low glycemic index (Low GI) rice to combat the growing diabetes epidemic, particularly in Asia.... Read more