A new study published in Ecological Processes reveals that no-tillage farming — a technique that avoids plowing — can significantly improve soil health while reducing carbon pollution. Researchers found that NT farming increases soil carbon storage, enhances microbial activity, and prevents degradation, making it a promising tool for sustainable agriculture. With the changing climate and…
Researchers at Göttingen University show keys to nature conservation measures at landscape level How can the loss of species and habitats in agricultural landscapes be stopped? Up to now, measures have mostly been implemented by individual farms. In contrast, agri-environmental measures that are planned across farms at landscape level offer greater potential for creating suitable…
New, groundbreaking research shows how, at a local scale, agricultural research and development led to improved crop varieties that resulted in global benefits to the environment and food system sustainability. The Purdue University study appears in the latest issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. “At the global level, we see a reduction…
What is an Herb? An herb, botanically, is a seed-producing annual, biennial, or perennial that does not develop persistent woody tissue but dies down at the end of a growing season (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). It can also refer, culturally, to a plant or plant part used for its medicinal, savory, or aromatic qualities. Gathering, cultivating, and…
Scientists have long sought ways to help plants turn more carbon dioxide (CO₂) into biomass, which could boost crop yields and even combat climate change. Recent research suggests that a group of unique, often overlooked plants called hornworts may hold the key. “Hornworts possess a remarkable ability that is unique among land plants: they have…
Study shows: Chickpeas are a drought-resistant legume plant with a high protein content Climate change has a negative impact on food security. An international research team led by Wolfram Weckwerth from the University of Vienna has now conducted a study to investigate the natural variation of different chickpea genotypes and their resistance to drought stress….
As the world races to meet net-zero targets, emissions from all industrial sectors must be reduced more urgently than ever. Agriculture is an important area of focus as it contributes up to 22 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. One approach to decarbonising agriculture involves integrating solar panels – or photovoltaics (PVs) – into…
Trisha and Nolan Zachman farm in a small town two hours west of Minneapolis, Minnesota. They grow a variety of crops including corn, soybeans, rye, wheat, sorghum, and peas; pasture-raise pigs for specialty meat company Niman Ranch; and care for chickens, sheep, ducks, geese, alpacas, and numerous cats—in addition to raising two young children and…
Cannabis has garnered a great deal of new attention in the past couple of years due to the increasing hopes of its legalization for recreational use and indications for medicinal benefit. The increasing consumption and cultivation has led to a multiplication of scientific studies. Focus was placed in this study foremost on yielding morphological data…
When Isabella Dalla Ragione assesses a Renaissance painting, she doesn’t immediately notice the brushstrokes or the magnificence of the imagery. The first thing she notices is the fruit. On a spring day earlier this year, I stride with Dalla Ragione into the National Gallery of Umbria, in a 14th-century stone castle built atop the hillside city of…