Autonomous pest control vehicles could become a valuable asset to farmers in the future as they create an opportunity for new intelligence and a way of managing pests in crop fields. Kansas State University precision agricultural engineer Ajay Sharda says that small, robotic vehicles could identify sites of infestation, decide if it is beyond a critical level and whether it should be sprayed. Currently, this technology is not ready for farmers, he ...
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When plant geneticists find a gene that improves crop yields, they want to try to insert that same change into other crops. But Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Professor and HHMI Investigator Zachary Lippman cautions that just knowing what a single gene does is not enough. He discovered that it pays to know what other closely related genes might be lurking in the genome to block a hoped-for improvement. In research reported in Nature Plants, Lippman, former ...
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There are many ways to go about planting a cornfield, but bucking the trend of 30-inch rows could be beneficial. Recent research from Iowa State University shows some farmers are taking an increased interest in 20-inch rows. Mark Licht, Extension cropping system specialist, wrote that the narrow-row practice has shown improvement of light interception during pollination and overall yield increases. “The primary reason is for light utilization and canopy closure,” Licht said. ...
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What Is An Organic Fertilizer? Organic fertilizer is usually made from plant or animal waste – think manure or compost. They can also be highly processed products with a compost or manure base. What Are The Advantages Of Using Organic Fertilizer? 1. Soil Structure Because of the organic matter present in organic fertilizer, soil structure is improved and as a result the soil’s ability to hold onto water and nutrients increases. >>For additional information on ...
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A technological revolution in farming led by advances in robotics and sensing technologies looks set to disrupt modern practice. Over the centuries, as farmers have adopted more technology in their pursuit of greater yields, the belief that 'bigger is better' has come to dominate farming, rendering small-scale operations impractical. But advances in robotics and sensing technologies are threatening to disrupt today's agribusiness model. “There is the potential for intelligent robots to ...
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In the very first academic publication that describes NovochizolTM research*, Anna Lipkova et al. studied the mechanical properties of bacterial cellulose impregnated with Novochizol™ and vancomycin as a candidate material for dural repair and other tissue engineering applications. In addition to providing sustained release of the antibiotic, the tested material displayed characteristics that were very similar to human dura mater, used as reference samples. This finding, along with the fact that ...
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Being a farmer in Latin America is not an easy task, especially in times of COVID-19. Although the region responded well to the challenges of the current pandemic, what will the future of agri-food systems look like? Simply being considered the world’s breadbasket isn’t enough to satisfy greater demand from a constantly growing population, maintain price stability and, above all, do it in a balanced way that protects the region’s ...
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