The Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council (NREC) has been working with public and private research organizations to help understand which management practices make the most effective use of nutrients and decrease environmental impacts. Now the group has released their Annual Report for 2015. The report highlights the research projects that took place and shares the projects that successfully maximize … Read More
ABM Files Patent on New Trichoderma Strain
Advanced Biological Marketing (ABM) has filed an application with US patent office for a Trichoderma strain that may mean new things for agriculture. ABM currently uses other Trichoderma strains in their ag products, including the SabrEx line. This new strain is uniquely versatile in its capabilities and provides new and enhanced properties to ABM’s previously patented Trichoderma products. The benefits … Read More
USDA Conducts Honeybee Health Survey
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) has released the results of its first ever Honey Bee Colony Loss survey, which queried the nation’s honey beekeepers about the number of colonies, colonies lost, colonies added, and colonies affected by certain stressors and gleans state-level estimates on key honey bee health topics. Survey results will help to … Read More
NAS Reaffirms Safety and Benefits of GMOs
The National Academy of Sciences has released (yet another) report reaffirming the safety and benefits of GMO crops. Not surprisingly this report has lead to a flurry of reactions across multiple social media platforms, both positive and negative. Agricultural groups are also responding. From the American Soybean Association and the National Corn Growers Association to the Coalition for Safe and Affordable Food, … Read More
New Discovery A Boon for Plant Breeders
The idea of “dark matter” may send your mind to astronomy (or at least science fiction), but plant scientists have discovered what they’re terming “dark matter” in the maize genome. This new discovery is a tiny percentage of regulatory DNA, and accounts for approximately half of the variations in observable traits that occur in corn. Cornell University and Florida State … Read More
WinField Releases Latest Answer Plot Data
Results have been released from the 2015 Answer Plot Program by WinField, and the data shows a positive yield response to split-season and late-season nitrogen applications made at critical corn growth stages. In the study, researchers compared the results of three different application scenarios. The two split applications observed in the study were made with the 360 Y-DROP applicator for … Read More
New R&D Center at BASF
BASF has just opened a new Research and Development center at their Crop Protection headquarters in Limburgerhof, Germany. The new center offers research areas for biological crop protection and seed solutions, making it a hub of expertise for researchers and farmers world wide. “Our investment in this expanded capacity is a step forward to unlocking the agricultural potential in seeds … Read More
Bio-Based Oil Being Tested in Federal Vehicles
According to the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) the Department of Defense is now testing bio-based oil in federal vehicles, reports the American Soybean Association. Currently tests include oil made from a 25-40 percent mix of products derived from canola or soybean oil, as well as animal fat. Tests are being conducted at four Air Force bases and a Department of … Read More
USDA Awards $16.5 Million in Research Grants
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded $16.5 million in research grants to universities that are pursuing methods of boosting agriculture productivity and ensuring food security in the face of pests, diseases, and a changing climate. USDA is also seeking applications for the next round of projects, which will focus on pollinator health and plant and animal phenomics. The … Read More
WinField Data Confirms Late-Season N Benefits
WinField is releasing data to help farmers get their best return on nitrogen investments. The 2015 Answer Plot Program results showed a positive yield response to split-season and late-season N applications. To help farmers identify the best way to optimize N use by corn, researchers compared the results of three different application scenarios: 1) applying their total N allotment at … Read More