AgriTech Review

A study of 160 Chinese villages shows that college-educated leaders increase participatory irrigation management by 28 percentage points, substantially enhancing crop yields and farm revenue.

Cultivating crops—such as wheat, barley and rye—alongside rows of trees is a system of agroforestry that is known as "alley-cropping." It serves many functions: in addition to enhancing ecosystems and biodiversity, it can also counteract the negative effects of growing crops in treeless open land. The advantages of alley-cropping come from the interaction between trees and crops, resulting in improved soil quality, reduced wind erosion, enhanced nutrient cycling, and climate change mitigation through increased carbon capture.

Crop residues—the stems, leaves and husks left behind after harvesting cereals—could provide an important source of renewable energy for Europe, but research led by the University of Surrey suggests that removing too much from fields could come at a cost to biodiversity.

Growing two crops in succession on the same land requires a tight schedule. In parts of central and eastern China, farmers sow barley in autumn and harvest it in late spring. It is then followed by a summer crop, such as rice. For this cropping sequence to succeed, the barley must mature in time. An early harvest also helps the crop avoid heat and rain toward the end of the growing season.

Cryo-electron microscopy structures of the cyanobacterial ChlG2HliD2 complex uncover how chlorophyll synthase coordinates substrate entry, catalysis, and photoprotective pigment binding alongside the light-harvesting-like protein HliD.

Foliar application of copper-based nanoparticles and copper sulfate at low concentrations mitigated salinity-induced biomass loss and chlorophyll degradation in hydroponically grown lettuce by enhancing nutrient uptake and suppressing oxidative membrane damage.

A four-year field trial in Norway demonstrates that amending degraded agricultural soil with organic compost significantly increases wheat yields, replenishes soil organic carbon, and enhances beneficial microbial diversity compared to commercial organic fertilizer alone.

Researchers converted damaged wheat grains into biodegradable polyhydroxybutyrate using optimized dilute hydrochloric acid hydrolysis and a three-strain Lactobacillus consortium.

A study of 291 Chinese prefecture-level cities reveals that expanding non-grain crops on cultivated land significantly reduces grain production resilience across resistance, recovery, and adaptive capacities.

A 31 MW solar farm with a contract to power data centre giant AirTrunk has begun operating at full output ahead of the addition of a four-hour battery. The post Small solar farm powers up to supply renewable electrons to big data giant, AirTrunk appeared first on Renew Economy.

An exploratory machine-learning analysis reveals how risk tolerance, income, and education guide residue allocation decisions among smallholder farming groups in Malawi.

Researchers surveying Chinese consumers found that product value and operational capability drive regional agricultural brand preferences through sequential cognitive and affective psychological pathways.

A comparative analysis indicates that artificial intelligence offers distinct pathways for food security in Nigeria and South Africa, shaped by stark infrastructural and structural differences.

Researchers have successfully extruded biodegradable polyhydroxybutyrate composite filaments blended with modified starch to fabricate three-dimensional scaffolds using fused deposition modeling.

Marine scientists monitoring commercial Atlantic salmon pens in Scotland have demonstrated that automated artificial intelligence systems can detect the emergence of debilitating gill disease by tracking shifts in collective swimming behaviour.

Researchers evaluated greenhouse gas emissions across Italian specialized livestock farms, finding significant variations linked to input costs, farming type, and farmer age.

A time-resolved microscopic investigation of thousands of zebrafish embryos reveals that parental genomes undergo rapid and largely synchronous chromatin remodelling directly on nucleosomes following fertilization.

A cross-sectional study in Japan found that older adults farming at least 21 hours weekly had lower odds of low cognitive function, though brain volumes showed no significant link.

Your skin is remarkably good at keeping things out of your body. Typically, that's a positive. It becomes an issue when medicine needs to get in.

A recent hydrogeochemical assessment published in Environmental Geochemistry and Health provides new insights into the quality of groundwater used for dry-season irrigation in central Myanmar.

A new study published in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems reveals that average agricultural subsidies per farm are associated with a statistically significant increase in agricultural value added in the long run across eleven European Union transition economies. The research,

A field experiment in Northeast China found that deep plowing is the optimal rotational tillage practice for restoring soil physical properties after two years of no-tillage with straw mulching.

A chemical catalyst formulation successfully eliminated noxious odors and doubled bioavailable nitrogen concentrations in industrial food-processing slurries, accelerating plant development without conventional composting.

Researchers at the University of Regina and collaborators have developed a computer vision framework that estimates the width of fertilizer distribution directly from video sequences, eliminating the need for physical collection trays or post-application ground analysis. Published in Smart Agricultural

Researchers have discovered that the bacterial symbiont Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is significantly enriched in ivermectin-resistant Haemonchus contortus nematodes and that antibiotic depletion of these bacteria restores larval drug susceptibility.

Researchers evaluated entomopathogenic fungi against subterranean grapevine cicada nymphs across laboratory and semi-field trials, identifying Metarhizium anisopliae as the most virulent candidate.

A multicenter cross-sectional survey of 1,309 ophthalmic staff in China found that most hospitals reported standard operating procedures for lacrimal irrigation, yet reported practice details and adverse events varied widely.

Ecological niche modeling indicates that climate change will contract suitable habitats for two endemic Iranian Salvia species while altering range overlap with their honeybee pollinator.

A three-year field experiment demonstrates that drip-irrigated biogas slurry topdressing reshapes soil bacterial communities, fosters microbial cooperation, and enhances carbon fixation pathways in rainfed maize croplands.

Researchers identified salt-tolerant β-glucosidases from Karamay saline soil that effectively convert soybean isoflavone glycosides into bioactive aglycones.

A study in Aquaculture Science and Management finds that Clarias gariepinus fingerlings can be fed diets with total fishmeal replacement using alternative protein sources, though growth performance is lower than with fishmeal-based controls.

QUICKSAND, Ky. — More than 700 elementary students from local schools in Eastern Kentucky and the surrounding areas recently attended the popular Youth Science Day at the University of Kentucky Robinson Center, part of the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Facilitated by UK Cooperative Extension Service agents, community members and staff at the […] The post UK Robinson Center Creates ‘Buzz’ with Youth Science Day appeared first on Morning Ag Clips.

A Florida chimpanzee sanctuary had to deliver food to one of its 200 apes by drone this week because the property was swamped by heavy rain. But the animals stayed safe, and the water finally was receding significantly on Saturday, the organization said.

Photobiomodulation, a noninvasive therapy using low-level laser light, is emerging as a promising adjunct for managing mastitis in dairy cattle.

A new study reveals that even partially replacing dairy products with plant-based alternatives could significantly reduce the intake of essential nutrients. Replacing even a modest amount of dairy with plant-based alternatives could significantly reduce essential nutrient intake, according to a new study from the University of Surrey. Researchers found that substituting just 20% to 35% [...]

A study in maize reveals that non-microbial biostimulants boost phosphorus acquisition and root growth when paired with soluble phosphate or struvite, but fail to accelerate uptake from sewage sludge ash during early establishment.

There are at least 14 million insect species on Earth, and they play highly diverse roles in sustaining the natural world. Insects provide many well-known benefits—what scientists often call "ecosystem services." For example, you can thank a bee or a hoverfly for pollinating wildflowers and agricultural crops, or credit dung beetles for decomposing manure and other waste materials.

Madison Square Garden disputes Macklemore's claim that US benefit tour dates were rejected over his pro-Palestinian stance, citing limited venue availability and strong arena demand.

To protect their future harvests, Western Canadian farmers need to manage soil acidity across their entire multiyear rotation rather than crop by crop, long-term research from the University of Alberta suggests.

University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture researchers received a $2 million USDA grant to investigate organic establishment practices for native warm-season forage grasses.

Researchers report the first isolation of the yeast Candida palmioleophila from poultry slaughterhouse wastewater in Brazil, identifying a fluconazole-resistant strain alongside susceptible Candida parapsilosis in a single effluent sample.

A comprehensive review synthesizes two decades of research into biological control agents and integrated pest management strategies targeting the destructive tomato leaf miner Phthorimaea absoluta.

A study in Kenya shows climate-smart mushroom and vegetable cultivation helped pastoral women mitigate collective trauma and child malnutrition following severe drought.

A microscopic evaluation of commercial plant-based meat substitutes in Brazil detected microscopic foreign matter across all product lines and identified undeclared soy structures in over twenty percent of samples.

A new study published in the Journal of Industrial Ecology quantifies the biodiversity footprint of public procurement in Finland for the year 2022, revealing that the majority of the environmental impact is located outside the country's borders. The research, conducted

Nonlinear time series analysis of multi-decade agricultural futures contracts reveals that low-dimensional deterministic dynamics account for most price variation across major commodities.

In an opinion paper published in Frontiers in Agronomy, researchers argue that realizing the benefits of agricultural microbes requires replacing linear laboratory testing with an iterative framework grounded in long-term field ecology.

A 65-day isotopic tracing study demonstrates that biochar achieves a 99.7 percent carbon sequestration efficiency by enriching slow-growing K-strategist microbes and suppressing native carbon loss, while rice straw stimulates rapid r-strategist activity and positive priming that limits sequestration efficiency to 22.8 percent.

A pilot study in New Zealand found that smartwatches can effectively track the high physical activity and variable physiological stress of dairy farm workers during the spring calving period.

A cross-sectional study in northern Tanzania reveals how livestock production systems influence human antibiotic use, with smallholders and agropastoralists accessing a wider range of drugs than pastoralists.

Radiation oncologists propose a structure-specific framework to evaluate intracranial dose constraints and document target-volume trade-offs in IDH-wildtype glioblastoma radiotherapy.

Researchers analyzing Polish pig farms have found that membership in producer groups is associated with higher technical efficiency in pork production. The study, published in Agricultural and Food Economics, utilizes panel data from 2016 to 2023 to assess whether horizontal

Household producers in Kazakhstan accounted for 71.6 percent of the national decline in agricultural self-employment between 2019 and 2024, according to an original research study published in the journal Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems.

A review in Discover Materials explores how machine learning accelerates the design of biodegradable materials for soft robotics by bridging polymer chemistry and application requirements.

A new study in Geography and Sustainability reveals that while greenhouse agriculture in China boosts yields, it incurs significantly higher costs, soil acidification, and carbon emissions compared to open-field farming.

Simulations across 395 sub-basins indicate ambitious sustainable food production policies could reduce most river pollutants in China by up to 41 percent by 2050.

Researchers evaluating green silver nanoparticles synthesized with wild garlic extract in cottonseed biodiesel blends found high-speed power gains alongside severe exhaust emission penalties.

A comprehensive scientific review outlines how autonomous multi-agent artificial intelligence systems could transform agricultural research and field management while highlighting critical technical, safety, and legal hurdles.

A new study has found that a self-reinforcing interaction between temperature, soil moisture and atmospheric pressure is being triggered at high temperatures, making extreme heat waves 10% hotter than they would otherwise be. The study was published in Science Advances and led by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA).

A game-theoretic study demonstrates that while retailer cost sharing can stimulate blockchain traceability investments in agricultural supply chains, unaddressed fairness concerns between manufacturers and retailers can distort pricing and undermine overall channel performance.

ATHENS, Ga. — The University of Georgia celebrated the completion of the second phase of its Science and Ag Hill modernization initiative with a ribbon cutting on Oct. 28. The project focused on the east wing of the late-1950s Biological Sciences Building, which is now known as Cedar Street Building B. This section of the […] The post UGA Dedicates Second Phase of Science and Ag Hill Modernization appeared first on Morning Ag Clips.

Layered double hydroxide nanobiocomposites hybridized with Arthrospira platensis hydrolysates enhanced early seedling root and shoot development by 15 to 45 percent in maize, barley, and wheat.

A Chinese research team built a soil-sensing robot that scans the ground, scores candidate insertion points and matched expert judgment on 95.78 percent of field tests.

A spatial exposure modeling study in coastal south-central Chile found that children face soil metal risk metrics roughly one order of magnitude higher than adults, primarily through oral ingestion.

A polyphasic taxonomic and genomic investigation has identified two novel haloalkaliphilic bacterial species, Halalkalibacter haasae and Halalkalibacter salibacillus, isolated from saline-alkali soil.

Skin is remarkably good at keeping things out of the body. Typically, that's a positive. It becomes an issue when medicine needs to get in. Swallow a pill to treat a skin condition, and the medicine enters your stomach, moves into your bloodstream and travels throughout your body—all to reach a problem in your skin.

American Agriculture History Minute Explores the South’s Early Farming Economy Agriculture in the American South developed differently from farming in the Midwest and New England, shaped by differences in land ... Read More The post Southern Agriculture: Cotton, Plantations and Soil Fertility appeared first on AgNet West.

A new study of Puerto Rico's food supply chain found that local farmers could sell 30 of 74 surveyed agricultural goods at lower prices than import costs, and that substituting imports in five heavily imported items could have added more than 118 million dollars to annual gross national product.

As grocery prices continue to rise, a study by researchers at Penn State found that in addition to increased spending, the price hikes are also associated with higher risk of food insufficiency and worse mental health conditions.

Experimental soil warming in a northern subtropical secondary oak forest significantly alters reactive soil silicon concentrations, but these shifts manifest only during specific seasonal windows rather than as year-round averages.

A decentralized peer-to-peer robotics protocol paired with lightweight edge computer vision enables autonomous robot swarms to coordinate field scanning and predict crop quality in real time.

A comprehensive triangulated review reveals two decades of UAE date palm research while highlighting critical gaps in technology adoption and supply chain integration.

A study in Lasius niger ants reveals that peripheral injury triggers chronic pain-like sensitization marked by allodynia and time-dependent hyperalgesia.

A Belgian study of 42 forest patches shows the capped Index of Biodiversity Potential rises with time since management ceased but frequently maxes out, underestimating true differences between managed and unmanaged woods.

Full-fat dairy may not be the health villain it has long been portrayed as, according to a new study finding that three daily servings did not worsen weight, cholesterol, or insulin resistance over 12 weeks. Researchers also observed improvements in blood pressure and nutrient intake, raising questions about longstanding recommendations to choose low-fat dairy.

An interpretive structural modelling study reveals that nine socio-technical facilitators form an interdependent cluster driving stakeholder trust in agricultural blockchain adoption.

A Nigerian team built a reusable calcium oxide and aluminum oxide catalyst from snail shells that converted high-acid jatropha oil to biodiesel at 93.4 percent yield without acid pretreatment.

A staged reliability framework reveals how parameter uncertainty drives failure risks in composite open-pit mine slopes despite deterministic safety margins.

A study in Northwest China explains how combining growing-season drip irrigation with post-harvest winter leaching prevents secondary soil salinization and preserves crop yields in hyper-arid river basins.

Endophytic bacteria isolated from two cactus species enhanced root biomass in greenhouse strawberry plants under reduced fertilization.

A study of 48 winter-grazed dairy cows found that calving sites split among natural shelter, artificial shelters and open paddock, with parity, rainfall and calf-to-dam weight ratio shaping the choice.

Researchers developed analytical estimating equations for constant-ductility residual displacement ratio spectra of inelastic structures considering soil-structure interaction effects.

A household survey in Kigoma, Tanzania reveals that Banana Bunchy Top Disease triggers catastrophic income losses while behavioral barriers undermine community disease prevention.

A 40-day anoxic microcosm study shows that flooding induces iron reduction, destabilizing mineral-associated soil organic carbon and driving methane and carbon dioxide emissions while expanding the chronic carbon pool.

A study of 342 Italian farms finds female operators achieve comparable digital innovation adoption through compensatory social networks despite smaller farm size and lower capitalization.

A study of 273 smallholder farmers in Bangladesh's Barind Tract demonstrates that while knowledge and attitudes toward sustainable agriculture are favorable, actual adoption remains moderate and is primarily gated by annual farm income.

Researchers have developed an advanced circular intuitionistic fuzzy decision-making framework that identifies and sequences critical supply chain capabilities to successfully implement circular bio-economy practices across multi-stakeholder agri-food networks.

A year-long survey in Orakzai District found wild prey made up 56.67 percent of wolf scat occurrences, while all 123 interviewed livestock households reported wolf attacks and 80.5 percent held negative views of the species.

Mulch films made from whole Ulva lactuca seaweed biomass lost about 65% of their mass after two months in soil and boosted Italian red chicory leaf area and biomass compared with polyethylene mulch or bare soil in a greenhouse trial.

A CeO2-Cu composite catalyst achieved 100% glycerol conversion and 90.34% lactic acid selectivity at 190 °C while resisting copper aggregation over five reaction cycles.

ACF's latest report, "Bulldozers and Broken Promises," an investigation into deforestation, has ruffled a few feathers. But someone has to do it. Why? Because deforestation is a huge problem in Australia.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have discovered how a protein called TACO1 helps mitochondria produce proteins when the process encounters difficult sequences. The study, published in Nature Communications, provides new insights into a mechanism that is disrupted in some mitochondrial diseases.

Environmental DNA metabarcoding of 60 high-volume samples drawn from a fixed 612-meter deep-water intake off Kume Island, Japan, identified 283 deep-sea fish taxa over 26 months and revealed significant temporal shifts in assemblage composition.

Researchers carbonized corn cobs into porous carbon, loaded it with modified sodium sulfate decahydrate, and showed in micro-room experiments and simulations that the composite delays cooling far longer than air, polyurethane foam or carbon alone.

Researchers used keratinolytic Aspergillus fungi to compost chicken feather waste into a partially mature soil amendment that improved germination and growth in spinach, cabbage, and brinjal under pot conditions.

UNSW engineers have identified a number of chemicals that may merit closer scrutiny to ensure water utility companies and regulators can make informed decisions about the management of biosolids.

Microbes build a long-lived nitrogen reservoir in soil from the remains of dead bacteria and fungi, which cling to minerals and resist decay. The microbial nitrogen pump turns nitrogen taken up by living microbes into this persistent pool, and microbial nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) has long been assumed to regulate this process.

A three-year field experiment on the North China Plain found that combining winter green manure with biochar raised a composite soil quality index by 66.67 to 116.67 percent over winter fallow while maintaining maize yield under a 30 percent reduction in controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer.

Soil bacteria isolated beneath the Saharan tree Vachellia tortilis subsp. raddiana in Morocco showed strain-specific growth and auxin responses under salt and osmotic stress, with Pseudarthrobacter sp. LMR1158 and Pantoea sp. LMR881 emerging as candidates for further bioinoculant testing.

A new review maps the molecular design strategies that enable purely organic compounds to emit room-temperature phosphorescence and share triplet excitons with delayed fluorescence.