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Irish potato famine pathogen still harms plants worldwide
Researchers continue to track the evolution of different strains of the plant pathogen that caused the Irish potato famine in the 1840s, which set down roots in the United States before attacking...
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‘Wearable’ patch monitors plants for disease and stress
Researchers have developed a new patch that plants can “wear” to continuously monitors for diseases or other stresses, such as crop damage or extreme heat. “We’ve created a wearable sensor that...
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RNA tweak leads to 50% more food from crops
Manipulating RNA allows plants to yield dramatically more crops and increases drought tolerance, researchers report. In initial tests, adding a gene encoding for a protein called FTO to both rice and...
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Diversity may boost US wheat and corn crop yields by 20%
Diverse landcover can boost yields for major US crops like corn and wheat, a new study shows. The findings run counter to previous assumptions that suggest monoculture—or specializing in a single crop,...
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Trendy microgreens could help feed the world
Microgreens started decades ago as fashionable, high-value gourmet greens, but a new study suggests they have the potential to help provide global nutrition security. The tiny plants have gained...
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Team uses AI to develop the ‘ultimate’ chickpea
Using artificial intelligence, researchers have developed a genetic model for the “ultimate” chickpea, with the potential to lift crop yields by up to 12%. Researchers genetically mapped thousands of...
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Ancient corn ancestor genes could make crops better today
Researchers are figuring out how to look back through millennia of domestication to learn how a wild grassy plant known as teosinte developed into corn, the modern cash crop grown across the globe. The...
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Crop antibiotic dulls bumblebee foraging skills
An antibiotic sprayed on orchard crops to combat bacterial diseases slows the cognition of bumblebees and reduces their foraging efficiency, a new study shows. Researchers focused on streptomycin, an...
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Soybeans grow larger when bees are near
Soybean crops planted near pollinator habitat produce larger soybeans than soybean crops that aren’t planted near pollinator habitat, new research shows. “Even though soybeans are not thought of as...
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‘Flash droughts’ work fast to devastate crops
Although the number of flash droughts has remained stable during the past two decades, more of them are coming on faster, according to new research. Just like flash floods, flash droughts come on...
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This ‘extreme’ plant thrives in conditions that would kill others
One “extreme” plant that has evolved to handle, or even thrive, in harsh conditions could help researchers engineer climate-resistant crops. When faced with conditions that are too dry, salty, or cold,...
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Grape-killing bug could invade California wine country
The spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect that can kill grapevines and damage other crops, has a chance of first reaching the wine-producing counties of California in five years, according to a new...
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Wireless tech monitors soil moisture in real time
A new wireless system uses radio transmitters and receivers to estimate soil moisture in agricultural fields at multiple depths in real time. It could both improve crop yield and reduce water...
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Banana paper shell boosts yam size and yield
Wrapping yam seeds in biodegradable paper made from a mixture of unusable parts of banana plants and recycled cardboard boxes sharply increases yam size and yields, researchers say. As reported in...
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Plant patch spots crop disease early
An electronic patch applied to the leaves of plants can monitor crops for different pathogens—such as viral and fungal infections—and stresses such as drought or salinity. In testing, researchers found...
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Potato pangenome could lead to a new super spud
Scientists have assembled genome sequences of nearly 300 varieties of potato and its wild relatives to develop a more nutritious, disease-free, and weather-proof crop. As climate change continues to...
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Team cracks the mystery of maize’s origins
All modern maize descends from a hybrid created just over 5,000 years ago in central Mexico, thousands of years after the plant was first domesticated, researchers report. Maize is one of the world’s...
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Potato discovery could lead to tastier, healthier chips and fries
Researchers have discovered a key mechanism behind the darkening and potential health concerns associated with cold-stored potatoes. The findings hold promise for the development of potato varieties...
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Software improves sensors that check crop health
A new tool improves the accuracy of electronic devices that measure the color of leaves to assess plant health. The new technology works by improving a sensor’s ability to account for variations in...
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