Add BrightSurf on Google Email

New study highlights the correlation between live corals and fishing yields

A new study published in Marine Resource Economics found that a decline in healthy coral reefs can lead to substantial losses in fisheries. The research analyzed nine fisheries dependent on Australia's Great Barrier Reef and predicted lower fishing yields if the restoration of coral reefs is not prioritized.

SourceWoods Hole Oceanographic Institution·JournalMarine Resource Economics·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 19, 2024

Gene editing and plant domestication essential to protect food supplies in a worsening climate, scientists say

Scientists emphasize the need for gene editing and plant domestication to protect food supplies due to the climate crisis. Researchers propose two strategies: introducing genes that support resistance to environmental stress into existing crops or domesticate wild plants with lower yields but higher resilience.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Science·TypeLiterature review·DateDec 5, 2024

No pollen, no seeds

North Carolina State University researchers successfully transferred an important gene from one compartment of a plant cell to another, producing tobacco plants that lack pollen and viable seeds. The findings could lead to better ways of producing hybrid seeds to maximize crop productivity.

SourceNorth Carolina State University·JournalFrontiers in Plant Science·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 15, 2023

From ground-hugging to groundbreaking: How a unique tomato mutation could transform sustainable agriculture

Researchers at Boyce Thompson Institute discovered a unique tomato mutation that unlocks the potential for enhanced fruit quality and stress resistance. The mutation, called 'adpressa', shows major transcriptional and metabolic adjustments, including increased levels of soluble sugars and enhanced growth.

SourceBoyce Thompson Institute·JournalJournal of Experimental Botany·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 7, 2023

SMART researchers develop first nanotube sensors capable of detecting and distinguishing gibberellin plant hormones

Scientists have created a non-destructive method to detect and differentiate gibberellins, a class of plant hormones crucial for growth. The new nanosensors can identify changes in GA levels across various plant species, enabling early interventions against salinity stress.

SourceSingapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART)·JournalNano Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 20, 2023

Physics of disaster: How mudslides move

A team led by Douglas Jerolmack and Paulo Arratia used laboratory experiments to understand how mudslide failure and flow behavior relates to soil material properties. They found a clear signal in 'dirty' samples using high-tech rheometers, shedding light on the tipping point for slope liquefaction.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 1, 2022

Climate change demands near perfect weed control in soybean

Research reveals that climate change and drought can cause significant yield losses in soybeans, even with high levels of weed control. To mitigate this, farmers need to adopt integrated weed management strategies, including the use of soil-residual herbicides and late-maturing soybean varieties.

Killing it softly

UCSB mechanical engineer Daniel Gianola and colleagues use machine learning to predict material failure based on a new concept of softness. By analyzing disordered materials, they found that the size of correlated softness is identical to the number of particles in motion during failure.

Sweet corn genes related to crowding stress identified

Researchers at the University of Illinois identified clusters of genes that are associated with yield under crowding stress in sweet corn, finding that high-yielding hybrids utilize gene activities more directly related to carbohydrate accumulation. The study also found a common genetic basis for the yield response in six tested hybrids.

Unlocking jams in fluid materials

Researchers developed a theoretical model to understand how to best avoid jamming of soft matter, which can be applied in food and cosmetics production. The model takes into account common properties between three classes of materials: soft matter, metallic liquids, and granular materials.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal E·DateOct 5, 2011

Fluctuations In Food Supply Increasing

The world's major cereal crops have increased variability in quantity from year to year, posing a risk to the poorest people who spend much of their income on food. Long-term climate change, technology adoption stages, and other factors contribute to these fluctuations.