Richard Wilkins, soybean farmer from Greenwood, Delaware, Chairman of the American Soybean Association (ASA) and vice president of the National Coalition for Food and Agriculture Research (NCFAR) testified before the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture and Research on the role of public-sector research in providing innovations for the ag community. His testimony urged members of Congress to support … Read More
Bayer Celebrates New $8 Million Research Center
On Thursday, Bayer wrapped up a week of grand openings by celebrating the expansion of the Soybean Breeding and Trait Development Center in Champaign County, Illinois. The new station will house research and development to identify, develop and test new varieties, using modern breeding methods, pushing the limits of yield potential for growers in the Midwest. The expansion is part … Read More
Texas A&M Study Investigates Strip Tillage
Drs. Daniel Leskovar, Yahia Othman and Xuejun Dong at Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center have been researching conservation tillage methods that may offer benefits to high-value crops and the effect of strip tillage on soil biological activity. The study, titled “Strip tillage improves soil biological activity, fruit yields and sugar content of triploid watermelon,” investigated the influence of … Read More
Danforth Center Expands Research Program
An effort to optimize breeding for grain sorghum in Sub-Saharan Africa has received a boost in the amount of $6.1 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The funds will go towards the TERRA-REF program at the Danforth Center to expand and accelerate development and use of advanced sorghum phenotyping and breeding technologies for smallholder farmers. “The Gates Foundation … Read More
Switchgrass Can Improve Soil Quality
In parts of Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Illinois, Oklahoma and Texas the loss of topsoil leaves growers to work with difficult claypan soil, but researchers at the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources are hopeful about a solution. Studies show switchgrass, a perennial plant commonly used for biofuels, can build up the soil quality on farms that have … Read More
Nuclear Methods Help MU Researchers Battle Pests
Researchers at the University of Missouri are using nuclear methods to find ways to feed the growing populations. Their process has allowed them to determine the mechanisms corn plants use to battle the western corn rootworm. Now scientists believe that information could help them develop lines of resistance in corn. “The western corn rootworm is a voracious pest,” said Richard … Read More
USDA Awards $6.7 Million for Healthy Agroecosystems
Eighteen grants with a total sum of $6.7 million dollars are being granted by the USDA‘s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The grants are to encourage researching the interactions between components of an agroecosystem interact in food production: soil, water and sun to plants, animals and people. “Population growth, along with environmental factors, including the growing threat of climate change, … Read More
Peer Review Study Finds Insecticides Are Low Risk
A new risk assessment published in a peer-reviewed journal has found use of registered neonicotinoid imidacloprid in the United States is of low risk for sensitive aquatic invertebrates, or the wildlife that depend on them for their diet. This product is one of the most commonly used insecticides because it offers effective and safe control of pests. Because aquatic invertebrates … Read More
Alta Seeds Bringing Sorghum Innovation at #NAFB16
It’s Travis Kidd’s responsibility to bring commercial hybrids from the research stage into the marketplace for Alta Seeds. Considering they’re the largest provider of genetics in forage and grain sorghum in the country, he’s the guy you want to talk to when it comes to what’s new in Sorghum. Alta is excited about two new traits that will make life … Read More
Danforth Center Develops Field Phenotyping
The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center uses research, education and outreach to impact food security and improve the human condition through plant science. Now researchers are announcing the development of the PheNode, a “smart”, farm-ready, solar-powered environmental sensor and phenotyping station for crops. “With a suite of diverse sensors on the PheNode, we can continuously monitor field crops for growth rate, … Read More