Modern-day African softshell turtles have less diverse diets than their ancient counterparts, with human-driven agriculture and carrion likely shaping their change in foraging

The soil microbiome is critical for the ecosystem, and agricultural practices that promote microbial diversity can support plant health and help protect against pests. But it is unclear which practices are most beneficial, and what motivates farmers to choose them. In a new study, researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Cornell University analyzed surveys and soil samples from 85 organic farmers in New York to investigate the interaction between beliefs, management practices, and soil microbiome functions.

In the last year, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird flu, swept through chicken coops across the nation, killing egg-laying hens and contributing to rising egg prices. The outbreaks underscored how vulnerable food systems can be to rapidly spreading biological threats and how urgently new predictive tools are needed to help producers respond.

A team of researchers from the Università Statale and the Politecnico di Milano has developed a new optical imaging system for real-time visualisation of how a plant’s leaves, stem and roots communicate with each other in response to environmental stress. Mappi (MAcro Plant Projection Imaging) offers the opportunity to study plants comparable in size to those grown in greenhouses (this has been very difficult to do until now), thus taking a decisive step towards understanding the response of plant organisms to climate change. The study was published in Science Advances

Researchers from Beijing Forestry University (China) and the Smithsonian Institution (USA) have utilized advanced phylogenomic techniques to resolve long-standing debates regarding the classification of Clematis. By analyzing nuclear DNA from samples worldwide, the team proposed a robust new classification system comprising 22 sections for this economically and ecologically important genus.

Scientists from Shandong Agricultural University have uncovered a hidden side of the Green Revolution genes that transformed global wheat production. Long known for reducing plant height, these genes are now shown to reshape wheat canopy architecture by controlling tiller angle and number. By fine-tuning this genetic balance, the study reveals new ways to optimize light capture, boost yield, and design wheat varieties better suited for the demands of modern, high-density agriculture.

The UK’s wheat is under threat from a newly identified strain of the yellow rust pathogen, prompting an urgent mobilisation of research institutes to protect harvests

A new smart platform invented by Purdue University researchers to wirelessly monitor subsoil health could change the landscape of agricultural sensing systems. The invention addresses a critical need in agriculture nationwide: the efficient use of water, fertilizers and pesticides. Due to the variability of soil conditions across large fields, applying uniform amounts of these inputs can lead to significant waste, increasing costs for farmers and causing environmental harm if nutrient runoff reaches water systems.

Researchers in China identified Fusarium cugenangense as a novel causal agent of pear wilt in China. Systemic infection is demonstrated via GFP-labeling and ultrastructural analysis. This is the first report of F. cugenangense causing pear wilt disease in China.