Weed control is essential in apple orchards because weeds compete with trees for nutrients, water and sunlight, which can reduce fruit yields. However, physically removing weeds is not only labor-intensive, but it also can damage soil structure and tree roots. Using chemical sprays to kill weeds can lead to other problems, such as pollution, herbicide resistance and excess chemical residues on apples. Another option called precision weed management — detecting and measuring weeds with high accuracy then applying small amounts of herbicide to control them efficiently — can help farmers avoid wasting chemicals or causing injury to crops or the environment, according to a team of researchers at Penn State. To help growers achieve such precise management, the researchers are developing an automated, robotic weed-management system.

A study reveals the underground interactions between fungi and oomycetes in twenty Andalusian dehesas, wooded pasturelands typical of the Iberian Peninsula, making it possible to identify the role of water as the main driver of microorganism diversity and to shed new light on the pathogen responsible for la seca, a disease greatly affecting the holm oak

Researchers in China developed a 'one-pot' Cas12i3/Cas13d-based assay, designated OBServe.v2, to discriminate between ASFV genotype I and II. This method demonstrates complete concordance with the PCR-sequencing method within 45 min.

Using satellite imagery and government data, researchers measured a 5 percent increase in voluntary, or non-subsidized, cover crop adoption by Arkansas farmers. Using data from 2013-2019, agricultural economists with the experiment station showed that cover crop adoption in Arkansas had the greatest association with a soybean-to-soybean cash crop rotation. The finding came out of research seeking to pinpoint how farmers were using cover crops and where, to help policymakers develop more targeted incentives for using cover crops.  

An experimental pain-relieving drug delivery method for farm animals using biodegradable microneedle patches was conducted by researchers with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station to alleviate some pain after procedures like castrations and tail docking and decrease labor for farmers. While the drugs administered through the experimental microneedle pain patches on pigs did show up in the animals’ system, the drug concentrations were not sufficient.

Despite the limited performance, the project remains a proof of concept that pig skin can absorb medication delivered through a dissolvable microneedle patch. The research team also found that the patches work better on the neck than the ear. No adverse responses were observed at application sites, highlighting the safety and tolerability of the patches. Additionally, a new approach is being developed using the microneedle patch technology as a way to incorporate tattoos for animal tagging.

Environmental pollutants such as ozone can damage the internal structure of plants and impair their growth and productivity. Conventional assessments requiring sample processing may not accurately reflect internal damage. A new study highlights the application of a novel ‘optical coherence tomography’ scanner for the non-invasive temporal assessment of live plants exposed to ozone. The technique can aid the timely detection of deficiencies and stress-induced damage, thereby supporting better plant management and improving crop productivity.  

The rapid expansion of high-throughput sequencing technologies has generated unprecedented amounts of multi-omics data, essential to advancing research in biodiversity, evolution, agriculture, medicine, and environmental science.