Agriculture
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It's super-sustainable, easily made and nutrient-dense. And it puts all other food production to shame. Now, the first air-protein factory is open. It's the food of the future, and soon a $100 million industry – but will you be putting it on your plate?
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Specially tagged "sentinel plants" could soon provide an early warning of crop problems such as insect damage or bacterial infection. These plants would utilize two "glowing" sensors that react to stress-related compounds in the leaves.
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A worm-filled gel has been shown to protect crops from pests, without the use of environmentally-unfriendly pesticides. Its not-so-secret ingredient is scores of tiny nematodes, which ordinarily can't survive outside of their underground habitat.
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The application of crushed rock to farmers' fields may not only reduce greenhouse gases, it could also boost crop yields by up to 16%. These are the findings of a new study conducted by scientists from the University of Sheffield.
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A new technique may make it easier to selectively breed crop plants for better, deeper roots. The non-destructive process involves quickly checking a plant's leaves to see how far down its roots go into the soil.
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Thanks to a recent discovery regarding marine algae, scientists have developed crop plants that absorb a fuller spectrum of sunlight, resulting in better growth. The finding could also lead to increased production of biofuels.
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When it comes to protecting crops via insect-blocking netting, you may think that the size of the holes in that netting is the most important factor. According to new research, however, the color of red netting makes an even bigger difference.
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Korean scientists have taken muscle and fat stem cells from cows and transplanted them into grains of rice. The end result is a new, high-protein food that should be cheap, environmentally friendly, and useful for famines, military or space travel.
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Much as we may like sun-dried tomatoes, they're typically pretreated with sulfur dioxide or salt before the drying process, which may be carried out in an oven. By contrast, a new type of cherry tomato has been bred to dry right on the vine.
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When vineyards are exposed to wildfire smoke, the grapes may absorb compounds which end up detracting from the flavor of the wine. A spray-on coating could help, however, keeping wines from being described as possessing "a hint of burning forest."
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Chinese scientists have developed a cost-effective method of converting coal into protein, which they say could feed livestock much more efficiently than natural plants, while using a tiny fraction of the land.
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The "microbiome" is the population of microbes found in every organism. Scientists have now genetically altered that population in rice plants, making them more resistant to harmful bacteria. The technology could reduce the need for pesticides.
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