What happens below ground in a corn field is easy to overlook, but corn root architecture can play an important role in water and nutrient acquisition, affecting drought tolerance, water use efficiency and sustainability. If breeders could encourage corn roots to grow down at a steeper angle, the crop could potentially access important resources deeper […] Read more
Tag Archives Science Notes
What keeps plant roots growing toward gravity?
Science Notes: Roots grown at a steeper angle could be more beneficial
Soil moisture more critical than rainfall to estimate climate impact
Science Notes: Evaporation, infiltration and runoff can result in dramatic differences
You don’t need a PhD in agriculture to know that water is critical to crop production. But for years, people like Jonathan Proctor, who has a PhD in Agriculture and Resource Economics from the University of California Berkeley, have been trying to explain why the importance of water isn’t showing up in statistical models of […] Read more
Sulphur shortage: a potential resource crisis looms as the world decarbonizes
Science Notes: National, international policies require development to manage future demand
A projected shortage of sulphuric acid, a crucial chemical in modern industrial society, could stifle green technology advancement and threaten global food security, according to a new study led by University College London researchers. The study, published in the Royal Geographical Society journal, indicates that global demand for sulphuric acid is set to rise significantly, to […] Read more
Soil nitrogen dynamics studied
Science Notes: Pre-planting weather may provide a clue
With the rising cost of nitrogen fertilizer and its impacts on air and water quality, University of Illinois researchers want to help farmers make more informed fertilizer rate decisions. Their latest modeling effort aims to do that by examining the role of pre-growing season weather on soil nitrogen dynamics and end-of-season corn yield. “When farmers plant […] Read more
New CRISPR-Combo boosts genome editing power in plants
Science Notes: Ability to edit, change multiple genes at once explored
CRISPR-CAS9 technology made it possible for scientists to change the genetic code of living organisms. Although revolutionary, the tool has its limitations. Like the first cell phones that could only perform one function, the original CRISPR method can perform one function: removing or replacing genes in a genetic sequence. Later iterations of CRISPR were developed […] Read more
New path to monitor soil carbon
Science Notes: Machine-learning methods meet soil hyperspectral data
Just how much carbon is in the soil? That’s a tough question to answer at large spatial scales, but understanding soil organic carbon at regional, national or global scales could help scientists predict overall soil health, crop productivity and even worldwide carbon cycles. Classically, researchers collect soil samples in the field and haul them back […] Read more
Modelling nitrous oxide emissions
Science Notes: Farmland expansion seen as the predominant driver of N2O increases
A recent ecosystem modelling study conducted by Iowa State University scientists shows how crop production in the United States has led to an increase in the emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas, throughout the last century. Researchers drew on massive amounts of data, from weather patterns to soil conditions to land use […] Read more
Root symbiosis regulated through plant nutrient status
Science Notes: Discovery offers potential to help achieve sustainable agriculture goals
Plants absorb phosphate better when they collaborate with certain soil fungi, research has found. Arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM), a symbiosis with such fungi, is used by more than 80 per cent of plants. The fungi penetrate the root cortex cells and form hyphal networks in the soil. These take up phosphate and transport it into the […] Read more
Study clarifies nitrogen impact on carbon sequestration
Science Notes: Why soil organic carbon fails to build in high-input corn fields
Soil organic carbon is a cornerstone of soil health. It improves soil structure while enhancing water- and nutrient-holding capacity. To build it up, farmers incorporate crop residues into soil. So why, despite decades of residue inputs, is soil organic carbon diminishing in corn production systems? Short answer: it’s the nitrogen. “With intensive nitrogen fertilization, you […] Read more
Livestock antibiotics, rising temperatures disrupt soil microbial communities
Science Notes: Conditions see soil bacteria collapse, microbial efficiency reduced
Soils are home to diverse microbial communities that cycle nutrients, support agriculture and trap carbon, an important service for climate mitigation. Globally, around 80 per cent of Earth’s terrestrial carbon stores are found in soils. A new study led by Jane Lucas, a community ecologist at Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, investigated the interactive effects […] Read more
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