EurekAlert! - Agriculture

Grass to gas: UGA researchers' genome map speeds biofuel development

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(University of Georgia) Researchers at the University of Georgia have taken a major step in the ongoing effort to find sources of cleaner, renewable energy by mapping the genomes of two originator cells of Miscanthus x giganteus, a large perennial grass with promise as a source of ethanol and bioenergy.

3-D laser map shows earthquake zone before and after

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(National Science Foundation) Geologists have a new tool to study how earthquakes change the landscape -- down to a few inches. It's giving scientists insights into how earthquake faults behave.

The power of estrogen -- male snakes attract other males

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Oregon State University) A new study has shown that boosting the estrogen levels of male garter snakes causes them to secrete the same pheromones that females use to attract suitors, and turned the males into just about the sexiest snake in the neighborhood -- attracting dozens of other males eager to mate.

New integrated building model may improve fish farming operations

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(University of Massachusetts at Amherst) Those who have ventured to turn a vacant barn or garage into an aquaculture business have too often been defeated by high energy and feed costs, building-related woes and serious environmental problems.

An economic analysis of Emerald Ash Borer management options

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Entomological Society of America) A new study in the Journal of Economic Entomology examines several options for managing the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive insect that is destroying US ash trees.

Ultraviolet protection molecule in plants yields its secrets to Scripps research team

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Scripps Research Institute) Lying around in the sun all day is hazardous not just for humans but also for plants. Ultraviolet radiation from the sun can damage proteins and DNA inside cells, leading to poor growth and even death. But plants have evolved some powerful adaptive defenses, including a complex array of protective responses orchestrated by a UV-sensing protein molecule known as UVR8. Now, scientists have put together a detailed picture of UVR8's structure and inner workings.

Aid missions get cutting-edge assistance from ONR

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Office of Naval Research) A Web-based tool suite that helps first responders rapidly coordinate resources during disasters, co-sponsored by the Office of Naval Research, is being introduced at a University of Connecticut panel Feb. 8-11 as part of a month-long rollout. The Resiliency Assessment and Coordination System tool takes data from United Nations sites and displays it on a map-based diagram showing the locations of various resources, such as food, shelter, sanitation and health supplies and provides a checklist.

5-10 percent corn yield jump using erosion-slowing cover crops shown in ISU study

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Iowa State University) The most recent annual results from a four-year Iowa State University study by Ken Moore, Distinguished Professor of agronomy and primary investigator on the project, reveal that using cover crops can lead to higher yields -- by as much as 10 percent . The results are the best yet in the ongoing research. Moore plans to continue on the trials for at least one more growing season.

Ocean warming causes elephant seals to dive deeper

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres) Global warming is having an effect on the dive behavior and search for food of southern elephant seals.

Medical center-based farmers markets improve health

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Penn State) Farmers markets at medical centers may contribute to greater wellness in surrounding communities while adding public health value to a market's mission, say Penn State College of Medicine researchers who have developed and evaluated a market created at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

Integrated weed management best response to herbicide resistance

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Penn State) Over-reliance on glyphosate-type herbicides for weed control on US farms has created a dramatic increase in the number of genetically-resistant weeds, according to a team of agricultural researchers, who say the solution lies in an integrated weed management program.

Fuel from market waste

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft) Mushy tomatoes, brown bananas and overripe cherries -- to date, waste from wholesale markets has ended up on the compost heap at best. In future it will be put to better use: Researchers have developed a new facility that ferments this waste to make methane, which can be used to power vehicles.

Fresh city tomatoes, any time

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft) Why not produce lettuce, beans and tomatoes where most of the consumers are to be found: in the city? The flat roofs of many buildings are well-suited for growing vegetables. Rooftop greenhouses can also make use of a building's waste heat and cleaned waste water.

£7 public funding available for research to deliver better fruit and vegetables

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council) A new research initiative launched Feb. 9 aims to bring academic researchers together with industry in order to deliver bigger yields of better quality fruits and vegetables for the consumer through more sustainable farming practices.

Decoding the molecular machine behind E. coli and cholera

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Queen Mary, University of London) Scientists from Queen Mary, University of London have discovered the workings behind some of the bacteria that kill hundreds of thousands every year, possibly paving the way for new antibiotics that could treat infections more effectively.

Fighting crimes against biodiversity

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Queen Mary, University of London) Invasive species which have the potential to destroy biodiversity and influence global change could be tracked and controlled in the same way as wanted criminals, according to new research from Queen Mary, University of London.

University of East Anglia research reveals why fishermen keep fishing despite dwindling catches

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(University of East Anglia) Half of fishermen would not give up their livelihood in the face of drastically declining catches, according to research led by the University of East Anglia.A new report, published by PLoS ONE, challenges previously held notions about poverty and adaptation by investigating why fishermen in developing countries stick with their trade.

Ocean microbe communities changing, but long-term environmental impact is unclear

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Oregon State University) As oceans warm due to climate change, water layers will mix less and affect the microbes and plankton that pump carbon out of the atmosphere - but researchers say it's still unclear whether these processes will further increase global warming or decrease it. It could be either, they say.

Amazing skin gives sharks a push

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(The Company of Biologists) Shark skin has long been known to improve the fish's swimming performance by reducing drag, but now George Lauder and Johannes Oeffner from Harvard University show that in addition, the skin generates thrust, giving the fish an extra boost. The duo also discovered that Speedo's shark skin-inspired Fastskin® FS II fabric surface does not improve swimming speed, although they point out that the figure hugging costumes probably enhance performance in other ways.

Can indigenous insects be used against the light brown apple moth?

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Entomological Society of America) A new study in Environmental Entomology suggests that insects native to California may be suitable biocontrol agents against the light brown apple moth.

UBC researchers use Google Earth to verify Mediterranean fish farming data

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(University of British Columbia) The Great Wall of China is not the only thing you can see from space. Fish farming cages are clearly visible through Google Earth's satellite images and University of British Columbia researchers have used them to estimate the amount of fish being cultivated in the Mediterranean.

Lull in ship noise after Sept. 11 attacks eased stress on right whales

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Duke University) Exposure to low-frequency ship noise may be associated with chronic stress in whales, according to a study published today in the peer-reviewed Proceedings of the Royal Society B.The study, conducted in Canada's Bay of Fundy, has implications for all baleen whales in areas with heavy ship traffic, and for the recovery of the endangered North Atlantic right whale population.

Bio-disinfection with semi-composted manure to control a pepper crop disease

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Elhuyar Fundazioa) Researchers at the Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development, Neiker-Tecnalia, have confirmed that the use of semi-composted manure in combination with the plastic sealing of the soil is an effective control for Phytophthora capsici, a fungus responsible for a disease that seriously affects greenhouse-grown peppers.

New study sheds light on genetics of rice metabolism

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(RIKEN) A large-scale study analyzing metabolic compounds in rice grains conducted by researchers at the RIKEN Plant Science Center and their collaborators has identified 131 rice metabolites and clarified the genetic and environmental factors that influence their production. The findings provide a natural way to bioengineer improved rice grain varieties by selectively increasing production of useful metabolites, boosting the nutritional value of crops.

Hatchery fish mask the decline of wild salmon populations

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Public Library of Science) Scientists have found that only about ten percent of the fall-run Chinook salmon spawning in California's Mokelumne River are naturally produced wild salmon.