CPSC

URBANA, Ill. – A team of Extension researchers from the University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental sciences has published its 2018 field research results related to crop pests and diseases in Illinois.

URBANA, Ill. – Plants convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis; however, most crops on the planet are plagued by a photosynthetic glitch, and to deal with it, evolved an energy-expensive process called photorespiration that drastically suppresses their yield potential. Today, researchers from the University of Illinois and U.S.

URBANA, Ill. – In biomedical research, plant breeding, and countless other endeavors, geneticists are on the hunt for the specific genes responsible for disease susceptibility, yield, and other traits of interest. Essentially, they’re looking for needles in the enormous haystack that is the genome of an organism.

As a frame of reference, the human genome is made up of 3.2 billion base pairs, an estimated 30,000 genes. Where do geneticists even start?

For the past 15 years, many have relied on genome-wide association studies (GWAS). 

URBANA, Ill. – When humans experience stress, their inner turmoil may not be apparent to an outside observer. But many animals deal with stressful circumstances – overcrowded conditions, not enough food – by completely remodeling their bodies. These stress-induced forms, whether they offer a protective covering or more camouflaged coloration, can better withstand the challenge and help the animal survive until conditions improve.

URBANA, Ill. – Dormant winter pruning always leaves a mess of trimmings that end up being composted or placed in your yard bin. But there is another use for those trimmings: plant clones.

“Plant propagation is the science and practice of creating new plants,” said Bruce J. Black, University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator. “Creating new plants can be done with woody trees and shrubs or softer, herbaceous plants.”

URBANA, Ill. – Of the nine Illinois researchers recently recognized by Clarivate Analytics as Highly Cited Researchers, three are affiliated with the Department of Crop Sciences in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. They include Elizabeth (Lisa) Ainsworth, Stephen Long, and Donald Ort.

URBANA, Ill. – Corn naturally tolerates certain herbicides, detoxifying the chemicals before they can cause harm. It’s what allows farmers to spray fields with the class of herbicides known as HPPD-inhibitors, which kill weeds such as waterhemp and Palmer amaranth and leave corn unscathed. But in more and more fields, the method is failing; waterhemp isn’t dying.

URBANA, Ill. – Americans use a lot of salt, according to Chris Enroth, a horticulture educator with University of Illinois Extension. “Potato chips aside, I’m talking about the amount of de-icing salt we put out into the environment every winter.”

How much deicing salt does America go through every year? A Purdue study showed property owners in the U.S. apply more than 15 million tons of deicing salts to their driveways, patios, and walkways, and that’s not including salt applied to roadways.

URBANA, Ill. – This week, families across the U.S. will gather around Thanksgiving tables in a traditional celebration of the season’s bounty. By improving how key crops transform sunlight into yield, Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE) will one day help farmers put food on more tables worldwide, especially where it is needed most.

URBANA, Ill. – Light is essential to all plants, indoor and out.

“It is easy enough to spot plants that aren’t receiving enough light to grow, but what about flowering, which is promoted by light sensitivity in plants?” said Andrew Holsinger, University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator. “The type of plant and its location in the house are important for the ability to flower.”