Agricultural and Forestry Science

The relationship between leguminous plants such as peas and beans and nitrogen-fixing bacteria is even closer than previously thought, with bacteria acting like an intrinsic part of the plant, according to research published in the journal Nature today.

Researchers from the University of Reading and the John Innes Centre, Norwich, have found that nitrogen-fixing bacteria provide more than just a supply of useable nitrogen to the plants. They have found that amino acid cycling between the pl

Scientists at the John Innes Centre (JIC) (1), Norwich, UK1 and the INRA (Institut National de Recherche Agronomique) at Evry, France(2) have today announced the creation of the largest library of genetic resources, for the study of wheat, in the world. The two scientific teams have exchanged so-called BAC libraries(3) that when combined together, represent the entire genome(4) of wheat. The research material in the libraries, and associated information, is freely available to academic and industrial scient

Pesticides are one of the most significant sources of poison to the human nervous system when misused. New research indicates that various cultures may misinterpret the directions provided by the manufacturers, thereby increasing the chances for mishandling.

The pesticide industry considers culture to be an increasing concern due to changing demographic trends – specifically, increases in migrant laborers and overall language diversity. As these trends continue, the opportunities for commun

Dutch epidemiologists have calculated that partial vaccination can stop outbreaks of swine fever. What’’s more, mother sows do not need to be vaccinated. The research was carried out at the Institute for Animal Science and Health, Lelystad, and Utrecht University.

PhD student Don Klinkenberg calculated that partial vaccinations do not exceed the limit for the outbreak of an epidemic. If the mother sows are not vaccinated, the spread of the swine fever is limited to transfer to less than on

Dutch plant ecologists have investigated how the potato cyst nematode can be controlled using Solanum sisymbriifolium, a member of the potato family. The plant produces a hatching agent which causes the nematode’’s eggs to hatch. However, the nematodes which eat the plant can no longer reproduce.

Potato cyst nematodes attack the roots of potato plants. After harvest the nematodes remain in the soil in the form of cysts. These are the dead bodies of female nematodes that are filled with egg

The newly discovered disease, Sudden Oak Death (SOD), is quickly gaining a reputation, and it’s not a good one. SOD is tenacious and lethal, using as many as 26 different plants as hosts and spreading in ways scientists don’t completely understand. Now, recent research suggests that SOD is capable of using an even greater number of host plants than previously thought. While this is not necessarily good news, it does help shed light on why SOD has been so quick to spread.

“SOD is d