farm research News
-
What`s wrong with GM?
SciDev.Net is hosting a live text debate on genetically modified (GM) organisms on this page on Wednesday 11 June. For details on how to get involved, please see below. The arguments about GM continue to rage in farming, research and development communities across the world. Some declare the technology to be an environmental hazard and a threat to smallholder farmers. Others say it can feed ...
By SciDev.Net
-
Large South African presence at Agritech Expo in April indicates strong interest in Zambia’s agri sector
“Zambia is an exciting market to explore, not just for South African suppliers to the agriculture sector, but also for South African farmers” says Liam Beckett, commercial director for the upcoming Agritech Expo Zambia. The award-winning event is owned by the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) and returns to Chisamba for the fourth time this year from 27-29 April. He adds: ...
By VUKA Group
-
Nitrogen fixation conference
Registrations are now open for the 17th Australian Nitrogen Fixation Conference which will be held in South Australia from September 28 to October 2 this year. The conference will bring together Australian and international delegates with an interest in biological nitrogen (N) fixation. Co-hosted by the Australian Society for Nitrogen Fixation, the University of Adelaide and the SA Research and ...
-
Launch of research programme ‘Towards Precision Farming 2.0’
The launch date for the research programme 'Op naar Precisielandbouw 2.0' (Towards Precision Farming 2.0) is the 19th of June 2015. The aim of this public-private partnership within the Agri & Food top sector strategy is to conduct research together with more than 20 partners on strategic themes within precision farming. Over the next four years, the idea is to accelerate the implementation ...
-
Australian vegetable farms could be fully automated by 2025
Australia could see fully automated vegetable farms by 2025, according to top robotics researchers, with the ability to automate the entire production process for some crop commodities emerging through targeted research and development in the industry. The latest edition of the InfoVeg Radio R&D podcast, developed specifically for Australian vegetable producers, features the developer of the ...
By AUSVEG
-
Vertical Farming Reaches New Heights In Germany With Fraunhofer IME
The AVF was invited to visit its member Fraunhofer IME in Aachen, Germany, one of 72 institutes of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the leading organization for applied science in Europe with over 26,000 employees and various international branches around the world. The Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME has six different sites in Germany and conducts research in the ...
-
Mixed crop-livestock farming could help adaptation in Africa
According to new research, African farms with both crops and livestock could be more resilient to climate change than farms that only grow crops. The research suggests that policy makers should support farmers in making the switch to integrated farming. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has indicated that agriculture in tropical under-developed countries is the most vulnerable ...
-
15000+ farmers and agri experts expected at Agritech Expo in Chisamba, Zambia
Zambia’s President, Mr Edgar Lungu and the Zambian Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Mr Given Lubinda, are expected to join some 15000 emerging to commercial farmers at the third Agritech Expo Zambia, taking place from 14-16 April in the agri-hub of Chisamba. More than 145 local and international farming technology and service providers will showcase their products in what is the ...
-
Armyworm, aquaculture and other exciting and interactive workshops and demos at Agritech Expo Zambia in Chisamba
The upcoming Agritech Expo at GART in Chisamba will once again offer free workshops offering practical advice as well as live demonstrations to help farmers combat challenges such as the armyworm, explore new technologies such as aquaculture as well as learn from experts on improving efficiency of operations and yields on their farms. The award-winning event returns to Chisamba for the fourth ...
By VUKA Group
-
Irrigation method saves 50 percent of water needed for potato growth
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers have found an irrigation method that uses 50 percent less water than traditional systems to grow potatoes – an important finding for the $131 million-a-year Florida crop. The system is called “hybrid center pivot irrigation.” With this method, about two-thirds of the water used to help grow potatoes ...
-
Land-applied contaminated manure another source of spread of Q fever
A spatial analysis of the Q fever outbreak of 2006-2010 has revealed that new research Q fever outbreaks are often linked with the land application of contaminated manure. Until now it was thought that the contamination came directly from goat farms and therefore it was mainly people living in the vicinity of goat farms who became ill. The research was carried out by Alterra, in cooperation with ...
-
Desk Study for Strawberries in Glasshouse Systems
Following a broader interest in controlled environment farming systems, Beeswax Dyson Farms enabled the Cool Farm Alliance to advance relevant research by funding a preliminary desk study for glasshouse grown strawberries. Dr. Alicia Ledo carried out this study with the goal to Understand the carbon fluxes associated with glasshouse growing of strawberries Ascertain an approximate GHG ...
-
Cranfield and UK Irrigation Association win international award for UK agriculture
Experts from Cranfield University’s Centre for Water Science and the UK Irrigation Association (UKIA) have won the prestigious WatSave 2010 Technology Award for their research and promotion of on-farm reservoirs in the UK. The winning project, undertaken by Cranfield’s Dr Keith Weatherhead and Dr Jerry Knox, and Dr Melvyn Kay, Executive Secretary of the UK Irrigation Association, ...
-
Perennial grass crops - a carbon neutral biofuel?
Perennial crops, such as grasses, are attracting increasing interest as potential biofuel crops. Perennial crops have significant advantages over many annual crops because they require less energy input during growth than annual crops which not only need to be planted each year, but typically require more fertiliser, herbicide and pesticide input. Research on farm-scale cultivation of the ...
-
The future of cover crops
Winter cover crops are an important component of nutrient cycling, soil cover and organic matter content. Although its benefits are well documented, cover crop use in farming systems is relatively low. Research has shown that time and money are the two primary reasons why farmers are hesitant to adopt the technique. Developing innovative and cost-effective crop cover systems could increase the ...
-
DAFWA researcher wins Seed of Light award
The winner of the 2014 Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) western region Seed of Light award is Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA) research officer Ben Biddulph. The presentation of the award – made annually to someone who makes a significant contribution to communicating the outcomes of grains research – took place today at Perth’s Agribusiness Crop ...
-
Agco announces sustainable test farm in North dakota
AGCO Corporation (NYSE: AGCO), a global leader in the design, manufacture, and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision ag technology, announced today plans to build a state-of-the-art test farm in Casselton, North Dakota. This strategic initiative aims to develop innovative farming practices to create a truly sustainable farm, specifically focusing on precision agriculture ...
-
Do agri-environmental policies support mixed farming systems?
The Large Scale Grazing Systems (LSGS) of the EU are governed by legislation at regional, national and European levels. New research investigates an LSGS in Spain and suggests that the area's traditional mix of sheep and cereal farming needs improved, better co-ordinated regulatory support to survive. LSGSs are large areas of countryside used for grazing in the EU, characterised by cultural ...
-
Some plants are more sensitive to herbicides during reproductive stages of life cycle
This study assessed the effects of herbicides on non-target plants in Denmark and Canada. The findings showed that some plants are more sensitive to herbicides in the reproductive stages of their life cycle and can experience delays in flowering and reduced seed production. The authors say future ecological assessments should consider reproductive outcomes. Herbicides are some of the most widely ...
-
Disaster relief seeds `should be more diverse`
African farmers who lose their seeds in floods and droughts could restore their crop biodiversity quicker by trading local seed varieties at markets and through informal social links than by receiving seeds from aid agencies, a study suggests. The genetic diversity of crops allows plant populations to adapt to changing environments and provides the raw materials for crop improvement programmes. ...
By SciDev.Net
Need help finding the right suppliers? Try XPRT Sourcing. Let the XPRTs do the work for you