Experts unlock key to photosynthesis, a find that could help us meet food security demands

Scientists have solved the structure of one of the key components of photosynthesis, a discovery that could lead to photosynthesis being 'redesigned' to achieve higher yields and meet urgent food security needs.

Ancient Egyptians gathered birds from the wild for sacrifice and mummification

In ancient Egypt, Sacred Ibises were collected from their natural habitats to be ritually sacrificed, according to a study released November 13, 2019 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Sally Wasef of Griffith University, Australia and colleagues.

Organic: Finding reveals neem oil as cowpea repellent

Contrary to the general belief that organically produced crops cannot match with the pace of our growing population toward sustainable food security, a research finding has confirmed that cowpea now got an organic pesticide to combat the devastating disease impeding its commercial production. This was contained in a number 8 monograph, 2018 of the best practices in Organic Agriculture production system.

A new tomato ideal for urban gardens and even outer space

Farmers could soon be growing tomatoes bunched like grapes in a storage unit, on the roof of a skyscraper, or even in space. That's if a clutch of new gene-edited crops prove as fruitful as the first batch.

Children allergic to cow's milk smaller and lighter

Children who are allergic to cow's milk are smaller and weigh less than peers who have allergies to peanuts or tree nuts, and these findings persist into early adolescence.

AfDB, Ogun State partner on cargo airport for produce

The President of African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina has promised to support Ogun state government in her drive to upscale agricultural productivity through the establishment of cargo airport that will uplift agricultural produce to immediate point of demand outside the country.

Overuse of herbicides costing UK economy £400 million per year

Scientists from international conservation charity ZSL (Zoological Society of London) have for the first time put an economic figure on the herbicidal resistance of a major agricultural weed that is decimating winter-wheat farms across the UK.

Mealworms safely consume toxic additive-containing plastic

Tiny mealworms may hold part of the solution to our giant plastics problem. Not only are they able to consume various forms of plastic, as previous Stanford research has shown, they can eat Styrofoam containing a common toxic chemical additive and still be safely used as protein-rich feedstock for other animals, according to a new Stanford study published in Environmental Science & Technology.

Conservation's hidden costs take bite out of benefits

Returning croplands to forests is a sustainability gold standard to mitigate climate change impacts and promote conservation. That is, new research shows, unless you're a poor farmer.

Mowing urban lawns less intensely increases biodiversity, saves money and reduces pests

The researchers combined data across North America and Europe using a meta-analysis, a way of aggregating results from multiple studies to increase statistical strength. They found strong evidence that increased mowing intensity of urban lawns -- which included parks, roundabouts and road verges -- had negative ecological effects, particularly on invertebrate and plant diversity. Pest species, on the other hand, benefitted from intense lawn management.