All Agriculture articles – Page 2
-
NewsPig disease vaccine effectiveness linked to T cell response
A new study shows that the effectiveness of current vaccines against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is due to the response of T cells against the disease, rather than the production of antibodies. The work is an important step in identifying specific targets for vaccines on a rapidly mutating virus.
-
NewsNew blueprint for nature’s carbon-capturing nanomachines revealed
Researchers have uncovered how bacterial organelles assemble, opening new routes for bioengineering and climate innovation. The team has unveiled the most detailed picture yet of how bacteria construct microscopic compartments known as carboxysomes – natural nanomachines that play a vital role in capturing and converting carbon dioxide (CO₂).
-
NewsWild grass offers new genetic clues to combat deadliest pathogen of wheat
A new study has identified Aegilops cylindrica, a wild grass closely related to wheat, as a powerful genetic reservoir for resistance against the devastating fungal pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici—the cause of Septoria tritici blotch (STB).
-
NewsGrassland degradation reshapes relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality
Grassland degradation fundamentally reshapes how biodiversity supports ecosystem multifunctionality, shifting it from being plant-dominated to being mediated by soil microbes, according to a new study of alpine grassland on the Tibetan Plateau.
-
NewsHorizon Awards 2025: Professor Joana Falcao Salles named as winner of Basil Jarvis Award
Professor Joana Falcao Salles, a professor of Microbial Community Ecology at the University of Groningen, has been named as the newest winner of the Basil Jarvis Food Security and Innovation Award.
-
NewsMicrobiome around Xanthomonas infection in tomato plants signposts scientists to the bacterium of its downfall
Scientists have uncovered a bacterium in the microbiome of tomato leaves that can be used to fight back against infection by Xanthomonas, a disease that poses a major challenge to tomato growers worldwide.
-
NewsTwo amino acids help plants decide whether to welcome or repel nitrogen-fixing bacteria
Researchers are one step closer to understanding how some plants survive without nitrogen - a breakthrough that could eventually reduce the need for artificial fertilizer in crops such as wheat, maize, or rice.
-
NewsFoxtail barley serves as a host for fungal pathogens attacking barley
Researchers report that foxtail barley (Hordeum jubatum), a wild relative of the cultivated crop, can harbor several fungal pathogens and may play a role in the disease epidemiology of barley, potentially serving as reservoirs of inoculum to initiate some diseases.
-
NewsNovel technique reveals insights into soil microbe alarm clock
A new study yields clues about when dormant microscopic bacteria and fungi in soil ‘wake up’ and colonize roots, which influences plant growth and health.
-
NewsNew study explores ‘legacy effects’ of soil microbes on plants across Kansas
A new study analyzes soils sampled across the state of Kansas to determine the importance of “legacy effects” — or how soils from a specific location are influenced by microbes that have evolved in response to the specific climate at that site for many years.
-
NewsBiochar and hydrochar show contrasting climate effects in boreal grasslands
Researchers tested how biochar and hydrochar, combined with nitrogen fertilizer, affected greenhouse gas emissions, soil carbon pools, and crop yield in a typical boreal legume grassland. They found that biochar and hydrochar influenced soil processes in opposite ways.
-
NewsRhizosphere metabolites influence the spread of antibiotic resistance genes in soil-plant systems
A study sheds new light on the complex mechanisms by which plants and their associated microorganisms contribute to the migration of ARGs through the environment, offering important implications for food safety and public health.
-
NewsBiochar and wetter soils offer breakthrough path to slash farm emissions without cutting crop yields
Raising groundwater levels and adding biochar to agricultural peat soils could dramatically cut greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining healthy crop production, according to a new study from Bangor University. The study, published in Biochar (2025), tested how water table management and biochar, a charcoal-like soil additive made ...
-
NewsCrop-killing pathogen found to disable plant ‘alarm system’
An international team has discovered that the pathogen Phytophthora infestans - which caused the Irish potato famine - employs special enzymes, called AA7 oxidases, to disable the plants’ early warning system, weakening their defenses before they can respond.
-
NewsGlobal analysis reveals how biochar supercharges composting and cuts greenhouse gases
By analyzing data from 125 studies across the world, researchers showed that adding biochar to composting systems significantly boosts compost quality while slashing harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
-
News1000-litre ‘corn-to-carrier’ demo turns stover into 10.6 g L⁻¹ microbial lipids
Researchers have shown that last autumn’s corn stalks can be transformed into a palm-oil-like fat suitable for aviation biofuel or cosmetics without the energy-guzzling steps that have kept lignocellulosic biorefineries on the drawing board.
-
NewsIn chromosome of key biotech bacterium, different setups bring different strengths
New research has found that the effectiveness of biotech bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens’ virulence varies, depending on how its chromosome is arranged.
-
NewsFriendly soil microbes can boost protein in staple crops
Researchers investigated how a bacterium naturally found in the soil that is beneficial to human health can enhance the levels of the amino acid and antioxidant ergothioneine in spring wheat.
-
NewsBiochar shows big promise for climate-friendly soil management
Turning agricultural and organic waste into biochar could help store more carbon in the soil and slow climate change, according to a new study. Recent findings show that biochar improves soil health, boosts microbial diversity, and captures carbon.
-
NewsSynthetic biology reprograms plant–microbe partnerships for resilient agriculture
By integrating engineering principles with plant biology, a new review highlights how redesigned genetic pathways and plant-based biosensors can deepen understanding of plant responses to both harmful and beneficial microbes.