Timing matters: Early planting benefits soybean in unfertilized, low-fertility fields
Unfertilized soybean fields with lower soil fertility should be planted earlier than high fertility fields, according to a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign study
Gene-edited soil bacteria could provide third source of nitrogen for corn production
If corn was ever jealous of soybean’s relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, advancements in gene editing could one day even the playing field.
Songbirds socialize on the wing during migration, new study says
The night sky teems with migrating songbirds, aloft in their millions following routes etched in evolutionary time.
Smart food drying techniques with AI enhance product quality and efficiency
Food drying is a common process for preserving many types of food, including fruits and meat; however, drying can alter the food’s quality and nutritional value. In recent years, researchers have developed precision techniques that use optical sensors and AI to facilitate more efficient drying.
ACES grad student helps identify new species of invasive toad in Madagascar
Devin Edmonds isn’t like most amphibian hobbyists. For one thing, he’s now a trained herpetologist, studying frogs and turtles as a doctoral student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Illinois researchers develop model to evaluate food safety control strategies for produce industry
You’ve probably heard of product recalls involving lettuce, spinach, or other leafy greens. Consuming these popular vegetables is among the main causes of food poisoning, affecting thousands of people every year. Leafy greens can become contaminated with pathogenic E. coli or other bacteria through splashes of soil or contaminated irrigation water in the field, or through processing and handling.
Streams near farms emit high levels of greenhouse gas, studies find
In the upper reaches of a Minnesota watershed, the water is so full of dissolved nitrous oxide that University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign hydrologist Zhongjie Yu
Crayfish map gives conservation a helping claw
If you’re a crayfish, location is everything. Here in North America, times are tough for the mini crustaceans. Habitat destruction, damming, and pollution have decimated local populations, such that many species are in dire need of help. But when some of the same species were exported to Europe, they found a much more favorable environment and are thriving. A little too much — American expats bully European crayfish and spread disease, driving many local species to the brink.
Study: Innovative light technology is safe, effective for mitigating fungal contamination of cereal grains
Fungal contamination of cereal grains poses a substantial threat to food security and public health while causing hundreds of millions of dollars in economic losses annually.