Agriculture
Categories
Not sure where to start? Choose a topic below.
Genetic sequencing uncovers unexpected source of pathogens in floodwaters
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Researchers report in the journal Geohealth that local rivers and streams were the source of the Salmonella enterica contamination along coastal North Carolina after Hurricane Florence in 2018 – not the previously suspected high number of pig farms in the region. These findings have critical implications for controlling the spread of disease […]
Lightning sparks scientists’ design of ultraviolet-C device for food sanitization
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a portable, self-powered ultraviolet-C device called the Tribo-sanitizer that can inactivate two of the bacteria responsible for many foodborne illnesses and deaths. The Tribo-sanitizer’s UVC lamp is powered using the triboelectric effect – electricity that is generated when two dissimilar materials come into contact. […]
In TED Talk, Long describes three photosynthetic changes that boost crop yields
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — 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. Long is the director of the […]
Management zone maps of little use to corn growers, study finds
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A multiyear analysis tested whether management zone maps based on soil conditions, topography or other landscape features can reliably predict which parts of a cornfield will respond best to higher rates of seeding or nitrogen application. The study found that – contrary to common assumptions – crop-plot responses to the same inputs […]
Library’s 15-millionth volume is influential manuscript on agricultural management from Middle Ages
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A medieval manuscript by an English agronomist describing the agricultural management of a manor is the 15-millionth volume of the collection of the University Library at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The manuscript is a 14th-century copy of the text of Walter of Henley’s 13th-century work “Hosbondrye,” one of the most influential […]
Researchers propose a unified, scalable framework to measure agricultural greenhouse gas emissions
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Increased government investment in climate change mitigation is prompting agricultural sectors to find reliable methods for measuring their contribution to climate change. With that in mind, a team led by scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign proposed a supercomputing solution to help measure individual farm field-level greenhouse gas emissions. Although locally […]
New book chronicles personal, professional journey studying futures markets
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. —A new book by a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign expert in agricultural commodity markets explores a lifetime spent studying the massive markets that underpin the global financial system. Scott Irwin, the Laurence J. Norton Chair of Agricultural Marketing in the department of agricultural and consumer economics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, is […]
Bollero named College of ACES dean
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Germán Bollero will be the next dean of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, pending approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees. The appointment takes effect April 16. Bollero’s title will be dean designate until board approval. Bollero has served as the […]
Are Illinois farmers aware of the risk of tick-borne diseases?
Tick-borne illnesses like ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever are on the rise in Illinois, and outdoor workers like farmers are at higher risk than those who spend more time indoors. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Ph.D. candidate Sulagna Chakraborty and her colleagues at Illinois led a new study on the subject that surveyed […]
Study demonstrates energy-efficient conversion of nitrate pollutants into ammonia
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The nitrate runoff problem, a source of carcinogens and a cause of suffocating algal blooms in U.S. waterways, may not be all gloom and doom. A new study led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign demonstrates an approach for the integrated capture and conversion of nitrate-contaminated waters into valuable ammonia within a […]
A soybean protein blocks LDL cholesterol production, reducing risks of metabolic diseases
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A protein in soybeans blocks the production of a liver enzyme involved in the metabolism of triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein, scientists found in a recent study. Consuming soy flour rich in the protein B-conglycinin has the potential to reduce LDL cholesterol levels and lower the risk of metabolic diseases such as atherosclerosis […]
Bill & Melinda Gates Agricultural Innovations extends RIPE funding with $34M grant
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Bill & Melinda Gates Agricultural Innovations has awarded a grant of $34 million to the Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency project, an international research effort led by scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In its 10-year history, RIPE has demonstrated large increases in crop productivity in replicated field trials on the university […]