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Environment - Agronomy / Food Science - 27.09.2023
Environment - Agronomy / Food Science - 25.09.2023 
How can the use of plastics in agriculture become more sustainable?
It is impossible to imagine modern agriculture without plastics. 12 million tonnes are used every year. But what about the consequences for the environment? An international team of authors led by Thilo Hofmann from the Division of Environmental Geosciences at the University of Vienna addresses this question in a recent study in Nature Communication Earth and Environment .
Social Sciences - Agronomy / Food Science - 20.09.2023 
Ancient Amazonians intentionally created fertile ’dark earth’
The rich soil holds thousands of tons of carbon, sequestered over centuries by indigenous practices, a new study suggests. The Amazon river basin is known for its immense and lush tropical forests, so one might assume that the Amazon's land is equally rich. In fact, the soils underlying the forested vegetation, particularly in the hilly uplands, are surprisingly infertile.
Life Sciences - Agronomy / Food Science - 04.09.2023 
First Experimental Release of Parasitic Asian Wasp to Control Spotted-Wing Drosophila
The invasive spotted-wing drosophila (SWD) is a devastating pest in berry, stone fruit and grape crops. A natural antagonist from the fruit fly-s area of origin in East Asia is now due to be released in Switzerland for the first time by Agroscope and CABI. The experimental releases in the Cantons of Jura and Ticino aim to clarify whether this parasitic wasp can become established in Switzerland to regulate the SWD population and reduce production losses.
Environment - Agronomy / Food Science - 01.09.2023
Agronomy / Food Science - Life Sciences - 10.08.2023
Agronomy / Food Science - Chemistry - 10.08.2023 
Chemicals from maize roots influence wheat yield
Maize roots secrete certain chemicals that affect the quality of soil. In some fields, this effect increases yields of wheat planted subsequent to maize in the same soil by more than 4%. This was proven by researchers from the University of Bern. While the findings from several field experiments show that these effects are highly variable, in the long term they may yet help to make the cultivation of grains more sustainable, without the need for additional fertilizers or pesticides.
Agronomy / Food Science - 21.07.2023
Agronomy / Food Science - Innovation - 20.07.2023 
Fertilizing 2.0: Simple, precise and digital
A new technology will facilitate quick, easy and precise fertilizing in the field in the future. Thanks to the combination of biosensor test strips and satellite-based remote sensing data, the Technical University of Munich (TUM) is developing a method for determining the nutritional condition of cereals and the perfect amount of fertilizer.
Agronomy / Food Science - Environment - 20.07.2023 
Mixed cropping enhances beneficial bugs and reduces pests
Göttingen University agroecology researchers evaluate effects with a meta-analysis The global decline in biodiversity is serious. Agricultural land use is a major contributor - especially farming single crops on a massive scale. Mixing crops can counteract this: in fields where different crops grow at the same time, there are more beneficial insects and spiders than in monocultures.
Agronomy / Food Science - Environment - 20.07.2023
Environment - Agronomy / Food Science - 13.07.2023 
Global analysis shows how pesticides leach into the environment
A University of Sydney led study published today in Nature has revealed the chemical odyssey pesticides embark upon after their initial agricultural application, with environmental consequences for a range of ecosystems. About three million tonnes of agricultural pesticides are used across the globe each year, yet little is known about where or in which environments these chemicals end up after their initial application.
Agronomy / Food Science - Economics - 05.07.2023 
Biodiversity in intensive agriculture
A study with BOKU participation shows that biodiversity in intensive agriculture is not economically profitable for farmers. Measures for more sustainable agriculture can increase the number and diversity of wild bee species in grassland and thus increase pollination and crop yields in neighboring fields.
Agronomy / Food Science - Life Sciences - 03.07.2023
Agronomy / Food Science - Health - 27.06.2023 
Ready-to-drink cocktails and alcoholic sodas: a confusing health halo
Nearly 70% of ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages such as cocktails and sodas are sold in containers bearing nutritional information that falsely gives these products a healthy image, reveals a study conducted by a research team from Université Laval and Public Health Ontario. In light of this finding, the study's authors believe that regulations surrounding the marketing of these products should be tightened.
Environment - Agronomy / Food Science - 21.06.2023 
Current conservation policies risk damaging global biodiversity, warn researchers
Rewilding, organic farming and the so-called -nature friendly farming- measures included in some government conservation policies may accelerate global biodiversity loss, say two leading researchers. These -Green- farming policies risk worsening the global biodiversity crisis by reducing how much food is produced in a region, driving up food imports and increasing environmental damage overseas.
Agronomy / Food Science - 20.06.2023 
How the selenium status is regulated
The trace element selenium is indispensable for the human body and brain. Among other things, the human organism needs selenium for the immune system and the function of the thyroid gland," says Maria Schwarz from Friedrich Schiller University in Jena. Together with Anna P. Kipp and Caroline E. Meyer, the nutrition scientist from the Department of Nutritional Physiology has investigated the correlations between the trace elements copper and selenium in the human organism.
History / Archeology - Agronomy / Food Science - 19.06.2023 
The old grind just got a little older
An Italian study involving UdeM researchers shows new evidence that humans and Neanderthals milled flour as long as 43,000 years ago, several thousand years before what was previously thought, making Long before the invention of agriculture, humans already knew how to process cereals and other wild plants into a flour suitable for food - and now there's new evidence they did so long before scientists was previously thought.
Environment - Agronomy / Food Science - 02.06.2023 
Analysis: Europe has lost over half a billion birds in 40 years. What is the single biggest cause?
Professor Richard Gregory (UCL Biosciences) explains that pesticides and fertilisers are the single biggest cause of birds shocking decline across Europe and suggests how best to respond, writing in The Conversation. A trickle of studies warning that the enormous variety of living things on Earth is diminishing has turned into a flood.
Health - Agronomy / Food Science - 16.05.2023 
Deficiency causes appetite for meat
Under certain circumstances, a rare tropical plant develops into a carnivore. A research team from the universities of Hannover and Würzburg has now deciphered the mechanism responsible for this. Triphyophyllum peltatum is a unique plant. Native to the tropics of West Africa, the liana species is of great interest for medical and pharmaceutical research due to its constituents: In the laboratory, these show promising medically useful activities against pancreatic cancer and leukemia cells, among others, as well as against the pathogens that cause malaria and other diseases.
Agronomy/Food Science
Results 1 - 20 of 58.
Raw material requirements for reducing global poverty calculated for the first time
Researchers at the University of Freiburg quantify the amount of material needed to enable people to live without poverty 1.2 billion people live in poverty. To lift them out of it, an average of about six tons of raw materials are needed per person and year - in particular minerals, fossil fuels, biomass and metal ores.
Researchers at the University of Freiburg quantify the amount of material needed to enable people to live without poverty 1.2 billion people live in poverty. To lift them out of it, an average of about six tons of raw materials are needed per person and year - in particular minerals, fossil fuels, biomass and metal ores.
It is impossible to imagine modern agriculture without plastics. 12 million tonnes are used every year. But what about the consequences for the environment? An international team of authors led by Thilo Hofmann from the Division of Environmental Geosciences at the University of Vienna addresses this question in a recent study in Nature Communication Earth and Environment .
The rich soil holds thousands of tons of carbon, sequestered over centuries by indigenous practices, a new study suggests. The Amazon river basin is known for its immense and lush tropical forests, so one might assume that the Amazon's land is equally rich. In fact, the soils underlying the forested vegetation, particularly in the hilly uplands, are surprisingly infertile.
The invasive spotted-wing drosophila (SWD) is a devastating pest in berry, stone fruit and grape crops. A natural antagonist from the fruit fly-s area of origin in East Asia is now due to be released in Switzerland for the first time by Agroscope and CABI. The experimental releases in the Cantons of Jura and Ticino aim to clarify whether this parasitic wasp can become established in Switzerland to regulate the SWD population and reduce production losses.
Groundwater depletion rates in India could triple in coming decades as climate warms
Groundwater depletion rates in India could triple in coming decades as climate warms, study shows A farmer plows his irrigated cotton field in Gujarat, India. A new University of Michigan-led study finds that farmers in India have adapted to warming temperatures by intensifying the withdrawal of groundwater used for irrigation.
Groundwater depletion rates in India could triple in coming decades as climate warms, study shows A farmer plows his irrigated cotton field in Gujarat, India. A new University of Michigan-led study finds that farmers in India have adapted to warming temperatures by intensifying the withdrawal of groundwater used for irrigation.
Substances from corn roots influence wheat yields
Corn roots secrete certain substances that affect the quality of the soil. In certain fields, this effect increases the yield of wheat planted after corn in the same soil by more than 4%. This has been demonstrated by researchers at the University of Bern. Although the findings from several field experiments show that such effects are highly variable, they could nevertheless contribute in the long term to making the cultivation of cereals more sustainable without additional fertilizers or pesticides.
Corn roots secrete certain substances that affect the quality of the soil. In certain fields, this effect increases the yield of wheat planted after corn in the same soil by more than 4%. This has been demonstrated by researchers at the University of Bern. Although the findings from several field experiments show that such effects are highly variable, they could nevertheless contribute in the long term to making the cultivation of cereals more sustainable without additional fertilizers or pesticides.
Maize roots secrete certain chemicals that affect the quality of soil. In some fields, this effect increases yields of wheat planted subsequent to maize in the same soil by more than 4%. This was proven by researchers from the University of Bern. While the findings from several field experiments show that these effects are highly variable, in the long term they may yet help to make the cultivation of grains more sustainable, without the need for additional fertilizers or pesticides.
’Hidden hunger’ despite fruit and vegetable surplus
Preserved local fruits and vegetables can improve nutrition in East Africa In East Africa, up to 50 percent of cultivated fruits and vegetables cannot be used, partly because they spoil too quickly before or after harvest. At the same time, the population suffers from micronutrient deficiencies, also known as hidden hunger, which could be alleviated by increasing fruit and vegetable consumption.
Preserved local fruits and vegetables can improve nutrition in East Africa In East Africa, up to 50 percent of cultivated fruits and vegetables cannot be used, partly because they spoil too quickly before or after harvest. At the same time, the population suffers from micronutrient deficiencies, also known as hidden hunger, which could be alleviated by increasing fruit and vegetable consumption.
A new technology will facilitate quick, easy and precise fertilizing in the field in the future. Thanks to the combination of biosensor test strips and satellite-based remote sensing data, the Technical University of Munich (TUM) is developing a method for determining the nutritional condition of cereals and the perfect amount of fertilizer.
Göttingen University agroecology researchers evaluate effects with a meta-analysis The global decline in biodiversity is serious. Agricultural land use is a major contributor - especially farming single crops on a massive scale. Mixing crops can counteract this: in fields where different crops grow at the same time, there are more beneficial insects and spiders than in monocultures.
More beneficial insects and fewer pests in mixed crops
Researchers evaluate the benefits compared to monocultures with a meta-analysis The global decline in biodiversity is serious. Agricultural land use is a major contributor - especially the large-scale cultivation of individual crops in monocultures. Mixed crops can counteract this: There are more beneficial arthropods, such as insects and spiders, in fields where different crops grow simultaneously than in monocultures.
Researchers evaluate the benefits compared to monocultures with a meta-analysis The global decline in biodiversity is serious. Agricultural land use is a major contributor - especially the large-scale cultivation of individual crops in monocultures. Mixed crops can counteract this: There are more beneficial arthropods, such as insects and spiders, in fields where different crops grow simultaneously than in monocultures.
A University of Sydney led study published today in Nature has revealed the chemical odyssey pesticides embark upon after their initial agricultural application, with environmental consequences for a range of ecosystems. About three million tonnes of agricultural pesticides are used across the globe each year, yet little is known about where or in which environments these chemicals end up after their initial application.
A study with BOKU participation shows that biodiversity in intensive agriculture is not economically profitable for farmers. Measures for more sustainable agriculture can increase the number and diversity of wild bee species in grassland and thus increase pollination and crop yields in neighboring fields.
Helping plants and bacteria work together reduces fertiliser need
Helping to promote the natural relationship between plants and bacteria could reduce reliance on environmentally damaging fertilisers, a study has found. As the population grows and crop yields are threatened by climate change, scientists are keen to help promote plant growth in a natural and sustainable way.
Helping to promote the natural relationship between plants and bacteria could reduce reliance on environmentally damaging fertilisers, a study has found. As the population grows and crop yields are threatened by climate change, scientists are keen to help promote plant growth in a natural and sustainable way.
Nearly 70% of ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages such as cocktails and sodas are sold in containers bearing nutritional information that falsely gives these products a healthy image, reveals a study conducted by a research team from Université Laval and Public Health Ontario. In light of this finding, the study's authors believe that regulations surrounding the marketing of these products should be tightened.
Rewilding, organic farming and the so-called -nature friendly farming- measures included in some government conservation policies may accelerate global biodiversity loss, say two leading researchers. These -Green- farming policies risk worsening the global biodiversity crisis by reducing how much food is produced in a region, driving up food imports and increasing environmental damage overseas.
The trace element selenium is indispensable for the human body and brain. Among other things, the human organism needs selenium for the immune system and the function of the thyroid gland," says Maria Schwarz from Friedrich Schiller University in Jena. Together with Anna P. Kipp and Caroline E. Meyer, the nutrition scientist from the Department of Nutritional Physiology has investigated the correlations between the trace elements copper and selenium in the human organism.
An Italian study involving UdeM researchers shows new evidence that humans and Neanderthals milled flour as long as 43,000 years ago, several thousand years before what was previously thought, making Long before the invention of agriculture, humans already knew how to process cereals and other wild plants into a flour suitable for food - and now there's new evidence they did so long before scientists was previously thought.
Professor Richard Gregory (UCL Biosciences) explains that pesticides and fertilisers are the single biggest cause of birds shocking decline across Europe and suggests how best to respond, writing in The Conversation. A trickle of studies warning that the enormous variety of living things on Earth is diminishing has turned into a flood.
Under certain circumstances, a rare tropical plant develops into a carnivore. A research team from the universities of Hannover and Würzburg has now deciphered the mechanism responsible for this. Triphyophyllum peltatum is a unique plant. Native to the tropics of West Africa, the liana species is of great interest for medical and pharmaceutical research due to its constituents: In the laboratory, these show promising medically useful activities against pancreatic cancer and leukemia cells, among others, as well as against the pathogens that cause malaria and other diseases.
