The Future of Food, Agriculture, and Aquaculture

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Cracking the Code: What Makes Butterhead Lettuce Unique
January 17, 2025

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) A recent discovery has unlocked the genetic secrets behind butterhead lettuce’s signature compact structure, a development that could revolutionize crop breeding and agricultural sustainability. Scientists have identified two critical genes, LsKIPK and LsATPase, whose mutations are responsible for the plant’s distinctive architecture. This breakthrough not only deepens our understanding of plant morphology but also offers a path to developing lettuce varieties with improved traits, such as stress resilience and adaptability, potentially transforming farming practices globally.

Butterhead lettuce, prized for its soft leaves and unique, tightly packed structure, is a staple leafy vegetable, especially in Europe. Its compact architecture makes it ideal for mechanized harvesting and efficient storage. However, the genetic factors underpinning this advantageous trait have long eluded researchers. Understanding these factors is crucial for addressing agricultural challenges such as increasing crop yields, improving resistance to environmental stresses, and adapting to modern farming systems. With the growing demand for sustainable agriculture, researchers turned their focus to uncovering the genetic blueprint behind this lettuce’s structure.

The implications of this discovery extend far beyond butterhead lettuce. By manipulating the LsKIPK and LsATPase genes, plant breeders could develop crops with compact and resilient architectures suited to mechanized farming, increasing yields while reducing costs. Such innovations could enhance resistance to drought, disease, and other environmental stresses, creating a blueprint for more sustainable agriculture. These advancements promise to meet the growing demands of global food security, transforming how crops are grown, harvested, and stored in the future.

Read more of the Eurekalert article here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1070887

For a presentation of study results as published in Horticulture Research: https://academic.oup.com/hr/article/1 ... gin=false

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Scientists Predict What Will be Top of the Crops in UK by 2080 Due to Climate Change
January 23, 2025

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) While climate change is likely to present significant challenges to agriculture in coming decades, it could also mean that crops such as chickpeas, soyabeans and oranges are widely grown across the UK, and home-produced hummus, tofu and marmalade are a common sight on our supermarket shelves by 2080.

A new study led by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) in collaboration with the University of East Anglia (UEA) predicts that future warmer temperatures in this country would be suitable for a variety of produce such as oranges, chickpeas and okra that are traditionally grown in warmer parts of the world.

Scientists investigated the future suitability for over 160 existing and new food crops in different regions of the UK under warming scenarios of 2 and 4 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times.

The modelling study, part of the OpenCLIM research project, is the most comprehensive research of its kind to date and is also the first to show how suitability for certain produce will vary across the UK. It provides mapped projections for every 1km square in the UK, giving valuable information to the farming and food sectors on the future opportunities and challenges of cultivating new crops here.

Need for resilience

Lead author Dr John Redhead, a Spatial Ecologist at UKCEH, said: “Our climate is expected to change substantially over coming decades at a time when there will be rising demand for food due to population growth. It is therefore essential that arable farming becomes more resilient; one possible solution is growing different crops that are more suited to the new local conditions.”

Read more of the Eurekalert article here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1071412

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Freshwater Alga Could Be the Next Superfood that Feeds the World
January 30, 2025

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) A green alga that grows in lakes and rivers could be the next ‘superfood’ - helping scientists to tackle global food security challenges while promoting environmental sustainability, a new study reveals.

Chlorella Vulgaris is a freshwater microalga rich in protein, lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Unlike conventional agriculture, which requires extensive land and water resources, it can be cultivated sustainably with minimal environmental footprint.

The microalga can be incorporated into food products to enhance their nutritional value. With its antioxidant properties, immune support, and detoxifying effects, Chlorella is a promising nutraceutical ingredient.

Publishing their findings in the Journal of Food Science, scientists at the University of Birmingham believe that, while Chlorella holds immense promise, challenges remain in optimizing large-scale production and improving consumer acceptance.

The researchers emphasize the need for advancements in cultivation techniques, processing methods, and sensory improvements to enhance its appeal.

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1072163

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New Strain of Rice Reduces Methane Emissions by 70 Percent
by Matt Simon
February 6, 2025

Introduction:

(Grist)The poor things can’t help it, but cows are really gassy, and that’s really bad for the planet: Microbes in their guts produce methane — a greenhouse gas up to 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide — which comes out as burps. Consequently, livestock is responsible for 30 percent of humanity’s methane emissions. But it’s not just bovine belching that makes agriculture drive so much warming. Rice cultivation, surprisingly enough, accounts for another 12 percent of humanity’s global methane emissions.

As with cows, the problem is burps — lots and lots of tiny burps. Growing rice requires flooding fields, called paddies, with staggering quantities of water. Microbes known as archaea multiply in the wet, oxygen-poor conditions, releasing methane. One way to reduce those emissions is to inundate the fields less often, but that’s not always feasible given local irrigation infrastructure, and less water can lead to reduced yields. That’s a precarious situation, given that half the world’s population relies on rice, with current production at 500 million metric tons annually on average.

Now, though, scientists have gone to the source, announcing a breakthrough in breeding a variety of rice they say reduces methane emissions by 70 percent — while delivering yields nearly twice the global average. “The only drawback is that it cannot be cultivated throughout the whole of China, because the climate is so different in the different regions,” said Anna Schnürer, a microbiologist at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and coauthor of the paper published in the journal Molecular Plant. “We are still working on finding additional varieties that can handle different temperatures.”

Read more here: https://grist.org/food-and-agriculture ... ariety/

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Chinese Scientists Find Key Genes to Fight Against Crop Parasites
February 12, 2025

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) Chinese scientists have identified two key genes responsible for sorghum's resistance to Striga, a parasitic plant that causes significant crop losses. The breakthrough, which also highlights the potential of AI to predict key amino acid sites in strigolactone (SL) transporters, could have wide-ranging applications in enhancing parasitic plant resistance across various crops.

This study, published in Cell, was conducted by Prof. XIE Qi's team at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with five other institutions.

Striga, also known as "witchweed," along with other parasitic plants like Orobanche , relies on host plants for nutrients and water, severely affecting crop yields and agricultural ecosystems. Striga alone infests over 50 million hectares of farmland in Africa, causing annual economic losses of $1.5 billion and affecting over 300 million people. In China, Striga is found in regions such as Guangdong and Yunnan, while Orobanche poses a threat to crops like sunflowers and tomatoes in Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang.

Sorghum is one of the plants susceptible to Striga infestation. Sorghum roots release SLs, a class of plant hormones that help recruit mycorrhizal fungi for nutrient uptake. Unfortunately, Striga seeds dormant in the soil detect these SL signals, which trigger Striga germination and subsequent infestation of the host plant.

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1073267

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New Pesticide Formulation Developed for Safer and More Effective Pest Control
February 4, 2025

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) A team of researchers from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has developed an innovative green pesticide formulation that could make pest control safer and more effective for both crops and the environment.

“This new colloidal pesticide can be a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional pesticides,” said Prof. WU Zhengyan and ZHANG Jia, who led the team.

The study was published in ACS Nano.

Traditional pesticides face several problems. They can be difficult to spread evenly on plant leaves, may wash off easily in the rain, or break down quickly in sunlight. Additionally, residual chemicals from pesticide formulations can harm the environment.

In this study, the team created a new kind of pesticide that uses modified carbon dots and calcium carbonate particles as a carrier for abamectin. This new formula enhances adhesion to leaves, resists degradation from sunlight, and releases the active ingredient gradually for sustained effectiveness.
The secret to this new formulation’s success lies in its structure. The carbon dots (LysCDs) combined with calcium carbonate (CaCO3) increase the pesticide’s ability to hold more abamectin—about 1.7 to 2.1 times more than regular formulations. This means the pesticide can be more effective while using less active ingredient. When the pesticide comes into contact with the weakly acidic environment on plant leaves, the calcium carbonate breaks down, releasing the pesticide more quickly and making it easier to track with the fluorescence from the carbon dots. This "controlled release" helps ensure the pesticide stays active for longer, even under harsh conditions like UV light or rain.

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1073743

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Mass Terminations at USDA Disrupt Important Services
by Sky Chadde
February 25, 2025

Introduction:

(Investigate Midwest) Mass terminations at the U.S. Department of Agriculture are “crippling” the agency, upending federal workers’ lives and leaving farmers and rural communities without needed support, according to interviews with 15 recently fired employees stationed across the U.S.

Since taking power Jan. 20, the Trump administration has quickly frozen funding and fired federal workers en masse. USDA terminations started Feb. 13, the day Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins was sworn in. Rollins welcomed the quasi-governmental Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, led by billionaire Elon Musk, to find parts of the USDA budget to cut.

Terminated employees helped farmers build irrigation systems, battled invasive diseases that could “completely decimate” crops that form whole industries and assisted low-income seniors in rural areas in fixing leaky roofs. That work will now be significantly delayed — perhaps indefinitely — as remaining employees’ workloads grow, the employees said.

“It’s really crippling the agency,” said Bryan Mathis, a former USDA employee based in New Mexico.

Caught up in the terminations are single parents and new moms, recent hires and longtime employees, and military veterans. Some had uprooted their lives months ago to start their new career.

Read more here: https://investigatemidwest.org/2025/02 ... ees-say/

[weatheriscool]

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High Tech Fertilizers Come With a Hidden Downside
by Eric Stann
February 27, 2025

Introduction:

(Futurity) Farmers are always looking for smarter ways to boost crop health, and one of the industry’s latest game-changers is polymer-coated, controlled-release fertilizers (PC-CRFs).

These high-tech soil enhancers deliver nutrients gradually, ensuring plants get exactly what they need when they need it without the waste of traditional methods.

While PC-CRFs can boost crop efficiency, the new study from University of Missouri researcher Maryam Salehi and collaborators uncovers a downside—microplastic pollution. As the polymer coatings break down in the soil, they release tiny plastic particles into the environment.

“In PC-CRFs, the plant nutrients are enclosed within a microcapsule,” says Salehi, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Mizzou’s College of Engineering.

“This microcapsule is designed to slowly release the fertilizers into the farmland over time. The non-biodegradable coatings left over after this process is complete can be considered microplastics.”

Read more here: https://www.futurity.org/plastic-coate ... 3271522/

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World’s Critical Food Crops at Imminent Risk from Rising Temperatures
March 4, 2025

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) Global warming is already reshaping our daily lives, with storms, floods, wildfires and droughts around the world. As temperatures continue to rise, a third of global food production could be at risk. Now, a new study in Nature Food offers a more precise picture of exactly where and how warming will affect our ability to grow food.

Researchers at Aalto University studied how future changes in temperature, precipitation and aridity will affect growing conditions of 30 major food crop species across the globe. They found that low-latitude regions face significantly worse consequences than mid- or high-latitudes. Depending on the level of warming, up to half of the crop production in low-latitude areas would be at risk as climate conditions become unsuitable for production. At the same time, those regions would also see a large drop in crop diversity.

‘The loss of diversity means that the range of food crops available for cultivation could decrease significantly in certain areas. That would reduce food security and make it more difficult to get adequate calories and protein,’ says Sara Heikonen, the doctoral researcher who led the study.

Conclusion:

‘If we want to secure our food system in the future, we need to both mitigate climate change and adapt to its effects,’ says Heikonen. ‘Even if the biggest changes are in equatorial regions, we will all feel the effects through the globalised food system. We need to act together to address these problems.’

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1075534

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Gene-edited Lettuce: A New Approach to Fighting Micronutrient Deficiencies
March 5, 2025

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) Researchers have successfully used gene-editing technology to enhance the nutritional value of lettuce. The study demonstrates a significant increase in β-carotene (provitamin A), zeaxanthin, and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) without compromising plant growth or yield. This breakthrough highlights the potential of gene editing to combat micronutrient deficiencies and improve the dietary quality of widely consumed crops.

[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]– A research team led by Prof. Alexander Vainstein from the Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Environment at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem has developed a new variety of lettuce with significantly higher levels of essential vitamins and antioxidants. Their findings, published in Plant Biotechnology Journal, demonstrate how CRISPR gene-editing technology can enhance the nutritional content of lettuce by increasing the amounts of β-carotene (provitamin A), zeaxanthin, and ascorbic acid (vitamin C), making it a more nutrient-rich food option. This achievement was made possible by combining modifications in different biochemical pathways, allowing the researchers to enhance multiple nutritional values simultaneously rather than targeting a single nutrient.

CRISPR, short for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, is a powerful and precise tool for editing DNA. Unlike traditional genetic modification (GMO) methods, which introduce foreign DNA, CRISPR allows scientists to make targeted changes within a plant’s own genetic code. This technology enables researchers to enhance crop traits such as nutritional content, disease resistance, and environmental adaptability more efficiently than ever before.

By modifying key genes that regulate vitamin and antioxidant production, the researchers were able to increase β-carotene levels by 2.7 times, improving its role as a precursor to vitamin A, which is essential for vision, immune function, and skin health. Zeaxanthin, an important antioxidant that helps protect the eyes from blue light damage and age-related macular degeneration, was boosted to levels not typically found in lettuce. The researchers also achieved a 6.9-fold increase in ascorbic acid, commonly known as vitamin C, which strengthens the immune system and enhances iron absorption.

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1075852

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Climate Change Threatens Future of Banana Export Industry
March 6, 2025

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) Climate change is rapidly reducing the ability of banana producers to supply one of our favourite fruits.

New research from the University of Exeter, published in Nature Food, has found it will be economically unsustainable by 2080 for many areas across Latin America and the Caribbean to continue growing bananas for export, because of rising temperatures caused by climate change.

Bananas are a key export crop worth $11 billion (£8.9 billion) annually and are crucial for the economies of many countries. Yet in just over half a century, 60 per cent of the regions currently producing bananas will struggle to grow the fruit unless there are urgent interventions to tackle climate change.

The study also found that socioeconomic factors, such as labour availability and infrastructure, significantly constrain climate change adaptation. Most banana production occurs near densely populated areas and ports, limiting the potential for relocation to more suitable regions.

Professor Dan Bebber from the University of Exeter led the study and said: “Our findings are a stark reminder that climate change is not just an environmental issue but a direct threat to global food security and livelihoods. Without substantial investment in adaptation, including irrigation and heat-tolerant banana varieties, the future of export banana production looks uncertain.

Read more of the Eurekalert article here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1075737

For a presentation of study results as published in Nature https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-025-01130-1

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USDA Eliminates Two Food Safety Advisory Committees
March 7, 2025

Introduction:

(CNBC) The U.S. Department of Agriculture has eliminated two committees that advise it on food safety, the agency said on Friday, raising concerns about government oversight of the food supply as the Trump administration seeks to downsize the federal bureaucracy and slash costs.

The USDA eliminated the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods and the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection, a spokesperson said.

The committees provided scientific advice to the USDA and other federal agencies on public-health issues related to food safety, said the non-profit consumer advocacy group Consumer Reports. Representatives of the group had served on both committees, according to USDA websites.

The committees were terminated under an executive order aimed at reducing bureaucracy, the agency spokesperson said.

Committee members were informed of the termination of the microbiological committee on March 6, according to an email from USDA received by committee members and seen by Reuters.

Read more here: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/07/usda-e ... cd026eb1

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Dramatic Increase in Research Funding is Needed in the U.S. to Counter Productivity Slowdown in Farming
March 13, 2025

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) ITHACA, N.Y. – Climate change and flagging investment in research and development has U.S. agriculture facing its first productivity slowdown in decades. A new study estimates the public sector investment needed to reverse course.

In the paper*, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers model both the dampening effects of climate change on U.S. agriculture and the accelerating effects of publicly funded research and development (R&D) – and use the estimates to quantify the investment in research required to maintain agricultural productivity through 2050.

They find that a 5% to 8% per year growth in research investment is needed – an investment comparable to those made following the two world wars. Alternatively, they find that a fixed $2.2 billion to $3.8 billion per year in additional investment would also offset the climate-induced slowdown.

“What we find is that we need a very steep growth rate – but it’s not unprecedented. We’ve seen the U.S. step up in the past. We can do this, but the time is now,” said senior author Ariel Ortiz-Bobea, associate professor at Cornell and an applied economist with expertise in agricultural, environmental and energy policy.

The urgency stems from the imminent effects of climate change and because publicly funded R&D in agriculture – which is carried out at universities and research centers – takes time to impact productivity.

Read more of the Eurekalert article here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1076913

*For results of the study as published in PNAS: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2411010122

caltrek's comment: It is unlikely that the current crop (no pun intended) of Bozos in Washington D.C. (headed by you know who) will take these recommendations to heart. So, Democrats should integrate this into their policy platform.

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What Could Happen to Your Body If You Cut Down on Ultra-Processed Foods?
by Laura Simmons
March 14, 2025

Introduction:

(IFL Science) Ultra-processed food: it’s one of the health buzzwords of the 2020s. Lots of us are becoming more aware of the foods and ingredients that we’re putting into our bodies, and the slew of books, papers, podcasts, and TV documentaries on the topic of so-called UPFs has attracted huge attention. It’s true that a large proportion of the Western diet is made up of these foods, so a recent study looked to find out what effects we might see in our bodies if we’re able to start cutting them out.

What are UPFs and how much are we eating?

Recent data from a study by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shows that more than half of all calories consumed in US homes come from UPFs. This includes all the obvious things that probably come to mind when you think of “processed food” – your burgers, hot dogs, potato chips, and cakes – but most widely accepted definitions of the term also cover some more surprising foods.

Things like infant formula and store-bought loaves of bread can also count as UPFs due to their combinations of numerous ingredients and additives like emulsifiers. These foods are considered a step further than processed foods, which are things like canned fish and pasteurized milk – a type of processing that is essential for safe consumption, whatever the tradwives on TikTok want to tell you.

It can be easy to lump everything that can technically be designated a UPF under one umbrella, but we should also consider everything else we know about what constitutes a healthy diet. For example, someone may consume cereal – a UPF – for breakfast but then eat mostly veggies and wholegrains for the rest of the day. Does that mean their diet is “unhealthy?” Nuances like this mean this topic is not as simple as some would like to suggest.

What did the study authors do?

What most people agree on, though, is that the average proportion of UPFs in many diets is still too high. Not all UPFs have an unfavorable nutritional profile, but as Dr Alison Brown of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute pointed out in a recent statement, “There’s a lot of overlap between ultra-processed foods and those that are high in saturated fat, added sugar, and sodium”.

Read more of the IFL Science article here: https://www.iflscience.com/what-could- ... ds-78431

For a presentation of study results as published in Wiley.On Line Library https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/osp4.70029

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As Egg Prices Hit Record Highs are You Ready to Try a Vegan Egg?
by Frida Garza
March 31, 2025

Introduction:

(Grist) Sometimes, Josh Tetrick will quiz strangers in the dairy aisle. He’ll strike up a conversation with a fellow grocery store patron and ask if they’ve heard about “this egg that’s made from plants?” He might point out the golden-yellow boxes shaped like milk cartons sitting on refrigerated shelves, not too far from the egg cartons. Generally, he finds that people don’t know what he’s talking about. “Most people will be like, ‘What?’”

The product Tetrick is referring to — which, not coincidentally, he manufactures — is called Just Egg. It’s a liquid vegan egg substitute made from mung beans, a member of the legume family, and it’s designed to scramble just like a real chicken egg when cooked over heat. (The company also sells frozen omelette-style patties that can be heated up in a toaster oven and frozen breakfast burritos.) Along with his best friend Josh Balk, Tetrick cofounded the company Eat Just, formerly known as Hampton Creek, which developed Just Egg over years of testing. On a recent call with Grist, Tetrick described the products — which are meant to look, taste, and cook like real eggs — as “definitely, definitely weird.

But lately, Tetrick says the team at Eat Just has been hearing from restaurant owners and chefs overcoming the weirdness to inquire about becoming new customers — in part because avian influenza has sent egg prices soaring in January and February in the United States. Nationally, the average cost of a dozen large eggs rose to about $5.90 last month, up almost 100 percent from a year before, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In expensive cities like New York and San Francisco, a dozen eggs could cost $10 or more. The pressure has raised prices at some bakeries, brunch spots, and bodegas slinging bacon-egg-and-cheese sandwiches — and has made some buyers and consumers more open to alternatives.

Tetrick has said that Just Egg’s sales are now five times higher than at this time last year, and that a majority of its customers are omnivores.

Read more here: https://grist.org/food-and-agriculture ... ust-egg/

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Duckweed:The Food and Fuel that Farms Itself
April 1, 2025

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) Under the right conditions, duckweed essentially farms itself. Wastewater, ponds, puddles, swamps—you name it. If there’s enough sunlight and carbon dioxide, the aquatic plant can grow freely. But that’s not all that makes it intriguing. Packed inside duckweed’s tiny fronds is enormous potential as a soil enricher, a fuel source, protein-rich foods, and more. New findings at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) could help bring all that potential to life.

CSHL Professor and HHMI Investigator Rob Martienssen and Computational Analyst Evan Ernst started working with duckweed over 15 years ago. They see their latest research as one of the most important and eye-opening studies on the plant to date. The team has developed new genome sequences for five duckweed species. The sequences reveal several genes that—when present or absent—may be behind the plant’s unique traits and versatility. Martienssen explains:

“The use of cutting-edge technology allowed us to make a catalog of genes that was extremely accurate. We could tell exactly which genes were there and which were not. A lot of genes that are missing are responsible for features of the plant—open stomata or the lack of roots. We could identify genes that were responsible for each trait.”

Stomata are pores on the surface of plants. They’re crucial for taking in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. Open stomata allow for greater intake, making them valuable for carbon capture technology. A lack of roots in some species further increases duckweed’s potential, making it easier for the plant to thrive in any watery environment.

Other species possess traits that showcase duckweed’s potential as a food and fuel source. Some traits promote high protein production, allowing for use as animal feed. Others promote starch accumulation, making the plant ripe for biofuel production. Several industries have taken notice. For now, they’re mostly concerned with the duckweed growing in their backyards.

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1078615

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Billionaires and Right-Wing Hacks Now Run the USDA. E-I-E-I-O!
by Jim Hightower
April 8, 2025

Introduction:

(Jim Hightower’s Lowdown) America’s family farmers were astonished recently to get a jolly tweet from the President of the United States: “Have fun!” exclaimed The Donald.

Fun? The farm economy is in the ditch, with crop prices at depression levels and bankruptcies surging. Plus, Trump Inc. is now rigging the law to give agribusiness monopolies more power to run roughshod over farmers and rural communities.

Well, yes, say the billionaire “geniuses” and partisan hacks who’ve seized control of farm and food policies, but our phantasmagoric laissez-fairyland ideology will open up new agricultural markets here at home, so see? Fun!

Those ideologues, however, can’t make chicken salad out of chicken manure, and that’s what their promises are. While Brooke Rollins, Trump’s corporatized ag secretary, babbles about “new” markets—but she actually shut down a nationwide market last month that provided a billion dollars a year to family farmers who produce for local schools, food pantries, etc. In reality, Rollins’ goal is an industrialized, globalized food economy, so she coldly dismissed these local sales as “nonessential.” Of course, that says to all of the people involved that her government considers them nonessential.

Combining arrogance with ignorance, Trump’s aloof plutocrats carelessly wiped out this market right at spring planting time! Each farm family has already taken out thousands of dollars in bank loans to buy seeds and other essential supplies to make this year’s crop, but—WHAMMO!—Trump & Co. slammed the door on the family’s most reliable market, shoving them to the brink of broke… and beyond.

Read more of the article here: https://jimhightower.substack.com/p/bi ... ng-hack

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First New Plant Tissue Discovered In 160 Years Boosts Crop Yields
April 9, 2025

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) A research group led by Nagoya University in Japan has discovered a new tissue in plants th at is essential for seed formation. Their discovery represents the first new plant tissue discovered in 160 years. Their findings open a new field for research and have already demonstrated practical applications, with the team increasing yields of important crops, including rice. The journal Current Biology published the study.

Since 2005, scientists have known that fertilization is necessary for the seed body, known as the hypocotyl, to receive nutrients from the ‘mother’ parts of the plant. Understanding how plants detect successful fertilization is important for maximizing yields from crop species during breeding.

The research group led by Ryushiro Kasahara and Michitaka Nodaguchi made the discovery of the new tissue by chance. Kasahara had been staining seeds to track the deposition of callose, a waxy substance commonly studied because of its association with fertilization, to verify findings from a previous study.

While examining the stained areas, Kasahara noticed something unexpected. “Plants fertilize by the insertion of a pollen tube, so most scientists are only interested in the place where this occurs. However, we found signals on the opposite side too,” he said. “Nobody was looking where I was looking. I remember being surprised, especially when we realized that this signal was particularly strong when fertilization failed.”

Further analysis revealed a distinctive rabbit-shaped tissue structure that functions as a gateway. This structure, named the ‘Kasahara Gateway’ in honor of its discoverer, represents the first new plant tissue identified since the mid-19th century.

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1080092

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Global Land-Water Competition and Synergy Between Solar Energy and Agriculture
by Maddalena Curioni, Nikolas Galli, Giampaolo Manzolini, Maria Cristina Rulli
February 18, 2025. Eurkealert published an article about this study on April 22, 2022. So it is now getting wider attention.

Introduction:

(Advancing Earth and Space Science) Abstract

The food and energy systems face mounting challenges due to increasing demands and sustainability constraints, which impact their ability to efficiently utilize natural resources, such as land and freshwater. Among these challenges, competition for land between large-scale renewable energy production plants and agriculture poses a risk, especially for photovoltaics. Agrivoltaics offers an opportunity to synergistically use land for simultaneous production of energy and food. Recent studies have investigated the upscaling potential of agrivoltaics, moving from field scale analyses to larger-scale suitability assessments. Yet, studies addressing the interaction between crop dynamics and local climatic factors, as well as explicitly investigating hydrological dynamics of agrivoltaics across crops and climates, are still limited. Here, we first superpose a spatial data set of existing photovoltaic farms with different land use/land cover maps to assess the magnitude of land use competition associated with photovoltaics. Then, we use a spatialized agro-hydrological model to simulate the response to different levels of radiation attenuation of 22 non-irrigated crops in their harvested areas across the globe. We find that 22%–35% of rainfed harvested areas globally would maintain their yields if converted to agrivoltaics, while 13%–16% of ground-mounted photovoltaic plants globally are associated with a cropland to non-cropland transition. While carrying the typical limitations and uncertainties of global studies, our results may offer novel possibilities for cross-crop and cross-location comparisons of agrivoltaic experiences, as well as a basis to have a deeper and cross-scale understanding of the feasibility of photovoltaics

Read more here: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.co ... F005291

For the Eurkelert article which covers the same points made in the abstract: [url] https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1081288 [/i]

caltrek’s comment: The actual article involves some technical mathematics, but I think the abstract cited above and summaries that can be read by utilizing the links provided are comprehensible to the generalist.