Water scarcity has become a critical constraint on global agricultural production. Particularly in tropical and subtropical regions, major crops such as maize frequently face the dual threats of drought and high temperatures.

In agricultural production, microplastics have become environmental pollutants that cannot be ignored. They may not only enter the food chain through the soil-plant system, threatening food safety, but also alter the physical and chemical properties of soil, interfere with microbial functions, and thereby affect soil health and crop growth.

Chili is a vital cash crop in many countries, and Sri Lanka is no exception. As one of the pillar industries of the country’s agriculture, chili not only meets domestic consumption needs but also is exported to markets such as India, the Middle East, and Europe in the form of processed products like dried chili and chili powder, supporting the livelihoods of numerous smallholder farmers.

American College of Cardiology President Christopher M. Kramer, MD, FACC, issued the following statement on the release of new Dietary Guidelines for Americans by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The CRISPR “gene scissors” have become an important basis for genome-editing technologies in many fields, ranging from biology and medicine to agriculture and industry. A team from the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI) in Würzburg has now demonstrated that these CRISPR-Cas systems are even more versatile than previously thought. In cooperation with the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig and Utah State University (USU) in Logan (USA), the scientists have discovered a novel CRISPR defense mechanism: Unlike known nucleases, Cas12a3 specifically destroys transfer ribonucleic acids (tRNA) that are vital for protein production to shut down infected cells. The team published its findings today in the journal Nature.

Erik Katovich, assistant professor of agricultural and resource economics in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, published a study in The Economic Journal proving the validity of a common belief: large landowners use their money to influence local politics to benefit their operations. Katovich’s study showed that large landholders in the Amazon who donate to winning municipal politicians, like a mayor, are more likely to develop soybean farming on their properties than those who donate to a losing candidate.

In Finland, farmers who have transitioned to regenerative agriculture are forming a regenerative professional partnership with nature in their decision-making, a new study from the University of Eastern Finland shows. Published in Agriculture and Human Values, the study explored the framework of the professional partnership in decision-making between Finnish regenerative farmers and nature. The study involved 86 farmers participating in the Carbon Action Project.