U. of I., College of ACES appoints Matthew Vann to lead Illinois Extension
Matthew Vann has been named the new associate dean and director of University of Illinois Extension, the flagship public engagement organization housed in the
Bioreactors reduce phosphorus from agricultural drainage water, Illinois study shows
Tile drainage is a common practice used in agricultural fields to remove excess water, but it also transports harmful nutrients into water bodies, contributing to algal blooms that deprive aquatic life of oxygen. Woodchip bioreactors are an efficient way to reduce nitrogen pollution by treating the water as it exits the field. However, these denitrifying bioreactors may leach phosphorus from the woodchips into the environment.
Genomic techniques can streamline breeding for grain quality
Small grains researcher Juan David Arbelaez-Velez knows the secret to making perfect rice — and it’s not about how you cook it. Arbelaez and his team are investigating the genetic blueprint that determines different grain attributes such as appearance, cooking time, and texture.
Yield of Dreams Field Day takes Agronomy Days into home stretch
Agronomy Days at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign continues on with events scheduled into September, providing farmers, academics, and locals with a season-long series providing opportunities to discover the latest agronomic breakthroughs.
Biologicals vs. biostimulants: Illinois study clarifies crop input confusion
Every time Fred Below and Connor Sible meet with Illinois farmers, they get the same question. “What’s the story with these biologicals? Do they work?”
Crucial mutant corn stocks threatened under 2026 USDA budget
When most growers plant corn, they expect perfect, uniform rows and plump and pearly yellow kernels lining the cob. But a group of USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists intentionally plant the misfits — some gnarled and speckled, others sprouting tassels where ears should be — to perpetuate the wide array of genetic variation in the Midwest’s most economically important crop.
Stephen Long recognized as 2025 World Food Prize Top Agri-Food Pioneer
Stephen Long, Ikenberry Endowed Chair Emeritus of Plant Biology and Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
New land grant research detects dicamba damage from the sky
Drones can now detect subtle soybean canopy damage from dicamba at one ten-thousandth of the herbicide’s label rate — simulating vapor drift — eight days after application.
Corn after soy: New study quantifies rotation benefits and trade-offs
While the majority of Midwestern farmers rotate corn and soybeans, commodity prices and corn yield advantages compel some to plant corn year after year.