All Agriculture articles
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NewsBiochar can act as an ‘interface engineer’ to reshape the hidden world around plant roots
A new review shows how biochar simultaneously modifies soil structure, chemistry and microbial communities in the rhizosphere, offering a framework for more precise and sustainable agricultural use.
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OpinionHow Puerto Rico’s first microbiome research center can reshape global science collaboration
AMI’s Global Ambassador for the Americas, Dr. Filipa Godoy-Vitorino, Chair of the Department of Microbiology at the University of Puerto Rico, reveals why she is spearheading the planned Puerto Rico Center for Microbiome Sciences (PR-CMS)—the first of its kind in the region.
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NewsBlueberry’s waxy shield reveals clues to gray mold resistance
Botrytis cinerea is a broad-host-range necrotrophic fungus that causes gray mold in more than 1,000 plant species. In blueberry, it can damage flowers in the field and later emerge as fruit rot after harvest, reducing shelf life, shipment quality and market value. The disease is especially challenging because latent infections ...
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NewsResearchers test far-ultraviolet light to prevent bird flu in poultry
Researchers are preparing to test a new potential line of defense against highly pathogenic avian influenza, HPAI in poultry farming. They will use a form of ultraviolet light called far-UVC, to see if it can kill HPAI, without harming birds on poultry farms.
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NewsbZIP transcription factor AflHapX coordinates iron homeostasis and aflatoxin biosynthesis in Aspergillus flavus
Researchers have identified the bZIP transcription factor AflHapX in Aspergillus flavus by searching its genome with the HapX protein sequence from Aspergillus fumigatus. They discovered that AflHapX is critical for A. flavus’s adaptive response to both iron excess and iron starvation.
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NewsWild tomatillos coat fruits with sticky chemical arsenal, study finds
For decades, research on plant chemical defenses has focused on glandular trichomes—the tiny hair‑like structures on leaves and stems that produce and secrete protective compounds. Acyl sugars, a class of specialized metabolites widespread in the nightshade family (Solanaceae), are known to deter insects and fungal pathogens when produced in leaf ...
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NewsBeneficial bacteria support tomato growth & suppress disease
A new study has identified bacterial strains that both treat tomato bacterial canker—some by delaying the onset of infection up to a week—and promote the growth of the plant.
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NewsProtecting the peanut: Sensors help fend off fungus
Early detection could be the difference between a healthy peanut crop and a devastating outbreak of Sclerotinia blight — a fungal disease capable of causing significant yield loss.
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NewsPrimed and ready to fight: a nematode pheromone arms plants to battle pathogens
New research has found that a previously unrecognized natural compound can provide lasting protection against a broad range of plant pathogens.
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NewsSurvival of the driest: Directed evolution boosts bacterial tolerance to industrial spray-drying by 1000-fold
Spray-drying is the preferred method for producing dry microbial inoculants for agriculture, offering low cost and easy transport. But many beneficial Gram-negative bacteria struggle to survive the rapid dehydration and heat involved.
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NewsA single gene change turns susceptible peas into fusarium wilt fighters
New research identifies a single dominant gene, PsFwC9, which confers Fusarium wilt resistance in pea plants.
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NewsA hidden susceptibility switch may help potatoes fight late blight
New research reveals how the StRWA2 gene may promote late blight susceptibility by reduce the stability of NLR immune receptors in potatoes.
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NewsChanges to California’s landscapes may influence Valley fever risk
A new study links higher disease rates to certain agricultural and natural landscapes near California communities, raising concerns as drought and water regulations lead to more farmland being left uncultivated across the state.
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NewsBiopolymers for better soil
Researchers take a new approach to tackling desertification - adding bacteria and fungi to the sand in order to form structured networks across sand grains, giving them more cohesion.
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NewsBurying crop residues deeper could help protect maize from ear rot and mycotoxins
A new study has found that incorporating maize straw deeper into the soil can substantially reduce maize ear rot and harmful mycotoxin contamination while creating a healthier soil environment.
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NewsTexas A&M Engineering leads work on rapid screwworm treatment
A multidisciplinary team is developing three novel wound treatments that quickly kill larvae while reducing chemical residues, offering ranchers and veterinarians a rapid response tool that current screwworm eradication methods cannot provide.
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NewsNative microbial team helps acidic soil recover while boosting crop growth
Researchers have developed a small, carefully selected community of native soil bacteria that can reduce acid stress while helping plants access essential nutrients.
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NewsMicrobes drastically change behavior outside the lab
New research shows that corn root bacteria behave completely differently when grown on a plant rather than in a lab, underscoring the importance of studying microbes in their natural setting, rather than relying solely on laboratory research.
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NewsMapping plant-fungus symbiosis, cell by cell.
Scientists have produced the first high-resolution, cell-by-cell map of how tomato roots respond to colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, a partnership which help plants absorb nutrients from the soil.
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NewsBarley discovery reveals nitrogen cycling pathway that could offer a nature-based solution to fertilizer loss
A new study reveals the presence of a nitrogen cycling pathway in barley that could prove valuable in cutting fertilizer requirements as the cost to farmers rises.