Empowering over 600 farmers in Sierra Leone through service learning
Through my studies at the University of Illinois, I have developed a close affinity to Sierra Leone. In no way am I a Sierra Leonean, but I am a friend.
Maternal depression can lead to children’s emotional overeating, study shows
Up to 25% of new mothers suffer from postpartum depression, which can significantly impact their parenting behavior and the wellbeing of their children.
‘Sustainable intensification’ on the farm reduces soil nitrate losses, maintains crop yields
A nine-year study comparing a typical two-year corn and soybean rotation with a more intensive three-year rotation involving corn, cereal rye, soybean and winter wheat found that the three-year system can dramatically reduce nitrogen — an important crop nutrient — in farm runoff without compromising yield.
The new findings are detailed in the journal Frontiers in Environmental Science.
International sabbaticals benefit faculty and college
An international sabbatical promotes professional and personal development and can increase an individual’s value to the university, as demonstrated by several College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) faculty who have pursued such opportunities to study and conduct research in a foreign country.
Illinois researchers spearhead efforts to establish guidelines for personalized nutrition approaches
Personalized nutrition (PN) has gained popularity in recent years as a customized approach to health outcomes. PN combines biomedical, genetic, and lifestyle data to provide individualized recommendations, and a plethora of companies offer various forms of health screenings, apps, programs, products, and diet advice.
Studies reveal key genes for corn architecture, identifying future breeding targets
The physical structure of corn plants — including the angle of leaves bending from the stem and the number of pollen-laden tassel branches — makes a big difference for yield. Compact plants can be planted closer together, adding up to more ears per acre. But compact corn didn’t happen by accident; years of hybrid breeding did that. Now, two new genome-based studies are making it possible to precisely adjust corn architecture to meet future demands.
Illinois researchers develop next-generation organic nanozymes and point-of-use system for food and agricultural uses
Nanozymes are synthetic materials that have enzyme-like catalytic properties, and they are broadly used for biomedical purposes, such as disease diagnostics. However, inorganic nanozymes are generally toxic, expensive, and complicated to produce, making them unsuitable for the agricultural and food industries.