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News & Articles By Edsel Cook

11/02/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Manure-based fertilizers are ideal alternatives to conventional varieties, according to a study

A seven-year-long study conducted by Spanish researchers in a farm under the Mediterranean sun has concluded its comparison of natural and synthetic fertilizers. The researchers reported that manure-based fertilizer greatly improved the crop yield, both on its own and when added to chemical fertilizer. The goal of the Universitat de Lleida (UDL) research team was […]

10/24/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Looking at alternative approaches to pest control

In response to the devastating huanglongbing disease sweeping through California’s citrus orchards, researchers are testing a biological control program. They are using two wasps from Asia that are natural enemies of the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri), an invasive species of insect that spreads the bacteria responsible for the disease. The study was supported by the University of California Riverside. […]

10/23/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Organic farming promotes better plant biodiversity

Vineyards are an ancient and valuable means of agriculture in the southern reaches of Europe. Although many have been taking up organic farming in recent years, most continue to manage their crops through the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. Spanish researchers evaluated how the adoption of organic farming methods could further benefit the agricultural […]

10/23/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Study: Marine algae thrive when given sugarcane bagasse

Researchers have identified a new use for sugarcane bagasse: Serving as substrate material for valuable microalgae that will be turned into biodiesel. They reported that the agricultural waste material is able to improve the growth and amount of lipids in marine algae, which can then be converted into biofuel. The processing of sugarcane involves mechanically […]

10/18/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Colombia works towards achieving deforestation-free cocoa production by 2020

As part of its admirable efforts to be known for highly desirable products that aren’t illegal drugs, Colombia is investing more effort into improving the eco-friendliness of its cocoa industry. An article in Mongabay reported that the Colombian government has recently promised to put a stop to deforestation linked to cacao plantations. Colombia indicated this […]

10/18/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Coal plants in Pennsylvania are dumping toxic pollution in rivers under expired permits

Pennsylvania is defined by its winding rivers and lovely lakes. But the beauty and health of those vital waters are threatened by pollution discharge from local coal plants that haven’t renewed their permits in years, according to a Sierra Club article. There are 20 coal-fired power plants operating in the state. In addition to the […]

10/17/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Organic vineyard plots are more biodiverse than conventional crop management plots

Researchers from Spain, while looking for ways of preserving biodiversity while also enabling agricultural plantations like vineyards, reported that organic farming practices could turn vineyards into biodiversity hot spots that could stop the decline of butterfly and moth populations across the continent. The researchers were supported by the Museu de Ciències Naturals de Granollers. They published their […]

10/17/2018 / By Edsel Cook

A tropical fruit found to be an effective natural fruit fly killer

There is an irony about a tropical fruit providing a natural means of killing a fruit fly. Brazilian researchers investigated the possibility of using extracts from the seeds of Annona (Annonaceae) fruits as organic insecticides against the spotted-wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii). They reported that the seed extracts could kill the fruit flies and stop them from […]

10/17/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Sugarcane is an eco-friendly option for the improved production of biomass in marine algae

Taiwanese and Vietnamese researchers tested hydrolized sugarcane bagasse as a carbon-rich substrate for Schizochytrium microalgae. They wanted to determine if sugarcane bagasse is an inexpensive means of boosting the biomass and lipids produced by the microalgae, which are being considered for use in the production of biofuel. The study was supported by Ton Duc Thang University and […]

10/17/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Controlling the soil-borne fungus Verticillium dahliae using natural approaches

American researchers tackled the means by which the spread of the pathogenic soil fungus Verticillium dahliae could be managed through natural means. They envisioned an approach where farmers would avoid planting infected seeds and instead cultivate broccoli crops that are immune to Verticillium wilt. The University of California supported this review. The researchers published their efforts in the […]

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