Researchers have discovered a biological mechanism that makes plant roots more welcoming to beneficial soil microbes. 

Urban infrastructure, such as stormwater management ponds (SWMPs), have the potential to be rehabilitated and provide critical freshwater habitat in urbanized watersheds if designed adequately. We tracked different native fish species using passive integrated transponder technology to assess the level of connectivity between a rehabilitated SWMP and a river. We found a high degree of connectivity between the two habitats, even during challenging environmental conditions such as high water temperatures and abundant submerged vegetation.

The microscopic soybean cyst nematode (SCN) may be small, but it has a massive impact. This pest latches onto soybean roots, feeding on their nutrients and leaving a trail of destruction that costs farmers billions in yield losses each year. Unfortunately, current methods to combat SCN are faltering as the pest grows resistant to traditional controls. But new research is now offering a glimmer of hope.

 

Tree crops – for example, apple, cherry, olives, nuts, coffee, and cacao – cover more than 183 million hectares worldwide, yet remain largely overlooked in agricultural policies, despite their critical role in achieving the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). An international research team, with the participation of Göttingen University, highlight how these crops are not only essential to feed the world and for global economies, but also hold immense potential for protecting biodiversity and the climate, as well as improving livelihoods for millions of people worldwide. The findings were published in a Perspectives article in Nature Sustainability.

A new study has lifted the lid on five species of root-lesion nematodes living in maize crops across New Zealand - and suggested the existence of a hitherto-unsuspected cryptic species.

A new University of Houston study of hemp microbes may lead to more sustainable farming methods, using nature to boost the growth of the plant which has become increasingly popular for its versatile uses: CBD-rich varieties are in high demand for pharmaceutical products, while fiber-rich varieties are valued for industrial applications like textiles.