A recent review of studies on dark chocolate found that its flavan-3-ols and oleic acid may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Flavonoids, also present in other plant foods, aid in warding off heart disease, while oleic acid from olive oil promotes heart health.
University of Florida scientists are helping North Florida growers produce a crop in November by tricking strawberry plants into acting like spring has arrived. The process involves putting young strawberry plants in refrigerated trailers for about two weeks, making them think they've been through the required winter chilling period.
Researchers found that bees can deliver a biological fungicide to strawberry blooms more effectively than mechanical sprayers, reducing infected strawberries by 72 percent. The bee-delivered natural fungicide was as effective as chemical sprays at preventing gray mold, a common disease in strawberries.
A study by UC Davis scientists reveals that two organisms - a fungus and a bacterium - cause blossom blight in strawberries. The fungus Cladosporium cladosporioides renders the fruit unattractive, while the bacterium Xanthomonas fragariae causes occasional fruit loss, mainly of minor economic importance.