A lack of vitamin D can lead to brittle and painful bones, muscle weakness and a variety of health risks. During summer, people are able to get about 90 percent of their daily requirements naturally through the skin by exposure to the sun. The remainder is consumed through foods such as oily fish or chicken […] Read more
Author Archives
Weather extremes devastate yields: study
International researchers have more precisely measured how extreme weather events driven by a changing climate can devastate crop yields. Hot and cold temperature extremes, drought and heavy precipitation account for 18 to 43 percent of variations in global yields for maize, spring wheat, rice and soybeans. “Climate extremes such as heat waves or droughts can […] Read more
Cattle bred to produce less methane
Genetic makeup of an individual cow significantly controls the level and type of methane-producing microbes in its rumen
Cattle and other ruminants are known as significant producers of the greenhouse gas methane. According to Agriculture Canada, a lactating dairy cow produces about 400 grams of methane each day. In one year, that adds up to the equivalent of greenhouse gas emissions from a mid-sized car driven 20,000 kilometres. Given there are about 1.5 […] Read more
Research discredits wheat hardiness myth
An Australian study finds today’s wheat out-performs older strains in both optimum and challenging conditions
Contrary to popular opinion, modern wheat varieties are not heavily dependent on pesticides and fertilizer to remain productive. In fact, recent research from the University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia shows that today’s wheat out-performs older strains not only in optimum conditions but under challenging growing situations. In addition, the modern wheat gene pool is […] Read more
New discovery may help potatoes resist heat
German researchers learn how to turn off a small RNA that blocks the formation of tubers when temperatures rise
Potato plants don’t like heat. If it’s too hot, they form fewer tubers. Now biochemists at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany have discovered the reason. When the temperature rises, a small RNA blocks the formation of tubers. Researchers have also discovered how to turn off this RNA so potatoes are more heat resistant. “Not […] Read more
Genomic project discovers new tomato genes
Previously unknown genes, including some for flavour, were missing from the original genome map done in 2012
If you think that store-bought tomatoes lack flavor and sweetness, you’re not alone. It’s been a complaint of consumers for years. But now, scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service may have found the solution by developing the tomato pan-genome. A genome is the reference map for an organism’s genes and what […] Read more
Environment a major influence on corn health
Bacteria are more affected by the environment than they are by a plant’s genetics, which plays just a small role
Corn is one of the most important crops worldwide with more than one billion tonnes harvested each year from 13 percent of the world’s arable land. It represents 37 percent of global cereal production. Recently, the University of Georgia conducted one of the largest leaf microbe studies to date, in which it monitored bacteria on […] Read moreComplex cattle network discovery reveals disease risks
Half of all British cattle farms were connected to more than 1,000 other farms every year when they bought cattle
As the buying and selling at cattle auctions plays out each week, data is building up, and it is not related just to the exchange of money. A new study by researchers at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom profiled the buying and selling of beef and dairy cattle. It analyzed a network […] Read moreGenetics work aimed at livestock production efficiency
Leading U.S. animal genomics scientists have developed a blueprint for improving the future of livestock production
Researchers at Iowa State University have been part of a team designing a blueprint for animal genomics. With a growing global population and a need to improve livestock welfare and production, researchers are looking at how to improve efficiencies in animal agriculture. “The priorities listed in this blueprint all pertain to improving the genetic potential […] Read more
Pollinators need more timely nectar sources
A study from Great Britain could help farmers plant species that produce nectar over a longer period of time
Researchers at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom have for the first time measured farmland nectar supplies throughout the entire year and have been able to highlight when a lack of food fails to meet a pollinator’s demand. The findings could help farmers and landowners plant crops, flowers, shrubs, bushes and wildflowers that […] Read more
