A new study co-authored by University of Illinois weed scientist Patrick Tranel shows that Palmer amaranth populations from Arkansas are now resistant to a class of herbicides known as PPO-inhibitors (PPOs). PPOs were used extensively in the early 1990s in soybeans, but when Roundup Ready^® crops came along, most farmers switched to using glyphosate, with PPOs applied to soil prior to weed emergence.

Building resilience is crucial to enable fragile communities, especially in rural areas, cope with the increasing frequency and magnitude of natural disasters and the growing threat of pandemic diseases, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva today told participants at the World Humanitarian Summit.

Malawi's seed sector has called on the Government to consider genetically modified drought tolerant maize to counter the food shortages caused by frequent droughts in the country. The Government was also requested to fast-track the commercialization of insect resistant (Bt) cotton whose confined field trials (CFTs) have been concluded.

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, has released the first annual report on the State of the World's Plants, a baseline assessment of current knowledge on the diversity of plants on earth, the global threats these plants currently face, as well as the policies in place and their effectiveness in dealing with threats.

Scientist Matin Qaim from Georg-August-University of Goettingen, Germany, together with researchers from COMSATS Institute of Information Technology and International Livestock Research Institute, Islamabad in Pakistan conducted a study to assess the employment effects of Bt cotton adoption in female laborers in Pakistan. The researchers used farms survey data and double-hurdle regression models.

Bees make a priceless contribution to agriculture and are a bellwether for environmental health, working without pay while both delivering and reflecting biodiversity. "A world without pollinators would be a world without food diversity - and in the long run, without food security," FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said today during a visit to Slovenia that ending at the national beekeepers' festival.

A team of researchers from Florida State University and Cornell University has proven that a small percentage of the entire maize genome is responsible for almost half of the plant's trait diversity. FSU's Hank Bass and Daniel Vera, together with Cornell University colleagues Eli Rodgers-Melnick and Ed Buckler, found that a small portion of chromatin — the complex of DNA and its associated proteins — accounts for 40 percent of heritable trait diversity in maize.

A team of researchers from Florida State University and Cornell University has proven that a small percentage of the entire maize genome is responsible for almost half of the plant's trait diversity. FSU's Hank Bass and Daniel Vera, together with Cornell University colleagues Eli Rodgers-Melnick and Ed Buckler, found that a small portion of chromatin.

What we eat matters not just for our health, but for the planet, too. Yet only a handful of pioneering governments have issued guidelines promoting “win-win” diets that can help tackle two of the most urgent challenges of our time: securing good nutrition for all and addressing climate change.

Last week, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the targeted allocation of $72.3 million for conservation practices, including those that promote soil health and carbon storage. The funding will be delivered through the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) during the current fiscal year