When farmers harvest their grain, they can choose to sell it right away or store it to obtain better prices later in the season.

In a newly released TED Talk, Stephen Long a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professor of plant biology and crop sciences, detailed his and his colleagues’ efforts to boost photosynthesis in crop plants. He described three interventions, each of which increased crop yields by 20% or more. 

Ozone (O₃) in the troposphere negatively impacts crop growth and development, causing significant decreases in crop yield worldwide. This airborne pollutant does not come directly from smokestacks or vehicles, but instead is formed when other pollutants, mainly nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, react in the presence of sunlight. In an increasingly polluted atmosphere, understanding what plants are tolerant of O₃ is critical to improving crop productivity and resilience.

Over the past decades, Brazil has become the world’s leading soybean producer, as well as the leading consumer of pesticides. Despite concerns about potential public health consequences, little is known about the effects of pesticide exposure in the general population.

URBANA, Ill. — Illinois farmers can now sample their fields for soybean cyst nematode (SCN) at no cost, thanks to the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) and the

As the world focuses on not only solving the climate crisis but also sustaining the world’s food supply, researchers need tools to evaluate how atmospheric pollutants affect crops. Over the past decade, the agriculture community has turned to solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) measurements to detect stresses on plants.

URBANA, Ill. — As a source of protein and biodiesel for cleaner renewable energy, soybean is an important crop worldwide. But is it performing to its full potential?

The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) welcomed dozens of international guests to the Crop Sciences Research and Education Center on August 28 to learn about the latest research in sustainable agricultural production, human dimensions of agriculture, and information management from its renowned faculty.

URBANA, Ill. — A new analysis from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the USDA-Agricultural Research Service<

URBANA, Ill. — For those whose primary experience with corn is the butter-drenched cob variety, it might come as a surprise that other forms of sweet corn are in trouble.