A microscopic “plant destroyer” not only helped trigger one of the deadliest famines in modern history but also reshaped global agriculture and gave birth to an entirely new scientific discipline. Now, nearly 180 years after the Irish Potato Famine devastated Ireland and altered the course of human history, researchers are tracing the remarkable scientific journey of the organism behind it: Phytophthora infestans and the larger genus, Phytophthora.

It has been assumed that warming temperatures under climate change will boost agricultural pests. But a new study by UC Davis researchers based on field data from California and Spain suggests the effects will be more nuanced, depending on species, crop and location as well as temperature.

Soils are home to some of the most diverse animal communities on Earth. These animals – including nematodes, springtails, mites, earthworms, spiders and other arthropods – drive decomposition, regulate microbial communities and contribute to nutrient cycling. However, little is known about how these animals’ “trophic diversity” – meaning the variety of feeding activities – is affected by land use and climate. An international research team led by the University of Göttingen has now shown that soil animal communities have greater trophic diversity in agricultural ecosystems and in tropical regions. The study analysed carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios from over 17,000 soil samples, covering 28 major groups of organisms from 456 sites across 19 countries. The results were published in Nature Ecology & Evolution.

Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed a water-based nanotechnology formulation that improves how agricultural pesticides adhere to plant leaves, reducing chemical waste and environmental runoff while increasing effectiveness in wind and rain.

Bionema Group Ltd, a Swansea University spin-out specialising in biological crop protection and sustainable agriculture, has been awarded the King’s Award for Enterprise: Sustainable Development 2026.

Plant diseases often arise when the pathogens that cause disease are introduced into new territories. New research highlights how major plant diseases can also result from the introduction of new plants to areas where a pathogen already lurks in the soil.