All Agriculture articles – Page 2
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NewsHow biochar helps soil carbon last longer: microbes turn dissolved organic matter into more stable forms
A long-term field study reveals that biochar does more than add carbon to soil. Over time, it can reshape microbial activity and help transform dissolved organic matter into more humified, stable carbon pools. Source: Tianchu Liu, Shihao Huang, Jing Mu & Xiaomin Zhu Microbial processing drives humification of ...
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OpinionBiopiracy in microbiology: Who owns nature’s resources?
A growing global debate over “biopiracy” is raising urgent questions for microbiologists, researchers, industry and policymakers alike — and Applied Microbiology International is calling on members to help shape the conversation. Biopiracy refers to the unauthorised or unethical use of biological materials — including seeds, plants, ...
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NewsJust 10 viral particles can cause H5N1 avian flu infection in cows
Just 10 viral particles of the H5N1 bird flu that caused hundreds of influenza outbreaks in U.S. dairy cattle can cause infection in cows, a new study shows. The research also hints at why the outbreaks have confounded scientists, farmers and livestock handlers hoping to contain and prevent the disease.
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NewsPlant viruses open new routes for gene editing
A new study has developed potyvirus-derived vectors for delivering CRISPR RNA (crRNA) guides in Lachnospiraceae bacterium ND2006 Cas12a (LbCas12a)-expressing plants, expanding virus-induced gene editing from tobacco rattle virus (TRV) to tobacco etch virus (TEV), turnip mosaic virus (TuMV), and lettuce mosaic virus (LMV).
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NewsBiochar may help stop antibiotics from escaping through hidden soil highways
A new study reveals that biochar can do more than simply trap pollutants. It may actively redirect antibiotic movement in structured soils, helping reduce the risk of contamination in nearby water systems.
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NewsBiochar’s hidden electron power could unlock cleaner pollution control and energy recovery
A new review highlights how biochar’s natural redox properties may help overcome key barriers to large-scale environmental applications.
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NewsMaterial extends shelf life and prolongs release of fungus used as bioinsecticide
Encapsulating Beauveria bassiana in a biopolymer made of cellulose and aluminum increased the viability of the fungus from 69% to 85% after five months of storage, providing a more sustainable alternative that releases the bioinsecticide.
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NewsDegradable sensors reveal hidden soil secrets
New degradable sensors being developed by soil scientists track biological activity in soil by having a degradable substrate that is nibbled on by microbes.
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NewsSlow down, microbes: When wheat learns to protect the nitrogen
Wheat plants can do more than grow grain. Research shows that their roots release natural compounds that slow down soil microbes and keep nitrogen in the soil potentially cutting losses, greenhouse gas emissions and costs for farmers.
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NewsBiochar triggers a five-year soil recovery cascade in acidifying rice paddies
A long-term field study reveals how biochar reshapes soil chemistry, microbes, viruses, and metabolites to support healthier agricultural ecosystems.
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NewsTwo types of biochar help alfalfa survive salty soils
A new study shows that carefully designed biochar can guide plant metabolism and reshape beneficial microbial communities around the roots to help reduce stress from saline-alkali soil.
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NewsBiochar and beneficial microbes team up to restore polluted soils and boost crop growth
A new review examines how biochar-immobilized microbes can help clean contaminated soils, improve soil health, and support crop growth. By analyzing evidence from 92 published studies, the authors provide a data-driven overview of how this technology works and what is needed to bring it closer to practical use on farms.
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NewsResearchers test two treatments to protect against deadly cattle disease
As cases of a deadly cattle disease rise in Arkansas, researchers are testing two treatments they hope will help ranchers protect their herds. The disease is bovine theileriosis and is caused by the parasite Theileria orientalis Ikeda, carried primarily by the invasive Asian longhorned tick.
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NewsWarming may weaken biochar’s climate benefits in cropland soils, global study finds
Researchers found that warming significantly increased carbon dioxide emissions from soils treated with biochar by an average of 77%. The effect was especially strong in croplands, where emissions increased by 117.5%, compared with 30.9% in forest soils.
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NewsReducing the use of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser via improving nitrogen uptake in corn plants
A new agricultural project will help reduce the use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer through the design of corn plants that better use nitrogen already in the soil.
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NewsEurope’s crops under threat: €6 million project launches to tackle rising plant pest crisis
The University of Warwick leads a European consortium to build the first platform capable of coordinating Europe’s response to devastating agricultural and forest pest invasions. The project will give plant health authorities the ability to model and optimise pest control strategies across the entire agri-value chain.
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NewsBiochar can reshape how soils respond to warming, but the effect depends on the soil
A new study shows that biochar can change how strongly soil nitrous oxide emissions respond to rising temperatures. But the effect is not one-size-fits-all. The study found that nitrous oxide emissions increased with warming in both agricultural soil and forest soil, but forest soil was more temperature-sensitive than agricultural soil.
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NewsIron-modified biochar turns soil oxygen into a cleaner for antibiotic pollution
Antibiotic residues in agricultural soils are an emerging environmental concern, with potential impacts on soil health, crop safety, and the spread of antimicrobial resistance. A new study reports on an iron-modified biochar that helps soil use its own oxygen and iron chemistry to break down sulfamethoxazole.
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NewsLong-term biochar use can help cropland soils store more microbial carbon, but depth matters
A 12-year field study shows that biochar boosts stable microbial carbon in topsoil while reducing it in deeper soil layers, highlighting the need for depth-specific carbon management.
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NewsThe right heat makes biochar a better helper for food waste composting
A new study finds that hardwood biochar made at 400 °C best protects nitrogen during food waste digestate composting, offering a practical route to cleaner and higher-quality compost.