The pinewood nematode is a devastating pest for pine forests in Asia and Europe. A new modelling study, produced by INRAE for the European HOMED project in collaboration with Wageningen University in the Netherlands and the University of Lisbon in Portugal, compares the cost-effectiveness of different methods for monitoring and controlling the pinewood nematode in homogenous pine stands, based on an INRAE-developed dispersal model of the nematode’s insect vector. The results, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, show that aerial surveillance is more effective than ground surveys conducted from forest roads and tracks. Selective felling of trees showing symptoms of pinewood nematode infestation offers a better cost-effectiveness ratio than clear-cutting, as it avoids the losses incurred by felling non-infested trees. Under optimal monitoring conditions, the selective felling of trees could, in future, reduce by a factor of 200 the costs of control measures and crisis management. These results will be considered in the review and assessments carried out by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to improve the related European regulation, drawing on the modelling work and pinewood nematode control methods available.

A research team has developed a sustainable, leak-free thermal energy storage material by embedding stearic acid (SA) into a carbon aerogel derived from chitin, a naturally abundant biopolymer.

A new study has found that biochar made from agricultural waste such as chestnut shells and vine prunings could help deliver beneficial compounds more effectively in animal feed, offering a promising alternative to antibiotics in livestock production.

A new study has introduced a more accurate way to evaluate how biochar interacts with water, offering important insights for agriculture, soil management, and environmental sustainability.

With a new grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, a team of researchers led by Case Western Reserve University is developing advanced nanocomposite materials for sustainable food-packaging designed to help food stay fresh longer while reducing the environmental impact. 

The Case Western Reserve-led research will focus on developing environmentally friendly packaging materials from renewable biological resources, including plant-based materials, such as corn, wood and agricultural residues.

 

The team will design biodegradable films that incorporate natural melanin-based nanoparticles. That material will help protect food from microbes, ultraviolet light and oxidation while maintaining mechanical strength, transparency and effective barrier performance.