Green hydrogen is considered to be an important part of the global climate transition, especially as a fuel and energy carrier for heavy transport and industry. However, large-scale green hydrogen production requires sustainable ways of managing water resources to avoid giving rise to water shortages and conflicts with agriculture over access. This has been shown in a unique study from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, that connects local water supply with a range of scenarios for future hydrogen needs in Europe.

A research paper recently published in Science China Life Sciences reports that the transcription factors OsMADS18 and OsbZIP60 in rice interact to form a core transcriptional regulatory module. This module directly regulates chalkiness-related genes and activates the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway, coordinately regulating the formation of stress-induced grain chalkiness. The findings highlight the central role of the OsMADS18–OsbZIP60 interaction in regulating rice grain quality and provide new insights into the genetic regulation of this agronomically significant trait.

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (Leipzig) have shown how natural ocean cycles and rainfall patterns prevent a synchronised, planet‑wide drought and global-scale agricultural collapse. Based on over 100 years of climate data, the study finds that though warming increases drought severity, synchronised droughts are rarer than expected, affecting only 1.8–6.5% of land at any time. By treating droughts as a connected global system, the research team has identified key “drought hubs” and early‑warning regions that can help stabilise food markets.

When a plant's immune system is triggered, its growth is stunted. Colorado State University researchers have discovered how to turn on a hormone that allows plants to keep growing as they defend against disease and pests – a breakthrough that could increase crop production.

Researchers at the University of Oulu, Finland, have developed new high-performance bio-based resins that can replace conventional oil-based materials in composite products — without compromising strength, cost, or industrial scalability.