US researchers have investigated the potential for rye and wheat cover crops to perpetuate themselves, saving time and money for farmers while providing environmental benefits Winter cover crops provide important ecological functions that include nutrient cycling and soil cover. Although cover crop benefits to agroecosystems are well documented, cover crop use in agronomic farming systems ...
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 ...
Syngenta announced today the launch of CLARIVA, a proprietary seed treatment nematicide based on the Pasteuria technology acquired in 2012. CLARIVA consists of naturally occurring soil bacteria with a unique, direct mode of action on nematodes: microscopic worm-shaped soil organisms, which cause significant damage to all major agricultural crops. Syngenta Chief Operating Officer, John Atkin, ...
One keenly-argued possible way of moderating the build-up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere may not work, scientists have concluded. They say there is evidence that seeding the oceans with iron so that the algae that live there will multiply and devour more CO2 − thus ...
Jojoba, [Simmondsia chinensis (Link) Schneider] is a new oil-producing industrial crop that has attracted much attention in recent years. Jojoba oil is unique in nature. No other plant is known to produce oil like jojobas. It is used in the cosmetic, medical, pharmaceutical, food products, manufacturing, and automotive industries (as lubricant). And it is a renewable energy resource. It is ...
Farmers in Burundi are set to benefit from new high-yielding, fast-maturing hybrid maize seeds that are also resistant to maize streak virus. The varieties are being tested by the Burundi Institute of Agronomic Sciences (ISABU) and should be available to farmers in September. Two seed companies, Pannar and Naseco, based ...
Climate Change Minister Greg Barker today launched a formal consultation document on the coalition’s Microgeneration Strategy. When coupled with the roll out of smart meters and the Green Deal – the coalition’s national energy efficiency programme - small scale power generation could help to reduce bills and make people more energy self sufficient. The Strategy will investigate ...
As an increasingly bloody civil war raged around them, a team of scientists in the Syrian capital Aleppo quietly packaged and shipped a series of nondescript cardboard boxes to an island not far from the North Pole. The boxes bore no sign of the conflict that had surrounded them or the precious material ...
A recently launched (15 October) website aims to provide news and resources on crop seeds and biodiversity threats for researchers, policymakers, educators and farmers. The site’s interactive map presents more than 375 case studies from around ...
Concern about environmental degradation is beginning to impact the global economy, according to a new report by an international environmental research group. The Worldwatch Institute details a lengthy and distressing list of environmental problems caused by the global economic system, but finds some evidence that the world is taking small steps toward a sustainable ...
A consultation on the seed certification rates for 2009/10 has been published today. Defra is seeking the views of all applicants for seed certification in England and Wales on the proposed five per cent increase in seed certification fees. Revised fee rates would then be implemented from 6 July 2009. Seed certification ensures that farmers and growers receive seed that is sufficiently pure, ...
Poncho®/VOTiVO seed treatment from Bayer CropScience has received registration from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use on cotton. "We are extremely pleased to bring Poncho/VOTiVO to cotton growers in the market," said Poncho/VOTiVO cotton product manager Paul Hewitt. "After successfully introducing Poncho/VOTiVO on corn last Fall, this innovative product will be available to ...
Genome sequences of more than 3,000 rice varieties have been placed with the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) by the world's leading rice research institute in a move boosting plans to set up a global data exchange system for crop genetic resources. The Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Treaty (ITPGRFA) made ...
This report estimates the market size of the global oilseed and grain seed, in terms of revenue. The global oilseed and grain seed market is expected to reach $64,113.0 million by 2018, with increasing food demand at CAGR of 12.0% from 2013 to 2018. Global oilseed and grain seed market drivers, restraints & challenges, burning issues, and trends are discussed in detail. In terms of ...
On Tuesday, Bayer CropScience inaugurated its new European Oilseed Processing Center in Monheim at a ceremony attended by industry representatives, authorities, agricultural stakeholders and customers. With this facility, the company has substantially expanded its excellent platform to offer oilseed rape growers a fully integrated system from field production to delivery. “We see future ...
Varieties of one of the world's most important staple crops will be stored for perpetuity deep in the Arctic ice today. José Graziano da Silva, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is joining scientific experts and delegations from Peru, Costa Rica and Norway to witness a ceremony here this afternoon that will help to preserve these ...
Farmers cultivating organic produce often use winter cover crops to add soil organic matter, improve nutrient cycling and suppress weeds. Now these producers can optimize cover crop use by refining seeding strategies, thanks to work by an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientist. In moderate climates, suppressing weeds in winter cover crops is important because weeds that grow throughout ...
Scientific research in India needs to integrate better with rural development issues say Rajeswari S. Raina and Kasturi Mandal. India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh promised in January 2012 a massive expansion of funding and facilities for Indian science. The 12th Five-Year Plan (2012–2017) pledges inclusive development through scientific knowledge and technological ...