Andrew Muhammad, professor and Blasingame Chair of Excellence in Agricultural Policy at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, is the 2026 recipient of the R.J. Hildreth Public Policy Award from the Farm Foundation.

The R.J. Hildreth Award for Career Achievement in Public Policy honors career achievement in the field of public policy, through government service, as educators, or those researching agricultural policy. Farm Foundation is a 90-year-old independent organization that brings together farmers, industry leaders, policymakers, academics and other professionals to explore and solve issues shaping food and agriculture. The award was presented at the foundation’s round table meeting on June 16 in St. Louis.

Biochar, a charcoal-like substance made from biomass, offers a promising pathway for storing carbon in agricultural soils, helping to offset climate change. Despite its potential, the precise mechanisms, particularly the role of diverse microbial communities, influencing its long-term effectiveness remain poorly understood. A comprehensive analysis, published in Carbon Research, examines how biochar application impacts soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration in Chinese croplands, shedding light on the critical interactions with soil microorganisms.

Researchers from Northwest A&F University compiled an extensive dataset from 90 prior studies conducted across China, incorporating 392 observations and over 2600 data points related to SOC and microbial characteristics. Their meta-analysis combined quantitative data extraction, geographical mapping, and linear mixed-effects modeling to spatially predict carbon sequestration rates and explore the nuanced responses of soil microbial communities to varying biochar application rates and durations. This robust approach allowed for a broad assessment of biochar's impact across diverse Chinese agricultural regions.

Researchers developed a simpler and more cost-effective method to measure DNA-bound phosphorus, a biologically active form of phosphorus linked to soil microbes. The study found that this hidden nutrient pool is closely associated with microbial activity and soil fertility. The findings could support more sustainable phosphorus management and agricultural production.

Terraxy, a KAUST spinout specializing in soil‑regeneration and carbon‑capture technologies for desert environments, has raised $3 million in a Seed‑2 round led by Wa’ed Ventures with participation from KAUST. The funding accelerates Terraxy’s shift from pilot operations to full industrial production, including a 30,000 m² commercial facility in Al Zulfi. Terraxy’s Carbosoil technology enhances plant growth in sandy soils by up to 70% while enabling long‑term CO₂ storage. Supported by MEWA’s Regulatory Sandbox and KAUST’s innovation ecosystem, Terraxy is emerging as a key enabler of Saudi Arabia’s sustainability, land‑rehabilitation, and carbon‑management goals under Vision 2030.

Researchers from Zhejiang Normal University and collaborating institutions in China have revealed how crown architecture mediate neighborhood interactions and growth strategies across a shade tolerance gradient. By analyzing nearly 3,600 trees in a subtropical forest, they show that light-demanding species compete mainly through crown trait dissimilarity among neighbors, while shade-tolerant species are more influenced by neighbor density, offering new insights for forest dynamics models.

A new study finds that plants respond to injury by actively redirecting sugars to damaged tissues, helping fuel the regeneration process. Using a fluorescent sensor to track sugar movement in living plants, researchers discovered that wounds trigger a localized shift in energy transport, concentrating glucose around the injury site. The findings offer new insight into how plants coordinate repair and recovery and could help scientists better understand the mechanisms that support resilience in crops facing physical damage or environmental stress.

Virginia Tech neuroscientist Timothy Jarome is investigating whether obesity may be accelerating the brain's aging process, contributing to earlier memory decline. Jarome, professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ School of Animal Sciences studies the molecular mechanisms behind memory disorders such as dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). His latest research is supported by a $410,000 grant from the National Institute on Aging.

New study shows that under low warming, planting trees increases global water inequality; under high warming, it reduces overall water availability.